Royal news - live: King Charles and Camilla mark ‘emotional’ wedding anniversary amid cancer diagnosis

King Charles and Queen Camilla are marking their “emotional” 19th wedding anniversary today amid a turbulent time in their personal lives.

The monarchs married on April 9 2005, 35 years after first meeting in 1970.

This year, the pair are likely to be celebrating the milestone “behind closed doors” as Charles continues to undergo cancer treatment.

Former butler Grant Harrold told the Daily Express: “I’m sure this year will be a bit more poignant and probably a bit emotional with everything going on.

“I have no doubt they’ll be together for the occasion, and I’m sure behind closed doors, they’ll probably have a romantic dinner with just the two of them.”

The celebrations come as the Princess of Wales, who has also been diagnosed with cancer, sent a touching response to a get well soon letter.

A royal fan who uses the X handle, Allexmarie, who sent a get-well-soon card to the princess shared the ‘beautiful acknowledgement’.

The response from the palace read: “Thank you for your kind well wishes to Her Royal Highness The Princess of Wales.

“Your thoughtful gesture is very much appreicated.”

Key points

• Charles and Camilla celebrate anniversary

• William and Kate ‘anxious’ about taking the throne

• Harry and Meghan having ‘sleepless nights’ over upcoming UK visit

• Royals targeted in Russia’s disinformation war with fake story about King selling Highgrove

• BBC responds to complaints about ‘excessive’ coverage of Kate’s cancer diagnosis

King presented with first bank notes with portraits

13:01 , Athena Stavrou

King Charles has been presented with the first bank notes featuring his portrait today.

The King met with the Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey and Sarah John, the Bank of England’s Chief Cashier, at Buckingham Palace.

ICYMI: Sarah Ferguson shares poignant health message amid ongoing cancer treatment

12:30 , Athena Stavrou

The Duchess of York shared a powerful message, encouraging people to regularly check themselves as she continues cancer treatment.

Sarah Fergison took to Instagram on Sunday to mark World Health Day on Sunday with a poignant message to encourage people to maintain their physical and mental wellness.

She said: “I would like to remind anyone who may be reading this to check in with yourself. Check in on your state of mind and check in on your body.”

The duchess was diagnosed with skin cancer in January after having several moles removed and analysed. In the summer of 2023 she underwent a mastectomy following a breast cancer diagnosis.

ICYMI: Princess surprises royal fans with ‘beautiful’ response to well-wishes

11:37 , Athena Stavrou

Kate has sent a touching response to a get well soon letter weeks after she revealed her cancer diagnosis to the world.

A royal fan who uses the X handle, Allexmarie, shared her ‘beautiful acknowledgement’.

Pictures: Charles and Camilla’s wedding day as couple celebrate 19th anniversary

10:55 , Athena Stavrou

King and Queen celebrating milestone anniversary

10:23 , Athena Stavrou

King Charles and Queen Camilla are marking their “emotional” 19th wedding anniversary today amid a turbulent time in their personal lives.

The monarchs married on April 9 2005, 35 years after first meeting in 1970.

This year, the pair are likely to be celebrating the milestone “behind closed doors” as Charles continues to undergo cancer treatment.

Former butler Grant Harrold told The Express: “I’m sure this year will be a bit more poignant and probably a bit emotional with everything going on.

“I have no doubt they’ll be together for the occasion, and I’m sure behind closed doors, they’ll probably have a romantic dinner with just the two of them.”

Russia spreads fake news that King sold Highgrove House to Ukraine

07:00 , Lydia Patrick

A Russian disinformation network has made a series of false claims about the British royal family in its ongoing information war with Ukraine.

Among the incorrect allegations being made by pro-Kremlin campaigners is the suggestion circulating on fake news sites that King Charles has sold his royal residence Highgrove House to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky for £20m.

The bizarre report was initially made in a YouTube video that featured someone who claimed to be the estate agent behind the made-up sale. However, security experts told The Times the character, named Sam Murphy, appeared to be AI-generated.

The news was then spread by a fake British outlet before it was circulated by a number of English, French, German and Italian bots on X, formerly Twitter.

Read the full story here...

Russia spreads fake news that King Charles sold Highgrove House to Ukraine

Sarah Ferguson shares poignant health message amid ongoing cancer treatment

06:00 , Lydia Patrick

Sarah Ferguson shares poignant health message amid ongoing cancer treatment

French soldiers take part in Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace for first time

05:00 , Lydia Patrick

French soldiers have guarded Buckingham Palace for the first time marking a historic moment in cross-Channel relations.

France became the first non-commonwealth country to take part in the Changing the Guard ceremony on Monday in celebration of the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale.

Read the full story here...

French soldiers take part in Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace

Watch - French soldiers take part in Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace for first time

04:00 , Lydia Patrick

Netflix users left repulsed by ‘unnecessary’ scene in Prince Andrew film Scoop

03:00 , Lydia Patrick

Netflix users have been left outraged by an “unnecessary” moment in Prince Andrew film Scoop.

