Queen Elizabeth marks centenary of the 1908 London Olympic games

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip hosted a special reception on the 30th of May to mark the centenary of the 1908 Olympic games. The queen was host to a reception for 200 guests, including the British Prime Minister Gordan Brown and representatives from every nation who took part in the 1908 Olympics.

The 1908 games was the first time the Olympics were held in London, the city will next host the games in 2012, an event which Her Majesty must certainly be looking forward to.

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Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden remembers Pippi Longstocking author

Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden was guest of honour at a gala in Stockholm to remember one of Sweden's best loved and well known authors Astrid Lindgren. Who is thought of a national heroine in Sweden due to her universally read series Pippi Longstocking.

Victoria was more than happy to preside over the ceremony as she had personally known the author, and her parents King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia had both attended the late writers funeral.

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Prince William to start naval training

Prince William is widely expected to begin a two month naval training course at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth next week. When the prince commences training at the prestigious naval college, it will mean he will have experienced all three branches of Britain's armed services. William has already trained with the Royal Air Force at RAF Cranwell, and in 2006 graduated from the Sandhurst Military Academy, before serving with the army. In order to speed up his training as a naval office, the course which usually takes a year will be cut short to two months for the second in line to the throne.

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Prince William and Harry expected to attend charity boxing event with their girlfriends

According to an aticle in the Telegraph, Princes William and Harry have been persauded to attend a charity boxing event organised by William's ex-girlfriend Jecca Craig. The event which will take place next weekend, will see Jecca's current boyfriend Hugh Crossley take on Bear Maclean at the Boodles Boxing Ball at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in Bayswater.

Also expected to attend the charity event are the princes girlfriends Kate Middleton and Chelsy Davy, who will be there to cheer on their mutual friend James Mead.

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Princess Victoria of Sweden gives out award

Hardworking Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden has presented Australian author Sonya Hartnett with the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Victoria is due to take part in a epic journey to the Arctic circle with fellow Crown royalty, Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark and Crown Prince Hakkon of Norway on a mission for the International Polar Year.

Click here to read more about Crown Princess Victoria.

Prince Harry's army mission to help Lesotho

Prince Harry is set to join British soldiers in Lesotho on a mission to help the regions children. Harry, a lieutenant in the Household Cavalry's Blues & Royals is said to have suggested Lesotho after learning that the army was already planning a mission that would enhance their training. The Daily Mail quotes a royal insider: 'The Household Cavalry were already planning an adventure expedition in Southern Africa for the troops who had been Afghanistan. When Harry found out about this he immediately suggested going to Lesotho. Although he is not leading the expedition he knows the lie of the land there and the difference it could potentially make to people's lives. The regiment needed to train somewhere and as the army always tries to involve a charitable aspect to these trips if they can, it was the perfect solution.'

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Prince William ranked the world's "Hottest Young Royal"

Prince William may be loosing his hair but he's still number one to those who matter. The heir to the heir of the British throne has been voted the Hottest Young Royal in the world by Forbes.com. Forbes said: 'Though Prince William was born with gilded birthrights to fame, wealth and beauty, he had to wait 25 years for another title. The Prince's international intrigue and unparalleled media attention earned him the top spot this year on Forbes' annual ranking of the world's Hottest Young Royals.' The list was compiled on the basis of international Web and media presence, family wealth and marital status (only unmarried royals under the age of 35 were considered).

William was followed on the list of who's who in the royal world by his brother (and some would say more than equal in the hot stakes) Prince Harry. The list was as follows:

1. Prince William of Wales
2. Prince Harry of Wales
3. Zara Phillips
4. Princess Beatrice of York
5. Charlotte Casiraghi of Monaco
6. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum (Crown Prince of Dubai)
7. Princess Victoria of Sweden
8. Prince Azim of Brunei
9. Prince Carl Philip of Sweden
10. Andrea Casiraghi (Monaco)
11. Prince Albert von Thurn und Taxis (Germany)
12. Princess Madeline of Sweden
13. Princess Theodora of Greece and Denmark
14. Prince Wenzeslaus of Liechtenstein
15. Princess Tsuguko of Takamado (Japan)
16. Princess Sirivannavari (Thailand)
17. Sheikha Maitha bint Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum (daughter of the ruler of Dubai)
18. Princess Iman bint Al Hussein (Jordan)
19. Prince Philippos (Greece)
20. Princess Sikhanyiso (daughter of King Mswati III of Swaziland)

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Can we get a refund on Kate Middleton?

She came to us with such promise and yet has revealed herself to be an idle rich young woman. She shops, holidays and looks nice and that's about it, biding her time until she gets that, as yet elusive, royal proposal. In 2004 Kate Middleton was heralded as a breath of fresh air, a commoner whose down to earth nature would help the Royal Family become more like it’s subjects. Looking back now how could we have been so wrong?

Vanessa Feltz from The Daily Express has echoed the sentiments of growing number of royal supporters with her article on the 'Princess in Waiting'. Ms Feltz questions why Kate would care about being called Catherine and reflects on what that says about Middleton as a person. Feltz writes: ‘What does it say about this young woman that she countenances no nicknames, no affectionate diminutives, from those she knows and loves?’

Vanessa Feltz then discusses how Princess Diana coped with being called Lady Di (a name she didn’t like): ‘Nicknames - as long as they're not offensive - are a supreme compliment. The Princess of Wales, known to her family as Diana, revelled in her inaccurate tabloid title Lady Di. When foreign children mispronounced it Lady Dee, she simply gave them an extra cuddle and giggled. Meanwhile her then sister-in-law Sarah took the nickname Fergie squarely on the chin. The Duchess of York may be many things but precious has never been one of them.’

