But the most eye-catching detail? Undoubtedly the Greville chandelier earrings dazzling at her ears
Samir Hussein
More recently, however, they have enjoyed a new royal admirer: the Princess of Wales, who has chosen these dazzling diamond for a number of black and white tie occasions. Among the most memorable outings was the 2023 Diplomatic Corps reception, when the Greville jewels proved the perfect accessory for her glittering Jenny Packham gown and Cambridge Lover’s Knot tiara.
When the couple missed last year’s awards ceremony, there were questions over whether the date clashed with the half-term holidays of their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Prince William has attended the awards show on eight occasions since being appointed President of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in 2010. His most recent appearance was in 2024 – a ceremony that was missed by Kate Middleton as she recovered from surgery. In 2021, Prince William missed the show as it was held the day after the death of his grandfather Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
The Prince of Wales is always dapper in his tuxedo but all style mavens know it is the Princess of Wales who brings the glamour. As the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate first graced the red carpet in 2017 in a bespoke Alexander McQueen gown and wavy-cut Prada sandals. She returned for outings in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2023, returning to McQueen for all but one of these outings: in 2018, while pregnant with Prince Louis, Kate Middleton wore an emerald green creation by Jenny Packham.
The 2026 appearance marks the Princess of Wales’ first BAFTA outing in Gucci and a rare turn in the designer for the royal, who tends to re-wear a handful of key British labels, like McQueen and Packham.
It is set to be a starry evening. The singing voices behind the global phenomenon, KPop Demon Hunters, will perform their chart-topping hit “Golden,” and award-winning British singer songwriter Jessie Ware will perform a special tribute during the ceremony’s In Memoriam.
BAFTA is a leading independent arts charity that brings the very best work in film, games and television to public attention and supports the growth of creative talent in the UK and internationally.
A year later, both skipped the awards, a move widely seen as an acknowledgement of the family’s decision to scale back public appearances as the Princess of Wales recovered. But on Sunday, the couple returned to the BAFTAs red carpet for the first time since 2023.
Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales
Samir Hussein
The couple was rosily coordinated, with William wearing a burgundy velvet jacket the same shade as the belt around Princess Kate’s waist. Her dress, a dusty rose Gucci gown, is a rewear: she was last seen in it in February 2019, at the 100 Women in Finance Gala. Seven years later, she appears to be carrying the same velvet clutch and glittery pumps that she wore then. While outfit recycling isn’t new for Kate, the outfit coordination is—the pair are rarely gimmicky. One could see the matching theme as a desire to present a united front.
Fifteen years ago this year came arguably the greatest royal wedding in recent memory: that of Prince William to Kate Middleton, now the Prince and Princess of Wales. The couple sent the nation—and the world—into a love-filled fantasy, complete with an heirloom tiara, lace bridal gown and royal carriage procession. Now, those bright-eyed newlyweds are proud parents of three beautiful children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven.
In Europe, the 2000s brought a golden era of royal weddings, including Prince Felipe of Spain and Letizia Ortiz Rocasolano (now King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia). The loved-up couple looked impossibly chic on their wedding day, setting the sartorial tone for their enviably stylish reign.
Of course, royal weddings are also prime territory for forging bridal fashion trends: Queen Rania of Jordan’s custom Bruce Oldfield gown—a gold-embellished confection with a bold collar and belted waist—helped consolidate her status as a global style star; while Princess Angela of Liechtenstein’s striking bateau-neck dress (her own design) was a precursor to the Duchess of Sussex’s wedding gown, created by Givenchy’s Clare Waight Keller for her wedding to Prince Harry some 18 years later.
So, as the world celebrates love this weekend, there is surely no greater time to celebrate the 11 most iconic and romantic royal weddings of all time.
Prince Harry will return to his hometown of London next week, but his chances of an awkward run-in with estranged family membersKate Middleton, Prince William, and King Charles III are slim. As the royal scion travels from his California home to the UK for a January 21 court date in his lawsuit against tabloid conglomerate Associated Newspapers, his father, brother, and sister-in-law will be headed out of town, dashing hopes that this visit could spark a reconciliation.
The latest phase of the joint lawsuit pits the Duke of Sussex, Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, and others against the publishers of the Daily Mail. The plaintiffs accuse the publisher of engaging in illegal intelligence gathering practices, including the alleged use of private investigators who placed listening devices in the plaintiffs’ proximity. (Associated Newspapers denies any wrongdoing.)