The new movie tells the story of the infamous Newsnight interview that, in 2019, saw the royal attempt to distance himself from convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

There are many talking point moments in the film – including a scene that depicts the tower of teddy bears Prince Andrew reportedly used to have arranged on his bed at Buckingham Palace – but viewers, which currently does not include Newsnight host Emily Maitlis, are in agreement that one part in particular could have been omitted.

The scene in question arrives after the Newsnight interview, which was conducted by Maitlis (Gillian Anderson), has been filmed and is about to be aired on BBC Two.

Read the full report here...

Netflix users left disgusted by ‘unnecessary’ scene in Prince Andrew film Scoop

Who is Princess Beatrice? Prince Andrew’s daughter who features in Netflix’s Scoop

02:00 , Lydia Patrick

Princess Beatrice, the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew, was left ‘devastated’ after her father’s car-crash Newsnight interview which is the subject of new Netflix drama Scoop.

The 35-year-old royal featured momentarily in the new movie starring Gillian Anderson which has plunged the scandal back into the limelight.

Beatrice, played by Charity Wakefield, starred in an important scene where several BBC Newsnight journalists met with the Prince to persuade him to agree to the interview where he would discuss his relationship with the convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.

The drama follows Sam McAlister, played by Billie Piper, a producer, as she goes against the grain to land the exclusive interview with the royal for Emily Maitlis, played by Gillian Anderson.

In McAlister’s memoir, she reveals the Princess “asked sensible questions” about the proposal, which her father ultimately went ahead with.

Read the full story here...

Who is Princess Beatrice? Prince Andrew’s daughter who features in Netflix’s Scoop

Emily Maitlis breaks silence on rival Netflix movie Scoop

01:00 , Lydia Patrick

Emily Maitlis has broken her silence on the new Netflix drama Scoop, based on her infamous interview with Prince Andrew.

The film, released on Friday (5 April), depicts the events behind the Duke of York’s car-crash sit down with the BBC broadcaster, played by Gillian Anderson.

“I’ve left them very much to do their own thing because I think the last thing they want is me peeking around the edges offering my [views],” Maitlis told Deadline.

The Newsnight host is also executive producer of a rival three-part Amazon series about the same interview, which will star Ruth Wilson as Maitlis.

Read the full report here...

Emily Maitlis breaks silence on new Netflix movie Scoop

BBC forced to defend coverage of Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis

Tuesday 9 April 2024 00:00 , Lydia Patrick

The BBC has been forced to defend its coverage of the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnosis after receiving complaints from people who believed it was “excessive and insensitive”.

Kate revealed she was undergoing treatment for the disease in an emotional video message released on 22 March, in which she told others battling the disease “you are not alone”, after weeks of frenzied speculation online about her health and whereabouts.

The broadcaster, which had aired the full video, said it was “mindful” of its reporting approach and did not speculate on details that had not been made public.

Read the full report here...

BBC forced to defend coverage of Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis

Newsnight producer Sam McAlister admits she feels sorry for Princess Beatrice after Prince Andrew interview

Monday 8 April 2024 23:00 , Lydia Patrick

Newsnight producer ‘feels sorry’ for Princess Beatrice after Prince Andrew interview

King Charles faces backlash from Kent residents over plans to build ‘ideal town’

Monday 8 April 2024 22:00 , Lydia Patrick

The King’s plan to build an “ideal town” in Kent has sparked outrage amid accusations of “swallowing up historic villages into one urban mass”.

The Duchy of Cornwall has proposed to build 2,500 homes on 320 acres of agricultural land in the medieval market town of Faversham, Kent.

The plan was announced when Charles, then the Prince of Wales, managed the estate in 2018, with the aims of delivering the “most sustainable” homes possible, while simultaneously combatting a housing crisis in the area.

However, local residents have warned the development – which is set to deliver an “ideal town” similar to the Duchy’s first “urban extension” in Poundbury – is “totally at odds” with the monarch’s stance on environmental and farming issues, and could not be supported by the town’s infrastructure.

The strong opposition has been aired in a public consultation following the submission in December of an application for consent to start work on the initial 261 homes, with 120 homes set to be built per year across two decades.

Read the full story here...

King Charles faces backlash from Kent residents over plans to build ‘ideal town’

Princess surprises royal fans with ‘beautiful’ response to well-wishes

Monday 8 April 2024 21:14 , Lydia Patrick

Kate has sent a touching response to a get well soon letter weeks after she revealed her cancer diagnosis to the world.

A royal fan who uses the X handle, Allexmarie, shared her ‘beautiful acknowledgement’.

Princess Kate’s health silence ‘down to William’, royal author claims

Monday 8 April 2024 21:00 , Athena Stavrou

A Royal author has claimed that Princess Kate’s silence surrounding her health is “because of Prince William”.

Last month, the Princess of Wales revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer in an emotional video filmed after weeks of baseless conspiracy theories about her health.

