Latest news with #PrinceWilliam
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kate Middleton rewrites royal playbook, puts herself first in unprecedented move: experts
Kate Middleton canceled her Royal Ascot appearance at the last minute — and several royal experts claimed we can expect more sudden changes from the princess. On Wednesday, Fox News Digital learned that the mother of three was originally set to appear at the annual horse racing event with her husband, Prince William. While the Princess of Wales was said to be disappointed not to be there, she is still trying to find the right balance as she returns to public-facing engagements following her cancer treatment. "She has been forthright regarding her still experiencing 'good days and bad days,' as she once said," British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. "She is hoping the public will be patient since she is 'not out of the woods quite yet.' She has acknowledged having to be sensible, listening to what her body is telling her as she eases back to public life." Kate Middleton Unexpectedly Pulls Out Of Royal Ascot Appearance "We should expect her to maintain a lighter schedule of engagements than previously for the foreseeable future," said Fordwich. "Her decisions, as always, will be responsible and dignified." Royal experts told Fox News Digital that as a future queen consort, Kate is breaking the mold, prioritizing her health while being a supportive player in the House of Windsor. Following her cancer diagnosis in March 2024, Kate has reduced her appearances to focus on recovery. And while the princess is now cancer-free, healing continues to be a priority for Kate, and she has adopted a case-by-case approach to fulfilling royal duties. Read On The Fox News App On Wednesday, William made a solo appearance on the second day of the horse racing event at Ascot Racecourse in Ascot, England. He was accompanied by his father, King Charles III, and stepmother, Queen Camilla. Kate's mother, Carole Middleton, was also present. At one point, she shared a warm exchange with the king, 76, as they watched the action take place. It's a good sign, said Fordwich. "Princess Catherine is making steady progress in her recovery," said Fordwich. "This announcement is confirmation that she'll remain cautious, flexible and measured with her health taking precedence. We should expect similar last-minute adjustments since navigating such challenging health issues isn't easy." "I believe she might well attend Wimbledon, which she so loves," Fordwich added. Click Here To Sign Up For The Entertainment Newsletter Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that the U.K. is experiencing blistering temperatures. It could have contributed to Kate's decision. "At the moment we are experiencing a heatwave making London warmer than the Caribbean," he said. "I presume Kate may be feeling the effects of this and, still taking aggressive drugs, may have been told by her doctors to be very careful." "We are hearing apparently all is well and that Kate is making steady progress but still finds an energy lapse on some occasions," Turner noted. Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams agreed. "The Princess of Wales had been expected to join the royal procession at Royal Ascot, which commemorates 200 years this year since it was first held in 1825," he explained. "According to a source, she was disappointed not to be able to attend. She would have joined Prince William, who presented the trophy to the winner of the Prince of Wales stakes." "Catherine is in remission from cancer and is striving to find the right balance of engagements as she recovers, obviously much influenced by medical advice," he shared. "She has recently appeared at [several key events]. It may also be that the heat affected her decision." Like What You're Reading? Click Here For More Entertainment News People magazine reported that Royal Ascot is a social event, not a ceremonial commitment, on the royal family's calendar. They noted that the royal family's attendance is an "informal tradition." "Royal Ascot is a splendidly organized royal event which is the highlight of the royal calendar," said Fitzwilliams. "It was the first event listed in the diary of Queen Elizabeth, who was renowned for being an equestrian enthusiast every year." "It is hoped that the Princess of Wales will attend next year, her last appearance being in 2023 due to her cancer treatment," he added. Despite Kate's absence, British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard, who was at Ascot, assured Fox News Digital royal watchers shouldn't be worried. "[Kate] and her medical team would have decided that today's event would be too much for her, hence the last-minute cancellation," said Chard. "It is also super hot here, and I imagine she could be left feeling very unwell. I really don't believe we should be worried." "Princess Catherine is doing well and, as previously confirmed, has been given the all-clear from her medical team, cancer-wise," said Chard. "Like many of us, she has medical challenges (not necessarily cancer-related) which, on occasion, impact her everyday and working life." Queen Elizabeth II's former spokeswoman, Alisa Anderson, recently told People magazine that this year, Kate will be prioritizing her health as she returns to royal duties. "She's being sensible, listening to what her body is telling her and easing back into public life," Anderson told the outlet. Kensington Palace, which handles the offices of the Prince