British Royals

Archive for Prince Charles & Camilla

William & Kate Launch Charitable Gift Fund for Royal Wedding

Mar 16

Posted by britishroyals in Prince Charles & Camilla, Prince William, Prince William & Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge | 1 Comment

In what I think is a WONDERFUL gesture, Prince William & Kate Middleton have created a charitable gift fund to help celebrate their wedding.

Having been touched by the goodwill shown to them since their engagement, they have asked that anyone wishing to send them a wedding gift consider doing so in the form of a donation to the fund. The fund will focus on assisting charities which support the five causes close to couple’s hearts and reflect the experiences, passions and values of their lives so far.

A new website, the Prince William & Miss Catherine Middleton Charitable Gift Fund, has been launched. People can send their gifts through credit card, snail mail, telephone or mobile (UK numbers). You can simultaneously send a goodwill message to the couple with the gift. 26 smaller and underexposed charities with no royal patronage have been selected by William & Kate to benefit from your present.

For more details:
Prince William & Miss Catherine Middleton Charitable Gift Fund
Article explaining some of the charities chosen: Telegraph

Official news regarding the MUSIC for the Royal Wedding…

Apparently, previous reports saying James Blunt would be playing the organ in the Abbey are false (report here). He was joking, as confirmed by reps, and will NOT be playing. Instead, two choirs, one orchestra and two fanfare teams will perform the music at the Wedding Service of Prince William and Kate Middleton. They are:

  • The Choir of Westminster Abbey: made up of 20 boys & 12 professional adult singers
  • The Chapel Royal Choir: made up of 10 Children of the Chapel, boy choristers, & 6 Gentlemen-in-Ordinary professional singers. They do weekly services at St. James’s Palace
  • The London Chamber Orchestra: conducted by Mr Christopher Warren-Green, comprises 39 musicians
  • The Fanfare Team from the Central Band of the Royal Air Force: 7 musicians providing musical support to the Royal Air Force
  • The State Trumpeters of The Household Cavalry: musicians from both The Band of The Life Guards and The Band of The Blues and Royals.

Both Prince William and Kate Middleton have taken a great deal of interest and care in choosing the music for their Service, which will include a number of well-known hymns and choral works as well as some specially-commissioned pieces. They were spotted leaving the Abbey with Prince Charles the other week to listen to the choir and select the music.

Article: Official Royal Wedding Website

The Band of the Welsh Guards, who are said to play during the carriage ride back to Buckingham Palace and during William & Kate’s appearance on the balcony, has signed a £1m record contract to release the songs it will perform at the royal wedding. Article: BBC

For the Buckingham Palace reception hosted by the Queen, Prince Charles’ official harpist, 26-year-old Claire Jones, will play for the guests. Article: Daily Mail

SPOTTED: On Tuesday, while Prince William was jetting off to New Zealand to visit disaster areas, Kate Middleton joined her future in-laws – Prince Charles and Camilla – to see a ballet at the Royal Opera House.    The trio saw the final performance of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.  Kate sat in between Charles and Camilla.  A private outing, they were largely unnoticed during the performance.  It was only in the end when the cast turned to curtsy when the public knew of the royal audience.  Still waiting for pictures to surface…

Article: People

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Does the Queen Have Knee Problems?

Mar 5

Posted by britishroyals in HM The Queen & Duke, Prince Charles & Camilla, Prince Harry, Prince William, The Duchess of Cambridge | 1 Comment

Her Majesty is said to have given up horse riding, one of her favourite pastimes, due to chronic knee pain.

Reports say the condition has led to the installation of a £1 million lift at Sandringham in Norfolk. She is understood to need an operation that could require up to 4 months of recuperation. But her busy schedule in the coming months does not allow for it, and she is believed to be reluctant to scale back her duties.

It is the first time in eight years that the Queen has been revealed to have health concerns. In 2003 she had keyhole surgery twice to remove torn cartilage from each knee.

The Queen has a particularly busy few months ahead. In April, she will celebrate her 85th birthday. Later that month her grandson Prince William will tie the knot with Kate Middleton.

