Kate Middleton abdominal surgery: Princess Kate to remain in hospital

Princess Kate has been admitted to the hospital for a "planned abdominal surgery."

Kensington Palace announced Wednesday that the Princess of Wales, 42, underwent a "successful" surgery on Tuesday and is expected to remain hospitalized for 10 to 14 days before returning home to recover.

"Based on the current medical advice, she is unlikely to return to public duties until after Easter," according to the statement.

Kate asked for privacy amid her recovery. "She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private."

The Princess of Wales and Prince William share three kids: Prince George, 10; Princess Charlotte, 8; and Prince Louis, 5.

The palace apologized to all those affected by Kate's postponed engagements. "She looks forward to reinstating as many as possible, as soon as possible," the statement concluded.

Princess Kate's surgerynews ignites gossip. Why you should mind your business.

King Charles III to be hospitalized for enlarged prostate

King Charles III also announced a medical procedure Wednesday: The king, 75, will undergo treatment for an enlarged prostate, the palace said.

"In common with thousands of men each year, The King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate," Buckingham Palace said in a Wednesday statement. "His Majesty's condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure."

The palace said the king's public engagements will also be postponed for a brief period of rest as he heals from the procedure.

King Charles IIIto undergo hospitalization for enlarged prostate, palace says

Princess Kate to postpone royal duties for 2 months

Kate and the British royals typically maintain a robust schedule of public engagements for their various charities and personal family outings such as their yearly Easter church service at St. George's Chapel.

The 42-year-old's last public appearance was in December for Christmas church service at St Mary Magdalene Church. On Christmas Eve, Kate's televised Christmas carol service, "Together at Christmas," aired in support of her charity The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.

Kate celebrated her birthday earlier this month but did not have a public engagement.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla recognized Kate's 42nd birthday, honoring her with a "very happy birthday" message posted on the royal family's social media accounts on Jan. 9 and a photo of Kate from the coronation last year.

Princess Kate turns 42:King Charles celebrates her birthday with rare photo

Bells rung out at Westminster Abbey on Tuesday to celebrate Kate's birthday. "Our bell ringers are ringing 542 changes of Stedman Caters followed by a course of Sgurr A'Chaorachain Surprise Royal," according to the official Westminster Abbey account on X, formerly Twitter.

Contributing: Brendan Morrow

King Charles celebrates 75th birthdaywith food project, Prince William tribute

Queen visits recovering Prince Philip in hospital

Maria Puente

USA TODAY

Queen%27s husband will need two months to recover from exploratory surgery

He%27s %27comfortable and in good spirits%2C%27 palace says

Youngest son Prince Edward paid his father a visit%2C too

The royals have started turning up at Prince Philip's hospital room today, as the 92-year-old husband of the queen celebrated his birthday and began a two-month convalescence from abdominal surgery.

Queen Elizabeth II wasn't the first to visit but she was certainly the most important. Looking cheery and smiling radiantly, she arrived at the London Clinic this evening, dressed impeccably as usual in a bouclé skirt suit that was as white as her hair.

Earlier, their youngest son, Prince Edward Earl of Wessex, also paid a visit, spending 20 minutes with dad and telling reporters later that he's doing well.

Meanwhile, as is traditional, Philip's 92nd birthday was marked by two extended gun salutes in central London near Buckingham Palace.

Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and the oldest and longest-serving royal consort in English history, went into the hospital last week for "abdominal investigations" and is "progressing satisfactorily" after exploratory surgery on Friday, the palace said.

He is "comfortable and in good spirits," and will need about two months to recover from the surgery, the palace statement added. He's expected to remain in the hospital for about two weeks.

The two-months prediction suggests he won't be making public appearances with the queen during the festival next month celebrating the 60th anniversary of her coronation.

The queen has carried on solo with their engagements, and was overheard saying, on Friday during a visit to the BBC headquarters, that he "isn't ill."

