It's hard to believe that Princess Diana died almost 30 years ago, on August 31, 1997, following a devastating car crash in Paris. Following her divorce from King Charles, Diana's relationship with the Royal Family reportedly wasn't always straightforward. And according to one royal expert, Queen Elizabeth became "furious" with the former Princess of Wales after one particular conversation.

According to respected royal author and editor Ingrid Seward, the allegedly tense conversation between Queen Elizabeth, King Charles, and Princess Diana took place on February 28, 1996, before the divorce was finalized.

"The discussions were supposed to be private, but immediately afterwards Diana issued a statement saying she had agreed to the divorce, that she would continue to be involved in all decisions pertaining to William and Harry—and that under pressure she would be giving up her HRH [title]," Seward shared in the Daily Mail.

According to Seward, "The Queen was furious at Diana leaking details of their private conversation." As a result, the monarch decided to share her own version of events with the public.

"She immediately countered with a statement of her own," Seward noted. "Her press secretary, Charles Anson, announced: 'The decision to drop the title is the princess's and the princess's alone. It is wrong that [Queen Elizabeth] or [King Charles] asked her. I can state categorically it is not true."

The statement continued, "The palace does not say something specific on a point like this unless we are absolutely sure of the facts."

In spite of Queen Elizabeth's statement, Princess Diana "continued to insist she had been pressured into relinquishing her title," Seward wrote.

Unfortunately, this appears to have been one instance in which Diana and Elizabeth couldn't agree.

Following Queen Elizabeth II's death on September 8, 2022, King Charles became the new monarch of the United Kingdom. His coronation took place on May 6, 2023, at Westminster Abbey in London—a fact that royal fans are all too aware of. So when an "embarrassing" mistake transpired online regarding The King's status, fans of the Royal Family stepped in to help make the necessary changes.

The problem occurred when The Royal Collection Trust posted a portrait of King Charles on Instagram, along with the caption, "On this day in 2023, King Charles III acceded the throne."

The caption continued, "Painted to mark the coronation of King Charles III on May 6, 2023, this portrait continues a long tradition of coronation state portraits that spans centuries. It was commissioned by The King and painted by Peter Kuhfeld over the course of a year."

"The portrait now hangs in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace," the caption explained. "The palace is open for self-guided tours until September 27, 2026."

Of course, eagle-eyed royal fans were quick to spot the mistake in The Royal Collection Trust's Instagram caption. While Charles's coronation did take place in 2023, he officially acceded the throne in September 2022 upon his mother's death.

As the portrait was posted on September 8, 2026, one can only assume that the organization meant to reference King Charles's actual ascendance to the throne, rather than his coronation date.

After one poster pointed out that Charles acceded the throne in 2022—not in 2023—another person responded, "You'd think they'd know!"

Once the caption was updated, another commenter shared, "[T]hey wrote: on this day in 2023 but they fixed." Along with a laughing emoji, one royal fan replied, "I saw that they edited but was wondering from what. Dear me. How embarrassing."

Another fan said, "Surely they were thinking of the coronation…"

Luckily, royal fans were on hand to make sure facts about King Charles's monarch status weren't incorrectly shared.

Now that Prince George has started his first year at Eton College, life for Prince William and Princess Kate looks a bit different. George, 13, is boarding full-time at Eton, leaving an empty seat at the table in his Forest Lodge home. While Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are still attending nearby Lambrook School in Berkshire, George now has a taste of independence, just like his father had at Eton—and the future King just might take part in one tradition Prince William had with his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.

The late Queen would often invite William to Windsor Castle when he was a student at Eton College, since the boarding school is located just a stone’s throw away from Windsor. The Prince of Wales has shared fond memories of those times with his grandmother, and King Charles’s former butler, Grant Harrold, says that Prince George could now step into the same routine.

Speaking to Select Car Leasing, Harrold says that The King is a “caring” grandfather and will want to give George the best possible preparation for when he steps into his royal future.

“I imagine the King will possibly try to recreate the afternoon tea routine that his mother and son shared with his grandson,” Harrold shares. “Whenever he is in Windsor, I imagine he will make an effort to see George. He will want to know how he’s getting on at school, and also to start preparing him for the future.”

Harrold adds that The King, who was sent off to boarding school in Scotland as a child, is in a unique position to give advice to Prince George.

“He understands better than anyone the challenges George will face as the future King going through the difficult teenage years,” Harrold says. “He’s a very caring man and he loves his family dearly, so he will want to help his grandson in any way he can—even if that’s just being an understanding ear.”

Another benefit of going to Eton is the close proximity to the Wales family's home, Forest Lodge, which is just about 15 minutes away from the historic boarding school.

“William and Kate are very family-orientated and they would want their children to be close to them,” Harrold notes. “I don’t think they would have wanted George to go to a boarding school at the other end of the country, which is of course what Prince Philip did with King Charles.”

King Charles has shared a statement regarding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's move to the U.K., which reveals whether the pair will return to official royal duties.

The Daily Mail's royal editor, Rebecca English, shared the news, writing, "In a letter of guidance to 'senior stakeholders' in the government, military, and those who represent the Royal Family around the country, Charles said Harry and Meghan's titles are in abeyance and they should not be treated as anything other than private individuals."

The King also referenced Prince Harry's ongoing call for adequate protection, writing, "security issues should continue to be directed to the relevant police authorities."

English shared the full letter in her article, which explained: "Following the decision by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to relocate to the U.K., we have received a number of requests for guidance. To help avoid doubt or confusion, The King has directed that the following information be shared."

The letter continued, "It is well known that in January 2020 the duke and duchess stepped down from undertaking representative duties on behalf of the sovereign, and are no longer working members of the Royal Family."

Furthermore, the letter noted, "This position, distinct from the state and royal duties undertaken by the working Royal Family, and with the personal latitude it brings the couple in respect of financial independence and protection of their privacy as they would wish, will continue to be fully respected."

Per the statement, "The charitable work of the duke and duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity. In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests."

The letter also noted that Meghan and Harry will continue to use their royal titles as previously designated, which includes no longer styling themselves as His or Her Royal Highness.

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King Harald V of Norway died on August 28 at the age of 89. His state funeral is set to be attended by a plethora of world leaders and royals from across Europe, including Prince William and Princess Anne. However, there's one royal who sadly won't be in attendance at the somber event due to a recurring health issue.

Unfortunately, Denmark's Queen Margrethe II—who formally abdicated in 2024—has been admitted to Copenhagen University Hospital for treatment following the discovery of a blood clot.

The Danish royal household released a statement saying (via Hello! magazine), "Her Majesty Queen Margrethe was admitted to Rigshospitalet on Sunday after feeling unwell."

Per the statement, "A new blood clot was detected in her hip area, as well as mild dehydration."

The Danish royals also shared, "Queen Margrethe is in good spirits and is progressing well under the circumstances. The royal house will provide further information as soon as there are any updates."

The Danish royal household also confirmed that, "regrettably," Queen Margrethe won't be able to attend King Harald's state funeral.

According to the Daily Mail, Margrethe "underwent an angioplasty, a medical procedure that opens up closed or narrowed blood vessels, after suffering chest pains," earlier this year.

Just weeks after the operation, the queen was readmitted to hospital after it was discovered that she had a "significant accumulation of blood in the hip area following a fall."

Although King Charles and Queen Camilla won't be in attendance at King Harald's funeral, Prince William and Princess Anne will pay tribute to the Norwegian royal at the event in Oslo on September 9.

As Britain's monarch, King Charles has a plethora of responsibilities. And as father to two sons, The King needs to manage a multitude of different relationships within the family. According to a body language expert, Charles seemingly displays a "unique form of watchful attention" when it comes to one Royal Family member.

Body language expert Judi James analyzed archive footage of King Charles at a polo match with Prince Harry and Prince William, which took place in Anglesey, Wales, in June 2003.

"Charles's physical awkwardness might be legendary but in clips like this one he appears to be giving Harry a unique form of watchful attention that is littered with subtle but powerful displays of fondness," James told the Daily Mail.

The expert continued, "We have Charles creating a preferential form of proximity with his youngest son, both when he sits with one boy on either side and then very emphatically when another player joins them and Charles sits next to Harry, mirroring him and chatting quietly."

According to James, "It is clearly Harry who gets Charles's prime and then exclusive attention in this video while William appears to have to work to dominate the spotlight or break into and take over the conversation."

The body language expert also suggested that Charles could be seen engaging very differently with his two sons.

"Charles gives two different types of attention to his sons here: with Harry he appears gentle, caring, and watchful but William is treated more like a fellow adult and equal," James noted.

Of course, many parents interact with their individual children in different ways, making King Charles's behavior seem perfectly normal.

On Friday, August 28, the Norwegian royal court announced the death of King Harald V of Norway at the age of 89. Having been on the throne since 1991, the Norwegian king had become known as the oldest living European monarch following Queen Elizabeth II's death in 2022. Harald's son, Crown Prince Haakon, will take over and be known as King Haakon.

Harald's state funeral will take place on Wednesday, September 9, with important Royal Family members and dignitaries from across Europe expected to pay tribute at the event. It has now been confirmed that King Charles won't be in attendance at King Harald's funeral. Instead, two royal relatives will take his place and travel to Norway to pay their respects.

Prince William will represent his father at Harald's funeral, Hello! magazine has confirmed. The Prince of Wales will attend the event alongside his aunt, Princess Anne, who "is due to appear in a personal capacity as the godmother of King Haakon," the outlet reported.

The King's decision not to attend King Harald's funeral isn't unusual. For instance, his mother, Queen Elizabeth, regularly sent family members in her place to attend the funerals of world leaders, foreign royals, popes, and politicians.

King Charles counted King Harald as a second cousin once removed—Harald was Queen Elizabeth II's second cousin.

Paying tribute following Harald's death, The King wrote in an Instagram post, "It is with the most profound sadness that my wife and I have learned of the death of my dear cousin, King Harald V of Norway."

He continued, "For 35 years, King Harald served his people with unwavering dedication, guiding Norway through times of great change with warmth and humility."