Rightly, Ms Feltz points out that not everyone is as enamoured with Prince William’s girlfriend as the British media seems to be. She writes: ‘As she lingers in the wings, poised to play the role of her life, I can't help wondering if the loyal subjects of her boyfriend's granny have truly taken to her.Of course, she cannot be said to have put a dainty, Prada-shod foot wrong. There was that blip when she appeared to bore William so silly he had to cut her loose and make a bolt for freedom. There have been a few carefully orchestrated shots of La Middleton falling daintily out of nightclubs without her handsome Prince. It didn't take Freud to work out her signals: "Look at me. I am fun and frolicsome, with or without a prince."There has been the fact that she doesn't actually do anything. She jettisoned her pretend "job" at Jigsaw and didn't exactly rush to busy herself at anything else productive.’

Again echoing the thoughts and discussions of the growing throng of royal fans, The Daily Express colmunist then delves into the murky topic of just how calculating Kate seems to be. Like most people who initially saw Kate Middleton with an eye to a promising future for the British Royal Family, it seems Ms Feltz’s opinion of Kate has taken a nose dive in the subsequent years. Feltz writes: ‘Catherine Middleton has done all a girl could to earn her colours as a House of Windsor princess. So why hasn't the British public embraced her? Why don't we unabashedly adore her as we did Diana?Could it be because there is something distinctly chilly about Miss M? There's a steely-eyed professionalism, a "don't dent the image, mustn't muck up this mega opportunity" edge to this 26-year-old girl which is, frankly, a little off-putting.We can't dislike Catherine. She hasn't given us cause. Yet we can't warm to her because we sense something just a tad cool, even cold and possibly calculating about an individual who plays her deck of cards with such consummate skill.’

Perhaps we all were wrong to think that Prince William would find someone that we could respect and call our own? In the same way you'd be asking for your money back if you toddled into Jigsaw and bought a dress that disappointingly shrunk when washed, Kate Middleton hasn't turned out to be the breath of fresh air the press billed her to be 4 years ago. I think we all deserve our money back don't you?

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Chelsy Davy fan of Gladiators

In what can only be described as one of the bizarrest stories written in tabloidland, this nice tidbit comes from the Daily Star. According to the British tabloid, Chelsy Davy is obsessed with UK Gladiator Enigma so much so that she is following the tough TV titan to her favourite London haunt, Kensington Roof Gardens in the hope of meeting her.

The Daily Star reports: 'Over the last few episodes elite party girl Chelsy has grown a soft spot for Enigma and is doing everything in her regal powers to meet the former sports model. This has included pursuing her in some kind of weird role reversal fashion. Harry's lady spent Saturday night at the Lycra mentalist's regular haunt, Kensington Roof Gardens, in a bid to track her down and hang out with her. Sadly, her heroine was nowhere to be seen.'

The tabloid revealed that Chelsy wasn't upset at not seeing her idol, instead she vowed to take her boyfriend Prince Harry along to watch a live recording of the Gladiators.

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Kate Middleton speaks to the press..again!

Often lauded for her discreet nature, Kate Middleton has once again been caught out talking to the press. For the second time in a year the Daily Mail's Rebecca English has managed to wrangle a direct quote from the Princess in Waiting. Having obviously called the royal girlfriend whilst she holidays in Mustique, the Daily Mail reporter (or one of her underlings) quizzed Kate about whether she was having a good time. The Daily Mail said: 'Yesterday, asked on the phone if they were having a fun time, Miss Middleton replied "Yes" but she would not comment on the engagement rumours. She said: "I'm terribly sorry but I will not talk about that. I am truly sorry but please excuse me."'

Ok, it's not earth shattering stuff but it does disprove the theories that Kate refuses to talk to the press or keeps her composure by not responding to media reports. In 2007 before her split with Prince William, Kate was asked by the Daily Mail's Rebecca English to respond to the flurry of revelations regarding William's flirtations with other women. Kate responded with a terse "It means nothing," before telling Ms English that women will always throw themselves at William. This is not the first time a reporter has revealed they've got a direct line to Kate Middleton. The Express's Camilla Tominey also revealed how she called Kate. This begs the question. How do the loathed likes of the press get Middleton's phone number and why do they feel as though they're close enough to directly quote her, especially given the fact Kate is on holiday in another country?

This closely resembles the media relationship that another past royal girlfriend had with the press many moons ago.

Camilla Parker Bowles had a working relationship with The Sun's Stuart Higgins over a ten year period. Of course many speculated on where Mr Higgins was getting his very accurate accounts of the failing Wales marriage. Most considered the fact it was coming from a member within the Prince of Wales' circle and many were completely correct. But all accusations were met with denials both from the Prince of Wales's set and from Mr Higgins himself. It wasn't until years later that the former Sun reporter revealed the extent of his relationship with Camilla. At least once a week Camilla would give Stuart Higgins details of the goings on within Charles and Diana's marriage.

