Princess Kate and Prince William regularly take their three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—on vacation. However, according to several sources, the Prince and Princess of Wales might have been "forced to cancel" their annual trip to one particular destination.

According to the Mail on Sunday, Kate and William reportedly have "a standing invitation to spend their family holidays at a spectacular seaside palace belonging to Jordan's King Abdullah II." But the outlet suggested that for 2026, the Prince and Princess of Wales have opted to stay in the United Kingdom, where they will be welcoming Prince George back from boarding school at Eton College.

A source told the publication, "In Jordan, there's always chatter around this time of year that the Prince and Princess of Wales will come to stay. They are considered regulars here in Jordan."

The source continued, "But they can hardly come here for water sports and jet skiing when there is the threat of...missiles. It can't be a coincidence if an autumn return to Jordan wasn't on their radar this year."

The Mail on Sunday noted that Kate and William have allegedly vacationed "as guests of [King Abdullah] and Queen Rania" in the past, both as a couple and as a family. The outlet suggested that, as well as taking their children—George, Charlotte, and Louis—to Jordan, they've also traveled there with Princess Kate's mom and dad, Carole and Michael Middleton.

One source called the palace in Jordan a "personal first-class Club Med for royals with almost every conceivable luxury," while revealing, "I bet William and Kate are incredibly sad not to be going this year."

The source further "believes the growing threat posed by missiles and drones in the wider Middle East will have made the family's holiday arrangements there too risky to consider this year."

Unfortunately, it seems as though security concerns might have postponed any future trips to the region for Princess Kate and Prince William.

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As the future King and Queen, Prince William and Princess Kate's behavior is constantly scrutinized. In particular, onlookers are curious about the changes the Prince and Princess of Wales might implement once they're in power. According to several sources, the pair have already started ditching one aspect of Royal Family life.

According to a new article, Princess Kate and Prince William's new approach to the monarchy has already been unveiled in some respects.

"[T]hey're upping their game, as William and Kate continue to seek new and authentic ways to connect with people—from appearing on Travis and Jason Kelce's podcast to adopting a strategy of controlled openness as opposed to institutional secrecy that has guided the Firm's PR outreach," the Daily Mail reported.

The outlet also referred to a speech given by William about Sir Kevin Sinfield, a rugby coach whose charitable endeavors have had an extremely wide reach. According to the Daily Mail, the prince's own words about Sinfield could also be applied to the royal himself.

In a BBC documentary about Sinfield called Thank You Sir Kev, Prince William shared, "That lack of ego is really important in a world that everyone wants to show how amazing they all are...I think Kevin does it very quietly, very subtly and just doesn't want to be the center of attention but ultimately has a huge impact."

Prince William continued, "I think that's a really important lesson for the world to realize: you don't have to be all social media everywhere, loud, whatever. There are a lot of ways you can show leadership that still delivers the important things we care about."

The Daily Mail also highlighted the ways in which Prince William has reached out to the general public, from appearing in the AppleTV+ series The Reluctant Traveler to appearing on The Graham Norton Show.

"[O]ne of the things that William seems determined to change is the palace's figurehead reputation by rolling up his sleeves and getting stuck into the work he believes in," the publication explained.

In spite of any reluctance to be in the spotlight, Kate and William are slowly changing their approach to the monarchy and it shows.

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Prince William and Princess Kate might live in a palatial Windsor home, Forest Lodge, but when they want to get away, the Wales family heads up to Norfolk to their country house, Anmer Hall. The historic property was built in 1802 and sits on King Charles’s Sandringham estate, making it the perfect location for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis to spend the Christmas holidays and half-term breaks. Anmer, however, is rumored to be home to a resident ghost.

Paranormal historian Richard Felix told Hello! magazine’s “A Right Royal Podcast” that after Queen Elizabeth gifted Anmer Hall to William and Kate as a wedding present, they discovered a spooky secret about the property.

“Before the Waleses moved in, they were warned about the ghost,” Felix said, explaining that the spirit “of a Catholic priest that lived there and was hanged, drawn and quartered for high treason” is said to wander the mansion.

“Although he was executed in York, they’ve actually heard his voice,” the historian continued. “And they have seen the ghost of what they say is a priest, wandering around Anmer Hall.”

Although it’s unclear how the Princess of Wales feels about their ghost, Prince William was apparently unbothered. Felix said that upon learning of the ghost, the Prince of Wales said, “No old hall would be complete without a ghost, would it?”

The Wales family aren't the only royals to have a resident ghost in one of their homes. King Charles enjoys spending time at Dumfries House in Scotland, which Felix claimed is haunted by the Marquess of Bath. Queen Camilla felt such a terrifying presence in the home that she refused to return for "a few years."

In a 2018 documentary, Camilla said: “There was definitely a ghost—without a shadow of a doubt. I remember the first time I walked up the steps, got into the hall and I thought, 'I can't go any further.' I literally froze. If my hair could stand on end, it would have done. I remember leaving and thinking I don't want to come back here again and I didn't for a few years."

A royal family tradition that comes around every year leaves speculation that a reconciliation between Prince William and Prince Harry is inevitable. For over three decades, the Royal Family has gathered at Sandringham House in Norfolk for Christmas. Although the Duke of Sussex has missed out on the festivities over the past few years, his recent efforts to reconnect with King Charles raised questions about whether he could find himself back on the host’s guest list and in the same room as his older brother.

In Woman & Home’s December 2026 issue, royal expert Emily Andrews said, "Certainly, an invitation to spend a couple of days at Sandringham with the rest of the Royal Family—some of whom Harry is still close to—would force the issue of a fraternal reconciliation."

The chances of the Duke of Sussex making a royal holiday appearance have grown exceedingly now that he has moved back to the U.K. with Meghan Markle and his children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Despite their close proximity to the Royal Family, the Sussexes aren’t holding their breath for an invitation this year and have already made other commitments for Christmas.

Harry and Meghan reportedly plans to celebrate both Thanksgiving and Christmas with Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland in California. While speaking to The Sunday Times, a source shared that when it comes to the holidays at Sandringham, “They know it would be too awkward and too difficult. They also know they’re not going to be invited, and they’re not waiting for an invitation.”

Although they will be occupied this holiday season, it doesn’t mean a future appearance is out of the picture. After all, the Duke of Sussex did confess to missing the royal family gatherings in the Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan.

"Yeah, I miss the weird family gatherings when we're all sort of brought together under one roof for certain times of the year. That I miss,” Harry admitted.

Prince Harry has been estranged from Prince William for several years now, and there’s been no movement towards reconciliation for the brothers despite the Duke of Sussex moving his family to Britain this summer. However, one member of the Royal Family attempted “repeatedly” to get the brothers together, and it wasn’t King Charles.

Longtime royal journalist Emily Andrews wrote in Woman & Home’s December issue that William and Harry’s cousin Zara Tindall’s husband, Mike Tindall, tried to get the brothers to see eye to eye.

Per Andrews, Prince Harry has "always been close to Zara and Mike” and the former England rugby player thought he could play peacemaker between the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex.

"Mike repeatedly tried to broker reconciliation between the brothers by inviting both of them to dinner or drinks—or just to knock heads over a beer,” Andrews wrote. However, the royal expert said that Mike’s efforts “came to naught.”

Harry and William are said to have last interacted during Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in September 2022, although the Duke of Sussex has made comments about being open to reconciliation with his family. Sources close to the Prince of Wales, however, have made it clear that William has no interest in a relationship at this point.

"Well, William doesn't want anything to do with his brother, that is very, very clear," the Daily Mirror's royal editor, Russell Myers, told Good Morning Britain on October 22. "The people I've been speaking to are very close to him and said that he hasn't got any time for him, and why would he?"

"So much has happened over the last few years," Myers added, suggesting that "Harry sit down and look at his own behavior."

As for Mike Tindall, it's been said he and Zara don't share the same close relationship with Harry anymore, either. Andrews noted that Mike "recently made a quip about a time long ago 'when Harry was fun', perhaps implying how he feels about the Duke now."

Since acceding the throne following his mother's death in 2022, King Charles has carved out a role all of his own. The King is currently on a royal tour of the Bahamas, but according to a new poll, his popularity might be waning. Meanwhile, two royal relatives continue to score highly with the general public.

According to YouGov's Royal Family favorability tracker for October 2026, King Charles seems to have lost some fans. "58 percent of Britons have a positive opinion of King Charles, the lowest level since he ascended to the throne," YouGov explained.

While King Charles's rating is "his lowest since he became King," two of his relatives continue to dominate the chart.

According to YouGov, "The Prince and Princess of Wales remain the most popular royals, with 72 [to] 74 percent of Britons having a positive opinion of them."

Surprisingly, Prince William received the most votes, with 74 percent of voters having a positive opinion of the future King; his wife, Princess Kate, had a 72 percent positivity rating with voters.

After Kate, 68 percent of voters said they had a positive opinion of Princess Anne. King Charles followed his sister with just 58 percent of voters feeling positively about the monarch. Unfortunately, Queen Camilla only scored a 42 percent positive rating with voters, while Prince Edward and his wife Duchess Sophie both received a 51 percent positivity rating.

Hopefully this is just a random dip for King Charles's rating and he'll recover some of his lost popularity in a future poll. As for Prince William and Princess Kate, judging by the general public's opinions, they appear to be well placed to take over the Royal Family in the future.

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Prince Harry made his return to public events with wife Meghan Markle on October 15, visiting the same city where they made their first official royal appearance together. Their trip to Nottingham, England caused many to wonder if they were setting their sights on more frequent royal-style engagements now that they’re living in Britain again. Although that’s not necessarily the case, a source close to the Sussexes recently said that Harry is going to be careful not to distract from The King or Prince William’s projects with his own work moving forward.

