We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info
The Duke of Sussex will sit down for an interview with ITV’s broadcaster Tom Bradby, a move likely to send shockwaves through Buckingham Palace. The chat is reportedly being recorded this month and will air in January to coincide with the release of Prince Harry‘s memoir, Spare. The decision, reported by The Times, to speak with Mr Bradby is particularly poignant, as the journalist is a friend of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the first interviewer with whom Meghan opened up about her mental health struggles in the wake of her pregnancy and intense public scrutiny. Reports Harry will speak with Mr Bradby follow claims the Duke will publicise his book in the US with an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, to be aired on January 8. These rumoured chats will surely add to concerns already harboured by Buckingham Palace regarding the content of the memoir. Harry is believed to have written about his childhood and upbringing in the 416-page book, which leads to thinking he may have included criticism against King Charles III and even Queen Camilla.
THIS LIVE BLOG IS NOW CLOSED
Prince Harry will promote his memoir with a number of interviews (Image: GETTY)
US fans of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have rallied to their defence after the recent controversy following the release of their documentary series Harry and Meghan and a new Netflix project.
In the series, the couple discussed how they met and their departure from royal life, as they made claims about their poor treatment by sections of the media.
Writing in the New York Times, Salamishah Tillet, Pulitzer prize-winning professor at Rutgers University, shared her experience of watching the documentary, referring to a scene where an exasperated Meghan talks of how hard she tried as a member of the Royal family after the pair moved to Canada in 2020.
The critic and professor stated: “For women, especially women of colour, ‘I tried so hard’ is a frustratingly familiar refrain, particularly when paired with ‘it still wasn’t good enough, and you still don’t fit in.”
Speaking to American broadcaster CBS, Ayesha Hazarika (a former UK political advisor) said: “Meghan and Harry have become a bit of a lightning conductor for a lot of anger from a lot of these people who are clinging to the past.”
On the US talk show The View, co-host Sunny Hostin talked of how the Duke and Duchess “are suffering,” adding, “they took over their narrative, and they have every single right to do that.”
Nigel Farage has accused Meghan Markle of “outright lies” after a video was leaked on social media of the Duchess performing a curtsey four years prior to claiming she did not know how to carry out the greeting when meeting the late Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
In a video posted on his Twitter feed on Tuesday evening, the former leader of the Brexit Party, who has been vociferous in his comments about the estranged royals, said Meghan and Prince Harry were “the most dishonest people that have ever walked the face of the earth”.
The Royal Family has been engulfed in two consecutive racism incidents in the last two months, raising questions about the Firm’s commitment to tackling such issues.
In early December, a Buckingham Palace reception was overtaken by a racism row which could scarcely have come at a worse time.
Shortly after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made allegations of racism in the Royal Household, Lady Susan Hussey repeatedly asked a black union boss whether she was “really” from Britain.
According to a royal correspondent, the Royal Household plans to respond to the issues with additional training about diversity and inclusion to the Palace staff.
Daily Express Royal Correspondent Richard Palmer told Royal Round-Up: “They said as part of the resolution of that particular dispute between the two women [charity boss Ngozi Fulani and Lady Susan Hussey], they are going to see what lessons they can take and learn from the organisation that she represents.
“And they’re going to enhance training given to all staff about diversity and inclusion issues.
“They were already promising to do some this, and they have clearly taken on board some of the criticism.
“For example, in the last couple of years, they have been setting themselves targets to increae the proportion of people who work for the royal household who are from an ethnic minority background.”
King Charles could abandon the late Queen’s tradition of taking the train from London to Sandringham, according to a royal correspondent.
Her Majesty the Queen would every year jump on a passenger train from London bound to Sandringham house in Norfolk, where she would spend Christmas with the Royal Family before her annual Christmas message to the British people on December 25.
Due to his climate activism, the new King could ditch the train for another mode of transportation, Daily Express correspondent Richard Palmer suggested.
The Daily Express Royal Correspondent confessed “one of my favourites” each year was the Queen getting on the regular train service at London’s King’s Cross station to go up to the Kingsland and then on to Sandringham for the start of Christmas.
“And I am not clear whether the King is going to do that.”
Conservative MPs have demanded The Sun newspaper take immediate action after Jeremy Clarkson’s criticism of the Duchess of Sussex.
Jeremy Clarkson’s Sun newspaper column has sent shockwaves throughout British media and raised questions about the limits of columnist’s criticism of public personalities.
The piece, in which he says he “hated” the Duchess of Sussex, was met with an avalanche of complaints to ISPOS, making it the regulator’s most complained story in a matter of hours.
Daily Express Royal Correspondent Richard Palmer joined the chorus of critics, saying the former Top Gear broadcaster has crossed a red line.
The former wife of Prince Andrew, Sarah Ferguson, is set to join King Charles and other senior members of the Royal Family at, Sandringham, to mark the first Christmas since the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
Sarah is grandmother to Princess Beatrice’s daughter Sienna, one, and Princess Eugenie’s son August, also one.
She spoke to Hello! Magazine about her role in the Royal Family’s festivities.
“I love a family Christmas,” Ms Ferguson said.
“I’m so proud of my children as mothers, I really spoil them every day. When it comes to gifts for the grandchildren, I often buy them toys that I like myself.
“When my girls were growing up, I used to get them Barbies and we would spend hours playing with them. At the moment, August is into trucks and train sets.
The office of the PM has issued a statement in response to media questions saying that her involvement in a new Netflix show “inspired by Nelson Mandela” had nothing to do with Harry and Meghan, who only joined the production at a later stage.