Respected royal author Sarah Bradford wrote about the Higgins/Camilla relationship: 'For years Camilla had secret --off-the-record telephone conversations with the editor of the Sun newspaper, Stuart Higgins - a curious relationship which illustrated the web of understanding and complicity in the circle around Charles. 'I didn't sense that she and the Prince were out of touch,' Higgins recalled. ' I talked to her once a week about Diana and Charles. She guided me on things that were not true or things that were off the beam.' He would run stories past her as a check and he could hear her, hand half- cupped over the receiver, repeating them to her husband. ' Guess what they're saying about us now, Andrew,' she would call out, and even the tabloid editor was astonished by their openness about her affair with Charles.'

Perhaps the idea of Kate Middleton also having rich working relationships with various tabloid journalists isn't that far fetched after all? Perhaps it's a case of history repeating itself and Prince William should be wary.

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Prince Charles has growth removed

Prince Charles has had a non-cancerous growth, located below his right eye, removed. Clarence House refused to comment other than to say the growth removal was part of a 'minor surgical procedure'. The Prince is now sporting a nifty piece of plaster under his eye. No mention as to whether Camilla indulged in some facial surgery at the same time, although recent pictures suggest she was in dire need of some 'uplifting'.

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Prince Harry is back in training

Fans of Prince Harry will be happy to know that the "abs" are back and are getting a tough workout. The gorgeous red headed prince was spotted running with his Blues & Royals regiment for two hours near his barracks in Windsor. Although Harry is said to be eager to get back to the frontline, sources from the Army say he probably won't be considered for a return stint in Afghanistan for at least another 12 months. There's still no official comment regarding Prince Harry's future, with a Clarence House spokesperson saying: "Harry will be doing whatever his regiment asks him to do over the next few months."

Whether Harry is redeployed or not, at least Harryites everywhere will be pleased to see him out and about getting fit.

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Prince Joachim marries Marie Cavallier

Denmark's Prince Joachim has married his french love, Marie Cavallier in a romantic ceremony in the tiny village of Moegeltoender in southern Jutland. The couple exchanged vows in front of Joachim's two sons, Prince Nicolai, 8, Prince Felix, 5 and whilst surrounded by family and close friends. Her Royal Highness Princess Marie, 32, wore an off-white dress with a 3 metre long train by Arasa Morelli. Although many were thrilled to see the nuptials, it seems 5-year-old Prince Felix was less than impressed, falling asleep halfway through the ceremony.

The marriage is the second for Prince Joachim and the first for Princess Marie.

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Catherine Middleton: Don't call me Kate

Dubbed by Prince William's friends as the "Duchess of Bucklebury", Kate Middleton seems to be preparing for her chosen role as the future Queen a little prematurely. The royal girlfriend has reportedly asked friends and aquaintences to stop calling her Kate and instead use her birth name of Catherine. One "friend" told Adam Helliker from the Sunday Express: “Everyone knows it’s about to happen with Kate and William but we were a little surprised about the request to call her Catherine. There’s a distinct feeling that she has started to become very aware of her position.”

On what can only be called as a divergence of topic, Adam Helliker then delves into the less than Princess realities of Kate's lack of direction by saying: 'Her identity crisis over her nomenclature may be linked to the fact that since graduating with a degree in history of art two years ago Kate seems in no hurry to find a full-time job, although recently she has been helping out with her parents’ party accessories firm. There has long been a feeling among some of William’s friends, and his father’s courtiers, that Kate is biding her time and has been reticent to become involved in a career, despite flirting with the idea of studying photography and launching her own fashion business. At least she can always find time for a drink. ' Mr Helliker then quotes a "chum" (assumingly of Kate's): “Kate has incredible party stamina, which is a pretty useful asset when hanging out with William and his lot. She can sink pints of lager with the boys, down cocktails with the girls and still manage to look as fresh as a daisy.” “but these days people – even the Royal Family – seem less concerned about what they call themselves.”

Meanwhile, The Telegraph continue with their sycophantic applause of everything-Kate with an article that speaks glowingly about how well Kate has handled all the dramas associated with the life of a royal girlfriend. From excusing her lack of work as being too difficult on any company who would employ her to accusing Wills of being a cad if he ever dared to dump poor Kate again, The Telegraph showed why the pro-Kate lobby group prefer to have them high on their speed dial list. The only interesting thing written in the otherwise less than objective article was this honest appraisal of Miss Middleton: "Of the many people I spoke to about Kate only one - a female contemporary - was critical, saying that she found Prince William's girlfriend 'dull' and suspected she was on 'a mission' to be future queen. 'At school, Catherine was really jolly hockey sticks, fun and jump in the dirt - a great girl,' she said. 'Now she seems much more concerned about her image - who she is with, who she is talking to and the like. That's what I have found a bit off.'"

Could Prince William be on his bike in Africa?

Prince William reportedly missed his cousins wedding to attend the wedding of Batian Craig, ex-girlfriend Jecca Craig's brother. Now royal fans are speculating that Prince William could possibly have joined a group of charity bike riders on a trip from Southern Africa to Kenya. Althought the accepted UK press story is that Prince William is currently on holiday with Kate Middleton in Mustique, this latest line of thinking is very interesting indeed.

As Royal Patron of the Tusk Trust and Centrepoint, Prince William gave his blessing to the "Cycle of Life" riders who will travel over 5000 kilometres to raise funds and awareness for conservation projects such as the ones being run on Lewa Downs (the Craigs estate in Kenya). The expedition is hoping to raise at least £500,000 to be distributed by the Tusk Trust to African communities to help fight poverty and to aide in conservation efforts. If William is on his bike let's hope he's wearing his helmet.

