Royal news - live: Kate Middleton to make poignant return to duty as Prince William opens up on ‘brutal’ 2024
‘Dreadful’ assessment echoes Queen Elizabeth calling her worst year as ‘annus horribilis’
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Your support makes all the difference.The Princess of Wales is continuing her steady return to royal duties as she prepares to appear at two remembrance events over the weekend.
Kate, who announced she had finished cancer treatment in September, is to attend both the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph and the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the Queen’s attendance at Remembrance events will be subject to medical advice nearer the time, the Palace said. Camilla, 77, is unwell with a chest infection and was forced to pull out of engagements earlier this week.
It comes as Prince William candidly described the past year as “brutal” and the “hardest” of his life as both his wife and father battle cancer.
Asked by reporters how his year has been, he replied: “Honestly? It’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year in my life.”
William who took time off Royal duties as his wife went through preventative chemotherapy, added: “So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult.
“But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.”
William tells Heidi Klum he woke feeling ’emotional’ after Earthshot awards
The Prince of Wales has told supermodel Heidi Klum he woke feeling “emotional” and “excited” after his Earthshot Prize awards.
William sat by the waterside in Kalk Bay Harbour in Cape Town with the celebrity and fellow model Winnie Harlow and reflected on his “green Oscars” as they enjoyed a braai or barbecue.
They were joined by celebrities Billy Porter and Tobe Nwigwe, who had also taken part in Wednesday’s ceremony which saw five environmental winners awarded £1 million to develop their ideas to “repair” the planet.
William told the famous Earthshot advocates: “I really appreciate all your support,” and Harlow replied: “It was an honour.”
He added: “I woke up this morning feeling quite emotional and excited.”
Klum, who announced the Fix our Climate category winner, won by an organisation that converts waste heat into energy, said: “I was emotional on the stage.”
In pictures: Prince William meets South African businesses during tour
King faces calls to abolish estates which ‘earn millions from NHS’
King Charles is facing calls to dissolve his lucrative private estates and refund the cash-strapped NHS after it emerged he is making millions from renting out ambulance parking spaces and sub-standard properties.
The monarch and Prince William have sparked uproar after it was revealed they are benefiting from rental deals with public services – including the armed forces and state schools – on their private estates, the Duchies of Lancaster and Cornwall.
Read the full story below:
Charles and William face calls to dissolve estates which ‘earn millions from NHS’
‘Abolish the Duchies’, campaigners say
Duchess Sophie’s praised for ‘funny’ reaction after being hit with golf ball
The Duchess of Edinburgh has been praised for her “funny” reaction after being hit on the head by a golf ball.
The incident last Tuesday happened when Sophie was playing mini golf as part of a visit to Legoland as patron of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).
Photographer Tim Rooke, who captured the moment, said the Duchess “laughed” and “found it funny.”
He told Hello: “The Duchess was playing adventure golf, going around with the kids. She hit the ball, and it bounced straight up in the air. You could see her watching it, and it just sort of whacked her.
“She laughed; she found it funny – she’s a good sport. You can see the guy behind her in the picture was in hysterics.
“She doesn’t mind a photo like this going around – what she cares about is raising awareness of the charity. She is really good at these events; she always makes everyone feel quite special.”
What we know so far about the Queen’s chest infection
The Queen has been forced to withdraw from her engagements and is resting at home after being diagnosed with a chest infection.
Chest infections – an infection of the lungs or large airways – are common, especially after a cold or flu during autumn and winter. Most chest infections are mild and clear up on their own, others can be severe and sometimes even life threatening.
A number of groups can be at higher risk of developing serious chest infections, these include babies and very young children, people who smoke and people with long-term health conditions.
Queen Camilla used to be a heavy smoker – a habit her husband Charles loathed – but she gave up many years ago.
The main types of chest infections are bronchitis and pneumonia. According to NHS Inform, most bronchitis cases are caused by viruses while most pneumonia cases are due to bacteria.
If The Queen has been diagnosed with a bacterial chest infection, then she will be treated with antibiotics.
Watch: Prince William provides update on Kate’s health
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