Royal news – latest: King Charles stamps go on sale as prices increase
A new stamp design featuring a portrait of King Charles has gone on sale.
The portrait, personally approved by the royal, will be used on regular and non-commemorative postage stamps.
The stamps are unlikely to be seen in regular use for some time since the stock featuring the late Queen Elizabeth II will be sold first.
The cost of a first class stamp, featuring King Charles’ head, went up from 95p to £1.10 on Monday (3 April), while the second class stamp rose by seven pence to 75p.
Meanwhile, reports emerged this week that Prince Harry stayed at Frogmore Cottage during his surprise visit to the UK last week.
The Duke of Sussex attended a London court for his ongoing case against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Daily Mail, along with other high-profile figures including Sir Elton John.
Harry’s visit coincided with King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla’s royal tour of Germany, as preparations for their coronation next month get into full swing.
Royals news - latest updates
King Charles stamps go on sale as prices surge
Inside Frogmore Cottage, Harry and Meghan’s former home
Will Camilla be crowned Queen at King Charles’ coronation?
Who is attending King Charles’ coronation
King Charles III ‘to break from tradition’ with specific outfit choice for coronation
King Charles stamps go on sale as prices increase
08:46 , Ellie Muir
Stamps featuring King Charles’ portrait have gone on sale as prices increase.
The cost of a first class stamp, featuring the monarch’s head, went up from 95p to £1.10 on Monday (3 April), while the second class stamp rose by seven pence to 75p.
It comes as a new design featuring the King, who does not wear a crown in the portrait, is now on sale.
The portrait, personally approved by the royal, will be used on regular and non-commemorative postage stamps.
The stamps are unlikely to be seen in regular use for some time since the stock featuring the late Queen Elizabeth II will be sold first.
A sculpture of the monarch, made by artist Martin Jennings, formed the basis for the portrait. It was originally used for the image on the first King Charles coins. The image was then digitally adapted for stamps.
Who is attending King Charles’ coronation?
Monday 3 April 2023 17:25 , Ellie Muir
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will be crowned at their coronation on Saturday 6 May. The couple will be joined by hundreds of guests at Westminster Abbey, including senior members of the royal family, politicians and celebrities. The Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct the ceremony.
While the venue can seat up to 2,200 guests, it is unknown how many invites Buckingham Palace has sent out, and many attendees won’t be confirmed until the actual day of the event.
There has been controversy in the build-up to the coronation weekend as speculation mounts over whether the Duke and Duchess will be in attendance. In February, a representative for the couple confirmed that they had received email correspondence on behalf of the king, but it’s still uncertain whether they have accepted the invitation.
Read more about who will be attending the coronation below:
All of the celebrities and royals attending King Charles’ coronation
Meghan Markle to receive Ms Foundation women’s award for ‘global advocacy’ work
Monday 3 April 2023 16:25 , Ellie Muir
Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, and Black Voters Matter co-founder LaTosha Brown will receive the Ms Foundation’s Women of Vision Award in May, the nation’s oldest women’s foundation announced Monday.
The awards will be handed out at the Ms Foundation’s annual gala on 16 May at New York City’s Ziegfeld Ballroom, as part of its 50th anniversary celebration where funds raised will go toward the organization’s equity centered initiatives.
Read the full story below:
Meghan Markle to receive Ms Foundation’s Women of Vision Award
Inside Frogmore Cottage, Harry and Meghan’s former home
Monday 3 April 2023 15:31 , Ellie Muir
The Grade II-listed Frogmore Cottage has been part of the royal family’s property portfolio since the 19th century.
Over the years, various members of the royal family have lived in the 10-bedroom house, which was first built as a retreat for Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III, in 1801.
It is currently known for being the first marital home and UK residence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
However, it was reported at the beginning of the year that King Charles III has “evicted” the couple from Frogmore Cottage and is offering the keys to the Duke of York instead.
When Frogmore Cottage was built, it had 10 bedrooms. However, after Harry and Meghan’s major renovation of the place, it became a five-bedroom property but now includes two orangeries, a vegetable garden and a yoga studio, reports House & Garden.
