Royal News Site

King Abdullah meets King Philippe of Belgium in Davos

2018-01-25T21:36:00.000+00:00

On the sidelines of the annual World Economic Forum in a frigid and snowy Davos, Switzerland, His Majesty King Abdullah of Jordan and His Majesty King Philippe of Belgium held a meeting to discuss bilateral ties. Director of the Office of His Majesty, Jafar Hassan was also present during the discussion.

The two monarchs spoke about how the two countries could be strengthened through the economic, commercial and investment sectors. Current regional and international developments were also a topic of discussion with the Palestinian issue and Jerusalem being recognised as Israel's capital by the United States taking centre stage.

The Royal Hashemite Court of Jordan remarked in a news release that the "two sides affirmed the strong relations between Jordan and Belgium and their keenness to advance them, while also maintaining coordination and consultations on various regional and international issues, in the service of the two countries' mutual interests and with the aim of bolstering global peace and security."

King Abdullah stressed the importance of more international efforts in the peace process in the Middle East including a "comprehensive peace agreement between the Palestinians and the Israelis that leads to the establishment of an independent Palestinian with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side with Israel."

King Abdullah also met the President of Guinea and the Meridiam CEO yesterday.

Royals from all over the globe have travelled to Switzerland to attend the forum. Queen Máxima of the Netherlands is in attendance as part of her role as the United Nations Secretary General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance, and King Felipe of Spain is due to give a speech today. Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway are also in Davos. King Abdullah, Queen Rania and Crown Prince Hussein of Jordan are to be at the World Economic Forum from 23 through the 26th.

King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium are to be at the event from 22 to 25 January. They will chaired the Belgian Power Reception yesterday.

Prince William on the 'lifelong habit' he learned from Princess Diana and Prince Charles

2018-01-25T21:34:00.001+00:00

Kate's husband revealed it during a speech at the Charity Commission's annual Public Meeting

Prince William opened up about how his mother Princess Diana and father Prince Charles helped shape him into the man he is today.

Children learn from their parents - and Prince William was no exception growing up. While delivering the keynote speech at the Charity Commission's annual Public Meeting on Tuesday, the Duke of Cambridge, 35, paid tribute to his late mother Princess Diana and father Prince Charles by talking about how they shaped him into the man he is today.

"I have two children [Prince George and Princess Charlotte] as you probably know (I gather it has been widely reported); and when I first became a father about four and half years ago, I began a process of thinking about the way I had been brought up, and the values that my parents had instilled in me," William began.

Prince William opened up about the values his parents instilled in him.

"As any parent will know, this process is not necessarily one that you undertake consciously - you find that certain values and habits, ones that you didn't know you had, start bubbling up to the surface," Kate's husband continued. "Some of my earliest memories relate to times that my parents spoke to me or - even better - showed me what it meant to have both privilege and responsibilities."

In his speech, William, who is expecting his third child with the Duchess, recalled visiting a homeless shelter with his mother when he was young. At the time, Diana explained to her son why the people he met there mattered and "why no society can be healthy unless we take other people seriously."

The Duke recalled visiting a homeless shelter with his mom

When it came to his father, the Duke admitted he learned how "central charity was to (Prince Charle's) life" and how it served as a sense of purpose for Her Majesty's son. William shared, "As a young child, I recall evening after evening my father's diligence and compassion as he applied himself to answering thousands of letters and reading endless reports in order to stay on top of his ambition to do all he could to help the underprivileged."

Prince George's dad added, "Without my realizing it, what my parents were doing was instilling in me and Harry a lifelong habit to put charity at the heart of our lives."

Kate's husband noted that charity is important to his family

William noted that his father inherited that same habit from his grandparents - Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth. He said, "My family have not done this because it looks good - they do it because charity is not an optional extra in society. We believe that, above anything else, charities nurture, repair, build and sustain our society. Without the work that charities do, society would be an empty shell."

Prince William Praises The Duke Of Edinburgh As “One Of The Most Tireless Public Servants Of This Country”

2018-01-25T01:17:00.003+00:00

Yesterday, the Duke of Cambridge gave a speech at the Charity Commission's annual public meeting where he touched on the influences from his family in shaping his role in charity work.

He praised his grandparents, The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh who together hold over 1000 patronages. Giving props to Prince Philip who retired in August of last year, saying he is "one of the most tireless public servants of this country, deeply committed to helping young people fulfil their potential."

He also gave credit to his parents.

"As a young child, I recall evening after evening my father's diligence and compassion as he applied himself to answering thousands of letters and reading endless reports in order to stay on top of his ambition to do all he could to help the underprivileged," the Duke said.

"Without my realising it, what my parents were doing was instilling in me and Harry a lifelong habit to put charity at the heart of our lives."

During his speech, Prince William warned that the growing number of charities should not focus only on themselves, but work together saying: "We all know that society is becoming in lots of ways more atomised and polarised.

"There is no doubt that public debate seems coarser and more personal than ever, fuelled partly by anonymity online and the commercialisation of our news.

"We are running the risk of a silo society in which we allow differences of opinion to separate us.

"In that context, it is more important than ever to nurture those institutions which transcend differences between us, which motivate us to put self-interest aside and which, explicitly, are beyond politics."

The Duke gave examples of charities who came together during the Grenfell fires to combat the tragedy together.

"This leaves me to think that this approach could go further," Prince William said.

"Instead of setting up more individual charities working in the same fields, I wonder if we could do more to explore ways of combining forces, working and innovating together?

"I do wonder at times if the compassion which leads people to set up or maintain charities could not be equally well directed at first finding opportunities to work with existing charities.

"Competition for funds between an ever-growing number of charities, and the confusion it can cause among donors, can lead to the silo-ing of expertise and, at worst, territorial behaviour.

"I know that this message is not always easy to hear: charities exist because those who work and volunteer for them each believe passionately in its importance. And they are right to do so.

