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Inside the royal family's secret 'Balmoral Test' that makes or breaks potential brides

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 07:00:40 -0400

A stay at Queen Elizabeth II’s Scottish castle may sound like a fairy tale, but for a royal bride-to-be, Balmoral can quickly turn into a high-stakes audition where every misstep is remembered.

Princess Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, who recently wrote a memoir, "The Royal Insider," described the "Balmoral Test," an unspoken assessment where senior royals size up newcomers to determine whether they truly belong within the family’s deeply private world.

"The ‘Balmoral Test’ was cruel," wrote Burrell. "Outsiders, most importantly potential brides, were brought there like specimens to be inspected by the family to see if they came up to scratch and if they were suitable."

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He noted that the rite of passage has "been this way since Queen Victoria’s day, which is no surprise, as the castle hasn’t changed much either."

Royal commentator Amanda Matta described it as a silent compatibility test.

"Most modern families would probably recognize that dynamic, where newcomers are vetted against the existing family structures," she explained.

"The main difference between the ‘Balmoral Test’ and a barbecue at my family home would be the established, highly conservative standards of the extended family. Even in private family moments, hierarchy never fully disappears."

WATCH: KING CHARLES, PRINCESS DIANA'S HEATED FIGHTS DETAILED BY ROYAL BUTLER

The royals aren’t just looking for impeccable manners, though that’s only the bare minimum. Guests are expected to roll up their sleeves and prove they can handle the grit of country life, with no exceptions.

"You were expected to shoot and hunt," royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital. "[In the past], there was the fox hunt, which involved foxes being chased on horseback, eventually being caught and torn to pieces by a pack of dogs, with blood everywhere."

"Camilla was a regular fox hunter, while Diana would find these traditions barbaric," he said. "I am quite sure both Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton may have been totally dismayed at the carnage, although Kate, being more used to country pursuits, may have endured some of the process. Fox hunting has been banned, but it is alleged that riding with hounds still exists."

While hunting may no longer top the agenda, potential brides are still expected to tough it out and embrace the rougher side of country life.

"Balmoral remains the monarch’s most private sanctuary," British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. "It’s as remote and as private as it can be, and approval there by the family signals inner-circle status. It’s all about loyalty to the family and adaptability to their unique unwritten ways."

"It’s totally country-oriented," Fordwich stressed. "Those who do best are those who understand rural ways, such as Kate. Walking even in inclement weather came naturally to her. She was instantly at home. Being sporty and athletic, she enjoyed nature and hiking. She still relishes it. In contrast, Meghan reportedly took umbrage at hunting and wasn’t into any of the field sports."

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"What’s being evaluated isn’t just manners, though ideas of comportment and deference do matter," said Matta.

"But adaptability is another key point. Balmoral is famously informal by royal standards, but there are still schedules and rhythms that are observed. There are country walks, shoots, fishing expeditions and formal dinners. Newcomers will find themselves assessed on how they can ‘let their hair down’ and interact across generations, while still balancing the Firm’s unspoken rules."

Matta said that despite Diana’s personal feelings, she ultimately passed the test "with flying colors," thanks to her aristocratic upbringing. It meant she already knew exactly what the royals were looking for.

"She was perceived as an easygoing, ‘jolly’ presence who thrived in that country-house atmosphere," said Matta. "Did that early success mask deeper incompatibilities that would later emerge in her marriage to Charles? Sure. Diana would eventually struggle, because she was naturally more expressive than the senior royals. But in the beginning, the Balmoral setting rewarded her ability to perform the role expected of her."

"Her experience highlights that passing the test doesn’t guarantee long-term success in the royal fold," Matta warned. "The emotional realities of modern royal life can’t be summed up by a shooting weekend."

British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that the "Balmoral Test" goes far beyond embracing the outdoors. For guests, especially love interests, it’s about fully grasping royal traditions and etiquette. Every move is quietly observed and silently judged.

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"You don’t simply click your heels three times and, by magic, happily blend in," said Chard. "Believing in the monarchy is key, along with a dedication to royal duty, understanding hierarchy within the family, and realizing every member has their role to play. Yes, it is a learning curve and, at times, it may be challenging. However, it’s also a prerequisite to a successful, happy life within ‘The Firm.’"

"It only takes one black sheep to create havoc within a family or organization," Chard continued. "Certain personalities may adapt to royal protocols more quickly than others.

"However, many believe that time and a supportive partner willing to educate, give clear guidance, and help settle the ‘newbie’ into royal family life are key. It also highlights the love and strength of the relationship, preventing the ‘fish out of water’ feeling from creeping in."

In his book, Burrell pointed out that even men faced judgment behind closed doors.

"Diana wasn’t the first to be scrutinized," he wrote. "Even Princess Anne brought a cavalry officer called Mark Phillips here to meet the family."

Famously, Kate passed the test with ease, quickly winning the royals over.

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"Her reputation for being down-to-earth and outdoorsy translated well at Balmoral, where comfort in the natural landscape is highly valued," said Matta.

"She was so well-received that her parents were invited to a shooting weekend the following year. Unlike Diana, Kate’s ‘Balmoral Test’ and subsequent visits might reveal her more durable alignment with the family’s dynamics, both in private and public. She has long been viewed as a royal partner who is willing to ‘go with the flow.’"

These days, the "Balmoral Test" has relaxed. Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, died in 2022, but the senior royals of today still keep a watchful eye on their guests.

"Any introduction to royal in-laws will naturally become a check on whether you understand the modern monarchy’s need for unity and discretion," said Matta. "I do really think that the ‘test’ is better understood as a very elevated version of ‘meeting the family,’ where you’re quietly assessed on how well you mesh. It’s not decisive on its own, but it carries the weight of an extended first impression."

Princess Diana prepared Prince Harry to be king over ‘shy’ Prince William: friend

Mon, 23 Mar 2026 06:00:34 -0400

As the rift between Prince William and Prince Harry deepens, a resurfaced account claims Princess Diana once quietly prepared her younger son for the possibility of becoming king.

Veteran royal writer Richard Kay, a close confidant of the late Princess of Wales, revealed on the Daily Mail’s "Palace Confidential" podcast that Diana believed William was already aware of his destiny, yet remained "shy" and quietly uneasy about the future awaiting him.

"I think William has been a bit of a surprise," said Kay. "He was a shy young man. Certainly, when his mother was still alive, she would tell me that she never really thought that William wanted the ‘top job,’ as she called it. The idea that he would one day wear the crown."

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"She, in her mind, was preparing the way for the possibility that it would be Harry who succeeded his father," he claimed. "And she had a little nickname for Harry: she used to call him 'Good King Harry' — a throwback to medieval days. And, of course, things haven’t worked out that way."

Several royal experts who spoke to Fox News Digital pushed back on the claim, arguing that Diana always knew who would be king — and it wasn’t Harry.

"Prince William didn’t come out of the gate campaigning for the crown," Kinsey Schofield, host of "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," told Fox News Digital.

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"He matured into it. That trajectory aligns well with the modern monarchy, which values duty over ambition. It positions him as thoughtful, measured, and crucially not entitled. In contrast, those who clamor for relevance tend to reveal exactly why they were never suited for the top job in the first place."

"This reads less like prophetic insight and more like a mother managing two very different little boys," Schofield shared.

"Diana was very sensitive to Harry feeling second best, so floating the idea of ‘Good King Harry’ feels like emotional equalization, not constitutional foresight. Prince William was always the introspective one, burdened early by the weight of expectation. Diana didn’t predict destiny so much as she tried to soften it."

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"The monarchy has never been uncertain about succession, only about sentiment," Schofield continued. "Diana understood the emotional cost of the role better than most, and she saw that William felt it deeply. Questioning whether he wanted it wasn’t doubting the institution; it was acknowledging that the job comes with a psychological price tag. That’s maternal realism, not constitutional anxiety."

Kay noted that, similarly, people used to speculate whether Princess Margaret would be better suited for the role of monarch than her sister, Princess Elizabeth.

"I think the consensus is 'we got the right one,' and I think we got the right one," he said. "We’ve got the right one in William as Prince of Wales. He seems to have grown into the role. As observers, we probably all agreed that he seemed a bit reticent, a bit reluctant, a bit shy. But he’s really grown into it."

"What I quite like about what I’ve seen of him ... is that he is coming up with some quite different ways to approach royalty," said Kay. "I think he recognizes that some aspects of monarchy ... don't resonate well with the modern public. And I think he's aware that he's going to have to make some big changes to ensure its survival."

Before William accepted his royal fate, he wanted a badge, not a crown, British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. The heir’s childhood dream reportedly sparked a reaction from his brother.

"As a young child, William expressed disinterest in being king," said Chard. "Instead, he wanted to become a police officer to protect his mother from press intrusion. In fact, like many children, he was obsessed with becoming a police officer, something William had passed on to his son, George."

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"Harry couldn’t believe his ears, deciding he would jump into his brother’s shoes and become king," said Chard. "Princess Diana reassured Harry, nicknaming him ‘Good King Harry’ to comfort him, aware he needed extra love and validation."

Schofield pointed out that in the later years, Diana made it known who would be king someday.

"Let’s be clear, in the BBC ‘Panorama’ interview, she never once suggested Prince Harry as future king," she said. "In her own words, if the line of succession were ever to skip anyone, she pointed directly past then-Prince Charles to Prince William. That isn’t ambiguity. It’s conviction. She knew exactly who she believed should wear the crown. It was her firstborn son."

"Diana was always concerned about Harry’s future role in life, as William was always given special privileges," chimed in royal expert Ian Pelham Turner.

"Giving Harry personal grooming may have been her way of redressing the balance. I believe William has every desire to become king. ... Harry has shown strength in leadership both in the army and in protecting his family abroad."

The royal experts agreed that rivalry between the brothers was inevitable. Diana recognized that early on and urged them to stay close despite the vastly different paths that would ultimately pull them apart.

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"We always thought the brothers were close, but Harry’s ill-advised memoir ‘Spare’ clearly showed he was jealous of his brother, whose future was clearly mapped out, whereas his was not," said royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams.

"Harry may still be fifth in line to the throne, but he is not a working member of the royal family, from whom he is currently estranged."

"William may have once been shy, but as his future role draws ever closer, he has been successful with his careful balance of activities. He is concentrating on several specific charities, has diplomatic skills, prioritizes his family, and uses his unique profile as future head of the world’s most high-profile monarchy both nationally and internationally very skillfully."

Diana passed away in 1997 from injuries she sustained in a Paris car crash. She was 36. Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back as senior royals in 2020 and moved to California. William and Harry last reunited in August 2024 at the memorial for their uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes. The brothers are said to not be on speaking terms.

Prince William honors Princess Diana with never-before-seen childhood photo on UK Mother's Day tribute

Sun, 15 Mar 2026 13:35:15 -0400

Prince William is honoring his late mother Princess Diana on Mother's Day in the U.K.

On Sunday, the 43-year-old royal took to social media to share a never-before-seen photo of him and the late princess.

"Remembering my mother, today and every day. Thinking of all those who are remembering someone they love today. Happy Mother’s Day. W," he captioned the photo on Instagram, which featured a young William and Diana in a field of flowers.

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Princess Diana died on Aug. 31, 1997. At the time, the 36-year-old was being chased by paparazzi in Paris. Her companion, Dodi Fayed, and their chauffeur, Henri Paul, also perished in the crash. Prince William was 15 years old at the time of his mother's death.

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In a 2024, two-part documentary, "Prince William: We Can End Homelessness," royal experts spoke at length about Diana's impact on both Prince William and his brother Prince Harry.

"Princess Diana has been influencing Prince William a lot," Roya Nikkhah, royals editor for The Sunday Times and co-host of the podcast "The Royals with Roya and Kate," told Fox News Digital at the time.

"What’s very interesting is you hear him in his own words saying that he’s been thinking a lot about, ‘What do people want my role to be? What do people want from me?’" she shared. "And he says, ‘I’ve been thinking about that a lot recently and taking guidance and inspiration from my mother now more than ever before.’"

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"Diana’s vision – taking her young sons to homeless shelters when they were very young, showing them the other side of life, her pioneering work in all sorts of areas like mental health, HIV and AIDS and homelessness – it’s had a big impact on him," said Nikkhah. "It’s still shaping his role now as heir to the throne and as a father. He talks about how she’s introduced him and Harry to those issues and how he’s starting to introduce his children to them as well."

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"She’s still got a huge influence," Nikkhah added.

In the documentary, William recalled how, growing up, his mother took him and Prince Harry to The Passage, which works to end homelessness.

"I was a bit anxious as to what to expect," the royal recalled, as quoted by People magazine. "My mother went about her usual part of making everyone feel relaxed and having a laugh and joking with everyone. I remember at the time kind of thinking, ‘Well, if everyone’s not got a home, they’re all going to be really sad.’ But it was incredible how happy an environment it was."

Prince William deliberately distanced himself from Prince Harry as he prepares for the throne: butler

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 06:00:05 -0500

Prince William has deliberately distanced himself from Prince Harry, deepening a rift that remains unresolved six years later.

The claim was made by Princess Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, who said he doesn’t believe the siblings will reconcile anytime soon — if ever.

Queen Elizabeth II’s one-time footman has written a new memoir, "The Royal Insider," in which he details his decades-long career serving in the British royal household and his encounters behind palace doors.

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"I think William has distanced himself from Harry a lot more than people realize," Burrell told Fox News Digital.

"Because William’s path is very different from Harry’s. As he gets nearer and nearer to the throne, which will be in a few years, he has to remain isolated. He has to be in a world that is very tight and protected."

"He can’t let things leak out," said Burrell. "He doesn’t want to live in a world with a leaky sieve. He doesn’t want to live in a world that can’t be controlled because, to be a monarch, you have to control the environment. You have to look after the crown."

WATCH: PRINCE WILLIAM HAS ‘DISTANCED HIMSELF’ FROM PRINCE HARRY: AUTHOR

Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital, "We don’t comment on such books."

Harry has been estranged from his family since he and his wife, Meghan Markle, stepped back as senior royals in 2020. At the time, they cited the unbearable intrusions of the British press and the lack of support from the palace as their reasons for the move.

After the couple settled in California, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry’s 2023 memoir, "Spare," which revealed embarrassing details about the House of Windsor and exposed his rivalry with William, further strained relations.

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Royal experts previously told Fox News Digital that William and Harry are not on speaking terms.

But the brothers’ feud may have begun well before Harry’s exit from the U.K.

When the 41-year-old began dating the former American actress in 2016, the relationship progressed quickly, with the "Suits" alum meeting senior royals early on. The couple announced their engagement in November 2017 and married the following year.

According to multiple royal experts, William, 43, was concerned about Harry’s whirlwind romance and reportedly advised him to "take as much time as you need" before making a lifelong commitment.

William’s view, as portrayed in these accounts, was to ensure Harry didn’t rush into marriage before Meghan, 44, fully understood the pressures of royal life as a newcomer.

Harry, however, is said to have interpreted William’s caution as a lack of support — or even skepticism — toward Meghan. Experts say that’s when their relationship turned frosty.

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Today, Burrell said William is focused on protecting his family from potential new tell-alls and leaks — leaving little room for reconciliation and cementing the brothers’ deepening divide.

