Author: bang2

King Charles is said to adore spending time with his three eldest grandchildren, but there are three other royal children that he sees a lot of.

Mia Tindall pictured with Princesss Charlotte in December 2023 (Image: GETTY)

King Charles III is said to enjoy spending time with Zara and Mike Tindall’s three children – Mia, 10, Lena, five, and Lucas, three.

The monarch, a proud grandfather to five, is known to spend a lot of time with his three eldest grandchildren, Prince William’s trio – Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six.

Although he spends time with George, Charlotte, and Louis, the King has spent very little time with Prince Harry’s two children – Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, two.

Archie, who celebrated his fifth birthday earlier this week, and Lilibet now live in the US – more than 5,000 miles from their royal relatives in the UK. Due to the distance, Mia, Lena, and Lucas appear to spend more time with the King than Harry’s children.

Here, Express.co.uk looks at the three rarely-seen, but adored, royal children that spend more time with the monarch than Archie and Lilibet.

Mia Tindall

Mia Grace Tindall – the eldest child of Zara and Mike Tindall – was born in January 2014 at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital.

Living with her parents and two younger siblings, Mia lives at Gatcombe Park – which is a short distance from the King’s ch home, Highgrove House. Mia is currently 22nd in line to the royal throne, the spot directly behind her mother. Like Zara, Mia and her two siblings don’t have royal titles.

Tweeting at the time of Mia’s birth in 2014, proud dad Mike wrote: “Thanks so much for all your kind messages. Definitely the best day of my life today, so happy.! The girls are both doing great!”

Before the birth of their second daughter in 2018, Zara sadly suffered a miscarriage – with Mike crediting Mia for helping through the distressing time. He told The Sunday Times in 2017: “The saving grace for us has been Mia, our daughter who is now three. However down we feel, she will come running up in our faces. When I was playing, I hardly saw her; now we can see her grow up. I can take her swimming, and I can take her to Ninja Tots. You’ll never be able to see her there because she disappears in a puff of smoke.”

Lena Tindall is Zara and Mike’s middle child – and youngest daughter (Image: GETTY)

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Lena Tindall

Lena Elizabeth Tindall was born in June 2018 – just two months after the Prince and Princess of Wales welcomed their third child.

The five-year-old is currently 23rd in the line of succession, just behind her big sister.

While Lena’s middle name is a tribute to her late great-grandmother, her first name — which is pronounced “Lay-na” – is said to have been chosen just because Zara and Mike liked it.

At the time of her birth, Buckingham Palace released a statement, which read: ‘”Mrs. Michael Tindall was safely delivered of a baby girl on June 18. Mr. Tindall was present at the birth. The weight of the baby was 9lbs 3oz.”

Like Mia, Lena has often made public appearances alongside her famous family – particularly at the annual Easter Sunday services and at Sandringham at Christmas.

Lucas Tindall turned three back in March (Image: Getty)

Lucas Tindall

Lucas Philip Tindall is Zara and Mike’s youngest child – and only brother to Mia and Lena.

Lucas’ middle name – Philip – pays homage to both of the special men in his life – Zara’s grandfather and Mike’s father.

While Mia and Lena were born at hospital, Lucas – who is 24th in line to the throne – made his arrival at their home in Gloucestershire – in the family’s bathroom.

Speaking on his podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, dad Mike said: “A little baby boy arrived at my house!”

Much like his sisters’, Lucas is rarely seen but has made appearances at a few events such as mum Zara’s riding competitions in August 2023.

King Charles timed the latest title announcement deliberately to send a message to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, according to an expert.

King Charles is “fighting back” against Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with his decision to hand a military title to Prince William, as an expert claims the timing of the announcement was “deliberate”.

It was revealed this week that the Prince of Wales would become the new Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps, Harry’s old regiment that he toured Afghanistan with.

This announcement came just hours after Harry’s spokesperson confirmed that he would not be meeting with the King during his trip to the UK as His Majesty was too busy.

Speaking on The Reaction Andrew Pierce said: “First of all Harry did not need to put out a statement saying my father is frankly too busy to see me. That was drawing attention to the problem.

“There is no doubt in my mind, Sarah, the palace issuing that statement one hour later saying William was to become Colonel in Chief of Harry’s old regiment, but then also to announce that are doing a joint engagement on Monday- double bubble.

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King Charles is taking a stand against Prince Harry and Meghan Markle (Image: Getty)

“The timing was deliberate, and it is the King and William fighting back. They have had enough of him. I think something has broken since he last saw him in February for about half an hour.”

Last time Harry was in the UK he was able to meet up his father, having dashed over last-minute from Los Angeles upon learning that the King had been diagnosed with cancer.

His co-host Sarah Vine agreed: “I think morally The King is doing absolutely the right thing, he is rewarding those who have been loyal and kind to him in his hour of need, ie his son and his wife.

“Camilla has proved herself to be a massive asset to the King.”

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Prince Harry was attending Invictus events in London (Image: Getty)

She then asked: “Do you think we are seeing some tough love? I think most normal families would think that is really quite weird. I think it means he simply doesn’t trust him.

“I think this is the best he can do. I mean Harry is a very toxic influence in the King’s life. He has cancer and is already getting chemotherapy.”

