Royal news live: Reason why Harry’s chief of staff quit emerges as Kate Middleton makes rare appearance

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s chief of staff has quit just three months after taking on the role as it was decided he was not the correct fit.

The Duke of Sussex handed Josh Kettler the prestigious title earlier this year as it was believed he would be the ideal candidate to “guide” the couple through their “next phase”.

However, Mr Kettler has now parted ways with the Sussexes, with it understood he was hired on a trial basis and the decision to part ways was mutual.

His departure comes days before the duke and duchess begin their tour of Colombia on Thursday, which follows their first successful international trip to Nigeria in May.

Meanwhile in the UK, the Princess of Wales made a rare appearance as she congratulated Team GB athletes ahead of the Paris Olympic Games closing ceremony on Sunday.

Kate, who is undergoing cancer treatment, appeared alongside Prince William who was sporting a decidedly more rugged new look.

Key Points

Harry’s chief of staff quits after three months
Prince and Princess of Wales congratulate Team GB in video
Harry and Meghan’s Colombia tour dubbed ‘a distraction’
Queen Elizabeth’s flying habits revealed

Meghan Markle ‘under pressure’ to write memoir

15:00 , Emma Guinness

The Duchess of Sussex is considering writing her own tell-all memoir about her time in the royal family, an insider has claimed.

This comes as the royal family enjoy their summer break in Balmoral, Scotland, which Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were reportedly not invited to.

“They’re now being forced to figure out a strategy to fight back, and one option on the table is to go all-out with a big tell-all from Meghan where she completely lays out her side of the story,” the insider told Closer magazine.

The duchess recently touched upon her mental health struggles while a working royal in a new interview with CBS Sunday Morning. (CBS)

Thomas Markle GoFundMe raises over £56,000

13:00 , Emma Guinness

A fundraiser set up to mark the “rejected and abandoned” Thomas Markle’s 80th birthday has now raised a staggering £56,000.

Set up by British socialite Lady Colin Campbell, the GoFundMe is designed to “demonstrate to him that there are still people in the world with good hearts, good values, and good intentions.”

Ahead of the milestone birthday, Thomas, 80, said he simply wanted to reconcile with his daughter, the Duchess of Sussex, and finally meet his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

The pair fell out around the time of Meghan Markle’s 2018 wedding to Prince Harry over a staged paparazzi photoshoot.

Thomas Markle holding baby daughter Meghan (Instagram)

Duchess of Edinburgh celebrates RNLI anniversary in Guernsey

11:56 , Emma Guinness

The Duchess of Edinburgh got her sea legs on to mark the 200th anniversary of the RNLI in Guernsey this week.

Sophie, 59, took to the captain’s wheel as part of the engagement, as announced on the official royal family Twitter/X account today.

“It was all hands on deck in Guernsey this week!” the post read.

“The Duchess of Edinburgh, who is Patron of @uksailtraining, took to the water to meet over 100 young people ahead of the small ship race from Guernsey to Poole.

“The race is to commemorate the @RNLI’s 200th anniversary. Her Royal Highness wished everyone participating safe and happy travels – and the very best of luck!”

Princess Beatrice could ‘initiate peace’ between Harry and William

10:00 , Emma Guinness

Princess Beatrice could help to heal the frosty relationship between Prince Harry and Prince William, an insider has claimed.

Their relationship has grown increasingly strained since Harry stepped down as a working royal in 2020 and gave a series of tell-all interviews about his time in the royal family.

“[Princess] Beatrice could act as a peacemaker for Harry, William, and Charles,” King Charles’ former royal butler Grant Harrold told the Express.

“She would be someone to initiate peace in the family. She’s close to both William and Harry, as well as the King –and they trust her.”

The two brothers and their respective partners have not seen each other for some time. (AP)

Prince Harry to miss uncle’s funeral over ongoing security concerns

08:58 , Emma Guinness

The Duke of Sussex will not attend the funeral of his uncle Lord Robert Fellowes in the UK.

Harry, 39, will be absent from the event due to “many challenges”, including a lack of security, The Telegraph reports.

This comes after the duke recently said that he will not bring his wife Meghan Markle to the UK anymore because he fears a “knife or acid attack” inspired by negative tabloid stories.

Harry has been fighting to have his taxpayer-funded security reinstated after losing the protection when he stepped down as a working royal in 2020.

Lord Fellowes passed away at the age of 82 on 29 July.

Prince Harry last visited the UK earlier this year to acknowledge the 10th anniversary of his Invitcus Games. (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Who is Josh Kettler? The latest member of staff to leave the Sussexes

06:00 , Athena Stavrou

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s chief of staff, Josh Kettler, has left the role just three months after taking it on.

