What FIRST set the royal brothers at war: Prince William wept as his mother admitted adultery on TV - then, after bringing Prince Harry in to his wild set, left him to fend for himself after a drink and drugs scandal, explosive new book revealsThe roots of Harry and William's rift go long before Meghan came on the sceneThe brothers struggled with the public break-up of Charles and DianaHarry also felt abandoned by William after his drugs and Nazi uniform shame

By ROBERT LACEY FOR THE DAILY MAIL

PUBLISHED: 08:01 AEDT, 6 October 2020 | UPDATED: 08:25 AEDT, 6 October 2020

In the first two parts of our serialisation of his new book, distinguished royal historian Robert Lacey revealed how Harry and Meghan's behaviour left the Royal Family 'hopping' mad, and Harry's fury when William asked his uncle, Earl Spencer, to suggest he slow down his marriage plans. 

But, as today's extract reveals, the roots of the rift between the brothers actually took hold long before Meghan came on the scene... as did their own psychological pain, which began in early childhood...

Back in 1992, both brothers had to cope with their parents' conflict going public, appearing in lurid detail on TV screens and newspaper front pages after the publication of Andrew Morton's explosive book, Her True Story — based largely on Diana's own taped testimony. It was a deliberate and aggressive exposure of the family's bad blood.

The mother who felt sure she was so devoted to her children had months to think about the effect that her revelations might have on them. But she'd gone ahead anyway, disclosing how she had tried to commit suicide when she was three months pregnant — which effectively said to William: 'I tried to kill us both when I was carrying you by throwing myself down the stairs.'

Ten weeks after Morton's book was serialised, the Diana–James Gilbey tapes were published, revealing to the world that the princess answered to the name of 'Squidgy'; that Gilbey made her go 'all jellybags'; and that life with Prince Charles was 'real torture'.

The roots of the rift between Harry and William actually took hold long before Meghan came on the scene

'Squidgygate' was nothing, however, when compared with the ear-nose-and-toe-cringing embarrassment of 'Camillagate' — the transcript of Harry and William's father talking on the phone to his mistress.

'I want to feel my way along you, all over you and up and down you and in and out. . . Particularly in and out,' he said, in one of their exchanges.

Next came Charles's admission in 1994 to his relationship with Camilla in a TV interview with Jonathan Dimbleby, followed by Anna Pasternak's sensational account of their mother's love affair with James Hewitt. The two princes were particularly infuriated by the Hewitt revelations.

They'd spent long hours on horseback with the man they'd called Uncle James, and had driven down with him and Diana quite regularly to stay in Devon for breaks with his mother Shirley.

Now, in October 1994, William and Harry were informed by Anna Pasternak's book that Uncle James had made love to their mother in a Highgrove lavatory while they were on the other side of the door.

The following year, 13-year-old William saw Diana accomplish her final flanking movement in her media battle with his father.

Support: William helps his younger brother learn to walk in 1985. Seven years later, they had to contend with their parents' marriage woes going public

In her November 1995 interview with Martin Bashir on BBC's Panorama, which he watched alone in his housemaster's study, she talked of 'three of us in this marriage'.

But it was his mother's candid admission that there had come to be four in the marriage — that she'd fallen in love with James Hewitt — which tipped the teenager over the edge.

Diana spoke of 'betrayal', and that was exactly what William felt. Their mother had clearly seen how upset both her sons had been when Charles had confessed his intimacy with Camilla on TV the previous year. Yet here she was, doing the very same thing.

When William's housemaster returned to his study, he found the prince slumped on the sofa, his eyes red with tears. And when Diana telephoned an hour later, William refused to speak to her.

Two days later, the distraught princess told her faith-healer Simone Simmons what had happened. William had been 'so angry with her,' said Diana.

He had broken out in one of the notorious rages that would, from time to time, scar his teenage years and young adult life.

Diana's candid admission that there had come to be four in the marriage — that she'd fallen in love with James Hewitt — tipped William over the edge.

'All hell broke loose. He was furious . . . that she had spoken badly of his father, that she had mentioned Hewitt . . . He started shouting and crying and, when she tried to put her arms around him, he shoved her away.' The next day, William apologised to his mother for his bad temper, and presented her with a bunch of flowers. But Diana felt some irretrievable damage had been done.

'What have I done?' Diana kept asking Simone, as though she finally realised the pain and long-term emotional damage her bitter public feuding had inflicted on her sons. 'What have I done to my children?'

By the time Harry joined William at Eton in 1998 — a year after Diana's death — life and tragedy had forged the brothers into a mutually supportive companions. They enjoyed two of the most closely interlinked years of their lives.

William had established a close and trusted circle of Eton friends, and his brother was invited to join them. But quite a few of his expanding social circle were a full two years older than him — making it likely that the 14-year-old would be introduced to temptations ahead of his years.

And Harry's bright self-confidence was misleading — he was not as grown-up as he appeared.

By the time Harry joined William at Eton in 1998 — a year after Diana's death — life and tragedy had forged the brothers into a mutually supportive companions

For security reasons, Prince Charles had a bomb-proof shelter constructed in the cellar of Highgrove, and he allowed his sons to adapt it into a disco-rumpus room — 'Club H', a black-painted dungeon discothèque scattered with scruffy sofas, where Harry and William could entertain their school friends during their holidays.

It featured a well-stocked bar — here was the first temptation for the young Harry — along with a state-of-the-art sound system that made every floor of the 200-year-old building quiver.

Club H turned Highgrove into quite the hot spot when Dad happened to be away — which was an ever more frequent occurrence.

Charles's priority at the time was his campaign to get Britain to accept his relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles.

In his absence, 16-year-old William — already a steady drinker — and his younger brother 'relaxed' intensively. Club H had been very much William's inspiration, with his older friends largely setting the social pace for Harry.

If Prince Charles did happen to be at home, the two brothers and their friends could all pile out together to The Rattlebone Inn in the village of Sherston five miles away.

