Kate Middleton workout: Trainer reveals post-pregnancy fitness plan Duchess should follow

Kate Middleton, 36, is pregnant with her third child with Prince William, 35.

Already a mother to Prince George, 4, and Princess Charlotte, 2, the Duchess is well used to pregnancy and birth.

As one of the most photographed women in the world, Kate will probably be keen to get back in shape after her baby is born - particularly with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in the diary just weeks after the birth.

But working out after having a baby, especially if breastfeeding, is different than at other times in a woman's life.

Celebrity personal trainer Paulette Sybliss has the nutrition and fitness tips Kate should follow to get back to her best this April.

Rest

"Kate needs to first rest and recover from her pregnancy. Even as an experienced mum every pregnancy takes its toll on the body.

"Kate's new addition to her family will need a rested, and healthy mum for the future weeks and months. Sleep will be just as important for Kate as her new baby."

Fitness

Depending on the type of birth, Kate will need to wait at least six weeks post-pregnancy before even considering starting any type of fitness regime. This time frame will be longer if a caesarean birth is had.

Once Kate has been given the go-ahead to start any type of fitness regime, she should ensure she takes things easy, going back to basics and gradually building up the strength in her body. She must make sure she is doing her pelvic floor exercises regularly.

Working with light weights or body weight exercises to begin with, will help Kate to tone her body and to lose any pregnancy body fat she may have gained.

Resistance training will also help Kate to get her body back to its pre-pregnancy strength. If Kate wishes to do any cardio at such an early stage post pregnancy, she should focus on gentle cardio such as walking.

Nutrition

"Initially, Kate should refrain from dieting. Her body will be recovering from major hormonal changes post-pregnancy and that is not a time to be depriving her body of essentials nutrients that can often be cut out when dieting.

"Eating healthy and balanced foods will help Kate to regain her pre- baby body and if she breast feeds at any stage this can also assist with her burning more calories throughout the day."

Kate is not the only member of the Royal Family who will be preparing for Harry and Meghan's wedding - and Paulette has shared a workout plan for bride-to-be Meghan Markle to follow too.

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Prince William on the 'lifelong habit' he learned from Princess Diana and Prince Charles

Kate's husband revealed it during a speech at the Charity Commission's annual Public Meeting

Prince William opened up about how his mother Princess Diana and father Prince Charles helped shape him into the man he is today.

Children learn from their parents - and Prince William was no exception growing up. While delivering the keynote speech at the Charity Commission's annual Public Meeting on Tuesday, the Duke of Cambridge, 35, paid tribute to his late mother Princess Diana and father Prince Charles by talking about how they shaped him into the man he is today.

"I have two children [Prince George and Princess Charlotte] as you probably know (I gather it has been widely reported); and when I first became a father about four and half years ago, I began a process of thinking about the way I had been brought up, and the values that my parents had instilled in me," William began.

Prince William opened up about the values his parents instilled in him.

"As any parent will know, this process is not necessarily one that you undertake consciously - you find that certain values and habits, ones that you didn't know you had, start bubbling up to the surface," Kate's husband continued. "Some of my earliest memories relate to times that my parents spoke to me or - even better - showed me what it meant to have both privilege and responsibilities."

In his speech, William, who is expecting his third child with the Duchess, recalled visiting a homeless shelter with his mother when he was young. At the time, Diana explained to her son why the people he met there mattered and "why no society can be healthy unless we take other people seriously."

The Duke recalled visiting a homeless shelter with his mom.

When it came to his father, the Duke admitted he learned how "central charity was to [Prince Charle's] life" and how it served as a sense of purpose for Her Majesty's son. William shared, "As a young child, I recall evening after evening my father's diligence and compassion as he applied himself to answering thousands of letters and reading endless reports in order to stay on top of his ambition to do all he could to help the underprivileged."

Prince George's dad added, "Without my realizing it, what my parents were doing was instilling in me and Harry a lifelong habit to put charity at the heart of our lives."

Kate's husband noted that charity is important to his family

William noted that his father inherited that same habit from his grandparents - Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth. He said, "My family have not done this because it looks good - they do it because charity is not an optional extra in society. We believe that, above anything else, charities nurture, repair, build and sustain our society. Without the work that charities do, society would be an empty shell."

