Queen Elizabeth back in the saddle as British lockdown eases

LONDON -- Britain's Queen Elizabeth was photographed riding a 14-year-old Fell pony in Windsor Home Park on Sunday as the country eases stringent measures to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The Queen has been living at Windsor Castle, west of London, during the lockdown with her 98-year-old husband Prince Philip.

From there, she has issued a number of rallying messages to the nation, including televised addresses that have been a rarity during her 68-year reign.

-reuters-

'It's magic': Prince Harry and Meghan show off baby son

WINDSOR -- Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan showed off their newborn son on Wednesday, describing having a baby as "magic."

Cradling his son, wrapped in a white blanket and wearing a hat, Harry and Meghan appeared before a small group of media at St George's Hall in Windsor castle where they held their wedding reception just under a year ago.

"It's magic - it's pretty amazing and I have the two best guys in the world so I am really happy," Meghan said when asked how she was finding being a new mother.

She said the boy, the seventh-in-line to the British throne who has not yet been publicly named, had the sweetest temperament and was sleeping well.

"He's just been a dream so it's been a special couple of days."

The baby was born in the early hours of Monday morning, weighing 7 lb 3 oz, but few other details have been given about the birth.

"It's great, parenting is amazing," Harry said. "It's only been two-and-a-half days, three days, but we're just so thrilled to have our own little bundle of joy, to be able to spend some precious time with him as he slowly starts to grow up."

The couple said they were about to visit 93-year-old Elizabeth, the world's longest-reigning monarch, at the castle to allow her to meet her eighth great-grandchild.

Meghan's mother Doria Ragland is staying with the couple at their home Frogmore Cottage, on the castle's estate.

"It will a nice moment to introduce the baby to more family and my mum's with us as well," Meghan said. 

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Prince Harry 'over the moon' as Meghan gives birth to a boy

LONDON -- Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has given birth to a boy, her "over the moon" husband Prince Harry revealed to the world on Monday in a low-key announcement intended to protect their privacy.

Prince Harry said that both mother and baby were "doing incredibly well" as he gave a short statement to British television news outlets, without either in sight, in front of Windsor Castle's horse stables.

"I am very excited to announce that Meghan and myself had a little boy early this morning -- a very healthy boy," a beaming Harry said in the video statement.

"As every father and parent would ever say, your baby is absolutely amazing.

"But this little thing is absolutely to die for. So I am just over the moon."

Buckingham Palace said the boy, seventh in line to the throne, was born at 0526 local time (0426 GMT), weighing seven pounds and three ounces (3.26 kilograms).

Meghan, who is mixed race, was an actress in the United States before marrying Harry last year at Windsor Castle.

The women's rights campaigner has been hailed as a breath of fresh air in a stuffy institution.

A royal spokesman did not reveal whether 34-year-old prince and Meghan, 37, opted for a home birth at their new Frogmore Cottage home on the royal family's Windsor Estate, west of London, or went to a nearby hospital.

The birth in Windsor breaks with the tradition followed by Harry's brother William and his wife Kate, whose three children were all born at St. Mary's Hospital in London.

Harry and William were also born in the same hospital.

Harry and Meghan wanted to keep the arrival of their first child "private," Buckingham Palace said last month, and the announcement was made some nine hours after the birth.

That contrasts with William and Kate, whose three children -- Prince George, 5, Princess Charlotte, 4, and Prince Louis, 1 -- were immediately shown off to the world's media.

Prince Harry said Monday he expected to introduce the newborn to the nation -- and announce his name -- "in probably two days time."

Meghan's mother 'overjoyed'

Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles and Prince William were among the royals informed, as were the sisters and brother of Harry's late mother Diana, a royal statement said.

Meghan's mother Doria Ragland is with her daughter at Frogmore Cottage and was "overjoyed by the arrival of her first grandchild," it said.

Downing Street added to the well-wishes as news of the royal birth broke Monday afternoon in Britain.

"Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the arrival of their baby boy," Prime Minister Theresa May said on Twitter. 
"Wishing you all the best at this happy time."

The BT Tower in central London scrolled a message of congratulations, while the London Eye will later turn red, white and blue in honour of the birth.

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury who married the couple last May, also shared his joy on social media.

"May God bless the new family with love, health and happiness," he said.

'Incredibly proud'

Prince Harry and Meghan revealed they were expecting their first baby in October, at the outset of a 16-day tour of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga.

Commentators believed the baby, the Queen's eighth great-grandchild, was due in late April and Britons have been on tenterhooks when the month ended without news of the birth.

There was fevered speculation in recent weeks over everything from the newborn's gender and name -- to whether it will have Harry's ginger hair.

The prince said the couple were still thinking about names.

"The baby's a little bit overdue so we've had a little bit of time to think about it," he added.

