As part of the celebration of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's 10th wedding anniversary, Kensington Palace has added a video of family to their Twitter account.
The 39 second video captured William, Catherine, George, Charlotte & Louis playing in the garden of their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall as well as a trip to the nearby beach.
Prince William of Wales married Catherine Middleton on the 29th April 2011 at Westminster Abbey. The Queen bestowed upon William the Duchy of Cambridge and thus the married couple became Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
The couple has since gone on the have three gorgeous children- Prince George in 2013, Princess Charlotte in 2015 and in 2018, Prince Louis.
Congratulations to William and Catherine. Here are some beautiful portraits that the couple released to mark the occasion.
As predicted, Prince Louis of Cambridge started at Willcock's Nursery School in Kensington this week.
The new milestone comes as the little prince turns 3 today. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released a photo of Louis captured on his first day of nursery school.
23rd April is when England's patron, St George is celebrated. And so it was entirely appropriate that a new royal baby was born on this day in 2018. He is
gorgeous and smiley His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.
Louis
is the third and youngest child of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge
and born 5th in line to the throne after his Grandpa Charles, father
Prince William and siblings George and Charlotte.
Louis was born
after a swift labour at 11:01am in the Lindo Wing of St Mary's Hospital
in Paddington. This is where William, George, Charlotte and many royal
relations have been born since the late 1970s.
Prince William left
the hospital for a short time mid afternoon and returned with George
and Charlotte. George was still in his school uniform and was quite shy.
Charlotte on the other hand was full of smiles and waves for the
crowds. They stayed for a short while and were taken home by a rear
doorway.
At approximately 5pm, William & Catherine stepped
through those famous doors and introduced to their baby boy to the world. We later learned he was to be named Louis Arthur Charles.
Little
Louis has spent most of his life based in London, living at Kensington
Palace as his siblings attend school in Battersea. But most of the
COVID-19 lockdowns have been endured at the family's Sandringham
residence, Anmer Hall which has fields, animals, tennis court, swimming
pool and lots of outside activities.
Louis has
attended one Trooping The Colour balcony appearances and his first
engagement was at London's Palladium Theatre last Christmas to watch a
performance of Pantoland.
The little prince was due to start
nursery school last January but the lockdown put paid to that plan. It
is hoped he will start this week at Willcock's Nursery School in
Kensington which is also where Charlotte started her schooling. We will
have to wait and see.
Happy 3rd Birthday Prince Louis of Cambridge.
A recently released photo after Prince Philip's death. Pic taken in 2018.
School returns on Monday after the Easter break for Prince George and Princess Charlotte. They have no doubt been enjoying some time at Anmer Hall riding their ponies, running in the countryside and playing tennis with younger brother Prince Louis.
The past week will have been somewhat sombre after their Great Grandpa Prince Philip died on the 9th of April. William and Catherine have no doubt spent some time explaining what this means in an age appropriate manner. With COVID restrictions still in place they will not have been able to see The Queen and learn to mourn by seeking and offering solace.
It is likely that Louis who turns 3 on the 23rd April, will begin nursery school this term. In non-COVID times, he would have started in January but this wasn't possible. Princess Charlotte attended Willcocks Nursery School in Kensington and it is almost certain this will be where Louis begins his schooling too.
Having visited Willcocks myself, I can tell you it is situated behind Royal Albert Hall and is very discreet. Hopefully Kensington Palace will issue some updated photos to commemorate Louis' birthday and starting nursery school.
For those who would like to watch the funeral of Prince Philip without television commentary, here is the livestream link on the Royal Family Youtube channel:
To help you get behind the scenes of today's events, here are some photos inside the grounds of Windsor Castle and St George's Chapel that I took on my last visit.
Quadrangle outside State Apartments
Leaving State Apartments heading to St George's Chapel
Funeral preparations are under way for Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II's husband, who died on Friday 9 April aged 99.
This is what we know about the event. NB It will be late evening in Australia AEST when coverage begins
Where will the funeral take place?
The ceremonial royal funeral will be held at St George's Chapel, in the grounds of Windsor Castle, at 15:00 BST on Saturday 17 April.
Prince Philip's body is now resting in the private chapel at Windsor Castle.
The duke is reported to have requested a funeral of minimal fuss and has not lain in state - where members of the public would have been able to view his coffin.
The procession and service will be televised.
Who will attend the funeral?
Coronavirus restrictions in England mean only 30 people, socially distanced, are allowed to attend funerals.