In May she will make a historic trip to Ireland – the first official tour of the republic by a British monarch. Then American president Barack Obama and his wife Michelle are to make a state visit.

In June, the Duke of Edinburgh will celebrate his 90th birthday, and it is thought that he and the Queen may visit Australia in the autumn.

If any surgery is necessary, it will likely come after summer. For the time being, Her Majesty has reportedly given up riding.

Article: Telegraph

Confirmed: Prince Harry postpones Dubai Trip

St James’ Palace confirmed that the trip on March 19 has been postponed because Prince Harry felt it “insensitive” given the situation in the region.

Official Palace statement: “Prince Harry was very much looking forward to the visit, but he feels it would be insensitive for him to participate in a sporting event at a time when there are matters of greater priority to focus on in the region. Prince Harry looks forward to other opportunities to visit Dubai in the future”

Article: Sky News

The Prince of Wales records a passage for YouTube Bible

The Prince of Wales has made his first exclusive broadcast on YouTube, with a reading from the King James Bible.

William & Kate News:

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The Rise of the Middletons

Mar 4

Posted by britishroyals in Prince Charles & Camilla, Prince William, Prince William & Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge, The Middleton Family | 3 Comments

Four generations ago, Kate Middleton’s ancestors on her mum’s side were coal miners.  When her great-grandfather left coal country some 90 years ago, who would have thought a great-granddaughter from such humble roots would become England’s future Queen?  Below is an interview of one of Kate’s relatives who still lives in northeast England.

Article: Associated Press


William & Kate News:

From Kate’s humble origins to her future home…  Spotlight on Anglesey, and how business and tourism have boomed since William & Kate’s royal visit.  At the same time, Kate’s hometown of Bucklebury in Berkshire is preparing a grand party for their favourite daughter.  On April 29, villagers will celebrate the Royal wedding with Morris dancing, a hog roast and duck racing!

For the evening reception at Buckingham Palace hosted by Prince Charles, the Sun reports that dance-worthy tracks are being prepared, and they include Abba, of which Kate is a fan.  And for William, there’s Spandau Ballet, Duran Duran and Culture Club.

And Harry is said to be preparing his best man speech, where he plans to rib William about their flying careers and his balding spot.  The married couple determined to make the evening reception a less formal event.  From the noon banquet hosted by the Queen, they’ll drive to St. James’ Palace to change into less formal attires before heading back to Buckingham Palace for the evening ball.

Article: The Sun

Photo: The Royal Mint

Charles & Camilla News:

Other Royal News:

On a side note, the official Royal Wedding website has received 200,000 visits within 8 hours of launch and almost 2 million page hits after over a day.

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Prince William’s Stag Party at Sea

Feb 23

Posted by britishroyals in Prince Charles & Camilla, Prince Harry, Prince William, Prince William & Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge | No Comments

Another scoop from The Sun’s Duncan Larcombe:

Prince William will have his stag party at sea – taking part in a variety of extreme watersports. Brother Harry is planning the bash at which Wills will let his hair down before marrying Kate Middleton in April.

The royal groom to be and 20 pals will enjoy a day of off-shore thrills and spills, racing speedboats and water-skiing. Then the party will go on an evening pub crawl – by boat. Harry held secret talks with one of Britain’s top watersports firms, which specialises in stag and hen parties. The firm, based on the South Coast, promises fun for clients of all ages and abilities. It has a range of equipment, including wakeboards, waterskis, ringos, wake skates and wake surf boards. The firm will also lay on a barbecue.

Booze is banned while stag groups are on the water. But the day ends with a trip up a nearby estuary to visit a string of pubs and restaurants accessible only by boat. The total cost of the bash is not anticipated to exceed £2,500. Wills and his party are expected to stay at a nearby country house belonging to a pal.

For William, it offers a perfect solution to the dilemma of how to mark the end of his bachelor days. The future king is determined to party before tying the knot with Kate, 29. But he fears a night out will be ruined by hangers-on or paparazzi.

A Clarence House spokesman said: “The stag party is an entirely private matter.”

