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Royal News Roundup: The Queen’s Epic Weekend, Lilibet’s Birthday Portrait & More
Here’s all the royal news you need to know for the week of June 9, 2022.
- Queen Elizabeth led the lighting of the Principal Beacon at Windsor Castle, where she made the U.K. shine bright like a diamond. The “Tree of Trees” is being used to honor Her Majesty’s 70-year reign on the throne.
- The monarch finally met Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s 1-year-old daughter, Lilibet. The gathering took place at a secret location shortly after the queen’s Trooping the Colour birthday parade.
- Princess Eugenie shared a slideshow on Instagram, documenting her son August’s first Trooping the Colour experience. In the photos, Jack Brooksbank is holding August as they waved to the planes that flew by.
- Fans couldn’t help but noticed that August bears a striking resemblance to Prince Harry. Not only does baby August have the same red hair, but he also has the same striking blue eyes.
- In honor of the Platinum Jubilee, Sarah Ferguson shared a black-and-white childhood pic of the monarch. In the caption, she praised the queen for her “kindness” and “selflessness” throughout the years.
- Last week, the royal family gathered at St. Paul’s Cathedral for the Service of Thanksgiving. According to the church’s website, the event is meant to express “thankfulness for The Queen’s reign, faith and service; desire to foster unity and peace amongst all peoples; and commitment to care for God’s creation.”
- Prince Harry and Markle didn’t appear on the balcony for photos, but they did attend the service at St. Paul’s Cathedral.
- During the service, Prince Harry stole the show by making silly faces, which—lucky for us—were captured by photographers.
- Although Prince William and Kate Middleton were also in attendance, they didn’t sit with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
- Middleton wore a gorgeous pale yellow dress with a matching fascinator and nude pumps. Some royal aficionados believe the color was a tribute to the queen, who wore a similar hue to Prince William and Middleton’s nuptials.
- At the church service, Middleton, Markle and Camilla Parker Bowles seemed to coordinate their accessories. All three women donned floppy hats that were tilted to the left and characterized by large, thin brims.
- Prince William and Middleton took their two oldest children—Prince George and Princess Charlotte—to Cardiff Castle in Wales. The father-son duo wore coordinating outfits, including navy blue suits with light blue button-down shirts and brown dress shoes.
- Middleton wore a bright red coat dress that may look familiar. She previously sported the outfit (designed by Eponine London) on several occasions, including a visit to the National Portrait Gallery in May 2021.
- The Duchess of Cambridge also switched up her hairstyle. While she usually wears it down, she opted for a casual ponytail.
- That same day, the Cambridges traveled back to London for the Platinum Party. During the event, the family was seen cracking up at something funny that happened on stage.
- During the Platinum Party, the queen’s oldest son, Prince Charles, gave a heartfelt speech. He began by addressing his mother with her formal title, as well as a personal nickname. “Your Majesty, Mummy,” he said.
- At the Platinum Pageant, Prince Louis caught everyone’s attention by making several silly faces (while Middleton tried to stop him).
- Meanwhile, Prince George was seen biting his nails—a habit that his late grandma, Princess Diana, was known for.
- Prince William and Middleton posted a slideshow recapping the week’s events. They even shaded their youngest son, Prince Louis, in the caption. “We all had an incredible time, especially Louis…[side-eye emoji],” they wrote.
- Queen Elizabeth closed out the Jubilee celebrations with a surprise appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony. She also shared a personally signed letter to the royal family Instagram account.
- Shortly after the Platinum Jubilee celebrations came to an end, the monarch (or, ya know, her team) updated the royal family’s official Twitter page with a brand-new header photo. The snap likely holds a special meaning because it includes three generations of future monarchs (in addition to herself).
- In honor of Lilibet’s 1st birthday, Prince Harry and Markle shared a never-before-seen photo on social media. The pic was taken by professional photographer Misan Harriman.
- Middleton and Prince William celebrated Lilibet’s birthday with a very special message on Twitter, which read: “Wishing a very happy birthday to Lilibet, turning one today!”
- Queen Elizabeth also joined in on the celebrations. On her official Twitter account, the royal included a balloon emoji and wrote, “Wishing Lilibet a very Happy 1st Birthday!”
- According to The Sun, the Sussex family flew back to the United States before the Platinum Jubilee Pageant started on Sunday. The royal couple was spotted at Santa Barbara Airport after leaving their private jet, with the staff grabbing a few of their belongings.
- Middleton shared a rare video of her three children baking cakes in the family’s kitchen. The caption read, “Baking cakes for the local community in Cardiff to enjoy at a Platinum Jubilee street party taking place today! We hope you like them!”
- This week, Middleton stepped out for a solo outing and visited the Brent division of Little Village (London’s largest baby bank network, which offers supplies to families in need). The royal wore a stunning white blazer that looked professional and effortless.
- Pippa Middleton and her husband, James Matthews, are reportedly expecting their third child. The pregnancy news was first speculated when Pippa attended the Platinum Party at the Palace.
- During a recent episode of The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast, host Mike Tindall (who married the queen’s granddaughter, Zara Tindall) talked about attending Jubilee weekend. Mike told his co-host, Alex Payne, that he had an “outstanding” experience.
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