The Duke of Sussex handed Kettler the prestigious title earlier this year as it was believed he would be the ideal candidate to “guide” the couple through their “next phase”.

However, he has now parted ways with the couple, with it understood he was hired on a trial basis and the decision to part ways was mutual, with both sides agreeing it was not the correct fit.

Kettler is a seasoned public relations professional and was previously chief of staff at the communication platform Cognixion.

Prior to that, he was Chief of Staff to the CEO at Better Place Forests, Strategy, Operations, and Executive Support at Patagonia and Business and Legal Affairs at Lions Gate Films

(Karwai Tang/WireImage)

Chief of Staff latest in long list of resignations handed to Sussexes

05:00 , Athena Stavrou

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s chief of staff, Josh Kettler, has left the role just three months after taking it on.

It is not the first time Harry and Meghan have had to navigate the loss of staff, with the couple having seen 18 senior figures leave since they married in 2018.

Nine or more have left since they moved to California in 2020, including key staff from Archewell Productions.

The manager of the company that makes TV programmes and films, Bennet Levine, quit in January after two years at the firm. He worked on the couple’s Netflix documentary before making his exit.

Another big loss came when Oscar-nominated producer Ben Browning left as the couple’s head of internal content in January 2023 – a month after Rebecca Sananes, who was hired to produce Meghan’s Spotify podcast Archetypes, quit in December 2022 as head of audio at Archewell.

That same month, the president of the couple’s charitable foundation, Mandana Dayani, stepped down after a year and a half at Archewell.

Full story: Prince Harry’s chief of staff quits after just three months leaving Sussexes in limbo before Colombia tour

03:00 , Athena Stavrou

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Chief of Staff has become their latest senior employee to quit – just three months after starting the job.

The Duke of Sussex handed Josh Kettler the prestigious title earlier this year as it was believed he would be the ideal candidate to “guide” the couple through their “next phase”.

However, Mr Kettler has now parted ways with the couple, with it understood he was hired on a trial basis and the decision to part ways was mutual and both sides agreeing it was not the correct fit.

Mr Kettler, who was previously chief of staff at communication platform Cognixion, began his role the week before the couple’s visit to Nigeria in May and also accompanied Harry to London for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.

Read the full story here:

Inside Queen Elizabeth’s royal flights as memorabilia up for auction

01:00 , Athena Stavrou

An air hostess who served Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip has revealed the late monarch’s flying habits as memorabilia from her flights go under the hammer.

Notes from Elizabeth Evans, a British Airways air hostess from Birmingham, revealed that the Queen liked to drink a martini before meeting guests on royal flights and always requested a particular type of mint – sugar-free Velamints – during take off.

She also preferred to use her own pillows and enjoyed looking at route maps.

Ms Evans served many famous travellers during her 28-year career that began in 1970. She served the royals during their 1989 tour of Singapore and Malaysia.

She collected mementoes from her time – including instruction cards and menus – serving the rich and famous which were found in her study after her death.

The memorabilia, inherited by Mrs Evans’s niece, Jo Smallwood, is expected to fetch between £400-£600 when it goes under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on Aug 20.

(Hansons)

Rare King Charles banknotes sell for 11 times face value at charity auction

Tuesday 13 August 2024 23:00 , Athena Stavrou

New banknotes worth £78,430 have been sold for more than 11 times that at an auction for charity.

The notes, all featuring King Charles’ portrait, only entered circulation last June and were put up for bidding by the Bank of England.

The £5, £10, £20, and £50 notes were an attractive draw to collectors for their very low serial numbers. A single £10 note with the serial number ‘HB01 000002,’ sold for £17,000 at bidding.

The very first issues – which would feature the serial number ‘000001’ – were all presented to the monarch, leaving all the next in line to go under the hammer.

Watch: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reveal fears for Archie and Lilibet in latest interview

Tuesday 13 August 2024 22:00 , Athena Stavrou

Full story: Prince Harry’s chief of staff quits after just three months leaving Sussexes in limbo before Colombia tour

Tuesday 13 August 2024 20:00 , Athena Stavrou

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Chief of Staff has become their latest senior employee to quit – just three months after starting the job.

The Duke of Sussex handed Josh Kettler the prestigious title earlier this year as it was believed he would be the ideal candidate to “guide” the couple through their “next phase”.

However, Mr Kettler has now parted ways with the couple, with it understood he was hired on a trial basis and the decision to part ways was mutual and both sides agreeing it was not the correct fit.

Mr Kettler, who was previously chief of staff at communication platform Cognixion, began his role the week before the couple’s visit to Nigeria in May and also accompanied Harry to London for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.

