Royal family latest: Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway's tough birthday, Princess Marie steps out and more

Good morning, royal fans and dear readers. It's Monday and the start of a new week. While the summer holidays continue on, things look quiet for the time being, but we'll be bringing you every update on the British and European Royals schedules throughout the week. 

Here's hoping for more sunshine!

The King and Queen are preparing to host their family members at Balmoral in the coming weeks, so we're likely to see Charles and Camilla attending the weekly Sunday service at Crathie Kirk church.

The monarch even drove himself and his wife to church yesterday. 

As well as being the royals' go-to place of worship when staying in Scotland, it was also the venue where Princess Anne married Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence in December 1992.

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The Duke of Westminster reportedly faces a dilemma over his choice of godparents for his daughter, Cosima, whom he and his wife, Olivia, welcomed on 27 July.

The duke, Hugh Grosvenor, 34, is said to be considering two of his oldest friends, the Duke of Sussex, and his brother, the Prince of Wales, for the job, according to The Times.

Friends of Hugh and Olivia say they have not yet made a final decision, but it is understood Prince William will be a godfather.  

William was an usher at the couple's wedding at Chester Cathedral last June, while Harry was noticeably absent amid the rift with his brother.

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The Princess of Wales is known to be a hands-on parent despite her many royal duties, and even the school mums can agree!

Speaking exclusively to HELLO! at the world premiere of The Real Housewives of London, one of the reality show’s leading ladies revealed a sweet insight into Kate’s dedication to her children Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, seven.

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"I see her quite a few times because my son’s school plays against her son’s school," Panthea Parker tells us. "So they play rugby and football against each other so we’re always at her school or my school.

"I do see her a lot but not to talk to, just from afar. So classy, so lovely, and she never misses any of her children’s matches, so really amazing. And nor do I, otherwise how do I know that?"

Read the full story here.

King Felipe has cut short his family holiday to Greece amid the ongoing wildfires emergency in Spain.

The Spanish monarch flew home to meet with the Military Emergency Unit (UME) to hear first-hand how troops are being deployed across the country to tackle up to 20 major blazes.

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Queen Margrethe, formerly the reigning monarch of Denmark, made a rare public appearance on Sunday.

The Danish royal, 85, attended a special mass at Viborg Cathedral, to inaugurate a new ceremonial clock, which was designed by Margrethe herself.

The King has officially taken up residence at Balmoral, as he was given a traditional welcome to his Highland home.

Charles, dressed in a kilt, met with Shetland pony Cpl Cruachan IV (mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland) during an inspection of the Balaklava Company, 5th Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland, outside the gates of the royal residence. 

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A little trip down memory lane now as we take a look back at one of the Princess of Wales's chicest evening looks.

Kate rarely wears black but a reception at the British Embassy in Paris during a two-day tour of France called for a classic LBD. 

She wore an Alexander McQueen gown featuring a belted waist, sweetheart neckline, and a skirt with a subtle fit-and-flare silhouette.

See the full look here.

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Hello, royal fans! Abby here, taking over from Danielle to bring you all the latest royal news this afternoon.

Kicking off with the British royals, The Duchess of Edinburgh showed off her expert dressing skills over the weekend as she stepped out at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

Sophie, alongside her husband Prince Edward, donned a 'Tatjana' style maxi skirt by Lexy London – the perfect look to combat the unpredictable August weather! Check out the full story here.

Today marked a very important reunion for the King – and no, it's not with Balmoral Castle!

While the monarch did return to his summer residence, he came face-to-face with an infamously cheeky Shetland pony, Cpl Cruachan IV, who is the mascot of the Royal Regiment of Scotland and an old pal of the family. 

The 16-year-old pony was famously told off by the late Queen Elizabeth II for nibbling on her flowers during a visit to Stirling Castle in 2017 – but he was impeccably behaved today as Charles stroked his nose. Good Cruachan!

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With the summer holidays in full swing, over on The HELLO! Royal Club my colleague, Millie Jackson, has written a brilliant feature exploring how royal vacations have changed over the years.

Click the button below to discover the strange way Queen Victoria took to the water, which travel moment caused Queen Elizabeth II to shed a tear, and which destination is likely the royals’ favourite…

With London Fashion Week set to kick off on the 18th September, all eyes will be on the catwalk as one of the world's most prestigious fashion events returns for another season. But did you know there will be a royal set to take to the runway too?

Lady Amelia Windsor, King Charles' second cousin, will hit the catwalk for the Turkish label Barrus – and we can't wait to see what she'll wear!

Get all the details here.

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The Duke of Sussex paid a touching tribute to his grandfather Prince Philip, the late duke of Edinburgh, in a personal letter that he secretly left at the National Memorial Arboretum on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day.

Harry reportedly asked a friend to leave the note and a wreath of red poppies at the Burma Star Memorial in Staffordshire on Friday, following the national commemorations attended by the King and Queen.

Read the full story here. 

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While the royals have been enjoying their time off this summer, there's one thing on Princess Kate's packing list that can never be left off. 

Wherever she goes, from a tour of Australia to a quick visit to Ascot, the mother of three must always carry a total black outfit with her –in case she needs to observe the infamous mourning protocol. 

Read more about the customary packing item here. 

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With the news that Prince William and Princess Kate will be moving their family of five to Forest Lodge, royal fans will be eager to learn what they can about the eight-bedroom house before the family move in and make it their own. 