King Charles is back from his annual summer vacation on the Balmoral estate, and he returned to business on September 2 for an outing with Emmanuel Macron while demonstrating some impressive French skills—and his endearing friendship with the French president.

The King and Queen Camilla were joined by Macron and his wife, Brigitte, at the British Museum to view an important piece of British and French history. Following a historic agreement between the two countries, the Bayeux Tapestry has been loaned by France to the U.K. for the first time since it was made nearly 1,000 years ago.

The tapestry depicts events leading up to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, led by William, Duke of Normandy, which culminated in the Battle of Hastings. The King held hands and shared plenty of laughs with President Macron during their appearance at the museum, and body language expert Darren Stanton reflected on their "genuine bromance."

Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, Stanton shared, "I think the two men have got a real bromance. Even though they’re in this social situation, they’ve got this really obvious rapport. It’s almost like two old friends. They’re having a great time, and there’s a real sense of friendship between them."

The King even had the French president "in a proper fit of laughter" at one point, Stanton pointed out. "There are shots of Macron where he is crying with laughter," the body language expert said, adding, "So whatever Charles has said, it’s not just a social laugh or a social smile."

In addition to joking with Macron, The King honored their friendship by starting off his speech in French. "I cannot tell you how delighted my wife and I are to be with you this evening at the British Museum, having just admired the Bayeux Tapestry — here on display in the United Kingdom for the first time in its long and remarkable history," he said (translated from French).

He went on to call the tapestry "the best possible symbol of that 'entente amicale' of which we have both spoken so fondly," referring to the "friendly understanding" between Britain and France.

King Harald of Norway died at the age of 89 on August 28, and royals from across Europe are scheduled to attend his funeral on Wednesday, September 9. While everyone from King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands to Denmark's King Frederik and Queen Mary are planning to travel to Norway next week, King Charles will likely not be amongst the guests.

Historically, British monarchs rarely attend funerals outside of close family members and friends, and Queen Elizabeth would send another member of her family as a representative when foreign royals, popes or other world leaders died. She broke tradition by attending the funerals of just two of the prime ministers who served during her lifetime: Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher.

The Royal Family has not confirmed who will be attending next week's service, and although King Harald was a second cousin once removed of King Charles, the British monarch is likely to continue his mother's funeral-going tradition.

Prince William has stepped in for his father at occasions like Pope Francis's funeral in April 2025, but there's another British royal with a closer connection to King Harald's family.

Princess Anne is actually the godmother of Norway's new monarch, King Haakon, making her a likely representative for The King. Two of Haakon's other godparents, King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Margrethe of Denmark are scheduled to attend King Harald's funeral next week.

Per Tatler, Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko of Japan are also confirmed to be at the service at Oslo Cathedral, along with Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia of Sweden, and Princess Madeleine of Sweden and her husband, Chris O’Neil.

Although he might not attend King Harald's funeral, King Charles posted a moving tribute to the Norwegian royal on social media.

“It is with the most profound sadness that my wife and I have learned of the death of my dear cousin, King Harald V of Norway,” The King wrote in an Instagram post. “For thirty-five years, King Harald served his people with unwavering dedication, guiding Norway through times of great change with warmth and humility.”

“As Norway mourns the loss of so towering a figure, my whole family join in remembering a much-loved kinsman and friend whose kindness, compassion and deep sense of duty echoed from across the sea and across the decades,” he added.

Following Queen Elizabeth II's death on September 8, 2022, King Charles became the monarch. His coronation officially took place at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023. But according to one royal author, "backlash ensued" regarding an allegedly "offensive" change to the event.

In the new book Crown and People: British Coronations and the Shaping of National Identity 973–2023, George William Cullen Gross discusses the proposed change regarding King Charles's coronation.

According to Gross, the lead up to King Charles's coronation contained "one of the more problematic and controversial moments of 2023," which was "a proposed 'Homage of the People.'"

Gross continued, "The idea as an 'innovation' was raised a number of days in advance of the coronation, to update the service by replacing the homage by the peerage, with members of the public 'pledging allegiance' to King Charles III."

The liturgy included the phrasing, "I swear that I will pay true allegiance to your Majesty, and to your heirs and successors according to law."

As Gross explained, "This is a new and significant moment in the tradition of the coronation. Never before in our history have the general public been offered such an opportunity to join with national figures in declaring their allegiance to a new Sovereign."

Unfortunately, the proposed change wasn't particularly well received.

"A backlash to the idea immediately ensued, with discontent from across the political spectrum, with some labeling the idea 'offensive,'" Gross noted.

It was subsequently revealed that the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, had suggested the wording, with King Charles largely unaware of the change. Per Gross, Welby was "forced to refer to the whole idea as 'voluntary,' and an 'invitation' not a 'command'...and the magnificence of the actual day overshadowed the drama."

Crown and People: British Coronations and the Shaping of National Identity 973–2023 by George William Cullen Gross is available now.

On Friday, August 28, King Charles shared a touching tribute to his cousin and fellow monarch, King Harald V of Norway, who died at the age of 89 on Friday morning.

“It is with the most profound sadness that my wife and I have learned of the death of my dear cousin, King Harald V of Norway,” The King wrote in an Instagram post. “For thirty-five years, King Harald served his people with unwavering dedication, guiding Norway through times of great change with warmth and humility.”

King Harald, who was a second cousin of Queen Elizabeth, was a second cousin once removed of King Charles. Harald and the late Queen shared the same great-grandparents, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra.

“As Norway mourns the loss of so towering a figure, my whole family join in remembering a much-loved kinsman and friend whose kindness, compassion and deep sense of duty echoed from across the sea and across the decades,” King Charles’s statement continued.

He referenced the “dreadful trials” of World War II that shaped King Harald’s childhood, praising the “special bonds” between Norway and the United Kingdom.

“The Queen and I extend our deepest and most heartfelt condolences to Queen Sonja and all her family, as Britain shares in Norway’s grief at this time of such heartbreaking loss,” he added.

Flags at Buckingham Palace, Clarence House, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse are flying at half-staff to honor King Harald until 8 p.m. local time this evening.

Tributes from other monarchies from around the world also poured in, with King Frederik of Denmark posting a sentimental letter he and wife Queen Mary sent to Norway's new king, King Harald and Queen Sonja's son, Haakon.

“Dear Haakon, it is with great sorrow that we have learned about the death of your father, His Majesty King Harald," he wrote. "We send our warmest thoughts and condolences to Aunt Sonja, to you and Mette-Marit, and to your family."

The Danish royal affectionately referred to King Harald as "Uncle Harald," although he was a third cousin to King Frederik.

“Your father meant a great deal to my mother and both of us. With his warm and dry sense of humor and unwavering calm, Uncle Harald made others feel comfortable and at ease in his presence,” he added. “He was an extraordinary man, with a twinkle in his eye and a big heart.”

It was only a week ago that the world found out about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s surprising plans to relocate to the U.K., and on Wednesday, August 26, they landed in Birmingham, England to begin their new journey. While they’re living in England, it’s going to be more difficult to avoid seeing Prince William and Princess Kate, and according to a palace source, King Charles is hoping his sons’ estrangement will finally end.

Although their move was originally reported as a temporary one, a friend of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex told the Daily Mail that Harry is hoping to educate both of his children in Britain over “the next 12 to 15 years, minimum.”

Between major royal events and family holidays, it would be unlikely that Harry, Meghan, William and Kate wouldn’t find themselves in the same room every so often. A source close to Buckingham Palace told People that King Charles hopes a reconciliation with Prince William is in sight. “He will want to see his sons together over time,” the insider said. “This is the best opportunity we have seen in recent years.”

By all accounts, the Prince of Wales does not seem likely to pick up the phone to call Harry anytime soon. The two are understood to have not spoken in years, and were last seen publicly interacting at Prince Philip’s funeral in 2021.

A source close to the royals told People that the Prince and Princess of Wales felt “a deep sense of betrayal” when Harry revealed private details about the Royal Family during interviews and in his memoir, Spare. “It is going to be challenging for William. It will be very hard for him and Catherine,” the insider said.

Writing in Hello! magazine, royal author and journalist Robert Jobson notes that the fate of any reunion between the brothers lies in Prince William’s hands. “No king can order his heir to forgive,” he wrote. “But every reconciliation scenario being speculated rests, in the end, on William—and he has agreed to none of it yet.”

Speaking of King Charles, Jobson adds, “What he is unlikely to do is press his eldest son to simply fall in line and reconcile with a brother he currently has little relationship with.”

The public doesn’t often see members of the Royal Family eating, and since the most visible display of a palace dinner would be the sumptuous state banquets at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, it’s no wonder that visions of lavish ballrooms come to mind. But according to former royal chef Visen Anenden, typical royal meals are hardly extravagant.

“I think the biggest misconception is that when you work for the Royal Family, everything is grand, spectacular, and bling,” Anenden says, speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo Slots. “You think of money being thrown at everything.”

However, the former chef to King Charles at Highgrove House says that typical royal meals were much more down to earth than you’d expect. Discussing their summers at Balmoral, Anenden says the family would often take part in picnics and barbecues. “Prince Philip was renowned for his BBQs, and Charles and Camilla would go up there on Saturdays to join him,” he shares.

Everything was locally sourced, and Anenden shares that they’d eat grouse or venison from shoots on the estate. “You’d set up different picnics for them to take out on the hills, and it was all homemade,” he shares.

Keeping in The King’s sustainable mindset, Anenden says there was “no such thing” as being wasteful. “If there were things left over, they were turned into a canapé for the next day. Nothing would be thrown away. They were huge on that.”

He also shares that members of staff “were always provided for when it came to food.” When asked if the kitchen employees were given leftovers from royal meals, Anenden says, “There was no such thing as eating leftovers. He treats his staff really well, and so does Camilla.”

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are set to move back to the U.K. with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Numerous reports have since discussed the logistics of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's transatlantic move, amidst the news that Meghan might return to acting. But according to one royal expert, some members of the Royal Family might be planning to "avoid" Meghan and Harry for the foreseeable future.

During an appearance on Hello! magazine's "A Right Royal Podcast," the publication's royal editor, Emily Nash, discussed how the Royal Family might be feeling about Meghan and Harry's news.