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Palace fury over Hello! deal as The Queen bans commercial deals

The Queen is said to be furious at the Hello! feature spread of Autumn and Peter Phillips' wedding. The spread, which includes every high ranking member of the Royal Family (apart from Prince William) as well as Chelsy Davy and Kate Middleton, was reportedly not meant to include private pictures of the family inside the Chapel and at the reception. At least that's what Buckingham Palace officials are saying. It seems that fact was not communicated with Autumn & Peter Phillips who, it's now been revealed, had the final say in what pictures would be used and of whom. Generally public sentiment is that no one cares if Peter and Autumn sold the rights to their wedding, they are after all private citizens who are not paid for by the British taxpayer.

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Media tires of Waitey Katie - Part 2

You could be excused if you did a double take of last Saturday's edition of The Daily Mail. In what can only be described as an incredible "well duh!" piece of journalism, The Daily Mail's Michael Seamark, Richard Price and Rebecca English threw out their usual sycophantic tendencies towards Kate Middleton and heaped on the negative criticisms of the royal on-off girlfriend instead. Here is a brief run down on their more memorable (and some would say accurate) observations regarding Kate Middleton:

1) By contrast, Kate Middleton has already met William's grandmother several times. But royal sources insist that Chelsy has nothing to fear - and can in fact anticipate a warmer welcome than Kate. "Nobody expects Chelsy to do anything but shine," said a well-placed source. "She has a natural warmth which is somewhat lacking in Kate. It is inevitable that courtiers compare them and as time goes by it is Chelsy who is proving by far the more popular of the two."

2) At the heart of the unflattering comparisons lies Kate's apparently shiftless role as a princess in waiting ("with the emphasis on the word 'waiting'," as one royal source witheringly put it this week). At 26, she has barely done a day's genuine work in her life. In the three years since she graduated from St Andrews University with a creditable upper-second-class honours degree, she has drifted from one project to another with little apparent relish.

3) "Kate still has a lot of friends - after all, being William's girl puts her in a pretty powerful position socially - but privately her lifestyle is regarded with something approaching contempt," says a source who has been intimately involved in the princes' group of friends for years.

4) "We live in an egalitarian age and Chelsy has won a lot of respect for the normality of her life. She lives in this incredibly rundown student hovel, lives on spaghetti bolognese and works very hard indeed on her course." "Kate is still living with her mum and dad in their country mansion, and really only pops into London to visit her flat in Chelsea when William is at Clarence House."

5) "Chelsy hates publicity and runs a mile every time she sees a photographer. But while Kate resents being followed around by the paparazzi during the day, she'll never go into a nightclub by the back door when there's a scrum of photographers at the front."

6) "It might not be entirely fair, but a lot of people are of the view that the only thing Kate truly cares about is getting William to marry her. Chelsy is different. In fact I would say her popularity is in danger of eclipsing Kate altogether."

7) Miss Middleton's only work since leaving university was as an accessories buyer for the clothing chain Jigsaw. Given that the company's owners are friends of her family, who lend her their villa in Mustique for holidays with William, it is perhaps unsurprising that her time there was less than taxing.

8) "It looks as though Kate is basically on a promise that if she hangs in there and keeps her nose clean William will pop the question in a year," says a well-placed source. "There are plenty of people lining up to have a go at her for it, but it says as much about William as it does about her."

9) "William and Kate are different. They are more like brother and sister. For Harry and Chelsy it's very spontaneous and passionate, which is why you couldn't rule out a proposal."

Stay tuned for more installments in "How to state the obvious, Daily Mail style".

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Prince Albert & Pierre Casiraghi take part in charity soccer match

One was a good looking young man with a full head of hair. The other an aging lothario whose locks have been missing for years. Blessed with his fathers good looks, Pierre Casiraghi, son of Princess Caroline of Monaco, competed with his uncle Prince Albert at a charity soccer match. The royal pair were part of the Star Team who played against F1 drivers, including the great Michael Schumacher. The soccer match is an annual event with all proceeds going towards the Association Mondiale des Amis de l’Enfance, a charity founded by the late Princess Grace with her son, Prince Albert as patron today.

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Prince Joachim sought sons approval before marrying

In what will no doubt cause an admiring "ahhhh" from many women, Denmark's Prince Joachim has revealed how he sought the approval of his sons before marrying Marie Cavallier. Joachim also revealed that his sons, Felix, 5, and Nicolai, 7, took a while to get used to Marie. The Prince told Denmark's TV2: "My two sons Nicolai and Felix mean the world to me. I will not let anything come in between us. I have told them step by step about Marie. Fortunately Nicolai and Felix are happy with Marie and she is happy with them. "

The happy couple will tie the knot this Saturday at Mogeltonder Church, Denmark.

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BBC re-train documentary makers after "Crowngate" affair

Unofficially, the BBC's staff are up in arms over a new training scheme called "Safeguarding Trust". The scheme is designed to re-train documentary and programme makers on how to make films that stay within the boundries of strict editorial guidelines. The scheme is said to be in response to the "Crowngate" affair where a documentary trailer was edited to make it appear as though Her Majesty The Queen was storming out of a photo session with Annie Leibowitz, when she was actually entering the room. One BBC insider told The Express: "What we are being taught is basically how not to make a decent documentary. It's patronising and nonsensical,"

Click here to read more about the "Crowngate" affair.

