King Charles is celebrating his 76th birthday, marking the occasion with a visit to a surplus food festival.
The King is treating the day as a normal working one and carrying on with his duties despite facing a personally challenging year in which both he and the Princess of Wales were diagnosed with cancer.
The monarch will open the first two Coronation Food Hubs on the first anniversary of the launch of his Coronation Food Project, designed to bridge the gap between food need and food waste in the UK amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Charles will attend the event solo, with the Queen, who had hoped to join him, still recovering from a chest infection.
Last night, the King, in black tie, walked the red carpet, meeting stars Denzel Washington, Paul Mescal and Pedro Pascal at the glitzy global premiere of Gladiator II.
On Wednesday afternoon, he hosted a special celebrity reception at Buckingham Palace in honour of the UK’s film and television industry, where he and Camilla, who attended for part of the event, chatted with a host of famous faces including actors Damian Lewis, Emily Mortimer and Lucien Laviscount, and Gladiator director Sir Ridley Scott.
Latest Royal Family News
- King to celebrate film and TV industry and meet stars at Gladiator II premiere
- Kate’s carol concert to return on Christmas Eve as Kate hosts first event since cancer diagnosis
- Queen Camilla to return to public duties
- Beloved Harry Potter star to receive royal honours
King celebrates 76th birthday with day out on official duties
09:10
Jabed Ahmed
The King is celebrating his 76th birthday, marking the occasion with a visit to a surplus food festival.
Charles is treating the day as a normal working one and carrying on with his duties despite facing a personally challenging year in which both he and the Princess of Wales were diagnosed with cancer.
The monarch will open the first two Coronation Food Hubs on the first anniversary of the launch of his Coronation Food Project, designed to bridge the gap between food need and food waste in the UK amid the cost-of-living crisis.
He will head to Deptford in south London to formally unveil the first hub, tour the centre with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and attend the surplus food festival being staged to celebrate the royal visit, before virtually opening another hub in Merseyside.
The event will be a solo one for Charles, with the Queen, who had hoped to join him, still recovering from a nasty chest infection.
Pictured: King celebrates film and TV industry at Buckingham Palace
09:04
Jabed Ahmed
Princess of Wales shares behind-the-scenes glimpse of Christmas carol concert arrangements
Wednesday 13 November 2024 18:01
Jabed Ahmed
Dame Imelda Staunton says she ‘absolutely adored’ playing Queen Elizabeth II
Wednesday 13 November 2024 17:02
Jabed Ahmed
Actress Dame Imelda Staunton has said she “absolutely adored” portraying the late Queen Elizabeth II as she received her royal title at Windsor Castle.
The 68-year-old, who earned Bafta TV and Golden Globe nominations for the role in Netflix’s hit drama The Crown, was honoured for her services to drama and charity by the Prince of Wales on Tuesday.
Asked if it felt surreal to be recognised with her damehood by Charles in the King’s Birthday Honours having played his mother, Dame Imelda told the PA news agency: “They’re two very different worlds and you have to sort of get serious about that and go, ‘We were on the television and this is for real’.
“[William and I] didn’t talk about that, but it was a huge privilege. That was two years of filming, and I absolutely adored it.
“It was of course devastating when Her Majesty died – we were filming as well, it was tricky.”
Dame Imelda starred as the former monarch in the fifth and sixth series of the royal drama, following in the footsteps of Claire Foy and Olivia Colman – who played younger versions of Queen Elizabeth II.
She said she was “inconsolable for quite some time” after the Queen’s death, and that subsequent filming of The Crown was “very strange”.
Pictured: Queen Camilla at Booker Prize reception
Wednesday 13 November 2024 16:01
Jabed Ahmed
ICYMI: ‘I think I’m on the mend’: Queen attends Booker Prize reception after illness
Wednesday 13 November 2024 15:02
Jabed Ahmed
The Queen said she is “getting much better” as she arrived at a Booker Prize reception in her first public engagement since falling ill with a chest infection.
Camilla congratulated shortlisted authors at Clarence House on Tuesday afternoon and the winner of the prestigious literary prize will be announced in the evening.
It is her first public engagement since she contracted the seasonal bug following her long-haul tour to Australia and Samoa two-and-a-half weeks ago.
The Queen was greeted in the Garden Room by chief executive of the Booker Prize Foundation, Gaby Wood, and chair of the 2024 judges, Edmund de Waal.
She shook their hands and told Ms Wood: “I’m obviously getting much better. A bit of sort of coughing going on.”
