OHMYGOSSIP — Princess Beatrice and her sister Eugenie haven’t been asked to cover some of their grandmother Queen Elizabeth’s royal engagements – like her cousins have.
Prince Andrew – who is the son of the monarch and her husband Prince Philip – has been fighting hard to ensure that his daughters are treated as “major” royals like Prince William and his brother Harry, but it looks like his efforts have been a waste of time as the girls have been missed out of the queen’s job re-shuffle, according to the Daily Mail newspaper.
Last year, the 90-year-old monarch gave up 25 of her charity patronages and decided to pass them on to her other family members to reduce her workload.
But, after hearing that Beatrice and Eugenie have been snubbed from the re-shuffle, Andrew, who inherited three patronages from his mother, will be fuming.
However, the girls shouldn’t be too upset as Beatrice, 28, is already patron of nine charities, while Eugenie, 26, is patron of the late Mark Shand’s Elephant Family.
Beatrice has been unemployed since July but it’s believed she’s currently working on developing a business app, although details on that aren’t known.
She’s also been raising money for charity through sporting events.
Eugenie, on the other hand, works at an art auction house.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Princess Anne will attend a memorial service to mark the 100th anniversary of maritime tragedy in Hampshire on Monday (20.02.17) afternoon.
The 66-year-old royal – the daughter of Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip – will arrive at Hollybrook memorial in Southampton for around 2pm today when she and others commemorate the 600 South Africans who drowned off the coast of the Isle of Wight when boat they were travelling in departed Plymouth on February 21, 1917, according to The Daily Echo newspaper.
The SS Mendi was travelling towards Le Havre in France when it was accidentally hit by the much-larger cargo ship the SS Darro, in what has been widely regarded as one of the worst disasters in the British waters.
In total, 616 South Africans and 30 members of crew died during the collision – some straight away and others trapped below the decks – before the ship sunk 25 minutes later, while the SS Darro remained unscathed.
As well as the memorial, the South African High Commission have also arranged for a ship to depart Southampton and travel to the Isle of Wight to lay a wreath.
Meanwhile, the princess has certainly had a busy time recently as just last week she was in Newcastle where she met with a number of volunteers at Citizens Advice at City Library to thank them for all of their hard work over the years.
Anne – who has been patron of Citizens Advice since 1990 – said: “Thank you very much for your presentation and thank you for your support in terms of the way you use the space in the library here to bring so many people together and particularly to the benefit of the Citizens Advice Bureau and all those who come here. I think for them it’s a real joy to be able to see daylight have space and that’s also reflected in the sheer numbers of people coming here. So thank you very much for all your support for them, I appreciate it.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Queen Elizabeth’s favourite train will no longer be scrapped.
The 90-year-old monarch was left devastated when she learnt three years ago that the Royal Train was no longer cost-effective and would only have between five and 10 years left before it would need to be destroyed, but plans to demolish it have now been axed after tests carried out came back positive.
A source told The Sunday Telegraph newspaper: “There is no end in sight to its use, and no fixed agreed horizon in terms of when it will be inoperable or decommissioned.”
The future of the train was thrown into jeopardy after Sir Alan Reid told MPs a few years ago that it was no longer fit for purpose due to its age.
However, a palace insider said: “Sir Alan Reid reported to Parliament a few years ago that the train may have to be decommissioned shortly. But since then tests have revealed it has more life in it than previously thought…
“For the Queen and members of the Royal Family it is a sensible and cost effective way of travelling, enabling them to stay the night close to the location of an engagement the following day – but without causing the disruption or security costs that, say, a hotel in a city centre would entail.”
The tests were carried out after the queen made it clear that the Royal Train was her favourite mode of transport and she still relies heavily on it running for her.
Penny Junor, Prince Charles and Prince Harry’s biographer, said: “The train is very dear to them. It’s fine for them to travel on public transport, but on the Royal Train they can sleep and, as the Royal Yacht was, its somewhere completely private, with everything they need on board. Everybody knows what it means to them. Yes, there’s a cost attached to it, but there’s a cost attached to having a Monarchy and it is what we want as a country.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Prince Harry will get to spend more time with his girlfriend Meghan Markle over the summer.
The 32-year-old royal’s hectic engagement schedule has meant he hasn’t got to spend that much time with his partner since they started dating last year but all of that looks set to change over the coming months as his work is taking him to brunette beauty’s hometown of Canada soon.
