King Charles opens door to Balmoral Castle for first time ever ahead of summer break

Balmoral Castle, Scottish retreat of the Royal Family since the 1850s, is being opened up to the public for the first time in its history.

A new photograph of the King Charles in military uniform has been released on Armed Forces Day, held annually on the last Saturday of June for the country to show its support for veterans, service families, cadets and those still serving. In the new portrait the King, 75, who is head of the Armed Forces, is wearing his Field Marshal No 1 full ceremonial frock coat with medals, sword and decorations.The photograph was taken in the Grand Corridor at Windsor Castle, last November by Hugo Burnand, a favourite photographer of the Royal Family who took the official coronation photographs.

The Queen has praised the nation's servicemen and women as a "source of inspiration, reassurance and pride" in a video message commemorating Armed Forces Day. In a rare national address, Camilla honoured the military's efforts amidst "challenges and dangers" that not only protect the UK but also defend liberties far beyond our borders.

She was treading the boards years before her stint on Celebrity Big Brother 2024 and West End star Marisha Wallace, who finished eighth on the show back in March, has a number of very high-profile fans as a result.The US-born singer, who has appeared in Dreamgirls, Guys And Dolls and Hairspray, can count the King and Queen among her admirers – and a recent meeting with the couple cemented their mutual appreciation. Speaking to us from the car park of a Starbucks in North Carolina (yes, really), Marisha, 38, is practically giddy with excitement. She’s back in her home state because she’s just bought her beloved mum a house and she needs to close the deal, plus, she’s coming down off the high of meeting the royals at last month’s garden party at Buckingham Palace.

There are very few people who can claim to have enjoyed a deeply close bond with Queen Elizabeth II - but her niece, Lady Sarah Chatto, tops the list. As Princess Margaret's daughter, Lady Sarah was "adored" by her aunt and spent countless hours at Buckingham Palace during her childhood. She also holds the unique distinction of being the only Royal invited to join the Queen at her preferred Scottish hideaway, Craigowan Lodge.

Prince Harry has been seen speaking publicly for the first time in months, as he spoke about how grief can “eat away at you” in a heartbreaking statement. He joined Scotty's Little Soldiers founder Nikki Scott for a frank conversation on what it's like to be a child who loses a parent. Harry lost his mother when he was only 12 years old after Princess Diana lost her life in a car crash in Paris in 1997, and spoke gracefully in this video about what it's like to be a child who has just received the worst news of their life.

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The King will attend a series of engagements over two days during an annual visit to Scotland, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.

Pulp performed ‘Bar Italia’ for the first time in 12 years in Italy last night (June 23).The track, which is based on the Italian café located on Frith Street in the Soho district of London, closes their classic 1995 album ‘Different Class’.The song describes the café as “round the corner in Soho” and “where all the broken people go”, and the band can be seen sitting in the haunt on the artwork for their classic hit ‘Common People’.Many fans expressed their delight at hearing the band play the track for the first time since 2012 at the Medimex festival, with one writing on X: “Pulp ending their set tonight with Bar Italia, the final song from Different Class, was EPIC.”Another added: “PULP PLAYED BAR ITALIA???? WHAT THE FUCK?????”I can’t believe it

The Prince of Wales has seen many changes to his official title over the years and currently holds a style which links him to centuries of royal history and tradition. Prince William became the 27th Prince of Wales following Queen Elizabeth II's death and was granted the additional titles of the Duke of Cornwall, the Earl of Chester, the Duke of Rothesay, the Earl of Carrick, the Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles and Prince and Great Steward of Scotland. Prince William also inherited the vast private estate of the Duchy of Cornwall which was established by King Edward III in 1337 for his son, Prince Edward, the Black Prince.

The Prince and Princess of Wales' love story famously began at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.The couple met during their first year when they were both living at St Salvator's Halls of Residence and would later go on to live with one another. While the pair have now been married for 13 years and share three children, it seems they may have crossed paths many years earlier, according to a royal expert. Vanity Fair’s Royal Correspondent and best-selling author Katie Nicholl, claims Prince William may have first caught Kate's eye when their schools' hockey teams played each other.

A celebration of life service for the late husband of Lady Gabriella Windsor, Thomas Kingston, was held at St Mary Abbotts church in Kensington, West London on Saturday.The 45 year old tragically died from a "catastrophic head injury", leaving his wife, the daughter of Prince Michael of Kent, deeply bereaved. The memorial brought together close friends and family of Mr Kingston, including a few members of the Royal family.

King Charles and Queen Camilla kicked off Royal Ascot's fifth day in style, as they were seen leading the carriage procession alongside Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and Lady Charles Spencer-Churchill during this annual horse racing event in Berkshire. Joining thousands of race-goers for an afternoon filled with equestrian action, Charles and Camilla, who recently made a major rule break, invited their close family and friends to witness the spectacle on the lush racecourse.

The King and Queen are expected to reduce their upcoming trip Down Under due to concerns from medical professionals that Charles is overexerting himself.

Kate Middleton has been taking a break from the spotlight of late as she continues her journey back to health. And there are very few places in the UK where the Princess of Wales would be able to step out for a coffee and go unnoticed like a normal person but one small Scottish village nestled away in the countryside allows her to do just that.

Actress Daisy May Cooper has been pictured stepping out with her newborn baby for the first time since giving birth earlier this month.The This Country star, 37, looked glowing in a black minidress and sandals as she was spotted heading to Cirencester Library, Gloucestershire, with boyfriend Anthony Huggins to register the birth of their son, Benji.The pair were seen walking together in the sunshine as they pushed the pram down the street. It marks her first public outing since her baby boy's unexpected early arrival on Thursday, 6 June. Announcing the birth of her third child, Daisy shared a video from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit on Instagram.

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The parents of the Princess of Wales, Carole and Michael Middleton, made their first public appearance at Royal Ascot since their daughter's cancer diagnosis.The couple arrived for the second day of the race meeting, where Prince William is also in attendance, along with other members of the Royal Family. Kate's mum Carole looked elegant in a light blue floral dress from Self Portrait, while dad Michael donned the traditional top hat and tails.The Middletons have been supporting their eldest daughter Kate since her major abdominal surgery earlier this year and throughout her cancer treatment.

A minister who comforted the late Queen in her final days and supported the royal family following her death has said he feels "honoured" to be recognised by the King.

Si King was supported by crowds of fans as he made a poignant return to the spotlight for his first public appearance since his Hairy Bikers partner Dave Myers passed away after a cancer battle in February.The dynamic duo, known for their BBC travel and cooking shows exploring culinary delights on motorcycles, had been thrilling audiences for almost two decades.The tragic passing of Dave at 66 years old was a heart-wrenching moment for both Si and their adoring fans. Si was met with delighted audiences as he made an appearance at the Good Food Show Summer in Birmingham's NEC over the weekend. Si was joined on stage by culinary star Gennaro Contaldo, TV presenter Chris Bavin, and recipe book author Chris Baber.