and Princess of Wales, has emphasized that Kate will tackle royal duties. The outlet pointed out that her withdrawal from the Royal Ascot is an example of her case-by-case approach that we'll likely see more of, as necessary. "She has not been able to have the privacy that a person who faces this kind of illness is normally afforded," a source close to the royal household told the outlet. In March 2024, Kate announced in a video she had cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. The revelation came after weeks of speculation about her health and whereabouts. In January of that year, she was hospitalized for unspecified abdominal surgery. The news was another jolt to the royal family. In February of that year, Buckingham Palace announced Charles was being treated for an unspecified type of cancer. The illness was discovered while he was undergoing a procedure for a benign enlarged prostate. In September 2024, Kate announced she had finished her preventative chemotherapy, although she said her path to full recovery would be long and that she would take it day by day. "As the summer comes to an end, I cannot tell you what a relief it is to have finally completed my chemotherapy treatment," she wrote. "The last nine months have been incredibly tough for us as a family. Life, as you know it, can change in an instant, and we have had to find a way to navigate the stormy waters and road unknown." "The cancer journey is complex, scary and unpredictable for everyone, especially those closest to you. With humility, it also brings you face to face with your own vulnerabilities in a way you have never considered before, and with that, a new perspective on everything. This time has, above all, reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life which so many of us often take for granted. Of simply loving and being loved. Doing what I can to stay cancer-free is now my focus." King Charles Won't Hand Throne To Prince William As Monarchy Shake-up Could Spark 'Crisis': Experts "Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long, and I must continue to take each day as it comes," said the princess. "I am, however, looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can. Despite all that has gone before, I enter this new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation of life." "William and I are so grateful for the support we have received and have drawn great strength from all those who are helping us at this time," she shared. "Everyone's kindness, empathy and compassion has been truly humbling. To all those who are continuing their own cancer journey – I remain with you, side by side, hand in hand. Out of darkness, can come light, so let that light shine bright." In January of this year, Kate announced that her cancer was in remission, and she would remain "focused on recovery." WATCH: KATE MIDDLETON ANNOUNCES SHE HAS COMPLETED CHEMOTHERAPY TREATMENT "As anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal," she said at the time. Since then, Kate has slowly returned to royal duties. Over the weekend, she and William joined their children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, for Trooping the Colour, King Charles's birthday parade. On Monday, Kate also appeared at the annual Order of the Garter service at Windsor Castle. Turner previously told Fox News Digital that both the Prince and Princess of Wales have faced mounting pressure as future king and queen in support of Charles, who is still seeking treatment. "King Charles is looking his age now and his illness has taken its toll," said Turner. "A new era of [a] young monarchy is set to take over the mantle in the future." "The pressure of being the Princess of Wales, looking after a young family, being by William's side, still recovering from cancer treatments, as well as the mental trauma she faced still weighs heavily on Kate. But she seems to be smiling throughout, delighting crowds when seen in public, and giving a new confidence to the future monarchy."Original article source: Kate Middleton rewrites royal playbook, puts herself first in unprecedented move: experts
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Do YOU think anyone can outclass Princess Diana or Prince Philip? Royal author reveals the only royal to do it - and it's not the woman you might expect
The late Duke of Edinburgh and Princess Diana may not have had a lot in common. Prince Philip was born into the Greek and Danish royal families while Diana only became a princess through marriage. But the two shared a crowd appeal and common touch with members of the public – traits which one royal expert says another member of the Royal Family also has. Broadcaster and writer Gyles Brandreth is one of the best-positioned people to discuss the late Duke of Edinburgh, having known him for more than 40 years. Brandreth met Philip when he became involved in the work of the National Playing Fields Association, of which Philip had been president since 1948. 'Philip was a funny man who liked to laugh and make others laugh. 'I very much enjoyed his company. Having observed him many times at close quarters, I also noticed that the more unassuming people were, the friendlier he'd be.' In his 2021 book, Philip The Final Portrait, the royal biographer wrote: 'The only royal I have seen outclass both Diana and Philip is Prince William. 'I have watched him at close range – at Highgrove, on the polo field, on the streets and in the crowd. 'I have seen him with the aristocracy and everyday folk: he is comfortable with both and they are comfortable with him. 