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Prince William Praises The Duke Of Edinburgh As “One Of The Most Tireless Public Servants Of This Country”

Yesterday, the Duke of Cambridge gave a speech at the Charity Commission's annual public meeting where he touched on the influences from his family in shaping his role in charity work.

He praised his grandparents, The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh who together hold over 1000 patronages. Giving props to Prince Philip who retired in August of last year, saying he is "one of the most tireless public servants of this country, deeply committed to helping young people fulfil their potential."

He also gave credit to his parents.

"As a young child, I recall evening after evening my father's diligence and compassion as he applied himself to answering thousands of letters and reading endless reports in order to stay on top of his ambition to do all he could to help the underprivileged," the Duke said.

"Without my realising it, what my parents were doing was instilling in me and Harry a lifelong habit to put charity at the heart of our lives."

During his speech, Prince William warned that the growing number of charities should not focus only on themselves, but work together saying: "We all know that society is becoming in lots of ways more atomised and polarised.

"There is no doubt that public debate seems coarser and more personal than ever, fuelled partly by anonymity online and the commercialisation of our news.

"We are running the risk of a silo society in which we allow differences of opinion to separate us.

"In that context, it is more important than ever to nurture those institutions which transcend differences between us, which motivate us to put self-interest aside and which, explicitly, are beyond politics."

The Duke gave examples of charities who came together during the Grenfell fires to combat the tragedy together.

"This leaves me to think that this approach could go further," Prince William said.

"Instead of setting up more individual charities working in the same fields, I wonder if we could do more to explore ways of combining forces, working and innovating together?

"I do wonder at times if the compassion which leads people to set up or maintain charities could not be equally well directed at first finding opportunities to work with existing charities.

"Competition for funds between an ever-growing number of charities, and the confusion it can cause among donors, can lead to the silo-ing of expertise and, at worst, territorial behaviour.

"I know that this message is not always easy to hear: charities exist because those who work and volunteer for them each believe passionately in its importance. And they are right to do so.

"But as the challenges of the future begin to bear down on us, I believe that this big shift must begin to happen – the sector must be open to collaborate, to share expertise and resources; to focus less on individual interests and more on the benefits that working together will bring.

"That, I believe, is where the future lies."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, together with Prince Harry and soon Meghan Markle, run The Royal Foundation which acts as an umbrella for the foundations they have started.

While Prince William was giving his speech at to the Charity Commision, the Duchess of Cambridge was launching Heads Together's newest mental health initiative in schools.

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The Six Big Royal Events Of 2018 We Can't Wait For

Two royal weddings, two new babies and other great milestones

This year 2018 is set to be a big year for the royals - find out which big events are happening, apart from the two royal weddings and new royal babies.

2018 is shaping up to be a happy and glorious year for the British royal family. Following the news that Princess Eugenie is engaged to her long-term boyfriend Jack Brooksbank, the palace has another royal wedding to plan for. Eugenie and Jack's nuptials will take place in the autumn, while Prince Harry will marry his American fiancée Meghan Markle a few months before on Saturday 19 May. Both couples have chosen St George's Chapel in Windsor for their wedding.

The royal family is also set to welcome two new babies. Prince William and Kate's third child - a brother or sister to Prince George and Princess Charlotte - is due in April. William's cousin Zara Tindall and her husband Mike are also expecting their second baby, believed to be due in the summer.

Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding will take place in May

The Queen, 91, is also marking another important milestone this year. On 2 June, she will celebrate the 65th anniversary of her coronation. Her Majesty recently recalled the momentous day in a documentary for the BBC entitled The Coronation, in which she spoke about the "horribly uncomfortable" golden carriage that took her from Westminster Abbey back to Buckingham Palace.

"It's not meant for travelling in at all. I mean, it's only sprung on leather. Not very comfortable," she said, adding: "We must have gone about four to five miles. It can only go at a walking pace. The horses couldn't possibly go any faster. It's so heavy."

The Queen will celebrate the 65th anniversary of her coronation in June

The monarch also spoke about the weight of the crown she wore, telling interviewer Alastair Bruce: "You can't look down to read the speech, you have to take the speech up. Because if you did your neck would break, it would fall off. So there are some disadvantages to crowns, but otherwise they're quite important things."

The royal celebrations will continue well into the end of the year, when, in November, Prince Charles marks his milestone 70th birthday. The future King will celebrate his big day on 14 November, and, in keeping with tradition, the palace will most likely release new portraits of Charles with his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, his sons Prince William and Prince Harry, his daughters-in-law and grandchildren.

