Family resemblances run strong with the royals and some are the absolute spitting image of each other at certain times in their life, like young Queen Elizabeth and Princess Charlotte or Prince George and teenage Prince William. However, the Prince of Wales also looks strikingly similar to someone outside the Royal Family - and he's actually met them.

His unexpected doppelgänger has just shared a throwback photo with William and discussed the times he was "often" mistaken for him when he was younger. Looking at them now, I'd say there's a likeness there between adventurer and broadcaster Ben Fogle and the future King, but it was maybe more pronounced back in the day.

Ben Fogle is a longtime ambassador for Tusk, an African wildlife conservation charity that Prince William is Royal Patron of. Their support for the organisation and its vital work brought them together and in 2010 they travelled across Botswana.

"It was a fascinating journey and a privilege to spend time with the future King, while he shared his passion for conservation. Something we are both passionate about," Ben wrote in his caption alongside the picture of them sitting in the back of a truck.

The adventurer and writer added, "When I was younger, I was often mistaken for Prince William. People used to stop me all the time and ask where my security were?"

Many of his fans clearly agree with those people too, as Ben's post was flooded with comments, including "so alike", "you guys look like brothers" and "the visual similarity in this photo is striking". As he's first in the royal line of succession the Prince of Wales is one of the few royals who has round the clock security, so it probably would be a cause for concern if you'd apparently spotted him without them!

Having a royal doppelgänger who's also an acquaintance is a fun piece of trivia for Ben Fogle and the resemblance has apparently also helped William out in the past. According to the Standard, the Prince once reportedly pretended to be the adventurer to protect his privacy.

When asked whether he'd ever tried to pass himself off as the Prince of Wales, the publication noted that Ben's eyes widened "in horror" as he replied, "No! No! But people have been convinced I'm him overseas. In Chile, the entire paparazzi once turned up."

There have also been times when the royals aren't recognised as themselves, and this has happened to Princess Catherine before. In July she visited Evelina London Children's Hospital and was asked by a young boy if she was the Queen's daughter, to which she gracefully replied, "No, I am the Princess of Wales".

Back in 2020 she and Prince William went to the Shire Hall Care Home in Cardiff when Kate was also not immediately recognised - although to be fair, both were wearing face masks on this occasion. The couple had previously played virtual bingo with non-nonsense resident Joan Drew-Smith and when they met her in person she asked the Prince, "Is that your assistant?"

The Princess of Wales laughed and responded, "Well, I am your assistant. I have been for a long time!"

For 25 years he coiffured the hair of the most famous face of the 20th century. Queen Elizabeth II's image, displayed on coins, portraits and busts, was instantly recognisable due to her bouffant curls and perm. But for the man behind it - hairdresser Ian Carmichael - it's always been "Ma'am's the word".

Talking exclusively to woman&home, he revealed, "It was an honour to serve her for all that time. My job was to make her look good -she knew she had to be seen to be believed. She didn't want to look fantastic or gorgeous - although she often did, but she wasn't very good at taking compliments. She wanted appropriate. She wasn't a movie star; she was the Queen.

Small Talk

"She was extremely funny, hugely intelligent and incredibly knowledgeable. But my most important job, even above her hair, was to keep her secrets."

Ian visited Queen Elizabeth once or twice every week, and accompanied her on foreign tours to the Commonwealth, Africa, Australia - and that historic Ireland visit in 2011.

He recreated a salon in her private apartments in Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Sandringham and Balmoral. And would also cut Prince Philip's hair.

The Queen never washed her own hair - Ian would do that. A soft shampoo with a stand-up attachment to a sink that Queen Victoria would have used 100 years earlier. Then a perm with rollers and a set while she was reading official papers or chatting about the weather or a family holiday.

She never dyed her hair - save for "an occasional silver rinse for a bit of shine" - and never had a blow-dry. A trusty hairstylist is every woman's secret weapon and treasured confidante, so it was no surprise to learn that even the Queen chatted about trivia.

"I think she liked me because I made her laugh," confesses Ian. "She was doing the crossword one day and she asked me if I could help her with a clue. Obviously I thought, 'I'm never going to be able to help her,' as she was very good at it. But she read out the clue: 'What is a mixture of beer and lemonade?' And I knew! 'Shandy,' I said, and she filled it in and replied delightedly, 'Oh, it is! Brilliant!'

I meet Ian in a trendy London restaurant, which is filled with shelves of coloured glass bottles. He immediately charms the staff with his Scottish brogue, orders a very appropriate ‘Regina' pizza and asks how often they dust the thousands of bottles.

Turns out not often, as he finds out when he runs a finger across one. A stickler for detail, and a perfectionist at heart, he freely admits that at 6ft 1in with long blond locks and an unbuttoned shirt, he was perhaps not quite what Queen Elizabeth II was expecting when he first met her at Buckingham Palace.

Ian got the job in 1997, when the Queen's previous hairdresser, "Mr Charles", retired.

"He put my name forward and told her, 'there's a boy within the training academy who's good.' Of course, I wasn't a boy, I was 37, but I had long, kind of dreadlocked hair, so her first words to me, rather sternly, were, 'Can you do hair like this?' I said, 'Of course,' but I suppose I didn't really look the type of hairdresser who could do an older lady's hair! I was trained in shampoos, sets, perming and all the things she needed. So I always felt very confident doing her hair."

However, three years later, Ian left Steiner - the company that had held the Queen's royal warrant.

"To be honest, I thought I'd done it for long enough and told her I was throwing in the towel. But she asked me if I could look after her personally and so, of course, I said yes. Later she gave me her royal warrant as personal hairdresser to the Queen, and in 2017 I was made MVO [Member of the Victorian Order, a personal gift of the monarch], which was a real honour."

Ian spent a huge amount of time with the Queen, but never lost sight of his role.

"It was a very intimate job and there probably weren't many people who could touch her in such a normal way, as you just didn't touch the Queen. I enjoyed being with her and it was always an honour, but I knew my place.

"She put a huge amount of trust in me. I had to make her look good in tiaras - for Catherine and William's wedding, at the State Opening of Parliament, the Royal Variety Performance, and for all her royal tours. Although she was incredibly friendly, she was not my friend. I always knew my duty was to serve her."

Cherished Memories

So does he have a favourite tiara? "Oh it has to be the George IV diadem. She would wear it to the State Opening of Parliament. I fixed it with the occasional kirby grip but the most important thing with tiaras was getting the right balance on her head."

As a good Scot, brought up in Stirling, Ian had learnt Scottish dancing as a boy - which came in very useful up at Balmoral.

"She asked me to come and stay, to do her hair for the Ghillies' Ball. She invited me to the ball but I didn't have a kilt, so I wore my Black Watch tartan suit. The St Bernard's Waltz came on and she said, 'I'll take Ian for this dance, as he's tall enough and won't knock off my tiara.' So I whirled her round the dance floor. It was joyous."

Ian has many such treasured memories, including seeing the Queen just a couple of weeks before she died on 8 September 2022.

But what of the current state of the royal family? Ian says the Queen had been insistent that when Harry and Meghan left as working royals in spring 2020, there was no "half in/half out", but was deeply saddened by the manner of their departure, and the fallout between Princes William and Harry.

"I'd like to hope that Harry and William will speak again," says Ian, "but I'm not sure. I would say Charles is doing a great job though." But after a tough couple of years with Harry and Meghan's brickbats and the King's cancer diagnosis, he looks to the Princess of Wales as the shining star.

"Catherine is such a breath of fresh air, she's absolutely fabulous, as is the Middleton family. She and her perfect children are the future and as such the monarchy is in good hands."

✢ Ian is a director at Trevor Sorbie in Covent Garden; bookings@trevorsorbie. com, 020 7379 6901.

This feature appeared first in woman&home's November issue. Subscribe and read the latest issue on sale now.

Family time is a big deal in the Wales household and although the Prince and Princess of Wales love to get outdoors with their children, there's a cosy at-home ritual they've developed over the past month. This has become Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis's latest obsession and now Prince George is back at Forest Lodge for October half-term he can get involved too.

However, this might be his only and only time enjoying this new tradition as it sadly has to come to an end - much to Charlotte and Louis's disappointment. In his recent appearance on The Graham Norton Show Prince William briefly spoke about his children and admitted there's one TV programme they "love" watching together.

It's Celebrity Traitors, of course! The Prince of Wales explained, "I love it, the family love it. Charlotte and Louis are obsessed with it. It's really good telly." Unfortunately for these royal fans, the Celebrity Traitors final is on 30th October, bringing their family autumn routine of watching to an end - at least for now.

They're all surely going to be eagerly awaiting the start of the next series of The Traitors in 2027, but that's a long time away for excited children who are "obsessed" with the show. We still don't have an exact release date for The Traitors season 5 either so Charlotte and Louis don't even have a specific point to count down to.

At least this instalment of the celebrity version is drawing to a tense conclusion with an extra long episode.

There will be no spoilers from their dad either, as the Prince of Wales confessed that he'd tried - unsuccessfully - to persuade contestant Ross Kemp to reveal the winner at an engagement. Proving his own credentials as a fan of the show, William had also referenced a viral moment where Ross was suspicious about fellow contestant Leigh-Anne Pinnock touching his arm and if that meant he was being "killed" in plain sight.

"I saw Ross Kemp the day after the first episode and I couldn't help but try, in the most appropriate way, to touch him to see what reaction I got from him," he joked on The Graham Norton Show. "Turns out he was actually very jumpy."

Prince William loves the show as much as the rest of his family, but he seems not to be as bothered by another programme that they watch in the autumn.

Even though Celebrity Traitors is ending, at least Charlotte and Louis can still tune into Strictly Come Dancing with their mum as this continues right up to Christmas. The future King previously said the Princess of Wales "is a huge fan" and Carole Middleton also "loves it", though he's only "watched the show a couple of times".

Or at least he had at the time he revealed this at a charity gala attended by Strictly head judge Shirley Ballas in 2019. Shirley once met Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis after their mum took them to the studio as a special treat and a source claimed to The Sun, "Kate and Charlotte are huge fans of Strictly so they were delighted to be invited."

The Princess of Wales allegedly took pictures of the kids in the judges' seats and "made sure Louis didn't get over-excited".

The Prince and Princess of Wales are expected to celebrate Christmas in Norfolk as usual this year and that could bring them face-to-face with the Sussexes. Prince Harry and Meghan might spend the holidays in the US but after everything he's said about wanting to "work it out" with the royals, Christmas at Sandringham isn't off the table.

Even if they aren't there on Christmas Day, a visit would be a big step in the direction of a reconciliation and a chance for King Charles to see more of Archie and Lilibet. It would also put William and Kate in a tricky position, though woman&home magazine's Royal Editor, Emily Andrews, thinks one thing might help.

The future King and Queen uphold all the big royal traditions around Christmas but also have some of their own - and one is not actually staying at Sandringham House.

"Certainly, an invitation to spend a couple of days at Sandringham with the rest of the Royal Family - some of whom Harry is still close to - would force the issue of a fraternal reconciliation," Emily writes in our December issue. "It would be helped by the fact that the Prince and Princess of Wales do not stay at Sandringham House."

After all, why would they need to? The couple have owned Anmer Hall since 2011 and it's only a five minute drive away. Reports have claimed Sandringham House can fit 16-18 people sleeping there, so it makes sense for William, Kate and the children to go back to Anmer instead of taking up rooms that could be used by other relatives.

The tradition of staying at the hall is something William and Kate are unlikely to change at this point and they wake up there on Christmas morning.

The BBC's former royal correspondent Jennie Bond has previously suggested they, George, Charlotte and Louis "do stockings and presents and then go over to the big house for the more formal celebrations."

This separation means they can enjoy the best of both worlds - private time together as a family of five and the excitement of the full Royal Family Christmas. If Harry and Meghan did come to visit at any point, the reunion might be easier, as Emily suggests, since William and Kate could see them for a certain amount of time and then go home to Anmer.

It could help take pressure off and according to the royal expert they often have Kate's parents Michael and Carole, siblings James and Pippa and their families, to visit at Christmas too. The Middletons would be an extra source of support and having guests to stay is a reason for the Prince and Princess not to spend much time with the Sussexes if they don't want to.

It'll be up to King Charles whether or not to invite Harry and Meghan and it would spark a lot of discussion if William and Kate completely missed Christmas at Sandringham just because the Sussexes might go. Emily says His Majesty "knows that Christmas is a time for family, forgiveness and harmony", so perhaps his sons could find a way to come together this festive season, if only for a short while.

Read Emily Andrews' full feature in the December issue of woman&home, out now.

When you stop and think about it, being a working royal is a very social job and this is definitely the case for the Princess Royal, who has frequently undertaken more engagements than anyone else in the past few years. She meets so many people from different walks of life as she carries out her duties and yet she never runs out of conversation starters.

This is because Princess Anne has got a simple way to prepare for interacting with crowds or people in greeting lines and it's pretty hilarious too. Back in 1985 she appeared on the late Sir Terry Wogan's chat show, Wogan, and was asked how she thinks of something new to say. Her answer? She doesn't.

The King's sister explained that she comes up with three questions ahead of time and then sticks with them, which can sometimes make walkabouts a bit shorter too.

"It's rather like market research. You can ask everybody, literally everybody, the same questions," Anne explained, as per Express. "Like you have three questions for that afternoon, and you ask everybody the same questions. And with any luck it shortens the time involved because, if the person who's standing next to the one you're talking to is paying any attention, they'll have the answers ready for you."

This type of preparation means that the Princess always has something to say and the way she talked about it suggests they're not just blanket questions every single time. She seems to adapt each day's selection to suit the event or focus of a particular visit, so they're still somewhat tailored without getting too complicated.

As Anne told Sir Terry, it's like "market research", and she'll surely never hear exactly the same answer twice, so the prepared questions probably actually give her an interesting insight into people's perspectives as she has a point of comparison. The practicality of her method and how honest she was about it are classic Princess Anne.

She's famously no-nonsense and believes the focus should be on her job, not her, so I'd imagine her questions are linked to the reason for her visits as much as possible. There are often far too many people there to have a unique, in-depth conversation with everyone and the Princess Royal doesn't even *try* to shake hands on walkabouts.

We often see the Prince and Princess of Wales doing this but Anne once said she thinks this changes the point of a walkabout.

On the 2018 ITV documentary, Queen of the World, she said, "We never shook hands. The theory was that you couldn't shake hands with everybody, so don't start. So I kind of stick with that, but I noticed others don't."

"It's not for me to say that it's wrong, but I think the initial concept was that it was patently absurd to start shaking hands," the Princess Royal continued. "And it seems to me that it's become a shaking hands exercise rather than a walkabout if you see what I mean, so that it has changed."

She's also not a fan of people taking photographs - particularly on iPads which partially cover the one holding them. Instead of talking to them she either doesn't bother or asks them to put it down if they want to ask her something.

From Claudia Winkleman's outfits on The Traitors to new-in high-street pieces, heritage designs have been everywhere this season and this trend is great if you want to give your outfits a cosy, traditional feel. You don't have to reach for the tweed and go full-on countryside either as a simple pair of checked trousers ticks that box perfectly.