This visit to the UK for a righteous cause might have been a good opportunity for Harry and Charles to build on the brief meeting the father and son had last September. But it is not to be, as Charles—who recently deposed his sister, Princess Anne, as the UK’s hardest-working royal—has an official engagement in Scotland at that time.
Kate Middleton and Prince William will also be hundreds of miles away from the British capital, as the couple has two joint appearances scheduled in Scotland that day: First they will visit the National Curling Academy in Stirling to meet with Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic curling teams ahead of the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Then they’ll visit hand-weaving studio Radical Weavers, which serves as an educational charity that teaches the Scottish tartan tradition and therapeutic qualities of weaving, while creating blankets and textiles to donate to those in need.
While Harry and his father interacted last fall, it’s been far longer for the royal brothers. The pair have reportedly failed to speak for more than three years, with the last conversation seemingly held at Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022.
The family will have another chance to speak this summer, when the Invictus Games—which Harry founded—scheduled to take place in Birmingham on July 10. Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, is also expected to join him for the sporting event, the first time she’ll join Harry in the UK in four years.
Prince William‘s finances are in good shape, it appears. According to the annual Integrated Impact Report for the prince’s Duchy of Cornwall, the estate has generated a distributable surplus of £22.9 million, which is equivalent to about $30.9 million US. That’s a slight decrease from last year, when the estate reported a distributable surplus of 23.6 million British pounds.
This year marks William’s second as head of the Duchy of Cornwall, which is typically passed on to the heir to the throne. King Charles III was the previous head of the estate, which, per People, includes houses, farms, land and other assets across 130,000 acres spanning 23 counties in England and Wales. The Duchy, which was established by King Edward III in 1337, is worth over $1 billion today, and was passed on to Prince William after Queen Elizabeth died in 2022 and Charles assumed the throne.
William doesn’t earn a traditional salary for his royal duties, so it’s up to the Duchy to cover the private, official, and charitable expenses for the prince, wife Kate Middleton, and children Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, and Prince George, the latter of whom is expected to inherit the Duchy when his father eventually becomes king.
According to its annual report, the past year was “one of both change and evolution for the Duchy, particularly in its organisational strategy to focus on positive impact for people, places and planet.”
Prince William, Prince of Wales at The Duchy Of Cornwall Nursery on July 10, 2023.
Though King Charles III introduced a number of new traditions for this year’s royal Christmas celebration, one thing remained the same: The family’s morning walk to Norfolk’s St. Mary Magdalene Church continued as it has for years, with Charles and Queen Camilla leading the charge.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend the Christmas Morning Service at St Mary Magdalene Church on December 25, 2025 in Sandringham, Norfolk.
Mark Cuthbert/Getty Images
Kate Middleton, Prince William, and children Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, and Prince George also enjoyed the walk, which was observed on both sides by ardent fans, many bearing gifts. One such offering, a giant Lindor chocolate egg, thrilled the 7-year-old Louis, who snatched it from his father’s hands.
Captain James Boggis-Rolfe (Dismounted Equerry in Waiting to King Charles III) and Major Oliver Plunket (Equerry to Queen Camilla) attend day one of Royal Ascot 2023 at Ascot Racecourse on June 20, 2023 in Ascot, England.Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Following his gap year, Plunket enrolled on a Military Scholarship to Exeter University, where he read Arts, Politics, and Philosophy from 2013 to 2016. In 2017, he started at Sandhurst, where he followed in the footsteps of Prince William, Prince Harry, and the Duke of Edinburgh by completing the gruelling military training. His career with The Rifles has seen Plunket hold appointments including department manager and military operations manager, serving in Iraq, Canada, Liberia, and Italy during his tenure. Before his role with Queen Camilla, he worked with the United Nations on a number of projects.
As for his personal interests? Plunket is a big sportsman, finding time to surf, ski and play golf when he’s not supporting the royal family, as Tatler reports. Perhaps it’s time to start practicing your swing.
Buckingham Palace is arguably the most famous home in the world. When the sovereign is in residence, the royal standard flies high over the stately palace. The site of countless royal births, deaths, christenings and familial balcony appearances, it has been the official London home of the monarch since 1837. But in the past few years, the only residents appear to be one royal couple, some staff, and a handful of ghosts.
