British Royals

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Posts Tagged diana

Is Earl Spencer Such a Mean Father?

Jul 31

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Earl Spencer with his first wife Victoria Lockwood and newborn daughter Kitty

Earl Spencer with his first wife Victoria Lockwood and newborn daughter Kitty

Controversy surrounding Princess Diana’s brother Charles Spencer (best known for the moving speech he gave during her funeral) as he battles a bitter divorce with his second wife Caroline.

Serial adulterer. Hypocrite. Bully. And a reputation, effortlessly acquired, for insensitivity bordering on the boorish. Earl Spencer has been accused of many things down the years. Sometimes it has seemed as if the Spencer name could hardly sink any lower. Maybe it can.

The reason for this observation can be found in the contents of a High Court writ served on the lawyers who represented him in his bitter divorce from his second wife Caroline, the mother of his children, Ned, six, and Lara, four.

Princess Diana’s brother is one of Britain’s wealthiest men, with a personal fortune of around £100 million. Yet, we now know he was unhappy about the amount of money that should be set aside to provide for his own flesh and blood.

Read the rest below…





Article: Daily Mail

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Prince Harry Evokes Memories of Diana

Jun 24

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Prince Harry carries on Princess Diana’s legacy with visit to Mozambique minefield


Thirteen years after Diana, Princess of Wales drew the world’s attention to the horrors of land mines, Prince Harry has rekindled her legacy with a visit to a minefield in Mozambique. The Prince spent two days learning about the work of the HALO Trust, the same British charity that the Princess so famously visited in Angola eight months before her death. The Daily Telegraph understands that the Prince is so passionate about the work of HALO that he is now considering taking on a formal role with the charity.

Both he and his brother, Prince William, have maintained a close interest in the charity’s work, and have wanted to visit the minefields “for years”, according to one Royal aide, who said the trip was “very much an opportunity for the Prince to follow in his mother’s footsteps”.

The private visit to the Cahora Bassa minefields in the Tete province was kept secret until the Prince had left Mozambique, partly because of fears it would overshadow the official tour of southern Africa he and Prince William undertook last week.

As well as meeting victims of landmine blasts, including a 14-year-old boy who lost a leg last year and a 50-year-old man who lost both eyes and one arm, the Prince was taught mine-clearing techniques and personally attached a detonator to a live mine before carrying out a controlled explosion from a safe distance.

Article: The Telegraph





Joker Harry: Our mad mum

Prince Harry has joked about his mum Diana’s madcap antics – and said: “Mad would be one word to describe her!” He made the comment when asked what the Princess would have made of the charity work he and elder brother William carry out in Africa.

Harry, 25, said: “Every day, whatever we do, wherever we are and whoever we’re with, I always wonder what she’d think – what she’d be doing – if she was with us now. If she’d be sitting here having a laugh, whether she’d be in the background sticking her tongue out – or whether she’d be playing football with the children.

“That’s what keeps us going every day – that thought of what she’d be like if she was around today.”

Article: The Sun

Is Harry growing up?

An analysis from Kira Cochrane from The Guardian, chronicling Prince Harry’s early scandals to his later maturing roles and actions.  Harry’s trip to Africa has shown a more mature and responsible side to the prince.

Article: The Guardian

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William & Harry’s Official African Tour – (Part 4)

Jun 20

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Click here for Day 1
Click here for Day 2
Click here for Day 3

Day 4, June 18, Cape Town

A paediatric hospital visit, and it’s off to a disappointing World Cup match…

Prince William and Prince Harry traveled to Cape Town hoping to see an England win after a disappointing opening 1-1 draw with the USA. The princes had predicted a victiory for England, with William urging the team to ‘win, win, win’. But sadly, it turned into a goalless draw against Algeria.

A professional lip reader  said Prince William branded England’s game “a mess.” Though when asked about England’s performance, William, who is president of the FA, spoke instead about the fans, praising them for the way they got behind their team, despite the booing towards the end. ‘You could hear the England fans over the vuvuzelas which is quite impressive because there is quite a noise from vuvuzelas,’ he said.

Prince Harry was similarly upbeat. “It was a draw, we can still top the group, which is fantastic news. We are all really looking forward to next week. A win is a win next week no matter how many we score. It would be nice to see the team really enjoying it and actually smiling and playing football, the football that we all know they can play.”

Article: Daily Mail | Mirror UK

Day 5, June 19, Johannesburg


David Beckham, Prince William and Prince Harry were all handsome smiles at a reception Saturday to back England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup.  Talking about the fan who managed to get into the team’s dressing room, William joked that he and Harry let the intruder in by leaving the door open.

Soon to Come: TV interview with the Princes…

Watch for a 30-minute interview with Prince William and Prince Harry for ITN, to be broadcast later this week.  Here’s a preview:

Prince Harry has revealed that he thinks about his late mother Princess Diana ‘every day’ – and wants to live in Africa because it is the only place on earth where he can truly be himself. Harry, who vowed when he was 18 that he would continue Diana’s humanitarian work with AIDS victims in Africa, also said that he knows his role in the hierarchy of the Royal Family: “supporting his slightly balding brother” Prince William.

