British Royals

100 Days to Go Till the Royal Wedding

Jan 19

Posted by britishroyals in Charles Davy, Chelsy Davy, Prince William, Princess Catherine | 2 Comments

It  seems like yesterday when Prince William and Kate Middleton surprised the world by announcing their engagement on one unsuspecting November morning.  Now the date (April 29) and the venue (Westminster Abbey) are set.  And we’re officially only 100 days to go till the biggest royal wedding of this generation!

Excitement is building across the globe.  Countdowns, exclusive websites and channel lineups announced.  Here is Hello! Magazine’s article about the 100-day mark and the preparations involved.  ITN has unveiled it’s Royal Wedding Youtube Channel.  Canada’s CTV launched TheRoyals.ca, with all the news about William and Kate.  America’s TLC announced a week-long royal-themed programming around the Royal wedding.  And indeed, this is only the beginning.

Other Royal Wedding Links of Interest:

Other Royal News:

Tags: , , ,

Chelsy Davy Parties the New Year Sans Harry

Jan 18

Posted by britishroyals in Chelsy Davy, Prince Harry, Prince William, Princess Catherine | No Comments

Prince Harry & Chelsy Davy, May 2010

At last, some new pictures of Chelsy! (From the Daily Mail)

Chelsy Davy, Prince Harry’s ex-girlfriend, was seen partying in Zimbabwe surrounded by admirers. Earlier reports suggested that the Prince would join his ex over the new year to try to work out the relationship. That didn’t happen, and it hasn’t stopped Chelsy from having a memorable New Year party.

Chelsy, wearing a daringly short fuchsia dress, began drinking from plastic jugs of what appeared to be punch at 9pm – and continued to dance, drink and smoke for seven hours. Several male friends were said to be ‘very protective’ of her, putting their arms around her shoulders. She finally left the event looking worse for wear with a group of friends at 4am.

A fellow partygoer said: “It was a wild party. Beer wasn’t doing the job so Chelsy and her friends switched to punch. She got at least three jugs, and smoked like a chimney.”

While Harry spent Christmas with the Queen at Sandringham, Norfolk, his ex went to the paradise island of Mauritius before flying to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe for the Falls Fest on December 30.

Harry and Chelsy ended their six-year relationship after she complained of being homesick and hating British weather, and moved back to Africa late last year.

Article & Pictures: Daily Mail

Hello!’s Judy Wade finds it quite curious why Harry and Chelsy broke up.  As she recalls, they looked very much in love during their reconciliation last year, when Harry was awarded his wings (pictured above).

Astonishingly, Chelsy’s relatives in Australia have once said: “Oh no!  Chelsy is not going to marry Harry. She has told us she definitely doesn’t want to. She doesn’t want that kind of life.”

Still, various officials at Buckingham Palace and Clarence House have also told Judy Wade they hoped Harry and his gorgeous girlfriend would one day follow William and Kate down the aisle.

Article: Hello Magazine

Just 100 Days till the Royal Wedding!

William & Kate News:

Tags: , , , , ,

Safety Fears for Prince Charles During Princess Diana’s Funeral

Jan 17

Posted by britishroyals in Carole & Mike Middleton, Pippa & James Middleton, Prince Charles & Camilla, Prince William, Princess Catherine, Princess Diana | 1 Comment

Prince William, Prince Harry & Prince Charles at Diana's funeral, 1997

Prince William was asked to walk behind the coffin of Princess Diana because of fears the Prince of Wales might be attacked, Alastair Campbell says. Mr Campbell, former Downing Street director of communications, makes the claim in extracts from his diaries published in the Guardian. He suggests the poignant image of the two young princes walking in the funeral cortege was manufactured in part to protect their father, who was facing a tidal wave of public anger over his treatment of Diana.

Mr Campbell says Prince William was initially reluctant to take up the high-profile role because he believed it was being done to appease the media. He was, at that time, “consumed by a total hatred of the media,” blaming them for Diana’s untimely death in the Paris car crash.  He was eventually persuaded to take part by aides of Prince Charles who convinced him that it was “what his mother would have wanted.”

Mr Campbell writes that the courtiers were divided as to whether the Prince of Wales should walk behind the coffin with his two sons.

‘Robin said if William did not do it then Charles couldn’t “for obvious and understandable reasons.  So he was back to proposing cars for the princes but Charles [Spencer] was against that.  They realised that if William doesn’t go behind the coffin, they have a real problem because Charles would have to go behind the coffin with Charles Spencer.  There is no way he can do this without the boys”‘, he said.

Article: Daily Mail | BBC News

More on the Royal Wedding

Kate Middleton is said to have finally decided on her wedding dress designer in the last few days.  We won’t, however, know about it until the wedding day (unless it gets leaked, which it likely will).  However bets are on Bruce Oldfield after Kate’s mum Carole and sister Pippa were spotted spending more than an hour in his London shop last Thursday.  Here is the Daily Mail’s article about the sighting.