One person currently not living at “Buck House” is King Charles III, but he has a good excuse: The palace is currently undergoing a massive $466 million renovation. However, this is probably a relief. “I know he is no fan of ‘the big house,’ as he calls the palace,” an insider told The Sunday Times. “He doesn’t see it as a viable future home or a house that’s fit for purpose in the modern world. He feels its upkeep, both from a cost and environmental perspective, is not sustainable.”
Royal historian Ingrid Seward agrees. “They [Charles and Camilla] would much rather stay at Clarence House,” she toldNewsweek in 2023. “None of the royals liked living at BP. It’s vast and impersonal. It is an official residence, not a home.”
Boasting 775 rooms, 52 royal and guest bedrooms and 188 staff bedrooms, living in Buckingham Palace has been likened to “living above the shop,” staying in a giant hotel or “camping in a museum.” According to Andrew Morton’sInside Buckingham Palace, Queen Mary herself got lost for three hours while exploring all the nooks and crannies of her new home. It is so vast, intruders have been a problem since Queen Victoria’s day, culminating in Michael Fagan accosting Queen Elizabeth II in her bedroom in 1982.
While the private royal apartments run along the northwest flank of the building, the rest of Buckingham Palace is a giant office building, seasonal museum, and events space. According to the official royal website, 50,000 people visit each year, enjoying state banquets, receptions, and garden parties. Outside the gates, the Mall is packed with tourists. “I should put a dummy of myself inside my windows,” Prince Andrewonce said, reportedly.
“What happens on the other side of a wall is always an intriguing question, and when the wall is in the middle of London and encloses the garden of Buckingham Palace, it is positively tantalizing,” the late Prince Philip once noted, per Morton.
Prince William and Kate Middleton made a surprise trip to Northern Ireland on Tuesday, where the couple’s chemistry was palpable.
Their excursion began with a visit to the newly opened Fire & Rescue Service’s learning college in Cookstown, where the Prince and Princess of Wales met with staff and took part in training exercises, including a ride in a fire engine.
Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales visit the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service’s (NIFRS) new Learning and Development College on October 14, 2025 in Cookstown, Northern Ireland.
Chris Jackson/Getty Images
“The Princess was saying, ‘I’d love to drive at the real speed and have the sirens on,” said graduate Caoimhe McNeice.
The couple, who both sported brown suede footwear, last visited Northern Ireland in October 2022, shortly after the death of Queen Elizabeth. Prince William made a brief visit to Belfast, the country’s capital, last year. In a statement, Kensington Palace said William and Kate would “spend the day visiting innovative organizations that showcase growth and investment in rural areas and demonstrate entrepreneurial and creative opportunities for young people.”
While they have carried out solo engagements in the past week, with Kate visiting Oxford as part of her early years mission and William attending a climate conference with King Charles, the couple looked delighted to be out together, and were openly affectionate with each other.
Prince William and Kate Middleton are packing up and moving, again. The Wales family’s new home will be Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park, only five miles away from Adelaide Cottage, where they currently live. Built in the 1700s and last renovated in 2001, Forest Lodge is a stately Georgian mansion fit for a future king and queen. The move sparked controversy when The Mail on Sunday reported that two separate families nearby were asked to leave their homes and were given other accommodations in Windsor Great Park.
William and Kate are no strangers to revolving real estate: They have been house hopping since they were college students at St. Andrews University in Scotland. In fact, their romance blossomed after they were already roommates.
13A Hope Street
Prince William and Kate Middleton met at St. Andrews in 2001 and became fast friends. In 2002, Will and Catherine, along with friends Fergus Boyd and Olivia Bleasdale, decided to leave the campus dorms and rent a flat together.
According to Robert Jobson’s Catherine, the Princess of Wales, they chose an apartment at 13A Hope Street, an unassuming gray stone house on a street filled with student housing. Although the landlord was initially wary of renting to college boys, she decided to make an exception for the prince and was soon struck by how normal and pleasant William and his roommates seemed. The rent was normal as well, reportedly only 400 British pounds a week, split four ways.
Of course, some accommodations had to be made. According to Jobson, bulletproof windows and a bomb-proof front door were installed, and security officers were always close by. But in other ways it was a typical college apartment, with William shopping at Safeway supermarket and doing chores. “We all get on very well and start off having rotas, but, of course, it just broke down into complete chaos. Everyone helps out when they can,” William said at the time, according to Prince William by Penny Junor. “I try to help out when I can and they do the same for me, but usually you just fend for yourself.”