The guest list includes members of the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh's families, including three of his German relatives.
Among the 30 are:
The Queen, who will lead the mourners
The Prince of Wales with his wife the Duchess of Cornwall
The Princess Royal with her husband Timothy Laurence
The Duke of York
The Earl of Wessex with his wife the Countess of Wessex and their children Viscount Severn and Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor
The Duke of Cambridge and his wife the Duchess of Cambridge
The Duke of Sussex
Peter Phillips, the eldest son of Princess Anne
Zara Tindall, daughter of Princess Anne, and her husband Mike Tindall
Princess Beatrice, the elder daughter of the Duke of York, and her husband Edoardo Mapelli
Princess Eugenie, the younger daughter of the Duke of York, and her husband Jack Brooksbank
Attendees are expected to wear masks in line with government advice. The pallbearers and clergy are not included in the number of attendees.
What will happen on the day?
The duke will have a ceremonial funeral, rather than a state funeral. There is a subtle difference - state funerals are usually reserved for monarchs, although wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill was given a state funeral. The Queen Mother had a ceremonial funeral in 2002, as did Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997.
On the day of the funeral, the coffin will be moved from the private chapel to the State Entrance of Windsor Castle. It will be placed on a modified Land Rover, that the duke himself helped design, to be carried the short distance to St George's Chapel.
By 14:15 BST, the Quadrangle in Windsor Castle will be lined by the Household Cavalry and the Foot Guards, along with military detachments from units that had special connections with Prince Philip on the grass.
From 14:20 BST, those members of the Royal Family and The Duke of Edinburgh's family not taking part in the procession leave Windsor Castle by car for St George's Chapel.
At 14:40 BST, the bands in the Quadrangle stop playing and the coffin will be carried out and placed onto the Land Rover.
Members of the Royal Family walking in the procession will leave the State Entrance after the coffin and take up their positions.
Behind the Land Rover will be Princes Charles, Andrew, Edward and Princess Anne, as well as grandsons Princes William and Harry. They are joined by Princess Anne's son Peter Phillips, her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence and the Earl of Snowdon. Members of the duke's staff will follow behind them, including his private secretary Brigadier Archie Miller Bakewell, a personal protection officer, two pages and two valets.
At 14:45 BST, the procession begins. Led by the band of the Grenadier Guards, the procession will move from the Quadrangle to Horseshoe Cloister. The band is followed by the Major General's party and military chiefs of staff. The Land Rover follows, flanked by pallbearers from the Royal Marines and other regiments and corps associated with the duke. The Royal Family members and staff follow behind.
The Queen will travel at the rear of the procession in the State Bentley and will enter St George's chapel through the Galilee porch.
The procession route will be lined by personnel from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, The Highlanders, 4th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Royal Air Force.
Guns will be fired by The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery from the East Lawn throughout, as a bell tolls in the Curfew Tower, at the west end of the castle.
At 14:53 BST, the Land Rover will arrive at West Steps of St George's Chapel, and be met by a guard of honour and band from the Rifles Regiment, who will play the national anthem.
Members of the Household Cavalry will line the West Steps and a Royal Navy "piping party" will pipe a nautical call known as "the Still" as the coffin is carried up the steps to the chapel.
The coffin, draped with the duke's standard, with a wreath and the duke's naval cap and sword on top, will be met by the dean of Windsor, together with the Archbishop of Canterbury, for the service.
Only the members of the Royal Family will enter the chapel - the rest of the procession will remain outside.
At 15:00 BST, a minute's silence will be held nationwide, in memory of the duke.
The start and end of the Silence will be signalled by a gun fired by The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery.
Inside the chapel, the funeral service will begin as the coffin is carried to the Quire, and placed on a platform called a catafalque. A small choir of four singers, who will be in the nave of the chapel, will sing pieces of music chosen by the duke.
After the service, the duke will be interred in the royal vault.
The duke's coffin is draped in his personal flag, his standard. The flag represents elements of his life, from his Greek heritage to his British titles.
When the duke got engaged to the then Princess Elizabeth in 1946, he renounced his Greek title and became a British citizen, taking his mother's anglicised name, Mountbatten.
The Mountbatten family is therefore also represented on the standard, alongside the castle from the arms of the City of Edinburgh - he became Duke of Edinburgh when he married.
A number of objects reflecting Prince Philip's life and recognising his service to the country will be displayed on cushions on the altar in St George's Chapel.