Philip has had several health issues in the last 18 months, including heart and bladder ailments. This is is fourth recent hospitalization.

U.K.'s Prince Philip enters hospital for operation

AP

Queen Elizabeth II%27s husband to have exploratory surgery after %22abdominal investigations%22

Prince Philip%2C 91%2C will be in the hospital for up to two weeks

He pulled out of an event earlier this week because of illness

LONDON (AP) — Buckingham Palace says Queen Elizabeth II's husband has been admitted to a London hospital for an exploratory operation.

The palace said the operation on 91-year-old Prince Philip will come after "abdominal investigations," but did not elaborate.

In a brief statement, it said Philip was admitted Thursday and will be in the hospital for up to two weeks. He will likely spend his 92nd birthday, on June 10, in the hospital.

Philip had to pull out of an engagement with the queen on Monday night because of illness. But the next day he was by her side and with the whole family for the service at Westminster Abbey to mark the 60th anniversary of the queen's coronation.

Today, after attending another garden party at the palace with the queen, Philip was admitted as planned to the private London Clinic, a longtime favorite for royals and other celebrities.

This is the fourth time Phillip has been hospitalized since he suffered chest pains in Christmas 2011 while at Sandringham, the family's Norfolk estate. He underwent surgery then for an emergency stent in the coronary artery, but recovered to attend New Year's Day services with his family.

Since then, he's been in the hospital twice for a recurring bladder infection; one bout last summer forced him to miss some of the queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

King Charles prostate puts him in hospital amid Kate abdominal ...

King Charles III will undergo treatment for an enlarged prostate, the palace said Wednesday, coming amid news of Princess Kate's recent hospitalization.

"In common with thousands of men each year, The King has sought treatment for an enlarged prostate," Buckingham Palace said in a Wednesday statement. "His Majesty's condition is benign and he will attend hospital next week for a corrective procedure."

The palace said the king's public engagements will be postponed for a brief period of rest as he heals from the procedure, and the timing of announcement can also be seen as offering an explanation for Charles' absence. Foreign dignitaries and members of the Cabinet had been due to travel to Dumfries House in Scotland later this week.

Though it is unusual for members of the royal family to offer much detail on their health, the publicity about Charles' revelation may encourage other men experiencing symptoms to get checked in line with public health advice.

How old is King Charles? Monarch took over the throne after death of Queen Elizabeth II

King Charles, 75, was crowned alongside his wife Queen Camilla at a coronation on May 6 of last year. In November, he celebrated his birthday, which marked his first as a monarch.

In recent months, King Charles made state trips to Kenya and France. In Kenya, he expressed the "greatest sorrow and the deepest regret" for the "abhorrent and unjustifiable acts of violence" committed against Kenyans as they sought independence.

How to treat an enlarged prostate

According to Mayo Clinic, an enlarged prostate is a common condition as men get older. By age 60, about 30% of men show moderate to severe symptoms of BPH or benign prostatic hyperplasia, the medical term for the condition. An enlarged prostate can cause a weak urine stream, a urine stream that starts and stops and frequent urination at night.

Lloyd Austindidn’t want to share his prostate cancer struggle. Many men feel similarly.

The prostate is a smaller organ that sits at the bottom of the bladder. In a man's early life, the prostate is the size of a walnut or small tangerine. But around age 50, the prostate begins to increase in size. A common treatment for prostate issues is a removal of prostate tissue.

Prostate cancer affects more than 1 in 8 U.S. men, and 1 in 6 African American men during their lifetime, the doctors who oversaw Austin's treatment said in a statement released by the Pentagon Tuesday. The nonprofit American Cancer Society said it's the most common form of cancer in men other than skin cancer, and the risk of getting it increases with age. Austin, the first Black defense secretary, is 70.

Lloyd Austindidn’t want to share his prostate cancer struggle. Many men feel similarly.

What surgery did Princess Kate have?

