Royal news - live: Prince William’s awkward interaction with homelessness campaigner in moving documentary
The first part of the Prince of Wales’ documentary about ending homelessness launched last night
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Your support makes all the difference.Prince William faced an uncomfortable moment during the premiere of his documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, which aired its first part last night.
In the film, the Prince of Wales, 42, was confronted by Lord John Bird, founder of The Big Issue, who challenged him to address the “failed thinking” surrounding homelessness.
Lord Bird bluntly stated he wanted no “b******t” in their discussions, urging the prince to spearhead a new approach through his Homewards programme - an ambitious initiative aiming to end homelessness within five years.
He criticised the fragmented efforts of local authorities, charities, and government departments over the past three decades.
William responded with an invitation for open dialogue, adding: “I’m conscious that it’s a team environment, please do feel free to pile in when you need to.”
The Prince’s goal of ending homelessness has been inspired by his childhood experiences visiting shelters with his late mother, Princess Diana.
On the ITV series, he shared an anecdote about visiting a homeless charity with his mother, Diana, and brother, Harry. The second part of the documentary will air tonight.
Inside the no-frills health retreat Charles and Camilla can’t keep away from
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Charles and Camilla loved Bengaluru food so much they ‘plan to bring royal chefs for training’
King Charles and Queen Camilla are said to have expressed such fondness for the cuisine at their recent retreat in Bengaluru that they are considering bringing their royal chefs to India for training.
Dr. Isaac Mathai, who runs the renowned holistic destination, revealed that the royal couple is eager to learn how to replicate the delicious dishes they enjoyed during their stay.
Dr Mathai said: “They love the food to the extent that they are ready to bring down their royal chefs to India and train them – and have often expressed their wish to do so.”
“One time, she wanted us to pack the soup we make here and take it with her on her private jet, we of course agreed!”, he added during an interview at the lush, 30-acre institution, suggesting that she loves the leek soup made at the premises.
Dr Mathai also extended an open invitation for the royal couple to visit again, allowing for the pair to disconnect from the trials and tribulations of leading a life in public.
“Of course, we are very excited to see them again at Soukya. They are our least demanding guests and soak in every bit of our retreat... Be it the morning yoga, the sattvic food – which is strictly vegetarian – [or] the ayurveda treatments,” he said.
King’s ‘hot equerry’ Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Thompson is engaged
Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Thompson, affectionately dubbed the ‘hot equerry’, has announced his engagement to Olivia Lewis, his girlfriend of 18 months.
The announcement, first reported in The Times, has sent ripples through royal circles, as admirers of the dashing equerry come to terms with his impending nuptials.
The engagement announcement read: “The engagement is announced between Lieutenant Colonel Jonny Thompson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alan Thompson of Morpeth, Northumberland, and Olivia Rose, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Simon Lewis OBE of Primrose Hill, London.”
You can read more about the King’s ‘hot equerry’ below:
King’s ‘hot equerry’ Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Thompson announces his engagement
King Charles and Queen Camilla could be among the attendees at the wedding of the ‘hot equerry’
Meghan Markle could release ‘new memoir’ in next career move
Speculation is swirling around Meghan Markle’s potential next career move, with some royal experts suggesting she may release her own memoir.
Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield said she could make new revelations about her time in the Palace to “monetise her truth”.
He told Talk TV: “A part of me wonders if, similar to Jada Pinkett Smith, Meghan’s going to wait to reveal her truth until she finds a way to monetise it.
“Jada did that with her book, and Meghan has technically already done that with the Netflix series.”
Government to punish Russian agencies targeting Princess Kate
The government will sanction Russian agencies linked to a disinformation campaign that targeted Princess Kate following her cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
The disinformation network, known as the Doppelganger group, was formed of six Russian agencies and individuals accused of spreading false rumors about the Princess of Wales in March - shortly after she revealed her health condition.
The Foreign Office described this network as a “vast malign online presence” designed to disrupt democratic processes and create confusion through the dissemination of fake news.
