Royal news recap: US Congress requests interview with Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, Tom Cruise's message at Earthshot Prize Awards and more

Good morning, royal watchers! It's a busy day in the royal calendar today with Prince William expected to make some more outings in Rio as a part of his visit for the 2025 Earthshot Prize. Stay tuned for all the latest updates! 

Ahead of Remembrance Day next Tuesday, the Duke of Sussex has penned a 647-word piece titled The Bond, The Banter, The Bravery: What it means to be British – By Prince Harry. In his essay, Prince Harry wrote about how proud he was of his military service, pleading for the nation to remember those who have died in conflict but also to pay more attention to living veterans, and his love for the things that make us British. 

Read the full essay below:

“Every November the world, for a moment, grows quieter. We pause, together, to remember.

“Remembrance has never been about glorifying war. It’s about recognising its cost: the lives changed forever and the lessons paid for, through unimaginable sacrifice. It’s also about honouring those who, knowing that cost, still choose to serve.

“Earlier this year, I was invited to Ukraine (Slava Ukraini!) to spend time with friends at the Superhumans centre; men and women rebuilding their lives after devastating injuries.

“In every face, both military and civilian, I saw resilience and a fierce determination not to be defined by what had been taken from them. They reminded me that bravery is not the absence of fear, but the triumph of purpose over it.

“There is a similar stoic spirit of self-deprecation and humour in Ukrainians, that I recognise more than any other, in us Brits.

“Though currently, I may live in the United States, Britain is, and always will be, the country I proudly served and fought for. The banter of the mess, the clubhouse, the pub, the stands ridiculous as it sounds, these are the things that make us British. I make no apology for it. I love it.

“That same spirit lives in every member of our Armed Forces and the families who serve beside them.

“You need only spend a few hours at the Invictus Games to feel it. There, you see courage reborn, camaraderie restored, and proof that service doesn’t end when the uniform comes off.

“In my capacity as their Global Ambassador, this week, I wrote to families from Scotty’s Little Soldiers, the UK charity supporting children of Britain’s fallen heroes.

“Every year, I’m moved by their strength; sons and daughters who wear yellow and black scarves in honour of their parents, many of them marching proudly at the Cenotaph this weekend. They don’t march with bitterness, but with love and pride.

“They carry forward their parents’ legacy of service even as their own hearts bear the cost of it. Because when one person serves, the whole family serves. And when one falls, the whole community feels that loss.

“Remembrance, then, is not simply a minute’s silence. It’s a call to collective responsibility. Not through sympathy, but through admiration and respect.

“I’ve had the privilege of serving alongside men and women from all four corners of the UK; from Antrim to Anglesey, Lancashire to London, Wrexham to the East Riding, Belfast to Bedfordshire and beyond.

“I saw courage and compassion in the harshest conditions imaginable. But I also saw how easy it can be, once the uniform comes off, for those who gave everything, to feel forgotten.

“Our duty to them does not end when their service does. The protection they offered us must be returned through opportunity and respect for the rest of their lives. That’s not charity; it’s reciprocity. They safeguarded our freedom. We must safeguard their future. That way we all benefit.

“As we look around the world this Remembrance Sunday and, on the 11th, peace for those lucky enough to know it, feels more fragile than ever. Institutions built to protect it are being strained, and for many, peace is not known at all.

“Remembrance isn’t confined to one weekend in November. It’s a lifelong commitment to empathy, gratitude, and action; to be kinder, more united, and braver in protecting what those before us fought to preserve.

“So, as we bow our heads this weekend, let us remember not only the fallen, but the living – those who still carry the weight of war in body and mind, and the families who bear its memory in their hearts.

“If you live near them, knock on their door. If you see them around, shake their hand. And if you feel so inclined, join them for a cuppa…or a pint, to hear their story and remind them their service still matters.”

In case you missed it, Prince William surprised locals on Rio de Janeiro's famed Ipanema Beach yesterday, putting on a magnificent drone show that lit up the sky and attracted an immense crowd. His spectacular light show came after he delivered a speech urging governments, businesses and people to protect those defending the natural world. See the full story, including his speech, here.

Royal residences are some of the most grandiose and glamorous properties in the country. As with all homes, the journey begins at the front door – and, unsurprisingly, royal homes have some of the most impressive that you'll ever see. We've rounded up the best and grandest royal front doors, from King Charles' porch to Prince Harry's archway. See our full story here.

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King Charles has embarked on a solo engagement today, having just arrived at Chatfield Health Care in Battersea, London, where he will find out more about the services and bespoke support that they provide to veterans.

Queen Letizia looked incredible on Tuesday, when she appeared at a gala dinner for Oman's state visit to Spain. She brought out a radiant royal blue dress and a heritage Cartier tiara that dates back to the late 19th century – see her full outfit, and learn about the headpiece's history here.

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Though Andrew Mountbatten Windsor no longer has his titles or his Royal Lodge home, his brother, King Charles has made the decision to find a home for him on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk – and the King's team have shared a new video of the estate. Watch the video, and read the full story, here.

