Royal news live: Kate Middleton quietly shares new photo as King Charles expresses sadness after tragic death
The new image is an outtake from the Prince and Princess of Wales’s Paris Olympics video
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
The Princess of Wales has quietly uploaded a new photograph of herself and Prince William to Instagram – featuring the couple in an outtake from their Paris Olympics video.
Initially posted two months ago, the message expressed the royals’ enjoyment of the event and was used as an opportunity to congratulate Team GB, in particular, for their efforts.
The previously unseen image shows the couple standing in blue polo shirts and was added to the cover of their Instagram Stories highlight for August.
Meanwhile, King Charles has issued a statement expressing his “greatest sadness” after the death of inspirational Holocaust survivor Lily Ebert.
Ms Ebert won global praise for speaking out about her experience of Auschwitz, where she lost her mother, younger sister, and brother to the gas chambers.
She passed away peacefully at the age of 100 yesterday (10 October), having previously met the King in 2022 after he commissioned a portrait of her.
The monarch said: “It was with the greatest sadness that I heard this morning the news of Lily Ebert’s death.
“As a survivor of the unmentionable horrors of the Holocaust, I am so proud that she later found a home in Britain where she continued to tell the world of the horrendous atrocities she had witnessed.
“Her extraordinary resilience and courage [are] an example to us all, which will never be forgotten.”
Idris Elba’s foundation joins with Prince’s Trust to support young creatives
Hollywood star Idris Elba’s foundation has joined forces with The Prince’s Trust to support young people who want to get into creative careers.
The new project, titled Creative Futures – which launched in Manchester on Wednesday, will provide free courses over the year which help build the skills and confidence needed to find a job, train or start a business in the creative industries.
Luther star Elba was supported by The Prince’s Trust as a teenager and has continued to work closely with the charity during his career.
The 52-year-old, who founded The Elba Hope Foundation with his wife Sabrina, said: “Many of us working in the arts today, myself included, only made it because of programmes like this when we were young.
“Today’s youth deserve at least the same chance, and more. ‘Creative Futures’ exists to give the same hope, support and success I’ve found to the next generation.”
Meghan Markle urged to feature in Suits podcast by co-star
Meghan Markle’s former Suits co-stars have extended an invitation to their former colleague, to appear on their new podcast in which they rewatch the show.
Before the 43-year-old married Prince Harry and became the Duchess of Sussex, she was known for her role as paralegal Rachel Zane on the legal drama.
Last year the popular series made its debut on Netflix, and gained a new onslaught of fans along with a record 26.5 billion minutes watched in just eight weeks.
Markle starred on the show for seven seasons, before her exit shortly after her engagement announcement. Her final episode saw her character finally tie the knot with Mike Ross, played by Patrick J Adams.
My colleague Maira Butt has the full story:
Meghan Markle urged to feature in Suits podcast by co-star
Markle starred as Rachel Zane in the record-breaking legal drama
Melania Trump reveals she’s pen pals with King Charles
Melania Trump has revealed in her new memoir that she is pen pals with King Charles.
The former first lady, 54, claims that the pair, who first met in New York in 2005, bonded on a 2019 state visit over their shared passion for environmental protection.
She described the meeting as an “absolute pleasure” and said the pair now have an “ongoing correspondence”.
“This time we engaged in an interesting conversation about his deep-rooted commitment to environmental conservation,” Ms Trump explained.
Melania: A Memoir is being released later this month.
King Charles ‘shrieked’ when he first saw cling film
King Charles was reportedly unfamiliar with the common kitchen staple that is cling film and is said to have “shrieked” when he first came across it.
Thankfully, the queen consort, Camilla, was nearby to inform him that it was nothing to be afraid of.
Writing in his biography of the late Prince Philip, Rebel Prince, royal author Tom Bower claimed that the late Duke of Edinburgh frequently grew frustrated at how disconnected his son was from the real world.
He wrote: “He walked into the dining room and shrieked. Fearing the worst, Camilla dashed in after him. ‘What’s this?’ asked her husband, pointing at the food.