The news of Charles' prostate treatment comes amid Kensington Palace's announcement that Princess Kate has been admitted to the hospital for a "planned abdominal surgery." Kensington Palace also announced that the Princess of Wales, 42, underwent a "successful" surgery on Tuesday and is expected to remain hospitalized for 10 to 14 days before returning home to recover.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla recognized Kate's 42nd birthday, honoring her with a photo of Kate from the coronation last year and a "very happy birthday" message, posted on the royal family's social media accounts on Jan. 9.

More:Princess Kate hospitalized for abdominal surgery, postpones royal engagements, palace says

Contributing: Naledi Ushe and Charles Trepany, USA TODAY; Danica Kirka, Evelyne Musambi and Emmanuel Igunza, The Associated Press

Kate Middleton surgery: Princess of Wales wants privacy amid rumors

Princess Kate will be shying away from public duties "until after Easter" following a "planned abdominal surgery, Kensington Palace announced Wednesday.

Princess Kate asked for privacy amid her recovery. "She hopes that the public will understand her desire to maintain as much normality for her children as possible; and her wish that her personal medical information remains private." Perhaps in a move to help facilitate that privacy, the palace also dropped news that King Charles III was having a procedure right around the same time.

Yet almost immediately, many began to speculate the reason for the surgery. Google searches surged for queries such as "what surgery did Kate Middleton have?" and "reasons for abdominal surgery" as well as for specific procedures and their recovery times.

But the reality is that no family – famous or otherwise – is immune to health issues of any sort, and everyone deserves privacy when they withhold details. Serious stories often lurk behind silence.

"Public figures need privacy to cope, heal, and develop a strategy to move forward just like everyone else," Amy Morin, psychotherapist, author of "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do" and the host of a podcast, previously told USA TODAY. "Working through issues privately can give them space to manage their emotions and strategize how to move forward without the distraction of outside opinions."

What the royal family is saying:Princess Kate hospitalized for abdominal surgery, postpones 2 months of engagements, palace says

More on King Charles:King Charles III to undergo hospitalization for enlarged prostate, palace says

Princess Kate, celebrity and medical privacy

The royals have a long, complicated history with the press. They have denounced the tabloid appetite for details in their personal lives – but have also walked hand-in-hand with the press to promote their royal duties and causes.

In recent years, Kate and Prince William have mirrored celebrities in sharing news they want to share on their social media profiles and via official royal press releases.

"Boundaries are essential to lead a healthy life," Laura Petiford, a licensed marriage and family therapist, previously told USA TODAY. "Healthy people respect the boundaries that others establish for themselves."

It's easy to ignore others' boundaries, however, in current times. "In the age of social media, the general public has become trained to share not only their most private moments, but to also expect others to do the same," psychologist Reneé Carr also previously told USA TODAY.

Kate has insisted on privacy on the outset – meaning questions about her condition to any fellow royals, including her husband, will come off as intrusive.

"If they want to keep their crisis private, it's important to respect that," Morin adds. "They may need space to process their feelings without outside opinions. They may also be trying to respect the privacy of a loved one by not sharing details."

In case you missed:Lloyd Austin didn’t want to share his prostate cancer struggle. Many men feel similarly.

Why celebrities, royals deserve privacy too

The public often insists they deserve to know all the ins and outs of celebrities lives. But do they really?

"If we put ourselves in their shoes, we would want to be able to have a private life especially when dealing with sensitive or difficult issues," Petiford adds. "Yes, they have chosen to lead a life that is more in the public eye but they have not forfeited their human need to draw a distinct line between themselves and those who are interested in them."

You'd want the same privacy for yourself during life's cruelest moments, wouldn't you?

"We need privacy to not only cope with the situation, but to also try to makes sense of what has happened or is happening to us and try to figure out how to move on," Carr adds.

Moreover, no one going through a difficult time wants to hear every opinion about their situation, whether you're a celebrity or not.

