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Royal Gardens Fine Bone China

Inspired by the abundant and wildlife-rich gardens at highgrove, events and workshops, a variety of events and workshops take place at highgrove throughout the year, selected dates between april and september 2024, a celebration of elegance and nature's beauty, turquoise mountain jewellery, hand-crafted jewellery from afghanistan, welcome to highgrove gardens, "a garden which delights the eye, warms the heart and feeds the soul".

Since – 1980

Highgrove is the private residence of Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, near Tetbury in Gloucestershire. Since 1980, when His Majesty The King first arrived at Highgrove, he has devoted much energy to transforming the gardens around the house, which are renowned as some of the most inspiring and innovative in the United Kingdom.

Open from March until October every year, Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla welcome you to join one of Highgrove's expert guides on a tour to discover the history, inspiration, and unique organic management behind the incredible series of gardens at Highgrove.

Tours, Events & Workshops

Friday, 10th May 2024

Highgrove Gardens are pleased to announce a new series of tours focused on the importance and varied uses of herbs in...

Floral Art with Resin Workshop

Saturday 1st June | Sunday 6th October 2024

Embark on a day of discovery into the fascinating world of resin! Join Emma from Nature's Inspiration for an exciting...

Candle Making Workshop

Sunday 26th May | Sunday 13th October | Sunday 10th November 2024

Surround yourself with gorgeous scents as you learn the art of candle-making with sustainable and ethically sourced i...

Ceramic Herb Shredder Pottery Workshop

Sunday 12th May 2024

Join us at Highgrove for an exciting half-day pottery workshop! Learn to craft a one-of-a-kind ceramic herb shredder ...

Leather Dog Collar and Lead Crafting Workshop

Friday 17th and Saturday 18th May | Friday 13th and Saturday 14th September 2024

Join us at Highgrove and learn about the art of leather crafting with Cotswold Hipster's Tracy's unique twist: leathe...

Copper Foil Stained Glass Workshop

Friday 24th & Saturday 25th May | Friday 26th & Saturday 27th July | Friday 6th & Saturday 7th September | Friday 11th & Saturday 12th October | Friday 8th & Saturday 9th November 2024

Unleash your creativity in a vibrant fusion of colour and light with glass artist Sarah Davis in the "Crafting Radian...

Block Printing Workshop

Sunday 9th June | Saturday 21st & Sunday 22nd September | Friday 18th & Saturday 19th October 2024

Embark on a creative journey with Marea from Art of Jaipur as she guides you through the enchanting world of block pr...

Summer Flower Arranging Workshop

Saturday 6th & Sunday 7th July | Saturday 20th July 2024

Learn how to create beautiful flower arrangements using seasonal blooms and foliage with this exclusive half-day work...

Father's Day Sunday Lunch 2024

Sunday 16th June 2024

On Sunday, 16th June, join us in the stunning surroundings of The Orchard Room restaurant on the Highgrove Estate for...

Pheasant Willow Weaving

Friday 25th and Saturday 26th October 2024

Join us for an exclusive and immersive experience where you can collaborate with the renowned international willow ar...

Highgrove Garden Tour

A Garden Tour is a truly memorable way to experience Highgrove. Led by one of our experienced guides, enjoy a 1½-hour...

Champagne Tea and Garden Tour

A Champagne Tea Tour is an unforgettable way to experience Highgrove. Led by one of our experienced guides, enjoy a 1...

Are you looking for something extra special? We offer exclusive tours of Highgrove Gardens for private parties (up to...

Are you looking for something extra special? We offer exclusive Champagne Tea Tours for private parties (8 guests), c...

New Arrivals

From luxury homeware to traditionally crafted artisan pieces, there is something to suit everyone at the Highgrove Shop.

Royal Gardens Fine Bone China Oval Teapot

Royal Gardens Fine Bone China Mug

Royal Gardens Fine Bone China Teacup and Saucer

Royal Gardens Fine Bone China Espresso Cup and Saucer

Royal Gardens Fine Bone China Tea for One Set

Royal Gardens Fine Bone China Milk Jug

Highgrove Gardens comprise a varied collection of landscapes, from the genteel environs of the Sundial Garden to the unstructured beauty of the Wildflower Meadow.

Highgrove Gardens are open to the public for tours on selected dates between April and October each year.

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King Charles III makes world debut as tour starts in Germany

Britain’s King Charles arrived at Berlin-Brandenburg Airport in Germany on Wednesday, his first international visit as the U.K.'s new monarch.

Britain’s new king has arrived in Berlin, hoping to cement his country’s improving relations with Europe and show he can help the U.K. win hearts and minds abroad just as his mother did for seven decades. (March 29)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, right, and his wife Elke Buedenbender, left, welcome Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

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German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, right, and Britain’s King Charles III attend a welcome ceremony, in Berlin, Germany, March 29, 2023. (Wolfgang Rattay/Pool via AP)

Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, arrive at the airport in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrives Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (Jens Buettner/dpa via AP)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, right, his wife Elke Buedenbender, left, and Britain’s King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort attend a welcome ceremony, in Berlin, Germany, March 29, 2023. (Wolfgang Rattay/Pool via AP)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, center left, with his wife Elke Buedenbender, welcome Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, right, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Troops get ready to take part in a welcome ceremony for Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrives Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

People wave German and British flags while German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Buedenbender welcome Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Tuesday, March 29, 2022. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

Britain’s King Charles III greets a member of the public as he visits Berlin, Germany, March 29, 2023. (Wolfgang Rattay/Pool via AP)

Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, arrive at the airport in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrives Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, left, and Britain’s King Charles III review troops during a welcome ceremony, in front of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Britain’s King Charles III, left, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, right, drive in a car after they arrived at the airport in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrives Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)

A police sharp shooter stands atop a building overlooking the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, waiting for the arrival of Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

A police sharp shooter stands atop a building overlooking the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, waiting for the arrival of Britain’s King Charles III and Camilla, the Queen Consort, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

King Charles III and his wife Camilla sign the guest book at Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Before his coronation in May 2023, the British King and his royal wife will visit Germany for three days .(Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa via AP)

King Charles III (2nd from right) and his wife Camilla (2nd from left) sign the guest book in the presence of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Buedenbender at Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. Before his coronation in May 2023, the British King and his royal wife will visit Germany for three days .(Bernd von Jutrczenka/dpa via AP)

Britain’s King Charles III stands in front of the plane after arriving at BER Airport in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, shakes hand with Britain’s King Charles III, centre, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, during the State Banquet in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, Pool))

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, right, his wife Elke Buedenbender, left, Britain’s King Charles III, 2nd right, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, stand in front of the Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Markus Schreiber)

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, left, his wife Elke Buedenbender, right, Britain’s King Charles III, 2nd left, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, stand together prior to the State Banquet in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, Pool))

Britain’s King Charles III, and Camilla, the Queen Consort, stand together prior to the State Banquet in the Bellevue Palace in Berlin, Wednesday, March 29, 2023. King Charles III arrived Wednesday for a three-day official visit to Germany. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, Pool))

BERLIN (AP) — King Charles III arrived in Berlin on Wednesday for his first foreign trip as Britain’s monarch, hoping to improve the U.K.'s relations with the European Union and show he can win hearts and minds abroad, just as his mother did for seven decades.

Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, landed at Berlin’s government airport in the early afternoon. The king, dressed in a black coat, and his wife, in a light blue coat and a feather-trimmed teal hat worn at a jaunty angle, paused at the top of their plane’s stairs to receive a 21-gun salute as two military jets performed a flyover.

The royal couple said in a joint statement, released on their official Twitter account, that it was a “great joy” to be able to develop the “longstanding friendship between our two nations.”

An hour later, German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Buedenbender, welcomed them with military honors at the German capital’s historic Brandenburg Gate.

Soldiers hoisted the British and German flags as the national anthems were played. Steinmeier and Charles then strolled past the cheering, flag-waving crowd, shaking hands and chatting briefly with people.

Some took close-up pictures on their phones as Charles and Camilla approached, while others gave them flower bouquets. One woman handed Charles a gift bag. Journalists and security personnel trailed the royal couple and their German hosts as they made their way back to their motorcade.

Charles, 74, who ascended the throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September , is set to be crowned on May 6 . As Britain’s head of state, the king meets weekly with the prime minister and retains his mother’s role as leader of the Commonwealth.

He had initially planned to visit France before heading to Germany, but the first leg of his trip was canceled due to massive protests over the French government’s efforts to raise the country’s retirement age by two years.

Billed as a multi-day tour of the EU’s two biggest countries, the trip was designed to underscore British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s efforts to rebuild relations with the bloc after six years of arguments over Brexit and highlight the countries’ shared history as they work together to combat Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Now everything rests on Germany, where the king faces the first big test of whether he can be an effective conduit for the “soft power” the House of Windsor has traditionally wielded, helping Britain pursue its geopolitical goals through the glitz and glamour of a 1,000-year-old monarchy.

Highlighting the diplomatic importance of the trip, Charles was accompanied by Britain’s Foreign Secretary, James Cleverley.

