Royal news live: Kate Middleton’s carol service message revealed with William and kids set to attend
Kate has written a letter, telling carol goers ‘Love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times’
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Your support makes all the difference.The Princess of Wales is set to deliver a heartful Christmas message about the importance of love at her upcoming annual carol service.
Kate has written a letter, featured with the order of service for the event on Friday, for the 1,600 Westminster Abbey carol goers, telling them “Love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times”.
During the past year, the princess has returned to public duties after being treated for cancer, while the King is still under the care of cancer specialists. The service aims to provide a moment of reflection about the importance of loved ones, especially during difficult times.
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 King and Queen did not attend the Together at Christmas carol service in 2023 but have previously.
Her message will say: “This Carol Service is a heartfelt celebration of every one of you, and a reminder that at Christmas, and throughout the year, we must all shine for each other.
“Because in times of joy and sadness, we are all each other’s light.”
Where can I watch Kate’s Christmas carol service?
The event will be broadcast as part of the programme Royal Carols: Together At Christmas, screened on ITV1 and ITVX on Christmas Eve, and it will feature three films about the stories of people and organisations who have inspired, counselled and comforted others in their times of need.
Alongside the event at Westminster Abbey, 15 community carol services will take place around the UK in the coming days, to provide a moment for people to come together and celebrate community work during the festive season.
Hosted by Lord Lieutenants, and supported by William and Kate’s Royal Foundation, these events will be tailored to their local communities and include elements of the Westminster Abbey service – including Kate’s letter.
Saudi Arabia launches partnership with King Charles’s foundation to encourage handicrafts
King Charles’s decades’ old celebration of traditional architecture, arts and handicrafts is being embraced by the Arab world, now keen to promote their own arts and crafts in similar fashion.
This week an agreement effectively uniting the commitment of two kingdoms was signed in Riyadh. The co-operation agreement commits The King’s Foundation to participate in Saudi Arabia’s Year of Handicrafts 2025 initiative through the Foundation’s School of Traditional Arts.
The signing ceremony on Wednesday was attended by Prince Bader bin Farhan, minister of culture, at the Saudi International Handicrafts Week Exhibition in Riyadh. Khaled Omar Azzam, director of the traditional arts school at The King’s Foundation, and Hamed Fayez, deputy minister of culture, also attended the signing of the agreement, which aims to revive and promote handicrafts in Saudi Arabia throughout 2025.
Read the full article here:
Saudi Arabia launches partnership with King Charles’s arts foundation
New collaboration between the two kingdoms will offer training programmes from the King’s Foundation as part of Saudi Arabia’s Year of Handicrafts 2025
Meghan Markle says ‘every year it gets better’ as she shares holiday plans with Archie and Lilibet
Meghan Markle is embracing the magic of the holidays, thanks to her children with Prince Harry.
In an interview with Marie Claire, the 43-year-old Duchess of Sussex reflected on how her children — son Archie, five, and daughter Lilibet, three — are reaching the age when the festive season feels even more special.
“I love the holidays,” Meghan shared enthusiastically. “Archie and Lilibet are now three and five, so every year it gets better.”
Read the full story:
Meghan Markle says ‘every year it gets better’ as she shares holiday plans with kids
Duchess of Sussex gushes over the holiday season, despite keeping this year’s festivities ‘pretty low-key’
Less than 3% of UK hospitals take free portrait of King
Fewer than 3% of the UK’s hospitals have accepted a free portrait of the King after more than 20,500 were made available following his coronation.
The scheme was launched in November 2023, and was billed as a chance to commemorate Charles’ reign.
The portrait, showing Charles in the Royal Navy uniform of an Admiral of the Fleet, was taken by photographer Hugo Bernard at Windsor Castle last year.
It was offered free to public institutions by the last Conservative government, but the scheme has seen mixed success.
Take-up has ranged from 100% of Coastguard centres, to just 40 of the nation’s 1,454 hospitals – or 2.75%.
The second highest take-up was Lord Lieutenancies at 76.7%, while the second lowest was universities and higher education institutions at just 7.4%.
Only 25.5% of Church of England churches accepted the offer, despite the King being the head of the Church.
The total cost of the scheme was £2,710,705.50 with an average price of £131.81 per portrait. The total number of portraits commissioned was 20,565.
Multi-million pound cost of King Charles’ coronation revealed
The cost of King Charles’ coronation has been revealed, with government accounts showing that £72 million in taxpayer money was spent on the event.
An annual report from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) shows that it spent £50.3 million on the coronation. This was alongside the £21.7 million in policing costs for the royal event.
The coronation took place on 6 May 2023, marking the crowning of King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Around 18 million viewers tuned in to watch the ceremony on the BBC – fewer than the 28 million that watched Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.
Read the full article here:
Multi-million pound cost of King Charles’ coronation revealed
Anti-monarchy groups say the true figure may be even higher
Pictured: Royal estates transform into winter wonderlands
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, and 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.
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.”
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.”
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”.
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