The Duchess of Edinburgh just wore wide-leg ones from Max Mara with a thick jumper and cosy beanie hat. With this simple outfit she showed exactly how easy heritage checks are to style and trousers like this make a change from jeans. They're more elevated and wide-leg silhouettes are particularly comfortable - you can even wear tights or long socks underneath in the cold.

It was clearly chilly in Finland that day as she and Prince Edward layered up for their visit to Santahamina Garrison. The trousers were the main part of Sophie's outfit you can see in pictures and they stand out with a pattern that's primarily chocolate brown.

No matter what shade you think of, brown is a must-have colour trend for this year and the Duchess's Memiro trousers also incorporated dark green and subtle brick-red tones. A lot of heritage designs have a neutral base like this and it makes them more understated and easier to wear with a bigger range of items.

Shop Duchess Sophie's Style

Monochrome options are popular and you can also get some pieces that take things a step further and include a vibrant tone like scarlet or yellow. When it comes to how to style checked trousers you can either coordinate the rest of your look with the minor colours, or keep your tops and coats more pared-back.

Duchess Sophie took this approach and wore what looks like a cosy wool or cashmere jumper, in a soft caramel colour that didn't perfectly match the brown, but complemented it. It had a chunky roll neck that poked out the top of her practical navy jacket, which I suspect was chosen more for its functionality than to fit with the outfit.

If she hadn't been in the woods, Sophie would probably have reached for a long brown or camel coat instead. Her flat boots were dark brown and she wore a snuggly light grey beanie over her blonde bob for extra warmth. Checked trousers might sound like they'd be too smart for everyday compared to jeans, but the Duchess of Edinburgh's look proves they can be dressed down too.

The print breaks up the structure a bit and softens the look. Many heritage designs are also made from fabrics with a bit more texture and this also helps with this. Sophie's trousers were crafted from wool which keeps you toasty whilst still being breathable.

Although she wore boots at Santahamina Garrison, trousers and white trainers are another great smart-casual combination, just as jeans and blazers are in the warmer months. We've seen the Duchess in this pairing plenty of times before and perhaps she'll wear it again with her checked Max Mara trousers for a more low-key engagement.

It's hard to think of Queen Elizabeth shouting at anyone but she didn't turn a blind eye when her grandchildren were up to no good. Prince William has spoken before about being given an "almighty b*********" as a child for knocking down a lamppost in a go-cart and almost squashing Zara but he saw his granny's formidable side on other occasions too.

During another stay at Balmoral Castle in 1990, the Prince sparked panic when he seemingly went missing on his pony. Lady Anne Glenconner, lady-in-waiting to his great-aunt Princess Margaret, overheard the Queen's reaction when William finally turned up and she wasn't happy…

"I peered out of the window and saw the Queen tearing a strip off Prince William who was on his pony on the drive. He must have been around eight," she claims in her memoir, Trunks & Tiaras.

At the time, Anne had no idea what had happened but Margaret spoke to the Queen and reported back that, "Prince William had been out riding with the groom and his cousins and had wheeled back from the group and returned to the castle on his own without letting anyone know."

When they'd realised the little Prince was gone, the grooms "had been frantic looking for him". As Lady Glenconner vividly put it, "You can imagine how terrified they were in case he had fallen and hit his head with no one knowing where he was."

Queen Elizabeth must've been relieved to see William was safe but like many worried grandparents and parents, wanted to make it clear that it must never happen again. As the family matriarch, her word was final and she still occasionally corrected his behaviour as an adult.

Many of us will remember her firmly telling him, "Stand up, William", during Trooping the Colour in 2016 when the Prince of Wales was bending down on the balcony to talk to George during the RAF flypast. We rarely saw the Queen scolding her family like this in public and even behind the scenes her grandkids could still enjoy getting up to *some* mischief.

The Prince of Wales gave Eugene Levy a tour of Windsor Castle when he appeared on the Canadian actor's show, The Reluctant Traveler, last year and revealed that they used to play games and chase each other in the historic St George's Hall.

"My cousins and I and the family, would chase each other up and down here and play silly games. And I remember these carpets weren't here, and there are a couple of spots where you used to have to watch out because you'd get massive splinters because the floor is old wood," he said.

The Prince of Wales didn't mention how Queen Elizabeth felt about him and his cousins running about the castle, though we know Prince Philip used to get into "trouble" with her for *his* way of keeping their grandchildren entertained.

In BBC's 2021 documentary, Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers, William described a childhood game involving a tube of mustard which Philip would put in their hands - "and then he'd squish your hands together to fire the mustard onto the ceiling". No wonder the Queen wasn't a fan!

The ongoing speculation over whether Prince William and Prince Harry will ever mend their relationship is exhausting at this point - and it's hard to think what can be done or *who* could be the one to help. Some people might look to the Princess of Wales to encourage peace between her husband and brother-in-law.

In the past, Princess Eugenie was also seen as someone who could bridge the gap between her cousins, but it's now been suggested that someone more surprising stepped in too. Writing in woman&home's December issue, magazine Royal Editor Emily Andrews describes how Harry has "always been close to Zara and Mike Tindall".

She's been told "Mike repeatedly tried to broker reconciliation between the brothers by inviting both of them to dinner or drinks - or just to knock heads over a beer."

"It came to naught," Emily continues. "And Mike recently made a quip about a time long ago 'when Harry was fun', perhaps implying how he feels about the Duke now."

The retired rugby star's comment was made at the 2026 Hay Festival during a talk with his The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast co-hosts. While joking about people embarrassing themselves at his wedding he apparently quipped, "A lot of other people managed that way better than you - [like] Harry, when he was fun".

As Emily notes, this might suggest that the once-tight relationship between Mike and Harry has also grown more distant in recent years. However, it's interesting to hear that he allegedly tried to help bring Harry and William back together behind-the-scenes.

Seeing each other in an informal setting, with another person there as a buffer sounds like a gentler option for the brothers. It could also have helped that it was Mike extending the invites rather than Zara, as he's married into the Royal Family and so has a different perspective on things and is separate from their historic dynamics.

I can certainly see why Mike Tindall might have "repeatedly" hoped it would work. Sadly, it doesn't seem to have happened and Emily expresses her belief that "in reality, it's likely to be up to the King to knock [his sons'] heads" together.

Mike and Zara Tindall are expected to spend the festive period with King Charles at Sandringham House again this year and everyone is waiting to see if the Sussexes will make an appearance at any point.

If they're there on Christmas Day it would be the first time Harry and Meghan have reunited publicly with the wider family since Queen Elizabeth's funeral. The couple didn't attend Zara's brother Peter Phillips' wedding in June, which was the last time we saw the Royal Family all come together.

The Sussexes didn't confirm whether they'd been invited or not, though reports claimed Peter hadn't spoken with his cousin in "years". Zara is also said to have a very different relationship with Prince Harry now then she used to when they were growing up. Royal expert Duncan Larcombe claimed in Woman earlier this year that he understands "they have barely spoken" since Harry met and married Meghan.

"Not only are they said to have drifted apart, but the old close friendship they once enjoyed has, I understand, almost entirely evaporated," he continued.

The Duke of Sussex divides opinion whenever he talks about his experience growing up in the Royal Family and his memoir Spare was particularly controversial. In it, he condemned the way he was allegedly treated as the "spare" to Prince William as "heir" and now royal photographer Arthur Edwards has suggested the difference between their places in the succession was made clear from very early on.

Ahead of the release of his new book, Cup of Tea, Arthur?, he sat down with The Telegraph and recalled a beach trip in Norfolk in 1986 when their nanny was "making a big fuss" of Prince William "as usual".

His two-year-old brother was then reportedly told by a protection officer, "Come here, Harry. I'll build you a sandcastle. It's the only bleeding castle you're ever likely to get."

Even though he was so young when this comment was supposedly made, this moment seems to indicate that from the beginning Prince Harry was very aware that he was the second son and what this meant. In his memoir, he stated his belief that he was "the shadow, the support, the Plan B" in case "something happened to Willy."

Everything he's said in recent years - and the title of the book itself - highlights how much this feeling has shaped Harry's life and his relationship with The Firm and its systems. His and Meghan's decision to step back as senior royals was the ultimate breakaway from this and maybe from the early days these seeds were already planted.

When the Sussexes did make that leap, the Princess of Wales also reportedly felt there was a certain amount of inevitability to it. Writing in William & Catherine, royal expert Russell Myers claimed, "Sources suggest Catherine had less interest than her husband in trying to persuade Harry to stay in his current role."

He went on, "She believed William and Harry's fundamental differences as 'heir and the spare' had created the inevitability of Harry wanting more from his role than being a bit-part player."

A former senior courtier also suggested to Myers that if you're born anything other than first like Prince William, you're "on a different path and it is almost impossible, barring family tragedy, to change those dynamics".

The personal dynamics between the King's sons remains a huge source of scrutiny too and although the Sussexes are back living in the UK, Harry and William aren't believed to have met face-to-face since the big move. Nevertheless, photographer Arthur Edwards is hopeful that things could be better for Harry in Britain.

"He might not be the knight in shining armour at the moment, but knowing him he'll bounce back. People have got short memories," he declared. "I think, hopefully, if he just stops writing books and Meghan stops making horrible jam, and they start working a bit for the family, I think things could change."

The Princess of Wales is Prince William's biggest cheerleader but she might be cheering him on from the side-lines once again this November when the Earthshot Prize travels to Mumbai. The Prince of Wales will be there for several days and Kate's joined him for the awards ceremony several times before, though right now her attendance for this year's event isn't confirmed.

We last saw her walking the 'green' carpet in Boston in 2022 and sadly I think it's looking increasingly unlikely that she'll be going to India. Speaking recently during a visit to East Anglia's Children's Hospices' Café 98, Kate apparently made a remark about her children that - to me - suggests she'll be missing Earthshot again.

As reported by Hello!, after a child told the Princess it was his last day of school before October half-term, she replied, "My children break up tomorrow and I can't wait to have them all home."

The future Queen is said to have been particularly excited about seeing 13-year-old Prince George after his first month boarding at Eton. Denise Ashton, who met Kate at the café, claimed afterwards, "She said she's looking forward to George coming home - she's missed him."

The Prince and Princess of Wales usually pause royal duties during school holidays and although half-term will be over when the Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony takes place, this is a reminder of how committed the couple are to being hands-on parents. Prince William has openly said they're his "priority" and he and Kate try as much as possible to ensure one of them is home.

In 2023, she didn't go with William to Singapore for the awards and it's widely believed this was because she wanted to be at home to support George, who was taking exams.

The next year the Princess had only just completed cancer treatment and in 2025 it was reported that she stayed behind again to be with the kids. Her comments at Café 98 reinforce how hands-on Kate is and how much she loves being a mum, so it's hard to imagine her flying halfway across the world for several days, leaving Charlotte and Louis in Windsor.

They're still probably getting used to life without George at home and according to royal commentator Katie Nicholl, the Princess wants trips to work for the whole family.

"She likes to do the school run and all those things," she alleged earlier this year. "From my conversations with aides, once a royal trip or engagement is planned, the first thing they ask before looking at the itinerary is, 'How does this work for us as a family?'"

"Being a royal mother has changed dramatically. For women like the Princess of Wales, family now comes before everything else, and Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are growing up in a totally different age," the expert continued.

The Earthshot Prize is Prince William's project and they've already proved it works well for her to remain in the UK with the children whilst he attends the awards in person. The rest of the family can watch at home and he'll be joined by plenty of famous faces, including Academy Award winning actor Rami Malek, Bridgerton's Simone Ashley and Earthshot Ambassadors Robert Irwin and Nomzamo Mbatha.

Queen Letizia of Spain's signature style blends sophistication and comfort so beautifully and yet her outfits can sometimes be overlooked compared to those of the Princess of Wales or Queen Mary of Denmark. I often find myself looking to her for inspiration and on a recent visit she stepped out in what was actually quite a casual outfit and looked incredibly chic.

Letizia went to Llanes in Asturias wearing a pair of £39.99 flared jeans with a biscuit-toned polo jumper and a white shirt. In the same way Princess Catherine champions British clothing brands, the Queen of Spain loves supporting Spanish brands and Mango is one of her go-tos for affordable staples like these jeans.

Shop Queen Letizia's Outfit

They also come in black and have a high-rise design that's particularly flattering if you want to accentuate your waist. Hers were deep blue and this colour naturally has less variation in the wash than lighter denim, giving it a smarter edge.

Everyone's autumn/winter wardrobe needs a great pair of comfortable jeans that you can dress up and down for different occasions and flares are a little different. Letizia's flares had quite a relaxed leg shape, though you can get some like this style from M&S I bought early this autumn which are more streamlined and fitted at the top and this works so well with chunkier wool and cashmere jumpers.

The Queen of Spain loosely tucked her Hugo Boss polo jumper into her jeans for a smart-casual effect and it was a soft brown tone. Chocolate brown is a must-have colour for autumn but lighter shades are equally versatile and the sweater was a lovely contrast against Letizia's dark blue denim.

In pictures taken during her visit to Llanes - newly-crowned 2026 Best Asturian Village - you can see that she layered her knitwear over a plain white fitted shirt. The two collars stacked up together nicely, though if I was recreating a similar look I'd probably go for a thermal vest or T-shirt underneath instead.

This way, the half-button polo would be more visible and this design detail also adds a more casual edge to knitwear. Queen Letizia wore a navy blue belted trench by Hugo Boss over the top at another point in the day and she went for practical cleated shoes.

These were by outdoor brand Verhunt and they had a rounded toe and sturdy block heel. Chestnut leather ankle boots would be a gorgeous alternative and also practical for the unpredictable weather conditions this time of year.

The beauty of denim is that it goes with everything and with a neutral knit you also get a lot of versatility, so the styling possibilities are endless. Queen Letizia could easily have gone for heeled boots and a blazer or longline coat over the top to take this from an understated daytime look to a low-key evening outfit.

You can also make this wintry combination even cosier by opting for a thicker jumper, but if you stick with timeless shapes and neutral colours like the Queen of Spain did, your ensemble will always look sophisticated.

Prince William's appearance on Friday's Earthshot edition of The Graham Norton Show might've been focused on environmentalism but he still found time to slip in a few personal anecdotes. This included his childhood dream to become a policeman and the "phase" when he wanted to become a DJ "which didn't go very well".

The future King even came up with a name - DJ Xara - but specified it was "with an X". Even with this tiny change of spelling, it's still essentially his cousin Zara Tindall's first name and there are endless other options William could've picked instead. This suggests that it could've been an intentional tribute to Zara and her grounding influence continues to shape the Prince of Wales to this day.

Princess Anne's daughter has never been a working royal and woman&home magazine's Royal Editor Emily Andrews believes she's mastered the "royal balancing act". In our March issue, she described how Zara and Mike Tindall's "glamour, modernity and, crucially, loyalty to their royal relations bestow a positive glow back" on the Royal Family.

