Royals 1-2 Dec: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor latest, Meghan Markle prepares for big moment, more

The Duchess of Edinburgh opened the new Guildford branch of The Lighthouse charity, where she met parents, babies, clients and volunteers. Sophie, who is patron of the charity, cooed over babies, packed Christmas gift bags and spoke about the shared benefits of volunteering.

Sophie also met Lucy and her six-month-old daughter Dottie, who the royal asked if she could hold. 

Read the full story here. 

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The Princess of Wales and her family recently celebrated a special occasion - the 36th birthday of her sister-in-law and French financial analyst, Alizée Thevenet, who is married to Kate's younger brother, James Middleton.

Alizée is believed to have turned 36 on Sunday (30 November).

While James, 38, who frequently shares insights into his family life on Instagram, has yet to reveal details of Alizée's birthday celebrations, we imagine she enjoyed some quality time with her family.

Here's the full story. 

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Princess Eugenie looked super stylish as she stepped out at Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland attraction last week. The royal, who is King Charles' niece, was photographed checking out the Christmas markets - and looked very chic while doing so. 

The mother-of-two wrapped up warm in a tan Max Mara coat and a pair of Penelope Chilvers boots, which HELLO!'s Fashion and Beauty News Editor Laura Sutcliffe says is "warm, classic, doesn't attract too much attention and could be worn again and again in years to come". 

See the photos here. 

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HELLO! spoke to New Zealand's former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at the premiere of her new documentary in Mayfair, London, on Monday, where she shared an important message for world leaders as they navigate the current climate.

Royal fans will know that Jacinda is a friend of Prince William's, with the pair sharing a passion for environmental issues and sustainable development.

On what she would say to other heads of state as they navigate their roles, Jacinda said: "I would never tell anyone how to do a job that I already know is tough but I do have a view that, for those politicians who are in there because they hold values of kindness, empathy and compassion close to their heart, don't lose that," said Jacinda, who was New Zealand's second female prime minister.

"And don't let anyone tell you that people will believe that those values can't coexist with strength. They can and I think voters want to see more of that." 

Read our exclusive. 

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King Charles III is well-known for his passion for the environment, which is reflect by the eco-changes made at Sandringham, his Norfolk estate. However, his latest plans have left his neighbours majorly 'concerned'. 

HELLO! understands that the monarch has submitted plans to the local council to add a slurry pit - essentially a lagoon - which will be used to store animal manure. As well as the obvious smell issue, there is a string of other concerns from locals. Intrigued? Get all the details here. 

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The Duchess of Edinburgh is always showcasing her sartorial flair, and her latest outing was no different. Duchess Sophie, 60, officially opened The Lighthouse Guildford, a new community hub in Surrey, which hosts a range of creative projects to support, encourage and empower those in need. 

For the occasion, the royal donned a sculpted jumper dress, the 'Fallon' style by Reiss, as identified by Royal Fashion Daily on Instagram, in a subtle oatmeal colour which featured a rolled neckline and long sleeves. She teamed the dress with the 'Paloma' suede bag and a gorgeous pair of boots. 

Find out more about Sophie's perfect winter look here. 

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The Princess of Wales has a famously timeless wardrobe, from A-line midi dresses to tailored coats and blazers, the wife of Prince William has a number of wardrobe staples. But did you know that she loves a sequin dresses?

HELLO!'s Fashion and Beauty News Editor Laura Sutcliffe says Kate goes 'all out' when she wears these items, as it's such a break from her traditional, stylish attire that we see her wearing regularly. 

See some of Kate's best sequin looks here. 

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New Danish coins have been issued to mark King Frederik's accession. 

The palace shares that the coin range includes the 1, 2, 5, 10, and 20-krone coins as well as the 50-øre  coin, all of which except the latter have been renamed.

An inquiry into the Crown Estate has been launched by a Commons committee following questions over its lease of Royal Lodge to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

On Tuesday, the Public Accounts Committee published letters from the Crown Estate and the Treasury on Tuesday in response queries about the lease arrangements for Royal Lodge.

Committee chairman Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown said: "We would like to thank The Crown Estate Commissioners and HM Treasury for their considered responses to our questions.

"In publishing these responses, the Public Accounts Committee fulfils one of its primary purposes – to aid transparency in public-interest information, as part of its overall mission to secure value for money for the taxpayer.

"Having reflected on what we have received, the information provided clearly forms the beginnings of a basis for an inquiry. The National Audit Office supports the scrutiny function of this Committee.

"We now await the conclusions the NAO will draw from this information, and plan to hold an inquiry based on the resulting evidence base in the new year."

Andrew is unlikely to receive any compensation for the early surrender of his leaser due to repairs that will be needed. 

Full story here. 

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Queen Maxima looked absolutely stunning in a caped gown and the Dutch Diamond Bandeau tiara during her and King Willem-Alexander's state visit to Suriname in South America.

Our Lifestyle Writer, Katie Daly, has all of the details on the Dutch royal's look.

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Preparations are underway for the German state visit, which kicks off tomorrow (Wednesday 3 December) as horses and carriages were seen rehearsing in Windsor earlier today.

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Highlights of the the three-day visit from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, will include a carriage procession, a ceremonial welcome and a glittering state banquet. 

I've outlined the full rundown of the state visit for you here. 

Iconic supermodel Marie Helvin had a four-year relationship with the Queen's late brother, Mark Shand. 

Marie, now 73, exclusively told HELLO! in a new interview that she has fond memories of spending time with the woman who would one day become King Charles’ wife - even if she did make an unfortunate fashion faux pas while staying with her conservationist boyfriend’s family. 

Read the full interview here.

Our US royal news correspondent Alexandra Hurtado has taken a deep dive into why the Prince of Wales is a man of his word and how he has forged connections with people, communities and organisations through keeping his promises.

William has said in the past that his guiding principles in life are to be honest, genuine, thoughtful and caring. 

Read the full feature here.

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Yesterday I joined the Duchess of Edinburgh as she opened the new Lighthouse community hub in Guildford. 

Join me over on the HELLO! Royal Club on Substack to watch my exclusive video from Sophie's engagement, as she cooed over babies, packed Christmas gift bags and got creative. Plus her heartfelt speech.

Subscribe here. 

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That's all from me today, folks, but Beatriz will be updating you throughout the evening.

There's plenty of royal action to look forward to in the coming days, including the German state visit and the Princess of Wales's Christmas carol service. 

In 1993, King Charles III, then the Prince of Wales, kicked off a major development project: Poundbury, an experimental urban town constructed by the Duchy.

Writing on the Duchy of Cornwall website, he said: "When I set out on this venture, I was determined that Poundbury would break the mould of conventional housing development in this country. Many people said that it could never succeed, but I am happy to say that the sceptics were wrong."

However, not all of the experts are convinced – Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud, the architecture expert who has earned his living as a designer, author and TV host since studying architecture and the history of art, explained his issues with the development in a keynote lecture at the V&A Museum in November 2025.

See what he had to say here.

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor can legally remain in his Royal Lodge home for the next year, it has been revealed. The announcement that the former Duke of York would vacate his 30-room Windsor mansion came in October as the King stripped his younger brother of all of his titles, styles and honours.

The Crown Estate revealed on Tuesday that Andrew gave the minimum 12 months' notice that he would surrender Royal Lodge on 30 October – the day of the Buckingham Palace announcement. Here is what to know.

That's it on the royal front for today, but come back tomorrow morning for more all things royals from us at HELLO! for the rest of the week.

Cheers!