"Our dear late queen put the crown first," Burrell explained. "It was the most important thing in her life — her crown, her people, her Commonwealth of countries. William sees it differently. He puts his family first — his wife and children — then comes the crown."

Still, "the crown has to be protected," Burrell said.

"That thousand years of royal history has to be protected, and that will be in William’s hands," said Burrell. "He can’t afford to let it break while he’s in control of it. So, William is very mindful, and his world is very, very protected. His little bubble of himself, [his wife] Catherine and the children are isolated in a way. But he has to do that to keep it safe."

"I do applaud Harry’s move," said Burrell. "It’s not easy for any member of the royal family to tread a different path. But I don’t think there’s any room for reconciliation. I don’t think that is [happening] anytime soon, if ever. Because you see, too many words have been said, and too much dirty laundry has been laundered in public, really, for the royal family. That’s unforgivable."

"Harry knew the rules," Burrell added.

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In May, Harry told the BBC he wanted to reconcile with his family.

"I would love reconciliation with my family," he said at the time. "There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore. I don’t know how much longer my father has."

Harry admitted that "some members of my family will never forgive me" for writing his memoir. He added, "It would be nice to have that reconciliation part now. If they don’t want that, that’s entirely up to them."

Burrell claimed the queen "reluctantly" allowed her grandson and his wife to leave the U.K. He said the late monarch once held high hopes that the couple would play a significant role in supporting the monarchy.

"She wanted them to stay in the royal family," said Burrell. "I think they could have done incredible work within the royal family as the queen’s ambassadors, and now the king’s ambassadors. His son and his daughter-in-law would be highlighting people’s plight and going to countries in the world that need help, the way Diana did. I think the king would’ve loved that and Harry would’ve loved that."

Burrell said Harry and Meghan’s push for independence came at a steep price — one William has not forgiven or forgotten.

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"It broke the line and the thread between them and the royal family — appearing on national television to discuss private matters, entering the world of commercialism, selling your soul to the world," he said.

"The royals don’t do that. The royals keep tight, and they keep close to each other. Look at the difference between William and Kate and Meghan and Harry. A huge world apart. Those two worlds will never come together again."

Burrell claimed that King Charles is said to be heartbroken that he hasn’t gotten the chance to bond with Harry’s two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. They are being raised in the wealthy, coastal city of Montecito.

"It’s sad for Archie and Lilibet, who will never know that world. Their father came from that world, and they will never know their cousins and the people who populate that world.

"It’s sad for the king, who can’t embrace all his grandchildren at the same time. He can’t put his arms around Archie and Lilibet the same way that he can around [William’s children] George, Charlotte and Louis. I think he’s very sad."

"I think Princess Diana would be very upset to know that her boys were not on speaking terms and lived on different continents with an ocean — an ocean — dividing them," Burrell added.

Ex-Prince Andrew told royal staff to 'F off' in entitled outbursts: Princess Diana's former butler

Fri, 13 Feb 2026 06:00:11 -0500

Paul Burrell claims he witnessed Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s "entitled" and "pompous" behavior firsthand amid reports that a growing list of palace staffers have refused to serve the disgraced ex-royal.

Princess Diana’s former butler and Queen Elizabeth II’s one-time footman has released a new memoir, "The Royal Insider," in which he details his decades-long career as a servant in the British royal household and his encounters behind palace doors.

The 67-year-old told Fox News Digital he had a front-row seat to "Randy Andy’s" bad behavior as the late queen’s notoriously indulgent favorite son.

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"I had lots of interactions with Andrew over the years," Burrell said. "I saw his pompousness firsthand. He would tell people to ‘F off, get out of here, F off,’ which was obscene, really — the way he treated people."

"I remember the staff revolting because they were kept up late at night," Burrell said. "Andrew and Sarah would hold dinner parties in their rooms at Buckingham Palace. They’d use the queen’s staff and chefs, with extravagant menus that treated guests to three- or four-course meals — complete with puddings and starters — as if it were an à la carte restaurant."

"The queen got wind of it," Burrell recalled. "She heard about it. The staff would be up until midnight cooking, serving and waiting on them. And she said, ‘This must stop. These are my staff. They’re not yours, Andrew, and you must treat them with respect. They’re here to look after us. It’s their duty to look after us, and we must appreciate that.’"

EX-PRINCE ANDREW WAS ‘POMPOUS’ AND ENTITLED: PRINCESS DIANA'S BUTLER

"Andrew did get a ticking off from his mother," Burrell continued. "But then they wouldn’t let the maids into the rooms to make the beds. They would stay in bed at all hours. They would abuse the system."

Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. A palace spokesperson previously told Fox News Digital, "We don’t comment on such books." It’s understood the palace does not speak for the former prince, as he is no longer a working royal.

Burrell’s remarks follow a report in The Sun that a lengthy list of staffers has opted out of serving Andrew, 65, at his new home.

"They’ve been told they don’t have to serve Andrew or work for him if they feel uncomfortable," the source told the outlet. "There’s already quite a list saying ‘no, thanks.’ There’s understandably a lot of disquiet, as he is now viewed as a total pariah."

British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that many staff members have said they find Andrew "creepy" or "disgusting."

"This is literally a mutiny by staff who are extremely uncomfortable not only serving Andrew — given his scandalous behavior — but also because of the ghastly manner in which he treats staff and anyone he deems beneath him, which ostensibly amounts to everyone," Fordwich said.

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"It is totally unprecedented for any royal — especially among senior royals — to experience such resistance, which really amounts to a strike," Fordwich said. "There is also public outrage over this, despite King Charles saying he is paying for it out of his private funds, which the public still views as their tax pounds."

Andrew has moved out of his 30-room mansion, Royal Lodge, ahead of the reported Easter deadline to vacate. He is temporarily staying at Wood Farm on King Charles’ Sandringham estate before relocating to his new home, Marsh Farm.

According to Burrell’s book, Andrew was so "besotted" with his then-wife that the kitchen staff had "run off their feet" serving the couple. They held lavish dinners, lunches and tea parties for their friends and, at times, refused to leave "their marital bed" for days.

The staff reportedly "rebelled and protested" until the Master of the Household informed the queen of the unrest. Burrell also wrote that Andrew was "inconsiderate and rude" at best.

"He was so demanding that he kept a photograph of his collection of soft toys in a drawer in his bedroom to which the maids had to refer to ensure that they were in their correct place after they had made the bed," he wrote.

Burrell told Fox News Digital that the former Duke of York was "always greedy" and "wanted more," believing he was "indestructible."

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"He was always entitled — always — because he had his mother’s protection," Burrell said. "Maybe our dear late queen was to blame for that because she never said no to her favorite son, Andrew. I think the reason for that is that by the time Andrew came along, she finally had time to be a mother. She was never a mother to Charles and Princess Anne — she was queen first. But she doted on Andrew."

"Andrew could have anything he wanted because he spent a lot of time with his mother, and they got very close," said Burrell. "And so, the queen was always the first person that Andrew went to."

Burrell said Andrew’s father, Prince Philip, was the "guardian of the gate," ensuring other senior royals didn’t bother the queen with personal problems. But after Philip died in 2021, "Andrew was the first there and by his mother’s side."

"The queen must have been aware of Andrew’s character," Burrell said. "She must have been — but she still protected him."

In his book, Burrell wrote that Andrew made "life hell for the people around him." Unlike his mother, he "never" respected palace staff who looked after the family because he always believed it was his right. And whenever Andrew needed financial help, he turned to his mother, who "was always there for her son — to save him from himself and from his mistakes."

Burrell wondered whether Ferguson fell under the prince’s influence, noting that he openly relished a life of luxury.

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"I always said Sarah Ferguson was a farmer’s daughter — the daughter of the polo manager," he told Fox News Digital. "Andrew told her she could have anything she wanted — and she did. She had everything. Everything she wanted, she had. So she became spoiled, and she became entitled, too. The two of them were well-matched."

In 2019, Andrew stepped back as a senior royal following a disastrous BBC interview in which he tried to address his ties to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. King Charles stripped Andrew of his remaining royal titles and honors in late 2025 amid renewed scrutiny over his Epstein connection.

Ferguson, 66, who lost her Duchess of York title, has since left Royal Lodge. She had continued living on the property with her ex-husband despite their 1996 divorce.

On Jan. 30, the Department of Justice released more than 3 million pages of records related to Epstein, including personal emails. The former Duke and Duchess of York appeared in the newly released email exchanges and photos. Three images reportedly showed Andrew on all fours above an unidentified woman on the ground.

Inclusion in the files does not necessarily imply wrongdoing. Fox News Digital previously reached out to Ferguson’s spokesperson for comment about the Epstein-related correspondence. A charity founded by Ferguson has since shut down, and she has been dropped as a patron of several charitable organizations.

"When the queen died, Charles inherited that problem," Burrell told Fox News Digital. "I think the king knows more than we do — he knows exactly what’s coming because he’s controlling it now. Charles can be Andrew’s keeper — the controller of all his actions."

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"I think we should all remember that Andrew isn’t guilty of any crime," Burrell stressed. "Accusations, yes. But we have also forgotten about the victims in this Epstein scandal, and they should be taken care of first. Andrew’s life and career are finished, as are Sarah Ferguson’s. … I truly believe we all have to pay for our sins — and Andrew and Sarah must pay for theirs."

King Charles left ‘covered in salad dressing’ after explosive clash with Princess Diana: butler

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 06:00:47 -0500

King Charles and Princess Diana’s fights could get messy — and Paul Burrell was often left to clean up what was left behind.

The former butler to the late Princess of Wales and footman to Queen Elizabeth II has written a new book, "The Royal Insider." Behind palace doors, the now 67-year-old was a witness to what was once dubbed "The War of the Waleses" and became a trusted confidant to the princess as her marriage publicly unraveled.

Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. A spokesperson for the palace previously told Fox News Digital, "We don’t comment on such books."

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According to Burrell, tensions between Charles and Diana didn’t just simmer — they boiled over behind palace walls. In his book, Burrell claimed he once found the then-Prince of Wales wearing a silk dressing gown "covered in salad dressing." Burrell had earlier helped set up what was meant to be a candlelit dinner for Charles and Diana.

"One evening, he rang the bell, and I went through after hearing this almighty row from the other side of the door, knowing I shouldn’t intrude until it went quiet," Burrell told Fox News Digital.

"The dinner table was upside down, broken china everywhere, food everywhere. And he was covered in salad dressing. He looked up at me in a rather sheepish way and said, ‘Oh, I’m terribly sorry. I seemed to have caught my sleeve on the edge of the table, and everything just tipped up.' ‘Of course.’ He knew, and I knew the real reason was that there’d been an almighty row and Diana had fled upstairs in tears."

WATCH: KING CHARLES, PRINCESS DIANA'S HEATED FIGHTS DETAILED BY ROYAL BUTLER

It was one of many arguments between the couple, Burrell said, that didn’t end neatly.

"Of course, they would argue, and I was there," he recalled. "I stood there and watched them shouting and screaming, and I cleaned up the messes. I brushed up the broken china."

"Charles never hurt Diana physically," Burrell stressed. He did note that Diana was "mentally tortured" by the breakdown of what should have been her happily ever after.

"The king is not a conciliatory man," Burrell wrote. "He certainly wasn’t in the Diana years. I witnessed many arguments and fights between Charles and Diana behind closed doors. At times, they were more than a shouting match. Plates were smashed, tempers raised and even tables overturned. … When the prince lost his temper, which he often regretted, he was contrite and apologetic."

An exhausted Charles would often retreat to Highgrove House, a home he purchased in 1980, shortly before his engagement to Diana. Burrell noted that the property was relatively close to Ray Mill House, where his longtime love, Camilla Parker Bowles, lived.

"On weekends, Diana would come and spend family time with her husband," Burrell told Fox News Digital.

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"She tried so hard to make it work, but during the week Charles was a free agent. Then he could go and see Camilla, who lived close by. I think the reason he bought Highgrove in the first place was because it was very close to Ray Mill House, where Camilla lived with her husband, Andrew Parker Bowles. On weekends, Diana would come with their boys, and they would be a family — not always a happy one."

"I think that in the very early days, Prince Charles, now our king, tried his hardest to make this marriage work," said Burrell.

"And although Diana was only 19 years old, he was much older than her. He tried to help her along the way, but the gap was far too wide. There were too many years separating them. And also, Charles had never let go of his true love, Camilla."

"But he tried," Burrell continued. "He tried with the help of his family to make this family survive. But what’s interesting is, when I stood there all those years ago, I saw how hard our dear late queen and Prince Philip supported Princess Diana in her hard times, not necessarily their son, Prince Charles, who would be king.

"The queen said to me when I left her service in 1987, ‘Paul, one day you’ll be back here at Buckingham Palace looking after a king and queen, Charles and Diana.’ She had every hope that Charles would make the marriage work. But of course, it couldn’t."

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"We all know that Charles’s great love was Camilla, and he never really let go of that," he added.

Diana was determined to be a devoted royal wife and mother, Burrell said. But by the time Charles and Diana’s separation was announced in 1992, the marriage was widely seen as beyond repair.

"She couldn’t always reach him," Burrell reflected.

"She couldn’t always understand the way he lived his life because his life was one of a prince and would be, one day, one of a king. She didn’t fit into that world where a prince could have everything he wanted, and a king could make the rules and make everything happen. She realized that she didn’t have the power. He did."

Burrell isn’t the first to describe how Charles and Diana’s seemingly storybook romance became a nightmare.

In 2022, author Christopher Andersen's book, "The King: The Life of Charles III," was published. He spoke with numerous palace insiders, as well as those who knew or worked closely with the former Prince of Wales.

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Andersen wrote that during the marriage, Charles "had sunk into a deep depression" and believed he "was on the verge of a nervous breakdown." He turned to one of his confidants, Arnold Goodman, and reportedly said, "I have nothing to live for." Goodman, Andersen noted, believed Charles was "showing the classic signs of depression."

Charles not only felt trapped in a loveless marriage, Goodman believed, but he also feared that a divorce — if it could even be granted by the queen — "would have grave repercussions for his children, the royal family and the monarchy itself."

According to Andersen, Goodman shared his concerns with royal protection officers. Ken Wharfe, Diana’s former protection officer, described the atmosphere as "highly combustible." Housekeeper Wendy Berry recalled witnessing "slammed doors and pitched battles" that became "the hallmarks of day-to-day life."

The trouble between Diana and Charles began long before their so-called fairy-tale wedding.

Charles, as heir to the British throne, was reportedly urged to either end his relationship with then-Lady Diana Spencer or propose.

Before the wedding, Diana expressed doubts about going through with it — especially after discovering a bracelet Charles made for Camilla. The marriage grew tumultuous, and both later engaged in extramarital affairs.

During her headline-making 1995 interview on the BBC program "Panorama," Diana famously told journalist Martin Bashir, "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded."

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Their divorce was finalized in 1996. A year later, Diana died from injuries she sustained in a Paris car crash. She was 36.

Charles and Camilla married in 2005. After the queen's death in 2022, Charles ascended the throne, and in 2023 he was crowned king with Camilla at his side.