Friends recall 'no-speaks' and quite a serious rift between the two brothers after Harry's Nazi uniform shame

Of course, it is illegal in British pubs to sell alcohol directly to anyone below the age of 18, but the landlord of the Rattlebone turned a blind eye to under-age drinking – and the inn also allowed its young royal patrons to engage in afterhours 'lock-ins', where cannabis was smoked. The cars of royal bodyguards outside meant local police were unlikely to stage a raid.

So these were the years when Prince Harry — still an impressionable teenager — started to drink alcohol in serious quantities. He loved to swill it down like his brother, reported friends.

And some of the Rattlebone circle also began sampling exotic substances. This can hardly have been a shock to Harry, who'd already earned the nickname 'Hash Harry' at Eton, on account of the smoky aroma that often emanated from his room.

But a quiet word of warning in the right ear might have avoided what happened next.

By August 2000, William, now 18, had left Eton and headed off to Belize for his pre-university gap-year adventure. Lonely and left to his own devices, Harry began getting stoned to excess, continuing his pot-smoking throughout William's absence in 2001, until someone — a member of the Highgrove staff, it is thought — told Prince Charles what was going on. 

The timing of what happened next is confused. But it's known that sometime in June or July 2001 — several weeks before Charles was made aware of his son's problem in August or September — the Prince of Wales's former equerry Mark Dyer had escorted Harry on a low-key educational visit to a rehabilitation centre in Peckham, South-East London.

There, the young prince spent a few hours talking to former heroin and cocaine addicts, who also briefed their visitor on 'the consequences of taking drugs'.

But when the News of the World broke the story in January 2002 — 'Harry's Drugs Shame' — it was implied that Prince Charles had organised this rehab visit after the incident, specifically as some sort of therapy for Harry's drug-taking in order to provide his son with a 'short, sharp shock'.

This alteration of the timetable re-wrote history, turning a narrative that might have suggested parental out-of-touchness into a fable of fatherly redemption, with the News of the World actually praising Charles's 'decisive intervention' in an editorial headed 'Courage of a Wise and Loving Dad'.

Meghan was not the original factor in Prince Harry's decision to get shot of his family in January 2020

This masterpiece of damage limitation had been the work of Charles's assistant private secretary Mark Bolland. But whose reputation was actually saved? Some newspapers suggested it was William who should get the credit for intervening at his father's request to 'save' Prince Harry.

Harry had certainly lost his way in 2000 and 2001 when William disappeared from his life to pursue his gap year.

But it was William who had opened the first bottles behind the well-stocked bar in the cellar of Highgrove and had led the group forays to The Rattlebone Inn after hours.

It was William who was the blue-eyed glamour boy at the centre of the so-called 'Glossy Posse' that surrounded the young princes, pouring out the drinks and inspiring all the revels that would coax his younger brother — a full two years and three months younger and still a child — into errant and self-destructive ways.

In short, it was William who'd been the Lord of Misrule and the driving spirit behind the entire seductive fantasy of Club H.

Yet William — and also his father — moved seamlessly on from 'Harry's Drugs Shame' towards the grand and glittering roles that the royal dynasty and public opinion required of them.

Nothing seriously discreditable was ever written about the future William V — the 'King of the Castle'. It was Harry who was cast as the 'dirty rascal'.

https://www.quora.com/What-kind-of-temperament-did-King-George-VI-have

What kind of temperament did King George VI have?

It so happens that George VI is the only member of the British royal family (or for that matter any royal family) for whom I’ve ever been able to feel anything resembling personal affection. So that’s why this answer is so long: normally I don’t give this kind of space to deceased royals, only to great musicians.

(Source: George VI (r.1936-1952))

At some point back in 2003, I picked up a copy of George VI’s official biography, King George VI: His Life and Reign, by John Wheeler-Bennett.

It’s a book which was described by the more recent historian David Cannadine as ‘courtly and obsequious’.

It is both those things, but it’s nevertheless possible to use it, with other sources, to piece together a picture of the man.

The most important fact that we need to bear in mind about George VI is that he never expected to become king.

He grew up in the shadow of his vastly more outgoing and charismatic elder brother, the Prince of Wales, the future Edward VIII, known to the family as ‘David’, just as the subject of this answer was known to the family as ‘Bertie’.

David was confident, handsome, stylish and highly sociable.

Bertie was painfully shy. As a child he suffered from chronic ill health in the form of knock knees (the treatment for which were painful splints), and stomach troubles.

He grew up terrified of his stern father George V, who deliberately ensured that his children would be afraid of him because, he said, his own father had terrified him, and so he was going to pass it on. George V had all the tact and emotional availability of a piece of 2x4, but, as we shall see, he was neither totally stupid, nor the world’s worst father.

In WW1, David, who was an officer in the Grenadier Guards, was forbidden to serve in the front line on the very sensible grounds that he’d probably be killed, but he kept dashing off to the front line anyway to see what it was like, which endeared him to military veterans and ultimately earned him a Military Cross—which, however, he admitted to feeling like he hadn’t earned. (Letters show Edward VIII didn't think he deserved Military Cross • The Crown Chronicles)

Bertie, however, served in the Navy.

Unlike his brother, he managed to get into actual combat.

He commanded the forward turret in the dreadnought HMS Collingwood during the Battle of Jutland, and managed to acquit himself bravely enough to get mentioned in dispatches, which is fairly impressive given that during his entire naval career he struggled with chronic seasickness. Wheeler-Bennett recounts a not entirely convincing story that his seasickness magically went away as soon as they went into action. Since nobody has claimed that he didn’t do what he did in the battle, I think it more likely that he just dealt with it.

I also suspect that one of the reasons for his bravery was a desire to not let down his father: a sense of duty was his most marked trait his whole life, as a look at Wheeler-Bennett’s index will confirm. A few weeks after the battle, he was put out of action by a duodenal ulcer, the effects of which rendered him hors de combat for the rest of the war.