Although Harry and Charles were just two miles away from each other on Wednesday afternoon, they were not able to meet, in spite of the Prince’s claim he wanted to see more of his family.

The Sussexes at St Paul’s Cathedral for the Platinum Jubilee Service of Thanksgiving (Image: Getty)

Speaking to Good Morning America back in February, Harry said: “I’ve got other trips planned that will take me through the UK, or back to the UK, and so I’ll stop in and see my family as much as I can.”

On Wednesday he was at St Paul’s Cathedral in central London for a service celebrating ten years of the Invictus Games, which was also attended by members of Princess Diana’s family.

Meanwhile the King was at Buckingham Palace for the first garden party of the season, joined by senior royals including the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and Princess Anne.

EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry made one mistake after his last visit to the UK, one royal expert claims.

Prince Harry flew to the UK back in February and met with the King (Image: GETTY)

Prince Harry’s move after his latest Royal Family reunion shows that King Charles III “can’t trust him”, a royal expert has claimed.

The Duke of Sussex didn’t meet the King after his quick visit to the UK earlier this week, but did pay a visit to him back in February.

Just one day after his father’s cancer diagnosis was made public on February 5, Harry travelled to London to meet with him at Clarence House.

Within 24 hours, Harry was, however, travelling back to the US to reunite with his young family – and soon made an appearance on Good Morning America after arriving back in California.

Speaking on GMA, Harry shared very few details of his visit but the timing of the interview bought up some questions – especially being so soon after his father’s diagnosis.

READ MORE Meghan shares reason she married Harry with gushing 10-word tribute

Speaking to Express.co.uk, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said that the interview likely showed that there is a lack of “trust” for both Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle.

He said: “Harry’s appearance on Good Morning America after they met in February where he talked about the unifying effect of serious illness, may not have gone down well.

“The rift in the Royal Family, meanwhile, remains the subject of worldwide attention, but, with good reason, they don’t trust either Harry or Meghan.”

Harry has been at loggerheads with the Royal Family for some time, especially since he and Meghan made the decision to step down as senior working royals at the start of 2020.

The King pictured in London on May 8 (Image: GETTY)

Harry’s appearance on Good Morning America was also previously deemed a ‘PR stunt’ and why the King should “never have trusted him”.

Although a “blatant violation of Palace trust”, Harry declared in the rather informal interview that he “loves his family”.

Despite his short visit to the UK this week, Harry touched down in Nigeria today with Meghan Markle, who flew into Heathrow to meet her husband.

Although it was thought that Meghan would meet him there, the pair reunited at Heathrow Airport to begin their seven-hour shared flight to the African country.

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Prince Harry was interviewed by GMA back in February (Image: GETTY)

Although they’ve only been in Nigeria for one day, Meghan and Harry’s visit has already had a busy schedule.

Meghan and Harry spoke to a group of Nigerian schoolchildren about mental health, with the pair’s second visit of the day taking place at the Defence headquarters in Abuja, Nigeria.

During their three-day visit, Harry is set to meet injured service members at a military hospital on the afternoon of May 10. Meghan is scheduled to co-host an event of Women in Leadership with Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organization on May 11.

For over ten years, the Duchess of Cambridge has graced the Irish Guards’ St. Patrick’s Day ceremony, showcasing a stunning array of coat dresses that have become synonymous with the event. From tailored military styles to elegant maternity wear, these coat dresses, crafted by renowned designers like Catherine Walker, Emilia Wickstead, and Alexander McQueen, have consistently added a touch of sophistication to her wardrobe, regardless of the weather.

Each year, Kate completes her ensemble with a delicate gold shamrock brooch by Cartier, symbolizing her connection to the Irish Guards regiment. This tradition, once carried on by the Queen Mother and later Princess Anne, has become a signature element of Kate’s St. Patrick’s Day attire.

While recuperating from surgery this year, Kate’s absence from the event is felt keenly. However, we can’t help but reminisce about her past style triumphs on March 17th:

In 2023, Kate made a striking departure from her usual all-green attire, opting instead for a teal Catherine Walker coatdress, perfectly complementing the plumes of the Irish Guards’ bearskin caps.

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Kate returned to the St. Patrick’s Day parade in 2022 with a stunning deep green ensemble by designer Laura Green, showcasing her signature high collar neckline and belted waist.

Amid the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, Kate and William joined world leaders in extending their St. Patrick’s Day wishes via video. Even in these unconventional times, Kate maintained her style with a chic Zara blazer, adorned with shamrock earrings and a necklace by Daniella Draper.

King Charles Marks Quiet Coronation Anniversary Amidst Family Tensions

Amidst whispers of royal family tensions and personal health battles, King Charles celebrated the first anniversary of his coronation with subdued elegance. Gone were the grandeur and pageantry of last year’s festivities, replaced instead by a low-key gathering with close friends at Windsor Castle.

Queen Camilla, too, remained absent, choosing to spend the day with her family at their private residence, Ray Mill House, in Wiltshire. The King’s preference for a modest observance, echoing his late mother’s demeanor, was evident, perhaps as a mark of respect for the memory of Queen Elizabeth.