“I really wanted to come,” Camilla added.
Wednesday 13 November 2024 13:58
Jabed Ahmed
Rebecca Ferguson has said it is “so easy to forget yourself” in the entertainment industry as she was recognised with a royal honour at Windsor Castle.
The Liverpool-born singer-songwriter finished runner-up on The X Factor in 2010 but has turned more towards activism in recent years.
She was made an MBE by the Prince of Wales on Tuesday for her services to the music industry, having campaigned for the introduction of the new regulatory body for the sector to ensure artist welfare.
Ferguson likened her experience of finding her way in the music industry after The X Factor, where she finished behind winner Matt Cardle, with boy band One Direction third, to the character Pip in Charles Dickens’ novel Great Expectations.
The real reason why King Charles doesn’t own a phone
Wednesday 13 November 2024 13:01
Jabed Ahmed
Following her death, royal insiders disclosed that although the late queen detested smartphones, she did have one available to her.
King Charles, however, is not interested in carrying on the custom of royals using mobile phones.
The King doesn't have a phone, according to Hello!, since he has a vast army of staff members ready to connect him to anyone at any time.
Queen Elizabeth was also known for her fondness of classic landlines, however, it has been reported she only answered the phone when her daughter, Princess Anne, and racing manager John Warren called.
King to celebrate film and TV industry and meet stars at Gladiator II premiere
Wednesday 13 November 2024 11:47
Jabed Ahmed
The King is celebrating the UK’s film and television industry at a special reception in Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, before a night out at the star-studded Gladiator II premiere.
Charles will welcome directors, actors, TV presenters, stunt performers and costume designers to the historic royal residence in London.
At his side for part of the event will be the Queen, but Camilla is not expected to stay for the whole engagement with her diary adjusted this week to aid her recovery from a chest infection.
On the eve of his 76th birthday, the King will later make a solo outing to the glitzy global premiere of the highly anticipated Gladiator sequel at the Odeon Luxe in London’s Leicester Square after Camilla pulled out of attending the red carpet affair.
Charles will meet the film’s stars including Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen and Pedro Pascal, and director Sir Ridley Scott.
Watch: Queen opens up on tearful turning point that sparked domestic abuse campaigning
Wednesday 13 November 2024 10:51
Jabed Ahmed
Princess of Wales carol concert to return on Christmas Eve as Kate hosts first event since cancer diagnosis
Wednesday 13 November 2024 09:49
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It’s time for the royal family to come clean on their finances
Tuesday 12 November 2024 14:00
Alexander Butler
What Donald Trump’s presidency could mean for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle amid US visa row
Tuesday 12 November 2024 12:48
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Pictured: Imelda Staunton with royal honours
Tuesday 12 November 2024 12:17
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Kate Middleton: A timeline of the princess’s year so far, from cancer diagnosis to royal return
Tuesday 12 November 2024 11:58
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Queen to attend Booker Prize reception
Tuesday 12 November 2024 11:15
Alexander Butler
The Queen is attending a Booker Prize reception at Clarence House on Tuesday, but will meet guests for a shorter period than planned.
Camilla will also still attend a Palace reception with the King on Wednesday to celebrate the TV and film industry, but she is not expected to be present for the entirety of the engagement.
She has also pulled out attending the star-studded Gladiator II premiere on Wednesday evening. The changes to her diary are understood to have been made to protect and prioritise her continued recovery, with royal doctors keen to prevent any setback from a nasty seasonal illness.
Queen Camilla to return to public duties
Tuesday 12 November 2024 11:03
Alexander Butler
The Queen will return to public duties today after her chest infection but will miss the Gladiator II premiere on Wednesday to aid her recovery, a royal source said.
Camilla missed the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday, as well as Remembrance Sunday as she recovered from the illness.
Queen opens up on tearful turning point that sparked domestic abuse campaigning
Tuesday 12 November 2024 10:53
Alexander Butler
Beloved Harry Potter star and Duran Duran rocker to receive royal honours at Windsor Castle
Tuesday 12 November 2024 10:17
Alexander Butler
The beloved Harry Potter star Imelda Staunton and Duran Duran singer Simon Le Bon are among those set to receive royal honours at Windsor Castle.
Dame Imelda, who portrayed Dolores Umbridge in the fantasy series, as well as portrayed the late Queen Elizabeth II in Netflix drama The Crown, will receive her title for services to drama and charity on Tuesday.
