Tag: royal family

  • Prince Harry ‘regretful and embarrassed’ over interview with Oprah Winfrey

    Prince Harry ‘regretful and embarrassed’ over interview with Oprah Winfrey

    Prince Harry is reportedly “embarrassed and regretful” over his and wife Meghan Markle’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. The interview plunged the monarchy into its biggest crisis since Princess Diana’s death in 1997.

    Read more – Prince Harry’s exit had been a long time plan of another member of the royal fam

    Duncan Larcombe, author of Prince Harry: The Inside Story, told the UK’s Closer Magazine that Harry is probably feeling “regretful and embarrassed” after disclosing his family issues in front of the whole world. The biographer believes while Meghan seemed “in her element”, Harry “clearly looked numb and torn” upon leaving back for Los Angeles after attending late Prince Philip’s funeral ceremony.

    Larcombe is convinced that the 36-year-old Duke of Sussex and his wife may have a problematic marriage in the future because Harry will remain nostalgic about the royal life which he has given up while Meghan will keep enjoying her life in LA which had been her longtime dream.

    Duncan justifies Harry’s anger towards the Royal family as his “hot-headedness”.

    “Harry was clearly hurt and angry about Meghan’s experience with the royals — and used the interview to get it out,” said Duncan. “But after returning home, I’ve no doubt he’s been feeling embarrassed, regretful and awkward. He’s now facing the consequences. I believe he’ll regret that interview — and maybe his decision to leave the royal family.”

    “Coming home has reminded him of everything he’s sacrificed in recent years — and of the recent damage done,” added the author.

    When asked what his predictions are about Harry’s future equation with his family, the expert said: “I can’t see how Harry can live this new life and keep things harmonious with his family,” adding that it will be a “lose-lose situation.”

    “I just don’t think that Harry will be able to live harmoniously as a part of these two worlds — the royals and the LA showbiz world.”

    Duncan warns Harry of embarking on a “very difficult” journey due to his decision of marrying Markle and bidding farewell to his Royal roots.

  • Kate and William celebrate 10 years of marriage

    Kate and William celebrate 10 years of marriage

    To celebrate a decade of their marriage, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge released photographs showing the couple snuggling in happy embrace, a contrast to the tensions that have gripped Britain’s royal family in recent weeks.

    The images show Prince William, second-in-line to the throne, and the former Kate Middleton in complementary shades of blue. One image is reminiscent of their engagement photo.

    They also shared a short heartfelt video of their entire family including their children.

    Second-in-line to the throne William, 38, and Kate, 39, married at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011, after first meeting at university and then dating for more than seven years. They got engaged in 2010 after William proposed with Diana’s diamond and sapphire engagement ring.

    “When I first met Kate I knew there was something very special about her,” William had said in an engagement interview.

    They now have three children — seven-year-old Prince George, Princess Charlotte, five, and Prince Louis, three — and their family represents several generations destined to head the centuries-old institution for years to come.

    After 10 years carrying out solo and joint royal duties as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as they have been formally known since tying the knot, the couple are among the most popular monarchy members.

    Kate recently drew widespread praise for her demeanor and style at Prince Philip’s funeral, with a striking photograph of her arriving by car wearing a black veil and face mask making waves around the world.

    The image drew comparisons with William’s late mother, Princess Diana.

    William is far more preferred than his 72-year-old father, with around a third of Britons wanting him to succeed his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, instead.

    Meanwhile, Kate is the third most popular family member behind the 95-year-old queen and William. Two-thirds of people had a positive opinion of her, according to a YouGov poll published Tuesday.

  • Prince Harry’s exit had been a long time plan of another member of the royal fam

    Prince Harry’s exit had been a long time plan of another member of the royal fam

    Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s sudden exit from the Royal family and move to California sent waves of shock across the world leaving royal fans baffled and shocked.

    Interestingly, renowned royal biographer, Angela Levin told talkRadio that Prince Harry actually quit being a member of the royal to do something Prince Charles had always wanted for a long time. Levin claims that Harry’s farewell to royalty was actually a selfless attempt to “cut the monarchy down in the future and save cash so that people be worth the money they paid for taxes”.