It didn’t matter. He’d proved himself to himself.

After the war, David, the future Edward VIII, dashed around the world charming people and being horribly racist, commenting of Indigenous Australians they are the most revolting form of living creatures I’ve ever seen!

Bertie mostly stayed in Britain. In 1920 his father made him Duke of York as a pat on the head, and he toured deprived areas and became interested in industrial working conditions.

He created an annual series of summer camps for boys, which ran from 1921 to 1939: he seems to have enjoyed larking about playing daft games, and generally enjoying the camaraderie of people who weren’t going to make demands on him.

He married an Earl’s daughter, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, which impressed people no end at the time, because she wasn’t a member of the royalty.

She was pragmatic and sensible, and she seems to have impressed her father-in-law the king as a good influence, because he once remarked I pray God that my eldest son will never marry and that nothing will come between Bertie and Lilibet and the throne. ‘Lilibet’ was Bertie’s eldest daughter, the present QEII.

We all know what happened, right?

George V died.

David became Edward VIII, fell in love with an American divorcee, Wallis Simpson, and refused to give up the idea of marrying her, so faced with a cabinet that threatened to resign, he did for perhaps the only time in his life the right thing, and abdicated.

When Bertie went to his mother to give his account of his brother’s abdication, he noted in his own diary that he burst into tears.

He had never wanted to be king, disliking the limelight as much as his brother loved it, but that ol’ sense of duty kicked in.

That’s the thing that I find admirable about him: that sense of Fuck it. Fine. I’ll do it.

Of course, it’s not that he had much choice in the matter.

The next in line to the throne was his own daughter, who was only ten years old.

Then there were his younger brothers, among them the Duke of Kent, who was, from the royal perspective, a notorious flakeroo: a cocaine-addicted playboy who’d shag anything that moved, and was rumoured to have had affairs with both men and women.

If you were to give me the choice between partying with the Duke of Kent, or George VI, I’d have gone with the Duke of Kent’s crowd any day. Hell, yeah. But we’re talking, here, about restoring the dignity of a monarchy which had been severely dented by the behaviour of Edward VIII. If that’s the mission, then Bertie had no option whatsoever. He had to be the king.

And that sense of duty to the monarchy, as an institution, would be thing that he would pass down to his eldest daughter, and which explains so much of the family’s behaviour to this day.

George VI (as I’ll call him henceforth) had a bad stammer, which anyone who’s seen the movie The King’s Speech will be all too aware of.

Interestingly, I had thought that that movie had taken dramatic licence and had made him more hot-tempered and snarky and interesting than he was in real life, but Wheeler-Bennett alludes more than once to his short temper and ‘quick, pungent and salty’ wit, which however he’s far too much of a courtier to give us an example of.

One of the few examples I can find of George VI making a joke was when he was talking to the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Alan Brooke, at a social gathering in 1944. Brooke told the king that every time he met Field Marshal Montgomery, he had the impression that Montgomery was after his job.

You should worry, George VI replied. When I meet him, I always think he’s after mine.

In the run-up to WW2 he was firmly persuaded that his PM Neville Chamberlain could avert war and appease Hitler.

To the end of Chamberlain’s time in office, George VI continued to support him. He was bitterly disappointed that Chamberlain felt that he had to resign, and suggested Lord Halifax as his replacement, but Chamberlain made it clear that his own suggestion was that Churchill was the man. George didn’t like this idea, but once again, his sense of duty made him inclined to go with what his ministers told him.

George VI had another reason to dislike Churchill, over and above the fact that Churchill had been against appeasement.

Churchill had always been a friend and supporter of Edward VIII, and during the 1936 abdication crisis he’d pulled all sorts of levers in an attempt to defuse things and prevent the king from having to abdicate. He was in favour of a plan to turn the whole thing over to the people, to see what they thought. The then-PM, Stanley Baldwin, was firmly against the whole idea, and it never happened.

It’s just as well that it didn’t, given that the former Edward VIII would go on to be quite an admirer of the Nazis: Albert Speer was certainly convinced that if Edward had continued as king, the war might have turned out very differently. Those who regard Churchill as the inevitable saviour of Britain in WW2 might want to consider how the war might have turned out, if Churchill’s preferred heir had continued to be king in 1939.

Never mind, though, right?

In the event, the more humane and pragmatic George VI was king. He accepted Churchill as the new PM because that’s what you did.

Churchill very sensibly turned on his considerable charm, and soon the king and the PM were having weekly private talks about the course of the war, and by the turn of 1941 George was satisfied, commenting in his diary I could not have a better Prime Minister.

When at the end of the war the Conservatives lost the election, George was sorry to see Churchill go.

His first meeting with Labour PM Clement Attlee went off as well as could be expected, given George’s shyness and Attlee’s legendary taciturnity. Attlee showed up and was ushered into the presence of the king, and the two of them stared at each other in silence for some time, before Attlee finally announced I’ve just been made Prime Minister.

I know, George VI replied. I heard it on the wireless.

In terms of appearance and presentation, he seems to have been something of a control freak.

He was always impeccably turned out, and noticed the slightest irregularity in other people’s military uniforms.

He loved gardening, and was apparently a massive rhododendron nerd. In another rare example of his sense of humour, he once sent a friend a whimsical thank-you note in which he used the Latin names of rhododendrons for their literal meanings, in place of ordinary words like ‘round’ and ‘beautiful’.

Reading it now…it’s not that funny.

George VI stumbled into the monarchy.

But perhaps for that very reason, he earned the lingering respect and affection of his people, apart of course from those who didn’t want a monarchy in the first place (and I take their point).

The phrase Keep Calm, Carry On has become a meme in British culture in the last ten or so years.

It was originally introduced in 1939, as a motivational poster in the run-up to WW2.

