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Royal author Omid Scobie hit out at claims the Duchess of Sussex influenced in any way Prince Harry‘s decision over his exit from the Firm, his family or any other aspect of his life. Appearing on the YouTube channel of Common Sense, the author of the flattering but unauthorised biography Finding Freedom said: “It’s bizarre, because I think that the image that is often portrayed is that Meghan is a sort of witch-like character that has cast a spell over Harry and he is unable to make a decision for himself, to think straight, to treat his relationship with his family in the way that he wants or tell his own story without her involvement.”
Referring to the six-part Netflix documentary released in December focused on the Sussexes’ romance, struggles with the media and exit from the Firm, Mr Scobie added: “And actually, it couldn’t be further from the truth, and I think that’s something that the docu-series addressed really well, how much of that journey was Harry in the driving seat and Meghan just sort of figuring it out as they went alone. But I think again these are things that don’t suit the narrative.”
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Kate, Princess of Wales, and her husband Prince William visited Windsor Foodshare on Thursday to hear about how the organisation supports local individuals and families.
The Prince and Princess of Wales also helped volunteers to sort food donations and prepare packages for those helped by the charity.
Windsor Foodshare, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary later this year, helps an average of 150 people per week with its services.
While it marks the couple’s second joint outing this year, Kate has already undertaken solo engagements, focusing on her work with early years development.
After almost 12 years in the Royal Family, Kate is a seasoned working royal and according to one expert, the Princess has modelled herself on a particularly successful member of the Firm — the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Gyles Brandreth, author of Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, has pointed out a key way Kate is following in the footsteps of Her Majesty.
In his book, Mr Brandreth recalled a conversation he had with Prince Philip when Kate first stepped onto the royal scene. “When Catherine Middleton came along as a potential bride for his grandson, Prince William, the Duke of Edinburgh was, he told me, ‘relieved to find her such a level-headed girl’,” he wrote.
“‘If you believe the attention is for you personally,’ he warned, ‘you’re going to end up in trouble. The attention is for your role, what you do, what you’re supporting. It isn’t for you as an individual. You are not a celebrity. You are representing the Royal Family. That’s all. Don’t look at the camera. The Queen never looks at the camera. Never. Look at who you’re talking to. Look at what you’ve come to see.’”
Mr Brandreth continued: “I have been on walkabout with the Duchess of Cambridge. She does not look at the camera. Whenever she is interviewed, Catherine talks about the matter in hand, never about herself.”
Kate and Prince William showed once again their competitive side during their latest engagement carried out in Berkshire.
Staff at the non-profit Windsor Foodshare welcomed the royals and spoke about the work the organisation has been doing in support of people struggling financially for the past 10 years.
For the occasion, Kate donned a fuchsia jumper matching her long coat and paired with black wide-leg trousers.
Prince William donned dark blue trousers paired with a green jumper and blue jacket on top of a shirt.
While at the food bank, the pair heard more from volunteers and staff about the work being carried out at the charity, how the operation runs and how the cost of living crisis is impacting it.
They also rolled up their sleeves and helped prepare some parcels for the food bank’s clients.
Prince William was seen looking intently at a list while pushing a trolley and placing items in various bags.
The Princess was also spotted helping out, as she pushed her own trolley while speaking with staff about the items available.
The pair were then filmed chatting with staff and seemingly teasing each other over who prepared the parcels better.
Later in the morning, as they were bidding farewell to the staff, the Prince and Princess were left in stitches as one told them: “One of you is better at packing than the other…”
William quipped in response: “One of us is better at cooking than the other!”
The Royal Family has yet to grapple with racism, a royal expert has claimed, despite Prince Harry calling several incidents cases of “unconscious bias”.
The Duke of Sussex’s comments came during his ITV interview with Tom Bradby to promote his new book, Spare.
Speaking as a guest on Common Sense, an independent news platform, Omid Scobie, the co-author of the couple’s unofficial 2020 biography ‘Finding Freedom’, said: “I know Harry called it unconscious bias but I’m still going to call it racism.
“I think it is only not racist when it is unconscious, the second someone makes it conscious to you and you try to minimise it or skirt the topic, or recollections may vary it, that is racism.
“Even me saying that makes people feel uncomfortable but that is the reality.”
The Royal Family has decided to keep quiet following remarks made by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as they fear speaking out “would unleash even more criticism”, a royal correspondent believes.