Read more about inside Frogmore Cottage below:
Inside Frogmore Cottage, Harry and Meghan’s former home
Will Camilla be crowned Queen at King Charles’ coronation?
Monday 3 April 2023 15:01 , Ellie Muir
The title of Queen Consort Camilla, who was previously the Duchess of Cornwall is expected to change following King Charles’ coronation.
Camilla Parker-Bowles, who is Charles’ second wife, was made the Duchess of Cornwall when the pair married in 2005. Upon marrying King Charles in 2005, who was Prince of Wales at the time, Camilla decided not to use the Princess of Wales title, which had been used by his ex-wife Princess Diana.
In an unprecedented move, she became the Queen consort following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September last year, after her husband inherited the throne.
The title was originally known as the “Princess consort” but Queen Elizabeth II announced that it was her “sincere wish” that the Duchess of Cornwall will be known as Queen consort when Charles becomes King.
As the coronation approaches, taking place on Saturday 6 May, Camilla’s title could potentially change while her husband is officially declared and crowned as the monarch.
Read more about Camilla’s title below:
Will Camilla be crowned Queen at King Charles’ coronation?
Meghan Markle’s sister Samantha to refile ‘even stronger’ case against Duchess of Sussex
Monday 3 April 2023 14:49 , Ellie Muir
Meghan Markle’s sister, Samantha Markle, is planning to refile an “even stronger” case against the Duchess of Sussex.
On Friday (31 March), Meghan won a defamation lawsuit filed against her by her half-sister Samantha Markle, 58.
The actor and estranged royal had been accused by her relative of spreading “malicious lies” during a 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey and alleged statements to journalists in 2020.
But a Florida judge dismissed the lawsuit, stating that Samantha Markle’s statements were opinion and “not capable of being proved false”.
“As a reasonable listener would understand it, Defendant merely expresses an opinion about her childhood and her relationship with her half-siblings,” wrote US District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell her order.
Samantha filed her lawsuit in March 2022, alleging that Meghan had defamed her by giving information to an unauthorised biography called Finding Freedom and by discussing their relationship with Winfrey on live TV.
According to Judge Honeywell’s order, which was reported earlier by The Daily Beast, Finding Freedom had claimed that Samantha Markle had barely known her half-sister growing up, had “never been close” to her, and had been “handsomely paid” for an unflattering tabloid news story.
Meghan has previously said in interviews that she grew up as an only child.
Read the full story below:
Meghan Markle’s sister Samantha to refile ‘even stronger’ defamation case
How the royal family could spend their first Easter without Queen Elizabeth II
Monday 3 April 2023 14:01 , Ellie Muir
Easter Sunday 2023 will be the first that the royal family will spend without Queen Elizabeth II, after her death last September.
The family usually celebrates the religious holiday at Windsor Castle, and will attend a church service on Easter Sunday (9 April) at St George’s Chapel.
The late monarch would also travel to different cathedrals across the country to hand out special coins to individuals in recognition of their contribution to their community and church.
But this year, the royal family will observe their first Easter with King Charles III as monarch instead.
Royal expert and biographer Ingrid Seward believes that it will be a happy celebration instead of a sombre time as they reflect on the years past.
How the royal family could spend their first Easter without Queen Elizabeth II
Who is attending King Charles’ coronation
Monday 3 April 2023 13:01 , Ellie Muir
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla will be crowned at their coronation on Saturday 6 May. The couple will be joined by hundreds of guests at Westminster Abbey, including senior members of the royal family, politicians and celebrities. The Archbishop of Canterbury will conduct the ceremony.
While the venue can seat up to 2,200 guests, it is unknown how many invites Buckingham Palace has sent out, and many attendees won’t be confirmed until the actual day of the event.
There has been controversy in the build-up to the coronation weekend as speculation mounts over whether the Duke and Duchess will be in attendance. In February, a representative for the couple confirmed that they had received email correspondence on behalf of the king, but it’s still uncertain whether they have accepted the invitation.
