Royal news – live: Harry to skip Hugh Grosvenor wedding to avoid William as he celebrates with Meghan in LA
The King and Princess of Wales are not expected to join the celebrations
The Duke of Sussex is set to swerve the Duke of Westminster’s wedding next month to avoid clashing with his brother the Prince of Wales, who is serving as an usher.
Hugh Grosvenor, 33, will marry 31-year-old Olivia Henson at Chester Cathedral on 7 June in a 400-strong guestlist celebration.
One of Britain’s youngest billionaires, Grosvenor is a godfather to Harry’s first-born child, Archie, who turned five earlier this month.
However, according to recent reports, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will not be attending the ceremony in a bid to avoid royal tensions overshadowing the day.
The King, who is Grosvenor’s godfather, and the Princess of Wales are also not expected to attend the wedding as they continue their respective cancer treatments.
Meanwhile, the Sussexes have celebrated their sixth wedding anniversary together in LA just days after returning from Nigeria to promote the Invictus Games in Africa. The pair as said to have exchanged gifts made of iron, as is tradition.
They were also spotted celebrating at a luxury steakhouse in Montecito with friends, where a bottle of wine can set diners back as much as $1,402.
Prince Laurent: ‘Belgium’s Prince Harry’ set to quit royal family for dream life abroad
Prince Harry’s departure from the royal family changed the face of the British monarchy forever – but he is not the only royal black sheep to turn his back on palace life.
In Belgium, 60-year-old former playboy Prince Laurent has similarly established himself as an outsider in his own clan – much in the way that a young Harry did during his own turbulent formative years.
Laurent was affectionally known in the corridors of The Palace of Laeken as the “Playboy prince” before his marriage to Claire Coombs in 2003, while he courted further controversy with his spending and alleged entrepreneurial work.
Read the full article here:
Prince Laurent: ‘Belgium’s Prince Harry’ to quit royal family for dream life abroad
‘I don’t compare myself to Prince Harry. But I would like to start a new life,’ he said.
Earl Spencer celebrates 60th birthday today
The Earl Spencer is celebrating his 60th birthday today after recently showing his support for Prince Harry at the Invictus Games thanksgiving ceremony.
Charles Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother, alongside other members of the Spencer family turned up at the event in a show of support after none of Harry’s immediate family attended.
The Earl has remained close to Harry despite consistently frosty relations with King Charles following Princess Diana’s death.
King Charles takes on two of Queen Elizabeth’s patronages
King Charles has taken on two of Queen Elizabeth’s civil service patronages, continuing an almost 140-year-old tradition.
The Monarch, 75, is now the patron of the Charity for Civil Servants and patron of the Civil Service Club, which provide support to current, former and retired civil servants in need.
News of the King’s appointment was met with delight by their chief executive Graham Hooper.
“We are extremely proud and honoured that his majesty has chosen to continue the tradition started by Queen Victoria when she became our inaugural patron in 1886,” he said.
“His patronage of the charity recognises the vital work civil servants do day in day out in service of the country.”
King and Queen arrive to preview Chelsea Flower Show
King Charles and Queen Camilla have arrived at the Chelsea Flower Show ahead of its official opening tomorrow.
Alongside the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, they will tour the displays in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
The couple are also set to visit the Royal Horticultural Society’s “no adults allowed” garden, which aims to highlight the importance of giving children access to the natural world.
Their visit comes after King Charles was recently named the patron of The Royal Horticultural Society.
King Charles set to break tradition at this year’s Trooping the Colour
King Charles will reportedly ride in a carriage at this year’s Trooping the Colour and not on horseback as is tradition, it has been reported.
This comes amid a tumultuous year for the Monarch, 75, who was diagnosed with cancer following a routine procedure to treat an enlarged prostate.
A source told The Telegraph that a carriage will be the “most likely” option to avoid any risk to the King’s health, as he is still battling the disease.
The event will take place on 15 June, the King’s official birthday.
Lady Amelia Windsor visits Chelsea Flower Show ahead of floral debut
Lady Amelia Windsor has attended the Chelsea Flower Show today ahead of its public opening tomorrow.
The royal, 28, is participating in this year’s event with a wildflower pot. She is 43rd in line to the British throne.
“So excited and honoured to be a very small part of the team for Kent Wildflower Seeds’s first garden at the Chelsea Flower Show,” she wrote on Instagram.
She is not the only member of the family in attendance today, and King Charles and Queen Camilla are also set to make an apperance alongside the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Kate Middleton hints at return to duty following cancer diagnosis
Kate Middleton has shared her first project update since stepping back from her duties in January to work on her health.
Taking to Twitter (X), the Princess of Wales, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment, shared a video showcasing the challenges British farmers can face with their mental health.
The Kensington Royal account, which represents Kate and Prince William, wrote: “This #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek we’ve brought together the inspirational Sam Stables from We Are Farming Minds and the brilliant Farmer Will for a very special film.
“Spending a day together on Sam’s farm in Hereford they chatted about mental health in the farming community, finding support and the Duchy of Cornwall’s Mental Health Strategy.”
The full film is available to watch on YouTube.
Harry and Meghan enjoy date night for wedding anniversary
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were spotted celebrating with friends at a Los Angeles steakhouse on their anniversary weekend.
The couple, who recently returned to the US from an unofficial tour of Nigeria, married six years ago on 19 May at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.
According to reports, they were seen out on Saturday with their friends Brian and Tracey Robbins at Lucky’s in Montecito.
The restaurant features a range of dishes which vary in price up to $175 for a porterhouse steak and a staggering $1,402 for a bottle of wine.
Harry and Meghan have seemingly struck up a close friendship with the Paramount CEO and his designer wife in recent years and the foursome even travelled to Jamaica in January for the premier of the Bob Marley biopic One Love.
King Charles now richer than his late mother Queen Elizabeth
King Charles officially has a higher net worth than his later mother Queen Elizabeth, the 2024 Sunday Times Rich List has revealed.
The current Monarch is worth £610 million, which is significantly more than the £370 million the Queen had in 2022 before her death.
The King’s wealth can, in part, be credited to his mother though as she left him an investment portfolio worth almost £120 million.
Prince Harry slammed by musician Don McLean
Don McLean has hit out at Prince Harry for his less-than-flattering description of Elvis Presley’s Graceland estate in his memoir Spare.
The American musician, 78, told the Daily Mail that the sixth in line to the throne, 39, should not “criticise America when you’re living here as our guest.”
In the 2023 memoir, which details Harry’s life in the royal family, he describes the mansion once occupied by the King of Rock and Roll as “dark” and “claustrophobic.”
“I walked around saying ‘the King lived here, you say? Really?’” Harry wrote. “I stood in one tiny room with loud furniture and shag carpet and thought ‘the King’s interior designer must’ve been on acid.’”
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