Royal Family: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's absence hits 'squeezed middle' hard
One historian has warned that the Royal Family's "squeezed middle" is under more pressure than ever before.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle criticised by Fitzwilliams
The Royal Family's "squeezed middle" is under pressure as the Firm is now struggling more than ever since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's departure from the Firm, according to an expert.
While King Charles and Princess Kate both continue to recover from cancer, the bulk of royal duties are now being undertaken by Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess Anne, Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie.
With two of the most senior royals out of action, combined with Prince Andrew being stripped of his royal titles and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quitting their roles as senior working royals several years ago, a commentator has warned that pressure is now being piled on the Firm - while adding that "charismatic" Prince Harry's presence is particularly missed during this challenging period for the British Royal Family.
In the aftermath of a photo editing row surrounding a beautiful picture Prince William and Princess Kate shared in honour of Mother's Day, historian Tess Dunlop said: "In less than a decade, Britain has gone from a bloated monarchy to a perilously thin one.
"These days the institution boasts more palaces than royal players, an unanticipated predicament which has piled pressure on the Royal Family’s squeezed middle, William and Kate."
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KEY EVENTS
Prince Harry has his own life, he doesn't 'fit into the big picture of the working royals'
There is so much going with the royals and it doesn’t leave a lot of room for Prince Harry, says one royal expert.
Daily Express UK spoke to Pauline Maclaran, professor at Royal Holloway, who said: “I don’t think Harry fits into the big picture of the working royals. He has his own life now in the US and pursuing his various ventures with Meghan."
She added: ”I can’t see him coming back into any royal role anytime soon, especially given all the slurs he has levelled at several members of the royal family.”
Professor Maclaran is referring to Harry’s 2022 interview with Oprah Winfrey and his 2023 memoir Spare.
"In addition, I’m sure it is seen as crucial to protect the privacy of the King and Kate as they go through their treatments, and I don’t think Harry can be trusted to keep confidences."
Expert reveals the one thing Princess Eugenie needs to do to help boost royal profile
An expert has shared one thing Princess Eugenie needs to do to boost her royal profile as the Royal Family, as fans want her and her sister Princess Beatrice to be called up to help with official royal engagements. With King Charles and Princess Kate’s recent health updates, there may come a time when other royals will be required to step up to fill the gap.
Princess Beatrice and her younger sister Princess Eugenie seem like an obvious choice, having both grown up in the public eye. However, one expert has claimed that at times Eugenie in particular can appear "nervous" at public engagements, but believes there is one simple remedy to this, Mirror Online reports.
At an event for the Elephant Family charity, which she supports, Eugenie, aged 34, read to kids and talked briefly about her uncle, the King. But according to body language expert Darren Stanton, she seemed a bit nervous during the event.
Harry and Meghan urged to make the first move
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle should make the first move in ending the feud with the Royal Family by apologising, especially to Princess Kate, for their behaviour, according to a royal commentator.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have barely been on speaking terms with Harry's family ever since they moved to California in 2020, with some claims made in his memoir Spare being particularly brutal on Kate.
It was revealed last Friday that the Princess of Wales is set to undergo preventative chemotherapy after being diagnosed with cancer, however the Daily Mail's Richard Eden believes reconciliation with Harry and Meghan is possible if only they apologise first.
He told Palace Confidential: "Since Catherine's video was broadcast almost a week ago, there’d been lots of suggestions that William, with his wife being treated for cancer, should mend fences with his brother, that it’s a great time for them to come back together.
"It’s up to Harry and Meghan to seek forgiveness. You know, we're in the season of Lent, and they should be the ones who apologise for all the hurt they’ve caused. They’ve contributed to a terrible state of mental health.
"What has Catherine had to put up with over the past few years? Putting up with these constant barrage of attacks. Any of us would find that gruelling and hard to take. They should apologise, publicly or privately, and then maybe things can start to heal."
Princess Kate praised for doing one key thing as crazy conspiracy theories ran wild
Kate, the Princess of Wales’s “dignified” response to relentless speculation about her health stands in marked contrast to those peddling “shameful” conspiracy theories, a royal commentator has said.
But Jonathan Sacerdoti said he was also saddened that the 42-year-old mother of three felt she had no option other than to release a video in which she revealed she was undergoing cancer treatment.
In an unprecedented move following weeks of rumours, Kate shared a clip via social media in which she explained she was undergoing “preventative chemotherapy” after undergoing abdominal surgery in January.
Journalist Mr Sacerdoti, who has regularly appeared on the BBC, Sky News, Fox and other media outlets to discuss royal affairs, told Express.co.uk: “To be fair to the Royal Family, I think, in not wanting to reveal personal details, they were quite accurate in what they did tell us.
