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Leading businesses have endorsed Princess Kate’s prioritisation of early childhood in a bid to deliver a rallying call to fellow business leaders across the country.

Princess Kate is ‘excited’ by a new landmark early childhood report (Image: PA)

The Princess of Wales is said to be “excited” by her business taskforce’s new report that claims greater focus and investment in early childhood could generate at least £45bn for Britain.

Leading businesses have endorsed her prioritisation of early childhood and joined her movement in a bid to deliver a rallying call to fellow business leaders across the country.

Kate, who has taken a step back from royal duties while she undergoes chemotherapy for an undisclosed form of cancer, has seen the report by the Royal Foundation Business Taskforce for Early Childhood (RFBTEC) and been briefed on its contents.

The importance of early childhood has become Kate’s “life work”, having spent more than a decade championing the issue. She established the Taskforce in March 2023 to galvanise business action on early childhood.

Since then, Taskforce members Aviva, The Cooperative Group, Deloitte, Iceland Foods, IKEA UK and Ireland, The LEGO Group, NatWest Group and Unilever UK, have worked together to identify the scale of the opportunity and the role that business can play.

SWritten “for business by business” the landmark report sets out how a greater focus on early childhood would create a happier and more productive workforce today, and transform the health and wellbeing of the UK economy and society for generations to come.

It details how investing in early childhood could generate at least £45.5 billion in value added for the national economy each year.

This includes £12.2bn from equipping people with improved social and emotional skills in early childhood, £16.1bn from reducing the need to spend public funds on remedial steps for adverse childhood experiences and £17.2bn from supporting parents and caregivers of under-fives who work.

The report, titled ‘Prioritising early childhood for a happier, healthier society’, identifies five areas in which business have the opportunity to make the greatest impact.

Firstly, businesses should build a culture that prioritises early childhood and help families access the basic support and essentials they need.

Princess Kate is currently taking time out while she undergoes cancer treatment (Image: PA)

They should also offer parents and caregivers greater support, resources, choice, and flexibility with their work and prioritise and nurture social and emotional skills in children and the adults in their lives.

Finally, businesses should support initiatives which increase access to quality, affordable and reliable early childhood education.

Emma Franklin, a Director at Deloitte, who has been heavily involved in the work of the Taskforce, said: “These game-changing areas provide a broad framework for business to consider what actions they could take in any or all of these areas to really shift the dial.”

It is hoped that the report will be used as a blueprint for businesses, as those involved were keen to stress that even small changes can have a huge societal impact.

The Princess has been kept fully updated on the progress of the report during her recovery, with a Kensington Palace spokesperson saying early childhood continues to be a “huge priority” for her.

 

Christian Guy, Executive Director of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, added: “I know, having briefed The Princess on this, that she is enormously grateful to the members of the Taskforce who have made such fantastic progress on this work over the past year.

“She feels passionately about the transformational impact of getting this right together, both for the current generation and for many more to come.

“I know that she is keen to encourage all businesses, no matter what their size or purpose, to join us on this journey and is looking forward to seeing momentum grow in the coming months.”

The report is not an indication that Kate is returning to royal duties, as she will only resume her work when she is cleared by her doctors.

When she revealed her cancer diagnosis in March she appealed for “time, space and privacy” for her and her family.

Alongside the report, the Taskforce members have committed to taking action on the issue and several have announced new initiatives as part of the first tranche of action.

For example, the LEGO Group is donating 3,000 LEGO® Education Build Me “Emotions” sets, supported by training materials, to early years providers in the UK, helping children to explore emotions in a fun and engaging way.

Throughout the rest of this year, The Centre for Early Childhood and Taskforce members will be speaking to business leaders across the UK to encourage businesses, large and small, to join this movement.

The Princess of Wales has announced an update on a new project – her first since her cancer diagnosis back in March.

Princess Kate has shared an update on a new project (Image: PA)

The Princess of Wales has revealed her first major update on a new project since her cancer diagnosis.

Kate, 42, shared that she was undergoing cancer treatment in an emotional public address on March 22.

The royal has taken time away from public duty since January after undergoing planned abdominal surgery in London – something unrelated to her later diagnosis.

In her address, Kate detailed that she was – although her condition was first thought to be non-cancerous – diagnosed following pre-operative tests after her surgery.

