Royal family recap: King Charles is business as usual as he returns to work after Harry and Meghan's arrival

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Good morning!

And welcome back to our royal blog! I'm Eleanor, HELLO!'s acting online royal correspondent, and I'll be bringing you all the latest updates throughout the day. 

Today, Princess Ingrid will join her father, King Haakon, in taking the constitutional oath, following the death of King Harald V. 

Following the death of Harald V, the government met with the new King and his heir, Princess Ingrid. 

Article 44 of the Nordic country's Constitution states that any person of legal age who becomes first in line to the throne must take a written oath before the Storting (Parliament).

This marks the first time in Norway's recent history that an heir apparent, in this case a female heir, has reached the age of majority. Princess Ingrid is 22 years old and will therefore have to take the oath of allegiance in writing. 

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Queen Mette-Marit will not attend today's swearing in ceremony, the Royal House has just announced. 

King Haakon's wife will not be present when he takes the oath of office in the Storting later on Tuesday. 

This is due to complications following her lung transplant in June, the Royal House said in a press release. At the time, she was still Crown Princess, but she will now be Queen Consort following King Harald's sad death last Friday. 

Pulmonologist Are Holm at the National Hospital said: "It is not uncommon for complications to occur after a lung transplant. 

"The Queen has had complications on some occasions since the operation, including today. 

"As a result, the Queen must be observed throughout the day. The Queen will therefore unfortunately not be able to attend the swearing-in ceremony in the Storting today."

Instead, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra will accompany His Majesty the King. Queen Sonja and Prince Sverre Magnus will attend the swearing-in from the Storting Hall.

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The Norwegian royals have been taking part in funeral events for King Harald, with the main state funeral to take place on 9 September. 

And Queen Sonja left a very special tribute for her late husband, whom she married in 1968. 

On Monday, the late monarch's coffin was moved from the Red Room of the Palace to the Palace Chapel, where it will remain until the state funeral on 9 September, so members of the public can pay their respects.  

The royal family left two wreaths with white flowers and white ribbons, with one from his wife Queen Sonja, and the other from the rest of the family. 

Her ribbon, also embellished with her monogram, read "Takk for et godt liv", which translates to English as "thank you for a wonderful life".  

A second wreath simply read "takk", meaning "thank you", alongside the names of Haakon, Mette, Ingrid, Magnus and Marius Borg Hoiby, Haakon's stepson, who has been granted special permission to attend the funeral services away from his house arrest at the Skaugum Palace.  

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King Haakon was followed by Queen Sonja and Princess Ingrid, and Prince Sverre Magnus as he arrived at the Palace ahead of taking the constitutional oath just now. 

The new King arrived in an open 1966 Lincoln Continental car, which is also known as the wedding car.

Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 22, will accompany her father to take the oath in the Storting Hall. This is the first time an heir has been over 18 and has taken the oath. 

Queen Mette-Marit will not be attending today. Her last-minute absence was revealed by the palace in a press release on Monday morning, due to her pulmonary fibrosis and lung transplant recovery. 

There was a procession to the palace, with 1,000 people from the Guard, Army, Air Force and navy in place along the streets. 

The oath to the constitution, which will be read by Haakon, says: "I promise and swear to govern the Kingdom of Norway in accordance with its constitution and laws, so help me God the Almighty and the All-Knowing!"

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King Haakon has taken the oath to the constitution, and ushering in a new era for Norway. 

The new monarch read from a book on a golden throne, with his daughter, 22, standing beside him. 

It took place at 12.06pm local time. 

Translated from Norwegian, the oath to the constitution reads: "I promise and swear to govern the Kingdom of Norway in accordance with its constitution and laws, so help me God the Almighty and the All-Knowing!"

He added: "The Queen and I confirm that we are available to carry out our duty for the country and the people."

Haakon became King last Friday when his father, King Harald, died. However, the Constitution still requires him to take the oath. 

After the oath, the president of the Storting delivered a memorial speech for King Harald, followed by a minute's silence and the royal anthem. 

Queen Sonja and Prince Sverre Magnus followed the oath taking from the Storting Hall. 

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Princess Ingrid Alexandra has just made history as she stood alongside her father at the Storting (parliament) as he gave his oath as monarch. 

The 22-year-old acted as first lady in her mother's absence. She wore a long, mourning dress and served as first lady alongside her father, seated next to him by the throne. 

