Your support helps us to tell the story
Support NowThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
King Charles is set to be given a rare honour at Sydney Harbour following an apparent snub from Australian officials ahead of his arrival on Friday.
The white sails of the Sydney Opera House will be lit up for four minutes with images from previous royal visits to mark the arrival of the monarch and Queen Camilla.
This rare honour was given the go-ahead by the New South Wales government at an estimated cost of around £50,000.
As the couple prepares to kick off their nine-day visit Down Under on Friday, every single state premier has turned down invitations to attend their royal reception in Canberra on October 21, reports suggest.
The Princess of Wales, meanwhile, has shared a touching message to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week on social media.
Taking to the official Kensington Palace channels, she shared a picture of a candle and a heartfelt message offering her “love, strength and hope” to those affected by baby loss.
“Baby Loss Awareness Week is such an important moment to support those who have experienced the devastation of baby loss,” she wrote.
“Sending love, strength and hope to anyone affected. #WaveofLight C”
Key Points
- King Charles to be given rare honour to mark arrival in Australia
- Princess of Wales sends ‘love, strength and hope’ to those affected by baby loss
- King Charles and Queen Camilla ‘snubbed’ by Australian leaders ahead of tour
King Charles to be given rare honour to mark arrival in Australia
King Charles is set to be given a rare honour at Sydney Harbour as he kicks off his nine-day tour of Australia and Samoa on Friday.
The white sails of the Sydney Opera House will be lit up for four minutes with images from previous royal visits to mark the arrival of the monarch and Queen Camilla.
This tribute was given the go-ahead by the New South Wales government at an estimated cost of around £50,000.
King Charles last visited Australia in 2018, when he opened the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Princess of Wales sends ‘love, strength and hope’ to those affected by baby loss
The Princess of Wales has sent a message offering “love, strength and hope” to those affected by baby loss for Baby Loss Awareness Week.
Taking to the official Kensington Palace Twitter/X account yesterday (15 October), Kate, 42, shared a picture of a candle and wrote: “Baby Loss Awareness Week is such an important moment to support those who have experienced the devastation of baby loss.
“Sending love, strength and hope to anyone affected. #WaveofLight C”
Emma Guinness16 October 2024 08:39 1729054800Baby Loss Awareness Week is such an important moment to support those who have experienced the devastation of baby loss.
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 15, 2024
Sending love, strength and hope to anyone affected. #WaveofLight
C pic.twitter.com/UMc3SEaYX9
In pictures: Princess of Wales’ surprise appearance to meet Southport victim’s with Prince William
The Princess of Wales has ramped up her return to public duties by making a surprise joint appearance with Prince William to meet the bereaved families of the Southport attacks.
Marking their first joint engagement since Kate’s cancer treatment, the couple privately met the families in Merseyside last week.
The Princess, 42, is said to have attended because she wanted to show her “support, empathy and compassion to the local community”.
“Meeting the community today has been a powerful reminder of the importance of supporting one another in the wake of unimaginable tragedy,” the couple later said in a joint statement.
Meghan Markle a ‘warm and considerate’ person to work with
The Duchess of Sussex has been praised as a “warm and considerate” person to work with by her former bodyguard.
Steve Davies, who worked for the duchess in Toronto during the early part of her relationship with Prince Harry, told InTouch magazine: “My wife and I got invited to the wedding, that’s how close we became,” he said. “I would work with her again, not a problem at all. She was a good person to work for, and she still is a good person.”
“[Meghan] gets a bad rap for being a not very good person to work with, that she was this evil person in the Royal Family.
“The staff at Buckingham Palace [said they] couldn’t stand working for her,” he said before adding: “[But] nobody had a bad word to say about her [in Toronto].
“Even with the pressure that she was under, she was warm and considerate all the time.”
Earl Spencer reveals new relationship after marriage breakdown
Earl Spencer has revealed that he is in a new relationship with a “brilliant” archaeologist months after announcing his third marriage had come to an end.
Announcing the news, he explained that they had met when Cat Jarman came to dig up a lost Roman villa on the Earl’s land.
The pair subsequently began a popular history podcast with Reverend Richard Coles called The Rabbit Hole Detectives.