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Rooms In Windsor Being Rented Out For More Than £15,000-Per-Night Ahead Of May Royal Wedding

On 19 May, the eyes of the world will be on the Berkshire town of Windsor as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tie the knot in St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. Locals are reportedly cashing in on the windfall of tourists, royal fans, and world media set to descend on the town.

Since the announcement of their engagement last November, royal fans and the media have speculated about the wedding guest list, wedding party, Meghan's dress and other details of the day. So far, all such information has been kept secret.

Like the royals, Windsor homeowners and businesses have started their own preparations for the big weekend. Mainly renting out their homes and establishments for eager folks intending on being present. The owner of the Horse and Groom pub is apparently renting out two rooms above his bar opposite the castle for £15,000-a-night.

Some rooms are going for more than that amount. One homeowner is considering leaving her Park Street home for the weekend as she was offered £10,000
Sam Glancy, landlady of The Carpenters Arms, told the Star she has rented out one floor to the US broadcaster NBC News when they send journalists to cover the ceremony. She's said to have made a deal that is rumoured to have cost £30,000.

Another issue brought to light in Windsor is the problem with homelessness after a councillor wanted to send them off to clean up the appearance of the town. Russell Brand has offered to gift the couple by housing the city's homeless for the duration of the wedding. Nearly 20,000 signatures have been collected for the comedian's plea which he launched after Simon Dudley, the Tory leader of the council for Windsor asked police to do something with the city's rough sleepers.

"The most vulnerable are being exposed to persecution," said Brand, who has worked with a homeless charity in the nearby town of Slough. He's working to get that city's council to purchase a building to house the homeless.

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Rebecca Deacon, former private secretary to the Duchess of Cambridge to be given Royal Victoria Order

Last year, Royal Central broke the news that the Duchess of Cambridge’s private secretary would be stepping down from her role.

A spokesperson for Kensington Palace confirmed: “After a decade of service to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry, Rebecca Deacon will be stepping down as private secretary to the Duchess of Cambridge. She plans to leave the household in the summer. Their Royal Highnesses are incredibly grateful for all the hard work and support Rebecca has provided over the past ten years and wish her well in the next phase of her career”.

Rebecca Priestley, née Deacon left her position after marrying Adam Priestley at St James Place at the Chapel Royal when Her Majesty granted her permission to do so. The Duchess of Cambridge was a guest at the wedding.

The chapel is exclusive to the royal family and those in connection with it, in 2013 the Duchess of Cambridge’s eldest child, Prince George was christened in the chapel.

Now that Rebecca has officially left, having taken over by Catherine Quinn, she will be given the Royal Victoia Order next week on 11 October at an investiture ceremony held at Buckingham Palace.
Embed from Getty Images
Those who have received the honour have served Her Majesty or the monarchy.

Before starting an impressive career working for a list of British Royals, Rebecca upheld a normal educational path, studying English at Newcastle University. Miss Deacon has worked for the British Royal family for more than ten years.

The regal list of work that Rebecca has conducted includes; working closely with Sentebale – Prince Harry’s charity to holding a position of producers assistant for the making of the concert for Diana in 2007.

She has been Kate’s Private Secretary for five years, having taken up the position on 2012.

The senior role includes looking after the diaries of the Duchess of Cambridge both public and private and when there are royal events or tours the private secretary will carry gifts for the royals and bouquets of flowers.

Catherine Quinn, Rebecca’s replacement, has previously worked as associate dean for administration and chief operation officer at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School. Catherine holds an MBA from the same school.

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Prince William says the UK should look for new trade deals

Prince William has told business leaders that the United Kingdom should look ahead to the future and ramp up efforts to strengthen its trading relations around the world.

Speaking at Lancaster House to launch the 2018 International Business Festival in Liverpool, the Duke of Cambridge announced his patronage of the event – which will bring together businesses from all over the world – before moving to stress the need to explore new trading opportunities.

“As we look to the future, we all recognise just how important it will be that we work to build connections with trading partners all around the world – strengthening links with old friends and creating new opportunities.

“The UK’s prosperity relies on its wealth of innovative and ambitious small and medium-sized businesses. Whenever I have had the chance to meet the people who run such enterprises, I have been struck by their ingenuity, drive and commitment. They demonstrate the best qualities of our national character.”