"Comments from other people can be upsetting and distracting," Morin says. "During a crisis, it's important to devote your energy to things that matter most. You only have so much time and energy and the last thing you want to do is waste it on combating outside forces that could affect your decision-making."

Contributing: Naledi Ushe

Where will the Queen be buried? Why the Royal Vault will not be her ...

London CNN —

Queen Elizabeth’s coffin came to its final resting place at Windsor on Monday. This completed its long journey from Balmoral Castle to Edinburgh, then from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall and Westminster Abbey, and then finally to St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle.

Thousands of mourners lined the streets to pay their final respects to the Queen, after her funeral earlier in the day.

After the pomp and pageantry of the state funeral at Westminster, attended by leaders from across the globe, a more intimate committal service was held at St. George’s.

Video Ad Feedback Watch key moments from Queen Elizabeth II's funeral 04:14 - Source: CNN

At the service’s conclusion, the Queen’s coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault – the resting place of many past monarchs. Below the chapel lie King George III, IV and V, William IV and others. Last year Prince Philip, the Queen’s husband, was also laid to rest there.

Before that King Charles stepped forward to place the Queen’s Company Camp Colour of the Grenadier Guards on the late monarch’s coffin.

Then, the Lord Chamberlain, who is the most senior office in the Royal Household, broke his Wand of Office and placed it atop the coffin. The ceremonial breaking of the thin staff is to create symmetry with the three Instruments of State that have been removed, according to Buckingham Palace.

While the Queen’s coffin was being lowered into the vault, the Dean of Windsor said a Psalm, before the Garter King of the Arms pronounced the styles and titles of the Queen. This concluded the public ceremonies devoted to her.

However, the vault was not her final resting place. Later on Monday evening, a private burial service was due to be held for the royal family, when the Queen is to be relocated to the King George VI Memorial Chapel. Here the Queen’s coffin will join those of her parents, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

The coffin of Prince Philip will also be relocated, so that the Queen can be laid to rest alongside her beloved husband of 73 years.

Although it is closed for Monday’s private ceremony, ordinarily the Chapel is open to the public, meaning Britons can visit the Queen’s final resting place to pay their respects.

Lauren Said-Moorhouse Christian Edwards
Lauren Said-Moorhouse
Christian Edwards

Queen Elizabeth II says Covid-19 left her exhausted' | CNN

CNN —

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II has revealed that she was left “very tired and exhausted” following her recent bout of Covid-19.

The 95-year-old monarch, who tested positive for coronavirus in February, discussed her experience in a video call with staff at an east London hospital on Wednesday.

Speaking with former Covid patient Asef Hussain, the Queen said of the virus: “I’m glad that you’re getting better…It does leave one very tired and exhausted, doesn’t it? This horrible pandemic. It’s not a nice result.”

The Queen heard from hospital staff about their experiences of working on the front line during the pandemic. Handout/Publicity/Getty Images

Hussain’s brother and father died from the illness, the PA Media news agency reported.

He was the third member of his family to be hospitalized with Covid-19, after falling ill in December 2020. Recounting his experience, he told the Queen: “I remember waking up one morning and just finding it really, really difficult to breathe.”

He added that he felt “like there’s no oxygen in the room” and even stuck his head out the window, “just trying to breathe, trying to get that extra oxygen.”

Hussain spent seven weeks on a ventilator in the hospital and is still recovering.

During her virtual visit, the Queen also heard how hospital staff responded to the huge influx of Covid patients.

Speaking to the construction team who built the 155-bed Queen Elizabeth Unit on the hospital’s 14th and 15th floors in five weeks, rather than the usual five months, she said: “It is very interesting, isn’t it, when there is some very vital thing, how everybody works together and pulls together? Marvellous, isn’t it?”

The Queen – who is celebrating her 70th year on the throne– has dealt with a number of health issues in recent months.

At a church service in October, she used a cane in public for the first time since 2003.

Later that month, she took a break from royal engagements after spending a night in a central London hospital, where doctors did “preliminary tests” and advised her to rest for a few days.