"But as the challenges of the future begin to bear down on us, I believe that this big shift must begin to happen – the sector must be open to collaborate, to share expertise and resources; to focus less on individual interests and more on the benefits that working together will bring.

"That, I believe, is where the future lies."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, together with Prince Harry and soon Meghan Markle, run The Royal Foundation which acts as an umbrella for the foundations they have started.

While Prince William was giving his speech at to the Charity Commision, the Duchess of Cambridge was launching Heads Together's newest mental health initiative in schools.

Princess Athena Of Denmark Poses For Sweet Sixth Birthday Portrait

2018-01-25T01:15:00.000+00:00

Princess Athena is the younger child of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie.

Athena of Denmark posed for an official portrait for her sixth birthday, released by the Danish royal palace and her parents Prince Joachim and Princess Marie

Princess Athena is growing up fast! The little girl has posed for a new, official portrait for her sixth birthday on 24 January. The sweet photo shows the princess grinning from ear-to-ear, looking sweet in a floral top and a matching bow in her hair. The picture was released by the Danish royal palace in honour of Athena's special day.

The princess is the younger child of Prince Joachim and Princess Marie. The couple also have an eight-year-old son, Prince Henrik, who is named after his paternal grandfather Prince Henrik of Denmark, the husband of Queen Margrethe II. Prince Joachim also has two older children from his first marriage to Alexandra, Countess of Frederiksborg - Prince Nikolai, 18, and Prince Felix, 15.

Princess Marie prepares school lunch for her kids

Joachim and France-born Marie have previously opened up about their two beautiful children - and how they first met at a hunt. Speaking exclusively to HELLO! magazine in 2016, Joachim revealed: "It was pure coincidence that we met. I was married at the time. But because we happened to be the only two French-speaking people at the dinner, our host seated us next to each other. And as Marie had never been to Denmark it was fun to talk to her. Our romance, however, started much later."

Praising his wife, Joachim, 48, added: "She has the ability to reach people's hearts. It's true that when you see a glossy photo, there's no doubt that she's extremely attractive, but that's just the beginning. When you talk to her, you realise there's something very profound."

Joachim described his son Henrik as "extremely good-natured but can be stubborn," while he said his daughter Athena was "the Viking in the family". "We've always tried to bring them up so that they never feel different from other kids," Joachim said. "Of course, we have to teach them that there are times when they'll be on the balcony with their grandmother and there'll be a lot of photographers taking pictures of us. But that's just part of the position, something you live with."

Prince Harry And Meghan Markle To Attend Glittering Awards Ceremony

2018-01-25T00:15:00.000+00:00

The Prince and the American actress will attend the annual Endeavour Fund Awards

The Prince and the American actress will attend the annual Endeavour Fund Awards

Prince Harry and his fiancée Meghan Markle are attending a glittering awards ceremony in London next month - get all the details about their exciting 4th engagement.

Prince Harry and his fiancée Meghan Markle will don their finest for an evening out in London next week. The couple are due to attend the Endeavour Fund Awards at Goldsmiths' Hall, a ceremony that celebrates the achievements of wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women who have taken part in remarkable sporting and adventure challenges over the past year.

Harry, who spearheaded the Invictus Games in the UK, and his bride-to-be Meghan will attend a pre-ceremony reception. The couple will have the chance to meet some of the inspiring nominees, as well as supporters of the Endeavour Fund.

They will then attend the awards ceremony, where three prizes will be given out: the Recognising Achievement Award, the Celebrating Excellence Award and the Henry Worsley Award. The latter is named after soldier Henry Worsley, who tragically lost his life in January 2016 whilst attempting to cross the Antarctic landmass, solo and unsupported.

Harry and Meghan will attend the Endeavour Fund Awards on 1 February

Harry and Meghan will be showing their support for the Endeavour Fund, a project led by Harry's Royal Foundation alongside Prince William and Kate. The Fund helps servicemen and women with their physical, psychological and social recovery and rehabilitation. It supports activities that contribute to the participants' recovery, either through mentorship, qualifications or work opportunities.

The awards ceremony will take place on the evening of Thursday 1 February. It will mark Harry and Meghan's fourth joint engagement together. The couple have previously visited Nottingham, Brixton in south London and Cardiff; the palace has said that Meghan is keen to see as much of the UK as she can before officially becoming a member of the royal family.

The first royal wedding of the year will take place on Saturday 19 May at St George's Chapel in Windsor. Harry and Meghan are no doubt busy planning their big day, with reports claiming that the former Suits star has already had her first dress fitting at Kensington Palace. Harry's cousin Princess Eugenie is also set to marry her fiancé Jack Brooksbank at Windsor, sometime in the autumn although an exact date has yet to be confirmed.

What Royal Title Will The Queen Give Princess Eugenie's Fiancé Jack Brooksbank?

2018-01-23T21:37:00.001+00:00

How will 27-year-old Princess Eugenie be styled after her marriage?

Members of the public marrying into the royal family are often given a new title and style, but this may not be the case for Princess Eugenie's new fiancé, Jack Brooksbank. According to royal historian Marlene Eilers Koenig, author of Royal Musings blog, Jack will not be offered a title from Eugenie's grandmother, the Queen.

"Jack will not be getting any title from the Queen," Marlene told Hello Online magazine. "The precedent was set by Princess Alexandra and the Hon. Mr. Angus Ogilvy in 1963. He turned down an earldom. Princess Anne and Mark Phillips also turned down an earldom from the Queen in 1973."

Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank pose for official photos

Because Eugenie and her older sister Princess Beatrice are technically not working royals (they are the only adult royals not included in the list of royals on the British monarch's website), the offer of a title would not be extended to their future spouses. "It was decided in the 1990s, largely due to the scandals, that the York princesses would not carry out official duties," Marlene explained. "Their engagements and their charities/patronages are not included in the Court Circular and the royal family's charity database."

Sarah Ferguson shared a rare photos of Eugenie and Jack following their engagement.