Charles, a former naval officer who is the first British monarch to earn a university degree, is expected to insert heft where his glamorous mother once wielded star power.

During an afternoon reception and again at a white tie evening banquet at Palace Bellevue, the German president’s official residence, Steinmeier remarked on the significance of Charles’s first visit taking him to Berlin, calling it “a wonderful personal gesture and at the same time an important sign for German-British relations.”

Steinmeier noted that Britain began the tortuous process of leaving the EU on March 29, 2017.

“For me personally, this was a sad day,” he said. “Today, exactly six years later, we open a new chapter.”

Steinmeier paid tribute to Charles’ mother Elizabeth, stressing how much she had done to foster German-British ties.

“Your family stands for continuity, for stability, particularly in times of change,” he said, noting that Charles, too, had visited Germany more than 40 times as a prince.

It was a subject picked up by Charles, who said the countries’ friendship was of great importance to his mother, who enjoyed immense popularity in Germany.

“The relationship between Germany and the United Kingdom matters greatly to me too,” he said. “I am more convinced than ever of its enduring value to us all.”

“It means so much to us that my wife and I could come to Germany for this very first overseas tour of my reign,” said Charles. “I can only assure you that throughout the time that is granted to me as King, I will do all I can to strengthen the connections between us.”

Switching from English to near-flawless German, Charles insisted: “Our ties will become even stronger, I’m convinced of that, if we work together for a sustainable future in prosperity and security.”

The banquet was attended by guests including former Chancellor Angela Merkel and scientist Ozlem Tureci, who co-founded the German company BioNTech that developed the first widely approved coronavirus vaccine.

On Thursday, the king is scheduled to give a speech to the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament. He will also meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz, talk to Ukrainian refugees, and meet with British and Germany military personnel who are working together on joint projects. In the afternoon he will visit an organic farm outside of Berlin.

The royal couple plan to go to Hamburg on Friday, where they will visit the Kindertransport memorial for Jewish children who fled from Germany to Britain during the Third Reich, and attend a green energy event before returning to the U.K.

The king was urged to make the trip by Sunak, who during his first six months in office negotiated a settlement to the long-running dispute over post-Brexit trading rules for Northern Ireland and reached a deal with France to combat the people smugglers ferrying migrants across the English Channel in small boats. Sunak hopes goodwill created by a royal visit can help pave the way for progress on other issues, including Britain’s return to an EU program that funds scientific research across Europe.

Britain’s senior royals are among the most recognizable people on the planet. While their formal powers are strictly limited by law and tradition, they draw attention from the media and the public partly because of the historic ceremonies and regalia that accompany them — and also because the public is fascinated by their personal lives.

Elizabeth’s influence stemmed in part from the fact that she made more than 100 state visits during her 70 years on the throne, meeting presidents and prime ministers around the world in a reign that lasted from the Cold War to the information age.

Politicians were eager to meet the monarch for tea, if for no other reason than she’d been around so long.

Kirka reported from London.

Royal tour of Britain: coronation events and attractions

Celebrate the crowning of King Charles III with these royal experiences

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1. ‘Follow in the footsteps’ of Charles at Westminster Abbey

2. king’s procession: from the palace to the abbey, 3. bath abbey, 4. royal edinburgh and the palace of holyroodhouse, 5. hillsborough castle, 6. windsor castle, 7. tower of london and the crown jewels, 8. english heritage coronation weekend: isle of wight, warwickshire and south yorkshire, 9. highgrove gardens tour and cream tea, 10. balmoral castle, 11. sandringham and the king’s watercolours exhibition, 12. coronation prom at st davids cathedral, 13. ‘crown to couture’ exhibition at kensington palace, 14. royal tours and afternoon tea at theatre royal drury lane, 15. toursbylocals’s royal tours of windsor and edinburgh.

• 16. Fortnum & Mason coronation afternoon tea

17. Coronation-themed food and drink at The Goring Hotel

18. the dorchester façade decorations inspired by 1953 coronation, 19. the savoy celebrates the coronation, 20. hotel café royal’s royal packages, 21. ‘a very royal occasion’ at mandarin oriental hyde park, 22. an insider’s guide to royal london with the milestone hotel, 23. the lanesborough coronation celebration package, 24. ‘stay like a king’ at strand palace, 25. who’s going to join the party.

Pageantry, pomp and long-standing traditions will be the royal order of the day when the coronation of King Charles III takes place at Westminster Abbey in London on Saturday.

King’s coronation: best party memorabilia, food, drink and homeware

In this royal tour of Britain we pick out the places to visit that have a significant association with the monarchy, and also look at the royal experiences and events taking place.

Attractions

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Westminster Abbey in central London has been Britain’s coronation church since 1066 and King Charles III will be the 40th reigning monarch to be crowned there. In preparation for the coronation, the Abbey will be closed from 25 April and reopening on 8 May.

Visitors wanting to “follow in the footsteps” of Charles will get the chance this summer, but they’ll “have to take off their shoes”, said Amy Woodyatt on CNN . Tickets are sold out, but those who have booked on the Abbey’s Church and Crown tour will be invited to “walk on the church’s historic Cosmati pavement” – the spot where Charles’s “newly restored coronation chair” will be placed on 6 May.

Other events taking place at Westminster Abbey include a coronation exhibition (8 April-30 September); Abbey Late: Crowns, coronations and creativity (17 May); and coronation theatre self-guided tours.

westminster-abbey.org/events

Before arriving at Westminster Abbey, the “king’s procession” will start from Buckingham Palace then “travel down the Mall, run through Admiralty Arch and past Trafalgar Square”, said Alex Ledsom on Forbes . Then it will “turn down Whitehall, move along Parliament Street, head into Parliament Square, through Broad Sanctuary and arrive at Westminster Abbey”. The return will take the same 1.3-mile route, so it is expected that “people will camp out on the streets to stake a place with a good enough vantage point for both the outgoing and return journeys”.

After the service, the royals will return to the palace in a larger ceremonial procession known as the “coronation procession”, before appearing on the balcony as a finale to the day’s events.

In a “break with tradition”, Charles and Camilla will “roll out” of Buckingham Palace in the horse-drawn gilded black Diamond Jubilee State Coach built for Queen Elizabeth’s 60th anniversary, said the Association Press . The horse-drawn carriage has “heat, air conditioning, power windows and a suspension system” that will provide a comfy ride. However, the carriage will not be used for the entire coronation. On departing the Abbey, the newly-crowned couple will use the 260-year-old Gold State Coach, which is said to be far less comfortable.

Did you know that the first king of all England, King Edgar, was crowned on the site of Bath Abbey in 973, said The Bath Magazine . And his coronation service “set the precedent” for the ceremonies of all future kings and queens of England and Great Britain.

A weekend in Bath: travel guide and best things to do

Bath Abbey will be hosting a royal celebration concert on Friday 5 May, then on Saturday 6 May the coronation will be broadcast live in the Abbey at 11am and a coronation peal will be rung at the end of the service. All the services in the Abbey on Sunday 7 May will have a coronation theme and on Monday 8 May visitors can take part in “patriotic printing”.

bathabbey.org

Scotland’s capital city Edinburgh is home to many important royal attractions, including the Scottish Crown Jewels and the Stone of Destiny at Edinburgh Castle. The city is also where the king’s official residence in Scotland is located, the Palace of Holyroodhouse.

A weekend in Edinburgh: travel guide, attractions and things to do

Open throughout the year, the Palace of Holyroodhouse stands at the end of Edinburgh ’s Royal Mile and visitors can explore the palace’s close associations with some of Scotland’s most well-known historic figures such as Mary, Queen of Scots and Bonnie Prince Charlie.

A Royal Edinburgh Ticket, booked through Edinburgh Bus Tours , is valid for 48 hours on all three city tours (Edinburgh Tour, Majestic Tour and CitySightseeing Edinburgh) and includes entry to Edinburgh Castle, Palace of Holyroodhouse and The Royal Yacht Britannia.

Another of the king’s official residences is Hillsborough Castle in Northern Ireland. Located just 20 minutes from Belfast , visitors can explore the castle and 100 acres of beautiful gardens.

A weekend in Belfast: travel guide, attractions and things to do

For the coronation weekend, the 6 May service will be shown live on a big screen at Hillsborough Castle and the occasion will also be marked by a rare royal gun salute at midday by the 206 (Ulster) Battery, Royal Artillery. Brass band Downshire Brass will play pieces throughout the day.

On the Sunday, the gardens will be filled with live music from Boom Strutt Brass, Belfast Community Gospel Choir, Swingtime Starlets and Lisburn Rock Choir. Then on bank holiday Monday, castle tours and coronation tree tours will be held.

Windsor Castle has served as a royal family home for almost 1,000 years. The site, “high above the Thames and on the edge of a Saxon hunting ground”, was chosen by William the Conqueror, said the Royal Collection Trust . Construction on the castle began around 1070 and was finished approximately 16 years later.