Read the full story here:

Chief of Staff latest in long list of resignations handed to Sussexes

Tuesday 13 August 2024 19:00 , Athena Stavrou

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s chief of staff, Josh Kettler, has left the role just three months after taking it on.

It is not the first time Harry and Meghan have had to navigate the loss of staff, with the couple having seen 18 senior figures leave since they married in 2018.

Nine or more have left since they moved to California in 2020, including key staff from Archewell Productions.

The manager of the company that makes TV programmes and films, Bennet Levine, quit in January after two years at the firm. He worked on the couple’s Netflix documentary before making his exit.

Another big loss came when Oscar-nominated producer Ben Browning left as the couple’s head of internal content in January 2023 – a month after Rebecca Sananes, who was hired to produce Meghan’s Spotify podcast Archetypes, quit in December 2022 as head of audio at Archewell.

That same month, the president of the couple’s charitable foundation, Mandana Dayani, stepped down after a year and a half at Archewell.

(CBS Sunday Morning)

Who is Josh Kettler? The latest member of staff to leave the Sussexes

Tuesday 13 August 2024 18:00 , Athena Stavrou

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s chief of staff, Josh Kettler, has left the role just three months after taking it on.

The Duke of Sussex handed Kettler the prestigious title earlier this year as it was believed he would be the ideal candidate to “guide” the couple through their “next phase”.

However, he has now parted ways with the couple, with it understood he was hired on a trial basis and the decision to part ways was mutual, with both sides agreeing it was not the correct fit.

Kettler is a seasoned public relations professional and was previously chief of staff at the communication platform Cognixion.

Prior to that, he was Chief of Staff to the CEO at Better Place Forests, Strategy, Operations, and Executive Support at Patagonia and Business and Legal Affairs at Lions Gate Films

(Karwai Tang/WireImage)

Rare King Charles banknotes sell for 11 times face value

Tuesday 13 August 2024 17:00 , Athena Stavrou

New banknotes worth £78,430 have been sold for more than 11 times that at an auction for charity.

The notes, all featuring King Charles’ portrait, only entered circulation last June and were put up for bidding by the Bank of England.

The £5, £10, £20, and £50 notes were an attractive draw to collectors for their very low serial numbers. A single £10 note with the serial number ‘HB01 000002,’ sold for £17,000 at bidding.

The very first issues – which would feature the serial number ‘000001’ – were all presented to the monarch, leaving all the next in line to go under the hammer.

The single note that attracted the next highest bid was a £50 with serial ‘000003,’ selling for £14,000, followed by a £5 with the same serial, selling for £11,000.

Banknotes featuring the new monarch entered circulation in June (Lucy North/PA) (PA Wire)

Prince William’s rugged new look sparks huge debate online

Tuesday 13 August 2024 16:02 , Athena Stavrou

Prince William stole the spotlight in a surprise video with Princess Kate as his new rugged look sparked a major online debate.

The Prince and Princess of Wales joined Snoop Dogg and David Beckham to congratulate Team GB athletes as the 2024 Paris Olympics came to an end this weekend.

However, it was not the couple’s kind message that grabbed the attention of viewers as most seemed preoccupied by their appearances. Kate, who is undergoing cancer treatment, stood smiling in a striped long-sleeved top and a simple necklace. William sported a markedly more casual look, with a Team GB T-shirt and most notably a long stubble.

Royal fans immediately took to the facial hair, which marked a departure from his usual clean-shaven look.

“Love the beard on Prince William,” one social media commented as another pleaded: “William please keep growing that beard!’.

Another illustrated their approval with flame and heart eyes emojis as they wrote: “William with a tan and a beard!!!!”

Others took a more sarcastic approach to the new look saying: “Ohhh… William is really in vacation mode.”

“Someone got permission from the king to grow a beard,” another one wrote.

(Prince William and Kate Middleton)

Harry and Meghan’s Colombia tour dubbed ‘a distraction’ from government’s corruption scandals

Tuesday 13 August 2024 15:43 , Athena Stavrou

Some residents of Colombia are claiming the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes tour of the country is being used as a distraction from corruption scandals dogging its government.

Harry and Meghan will begin a four-day tour of the country from Thursday where they will “engage with leaders, youth, and women who embody the aspirations and voices of Colombians committed to progress.”

However, some remain unconvinced. A lawyer based in Bogota told the Mail on Sunday: “I’m sure Meghan and Harry mean well, but everyone here is talking about how obviously they are being manipulated.

“Of course, their star power will be used to bring attention to poor people and certain areas of culture in Colombia but the reality is the Colombian government has been drowning in scandal since it came in two years ago. They need something to appease people at home and make them look good abroad.”