A source told The Express newspaper: “Harry has a lot on his agenda over the coming months but will be very hands-on with organising the Invictus Games. He will be working with the local organising committee to ensure that everything goes smoothly. He’s a huge fan of Toronto and has had nothing but support from everyone involved. Of course it will also give him a legitimate reason to spend more time with Meghan, he’s truly smitten.”
The Invictus Games, which is an international Paralympic-style multi-sporting event set up by the prince, will be held from September 26 until September 30 in Toronto, Canada, but the flame-haired hunk will also be required to attend a number of meetings in the run up to the competition.
He said: “The Toronto games are going to be, I am promised, the biggest and best Invictus Games yet, with more competitors, competing in more sports, in front of more spectators than ever before. 2017 will be your chance, your opportunity to salute those that serve your country; to salute those that put themselves in harms way so you don’t have to. I can’t wait to see how Canada embraces the games and rises to the challenge of telling Chapter 3 of the Invictus story.”
Meanwhile, Harry and Megan, 35, initially kept details of their relationship under wraps but they’re now willing to share it with the world after they were spotted walking hand-in-hand in London.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Princess Anne has thanked the staff at Citizens Advice in Newcastle, England, for their hard work.
The 66-year-old royal, who has been patron of Citizens Advice since 1990, paid tribute to the staff at the organisation during a visit to Newcastle City Library on Thursday (16.02.17), where she met a number of volunteers.
Speaking shortly before the end of her visit to the city, Princess Anne said: “Thank you very much for your presentation and thank you for your support in terms of the way you use the space in the library here to bring so many people together and particularly to the benefit of the Citizens Advice Bureau and all those who come here.
“I think for them it’s a real joy to be able to see daylight have space and that’s also reflected in the sheer numbers of people coming here. So thank you very much for all your support for them, I appreciate it.”
Shona Alexander, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Newcastle, hailed the organisation’s relocation to the City Library as a “huge success”.
She told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle newspaper: “Our relocation to City Library has been a huge success. We have nearly doubled the numbers of people we advise every day, using tablet computers to speed up our services.
“Her Royal Highness is a huge supporter of Citizens Advice across the country so we are delighted to welcome her to Newcastle and show how we have modernised our services.”
Citizens Advice provides free, confidential information and advice to help people with a range of problems, including those relating to money and legal issues.

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OHMYGOSSIP — The British royals “do a really good job” on social media, according to an expert.
Matt Navarra, a social media expert and head of content at The Next Web, has seen the royal family increase their social media presence over recent years and he is impressed by their contribution to the sphere.
He explained: “In the last couple of years they have ramped up their social presence. I actually think they do a really good job.”
More specifically, Matt lauded the eye-catching and “interesting” nature of their posts.
Asked for his verdict on their social media activity, he told the Guardian newspaper: “Very high quality imagery. Lots of video clips. Detailed descriptions in plain, interesting language for the widest possible audience appeal.”
Matt also hailed the team behind the royals’ social media accounts, pointing out that they have no room for error in their jobs.
In fact, the social media expert compared the pressure to when he used to work for the British government.
He said: “There is no room, absolutely no room, for error in that job. I used to work briefly at No 10 and you just cannot let things slip, or make a single error.
“If it’s the wrong image up, or a typo, or saying something that could be misinterpreted. And you have got to be pretty reactive.”
Despite this, the Queen admitted back in 2005 that she had not yet used a computer.
Since then, however, she has started to use a mobile phone and an iPod, which was bought for her by Prince William.
At present, the British royals’ official Twitter account, @RoyalFamily, has 2.78 million followers.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Prince Charles has hailed the “remarkable contribution” black immigrants have made to the UK.
The 68-year-old royal has heaped praise on the community during a visit to a new Black Cultural Archives centre in Brixton, London, which is well known for being home to people of African and Caribbean descent.
He said: “We are very lucky that you have made that contribution, particularly if I may say so, during the first and Second World War.”
The new Black Cultural Archives centre documents the community’s contribution to the war efforts and Prince Charles said it is important to recognise the sacrifices of black immigrants.
He said, according to the Evening Standard newspaper: “At last, you have a centre such as this, which allows you to develop so many opportunities but also to bring the message to so many people in this country and elsewhere about the remarkable contribution made over so long, by people of African and Caribbean descent who have contributed so much to this country.
“When we think of how many people were involved in that war from all around Africa and the Caribbean, their legacy is a truly remarkable one and I am so glad that you are able to ensure that story is told properly.”