A trailer for a short film has now been released on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ official socal media platforms as part of Mental Health Week.

The video highlights the mental health challenges faced by Britain’s farmers – and marks her first project update since her diagnosis.

Sharing alongside the video, Kate wrote on her official account: “This #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek we’ve brought together the inspirational Sam Stables from We Are Farming Minds and the brilliant Farmer Will for a very special film.

“Spending a day together on Sam’s farm in Hereford they chatted about mental health in the farming community, finding support and the Duchy of Cornwall’s Mental Health Strategy.”

Although Kate doesn’t feature in the video, which is now available on YouTube, it was produced under the guidance of herself and Prince William.

According to GB News, the project was in development before Kate’s health deteriorated.

Taking to the comments on the video, one fan praised both Kate and William for bringing awareness to mental health.

They commented: “Can’t even begin to say how much I love the awareness HRH The Prince and Princess of Wales brings to the issues surrounding mental health.”

Another wrote: “It’s wonderful that you are focussing on mental health of the people living in rural areas too! Well done [clapping-hands emoji].”

Princess Kate hasn’t been publicly seen since Christmas Day (Image: PA)

Last week, during a trip to the Isles of Scilly, Prince William shared that his wife is “doing well” in her recovery process.

William’s comments come after Kate stepped back from royal duties, with her last public appearance occurring on Christmas Day.

No timescale has been given as to when we can expect to see Princess Kate make a return to duty.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are yet to confirm whether they will attend the wedding of the Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor, and Olivia Henson, despite the event being just three weeks away.

The couple snubbed the duke’s sister’s wedding over a disagreement about where Camilla would sit (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

King Charles and Queen Camilla could be set to miss the “wedding of the year” after reportedly failing to respond to an invite with the event just three weeks away.

The pair are yet to put in writing whether or not they will attend the big day between the Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor, and his bride-to-be Olivia Henson, according to reports. The late decision has caused speculation about tensions between the groups after the King and Queen turned down an invitation to the duke’s sister Lady Tamara Grosvenor’s wedding back in 2004.

Lady Grosvenor married Edward van Custem, a godson of His Majesty, at Chester Cathedral – the same location as this year’s wedding next month. It came after Camilla, who went under her former surname Parker Bowles at the time, was told she wouldn’t be able to sit with a then Prince Charles and would need to sit several rows back and arrive separately.

It was because Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip attended the ceremony along with Princes William and Harry. According to MailOnline’s royal correspondent Richard Eden, a source said: “Their Majesties have not forgotten what happened at the wedding of Hugh’s sister. There is still a lot of tension that exists.”

Speaking about the situation, royal author Sarah Bradford said the now Queen was so angry she told Charles the status quo was no longer acceptable. At the time, an insider explained: “Her Majesty is a stickler for protocol. It would be inappropriate for Mrs Parker Bowles to sit beside Prince Charles since she has no official standing.”

King Charles and Queen Camilla could be set to miss the “wedding of the year” (Image: Getty Images)

Tensions were heightened by claims that Emilie van Cutsem, the groom’s mother, and Camilla fell out after allegedly criticising the behaviour of each other’s children.

Charles ultimately excused himself from the event with just days to go, saying he had to visit Warminster barracks to meet the families of soldiers serving in Iraq, while his partner was “otherwise engaged”.

Charles and Camilla have not yet responded to the invite (Image: Getty Images)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have already been excluded from next month’s wedding, despite Hugh reportedly being godfather to their son Prince Archie.

It’s believed the duke thinks inviting the pair, who reportedly received a save the date email in error, could cause tensions with the Royal Family.

A source close to the Sussexes later said: “Harry called Hugh and said it would be too awkward if he and Meghan Markle attended, so he made his apologies and Hugh understood.”

 

The Prince and Princess of Wales and their elder son, Prince George, who is Hugh’s godson, are invited to the wedding. However, Catherine is not expected to attend because she is undergoing cancer treatment. A spokesman from Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

Meghan Markle’s former make up artist praised the former Suits actress for her looks in Nigeria and revealed her two tricks to enhance her make up looks on her own.

Meghan Markle did her own hair and make up in Nigeria, her former make up artist says (Image: Getty)

Meghan Markle does her own styling, hair and make-up and relies on just two products to make her features pop, her former make-up artist has revealed.