"Charles certainly hasn’t always been popular with the public, but I think they have warmed to him since he became king," Burrell wrote. "I would credit his mother’s legacy for that to a certain extent — but there are people who will never forget Diana."

Prince William carries ‘wound that will not heal’ from interview that shattered Princess Diana’s life: author

Sat, 29 Nov 2025 07:00:49 -0500

Prince William has endured the private agony of knowing how deeply his mother was betrayed — and now he’s determined to find the truth.

"I’ve been discreet because I’ve gone as far as I was advised to go," Andy Webb, author of "Dianarama," told Fox News Digital. "I describe William as having a wound that will not heal. It’s been made clear to me that he needs to know what happened. I think the impact on William must have been absolutely traumatic. He’s decided that the time has come. He needs to know. He really wants to know what went down 30 years ago."

In November 1995, Princess Diana secretly gave an explosive interview to journalist Martin Bashir for the BBC investigative program "Panorama." The then-34-year-old, who was already separated from her husband, Prince Charles, detailed how her marriage had failed because the future king, then 47, was still in love with his mistress, Camilla Parker Bowles.

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Diana’s many revelations, including her battle with bulimia and how she deliberately hurt herself in a desperate bid for help, shocked millions. The princess never realized she had been manipulated into speaking out — a decision her loved ones believe led to her death.

Webb, an investigative journalist, has spent 20 years uncovering what he described as the network’s cover-up. It was later revealed that Bashir used false documents and other dishonest tactics to persuade Diana to agree to the interview.

Speaking to Diana’s brother Earl Charles Spencer — himself deceived by Bashir’s tactics — Webb revealed that the journalist had presented forged bank statements, claimed William’s watch was a listening device, alleged palace staff were monitoring Diana, and even suggested Charles wanted her killed to marry the boys’ nanny and take her children away.

WATCH: PRINCE WILLIAM STILL HAUNTED BY PRINCESS DIANA'S TELL-ALL: AUTHOR

Bashir even produced a forged document that suggested the nanny, Tiggy Legge-Bourke, had undergone an abortion paid for by Charles.

Fox News Digital reached out to Bashir for comment about Webb’s book. The 62-year-old, who resigned from the BBC in 2021 citing health reasons, said he deeply regretted falsifying the bank statements, calling it a "stupid thing to do." He added that he felt it had "no bearing whatsoever on Princess Diana’s personal choice to take part in the interview."

Webb said the consequences of Bashir’s deceit were catastrophic. Consumed by isolation and mistrust, Diana began purging her inner circle, letting go of trusted aides — including her longtime chauffeur — after Bashir reportedly convinced her that even he was an informant.

"Diana had been schooled to believe that the people around her, the people closest to her, couldn’t be trusted, that they were actually taking very large sums of money, £40,000 in one case, to spy on Diana," Webb explained.

"She could no longer trust these people. All the people whom she’d relied upon in her life up to that point, she got rid of. So, 18 months later, there is a different set of people. It turns out they were not the people you want to have in charge of your security."

"The most heartbreaking thing is the very strong suggestion that if executives at the time had briefed Princess Diana on the fraudulent activity — the forgeries and lies she had been told — her life could have gone in a different direction," Webb noted.

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The fallout from the interview was swift and devastating. Queen Elizabeth II instructed Charles and Diana to proceed with a formal divorce. In its wake, Diana was stripped of many royal privileges and grew distrustful of those closest to her, including her private secretary, Patrick Jephson. Just two years later, tragedy struck when the princess was killed in a Paris car crash while being relentlessly pursued by paparazzi.

"They said Diana was paranoid," said Webb. "And I always think to myself, ‘That’s really unkind,’ because you have to remember, this was the BBC telling her they had firm information and documents proving people were out to get her. That’s what Diana was acting on.

"At that point in her life, she knew her phone had been tapped, private calls had been recorded and even broadcast publicly. It was very embarrassing for her. She also worried whether a former friend she’d had a relationship with, who died in a motorbike accident, might have been targeted. She asked herself, ‘Is that a coincidence?’"

"That was the material Martin Bashir knew he was working with — that Diana was already deeply suspicious of being under surveillance," Webb said. "He knew she was concerned about the death of this particular man. Then he came along with his documents, and he was very convincing."

The interview and its aftermath remain a sorrow that has weighed on William for decades.

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"I think it’s hard for William to realize that things might have been different," said Webb. "If only Diana had been told what really happened — what Martin Bashir had done. It’s difficult to live with that knowledge."

In 2020, The Sunday Times published new evidence showing that Bashir used deceitful tactics to reach Diana through her brother. It prompted the BBC to launch an independent inquiry led by senior judge Lord Dyson.

The 2021 report concluded that Bashir breached BBC rules by fabricating fake bank statements and showing them to the earl to gain access to the princess. Believing there were forces within the palace that wanted to silence her, Diana agreed to tell her side of the story — unaware Bashir was exploiting her fears.

The report also criticized the BBC for covering up what it knew about Bashir’s actions, noting that the corporation’s internal probe fell short of its usual standards of integrity and transparency.

"The interview was a major contribution to making my parents’ relationship worse and has since hurt countless others," William said in a statement. "It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC’s failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her."

William’s younger brother, Prince Harry, said in his own statement that the issue was bigger than just the BBC — and that "the ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life."

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"To those who have taken some form of accountability, thank you for owning it. That is the first step toward justice and truth," he wrote. "Yet what deeply concerns me is that practices like these — and even worse — are still widespread today."

William was 13 when his mother spoke out. Harry was 11.

"What teenager wants to watch TV and see his mother there being asked questions about, ‘Did you have sex with this boyfriend?’" asked Webb.

"In the interview, Diana is encouraged to effectively trash William’s father when she’s asked, ‘Do you think he should be king?’ And she says, ‘No, I don’t think he’s got it in him.’ So William, at the age of 13, is sitting there watching this. What do his school friends think the next morning? You don’t have to be a prince to be horribly embarrassed by that."

BBC Chairman Richard Sharp said the corporation accepted the investigation’s findings, adding that "there were unacceptable failures." The broadcaster also wrote to the royal family to apologize.

"William does not want this interview to be shown again," said Webb. "He calls it illegitimate. What’s particularly sad is that, yes, some parts were valuable — but in reality, Diana gave that interview in a state of terror and fear."

Prince William shatters royal parenting rules after painful childhood: experts

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 06:00:11 -0500

Prince William is protecting his children after enduring pain and drama in his past.

The claim was made by multiple royal experts after Brazilian TV host Luciano Huck interviewed the Prince of Wales during his trip to Brazil for the Earthshot Prize awards.

During the conversation, the heir to the British throne shared that he and his wife, Kate Middleton, spoke openly with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis about her cancer diagnosis and treatment.

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"Hiding stuff from them doesn’t work," said the 43-year-old.

Royal experts told Fox News Digital they aren’t surprised that William is rewriting the royal rulebook — raising his children with honesty and unity.

"A young Prince William carried the burden of his parents’ unhappy and destructive relationship," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard explained.

WATCH: KING CHARLES GAVE THIS WARNING TO PRINCE WILLIAM ABOUT MARRIAGE: AUTHOR

"Their relationship had broken down and, as a result, Prince William and Prince Harry — but more so, William — felt sad and helpless and, I imagine, insecure. Prince William and Princess Catherine are working hard to keep their children abreast of everything."

"They do not want their children hearing what could be devastating news from anyone else," Chard shared. "They are right in the way they handle their affairs in an age-appropriate manner. They are bringing up a strong, resilient, self-assured and respectful young family, which bodes well for the future of the monarchy."

In 2024, both the king, 76, and Kate, 43, were diagnosed with cancer. William, who acknowledged that every family has its own "challenges," said, "I think it is very individual and sort of moment-dependent as to how you deal with those problems."

The prince noted that he and Kate "chose to communicate a lot more with our children."

"Now, that has its good things and its bad things," William explained. "Sometimes you feel you’re oversharing with the children — you probably shouldn’t. But most of the time, hiding stuff from them doesn’t work."

William noted that it’s important for them as a family to be open with each other so that the children aren’t left feeling "anxious" about unanswered questions.

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"There are a lot more questions when there are no answers," he said. "But it is always a balancing act — every parent knows that. It’s, ‘How much do I say? What do I say? When do I say?’ There’s no manual for being a parent — you’ve just got to go with it, a bit of instinct."

Chard said that William, even as he prepares to be king someday, has always been determined to give his children "balanced, happy and healthy lives" while in the public eye.

"He is aware that parents need to be open with their children, no matter how sad and upsetting the situation may be," she said. "It builds trust, respect and self-esteem."

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital that the past has taught William many lessons about family. Growing up, he witnessed the public breakdown of his parents’ marriage. In 1995, his mother, Princess Diana, appeared on "Panorama" and famously declared, "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded," referring to her husband’s infidelity.

"William’s attitude has been influenced by his childhood and the public nature of the war between his parents, especially the ‘Panorama’ debacle," Fitzwilliams claimed.

"William was aghast at what his mother had done when he was at Eton. He was also affected by her tragic death in a very different way than Harry. From the start, he has tried to bring his children up as normally as possible. He is also fiercely protective of their privacy."

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"We knew that he and Catherine had decided to share the news that she had cancer appropriately," said Fitzwilliams. "It would not have been possible to hide it anyway, and, since the king was also a sufferer, the difficulties of two senior royals fighting it at the same time were considerable, especially given the enormous scrutiny to which the monarchy is subjected."

"The purpose of sharing this was to offer a guide to others in a similar situation," Fitzwilliams continued. "The way that Catherine has handled her illness — communicating with moving and uniquely intimate videos — has been truly amazing. They have clearly worked out a plan in circumstances that are ‘brutal,’ as William has said."

And like many parents, William isn’t in a hurry to watch his children grow up. He’s savoring the small, ordinary moments that make them feel like a normal family.

William admitted to Huck that it’s "really hard" to protect his children from the harms of social media and the internet.

"Our children don’t have phones," he said. "I think when George moves on to secondary school, then maybe he might have a phone that has no internet access. And to be honest, it’s getting to the point where it’s becoming a little bit of a tense issue. But I think he understands why."

"We communicate why we don’t think it’s right," William continued. "And again, I think it’s the internet access I have a problem with. I think children can access too much stuff they don’t need to see online, and so having a phone and text message, the old sort of 'brick phone' as they call them, I think that’s fine."

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William even joked that he was like a "taxi driver" for his kids. He brings them to their playdates and sports games and tag-teams with Kate on school drop-offs and pick-ups.

"Prince William’s forthright approach is no doubt derived from his wish to avoid the obfuscation prevalent in his childhood, which resulted in even more pain and royal dramas," said British royals expert Hilary Fordwich.

Charles and Diana separated in 1992. Their divorce wasn’t finalized until 1996, a year before Diana’s sudden death at age 36.

"William sees facing adversity as a family together, as a ‘normal family,’" said Fordwich.

"It’s of paramount importance to him. Having openness with his children is a far better way to build trust, develop emotional resilience and forge family unity. He seeks to answer all the issues his children raise, welcoming their curiosity and questions, ensuring that they feel included and united as a family."

When Kate announced her cancer diagnosis, the princess noted that she and William took time to "explain everything to their children" before she went public. Kate completed her treatment in September 2024 before announcing she was in remission early this year.

PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE MIDDLETON ENFORCE 'ZERO-TOLERANCE' APPROACH AFTER PRINCE ANDREW'S SCANDALS: EXPERTS

During a recent appearance on Eugene Levy’s series, "The Reluctant Traveler," William admitted that 2024 was the "hardest year" he’s ever experienced.

"Everyone has their own coping mechanisms for these sorts of things, and children are constantly learning and adapting," said William.

"We try to make sure we give them the security and the safety that they need. And we’re a very open family, so we talk about things that bother us, and things that trouble us, but you never quite know the knock-on effects that it can have. And so, it’s just important to be there for each other and to kind of reassure the children that everything is OK."

Prince William, Prince Harry's aunt hospitalized after suffering a hard fall while riding her horse

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 13:15:25 -0400

Lady Sarah McCorquodale, the older sister of the late Princess Diana and aunt to Prince Harry and Prince William, is "on the mend" after suffering a hard fall.

During an appearance on the "Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth" podcast on Friday, her brother, Charles Spencer, revealed that Lady Sarah, 70, had been hospitalized after an accident while riding her horse.

"She's still riding, and she’s had a really bad fall last month and has been in hospital for a long time," Spencer said.

"I think [she] was quite a handful as a patient, because the lead doctor said to my brother-in-law, ‘She’s quite a character, isn’t she?’" the 61-year-old said, referring to Sarah's husband Neil McCorquodale. "Which I think is code for, ‘Could you take her home?’"

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A friend of the family told People magazine that Lady Sarah is currently "on the mend."

Over the years, both Harry and William have remained close to their aunts Lady Jane Fellowes and McCorquodale.

Diana was four and six years younger than Fellowes and McCorquodale. In 1997, the women accompanied the then-Prince Charles to Paris to bring Diana’s body back home to the U.K. after her death following a car crash at age 36.

MEGHAN MARKLE’S REBRAND AS ‘CALIFORNIA ROYALTY’ THREATENED BY LEGAL FIGHT WITH ESTRANGED HALF-SISTER: EXPERT

While the pair have rarely spoken out publicly about their beloved sister, they have shown their support for Prince William and Prince Harry during some of the most important events of their lives, including their royal weddings.

"Harry is very close with his aunts," royal expert Shannon Felton Spence previously told Fox News Digital. "In a break from tradition, the photos released from Harry and Meghan [Markle's] wedding, and [their son] Archie’s christening, included both of Diana’s sisters. It’s lovely — Harry has continued a close relationship with them and made the Spencers such an important piece of Archie and Lili’s lives. It’s really such a touching way to keep their ‘Granny Diana’ present in their lives."

"I think there is a genuine, heartfelt desire on the part of the Spencers to maintain the late Princess of Wales' remarkable legacy — to make sure she's not forgotten as we approach the coronation," Christopher Andersen, author of "The King," previously told Fox News Digital.

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"They are also filling the void left by the royal family, whose senior members were invited but chose not to attend," he shared. "I think there's also a none-too-subtle message here — one being sent by both the Sussexes and Diana's family — that even if the royals turn their backs on them, Harry, Meghan and their children will always have Diana's family in their corner."

"In that sense, Lady Sarah and Lady Jane are really proxies for Diana," he noted. "They were at the christening because she couldn't be there. It's really quite touching when you think about it."

Fox News Digital's Ashley Papa and Stephanie Nolasco contributed to this report.

Princess Diana's former butler calls Buckingham Palace the 'gin palace' in explosive new book

Sat, 11 Oct 2025 06:00:53 -0400

To Princess Diana’s former butler, Buckingham Palace was the "gin palace," where the drinks never stopped flowing.

Paul Burrell, who served at the royal residence for 11 years before moving to Kensington Palace, has written a new book, "The Royal Insider." In it, he said that gallons of gin were consumed every week, "some legitimately, some not."

"I quickly became familiar with the ingenious ways in which the household smuggled booze for their soirées," he wrote, as quoted by The Sun. "I would be ordered by senior members of staff to empty a screw-top tonic water bottle each night and fill it with gin for them to use for parties in their rooms."