Tuesday 13 August 2024 15:15 , Athena Stavrou

Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard has suffered a setback ahead of its official launch following the discovery of trademark “irregularities”.

According to reports, several items intended to be sold by the luxury brandincluding yoga matts and picnic labels were incorrectly labelled and needed to be “corrected”.

The error, identified by the US Patents and Trademarks Office in July, will cost an estimated $11,382 (around £9,000) to fix.

News of American Riviera Orchard was first revealed earlier this year when the Duchess of Sussex, 42, set up a website and Instagram page for the brand.

While the pages did not reveal any of its products, it did reveal its logo and name “ARO” and the word “Montecito” – a reference to the California town where Meghan lives with Prince Harry and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

(nachofigueras/Instagram)

Why Kate Middleton’s ‘traditional’ Balmoral summer could be positive sign

Tuesday 13 August 2024 15:01 , Athena Stavrou

The Windsors are enjoying their summer break with an annual sojourn to their private estate at Balmoral imminent.

King Charles and Queen Camilla have already been joined in Scotland by Princess Anne and it is believed that they will soon be joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales as well as their three young children.

The journey to Scotland marks the furthest distance Kate is reported to have travelled since being diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer earlier this year.

Royal author Phil Dampier told Fabulous: “The fact that Kate is well enough to travel to Scotland and enjoy a holiday at Balmoral is a sure sign she is on the mend and a very positive step.”

(PA Wire)

Canada paid for extra police during Harry and Meghan visit – reports

Tuesday 13 August 2024 14:42 , Athena Stavrou

Canada reportedly paid for police presence during Harry and Meghan’s visit to the country despite saying they would not use taxpayer money.

Vancouver police spent C$44,555 (£25,436) on 390.5 hours of security-related overtime during the couple’s visit in February for an Invictus Games event, CTV reported.

A representative for the Invictus Games said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s security was paid for by private donors. It is also noted that the police overtime was not specifically used for Harry and Meghan as unrelated protests were also happening in the city.

“We didn’t specifically provide security for them,” a Vancouver police department spokesman told the outlet. “But we had officers in the area they were in [in] case any issues arose due to the ongoing protests in the city.”

A freedom of information request reportedly revealed the Invictus Games had paid $10,221 of the $44,555 security bill while the rest was paid for by the Canadian taxpayer.

(REUTERS)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to begin tour of Colombia despite safety fears

Tuesday 13 August 2024 14:19 , Athena Stavrou

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are due to begin their tour of Colombia this week despite safety fears.

The Foreign Office warns against all but essential travel to certain parts of Colombia, with kidnapping rates remaining high.

It describes the country as “seriously afflicted by conflict” with a resurgence in violence in parts of Colombia despite the peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) movement to end the civil war.

It comes as Harry maintained last month it was “still dangerous” for Meghan to return to the UK.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have gained a reputation for having difficulty in retaining staff (Yaroslav Sabitov/PA) (PA Wire)
In the ITV documentary Tabloids On Trial, the duke said: “All it takes is one lone actor, one person who reads this stuff to act on what they have read and whether it’s a knife or acid, whatever it is, and these are things that are of genuine concern for me.

“It’s one of the reasons why I won’t bring my wife back to this country.”

Harry lost a High Court challenge against the Home Office in February over a decision to change the level of his personal security when he visits the UK, but he has been given the green light to appeal.

During the case, the court was told Harry believes his children cannot “feel at home” in the UK if it is “not possible to keep them safe” there and that he faces a greater risk than his late mother, with “additional layers of racism and extremism”.

Inside Queen Elizabeth’s royal flights as memorabilia is put up for auction

Tuesday 13 August 2024 13:47 , Athena Stavrou

An air hostess who served Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip has revealed the late monarch’s flying habits as memorabilia from her flights go under the hammer.

Notes from Elizabeth Evans, a British Airways air hostess from Birmingham, revealed that the Queen liked to drink a martini before meeting guests on royal flights and always requested a particular type of mint – sugar-free Velamints – during take off.

She also preferred to use her own pillows and enjoyed looking at route maps.

(Hansons)
Ms Evans served many famous travellers during her 28-year career that began in 1970. She served the royals during their 1989 tour of Singapore and Malaysia.

She collected mementoes from her time – including instruction cards and menus – serving the rich and famous which were found in her study after her death.

The memorabilia, inherited by Mrs Evans’s niece, Jo Smallwood, is expected to fetch between £400-£600 when it goes under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on Aug 20.