Read about all of the guests attending the coronation here:
All of the celebrities and royals attending King Charles’ coronation
The fascinating history behind the throne King Charles will sit on at his coronation
Monday 3 April 2023 12:03 , Ellie Muir
The Coronation Chair was made by order of King Edward I to enclose the Stone of Scone, which he brought from Scotland to Westminster Abbey in 1296.
The throne, created from oak, was made to contain the Stone between 1300 to 1301. The Stone was originally completely enclosed under the seat of the chair, but the wooden decoration at the front was torn away over time and exposed the Stone.
The Stone of Scone, also known as the Stone of Destiny or the Coronation Stone, is a block of red sandstone. It was previously kept at Scone Abbey in Scotland, which is now a ruin, but was seized by Edward I during the English invasion of Scotland.
The fascinating history behind the throne King Charles will sit on at his coronation
King Charles III ‘to break from tradition’ with specific outfit choice for coronation
Monday 3 April 2023 11:30 , Ellie Muir
King Charles III has been advised to wear an outfit for his coronation that goes against previous royal tradition, according to reports.
The monarch acceded to the throne upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September.
His coronation is set to take place at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6 May, in an event that has been teased to “reflect the monarch’s role today and look towards the future, while being rooted in long-standing traditions and pageantry”.
In previous ceremonies, the King or Queen has traditionally worn silk stockings and breeches. However, recent reports have claimed that King Charles will opt to wear his military uniform instead.
King Charles III ‘to break from tradition’ with coronation outfit choice
King Charles III coronation: Everything we know about 2023 ceremony
Monday 3 April 2023 10:45 , Ellie Muir
King Charles III will be coronated on Saturday 6 May 2023, alongside his wife, Camilla, Queen Consort.
Charles celebrated his 74th birthday in November, making him the oldest person to be crowned in British history.
William, Prince of Wales is expected to play an important role in the committee organising his father’s coronation.
Buckingham Palace announced the programming that will take place across the long weekend, including a balcony appearance by the royals, a concert featuring international stars and a day of volunteering.
When is the coronation of King Charles III?
Prince Harry ‘stayed at Frogmore Cottage’ during surprise UK visit
Monday 3 April 2023 08:00 , Ellie Muir
Prince Harry reportedly stayed at Frogmore Cottage during his visit to the UK for the phone-hacking case against the publisher of The Daily Mail.
Harry appeared in court at the Royal Courts of Justice on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday last week, alongside other high-profile figures including Sir Elton John.
His visit coincided with King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla’s royal visit to Germany, as preparations for their coronation next month get into full swing.
It is understood that the Duke likely used the visit to sort out the couple’s belongings and work out what needs to be shipped to their Montecito home in the US ahead of vacating the property, The Telegraph reports.
The visit marked the first time the royal had returned to the five-bedroom property after his father told him he would be asked to vacate the property last month.
The King had asked the Sussexes to vacate the property following the release of Harry’s memoir, Spare, at the beginning of the year.
When the eviction was first reported, a royal expert told The Independent that King Charles’s decision cannot be seen as anything other than a reaction to the release of Harry’s memoir.
RS Locke, a freelance writer and royal commentator said: “Evicting the Sussex family from Frogmore Cottage is transparently punitive and King Charles wanted the couple and the public to know it.”
Prince Harry ‘stayed at Frogmore Cottage’ during surprise UK visit
Harry at High Court as Mail publisher bids to throw out ‘stale’ privacy claims
Monday 3 April 2023 07:30 , Kate Ng
The Duke of Sussex has made a surprise appearance at a High Court hearing in London as the Daily Mail’s publisher makes a bid to throw out a set of claims over alleged unlawful information gathering at its titles.
Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) is bringing a bid to end High Court claims brought by people including Harry, Sir Elton John and Baroness Doreen Lawrence over the allegations – which include the hiring of private investigators to secretly place listening devices inside cars and homes and the recording of private phone conversations.
Harry at High Court as Mail publisher bids to throw out ‘stale’ privacy claims
Prince of Wales: Diana would be disappointed in lack of progress on homelessness
Monday 3 April 2023 06:30 , Kate Ng
The Prince of Wales has said his mother would be “disappointed” that the UK is still no further along with tackling the problem of homelessness.
