British Royal Wedding

Kate Middleton celebrates her 28th birthday today.

The Daily Express reckons Kate will join Prince William – visiting the Queen for tea at Sandringham.

The couple, who have been dating on and off for seven years, are due to spend part of the weekend at the Royal Family’s Norfolk estate amid mounting speculation that they will soon announce their engagement.

Senior aides insist they will wait for the couple to approach them, although sources claim there have already been several contingency meetings regarding a royal wedding.

“Each year that passes seems to have its own character. Some leave us with a feeling of satisfaction, others are best forgotten. 2009 was a difficult year for many, in particular those facing the continuing effects of the economic downturn.” read more

British treasury documents uncovered by the Daily Mail show that Prince William is about to take over a substantial part of the Queen’s duties…

The disclosures come despite months of denials from the Palace that the Queen was planning to step back from her official work in favour of her 27-year-old grandson.

(The Daily Mail) has obtained an uncensored version of the document which confirms that the Queen is grooming William as a ‘Shadow King’. One blacked-out line states that ‘the Princes will increasingly incur expenditure when undertaking engagements on behalf of The Queen’.

Another censored section, stressing the key role for William, says that ‘from next year, it is expected that HRH The Prince William will spend a significant part of his time on official engagements… we need to put the necessary provisions in place in anticipation of that’.

The leak will add to speculation that the Queen believes William, rather than Charles, represents the best long-term interests of the monarchy, and will raise new questions about the timing of William’s long-anticipated engagement to his girlfriend Kate Middleton.

Clip from the series Monarchy – Queen Elizabeth II being photographed by Annie Leibovitz at Buckingham Palace.

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The Queen in 3D – YouTube / Channel 4
Innovative young cameramenb Bob Angell and Arthur Wooster filmed a 3D colour newsreel of the Queen’s Coronation that they named ‘Royal Review’. Bob and Arthur captured the Queen at the events she attended in the lead-up to and after the Coronation in 1953, including her journey to the Coronation itself…

Beatrice and Eugenie’s wild night at Party – Daily Mail
Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are at the centre of fresh security fears after partying into the early hours at a wild bash that police had tried to close down. One guest said: ‘Beatrice was very low key, staying downstairs chatting to her boyfriend and steering clear of alcohol, but Eugenie was really enjoying herself, she was partying hard…

Charles ‘hoped for Australian republic’ - News.com.au
Prince Charles secretly confided he believed Australia should split from Britain and become a republic while touring there 32 years ago, a new book claims. A new autobiography claims the heir to the throne told a 1977 dinner party in Sydney that he did not understand “why Australia bothered with us – we really are yesterday’s news”…

Prince Edward one of the crew – Stuff.co.uk / North Shore Times
When exchange student Levi Gennrich arrived in New Zealand he never dreamt he would meet Prince Edward. The Glenfield College student from Germany was on the Spirit of New Zealand boat on Waitemata Harbour with 40 other teenagers when the Prince came on board for a day…

The Age reports that Prince William could make his first official tour to Australia and New Zealand as early as January next year…

The second in line to the throne is expected to take the Queen’s place on a trip to Australia and possibly New Zealand as the British monarch scales back her overseas travel, The Mail on Sunday reported.

A senior aide told the newspaper: “The Duke is 88 and he and the Queen have decided that travelling long-haul is too much for them. It is hard work and the thought is that the younger royals should be carrying out more duties.”

A source at the prince’s Clarence House office said: “William sees it as an honour to be asked to carry out an official duty on behalf of the Queen.

He sees himself as stepping up to his role as shadow King. He has put off official visits for long enough and is ready to embrace his duty.”

Harry’s Royal H-Ness – Daily Star
Singleton Prince Harry will get over his split from Gladiators babe Caroline Flack by having a “date” with ex-glamour girl Francoise Boufhal. Harry, 24, is a target for the 28H beauty, who is determined to get up close and personal with him…

Chelsy Davy dances for Jack Osbourne – M&C
The former girlfriend of Britain’s Prince Harry was seen dancing seductively for the son of Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne at London nightclub Whisky Mist. “They were quite the odd couple. She may act all prim and proper but Chelsy was not shy at all. She jumped on a podium to show off her best moves to Jack. He couldn’t believe his eyes.”…

Queen hires out woods to Harry Potter film-makers – The Sun
Her Majesty has rented out part of a huge forest near Windsor Castle to producers Warner Brothers. Over the next two months stars including Harry himself, Daniel Radcliffe, will film the final part of JK Rowling’s wizard adventures, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows…

The Sun has ignited royal wedding speculation by reporting that Prince William will take Kate Middleton to Balmoral to meet the Queen in August…

It is the first time she has been invited to the Queen’s traditional break at the Highland retreat.

William, who is 27 today, plans to spend the August bank holiday weekend there with Kate. Her meeting with the Queen and Prince Philip will be seen as significant.

The fact that she has been invited to Balmoral, during a royal shoot, will be seen as important.

A source told us: “Kate loves shooting so she will fit in well with the Royal Family. She will take it in her stride.”

Bookie William Hill is offering odds of 2-1 ON that they will get engaged this year.

Most Noble Order of the Garter Procession 2009 – video by baptistevelan

Prince William dons ceremonial robes at Order of the Garter – Daily Mail
Prince William swapped his flying helmet for an extravagantly plumed hat at today’s Most Noble Order of the Garter Service. The future king, who was created a knight of Britain’s oldest order of chivalry last year, took part in the annual procession alongside his father, grandmother and grandfather in the precincts of Windsor Castle…

Photos: Royals Attend Order Of The Garter Service – Getty Images