Royal
Royal
Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's home refurbishments have cost £4.5 million.
The royal couple's ongoing plan to renovate Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace, which used to belong to Princess Margaret, is responsible for one of the largest chunks of Queen Elizabeth's official royal expenditure over the past year.
Spending from the sovereign grant rose by £2.4 million to a £35.7 million total, with more than a third going on property maintenance, according to The Independent newspaper.
And £3.4 million alone went on the removal of asbestos from William and Catherine's apartment to make it a safe place to live for 11-month-old Prince George.
An aide justified: "It was a priority. We have a backlog and we prioritise things in terms of the backlog but we also have to prioritise in terms of occupational activities of the royal household.
"In the case of 1A at Kensington Palace we needed to use it ... This is the couple's one and only official residence and it is here they plan to stay for many, many years to come."
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's future family home was last refurbished in 1963 so needs a "significant amount of work" to make it habitable, including new plumbing and electrical wiring, it was revealed during an annual briefing.
However, the total figure could have been much higher had Catherine and William not also paid out of their own pockets - with a little help from Prince Charles.
They forked out for interior furnishings, carpets and curtains, as well as a brand new kitchen to supplement the existing 350 sq ft kitchen for official events, financed by public funds.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s £4.5m home refurbishments
Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's home refurbishments have cost £4.5 million.
The royal couple's ongoing plan to renovate Apartment 1A at Kensington Palace, which used to belong to Princess Margaret, is responsible for one of the largest chunks of Queen Elizabeth's official royal expenditure over the past year.
Spending from the sovereign grant rose by £2.4 million to a £35.7 million total, with more than a third going on property maintenance, according to The Independent newspaper.
And £3.4 million alone went on the removal of asbestos from William and Catherine's apartment to make it a safe place to live for 11-month-old Prince George.
An aide justified: "It was a priority. We have a backlog and we prioritise things in terms of the backlog but we also have to prioritise in terms of occupational activities of the royal household.
"In the case of 1A at Kensington Palace we needed to use it ... This is the couple's one and only official residence and it is here they plan to stay for many, many years to come."
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's future family home was last refurbished in 1963 so needs a "significant amount of work" to make it habitable, including new plumbing and electrical wiring, it was revealed during an annual briefing.
However, the total figure could have been much higher had Catherine and William not also paid out of their own pockets - with a little help from Prince Charles.
They forked out for interior furnishings, carpets and curtains, as well as a brand new kitchen to supplement the existing 350 sq ft kitchen for official events, financed by public funds.
Royal
Britain's Prince George has been named the best-dressed member of the royal family.
The 11-month-old tot beat the likes of his mother Duchess Catherine and great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth to the crown after he topped a recent survey with 23 per cent of the vote.
One mother, who took part in the survey, told Hello! magazine: "I absolutely adore Prince George's style. It's modern, yet traditional and stylish but not tacky."
Catherine, who was known as Kate Middleton until she married Prince William in 2011, came in second place after securing 21 per cent, while the Queen, who is famed for her elegant style, climbed into third with 18 per cent.
Princess Beatrice - the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson - took fourth place with 12 per cent, followed by Prince Harry with nine per cent, while the Countess of Wessex missed out on the top five after scoring seven per cent of the vote.
Prince William came in seventh with just four per cent, while the Duchess of Cornwall, who is married to Prince Charles, found herself in eighth with just three per cent.
Princess Eugenie and Zara Phillips finished off the top 10 list after securing the ninth and tenth spot in the poll.
The survey, which was conducted by junior fashion label My1stYears.com, asked more than 600 people who they thought was the most fashionable royal.
Prince George voted best-dressed royal
Britain's Prince George has been named the best-dressed member of the royal family.
The 11-month-old tot beat the likes of his mother Duchess Catherine and great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth to the crown after he topped a recent survey with 23 per cent of the vote.
One mother, who took part in the survey, told Hello! magazine: "I absolutely adore Prince George's style. It's modern, yet traditional and stylish but not tacky."
Catherine, who was known as Kate Middleton until she married Prince William in 2011, came in second place after securing 21 per cent, while the Queen, who is famed for her elegant style, climbed into third with 18 per cent.
Princess Beatrice - the daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson - took fourth place with 12 per cent, followed by Prince Harry with nine per cent, while the Countess of Wessex missed out on the top five after scoring seven per cent of the vote.