While the Prince and Princess of Wales have reportedly submitted planning applications to renovate the Grade II-listed mansion in Windsor, here's what it looked like in 2018…

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That's all from me on the royal news front – but I'll now hand you over to the wonderful Beatriz, who's covering the latest insights from across the pond…

Good morning and welcome to another day of royal news. It's a busy day for royalty across the world, as Princess Marie is set to visit the Danish Emergency Management Agency, while the Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway will celebrate her 52nd birthday.

Stay tuned for all the action!

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The Prince and Princess of Wales will join the King at his Aberdeenshire retreat this month, where their children, Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, ten, and Prince Louis, seven, can enjoy the same open spaces and outdoor pursuits that their father did, such as long walks, deer stalking and fishing.

"My childhood was full of holidays having fun in the fresh air, swimming in lochs, family barbecues with my grandfather in command – and, yes, the odd midge," William has said. "George, Charlotte and Louis are already aware of how dear Scotland is to both of us, and they’re beginning to create their own cherished memories there, too."

Read the full story. 

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The Prince and Princess of Wales and their three children are set to move into Forest Lodge in Windsor later this year. But did you know that the 18th-century home was once "strongly tipped" to be the new abode of the newly-wedded Princess Royal and her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips.

An excerpt from The Daily Telegraph in December 1975, two years after their marriage, stated that Princess Anne had considered the property.

Read more. 

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Marius Borg Høiby, the son of the Norwegian crown princess, Mette-Marit, has been charged with 32 offences, including four counts of rape.

Høiby is expected to stand trial in early 2026 and could face up to ten years in prison if found guilty of the most serious charges.

The charges were made public on Monday. 

Read the full story. 

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Royal women across the world are making the most of the sunny weather while it lasts. 

Although the Princess of Wales often leads the British royal style set, Kate and her husband, Prince William, have been spending the August school holiday in private.

In her absence, the Duchess of Edinburgh has kept us entertained with her summery style, alongside the Princess Rajwa of Jordan, Queen Mary of Denmark, and Queen Letizia, who are all representing some of the best-dressed royal ladies this August

Click here to find out which royals have delivered in the style stakes. 

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 Zara Tindall looked just like Audrey Hepburn as she stepped out for Royal Ascot this summer, according to jewellery designer Laurence Coste.

Zara arrived on day three of the iconic equestrian event wearing a sensational Laura Green dress featuring a white bodice and skirt with a black collar and piping around the capped sleeves. She accessorised the ensemble with incredible statement drop Laurence Coste earrings.

"'I thought she looked absolument magnifique," founder Laurence told the Daily Mail in a new interview. "The moment I saw Zara's outfit, it instantly brought to mind Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady - timeless, elegant and chic."

The jewellery designer added: "The Cosima earrings felt like the perfect finishing touch, and it made me so happy to see her pair such a graceful look with one of my signature designs."

Read more. 

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Hello, royal followers – I'll be taking over from the wonderful Nicky Morris this afternoon. It's a busy day for the royals, British, European and beyond, so stay tuned for all the latest royal news.

Princess Charlene of Monaco participated in an incredibly rare interview with Ouest-France (via Monaco Tribune) last week, where she opened up about how a major family tragedy has influenced her position on swimming lessons, and the all-round importance of raising awareness of water safety.

Read the full story here.

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The Prince and Princess of Wales will be moving to their new home in Windsor, Forest Lodge, later this year, leaving behind their treasured Adelaide Cottage.

Once the family moves in, there's very little chance of us getting a glimpse into the property – but we've rounded up the best photos of the house's £1.5 million renovations throughout the process. See pictures here.

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Now here's a weighty issue for a Tuesday... Is it fair that the cost of royal renovations are currently borne by the taxpayer? 

Last week we asked this very question over on The HELLO! Royal Club and, perhaps surprisingly, 81 per cent of respondents said yes. 

Today my colleague, club writer Millie Jackson, explains why on this occasion she agrees with the majority. 

"I would understand were the cost smaller," she writes, "for example, UK prime ministers are granted an annual public grant of £30,000 to spend on their living quarters, but this is a mere drop in the ocean for the budget required to keep the royal palaces running."

To read her full opinion, just hop over to The HELLO! Royal Club by clicking on the button below.

Queen Elizabeth II was best known for her unwavering dedication to her royal duties, one of which was the State Opening of Parliament.

For the occasion, she always wore the Imperial State Crown, a hefty headpiece that weighs a kilogram – so how did the Queen manage to hold it firmly on her head every time until her mid-90s? Find out here.

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Queen Rania of Jordan has made her return to the public eye, after her absence following an appearance at the wedding of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez. 

During a visit to Al Salt, she looked absolutely magnificent – see her 'quietly showstopping' outfit that symbolises her return here.

Crown Prince Haakon has spoken publicly for the first time since a series of serious allegations were made against his stepson, Marius Borg Høiby.

During a public engagement in Trondheim, the future Norwegian king addressed the situation – see his statement here.

For the first time in more than two years, the Thai royal family have issued a statement giving an official update on the health of Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, the eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand.

A statement revealed that the princess has developed a serious blood infection that has required intensive care, broad-spectrum antibiotics and dialysis sessions. See the full story here.