Royal news recap: Princess Charlene attends Monaco gala, King Charles shares cancer update

Happy Friday, royal watchers! It's a busy day in the royal calendar – especially for the King, who is set to share a video message later today in support of the Stand Up To Cancer campaign, a joint venture between Cancer Research UK and Channel 4. 

King Charles has recorded a video message in partnership with the Stand Up To Cancer campaign, in which he will stress the importance of cancer screening programmes to help early diagnosis.

The message will be broadcast this evening at 8pm as a part of the joint venture between Cancer Research UK and Channel 4. It was recorded in the final week of November in Clarence House's morning room.

Stand Up To Cancer is a week-long series of fundraising events and celebrity specials that seeks to raise awareness about screening, and generate support for those with cancer and their families.

Last night, the Dutch royal family hosted the Finnish President and his wife for an incredible state banquet. As always, Princess Catharina-Amalia and Queen Maxima looked resplendent – but the heir to the throne made a major royal debut that you may have missed. See all the pictures from the event here.

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The Prince and Princess of Wales have now lived at Forest Lodge for a month, and it seems that the 'self-contained flat' on the property just away from the main eight-bedroom residence might serve a very special purpose. Learn all about it here.

The Prince and Princess of Wales have been living their new Windsor home, Forest Lodge, for over a month now and while the eight-bedroom mansion was modified ahead of their move, renovations inside the home are still ongoing. 

According to People, during the German state visit, Kate opened up about her ongoing renovations. The royal was seen chatting to German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and first lady Elke Büdenbender during the engagement, which took place at Windsor Castle. 

The publication reports that Kate said: "We are putting together some mood boards for the room, and we will start after Christmas." 

Meanwhile, Interior designer Leoma Harper revealed that renovations could take a "year or more" in a listed property like Kate's. She said: "Any structural or exterior adjustments often need formal consent, which naturally slows the process, this is why redecoration in a listed home can take many months, sometimes a year or more, but that extra care ensures the final result feels cohesive, respectful and beautifully in tune with the property's character."

Find out more here. 

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The Royal Family's official X account has shared a glimpse of King Charles' upcoming video message in support of the Stand Up To Cancer campaign.

The brief clip shows the monarch sitting down in front of a camera as he prepares to deliver his message. Watch it below. 

On this day in 1992, Princess Anne tied the knot with  Sir Timothy Laurence. The couple wed at Crathie Kirk church in Scotland in front of just 30 guests. The pair were forbidden from getting married in England at the time since the Church of England did not allow remarriages after divorce. 

Take a look back at their love story here. 

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor stepped out in London today to attend the christening of his granddaughter Athena at St James's Palace. The former Duke arrived in a Range Rover at a side entrance to the palace grounds.

Athena is the second daughter of Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.

Andrew was stripped his HRH style and his prince title by the King in October because of his "serious lapses of judgment" over his association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Get all the latest updates from the christening as they happen. 

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Sarah Ferguson was pictured arriving at her granddaughter Athena's christening, which is taking place at St James' Palace in London today. 

The special family occasion, held in honour of Princess Beatrice's youngest daughter with Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, comes after Sarah's ex-husband, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, was stripped of his royal titles following his links to Jefferey Epstein. 

Full story.

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Princess Beatrice's daughter Athena is being christened at St. James's Palace in London today. The 37-year-old royal has reportedly chosen one of her royal friends as godmother. 

According to The Daily Mail, Beatrice's close friend, Princess Nina of Greece and Denmark been awarded the special role.

Find out more here. 

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Good afternoon, royal fans - I'm Laura, Fashion and Beauty News editor at HELLO! and I'm here to bring you all the royal news this afternoon.

Queen Camilla was joined by the late Queen Elizabeth II's cousin, Princess Alexandra, who stepped out for a rare royal engagement this week. Princess Alexandra, who is still a working member of the royal family but has restricted her duties in recent years, joined the Queen at the service of thanksgiving for the life of Mr Hugh Green, which was held at the Chapel Royal at St James's Palace in London.

Alexandra was last pictured publicly in August at her grandson Alexander Charles Ogilvy's graduation from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

Get more details. 

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Zara Tindall looked incredible as she was pictured in what appeared to be a thoroughly terrific mood at Cheltenham racecourse on Friday afternoon.

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 The daughter of Princess Anne was snapped laughing and joking as she took in the festivities at the famous racecourse, wearing a sumptuous, heritage print coat, which she teamed with a midnight blue headband and smart leather gloves.