Condemning the actions, foreign secretary David Lammy said: “Putin is so desperate to undermine European support for Ukraine that he is now resorting to clumsy, ineffective efforts to stoke unrest.”
The Doppelganger’s operation was first detected by security experts at Cardiff University, who identified the methods used to push false narratives online about the Princess.
In response to the campaign, the Princess of Wales took a firm stance by publicly addressing her diagnosis, quelling the unfounded speculation that had spread across social media.
Were Wallis Simpson rumours orchestrated by the British establishment?
Were the scandalous stories surrounding Wallis Simpson’s time in China were the product of society gossip - or an orchestrated effort by the British establishment to sabotage her relationship with the future Edward VIII?
This is the question discussed by author Paul French in his new book Her Lotus Year.
Dubbed the “China Dossier”, the collection of rumours accused Simpson of affairs, connections to gangsters, and risque behaviours, but French argues that none of these claims had any factual basis with Simpson.
Instead, they appear to have been drawn from unrelated incidents in 1920s China, and possibly amplified by figures in British intelligence.
French’s research suggests that the tales were carefully constructed to tarnish Simpson’s reputation, showing the lengths to which the establishment may have gone to block a royal union with a controversial American divorcee.
“They just wanted to scupper this relationship somehow,” French said.
Inside the no-frills health retreat Charles and Camilla can’t keep away from
It is a place where the Queen has brought a number of friends and relatives – returning a total of seven times.
Eschewing her hectic day-to-day schedule, it is at the Soukya health retreat in the southern Indian city of Bengaluru that Camilla is said to be a devotee of yoga, embracing the ritual and championing the food.
Arpan Rai reports from the Soukya retreat where the King and Queen have found a home away from home in Bengaluru, India.
Inside the no-frills health retreat Charles and Camilla can’t keep away from
Arpan Rai reports from the Soukya retreat where the King and Queen have found a home away from home in Bengaluru, India
Queen Camilla’s barefoot stroll in Australia is a royal tradition
Queen Camilla’s barefoot stroll in Australia is a royal tradition
Queen Camilla made a keynote appearance earlier this week as she and King Charles toured the streets of Sydney, opting to remove her heels for a relaxed walk back to Admiralty House.
The 77-year-old monarch, fresh from a six-day visit to Samoa, embraced a more casual look, shedding her shoes and enjoying the warm pavement.
While this move may have surprised some, it aligns with a trend among high-profile royals.
Notably, the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, has also gone barefoot on several occasions, first making headlines when she did so in 2012.
Unseen pictures from William, Harry and Princess Diana’s trip to homeless shelter
Watch: Prince William hits back at critics over homelessness project
The Prince of Wales has hit back at critics over his homelessness project.
William responded to those questioning whether he is the right person to tackle the issue, given his privileged upbringing, in the first part of his new ITV documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness.
William said: “I think everyone having a right to a safe home benefits us all.
“I come with no other agenda than desperately trying to help people who are in need and I see that as part of my role, why else would I be here if I am not using this role properly to influence and help people while I can.”
Inside the King’s ‘holistic’ approach to his cancer diagnosis
Details of the King’s “holistic” approach to his cancer diagnosis have been revealed by the palace.
The King has been receiving treatment as an out-patient for an undisclosed form of cancer since early February, and initially postponed all public-facing duties, continuing to work behind the scenes, and returned to events with the public in late April.
Maintaining a work schedule after his diagnosis has been an important part of Charles’s holistic approach to his cancer, and during the recent trip with his wife he maintained a busy schedule for the benefit of “mind and soul” while the doctor on the trip looked after the body.
A palace official said about the large number of events the King attended during the recent tour: “It is also a great measure of the way that the King is dealing with the diagnosis.
“And he’s a great believer in mind, body and soul, and this combination works very well on a visit like this, because he feels that sense of duty so strongly that to keep his mind and his soul engaged and then the doctor is here to make sure that his body is properly looked after, you’ve got what makes for very successful visit in in these circumstances.”
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