Royal recap: Sarah Ferguson spotted, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's emotional day, and more

Good morning, royal fans! 

We have a busy day of royal news today so don't go anywhere.

There will be a morning investiture at Windsor Castle.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continue the Australia trip. The Duke will visit Movember at the Western Bulldogs HQ, before departing for Canberra. There he will visit The Australian War Memorial, visit with Indigenous Veterans, attend a reception for Invictus Australia and attend the Last Post Ceremony. He will depart Canberra for Melbourne in the afternoon.

King Willem Alexander and Queen Maxima will finish their US visit, and will also travel to Florida. 

The Princess of Wales' brother, James Middleton, turns 39.

Sophie, The Duchess of Edinburgh will attend a conference at Discovery House as a patron of Plan International UK. She will attend the International Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists Exhibition at RHS Lindley Hall as Royal Patron of the Treloar Trust.

Princess Anne will visit the National Archives in Kew. As patron of UK youth, she will hold a luncheon at Windsor Castle.

Princess Madeleine of Sweden will visit New York.

Crown Prince Haakon and Prince Sverre Magnus of Norway will undertake joint engagements in Oslo.

Big news for Master Chef fans! Meghan Markle is joining MasterChef Australia as a guest judge.

MasterChef premieres this Sunday at 7 pm on 10.

Congratulations are in order for King Philippe of Belgium! 

The monarch turns 66 today!  To mark the occasion, the official social media channels for the Belgian royal family shared a photo of Philippe taken at the start of an audience. 

Over at the White House, preparations are getting underway for King Charles and Queen Camilla's state visit to the United States between 27 and 30 April 2026.

A new video has been posted on X (formerly Twitter) by Melania Trump. Watch below...

Prince Harry's Invictus Games Foundation has announced a new Invictus Australia Sports Festival, presented by ATCO.

© Getty Images

The festival is a brand-new international adaptive sports event set to take place in Perth, Australia, in October 2026, and it will create additional opportunities for international wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans to engage in competitive sport as part of their recovery journey, expanding the impact of the Invictus Movement beyond the biennial Invictus Games.

Following the devastating fire that tore through Windsor Castle in 1992, Queen Elizabeth II made the poignant decision to document the state of the ruins. She commissioned artist Alexander Creswell to produce a series of watercolours capturing the ruined State Rooms, creating a stark historical record of the destruction.

Now, the Royal Collection Trust has shared these rare works on Instagram, alongside companion pieces Creswell painted in 1999 following the castle's extensive restoration. The "before and after" images highlight a dramatic transformation, contrasting the soot-blackened, skeletal remains of the 100 damaged rooms with their current, gold-trimmed splendour.

During his visit to Norway, President Zelensky of Ukraine has had meetings with the Prime Minister and the Norwegian authorities.

They posed for photos to mark the occasion. Take a look...

While the British Royal Family follows a well-known set of conventions, royal households worldwide adhere to their own unique protocols. Though many share commonalities, distinct cultural differences set each monarchy apart.

© Getty Images

In Denmark, for example, the names of royal infants are kept secret until their christening. In the Netherlands, there is no religious coronation; the King is inaugurated in a secular ceremony where the crown is displayed but never worn.

Read the full story to learn more royal rules...

A new royal engagement has been announced for Princess Anne.

© Getty Images

King Charles' sister will attend a Passing Out Parade at Britannia Royal Naval College.

Anne serves as a high-ranking ceremonial figure for the Royal Navy and frequently acts as the reviewing officer at Passing Out Parades.

Hello! Isabelle here! 

I will be taking you through your royal updates this afternoon!

Prince Harry said he is not "pointing the finger" at his father as he made rare comments about the King during a speech in Australia.

The Duke of Sussex, 41, took part in a discussion on stage during a visit to a men's mental health charity in Melbourne, as part of his four-day trip Down Under with wife Meghan Markle. 

Harry met with members of the organisation on Wednesday morning at the Whitten Oval, which is the training and administrative headquarters of Australian rules football club Western Bulldogs.

In a discussion on stage with Movember’s global director of men’s health research, Dr Zac Seidler, Harry said that kids should be "upgrades" of their mothers and fathers and made rare comments about his own parents, King Charles and the late Princess Diana. 

He said: "There's no judgment, there's no blame, there's no pointing the finger. The reality is that – however you are parenting – that is a personal experience to you, you are going to want to improve on that."

King Charles stunned locals as he made a surprise visit to a whisky shop and newsagents' in a tiny Scottish village this week.

The monarch, 77, spent time in Aboyne near Aberdeen on Tuesday, which is only a 30-minute drive from Balmoral Castle. 

He visited George Stratchan Limited, a newsagents' which holds a royal warrant, with the King telling locals he used to visit during his childhood stays in Balmoral. 

The King was in the area to celebrate the business's 100th anniversary, with a large police presence taking to the streets ahead of his visit, which was not announced in advance. 

One resident told local paper Press and Journal that they were "shocked" to see the King, with another saying he had appeared "delighted" to be in the area. 

They said: "It all happened so fast. We were out walking the dog when we heard all these sirens. Next thing we knew, four police cars were outside on Ballater Road. I was shocked."

Over in Miami, the King and Queen of the Netherlands enjoyed a visit to the Shake-a-leg Marina. 

Our US Royal Correspondant, Alex Hurtado, who is reporting on the ground from Miami, has revealed the bustling itinerary on the agenda.