Nash shared, "I think this is going to be very much one step at a time, and from people I've been speaking to who know [Meghan and Harry], I think they're very much working on the basis of let's get the children settled, let's get started on what we want to do, and then the rest is something to consider down the line."

The royal expert continued, "But crucial to them is the relationship with The King. You can't go any higher than him. And if you have him on side and you are spending time with him, then that does half of the work for you."

However, according to Nash, it's possible that some Royal Family members won't want to spend time with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex upon their return.

"There is a risk, I think, that other members of the family continue to avoid them, it might make them look petty or unforgiving," Nash shared. "Now, there's a lot that would need to be forgiven. Let's be honest about this. And you can absolutely understand why William and Kate might never want to go there."

Nash continued, "You know, their decision to leave affected that whole generation of the Royal Family."

Hopefully Meghan and Harry's move to the U.K. will go as smoothly as possible, in spite of any possible family disagreements.

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The Royal Family’s annual break at Balmoral Castle has official begun, and King Charles kicked off his summer stay with a traditional ceremony at the castle gates on Tuesday, August 18. The King traveled solo to Scotland as Queen Camilla took on royal duties back home, including a trip to York Racecourse on Wednesday, and one royal expert says that Charles “is at his most happy” in the Highlands.

The King, dressed in a classic tartan kilt with a vest and suit jacket, arrived to inspect the Royal Regiment of Scotland’s Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, along with their adorable Shetland pony mascot, Corporal Cruachan IV. While greeting members of the public gathered doutside the gates, a relaxed King Charles was seen sharing jokes with fans, and body language expert Darren Stanton noted the monarch appeared “totally at home.”

Speaking to Betfair Casino, Stanton shared that like Queen Elizabeth, Balmoral is where King Charles is at his happiest—but King Charles has also had a shift in his behavior overall since taking the throne.

“In terms of his body language, years ago you would have never seen him this happy to do walkabouts greeting the crowds—especially when he is on holiday,” Stanton said. “He used to do them but now you can see he really enjoys them.”

During his visit, King Charles chatted with soldiers and nearly got bit by the mischievous pony, who had several similar run-ins with Queen Elizabeth in her day.

Stanton said The King showed “genuine” contentedness with his expressions while exchanging banter with soldiers and the crowd. “He seems incredibly confident, there are no pacifying gestures, he isn’t fiddling with his cufflinks, or covering his torso,” the body language expert continued. “This confidence comes from feeling totally at home—the enjoyment he gets from being at Balmoral is evident in every movement.”

Noting how the crowd mirrored King Charles’s upbeat mood, Stanton added, “I genuinely don’t think he has ever been so popular.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shocked the world by announcing their impending move back to the U.K. on Wednesday, August 19. The couple will be relocating to Britain for an extended period and have enrolled Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, in a British school, but where they’ll be living is being kept under wraps at the moment. As rumors swirl about where the couple will chose to set up their British home base, King Charles’s former butler, Grant Harrold, says that Princess Diana’s brother could have helped in the transition.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be establishing a non-royal residence at an undisclosed location in the U.K., as confirmed by multiple media outlets, and will not be returning to full-time royal duties. King Charles was made aware of their move on Sunday—three days prior to the announcement—making it unlikely he assisted by offering up one of his private properties to the family.

However, it's possible that Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, could have helped Harry and Meghan secure a home. Speaking to CasinoHawks, Harrold—who served The King at Highgrove House—suggests a “strong option is the Spencer family, who Harry has always been very close to.”

“Even when things were at their worst with the royals, Harry was always supported by his late mother’s brother Earl Spencer,” Harrold continues. “We know Meghan and Harry stayed at the Spencer family home earlier in the summer, so maybe conversations happened then.”

Meghan shared a carousel of photos from her family's summer abroad on July 23, including an image of Princess Lilibet walking behind Prince Harry and Prince Archie, who are carrying bouquets of flowers, on Earl Spencer's Althorp estate, where Princess Diana is buried.

When they were working royals, Harry and Meghan lived at Kensington Palace, then briefly moved into an estate in the Cotswolds before they relocated to Windsor's Frogmore Cottage. As for their next home, it's anyone's guess right now, but Harrold says the move provides the Sussex family the opportunity to be closer to loved ones.

“I think Harry wants to focus on family,” he says. “I think he wants to be near his father and his mother’s family, the Spencers.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are moving back to the United Kingdom for “an extended period,” six years after stepping down as senior members of the Royal Family and relocating to California.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s return was confirmed by People magazine on August 19, with the outlet reporting that King Charles was informed of the couple’s plans just three days prior on Sunday, August 16. 

The duke and duchess's children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, will attend a local school in Britain, but the location of their home and school will be kept under wraps. Harry and Meghan will remain non-working members of the Royal Family. 

The surprise decision comes shortly after the Sussexes reunited with King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House during their visit to the U.K. this summer. The meeting was seen as an important step in improving relations between Prince Harry and his father, and it was the first time Archie and Lilibet have seen their grandfather since 2022. 

However, the Sun reported that the Sussex family’s move was not discussed during the private meeting. 

Harry and Meghan moved to Montecito, California, in 2020 after stepping back from royal duties and have since built independent lives and careers in the United States. People reported that the couple will continue to maintain their Montecito home as well as their vacation house in Portugal. 

Security is likely to remain a key issue. Prince Harry no longer receives taxpayer-funded security, a long-running point of contention for the duke, and it remains unclear what arrangements will be in place for the family at their new U.K. home. 

Queen Camilla has served as president of Maggie’s cancer centers since 2008, and on August 18, The Queen appeared in a deeply personal video to mark the 30th anniversary of the organization. Speaking to Maggie’s chief executive Dame Laura Lee, Camilla admitted that she struggled with keeping the news of King Charles’s own cancer diagnosis a secret when attending an event for the charity in 2024.

Maggie’s centers are located at NHS hospitals and support cancer patients and their families with everything from mental health counseling to financial advising, all free of charge. Queen Camilla recalls visiting one center in early 2024, just a week before the public became aware of The King’s cancer diagnosis.

“Nobody could say anything at the time, that was quite difficult,” Camilla shared, admitting that while speaking with patients and her families, she almost slipped. “I almost said something but, you know, I felt that it wasn’t the time to say.”

“I was just longing to let it out, but obviously I couldn’t,” Queen Camilla continued.

Lee praised The Queen for her “courage” in attending the event during what was a difficult time for the Royal Family, and also shared the direct impact The King has had on their charity. She shared that Maggie’s has seen more people—notably “a 12 percent increase in men” coming to their centers “because of The King being so open about his diagnosis and having a productive life.”

“Look at my husband. Nothing stopped him. He just said, ‘This is my way. I’m going to cope with it,’” she said.

She shared that walking through her husband’s illness with him gave her a new perspective when meeting families at Maggie’s. “Now I’m the one whose relation...whose got to help to look after my poor husband and try and understand it all,” she said.

While King Charles's cancer is not in remission like Princess Kate's, Buckingham Palace announced in December 2025 that his treatments would be “reduced” this year.

“His Majesty has responded exceptionally well to treatment, and his doctors advise that ongoing measures will now move into a precautionary phase,” a palace spokesperson said. “This position will be continuously monitored and reviewed to protect and prioritize his continued recovery.”

Prince Charles’s life took a dramatic turn when Queen Elizabeth died in 2022, and along with a whole new set of responsibilities as monarch, he gained a new title as King Charles III. Ahead of the fourth anniversary of the late Queen’s death next month, former royal gardener Jack Stooks reveals one run-in he had with The King shortly after his ascension that truly showed the monarch’s personality.

Speaking to CasinoHawks, Stooks recalls one incident at Highgrove House, where he served as head gardener for more than 20 years. “We had a call about a leak in the irrigation system,” he shares. “The King hates any sort of waste, and losing water like this is a big no-no, so the gardeners rushed to fix it.”

As he was in a bush attempting to fix the problem, Stooks heard someone walking towards him and was surprised to find The King. “I was a bit thrown, so I said ‘Good evening, Your Highness,’” Stooks shares. “However this was just after he had become King, so this was the wrong greeting.”

“As soon as I said it I realized my mistake and panicked, and in the moment ended up swearing,” Stooks admits. After apologizing and calling King Charles “Your Majesty,” the gardener was relieved that the new King took the embarrassing moment in stride.

“He was completely fine about it,” Stooks shares. “He just told me it was okay and not to worry. He said he was still getting used to the change in title as well. He’s a very kind man, and this is just one example of how understanding he is.”

Stooks says he assumed that once Queen Elizabeth died, life would change greatly at the estate for King Charles, who had always taken on an extremely hands-on role in his gardens. The King has always enjoyed spending his free time at Highgrove House, and Stooks says that to his surprise, this tradition has continued.

“I remember thinking that when Charles became King we wouldn’t see him as much,” he shares. “I thought his relaxed approach to life at home would change, but it didn’t. He still spent a lot of time with the gardeners and was very hands on. That didn’t change even when he took the crown.”

When it comes to changing the public’s views on the Royal Family, it’s often an uphill battle. The Team Meghan vs. Team Kate debate continues on social media (albeit slightly quieter than it used to), and there’s always going to be royal watchers who have strong feelings on various members of the family. But for Queen Camilla, the slow shift in public opinion about Her Majesty might just be the most successful royal PR coup yet.

In the latest episode of ITV’s “Talking Royals” podcast, royal editor Chris Ship and presenter Charlene White discussed the roles of the various wives of Windsor, and Ship noted that The Queen “has gone from being the most hated woman in Britain” to one of the most respected members of the Royal Family.

After carrying on a longtime affair with King Charles (then Prince Charles), Camilla’s reputation couldn’t have been worse in the 1990s and early 2000s. Ship recalled Queen Camilla being regularly “driven out of her home in the back of a car hiding under a blanket” to escape the paparazzi, a time her son Tom Parker Bowles recently called “incredibly dangerous” in an interview with Hello! magazine.