The couple got engaged in Nicaragua

As for their titles, Marlene doubts that Eugenie, 27, would give up her own title upon her marriage to tequila brand ambassador, Jack. "One of the thoughts of the now disbanded Way Ahead group in the 1990s was that the girls would give up their titles at marriage, but this was not implemented," Marlene said. "I sincerely doubt that Eugenie will do a Princess Patricia of Connaught and relinquish her title and adopt the style and title of a daughter of a Duke, which would be done by royal warrant."

Who is Jack Brooksbank? Everything you need to know

Marlene added: "She will be styled either as HRH Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Brooksbank or she could choose not to use her husband's surname. Prince Andrew has been vocal about his daughters having a royal life, and personally, we need younger blood royal princesses. There are only two working blood princesses - Anne, 67, and Alexandra, 81."

Prince Albert's Twins Make Their First Appearance At The 42Ndroy International Circus Festival

2018-01-23T21:29:00.000+00:00

Princess Charlene was absent from the festivities Monaco's royal twins, Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques joined their father Prince Albert and their aunt Princess Stephanie for the first time at the Monaco circus.

Prince Albert brought some very special guests along to the circus. On Sunday, Monaco's Prince's three-year-old twins Princess Gabriella and Prince Jacques accompanied him to the 42nd Monte Carlo International Circus festival. The twins, who he shares with his wife Princess Charlene, made their first appearance at the festival with their family.
During the event, Gabriella and Jacques enjoyed some of the traditional circus acts including clowns, trapeze artists and various animals. Prince Albert's adorable duo were wide-eyed as they took in all of the excitement, with Gabriella even giving a giraffe a snack.

Gabriella and Jacques made their first appearance at the Monte Carlo International Circus Festival with their dad

Albert and his children were joined by his sister Princess Stephanie of Monaco and her children, Pauline and Louis Ducruet and Camille Gottlieb. The circus is celebrating 250 years and is set to run through 28 January. For opening day of the annual event on 18 January, Stephanie - who is the president of the festival's organisation committee - was joined by her children and older brother. The event, which celebrates the modern circus, is dear to the royal family's heart as it was founded by Stephanie and Albert's father Prince Rainier III in 1974.

The three-year-old twins were accompanied by their father and aunt Princess Stephanie

The historic festival has become a family affair, with Albert and the family supporting Stephanie, who spent time with her children in the circus in 2001, every year. The special appearance of Albert's twin marks their first appearance this year and first since they were photographed three days after their third birthday, looking all grown up during a Christmas photo shoot.

The Six Big Royal Events Of 2018 We Can't Wait For

2018-01-23T21:17:00.000+00:00

Two royal weddings, two new babies and other great milestones

This year 2018 is set to be a big year for the royals - find out which big events are happening, apart from the two royal weddings and new royal babies.

2018 is shaping up to be a happy and glorious year for the British royal family. Following the news that Princess Eugenie is engaged to her long-term boyfriend Jack Brooksbank, the palace has another royal wedding to plan for. Eugenie and Jack's nuptials will take place in the autumn, while Prince Harry will marry his American fiancée Meghan Markle a few months before on Saturday 19 May. Both couples have chosen St George's Chapel in Windsor for their wedding.

The royal family is also set to welcome two new babies. Prince William and Kate's third child - a brother or sister to Prince George and Princess Charlotte - is due in April. William's cousin Zara Tindall and her husband Mike are also expecting their second baby, believed to be due in the summer.

Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding will take place in May

The Queen, 91, is also marking another important milestone this year. On 2 June, she will celebrate the 65th anniversary of her coronation. Her Majesty recently recalled the momentous day in a documentary for the BBC entitled The Coronation, in which she spoke about the "horribly uncomfortable" golden carriage that took her from Westminster Abbey back to Buckingham Palace.

"It's not meant for travelling in at all. I mean, it's only sprung on leather. Not very comfortable," she said, adding: "We must have gone about four to five miles. It can only go at a walking pace. The horses couldn't possibly go any faster. It's so heavy."

The Queen will celebrate the 65th anniversary of her coronation in June

The monarch also spoke about the weight of the crown she wore, telling interviewer Alastair Bruce: "You can't look down to read the speech, you have to take the speech up. Because if you did your neck would break, it would fall off. So there are some disadvantages to crowns, but otherwise they're quite important things."

The royal celebrations will continue well into the end of the year, when, in November, Prince Charles marks his milestone 70th birthday. The future King will celebrate his big day on 14 November, and, in keeping with tradition, the palace will most likely release new portraits of Charles with his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, his sons Prince William and Prince Harry, his daughters-in-law and grandchildren.

Rooms In Windsor Being Rented Out For More Than £15,000-Per-Night Ahead Of May Royal Wedding

2018-01-23T21:04:00.000+00:00

On 19 May, the eyes of the world will be on the Berkshire town of Windsor as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Locals are reportedly cashing in on the windfall of tourists, royal fans, and world media set to descend on the town.

Since the announcement of their engagement last November, royal fans and the media have speculated about the wedding guest list, wedding party, Meghan's dress and other details of the day. So far, all such information has been kept secret.

Like the royals, Windsor homeowners and businesses have started their own preparations for the big weekend. Mainly renting out their homes and establishments for eager folks intending on being present. The owner of the Horse and Groom pub is apparently renting out two rooms above his bar opposite the castle for £15,000-a-night.

Some rooms are going for more than that amount. One homeowner is considering leaving her Park Street home for the weekend as she was offered £10,000. Sam Glancy, landlady of The Carpenters Arms, told the Star she has rented out one floor to the US broadcaster NBC News when they send journalists to cover the ceremony. She's said to have made a deal that is rumoured to have cost £30,000.

Another issue brought to light in Windsor is the problem with homelessness after a councillor wanted to send them off to clean up the appearance of the town. Russell Brand has offered to gift the couple by housing the city's homeless for the duration of the wedding. Nearly 20,000 signatures have been collected for the comedian's plea which he launched after Simon Dudley, the Tory leader of the council for Windsor asked police to do something with the city's rough sleepers.