'He shows concern and empathy, in the way Diana did but without those touches of self-consciousness and self-absorption that her manner sometimes suggested. 'William is natural, friendly and completely easy with the people he meets – as Philip was. 'But William's sense of humour is gentler and his banter never borders on hectoring, as the Duke of Edinburgh's sometimes would.' Brandreth recalled a time when he was with Prince Philip they passed the kitchen of a luncheon club. The duke stopped, turned back and marched in, unannounced, to meet the chefs and dish-washers. 'There was laughter, back-slapping, joshing: an enviable display of people skills and unselfconscious charm. The only time I've seen it quite as well done was recently by William. 'Indeed, with the general public, on the whole, and with those he met undertaking his array of public duties, the duke was surprisingly equable: easy-going, unaffected and good-humoured.' He wrote that one of the things that worried the Queen and Philip about Diana was 'not that she was popular, but that she allowed her popularity to go to her head'. 'Once upon a time, Philip and Elizabeth themselves had been viewed as characters from a fairy tale. 'The difference between them and Diana was that they didn't take it personally. 'For the Queen and Philip, royalty was never about hysterical crowds, newspaper column inches, celebrity or star quality. It was simply about duty and service.' For William and Prince Harry in particular, the duke was said to be a guiding presence, offering them counsel and support in the dark days after their mother, Diana's death. On his death, William paid tribute to his grandfather, saying Philip's 'enduring presence' guided him 'both through good times and the hardest days'. This 'enduring presence' as well as his caring, grandfatherly nature was shown clearly during Diana's funeral cortege on September 6, 1997. Initially there had been no plans for Philip to walk behind Diana's coffin, as this role was intended for immediate family only. The Duke of Edinburgh joined his son Charles, William and Harry as well as Diana's brother Charles, behind the coffin during her funeral on September 6, 1997, when the young royals were only 15 and 12 But after conversations with his grandson, who asked to walk beside him in support as they followed the hearse, Philip could not refuse. The Duke of Edinburgh joined his son Prince Charles, William and Harry as well as Diana's brother Charles, 9th Earl Spencer, behind the coffin during her funeral on September 6, 1997, when the young royals were only 15 and 12. Brandreth revealed in the ITV documentary Philip: Prince, Husband, Father: 'It wasn't his idea, but there was a tradition at royal funerals of members of the royal family walking behind the hearse. 'There was no plan originally for Prince Philip to be part of that. Philip said to Prince William, if it would help, I could walk alongside you. 'So, he volunteered to do that, William accepted the invitation, so far from being what was being reported, it was an act of grandfatherly kindness to try and offer support to William.' Many observers believe William and Kate modelled themselves directly on the Queen and the late Duke of Edinburgh, who were married for 73 years. Brandreth wrote that William and Kate lived 'a relatively normal young officer's life' while he was training with the Search and Rescue force in north Wales – 'not dissimilar to the experience enjoyed by Philip and Elizabeth when the Duke of Edinburgh was a young officer serving in the Royal Navy in Malta sixty years before'. The royal author recalled when Philip was ill in the summer of 2012, as vice-president of the National Playing Fields Association, he spent a day watching Kate and William. He wrote: 'I watched them "doing their thing" on a playing field in Nottingham - meeting and greeting, walking and talking, making a speech, playing with some children – and they did not put a foot wrong. 'At all times their focus was entirely on the people immediately in front of them. Not once did either of them play to the cameras – or even acknowledge them. 'And I noticed too, that just as the Duke of Edinburgh, in more than 70 years of royal duty, never once put himself above, before, or ahead of his wife and sovereign. William and Kate arrive with their children for the Service of Thanksgiving for the life of Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh at Westminster Abbey on March 29, 2022 'Philip would take no credit for the successful way in which Catherine has merged into the Royal Family - becoming a star, but somehow managing not to behave like a celebrity. 'She appeared to have learnt all the lessons that Philip could have taught her.' Philip guided William through his youth to adulthood. Even in his absence, as William prepares to one day take on the crown, he and his wife appear to have retained the wisdom of his late grandfather. Philip's advice to Kate: 'Never look at the camera,' according to GYLES BRANDRETH When Kate Middleton came along as a potential bride for his grandson, the Duke of Edinburgh was, he told me, 'relieved to find her such a level-headed girl'. But he refused to take any credit for the successful way in which Catherine has merged into the Royal Family — becoming a star, but somehow managing not to behave like a celebrity. 'If you believe the attention is for you personally,' he told me, '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. Diana looked at the camera.'