Prince Harry's fashion sense mocked by London snobs

Last night saw the annual "London Magazine Awards" at the Serpentine Gallery in Kensington Gardens. Author of the book "Sloane Ranger" announced the shortlist for London's Best-dressed male. But after saying Prince Harry's name, the snobby crowd reportedly erupted into fits of laughter. The eventual winner was announced as Savile Row designer Carlo Brandelli (Who?).

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Prince Harry near violent riots

The Champions League final may have seen jubilant scenes in Manchester but it seems not everyone was as happy. Chelsea fans were gassed by police after they violently rioted near Stamford Bridge. According to The Sun, Prince Harry was drinking in a nearby pub when trouble broke out. The Sun said: "Harry, who had been supporting Man Utd while drinking in the bar with friends and two mystery girls, was not involved. "

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Wills and Kate engagement speculation rife...again!

After appearing in a Hello! spread seemingly intrenched into Royal life, the odds on Kate Middleton becoming a princess have increased. Ladbrokes has suspended all bets on a Wills/Kate nuptials after a swarm of wagers came in gambling on the fact they will be engaged before the end of the month. At the start of this week betting agencies had odds for a Wills/Kate engagement at 10-1. Then in came a flood of punts which saw the odds cut to 8-1, then 4-1 and 2-1 before all bets were suspended.

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Was Prince William advised against attending wedding?

Richard Kay from the Daily Mail claims that Prince William may have been advised against going to Peter & Autumn Phillips wedding. Kay says that the growing negative feedback regarding the commerical agreement with Hello! may have prompted courtiers to advise William to go to Kenya instead, therefore keeping out of the current storm surrounding the nuptials.

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Princes William & Harry upset at Hello! spread

Princes William and Harry are reportedly extremely upset at the inclusion of their girlfriends in a Hello! magazine spread of Peter and Autumn Phillips wedding. According to reports, the princes were not pleased at the focus given to both Chelsy Davy and Kate Middleton. A royal source complained that neither prince realised that photographs taken at the wedding and reception would be included in the commercial deal brokered by Peter and Autumn with Hello!.

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Kate and Chelsy outshine the bride

Kate Middleton & Chelsy Davy made a lowkey entrance into St George's Chapel for the wedding of Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly. Pictured in a full 50 double page spread in Hello! magazine, the royal on-off girlfriends were photographed watching the service from pews behind the chapel choir. They were also photographed dancing and laughing at the reception and mingling with royalty.

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Royal wedding: Kate's going, Wills isn't!

It seems that Wills and Kate are not holidaying as rumours would have us believe. It's been widely reported that Prince William has flown to Kenya to attend the wedding of his former flame, Jecca Craig's brother, Batian Craig. Jecca Craig has always been heralded as William's first love, having been his guest of honour at his 21st birthday party many moons ago. The pair were said to be so in love that they had a mock engagement. To say that both William and Jecca have history is an understatement.

The press are also reporting that Kate Middleton will attend Peter Phillips' wedding to Autumn Kelly by herself, acting as a quasi stand in for William. This goes against current royal protocols and can't really be considered as fact. If Kate goes it will be a simple case of her being invited and accepting. She will not have any official or unofficial role to play and will not be seated near to the royal family. Her appearence however, could prompt more specuation of an engagement between Wills and Kate. But because of William's absence perhaps more questions about the strength of their relationship will be asked.

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Are the media boring of Waity-Katie Middleton?

Not surprising most, the UK media are beginning to question what it is that Kate Middleton does with herself. Just this week alone, journalists from Britain's major dailys have dared post rather inocuous yet negative blurbs about Kate Middleton. Richard Kay from the Daily Mail wrote: 'Kate Middleton is a remarkably durable presence in the life of Prince William. But while the couple give every appearance of being happy enough, they lack the passion of Prince Harry's relationship with Chelsy Davy. What surprises courtiers is that unlike Chelsy, who has made a life for herself without her royal beau by studying at Leeds University, Kate remains content to do next to nothing — except for being "on station" with William.'

Not only that, Kay's quote alleges that not many royal courtiers are that enamoured with Miss Middleton. He quotes an unnamed source as saying: "She has no job, does no work and takes endless holidays," says one figure. "No wonder they call her 'Waity Katie'."

Melanie Phillips (also from the Daily Mail) spoke briefly about Kate Middleton with regards to unladylike, yobbish behaviour of British women in general. She said: 'Even the likely future wife of Prince William, Kate Middleton, appears to spend half her life downing "Crack Daddy" vodka and champagne cocktails at Boujis nightclub.'

Amanda Platell from the Daily Mail also refers negatively to both William and Kate when talking about their absence from Peter Phillips and Autumn Kelly's wedding, saying: 'Prince William is unable to attend. And where will he be? Taking part in some vital training exercise? Supporting a charity? No. He’ll be on holiday with his girlfriend Kate Middleton — again. I suppose we should be grateful he’s not flying there in a Chinook.'

One Sunday Express wag wrote about William's seemingly disinterest in all things Kate Middleton, saying: 'His relations with on- off girlfriend Kate Middleton appear to have a rather cold and controlling air. She is certainly conveniently absent whenever he wants to go out on the lash with his mates. What would Diana, who lived for love and romance, have made of all this? Who knows? But Charles, with his infamous “whatever love is” comment, will surely understand.'