On Sunday 7 May a special coronation concert will be staged and broadcast live at Windsor Castle by the BBC and BBC Studios. Several thousand pairs of tickets have been made available via public ballot, which is now closed. The line-up will include Take That, Lionel Richie, Katy Perry, Andrea Bocelli and Bryn Terfel.

Other attractions include private tours of the State Apartments at Windsor Castle and viewings of Queen Mary’s dolls’ house. Kids will enjoy “crowns and coronations at the castle”, where they can have fun making crowns and creating coronation-themed crafts.

Once a royal residence and notorious prison, the Tower of London is a World Heritage Site with 1,000 years of history at its core. The imposing fortress is home to the Crown Jewels, a collection of more than 23,000 dazzling gemstones. Visitors can meet the guardians of the tower – its legendary ravens – and learn more about this feast of Norman architecture from the Yeoman Warders, often known as Beefeaters, who have guarded the tower since Tudor times.

From May to September, the coronation bench trail will feature 14 illustrated benches which have been specially designed by school children. And from 1 May to 21 July, “Restoration at The Tower” will look at how preparations were made for Charles II’s coronation procession.

Gather your family, pack a picnic blanket and celebrate the coronation live on the big screen in the spectacular grounds of one of three English Heritage sites: Osborne on the Isle of Wight , the former home of Queen Victoria; Elizabethan favourite Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire; and Brodsworth Hall in South Yorkshire. As well as the screenings, family-friendly films will also be shown. Tickets are free, but booking is recommended.

english-heritage.org.uk

Lovers of horticulture can enjoy a tour of the gardens at Highgrove, the king’s Gloucestershire residence. Discover the history and inspiration behind its design, followed by a savoury and sweet cream tea served in the Orchard Room. The Ante Room Shop will also host a selection of artwork by the king. Select dates until September.

highgrovegardens.com

While official royal residences like Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace are owned by The Crown Estate, Balmoral Castle is one of two private residences owned by the Royal Family, with Sandringham in Norfolk the other. Located in Royal Deeside in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, Princess Eugenie described the Balmoral estate as “the most beautiful place in the world”. This year, the grounds, gardens and exhibitions at Balmoral Castle are open to the public from 1 April until 16 August.

Balmoral Arms review: a hotel fit for a king

In the nearby village of Ballater, you will find the Balmoral Arms, a Highlands hideaway that’s “fit for a king”, said Jamie Timson in his review on TheWeek.co.uk . Recently renovated by the Crerar Hotel Group, the AA five-star Balmoral Arms provides an “authentic snapshot of Highland life, with a welcoming and cosy array of rooms and suites on offer to cater for every budget”.

balmoralcastle.com

Sandringham is the other residence privately owned by the monarch. Located in Norfolk, Sandringham House was the “beloved” country estate of the late Queen Elizabeth and it’s perhaps “best known” as the home where the Windsors spend their Christmases, said Town & Country Magazine . Sandringham House, gardens, royal parkland and the Church of St. Mary Magdalene are open to visitors from April to October.

A collection of watercolours painted by the King are also currently on display at Sandringham. On show until 12 October, the exhibition contains a “range of scenes painted in the Welsh hills, the highlands of Scotland and at Windsor Castle, Highgrove, Birkhall Castle and the surrounding Norfolk countryside at Sandringham”. The exhibition can be seen and is included with a house and gardens ticket.

sandringhamestate.co.uk

St Davids Cathedral in Pembrokeshire, west Wales, will be hosting a “coronation prom” on Friday 5 May. Featuring the British Sinfonietta orchestra, introduced by Royal Variety Show and Royal Albert Hall conductor Ian McMillan-Davidson, the event will be a feast of orchestral coronation music as well as royal film, TV and radio favourites from Paddington 2 , Desert Island Discs, The Archers , EastEnders , My Fair Lady , and The King and I .

stdavidscathedral.org.uk

Across the UK there will be a number of royal-themed attractions and events taking place for the coronation. At Kensington Palace – the official London residence of the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children – a new exhibition has opened, Crown to Couture , which “draws parallels between the red carpet and the Georgian court”, said Stephanie Bridger-Linning in Tatler . Staged in the magnificent State Apartments, “Beyoncé meets Bridgerton ” in this “veritable fashion feast” that features more than 200 pieces.

Experiences

Theatre Royal Drury Lane, in the heart of London’s Covent Garden, is the only theatre in the world still operating under a genuine royal charter. It also has two royal boxes and the theatres on its site have been visited by every reigning monarch since the Restoration in 1663. A selection of exclusively curated experiences will be on offer including festive bunting decorations, a reimagined coronation Regency afternoon tea by London-based baker Lily Vanilli (from £59 per person) and immersive theatre tours (£22.50 per person) that take you on a royal journey through the ages.

thelane.co.uk

ToursByLocals offers private tours led by expert locals, including many in royal cities and destinations. The five-hour Royal Windsor Castle and historic town tour is priced at £350 per tour (for up to six people) and is fully-customisable and includes the services of a knowledgeable guide.

A nine-hour Royal Edinburgh tour is priced at £850 per tour (for up to five people). The tour is fully-customisable and includes the services of a knowledgeable guide, private transportation, admission tickets and a Scottish welcome pack.

toursbylocals.com

16. Fortnum & Mason coronation afternoon tea

Fortnum & Mason on Piccadilly in London has unveiled its new coronation afternoon tea, which will be served every day at the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon until September. The menu takes inspiration from the King’s favourite ingredients and his passion for the environment.

Unique items include Welsh lamb scotch egg with wild herb aioli, and native coronation lobster enhanced with coronation spice, which has been created exclusively for the monarch. Other delights include Harbourne blue cheese mousse with London honey glaze and popcorn; basil and pistachio mousse with an elderflower glaze; a royal vanilla mousse lollipop; chocolate and strawberry cupcake; and a crown sable biscuit for the youngest diners. Vegetarian versions will be on offer alongside full menus made without gluten.

fortnumandmason.com

Located just minutes from Buckingham Palace, The Goring is the only hotel to be granted a Royal Warrant for hospitality services and since 1910 every reigning monarch has walked through its doors.

The Dining Room review: a royal feast at The Goring hotel in London

The Goring Hotel’s initiatives to honour the coronation of King Charles III include:

• coronation afternoon tea: £75pp with a glass of Bollinger champagne. Available 24 April-28 May
• Michelin-starred coronation tasting menu: available as à la carte and a six-course tasting menu. £140pp, to include canapés, petit fours and champagne. Available 1-7 May
• Coronation gin cocktails and the classic G&T: served in The Goring’s Cocktail Bar

thegoring.com

The Dorchester hotel’s façade has been transformed with beautiful decorations, reminiscent of those created by set designer Oliver Messel’s original designs for Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. The decorations took six months to plan and feature a 10ft crown on top of the building. They will remain in place until 19 May.

Inside the hotel on Park Lane in London there will be a themed coronation afternoon tea at The Promenade (5-8 May), featuring stunning cakes created by executive pastry chef Michael Kwan. The coronation afternoon tea costs £125 per person and includes a glass of champagne and a gift. At Vesper Bar, head bartender Lucia Montanelli will be creating her newest cocktail, the “Sovereign Martini”. Inspired by the king’s favourite drink, the cocktail includes Wessex gin, Royal Garden mead, dry vermouth, lavender bitter and orange scent, poured into a rainbow-flecked martini glass.

dorchestercollection.com

Luxury London hotel The Savoy will commemorate the occasion with a floral installation, a Nyetimber Bus, and a street party. Tables laden with cakes and savoury treats will line the famous forecourt and a coupe fountain will flow with Nyetimber English Sparkling Wine. For the whole of May The Savoy’s sign will be bedecked with the official coronation crown, while the Lalique fountain will be decorated with flowers and limited-edition bottles of Nyetimber. For the coronation weekend (5-7 May), Nyetimber’s 1968 Routemaster Bus will be stationed on Savoy Court. And on the day of the coronation itself, the hotel will celebrate with The Savoy street party where long tables will stretch across the forecourt on the Strand.

thesavoylondon.com

Hotel Café Royal in London has partnered with Linda Hugo from tours agency Beyond Curated to offer two bespoke royal packages which are both available until 1 October.