Meanwhile, royal expert Robert Jobson recently claimed to the Daily Mail that Zara "can tell the heir to the throne he is being pompous" and "he takes it" - because she knew him "before he was a headline".

Her perspective on things as a royal with a career outside The Firm is invaluable to him and from the sounds of it, she is one person who will tell Prince William how it is and be truly honest with him. When he ascends the throne it will likely be even more important for him to have someone in his family like this.

Even though Zara is low down in the royal line of succession herself she's very much in the Prince and Princess of Wales's inner circle and this surely makes her very influential on the monarchy and its future. Zara Tindall is the only royal to have been made a godparent to any of the Wales children (she is George's godmother) which reinforces this idea that she is hugely respected by her cousin.

She might play the same down-to-earth role in his life and it's already clear when the Wales and Tindall families are out together that they are all very relaxed around each other. As well as being a source of support and grounding honesty, Zara and Mike are known for their sense of fun.

According to Mike Tindall, who spoke with Emily Andrews earlier this year, they and Kate play prosecco pong together. Possibly William joins in too, though he didn't name him - "I knew that the Princess of Wales was uber competitive because I'd seen her play a drinking game called beer pong, but normally we play prosecco pong! She still plays it with us."

Neither of the Tindalls take themselves too seriously and I can imagine Zara finding Prince William's back-in-the-day DJ name hilarious and giving her very candid verdict on his skills on the decks. His career as Prince of Wales couldn't be more different and yet his cousin is still there playing her unique part in royal life.

Even though navy blue is considered a neutral, it's a colour that many of us find tricky to style and often avoid compared to black or grey. However, as we head further into autumn/winter and want to embrace a few more seasonal shades, navy can really come into its own.

Zara Tindall is a big fan of blue in general and when she braved the rain at Cheltenham on 24th October she championed navy and burgundy as an underrated colour combination. Dark reds are always popular this time of year and primary colours always look fabulous when styled together.

The King's niece reached for a cashmere jumper by Karen Millen with a roll-neckline and long sleeves that she cleverly tucked into her navy leather gloves.

Shop Zara Tindall's Style

The deep red knit was a rich contrast against her blue herringbone Veronica Beard blazer and trousers, which had threads of purple and navy running through it. Zara picked up the red again with drop earrings, headpiece and her crossbody bag from one of her favourite British clothing brands, Fairfax & Favor.

Her boots were a sumptuous navy blue velvet and everything about this outfit for The William Hill Showcase horse racing meeting was elegant and put-together. Like the chocolate brown colour trend that's everywhere right now, navy is a softer alternative to black and is still very versatile.

It doesn't take over an outfit and means you can have more fun with the other colours you're wearing without worrying about making too much of a statement.

Burgundy is bolder and screams autumn-winter, so styling these two together is an easy way to give your outfit a seasonal yet sophisticated edge. If you're more of a fan of merlot reds, then you can wear more of this colour and add just a subtle hint of navy through accessories.

Zara Tindall's leather gloves are a gorgeous example of this and she's worn so many variations of navy and burgundy outfits over the past few years, particularly for days out to watch horse racing. Although the equestrian royal went for a suit on this occasion (a sensible choice for a freezing, stormy day), she's shown that this shade combination works just as well with jackets and skirts too.

You can also adjust things to make your style slightly more casual than Zara's outfit, swapping tailoring for indigo jeans or heeled boots for flat knee-highs and layering a chunkier coat over the top.

To get that same elegant feel, I'd recommend sticking to those two shades as much as possible rather than incorporating a lot of other tones.

Navy blue will be the neutral that grounds your look and keeping to just a few colours in one outfit tends to look understated and chic. It's something we see royals doing a lot and the contrast of navy and burgundy does all the talking anyway.

The Prince and Princess of Wales often like taking a range of photos to mark special moments and holding some back to share later. This is what they did when Kate completed the National Three Peaks Challenge in the summer and we've now been treated to another family portrait in honour of Mountain Rescue Awareness Day.

The royal couple and their children got to meet local mountain rescue teams and thank them in person for all the work they do to help keep walkers and climbers safe all year round. They all posed for the picture which was shared alongside a heartfelt message from Kate and William.

This is the first photo of George since he started at Eton and although it looks relatively candid, there are clues that suggest otherwise. The Prince and Princess of Wales's way of presenting their children to the world is thought-out - and for a good reason.

Even if you only quickly glance at the picture you'll notice how coordinated Prince George, Charlotte and Louis are. The Princess and her younger brother are dressed in navy jumpers and Adidas trainers, though there are tie-ins with George's outfit too.

His Gola trainers have a similar rubber sole and although his knit is grey, it's got a button-up style like Louis's does. All three Wales kids are also wearing straight leg jeans in the same mid-blue wash, creating a sense of cohesion between them that photographs beautifully.

Perhaps George, Charlotte and Louis did naturally gravitate towards these pieces and the coordination was a happy coincidence. However, since plenty of photos were taken I think it's more likely that thought went into how the family would look together.

Writing in her new book, Catherine & Diana, royal expert Ingrid Seward suggests the future Queen is particularly focused on shielding her kids from the media attention William once faced.

"In return for photographers allowing the children a measure of privacy, the Waleses have ensured that images of George, Charlotte and Louis are released on a regular, predictable basis, but always on their terms, and always when and how Catherine chooses to showcase them," she says, adding, "The difference now is that Catherine controls the lens herself, or whatever professional she might allow."

Ingrid went on to remark, "The resultant photographs are her way of presenting the children as she wants them to be seen, unthreatened by the circus that once engulfed their father."

She also reflected upon how traditionally the children were dressed when they were younger, claiming that this choice served as a "reminder that these are small children, not public property". Perhaps there is still something they consider when George, Charlotte and Louis are dressing for occasions when William and Kate know they're going to be photographed.

Each picture of the family we see is carefully thought-out, even if it is more low-key, and this makes sense if the Prince and Princess of Wales are wanting to protect their kids from public scrutiny and not reveal too much. That's not to say that snaps like the new one don't come across as relaxed, just a bit more measured.

After all, it is technically an official photo posted as part of Kate and William's work, as they thanked everyone in the mountain rescue community for their "unwavering commitment, courage and service".

Prince Edward and Duchess Sophie are key working royals but their children aren't expected to follow in their footsteps. King Charles and Prince William are believed to be keen on streamlining the monarchy and adding two more people to the payroll wouldn't exactly fit this vision.

This means Lady Louise and her brother will have to make their own way in the world and she's already mastered a useful skill with Sophie's help. According to the Daily Mail, she reportedly worked for several weeks this summer cooking for guests renting lodges on King Charles's Scottish estate.

"She's incredibly low-key and discreet. I only know because she cooked for a friend who rang me up [in surprise] to tell me about it," a source who's known her for many years claimed. "Louise is a really good cook - it's something she inherits from her mother. They do it together a lot."

Having your meals cooked for you by the King's niece was probably a surreal experience for many guests and it's interesting to hear that Louise is not only great at it, but does it with her mum. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh reportedly advertised for a chef a few years ago, so it seems they don't make all their own meals.

However, Sophie clearly loves spending time in the kitchen and in 2020 shared a video where she baked cheese and bacon scones at home in support of Girl Guiding and Children in Need.

It's possible she and Louise have baked the same scones together over the years and the Duchess has also said in the past that she and Prince Philip used to chat about cooking. Philip was incredibly close with Louise too and took charge of barbequing when the royals were in Scotland.

Perhaps he also inspired her to learn to cook, as his other grandchildren remember his grilling skills fondly.

"Every barbecue that I've ever been on, the Duke of Edinburgh has been there cooking…we go on barbecues and there's no chef, there's no anyone else," Prince William said in Prince Philip: The Royal Family Remembers. "He's definitely a dab hand [at it]."

Lady Louise seems to enjoy cooking as a wholesome hobby with Sophie, though it's also a vital skill for her. Private chefs don't sound like her style and hiring one would depend a lot on her future income too. It makes sense for her to just cook her own meals and Louise and James, Earl of Wessex have been raised to expect to have a job outside The Firm.

"We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living," the Duchess of Edinburgh once said. "Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles. They have them and can decide to use them from 18, but I think it's highly unlikely."

Neither ended up making this choice so Lady Louise and James's futures will look a lot different to the lives Duchess Sophie and Prince Edward are leading now.

At this point I'm pretty happy with my knitwear collection and even though that doesn't mean I've stopped eyeing up the best cashmere jumpers, it's what to wear them with that I'm considering right now. Jeans are a staple option for so many of us, but sometimes we want something a little more elegant to take us from day to night.

That's when leather trousers often come in and Zara Tindall's faux leather skirt is another lovely option. Made by British clothing brand House of Bruar, this £75 piece comes in two colours and the King's niece wore the brown one to Qatar Racing British Champions Day on 17th October.

Shop Zara's Style

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Black leather skirts or trousers can sometimes look quite statement or smart for the daytime and brown is a softer alternative. Chocolate brown is also a must-have colour trend for autumn 2026 and it's one that will never truly go out of style as it's so timeless and easy to wear.

Zara chose a midi-length design with an A-line silhouette, which had a feminine feel and draped beautifully over the top of her knee-high boots. However, pencil skirts are also having a moment right now and they're particularly great with a chunky jumper over the top as the sleekness balances the sweater.

Longer leather or faux leather skirts naturally look quite elevated and yet they can be styled with far more casual pieces as well as formal items like Zara's. The professional equestrian always dresses smartly when she's attending horse races and opted for heeled brown suede boots, Fairfax & Favor Sybil jacket and a white blouse.

She matched her accessories to the colour of her skirt and carried the Fairfax & Favor Connie bag and belted her waist with their suede Sennowe belt. This helped give her ensemble an extra sense of cohesion and refinement.

Brown and black skirts are easiest to coordinate with, though I own a forest green faux leather one that I wear a lot with neutrals and there are plenty of other wintery colours around right now. To make a skirt like Zara Tindall's more low-key, style it with either a fitted jumper tucked in or a thicker one left loose.

Tights and flat boots also dress things down and you can go for ankle-length or taller styles. Knee-high boots are my favourite with longer hemlines as they accentuate the flowing silhouette and are very leg-elongating.

Nowadays we regularly see Zara wearing long boots with skirts and dresses and her signature style is slightly more relaxed compared to working royals like the Princess of Wales and Duchess Sophie.

So many elements of her Qatar Racing British Champions Day outfit could be recreated and the faux leather skirt is a staple that would work for everything from enjoying a Sunday roast with friends to an autumnal date night. This style is a step up from jeans and a jumper without compromising on comfort or versatility.

The Princess of Wales is best known for using clothes to make a statement, particularly at big events like the recent State Visit of the Sultan of Oman, where she wore green as a nod to the Omani flag. However, she also does this more subtly through her jewellery and I think she might've just done it again in East Anglia on 22nd October.

The future Queen visited The Treehouse in Suffolk to see the exceptional care provided by her patronage, East Anglia's Children Hospices and later met volunteers at Café 98 which raises vital funds for EACH. Kate dressed simply but stylishly for these important engagements, opting for a Victoria Beckham olive suit and grey turtleneck.

She added a touch of sparkle with green amethyst pear drop earrings which she wore in one of her most moving appearances.

In September 2024 the Princess of Wales announced she had completed cancer treatment in a video shot by Will Warr and in certain scenes she can be seen walking in the countryside wearing these earrings and her floral Veronica Beard dress. Green amethysts are associated with renewal, growth and harmony, making these earrings the perfect, meaningful choice.

Given how much thought goes into everything Kate wears, this might not have been coincidental. Royal author Ingrid Seward suggests in her new book, Catherine & Diana, that the Princess has been wearing "healing" stone jewellery even more since 2024.

"Particularly since her year battling cancer, she has frequently chosen gemstone jewellery with 'healing' stones, including lapis lazuli, blue topaz and red garnet - her birthstone," she notes.

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Each of these have meanings traditionally associated with them and whenever Kate wears these stones it could be seen as a special nod to her focusing on positive, calming and rejuvenating things at this time in her life.

The Princess has particularly loved green amethyst for many years and owns several pairs, including one that she allegedly received from Prince William as a present when Charlotte was born in 2015. Perhaps the drops she wore in East Anglia make her feel a similar connection to her daughter as well as to the renewal symbolism and reminding her of the milestone of finishing treatment.

The morning was spent meeting children, families, staff and volunteers at The Treehouse as she learnt how EACH supports them through different stages.

Then at Café 98 Kate saw the welcoming space that has been created to bring local people together and both visits were all about family, support and community. These things have always been incredibly important to the Princess of Wales, but particularly after such a challenging 2024.

She and Prince William have been prioritising family time more than ever and she's eased back into a full schedule of engagements. Sending a message with her jewellery as she undertakes these duties is something that might not be intentional, though Kate knows the positive impact her style can have and likes using fashion in this meaningful way.

From the moment he was born Prince William's royal destiny was set out for him but that didn't stop him dreaming of other career paths anyway. In a new appearance on BBC's The Graham Norton Show airing 23rd October the Prince of Wales was asked if he had ever wanted to be something other than King. His response?

"I did want to be a policeman when I was younger, I thought I could make a good one," William admits. "And then I went through a phase of wanting to be a DJ - I wasn't very good."

His ambitions never became reality (though it sounds like he attempted DJ-ing at least once), though they say a lot about who Prince William is at his core. The wish to work as a policeman in particular looks like it could've been inspired by his remarkable grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.

If there's one thing many people agree on when it comes to the late monarch it was that her sense of duty was what drove her. In the Queen Elizabeth, Her Story, Our Centenary documentary earlier this year, Queen Camilla said she doesn't think she's "seen anybody have a sense of duty like" her mother-in-law had.

Although being a police officer is different to being a working royal in so many ways, it also requires immense dedication and living your life to help others. Police officers also serve the nation and Prince William's early dream of being a "good" policeman could show that even from a young age he was being inspired by the Queen's approach.

His "phase" of wanting to be a DJ might have been a brief moment of wanting to be free from the traditions of royal life and do something radical, but ultimately the sense of duty ran deep. The Prince of Wales pursued a military career and then worked as a helicopter pilot for the East Anglian Air Ambulance until 2017.

It was only then that he stepped back to become a full-time working royal and each of these jobs reflects the same desire to serve and help people that Queen Elizabeth had. We've already seen the signs that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have inherited it too.

Back in 2018 the Prince of Wales attended a reception in honour of Scotland Yard and reportedly told then-Police Commissioner Jayne Richardson, "[George] is obsessed, actually, by the police… cars, toys, everything." Meanwhile, in the past it's been claimed that Charlotte expressed an interest in nursing and Louis in working as a fighter pilot.

There's definitely a similar theme there, though Prince William would surely also be immensely proud if they championed conservation causes like him and King Charles.

The dad-of-three joins Graham Norton on the iconic red sofa alongside Cate Blanchett, Hannah Waddingham and Robert Irwin for a special Earthshot Prize edition of the show ahead of the 2026 awards ceremony in November.