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"Footmen could be seen carrying Russell Hobbs electric kettles around the palace, not full of water but full of gin," he added.

Royal experts told Fox News Digital that palace aides weren’t the only ones who loved their libations behind closed doors.

"It was an open secret that the Queen Mother (Queen Elizabeth II’s mother) enjoyed ‘a tipple,’ according to her biographer William Shawcross," Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. "She enjoyed ceaseless social rounds and, reportedly, a gin and Dubonnet at noon, red wine at lunch, a martini in the evening and pink champagne after dinner."

WATCH: KING CHARLES’ LATE-NIGHT WHISKEY NIGHTCAP REVEALED BY ROYAL AUTHOR

"Queen Elizabeth was known to be partial to a gin and Dubonnet, which was her favorite cocktail," he shared. "Princess Margaret was especially fond of Famous Grouse whiskey. It has also been reported that Princess Catherine enjoys an evening gin and tonic. Meghan Markle famously named her blog The Tig after Tignanello, her favorite wine."

In 2021, a family friend told People magazine that Prince William is known for bringing his wife, Kate Middleton, a classic gin and tonic after putting their three young children to bed.

"They look after each other, but in different ways," the friend said.

Occasionally, Kate craves something sweeter, British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital.

"Princess Catherine always liked vodka, passion fruit and raspberry liqueur, which is much sweeter than most drinks," Fordwich said. "She even finishes it off with a dash of champagne. It was served at her wedding to Prince William."

Even health-conscious King Charles won’t pass up a good dram.

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"Charles is a man of healthy habits," Valentine Low, author of "Power and the Palace," told Fox News Digital. "He skips lunch. He has a very light breakfast. But a government minister, Michael Gove, once told me how he went on a trip on the royal train with the then-Prince Charles. In the evening, he was summoned for a nightcap with Charles and was offered a very good malt whiskey — a glass of Laphroaig."

"They had a nice chat about all sorts of things, including government policies," Low said. "And then, at the end of that nightcap, he realized it was time to go when there was a discreet knock at the door.

"The next morning, he was invited to have breakfast with Charles. But before he went, Charles’ private secretary suggested he might want a ‘big boy’s breakfast’ beforehand. So, he joined the private secretary for eggs, bacon and toast. Then he went to see Charles, who offered his own breakfast — a small glass of healthy juice and a few nuts and seeds."

"He had two breakfasts that day," Low added.

Fordwich told Fox News Digital that the monarch, 76, is known to be a "lighter drinker" who occasionally prefers a martini "meticulously prepared with equal parts gin and vermouth."

When it came to his mother, the late queen, Fordwich said she favored Dubonnet and gin before lunch, wine with her meal and a dry martini in the evening. Sometimes she would indulge in champagne at night. The routine echoed the Queen Mother’s.

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Reports said the queen preferred Bollinger champagne, which has held a royal warrant since 1884. Her husband, Prince Philip, was more of a no-frills drinker.

"Prince Philip would not often drink wine at banquets, preferring a bottle of beer instead," royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital.

Philip's drink of choice was Boddingtons Bitter.

The royals could generally handle their alcohol — except for one senior member.

"Prince William, rather admirably in my opinion, has the nickname ‘One Pint Willy,’" said Fordwich. "It refers to his low alcohol tolerance, compared to the rather robust drinking habits of the rest of the royal family."

The nickname was given to William by former rugby star Mike Tindall, who is married to the prince’s cousin Zara. He revealed it in 2023 on Rob Burrow's podcast.

"He's not the best of drinkers," said Tindall at the time.

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But in his younger days, William had more stamina, said Fordwich.

"He enjoyed a kamikaze shot [during his clubbing days]," she said. "It combines vodka, lime juice and triple sec."

His late mother, Diana, broke from the mold and didn’t have a regular drinking ritual. She was said to enjoy white wine, particularly Chablis, and peach Bellinis at social events.

In 2019, Vanity Fair royal correspondent Katie Nicholl reported that Prince Harry, who was once known for knocking back vodka Red Bull chasers at nightclubs, had adopted a healthier lifestyle thanks to his wife. Today, he reportedly starts his day with a green juice.

Prince William haunted by childhood pain as he faces new family worries: expert

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 06:00:52 -0400

Prince William and Prince Harry faced painful challenges growing up — experiences William is determined to shield his eldest child from.

The Prince of Wales made a rare appearance on Eugene Levy’s Apple TV+ travel series "The Reluctant Traveler," where he discussed Prince George’s future. William, 43, said his parents’ turbulent marriage — played out on the world stage — shaped how he raises his three children, especially George, who is second in line to the throne.

British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that William remains deeply committed to giving his children the stable, happy upbringing he never fully had, especially as they grow older.

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"William and Harry experienced a broken family unit, with their parents embroiled in constant, destructive battles," said Chard.

"On occasion, William and Harry felt unsupported, lonely and insecure, leading to sibling rivalry," she said. "Prince William especially felt unsure about his future destiny. His parents loved both him and Harry; however, they would have benefited from additional guidance."

"Prince William comforted his mother at times, attempting to ease her insecurities and sadness," Chard continued. "This was a heavy burden for a young Prince William. Today, family worries are his main concern. He often refers to media intrusion and past struggles."

In the episode, Levy asked William about 12-year-old George becoming king one day.

"It’s an interesting question, and it’s a big question that one," said William, as quoted by People magazine. "Because there are lots of things to think about with that. But obviously, I want to create a world in which my son is proud of what we do, a world and a job that actually does impact people’s lives for the better."

"That is caveated with, I hope we don’t go back to some of the practices in the past, that Harry and I had to grow up in — and I’ll do everything I can to make sure we don’t regress in that situation," said William.

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The outlet noted that the remark was the only time William referenced his estranged brother and one of the few occasions he has spoken about him since the Duke of Sussex stepped back from royal duties in 2020 and moved to California.

Despite their estrangement, the brothers have a shared experience of witnessing their parents’ marriage unravel publicly.

"The regrets over the ‘practices’ he and Harry had to grow up with relate to all the fighting between their parents," British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital.

"As a little boy, William was outside the bathroom when his mother was weeping inside," Fordwich said. "He would pass her tissues, saying, ‘Please don’t cry, mummy.’ It was the warmth and comfort of the Middletons’ stable, middle-class family life that drew him to Kate Middleton. He saw and felt the normalcy he desperately craved."

"He is a loyal husband and devoted father, because he felt — and still feels — the impact of his parents’ ‘open’ marriage and the bitter, highly public divorce," Fordwich continued. "He rightly sees a warm, well-rounded childhood as the foundation for the monarchy’s future."

WATCH: PRINCE WILLIAM, KATE MIDDLETON LEARN FROM PRINCESS DIANA'S MARRIAGE

William told Levy that his desire for his three young children to have what the actor called a "relatively normal home life" began with his late mother.

"I think it’s really important that that atmosphere is created at home," William explained, as quoted by People. "You have to have that warmth, that feeling of safety, security, love. That all has to be there, and that was certainly part of my childhood. My parents got divorced at eight, so that lasted a short period of time."

"You take that, and you learn from it, and you try and make sure you don’t make the same mistakes as your parents," said the prince. "I think we all try and do that, and I just want to do what’s best for my children, but I know that the drama and the stress when you’re small really affects you when you're older."

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said the breakdown of Charles and Diana’s marriage deeply affected William, who was 10 when his parents separated in 1992. Their divorce was finalized in 1996, a year before Diana’s death.

"It was obviously difficult for William growing up, especially when the battle between his parents played out so publicly," Fitzwilliams said. "An example was his mother’s appearance on ‘Panorama.’ She warned him beforehand, but he was still deeply upset. She reportedly wept at his reaction."

"Clearly, he recognizes that just as he and his family represent the monarchy’s future, raising well-adjusted children free from marital strife — and even free from mobile devices — is vital for that future," Fitzwilliams said.

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"When previously discussing ‘Panorama,’ he mentioned his mother’s ‘fear, paranoia and isolation.’ He was her comforter, and while both Charles and Diana were loving parents, the collapse of their marriage — combined with the intense media pressures of the paparazzi era — was an unsuitable environment for children."

William and his wife Kate Middleton are parents to George, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7.

"He is bringing his children up to be happy, healthy, self-assured, supportive individuals," said Chard. "He, along with Princess Catherine, is supporting their children 100%. Family comes first. His children will not endure his upbringing. The children, having a happy and balanced upbringing, will ensure a robust, cohesive institution.

"William will also ensure that his children will be proud of the monarchy," Chard added.

The family has faced significant challenges in recent years. In 2024, both Kate and King Charles III announced they had been diagnosed with cancer. Kate, 43, announced she was in remission on Jan. 14. The monarch, 76, is continuing his treatment.

"This last year, your wife and father have been ill. How are things now, first of all?" asked Levy, 78.

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"Yes, things are good. Everything is progressing in the right way, which is all good news," William shared.

"But, it’s been, I’d say, 2024 was the hardest year that I’ve ever had," William admitted. "Trying to sort of balance protecting the children, Catherine, my father needs a bit of protection, but he’s, you know, he’s old enough to do that himself as well. But it’s important my family feels protected and [has] the space to process a lot of the stuff that’s gone on last year, and that was tricky trying to do that and keep doing the job."

"But you know, we all have challenges that come our way, and it’s important to keep going," William added.

Princess Diana found unexpected political ally during marriage crisis: book

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 06:00:27 -0400

Princess Diana had an unexpected political ally during the public breakdown of her marriage.

Royal author Valentine Low has written a new book, "Power and the Palace," which details the relationship between the British royal family and the government over the years.

In the book, Low describes how former Prime Minister Sir John Major quietly served as a mediator between the "warring Waleses" while also being a "sympathetic listener to Diana at a time when she felt at her most alone."

KING CHARLES CRIED THE NIGHT BEFORE MARRYING PRINCESS DIANA, KNOWING HE LOVED CAMILLA: EXPERT

Fox News Digital reached out to Major, 82, for comment.

"People don’t realize this about John Major, but he … is a very warm, empathetic man," Low told Fox News Digital. "He did his best to talk to both Charles and Diana at that time. … He wasn’t going to try and bring them back together again, but he was trying to make sure that the whole crisis passed off without too much unnecessary drama, unnecessary unpleasantness, and that afterward, Diana would find some kind of role."

"I think it was very important in John Major’s eyes that Diana found a role after separating from Charles," Low added.

WATCH: PRINCESS DIANA FOUND AN UNEXPECTED ALLY DURING MARRIAGE CRISIS: BOOK

According to the book, Alex Allan, Major’s private secretary, said the prime minister had "a number of sessions with both Charles and Diana." When one royal had a meeting with him, the other would quickly ask if they could have a sit-down too.

Allan noted that while Major was not trying to stop the separation, he was "quite concerned" about Diana, in particular. Lord Butler, who was cabinet secretary at the time, felt that Major offered Diana "a shoulder to cry on."

"Diana tragically relied on numerous mystics, astrologers and spiritualists as she was so desperately lonely," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. "Major was soft-spoken and had a personable manner. His approach as broker endeared him to both Charles and Diana, winning the trust of the warring parties, in itself a monumental feat."

"Diana talked to people when she felt relaxed in their company," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. "I imagine Major offered Diana a safe space. However, he would have also been concerned about … Diana’s future position. He wanted to ensure a smooth separation process."

Diana’s private secretary, Patrick Jephson, told Low in his book that Major kept in regular contact with Diana, who yearned for a friend during a dark period in her life.

"Major would come and visit Diana quite frequently in the run-up to the separation and afterward," said Jephson.

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"They would have tea, just the two of them. It was great, because always afterward, she was encouraged, she was buoyed up. She would refer to him fondly as ‘the Hon. John.’ … I got the very clear message that he enjoyed those meetings. He was there to be an honest broker, to be a source of practical help if she needed it, and to help her find happiness. Or at least contentment in what she was doing."

Low told Fox News Digital that Major has always been fiercely protective of his private conversations with Diana. Major never wanted to exploit Diana’s trust, Low pointed out.

"I’d like to say something about what John Major’s private conversations with Diana revealed, because I’m sure they revealed all sorts of absolutely fascinating things," said Low. "But John Major is one of the most discreet people known to man and has given away no details whatsoever about his conversations with any member of the royal family and never will."

Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital he believed that Major’s concerns for Diana were the real deal.

"I worked behind the scenes with the John Major government," he explained.

"I played a very small part in him becoming prime minister and then was asked to take his official inaugural photographs … The reality is, John Major understood loneliness. … When he saw the emotions in Diana, he reached out to help her. He saw it as his constitutional duty, but also, Major came from a middle-class background, unlike his contemporaries, who came from wealthy backgrounds."

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"Diana was ‘The People’s Princess,’" Turner pointed out. "Major was very much a man for the people. So intuitively, he offered support. It was in his power to help, but also in his heart too."

Still, Fitzwilliams believed Major "undoubtedly misled Parliament" when he announced in 1992 that Charles and Diana had decided to separate but had "no plans to divorce."

"That was hardly practical," said Fitzwilliams.

For four more years, Charles and Diana continued to tear each other apart in public, Esquire reported. Each gave televised tell-alls about their crumbling union. In 1995, Diana famously sat down with the BBC’s "Panorama" and declared, "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded." She was referring to her estranged husband's mistress and longtime love, Camilla Parker Bowles.

The outlet noted that this was the last straw for Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, who were still hoping the pair could work out their differences. The queen finally allowed them to get an official divorce.

The divorce was finalized in 1996.

"Diana essentially reinvented herself," said Chard. "She recognized her superpower as ‘The People’s Princess’ and threw herself into charity work … and connecting with people.

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"This led her to being known and loved as the ‘Queen of People’s Hearts.’ She felt free and independent away from the institution and realized how the media helped her tell her story and sway public opinion. She used the press strategically."

A former royal aide also told Low that Major did his best to make Prince William and Prince Harry feel they were cared for as their parents’ breakup played out on the world stage.

"He was an important, sympathetic, helpful mentoring figure," said the aide.

"He is a very genuine person, very natural," Sir Malcolm Rifkind said, as quoted in Low’s book. "He is a very warm but also very astute person. He is the sort of person that, if you did have something very personal that you wanted to discuss in private, you would feel comfortable doing that."

Diana’s claim of independence was brief. In 1997, the Princess of Wales died from injuries sustained in a Paris car crash. She was 36.

Major was in office from 1990 to 1997. Town & Country reported that following Diana’s death, Major was appointed special guardian to her sons, a role suggested by Charles. This made Major responsible for the legal and administrative matters relating to the princes.

PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE’S WEDDING DAY SPARKED PROFANE REACTION FROM PRINCE PHILIP: BOOK

In 2005, the queen appointed Major a Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Then in 2012, he became chairman of the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Trust.

His relationship with the royal family remained close. Over the years, he appeared at events supporting the Trust, often alongside the queen or other members of the royal family, the outlet shared.

Major attended both Prince William’s wedding to Kate Middleton in 2011, and Prince Harry's marriage to Meghan Markle in 2018. He also attended the queen’s funeral in 2022 and the more private service afterward.

