Royal news live: King Charles to celebrate milestone birthday in very unique way as Camilla continues recovery
It is hoped the hubs will help charities like FareShare and the Felix Project to support communities in need
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Your support makes all the difference.King Charles will turn 76-years-old on Thursday – and will mark the special date by hosting a surplus food festival.
The King will open two hubs designed to save and circulate tonnes of surplus food to mark the first anniversary of the Coronation Food Project, an initiative to support charities feeding the nation with unwanted food.
It is hoped the hubs will help charities like FareShare and the Felix Project to support communities in need.
Charles will tour the new facility, and take a look at a newly installed industrial freezer, which will increase capacity by 400 per cent, improving the charity’s ability to preserve more surplus food.
It comes as Queen Camilla said she is “getting much better” as she arrived at a Booker Prize reception in her first public engagement since falling ill with a chest infection.
The Queen’s illness forced her to miss gathering with the King, the Princess of Wales and the rest of the royal family at the annual Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph, and the Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall the evening before.
Princess of Wales shares behind-the-scenes glimpse of Christmas carol concert arrangements
Princess Kate shares behind-the-scenes glimpse of Christmas concert arrangements
The Princess of Wales has shared a behind-the-scenes glimpse of her upcoming Christmas carol concert. Kate, who is recovering from cancer, is going ahead with her televised festive event at Westminster Abbey on 6 December, Kensington Palace announced. In an Instagram video, posted on Wednesday (13 November), the princess gave followers a glimpse at invitations being printed for this year’s concert. The caption reads: “Something exciting is coming. The invitations are fresh off the press for this year’s Together At Christmas Carol Service, which will be returning to Westminster Abbey on Friday 6 December.We can’t wait for you to join us too.”
Dame Imelda Staunton says she ‘absolutely adored’ playing Queen Elizabeth II
Actress Dame Imelda Staunton has said she “absolutely adored” portraying the late Queen Elizabeth II as she received her royal title at Windsor Castle.
The 68-year-old, who earned Bafta TV and Golden Globe nominations for the role in Netflix’s hit drama The Crown, was honoured for her services to drama and charity by the Prince of Wales on Tuesday.
Asked if it felt surreal to be recognised with her damehood by Charles in the King’s Birthday Honours having played his mother, Dame Imelda told the PA news agency: “They’re two very different worlds and you have to sort of get serious about that and go, ‘We were on the television and this is for real’.
“[William and I] didn’t talk about that, but it was a huge privilege. That was two years of filming, and I absolutely adored it.
“It was of course devastating when Her Majesty died – we were filming as well, it was tricky.”
Dame Imelda starred as the former monarch in the fifth and sixth series of the royal drama, following in the footsteps of Claire Foy and Olivia Colman – who played younger versions of Queen Elizabeth II.
She said she was “inconsolable for quite some time” after the Queen’s death, and that subsequent filming of The Crown was “very strange”.
Pictured: Queen Camilla at Booker Prize reception
ICYMI: ‘I think I’m on the mend’: Queen attends Booker Prize reception after illness
The Queen said she is “getting much better” as she arrived at a Booker Prize reception in her first public engagement since falling ill with a chest infection.
Camilla congratulated shortlisted authors at Clarence House on Tuesday afternoon and the winner of the prestigious literary prize will be announced in the evening.
It is her first public engagement since she contracted the seasonal bug following her long-haul tour to Australia and Samoa two-and-a-half weeks ago.
The Queen was greeted in the Garden Room by chief executive of the Booker Prize Foundation, Gaby Wood, and chair of the 2024 judges, Edmund de Waal.
She shook their hands and told Ms Wood: “I’m obviously getting much better. A bit of sort of coughing going on.”
“I really wanted to come,” Camilla added.
Rebecca Ferguson has said it is “so easy to forget yourself” in the entertainment industry as she was recognised with a royal honour at Windsor Castle.
The Liverpool-born singer-songwriter finished runner-up on The X Factor in 2010 but has turned more towards activism in recent years.
She was made an MBE by the Prince of Wales on Tuesday for her services to the music industry, having campaigned for the introduction of the new regulatory body for the sector to ensure artist welfare.
Ferguson likened her experience of finding her way in the music industry after The X Factor, where she finished behind winner Matt Cardle, with boy band One Direction third, to the character Pip in Charles Dickens’ novel Great Expectations.
The real reason why King Charles doesn’t own a phone
Following her death, royal insiders disclosed that although the late queen detested smartphones, she did have one available to her.
King Charles, however, is not interested in carrying on the custom of royals using mobile phones.
The King doesn't have a phone, according to Hello!, since he has a vast army of staff members ready to connect him to anyone at any time.
Queen Elizabeth was also known for her fondness of classic landlines, however, it has been reported she only answered the phone when her daughter, Princess Anne, and racing manager John Warren called.
King to celebrate film and TV industry and meet stars at Gladiator II premiere
The King is celebrating the UK’s film and television industry at a special reception in Buckingham Palace on Wednesday, before a night out at the star-studded Gladiator II premiere.
Charles will welcome directors, actors, TV presenters, stunt performers and costume designers to the historic royal residence in London.
At his side for part of the event will be the Queen, but Camilla is not expected to stay for the whole engagement with her diary adjusted this week to aid her recovery from a chest infection.
On the eve of his 76th birthday, the King will later make a solo outing to the glitzy global premiere of the highly anticipated Gladiator sequel at the Odeon Luxe in London’s Leicester Square after Camilla pulled out of attending the red carpet affair.
Charles will meet the film’s stars including Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington, Connie Nielsen and Pedro Pascal, and director Sir Ridley Scott.
Watch: Queen opens up on tearful turning point that sparked domestic abuse campaigning
Princess of Wales carol concert to return on Christmas Eve as Kate hosts first event since cancer diagnosis
Kate’s carol concert to reflect on ‘how much we need others in difficult times’
The Together At Christmas service at Westminster Abbey will take place on 6 December
It’s time for the royal family to come clean on their finances
It’s time for the royal family to come clean on their finances
An investigation has revealed that the King and Prince of Wales’ private estates have struck rental deals with the NHS, schools and the armed forces worth millions of pounds. It is time for much greater transparency about the royal family’s staggering wealth, writes Alan Rusbridger
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