"I thought we could do something more powerful and more optimistic and the idea of an awards' ceremony came about and we could talk about urgency and optimism together. It's all about getting excited," William declares. "There are some amazing people out there doing things to protect the world. We could really highlight what is being done and scale them to the next level to have more impact around the world."

The Graham Norton Show, BBC One, Friday 23rd October 10.40pm. Also available on BBC iPlayer.

King Charles and Princess Diana's marriage was heavily scrutinised from the very beginning and the interest went into overdrive following his admission of adultery in 1994 and her controversial Panorama interview in 1995. These painted a certain picture of their relationship and many people came to a conclusion that Diana found "hurtful".

Over the years reports have claimed that King Charles in particular was never truly in love with his former wife, but in Catherine & Diana Ingrid Seward describes a conversion she had with the Princess just a few weeks before her death.

"When I sat with her for the last time in 1997 on that sultry summer day in the drawing room of apartments 8 and 9 Kensington Palace, she was adamant I should know how much she and Charles had once loved each other," the royal expert claims.

According to Ingrid, the late Princess told her, "It is so important the boys know that. It's very hurtful to our children when people say we didn't love each other."

"As the loving mother she was, Diana said she always considered her sons' feelings," the royal author adds.

King Charles and Princess Diana were married for 11 years before they separated and Ingrid Seward describes a particularly romantic gift he got her when they were engaged. He bought a charm bracelet, which he apparently "started off" with a koala.

The expert reflects that he added to it for "each birthday or special moment in their first years together" and "even commissioned a solid gold powder compact, an item of great beauty". Other charms reportedly included their sons' initials and St Paul's Cathedral where they tied the knot.

Details like this probably aren't the first thing that springs to people's minds when they think of Charles and Diana and yet they are no doubt treasured by their sons.

The Princess's wish for William and Harry to "know" how much she and their father once loved each other is heart-wrenching and whilst they rarely discuss their parents' relationship publicly, William has spoken about their happy times as a family.

"I think it's really important that that atmosphere is created at home, you have to have that feeling of warmth, security, love that all has to be there," he said on The Reluctant Traveler last year. "And that was certainly part of my childhood. My parents got divorced [when he was] 8, so that lasted a short period of time but you take that and you learn from it."

He even tries to recreate certain experiences he had with Princess Diana and King Charles for Prince George, Charlotte and Louis, like the trips they took to the Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall.

"I used to come here a lot when I was younger. My parents brought us down here and it is a place like no other," William said on Heart Breakfast in May. "The children can go where they want, it's completely safe. It's beautiful. The water is crystal clear. There's so much to do down here for a family. It's fantastic."

There's no denying that brown is the must-have colour for autumn 2026 and even though the Duchess of Edinburgh loves styling bright shades, some of my favourite outfits she wears are far more neutral. This includes an off-duty look from 2022 when Sophie attended the National Shire Horse Show wearing head-to-toe earthy tones.

Four years later this style is more on trend than ever and the Duchess started out with a cold weather staple - a chunky jumper. Hers had a ribbed roll-neck and a matching ribbed hemline which accentuated the cosy feel. Instead of tucking it into her jeans, the King's sister-in-law left it draped over the top and this is a chic approach when you've got a thicker or longer jumper.

Shop Sophie's Style

It's also even easier than arranging the perfect French tuck and Duchess Sophie was wearing skinny jeans so the contrast between the fitted denim and loose knit was perfect. Going for more streamlined jeans, trousers or skirts with oversized sweaters and vice versa helps to balance out your frame.

The Duchess's jeans were a soft khaki-brown tone that complemented the richer chocolate colour of her jumper. Earthy greens and chocolate are big autumn/winter fashion colour trends but they're so timeless that you know they'll never really go out of style and can be paired with a huge range of other items.

Sophie chose to stick to the pared-back theme at the horse show and styled her jeans and jumper with dark brown flat knee-high boots.

These look like they could be the Reginas by British clothing brand Fairfax & Favor and even though I'm not a huge fan of skinny jeans, their shape does work best for tucking into tall boots like this.

However, you could still achieve this with straight-leg designs and on really cold days you can even wear wide-leg jeans or trousers over the top. Duchess Sophie's footwear was suede and the key to making an all neutral outfit feel a bit more multi-dimensional and interesting is incorporating different textures.

The soft boots, smooth denim and knitted jumper all added definition in their own ways and corduroy and leather would have a similar effect. The Duchess layered a camel mid-length coat over the top and left it open in the March sunshine, though it was clearly still chilly - rather like the autumn weather we're experiencing now.

Although I love incorporating pops of colour into my seasonal outfits, Sophie's outfit is a reminder that sticking with neutrals can be just as stunning. It's also just a lot simpler and you can mix and match different pieces together with ease.

Earthy, warm-toned greens and browns still feel autumnal and tie in with trends, though you can also wear them in sunny weather and throughout winter and into spring without them looking out of place. We often still see the Duchess and other royals like the Princess of Wales reaching for variations on this 2022 outfit, especially when they're outdoors, as green and brown tie in with the colours around them and give their style more of a countryside feel.

The colder it gets, the more layers I reach for and this can sometimes leave me feeling like my outfits don't have a huge amount of shape. The same can be true with cosy jumper dresses and yet there's an easy way to accentuate your waist and it works for so many different looks.

The Princess of Wales and Zara Tindall just stepped out within days of each other and both used the same trick to enhance their style - a waist belt. The future Queen has been loving the brown colour trend recently but she switched things up and wore a gorgeous emerald midi on day 1 of the Sultan of Oman's State Visit on 20th October.

This Norma Kamali dress was high-necked, long-sleeved and had a wide built-in belt above the flowing midi-length skirt.

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A chunky belt like Kate's immediately draws the eye and creates that smooth cinched-in look, even if it's only loosely fastened. However, you can also achieve this waist-flattering effect with a more delicate belt and this is exactly what Zara did at Qatar Racing British Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse on 17th October.

She championed one of her favourite British clothing brands, Fairfax & Favour, and wore their Sennowe suede belt over her Sybil tweed jacket. This design is more streamlined and minimal than the one on the Princess of Wales's dress, but it still added a lovely amount of definition.

The colour contrast helped with this too, as the equestrian royal chose a deep chocolate belt over a lighter beige jacket. Shade-matching your belt to your outfit can be tricky if the accessory isn't part of the actual design, though it does look incredibly polished.

Alternatively, I'd recommend going for a neutral tone like black, brown or tan which will complement the widest variety of shades. That way you can get a lot of wear out of them and the beauty of belts is that they're one of the most affordable types of accessories. Kate particularly loves pairing hers with thicker coats and this is where the extra structure can be most needed.

In the past she's gone for chunky black buckle belts that will fit neatly over the top whilst Zara tends to always reach for slim belts like her Ascot one. Whichever width you prefer, leather and suede accessories bring textural contrast and you can easily adjust the fit to ensure your belts sit at the perfect point when worn with different pieces.

Earlier in October in Belfast the Princess of Wales cleverly used an old favourite Ralph Lauren belt to subtly conceal the point where her ruffled white blouse was tucked into her Emilia Wickstead tartan skirt. There were no handy belt loops on the waistband so the positioning was immaculate and it made everything feel put-together.

Although it looks so chic, styling belts with separates like this can take a bit more time and I'm personally more into the idea of throwing on a belt with thicker fabrics and looser silhouettes. That way you still get the cosiness and comfort, as well as a waist-defining shape.

The Prince and Princess of Wales started a new tradition of taking a pre-State Banquet photo together last year and they didn't disappoint this time around as the royals welcomed the Sultan of Oman to Britain. This time, the future King and Queen's portrait was taken by photographer Greg Williams and it showed them standing in the centre of a magnificent staircase.

For a moment I wondered whether this could've been our first tantalising glimpse of Forest Lodge, but it was actually snapped at Frogmore House. Since the banquet was at Windsor Castle this would've meant going to Frogmore first and it's interesting that they chose to take this extra step rather than be photographed at home.

All these residences are on the Windsor estate so it wouldn't have taken loads of time, though it shows that Prince William and Kate aren't messing around when it comes to privacy. Outside of a few videos filmed in specific rooms during the pandemic, they've never shared pictures of their home and they're standing firm on this.

It makes sense, as they spend so much of their time being photographed and scrutinised and Forest Lodge is a safe haven away from all that. The Prince and Princess have drawn a clear line between their public roles and their private family life and although State Banquets are undeniably glamorous, they are part of their work.

Taking a pre-banquet picture at home would blur those lines. Prince Harry and Meghan have been vehement about wanting privacy for their own family, but also share quite a bit of their home life on her Instagram page, sparking a lot of discussion about this balance already.

There's another subtle link to the Sussexes in this new picture, as Frogmore House was where they had their wedding reception. Earlier this year, the Duchess posted snaps from their big day taken by Chris Allerton and now William and Kate have taken an official portrait there.

It couldn't have looked more regal too, as the Princess was wearing the Lover's Knot Tiara and she and William had on their respective honours and sashes. This is a powerful image that screams royalty, duty and tradition.

They could've chosen to take their photo at Windsor Castle if they didn't want to show their home, so going for Frogmore House instead feels significant. It could remind people how much has changed since Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding and that William and Kate are still here as working royals.

Even though it takes us behind-the-scenes before a State Banquet, it doesn't reveal too much and is low-key yet still poised. This epitomes the Waleses' approach, as they respect long-standing customs whilst taking steps to modernise the monarchy.

Emily Andrews, woman&home's royal correspondent, described the future Queen's skill at not oversharing during an episode of her Catching Up With The Royals podcast earlier this year.

"The public Catherine is quite reserved and quite formal and very warm with the kiddies…but she's not going to give you too much," she told co-host Revd Richard Coles. "The private Kate is quite different. Very warm, very friendly, and got a great sense of humour."

The Princess of Wales had already dazzled in one colour from Oman's national flag ahead of the State Banquet on 20th October, so I was fully prepared to see her step out in a gorgeous white or red gown to continue the theme. Instead, Kate took her style in a totally different direction and attended the event in a lemon yellow Elie Saab frock.

The flowing cape sleeves, fitted bodice and graceful high neckline are all classic Kate details, but this was the first time she's ever worn yellow to a State Banquet before. It was so striking and she accessorised with a glimmering gold Anya Hindmarch clutch and her favourite Queen Mary's Lover's Knot Tiara.

The Princess's bright gown seemed to glow in the opulent surroundings of Windsor Castle and had a similar effect as when she wore her purple dress to the Digger film premiere. Both times, she sent a subtle message to the Sussexes on where things stand.

The State Banquet for Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said of Oman was held the same evening that Prince Harry's latest interview discussing the royals was released. In it, the Princess's brother-in-law told GQ that "with everything else that's going on in the world, the most important thing is to reconcile".

Although Kate probably wouldn't have known about the interview in advance, her choice of outfit was nonetheless very powerful. Yellow is associated with happiness, optimism and confidence and she seemed totally at ease at the banquet, exemplifying the image of a future Queen.

In a recent issue of Woman magazine, Royal Editor Emily Andrews remarked on how the Princess's purple evening gown at the premiere was equally regal - and significant.

"While at first sight it may have seemed like a standard royal engagement - William and Kate attending the Royal Film Performance, a charity fundraiser - this, alongside a significant uptick in public appearances, sends a secret message to Meghan and Harry," she claimed.

A source also alleged that the Prince and Princess of Wales are "of course" sending a message - "This is how you do real royalty, so back off with your pale imitation."

Even though Prince Harry's interview with GQ has received some attention, it's William and Kate at the Oman State Banquet that has arguably stolen the show. Her outfit is already much-talked about and stepping out in a dress that radiates happiness, a tiara that was once loved by Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth's Greville Diamond Chandelier Earrings is peak regal.

Attending State Banquets is part of the job when you're a working royal and she undertook her duties with poise. Prince Harry and Meghan have never been to one together and as they're no longer working royals they're unlikely to be invited, so this was a clear reminder once again of how much things have changed and where things stand in terms of their royal positions.

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Princess Margaret had pretty luxurious tastes and enjoyed her royal life to the fullest, including taking a six-week long honeymoon on the Royal Yacht Britannia. So it might come as a surprise to discover that Queen Elizabeth's younger sister wasn't keen on a drink most of us associate with celebrations and pushing the boat out.

Sipping champagne wasn't for Margaret, according to her former Lady-in-Waiting, Anne Glenconner. In her new book, Trunks & Tiaras, she describes how "a list of questions" would be passed to her "well in advance" of Margaret's visits so hosts could have all the Princess's favourite things ready for her.

"They'd want to know what she'd like to drink, to which the answer was gin and tonic at lunchtime and whisky and soda in the evening. Grouse whisky if possible," Lady Glenconner writes. "She was not a fan of champagne. She used to say it made people's breath smell of poo."

Of all the possible reasons for Princess Margaret not to like champagne, this didn't cross my mind for a second! Anne adds that this unfortunate effect is "not something you notice" if you're drinking champagne yourself "but easy to spot if you aren't".

It's enough to make anyone think twice the next time they're offered a glass of bubbly and yet it looks like Queen Elizabeth didn't share her sister's view. The late monarch was often pictured daintily sipping champagne at State Banquets and other formal occasions.

She also awarded Royal Warrants to multiple champagne houses throughout her reign, including Bollinger, Pol Roger and Veuve Clicquot. Over the years reports have even alleged that Queen Elizabeth enjoyed a glass of champagne before bed.

Whether or not that was the case, she clearly enjoyed the taste of champagne and surely wouldn't have drunk it at major events if she also felt it made one's breath "smell of poo". After all, the Queen was always circulating and talking to guests and she was conscious of not eating garlic or onions at mealtimes too.

Former royal chef Darren McGrady claimed to MailOnline in 2016 that during his time working in the palace kitchens they "could never serve garlic to the queen but Prince Philip loved it".

"When she was at the table, there was no garlic at all. She was very Victorian and believed when she was brought up that you don't eat garlic - because if you were holding an audience the next day, you didn't want to be breathing garlic. It was seen as anti-social," he added.

Meanwhile, Queen Camilla has also spoken about the pungent ingredient before, telling her son Tom Parker Bowles in an interview for You magazine that she "avoids chili and garlic" too. She explained she still likes cooking for herself sometimes too and sounds like much more of a foodie than her mother-in-law and aunt-in-law.

Darren McGrady has alleged Queen Elizabeth used to eat "to live" and not the other way around, whilst Lady Glenconner notes that Princess Margaret "was not particularly interested in food and had very plain tastes".

"She didn't like meals to go on for hours, preferring to retire to a drawing room for coffee or whisky," the former Lady-in-Waiting says.

In the lead-up to one of the biggest moments in their relationship, the Princess of Wales was blissfully unaware of what Prince William was planning - and risking. The couple marked their 15th wedding anniversary this year and several reports have claimed it was on 20th October that he actually popped the question in 2010.

William and Kate publicly announced their engagement a few weeks later and before proposing on a private holiday to Kenya, the future King made two bold choices. For a start, he didn't do the traditional thing and ask for her father Michael Middleton's permission beforehand.

When he was questioned about his approach in the couple's engagement interview, William explained that he was "torn" but then the "realisation that he might actually say 'no' dawned upon [him]."