Kate Middleton defended by Princess Diana's hairdresser after criticism of new blonde hair

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 20:31:47 -0400

Princess Diana's hairdresser is coming to Kate Middleton's defense after "evil" remarks about her blonde look surfaced.

Sam McKnight, who was the late princess's hairdresser from 1990 until her death in 1997, shared a statement to Instagram explaining how "horrified" he is over the recent conversation about Middleton's hair.

On Sept. 4, Middleton and her husband, Prince William, visited the Natural History Museum in London and the princess notably had a different hairstyle. Since the images surfaced, mixed reactions have been shared about Middleton's long, blonde look.

"I am shocked, horrified, dismayed and disgusted by all the nasty comments about the Princess of Wales today. A woman’s hair is very personal to her, it’s armour, defence, confidence and so much more," McKnight wrote on Instagram.

KATE MIDDLETON'S NEW BLONDE HAIR MIGHT BE MORE THAN JUST A STYLE CHOICE, EXPERT SAYS

He continued, "I cannot believe how evil and lacking in any kind of empathy are the comments, the majority made apparently by other women, attacking a vulnerable other young woman, who has no choice, by dint of who she married, and the role she took on, to bravely face the public."

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McKnight mentioned Middleton's cancer diagnosis and said he believes she would "rather be away from the public arena." In March 2024, Middleton revealed that she had been diagnosed with a form of cancer.

"She has brilliantly and quietly, unselfishly represented our country, the soft power we still have as a nation. Cancer affects individuals differently, but is life-changing for everyone. So FFS LEAVE HER ALONE. SHAME ON YOU," McKnight concluded.

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In September 2024, Middleton announced she was cancer-free, describing the nine-month ordeal as "incredibly tough" for her family, but said that it left her with "a renewed sense of hope and appreciation of life."

In January, Middleton shared that she was in remission.

Kate appears to be taking a page from Diana’s playbook. In 1990, during a photoshoot with Vogue, McKnight asked Diana how she would like her hair styled.

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According to The Daily Mail, she replied, "What would you do if I gave you free rein?"

After McKnight suggested cutting it short into a modern crop, Princess Diana said, "Let’s do it."

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Prince Philip gave Kate Middleton blunt warning about surviving royal life

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 06:00:45 -0400

Prince Philip had a blunt warning for Kate Middleton about surviving royal life.

Hello! magazine recently revisited Gyles Brandreth’s 2021 book, "Philip: The Final Portrait," which claimed the Duke of Edinburgh gave the future Princess of Wales his no-nonsense "golden rule" for making it as a senior member of the British royal family.

"If you think the attention is on you personally, you’ll end up in trouble," Philip told her, as quoted by the outlet. "The focus is on your role, what you do, what you support. It’s not focused on you as an individual. You’re not a celebrity. You represent the royal family."

PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE’S WEDDING DAY SPARKED PROFANE REACTION FROM PRINCE PHILIP: BOOK

According to Brandreth, the late queen’s husband told Kate that one crucial way to avoid feeling like a star was to "never look at the camera" when photographers were present. He stressed that Queen Elizabeth II never looked at the camera, but instead at the person she was speaking with.

Brandreth noted that Philip, who supported his wife for more than seven decades, served as a mentor to the younger royals. He worried they might be consumed by fame, casting aside duty and service.

Philip was reportedly "relieved" that his grandson Prince William, heir to the throne, had found a "level-headed girl" like Kate.

"I have been on walkabouts with [the Princess of Wales]," said Brandreth. "She does not look at the camera. Whenever she is interviewed, Catherine talks about the matter at hand, never about herself."

British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that Philip’s advice continues to shape Kate’s role as a beloved senior royal.

"She was taught by the best," said Chard. "Prince Philip reminded her that she wasn’t a celebrity. She represents the royal family. She needs to dedicate herself to a life of service, concentrate on the job at hand and never smile directly at the camera.

WATCH: KATE MIDDLETON'S COLLEGE PAL RECALLS BEFRIENDING THE FUTURE PRINCESS OF WALES

"The Princess of Wales’s deep humility and discretion, along with Philip’s advice in dealing with life in the spotlight, has given her the strength to breeze through challenging media firestorms."

British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital it was easy for Kate to follow Philip’s advice.

"One of the many reasons Princess Catherine has followed his advice was due to the national respect she always garnered," Fordwich explained. "She also values tradition, service, as well as stability."

"He implored her to always focus on the role, that of dedication and duty, not on herself," said Fordwich. "That’s why she avoids seeking public attention for personal fame. He made it blatantly clear that royalty and celebrity are two completely different things. Philip’s advice has helped her preserve the monarchy’s respected public image, rendering her as one of the most level-headed, grounded, popular, revered and trusted members of the royal family."

Royal experts previously said Kate was touched by her exchanges with Philip. Biographer Penny Junor told the U.K.’s Daily Mail that despite not having an aristocratic background, Kate mastered palace rules with ease.

"Kate shines in her own light, but she knows her place in the royal family," Junor told the outlet. "I think Kate is a bit like Prince Philip, who has always supported Queen Elizabeth II."

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Kate and William are also said to be inspired by the longevity of Elizabeth and Philip’s union, Vanity Fair reported. The couple were married for 73 years until Philip died in 2021 at age 99. Queen Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, died in 2022 at age 96. William and Kate are believed to want to set an example not only for their three young children but for the nation.

"The late Queen Elizabeth made a huge success of her long life of service," said Chard. "Her beloved Philip was her constant strength and guide. Princess Catherine is happy to be part of the bigger picture, the glue of the royal family. She is still scrutinized by the public and photographers, yet she handles the spotlight with grace and sheer dedication to the royal family."

"The Princess of Wales holds star power by shining in her own light," Chard added.

And Kate wasn’t the only Princess of Wales who turned to Philip for guidance.

"When [Princess Diana] found the restrictions of royal life difficult, it was Philip who helped her," Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine, wrote in her book, "Prince Philip Revealed."

"Once she was married, she never sat next to her husband; she always sat next to Philip at the endless black-tie dinners, and he took care of her," Seward wrote, as quoted by Hello! Magazine. "Diana found the Balmoral dinners a massive strain and the atmosphere stifling. When the piper came around the table after dinner with his kilt swirling and his pipes whining, she couldn't wait to leave the room."

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In the 2021 Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan," Meghan Markle recalled meeting Prince Harry’s grandfather.

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"At dinner, I was sat next to H's grandfather, and I just thought it was so wonderful," she said. "And I was like, ‘Oh, we chatted, and it was so great, and I talked about this and talked about this.’"

When Harry told her that she "had his bad ear," the Duchess of Sussex laughed.

"Oh, well, I thought it went pretty well," she said.

King Charles cried the night before marrying Princess Diana, knowing he loved Camilla: expert

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 04:00:22 -0400

King Charles reportedly wept the night before marrying Princess Diana, knowing he was still in love with his ex, Camilla. But he wasn’t the only one to shed tears.

"They both [cried]," royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital, referring to doomed couple Charles and Diana.

"Diana was reluctant about marrying Charles but was told by her sister it was too late. The tea towels with their joint images were already being sold. Charles was given cufflinks with a Camilla insignia, which he wore on his wedding day so that she could be included, which allegedly made him emotional."

KATE MIDDLETON CHANNELS PRINCESS DIANA IN STRIKING BLUE OUTFIT AT TROOPING THE COLOUR

Turner’s claims came shortly after People magazine looked back at Charles and Diana’s royal wedding July 29, 1981.

"According to the biography ‘Prince Charles: The Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life,’ Charles felt pressured into his marriage to Diana and was still torn about his love for the then-married Camilla," the outlet shared. "He even cried over it the night before his nuptials."

British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital the book’s author, Sally Bedell Smith, told her that Charles did cry the night before marrying Diana.

"In covering the king’s coronation [in 2023], I was live on set with Sally Bedell Smith," she said. "I asked her about him crying the night before his wedding, which she confirmed."

While the explosive marriage of Charles and Diana is well documented, Fordwich said the younger royals of today should be grateful that they won’t have to ever endure similar heartache.

"The tumultuous love triangle of Charles, Diana and Camilla is an infamously sad study of the clash between traditional royal duty versus personal fulfillment and happiness at the heart of Britain’s monarchy," Fordwich explained.

"Then-Prince Charles reportedly told his friends he felt compelled by his father, Prince Philip, to marry Diana not due to deep love, but rather to comply with royal convention.

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"He had to marry a virginal, suitable bride who would meet public expectations of a future queen," she shared. "Camilla was regarded as completely ‘unsuitable’ due to her many previous relationships and marital status. Certainly, the Church of England wouldn’t permit the heir to the throne to marry a divorcee.

"His godmother, Patricia Mountbatten, said he realized he was ‘too committed’ to back out of marrying Diana," Fordwich continued. "Still, she knew he was making a mistake given his love for Camilla, who remained his soulmate despite being married to another man."

Charles met Camilla in 1970 through mutual friend Lucia Santa Cruz. According to reports, Charles was instantly smitten. Despite a blossoming romance, Charles joined the Navy in 1971.

While Charles was serving, Camilla married Andrew Parker Bowles, an ex-boyfriend of the royal's younger sister, Princess Anne, in 1973. According to reports, a devastated Charles tried to stop Camilla from marrying Parker Bowles, but the pair remained friends. As the former lovers stayed close, Charles began courting Lady Diana Spencer in 1980.

"By the time Charles married Diana, supposedly, Camilla’s physical relationship with him had ceased," said Fordwich. "However, their emotional bond continued, for which both were derided. The tabloids termed her ‘the other woman.’"

And it was easy for Diana to see that Camilla continued to play an important role in the life of the man she was going to marry.

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"At first, Diana professed to be very much in love with Charles but expressed to many she felt foolish and jealous once she fully grasped his emotional attachment to Camilla," Fordwich explained.

"The press, both sides of the family and even her Spencer sisters made it clear to her that she simply couldn’t back out of the wedding once her face was ‘on the tea towels.’ … The entire nation and the world were giddy with excitement regarding their imminent wedding.

"On her wedding day … the public speculated her sleepless look was due to wedding nerves. No one was aware of her knowing of Camilla’s place in Charles’ heart, which rendered her distraught.

"Diana later described feeling she was ‘the luckiest girl in the world,’ but she also knew Charles' true affections lay elsewhere," Fordwich continued. "Her emotional turmoil would damage not only the rest of their marriage but, to this day, it has ramifications in Prince Harry’s behavior, given his deep-rooted resentment of Camilla as well as his mistrust of the media."

Camilla made the royal wedding’s guest list, likely due to her husband’s role as the Commanding Officer of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment, People magazine reported.

While several reports claimed Camilla wore white during the ceremony, catching Diana’s eye, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams clarified to Fox News Digital that she wore a "pale gray dress with a veiled pillbox hat."

WATCH: PRINCESS DIANA TOLD QUEEN ELIZABETH KING CHARLES WAS A NIGHTMARE: AUTHOR

Problems only worsened during Charles and Diana’s honeymoon.

"From the start, the public preferred the princess, though privately she was angst-ridden and bulimic," said Fitzwilliams.

"It does seem that fate almost inexorably decreed that, once it had been set in motion, it was impossible to call the wedding off. Diana's discovery of a bracelet Charles had bought for Camilla before the wedding worsened her suspicions that she had a dangerous rival."

"The divide between Charles and Diana was exacerbated by the gulf between their respective ages, their completely different interests, as well as their worldviews," added Fordwich.

"Even on their honeymoon, they reportedly had some rather major personality clashes. Later, there was the lurid scandal of 1989 that exposed Charles and Camilla’s ongoing affair. It shocked the public and irreparably damaged Charles’ reputation."

"The British public hasn’t forgotten," Fordwich added.

Charles and Diana separated in 1992. In 1995, Diana gave a bombshell interview to BBC’s Panorama during which she declared, "Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded."

Their divorce was finalized in 1996.

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Charles and Camilla rekindled their romance after Diana died in 1997. They married in 2005. The couple were crowned king and queen in 2023.

Prince William, Prince Harry won’t inherit Princess Diana’s childhood home: expert

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 10:37:30 -0400

Prince William and Prince Harry won’t be inheriting Princess Diana’s childhood home.

The ancestral home is Diana’s final resting place. The property is owned by her brother, Earl Charles Spencer, who currently lives there. Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital that the home was always expected to be passed down to the next Earl Spencer. That is Prince William and Prince Harry's cousin, Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp.

The Spencer family follows primogeniture, which dictates that titles and properties go to the eldest male. Louis has three older sisters: Lady Kitty, Lady Eliza, and Lady Amelia.

PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE 'FEARED' KING CHARLES DELAYED THEIR KIDS' PASSPORTS OVER ROYAL TITLES: REPORT

"It would pass to the male heir even though Kitty Spencer is the current earl’s eldest child," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams explained. "No way would William and Harry get the property. Why on Earth would someone think they should?"

Fox News Digital reached out to the Althorp estate for comment.

Fitzwilliams’ claims came shortly after Vanity Fair reported that Althorp would be going to Louis. The 31-year-old is the son of Charles, Ninth Earl Spencer, and British model Victoria Aitken.

Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that the inheritance rule goes back centuries.

"Do I agree with this method still being used in the 21st century?... Any rules that affect women through historical degradation are abhorrent to me. However, the wealthy classes still adhere to outdated practices."

"In terms of Harry and William becoming the heirs to the Althorp estate, legally, they have no rights," he noted. "But I think they will always be closely associated with the maintenance of the estate and Diana’s resting place."

Louis, who grew up in South Africa, is an actor who lives a quiet life outside the public eye. According to reports, he has already been taking a hands-on approach in management meetings at the estate, supporting his father.

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Charles previously told the Mail on Sunday that he would be "totally relaxed" about his eldest child, Kitty, inheriting Althorp.

Still, "If I chose Kitty, it would be against all the tradition that goes with Althorp," he admitted.

"It's just the way it is. I get the problems with it as a concept. I also get the strengths of it, having worked to date."

In 2015, Kitty defended the tradition to Tatler magazine for a cover story.

"In general, I’m totally pro-gender equality," the British model and aristocrat said at the time, as quoted by The Telegraph.

"But I’m quite happy that that’s [going to be] my brother’s responsibility. I just think it’s the correct way."

"I like that the house stays within the same family with the same surname," she shared. "I wouldn’t want it any other way for the Spencers. And I just know my brother is going to do an impeccable job."

WATCH: PRINCESS DIANA’S HAIRDRESSER RECALLS THEIR LASTING FRIENDSHIP

The property has been the home of the Spencer family since 1508. Diana’s father inherited the title of Earl Spencer in 1975, and the family moved to the estate, People magazine reported.

Diana, who died in 1997 at age 36, is buried on a small island in the middle of the home’s Oval Lake, which is not accessible to the public. It allows William and Harry to visit their mother’s burial place privately.

"I think it’s very important for them to be there with her," Charles, 61, told People. "It is, luckily, very tranquil here, and they can come and go as they wish whenever they want. And that’s very lovely for me to know that."

Visitors are allowed to pay their respects at a memorial that was built in her honor.

Harry wrote about visiting Diana’s resting place on the 25th anniversary of her death in his memoir "Spare." He described bringing his wife, Meghan Markle, for the first time.

