Queen Elizabeth news: Monarch’s SHARP put-down broke Royal protocol after Vladimir Putin left her waiting for 14 minutes

Prince Edward takes on new prestigious role

Prince Edward is taking over a key role held for several years by his late father Prince Philip.

The Early of Wessex has been appointed as the Royal Windsor Horse Show’s next president. 

Speaking about taking over from his father, the Earl said: “My father was instrumental in helping to develop Royal Windsor into one of the most prestigious horse shows in the world.

“I am honoured to have been invited to become only the fourth President in the Show’s history and will do all I can to maintain the Show’s reputation throughout the equestrian community and beyond; something my father was passionate about.”

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.”

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."

'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.

When will Prince Louis be christened?

Traditionally, a royal baby is christened two to three months after their birth – and this is also the case for Prince Louis.

It has been announced he will be christened on Monday July 9 – and we’re unlikely to see him again before then, according to royal experts.

He will be christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Reverend Justin Welby.

The venue is The Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace in London, which is where his brother George was christened back in 2013.

Why Princess Charlotte wasn’t christened in the Chapel Royal like her brothers

THE christening of Prince Louis is just around the corner and will take place at Chapel Royal in St James’ Palace – the same location of the christening of Prince George.

But was there a reason why Princess Charlotte, three, didn’t have her religious ceremony at the same location?

Kate Middleton and Prince William’s only daughter was instead christened at the Church of St Mary Magdalene at Sandringham –  the same place that Princess Diana was christened.

The different location was not due to rank or gender, as she is currently higher than Prince Louis in the line of succession.

The reason is thought to the church’s close proximity to the family’s home in 2015, which was Anmer Hall in Norfolk.

It is especially meaningful that Princess Charlotte was christened in the same spot as Diana, as her name is a tribute to the late royal.

Her full name is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, with her middle name being a nod to Prince William’s mother, who passed away in 1997.

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.”

Duke and Duchess of Cambridge ‘excited’ for tour next month

In a personal message on their Twitter account, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge said: “We are so excited to visit Belize, Jamaica and The Bahamas next month as we mark The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

“We can’t wait to meet people in all three countries, celebrate local cultures and understand more about innovative work being done across communities.”

The message was signed off with “W & C”.

Meghan’s ‘extraordinary’ meeting with Queen before royal exit

A royal commentator has claimed in a documentary that Meghan Markle had a “extraordinary” meeting with the Queen before her and Prince Harry’s bombshell exit from the Royal Family.

The fallout and subsequent events are charted and examined in tonight’s Channel 5 documentary, ‘Harry & Meghan vs the Monarchy’, in which royal experts like Ashely Pearson discusses Megxit.

In the programme, Ms Pearson describes first meeting Meghan had with Harry’s grandmother, the Queen.

She said: “The meeting went extremely well.

“It actually ran over, which is an extraordinary thing for the way the Queen keeps her schedule.

“Meghan was warmly welcomed. Here she is – articulate, bright, intelligent, well-spoken, beautiful, elegant — what is not to like?”

Racing trophy awarded by Queen Victoria could fetch £30,000 at auction

A recently rediscovered horse racing trophy awarded by Queen Victoria in 1845 could fetch £30,000 at auction next month.

Dubbed Her Majesty’s Vase, the silver piece was won by Sir John Barker-Mill at the Plymouth, Devon and Cornwall horse races and passed down through his family.

However, the trophy was separated from its stand and the award’s significance was forgotten over time.

Both pieces were recently brought back together when Sir John’s living relatives discovered the engraved base in an outbuilding.

The trophy is expected to fetch between £20,000 and £30,000 when it goes under the hammer at Chiswick Auctions in London in March.

It was commissioned for the races by Queen Victoria and crafted by silversmith John Samuel Hunt, and inspired by an ancient vase dating from the 2nd century AD that was found in fragments in 1770 at the bottom of a lake at Hadrian’s Villa near Rome.

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.

Andrew stopped receiving cash from public purse in 2019

A Government spokesman said: “The Sovereign Grant supports the monarch and certain members of the Royal Family in carrying out their official duties.

"Prince Andrew stopped receiving support through the Sovereign Grant in 2019 when he ceased carrying out official duties.”

We'll mint again

Forces' sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn is being celebrated with the launch of £2 coins designed by the Royal Mint.

The singer and entertainer lifted people's spirits during the Second World War with songs including We'll Meet Again and The White Cliffs Of Dover.