The Prince continued, "So I thought if I ask Kate first then he can't really say no. So I did it that way round. I managed to speak to Mike soon after it happened really."

The Royal Family and the Middletons are both quite keen on tradition so it's interesting that William switched things up and got Kate's "yes" before reaching out to his father-in-law-to-be. Michael clearly didn't mind at all and seemingly kept the news a secret from Carole, who only found out later.

However, the Prince of Wales's way of doing things led to an "awkward" moment with his mother-in-law. The Princess admitted, "We had quite an awkward situation because I knew and I knew that William had asked my father but I didn't know if my mother knew."

Apparently she didn't, because Kate went on, "But it was amazing to tell and obviously she was very happy for us."

It wasn't just the way he proposed that Prince William took a risk with, but the ring too. He decided to propose with Princess Diana's iconic sapphire and diamond ring and he'd been taking it everywhere with him for weeks until the right time.

"I had been carrying it around with me in my rucksack for about three weeks before that and I literally would not let it go," he said. "Everywhere I went I was keeping hold of it because I knew this thing, if it disappeared I would be in a lot of trouble".

This piece is world famous and incredibly expensive, though it's also sentimental so the possibility of losing it would've been terrible on so many levels for the future King. Thankfully, Prince William managed to keep it safe until he popped the question and the risk was worth it as he said the proposal went "really, really well".

According to royal expert Russell Myers in William & Catherine, the couple "agreed to savour the moment" and decided to "keep the news out of the public domain until they returned home". Almost a month later the news was announced and Queen Elizabeth was said to be "delighted".

Privately, the late monarch seems to have been hoping for this happy news for quite a while. At a reception held at Windsor Castle the same afternoon, the Queen was congratulated by a guest and allegedly responded, "It is brilliant news. It has taken them a very long time".

After wondering when we'd finally get some autumn weather, the UK's temperatures have plummeted and although I could do without the rain, I'm loving reaching for knitwear. The royals are clearly thinking the same and the Princess of Wales debuted a new Fair Isle jumper in a special video on 16th October, made by one of her favourite British clothing brands, ME+EM.

Kate announced a new project for the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, supported by founding partner, The Duchy of Cornwall. The future Queen has commissioned the Foundation Centre to take forward new work which examines how nature can help support the development of babies and young children.

Unsurprisingly, the Princess spoke about this project whilst outside in nature herself and the jumper kept her cosy. It was a deep chocolate brown tone with hints of steel blue, camel and white in the traditional Fair Isle pattern.

Shop Kate's Outfit

Shop More Fair Isle Jumpers

Brown is autumn's must-have colour and various shades are trending right now, from espresso to latte. Kate's outfits have been incorporating these hues for months and her ME+EM knit was mainly dark brown, which made it incredibly versatile.

When you're styling traditional patterns like Fair Isle and Argyle, it can be a bit daunting if there's a lot of different colours to balance. Picking a design which has a neutral base makes things easier and looks more understated. The Princess of Wales has a few different Fair Isle knits and they all have a cream, white or brown base.

This particular piece from ME+EM had a delicate, small pattern which accentuated the low-key feel. It's sadly almost out of stock now, though the brand still makes an alpaca-wool blend Fair Isle sweater in charcoal grey with pops of brown.

There are also so many other options out there right now and because brown is having a moment, a lot of designs feature this colour. In Cornwall we saw Kate wearing her jumper over the top of a monochrome polka dot shirt with the piecrust collar poking out at the top.

This gave her ensemble a preppy, polished edge and she loves layering her knitwear like this. If it's not for you, then you can still add extra warmth by wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt or a vest underneath.

The Princess of Wales added her Barbour Defence jacket over the top and the khaki-brown shade complemented the chocolate sweater perfectly. Earthy tones work beautifully together and Kate finished off her outfit with the same navy Johnstons of Elgin x Le Kilt skirt she wore in Scotland in January (also with a Fair Isle-inspired item).

It tied in with the blue in the Fair Isle pattern and the Princess would've wanted to look polished and smart-casual for this big announcement. However, a traditional Fair Isle knit looks stunning with a simple pair of blue or black jeans and ankle boots as a more relaxed outfit.

Something about the traditional, heritage feel of the pattern screams autumn/winter and although it can be tempting to go for brighter shades these can end up looking festive. Neutral knits are great throughout the colder months as well as for Christmas and I wouldn't be surprised to see Kate wear this ME+EM one a lot more this season.

She may have been the UK’s longest-serving monarch, but she was a grandmother first - and it was seeing how Prince William’s future in-laws treated her grandson that really enamoured the late Queen to the Middleton family.

Ailsa Anderson, a former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth, revealed how important it was for the Queen to see her "children and grandchildren happy" and she recognised how Michael and Carole Middleton "welcomed [William] with open arms into their family".

The late monarch was also reportedly comforted by another aspect of the Middleton family dynamic - how they "stuck together through thick and thin", giving William and Kate a role model when the Queen had been left "distressed" by three of her own children going through a divorce.

Speaking to HELLO!, Ailsa shared, "The Queen always wanted her children and grandchildren to be happy, and she recognised what a huge support Carole and Michael Middleton were to William and how they welcomed him with open arms into their family."

"She clearly saw all the qualities that the Middletons provided for Catherine and William. She had three out of her four children divorce, so I think she liked the fact that her grandson was marrying into a really close family who have stuck together through thick and thin."

She added, "Carole has never put a foot wrong - she’s been a steadfast presence as a loving, supportive mother and grandmother to those grandchildren."

Royal author Robert Hardman has also suggested the Queen was left "distressed" by her children’s divorces in the past, echoing the sentiment shared by Ailsa.

In his book, Queen of Our Times, Robert alleges, "It distressed her much more than she let on" and that a staffer told him for his book "one shouldn't underestimate the pain she's been through".

The source reportedly told the author that Her Majesty once even proclaimed, "'Three out of four!' in sheer sadness and exasperation".

Of the Queen’s four children, King Charles, Princess Anne and the former Prince Andrew have all been divorced. Charles, in what is now arguably one of the most famous separations of all time, and Princess Diana ended their marriage after 15 years.

Princess Anne divorced her first husband, Captain Mark Phillips, after 18 years of marriage. And Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor divorced Sarah Ferguson after 10 years of marriage.

Now, with the late Queen gone, her trust in the Middletons seems well placed, with royal author Ingrid Seward describing how much of a support Carole has become to the future King and Queen.

She told HELLO!, "Carole is a really helpful, practical and unflappable mother and grandmother. Rather than ask what she can do, she just gets on with it; she's very proactive.

"When William went back to royal duties after Catherine’s diagnosis, she was doing the school run and probably doing things like filling the freezer with the kids' favourite foods.

"Looking after the three kids would have been absolutely no problem for her whatsoever, and Catherine would have been able to relax in the knowledge that her mother's hand was on the wheel."

From walking fields filled with active landmines to helping challenge prejudices against those living with HIV/AIDS, Princess Diana’s legacy is one of charity and shining a light on important causes.

And while many of these causes were widely discussed at the time, it turns out that the late Princess of Wales would find even more ways of helping those in need - and they weren’t always conventional, or something you’d expect to see in the papers.

Dickie Arbiter, a former press secretary for Diana and King Charles, has revealed that she would leave Kensington Palace unannounced and drive around the streets of London, handing out money to sex workers and the homeless - partly because she was lonely each night and partly because she felt it was "something she had to do".

Speaking to the Daily Mail's Palace Confidential, Dickie - who worked with the late Princess from 1988 up until her death in 1997 - claimed, "She would try to escape, telling her protection officer: 'I'm not going anywhere tonight. You can have the night off.'

"Lo and behold, the car would come anyway and she'd drive around Paddington. Not just to hand money to sex workers, but to drive past and see how the homeless were coping.

"It was something she felt she had to do, but it was also something that she was doing out of boredom."

He added that, while Diana would have things to do during the day, she’d find herself "desperate" for something to do at night, especially as any friends would face a "rigmarole" trying to visit her at the palace.

"All she had was a telephone to phone friends," he said. "Her friends were reluctant to go through the security hoops. She had to give security her friends’ names, addresses, car numbers, what time they were coming, and when they were leaving. It was a bit of a rigmarole."

It wasn’t just this new insight into Diana’s less-publicised movements that Dickie revealed to the outlet - he took aim at several allegations made in Earl Spencer’s book, Swan Song.

Written by Diana’s brother, the book includes several accusations that have since been contested by supporters of King Charles, and His Majesty released a rare statement questioning the accuracy of some of the more damning suggestions, including him supposedly telling Earl Spencer that Diana would soon be forgotten after her death.

Dickie, who worked with the late Princess and the now King, refutes a lot of the book’s claims.

"It’s just not in Charles’s DNA to be the sort of person Spencer is portraying. I saw him the day Diana returned, which was hours after she had died," he recalled

"He got off that plane, and I don’t think I’d ever seen him that distraught since the death of his great uncle, Lord Mountbatten. The man was a wreck. So for Spencer to suggest that he was like somebody who had won the lottery is just make believe. It’s la la land."

Both women have held the same title, but Catherine, the current Princess of Wales has one “striking contrast” from the woman who held it before her, Princess Diana - Diana had to face it on her own.

This is the claim made by royal biographer Ingrid Seward, who suggested that “it’s one of the tragedies of Diana’s story that she was adored by millions, yet emotionally denied by the few who mattered most.”

Her opinion is that, despite both women having to deal with their own hurdles and burdens holding such a senior title in the Royal Family, Kate has the support of both Prince William and the Middleton family, whereas “Diana faced it alone”.

Ingrid made the claims on HELLO!’s A Right Royal Podcast, sharing that she believes “that is where the contrast” between Diana and Kate “is most striking”.

While acknowledging that Kate’s “life is not perfect, it is rooted in a shared understanding with William, her husband, Diana’s son.” And it’s not only having the support of her loving husband that has helped Kate comfortably take on the senior role.

From her closeness to her parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, to her supportive siblings Pippa and James, Ingrid believes Kate has “something that Diana didn’t have: an incredibly close-knit family, and a very ambitious mother”.

Then, of course, there’s also the benefit of hindsight. Ingrid suggests that Kate has also cleverly learnt what not to do by observing what Diana went through so publicly.

“Catherine took lessons from Diana,” the royal author said. “She saw that Diana gave so much of herself to people, but it exposed her too much. Catherine learned from that: just give enough, but don’t give too much, because you’re too vulnerable that way, and people are going to strip you bare if you do that.”

“Being a Princess of Wales is not just about acting as a decorative accessory,” she added. “The title and rank can be a force for good, employed by both Diana and Catherine to champion big issues, using their celebrity to shine a light on often overlooked but critical challenges”.

A shared title is one thing, but the one thing that truly connects the two, per Ingrid, is their shared affinity for children.

“They both absolutely had [and have] a magic with children, and I think they would have talked about that,” she said. “Diana’s legacy is her sons and the way she changed the face of royal engagements, and Catherine has completely taken up the mantle [on that].”

Comparisons to Princess Diana - her late mother-in-law who passed away tragically young in 1997, before Kate had ever met her - were always going to be inevitable. And it's why she was reportedly reluctant to accept the Princess of Wales title to begin with.

"Kate found all such talk stressful,” royal author Robert Jobson wrote in Catherine: The Princess of Wales: A Biography of the Future Queen.

"Indeed, it got to the point where she felt she might follow Camilla (who opted to become Duchess of Cornwall) in refusing - when the time came - to be known as HRH Princess of Wales.”

Ultimately, when the time came in September 2022, Kate accepted the title "with good grace, out of respect for her husband and the king. Enough time had passed to make the title more palatable, and Catherine had been on the world stage long enough to be appreciated for her own qualities."

Mike and Zara Tindall have enjoyed a 15-year-strong marriage - and counting - but the former rugby pro has revealed that it’s not always easy.

In a relatable and candid interview with the Talk Horse podcast, Mike opened up about navigating the more difficult moments with Zara, how he tries to help her deal with her "mother’s guilt" when she’s juggling her competitions and her parenting, and what the pair are good at when it comes to confrontation.

Mike told the podcast, "I think neither of us necessarily chase out confrontation until it happens. That's sometimes not the best way of doing it. But then when it happens, I think we're probably pretty good at actually talking about it.

"You've just got to try and muddle your way through. It's never easy, is it?"

He added, "I think it all depends on the scenario. I think it's very easy when it's around sport or whether it's around the animals and the kids, but obviously other nuances become more difficult."

The former England Rugby athlete then admitted to something that many spouses are likely guilty of - winding Zara up on purpose. With his trademark humour, he confessed that sometimes “you just want to annoy someone, just for the sake of it. I probably do that a bit too much”.

Despite trying to annoy his wife, Mike did also offer an insight into the ways he supports Zara as she continues to compete at a professional level in her equestrian sports. Zara - who recently won her first major eventing medal in 20 years - is no stranger to the mum "guilt" that many working parents feel.

Mike shared, "You forget sometimes life is hard when kids come along and you try to still compete. Fortunately, when Mia came along, that was my last year, so I haven't been a professional athlete whilst the kids have been around."

Championing Zara’s ability to juggle her sporting prowess and their three children - Mia, Lena and Lucas - he added, "You've got to try and play a support role at the same time because mums do have mother's guilt. It's a thing.

"And it can be really hard at times. I won't say I get it right all the time, but you've got to try and do it whatever ways you can."

When Zara has a big event approaching, Mike knows how important it is to give her her space as she requires “massive focus”, but he also tries to bring some lightness to it.

"I try and make her laugh every now and again to remind her you don't have to be that serious."

While the parents still have some things to iron out, it seems that the royal cousins - including Princess Lilibet, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - have plenty in common.

During their first joint outing since returning to the UK, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited the Community Recording Studio (CRS) in Nottingham, where they spoke with young children who benefit from the facilities.

While speaking there, Meghan revealed that Lilibet 'loves' gymnastics - something that Princess Charlotte is known to love and has even influenced her younger brother, Prince Louis, to get in on the action too.

Visiting the studio, Meghan took part in a confidence-building workshop with the children. She reportedly asked them when they feel most themselves. When someone answered that it was during their favourite hobby, doing gymnastics, Meghan replied, 'My daughter’s doing gymnastics right now. She loves it.'

Earlier this year, Prince William, Kate and all three of their children enjoyed a family outing at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. It was there that William revealed Princess Charlotte 'loves gymnastics and ballet', before the Welsh gymnasts presented her with her very own signed Team Wales leotard.

At this family day out, Kate also shared that Louis has been following his sisters’ footsteps, saying 'Louis, you’re perfecting your handstand at the moment'.

Louis kept it real with his reply, letting it known that his big sister wasn’t full of praise for his efforts. He replied, 'But Charlotte says I’m not very good.'

Fortunately, the youngster still has time to perfect his gymnastics, and it seems that Charlotte has maintained her love for the sport for years. At the Commonwealth Games four years earlier, in 2022, Kate first talked about Charlotte picking up the skill.