These include the duke's insignia - medals and decorations awarded to him by the UK and Commonwealth countries - his field marshal's baton, Royal Air Force wings and insignia from Denmark and Greece
The period of national mourning ends on the day of the funeral.
The Royal Family will continue to observe mourning for another week - but members will attend engagements wearing black mourning bands where appropriate.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have released another unseen photo of Prince Philip with his great grandchildren, this time including Princess Charlotte.
The pic shows The Queen and Philip with the Cambridges in Balmoral Castle, Scotland in 2015.
On a day where various members of the Royal Family issued private photos of the Duke of Edinburgh, Her Majesty published a beautiful image of her nine great grandchildren- again in Balmoral but this time 2018 and little Louis makes an appearance.
George, Charlotte and Louis of Cambridge, Isla and Savannah Phillips and Mia and Lena Tindall.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge has paid tribute to his grandfather Prince Philip who passed away last Friday at Windsor Castle.
William included a photo of Philip and Prince George taken by the Duchess of Cambridge in 2015 at their home Anmer Hall.
Here are William's moving words and the gorgeous photograph:
"My grandfather's century of life was defined by service – to his country and Commonwealth, to his wife and Queen, and to our family."
"I feel lucky to have not just had his example to guide me, but his enduring presence well into my own adult life – both through good times and the hardest days. I will always be grateful that my wife had so many years to get to know my grandfather and for the kindness he showed her.
"I will never take for granted the special memories my children will always have of their great-grandpa coming to collect them in his carriage and seeing for themselves his infectious sense of adventure as well as his mischievous sense of humour!
"My grandfather was an extraordinary man and part of an extraordinary generation. Catherine and I will continue to do what he would have wanted and will support The Queen in the years ahead. I will miss my Grandpa, but I know he would want us to get on with the job."
It is with deep sorrow that Her Majesty The Queen announces the death
of her beloved husband, His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of
Edinburgh.
His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.
Further announcements will be made in due course.
The Royal Family join with people around the world in mourning his loss.
from royal.uk
Funeral of The Duke of Edinburgh
The Duke of Edinburgh’s Funeral will take place on Saturday 17 April
2021 at 3pm in St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The Funeral Service will
begin with a National Minute’s Silence at three o’clock. The service
will be preceded by a ceremonial procession inside the grounds of
Windsor Castle.
The plans for the funeral are in line with The Duke of Edinburgh's
own personal wishes, and the occasion will recognise and celebrate The
Duke’s life and his more than 70 years of service to The Queen, the UK
and the Commonwealth.
It will be a Ceremonial Royal Funeral, the same as for Queen
Elizabeth The Queen Mother, rather than a State Funeral – something
which is generally reserved for Monarchs. The plans have been
approved by The Queen and reflect appropriate Government advice.
Overview
The Duke of Edinburgh’s coffin, covered with His Royal Highness’s
Personal Standard and dressed with a wreath of flowers, will
rest initially in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle, where it will
remain until the day of the Funeral.
On Saturday 17th April, The Duke of Edinburgh's coffin will be moved
by a Bearer Party found by The Queen’s Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier
Guards. Positioned in the Quadrangle at Windsor Castle will be
representative detachments drawn from His Royal Highness’s military
special relationships.
His Royal Highness’s coffin will be carried in a purpose-built Land
Rover - which The Duke was involved in the design of - flanked by
military Pall Bearers, in a small Ceremonial Procession from the State
Entrance to St George’s Chapel, for the Funeral Service. Members of the
Royal Family and The Duke of Edinburgh’s Household will walk behind the
coffin from the Quadrangle, down Chapel Hill and into Horseshoe
Cloister. The Funeral Service will begin with a National Minute’s
Silence at 1500hrs.
The Funeral Service will be attended by Her Majesty The Queen and
Members of the Royal Family. The coffin, carried by a Bearer Party found
by the Royal Marines, will be received at the top of the West Steps of
St George’s Chapel by the Dean of Windsor and the Archbishop of
Canterbury. The Duke of Edinburgh’s Naval Cap and Sword will be placed
on the coffin ahead of the service and His Royal Highness’s Insignia
will be laid on the Altar of the Chapel. At the conclusion of the
service, His Royal Highness will be interred in the Royal Vault in St
George’s Chapel.
Details of the ceremonial
Ahead of the Funeral, the coffin, accompanied by the Dean of Windsor
and the Lord Chamberlain, will be moved to the State Entrance of Windsor
Castle by a Bearer Party found by The Queen’s Company, 1st Battalion
Grenadier Guards.