Le Bon, whose hit songs include Rio and Hungry Like The Wolf, said he was “thrilled” to be made an MBE for his services to music and charity.
A list of Honours, recognising outstanding achievements, personal bravery and services to the UK and British Overseas Territories, is published twice a year by the Cabinet Office.
The presentation of the award insignia - or medals - however, happens at Investitures all throughout the year.
Health crises and conspiracy theories: How 2024 became Prince William’s ‘annus horribilis’
Tuesday 12 November 2024 08:00
Jabed Ahmed
William has spoken candidly about the royal family’s major health scares, saying 2024 has “probably been the hardest year in my life” and a “dreadful” experience.
Both his father, King Charles and his wife, Kate, were diagnosed with cancer this year - putting considerable strain on the royals both mentally and physically.
As he attended the awards ceremony for his Earthshot Prize in Cape Town, William was asked to reflect on the year as it comes to a close by reporters, in which he said: “Honestly? It’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year in my life.”
He added: “So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult.
“But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.”
Kate Middleton: A timeline of the princess’s year so far, from cancer diagnosis to royal return
Tuesday 12 November 2024 06:00
Jabed Ahmed
Watch: Princess of Wales joins King at major Remembrance event
Tuesday 12 November 2024 04:00
Jabed Ahmed
King ‘cuts financial ties to disgraced Prince Andrew after refusal to move out of home’
Tuesday 12 November 2024 02:00
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Charles and William face calls to dissolve private estates and back out of lucrative NHS deal
Monday 11 November 2024 23:59
Jabed Ahmed
King Charles is facing calls to dissolve his lucrative private estates and refund the cash-strapped NHS after it emerged he is making millions from renting out ambulance parking spaces and sub-standard properties.
The monarch and Prince William have sparked uproar after it was revealed they are benefiting from rental deals with public services – including the armed forces and state schools – on their private estates, the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall.
The two estates earned the royals upwards of £50m in the last financial year, with both being exempt from paying corporation tax or capital gains tax.
Charles has been asked to reconsider an £11.4m deal struck by the Duchy of Lancaster last year to store a fleet of electric ambulances, owned by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London, in one of the estate’s warehouses for 15 years.
Campaigners described the deal as “disgraceful” and a “money-grabbing activity” which ought to be reconsidered by the King.
Late Queen’s final diary entry written two days before death revealed
Monday 11 November 2024 23:02
Jabed Ahmed
Watch: Tom Parker Bowles gives his verdict on the cooking of his mother, the Queen
Monday 11 November 2024 22:01
Jabed Ahmed
Harry praises veterans for ‘vital role in defending the values of liberty, freedom, and security'
Monday 11 November 2024 21:01
Jabed Ahmed
The Duke of Sussex praised veterans’ for having played a “vital role in defending the values of liberty, freedom, and security”, saying: “These values bind us together and have shaped you as leaders and role models.”
He added: “As you continue to serve making valued contributions to communities, colleagues, households and all those we love my hope is that our communities will continue to serve your needs too.
“Your contributions do not stop because you no longer wear the uniform, and the collective sense of appreciation for what you have done for your countries should not stop either.
“Let today be a reminder that the true measure of gratitude is not in words alone, but in our actions and our ongoing efforts to build a world worthy of the sacrifices that those before us have made and to protect it for generations to come.
“To all those who have served – past and present – I offer my deepest respect and thanks. Your service has made a lasting, positive impact for our communities, our nations, and our shared future.
“I am honored to stand with you.”
Harry pays tribute to veterans in rare statement
Monday 11 November 2024 20:31
Jabed Ahmed
The Duke of Sussex has paid tribute to veterans, reaffirming his “lifelong admiration and appreciation” for their “service and sacrifice”.
Former soldier Harry released a rare statement on Monday, marking Remembrance Day in the UK and Veterans Day in the US.
He said: said: “My Fellow Veterans, As we mark both Veterans Day and Remembrance Day, I reaffirm my lifelong admiration and appreciation for the service and sacrifice you and your families have made – both in times of conflict and peace.
“You have played a vital role in defending the values of liberty, freedom, and security. These values bind us together and have shaped you as leaders and role models.
“At a time of global uncertainty, remember the unity and purpose that defined your service, and do not hesitate to put that into action in your communities. That same spirit should guide all of us in facing today’s challenges.
“Your example and morality demonstrate that true power lies in our ability to unite and confront the obstacles before us.”