While Buckingham Palace acknowledged the anniversary on social media, the celebrations were notably muted. Military salutes in London, including a 41-gun royal salute by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery and a 62-gun salute by the Honourable Artillery Company regiment at the Tower of London, added a solemn note to the day’s proceedings. Similar tributes echoed across Edinburgh, Cardiff, York, and Hillsborough in Northern Ireland.

Despite reports of a potential meeting with his youngest son, Prince Harry, who is in London for a separate event, no formal plans were confirmed. Speculation swirled regarding the possibility of a reconciliation amidst ongoing family rifts, but the palace remained tight-lipped.

King Charles’s packed schedule, featuring public engagements and ongoing cancer treatment, underscored the challenges he faced. Concerns raised by Prince William regarding his father’s workload hinted at underlying tensions within the royal household.

While Prince Harry’s visit to the capital sparked speculation about a potential reunion, no official plans were in place. Their last meeting in February, following the King’s cancer diagnosis, was brief, leaving questions about the depth of their relationship unanswered.

As the monarchy navigates these uncertain waters, public sentiment remains largely supportive, with a majority favoring its continuation. A recent poll revealed a significant vote of confidence in King Charles, suggesting resilience amidst personal and familial challenges.

As the King continues his duties, balancing tradition with the demands of modernity, the anniversary serves as a reminder of the enduring legacy of the monarchy, even in times of turmoil.

Kate issued an apology after news agencies retracted a royal family photo.

Princess Kate apologizes amid family photo controversy

ABC’s James Longman is at Buckingham Palace with the latest on the royal family.

As the photo controversy around Kate Middleton continues to grow, new details have emerged about the timing of edits on a family photo that was later retracted by global news agencies amid concerns it was “manipulated.”

The original, edited file of the photo Kate, the Princess of Wales, shared Sunday on social media, shows the photo was processed twice in Adobe Photoshop.

According to the metadata of the file, obtained by ABC News, the photo was processed in Photoshop first on March 8, at 9:54 p.m., local time, and again on March 9, at 9:39 a.m., local time.

Kate shared the photo on Mother’s Day in the U.K., along with a message thanking people for their “kind wishes and continued support” as she recovers from abdominal surgery. Prior to the photo, Kate had not been seen in an official capacity since Christmas Day.

Kate signed the post on X with the letter “C,” for her full name, Catherine, indicating she had personally signed off on the message.

Photo credit for the photo, showing a smiling Kate surrounded by her three children, was given to Kate’s husband, Prince William.

Just hours after the photo was shared on social media and distributed by Kensington Palace, multiple global news agencies retracted the photo. One of the agencies, The Associated Press, told ABC News in a statement Sunday it retracted the photo “because at closer inspection, it appears that the source had manipulated the image in a way that did not meet AP’s photo standards. The photo shows an inconsistency in the alignment of Princess Charlotte’s left hand.”

A combination of pictures made on March 11, 2024 shows a handout photo released by…
Prince Of Wales/KENSINGTON PALACE/AFP via Getty Images

ABC News’ review of the original file of the photo sent out by Kensington Palace shows the image was taken on a Canon 5D Mark IV camera using a 50mm Canon Lens. Visually, the image is the same as the image posted on social media.

It is not clear whether a single computer or multiple computers were used to process the photo through Photoshop.

On Monday, Kate issued an apology, writing on X, “Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing. I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day.”

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The apology, also signed with Kate’s initial, “C,” did little to quell the controversy, however.

MORE: Kate Middleton: A timeline of her surgery, recovery and photo controversy

On Thursday, a leader of one of the news agencies that retracted the photo, Agence France-Presse, told BBC News Radio that Kensington Palace is no longer considered a trusted source for the agency.

“No, absolutely not,” said Phil Chetwynd, global news director at AFP. “Like with anything, when you’re let down by a source, the bar is raised.”

According to Chetwynd, issuing a “kill notice” for a photograph based on manipulation is a very rare occurrence.

Catherine, Princess Of Wales is seen during the opening of Evelina London’s new childre…Show more
WPA Pool/Getty Images

At the same time, conspiracy theories have continued to swirl online about Kate’s health and well-being, with some people questioning whether Kate’s face was edited into the photo from another photo shoot.

MORE: Kate Middleton photo fallout: News agency says palace is no longer trusted source

Most royal experts and visual verification experts alike seem to agree that the editing in Kate’s Mother’s Day photo seems minor, likely nothing more than an effort by a mom to make herself and her kids look as good as possible.

Hany Farid, a computer science professor at the University of California, Berkeley, told ABC News earlier this week that his analysis of the photo shows “minor manipulation,” and no evidence it is an AI-generated photo.

“I think most likely it is either some bad photoshop to, for example, remove a stain on the sweater, or is the result of on-camera photo compositing that combines multiple photos together to get a photo where everyone is smiling,” Farid said. “Either way, I think it is unlikely that this is anything more than a relatively minor photo manipulation.”

Catherine, Princess of Wales attends the Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene C…Show more
Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty Images

But questions remain about how and why the palace and William and Kate landed in such a controversy, and why they are remaining silent.

There has been no further comment from the palace nor William and Kate on the topic since Kate’s apology Monday.

Princess Kate Tops UK’s Royal Popularity Chart Amidst Image Editing Controversy

In a royal popularity shuffle, Princess Kate has claimed the title of Britain’s favorite royal, edging past Prince William, according to a recent poll. The survey revealed that 63% of Brits view the Princess of Wales favorably, a slight uptick from Prince William’s 62% rating.