The Duchess of Sussex recently toured Nigeria with husband Prince Harry and debuted a plethora of colourful and elegantly styled looks.

During their trip, Meghan even paid touching tributes to her late mother-in-law, Prince Diana, with her fashion choices and always seemed to be styled to perfection.

And it turns out the former Suits actress did most of her looks by herself.

Daniel Martin, who worked with Meghan from her wedding to Harry in 2018 until 2022, praised the duchess for being “so good” at doing her own hair and make-up, while on the private tour.

Meghan Markle relies on ‘blush and big brown’ to make her features pop (Image: Getty)

He told Us Weekly: “I feel like when I’m not with her, she has more room to play. I think that’s the fun thing when you see her, like, she’s in Nigeria right now. It’s just her. There’s no stylist, there’s no hairdresser. She’s doing everything herself and she’s so good at it.”

He added: “She’s so good at doing her own face. She’s her own person. It’s so nice.”

The expert stated that he’s given Meghan a few helpful tricks to be able to pull off such impeccable looks on her own.

He also revealed that Meghan focuses on two key features to master her make-up looks – blush and big brows.

Mr Martin explained: “I mean, she loves some blush. She loves the cheek. She loves a big brow”.

 

Of all the things Claire van Straubenzee might have wished for today, I’m sure chief among them was not an MBE.

Of course she’s likely deeply grateful for the honour recognising her services to children’s education in Uganda but she’d doubtless give it away in a heartbeat to spend just one more day with Henry, the son she lost in a car crash in December 2002.

You have to wonder if this sad irony is not lost on Mrs Straubenzee or on her dear friend King Charles.

After all, he is – according to Prince Harry’s spokesman yesterday – a father too busy to see his son, while she is a mother who will never see hers again.

It’s with that dreadful loss in mind that Charles should meet with Harry, quietly and privately, because as the van Straubenzee family shows, you never know when you might lose a child. Or, indeed, anyone you love.

It’s not as if the monarch can’t join the dots. Both baby boys were christened Henry and they were childhood best friends. According to the Duke of Sussex‘s memoir Spare, Henry ‘Henners’ Straubenzee was the only boy who asked him about his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, after she was killed.

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Charles should meet with Harry quietly and privately, because as the van Straubenzee family shows, you never know when you might lose a child, writes ANGELA MOLLARD. Above: The King and Queen Camilla in in front of Harry and Meghan at the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022

Claire Straubenzee (pictured above with her husband Alex) is likely deeply grateful for an MBE recognising her services to children’s education in Uganda but she’d doubtless give it away in a heartbeat to spend just one more day with Henry (right), the son she lost in a car crash in December 2002

How heartbreaking that just five years after her death, the then 18-year-old died in equally horrible circumstances in a car crash near Ludgrove Prep, his and Harry’s former school.

It was in her son’s honour that Mrs Straubenzee worked so tirelessly to give other children a meaningful life even if it was one denied her beloved middle son.

Knowing this, I’m astounded the monarch isn’t meeting with his own son, even briefly. Our children’s safety is never guaranteed and having been diagnosed with cancer I would’ve thought the King might have had cause to consider the fragility of our existence. Thoughts of mortality typically lead families to at least attempt to heal wounds.

If ever there was a moment to tentatively extend an olive branch, it is this. A meeting with Harry could’ve been both a kindness and a test: the former because parenting is an act of unconditional love; the latter because Harry, quite rightfully, needs to earn back his family’s trust.

How simple, how soldering, it might’ve been if the pair had enjoyed a pot of tea and a short chat about his grandchildren without any of us knowing. After all, any reconciliation could only occur via small steps and a commitment from Harry not to blab about it.

Instead, are we left to believe that this is it? That the relationship is beyond repair? That there will be no reconciliation or certainly not until the Duke of Sussex has been made to consider more deeply, and for a longer period, the consequence of his actions?

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Charles is – according to Prince Harry’s spokesman yesterday – a father too busy to see his son. Above: Harry greeting his father alongside Prince William at the 10th anniversary memorial service for their mother Princess Diana in 2007

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Charles and Harry happy to be in each other’s company at the premiere of ‘Our Planet’ at the Natural History Museum in 2019

Fair enough, Harry’s behaviour and his betrayal of the royal family has been monstrous. His criticism of Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales particularly so. But we never know how long we have to make amends. We only ever have right now.