Finally, kudos must go to Eva Wiseman from The Observer with her witty description which tongue-in-cheek depicts Kate Middleton's life as a Royal Girlfriend: 'Not only must you be enormously photogenic, with the swingy hair, the triumphant complexion and the shiny legs, you must be able to sustain this West End glamour in all weathers. And tartan. You'll have a degree, but few plans to use it, and two parents, at least one of whom will stay up late noting conversational news events and minimising your pores. You'll secrete your online identity behind a duvet of aliases, and use your time to walk, modestly, in charity fashion shows. You'll support your suffering, crowned partner through potential acts of treason and drunkery, providing a soft tanned shoulder to block cameras when he's in a state of cocktail bother.'

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New fears for Prince Philip's health

Prince Philip is currently visiting Turkey with Her Majesty the Queen. The 86-year-old Prince was attending a state banquet in Ankara when he suddenly had a coughing attack. One onlooker told the Daily Express: "He looks dreadful - as if he's gasping for breath."

Looking frail and with a pallor complexion, the Prince managed to gain some composure before once again suffering another coughing fit. This latest health scare comes less than a month after the Duke was released from hospital after suffering a respiratory infection. A Buckingham Palace official denied the Prince was in ill health saying: "He is fine. If he was ill, he wouldn't have come on this trip."

Click here to read more on Prince Philips health.

Princes Charles & Harry take part in Cavalry Memorial Parade

Princes Charles & Harry joined hundreds of other present and past servicemen in the annual Cavalry Memorial Parade in Hyde Park on Sunday. Wearing smart looking suits and bowler hats, both Princes epitomised the tradition of "proper order of dress" always observed each year at the march.

Ex-Blues and Royals serviceman, Fred Collingwood spoke warmly of Prince Harry to The Daily Mail: "The nice thing about the man is that there's nothing pretentious about him, he's a soldier, he never shies away from a member of his regiment."

Heads are still being scratched over the Prince of Wales's chestful of medals, their meaning and how he managed to march at the front of the congregation. Questions were also being asked regarding Prince William's whereabouts on such an important regimental day.

Click here to read more about Princes Harry & Charles marching.

British tabloid shows picture of Chelsy at her Leeds digs

British tabloid, The Daily Star has unwittingly broken an unwritten rule by publishing a picture of Chelsy Davy sitting on an awning in front of her home in Leeds. The rather innocuous picture shows Chelsy, having climbed out her window, sitting in the sun ontop of her homes front bay windows, studying a book intently. Although not a big deal in itself, it could be used to identify Chelsy's residence to those who may have criminal tendencies. In 2006 a German magazine caused outrage when they published pictures showing Kate Middleton's Chelsea apartment.

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Chelsy being rebranded?

The Mail on Sunday's Katie Nicholl has done it again and written a long winded article about Chelsy Davy getting valuable "princess" advice from Kate Middleton. In the article, Nichols wrongly describes Kate and Prince William's relationship as being 7 years long, Chelsy shopping at Kate's favourite shops, dumping friends who don't fit into the royal circles and how close the royal girlfriends have become. Without actually showing any proof to the claims, it seems the Mail on Sunday has managed to once again, write a story about Chelsy, but turned it into a Kate fest.

One source told the newspaper: "She is big friends with Kate and has been for a while now. She is trying to make a new life in Britain and many of her new friends are in posh Royal circles and not the normal people Chelsy would have ever been friends with before. I really hate to say it but I think being in the UK may have gone to her head a little bit. That's what a lot of her friends are saying. One of her best friends from South Africa moved to London at the end of January and has been trying to see her. But Chelsy made no effort, and couldn't be bothered."

The only thing written could be remotely true was this quote from a royal source: "We all find Kate rather glacial. But Chelsy has a ready smile for everyone. She's very well liked by all the staff at Clarence House and seems hugely at ease with everyone, including Charles and William."

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Crown Prince Frederik shocked by "gay" question

Crown Prince Frederik of Denmark was a little shocked by a question posed to him during his recent visit to Iceland. A school student asked: "Have you ever had homosexual fantasies?" The Prince, a little taken aback, answered with: "Probably not. Not that I know."

Meanwhile, Prince Frederik revealed the reason why he quit smoking. He told onlookers that it was because of wife, Princess Mary. Frederik said: "She applied positive pressure to get me to stop smoking. It was a low-key request, she just said she wanted to keep me a little longer. I had to stop gradually. I couldn't just quit all at once."

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Chelsy Davy refuses armed protection

According to reports, Chelsy Davy has been offered the services of armed guards. But the royal girlfriend reportedly refused saying that she just wants to be a normal student. The Daily Star quoted a supposed friend of Chelsy's as saying: “She loves being a student and wants to live a normal life. She knows her parents are really worried but she is a sensible girl.“She knows it’s not ideal but she isn’t going to let any nutters spoil her fun.”

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Prince William's busy week

Prince William has spent the past week busy attending to royal duties. First port of call was the Royal Marsden Hospital where he met staff, patients and volunteers. Prince William was then off to Wales two days later where he saw community projects and met a mountain rescue team in Mid Glamorgan. The next day Prince William visited Blackburn where he demonstrated his footballing skills whilst visiting St Aidan's Church of England Primary School in Blackburn, Lancashire. The school kids were taking part in a Skills Programme set up by The Football Association (FA).

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William and Harry attend City Salute

Princes William and Harry joined fellow military personel at a sunset military parade to celebrate the Armed Forces and raise money and awareness for their injured commrades. The event which took place at St Paul's cathedral, and was hosted by the city of London, was seen as a chance to say thank you for the vital role the armed forces do in the name of its country. And according to Prince William it was also:

"...a chance to pay tribute to the casualty evacuation and medical staff of all three Services who protect and care for the wounded with such tireless dedication.”