William also called on British firms to invest in developing a skilful generation through training and mentoring and help them find new opportunities to thrive.

“We know that one of the major challenges for business is access to a skilled workforce. The International Business Festival has a vital role in encouraging businesses to become further involved in the training and mentoring of young people in enterprise.”

Welcoming the statement, Max Steinberg, Chairman of the International Business Festival, said that the royal efforts would be “a huge boost to our presence in key international markets, helping us to attract even more delegations to Liverpool next June.”

The Prince’s comments are likely to be interpreted as a reference to trade deals that the UK look to clinch with Commonwealth and other countries after Brexit. His trips to Poland and German in June were referred to in the press as ‘charm offensive’ that the UK government is using as ‘soft power’ to explore post-Brexit opportunities.

In Germany, the Prince said the two nations wanted to establish a friendship that would last a lifetime.

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Duchess of Cambridge is Feeling Better, Says Prince William

Prince William revealed that his wife, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge has been feeling better since her third pregnancy was announced in early September.

Prince William was attending a reception and award ceremony for the Metropolitan and City Police Orphans Fund, of which he recently became Patron, and spoke to an elderly woman about Catherine’s condition.

“She’s been feeling better, thank you,” the Prince told the woman, Iris Orrell.

The Duchess of Cambridge has been suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum for the third time, a severe form of morning sickness. She previously suffered from the condition during the early stages of her pregnancies with Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

Prince William further questioned Orrell, who told him she’d also suffered severe morning sickness during her three pregnancies, about the toll.

“Did it get worse with each one?”

Some pundits wondered whether he was asking because the Duchess’s case was also more severe this time.

Prince William also revealed that Catherine had tried eating ginger biscuits to soothe her stomach but “there’s not much ginger can do to stop that. We’ve done all that.”

Prince William has spoken about Catherine’s pregnancy on several engagements this month, and a couple of weeks ago, a young boy named Archie Weatherall gave him an avocado during a visit to a swimming pool in Wallesey, Merseyside, as a gift for the Duchess to help soothe morning sickness.

Weatherall gave Prince William the avocado because his mother was also suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum and hoped it would work on Catherine as well.

“I’ve never been given an avocado before,” Prince William told the boy as he accepted the gift – wrapped in a green ribbon, too.

At the Metropolitan and City Police Orphans Fund reception, Prince William also met a young girl sporting a cat ear headband and quipped that Princess Charlotte would love it.

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Duchess of Cambridge Sends Message of Support for SportsAid Week

The Duchess of Cambridge has sent a message of support as SportsAid Week begins.

SportsAid is a charity that helps young athletes pursue their goals to become Olympians, Paralympians, and world champions via financial support. Founded in 1976, the charity helps young people at the “very start of their journey towards becoming the next generation of sporting heroes.

“The most talented young athletes throughout the United Kingdom show great levels of commitment and dedication as they aim to bring sporting success to our country in future years. The early part of this journey is a challenging one. Many of the athletes are still in education and reliant on their family for all the support a young sportsperson needs to allow them to train and compete,” reads the beginning of the Duchess’s message.

“SportsAid supports over 1,000 athletes every year from more than 60 different sports, and as Patron, I am very proud of the impact SportsAid has on these young people, helping to relieve the different pressures they each may face, while also giving them the self-belief and motivation to continue to pursue their ambitions.

“This year’s SportsAid Week will be an exciting few days and a great opportunity for everyone to show their support for our next generation of athletes.”

SportsAid Week is a new initiative for the charity, started last year to mark its 40th anniversary. All told, the charity raised £40,000 for its youth athletes. In the 2016-17 year, SportsAid helped 1,106 athletes between the ages of 12 and 18. Combined, 150 SportsAid alumni won medals at the Rio Olympics and Paralympics last summer.

Famous SportsAid alumni include Dame Jessica Ennis-Hill, Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Mo Farah, and Dame Katherine Grainger.

SportsAid Week kicked off 25 September and wraps up 1 October.

The Duchess of Cambridge has been Patron of SportsAid since 2013.

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Prince William remains tight-lipped after he is asked about a potential Harry & Meghan marriage

The Duke of Cambridge was forced to react to the news of his brother’s relationship with Meghan Markle after the topic came up in conversation during a visit to Milton Keynes.

