Royal news live: Unseen Meghan Markle picture sparks debate as King Charles enjoys ‘holistic’ Indian Spa break

Were the scandalous stories surrounding Wallis Simpson’s time in China were the product of society gossip - or an orchestrated effort by the British establishment to sabotage her relationship with the future Edward VIII?

This is the question discussed by author Paul French in his new book Her Lotus Year.

Dubbed the “China Dossier”, the collection of rumours accused Simpson of affairs, connections to gangsters, and risque behaviours, but French argues that none of these claims had any factual basis with Simpson.

Instead, they appear to have been drawn from unrelated incidents in 1920s China, and possibly amplified by figures in British intelligence.

French’s research suggests that the tales were carefully constructed to tarnish Simpson’s reputation, showing the lengths to which the establishment may have gone to block a royal union with a controversial American divorcee.

“They just wanted to scupper this relationship somehow,” French said.

The view of the monarchy in the UK remains overwhelmingly positive, writes Alan Rusbridger. But the public deserve full transparency on the family’s staggering wealth.

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The King “genuinely loved” and “thrived” on his tour tour of Australia and Samoa as it lifted “his spirits, his mood and his recovery, a Buckingham Palace said.

“In that sense, the tour, despite its demands, has been the perfect tonic,” a palace official said.

He went on to say the monarch takes great strength from the Queen being there, not least because she “keeps it real”.

Australia was a significant visit for Charles as it was his first to the country as King and in Samoa he opened a major Commonwealth summit.

Details of the King’s “holistic” approach to his cancer diagnosis have been revealed by the palace.

The King has been receiving treatment as an out-patient for an undisclosed form of cancer since early February, and initially postponed all public-facing duties, continuing to work behind the scenes, and returned to events with the public in late April.

Maintaining a work schedule after his diagnosis has been an important part of Charles’s holistic approach to his cancer, and during the recent trip with his wife he maintained a busy schedule for the benefit of “mind and soul” while the doctor on the trip looked after the body.

A palace official said about the large number of events the King attended during the recent tour: “It is also a great measure of the way that the King is dealing with the diagnosis.

“And he’s a great believer in mind, body and soul, and this combination works very well on a visit like this, because he feels that sense of duty so strongly that to keep his mind and his soul engaged and then the doctor is here to make sure that his body is properly looked after, you’ve got what makes for very successful visit in in these circumstances.”

The Princess of Wales recently connected with Bollywood actress Manisha Koirala, both of whom are cancer survivors.

Koirala, who has overcome stage IV ovarian cancer, received a heartfelt letter from the Princess of Wales congratulating her on her recovery and return to work.

She said: “I wanted to reach out to HRH The Princess of Wales to send my good wishes. I am deeply heartened to receive such a warm response from her.

“I want to use my voice to not only support cancer patients but also to raise awareness about the need for equitable healthcare access and the importance of knowing the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer. Having faced cancer myself, I know how isolating and challenging the journey can be, and I believe it is essential that we all play a part in changing that reality for others.

Kate, now cancer-free and back to her royal duties, has not revealed the specific type of cancer she faced, which needed major abdominal surgery earlier this year.

Prince William has mentioned Prince Harry publicly for the first time in years, as he recalls a childhood memory in his upcoming documentary.

The Prince of Wales recounted the time his mother, the late Princess Diana, took him and his brother to visit a homeless shelter more than 30 years ago.

He said: “My mother took me to The Passage. She took Harry and I both there. I must have been about 11, I think probably at the time, maybe 10. I’d never been to anything like that before, and I was a bit anxious as to what to expect.”

The mention of Harry is believed to be the first in six years. The last time William spoke about hus brother publicly is thought to be in 2018 when the pair were interviewed at Royal Foundation Forum.

Previously unseen pictures have also released as part of the documentary, Prince William: We Can End Homelessness, showing William as a child on the visit.

Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Thompson, known as King Charles’ equerry, is engaged to Olivia Lewis.

Thompson gained attention on social media following King Charles’ accession in September 2022, particularly with a viral TikTok video.

He was also featured during the coronation in May 2023, where a video of him assisting the King garnered significant views.

The Times announced the engagement, saying: "The engagement is announced between Lieutenant Colonel Jonny Thompson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Alan Thompson of Morpeth, Northumberland, and Olivia Rose, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Simon Lewis OBE of Primrose Hill, London."