Royal Family LIVE: Prince William to resume royal duties after half term and Duchess Sophie begins Portugal trip

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I'm now handing you over to Beatriz, who will continue bringing you all the latest royal news this Monday evening 👑

Louise Pragnell is one of Britain's leading portrait artists, having painted many celebrities and members of royalty, including Prince Edward, the Duke of Kent, Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and Grand Duchess Stéphanie.

One of the most notable moments came when Louise sat down to paint Princess Anne. On the day of Louise's first sitting with Anne, she was given strict instructions about where to stand, what to say and when to curtsey. When Anne arrived, she abandoned all protocol. 

"She walked in and looked straight across and waved and said, 'Hello!'," Louise told Best Quality Designer Handbag . "The people around were thinking, that didn't go how we'd planned. She's really cool, she just gets on with it. 

"She's a seriously impressive person. Her first sitting was her fourth engagement of the day. She had to stand in these heavy robes for two hours. Halfway through, I said: 'Ma'am, do you need a break?' She was like: 'No, do you need a break, Louise?'"

Get the full story and read Louise's exclusive interview here. 

Prince William has a "ruthless streak" that makes him an excellent judge of character, according to a royal biographer. 

In fact, it was William, 43, who played a major role in the royal family's handling of the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor crisis, according to Andrew Lownie, author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York. 

© Andrew Parsons / Kensington Pala

Though the Prince has often exuded "normality" – he is a relatable parent to George, Charlotte, and Louis, and a loving husband to Kate – it's actually he who "calls the shots" behind the scenes. 

The royal author told the i Paper: "William is calling the shots more now that we're in this transitional phase towards him taking over."

Where King Charles is "sentimental" and a "bit of a ditherer", Andrew Lownie claims that William is much tougher and was "annoyed and frustrated" about the delay to act regarding Andrew. 

For example, William is thought to have been the driving force behind decisions such as the removal of Andrew's titles and his initial stepping down from royal duties after the 2019 BBC Newsnight interview. Get the full story here.

It was a weekend of family celebrations for Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, as they marked their youngest son Ernest's third birthday.

Taking to Instagram, Eugenie posted a handful of family photos to mark the occasion, and one showed off her casual at-home wardrobe. 

As a busy mother-of-two who is preparing to welcome her third child this summer, Sarah Ferguson's daughter prioritised comfort and practicality, choosing a soft cashmere jumper that fan account Royal British Fashion spotted was from high-street store Uniqlo. 

The brown design, which cost £109.90 from the Anya Hindmarch collaboration, features a patch design on the left arm, thumb holes and even playful eyes, none of which were visible as she wrapped her arms around her son Ernie.

Black loose trousers and £49 Meller sunglasses perched on her head to keep her hair out of her face added the finishing touches. Meanwhile, her son also wore low-key blue shorts, trainers and a green long-sleeved top for the family picture.

A royal wedding is undoubtedly one of the biggest events of the year – and an occasion that often sees the happy reunion of rarely seen family members as they gather to celebrate. 

Peter Phillips, Princess Anne's son, is set to marry Harriet Sperling on Saturday, 6 June at All Saints' Church in Gloucestershire. 

It's expected that there will be a lengthy royal guest list, with likely attendees including the King and Queen and Prince and Princess of Wales – though this hasn't been officially confirmed yet. However, one royal relative that will almost certainly be on the guest list is Peter and Zara Tindall's half-sister, Stephanie Phillips. 

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Stephanie, 28, is the daughter of Princess Anne's first husband, Captain Mark Phillips, and his second wife, Sandy Pflueger, to whom he was married from 1997 until 2012. The King's sister was married to Captain Mark from 1973 to 1992 and is now married to Sir Timothy Laurence.

Despite the age gap, it always seems that Stephanie, Zara, 45, and Peter, 48, get on very well when they're seen together. Get all the details here. 

That's all from me! I'll be handing over to TV writer Abby Allen, who will keep you updated with all the latest royal news this afternoon. Bye for now!

For over three decades, Sir Timothy Laurence has been by Princess Anne's side, acting as a pillar of support for the Princess Royal. 

In HELLO!'s latest VIP piece, our Royal and Features Contributor, Tracy Schaverien, has revealed how Sir Timothy has quietly supported his wife during troubled times for the royal family. Become a HELLO! VIP to read the story. 

Did you know that Princess Anne and Sir Timothy were not allowed to marry in England when they tied the knot in 1992? 

The pair travelled to Scotland for their nuptials as they were forbidden from getting married in England at the time. Princess Anne had been previously married to Mark Phillips in 1973 and the divorce was finalised in early 1992. The Church of England did not permit remarrying, leaving Scotland as their only choice.

Princess Anne and Timothy now live together on the Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire, along with Anne's daughter Zara who lives with her husband Mike Tindall and their three children, Mia, Lena and Lucas. 

It's a special time for the family as Anne's son, Peter, will say "I do" to his fiancée, Harriet Sperling, on Saturday 6 June in the Cotswolds.

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King Charles has opened up about his love for Balmoral, the Scottish estate which held a special place in the heart of his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II.

In the foreword to a new guide book, Charles shared a deeply personal reflection on his mother's final days. Elizabeth died peacefully at the estate aged 96 on September 8 2022 following her 70-year reign as monarch. 

"Since my earliest childhood, it has held, and continues to hold, a uniquely special place in the hearts of my family and myself, and my late mother particularly treasured her time at Balmoral," wrote Charles. 

