Author: bang2

EXCLUSIVE: King Charles’s strength and determination during the past two days were praised by a royal commentator who said his recent move carries quite a ‘significance’.

King Charles put on a brave display today as he spoke of his “profound sense of gratitude” to those who fought in the summer of 1944, during a commemorative ceremony in France for the 80th anniversary of the historic D-day invasion in Normandy.

The monarch said that while the number of living veterans was dwindling, “our obligation to remember what they stood for and what they achieved for us all can never diminish.”

Charles and Queen Camilla appeared visibly moved as the memories of a D-Day veteran were read out, with both the King and Queen seen wiping away a tear.

The King, who is slowly returning to public-facing duties after a short break, brushed off his recent cancer diagnosis to attend today’s event as well as yesterday’s poignant ceremonies in Normandy and Portsmouth.

He is currently undergoing treatment for an undisclosed type of cancer after being diagnosed back in February.

King Charles has been making appearances for the 80th anniversary of D-Day (Image: Getty)

Now a royal commentator has praised Charles for his strength and determination to attend such events, adding that his appearances both in Portsmouth and Normandy have an ” enormous symbolic significance” for one simple reason.

Veteran royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told the Express: “As monarch, King Charles symbolises national unity and his presence at Portsmouth yesterday and at the British Normandy Memorial at Ver-sur-Mer today, has enormous symbolic significance as he is Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.

“Since he is undergoing treatment for cancer, there is enormous pressure on him.

“Both from his doctors who are well aware of his workaholic tendencies and also because his appearances mean he can personally pay tribute, as he did in his speech yesterday, to those who served so bravely.

“He and the Queen were deeply moved at yesterday’s event.”

King Charles speaks with veterans at the British Normandy Memorial (Image: Getty)

King Charles and Queen Camilla were visibly moved during Wednesday’s commemorative event (Image: Getty)
 

Mr Fitzwilliams suggested that Charles’s service in the military has given him a special connection with the Armed Forces, “who now owe their allegiance to him, the importance of this is not the power he has, but the power he denies to others.”

He added: “Despite his illness, he knows it is pivotal he attends national events when he can and also that Prince William, who has served in all three services, represents him when world leaders gather at the international commemorative ceremony on Omaha Beach today.

“In this way, the monarchy serves as a uniquely unifying force in our public life.”

 

Princess Anne joined veterans and their families at the Royal British Legion’s poignant service of commemoration at Bayeux War Cemetery in Normandy, France.

Princess Anne attended a memorial service in Normandy (Image: PA)

Princess Anne shared a sweet moment with a British D-Day veteran as she attended a poignant memorial service in France.

The Princess Royal met the former servicemen as they gathered in Normandy to remember fallen colleagues and their own efforts, ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Second World War campaign to liberate Europe from Nazi rule.

She joined veterans and their families at the Royal British Legion’s (RBL) poignant service of commemoration at Bayeux War Cemetery, where the congregation was surrounded by the manicured graves of more than 4,000 military casualties.

Later she took part in a solemn vigil in the cemetery, and described “the nervous trepidation of those allied sailors, soldiers and airmen who, 80 years ago today, were charged with storming the Normandy coastline and beginning the campaign to free western Europe from Nazi tyranny”.

Before the RBL’s service began, Anne chatted to Don Jones, 99, who served in the Royal Navy ferrying men and equipment on to Sword Beach.

Princess Anne shared a sweet moment with one D-Day veteran (Image: PA)

She told the veteran that a reason she carries out her role “is because I meet people like you”.

Mr Jones, from Mold, North Wales, was a 19-year-old Able Seamen with the Royal Navy and said he focused on his job on June 6 1944 as the cacophony of battle was so great.

He said after speaking to the princess: “I was in the Royal Navy on a tank landing craft, we took tanks and materials across and were dropping them off on Sword Beach. Then the following two months we were backwards and forwards with materials.