What we know so far about the Queen’s chest infection
Monday 11 November 2024 19:31
Jabed Ahmed
The Queen has been forced to withdraw from her engagements and is resting at home after being diagnosed with a chest infection.
Chest infections – an infection of the lungs or large airways – are common, especially after a cold or flu during autumn and winter.
Most chest infections are mild and clear up on their own, others can be severe and sometimes even life threatening.
Camilla, 77, is understood to be under doctors’ supervision.
The main types of chest infections are bronchitis and pneumonia.
According to NHS Inform, most bronchitis cases are caused by viruses while most pneumonia cases are due to bacteria.
If The Queen has been diagnosed with a bacterial chest infection, then she will be treated with antibiotics.
Queen Camilla spotlights voices of domestic abuse survivors in powerful new documentary
Monday 11 November 2024 18:29
Jabed Ahmed
King Charles death plan codename upgraded to ‘Operation London Bridge’, claims biography
Monday 11 November 2024 17:31
Jabed Ahmed
The codename for the plan triggered in the event of King Charles’s death has officially been upgraded to ‘Operation London Bridge’, the same as his mothers, according to a new book.
While the plan for the immediate days following his death including how the public will be informed, the lying-in-state and the funeral service will long have been established under standard royal protocol, it is the codename that has now been upgraded.
In New King, New Court Charles III: The Inside Story, Robert Hardman gives new details of the plan. “The King’s own valedictory arrangements have now, officially, been upgraded to Operation London Bridge, mirroring those of Elizabeth II,” Mr Hardman said.
These arrangements, which began shortly after his coronation, were described by former Royal Protection Officer Simon Morgan as “inevitable” particularly given the monarch’s age, 75.
Health crises and conspiracy theories: How 2024 became Prince William’s ‘annus horribilis’
Monday 11 November 2024 16:46
Jabed Ahmed
William has spoken candidly about the royal family’s major health scares, saying 2024 has “probably been the hardest year in my life” and a “dreadful” experience.
Both his father, King Charles and his wife, Kate, were diagnosed with cancer this year - putting considerable strain on the royals both mentally and physically.
As he attended the awards ceremony for his Earthshot Prize in Cape Town, William was asked to reflect on the year as it comes to a close by reporters, in which he said: “Honestly? It’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year in my life.”
He added: “So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult.
“But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.”
Pictured: Duchess of Edinburgh at National Memorial Arboretum Remembrance service
Monday 11 November 2024 16:14
Jabed Ahmed
What Donald Trump’s presidency could mean for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle amid US visa row
Monday 11 November 2024 15:30
Jabed Ahmed
Comment: It’s time for the royal family to come clean on their finances
Monday 11 November 2024 14:43
Jabed Ahmed
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle say ‘We are at a crossroads’ in video message
Monday 11 November 2024 14:01
Jabed Ahmed
Queen Camilla’s son reveals her kitchen secrets
Monday 11 November 2024 13:14
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The hidden message in Kate’s Remembrance Sunday outfit
Monday 11 November 2024 12:31
Jabed Ahmed
The Princess of Wales wore a traditionally sombre black outfit as she appeared at the Cenotaph war memorial for Remembrance Sunday.
Kate’s diamond and pearl drop earrings belonged to the late Queen and she wore her silver Queen’s Dragoon Guards brooch – in a nod to her role as the regiment’s Colonel-in-Chief – beneath three red poppies.
Some have suggested that each poppy represents a different branch of the military, while others have said that a cluster of flowers is simply more visible than a single one.
Another theory speculates Kate wears the poppy trio to honour her great-grandmother’s three brothers, who died in the First World War.
Watch: King Charles and Prince William lay wreaths at Remembrance Day Cenotaph ceremony
Monday 11 November 2024 11:43
Jabed Ahmed
ICYMI: Bereaved girl ‘proud’ to march on Remembrance Sunday for RAF father
Monday 11 November 2024 10:59
Jabed Ahmed
A teenage girl whose father died after serving in the RAF said she was “proud” to march past the Cenotaph to “honour” him on Remembrance Sunday.
Lexie Pallett, 16, marched with the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers, which supports hundreds of bereaved military children and young people.
Lexie, who also marched in 2022, said: “I’m immensely proud of me being here today, but I’m also proud of the fact that I’m here to honour my dad and honour the things that he did while he was in service.”
Her father Sergeant Oliver Pallett died in 2020 by suicide and Lexie joined the charity two months later.
