Queen Camilla took her seat in the Wimbledon Royal Box today as officials remain hopeful of an appearance from the Princess of Wales on the final day of the tournament.
As patron of the All England Club, Kate, 42, would typically hand out the trophies, but it is not known if this will be possible due to her cancer treatment.
“We’re hopeful that the Princess of Wales will be able to present the trophies as the Club’s patron, but her health and recovery is the priority,” Club Chair Debbie Jevans told Telegraph Sport.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry has spoken publicly for the first time since the backlash over his announcement as the recipient of an annual award named after a US war hero.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, who is set to be honoured for his work with the Invictus Games, wished good luck to the UK squad following their selection ahead of a forthcoming winter version of the competition.
“The games present an incredible opportunity for our courageous service personnel and veterans to demonstrate their skills in new challenges,” he said.
Key Points
- Prince Harry breaks silence to hail winter Invictus Games team
- Princess Charlotte ‘taking care’ of Kate Middleton
- Former head of Royal Navy tells Prince Harry not to accept award
- Wimbledon officials remain ‘hopeful’ of Kate Middleton appearance
- Queen Camilla appears in Wimbledon Royal Box
Queen Camilla enjoys ‘escape’ to Wimbledon
16:00
Emma Guinness
Queen Camilla has described Wimbledon as a welcome “escape” on her appearance this afternoon.
The Queen Consort, 76, enjoyed the best view of centre court from the famous Royal Box and said it was “so nice to be able to escape for a day.”
She also praised the set-up of the tournament’s gardens, telling head gardener Martyn Falconer: “It all looks fantastic. It always looks absolutely perfect.”
Queen Camilla appears in Wimbledon Royal Box
14:54
Emma Guinness
Queen Camilla has appeared in Wimbledon’s Royal Box today to enjoy the best view of the centre court.
Her appearance comes amid officials’ continued hope that the Princess of Wales could attend the tournament to present the trophies later this week.
“We’re hopeful that the Princess of Wales will be able to present the trophies as the Club’s patron, but her health and recovery is the priority,” All England Club Chair Debbie Jevans toldTelegraph Sport.
“We don’t know what we don’t know. All we’ve said is that we’ll work with her and give her as much flexibility as possible.
“I don’t know who would present the trophies as an alternative – that’s something to consider nearer the time if necessary. We’re staying flexible. When we hear we’ll then think about what’s the right thing to do.”
King Charles refuses to ‘sink’ to Meghan Markle’s level
14:00
Emma Guinness
A royal insider has claimed that King Charles would never “sink” to Meghan Markle’s level and enter into competition with her new lifestyle brand.
This comes after she teased its products, which include raspberry and strawberry jam.
As the Monarch has long produced his own preserve, sold at Waitrose and online via The Highgrove Shop, some have speculated that the pair will enter into a deliberate competition with each other.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond has now said the King “would never sink so low”.
“I really don’t think that Charles or his marketing people would sink so low as to try to deliberately compete with or scupper Meghan and her team,” she said.
“Why would Charles want to make things worse than they already are?
“So I think it’s a load of old nonsense and would be beneath him.”
According to reports, the King’s products have seen a surge in sales since Meghan announced her own jams.
Princess Anne remains off duty
13:00
Emma Guinness
Princess Anne remains off duty after she was recently hospitalised after being kicked by a horse.
The Princess Royal, 73, reportedly suffered a concussion and minor injuries as a result of the incident on her Gloucestershire estate.
She is widely regarded as one of the hardest-working members of the royal family, having attended over 200 engagements this year so far.
Buckingham Palace declined to provide any new updates to The Independent today (10 July).
Prince Harry has ‘desperate need for attention’, family friend claims
12:00
Emma Guinness
A royal family friend has commented on the ongoing backlash surrounding Prince Harry’s receipt of an award for veterans.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, has been advised by the former head of the Royal Navy to “think long and hard” about accepting the honour for his work with the Invictus Games.
The family friend told The Daily Beast: “I’m afraid it’s just a clear symbol of his desperate need for attention.
“The irony of the whole of the last four years is that Harry and Meghan said they were leaving the royal family so the media would leave them alone. And now, here Harry is, literally picking up retail awards on live TV.
“It’s pathetic.”
Prince Harry to receive award for veterans tomorrow
11:00
Emma Guinness
The Duke of Sussex is set to receive the Pat Tillman Award for his work with the Invictus Games tomorrow.