Harry and Meghan's trip to Nottingham was scheduled on the same day The King and Queen attended the ceremonial opening of the Welsh parliament in Cardiff, Wales—a major event that received little press coverage compared to the duke and duchess's outing.

“Harry doesn't set out with an intention to try to pull focus or draw attention away from what his father is doing or what his brother is doing,” the insider told the Times, adding that was “never his intention at all.”

However, the source pointed out that Prince Harry will need to be kept in the loop in order to avoid schedule clashes and only "some information" about the royal diary is shared with the Duke of Sussex ahead of time. “He can only mitigate against clashes if information is shared with him in advance," the insider said.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are understood to be planning another joint public event before 2026 is out, per the Times, but Harry is also keen to avoid some of the Royal Family’s upcoming plans.

”Obviously with the King going to CHOGM and the Prince and Princess of Wales going to India, he knows about those things and he is obviously mindful of that as he's planning his own activities as well,” the source said. “He doesn’t want to do anything really that pulls focus from The King’s important work so he’ll keep clear of that as much as he can.”

Most members of the Royal Family have found themselves linked to unexpected doppelgängers over the years. For instance, Prince Louis appears to bear a striking resemblance to his grandfather, Michael Middleton. Meanwhile, royal fans have suggested that Princess Charlotte looks like her great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, and grandmother Princess Diana. Now, Prince William's celebrity doppelgänger has opened up about being mistaken for the royal.

British broadcaster and television host Ben Fogle shared an Instagram post on October 29 revealing his resemblance to Prince William.

Sharing a photo of himself with the Prince of Wales, Fogle wrote, "I love looking back on chapters of my life. This is a throwback to when I traveled across Botswana with Prince William for @tusk_org [a charity focused on African-driven conservation]."

Fogle continued, "It was a fascinating journey and a privilege to spend time with the future King, while he shared his passion for conservation. Something we are both passionate about."

As well as having a lot in common with the royal, Fogle was seemingly mistaken for the prince on several occasions.

Per the documentarian, "When I was younger, I was often mistaken for Prince William. People used to stop me all the time and ask where my security were?"

Reflecting on his shared history with the Royal Family, Fogle explained, "One of my most memorable nights was camping in the Okavango Delta with Princes William and Harry...We made a beautiful film which is still available online which culminated in me running the Lewa marathon for Tusk."

It seems that Fogle might just understand how it feels to be a royal.

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Prince William found his latest philanthropic work particularly rewarding; it allowed him to connect with children facing challenges similar to those he experienced during his youth. In a new BBC documentary, Thank You Sir Kev, the Prince of Wales reflected on his grief and how it shaped his efforts to help kids facing the loss of a parent.

William appeared on the special to commemorate Kevin Sinfield, who has worked to raise awareness for motor neurone disease (MND). A former rugby player, Sinfield's efforts began after his teammate, Rob Burrow, was diagnosed with the neurodegenerative disease in 2019.

Burrow died in June 2024, just months after he and his family met Prince William at Headingley Rugby Stadium. After learning of his passing, the Prince of Wales reached out to Burrow's wife and three children. He wrote a letter to share his condolences and offer support as someone who also lost a parent at a young age.

William lost his mother, Princess Diana, at 15 years old. The late royal died on August 31, 1997 following a car accident in Paris.

Speaking in the documentary, the Prince of Wales said, “Everyone grieves differently, and every circumstance is different, so you need to take your time over it. It’s always better to say something around grief than it is to ignore it.”

William has since stayed connected to Sinfield and the Burrow family, helping them open the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital in November 2025. Although the Prince of Wales supports numerous philanthropic causes, this one held a special place in his heart.

“It was very emotional, actually, and, for me, doing personal, emotional work is more fulfilling,” he said. “For Lindsey, Rob and the family to ask me to come up and open the centre was not only very personally rewarding for me but really important that that circle was closed, and I really wanted to honor that.”

King Charles kicked off a major royal tour on October 27, arriving solo in the Bahamas before Queen Camilla joins him in Antigua and Barbuda from November 1 through 4. Their Majesties’ trip is centered around their attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2026, but when Prince William takes the throne, he might not be the one leading the Commonwealth of Nations.

During his 2022 royal tour of the Caribbean, the Prince of Wales stated that he didn’t necessarily assume he’d become head of the Commonwealth like his father and grandmother. “Who the Commonwealth chooses to lead its family in the future isn’t what is on my mind,” he said at the time.

With all eyes on The King and his nine-day tour this week, the Times reported that King Charles is traveling “almost certainly, as the last royal head of the Commonwealth.” When approaching sources close to the Prince of Wales to ask if his stance had shifted since 2022, insiders confirmed that William’s "position hasn’t changed."

Queen Elizabeth's father, King George VI, was the first head of the Commonwealth, appointed in 1949, and was succeeded by Elizabeth after his death in 1952. But the post isn't hereditary, and there was some controversy over whether King Charles should have taken on the role versus a more neutral elected head.

Even though it was decided during the 2018 CHOGM that the then-Prince Charles would become head of the Commonwealth upon the late Queen's death, it's never been confirmed that Prince William will take the reins one day.

With King Charles facing increasing calls for reparations and apologies for slavery in the Commonwealth countries he's visiting this week, he has a tough diplomatic mission at hand. However, a palace aide told the Times that King Charles was up for the challenge.

“He knows what is expected of him, he knows how to read that room and land a message, he’s a very safe pair of hands,” the palace source said. “He has been given all the briefing he needs to help him navigate difficult interactions. He also knows that the issue of apologies and reparations is for government.”

Travis Kelce holds no hard feelings towards Prince William after he shared his candid recollection of their first encounter. After meeting the tight end with Taylor Swift and his children years ago, the Prince of Wales wasn’t so keen to take a group photo, attempting to move Kelce out of the shot. However, little did William know that the picture would go on to capture a moment that meant far more to fans beyond the palace walls.

While appearing on The Graham Norton Show, Prince William recalled the famous selfie from June 2024, when he and his eldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, met the Grammy winner backstage at her Eras Tour concert in London.

The photo turned out to act as the hard launch for Kelce and Swift’s relationship on Instagram. However, the Prince of Wales was completely unaware of that at the time. William jokingly admitted, “I wasn’t until recently. I hadn’t appreciated the significance—and actually, I was trying to move him out of the photo.

“But Travis kept coming back in, and I couldn’t work out why he kept coming back in,” he added, “I was trying to move him out so it was just me and Taylor and the children.”

Kelce completely understands Prince William’s hesitancy. On the Wednesday, October 28 episode of his “New Heights” podcast, he responded, “I get it, man. I think we all get it.”

The tight end saw how the photo could have ended up aging badly. He explained, “I was just a boyfriend at that point. You know? I wasn’t her husband yet. You know? We don’t really know if this is gonna last, so it’s kinda just move out of the way real quick so we can keep this photo forever. Yeah. Hopefully, this doesn’t go south. Otherwise, this photo is not gonna be as good.”

The football player’s brother and co-host Jason Kelce also found it “very understandable.”

Afterwards, the brothers poked fun by asking their graphics team to edit the picture to royal standards and remove Kelce. The Kansas City Chiefs star quipped, “I gotta ship that to him. Just send it to Buckingham Palace. You think it’ll get to him?”

Prince William has been busy making the TV rounds lately as his royal schedule picks up speed ahead of the Earthshot Prize. After appearing on The Graham Norton Show on October 23, the Prince of Wales took part in a new BBC documentary, shared Monday morning on YouTube, to praise Sir Kevin Sinfield and the work he’s done raising awareness of motor neuron disease (MND).

Sinfield, who serves as coach of England's national rugby team, has worked tirelessly to raise millions for MND research in honor of his former teammate Rob Burrow, who died from MND in 2024. The rugby legend was knighted by the Prince of Wales at Windsor Castle on October 7, and William told BBC Breakfast that it was “probably the easiest decision that anyone’s ever had to make” when pondering whether to turn “Kevin to Sir Kevin.”

“I think, frankly, he should’ve been Sir Kevin years ago, so I’m personally very pleased he’s got this accolade,” the Prince of Wales added.

The Prince and Princess of Wales were present to greet Sir Kevin in September when he took on the grueling challenge of completing seven ultra-marathons every day for a week, and Princess Anne also took part in the event a day prior.

William told BBC Breakfast that Sinfield was "a machine" for being able to take on the extreme physical test. "I don't know how he keeps going, I'm worried about his knees, I'm worried about his hips," Prince William admitted, calling Sinfield "a top bloke."

The Prince of Wales added that Sir Kevin is a "good, honest, kind, decent northerner and I love that about Kevin, that there is no ego with him. He is what you get."

Prince William and Princess Kate shared an adorable family photo with Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis to mark Mountain Rescue Awareness Day. Dressed in casual clothes, the family was surrounded by mountain rescuers who were on hand during Princess Kate’s Three Peaks Challenge. It wasn’t a new photo—in fact, it was four months old—but it was a perfect example of Prince William and Princess Kate’s parenting choice to protect their children from the ongoing media “circus.”

In her latest book, Catherine & Diana, royal expert and author Ingrid Seward explained their photography tactic to protect Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. "In return for photographers allowing the children a measure of privacy, the Waleses have ensured that images of George, Charlotte and Louis are released on a regular, predictable basis, but always on their terms, and always when and how Catherine chooses to showcase them." The careful selection of when, where, and how to share photos of their children keeps the public appetite at bay, while also carefully controlling the narrative.

“Catherine controls the lens herself, or whatever professional she might allow,” Ingrid wrote. "The resultant photographs are her way of presenting the children as she wants them to be seen, unthreatened by the circus that once engulfed their father." Prince William and Princess Kate have learned from Prince William and even King Charles’s childhood experiences, prioritizing a normal-as-possible experience for their children. Appearing in trendy jeans and sneakers, rather than formal suits and collared shirts that Prince William or King Charles might have worn as young children, serves as a "reminder that these are small children, not public property."

