Category Archives: Monarchy

Sussexes decided ‘not necessary’ for Meghan to join royal summit

Posted on by

As royals including Harry return to engagements, aides counter reports Meghan barred from talks

The Duchess of Sussex did not take part in the Queen’s Sandringham summit to decide future roles for herself and Prince Harry, it has emerged, as the remaining full-time working royals returned to their round of official engagements.

Before Monday’s crisis family meeting, sources had indicated Meghan was likely to be personally involved in the urgent discussions precipitated by the couple’s shock announcement that they intended to “step back” from frontline royal duties.

Continue reading...

Trudeau: there will be ‘many discussions’ about Harry and Meghan’s security – video

Posted on by

Following the shock statement by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex last Wednesday that they want to 'step back' as senior royals and divide their time between Canada and the UK, questions were raised over whether Canadian taxpayers would have to pay for the couple's security during their time in the country. Speaking to Canadian broadcaster Global News on Monday, the country's prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said: 'There will be many discussions to come on how that works'

Continue reading...

Harry and Meghan: Queen gives reluctant blessing to couple’s plans

Posted on by

She agreed to a ‘period of transition’ and stressed the Sussexes remain ‘a valued part of my family’

The Queen has given her reluctant blessing to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to split their time between the UK and Canada, making it clear that though she had wanted the couple to remain as full-time working royals, she supported their decision.

After a historic summit of senior royals at Sandringham, details over exactly how Harry and Meghan will carve out the new “progressive” roles they seek remained unclear. The Queen has, however, agreed to a “period of transition” and stressed the couple remain “a valued part of my family”.

Continue reading...

Queen says Harry and Meghan will have ‘period of transition’ in UK and Canada in first statement – live news

Posted on by

Monarch says she ‘would have preferred’ couple to remain full-time working royals as day of Sandringham talks concludes

Buckingham Palace has just released the following statement from the Queen:

Today my family had very constructive discussions on the future of my grandson and his family.

My family and I are entirely supportive of Harry and Meghan’s desire to create a new life as a young family. Although we would have preferred them to remain full-time working Members of the Royal Family, we respect and understand their wish to live a more independent life as a family while remaining a valued part of my family.

Reports are coming in from correspondents at Sandringham that the royals have left the estate.

The meeting is over. The senior Royals have been seen leaving Sandringham.
We await news ...#HarryandMeghan

Charles, Harry and William have all been photographed leaving Sandringham separately #SandringhamSummit

Continue reading...

Prince William: Harry and I are now separate entities

Posted on by

‘I’ve put my arm around my brother all our lives and I can’t do that any more,’ prince says

The Duke of Cambridge has expressed his sadness over tensions with his brother before Monday’s crisis summit at Sandringham called by the Queen to decide the future of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The brothers are now “separate entities” but Prince William hopes matters can be resolved so the royal family can once more play as “a team”, according to reports.

Continue reading...

Harry and Meghan: Queen calls senior royals to crisis summit

Posted on by

The Queen, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex to meet at Sandringham on Monday

The Queen has summoned senior royals to an emergency summit at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk on Monday to discuss the future of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The meeting, to be attended by the Queen, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex, will be the first time the four have met since the Sussex crisis exploded on Wednesday.

Continue reading...

Harry and Meghan could face fight to protect ‘Sussex Royal’ brand

Posted on by

Pair may have to file objection after EU trademark application is apparently made from Italy

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex face having to potentially make an objection to protect their would-be brand “Sussex Royal” after an application was lodged with EU authorities to trademark a range of goods including beer and jewellery.

In what may be the latest attempt to either squat on or protect the couple’s brand, it was lodged on Thursday by an applicant who appears to be based in Italy and filed it in German, with English listed as a second language. Database searches suggest it was made in the name of Ui Phoenix Kerbl, possibly after the Guardian reported on Thursday that the Sussexes had yet to register their brand outside of the UK.

Continue reading...

Meghan returns to Canada as Queen calls for ‘workable solution’

Posted on by

Fallout continues over royal couple’s decision to ‘step back’ from monarchy

The Duchess of Sussex was back in Canada on Friday as royal officials tasked with hammering out new roles for her and Prince Harry were said to be “progressing well”.

As Meghan turned to her friends for support, the Queen, the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Cambridge were said to be adopting a pragmatic approach to the couple’s bid to become hybrid royals.

Continue reading...

‘Rogue royals’? Pundits furious over Harry and Meghan’s step back

Posted on by

Announcement by pair that they are stepping back from public life brings hysterical response

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to step back from public life has provoked vitriolic attacks on the couple and hyperbolic predictions on what it could mean for the monarchy.

The announcement came after Prince Harry and Meghan criticised media intrusion and launched legal action against the Mail on Sunday. This, along with reports that the couple’s decision has upset the Queen, appears to have fuelled the ferocity of the reaction.

Continue reading...