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Remember when Prince William and Eugene Levy went for a drink in an episode of The Reluctant Traveler? Well our US royal correspondent Alex Hurtado has been to the Windsor pub where the pair enjoyed their pints to speak to the landlord and to find out what happened behind the scenes.

Head over to The HELLO! Royal Club by clicking on the button below and you can see Alex's video report. If you are not already a member of then club, you will need to sign up but I promise it will be worth it!

Meghan Markle's Christmas show on Netflix is brimming with wonderful Yuletide ideas and the streaming channel just shared a genius video of Prince Harry's wife wrapping a bottle of wine. 

The mother-of-two wrapped the gift in such a creative way, using a scarf. This Japanese method is called 'Furoshiki' and fans loved the top tip. One Instagram user wrote: "She has the best packaging techniques, and her expertise shows with the As Ever branding." Another added: "Excellent idea to wrap the gift, it's pretty and chic!"

Will you be giving Meghan's technique a go?

After Princess Charlotte's appearance at the Together at Christmas carol concert last week, alongside her father and mother, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and her two brothers, Prince George and Prince Louis, many royal fashion fans have suggested that she is the 'poster girl' for age-appropriate children's Christmas fashion.

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This is because the young royal consistently wears traditional and polished outfits. In 2025, we've seen her sport some wonderful designs, including her delightful blue velvet dress with a white pilgrim collar from last week.

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Fashion experts admire Princess Kate for dressing Charlotte in classic attire that allows her to look her age, avoiding current trends. Stylists have described how her timeless look echoes past royal family Christmases.

For more details on Charlotte's incredible wardrobe, read my in depth article here.

Princess Beatrice and Edoardo Mapelli Mapelli hosted their youngest daughter, Athena's christening at St James's Palace in London on Friday.

Amongst members of Beatrice's family, including her father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was seen arriving at the service in a Range Rover at a side entrance to the palace grounds on Friday morning, and her sister, Princess Eugenie, was musician James Blunt.

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The You're Beautiful singer was seen carrying a blue gift bag. His wife, Sofia Wellesley, has reportedly been chosen as one of Athena's godparents, along with Princess Nina of Greece and Denmark. 

Read the full story on Athena's christening by our online Royal Correspondent Danielle Stacey, here.

We all know that the Princess of Wales has a long-standing preference for brown tights, which shows just how pioneering her fashion credentials are. Prince William's wife wore the shade back in 2012. 

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Brown hosiery is now considered a huge trend for 2025 and 2026, with many content creators opting for brown over black when choosing to wear tights. HELLO spoke to celebrity stylist Georgie Gray, who endorses the brown tights comeback, calling them the "quiet luxury of legwear" that adds instant depth to winter outfits. 

For an in-depth review - read my royal fashion feature here.

On Friday, Princess Anne represented King Charles at the Sovereign's Parade at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, an event that fell on her 33rd wedding anniversary with Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence.

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The Princess Royal wowed onlookers as she arrived by helicopter at the prestigious ceremony, wearing a chic turquoise coat, hat, and scarf. The mother-of-two inspected the graduating cadets before they were commissioned into the Army. 

For more on Anne's latest appearance, read Royal Online Correspondent Danielle Stacey's in-depth article here.

It's been a pleasure to bring you the royal news today. I will hand you over to my colleague Rebecca, who will be with you this evening.

In this week's audio-only episode, we are joined by HELLO! Magazine's royal editor Emily Nash, who was one of the 1,600 guests at the Princess of Wales's Christmas carol service. We dive into the star-studded guest list, who was noticeably absent - and why - the heart-warming theme of the night, standout moments, and everything you need to know from inside Westminster Abbey. 

Princess Eugenie has cemented her status as one of the most quietly chic dressers in the British royal family, leaning towards a classical minimalist style, which is currently bang on trend thanks to the popularity of 'old money' fashion.

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Read more here.

King Charles has confirmed that his cancer treatment can be reduced in the new year, as he delivered a personal video message in support of the Stand Up To Cancer campaign.

The pre-recorded message filmed at Clarence House, in which Charles, 77, stressed the importance of cancer screening programmes to help early diagnosis, was broadcast on Friday evening in the UK.

Watch the video here.

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene were dressed to the nines on Friday as they attended the annual Bal de Noël, one of Monaco’s most enchanting charity traditions of the festive season.  

Charlene wore a stunning Jenny Packham gown; a designer beloved by Britain's Princess Kate.

The Gala supports the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation, dedicated to drowning prevention and children’s education through sport.

Christmas is only 13 days away so don't forget to pick up our Royal Yearbook!

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