These careful choices have shaped how the public perceives the young princes and princess, but also how Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis have experienced their own childhoods. They look like normal kids, with rarely-seen photographs allowing them to live a private life—far, far away from royal gossip and tabloid headlines.

Earlier this year, Princess Kate embarked upon the Three Peaks Challenge in order to raise money for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity, where she received cancer treatment. Now, the Prince and Princess of Wales have shared a new photo taken after Kate completed the physical test, which shows their three children—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis—looking more grown up then ever.

Sharing the post on Instagram, the caption drew attention to Mountain Rescue Awareness Day and all of the people that keep climbers and hikers safe.

In the photo, Princess Kate and Prince William posed with a large team of people, as well as their three children, in front of a lush green landscape. In the picture, George, Charlotte, and Louis proudly posed with their mom, while twinning in matching jeans and sneakers.

The caption shared, "On Mountain Rescue Awareness Day, we send our heartfelt thanks to all those who volunteer their time and expertize to keep people safe in some of our most beautiful but challenging landscapes."

The post continued, "Meeting local mountain rescue teams during the Three Peaks Challenge this summer was an opportunity to say thank you in person for the vital role they play in keeping walkers and climbers safe on the mountains all year round."

Furthermore, Kate and William said they were "incredibly proud to support the extraordinary volunteers" who work diligently to help anyone who finds themselves in distress while on the mountains.

They completed the statement by writing, "To everyone across the mountain rescue community, thank you for your unwavering commitment, courage and service. W & C."

Notably, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis appeared to be quite emotional after reuniting with their mom following her exhausting excursion. And as the new group photo shows, all three children are growing up so fast, but they're not against wearing matching outfits just yet.

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On October 23, Prince William made a surprise appearance on The Graham Norton Show, where he opened up about attending Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in London in 2024. The Prince of Wales famously took selfies with his kids, Princess Charlotte and Prince George, and the singer backstage. But according to William, he wasn't entirely comfortable with Swift's then-boyfriend, Travis Kelce, being in the photos, too.

Norton asked Prince William whether he was aware that Swift was about to make her relationship with Kelce Instagram official with their backstage selfie.

"I wasn't until recently," Prince William explained (via the Daily Mail). "I hadn't appreciated the significance, and actually—I was trying to move him out of the photo!"

The Prince of Wales continued, "Travis kept coming back in, and I couldn't work out why he kept coming back in. I was trying to move him out so it was just me and Taylor and the children!"

Ultimately, the sweet photo became an important moment in history for Swifties, as the singer decided to make her relationship Instagram official.

For his appearance on The Graham Norton Show, William was accompanied by Earthshot ambassadors Robert Irwin, Cate Blanchett, and Hannah Waddingham.

As well as discussing Earthshot, the royal revealed the career he wanted to pursue when he was a child.

"I did want to be a policeman when I was younger, I thought I could make a good one," Prince William said, per the Telegraph. "And then I went through a phase of wanting to be a DJ—I wasn't very good."

Hopefully Kelce won't be too upset regarding Prince William's revelation about their famous backstage selfie. Either way, it's safe to say that the picture will go down in history.

Back in 2024, Prince William attended one of Taylor Swift's Eras Tour dates in London with two of his children, Princess Charlotte and Prince George. The Prince of Wales even took selfies with the pop superstar, which quickly went viral. But William actually first met Swift in 2013 and he hasn't forgotten the embarrassing evening they spent together.

During a 2021 interview with Apple Fitness+'s "Time To Walk," William opened up about the unexpected night he spent with Swift in 2013. The pair attended a Centrepoint charitable gala at Kensington Palace, where they took to the stage with Jon Bon Jovi to perform a rendition of "Livin' on a Prayer."

William explained (via the Independent), "I can't believe I'm actually telling you this story...I turn up and Jon Bon Jovi and Taylor Swift are at the event, which nearly knocked me off my feet."

The Prince of Wales continued, "And then I went inside, met everybody, a lot of handshaking to do these nights, a lot of chatting...When I sat down to watch Jon Bon Jovi do his performance, I thought: 'That's it. My job is done...I'm off-duty a little bit now.'"

However, Prince William had no idea that Swift was about to intervene.

"She puts her hand on my arm, looks me in the eye and says: 'Come on, William. Let's go and sing,'" the prince recalled. "To this day, I still do not know what came over me. Honestly, even now I'm cringing at what happened next and I don't understand why I gave in."

William explained, "But, frankly, if Taylor Swift looks you in the eye, touches your arm and says, 'Come with me...' I got up like a puppy and went: 'Yeah, okay, that seems like a great idea, I'll follow you.'"

As for what it was like performing with two famous musicians, William said, "I walked up on stage in a trance and then sort of halfway through Jon Bon Jovi's 'Livin' On A Prayer' song, I wake up. And I'm thinking to myself: 'Am I standing on the stage singing 'Livin’ On A Prayer' when I don’t even know the words?'"

Unfortunately for William, it seems that the "Shake It Off" singer is extremely persuasive.

Prince William isn’t shy about his favorite reality TV show, but it turns out Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis also can’t get enough of The Celebrity Traitors. The Prince of Wales made a surprise appearance on The Graham Norton Show on Friday, October 23, and as well as promoting the upcoming Earthshot Prize ceremony, he chatted about his family’s latest obsession.

“I love it, the family love it,” William said of The Celebrity Traitors, adding, “Charlotte and Louis are obsessed with it. It’s really good telly.” Prince George is currently away at boarding school, but he was reunited with his family for Eton College's half-term break starting Friday—just in time to watch some Traitors with his family.

The Prince of Wales recently teamed up with actor Ross Kemp, who stars on the latest series of the reality show, for a National Emergencies Trust event, and he told Norton a hilarious tidbit about their meeting.

On The Celebrity Traitors, Kemp admitted he was “paranoid” and got nervous when he was touched on the arm, and William said he “couldn’t help but try—in the most appropriate way— to touch him to see what reaction I got from him.”

“Turns out he was really jumpy!” the Prince of Wales told Norton.

During his event with Kemp, William also attempted to get spoilers for the reality show. “I’ll get Ross to tell me the answer about what happens. Spoiler alert!” Prince William exclaimed, per the Sun, but Kemp refused to reveal the outcome of the season. “I am a faithful,” was all he’d say.

During his interview with Norton, William—who was joined by Earthshot Prize ambassadors Robert Irwin, Cate Blanchett and Hannah Waddingham—said that when he's not watching The Celebrity Traitors, he loves "getting immersed in deep-thinking films."

“I like action films too, but I like something a bit different," he said. "I’m a big fan of everything Christopher Nolan does. His films are are fantastic—The Dark Knight series is psychologically dark and deep and I absolutely love that."

Prince William made a surprise appearance on The Graham Norton Show to promote the upcoming Earthshot Prize ceremony in Mumbai, India, and along with discussing the environmental award, he chatted about his former dream jobs.

During the episode, which will air Friday night, October 23 in the U.K., the Prince of Wales was joined by Earthshot ambassadors Robert Irwin, Cate Blanchett and Hannah Waddingham. When the conversation turned to what William liked to do for fun, he discussed his love of “getting immersed in deep-thinking films” along with reality TV.

However, the Prince of Wales admitted that there was a point when he fantasized about taking on a role other than being the future King.

“I did want to be a policeman when I was younger, I thought I could make a good one,” Prince William said, per the Telegraph. “And then I went through a phase of wanting to be a DJ—I wasn’t very good.”

Royal biographer Robert Jobson reflected on William’s police aspirations in his 2010 book William And Kate: The Love Story—A Celebration Of The Wedding Of The Century.

"Whenever Diana felt uncertain, William was there for her," Jobson wrote. “He once told her he wanted to be a policeman so that he could protect her. Her heart must have ached with love at his earnest words."

Although DJing and policing didn’t work out, Prince William told Norton that the innovative projects being introduced by Earthshot Prize winners keep his “environmental anxiety at bay.”

“For many years I was hearing stories about environment issues and one thing that struck me was the negativity and doom which got me down,” William said. “I thought we could do something more powerful and more optimistic and the idea of an awards ceremony came about and we could talk about urgency and optimism together.”

Prince William joined King Charles and Queen Camilla to mark the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan tragedy on Wednesday, October 21, and while speaking with members of the public gathered in the Welsh village, the Prince of Wales encountered a very chatty fan.

An avalanche of coal waste swept through Aberfan in 1966, killing 144 people, the large majority of whom were children at the local school. During their visit to Wales, the Prince of Wales, The King and The Queen held a meet-and-greet with members of the public, and one interaction was shared on Instagram by fan account My Royal News.

“When you meet your chatty friend, but your father is waiting for you,” the video said, showing the Prince of Wales speaking to one woman for quite a long time. “You must have the warmest ears here!” he exclaimed, commenting on the fan’s earmuffs.

The woman talks on at length, with William eventually bursting into laughter and saying, “You’re a chatty one, aren’t you?” He tries to end the conversation politely, but as the fan keeps chatting, the Prince of Wales said, “I feel my father’s long gone!” laughing and grabbing her hand warmly as he said, “I have to keep going.”

However, that didn’t work, and the woman kept right on speaking as William said, “Good. I’m glad,” finally saying it was “very nice to see you” as he made his escape.

Royal fans couldn't help but weigh in on the interaction in the comments, like one who wrote, "Prince William always respectful and kind ❤️" and another who said, "He made her day. She will be speaking of this for a long long time."

"Sorry, I think that lady is a bit rude for keep on talking and wouldn’t listen to what William’s trying to say," a third commenter added. "But Prince William is handling it like a pro! So sweet of him ❤️."

