Royal family 7-8 April: Norwegian princess's daughter turns 21, Princess Anne's 'special project' & more

Good morning and happy Tuesday! I'm Rachel and I'll be bringing you the royal news today. It's a quiet time for the royal family following their big Easter outing to church. Prince William and Princess Kate are going to be enjoying time away from the limelight, having a half term break with their three children. 

Plus, we are expecting more fascinating stories as Robert Hardman's new book Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story, is being serialised.

We love trawling through the royal archives here at Best Quality Designer Handbag HQ and today we've uncovered an incredible image taken on this day in 1983. The then-Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales were driven around the Perth Hockey Stadium in a Bentley in Perth, Western Australia. As ever, Diana looked picture perfect, sporting a Barbie pink ensemble. 

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You may have seen photos from the royals at the Easter service on Sunday, but did you notice that Prince Louis was on his best behaviour? Known for his cheeky faces during public engagements in the past, the young royal was very well behaved in front of the cameras. Watch here.

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It wasn't just the British royals who marked Easter with a church visit, the Danish royals were spotted on Sunday too, leaving a service in Copenhagen. Denmark's Princess Josephine, Princess Isabella, Prince Vincent, Queen Mary, King Frederik and Crown Prince Christian were snapped looking smart as they left the place of worship. 

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Princess Kate's sister Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews live on an impressive estate in Berkshire, but it doesn't come without its issues. The couple are locked in an ongoing battle with locals over a public footpath which runs near their £15 million property. Read the full story here.

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The viral cheesecake that Queen Elizabeth II used to adore is now back in fashion - and it sounds rather delicious! 

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In our latest podcast episode, we talk about the "forgotten" story when Queen Elizabeth II was stranded because of a blizzard and almost spent the night in a pub. We can think of worse places to be! Discover the story here.

Andrew Mounbatten-Windsor left Royal Lodge in February after years of calls for him to give up his royal home. But did you know that his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, had a wish for him to leave many years ago? Here's the real reason she wanted him to give up the keys.

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Now handing over to Abby Allen to bring you this afternoon's royal news. Stay tuned!

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has officially moved into his new home, Marsh Farm, and has spent his first night in his new abode. 

After having his official titles stripped, King Charles's brother, who lived at Royal Lodge for over 20 years, temporarily resided at Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate while awaiting renovations. 

On Tuesday, Andrew was spotted walking his dogs alone near the property at Marsh Farm. Get the full story here. 

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With Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor now officially moved in at Marsh Farm, many eager royal followers may be wondering about his relationship with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson.  

While the pair were once the "happiest divorced couple in the world", reports have stated that while the couple are still in contact, they are "not talking that much".

Get the full report here. 

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Royal fans were shocked to see just how fast Prince George has grown during his latest appearance at St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle on Easter Sunday. 

The 12-year-old son of Prince William and Princess Kate was seen almost catching up to his parents in height, and easily towered over his siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. 

See all the best pictures here.  

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King Felipe had a busy Tuesday receiving an audience of brigadier generals and rear admirals in Madrid.

The audience recognised general officers who are taking on new responsibilities at the head of operational and support structures of the Armed Forces.

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Want even more royal insight? HELLO! VIP members enjoy full digital access to every issue of Best Quality Designer Handbag , including exclusive royal features, special editions and our complete magazine archive.Join for only £4.25 / $6.00 per month and unlock all member benefits. 

The late Queen Elizabeth passed away in September 2022, aged 96, but before her death, she made a thoughtful gesture towards her great-grandchildren in her final weeks, according to a royal author.  

In Queen Elizabeth II: In Private. In Public. The Inside Story, Robert Hardman claims that the Queen hoped to invite her great-grandchildren to her beloved residence in Scotland in the summer before she died, to leave them all with a "really happy memory".

Read the full story here. 

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It took King Charles over seven decades to become monarch, but only ten years to meet his first U.S. president: Dwight D. Eisenhower. Queen Elizabeth's eldest child was ten at the time, when the 34th President of the United States visited Balmoral Castle in 1959. 

"The Queen would have been very keen for [Charles] to meet Eisenhower because he is really iconic for the Queen, [with regards to] the importance of Britain staying close to America, [and] because of the way that Eisenhower led the wartime effort that she saw firsthand," David Charter, author of Royal Audience: 70 Years, 13 Presidents — One Queen's Special Relationship with America, told HELLO!.

See more of what he had to say here.

