Harry and Meghan Announce Baby On The Way!!

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex landed in Sydney this morning at the start of their Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga tour. 

To add to the excitement, Kensington Palace has just announced that Harry and Meghan are expecting their first baby next spring.

The couple who were married just five months ago were last seen at Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank's wedding on Friday.

We look forward to recording the life of this new little royal over the coming years.

Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are very pleased to announce that The Duchess of Sussex is expecting a baby in the Spring of 2019. pic.twitter.com/Ut9C0RagLk

— Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) October 15, 2018

Diana's Dresses

There is so much comment surrounding the 20th anniversary of Diana, Princess of Wales's death on 31st August. 

Although this blog is a chronicle of Diana's grandchildren of today and possibly of the future, I was a fan from the age of 10. So I recently travelled to London and saw the Diana exhibition at Kensington Palace and the gorgeous sunken garden planted in white to honour her. 

Here are a few of the iconic dresses I saw on display. The one that I found most moving was the Bill Pashley designed brown tweed outfit that the new princess wore to a photocall at Balmoral during her honeymoon. 

For me, it brought back all the memories of the early marriage, babies, walkabouts, Shy Di and adoring crowds. Waiting every morning for the daily papers to see if "Di" had been on an engagement the day before. 

I saw the princess in Australia many times and a few times in London. I was lucky enough to shake her hand and have a quick chat in Melbourne. I felt her death like that of a friend although of course she wasn't. But that is the connection she made with the everyday person. Which is why she was so loved and mourned with such sadness.

Of course, there were stunning evening gowns ( Elvis dress and the Travolta dress!) and later dresses that the princess wore in those Mario Testino photos. 

By then the glow of the early years had gone but a new, confident woman was emerging to take on politically fraught causes such as landmine eradication. Prince Harry has picked up that cause. 

Here are some photos from the exhibition. Also shots of the sunken garden that William, Catherine and Harry will visit on the 30th August.

Australia Post Stamp For Charlotte

Thursday 27th August, 2015

Australia Post has released stamps in honour of Princess Charlotte.

Entitled "The Birth of a Princess", the stamp features a photo of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge introducing their daughter Charlotte to the world  just 10 hours after her birth in May this year. 

The stamp is in the standard letter denomination of 70c and the series includes souvenir packs and first day covers. More specifications and how to order can be found at the following site:

https://shop.auspost.com.au/stamp-coin-collectables/stamp-issues/birth-of-a-princess

The Princess Charlotte stamps will no longer issued from 23rd September, 2015.

Royal Mint Coins For Charlotte And George

Thursday 16th July, 2015

George's 2nd Birthday

The Royal Mint has announced a commemorative coin for Prince George's 2nd birthday which is on 22nd July. 

This comes after the Mint honoured Princess Charlotte on the occasion of her Christening this month and also a Royal Birth 2015 coin in May.

Details on how to buy these coins and descriptions of the design can be found at: 

http://www.royalmint.com/aboutus/news/prince-george-two-years-on
http://www.royalmint.com/aboutus/news/princess-charlotte-christening
http://www.royalmint.com/our-coins/events/the-royal-birth

Charlotte's Christening

Royal Birth 2015

The Perth Mint in Australia has issued a coin to mark Charlotte's birth. I have also found photos of one of their coins minted for George's arrival:

www.perthmint.com.au

When Harry Met Charlotte (Finally!)

Wednesday 27th May, 2015

Harry In Australia      source:BBC

Baby Princess Charlotte was introduced to her Uncle Harry when the Prince travelled to Anmer Hall last Friday.

Prince Harry was on a secondment to the Australian Army when baby Charlotte was born on 2nd May. Harry revealed at the time that Prince William had sent him a photo shortly after the birth. The proud uncle then undertook an official tour of New Zealand. 

No doubt young Prince George enjoyed a visit from Harry who is a neighbour of his brother's family at Kensington Palace. 

Changes To Line Of Succession Approved

Sunday 29th March, 2015

Prince George

New changes to the Line Of Succession mean that if the new Cambridge baby is a girl, subsequent brothers cannot overtake her in succeeding the throne. 

An example of the previous law meant that Princess Anne, although second born child, was overtaken by brothers Andrew and Edward. 

Also, a monarch can now be married to a Catholic whereby previously, a member of the royal family had to give up their place in succession if they married a Catholic. This is the case for Prince Michael of Kent but he has now had his place restored.

A third change is that only the first six in line to succession need to seek the Monarch's approval for marriage instead of all members of the royal family. 

Australia was last of the Commonwealth countries where the Queen is Head of State to pass a law approving the changes this week. Britain had rushed through it's law in 2013 before the birth of Prince George of Cambridge but needed all other fifteen countries to add their consent via their own law changes.

New Cambridge Family Portrait

29th March, 2014

Kensington Palace has released a new portrait of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with son Prince George. 

The photo has been issued ahead of the family's tour of Australia and New Zealand in early April. 

Eight month old George is shown smiling at the family dog, Lupo. The little prince is wearing a light blue jumper with his name printed on it. 

William, Catherine and George are due to arrive in New Zealand on Monday 7th April ahead of the tour start on 9th April. 

Prince William was almost the same age as his son when he visited these countries with his own parents the Prince and Princess of Wales in March and April 1983.

George and Lupo star in this new portrait

William and mother Diana before their 1983 Downunder

William, Catherine and George to visit Downunder

2nd March, 2014

A media release was issued by Kensington Palace today in connection to the Cambridge family's upcoming tour of Australia and New Zealand. 

There was much speculation about whether baby George would travel with his parents on this tour. Kensington Palace confirmed that he will join his parents and would be just eight months old.

The media release follows:

"As previously announced, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit New Zealand and Australia in April 2014.
Their Royal Highnesses, accompanied by Prince George, arrive in New Zealand on Monday 7th April, before travelling to Australia on Wednesday 16th April. The Royal Tour concludes on Friday 25th April.
The Duke and Duchess have been invited to visit by the New Zealand and Australian governments. While The Duke of Cambridge has visited both countries several times, The Duchess has yet to travel to either. The Tour will provide the opportunity for The Duke and Duchess to visit a number of towns and cities across both countries. Specific events will celebrate Australia's and New Zealand's success in the fields of technology, tourism, sports and the creative arts.
In what is the one-hundredth anniversary of the start of the First World War, The tour will also include several opportunities to recognise the sacrifice of members of the Australian and New Zealand armed forces. Among these, Their Royal Highnesses will attend a ceremony in Blenheim, New Zealand, and the ANZAC Commemorative Service in Canberra, Australia.
Prince William visited Christchurch shortly after the earthquake of February 2011. On this visit, Their Royal Highnesses will witness the city's reconstruction programme and view its plans for the future. They will also visit an area of the Blue Mountains in New South Wales badly hit by bushfires in October 2013."

Prince William first visited Australia and New Zealand with his parents the Prince and Princess of Wales in March and April 1983. The tour was six weeks long.

William was just nine months old at the time and this was a break in tradition. Previously, royal parents would travel and leave their children at home. Diana was having none of this and persuaded the Queen to allow William to travel with her and Prince Charles.

Given her age, it is unlikely part time nanny Jessie Webb will accompany George on the tour. A search for a more permanent replacement for Ms Webb is likely to be underway.

Wales Family before their 1983 tour of Australia and New Zealand

 

William and Diana in Melbourne, 1983.