A KEY diplomatic reception due to be hosted by the Queen on Wednesday has been postponed.
Buckingham Palace said the Queen had accepted the Foreign Secretary's advice to delay the event, which had been due to take place at Windsor Castle.
It is understood the postponement is because of the conflict in Ukraine.
The Queen would have been meeting hundreds of members of the Diplomatic Corps if the event went ahead as planned.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: "The Queen has accepted the Foreign Secretary's advice that the diplomatic reception at Windsor on March 2 should be postponed."
The Queen was forced to cancel her two planned virtual engagements on Thursday because she is still sounding a 'little croaky' and 'full of cold' as she continues to isolate with coronavirus, royal sources have revealed.
Read our Royal Family live blog below for the latest updates…
- Milica Cosic
Other Royal trips planned this year
Kate and William’s overseas trip overlaps a visit to Ireland for Charles and Camilla.
The future King and Queen Consort are set to make a three-day visit on March 23.
The Earl and Countess of Wessex will visit Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines from 22 to April 28 2022.
And Princess Anne will visit Papua New Guinea from April 11 to 13.
- Milica Cosic
Princess Eugenie's 'non-regal' body language
Princess Eugenie has shared a photo promoting her new podcast series for her charity, the Anti-Slavery Collective.
Body language expert Judi James spoke exclusively to Express.co.uk, and analysed the Princess’ body language in the photograph.
Judi said: “There seems to be an emphasis on a non-regal presence here and a more even-handed status approach between the three women who sit with headphones on recording.
“Eugenie looks serious and rather down-to-earth here which is a look that must suit the campaign she is discussing."
- Milica Cosic
Harry’s book to look ‘inside’ Charles & Diana’s marriage
Speaking to US Weekly, British Royal correspondent Tom Skyes has talked about whether Harry will “really go for Camilla” when speaking on the breakdown of the marriage between Prince Charles and Diana in his new book.
Skyes said: “If you really think what a publisher is going to pay $20 millions for, it’s the inside account of the breakdown of that marriage”.
Prince Harry is to release a memoir next year, which he says will be “accurate and wholly truthful”.
In a statement, The Duke of Sussex said: “I’m writing this not as the prince I was born but as the man I have become.
“I’ve worn many hats over the years, both literally and figuratively, and my hope is that in telling my story – the highs and lows, the mistakes, the lessons learned – I can help show that no matter where we come from, we have more in common than we think.
“I’m deeply grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned over the course of my life so far and excited for people to read a first-hand account of my life that’s accurate and wholly truthful.”
- Milica Cosic
Andrew's legal battle 'a distraction the Queen didn't need in Jubilee year'
The Queen "deserves a fantastic celebration" in her Platinum Jubilee year and does not need to be "upset" by the Duke of York's legal worries, a Conservative MP has said.
Andrew Rosindell (Romford) said the legal battle between the duke and Virginia Giuffre was a "private matter" for the royal.
Mr Rosindell's remarks, in a pre-recorded interview with GB News to be broadcast on Thursday, came after it was reported that the Queen would help to pay the £12 million out-of-court settlement Andrew has agreed with Ms Giuffre.
Speaking to presenter Gloria De Piero, Mr Rosindell said: "I don't know what's going on there and clearly it's very difficult and it's very upsetting for the Queen, especially in this year of the Queen's Jubilee.
"I want this year to be a wonderful year for the Queen, she deserves a fantastic celebration, and this is a distraction which the Queen didn't need, the country doesn't need it.
"So, it is a private matter really for Prince Andrew to resolve and I really hope it can be resolved very quickly because I want to celebrate a wonderful year for the Queen as she reaches 70 years on the throne and I think that's something we should be focusing on rather than issues such as the problems that Prince Andrew is facing."
- Milica Cosic
Queen LOVES The Kumars at No.42, former journalist claims
The Queen once described The Kumars at No 42 as her favourite television programme and was even able to "recite some of the one-liners from the grandma character", a former BBC journalist has said (Charlotte Wace writes).
It bolsters several reports over the years about the Queen being a fan of the sitcom, which is based on a British Indian family and was first broadcast in 2001.
The show is centred on Sanjeev Kumar, an aspiring chat show host who broadcasts from his home in Wembley while his relatives constantly interrupt.
Phil Jones, a former editor of The Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2, described how he had kept the "exclusive story secret for 21 years" after a meeting with the Queen during a media function at Buckingham Palace in 2001.
Writing for The New Statesman, he explained that a BBC executive had told him that "on pain of death, journalists should never reveal their conversations with the monarch".
But Jones went on anyway: "The first thing the Queen said was how much she loved Terry Wogan. No surprise there. We all knew the Queen was a Radio 2 listener.