During a visit to William Cowley Parchment Makers, the company’s general manager told the Duke: “If Prince Harry marries Meghan then his certificate will be in our vellum.”

Prince William avoided commenting but opted for an awkward laugh before moving the conversation along.

Speaking afterwards, Paul Wright who spoke to the Duke said the Prince laughed, but it was a “nice laugh.”

The Queen must give formal consent for a royal marriage, and this consent is made in a calf-skin document called the “instrument of consent”.

The document is made in Milton Keynes by William Cowley Parchment Makers.

Paul Wright said: “Any member of the royal family needs the permission of the Queen. It’s called the instrument of consent.

“There were instances where members of the royal family were marrying prostitutes – you can’t have that.

“We’re very lucky because we’re the only ones in the world so it could never be anyone else.

“It’s also certain acts of Parliament but not all acts of Parliament.

“If you do it on paper if you’re really, really lucky you get about 350 years – with this we’re talking 5,000 years plus.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made their first official appearance together in public at the Invictus Games on Monday.

Attending a wheelchair tennis match, Harry and Meghan arrived hand-in-hand at the venue and watched the sporting action from the stands.

The fifth-in-line to the throne and his actress girlfriend spoke to some of the athletes and those who were also spectating the tennis.

After the event came to an end, Meghan shook the hands of children who were spectating in nearby seats.

This appearance is significant as it marks the first time Prince Harry has taken his girlfriend of 18 months to an official event.

It will further spur rumours that the pair will soon become engaged.

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MP for Kensington brands the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as "ridiculous"

The newly elected and first ever Labour Member of Parliament for Kensington has given some serious criticism towards the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

Emma Dent Coad made history when she became the first Labour MP to be elected in Kensington, the UK’s richest constituency. With a slim majority of just 20 votes, she won the Kensington seat after the general elections in June. It is no secret that the Labour MP is a convinced republican.

On Monday she attended a pro-republican event entitled “Reigning in the Monarchy” in London. There she spoke of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the most famous residents of Kensington. In a conversation with delegates, she said about the monarchy: “The system is ridiculous,” adding “We should not be funding them.”

After some comments on the monarchy in general, Ms Dent Coad also targeted the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge who live in Kensington Palace. The MP thought it was absolutely “disgusting” that the Duchess of Cambridge bought jumpers at the cost of £150 each, saying: “That’s a food bill for a family of four.”

She called this “absolutely outrageous,” before commenting that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are ridiculous.

After criticising the monarchy and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, she also attacked the BBC.

Ms Dent Coad said that the BBC “is a piece of the whole propaganda machine” which produces “sickeningly gratuitous coverage of anything royal”. Instead of being neutral, she added that the BBC is “very heavily directed by right-wing politics and the monarchy”.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge recently moved permanently to their apartment at Kensington Palace in the heart of the borough. Their Royal Highnesses are said to be taking on more official engagements in the future, and therefore the permanent move to Kensington was said to be necessary.

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The Duke of Cambridge reveals that Prince George is "fed up" with school

Despite only being two weeks into his educational journey, it appears Prince George is already fed up of school having found it heavy going.

During a visit to Milton Keynes, the Duke of Cambridge told a fellow parent: “I just dropped George off and he didn’t want to go.”

Prince William, who drops George off to school every day, hinted that like many parents, getting the four-year-old into school in the morning is no easy task.

The Duke was speaking to 31-year-old Louise Smith who chatted to the Prince after he came over to meet her two young children.

She said: “It was really exciting meeting William. He told me he’d just dropped Prince George off at school and he didn’t want to go. Sounds a bit like mine really.”

The Duke of Cambridge spent Tuesday in Milton Keynes to celebrate the town’s 50th anniversary.

Prince George attends the £18,000 per year Thomas’s School Battersea and was dropped off by his father on his first day earlier this month.

The young Prince is known as George Cambridge to his classmates. Thomas’s Battersea’s motto is “be kind” and requires that students “not just to tolerate but to celebrate difference, including faith, beliefs and culture.”

In addition to traditional subjects, George will be taught French, ballet, drama, art, and physical education at the fee-paying independent school.

George’s mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, has said in the past that she does not think her son “has any idea what’s going to hit him” as he begins school.

Maud Windsor, the daughter of Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor, also attends Thomas’s Battersea. She is the granddaughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.