Despite recent controversies, including a social media storm sparked by her admission of editing a Mother’s Day family photograph, Princess Kate’s popularity remains resilient among the British public. Royal insiders suggest that she is keen to move past the image editing saga, despite the ongoing scrutiny.

While Prince Harry and Meghan’s ratings fell considerably lower, with only 29% and 28% respectively viewing them favorably, Prince William still managed to impress 33% of participants. Notably, Princess Kate received a 34% rating in the “strongly favorable” category, a 2% increase from her husband’s score.

In another deviation from tradition, Princess Kate and Prince William delayed the release of Princess Charlotte’s birthday portrait for the second time in weeks. The delay, attributed to their recent appeals for privacy amidst Kate’s cancer treatment, suggests a concerted effort to manage their public image more cautiously.

The Princess of Wales revealed her cancer diagnosis earlier this year, following post-operative tests after undergoing abdominal surgery. In an emotional message filmed from Windsor, she described the diagnosis as a “huge shock” but emphasized her determination to heal, supported by Prince William and the outpouring of kindness from well-wishers.

Despite the challenges faced by the royal family, Princess Kate’s enduring popularity underscores her role as a beloved figure in British society, with the public rallying behind her during times of personal difficulty.

He was crowned in a majestic ceremony inside Westminster Abbey a year ago today.

King Charles’ Coronation was watched by more than 20million people in the UK and millions more around the world.

But in the year since that stunning day, His Majesty has had a lot to deal with, both personally and as a father, husband and as head of the Royal Family.

He continues to undergo cancer treatment after his diagnosis in February, which was followed by the Princess of Wales‘s own shock health news.

The nation was stunned when Kate revealed in March that she too is suffering from cancer, which was found after she underwent major abdominal surgery at the same time as Charles was initially treated for an enlarged prostate.

It came after the Royal Family was rocked by the death of Thomas Kingston, the son-in-law of the King’s cousin Prince Michael of Kent. He took his own life at his parents’ home on February 25.

And in April, Charles grappled with renewed focus on his disgraced brother Prince Andrew amid the release of Netflix drama Scoop, which focused on his disastrous Newsnight interview following his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and the fallout from the sexual assault allegations made by Virginia Giuffre.

Before his cancer diagnosis, Charles proved his popularity abroad with a well-received three-day state visit to Paris in September.

In November, the King welcomed the president of South Korea and his wife on their state visit to the UK, during which he hosted a grand state banquet at Buckingham Palace.

The visit came the same month that Omid Scobie‘s latest book, Endgame was published – bringing renewed claims about the King’s relationship with his son Prince Harry.

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He was crowned in a majestic ceremony inside Westminster Abbey a year ago today. King Charles’ Coronation was watched by more than 20million people in the UK and millions more around the world

The King’s cancer – followed by Kate’s and Sarah Ferguson’s own diagnoses

The Palace announced on February 5 that Charles had been diagnosed with cancer.

The disease was spotted when he underwent prostate treatment at the private London Clinic at the same time as Kate was recovering from surgery there.

In a sign of how close the monarch is to his daughter-in-law, it later emerged that the King visited Kate at her bedside after her operation.

His Majesty, who was praised for his initial openness about his prostate treatment, postponed all public-facing duties as he began treatment.

Prince Harry – who has had a difficult relationship with his father since his and Meghan’s move to the US and the release of his bombshell memoir Spare – made a brief visit to the UK to see the King after his diagnosis.

The fact that both the King and Kate were out of action – and that William and Camilla also took time out to care for their other halves – showed up the difficulties of Charles’ desire for a ‘slimmed down monarchy’.

It left just Princess Anne and the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh as senior working royals who were not saying no to engagements to care for loved ones.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, as well as the frail Duke of Kent, 88, continued to play their role in supporting the monarchy with their attendance at a slew of events.

The King returned to his public duties last week after getting the blessing of his doctors.

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The Palace announced on February 5 that Charles had been diagnosed with cancer. Above: Charles waving to well-wishers as he attends a service with his wife Queen Camilla at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, shortly before his diagnosis was announced

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Buckingham Palace said in a statement: ‘During The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer’

His medical team were understood to be ‘pleased with the progress made so far’ in his treatment and ‘remain positive’ about his recovery.

For his first engagement since his diagnosis, His Majesty visited the cancer treatment centre at University College Hospital on April 30.

It was a poignant engagement given his current situation and the Princess of Wales’s own cancer fight.

In a deeply emotional video message released on March 22, she revealed that she too has the disease.

The princess, 42, said she is undergoing ‘preventative’ chemotherapy and that the news had come as a ‘huge shock’.

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Sitting on a bench at Windsor, surrounded by spring flowers, the Princess of Wales has taken the extraordinary step of revealing to the world that she has cancer

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Kate’s diagnosis came after Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, revealed a skin cancer diagnosis in January. Above: The Duchess of York pictured on ITV’s  Good Morning Britain on December 12 last year

It came following intense speculation about her health and the fallout from the release of the Mother’s Day photograph that was found to have been edited by the princess herself.