Speaking to GB News, author Alexander Larman said the social media conspiracies shows the world is “obsessed by the health of the Royal Family”, and claimed the silence was largely William’s choice.

Comparing King Charles’ cancer announcement to Kate’s, he said: “Buckingham Palace came forward fairly quickly and gave a fairly candid idea of whats happening with Charles and what his illness is - Kensington Palace didn’t.

“I think that’s because Prince William is much more into the vain of ‘never complain never explain’ which was his grandmother’s motto and his great-grandmother’s motto has always served the royal family well but it doesn’t hold up in 2024.”

Sarah Ferguson shares poignant health message amid ongoing cancer treatment

Monday 8 April 2024 20:00 , Athena Stavrou

The Duchess of York shared a powerful message, encouraging people to regularly check themselves as she continues cancer treatment.

Sarah Fergison took to Instagram on Sunday to mark World Health Day on Sunday with a poignant message to encourage people to maintain their physical and mental wellness.

She said: “I would like to remind anyone who may be reading this to check in with yourself. Check in on your state of mind and check in on your body.”

The duchess was diagnosed with skin cancer in January after having several moles removed and analysed. In the summer of 2023 she underwent a mastectomy following a breast cancer diagnosis.

ICYMI: William and Kate ‘anxious’ about taking the throne

Monday 8 April 2024 19:00 , Athena Stavrou

William and Kate feel ‘intense anxiety’ at the prospect of becoming King and Queen after Charles’s cancer diagnosis, a royal expert claims.

Charles, 75, is undergoing treatment for cancer at the same time as Kate, 42, leaving William, 41, to step in for his father’s role and Kate to attend engagements when she is well enough.

Tina Brown, former Vanity Fair editor wrote: “News of Charles’s cancer has put William and Catherine in frightening proximity to ascending the throne … The prospect of it, I am told, is causing them intense anxiety.”

In pictures: Edward and Sophie inspect UK and French troops to celebrate Entente Cordiale

Monday 8 April 2024 18:00 , Athena Stavrou

ICYMI: King faces Kent residents’ backlash over plans to build ‘ideal town’

Monday 8 April 2024 17:00 , Athena Stavrou

The King’s plan to build an “ideal town” in Kent has sparked outrage amid accusations of “swallowing up historic villages into one urban mass”.

The Duchy of Cornwall has proposed to build 2,500 homes on 320 acres of agricultural land in the medieval market town of Faversham, Kent.

The plan was announced when Charles, then the Prince of Wales, managed the estate in 2018, with the aims of delivering the “most sustainable” homes possible, while simultaneously combatting a housing crisis in the area.

However, local residents have warned the development – which is set to deliver an “ideal town” similar to the Duchy’s first “urban extension” in Poundbury – is “totally at odds” with the monarch’s stance on environmental and farming issues, and could not be supported by the town’s infrastructure.

The strong opposition has been aired in a public consultation following the submission in December of an application for consent to start work on the initial 261 homes, with 120 homes set to be built per year across two decades.

Who is Princess Beatrice? Prince Andrew’s daughter who features in Netflix’s Scoop

Monday 8 April 2024 16:30 , Athena Stavrou

Princess Beatrice, the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew, was left ‘devastated’ after her father’s car-crash Newsnight interview which is the subject of new Netflix drama Scoop.

The 35-year-old royal featured momentarily in the new movie starring Gillian Anderson which has plunged the scandal back into the limelight.

Beatrice, played by Charity Wakefield, starred in an important scene where several BBC Newsnight journalists met with the Prince to persuade him to agree to the interview where he would discuss his relationship with the convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.

The drama follows Sam McAlister, played by Billie Piper, a producer, as she goes against the grain to land the exclusive interview with the royal for Emily Maitlis, played by Gillian Anderson.

Read more below:

Who is Princess Beatrice? Prince Andrew’s daughter who features in Netflix’s Scoop

What is fact and what is fiction in Netflix’s Prince Andrew Newsnight film?

Monday 8 April 2024 15:52 , Athena Stavrou

By now, we are all familiar with the grim, absurd details of Prince Andrew’s 2019 Newsnight interview.

Yes, he claimed he couldn’t have had sex with 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre because he was at a Pizza Express in Woking. Yes, he insisted he was physically unable to sweat after an overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands war.

And yes, he said he had visited convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in New York because he hadn’t wanted to take the “chicken’s way out” and dump his old friend over the phone.

From the tower of teddies on the Duke of York’s bed to the sudden departure of the royal’s PR guru, there are many moments in this new film that almost seem too wild to be genuine.

Ellie Harrison looks at the truth behind the drama:

What is fact and what is fiction in Netflix’s Prince Andrew film Scoop?

Newsnight producer Sam McAlister admits she feels sorry for Princess Beatrice after Prince Andrew interview

Monday 8 April 2024 15:22 , Athena Stavrou

Newsnight producer Sam McAlister has admitted she feels sorry for Princess Beatrice following the bombshell Prince Andrew interview.

The interview is now back in the spotlight following the release of Netflix drama Scoop.

