Royal family latest: fresh update on Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling's engagement, Queen Letizia on holiday, more

Good morning, it's HELLO!'s Royal Correspondent, Danielle Stacey, bringing you all of the up-to-date royal news from London. 

On the other side of the pond, it's set to be a special day for the Duchess of Sussex as she marks her 44th birthday with her family.

While we wait to see if she shares some insights from her day, we're also expecting that her birthday will coincide with a new drop of As Ever products, as the team hinted in a newsletter last week.

Stay tuned for this and more!

The King was spotted enjoying the festivities at the annual Mey Highland Games in Scotland over the weekend.

Charles donned a traditional tartan kilt and was seen using a walking stick to navigate the uneven terrain.

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The monarch's cousin, Lady Sarah Chatto, also joined him at the event. 

It comes ahead of the royal family's annual summer retreat to their Scottish residence, Balmoral.

Queen Letizia was the belle of the ball as she attended the closing ceremony of the Atlantida Mallorca Film Fest 2025 last night.

The Spanish royal wowed in a floaty white dress and gold accessories, including a statement arm cuff. 

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Did you know that Meghan shares a birthday with one of her closest friends and former Suits co-star, Abigail Spencer?

The pair were both born on September 4, 1981. 

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In an exclusive interview with HELLO! earlier this year, Abigail spoke about her friendship with the Duchess and appearing on her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan.

"We have a very private friendship so choosing to let people in on part of that is…  it's very private but I'm glad that we got to share a little bit of it," Abigail told HELLO! of the decision to appear alongside Meghan.

We're halfway through the year, but there's already a strong contender for 2025's best dressed royal - step forward Princess Eugenie!

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Our writer, Alessia Armenise, shares her thoughts on why Eugenie has impressed in the style stakes this year and how she's been elevating her wardrobe.

Read the full piece here. 

Meghan also shared her birth date [4 August] with a member of the royal family - the late Queen Mother, who died aged 101, in 2002.

Prince Harry even spoke about how the connection deepened his wife and father's relationship, writing in his memoir, Spare: "One night, over pre-dinner cocktails, Fred Astaire playing in the background, it emerged that Meg shared a birthdate with Pa's favorite person: Gan-Gan [the Queen Mother]."

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Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon was born on 4 August 1900 as the youngest daughter of Claude Bowes-Lyon (later the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne) and his wife, Cecilia Cavendish-Bentinck. 

Celebrations were in order for the Jordanian royal family on Sunday as Crown Prince Hussein and Princess Rajwa's daughter, Princess Iman, turned one! 

Take a look at the couple's adorable personal tribute to their baby girl, along with some sweet photos from her first year.

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While Meghan hinted that her latest As Ever drop is right around the corner, just days before her birthday, she, Harry and their children were spotted on a local beach just ten minutes from their Montecito home, where Archie, six, had been taking surfing lessons.

"Harry and Meghan were part of a group of parents, they were very down to earth," a source tells HELLO! "They were so proud of Archie. It was cute to watch - a special family time." 

Full story here.

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That's it from me for now, but I'm now handing you over to the lovely Katie Daly, who will be keeping you up to date with royal news throughout the afternoon.

Have a great Monday, wherever you are! 

Hello! Katie Daly here, ready and raring to take you through an afternoon of royal news on this blustery Monday.

Stay tuned...

Kicking things off this afternoon with our latest on Adelaide Cottage, the Prince and Princess of Wales' primary home.

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Adelaide Cottage, the charming Windsor home of the Prince and Princess of Wales, is known for its idyllic pink exterior and beautiful rose garden. 

However, before it became William and Kate's residence, the four-bedroom cottage had a history of its own. It was once a "grace-and-favour" home for Group Captain Peter Townsend, equerry to King George VI. 

Townsend, who was famously linked to Princess Margaret, complained about the cottage, calling it an "ice box" due to it only having two radiators. The cottage underwent significant renovations in 2015, transforming it into the comfortable residence it is today. 

In case you missed it, this weekend we also spotted Zara Tindall on an under-the-radar outing from July.

The King's niece attended a Queensland Rugby Lunch in Brisbane, where she was seen wearing a chic, pale peach single-breasted suit from the brand ME + EM. 