“‘It’s cling film, darling,’ she replied.”
King to miss Cop29 climate summit in Azerbaijan
The King will not attend the Cop29 climate summit being hosted by Azerbaijan next month, it is understood.
Charles has long campaigned on environmental issues but will be absent from the United Nations gathering being held in the oil-rich state from November 11 to 22.
The head of state has been receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer since early in the year and the global climate change conference will begin just over two weeks after the King and Queen Camilla’s long-haul trip to Australia and Samoa ends.
Charles missed Cop27 in 2022, the first climate change summit of his reign, after a “unanimous agreement” was reached that the King should not attend the gathering in Egypt after advice was sought by his office from Liz Truss’s government.
But the following year the head of state delivered an address on the opening day of Cop28 in Dubai, warning delegates that the world remains “dreadfully far off track” in key climate targets and called for meaningful change.
Meghan Markle debuts new look at children’s hospital gala - ICYMI
The Duchess of Sussex made a surprise solo appearance at the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles 2024 Gala on Saturday (3 October).
Meghan, 43, wore a red dress on the solo visit and is said to have spoken to everyone who stopped her at the high-profile event attended by other big names, including Jamie Lee Curtis.
Praising the work of the hospital, she said: “Oh my goodness, the work they do at Children’s Hospital LA is otherworldly.
“I think from my standpoint as a mother, no one wants to be in a position where you need to go to a place like this, but if you have to, the best place in the world you could go would be Children’s Hospital LA.”
She also revealed that the hospital was assisting some of her close friends from high school.
Watch: Inside Buckingham Palace’s refurbishment
The palace has revealed the latest work that has been done in Buckingham Palace’s extensive reservicing programme.
The refurbishment is expected to cost £369m and began five years ago.
In a clip shared to social media, the palace offered a glimpse into the replacement of 3.5km of electric cabling, which had previously not been updated since the 1950s.
It wrote on X: “The Reservicing Programme has been continuing work in the Basement of Buckingham Palace, replacing old electrical cabling under the floors and throughout the historic building.”
Edward and Sophie commemorate war dead in Malta
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have sailed through the harbour in Malta before throwing a wreath and posy into the sea to commemorate British and Maltese lives lost during the Second World War.
On the second day of their trip to the island nation, Edward and Sophie boarded a military ship and sailed through Valletta harbour, where they were treated to dramatic views of the capital’s yellow limestone buildings.
Accompanied by the armed forces of Malta, the duke threw a wreath and the duchess a posy of flowers into the water before a gun salute sounded from one of the city’s high points.
Duchy of Cornwall town subject to serious complaints – ‘There are rats everywhere’
A town built to King Charles’s specifications of an idealised community is suffering from a serious waste collection problem.
Residents of Poundbury, Dorset, which is built on Duchy of Cornwall land, have now spoken out in a bid to solve the problem, appealing to the king directly.
One local told The Telegraph: “There are rats everywhere and the smell is awful. No one seems to be bothered.”
A second said that the king “would be horrified” and compared the development, which is due to be completed in 2026, to a “third-world country.”
Explaining the root of the problem, a third added: “The number of bins is not sufficient, there needs to be a second refuse and recycling point. It’s carnage around Christmas with rubbish everywhere.”
King Charles new patron of National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs
King Charles has been named as the new patron of the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC).
The monarch, 75, will succeed his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II in the role, which she held for 65 years.
NFYFC chair of council Drew Bailey said: “NFYFC is honoured that His Majesty The King is our Royal Patron. His Majesty’s commitment to Young Farmers’ Clubs reflects our proud history of nine decades of developing rural young people’s skills.
“As a former president of the National Federation, we are privileged to now have His Majesty serve as our patron.
“His Majesty’s commitment to the countryside and the welfare of rural communities perfectly aligns with the mission of NFYFC and its clubs and counties. Much of our work focuses on developing rural young people’s skills and raising awareness about opportunities in the sector.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments