Poltics
Poltics
Royal family have offered an olive branch of reconciliation to the estranged Prince as he turns 40
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The late Queen Elizabeth II could have influenced the royal family’s surprise decision to wish the Duke of Sussex a happy 40th birthday in a message on social media.
Alongside a picture of a smiling Harry on a royal engagement to Dublin in 2018, the royal family shared the birthday greeting: “Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!”
The Prince and Princess of Wales subsequently shared the message on their official channels, marking the first time that anyone in the family has publicly acknowledged Harry’s birthday since 2021.
But it has now emerged that this decision could be following a precedent set by the late Queen, who established a tradition of marking non-working royals’ birthdays on official channels on years beginning with 0.
Harry, who lives in California, spent his birthday on Sunday with the Duchess of Sussex and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
He is then said to be heading away for a gathering with close friends.
William and Kate ‘quietly’ help troubled London foodbank
News of the gesture was shared by the charity Pecan on Twitter/X, who explained that thousands of pounds worth of goods and a laptop had been stolen from Southwark Food Bank’s warehouse on 8 September.
“A huge thank you to @Kensingtonroyal who have donated to the recovery effort following the theft of £3k of food supplies from @southwarkfoodbk,” the Christian charity wrote.
“All at @Pecan121a have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from across society. Food stocks are being replenished now.”
A huge thank you to @Kensingtonroyal who have donated to the recovery effort following the theft of £3k of food supplies from @southwarkfoodbk. All at @Pecan121a have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from across society. Food stocks are being replenished now ❤️
— Pecan (@Pecan121a) September 13, 2024
Emma Guinness17 September 2024 09:21
Prince Philip could have met ‘an alien called Janus in a Chelsea flat’
The maker of a new documentary that explores the royal family’s alleged interest in extraterrestrial life has claimed that Prince Philip could have met “an alien called Janusy in a Chelsea flat”.
Ahead of the release of The King of UFOs, which is set to air on Amazon on 20 September, director Mark Christopher Lee said the late Duke of Edinburgh was invited to the meeting because he was “a man of great vision”.
The 1954 meeting is reported to have been organised by the late royal’s aide Sir Peter Horsley.
Mr Lee told the Metro: “Horsley wanted Phillip to meet with this Janus as Janus had a message to give him that the world needed saving as Philip was a man of great vision.
“Philip didn’t go to the meeting – and it’s most likely that Janus could have been a Russian spy – but Horsley stuck to his belief that Janus was not of this world.’
The director admitted in the documentary: “It could have happened. It’s a very, very strange encounter.”
Emma Guinness17 September 2024 04:00
James Middleton reveals when he knew William was ‘just right’ for Kate
The Princess of Wales’s brother James Middleton has revealed the moment he knew Prince William was “just right” for his sister.
Writing in his upcoming memoir Meet Ella: The Dog Who Saved My Life, the 37-year-old reflected on discovering that the pair were engaged a day before the news was publicly announced in 2010.
“William has been in our lives for so long, and we’ve grown very fond of him. He feels like our older brother, and he and Catherine are so clearly a good fit, just right for each other,” Mr Middleton wrote.
“As we digest the news, I know I haven’t yet experienced the love they feel for each other myself. But I’m hoping one day I will.”
He praised the Prince of Wales for several qualities in the book, including his willingness to lose at games of cards to the “fiercely competitive” Middleton family.
Emma Guinness17 September 2024 00:00
Prince Harry ‘driven and committed’ to making the world ‘a better place’
The Duke of Sussex, who celebrated the milestone yesterday (15 September), is said to have privately marked the occasion with his family in California.
Harry said in a statement to the BBC: “Whatever the age, my mission is to continue showing up and doing good in the world.”
He added: “Becoming a father of two incredibly kind and funny kids has given me a fresh perspective on life, as well as sharpening my focus in all my work.
“Being a dad is one of life’s greatest joys and has only made me more driven and more committed to making this world a better place.”
Emma Guinness16 September 2024 21:00
Duchess of Edinburgh begins official visit to Tanzania
Sophie, 59, will spend five days in the country for the first royal visit since 2018. The visit is intended to highlight the UK and Tanzania’s work in the fields of female empowerment, health, and agriculture.
Emma Guinness16 September 2024 18:00
Harry and William’s ‘lives are now seperate’
It has been claimed that there is no “fix” to Prince Harry and Prince William’s strained relationship, despite the Prince of Wales’s decision to wish his younger brother a happy birthday yesterday.
An insider told the BBC: “I just can’t see a fix. It’s been a long time now and they haven’t found a peace. Their lives are now very separate. It’s sad.”
The two brothers last saw each other at their uncle Lord Robert Fellowes’s funeral this summer, but they are reported to have kept their distance at the ceremony.
Their relationship has grown increasingly strained since Harry stepped down as a working royal in 2020 and gave several tell-all interviews with further bombshell revelations made in his 2023 memoir Spare.
Emma Guinness16 September 2024 16:00
Harry’s relationship with royal family ‘not defrosting’
A royal expert has claimed that Prince Harry’s relationship with the royal family is “not defrosting” following their seemingly unexpected decision to wish him a happy birthday.
The Duke of Sussex, who celebrated the milestone yesterday, had the occasion marked by both King Charles and Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales on social media.
Royal expert Tom Bower told the MailOnline: “William and Kate’s surprise birthday wishes to Harry do not signal a step towards reconciliation. Rather it shows that the Waleses don’t want to be criticised as churlish.
“Being diplomatic costs them nothing and avoids criticism. The King understandably has congratulated his son but there’s no evidence of defrosting their relationship.”
Emma Guinness16 September 2024 15:00
Princess Anne to attend prestigious horse event after hospitalisation
The Princess Royal, 73, suffered a concussion and minor injuries as a result of the June incident on her estate, which is believed to have been caused by a kick from a horse.
But on 18 October, she will join the audience at the Spanish Riding School’s opening show at OVO Arena Wembley, marking their first tour of the UK in eight years, according to a press release.
The release added: “Arriving in the UK adorned with dazzling white deerskin saddles, gold bridles, luxurious velvet saddle pads, and iconic uniforms, eight riders and up to 26 horses will present performances on the tour, showcasing perfectly synchronised routines to the sound of classical Viennese music.”
Anne herself is an experienced horsewoman and previously rode the school’s horses alongside her mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, in 1969.
Emma Guinness16 September 2024 13:24
King Charles ‘will never completely close the door’ on Prince Harry
Following the royal family’s seemingly surprise decision to acknowledge Prince Harry’s 40th birthday, it has been claimed that King Charles “will never completely close the door” on his youngest son.
Royal expert Rebecca English told the MailOnline: “While angry and determined not to engage with some of Harry’s more egregious accusations, Charles will never completely close the door on his youngest son.”
The Duke of Sussex last saw the monarch following the announcement of his cancer diagnosis in February.
Emma Guinness16 September 2024 13:00
How late Queen Elizabeth II influenced Harry’s unexpected birthday message
The late Queen Elizabeth II is reported to have influenced the royal family’s seemingly unexpected decision to acknowledge Prince Harry’s 40th birthday.
According to several claims, the former monarch set a precedent for acknowledging the birthdays of non-working royals on birthdays ending with 0 on official channels.
Emma Guinness16 September 2024 12:00