They say you don’t really know a person until you live with them, and Kate and William clearly liked their experience. Sparks began flying between the two, and they were soon more than just platonic housemates. According to Jobson, the couple spent quiet nights with Boyd and Bleasdale listening to R&B and jazz and cooking each other meals. But it wasn’t all studying and lazing about; 13A Hope Street also became known for its raucous parties.
Kate Middleton and Prince William during a visit to The Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace, August 30, 2017.Chris Jackson/Getty Images.
According to Junor, the frequent festivities drove one of their neighbors, a part-time lecturer named Dana, crazy. “The poor girl was plagued with students partying three times a week,” a source told Junor. “She was really suffering, on the verge of tears because she couldn’t sleep. One night she got up and went and knocked on the door of one to ask them to keep the music down. The door was opened and who was in the hallway but William!”
However, living on a lively public street had its drawbacks. As their romance blossomed, Kate and William would leave the apartment at different times of day. The location was also a headache for members of William’s security team, but it fit in with his desire to live a normal life.
Balgove House
For the next two school years, the couple decided to move away from prying eyes into the countryside. Along with new roommates Oliver Baker and Alasdair Coutts-Wood, they rented an old cottage called Balgove House, owned by William’s distant cousin Henry Cheape. “Balgove House stood in its own grounds with some two acres of wild meadow surrounded by a six-foot-high stone wall,” Robert Lacey writes in Battle of Brothers. “William said it was just like a miniature Highgrove—and only a quarter of a mile from the St. Andrews campus.”
Although their famous house parties continued, their two years spent at Balgove House also offered more intimate delights. “With open countryside to walk in without fear of being spotted, and open fires to come home to in the dark evenings,” Junor writes, “it was little short of idyllic and provided the perfect sanctuary for William and Kate to explore their relationship further.”
Bodorgan Hall
After Kate and William graduated in 2005, they officially lived apart for several years. But in 2010, the couple was engaged, and William took a job as a search-and-rescue pilot based in Anglesey, a bucolic rural island in Wales. Kate soon joined him, according to Hello Magazine.
Three years after Kate Middleton and Prince William swapped their Kensington Palace residence for a main home on the Windsor Home Park estate, the family is moving again. Along with children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis, the Prince and Princess of Wales will soon leave their current abode of Adelaide Cottage for the nearby Forest Lodge, located in the Windsor Great Park.
The couple moved to Adelaide Cottage in 2022, motivated by a desire to escape the spotlight of Kensington Palace and to be closer to Queen Elizabeth’s Windsor Castle home.
“William and Kate have been talking to their close friends about leaving Kensington Palace, where they feel very overlooked,” a source told Vanity Fair nearly a year before the couple’s move. “It will remain their official London base, but they prefer being in the countryside and the commute to London would be very easy.”
While the four-bedroom cottage the couple settled on reportedly wasn’t their dream home, it appeared to be the best option at the time. “Finding a way to make Adelaide Cottage work seems to be the best and only option,” a source said at the time of their move. “There are issues with all the other houses, so Adelaide will be the favorite.”
But soon after the family started to unpack, things changed again. Queen Elizabeth died, just as Kate Middleton and Prince William landed in the dwelling. “It was not exactly the settling-in period they had hoped for,” a source said of that period in the Waleses’ lives.
Middleton announced that she was officially in remission earlier this year, while the king’s treatments are reportedly ongoing, both factors that likely impacted the Walses’ latest decision to move. (Less of a factor, it seems, is a recent security breach near their current home, nor a similar incursion the year before.)
Their home-to-be, the 328-year-old Forest Lodge, is currently undergoing minor renovations, the Independent reports, noting that “the royal couple are understood to be paying for the move and renovations themselves, avoiding any extra cost to the taxpayer.” According to planning applications filed in June with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, changes to the eight-bedroom structure include “new doors and windows, stripping out internal walls, renovated ceilings and new floors.”
The residence, which the king owns as part of the Crown Estate, was last renovated in 2001, records show, after which it was available to rent for £15,000 per month. The family plans to move into their new home in the near future, a Kensington Palace spokesperson confirms, saying “The Wales family will move house later this year.”
Did Kate Middleton just weigh in on the debate on when summer actually ends? The royal, who went on “summer break” after her show-stopping appearance at Wimbledon in July, stepped back into view Sunday. Along with husband Prince William, eldest son Prince George, and father-in-law King Charles III, Princess Kate attended a church service in Scotland today, her first day out with the family since her Trooping the Colour turn in June.