"At long last, I was bringing the girl of my dreams home to meet mum," he wrote, as quoted by People magazine.

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When Diana passed away, her two sons inherited many of her possessions and money. During Harry's interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, the 40-year-old said that the money left to him by the late Princess of Wales helped him and Meghan move to California in 2020.

"And without that, we would not have been able to do this," he said at the time. "So touching back on what my mother would think of this, I think she saw it coming. I certainly felt her presence throughout this whole process."

Inside the British royal family's most scandalous summer vacation spots

Sun, 13 Jul 2025 04:00:24 -0400

Like anyone else, the royals love to let loose on a glitzy getaway.

The British royal family's summer vacations are typically kept private. But over the years, their go-to destinations have made headlines. And it turns out they don’t just go to Balmoral, their Scottish estate, to reflect and spend time with loved ones.

"There have been many incidents of royal recreations which have raised eyebrows in the past," Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital. "In the 1950s, Prince Philip regularly went on sailing trips to New Guinea, Ceylon and Malaysia for three months at a time, allegedly with female secretaries, leaving the queen alone in London."

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"Balmoral was always the official favorite for the royals and the queen chose [to spend] her last days there," he shared. "[But] there were many [past] stories of girls rushing up to [the former Prince] Charles in skimpy bikinis when he was a bachelor visiting Australia."

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams pointed out that Prince Harry’s escapades in Sin City are still legendary.

"Prince Harry’s naked cavorting in Las Vegas was the perfect advertisement for the city – ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,’" Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. "[The city] reportedly benefited from the publicity enormously."

Harry wrote about his 2012 trip to Las Vegas in his explosive 2023 memoir "Spare," Vanity Fair reported. According to the Duke of Sussex, after a night of gambling and boozing, his pals invited a group of "dodgy" women to his luxurious suite.

"I suggested we up the stakes," Harry wrote, as quoted by the outlet. "How about a game of strip pool? Enthusiastic cheers. Ten minutes later I was the big loser, reduced to my skivvies. Then I lost my skivvies. It was harmless, silly, or so I thought."

WATCH: PRINCESS DIANA'S BODYGUARD LEE SANSUM RECALLS HOW YOUNG PRINCE WILLIAM AND PRINCE HARRY REACTED TO THE PAPARAZZI

The photos from the night were posted on TMZ. And while Harry was expecting his father, King Charles, to reprimand him, he was "gentle, even bemused."

"He felt for me, he said, he’d been there, though he’d never been naked on a front page," Harry wrote. "Actually, that was untrue. When I was about 8 years old, a German newspaper had published naked photos of him, taken with a telephoto lens while he was holidaying in France."

But several royal experts agreed that Harry wasn’t the royal family’s most well-known for escapades across the pond – it was the late queen’s younger sister, Princess Margaret. Her lady-in-waiting’s husband, Lord Colin Tennant, spent vast amounts of his fortune on transforming Mustique, a tiny island in the Caribbean, into a party resort for the rich and famous. He gifted Margaret a 10-acre plot of land on the island.

"Princess Margaret’s scandalous affair with ‘toy boy’ turned wannabe disco star Roddy Llewellyn also unfolded on Mustique," Vanity Fair reported. "In 1976, photos of the couple frolicking on Mustique (Llewellyn wearing Union Jack swimming trunks) were published in The News of the World, hastening Margaret’s separation from equally unfaithful husband Antony Armstrong-Jones."

Over the years, other royals have found themselves in hot water. Vanity Fair reported that the "most notorious vacation mishap in modern royal history" took place in 1992. Sarah, Duchess of York, who had separated from Prince Andrew, was soaking up the sun in St. Tropez with her beau, financier John Bryan. It was there where paparazzi snapped photos of Bryan sucking on her toes while she sunbathed topless.

Sarah and Andrew’s divorce was finalized in 1996.

"Recently, there haven’t been any scandals," British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. "But back in 2012… the topless photo scandal involving Kate Middleton… was considered in such poor taste that the media has stayed away from such [stories] in general."

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In 2012, the French magazine Closer and the local newspaper La Provence published photos taken with telephoto lenses of the future Princess of Wales sunbathing topless with Prince William at a château in France, Glamour magazine reported. According to the outlet, the couple sued and were later awarded $118,000 in damages by a French court.

While the royal family's vacations don't always take place during the steamy season, they are known for letting their hair down when duty doesn't call.

According to Vanity Fair, the Prince and Princess of Wales, now parents of three young children, also enjoy embarking on family trips to Mustique, the Isles of Scilly, the ski resort of Courchevel in France, as well as Jordan, where Kate spent a part of her childhood.

"By all accounts, Prince William and Catherine are such upstanding royals that they simply aren’t involved in any scandals," Fordwich added.

For William and Harry, Africa has been a destination for love. Prince William proposed to Kate in Kenya in 2010. Harry and his then-girlfriend, Meghan Markle, traveled to his beloved Botswana in 2017.

"I gave her my best Botswana pitch," Harry wrote in "Spare," as quoted by Vanity Fair. "Birthplace of all humankind. Most sparsely populated nation on Earth. True Garden of Eden, with 40 percent of the land given over to nature. Plus, the largest number of elephants of any nation on Earth. Above all, it was the place where I’d found myself, where I always re-found myself, where I always felt close to – magic? If she was interested in magic, she should come with me, experience it with me."

Since the couple tied the knot in 2018, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly vacationed in Costa Rica, Canouan in the Caribbean, as well as Elton John’s home in Nice.

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"We look forward to hearing how they vacation in their reported holiday home in Portugal," said Fitzwilliams.

Harry is said to have bittersweet memories of the south of France. In July 1997, his mother, Princess Diana, was photographed in St. Tropez on the Jonikal, Mohamed Al-Fayed’s yacht. A month later, the Princess of Wales died from injuries she sustained in a Paris car crash at age 36.

According to the outlet, Diana was known to use her getaway during the last year of her life to bargain with paparazzi, who were eager to take photos of her in stylish swimsuits. It’s been said that Diana wanted to show the public that she was free after her divorce from Charles was finalized in 1996.

"There was much laughter, horseplay, the norm whenever Mummy and Willy and I were together, though even more so on that holiday," Harry recalled in "Spare," as quoted by the outlet.

"Everything about that trip to St. Tropez was heaven. The weather was sublime, the food was tasty, Mummy was smiling."

In recent years, Charles appears to be focusing on cost. While he still maintains his late mother’s tradition of spending his summers in Balmoral, Buckingham Palace announced that the king will end 156 years of service for the Royal Train. The palace noted it costs too much to operate and would need a significant upgrade for more advanced rail systems.

"It is a pity this did not happen in the 1990s," said Fitzwilliams. "The Royal Yacht Britannia, which was decommissioned in 1997, should have been saved... It was famously used for the royal family's summer holiday when Queen Elizabeth could relax at her beloved Balmoral. This became a rite of passage for members of the royal family."

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"A royal favorite was the Britannia," chimed Turner. "It was one of the few times the queen was seen to shed a tear when it was decommissioned due to cutbacks in finances."

Princess Diana's bold request was the one thing her designer refused: 'You are a princess'

Sun, 22 Jun 2025 12:00:50 -0400

Princess Diana was ready to put royal protocol to the test to prove she was a "free woman."

The late Princess of Wales is the subject of the upcoming "Princess Diana’s Style & A Royal Collection" auction, which takes place on June 26 in Los Angeles. It will feature some of fashion designer Jacques Azagury’s design illustrations for Diana, and fabric swatches from some of her famous dresses.

"It feels wonderful [to keep her memory alive]," Azagury, who helped Diana revamp her style during her final years, told Fox News Digital during a private preview at The Peninsula Residences London. "Anything that I can do that’s going to carry on the legacy of the princess, I will always do it… It’s a way of keeping her alive really."

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Azagury said he met Diana in 1985 when he was showing his new collection in London. They were introduced by Anna Harvey, deputy editor of British Vogue.

"She immediately put me at ease," he described. "She had this amazing ability to make you feel completely at ease in no time."

In return, Azagury would help Diana step out of her shell.

"In her later years, Diana embraced this sexier, sleeker look, which was my aim," he explained.

"My aim was really to just get her out of all these frills and… frumpy skirts that she was wearing at the beginning. As her life was developing, she had to be on the international stage, and it was my job to make her fit there. Gradually, I simplified and simplified her right to the end until there wasn’t really that much dress. It was more about the princess and the fit of the dress."

According to reports, British royals are subject to strict fashion rules. And as the wife of the future king, Diana was expected to follow them. But as her marriage publicly crumbled, Diana was ready to send a new message using her style.

WATCH: PRINCESS DIANA'S DESIGNER EXPLAINS WHY HE DENIED HER BOLD FASHION REQUEST

One of the most iconic looks was "The Revenge Dress," a slinky little black dress that she wore in 1994, on the same night that her ex-husband, the former Prince Charles, confessed his infidelity on national television. Reports claimed that Diana owned the Christina Stambolian design for three years, but never wore it until then because it was too daring.

Charles and Diana separated in 1992. Their divorce was finalized in 1996. And it was during the ‘90s that Azagury created "The Famous Five," a collection of dresses that showed Diana in a new light.

"This is a period when you see the Diana that we all loved, where she was feeling free from her marriage," said Azagury.

"It was her new life starting. She was fit, she was training. She looked phenomenal, and these dresses were saying exactly what she wanted to say, that she was a free woman. She could wear what she wanted to wear. She moved away from royal protocol with the length of the dresses. It was kind of a rebellion, but not a rebellion. But it was her way of telling people that she’s her own woman."

But Azagury admitted he wasn’t prepared for Diana’s bold fashion request.

"[She surprised me] only once," he said. "She wanted to go super short on the dresses, and we wouldn’t allow it, particularly on that blue [‘Swan Lake’ dress from June 1997]. It was quite a low décolletage and quite short anyway, and she wanted to go even shorter. We just said, ‘Look, you’re not going to have a dress left and you are a princess. We’ve got to remember you’re a princess.’ So it was way short anyway, so that’s really the only request we would not abide by."

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Azagury said that one of Diana’s favorite colors to wear was black, which, for the royals, is typically reserved for mourning. But the princess, who was thriving during the era of supermodels, wore several pieces by Azagury that were low-cut, figure-hugging, and showcased her bare, lean arms. Her "Venice" dress from 1995 was a bright red silk two-piece featuring a short skirt. The 1997 "Washington" dress featured a deep V cut in the back.

"After Diana’s marriage, she portrayed herself in a slightly different manner," Azagury explained. "She had total freedom… She could wear what she wanted to wear. She was able to wear black, which she's usually not allowed to wear because royals only wear black for funerals."

"So the minute she was away from that, the first dress we made for her… was a black dress we made for her after the Martin Bashir interview… a black sexy dress," he shared. "That was her way of saying, ‘This is me, this is the new me. I’m confident.' And it had all of those things in that one dress. She treated the dresses like that all the way through."

And as one of the most photographed women in the world, there was no room for error, Azagury stressed.

"As a designer, my main thing was to make sure that every single little thing on the dress was perfect," he said. "She was stepping out of her shell, and she would have 500 photographers surrounding her, so everything had to be perfect, even though the dresses were very, very simple."

"It took a lot of work to get everything immaculate, and that was my job," he said. "We never had any mishaps at all. We just didn’t want to end up in a circle of shame with a bit of something sticking out. So really, it was my job to make sure that everything was perfect for her."

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Azagury created what royal watchers have coined the "Final Goodbye" dress. It was a full-length black dress highlighting a plunging neckline, thin straps and a high front slit. Diana was fitted for it in London just before she flew to Paris.

"I think it might’ve been for a Disney premiere, so we wanted to make it more wow than the other dresses and make it really Hollywood red carpet," said Azagury. "All that had to be done was to [adjust] the straps. Sadly, she never got back to wear it."

But her legacy lives on, he said.

"The princess is still indirectly affecting fashion, affecting the other royals," said Azagury. "Of course, anytime that Kate wears something that possibly remotely looks like something Diana wore… it always gets compared in the newspapers. So, she’s still there."

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"In a way, the dresses that she wore at the time, yes, they were fashions of the time, but they were timeless pieces," he reflected. "Any of the dresses that I made, for instance, could be worn today, and they wouldn’t look out of place. There’s something to say about her dress sense… it went quite deep."

Kate Middleton channels Princess Diana in striking blue outfit at Trooping the Colour

Sat, 14 Jun 2025 12:37:32 -0400

Kate Middleton seems to be keeping the memory of Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth II alive during King Charles III's 2025 Trooping the Colour, an annual event also known as the King’s Birthday Parade, in London.

The Princess of Wales stepped out at the royal event on June 14, appearing to channel the elegance of her late mother-in-law, as she wore a Catherine Walker dress coat in aqua blue with a matching hat by Juliette Botterill, according to People.

Her royal ensemble included a white lapel on one side and an Irish Guards regiment brooch. She accessorized with pearl drop earrings that once belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

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Middleton's daughter, Charlotte, matched her mother in a lighter aqua-colored dress with white trim in the center and white shoes. Her hair was styled and pulled back in braids at the top, as she wore her hair down.

The 43-year-old Princess of Wales made a style statement, as her look was strikingly similar to one worn by Princess Diana during the 1988 Trooping the Colour.

Princess Diana was seen then in a similar shade of blue-green with white lapels, as she held a young Prince Harry who matched with his mother in aqua-colored suspenders.

While the princess had a bold royal fashion moment at this year's Trooping the Colour, she appeared to step back into a prominent position alongside King Charles and Queen Camilla.

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The Princess of Wales joined Charles and Camilla on the dais at the Horse Guards Parade during the annual event. As Colonel-in-Chief of the Irish Guards, one of the seven regiments of the British Army’s Household Division that participate in the ceremony, her presence carried both ceremonial and symbolic weight.

In 2024, Middleton's appearance at the annual event took a different tone – it was her first public appearance since announcing her cancer diagnosis. While she appeared on the balcony with the rest of the royal family then, she otherwise stuck to the sidelines.

She shared earlier this year that her cancer is now in remission.

Being positioned alongside the King and Queen is a distinguished honor, and it marked a significant moment in Middleton’s royal journey, according to People.

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Also during the event, Charles was seen riding in a carriage alongside Camilla as she wore a white ensemble. Charles and other senior royals wore black armbands during the military parade as a mark of respect for the victims of the Air India plane crash.

The monarch, who is still undergoing treatment for cancer, was at the festivities alongside Prince William, Middleton and their three children, as well as Princess Anne, Prince Edward, Queen Camilla and other key royal figures.

Prince William was seen riding horseback this year alongside Princess Anne and Prince Edward. Meanwhile, wife Middleton and their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7, rode in a carriage before appearing with the king and queen on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.

Prince Louis charmed once again at Trooping the Colour as he was all smiles during the annual event. He sweetly greeted the crowd with his royal wave as he appeared alongside his mother and siblings.

Prince George and Prince Louis sported suits with red ties, as they matched their father's military uniform.

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According to the royal family's website, Trooping the Colour has marked the official birthday of the British sovereign for over 260 years. It features over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians. It ends with an RAF flypast, which is watched by the royal family.