"We chatted for ages, which I can tell you is rather surreal. My brain kept saying, 'Bloody hell I'm talking to the Queen and I can't think of a single thing to say!'
"In the end I alighted on, 'What's your favourite programme?' Straight away, she said, 'The Kumars at No 42' and, even more astonishingly, proceeded to recite some of the one-liners from the grandma character, played by the brilliant Meera Syal."
- Milica Cosic
Harry given ‘insufficient information’ over security decision, court hears
The Duke of Sussex received “insufficient information” over a decision to change his tax-payer funded police protection when he is in the UK, the High Court has heard.
Harry is bringing a legal challenge against the Home Office after being told he would no longer be given the “same degree” of personal protective security when visiting from the US, despite offering to pay for it himself.
The duke wants to bring his children to visit from across the Atlantic, but “does not feel safe” when visiting under the current security arrangements, the court was previously told.
He is challenging the February 2020 decision of the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec), which has delegated powers from the Home Secretary.
Harry is arguing that his private protection team in the US does not have adequate jurisdiction abroad or access to UK intelligence information which is needed to keep his family safe.
On Friday, the first hearing in the case continued at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, at which Harry was not present.
- Joseph Gamp
Prince George joins William & Kate at England v Wales Six Nations game
Prince George joined his parents at the rugby where the Duchess of Cambridge scored a victory over her husband with England's win against Wales.
The duke and duchess were in direct competition at Twickenham Stadium for what was the first match Kate attended since becoming patron of the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
William, who has been patron of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) since 2016, and Kate are known for their rivalry during sporting engagements and the pair sported their own team scarves on Saturday.
George sat in between his mother and father at the game, and Kate was seen leaning down to talk to her smiley eight-year-old son, while both parents were seen to point things out to him.
The young prince was wearing a navy and red coat, matching his father's choice of colours, while Kate wore a black and white houndstooth jacket.
- Joseph Gamp
Queen faces pressure to strip Harry of official role
The Queen is under pressure from both the public and Parliament to strip Prince Harry and Prince Andrew of official roles as Counsellors of State.
According to the Parliamentary paper, Prince Harry should no longer be eligible for the role given that the UK is no longer his permanent residence since he stepped back from royal life.
The guidance under The Regency Act of 1937 states that all people who hold this position should be members of the Royal Family and importantly, “must be domiciled in ‘some part’ of the UK’.”
The Regency Act of 1943 added that “if it appears to the Sovereign that any eligible Counsellor will be absent from the United Kingdom or intends to be so absent during the whole or any part of the period of such delegation, then Letters Patent [a legal tool at the Monarch’s disposal] may make provision for exempting that person.”
- Joseph Gamp
Wills and Kate 'stand with Ukrainian people'
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have expressed their solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
William and Kate tweeted their support for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and "all of Ukraine's people" in a tweet personally signed off with their initials.
The couple included the flag of Ukraine in their tweet, which was retweeted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
They wrote: "In October 2020 we had the privilege to meet President Zelenskyy and the First Lady to learn of their hope and optimism for Ukraine's future.
"Today we stand with the President and all of Ukraine's people as they bravely fight for that future W & C."
In October 2020 William and Kate welcomed Mr Zelensky and his wife Olena to Buckingham Palace for an audience on behalf of the Queen.
- Joseph Gamp
Buckingham Palace statement on postponed reception
Britain's foreign minister on Saturday cancelled a diplomatic reception that Queen Elizabeth II, who last week tested positive for coronavirus, had been scheduled to attend, Buckingham Palace said.
"The Queen has accepted the Foreign Secretary's advice that the Diplomatic Reception at Windsor on Wednesday 2nd March should be postponed," the palace said in a press release.
Neither the queen's office nor the foreign ministry has so far given a reason for the postponement, although the monarch was forced to cancel virtual events in recent days due to coronavirus symptoms.
- Joseph Gamp
UK cancels reception Queen was due to attend
Britain’s foreign minister on Saturday cancelled a diplomatic reception that Queen Elizabeth II, who last week tested positive for coronavirus, had been scheduled to attend, Buckingham Palace said.
“The Queen has accepted the Foreign Secretary’s advice that the Diplomatic Reception at Windsor on Wednesday 2nd March should be postponed,” the palace said in a press release.
Neither the queen’s office nor the foreign ministry has so far given a reason for the postponement, although the monarch was forced to cancel virtual events in recent days due to coronavirus symptoms.
The foreign office is also at the forefront of Britain’s response to the Ukraine crisis, and Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is due be out of the country “shortly” in order to conduct “a round of shuttle diplomacy across Europe and the United States”.
- Joseph Gamp
Prince George could face major move
Educational options are being considered by Kate and William for George to attend a new school.
Unlike his father, a move to Eton could now be off the table as the royal couple considers moving their son to a prep school in Berkshire.
