Royal news live: Kate Middleton set for biggest engagements since cancer battle as Camilla returns to duties
Kate implored people not to ‘judge or criticise’ those suffering from addiction
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Your support makes all the difference.The Princess of Wales is due to face her biggest engagements since stepping away from public duties to receive cancer treatment, as her carol concert at Westminster Abbey is due to go ahead.
Kate, is expected to be joined by her family, husband William and three children for the annual event, which is filmed as part of a special programme on ITV1 and ITVX on Christmas Eve
The Queen is set to return to her official duties, after having stepped away for several weeks due to a chest infection.
Camilla will attend the Entente Littéraire Prize Ceremony with Madame Macron next week to celebrate Franco-British literary talent and the special connections between the two countries.
The scheduled appearance comes after she was forced to cancel a number of engagements, including the Rememberance Sunday service at the Cenotaph and the Royal Variety Performance.
Meanwhile, the Princess of Wales has channeled Princess Diana as she delivered a powerful message urging the public to not “judge or criticise” those suffering from addiction.
As the Princess of Wales, Diana was renowned for her work to tackle stigmas among the most vulnerable in society, a sentiment echoed by Kate ahead of Addiction Awareness Week.
Earl Spencer gushes over new partner
Earl Spencer has gushed over his new partner, “brilliant archaologist” and Nordic Person of the Year, Dr Cat Jarman.
The brother of the late Princess Diana met Professor Jarman, who is also the co-host of a podcast he produces, on his own family estate in 2021, as she searched for the remains of an ancient Roman villa for a Channel 4 documentary.
“I’m too old for hearts and flowers stuff, but the best way to describe it is that with Cat, I can be myself,” Earl Spencer told MailOnline.
“She knows who I am. Who I really am. I don’t have to pretend to be something I am not. And she brings out the best in me.”
Pictured: Royal estates transform into winter wonderlands
Prince Louis revealed to have a passion for the drums
The Prince of Wales joked that Prince Louis’ drumming practice has left him taking drastic action.
William told celebrity musicians about his son’s musical aspirations have as he thanked them for supporting a wildlife charity.
He told the group about his youngest son, who is renowned for his cheeky personality that: “My youngest is learning the drums, that’s why I spend my entire life with my fingers in my ears.”
William went on to say “I’m interested in different eras of music” and “music is such an important part of my life”.
Kremlin critic says ‘struggle just beginning’ as he is knighted
A staunch Kremlin critic described as “Putin’s number one enemy” said the “struggle is just beginning” as he was knighted at Buckingham Palace.
Sir William “Bill” Browder was knighted in the King’s Birthday Honours after years of lobbying governments to introduce sanctions against human rights violators and kleptocrats.
His company Hermitage Capital Management was once the largest foreign investor in Russia.
The British-American financier and activist was made a Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George by the Princess Royal during an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Thursday for “services to human rights, anti-corruption, and international affairs”.
Sir Bill began his campaign work in 2009 following the death of his lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in a Moscow jail after exposing a tax fraud involving Russian officials.
Speaking after the ceremony, he said: “This is an award to recognise the fight that I’ve waged for 15 years for human rights and for justice after the murder of my lawyer Sergei Magnistky in Russian custody.
Detective who was shot while coaching youth football team awarded King’s Police Medal
A detective from Northern Ireland who survived a murder attempt has said he feels “honoured” after receiving the King’s Police Medal.
Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell, who survived a dissident republican murder bid, was presented with the medal by the Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace.
It comes after he was recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours list earlier this year.
Mr Caldwell was shot a number of times in front of his son by dissident republicans at a sports complex in Omagh, Co Tyrone, on February 22 2023, as he was packing up after coaching a youth football team.
Speaking to the PA news agency on Thursday, Mr Caldwell said: “I’m feeling very happy, feel very privileged, feel very honoured to be – firstly nominated – and then to receive such a very nice medal from the King.”
Kate Middleton channels Princess Diana with powerful message
The Princess of Wales has channeled Princess Diana as she delivers a powerful message urging the public to not “judge or criticise” those suffering from addiction.
As the Princess of Wales, Diana was renowned for her work to tackle stigmas among the most vulnerable in society and became prominent philanthropic force in her lifetime, using her stature to raise awareness for countless humanitarian issues, from the AIDS crisis to landmines.
In 1987, she famously shook hands with a patient who had AIDS at London Middlesex Hospital, challenging the false belief that the illness could be transmitted by touch.