The King said in a statement that he was so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did’ and remains in the ‘closest contact with his beloved daughter-in-law’.

Kate’s diagnosis came after Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, revealed a skin cancer diagnosis in January.

She had a mole removed from her body and tests found it to be malignant melanoma, the most serious type of skin cancer.

The duchess previously underwent an operation to treat breast cancer last year.

Positive signs in the King’s relationship with Prince Harry

When Harry made a 25-hour visit to the UK to see his father after his diagnosis, there were hopes that it might signal a warming in their difficult relationship.

In an interview with Good Morning America, Harry said he was pleased to have visited the UK to see his father.

He added that he would return to see him again and did not discount the suggestion that his family rift could be healed by the King’s health crisis.

It was then claimed at the Duke of Sussex is willing to return to a ‘temporary royal role’ to support his father during his illness.

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When Harry made a 25-hour visit to the UK to see his father after his diagnosis, there were hopes that it might signal a warming in their difficult relationship. Above: Prince Harry and King Charles at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in September 2022

It was suggested that Harry had been encouraged by ‘warm exchanges’ between himself and the King since his father’s cancer diagnosis.

The prince had told friends he would be happy to ‘step into a royal role while his father is unwell’, according to the report in The Times.

However, sources said that His Majesty was ‘firmly of the opinion’ that there is no way back for the Duke of Sussex as a working royal ‘in any way, shape or form’.

Insiders did also stress that this did not mean that Charles was not open to repairing his relationship with his youngest son.

Death of Thomas Kingston

When it emerged that Thomas Kingston had died, Charles and Queen Camilla sent their ‘most heartfelt thoughts and prayers’ to Lady Kingston.

A subsequent inquest heard that Mr Kingston died from a ‘traumatic head wound’ on February 25 and a gun was found near his body.

His father found him on forcing entry to a locked building after Mr Kingston had earlier visited for lunch with his parents, senior coroner Katy Skerrett said

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Thomas Kingston, the husband of Lady Gabriella Windsor, shot himself, an inquest heard

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The couple are pictured here at the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in July 2019

Lady Windsor paid tribute to her husband in a joint statement with his family, describing him as an ‘exceptional man who lit up the lives of all who knew him’ – and called his death a ‘great shock to the whole family’.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: ‘The King and the Queen have been informed of Thomas’s death and join Prince and Princess Michael of Kent and all those who knew him in grieving a much-loved member of the family.

‘In particular, Their Majesties send their most heartfelt thoughts and prayers to Gabriella and to all the Kingston family.’

Mr Kingston was an Army veteran who survived a suicide bombing in Baghdad and was a hostage negotiator. He went on to become a financier.

Release of Netflix drama Scoop 

The King faced more headlines about his brother Prince Andrew after Netflix drama Scoop was released on April 5.

It dramatised Andrew’s 2019 car crash Newsnight interview with journalist Emily Maitlis.

Andrew was pilloried for his TV performance because of a lack of contrition for his friendship with paedophile Epstein and his failure to express sympathy for the dozens of women the financier trafficked and abused over three decades.

His alibis for not having sex with Virginia Giuffre three times were widely ridiculed by the public.

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The King faced more headlines about his brother Prince Andrew after Netflix drama Scoop was released on April 5

In one, he said that he was at a Pizza Express in Woking on the night Ms Giuffre claimed they had sex in London.

Maitlis is portrayed in the drama by Gillian Anderson, whilst Rufus Sewell depicts the Duke of York.

Andrew was exiled from public life after the TV encounter and banned from any royal duties.

The King has made no sign that his brother will be allowed back as a working royal, though Andrew did attend the Royal Family’s traditional Sandringham church service at Christmas.

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The Duke of York was questioned by Emily Maitlis on BBC Newsnight in an interview many deemed to be the most disastrous in royal history

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Pictured: Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre, then aged 17, (centre) at Ghislaine Maxwell’s (right) London townhouse on March 13, 2001

First Christmas broadcast since the Coronation

Charles made the second Christmas broadcast of his reign from Buckingham Palace’s Centre Room.

A video montage displayed footage from his Coronation and highlighted the work of other key royals such as his wife the Queen, the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal.

The King told the nation and Commonwealth: ‘Over this past year my heart has been warmed by countless examples of the imaginative ways in which people are caring for one another – going the extra mile to help those around them simply because they know it is the right thing to do: at work and at home; within and across communities.

‘My wife and I were delighted when hundreds of representatives of that selfless army of people – volunteers who serve their communities in so many ways and with such distinction – were able to join us in Westminster Abbey for the coronation earlier this year.

‘They are an essential backbone of our society.’

In his address a year earlier, His Majesty had paid tribute to his beloved mother, who had died little more than three months earlier.

King attends COP28 climate change conference

On December 1 last year, His Majesty told world leaders that the ‘Earth does not belong to us’ in a keynote address to the Cop28 eco-summit.

The monarch told delegates his grandchildren will be ‘living with the consequences of what we did or didn’t do’ on climate change in 2050.

Charles was the only foreign head of state who was invited to speak at the meeting of global leaders.

His Majesty, who has been a passionate environmentalist for all of his adult life, added: ‘I pray with all my heart that Cop28 will be another critical turning point towards genuine transformational action at a time when, already, as scientists have been warning for so long, we are seeing alarming tipping points being reached.