Usually, Princess Kate is the one who spends too long speaking to people during royal events, with the royal once admitting that she would get "teased" by other members of the family for taking her time. Prince William will remind her to keep moving, like he did during a recent visit to Scotland, but this time, Kate wasn't there to return the favor.

Although the Princess of Wales didn't join the royal trio in Aberfan, she did make a solo appearance on October 22, visiting The Treehouse hospice operated by one of her longest patronages, East Anglia's Children's Hospices.

It’s not often that Prince William gets to head on a royal away day with his father and stepmother, but the Prince of Wales headed to Aberfan, Wales with King Charles and Queen Camilla on October 21 to mark the 60th anniversary of one of the U.K.’s greatest tragedies.

The Aberfan disaster occurred on October 21, 1966 when an avalanche of coal waste engulfed a small Welsh village, killing 116 children and 28 adults. It is said to have been the greatest mistake of Queen Elizabeth’s reign that she waited eight days to visit the people of Aberfan, but The King gave a touching speech on Wednesday morning to honor the community.

“It has been so very special for The Queen, The Prince of Wales, and myself, to be back with you here in Aberfan as you mark 60 years since what was, and always will be, the saddest and most tragic, of days imaginable,” he said.

The royals met with people who were impacted by the disaster during their visit to Aberfan’s community center and Memorial Garden, including a 96-year-old woman who was a police officer at the time of the event.

“Over the years, as once again today, it has been profoundly humbling to hear the testimonies of survivors, of relatives who lost their loved ones and of rescuers who fought so hard to save others during this appalling tragedy,” The King said in his speech.

He added that it was important to recognize that while the Royal Family “have heard stories of heartbreak,” they were also struck by the “heroism” and “the most inspiring grace” of the people in Aberfan.

Although Princess Kate didn't join the royal trio, her signature was included on a card attached to the wreath that Prince William presented at the Aberfan Memorial Garden.

In Gyles Brandreth's book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, the royal biographer wrote that he once asked the late Queen's former private secretary, Lord Charteris, if the monarch had “ever felt she had put a foot wrong.”

“He said, immediately, ‘Aberfan. She got that wrong and she knows it,’” Brandreth wrote, adding that Lord Charteris told him Queen Elizabeth regretted waiting so long to visit the families in the days following the disaster.

"No one should ever have to bear what you, as a community, have endured," King Charles said in his speech Wednesday. "But no one could have borne it with greater strength, resilience, or hope."

Princess Kate joined the Royal Family to welcome Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman for a state visit on October 20, taking part in an official ceremony at Windsor Castle along with a glamorous state banquet. Whether it was riding in a carriage procession with their guests or making them feel welcome at dinner, the Princess of Wales played a key role in the diplomatic visit “without having to take center stage,” says body language expert Darren Stanton.

Speaking on behalf of UK online slots provider Betfair Casino, Stanton says that the “ability to read a situation is a real strength of Catherine’s.” In photos from the day’s events, the princess is pictured throwing her head back in laughter with a soldier and leaning forward to point things out to guests at the state banquet, displaying her ability to “put them at ease.”

“She understands that, while this is a very formal state occasion, there are people there who may feel a little nervous or intimidated by the setting,” Stanton shares. “By taking the time to chat with the soldiers and share a laugh, she subtly helps to put them at ease. It is a small gesture, but these are the sorts of things that make a real difference to how an engagement feels.”

The Princess of Wales swapped her forest green Alexander McQueen coat and sparkling jewelry for a pale yellow Elie Saab gown and Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara on Tuesday night. Despite her formalwear and historic jewels, Kate managed to keep the event friendly and "approachable" while being "able to maintain the authority and composure expected of her position," Stanton says.

"That is not always an easy balance to strike, but Catherine manages it exceptionally well," he adds.

Earlier in the day, the Princess of Wales joined King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie to view special items from the Royal Collection related to Oman—including a stunning tiara once presented to Queen Victoria—while making their royal guests feel at home.

‘This was a good example of how you can be the star of the show without having to take center stage," Stanton says of the Princess of Wales. "She does not need to dominate the interaction or draw attention to herself; instead, she uses her warmth, confidence and ability to read people to make everyone around her feel comfortable."

As usual, the fashion predictions came rolling in ahead of the October 20 state banquet at Windsor Castle in honor of the sultan of Oman. When Princess Kate arrived at the official welcome ceremony on Tuesday morning, she wore a head-to-toe green outfit in tribute of one of the colors of the Omani flag. With the rest of the flag made up of red and white, royal watchers were largely expecting a gown—most likely a repeat—in one of those shades. But I can assure you, pale yellow leopard print was not floating around in my mind this evening.

The Princess of Wales arrived at Windsor Castle in a flowing Elie Saab dress featuring a dramatic cape and braided detail along the neckline, and at first glance, the pastel gown is standard royal fare. Zoom in and you'll see that the dress actually has an animal print design—a rather unexpected detail for a state banquet gown.

Did I Google "Does Oman have leopards?" Yes. And in fact, the country is home to a group of critically endangered Arabian leopards. With fewer than 200 in the wild and roughly 50 of them living in Oman, the country boasts one of the largest populations of the species.

Whether this is Kate's subtle nod to Oman, or she just felt like wearing a summery leopard-print dress, we'll probably never know. However, diplomatic dressing is one of the Princess of Wales's style strengths, and rarely is anything a coincidence in the world of royal fashion.

The Princess of Wales paired her new Elie Saab gown with an old standard, wearing the Lover's Knot Tiara frequently worn by Princess Diana.

Although her diamond and pearl tiara—which Princess Kate has worn numerous times during her royal career—delivers plenty of sparkle, she paired it with Queen Elizabeth's Greville Diamond Chandelier Earrings for some extra glam factor.

The Princess of Wales completed her outfit with a bedazzled clutch and Queen Mary's diamond choker bracelet, adding the blue sash that she received in 2019 as a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, the highest ranking of chivalry personally awarded by Queen Elizabeth at the time.

She topped off her sash with the Royal Family Order of King Charles III, which features a painted portrait of the monarch surrounded by diamonds and a crown, set against a pale blue ribbon created by designer Philip Treacy.

Sartorial diplomacy is nothing new for Princess Kate, and she honored Oman with a green outfit as the Royal Family welcomed Sultan Haitham bin Tarik for a state visit at Windsor Castle on October 20.

Oman’s flag features shades of green, white and red, and although the country’s green is a much brighter color, the Princess of Wales wore an old favorite Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen coat in a rich forest hue Tuesday.

Burton, who designed Kate’s wedding dress, is now creative director at Givenchy, and the Princess of Wales continues to wear her old McQueen pieces such as her fitted coat with flap pockets.

Underneath, the Princess of Wales wore a lace turtleneck dress or top, but once inside the castle, she swapped it for a simple dark green turtleneck dress by Norma Kamali featuring a leather belt wrapped multiple times around her waist.

For the welcome ceremony and carriage procession through Windsor, Kate accessorized with a Juliette Botterill hat that matched her coat, a symbolic emerald and diamond brooch and a pair of new earrings that fit into her green theme.

The Princess of Wales added a touch of British history with the Prince of Wales Feathers Brooch, a diamond and emerald piece that was given to Princess Alexandra of Denmark in 1863 as a wedding gift when she married the future King Edward VII. But in her terms of her earrings Kate went with something new, debuting a pair of $5,397 chrome diopside drops by Cassandra Goad.

Kate finished off her outfit with green velvet Manolo Blahnik pumps and a classic flap bag by Chanel.

This evening, Princess Kate and the rest of the senior Royal Family will welcome the sultan to a glittering state banquet at Windsor Castle—and that means tiaras are just hours away.

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During her 70 years on the throne, Queen Elizabeth saw a massive amount of change in the world, and with that, some great tragedies. She lived through World War II, major terrorist attacks and enormous social change, but when asked what the late Queen failed at during her reign, her former private secretary didn’t hesitate to tell royal biographer Gyles Brandreth his thoughts.

In his book Elizabeth: An Intimate Portrait, Brandreth wrote that he once asked the late Lord Charteris, who worked with Queen Elizabeth between 1950 and 1977, if the monarch had “ever felt she had put a foot wrong.”

“He said, immediately, ‘Aberfan. She got that wrong and she knows it,’” Brandreth wrote. On October 21, 1966, a landslide of coal waste swept through the Welsh mining village of Aberfan, killing 116 children and 28 adults, most of them students and teachers at the local school. But instead of rushing to Wales soon after, the late Queen waited eight days to visit Aberfan.

Although Queen Elizabeth "expressed her anguish in a public statement" and sent Prince Philip and Princess Margaret's husband, Lord Snowdon, to Wales, she waited until October 29 to meet with survivors in the village herself.

It's a decision Lord Charteris, who died in 1999, told Brandreth was "a mistake" for the late Queen, "and one she regrets." He added that the delay showed one aspect of Queen Elizabeth's personality, telling Brandreth, "The scale of the tragedy called for an immediate response, but she is not a spontaneous person and she is not given to emotional gestures."

The incident was dramatized in an episode of The Crown, and Brandreth—who wrote that King Charles once told him the show was "ghastly"—said that one Aberfan survivor thought it didn't do the late Queen justice.

Jeff Edwards, the last child to be rescued alive after the disaster, said he felt The Crown "portrayed her very, very callously," per Brandreth. In the episode, Olivia Colman, playing Queen Elizabeth, says that she pretended to cry for the crowd and the press so as not to seem cold. Edwards met the late Queen on several occasions when she visited Aberfan in later years, and Brandreth wrote that the survivor said he "found her to be anything but unfeeling."

"After she had spent a few minutes alone at the remains of the school, it was the only time I saw her cry in public," Brian Hoey, who worked for the BBC at the time of the disaster, wrote in the Daily Mailin 2024.