Through decades of dedicated charity work—specifically raising awareness for domestic violence causes and literacy—and her quiet support for The King, Ship says Camilla has become “the linchpin holding the entire institution together.”

The Queen is often named as one of the favorite members of the Royal Family for many journalists and palace staffers, and when discussing her rise, White said, “I would say that it’s one of the greatest PR campaigns we’ve seen in recent history, because that turnaround in terms of how the public feel about her has been remarkable.”

Royal author Simon Vigar agreed that there’s been “a softening” in how people view Queen Camilla, even though the public “used to blame her for the whole mess” with Princess Diana and Prince Charles’s divorce.

“Time’s a great healer,” he added. Although Ship pointed out The Queen knows “she’s never going to be right at the very top” of the popularity polls, Vigar says that’s just fine with Camilla. “She’s completely relaxed with that,” he said.

As Princess Diana’s former bodyguard, Ken Wharfe witnessed the ups and downs of the late royal’s life in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. When reflecting on Diana’s legacy, he tells Marie Claire that fans didn’t get to see some of the sides of the princess he remembers the most—and that she shared one big thing in common with King Charles.

The King is an obsessive letter writer, and in 2022, it was revealed by the palace that he writes more than 2,400 letters a year, including notes to members of the public. Speaking on behalf of Casino.org, Wharfe says that although Diana’s marriage was falling apart, she always took time to recognize others, just like her husband.

“Diana was a prolific letter writer,” he shares. “I used to encourage her not to write quite so many letters, but I think it was part of her aristocratic upbringing. She'd been brought up to believe that if somebody showed you kindness or hospitality, you always wrote to say thank you.”

“She wrote constantly, and her letters were wonderfully warm and often very funny,” Wharfe adds.

Several of Diana's cards and letters have gone up for auction in recent years. In 2025, a touching note she sent to a footman at Buckingham Palace went on the auction block, with the royal thanking him for his support in the days leading up to her 1981 wedding.

In addition to her writing hobby, Wharfe says that Diana “was also very interested in current affairs,” adding that “she always wanted to know what was happening in the world and what was going on in politics.”

Along with constantly sending thank you notes, Wharfe says that she’d frequently give small gifts to people she met in her travels, calling her "incredibly generous.”

The former royal protection officer recalls one detective who Diana “was very fond of” who'd been targeted by the IRA. “Whenever we traveled over, she'd ask me, ‘What shall we get your friend? He's such a nice man,’” Wharfe shares. “I said, ‘Well, he likes his Irish whiskey.’”

He notes that every time they headed to Northern Ireland after that, Diana would make sure they had a bottle to bring for the detective.

Wharfe also recalls a time when a Secret Service agent helped Diana walk down some stairs when she was blinded by photographers’ flashes at a fundraising gala in Washington, D.C. “She said, ‘Oh, he was very nice, Ken. Perhaps I should give him a present tomorrow for being so helpful.’”

The next day, Diana brought a signed photograph to give to the agent, but he’d “hidden himself behind one of the bushes outside the White House.”

It turns out Wharfe had mentioned to the man that people don’t typically touch members of the Royal Family, and he was too embarrassed to show his face. ”In the end I had to persuade him to come out so she could give him the signed photograph,” Wharfe shares. “It's perhaps a slightly unusual story, but it perfectly sums up the way she treated people.”

“Whether it was a police officer in Northern Ireland, a Secret Service agent in Washington or someone she'd only just met, she wanted them to leave with a happy memory,” Wharfe says.

Although she’s not a member of the Royal Family, India Hicks has grown up in royal circles her entire life as a goddaughter of King Charles and the daughter of Lady Pamela Hicks, one of Queen Elizabeth’s ladies-in-waiting. India, who lost her mother in June, recently sat down with the Telegraph to discuss her new book, but she also revealed some of her touching memories of royal events.

“I do feel we are saying goodbye to an amazing generation,” Hicks said of her mother and the late Queen. “They lived through a war and were so much tougher than us and much less spoilt. There’s so much to admire in them.”

Reflecting on Queen Elizabeth’s funeral, Hicks said one thing that stands out the most is how the public’s floral tributes were included in the event. “As my mother and I descended the coach that took us from the Westminster Abbey service to Windsor, we were both hit by the most extraordinary smell of the floral tributes,” she told the publication. “It’s something I will never forget.”

Bouquets left to honor the late Queen were moved to line the Long Walk in Windsor as her casket traveled by car along the route to Windsor Castle, and Hicks noted, “It was such a wonderful touch that the flowers sent by her people were moved so they were there at the centre of everything.”

Another royal memory the author shared was a souvenir she received from King Charles and Queen Camilla’s 2005 wedding. “It was just this little memento that was incredibly moving,” she said, explaining she received a slice of wedding cake in a beautifully designed tin.

On the topic of design, Hicks—who served as a bridesmaid at Princess Diana and Prince Charles's wedding—is launching her latest book, India Hicks: Entertaining, With a Side of Chaos, this September. Focused on hosting in a busy world, the title aims to be less “perfection-oriented” than her last entertaining book, released seven years ago.

India says that “in the intervening years” since her last book, “life has got more chaotic and frantic—for me and everyone else, I think—and I’ve realised that with entertaining, it doesn’t have to be perfect. I want people to look at this and breathe a sigh of relief and realise this is manageable.”

As King Charles's long-time love interest, Queen Camilla's private life has been the subject of a plethora of negative news reports and tabloid stories. But according to one royal author, Charles's wife is very strong and knows exactly who she is as an individual.

Author Catherine Mayer—who recently released her latest book, Divide and Rule: Royal Women and Their Battles—spoke to Marie Claire in an exclusive interview.

Discussing Queen Camilla, Mayer explains, "She is extraordinarily certain of who she is and what is important to her: Charles and her family. That gives her a strength that can at times be ruthless but is always impressive."

Mayer continues, "Hers is not a story of change but of changing views of her. It is extraordinary. What other woman can you think of in public life who has managed to go from being classed as a public enemy to being a stalwart of the establishment?"

As Mayer notes, "The only ways [Camilla] has changed are in adapting, with ease, to the royal role. This is surprising only because she was not a woman who sought a career or prominence."

According to the royal author, Queen Camilla is "warm and funny and entertaining if you meet her," and she also "visibly lifts Charles," making her a crucial asset to the Royal Family.

Divide and Rule: Royal Women and Their Battles by Catherine Mayer is available now.

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As the former head chef to King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House, Visen Anenden knows the ins and outs of the Royal Family’s sometimes peculiar eating habits. Anenden, who worked for The King for just under a decade, says that while Charles is heavily into seasonal and organic foods, his wife is more willing to try new dishes than the rest of the family.

When asked who the most adventurous eater was out of the Royal Family, the former palace employee shares that “Charles is adventurous in terms of British, Italian and Spanish—all very European foods. But when it came to trying different things, I would say Camilla was more open minded.”

Speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo Online, Anenden says that Queen Camilla “was quite open when it came to food,” especially when traveling abroad, but that The King also tried regional specialties. “On tour, they would be happy to try the local dishes that were cooked by a local chef, who was guided by us,” Anenden says.

Although he says that King Charles is “not at all” a fan of spicy food, and neither is Camilla, they both like kedgeree, a rice dish featuring fish, eggs and curry powder. “I used to make it how my gran used to make it for me,” Anenden shares.

Although King Charles doesn’t like spicy food, Anenden says the monarch was always courteous of local customs.

“I always remember when we went to India, and one of the chefs in the hotels wanted to cook for him,” he shares. “Charles was really open-minded about it and let him cook for them. He had Indian food there, tasted it, and thanked the chef. He was willing to accommodate, which is quite amazing.”

However, one thing both Charles and Camilla avoid is carbonated beverages. When asked if they ever indulge in fizzy drinks, Anenden says, “No, never! It was a no-go. Only the staff had fizzy drinks, but for them, no way.”

Prince Philip was never one to keep his opinions to himself, and when it came to his in-laws, the late Duke of Edinburgh was one of the few people who had “reservations” about one of the most-beloved members of the Royal Family.

The Queen Mother was wildly popular with friends, family and the general public, with royal biographer Gyles Brandreth writing in his book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait that the Queen Mother’s niece, Margaret Rhodes, told him, “Everybody adored her. Everybody.”

Various people described the Queen Mother as “captivating” and “the most charming person in the world” to Brandreth. While the biographer added that he’s “met few who didn’t” adore Queen Elizabeth's beloved mother, there was one person who was less positive about the late royal.

When Brandreth, who formed a friendship with Prince Philip after working on charity projects together, asked the royal about his mother-in-law, he was less ebullient. “She certainly keeps going,” Prince Philip told Brandreth at the time of her 100th birthday in August 2000.

Brandreth noted that Philip wasn’t as enthusiastic about the Queen Mum for a few reasons, one of them being the treatment that he initially received from her brother when he was first pursuing Queen Elizabeth. But the other had to do with her close relationship with King Charles (then Prince Charles).

“Prince Philip had reservations about his mother-in-law, in part because he knew that members of her family had reservations about him in the 1940s,” Brandreth wrote. He added that “largely” the issue was that Philip “felt she had an emotional hold over Prince Charles ‘that’s not always been to his benefit, in my opinion.’”

It’s no wonder Charles was so close to his grandmother, as he spent a large amount of time with her as a child when Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip traveled. "In some ways, the Queen Mother was a mother figure to Charles just because the Queen became Queen when Charles was so young,” author Gareth Russell, author of Do Let's Have Another Drink!: The Dry Wit and Fizzy Life of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, told People.

“There were a lot of tours of the Commonwealth and every time the Queen had to go away, Prince Charles stayed with the Queen Mother," Russell continued. “They had a great sense of humor, and she always encouraged him.”

With the Queen Mother, Prince Charles was also able to form a different kind of bond than he did with his father, who didn't always get along with his sensitive, artistic son.

At the end of the day, it also came down to a difference in personalities between Philip and his mother-in-law . Brandreth, who called Prince Philip “a cool customer,” said that the late duke thought the Queen Mother’s exuberant personality was “overdone.” And Philip’s cousin, Patricia Mountbatten, told Brandreth that the prince thought his mother-in-law was “occasionally irritatingly gushing”—a quality that one wouldn’t dream of assigning to Philip.

