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Prince Philip ‘wants to make it to 100’
Prince Philip remains in the hospital in London this weekend.
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Philip, a source told the Sun on Sunday, wants the other royals to “carry on as usual” with their celebrations at Sandringham and not to visit him.
“The Duke doesn’t want any fuss. He doesn’t want the family coming to see him when he is in hospital. He wants to be in and out with minimal disruption to any festive plans, and he certainly doesn’t want the family to spend time at Christmas traipsing to his sick bed.”
The status of his health remains unknown, although a friend told the paper: “The Duke has always said he doesn’t want to be old and decrepit and unable to do the thing he loves. He has hated his failing health stopping him from living the kind of active life he likes. And he has said in the past that he doesn’t want to go on forever, if that was the way it was going to be.
“But recently he has been a lot more keen about hanging around—he wants to make it to 100. And when Philip wants to do something, you can bet your life that he will give it his best shot.”
According to the Mail, royal sources said that Philip was expected to remain in the hospital for a few days, “raising the prospect that he could be discharged in time to join the Queen and other senior Royals at Sandringham on Christmas Eve.”
The queen’s 98-year-old husband reportedly walked into King Edward VII Hospital in London’s Marylebone on Friday for treatment for a pre-existing condition on the same day that the queen arrived in Norfolk for her annual Christmas holiday at Sandringham.
A source told People: “It was a planned admission, and he walked into the hospital unaided.”
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The Duke of Edinburgh travelled from Norfolk this morning to the King Edward VII's Hospital in London for observation and treatment in relation to a pre-existing condition. The admission is a precautionary measure, on the advice of His Royal Highness’ Doctor.”
Philip, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, retired from public life in 2017. He has suffered from various health issues in recent years, and in January voluntarily gave up his driver’s license after a serious car accident near Sandringham.
The prince’s hospitalization meant that royal Christmas celebrations began quietly this weekend. The queen reportedly postponed her traditional first-day-of-holiday visit to the royal horse stud, and a pheasant shoot was also reportedly canceled.
Harry and Meghan in Canada for Christmas
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, baby Archie, and Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland are spending “private family time” this Christmas in Canada.
A statement from Kensington Palace said the couple’s choice of the country “reflects the importance of this Commonwealth country to them both.”
“The Duke of Sussex has been a frequent visitor to Canada over many years, and it was also home to The Duchess for seven years before she became a member of the Royal Family. They are enjoying sharing the warmth of the Canadian people and the beauty of the landscape with their young son.”
The statement followed another statement last month, making clear that Harry, Meghan, and Archie would not be spending Christmas with the rest of the royals in Sandringham but with Doria. The move had the support of the queen, the statement said.
The couple recently took a six-week sabbatical from royal duties, after what they themselves have described as a tough year. They have complained about the media coverage they receive, and launched lawsuits against high-profile media organizations.
The royals were welcomed by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who in a Twitter message said: “Prince Harry, Meghan, and Archie, we’re all wishing you a quiet and blessed stay in Canada. You’re among friends, and always welcome here.”
Kate and William have ‘old-fashioned marriage’
A cover story in People claims that Prince William and Kate Middleton “look after each other but in different ways,” according to a friend of the couple. “Some people might say it’s an old-fashioned marriage, but it seems to work.” The friend told People, “They have different roles, but they come together as a team.”
William is “intense,” while Kate has an “unwavering poise and calm.” This apparently leads to “balance.”
“They are a great double act,” a senior royal source told the publication. “People make much of William giving the big speeches, but Kate is there too, asking questions of presidents and their wives. These things are easier when they are side-by-side.”
It’s really not very surprising that their friends and royal PR handlers would say nice things about Kate and William, who have been doing all they can to maximize their good PR in recent months, as Harry and Meghan assume a (momentarily) lower profile.
The People article seemed also intended to sell Kate and William as good diplomatic assets for the U.K., quoting a Foreign Office “insider” claiming the couple was a “massive asset; the perception of them is strong.”
This pointed quote is likely intended to burnish their international image, and to underline that they are more than able to compete with Harry and Meghan on the global stage.
Christmas messages from Harry, Meghan, William, and Kate
Prince Harry, dressed up as Father Christmas, filmed a sweet Christmas video for the children supported by Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity for bereaved children whose parents have died serving in the British armed forces.
The video was shown at the organization’s annual Christmas lunch. Harry told the children they were “part of a family and amazing community,” and that they had support. He said he knew that losing a parent was “incredibly hard,” but that by helping each other, they will have “an amazing future.” Their parents would never be forgotten, and neither would they, Harry added.
Harry and Meghan have taken to Instagram to convey seasonal cheer to their 9.9 million “Sussex Royal” Instagram followers.