Throughout her time at Scotty’s, Lexie and her family have been supported through respite breaks, emotional bereavement support, group events and grants to help towards their education and development.
Kate Middleton: A timeline of the princess’s year so far, from cancer diagnosis to royal return
Monday 11 November 2024 10:13
Jabed Ahmed
King to mark 76th birthday by opening food distribution hubs
Monday 11 November 2024 09:31
Jabed Ahmed
The King will open two hubs designed to save and circulate tonnes of surplus food as he marks his 76th birthday.
The opening of the distribution centres will also mark the first anniversary of the Coronation Food Project, an initiative to support charities feeding the nation with unwanted food.
Charles, who celebrates his birthday on Thursday, will open the initiative’s first two Coronation Food Hubs – one in person and one virtually.
It is hoped the hubs will help charities like FareShare and the Felix Project to support communities in need.
The hub the King is visiting will host a “surplus food festival”, with meals created from food which would otherwise have gone to waste.
Charles will tour the new facility, meeting beneficiaries and representatives of food banks, schools and community groups.
William to carry out duties with ‘smaller r in the royal’
Monday 11 November 2024 08:42
Jabed Ahmed
The Prince of Wales has defined his role as heir to the throne, saying he wants to carry out his duties with a “smaller r in the royal”.
William spelled out his philosophy at the end of a major visit to South Africa where he mixed the informal with traditional elements of the monarchy, and said he was trying to do things “differently” and wanted to be a prince for his “generation”.
The future king said what mattered to him was “impact philanthropy, collaboration, convening, and helping people” and stressed “empathy” was also important “because I really care about what I do”.
He said he hoped to carry out overseas tours with the Princess of Wales, who this autumn returned to royal duties after completing a course of cancer treatment.
The hidden message in Kate’s Remembrance Sunday outfit
Monday 11 November 2024 08:01
Athena Stavrou
The Princess of Wales wore a traditionally sombre black outfit as she appeared at the Cenotaph war memorial for Remembrance Sunday.
Kate’s diamond and pearl drop earrings belonged to the late Queen and she wore her silver Queen’s Dragoon Guards brooch – in a nod to her role as the regiment’s Colonel-in-Chief – beneath three red poppies.
Some have suggested that each poppy represents a different branch of the military, while others have said that a cluster of flowers is simply more visible than a single one.
Another theory speculates Kate wears the poppy trio to honour her great-grandmother’s three brothers, who died in the First World War.
Watch: King Charles and Prince William lay wreaths at Remembrance Day Cenotaph ceremony
Monday 11 November 2024 07:04
Athena Stavrou
Pictured: Royals pay tribute to war dead at Cenotaph
Monday 11 November 2024 06:00
Athena Stavrou
Emotional Kate reaches milestone in return to duty
Monday 11 November 2024 04:01
Athena Stavrou
An emotional Princess of Wales completed a milestone in her return to royal duties on Sunday, as she joined other members of the royal family at the Cenotaph.
The appearance marks the first time Kate has carried out commitments on two consecutive days since she was diagnosed with cancer at the beginning of the year.
Kate looked on at the Remembrance Sunday service as the King, who is still undergoing treatment for his own cancer diagnosis, led the nation in a two-minute silence to honour fallen servicemen and women.
Dressed in black as is the tradition, Kate wore a netted hat with her hair in a twisted chignon and a military-style coat featuring black epaulettes, which was embellished at the neck with a black velvet bow.
On the princess’s coat were three red poppies, often rumoured to be in honour of her great-grandmother’s three brothers, who all lost their lives in the First World War.
As the Queen was forced to stay at home after falling sick with a chest infection, Kate was instead joined by Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, as they oversaw the ceremony on the Foreign Office balcony.
Watch: Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch join Remembrance Sunday service
Monday 11 November 2024 02:01
Athena Stavrou
GB News condemned for going ‘off air’ with loud sustained beeping and adverts during Remembrance Day silence
Monday 11 November 2024 00:11
Athena Stavrou
TV channel GB News has faced criticism after seemingly going off air during the Remembrance Day two-minute silence.
Those watching GB News during the silence, which is held at 11am every Remembrance Sunday to honour members of the armed forces, were instead treated to an “off-air” test card, along with a sustained beeping sound.
After a minute of the test card appearing onscreen, and the accompanying beeping, the channel then went straight into advertisements.
Viewers criticised the incident on social media, with many noting the irony of it occurring on GB News, a right-leaning channel that has devoted significant airtime in recent weeks to the importance of Remembrance Day.
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