Harry, 39, will be presented with the honour at the ESPY Awards in Los Angeles.
ESPN has come under fire for its decision to give the prince the award, with tens of thousands of people signing a petition claiming there are more deserving recipients.
The former head of the Royal Navy, Admiral Lord Alan West, said Harry should “think long and hard about accepting awards such as this”.
The decision has also been slammed by the late Pat Tillman’s mother, Mary, who said she couldn’t understand the decision to give the award to such a “controversial and divisive” individual.
Tillman was a professional footballer who gave up his career to serve in the wake of 9/11. He was killed in Afghanistan in 2004.
Prince Harry hails team competing at winter Invictus Games
09:00
Emma Guinness
Prince Harry has praised the team set to take part in the first-ever winter Invictus Games.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, said he is looking forward “to see their passion, determination, and resilience on full display as they take on this new chapter.”
The event, which was founded in 2014, celebrates the sporting achievements of wounded, sick or injured service people.
“Congratulations to those selected for Team UK for our first-ever Winter Invictus Games in Vancouver Whistler next February,” Harry said.
“Team UK will join over 500 competitors from across 20 nations in this groundbreaking event that expands the range and profile of winter adaptive sports.
“These games present an incredible opportunity for our courageous service personnel and veterans to demonstrate their skills in new challenges like alpine skiing, snowboarding and skeleton, as well as providing a truly memorable experience for their families.
“We’re excited to see their passion, determination, and resilience on full display as they take on this new chapter.”
Prince William places an ‘absolute ban’ on Harry’s return
08:00
Emma Guinness
Prince William has reportedly placed an “absolute ban” on a potential return to the royal family for Prince Harry.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, stepped down as a working royal with his wife Meghan Markle in 2020 and subsequently moved to California.
According to reports, Harry has not seen any of his immediate family since his father’s cancer diagnosis was announced in February of this year.
“It is widely known within the family that Prince William has laid down an absolute ban on Harry returning in any way, shape or form into his former royal family fold,” royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital.
“If anyone will relent, it would be King Charles III, whom, of course, Prince William won’t challenge, who still misses his ‘darling boy’ and would like to see more of Prince Harry,” Fordwich added.
“However, to this day, after the release of ‘Spare’ and the Netflix serial, as well as with everything else Harry has said, done, and not done, it’s Prince William who adamantly refuses to even speak to his brother.”
Dame Shirley Bassey ‘grabbed’ the King Charles’s hands
06:00
Emma Guinness
Dame Shirley Bassey has opened up about her interaction with King Charles after being made Companion of Honour for her services to music.
She admitted that it was more nerve-wracking to receive the award on Tuesday (9 July) than to sing for the Monarch.
“I mean, it’s new, different, whereas singing I’ve been doing since I was a child,” Shirley said. “I forgot to curtsy, but that’s why I grabbed his hands because I forgot to curtsy. Instinctive.”
“I asked him how he was, and he said he was fine and said: ‘You look wonderful,’” she added.
“He wished me all the best and then I grabbed him – I know I shouldn’t have done that. But I grabbed both his hands and said: ‘I wish you well.’”
Martin Lewis issues warning over celebrity scam involving the King
04:00
Emma Guinness
Martin Lewis has issued a warning about scammers impersonating public figures including King Charles.
Findings from Action Fraud between 2022 and 2023 revealed that famous faces were frequently impersonated in advertisements to extort cash.
Other figures on the list compiled by the money-saving expert include former prime minister Rishi Sunak.
Mr Lewis said: “It’s likely that the criminals pumping out these scam ads effectively use their own in-house dark-web digital marketing teams, researching which celebrities and advert types get the best click-through rates, and honing the way they work to be able to attract more victims.
“Almost certainly they will be collecting data on each public figure’s power to draw people in and how many people who respond to a celeb in an advert then go through to part with the money.”
Room behind Buckingham Palace balcony to open to the public
02:00
Emma Guinness
The room behind the iconic Buckingham Palace balcony will open to the public for the first time, it has been announced today.
This will reportedly give visitors a never-before-seen insight into George IV’s passion for oriental art and furniture.
Caroline de Guitaut, Surveyor of the King’s Works of Art, said: “It was Prince Albert’s idea to have a balcony at Buckingham Palace because he saw it as a way of enabling the royal family to connect with the people, and of course that’s exactly how, in a sense, it continues to be used on important occasions.