The veteran added: “It was so busy, I couldn’t absorb everything that was going on, the noise was so great. The bigger ships with the huge guns were firing over us all the time, firing inland to try and clear the enemy positions.”

A minute’s silence was observed in remembrance of the fallen and readings were given of first-hand accounts of British Forces who were tasked during the Normandy Landings with taking the stretch of coastline codenamed Sword Beach.

Former RAF Sergeant Bernard Morgan was a code breaker who landed on Gold Beach in the early evening of D-Day and saw the grim sight of drowned servicemen.

The 100-year-old veteran, from Crewe, said after chatting with Anne, who was joined by her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence: “The thing I remember was seeing all the dead bodies on the beach.

“They arrived in the morning in small landing crafts that brought them into seven or eight feet of water, so when they stepped off they went straight down and with all the equipment they couldn’t get up.”

During the vigil, held late in the evening, Anne commented on her husband’s uncle, Sub-Lieutenant Keith Symons who, at the age of 20, was in command of three landing craft at Gold Beach in the first wave on D-Day.

She said in her speech: “Recalling in his memoirs the evening of 5th June he wrote: ‘At last it was time for our briefing. Our confidence was dented by predictions that casualties in the first wave were likely to be heavy.

“‘Everyone was quite subdued, but it was all very matter-of-fact. They were in those days. After supper we sat around making light conversation and listening to the chaplain playing his violin.’”

Earlier, the princess hailed the “loyalty, bravery and duty” of the Royal Regina Rifles, as she unveiled a statue representing a rifleman from the Canadian unit which fought on D-Day.

The ceremony was staged in Place des Canadiens in the picturesque town of Bretteville l’Orgueilleuse, where in the days following the famous June 6 landings the regiment resisted enemy counterattacks head-on, without giving up any ground.

 

A royal expert feels like there is a way Prince Harry and Meghan Markle can continue to make foreign visits without causing such drama.

Prince Harry says it’s ‘great to be back in the UK’

Prince Harry and Meghan conducted a quasi-royal tour and the reviews are divided, with some saying it was a success story and others saying it could be damaging.

But there is one voice in the crowd providing a suggestion on how to make everyone happy.

Harry and Meghan travelled to Nigeria as private citizens, but they conducted themselves like senior working royals, which can be really confusing for onlookers.

Podcast Royal’s Jessica Robinson emphasises the importance in differentiating between the two.

She said: “If a member of the public is unable to differentiate between, let’s say, a Harry and Meghan trip and an official royal tour by someone in the family, and we have some sort of a scandal pop-up, like this one, it can be really reputation damaging for the royals.”

Burchfield is referring to Harry and Meghan crossing paths with Dr Allen Onyema, CEO of Air Peace, who has a history of criminal activity in the US.

Some royal watchers are saying the Sussexes are ‘playing royals’ (Image: Getty)

Harry and Meghan flew Air Peace and Dr Allen was one of the officials to greet the Sussexes when arriving to Nigeria.

Robinson gives Harry and Meghan the benefit of the doubt, suggesting they didn’t know about his criminal activity, but even so, they need to be careful about who they come into contact with and how the conduct themselves.

The royal expert said: “We don’t know if Harry and Meghan were aware of his status, or alleged criminal activity, but I will say, it takes me back to the comments I made last week, when I said, the Royal Family has to be really careful about how they draw distinctions between official royal tours and Harry and Meghan taking trips that mirror royal tours.”

On the other hand, Prince William is currently in France meeting with veterans (Image: Getty)
 

During the podcast, Robinson talks about how the Sussexes can handle things going forward, since Harry did talk about doing more visits like this down the road.

She adds: “I think their team is going to have to do their due diligence when they’re scheduling these engagements with individuals in foreign countries, especially in countries where there may be a lot of corruption.”

