Latest news with #flypast
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE The moment Prince William acted as a 'human shield' between feuding Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, according to body language expert
All eyes were on the Royal Family as they watched, united on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, a historic flypast to mark of the Royal Air Force. The Queen led a day of national celebrations on July 10, 2018, which saw 100 aeroplanes, one for each year of the RAF, glide over the iconic balcony.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The moment Prince William acted as a 'human shield' between feuding Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, according to body language expert
All eyes were on the Royal Family as they watched, united on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, a historic flypast to mark a century of the Royal Air Force. The Queen led a day of national celebrations on July 10, 2018, which saw 100 aeroplanes, one for each year of the RAF, glide over the iconic balcony. Earlier, more than 2,200 people attended a Westminster Abbey service, including the then prime minister Theresa May, secretary of state for defence Gavin Williamson and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. After the service, the family met veterans, personnel, charity representatives and members of the civil service. And, while all seemed smooth-sailing on the surface, looking back to that day, eagle-eyed royal observers have noticed a potential early sign that not all was well between Meghan and Kate at the Westminster service. As Kate, with Meghan behind her, greets the Dean of Westminster, The Very Reverend Dr John Hall, Prince William steps in between them. Body language expert Judi James told MailOnline: 'Superficially, and with the benefit of hindsight, now that we know about the tricky relationship between Meghan and Kate, this looks very much like a devoted and protective husband strategically and very pointedly stepping between his wife and her nemesis in the form of a human shield. 'William's body language shows he is clearly aware that Harry and Meghan have honed into position behind him and he immediately ducks his head to move to stand next to his wife, even sucking his lips inward in what is often a signal of regret.' The encounter came months after Meghan and Kate allegedly clashed over bridesmaids dresses at Meghan's wedding. While accounts of what happened vary, initial reports suggested that Meghan had made Kate cry during a disagreement over Princess Charlotte's outfit - which the Suits actress later denied. In his book, Yes, Ma'am: The Secret Life Of Royal Servants, Tom Quinn claims both women were 'really upset' by the incident. A former member of staff told the author: 'The truth is that during the discussions about the bridesmaid's dress, Meghan said a few things she regretted and Kate said a few things she later regretted but it was all in the heat of the moment. 'Both women were crying their eyes out!' The unnamed employee went on to explain that the incident was 'subtly altered' and 'made more significant than it really is' by the media. This resulted in the disagreement becoming a 'marker for all the other problems that Meghan had with Kate and with William and other members of the family'. However, Meghan gave a different version of events in her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021. She insisted that she was the one who had been hurt in the exchange, not Kate. Meghan explained that Kate was upset about something, but later took responsibility, apologised, and even brought her flowers. 'It wasn't a confrontation,' Meghan said. 'I don't think it's fair to her to get into the details of that, because she apologised. 'What was hard to get over was being blamed for something that, not only I didn't do, but that happened to me. 'And the people who were part of our wedding were going to our comms team and saying, "I know this didn't happen. I don't have to tell them what actually happened".' The discussion served as yet another example of the late Queen's famous phrase, 'recollections may vary', which she famously used in response to the comments made by Harry and Meghan during the Oprah interview that an unnamed member of the family raised the issue of how dark their unborn baby Archie's skin would be while Meghan she was pregnant. Though the bridesmaids dress incident continues to be disputed, it remains one of the most talked-about moments leading up to the Sussexes' wedding - and a lingering factor in the family's rift. William, Charles and Harry are pictured in an official portrait in the gardens of Buckingham Palace ahead of RAF 100 commemorations on July 10, 2018 The body language expert offered an alternative explanation to William's body language at the RAF event. Judi said: 'There is a spatial gap between William and Meghan that doesn't really show at this angle. 'When the royals greet their hosts at services like this, there is something of a royal queue with gaps that can turn into a log jam if a royal keeps chatting, as Kate often can. 'Meghan was new to the royal Firm and William's body language to this point had shown him being friendly and welcoming. 'This movement and change of position could be the kind of adjustment you make to the position of a group at a party when someone new comes to join in. 'It is rude to keep your back to the newcomer as it is a sign of rejection. So, we often shuffle to ensure we encompass the new arrival. 