King Charles has been a supporter of environmental causes and organic farming long before it was popular. In 1970, he gave a speech talking about the damage things like single-use plastics have on the environment—subjects few were discussing at the time—but the reception from the public and the media wasn’t what he’d hoped for, with many calling him “mad” to worry about such topics. But The King’s former head chef, Visen Anenden, recently shared that Charles has been vindicated in today’s age and was “way ahead of the curve” with his views on food.

Speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo Online, Anenden says that when he worked for His Majesty, it was “like an encyclopedia of learning about seasonality, vegetables, and organic meats.”

“Everything is made in-house,” he adds. “What King Charles preaches, he does. We would get everything from the Duchy Estate. So, when it comes to milk, it would come from the cows, and we would pasteurize it for things like double cream. It’s extremely self-sufficient. We would make our own breads, cakes, and juices—everything.”

Anenden says there “was a huge learning curve” when he started working for The King in the early 2000s because the restaurant industry wasn’t focused on sustainable, organic food like today.

“From a chef’s perspective, when you come from restaurants, at the time I was learning, there was no such thing as heritage produce, seasonality, or ethical sourcing, nothing about that when I was starting out,” he says.

Since King Charles eats seasonally, Anenden had to focus on creating recipes that were right in season using ingredients pulled from the Highgrove gardens, the Balmoral estate, or wherever they were traveling.

“Charles was way ahead of the curve,” Anenden adds. “They called him the Mad Prince, but that can be taken back. He was always about sustainability and sourcing more British produce. That was one thing throughout his entire time—sourcing British produce.”

The Sandringham estate might be best known lately as the home of disgraced royal Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, but another member of the Royal Family has been spotted hard at work in Norfolk this summer. According to the Sun, Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie’s 18-year-old son James, the Earl of Wessex, has taken on a summer job helping out as a farmhand at the estate, much to the shock of staffers.

“Everyone is so used to only seeing James smartly turned out with his family at functions at Christmas and Easter so I had to do a double take,” one estate worker said after spotting James riding a tractor.

“He might be The King’s nephew but he is more than happy to get his hands dirty and muck in,” the staffer added. “Driving tractors around Sandringham is not an easy task and it can mean long hours. But it doesn’t matter how rich you are, learning a good work ethic at a young age can always help.”

James, who just graduated from secondary school at Radley College this summer, will be receiving the results of his A-levels next week, the rigorous tests used in the U.K. to determine university placement.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have not made any announcements about their son's future plans, although it's been rumored he'll be taking a gap year.

The Earl of Wessex isn't the only member of Sophie and Edward's family to take on a regular job before heading off to college. His big sister, Lady Louise, worked at a garden center to earn extra money ahead of her time at the University of St Andrews, and she recently took on a job helping out at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

Visen Anenden served as head chef to King Charles for nearly a decade, and he said that during his “phenomenal” role, he learned “a good lesson” about sustainability and organic cooking. Anenden, who shared that The King is “extremely interested in what he eats,” revealed that for the royals, food was one area where they could always call the shots.

Speaking on behalf of Heart Bingo Online, the former royal chef said that King Charles is “a real foodie.”

“He’s very seasonal, and everything comes from the estate,” Anenden continued, adding that The King “always wants to know where something has come from, so menus were very particular.” When the royals stay at Balmoral, for example, they would eat a different style of food than at Highgrove, where “it would be what you could source from the garden.”

“You really learn how the farm-to-fork aspect works, and it’s a phenomenal lesson for a chef,” Anenden added of The King’s penchant for fresh, local food.

The former royal chef revealed that despite having access to a bountiful supply of foods, The King and Queen Camilla both show restraint with their eating. “The thing with the royals is that they don’t eat a lot,” he shared. “It was always small portions. It’s never substantial, loaded plates at all, never.”

When asked why he thought that was the case, Anenden mused that it had to do with “control.”

“They’re very conscious of their diet,” he said. “It isn’t just them, but also lots of private households I’ve worked for—they all eat small portions. It can be to do with control. People like King Charles, because they have control over the food, that’s the only aspect of their life that they can control.”

When King Charles sat down with his official biographer, Jonathan Dimbleby, in the early ‘90s, he divulged more than Prince Philip thought was appropriate, according to one royal author. Gyles Brandreth, who has been a friend of the Royal Family for decades, shared that the late Duke of Edinburgh wasn’t thrilled about some of the comments the then-Prince of Wales allowed Dimbleby to publish—specifically about Charles’s childhood.

Brandreth worked alongside Prince Philip for years at one of the royal’s first charities he took on, Fields in Trust, and wrote that the late duke found Charles to be “self-indulgent” and thought his eldest son complained too much. “He felt he spent too much time thinking about himself, feeling sorry for himself, brooding about how tough it was to be the Prince of Wales,” Brandreth added.

Discussing the Dimbleby biography, Philip thought Charles took his “brooding” too far. Brandreth wrote that Prince Charles allowed the biographer “to reveal that the Prince felt ‘emotionally estranged’ from his parents and, all his life, had yearned for the kind of affection that, in his view, they were ‘unable or unwilling to offer.’”

The comments “hurt his parents,” according to Brandreth. “The Queen, of course, said nothing, but I know—because Prince Philip told me—that it “saddened” her,” he added.

As for the duke, it made him “bloody angry,” the author wrote, explaining that Philip “reckoned it was unfair” and “thought it was ‘bloody stupid’ of the Prince of Wales to air his grievances in public.”

The late Queen and Prince Philip were busy working royals when their first two children were young, much like Prince William and Princess Kate. But when Elizabeth became Queen, their schedules became even more frenzied, and as Brandreth noted, the “standards of their class and generation” meant that children were generally raised by nannies, seeing their parents only a few hours per day.

“All that Prince Philip would say to be on the record about his and his wife’s parenting skills was, ‘We did our best,’” Brandreth wrote.

Although he spent two decades as a senior gardener at Highgrove House, Jack Stooks traveled to other royal residences with King Charles, and he shares that there’s one destination “that gives you an overwhelming feeling of coming home.” Tucked away in the Scottish Highlands, the Balmoral estate has been a special retreat for the Royal Family since Queen Victoria’s day, and it has allowed Queen Elizabeth’s children and the generations after to experience true peace and privacy.

Speaking on behalf of Smooth Spins Casino, Stooks shares that for King Charles, Balmoral allows him to “switch off, even if only for a little while.” The former gardener—who even accompanied The King and Queen on their 2005 honeymoon to Birkhall, Charles’s house on the Balmoral estate—adds that The King spent his childhood fishing alongside the Queen Mother and Queen Elizabeth in Scotland, and the sport “has always been a much-loved tradition for the family.”

Balmoral as a whole has been an “incredibly special” place to the royals, and Stooks says that Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip felt “it was where the whole family could simply be themselves.”

Growing up at Buckingham Palace, King Charles, Princess Anne, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Prince Edward had few opportunities to roam freely, except when they were at Balmoral. “When the children were young, they spent their days running around the hills, splashing in streams, chasing cows, having picnics, walking the ponies and taking out the dogs,” Stooks says.

“It was one place where they could enjoy a normal childhood away from public view,” he adds.

For Prince William, Prince Harry, and their cousins, the same rings true, and the young royals spent many happy summers with their parents and grandparents exploring the Scottish estate.

Although the infamous “Balmoral Test” often gives newcomers a sense of anxiety, Stooks says the atmosphere is “very relaxed” at Birkhall.

“From my experience working there, I mainly knew what happened when The King stayed at Birkhall, the former home of the Queen Mother on the Balmoral estate,” Stooks shares. “Prince William and Prince Harry always loved being there, and so did Catherine.”

When guests came to stay, they’d “spend their time walking along the river and through the estate, popping into the village of Ballater, and simply enjoying being together,” Stooks says, adding, “It was never about grand entertainment.”

Now that August is in full swing, it’s time for the Royal Family to enjoy their annual summer break on the Balmoral estate, and for King Charles, that means a lot of packing (for his staff) to do. The King recently kicked off his Scottish holiday with a visit to the Queen Mother’s former home, the Castle of Mey, before heading to Balmoral, where he’ll stay throughout August and September. There’s a huge amount of preparation for such a long visit, as The King’s former Highgrove House butler, Grant Harrold, shares—but one rumored item apparently doesn’t make the packing list.

Speaking on behalf of Betway, Harrold shared that the royals “tend to pack for every eventuality,” but bathroom circumstances aren’t one of them. Although it’s long been said that King Charles brings his own special toilet seat on vacation, the former palace staffer debunked that claim.

“The idea that King Charles travels with his own toilet seat is completely untrue,” Harrold says. “He packs like anyone else would, taking the essentials he needs for the destination and making sure he is prepared for different situations.”

In Robert Jobson's book, The Windsor Legacy, he addressed the toilet rumor, stating that “when challenged about this, during a 2018 walkabout in Brisbane, Australia, the Prince [Charles] himself dismissed the claim, saying: ‘Oh, don't believe all that crap.’”

“However, insiders suggest there is some truth to the story,” Jobson continued. He shared that when the then-Prince of Wales visited Craigowan Lodge near Balmoral Castle he “couldn't stand” the “cheap plastic loo seat” so staff would bring in “a wooden one whenever he came to stay.”

As for the rest of his packing list, Harrold shares that The King makes sure that his hobbies are covered. “One thing King Charles is known to take with him is his watercolor painting set. Painting is a real passion of his, particularly when he's in Scotland, and it's something he enjoys doing during his downtime.”

There’s also a slightly morbid packing rule the family must follow. “One item that is always packed is a black tie, just in case there is a death or an occasion requiring mourning attire while they are away,” Harrold explains.

Queen Camilla has been married to King Charles for 21 years, and one thing the couple makes sure to prioritize in their busy schedules is having alone time. The King prefers to spend weekends at his country retreat, Highgrove House, while The Queen heads to Ray Mill House, the Wiltshire mansion she owned before marrying into the Royal Family.

