Royal family news 26-27 May: Princess Elisabeth of Belgium graduates from Harvard and more

It may come as no surprise that Princess Anne, as one of the hardest working royals, has an incredibly down-to-earth morning routine. 

From her simple breakfast to walking the dogs, find out all you need to know about how the 75-year-old starts her day. 

© Anadolu via Getty Images

The Royal Family's official social media page has shared more photos from King Charles trip to York, where he met staff and patients at York Hospital ahead of the opening of the Sir Robert Ogden Macmillan Cancer Centre.

See the post below. 

King Harald of Norway has begun a three-day tour of Vestland in Norway. His outing comes just a week after his wife, Queen Sonja, pulled out of an audience and official lunch with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Royal Palace of Oslo due to heart fibrillation.

The Norwegian royal family's official Instagram page shared photos from King Harald's outing. See the post below. 

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, as the UN Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Financial Health, will participate in the private Insurance 4 All meeting of CGAP ( Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), in collaboration with the insurance group AXA, in Paris today. 

The event is part of an annual meeting of the Board of Governors of CGAP. 

© AFP via Getty Images

King Charles's former butler has issued a statement after he shared a photograph of the Prince and Princess of Wales that turned out to be AI-generated. 

Grant Harrold, 48, worked as King Charles and Queen Camilla's royal butler from 2004 to 2011, before being made redundant. He also served the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Harry, and other members of the royal family. 

The broadcaster and royal commentator often shares photos from his time working for the royal, most recently what appeared to be an image of Prince William and Kate in the early days of their relationship. 

"This wonderful photo of the Prince and Princess of Wales was taken when I first met them back in 2004. A true royal love story," he shared on Instagram.

After speculation from royal fans that the photo could be AI-generated, Grant took to social media to set the record straight. 

"I genuinely mistook this to be an authentic image of the pair. On seeing it, it made me smile and I wanted to share this joy with you," he wrote, in part. 

Read his full statement here. 

King Charles has been warned about a potential crisis on the doorstep of Buckingham Palace as unprecedented temperatures hit the UK. 

Wildfire mapping shows that there are hotspots in the parks surrounding the palace, which could be susceptible to outbreaks, as reported by The Standard. 

Meanwhile, The Royal Parks Facebook page has issued a specific warning regarding the weather. 

Read the full story here. 

© Alamy Stock Photo

As the record-breaking heatwave continues, we've rounded up over 20 photos of royals, including Princess Diana and Princess Charlotte, having fun in the sun. 

From polo matches to tropical holidays, these sunny royal moments are a must-see. Click here to read the article.

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The Prince and Princess of Wales have shared a video taken from Prince William's visit to St George's Park earlier this month to meet with the "team behind the team" supporting England's campaign for a World Cup win this summer.

William spent time with the staff working behind the scenes under manager Thomas Tuchel, including coaches and analysts shaping tactics and performance, to medical, nutrition and sports science teams responsible for the welfare and recovery of the players. 

He also met with travel, security and kit staff, who work hard to ensure the team have all they need to perform at their best. 

In the video, William tells them: "You don't get as much acknowledgement or credit as you deserve. Not everyone gets to see all the hard work you put in. The success of the players is from the foundations you build, so thank you. All of the things are coming in a line now: the Lionness' successes they've had, two men's Euros finals, it feels like we are closing in on that ambition. Go with my blessings and my best wishes to all of you. Enjoy it, look after each other and give your best. I'm sure we will do well, so good luck."

Read more here. 

Mike Tindall has shared the high-profile royal event he says can be a "nightmare" – especially during a heatwave. 

The former rugby union player appeared on the Luxury Dispatch podcast with Tom Chamberlin on Tuesday, where he revealed that Royal Ascot can be a "nightmare" due to the soaring temperatures and the formal clothing the family is required to wear. 

Find out more. 

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That's all from me! I'm handing over to HELLO!'s TV writer Abby Allen, who will keep you up to speed on the latest updates this afternoon. 

To tiara or to not tiara? That is the question for Harriet Sperling on her wedding day when she ties the knot with Princess Anne's son, Peter Phillips.

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The pair are due to say their vows at All Saints Church in Kemble, Cirencester, on 6 June, and while Harriet is marrying into the royal family, Peter does not have royal titles himself after his mother declined them upon his birth in 1977.

Whether Harriet will have permission and access to a tiara for her big day is yet to be determined, but Peter's first wife, Autumn Kelly, was lent the antique Festoon Tiara, a piece she borrowed from Princess Anne. 

