Royal family recap: King Charles celebrates 77th birthday, Meghan's gift-giving, and more

Good morning, royal fans!

It's a day of celebration as the King turns 77. He's spending the day in Wales with his wife Queen Camilla, so stay tuned for the latest updates as we follow their heartwarming away day. 

"Many of us are pet owners but royal pet owners seem to come with a major difference – their pets tend to be far more eccentric. Imagine keeping a straight face when you’re gifted a beaver or a giraffe, and then having to figure out living arrangements (though I guess this is much easier when you can dump them in your very own zoo if you are a British royal in London)!"

So wrote Millie on The HELLO! Royal Club last night as she introduced a feature looking at 15 of the most beloved and unusual royal pets. Want to find out more? Just click on the button below to join the club and read the post.

The Royal Family's official Instagram account shared a new portrait of the King to mark his special day, thanking well-wishers for their messages. The snapshot was taken by esteemed photographer Millie Pilkington, who has also worked with the Wales family, at Sandringham Estate.

Earlier this week, Princess Eugenie spent the morning meeting members of The King's Foundation's 35 under 35 network. 

As an official mentor for the programme, she gave the introductory address, speaking about the value of mentorship and how her passion for art shaped her own career. Afterwards she said it was "a pleasure" to work with such an "inspirational group of artists and creatives".

For her Soho outing, Eugenie nailed business chic in a crisp white shirt and black trouser suit. Go behind the scenes with her video below...

In all my years of royal reporting, it completely passed me by that Jamie Oliver is a royal godfather!

The celebrity chef is godfather to nine-year-old Isabella Windsor, the younger daughter of Lord Frederick Windsor and his wife Sophie Winkleman. Lord Frederick is the son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, making him the second cousin of King Charles.

Find out how Jamie came about his royal godfather role here.

Earlier this morning, Prince William surprised radio presenter Sara Cox with a motivational video message as she embarks on her final day of the gruelling 135-mile Great Northern Marathon Challenge in aid of BBC Children In Need. 

"Sara, massive congratulations for what you are doing. You are so nearly there, just a little bit further. I know the people of Pudsey will all come out and welcome you with huge open arms, big hugs… and hopefully, lots of your favourite crumpets. Keep going. You've done fantastically well, and the nation is so proud of you," William said.

Sharing her reaction with BBC Radio 2 listeners, an exhausted and emotional Sara said: "Wow, thanks William, big thank you! Thank you, thanks that's very nice!"

The Prince and Princess of Wales celebrated the King's birthday over on their Instagram account, resharing the new portrait of the monarch alongside the message: "Happy Birthday to His Majesty the King!"

Gun salutes have been heard around the country, including in central London where The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery fired a celebratory 41-gun salute as the clock struck noon.

Over in Northern Ireland, a 21-gun salute was also conducted at noon at Hillsborough Castle, the King's official residence there.

Hold on to your hat! Poor Zara Tindall was forced to brave Storm Claudia when she arrived at Cheltenham. The royal battled with high winds and pouring rain, yet still managed to look chic in her wide-brimmed, burgundy hat.

The King has been out in Wales to mark his 77th birthday. HELLO! has put together a gallery of the best moments, including the monarch's unique way of cutting a cake. See it all here!

This is the question HELLO! royal correspondent Tracy Schaverien is asking over on The HELLO! Royal Club as King Charles celebrates his 77th birthday. You can read Tracy's post and have your say by clicking on the button below and signing up for one of our club memberships (free, paid, inner circle). We can't wait to see you in the club...

The King has revealed his fitness regiment to former Love Island star, Liam Riardon. During his visit to South Wales, the monarch was offered the opportunity to visit Liam's gym when it opens. Charles revealed to Liam: "I train twice a day". That's more than me!

The King had an incredible experience during his birthday as the royal was able to take the controls of a new tram-train at a South Wales depot. While Charles didn't get out onto the mainline, he did drive the vehicle around the depot.

Queen Mary of Denmark is currently away in Brazil, but during a lighter moment, the royal showed off her dance moves as she joined a group of indigenous people in a traditional dance. Want to see the performance? Then click through to here...

That's all the royal news from me, but Rebecca Lewis will keep you abroad all the stories you need to know for the rest of the evening. Farewell!

Hello HELLO! readers. As we come to the end of the week, I'd love to hear your favorite royal stories of the past seven days. Please email me on rebecca.lewis@hellomagazine.com.

Queer Eye star Tan France has told HELLO! more details of his day with the Duchess of Sussex, and shared that she sent him a "personal" gift.

The British TV personality, who hosts Queer Eye on Netflix, made an appearance in the second season of Meghan's lifestyle show, with the pair bonding over parenthood and Britain, with Meghan spending time there before and during the early years of her marriage with Prince Harry. "I absolutely loved it, she couldn't have been kinder," Tan told HELLO!

Read more of our exclusive chat here.

November 14 is King Charles' 77th birthday but did you know that alongside being the hea of the British royal family, Charles is a dab hand at painting?

The royal has been interested in the art form since he was a young child, and over the decades has published several watercolor pieces.

Click here for a gallery of his best paintings...

For the King's 77th birthday, a new portrait was taken by photographer Millie Pikington.

"Wishing you the happiest of birthdays Your Majesty," Millie commented on the royal family's Instagram post, unveiling the snap. "Thank you for asking me to take this portrait of you. Truly honoured."

The King spent his birthday with his wife, Queen Camilla, carrying out public duties. The pair spent the morning traveling to Wales where they visited Cyfarthfa Primary School and joined pupils taking part in a guided reading programme, supported by local volunteers.

Her Majesty also attended a school assembly to mark Poetry Together Day, an annual celebration that, this year, coincides with The King’s birthday.

Their Majesties as rubbed shoulders with Gavin and Stacey star Ruth Jones, TikTok creator Lewis Leigh, reality TV star Liam Reardon and fashion designer, Julien Macdonald, as they attended a celebratory community reception. 

And, in what is surely a royal first, Love Island winner and fitness coach Liam told the King: "If you'd like to come for a session together, let me know, that would be great." Charles laughed and said: "I try to do my exercise... twice a day."

Princess Charlene of Monaco iso easily one of the most iconic figures of contemporary royal style, and on November 14, she put her own stamp on one of the most divisive fashion trends: pinstripes.

As identified by royal style blogger @royal.fashion.daily on Instagram, she opted for a two-piece from Edward Achour, a French designer known for women's ready-to-wear fashion that is inspired by traditional French couture, blending classic styles of silhouette with modern embellishments and twists.

Click here for the full story.

Thank you for following along with us this week. 

Have you signed up to HELLO!'s Royal Club? It's our interactive royal community offering behind-the-scenes stories, unmissable insights, and an illustrious Inner Circle – from HELLO!, the world's leading royal publisher.

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Members of the public queued for hours in the rain ahead of the arrival of King Charles III and Queen Camilla for a visit to Cyfarthfa Castle in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. Sheltered under umbrellas, the crowds didn't let the bad weather dampen their spirits as they hoped to wish the monarch a happy 77th birthday.