Harry and Meghan just hired two PR professionals, with historian Gareth Russell can already tell the difference, saying: “This is the kind of thing they should be doing.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been working on establishing their brand independently of their royal ties since stepping down from their roles.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may involve Archie and Lilibet more in the future (Image: Getty)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could include their children in their future projects, a royal expert has claimed.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have mostly kept Prince Archie Harrison, five, and Princess Lilibet Diana, three, away from the spotlight in line with their plans to have a more private life.

Archie and Lilibet have briefly appeared in the couple’s first major Netflix project, the docuseries Harry & Meghan, but have rarely been seen in public.

However, author Tom Quinn suggested the arrangement could soon change now that the couple have hinted at plans to embark on more visits abroad to promote their work.

Mr Quinn claimed the “charming” family will likely attract the exact type of attention Harry and Meghan will need to boost their popularity and the Sussex brand.

 

Harry and Meghan have mostly kept Archie and Lilibet away from the spotlight (Image: Netflix)

Speaking to The Mirror, Mr Quinn said: “Harry and Meghan are incredibly proud of their children, and when they are a little older and better able to travel, there is no doubt they will be taken on some of the couple’s tours.

“Meghan is acutely aware of what a great look this will be, the charming royal couple with their charming royal children will attract the sort of publicity that Harry and Meghan crave, especially now that they are so determined to be billionaire entrepreneurs.”

Archie and Lilibet did not accompany their mum and dad on their recent three-day visit to Nigeria but Harry opened the door to the scenario as he insisted he and Meghan want to travel more in the future.

During the visit, the Duke said: “There’s only so much one can do from home and over Zoom.

“So we look forward to travelling more…there will always be reasons to meet the people at the heart of our work.”

Archie and Lilibet may grow to resent parents says Hervey

Mr Quinn’s suggestion comes as the Duchess reportedly faces “some challenges” with the launch of her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard.

Meghan is said to be grappling with decisions on whether to make her products accessible to all or focus on a luxury-oriented clientele.

She will also need to tread carefully with any reference to her royal connections.

Brand strategist Lucie Green said: “Positioning will be a tightrope, whether to go very high-end and exclusive or make the brand more accessible.

“How much she (even obliquely) makes royal references will always draw criticism but dialling that up will likely be appealing to many US audiences, just as Aerin Lauder and Martha Stewart make upper-class references in their brands but have wide audiences.”

The creation of American Riviera Orchard was unveiled with a surprise Instagram post in March but details of the effective launch are still unavailable.

A royal commentator cautioned Prince Harry against writing a second memoir about the royals.

Prince Harry was warned against writing a second memoir as that would put the Royal Family through “great stress”, according to a royal commentator.

Last week royal author Robert Hardman suggested there may be a second part to the Duke of Sussex’s Spare during an appearance at the Hay Festival.

According to the Independent, Mr Hardman said the book only features four or five pages about Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding, adding: “Now, as an author, that says to me one thing and one thing only: part two might be on its way.”

However, US-based journalist Lee Cohen warned against any such moves by the duke and said it would be “extremely ill-advised” for him to pen a second book as the royals are currently battling a series of illnesses.

He told GBN America: “A second memoir is conceivable given the scant coverage in the first book of his wedding to Meghan Markle.

Prince Harry’s second memoir risks putting ‘new stress’ on the royals, says expert (Image: Getty)

“This raises significant concerns. It would be extremely ill-advised for Harry to pen a second memoir.

“This is most critical for the new stress it would induce for his family, who are already ailing with serious health crises.”

Mr Cohen added that another “hateful book” would further “tank Harry’s already languishing public esteem”.

He explained: “Harry’s initial memoir already delved far too deeply into private family matters, making any further trust by his family impossible.”

Prince Harry’s Spare made a series of explosible claims about the royals (Image: Getty)

In Spare, Harry made a series of explosive claims about the Royal Family.

The duke spoke about life within the Firm and he attacked several royals, including King Charles, Prince William and Princess Kate.

One of the duke’s most striking claims was that he was physically attacked by his brother during an altercation in 2019 over Meghan Markle.

