Royal family 15-16 December: King Charles hosts pre-Christmas royal reunion, more

Good morning, royal readers!

The Duchess of Edinburgh is out today, so keep your eyes peeled to see her visit to Alderney as well as all the other royals news on Monday morning… 

Lady Frederick Windsor, also known as the actress Sophie Winkleman, and her younger daughter, Isabella, nine, stepped out on a Sunday in early December to join vendors on the streets of London to sell copies of the Big Issue, which supports homeless people.

"Both my girls feel enraged that we live in a society where homelessness is accepted," Sophie told HELLO!. "How the hell is it okay to walk past someone sleeping in the street? No one should have to endure that pain and indignity – and the Big Issue is a family and a community for people who've fallen on seriously hard times."

Read the full story here. 

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For our latest issue, HELLO! has explored how Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis took centre stage at the Together at Christmas concert – and what it means for the modern monarchy. 

The star-studded annual event has become something of a family tradition, with George and Charlotte attending for the fourth time and Louis, who looked enchanted by the candlelit scene inside the historic abbey, there for the third time.

Read the full story here. 

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The Christmas card for the Belgian Royal Family has been revealed! King Philippe and Queen Mathilde can be seen with their children Princess Elisabeth, Prince Gabriel, Prince Emmanuel and Princess Eléonore posing in the luscious palace gardens. 

© ©Royal Palace, Belgium / Vlad VDK

Taking to Instagram, the official Belgian Royal Palace shared a video that revealed the Christmas card, with the caption: "Greeting cards have been sent out! What do you think of this years photo?"

Over the weekend, King Charles and Queen Camilla and Prince William And Kate released statements sharing their shock and sympathy for all those affected by the terrorist attack carried out at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday 14 December during a Hanukkah celebration. 

The King said he was "appalled and saddened" by the "attack on Jewish people", while the Prince and Princess of Wales said their "thoughts are with every Australian". 

Click here for the King's statement and here for Kate and William's statement. 

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Following a visit from the Prince of Wales and actor Eugene Levy earlier this year, one local pub in Windsor has seen an increase in visitors.

Appearing at The Two Brewers for Apple TV's The Reluctant Traveler, the Prince of Wales was seen enjoying a pint with the Schitt's Creek actor in an episode that aired in October. 

Since the heartwarming scene landed on screens, the pub's owner, Stuart O'Brien, confirmed to HELLO! that there has been an uptick in guests. "Just a little bit. Just a smidge," Stuart joked. "But yes! A lot of people coming in, a lot of tourists come in because they've seen the show."

Read the full story here. 

© Courtesy of Apple

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is set for a move to Sandringham from his current home at Royal Lodge on the Windsor Home Park estate. Ahead of the move, the royal, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has upped the privacy around the site by banning drones from flying over a farm on the royal Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

Click here to find out everything you need to know about the new ban. 

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, has officially been stripped of his last remaining military title. The 65-year-old has been demoted from Vice-Admiral to Commander in a decision made by the Defence Council. 

Despite losing the Vice-Admiral rank, Andrew will keep the medals he earned serving as a Navy helicopter pilot during the 1982 Falklands War.

A Government spokesman commented: "Following formal consideration, Defence Council have agreed the immediate reversion from the rank of Vice-Admiral to the rank of Commander (Retired) Royal Navy, the rank held on retirement from Regular Royal Naval Service by Andrew Mountbatten Windsor.

"This decision aligns with such processes as to remove other styles and titles."

Andrew gave up the use of his royal titles, including the Duke of York, following his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and alleged relationship with a Chinese spy in October. 

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Princess Madeleine is one of the more low-key Swedish royals, usually taking a back seat in the public eye in favour of her older sister, Crown Princess Victoria. But last week, the princess attended two events for the Nobel Prize: a dinner for the 2025 Nobel Laureates at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, and the Nobel Prize Banquet at the Stockholm City Hall. 

When HELLO! shared a picture of Madeleine on Instagram, our readers couldn't get enough of her amazing gym-honed physique, so we decided to take a deep dive into how she managed to achieve it.

Click here for all the tips.

© Jonas Ekströmer/TT/Shutterstock

This time of year is always so busy for royal families all over the world, so we took a moment to reflect on the biggest moments of the week. 

From heartwarming family portraits and Christmas cards to glittering tiaras, festive traditions and poignant messages, click here to find out all the standout royal moments we loved the most.

That's all from me – I'll now hand over to our wonderful Rachel, who will bring you all the latest from this afternoon's royal news…

It is Rachel here, taking over from Abby now, on the afternoon shift to bring you the latest on the royal beat. Stay tuned! 

