Royal news live: King Charles cut out these foods after cancer diagnosis as Beatrice’s working royal plans revealed

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:

Meghan Markle is embracing the magic of the holidays, thanks to her children with Prince Harry.

In an interview with Marie Claire, the 43-year-old Duchess of Sussex reflected on how her children — son Archie, five, and daughter Lilibet, three — are reaching the age when the festive season feels even more special.

“I love the holidays,” Meghan shared enthusiastically. “Archie and Lilibet are now three and five, so every year it gets better.”

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The Prince of Wales has spoken about the “reality” of drone warfare as he tried flying an unmanned aerial vehicle during a training session with the Welsh Guards.

William became colonel of the regiment last year and joined soldiers from its 1st Battalion practising live firing on Salisbury Plain.

Drones have become a significant military weapon on the battlefield in the war in Ukraine, used extensively by both sides in the conflict.

The prince appeared to enjoy flying the aircraft and one of the regiment’s senior drone operators said afterwards that each one cost £7,000.

He said about the prince: “With the drones he was saying what’s happening is reality.”

The drone operator, who declined to give his name, added: “It’s a new bit of kit brought into a military context.

“Drones have been a thing for years but now we’re utilising them as an asset on the ground and it’s proven successful in current affairs that’s actually happening now.”

Buckingham Palace will be undergoing huge upheavals in the coming months as the £369m refurbishment closes some of its grandest rooms.

The palace’s grandest rooms will undergo “phased closures” for renovation, beginning with the White Drawing Room, the Music Room, the Blue Drawing Room and the State Dining Room.

This will be followed by the Ballroom, where state banquets are held, and state rooms including the Throne Room and the Green Drawing Room.

Work will be paused during the summer months as the state rooms open to the public as usual.

Ahead of the release of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new Netflix show, the former Suits star is busy shape-shifting into the perfect American wife, with her new jam products and ‘polo-mom’ glossiness. It’s a master plan that could make them millions, says Anna Tyzak:

Windsor Castle is ready for the festive season with a towering, eco-friendly, living Christmas tree on show and, for the first time, miniature decorations in its famous dolls’ house.

A team of around six Royal Collection Trust staff has spent two days decorating the castle for visitors.

The six metre-tall Nordmann fir, which has been illuminated with 3,000 lights, was grown in Windsor Great Park and is kept fresh with a special watering system in its stand in the grand St George’s Hall.

After its stay in the castle, the tree will be replanted in the park – an environmentally conscious move introduced a number of years ago during the late Queen’s reign.

The Duke of Sussex’s legal claim against the publisher of the Daily Mail could face a trial in 2026, a High Court judge has suggested.

Harry is among a group of high-profile individuals – including Baroness Doreen Lawrence and Sir Elton John – bringing legal action against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL).

They have accused the publisher of allegedly carrying out or commissioning unlawful activities, such as hiring private investigators to place listening devices inside cars, “blagging” private records, burglaries to order and accessing and recording private phone conversations.

ANL firmly denies the allegations and is defending the legal action, previously telling the court that they are “lurid” and “simply preposterous”.

At a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, which was attended by Lady Lawrence, judge Mr Justice Nicklin said that it was important to progress the case to an eventual trial.

He said: “My broad objective is we fix a trial date… It will probably start on 14 January 2026.”

The judge continued that the date may change and repeated that it was an “objective”.

He added: “I don’t know what is going to happen in various stages of the litigation… That objective may ultimately be thwarted.”

The King’s country estate Highgrove has been decorated for Christmas, with a sweet nod to the Queen’s beloved dog Beth.

Among the tree ornaments is an embroidered motif of the Jack Russell, who had to be put down last weekend, leaving Camilla heartbroken.

The handmade likeness of Beth, wearing a red bandana decorated with a crown, and one of Camilla’s other terrier Bluebell, complete with a crown on the dog’s head, are new additions to the Highgrove shop this year.

Embellished with gold metal thread work and sequins, the decorations cost £12.95 each and were introduced in September as part of a long-planned addition to the Christmas range, and placed on the tree earlier this month, before Beth’s illness became known.