"The most vulnerable are being exposed to persecution," said Brand, who has worked with a homeless charity in the nearby town of Slough. He's working to get that city's council to purchase a building to house the homeless.

King Abdullah And Queen Rania Attended The Meeting of NCHRD

2018-01-23T00:56:00.001+00:00

King Abdullah and Queen Rania of Jordan attended a working meeting at Al Husseiniya Palace in order to receive information about works carried out relating to "National Strategy for Human Resource Development (NCHRD)" and to listen to the recommendations.

The Strategy deals with developing elementary education, higher education, technical education and vocational training sectors with the purpose of achieving a qualitative leap in human resources.

Will Jack Brooksbank Be Granted a Title by The Queen?

2018-01-23T00:48:00.000+00:00

Within minutes of the Duke and Duchess of York announcing the engagement of Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank, Royal Central has been inundated with questions about the marriage. Here, we try to answer one of the most asked queries - will Mr Brooksbank receive a royal title from The Queen?

From past experiences, it would be unlikely (but not completely impossible) that Mr. Brooksbank would be granted a title by Her Majesty, meaning he would remain a commoner.

If he was granted a title, it would likely be a non-royal peerage such as an Earldom, though this in itself is unlikely.

Because a woman takes her husband's style and precedence unless hers is higher, (which it is), her precedence will not be affected.

She may choose, however, to follow past precedent and style herself as Her Royal Highness Princess Eugenie, Mrs Jack Brooksbank, or even just privately style herself as Mrs Brooksbank. Equally, she may choose just to continue being Princess Eugenie.

Traditionally, female royals drop their territorial designation when they marry, so either way, she probably wouldn't be referred to as Princess Eugenie of York any more (rather just Princess Eugenie).

Eugenie and Jack will get married at St George's Chapel in Windsor castle - the same venue as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May.

An exact date has not been set yet, however, it is highly unlikely that the wedding would be a public event like that of Princess Eugenie's cousin, Prince William and his wife the Duchess of Cambridge. Instead, it will almost certainly be a private family affair like that of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall.

Because Princess Eugenie is eighth-in-line to the throne, The Queen did not need to give her consent for her marriage to take place. This is reserved for members of the Royal Family who are sixth-in-line to the throne or higher. Similarly, if her sister Princess Beatrice got married, she would no longer have to seek permission from Her Majesty as Princess Charlotte's birth pushed her to seventh-in-line.

A Power Cut Won't Stop The Queen

2018-01-23T00:43:00.000+00:00

Each year during her stay at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk, Her Majesty The Queen visits members of her local Women's Institute at West Newton village hall. This year's fete, however, was markedly different as Her Majesty enjoyed tea and cakes with the WI members in a pitch-dark hall following a power cut earlier that same day.

Chairman of Sandringham WI, Yvonne Browne said that The Queen saw the funny side of the situation and was "laughing and smiling" during her visit despite the lack of heating or lighting. Though there was a moment of doubt and the event was almost cancelled, the WI was able to forge ahead with assistance from local police, who brought them urns of hot water for tea.

Browne said the day had been "very interesting" as "the power went off at 11 minutes past six and all through the morning we had information 'it's on in an hour, it's on in an hour' so I took the decision we'd go ahead regardless.

"I had calls with the house and the Queen's private secretary said 'yes, if you're happy to go ahead we're happy to go ahead'. So, Her Majesty valiantly came along to the WI this afternoon with no heating and no lighting and we were supplied with urns of water by the police to make the tea so we were actually able to provide everyone with a cup of tea.

"And of course the Queen came in and she was laughing and smiling with everybody sort of making remarks on the fact she couldn't really see us because it's quite dark, it's darker in the hall than it is outside. We've had a really lovely afternoon despite no heat or light."

The Queen became a member of the Sandringham branch of the Women's Institute in 1943 when she was still a princess and has been attended each year since.

Crown Prince Haakon Takes 14Th Birthday Photos Of Daughter Princess Ingrid Alexandra

2018-01-23T00:35:00.000+00:00

Princess Ingrid Alexandra in the winter at Skaugum 2018. Photo: HRH Crown Prince Haakon

Her Royal Highness Princess Ingrid Alexandra of Norway is celebrating her 14th birthday today, and in celebration, the Royal Court of Norway released two new pictures of the teenage princess late last evening.

The images were taken by her proud father, Crown Prince Haakon outside their home at the Skaugum estate this month. The Princess is pictured in deep snow in one image and climbing a tree in another.

Celebrations for the future Queen of Norway's birthday are, naturally, private. It is expected that she will celebrate with family at their family home.

Ingrid Alexandra is the older child of Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit. She has a younger brother, His Highness Prince Sverre Magnus (b. 2005), and an older brother, Marius Borg Høiby (b. 1997), from her mother's previous relationship.

Her Royal Highness appears alongside her parents for National Day and other events. In the autumn of last year, she unveiled new sculptures at the Princess Ingrid Alexandra Sculpture Park alongside her mother and grandmother, Queen Sonja. The park, located in the gardens of the Royal Palace in Oslo, was initially opened in May 2016 by Her Royal Highness. She was accompanied on this occasion by her grandfather, King Harald, grandmother, parents, younger brother and great-aunt, Princess Astrid.

Second in line to the throne Ingrid Alexandra was born on 21 January 2004 in Oslo at the Rikshospitalet. She was christened in the Palace Chapel of the Royal Palace in Oslo on 17 April with King Harald, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark, Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, King Felipe of Spain (then Prince of Asturias), Princess Märtha Louise and Marit Tjessem. The Princess, who enjoys music and playing the piano, began her schooling in 2006. In 2010, Ingrid Alexandra entered Jansløkka Primary School in Asker, but in 2014, she was transferred to the Oslo International School at Bekkestua - a private English language school – as her parents reportedly wanted to ensure she was fluent in English.