The Crown Jewels Experience – The Tower by Night is available for guests staying in the Royal Suite and is priced at £12,995 per night. It includes:

• an overnight stay in the two-bedroom Royal Suite at Hotel Café Royal
• breakfast served in the Royal Suite
• travel to the Tower of London in chauffeur-driven limousine
• a tour of the Tower grounds by one of the Yeoman Warders
• a champagne reception and introduction to the Jewel House
• a private viewing of the Crown Jewels and Royal Collection

The King Charles III Experience , available to guests staying in any room or suite category, is priced from £2,625 per night and requires a two-night stay. The package includes:

• a chauffeur-driven tour (in the Queen Mother’s Daimler) of King Charles’ London, including Clarence House, St James’ Palace, Buckingham Palace and Guildhall Gallery
• a champagne afternoon tea in the historic Grill Room Est. 1865
• breakfast fit for a king, served in The Gallery

hotelcaferoyal.com

Available from 1-31 May, guests can enjoy “a very royal occasion” at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park hotel in London. Priced from £4,000 (inc VAT), the package includes:

• a stay in one of the hotel’s luxurious suites
• a regal welcome amenity fit for kings and queens
• “King’s Caviar” breakfast with Oscietra caviar and full English breakfast where guests may catch a glimpse of the Royal Horse Guards passing by or breakfast enjoyed in the privacy of their suite
• Two-Michelin-starred four-course “royal cooking” lunch or dinner for two at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
• a specially-curated Highgrove hamper filled with a selection of exquisite tea and preserves
• a 50ml bottle of Laphroaig whisky

mandarinoriental.com

Another hotel to partner with Beyond Curated is The Milestone Hotel & Residences, located just a stone’s throw away from Kensington Palace and Gardens. Accompanied by a personal host and expert royal guide, guests will start their historic journey with a luxurious driving tour throughout the city of London, visiting the most iconic landmarks associated with all three King Charles’s. On the tour, guests will experience the best of London – from Clarence House and St James’s Palace to Buckingham Palace and St. Paul’s Cathedral – all with the option to ride in the Queen Mother’s Jaguar Daimler.

Rates start from £1,900 for the experience and take place from approximately 9am to 1pm, bookable throughout the year and subject to availability. Junior suites at The Milestone Hotel start from £850 per night on a bed and breakfast basis. Residences are available for luxury self-catering stays, with rates starting from £1,050 per night based on two guests sharing.

milestonehotel.com

Overlooking Hyde Park Corner, and adjacent to the grounds of Buckingham Palace, the elegant country house heritage of The Lanesborough will provide an inviting home-away-from-home experience to celebrate the royal occasion. The hotel’s special “coronation celebration” package is a decadent affair and includes:

• private transfer service from London Heathrow or from London St Pancras International
• dedicated 24-hour butler service
• a bottle of champagne and a special in-room coronation amenity
• complimentary daily English breakfast
• five-course celebration dinner at The Lanesborough Grill

The package starts from £1,212 per room, per night based on two sharing one deluxe room. Available between 2-12 May.

oetkercollection.com

Located along the Strand in London, this hotel is in a central position for the royal celebrations with The Mall and other iconic landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey within walking distance.

Strand Palace Hotel review: old-world charm with a modern edge

Strand Palace’s two-night “stay like a king” celebratory package includes accommodation in a deluxe king room, buffet breakfast, complimentary mini-bar and a bottle of champagne. Prices start from £845 for stays on 5 or 6 May 2023.

strandpalacehotel.co.uk

Travel trends

London will be a magnet for overseas visitors over the coronation weekend. Online travel agent Opodo has crunched the royal numbers and revealed which nationalities are set to join the party. Comparing top searches and bookings for London over the weekend of 4-7 May 2023 to the same weekend in 2022, Opodo’s data found that there was a 121% increase in global searches, and searches from France have increased more than any other nationality – up by 354% year on year. French bookings for arrival in London airports was also the highest, up 204%, while Swedish booking rates jumped up 146%. Searches also boomed in Australia (266%) and Poland (326%).

More tourists than ever are visiting the royal residences and London-based tour operator Evan Evans has experienced a spike in visitors on guided tours that take in Windsor Castle, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace. “With the coronation coming up in May, the section of tours with a royal spin are set to be a popular choice for the coming year,” the tour operator said.

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King Charles III Makes World Debut As Tour Starts In Germany

BERLIN (AP) — King Charles III arrived in Berlin on Wednesday for his first foreign trip as Britain’s monarch, hoping to improve the U.K.’s relations with the European Union and to show that he can win hearts and minds abroad, just as his mother did for seven decades.

Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, landed at Berlin’s government airport in the early afternoon and paused at the top of their plane’s stairs to receive a 21-gun salute as two military jets performed a flyover.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier was scheduled to welcome the royal couple with military honors at the German capital’s historic Brandenburg Gate.

Charles, 74, who ascended the throne after the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September, is set to be crowned on May 6.

He had initially planned to first visit France, but the first leg of his trip was canceled due to massive protests over planned pension changes there.

Billed as a multi-day tour of the European Union’s two biggest countries, the trip was designed to underscore British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s efforts to rebuild relations with the bloc after six years of arguments over Brexit and highlight the countries’ shared history as they work together to combat Russian aggression in Ukraine.

Now everything rests on Germany.

At Berlin’s iconic Brandenburg Gate, royal fans started lining up early in the morning for security check,s hoping to get a close view of Charles and Camilla as workers rolled out red carpets.

By noon, hundreds of fans awaited their arrival as police and sniffer dogs carried out security checks in the area. About 1,500 spectators were admitted to the cordoned-off area, German news agency dpa reported.

Christoph Muehlbach, 59, had traveled by train from Hamburg to see the British royals. He described himself as a supporter of the royal family for the last 20 years and said he had traveled to London in the past for weddings, anniversaries and the queen’s state funeral.

“I take great pleasure in the British royal family,” Muehlbach told dpa.

Gabriele Fluechter, 57, of Berlin, said she came “out of love for England,” where she had attended university. She said she had seen Elizabeth on one of the queen’s visits to Berlin, and also had spotted Charles and Camilla before.

“They walked along there very casually,” she said, adding that the long wait was no problem.

On Thursday, the king is scheduled to give a speech to the Bundestag, Germany’s parliament. He will also meet Chancellor Olaf Scholz, talk to Ukrainian refugees, and meet with British and Germany military personnel who are working together on joint projects. In the afternoon he will visit an organic farm outside of Berlin.

The royal couple go to Hamburg on Friday, where they will visit the Kindertransport memorial for Jewish children who fled from Germany to Britain during the Third Reich, and attend a green energy event before returning to the U.K.

The king was urged to make the trip by Sunak, who during his first six months in office negotiated a settlement to the long-running dispute over post-Brexit trading rules for Northern Ireland and reached a deal with France to combat the people smugglers ferrying migrants across the English Channel in small boats. Sunak hopes goodwill created by a royal visit can help pave the way for progress on other issues, including Britain’s return to an EU program that funds scientific research across Europe.

This is the first big test of whether Charles can be an effective conduit for the “soft power” the House of Windsor has traditionally wielded, helping Britain pursue its geopolitical goals through the glitz and glamor of a 1,000-year-old monarchy.

The Windsors are among the most recognizable people on the planet. While their formal powers are strictly limited by law and tradition, they draw attention from the media and the public partly because of the historic ceremonies and regalia that accompany them — and also because the public is fascinated by their personal lives.

The late Queen Elizabeth II was the embodiment of this — the monarch everyone wanted to meet for tea, if for no other reason than that she’d been around so long.

Elizabeth’s influence stemmed in part from the fact that she made more than 100 state visits during her 70 years on the throne, meeting presidents and prime ministers around the world in a reign that lasted from the Cold War to the information age.

Charles, a former naval officer who is the first British monarch to earn a university degree, is expected to insert heft where his glamorous mother once wielded star power.

As Britain’s head of state, the king meets weekly with the prime minister and retains his mother’s role as leader of the Commonwealth.

His visit to Germany will showcase these roles while also giving him an opportunity to highlight the causes he holds dear, like sustainability and the environment.

But there will also be a full dose of the pomp and circumstance that screams royal visit, starting with the ceremonial welcome at the Brandenburg Gate and a white tie dinner at Schloss Bellevue, the German president’s official residence, on Wednesday evening.

Kirka reported from London.

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How King Charles Is Breaking With Royal Tradition in a Major Way

K ing Charles III has piqued the interest of royal fans by offering tours of private rooms at Balmoral Castle for the first time since its completion.

The lucrative tours , taking place between July 1 and Aug. 4, set buyers back £100 ($126.34) or £150 ($189.51) for a package including afternoon tea. Highlighting the demand, tickets sold out in a single day . Sets of 40 tickets per day were first advertised on Wednesday, and by Thursday they had all gone. 

Balmoral Castle , located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, is an intimate site for members of the royal family; it’s the monarch’s summer home, it’s where Prince William and Prince Harry learned of their mother’s fatal car crash in 1997, and it’s the beloved residence where Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022, after 70 years on the throne.  

Before now, tours had only offered a glimpse of the ballroom, as well as the castle grounds and gardens. But with King Charles’ permission, history buffs can expect an interior tour that spans the Victorian era to the present day. Groups of 10 people per tour will “learn about the origins of the Castle and how it has been loved by generations of the Royal family,” according to Balmoral’s ticketing page. 

The tour will still include a visit to the ballroom, where the King’s watercolor collection is on display, which depicts scenery at Balmoral, Highgrove, and Sandringham. Visitors can also explore outfits worn by the King and Queen Camilla, Queen Elizabeth II, and the Queen Mother.