Appearing on Good Morning Britain on Monday, Ms McAlister said she felt for both Princess Beatrice and Prince Andrew’s former private secretary Amanda Thirsk.

She said: “He [Andrew] was lucky to have a daughter who believed in him and someone he worked with who believed in him and obviously he disappointed both of them.

“There is a poignancy for those two women, because they had done nothing.”

Lucy Leeson reports:

Newsnight producer ‘feels sorry’ for Princess Beatrice after Prince Andrew interview

Harry and Meghan having ‘sleepless nights’ over future UK visits, expert claims

Monday 8 April 2024 14:50 , Athena Stavrou

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are having ‘sleepless nights’ over the prospect of future UK visits, a royal expert claims.

The Duke of Sussex is expected to return home next month to attend the ten-year anniversary celebrations for the Invictus Games.

However, whether Meghan will join Harry at the special service at St Paul’s Cathedral has yet to be confirmed.

Royal author Tom Quinn told The Mirror: “Harry and Megan are having sleepless nights about what they should do when Harry visits the UK later this year – he will have to do something to acknowledge the huge difficulties his family is going through, but he won’t want to do or say anything that seems to imply anything less than wholehearted support for his permanently aggrieved wife.”

Harry’s last visit to the UK garnered mass media attention when he flew to see his father following his cancer diagnosis.

The duke cleared his schedule to fly over 5,000 miles to meet the King in a meeting that lasted less than an hour.

Watch: Royal family share behind scenes look at £369m Buckingham Palace renovation

Monday 8 April 2024 14:20 , Athena Stavrou

Comment: As Scoop hits Netflix, it’s time to open the secret files on Prince Andrew

Monday 8 April 2024 13:52 , Athena Stavrou

As the dramatisation of his infamous and disastrous interview with Emily Maitlis is broadcast, Prince Andrew will again find himself under the spotlight.

But while we can pick over the details of his trip to Pizza Express, I’m banned from seeing official documents about the Duke until 2065.

It’s time these absurd rules were changed, writes Andrew Lownie:

As Scoop hits our screens, it’s time to open the secret files on Prince Andrew

Watch: French soldiers take part in Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace for first time

Monday 8 April 2024 13:36 , Athena Stavrou

Harry could attempt to make peace with William, expert predicts

Monday 8 April 2024 12:36 , Athena Stavrou

Upon his return this May, Harry could be hoping to make ammends with his estranged brother, who is supporting his wife Kate through her cancer treatment, says royal biographer Richard Fitzwilliams.

Fitzwillliams told the Sun: “The Sussexes do spring surprises. This has happened before, and you never know what might happen in the coming weeks or months.

“But I don’t think Harry would do anything without Megan’s consent.”

Edward and Sophie inspect UK and French troops to celebrate Entente Cordiale

Monday 8 April 2024 12:08 , Athena Stavrou

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have celebrated Anglo-French relations at a ceremony marking the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale.

Edward and Sophie inspected UK and French troops on Buckingham Palace’s forecourt during the event highlighting ties between the two nations.

The duke and duchess, representing the King who is continuing his cancer treatment and was not at Buckingham Palace, walked past 32 members of the 1st and 2nd Infantry regiments of the Garde Republicaine and then 40 guardsmen from F Company Scots Guards, lined up opposite their French counterparts.

Pictures: landmark Changing of the Guard between French and British troops

Monday 8 April 2024 11:23 , Athena Stavrou

French soldiers take part in Changing the Guard at Buckingham Palace for first time

Monday 8 April 2024 11:09 , Athena Stavrou

French soldiers have guarded Buckingham Palace for the first time marking a historic moment in cross-Channel relations.

France became the first non-commonwealth country to take part in the Changing the Guard ceremony at 11am on Monday, marking the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale.

Crowds and members of the royal family looked on as members of the Gendarmerie’s Garde Republicaine joined the Scots Guards to parade together, watched on by crowds.

The French Gendarmerie were marched on and off the palace forecourt by the Band of the Grenadier Guards, who performed both countries’ national anthems as a “symbol of the strength of the relationship between” the two countries.

The landmark procession was organised to mark the historic diplomatic agreement between Britain and France that laid the groundwork for their collaboration in both world wars.

Sarah Ferguson shares poignant health message amid ongoing cancer treatment

Monday 8 April 2024 10:53 , Athena Stavrou

The Duchess of York shared a powerful message, encouraging people to regularly check themselves as she continues cancer treatment.

Sarah Fergison took to Instagram on Sunday to mark World Health Day on Sunday with a poignant message to encourage people to maintain their physical and mental wellness.

She said: “I would like to remind anyone who may be reading this to check in with yourself. Check in on your state of mind and check in on your body.”

The duchess was diagnosed with skin cancer in January after having several moles removed and analysed. In the summer of 2023 she underwent a mastectomy following a breast cancer diagnosis.