'Meghan would not have been allowed to join William and Kate here as the pecking order is firm, but it would be completely conceivable for a very polite William to move in to place to ensure his back is not turned against her as she arrived behind him. 'He does move back as soon as the procession takes off so that his and Kate's backs are naturally and inevitably turned to Harry and his wife. At the time of the Royal Foundation forum, Harry said 'working as family does have its challenges', but insisted 'we're stuck together for the rest of our lives' Bridesmaid dress-gate! How reports of Kate and Meghan arguing ahead of wedding unfolded May 2018 - Meghan Markle and Prince Harry tie the knot in St George's Chapel in Windsor The bridesmaids, including Jessica Mulroney's daughter Ivy and Princess Charlotte, have bare legs November 2018 - The Telegraph's royal editor Camilla Tominey wrote she had 'spoken to two separate sources who claim Kate was left in tears following a bridesmaids dress fitting for Princess Charlotte' May 2020 - Tatler reports the two argued over protocol of the young bridesmaids wearing tights or having bare legs March 2021 - Meghan confirms there was a disagreement in her bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview, but she says it was actually the Duchess of Cambridge who made her cry Royal expert Katie Nicholl says Kate 'never wanted' reports of a rift to come out in the press and has found the situation 'mortifying' January 2023: Harry's memoir reveals new rifts between the Sussexes and William and Kate 'It is conceivable that William was trying to be polite to Meghan here, although it is also equally conceivable that he might turn himself into something of a buffer between the two women as he did so if he was aware of any friction.' While the Sussexes did not step down from the Royal Family until 2020, there had been signs of discord between the brothers and their partners even before the wedding. In his book Spare, Harry detailed how Meghan asked to borrow lipgloss from Kate ahead of their appearance at the first Royal Foundation forum summit in February 2018. He wrote that Kate was surprised, but rummaged around in her bag before offering it to Meghan. He claimed that Meghan applied a little gloss to her finger and rubbed it across her lips before Kate made a 'disgusted' face. The summit marked the first official appearance of the 'Fab Four' to announce that Meghan would become the fourth patron of the Royal Foundation. At the time, Harry said 'working as family does have its challenges', but insisted 'we're stuck together for the rest of our lives'. But according to reports, it was an 'awkward' affair as Meghan took up the majority of the airtime, which apparently did not sit well with Kate. There is a litany of reasons why the brothers and their partners no longer see eye to eye, but tensions between Meghan and Kate were certainly an aggravating factor. As reports of peace talks made recent headlines, many royal observers hope that this could be a sign of reconciliation between the Sussexes and the Royal Family.
Daily Mail
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Prince Harry 'mansplained' royal life to Meghan, new documentary claims
Prince Harry was caught 'mansplaining' what a royal flypast is to Meghan Markle during their first Trooping The Colour after getting married, as a lip reader detailed the awkward interaction in a new documentary. Forensic lip readers analysed some of the most high-profile royal events in recent history - from Charles and Diana's wedding to Queen Elizabeth II 's funeral - to uncover their 'secret conversations' for Channel 5 's programme Lip-Reading the Royals. One of the events they covered was Trooping The Colour in 2018 after Prince Harry married the former Suits actress in St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. With the world watching Meghan's debut on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Trooping alongside senior members of The Firm, it appeared Prince Harry may have been conscious of any criticism when he tried to explain the proceedings to his new bride. Lip reader Nicola Hickling said Harry was 'explaining to her what is going to happen and that Paras will be flying overhead' as he used 'hand motions' to demonstrate' what was about to happen before Meghan acknowleged him by saying 'OK'. 'The lip readers have exposed him mansplaining to her what a flypast is,' said royal analyst Cristo Foufas. 'Is this Harry being too dumb to realise that Meghan knows that planes are in the air and, as a member of the Royal Family, you probably have to look at a few?' Or, he continued, 'is this Meghan playing dumb so Harry feels like he's in charge?' Foufas also quipped 'that won't last' in a seeming reference to Meghan's growing influence within their marriage in the years since the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit the Royal Family. In an interview with MailOnline, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said that Harry hasn't yet found his own way since he and Meghan relocated to the US five years ago. Body language expert Judi James also highlighted how Meghan appears to take the lead during the couple's joint appearances - including their quasi-royal tour of Colombia last August that left Harry looking like the 'Spare' in his marriage. The Channel 5 documentary also makes claims about a tense exchange between Harry and Meghan during the Remembrance Sunday service in 2018 when she told him to 'take advantage of the situation'. Hickling said Harry then asked Meghan: 'Today?' as she instructed him to 'Do it tonight'. 