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Chelsy Davy to be introduced to the Queen for the first time

It has been reported in the Daily Mail and subsequently the Telegraph, that Prince Harry's long-term girlfriend, Zimbabwean born Chelsy Davy is to be introduced to the Queen at Harry's cousin Peter Philips wedding later this month. It is a move that is seen as quite significat amongst royal watchers, as it coincides with Chelsy attending Prince Harry's medal recieving ceremony for serving in Afghanistan, and shows how much Chelsy is accepted by senior members of the British royal family.

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Peter Philips and Autumn Kelly give pre-wedding interview to Hello for £500,000

The Queen's grandchild Peter Philips and his Canadian bride-to-be Autumn Kelly, have caused surprise amongst royal watchers by agreeing to a 20-page pre-wedding interview with celebrity magazine Hello. The decision is seen as out of character for the couple, who have until now been seen as quite private and discreet.

In the interview, given a week before their wedding, Autumn Kelly reveals how her fiance proposed whilst they were out walking their dog:

"He went down on one knee in the downpour and produced this ring! I looked horrible in my wellies with wet hair."

She also goes on to mention how Peter decided not to tell Autumn that he was a member of the British royal family, and it was only after looking on the internet and finding a picture of him standing next to the Queen that she realised she was dating the 11th in line to the throne.

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Prince Harry awarded campaign medal

Pince Harry along with 170 fellow members of the Household Cavalry Regiment, was today decorated with a campaign medal for his service in the Helmond Province in southern Afghanistan, by his aunt the Princess Royal. The ceremony took place at barracks in Windsor.

The event saw Prince Harry's long-term girlfriend Chelsy Davy, for the first time attend a formal event, as she sat along side Prince Harry's father Prince Charles and brother Prince William, watch the medal giving take place.

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Kate Middleton & Chelsy Davy watch their princes play polo

Kate Middleton and Chelsy Davy were spotted watching Princes William and Harry play polo. The royal girlfriends indulged in champagne and polo, with Kate eating furiously and Chelsy managing to squeeze in some valuable study. The two princes were occupied elsewhere playing the Audi Polo Challenge at Coworth Park at Ascot, Berkshire.

Eventhough the media are now hailing the royal girlfriends as "besties", the available pictures from the photographic agencies don't really give you that impression. In fact, there's no proof that Kate and Chelsy even interacted other than sitting within a few metres of eachother. But this doesn't seem to be stopping the tabloid media from playing this "friendship" up. A source told The Sun: “Kate and Chelsy have always got along but it is only recently that they have become close. They realise the pressure the girls are under and think it is good they are close enough to offer each other support.”

The Daily Mail meanwhile managed a subtle jibe at Chelsy's fashion sense whilst praising Kate's. Figures.

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Mustique for Prince William & Kate Middleton?

There are rumours today that Prince William is ditching the FA Cup final and his cousin, Peter Phillips wedding in favour of taking another holiday with Kate Middleton. The Prince has infuriated FA bosses by announcing he will not be at Wembley on May 17, instead taking the always vacation ready Kate away somewhere exotic.

Disappointed FA bosses are upset that Prince William, patron of the FA, has chosen to not attend the biggest event in the Football Association year. One FA boss fumed: “The cup final is the most important date in the English football calendar. The president of the FA should at least turn up for it. You can’t just put yourself on the team sheet when you feel like it.”

Meanwhile the expected destination for Prince William and Kate Middleton is the island of Mustique where they lasted visited two years ago. It was at this time that Kate reportedly told her sister Pippa that she was convinced that William was set to propose. He didn't.

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Prince William applies to fly air sea rescue helicopters

Prince William has reportedly applied to join the Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre based at RAF Kinloss in Scotland. The Aeronautical Rescue Coordination Centre sends rescue teams to help people and boats in distress. If Prince William's application is successful he could possibly fly helicopters in potentially dangerous sea and mountainous rescue missions.

A source told The Sun newspaper: “There are still major concerns because rescue situations can be very dangerous. But His Royal Highness doesn’t want to be wrapped in cotton wool. He sees air rescue as the perfect opportunity to prove his mettle and serve his country.”

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King of Sweden Celebrates with Family

His Majesty King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden celebrated his 62nd birthday on April 30th. Joined by his wife- Queen Silvia- his three adult children- Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip, and Princess Madeleine- and his aunt by marriage- Princess Lilian- the King waved to an adoring crowd outside the Royal Palace in Stockholm.

Carl Gustaf became King upon the death of his Grandfather Gustav VI Adolf in 1973. Known for his modern take on monarchy he chose För Sverige, i tiden, "For Sweden, with the times", as his personal motto and was the first monarch to use the simple title King of Sweden instead of the more traditional By the grace of God King of the Swedes, the Goths/Geats, and the Wends.

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Prince William attends charity dinner

Whilst his on-off girlfriend trod her well worn path to Boujis, Prince William attended a charity event the at the Guild Hall in central London. The charity evening was in aid of the Lord Mayor's Appeal, with all monies raised going to both "Wellbeing of Women" and "Orbis" charities.

William looked on as a charity auction gleefully gave bidders a chance to ride along in a sports car with BBC racing driver, Stig. Ironically for the Prince, another lot was a joyflight over the London Olympic Site in a helicopter.

The successful evening also had special meaning for Prince William with him reflecting: "Becoming involved in this way is particularly special for me because of the past association and commitment of my mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, to Wellbeing of Women."