Prince Harry just loves being a dad!

The Duke of Sussex, 39, gave an inside look at being a parent to kids Prince Archie, 4, and Princess Lilibet, 2, in a new interview with Good Morning America released on Friday.

The Invictus Games founder was asked about what he is like as a father, to which he joked: “I can’t tell you. That’s classified. It’s top secret!”

4
Harry and Meghan are parents to daughter Lilibet, 2, and son Archie, 4.Netflix
“No, the kids are doing great,” he quipped. “The kids are growing up like all kids do, very, very fast.”

Harry continued: “They’ve both got an incredible sense of humor and make us laugh and keep us grounded every single day, like most kids do. I’m just grateful to be a dad.”

Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, 42, are currently having some fun in the snow in Vancouver.

The Duke had just visited his cancer-stricken father, King Charles, in London earlier this month.

He also opened up to “GMA” about the monarch, 75, and the Firm, saying: “Look, I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane, go and see him, and spend any time with him — I’m grateful for that.”

4
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have spent the last few days in snowy Vancouver.WireImage
“I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could,” the “Spare” author went on, adding that he has “other trips planned that would take me to the UK or back to the UK, so I’ll stop in and see my family again.”

It was announced on Feb. 5 that Charles was diagnosed with a form of cancer, shortly after he went to the hospital for prostate surgery.

4
The couple currently live in Montecito, Calif., with their kids.Netflix
Harry, who moved to Montecito, Calif., with the former “Suits” star in 2020 after they took a step back as senior members of the royal family, even dished if he would ever obtain US citizenship.

He noted: “The American citizenship is a thought that has crossed my mind, but certainly is not something that is a high priority for me right now.”

4
The Invictus Games founder was asked what he is like as father, to which he joked: “I can’t tell you. That’s classified. It’s top secret!”Netflix
The Windsor clan is reportedly unhappy with Harry discussing his father’s health issues on the ABC morning show.

Former royal butler Grant Harrold told The Post on Friday that the Firm is “not thrilled” that Harry spilled the tea on Charles.

“If Harry is going into great discussion about anything, it’s possible that the royals won’t be over the moon,” Harrold explained. “I have no idea why Harry feels the need to speak out, that’s what I don’t understand. Let’s say if it does annoy the royal family, then Harry doing that is only going to annoy them more.”

Harry is reportedly open to a return to the UK as he hopes his children can build a relationship with the Royal Family.

Harry is ‘really sad’ Archie and Lilibet cannot bond with their UK family (Image: Getty)

Prince Harry’s friend has claimed that the Duke is “really sad” because his children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are not able to have a relationship with their cousins.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex recently held a birthday party for Lilibet as she turned three on Tuesday.

According to reports, the party was comprised of close friends and family at Harry and Meghan’s Montecito mansion.

Royal expert Tom Quinn provided some insight, claiming that Hollywood heavyweight Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom were in attendance with their daughter Daisy.

Speaking to The Mirror, Mr Quinn also shed light on how Prince Harry is rueing the fact that Archie and Lilibet are unable to bond with their family in the UK.

Lilibet celebrated her birthday on Tuesday (Image: PA)

He said of the party: “Rather than go for a low-key celebration Harry and Meghan have spent the past weekend enjoying a pre-birthday bash for their daughter Lillibet’s third birthday – hugely expensive presents have been ruled out but the couple’s mansion in California was awash with celebrities including Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom and their daughter Daisy who is just a few months older than Lilibet.

“Shockingly no invitations to Lilibet’s party were issued to members of the Royal Family.

“One of Harry’s old army friends said: ‘Harry knew they wouldn’t come anyway and he was pretty sure he would not have wanted them there.

“But he is really sad that Archie and Lilibet cannot have any kind of relationship with their cousins while his feud with his family continues’.”

Royal experts have claimed that, while Harry would be open to a return to the UK, Meghan is certain she wants to remain elsewhere.

