Royal news live: King Charles to celebrate milestone birthday in very unique way as Camilla continues recovery
It is hoped the hubs will help charities like FareShare and the Felix Project to support communities in need
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Your support makes all the difference.King Charles will turn 76-years-old on Thursday – and will mark the special date by hosting a surplus food festival.
The King will open two hubs designed to save and circulate tonnes of surplus food to mark the first anniversary of the Coronation Food Project, an initiative to support charities feeding the nation with unwanted food.
It is hoped the hubs will help charities like FareShare and the Felix Project to support communities in need.
Charles will tour the new facility, and take a look at a newly installed industrial freezer, which will increase capacity by 400 per cent, improving the charity’s ability to preserve more surplus food.
It comes as Queen Camilla said she is “getting much better” as she arrived at a Booker Prize reception in her first public engagement since falling ill with a chest infection.
The Queen’s illness forced her to miss gathering with the King, the Princess of Wales and the rest of the royal family at the annual Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph, and the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall the evening before.
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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.
The two estates earned the royals upwards of £50m in the last financial year, with both being exempt from paying corporation tax or capital gains tax.
Charles has been asked to reconsider an £11.4m deal struck by the Duchy of Lancaster last year to store a fleet of electric ambulances, owned by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in London, in one of the estate’s warehouses for 15 years.
Campaigners described the deal as “disgraceful” and a “money-grabbing activity” which ought to be reconsidered by the King.
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Harry praises veterans for ‘vital role in defending the values of liberty, freedom, and security'
The Duke of Sussex praised veterans’ for having played a “vital role in defending the values of liberty, freedom, and security”, saying: “These values bind us together and have shaped you as leaders and role models.”
He added: “As you continue to serve making valued contributions to communities, colleagues, households and all those we love my hope is that our communities will continue to serve your needs too.
“Your contributions do not stop because you no longer wear the uniform, and the collective sense of appreciation for what you have done for your countries should not stop either.
“Let today be a reminder that the true measure of gratitude is not in words alone, but in our actions and our ongoing efforts to build a world worthy of the sacrifices that those before us have made and to protect it for generations to come.
“To all those who have served – past and present – I offer my deepest respect and thanks. Your service has made a lasting, positive impact for our communities, our nations, and our shared future.
“I am honored to stand with you.”
Harry pays tribute to veterans in rare statement
The Duke of Sussex has paid tribute to veterans, reaffirming his “lifelong admiration and appreciation” for their “service and sacrifice”.
Former soldier Harry released a rare statement on Monday, marking Remembrance Day in the UK and Veterans Day in the US.
He said: said: “My Fellow Veterans, As we mark both Veterans Day and Remembrance Day, I reaffirm my lifelong admiration and appreciation for the service and sacrifice you and your families have made – both in times of conflict and peace.
“You have played a vital role in defending the values of liberty, freedom, and security. These values bind us together and have shaped you as leaders and role models.
“At a time of global uncertainty, remember the unity and purpose that defined your service, and do not hesitate to put that into action in your communities. That same spirit should guide all of us in facing today’s challenges.
“Your example and morality demonstrate that true power lies in our ability to unite and confront the obstacles before us.”
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.
Camilla, 77, is understood to be under doctors’ supervision.
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.
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King Charles death plan codename upgraded to ‘Operation London Bridge’, claims biography
The codename for the plan triggered in the event of King Charles’s death has officially been upgraded to ‘Operation London Bridge’, the same as his mothers, according to a new book.
While the plan for the immediate days following his death including how the public will be informed, the lying-in-state and the funeral service will long have been established under standard royal protocol, it is the codename that has now been upgraded.
In New King, New Court Charles III: The Inside Story, Robert Hardman gives new details of the plan. “The King’s own valedictory arrangements have now, officially, been upgraded to Operation London Bridge, mirroring those of Elizabeth II,” Mr Hardman said.
These arrangements, which began shortly after his coronation, were described by former Royal Protection Officer Simon Morgan as “inevitable” particularly given the monarch’s age, 75.
Health crises and conspiracy theories: How 2024 became Prince William’s ‘annus horribilis’
William has spoken candidly about the royal family’s major health scares, saying 2024 has “probably been the hardest year in my life” and a “dreadful” experience.
Both his father, King Charles and his wife, Kate, were diagnosed with cancer this year - putting considerable strain on the royals both mentally and physically.
As he attended the awards ceremony for his Earthshot Prize in Cape Town, William was asked to reflect on the year as it comes to a close by reporters, in which he said: “Honestly? It’s been dreadful. It’s probably been the hardest year in my life.”
He 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.”
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