Tags: , , , ,

Kate Middleton Has Picked Her Wedding Dress Designer

Jan 16

Posted by britishroyals in Carole & Mike Middleton, Pippa & James Middleton, Prince William, Princess Catherine, Zara Phillips & Mike Tindall | 3 Comments

From News of the World

It appears that princess-to-be Kate Middleton has picked the designer who will make her wedding dress, People Magazine reveals. The bad news is the identity of the couturier remains a secret — as is the couple’s wish.

But signs are pointing to Bruce Oldfield. Kate’s mum Carole and her sister Pippa were spotted heading to his store in the swanky Knightsbridge area of London. Photos published in the U.K.’s News of the World show mother and daughter strolling in the street and visiting Oldfield’s store after lunching at San Lorenzo restaurant.  They spent an hour and 20 minutes in the back of his shop.  Since it’s particularly difficult for Kate to arrange things publicly, it could be that her mum and sister and doing the running for her.

But no one is confirming.  A palace spokesman says, “It’s Miss Middleton’s intention to keep the dress a secret for her bridegroom on their wedding day, as is every bride’s prerogative.” Oldfield, a favorite of Princess Diana, has not commented on making a wedding gown for Middleton, but he said in a statement in December, “Kate has such a gorgeous figure that she would look stunning in anything.”

Article: People Magazine
Pics & Article: News of the World (paid site)

Charity Donations instead of Wedding Gifts for William & Kate

For the guests at Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton, it is something of a dilemma: what to buy the couple, who are likely to have everything they might ever need?

In a lovely and generous gesture, William and Kate will likely ask their wedding guests to donate to their favourite charities rather than buy them wedding presents.

“When the invitations are issued, they will have some kind of instruction on how to make a donation to a charity chosen by the couple,” says a senior royal aide. “They are still considering whether it will be just the foundation, or whether they will also pick individual charities and projects which they are linked with.”

The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry, which was established by the brothers in 2009 to help young people in society and raise awareness and support for servicemen and women, will be one of the charities listed in the couple’s invitations. Starlight, a charity supported by the Middletons which grants wishes to seriously and terminally ill children, is believed to be another organisation likely to benefit from the generous gesture.

Articles: The Telegraph | Daily  Mail

Other Royal Wedding News/Gossip:

Loved Up Zara Phillips & Mike Tindall

Newly engaged Zara Phillips and her rugby player fiancé Mike Tindall kissed and cuddled and appeared to be more in love than ever as they watched a steeplechase race in Gloucestershire. In addition, in a move which may be met by disapproval by the rest of the royal family, Tindall took the pair’s affection to the next level when he gave his wife-to-be’s bottom a cheeky squeeze.

They appeared excited about their impending nuptials, barely leaving each others’ sides during the race day, which Zara had been invited to start and later present the prizes. She also got stuck in to some of the local cuisine, trying a bacon sandwich in between her race duties

Zara and Mike, who dressed similarly in blue jeans, jackets, hats and matching brown boots, announced their engagement last December and are expected to wed in July.

Article: Daily Mail
Pictures: Getty Images

Tags: , , , , ,

Queen Invites William & Kate to Live in Buckingham Palace

Jan 15

Posted by britishroyals in HM The Queen & Duke, Prince Charles & Camilla, Prince William, Princess Catherine | 9 Comments

The best news about this?… Royal editor Duncan Larcombe is back!  His article below:

Buckingham Palace

The Queen has invited Prince William and Kate Middleton to share Buckingham Palace with her as their official London residence. Her Majesty is keen that the couple have a secure and private place to hole up as they start out as husband and wife. If they accept the offer, the newlyweds will get a large self-contained pad within the landmark building.

The Queen and Prince Philip would still use the palace from Monday to Thursday – but at weekends William and Kate would be the only royals in residence. However, insiders say that the pair are likely to opt for a suite in the less formal surrounds of nearby St James’s Palace. Prince Charles has agreed to let them renovate one of the apartments if they choose it as their London base.

A senior royal source said: “Buckingham Palace is an option, not least because it has a lot of spare space, and it’s obviously safe from a security point of view. But William is determined to make life as ‘normal’ as possible after the wedding, which makes an apartment at St James’s Palace a more likely choice. Buckingham Palace is full of household staff and is not exactly a peaceful place to live.”

While the pair need a London base, they will spend most of their first year in North Wales. Wills works at Anglsey’s RAF base as a rescue pilot. The insider said the couple will rent a home there during the week – and will have no servants.

Article: The Sun

90-second clip to be shown of the home movie the Queen doesn’t want you to see

More than 40 years ago, a 105-minute documentary showing candid interactions among members of the Royal Family was shown to the public in an experimental attempt to make them look more modern and relatable.  The Queen having breakfast with the Duke, Princess Anne and Prince Charles… The group preparing salads and barbecues… The Queen buying sweets for Prince Edward.

Her Majesty is said to have regretted ever showing the film. But astonishingly, in the forthcoming exhibition, The Queen: Art And Image, at the National Portrait ­Gallery, Buckingham Palace has allowed the organisers to a 90-­second clip from the film. The other 104 minutes will remain unseen and off-limits, like the 38 hours of unused footage which is now held in the Royal Archives at Windsor, unavailable to the eyes of even serious historians and researchers.

Article: Daily Mail

Other Royal News / Articles:

Tags: , , , ,