Lucy Leeson reports:

Sarah Ferguson shares poignant health message amid ongoing cancer treatment

Prince Andrew seen as Netflix film on Newsnight interview released

Monday 8 April 2024 10:00 , Athena Stavrou

Prince Andrew has broken cover after he was spotted enjoying a horse ride on the same day a dramatisation of his car-crash BBC Newsnight interview was released.

The Duke of York was seen waving as he rode around Windsor on Friday as Netflix drama Scoop, which reenacts the story of how the BBC secured the now infamous interview, went live.

The 64-year-old was quizzed by Emily Maitlis on his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during the interview - when he made the bizarre claim he was at a Pizza Express in Woking at the time of an alleged assault.

Alexander Butler reports:

Royals to celebrate landmark Changing of the Guard

Monday 8 April 2024 09:33 , Athena Stavrou

France is to become the first non-Commonwealth country to take part in the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace today as 32 members of the Gendarmerie’s Garde Republicaine and 40 Guardsmen from F Company Scots Guards parade together on the Forecourt of Buckingham Palace.

The ceremony has been organised to mark the 120th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale – the historic diplomatic agreement between Britain and France which laid the groundwork for their collaboration in both world wars.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh are set to attend a parade at 11am.

Harry and Meghan having ‘sleepless nights’ over future UK visits, expert claims

Monday 8 April 2024 08:52 , Athena Stavrou

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are having ‘sleepless nights’ over the prospect of future UK visits, a royal expert claims.

The Duke of Sussex is expected to return home next month to attend the ten-year anniversary celebrations for the Invictus Games.

However, he will have to face the visit alone as the Duchess is not thought to be joining him at the special service in St Paul’s cathedral on May 8.

Royal author Tom Quinn told The Mirror: “Harry and Megan are having sleepless nights about what they should do when Harry visits the UK later this year – he will have to do something to acknowledge the huge difficulties his family is going through, but he won’t want to do or say anything that seems to imply anything less than wholehearted support for his permanently aggrieved wife.”

He added that Harry would “love to patch things up” with his brother, father and sister-in-law.

Harry’s last visit to the UK garnered mass media attention when he flew to see his father following his cancer diagnosis.

The duke cleared his schedule to fly over 5,000 miles to meet the King in a meeting that lasted less than an hour.

Princess Kate’s health silence ‘down to William’, royal author claims

Monday 8 April 2024 08:10 , Athena Stavrou

A Royal author has claimed that Princess Kate’s silence surrounding her health is “because of Prince William”.

Last month, the Princess of Wales revealed she had been diagnosed with cancer in an emotional video filmed after weeks of baseless conspiracy theories about her health.

Speaking to GB News, author Alexander Larman said the social media conspiracies shows the world is “obsessed by the health of the Royal Family”, and claimed the silence was largely William’s choice.

Comparing King Charles’ cancer announcement to Kate’s, he said: “Buckingham Palace came forward fairly quickly and gave a fairly candid idea of whats happening with Charles and what his illness is - Kensington Palace didn’t.

“I think that’s because Prince William is much more into the vain of ‘never complain never explain’ which was his grandmother’s motto and his great-grandmother’s motto has always served the royal family well but it doesn’t hold up in 2024.”

ICYMI: William and Kate ‘anxious’ about taking the throne

Monday 8 April 2024 07:39 , Athena Stavrou

William and Kate feel ‘intense anxiety’ at the prospect of becoming King and Queen after Charles’s cancer diagnosis, a royal expert claims.

Charles, 75, is undergoing treatment for cancer at the same time as Kate, 42, leaving William, 41, to step in for his father’s role and Kate to attend engagements when she is well enough.

Tina Brown, former Vanity Fair editor wrote: “News of Charles’s cancer has put William and Catherine in frightening proximity to ascending the throne … The prospect of it, I am told, is causing them intense anxiety.”

King faces Kent residents’ backlash over plans to build ‘ideal town’

Monday 8 April 2024 07:00 , Lydia Patrick

The King’s plan to build an “ideal town” in Kent has sparked outrage amid accusations of “swallowing up historic villages into one urban mass”.

The Duchy of Cornwall has proposed to build 2,500 homes on 320 acres of agricultural land in the medieval market town of Faversham, Kent.

The plan was announced when Charles, then the Prince of Wales, managed the estate in 2018, with the aims of delivering the “most sustainable” homes possible, while simultaneously combatting a housing crisis in the area.

However, local residents have warned the development – which is set to deliver an “ideal town” similar to the Duchy’s first “urban extension” in Poundbury – is “totally at odds” with the monarch’s stance on environmental and farming issues, and could not be supported by the town’s infrastructure.

The strong opposition has been aired in a public consultation following the submission in December of an application for consent to start work on the initial 261 homes, with 120 homes set to be built per year across two decades.

Read the full story here...

King Charles faces backlash from Kent residents over plans to build ‘ideal town’

Royals targeted in Russia’s disinformation war with fake story about King Charles selling Highgrove

Monday 8 April 2024 06:00 , Lydia Patrick

A Russian disinformation network has made a series of false claims about the British royal family in its ongoing information war with Ukraine.