Buckingham Palace announced back in February that the 95-year-old sovereign was suffering “mild cold-like symptoms” as a result of Covid-19 infection but would continue light duties at Windsor. The palace previously confirmed both the monarch and her late husband, Prince Philip, received their first doses of a Covid-19 vaccine in January 2021.

U.K.: Queen hospitalized with stomach bug

Maria Puente, USA TODAY

It was the queen%27s first hospitalization in 10 years

A planned trip to Rome this week is off

The monarch is in good spirits%2C the palace says

You can never be too careful with an ailing 86-year-old queen.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth II has been hospitalized for an apparent stomach infection that has ailed her for days, Buckingham Palace said today.

She was said to be in good spirits, according to palace officials, but the British media went on high alert, ever watchful when health problems arise for the monarch or her husband. Prince Philip, who will be 92 this year, also has been hospitalized recently.

But it was the queen's first hospitalization in 10 years and one of the rare times she has been forced by health reasons to cancel public engagements, including a trip to Rome this week.

The queen, who turns 87 next month and has long enjoyed robust health, entered London's King Edward VII Hospital, the royal favorite, after becoming ill on Friday.

Even so, before she was driven to the hospital, she rallied to present one of her staff an award for long service at Windsor Castle, according to media reports.

The move to the hospital was taken as a "precaution," and "all official engagements for this week will regrettably be either postponed or canceled," the palace statement said. The Daily Mail and others quoted senior officials as saying she probably would remain in the hospital for a couple of days.

The symptoms of gastroenteritis — vomiting and diarrhea — usually pass after one or two days, although they can be more severe in older people. Dehydration is a common complication.

The illness was first announced Friday; the queen had to cancel a visit Saturday to Swansea, Wales, to meet with soldiers of the Royal Welsh Regiment in honor of Wales' national day, St. David's Day. She instead spent the day trying to recover at Windsor Castle, but apparently that was not enough.

The two-day trip to Rome had been planned to start Wednesday and was to be the only foreign trip on her schedule until the end of the year. A palace spokeswoman said the trip may be "reinstated" at a later date.

The queen rarely cancels an engagement; last October she had to pull out of a ceremony at Windsor Castle to award medals because of strain on her back, a problem that also cropped up in 2006.

She hasn't been hospitalized since 2003 when she had knee surgery. As per usual, the British media gathered in droves outside the hospital, as they did only a few months ago when the queen's granddaughter-in-law, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, was treated there for acute morning sickness.

A doctor not involved in the queen's treatment said that if medical officials determined the ailing monarch had lost too much fluid, she could be rehydrated intravenously.

"I suspect that she's being assessed and that it'll be a relatively uncomplicated treatment," Chaand Nagpaul told Sky News television. "It is very much about ensuring that the body receives the fluid it needs."

The queen is Britain's second-longest-reigning monarch (61 years) and even now usually takes on about 350 engagements a year. The last week has been typical: On Tuesday, she met the new archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, at Buckingham Palace, and on Thursday she presented Olympic stars with honors during a ceremony.

Ingrid Seward, the editor of the Britain's Majesty Magazine, said the queen "probably agreed to be hospitalized in order to get better quickly."

"Everybody will want to be wishing her a speedy recovery," she told Sky.

The piper who woke the Queen up every morning plays her to rest ...

London CNN —

Over the seven decades of the Queen’s reign, the British public came to know many of her quirks: her corgis, her hats, her wave. But, as the nation gathered for her funeral on Monday, they witnessed a lesser-known fixture of the Queen’s life: her piper.

For most of her reign, the Queen was roused by the sound of bagpipes played beneath her window – at all her residences around the country. The Piper to the Sovereign for decades acted as a personal alarm clock, playing for 15 minutes each morning, as well as on state occasions.

