Royal family 11-12 February: King Charles' celebrations, royal marks incredible birthday, more

Hi, it's Rachel here on the royal blog this morning, bringing you the latest from Prince William's final day in Saudi Arabia. Back on British soil, King Charles and Queen Camilla will be hosting a reception to celebrate carers at Windsor Castle and Prince Edward will attend opening of a FUJIFILM Facility in Stockton-on-Tees.

The Prince of Wales is on his third and final day of his official trip to Saudi Arabia and he kicked it off with a visit Sharaan Nature Reserve where he spoke with members of the RCU’s Habitat and Restoration team and even said "“I like to get my hands dirty” when he planted an acacia tree.

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While at the Sharaan Nature Reserve, AlUla, the Prince was told of plans to plant ten million trees in the next decade across the reserve to restore the local ecosystem. The team has already planted more than half a million in the last year, with plans to massively scale as the project takes off. “500,000? That's incredible. You've been very busy,” the royal remarked. 

He added: "It's so important for people to see what you are doing here. It requires interest, energy and dedication and then you start to see the benefits."

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Royal Editor, Emily Nash, is in Saudi Arabia with Prince William, and she has sent us the latest information from the 7,000-year-old archaeological area in Saudi’s Medina region, Sharaan Nature Reserve. 

Emily's report:

Prince William heard from staff including Bassim Al Balawi, Lead Ranger, who was born in AlUla, about work being planned to increase numbers of the critically endangered Arabian leopard, which they hope to reintroduce to the reserve by 2035, working in partnership with the Royal Zoological Society of London. 

His first stop was the Alqaliba Mountain Viewpoint, with its breathtaking view of sandscapes and rocks. 

William, wearing navy chinos, a khaki shirt and brown walking boots, said: “The local community are used to what they’ve got - unless you show them something different, they don’t know what to do.”

Referring to the regeneration project, he said: “That they have a vision to do this is really exciting. The tourism will come. What I find so exciting is it’s so new, this all started in 2019, it’s going to be so exciting to see all the progress. So many others will say, “if Saudi Arabia can do it, we can do it.”

He also asked: “And what about the Arabian leopard?” When was it last here?” The rangers told him the leopard had not been seen in AlUla since the 1980s, and only 38 exist in Saudi Arabia, all living in captivity. 

William then had coffee with Prince Badr and some of the rangers. “It’s hard work for you guys, I’d have thought, it’s a big area you’ve got to cover. It must be quite exciting getting the vegetation and wildlife and what impact it will have. The tourists will come too. Well, good luck guys. Lots to do, it’ll keep you busy.”

Crown Princess Mette-Marit's son, Marius Borg Hoiby, is currently on trial where he is facing 38 charges, including raping women while they were asleep or unconscious. He continues to deny the charges and in court he has said: "I don't have sex with women who are asleep."

Speaking about a specific incident in 2023, with a Tinder date, he said: "I don't understand: if we had sex three or four times before, and I woke her up each time, why the hell would I have had sex with her without waking her the last time?". The trial continues...

On this day in 1970, King Charles (who was then Prince Charles) was first introduced to the House of Lords. He remained a hereditary peer with the title Duke of Cornwall until the House of Lords Act 1999.

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Did you know Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor isn't the only royal named in the Epstein files? We delve into the four royal names publicly mentioned. Read more.

Meghan Markle's As Ever jam was given a surprise shout on on EastEnders this week! Newcomer Bea Pollard (played by Ronni Ancona) suggested that Honey Mitchell should "start selling Jam like Meghan" after losing her job.

While Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's move from Royal Lodge to the Sandringham Estate has been well documented, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson has remained out of the limelight. Her whereabouts have now been reported, along with her 'comeback' plan and here are all the details. 

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King Charles and Queen Camilla have been seen for the first time since the palace confirmed they would assist police with any investigations relating to the Epstein files. The royal couple were pictured arriving at the Garrison Chapel in central London to visit a new Turquoise Mountain exhibition marking the charity’s 20th anniversary.  

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Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, has been given a new patronage, becoming the patron of the British Exploring Society, following in the footsteps of his father, Prince Phillip who once held this role. 

Prince William has been quizzed about Princess Kate by young girls in adorable moment on his trip to Saudi Arabia - and they sounded a little disappointed by the royal's response. Read full story.

Despite having an unwavering 73-year marriage, the late Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip did sometimes disagree. One particular division was over what to serve at dinner, with the Queen branding this common ingredient as "antisocial". Discover the item here.

King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain have attended the presentation of the National Sports Awards 2023 and 2024 at the El Pardo Palace today. Letizia was rocking her go-to hue - raspberry red! Her outfit of choice was a three-quarter-sleeved dress with modest hem and fit-and-flare silhouette.

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It's time for me to handover to Isabelle Casey for the afternoon shift. Stay tuned for all the royal news, here and abroad. 

Hello lovely royal readers, I am picking up the news this afternoon, so stay tuned for all the details from the gliterring world of royalty!

The King and Queen have made their first public appearance since the monarch confirmed he is "ready to support" a police investigation into his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. 

Charles and Camilla arrived at the Garrison Chapel in central London to celebrate Turquoise Mountain's 20th anniversary on Wednesday morning, with the King waving to cameras he went up the steps. 

They were greeted by the charity’s President, Shoshana Stewart, and her husband, Founding Director Rory Stewart, who established Turquoise Mountain in Afghanistan in 2006 at the request of the then Prince of Wales. 