News.com.au
10 hours ago
- General
- News.com.au
‘Real sense of panic': Kate Middleton sparks Palace ‘chaos'
Have you ever wondered what royal courtiers might look like in a flap? Maybe well-bred brows, sweating? Teacups nervously rattling in saucers? A fretful, 'Oh I say' here and there? This was the scene, or at least something like it I'm assuming, inside the palace this week after 'chaos' and 'panic broke out' when Kate, The Princess of Wales pulled out of a major event less than an hour before she was meant to arrive. It has now emerged that her last minute call to skip Ascot left royal aides 'bewildered and worried' and that 'rumours had briefly swirled around the palace that the future queen had been taken unwell and either needed to see a doctor or had been rushed to the hospital,' according to a new report. Oh I say! The full extent of the hullabaloo caused by the princess' about-face has been revealed by The Daily Beas t 's Tom Sykes whose unbeatable contacts paint a picture of the palace having been briefly pushed to the edge of a meltdown. On Wednesday, UK time Kate and her husband Prince William were slated to attend day two of Royal Ascot to enjoy their God-given right to drink champers in the sun and put 10 quid each way on a sure thing. Accordingly, the couple was listed in the official 'carriage list' put out by the palace of members of their royal family who would be arriving in clippety-clop regency style to the racecourse. But, less than an hour after the carriage list was published, and just over an hour before Kate was due to appear along with King Charles and Queen Camilla, the palace announced she had withdrawn. Cue the drammahhhh. Inside the palace, it was 'chaos', according to Sykes. 'Rumours … briefly swirled around the palace' that Kate 'either needed to see a doctor or had been rushed to the hospital,' he has reported. 'Everyone was wandering around going, 'What is going on?'' a former courtier told Sykes. 'One minute she was going, and the next she wasn't. This is one of the biggest days of the year in the royal calendar; you don't just miss Ascot on a whim, so there was a real sense of panic.' The good news is that none of these fears were borne out by the facts. The truth about what had gone one was reassuringly benign. As every single UK news story pointed out, Kate herself said exactly this time last year that she was 'taking each day as it comes'. Despite having announced in January this year she is remission, clearly this still holds. She was said to be 'disappointed' to not be up to attending Ascot. The Telegraph's royal editor Hannah Furness reported that 'there [was] no cause for alarm' and only that 'the Princess was mindful of treading a careful line as she returns to work.' A friend of Kate's has backed up this explanation too. They told Sykes: 'My understanding is that Kate was basically exhausted after Trooping the Colour on Saturday and Garter Day on Monday and couldn't face it. There are good days and bad days, as she herself has very candidly said.' That's the good news. The bad news is that the palace's handling of this situation suggests they have not exactly learnt that much since last year when we witnessed the months-long extraordinarily clumsy and inept royal mismanagement around Kate. Who can forget how the internet collectively lost its mind in early 2024 about Kate supposedly going 'missing' after having abdominal surgery? In the absence of any real information and in what felt like a squirrely royal climate, social media quickly filled the void with noxious conspiracy theories about Kate and William. The princess ditching Ascot immediately brought to mind the PR disaster that came at the peak of Kate-madness in February 2024 after William pulled out of his godfather King Constantine of Greece's memorial service only 45 minutes before it started, and despite it being held only minutes away from their Windsor home. The prince's abrupt cancellation only stoked the fires and led to more feverish speculation online. (As we all now know, several weeks later in March 2024, Kate would tell the world she had cancer.) While this week the princess was just 'exhausted', as the former coutrier told Sykes of the Ascot mess, 'The chaotic nature of the announcement was eerily reminiscent of the dark days of last year. People were bewildered and worried.' Kate wrote in June last year, 'I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty.' A year on and the palace still does not seem to have much more of a clue how to manage communications around Kate's fluid health needs. You have to wonder if any lessons might have been learned since those 'dark days' of 2025. The best bit of news that came out of Wednesday's Ascot situation came courtesy of William. The princess might not have gone but the prince trotted along where he was photographed drinking beer with friends and having what looked like a cracking good time. The proof is in the pilsner. Panic over.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
