Royal Family recap: Prince William exclusive, Meghan Markle's big decision, and more

Good Morning royal watchers!

I will be taking you through all the royal updates this morning!

The King has stripped honours from nine people, including Scottish rugby captain Stuart Hogg, who was convicted of domestic abuse.

According to the UK's official public record, The Gazette, Stuart is just one of nine other people to have their honours "cancelled and annulled" by His Majesty.

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Stuart, who pleaded guilty to a domestic abuse charge in 2024 against his then estranged wife, was given his award in 2024 for services to rugby.

Other names on the list are Ian Michael Ashbolt,  Anantkumar Meghji Pethraj Shah, Graham Gilbey Trewhella, Lloyd Ian Hamilton, Ian Michael Ashbolt, Angela Jane Middleton, Nigel Timothy James O'Connor and Paul Allen Rose. 

This isn't the first time the King has chosen to strip former recipients of their honours. In January 2012, former Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) CEO Fred Goodwin was stripped of his knighthood due to his role in the bank's near-collapse and subsequent 2008 bailout.  

King Frederik and Queen Mary attended a dinner on Thursday evening at Kronborg Castle in Helsingør with over 300 honorary consuls.

 The dinner was held in connection with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' consul meeting, which brings together more than 300 honorary consuls.

Congratulations are in order for Lady Violet Manners and her husband, Viscount Garnock, who are expecting their first child together.

© Dave Benett/Getty Images

Violet and William James Lindesay-Bethune have exclusively shared their happy news with HELLO!, telling us: "We are thrilled to share that we are expecting our first child. We are so grateful and excited for all that's to come."

Read the full exclusive interview here.

Queen Elizabeth II’s private rooms at her official Scottish residence are to be opened to the public for the first time to mark the centenary of her birth.

Visitors will be able to tour the "personal lived-in" apartments used by the Queen and Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, as they go behind the scenes at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

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These include the Queen’s Dressing Room, where she would prepare and dress for official engagements, and the Sitting Room, where she would work from her red boxes and relax by watching the horse racing on TV.

The Queen and Philip used to occupy a suite of private rooms, which date from the 17th century, on the palace’s east side, which offered views of the gardens and Holyrood Park, during their stays at the monarchy’s official residence in Scotland.

The Royal Collection Trust said: “These modestly decorated rooms offer a rare glimpse into the personal ‘lived-in’ spaces used during private moments between official duties.”

Carolyn Bassett reportedly encouraged her husband, John F. Kennedy Jr., to reach out to Prince William and Prince Harry following the death of their mother, Princess Diana.

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In the book Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, author Elizabeth Beller wrote: "Carolyn tried to get John to call Princes William and Harry to give his condolences when it came out that Diana had hoped for her sons to emulate John's modesty in the face of media obsession."

Queen Mary of Denmark's upcoming visit to Australia, set to take place between 14th and 19th March, could be at risk due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

But the Royal House confirmed to Danish media BT that appropriate changes were being made to their travel plans so the royal couple could still visit the Queen's homeland.

"The royal couple’s visit to Australia will be carried out with a few adjustments that will be announced later. The dates of the visit will not be changed," a Royal House spokesman told BT.

Royal protocol dictates a number of rules and regulations, so it's an incredibly rare occurrence to see any royal without shoes.

However, during her visit to Leicester on Thursday. The Princess of Wales, 44, removed her high heels as a sign of respect when she entered the city's Shreeji Dham Haveli Hindu Temple, before joining in a dance with Hindu worshippers and learning about the religion and culture. 

© POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The Princess joined a women-only group performing a traditional garba dance in front of a statue of the Hindu deity Lord Krishna after being garlanded with flowers, and a light-coloured bindi pressed between her eyes

Princess Anne's daughter, Zara Tindall, has made an incredibly rare comment about her marriage to rugby star, Mike Tindall.

While attending the Beauty Awards, the 44-year-old royal spoke candidly about her relationship and said the secret to a happy, long-lasting marriage is to accept that "nothing runs smoothly ever" but that "you've got to have fun" always. 

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She continued telling the Daily Mail: "We've been together for 21 years. Nothing runs smoothly ever. You've got to accept that in life. It's a work-in-progress [but] you've got to have fun."

The BBC has sparked outrage with the decision to axe the live broadcast of next week's Commonwealth Day service for the first time in 37 years. 

The service, which celebrates collaboration as the defining strength of the modern family of nations, is one of the highlights of the royal calendar and has been shown live from Westminster Abbey every year since 1989, apart from 2021 due to the pandemic. 

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This year, it will be attended by senior royals, including King Charles, Queen Camilla, the Prince and Princess of Wales and Princess Anne. 

The broadcaster will show an episode of Escape to the Country on BBC One instead, citing "funding challenges" as the reason behind the decision. 

Kensington Palace is known for its gorgeous wrought iron gates, but they need some preening, according to official social media channels for the royal residence, says senior project manager Lynda O'Sullivan. 

The gates are in the process of being removed, so that they can have a freshen up, 10 years after their last one. See the video here.

As we approach the late Queen's centenary in April, HELLO! is hosting an exclusive event with royal author Robert Hardman to celebrate the monarch's life and legacy.

Our royal experts and hosts of A Right Royal Podcast – Emily Nash, Andrea Caamano and Emmy Griffiths – will be taking to a stage in central London on Thursday 9 April. They'll be quizzing Robert on the late Queen, his new book Elizabeth II (you'll be one of the first to see it on publication day), and answer the question on everyone's lips: "What was Her Late Majesty really like?"

And who better to regale us with anecdotes and tales than Robert, the only biographer to have interviewed all senior members of the royal family?