Balmoral is the private property of the monarch, and it is not attached to the Crown estate. The tours are scheduled to end just before the King and Queen arrive for their 2024 summer break at the residence.

The Highlands home has been a royal haven since 1852, when it was officially purchased by Prince Albert, Queen Victoria's husband, for £32,000, which equates to £3.7 million today ($4.7 million), according to the Bank of England calculator . The royal couple decided to expand the castle, believing it to be too small for their family. The works were completed sometime between 1855 and 1856, and the old building was then demolished.

As it currently stands, the estate covers 50,000 acres and consists of 150 buildings, including the King’s house at Birkhall, Craigowan Lodge. The granite castle itself reportedly has 167 rooms, with 52 bedrooms, according to the Guardian , which estimated in 2023 that the estate could be worth £80 million ($101 million).

The tour comes as Buckingham Palace also prepares to welcome visitors to its East Wing for the first time . Special guided tours will take place throughout July and August, following five years of improvement renovations.  

Like Balmoral, the East Wing carried significance for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, as it was first occupied by their family after its creation between 1847 and 1849. It is now used for official meetings and events, and includes the palace’s facade and balcony, where monarchs have appeared alongside their family for historic appearances since 1851.

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NEWS... BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT

King Charles is ‘planning biggest royal tour ever’ across the planet

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King Charles is set to embark on the biggest global tour in the Royal Family ’s history to kick off his reign.

Countries that the monarch is said to be prioritising include Australia and New Zealand, alongside a number of Commonwealth realms in the Caribbean.

The tour, which is expected to last two years, is aimed at ‘extending a hand of friendship and support’ following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II.

Sources have revealed the King is ‘acutely aware’ that he has ascended to the throne at a time of political unrest across a number of Commonwealth countries as they consider ditching the monarchy altogether.

A unnamed royal source told the Mirror : ‘The King and his family are keen to hit the ground running in these crucial first few months and years of his reign.

‘He certainly wants to carry on the long-held mantra from his late mother of being seen to be believed, and is very keen to get out and meet as many people as possible.’

The Prince and Princess of Wales are also set to undertake a ‘major support role’.

Government officials in New South Wales have already revealed plans of a ‘much-anticipated’ royal tour in 2024, which will coincide with the 200th anniversary of democracy in Australia.

It has previously been reported that Prince William and Kate were considering visiting the country in 2023.

The royals could visit as many countries as the Queen did during her 25th jubilee celebrations, when she touched down in 52 Commonwealth countries and 21 other states.

Countries in Asia, including India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, are also set to be visited by Charles and Camilla.

Following Brexit the Foreign Office is also keen to send the crown to build bridges with European countries such as France and Germany.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are also expected to travel to the United States next month for William’s Earthshot Prize environmental project.

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King Charles and Queen Camilla’s Trip to Kenya Deemed “a Resounding Success”

By Katie Nicholl

King Charles and Queen Camilla concluded their four-day visit to Kenya in the pouring rain but will leave with a sunny outlook after having received warm welcomes and cementing the important relationship between the two countries. 

King Charles III greets members of the Kenyan delegation before departing from Moi International Airport in Mombasa on November 3, 2023. 

The trip at the request of the British government was seen as instrumental in developing the already close relationship between Britain and the Commonwealth country and its lucrative multi million-pound trade partnership and on Friday was deemed a “resounding success.”

The visit served as an opportunity for the King and Queen to meet Kenyans, hold bilateral talks with President Will Ruto and First Lady Rachel Ruto , carry out military engagements and visit the United Nations’ headquarters. The varied and busy schedule, which included visiting Nairobi and Mombasa, time spent at an elephant orphanage and a state dinner, allowed Charles and Camilla to highlight causes close to their hearts.

“Their Royal Highnesses have thoroughly enjoyed the trip. I think it’s fair to say it has been a resounding success,” one aide told Vanity Fair .

With a focus on trade, climate change, young people, sustainability and the military, the royal couple participated in an average of seven engagements a day. The tour’s success will be a relief to palace aides and government officials following mixed responses to previous royal tours to the Caribbean carried out by Prince William and Kate Middleton and Prince Edward , Duke of Edinburgh and Sophie , Duchess of Edinburgh. 

For Ed Owens , historian and author of After Elizabeth: Can The Monarchy Save Itself? , one particular engagement stood out among the others. “The most important moment came at the state banquet held in the king's honor when he spoke of his 'deep regret' for the 'abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence' committed by the British authorities in Kenya in response to the Mau Mau insurgency in the 1950s," he said. "This wasn't the formal apology some had hoped for. But, then again, everything the king says in these moments is essentially adhering to UK government foreign policy: a formal apology might further demands for reparations from other countries for the injustices of the past and, presently, this isn't something the British government is willing to countenance.

Hence King Charles's reputation as a monarch who is ready to confront some of the problematic legacies of Britain's imperial past continues to evolve. The process began in Barbados in November 2021 when he described the 'appalling atrocity of slavery'. It sets him apart from his predecessor, Elizabeth II, who tended to steer clear of controversial aspects of the UK's history. These are issues that some members of the younger generation care deeply about — a constituency that the monarchy urgently needs to re-connect with having seen its popularity among the under 45s plummet in recent years.”

By Dan Adler

By Kase Wickman

By Bess Levin

King Charles visits Fort Jesus on November 3, 2023 in Mombasa, Kenya. 

According to one royal insider, “there is a sense of relief that this went so well and a feeling that the King and Queen have hit the right notes. Next year we will see them carrying out a more extensive tour of the Commonwealth possibly to Australia and New Zealand and the fact that Kenya has been such a success bodes well.”

Charles and Camilla are said to be delighted with how well the tour went and pleased to have had the opportunity to spotlight causes they champion at home and around the world. 

During the program, Charles met with staff and recipients of the International Prince’s Trust while in Nairobi to learn more about resources for young people, and there was a visit to a forest and the Nairobi National Park to learn more about the environmental and conservation challenges Kenya faces.

Queen Camilla visited a library in Nairobi to learn more about literacy in Kenya as well as a charity supporting victims of sexual and gender based violence. 

King Charles attends an interfaith meeting at Mombasa Cathedral.

Their tour concluded Friday in Mombasa with Charles visiting the Mombasa Memorial Cathedral to learn the work being done to promote interfaith peace and security in the region. His Majesty was warmly received and arrived to chants of “Long Live the King.” He also took part in a closed-door meeting at Mandhry Mosque. 

Meanwhile, the Queen visited The Situation Room where she met staff volunteers and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, a core theme of her work. 

Queen Camilla dances with Sauti Ya Wanawake (the voice of women) at the Situation Room in Mombasa on November 3, 2023. 

The couple also visited Fort Jesus, a Unesco World Heritage site, via an electric tuk tuk before flying back home to the UK. 

According to aides, Charles and Camilla will have the weekend off before resuming a busy diary of engagements next week which will include the State Opening of Parliament and Remembrance Sunday.

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King Charles Will Travel to Germany for First Visit as Monarch

Charles is set to begin his trip on Wednesday. He had planned to start the royal tour in France, but that leg was canceled because of the country’s ongoing protests.

By Jenny Gross

LONDON — King Charles III of Britain will travel to Germany on Wednesday for his first trip abroad as monarch, after strikes and protests in France led to the cancellation of his planned state visit there.

During a three-day visit to Berlin and Hamburg, the king and his wife, Camilla, the queen consort, will attend a state banquet, hosted by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife, Elke Büdenbender, at Bellevue Palace, Germany’s presidential residence, according to a statement from Buckingham Palace.

On Thursday, Charles will address Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, and will then meet with refugees who have recently arrived from Ukraine. On Friday, Charles and Camilla will take the train to Hamburg, where they will visit a monument commemorating Kindertransport, the effort from 1938 and 1940 that brought about 10,000 Jewish children to safety in Britain from Nazi Germany.

The cancellation of the France leg of the trip represented an uncomfortable moment for the country’s president, Emmanuel Macron, who had been scheduled to receive the king and queen consort in Paris on Sunday.

The king’s visit to France would have involved a lavish state banquet at the Palace of Versailles, a move that would have been particularly ill-timed for Mr. Macron, who is facing strikes, demonstrations and potentially violent protests over his plan to raise the legal retirement age to 64 from 62. Mr. Macron said last week that it would have been a mistake to host a state visit “in the middle of demonstrations.” He said Britain and France would work on organizing a new visit in the early summer.

In traveling to Germany, the biggest economy in Europe, for his first royal visit, Charles is emphasizing Britain’s intention to strengthen ties with the European Union after Britain’s exit from the bloc caused diplomatic ties to fray.

The British royal family has a long history of strong ties to Germany. George I, who ruled from 1714 to 1727, was originally from Hanover, in what would become Germany. He succeeded Queen Anne, his second cousin, who died childless. (Her closer family members were barred from the British throne because they were Roman Catholic .)