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Prince Harry deepens family rift by reportedly considering name change: expert

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 05:00:09 -0400

Prince Harry reportedly made a move that has deepened his ongoing rift with his family.

The Duke of Sussex spoke to his uncle, Earl Charles Spencer, about the idea of taking his late mother Princess Diana’s surname for his family, People magazine reported.

According to The Mail on Sunday, the 40-year-old was considering adopting his mother’s last name, which would have meant abandoning the surname used by his children: Mountbatten-Windsor.

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Fox News Digital reached out to a spokesperson for the prince and the earl for comment.

"Trying to change his surname has an air of revenge," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard claimed to Fox News Digital.

"Such a hurtful and vindictive move to King Charles," she claimed. "It highlights Prince Harry’s little to no regard for his family. A huge amount of bitterness and frustration bubbling away in Harry could have led to him feeling the Spencer name would help grow his royal court."

"For Harry to consider doing this, he must still feel very embittered," royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. "King Charles will regard this with great sadness… What will Harry think up next?"

The Mail on Sunday reported that Harry discussed the idea of the name change with the 9th Earl Spencer, who is Diana’s younger brother, during a visit to the U.K.

"They had a very amicable conversation and Spencer advised him against taking such a step," a friend of Harry’s told the outlet.

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"Once again, Prince Harry has managed to make yet another deeply divisive and emotionally charged move, further fracturing his already tenuous relationship with the royal family," British royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital.

"The overwhelming advice from within his own family, particularly from his Uncle Earl Spencer, is to abandon the ludicrous idea due to its legal and emotional consequences," she claimed. "Even his inquiry highlights the enduring complexities of Harry’s relationship with his royal roots… It further thwarts any future reconciliation."

Fordwich claimed that the royals are "hurt and dismayed" by this latest revelation, "causing additional damage to the already strained family relations."

WATCH: PRINCE HARRY LOOKING TO RECONCILE WITH KING CHARLES, ROYAL FAMILY

"In addition, it’s viewed as a direct insult to his father, King Charles III, as well as his extended royal family," Fordwich claimed. "Ironically, Harry was close to Prince Philip, who fought for the historical significance of the Mountbatten-Windsor name for his descendants. So it is a direct insult to him."

People magazine reported that Harry’s two children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, who turns 4 on June 4, have Mountbatten-Windsor as their last names on their birth certificates. However, the family now uses Sussex as their last name, just like how Harry was known as "Harry Wales" during his childhood when his parents held the titles of Prince and Princess of Wales. It’s a tradition within the royal family for children to take their parents’ titles as a surname.

Mountbatten-Windsor is the British royal family’s official surname. The outlet noted that dropping the surname would be viewed as a slight to the king, who "cherishes the Mountbatten name just as his father did."

The Mountbatten name was adopted by the Greek-born Philip when he became a British citizen in 1947 and joined the Royal Navy. Windsor was adopted by King George V as the British royal surname in 1917. People reported that in 1960, Queen Elizabeth II and Philip determined that Mountbatten-Windsor would be the surname for their direct descendants.

Fordwich claimed that in Harry’s eyes, using Spencer would be honoring his mother, Princess Diana, and "distancing himself from the rest of the royal institution he feels alienated from."

"There is also some speculation that Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, wants their children to be more closely associated with Diana’s legacy, especially their daughter, Princess Lilibet, whose full name is Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor," said Fordwich.

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Still, Fordwich noted that "family relations remain immensely strained," and this latest report would only hurt the king.

"King Charles III is hesitant to speak with Harry, and Prince William is disgusted that he keeps referencing their mother," Fordwich claimed. "Trust and communication are currently at an all-time low. Any hope of rapprochement is now said to be ‘in tatters,’ particularly given Harry’s wish to change his surname, which is viewed as a final break from his royal roots."

Harry’s troubled relationship with his family and the U.K. establishment has played out in public for years – in books, interviews, TV programs and the courts.

Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, stepped back as senior royals in 2020, citing the unbearable intrusions of the British press and a lack of support from the palace. That same year, they moved to California, where they are raising their two children.

Since the couple’s royal exit, they have aired their grievances and made blistering allegations against the royal family. Harry’s explosive 2023 memoir, "Spare," was stuffed with private details and embarrassing revelations.

Harry’s rift with his family burst into the open once more with a raw interview he gave to the BBC in May after losing a court case over his security. In a long and at times emotional conversation, Harry said he wanted reconciliation. He admitted that his father, who is battling an undisclosed form of cancer, won’t speak to him.

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Harry’s pals previously told People magazine that the king, 76, won’t respond to Harry’s phone calls and letters. Royal experts also claimed to Fox News Digital that Harry’s older brother, William, who is heir to the British throne, refuses to speak with him.

"Spencer may be an aristocratic name famously shared by Prince Harry's late mother," said Chard. "However, if Harry hoped to use the surname Spencer to rehabilitate his image, he needs to rethink the bonkers possibility."

"Prince Harry is beginning to resemble the hapless ‘Frank Spencer,’ the fictional character in the old British sitcom ‘Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em," she added.

The series, which aired from 1973 to 1978, follows the misadventures of accident-prone Spencer, who "fails to navigate the simplest tasks of daily life, while also trying to look after his wife and baby."

Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital he wasn’t surprised that Harry considered changing his surname to Spencer. He pointed out that the prince has a closer connection to his late mother’s family.

"Prince Harry, at the time of this alleged conversation, was at a very low ebb," Turner explained. "He found tremendous support from Earl Spencer and Diana’s two sisters, who rallied around [him]… The Spencer name is always a potential path for the beleaguered couple and their children. But at this stage, it’s not on the horizon."

PRINCE WILLIAM CAN’T STRIP MEGHAN MARKLE'S ROYAL TITLE, BUT USING IT MAY COME AT A PRICE: EXPERTS

"The royal family and Harry are still seemingly at war with each other," Turner added.

Chard claimed that Harry could have plenty to gain from using the Spencer surname.

"No doubt Prince Harry feels reinventing himself keeps him relevant," she claimed. "The world still has a love affair with the late Princess Diana. Harry and Meghan could take a cash grab of Princess Diana’s legacy. [However], tarnishing Princess Diana’s legacy would leave a bitter taste in the public’s mouths."

Meghan previously told People magazine that taking the Sussex name has a deep meaning for her family.

"It’s our shared name as a family, and I guess I hadn’t recognized how meaningful that would be to me until we had children," the 43-year-old told the outlet. "I love that that is something that Archie, Lili, H and I all have together. It means a lot to me."

Princess Diana's brother shares heartbreaking grief, says her death felt like 'an amputation'

Fri, 16 May 2025 18:14:21 -0400

Earl Charles Spencer lost a part of himself when his sister, Princess Diana, was killed nearly three decades ago.

On May 15, he appeared on "Loose Men" in honor of Mental Health Awareness Week, where he discussed sibling grief.

"It's such an amputation," said the 60-year-old. "You grow up with these people, they are your flesh and blood, they’re with you forever, and then they’re gone."

PRINCESS DIANA'S BROTHER, CHARLES SPENCER, REVEALS DEVASTATING FAMILY SECRET

"It’s a really extraordinary thing," the historian reflected.

Diana died in 1997 from injuries she sustained in a car crash in Paris. She was 36. At the time, the mother of two was being chased by paparazzi.

Spencer noted that grief never goes away.

"For years after Diana died, I would think, ‘I must ring her and tell her something,’ because we shared the same sense of humor," he recalled. "And you just realize, of course, that’s not going to happen."

The author described how his big sister played a key role in his childhood.

"As your family naturally folds in on itself — you lose your parents — I have two older sisters who I adore," Spencer explained. "They're quite a lot older than me, so I don't share my childhood with anyone anymore. And that's a great loss you can never really put right."

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The world, along with Spencer, watched Diana grow from a shy teenage nursery schoolteacher into a glamorous celebrity who comforted AIDS patients. She instantly became a household name when she married the future King Charles III in 1981, when she was 20 years old. They welcomed two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, before the couple announced their separation in 1992. Their divorce was finalized in 1996.

Spencer said that even as a teenager, he felt an urgency to protect his sister from "the photographers who were plaguing her."

"I remember just before she died, a female journalist wrote a really horrendous article, because by that stage I don’t think that journalist was thinking of Diana as a person," said Spencer. "She was something to make money out of or whatever."

"I wrote her an outraged letter and had a bit of to and fro with her," he said. "I think, particularly as a brother of a sister, you always want to get stuck in, really."

It was during Diana’s funeral that Spencer denounced the ruthless U.K. press that hounded his beloved sibling in her lifetime.

Spencer was 42 years old when he first revealed to a therapist he had been sexually abused as a child. At the time, he had "hit rock bottom." Seventeen years later, he detailed the trauma he endured in a memoir, "A Very Private School."

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He never told Diana about his experience at Maidwell Hall, an elite English boarding school. But as he struggled with loneliness away from his family, he often thought of his sister.

"She was the closest person to me growing up," he told Fox News Digital in 2024. "We had two much older sisters and a baby brother who had died. Then there was Diana and me. We were very close. And, actually, that was one of the devastations of being sent away. She was sent a year ahead of me, but for the first few years of my life, we went everywhere together."

WATCH: PRINCESS DIANA’S HAIRDRESSER RECALLS THEIR LASTING FRIENDSHIP

"We did everything together," he shared. "We went to a very gentle primary school together, a day school, [before boarding school]. She was an absolutely lovely older sister to a little boy whose parents were divorced and had quite a traditional English upbringing. We were allies."

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At the time, a spokesperson for Maidwell Hall didn't immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. It previously told "Today" that it has notified authorities who investigate crimes against children. School officials are also encouraging any past students with similar experiences to come forward.

Today, Spencer hopes the school will now deal with its past "in an honest way."

"I would tell [my younger self] it wasn’t his fault," Spencer said. "As a child, you’re always thinking it’s your fault. I used to think I must have failed as a son to be sent away to such a place and not be part of the family. … But I would tell him, ‘You’re fine. You’ve come out on the other side.’"

Sylvester Stallone and Richard Gere almost brawled over Princess Diana at Elton John’s party: author

Tue, 13 May 2025 06:00:15 -0400

There was a clash of the titans over the People’s Princess.

Princess Diana not only captivated the public, but she apparently made Hollywood heavyweights weak in the knees. In his new book, "Dianaworld: An Obsession," author Edward White explores how the late Princess of Wales not only rocked the monarchy but also impacted pop culture decades after her death in 1997 at age 36.

One story White shared in his book about the "Diana Effect" claims Sylvester Stallone and Richard Gere nearly went toe-to-toe over the British royal at Elton John’s house in the '90s. The account in the book came from John’s husband, David Furnish.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Stallone, 78, and Gere, 75, for comment. When a fan previously asked Stallone about the alleged incident in an old Instagram post, the actor responded, "Complete fabrication," Biography.com reported.

"It’s a story that [also] comes from Elton’s autobiography," White told Fox News Digital. "He invited Sylvester Stallone and Richard Gere to a house party that Diana was also at. I mean, it’s Elton John, so probably everyone in the room was like an A-list celebrity or a member of some grand European royal family."

"So they turned up," White shared. "According to Elton John, Sylvester Stallone turned up with the intention of picking up Diana, which is wishful thinking in several ways… But he did that."

"Sylvester Stallone walked in and saw Diana in deep conversation with Richard Gere," White claimed. "He felt that Stallone got angrier and angrier as the evening wore on, because Richard Gere was just dominating. That’s how he felt – that he was dominating the conversation with Diana."

"At some point, from what Elton John says, Sylvester Stallone’s emotions got the better of him," White continued. "He then squared up to Richard Gere, and they had to be separated… It was these two alpha males squabbling over a woman who neither probably had a chance with, to be honest."

John originally shared his account in his 2019 book, "Me." According to the singer, Gere and Diana were deep in conversation in front of the fireplace at his pad, which caused the mood of the party to change.

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"As the rest of us chatted, I couldn't help but notice a strange atmosphere in the room," John recalled, as quoted by Biography.com.

"Judging by the kind of looks he kept shooting them, Diana and Richard Gere's newly blossoming friendship was not going down well with Sylvester Stallone at all. I think he may have turned up to the party with the express intention of picking Diana up, only to find his plans for the evening ruined."

WATCH: PRINCESS DIANA'S BALLET TEACHER RECALLS SURPRISE ‘UPTOWN GIRL’ DANCE

John wrote, "Straight away, Richard Gere and Diana seemed very taken with each other."

According to John, the guests headed over to the dining room to eat. However, Gere and Stallone were noticeably missing. John said he then sent Furnish to find the men.

"He came back with both of them, but he was wearing a fairly ashen expression," John wrote, noting that Furnish said there was "a situation."

"It transpired that he’d discovered Sylvester Stallone and Richard Gere in the corridor, squaring up to each other, apparently about to settle their differences over Diana by having a fistfight," wrote John, as quoted by the outlet.

The outlet shared that Furnish managed to break up the situation in time for dinner.

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John, 78, wrote that Diana "seemed completely unruffled" by it all.

Tessa Baring of the Barnardo’s children’s charity claimed that on another occasion, it was clear that Stallone was, like many others, eager to be in Diana’s presence.

According to Edward’s book, Baring described that, during a lunch in London, Stallone "really, really wanted to come and sit next to the Princess of Wales."

"We didn’t let him do that, but we did let him sit next to a child who was sitting next to the Princess of Wales," said Baring, as quoted by White’s book.

"Baring remembered the occasion because she thought Diana hit upon an effective way of placating the film star, making the child feel included, and indulging her own desire to find out the latest gossip, by leaning over and asking Stallone questions about his love life as though she were asking them on Tracy’s behalf: ‘Tracy and I want to know if you’re married,’" wrote White.

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Stallone and Gere weren’t the only stars who were reportedly eager to spend a night with the princess.

White’s book also described how Freddie Mercury, frontman of Queen, managed to get Diana to sneak out of the palace in disguise and head to "one of London’s most famous gay bars."

"There are these stories of royals slipping out among the commoners in disguise, and they have this magical experience because they’re living just like one of us," White told Fox News Digital. "By dressing up in male drag and going out, she felt embraced by a marginalized community. She felt an affinity with them because, rightly or wrongly, she felt like an outsider, and they were very accepting of her."

"I also think she took huge pleasure in taking risks," White continued. "It was a huge part of her identity that came back time and time again as I was researching the book. She just took the most incredibly audacious risks. She didn’t stop to think twice about things very often… But I think she also felt that she was a rolling stone without a real home. And I also think she felt like she wasn’t living life properly unless she was taking risks."

"You could argue that getting engaged to Prince Charles at age 19, having only met him a few times and not really knowing very much about what was expected of her, was a pretty gigantic gamble," said White. "Maybe one that didn’t pay off."

In his book, White cited the memoirs of Cleo Rocos, who claimed she spent an evening with Mercury, Diana and Kenny Everett after the princess persuaded her to take her to the Royal Vauxhall Tavern. Everett warned the princess that the venue was "not for you… full of hairy gay men."