Queen Elizabeth went on to visit Aberfan four times through her reign, unveiling a plaque at Ynysowen Community Primary School during her Diamond Jubilee tour in 2012. On October 21, Prince William will return to the school to unveil the Aberfan Memorial Tree, a new sculpture designed to mark the 60th anniversary of the tragedy.

He'll also join King Charles and Queen Camilla to visit the Aberfan Memorial Garden and the Aberfan and Merthyr Vale Community Centre to commemorate the anniversary, meeting with community members, bereaved parents, first responders and survivors, including Edwards.

Prince William and King Charles might have different approaches to royal life, but there’s one sweet thing they share in common. King Charles has been married to Queen Camilla for 21 years, while the Prince and Princess of Wales celebrated their 15th anniversary this year. But although their marriages might be quite different, The Queen and Princess Kate have the same influence on their husbands in a way that Princess Diana didn't.

"William definitely visibly relaxes when Catherine is near, and you see a similar thing with Charles and Camilla, actually," Simon Vigar, author of The Four Wives of Windsor, told Hello! magazine.

The royal biographer added that King Charles used to get jealous when crowds favored Princess Diana at royal events, but he’s more than happy to let Queen Camilla take the lead, just like Prince William does with Kate.

"William is very happy for Catherine to take the spotlight in a way that back in the day Charles wasn't with Diana, of course, but he is now with Camilla,” Vigar said. "They are clearly a double act.”

The Prince and Princess of Wales took on a secret visit to Cornwall last week on the same day Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to public events, but the Waleses took their "double act" to Northern Ireland for a series of royal engagements on October 9.

Vigar noted that when it comes to royal duties, William and Kate are "even stronger" together.

"It's very hard to do that job on your own, and I think we'll see an even stronger double act when the time comes, when William becomes King," Vigar said, adding that the Princess of Wales is "obviously very, very important to him personally and publicly."

Princess Anne’s son-in-law, Mike Tindall, is celebrating his 48th birthday on October 19, and Zara Tindall’s husband might not have a royal title, but he’s a firm favorite amongst the Wales family. Mike, who formerly played rugby for England’s national team, shares the same competitive spirit as Prince William and Princess Kate, but one thing he knows all too well is that winning doesn’t teach you as much as losing—and he’s reportedly passed that knowledge on to Prince George.

Mike married the Princess Royal’s daughter, Zara Phillips, in 2011, and over the years, he’s become close with Zara’s cousin, Prince William. In 2025, a source claimed that the Prince of Wales views Mike as a brother figure “and someone he can always rely on,” per Woman's Day (via the Express).

Zara and Mike’s three children are also close with the Waleses, and Princess Charlotte is said to consider Mia Tindall her royal BFF. Given their warm relationship, it’s no wonder that Mike is said to be a source of inspiration for 13-year-old Prince George, who is Zara's godson.

This summer, royal biographer Robert Jobson told the Daily Mail that Mike speaks with the future King about “the one subject nobody else raises.”

As a former pro rugby player, Mike knows a thing or two about winning and losing, and Jobson claimed that George has benefited from speaking with his godmother’s husband on the topic.

“He talks to him about losing, the one subject nobody else raises, because everybody else is invested in the boy winning,” Jobson said. “Mike has lost in front of eighty thousand people. He can be funny about it the next morning.”

Jobson added that Mike serves as an uncle figure in George’s life. “You see it in the photographs. An arm round George's shoulders, leaning in, saying something. No airs and graces about the man, and the child worked that out years ago.”

Prince William turned the road leading to Buckingham Palace into a makeshift cricket pitch on October 13, joining in for a game with cricketing stars from the United Kingdom and India. The Mall, which runs from the palace to London’s Trafalgar Square, was taken over to celebrate the Earthshot Prize coming to Mumbai next month—and body language expert Darren Stanton says the event showed the Prince of Wales at his best.

‘What's really great about Prince William is that he likes to get his hands dirty and wants to get stuck in,” Stanton, speaking on behalf of CanadaCasino, says. “He's not a person who sits on the sidelines and watches.”

The Prince and Princess of Wales are famously competitive and love trying out sports during royal engagements, and Stanton adds that William “wants to get stuck in” and showed through his body language “how seriously he is taking it.”

“His eyes are fixed on a particular position, and you can see the jawbone and cheekbone tensing,” Stanton says of the Prince of Wales during the match. “It means he's extremely focused and concentrating on what's going on in front of him.”

Reflecting on how Prince William wants to get involved with people he’s meeting, the body language expert notes that “part of that is that he doesn't rest on his laurels as a future King or a prince,” adding that William “never puts himself above anybody else.”

“It shows that he's having fun, playing sport, and interacting with people on their level,” Stanton shares.

Prince William also surprised tourists who were visiting the palace, shaking hands, chatting about Aston Villa and snapping pictures with members of the crowd who watched the pick-up cricket match.

“He's very approachable, and he always gives people the respect they deserve, which was demonstrated here as well when he lowers his height to make sure that rapport was established,” Stanton says.

Prince William may have his hands full with royal duties, but one little girl’s request was simply too sweet to pass up. During a recent royal engagement, he was greeted by a schoolgirl who waited an hour just so he could hand-deliver a gift to his daughter Princess Charlotte.

The Prince of Wales was welcomed by a crowd of fans outside of the Ilminster Fire Station in Somerset, England on October 6. Among the group was a young, eager fan waiting patiently with her mother and a handwritten letter for the Prince of Wales’ 11-year-old daughter.

After shaking hands with William, she handed over the note that had a “few questions” for Charlotte. According to Hello! Magazine, the little girl admitted to Prince William that she wanted to know about his daughter’s age, favorite color, and what school she goes to.

This is just one of William’s recent outings that turned out to be beneficial for his daughter. Just days after his visit to Somerset, the Prince of Wales played a round of cricket on the Mall outside of Buckingham Palace. After the game, a fan presented him with a special cricket shirt for Princess Charlotte, who is known to be a huge fan of the sport, playing for her school team at Lambrook in Berkshire.

According to the official royal gift policy, children of the Royal Family, including Princess Charlotte, are only allowed to accept certain gifts from the public, like flowers, non-controversial copies of books presented by the author, foodstuff, and other consumable items. They are also allowed to keep items costing less than $200.

Prince William and Princess Kate have weathered some tough times in the past two years, whether it was Kate’s cancer diagnosis, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s scandals or King Charles’s own health struggles. But there’s one family member the Prince and Princess of Wales can always lean on, according to royal biographer and journalist Robert Jobson.

Carole Middleton “may not ever hold the title of Queen Mother, but in the future, she will be the Queen’s mother,” Jobson told Hello! magazine, adding that Carole “will be there to help her daughter and the family all the way.”

When both Princess Kate and King Charles were diagnosed with cancer in early 2024, it was Carole who helped babysit, stock her daughter and son-in-law’s freezer and provide a shoulder to cry on for Prince William.

“She was there to support William and was there all the time for the grandchildren. She's been as solid as a rock,” Jobson said of Carole. “When everything was falling apart and he needed someone to talk to, she was the one. She took him out to the pub and they would sit and talk.”

The Windsor Legacy author added that Carole has "been a good sounding-board" and "a wise head" for the future King.

For Prince William, the Middletons also provide him with a sense of normalcy that he didn't experience growing up at Kensington Palace. During his engagement interview, the Prince of Wales praised Kate's family, stating, "Mike and Carole have been really loving and caring and really fun and have been really welcoming towards me, so I've felt a part of the family and I hope that Kate's felt the same with my family."

Queen Elizabeth’s children didn’t have the greatest track records for royal marriages, with three out of her four children winding up divorced. It’s a situation the late Queen is said to have found “deeply upsetting,” but when Prince William proposed to Kate Middleton, one aspect of the future Princess of Wales’s life gave William’s grandmother comfort.

“The Queen always wanted her children and grandchildren to be happy, and she recognized what a huge support Carole and Michael Middleton were to William and how they welcomed him with open arms into their family,” Queen Elizabeth’s former press secretary, Ailsa Anderson, told Hello! magazine.

Prince William is famously close to his in-laws, and Anderson added that this gave the late Queen confidence after watching Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor go through divorces.

"It distressed her much more than she let on," royal biographer Robert Hardman wrote in his book Queen of Our Times, adding that Queen Elizabeth was deeply bothered by so many of her children getting divorced.

A staffer revealed to Hardman that "one shouldn't underestimate the pain she's been through," with the late Queen once exclaiming, "'Three out of four!' in sheer sadness and exasperation."

In the Middletons, however, Queen Elizabeth saw a strong and stable family that would help William and Kate through the tough times. "My family are paramount," Carole Middleton once said. "They come first and that will always be the case, even when I have more 'me time.'"

Prince William supports a plethora of charitable causes in his role as a senior member of the Royal Family. But according to a royal expert, the Prince of Wales's decision to be outspoken on one particular topic might be especially important right now.

Writing for the Express, royal expert Emily Ferguson discussed Prince William's ability to talk about mental health issues with the general public.

Ferguson explained, "The Prince of Wales is using his position to empower people, to reach people and say it's okay to feel down and signpost them to support."

The expert continued, "He's able to break through the taboo and all of the negativity surrounding mental health and suicide, making people listen in a way that they've never really listened before."

Ferguson also noted that "opening up about mental health problems has a domino effect, encouraging others to share their own experiences." As such, Prince William's impact cannot be diminished.

"All it takes is for one person to speak out, as once the first domino has fallen, other people are more likely to follow suit—and that's how stigma is dismantled," the royal expert noted.

To highlight World Mental Health Day on October 10, Prince William told the Express, "We do not always know what someone is carrying beneath the surface."

The Prince of Wales continued, "Taking the time to check in, to listen, and to show kindness can make more of a difference than we often realize."