“But it began to be used very early on in Queen Victoria’s reign, from 1851 waving off the troops to the Crimean War and welcoming them back on return.”
King Charles planning ‘peace’ summit at Balmoral
Wednesday 10 July 2024 00:00
Emma Guinness
King Charles is reportedly planning a “peace” summit at Balmoral to bring the royal family back together, an expert has claimed.
The King and Queen are set to return to the Scottish residence in August and it has been claimed that they hope to be joined by other members of the family.
Former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond said this will give them an opportunity to “take stock” of what is really important in life after a tumultuous start to the year.
“It’s been one heck of a year for the Royal Family so far and nothing would please the King more than to have his close family gathered together in the peace of Balmoral for a time to take stock together,” she told OK! magazine.
Prince Harry ‘slightly petrified’ of Meghan Markle
Tuesday 9 July 2024 22:00
Emma Guinness
A royal author has claimed that Prince Harry will eventually return to the royal family alone.
Hugo Vickers believes that the Duke of Sussex, 39, is “petrified” of losing his wife Meghan Markle but believes that this will no longer be the case in 20 years.
“I think he’ll come home,” he told The Sun. “The king has left the door wide open for him to do that and he was doing such a good job before and… he looked so happy.
“Usually, you’re happy when you’re doing your duty and you’re doing it for other people and you’re putting things into life,” he went on.
“If you’re taking things out of life, at the risk of getting a lot of hate mail, I personally think that he looks like he’s petrified of losing her [Meghan] and looks slightly petrified of her.”
Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis ‘may not live in palaces'
Tuesday 9 July 2024 20:00
Emma Guinness
Following increased reports about the slimmed-down monarchy, it has been claimed that Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis “may not live in palaces” when they are older.
British historian Kate Williams noted that royal residences provide a lot of revenue for the royal collection and are important to preserve for future generations, which may be the priority in light of increased scrutiny of how the monarchy spends taxpayer money.
“On one hand, these palaces are great homes being conserved for future generations. On the other hand, they generate a lot of income for the royal collection and are great to visit,” Williams told the Mirror.
“We understand that King Charles is aiming for a slimmed-down Royal Family, so it means [minor royals] may have to go and live in non-palaces.”
This comes amid speculation that the younger Wales children may not become working royals at all.
Prince William to participate in charity polo match
Tuesday 9 July 2024 18:00
Emma Guinness
Prince William is set to participate in a charity polo match this Friday in aid of causes he is “passionate” about, Kensington Palace has revealed.
This will be the heir to the throne’s 13th time participating in the Out-Sourcing Inc Royal Charity Polo Cup 2024 at Guards Polo Club in Windsor Great Park.
“This year the event is set to take the total amount raised to more than £13,000,000 for well-deserving causes that the prince and princess are passionate about,” Kensington Palace said.
It is not known if the Princess of Wales will attend the event as she continues her cancer treatment.
Former head of Royal Navy tells Prince Harry not to accept award
Tuesday 9 July 2024 16:48
Emma Guinness
Prince Harry has been urged to decline an award for veterans by the former head of the Royal Navy.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, is set to receive the Pat Tillman Award for his work with the Invictus Games on Thursday (11 June).
But tens of thousands of people have now signed a petition arguing that there are more deserving recipients.
“I really think Harry should be well advised to sit back and not accept awards like this,” Admiral Lord Alan West told the MailOnline.
“It doesn’t travel well with people in the military.”
He added: “He ought to think very hard and long about accepting awards for things like being an exceptional pilot and being exceptionally brave.”
William and Charles ‘entirely right’ to opt for slimmed down monarchy
Tuesday 9 July 2024 16:00
Emma Guinness
King Charles and Prince William have been praised for remaining in favour of a slimmed-down monarchy, despite the royals’ recent health troubles.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told OK! magazine: “I still hold to the idea that the slimmed-down Royal Family IS indeed the right model for the future. It’s in line with most European monarchies and is sensitive to the constant criticism that the royal family cost taxpayers too much.
“Adding new working royals to the payroll will only exacerbate that criticism. I think the model William has experimented with is the answer: drafting in his cousins here and there (e.g. garden parties) to spice things up a bit.”
“It makes such occasions even more special and allows those cousins to get on with their lives as they wish, without the strictures of the royal diary.”
“So I think the King and William are entirely right to be determined to keep the core of working royals a small, tight unit that can be accountable to the public purse.”
This comes amid speculation from the Daily Mail’s Richard Eden that Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis may not even become working royals.