Instead, right now, even though Harry is just two miles from his father’s home, there is no invitation. The monarch is hosting a garden party at Buckingham Palace and his son, whether in an act of clarification or self-pity, has announced he will not be seeing his father.

As a spokesperson for the Duke said: ‘In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not the Duke will meet with his father while in the UK this week, it, unfortunately, will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme.’

Then lest this ‘unfortunate’ situation be seen as a dig, the spokesperson continued: ‘The Duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.’

Prince William, who earlier today conferred the Member of the Order of British Empire (MBE) on Mrs Straubenzee at Windsor Castle, has every right not to want to see his brother. His wife’s health is paramount and even the slightest stress is not something he would wish to invite into his family.

But parental love is different. It demands that we forgive. It demands that we are the bigger person. It demands an examination of the reasons for Harry’s anger and a recognition that, as parents, we can injure our children in ways we fail to understand until years later. Harry has used both books and preferred media factions to get back at members of his family but didn’t both his parents do likewise? In any case, as parents tell their children from toddlerhood: ‘I love you, even if I don’t like your behaviour.

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Prince Harry seen yesterday leaving the Honourable Artillery Company in central London after attending an Invictus event before the thanksgiving service at St Paul’s Cathedral today

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King Charles with his son at the Committal service  for the late Queen at St George’s Chapel, Windsor in September 2022

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Prince William and Prince Harry walk beside each other after viewing the floral tributes for the late Queen Elizabeth II outside Windsor Castle

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Prince Harry hugging Claire van Straubenzee whilst Prince William looks on as both boys launched the Henry van Straubenzee Memorial Fund in 2008

I’m certain the late Queen would’ve seen Harry if she was still alive. She wouldn’t necessarily have been effusive or enquiring and he may have found himself getting shorter shrift than some of her Prime Ministers. But in the same manner she continued to love and support Prince Andrew, she would’ve kept the door open to her grandson.

Busy or not, this was an ideal opportunity for the King to see Harry. The Duke is here without his wife and he is celebrating 10 years of the Invictus Games which in anybody’s eyes is a meaningful and moral triumph.

Just like Claire van Straubenzee, the competitors in those games know that life can change in an ordinary instant. It’s in their honour and in the memory of a teenage boy who was ‘all heart’, according to Prince Harry, that the monarch should find a moment for his son.

‘The Crown’ star tells PEOPLE she studied up to delicately depict the Princess of Wales

Queen Elizabeth in December 2021; Elizabeth Debicki at The Crown’s Los Angeles premiere on November 12; Princess Diana in June 1997. . PHOTO: VICTORIA JONES – POOL/GETTY; ROBIN L MARSHALL/WIREIMAGE; TIM GRAHAM PHOTO LIBRARY VIA GETTY

Elizabeth Debicki takes her final bow as Princess Diana in season 6 of The Crown, concluding the series a year after Queen Elizabeth’s death.

Speaking to PEOPLE ahead of the show’s season 6, part 1 premiere on Thursday, Debicki, 33, says that Netflix’s hit drama inspired by the lives of the British royals drew a new “empathy” for the family since its debut in 2016.

“It’s been a long journey people have had with the show, and I think it’s one of the beautiful things The Crown has been able to do, is open up in this imaginary way, the very private lives of these public figures and create this huge empathy, I think, for the audience to experience in regards to characters that you may not have known so much about before,” Debicki exclusively tells PEOPLE.

“I’ll say personally, the loss of the Queen was an enormous sadness. She was a pinnacle, and I think she’s much missed and much loved in my adopted country and around the world as well,” adds the Australian actress of Queen Elizabeth’s death. “So everybody’s intention has always been to sort of tell the stories as authentically as we can and make these people as human as possible, make the characters as human as possible.”

The Crown paused production when the monarch died at age 96 in September 2022, and showrunner Peter Morgan told Variety he was then compelled to change the show’s ending.

The cast famously changed every two seasons to reflect the royals aging through the decades. Debicki plays the Princess of Wales in seasons 5 and 6, closing the role originated by Emma Corrin in season 3. Netflix announced in 2020 that Debicki would portray Diana in seasons 5 and 6, and the star says she put much into the study of the People’s Princess.