Among the incorrect allegations being made by pro-Kremlin campaigners is the suggestion circulating on fake news sites that King Charles has sold his royal residence Highgrove House to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky for £20m.

The bizarre report was initially made in a YouTube video that featured someone who claimed to be the estate agent behind the made-up sale. However, security experts told The Times the character, named Sam Murphy, appeared to be AI-generated.

The news was then spread by a fake British outlet before it was circulated by a number of English, French, German and Italian bots on X, formerly Twitter.

A website called The London Crier published an article featuring a supposed interview with Charles’ former butler Grant Harrold. In it, Mr Harrold is claimed to have confirmed the sale of Highgrove as having been completed through Mr Zelenskyy’s wife Olena on 29 February, and that staff at the royal residence had been laid off.

Read the full story here...

Russia spreads fake news that King Charles sold Highgrove House to Ukraine

Netflix users left disgusted by ‘unnecessary’ scene in Prince Andrew film Scoop

Monday 8 April 2024 05:00 , Lydia Patrick

Netflix users have been left outraged by an “unnecessary” moment in Prince Andrew film Scoop.

The new movie tells the story of the infamous Newsnight interview that, in 2019, saw the royal attempt to distance himself from convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

There are many talking point moments in the film – including a scene that depicts the tower of teddy bears Prince Andrew reportedly used to have arranged on his bed at Buckingham Palace – but viewers, which currently does not include Newsnight host Emily Maitlis, are in agreement that one part in particular could have been omitted.

The scene in question arrives after the Newsnight interview, which was conducted by Maitlis (Gillian Anderson), has been filmed and is about to be aired on BBC Two.

Prince Andrew starts to watch the interview, but instead opts out and has a bath instead. However, while he attempts to relax, he hears the reaction to the interview play out in real time as his mobile phone repeatedly pings in the other room. Getting out of the bath, the camera then shows his bare bum from behind.

Read the full story here...

Netflix users left disgusted by ‘unnecessary’ scene in Prince Andrew film Scoop

Harry could attempt to make peace with William, expert predicts

Monday 8 April 2024 04:00 , Lydia Patrick

Upon his return this May, Harry could be hoping to make ammends with his estranged brother, who is supporting his wife Kate through her cancer treatment, says royal biographer Richard Fitzwilliams.

Fitzwillliams told the Sun: The Sussexes do spring surprises. This has happened before, and you never know what might happen in the coming weeks or months.

“But I don’t think Harry would do anything without Megan’s consent.”

Meghan ‘unlikely’ to return to UK, expert claims

Monday 8 April 2024 03:00 , Lydia Patrick

Charles Rae, the former royal correspondent for the Sun said: “I’m of the opinion that Megan won’t set foot in the UK ever again.

“I just don’t think she wants her to have anything to do at all with this country.”

Netflix users left disgusted by ‘unnecessary’ scene in Prince Andrew film Scoop

Monday 8 April 2024 02:00 , Lydia Patrick

Netflix users have been left outraged by an “unnecessary” moment in Prince Andrew film Scoop.

The new movie tells the story of the infamous Newsnight interview that, in 2019, saw the royal attempt to distance himself from convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

There are many talking point moments in the film – including a scene that depicts the tower of teddy bears Prince Andrew reportedly used to have arranged on his bed at Buckingham Palace – but viewers, which currently does not include Newsnight host Emily Maitlis, are in agreement that one part in particular could have been omitted.

The scene in question arrives after the Newsnight interview, which was conducted by Maitlis (Gillian Anderson), has been filmed and is about to be aired on BBC Two.

Prince Andrew starts to watch the interview, but instead opts out and has a bath instead. However, while he attempts to relax, he hears the reaction to the interview play out in real time as his mobile phone repeatedly pings in the other room. Getting out of the bath, the camera then shows his bare bum from behind.

Netflix users left disgusted by ‘unnecessary’ scene in Prince Andrew film Scoop

Scoop: What is fact and what is fiction in Netflix’s Prince Andrew Newsnight film?

Monday 8 April 2024 01:00 , Lydia Patrick

From the tower of teddies on the Duke of York’s bed to the sudden departure of the royal’s PR guru, there are many moments in this new film that almost seem too wild to be genuine. Ellie Harrison looks at the truth behind the drama

Read the full story here...

What is fact and what is fiction in Netflix’s Prince Andrew film Scoop?

Elizabeth Hurley reacts to rumour she took Prince Harry’s virginity

Sunday 7 April 2024 23:00 , Lydia Patrick

Elizabeth Hurley has once again dispelled rumours that she took Prince Harry’s virginity.

The British actor, 58, recently addressed the speculation during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. During the 3 April episode, Hurley insisted she wasn’t the unnamed “older woman” who the Duke of Sussex wrote about losing his virginity to in his 2023 memoir, Spare.

“That was ludicrous!” Hurley said, in response to the speculation. “He said: ‘She was English. She was older than me. It was in Gloucestershire.’ And they were like: ‘Ah, it’s Elizabeth.’ It was absurd. It was ridiculous.”