On the latest episode of the Daily Mail’s Palace Confidential show, fans asked about Their Majesties’ unusual weekend arrangement, with royal editor Rebecca English explaining that keeping a retreat of her own was something extremely important to Camilla.

The Queen bought Ray Mill House after she divorced her first husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, and the 19th-century property—which sits near the idyllic English village of Lacock—is a place where she can unwind with her children and grandchildren.

“There were questions about whether she would keep it on when they got married,” English said, explaining that the home needed security and would require “extra costs,” but emphasized that Queen Camilla “made very clear that she wanted to keep it.”

Although King Charles occasionally goes to Ray Mill, he mostly spends time at Highgrove, where he “potters around his gardens,” English says.

“They also live quite independent lives and I don't think it affects their relationship at all,” English said, adding that The King and Queen are “quite used to” living apart since they dated for years without living together.

“I can understand why it looks a little odd to people, but it actually works for them,” she added.

As head of the royal family, King Charles serves the people of Great Britain and the Commonwealth. However, there is only one individual for whom he'll go through "painstaking" trials. After years of hiding his feelings for her, Charles’ dedication and love for Queen Camilla is finally on full display.

In Catherine Mayer's new book Divide & Rule, the author writes that the King and Queen’s connection is visible to anyone they encounter. She writes, “With Camilla, you only need to see her and Charles together to understand that she has this ... magical effect on him. It's transformative.”

The author notes that Camilla’s impact on Charles is the most palpable when he is stressed. She explains, "You would see him tired, very obviously out of sorts. And then she would come into a room, and he would light up. She just lifts him."

The two originally met in 1970 at a polo match. They dated for two years before Charles left to serve away at sea with the Royal Navy. When he returned in 1976, Camilla was already married to Andrew Parker Bowles. Charles then went on to marry Princess Diana.

It wasn’t until after Diana’s death in August 1997 that Charles and Camilla made their first official public appearance together at the Ritz Hotel in London. Since then, the King has reportedly "deemed Camilla's role in his life a 'non-negotiable," Mayer writes. His determination to keep her close has resulted in "painstaking" efforts to repair their public image after the scandals that ensued during their previous marriages.

"I think the non-negotiability was the point after the divorce and, of course, after Diana's death," Mayer writes. "He understood that this was the one woman who could really sustain him. And I think he felt the need for that kind of support, and Camilla has clearly always been prepared to do that."

As King Charles’ right-hand man prepares to leave the palace, Prince Harry could see a door left open on his way out. After 20 years working with The King and Queen Camilla, Sir Clive Alderton has announced he is stepping down from his role as principal private secretary. He will stay in post until his 60th birthday in May 2027.

To announce his retirement, Alderton wrote a letter to the royal staff, stating, "It has been the greatest imaginable honor to serve the King and Queen in my present role through such historic times and with unforgettable humor along the way. That support will continue, in a less formal capacity, for all of my life."

According to his 2023 memoir Spare, Harry believed three royal staffers to be working against him, with many suspecting Alderton to be the staffer Harry referenced as “the Wasp.” In Spare, Prince Harry first commended the “charming” and “jazzy energy" of "The Wasp," before turning the tables to call him “arrogant.”

"He was great at pretending to be polite, even servile,” Harry wrote. “You'd assert a fact, something seemingly incontrovertible—I believe the sun rises in the mornings —and he'd stammer that perchance you might consider for a comment the possibility that you'd been misinformed: Well, heh-heh, I don't know about that, Your Royal Highness, you see, it all depends what you mean by mornings, sir.'"

Harry went on to describe "the Wasp" as “weedy” and “so self-effacing,” adding, “You might be tempted to push back, insist on your point, and that was when he’d put you on his list. A short time later, without warning, he’d give you such a stab with his outsized stinger that you’d cry in confusion. 'Where the f--- did that come from?'"

Not only could Alderton’s retirement potentially affect King Charles’ relationship with his estranged son, it may also impact the Duke of Sussex’s chances to regain police protection in his home country. The secretary sits on RAVEC, a committee that determines official protective security for public figures in the U.K. Alderton's replacement will also take his spot on the board, leaving Harry’s request in a new pair of hands.

Although the royal family continues to face tensions over roles and titles, King Charles and Meghan Markle have remained on the same page about one thing: their love of gardening. The Duchess of Sussex was the latest to share her passion with the world in a new video for her lifestyle brand As Ever.

On the brand’s Instagram, Meghan hinted at her next launch with a teaser that saw her walking through raspberry fields. Dressed in a straw hat and collarless, light blue button-down shirt, she picked through the bushes to find the ripe fruit.

“A taste of late summer is almost here," the caption read. "Something sweet is arriving soon.”

The video was released just weeks after her reunion with The King. After four years, Charles and Queen Camilla met with Meghan, Prince Harry and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet at Highgrove House in the countryside of England, where The King’s affinity for gardening began.

After purchasing the estate in 1980, Charles began to develop the now world-renowned organic gardens and farms that surround the residence. He is known to have championed organic and sustainable living long before it became mainstream. The King even founded his own product line, titled Highgrove, featuring jams, preserves, and other items directly tied to the property.

As for the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan has been gardening for decades, dating back to her childhood in Southern California. She currently maintains a large garden at her Montecito home.

Meghan officially launched her lifestyle brand in February 2025, coinciding with the release of her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan. Since its inaugural spring collection, the company has created a vast product line that includes jams, teas, and dessert mixes.

Following their lavish wedding at Westminster Abbey in 1981, Princess Diana and then-Prince Charles embarked on a 12-day cruise through the Mediterranean aboard the Royal Yacht Britannia. At the time, their honeymoon was described as “blissful.” However, that was far from the case as the princess was preoccupied over her husband’s parting gift to Camilla Parker Bowles.

In recordings obtained by People, Diana told biographer Andrew Morton she discovered a “goodbye” bracelet Charles meant to give to Camilla before the wedding. Although his gift did occupy her mind, it was the future queen’s present that caused more tension at sea.

After watching two photos of Camilla fall out of her husband’s diary, she noticed a pair of cufflinks on his sleeve, personalized to commemorate his past relationship with Camilla.

“Cufflinks arrive on his wrists — two ‘C’s entwined like the Chanel ‘C’s. Got it in one; knew exactly. ‘Camilla gave you those, didn’t she?’” Diana recalled. “He said, ‘Yes, so what’s wrong? They’re a present from a friend.’ And, boy, did we have a row.”

For the rest of their vacation, the late Princess of Wales found herself thinking of Camilla at night.

“At night, I dreamt of Camilla the whole time,” Diana admitted. “I was obsessed by Camilla totally.”

According to a letter Charles had written from the yacht, they remained separate for much of the vacation. The now-king said, “Diana dashes about chatting up all the sailors and the cooks in the galley etc. while I remain hermit-like on the veranda deck, sunk with pure joy into one of Laurens van der Post’s books.”

The then-Prince and Princess of Wales stayed together for 11 years before ultimately separating in 1992. It wasn’t until after Diana’s death in August 1997 that Charles and Camilla made their first official public appearance together at the Ritz Hotel in London.

Despite living in a literal palace, Queen Elizabeth was famously frugal. Former royal staff members have frequently commented on her humble tastes and dislike of anything that could be viewed as excess, especially when it came to wasting food. And although King Charles is known for being an environmentalist, the late Queen also had one eco-friendly pet peeve at Buckingham Palace.

In his book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, Gyles Brandreth shared that Queen Elizabeth was very much a product of the World War II generation when it came to being thrifty. Decades after rationing and energy usage restrictions had ended, she still didn’t like to use the heat at Buckingham Palace.

“Elizabeth II could not abide empty rooms being heated unnecessarily and preferred her rooms heated with electric fires where she could turn on just one or two bars of the fire as required,” Brandreth wrote.

The late Queen thought that younger people who hadn’t been through the war “were very profligate with their use of fuel,” former Prime Minister Edward Heath told the author. That being said, Queen Elizabeth took matters into her own hands when her family didn't cooperate.

During a conversation with Brandreth in the ‘80s, the late Queen told him that she spent “an awful lot of time going from room to room turning off the lights” when her children Charles, Anne, Andrew and Edward were young.

“It really annoys me when people leave the lights on,” she told Brandreth. “It’s just so wasteful.”

It seems her habits trickled down to King Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry. In the BBC documentary Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70, Harry and William admitted that they take after their father when it comes to turning off the lights.

“He's a stickler for turning lights off and that’s now something that I’m obsessed with,” Prince Harry said, with Prince William chiming in, “I know, I’ve got serious OCD with light switches now, which is terrible.” The Duke of Sussex said that his wife, Meghan Markle, was puzzled by his lights obsession, with Harry stating she'd say, “Well, why turn the lights off? You know, it’s dark.”

It seems she has Queen Elizabeth to thank.

Princess Kate and Prince William announced their engagement on November 16, 2010, having gotten engaged during a trip to Kenya three weeks prior. But according to one royal biographer, King Charles was allegedly "a little irritated" when it came to Prince William's proposal.

In his book The Windsor Legacy: A Royal Dynasty of Secrets, Scandal, and Survival, royal biographer Robert Jobson explained, "The palace announced William and Catherine's wedding for April 29, 2011, at Westminster Abbey, a joyful event that would at last overshadow the sorrow of Diana's funeral in 1997."

Jobson continued, "Privately, Charles was surprised, even 'a little irritated' that William had proposed to Catherine using the same 12-carat Ceylon sapphire and diamond ring from Garrard's 1981 catalog, that he had presented to Diana on their engagement."

According to Jobson, this insight regarding King Charles's reaction was provided to him by a former palace employee.

However, any irritation King Charles might have felt seemed to quickly evaporate.

According to Jobson, "Prince William had kept his big news secret, even from The Queen and his father, making private plans with Catherine for their future."

The royal biographer continued, "On November 16, 2010, he telephoned The Queen to announce that he and Catherine were now officially engaged. She was delighted. When asked by the press, Charles joked that the pair had been practicing long enough."

In spite of any alleged trepidation King Charles may have experienced, it seems likely that the monarch was ultimately pleased about William and Kate's decision to marry.