That's all we have for you today, but we'll be right back here early tomorrow morning for more of our weekly royal coverage.

Cheers! 

Good morning everyone!

I'm Eleanor, HELLO!'s acting online royal correspondent, and I'll be bringing you all the royal news this morning. 

It's still the Easter holidays - but that doesn't mean it's quiet. There's a 21st birthday over in Norway, while Princess Anne and King Charles are working hard as usual. 

Stay tuned!

There's a very important royal birthday over in Norway, as Leah Behn, the daughter of Princess Märtha Louise, turns 21. 

She is the second daughter of Princess Märtha and her late former husband, Ari Behn. Despite being sixth in the line of succession, she does not hold royal titles. 

Leah has a modelling contract and owns a skincare brand called Dorah. Last summer, she even appeared on Forræder, Norway's answer to The Traitors. 

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Princess Anne journeyed to Scotland last week to unveil a 'truly special' project. 

The royal, 75, unveiled a commemorative loom at the Strathcarron Hospice in Forth Valley to mark the charity's 45th anniversary. She took part in a weaving project, weaving the first thread into the project, to start the community-created artwork. 

Following her visit, Mags McCarthy, chief executive of Strathcarron Hospice, said: "We are deeply honoured that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal agreed to weave the very first thread in this special piece.

"Every thread will represent a person, a moment, a connection, and together they will create something truly special to mark 45 years of care."

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The royals are known to be big animal lovers - just think of Queen Elizabeth II and her beloved corgis. 

King Charles and Queen Camilla have shown long-standing support for animal welfare charities and the Prince and Princess of Wales own cocker spaniels. 

But there's one pet that King Charles 'cannot stand' - and they can't even be in the same room!

Read more here. 

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Royal circles are small - this is something everybody knows. 

But did you know that some of them have exes in common? 

From Queen Camilla's ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles to the late Princess Diana, here are all the royals who have dated each other's exes. 

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Have you ever wondered what the royal family's surnames are? 

We mainly know them as King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William etc - but it may surprise you to hear that there is an official surname when needed!

It can be rather confusing, but our US royal correspondent, Alex Hurtado, is here to explain everything from the use of Wales, to Sussex and Mountbatten-Windsor. 

Read the full piece here. 

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The King is facing a tragic loss after the news that one of his long-term friends has passed away. 

Alec Cobbe, an art collector and designer, was friends with Charles for many years and even designed the invites for Prince William's 21st birthday party. 

The King had rather a quirky nickname for him and trusted him with many royal designs over the years. Alec, who was appointed to the Royal Victorian Order in February, was perhaps best known as the custodian of Hatchlands in Guildford. 

We're bringing you all the latest details in our full story. 

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Queen Letizia of Spain looks every inch a queen this morning!

She's wearing a cream power suit with a stunning orange and pink silk top. 

Letizia accompanied Yolanda Diaz, Minister of Labour and Social Economy of Spain, for the 10th anniversary of the "Talento Joven y Talento Joven Movilidad" Programme at the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in Madrid. 

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Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have curated a gorgeous collection of family pictures over the years - from their Netflix documentary to Meghan's Instagram account. 

The Sussexes live in Montecito with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, carving out a new life together after leaving the royal family. 

Our Replica Luxury Handbags Editor, Rachel Avery, takes you through the best pictures. 

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Just like the rest of us, Queen Elizabeth II loved a boogey. 

And now it can be revealed that she was, in real life, a Dancing Queen! Her dresser, Angela Kelly, has revealed that King Charles's mother loved ABBA and would move "side to side" when it came on the radio. 

In her first interview reflecting on her time with the monarch, she opened up about their morning routine together and much more. 

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Sarah Ferguson has not been seen in public for many months, and her current whereabouts are still unconfirmed. 

However, she has allegedly ruled out a move to the US, and has reportedly said she will "never set foot" there again. This may come as a surprise, given that she once enjoyed great success across the pond following her divorce from Andrew. 

Read why here - and all the details. 

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Princess Amalia of the Netherlands has started the next step of her military training. 

The royal, 22, who is the daughter of Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander, has started as a military student with the Royal Air Force, as part of her studies at the Defensity College. 

She certainly looks the part in new photos shared by the royal house this morning!

" The program is made up of various workplaces, activities, events and trainings and thus contributes to the personal, professional and military development of the military working student," a social media post explained.

Thank you for joining me this morning!

I'm now handing over to Isabelle, who will take things from here.