Diana predicted Camilla’s loyalty to King Charles
Tuesday 9 July 2024 15:00
Emma Guinness
A royal expert has reflected on Princess Diana’s opinion of Queen Camilla as her popularity within the UK grows.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond praised the Queen for stepping up to the mark amid the royal family’s recent health troubles.
“She has taken on a significantly increased workload and a massive amount of responsibility in the past few months - and is looking and sounding great on it!” she told the Mirror.
“It must be so gratifying to have earned widespread approval – even affection – from a public who once ganged up against her as the ‘marriage breaker’ and the ‘other woman’ who made Diana so unhappy.
“I think Diana was absolutely right to tell me that Camilla was ‘loyal’ and that Charles’ love for Camilla was stronger than any marriage he might ever have made.”
Prince William arrives at former army base
Tuesday 9 July 2024 14:09
Emma Guinness
Prince William has arrived at the former army base where he was stationed between 2010 and 2013.
The Princess of Wales was notably absent from the engagement despite previously living in the area during the early days of her marriage.
Wimbledon officials remain hopeful that she could attend the tournament to present the trophies later this week but have stressed that her health and recovery remain the priority.
Prince William to visit former army base
Tuesday 9 July 2024 13:00
Emma Guinness
Prince William is set to visit his former army base in North Wales today.
This will be the heir to the throne’s first visit since he was made its honorary air commodore in August 2023, a role that previously belonged to his father, King Charles.
RAF Valley in Anglesey is notably where William and Kate Middleton lived as newlyweds until 2013 as he worked as an RAF search and rescue pilot at the base.
On today’s visit, William will meet with the families currently living at the base, take a tour, learn about refurbishment plans and finally present the Prince of Wales Award to the “best-qualified” flying instructor.
Kate Middleton’s Wimbledon replacement revealed
Tuesday 9 July 2024 12:00
Emma Guinness
Kate Middleton’s possible replacement at this year’s Wimbledon has been revealed.
While officials are hoping that the Princess of Wales could still attend to present the trophies, they have acknowledged that her health and recovery is her priority.
Now, it has been reported by The Telegraph that Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester could stand in for the princess if she is not well enough to attend.
This comes after Kate said she hoped to attend a few engagements this summer if her health allowed.
Kate Middleton and Princess Charlotte ‘great friends'
Tuesday 9 July 2024 10:54
Emma Guinness
Following the claim that Princess Charlotte is “taking care” of Kate Middleton, a royal expert has said their relationship mirrors that of Kate and her own mother Carole.
“Kate and Charlotte are great friends and I think to Kate, their bond is very precious,” Royal biographer Ingrid Seward told The Mirror.
“The mother-daughter relationship is obviously particularly important to Kate because she has such a close relationship with her own mother.”
Seward substantiated her opinion by referring to the pair’s appearance at Trooping the Colour last month, where they seemed close.
Prince Harry award petition reachers 70,000 signatures
Tuesday 9 July 2024 09:30
Emma Guinness
A petition calling for American sporting network ESPN to “rethink” its decision to give Prince Harry an award for veterans has reached 70,000 signatures.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, is set to receive the Pat Tillman Award for his work with the Invictus Games, but tens of thousands of people have argued that there are more deserving recipients.
ESPN has defended its decision in light of the controversy, hailing the “incredible” work of the games, which just celebrated its 10th anniversary.
The Change.org petition reads: “Prince Harry, while a former military officer, has been involved in controversies that call into question his suitability to receive an honour of this magnitude.
“He has faced accusations of endangering his squadron by publicly revealing military kills. The Prince also allegedly targeted his own father, Prince Charles, during a flyover.
“More recently, his role in the Invictus games, a platform meant to celebrate the resilience and dedication of veterans, has been criticized as self-centred.”
Princess Charlotte ‘taking care’ of Kate Middleton
Tuesday 9 July 2024 08:27
Emma Guinness
Princess Charlotte is reported to be “taking care” of her mother the Princess of Wales as she continues her cancer treatment.
The young royal, nine, is said to be “protective” of Kate, 42, at this difficult time.
Royal biographer Ingrid Seward told The Mirror: “I think that Charlotte is really taking care of her mum. It was quite sweet the way she [Charlotte] stood in front of her [on the Buckingham Palace balcony] and they kept chatting.
“Charlotte seems to be very full of admiration for her mother, which I think is a lovely thing, too.”