At the time, Kate joked 'Charlotte spends most of her time upside-down, doing handstands and cartwheels'.

While Lilibet’s shared love of gymnastics was revealed by Meghan, Harry let slip something Prince Archie isn’t a fan of - and his adorable (and relatable) request.

Harry also spoke with some students and shared that Archie doesn’t like maths - going as far as requesting his parents find him a school in the UK that doesn’t have any maths whatsoever.

Harry reportedly quipped, 'Most people don’t like math… My son turned around to me and said, ‘Can I go to a school that doesn’t do math?’ I said, ‘That doesn’t exist!’

Alas, not even princes can avoid the school curriculum.

For many, the thought of facing the crowds of a busy capital city on the weekend can be enough to make you decide to stay at home, so commuters were in for a real surprise when they spotted royalty on a busy public train.

Catherine, Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte enjoyed a mother-daughter day of bonding in central London on Saturday, October 10, and had no qualms hopping on board the Elizabeth Line underground train during the busy rush.

As first reported by The Sun - who have videos of the princesses on board - passengers on the same rail as the future Queen and her daughter described the moment as "surreal" - but it proves that Prince William and Kate are walking the walk when it comes to their hope of fostering as normal a life for their children as they can.

Describing their day as a "very ordinary girls’ day out", the outlet also shared that Kate and Charlotte had a "low-key security detail" but the pair were unfazed sitting with other members of the public and they weren’t "hassled".

Kate and Charlotte were reported to have taken the Elizabeth Line - the newest addition to London’s underground network and named in honour of the late Queen Elizabeth II when it was opened in May 2022 - and disembarked at Tottenham Court Road.

While it’s not known where they went after - and the outlet reports a spokesperson declined to comment on private family time - Tottenham Court Road is easily accessible to plenty of shops, West End theatres and the British Museum.

It’s also not too far from the Royal Ballet and Opera, and it’s known that the two share a love of ballet, having attended performances together in the past.

The ease in which Kate took her daughter on the very busy underground system - which sees over three million journeys per day - is another example of the ways in which they’re trying to give their children a sense of normalcy.

Widely discussed in the past, William and Kate have implemented many measures to help their three children - Prince George, Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte - have a sense of a normal childhood.

Speaking to OK!, royal expert Duncan Larcombe suggested that the Prince of Wales is recreating the ‘Middleton model’ as he and Kate raise Prince George, Charlotte and Louis.

He shared, "Although there are some similarities, George is being raised in a very different way to Prince William. William has based his children's upbringing on the Middleton model - three children, affluent, but hardworking parents and lots of love in the house."

Having not been brought up as a royal, it’s been suggested that Kate is bringing more of the Middleton way of doing things to their family.

For the Channel 5 documentary Prince George: How To Make a Monarch, psychotherapist Lucy Beresford also explored the ways in which the future king and queen are raising their children to have a grounding sense of reality.

She claimed, "I think William and Kate, making sure that George, Charlotte and Louis have these normalising experiences where they just interact with really normal people, actually gives them that grounded sense that they are human beings like the rest of us.

"They're not rarefied, they're not elevated and it could hopefully dilute that sense of 'I'm invincible’".

The Prince and Princess of Wales visited Belfast on Friday, and while Kate's outfit was made up of a few royal repeats, she did treat her fans to a statement new addition to her wardrobe.

She made the Emilia Wickstead Kensie Tartan Skirt the focus of her outfit, pairing it with the Knatchbull Cascade Ruffle Blouse, a pair of Cartier Trinity Earrings and a tailored Catherine Walker coat.

With the new series of The Celebrity Traitors well underway, we're embracing all things Highland-inspired at the moment, and this flattering midi skirt fits the bill perfectly. In fact, swap the Gianvito Rossi heels for chunky boots, and it's actually a very Claudia Winkleman-coded look. The pleats moved beautifully when Kate walked, plus it feels like exactly the kind of piece the late Queen Elizabeth II would have worn, only styled in a modern way.

Shop the look

What exactly is the heritage trend I hear you ask? Think reassuringly timeless items like cosy knits, checks, tweed, tailoring and autumnal colours. Focus on one key piece like Kate's skirt, and you can afford to keep the rest of your look simple. Easy, right?

For anyone who hasn't worn much tartan before, trying the print in earthier shades of green and brown or darker neutrals like navy can be a more subtle way to work the print into your autumn outfit ideas than striking shades of red.

In fact, Kate already owns a red tartan skirt by Emilia Wickstead, which she's worn on several high-profile engagements. Adding this similar but fresh skirt works to ensure her wardrobe is cohesive and familiar. It also proves that tartan is a trend that will come back year after year, so buying a similar style now is a sound investment.

A midi skirt is an easy swap for your favourite jeans this season. They're also a bit more flexible styling-wise than dresses, and the longer length will help elongate your frame. Pair yours with a shirt or light knit and ballet flats when the sun is shining, switching to your best cashmere jumper and boots when winter really kicks in.

King Charles and Queen Camilla's Clarence House residence is rather more luxurious than most people's homes, but their evening routine as a couple is incredibly low-key. They embrace the opportunity to unwind before dinner and instead of watching TV or even chatting together, the Queen has revealed they immerse themselves in books.

"My husband and I actually read before dinner," she explains in the first ten minutes of the BBC's new documentary, The Book That Changed My Life. "We just like sitting quietly and reading. He loves biographies and PG Wodehouse."

Both King Charles and Queen Camilla are totally absorbed when they read and she admits that she "occasionally" hears the monarch "roaring with laughter about something" when she's deep into her own book. With a smile on her face, she quips, "It's very off-putting."

However, it's not just King Charles interrupting her, as Her Majesty adds that she'll "suddenly start weeping" at certain books which can surely be heard by him too. No matter how each of them react, though, Camilla describes it as a "lovely quiet time".

The Book That Changed My Life airs on BBC Two and iPlayer on 14th October and coincides with the National Year of Reading 2026. It paints a moving and fascinating portrait of how books truly have the power to change lives and Queen Camilla - an outspoken advocate for literacy - also says early on that she thinks reading can be a "tonic" after a hard week.

Carving out time to read before dinner is clearly something that she and King Charles consider very important and it's not the first time she's discussed how happy they are to sit in silence with their books. Ahead of her 75th birthday she spoke to British Vogue and said that they love to do this when they go on holiday too.

"You know when we go away, the nicest thing is that we actually sit and read our books in different corners of the same room," the Queen said. "It's very relaxing because you know you don't have to make conversation. You just sit and be together."

Their way of reading sounds very calming, though King Charles is also reportedly an expert at entertaining the grandchildren with his rendition of certain books. In 2022, Camilla said "his grandchildren aren't [too old to be read stories] and he's very good because he does all these voices for them. He loves Babar the Elephant."

Meanwhile, her son Tom Parker Bowles has described the King as a "wonderful step-grandfather" to his children and his sister Laura's kids too. He divulged to People, "The children utterly adore him. From an early age, he's read them stories, been there, and swung them around."

Reading to children and encouraging them to read from when they're very small is something Queen Camilla thinks is pivotal and in the upcoming BBC documentary she explains why.

"You learn so much about people, about life, I think people who don't read miss out so much. That's why I think it's so important to get children reading early. You can go anywhere, get your magic carpet and off you go," she declares.

The Book That Changed My Life will air on BBC Two and iPlayer on Wednesday 14 October at 9pm.

Now it's finally getting colder, we can enjoy getting cosy, whether that means styling great UGG boot alternatives or chunky coats. I've personally been longing to wear my jumpers and even though many of them are neutral, I've been tempted to try something else.

The Princess of Wales has some gorgeous colourful jumpers and I was recently reminded of one she wore in January 2020. Kate often chooses to wear blue in Scotland as a nod to the national flag and this roll-neck knit was a misty pastel colour.

It kept her warm as she visited the Social Bites Café to meet members of the local community for her Early Childhood survey. The ribbed trims were a neat touch and it fell to just below her waist. The best jumpers are those that have a simple, timeless design as it means they can work with so many different skirts and trousers.

Recreate Kate's Look

A more classic style also helps to balance out a bolder colour, though the Princess's sweater was already quite subtle. Pastels aren't as popular at this time of year compared to rich, deep shades like chocolate and berry - both particularly big autumn/winter fashion colour trends for 2026.

However, the future Queen showcased in Scotland that we should never overlook them. Her soothing pale blue jumper might be more striking than a plain black or brown design but it also brought softness and brightness.

Kate paired her knitwear with black skinny jeans and black heeled ankle boots. Skinny jeans aren't for everyone though their fitted shape is perfect for tucking into boots and creating a streamlined, leg-elongating effect. Matching the colour of the jeans and footwear made this even stronger and the blue jumper lifted the colour palette.

When she arrived at the Social Bites Café the senior royal was wearing the Reiss Delaney coat in an even paler shade of blue than her sweater. Having two pastel items layered over each other immediately draws the eye because of the big colour contrast and then this actually emphasised the sleekness of the jeans and boots even more.

The Princess of Wales has used this trick multiple times, like in Northern Ireland in October 2022. On this occasion she wore a longline baby blue coat with a matching blouse and then kept the rest of her outfit navy.

She also went for navy trousers and flats when she wore a pastel blue houndstooth blazer in Windsor in June 2023. Even if blue isn't something you typically reach for, you can still take inspiration from the Princess's ensemble and go for another pastel like sage green or blush pink.

They would also work well against dark blue or black denim. In Scotland back in 2020, Kate finished off her style with gold fern earrings from Catherine Zoraida. These added some subtle sparkle but meant she still looked relatively relaxed.

This was perfect for a poignant engagement where she met with Social Bites Café employees, volunteers and customers who have experienced homelessness. The Princess was there to hear about how experiences in the early years of life can have a significant impact on later life.

The Princess of Wales is one of the most photographed people in the world so it's no surprise that she's become an expert at looking elegant and poised at almost every angle. This goes right down to how she drinks her tea and although most of us will never have thought about this that deeply, the future Queen reportedly "knows exactly" what she's doing.

In episode 3 of Channel 5's new series, Buckingham Palace: A Year in the Life, one of Britain's leading etiquette experts, Laura Windsor, revealed Kate's clever trick and it couldn't be easier.

"When you're drinking tea, try and look inside the cup because it looks more elegant. There's nothing worse than sipping your tea with googly eyes," she explained. "So always look into the cup and Princess Catherine does this beautifully. She looks inside the cup, she knows exactly what she's doing and that is all about elegance."

The Princess's simple method is discreet but there are still plenty of occasions over the years where you can spot her looking down at her drink in pictures. It's not just something she does with cups of tea either. Kate also looks inside glasses when she's drinking champagne or wine at receptions, or smoothies at engagements.

There are inevitably going to be times when she doesn't follow her own tip, though it's interesting to see Laura demonstrate it in the documentary. She's right when it says it looks "elegant" and the Princess of Wales uses it to create this sense of sophistication in real life as well as in pictures taken of her at different occasions.

Kate has got to grips with being photographed all the time and is very aware that eye placement matters, thanks to a helpful piece of advice from Prince Philip.

The late Duke of Edinburgh reportedly told her, "'If you believe the attention is for you personally', he warned her, 'you're going to end up in trouble. The attention is for your role, what you do, what you're supporting."

"It isn't for you as an individual. You are not a celebrity. You are representing the royal family. That's all. Don't look at the camera," he added, as per his biographer Gyles Brandreth. "The Queen never looks at the camera. Never. Look at who you're talking to."

There are no doubt loads more tips and tricks where that came from and the Princess of Wales had to master them quickly after she became a member of the Royal Family. Just getting in and out of the royal cars wearing dresses or skirts without accidentally revealing a bit too much can be complicated for her.

Like the late Princess Diana famously often held her clutch bags over her chest for modesty when she was exiting a vehicle. She also used to press her knees together and swivel towards the door to avoid any wardrobe mishaps and her daughter-in-law can be seen doing this nowadays too.

All episodes of Buckingham Palace: A Year in the Life are available to stream on C5.

As much as I love coming up with new autumn outfit ideas, it's often quicker to stick to tried and tested combinations you know will work. They don't have to be complicated and Zara Tindall's style formula from October last year is a perfect example of how chic a jumper can be with knee-high boots and a neutral coat.

She wore these for an outing with her eldest daughter Mia to Cheltenham Racecourse and everything from the toffee and chocolate colour palette to the timeless silhouettes just worked. Zara is a big fan of British clothing brands, especially if they're equestrian-inspired like Fairfax & Favor, who still make her exact Regina tall boots and Rye bag.

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The knee-highs come in different colours and heel heights and the King's niece chose the highest option. They have the iconic scalloped detailing and tassel the brand is known for and she tucked in her black coated jeans for a seamless finish.

One of the reasons I love knee-high boots for the colder months is because they are so streamlined that they give a gorgeous leg-elongating effect. They also keep you so cosy as you're covering half your legs in fabric, so they can be very practical too.

Fitted jeans are easiest to tuck in, though boots can also fit under wide-leg jeans so you don't have to go for something quite as sleek as Zara Tindall did. Jeggings or leggings are great alternatives too and the equestrian royal accentuated the streamlined feel of her ensemble with her coat.

The Hobbs Livia Wool Coat is back this season in various colours, including a dark camel, though Zara's was more of a warm toffee shade. She wore it loosely belted and with the lapels on the collar pulled back.

Even if your favourite autumn coats don't come with a built-in belt, it's worth considering adding one in a complementary colour if you prefer accentuating your waist. It's a simple trick and can be achieved quite affordably too.

Zara Tindall's coat had one as part of the design and you could just see her deep brown jumper poking out at the top of the collar. Her knitwear tied in with the boots and her Fairfax & Favor crossbody bag which were both made from mahogany leather.

These had a slight red undertone, though they were still similar enough to the jumper to give everything a cohesive feel. Brown is a big autumn/winter fashion colour trend for 2026 and it looks particularly stunning styled with other warm neutrals like this.

Zara added a pair of leather gloves and a velvet headband to complete her ensemble. These were some pretty finishing touches but the knit, boots, jeans and coat were what anchored everything. It's a fashion formula that's also easy to adjust to suit different occasions.

Heeled boots and a tailored coat naturally feel smarter, whilst flat ones and a more oversized cocoon coat looks quite relaxed. Certain jumpers can seem more elevated too, so it all depends on your signature style and the occasion you're dressing for.

Princess Anne is all about practicality, from her choice of outfits to the products that pique her interest. She's also famously got no time for fussing about and so should we really be surprised that she once took a loo brush home in her luxurious Bentley?

I don't think so, and this is apparently what happened in 2018 when the Princess Royal visited the office of homeware brand Joseph Joseph to present them with the Queen's Award for Enterprise for innovation. They'd won it for their Totem Waste Separation & Recycling bin but Anne supposedly dubbed the toilet brushes "fantastic" too.

Speaking recently to the Sunday Times, Richard Joseph (founder alongside his brother Antony) explained, "She was so brilliant. We gave her a blinged-up toilet brush…and talked her through the [design] story, showing all the prototypes."