The Dean and the Lord Chamberlain will then make their way to St. George’s Chapel.
The Constable and Governor of Windsor Castle will be present at the State Entrance for the departure of the Coffin.
Positioned on the grass in the Quadrangle will be representative
detachments drawn from His Royal Highness’s military special
relationships. The Quadrangle will also be lined by the Household
Cavalry and The Foot Guards.
The Procession will step off from State Entrance at 1445 hrs.
The Band of the Grenadier Guards, of which The Duke of Edinburgh was Colonel for 42 years, will lead the procession.
They will be followed by the Major General’s Party, and then the
Service Chiefs, reflecting His Royal Highness’s close relationship with
all areas of Defence.
The Coffin, borne on the Land Rover, will be flanked by Pall Bearers
drawn from His Royal Highness’s Special Relationships – the Royal
Marines, Regiments, Corps and Air Stations.
The Prince of Wales and Members of the Royal Family will take part in
the procession on foot, immediately behind The Duke of Edinburgh's
Coffin, together with staff from His Royal Highness’s Household.
At 1440 hrs, the Coffin will emerge from the State Entrance and all
those in the Procession and in the Quadrangle will pay compliments. The
Bearer Party will place the Coffin onto the Land Rover and withdraw.
At 1445 hrs, the Procession, will step off from the State Entrance
for the West Steps of St. George’s Chapel. The route of the Procession,
which will be lined by representatives drawn from the Royal Navy, Royal
Marines, The Highlanders, 4th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland and
the Royal Air Force, is as follows:
• State Entrance, Windsor Castle
• Engine Court
• Chapel Hill
• Parade Ground
• Horseshoe Cloister
Minute Guns will be fired by The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery
from the East Lawn at Windsor Castle for the duration of the
Procession. The Curfew Tower Bell will toll.
At 1453 hrs, the Land Rover will arrive at the foot of the West Steps of St. George’s Chapel.
A Guard of Honour and Band from The Rifles will receive the Coffin
with the National Anthem as the Coffin enters Horseshoe Cloister and
ending as the Land Rover draws to a halt at the West Steps.
Positioned in the Horseshoe Cloister will be the Commonwealth Defence
Advisers from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Trinidad and Tobago.
The West Steps of St. George’s Chapel will be lined by a Dismounted Detachment of the Household Cavalry.
A Royal Navy Piping Party of 1 Chief Petty Officer and 5 Ratings will
be in position on the South Side of the West Steps of St. George’s
Chapel.
The Piping Party will pipe the ‘Still’ once the Land Rover is stationary at the foot of the West Steps.
The Bearer Party will lift the Coffin and proceed up the West Steps
halting on the second landing. The Piping Party will pipe the ‘Side’.
The Coffin will pause for the National Minute Silence at 1500 hrs.
At the top of the West Steps, the Dean of Windsor, together with the Archbishop of Canterbury, will receive the Coffin.
All those who have taken part in the procession will not enter St.
George’s Chapel except the Members of the Royal Family, and His Royal
Highness’s Private Secretary.
As the doors to St. George’s Chapel close, the Royal Navy Piping Party will pipe the ‘Carry On’.
The Land Rover, Service Chiefs, Realm Defence Advisers, Body Guards,
Military Knights of Windsor, along with representatives of Special
Relationships will disperse in silence during the Funeral Service.
The Funeral Service will begin as the Coffin enters St. George’s
Chapel and is carried in Procession to the Catafalque in the Quire.
The Duke of Edinburgh's “insignia” - the medals and decorations
conferred on His Royal Highness by the United Kingdom and Commonwealth
countries - together with his Field Marshal's baton and Royal Air Force
Wings, together with insignia from Denmark and Greece, will be
pre-positioned on cushions on the altar in St. George's Chapel.
Further details on the Funeral Service and the Order of Service will be released in due course.
23rd April is when England's patron, St George is celebrated. And so it was entirely appropriate that a new royal baby was born on this day in 2018. He is
gorgeous and smiley His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge. 
Prince William left
the hospital for a short time mid afternoon and returned with George
and Charlotte. George was still in his school uniform and was quite shy.
Charlotte on the other hand was full of smiles and waves for the
crowds. They stayed for a short while and were taken home by a rear
doorway.
At approximately 5pm, William & Catherine stepped
through those famous doors and introduced to their baby boy to the world. We later learned he was to be named Louis Arthur Charles.
