Royal news live: Prince Harry award backlash continues as Charles and Camilla’s Scotland trip cut short
Harry has been defended for his ‘incredible’ work with the Invictus Games
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Prince Harry has been defended after a petition calling for a “rethink” on the decision to give him an award for veterans reached 50,000 signatures.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, is set to receive the Pat Tillman Award for his work with the Invictus Games, which celebrates the sporting achievements of wounded, sick and injured service people.
But many, including the late Tillman’s mother, Mary, have argued there are more deserving recipients.
Now the sporting network behind the award, ESPN, has defended its decision, hailing the “incredible” work of the games, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary.
“While we understand not everyone will agree with all honorees selected for any award, The Invictus Games Foundation does incredible work and ESPN believes this is a cause worth celebrating,” a spokesperson told Sky News.
The row comes amid the revelation that King Charles and Queen Camilla’s trip to Scotland will be cut short due to the General Election.
They have postponed all events “which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign”.
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Queen Camilla and Duke of Edinburgh join Order of the Thistle
Queen Camilla and the Duke of Edinburgh have formally joined Scotland’s highest order of chivalry, the Order of the Thistle.
The formal installation took place at a ceremony at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh today.
King Charles began the ceremony by saying: “It is our pleasure Her Majesty the Queen be installed a Lady of the Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle.”
King Charles ‘looks very well'
King Charles’s sprightly appearance did not go unnoticed as he met with locals during Holyrood Week in Scotland.
The Monarch, 75, was forced to take a temporary step back from his duties earlier this year after being diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer.
He discussed playing cricket at his former Scottish school Gordonstoun with Jacqueline and Trevor Hills from Nairn.
Mr Hills said: “Charles said when he was at Gordonstoun he played cricket against a team from Nairn.
“I was debating whether to ask the score when he said his school lost.
“But he did have the highest score – although he said it wasn’t very much.
“Charles looks very well considering what he’s been through and it was lovely meeting him.”
While the King appears to be very busy, according to reports, he is undertaking a reduced summer schedule as he continues his cancer treatment.
Queen Camilla to join the Order of the Thistle
Queen Camilla is set to be honoured with membership to the Order of the Thistle on her current trip to Scotland for Holyrood Week.
It is one of the country’s oldest orders of chivalry and she will be honoured alongside the Duke of Edinburgh Prince Edward.
The pair were appointed by King Charles in a private ceremony but are set to be formally installed in the roles during a service at Edinburgh’s St Giles’ Cathedral.
This was notably the location of the late Queen’s Scottish lying in state after she passed away in Balmoral in September 2022.
Thomas Markle’s question for Prince Harry ahead of birthday
Meghan Markle’s estranged father has shared his biggest question for Prince Harry ahead of his 80th birthday this month.
This comes amid Thomas’s plea to finally meet his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princes Lilibet.
He has been estranged from his daughter since her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry following a staged paparazzi photoshoot scandal.
“When I reflect back on my life, as you do when you are approaching 80, that’s one of the questions I cannot find an answer for,” Thomas told the Daily Mail.
“Why didn’t Harry ever come to meet me? He has the resources to fly around the world – and does – but why didn’t he come to see me?”
Thomas, who was initially supposed to walk his daughter down the aisle, added: What man gets married without meeting his wife’s father?”
Harry and Meghan’s children ‘being written out of royal narrative'
Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are reportedly “being written out of the narrative” because they are growing up in the US, a royal expert has claimed.
This comes amid King Charles’s reference to his grandchildren’s love of Pokémon during last week’s Japanese state visit.
He said: “I am only sorry to report that I haven’t had any better luck with more recent attempts at fishing – the Pokémon phrase ‘gotta catch ‘em all’ may resonate with my grandchildren, but for me, it is, perhaps, aspirational!”
Royal editor Kate Mansey said on an episode of Royal Confidential that it was interesting that the Monarch did not specify what grandchildren he was referring to.
“You think of Charles talking about his grandchildren, the first thing you think of is the Waleses, because he doesn’t have that connection to the Sussex grandchildren,” she said, explaining that they Sussex children have been “written out of the narrative.”
“You don’t even think now, ‘Oh, wonder which grandchildren he’s thinking about?’” she added.
Prince Harry petition continues to gain signatures
A petition urging the US sporting network ESPN to “rethink” its decision to give Prince Harry an award for veterans is growing by the hour.
At the time of writing, the Change.org petition has been signed by more than 51,000 people, who believe the Duke of Sussex should not receive the Pat Tillman Award.
It reads: “Prince Harry, while a former military officer, has been involved in controversies that call into question his suitability to receive an honour of this magnitude.
“ He has faced accusations of endangering his squadron by publicly revealing military kills.
“The Prince also allegedly targeted his own father, Prince Charles, during a flyover.
“ More recently, his role in the Invictus games, a platform meant to celebrate the resilience and dedication of veterans, has been criticised as self-centred.”
Queen Camilla praised for commitment to literary
Queen Camilla has been praised for her commitment to literacy as this year’s Holyrood Week events begin.
The Queen Consort, 76, hosted several Scottish authors including Sir Ian Rankin and Val McDermid at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh yesterday (2 July).
After speaking to the queen, Rankin, best known for his Scottish crime thrillers, said: “She’s really interested in literacy. She wants young people reading, she wants everybody reading.
“There’s no stigma attached to writing, If you write comic books, if you write romance, if you write crime fiction, she’s a fan – anything that gets people reading.”
Meghan trying to ‘establishing own identity’ separate from Harry
The Duchess of Sussex is reportedly focused on “establishing her own identity” as an independent creator and businesswoman, it has been claimed.
This comes amid the news that she is establishing her own lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, and is acting as the executive producer on two projects for Netflix amid her and Harry’s multi-million dollar deal.
Entertainment expert Mark Boardman told the Daily Express: “From a career perspective, Meghan’s continued involvement in high-profile projects like these certainly suggests a deliberate move toward establishing her own identity separate from Prince Harry and her royal title.
“It reflects her commitment to pursuing her passions independently while still leveraging her own name and platform for positive change and financial gain.”
Harry and Meghan ‘two of the most unpopular figures in the US today'
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been described as “two of the most unpopular figures in the US today”.
The revelation comes amid the news that a petition urging American sports network ESPN to “rethink” its decision to give Harry an award for veterans has reached 50,000 signatures.
Royal commentator Nile Gardiner said the couple’s alleged “narcissism does not go down very well in the United States and America.”
“Most American people really love the Royal Family, okay. They do not look kindly upon Harry and Meghan trashing them in the United States and does not go down very well,” he said, before citing the controversy surrounding Harry’s receipt of the Pat Tillman Award.
“They’re very divisive figures, and this award is very, very controversial. There’s a huge backlash in the United States, and it’s an illustration of just how unpopular Harry and Meghan are on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Charles and Camilla’s Scotland trip to be cut short
King Charles and Queen Camilla’s current trip to Scotland for Holyrood Week is set to be cut short as a result of the General Election.
Following its announcement, the royal family said they would postpone any events “which may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign”.
The couple’s engagements began in Edinburgh yesterday with the Ceremony of the Keys, which saw the Monarch ceremonially given the keys to the city.
They also took part in an event acknowledging the work of Scottish authors and hosted the Soverign’s Garden Party at the Palace of Holyrood House.
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