Although he didn't specify how it was "blinged-up", I can't help wishing there were some kind of sparkles as a nod to their royal guest. He might simply have meant the details were what elevated it and Richard claimed they offered to send the brush to the Palace "thinking it's just going to go into a cupboard".

The Princess Royal had other ideas and reportedly turned down the offer, wanting to take it with her there and then. He alleged, "And then it went in the back of the Bentley. The next week we got an order from the Palace for more."

For all we know, the Royal Family's historic residences are still using Joseph Joseph toilet brushes and the picture accompanying Richard and Antony's interview suggests Anne loved the Flex™ Lite Toilet Brush. This comes with a compact holder to discreetly keep it in, a flexible D-shaped head and anti-drip and anti-clog technology.

It's got everything you could want from a toilet brush and it's hilarious to think one of them made the journey back with the Princess in a royal Bentley. She seemingly recommended the product to the Palace too, if they placed an order for more.

This is all very *Anne* and perhaps she was especially interested in the brush because of the product design element. Back in 2020 she gave an enlightening interview to Vanity Fair and revealed that if she hadn't been a working royal, she might have been an engineer.

"The practicalities of how things work, I think, was always interesting as far as I was concerned," the Princess Royal explained. "But I think it was a little bit early in the sort of scheme of things to have gone down that route."

Even though she never pursued this path herself, she said she's “enjoyed" helping to "encourage more girls to look at engineering as a realistic career". Her father Prince Philip was also interested in how things work. On what would've been his 100th birthday in 2021, she said that it's "probably true" they were so similar.

"I think that's probably true because I think if anything broke, there was always 'have a look at this, see if you can mend it'. We didn't throw things away, I'm that old. We have to re-educate ourselves on the basis of not throwing quite so much away. That often comes from your own family background," the Princess Royal declared.

The Prince and Princess of Wales are already making small moves to modernise the monarchy but when they become King and Queen Consort, this could be taken to another level. The couple will suddenly have the run of the vast royal property portfolio, including the iconic Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle.

However, royal author Ingrid Seward believes that Kate, perhaps inspired by her mother Carole's upbringing, could persuade her husband to tone things down.

"[Will they] stay small in Forest Lodge, or go the whole hog and decide to keep Sandringham, Balmoral and all the other smaller houses light and warm and staffed through the long winter nights?" she asks in Catherine & Diana. "The voice of Catherine, whose mother was brought up in a council flat, in William's ear might suggest that keeping things relatively modest is in tune with the times."

Carole Middleton has previously spoken about watching her father Ron, a builder, and mother Dorothy, who worked part-time in a jeweller shop, toiling "extremely hard" to "make ends meet and give [their children] a lifestyle". She believes she's passed that same work ethic to her kids and we can see that Kate, Pippa and James's upbringing was far more ordinary than William's.

The Prince and Princess of Wales currently already own Forest Lodge, Anmer Hall and Tam-Na-Ghar Cottage but keeping multiple official residences staffed is another matter and Ingrid thinks Kate's grounding gives her an "immense, not to say unique, value as a queen consort". Although the author believes his destiny as King is "drilled into his DNA", she adds his feet are on the pavement.

"All the signs point to William wishing to downsize the grandeur of the royal family - not to lose its tradition or its panoply of grandeur but to bring it in line with people's expectations," she claims.

Traditionally we'd expect the King and Queen to spend time at different residences throughout the year, like Sandringham at Christmas and Balmoral over the summer. I'd be surprised if they abandoned that completely but they might choose to actually stay at Anmer and Tam-Na-Ghar after hosting the family at the main homes.

Windsor Castle hasn't really been used as a residence since Queen Elizabeth's reign and they might still use it for audiences or meetings like they do now. Instead of staffing so many homes all year round, they could just be staffed as and when.

This would be seen as more economical and "in line" with modern expectations but Forest Lodge works so well as a base for them too. It's easy for them to travel from there to London and it's not far from the Middletons' home in Bucklebury.

The Princess of Wales's family are just as important to Kate and William as the royals - and the Prince recognised how close they were from the start.

"Kate's got a very, very close family. I get on really well with them and I'm very lucky that they've been so supportive," he said in the couple's engagement interview. "Mike and Carole have been really loving and caring and really fun and have been really welcoming towards me."

The Duchess of Edinburgh has long been a valued working member of the Royal Family - and one who was said to enjoy a particular closeness with the late Queen. But now she’s stepped up even more and become exactly "what the royals need" in the opinion of former royal butler Grant Harrold.

He worked with King Charles for seven years and has recently described Sophie as a "steady influence" and a potential future matriarch figure for the monarchy.

Speaking to GB News, he suggested, "I think in recent years we’ve seen her position grow even stronger, and she’s become the King’s steady influence. She’s always working hard in the background as a reliable constant, and that’s exactly what the royals need at the moment."

Grant makes it clear that the Duchess has always been "a trustworthy and hardworking member", but it’s only in recent years that her work and qualities have become more visible. He claimed, "While she didn’t always get the brightest spotlight, she was always pushing for the causes she cared about and used her platform to raise awareness for important issues."

This is how she quietly fostered deep connections with key royals. Grant added, "She has always clearly been a favourite, and they all enjoy spending time with her. She was admired by the Queen, and she’s also very close to Catherine."

Now His Majesty and Sophie have become closer too, according to the former butler.

"Sophie and the King have a brother-sister-like relationship," he alleged. "She is reliable and is really just the overall perfect royal."

Praising her dedication, Grant continued, "The family has always trusted her to carry out her engagements. The Duchess has a fantastic poker face, exactly like the Queen. She will always just get on with the job, despite all the chaos unfolding around her."

It’s not just a likeness with Queen Elizabeth that has stood Sophie in good stead. Grant believes she shares many similar qualities with her sister-in-law, the Princess Royal. So much so, he even dubbed her "the next generation’s Princess Anne".

He shared, "Like Princess Anne, Sophie will always be a member of the family that the King trusts. The Duchess is taking on the exact role that Princess Anne has played for decades. They are incredibly similar in the sense that they just get on with it."

Grant even envisions Sophie taking on an important role for William when the time comes for him to ascend the throne, eventually inheriting the matriarch mantel.

He said, "I have no doubt she will become one of the future King's closest allies. She will be a matriarch for the Royal Family, and a vital asset to future King William."

Being a working royal was never on the cards for Zara Tindall and as the daughter of two professional equestrians it's no surprise that she turned to horses as a potential carer. However, whilst some parents might be endlessly supportive, Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips know what it takes and took a tough love approach.

"When I was about to leave school - and I had a great last couple of years at school and didn't do very much work; I played lots of sport - and I then thought, I'll just see if I'm any good at it," Zara explained on a recent episode of the Talk Horse podcast. "You know, riding a horse, try and find something that could maybe go all the way."

Anne and Mark didn't try to dissuade her but they told her, "You have to do it properly. And this is how it's going to work. And you're not getting any help and you need to produce results".

Just because Zara was their daughter and a royal didn't mean she was going to get special treatment and this is something that she's so grateful for. Zara and her brother Peter Phillips appeared on the Anne: The Princess Royal at 70 documentary in 2020 and explained that they'd been raised knowing they'd need to make their own way.

"We were always brought up on the understanding that we were going to have to go to work," said Peter. "We were going to have to go out and earn our living, regardless of the fact of who our grandmother was or who our mother was."

Zara added, "I think it made us fight harder as well. To try and be as successful as we could be. So I definitely, you know, we're very grateful to not give us a title anyway."

She took Anne and Mark's words to heart and certainly has produced "results". At the 2012 Olympic Games Zara was part of the equestrian team that won silver and received her medal from the Princess Royal herself. Her dad Mark is an Olympic gold and silver medalist and he was particularly "tough" when it came to her training techniques.

"Mum's very relaxed," Zara said. "She's like, 'Just, you know, just do what you do'", whilst Mark was always making suggestions.

"Very rarely you would get a, 'Yeah, that was good', out of him. So it was always striving to try and get that comment. He was a tough coach," she explained, revealing she's trying "not to be quite that bad" with her children Mia, Lena and Lucas.

The love of horse riding has definitely been passed down the generations and the tough love approach clearly inspired Zara Tindall to throw herself into following in her parents' footsteps. Her mother recognises her commitment and on the Anne: The Princess Royal at 70 documentary she praised the way Zara went about things.

"Zara was always a natural and it was really a question of whether she felt that was something she really wanted to do, and she did and she was very thorough and applied herself to it. So she was quite rightly very successful," the Princess Royal said.

Prince Harry was just 12 years old when he lost his mother and for years after Princess Diana's tragic death he felt "guilty" about the thought of finding joy without her. Now 42, the Duke of Sussex is reflecting upon his experience of grief in a new Masterclass online discussion with Dr Mary-Frances O'Connor, neuroscientist and grief expert.

In the trailer for Redefining Grief: Building Resilience Through Loss, Harry confessed that he "felt like [he] had to be sad in order to prove to her that [he] missed her". The idea of being happy again was something he didn't consider for a long time, viewing it as a kind of "betrayal".

"I'd spent so long being emotionally numb, to a large extent because nobody told me joy was still allowed. That it wasn't betrayal," he continued.

As reported by the BBC, King's younger son also said he felt "disloyal and guilty" about the idea of being joyful now his mother was gone. Harry hopes the Masterclass will give those watching it "permission and the tools" to access happiness beyond grief.

The realisation he eventually came to himself - that it "wasn't betrayal" - is something that Prince William seems to have reached ahead of him. The Duke of Sussex said he went to war, in part to try and "outrun" his feelings, but by the time he first deployed, his big brother had found love with the Princess of Wales at university.

During Harry's second deployment, William and Kate were married and expecting their first baby together. The Princes were at different stages of life and perhaps in their stages of grief too, as the Prince of Wales had so much to be happy about and was able to let himself enjoy that.

That's not to say that it was smooth-sailing for Prince William and there were likely many times during those big life moments where he inevitably felt the loss of Princess Diana deeply. However, it looks like he maybe didn't view joy as a "betrayal" of his mother like Harry.

He was 15 when Diana died and he met Kate earlier than Harry met Meghan. The Princess of Wales has been a huge source of support for William and he's spoken about this particularly after they had children, which he said made "emotions come back".

"Having children is the biggest life changing moment, it really is… I think when you've been through something traumatic in life, and that is like you say, your Dad not being around, my mother dying when I was younger, the emotions come back, in leaps and bounds," he said to Marvin Sordell on the Football, Prince William and Our Mental Health documentary.

After acknowledging he "definitely found it very, at times, overwhelming," William continued, "Me and Catherine particularly, we support each other and we go through those moments together and we kind of evolve and learn together."

The Prince and Princess of Wales keep Princess Diana's memory alive for their kids and Prince Harry and Meghan do this for Archie and Lilibet too. Next year is the 30th anniversary of her death and just a few months before the release of the Masterclass discussion, Harry revealed that the Sussexes have a tradition of marking 31st August - and Diana's birthday on 1st July - by baking lemon drizzle cake.

The Princess of Wales is one of the most photographed women in the world, is always meticulously dressed and lives in a historic royal property on the Windsor Estate. However, behind closed doors, Kate is comfortable with things being a lot more low-key and used to go on trips that involved far less glamorous routines.

According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward, the future Queen inherited her down-to-earth approach from her dad, Michael, who "frequently took the family on adventure holidays" to the Lake District. They owned a cottage there and the expert claims in Catherine & Diana that they "would bathe in tin baths and gather logs for fires".

It’s all very humble and these holidays couldn’t be more different to many of the luxurious trips her husband Prince William went on growing up - or even the visits to Mustique that the Middletons have also enjoyed in the past. It paints a picture of a side of Kate that fans will never really get to see and shows she’s never been afraid to get stuck in and get things done.

Her uncle Gary Goldsmith (Carole’s younger brother) has directly said his niece isn’t "precious", claiming to fashion writer Claudia Joseph that she "quietly gets on with the task at hand". Ingrid also believes that the Princess of Wales is "more like" Michael than "feisty" Carole, insisting that she’s "never sought" the spotlight even though she’s constantly under it because of her royal role.

It’s the small moments that matter most to her and the Princess is eager to encourage her own children to get outside and make memories.

During her appearance on the Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast in 2021, Kate was asked to complete the sentence, "I’m happiest when…" and promptly responded, "I’m with my family outside in the countryside and we're all filthy dirty".

She spends so much of her working life being perfectly poised and professional, so it perhaps makes sense that she’s more understated in her personal life. We get to see her relaxed side in the anecdotes she tells at engagements, particularly if they’re about George, Charlotte and Louis, but Woman&Home’s Royal Correspondent Emily Andrews believes there’s definitely a difference between the Princess of Wales in public and in private.

Speaking on an episode of her and Reverend Richard Coles’ Catching Up With The Royals podcast earlier this year, she declared, "The public Catherine is quite reserved and quite formal and very warm with the kiddies…but she's not going to give you too much. The private Kate is quite different. Very warm, very friendly, and got a great sense of humour."

The royal expert also suggested that the Princess of Wales loves practical jokes too and played a rather surprising one during her and William’s official visit to Australia in 2014.

"Her and William had to stand in a specific place and it had been marked out on the floor with a plastic spider. So she crept round the back of the sofa to where one of her aides was sitting and she knew that he didn’t like spiders and she kind of drops it into her aide’s lap. I mean he nearly hit the roof! I mean everyone thought it was very funny - including, I should say, the aide," Emily claimed.

The Princess of Wales's signature style is always polished but you can tell how much she loves spending time in nature and her outfits for outdoor engagements are what I can imagine her wearing in her daily life. They're also very easy to recreate and Kate's jeans and boots combination for a visit to the Lake District in September 2021 ticks that box.

She stepped out in plain black skinny jeans and her trusty See by Chloe lace-up boots, styled with a simple oatmeal knit and a belted jacket. This look blended practicality with style and it needed to be cosy and comfortable, as she was heading out on Lake Windermere as well as visiting the Jetty Museum.

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The future Queen went for her go-to denim silhouette here and although I personally much prefer wide-cut jeans, skinny jeans look so sleek tucked into the top of boots. There's no bunching of the fabric and the final look is so streamlined that it's very leg-elongating.

If you're not sure about incorporating skinny jeans into autumn outfit ideas then straight-leg styles are a more relaxed alternative and they drape beautifully over ankle boots. Kate's jeans were black rather than classic blue and darker jeans are always popular in the colder months.

Black denim in particular tends to feel smarter as there's not a lot of variation in the wash, so they're so useful for those occasions where you want to be comfy yet still look polished. The block neutral tone also works well with pretty much any other colour, including some of the fashion colour trends for 2026 like berry and chocolate brown.

The Princess of Wales's boots were a dark brown and she often wears this See by Chloe style when she's outdoors because the cleated sole provides extra grip. Black boots and black jeans complement each other especially well as they seamlessly blend into one another, though her dark brown boots were a softer alternative.

The lace-up design added some detail and flat ankle boots like this are perfect for the daytime when you're doing a lot of walking. To take an outfit like Kate's from day to night, you can swap out a crew-neck jumper for a shirt or roll-neck and add a blazer over the top too.