Prince William came in seventh with just four per cent, while the Duchess of Cornwall, who is married to Prince Charles, found herself in eighth with just three per cent.
Princess Eugenie and Zara Phillips finished off the top 10 list after securing the ninth and tenth spot in the poll.
The survey, which was conducted by junior fashion label My1stYears.com, asked more than 600 people who they thought was the most fashionable royal.
Royal
Britain's Prince Harry is "really sad" about England being knocked out of the World Cup.
The 29-year-old prince confessed he was bitterly disappointed his team would be heading home after losing their first two group stage matches.
Harry made the admission to the FA chairman Greg Dyke just hours before he watched England bow out against Costa Rica at the Belo Horizonte stadium in a nil-nil draw yesterday (24.06.14).
Greg told The Independent newspaper: "It's a shame Harry didn't come [to Brazil] last week, he probably would have helped. I feel really sorry for Harry and our fans that we didn't have a chance of staying on - but that's life.
"It's such small margins, we basically played better here than we have for the last two World Cups."
The redhead met the FA chairman during a business brunch at The Minas Tennis Club, where the pair were shown a rare copy of the 1863 original regulations ahead of it being displayed at the Sao Paulo football museum.
Harry also lamented to Greg: "The couple of games that I watched I thought that we played really well. It's the best England team we've had for some time - but hey, you win some you lose some."
Prince Harry devastated by World Cup result
Britain's Prince Harry is "really sad" about England being knocked out of the World Cup.
The 29-year-old prince confessed he was bitterly disappointed his team would be heading home after losing their first two group stage matches.
Harry made the admission to the FA chairman Greg Dyke just hours before he watched England bow out against Costa Rica at the Belo Horizonte stadium in a nil-nil draw yesterday (24.06.14).
Greg told The Independent newspaper: "It's a shame Harry didn't come [to Brazil] last week, he probably would have helped. I feel really sorry for Harry and our fans that we didn't have a chance of staying on - but that's life.
"It's such small margins, we basically played better here than we have for the last two World Cups."
The redhead met the FA chairman during a business brunch at The Minas Tennis Club, where the pair were shown a rare copy of the 1863 original regulations ahead of it being displayed at the Sao Paulo football museum.
Harry also lamented to Greg: "The couple of games that I watched I thought that we played really well. It's the best England team we've had for some time - but hey, you win some you lose some."
Royal
Britain's Prince Charles is "extremely proud" of the newly-revamped Middleport Pottery factory.
The 65-year-old royal visited the historic site in Stoke-on-Trent is Staffordshire, England, yesterday (24.06.14) to witness firsthand the £9 million restoration project that The Prince's Regeneration Trust (PRT) helped undertake.
The grade II-listed site was saved from closure in 2011 when the trust, spearheaded by Charles, embarked on a three-year mission to restore the 125-year-old home of traditional Burleigh Pottery to its former glory and prevent job losses.
As he officially unveiled the site, The Stoke Sentinel reports that Charles said: "Stoke-on-Trent is the cradle of the British ceramics industry, and the contribution made to this country by the Potteries is enormous, so I am absolutely thrilled that this pottery is alive and breathing once again."
"While traditional crafts and unique skills have been returned and historic buildings and machinery have been preserved for future generations to enjoy, we now hope to bring the steam engine back into use and also build a bridge over the canal to make it more accessible to people."
"When English Heritage approached my trust about the imminent closure of this world-famous company, and the seemingly inevitable break-up of its workforce, the loss of traditional skills and the destruction of so many industrial artefacts and archives, including the unique collection of moulds, I was determined that this could not be allowed to happen."
Charles made a splash by arriving at the factory on board a canal boat named The Lindsay and was welcomed by factory workers, the Haywood Academy's band, and local school children.
The project has created new facilities for visitors including an exhibition gallery, a shop and a café, as well as a state-of-the-art workshop and vacant office spaces.
Prince Charles proud of Middleport Pottery revamp
Britain's Prince Charles is "extremely proud" of the newly-revamped Middleport Pottery factory.
The 65-year-old royal visited the historic site in Stoke-on-Trent is Staffordshire, England, yesterday (24.06.14) to witness firsthand the £9 million restoration project that The Prince's Regeneration Trust (PRT) helped undertake.