Speaking to The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show, expert Phil Dampier said a recent event showed just how determined Meghan was to leave the UK in her past.

Meghan traveled to the UK to meet with Harry before they headed off to Nigeria for their tour in May.

 

Harry is reportedly more open to a return to the UK (Image: Getty)

Mr Dampier said: “He had the opportunity to recently, didn’t he, on his way to the Invictus Games event and Nigeria, Meghan didn’t want to know.

“That’s twice now that she’s just stopped off at the airport at Heathrow, I think in the lounge there.

“She clearly thinks that she’s unpopular in this country.

“I don’t think she wants to come back to this country.

“It wouldn’t surprise me if she never came back to this country, to be honest.

“And I think that’s where we are, it’s very, very sad.”

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry snubbed members of the Royal Family as celebs attended Princess Lilibet’s third birthday bash.

Meghan Markle wanted to ‘avoid potential drama’ (Image: Getty)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle didn’t invite the Royal Family to their daughter’s birthday party so they could “avoid potential drama”, according to an expert.

Princess Lilibet celebrated her third birthday on Tuesday, with her parents hosting a special birthday bash over the weekend. The party was reportedly attended by celebrities including Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom, but the royals didn’t make an appearance.

Royal author Tom Quinn said the Sussexes failed to send out invitations to the Royal Family and now relationship expert Louella Alderson has suggested why.

Speaking to The Mirror, she said: “Given the tensions between the Royal Family and Harry and Meghan, it’s not surprising that they chose to celebrate Princess Lilibet’s birthday privately with their own close circle of friends and family.”

 

Princess Lilibet turned three earlier this week (Image: Netflix)

She added: “Their decision to exclude the Royal Family from the celebration could suggest that there is still unresolved tension or distance between them.

“It’s also possible that Harry and Meghan wanted to have a more intimate and personal celebration for their daughter’s first birthday without any outside interference or potential drama.

“They may have felt that celebrating with just their closest loved ones would create a more relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere for everyone involved.”

Louella said there still seems to be tension between the Sussexes and the Royal Family, adding: “It seems that the relationships between Harry and Meghan and the Royal Family are still strained. Princess Kate and King Charles’ illnesses don’t seem to have opened any communication channels as of yet.”

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry (Image: Harpo Productions/Joe Pugliese )

Louella continued: “However, it’s important to remember that family dynamics and relationships are complex and can take time to heal. It’s possible that Harry and Meghan are still working through their feelings towards the Royal Family and may eventually choose to involve them in future celebrations or events once they have had more time to heal.”

Sharing what happened at Lilibet’s birthday bash, royal expert Tom Quinn said: “Rather than go for a low-key celebration Harry and Meghan have spent the past weekend enjoying a pre-birthday bash for their daughter Lillibet’s third birthday – hugely expensive presents have been ruled out but the couple’s mansion in California was awash with celebrities including Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom and their daughter Daisy who is just a few months older than Lilibet.”

He added that it was “shocking” that no invitiation were issuesd to members of the Royal Family, with one of Harry’s army friends reportedly saying: “Harry knew they wouldn’t come anyway and he was pretty sure he would not have wanted them there.

“But he is really sad that Archie and Lilibet cannot have any kind of relationship with their cousins while his feud with his family continues.”

 

Meghan Markle and Victoria Beckham used to be close but not there is one thing David Beckham’s wife can’t wait to see, according to a brand expert

Meghan Markle’s lifestyle business flop would be the “ultimate revenge” for Victoria Beckham amid the duo’s ongoing ‘frosty’ relationship, a brand expert has claimed.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have enjoyed a close relationship with David and Victoria in general but in the last few years, their bond has become somewhat strained.

It has been reported that one of the reasons behind the rift was that Harry allegedly Victoria of leaking stories to the press, which left her husband David “furious”.

Meanwhile, this year saw Meghan soft launching her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, with some experts warning the business could flop, which would be the “ultimate” satisfaction to Victoria.

