Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Prince Philip Memorial Service

 

Tuesday March 29th saw the memorial service for the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. HRH passed away at Windsor Castle last April at the age of ninety nine. 

Due to the COVID-29 pandemic, Prince Philip's funeral was limited to thirty mourners and conformed to social distancing measures.  Her Majesty The Queen was seated alone in St. George's Chapel, determined to endure the heartbreaking COVID rules just like her subjects around the Commonwealth.

Philip's memorial service was held in Westminster Abbey with not only the royal family but the crowned heads of European countries- most of whom are cousins of both the Queen and Prince Philip -traced back to Queen Victoria. 

Prince George and Princess Charlotte attended with their parents and this was their first appearance at a major public event.








Saturday, March 26, 2022

Cambridges Update

 

It has been a very busy start to the year for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with increased numbers of royal duties including solo visits to the UAE for Prince William and Denmark for the Duchess. They are currently wrapping up a successful tour of Belize, Jamaica and Bahamas to represent The Queen for her Platinum Jubilee celebrations. William and Catherine ( future Prince and Princess of Wales) also visited Wales for St David's Day earlier this month.

Back home the little Cambridges have spent the past months at school and nursery and the half term break spent at Anmer Hall enjoying the outdoors to run and play. William revealed in Wales that the children helped with their farm animals during the break.

George, Charlotte and Louis were taken by their parents for special visit to see their great grandmother Queen Elizabeth. Her Majesty had just recovered from COVID-19 in late February when she met up with the family at Frogmore House on the Windsor estate. They were also joined by Princess Beatrice and baby daughter Sienna. 

Then we saw reports of Princess Charlotte being taken to a restaurant in Fulham for a friend's birthday party. A cut/paste from an article in the Daily Mail is below. It sums up the occasion quite well. 

Just before heading off on their Caribbean tour William was spotted in Kensington Gardens taking Prince Louis for an outing with their family cocker spaniel. Louis could be seen riding his scooter along the paths having a great time with his Dad. 

Prince William commented in the Caribbean that the children are following their parents' travels by placing a pin on a world map each time the Duke and Duchess phone home and pass on their location.

Louis ( starting school in September) celebrates his 4th birthday on 23rd April and Charlotte turns 7 on May 2nd. There will also be many events to celebrate the Queens's Platinum Jubilee so we look forward to new photos of this lovely family

 


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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10585551/The-prince-pizza-Duke-Cambridge-joins-Princess-Charlotte-party-classmate.html

Prince William made a surprise appearance at an Italian restaurant last weekend after he accompanied Princess Charlotte to a pizza party for one of her classmates.

The Duke of Cambridge, 39, who also shares sons Prince George, eight, and Prince Louis, three, with the Duchess, 40, arrived at Il Pagliaccio in London alongside his six-year-old daughter last Sunday.

Dressed in a relaxed maroon jumper and jeans, the heir to the throne appeared like any other father delivering his daughter to the party, which was hosted by one of her classmates from nearby Thomas's Battersea School.

In footage shared by Italian newspaper La Stampa, the Duke can be walking through the restaurant with Charlotte while carrying a large gift wrapped in pink paper, before returning several hours later to pick her up.

Prince William, 39, made a surprise appearance at an Italian restaurant last weekend after he accompanied Princess Charlotte, six, to a pizza party for one of her classmates (pictured, in December 2020)

The Duke arrived at the event alongside his six-year-old daughter at Il Pagliaccio in London last Sunday (pictured) 

According to the Italian newspaper, Prince William and Charlotte arrived in one of the three SUVs that stopped in front of the venue in Fulham. 

Several bodyguards entered the restaurant first, followed by the Duke and Charlotte, with the six-year-old confidently walking through the restaurant ahead of her father.

Restaurant owner Teo Catino extended a warm handshake to William before requesting a selfie from the Duke - which he declined. 

It's not the only royal connection the restaurant has, having reportedly been one of Princess Diana's favourite pizzerias in London. 

According to Italian newspaper La Stampa, the Duke dropped Charlotte off at the event with a gift, before returning several hours later to pick her up

According to Italian newspaper La Stampa, the Duke dropped Charlotte off at the event with a gift, before returning several hours later to pick her up

Teo explained: 'When she returned from her gymnastics sessions in a gym not far from here, Lady Diana stopped by me, always together with her bodyguards, and ordered Margherita and pizza with salami. And then off home to to eat them with the two children.'

The rare public appearance from the Duke comes amid reports he and the Duchess are looking to move the family out of the capital.  

The couple are understood to be finalising arrangements to move Prince George to a new prep school in Berkshire this September, with co-educational Lambrook, near Ascot, thought to be the front runner.

But Princess Charlotte is more likely to remain at Thomas's Battersea for the time being where she is 'super happy and settled' and is expected to be joined by her brother, Prince Louis, who turns four this spring.

The rare public appearance from the Duke comes amid reports he and the Duchess are looking to move the family out of the capital

The couple are also still eyeing up properties in the Windsor area – having looked at several potential family homes on the Queen's Berkshire estate – with a view to living in the Royal Borough at weekends and holidays.

Handily, Windsor is only a short drive from Kate's family home in Bucklebury. Her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, are doting and very hands-on grandparents. 

However Kensington Palace, where they live in Apartment 1A, and have their offices and their charitable Royal Foundation, will remain their weekday base.

It means that in the near future Anmer Hall, their Norfolk home, may revert back to the Queen to pass on to another family member or rented out privately.

The changes have come as William and Kate are starting to map out where they see their family settling down.

It could, of course, be another 20 years before the couple accede to the throne and they are keen to afford their offspring as normal childhoods as possible before then