Harry and Meghan in Wellington, New Zealand (Image: Getty)
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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry planned to move to New Zealand or South Africa before settling on Canada. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed the plan in episode four of their controversial Netflix documentary.
Harry says in the show that they opted for Canada after the media revealed the couple’s plan.
He claimed the the news was leaked to the media the day after he told his father, King Charles, the then Prince of Wales.
South Africa was an option because the Sussexes had been carrying out charity work in the country.
After initially settling in Canada, the Duke and Duchess moved to California where they now live with their children, Archie and Lilibet.
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Crown Princess Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel have caused controversy over their choice of pet dog.
The family’s puppy Rio is a cross between a Cavalier King Charles spaniel and a Poodle.
The Poodle is a popular choice for crossbreeding, particularly in Sweden, with the most common mixes for them being Labradors or Cocker Spaniels.
However, the Swedish Kennel Club wrote an open letter to the royal asking her to consider the breeding she supports by owning a mixed dog.
In an interview with Swedish newspaper Svenska Dagbladet, the princess responded to her critics, as well as sharing her views on the importance of culture in Swedish society.
The article’s author Ylva Lagercrantz Spindler, said: “The Crown Princess does not seem to have taken on condemnatory views.
“On the contrary, she shows curious interest when I tell her that we also have a mixed breed, a mix between Spanish Water Dog and Labrador.”
King Charles’ first cousin, Maximilian, Margrave of Baden, died at the age of 89.
Also known as Max Markgraf von Baden, he passed away in the early hours of Thursday morning at Salem Castle in Germany.
A statement said: “Max Margrave of Baden died in the early morning hours of December 29, 2022 in Salem Castle.
“Since 1963, Max Margrave of Baden was head of the house at the head of the formerly ruling Grand Ducal Baden Princely House, which from 1112 to 1918 provided the sovereigns in the Baden part of today’s federal state of Baden-Württemberg.
“His successor as head of the House of Baden is Bernhard Margrave of Baden, the previous hereditary prince.”
According to the news report, there will be two memorial services for the head of the house Baden.
Mike and Zara Tindall’s daughter, Lena, attended her first-holiday service at St Mary Magdalene this year and in an adorable sibling moment, she was seen wearing a red classic coat that her cousin Isla Philips wore in 2017, a news report has claimed.
In 2017, Lena’s elder cousin Isla Phillips, then five, first wore the festive red coat for the annual Sandringham Christmas stroll.
Isla, now 11, and her sister Savannah, 12, are the daughters of Zara’s brother Peter Phillips and his ex-wife Autumn Kelly, and first cousins with Mike and Zara’s three kids — Mia, eight, Lena, and Lucas, one.
While taking part in the annual royal walkabout on Christmas day, the cute cousin moment took place as Lena left church holding hands with Savannah, who also sported a royal rewear.
The preteen was pictured in a military-inspired green dress coat, which she evidently borrowed from her mom’s closet.
This year Prince William’s gift to his wife for the festive season saw her make a last-minute outfit change.
The royals traditionally open their Christmas gifts on Christmas Eve which saw the Princess of Wales eagerly don her new attire the following day.
Kate wore a long forest-green Alexander McQueen coat paired with a matching Philip Treacy fedora hat.
To protect herself from the crisp winter morning which was spent greeting royal fans after church, she opted for brown leather gloves and some brown suede heeled boots from Gianvito Rossi.
The pair of gold-plated earrings which stood out against the green coat and hat were reportedly a gift from her husband.
William purchased ocean blue Dina earrings from Parisian brand Sèzane and are made from gold-plated recycled brass and natural stones.
The £100 earrings sold out within minutes of the Princess showcasing her new gift.
Aristocrat Maximilian, Margrave of Baden, has passed away at Salem Castle in Germany aged 89.
He was Prince Philip’s nephew and had been Head of the House of Baden since 1963.
He was the son of Philip’s older sister, Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark.
The Sandringham Summit saw the coming together of four of the most senior royals — Queen Elizabeth II, then-Prince Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry — for a discussion about the planned departure of Harry and his wife Meghan Markle from royal life.
There was a huge amount of secrecy surrounding the important meeting, with details largely remaining under wraps.
However, during their recent Netflix documentary series, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex gave an insight into the private gathering, with Harry accusing his older brother of screaming and shouting at him during the heated discussion.
The Prince told the documentary, titled Harry & Meghan, that he had “such happy memories of Sandringham; that was where we spent every Christmas,” but added: “And now I was back there in very different circumstances.”
“I went in with the same proposal that we’d already made publicly,” he continued. “But once I got there, I was given five options. One being, all in, no change. Five being, all out. I chose option three in the meeting — half in, half out — have our own jobs, but also work in support of the Queen.