In 1917, King George V formed the House of Windsor, renouncing the German name of the royal house, Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, as anti-German sentiment grew during World War I. That name had come into the family in 1840 with the marriage of Queen Victoria to Prince Albert, whose father was the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha.

Charles last addressed the Bundestag during the throes of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, when he was still prince, and began his speech in German . He was most recently in Hamburg in 1995 for a ceremony commemorating the end of World War II.

Christopher F. Schuetze contributed reporting from Berlin.

Jenny Gross is a general assignment reporter. Before joining The Times, she covered British politics for The Wall Street Journal. More about Jenny Gross

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King Charles Is Opening New Doors to Royal Palaces, Including Family's Summer Retreat, to Public for First Time

Visitors will be able to tour Balmoral Castle, where Queen Elizabeth died, and new nooks of Buckingham Palace, including the room that leads out to the iconic balcony

Janine Henni is a Royals Staff Writer for PEOPLE Digital, covering modern monarchies and the world's most famous families. Like Queen Elizabeth, she loves horses and a great tiara moment.

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty; Greg Balfour Evans/Alamy

Balmoral Castle and Buckingham Palace are welcoming visitors in new ways.

It was revealed this week that both royal residences will welcome visitors into previously unseen spaces through ticketed tours this summer. In fact, Balmoral Castle in Scotland is opening "for the first time since the castle was completed in 1855," its website says.

Balmoral is famed as the royal family's cherished summer sanctuary in the Scottish Highlands, but it also holds sad memories for the group. Prince William  and  Prince Harry were spending time there in August 1997 when their mother, Princess Diana , tragically died in a car crash in Paris.

Queen Elizabeth , who her granddaughter  Princess Eugenie  once said was "most happy" at Balmoral, died there in 2022. Sources told PEOPLE at the time it was fitting she spend her last hours there because it was such a special place for her and her family — and now, the public can step into the castle in Aberdeenshire for themselves.

Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty

The Castle Internal Guided Tours experience is touted as a "historical journey" through "several of the beautiful rooms," comprised of a private guide that talks visitors through its history from acquisition by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in 1845 to a peek at how King Charles , Queen Camilla and other royal family members continue to use the space today. 

The royal family has previously permitted tours at Balmoral around the grounds and gardens, but access inside the castle was limited to the ballroom, making the Castle Internal Guided Tours the most intimate yet.

The tours are set to run from July 1 to August 4, capped at 10 people per session. The general guided excursion currently costs about $126 a person, while tickets with afternoon tea are about $189 — and are open to adults only.

Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty

While many of the internal Balmoral Castle tours have already sold out, there’s still plenty of availability for the Balmoral General Admission, featuring a trove of artwork by King Charles plus some royal fashion. The Ballroom promises "His Majesty The King's watercolor collection depicting scenery at Balmoral, Highgrove and Sandringham" and a "collection of outfits worn by Their Majesties King Charles and Queen Camilla, the late Queen Elizabeth and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother."

While Buckingham Palace has been a popular stop for royal watchers since 1993 when Queen Elizabeth opened its gates as a fundraiser after a devastating fire ripped through Windsor Castle in 1992, new areas of the famous London residence will be available to tour for the first time this year.

The East Wing of Buckingham Palace, where the King filmed his Christmas broadcast in December 2023, will be toured for the first time come summer. On April 3, the Royal Collection Trust announced that the iconic palace will open the wing via the Principal Floor following five years of restorative work.

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The East Wing includes the front façade and iconic palace balcony, "where the monarch and members of the royal family have gathered for public appearances during special occasions or historic moments since 1851," including royal weddings, coronations and Trooping the Colour, the annual celebration of the monarch's birthday.

The Royal Collection Trust said that the royal family still uses the wing today for official meetings and events.

Royal watchers can save the date for East Wing Highlights Tours held daily in July and August starting July 15, booked in addition to standard admission to the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace.

Chris Jackson/Getty 

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The palace will be open seven days a week in July and August for the first time since 2019 before scaling back to five days a week in September.

While Buckingham Palace is synonymous with the British royals and serves as the hub of the monarchy’s operations, King Charles and Queen Camilla don’t actually live there! The palace is in the middle of a $460 million renovation reportedly not due to be complete until 2027 .

Stuart C. Wilson/Getty

As King Charles, 75, invites the public into new nooks for the first time this summer, The Times cited royal biographer Robert Hardman’s prediction that the King would open up Balmoral during his reign.

"Balmoral is private property. However, it needs public footfall not just to help pay the bills but to bring benefits to the wider community and to remain in step with other stately homes," the outlet quoted Hardman as writing in Charles III. New King. New Court. The Inside Story 2024 , which was published under the title The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy in the U.S. in January.

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King Charles gives Prince William a military title with close ties to Prince Harry

Prince William is now the Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps.

King Charles III has handed over a military role he held for three decades to Prince William in a move that is sparking controversy because of the role's close ties to Prince Harry .

Charles on Monday presented William , his eldest son, with the title of Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps in a military ceremony at the Army Aviation Centre in Hampshire, England.

With the title, William is now the head of the regiment that his younger brother, Harry, served in during his time in the British Army.

Harry, who now lives in the United States, served as a British Army officer for 10 years.

During his decade of military service, which ended in 2015, Harry rose to the rank of Apache helicopter commander. Known as Capt. Harry Wales in the Army, he was deployed to Afghanistan twice, from 2007 to 2008 and then again from 2012 to 2013.

In 2012, the British Defense Ministry named Harry the best front-seat pilot, or co-pilot gunner, from his class of more than 20 fellow Apache helicopter pilots.

Following the military ceremony Monday, William flew in an Apache helicopter as he left the base as the new Colonel-in-Chief of the Army Air Corps.

The ceremony was held less than one week after Harry traveled to London from his home in California to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games , a Paralympic-style competition for wounded service members that he founded in 2014.

None of Harry's royal family members joined him at a service of Thanksgiving for the Invictus Games held at St. Paul's Cathedral on May 8. However, his maternal uncle and aunt, who are siblings of the late Princess Diana , attended the service.

Prince Harry steps out solo in London while King Charles III attends Buckingham Palace garden party

On the same day the service was held, Charles attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace, and William led an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle.

At the time, a spokesperson for Harry told ABC News that Charles' schedule would not allow time for him to see his younger son during his London visit.

"It unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty's full programme," the spokesperson said of a meeting between Harry and Charles. "The Duke of course is understanding of his father's diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon."

A spokesperson for both Buckingham and Kensington Palaces declined to comment to ABC News.

The last time Harry and Charles saw each other was in February, when Harry flew to London to visit Charles after the palace publicly shared that Charles had been diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer.

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Prior to that visit, Harry had not seen his 75-year-old father since the king's coronation last May at Westminster Abbey.

Prince William, Kate Middleton mark 13th anniversary with never-before-seen wedding photo

Harry is also not known to have seen William -- with whom he has a strained relationship -- since the coronation, during which William played a major role and Harry sat in the audience with other royal family members.

Harry stepped down from his role as a senior working royal in 2020. Since then, he and his wife Meghan , the Duchess of Sussex, have settled in California with their two young children, Archie and Lilibet, and become financially independent, taking on new roles in the entertainment and philanthropy worlds.

The Sussexes on Sunday completed a tour of Nigeria , which came at the invitation of the country's Chief of Defense Staff, its highest-ranking military official.

Much of the trip focused on Harry and Meghan's interactions with Nigeria: Unconquered, a nonprofit organization that is affiliated with the Invictus Games.

Harry also met with injured service members at a local military hospital during the three-day visit.

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ABC News Live

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Why Prince Harry will not visit King Charles III in London this week

Prince Harry and King Charles III will not be having a family reunion while the Duke of Sussex is in London this week.

Harry is in London to celebrate the 10th anniversary of The Invictus Games, which he brought to London in 2014. To mark the milestone, he'll be attended a panel discussion with the organization on Tuesday and on Wednesday, he will attend a celebration at St Paul’s Cathedral along with veterans involved in the various Invictus Games sports.

"In response to the many inquiries and continued speculation on whether or not The Duke will meet with his father while in the UK this week, it unfortunately will not be possible due to His Majesty’s full programme," a spokesperson for Harry told USA TODAY in a statement Tuesday. "The Duke of course is understanding of his father's diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon.

USA TODAY has reached out to reps for Buckingham Palace.

Charles, who returned to his public duties on April 30 after taking a step back from treatment  for an undisclosed form of cancer , is also booked on Wednesday.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

Buckhingham Palace is hosting the first Sovereign's Garden Party of the season, with Charles expected to attend.

Charles' visit to a cancer treatment center was "the first in a number of external engagements" coming up, although his schedule won't immediately return to what it was before his diagnosis, according to the palace.

Outings "will remain subject to doctors' advice," but "it will not be a fullsummer program," they added.