Meanwhile, Prince Charles said he expects the Black Cultural Archives – which strives to celebrate the history of people of African descent in Britain – will continue to grow in the coming years.
He reflected: “I’m sure it will grow and grow. In fact I can see a time come when even these premises will probably be too small.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Experts have questioned the wisdom of Prince William’s call for a complete ban on ivory trading.
The 34-year-old royal recently spoke out on the issue of ivory trading and while he has received support from some quarters, the British Museum and historian David Starkey have opposed Prince William’s plea.
Starkey told the Antiques Trade Gazette: “By trying to preserve one wondrous, rare and elegant thing, the elephant, we are in danger of threatening other wondrous, rare and elegant objects.
“If these objects cease to be tradable they lose their value and will end up being destroyed. This is one of the largest threats to the preservation of Western decorative arts. It would be cultural vandalism.”
At present, only ivory products made after 1947 are illegal. But under the proposals put forward by the Prince, an outright ban would be imposed, regardless of the age.
Meanwhile, Philip Mould has also joined the increasingly long list of experts opposing Prince William’s plans, warning that his ideas threaten “thousands of years of culture and history”.
He said: “As an active conservationist, nothing could be more welcome to me than an initiative to save one of our most charismatic animals from a relentless road to extinction.
“A ban on the heinous trade in poached ivory should not mean that a thousand years of culture and history be outlawed with it.
“The thought that, say, some of our most emotive miniature portraits of Nelson, Byron and the young Queen Victoria become persona non grata – artworks of shame for which there is no market – is up there with book-burning and recent cultural vengeance meted out on the buildings of ancient Syria.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spent Valentine’s Day (14.02.17) at home.
The 32-year-old royal and the ‘Suits’ actress – who have been dating since mid-2016 – spent the romantic holiday together in the most low-key way possible at Kensington Palace.
A source told Us Weekly: “It’s become Meghan’s home away from home. All the security know her, she slips in and out whenever she likes.”
On her lifestyle blog in 2015, Meghan revealed her ideal Valentine’s Day scenario.
The brunette beauty wrote: “I think you need to be your own Valentine.
“I think you need to cook that beautiful dinner even when it’s just you, wear your favorite outfit, buy yourself some flowers and celebrate the self love that often gets muddled when we focus on what we don’t have. (sic)”
Harry and Meghan’s relationship appears to have intensified over recent weeks, after the actress was introduced to Harry’s sister-in-law, Duchess Kate, and her daughter, Princess Charlotte, in January.
What’s more, the couple also enjoyed a romantic getaway in Norway around the turn of the year.
Meanwhile, Meghan’s ‘Suits’ co-star Patrick J. Adams recently gave their burgeoning romance his seal of approval.
He said: “I’m super excited for her. As you can imagine, it is a massive deal, obviously, if you hadn’t noticed. I didn’t wanna get involved. I just wanted to say, ‘I love you, I support you, I hope you’re happy. You seem really happy’. And if she ever needed anybody to talk to in the madness – because it is madness, it’s madness what the world puts somebody through when they’re going through this process.
“But if there’s anyone in the world who is designed to be able to deal with it and deal with it professionally, it’s Meghan Markle. I’m just super excited for her and I hope that all of the whatever, whatever, I don’t even know what it is, but all of the madness passes at some point and they can just get down to the business of enjoying each other’s company and hopefully not have to worry about this. But I guess being in this situation, it probably goes on forever.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Prince Charles has been photobombed by Kasabian’s Sergio Pizzorno during a visit to a pub in Somerset, England.
The British royal and the chart-topping star both happened to be in the Prince of Wales, in Ham Hill, Stoke Sub Hamdon, on Valentine’s Day (14.02.17) and as the Prince greeted locals, a sneaky picture was taken of him while he wasn’t looking.
The 36-year-old guitarist captioned the snap: “Photo bombing zone …#HRH (sic)”
As well as visiting the pub, the royal also paid a visit to a nearby estate agents.
Orchard Estates tweeted: “Very interesting afternoon meeting HRH Prince Charles. A very charming man and extremely skilled at asking interesting questions.”
Meanwhile, the Prince has recently been in the headlines for his forthright views on climate change, which he’s described as the “wolf at the door”.
The 68-year-old royal joined forces with Tony Juniper, a former Friends of the Earth director, and Cambridge University climate scientist Emily Shuckburgh recently to write a book about the challenges and possible solutions to the issue of climate change.