Cryptocurrency scammers using AI deep fake videos of Keir Starmer and Prince William to target victims

Tuesday 13 August 2024 13:25 , Athena Stavrou

Deepfake videos of Sir Keir Starmer and Prince William are being used to promote financial scams on Meta platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

The artificial intelligence (AI) versions of the prime minister and the Prince of Wales have been used in more than 250 adverts promoting a scam cryptocurrency trading platform.

The fraudulent adverts, promoting a platform name “Immediate Edge”, suggest the project has been endorsed by the pair, and have reached more than 890,000 people on Facebook and Instagram.

The adverts were found by Fenimore Harper, a media insight and research firm, using Meta’s open-source AI software, called Llama 3.1.

When users clicked the fake link, it would lead them to a landing page asking for the victim’s name, phone number and email address.

In one fraudulent advertisement, the AI prince William said: “I am pleased to announce that I, Prince William, and the entire royal family fully support prime minister Keir Starmer’s initiative and his new platform.”

Read the full story here:

Watch: Kate makes rare appearance as she offers congratulations to Team Great Britain

Tuesday 13 August 2024 12:33 , Athena Stavrou

Meghan and Harry to begin Colombia tour on Thursday

Tuesday 13 August 2024 12:11 , Athena Stavrou

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are due to set off on a four-day tour of Colombia on Thursday in what will be their second official tour of the year.

Details of the couple’s Colombian itinerary have not been released by the Archewell Foundation, their charitable body, but the vice president said they would “engage in several activities” related to safeguarding young people online and in physical spaces.

Meghan and Harry are expected to first travel to the capital Bogota before visiting the coastal areas of the country.

The country’s vice president Francia Marquez, a lawyer and human rights and environmental activist said in a statement: “During their trip, the duke and duchess will join me in visiting Bogota, as well as the Caribbean and Pacific regions of Cartagena and Cali.

“In these vibrant locations, they will have the exceptional opportunity to engage with leaders, youth and women who embody the aspirations and voices of Colombians committed to progress.

“In addition to these meaningful interactions, the duke and duchess will experience the rich heritage of Colombia.”

Full story: Prince Harry’s chief of staff quits after just three months leaving Sussexes in limbo before Colombia tour

Tuesday 13 August 2024 11:46 , Athena Stavrou

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Chief of Staff has become their latest senior employee to quit – just three months after starting the job.

The Duke of Sussex handed Josh Kettler the prestigious title earlier this year as it was believed he would be the ideal candidate to “guide” the couple through their “next phase”.

However, Mr Kettler has now parted ways with the couple, with it understood he was hired on a trial basis and the decision to part ways was mutual and both sides agreeing it was not the correct fit.

Read the full story below:

Harry and Meghan’s chief of staff ‘quits’ after just three months

Rare King Charles banknotes sell for 11 times face value

Tuesday 13 August 2024 11:16 , Athena Stavrou

New banknotes worth £78,430 have been sold for more than 11 times that at an auction for charity.

The notes, all featuring King Charles’ portrait, only entered circulation last June and were put up for bidding by the Bank of England.

The £5, £10, £20, and £50 notes were an attractive draw to collectors for their very low serial numbers. A single £10 note with the serial number ‘HB01 000002,’ sold for £17,000 at bidding.

The very first issues – which would feature the serial number ‘000001’ – were all presented to the monarch, leaving all the next in line to go under the hammer.

The single note that attracted the next highest bid was a £50 with serial ‘000003,’ selling for £14,000, followed by a £5 with the same serial, selling for £11,000.

Banknotes featuring the new monarch entered circulation in June (Lucy North/PA) (PA Wire)

Chief of Staff latest in long list of resignations handed to Sussexes

Tuesday 13 August 2024 10:47 , Athena Stavrou

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s chief of staff, Josh Kettler, has left the role just three months after taking it on.

It is not the first time Harry and Meghan have had to navigate the loss of staff, with the couple having seen 18 senior figures leave since they married in 2018.

Nine or more have left since they moved to California in 2020, including key staff from Archewell Productions.

The manager of the company that makes TV programmes and films, Bennet Levine, quit in January after two years at the firm. He worked on the couple’s Netflix documentary before making his exit.

Another big loss came when Oscar-nominated producer Ben Browning left as the couple’s head of internal content in January 2023 – a month after Rebecca Sananes, who was hired to produce Meghan’s Spotify podcast Archetypes, quit in December 2022 as head of audio at Archewell.

That same month, the president of the couple’s charitable foundation, Mandana Dayani, stepped down after a year and a half at Archewell.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s chief of staff, Josh Kettler, has left the role just three months after taking it on. (Karwai Tang/WireImage)

Harry’s chief of staff quits after three months as ‘not the right fit’

Tuesday 13 August 2024 10:26 , Athena Stavrou

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Chief of Staff has become the latest in a string of resignations handed into the couple – just three months after starting the job.