But I would argue that, if anyone in pre-war British life embodied the spirit of Keep Calm, Carry On, it was surely Prince Albert, the future George VI.

His brother tried to change the monarchy to suit his personal temperament. Maybe that would have been a good thing—except that Edward VIII ended up finding a lot to value in Nazism.

Prince Albert, the future George VI, immediately set the monarchy back on its traditional track of not changing with the times. He resisted every change that came along, until it was obviously inevitable, and then he went along with it, and accustomed himself to it, and in many cases ended up approving of it.

George VI set the tone for the current British royal family, inasmuch as his eldest daughter is still the monarch, and every account suggests that she’s devoted to his memory.

Shy as he was, prickly as we are told he was, funny as we are told he was (although there’s hardly any evidence for it), he was a steely traditionalist, at a time when Britain almost certainly needed one.

Whether or not that’s what Britain needs now, is not a question that I address in this answer.

This King is a big Question Mark!

Chakriwat Vivacharawongse was banished from Thailand along with his three brothers after the crown prince accused their mother of adultery in 1996. The family resettled in the United States after the crown prince stripped his wife and young sons of their royal titles (pictured: Vivacharawongse, left and inset, with his family, right; and his sister, inset, who retained her royal titles). Maha Vajiralongkorn - now King Rama X - has since remarried twice and scandalised the world by taking a concubine. Crowned in May last year, the 68-year-old monarch has been luxuriating with a harem of women at a German alpine retreat during the pandemic while his country protests his reign and his son struggles with a life-threatening illness.

The 37-year-old was banished from his homeland along with his three brothers after King Rama X, then crown prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, accused their mother Sujarinee Vivacharawongse of adultery in 1996.

The family resettled in the United States after the crown prince stripped his wife and young sons of their royal titles. Vajiralongkorn has since remarried twice and scandalised the world by taking a concubine.

Crowned King Rama X in May last year, the father-of-seven has been luxuriating with a harem of women at a German alpine retreat during the pandemic while his country protests his reign and his son undergoes chemotherapy.

Chakriwat Vivacharawongse (left) with his brothers Juthavachara, Vacharaesorn, Vatchrawee, and his younger sister Sirivannavari, and their parents the Princess Sujarinee and Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn

Vivacharawongse, who says he became a doctor because he was inspired to learn as much as possible about his genetic condition, regularly posts health advice to a Facebook page of 62,000 followers.

Last week, the fourth of seven children to the Thai king wrote: 'Many of you who have followed medical information and stories about my health. You know that I'm under chemo now.

'I expected that while I was being treated, to still provide the same medical information and knowledge. But in reality, it's not as easy as I thought it would be and due to the side effects of chemo, I'm finding it difficult to keep up.

'Chemo will destroy the cells in the tumour but at the same time, chemo destroys the body's good cells too.'

WIFE #1 

Princess Bajrakitiyabha born in December 1978 to the crown prince's first wife Princess Soamsawali.

WIFE #2

Vajiralongkorn had five children with his second wife Sujarinee.

Sons: Juthavachara Vivacharawongse, born in August 1979; Vacharaesorn Mahidol, born in May 1981; Chakriwat Vivacharawongse, born in February 1983; and Vatcharawee Mahidol, born in June 1985. 

And a daughter: Princess Sirivannavari born in January 1987.

WIFE #3

Prince Dipangkorn Rasmijoti was born in 2005 to Vajiralongkorn's third wife Srirasmi Suwadee.

He is the fifth son, youngest child and the heir to the throne. 

It is not clear whether any of Vivacharawongse's tumours are cancerous as chemotherapy can also be used to treat the benign tumours caused by neurofibromatosis.

Most people with neurofibromatosis type 2, which Vivacharawongse suffers from, will experience hearing loss in their lifetime.

Other symptoms include, headaches, amnesia, seizures, muscle weakness and cataracts.  

Vivacharawongse, who lives in New York, graduated with a BA in Psychology and Biology from the University of Miami in 2006 before going on to study medicine.

He is the founder and CEO of Chakriwat Medical Information Center which aims to 'bring awareness to common medical ailments through clinical vignettes.'

The former Thai royal regularly posts videos to Facebook and YouTube as part of this mission.

In 1998, Vivacharawongse - then aged 15 - co-signed a letter with his brothers to the Thai press which only emerged four years ago.

The brothers accused King Rama X of 'trying to erase the memories of us,' when he was crown prince.

'Our father had never loved or treated our mother as his wife,' the letter said. 'She lived in a state of servitude, and every time he found another woman we would be forced out of the house.'

The aspiring actress Sujarinee met the prince as a teenager and was his mistress for 15 years before becoming the second of his four wives.

Vivacharawongse's three brothers, Juthavachara, 41, Vacharaesorn, 39, and Vatchrawee, 35, and his younger sister Sirivannavari, 33, grew up in the prince's palace while attending boarding school in the UK.

Vivacharawongse attended prestigious Sunningdale prep school and later Pangbourne College, both boarding schools in Berskshire. 

Crown prince Maha Vajiralongkorn with his second of four wives Princess Sujarinee who he married in 1994 after having five children with her during a 15 year affair

Vivacharawongse's sister Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana - the only child from the family who retained her royal titles

According to the brothers' letter, in 1996 the crown prince visited Britain and 'took away our little sister,' aged nine at the time, and they returned to Thailand where she was given the title Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana.

The brothers and their mother were stripped of their royal status and told to never come back.

The 1998 letter says, 'We tried constantly to ... contact our father but were never allowed to talk to him.'

It also claims that Vajiralongkorn sent private detectives to follow them.

Vivacharawongse lives in New York and attended the prestigious Sunningdale School in Berkshire as a boy

It added: 'Letters came from our father to the schools that we were attending saying that he would no longer pay. He demanded that we surrender our diplomatic passports in to the Thai royal embassy ... We were told that the Thai public does not accept us and that we were not welcome in Thailand.'