Read the full story here. 

Tatiana Blatnik, the former wife of Prince Nikolaos of Greece, was a vision in pink in Cannes last week as she was pictured with Mexican businessman Elias Sacal. 

© Getty Images for amfAR

The pair stepped out for the amfAR Gala Cannes in France, with Tatiana sporting an elegant pink gown with a matching cape while Elias donned a smart suit. 

Tatiana was married to Prince Nikolaos from 2010 to 2024, and was a member of the non-reigning Greek royal family and the extended Danish royal family until they parted ways. The Greek prince went on to find love again with his current wife, Princess Chrysí Vardinogiánni, whom he married in 2025. 

Get the full story here. 

The Belgian royal family have shared some pictures of Princess Elisabeth ahead of her graduation at Harvard Kennedy School on Thursday. The eldest daughter of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde earned a Bachelor's degree in History and Politics from Lincoln College, Oxford, before studying for a two-year Master's degree in Public Policy.

Princess Eugenie is about to welcome her third child with her husband Jack Brooksbank, and while the couple currently splits their time between Ivy Cottage in London and Portugal, they may be seeking to upgrade to a larger Crown Estate property in due course.

© Samir Hussein/WireImage

However, the Public Accounts Committee has launched an investigation into royal rents after the controversy surrounding Andrew Mountbatten-Windsorr's "peppercorn rent". Royal family members who are given special leases with preferential treatment, such as cut-price deals, will be fully under the spotlight. 

Get the full story here. 

It's rare for the Princess of Wales to steo out in a sparkly dress, but her midi style from 2019 is the sort of outfit we should all be adding to our holiday wardrobes. 

Kate, now 44, headed out to visit the Empire Music Hall in Belfast in 2019, opting for a shimmery green Missoni dress – click here to see all the pictures.

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Princess Mette Marit of Norway's health has taken a turn for the worse, according to her husband Prince Haakon. 

"The Crown Princess is seriously ill, and I think she has gotten a bit worse lately. So I am worried about her health. She uses oxygen in her everyday life, and that helps a bit," he told press after presenting the Abel Prize award in Oslo on Tuesday. 

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"And these six months have gone pretty well, I think. But there are different phases. So we just have to try to solve it as best we can."

The Crown Princess was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis in 2018. In the autumn, the Palace revealed that her condition had worsened. She is currently on the waiting list for a lung transplant, but the Crown Prince isn't sure when this will take place. 

Read the full story here. 

Princess Elisabeth of Belgium was spotted at the Class of 2026 Awards Ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Park in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Wednesday.

The young royal smiled in the sun as she wore a gorgeous summer dress before celebrating with her fellow alum. The heir apparent to the Belgian throne is graduating with a Master's degree in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School. 

© AFP via Getty Images

Lady Amelia and Eliza Spencer pulled out all the stops at the Cannes Film Festival, when they made a joint appearance at the Coward screening on 21 May.

Now, the twin nieces of Princess Diana have shared a behind-the-scenes video, revealing their getting-ready process. In the video, which was shared on Instagram on 26 May, the models, 33, were seen on the balcony of their hotel room. 

Read the full story here.  

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That's all from me – I'm now handing over Beatriz, who will continue bringing you all the latest…

Casting our minds back to 1990, Prince William began boarding at Ludgrove School, where he had a very normal education, removed from the spotlight of his parents then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana's split.

The royals announced their separation in 1992, the same year William's younger brother Prince Harry joined him at the school, before finalising their divorce in 1996. Both brothers went on to leave aged 13 for Eton College, which was known for its 25m swimming pool with a movable floor, 2km rowing lake and other luxurious amenities.

Read more about Ludgrove, and see unearthed photos taken in 1989, here. 

Crown Princess Elisabeth's major plans following her Harvard graduation have been revealed. 

The future Queen of Belgium, 24, will reportedly undertake a sailing trip across the Atlantic Ocean after finishing her Master's in Public Policy at the esteemed Ivy League college.

Read more about her plans here.

Queen Sonja been admitted to hospital for heart issues, the royal palace has confirmed. The 88-year-old was admitted to the National Hospital on Wednesday.

Read the palace's statement, and all we know about the Norwegian monarch, here. 

That's all we have for you today this Tuesday, 26May and Wednesday, 27 May. 

To stay up to date on the rest of the week's royal news, be sure to visit tomorrow's blog.

Cheers!