Willem and Maxima will attend several pitch sessions where Dutch companies in the maritime manufacturing sector will introduce themselves to potential American clients. Then they will join a maritime executive round table on cooperation, shared challenges and solutions in the maritime manufacturing industry. Finally, they will be given a tour of the Shake-a-Leg marina in which they will learn about the activities of this organisation, which is dedicated to making water sports accessible to disabled people.

While in Australia, Prince Harry was presented with a very special gift from one fan. 

The Duke of Sussex receieved a drawing of Harry, his wife Meghan and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet and their chickens while by six-year-old Harriet, while attending the the Australian War Memorial in Canberra - how sweet!

Queen Maxima left us all rather impressed when she perfectly navigated wearing a pair of fabulous heels while on a dock while helping a boat set sail in Miami today. Take a look below!

James Middleton marked his 39th birthday on Wednesday, revealing "he's more excited than ever" for his 39th spin around the sun.

Writing on Instagram alongside a photograph of himself and his beloved dogs, and amn adorable picture kissing his wife Alizée, James penned: "Today’s my birthday and every year feels like a bigger climb [mountain emoji] but reaching the top and seeing how far you’ve come never gets old [red love heart emoji]. Entering the final year of my 30s and more excited than ever..."

As for what is on the horizon is yet to be revealed but no doubt, all wil become clear in due course!

That's it from me! Passing over to Beatriz from the US!

James Middleton and wife Alizee Thevenet were full of jubilation on Wednesday as they marked the businessman's 39th birthday.

To celebrate the occasion, the pair hiked up a mountain, with James revealing that they had been joined by their pack of dogs. As the couple reached the summit, the 39-year-old was seen embracing his wife, who he married in 2021, and kissing the side of her face.

See the sweet photo here. 

That's all we have for you today, but we'll be right back here early tomorrow morning for more royal news of the week.

Cheers!

Good morning! It's been a busy one overnight with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continuing their engagements in Australia. It was an emotive day for the couple, who weren't afraid to share their deepest thoughts. 

Speaking at Swinburne University of Technology, the Duchess of Sussex opened up in unusually candid terms while addressing young people involved with mental health organisation Batyr. She said: "For now, 10 years, every day for 10 years, I have been bullied and attacked. And I was the most trolled person in the entire world."

© Getty Images

The Duke of Sussex then made the powerful admission during a keynote address at the InterEdge Summit in Melbourne, He touched on his own experience with grieving in the public eye. He said: "There have been many times when I’ve felt overwhelmed. Times when I’ve felt lost, betrayed, or completely powerless. Times when the pressure – externally and internally – felt constant."

© Getty Images

See all the best photos from day three here. 

A few lucky folks in Australia have managed to bag a selfie with the Duchess of Sussex during her travels, however, attendees at the "Her Best Life" retreat in Sydney this week, where Meghan is a special guest, will have to pay for the privilege. People are being asked to pay an additional $330 for the opportunity to secure a group photo with Meghan, as part of a premium VIP upgrade. Read all the details.

© Getty Images

Birthday wishes are in order for Princess Éléonore of Belgium, who turns 18 today. To mark the occasion, stunning official portraits have been released of the royal. 

© VLAD VDL

© VLAD VDL

© VLAD VDL

King Felipe VI of Spain has stepped out in full military gear at the 'Alvarez de Sotomayor' military base in Viator, Almeria to see the progress of the Experimental Brigade 2035 project. 

The Army's Future Force Centre is changing modern warfare and championing robotisation of the battlefield and new combat strategies.

© Europa Press via Getty Images

The royal couple will be currently getting some shut eye ahead of their final day in Australia. It will be a busy one for the Sussexes as we are expecting the Duke and Duchess to join members of the Invictus community on the water in Sydney Harbour and spend time meeting past competitors. 

Meghan will also be interviewed at the hotly-anticipated Her Best Life retreat at the InterContinental Coogee Beach hotel in Sydney. 

Plus, the couple will attend a rugby match between the New South Wales Waratahs and Moana Pasifika at the Allianz Stadium in Sydney.

Princess Ingrid of Norway has finished holidaying in Australia and is back on Norwegian soil, according to reports. Now choosing to take refuge in a mountain cabin which other royal family members often use, keeping a low profile amid the ongoing talk around her mother Crown Princess Mette-Marit's alleged friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.

Prince William's role as the Duke of Cornwall makes him a landlord to hundreds of people across the UK, and as of next month he is going to have to abide by a new set of strict rules. And according to a legal expert, there will be "hefty fines" if they aren't obeyed. All the details here.

On this day in 1958, Queen Elizabeth II wore a surprisingly daring ballgown with a one-shoulder design. She looked gorgeous with decadent jewels and long gloves adding to the glamour. Proving the late Queen was always a fashion icon - take notes! 

© Mirrorpix via Getty Images

James Middleton's wife Alizée Thévenet has been spotted wearing a distinct item of clothing that his sister Princess Kate wore 20 years ago! Has Alizée been digging into her sister-in-law's royal wardrobe? See what you think.

Princess Rajwa Al Hussein has shared an adorable photograph of her husband Crown Prince Al Hussein with their daughter, Princess Iman, to celebrate Jordan Flag Day. The tot looked so cute in a pink jacket and jeans, with her ringlet hair on show, as she beamed at her father. See the photo.

Handing over now to Abby Allen, who will keep you informed of all of the royal news this afternoon.