‘Despite all the attention, there is 30 per cent more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere now than there was back then, and almost 40 per cent more methane.

‘Some important progress has been made, but it worries me greatly that we remain so dreadfully far off track as the global stocktake report demonstrates so graphically.

‘The dangers are no longer distant risks. I have seen across the Commonwealth, and beyond, countless communities which are unable to withstand repeated shocks, whose lives and livelihoods are laid waste by climate change.

‘Surely, real action is required to stem the growing toll of its most vulnerable victims.’

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King Charles III speaks during the opening ceremony at the Cop28 Climate Summit on December 1 last year

Publication of Endgame

On November 28 last year, Endgame – the latest book by royal author Omid Scobie – was published.

Scobie, who has been dubbed ‘Meghan’s mouthpiece’, made a series of claims about King Charles.

He said in his book that the King branded his son Prince Harry ‘that fool’ following the release of the duke’s bombshell Netflix documentary.

Scobie also claimed that the King is out of touch and demands that his shoelaces are ironed.

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On November 28 last year, Endgame – the latest book by royal author Omid Scobie – was published

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Scobie said in his book that the King branded his son Prince Harry ‘that fool’ following the release of the duke’s bombshell Netflix documentary. Above: King Charles III and Prince Harry at Charles’s 70th birthday celebration in London in May 2018

And Charles was said to have been ‘cold and brief’ in a conversation he had with Harry after the release of his own memoir Spare.

This allegation was branded ‘total bull****’ by one source.

Scobie’s book quoted an unnamed friend of the Duke of Sussex who said that Charles was not ‘open to any proper dialogue.

A friend of Harry’s had encouraged him to call Charles after the book came out in January, which the author said followed months of the King ‘keeping his distance’.

Mr Scobie wrote: ‘Despite the many opportunities to discuss his grievances ahead of the publication of the book, Charles instead chose to keep his distance for months.

‘Harry and his father swapped a few words over Christmas 2022, but it wasn’t until after the January 10, 2023, release of the memoir that they had their first proper conversation.

‘Encouraged by a close friend, the Duke of Sussex reached out to Charles by phone to try to discuss some of the unresolved issues between them.’

The book also claimed that Harry’s solo attendance at the King’s Coronation was a ‘striking reminder of the missed opportunity the monarch had to bring his entire family together before the public witnessed this royal milestone.’

The author added that this ‘wasn’t for lack of effort on Harry’s side’.

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Scobie’s book quoted an unnamed friend of the Duke of Sussex who said that Charles was not ‘open to any proper dialogue

He said the Duke ‘made it clear to his father after the January 2023 release of his memoir that he hoped to have a proper conversation about events of the past, a chance for both sides to take accountability where necessary’.

But Mr Scobie described Charles as ‘stubbornly hard to pin down’, adding that Harry and his wife Meghan Markle were ‘unclear’ for the first few months of the year about whether they were even invited to the Coronation.

Charles told his son ‘I… haven’t decided’ during a phone call in early February initiated by Harry, according to Mr Scobie who added that Charles only made a final decision in late March.

Scobie’s book became the subject of a major row when it emerged that the Dutch version of the book named two royals as racists.

The author had previously said that he could not reveal the names of the royals due to libel laws in the UK.

He said that the appearance of the names in the Dutch version was an ‘error’.

Meghan Markle first mentioned the two unnamed royals in the Sussexes’ infamous Oprah Winfrey interview in 2021.

She claimed there were ‘several conversations’ between herself and Royal Family members about ‘how dark’ Archie’s skin would be.

Meghan chose not to name them amid fears it would ‘damage’ their reputation.

Broadcaster Piers Morgan then named the pair on his Talk TV show.

However, the King brushed off the row as he landed in Dubai to give his speech at Cop28

When asked by Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu how he was, the monarch replied: ‘I’m all right very much, just about’.

State visit by South Korea‘s president and his wife

On November 21 last year, His Majesty hosted South Korea’s president when he came to the UK with his wife for a three-day state visit.

At a stunning banquet inside Buckingham Palace, the King gave a speech that referenced K-pop culture.

Marking the 140th anniversary of Korea’s diplomatic relationship with the UK, the King described it as a ‘partnership in which close personal connections, fostered over many decades, have blossomed today into a real sense of affection, or jeong, between our societies at so many levels’.

And he even joked about his own visit to the country in 1992 with the late Princess Diana, saying: ‘Sadly, when I was in Seoul all those years ago, I am not sure I developed much of what might be called the Gangnam Style!’

The King highlighted the ‘remarkable journey’ Korea has taken in the span of his lifetime, saying: ‘Koreans have created a miracle.’

He said his late mother, who last visited in 1999, was struck by the warmth of the welcome she received and the beauty of the country.

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President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol listens as King Charles speaks at the state banquet at Buckingham Palace

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Queen Camilla, King Charles III, President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee ahead of the event at Buckingham Palace

And he said he looked forward to a future with even closer connections in areas as diverse as football, to education, science and defence.

Earlier in the day, President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee were formally welcomed by the King and Queen at the Royal Pavilion on Horse Guards.

The president and first lady then joined the King and Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales in a carriage procession along The Mall to Buckingham Palace.