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Now that Wimbledon is over and school is out, Prince William and his family will be enjoying time at their country home, Anmer Hall, and heading to Balmoral for their annual summer break. But when he was younger, the Prince of Wales had another summer tradition with Prince Harry and their cousins, as former royal butler Grant Harrold recently shared.

Speaking to Coffee Friend, Harrold—who worked for King Charles at his country retreat, Highgrove House—said that summer meant plenty of al fresco dining at the Gloucestershire estate. “The royals definitely do have barbecues over weekend periods,” Harrold said. “I remember Prince William and Harry having their cousins over and having barbecues, and they would go swimming.”

The laid-back parties were a rare time when Harrold and the rest of The King’s Highgrove employees didn’t serve the royals. “We wouldn’t get involved, and the staff didn’t have to cook,” he shared, adding that William, Harry and the rest of their guests “would do it all themselves.”

Harry and William's BBQs follow in the footsteps of Prince Phillip, who was famous for his prowess with a grill, especially at Balmoral. Picnics at the Scottish estate were another time when the staff wouldn't be on serving duty, although the royal kitchen did prepare their food, as Harrold previously shared.

As for King Charles, Harrold said that his former boss “always likes to have breakfast outside in the warm weather” when he’s at Highgrove. “There’s like a little sundial garden, and there's a table, so it's quite nice that they get to utilize the garden,” he said. “I also recall some evenings where they would also enjoy their dinners outside if it was nice weather.”

King Charles has a reputation as a workaholic, but during the summer months, Harrold said The King keeps his routine a little more laid back.

“The King also works outside, so quite often be on a chair outside Highgrove with his phone and his paperwork and he’ll work away in the sunshine,” he shared.

Princess Diana's marriage to King Charles has been well-documented, as has the monarch's relationship with Queen Camilla. Early in Diana and Charles's romance, the princess was photographed spending time with Camilla, leading many to wonder why the pair had been communicating with one another. According to one royal biographer, the reason might be more straightforward than many initially believed.

In the new book Divide and Rule: Royal Women and Their Battles, author Catherine Mayer explores Diana and Camilla's unexpected meetings.

"Diana interpreted her rival's overtures of friendship towards her during this period as intelligence gathering," Mayer writes. However, the royal biographer is sure that there is much more to the story.

"Camilla seems unlikely to have taken on such a mission unilaterally," Mayer explains. "A more plausible theory, suggested by sources with some knowledge of these events, is that Charles saw Camilla as the person best placed to induct his fiancée into his life."

Considering the illicit nature of Charles and Camilla's relationship during certain periods of time, the suggestion that The King might have orchestrated the meetings might sound a little scandalous. However, there might have been some common sense behind the alleged idea.

As Mayer notes, "After all, [Camilla] knew [Charles] and his ways intimately. If accurate, this is the detail among all others that comes closest to crossing the line from the disordered impulses common to such situations to something colder."

Per the author, "Even if Charles, at this stage, lacked the emotional intelligence to grasp how misguided the idea was, you might have expected Camilla to demur."

Of course, it remains unclear whether Charles did, in fact, ask Camilla to befriend Diana and teach her how to navigate royal life. Either way, it seems that Camilla remained an integral part of Charles's life from the moment they met.

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King Charles has had a busy week. As well as launching the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, the monarch celebrated the inaugural RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Sandringham Flower Show. Royal fans were understandably excited to meet King Charles in Sandringham, and one of them made him laugh with a family member comparison.

Royal fans gathered to meet King Charles at the Sandringham Flower Show, which marks the first time RHS has hosted the event at the royal residence. One fan caught The King off guard by telling him, "You look so much like your mom," per GB News.

According to the outlet, Charles "offered a muffled one-word reply, before laughter erupted within the crowd." Overall, The King reportedly reacted "warmly" to being compared to his late mother, in what the publication called a "touching exchange."

Meanwhile, another Sandringham Flower Show attendee actually shook The King's hand. Describing King Charles's hands in detail, the royal fan told the BBC, "[S]oft, probably softer than mine. I'm not sure how much gardening he does."

One young fan eagerly took photos of Charles and Camilla's arrival at the event, telling the BBC that the pair's outfits "looked posh."

Their style appraisal mirrors comments recently made by certified etiquette trainer Courtney Opalko, who told Marie Claire, "While dressing formally may seem antiquated in today's casual society, dressing with intention still stands as a sign of respect for yourself and others."

Opalko continued, "It's a quiet signal that says, 'I care about you enough to show up as my best self.'"

As usual, King Charles didn't disappoint any of his royal fans and reacted jovially to all of their compliments and unexpected comparisons.

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It may come as a surprise to hear that King Charles III, the 77-year-old monarch, is an incredibly fashionable dresser. The King is regularly praised by mens' fashion enthusiast Derek Guy—also known as Die, Workwear on social media—for his expert tailoring, timeless suits, and immaculate menswear style. Royal editor Richard Eden has revealed that the King’s refusal to bow to casual dress codes is an effort to “valiantly uphold standards” for the monarchy.

During a recent sweltering heat wave in England, Buckingham Palace’s ballroom must have been oppressively warm. Despite the temperatures, King Charles arrived at a reception at the palace wearing his signature Savile Row suit and tie. “Immaculately dressed as always, the top button of his shirt remained fastened and there was no question of him removing the jacket of his grey Anderson & Sheppard suit,” Richard Eden wrote in his weekly column for the Daily Mail. “His only concession to the stifling atmosphere was to mop his brow discreetly from time to time using the lilac silk handkerchief that matched the colour of his Turnbull & Asser tie.”

Certified etiquette trainer Courtney Opalko tells Marie Claire that while dress codes and formal dressing can seem outdated to some, the message they send is timeless. “While dressing formally may seem antiquated in today’s casual society, dressing with intention still stands as a sign of respect for yourself and others,” Opalko said. “It’s a quiet signal that says, ‘I care about you enough to show up as my best self.’”

“It was only the latest example of the King’s determination to maintain standards in a world where such matters are increasingly considered to be of little or no importance,” Richard Eden reflected. “The King tried valiantly to uphold standards.”

“This week, I asked a friend of the King about his determination to maintain standards,” Eden revealed. “He told me: ‘His Majesty believes that monarchy needs to be dignified.’” Eden refers to the King’s insistence on dressing formally, as his outward appearance is a reflection on the steadfastness and strength of the monarchy.

Queen Camilla and King Charles's romance has spanned decades, with the pair finally tying the knot on April 9, 2005. But according to a new royal biography, Queen Camilla wasn't entirely joyous on her wedding day for an understandable reason.

In her new book, Divide and Rule: Royal Women and Their Battles, royal author Catherine Mayer discusses Camilla's royal wedding to Charles.

"When dawn finally broke on her happiest day, Camilla reportedly felt a little broken too, reluctant to emerge from under her duvet," Mayer explains. "When she did, it was to a service that joined her and Charles in the prayer of preparation, an admission of 'manifold sins and wickedness' written by Thomas Cranmer for Henry VIII."

The seeming insistence on pointing out the couple's former indiscretions on their wedding day can't have been easy. In spite of any difficulties Camilla faced on the day itself, she reportedly moved forward.

"Still, this daughter and ex-wife of military men has never allowed adversity to rain on her parade," Mayer says.

Mayer continues, "Photographers captured the couple laughing as they posed on the steps of the chapel after the blessing, while the wind tried to whip away the feathered confection Camilla had chosen in place of a more traditional tiara. It was a glimpse of a key dynamic between them."

Noting King Charles's alleged "discomfort" when pictured with Princess Diana, Mayer reflects on the marked change he seems to exhibit with Queen Camilla.

"He and Camilla, by contrast, tend to mirror each other, engaging with a sustaining intimacy that is instantly recognizable and impossible to counterfeit," Mayer writes.

Even if Camilla did feel "a little broken" on her wedding day to Charles, hopefully the ceremony itself—and their enduring marriage—more than made up for it.

2026 has been exceedingly busy for the Royal Family. King Charles, in particular, has had a frantic schedule as monarch. But before The King can take his much-needed summer vacation, there's one thing he is required to do, one royal expert reports.

Hello! magazine's royal editor, Emily Nash, shared, "[A]s The King looks ahead to a few precious weeks of downtime in Scotland, following next Thursday's opening of the Commonwealth Games, there is one final piece of business that cannot wait."

Rather than being able to enjoy a quiet period at work before his summer vacation officially begins, King Charles will be "appointing a new prime minister," says Nash. Basically, the monarch's job is literally never finished.

The high turnover of prime ministers in the U.K. is not only low-key embarrassing, it's also fairly unprecedented. For reference, Queen Elizabeth II reigned for 70 years, during which she worked with 15 different prime ministers. Meanwhile, Labour Party politician Andy Burnham will be the fourth prime minister King Charles has worked with during his reign, which is yet to pass the 4-year mark.

Having inherited one prime minister from his mother's tenure on the throne (Liz Truss), Burnham will only be the third person whom King Charles has invited to form a government. Per Nash, "At this rate, Charles would overtake his mother's record of 15 prime ministers by 2037."

Nash further noted that, alongside his cancer treatment, King Charles has been tasked with "navigating political upheaval, international crises, and family challenges, all while maintaining a remarkably full program of public engagements."

Clearly, when The King finally does embark upon his summer vacation, he'll have well and truly earned the rest.

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Prince Harry’s children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, met with grandfather King Charles for the first in four years this month—but when it comes to reuniting with their uncle, Prince William, it seems that’s not in the cards just yet.

The Duke of Sussex traveled to the U.K. earlier this month to meet with charities close to his heart and take part in events related to the Invictus Games, which will be held in Birmingham, England next July. Along with his much-discussed security squabbles, there was a back-and-forth narrative of whether or not he’d be bringing wife Meghan Markle and their kids Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5—and if they’d see King Charles at all.

Ultimately, his wife and children joined Prince Harry briefly at the end of his trip and spent time with King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House, The King’s country estate. No photos or details have been released from their meeting, which happened on July 10, the same day the Prince and Princess of Wales attended the Royal Charity Polo Cup.