    “This is something Prince Charles had wanted as well,” added Levin, explaining that the Queen does not approve of the “cutting down the monarchy”. According to Levin, the Queen very rigid when it comes to changes especially ones involving monarchy restructuring.

    Levin even referred to the Queen’s lifelong attempt to hold the Royal family together as nothing more than a “sentimental gesture”.

    She said that all that would change when Charles assumes the throne and the new slimmed down royal family will include only Prince Charles, his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Charles’ eldest son, Prince William, and his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge and their three children.

    Those not in the smaller, inner circle may have to enter the public workforce to support themselves financially and could lose their patronages or titles.

    The news comes amid rumours that Prince Harry might cancel his upcoming trip to the UK in July after the “very, very cold reception” he received from the royal family at Prince Philip’s funeral.

    A royal expert has claimed that Harry may also reconsider his return for the unveiling of a statue of his late mother Princess Diana.

    “Some quarters of the family did give him a frosty reception and perhaps that did shock him somewhat,” Russell Myers told talkRADIO, adding the birth of Harry and Meghan’s second baby could provide a “convenient excuse” not to “face the family”.

    The statue of Princess Diana was commissioned to mark the twentieth anniversary of her death and recognise her efforts for her country and those across the world. It will be installed in the Sunken Garden of Kensington Palace on July 1, 2021, marking what would have been her 60th birthday. The statue had been commissioned by Harry and William two years ago and at this stage, it is one of their only joint ventures.

  • William, Kate play with sheep, drive tractors

    William, Kate play with sheep, drive tractors

    After going through a depressive period following Prince Philip’s death and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s bombshell interview, Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton headed out to the countryside, driving to a lush green farm in County Durham, where they took a sustainable farming tour. The visit took place two days before the couple’s 10th wedding anniversary.

    The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge also met the farmers’ nine and seven-year-old daughters who described the encounter as “nerve-wracking” as they didn’t expect the royal couple to be this kind.

    According to the couple’s official Instagram account, Kensington Royal, Kate and William took turns riding a GPS-controlled tractor, discussed mental health issues arising due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and talked about future targets for sustainable farming to address climate change issues.

    They were also shown some of the tools used at the farm including grass monitoring, land rotation and feed sampling to improve productivity and ensure that they are able to give back to the environment and increase their sustainability.

    Their second visit of the day was to a local youth project Cheesy Waffles Project which benefitted from donations from the couple’s Royal Wedding Charitable Gift Fund in 2011. The project supports children, young people and adults with additional needs aged 7 to 35 from across County Durham.

    During their trip there, Kate and William, tried their hand at golf and took part in an art project.

    Meanwhile, the Queen also undertook her first public engagement since Prince Philip’s funeral holding two virtual meetings from Windsor Castle with the Ambassador from Latvia and the Ambassador from Côte d’Ivoire.

  • Queen Elizabeth marks 95th birthday in private

    Queen Elizabeth marks 95th birthday in private

    Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, the world’s oldest monarch, turns 95 on Wednesday, but there will be no public celebrations just days after she bade farewell to her husband of seven decades at his funeral.

    Prince Philip, whom Elizabeth married in 1947, died on April 9 at the age of 99. The royals paid their final respects to the family’s patriarch at his funeral on Saturday at Windsor Castle.

    Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the queen sat alone during the sombre service for Philip, who she had described as her “strength and stay”.

    Elizabeth, who is also the world’s longest-reigning monarch, will be at the castle for her birthday, which traditionally passes off with little or no ceremony.

    However, this year, with the royals marking two weeks of mourning, there will be no gun salutes at the Tower of London or the capital’s Hyde park which usually occur on the queen’s birthday.

    “I was at the funeral on Saturday, her Majesty was, as always, more concerned with other people than herself, and she will be on her birthday,” Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, told Reuters.

    “She doesn’t do ‘I’m the most important person in the room’. She does ‘I mind about the other people more than about myself’. She is an extraordinary person.”

    The queen also has an official birthday, which is usually celebrated with greater pomp on the second Saturday in June.

    Queen’s Birthday in 2019

    Philip’s death has robbed Elizabeth of her closest and most trusted confidant, who had been beside her throughout her 69-year reign.