Charles Rae, who has followed the Firm for 30 years, says King Charles’ strategy is in keeping with the long-held ‘never complain, never explain’ protocol.
This is in contrast to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle who have publicly aired their frustrations with the institution in recent months.
Rae said: “I believe the Royal Family has decided to keep quiet as they believe, and I think it is right, it would unleash even more criticism from Harry and Meghan.
“If they respond to one part of the accusations, then the question will be is the remainder accurate.”
Relaxed residents in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s hometown remain nonplussed about the furore surrounding the Duke’s memoir where sales remain steady.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, locals described chance encounters with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – though said these were few and far between as the private couple “may as well live in Iowa”.
Spare hit shelves on January 10, selling 1.43 million in the US, UK and Canada on the first day – but it appears to have made less of an impact where they live in California.
Mike Moore, 83, is the owner of Book Den bookshop in sandy Santa Barbara, located six miles from the Sussex residence in Montecito.
He says Spare is on sale in his store for $36 (£29) – which is “sort of high” for a biography generally retailing at $28-$32.
He said: “We have it, we’ve had it since opening day. Our sales are decent with it but they’re not exceptional.”
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Prince Andrew have ‘no place’ on the balcony at the King’s Coronation as they are no longer senior working royals, Daily Express royal correspondent Richard Palmer has said.
Buckingham Palace released new details about the once-in-a-lifetime event on Sunday but details about the guest list, including the invite status of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, are yet to be revealed.
Speaking to host Pandora Forsyth on this week’s Daily Express’ Royal Round-Up, Mr Palmer said: “My guess is that they will, the King will take the moral high ground.
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When King Charles III‘s Coronation takes place in May this year, speculation is mounting that his wife, Camilla, will have the word ‘Consort’ removed from her title.
Daily Express Royal Correspondent Richard Palmer explained that there’s “no official word from the Palace on that” but suggested that a change is on the horizon.
Speaking to host Pandora Forsyth on this week’s Daily Express Royal Round-Up, Mr Palmer said: “Some papers refer to her as the Queen.
I think they will drop the Consort at some point. Every Queen Consort has just been known as the Queen.”
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have been savaged for their “whinging” by Princess Diana’s butler, who believes people are “sick” of the Sussexes’ story.
Paul Burrell, 64, served as Princess Diana’s butler for 10 years and the two were so close that Diana often described him as her “rock”.
Burrell slammed the Sussexes for airing their grievances so publicly and claimed people were fed up with the “ugly” conversations being had following the release of Prince Harry‘s memoir Spare.
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Meghan Markle’s old acting CV has resurfaced – revealing impressive ‘special skills’ listed by the Duchess of Sussex in a bid to find work.
The résumé, believed to be from when she was about 24, lists Meghan’s experience before she found fame in the role of Rachel Zane on the global hit legal drama Suits.
It also shows how many strings the talented 41-year-old royal has to her bow – from ballet to speaking multiple languages.
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Mr Scobie, who is the co-author of the Sussex biography ‘Finding Freedom’, has spoken out about the couple, claiming the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and in particular Meghan, were “doomed” from the very beginning.
Speaking as a guest on Common Sense, an independent news platform, Mr Scobie added that most things within the royal institution have “rarely ever moved forward” and that Meghan‘s existence alone has “changed the waters around her”.
Mr Scobie said: “Her private secretary had said that, you know, you’ll come in and you’ll be like, sort of, a foreign microbe or something in the, sort of, biosphere of the Royal Family.
“Every other cell will come and try and fight that and push you out but, at some point, you become part of it.”
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However, he is recognised in the Court Circular — the official record of past royal engagements — as “accompanied” rather than a working royal in his own right. So do you think he should be recognised as one? Vote in our poll.
Meghan Markle does not want to appear as if she’s manipulative or “had a hand in shaping” Prince Harry’s memoir, according to a royal commentator.
Royal biographer Christopher Andersen believes the Sussexes are “sensitive” to critics who say the Duchess has a “mesmeric sway” in their relationship.
The royal author said: “Meghan clearly doesn’t want to make it look as if she’s somehow manipulating Harry, or that she’s had a hand in shaping his memoirs.
“The Sussexes are very sensitive to the fact that their critics believe she has some mesmeric sway over him. The fact is, this is Harry’s story, and for better or worse he has to own it.”