'You do realise that this is the end?' the Duke then allegedly asked Meghan, who responded: 'Yeah, I do know.' Experts have questioned whether they were discussing plans to quit the Royal Family as early as six months after they tied the knot, with the Sussexes eventually stepping down as senior members in January 2020. The release of the documentary comes after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were mocked by American cartoon Family Guy with its creators comparing their marriage to Hitler and the Crusades. In an episode from the newest series of the animated satire, main characters Stewie and Brian Griffin go back in time and speak to Mark Twain, author of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The characters discuss how history 'pretty much sucks' before listing several instances including Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler, the medieval wars in the Middle East and the former royal's marriage. The scene then cuts away to Prince Harry, sat at home on the sofa who moans 'Again?' before telling the camera that the audience's wives are no better. This is not the first time the Sussexes have fallen victim to Seth McFarlane's cartoon satire and in 2023 were savaged as work-shy grifters being paid by Netflix for 'no-one knows what' in a reference to the couple's multi-million dollar deal with the streamer. Earlier this month, The Mail On Sunday revealed King Charles and Prince Harry's most trusted aides are working to resolve the royal family feud that dates back to 'Megxit' - and has only intensified in the years since. Staffers for the King and Prince Harry held a secret peace summit at a London private members' club as part of the 'rapproachement process' that sources have said opens up a 'channel of the first time in years'. 'There's a long road ahead, but a channel of communication is now open for the first time in years,' said a source. 'There was no formal agenda, just casual drinks. There were things both sides wanted to talk about.' Harry was represented by Meredith Maines, his chief communications officer and head of his household in Montecito, California, who flew in from Los Angeles. She met Tobyn Andreae, the King's communications secretary, at the Royal Over-Seas League (ROSL) a three-minute walk from Clarence House, the monarch's London residence. Also present was Liam Maguire, who runs the Sussexes' PR team in the UK.
Times
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Would Prince Harry and Meghan be welcomed back? We asked Britain
It is a Saturday in June 2027, and the crowds have gathered outside Buckingham Palace to see the royal family watch the traditional flypast after Trooping the Colour. As the family gathers on the balcony, the eyes of the crowd — and, more importantly, the lenses of the photographers — are not focused on the King. They are not even watching Prince Louis, now nine, and still more than capable of stealing the show. They only have eyes for two people: the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, back in the royal fold after years of self-imposed exile in California. As the Sussexes stand there, Meghan offering her most dazzling smile while Harry yet again finds himself incapable of hiding the hint of a scowl, they are greeted with … well, what, apart from the incessant clicking of camera shutters? Cheers? Boos? Or a confusing mixture of the two? Shockingly, could it even be indifference? The Sussexes are not used to indifference. That one can even entertain such a fantasy has only been possible in the last week, since photographs were published showing Tobyn Andreae, Buckingham Palace's director of communications, having a meeting with the Sussexes' two most senior PR aides, Meredith Maines, who is also head of their household in Montecito, and Liam Maguire. It was billed as the tentative first steps in a gradual process of rapprochement — and indeed, after the meeting was leaked to The Mail on Sunday, make that very tentative — aimed at lessening some of the tensions that exist between the palace and California. But it immediately sparked much speculation about where it might lead. After years of hurling abuse at his family from the other side of the Atlantic, does Harry want to kiss and make up? Might Harry and Meghan be considering coming back to the UK — if not on a permanent basis, then at least for part of the year? Most tantalising of all, could they even be thinking about undertaking occasional royal duties? • That is all a long way off. Even though Harry has appeared to have been in more conciliatory mood of late — talking of whether his family is prepared to forgive him, rather than peppering every interview with angry demands for apologies from them — neither of them have looked like they are getting ready to move back into Frogmore Cottage any time soon. 