But on Monday, the piper had a different role. The music that signaled the start of the Queen’s mornings signaled the end of her funeral, as he played one final lament, “A Salute to the Royal Fendersmith,” while her coffin was lowered into the Royal Vault beneath St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The piper played from the doorway between the chapel and the Dean’s Cloister. While doing so, he started to walk slowly toward the Deanery so that the music within the chapel gradually faded. It was a moment full of symbolism, reflecting a similar ending to Prince Philip’s funeral last year.

Before the committal service in Windsor, the piper brought the state funeral service in Westminster Abbey to an end with a lament, “Sleep, Dearie, Sleep.”

The role of Piper to the Sovereign dates back to the reign of Queen Victoria. During a visit to the Scottish Highlands, she and her husband, Prince Albert, became enamored of the sound. Since the role was created in 1843, there have been 17 chief pipers.

On Monday, the music was played by Pipe Major Paul Burns, of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, who took up the role last year.

Among the thousands of tributes paid to the Queen this week, one of the most moving came from Scott Methven, who served as the Queen’s piper between 2015 and 2019. In an interview with the BBC, Methven said he was “devastated” to learn of the Queen’s death, and recalled the many moments of kindness she showed during his four years of service.

Methven lost his parents and his wife within eight months, while serving as Queen’s piper. Speaking to the BBC, Methven recalled “standing with the Queen,” who said, “If you’re not here in the morning and you don’t play the bagpipes, then I know you’re away. Don’t wait to ask anyone, just go home if your family need you because it’s family first.

“You know, Pipes,” the Queen continued, “if anyone has a problem with that, you tell them that I said it was OK to go.”

Analysis: Why aren't we being told more about the Queen's health ...

A version of this story appeared in the February 25 edition of CNN’s Royal News, a weekly dispatch bringing you the inside track on Britain’s royal family. Sign up here.

London CNN —

Elizabeth II’s health is a big talking point right now, not just because she is elderly but also because Buckingham Palace is releasing so little information about it.

So we thought we’d spend this week’s edition answering your biggest questions and concerns.

Yes, she is still recovering from Covid-19.

Last Sunday, the palace announced the 95-year old monarch had tested positive for Covid that same day and was experiencing “mild, cold-like symptoms.” It confirmed she was receiving “medical attention” and a royal source added that there had been an outbreak of the virus among Her Majesty’s team at Windsor.

It was made clear though that she was not out of action, as the statement added that she “expects to continue light duties at Windsor over the coming week.”

What are “light duties?”

This is a relatively new term that we are still getting used to, but our sense is that it means paperwork. Mentioning it reassures us that she is still well enough to work on the most important matters of state, such as signing off on new laws.

She also found time to send a letter of congratulations to the British Olympic team in the week and offer condolences to the people of Brazil following the devastating floods in Petrópolis.

The Queen during her last in-person engagement, days before she tested positive for coronavirus Steve Parsons/AFP/Getty Images

But didn’t she have to cancel her meetings?

She canceled her weekly in-person audience with the Prime Minister on Wednesday but that’s because it would have broken Covid regulations at the time, which still required her to isolate. The Queen had a call with Boris Johnson instead.

On Tuesday, she postponed an unspecified number of video calls as she continued to experience symptoms and a source told CNN that they would decide on upcoming engagements nearer the time. She also canceled her video calls Thursday but we are told they are being rescheduled.

Why can’t she do video calls?

It may simply be because she doesn’t want to appear on camera when she feels unwell, but it also meant we weren’t able to see her for ourselves for the whole week.

Why is the palace being so secretive?

It wouldn’t accept that it is being secretive. Aides agree the public has a right to updates on their head of state but they also refuse to give a “running commentary” on her medical condition. That’s because they believe the family has the same right to patient confidentiality that the rest of us have.

The Queen at a reception in Windsor in 2021 Pool/Getty Images/FILE

Would they tell us if it got serious?

Well, the palace didn’t tell us when she was admitted to hospital last year until it was leaked to the media and even then, it wouldn’t specify what she was admitted for.