Article: The Sun

Prince Charles Meets Cheryl Cole

Cheryl Cole with the Prince of Wales

Cheryl Cole met Prince Charles for tea at Clarence House to discuss her plans to help needy teenagers in her hometown of Newcastle through the Prince’s Trust.

Mrs Cole said: “I have always been a great admirer of the work of the Prince’s Trust with disadvantaged young people across the UK. It’s the perfect charity for my foundation to support. Too many young people grow up thinking no one cares and don’t believe they can make anything of themselves.  I want my Foundation to help them realise their potential and get their lives on track.”

Speaking about Cole meeting the Prince, a Clarence House spokesman said: “They were discussing the charitable work the Prince has done with the Prince’s Trust and (he was) sharing his experiences of the Trust over the last 35 years. She was talking about her aspirations and how she would like to contribute to that work in the North East.”

Article: Daily Mail

The Queen, Prince Charles & Prince William have all sent messages addressing the horrendous earthquake that hit Christchurch.

The next two days is expected to be royally abuzz as Prince William & Kate Middleton take on official engagements in Anglesey and St Andrews University in Scotland.


Other Royal News:

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Royal Wedding: Prince Harry for Best Man; Pippa for Maid of Honour

Feb 14

Posted by britishroyals in Chelsy Davy, Pippa & James Middleton, Prince Charles & Camilla, Prince Harry, Prince William, Prince William & Catherine, The Duchess of Cambridge | 4 Comments

St. James’ Palace announced today the official list of Prince William & Kate Middleton’s bridal party. No surprises.

Best Man: Prince Harry
Maid of Honour: Pippa Middleton

Bridesmaids:

  • The Lady Louise Windsor (Aged 7 – daughter of The Earl and Countess of Wessex)
  • The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones (Aged 8 – daughter of Viscount and Viscountess Linley)
  • Miss Grace van Cutsem (Aged 3 – daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh van Cutsem)
  • Miss Eliza Lopes (Aged 3 – daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Lopes)

Page boys:

  • Master William (Billy) Lowther-Pinkerton (Aged 10 – son of Mr. and Mrs. Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton)
  • Master Tom Pettifer (Aged 8 – son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Pettifer )

Miss Grace van Cutsem and Master Tom Pettifer are godchildren of Prince William.  Details about the Bridesmaids’ dresses and the Page Boys’ uniforms will be made available on the Wedding Day.  I think it’s a lovely touch that the page boys are sons of Prince William’s staff (private secretary Jamie and former nanny Tiggy Legg-Bourke Pettifer).  And poor Pippa will have a handful to manage!

Press Release: Clarence House
Article: Daily Mail

Future Official Royal Duties for William and Kate:

  • On Thursday, February 24, the couple will attend a naming ceremony and service of dedication of the Hereford Endeavour lifeboat at Trearddur Bay Lifeboat Station on Anglesey, where RAF rescue helicopter pilot William is based.
  • On Friday, February 25, the couple will return to Fife to launch St Andrews University’s 600th Anniversary programme. Prince William is also to take on the role of patron of St Andrews University’s 600th Anniversary appeal.  More details about their visit to St. Andrews.

Lovely to see them going back to the place where everything first started.


The Plot for Queen Camilla

Richard Kay, Princess Diana’s friend and the writer who last week wrote about Kate and Camilla’s lunch date, has this telling article about how, slowly, the Palace is considering the idea of Camilla becoming Queen.

During the time of her marriage to Prince Charles, the Palace has suggested that when the time comes, she wouldn’t be Queen, but instead Princess Consort.  This was to appease the public, who largely blamed her for Diana’s miserable life.

Now, as she gains increasing public acceptance, even affection, Camilla is looking more and more likely to be Queen.  We already know Prince Charles wants her to.  Recently, both Charles and Camilla have not denied it when asked on the spot.

After all, no one once believed that Camilla would live with Prince Charles.  Or that they would marry.  Time has been the Duchess of Cornwall’s constant ally.

Read the Article: Daily Mail

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