Royal news – live: Kate Middleton gives Trooping the Colour update as Harry and Meghan face fresh snub

The Princess could appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony this Saturday

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle appear to have been snubbed for the second time in a week after it was revealed that the pair have not been invited to the Trooping of the Colour parade.

According to reports, the Sussexes, who are now based in LA, were not invited to the King’s official birthday parade, which will take place this Saturday, 15 June.
Prince Harry's 'Attack' on Kate Was 'Lowest of the Low' for William - Newsweek

American PR expert Michael Levine told the Mirror: “This continued exclusion of Meghan and Harry from Trooping the Colour is a poignant reflection of their ongoing estrangement from the core of the British monarchy.”

The news come as it emerged Kate Middleton may be “considering” a surprise appearance at the annual event having apologised in a heartfelt letter on for missing the final rehearsal, known as the Colonel’s Review, last weekend.

The Princess of Wales, who is the honorary Colonel of the Irish Guards, wrote: “Please pass my apologies to the whole Regiment, however, I do hope that I am able to represent you all once again very soon.”

It comes after Prince Harry turned down an invitation to the wedding of Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster, and Oliva Henson, at Chester Cathedral last week.

According to reports, he did not want ongoing family tensions to overshadow the “society wedding of the year” where Prince William served as usher.

King Charles pays tribute to Irish Guards

King Charles has today paid tribute to the “professionalism, courage and humour” of the Irish Guards ahead of the Trooping the Colour ceremony on Saturday.

The Monarch inspected the soldiers today and gave them new colours which will be publicly displayed for the first time at his official birthday parade on 15 June.

The King said: “In recent years, the regiment has continued to serve with immense distinction.

“Around the world, your achievements include vital work to counter terrorism in Iraq and to bolster security across Africa by providing high-quality training teams to work with local forces.

“At home, you played an indispensable role in assisting the civil authorities during the Covid pandemic and, only last year, training Ukrainian forces to enable them to defend their homeland.

“I was privileged to see the impressive results of this latter work for myself, during a visit to Knook Camp, on Salisbury Plain.

“In this ever-changing world, it is no exaggeration to say that the whole regiment finds itself occupying a central role in defence’s contribution to the myriad challenges which societies must face.

“In all of this, you bring to your duty a blend of professionalism, courage and humour which has always marked out Irish Guardsmen.”

King Charles presented the Irish Guards with new colours
King Charles presented the Irish Guards with new colours (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

He praised the soldiers for their ‘professionalism, courage and humour’
He praised the soldiers for their ‘professionalism, courage and humour’ (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Emma Guinness10 June 2024 14:31

Horses that ran through London will appear in Trooping the Colour

The escaped military horses that ran through London earlier this year will likely participate in the Trooping the Colour.

In a statement posted to Twitter (X), the British Army said that the animals were making “remarkable progress” after their ordeal, which saw them run through the capital after being spooked by noise from a building site.

The army wrote: “Three horses are back on duty and are likely to take part in the King’s Birthday Parade this month. Vida and Quaker are resting in the countryside for as long as they need, before being assessed for their suitability to return to work. “

Emma Guinness10 June 2024 13:47

King Charles inspects the Irish Guards

King Charles has inspected the Irish Guards ahead of the Trooping the Colour on Saturday.

The Monarch, 75, presented the soldiers with new colours, which were then formally blessed by the Chaplain General.

They will be displayed for the first time at his official birthday parade on 15 June.

The King will carry out this weekend’s inspection from a carriage rather than horseback
The King will carry out this weekend’s inspection from a carriage rather than horseback (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The Monarch presented the new colours in a ceremony today
The Monarch presented the new colours in a ceremony today (via REUTERS)

Emma Guinness10 June 2024 13:36

Royal expert claims focus is on Meghan Markle after Nigeria trip

A royal expert has weighed in on the aftermath of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s recent unofficial tour of Nigeria, which marked the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games.

Rupert Bell has claimed that Harry’s organisation has been put on the back burner in favour of Meghan in the wake of the tour.

The trip was designed to support the games, which provide an opportunity for wounded, sick or injured service people to showcase their sporting abilities.

Bell told TalkTV: “The visit, which I’m sure was deemed to be about Invictus, but all of the fallout from it seems to be about Meghan. Harry’s role in trying to drum up support for Invictus seems to have been put on the back burner.”

A royal expert believes the focus of the trip shifted to Meghan and not the organisation it was meant to promote
A royal expert believes the focus of the trip shifted to Meghan and not the organisation it was meant to promote (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

 

Emma Guinness10 June 2024 13:16

Prince Louis’s hilarious advice to England team ahead of Euros

Prince William has relayed Prince Louis’s hilarious advice to the England squad ahead of this year’s Euros.