“It became very clear, very quickly, that goal was not up for discussion or debate. It was terrifying to have my brother scream and shout at me, and my father say things that just simply weren’t true, and my grandmother quietly sit there and sort of take it all in.”
Russell Myers, royal editor at the Daily Mirror, has shared his sympathy for William, who he argued “stood to lose the most”.
During an episode of the Pod Save The King podcast earlier this month, Mr Myers said: “One thing really struck me about this Sandringham Summit [was] when he’s talking about William shouting because it’s his family that is going to be affected by this. He’s going to take on a lot more responsibility.”
He added that William and his father King Charles III “were the ones who had the most at stake”.
Zoe Forsey, co-host of the podcast, said: “To accuse his brother of screaming and shouting at him, and to say it was terrifying, is really quite harsh. They’re very powerful words to describe anyone and give a real insight into what that meeting was like.”
The Danish royal family have released two new photographs of Queen Margrethe II with her sons and daughters-in-law, marking the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.
The royal is celebrating her 50th year on the throne.
One of the portraits shows Queen Margrethe sat beside her first son, the Crown Prince Frederik Andre Henrik Christian.
Behind her is the Crown Princess Mary, married to Prince Frederik, her other son, Prince Joachim and his wife Princess Marie.
The Danish Queen, who is now Europe’s longest serving monarch and only reigning Queen, has had several low-key celebrations that have maintained a respect for her third cousin, the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Earlier this month, she attended the Danish Church of St Katharine’s, located in Camden, London.
She has strong ties to the church where her parents King Frederik and Queen Ingrid visited during the premises inauguration.
Princess Eugenie has refused to take sides in the dramatic rift between Prince Harry and Prince William which rumbles on.
A source close to the Firm explained how she’s managed to stay neutral among the warring brothers.
The insider explained: “Eugenie’s still very close to William and Kate, she hasn’t taken sides or any nonsense like that.
“She loves them both and she’s known for being diplomatic, so it’s no surprise she’s been able to keep a foot in both camps.”
They also went on to note that no matter the decision, events will “take some work”.
And they added: “Now, the hope is that with time she’ll be able to help heal the rift between the brothers. Certainly, no one is expecting her to make it happen overnight but if anyone can do it, she can.”
The Windrush generation and the NHS will be celebrated in new commemorative coins for the New Year featuring King Charles’ face on them. All newly-released Royal Mint coins struck from January 1, 2023 will bear King Charles III’s official coinage portrait.
Collectors of the coins will see them make their transition for portraits of the King from the Britain’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. Queen Elizabeth II was Britain’s monarch from 1952 until her death on September 8, 2022.
The divisional director of the collector services at the Royal Mint, Rebecca Morgan said: “Each year the Royal Mint reveals a collection of coins, known as the annual set.
“[They] feature a range of designs that appear on £5, £2 and 50p coins marking some of the year’s most significant moments and anniversaries.”
Coins in the commemorative collection will mark milestone anniversaries and moments in history.
Read the full story
The new coins (Image: Royal Mint / PA Wire)
Princess Anne wrote to the Royal College of Midwives in London on the eve of 2020, a year which was designated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife. It aimed to recognise nurses and midwives who play a vital role in providing health care services.
In her letter, the late Queen Elizabeth II’s only daughter wrote: “I wanted to take this opportunity on the eve of International Year of the Midwife in 2020 to express my profound admiration for the incredible and important work that you do; the value of which cannot be underestimated.”
In her role as patron of The Royal College of Midwives, Anne has had the “pleasure” of meeting maternity teams around the country and witnessed first-hand the “joy on the faces of mothers and their partners and their gratitude” towards the healthcare professionals.
WHO designated 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Florence Nightingale, who helped organise care for wounded soldiers during the Crimean War and is considered the founder of modern nursing.
Of course, at the time, it was unknown what a profession-defining year it would be for the nursing and midwifery community. As Coronavirus swept the nation, and the world, the vital importance of the healthcare system became more and more apparent.
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Princess Anne (Image: Getty)
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex opened up about their difficult relationship with the British press in their recent Netflix series.
Now, the couple’s comments, particularly those made by Meghan Markle, have apparently been “vindicated” by the recent controversial article written for The Sun by motoring expert and TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson.
Speaking to Sky News Australia, TalkTV’s royal editor Sarah Hewson said: “I think what Jeremy Clarkson’s article in The Sun did, where he talked about his visceral hatred of Meghan… actually vindicated a lot of what they had said in the documentary about the things that had been written about them in the press.”