In his foreword for the book, the Prince of Wales wrote: “I hope this modest attempt to alert a global public to the ‘wolf at the door’ will make some small contribution towards encouraging requisite action; action that must be urgently scaled up, and scaled up now.”
What’s more, the Prince has also thrown his support behind a campaign that aims to stop plastic being dumped in the oceans.
He called for a deposit scheme for bottles to be introduced as he endorsed the Ocean Rescue campaign.
He said: “One of the most troubling environmental trends, as I see it at least, is the progressive build-up of plastic waste in the oceans.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry are to honour the children of those who have died serving in the Armed Forces.
The trio of British royals are to stage an event at Buckingham Palace on May 13, when the youngsters will be able to enjoy live performances in the gardens of the historic landmark, as well as games on the lawn and the chance to explore the grounds.
In a statement, Kensington Palace explained: “Their Royal Highnesses have arranged the event as a way to acknowledge and honour the fact that a number of young children have had to come to terms with the loss of someone very close to them at a young age, having lost a parent in armed service to the country.
“The Duke and Duchess and Prince Harry hope the event will provide an opportunity for these children to broaden their support networks amongst other families with similar experiences.”
Prince Harry has frequently spoken about his experiences in the Armed Forces in the past, having served a total of 10 years and completed two tours of Afghanistan.
The 32-year-old royal previously urged people to take notice and realise the huge “debt” Britain owes to its Armed Forces in keeping the county safe.
He said: “This extraordinary expedition will raise awareness of the debt that this country owes to those it sends off to fight – only for them to return wounded and scarred, physically and emotionally.
“The debt extends beyond immediate medical care and short-term rehabilitation. These men and women have given so much. We must recognise their sacrifice, be thankful, so far as we can ever repay them for it.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, makes people “feel very relaxed”.
The 35-year-old royal, who is married to Prince William, met with Royal Air Force (RAF) cadets – who are in the first months of their training – during a personal development lesson on Tuesday (14.02.17), and has been branded as a “hot shot” who made the cadets “feel at ease.”
Dawn McCafferty, Commandant of the RAF Air Cadets, told People magazine: “She’s a bit of a hot shot, I can let you know now! She beat the cadets.
“When she joined in the jumping in and out of the ring she was game for a laugh. I sense she has one of those personalities that people feel very relaxed with.
“Even though they’re quite young and possibly under confident, she got them all talking and smiling. That’s a real talent and makes everyone feel at ease.”
And Dawn is hoping that Duchess Catherine’s involvement with the air cadets will “raise [their] profile” and get them more volunteers.
She continued: “We call ourselves the world’s best-known secret, but it helped us raise our profile.
“Hopefully it will help us get more volunteers. The very fact that she values the development of young people is a very powerful message back to my volunteers that it’s worthwhile and that she cares about it.”
The Duchess – who took over as Honorary Air Commandant of the Air Cadets in December 2015, when 95-year-old Prince Philip stepped down from the role – also took part in a flight simulation exercise, and Dawn would love to have the royal back to try her hand at actually piloting a plane.
She said: “[Catherine] said that because William had done so much, she’d like to have the chance to have a flight. Maybe our next engagement with her will be something around flying if we can. She didn’t crash the simulator and hit the target when she was shooting!”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, has attended a tea party for the Royal Voluntary Service charity.
The 69-year-old royal – who is married to Prince Charles – made an appearance at the Trinity Centre in Bristol on Tuesday (14.02.17), where she met with volunteers and beneficiaries of the charity which aims to help improve the quality of life for older people.
Whilst at the event, Camilla was spotted dancing with three different men, where she quipped: “Don’t tell my husband!”
The Duchess – who has been president of the Royal Voluntary Service since 2013 – met with members of the service who have been able to remain active and independent in their older years thanks to the charity.
Ian Bickerton, a 63-year-old man from Henleaze, told Camilla: “I do a lot of walking to help me keep fit, I’m a Walk Leader and I often take groups out walking in the countryside.
“And of course I’m a volunteer for Royal Voluntary Service. I visit a gentleman who is housebound most weeks and I occasionally accompany him on hospital visits.
“I’m also volunteer Community Researcher for Bristol Ageing Better, which works to reduce isolation amongst older people. I like to keep busy.”
Meanwhile, David McCullough, chief executive of Royal Voluntary Service, said he was “delighted” to welcome Duchess Camilla to the event.