However, when it comes to Prince William, sources close to the Royal Family say there was never a chance of him attending the get-together with Harry.

A source close to both William and Harry told People that Charles and Diana’s sons continue to be estranged. “I thought it would have perhaps eased a little bit by now, to be honest,” the source said of the tension between the brothers. “But there has been no movement, especially on William’s side. There is no contact.”

Another insider added that Harry and William’s relationship is “so broken.”

The brothers were last seen engaging with each other in public in September 2022, when Harry and William did a joint walkabout with Meghan and Kate to meet fans who had gathered outside Windsor Castle after Queen Elizabeth's death.

With a small, aging group of senior working royals, King Charles has fewer people than ever to carry out official duties. But there’s one member of the family he’s always counted on, and that’s his sister, Princess Anne. The Princess Royal, 75, kicked off a tour of South Korea with her husband, Sir Tim Laurence, on July 13, and body language expert Darren Stanton shares why Anne was the ideal person for the job.

“I think immense trust is placed in her by The King,” Stanton says. “The fact Anne and Tim Laurence have been chosen for this trip shows that.”

The Princess Royal carried out a wide range of engagements on Tuesday ranging from a solemn event at the United Nations Memorial Cemetery to a visit to one of the world’s largest shipbuilders. Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, Stanton says that it’s clear during her tour that the hard-working Princess Royal is admired in South Korea.

“You can also see that the people she is meeting in Korea have immense respect in her,” he shares. “They show a lot of submissive gestures, but also seem to be really warming to her. People can often be subservient out of fear or nerves, but the broad duchenne smiles on the faces of the people she is meeting shows that this subservience comes from a place of real respect.”

On Tuesday, July 14, the Princess Royal and Laurence traveled to Seoul, attending an event for UK-Korea Sustainable Fashion Futures, visiting Korea University and meeting with representatives from Save the Children, a charity she’s been involved with since 1970. She even met members of the K-Pop group NMIXX during a reception celebrating the UK–Republic of Korea partnership.

“What I have seen of the trip so far really demonstrates why the trust The King has in her is so well placed,” Stanton says of the “incredibly successful start” to the tour. “She is such a natural.”

He notes that the people she’s met “appear to be overjoyed to be in her company,” sharing that “confident and happy” Anne “also seems to be enjoying herself on the trip.”

“Anne is not the kind of person to fake these emotions if they aren’t genuine,” Stanton adds.

King Charles clearly learned a lot from his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, but he's also been striving to put his own mark on the throne. On July 9, The King paid a visit to London Zoo with Queen Camilla, and according to an expert, Charles displayed one of Queen Elizabeth's most valuable traits.

Body language expert Darren Stanton weighed in on the monarch's visit, telling Betfair Casino, "When he is looking at the penguins, Charles has his hands behind his back. That's almost his default posture."

Stanton continued, "It's clearly a comfortable position for him. If his hands were in front of him, you might sometimes interpret that as nervousness, but here he looks completely at ease in his surroundings with Camilla."

Charles and Camilla also had some fun when meeting the animals, which included helping a veterinarian take care of the penguins and feeding a 32-year-old Galápagos tortoise named Polly.

As for the one trait King Charles appears to have inherited from Queen Elizabeth, Stanton notes a moment the monarch spent with human beings at the zoo.

"When greeting a young woman, you can see he's fully engaged with her," Stanton told the outlet. "In many ways, he's very much like his mother. People often said that when they met Elizabeth II, they felt as though they were the only person in the room."

Stanton continued, "It seems Charles has either inherited or developed that same ability to build rapport and make people feel at ease."

According to the body language expert, King Charles was seen as "attentive" throughout the engagement, while "maintaining good eye contact."

Per Stanton, "Overall, Charles comes across as very self-assured, confident, and calm. We don't see any signs of pressure, stress, or a lack of confidence that we perhaps might have seen decades ago."

Basically, The King appears to be perfectly at ease with both humans and animals.

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Paul Burrell’s royal career ended when Princess Diana died in 1997, but the former palace butler originally worked as a footman to Queen Elizabeth before moving to Highgrove House in 1987. King Charles’s country retreat was a welcome escape for the then-Prince of Wales, but as Burrell tells Marie Claire, life in Gloucestershire became increasingly “difficult” as Charles and Diana led separate lives.

Burrell, speaking on behalf of Champions Speakers Agency, said Camilla would visit Prince Charles during the week, when Princess Diana, Prince Harry and Prince William were in London.

“Now, I was finding my job very difficult by this time because I realized that my duties were to be split between my princess and her boys at the weekend and Charles and his friend during the week,” Burrell says. “So it was difficult to keep those two worlds apart.”

When Diana came to stay at Highgrove, Burrell says he would join the family for “lovely outings to Alton Towers, to Bristol Zoo” and events like birthday parties. “William would drive his replica Aston Martin car down to our house to give my boys a ride around the estate,” he shares, describing his relationship with them as “kind of one big family.”

However, tensions between the prince and princess made working at Highgrove less “fun” for the butler. He describes one incident when Diana called “late at night” asking to speak to Prince Charles.

“I said, ‘I'm sorry, Your Royal Highness, he's not in,’” Burrell recalls. After Diana asked where her husband was, the butler said he wasn’t sure.

“She said, ‘You do know, Paul, because you know where he is 24-7. So either you're not telling me or you're lying for him,’” Burrell says, sharing that he asked her to not “drag” him into the situation.

“This was long before you knew there were troubles,” he says of Diana and Charles's marriage, sharing that the call put him in a tough spot because his “whole world” depended on his job.

After Diana called Charles the next morning, the now-King called Burrell in to speak with him. The former butler claims that Charles was livid, asking, “But why couldn't you lie? Why couldn't you say that you couldn't find me? Why couldn't you say I'd gone for a walk at 11 o'clock at night?”

After telling his boss that it wasn’t his “job to tell lies,” Charles allegedly showed off his “legendary temper” and “picked up a book and threw it” at the butler.

Following Charles and Diana’s separation in 1992, Burrell relocated to Kensington Palace to live with Diana and the boys, with Burrell sharing that the princess “rescued” him from the uncomfortable situation at Highgrove House.

“I thought, my time's up. My time is up. Diana rescued me,” he says.

Prince Harry is visiting the U.K. week this week to support the Invictus Games, which will be held in Birmingham next year, and although he originally planned to bring his family for a reunion with King Charles, the meeting is now up in the air.

Earlier reports indicated that the Duke of Sussex was scheduled to bring wife Meghan Markle and kids Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet along with him, but security squabbles have resulted in Harry arriving to London alone. On July 7, Prince Harry learned that he’d lost his privacy case against Associated Newspapers, and after delivering a blistering statement that put The King in a compromising position, former royal butler Grant Harrold tells Marie Claire that he thinks a royal reunion is looking more uncertain than ever.

While royal sources have suggested that The King is still trying to arrange a meeting with his grandchildren, whom he hasn’t seen since 2022, Harrold says he doesn’t anticipate it being “happy families for a very, very long time.”

Prince Harry and six other claimants accused the publisher of the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday of unlawful information gathering, including phone hacking. In a joint statement released on Tuesday with fellow claimant Baroness Doreen Lawrence, the Duke of Sussex and the baroness said, “We came to Court seeking justice and accountability. But we have received neither.”

“It is a complete and obvious whitewash, but sadly not altogether unexpected,” they added. “However, the lengths to which the Court has gone to exonerate the Mail is as shocking as it is totally unwarranted.”

The attack on His Majesty’s Courts & Tribunals Service puts King Charles in an awkward position, with Harrold, speaking on behalf of Action Network, noting, “With everything that's happened over the last 48 hours, I'd say it's highly unlikely we're going to see any sort of reconciliation anytime soon.”

Of course, The King still may arrange a meeting with his youngest son and grandchildren, should the duke choose to bring them to Britain later this week. But as Harrold adds, “I just don't quite see how The King can come back from what's happened, and equally, I can't see how Harry can either. The gulf between them now seems deeper than ever.”

“To me, it feels as though the ship has sailed,” The King's former butler adds.

A lack of official police security has caused Harry to keep his children away from the U.K., but a source has told the Mirror that he's “frantically” trying to arrange a way to get his kids over safely. The insider added that Charles “would not pass up the opportunity to spend time with his grandchildren and if there is a way of making it possible, he will do it.”

Only time will tell whether Meghan and the children make it back to Harry's homeland, but the Duke of Sussex will be in Birmingham either way as he supports the events surrounding the 2027 Invictus Games.

As for a reconciliation with the Royal Family, the Duke of Sussex told the BBC last year that he would “love” that, but acknowledges forgiveness might never happen with certain people. “Of course, some members of my family will never forgive me for writing a book. Of course, they will never forgive me for lots of things,” he said.

King Charles traded his crown for a military helmet during a visit to the Royal Tank Regiment in Dorset, England this week, and body language expert Darren Stanton says that the monarch looked like he was having the time of his life while testing out one of the regiment's new tanks.

“You may be cool... but you’ll never be King Charles III riding in a Challenger 2 tank cool 😎,” the Tank Museum captioned a video of The King riding in the commander's seat.

Donning a helmet and microphone, the monarch removed his suit jacket and climbed into the military vehicle, and King Charles seemed to relish the opportunity to get into the driver's seat. "King Charles has a mischievous grin and he’s really loving being on the tank," Stanton shares, speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, adding that he looked like a "kid in a sweet shop."

Stanton continued that Charles "very much looks the part" in clips of him driving the tank, adding that the monarch "can be seen asking lots of questions, which probably takes him back to his career in the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy."

The body language expert noted that King Charles appeared completely at ease despite the imposing equipment surrounding him. "Being on a tank can be quite scary and daunting, but there is none of that with The King," Stanton shares. "He looked genuinely happy and he's interacting with the other soldiers, with no masking smiles."

The King served in the military between 1971 and 1976, and Stanton says that Charles was able to tap into a different side of his personality and get "back to his grassroots" while visiting the regiment Monday. "This is a very rare glimpse of Charles that we don't often see," Stanton explains. "It's a rare opportunity for him to take a day off as a monarch without the fancy pomp and regalia."