She also wore a fascinator with a small veil for what was her most important official engagement and the beginning of her new role as Crown Princess.

Her father, King Haakon, was dressed in full military uniform. 

This is the first time that the future heiress has taken the oath alongside the new monarch. 

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It's time for a short break from the Norway royals, but we've got lots more to come on that later on this afternoon. 

Back in the UK, things are also busy when it comes to the royal family.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrived at Birmingham Airport last week - marking their return to the UK after leaving to begin a new life in the US six years ago. 

It seems likely that the family's home and the children's school will be in the Cotswolds, meaning they're moving from one celebrity hotspot to another. 

Known for its rolling hills and picturesque villages, the region northwest of London has become a rural haven for Hollywood stars and royalty, including David Beckham and Victoria Beckham, Princess Beatrice, Kate Moss and Simon Cowell. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's friends Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi also moved to the English countryside back in 2024. 

Our US royal correspondent Alex Hurtado explores all the reasons it's the perfect home for the Sussexes as they come back to Britain. 

I'll now be passing you over to the wonderful Isabelle, who will be running our live updates this afternoon. 

We're expecting more on the Norway royals, while here in the UK, our royal family will shortly be preparing to return to work.

King Charles has his first scheduled engagement back after the break on Wednesday. 

Don't go anywhere!

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King Carl Gustaf XVI of Sweden has issued a heartfelt message to King Haakon following his swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday morning. 

Haakon, 53, was officially sworn in as Norway's ruling monarch following the sad death of his father, King Harald, last week.

The official social media channels for the Swedish King shared a photograph of the kind letter, sent by Carl, who has reigned for 52 years, making him the longest-reigning monarch in Swedish history.

"Dear Godson! It is my hope that you feel great support from your godfather, from Your Swedish family and from all the Swedish people when you now assume your high office as King of Norway. ”

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Prince William has been bestowed with a rather interesting honour. 

Robert Irwin, the conservationist son of the late Steve Irwin, has named a 12ft saltwater crocodile after the Prince of Wales in recognition of the future King's dedication to protecting wildlife.

The reptile, called Prince William, is the 300th crocodile to be tagged as part of a major research project at the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve in Australia.

Irwin, the son of the late conservationist Steve Irwin, introduced the “big boy” and “modern-day dinosaur” crocodile on Instagram, saying: “This is all for the conservation of crocodiles and over the years we have caught 300 crocs in this groundbreaking study.”

He added: “I’m very proud to say that this big boy right here is the 300th crocodile that we have caught.

“This is a really exciting milestone, and in gratitude and recognition for the incredible conservation work from His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, we wanted to name this extremely special modern-day dinosaur, this amazing animal, after His Royal Highness. So meet Prince William. Here he is.”

Read the full story here

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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew,  has been accused of 'committing sex crimes'  by a congressman speaking on the House floor.

According to the Telegraph, representative Thomas Massie, a Republican, named the former Duke of York as he spoke to the US House of Representatives, demanding that men who were friends of Jeffrey Epstein be held to account.

“We want perpetrators of these crimes to be investigated and prosecuted,” Mr Massie said, reeling off a list which included Jes Staley, the former Barclays chief executive, and David Copperfield, the stage magician, both of whom knew the late paedophile and financier.

“And Prince Andrew, who committed sex crimes in the US,” added Mr Massie.

Andrew has been involved in an ongoing investigation over potential sex crimes since May. 

Imagine a royal life with zero palace buffers, living in three foreign cities, and sharing a kitchen with classmates. It sounds like a modern fairytale, but for Spain’s Infanta Sofia and Norway’s Prince Sverre Magnus, it is their new student reality. Europe’s next generation of royals is stepping away from traditional national universities -bypassing the familiar halls of Oslo, Madrid, and state institutions -for Forward College, a radical, five-year-old school redefining higher education with a "different way of teaching."

Sign up to HELLO!'s VIP Club to read Alex's detailed insight into the elite European university royals are flocking to.

© Karwai Tang

Members of the Japanese royal family and the Dutch royal family are the first to announce their attendance at King Harald's funeral next week.

Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko will attend King Harald's funeral, as will King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, Princess Amalia, and Princess Beatrix.

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For the Dutch royals, this means all prior official events have been postponed.

The funeral is set to take place at Oslo Cathedral in the Norwegian capital of Oslo on 9 September.