The Princes used the 30-minute programme to talk about their love of Africa and the charity work they have been carrying out in some of the poorest countries in the world.

Article: Daily Mail

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Prince William & Kate Middleton Engagement Talk Continues

Jun 9

Posted by britishroyals in Kate Middleton*, Prince William, Princess Diana | 3 Comments

Prince William & Kate Middleton

Tina Brown, who in April told the world that June 3 and 4 had been pencilled for an engagement announcement between Prince William and girlfriend Kate Middleton, has this to say on why it didn’t happen:

She says Kate’s complaint over tennis pictures taken of her family over Christmas caused a rift between the couple, thus delaying the announcement.  According to Brown’s sources, William was furious over the pictures. He suspects someone Kate knows is tipping the paps off, and he wishes Kate were more upset about it.  The issue apparently became very heated that it delayed any engagment announcement possibly to November?

As usual, take this with a grain of salt.  Justifying our mistakes are we, Ms. Brown?  The Tanna suit started rolling in January.  William and Kate have gone skiing with the Middletons and were seen numerous times after.  I doubt such a distant event would impact any planned announcement.  More likely, there wasn’t any to begin with…

Article: The Daily Beast

Prince William & Kate Middleton to have a Wedding Just like Diana’s

I thought previous reports say they’re trying to make it as different from Charles and Diana’s wedding as possible!…

An insider told the Daily Express: “William is dedicating his wedding day to his mother. He’s heartbroken she can’t be there. Princess Diana talked about what she wanted her sons’ weddings to be like even when she was pregnant with them.”

Sources close to William and Kate say the couple are already planning a wedding that would make his mother proud – from the music and the floral arrangements to her advice on love. Following Diana’s wishes, William plans to propose to Kate with a sapphire ring he inherited from his mother. Kate is also expected to pay tribute to Diana’s famous wedding gown by David and Elizabeth Emanuel.

Article: The Express

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William & Kate’s New Life in the Welsh Countryside

Apr 17

Posted by britishroyals in Kate Middleton*, Prince William, Princess Diana | No Comments

It is more than an hour to the nearest chic shopping centre and a world away from glitzy West End nightclubs, but Kate Middleton is busy mapping out a new life living in the Welsh countryside. Kate’s future lies in a North Wales farmhouse where she and Prince William plan to spend a growing amount of time together in the next few months. It could even end up being their first marital home.

A friend of the couple tells Richard Palmer that, for the moment at least, Kate intends to continue working for her family’s Berkshire-based business, Party Pieces, but is likely to spend an increasing amount of time with William in North Wales, where he will be based as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot for the next 3 years. William moved into a farmhouse this week to allow him and Kate more privacy.

As a Flight Lieutenant co-pilot earning around £35,000 a year, Prince William will work 24-hour shifts, sleeping at his base when on duty.  He will work 3 of those 24-hour shifts in a 6-day period and in times of emergency, such as widespread flooding, could be on call the next day, meaning he will have to be within an hour of the base.

But there will be long periods off in each month, while at other times he will be doing routine training. Typically, he will work 7 or 8 shifts a month and normally no more than 10. The job has its dangers. Emergency calls can be treacherous in bad weather and William is likely to find himself in some challenging situations. But this is exactly why he choose RAF Valley and its challenging terrain.

Life in a secluded countryside might have its down side, but it may bring the privacy the couple yearns. While William will continue with his royal obligations, looks like we won’t be seeing too much ribbon-cutting for years to come.

Article: The Express

On a lighter note, here’s another Kate – Diana fashion comparison.  It’s definitely not new.  As usual, the papers probably just need something to fill their pages…

Article with side-by-side pictures: Kate Middleton takes style inspiration from Prince William’s late mother (Daily Mail)

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Royal News Bits: February 14, 2010

Feb 14

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Prince Harry Relaxes in the Caribbean

It wasn’t all work for Harry in his recent official visit to Barbados. Despite his recent Polo accident, he seemed to be having a great time fishing on his recent trip to the Caribbean. The article has pictures of him in his swim shorts. Article: Daily Mail

Prince William & Prince Harry to Narrate Documentary?

Princes William and Harry, patrons, are being lined up to narrate a documentary about the latest work of the Henry Van Straubenzee Memorial Fund. Katie Nicholl spoke to organizers while attending a fundraising party at Few and Far on the Brompton Road, which included guests Guy Pelly and his girlfriend Susanna Warren, and Astrid Harbord and her boyfriend James Rothschild. (Note: Astrid Harbord was once linked to Harry during his split with Chelsy). Article: Daily Mail

Princess Diana’s Letters Reveal Personal Details

More than 30 letters and cards written by the late Princess Diana were up for auction Saturday in London, revealing personal details such as how she liked to open presents early and that she had trouble coping with media attention. Article: CNN

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