"It was here, in these most beloved of surroundings, that she chose to spend her final days."

He continued: "Whatever the circumstances in which you are reading this book, I hope that you, too, will be inspired by the rich complexity of the architecture and share in the magic of the surrounding countryside, whose ‘wild and majestic’ landscape has been the source of inspiration and enjoyment for so many."

Balmoral was purchased by Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert in 1852 and has remained the cherish Scottish home of the royal family. 

Read the full story here. 

© POOL/AFP via Getty Images

Mike Tindall has revealed the sweet nickname he and his wife Zara use for each other away from the spotlight. 

The former England rugby star, who has been married to Princess Anne's daughter since 2011, shared new details about their family life in an interview with Woman & Home, giving royal fans a glimpse at their down-to-earth relationship.

When asked whether the couple have pet names for one another, Mike revealed that they do indeed. "If it's nicknames, it's Z and Mikey-T," said the 47-year-old, who lives with his family at Aston Farm, a renovated farmhouse on Princess Anne's Gatcombe Park estate.

The father-of-three also shared that he and Zara have another nickname for each other, "Munchkin." How sweet!

Opening up about how the couple navigate their busy family life as parents to three children, Mia, 12, Lena, seven, and Lucas, five, with work and public appearances, Mike admitted: "It can be stressful."

He continued: "You're trying to do everything all at once, and that's hard. But you find a way. The whole point is to find a way and get it done while having fun at the same time. That's what we try to do anyway."

Click here to read the full story. 

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Princess Ingrid Alexandra will return home from Australia to be with her mother, Crown Princess Mette Marit, who was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018 and is on the waiting list for a lung transplant.

According to the Norwegian outlet NRK, the 22-year-old daughter of Mette-Marit and Haakon, Crown Prince of Norway, who is due to complete the first year of her three-year bachelor's degree in Sydney, Australia, will soon fly home. 

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince will cut short his trip to Japan this week over the health of his wife, whom he recently said was "seriously ill".

A statement from the Palace read: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is shortening his official trip to Japan by one day due to the health situation of Her Royal Highness the Crown Princess."

Speaking to local media, the Crown Prince said: "The Crown Princess is seriously ill, and I think she has gotten a bit worse lately. So I am worried about her health.

"She uses oxygen in her everyday life, and that helps a bit. And these six months have gone pretty well, I think. But there are different phases. So we just have to try to solve it as best we can.

While Mette-Marit is on the waiting list for a lung transplant, t's unclear when this will take place. "It's up to the doctors, it's a medical question," he added. 

© Corbis via Getty Images

Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa of Jordan have released a new portrait to mark their third wedding anniversary.

In the photo, Rajwa affectionately holds onto her husband as they both beam at the camera. Rajwa donned a stunning turquoise dress for the occasion, while her husband looked suave in a navy suit. 

The couple married on 1 June 2023 at Zahran Palace in Amman after the son of King Abdullah and Queen Rania proposed to Rajwa at her family's home in Riyadh. 

The pair rode in a procession through the streets, finishing at Al Husseiniya Palace, where a state banquet was held with 1,700 guests.

A number of European royals in attendance, including Prince William, Princess Kate, Queen Mary of Denmark, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, and Princess Beatrice.

Rajwa, who welcomed the couple's daughter Princess Iman in August 2024, wore a stunning Elie Saab gown for her nuptials, featuring a long train with floral cutouts. She also wore a second gown - a princess-cut number by Dolce & Gabbana.

Find out more. 

© ©Royal Hashemite Court

The King's nephew Peter Phillips and his fiancée, Harriet Sperling, are just days away from walking down the aisle. The couple will tie the knot on Saturday 6 June in the picturesque Cotswolds at All Saints Church, Kemble, Cirencester.

A host of royals are expected to attend the nuptials, including the King and Queen. Peter and Harriet's big day will begin with a traditional ceremony in a quaint village church, followed by a private reception. 

HELLO! understands that following the wedding, the reception will be held at Gatcombe Park, the residence of Peter's mother, Princess Anne. 

Earlier this month, HELLO! exclusively confirmed that Prince Harry, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson wouldn't be among the royals attending the wedding.

A friend of the couple told us: "When and whether Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Sarah Ferguson had been invited, it was probably not deemed appropriate to invite them. It's Peter and Harriet’s special day, and clearly their attendance would cause a distraction to the whole day.

"Peter and Harry haven't spoken for several years and have simply lost touch, so he hasn't been invited."

But while we know who won't be at the ceremony on Saturday, which royal guests will be in attendance? 

Find out everything you need to know about the upcoming nuptials, including the special royal guests who will be in attendance, in the latest piece for HELLO! VIP members, penned by our Royal Managing Editor, Ainhoa Barcelona.

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Good morning! Welcome to the beginning of another busy week of royal news. I'll be keeping you up to speed with all the latest news from royal households across the globe, so stay tuned!

So, what's on today's agenda? 

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh will begin their three-day visit to Portugal, celebrating the historical ties and modern relationship between the UK and Portugal. 

Elsewhere, Prince William returns to royal duties after half term. 

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince Haakon of Norway will embark on a visit to Japan, while the Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa of Jordan celebrate their third wedding anniversary. 

Elsewhere, King Frederik and Queen Mary of Denmark begin their summer cruise on the Royal Yacht Dannebrog.