'They're very happy living in and raising their family in California and, as it stands, have no plans to leave,' a source close to Harry told the Mail last week. But the intriguing question is: if they do come back, if only for a bit, how will they go down with the British public? Even if Harry is prepared to forgive and forget, are we? Up to a point, seems to be the answer. Nearly a quarter of people (24 per cent) think that it would be a good thing if Harry came back to live in the UK, according to a YouGov poll for The Sunday Times, while 22 per cent think that it would be a bad thing. By far the most common answer is, however, an indifferent one: 41 per cent said they don't care, either way. But many people really do not like Meghan: 41 per cent think her return would be a bad thing, against 12 per cent who think it would be a good idea, though 35 per cent are indifferent. The over-60s are much more likely to be anti-Meghan, with 64 per cent of the 65 and over age group against her return compared with 17 per cent of 18 to 24s. There is a similar split on the question of whether they should take up royal duties again: There is, however, one thing that people are in favour of: forgiveness — on all sides. The YouGov poll of more than 2,100 people found 44 per cent think Harry should forgive the rest of the royal family for their previous behaviour: Sarah Hewson, the royal commentator and former Sky News royal correspondent, argues that the view of the public is likely to be heavily affected by what Harry's own family thinks. When he gave his interview to the BBC after losing his court case against the Home Office over his security provision, Harry said his father was not taking his calls. But we know that the King is deeply pained by the rift with his son, so there is every chance that could change. 'It really depends on how they come back, and on what terms,' Hewson said. 'It would really take Charles as the King to pave the way for them coming back.' There is a parallel here, with the way the Queen Elizabeth paved the way for Camilla to be known as Queen rather than Princess Consort, by releasing a statement on her Platinum Jubilee saying that was her 'sincere wish'. Once Charles lets it be known that he has forgiven his son — or at least, is prepared to let bygones be bygones — then it would be a churlish British public that insisted on letting old resentments fester. William? That's tougher. He feels deeply betrayed by Harry, and forgiveness does not seem to be on the table right now. But if ever he changed his mind, that could have a dramatic effect. Hewson said: 'Were there to be reconciliation with William as well, and were we to see forgiveness on all sides, then I think that people would be very happy to see Harry back in the bosom of his family.' Simon Lewis, the former Buckingham Palace communications secretary who now co-presents the BBC Radio 4 podcast series When It Hits The Fan, said: 'I think the British people would like to see some sort of reconciliation. They are pretty understanding of Harry. They all saw what happened to him as a child, and there is a lot of sympathy for him. There is still a reservoir of goodwill that he might be able to tap into. But a lot needs to be resolved before there can be a proper discussion about return and what that means.' The historian and commentator Tessa Dunlop believes that for the British public the whole Megxit saga was like a relationship break-up: and as every romcom fan knows, break-up is often followed by make-up. 'We were hurt. That's why there was this vitriolic outpouring against Harry and Meghan,' she said. 'They dumped us, and it was really painful, so we slagged them off a lot. We would love it if they came back. If we didn't care, if we thought they were total losers, we would stop taking an interest in them. But we loved them. We recognised their charisma and their star power.' It is, however, a complex picture. People will find it harder to forgive Meghan than Harry. But there will be a warmer welcome from the young, who were always more prepared to see Harry and Meghan as victims of a hidebound royal family rather than the instigators of their own downfall. Perhaps the key player in all of this is Queen Camilla, who has good reason to feel bitter regarding all the things that Harry has said about her. But she is a canny operator who knows what it is like to be a royal pariah. If she thinks that a family truce would bring some measure of happiness to her husband's remaining years, she could be the person to make that happen. That is not to underestimate the work that would have to be done before Harry and Meghan are waving to the adoring crowds from the Buckingham Palace balcony. These are two deeply divisive members of the royal family, who were booed outside St Paul's Cathedral during Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. In recent years, some have made a regular habit of Sussex-bashing at the slightest opportunity, when sensible people might have decided that the rational thing would be simply to ignore them. But tabloid heroes and tabloid villains can turn on a sixpence, and it would not take much for their erstwhile enemies to decide that having Harry back on side again might not be such a bad thing. And the opportunity for such a volte-face is exactly two years away, which given that any putative peace talks will likely proceed at a glacial pace, feels about right. 'I think the Invictus Games in 2027 will be the perfect platform for them to be publicly back here in Britain, representing a charity that Harry founded, that means so much to him, and that Meghan has long supported,' Hewson said. Other members of the royal family turned out to support the first games for wounded and sick military service personnel in London in 2014: when the games return to Birmingham in two years' time, it could be the family's opportunity to show their support once more. 'The Invictus Games is the best of Harry,' Hewson added. 'If you are going to have a big reunion, that is a pretty safe space in which to do it.'