Names including Arthur, James and Albert are now hotly tipped by British bookmakers to be chosen by the couple.

Prince Harry was present for the birth, describing it as "the most amazing experience I can ever possibly imagine."

"How any woman can do what they do is beyond comprehension," he said. "I am so incredibly proud of my wife."

Despite the understated nature of Monday's announcement, some royal enthusiasts gathered in Windsor and at Buckingham Palace, where a framed notice of the birth went on display on a ceremonial easel placed on the forecourt.

"I'm very excited," Amanda told AFP. "It would have been nice if it wasn't so discreet," she added.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter marries at grand royal wedding

WINDSOR, England - Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter Princess Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank at Windsor Castle on Friday in front of celebrities and Britain's senior royals including Prince Harry and wife Meghan who wed at the same venue in May.

Eugenie, 28, younger daughter of the queen's third child, Prince Andrew, and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, tied the knot with Brooksbank, 32, in the castle's 15th Century St George's Chapel.

It was the same setting as the wedding of Harry and Meghan earlier in the year, and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as the couple are now known, were among the star-studded congregation at Friday's event.

The 92-year-old queen and her husband Philip, 97, who has retired from official engagements, were joined by other royals and celebrities including Hollywood stars Liv Tyler and Demi Moore, models Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell and singer Ellie Goulding.

Female guests had to cling on to their hats as a blustery wind threatened their wedding outfits and a page boy tripped on the stairs walking into the chapel.

Eugenie’s dress, by Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos who founded the British-based label Peter Pilotto, was designed deliberately with a low back to reveal scars from surgery she underwent as a child. She was led down the aisle by her father, Prince Andrew.

"This is meant to be a family wedding," Andrew said earlier.

"There will be a few more people than most people have, there are a few more than Harry had, but that's just the nature of Eugenie and Jack - they've got so many friends that they need a church of that size to fit them all in," he told ITV's "This Morning" which broadcast the event live.

CAMILLA ABSENT

Singing and cheering well-wishers gathered outside in the streets of Windsor in the shadow of the castle, although there were far fewer people than crammed into the town for Harry's wedding.

"I'm a true royalist," David Weeks, 77, bedecked in a "Union Jack" suit and bowler hat, told Reuters. "I was here for the queen's 90th birthday. I was here for Harry and Meghan's wedding, I wouldn't miss it, I love the atmosphere."

The ceremony was overseen by the Dean of Windsor David Conner and charity guests and 1,200 members of the public were invited into the grounds for the occasion.

One noticeable absentee was Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, the wife of heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, as she was carrying out an engagement in Scotland.

Princess Charlotte, 3, daughter of Harry's elder brother Prince William and his wife Kate, was a bridesmaid, and her brother, Prince George, 5, a page boy.

After the service, the couple will make an open-top carriage tour of Windsor. The queen will then host a reception at the castle.

Eugenie, a director at London's Hauser & Wirth art gallery, and Brooksbank, who owns a wine wholesale business and is European brand manager for Casamigos Tequila, which was co-founded by U.S. actor George Clooney, met in the Swiss ski resort of Verbier in 2010.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Trump meeting Queen rankles with many Britons

LONDON - Queen Elizabeth II welcomed US President Donald Trump for tea at Windsor Castle on Friday -- a meeting which many Britons find to be the toughest of his already contentious trip to swallow.

Trump walked ahead of the 92-year-old while inspecting troops and did not bow when he met her -- a couple of minor protocol breaches -- but the meeting went smoothly.

Trump was gracious about the British sovereign in a newspaper interview out Friday in which he attacked Prime Minister Theresa May's strategy on Brexit.

However, his previous comments about the Royals have been less tactful, including boasting he would have slept with Diana, Princess of Wales "without even hesitation," and saying "who wouldn't" photograph the Duchess of Cambridge topless.

Some 1.86 million people signed a petition at the June 2017 general election, wanting to prevent Trump from making a state visit "because it would cause embarrassment to Her Majesty the Queen".

His four-day trip to Britain is not a state visit -- with the formal trappings of a carriage procession and certain banquets -- but it bears many of the hallmarks, including time with the head of state.

A YouGov poll of 1,648 British adults conducted on Monday and Tuesday found that half thought Trump's working visit to Britain should go ahead, with just over a third thinking it should be canceled.

However, the meeting with Queen Elizabeth on his first visit to Britain as US president still seems to rankle.

Just one in three (35 percent) thought the monarch should meet Trump, as opposed to half (49 percent) who thought she should not.


'GREAT AND BEAUTIFUL GRACE'

Trump was treated with a guard of honor when he arrived at Windsor Castle, west of London. The Coldstream Guards gave a royal salute and played the US national anthem.

The two heads of state inspected the guard before watching them march past, in the castle's quadrangle.

The Trumps then went for tea with Queen Elizabeth.