PRINCESS DIANA ‘RIPPED THE CORSET OUT’ OF HER MET GALA DRESS, REFUSED TO WEAR PINK, DESIGNER CLAIMS

"Diana was insistent, however, so Everett helped her disguise herself in male drag: a camouflage army jacket, hair tucked up into a leather cap and dark aviator sunglasses," Rocos recalled, as quoted by White’s book.

"Scrutinizing her in the half-light, we decided that the most famous icon of the modern world might just…. JUST pass for a rather eccentrically dressed gay male model."

White wrote that the disguise worked.

"It was fabulously outrageous and so bizarrely exciting… no one, absolutely no one, recognized Diana."

White wrote that the group reportedly stayed for one drink and left. Diana quietly returned to Kensington Palace and sent back Everett’s clothes the next day.

Kate Middleton’s royal success came from dodging Princess Diana’s missteps: author

Mon, 12 May 2025 04:00:58 -0400

Kate Middleton has been crowned the reliable, glamorous face of a modern monarchy. Several royal experts believe that her secret to success has been playing by the rules and not breaking out as a royal rebel.

Edward White has written a new book about Kate’s late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, titled "Dianaworld: An Obsession." It examines the "Diana Effect" and how it continues to influence both the monarchy and pop culture, decades after her death at age 36.

White told Fox News Digital that, unlike Diana, who became engaged to the much older former Prince Charles when she was just 19 years old, Kate was more mature when she said "I do" to Prince William. Kate married the royal in 2011 when she was 29, and he was 28.

KING CHARLES' INFIDELITY LED PRINCESS DIANA TO RELY ON 'REVOLVING DOOR' OF 'SPIRITUAL ADVISORS': AUTHOR

"Kate Middleton is much more reminiscent of the older generation of royal figures in the way that she comports herself," White explained. "She was almost 30 when she married William, and that was deliberate from both sides. The big lesson that she probably learned from Diana’s life is don’t rush into becoming a royal."

"Diana’s life is more reminiscent to me of a pop star’s life," White shared. "She didn’t know what she was getting herself into. She was so young and very, very sheltered when she entered the royal family. Someone once said, ‘If you don’t know who you are before you’re famous, then fame is the thing that you become. It is the thing that will define who you are.’ I think that’s what happened to Diana, at least for many years."

Kate was not born into royal life. She’s the daughter of a flight attendant and a flight dispatcher and comes from a well-to-do area of London.

It was at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland where Kate first met William, the elder son of Charles and Diana and heir to the British throne. They were first friends and then housemates before they were romantically linked in 2004. Kate graduated in 2005 with a degree in art history and a budding relationship with William.

William complained about press intrusion, and Kate’s lawyers asked newspaper editors to leave her alone. Even so, the British media followed every twist in their relationship, including a brief split in 2007. The tabloids dubbed her "Waity Katie" for her patience during their courtship. William later acknowledged that the couple’s romance wobbled for several months, saying they were both young and trying to find their way.

In comparison, Diana was known as "Shy Di" when she found herself suddenly thrust into the glaring media spotlight. She later became an unlikely revolutionary during her years in the House of Windsor.

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Diana helped modernize the monarchy by making it more personal, changing the way the royal family related to people.

By interacting more intimately with the public – kneeling to the level of children, sitting on the edge of a patient’s hospital bed, writing personal notes to her fans – she set an example that has been followed by other royals as the monarchy worked to become more human and remain relevant in the 21st century.

But Diana’s brief life was plagued with problems. She became paranoid of the palace trying to control her and cited a lack of support from senior members and the "men in gray," or palace aides who prioritized tradition. Meanwhile, Charles continued seeing his mistress, Camilla Parker Bowles. Their marital woes played out on the world stage and Diana famously declared in an explosive 1995 interview with the BBC, "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded."

"Diana dealt with the press scrutiny in the way that she felt that she could, and in the way that she felt she had to," said White. "I don’t think anybody was advising her to behave the way that she did with them. It’s an invidious position to be in. Kate Middleton handles the press scrutiny really well, but she… had to switch herself off and only focus on duty."

"The best way of dealing with the scrutiny is by giving [the press] nothing," White continued. "By stepping through the hoops of shaking hands, cutting ribbons and smiling, being dutiful and not being too big for your boots. Those are all the things that the monarchy is built on."

WATCH: PRINCE WILLIAM, KATE MIDDLETON CAN LEARN FROM PRINCESS DIANA'S MARRIAGE

British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that Kate receives constant support from both the palace and her family – something that Diana lacked as she struggled with royal life.

"The truth is, there was an enormous amount of tension and animosity between Princess Diana and Prince Charles," said Chard. "They were not a happy couple and didn’t work as a team… Princess Diana was like a rabbit thrown into the headlights. Life was hard as she didn’t have the support she craved and needed. She learned to fend for herself, grew in strength and was perceived as a rebel. She wasn’t going to allow anybody to dim her light."

"Princess Catherine came from a supportive family, "Chard shared. "She also had a longer time edging her way into royal life. The most important factor is that she and Prince William are a dream team. They work together perfectly. They are each other’s rocks, plus they have an amazing extended support network. Princess Catherine has always had a strong sense of self, a quiet strength, confidence and resilience… She also knows what is expected of her as the future of the modern monarchy."

"She navigates her role like a breeze and is the perfect future queen," Chard added.

Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner also agreed that William, a supportive spouse, has been essential to helping Kate navigate royal life with ease.

"Diana was strangled by royal bureaucracy, having to live with royal rules and regulations," he said. "After trying everything to make Charles love her, she eventually decided to fight back."

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"I used to work with Diana during those days," he shared. "I watched on many occasions when both competed with each other for the best photo opportunity. Diana always won because she was ‘The People’s Princess’ and everybody wanted to see her on public walkabouts, not Charles, which he grew to hate."

Diana also confided in the wrong people when she wanted her voice heard, Chard argued.

In 2021, William and Harry criticized the BBC after it was revealed that one of the broadcaster’s journalists used "deceitful behavior" to secure Diana’s TV interview. William said the BBC’s failures contributed to the deterioration of his parents’ marriage and worsened Diana’s feelings of paranoia.

Diana was killed in 1997 from injuries she sustained in a car accident. She was 36. At the time, her car was being chased by paparazzi.

"Princess Catherine had far greater preparation and resilience than Princess Diana due in part to entering into the monarchy as an adult, well aware of the institution’s demands, and with years of support from Prince William, her family as well as the palace," British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital.

"She’s been able to turn to her family to help her navigate both public and private challenges," Fordwich shared. "She has handled the intense media scrutiny with a blend of transparency, regal dignity and composure. Even her recent public acknowledgment regarding the unfortunate photo editing controversy demonstrated accountability and leadership, shielding the royal family from any further backlash."

"Despite intense international speculation during her illness, Princess Catherine even managed to share information on her terms, balancing public interest with personal privacy," Fordwich continued. "She hasn’t played the press in the same way Princess Diana did, as Princess Catherine is far more secure in general."

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There’s one thing all the royal experts agreed on – the monarchy’s future looks bright, something Diana would be proud of.

"Princess Diana sparkled, had an affinity with children, and loved her children more than anything in the world," said Chard. "The same can be said of Princess Catherine."

Prince William’s feud with Prince Harry would have Princess Diana ‘worried and concerned,’ her ex-lover claims

Wed, 26 Feb 2025 16:30:45 -0500

Princess Diana’s former lover is breaking his silence on Prince William and Prince Harry’s feud.

James Hewitt, who had an affair with the late Princess of Wales during her marriage to the future King Charles III, appeared on "Good Morning Britain" on Tuesday. The British Army officer was there to discuss his work with Operation Safedrop, which delivers humanitarian aid to Ukraine.

The 66-year-old was asked about the ongoing fallout between the Prince of Wales, 42, and the Duke of Sussex, 40.

PRINCESS DIANA’S FRIEND ON DEVASTATING PRINCE HARRY PATERNITY RUMORS: ‘IT’S NOT POSSIBLE’

"Any mother would be grief-stricken over the separation we've seen between Harry and Wills," said host Richard Madeley in a clip shared by UK's Express. "Do you think she would have been able to make a rapprochement possible?"

"I think any mother would be worried and concerned about such a rift, as you put it," said Hewitt. "And she'd do her best to try and get them together."

Hewitt met Diana at a party in 1986 and offered to give her horseback riding lessons. They went on to have an affair that, according to reports, lasted for several years.

Hewitt’s comments came shortly after former palace aide Jason Knauf spoke to "60 Minutes Australia." Knauf made rare comments about the brothers and how their relationship broke down in recent years.

"It's very difficult to have this stuff play out in the public eye, but [William's] chosen to keep his thoughts on it private, and I think all of us who know him really have to respect that we should do the same," said Knauf.

"But I will say, of course, it's been hard and sad, especially for all of us who know both of them."

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It’s been widely reported that the relationship between Harry and William began to disintegrate in 2016. At the time, William reportedly expressed concerns about how fast Harry’s relationship with then-girlfriend Meghan Markle was going. Those comments reportedly didn’t sit well with Harry.

Harry married the "Suits" alum in 2018.

When asked if Harry’s role within the royal family could change when William accedes to the throne, Knauf responded, "I can't speculate about the future. They achieved a lot together, and none of that can ever be taken away."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020 and moved to California. They cited what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media.

Since Harry and Meghan’s royal exit, the brothers have reunited only a handful of times, People magazine reported. According to the outlet, they were last together at a memorial service for their uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes, in August but reportedly avoided each other.

Sources previously told the outlet that Harry’s calls and letters to his father, King Charles III, go unanswered. His attempts to connect with William are also ignored. Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment at the time.

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In his 2023 memoir, "Spare," Harry alleged that during an argument in 2019, William called Meghan "difficult" and "rude" and then grabbed him by the collar and knocked him down. Harry suffered cuts and bruises from landing on a dog bowl. Harry claimed Charles implored the brothers to make up.

Following the funeral of Charles’ father, Prince Philip, in 2021, the king pleaded, "Please, boys, don’t make my final years a misery."

While promoting "Spare," Harry admitted that his mother would be "sad" about the tension with his brother.

"I think she would be looking at it long term to know that there are certain things we need to go through to be able to heal the relationship," the Duke of Sussex said at the time.

For years, some have speculated that Hewitt was Harry’s biological father, not Charles. Both Harry and Hewitt share ginger hair and freckles.

But Richard Dalton, Diana’s hairdresser, told Fox News Digital in 2024 that "it’s not possible." At the time, Dalton was promoting his memoir, "It’s All About the Hair," which details his friendship with the princess.

WATCH: PRINCESS DIANA’S HAIRDRESSER RECALLS THEIR LASTING FRIENDSHIP

"It was tough," Dalton admitted. "Harry was already born a while before her relationship with Hewitt. And I don’t think it’s possible."

"But no," he stressed. "Harry and the Spencer family have red hair. Charles, Diana’s brother, had bright red hair when he was [in] college. And I used to cut his hair then. [Diana’s sister] Sarah, has bright red hair. [Diana’s other sister] Jane was more or less the same coloring as Diana."

He also shared in his book that Diana "used to get very upset" with the tabloids insisting that Hewitt was Harry’s father.

"The red hair was a trait from the Spencer family," he wrote.

It’s also noted that Harry was born in 1984, two years before Diana met Hewitt.

When Diana started taking riding lessons from Hewitt, it confused Dalton, who thought to himself, "Diana didn’t like riding horses." However, he understood that Diana was a young woman "longing to be truly loved."

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"I knew nothing about their affair and was not involved with any of the rendezvous, other than maybe unwittingly doing Diana’s hair each day," Dalton wrote. "She was certainly giddy at times when she talked about him because it was all new to her; however, we need to remember the context in which this all took place."

"Diana was starved of affection and intimacy from her husband, the man she loved," he wrote. "She was also an heir-making machine for Charles and was coming to terms with the betrayal within her marriage."

"It saddened me to see James Hewitt, by virtue of his tell-all book, clearly signal that this relationship was a conquest and not a matter of love at all. He got her at her most vulnerable and, for her, he was just the first man who rolled along – a twist of fate, time and place. If it had not been him, it would have been someone else."

"He was certainly not the love of her life at the time, Charles was – there is no question in this matter at all," Dalton added.

Meghan Markle channels Princess Diana in new photo ahead of delayed Netflix show launch

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:53:31 -0500

Meghan Markle gave Princess Diana a nod just days before her Netflix show, "With Love, Meghan," is set to premiere.

On Sunday, the Duchess of Sussex shared a series of snapshots of her weekend activities at her home in Montecito, California. In one video, Markle was wearing a purple Northwestern University crewneck sweatshirt – similar to one the late princess wore during her trip to Chicago in 1996.

Markle attended Northwestern University from 1999 to 2003 and graduated with a double major in theater and international relations.

MEGHAN MARKLE POSTPONES LIFESTYLE SERIES RELEASE DUE TO CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES

According to Northwestern University's website, the Princess of Wales made a three-day visit to Chicago to raise money for cancer research in 1996.

Her visit to Northwestern included a short tour of the Evanston campus as well as a visit to the home of Northwestern President Henry Bienen, who hosted Diana for a private reception with breast cancer researchers, Northwestern trustees, the governor of Illinois and the mayors of Evanston and Chicago.

The following day, Diana offered opening remarks at the Northwestern University Symposium on Breast Cancer at the Pritzker School of Law’s Thorne Auditorium.

"I love Chicago," Diana said. "It’s been wonderful."

ROYALS ‘COULDN’T GIVE A DAMN' ABOUT MEGHAN MARKLE'S NETFLIX SHOW, DUCHESS IS ‘CLOSED CHAPTER:’ EXPERTS

In total, her visit raised nearly $1.5 million for cancer research beneficiaries, including the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, the website states.

Markle's nod to Diana comes nearly a week before "With Love, Meghan" is set to premiere.

Last month, just two days before the show's original premiere date, the Duchess of Sussex postponed the release of her latest venture, citing the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire in Southern California.

"At the request of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and with the full support of Netflix, the release of the show – a heartfelt tribute to the beauty of Southern California – has been moved from its previously announced January premiere date to March 4, due to the ongoing devastation caused by the Los Angeles wildfires," a Netflix representative confirmed to Fox News Digital at the time.

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"I’m thankful to my partners at Netflix for supporting me in delaying the launch, as we focus on the needs of those impacted by the wildfires in my home state of California," Markle said.

Experts said the postponement was a good move on Markle's part.

"It would have been wrong to launch her new show while the wildfires continue to rage through L.A.," royal photographer Helena Chard exclusively told Fox News Digital at the time. "I have to say it’s a first, her giving some thought to the release date of her series. She usually releases her work at the most inappropriate time, to the dismay and wrath of the general public."

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"The public have understandably constantly berated her for being tone deaf. She is hoping the public see her in a new light as a caring, helpful and kind person, thus changing their current perception of her."

Branding expert Doug Eldridge told Fox News Digital, "Given the scope and scale of devastation in California, this is a time to focus on the people and places that truly matter in life.

"Amid the tragedy, Markle has a real shot at achieving the one thing that's always eluded her: relatability. She doesn't need to play a character or rehearse a script; she just needs to be real."

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Fox News Digital's Tracy Wright and Ashley Papa contributed to this post.