William shared, "Sometimes, a simple conversation is where hope begins. The moments that often matter most are the simplest ones: checking in on someone, listening without judgment, and reminding them that they are not alone. Small acts of kindness can have an extraordinary impact."

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Prince William and Princess Kate probably aren’t planning their Christmas decor just yet, if their visit to a Northern Ireland IKEA is any indication. The Prince and Princess of Wales spent the day in Belfast on October 9 to highlight the work being done to combat youth homelessness in the area, and while visiting IKEA to see a job program in action, they came across a Christmas display.

In a video shared by Hello! magazine on Instagram, the Prince of Wales looks at his watch and exclaims, “October the ninth for a Christmas tree?” after walking past a decorated tree in the store.

A laughing Prince William told employees, “That is getting it in early!” adding, "What!" after one of the store's workers shared an inaudible tidbit with him in the clip.

Although William didn’t elaborate about his own decorating plans, Princess Kate once shared the type of Christmas tree they typically buy while visiting a farm in 2019. “She said that they normally have the Nordmann Fir inside that doesn’t drop the needles,” tree farm owner Roger Brill said at the time, per People.

During their outing at IKEA, the Prince and Princess of Wales met with a young woman who got her job through an initiative created by William’s Homewards organization. Homewards was launched in 2023 by the Royal Foundation and is a five-year program to help make homelessness rare, brief and unrepeated, with its jobs initiative being piloted in Northern Ireland.

After meeting with business leaders to talk about expanding the career program, William and Kate got some hands-on training themselves working at cash registers in the store. Needless to say, they didn’t pick up any Christmas decorations, but Kate helped some little girls purchase their candy, reminding them, "Don’t forget these."

Prince William and Princess Kate visited Northern Ireland on Friday, October 9, to highlight the work being done to prevent homelessness, and one of their stops included a Belfast IKEA where shoppers were shocked to be waited on by none other than the future King and Queen.

Prince William’s Homewards program is working with local charities and businesses to recruit young people at risk of homelessness, and along with speaking with an employee who is working at the store through the program, the Waleses got down to work themselves.

Wearing a ruffled blouse and a new green tartan skirt, Kate is pictured working behind a cash register in a video shared by Kate Mansey of the Times on Instagram. Prince William also got in on the action, chatting with shoppers as they checked out of the busy store.

An employee shows Princess Kate how to run a credit card in Mansey's video as a woman and two children checked out, and the royal handed one girl the receipt, saying, “don’t forget these,” pointing at a bag of sweets they’d purchased. “Enjoy your dance lesson!” the princess said with a wave.

While speaking with the young woman employed through the Homewards initiative, Their Royal Highnesses learned how her job and the relationships she's built working at IKEA have helped her build confidence, stability and independence. They also met with other U.K. business leaders while visiting the store to discuss Homewards' plans to expand the Northern Ireland job program pilot.

Although you might not expect royals to shop at IKEA, William and Kate once shared a surprisingly relatable detail about their former home at Kensington Palace. In 2018, they told IKEA's head of design, Marcus Engman, that they used furniture from the brand in Prince George and Princess Charlotte's bedrooms.

"I'm proud that we can suit everybody," Engman said at the time, via Hello! magazine. "That's what we want Ikea to be—for the many people of the world, both royalty and ordinary people."

Prince William and Princess Kate surprised fans with a visit to Northern Ireland on Friday, October 9, and the Princess of Wales managed to wrap four of the season's hottest fall fashion trends into one timeless-looking outfit.

Plaid has always been a fall staple—especially for the royals—but this year it's bigger than ever, and Kate debuted a green tartan midi skirt by one of her favorite brands, Emilia Wickstead, for her trip to Belfast. She paired it with an old favorite ivory blouse by British brand Knatchbull, and its high collar and ruffled front combined two fall trends in one classic top.

She topped off her outfit with a long black coat, a custom piece by Catherine Walker, accessorizing with a black croc Ralph Lauren belt, new black pumps by Gianvito Rossi, her go-to Cartier Trinity Earrings and a perfectly on-trend Mulberry bag.

Top-handled bags feel especially fresh this fall, and the princess carried the Small Amberley Satchel she debuted during a 2022 visit to Boston in an autumnal evergreen shade.

The Princes of Wales has long been a fan of Mulberry, and although this is only the third time she's carried her green bag, she owns at least eight other styles from the British brand ranging from clutches to a sensible work tote.

William and Kate traveled to Belfast to highlight the work of Prince William's Homewards organization. The Prince of Wales is on a mission to prevent homelessness in the U.K., and they met with local charities and young people to see how they're working together to provide pathways to employment, stability and opportunity.

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Prince William and Prince Harry are understood not to have spoken since 2022, but with Harry and wife Meghan Markle now living in the U.K. again, royal insiders have been wondering whether the brothers will reconcile. On October 6, the Express reported that Harry and Meghan were planning to make amends with the Waleses, but a source now tells People that any idea of an apology is off the mark.

"Harry and Meghan have always known since they decided to return to the U.K. that they would need to eat humble pie," a source told the Express. The insider continued that the couple's "one big regret about leaving the Royal Family" involved their controversial Oprah Winfrey interview, especially the revelation about a senior royal commenting about what Prince Archie's skin color might look like.

"Harry was angry with his family at the time, and backed Meghan up, but they now realize what a low blow it was," the source claimed. "They both know they're hot-headed and realize they took things too far."

Prince Harry has publicly stated that he hopes to reconcile with his family, and the media outlet's report continued that Harry and Meghan "really want a sit-down so they can address what they said, and Meghan will apologize."

However, a source close to the Sussexes have reached out to People to say that the report was "nonsense."

Although the brothers remain estranged, Prince Harry and his family did visit with King Charles and Queen Camilla over the summer, and there's hope that the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana's death might bring him back in contact with William.

Per the Daily Mail, a memorial service for the late royal is being considered with both the Duke of Sussex and Prince of Wales in attendance. “While the boys seem to have rejected any chance of working together, the religious event might help heal the rift," said columnist Ephraim Hardcastle.

Prince William headed to Ilminster, England to highlight the impact of extreme weather on local communities, and during his day out, he tried to get actor Ross Kemp to spill some spoilers about The Traitors.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are both fans of the reality show, and Kemp—who rose to fame with his role in soap opera EastEnders—is taking part in the new Celebrity Traitors season in the U.K. Kemp serves as an ambassador for the National Emergencies Trust, while Prince William is the charity’s royal patron, and they teamed up for an event unveiling a new emergency kit for local residents.

While joining the Ilminster Under 16s football club to chat about how they can take action against flooding, the topic of who might win Celebrity Traitors came up.

“I’ll get Ross to tell me the answer about what happens. Spoiler alert!” Prince William exclaimed, per the Sun, but Kemp remained tight-lipped about the outcome of the show. “I am a faithful,” was all he’d tell the group.

The Ilminster area was impacted by both severe flooding and wildfires in the past year, and Kemp joined Prince William in training exercises designed to help residents prepare for severe weather.

As for Celebrity Traitors, Kemp didn’t seem surprised that the royals were into the show. Speaking about William and Kate watching at home, Kemp said: “That’s great. Them and the rest of the country. I’ve been on the TV for 43 years but I’ve never known anything like this.”

Carole Middleton has been a strong sense of support not only for her daughter, Princess Kate, but for Prince William, too. The 71-year-old mother of the future Queen has proven to be a trusted member in royal circles, and based on her affectionate outing with Queen Camilla and Princess Anne in March, she’s a true part of the family. It’s a stark contrast to the relationship Princess Diana’s mother, Frances Shand Kydd, had with Queen Elizabeth, and royal author Ingrid Seward says there’s a key reason why.

In Seward’s new book, Catherine & Diana, the Majesty magazine editor-in-chief wrote that Middleton used a tactic that was very different from Princess Diana’s mother.

"Put simply, Carole used her head, not her heart, when dealing with the phenomenon of becoming mother-in-law to the Prince of Wales,” Seward explained.

"Carole's wiliness was in her silence—it's what has made a woman from truly humble beginnings such a successful royal mother-in-law,” the author added.

Frances Shand Kydd, on the other hand, was the “opposite” of Middleton, per Seward, and her public comments about Diana didn’t go over well with the late Queen. "The Queen liked Carole very much; she didn't like Frances,” Seward wrote.

Earlier this year, royal author and journalist Robert Jobson told Hello! that Carole’s discretion earned her a spot in the inner circle. “Trust is the thing with Carole,” Jobson said. “She has been inside this world since William and Catherine first got together, and nothing has ever come out: not a conversation, not a confidence, not a whisper.”

“The Middletons aren’t guests any more,” he added. “They stopped being guests a long time ago. They’re family.”

As the father of three young kids, Prince William likely his hands full right now. But when the Prince of Wales was a child himself, he apparently caused some drama for his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

In a new article in the Daily Mail, Princess Margaret's former lady-in-waiting, Anne Glenconner, recalled one incident involving Prince William when he was a young boy.

According to Glenconner, she accompanied the Royal Family to Balmoral Castle in Scotland in August 1990 for a shooting weekend.

"It was a very relaxed, family weekend and everything was going smoothly until I was waiting for Princess Margaret in the castle later in the afternoon and heard raised voices coming from outside," Glenconner wrote in an excerpt from her latest book.

Glenconner continued, "I peered out of the window and saw The Queen tearing a strip off Prince William who was on his pony on the drive. He must have been around [8 years old]."

The lady-in-waiting explained, "I crept back from the window not wanting to be spotted and reported back to Princess Margaret what I'd seen. She said, 'Oh, I wonder what's happened. I'll ask The Queen.'"

It later transpired that "Prince William had been out riding with the groom and his cousins and had...returned to the castle on his own without letting anyone know," Glenconner explained. "The grooms had been frantic looking for him."