The Princess will be Norway's second female monarch, after the 15th-century Queen Margaret once she ascends the throne. As a descendant of Princess Maud of Wales, daughter of King Edward VII, she is also in line for the British throne; however, she is preceded by her brother in the British line of succession.

Prince Harry writes touching letter to woman suffering from cancer

2017-09-30T18:52:00.004+01:00

It’s been a busy week for Prince Harry as he celebrates and observes the competition at the third Invictus Games in Toronto. The royal took some minutes to pen a handwritten letter to Guylaine Catelain, wife of a former Invictus athlete battling cancer.

While watching the warm-ups for the cycling competition at Toronto’s High Park, Harry wrote in his letter to the wife of Colonel Lauren Catelain, former chief of the French Commandos who competed in the two previous Invictus Games.

French Captain David Travadon revealed to the Mirror: “I asked Prince Harry to write her a note to encourage her.

“He took his time to write it and put a lot of care and thought into it.

“It will be very important to her. He sent her his best wishes and told her the spirit of the Games is with her.”

Along with writing his inspirational letter, as part of his visit to the park, Harry also was presented with a bracelet by a Danish competitor. Local school students cheered after having their photo taken with Harry.

The Prince handed out medals after observing several races. Mark Ormrod, a triple amputee from the UK won silver in the Men’s IR1 One Minute Sprint Final.

Ormrod, a proud father of three, discussed his pride in having Prince Harry present him with his two silver medals after the rowing competition Tuesday night: “It’s a natural thing for him, it’s his baby. He’s got that camaraderie after ten years in the military himself.

“If I was him, I’d have immense pride in seeing how much this has grown.

“That’s down to him and his team. I expect he’s immensely proud and emotional about it.”

The athlete spoke of his disability and how he chooses not to use the assistance of a wheelchair: “I don’t use a wheelchair. It was a goal of mine years ago to ditch it so I ditched it in June 2009 and never used it again. It’s too much faffing about.

“This is the first time I’ve done any adaptive sport and I was extremely naive to all of it and underestimated everything.

“I relearnt to swim last year so I thought I should do that but then I thought cycling looked like fun.

“And rowing I thought I’m fit and quite powerful so I might be quite good at that. So I chose them.”

The Closing Ceremony for the games will take place this weekend, capping off what’s turning out to be yet another successful event. Royal Central will keep you updated on everything happening in Toronto.

Prince William says the UK should look for new trade deals

2017-09-30T18:51:00.001+01:00

Prince William has told business leaders that the United Kingdom should look ahead to the future and ramp up efforts to strengthen its trading relations around the world.

Speaking at Lancaster House to launch the 2018 International Business Festival in Liverpool, the Duke of Cambridge announced his patronage of the event – which will bring together businesses from all over the world – before moving to stress the need to explore new trading opportunities.

“As we look to the future, we all recognise just how important it will be that we work to build connections with trading partners all around the world – strengthening links with old friends and creating new opportunities.

“The UK’s prosperity relies on its wealth of innovative and ambitious small and medium-sized businesses. Whenever I have had the chance to meet the people who run such enterprises, I have been struck by their ingenuity, drive and commitment. They demonstrate the best qualities of our national character.”

William also called on British firms to invest in developing a skilful generation through training and mentoring and help them find new opportunities to thrive.

“We know that one of the major challenges for business is access to a skilled workforce. The International Business Festival has a vital role in encouraging businesses to become further involved in the training and mentoring of young people in enterprise.”

Welcoming the statement, Max Steinberg, Chairman of the International Business Festival, said that the royal efforts would be “a huge boost to our presence in key international markets, helping us to attract even more delegations to Liverpool next June.”

The Prince’s comments are likely to be interpreted as a reference to trade deals that the UK look to clinch with Commonwealth and other countries after Brexit. His trips to Poland and German in June were referred to in the press as ‘charm offensive’ that the UK government is using as ‘soft power’ to explore post-Brexit opportunities.

In Germany, the Prince said the two nations wanted to establish a friendship that would last a lifetime.

102-year-old veteran praises Prince Harry

2017-09-30T18:49:00.004+01:00

When 102-year-old Veteran, Sgt James Norman Baker praised Prince Harry on a live television screen during a wheelchair rugby match, he never imagined what would happen next.

Prince Harry found the World War Two veteran and thanked him for his kind words in regards to Harry setting up the games.

From one veteran to another, Prince Harry held the man’s hand while hearing his story.

Sgt Baker spoke to The Daily Mail, saying: “I wanted to show the athletes my support and enjoy the games. See their spirit.

“They show amazing strength of character as well as body. I think they do a wonderful job.

“It’s important because without this, a lot of them would not be where they are today.

“It’s Prince Harry’s efforts that have encouraged them to find the competitive spirit, self-confidence and join in: make them feel as if they have a place in the world when they could have lost hope.”

Sgt Baker continued on how those fighting during WW2 would have to recover without help, adding on: “Some of them didn’t have anything to live for.

“Harry’s given them [this generation] that spirit.”

Prince Harry finished his conversation with Sgt Baker with making sure he was well taken care of, including a VIP seat for the rest of the game.

Sgt Baker was never expected to fight, but six weeks after D-Day he landed on Juno beach. From there he moved to France, Belgium, Holland and Germany

Prince Charles presented the Royal Regiment at Varsity City, Toronto in 2012 while Sgt Baker was part of, meeting the prince.

Only two days are left of the 2017 Invictus Games, which were started by Prince Harry as a way of giving service men and women a new lease after their time serving.

Remembering Princess Charlotte of Wales, 200 years after her death

2017-09-30T18:48:00.000+01:00

The 6th November 2017 marks 200 years since the death of Princess Charlotte of Wales. She was the queen that Britain never had, and easily the most popular member of the Royal Family during her lifetime. When she died in childbirth aged just 21, she was deeply mourned by the British public, yet her story is so often consigned to a footnote in history.

