Royal news live: Queen Camilla reveals battle with pneumonia after skipping part of Qatar state visit
Comes as Princess of Wales writes heartful Christmas message about importance of love for her upcoming annual carol service
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Your support makes all the difference.The Queen has revealed she has been battling pneumonia as she skipped part of the state visit to the UK of the Emir of Qatar and his wife.
Camilla told guests at the two-day state visit on Tuesday that the chest infection she contracted after a long haul trip to Australia and Samoa was a form of pneumonia.
It is understood that she no longer has the infection but does continue to struggle with post-viral fatigue and is missing the outdoor elements of the Qatari visit after being urged by her doctors to take more time to recover.
The Queen, therefore, missed the outdoor ceremonial welcome on a chilly Horse Guards Parade this morning, instead arriving at Buckingham Palace shortly beforehand.
Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess of Wales joined the King for the traditional welcome for Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the first of his three wives, Sheikha Jawaher. The royal party were also met by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other senior government figures.
The greeting marks Kate’s first appearance at a state visit since her cancer diagnosis and signals her growing readiness to return to frontline duties next year.
It comes as the princess is set to deliver a heartful Christmas message about the importance of love at her upcoming annual carol service, telling the 1,600 Westminster Abbey carol-goers on Friday: “Love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times.”
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.
Battersea rescue dogs needing homes head to Highgrove for footstool photoshoot
Rescue animals from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home took part in a festive photoshoot at the King and Queen’s country estate Highgrove.
Percy, Darcie, Elspeth, Harper, Missy and Shadow, who are all looking for new homes in time for Christmas, were invited to Gloucestershire, travelling from the charity’s Old Windsor Centre.
They posed on a new range of bespoke footstools, crafted and upholstered using recycled curtains from Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle by students and community groups working with Charles’s charity The King’s Foundation.
Read the full article here:
Battersea rescue dogs needing homes head to Highgrove for footstool photoshoot
The King’s Foundation welcomed the six dogs, who helped showcase a new furniture project using recycled royal curtains.
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
Full story: William and Kate pay tribute to ‘brave and humble’ young photographer Liz Hatton
The Prince and Princess of Wales have expressed their sadness at the death of teenage photographer Liz Hatton, saying it was “an honour to have met such a brave and humble young woman”.
The 17-year-old, who died on Wednesday, pursued a photography bucket list after being diagnosed with an aggressive and rare form of cancer at the start of the year.
Liz, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, hit the headlines when she was pictured being hugged by Kate at Windsor Castle in October after being invited to take pictures of William at an investiture.
Read the full story here:
William and Kate pay tribute to ‘brave and humble’ young photographer Liz Hatton
Liz, who died on Wednesday at the age of 17, began a photography bucket list after being diagnosed with cancer at the start of the year.
Kate’s carol service message revealed with William and kids set to attend
The Princess of Wales will deliver a heartful Christmas message about the importance of love – “the greatest gift we can receive” – to those attending her annual carol service.
Kate has written a letter for the 1,600 Westminster Abbey carol goers, including members of the royal family, telling them “Love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times”.
Her message, featured with the order of service for the event on Friday, 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.”
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, and 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 their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, the King and Queen did not attend the Together at Christmas carol service in 2023 but have previously.
Queen Camilla welcomes poetry winners to Buckingham Palace
Queen Camilla returned to royal duties after suffering a chest infection by hosting two poetry winners at Buckingham Palace.
A post on the royal family’s social media page read: “Last week, The Queen welcomed 92 year old Colin and 9 year old Avi to Buckingham Palace to hear their @Poetry_Together winning poems.
“The theme of this year’s competition is ‘friendship’ and younger and older communities are getting together all over the country to share their poems over tea and cake.”
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