The brothers claimed that some of their mother's friends in Thailand were jailed for refusing to corroborate false allegations by the prince, that she had stolen jewellery and had an affair.

Other relatives were also persecuted, their property taken from them and exiled, the brothers wrote.

The family were granted political asylum in the United States in 1997 and given passports under the name Vivacharawongse.

In 2001, the crown prince married for a third time to Srirasmi Suwadee, a waitress who had worked in the royal household since 1992.

He described her as a 'modest and patient' woman who 'never says bad things towards anyone.'

In 2007, footage emerged of Princess Srirasmi topless and singing happy birthday to the king's pet poodle as the monarch watched on.

She also got on her knees and ate from a dog bowl in the same video.

Camilla, who wore her blonde hair coiffured away from her face to reveal a pair of pearl drop earrings, offers a wave to gathered crowds - all at a social distance - outside the London hospital

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have welcomed the president and first lady of Ukraine to Buckingham Palace in their first audience since the start of lockdown

Kate looked elegant in a cornflower blue belted dress, thought to be by Emilia Wickstead

William and Kate have taken part in a number of engagements since the easing of lockdown restrictions - including a visit by Kate Middleton to Derby University yesterday - but this is their first audience with a world leader in seven months.  

The Cambridges did not shake hands with their guests, as would have been customary before lockdown, but did stand up to greet the Ukranian visitors.  

During the brief meeting, the couples stood socially distanced before moving to two separate ornate sofas to continue their conversation

Comedian-turned-politician Mr Zelenskyy has travelled to London with a ministerial delegation on a two-day visit.

He will also sign the Political, Free Trade and Strategic Partnership Agreement with Boris Johnson on Thursday.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the agreement is a 'clear demonstration' of the UK's commitment to Ukraine's prosperity and security.

Mr Raab will meet Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba today to reaffirm support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity in the face of what the Foreign Office called 'malign behaviour from Russia'.

The Foreign Secretary will announce £5 million in humanitarian aid to support communities in eastern Ukraine who have been affected by conflict and the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The aid will go towards the provision of food, water, medical supplies and psychosocial support for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, the Foreign Office said.

Mr Raab said: 'Ukraine's stability is vital for Europe's security. Providing £5 million in humanitarian aid and signing the Political, Free Trade and Strategic Partnership Agreement is a clear demonstration of the UK's commitment to Ukraine's prosperity and security.'

Comedian-turned-politician Zelensky came to power last April promising to 'break the system' that had ruled Ukraine since independence in 1991.

Among his campaign promises were ending the conflict in the east, fighting corruption and reforming Ukraine's economy which is reliant on foreign aid.

Queen plans huge revamp of the play area at Sandringham by adding features inspired by landmarks around her Norfolk estate

Plans for the renovation were submitted to King's Lynn and West Norfolk Council Multi-level structures will include mini version of the St Mary Magdalene Church Cost of play area, which has been largely welcomed by parents, not yet revealed

By RAVEN SAUNT FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 05:19 AEDT, 8 October 2020 | UPDATED: 05:49 AEDT, 8 October 2020

The Queen is planning a huge revamp of the play area at Sandringham by adding features inspired by landmarks around her Norfolk estate.

The new multi-level structures will include mini versions of St Mary Magdalene Church and the Queen Alexandra's Nest summerhouse.

Some of the play equipment will be linked by high-level walkways with ladders, a wobbly rope bridge and four-tree decks, according to plans submitted to King's Lynn and West Norfolk Council.

The new play area has been welcomed by many parents on social media but one regular visitor to Sandringham which is the private property of the Queen said: 'It makes the place look even more like a theme park.'

A design statement said the existing play area will be enlarged to make it 'more adventurous' and 'appealing to a wider range of children and families'.

The plans follow recent improvements to car parks, the restaurant, shop and the visitor centre on the 20,000-acre estate which has 500,000 visitors a year.

The Queen is planning a huge revamp of the play area at Sandringham (pictured) by adding features inspired by landmarks around her Norfolk estate

Some of the play equipment will be linked by high-level walkways with ladders, a wobbly rope bridge and four-tr

The planning application states: 'The play area is a vital part of the offering at Sandringham, creating a desirable location for families with young children.

'It was discussed that the existing offering, although successful and enjoyed by many, could be improved by adding height to the structures, increasing the adventurous nature of the play elements and also creating themed elements, distinct and unique to Sandringham.'

The main feature will be a 26ft-high pair of towers based on the former Victorian water tower at Appleton on the estate. 

The new multi-level structures will include mini versions of St Mary Magdalene Church and the Queen Alexandra's Nest summerhouse (plans pictured)

The main feature will be a 26ft-high pair of towers (plans pictured) based on the former Victorian water tower at Appleton on the estate

It will include a spiral staircase and a 46ft sliding tube back to the ground as well as water play features, ladders, a climbing wall and talking tubes for children to communicate between floors. 

The plans describe one bit of play equipment for children to explore as being 'a - multilevel play structure inspired by St Mary Magdalene church'.

The Queen and other members of the Royal family attend the 16th-century church when they are at Sandringham House over Christmas.

Another feature is inspired by the medieval ruins of the St Mary's church at Appleton while a 'secret enclosed play structure' is based on Queen Alexandra's summerhouse known as the Nest and built in 1912, overlooking the lake in the garden of Sandringham House

It will include a spiral staircase and a 46ft sliding tube back to the ground as well as water play features, ladders, a climbing wall and talking tubes for children to communicate between floors (plans above)

The new play area has been welcomed by many parents on social media but one regular visitor to Sandringham which is the private property of the Queen said: 'It makes the place look even more like a theme park' (plans pictured)

A new toddler's play area will include two play houses with slides, stepping stones, connecting bridges and low level walkways allowing parents to walk alongside their children.