King Charles and Queen Camilla traditionally spend their summers in the Scottish Highlands, the Telegraph notes, as Balmoral Castle was one of Queen Elizabeth II’s favorite homes. This year, the Waleses made plans to join them, marking Kate Middleton’s longest trip away from the family’s Adelaide Cottage home since a planned surgery in January led to the diagnosis of an undisclosed cancer. She’s been in treatment for the disease since.
The Princess was spotted this morning as she headed to Crathie Kirk, the Balmoral-adjacent parish church known as the royal family’s place of worship when they’re in town. Clad in a camel coat and feathered hat, she was seated in a Land Rover passenger seat, with William at the wheel. Their son, George, sat in back. According to photos taken at the scene, Camilla and a kilt-clad Charles—who was also treated for cancer this year—arrived at church in a second vehicle, both stepping out of the back seat.
They were joined by the king’s brother, Prince Edward, and his wife Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh. Queen Elizabeth’s cousin, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, also attended church with the family today.
The church outing wasn’t a choreographed public event along the lines of Wimbledon or Trooping the Colour, free of posed photos or a receiving line. But that’s what might make Middleton’s presence the most notable. “I am making good progress,” she announced in June, “but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know, there are good days and bad days.”
“On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting. But on the good days, when you feel stronger, you want to make the most of feeling well.” That she is doing well enough to expend some of her energy on a quiet, family event like a Sunday trip to church suggests that her progress is continuing, and the things are indeed looking up.
The jaw-droppingly funded market has since collapsed, with many companies booted from the stock market, bankrupt, or worse. These days, you can still find the devices for rent in tourist-heavy cities and holiday destinations in the U.S. and elsewhere, and occasionally you’ll pass a privately owned one on the road—that is, if you’re in a city that hasn’t banned them from the streets.
In London, for example, the only electric scooters allowed on city streets are owned by rental companies participating in a tightly regulated trial. “It is still illegal to use privately-owned e-scooters or other powered transporters on public roads,” officials say.
All bets are off when the roads you’re scooting on are ones that you and your family own, however. So when Prince William was spotted by a social media user as he zoomed around the grounds of Windsor Castle, you needn’t worry that he was breaking the law: according to regional transit officials, the scooters—which as of late 2023 had “seriously injured” 22 people, per the BBC—are use at your own risk if ridden with a landowner’s permission, as William presumably has.
According to a report in the Sun from last year, William purchased the scooter in 2023 in an effort to make the 10-minute trip from Adelaide Cottage (where William lives with wife Kate Middleton and children Prince Louis, Prince George, and Princess Charlotte) to Windsor Castle less of a trek. The scooter, which reportedly can hit 10 miles per hour, “just makes sense,” an unnamed source told the Sun. “He whizzes up to the castle” when he needs to see his father, King Charles III.
“It’s a two or three-mile round trip from his family home at Adelaide Cottage to Windsor Castle, so it’s easier by scooter than car or walking,” the source reportedly said.
It’s unclear when the William on a scooter video was taken, and it’s equally unknown what make and model of scooter the prince has. What we do know is that Middleton likely prefers a scooter over his previous mode of solo travel, a high-powered motorcycle.
In 2015, the princess told well-wishers that “it always fills me with horror when” William would hop on his beloved bike. “I’m terrified,” she said of his easy-riding habit. Given Middleton’s challenging year, trading a hog for a scooter seems like a kind concession, regardless of the device’s brand or its past role as a hot-button issue.
Though there was no balcony for the newlyweds to kiss on (as per royal weddings), a red carpet outside of the cathedral sufficed as after the ceremony, the couple kissed for the cameras in the press pen.
Hugh Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster and Olivia Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster leave Chester Cathedral following their wedding ceremony on June 7, 2024 in Chester, England.
Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images
Olivia, 31, looked dazzling in a bespoke gown by designer Emma Victoria Payne which was adorned with hand-drawn embroidery featuring an extravagant floral motif. The veil also featured edgings from Olivia’s great-great-grandmother’s veil from around 1880. She topped the look with the Faberge Myrtle Leaf Tiara, which was created specifically for the Grosvenor dynasty in 1906, and has been tiara which has been worn by generations of Grosvenors and brides marrying into the family. In a nod to the tradition of wearing something blue, the bride donned a pair of blue shoes.