William Torpedoes Meghan and Harry's Plan to Keep Their Kids Royal
Prince William will strip his exiled brother Prince Harry's children of their HRH titles when he becomes king after a provocative briefing by the exiled royal 'flabbergasted' royal insiders, The Royalist has learned. The suggestion was tucked away in a report in the U.K. newspaper The Guardian almost 10 days ago, which reported: 'The Guardian understands that Prince Harry wants to keep the HRH titles for his children so that when they grow older they can decide for themselves whether they want to become working royals, or stay out of public life.' The formulation, 'The Guardian understands…' is often used by the newspaper to report on a background briefing by authorized sources, such as PR teams. The line about the HRH (His/Her Royal Highness) titles was not widely noticed by individuals in the royal circle until it was flagged by the Daily Mail's Richard Eden this week, after which it flew around royal friends' WhatsApp groups. Reactions, on the whole, veered between dismissive and flabbergasted. One friend of Prince William's told The Daily Beast: 'William obviously isn't going to hire Archie and Lilibet. This is just trolling on the part of Harry and Meghan. It's actually hilarious that no one even noticed it for ten days, until the Mail did it. 'The idea that somehow having a vestigial HRH as a baby later entitles you to be a working royal is beyond parody, even for them. 'Harry and Meghan were asked by the queen to stop using their HRHs, and agreed. Obviously, any reasonable person would understand that would mean your kids don't use them either. 'The simple fact is that Meghan has gone back on the deal by using her HRH. It's a straightforward betrayal of the deal, and if she now intends to start parading the kids as HRHs to aggrandize herself, it just adds to the case to remove them, legally, altogether.' Another friend of the family also told The Daily Beast that they believed the HRHs would ultimately be officially removed. The second friend said: 'An HRH is a funny thing. It's often referred to as a title, but it's actually technically a 'style,' i.e., a way of addressing someone. It's a courtesy. It denotes no official role and it bestows no formal rank in the British system, in the way being a duke or duchess does. 'An HRH is bestowed by letters patent—which is basically a fancy way of saying it is a legally binding royal decree—and by precedent an HRH can be taken away by royal decree also. Look at Diana and Fergie. The HRHs weren't removed 'because they got divorced,' the rules were quietly changed to remove HRHs from royal exes. There is a difference.' The friend added: 'They have asked the Sussexes politely to stop using the style, to no avail, so I imagine William will simply issue new letters patent to formally remove the entire family's right to use HRH when he becomes king. 'It will likely be presented as part of a wider tidying up exercise to reduce, more broadly, the number of HRHs in circulation. He could, for example, say that only working royals are entitled to use HRH, which seems sensible if you are trying to modernize, or specify that only children of the monarch are HRH, not the grandchildren, which would have the added advantage of making things clearer for their own kids' families in due course.' Norman Baker, a former government minister who has written extensively on royal and constitutional matters, previously told the Daily Beast: 'As the bestowing of an HRH is in the gift of the monarch, the monarch could remove the HRH title. It would basically be the equivalent to an executive order in the U.S.' Baker called for the Sussexes to be stripped of the honorifics at the time they quit the working family and has told the Daily Beast it was 'a mistake' to not deal with the matter conclusively then. A former courtier who retains good links with the palace told the Daily Beast: 'The bottom line is that Harry and Meghan are abusing the fact that the queen trusted them to adhere to the deal made at the Sandringham Summit, and that won't be allowed to stand, especially as we all know this is really about her ability to flog tat on Instagram. 