Sussexes blasted for 'carefully controlled' move against Princess Kate

Prince William and Princess Kate have been praised for their modern approach to parenting their three children.

Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told OK!: "They are hands-on parents in a way neither Charles and Diana, nor the late Queen and Prince Philip ever were. From the start they have cared for their children themselves as much as possible with minimal outside help.

"This is an unusual and enlightened decision by the couple: you can't undo the destiny you were born into, but you can make life more of a family affair than an upbringing in palaces and castles would allow."

Meghan Markle has too much going on with her own projects and looking after her children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to join Prince Harry in the UK, if he does travel here this summer.

A source told Closer magazine: "She’s [Meghan] got way too much on her plate with the brand and her new cooking show, as well as looking after the kids.

"The last thing she needs is the stress of going back to the UK, where she fears she’d be heckled again in public, which she finds incredibly painful."

Prince Harry may be considering a trip back to the UK this summer, even though he and Meghan Markle have not been invited to join the Royal Family at Balmoral.

An insider told Closer magazine: "Harry is very anxious to go home and see his dad, catch up with his friends for his birthday in September and also pay a visit to his aunt, Princess Anne. But that situation hasn’t changed for Meghan.

"She’s respectful that Harry has to go back to his home for practical and emotional reasons, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to go with him."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were reportedly snubbed by the late Queen Elizabeth in her 2020 Christmas speech, in a move that was dubbed the "last straw".

On the desk where the Queen was sitting to make the speech where photos of various members of the Royal Family.

But the one of Harry and Meghan was removed, with Her Late Majesty saying: "That one. I suppose we don't need that one."

EXCLUSIVE: Details of the Royal Family's finances over the past year have been published, leading to questions over whether they are value for money.

The royals spend a lot of money on trips abroad and private helicopters, but often for good reason.

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams also gave Express.co.uk his take on the report.

Prince William and Princess Kate offered Prince Harry and Meghan Markle a sort of "olive branch", according to royal author Robert Hardman.

He wrote about the time after the death of Queen Elizabeth: "Inside the palace, all members of the Royal Family were there to welcome the Queen back to royal headquarters for the last time, followed by an informal supper.

"Afterwards, the Prince and Princess of Wales suggested that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex should attach their car to their police escort for the journey back to Windsor since they were all going the same way.

"It was only a small gesture (they would not be sharing a car) and nowhere near any sort of reconciliation. However, the late Queen would have approved."

Prince Harry has admitted that his court battles with the British press have played a part in his feud with the Royal Family.

His chat with Rebecca Barry will air on the ITV programme Tabloids on Trial tomorrow night at 9pm.

Ms Barry asks: "To what extent do you think your determination to fight the tabloids destroyed the relationship with your family?"

Harry replies: "Yes, I think that's a central piece to it. But it's a hard question to answer because anything I say about my family results in a torrent of abuse from the press.

"I've made it very clear that this is something that needs to be done. It would be nice if we did it as a family, I believe from a service standpoint and in a public role these are the things we should be doing."

Details from the Sovereign Grant have uncovered that the Royal Family are planning to buy two new helicopters to replace their old Sikorsky models.

The current 15 year old choppers with AgustaWestland AW139s, to enable the royals to carry out their duties and travel to remote locations.

It was also revealed that over £1million was spent last year on 170 helicopter trips for Royal Family members, each costing nearly £17,000, reports the Mirror.

Prince Harry may be coming back to the UK in 2027 for the Invictus Games, which will be held in Birmingham.

This raises questions over whether he will meet with the Royal Family while he is over here.

It remains uncertain whether Meghan Markle will join him for the event, as she admitted her struggles with life in the UK.

King Charles's net worth differs from that of the Royal Family, according to Forbes magazine.

The net worth of the Royal Family is estimated at £21.3 billion, while King Charles's individual wealth has been put at £610 million.

This puts him at 258 on the Sunday Times Rich List 2024.

King Charles has already taken steps to tighten the Royal Family's pursestrings, with plans to save over £20 million.

Thanks to various cost-saving strategies - including cutting back on the £369 million refurbishment of Buckingham Palace - the overall net expenditure funded by the Sovereign Grant decreased by 17 percent to £89.1 million.

The accounts also highlighted that the Royal Family were not exempt from the energy crisis affecting millions of Brits, with the electricity bill at Buckingham Palace rising by nearly £1 million.

King Charles may have plans to keep slimming down the working monarchy, but it seems there is one glaring issue.

Out of the remaining working royals, only four are under the age of 70, with one of them being Princess Kate who is currently off duty as she continues her cancer treatment.

The average age of the current working royals is 69.

A royal expert has insisted that the Royal Family should be properly funded to ensure they can do their job well.

The Firm is funded by the Sovereign Grant, which is paid for by the UK taxpayer.

