Palace staff 'hold heads in hands' after uneasy Meghan Markle move: 'Has she no shame?'
Prince Harry's Australia trip has left a confused message (Image: DX)Their four days Down Under has left everyone confused. Was it a business trip? A pseudo-royal tour? A chance to get new commercial partnerships? No one seems to know.Harry and Meghan’s trip included all the traditional elements of a royal tour: a visit to a leading hospital that has seen several senior royals (including Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana) visit before, photo opportunities with children, glitzy evening events and chats with survivors of the Bondi Beach terror attack.But interwoven were commercial speaking events, an appearance on MasterChef, and monetisation of clothing. The confused messaging of the royal-tour-that-wasn’t-a-royal-tour even left the Australian public bemused, who had welcomed the couple so warmly when they conducted their official visit there soon after their royal wedding.Should they curtsey? Turn up to cheer them? Or ignore them completely after the damage they caused the Royal Family. And they’d be forgiven for not knowing how to react as the trip appears to have blurred the boundaries between philanthropy and profit. No one is clear on the trip's focus: charities or cash? It’s an example of exactly what the late Queen Elizabeth didn’t want the Sussexes to do, the classic half-in, half-out approach Harry had pushed so hard for.They may be out, but their direction is exactly what they wanted. Royal tours with a smattering of commercialisation.And the best bit? They’re not working royals anymore, so the Palace has little power to respond. That hasn’t stopped them from watching on with their heads in their hands. Many feel uneasy that Meghan is choosing to earn money off a dress she wore to visit seriously ill children in hospital.“Has she no shame?” one exasperated source wondered. “This is exactly what QE2 was trying to prevent.” As for the couple’s comments criticising the Royal Family (again, you might add), insiders simply view them as a “broken record” and hope for Harry’s sake that he will one day be able to move on.Sarah Ferguson's hiding placeSarah Ferguson’s hiding place has finally been revealed… a £2,000-a-night ski chalet in the Austrian Alps. It’s unclear how long she’s been using the luxury resort as her refuge, but one thing is certain – she wanted to remain anonymous. It’s been months since she was seen in public, as she attempted to ride out the backlash about her friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in private.But now she’s been pictured, looking stony-faced and in plain clothing and a baseball cap concealing her trademark ginger locks to avoid identification, Fergie is facing renewed pressure to answer questions about her relationship with the late financier.The secluded retreat has been an ideal spot for the ex-duchess to hide out, as sources say she has struggled to come to terms with the last few months, and the beautiful mountainous terrain has helped ground her.Fergie has no plans to return to the UK anytime soon, with her daughters keeping their distance and the fury from the scandal showing no sign of abating. A source close to her said she’s “distraught” that her location has been leaked, adding: “But this will not change anything, she’s stronger than she looks and will not be forced to face the music just yet.”Queen Elizabeth would have turned 100 on Tuesday (Image: Getty)Queen Elizabeth's CentenaryMuch of the world will stand together to remember Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday – marking the centenary of her birth. The former monarch embodied the very best of us. From unwavering duty, dignity and stoicism to her incredible ability to adapt to the many challenges that she faced throughout her historic reign.Tomorrow the King and Queen will view the new Royal Collection Tryst exhibition, showcasing over 300 items that she wore throughout the 10 decades of her life. And on Tuesday, Charles will deliver a three-minute personal video tribute to his “darling Mama”. The broadcast is set to be incredibly moving and to celebrate the woman who led the nation and the Commonwealth through an unprecedented era of change.Members of the Royal Family will attend several events in the capital on what would have been her 100th birthday, as they come together to celebrate the beloved former monarch.All hail... King George?I couldn’t help but laugh when I saw a clip of a Republican congresswoman saying she would refuse to meet “King George” during his state visit to the US next week.While it was the reporter who first made the blunder, asking her “Do you think it’s appropriate for King George to meet with members?”, Lauren Boebert had no idea that the actual British monarch is King Charles.She said: “I have nothing to do with King George” and then, when she saw the video was going viral, she still had no idea of her mistake, and wrote: “The only King George I recognize already got expelled from this place.”Who’s going to tell her?