King Charles is facing a growing tax bill thanks to the government's new plans. Here's how his private homes, Sandringham and Balmoral will be affected. 

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We've studied the evolution of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Christmas cards over the years - discover which one "balances public impact with private joy" perfectly by clicking here.

On this day, 77 years ago, Queen Elizabeth II was pictured cradling her newborn, then-Prince Charles. He was one month and one day old when this adorable photo was taken. 

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King Felipe VI of Spain was pictured during a visit to the La Florida 6.0. center in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. He was greeted by many members of the public, including one woman who couldn't resist reaching out to touch his cheek affectionately.

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Princess Kate proves she's so relatable once again with £28 earrings for an all-important occasion. I'm adding to my Christmas list right away! 

My winter wardrobe is a rotation of black, grey, khaki green and burgundy, but Duchess Sophie has proved that raspberry pink has its place too! Check out her latest statement trousers that have been hailed 'upbeat' by fashion expert when she stepped out in Alderney, as the Channel Island marked the 80th anniversary of Homecoming Day. 

On The Queen's Reading Room Instagram channel, Queen Camilla has hailed Bridget Jones a "relatable heroine of our time" - and we agree!

On this day in 1987, Princess Diana stepped out hand-in-hand with her son Prince William for the St Mary Abbots Church Christmas concert in Kensington. The youngster looked adorable in his grey and red uniform, but we must say Diana's androgynous blue coat really stole the show. 

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Passing the royal baton on to the lovely Beatriz Colon to keep you up to date!

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie stepped out for an under-the-radar lunch on 12 December, both looking stylish as they enjoyed a spot of quality sister time. Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, were seen leaving Mount St. Restaurant in Mayfair after a two-hour lunch ahead of the christening of Beatrice's daughter, Athena, whom she shares with her property developer husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.

The daughters of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson both wore winter coats, but Princess Beatrice really leaned into a festive moment. See photos here. 

Queen Silvia of Sweden was the epitome of a proud grandmother on 15 December as she posed for photographs alongside her grandchildren as the Christmas tree arrived at the Royal Palace in Stockholm. 

Taking centre stage was Princess Ines, the daughter of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. The royal couple welcomed the tot on 7 February, making her the first little girl after their three older sons: Prince Alexander, nine, Prince Gabriel, eight, and Prince Julian, three. See all the cutest photos here. 

Queen Mathilde of Belgium is one of the prime examples of classical elegance when it comes to contemporary royal style. Though she wouldn't typically be framed as a 'fashion-forward' royal, like Queen Letizia of Spain or Queen Mary of Denmark, the 52-year-old's sense of style leans heavily into heritage and timeless designs.

As is tradition for many of the European royal families, the Belgian royal family have revealed their official Christmas card, which features a photograph of King Philippe and the Queen with their four children: Princess Elisabeth, Prince Gabriel, Prince Emmanuel and Princess Eléonore. See how it's so on-trend here. 

That's all the news we have for you now, but that's just until tomorrow, when we'll be right back here for more all things royals.

Cheers!

Good morning and welcome to another day of royal news! Stay tuned as I'll be taking you through all the latest updates from royals across the world. 

What's on today's agenda, you ask? 

Princess Anne, as Master of the Corporation of Trinity House, will attend a carol service at St. Olave's Church, followed by a reception at Trinity House, London.

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Stay tuned for more!

Every year, the Prince and Princess of Wales delight royal fans with a new Christmas card, which captures them and their children, George, Charlotte and Louis, at ease, while the personalities of the youngsters shine through. 

Over the years, there has been a subtle change in their cards, including a shift in their messaging. Intrigued? Read the full story here. 

© Matt Porteous/Kensington Palace

When it comes to festive fashion, the royal ladies certainly know what they are doing. With a calendar full to the brim of engagements, royal fans can expect a month of fantastic style - and the first week was off to a great start. 

From the Princess of Wales to Duchess Sophie and Queen Maxima, click here to see the best royal fashion photos of the festive season. 

© Andrew Parsons / Kensington Pala

The Duke of Gloucester, as joint President of Cancer Research UK, will attend the Carol Concert in St Paul's Cathedral in London today. 

The Duke will be joined by his wife, Birgitte, the Duchess of Gloucester for the festive outing. 

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Prince William and footballer Jill Scott MBE have teamed up to celebrate 100 years of the charity, Fields in Trust, of which they are Patron and President, respectively. 

The film sees the Prince of Wales and Jill meet up for a walk through a local park, where they discuss the importance of green spaces for our mental health and wellbeing. The clip also sees the pair come across a local school's football match. 

Check it out below.