Royal expert Ingrid Seward told the Daily Mirror: “King Charles knew having so many working royals was costing far too much. He immediately reduced the number.

"No more jumping in and out of helicopters as they used to. They are all now extremely conscious of the costs and the unsustainable impact on the environment."

Meghan Markle claimed that she experienced a clash of cultures when she first met Prince Harry's family.

She told their Netflix documentary that her first chat with Prince William and Princess Kate was "jarring" for one particular reason.

Meghan recalled: "When Will and Kate came over, and I met her for the first time, they came over for dinner, I remember I was in ripped jeans and I was barefoot. I was a hugger. I've always been a hugger, I didn't realise that that is really jarring for a lot of Brits."She claimed she believed it was a "formality on the outside" that "carried through on the inside" which was "surprising".

Good afternoon from London, I'm Catherine Meyer-Funnell and I'll be bringing you all the very latest royal updates into this evening. Feel free to get in touch at cathey.meyerfunnell@reachplc.com

King Charles's efforts to streamline the monarchy are to adapt the centuries-old institution to a more contemporary era, and the mission is to eventually ensure the efficiency and sustainability of the Royal Family amid fiscal realities and modern public opinions.

One of the most notable aspects of the monarch's efforts to slim down the Firm is the reduction in the number of working royals, which can be demonstrated during official royal events.

Have your say on whether a reduced number of working royals will stand the test of time by clicking here.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have confirmed a "very exciting" new project focusing on mental health will be coming later this year, in 2024.

Prince William and Princess Kate have long been advocates for mental health, dedicating significant time and resources to support various initiatives aimed at improving mental well-being.

Their commitment has seen them spearhead numerous projects over the years, reflecting a deep-seated belief in raising awareness. The royal duo have now personally funded a new initiative to help improve the mental health outcomes of those in rural communities, as reported in Hello! Magazine.

Princess Beatrice was all smiles on Tuesday as she visited a school in London to highlight the importance of sun safety from a young age.

The Princess of York, who is patron of the British Skin Foundation, backed the charity's "More, More, More" campaign as she joined an assembly of 9-10-year-olds at St Mary’s & St John’s CE School in north London to learn about sun safety.

Beatrice looked every inch the royal she is as she donned a rose print structured midi dress by Me+Em (£295), a brand regularly favoured by the Princess of Wales.

The royal paired the look with Chanel's lambskin ballerinas in beige and black (£820).

King Charles and the Princess of Wales received a total of 27,000 messages from well-wishers around the world after announcing their cancer diagnoses earlier this year, Palace officials have revealed.

Royal fans were quick to encourage the monarch and Princess Kate to "get well soon" after they bravely revealed separately that they had been diagnosed with a form of cancer.

Meanwhile, the Royal Family received a total of 31,000 congratulatory messages for the King's Coronation last May, amounting to 138,000 items of correspondence for the year 2023-24.

Since ascending the throne, King Charles has continued his mission to streamline the monarchy, adapting the centuries-old institution to the contemporary era. His efforts are to ensure the efficiency and sustainability of the Royal Family amid fiscal realities and public opinions.

One of the most significant aspects of his efforts to slim down the Firm is the reduction in the number of working royals.

This was notable as fewer members of the Royal Family appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony than in previous years to mark the King's official birthday parade - Trooping the Colour 2024.

Sarah, Duchess of York, who lives at Royal Lodge with her ex-husband Prince Andrew, is using the infamous reputation of the dilapidated mansion to entertain the super-rich.

Once described as resembling the rundown mansion of wealthy spinster Miss Havisham in Charles Dickens' Great Expectations, the Daily Mail claims Royal Lodge has been used by Sarah Ferguson to lure a plutocrat into donating 100,000 euros [£84,000] at a charity gala on the French Riviera this week.

The Duchess of York, 64, schmoozed guests at the Knights of Charity Gala at the Chateau de la Croix des Gardes, in Cannes, on Monday evening.

Sarah helped auctioneer Simon de Pury raise money by volunteering to entertain a super-rich bidder at the royal residence which used to be home to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's former UK home, Frogmore Cottage, remains empty more than a year after they were evicted from the property in Windsor, but it is still being used like a "hotel" by members of the Royal Family, according to a source.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved any remaining possessions from their former official UK residence in 2023, just weeks after Harry criticised his family in his bombshell memoir, Spare.

Palace officials told the annual Sovereign Grant briefing that there have been no new tenants in the Grade II Crown Estate property in Windsor Home Park in the last year.

EXCLUSIVE: Meghan Markle was urged to return to the UK for the Invictus Games in 2027 as the move could prove to be beneficial on multiple fronts, according to a PR expert.

Prince Harry's passion project will be returning to his home country for the first time since 2014 after it was announced on Tuesday that Birmingham won the bid to host the event in a competition against US finalist Washington DC.