Brand expert and Director at Borne Media, Denise Palmer-Davies, told the Sun: “It is a difficult market to crack – even Victoria has had her obstacles – as it is so saturated.

Meghan Markle and Victoria Beckham are not that close anymore (Image: Getty)

“But given their fallout, the sceptic in me wonders if she’d be secretly pleased if it did backfire.

“That would be the ultimate revenge wouldn’t it?”

It comes as the Beckhams’ docuseries – released last October – was crowned the most-watched on Netflix in 2023, gathering a total of 208.5million hours watched.

However, Harry and Meghan’s docuseries – released in 2022 – on the same platform only managed to gather 72.9million hours watched during the same year.

Victoria and David Beckham attending the Sussexes’s wedding in 2018 (Image: Getty)
 

Now it’s been noted that while show views generally decline over time, the Sussexes’s slump could also be down to how the pair acted in it.

Some viewers had called the couple “whiny”, while others slammed Meghan for “mocking” her first curtsy to the late Queen Elizabeth.

Meanwhile, the Beckhams were praised for being honest in the show regarding his career, while his family life scenes are still going viral on social media.

 

Meghan Markle launched her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard in March but little has been revealed about it so far.

Meghan Markle has reportedly been struggling to find a chef to work alongside her on new company American Riviera Orchard, with one royal commentator suggesting she is now at a “stalemate”.

The Duchess of Sussex launched her lifestyle brand earlier this year, and although it now has its own Instagram page, very few details about the business have been made public.

It is understood that American Riviera Orchard will sell a range of items relating to lifestyle and homeware, such as crockery, pet products and cooking paraphernalia, with Meghan also said to be working on a new Netflix cooking show to tie in with the launch.

In April, the Duchess sent out 50 individually customised jars of strawberry jam to friends and social media influencers but there has been little information so far on any new products.

Royal Family expert Angela Levin told GBN America: “She is very upset about what is happening with this American Orchard Rivera. She is not happy about how it has been received. The jam was a bit of a laughing stock, she sent it off to about fifty friends and only a few replied.

Meghan Markle launched her brand American Riviera Orchard (Image: Getty)

“Everyone said that she is in a jam. It is not moving forward. She has had a lot of trouble finding a CEO to run it for her and she is having a lot of trouble finding a chef.

“Some of them have gone along to see how it is but they say she is so meticulous about everything.

“She’s so demanding and they don’t really want that. These are chefs who have good jobs, and they’re not people who are learning.

“So it’s a bit of a stalemate, but she has got 150 things on her link, and she’s applied for a global patent.”

The Duchess is said to be looking for a chef (Image: Getty)

Ms Levin also addressed the vast range of products Meghan was hoping to sell and how difficult it would actually be to get the business up and running.

She continued: “Some of the things [she will be selling] are fabric gift wraps, cocktail napkins, meditation maps, pillows for household pets, a whole range of things from A to Z.

“We’ll have to see how she gets on. I think she’s she’s finding it much more difficult than she thought. I think she thought she would sail in and everybody would think it was wonderful, but actually it’s jolly hard work.”

One PR expert explained to Express.co.uk how Meghan could score a big win if she made her strawberry jam available to the masses, given she sourced it “in Montecito and lovingly made it by hand”.

 

The Duchess has been supported by her husband Prince Harry (Image: Getty)

Megan Boyle, head of digital PR at TAL Agency, said: “Given the limited numbers and Meghan handing out the jars herself, it’s highly likely that Meghan sourced the jam in Montecito and produced it by hand, to make the recipients feel special and considered.

“This approach shows Meghan is firmly putting the focus on her brand, and the ARO [American Riviera Orchard] lifestyle, rather than it being her own personal brand.

“The whole premise of ARO is to highlight the exceptional quality and products that have been lovingly handmade. Not only does it get the brand out there but it also keeps it in line with the homely aesthetic she’s striving for.”