Prince William's university friend, Ben Duncan, has tragically passed away at the age of 45. The socialite, who appeared on series 11 of Channel 4's Big Brother, died last week after falling seven floors from the Trafalgar St James hotel. See the details of the incident, and learn about his friendship with the Prince and Princess of Wales, here.

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Prince William has followed in the footsteps of his mother Diana, Prncess of Wales, by visiting Rio de Janeiro's iconic Christ the Redeemer statue. The future king posed for a photograph against the backdrop of the city’s skyline, just as Diana did in April 1991 during a tour of Brazil with Prince Charles. See the full story, and best pictures of the whole trip, here.

Over on The HELLO! Royal Club, we asked you to vote for your favourite royal outfit from last month, with Princess Catharina-Amalia, Zara Tindall and the Princess of Wales in the running – but one royal lady won by a landslide, with 59 per cent of the vote. To find out who triumphed, and our resident royal shopper Leanne's perfect picks for replicating the outfit, click on the button below and join thousands of other HELLO! readers in the biggest royal fan community on the internet.

Halloween is long gone, and November is well underway – and that means it's a perfect time to start thinking about Christmas. HELLO!s fashion and beauty news editor, Laura Sutcliffe, has taken a deep dive into the history of Princess Kate outfits, picking out the Princess of Wales' best takes on the major 'Ralph Lauren Christmas' trend – and shared some advice on how you can nail this festive fashion aesthetic yourself. Read the full piece here.

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Hello! Isabelle here taking over the royal blog this afternoon. 

Kicking things off, the King joked that his arm has "endless plates and screws" in when visiting veterans, adding: "All that's left of you when you drop dead is 'made in Switzerland'."Charles made the quip when speaking with ex-army personnel who were make use of Chatfield Heath Care's specialist services. He arrived at the facility in Battersea, South West London, at around 11.15am and shocked patients who were in the waiting room to see their GP -  not expecting to see a King. Charles later had tea with five veterans who use the facility's specialist services for them. He met David Wiggins, whose left arm was in a cast. Charles asked: "Are they keeping that under control? I'm so glad."David explained how he came off his bike in Richmond Park, fracturing his elbow and wrist. Asked if it is "mending slowly", he told the King how he had three plates in his arm. 

The King responded: "I've got endless plates and screws in my arm as well. "All that's left of you when you drop dead is 'made in Switzerland'."He then told the five veterans: "I'm so glad, I hadn't realised there was this marvellous effort in specialising with veterans in GP practices which is clearly making a big difference."Dr Shane Barker, who was showing him around, told him an issue is that veterans are often "quite proud" and "don't want to burden anyone else and like to sort it out themselves".Charles replied: "The difficulty I suspect is that when you leave the forces then you're leaving that whole family of your unit. You're suddenly left wondering what to do, I presume, it must be a great help?"Engineer Ben Williams, who joined the army aged 19, said: "It's phenomenal." He added: "It's individualising care to the specific needs of the individual."

Prince William and Princess Kate have just moved into their new eight-bedroom Windsor home, Forest Lodge, with their three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. Though it's quite common for people to hand their property down to their children, there's a major reason why these three won't be eligible to inherit the residence from their parents. Find out everything here.

King Charles will not strip his brother, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, of his Falklands War campaign medal, it has been revealed. According to the Telegraph, John Healey, the Defence Secretary, confirmed on Sunday that the Government would remove Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s honorary rank of vice admiral, his "last remaining title."  The publication added that John would not comment on whether Andrew would be able to keep his medals, saying that the Ministry of Defence would be “guided by the decisions the King makes”. But that decision has been made, and Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Andrew's Falklands medal will be retained alongside all operational service medals. Andrew was awarded the South Atlantic Medal, known as the Falklands Medal, with an additional rosette for his actions. Read more in the full story here.

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The Duchess of Edinburgh channelled her inner Lara Croft when she stepped out in military wear while visiting the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. There, Sophie chatted with service personnel.

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The Queen served jacket potatoes to celebrities alongside TikTok star Spudman at a reception at Clarence House on Wednesday. Spudman, whose real name is Ben Newman, said Camilla was a “natural” at serving lunch to presenter Gaby Roslin and The Voice UK star Tom Read Wilson at an event celebrating Meals on Wheels Week.

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Camilla, who is a patron of the Royal Voluntary Service patron, , met viral TikTok star Spudman at Clarence House today to highlight flexible volunteering through GoVo, the charity’s volunteering platform. The RVS brought with them a branded food truck from which Camilla helped Spudman serve lunch.

Camilla helped him load jacket potatoes with fillings, before ordering a tuna mayonnaise-filled potato for herself. The social media star said: “That was the most surreal thing I’ve ever done – me and the Queen, in there, serving potatoes. What a whirlwind, honestly, amazing. “She did really well, I was quite impressed – she’s a natural! Getting the butter on there, serving the customers, brilliant. She did a really good job.” Camilla told Spudman that her son, Tom Parker Bowles, has “never forgotten” the jacket potato he served him when he visited his food truck in 2024. “I was really impressed she knew who I was,” Spudman added.