Times
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Would Prince Harry and Meghan be welcome back? We asked Britain
It is a Saturday in June 2027, and the crowds have gathered outside Buckingham Palace to see the royal family watch the traditional flypast after Trooping the Colour. As the family gathers on the balcony, the eyes of the crowd — and, more importantly, the lenses of the photographers — are not focused on the King. They are not even watching Prince Louis, now nine, and still more than capable of stealing the show. They only have eyes for two people: the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, back in the royal fold after years of self-imposed exile in California. As the Sussexes stand there, Meghan offering her most dazzling smile while Harry yet again finds himself incapable of hiding the hint of a scowl, they are greeted with … well, what, apart from the incessant clicking of camera shutters? Cheers? Boos? Or a confusing mixture of the two? Shockingly, could it even be indifference? The Sussexes are not used to indifference. That one can even entertain such a fantasy has only been possible in the last week, since photographs were published showing Tobyn Andreae, Buckingham Palace's director of communications, having a meeting with the Sussexes' two most senior PR aides, Meredith Maines, who is also head of their household in Montecito, and Liam Maguire. It was billed as the tentative first steps in a gradual process of rapprochement — and indeed, after the meeting was leaked to the Mail on Sunday, make that very tentative — aimed at lessening some of the tensions that exist between the palace and California. But it immediately sparked much speculation about where it might lead. After years of hurling abuse at his family from the other side of the Atlantic, does Harry want to kiss and make up? Might Harry and Meghan be considering coming back to the UK — if not on a permanent basis, then at least for part of the year? Most tantalising of all, could they even be thinking about undertaking occasional royal duties? • A secret meeting, a photo, next a reunion for King Charles and Harry? That is all a long way off. Even though Harry has appeared to have been in more conciliatory mood of late — talking of whether his family is prepared to forgive him, rather than peppering every interview with angry demands for apologies from them — neither of them have looked like they are getting ready to move back into Frogmore Cottage any time soon. 'They're very happy living in and raising their family in California and, as it stands, have no plans to leave,' a source close to Harry told the Mail last week. But the intriguing question is: if they do come back, if only for a bit, how will they go down with the British public? Even if Harry is prepared to forgive and forget, are we? Up to a point, seems to be the answer. Nearly a quarter of people (24 per cent) think that it would be a good thing if Harry came back to live in the UK, according to a YouGov poll for The Sunday Times, while 22 per cent think that it would be a bad thing. By far the most common answer is, however, an indifferent one: 41 per cent said they don't care, either way. But many people really do not like Meghan: 41 per cent think her return would be a bad thing, against 12 per cent who think it would be a good idea, though 35 per cent are indifferent. The over-60s are much more likely to be anti-Meghan, with 64 per cent of the 65 and over age group against her return compared with 17 per cent of 18 to 24s. There is a similar split on the question of whether they should take up royal duties again (32 per cent for Harry and 27 per cent against, and 14 per cent for Meghan and 48 per cent against). The bad news for the Sussexes is that most people think they should have their titles removed: 48 per cent favour removal, against 29 per cent who are in favour of retaining them. There is, however, one thing that people are in favour of: forgiveness — on all sides. The YouGov poll of more than 2,100 people found 44 per cent think Harry should forgive the rest of the royal family for their previous behaviour (12 per cent against, though the biggest number — 45 per cent — said they didn't know), while 40 per cent think the rest of the royal family should forgive Harry for his previous behaviour (26 per cent against). Sarah Hewson, the royal commentator and former Sky News royal correspondent, argues that the view of the public is likely to be heavily affected by what Harry's own family thinks. When he gave his interview to the BBC after losing his court case against the Home Office over his security provision, Harry said his father was not taking his calls. But we know that the King is deeply pained by the rift with his son, so there is every chance that could change. 