Our reading of that incident was that if there had been a procedure of some sort then we would have been informed as that was the general rule courtiers had for updates on Prince Philip’s hospital visits.

If it got really serious and the Queen became incapacitated temporarily, we suspect we won’t be told anything until the family and the Prime Minister were informed and a formal announcement is made about who will be acting on her behalf.

Is Covid her only health issue?

No. She also has some sort of mobility issue. At her last in-person audience with senior members of the military, she joked with them that she couldn’t move. CNN was told that was probably more to do with feeling stiff rather than an injury or other ailment. It would be more surprising if she didn’t feel creaky sometimes given that she’s approaching her 96th birthday in April. This week can’t have been comfortable for her when she couldn’t move around properly and felt like she had a cold. At least she’s out of isolation now, or we assume so as the isolation rules were scrapped in England on Thursday.

All this is a reminder that Elizabeth isn’t superhuman, and instances like this prompt the public to worry. The palace is constantly trying to balance the public’s right to updates on a publicly-funded monarch with her desire for some privacy.

In reality, the public will always want to know more but it’s that mystique that keeps us captivated by royalty, and it’s why we eagerly await pictures of her return to work and again keeping the country ticking over. History teaches us she won’t be held back for long.

DON’T MISS

Kate wows crowds in Denmark.

Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, received the warmest of welcomes from the Danish Royal family in Copenhagen this week as she made her inaugural overseas trip with her organization, The Royal Foundation Center for Early Childhood. Kate was received to Denmark by Queen Margrethe II, who recently marked her 50th year on the throne.

The duchess spent her two-day trip learning about the country’s approach to childhood development, visiting the LEGO Foundation Playlab at the University College Copenhagen. She appeared in her element and even shot down a children’s slide (in heels!).

The Duchess of Cambridge uses a slide during a visit to the LEGO Foundation PlayLab on February 22 in Copenhagen, Denmark. Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images

Kate then visited the Copenhagen Infant Mental Health Project, and later the Stenurten Forest Kindergarten, where she learned about how the power of nature can be harnessed to support early years learning. There she was seen laughing and playing with the children.

Kate was in Denmark on a two-day visit with her royal foundation. Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images

The duchess also joined Crown Princess Mary of Denmark on a visit to the Danner Crisis Center, a project supported by the Danish royal that aims to protect vulnerable women and children from domestic violence. The pair were photographed smiling and embracing on the trip, to the delight of royal watchers who gushed on social media over the future Queens working together.

The Duchess of Cambridge and Crown Princess of Denmark on Wednesday Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images

WHAT ELSE IS HAPPENING

Tension brewing in Cambridge household?

William and Catherine are going head-to-head this weekend as England takes on Wales in the rugby Six Nations Championship Saturday. The duke is royal patron of the Welsh Rugby Union while Kate recently became the patron of England Rugby. The couple – who have often revealed their competitive nature at sporting engagements – are set to attend the game at London’s Twickenham Stadium.

William and Kate share a laugh during a 2021 engagement. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Prince Harry’s latest lawsuit.

The Duke of Sussex has launched a new legal battle against a UK publisher. Prince Harry filed a complaint against Associated Newspapers Limited (ANL) – the publisher of titles including The Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, a spokesperson for the duke told us this week. Harry’s spokesperson did not share any further details on which newspaper is facing litigation or why. CNN has reached out to DMG Media, ANL’s parent company, for comment. Prince Harry labeled the British tabloid landscape as “toxic” last year in an interview with “The Late Late Show” host James Cordon. The fresh lawsuit comes months after Meghan, Duchess of Sussex won her own legal battle with ANL over the publication of a letter she wrote to her estranged father in 2018.

Prince Harry speaks onstage during Global Citizen VAX LIVE: The Concert To Reunite The World at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. The concert was broadcast on May 8, 2021 Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Earl of Wessex takes over father’s role.

