Michael Moran

Royal commentator Jennie Bond says Prince William remains deeply hurt and angry with Prince Harry after Harry's memoir Spare disclosed family secrets. Although Harry appears to have improved his relationship with King Charles III and plans to spend more time in the UK, the brothers are not known to have spoken since 2022. Their estrangement could become more difficult to sustain as Harry reconnects with their father, with next year's Princess Diana memorial events and the Invictus Games potentially creating pressure for a public reunion.

Food expert Jerry James Stone explains that butter can be kept at room temperature for two to three weeks if it is pasteurised, salted and stored in an airtight, light‑blocking container in a kitchen kept below 21°C. He advises avoiding raw butter, using clean utensils to prevent contamination and refrigerating butter in warmer environments. He recommends discarding butter if it smells or tastes off.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle held a private family meeting with King Charles at Highgrove, attended by Queen Camilla, whose presence was described as significant due to past tensions with Harry. The gathering marked the first time the couple’s children had seen their grandfather since 2022, amid disputes between Harry’s team and Buckingham Palace over accommodations and security. Meghan avoided public engagements due to security concerns. Figures involved with the Invictus Games defended Harry’s continued leadership and commitment despite the distractions during the visit.

Debbie Dawtrey, who moved from Buckden in Cambridgeshire to run a small hotel in Confolens, France, says the busy summer season contrasts with lonely winters and that social isolation is one of the hardest parts of expat life. She has built a wider social circle by organising a supper club for fellow expatriates and advises newcomers to make a sustained effort to meet people. The article also highlights Kate Ferdinand’s homesickness after moving to Dubai with Rio Ferdinand and their younger children, while Rio’s older sons remained in the UK to pursue football careers.

Royal historian Ed Owens says Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's quickest route to some public redemption could be cooperating with US authorities and explaining what he knew about Jeffrey Epstein. Such testimony could carry personal risks, while US Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi has urged Andrew to testify before Congress, potentially under subpoena. Andrew continues to deny wrongdoing. Buckingham Palace is reportedly keen to keep him out of public view, and although he remains eighth in line to the throne, there are currently no government plans to alter the succession because doing so could provoke constitutional controversy in Commonwealth countries.

King Charles III reportedly prefers practical gardening gifts for his birthday, including trees, shrubs, roses, plants and benches for his royal gardens. Former butler Grant Harrold and royal gardener Jack Stooks say gardening is the King's principal passion. The article recalls gifts from Elton John, Pierce Brosnan and Trudie Styler, and Sting, while describing Charles's hands-on work at Highgrove and his long-standing interest in horticulture.

Prince William says he wants to create a healthier, more positive future for his children and avoid returning to practices from the past that he and Prince Harry experienced while growing up. In an interview with Eugene Levy for Apple TV's The Reluctant Traveler, he says the prospect of becoming king no longer overwhelms him, although family-related pressures remain difficult. William discusses the impact of Catherine, Princess of Wales's cancer diagnosis, his concern about the potential effects on their children, and the family's open approach to discussing distressing events.

Fern Britton speculated on a podcast that Prince William may envy Prince Harry and Meghan Markle because they can offer their children greater privacy than William and Catherine can provide their own children. She discussed the contrasting public styles of Queen Camilla and Queen Elizabeth II, praised Camilla's support for King Charles III during his cancer treatment, and expressed sympathy for Princess Diana, while also saying Diana might have been angry that Harry and Meghan left royal life for the United States.

John Davidson, who has severe Tourette syndrome, recalled involuntarily swearing and making alarming statements while receiving an MBE from Queen Elizabeth II in 2019. He said the Queen responded with the calmness and kindness of his grandmother. Davidson, whose condition was highlighted by the BBC documentary John's Not Mad, later faced stigma but became an advocate through education and work with Tourette organizations. His experiences are also documented in his book and film, both titled I Swear.

Prince Andrew could theoretically lose both his Dukedom and title as Prince if Parliament passed legislation that received royal assent. The possibility is being discussed amid renewed allegations in Andrew Lownie's forthcoming book, continuing scrutiny of Andrew's association with Jeffrey Epstein and Yang Tengbo, questions about his conduct as an international trade envoy, and disputes over Royal Lodge. Andrew has already lost military honours and royal patronages, stopped using his HRH title officially and had his personal allowance withdrawn by King Charles III. Royal historian Christopher Wilson predicts Prince William would take a tougher approach if he became king, while Buckingham Palace declined to comment.

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, is being considered by royal commentators as a possible replacement or supplement for duties previously associated with Prince Harry and Meghan. Despite undertaking more than 200 engagements a year and supporting over 70 charities, her work receives limited media coverage. Commentators argue that Sophie and Prince Edward could help support Prince William and Catherine while King Charles and the Princess of Wales face health concerns, although Palace communication has hindered publicity for Sophie's activities.

Residents of Tetbury, near King Charles III’s Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, say seasonal visitors to the gardens create severe parking problems from April to October. Locals report paying up to £640 a year for permits while struggling to find spaces, with limited provision for large tourist coaches and no designated spaces for some permit holders. Newly elected councillor Laura Hall-Wilson is seeking talks with Cotswold District Council and other local authorities about the permit costs, electric-vehicle charger placement and broader parking arrangements. Highgrove representatives had not responded.