    Newspapers have suggested that family members would be visiting the queen over the coming days to ensure she would not be left alone while mourning her late husband.

    A Buckingham Palace spokesman declined to comment, saying all family matters after the funeral would be private.

    Elizabeth was born on April 21, 1926, in Bruton Street, central London. She ascended to the throne in 1952 at the age of 25, and surpassed her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria as Britain’s longest-reigning monarch in September, 2015.

    Elizabeth is also queen of 15 former British colonies including Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

    “I would like to send my warm wishes to Her Majesty The Queen on her 95th birthday,” British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Twitter. “I am proud to serve as her prime minister.”

  • Who will be attending Prince Philip’s funeral?

    Who will be attending Prince Philip’s funeral?

    Queen Elizabeth II’s husband Prince Philip will be laid to rest today (April 17) at Saint George’s Chapel in Windsor. The 99-year-old Duke of Edinburgh passed away on April 9, 2020.

    The funeral ceremony will just have 30 guests in attendance, in line with government COVID-19 regulations. Heir to the throne Charles, his wife Camilla, and the monarch’s three other children and eight grandchildren, as well as all their spouses, will be among those present.

    Read more – Royals to not wear military uniform at Philip’s funeral ‘to avoid embarrassing Harry’

    Attendees including the Queen will be required to wear face masks, sit apart and observe COVID-19 social distancing rules.

    Queen Elizabeth will be accompanied to the venue in the state Bentley by a lady-in-waiting, before sitting alone in the chapel.

    Furthermore, William and Harry will not walk side by side in the procession, Buckingham Palace has revealed, giving traction to reports of rifts between the two. According to details, Princess Anne’s son, Peter Philips, is positioned between them and William will move ahead of his younger brother as the royal mourners enter in pairs.

    Meanwhile, here is the full list of mourners who will attend the funeral of Prince Philip at St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle:

    1. Queen Elizabeth II
    2. Prince Charles, eldest child of the queen and Prince Philip
    3. Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Charles’ wife
    4. Princess Anne, second child of the queen and Prince Philip
    5. Vice Admiral Timothy Laurence, Anne’s husband
    6. Prince Andrew, third child of the queen and Prince Philip
    7. Prince Edward, youngest child of the queen and Prince Philip
    8. Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Edward’s wife
    9. Lady Louise Windsor, Edward and Sophie’s daughter
    10. James, Viscount Severn, Edward and Sophie’s son
    11. Prince William, eldest son of Charles and the late Princess Diana
    12. Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, William’s wife
    13. Prince Harry, younger son of Charles and Diana
    14. Peter Phillips, son of Princess Anne and her first husband Mark Phillips
    15. Zara Phillips, daughter of Princess Anne and Mark Phillips
    16. Mike Tindall, Zara’s husband
    17. Princess Beatrice, elder daughter of Prince Andrew and ex-wife Sarah, Duchess of York
    18. Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Beatrice’s husband
    19. Princess Eugenie, younger daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah
    20. Jack Brooksbank, Eugenie’s husband
    21. Lady Sarah Chatto, daughter of the queen’s late sister Princess Margaret
    22. Daniel Chatto, husband of Lady Sarah Chatto
    23. David Armstrong-Jones, Earl of Snowdon, son of Princess Margaret
    24. Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, a cousin of the queen
    25. Edward, Duke of Kent, a cousin of the queen
    26. Princess Alexandra, a cousin of the queen
    27. Bernhard, Hereditary Prince of Baden, a German great-nephew of Prince Philip
    28. Prince Donatus, Landgrave of Hesse, a German cousin of Prince Philip
    29. Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, a German great-nephew of Prince Philip
    30. Penelope Knatchbull, Countess Mountbatten of Burma, a friend of Prince Philip, married to the grandson of Philip’s uncle Lord Mountbatten
  • Royals to not wear military uniform at Philip’s funeral ‘to avoid embarrassing Harry’

    Royals to not wear military uniform at Philip’s funeral ‘to avoid embarrassing Harry’

    Senior members of the royal family will not wear military uniform at Prince Philip’s funeral, in a break with tradition designed to avoid embarrassing Prince Harry, British media has reported.