The grade II-listed site was saved from closure in 2011 when the trust, spearheaded by Charles, embarked on a three-year mission to restore the 125-year-old home of traditional Burleigh Pottery to its former glory and prevent job losses.
As he officially unveiled the site, The Stoke Sentinel reports that Charles said: "Stoke-on-Trent is the cradle of the British ceramics industry, and the contribution made to this country by the Potteries is enormous, so I am absolutely thrilled that this pottery is alive and breathing once again."
"While traditional crafts and unique skills have been returned and historic buildings and machinery have been preserved for future generations to enjoy, we now hope to bring the steam engine back into use and also build a bridge over the canal to make it more accessible to people."
"When English Heritage approached my trust about the imminent closure of this world-famous company, and the seemingly inevitable break-up of its workforce, the loss of traditional skills and the destruction of so many industrial artefacts and archives, including the unique collection of moulds, I was determined that this could not be allowed to happen."
Charles made a splash by arriving at the factory on board a canal boat named The Lindsay and was welcomed by factory workers, the Haywood Academy's band, and local school children.
The project has created new facilities for visitors including an exhibition gallery, a shop and a café, as well as a state-of-the-art workshop and vacant office spaces.
Royal
Britain's Queen Elizabeth declined to sit on the famous Iron Throne as she visited the set of 'Game of Thrones'.
The monarch toured the hit fantasy drama's set in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with her husband Prince Philip today (24.06.14) and met with several of its stars including Lena Headey, who plays fictional queen Cersei Lannister.
While 'Game of Thrones' is produced by American channel HBO, it is largely filmed in Europe - including Northern Ireland, where it is credited with boosting the economy by £82 million - and the large contingent of its cast is British.
Queen Elizabeth also met with stars Kit Harington (Jon Snow), 17 year old Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) and 18 year old Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark).
The queen's tour included visiting the Iron Throne - a throne made of swords that belongs to the monarch of the fictional Westeros in the series.
While fans are bound to be disappointed by Queen Elizabeth's reluctance to sit on the throne for a photo opportunity, she was gifted a miniature version of the prop to take home.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are currently on a state visit to Northern Ireland, which marks her first since 2012.
Queen Elizabeth visits Game of Thrones set
Britain's Queen Elizabeth declined to sit on the famous Iron Throne as she visited the set of 'Game of Thrones'.
The monarch toured the hit fantasy drama's set in Belfast, Northern Ireland, with her husband Prince Philip today (24.06.14) and met with several of its stars including Lena Headey, who plays fictional queen Cersei Lannister.
While 'Game of Thrones' is produced by American channel HBO, it is largely filmed in Europe - including Northern Ireland, where it is credited with boosting the economy by £82 million - and the large contingent of its cast is British.
Queen Elizabeth also met with stars Kit Harington (Jon Snow), 17 year old Maisie Williams (Arya Stark) and 18 year old Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark).
The queen's tour included visiting the Iron Throne - a throne made of swords that belongs to the monarch of the fictional Westeros in the series.
While fans are bound to be disappointed by Queen Elizabeth's reluctance to sit on the throne for a photo opportunity, she was gifted a miniature version of the prop to take home.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip are currently on a state visit to Northern Ireland, which marks her first since 2012.
Royal
Britain's Prince William invited his in-laws to Queen Elizabeth's Sandringham estate over the weekend.
The royal treated Duchess Catherine's parents Carole and Michael Middleton to a luxury weekend at his grandmother's Norfolk abode, where they celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary with a family barbecue.
A source told the Daily Mail newspaper: "William invited them to Sandringham. He wanted to show them around Anmer Hall. They had a barbecue on Saturday afternoon. Mike helped William, while the ladies entertained Prince George."
Since renovations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's new residence of Anmer Hall are not yet finished, the party are said to have stayed overnight at Wood Farm, a 17th-century country house on the royal estate.
William turned 32 on Saturday (21.06.14) and Michael had his 65th birthday yesterday (23.06.14), so the get-together also served as a joint celebration.
Upon his engagement to Catherine, formerly known as Kate Middleton, in 2010, William said how important it was for him to get on with her parents.
He said: "Kate's got a very, very close family. I get on really well with them and I'm very lucky that they've been so supportive.