The Duke of Sussex handed Josh Kettler the prestigious title earlier this year as it was believed he would be the ideal candidate to “guide” the couple through their “next phase”.

However, Mr Kettler has now reportedly parted ways with the couple, with it understood he was hired on a trial basis and the decision to part ways was mutual, with both sides agreeing it was not the correct fit.

Mr Kettler, who was previously chief of staff at communication platform Cognixion, began his role the week before the couple’s visit to Nigeria in May and also accompanied Harry to London for the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.

He leaves the couple days before they are set to embark on their second international working trip to Colombia.

Harry and Meghan’s Colombia tour dubbed ‘a distraction’

Tuesday 13 August 2024 09:27 , Athena Stavrou

Some residents of Colombia are claiming the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes tour of the country is being used as a distraction from corruption scandals dogging its government.

Harry and Meghan will begin a four-day tour of the country from Thursday where they will “engage with leaders, youth, and women who embody the aspirations and voices of Colombians committed to progress.”

However, some remain unconvinced. A lawyer based in Bogota told the Mail on Sunday: “I’m sure Meghan and Harry mean well, but everyone here is talking about how obviously they are being manipulated.

“Of course, their star power will be used to bring attention to poor people and certain areas of culture in Colombia but the reality is the Colombian government has been drowning in scandal since it came in two years ago. They need something to appease people at home and make them look good abroad.”

(CBS Sunday Morning)

Inside Queen Elizabeth’s royal flights as memorabilia up for auction

Tuesday 13 August 2024 08:48 , Athena Stavrou

An air hostess who served Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip has revealed the late monarch’s flying habits as memorabilia from her flights go under the hammer.

Notes from Elizabeth Evans, a British Airways air hostess from Birmingham, revealed that the Queen liked to drink a martini before meeting guests on royal flights and always requested a particular type of mint – sugar-free Velamints – during take off.

She also preferred to use her own pillows and enjoyed looking at route maps.

Ms Evans served many famous travellers during her 28-year career that began in 1970. She served the royals during their 1989 tour of Singapore and Malaysia.

She collected mementoes from her time – including instruction cards and menus – serving the rich and famous which were found in her study after her death.

The memorabilia, inherited by Mrs Evans’s niece, Jo Smallwood, is expected to fetch between £400-£600 when it goes under the hammer at Hansons Auctioneers on Aug 20.

(Hansons)

Prince William’s rugged new look sparks huge debate online

Tuesday 13 August 2024 07:46 , Athena Stavrou

Prince William stole the spotlight in a surprise video with Princess Kate as his new rugged look sparked a major online debate.

The Prince and Princess of Wales joined Snoop Dogg and David Beckham to congratulate Team GB athletes as the 2024 Paris Olympics came to an end this weekend.

However, it was not the couple’s kind message that grabbed the attention of viewers as most seemed preoccupied by their appearances. Kate, who is undergoing cancer treatment, stood smiling in a striped long-sleeved top and a simple necklace. William sported a markedly more casual look, with a Team GB T-shirt and most notably a long stubble.

Royal fans immediately took to the facial hair, which marked a departure from his usual clean-shaven look.

(Prince William and Kate Middleton)
“Love the beard on Prince William,” one social media commented as another pleaded: “William please keep growing that beard!’.

Another illustrated their approval with flame and heart eyes emojis as they wrote: “William with a tan and a beard!!!!”

Others took a more sarcastic approach to the new look saying: “Ohhh… William is really in vacation mode.”

“Someone got permission from the king to grow a beard,” another one wrote.

Why Kate Middleton’s ‘traditional’ Balmoral summer could be positive sign

Tuesday 13 August 2024 07:00 , Athena Stavrou

The Windsors are enjoying their summer break with an annual sojourn to their private estate at Balmoral imminent.

King Charles and Queen Camilla have already been joined in Scotland by Princess Anne and it is believed that they will soon be joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales as well as their three young children.

The journey to Scotland marks the furthest distance Kate is reported to have travelled since being diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer earlier this year.

Royal author Phil Dampier told Fabulous: “The fact that Kate is well enough to travel to Scotland and enjoy a holiday at Balmoral is a sure sign she is on the mend and a very positive step.”

(Matt Porteous)

Full story: Prince William revealed Kate romance during classic British drinking game

Tuesday 13 August 2024 06:00 , Athena Stavrou

Prince William’s ex-girlfriend “unwittingly” revealed his relationship with Kate Middleton during a fateful game of Never Have I Ever with friends, a new biography has revealed.