She paired the jacket and coordinating cigarette trousers with an oyster-hued satin shirt and nude suede heels. This elegant and contemporary ensemble, which retails for £520, demonstrates Zara's versatile fashion sense beyond her typical race-day and garden party attire.

Fashion stylist Angela Kyte told HELLO!: "The pastel hue also softens the traditional power suit aesthetic, bringing a fresh spring-ready twist to classic tailoring."

Ian Ball, the man who attempted to kidnap Princess Anne in 1974, now claims the event was a "hoax" and that he is innocent. 

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In a new interview with the Daily Mail, Ball, now 77, insists he believed the bullets were blanks and that an imposter was substituted for the Princess Royal. 

He says the plan was a publicity stunt to promote his memoir, hoping to earn £10,000 in royalties, and that Princess Anne "wasn't bothered".

Ball, who shot four men during the incident, was released from a psychiatric hospital in 2019 after nearly 50 years.

Looking for a place to holiday this August? Look no further! The iconic shores of Saint-Tropez, where the Beckhams celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary, have a storied history of attracting celebrities and royalty alike. 

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Its global fame began in the 1950s when actress Brigitte Bardot filmed And God Created Woman there.

Princess Diana was also drawn to the French Riviera's charm, choosing Saint-Tropez for her final summer holiday with her sons. HELLO!'s Online Correspondent Danielle Stacey says: "Photographs from that time paint her as a carefree mother, just enjoying the school summer holidays with her young sons."

It's all celebrations in the Spencer household as Prince William's cousin Lady Eliza Spencer got engaged to her long-term partner Channing Millerd in Santorini last week.

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Now, her twin sister Lady Amelia Spencer has taken to Instagram to share a set of sunsoaked snaps from their shared trip to the picturesque Greek island - and their swimswear styling is spot on!

Amelia shielded herself from the sun by wearing a canary yellow plise cover-up over her printed blue bikini alongside her husband Greg Mallett, while Eliza rocked a floaty dress - so bridal! 

"Setting sail in Santorini @sunsetoiasailing ☀️⚓️🩵 celebrating our favourite two getting engaged," Amelia penned.

Royal fans rejoice! Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling announced their engagement last week, and they couldn't have looked happier. The pair went public with their romance in May 2024, and you could say an engagement was written in the stars...

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We've broken down all the signs that an engagement was on the cards for the couple.  

Harriet has met most of Peter's royal family, but the most important introductions were to each other's children. A source has previously observed to HELLO!'s Royal Correspondent, Danielle Stacey, how they appeared to be a 'tight unit' together when they all attended the Gloucestershire Festival of Polo last year, and Harriet was described to her as 'very motherly' and 'very good with the kids'." Check out the full story here!

Next up royal fans, some horsey news.

Queen Elizabeth's favorite Windsor Grey, Tyrone, has officially retired. The horse, famous for pulling carriages for kings and queens at major events like King Charles' 2023 coronation, is now enjoying a well-deserved rest. 

The royal family announced his retirement on their official Instagram page, sharing photos of the beloved steed. Throughout his career, Tyrone participated in numerous significant occasions, including state visits, royal weddings, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, and Royal Ascot.

"After 14 years of noble service with the Royal Mews, we are celebrating Tyrone and wishing him a happy retirement," the post's caption read.  

The official Royal Family Instagram account has shared a set of unseen photos from the King's outing to Scotland this weekend.

Stepping out on Saturday, Charles attended the Mey Highland Games in Caithness.

The games celebrate the culture, hospitality, and talents of the people in the North Highlands. The event features traditional Scottish activities like pipe bands and competitive games, including tug-of-war and tossing the caber.

Originally founded in 1970 in the village of Mey to honor Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's 70th birthday, the games have since become an annual tradition. 

Princess Eugenie is known for her formal attire, but a recent holiday photo shows her in a more relaxed look that's perfect for summer - and our fashion team can't get enough!

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The picture, shared by Robbie Williams' wife Ayda Field on Instagram, shows the two looking chic and relaxed on a sun-drenched getaway at their home in Portugal. Eugenie is wearing a new dress — the 'Smocked Georgette Tank Dress in Safari Green' by Michael Kors. This stylish and comfortable dress, with its loose skirt and smocked detailing, is an ideal choice for a heatwave. 