She didn't dress quite that smartly in September 2021, but still looked put-together in her beige sweater and a Really Wild green tweed jacket that added a countryside feel.

This was an understated style choice for this engagement, where the Princess went out on Lake Windermere with Ike and Arek, two of the "Windermere Children" - a group of 300 child survivors of the Holocaust who came to the Lake District in 1945.

Kate's an expert at adjusting her outfits to ensure they're appropriate for different occasions and her jeans and ankle boot pairing wasn't too fancy or too casual. It highlighted her approachability during this poignant visit, during which she also went to the Jetty Museum and heard about the Lake District Holocaust Project's work documenting and educating the public about the experiences of the 'Windermere Children".

The Princess of Wales's high heel collection is something so many shoe lovers would envy but it's her practical footwear that's inspiring my own autumn/winter wardrobe. She has a few staple styles that she reaches for whenever she's undertaking engagements in the rain, mud or snow and her Sorel ones might be the most useful.

Kate owns an older version of the brand's iconic Torino boots and they're waterproof and lined. She wore them a lot during her and Prince William's 2018 visit to Norway and Sweden and hers are the black colourway. This year Sorel is selling them in a range of different shades, including black and brown, which is still a major fashion colour trend for the season.

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The chunky cleated soles provide excellent grip and woman&home Digital Fashion Ecommerce Editor Caroline Parr described the fleece lining as being “like a hug for your ankles” in her full Sorel Torino Boots review. The Princess would've no doubt appreciated this level of comfort too, as she wore these shoes to play some Bandy hockey and walk around in the snow, all while being pregnant with Prince Louis.

Although many of the best wellies are stylish as well as functional, a pair of waterproof, warm boots is a must-have for the colder months. Kate cleverly went for a neutral colour that will go with everything and because her Torinos are ankle-height, they're easy to tuck trousers into.

In Norway when the Waleses visited Holmenkollen she stuck to black ski trousers but for the Bandy hockey match in Sweden, the future Queen opted for black skinny jeans instead.

Even if you're not someone who usually loves fitted jeans (me neither!), this shape is perfect for neatly tucking into boots. Straight-leg jeans are a slightly comfier alternative and if you want an ultra leg-elongating effect then go for a close colour match.

Black jeans, leggings or trousers and black boots seamlessly flow into each other, though lighter boots and blue denim is another great option. Sorel and many other brands sell waterproof snow boots that come up higher, though shorter styles like Kate's are just a bit more versatile and understated.

You could easily wear shorter boots day-to-day as well as for hikes or snowy weather, compared to taller footwear which can look a bit out of place if you're not actually walking in deep snow or torrential rain.

I have plenty of pairs of leather and suede boots that I love for autumn/winter but this year I'm tempted to invest in some that are specifically made to keep feet dry and warm.

The Princess of Wales has proved that they can still be chic and although we haven't seen her stepping out in her Sorel Torinos publicly for a while, who knows how often she reaches for them in private when she's heading out in the countryside around the Waleses' Norfolk and Berkshire homes.

If there's one staple anyone's autumn jacket collection needs it's a blazer and tailoring has had a luxurious update this season. Tuxedo-style blazers are everywhere and they're perfect for taking a simple outfit up a level for the evening or a special occasion.

We're still a few months away from party season, but you can never go wrong with a black blazer with an elevated twist like Queen Letizia's Pertegaz jacket. She wore this with the matching trousers to a reception on Day 1 of her and King Felipe's State Visit to Finland and it had satin lapels and fun feather detailing on the sleeves.

The combination worked so well because the rest of Letizia's look was so simple, but even if you're not a fan of the feathers, the other elements are well worth copying.

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The colours and silhouettes of tuxedos for women vary, though contrasting fabric is always part of the design and evening elegance is a big autumn/winter fashion trend this year. Satin has a subtle sheen and makes blazers look more luxurious and smart, no matter what else you're wearing with them.

It's also not quite as in-your-face as a full velvet blazer for example - though I do love styling velvet as we edge closer towards the festive season. The Queen of Spain dressed head-to-toe in black for the reception for the Spanish community at the NH Grand Hansa and incorporating different materials is a clever way to ensure your monochrome outfits have definition and interest.

With a tuxedo-style blazer you get textural contrast within a single item and black jackets have extra versatility as they go with a huge range of other shades.

The smarter aesthetic of blazers makes them easy to dress up with a frock or tailored trousers and yet they are also chic with casual pieces like jeans or knitwear. A satin collar doesn't change this and there are so many different autumn outfit ideas that you could incorporate a jacket like Queen Letizia's into, perhaps with dark denim or even leather trousers.

In contrast, suede or denim jackets can sometimes feel too much or too relaxed for certain occasions, so an all-rounder is very useful. Her Majesty's Pertegaz jacket was single-breasted and sleek, helping to balance out the boldness of the feathery sleeves.

She leaned into this by styling it with tapered cigarette trousers and what looked to be a square-neck cami. Her shoes were her beloved Massimo Dutti leather slingbacks and she finished off the ensemble with a pair of hoop earrings.

Double-breasted blazers are also beautiful and bring even more structure to an outfit, so it just depends on which cut suits your signature style best. The Queen regularly wears both shapes and she's stepped out in this tuxedo blazer in autumn several times since 2019.

Her way of styling the jacket is pretty much identical every time other than the shoes and it just goes to show that although tuxedo blazers are a 2026 trend, they're also timeless enough to work year after year.

Jeans are a wardrobe staple for many of us all year round but in the colder months we tend to gravitate towards dark washes. These tones feel more traditionally seasonal, though the Duchess of Edinburgh isn't ready to let go of light denim just yet.

She's inspiring me to try going for something different this year and recently styled a pair of white straight-leg jeans with an autumnal twist at the final meet of the Carriage Driving season. Duchess Sophie attended with her daughter Lady Louise Windsor and she paired her denim with a dove-grey jumper, scarf and a checked La Gazelle jacket.

The jeans were high-waisted and the straight cut is a versatile choice if you want to have fun with autumn outfit ideas. I personally love the drape and comfort of wide-leg jeans most but straight jeans are a close second, as they're slightly more streamlined without being restrictive.

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Because of this, you can dress them up with a shirt and heeled boots or dress them down with an oversized sweater and white trainers and both styles work equally well. White jeans like Sophie's tend to naturally look slightly more smart because they don't have the variation in the wash you get with blue denim.

They have an almost trouser-esque look and this neutral colour complements pretty much any other shade whilst bringing some brightness. Against seasonal fashion colour trends like berry, khaki and chocolate, a pair of white jeans lifts everything and feels softer than black or dark blue.

The Duchess kept the rest of her outfit for the Final Meet relatively light too, going for a pale grey jumper that she wore loose over the waistband.

Tucking in jumpers, especially if they're more fitted, is a way to elevate jeans into something more smart-casual and accentuate the waist. We'd often see royals like the Princess of Wales doing this, though Sophie wasn't at an official engagement so her approach was more understated.

She still emphasised her waist by going for a cropped jacket that finished at the same point as her top. This La Gazelle Cotswold jacket was crafted from Harris Tweed and, according to reports, was bought by Sophie at another equestrian event, the Cornbury House Horse Trials, last month.

The combination of different greys and the subtle checked pattern brought some extra dimension to her ensemble.

Checked patterns are having a surge in popularity right now and the Duchess of Edinburgh finished off her outfit with her Meindl walking boots and a camel neck scarf. Everything felt balanced and minimal, which is very in-keeping with Sophie's day-to-day style.

When the weather gets colder she - and us - can still get plenty of wear out of white jeans by swapping jackets for coats and thicker knits. There's something very chic about an all-white winter outfit and monochrome is always a striking combination, so perhaps the Duchess's look was a useful reminder that blue and black jeans aren't the only option.

Easy, everyday autumn outfit ideas tend to be what we wear the most but sometimes we just want to feel a bit more put-together. That doesn't mean you have to overcomplicate your style as simple pairings like a jumper and jeans can be elevated.

Adding some jewellery can work wonders and I still can't help but admire the way the Princess of Wales's dainty charm necklace looks with knitwear. She debuted this Alex Monroe Paleontology Nugget necklace in 2020 and wore it twice that November, both times with a knit and blazer.

I particularly love the way it looked against her pink jumper in a video she filmed to tease the announcement of the 5 Big Questions survey results. Compared to a lot of Kate's other pieces, this necklace is very dainty and understated, with a single gold chain and tiny charms spaced out along it.

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Shop Jumpers Like Kate's

These are etched with different motifs, from botanicals to an ammonite and the Alex Monroe iconic bee design. This design is part of the brand's Natural History collection and it's made from gold plated solid silver, as are a lot of pieces in the Alex Monroe autumn jewellery collection.

The Princess layered it over her knitwear and the glint of the gold added some subtle sparkle without being too much. A necklace like this that sits below the neckline of a jumper is so chic and hers really stood out against the pastel pink behind it.

The bigger the colour contrast, the more it becomes the focus so if you really want your jewellery to steal the show I'd recommend going for a black or a white knit. The first time we ever saw the Princess of Wales with this necklace on was in a video thanking participants in her Hold Still community photography project and she styled it with a lightweight white knit and red blazer.

Once again the necklace sat beautifully over the top of her jumper and caught the light. Both of Kate's jumpers were plain block colours so having the sparkle and the individual charm details added some extra detail and a sense of sophistication.

If you're someone who tends to reach for roll-neck jumpers then you can still take a leaf out of the Princess's book but I'd advise going for a slightly longer necklace or a fitted sweater to ensure the jewellery sits nicely over the top. A dainty design will be easier to incorporate into different outfits day-to-night, as will necklaces without any stones or colours.

The Princess went for a plain gold Alex Monroe necklace and the same Paleontology Nugget design also comes in silver. Metallics go with everything and versatility is key when you're trying to find the perfect daily necklace. Even though Kate has a vast collection of jewellery it's often the simplest items like this that she reaches for most often for engagements.

She saves the jewel-encrusted pieces for big events or to send a sentimental message. The Princess of Wales also goes through months and years gravitating towards certain necklaces more than any others for public appearances. Although we haven't seen her Alex Monroe one for a while, that doesn't mean that she isn't wearing it at home to jazz up her jumpers.

Life at Forest Lodge will be a little different now Prince George has started at Eton, but mornings in the Wales household are probably still incredibly busy for the Prince and Princess of Wales. There's still eleven-year-old Charlotte and eight-year-old Louis who have to eat breakfast and get to school on time and it seems they might not always be the tidiest when they're getting ready.

During a recent visit to Pulborough, the Princess of Wales came face-to-face with an adorable cocker spaniel, prompting a revelation about the Wales's pets, Orla and Otto. As per Hello!, Kate reportedly asked the dog's owner, "Is he cheeky? Does he steal your food?"

"Whenever there is cereal on the floor, our doggies always eat the cereal!" she then admitted.

Somehow, I can't imagine it's Prince William and Kate who are dropping cereal on the floor and since George isn't now living at home, Charlotte and Louis seem like the most likely suspects. Thankfully, their mum didn't sound overly concerned about a little bit of mess - and Orla and Otto are always on the alert and first in line to clear up.

Eating some dropped pieces of cereal is one thing, though the spaniels' talent for nibbling doesn't go down too well when it comes to shoes. Earlier this year William also met a fellow dog owner and ended up explaining, "Ours chew slippers. Anything left on the floor is gone".

Food, footwear: it sounds like their dogs always want to investigate anything on ground level and since welcoming one-year-old Otto the family have adjusted their morning routine.

Instead of going to make a drink or having a shower, the "first thing" they do now is check if he's gone out. Kate apparently revealed this at a Buckingham Palace Garden Party in May, shortly after she and William finally confirmed their newest pet's name.

He got his own dedicated Instagram post in honour of his birthday and Otto and Orla have both featured in George, Charlotte and Louis' birthday posts this year too.

It's clear how much they're a part of the family, even if they do exhibit some "cheeky" behaviour from time to time. Anyway, even if it is Charlotte and Louis dropping cereal, we also know that the dogs aren't getting this everyday as the seven-year-old has another favourite breakfast.

Jam sandwiches go down a storm in the Wales family and often get eaten en route to Lambrook school rather than at Forest Lodge. The Prince of Wales said as much when he was asked on Heart Breakfast in May about whether the school run is chaotic, responding, "There's a lot of jam sandwiches taken in the car usually."

"Louis will leave jam fingerprints throughout the car, which is really helpful," the dad-of-three continued.

The eight-year-old has inherited his late great-grandmother's love of jam sandwiches, as it's said Queen Elizabeth used to have them for tea everyday. Her snacks were round, crustless, filled with strawberry jam and the size of an old English penny, which is why they were called jam pennies.

The Princess of Wales's cancer diagnosis sent shockwaves around the world but it's hard to truly imagine how devastating it was for those closest to her. Prince William has described 2024 as "brutal" and now it's been suggested that the news of his wife's illness brought back the "sudden, sickening" fear he'd felt as a teenager when his mother died.

"When Catherine fell ill, it wasn't just a medical crisis. It was the reopening of an old wound he had spent decades learning to live around," claims royal expert Ingrid Seward in Catherine & Diana. "The shock of the diagnosis announced by Catherine in an emotional video filmed at Windsor carried with it the unmistakable scent of déjà vu."

She believes that Prince William experienced the same "sense of being thrust into a story he had never chosen, one that had already taken too much from him".

According to Ingrid, the future King did "everything in his power to shield" his wife from the world and although he resumed public-facing duties a month after she made her diagnosis public, his schedule was significantly scaled-back. He wanted to be there for her and their children and ensured that work was fitted around his family.

"The thought that he might lose her was intolerable to William, so he made sure he wouldn't - by being there at every turn," the expert alleges.

This was an incredibly tough time for the Wales family and the idea that the Princess's diagnosis might have also brought back the helplessness he felt as a 15-year-old losing his mother is heartwrenching.

William has said 2024 was the "hardest" year of his life and he's been equally open about how the family wouldn't function without Kate. After describing his wife as an "amazing" spouse and mother on Heart Breakfast in May, he added, "Literally our family couldn't cope without her, so she's been absolutely stunning really."

Her illness and what Princess Diana went through are incredibly different, though for William it makes sense that he'd be especially protective of his wife after losing someone else so integral to his life at such a young age. Prince Harry has also expressed fear about "history repeating itself", comparing the media's treatment of Meghan to what his mother faced.

The Princess of Wales announced she was in remission in January 2025 and she and William have re-focused more than ever on each other, their children and causes very close to their hearts.

Kate has eased back into royal duties, undertaking her first solo overseas trip since her diagnosis shortly before William's radio appearance. The future King has also been open about how "the most important thing in [his life] is family" and he and Kate continue to be hands-on parents arranging work around George, Charlotte and Louis.

All of them were also there to congratulate the Princess when she completed the National Three Peaks Challenge in June to raise money for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity. The Prince and Princess of Wales have always faced everything together and even though her illness might've opened "old wounds" they're stronger than ever.