The planning application states: 'This master plan for the adventure play area aims to unify the space, maintaining the current play trail, whilst making sure all new elements tie in to the existing, allowing the site to feel harmonious throughout.'

'There is also a consideration for using high quality natural materials, this is vital for a tactile and sensory play experience. We also aim to source materials locally where possible.'

The costs of the new play area have not been revealed.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: 'Recently submitted planning applications to King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council are part of the Estate's on-going improvements works at Sandringham's Visitor Centre and Country Park.'

Camilla, 73, refused to stand on ceremony as she rolled up her sleeves and served lunch to a group of pensioners, even cutting up the food for one elderly customer. Kay Francis, 96, is almost blind and extremely hard of hearing and had no idea her waitresses was a member of the Royal Family. 

 WoW!  riding along on a bike all dressed up.  Love her she is always happy.

Orange you glad to see me! Queen Maxima of the Netherlands sports a glamourous tangerine gown as she joins King Willem-Alexander on a bike ride - and doesn't even change out of her heels

Dutch Queen, 49, sported stylish orange gown for an event in OoststellingswerfShe accompanied husband King Willem-Alexander, 53, on a joyful bike ride Couple out to discuss sustainable entrepreneurship in the region

By CLAIRE TOUREILLE FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 22:54 AEDT, 17 September 2020 | UPDATED: 23:28 AEDT, 17 September 2020

Queen Maxima gave a masterclass in how to make an entrance during an event with Willem-Alexander today. 

The Dutch monarch, 49, joined her husband, the King of the Netherlands, on a bike ride around Ooststellingswerf in the region of South East Friesland during a series of engagements

Looking impeccably glamorous, Maxima was unruffled as she hopped on to her bicycle in a striking orange dress, teamed with a statement hat and high heeled suede shoes. 

Queen Maxima was an orange blast during an event with Willem-Alexander today. The Dutch queen, 49, joined her husband the King of the Netherlands on a bike ride around Ooststellingswerf in the region of South East Friesland during a series of engagements today.

They visited Ooststellingwerf, Opsterland and Smallingerland where they met with officials and local businesses to  discuss sustainable entrepreneurship, agriculture and cooperation with the education sector.

The couple were treated to the ride while visiting ECOstyle, an eco-friendly company marketing ecologically responsible products for healthy soils, plants, crops, animals and livestock. 

During the visit, they met with local authorities, students and took a tour of the Biosintrum, a conference centre which was built out of eco-friendly materials. 

For the event, the stylish Maxima beamed in an orange gown and navigated her bike expertly as she wheeled her way around the engagement behind Willem-Alexander, 53.

Picture of elegance! Queen Maxima opted to wear the orange gown with a tan sunhat, sunglasses and a raffia clutch bag 

The royal couple had a blast on their bike ride, in which they were joined by a local official who seemed to be having a lot of fun as well 

Stylish Maxima made the most of the clement September breeze with her form fitting midi gown, adorned with an elegant draping effect on its side. 

The number's three-quarter sleeves and warn tangerine colour complimented the Dutch royal's natural tan perfectly.

She opted for a sunhat and sunglasses to complete the look, as well as a beautiful pair of multicoloured hoop earrings in orange and blue. 

Sporting a pair of tan swede heels and a raffia clutch bag of the same colour, she had no trouble making her way to the Biosintrum. 

She had also brought a tan jacket with her in case the unpredictable September weather turned.  

Her blond locks were neatly tucked in a bun under her hat and she glowed with a bit of blush and mascara. 

The Dutch royals were perfectly in sync as their rode to their next engagement. Willem-Alexander was sporting a dotted tie in orange which matched his wife's dress 

Maxima picked up her bike like a pro ahead of the leisure ride to the region's Biosintrum, an eco-friendly conference hall 

A bit low to get down to!

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Norway’s 83-year-old King Harald V on Friday underwent an operation to replace a heart valve at the main hospital in Oslo. The palace said it was successful and his condition was described as good, the palace said.

© Provided by Associated Press FILE - In this Saturday, May 4, 2019 file photo, King Harald V of Norway and his wife Sonja leave the Notre Dame cathedral after attending at the funeral of the Grand Duke Jean of Luxembourg, in Luxembourg. Norway’s 83-year-old King Harald V was admitted to the main hospital in Oslo Thursday, Oct. 8, 2020 to undergo an operation to replace a heart valve, the palace said. The surgery will not be an open heart operation, the palace said. The king will be awake, and the operation will be performed via the groin with local anesthesia. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)

Following the surgery at Rikshospitalet’s Cardiovascular and Lung Clinic, the monarch was transferred to an intensive care unit for further observation, the king's doctor, Bjoern Bendz, said in a palace statement,

Bendz said that the intervention was necessary to improve the king’s breathing, and added that this kind of operation is regularly performed.

Last month, the king was hospitalized with breathing difficulties. Doctors ruled out COVID-19.

After Friday's surgery, the palace said he will be on sick leave through October. His son and heir to the throne, Crown Prince Haakon, has stepped in and taken over his father’s duties.

The palace said the operation was not an open heart surgery and that the king was awake during the the operation that was performed via the groin with local anesthesia.

In 2005, the king’s aortic valve was replaced by an artificial heart valve. Such valves have a lifespan of between 10 and 15 years, the royal household had said.

A Republican lawmaker is demanding the British government ask the Queen to strip Meghan Markle and Prince Harry of their royal titles for 'interfering' in the upcoming American election, claiming they are using them to influence voters. 

Congressman Jason Smith of Missouri will send a letter making the request to British Ambassador to the United States Karen Pierce on Friday afternoon, DailyMail.com can reveal.

In remarks made on the election at the end of September, as some states had begun their early voting, Prince Harry urged people to 'reject hate speech' while Meghan called November 3 the 'most important election of our lifetime.' 

Their words made waves on both sides of the Atlantic and were seen as anti-Donald Trump, including by the president himself.