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A Book Review, Princess Diana Survivor

The last few months have seen the publication of many books and articles and airing of lots of TV shows about Diana, Princess of Wales who died twenty years ago this past August. These shows and articles usually examine Diana’s final days and explain what effect her death and funeral had on both her close family and the country in general. Diana Survivor is rather different to many of these publications, firstly because it is a novel and secondly because, in the book, Diana wakes up in Paris after surviving the car crash.

The book, by author Dean Dudley, was first published three years ago, but a special edition for the anniversary of Diana’s death has recently been released. The author says that the book was created for “everyone who still misses Diana and wonders what might have happened if she had lived”.

Although the book is not entirely historically accurate, because real stories have been intertwined with fiction, it has been well researched. The story tracks Diana’s progress as she recovers from her accident and snippets of information come back to her from the past as she regains her memory. Through these flashbacks, the author has managed to tie in stories from Diana’s youth, her marriage to Charles and also fictionalised accounts which make the book more entertaining.

Whilst the book is funny and gripping, it is also easy to forget that the story is about Diana, Princess of Wales at times, as the life that the Diana in the book leads after waking up from her accident is rather different to what we are used to. Diana’s life in the book is rather far-fetched and the way she writes her diaries, whilst entertaining and engaging, can also seem unlikely as there is a lot of sexual content and explicit language. If this were a supposedly true historical account, then portraying the Princess in such a light could be deemed disrespectful, but Dean Dudley gets away with it by making it clear that it is a work of fiction.

As a story, the book is an engaging read. The tale is full of unexpected events and twists; from Diana giving birth to the child of Dodi al-Fayed and moving to the USA to a dark plot involving terrorism and kidnap in the wake of the 9/11 attack. If you are looking for an accurate or academic portrayal of Diana’s life, then this book is not for you. If, however, you are a fan of Diana's who has always wondered what might have happened if she had lived, then Diana Survivor offers the glimpse into a what may have been that many people have been thinking about.

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Duke & Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry to host World Mental Health day event

The Duchess of Cambridge was last seen publicly in August viewing a tribute garden for the late Diana, Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace. It would be her last public engagement before the announcement of her third pregnancy was announced earlier this month. Catherine again is suffering from severe morning sickness, which has forced her to cancel previously scheduled events.

Kensington Palace today announced that the Duchess, alongside the Duke and Prince Harry, will make her first public appearance since the pregnancy announcement at an event held at Buckingham Palace on October 10th for World Mental Health Day.

This is the next step in the royal trio’s campaign centred on ending the stigma surrounding mental health in the UK. Earlier this year, the three royals attended the London Marathon in support of mental health.

This year’s theme for World Mental Health Day, which is held every year in October, is to showcase mental health in the workplace. Mental health professionals will have the opportunity to discuss the need for improvement of services and how services can assist those in need.

The Mental Health Foundation, with the assistance of UNUM, has released a free ebook discussing how mental health can be managed in the workplace.

The book description, in general reads: “It looks at safeguarding staff wellbeing, addressing problems before they become severe, and supporting staff when issues do emerge. It’s not about becoming an expert in mental health – it’s about spotting the signs that something might be wrong. It will signpost the right support and resources and offer suggestions for putting strategies in place to support good mental health.”

The event at Buckingham Palace will honour those in the mental health sector throughout the UK who have dedicated their lives to changing the conversation surrounding care and mental illness. It will recognise the hard work, dedication, and progress made by those professionals who have made efforts to raise awareness over the past several years.

The royal trio will also thank those who continue to provide support to people going through difficult times in their lives.

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Duke of Cambridge Attracts Controversy over Drugs Comment

Prince William attracted some controversy earlier this week when he asked whether drugs should be legalised while on a visit to Spitalfields Crypt Trust.

“Can I ask you a very massive question - it’s a big one - there’s obviously a lot of pressure growing in areas about legalising drugs and things like that. What are your individual opinions on that?” Prince William asked three people who have benefitted from the Trust’s work.

“I know it’s a big question, but you seem like the key people to actually get a very good idea as to, you know, what are the big dangers there - what are the feelings?”

Heather Blackburn, one of the people he asked, said, “Most of the people I’ve known in recovery, 95% had massive trauma and terrible stuff happen to them and using drugs to cope, and then you get put in prison, you don’t get the facilities and the actual help you need, you get punished…it’s going to do even more harm, I think.