    The Duke of Sussex, who lost his military titles after stepping down as a senior working royal, faced being the only senior male royal not in uniform, despite having served two tours in Afghanistan. According to protocol, he is required to wear civilian dress, although he would be allowed to wear his medals.

    On the other hand, the Duke of York Prince Andrew, who stepped back from public duties following the controversy over his friendship with the disgraced financial and sexual offender Jeffrey Epstein, was due to be promoted to the rank of admiral in 2020 to mark his 60th birthday, but this did not go ahead following the fallout from his disastrous Newsnight appearance.

    The dilemma that exists is the fact that both the royals are the only ones to have seen active service – Harry in Afghanistan and Andrew in the 1982 Falkland Islands conflict.

    As a result, the 94-year-old queen decided all royals should wear mourning suits to avoid any embarrassment. It was “the most eloquent solution to the problem”, said a source while talking on the matter.

    At a ceremonial royal funeral like Prince Philip’s, it has been traditional for uniforms to be worn. They were worn at the last ceremonial royal funeral, that of the Queen Mother. However, a no-uniform rule was adopted for the private family funeral of Princess Margaret, when mourning dress was worn, and for the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, who was by then no longer an official member of the royal family.

    The decision is a break with tradition for ceremonial royal funerals and will contrast with the strong military presence that will be on show to honour the duke, who served with distinction in the second world war.

    Meanwhile, Prince Philip’s funeral is scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 17. Preparations for the funeral are underway and a specially built Land Rover will carry his coffin from Windsor to St George’s Chapel. The car had been designed by the Duke himself, reportedly 18 years ago.

    The funeral ceremony will just have 30 guests in attendance, in line with government regulations. Heir to the throne Charles, his wife Camilla, and the monarch’s three other children and eight grandchildren, as well as all their spouses, will be among those present.

    Other guests include the children of the queen’s late sister Princess Margaret, and three of Philip’s German relatives — Bernhard, the hereditary prince of Baden; Donatus, prince and landgrave of Hesse; and Prince Philipp of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. Countess Mountbatten, Penelope “Penny” Knatchbull, who was Philip’s carriage driving partner and one of his closest friends, is also invited.

    Prime Minister Boris Johnson opted against attending to free up a space.

    Attendees including the Queen will be required to wear face masks, sit apart and observe COVID-19 social distancing rules.

    Queen Elizabeth will be accompanied to the venue in the state Bentley by a lady-in-waiting, before sitting alone in the chapel.

    Furthermore, William and Harry will not walk side by side in the procession, Buckingham Palace has revealed, giving traction to reports of rifts between the two. According to details, Princess Anne’s son, Peter Philips, is positioned between them and William will move ahead of his younger brother as the royal mourners enter in pairs.

    As young boys in 1997, the pair provided the most poignant image of their mother Princess Diana’s funeral as they walked, heads bowed, behind her coffin. Prince Philip had accompanied them, alongside their father Prince Charles and uncle Charles Spencer.

    The funeral will be Harry and William’s first public meeting since Harry’s shock move to the United States last year and Oprah’s bombshell interview. The brothers have reportedly fallen out over Harry’s departure.

  • Prince Philip passes away at 99

    Prince Philip passes away at 99

    Queen Elizabeth II’s husband and the longest-serving consort of any British monarch Prince Philip has died at age 99.

    In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen has announced the death of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.”

    “His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle,” it added.

    The statement also said that further announcements will be made in due course.

    Philip, who retired from public duties in 2017, had earlier been admitted to hospital on February 16, 2021. He went back home after nearly a month during which he was treated for a pre-existing heart condition and an infection.

    His death comes just months before his 100th birthday in June — an event typically marked in Britain with a congratulatory message from the queen, who is now Britain’s longest-serving monarch.

    The couple, who celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary in November, had been living largely in isolation at Windsor Castle, west of London because their advanced age put them at heightened risk from COVID-19. They received their first vaccinations against the virus in January.

    Officially known as the Duke of Edinburgh, Philip married Prince Elizabeth in 1947, five years before she became Queen and had been by his wife’s side throughout her 69-year reign, the longest in British history. During this time he earned a reputation for a tough, no-nonsense attitude and a propensity for occasional gaffes. He is also credited with playing a key role in modernising the monarchy in the post-World War Two period, and behind the walls of Buckingham Palace being the one key figure the queen could turn to and trust.

    “He has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years,” Elizabeth said in a rare personal tribute to Philip made in a speech marking their 50th wedding anniversary in 1997.

    Read more – ‘We’re not a racist family’: Prince William rejects Meghan’s claims of racism

    The couple had four children, eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

  • Prince Harry, Meghan announce first Netflix series

    Prince Harry, Meghan announce first Netflix series

    Prince Harry will produce a documentary about the Invictus Games for disabled military veterans — the first series under a lucrative deal he and wife Meghan Markle signed with Netflix after moving to California last year.

    Harry, who served with the British military in Afghanistan, will appear on camera and executive-produce Heart of Invictus, a multi-episode series which follows competitors as they train for next spring’s competition in The Hague.

    “This series will give communities around the world a window into the moving and uplifting stories of these competitors on their path to the Netherlands next year,” said Harry in a statement.

    The program will be the first released by the couple’s Archewell Productions, which inked a sprawling deal with streaming giant Netflix last September to produce “impactful” films and series.

    “As Archewell Productions’ first series with Netflix, in partnership with the Invictus Games Foundation, I couldn’t be more excited for the journey ahead or prouder of the Invictus community for continuously inspiring global healing, human potential and continued service,” said Harry.

    No financial terms were disclosed, but the deal is reported to be multi-year and exclusive to Netflix.

    Multiple other projects rumoured to be in development include a nature documentary series and an animated series focused on inspiring women, although former Suits star Markle has no plans to return to acting.

    “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the Archewell Productions team are building an ambitious slate that reflects the values and causes they hold dear,” said Netflix content chief Ted Sarandos.

    “From the moment I met them, it’s been clear that the Invictus Games hold a very special place in their hearts, and I couldn’t be happier that their first series for Netflix will showcase that for the world in a way never seen before.”

    Harry has previously appeared in Paralympics documentary film Rising Phoenix, and launched the first Invictus Games back in 2014.

    The couple first went public together at the Games’ September 2017 edition.

    The Olympics-style sports event taking place in The Hague in the Netherlands was initially scheduled for 2020 but was twice delayed to spring 2022 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    As well as following their training, the series will also dive into the competitors’ “powerful stories of hope and resilience.”

    The couple quit the British royal family and moved to California last year.

    An explosive interview they gave to Oprah Winfrey last month — in which they claimed an unnamed royal had asked how dark their baby’s skin would be — plunged the monarchy into its biggest crisis since the death of Lady Diana.

  • Archbishop of Canterbury says he did not marry Harry, Meghan in secret

    Archbishop of Canterbury says he did not marry Harry, Meghan in secret

    The archbishop of Canterbury has confirmed that he legally married Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at Windsor Castle in May 2018, despite the couple’s claim that they had another, private, ceremony three days earlier.

    During a bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey last month, Meghan had said that “three days before our wedding we got married.”

    “We called the archbishop and we just said, look, this thing, this spectacle is for the world, but we want our union between us,” she said. “So the vows that we have framed in our room are just the two of us in our backyard with the archbishop of Canterbury.”

    Though Meghan didn’t elaborate on the private service, many people said that it wasn’t legally binding because of the absence of witnesses.

    Justin Welby has now contradicted the couple’s claims and said that they legally married at the castle on May 19, 2018, but would not disclose what occurred at private meetings before that.

    “I signed the wedding certificate, which is a legal document, and I would have committed a serious criminal offence if I signed it knowing it was false,” said Welby, who is head of the church of England.

    Welby told Italian newspaper La Repubblica that “I won’t say what happened at any other meetings,” adding that he’d had “a number of private and pastoral meetings with the duke and duchess before the wedding.”

    In the interview with Winfrey, Meghan had claimed that she had experienced racism and callous treatment from the royal household and the press during her time as a working member of the royal family. William rejected Meghan’s claims saying that “We’re not a racist family”, while the Queen said that they will address the couple’s concerns privately.

    In early 2020, Meghan and Harry announced they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media.