The Austin Powers star told Bravo host Andy Cohen: “It was like saying: ‘He’s great-looking. He’s American.’ Oh, it’s Andy Cohen.”

Elizabeth Hurley reacts to rumour she took Prince Harry’s virginity

Rare photo shows Princess Diana and Charles Spencer

Sunday 7 April 2024 22:00 , Lydia Patrick

Charles Spencer has shared a rare snapshot of his early years alongside his sister Princess Diana on his first day of school.

Earl Spencer shared the touching photo dating back to September 1968 on Instagram with the release of his new memoir A Very Private School.

The siblings are pictured in matching red blazers emblazoned with the school’s logo and knee-high grey socks.

He revealed that he and Diana attended Silfield, in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, which he looks back on fondly as a “really lovely primary school.”

He wrote: “My first day of school, in September 1968: my father took this photograph of me and my sister, Diana, just before he drove us to Silfield, a really lovely primary school in King’s Lynn, Norfolk.

Read the full story here...

Rare photo shows Princess Diana and Charles Spencer on first day of school

Comment - As Scoop hits Netflix, it’s time to open the secret files on Prince Andrew

Sunday 7 April 2024 21:00 , Lydia Patrick

As the dramatisation of his infamous and disastrous interview with Emily Maitlis is broadcast, Prince Andrew will again find himself under the spotlight. But while we can pick over the details of his trip to Pizza Express, I’m banned from seeing official documents about the Duke until 2065. It’s time these absurd rules were changed, writes Andrew Lownie

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Prince Andrew breaks cover as Netflix film Scoop on car-crash Newsnight interview is released

Sunday 7 April 2024 20:00 , Lydia Patrick

Prince Andrew has broken cover after he was spotted enjoying a horse ride on the same day a dramatisation of his car-crash BBC Newsnight interview was released.

The Duke of York was seen waving as he rode around Windsor on Friday as Netflix drama Scoop, which reenacts the story of how the BBC secured the now infamous interview, went live.

The 64-year-old was quizzed by Emily Maitlis on his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during the interview - when he made the bizarre claim he was at a Pizza Express in Woking at the time of an alleged assault.

Prince Andrew was named in the legal deposition of Virginia Roberts, who claimed she was trafficked to him by Epstein for sex at the age of 17.

In the exchange, he also refuted an allegation by Virginia Giuffre he was sweaty while with her at a London nightclub by claiming he had a “peculiar medical condition” meaning he couldn’t perspire.

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Prince Andrew seen as Netflix film Scoop on car-crash Newsnight interview is released

Russia spreads fake news that King sold Highgrove House to Ukraine

Sunday 7 April 2024 19:00 , Lydia Patrick

A Russian disinformation network has made a series of false claims about the British royal family in its ongoing information war with Ukraine.

Among the incorrect allegations being made by pro-Kremlin campaigners is the suggestion circulating on fake news sites that King Charles has sold his royal residence Highgrove House to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky for £20m.

The bizarre report was initially made in a YouTube video that featured someone who claimed to be the estate agent behind the made-up sale. However, security experts told The Times the character, named Sam Murphy, appeared to be AI-generated.

The news was then spread by a fake British outlet before it was circulated by a number of English, French, German and Italian bots on X, formerly Twitter.

A website called The London Crier published an article featuring a supposed interview with Charles’ former butler Grant Harrold. In it, Mr Harrold is claimed to have confirmed the sale of Highgrove as having been completed through Mr Zelenskyy’s wife Olena on 29 February, and that staff at the royal residence had been laid off.

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Russia spreads fake news that King Charles sold Highgrove House to Ukraine

Harry could attempt to make peace with William, expert predicts

Sunday 7 April 2024 18:15 , Lydia Patrick

Upon his return, Harry could be hoping to make ammends with his estranged brother, who is supporting his wife Kate through her cancer treatment, says royal biographer Richard Fitzwilliams.

Fitzwillliams told the Sun: The Sussexes do spring surprises. This has happened before, and you never know what might happen in the coming weeks or months.

“But I don’t think Harry would do anything without Megan’s consent.”

Meghan ‘unlikely’ to return to UK, expert claims

Sunday 7 April 2024 18:11 , Lydia Patrick

Charles Rae, the former royal correspondent for the Sun said: “I’m of the opinion that Megan won’t set foot in the UK ever again.

“I just don’t think she wants her to have anything to do at all with this country.”

King Charles faces backlash from Kent residents over plans to build ‘ideal town’

Sunday 7 April 2024 18:00 , Lydia Patrick

The King’s plan to build an “ideal town” in Kent has sparked outrage amid accusations of “swallowing up historic villages into one urban mass”.

The Duchy of Cornwall has proposed to build 2,500 homes on 320 acres of agricultural land in the medieval market town of Faversham, Kent.

The plan was announced when Charles, then the Prince of Wales, managed the estate in 2018, with the aims of delivering the “most sustainable” homes possible, while simultaneously combatting a housing crisis in the area.