Understandably, William's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, had been incredibly worried about the young prince.

"You can imagine how terrified they were in case he had fallen and hit his head with no one knowing where he was," Glenconner wrote. "Princess Margaret said, 'The Queen was quite right to give him a rocket.'"

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Charles Spencer has been busy promoting his new book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, in the United States this week, and on the latest episode of the “Next Question With Katie Couric” podcast, Couric told Earl Spencer about one of her personal encounters with Princess Diana.

While attending a charity luncheon for breast cancer research held in Chicago in 1996, the journalist found herself sitting “two seats away” from Diana. “She complimented my lipstick. I was very flattered,” Couric recalled.

The broadcaster shared how she remembered Diana being “really lovely and easy to talk to,” and said the royal even asked her for some parenting advice.

Couric, who had two very young daughters at the time, recalled Diana “was asking how to keep William and Harry from watching too much telly, because I think they were young teenagers.”

The boys, who were 11 and 13 at the time, were splitting their time between their mother and Prince Charles, whose divorce would be finalized later that summer. The former Today show host said she remembered the sad response Diana gave when asked about returning home to London.

“I said, ‘This must be exhausting, you know, traveling all over the country.’ I don’t know how many cities she was going to, but you know, just exhausting, shaking hands, making small talk, meeting person after person after person,” Couric told Earl Spencer.

“I said, ‘You must be so excited to go home.' And she kind of looked at me and said, ‘Yes, but I’ll be going home to an empty house,’” Couric shared.

Earl Spencer admitted that he didn't realize how unhappy his sister was after her separation from Prince Charles, telling Couric, “I regret to say I was probably just so busy getting on with my own life. And I think Diana spoke more about her marital problems to our mother and sisters than to the younger brother."

“It was amazing she coped as well as she did, given the huge amount of pressure on her," Spencer said. "Unprecedented pressure.”

Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis might be members of the Royal Family, but their mother still has to nag them to remember one important task. Princess Kate was visiting with senior citizens in Pulborough, England, and when she boarded the West Sussex Minibus, she joked about forgetting her purse and telling her kids to buckle up.

After guiding 94-year-old Stella Drewett from her house to the bus, the Princess of Wales shared, "everyone always runs after me [shouting] ‘you forgot your handbag!'"

“I have to remind my children to put their seatbelts on too,” she added.

Prince William and Princess Kate drive their kids to school themselves each day (minus Prince George, who is now away at boarding school), so they’ve had plenty of experience with seatbelt reminders. Earlier this year, William spoke about their occasionally chaotic morning routine when he spoke to Britain’s Heart Radio.

“It depends if there’s a guitar lesson going on in the morning, a music lesson,” he shared. “You’ve got to get the guitar in the car? No, we’re not taking the guitar; we need the bag for school. Are we boarding? No, we're not. Are we seeing friends? No, we’re not. So there’s all that going on in the morning."

“There’s a lot of jam sandwiches taken in the car usually," Prince William admitted. "Louis will leave jam fingerprints throughout the car, which is really helpful."

During Kate's visit to Pulborough on Wednesday, she also visited a weekly lunch club for seniors, and she opened up about how she enjoys washing dishes, just like Queen Elizabeth used to do.

“I love washing up. I really do,” she told the group. When someone asked if the Prince of Wales also got involved with washing dishes, she shared that “he does the drying. We are a good double act,” adding that they also “get the children involved.”

Prince William visited Wales on October 1 to meet communities affected by recent flooding, and while chatting with local residents, he met a man who shared a hilarious memory of the future King as a child.

The Prince of Wales met Rod and Helen Wyatt in the village of Skenfrith, and as he spoke to them about the four major floods they’ve experienced in the past six years, Rod told him they’d met before.

“First time I met you, you were this high,” Rod said, gesturing to his waist. “In Glanusk Estate, you sold me a CD from a bric-a-brac stall.” The memory made the Prince of Wales laugh and he recalled, “Dodgy car boot sale, yes, I remember that.”

Glanusk happens to be where Prince William’s former nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke grew up, and her family has managed the vast property for generations, but it also is home to a campground and serves as a venue for weddings, fairs and other events.

Prince William and Prince Harry spent a good deal of time at Glanusk when they were young and attended their nanny's wedding on the estate in 1999, but apparently, William also got put to work at a boot sale (a British version of a flea market). After sharing some laughs, Rod asked the Prince of Wales, “Still doing that?”

“No, I don't sell…it's dried up a bit that one, perhaps I should reopen it,” William joked. “'I got up to a lot,” the Prince of Wales added. “We had some fun ‘round there.”

Ahead of next month’s Earthshot Prize ceremony in Mumbai, India, the Prince of Wales is putting a spotlight on climate change. With a potentially record-strength El Niño event that could intensify climate impacts globally, his visit highlighted the importance of building resilience at a local level.

The Wyatts told Prince William how they changed the flooring on their ground floor to be tile because of the constant flooding they’ve experienced in recent years, and how at one point, they had to “give up” trying to deal with it and went upstairs to watch Strictly Come Dancing.

“It must be so demoralizing for you now, the worry each year you've got to go through that again, potentially, is becoming more frequent,” William said.

He also met representatives from Stump Up For Trees, a community-based environmental charity working across South Wales to restore native woodland and recognize its potential to support solutions to flooding risk. He saw the charity's work in action with a local farming family, learning how they've partnered with the charity to use their land for upstream flooding interventions.

Next August will mark 30 years since Princess Diana died, and although it’s been reported that Prince Harry is planning a documentary to mark the milestone, a new report in the Daily Mail claims that a service of thanksgiving is being planned to honor the late royal's life.

Per columnist Ephraim Hardcastle, King Charles has “raised no objection” to the religious service, which would follow in the footsteps of the 10th anniversary event that was held at the Wellington Barracks Guards’ Chapel in London.

Prince William and Prince Harry remain estranged, but Hardcastle noted, “While the boys seem to have rejected any chance of working together, the religious event might help heal the rift.” Now the Daily Mail’s diary editor, Richard Eden, has spoken to another source who confirmed “a service including both brothers is being seriously considered.”

Prince William is said to have rejected participating in any kind of documentary for the anniversary, but the service would give him the chance to publicly remember his mother in an "inspirational way," Eden reported.

“William could celebrate his mother’s life by giving a reading," the insider told Eden. "That would be far more dignified than appearing in a television programme that would inevitably be portrayed as a rival to whatever Harry might make. And it would also serve to bring the brothers together.”

A spokesperson for the Prince of Wales denied to comment on how William will mark the anniversary next year.

The news comes after Princess Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, released his new book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, last month. Earl Spencer recently told Marie Claire how Diana gave the monarchy “an injection of relevance and glamour.”

“For many people before Diana came along, the Royal Family was a totally acceptable, benign relic from the past, and relics from the past can soon lose all relevance,” he noted.

Since King Charles took the throne following Queen Elizabeth II's death, there have been reports of alleged friction at the palace. Namely, some have suggested that King Charles and his eldest son, Prince William, don't always see eye to eye on certain matters. And according to one royal biographer, The King has some opinions about the Prince of Wales.

In the book The Windsor Legacy: A Royal Dynasty of Secrets, Scandal, and Survival, royal biographer Robert Jobson discussed William and Charles's relationship.

"William, indomitable, has clashed not only with his father's courtiers, but at times with Charles himself," Jobson explained.

The author continued, "In 2014, tensions flared over William's proposal to destroy the Royal Collection's 1,200 ivory artifacts...as a bold stand against the illegal ivory trade."

According to Jobson, "Charles rejected the move as 'naive,' arguing that the cause could be championed without erasing history."

As noted by the royal biographer, "The episode underscored their diverging views on heritage, symbolism, and modern ethics."

"The King, close sources say, believes William is occasionally hasty and can be too quick to dismiss sage, well-meaning advice," Jobson explained.

However, Prince William is also growing as a senior royal and as the heir apparent.

As Jobson shared, "William is steadily evolving into the global statesman he must become, using soft power diplomacy on the world stage."

Even if their relationship isn't always perfect, it seems as though Charles and William have been learning how to work together on a large scale in recent years.

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Prince William and Prince Harry were only 15 and 12 when their mother died, but Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, tells Marie Claire that he sees his late sister’s influence on both of his nephews.

Earl Spencer, whose new book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, was released on September 22, shares that like Princess Diana, William and Harry display an “independence of thought” from the rest of their family.

“Times have changed,” Spencer says, adding he thinks it’s “huge progress” that Prince William and Princess Kate spent some of their Christmases with the Middleton family before he was the Prince of Wales.

“You know, it really hurt Diana, family Christmases were a very, very big deal for us growing up, whether they're with my father or mother, and then we did those alternately,” Spencer shares. Instead of seeing her family, Princess Diana wasn’t given a choice other than to spend the holidays with the Royal Family—an experience she hated.

Spencer continues that it was sad for his family to have their Christmas celebrations continue on without Diana, especially since she “was only 20 when she got married.”

He says it “just seemed so thoughtless” that his sister could never celebrate Christmas with the Spencers, praising William for spending holidays with his in-laws when he could. “I think that would be the sort of independent, logical thinking that Diana would have imparted into her sons,” Spencer shares.

As for Prince Harry, Earl Spencer says his nephew has inherited one of Diana’s best qualities. “It’s very interesting to me to watch Harry with people,” he tells Marie Claire. After “chatting with Elton John at a charity event,” Spencer says they both agreed that other than Diana, Harry was the only high-profile person they’ve seen “instantly connect on sort of a joyful level with members of the public."

“He also has this incredible connection with kids, which, you know, you can’t fake that,” Spencer adds of the Duke of Sussex, praising the “incredibly easy way” he relates to children, just like his mother.