"For so many years she has represented her country, she has really never made a mistake. You don't see, like, anything embarrassing. She is just an incredible woman," Trump told The Sun newspaper.

"My wife is a tremendous fan of hers. She has got a great and beautiful grace about her."

His previous comments about members of the royal family have not been so generous. Buckingham Palace said no other royals will be meeting him at Windsor.

Trump has previously spoken about Prince William's wife Kate and his late mother Diana. William, second in line to the throne, is the monarch's grandson.

In a 1997 interview, just weeks after Diana's death, US radio host Howard Stern asked Trump if he "could have nailed her."

Trump replied: "I think I could have."

In 2000, Stern asked Trump if he would have slept with Diana. The tycoon replied: "Without even hesitation."

"She was crazy, but these are minor details."


'ONLY HERSELF TO BLAME'

In 2012, after Kate was photographed sunbathing topless in France, Trump weighed in on Twitter.

"Who wouldn't take Kate's picture and make lots of money if she does the nude sunbathing thing. Come on Kate!" he wrote.

"Kate Middleton is great -- but she shouldn't be sunbathing in the nude -- only herself to blame."

Trump will not be meeting Queen Elizabeth's eldest son and William's father Prince Charles, the heir to the throne.

A January 2017 report in The Sunday Times newspaper said Trump and Charles would not meet during his visit to Britain due to their strongly divergent views on climate change.

Prince Charles is a keen environmentalist.

A source close to Trump was quoted as saying: "He won't put up with being lectured by anyone, even a member of the royal family. Frankly, they should think twice about putting him and Prince Charles in the same room."

There have been 13 US presidents since Queen Elizabeth's reign began in 1952, and, including Trump, she has met them all but one: Lyndon B. Johnson.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

600 invited to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding

LONDON - Some 600 people have been invited to the wedding of Britain's Prince Harry and his fiancee Meghan Markle, Kensington Palace announced Thursday.

The invitations were posted earlier this week, Harry's official residence said -- without revealing who had made the guest list.

Harry and his US actress fiancee are set to tie the knot at Windsor Castle, west of London, on May 19.

The 600 invitees will attend the service in the castle's St George's Chapel, followed by the lunchtime reception hosted by Harry's grandmother Queen Elizabeth II at St George's Hall.

Later, around 200 guests are being invited to a private reception at Frogmore House given by Harry's father Prince Charles, the heir to the throne.

The venue for the evening party, in the park outside Windsor Castle, is where Harry and Markle posed for their official engagement photos.

The invitations, issued in Charles's name, were on thick white card gilded along the edge, which were die-stamped in gold and then burnished.

The invitations read: "His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales... requests the pleasure of the company of... at the marriage of His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales with Ms Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on Saturday 19th May, 2018 at 12 Noon followed by a reception at Windsor Castle."

The names of the invited guests were added in later by a calligraphy printer.

UNIFORMS, ELDERFLOWER CAKE

The invites indicated that the dress code is uniform, morning coat or lounge suit, or day dress with a hat.

Harry, a former soldier who also holds ceremonial military roles, is therefore likely to be wearing his highest-ranking uniform for the wedding.

The prince and his bride-to-be have been increasingly busy this month in the build-up to the big day.

On Tuesday, the couple announced they had chosen London-based US pastry chef Claire Ptak to make a lemon elderflower wedding cake, to be covered with buttercream and decorated with flowers.

Queen Elizabeth published her formal consent to the marriage on March 15.

By law, the monarch must give consent for the marriage of the first 6 people in line to inherit the throne.

Harry, 33, is fifth in line after his father Charles, brother Prince William and William's children Prince George and Princess Charlotte.

He will be bumped down to sixth place when William's wife Kate gives birth next month.

On March 12, Markle took part in her first official event with Queen Elizabeth, accompanying Harry to a Commonwealth Day service at London's Westminster Abbey.

Markle, 36, was baptized by the leader of the Church of England earlier this month out of respect for the sovereign's role as head of the denomination.

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Irish president to make historic state visit to Britain

DUBLIN - President Michael D. Higgins is to become the first Irish head of state to make a state visit to Britain, in another symbolic step forward for relations between the neighbouring countries.

The visit in April will come three years after Britain's Queen Elizabeth made a groundbreaking trip to the republic, which experts said put Anglo-Irish relations on a new footing.

Higgins's visit will be seen as a further sign of progress following the hard-won peace in Northern Ireland, which remains part of the United Kingdom.

Higgins's Aras an Uachtarain official residence confirmed he has accepted an invitation for a three-day state visit.

The details are yet to be fleshed out but the 72-year-old poet is expected to stay at Windsor Castle, west of London, from April 8 to 10.

Though Higgins has visited Britain several times since taking office in November 2011, they were not official state visits, where Britain lays on the pomp and ceremony.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com