The reverse design of the £2 coin design features a detailed portrait of Dame Vera, accompanied by her name and the dates denoting the years of her life. The coin also features an edge inscription that reads: "We'll meet again".

Dame Vera continued to perform and win new fans long after the Second World War. She died in June 2020, aged 103.

The coin, designed by the Royal Mint's in-house designers, was originally unveiled as part of a five-coin collection.

Dame Vera's daughter, Virginia Lewis-Jones, said: "It's fantastic to see my mother celebrated in this way and to ensure her legacy lives on.

"We're just so excited and pleased - even more so knowing that Royal Mint coins require approval of Her Majesty the Queen. I'm especially pleased that this coin is available to international collectors. Over the years I've always been touched by the sacks of letters we receive from people all over the world who have been moved in some way by my mother's music, charity work or morale-boosting performances during the war."

Disgraced Prince Andrew is ‘broken’ 

DISGRACED Prince Andrew is reportedly “broken” after being ordered to fork over a multi-million pound settlement to Virginia Giuffre.

A source says the duke, 61, has been struggling amid the public humiliation of his legal settlement – speculated to be worth up to £12million.

The source – who served with Prince Andrew during the Falklands War – says the move to let him hang on to his rank as Vice Admiral is an attempt to cheer him up.

They told the Mirror: “He is down, he is broken. If he wants to dress up once in a while in a naval uniform, then let him.”

“His reputation is in tatters, his public life is over. He is a walking embarrassment.”

Princess Charlotte's sassy response when an aide tried to help

Kate Middleton once remarked that her only daughter, Princess Charlotte, is the boss of the Cambridge household.

In the few public appearances that the Princess has made, her strong personality has shone through.

During one of her appearances her personality was clearly displayed whilst she was alongside her mum at Sandringham on Christmas Day 2019.

During the day she was presented with a beautiful bunch of white roses by a well-wisher.

Royal aides are then usually passed the flowers to carry so the royal can keep their hands free and talk to other well-wishers.

But it appeared that Charlotte had clearly taken a liking to the blooms and wasn't ready to give them up as the Princess shook her head and refused to let them go.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry say they stand with Ukrainians

Meghan and Prince Harry showed their support for Ukraine while accepting an award on Saturday.

The couple was on stage at the NAACP Image Awards when Harry called attention to the suffering of Ukrainians at the hands of Russia.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex received the President's Award for special achievement and distinguished public service. 

It recognized their work through the Archewell Foundation, including their support in tackling the Covid-19 pandemic and attention brought to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Harry thanked the communities the foundation serves for a warm welcome before taking a moment to address Russia's attacks on Ukraine.

"Before I begin, we would like to acknowledge the people of Ukraine, who urgently need our continued support as a global community," he said.

Andrew’s payoff to sex accuser CANNOT be probed by MPs

MPS have been barred from probing whether public money helped Prince Andrew pay off his sex accuser.

Barmy ancient rules mean they are restricted from discussing royalty in the Commons.

But one MP is now demanding a minister comes to the House to confirm none of the Sovereign Grant — paid to the royals by the public — was used to compensate Virginia Giuffre, 38.

The Duke of York, 61, denied raping her when she was 17.

He settled out of court for a sum said to be up to £12million, with the Queen helping out.

Labour MP Andy McDonald has written to minister Steve Barclay in a bid to confirm no taxpayer cash was used.

He said: “Raising an issue relating to the Royal Family in the House is fraught with difficulties.”

But he asked him to establish “no public funds have been or will be used in part or whole in satisfaction of the settlement”.

Meghan’s ‘extraordinary’ meeting with Queen before royal exit

A royal commentator has claimed in a documentary that Meghan Markle had a “extraordinary” meeting with the Queen before her and Prince Harry’s bombshell exit from the Royal Family.

The fallout and subsequent events are charted and examined in tonight’s Channel 5 documentary, ‘Harry & Meghan vs the Monarchy’, in which royal experts like Ashely Pearson discusses Megxit.

In the programme, Ms Pearson describes first meeting Meghan had with Harry’s grandmother, the Queen.

She said: “The meeting went extremely well.

“It actually ran over, which is an extraordinary thing for the way the Queen keeps her schedule.

“Meghan was warmly welcomed. Here she is – articulate, bright, intelligent, well-spoken, beautiful, elegant — what is not to like?”

Queen could have 'bleak shadow' cast over Jubilee

A Labour MP has warned that The Queen could see a "bleak shadow" cast over her Platinum Jubilee if questions around whether taxpayer money was used to help Prince Andrew pay his settlement to Virginia Giuffre are left unanswered.