According to royal reporter Rebecca English, the Lambrook School is widely considered a front-runner for the Prince.
For George’s siblings, however, they will remain at Thomas’s Battersea for now.
Writing in the Daily Mail, English claimed that reports suggest Princess Charlotte is “super happy and settled” at the school, and is likely to be joined by her younger brother Prince Louis.
- Joseph Gamp
Prince Harry DOES want ‘to come back to see family’ despite royal rifts
PRINCE Harry DOES want to “come back to see his family” despite the royal rifts, a lawyer has said in the royal protection row.
The Duke of Sussex is suing the Home Office because it refused to spend taxpayers’ money on bodyguards.
Harry, 37, who quit royal duty and privileges that come with the job to live in California with Meghan Markle two years ago, says he feels “unsafe” in the UK.
He wants to fund his own Met Police armed bodyguards but the Home Office refused and insiders are saying police are not “guns for hire”.
At the first part of the hearing held last week, the court heard that the duke considers that the UK “is and always will be, his home”.
Shaheed Fatima QC told the court: “It goes without saying that he does want to come back to see family and friends and to continue to support the charities that are so close to his heart.”
- Joseph Gamp
William & Charles’ ‘days are numbered’
The CEO of an anti-monarchy group claims people see “the Queen as the monarchy and the monarchy as the Queen”.
Graham Smith claims people see the royal family as “a sense of tradition and history in connection with the war and the pre-war period, when the monarchy felt like it was the genuine article”.
Prince Charles and his son Prince William, meanwhile, do not come across the same way, Graham Smith told Express.co.uk.
He said: “I think that the monarchy’s days are numbered.
“It’s just a matter of when rather than if because it has survived this long because of the Queen.”
- Joseph Gamp
Meghan & Harry to be recognised at NAACP Image Awards
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are to receive a top accolade at the NAACP Image Awards for heeding the call to social justice and joining the struggle for equity around the world.
Harry and Meghan were named as recipients of the President's Award, which recognises special achievements and distinguished public service.
The couple, who stepped down as senior working royals in 2020, said in a joint statement it was a "true honour" and are expected to give a live acceptance speech in the early hours of Sunday, UK time, during the virtual awards ceremony.
Past recipients of the gong include Muhammad Ali, Jesse Jackson, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, LeBron James, Rihanna, Jay-Z and Lauryn Hill.
The NAACP, which stands for the National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, was set up in 1909 in response to ongoing violence against black people and is the US's largest and most preeminent civil rights organisation, with more than two million activists.
Its Image Awards celebrate outstanding achievements and performances of black and minority ethnic people in the arts.
Derrick Johnson, president of the NAACP, said: "We're thrilled to present this award to Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who together have heeded the call to social justice and have joined the struggle for equity both in the US and around the world."
The Sussexes' Archewell Foundation is supporting a new NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award, which recognises leaders creating "transformational change at the intersection of social justice and technology".
- Joseph Gamp
William & Kate's previous history with Ukraine's president
In October 2020 William and Kate welcomed Mr Zelensky and his wife Olena to Buckingham Palace for an audience on behalf of the Queen.
The royal pair met the president and his wife, who were on a two-day visit, in the palace's Throne Room.
Royal biographer Hugo Vickers told the PA news agency that he would describe the tweet as "more humanitarian than political", adding: "I am sure it will be welcomed by the British public."
- Joseph Gamp
Kate loves her rugby
Kate, 40, grew up watching England rugby games with the Middletons, and the family would plan their weekends around international matches.
At an England training session earlier this month, she laughed when player Ellis Genge asked her about the new rivalry with William and admitted it would "make things interesting".
Kate said: "Ha, yes, what does that mean? We're terribly competitive.
"The fact we're now supporting two different teams is going to make things interesting."
The duchess also told of her children's enthusiasm for rugby, saying George plays the sport at school and three-year-old Louis likes to be in the "middle of everything".
She is the first member of the royal family to officially receive one of the Sussexes' past royal patronages, which they were stripped of post-Megxit.
- Joseph Gamp
William & Kate tweet support for President Zelenskyy
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have tweeted their support for President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The couple tweeted from their official account: “In October 2020 we had the privilege to meet President Zelenskyy and the First Lady to learn of their hope and optimism for Ukraine’s future.
“Today we stand with the President and all of Ukraine’s people as they bravely fight for that future. W & C.”
- Joseph Gamp
Harry’s Super Bowl appearance labelled not as ‘important’
The Duke of Sussex was joined by his cousin Princess Eugenie in California earlier this month as they Super Bowl together at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium.
Harry has been described as not as “important or relevant” in the US compared to the UK after photos were shared of him at the event.
Body language expert Dr Lillian Glass, said the two looked “confused” as they watched the game, and highlighted Harry’s “irrelevancy” in America.