Prince Harry ‘needs to think deeper’ about accepting awards, expert claims
Tuesday 9 July 2024 08:00
Emma Guinness
Prince Harry “needs to think deeper” about the awards he accepts amid ongoing backlash over his receipt of the Pat Tillman Award, an expert has claimed.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, is set to receive the award for veterans this week for his work with the Invictus Games, but tens of thousands of people have signed a petition arguing that they are more deserving recipients.
“Unfortunately in the last five or six years he has entered a different world, a false world of showbiz premieres, easy money and distorted media interviews and he has lost his common touch,” Royal expert Phil Dampier told the MailOnline.
“He should have realised, or certainly his PR people should have realised, that this award would look out of place and annoy some veterans and their families, and there would be a backlash.
“He needs to learn from this experience and take stock and think much deeper in future about what baubles and prizes he accepts.
“It’s easy to blame Meghan for keeping him away from his old friends and contacts but ultimately it’s down to him.”
Prince Harry held back in memoir to avoid upsetting Prince William and King Charles
Tuesday 9 July 2024 06:00
Emma Guinness
Prince Harry reportedly had enough material to write two memoirs but chose to cut down what he said in Spare to avoid upsetting Prince William and King Charles.
The repercussions from Harry’s 2023 memoir are still ongoing as they have led to a review of his US visa application following his revelations about prior drug use.
Donald Trump said that if he is reelected and it emerges that the Duke lied on his application, he will be treated “like any other citizen”.
“It could have been two books, put it that way,” he told The Telegraph.
“And the hard bit was taking things out. There are some things that have happened, especially between me and my brother, and to some extent between me and my father, that I just don’t want the world to know. Because I don’t think they would ever forgive me.”
Concern as Harry and Meghan’s Netflix contract runs out next year
Tuesday 9 July 2024 04:00
Emma Guinness
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s $100 million deal with Netflix is set to come to an end next year and this could spell trouble for the royal family, one commentator has claimed.
“Netflix are no longer producing the series of The Crown, as they previously were. They might therefore have less interest in the Sussexes,” Richard Fitzwilliams told the Mirror.
“If they lost this contract, with Archewell, their business and charitable foundation, having so few donors, they might well be in financial trouble.
“Since their exposes of royal life has made megabucks, but little else has made money, the Royal Family better hope that this unpredictable and ruthlessly ambitious couple stays with Netflix.”
The revelation comes amid the news that Meghan has just finished filming a cooking programme for the platform.
Harry and Meghan signed the five-year deal with the streaming service after stepping down as working royals in 2020.
Queen Camilla wants King Charles ‘to be proud of her'
Tuesday 9 July 2024 02:00
Emma Guinness
Queen Camilla has been praised for her hard work amid the royal family’s recent health troubles.
As the Queen Consort approaches her 77th birthday, she has been praised for taking on a large number of engagements later in life as “a woman who has never had to knuckle down to a solid career or the slog of a 9 to 5 job.”
“Camilla is certainly rocking it as she approaches her 77th birthday,” former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond told OK! magazine.
“I think she might have surprised herself by enjoying hard work as much as she seems to be doing!
“She is, after all, a woman who has never had to knuckle down to a solid career or the slog of a 9 to 5 job.
“She has shouldered a sharply increased workload and a massive amount of responsibility in the past few months – and is looking and sounding great on it!
“I think part of it is because she so much wants the man she loves to be proud of her, and to pull her weight in their partnership.”
Harry and Meghan’s Canada trip could ‘jeopardise’ the Commonwealth
Tuesday 9 July 2024 00:00
Emma Guinness
Concerns are growing ahead of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s trip to Canada in February of next year.
According to a source, there are fears about the potential impact any negative statements about the Commonwealth could have on the 56 member states.
The couple are set to visit to attend the the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler in February 2025.
“Harry and Meghan haven’t exactly been very supportive in the past,” the “well placed” source told The Express.
“This trip has been flagged as of great importance over fears that any negative sentiments made about the union during their visit could jeopardise the Commonwealth.
“It’s even been discussed that it might be beneficial to get Harry and Meghan back on side in case there are any incidents that occur while they are promoting the Invictus Games.”
Canada joined the British Commonwealth as an independent state in 1931.
Royal family calls for more community volunteers
Monday 8 July 2024 22:00
Emma Guinness
The royal family has encouraged people to volunteer in their local community.
Sharing a picture of Queen Ca