“You can’t just say, you know, ‘drugs are illegal’ or ‘now we can all go and do drugs’, because it doesn’t stop the fact we’re a nation of people hurting, and we can’t undo all that overnight. It takes a long period of time,” said Grace Gunn, a recovering alcoholic.

The third person questioned said that he didn’t think drugs should be legalised.

Prince William thanked the impromptu roundtable, saying, “Talking to you and being here it feels like a question I had to ask, I appreciate your honesty.”

While the Duke’s comments attracted controversy, it also drew comments from both sides of the debate.

Transform, a pro-legalisation pressure group, released a statement saying, “We are delighted that Prince William has the courage to ask one of the most crucial questions of our time.”

The Home Office also commented, “This Government has no plans to decriminalise drug misuse.”

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The Duke of Cambridge jokes about his hair

Prince Willam joked about his receding hairline Tuesday morning as he kicked off a visit to a charity café in Shoreditch.

“I don’t have much hair,” he said to hairdresser Taz Kabria. “I can’t give you much business.”

Prince William was greeting the hairdressers who work next door to the café when he made the quip about his hair.

Jokes about the Prince’s hair aren’t new fodder for the Royal Family. While on their first overseas tour to the United States in 2011, the Duchess of Cambridge joked that they were late to the BAFTA Brits to Watch event because “William had to do his hair.”

The Duke of Cambridge was visiting the Spitalfields Crypt Trust, which is a charity that provides “holistic recovery service to those dealing with complex drug and alcohol addictions, and often homelessness,” per the Royal Family’s website.

The Duke visited two of Spitalfields Crypt Trust’s social enterprises: Paper & Cup, a café and bookshop; and Restoration Station, a vintage furniture and refurbishment shop.

Spitalfields Crypt Trust was founded in 1965. The Trust offers a range of services for support for recovering addicts in areas including mental health, physical health, employment, housing, careers and personal relationships.

The Duke was given three wooden owls – one for Prince George, one for Princess Charlotte, and one for the new baby - when he visited the Restoration Station.

Rhys Pritchard, the manager of Restoration Station, joked that there were three toys so no arguments would ensue. Prince William replied, “Thank you very much, yes we don’t want arguments.”

Prince William also chatted with a midwife during his visit, wishing her all the best and then joking, “I may see you sooner than you think.”

The Duchess of Cambridge recently announced that she was pregnant with her third child and is suffering from severe morning sickness – hyperemesis gravidarum – the same as she had when she was pregnant with both Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

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The Duchess of Cambridge stars in new mental health campaign for children

The Duchess of Cambridge has lent her support to a new mental health campaign in the form of a video message for the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families (AFNCCF).

The centre’s new ‘You're Never Too Young to Talk Mental Health’ features the Duchess, who is Royal Patron of the charity which offers a mental health assessment and treatment programme.


In the video, the Duchess says: “As parents, we all want our children to have the best possible start in life. Encouraging children to understand and be open about their feelings can give them the skills to cope with the ups and downs that life will throw at them as they grow up.

“It’s important that our children understand that emotions are normal, and that they have the confidence to ask for help if they are struggling.

“This is why I am proud to support the ‘You’re never too young to talk’ mental health campaign by the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families, which is being rolled out across primary schools this Autumn.

“The campaign’s resources are excellent tools to support parents. They demonstrate how we can help children express their feelings, respond appropriately, and prevent small problems from snowballing into bigger ones.”

The new campaign by AFNCCF aims to give parents and teachers free resources to support children learning about their mental health.

The campaign features an animated film co-produced by children & teachers, with the Duchess giving an introduction.

The Duchess of Cambridge became Patron of the Anna Freud Centre last year and has visited the charity many times since.

The centre is one of the partner charities of Heads Together, a mental health initiative by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry and their namesake foundation.

Bringing the stigmas associated with mental health out of the dark is one of Catherine’s main focus points. Many of her patronages and engagements reflect this, and she takes a particular interest in young people’s mental health.

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The Duke of Cambridge to attend the world premiere of Blue Planet II

On Wednesday, 27 September Prince William will join Sir David Attenborough and composer Hans Zimmer at the British Film Institute IMAX cinema in London for the world premiere screening of the BBC’s Blue Planet II.