Prince William arrived in style for the Earthshot Prize Impact Assembly - riding an Earthshot-branded tram through the streets of Rio de Janeiro.  The heir to the throne boarded the tram for the short journey from the awards venue, the Museum of Tomorrow, alighting on “Earthshot Boulevard” - a road in the city’s port area that has been renamed for the occasion. 

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Arriving with deputy mayor Eduardo Cavaliere, William was welcomed by Earthshot CEO Jason Knauf, before heading into Pier 3, the venue for the  Earthshot Prize Impact Assembly, which is showcasing inspiring stories from the Earthshot network over the past year as well as highlighting some of the most significant investments which will help propel the Finalists’ solutions forward. The Summit will be attended by CEOs, representatives from government, Earthshot Prize Finalists, Indigenous leaders and youth advocates.  William will take part in a Fireside Discussion with event host Christiane Amanpour, Chief International Anchor for CNN.

Hello! Alexandra here, taking over the royal blog. Eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Prince of Wales at his fifth annual Earthshot Prize Awards, happening this evening in Rio de Janeiro. Stay tuned!

Queen Letizia of Spain's hairstyle at the Royal Palace of Madrid on November 4 was reminiscent of one of the Princess of Wales' regal looks from this year. See a side-by side photo in the full story here.

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While his older brother William is in Brazil for the Earthshot Prize, Prince Harry kicked off his solo visit to Toronto, Canada. Find out what the Duke of Sussex was up to on the first day of his trip here.

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Meghan Markle will reportedly be appearing in a film that stars Lily Collins and Brie Larson. Find out who the Duchess of Sussex is said to be playing in the movie here.

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At the Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony, Shawn Mendes thanked Prince William for his kindness when the royal asked about his mother, Karen. "She’s still shaking, thank you," the singer replied. The Prince of Wales had surprised Shawn's mum Karen, who is originally from Dorset, with a cake after learning that it was her birthday on Sunday. 

See all the best photos from the fifth annual Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony here.

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The winners of the 2025 Earthshot Prize were unveiled at the star-studded awards ceremony on Wednesday evening in Rio de Janeiro. They are:

• - Protect and Restore Nature: re.green, Brazil 
• - Clean Our Air: The city of Bogotá, Colombia 
• - Revive Our Oceans: The High Seas Treaty (Global) 
• - Build a Waste-Free World: Lagos Fashion Week, Nigeria 
• - Fix Our Climate: Friendship, Bangladesh

For out what Prince William had to say about this year's Earthshot Prize winners here.

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Tom Cruise made an appearance via video message at the Prince of Wales' Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony. In his message, the Hollywood star apologized for not being in Rio to celebrate, but congratulated the evening's winners and every finalist. The actor said: "Thank you for all the great work that you're doing, reminding us what's possible when commitment meets purposes."

For more on the 2025 Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony click here.

Good morning, royal fans!

I'm here to keep you company this morning with the latest royal news. 

Don't go anywhere!

Prince Mateen of Brunei has paid tribute to a special someone, his wife, Anisha Rosnah, who celebrates her birthday on 6 November.

The daughter-in-law of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah turned 31 and featured in a lovely photo with her royal beau. She looked stunning in a Victoria Beckham gown and the prince revealed his special nickname for his love. " Happy Birthday Nishiboo ❤️," the post was captioned.

The Monaco royal Instagram account has revealed a gorgeous set of photos from Princess Charlene's outing yesterday. The wife of Prince Albert visited Charles III College during the creative jersey competition that will be worn by the Monégasque national rugby team at the U16 International Tournament in Dubai, at the end of the month.

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The event was organised by the Monégasque Rugby Federation, in partnership with the Princess Charlene Foundation of Monaco and the Directorate of National Education, Youth and Sports.

She looked so stylish in a checked blazer and dark-wash jeans and styled her hair in a ballet bun for the occasion.

New photos have emerged of the Duchess of Edinburgh from an engagement earlier this week, and she looks so elegant.

Duchess Sophie, 60, headed out in her capacity as the patron of the Awareness Foundation, the charity which seeks to build peace between the Middle East and West, on 4 November. The event was a dinner at the Lansdowne Club in London.

The King and Queen are set for an engagement after Remembrance Sunday this weekend.

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Joined by The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Edinburgh, and The Duchess of Gloucester, the royal couple will attend a reception for veterans who served in the Second World War in the Pacific and their families in honour of the 80th Anniversary of VJ Day on 11 November.

The reception will take place at Windsor Castle.

Queen Camilla has stepped out for a poignant occasion today.

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She was seen standing in front of the cross of remembrance during a visit to the 97th Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey.

The Field of Remembrance has been held every November since 1928, when The Poppy Factory, of which King Charles' wife is patron, brought a group of disabled veterans, a tray of poppies, and a collecting tin to the grounds of St Margaret's Church at Westminster Abbey.