Greek royals, Philip De Gres and his wife, Nina, have announced the birth of their first child.

The official website for the Greek royal family shared a statement on behalf of the new parents which read: "Philip De Gres and his wife, Nina, announce with great joy the birth of their first child, Kimon Thomas Constantinou, on July 27, 2026 in the United States of America. 

"Kimon was born via surrogacy. Nina and Philip express their sincere gratitude to the surrogate mother and her family, who contributed to making the arrival of their son possible. They would also like to express their sincere appreciation to all the medical staff and specialists, whose scientific training, care and support accompanied them throughout this journey.

"Philip and Nina are enjoying these first precious weeks together with Kimonas and are deeply happy to begin, together with their son, this new chapter in their family's life."

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Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen hosted a meeting in Austria for heads of state from German-speaking nations (Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Belgium, and Luxembourg).

The photo saw Austria's President Alexander Van der Bellen and his wife, Doris Schmidauer join forces with Belgian royals, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, Germany's President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, Liechenstein's Hereditary Prince Alois and Hereditary Princess Sophie and Switzerland's Caroline Parmelin (wife of Swiss President Guy Parmelin).

The group of world officials were photographed against an idyllic backdrop near the Stubai Glacier in Austria.

That's it from me, folks.

Passing over to Beatriz in the US, who will be taking you through all the royal updates this evening!

And baby makes three! Prince Philippos and Princess Nina of Greece have become first-time parents. The couple welcomed their first child, a son named Kimon Thomas Konstantinos, via a surrogate. It had not been previously revealed that Nina and Philippos were expecting. While the baby was born earlier this summer in the United States, his arrival was only announced on September 1. 

"Philip De Gres and his wife, Nina, announce with great joy the birth of their first child, Kimon Thomas Konstantinos, on July 27, 2026 in the United States of America," a statement shared by the office of the former Royal Family of Greece reads, translated to English. "Kimon was born via surrogacy. Nina and Philip express their sincere gratitude to the surrogate mother and her family, who contributed to making the arrival of their son possible."

© Terje Bendiksby / NTB / AFP via Getty Images

Hours after the swearing-in ceremony at the Storting, King Haakon was seen driving to the National Hospital. According to NRK, the Norwegian monarch arrived at the hospital for the second time on Tuesday at 9 p.m local time. Less than an hour later, at 9:31 p.m., Haakon was pictured leaving the hospital with his wife, Queen Mette-Marit, in the backseat.

The Queen, who underwent a lung transplant in June, was absent from the swearing-in ceremony earlier in the day. In a statement shared by the Royal House, pulmonologist Are Holm said: "It is not uncommon for complications to occur after a lung transplant. The Queen has had complications on some occasions since the operation, including today. As a result, the Queen must be observed throughout the day. The Queen will therefore unfortunately not be able to attend the swearing-in ceremony in the Storting today."

That's all we have for you for now, but be sure to return right here tomorrow for more all things royals from us at HELLO!

Cheers!

Good morning, royal fans!

I'm here to take you through a morning of royal news. 

After stepping back from the royal limelight and enjoying his annual summer break in Balmoral, King Charles is returning to London to host a special visit at his home today. The monarch will meet with the Pakistan cricket team at his beloved Clarence House between the second and third Test matches taking place in England. 

Meanwhile, across the pond, Meghan Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, is celebrating her milestone 70th birthday after the Sussexes moved back to the UK last week. 

Stay tuned for all the latest!

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It's a milestone birthday for Meghan Markle's mother, Doria Ragland, who turns 70 today!

Doria's birthday comes exactly one week after the Sussexes relocated from their home in sunny California back to the UK. While her daughter and grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, have now moved across the pond, Doria is believed to have stayed in the States. 

A friend of the couple told HELLO! previously: "Doria is a big part of the kids' lives but she has her own life in California. She will of course continue to see the family frequently."

For her mother's birthday last year, Meghan, who has a close bond with Doria, marked the special occasion with a heartwarming rare clip on social media, showing her kissing Doria, surrounded by pink heart emojis. 

"Happy Birthday to my beautiful mom!" Meghan captioned the sweet tribute.

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King Charles' equerry, Lieutenant Colonel Jonny Thompson, has stepped down from his position. 

Jonny, who will conclude his role at the end of the calendar year, announced his departure from the royal household on Tuesday. 