"Mike and Carole have been really sort of loving and caring and really fun and have been really welcoming towards me, so I've felt really a part of the family and I hope that Kate's felt the same with my family."
Prince William invites Middletons to Sandringham
Britain's Prince William invited his in-laws to Queen Elizabeth's Sandringham estate over the weekend.
The royal treated Duchess Catherine's parents Carole and Michael Middleton to a luxury weekend at his grandmother's Norfolk abode, where they celebrated their 34th wedding anniversary with a family barbecue.
A source told the Daily Mail newspaper: "William invited them to Sandringham. He wanted to show them around Anmer Hall. They had a barbecue on Saturday afternoon. Mike helped William, while the ladies entertained Prince George."
Since renovations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's new residence of Anmer Hall are not yet finished, the party are said to have stayed overnight at Wood Farm, a 17th-century country house on the royal estate.
William turned 32 on Saturday (21.06.14) and Michael had his 65th birthday yesterday (23.06.14), so the get-together also served as a joint celebration.
Upon his engagement to Catherine, formerly known as Kate Middleton, in 2010, William said how important it was for him to get on with her parents.
He said: "Kate's got a very, very close family. I get on really well with them and I'm very lucky that they've been so supportive.
"Mike and Carole have been really sort of loving and caring and really fun and have been really welcoming towards me, so I've felt really a part of the family and I hope that Kate's felt the same with my family."
Royal
Britain's Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress has been voted the best bridal gown of all time.
The stunning Sarah Burton creation the 32-year-old royal wore to her April 2011 wedding to Prince William at London's Westminster Abbey has topped an online poll of the most enviable wedding dresses ever.
The sophisticated affair, with its sweetheart neckline, lace sleeves and a two-metre train, took 27 per cent of the total in a vote conducted by wrappler.com.
One fan of the Alexander McQueen designer's dress wrote: "I love Kate's wedding dress. She looked amazing and the dress was beautiful - very fitting for a princess. It's also the kind of dress that will never go out of fashion. It has a real timeless appeal."
Ranking in second place was reality TV star Kim Kardashian, who donned a cut-out lace number designed by her friend Riccardo Tisci for her nuptials to Kanye West last month.
The Givenchy Haute Couture dress polled 18 per cent of the vote, just ahead of the full-skirted Vera Wang gown Victoria Beckham wore for her lavish 1999 wedding.
Kate Moss' boho chic 2011 wedding dress courtesy of John Galliano came in fourth place, while WAG Coleen Rooney's Marchesa gown rounded out the top five.
Abbey Clancy's Giles Deacon number, 'Sex in the City' character Carrie Bradshaw's Vivienne Westwood creation and Keira Knightley's knee-length Chanel dress also proved popular with British fans, followed by The Saturdays' Rochelle Humes and Kelly Clarkson's bridal looks.
Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress crowned best bridal gown
Britain's Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress has been voted the best bridal gown of all time.
The stunning Sarah Burton creation the 32-year-old royal wore to her April 2011 wedding to Prince William at London's Westminster Abbey has topped an online poll of the most enviable wedding dresses ever.
The sophisticated affair, with its sweetheart neckline, lace sleeves and a two-metre train, took 27 per cent of the total in a vote conducted by wrappler.com.
One fan of the Alexander McQueen designer's dress wrote: "I love Kate's wedding dress. She looked amazing and the dress was beautiful - very fitting for a princess. It's also the kind of dress that will never go out of fashion. It has a real timeless appeal."
Ranking in second place was reality TV star Kim Kardashian, who donned a cut-out lace number designed by her friend Riccardo Tisci for her nuptials to Kanye West last month.
The Givenchy Haute Couture dress polled 18 per cent of the vote, just ahead of the full-skirted Vera Wang gown Victoria Beckham wore for her lavish 1999 wedding.
Kate Moss' boho chic 2011 wedding dress courtesy of John Galliano came in fourth place, while WAG Coleen Rooney's Marchesa gown rounded out the top five.
Abbey Clancy's Giles Deacon number, 'Sex in the City' character Carrie Bradshaw's Vivienne Westwood creation and Keira Knightley's knee-length Chanel dress also proved popular with British fans, followed by The Saturdays' Rochelle Humes and Kelly Clarkson's bridal looks.