Elizabeth Debicki attends the Los Angeles premiere of The Crown on Netflix on November 12.AXELLE/BAUER-GRIFFIN/FILMMAGIC

“I came into this experience of playing the role very naive. I didn’t know a lot. I kind of had a kind of imprint in terms of who this person was, and I always imagined her as just this kind of extraordinarily beautiful princess and humanitarian figure,” says Debicki, who was 7 when Diana died.

The Crown alludes to the tragedy in the latest installment, though the moment of impact is not shown — a turn previously confirmed by PEOPLE.

On Aug. 31, 1997, the Princess of Wales and love interest Dodi Fayed were traveling by car in Paris with a driver and a bodyguard. The four were pursued by paparazzi when their vehicle slammed into a support column of the Pont de l’Alma tunnel, flipped and came to a rest in front of oncoming traffic. Dodi and the driver died instantly, while Diana died a few hours later.

Twenty-six years later, Debicki tells PEOPLE that the weight of playing Diana for the major streaming series was not lost on her.

Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana in season 6 of The Crown on Netflix.DANIEL ESCALE/NETFLIX

Elizabeth Debicki Says Filming Princess Diana Paparazzi Scenes in The Crown Was Like ‘Being Underwater’ (Exclusive)

“I did a lot of research for this role. I probably spent about a year doing research and that just filled in all these pieces and made me have such deep, deep respect and love for this person who I didn’t know so much about. The battle that she went through in terms of media, public perception. I didn’t know things about the divorce and how difficult all of that was for everybody in the family,” she says.

According to the actress, one thing she was delighted to discover was Princess Diana’s sense of fun.

“One of the things that surprised me that I loved finding out is that she had this kind of really wonderful, very cheeky sense of humor, that she was just so warm and human with people. That’s what she was so loved for, and it was so needed, too,” Debicki says of the royal rebel.

Princess Diana attends a dinner at the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. in 1985.TERRY FINCHER/PRINCESS DIANA ARCHIVE/GETTY

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“She was a real groundbreaker in terms of her ability to move through perceptions or stigmas and really just use herself as the vessel to enact huge humanitarian change. She was prolific in that and she gave us so much. I was constantly surprised at how far she was moving the needle, whether it was talking about mental health issues, AIDS or landmines,” she says of Diana’s lasting legacy. “When we lost her, the world lost a woman who could create amazing change on a humanitarian level as well.”

The show closes with the premiere of part 2 on Dec. 14, told in six episodes. The last saga is expected to conclude multiple storylines, from Queen Elizabeth (Imelda Staunton) mulling the future of the monarchy, then-Prince Charles (Dominic West) and Camilla (Olivia Williams) taking the next step in their relationship while Prince William (Ed McVey) falls for classmate Kate Middleton (Meg Bellamy) at college.

The Crown season 6, part 1, is now streaming on Netflix.

Fflyn Edwards as Prince Harry, Elizabeth Debicki as Princess Diana and Rufus Kampa as Prince William in season 6 of The Crown on Netflix.DANIEL ESCALE/NETFLIX

Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on September 8, Charles III became King of the United Kingdom. As the world gears up to accept Charles in his new role with his now wife, Camilla as Queen Consort, it’s befitting to look back at what the king’s first wife, Diana, the Princess of Wales, thought of him being crowned with the same title.

In an infamous BBC Panorama interview in 1995, the late Diana claimed she could not see herself becoming queen of the United Kingdom because the “establishment” she married into didn’t desire that. She further commented that her then-husband Charles would also find the title of the king “suffocating” and “bring enormous limitations to him.”

“Do you think you will ever be queen?” asked the host, Martin Bashir, to which Diana let out a nervous chuckle. “No, I don’t,” she replied. “Why do you think that?” he cross-questioned the princess. “I’d like to be the queen of people’s hearts, but I don’t see myself being the queen of this country,” she explained. “I don’t think many people will want me to be queen, and when I say ‘people,’ I mean the establishment I married into because they have decided I’m a non-starter.”

She further added, “I do things differently because I don’t go by a rule book because I lead from the heart, not the head, and albeit that’s got me into trouble in my work, I understand that. But someone’s got to go out there and love people and show it.”