“So I think that people got very carried away with themselves in making up all these conspiracy theories.
“If they literally just looked at what they've been told there was nothing particularly controversial or hard to understand about somebody having had major surgery and wanting time off to recover.”
Prince Harry hits the jackpot with huge inheritance pay cheque - but William misses out
Prince Harry received a larger sum of inheritance than his brother, Prince William, according to recent revelations.
Prince Harry reportedly received a more significant share from their great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's estate, following her death in 2002.
Estimated to be worth around £70million, the Queen Mother's estate included valuable assets and property contents bequeathed to her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II.
In 1994, the Queen Mother had directed two-thirds of her fortune into a trust fund intended for her great-grandchildren.
Reports suggested that Prince Harry was the primary beneficiary of this trust, receiving a larger portion compared to Prince William.
Sister of Prince Harry's ex Cressida Bonas reveals heartbreaking cancer update
The sister of Prince Harry’s ex Cressida Bonas's has spoken out about being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.
Pandora Cooper-Key, 51, who is the daughter of Lady Mary-Gaye Curzon and aristocrat Esmond Cooper-Key, is the mother of two teenage boys and has been fighting different forms of cancer for more than 20 years.
Now, she is undergoing immunotherapy in hopes of recovering after first being diagnosed with cancer in 2000, aged just 26.
Speaking to Femail she said: “To operate they'd have to go through blood vessels and that's not great. So they categorically said in the first meeting 'I'm really sorry, but we can't'.
Reason why Zara Tindall could miss Easter Sunday with Royal Family laid bare
Zara Tindall's presence at the Royal Family's Easter Sunday Mattins service at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle could be in question due to her horse-riding.
The professional equestrian, who won a silver medal as part of Team GB at London 2012, was snapped taking part in the Thoresby Park International Eventing Spring Carnival in Newark, Nottinghamshire on Good Friday.
Pictures obtained by the Daily Mail show the 42-year-old wearing sunglasses as she rode her horse Class Affair, with the carnival running until Sunday.
If she takes part in the whole event then it is possible that Zara will not be able to join the rest of the royals for church, with her mother Princess Anne likely to be there.
Date Prince Harry will return to the UK revealed - but Meghan Markle's attendance in doubt
Prince Harry is set to speak at the Invictus Games 10th Anniversary Service to be held at St. Paul’s Cathedral on May 8.
Express.co.uk has seen a copy of the official St. Paul’s Cathedral schedule with the Invictus Games event listed as taking place on Wednesday, May 8 at 5 pm.
We have also learnt that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are listed as guests on the official running order and the Duke of Sussex is set to speak at the service.
“The dates and details are being kept very hush-hush, but the Invictus Games 10th Anniversary Service has now been confirmed at St. Paul’s Cathedral on May 8,” the source said. “Both Harry and Meghan are listed as guests and a speech has been scheduled, but there is still a question mark over whether Meghan will make an appearance. Her name has been pencilled in as a TBC (to be confirmed).”
Harry, 39, launched the games back in March 2014 at the Copper Box arena in London to celebrate injured servicemen and women and is currently in “government-level talks” to see them being hosted in the UK again after the British government launched a £26million bid to host the games in Birmingham in 2027.
Kate praised by uncle Gary Goldsmith for handling cancer diagnosis 'beautifully'
Princess Kate's controversial uncle Gary Goldsmith has praised the way she has handled her cancer diagnosis in public.
"I thought Kate handled it very incredibly well, especially in such a difficult and tricky situation. I don’t know anybody else who's had to deal with something like that, deal with their children and then have to offer explanations to the national and international media in such a public scenario.
"She did it beautifully. It was handled very well, she was honest and transparent and it does feel like she’s on the mend and it’s all preventive."
Duchess Sophie enjoys favourite pastime ahead of royal Easter Sunday celebrations
Sophie and her husband Prince Edward have been busy covering many royal engagements over the past few weeks.
She will likely be joining the rest of the royals on Easter Sunday for church at St George's Chapel.
Emergency service rush to Buckingham Palace as bike bursts into flames at gates
News of the fire was reported on X by concerned onlookers.
Firefighters from the London Fire Brigade are at the scene, with a video showing smoke visibly rising from behind the vehicle, besides which a tour bus is standing.
Mike Tindall's hilarious joke about joining the royals 19 years before marriage to Zara
Mike Tindall has recalled a hilarious encounter he had with the late Queen Elizabeth before he married into the Royal Family himself.
The event took place in 1991 at the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield, West Yorkshire during the late monarch's visit to mark its 400th anniversary.
In 2011 Mike married Zara Phillips, the late Queen's granddaughter, with whom he has three children.