The Prince of Wales wished the team luck today at St George’s Park – England’s national football centre in Burton upon Trent – and shared his youngest son’s unusual advice for victory.

William, the president of the FA, said: “I was on the school run this morning with the children and I said ‘What shall I say to the England team today?’

“The best bit of advice I got to ask you was to eat twice the amount you normally would eat.

“So I then had visions of all of you running around with massive great tummies and loads of stitches on the pitch so I think maybe take my youngest’s advice with a pinch of salt.”

Prince William met with the England team to wish them luck
Prince William met with the England team to wish them luck (Paul Cooper/The Telegraph/PA Wire)

Emma Guinness10 June 2024 13:04

Royal expert claims potential Kate return this weekend is ‘unlikely’

A royal expert has weighed in on the claim that the Princess of Wales is “considering” an appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony at Trooping the Colour.

Should the Princess appear, it will be the first time she has been seen in public since Christmas day last year after taking a step back from her duties because of her ongoing cancer battle.

Royal expert Katie Nicholl told Entertainment Tonight that it is “very unlikely” that the British public will see Kate again anytime soon.

“These are strong drugs that she’s on, but she’s tolerating it better, and she’s doing better,” Nicholl said.

“She’s still going to be prone to infection as she goes through this preventative chemotherapy. She’s going to be very careful about who she’s coming into contact with. S

“She’s not going to want to put herself at any risk,” Nicholl explained.

The expert speculated that Prince William will appear alone on the balcony with the couple’s three young children, George, Charlotte and Louis.

King Charles’s participation in the event has also been altered because of his ongoing cancer treatment and he will inspect the guards from a carriage as opposed to horseback.

The Trooping the Colour is the King’s official birthday parade (Victoria Jones/PA)
The Trooping the Colour is the King’s official birthday parade (Victoria Jones/PA) (PA Wire)

Emma Guinness10 June 2024 11:35

King Charles ‘does not want a FaceTime relationship’ with Archie and Lilibet

King Charles is reportedly sad that he has only met Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet a handful of times.

According to royal author Ingrid Seward, “family has always been important to the King” and he does not believe that digital interactions are enough to sustain a relationship with his youngest grandchildren, who live in California.

Seward said: “That’s why he will never break ties with Harry. He does not want a FaceTime relationship with his son’s children.

“He wants to know them and be involved with their lives while they are still young enough to be able to learn from his wisdom.

“His cancer has made it all the more poignant to him as he knows that he won’t be around forever.”

The King reportedly wants a good relationship with all of his grandchilren
The King reportedly wants a good relationship with all of his grandchilren (Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

Emma Guinness10 June 2024 11:08

Women arrested outside Duke of Westminster’s wedding released on bail

Two women who were arrested after an apparent Just Stop Oil protest outside the Duke of Westminster’s wedding have been released on bail.

Polly, 73, and Sheila, 69, were attested after they set off a canister of orange gas after the 33-year-old British aristocrat’s wedding to bride Olivia Henson, 31.

The group, Just Stop Oil, subsequently claimed responsibility for the incident.

A spokesman for Cheshire Police said: “Shortly after 1pm on Friday a coloured flare was released by two women, believed to be protesting on behalf of Just Stop Oil, in St Werburgh Street, Chester.

“Officers were immediately on the scene and two women were quickly arrested on suspicion of public order offences.

“The 69-year-old woman, from Bristol, and 73-year-old woman, from Ipswich, have both been released on police bail until September 2.”

Cheshire Police said two women who were arrested after a protest outside the wedding of the Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor, and Olivia Henson on Friday have been released on bail (Just Stop Oil/PA)
Cheshire Police said two women who were arrested after a protest outside the wedding of the Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor, and Olivia Henson on Friday have been released on bail (Just Stop Oil/PA) (PA Media)

Emma Guinness10 June 2024 10:59

Prince Harry missed Duke’s wedding for two key reasons, former royal butler reveals

Prince Harry missed the Duke of Westminster’s wedding for two key reasons, a former royal butler has claimed.

Grant Harrold, the King’s former Butler, told OK! magazine that Harry’s attendance was likely not possible because of the media coverage it would have garnered and the effect that his ongoing rift with William has likely had on mutual friends.

He said: “I’m sure [Harry] would have wanted to attend. But Harry and William shared friends and they have likely been drawn into this dispute. Plus, he may have worried that the rift with William would pull focus from the wedding.

“It will be hard for William to attend the wedding without Kate as I’m sure they planned to go together. They’re such a partnership and he’s his best self when she’s by his side.”

Prince Harry recently visited the UK to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games
Prince Harry recently visited the UK to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games (Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)