However, local residents have warned the development – which is set to deliver an “ideal town” similar to the Duchy’s first “urban extension” in Poundbury – is “totally at odds” with the monarch’s stance on environmental and farming issues, and could not be supported by the town’s infrastructure.

The strong opposition has been aired in a public consultation following the submission in December of an application for consent to start work on the initial 261 homes, with 120 homes set to be built per year across two decades.

King Charles faces backlash from Kent residents over plans to build ‘ideal town’

Recap: Watch as Meghan reads to children in first public appearance since Kate’s diagnosis

Sunday 7 April 2024 17:00 , Tara Cobham

Watch: Rufus Sewell transforms into Prince Andrew in Scoop behind-the-scenes video

Sunday 7 April 2024 16:00 , Tara Cobham

Inside Amner Hall: Kate and William’s family retreat for cancer fight

Sunday 7 April 2024 15:00 , Tara Cobham

The Princess of Wales repeated her request for privacy as her family retreated after weeks of lurid speculation over her health culminated in the shocking revelation of her cancer diagnosis.

In a heartfelt video message released on 22 March, Kate said it had been an “incredibly tough couple of months” for her family as she disclosed that she was in the early stages of “preventative chemotherapy” and asked for “time, space and privacy” while she completed her treatment.

The 42-year-old spoke of her “huge shock” as she explained that she underwent major abdominal surgery on 14 January for a condition that was believed to be non-cancerous, but subsequent tests identified the disease.

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Inside Amner Hall: Kate and William’s family retreat during cancer fight

King spotted attending church in Sandringham

Sunday 7 April 2024 13:59 , Tara Cobham

The King has been spotted going to a Sunday morning church service in Sandringham.

Charles was pictured smiling as he was driven in the backseat of a car to St Mary Magdalene Church.

The 75-year-old monarch has been splitting his time between his Sandringham estate in Norfolk and London, where he is being treated for cancer.

As Scoop hits Netflix, it’s time to open the secret files on Prince Andrew

Sunday 7 April 2024 13:00 , Tara Cobham

Documents are the lifeblood of historians, the tools with which we build our picture of the past. For most historians and biographers there is a surfeit of sources to draw from, ranging from documents in public archives and private collections to accounts in books and interviews.

For the royal historian, however, there is very little beyond often inaccurate press cuttings, and briefings by “sources” in royal circles. Even Netflix reenactments of infamous interviews only allow an interpreation of what the royals themselves chose to put in the public domain.

This is because there remains a deference and culture of secrecy with regard to the royal family. They are largely exempt from the Freedom of Information Act; the Royal Archives have no public inventory – rather like a restaurant with no menu; what papers are deposited in the National Archives are subject to a series of exemptions; and those who have worked with them are almost inevitably subject to confidentiality contracts.

Andrew Lownie reports:

As Scoop hits our screens, it’s time to open the secret files on Prince Andrew

Elizabeth Hurley reacts to rumour she took Prince Harry’s virginity

Sunday 7 April 2024 12:00 , Tara Cobham

Elizabeth Hurley has once again dispelled rumours that she took Prince Harry’s virginity.

The British actor, 58, recently addressed the speculation during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen. During the 3 April episode, Hurley insisted she wasn’t the unnamed “older woman” who the Duke of Sussex wrote about losing his virginity to in his 2023 memoir, Spare.

“That was ludicrous!” Hurley said, in response to the speculation. “He said: ‘She was English. She was older than me. It was in Gloucestershire.’ And they were like: ‘Ah, it’s Elizabeth.’ It was absurd. It was ridiculous.”

Meredith Clark reports:

Elizabeth Hurley reacts to rumour she took Prince Harry’s virginity

Rare photo shows Princess Diana and Charles Spencer

Sunday 7 April 2024 11:00 , Tara Cobham

Charles Spencer has shared a rare snapshot of his early years alongside his sister Princess Diana on his first day of school.

Earl Spencer shared the touching photo dating back to September 1968 on Instagram with the release of his new memoir A Very Private School.

The siblings are pictured in matching red blazers emblazoned with the school’s logo and knee-high grey socks.

Lydia Patrick reports:

Rare photo shows Princess Diana and Charles Spencer on first day of school

Prince Andrew seen as Netflix film on Newsnight interview released

Sunday 7 April 2024 10:00 , Tara Cobham

Prince Andrew has broken cover after he was spotted enjoying a horse ride on the same day a dramatisation of his car-crash BBC Newsnight interview was released.

The Duke of York was seen waving as he rode around Windsor on Friday as Netflix drama Scoop, which reenacts the story of how the BBC secured the now infamous interview, went live.

The 64-year-old was quizzed by Emily Maitlis on his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein during the interview - when he made the bizarre claim he was at a Pizza Express in Woking at the time of an alleged assault.

Alexander Butler reports:

Prince Andrew seen as Netflix film Scoop on car-crash Newsnight interview is released