Princess Charlotte was the only child of the Prince Regent – later King George IV – and his estranged wife, Caroline of Brunswick. Born in 1796, almost exactly nine months after their ill-fated marriage, Charlotte was caught in the middle of their very public war, always unclear with which of her parents her loyalties should lie. As a child she lived with neither of them; instead, she had her own household, with only governesses and servants for company. It was a lonely life; Charlotte was allowed minimal contact with her mother, and her father visited her only rarely. As she got older, she longed to attend court and other society gatherings, but her father often prevented this too, keeping her public appearances to a minimum. Perhaps because on the occasions she did appear, Charlotte was always enthusiastically cheered by large crowds, something he rarely experienced himself.

In 1813, Charlotte was persuaded by her father to accept an offer of marriage from the Prince of Orange, seeing this as a chance for greater freedom. However, already less than enthusiastic about the match, when it became apparent that she was expected to spend several months of the year in the Prince’s native Holland, Charlotte refused to marry him, arguing that it was not right for her to absent herself from the country she was to rule one day. Supported by her grandmother, Queen Charlotte, she eventually broke off the engagement, and in May 1816 married a man of her own choosing, the handsome Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfield.

Charlotte and Leopold, after their marriage. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The British public rejoiced when Charlotte found freedom and happiness at last. Unlike her father, the young Princess was incredibly popular; her sufferings had won the public’s loyalty and support, and, as King George III’s only legitimate grandchild, she carried all their hopes for the future of the monarchy.

After their wedding, Charlotte and Leopold lived quietly at Claremont House in Esher, Surrey, spending their days almost entirely in each other’s company. Such behaviour – so different to that of her father, uncles and their mistresses, who were all notoriously extravagant and expensive – helped to increase the new couple’s popularity. Their mutual affection was said to be obvious to all, and when Charlotte’s pregnancy was announced in April 1817, it was met by the public with great delight and followed closely in the press.

The much-anticipated labour eventually began on 4th November. It was long and complicated, and after 50 hours, Charlotte gave birth to a stillborn baby boy. Tragically, at first she seemed to have survived the ordeal, but then, after becoming suddenly ill, she too died, cutting short a happy marriage and a bright future.

The news of her death led to an immense outpouring of national grief. One contemporary later wrote: “It really was as if every household throughout Great Britain had lost a favourite child.” Nearly every church in the country held a memorial service for Charlotte, shops were closed, and remained so for up to two weeks, and public buildings were draped with black. A fund was quickly established to raise money from the public for the building of a marble memorial. This was eventually built at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, where it still stands today, a testament to the affection in which Charlotte was held.

The nation’s grief had another, more tragic consequence though. As grief turned to anger, they looked for someone to blame, and much of that anger was focused on Charlotte’s attendant midwife, Sir Richard Croft. He was heavily criticised for both the restrictive diet he had prescribed for Charlotte during her pregnancy, and for his failure to intervene with forceps when her labour became difficult. Although he was absolved from blame by both a devastated Prince Leopold and the Prince Regent, unhappy and guilt-ridden he became the third victim of the tragedy, taking a pistol to his head just three months later.

Happily, for the British Monarchy, Charlotte’s sad story did have one positive outcome. Her death had placed the Hanoverians’ future on the British throne in doubt, and George III’s younger sons, now in their 40s and 50s, were at last persuaded to give up their mistresses and marry.

Within a year, the Dukes of Clarence, Kent and Cambridge had all found brides, and there were eventually four royal babies born in 1819, although only three survived. It was Princess Alexandrina Victoria, daughter of the Duke of Kent, who ranked highest in the line of succession, and it was she who became Britain’s next Queen. Without Charlotte’s death, it’s unlikely she would ever have been born, and Britain’s history might then have looked very different.

Prince Harry gives into sharing his popcorn

2017-09-30T18:45:00.001+01:00

On Wednesday evening, Prince Harry sat down for what he thought would be an enjoyable Volleyball game when the adorable two-year-old next to him stole his popcorn.

Meghan Markle may have been all anyone has been able to talk about, but Emily Henson, daughter of Hayley and former Invictus and friend Dave Henson, changed all that. While sitting on her mother’s lap during the UK v Denmark match, she decided that Prince Harry’s snack would be much better.

Known for his playful side, Prince Harry pulled the popcorn away when he realised what was happening before quickly giving in to the toddler. Harry fed Emily, while Emily in return tried to have Harry kiss her toy, much to the amusement of Hayley who was photographed laughing away.

A spectator told the Daily Mirror: “It was adorable. Harry looked so relaxed and was having great fun.

“He’s such a nice loveable guy. He’ll definitely make a great dad one day.”

Dave Henson was the UK Team’s first captain at the Invictus Games in 2014; he also won bronze in 200m at the 2016 Paralympics. When fighting in Afghanistan, Mr Henson had both his legs blown off in 2011.
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Since the inaugural games, Prince Harry has become good friends with the Henson family.

Prince Harry has shown that he has been great with children over the last few days, spending lots of time with them in front of the CN Tower on Tuesday night before a reception.

He has said in the past that he would one day like to have children of his own, and with his girlfriend Meghan Markle showing up at two Invictus Games events as of writing this, we could be on another Royal Baby watch by 2019!

There are only three days left of the Invictus Games which ends with the Closing Ceremony on Saturday featuring Brian Adams, Kelly Clarkson and Bruce Springsteen after the week-long event; we may see Meghan at least one more time.

Prince Akishino Meets President of Chile while on ten-day tour

2017-09-30T18:43:00.004+01:00

As part of his tour of the South American nation of Chile, Prince Akishino of Japan and his wife, Princess Kiko, received a warm official welcome from President Michelle Bachelet at the La Moneda Palace. The youngest son of Emperor Akihito is currently undertaking a ten-day tour of Chile to celebrate 120 years of Chilean-Japanese relations, and are currently on the second day of their visit.

During their first day within the country, the Prince and Princess undertook a visit to the 3000-strong Japanese community whose ancestors have made their homes within the Andean republic, as well as a visit to the National Historical Museum of Santiago where they were shown numerous artefacts from the nation’s history.