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Prince Harry could “make a case” to receive security protection in the US as a “distinguished foreign guest”, former CIA counter-terrorism officer Bruce Riedel has claimed. Mr Riedel, who now works as a senior fellow for the Brookings Institution think tank, added: “Some ambassadors are given special protection. It would help if the British government weighed in.
“He has taken a risk in his statement about killing 25 Taliban but it is not a big risk.”
Speaking with The Sun, the commentator added the Taliban never operated in the US since the war in Afghanistan had begun and don’t have an international reach, particularly not in the States.
In his book Spare, Prince Harry revealed to have killed 25 Taliban – a number, he said, he would have preferred “not to have” on his military CV. In his memoir, the Duke of Sussex also said it was paramount for him to retain, after he stepped down as a working royal, the security level granted to him throughout his life to keep his family safe.
However, he claimed he was taken away the taxpayer-funded security at the end of March 2020. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s relocation to California that year also sparked a clash with then-President Donald Trump, who said the US Government would not fund their security.
The Sussexes responded by saying they had “no plans to ask the US government for security resources”.
Support for a republic has grown in Australia since the publication of Prince Harry‘s memoir Spare, a new poll shows.
The results, courtesy of the Sydney Morning Herald, show a five percent jump in those in favour of a republic in Australia. 1,606 voters were surveyed as part of the poll.
Looking deeper into the results, the poll also revealed that of this 40 percent, 22 percent were strongly in favour and 18 percent were somewhat in favour of a republic respectively.
The number of Australians who want their country to leave the monarchy has grown since a last poll was taken after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September.
Read more about the poll here
In their docu-series for Netflix titled Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess revealed they first spoke via Instagram.
Meghan was the first to send a message, writing to Harry: “Hello! Beautiful photos.”
Read the full story here
Kate and William appeared in high spirits as they stepped out of Adelaide Cottage to visit Windsor Foodshare.
Staff at the non-profit welcomed the royals and spoke about the work the organisation has been doing in support of people struggling financially for the past 10 years.
At the organisation, which forms part of Windsor Christian Action, Kate and William heard how staff provide short-term weekly help in the form of food parcels containing ambient foods, bread, eggs, fresh fruit and vegetables to any local household where there is a likelihood of an individual or family going hungry due to a lack of funds.
Windsor Foodshare also provides toiletries and cleaning products to those in need on a monthly basis.
Read the full story here
Appearing on GB news, the former aide to Margaret Thatcher said Harry and Meghan “underestimated” the level of backlash to the book claiming that it is “the reason Meghan has been so quiet.”
The royal enthusiast went on to claim: “After all, she has treated Harry like a useful idiot for many years and now Harry is undermining the Meghan brand and obviously she is not happy about that.”
Mr Gardiner claimed the book, which contains a number of bombshell revelations about the Royal Family, has been a “spectacular disaster” for the image and standing of Harry and Meghan.
Read the full story here
King Charles III’s coronation could be overshadowed by the publication of a book by Virginia Giuffre, who accused Prince Andrew of sexual abuse.
Ms Giuffre, 39, has reportedly signed a book deal 12 years in the making which is set to detail alleged meetings with Prince Andrew.
She claims she was trafficked by convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his associate Ghislaine Maxwell, alleging the Duke of York sexually assaulted her when she was 17 – allegations he has vehemently and repeatedly denied.
Last year, Andrew, 62, settled a civil claim by Ms Giuffre with a reported £3 million out-of-court settlement, which did not represent an admission of liability on the Duke’s behalf.
Read the full story here
He told Express.co.uk: “I think it would be a wise move for the whole family to reconcile.
“The whole situation is embarrassing in the sense that you’re having so much dirty laundry shared with millions of people and a lot of private moments.”
He continued: “I think there was a scene in the documentary where Meghan was shown a text from Prince William to Harry. It seemed quite intrusive. In what should be a very private moment.
“I also think when Meghan was getting text messages from people like Beyonce and the cameras happened to be turned on as soon as she got the message.
“I feel like a lot of it seems quite contrived and self-involved. I don’t know. It just seems like a lot of it could have been avoided.”
Read the full story here
Good morning from London. I’m Alice Scarsi, I’ll be bringing you all the latest developments on the Royal Family. Please feel free to get in touch with me as I work if you have a story or tips to share! Your thoughts are always welcome.
Email: alice.scarsi@reachplc.com
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