Best Royal Photos of the Week

The hardest-working royal donned a hard hat and had to shake off any concerns about heights for this visit to a renewable energy plant near Sheffield.

The warm light of Malta seems far removed from those of us headed into winter, but Duchess Sophie and Prince Edward appeared to be enjoying the warmth as they kicked off a royal tour of Malta to mark the 60th anniversary of its independence.

This photo was taken during a trip to learn more about the restoration work taking place on the former residence of the late Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip when they were newlyweds and Prince Philip served in the royal navy. They also celebrated their 60th anniversary at the villa in 2007.

The heir to the throne spoke with British actors Andy Serkis, Celia Imre and Stephen Merchant at an event on Wednesday co-hosted by BAFTA and the Royal African Society to highlight the importance of young creatives.

The Prince of Wales jokingly begged director Paul Greengrass to make another Bourne film, while Celia told Prince William: “I was a chorus girl, I know how important it is to go up the ladder.”

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, looked on as three pipers from the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys) played outside Wren House, Kensington Palace, to mark his 89th birthday. Prince Edward’s rarely-seen wife, Katharine, 91, listened from a wheelchair, and his brother, Prince Michael, was also present.

The performance was particularly poignant for the first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth, who commissioned into Royal Scots Grey after graduating from The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1955. He is the deputy Colonel-in-Chief, while King Charles is the Colonel.

Flying solo to speak to the UN, King Felipe addressed the International Conference on Victims of Terrorism. The conference was held in Vitoria-Gasteiz, which is the seat of government in Spain.

The Danish royals were dressed in their finest for a state banquet at Christiansborg Palace to welcome Iceland’s President Halla Tómasdóttir and her husband Björn Skúlason on Tuesday night. Queen Mary wore a ruffled midnight blue gown by Jesper Høvring and the Pearl Poire tiara.

The Danish Queen gave a lesson in regal style this week when she stepped out for a wreath-laying ceremony in a royal purple dress by Danish designer Søren Le Schmidt, accessorised with a matching headband. Keen-eyed royal fans will recognise this dress from King Charles’s coronation.

Princess Catherine looked solemn as she carried out her first public appearance since completing chemotherapy, joining Prince William as the royal couple visited the families of the victims of the horrifying knife attack on three young girls in Southport.

They also met with first responders at the Southport Community Centre, to hear about their experiences and thank them for their contributions.

Referencing the first visit to the families affected, Princess Catherine said: “I can’t underestimate how grateful they all are for the support you provided on the day. On behalf of them, thank you.”

It was an auspicious day for the royal family of Luxembourg, as Grand Duke Henri appointed his son, Prince Guillaume, as Lieutenant-Representative.

This move means that the Prince will assume most of his father’s constitutional powers, paving the way for his future abdication.

While the specific date for Grand Duke Henri’s abdication is not yet known, it may coincide with his 25th year of rule and 70th birthday next year.

And now looking to the week ahead! Find out what the royals will be up to in the coming days…

There’s an abundance of royal watching to look forward to this week, with a very special gala night for the Prince of Wales, personal celebrations for the Yorks and the Tindalls, and a race day for the Princess Royal, among many, many other engagements.

The week will culminate with the start of the King and Queen’s historic visit to Australia and Samoa, and we’ll be bringing you all the updates from the trip in the coming weeks.

Here’s what’s coming up this week…

Monday

The King will attend a reception at St Paul’s Cathedral for international business leaders to showcase the UK as a destination for investment, following the Government’s International Investment Summit.

Princess Anne will hold management team meetings for Chaffinch Trust and Give Them A Sporting Chance on her Gatcombe Park estate. The Chaffinch Trust supports those working for people who live in disadvantaged areas on low incomes, while Give Them A Sporting Chance gives carers and those with disabilities of all ages the opportunity to make their sporting or recreational dreams come true.

Tuesday

Sarah, Duchess of York will mark her 65th birthday, and no doubt her daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, will make the day special for their mother.

There will be royal outings for the Duke of Edinburgh as he attends the Annual General Meeting with the Sport and Recreation Alliance at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Princess Anne, as Royal Patron of Motor Neurone Disease Association, will attend the ‘Countdown to Cure’ Reception at The Royal College of Nursing in London.

In European royal news, Crown Prince Christian of Denmark turns 19. The heir to the Danish throne is currently on his gap year in East Africa, where he is involved in the day-to-day running of two farms.

The Norwegian royal family will also host Finland’s President Alexander Stubb for a state visit from 15 to 17 October, including a glittering gala dinner on Tuesday evening.

Wednesday

The Prince of Wales will step out for a very special evening at the Centrepoint Awards, celebrating the remarkable achievements of young people who have transformed their lives after experiencing homelessness.

Prince William was first introduced to the charity by his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales when he was a young boy, and he has followed in her footsteps to highlight Centrepoint’s incredible work to help young and homeless people off the streets, becoming the charity’s patron in 2005.

Meanwhile, Princess Anne has several engagements in London, including a luncheon at Trinity House, and conferences with the Royal Society of Medicine and Women In Science and Engineering (WISE).

The Duke of Edinburgh will attend a training exercise in his capacity as Colonel of 1st Battalion London Guards in Surrey, before hosting a dinner at Windsor Castle in support of The Wren Project.

Thursday

The Duke of Edinburgh will pay a visit to Barnsley, including engagements with Barnsley Youth Choir at St Mary’s Church and The Exodus Project.

The Princess Royal will travel to the Isle of Man to visit the ‘All at Sea’ Exhibition at House of Manannan as well as attend a Thanksgiving Service at St. German’s Cathedral.

Back in London, Anne will celebrate the 250th anniversary of RSA House and attend the Annual Evensong and reception at Savoy Chapel as Grand Master of the Royal Victorian Order.

Friday

The King and Queen will officially kick off their royal tour of Australia and later Samoa, marking His Majesty’s first visit Down Under as monarch.

The Princess Royal will attend the Spanish Riding School of Vienna’s opening show at OVO Arena Wembley.

And there’s celebrations for Anne’s son-in-law, Mike Tindall, as the former rugby star turns 46.

Saturday

Princess Anne will round off her busy week with her attendance at British Champions Day at Ascot Racecourse, where she will present the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes Trophies.