At a ceremony within the Palace celebrating the amiable relationship that Japan and Chile have enjoyed thus far, His Imperial Highness took the opportunity to remark on the many long years of cooperation that is taking place within the fields of disaster prevention. The two countries are both rather troubled by earthquakes and tsunamis, and as such have much to learn and offer each other in managing these events. With small partnerships and joint-ventures such as these, Prince Akishino expressed his hope that the friendship between the two countries would deepen.

On her part, President Bachelet denounced the recent missile and nuclear tests being undertaken by North Korea, one of which saw a missile fired over the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido.

“We are against what North Korea is doing,” she assured the reception. “We hope peace will prevail in the world.”

After the reception and ceremonies were concluded, the Imperial couple attended a luncheon hosted by the President for a slightly more informal welcome to the city and country. During the proceedings, Prince Akihito reportedly delivered a toast to his hosts in Spanish.

The visit will take place over ten days and conclude on the 2nd of October, whereupon the Imperial couple will return to Tokyo. Over the next week, the Prince and Princess are scheduled to visit a naval facility in Valparaiso and inspect vessels used for monitoring tsunamis, as well as a salmon farm in Puerto Varas.

King Carl XVI Gustaf visits burned mosque in Örebro

2017-09-30T18:42:00.000+01:00

King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden visited a burned down mosque in Örebro earlier this week.

The King was in Örebro to attend a lecture at the local university when he made the unscheduled appearance at the burn site.

“It is an honour to us that the King was able to give us some of his time because he was in Örebro, and that he was able to share his grief with us and see what has happened,” said Hassan Mountagui, Örebro Mosque’s deputy CEO in an interview with SVT.

Jasmine Lamhamdi, daughter of the Mosque’s CEO Jamal Lamhamdi, said that the King “seemed quite kind” and presented him with flowers.

King Carl XVI Gustaf was in town for a lecture on microplastics before he visited the site.

Investigators were holding a 20-year-old man as a suspect. It was stated in a press conference that the man was being held on suspicion of arson, but that investigators did not see any political or religious motives for the crime.

The fire was first reported to emergency personnel in the middle of the night on 26 September, and five hours later the blaze was still strong. There were no reported injuries because of the fire.

The Swedish Church has reached out to Örebro Mosque, with priest Graham Jarvis telling Nerikes Allehanda that “If there is anything the Swedish Church can do to help we want to.”

Örebro Mosque moved to that location in 2007, and in 2014, was vandalised when a bottle of flammable contents inside was thrown through a window, though there was no fire at the time. The Örebro Mosque says it receives around 5,000 visitors per month.

The Örebro Mosque was located in the Vivalla area, which was described by police as a particularly vulnerable area, meaning that social and criminal issues have “led to a widespread disinclination to participate in the judicial process and difficulties for the police to fulfil their mission.”

Kensington MP defends slur against Prince Harry following calls for her to resign

2017-09-30T18:39:00.003+01:00

Emma Dent Coad has defended herself after making a slur against Prince Harry in which she mocked the young royal’s military service in Afghanistan.

Speaking at the Labour Party Conference, the Labour MP for Kensington told a group of activists that Harry can’t actually fly a helicopter and “just sits there going ‘vroom vroom.’”

At an anti-monarchy meeting, Ms Dent Coad said that she is ‘The Royal Family’s worst nightmare’ and made claims about Prince Harry, the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke of Edinburgh.

At the event, the 62-year-old said that Prince Harry was too incompetent to play a proper role in the Army.

She said: “Harry can’t actually fly a helicopter. He tried to pass the helicopter exam about four times, and he couldn’t get through it at all, so he always goes for the co-pilot.

“So he just sits there going ‘vroom vroom’.”

Ms Dent Coad dismissed the controversy, in which some members of the public called for her to resign her seat over social media.

Speaking to the Huffington Post, she said that the fuss “proves my point about the right-wing press running the narrative in relation to the Royals”.

She added “I’ve spoken five times at conference about the Grenfell fire but this is all they are interested in.

“We should be allowed to have an opinion. Let’s have a proper debate about the Royal Family.”

Ms Dent Coad has faced criticism from all parties following her comments. Fellow Labour MP John Woodcock, tweeted: “The highly inaccurate comments reportedly made by one of our colleagues, which disparage Prince Harry’s military service, in no reflect the views of my party.

“Like everyone who put themselves in harm’s way to keep us safe, His Royal Highness deserves nothing but praise and respect for his service in the armed forces.

“In addition to his tours of duty in Afghanistan, Prince Harry inspires so many by the way he champions injured, ill and wounded servicemen and women through the Invictus Games which he founded.

“I am really sorry that this has happened.”

Meanwhile, Conservative Defence Minister Tobias Ellwood invited the newly elected MP to attend the Invictus Games, set up by Prince Harry, to “learn how it started and about our brave military”.

Prince Harry has served two tours of duty in Afghanistan and passed his Apache flying test. In 2013, the Ministry of Defence announced that the young royal had successfully qualified as an Apache aircraft commander.

Since then, he has gone on to found the Invictus Games – an Olympic style event for servicemen and women who were injured in combat, whether that was a mental or physical injury.

If I've made a mistake about Prince Harry's flying credentials 'I will hold my hands up' Says Emma Dent Coad

2017-09-30T18:37:00.004+01:00

Labour MP Emma Dent Coad today admitted she might have been wrong over Prince Harry’s military record but refused to apologise for mocking him.

The Kensington MP sparked anger by taking a swipe at the prince, and for also claiming Prince Philip had been unfaithful to the Queen.

She insisted that her comments were just “poking fun” but admitted they had “opened the gates to hell” by causing a furious backlash.

Republican Ms Dent Coad this morning told the Standard: “If we can’t have a debate are we living in a democracy? I live in a democracy and think I should be able to say something.

“This is a debate, not a revolution. I want a debate about taxpayers funding the royal family.”