The palace has said: "Their Majesties were of course aware of this plan in advance and I know they are most grateful to Jonny for his support over the past seven years and wish him all the best for the future."

The news comes four months after Jonny welcomed his second child, a daughter, in May. 

He has worked with the royals for the past seven years, going back to 2018 when he became the late Queen Elizabeth II's bodyguard. He then went on to become equerry to The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall before taking on the role of The King’s Equerry in September 2022. 

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Following his death at the age of 89 on 28 August, King Harald will be laid to rest next week at a state funeral in Oslo. 

The late King of Norway's funeral is set to take place on 9 September. It's now been announced that Sweden's royal family will be among those in attendance. 

"The King, Queen, Crown Princess, Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia, Princess Madeleine, Mr. Christopher O'Neill, Princess Christina and Consul General Tord Magnuson are participating in the mourning ceremony in Oslo," the Royal House website confirmed.

The funeral will also be attended by members of the Japanese royal family and the Dutch royal family. Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, as well as King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, Princess Amalia, and Princess Beatrix, will be there. 

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Infanta Sofía of Spain has apparently used her real name to go incognito at university. 

King Felipe and Queen Letizia's 19-year-old daughter began her undergraduate degree in Lisbon at Forward College in September 2025. The young royal, who is studying Political Science and International Relations, is now starting her second year of studies in Paris. 

Founder and president of Forward College, Boris Walbaum, revealed in a new interview with Paris Match that the Spanish royal went through the same admissions process as every other applicant, including the same interviews.

Sofía reportedly applied to the university under her legal name, Sofia de Borbón Ortiz. According to the Forward College founder, he initially didn't connect the royal's surname, Ortiz, with her mother Queen Letizia.

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After a summer break in Balmoral, King Charles's busy schedule is back in full swing. 

Along with hosting the Pakistan cricket team at Clarence House today, the royal will be joining his wife, Queen Camilla for a special joint outing in London with French President Emmanuel Macron and Prime Minister Andy Burnham. 

The group will preview the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum, which has returned to the museum on loan for the first time in nearly one thousand years.

During their visit, they will walk the length of the 70-metre tapestry, which has been loaned until September next year as part of an agreement between the UK, France and the British Museum. 

The group will also be joined by the first lady of France, Brigitte Macron, and Andy Burnham’s wife, Marie-France van Heel.

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Over the weekend, Princess Eugenie marked four weeks since welcoming her baby daughter Adelaide into the world. 

To celebrate her daughter's first month, Eugenie shared a collection of heartwarming photos from her private family album, including one adorable picture of her three children. 

Adelaide looked so cute swaddled in a blanket as she lay next to her big brothers, August and Ernest. 

Eugenie's baby girl's blanket was from high-end children's brand, Atelier Choux , and was the £55 'Baby Rocking Horse Swaddle'. The "non-seasonal piece" is organic cotton muslin and designed for baby boys and baby girls. 

That's all from me for today! 

Handing over to the lovely Laura Sutcliffe for an afternoon of royal news. 

Stay tuned for more!

A very good afternoon to you all!

I'm Laura, Fashion and Beauty News Editor here at HELLO, and I'll be here to take you through an afternoon of royal news. 

I will be bringing you all the ongoing action from King Charles' meeting with the Pakistan cricket team at Clarence House, and his visit, alongside Queen Camilla, to the Bayeux Tapestry.

Stay tuned for all the latest!

​The Prince and Princess of Wales' firstborn son, Prince George, 13, will commence his secondary education at the legendary Eton College in September.

Royal expert and Old Etonian Tom Sykes reveals what awaits Prince George this September - and why William and Catherine wouldn't send him if he wasn't built to thrive. For more details, check out Tom's exclusive article. 

To become a HELLO! VIP member and sign up for full access to all VIP-exclusive articles; click here.

King Charles has officially returned to work after his annual summer stay at Balmoral away from the spotlight.

The monarch, 77, beamed on his first engagement in September, happily arriving at the Victoria League for Commonwealth Friendship in London to mark the organisation's 125th anniversary. During the visit, the King will proceed to meet staff, supporters and students before attending an anniversary garden party at the organisation's headquarters and visiting its student accommodation.

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Charles looked smart in a navy-blue pinstripe suit in his first scheduled meeting since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's arrival in the UK last Wednesday. He was pictured previously attending church at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral over the weekend.