It is the King and Queen's first public outing since Buckingham Palace issued a statement on Monday night. A spokesman for the monarch said he had expressed his "profound concern" over the onslaught of new revelations about his younger brother Andrew, the former Duke of York, which have emerged from the Epstein files.

See photos from the outing here.

Both King Charles and the Prince and Princess of Wales have released messages following a school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, Canada, which left nine people dead.

The monarch said: "My wife and I were profoundly shocked and saddened to learn of the most dreadful attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. We can only express our deepest possible sympathy to the families who are grieving the unimaginable loss of their loved ones and those still awaiting news from hospital.

"In such a closely connected town, every child's name will be known and every family will be a neighbour. We can only begin to imagine the appalling shadow that has now descended across Tumbler Ridge and our hearts go out to all those whose lives have been so shattered by this senseless act of brutal violence.

"I very much wish to thank the town’s police and staff at the health centre for their courage as first responders, and all those across British Columbia who have helped in every way they have.

"In sending our most heartfelt condolences, my wife and I stand in solidarity with the people of Tumbler Ridge and all Canadians as they seek understanding, healing and strength."

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In their message, William and Kate said: "Our hearts are with the entire Tumbler Ridge community, and we extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends affected by this devastating loss. We are so thankful for the courage shown by the students, staff, and emergency responders who acted with selflessness in the face of such violence."

The Duke of Edinburgh made sure to get stuck in while visiting Fujifilm Biotechnologies today in County Durham.

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In photos from the visit, Edward was dressed in a white lab coat, goggles and a hair net as he spoke to members of staff in the small and mid-scale antibody manufacturing facility.

Lady Amelia Windsor seldom fails to miss when it comes to her exquisite (and sustainable) sense of style.

The cousin of Prince William and Harry, 30, shared a stunning photograph from her evening at China Tang, attending a dinner in celebration of Patrick McDowell's Pre-Fall 2026 collection.

Amelia chose a daring black ballgown for the occasion, which she paired with killer black heels by Penelope Chilvers.

Amid the ongoing Epstein scandal, Princess Beatrice's husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi headed across the Atlantic to Palm Beach.

Taking to his Instagram account, the property developer,  42, shared a carousel of his work trip. Edoardo made sure to take in the local Floridan landmarks.

In the clip, the businessman was filmed stopping for qa uick sit at the Colony, the iconic pink hotel in the area, not forgetting to take a quick snap of the Worth Avenue clock tower.

Last week saw the son of the sultan of Brunei, Prince Abdul Mateen, and his wife, Princess Anisha, share the happy news that their first child had been born. And on Wednesday, the couple posted the first photo of their new arrival, as well as revealing her name.

Proud father Prince Abdul Mateen took to Instagram to share the cute details about their daughter, writing: "Zahra Mariam Bolkiah. Anisha & I are so grateful to the incredible team at JPMC for their exceptional care and support, and so thankful to everyone for the kind wishes."

Count Nikolai of Denmark and his beautiful model girlfriend, Benedikte Thoustrup, have enjoyed a snowy start to the year, heading off for an enviable ski trip to the Alps.

The couple, who have been together since meeting as teenagers at the elite Danish boarding school, Herlufsholm School, couldn't have looked more loved up during the trip, with Benedikte sharing a video with the caption: "Thank God he's also a skier [white love heart emoji]." The video showed Nikolai affectionately adjusting his girlfriend's helmet - how sweet!

If you are a fan of James Middleton, then you will know just how much his late dog, Ella, meant to him. 

The younger brother of the Princess of Wales, 38, shared a moving update alongisde his pooch, alongside the emotional caption: "Lessons from my dog #3 goes without saying: the best therapist has fur and four legs [paw print emoji]. I know a lot of you can relate to this one. Let me know in the comments how your dog has helped you."

British presenter Cat Deeley took some serious style inspiration from the Princess of Wales, stepping out on This Morning wearing her boden  Sienna Cotton Shirt.

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The item is a wardrobe staple for the future Queen, who was seen wearing it in Scotland in April last year, pairing the look with a tweed jacket and black skinny jeans. 

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Cat chose to elevate the piece with a killer red velvet suit rom Reiss, for a statement look inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow in the 90s. The suit is almost identical to the iconic Gucci two-piece the Hollywood star wore for the 1996 MTV Music Awards, and Cat also styled her hair in an effortless up-do.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson have officially left Royal Lodge after 20 years living together at the Windsor estate - where they once claimed to be the "happiest divorced couple in the world". 

The former couple lived at the 30-room mansion from 2004 to 2008, respectively, and while the fairytale may have come to an end, in previous years, their living arrangement was harmonious, with the former couple enjoying a regular indulgence within the walls of their royal home. 

Sarah told the Daily Mail in 2018: "We stand up for each other, fight for each other. We're totally respectful of each other's position and thoughts and we listen to each other. Our children listen to us, too. And we sit around the table and have afternoon tea together. It's a very important part of our lives."

Queen Sofia of Spain made a dignified return to royal duties following the death of her sister, Princess Irene of Greece.

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The Queen visited the Bizkaia Food Bank in Basauri to witness the impact that donations from the Queen Sofia Foundation have had on the charity.

The Prince of Wales has departed Saudi Arabia, the occasion marked by photos of the future King leaving AlUla Airport.

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That's it from me folks, I'll be passing the reins to the lovely, Melanie McLeod.

As soon as I logged on for blog duties, an update on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's police investigation dropped, with Thames Valley Police saying they're working "quickly" on the investigation.