She told Express.co.uk: “In the US Harry isn’t considered as important or relevant as he seems to be in the UK and bringing Eugenie as opposed to Meghan [to the Super Bowl] reflects that irrelevancy.”
She added: “It was confusing as well as suspicious that he took Eugenie to the Superbowl as opposed to Meghan.
“Harry could have taken both Meghan and Eugenie to the game, so it seemed rather odd that he would not bring Meghan to su
- Milica Cosic
Inside Kate & William's Platinum Jubilee overseas tour
KATE Middleton and Prince William will head to Jamaica as part of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee tour.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are set to travel to Belize, Jamaica and The Bahamas on March 19 for an eight-day tour.
Kensington Palace said William and Kate will visit historic Mayan sites and celebrate the rich culture of the Garifuna community in Belize, as well as exploring the country's biodiversity.
In Jamaica, they will engage with the Jamaican Defence Force and celebrate the legacy of Bob Marley and other ground-breaking Jamaican musicians alongside potential stars of the future.
In the Bahamas, the Cambridges will visit a number of islands and experience a world-famous junkanoo parade.
The pair has asked to meet as many local people as possible, the palace said.
They will also address the regions' responses to Covid-19 and the impact of the pandemic on the areas.
Kate and William will also touch on themes "close to their hearts" – including their work with The Earthshot Prize, mental health and the importance of early childhood to lifelong outcomes, a statement added.
A Kensington Palace spokeswoman added: "Their Royal Highnesses are very much looking forward to the visit, which will be their first joint official overseas tour since the onset of Covid-19 in 2020."
- Milica Cosic
Kate & Will 'stand with the people of Ukraine'
Prince William and Kate Middleton have shared a personal message to the people of Ukraine this afternoon on their social media.
On Twitter, they wrote: "In October 2020 we had the privilege to meet President Zelenskyy and the First Lady to learn of their hope and optimism for Ukraine's future.
"Today we stand with the President and all of Ukraine's people as they bravely fight for that future."
- Milica Cosic
Prince George could face major move
Educational options are being considered by Kate and William, and could see George find a new school.
Unlike his father, a move to Eton could now be off the table as the royal couple consider moving the their son to a prep school in Berkshire.
According to royal reporter Rebecca English, the Lambrook School is widely considered a front-runner for the Prince.
For George’s siblings, however, they will remain at Thomas’s Battersea for now.
Writing in the Daily Mail, English claimed that reports suggest Princess Charlotte is “super happy and settled” at the school, and is likely to be joined by her younger brother Prince Louis.
- Milica Cosic
William gets political with huge Ukraine
Prince William has been having meetings with the UK's Defence Secretary about his concerns over the growing crisis in Ukraine, a royal expert has claimed.
Daily Mail Diary Editor Rickard Eden said: "I hear he held talks at Kensington Palace on Thursday with Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.
"They’re certain to have discussed Russia’s invasion."
Meanwhile, he pointed out, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are "grandstanding about Ukraine online".
In a statement posted to their Archewell website on Thursday, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex urged world leaders to support Ukraine.
- Milica Cosic
Queen faces pressure to strip Harry of official role
The Queen is under pressure from both the public and Parliament to strip Prince Harry and Prince Andrew of official roles as Counsellors of State.
According to the Parliamentary paper, Prince Harry should no longer be eligible for the role given that the UK is no longer his permanent residence since he stepped back from royal life.
The guidance under The Regency Act of 1937 states that all people who hold this position should be members of the Royal Family and importantly, “must be domiciled in ‘some part’ of the UK’.”
The Regency Act of 1943 added that “if it appears to the Sovereign that any eligible Counsellor will be absent from the United Kingdom or intends to be so absent during the whole or any part of the period of such delegation, then Letters Patent [a legal tool at the Monarch’s disposal] may make provision for exempting that person.”
- Milica Cosic
'It’s the royal women keeping show on road'
This is a comment piece by Petronella Wyatt
The semi-detached Prince Harry continues his myopic moanathon from Montecito, yet remains a Counsellor of State. Likewise the disgraced Duke of York, who still holds sway over our Queen.
Even Prince Charles’s usually crystalline reputation has been sewered by allegations of cash for honours, which, in fairness, he denies all knowledge of.
Not for the first time in British history, it has been left to the female side, and in particular the Wives of Windsor, to pick up the slack for Queen and country.
The admirable Princess Anne, bonny Kate, the softly shining Camilla, whom I suspect, once fully burnished, will be a flawless ruby in the crown.
And the ever stalwart Sophie Wessex, who quietly goes about her charitable work as Grand President of St John Ambulance, and gave up her birthday to volunteer at an NHS vaccination centre.
We should all go down on our knees and thank Heaven for such a golden harvest of royal women.
Read the article in full here.
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