The South Korean president also attended a banquet at the Guildhall and visited the Churchill War Rooms during the trip.

State visit to Paris 

When Charles and Camilla walked through the streets of Paris to kick off his three-day state visit to France last September, he received a very warm welcome.

He was greeted with shouts of ‘King’ from balconies in the French capital, before he was whisked off to the Arc de Triomphe for a ceremony of remembrance and wreath laying.

The monarch was also helped by President Macron as he planted a tree in the grounds of the British Ambassador’s residence.

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King Charles III laughs as he and French President Macron gather for a ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe in the centre of Paris on the first day of the King’s state visit to France in September 2023

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Charles was met with cries of ‘King’ from Paris balconies as he and Emmanuel Macron walked through the streets of the French capital together

It was a poignant tribute to his mother the late Queen, who started the tradition in 1957 before repeating the gesture in 1972 and 2015.

In the evening, the King and Queen were the stars at a lavish state banquet at the Elysee Palace.

On the second day of his visit, His Majesty became the first member of the British Royal Family to speak to French parliamentarians from the senate chamber.

Highlighting the deep friendship between the UK and France, he told officials: ‘As neighbours, friends, partners and allies, there is no challenge to which we cannot rise, as we have done so often in the past.’

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King Charles smiles warmly as he chats to President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace in Paris on the first day of his state visit

On the final day of the trip, the King highlighted his passion for environmentalism with a visit to an ‘experimental forest’, where he heard about the devastating impact of the French forest fires in the summer of 2022.

Meanwhile, the Queen visited a charity which houses a supermarket, kitchen and restaurant.

The King and Queen’s trip was hailed as a success for Anglo-French relations.

It was noted that His Majesty and President Macron enjoyed a genuine bond, which some even labelled as a ‘bromance’.

His wife Brigitte was said to have got on very well with Queen Camilla.

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The monarch was also helped by President Macron as he planted a tree in the grounds of the British Ambassador’s residence

The King’s 75th birthday 

The King’s 75th birthday celebrations on November 14 kicked off with a tea party at Highgrove.

Guests included The Repair Shop star Jay Blades, who formed a bond with the monarch after Charles’s appearance on a royal-themed special of his show.

Also in attendance was celebrity chef Raymond Blank and former Imagination front man Leee John, as well as representatives from the NHS and the Windrush generation.

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The King’s 75th birthday celebrations on November 14 kicked off with a tea party at Highgrove. Guests included The Repair Shop star Jay Blades, who formed a bond with the monarch after Charles’s appearance on a royal-themed special of his show

Attendees serenaded him with a rendition of Happy Birthday before cutting his white and gold three-tier cake.

Later in the day, he headed to a party at Clarence House, where the Prince and Princess of Wales led family members who were in attendance.

They were joined by Charles’s niece Princess Beatrice, Princess Margaret’s daughter Lady Sarah Chatto and Princess Anne’s daughter Zara Tindall and her husband Mike.

Other family members present included the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and David Armstrong-Jones, the son of the late Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones.

Also in attendance was the late Queen Elizabeth II’s racing manager John Warren and Sarah Troughton, who is one of Queen Camilla’s six companions – a role which replaced the former lady-in-waiting position – and oldest friends.

It was claimed that Harry and Meghan turned down an invitation to the bash, though source close to the Sussexes told MailOnline that they were not asked to come.

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s visit to Nigeria has been likened to a royal tour, even though they are no longer working royals.

Prince Harry has received backlash after pictures and videos emerged of him inspecting troops in Nigeria, with some claiming he has “no right” to do so as he is not a working member of the Royal Family.

Harry and his wife Meghan Markle are currently in Nigeria on a mini-tour, another throwback to their royal life in spite of their decision to step down four years ago.

One royal fan wrote on social media platform X underneath a video of the event: “He is NOT an acting Royal representing his father. Everyone knew this would happen!”

Another added: “I’m angered by this too. Harry has no authority to “inspect” troops. His late Grandmother stripped him of all his military titles. Someone said they are calling him, “Your Highness.” Harry’s “HRH” was removed too. The King needs to shut this down.”

A third commented: “This is so weird. So any old Tom, Dick or HARRY can inspect the troops? Guess the Nigerian military didn’t get the memo that Harry is not only NOT THE KING, he’s barely a prince at this point.”

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Prince Harry has been criticised for inspecting troops in Nigeria (Image: Getty)

The couple have a packed schedule for their three-day visit, which kicked off on Friday after they landed in Abuja first thing in the morning after an overnight flight from Heathrow.

Later in the day they travelled to Wuse Lightway Academy in the Nigerian capital, where they were greeted by the children ahead of them co-hosting a mental health summit along with the GEANCO Foundation.

Meghan gushed over her husband following his speech to staff and students and urged them to “look after yourselves” when it comes to preserving their mental health.

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Prince Harry is no longer an official royal (Image: Getty)

As he finished, Meghan told the assembled audience: “You see why I’m married to him? It’s so inspiring because he speaks the truth.”

She then gave her own address, telling them: “Every single one of you has a story. We all have our story. And there’s no shame in any single one of your stories.

“Even on the hardest days or darkest days, everything is a pillar of your strength by each of you being there. Your teachers see that in you. And we see that in you.”