Smith points out that the British Royal family has a long tradition of staying politically neutral and notes the United States has expressed concern about foreign interference in its elections

'As you know, the British Royal Family has long observed a policy of strict neutrality in regard to political matters. I am therefore concerned by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's recent comments regarding the United States Presidential Election, especially given international conversations surrounding foreign interference in our elections and the Duke's status as a guest of the United States,' he writes in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by DailyMail.com.

The Queen controls Harry and Meghan's titles but acts on the advice of the government - meaning it would be up to her to act against the couple, but that if the prime minister, Boris Johnson, were to ask her to do it, she would have to at least consider the request.

  HARRY AND MEGHAN'S FULL ROYAL TITLES 

Harry's full royal title is 

His Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex, Earl of Dumbarton and Baron Kilkeel

Meghan is 

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Sussex, Countess Dumbarton and Baroness Kilkeel

The Queen cannot stop Harry being called a prince, because this is a simple statement of fact under the rules of British royalty, that as the son of the heir to the throne, he is a prince, meaning it would be up to Harry himself to stop using it

Smith called their actions 'a serious breach of the British Royal Family's policy of political neutrality and an inappropriate act of domestic interference by one of our closest allies.'  

The four-term congressman said even though the comments were made as private citizens, the fact the couple uses their titles confers the impression the statements came from the Royal Family and gives the words additional weight with voters.

'It is my view the titles and privileges they retain by permission of Her Majesty the Queen, given with the advice and consent of her government, prevent the Duke and Duchess from separating comments made in a personal capacity from their official position within the British Royal Family,' he wrote.

Smith said it effectively means the British Royal Family is interfering in the American election. 

'Therefore, by allowing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to retain their titles, and these political comments to continue, the British Government is effectively condoning interference in the 2020 United States Presidential Election from officials at the highest level of the British establishment,' he wrote.

He asked that the Duke and Duchess stop making such comments or that the Queen strip them of their titles. 

'I respectfully request the British Government ensure The Duke and Duchess of Sussex no longer attempt to interfere in our election or be stripped of all titles, styles, and privileges which they currently retain. I respectfully request you convey these concerns to both Her Majesty The Queen and to Her Majesty's Government,' he wrote.

HOW THE ROYALS GET THEIR TITLES 

The Queen has very few powers of her own but one is determining what her family members are called.

She does that by issuing 'letters patent,' royal proclamations which give - or take - titles from members of the royal family.

The Queen in effect can bestow and take away titles at will - although the British royal family does nothing impulsively.

The Queen's children were automatically princes and princesses by virtue of being the monarch's children.

But it was her decision to make Prince Charles Prince of Wales, which she did in 1958. Prince Andrew became the  Duke of York in 1986 when he married and the Queen has followed that precedent since then of giving new titles on marriage, making Prince Edward Earl of Wessex, then Prince William the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry the Duke of Sussex. Each one of them has secondary titles in Scotland and Northern Ireland; Prince Charles for example is the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland. 

Royals do not always want titles: Princess Anne insisted that her children were not given to them, even though as grandchildren of the monarch they are entitled to them. 

On the other hand Prince Andrew allowed his daughters to be known as their Royal Highnesses.  Perhaps significantly, neither Princess Beatrice or Princess Eugenie were offered new titles when they married, unlike their cousins; under previous monarchs the children of second sons have received new titles in the past.

The last significant change to royal titles was in 2011, when she decreed that Prince William's children will all be princes or princesses. Until then the queen's eldest grandson's younger children were not due to become princes or princesses, mostly because no monarch has been a great-grandparent since Queen Victoria.

One quirk of the current rules is that when the Queen dies, Prince Harry's son Archie would become the grandson of King Charles and therefore a prince. The new king would have to issue new letters patent to remove the title and presumably set a new rule that only his grandchildren by Prince William become princes or princesses.

The Queen does not have to seek advice on titles from the UK government, but Harry and Meghan's presence in a diplomatic row makes it impossible to imagine that her decision would be made unilaterally. 

Meghan and Harry's titles are solely decided by the Queen herself. She has the power to bestow - and to remove - royal titles. But the Queen acts on the advice of the UK government, and if the prime minister, Boris Johnson, were to formally advise her that it would be best to remove the titles, it would be extremely unlikely that she would refuse. 

While Meghan is a U.S. citizen and made clear her intention to vote in California, Harry is not a citizen. His immigration status is currently unclear. As the spouse of a U.S. citizen he can enter on a CR1 immigrant visa, giving him two years in the U.S. to apply for an IR1 resident visa, which can be converted to a green card. It is possible he has already converted his status to a green card, although that is unlikely. Green card holders are allowed to donate to political parties but other visa-holders are not, although that would not legally prohibit them from expressing a political view; First Amendment rights apply to everyone in the United States.

It is also possible Prince Harry could be in the United States on a diplomatic passport, because the British royal family are members of the government. Speaking out on politics in any way would be a breach of diplomatic protocol.

There are other options for Harry's visa, including an O-1 visa, claiming 'extraordinary ability,' which would allow him to stay for three years, but forbids making political donations, or that he used the company's yet-to-be named production company to sponsor him on one of a range of work visas. 

The U.S. government treats immigration status as a private matter, while Harry and Meghan's spokespeople have never commented on his status. 

In April a source told the Sunday Times that Harry did not intend to become a citizen or a permanent resident, suggesting he would remain on a visa which does not allow political donations. 

But even the issue of what Harry's last name would be is not entirely clear because royals are legally referred to by their titles, and do not legally record surnames. The couple's son - who has no royal titles - is Archie Mountbatten-Windsor. Mountbatten-Windsor is the name of the royal house, a combination of Prince Philip's surname, and the house of Windsor. But while in the British Army, Harry called himself Harry Wales. 

The Queen cannot stop Harry being called a prince, because this is a simple statement of fact under the rules of British royalty, that as the son of the heir to the throne, he is a prince, meaning it would be up to Harry himself to stop using it. 