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Kate parties with mystery man

Kate Middleton has been pictured leaving Boujis with a mystery man who bears a striking resemblence to Prince William. The young man has been revealed to be an old flame called Willem Marx. Mr Marx is rumoured to be Kate's first love and attended Marlborough College.

The same man was also spotted late last year leaving the Middleton's Chelsea flat with Kate, suitcases in hand. When Kate spotted a paparazzi photographer snapping her and Willem, she ran across the road in what appeared to be an effort to loose the photog. On this occasion, the pair leapt into a waiting taxi, Kate smiling broadly as always and Mr Marx clutching an overnight bag.

Questions are now being asked regarding the stability of the Middleton/Wales on-off relationship.

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Prince William to spend time at sea on "active service"?

There are reports today that Prince William's stint in the British Navy is to be significantly halved from 4 months to just 2. Many reading the Editors note given on the Prince of Wales website could have been forgiven for thinking it was a typo but perhaps after the week Wills has had public relations wise, it's probably best that he spends the least amount of time in the military as possible.

Although this news may disappoint some, there are reports that Prince William will indeed see more action than his 3 hours at an Afghani airbase. The Evening Standard reports: "The Standard understands the MoD has drawn up provisional operational plans for his service aboard a destroyer for a month at the end of the year. The details are being kept secret for security reasons". A senior source told the newspaper: “He is expected to serve in an active zone. It could mean deployment in the Arabian Gulf or off Somalia.”

Whilst the idea of their future King being in harms way is worrying for some, Prince William is keen to serve in a more active capacity. The Evening Standard reports: "In June William will begin an attachment with the Royal Navy and has told Ministry of Defence chiefs he wants to serve in troublespots."

The real question is: Can Prince William serve in an active zone with only 2 months training and how many sailing "jollies" will he take during that time?

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DNA tests bring to an end 90 year old royal mystery

It's been nearly 90 years since the murder of Czar Nicholas II and his family in the Russian city of Yekaterinburg, but an American laboratory has confirmed through DNA the identity of the final two missing members of the Imperial family, Tsarevich Alexei and Grand Duchess Maria.

The results bring to an end almost a century of mystery and intrigue concerning the fate of the Imperial family of Russia. Loyal monarchists had long held out hope that, by some miracle, a member of the Czar's family has survived the brutal massacre. Many believed that Alexei, Maria or Anastasia had escaped to the safety of Western Europe or America and when only five of the seven member of the Imperial family were found, they cited this as proof of their convictions. DNA tests conducted in 2000 later confirmed the identities of the five bodies found as those of the Czar, his wife and three of his daughters putting to an end the speculation that Grand Duchess Anastasia has survived.

Perhaps the most famous member of the Romanov dynasty, the story of Anastasia, the youngest daughter of the last czar of Russia, captured the imagination of royal watchers throughout the 20th century. Hundreds of women came forward claiming to be the grand duchess, none more convincing than Anna Anderson who lived as the grand duchess until her death in 1984 and who split the opinion of those who knew the grand duchess best as to her authenticity. She was eventually proven a fraud when DNA tests confirmed she was in fact Franziska Schanzkowska, a Polish factory worker, and not Anastasia. People claiming to be Tsarevich Alexei or Grand Duchess Maria also came forward but their claims were met with considerable less success than that of Anna Anderson's.

The Czar and his family were eventually interred at St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in St. Petersburg on July 17, 1998, eighty years after they were murdered. It is unclear whether or not Tsarevich Alexei and Grand Duchess Maria will join their family.

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Autumn Kelly renounces the Catholic faith

The Queens grandson Peter Phillips is set to marry his longterm girlfriend, Canadian Autumn Kelly in May. But before this could happen, the prickly issue of Autumn being a Catholic had to be solved. Cue the Church Of England, to which Autumn has converted.

It seems that although it's not possible for a member of the British Royal Family to marry a Catholic and keep their place in the Line of Succession, it's perfectly alright for an inductee to convert faiths, thus allowing their royal partner to retain their spot in royal lineage.

Recently there have been rumbles within the British political elite regarding making the accessional rules far more female and Catholic friendly. If implemented, this would have brought the sometimes staid British Royal Family into the present day and in line with the more progressive European Royal families such as Sweden and Denmark. But alas the politicos have once again come up with a brilliant idea only to pack it away in the too hard basket.

Back to Autumn Kelly's conversion. A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said: "Autumn Kelly was welcomed into the Church of England some time ago," she said. "Her decision to give up her Catholic faith means that Mr Phillips, who is 11th in line to the throne even though his mother decided he should not have an HRH title, will not have to renounce his claim."

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Dead trooper's friend appalled at "Prince William" PR stunt

An alleged friend of dead British soldier Trooper Robert Pearson, has voiced concern over the media circus surrounding Prince William's involvement in the repatriation of her friends body.

Commenting on The Sun newspaper's reader submission page, Clairey212 speaks passionately about the soldier she calls "Rob". Clairey said: "Trooper Pearson was one of my close friends so it's even more upsetting to think that Prince William is using his death as an excuse to gain more publicity."

Not totally blaming Prince William for this latest RAF public relations blunder, Clairey focuses most on the role of the media saying: "Rob's death should be in the papers, not because of Prince William flying home with his body, but because Rob is a brave solider who gave his life in a war that seems to be doing more harm than good. How many more soliders have to be killed before the government realise that it is a waste of time and lives."

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