She added Meghan “had talked about the death threats that stemmed from the kind of coverage that she had received.”
Speaking of Mr Clarkson’s article, which had since been taken down at Mr Clarkson’s request, Ms Hewson said: “It was a hugely controversial article”.
Read the story here
Meghan Markle (Image: Netflix)
Channel 4 has publicly ridiculed Prince Andrew to plug its controversial West End-style musical show about the Duke of York. The PR stunt saw an advertising van promoting the slogan ‘If you miss it, you’d better have a decent alibi’ parked outside the infamous Pizza Express in Woking this morning.
Andrew told Emily Maitlis on the BBC during the famous 2019 Newsnight interview he was at Pizza Express in Woking when pressed over allegations about his personal life.
The executive producer at Hat Trick Productions, Stu Mather, who produced the programme, poked fun at Andrew’s Pizza Express comment when promoting the show.
He said: “What better way to celebrate the festive season than with a hilarious musical, lampooning the country’s most high-profile pizza-lover?”
The remark popped up during the notorious interview when Ms Maitlis questioned where Prince Andrew was on a specific date in 2001.
He vehemently denied any wrongdoing and the claim was settled out of court.
Read the full story 
Cheeky advert for Prince Andrew: The Musical pops up outside Pizza Express in Woking (Image: Getty / REX)
During the Royal Family’s Christmas Day walk to Sandringham, Kate was spotted wearing a piece of jewellery reportedly given to her by her husband, Prince William. The Prince of Wales has since been praised for his “great taste in jewellery” after reportedly giving his wife a few pieces of jewellery, particularly some sustainable pieces, over the years.
On December 25, Kate debuted a new pair of earrings reported to be a Christmas present from Prince William.
The earrings are also the second pair of sustainable earrings that the Princess of Wales has worn this month.
Experts at CrissCut Magazine identified Kate’s earrings on Christmas Day as the ocean blue Dina earrings from Sézane.
The delicate piece retails for £1,000 and are made from gold-plated recycled brass and natural stones.
Read the full story 
Kate, the Princess of Wales (Image: PA)
Prince William and his wife Kate, Princess of Wales, were among the senior members of the Royal Family joining King Charles III at Sandringham this Christmas. The couple were joined by their three children as they celebrate the festive season, with Prince Louis, four, joining his family on the infamous walk from Sandringham House to St Magdalene’s Church for the first time.
Kate spent her first Christmas with the royals after her and William’s wedding in April in 2011 — 10 years after they first met at St Andrew’s University. However, according to a royal biographer, the Princess of Wales had previously been invited to a royal festive event but chose to decline.
Tina Brown, author of the bestselling biography The Palace Papers, previously claimed that William invited his then-girlfriend to a Christmas party at Sandringham in 2006.
“Before graduation [from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst], William had issued his girlfriend the coveted invitation to join him at the Queen’s annual Christmas house party at Sandringham,” she wrote in the book. “Kate, reflecting the confident mood of her Philip Treacy hat, maintained her resolve that she would not go to such a significant Royal Family gathering unless she had a ring on her finger.”
Ms Brown added: “She declined. William met her decision with silence.”
Instead, the then-24-year-old “retreated to Scotland to stay with her parents, who had rented a house in Perthshire for the holidays”.
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Kate ‘declined’ an invitation to join the royals at Christmas in 2004 (Image: Getty)
Meghan Markle has been left “not thrilled” with the six-part Netflix docuseries about her and Prince Harry, according to royal expert Kinsey Schofield. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex starred in the show with Liz Garbus, a filmmaker, who Meghan described as a “seasoned director whose work I’ve long admired”.
But the royal said in a previous interview that the story is from a different lens.
Ms Schofield told Fox News: “While I agree that they feel like telling their side of the story was important, I have heard that Meghan was not thrilled with the final edit.
“Expect ‘Spare,’ like the reality show, to lack detail. Full of filler, à la the bit about Harry losing his virginity to a ‘beautiful older woman.’
“Who was it? Most people are noticing that while Harry and Meghan like to talk the two seem to lack substance and detail.”
Meghan Markle (Image: Getty)
The Princess of Wales has been praised for her poise in the face of turmoil. American royal author Christopher Andersen recalled the difficulties and intense public scrutiny she experienced for a decade as a girlfriend to Prince William.
The author of The King: The Life of Charles III told Express.co.uk: “Kate is a descendant of coal miners. Her mother lived in public housing and worked as a flight attendant. Kate will be the first true commoner Queen.
“Yet when she was pursued by the press relentlessly for 10 years while William waited to marry her, we saw no tears. There was only calm under pressure.”