Prince Harry visited King Charles III in February following his father's cancer diagnosis

Although Charles and Harry are not crossing paths this week, they did have a private reunion in February after the palace confirmed the king was diagnosed with "a form of cancer." Before the announcement he was hospitalized and underwent a procedure for  benign prostate enlargement  in January, and the cancer was identified via diagnostic tests after a "separate issue of concern was noted."

"I spoke to him. And I jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could," the Duke of Sussex said on " Good Morning America " in a segment that aired on Feb. 16 of the moment he learned about his father's health.

He continued, "I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane, go and see him, and spend any time with him – I'm grateful for that. … I've got other trips planned that will take me through the U.K., or back to the U.K., and so I'll stop in and see my family as much as I can."

When asked about the state of his father's health, Harry said, "That stays between me and him."

Prince Harry's tense relationship with King Charles, Prince William

Harry discussed his relationship with the royal family in his memoir "Spare," published in January 2023, accusing them of providing unflattering information about other members to the press in exchange for positive coverage. He  also recalled his  father and brother,  Prince William , saying didn't know why he left.

"If they didn't know why I'd left, maybe they just didn't know me," he wrote. "At all. And maybe they never really did. … How can I tell them? I can't. It would take too long. Besides, they're clearly not in the right frame of mind to listen. Not now, anyway. Not today."

In an interview with  ITV in 2023 , Harry said he hoped to reconcile with Charles and William after their rift but alleged that "they've shown absolutely no willingness to reconcile."

But Harry also  told "60 Minutes ," "I look forward to having a relationship with my brother. I look forward to having a relationship with my father and other members of my family."

Contributing: KiMi Robinson ,  Erin Jensen ,  Brendan Morrow

In Photos: The British Royal Family's Visits to Nigeria

As Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's trip to Nigeria is underway, look back on other royal visits by Queen Elizabeth, King Charles, and more.

Nigeria is former British colony; the country gained independence in 1960, but remains a member of the Commonwealth , a voluntary association of 56 countries. Following Queen Elizabeth's death in 2022, King Charles succeeded his mother as head of the organization. "It is my sincere wish that the Commonwealth will continue to offer stability and continuity for future generations and will decide that one day the Prince of Wales should carry on the important work started by my father in 1949," Queen Elizabeth said in 2018. During her reign, Queen Elizabeth visited Nigeria twice—in 1956, when Nigeria was still a colony, and 2003, for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. Thus far, King Charles has yet to visit in his capacity as head of the Commonwealth. He previously visited in 1990 with his then-wife, Princess Diana , and again in 1999, 2006, and 2018.

In chronological order, here are the best photos of British royals in Nigeria:

In 1956, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip undertook a royal tour of Nigeria.

On their trip, they went to Lagos, Calabar, Enugu, Jos, Kaduna, Kano, and Port Harcourt. Here, the royal couple is pictured speaking with Cheif Okosoi at a reception at Enugu

At Kaduna Airport, Queen Elizabeth inspected a regiment.

The Queen met with Governor of the Western Region in Ijebu-ode.

In 1960, Nigeria declared independence, and Princess Alexandra traveled to the country to represent Queen Elizabeth at the independence celebrations. Here, she reads the Queen's speech in Lagos.

In 1990, Princess Diana and Prince Charles undertook a royal visit of Nigeria.

Diana and Charles each carried out a number of engagements solo.

See all the photos of Charles and Diana's trip to Nigeria here.

In 2001, the Princess Royal undertook a six-day royal visit to Nigeria.

In 2003, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip returned to Nigeria for the annual Commonwealth heads meeting.

Here, Queen Elizabeth meets Noidi Okereke Onyiwke (L, wearing purple), Director General of the Nigerian stock exchange, during a reception shortly after her arrival.

In this photo, Queen Elizabeth tours the secretariat of Karu Local council, near Abuja.

Philip and Elizabeth wave goodbye at the airport.

Then-Prince Charles set out on a royal tour of West Africa, and Nigeria was the second leg of his trip.

Here, Charles visited the oldest church in northern Nigeria located in Zazzau.

He returned 12 years later, with Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall.

See all the best photos of Charles and Camilla's 2018 tour of West Africa, here .

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle kicked off their three-day visit to Nigeria at a school.

Meghan took a selfie with students as Harry made a funny face behind them.

Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, culture, the royals, and a range of other subjects. Before joining T&C, she was the deputy managing editor at Hey Alma , a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram .

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Take a tour of the 'perfect' English town built by King Charles

Posted: 16 May 2024 | Last updated: 16 May 2024

The King's ideal town of the future

Famous for his love of classical architecture, King Charles lll is busy creating a model town on his own Duchy of Cornwall land on the fringes of Dorchester, Dorset. He's called it Poundbury. A combination of Georgian houses, Dorset cottages and even a mini Buckingham Palace, it is intended to be a place of beauty, reflecting local character. Private and social housing stand side-by-side, and people can walk to the shops, school and places of work with ease.

Click or scroll through and let's see how the King's town is coming along...

All dollar values in US dollars.

Why did the King build his own town?

Due for completion in 2027, construction on the 400-acre development began in 1993. Today, Poundbury is home to more than 4,000 people, with another 2,000 working in its shops, offices, factories and cafes. Now that King Charles has ascended the throne, the new Duke of Cornwall, Prince William, will take the reins. But where did it all begin, and why did the King decide to build his own town?

The origins of the dream

The then Prince of Wales (aka the Duke of Cornwall) was well known for his outspoken criticism of modernist architecture. He infamously called plans for the extension of London’s National Gallery a “monstrous carbuncle” and five years later outlined his views on urban planning in his book A Vision of Britain, which championed traditional architecture, closer communities and sustainability. It would provide the blueprint for his vision for the idyllic town of Poundbury.

Master builders

In 1988, he commissioned the visionary urban theorist Leon Krier (standing to the left of the King in this image) to produce a plan for developing Poundbury. His brief was to create an autonomous extension to the nearby town of Dorchester blending in with traditional Dorset architecture, using the urban design principles described in  A Vision of Britain.  The overall design reflects a traditional English village with a mix of residential, commercial and retail spaces, all within easy walking distance.

The master plan

The resulting Poundbury master plan, which was shared with local residents, divided Poundbury into four distinctive quarters, each one designed by handpicked architects. The first phase, which began in 1993, was completed in 2001, while the final section, the North-West Quadrant, is expected to be finished by 2027. Poundbury will have increased the population of Dorchester by about one quarter, with an eventual community of about 5,800 people.

A passion for traditional architecture

Central to the design is its architecture. The King has long since believed that one of Britain’s greatest strengths is the regional variation of its towns and villages. From its Dorset flint cottages to its Georgian and Regency revival townhouses, Poundbury draws on a rich tradition of architectural styles, using local materials and craftsmen where possible: “There are architects who can design with sensitivity and imagination so that people can live in more pleasant surroundings,” Charles told the BBC.

Affordable housing

The overriding goal was to build integrated affordable housing that people actually wanted to live in, rather than the soulless isolated housing estates that had sprung up on the edges of cities around the UK. “When I set out on this venture, I was determined that Poundbury would break the mould of conventional housing development in this country,” the former 24 th  Duke of Cornwall says on the Duchy of Cornwall’s website.

Community feeling

Residents say they love living in Poundbury because it feels like a community. People live and work here, so they have regular contact with their neighbours and the layout of its streets and lanes, interspersed with small squares, has been designed to encourage walking and cycling. “The entire master plan was based upon placing the pedestrian, and not the car, at the centre of the design,” said the King. 

Mixed-use buildings

Likewise, a focus on mixed use has seen Poundbury combining residential, retail and business uses with public amenities, so that many people are able to live, work and socialise here without ever leaving town or using their cars, which is also eco-friendly. Offices and workshops have been built in among the housing, while a plethora of shops and small businesses have flourished and helped create this unique sustainable community. 

A feudal Disneyland

Initial reception of Poundbury was mixed, however. Some dubbed it a “feudal Disneyland”, a vanity project or a whim of the then Prince of Wales, and it struggled to attract residents. Critics argued that Poundbury was just a "ghost town", an artificial and idealised version of a traditional town that lacked the diversity or the soul that characterises older settlements.

Proving the sceptics wrong

Nonetheless, three decades on, Poundbury is a thriving successful town which has been copied both in the UK and abroad. “Many people said that it could never succeed, but I am happy to say the sceptics were wrong,” the former Duke of Cornwall says on his website. But what’s Poundbury really like? Join us on a tour of the King’s vision of the perfect English town….

The market hall on Pummery Square, which is the hub of Phase One of Poundbury’s construction, would not be out of place in a medieval village. Designed by architect John Simpson, it was completed in 2001 and is used for public and theatrical events. Other buildings on the square include the Village stores, The Poet Laureate Pub (named in honour of Ted Hughes) and other small shops and cafés. 

Social housing

The second phase of the project was granted planning permission in 1999 and provided 900 dwellings and six hectares of employment space over a ten-year development period. In Poundbury, 35% of homes being built are affordable housing for rental or shared ownership by local people. Affordable homes are integrated with private homes and built to the same high standards, so that they are almost indistinguishable.

