Royal Family Recap: King Charles' cheeky quip and Prince William's heartfelt charity visit

That's all from me – I'm now handing over to the wonderful Rachel, who will continue bringing you all the latest royal news this afternoon… 👑

I'll be here with you all afternoon, bringing you the latest on the royal beat! 

Claudia Winkleman couldn't contain her excitement as she posed with her OBE alongside her parents and husband at Windsor Castle. The star rocked a white power suit for the occasion and and her signature dark locks looked as glossy as ever as she lapped up the royal honour. 

© Getty Images

The Royal Collection Trust has revealed a very unique present given to Queen Victoria from her love, Prince Albert - a brooch with an image of their firstborn child on. A poll on their Instagram suggests fans are undecided if they like it or not! 

The Prince of Wales has picked up a paintbrush to contribute to a painting at Centrepoint’s new offices in East London. "I have painted, but you don’t want to see what it looks like," William said with a laugh, seeming to reveal that he's not an avid artist like his father, King Charles. The piece has been designed by a group of young people and self-taught artist Lanré Olagoke, MBE, who was himself homeless in the past. William used a brush to fill in the interior of a red heart on the artwork and when finished, the piece will celebrate Centrepoint’s journey and the charity’s ambition to end youth homelessness.

© Alamy Live News.

The King knighted former chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, today at Windsor Castle and shared a cheeky exchange with the MP. The politician recalled: "He asked me what I was doing, and I said I was writing a book on how to make Britain great again, and he said, 'Well, keep trying,' with a twinkle in his eye."

© Getty Images

After Prince William's visit to Centrepoint, the CEO Seyi Obakin praised his commitment to the charity, and the way he has helped raise funds for projects such as the helpline.

"Some of the things we have been able to do, we probably would not have done without his patronage," Seyi said. "When I first met him, I said to him 'I'd like you to be patron for a very long time' and one of the things he said to me was that he didn't want to be an ornamental patron. He wanted to get involved, he wanted to understand what's going on, he wanted to know how he can help and I can honestly say he has been true to his word in every sense of the way."

Queen Camilla has opened doors of Clarence House to host an afternoon tea reception for the Surviving Economic Abuse charity. She is pictured listening intently during a private discussion with Dr Bijna Kotak Dasani, Rebecca Beattie and CEO of Surviving Economic Abuse Sam Smethers.

© Getty Images

Speaking at the Surviving Economic Abuse charity reception, Queen Camilla said: "I thought I knew most things about domestic abuse but I've learned a lot today that I didn’t know about.

“And talking to all these very brave women and getting them to tell their stories and talk to each other and put to all the banks and the financial institutions under one umbrella, swapping ideas and stories I think is the way forward. So, I just hope that today has been a step in that direction.”

Natalie Curtis, an SEA ambassador, called the royal "empathetic" and "caring" and she added: "I think it's such a privilege to be able to come to Clarence House and for her to hear first-hand what incredible work SEA do. It's life-changing and life-saving."

Queen Maxima of The Netherlands has been seen glowing in blue at the Christmas Music Gala concert in Theater Chasse in Breda, Netherlands. The royal is the honorary chairwoman of More Music in the Class foundation that organises the concert. Her silk top with shoulder detail and elegant twist stole the show - and it's proof that party season is well and truly here! 

© Getty Images

After his visit to Centrepoint HQ, Prince WIlliam's team shared an Instagram reel of his time there - shaking hands, chatting, painting and cutting a huge anniversary cake. He penned: "Delighted to be at Centrepoint to celebrate 20 years as their Patron, and to meet with their Prevention Team to hear about their important work." Just minutes after posting the reel was flooded with clapping emojis. 

I'm handing over to Beatriz Colon now, who will bring you royal news into the evening. 

In today's special episode of Right Royal Podcast on the Princess of Wales' Christmas carol service, our hosts are joined by HELLO! Magazine's royal editor Emily Nash, who was one of the 1,600 guests at the Princess of Wales' Christmas carol service. The audio-only episode dives into the star-studded guest list, who was noticeably absent - and why - the heart-warming theme of the night, standout moments, and everything you need to know from inside Westminster Abbey.

Princess Charlotte was the spitting image of her mother, the Princess of Wales, on 5 December when she stepped out with her father, Prince William, and brothers, Prince George and Prince Louis, for the 'Together At Christmas' carol service at Westminster Abbey. 

What was most striking about Princess Charlotte's appearance, which may have gone unnoticed by some onlookers, was that she recreated a look worn by her mother, Kate, 43, just seven months prior. See the moment here. 

The Prince of Wales has issued a personal message on social media to mark the death of his late friend and the founder of Save the Elephants and an ambassador of Tusk, Iain Douglas-Hamilton.

Taking to his official X (formerly Twitter) page, he wrote: "I am so sad to hear of the passing of Iain Douglas-Hamilton, a man who dedicated his life to conservation, and whose life’s work leaves a lasting impact on our appreciation for, and understanding of, elephants."

Read more of his statement here. 

Christmas is one of the rare occasions the public catches a glimpse of personal photos and messages from the royal family via their Christmas cards. King Charles and Queen Camilla were among the first to kick off the festive season, releasing a photo taken on their 20th wedding anniversary in the grounds of Villa Wolkonsky, the British ambassador's residence in Rome, alongside the message: "Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year."

This sparked the Royal Collection Trust to take a deep dive into forgotten cards from the royals, including one from Charles' late mother, Queen Elizabeth II. The second unearthed photo in the Instagram carousel showed a young Princess Elizabeth with her eldest son and was dated in 1949, three years before she ascended the throne.

Accompanying the picture was a handwritten note which read: "Love and best wishes for Christmas," and was signed off: "Lilibet," marking a special link to Prince Harry, since Elizabeth's nickname was later used as her great-granddaughter's moniker. See it here. 

Since Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's Royal Lodge lease drama, attention has turned to other royal family members and their property arrangements with the Crown Estate. The spotlight is on where the royals live and what they pay towards their sprawling homes...

It has now been revealed, for example, that Prince William and Princess Kate are paying the "market rate" rent for their new home, Forest Lodge instead of Andrew's notorious peppercorn rent' agreement. Also, did you know that Prince Edward has a similar set-up to his disgraced brother? But if you're still wondering what royal leases are and how they really work, we've got you. HELLO! has called in the help of an expert: Bryan Johnston, property litigation partner at law firm Dentons explains it all here. 

That's all the royal news we have for you today, folks! Make sure to come back tomorrow for our ongoing royal coverage and highlights throughout the week.

Cheers!