The event will be held from 10:30am to 12pm at Browns Covent Garden, just a stone's throw away from St James's Palace.

So why not join us over tea, coffee and pastries for an intimate conversation with our royal experts and author Robert Hardman?

Plus, take home a goodie bag filled with treats including beauty products from luxury brands loved by the late Queen herself, and copies of HELLO! magazine, including our new keepsake edition, Queen Elizabeth II: A Centenary Tribute (worth £12). There will also be the option to buy and receive a signed copy of Robert's new book on the day.

Click the button below to buy a ticket.

The Prince of Wales has issued a statement in recognition of the tragic events at Upemba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 

The message responds to an armed incursion at the park earlier this week, during which five members of staff were killed. The park’s headquarters at Lusinga was attacked on 3 March by Mayi‑Mayi militia, who also looted equipment and destroyed infrastructure.

Upemba National Park is one of the DRC’s most important conservation areas, and the incident underscores the increasing danger faced by rangers and environmental defenders globally.

The Prince has been a long-term advocate for those working in the field of wildlife protection, and fronted a series on wildlife rangers (Guardians) last year.

In a statement shared on the official social media channels for the Prince and Princess of Wales, William penned: "I am profoundly saddened to hear of the tragic loss of life at Upemba National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, following an armed raid of the park earlier this week.

"Environmental protection has become one of the most dangerous jobs on the planet, and the bravery of those on the frontline of conservation must never be forgotten. My thoughts are with the families and friends of the park staff who lost their lives defending our natural world.- W."

When the Princess of Wales received her cancer diagnosis, there is no denying it would have sent shockwaves throughout the family.

But it was Prince William's in-laws, Carole and Michael Middleton, who helped Prince William keep things afloat while he navigated the unimaginable.

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The Daily Mirror's royal correspondent, Russell Myers, explains in his new book, William and Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story:  "The Middleton family, who had become a constant presence in their lives, were crucial to this. William appreciated their involvement beyond measure, enjoying their company and the normalcy of the environment, whatever the circumstance. 'More room to breathe', he once told an aide."

He continued: "Michael and Carole enjoyed visiting the couple in Norfolk and would often stay for weekends, providing much-needed extra support for the young family."

Thanks for tuning in this morning, I will be passing my royal duties over to the wonderful Matthew!

Denmark's Princess Benedikte, 81, has has to pull out of an appearance at the Danish Warmblood Stallion Certification after falling ill. A statement from the Danish Palace confirmed: "Princess Benedikte has unfortunately been forced to cancel due to illness."

We hope she gets well soon!

© Milos Bicanski

The latest edition of Best Quality Designer Handbag 's A Right Royal Podcast is now out, and in it  Andrea Caamano and Emily Nash sit down with legendary photographer Chris Jackson, who discusses capturing stunning portraits of the Princess of Wales and his secret trick to make Prince Louis laugh.

Listen to it below...

During a visit to a Hindu temple on Thursday, the Princess of Wales was seen respectfully removing her shoes, but what about the other times that the royals have decided to shed their footwear. We have a handy gallery for you to see here...

King Charles has made some major changes to the way that royal photography is conducted, something that Chris Jackson doesn't believe would ever have happened during the reign of the late Queen.

See what Chris had to say when he appeared on Best Quality Designer Handbag 's A Right Royal podcast...

Although Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his royal titles and homours last year, there is one honour that the disgraced royal is allowed to keep, and it's down to his father, the late Duke of Edinburgh. Find out more here...

Prince William surprised Cornish customers yesterday when he took their orders, and Best Quality Designer Handbag can now exclusively reveal that following his day on the phones, the royal brought home a special gift for his wife and three children. Click through to find out more...

Prince Louis is known for his love of dance, but the Princess of Wales gave a further insight into his high "energy" hobby on Thursday during her visit to Leicester. Check out what the royal mum had to say here...

Meghan Markle will continue creating shows for Netflix, but the streaming giant is now no longer supporting her lifestyle brand, As ever. The pair confirmed the mutual split in separate statements, find out more here...

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International Women's Day will be marked on Sunday, but the Belgian royal family have marked the event two days earlier. King Philippe and Queen Mathilde were seen meeting women in fields like education and justice.

A social media post on the matter read: "From medicine to sports, by way of education and justice: on the approach of International Women's Day (March 8), the King and Queen received eight women who distinguish themselves in their field of activity for a lunch at the Château de Laeken."

Thanks for joining me this afternoon, Rebecca Lewis will see you through for the rest of the day!

Kurt Russell has shared rare details of his friendship with the late Princess of Wales, who he first met in 1991 and with whom he bonded over their mutual difficulties with paparazzi photographers.

"I said, 'If you ever want to go somewhere that's pretty under control, we'll work it out – let me know'," he said.

Read more here.

Have you ever wanted to find out how our very ow Right Royal Podcast is made?

As we approach the late Queen's centenary in April, HELLO! is hosting an exclusive event with royal author Robert Hardman and our royal experts and hosts of A Right Royal Podcast – Emily Nash, Andrea Caamano and Emmy Griffiths –to celebrate the monarch's life and legacy.

Find out more - including how to get your tickets - here.

Speaking of our podcast, have you listened to the new episode yet?

"How does one photograph capture the weight of a nation?" ask hosts Andrea Caamano and Emily Nash, who sit down with legendary photographer Chris Jackson to uncover the story behind hauntingly beautiful portrait of the Princess of Wales.

Let's end this week with a fun feature - royals without their shoes on!

© POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Members of the royal family are rarely seen without their shoes on, writes online royal correspondent Eleanor Dye, but the royals have occasionally been required to slip off their shoes on a royal tour or as a sign of respect when visiting religious buildings. 

Read the full feature here.