Labour MP Andy McDonald warned last week he will be seeking reassurances that taxpayers' money isn't used to fund the Duke's settlement.

Mr McDonald told Sky News he would use "whatever opportunity" to "seek that assurance from the Government benches that there will be no call upon the public purse to pay up for this settlement.

McDonald also said: "If he [Prince Andrew] wants to go to his mother for a bailout, then the taxpayer has got to be assured it's not going to be coming out of their coffers. Simple as that."

'Cheeky' Prince George sends fans wild

Prince George has sent royal fans into meltdown following the cheeky picture of him poking his tongue out during England's Six Nations match against Wales.

Leading royal commentator Robert Jobson tweeted: "Cheeky Prince George, eight, pokes his tongue out as he joins rugby patrons Prince William and Kate Middleton at England v Wales Six Nations match."

Another Twitter user said: "Our little Prince isn’t so little anymore."

A third commented: "He's such a sweetheart! He definitely looks like his mum, dad & Diana all rolled into one!"

While a fourth Twitter user said: "He’s very adorable and serious looking…"

Royal news you may have missed from the past week

• Queen postpones event at Windsor Castle on Foreign Secretary’s advice amid war in Ukraine and recovery from Covid
• Disgraced Prince Andrew is ‘broken’ after ‘£12million settlement’ with Virginia Giuffre over rape claims, pal says
• Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Tour: Kate Middleton & Prince William head to Jamaica for monarch’s 70 years on the throne
• Arms dealers, £18k diamonds, glam models & Gaddafi dinners – Prince Andrew’s bizarre links to Libya’s tyrannical regime

Queen postpones event at Windsor Castle on Foreign Secretary’s advice 

THE Queen has postponed an event next week following the advice of Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

The Diplomatic Reception at Windsor Castle was expected to take place on Wednesday however will not be going 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 Wednesday 2 March should be postponed."

The Queen was due to host the event which would have seen more than 500 members of the Diplomatic Corps attend.

Held annually, the event normally sees 1,000 guests however was stripped back to be a smaller lounge event.

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 95-year-old had hoped to emerge from her Covid-19 isolation for the Diplomatic Reception at Windsor Castle next Wednesday.

But the postponement was "due to the current circumstances in Ukraine", a source told the Daily Mail.  

Spitting Image puppet

Epstein's former PA Ms Sjoberg has claimed that her alleged incident with Andrew took place at the the pedophile’s New York townhouse.

She says the prince touched her breast while a latex puppet of Andrew from UK satirical TV show Spitting Image was being used to abuse then 17-year-old Ms Giuffre by Epstein’s madam Ghislaine Maxwell. 

Ms Sjoberg - who was not an alleged victim at the New York trial which found Maxwell, 60, guilty of sex trafficking of minors in December - first told of her encounter with Andrew in 2007.

Described as a “church-going all American brunette” from Maine, she claimed to have met Andrew after arriving at Epstein’s mansion following a day of sightseeing in New York. 

She said: "Prince Andrew was there and Ghislaine and a couple of other girls my age. 

“Andrew was very charming. I didn't know exactly who he was but felt that I knew him. 

“She (Maxwell) came down with a present for him – a latex puppet of him from Spitting Image.

"We had a picture taken. Virginia, another girl there, sat on a chair and had the puppet on her lap. 

“Andrew sat on another chair, I sat on his lap – and he put his hand on my breast. 

“Ghislaine put the puppet's hand on Virginia's breast, then Andrew put his hand on mine.” 

How Prince Andrew could face more sex abuse lawsuits 

PRINCE Andrew could face more sex abuse lawsuits in the US due to a potential change in the law - including from a woman who claims she was groped by the disgraced royal. 

The Duke of York, 62, settled the rape case brought against him by accuser Virginia Giuffre, 38, for an undisclosed amount thought to be up to $15 million. 

Ms Giuffre’s case was allowed by a New York law which gave victims of historic child sex abuse a year to sue their alleged abusers despite the statute of limitations.   

Florida hair salon owner Johanna Sjoberg, 42, has repeatedly claimed that Andrew touched her breast in 2001 when she was 21.

So far she would have been able to sue the prince for the alleged sex assault because the child sex abuse law did not apply to her and too much time has gone by. 

But new bill which could be signed into law in New York this year would allow victims of adult sex abuse to bring their allegations to court too.