The streaming service issued a trailer on Monday for a documentary series called Live to Lead presented by the duke and duchess.
The documentary, made in collaboration with the Nelson Mandela Foundation and inspired by the late South African leader, will be released by the streaming service on December 31.
The statement said: “In early March 2019 the prime minister was approached by the Mandela Foundation to participate in a project to develop accessible resources on key attributes of leadership targeted at aspiring young leaders around the world, based off a one-hour interview.
“Originally we were advised the outputs would be printed and digital books, short films and audiobooks.
“The interview was conducted on November 8, 2019. In March 2020 a short book entitled Jacinda Ardern (I Know This to be True) was published based on the interview. Other participants who also had their contributions published based on their interviews included the late US Supreme Court justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the feminist activist Gloria Steinem, the climate campaigner Greta Thunberg and the American basketball player Stephen Curry.
“In March 2021 the Nelson Mandela Foundation advised the prime minister’s office they had secured an agreement with Netflix to broadcast the series of interviews, including the 2019 interview with the prime minister.
“In May this year the prime minister’s office was notified that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would introduce the series; noting this was nearly two and a half years after the interview had been recorded and permission for its use by the Mandela Foundation had already been provided.
“All communication throughout has been with the foundation (there has been no communications with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex regarding the project).”
King Charles and Queen Camilla hosted the largest royal reunion since Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September.
Dozens of members of the wider Royal Family came together at Windsor Castle on Tuesday to enjoy a traditional turkey lunch.
This lunch featuring a Sandringham-bred turkey and Christmas crackers used to be regularly hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
While the King decided to carry over this tradition from the previous reign, he broke with custom by hosting it at the royal residence in Berkshire rather than at Buckingham Palace, where the late sovereign used to host her guests.
See pictures of royals arriving at Windsor Castle here
Jeremy Clarkson’s Sun newspaper column, in which he said he “hated” the Duchess of Sussex, has become the Independent Press Standards Organisation’s (Ipso) most complained about article, with more than 17,500 complaints.
Ipso said the piece, which was removed from The Sun’s website on Monday at Clarkson’s request, had received more than 17,500 complaints as of 9am on Tuesday.
An Ipso spokesperson told the PA news agency: “We will follow our usual processes to examine the complaints we have received. This will take longer than usual because of the volume of complaints.”
They added that the number of complaints would be subject to change. The number also surpassed the total number of complaints the media regulator received in 2021, which was 14,355.
Read the full story here
Jeremy Clarkson penned a column, now removed, in which he said he ‘hated’ Meghan Markle (Image: GETTY)
Prince William is absolutely “livid” that his brother used Princess Diana’s Panorama footage in his Netflix documentary series, a royal expert says.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s use of these clips will likely infuriate Prince William because last year he said the footage “should never be aired again”.
His comments came after the Lord Dyson report revealed that Martin Bashir gained access to the Princess after spinning a web of lies and smears.
Katie Nicholl, the author of The New Royals, told OK!: “He’ll be livid. William has campaigned for that footage to never be screened again, so for it be used in his brother’s own reality TV show will be very frustrating for William.
“It’s quite antagonistic and it’s not right. I think the way Harry has monopolised Diana’s narrative as his own must be very hurtful for William too.”
She added: “Diana was their mother, it was their story and loss and their story to share, not to be monopolised by Harry and Meghan.”
Read the full story here
Princess Diana’s Panorama interview was included in the Harry & Meghan documentary (Image: GETTY)
Prince Andrew stepped back from public duties in November 2019 and is not expected to return to public life.
Following a full review, the Queen’s second son is reportedly going to be stripped of his publicly-funded protection from the Metropolitan Police – a decision he is said to have complained about to the Home Office and Scotland Yard.
As Prince Andrew has no personal income, the bill for his private security guards is expected to be fronted by King Charles III – to the tune of £3million a year.
What do YOU think? Do you think the King should foot Prince Andrew’s private security bill? Vote in our poll
King Charles‘s portrait will appear on all banknotes (£5, £10, £15, £20 and £50) and will begin to enter circulation around mid-2024.
However, existing bank notes featuring Queen Elizabeth will still be accepted and remain legal tender.
Andrew Bailey, the Governor of the Bank of England, said: “I am very proud that the Bank is releasing the design of our new banknotes which will carry a portrait of King Charles III.
“This is a significant moment, as The King is only the second monarch to feature on our banknotes. People will be able to use these new notes as they start to enter circulation in 2024.”
Read the full story here
The new bank notes will enter circulation in mid-2024 (Image: BANK OF ENGLAND )
The latest installment of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry‘s Netflix docu-series gave royal fans a glimpse into the couple’s respective childhoods.
One exclusive photo of Prince Harry with his brother, Prince William, was included in the fifth episode of the docu-series.
The shot can be seen as the Sussexes flip through a photo album while they are packing their items at Frogmore Cottage before leaving it in March 2020.
One of the photos, arranged in a scrapbook style, seems to show Prince Harry and Prince William on holiday when they were little.
Taken by the coast, the pictures show the two princes posing by the sea and using binoculars to look out across the shoreline.
See the picture here
Prince Harry is to sit down for an interview promoting the release of his memoir, Spare, this month, it has been claimed.
The Times reported the Duke of Sussex will speak with ITV’s Tom Bradby, a friend of the royal.
The interview will be released to coincide with the publication of Spare, which comes out on January 10.
This report will surely add concerns for the Palace, already bracing for the possible claims and criticism against the Royal Family and King Charles in particular expected to appear in the memoir.
See today’s front and back pages, download the newspaper, order back issues and use the historic Daily Express newspaper archive.