Mr Andersen also suggested that, minus the issue of race, “William and Kate were subjected to all the same pressures” also experienced by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as well as late Princess Diana.
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William and Kate after The Earthshot Prize 2022 at MGM Music Hall (Image: Getty)
The Princess of Wales greets well-wishers after visiting The Center on the Developing Child (Image: Getty)
Meghan Markle has claimed she tried to dress down while working as a senior royal in a bid to blend in, a revelation which came during her and her husband Prince Harry’s new Netflix documentary series, Harry & Meghan.
It was made after footage of her wearing a bright red dress to the Salute to Freedom Gala in NYC was shown, an event which took place over a year after the couple stepped down from their positions.
Meghan said: “Most of the time that I was in the UK, I rarely wore colour. There was thought in that. To my understanding, you can’t ever wear the same colour as Her Majesty if there’s a group event, but then you also shouldn’t be wearing the same colour as one of the other, more senior members of the family.”
She continued: “So I was like, well what’s a colour that they’ll probably never wear? Camel? Beige? White? So, I wore a lot of muted tones, but it also was so I could just blend in. Like, I’m not trying to stand out here. So there’s no version of me joining this family and trying to not do everything I could to fit in. I don’t want to embarrass the family.”
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The Duchess of Sussex visits the Royal Variety Charity’s Brinsworth House (Image: Getty)
The Prince and Princess of Wales want their children to consider them as their best friends, an expert has claimed.
Duncan Larcombe told Ok! Magazine William and Kate take inspiration from the princess’s parents, Carol and Michael Middleton.
Mr Larcombe said: “William has based his children’s upbringing on the Middleton model: three children, affluent, but hard-working parents and lots of love in the house.
“By the time Kate was in her early twenties, she counted her mother and father on the list of her best friends. That’s what William and Kate are aspiring to with their children.”
Read the full story
The Prince and Princess of Wales with George, Louis and Charlotte (Image: Jonathan Brady / POOL / AFP / via Getty Images)
The Windrush generation and the NHS will be celebrated in new commemorative coins for the New Year featuring King Charles’ face on them. All newly-released Royal Mint coins struck from January 1, 2023 will bear King Charles III’s official coinage portrait.
Collectors of the coins will see them make their transition for portraits of the King from the Britain’s longest reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II.
The divisional director of the collector services at the Royal Mint, Rebecca Morgan said: “Each year the Royal Mint reveals a collection of coins, known as the annual set.
“[They] feature a range of designs that appear on £5, £2 and 50p coins marking some of the year’s most significant moments and anniversaries.”
Coins in the commemorative collection will mark milestone anniversaries and moments in history.
Read the full story
A view of the new, commemorative coins (Image: The Royal Mint/PA)
The Firm’s response to claims made in Harry and Meghan’s Netflix series has been praised by Express.co.uk readers with over three-quarters supporting their silence, according to a new poll.
In a poll that ran from 12.15pm on Wednesday, December 21, to 9am on Thursday, December 29, Express.co.uk asked readers: “Should the Royal Family speak out in response to Harry and Meghan claims?”
A total of 8,775 readers cast their votes with the majority, 78 percent (6,877 people), answering “no” they should keep their silence.
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King Charles III with (inset) Harry and Meghan (Image: Getty)
Kinsey Schofield, founder and creator of ToDiForDaily.com, has suggested that Harry is unlikely to reveal who the ‘racist royal’ is.
In 2021, when the Duke and Duchess of Sussex sat down for their tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey, they claimed a member of the Royal Family questioned what the colour of their unborn child’s skin would be.
The Duchess of Sussex said there were “several conversations” between Harry and a member of the Royal Family about “how dark” their baby could be before Archie was born.
Meghan claimed: “In those months when I was pregnant [there were] concerns and conversations about how dark his skin might be when he was born.”
Harry added: “That conversation, I am never going to share. At the time it was awkward. I was a bit shocked.”
Now, Ms Schofield has argued that Harry’s public promise to never divulge the information means it is not going to be included in his memoir.
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Harry and Meghan attend an awards ceremony in New York (Image: Getty)
Australian journalist Sophie Elsworth claimed the public has tired of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s “sob story”.
The brutal assessment of Meghan comes after the royal was branded one of the top “narcissists” of 2022 in a scathing opinion piece published in Politico.
Speaking of Meghan during a Sky News Australia discussion, Ms Elsworth said: “She should win a female Oscar for her narcissism, she is a shocker.”
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Meghan Markle with (inset) journalist Sophie Elsworth (Image: Getty/Sky News Australia)
Beatrice’s stepson caught the Counselor of State off guard, as Wolfie copied his cousin Mia during a Christmas walkabout at Sandringham.