The late Princess Diana’s brother told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “Cat Jarman, who is my partner now actually. She’s a brilliant archaeologist.
“It sounds like an Alan Partridge title, but she is Nordic Person of 2024, which is usually handed out to someone like Sven-Goran Eriksson or a composer to be Nordic Person of the Year.”
Earl Spencer was most recently married to Karen Gordon between 2011 and September of this year.
Prince William reveals how Diana inspired new homelessness documentary
Prince William has revealed how the late Princess Diana inspired his new ITV documentary about homelessness.
Explaining his motivations for making the show, which follows the launch and first year of his Homewards project, the heir to the throne, 42, said: “I have taken some inspiration and guidance from what my mother did, particularly with homelessness.”
The documentary is set to explain how homelessness can potentially be ended in modern Britain.
The release date for Prince William: We Can End Homelessness has yet to be announced.
Emma Guinness15 October 2024 18:00 1729008033Prince William: We Can End Homelessness
— ITV (@ITV) October 13, 2024
Coming Soon to @ITV and @ITVX
An exclusive ITV1 documentary which follows the launch and first year of @HomewardsUK and its work to demonstrate that it’s possible to end homelessness@KensingtonRoyal pic.twitter.com/fQPWUrhwX8
The Prince’s Trust formally changes its name
King Charles’s longstanding youth charity, the Prince’s Trust, has formally changed its name to the King’s Trust today.
The charity’s chair, Alison Brittain, described the change as heralding a new, “exciting” chapter for the charity, which was established almost 50 years ago in 1976 when Charles was still the Prince of Wales.
She added: “As the King’s Trust continues to work for young people in the UK and around the world, we are as committed to supporting young people to build the skills and confidence they need for work and ultimately a brighter future.”
The change was marked by a new logo featuring a white crown in front of a red background. The charity’s name was also changed on official channels.
Kate and William’s crucial parenting motto revealed during community football visit
Prince William has revealed a key parenting principle embraced by himself and Kate Middleton – never returning home empty-handed.
He made the revelation while on a visit to a football event held by the NFL Foundation in London this morning, where he was gifted a football for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
William said: “That’s very kind. Never go home empty-handed, that’s a crucial motto of being a parent.
“They will love that.
“We’re going to do some practice together, let’s see how many windows I can smash.”
Prince William raises awareness of UK’s NFL Foundation
The Prince of Wales has shown young people today that they do not need to live stateside to enjoy American football in the UK.
William, 42, did so by attending an event held by the NFL Foundation, which provides inclusive access to the sport to young people aged 12 to 20.
He even had a go at being a quarterback himself and was praised for his impressive throw in a non-contact version of the sport.
The official Kensington Palace Twitter/X account wrote: “@NFLFLAG is fast-paced, inclusive, and designed to inspire and engage young people, developing their confidence and supporting them to reach their full potential.”
Emma Guinness15 October 2024 15:00 1728998879@NFLFLAG is fast-paced, inclusive, and designed to inspire and engage young people, developing their confidence and supporting them to reach their full potential 🏈 pic.twitter.com/Km6TSMVqZH
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 15, 2024
Prince William attends NFL event and shows off ‘unbelievable arm’
Prince William has today shown off his “unbelievable arm” as he tried his hand at American football at an NFL event supporting deprived young people in the UK.
Youngsters shouted “what a throw” when the heir to the throne, 42, showed off his skills at the event at Kennington Park hockey pitch, south London, this morning.
Reacting to William’s role as a quarterback in the non-contact version of American football, Phoebe Schecter, GB women’s flag football captain, said: “Honestly, Prince William was great – his arm strength is unbelievable, when he let that first ball rip I couldn’t believe it.
“Honestly I think if we had better receivers around we would have had multiple touchdowns happening, but his ability to take control of the offence, going into a completely unfamiliar territory really, calling the cadence, receiving the ball, doing a hand-off at one point, making those tactical decisions – it was phenomenal.”
The event was hosted by the NFL Foundation UK, which gives young people aged 12 to 20 opportunities to try out the sport.
Emma Guinness15 October 2024 14:27 Newer1 / 5OlderSeeing first-hand the power of sport in building confidence and providing a level playing field for all💪 pic.twitter.com/Wc1ALDzlKY
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 15, 2024
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