It's a great example of an effortless yet elegant holiday outfit that's easy to throw on and accessorize.

An update from Balmoral Castle now, as it appears that the Scottish summer is not playing ball.

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Due to the severe weather conditions of Storm Floris, Balmoral Castle has been temporarily closed. An official statement from the royal residence announced the closure and advised the public against traveling to the estate. 

The statement reads: "Balmoral will be closed to the public today, Monday 4th August, due to Storm Floris. Please do not travel to the Estate. We will be issuing refunds for tickets to visit today. Stay safe everyone."

The Met Office has issued amber and yellow weather warnings for Northern Ireland, Scotland, and the North of England. While the castle grounds are typically open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., including a 2025 exhibition in the Ballroom, all visits are currently suspended.

Princess Beatrice's stepson is making the most of the summer holidays with a trip to Thailand with his mother, Dara Huang.

"Thailand the beautiful Part 01," American architect Dara wrote, captioning a carousel of Instagram photos from their trip. "With my bestie and mini-me my little Wolfie."

The mother-son duo were seen lapping up the sunshine as they enjoyed pool days, daytime excursions, and checked out the scenery. It comes after he joined Princess Beatrice, his father Edoardo Mozzi, and his sisters Sienna and Athena along the Mall waiting to greet the bus carrying the England women's national football team during the homecoming victory parade near Buckingham Palace on 29 July.

Today marks 43 years since the Prince of Wales was christened, a day that, unfortunately, was not remembered fondly by Princess Diana.

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Speaking to her biographer Andrew Morton for the 1992 book Diana: Her True Story, the princess revealed that she was experiencing postpartum depression and "felt desperate" and unsupported on what should have been a happy day.

"Nobody asked me when it was suitable for William," Diana revealed of the date and time of the christening held in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace. “11 am couldn’t have been worse. Endless pictures of the Queen, Queen Mother, Charles, and William. I was excluded totally that day."

While we wait to see how the Duchess of Sussex spends her 44th birthday, we remember how she spent her birthday in 2018. 

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Rather than a day at home with Prince Harry, Meghan Markle was spotted in Frensham as she joined her husband in attending the wedding of Daisy Jenks and Charlie Van Straubenzee at Saint Mary the Virgin Church in Frensham.

Prince Harry attended the same prep school as the groom and has been a good friend ever since. On this occasion, Meghan's birthday-cum-wedding-guest dress was a £400 navy pleated Club Monaco number, which was styled with Aquazzura heels and an accented hat.

That's all from me here in London! 

I will now be handing over to the lovely Beatriz Colon across the pond who will take you through an evening of royal news. Enjoy!

It's easy to assume the royals prefer private dining behind palace gates, but many of them are surprisingly down-to-earth when it comes to enjoying London's vibrant restaurant scene, says our royal writer Alessia Armenise.

To see some of your favorite royals' favorites, and add them to your must-go lists, see our list here.

Our resident royal expert Emily Nash tells us the special ways in which William and Kate are instilling some of their favourite hobbies and passion in their three children. See what she says here.

The As Ever Instagram account shared a stunning picture of the duchess with the message: "Celebrating the woman behind it all. She pours her heart, vision & magic touch into every detail, and today, we raise a glass to her! Happy birthday to our founder."

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Hello! Abby Allen here, ready to guide you through a sunny Tuesday morning full of royal updates.

Keep your eyes peeled…

We all have our own summer traditions – and the royals are no exception. 

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In his memoir, Spare, Prince Harry looks back on his summers spent at Balmoral Castle. While previous Prime Minister Tony Blair called the estate "utterly freaky", Harry remembers: "To me, Balmoral was always simply Paradise. A cross between Disney World and some sacred Druid grove."

Read more here.

On 27 July, the 7th Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor, and his wife Olivia welcomed their first baby. The Duke and Duchess of Westminster named their daughter Cosima Florence Grosvenor.

Although she was born into one of the wealthiest families in Britain, Cosima cannot currently inherit her father's title due to a specific rule concerning the dukedom of Westminster, which only allows male heirs to inherit the title.

For now, though, the couple are looking forward to spending time with their new daughter as a family.

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