Much like her late mother-in-law, Kate has strived to tackle stigma as she spoke out ahead of Addiction Awareness Week.
In a written message, the princess highlighted how every addict is a “human being, with a story of their own”.
In a bid to tackle the stigma associated with the issue, she called on everyone to support charities helping addicts and their families by changing the “way we think about and consider the many people coping with addiction”.
Prince Harry could cite Taylor Swift police escort in legal appeal
Prince Harry could reportedly cite the decision to provide Taylor Swift with a police escort as she performed in London in his own security case against the Government.
The singer was provided with an escort to Wembley Stadium in August after a foiled terror plot forced her to cancel her shows in Vienna earlier that month.
The duke is currently embroiled in his own legal battle against the home office over their decision to remove police protection for him after he stepped down from official duties. Though he lost the case this year, he is due to challenge the ruling in the Court of Appeal.
The Telegraph has now reported that the duke could use the decision to provide Swift with police protection to bolster his own case.
The Duke’s spokesman declined to comment but a source close to the situation told the newspaper: “The decision to provide a police escort for Taylor Swift has exposed troubling inconsistencies in how protection decisions are reached.”
They added: “The dangers to Taylor Swift were and are real, but so are those faced by Prince Harry and his family.
“There may well be no imminent threat, but there is always risk, risk that can be mitigated by the tactics used by the Met Police on the day.”
Meghan Markle requests extension for lifestyle brand trademark application
It looks as though Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand may be still be months away from launching, as lawyers for the duchess request an extension for her trademark application.
Meghan originally soft-launched her brand American Riviera Orchard back in March with prospective customers told to join a waiting list to keep them updated on products, thought to include jams and other lifestyle goods.
However, the brand, has suffered a series of setbacks in the months since, meaning they are yet to begin trading.
Her inititial trademark application was refused by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in September, noting that American Riviera was a “common nickname” for Santa Barbara.
She was given three-months to address the issue, with lawyers now filing a request for another three month extension.
Late Queen’s aide reveals crisis talks after Boris Johnson’s Covid diagnosis
A top former aide to the late Queen has revealed the crisis talks that took place as Boris Johnson was diagnosed with Covid.
Lord Young of Old Windsor lifted the lid on how he had intervened at the last minute ot stop a face-to-face meeting between the then 94-year-old monarch and the former prime minister, averting potential disaster.
He recounted events from early April 2020 that saw Mr Johnson admitted to hospital with Covid-19, shortly after the imposition of the first lockdown.
He told peers: “I stopped at a bus shelter to take a call from the excellent Martin Reynolds, the principal private secretary to Boris Johnson. We knew that the prime minister had gone into hospital the night before.
“But his protection officers had overheard some consultants discussing how they were going to tell Carrie (his now wife) that he might have to go into ICU and on to a ventilator. Clearly, I had to update the Queen on this.”
Lord Young added: “We had our suspicions, because, just the previous Wednesday, the final face-to-face audience at Buckingham Palace had been scheduled.
“The prime minister considered it his duty to be there to do it face to face and the late Queen considered it her duty too – in a sort of Blitz spirit, ‘Well, I’ve got to die sometime’ attitude – but it really was not the moment for taking unnecessary risks.
“In the end, both participants were so keen to go ahead with it that Martin and I arranged for him to tell the prime minister that the Palace wanted to cancel and for me to tell the Queen that Number 10 had got cold feet, which was very lucky, because, by the end of the telephone call… the prime minister had started coughing.”
The next day he received a call from the then cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill, now Lord Sedwill, that Mr Johnson had tested positive for Covid.
Kate says do not ‘judge or criticise’ addicts ahead of Addiction Awareness Week
The Princess of Wales has urged the public to change its attitude towards those dependent on drink or drugs – saying “addiction is not a choice”.
Kate highlighted how every addict is a “human being, with a story of their own” and “it is not our place to judge or criticise” in a written message to mark Addiction Awareness Week.
Kate is patron of the Forward Trust, an addiction charity, and her involvement in the awareness week comes a few months after the princess announced she was returning to public duties following the completion of her chemotherapy treatment.
Kate said in her message: “Everyone suffering from addiction is another human being, with a story of their own, which many of us don’t understand or see.
“It is not our place to judge or criticise, we must take the time to sit by someone’s side, learning the values of love and empathy. Being a shoulder to cry on or an ear to listen, these simple acts of kindness are crucial in breaking down the misunderstandings that so many face.
“Addiction is not a choice. It is a serious mental health condition that could affect any one of us.”
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