Meghan and Harry’s story is quite the drama, but it’s no abdication crisis

Posted on by

Edward VIII’s love for an American divorcee plunged the country into constitutional chaos. These latest goings on are hardly in the same league, despite what some might say

There is a school of thought that believes Edward VIII chose Mrs Simpson precisely because of his aversion to doing the top job. Subconsciously, some think, the king chose a partner who could not be reconciled with the monarchy, in order that he might create a way out of it for himself. Perhaps in time people will be imposing that remote diagnosis on the Duke of Sussex. At some level, was Harry drawn to a woman whose nature would ultimately necessitate their joint escape from the institution?

Either way, a mere 83 years after the experiment was first tried, it is clearly much too soon to say whether marrying American divorcees generally works out well for the House of Windsor. I’m joking, of course. You need at least three instances of anything for it to officially become a trend.

Continue reading...

Prince Harry and Meghan to step back from royal family

Posted on by

Duke and Duchess of Sussex say they intend to ‘work to become financially independent’

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to step back from public life and work towards financial self-sufficiency after a period marked by open warfare with the media over claimed intrusion and bullying.

The couple plan to split their time between the UK and North America, the continent of Meghan’s birth, as they raise their son.

Continue reading...

Prince William unveils ‘Earthshot prize’ to tackle climate crisis

Posted on by

Move is hailed by Sir David Attenborough as ‘the most prestigious environment prize in history’

Prince William has announced what was described as “the most prestigious environment prize in history” to encourage new solutions to tackling the climate crisis.

The “Earthshot prize” will be awarded to five people every year over the next decade, the Prince said on Tuesday, and aims to provide at least 50 answers to some of the greatest problems facing the planet by 2030.

Continue reading...

Queen acknowledges ‘bumpy’ year as royal family attends Christmas services

Posted on by

Prince Andrew attends celebrations but not main service, while Queen acknowledges young people’s action on climate crisis

The royal family was out in force in a public show of Christmas unity as the Queen dwelt on the themes of friendship and reconciliation in her annual message and acknowledged a “quite bumpy” path during a turbulent year for both the monarchy and the nation.

The beleaguered Duke of York joined other members of the family for the traditional celebrations at Sandringham in Norfolk in his first appearance since he was forced to step down from official royal duties over his friendship with convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.

Continue reading...

Prince Philip to spend ‘a few more days’ in hospital

Posted on by
Queen is not changing her Christmas schedule as Duke of Edinburgh remains in London

The Duke of Edinburgh is expected to stay in hospital for a few more days while receiving treatment relating to a “pre-existing condition”.

His planned admission on Friday to King Edward VII’s Hospital in central London, which has treated members of the royal family for decades, was described as precautionary by Buckingham Palace.

Continue reading...

Prince Philip treated in hospital for pre-existing condition

Posted on by

Ninety-eight-year-old moved from Norfolk to the King Edward VII hospital in London

The Duke of Edinburgh has been admitted to hospital for observation and treatment in relation to a pre-existing condition, Buckingham Palace said.

In a statement, the palace said: “The Duke of Edinburgh travelled from Norfolk this morning to the King Edward VII hospital in London for observation and treatment in relation to a pre-existing condition. The admission is a precautionary measure, on the advice of his royal highness’s doctor.”

Continue reading...

‘Help me fight this fight’: Virginia Giuffre in plea to public over Prince Andrew scandal

Posted on by

American tells BBC she was told to have sex with royal by Jeffrey Epstein’s friend Ghislaine Maxwell

A beleaguered Prince Andrew faced fresh embarrassment after his accuser Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was trafficked as a teenager to have sex with him, appeared on television to implore the British public to “not accept this as being OK”.

In her first UK broadcast interview, Giuffre repeated allegations she had sex with the prince when she was aged 17 on the instructions of Ghislaine Maxwell, a socialite and close friend of the US financier and sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein, who killed himself in August.

Continue reading...

Prince Andrew to stand aside from all 230 of his patronages

Posted on by

Move follows BBC interview about association with sex offender Jeffery Epstein

Prince Andrew is to withdraw from scores of charities in a move that appeared designed to protect the monarchy from further humiliation over his association with Jeffrey Epstein.

Buckingham Palace confirmed on Sunday that the Duke of York was “standing back from all his patronages” but indicated he still hoped to return to a public role at some point by saying the move was only temporary.

Continue reading...

Prince Andrew and the royal crisis: How the Firm lost its grip

Posted on by
The Duke of York’s interview has exposed a leadership vacuum within the House of Windsor

Future historians may conclude that Prince Andrew’s defining achievement was to gift the nation a new verb.

Following a tumultuous week when his car-crash interview shook the House of Windsor so vigorously it seemed its palaces were in danger of losing their crenellations, the Duke of York now finds himself banished from duties. His fate is the 21st-century equivalent of that which befell the difficult minor royals of previous eras who were locked up in asylums, away from the public gaze.

Continue reading...

Met faces new questions over ‘trafficked’ teen in Epstein case

Posted on by
Victims’ tsar to query Force’s decision not to act over Prince Andrew claims

The Victims’ Commissioner is demanding that the Metropolitan Police explain its decision not to pursue a full investigation into claims a teenager was trafficked to the UK to have sex with Prince Andrew.

The Observer understands that Dame Vera Baird QC, a former solicitor general and chair of the Board of the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners, has taken a close interest in the allegations, first examined by Scotland Yard in 2015.

Continue reading...