Meghan praised her family and the students in her address (Image: Getty)

The Duchess of Sussex also shared a sweet anecdote about their daughter Princess Lilibet, who is set to celebrate her third birthday next month.

She said: “A few weeks ago, she looked at me and saw her reflection in my eyes. She said: ‘Mama, I see me in you.’ Now, she was talking literally, but I held onto those words in a different way. I thought, yes, I do see me in you, and you see me in you. But as I look around this room, I see myself in all of you as well.”

Harry and Meghan’s trip will also take them to Lagos and Kaduna before they head back to California on Monday to be reunited with both of their children.

Prince Harry and Meghan visit children at the Lights Academy in Abuja, Nigeria,. Picture: Alamy

Prince Harry has touched down in Nigeria for a tour with Meghan Markle after a whistle-stop trip to the UK where he did not meet with King Charles or the Prince of Wales.

Harry said it was “great” to be back in the UK – during a final engagement on a short trip to London.

He attended a party hosted by the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which supports the bereaved children of military personnel.

The Duke of Sussex, 39, hopped on a flight with Meghan from Heathrow last night after they reunited in London. They flew to Abuja together after meeting at the airport’s Windsor Suite.

Meghan Markle waves as she and Prince Harry visit children at the Lights Academy in Abuja, Nigeria. Picture: Alamy

Prince Harry and Meghan clap as they visit children at the Lights Academy in Abuja, Nigeria. Picture: Alamy

Harry had been in London since Tuesday.

The couple’s visit to Nigeria is primarily to promote the Invictus Games. Meghan is understood to be ‘rooting for Team Nigeria’ after discovering she had heritage from the west African nation.

Harry and Meghan are visiting the country on the invitation of General Christopher Musa.

The couple will have their first engagement in Nigeria at around 12noon today local time.

Prince Harry and Meghan meet children at the Lights Academy in Abuja, Nigeria. Picture: Alamy

The three-day trip has been described as a “faux-royal tour.”

Meghan revealed on her Spotify podcast Archetypes in 2022 that she found out she has Nigerian ancestry, describing herself as ’43 per cent Nigerian’.

The Duke of Sussex attends The Invictus Games Foundation 10th Anniversary Service at St Paul’s Cathedral earlier this week. Picture: Getty

The trip comes after Harry didn’t meet with King Charles while in the UK because Charles was “busy,” but Harry “hopes to see his him soon”.

Prince Harry leaves after a service at St Paul’s. Picture: Alamy

Harry released a statement during his UK visit saying he would not be seeing Charles, due to his “father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities”.

On Wednesday afternoon King Charles hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace, while Harry attended an Invictus Games event around two miles away.

Ahead of flying to Nigeria, The Duke of Sussex chatted and played games with bereaved military children as he made a surprise visit to a charity event.

Harry spent the afternoon with 50 children and young people, aged between six and 22, who have experienced the death of a military parent.

He took part in games – including one which saw the duke use a straw to transport Smarties as quickly as possible – and spoke to the youngsters as part of the fun-filled event hosted in London by Scotty’s Little Soldiers.

Harry also spent time talking to nine members from Scotty’s Council, a group of young people who represent the charity’s other members, who discussed their experiences of growing up without a parent.

The duke, 39, completed two tours of Afghanistan between 2007 and 2013 as a forward air controller and an Apache helicopter pilot, having flown countless training missions in the UK, US and Australia.

He said: “It was an honour to meet so many of the wonderful families Scotty’s Little Soldiers supports.

“I have long believed in the mission of this charity, and I truly believe the work they do to foster community and create space for young people to connect, grieve, but also have fun together is life-changing.

“I am a huge supporter of their work, and very proud to be their first global ambassador.”

The charity – for which the duke became a global ambassador in November – was one of seven which had been nominated by Harry and Meghan to benefit from donations marking the couple’s wedding ceremony in 2018.

Harry has been involved with the charity since 2017 and recorded a special video message in 2022 dressed as Spider-Man for its children’s Christmas party.

Georgia Paterson, 16, said it was “amazing” to speak to the duke about the experience of losing a parent growing up.

She said: “Prince Harry was the best person to share that experience with because he’s been through it and understands better than anyone.

“It was really moving to see how vulnerable he was with us, which encouraged us to open up as well.”

Georgia added: “It felt really connecting because when your parent served, they served for the country, and one of the most important things for the country is the royal family.

“Speaking with someone who is part of that made me feel more connected to my Dad. It was amazing to be connected to him in that moment.”

Nikki Scott, who founded the charity in 2010 following the death of her husband during a tour in Afghanistan, said: “It was amazing to see all the smiles in the room when Prince Harry walked through the door.

“The Duke of Sussex has supported Scotty’s for a long time, which means a lot to our members because they know he understands what it’s like to experience the death of a parent and the challenges they face.

“It’s important to our members to maintain their connection to the military community, which Prince Harry is also passionate about.

“Events like these are so valuable to our members because it enables them to develop friendships with others in a similar situation, as well as have lots of fun.”

Scotty’s Little Soldiers currently supports more than 670 bereaved military children and young people up to the age of 25, offering one-to-one bereavement support, guidance to parents and carers, fun activities such as holidays and group events, and learning assistance.