Harry remains in line to the throne, although only in extremely unlikely circumstances. Before his brother William became a father, Harry was third in line, but he is now sixth in line behind Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. 

The last member of the royal family to lose a title was Harry's mother Diana, whose divorce removed her status as Her Royal Highness. She was deeply hurt by the move and the royal family and its aides came to see the decision as an error because of her public popularity.

The last royal to seek a new life abroad was the abdicated King Edward VIII, with his American wife Wallace Simpson. When he resigned the throne his brother - the new king and the Queen's mother - gave them the titles HRH the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. 

Sophie, Countess of Wessex is self-isolating at home after coming into contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus

Sophie, Countess of Wessex is self-isolating at home after coming into contact earlier this week with someone who has now tested positive for coronavirus.

Norways royals at home

Happy anniversary!

Pregnant Princess Eugenie shares unseen wedding snaps as she thanks 'dear' husband Jack Brooksbank for 'the best two years' of marriage

Princess Eugenie, 30, is celebrating her two year anniversary to Jack Brooksbank Royal shared a series of previously unseen shots from their wedding in 2018Posted an Instagram video with song called 'Baby It's You' by London GrammarCommented: 'Been the best 2 years married to you and 10 years with you in total'The couple announced they are expecting their first child together last month 

By HARRIET JOHNSTON FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 23:58 AEDT, 12 October 2020 | UPDATED: 00:54 AEDT, 13 October 2020

Princess Eugenie has shared a series of previously unseen wedding photographs as she posted a gushing tribute to her husband Jack Brooksbank on their second anniversary.  

The Queen's granddaughter, 30, posted an Instagram video online today showing a compilation of unseen holiday photographs and wedding snaps while the song 'Baby It's You' by indie band London Grammar played in the background.

Among the images were three pictures from their October 2018 wedding which have not been shared with the public before, including a snap of Eugenie and Jack, 34, sharing a laugh with one another after the ceremony.

Sharing the post online, Princess Eugenie, who is expecting her first child with Jack in the spring, wrote: 'Been the best 2 years married to you and 10 years with you in total.. happy memories always my dear Jack.'

 Princess Eugenie, 30, has shared a series of previously unseen wedding photographs as she posted a gushing tribute to her husband Jack Brooksbank, 34, on their second anniversary. In another photograph shared by the royal today, the couple can be seen enjoying an intimate private moment after their wedding ceremony 

In one of the photographs, which was taken from behind, the newlyweds could be seen enjoying a kiss after the ceremony while in another, they beamed as they posed in one another arms.

Other pictures shared in the compilation included holiday photographs of the couple from over the years, with one showing them posing alongside a huddle of penguins.

Other celebrities and family members were quick to comment and like the post by Princess Eugenie, with cousin Arthur Chatto writing: 'Congratulations soo lovely.'

Meanwhile Princess Beatrice's husband Edo Mapelli Mozzi was also among those who also congratulated the couple by liking the post.

 Meanwhile in a third image, the newlyweds appear to beam and laugh together while a glimpse of their wedding cake can be seen in the left hand side of the picture

Their wedding anniversary comes weeks after the Queen's granddaughter, 30, and her husband of two years Jack Brooksbank announced they are expecting the baby in early 2021.

A friend of the couple told People that while the 'fun' royal will likely be 'more of a bohemian parent', Jack is likely to be the 'calm and chilled' influence.   

Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice's mother Fergie has shown off her playful side during lockdown by donning costumes and crafting sets for her Fergie and Friends YouTube series.

In recent weeks, she's been sharing glimpses of her cooking talents on her channel - including the likes of peanut butter toast-shaped bears and gingerbread men.

 As well as the wedding photographs, the Queen's granddaughter shared pictures from various holidays with her beau, including one where they wrapped up warm to  look for penguins

Meanwhile the mother-of-two is also a widely successful children's author, signing a seven-book deal earlier this year.    

A family friend also claimed that titles 'don't matter' to Eugenie and Jack, who will raise the child at their home of Kensington Palace, and said they just want 'a happy healthy child.'

Speaking to Vanity Fair's Katie Nicholl, the source revealed: 'Eugenie knows that a title can be a curse as well as a blessing and she and Jack want their child to live an ordinary life and eventually work to earn a living.' 

Sources also said the couple will choose an 'ordinary' name for their first born. 

 The mother-to-be posted the compliation of images alongside a soundtrack of Baby It's You, by indie pop band London Grammar 

According to the regulations of the House of Windsor, Eugenie's baby will not automatically be entitled to the HRH styling, which only extends to grandchildren of the monarch. 

The source said even if the Queen offered a title as a gift, it was 'not Eugenie or Jack's desire' for their child to have a title.

Despite having royal titles, Princess Eugenie and her sister Princess Beatrice are not currently considered to be senior working royals, because they do not carry out duties full time on behalf of the Queen.

The sisters, who are ninth and tenth in line to the throne, both have full time jobs, and do not receive cheques from the Sovereign Grant, the government-supported fund that finances Queen Elizabeth II's official duties. 

 The couple, who have been together for ten years, announced last month they will welcome their first child together in early 2021 

Princess Eugenie works as a director for Mayfair-based gallery Hauser & Wirth and receives no money from the Queen. 

Eugenie graduated from Newcastle University in September 2009, after studying English Literature and the History of Art.

After completing her studies, Eugenie moved to New York to work for online auction firm Paddle8, before moving back to London in 2015.

She and her sister currently attend a handful of royal events a year, including occasionally joining the Queen at one of her annual garden parties in the summer, and making an appearance with other royals at Trooping the Colour. 

Meanwhile Jack, who is European brand manager for Casamigos Tequila co-founded by George Clooney  does not have a title or an HRH.  

In another selfie, the down-to-earth couple posed for a photograph while travelling through an airport together