However, it's still uncertain whether Meghan will accompany Harry as the last time she visited the UK was in 2022 when she attended the late Queen Elizabeth's funeral as the couple are still concerned over their security while in Britain.

Now a PR expert warned the duchess that if she has any hopes of mending her reputation in the UK she should take the leap and, provided there is an adequate security plan in place, she should appear alongside her husband at the major event.

EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry was issued a major warning over his UK return for the Invictus Games in 2027 as the duke is faced with a huge dilemma over whether he should bring his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, back or not.

The Duke of Sussex's passion project is set to be held in his home country for the first time since 2014, after Birmingham won the bid to host the event in a competition against US finalist Washington DC.

Now a PR expert suggested that the Invictus Games in 2027 would be a "strategic opportunity" for Prince Harry to bring Archie and Lilibet to the UK, however, if he chooses to do so, he should approach the situation with great caution.

Prince William has given a sign of how the monarchy could operate a little differently when he becomes King in the future.

Following the release of the accounts for the Duchy of Cornwall, it has been revealed that when it comes to communications, Prince William differs from his father.

The Duchy of Cornwall’s secretary and keeper of the records Alastair Martin has revealed that while King Charles calls him, Prince William prefers to use WhatsApp.

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As public opinion continues to be divided over Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, following his controversial win at the ESPY Awards earlier this month, one person who can’t defend the senior royal enough is military veteran Michelle Turner, 45 - who claims that the Prince ‘changed her life.’

The former Royal Air Force sergeant made the surprising admission on Tuesday 23 July, shortly after it was announced that the Invictus Games would be returning to the UK in Birmingham 2027.

Recalling how she had shared a sweet moment with the royal back in May when she attended a 10 year celebration event at St Paul’s Cathedral, Michelle told PEOPLE that she had read a poem with her husband John and daughter Maya, 11 at the service, and that Harry had come to speak to her afterwards as he praised the standing ovation she had received.

Prince Harry is said to have sent his sister-in-law Princess Kate a heartfelt note in the hope of a reconciliation, following her appearance at Wimbledon last week. As Prince William's wife stepped out in front of the crowd wearing a vibrant purple dress, alongside her sister Pippa Middleton and daughter Princess Charlotte, she was met with cheers and a standing ovation.

The 42-year-old went on to watch the tournament and present the men's trophy to Carlos Alcaraz who beat Novak Djokovic to victory in three sets. The event was Kate's first solo engagement of the year, amid her ongoing cancer treatment, which she announced to the nation back in March.

Now, a source has claimed that it wasn't just fans who were pleased to see the Princess looking so well at the tennis, but also Prince Harry and Meghan Markle from afar. The insider tells Heat Magazine that seeing Kate had prompted Harry to send her a note in the hope of finally repairing their estranged relationship.

Official figures showing the cost of the Royal Family's trips in 2023/24 have been revealed, and some of the more expensive visits on the list may surprise you.

Fewer trips were made in the year to March 2024, likely due to King Charles and Princess Kate undergoing treatment for cancer and the rest of the family staying closer to home.

The most expensive trip by far was perhaps unsurprisingly the King and Queen Camilla's five-day visit to Kenya in October and November 2023, which in total cost £166,557.

The King continues to put the environment and sustainability at the heart of his reign, as his vehicle fleet shifts towards becoming fully electric and the first royal residence has installed solar panels, annual accounts have revealed.

His two State Bentleys are due to undergo refurbishment this year to enable them to run on biofuel, meaning they’ll produce fewer emissions.

This will be an interim measure before transitioning to a fully electric motor vehicle fleet.

Prince William has been granted a new position as Patron of the Football Association (FA), following his dedicated support of the England men's team Euro 2024 campaign in Germany.

The Prince of Wales attended as many of his beloved squad's games in person as possible and was there in Berlin for their 2-1 defeat in the final against Spain.

The FA is responsible for promoting every level of football in the country, from grassroots groups to the major tournaments and teams representing England on the world stage.

King Charles and the rest of the Royal Family will see a boost of £45 million to their coffers with over 53 percent more annual official income thanks to the Crown Estate making huge profits.

The annual financial figures for the royals have been published this week, covering the first whole year of King Charles's reign, with the Crown Estate making a staggering £1.1 billion.#

This extra money will enable the Sovereign Grant, which is funded by the government and pays for the work of the Firm, to be increased from £86.3 million to £132 million.

According to Palace officials, the funds will be used to help pay for the final stages of the Buckingham Palace renovations, which will take ten years in total and cost £369 million.

Good morning from Manchester, I'm Sophia Papamavroudi and I'll be bringing you all the latest royal updates into this afternoon.

Feel free to get in touch with me as I work at sophia.papamavroudi@reachplc.com