After wrongly claiming at a fringe meeting at Labour’s conference that Prince Harry is not a qualified helicopter pilot, she added: “I actually also said, ‘I have been told this [about Prince Harry], but if I have made a mistake I will hold my hands up’.”

But she stopped short of apologising and when asked about accusing Prince Philip of having affairs, she said: “Oh no, shock horror. I’m not going to respond to that, everyone knows what’s going on... I don’t want to get into the detail of it because it’s got out of hand.”

She added: “I was talking about whether taxpayers should fund the royal family.

“I was just poking fun. But we need a proper debate about the royal family. It’s about taxpayer funding. Why are taxpayers funding them? Why can’t I disagree? It seems like we are not allowed to have an opinion.

"I’m being called everything under the sun this morning, getting all sorts of vile abuse. This has opened the gates to hell. ”

At the fringe meeting Ms Dent Coad had incorrectly claimed Prince Harry cannot fly helicopters and “just sits there going ‘vroom vroom’”. In fact he has served in the Army for a decade, completed two tours of Afghanistan and rose to the rank of captain.

She claimed that Prince Philip had been “mucking about for years, he’s not been a faithful husband”. She also said it was “disgusting” that the Duchess of Cambridge had bought sweaters costing £150, adding: “That’s a food bill for a family of four.”

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner told Sky News that Prince Harry has “been doing a fantastic job” for injured Forces veterans.

Duchess of Cambridge is Feeling Better, Says Prince William

2017-09-30T18:36:00.001+01:00

Prince William revealed that his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge has been feeling better since her third pregnancy was announced in early September.

Prince William was attending a reception and award ceremony for the Metropolitan and City Police Orphans Fund, of which he recently became Patron, and spoke to an elderly woman about Catherine’s condition.

“She’s been feeling better, thank you,” the Prince told the woman, Iris Orrell.

The Duchess of Cambridge has been suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum for the third time, a severe form of morning sickness. She previously suffered from the condition during the early stages of her pregnancies with Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

Prince William further questioned Orrell, who told him she’d also suffered severe morning sickness during her three pregnancies, about the toll.

“Did it get worse with each one?”

Some pundits wondered whether he was asking because the Duchess’s case was also more severe this time.

Prince William also revealed that Catherine had tried eating ginger biscuits to soothe her stomach but “there’s not much ginger can do to stop that. We’ve done all that.”

Prince William has spoken about Catherine’s pregnancy on several engagements this month, and a couple of weeks ago, a young boy named Archie Weatherall gave him an avocado during a visit to a swimming pool in Wallesey, Merseyside, as a gift for the Duchess to help soothe morning sickness.

Weatherall gave Prince William the avocado because his mother was also suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum and hoped it would work on Catherine as well.

“I’ve never been given an avocado before,” Prince William told the boy as he accepted the gift – wrapped in a green ribbon, too.

At the Metropolitan and City Police Orphans Fund reception, Prince William also met a young girl sporting a cat ear headband and quipped that Princess Charlotte would love it.

Queen Elizabeth is looking for a new Black Rod with a salary of £93,000

2017-09-29T21:03:00.003+01:00

British Parliament is advertising for a new Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to replace Lieutenant General David Leakey, who is retiring.

Black Rod, who is The Queen’s representative in Parliament, is best known for his role during the State Opening of Parliament, where he knocks on the door of the House of Commons to summon MPs for the Queen’s Speech.

The successful candidate will be paid a salary of £93,000 per year and will be the Chief Gentleman Usher to the Sovereign and an officer of the Order of the Garter.

Black Rod manages toe day to day running of the House of Lords and Parliament’s ceremonial events. The job holder manages a team of 30 staff who deal with an array of tasks from security to media management.

Speaking exclusively to Royal Central earlier this year, the outgoing Black Rod, David Leakey, Explained how he was selected for the job.

He said: “A panel went through the CVs and eight candidates were interviewed by a panel of peers. That long list of eight was reduced to a shortlist of two and we were interviewed by the party political leaders, the convener of the Crossbench Peers and the Lord Speaker. That panel selected somebody, that happened to be me, and made a recommendation to The Queen; it is The Queen who appoints Black Rod.”

Prince Harry speaks about how Meghan Markle is “loving” the Invictus Games

2017-09-29T21:01:00.004+01:00

Prince Harry gave further insight into his relationship with Megan Markle at a cycling event on Tuesday.

The relationship, which is quickly moving more into the public eye, has grabbed everyone’s attention with Miss Markle appearing at two events with Prince Harry so far.

While he hasn’t spoken to the media about his relationship, he did let an engaged couple in on how she is “loving” the games.

Former U.S Air Force Master Sgt. Kyle Burnett and his fiancé, former U.S Air Forse Master Sgt. Reese Hines met Prince Harry at a cycling event at the 2017 Invictus Games.

Burnett told PEOPLE Magazine, how they inquired how Meghan was enjoying herself: “I asked him how his girlfriend was enjoying it and he said, ‘She loves it, she’s loving the games,’ which is awesome.”

Hines continued on: “My fiancée, and I were standing there, and she was explaining to him about my prosthetic right eye,

“He said it looked real and somebody did a great job making it.

“I told him I had a couple of others, one has my occupation badge on it, and he asked if it was easy to take in and out,”

Hines added on: “Kyle said, ‘Go ahead, take it out!’ Harry was kind of squeamish about it.”

Burnett and Hines are planning on getting married next June, with hopes that Prince Harry will be in attendance.

“You can tell him that we are inviting him to our wedding,” Burnett said.

“He was real personable, and there was no sense of him being in the royal family. He seemed like a normal military veteran.

“He’s served beside us, and now he’s able to put these games on and stands with us as we’re competing.”

Meghan Markle excited royal watchers when she first appeared at the Opening Ceremonies of the Invictus Games with a PPO igniting engagement rumours, although she was seated separately from Prince Harry. On Tuesday, there was no hiding their love as the two walked into the New Zealand v Australia match hand-in-hand laughing and taking in the game.