William appeared in a short film as part of the 2023 Comic Relief broadcast where he sat down with two people who had experienced homelessness.
Prince of Wales: Diana would be disappointed in lack of progress on homelessness
King to visit York to distribute Maundy money for first time as monarch
Monday 3 April 2023 04:30 , Kate Ng
The King is to hand out Maundy money for the first time as a monarch when he carries out the ancient ritual in York.
Charles and the Queen Consort will attend the Royal Maundy Service in York Minister on 6 April.
During the Maundy Thursday event, the King will present 74 men and 74 women with specially-minted silver coins to the value of 74p – signifying Charles’s age – to thank the pensioners for their service in local communities.
King to visit York to distribute Maundy money for first time as monarch
Prince Harry not expected to see Charles or William as he makes surprise return to UK
Monday 3 April 2023 02:30 , Kate Ng
The Duke of Sussex has made a surprise return to the UK for the first time since the late Queen’s funeral – but is not expected to meet with the King or the Prince of Wales.
His trip – for a High Court hearing in London in his claim against Daily Mail publisher Associated Newspapers over allegations of unlawful information-gathering – will be seen as demonstrating the strength of his determination over the legal action.
Prince Harry not expected to see Charles or William as he makes surprise return to UK
King becoming ‘frustrated old man’ over attitudes to climate emergency
Monday 3 April 2023 00:30 , Kate Ng
The King has described how he is becoming “a frustrated old man” over attitudes to the global climate emergency.
A life-long environmentalist, Charles said the world must rely on the younger generation if we are to avert an environmental catastrophe in the next few years.
King becoming ‘frustrated old man’ over attitudes to climate emergency
Prince Andrew in ‘despair’ that King Charles has not shared £650million inheritance
Sunday 2 April 2023 23:30 , Kate Ng
Prince Andrew is “in despair” that the King has not shared out their mother’s inheritence, according to reports.
King Charles was the sole beneficiary of the Queen’s £650million estate, under a 1993 agreement meaning no inheritance tax was owed.
The King’s siblings Princess Anne, 72, and Prince Edward, 59, as well as Prince Andrew, 63, inherited nothing from the Queen, and are said to share “some resentment” because of this.
Prince Andrew in ‘despair’ that King Charles has not shared £650million inheritance
WATCH: Prince Andrew determined to not leave Royal Lodge residence
Sunday 2 April 2023 21:30 , Kate Ng
Expert predicts how the royal family will spend their first Easter without the Queen
Sunday 2 April 2023 20:30 , Kate Ng
This Easter Sunday will be the first that the royal family will spend without Queen Elizabeth II, after her death last September.
Royal expert and biographer Ingrid Seward believes that it will be a happy celebration instead of a sombre time as they reflect on the years past.
Expert predicts how the royal family will spend their first Easter without the Queen
Harry and Meghan’s children now known as Prince and Princess on royal family’s website
Sunday 2 April 2023 19:30 , Kate Ng
Buckingham Palace has updated the royal family’s website to reflect the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s children’s new titles of Prince and Princess.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s children, who are sixth and seventh in line to the throne respectively, are now named Prince Archie of Sussex and Princess Lilibet of Sussex on the site.
It comes after the couple’s daughter was formally referred to as Princess Lilibet for the first time when their spokesperson confirmed she had been christened last week in California.
Harry and Meghan’s children now officially known as Prince and Princess
King Charles III coronation: Everything we know about 2023 ceremony
Sunday 2 April 2023 18:30 , Kate Ng
Need a refresher on when King Charles III’s coronation will be and what the itinerary for the weekend is? Look no further:
When is the coronation of King Charles III?
Succession’s Brian Cox says Meghan’s marriage into royal family is a ‘fairytale gone horribly wrong’
Sunday 2 April 2023 17:30 , Kate Ng
Brian Cox has claimed that Meghan Markle’s marriage into the royal family is a “fairytale that went horribly wrong”.