On Friday, they posted pictures from Meghan’s visit to Brinsworth House in 2018, a residential and nursing care home in Twickenham last year, to highlight work by the Royal Variety Charity. The pictures show Meghan chatting to a resident, and helping make Christmas decorations. She also sang carols with residents.
Other images in the post were from the 2018 Royal Variety performance, held in aid of the Royal Variety Charity which Harry and Meghan attended together for the first time in 2018. One picture showed Meghan talking to Take That’s Gary Barlow and Howard Donald.
More visuals: there was not a trace of snow on Prince William and Kate Middleton’s Christmas card, which is instead a relaxed and very cute photograph of them and their kids, George (6), Charlotte (4), and Louis (1), posed around a vintage motorcycle. It was reportedly shot at their Norfolk home, Anmer Hall.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, Kensington Palace released a picture of four generations of royals: the queen, Prince Charles, Prince William, and Prince George, as the latter helped mix the ingredients for a traditional British Christmas pudding.
The pudding was just one of many being prepared for the Royal British Legion’s “Together at Christmas” campaign, designed, said the Palace, “to provide extra support to the Armed Forces and veteran communities at annual festive ‘get togethers’ across the charity’s network of outreach centers.”
Prince Charles and Camilla also released their Christmas card for public view this week—a picture of them motoring around Cuba when they visited the island earlier this year.
Harry and Meghan ‘morally wrong’ to use Duke and Duchess titles
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle acquired their titles of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex “unfairly,” and should be stripped of them, according to a popular new petition in the U.K..
Their use of the “Duke and Duchess of Sussex” was “morally wrong and disrespectful to the county of East Sussex,” the petition read. It was begun by Charles Ross, a steward, and amassed 3,881 signatures prior to being heard at a meeting of Brighton and Hove Council on Thursday night.
“As residents of Brighton and Hove we call on Brighton and Hove Council to not refer to these individuals by such titles which we believe to be entirely non democratic and symbolic of the oppression of the general public by the wealthy elite,” the petition read. “Neither will Brighton Council invite or entertain these individuals nor afford them any hospitality or courtesies above and beyond that of an ordinary member of the public.”
Ross told The Daily Telegraph: “I have been a long-standing republican, but I didn’t particularly take up the cause—I think I was bored one evening, if you want me to be honest. I started a petition and I didn’t realize what a ball I would start rolling.”
Labour leader of the council Nancy Platts told local news outlet the Brighton and Hove News that the local authority did not have the power to take the titles away from Harry and Meghan, as the power—ironically—rested with the crown.
Councillor Platts said: “We have more pressing issues—of homelessness, the climate crisis and the effect of austerity and ensuring the economic wellbeing of our residents. We respect the views on both sides but, given the pressing issues we have got, we need to make good use of council resources.”
No-show Prince Andrew feared ‘abuse’ at Beatrice’s engagement party
Her mom Sarah Ferguson was at daughter Princess Beatrice and fiancé Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi’s engagement party on Thursday night. So were Pippa Middleton and pop singers Ellie Goulding and James Blunt, but there was no sign of dad Prince Andrew at festivities at hot London party spot Chiltern Firehouse.
Andrew reportedly feared “abuse” from party guests around his scandalous association with alleged pedophile and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein.
A source close to Andrew told The Sun: “This is a devastating blow for the Duke and a sign of just how bad things have got. The plan was always for him to attend Beatrice’s engagement party alongside Fergie. But things have just turned far more toxic.
“He agreed that he didn’t want to overshadow the event, especially seeing lots of celebrities and high profile people will be there and it could have put them in a difficult position. People close to him where also in fear of embarrassment or abuse which would have just been mortifying.”
Andrew was forced to stand down from royal duties last month after his disastrous Newsnight interview, which raised more questions than answered them about his involvement with Epstein. However, Andrew attended the queen’s Christmas lunch this week.
Royal fashion watch
Kate Middleton wore plaid to the queen’s Christmas lunch. We know this because photographers risking it all for that perfect shot got pictures of her sitting in the passenger seat, waving happily to the outside world.
This week in royal history
Wednesday is the biggest day of the year for the queen and her Commonwealth subjects, as she prepares to give her annual Christmas Day speech at 3 p.m. local time. The queen’s speech is often an attempt to put across a message of peace and goodwill, but royal watchers also read between the lines for what the queen might be really trying to say beneath the diplomatic niceties.
Unanswered questions
Who will take pole position on the queen’s Christmas Day walk list to the church? All eyes will be on the mini-procession to and from at St Mary Magdalene, Sandringham. With no Harry and Meghan expected, and Prince Andrew still in the palace doghouse (yet he did attend the queen’s Christmas lunch), just who will be saying hello in their Christmas Day best to the royal fans outside the church? One report claimed William, Kate, and their children would be the focus.