The special screening aims to celebrate the show’s potential to inspire future generations of marine conservationists and will see school children from Lionel Primary School in Brentford in attendance alongside specially invited guests. The Duke of Cambridge will join the children in the cinema’s foyer before the screening as they explore interactive marine-themed learning activities and take part in experiential quizzes. Prince William will also see a live demonstration of the breathing apparatus used for underwater filming and some of the special technology which was used to film the series, such as the Megadome camera.

Prince William will then join the invited audience to watch the premiere of the Blue Planet II prequel as well as the opening episode. The five-minute series prequel will be globally launched and simulcast at midday on Thursday, 28 September and features a unique musical collaboration between Radiohead and Hans Zimmer. The first episode of the series will be broadcast on BBC One before the end of the year and promises to take viewers on a revelatory journey into our oceans. The episode will be 50 minutes in duration with an additional 10-minute ‘making of’ feature.

A generation after the original broadcast of The Blue Planet in 2001, the BBC returns to the watery depths for the new series, which is a culmination of four years’ work and 125 expeditions across 39 countries on every continent and across every ocean. As cutting-edge breakthroughs in science and technology continue to transform our knowledge of what goes on beneath the waves, Blue Planet II is set to reveal otherworldly places and extraordinary new animal behaviours in the final frontier.

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Demand for lentils soar after they appear on Prince George's £18,000 per year school men

Demand for lentil has soared over the past week according to farmers, and it is all because they feature on the menu of Prince George’s £18,000 per year school.

Despite only being four-years-old, the young Prince seems to have successfully influenced more people to eat their greens than even the likes of Jamie Oliver!

Puy lentil producers have reported a sudden boost in demand for the crop after it was reported that Thomas’s School Battersea would be offering this on the school menu.

Speaking to L’express newspaper, a spokesperson for Lentil firm Sabarot said that they believe the sudden increase in demand is down to Prince George, with people wanting to eat the same food as him.

On his first day at school, Prince George was offered a meal of either lamb ragout with garlic and herbs, pork stroganoff with red peppers or smoked mackerel on a bed of puy lentils.

Prince George is known as George Cambridge to his classmates. Thomas’s Battersea’s motto is “be kind” and requires that students “not just to tolerate but to celebrate difference, including faith, beliefs and culture.”

In addition to traditional subjects, George will be taught French, ballet, drama, art, and physical education at the fee-paying independent school.

George’s mother, the Duchess of Cambridge, has said in the past that she does not think her son “has any idea what’s going to hit him” as he begins school.

Maud Windsor, the daughter of Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor, also attends Thomas’s Battersea. She is the granddaughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.

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'Super fan' behind stalking of Prince George; "He would have been safe"

The woman who was arrested on suspicion of attempted burglary at Prince George’s new school was a super fan of the Royal Family.

According to her mother, 40-year-old Louise Chantry is in love with the fairytale aspect of their lives.

Chantry who was previously a holistic healer has also been convicted of hotel fraud.

Rona Crawford, Chantry’s mother, spoke to The Sun about the incident.

“She wouldn’t have done any harm to George,” Crawford said.

“He would have been safe with her.

“She just loves the royal family and loves kids.”

Adding on that the Cambridge family “represent the ideal family life she would like to have”.

“People were very much in love with Diana when she was alive, this is similar. It’s a fairytale. It’s a fantasy.”

Chantry was charged with £100 fine after unpaid hotel bills and has a hard time finding work.

“She’s been under a lot of stress,” her mother explained, Chantry recently split with her husband of six years.

“She has no children herself. She wants stability, a home she is happy in.

“I’m very sad this has happened, it’s a horrible incident.”

On a visit to a hospital in Liverpool, when asked about the incident, Prince William said: “It’s been a very interesting week.”

The woman was arrested at 14:15hrs on Wednesday, 13 September relating to an incident the day previously when an individual gained access to its premises.

In a statement issued, the Metropolitan Police say that the woman was arrested in the vicinity of the school and remains in custody.

The statement reads: “We are working with the school, which is attended by His Royal Highness Prince George, to review its security arrangements after the incident.

“Police were alerted and officers attended immediately after the issue came to light.

Police are part of the protective security arrangements for the Prince and we will continue to work closely with the school, which is responsible for building security on its site.”

According to media reports, royal protection officers had been alerted when a woman entered the school unannounced on Tuesday afternoon.

Louise Chantry has been released on bail until a hearing in October.

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