The now heir to the throne, 42, met his future wife while studying at St Andrew’s University in Scotland and the pair started out as friends.

However, over time, romance blossomed and it was initially “shrouded in secrecy” because of William’s position within the royal family.

But the cat was let out of the bag when William’s former flame, Carly Massy-Birch participated in a game of “Never Have I Ever”.

Read the full story here:

Prince William revealed Kate romance during classic British drinking game

King congratulates Team GB

Tuesday 13 August 2024 05:00 , Athena Stavrou

The Prince and Princess of Wales were not the only royals who congratulated Team GB athletes as the 2024 Paris Olympics came to a close.

King Charles also released a heartwarming message from himself and the Queen as the pair sent their “warmest congratulations to the competitors and their support teams from Team GB and across the whole Commonwealth”.

“Your achievements, across so many disciplines, were forged from that invaluable combination of raw talent, true grit and hard toil over many years, burnished these past weeks by sportsmanship and team spirit in the finest tradition of the Games,” the message read.

“To those who missed out on the greatest prizes, you have most certainly not fallen short in the pride that you, too, have generated for your nations.

“As we thank France for hosting such a wonderful tournament and look to the Paralympics ahead, I can only say that you have all been an inspiration.”

Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand suffers new setback

Tuesday 13 August 2024 03:00 , Athena Stavrou

Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard has suffered a setback ahead of its official launch following the discovery of trademark “irregularities”.

According to reports, several items intended to be sold by the luxury brandincluding yoga matts and picnic labels were incorrectly labelled and needed to be “corrected”.

The error, identified by the US Patents and Trademarks Office in July, will cost an estimated $11,382 (around £9,000) to fix.

News of American Riviera Orchard was first revealed earlier this year when the Duchess of Sussex, 42, set up a website and Instagram page for the brand.

While the pages did not reveal any of its products, it did reveal its logo and name “ARO” and the word “Montecito” – a reference to the California town where Meghan lives with Prince Harry and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

(Tracy Robbins/Instagram)

Queen Elizabeth II memorial garden gets planning approval

Tuesday 13 August 2024 02:00 , Athena Stavrou

A memorial garden in honour of the life of Queen Elizabeth II has received planning permission.

Reported to feature the late monarch’s favourite flowers, work will begin on the new space in London’s Regent’s Park later this year.

Andrew Scattergood, chief executive of The Royal Parks, said: “The approval of planning permission marks an exciting step forward in the creation of the new garden, which is designed to be a tranquil space for reflection, accessible to all.

“It provides a serene escape from the city’s hustle and bustle. This site will add two acres of biodiverse parkland for everyone to enjoy and explore.”

The memorial garden is scheduled to open in 2026.

The late Queen Elizabeth II was known for her bold use of colour blocking (Steve Parsons/PA)

Canada paid for extra police during Harry and Meghan visit – reports

Tuesday 13 August 2024 01:00 , Athena Stavrou

Canada reportedly paid for police presence during Harry and Meghan’s visit to the country despite saying they would not use taxpayer money.

Vancouver police spent C$44,555 (£25,436) on 390.5 hours of security-related overtime during the couple’s visit in February for an Invictus Games event, CTV reported.

A representative for the Invictus Games said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s security was paid for by private donors. It is also noted that the police overtime was not specifically used for Harry and Meghan as unrelated protests were also happening in the city.

“We didn’t specifically provide security for them,” a Vancouver police department spokesman told the outlet. “But we had officers in the area they were in [in] case any issues arose due to the ongoing protests in the city.”

A freedom of information request reportedly revealed the Invictus Games had paid $10,221 of the $44,555 security bill while the rest was paid for by the Canadian taxpayer.

Harry and Meghan’s Colombia tour dubbed ‘a distraction’

Monday 12 August 2024 23:00 , Athena Stavrou

Some residents of Colombia are claiming the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes tour of the country is being used as a distraction from corruption scandals dogging its government.

Harry and Meghan will begin a four-day tour of the country from Thursday where they will “engage with leaders, youth, and women who embody the aspirations and voices of Colombians committed to progress.”

However, some remain unconvinced. A lawyer based in Bogota told the Mail on Sunday: “I’m sure Meghan and Harry mean well, but everyone here is talking about how obviously they are being manipulated.

“Of course, their star power will be used to bring attention to poor people and certain areas of culture in Colombia but the reality is the Colombian government has been drowning in scandal since it came in two years ago. They need something to appease people at home and make them look good abroad.”