In a new interview with the Radio Times, the Succession star said that he understood why Meghan was attracted to marrying into the royal family, due to its “fairytale” image.
Ellie Muir reports:
Brian Cox says Meghan’s royal marriage is a ‘fairytale gone horribly wrong’
Will Camilla be crowned Queen at King Charles’ coronation?
Sunday 2 April 2023 16:30 , Kate Ng
The title of Queen Consort Camilla, who was previously the Duchess of Cornwall is expected to change following King Charles’ coronation.
Find out how:
Will Camilla be crowned Queen at King Charles’ coronation?
Camilla impresses with fashion choices on state visit to Germany
Sunday 2 April 2023 15:30 , Kate Ng
The King and Queen Consort recently visited Germany on their first trip to the country since Charles’ reign began.
A regal wardrobe was required for the string of high profile engagements, and Camilla wowed the crowds with her outfits.
Camilla impresses with fashion choices on state visit to Germany
King’s inaugural state visit boosted by Germany’s warm welcome
Sunday 2 April 2023 14:30 , Kate Ng
Completing a major milestone for the first time can be daunting even for a King but the inaugural state visit of Charles’s reign appears to have been a success.
It did not begin in auspicious circumstances, with the first leg to France postponed after days of protests against President Emmanuel Macron’s pension age reforms culminated in violent scenes from Paris to Bordeaux.
Read more:
King’s inaugural state visit boosted by Germany’s warm welcome
Everything you need to know about Queen Consort Camilla’s family tree
Sunday 2 April 2023 13:30 , Kate Ng
The Queen Consort will be crowned alongside her husband, King Charles III, at the highly anticipated coronation ceremony on 6 May.
The royal, 75, is expected to be crowned Queen instead of Queen Consort after the coronation, with the coronation edition of the Bible reportedly dropping the title in its commemoration message.
As the nation prepares for the major ceremony – the UK’s first coronation since the late Queen Elizabeth II’s in 1953 – many people are interested in learning more about the new monarch’s wife and her family tree.
Everything you need to know about Queen Consort Camilla’s family tree
Paul O’Grady once tried to convince Queen Elizabeth II to adopt a rescue corgi
Sunday 2 April 2023 12:30 , Kate Ng
The late Paul O’Grady once attempted to persuade Queen Elizabeth II to adopt her own rescue corgi when she visited Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, it has been revealed.
Ali Taylor, a friend of O’Grady and head of behaviour at the animal charity, said that the actor comedian had such a passion for rescue dogs that he tried to get the late monarch to take one home to Buckingham Palace with her.
Paul O’Grady once tried to convince Queen Elizabeth II to adopt a rescue corgi
King Charles praises Queen’s Green Canopy scheme after 3 million trees planted
Sunday 2 April 2023 11:18 , Kate Ng
King Charles III has offered his “heartfelt thanks” to people involved in the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) after the initiative announced it has planted more than three million trees.
The scheme was launched in May 2021 to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and was extended after her death in September last year to allow people to plant trees in memoriam.
King Charles praises Queen’s Green Canopy scheme after 3 million trees planted
Friends close to Prince Andrew rubbish reports he is planning to write memoir
Sunday 2 April 2023 09:00 , Kate Ng
Friends close to Prince Andrew have hit out at reports that he is planning to write a memoir.
On Sunday, a number of newspapers claimed that the Duke of York was in talks to produce a tell-all autobiography, following the success of Prince Harry’s book ‘Spare’.
However, friends of his family have taken the unusual step to make his views known following the reports.
Was Prince Charles's School Boarding School Experience as Awful as The Crown Depicts?
King Charles takes on new title previously held by Queen Elizabeth II
Sunday 2 April 2023 07:00 , Kate Ng
King Charles III has been appointed colonel-in-chief of the Corps of Royal Engineers, a title previously held by his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II.
Buckingham Palace announced the news on Tuesday 28 March, with the position hailed as a “long-standing tradition” in the royal family that began with King Edward VII in 1904.
King Charles takes on new title previously held by Queen Elizabeth II