Spencer has made his feelings on King Charles known in the book (and in numerous interviews), but when asked what type of King he thinks Prince William will be, Spencer takes a moment to consider it.

"That's such a tricky question," he says after a beat. "I'm not avoiding the question, but I'm sure he'll be a successful one. I've never thought about it, to be honest."

Touching on how the Prince of Wales has been open about wanting to make some changes to the monarchy, Spencer adds that he thinks his nephew will combine "the obvious duty of the role with a thoughtful take on what is expected in the modern world from a monarch."

Despite William's potential plans for modernization, Spencer notes that his nephew "would never impose any of those thoughts on the world when his father is the monarch," adding, "I'm sure it will be very considered when the time comes for him to take over."

Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton once worked for both Prince William and Prince Harry as a private secretary, and in a new interview, he’s weighing in on their very different personalities.

Appearing on Gyles Brandreth’s “Rosebud” podcast, Lowther-Pinkerton—who serves as one of Prince George's godfathers—said that the Duke of Sussex and Prince of Wales could’ve been a “very powerful” team if their relationship hadn’t deteriorated.

“I thought they both had great talents in very different ways,” Lowther-Pinkerton said of the time he worked with the brothers. “One was instinctive, one was very considered.”

He compared the different helicopters the brothers flew during their duties as indicative of their personalities. “Harry would be clipping the trees at 130 knots or whatever it was, with 35 things to do in an attack helicopter," Lowther-Pinkerton said of the Duke of Sussex, who served in the British Army.

Meanwhile, the Prince of Wales, who worked as a search and rescue pilot before taking on full-time royal duties, had a different approach.

“You know, Prince William was in a great big yellow helicopter and he had to go out into the storm, literally for 300 miles in a straight line, make sure fuel loads were precise,” Lowther-Pinkerton said of William's missions to save people "who were in trouble."

Adding that “those two helicopters slightly describe them,” Lowther-Pinkerton shared that he also looks at Harry and William as similar to two famous royal siblings of the 1300s. He compared Prince Harry to John of Gaunt, the fourth son of King Edward III, and William to John’s brother Edward, the Black Prince, who was the Prince of Wales.

“You know, they were both equally powerful,” Lowther-Pinkerton shared of William and Harry. “I don’t mean in terms of the roles they were going to have to fulfill, but they had the potential to be very, very powerful actually, the two of them. And as you say, it didn't turn out like that.”

Charles Spencer digs into his relationship with Princess Diana in Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, and in a new interview, he reflects on the reactions of his family while sharing how it was “really important” to make sure the public knew Prince William and Prince Harry weren’t involved.

The 9th Earl Spencer spoke to Gayle King on CBS Mornings on September 28, sharing that he didn’t want his family to be associated with the project. When King said she was “curious about their reaction,” Spencer told her he was intentional about how and when he told his loved ones.

“I decided not to have anyone involved in the book, so no one knew about it except my wife, obviously, and the publishers,” he shared.

Spencer explained why he chose not to tell Harry, William or his sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes, until the last minute.

“I didn’t tell any of the family until just before it was released publicly as a thing because I didn’t want anyone to think—particularly with Harry, who people know I had to stay in the summer—that he was in any way involved in this,” he said. “It was really important for me that they weren’t.”

The Duke of Sussex visited his uncle at the Spencer family's ancestral estate, Althorp, before he moved back to England in August, with wife Meghan Markle sharing some sweet Instagram photos of their children playing on the grounds.

King questioned if the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex "approve" of Swan Song's contents, and Spencer noted that he's spoken with both of his nephews after the book's release, although he didn't share any specific details of the conversation.

As for their approval, he admitted, “I don’t know. I haven’t asked about approval," adding that "Harry was sort of like, ‘Is there anything in there that would be embarrassing to me?’"

Stressing that he's "very specific about people’s privacy," Spencer said he told the Duke of Sussex there was "absolutely not" anything embarrassing in the book, which was released last week.

Prince William has shared his desire for a more modern, approachable monarchy while still maintaining some of the rich traditions of the past. Exactly what will be scrapped remains to be seen, and while he hasn’t always looked thrilled wearing his Order of the Garter robe and plumed hat over the years, the Prince of Wales dutifully takes part in the historic ceremony. However, there’s one piece of clothing where he draws the line.

Royal expert Phil Dampier told the Daily Mail about the Prince of Wales’s stubborn streak, noting that he’ll call shots when he becomes King, even when it comes to something as minor as wearing a kilt.

While King Charles is nearly always pictured wearing a kilt when he’s in Scotland, royal fans have asked numerous times over the years why Prince William doesn’t do the same. Dampier explained it was as simple as the Prince of Wales “doesn’t like wearing them.”

“He doesn’t want to and has never been seen wearing a kilt in Scotland, whereas King Charles will don a kilt at the drop of a hat,” Dampier said. The royal commentator added that once the Prince of Wales has “made his mind up, he tends to stick to it.”

“If he doesn’t want to wear a kilt, he won’t,” Dampier continued.

While visiting Scotland's Isle of Bute earlier this month, Prince William wore navy trousers with a casual green jacket, whereas his father donned a blazer and traditional tartan kilt with knee socks (called kilt hose) during a trip to Aberdeenshire a week later.

Even though it seems like the Prince of Wales might never follow in his father's footsteps in some ways, his former aide Jason Knauf told 60 Minutes Australia that William—like every monarch before him—will have "to reinvent the role for the generation that they serve."

When Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced they would return to the United Kingdom, many reactions centered on how Prince William and Princess Kate would react. Would they release a statement? Would there be a great reunion? Or would the British Royal Family’s tradition of Keep Calm and Carry On continue? Unsurprisingly, the Prince and Princess of Wales have quietly continued their royal work and carried on with their family life, avoiding any drama and gossip.

“Prince William and Kate Middleton have proved the old adage 'actions speak louder than words',” according to royal editor Duncan Larcombe, who says that “the bitter feud with Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex enters a new phase” with their return to the U.K. Prince William and Princess Kate have carried on with their duties, stepping out for royal engagements and red carpets with no comment on other family developments. This calm carrying-on is “the regal equivalent of flexing their combined muscles in a show of solidarity that sent a message to the Sussexes,” according to Larcombe.

“So far, William and Kate have avoided saying anything publicly about the years-long feud with the Sussexes,” Larcorme wrote for Woman magazine. “They are clearly keen to meet the challenge posed by Harry and Meghan head-on.” Rather than responding to the family tensions and new challenges as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle return to the U.K., Prince William and Princess Kate are keeping their noses to the ground and continuing their royal duties as a form of quiet response. In other words, they are Keeping Calm and Carrying On.

Queen Elizabeth II set the standard for Keep Calm and Carry On throughout her 70-year reign, spearheading the sensible royal response during World War II. Now, the royal motto faces celebrity gossip and sell-out book claims rather than The Blitz, but its soft power holds true in the face of any enemy. “It is often the subtle signs that count for so much when observing the actions and behaviour of members of the Royal Family,” wrote Larcombe.

Prince William and Princess Kate first met when they both started attending the University of St Andrews in Scotland in 2001. After tying the knot in 2011, the pair went on to have three children together—Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Reflecting on the start of the Prince and Princess of Wales's romance, one royal expert opened up about the "handsome boyfriend" Princess Kate had when she initially met William.

During a live episode of Hello! magazine's "A Right Royal Podcast," royal expert and author Ingrid Seward shared, "[S]he and William were very good friends before they became lovers."

Seward continued, "She was, in a way, his sounding board. During, I think it was their first vacation from university, [William] drove to take Catherine out. He drove to her house in Bucklebury [in England] and he took her to the local pub, and they had a long, long chat."

Seward explained, "[T]hey were very good friends, and she listened to him and she advised him, and she said, 'Look, if you're not happy doing History of Art, you know, try to do something else. Do Geography or something,' which is what he did. She was such a good friend."

And according to Seward, William had some competition for Kate's affections.

"At the time [Kate] had a very handsome boyfriend," the royal expert shared. "So, it was very gradual, and I think that was what has really stuck them together. I think she just helped him hugely and, in turn, much later, he was able to help her."

Clearly, the couple's bond was undeniable.

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It’s been a minute since we’ve seen Princess Kate at a movie premiere, and the Princess of Wales didn’t disappoint as she joined Prince William and Tom Cruise on the red carpet in London. William and Kate attended the global premiere of Cruise’s latest film, Digger, on Tuesday, September 22, with the princess wearing a new jewel-toned gown that fits right into fall 2026’s hottest color trend.

Wearing a custom Jenny Packham dress with a plunging front, dramatic train and long, sheer sleeves, the Princess of Wales looked unmistakably regal on the red carpet. But along with her new gown, Kate pulled a historic piece of jewelry out of the royal vaults.

She wore the Queen Mother's stunning Amethyst Sautoir Necklace, which was gifted to the late royal by Queen Alexandra in 1923. The design features a long strand of pearls with a massive amethyst heart pendant at the center and alternating amethyst stones amongst the pearls.

Notably, Queen Camilla has also worn the purple necklace to a red carpet event, pairing it with a purple gown for the premiere of James Bond flick Skyfall in 2012.

Kate completed her Digger outfit with Princess Diana's Collingwood Pearl Drop Earrings, wearing her hair pulled half back to show off her late mother-in-law's pearls.

This isn’t the first time William and Kate have attended the premiere of one of Cruise’s movies. In 2022, the couple walked the red carpet in London for the Top Gun: Maverick premiere, and earlier this year, the Prince of Wales also shared his love for Cruise’s films at the 2026 BAFTAs.

When asked about his favorite movies in a clip shared on X, William said, “I've got to be careful because I'm a little biased to a particular person. But Top Gun 2, for instance, is one of the most incredible films I've watched in a long time.”