'It really depends on how they come back, and on what terms,' Hewson said. 'It would really take Charles as the King to pave the way for them coming back.' There is a parallel here, with the way the Queen Elizabeth paved the way for Camilla to be known as Queen rather than Princess Consort, by releasing a statement on her Platinum Jubilee saying that was her 'sincere wish'. Once Charles lets it be known that he has forgiven his son — or at least, is prepared to let bygones be bygones — then it would be a churlish British public that insisted on letting old resentments fester. William? That's tougher. He feels deeply betrayed by Harry, and forgiveness does not seem to be on the table right now. But if ever he changed his mind, that could have a dramatic effect. Hewson said: 'Were there to be reconciliation with William as well, and were we to see forgiveness on all sides, then I think that people would be very happy to see Harry back in the bosom of his family.' Simon Lewis, the former Buckingham Palace communications secretary who now co-presents the BBC Radio 4 podcast series When It Hits The Fan, said: 'I think the British people would like to see some sort of reconciliation. They are pretty understanding of Harry. They all saw what happened to him as a child, and there is a lot of sympathy for him. There is still a reservoir of goodwill that he might be able to tap into. But a lot needs to be resolved before there can be a proper discussion about return and what that means.' The historian and commentator Tessa Dunlop believes that for the British public the whole Megxit saga was like a relationship break-up: and as every romcom fan knows, break-up is often followed by make-up. 'We were hurt. That's why there was this vitriolic outpouring against Harry and Meghan,' she said. 'They dumped us, and it was really painful, so we slagged them off a lot. We would love it if they came back. If we didn't care, if we thought they were total losers, we would stop taking an interest in them. But we loved them. We recognised their charisma and their star power.' It is, however, a complex picture. People will find it harder to forgive Meghan than Harry. But there will be a warmer welcome from the young, who were always more prepared to see Harry and Meghan as victims of a hidebound royal family rather than the instigators of their own downfall. Perhaps the key player in all of this is Queen Camilla, who has good reason to feel bitter regarding all the things that Harry has said about her. But she is a canny operator who knows what it is like to be a royal pariah. If she thinks that a family truce would bring some measure of happiness to her husband's remaining years, she could be the person to make that happen. That is not to underestimate the work that would have to be done before Harry and Meghan are waving to the adoring crowds from the Buckingham Palace balcony. These are two deeply divisive members of the royal family, who were booed outside St Paul's Cathedral during Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee celebrations. In recent years, some have made a regular habit of Sussex-bashing at the slightest opportunity, when sensible people might have decided that the rational thing would be simply to ignore them. But tabloid heroes and tabloid villains can turn on a sixpence, and it would not take much for their erstwhile enemies to decide that having Harry back on side again might not be such a bad thing. And the opportunity for such a volte-face is exactly two years away, which given that any putative peace talks will likely proceed at a glacial pace, feels about right. 'I think the Invictus Games in 2027 will be the perfect platform for them to be publicly back here in Britain, representing a charity that Harry founded, that means so much to him, and that Meghan has long supported,' Hewson said. Other members of the royal family turned out to support the first games for wounded and sick military service personnel in London in 2014: when the games return to Birmingham in two years' time, it could be the family's opportunity to show their support once more. 'The Invictus Games is the best of Harry,' Hewson added. 'If you are going to have a big reunion, that is a pretty safe space in which to do it.' Valentine Low's book, Power and the Palace: The Inside Story of the Monarchy and 10 Downing Street, will be published by Headline Press on September 11