‘I saw Meghan Markle on a royal visit and her behaviour was a red flag of what was coming'
COMMENT BY MAIA SNOW: Approximately one month into my first job as a reporter, I attended the first of many royal visits throughout my career. Little did I know at the time that I was seeing history being made.
The visit in question was none other than one of the few photocalls made by the then newly married Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, in their brief tenure as a working royal couple.
On September 28, 2018, the couple paid a visit to Loughborough University to attend the Coach Core awards, and even then - some 16 months before they announced their intention to step down as senior working royals - there were clues that the royal dream could not last.
I remember very distinctly, that even as a very new reporter, standing in my spot in the "media pen" at the opposite end of the sports hall, how uncomfortable Meghan seemed to be.
Prince Harry security demand ripped apart as he 'abandoned our nation'
He also accused Harry and Meghan Markle of "abandoning" the country as they quit as royals and set up a new life in the US.
A Freedom of Information request found that the Duke of Sussex spent £180,000 of taxpayer cash on barristers, £230,000 on Government Legal Department costs, £2,300 in court costs and almost £10,000 on an e-disclosure.
Speaking to GB News, Mr Kawczynski said: "I believe we should review whether taxpayers’ money from hard-working families should be afforded for them [Harry and Meghan] which it still continues to be."
Why Prince William was not in Kate's cancer diagnosis video
Princess Kate put out a video message last Friday, March 22, explaining that she had been diagnosed with cancer.
Despite the emotional nature of the video, Prince William was not in it with her.
In the video Kate said William had been "a great source of comfort and reassurance" to her throughout, and that they have taken time to "process and manage this privately" for the sake of their children.
King Charles to miss out on Easter lunch as he takes 'gentle steps' towards royal return
King Charles will not be hosting a private family lunch on Easter Sunday following the Mattins service at St George's Chapel.
Easter Sunday is normally a grand occasion for the Royal Family, although it has been toned down this year due to health concerns.
The King and Queen Camilla will attend a smaller service and hopefully greet a smaller crowd at a distance.
Inside Clarence House: King's beloved London bolthole where he's lived for over 20 years
Situated on The Mall, with its gardens overlooked by nearby St James's Palace, Clarence House was built in 1825-27 by the architect John Nash.
It was originally intended as a residence for Prince William Henry, the Duke of Clarence, later King William IV.
There have been several other royal residents of Clarence House, including the Queen Mother, Princess Margaret and even Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip before she became monarch.
Princess Eugenie's five style 'hacks' to achieve her fashion-forward looks
Her wardrobe hacks have also been analysed so royal fashion fans can recreate her look at home.
Eugenie is a fan of headpieces, mid-length dresses and bold colours and patterns.
She wore Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos when she married her husband Jack Brooksbank in October 2018.
Princess Kate could appear at friends' Kenya wedding - in same spot William proposed
Joss Craig, 29, whose father William runs the 55,000-acre Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in the foothills of Mount Kenya, has gotten engaged to the sanctuary's horse-riding manager Miranda Simpson.
A friend told the Daily Mail's Richard Eden: "Wouldn't it be lovely if Catherine could attend the wedding?"
Prince Harry in 'self-imposed exile' and 'no chance' of him returning to royal public life
EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry has very little hope of ever returning to the Royal Family as he is in "self-imposed exile".
A well-informed source said of the Duke of Sussex in an exclusive interview with Daily Express US: "He is in self-imposed exile. He decided to leave in a hurry. I think he was spooked.
"He’s obviously haunted by his mother’s death, and he somehow managed to convince himself, or Meghan managed to convince him, that they were in some sort of imminent danger."
Princess of Wales praised for dignified response to 'shameful conspiracy theories'
EXCLUSIVE: Princess Kate has been hailed for the way she has handled online conspiracy theories about her condition.
Kate underwent abdominal surgery in January and has since revealed she has been diagnosed with cancer.
"So I think that people got very carried away with themselves in making up all these conspiracy theories.
"If they literally just looked at what they've been told there was nothing particularly controversial or hard to understand about somebody having had major surgery and wanting time off to recover."
King Charles set to break key Easter tradition this year as he undergoes cancer treatment
A former butler of King Charles's has cast doubt on whether he and Queen Camilla will travel to Scotland at Easter this year, as he continues to undergo cancer treatment.
Speaking on behalf of Spin Genie, Grant Harrold said: "From memory, you have the Maundy Thursday service where money gets passed around, which I believe the Queen is [undertaking] this year.
"Easter is interesting, from my experience, because the King used to go up to Scotland for his Easter break, and I used to go up with him.
"However, I think if they can, then they probably will have a break and go up to Scotland just to get away."
Good morning
Good morning from London, I'm Catherine Meyer-Funnell and I'll be bringing you all the very latest royal updates into this afternoon. Feel free to get in touch at [email protected]