Olivia Grosvenor, Duchess of Westminster derparts after her wedding to Hugh Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster at Chester Cathedral on June 07, 2024 in Chester, England.
Samir Hussein
Many locals had gathered to see the couple emerge from the cathedral and the sunny weather ensured a decent turnout. The duke arranged for complimentary ice cream, gelato and sorbet from three local independent cafés so that those who wished could join in the celebration. However, there was a brief interruption when protestors from the extremist group Just Stop Oil set off a fire extinguisher in the crowd as the wedding party emerged from the cathedral. They were restrained by police with no further action required.
This evening, the newlyweds will host a lavish reception at the Duke’s estate Eaton Hall located just outside Chester.
In one of the most significant moments as the Prince of Wales, William stepped in for his father to join world leaders including President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Normandy for the finale of the 80th anniversary of the historic D-Day landings.
First Lady Jill Biden, US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, French First Lady Brigitte Macron, William The Prince of Wales, Australia’s Governor-General David Hurley with his wife, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands, Queen Maxima of The Netherlands and Italian President Sergio Mattarella attend the D-Day commemoration at Omaha beach on June 6, 2024 in Saint-Laurent-sur-Mer, France.
Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images
During the visit, Prince William also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, whose country is at war with Russia. William, who has met Zelensky several times, greeted him with a warm handshake.
King Charles asked William to be at the ceremony on Omaha Beach, which included King Frederik X of Denmark and other world leaders, as palace aides were instructed to scale back the king’s schedule on the advice of his medical team to prevent exhaustion.
Charles, who is undergoing cancer treatment, attended a service at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer earlier in the day where he paid tribute to the “remarkable wartime generation.”
He was determined to attend the commemorative events in Portsmouth and Normandy. He has attended the most important parts of the two-day-long occasion, delivering moving speeches and meeting veterans.
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Prince William on their return way after laying a wreath at Juno Beach during the Canadian Signature Ceremony in Courseulles-sur-Mer, commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, on June 6, 2024, in Juno Beach, Courseulles sur Mer, Normandy, France.
Anadolu/Getty Images
On Thursday, William showed off his leadership and diplomatic skills and praised the bravery of the veterans who fought on D-Day. In a speech delivered to over 25 leaders and diplomats, the 41-year-old spoke in English and French to commend the action of Canadian troops who stormed the seafront on D-Day. He also laid a wreath and honored 14,000 Canadians who stormed Juno Beach 80 years ago on Thursday and delighted locals when he made a surprise visit to the D-Day Museum in Arromanches, where he spoke with veterans and received a warm welcome from well-wishers.
Kate Middleton only became Princess Kate a few months ago, but she’s already adding yet another royal title to her collection.
King Charles named his daughter-in-law as the new honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards, a title previously held by her husband, Prince William. The appointment is a logical one for the princess as she has spent most of her St. Patrick’s Day holidays since marrying into the royal family in 2011 honoring that guard’s regiment. The annual celebration typically involves Kate and her husband traveling to Aldershot in Hampshire, England to take part in the town’s annual parade alongside the Irish Guards. Once there, they also salute the regiment, pass out shamrock boutonniéres, meet with the regiment’s mascot, an Irish wolfhound named Seamus, and celebrate with a Guinness toast.
Queen Elizabeth previously named Prince William to the role of Colonel of the Irish Guards in 2011, just two months before his wedding, which is why he wore the traditional red Irish Guards officer uniform for the Westminster Abbey ceremony. But under this new sovereign, the prince has also received a new title. King Charles named his son Colonel of the Welsh Guards, a role befitting of his other new title, the Prince of Wales. Charles’s wife Queen Consort Camilla also received the new title of Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, an honor that was previously removed from Prince Andrew by his late mother. This appointment comes after Andrew lost the title amid the scandal surrounding his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
As part of this spate of announcements, King Charles also revealed that Trooping the Colour, the first public celebration of his birthday, will take place next year on June 17, six weeks after his coronation ceremony on May 6. The new monarch’s actual birthday is in November, but in keeping with Queen Elizabeth’s tradition, it will be celebrated by the nation as the kickoff to summer. The parade gets its name from the troops, the Household Division, that attend in their formal uniforms. It first began as a military exercise, but became a celebration for the sovereign in the 18th century during King George II’s reign. Under Queen Elizabeth, the event became one of the biggest celebrations of the year, featuring over 1,400 soldiers, 200 horses, and 400 musicians, and around 40 members of the royal family all gathered together on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
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