Upon being asked if she believes that her behaviour prevents her from becoming queen, she said, “Yes, well not precluded me. I wouldn’t say that. I just don’t think I have as many supporters in that environment as I did. They see me as a threat of some kind, and I’m here to do good: I’m not a destructive person.”

Diana then elaborated on how many “strong women,” in history received the same treatment as her. “I think every strong woman in history has had to walk down a similar path, and I think it’s the strength that causes the confusion and the fear. Why is she strong? Where does she get it from? Where is she taking it? Where is she going to use it? Why does the public still support her? When I say public, you go and do an engagement and there are many people there.”

Interestingly, Diana also shared her view on Charles becoming king, claiming that she doesn’t know if he “could adapt” to the title. “There was always conflict on that subject with him when we discussed it, and I understood that conflict, because it’s a very demanding role to be Prince of Wales, but it’s an equally demanding role to be King. And being Prince of Wales produces more freedom now, and being King would be a little more suffocating. And because I know the character, I would think that the top job, as I call it, would bring enormous limitations to him, and I don’t know whether he could adapt to that.”

As per Variety, Buckingham Palace announced on October 11, 2022, that the much-awaited coronation will take place on May 6, 2023. And as the date inches closer, many sources confirm that Queen Consort Camila will also be crowned alongside the monarch, as it was Queen Elizabeth II’s declaration in 2022 that it was her “sincere wish” that the former Duchess of Cornwall take the title of Queen Consort when Charles accedes to the throne.

Although it has been 25 years since Lady Diana’s untimely death in a car crash in 1997, many adoring fans to date remember her charismatic personality. Given the recent controversy regarding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Diana’s criticism of the media outlets and “treatment” by the British royal family remains as relevant as ever.

One royal expert has suggested that King Charles should be the “bigger person” when it comes to reconnecting with Prince Harry.

The King won’t be ‘bigger person’, expert claims (Image: GETTY)

King Charles has been urged to be the “bigger person” when it comes to fixing the ongoing feud with Prince Harry, but former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond has explained why she doesn’t think this will happen.

Prince Harry has been at loggerheads with the Royal Family for some time, with strained relations looking unlikely to come to an end soon.

Harry now resides in the US with Meghan Markle and their two children, with California recently becoming his primary place of residence.

Ms Bond has explained two main reasons why the King won’t be the “bigger person” – Harry’s criticism of Queen Camilla and the Princess of Wales.

Speaking to Radio Times, the expert said: “The particular hurt over how Harry criticised, viciously really, [Queen] Camilla and [Princess] Catherine.”

Discussing the fact the King didn’t meet with Harry last week, she added: “I just think as Charles is recovering from cancer, once again, it’s almost like the emotional strength to deal with ‘The Harry Problem’ just isn’t there.

“So, they didn’t meet. I just think it’s incredibly sad.”

Also speaking on her view that the King should be the “bigger person”, she added: “Personally as a parent, I think there are times when you’ve got to be the bigger person [and] you’ve got to open your arms and say ‘you’ve been a silly sod, you really have and we’ve got quite a lot to work out. But for now, lets have a hug’.”

Speaking of Harry’s criticism of his stepmother and sister-in-law, this came in the form of his tell-all memoir, which was released last year.

Harry criticised both Queen Camilla and Kate in his book Spare (Image: GETTY)

Harry released Spare worldwide on January 10, 2023 – just one day after Princess Kate’s 41st birthday.

Harry wrote that he and Prince William asked their father to not marry the now-Queen Camilla, whom he tied the knot with in 2005.

The 39-year-old also detailed how he initially feared Camilla would be like “all the evil stepmothers in the stories”.

He wrote: “I remember wondering…if she would be cruel to me; if she would be like all the wicked stepmothers in the stories.”

Prince Harry released Spare last year (Image: GETTY)

Harry wrote about the Princess of Wales in his memoir Spare, including details about her rifts with Meghan.

According to Harry, Kate messaged Meghan to complain that Princess Charlotte’s dress for her 2018 wedding did not fit correctly.

Writing in Spare, Kate reportedly wrote: “Charlotte’s dress is too big, too long, too baggy. She cried when she tried it on at home.”

One expert has claimed Prince Harry “rushed” into marriage to be like his elder brother, Prince William.