A February 2018 appearance involving Prince William, Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and Catherine, Princess of Wales is presented as an early public sign of tensions between the two couples. William’s joking reply, “Oh, yes!”, to a question about disagreements is reinterpreted by royal commentators as evidence of underlying conflict. The article links the strain to alleged concerns about Meghan’s treatment of staff, Catherine feeling overshadowed, and disagreements over the Royal Foundation’s priorities. A later 2018 meeting at Kensington Palace failed to restore the “Fab Four” partnership, which was followed by the couples’ retreat from joint appearances and, eventually, Harry and Meghan’s decision to step back from senior royal duties.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla stayed on UK time during their two-day visit to Canada to avoid adjusting to the five-hour time difference, allowing them to maintain a demanding schedule despite their age and Charles’s ongoing cancer treatment. The couple attended community events, planted a tree at Rideau Hall, met Prime Minister Mark Carney, addressed the Canadian Senate and visited the National War Memorial. Charles’s speech was presented as a pointed signal against Donald Trump’s suggestions of annexing Canada and as evidence of a more politically assertive monarchy than that of the late Queen Elizabeth II.

King Charles III is expected to use his first visit to Canada as reigning monarch, including a speech at the state opening of Parliament, to affirm Canada’s sovereignty amid Donald Trump’s repeated suggestions that the country should become the 51st US state. Canadian and British commentators say the visit presents Charles with a diplomatic challenge because the UK has also invited Trump for a second state visit, a decision that has angered many Canadians. The King is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Mark Carney and other officials in Ottawa on May 26–27, with hopes that his speech will help ease tensions and reinforce Canada’s independence.

Commentator Charlotte Griffiths speculates that Kate Middleton deliberately wore a £1,340 Victoria Beckham khaki trouser suit as a coded gesture of support for Victoria Beckham amid reports of a feud between Victoria and David Beckham and their son Brooklyn and his wife Nicola Peltz Beckham. Kensington Palace’s stated explanation is that the outfit supported British designers at the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design. The story also reports claims that Nicola and Brooklyn have formed a friendship with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, who allegedly hosted them at their Montecito home.

During Queen Elizabeth II's 2014 visit to the Vatican with Prince Philip, Pope Francis gave Prince George a lapis lazuli orb bearing the cross of Edward the Confessor. The Queen joked that George would be thrilled with it when he was older. The exchange also included medals, photographs and a hamper of produce from the royal estates, and was presented as reflecting improving relations between the British monarchy, the Church of England and the Catholic Church.

During a four-day state visit to Italy, King Charles III and Queen Camilla received personalised jars of Nutella from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Charles’s jar was labelled “Carlo,” the Italian version of his name, prompting commentary that the nickname could be adopted in Britain. The tour also included a meeting with Pope Francis, a state dinner hosted by President Sergio Mattarella, and a speech to the Italian parliament. Palace officials said the enthusiastic public response demonstrated the UK’s soft power and strengthened bilateral interests.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla reportedly have strong disagreements, particularly over Charles taking on too much work during his cancer treatment. Friends and Camilla's sister Annabel Elliot say their longstanding friendship, shared humour and affection help resolve arguments, and describe their marriage as loving and resilient.

King Charles III’s decision to be unusually open about his cancer treatment has placed the monarchy in what royal experts describe as “uncharted waters.” Buckingham Palace said temporary treatment side effects led to a short period of hospital observation, after which the King cancelled some engagements and recovered at Highgrove. Richard Eden suggested Queen Camilla would prefer him to reduce his workload, while Rebecca English noted that the King is balancing transparency with privacy by withholding the type of cancer. Charles has since resumed public duties and remains determined to fulfil planned engagements, including a visit to Italy.

Former royal butler Paul Burrell claims that Prince Harry's sensitivity about being the “spare” began in childhood when Prince William was given an extra sausage because he was expected to become king. Other commentators describe Harry as friendly but privately conflicted about his secondary royal role. The report also links Harry's later break with royal traditions to Meghan Markle's opposition to bloodsports and aristocratic social circles, contrasting their modern California life with the royal family's traditional practices.

Actor Christopher Biggins recalled accompanying Princess Diana to Liza Minnelli’s Albert Hall performance, where Diana said her sons William and Harry were the most important things in her life. Biggins also said Diana’s relationship with Dodi Fayed was only a summer fling, argued that falling in love with her husband was her biggest mistake, and criticized the honours system for failing to recognize his charity fundraising.

Kate Middleton and Prince William are reportedly taking an unconventional approach to Prince George’s future education. Although William and Harry attended Eton, the Prince and Princess of Wales have chosen Marlborough College, where Catherine had a positive experience, and are expected to send Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte there as well. Royal expert Charlotte Griffiths says the couple prioritizes a happy, well-rounded and relatively normal childhood for their children, with consultants also hired to help identify the most suitable school for the future king.

King Charles III has reportedly received a Lagotto Romagnolo puppy as a private gift after more than 20 years without a dog. He named the truffle-hunting breed Snuff, reportedly because of his interest in mushroom foraging. Camilla has also recently adopted Moley, a mixed-breed rescue puppy from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, following the death of her Jack Russell, Beth, in November.

Former royal aide Jason Knauf described Prince William's emotional distress after learning that both Catherine, Princess of Wales, and King Charles III had cancer within weeks of each other. William was also reportedly troubled by online conspiracy theories about Catherine's temporary withdrawal from public life while he and Catherine considered how to explain the situation to their children, George, Charlotte and Louis. Knauf said William's own difficult childhood in the media heightened his concern about protecting his children from social media speculation. He also shared a lighter detail, saying Catherine evidently approves of William's beard.

Queen Camilla reportedly encourages a weary King Charles to stay for one more photograph by telling him, “Come on, darling.” Royal expert Roya Nikkhah describes her as helping ensure royal events receive favorable photographic coverage, while biographer Penny Junor portrays Camilla as warm, humorous and unafraid to challenge Charles. The article also recounts Camilla’s reported reluctance to become queen and her frustration with royal protocol, contrasting it with her strong personal bond and friendship with the King.