Prince Edward has taken over his late father’s role as president of the Royal Windsor Horse Show. The Duke of Edinburgh had been a “hands on” president of the event, which has taken place on the private grounds of Windsor Castle since 1991. Philip was a keen horseman and competed in International Carriage Driving competitions for 35 years. Edward said his father had been “instrumental” in developing the equestrian festival into one of the most prestigious horse shows in the world. The earl and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, have long been involved with the event, most recently as Royal Vice Presidents, according to a press release from organizers. The show is set to put on a jubilee-themed extravaganza in May.

Prince Edward with his father, Prince Philip, in Edinburgh, Scotland in 2016 Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

ROYAL TEA BREAK

The Sussexes attend the 2021 Salute To Freedom Gala at Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum on in New York City on November 10, 2021. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be awarded with the prestigious NAACP President’s Award in recognition of their humanitarian work and commitment to equality and social justice this weekend. The couple will be presented with the accolade at the 53rd NAACP Image Awards, which will air live at 8 p.m. ET on BET, on Saturday. The NAACP are honoring Harry and Meghan for their “distinguished public service” and for having “heeded the call to social justice” in the United States and around the world, according to a NAACP press release. Previous winners include Rihanna, Muhammad Ali, Lauryn Hill, Condoleezza Rice and LeBron James.

The pair have also announced a new award in collaboration with NAACP in an effort to continue supporting and recognizing future generations of civil rights leaders. Author and scholar Safiya Noble – who explores how digital technologies intersect with culture, race and gender – will be awarded the inaugural NAACP-Archewell Digital Civil Rights Award.

Harry and Meghan said it was a “true honor” to be acknowledged by the President’s Award, the press release added. They said the work of the NAACP to ensure racial justice and protect civil rights was “vital.”

IN THE ROYAL DIARY

The Cambridges arrive at RAF Akrotiri, southwest of the coastal southern Cypriot city of Limassol on December 5, 2018, during a visit honoring military personnel serving overseas during the Christmas period. Iakovos Hatzistavrou/AFP/Getty Images

Several members of the royal family will embark on overseas tours in spring to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, when Elizabeth II celebrates the milestone of 70 years on the British throne.

The Cambridges will kick things off with the first tour next month, with the couple heading to the Caribbean, where they will visit Belize, Jamaica and the Bahamas between March 19 and 26. Prince Charles and wife Camilla will head to the Republic of Ireland for a two-day visit on March 23. Princess Anne will visit Papua New Guinea in mid-April. And finally, the Queen’s youngest son, Prince Edward, and his wife Sophie will round out the month, on a multi-stop tour that will take in Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines from April 22.

In a post on their joint Instagram story, the Cambridges shared their excitement over their upcoming Caribbean tour. “We can’t wait to meet people in all three countries, celebrate local cultures and understand more about innovative work being done across communities,” the pair wrote before signing off the message “W&C.”

DID YOU KNOW?

William’s secret trip to MI6 HQ.

Speaking of the Duke of Cambridge … while his wife was in Denmark, he made an unannounced visit to the Secret Intelligence Service in London on Wednesday. The agency is perhaps better known as MI6 – thanks to James Bond – and specializes in foreign intelligence. Media outlets learned of the visit after it featured in the Court Circular, which is the official record of royal engagements. In 2019, the duke completed a three-week attachment with the UK’s Security and Intelligence Agencies, observing firsthand the country’s fight against terrorism.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Sophie, Countess of Wessex met new mothers and their babies as she opened the new Jigsaw Hub at The Lighthouse community center in Woking, England on February 24. The center hosts a range of projects aiming to support, encourage and empower marginalized and vulnerable members of society through training and providing care packages and food. Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images

“We stand with the people of Ukraine.” Harry and Meghan issued a statement in support of the European country after it was invaded by Russian forces Thursday.

The pair called Russian President Vladimir Putin’s actions a “breach of international and humanitarian law” and called on the global community to do the same.

Max Foster Lauren Said-Moorhouse
Max Foster
Lauren Said-Moorhouse