Artisan atmosphere

The focal point of the South West Quadrant of the town is the Buttermarket, a mixed-use development featuring nine characterful buildings housing 18 boutique shops and workshops around a main square, including a post office and a hair salon. Part of the second phase, which was granted planning permission in 2006, regular community events take place here, including Christmas markets and Easter egg hunts.

Small businesses

According to the Duchy of Cornwall, there are currently 250 individual businesses operating in Poundbury, employing over 2,600 people. These include grocery stores and bakeries, beauty salons, bicycle repair shops and award-winning A Brace of Butchers, seen here. Many have been inspired to set up here due to the quality of the environment, affordable rates and sense of community. 

Charles and the chocolate factory

Located in the same quadrant is Poundbury’s chocolate factory, which opened in 1998 and was taken over in 2014 by leading chocolatier Charbonnel et Walker, who supply retailers such as John Lewis, Harrods and Selfridges. The then Prince Charles visited the factory several times, including in 2015, after the factory was extended to meet demand.

Queen Mother Square

At the heart of Phase Three and Four, and Poundbury itself, is Queen Mother Square, which was formally opened by Her Majesty The Queen in 2016 and features a statue of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, by sculptor Philip Jackson. The buildings meanwhile, were designed by Quinlan and Francis Terry and Ben Pentreath.

The Duchess of Cornwall

While the royal party were there, the then Duke and Duchess of Cornwall popped in to The Duchess of Cornwall Inn, which was inspired by the Ritz in London, a favourite haunt of the Queen Mother’s. The Duchess even found time to try her hand at pulling a pint, although the Prince's favourite daily tipple, according to reports, is a dry martini.  

Buckingham Palace replica

Strathmore House

The apartments are stylish and super-spacious but, as you might expect, they don’t come cheap. A first-floor pad with three bedrooms and high ceilings was recently on the market for a cool £1.25 million ($1.6m) Meanwhile, the most expensive home on the square is the penthouse at The Royal Pavilion, which was designed by Ben Penreath and listed at £1.7 million ($2.1m).

Reasonably priced homes

For the less well-heeled, there’s this very reasonably priced coach house, which is currently under construction in the final North-East Quadrant of the town and listed at just £300,000 ($375k). It has two double bedrooms and a contemporary bathroom. The average price for a flat in Poundbury in 2022 was £235,000 ($294k), while you could pick up a terraced house for around £503,000 ($630k).

Coach House

Back in the Coach House, there is a very stylish living room and kitchen, with stainless steel appliances, a single garage and communal parking. It’s close to the Great Field, which is Poundbury’s largest green space, and for families with young children, Damers First School, which relocated to Poundbury in 2017, is just down the road.

Local schools

Poundbury is surrounded by a range of state schools, all highly rated, including the Thomas Hardye School & Sixth Form, which is one of the highest performing in the UK. Poundbury is served by two primary schools, the Prince of Wales First School and Damers First School, which relocated to a new building here in 2017. The move enabled the school to improve its environmental credentials, growing its own food and reducing waste and recycling.

Places to play

The school has direct access to the Great Field, the largest green space in Poundbury, providing 12 hectares of grassland with a network of paths and more than 450 trees and 26,000 shrubs. The southern part of the field features sports pitches, an outdoor gym area and a magnificent new play area for toddlers through to teenagers, which was opened by the King in May 2022.

Green credentials

A passionate environmentalist, it was important that the town lived up to the King’s green credentials. He has ensured that buildings have energy-conserving features, such as efficient insulation, double-glazing, condensing boilers and water meters, as well as slate solar panels, ground-heat recovery systems and rainwater recycling, according to The Daily Mail . There’s also electrical vehicle charging capability in all garages. Françoise Ha is Chair of the Poundbury Residents Association, told  The Big Issue  “Poundbury is an interesting idea. It’s been like Marmite before because it was green fields, but I think it’s good at what it’s trying to do.”

Renewable energy

And if that’s not enough to earn Poundbury its green card, Rainbarrow Farm was the country’s first full-scale anaerobic digester and biomethane-to-grid plant. Purpose-built by the Duchy of Cornwall as a joint venture with local farms, it provides 100% renewable bio-methane gas from sustainable sources of crops and feeds this into the national gas distribution network to heat Poundbury and up to 90,000 homes in West Dorset.

Retirement living

For the older members of the community, there’s a wealth of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets, including this McCarthy Stone retirement development, which looks like a con-verted Victorian warehouse. “We went a bit crazy and thought we’d do a bit of Shoreditch or Shad Thames,” says architect George Saumarez Smith. A one-bedroom flat is available here for rent from £2,550 ($3,192) per month.

Poundbury replicas

The King is rightly proud of his achievements in Poundbury, which have attracted the attention of architects and town planners the world over, including dignitaries like Prince Albert of Monaco, seen here in 2006. According to the Duchy of Cornwall, a 2018 report concluded that the town is already contributing over £98 million ($123m) to the local economy, while its principles have been incorporated into the British Government’s Planning Policy and replicated across the country reports The Telegraph .

A garden paradise

It’s not all harmonious living in Poundbury, of course. A recent report revealed a spat between neighbours, when one keen gardener was forced to remove a colourful array of potted plants outside her home. It’s a problem that will be hopefully avoided in the final phase of construction however, which has been inspired by the Edwardian Garden Movement, as represented here. “HRH loves things that are quirky,” says architect Ben Pentreath. Once construction of Poundbury is complete, the Duchy of Cornwall will leave Poundbury to run itself, says  The Guardian .

Poundbury residents celebrate the King

Krier, who drew up the Poundbury master plan, had hinted several years ago that, once Poundbury was complete, he and the then Prince Charles would go on to build a small modernist town, "to show them how to do it". But that seems unlikely now that the King has ascended the throne. The residents of Poundbury, seen celebrating here on the day of the King’s coronation, will be pleased he had time at least to build their ideal English town...

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King Charles III is ‘very good’ amid cancer treatment, won’t see Harry during prince’s U.K. visit

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Two weeks after his return to the public eye, King Charles III is said to be “very good” amid his cancer battle.

British politician Penny Mordaunt, a minister in Rishi Sunak’s Conservative government, said during a Tuesday appearance on GB News that the 75-year-old monarch is happy to get back to work.

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“He’s very good. And I know that he would have been so pleased to get back to public duties. He would have missed it tremendously,” the speaker of the House of Commons said, sharing details from her weekly meetings with Charles in her role as Privy Council Lord President.

“I think everyone is really pleased to see him back and I know that he wants to do more, so it’s been a good week,” Mourdant added. “I think people won’t be surprised to know that he’s completely charming and always calm. And he’s also got a really good sense of humor as well.

“But he’s always asking about how things are going, particularly issues that we’re dealing with in Parliament or about particular groups who he knows that are having a rough time,” she said. “He’s always asking after those people, so he cares a great deal and he’s a delight to work with.”

As his daughter-in-law Catherine was admitted for abdominal surgery in January , Charles announced that he would be having a procedure on an enlarged prostate, which resulted in a three-month break from public-facing duties so he could focus on his treatment and recuperation. In February, he was diagnosed with an undisclosed type of cancer .

Buckingham Palace announced in late April that the king would return to work amid treatment. The monarch, who just marked the one-year anniversary of his coronation, visited a cancer charity with Queen Camilla on April 30, his first day back to work, and confirmed that he had treatment scheduled for later that day.

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On Friday, he attended the Royal Windsor Horse Show despite rain and is scheduled to attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace on Wednesday. He’s also due to host a state visit by the emperor and empress of Japan in June.

The king’s busy schedule is being cited as the reason he and Prince Harry, fourth in line to the British throne, won’t connect during his youngest son’s visit to London this week — one that comes after the fallout from Harry’s stepping back from royal duties in 2020 and the bombshell 2023 memoir “Spare.” The duke of Sussex, who primarily lives in California with his wife Meghan and two children, is back in the U.K. this week to celebrate a decade of the Invictus Games, a tournament for wounded veterans that Harry founded in 2014 .

In response to speculation on whether the prince will see his father during the visit, a spokesman for Harry cited the king’s “full programme.” Harry was last in the U.K. in February to visit his father shortly after the king was diagnosed with cancer. The prince told “Good Morning America” at the time that he “jumped on a plane and went to go see him as soon as I could,” adding that he loves his family.

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“The duke of course is understanding of his father’s diary of commitments and various other priorities and hopes to see him soon,” Prince Harry’s spokesman told the BBC on Tuesday.

His brother William, Prince of Wales, also won’t attend the service for the Invictus Games, which will be held Wednesday at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. GB News reported that no senior member of the Royal Family is expected to attend the event.

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Nardine Saad covers breaking entertainment news, trending culture topics, celebrities and their kin for the Fast Break Desk at the Los Angeles Times. She joined The Times in 2010 as a MetPro trainee and has reported from homicide scenes, flooded canyons, red carpet premieres and award shows.

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