Prince Harry ‘rushed’ into marriage to be like William, expert claims (Image: GETTY)

Prince Harry was eager to get to the stage of “marriage and kids” like Prince William, claims one royal expert.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are celebrating their sixth wedding anniversary today, but one expert has suggested that he “rushed” into their marriage.

The couple had only been together for a little over a year when they go engaged at the end of 2017, with their royal wedding taking place on May 19, 2018.

Speaking to the Times Radio, royal expert Dickie Arbier said: “My own personal opinion is that he rushed into the marriage.”

Dicussing Harry’s previous relationships, he said that many of the girls he dated didn’t want to be “in a goldfish bowl” and that he wanted to be like his brother.

Prince William has three children with wife Princess Kate (Image: PA)

He added that Harry was keen to have “marriage and kids” like William, who married Princess Kate back in 2011.

As reported by the Mirror, Mr Arbiter also adds that if Princess Diana were still alive at the time of Harry and Meghan’s wedding, Harry wouldn’t be where he is now. Speaking to the Radio Times two months ago, Mr Arbiter said: “If Diana had been alive, I’m going to stick my neck out here, and I doubt Harry would have married Meghan.”

He added: “Diana was very careful about her boys, they were her boys. She protected them, and she would have protected them against anybody she felt wasn’t the right person.”

The couple are likely to be celebrating their anniversary in private in the US, according to former royal butler Grant Harrold. Speaking to Fruity Slots, he explained: “Celebrations will probably be behind closed doors, maybe a dinner party with some friends or maybe with some friends or maybe just the two of them.”

Harry and Meghan have since welcomed two children together – Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, who will turn three next month.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s friend Hugh van Cutsem has been spotted on a deer stalking expedition with her harshest critic.

Jeremy Clarkson and Hugh Van Cutsem have been working together. (Image: Amazon)

Prince Harry’s former best mate has sparked speculation of a deep rift after joining forces with Meghan Markle’s “arch-nemesis”, Jeremy Clarkson.

The former Top Gear presenter caused a stir in 2022 with his scathing piece in The Sun, where he expressed his hatred for the Ducess of Sussex.

In his controversial column, Clarkson went as far as to say he fantasised about Meghan being paraded naked through the streets, a comment that was later condemned as sexist by the press watchdog.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex condemned the piece, which The Sun subsequently pulled, accusing it of fuelling “hate rhetoric”, along with “dangerous conspiracy theories and misogyny”.

Prince Harry and Hugh van Cutsem are long-time friends. (Image: Getty Images)

Yet, it appears one of Prince Harry’s oldest confidants may have turned his back on him, as Hugh van Cutsem, a lifelong friend to both Harry and Prince William, appeared on Clarkson’s hit Amazon Prime series, Clarkson’s Farm.

Van Cutsem was featured hunting deer with Clarkson in the seventh episode, hinting that the 49 year old may be the latest in Harry’s circle to part ways with the Royal.

Hugh’s father, who shares the same name, was a long-time friend of King Charles from their days at the University of Cambridge back in the 1960s.

Following suit, their children struck up a friendly bond, evidenced when William played a role in Hugh’s 2005 wedding as senior usher and accepted the godfather role for Grace, the child of Hugh and Rose Astor, reports the Mirror.

 

One of Prince Harry’s oldest friends with Jeremy Clarkson. (Image: Amazon)

Notably, Grace served as bridesmaid at the celebrated 2011 wedding of William and Catherine.

When actress Meghan moved to the UK in 2017, the van Cutsem family extended their warmth to her and blessed the Sussexes with their presence at their 2018 nuptials.

However, the smooth sailing friendship hit a rough patch two years later.

Rose found herself tangled in a controversy after she poked fun at Harry and Meghan’s decision to step down from their Royal duties via a tongue-in-cheek social media post: “I am standing back as a senior member of my tax return because I’d rather drink coffee, see my friends, love my family and do yoga.”

Eventually, she offered an apology and added a cryptic statement: “I can’t say anything. I’m sure you understand. I’m going to be in so much trouble.”

The dad-of-two opened up about his falling out with old pal Hugh in his autobiography Spare, sharing that his wife Emilie had reached out to him after their explosive sit-down with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.

“Several close mates and beloved figures in my life, including one of Hugh and Emilie’s sons, Emilie herself, and even Tiggy [Pettifer, his former nanny], had chastised me for Oprah. How could you reveal such things? About your family?” he recounted.