The six-year-old was holding his stepmum and his father Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi’s hands when he noticed Mia accepting a gift from royal fans in the crowd.
Christopher ‘Wolfie’ Woolf, a newcomer to the Royal Family, could not resist the temptation to imitate his cousin and approach the crowd to accept some presents for himself.
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Beatrice at Sandringham on Christmas Day (Image: Getty)
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI shared a “great affinity” with Queen Elizabeth II, the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster has said.
The 95-year-old former pope’s historic decision to resign due to age in 2013 will remain “an exception” and he admired the Queen for continuing her royal duties until the end, according to Cardinal Vincent Nichols.
His comments came after the Vatican said the former pope’s health has worsened due to his age. Doctors are constantly monitoring his condition.
Speaking on Times Radio, Cardinal Nichols spoke about former pope Benedict’s legacy and his relationship with the late Queen.
He said: “I think there was a great affinity between Pope Benedict and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
“When Benedict decided to come to this country, he decided the first thing he had to do was visit the Queen. And she was 95, she held her office to the end and I think he admired that very much.
“It was a measure of his self-understanding and the difficulties he was getting into physically as well that he said no, it needs somebody else to do this.”
Elizabeth II and Benedict XVI prepare to meet school children outside the Palace of Holyroodhouse (Image: Getty)
The Royal Family enjoy a cup of tea as much as the rest of us, but may have to drink it in a certain way, according to an etiquette expert.
Myka Meier, founder of New York-based Beaumont Etiquette, shared how royals have to do things a little differently to us commoners.
She appeared on Eyewitness News ABC7NY to share the correct protocol for drinking a cup of tea.
When sitting down for a royal occasion cuppa, royals are expected to use a cup, saucer and teaspoon.
The handle of the cup must be at three o’clock, with the spoon also on the saucer.
The cup and saucer must always remain on the table unless the royal needs to stand up, in which case they can pick it up.
While most of us non-royals hold our cups any which way, the Royal Family are apparently not allowed to do this.
Wrapping both hands around the cup would be frowned upon, or place a few fingers inside the handle.
Instead, royals must “pinch and support”, where the thumb meets the index finger and is supported by the middle finger on the cup handle. The rest of the fingers should be all tucked under.
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Elizabeth II drinks a cup of tea with (inset) the Princess of Wales following suit (Image: Getty)
The Duke of Sussex revealed his first thoughts when he saw his wife-to-be walk down the aisle.
He opened up about his and Meghan’s wedding day during their six-part documentary series on Netflix.
Liz Garbus, who directed the docuseries, asks Harry: “What was going through your head when you saw her coming?”
The prince replied: “Look at… Look at me, look what I got.”
Meghan reacts, saying: “Oh my gosh.”
Harry continues: “Look what I… look what I found…
“The world was watching us, but when we were actually at the altar, as far as I was concerned, it was just the two of us.”
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Harry and Meghan leave from the West Door of St George’s Chapel on their wedding day (Image: Getty)
King Charles’ big day could be overshadowed by another major event clashing with his coronation.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s son Archie will be celebrating his birthday on May 6 on the same day Charles will formally ascend the throne.
The clash could deepen royal tensions between the Royal Housold and the Sussexes.
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King Charles’s coronation could clash with Meghan and Harry’s son’s birthday bash (Image: Getty)
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Netflix series, was released in two parts earlier this month.
During the first seven days alone, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s series racked up more views than The Crown.
Early figures for Harry & Meghan from the Broadcasters Audience Research Board (BARB) show the first episodes of the documentary, released on December 8, had viewing figures of 2.4 million.
This is an increase of 118 percent on the 1.1 million viewers that the fifth series of The Crown gained as it premiered in November.
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Harry and Meghan in a scene from their Netflix series (Image: Netflix)
Royal experts have given an insight into how Prince William and Kate, Princess of Wales, are trying to give their children an “ordinary” childhood despite also trying to prepare them for royalty.
Speaking to OK! Magazine, the experts also explained how Prince George is being prepared to one day be the monarch.
Duncan Larcombe, the former royal editor of The Sun, has said William and Kate are attempting to give their children a more normal childhood like the Princess of Wales had with her parents.
The royal expert claimed Prince George is being “raised in a very different way” compared to his father Prince William.
He said: “William has based his children’s upbringing on the Middleton model – three children, affluent, but hard-working parents and lots of love in the house.
“By the time Kate was in her early twenties, she counted her mother and father on the list of her best friends. That’s what William and Kate are aspiring to with their children.”
Read the full story
Prince George appears on the balcony of Buckingham Palace (Image: Getty)
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