Royal news live: Prince William breaks silence on Harry in touching tribute to their mother Diana
Previously unseen pictures show the prince on a visit to homeless shelter
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Prince William has mentioned Prince Harry publicly for the first time in years, as he recalls a childhood memory in his upcoming documentary.
The Prince of Wales recounted the time his mother, the late Princess Diana, took him and his brother to visit a homeless shelter more than 30 years ago.
“My mother took me to The Passage. She took Harry and I both there. I must have been about 11, I think probably at the time, maybe 10. I’d never been to anything like that before, and I was a bit anxious as to what to expect,” he said. “My mother went about her usual part of making everyone feel relaxed and having a laugh and joking with everyone.”
The last time William spoke about his brother publicly is thought to be six years ago, when the pair were interviewed at Royal Foundation Forum in 2018
Previously unseen pictures have also released as part of the documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, showing William as a child on the visit.
Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace officials have given a major update on King Charles’ work schedule, revealing he is set to return to his normal schedule of overseas tours next year.
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Watch: King Charles sips traditional ava root tea during Samoan ceremony
King Charles sipped traditional ava root tea during a Samoan ceremony welcoming him and Queen Camilla to the island nation.
Samoa’s head of state and his village afforded the King the highest accolade by staging an ava ceremony where the drink, prepared by the statesman’s daughter from powdered ava root and representing community unity, was presented to Charles.
The ceremony was held at the National University of Samoa on Wednesday (23 October).
Following custom Charles poured a few drops of the ava away before drinking deeply from a cup, made from a coconut shell, and watched by village elders and dignitaries including Samoa’s prime minister Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata’afa.
Australian senator says Charles holds ‘stolen wealth’ after parliament protest - recap
An Australian senator who protested against the King during his state visit to the country has accused the monarch of refusing to return its “stolen wealth”.
Lidia Thorpe, who campaigns on First Nations issues, disrupted Charles’s welcome to the capital Canberra with an outburst on Monday.
Speaking in an interview with Australian broadcaster ABC on Wednesday, Ms Thorpe defended her actions and said she had been “overwhelmed with supporting messages”.
She said: “For those that don’t agree with what I have said and what I have done, I can tell you now there are elders, there are grassroots Aboriginal people across this country… who are just so proud. They say that it’s lit a fire back in their belly, and they want to join the resistance.
“I don’t listen to the noise of those who have chosen to assimilate into the colonial system, that’s their decision. I’ve decided to be a black sovereign woman and continue our fight against the colony and for justice for our people.”
King Charles warns against threat of climate crisis
King Charles has warned Commonwealth leaders against the “existential” threat of climate change, encouraging all 56 members to do everything possible to cut emissions.
He told the summit that humanity needed to “forge a future of harmony with nature and between ourselves” and that climate concerns have been raised with him over and over again.
“This year alone we have seen terrifying storms in the Caribbean, devastating flooding in East Africa and catastrophic wildfires in Canada,” he told the leaders at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) in Samoa.
“I can only offer every encouragement for action with unequivocal determination to arrest rising temperatures by cutting emissions, building resilience as far as possible to both the current and forecast impacts of climate change, and conserving and restoring nature both on land and in the sea.”
Charles wishes Commonwealth to be a cause of “hope and healing” amid “dark clouds” around the world
King Charles spoke about his wish for the Commonwealth to be a cause of “hope and healing” as he spoke about challenges on a global scale.
The monarch said in his speech: “As we look from this idyllic place across the world, dark clouds have gathered over many regions, but the Commonwealth can surely be a cause of hope and healing…
“International challenges on such a scale call for international solutions, through dialogue and discussion, for that is where, eventually, peace resides.
“The sheer scale and diversity of Commonwealth membership, spanning the entire globe and embracing more than one-third of the human race, gives us the understanding, the credibility and indeed the clout to play a full role in promoting and protecting peace and prosperity.”
Watch: King Charles urges world leaders to ‘right inequalities that endure’
‘Doctor’s orders’ curtailing aim to visit all Commonwealth nations, says Charles
The King’s “lifelong aspiration” is to visit all 56 Commonwealth nations but its expanding membership – and doctor’s orders – have thwarted his efforts.
Charles spoke about his ambition to travel to around a dozen countries missing from his list during a dinner he hosted with the Queen for Commonwealth leaders.
In a speech to those attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm) in Samoa, the King said: “It remains a lifelong aspiration to have visited all the countries of the Commonwealth – although nowadays it seems to be a race against our happily increasing numbers – as well as doctor’s orders.”
The event for the King, who has been receiving treatment for cancer since early in the year, was his only evening engagement of his nine-day tour of Australia and New Zealand.
Pictured: World leaders gather at Samoa dinner recpetion
Queen praises staff and volunteers safeguarding victims of abuse in Samoa
The Queen has praised the staff and volunteers safeguarding victims of abuse in Samoa for doing a “wonderful job”.
Camilla visited the Samoa Victims Support Group (SVSG) and toured a small campus where up to 100 abused children are given care and an education, while domestic abuse victims receive support and counselling.
After opening the Queen Camilla Pre-School of Hope, the King’s wife told members of the organisation: “You’re doing such a wonderful job for these children I will go back to Britain with fond memories.”
She suggested possible support for the organisation that relies on donations and fundraising, when she said she would see if she could “help you”.
Camilla toured the pre-school which was filled with donated toys, books and furniture and said: “It’s got everything here, it’s absolutely fantastic.”
Watch: King tells world leaders ‘the past cannot be changed’ in landmark Commonwealth speech
The King has told world leaders the past cannot be changed but nations can “commit” to “right inequalities that endure”.
Charles used his first speech to the Commonwealth’s biennial summit in Samoa as head of the family of nations, to stress how the relationship between member states meant “we can discuss the most challenging issues with openness and respect.”
In his landmark speech on Thursday (24 October), Charles said: “None of us can change the past. But we can commit, with all our hearts to learning its lessons and to finding creative ways to right inequalities that endure.”
Watch here:
Watch: King tells world leaders ‘the past cannot be changed’ in landmark speech
The King has told world leaders the past cannot be changed but nations can “commit” to “right inequalities that endure”. Charles used his first speech to the Commonwealth’s biennial summit in Samoa as head of the family of nations, to stress how the relationship between member states meant “we can discuss the most challenging issues with openness and respect.” In his landmark speech on Thursday (24 October), Charles said: “None of us can change the past. But we can commit, with all our hearts to learning its lessons and to finding creative ways to right inequalities that endure.”
No plans to hold weddings for the public at the King’s Balmoral Estate
There are no plans to host weddings for members of the public on the King’s Balmoral Estate, a spokesman for the royal residence has said.
Weddings are mentioned in plans a representative for the Aberdeenshire estate had lodged for the Queen’s Building, on the grounds near Balmoral Castle.
The plans state the venue “may be used for weddings, dinners, meetings and associated events”, which it said would be “rare throughout the year”.
But a spokesman for the estate said: “There are no plans for Balmoral to host weddings as a commercial venture.”
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