'Charles may not want this fight, but William despises Harry and Meghan at this stage, and when he is king his fury will rain down on them.' Meghan and Harry promised the late Queen Elizabeth they would stop using the HRH titles when they left the royal family in 2020, but Meghan has reneged on that promise, using the title privately and allowing others to address her by it. Meghan's side has argued that she is entitled to use the title, provided it's not for commercial use. A Meghan source previously told The Daily Beast: 'Harry and Meghan retain their HRH titles; however, by agreement, they do not use them for commercial purposes. While they do not publicly use 'HRH,' this was a personal gift, and their titles remain.' However, royal sources have told the Daily Beast that the deal that settled the terms of Meghan and Harry's exit from the ranks of working royalty 'made it clear they had agreed not to use the HRH titles at all, ever, in any capacity.' The official statement, which can still be seen on the official royal website, clearly supports this interpretation. It reads: 'The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family.' Neither Harry and Meghan's office, nor Prince William's office, responded to a request for comment from the Daily Beast.
Times
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Times
William takes chemistry lesson with Cate Blanchett for Earthshot
Cate Blanchett has said that she will reconsider the colour of clothes she wears in the future, after touring clothes dye laboratories in Norwich with Prince William. The Oscar-winning actress joined the prince on a royal visit to the laboratories of Colorifix, a company that makes environmentally friendly clothing dye and was a finalist in the Earthshot Prize. The competition, founded by William in 2020, awards £1 million annually to five inventors who have come up with new solutions to help save the planet. The pair visited four different laboratories that each illustrated a step in Colorifix's process of making sustainablefabric dye. They heard how some colours, such as black, green, white and blue, are more difficult to make without damaging the environment. Their manufacture relies more upon using petrochemicals, which pollute the planet and are harmful to wildlife. Colorifix aims to replace the fashion industry's use of these chemically synthesised dyes by using DNA sequencing and natural colours to create sustainable dye. Blanchett said the visit had 'certainly been an education in colour and what is possible' and added that she will 'look at the amount of white and black and blue in my wardrobe and maybe try and gravitate towards pinks and peaches'. • Prince William tells Earthshot winners: Hope and ingenuity will save the planet The industry of fabric dying consumes five trillion litres of water globally each year and harms wildlife when dangerous chemicals seep into water sources. Wearing long lab coats, the pair were invited to look at DNA under a microscope as well as view the fermentation process firsthand, prompting William to joke that he wished he had paid more attention in chemistry at school. After learning about the technical DNA sequencing of natural colours, he said: 'Today has just made me realise I should have listened in all of my chemistry lessons. 'Going back over all those old notes like 'Damn, why didn't I pay more attention'.' • Earthshot Prize chief: Prince William is best possible advocate The visit marked Blanchett's ongoing support for William's Earthshot Prize. Speaking afterwards, the actress, who has won two Academy Awards, said: 'The DNA sequencing is incredible. 'And I think what happens in any scientific process — though I'm far from an expert — is that you get these incredible happy accidents. Like the discovery of a metallic sheen to one of the pigments.' In a speech to Colorifix's staff at the end, William praised the work of the company, which is now working with H&M, the high street giant, on some of its clothing. Orr Yarkoni, the co-founder and chief executive of the company, said the 'big difficulty' was trying to change the established supply chains of the fashion industry: 'We need to implement where the supply chain is. 'Rather than trying to get the industry to adapt to us, we need to do everything to adapt to the industry and make it easy for them to change.'