(CBS Sunday Morning)

Why Kate Middleton’s ‘traditional’ Balmoral summer with Charlotte, Louis and George could be positive sign

Monday 12 August 2024 21:30 , Athena Stavrou

The Windsors are enjoying their summer break with an annual sojourn to their private estate at Balmoral imminent.

King Charles and Queen Camilla have already been joined in Scotland by Princess Anne and it is believed that they will soon be joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales as well as their three young children.

The break will give the family a chance to take stock of a difficult first half of 2024, which saw them experience several health problems and ongoing tensions with the Sussexes.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are said to have not been invited to the estate, but it is unlikely that they would have accepted an invitation after the Duke of Sussex said the UK is too dangerous for his wife to visit.

The journey to Scotland marks the furthest distance Kate is reported to have travelled since being diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer earlier this year.

Read the full story here:

Why Kate’s Balmoral summer with Charlotte, Louis and George could be a positive sign

Watch: Prince Harry recalls being ‘hit over the head’ with press cameras

Monday 12 August 2024 20:00 , Athena Stavrou

Meghan Markle’s half sister sues her for defamation – ICYMI

Monday 12 August 2024 19:00 , Athena Stavrou

Meghan Markle’s half-sister is suing the Duchess of Sussex for defamation, court documents have revealed.

Samantha, 59, claims the royal left her unable to secure employment after portraying her as a “lying, racist, fame-seeker.”

Court documents allege this had an impact on her image “publicly and on a global scale.”

“She has made it so Samantha cannot work, or even enjoy the most mundane of activities, like going to the grocery store without harassment,” the documents read, as reported by The Sun.

(Getty/7News Spotlight)

Queen Camilla was ‘initially against’ King Charles disclosing health troubles

Monday 12 August 2024 18:00 , Athena Stavrou

Queen Camilla was against King Charles’s decision to publicly disclose his ongoing health concerns earlier this year, according to royal biographer Rob Jobson, who has written a number of books about Charles and other members of the royal family.

The monarch, 75, first announced that he was undergoing treatment for a benign prostate condition in January of this year.

Then, in February, it was announced that he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer, which had been discovered during the procedure.

Read the full story here:

Queen Camilla was ‘initially against’ King Charles disclosing health troubles

Watch: Kate and William congratulate Team GB in surprise video

Monday 12 August 2024 17:00 , Athena Stavrou

‘Vacation mode’: Prince William’s rugged new look sparks huge debate online

Monday 12 August 2024 16:00 , Athena Stavrou

Prince William stole the spotlight in a surprise video with Princess Kate as his new rugged look sparked a major online debate.

The Prince and Princess of Wales joined Snoop Dogg and David Beckham to congratulate Team GB athletes as the 2024 Paris Olympics came to an end this weekend.

In the video posted to their social media, Kate said: “From all of us watching at home, congratulations to Team GB.” William then added: “Well done on all you’ve achieved, you’ve been an inspiration to us all.”

However, it was not the couple’s kind message that grabbed the attention of viewers as most seemed preoccupied by their appearances.

Kate, who is undergoing cancer treatment, stood smiling in a striped long-sleeved top and a simple necklace. William sported a markedly more casual look, with a Team GB T-shirt and most notably a long stubble.

Read the full story below:

‘Vacation mode’: Prince William’s rugged new look sparks huge debate online

Full story: Prince William revealed Kate romance during classic British drinking game

Monday 12 August 2024 14:27 , Athena Stavrou

Prince William’s ex-girlfriend “unwittingly” revealed his relationship with Kate Middleton during a fateful game of Never Have I Ever with friends, a new biography has revealed.

The now heir to the throne, 42, met his future wife while studying at St Andrew’s University in Scotland and the pair started out as friends.

However, over time, romance blossomed and it was initially “shrouded in secrecy” because of William’s position within the royal family.

But the cat was let out of the bag when William’s former flame, Carly Massy-Birch participated in a game of “Never Have I Ever”.

Read the full story here:

Prince William revealed Kate romance during classic British drinking game

Why Kate Middleton’s ‘traditional’ Balmoral summer could be positive sign

Monday 12 August 2024 13:57 , Athena Stavrou

The Windsors are enjoying their summer break with an annual sojourn to their private estate at Balmoral imminent.

King Charles and Queen Camilla have already been joined in Scotland by Princess Anne and it is believed that they will soon be joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales as well as their three young children.

The journey to Scotland marks the furthest distance Kate is reported to have travelled since being diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer earlier this year.

Royal author Phil Dampier told Fabulous: “The fact that Kate is well enough to travel to Scotland and enjoy a holiday at Balmoral is a sure sign she is on the mend and a very positive step.”