He said: “We’re delighted our president, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall was able to join our tea party today.
“It was a perfect occasion to say thank you to our army of volunteers, who give their time so generously – bringing help, smiles and conversation to the lives of a growing number of older people.
“Without the support of local communities as well as organisations like McCarthy & Stone, we wouldn’t be able to operate. The contribution they make cannot be underestimated.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Prince William is to make his first official trip to Paris since his mother’s death 20 years ago.
Princess Diana – who had two sons, Prince William, 34, and Prince Harry, 32, with her ex-husband Prince Charles – tragically lost her life in a fatal car crash which took place in the Pont de l’Alma road tunnel in the French capital in August 1997.
Now, Prince William, the eldest son of the late royal, is set to make his first public trip to the city with his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, when the couple embark on a two-day venture starting on March 17.
According to the Daily Star newspaper, Kensington Palace states the royal – who was 15 at the time of Diana’s death – made “at least one private trip to the city”, but has never been to the capital on official business.
Prince William and Duchess Catherine – who share three-year-old son Prince George and 21-month-old daughter Princess Charlotte together – will visit the city to meet with young French leaders for dinner at the British ambassador’s residence, and the trip will not include a visit to the site of Princess Diana’s crash.
Meanwhile, it was previously reported that the pair will be in attendance at the Six Nations rugby match against Wales and France at the Stade de France during their stay on March 18.
A statement on Royal.uk reads: “The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will undertake an official two-day visit to Paris on 17th and 18th March.
“Their Royal Highness’ visit is at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Full details of the visit will be announced in due course, but the itinerary will include a reception for young French leaders from a variety of fields, a formal dinner at the residence of Her Majesty’s Ambassador and attendance at the Wales v France Six Nations test at the Stade de France.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, is a “natural” pilot.
The 35-year-old royal tested out a flight simulator when she visited the Royal Air Force (RAF) cadets – who are in the first months of their training – during a personal development lesson on Tuesday (14.02.17), and was picked up the controls quickly, according to Flight Lieutenant Michael Salter.
Michael told People magazine: “She was gentle on the controls. Very often people are too rough but she had it exactly right. The controls are extremely sensitive, and she was extremely sensitive.
“She wanted to understand what the feeling was like in the air. She now realises how the controls alter the sensation in the air. She was a natural.”
Flight Sergeant Jordan Avery, 18, said the brunette beauty’s flying skills were “very good” and placed her at the “same standard” as himself.
He said: “Her flying was very good — probably the same standard as I am, and I’ve been on the course for a day.”
Duchess Catherine – who has three-year-old son Prince George and 21-month-old daughter Princess Charlotte with her husband Prince William – took over as Honorary Air Commandant of the Air Cadets in December 2015, when 95-year-old Prince Philip stepped down from the role.
The RAF Cadets aims to promote practical interest in aviation amongst young men and women, and provides training to encourage the development of life skills including teamwork and leadership.
There are around 41,000 cadets ages 12-19 as well as 15,000 adult volunteers in the UK and abroad.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Queen Elizabeth has opened a new National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in London.
The 90-year-old royal and her husband Prince Philip, 95, were given a tour of the new facility when they visited the building on Tuesday (14.02.17), where they viewed a number of historic code-breaking devices including an 1890s naval code wheel and a 1943 Telephone Privacy Directory which featured an extension number for Buckingham Palace.
The new NCSC building – which is part of intelligence agency GCHQ – is part of a £1.9 billion five-year strategy to help battle cyber attacks.
NCSC chief Ciaran Martin said: “We want to make the UK the hardest target.”
Among those who spoke to the Queen and Prince Philip during their visit to the centre was Cerys Ives, a 12-year-old girl from Birstall, Leicestershire, who is taking part in the CyberFirst initiative which aims to get young people involved in cyber security.
Cerys was chosen for the programme after she sent her application in the form of an encrypted email which took four days for professionals to decode.
According to the Daily Mail newspaper, she told the monarch: “I sent them an encrypted email asking about the CyberFirst competition for 13 to 15- year-olds, because I was only 12 at the time. It took about four days for them to decrypt it and send a reply.”
Meanwhile, Prince Philip joked with staff members at the centre about when they would be returning to work.
Ciaran Martin revealed in a speech to mark the royals’ visit: “On the way out, and in a quote with his permission, the Duke of Edinburgh did ask: ‘When are you all going back to work?'”
Ciaran also revealed that Prince Philip had urged him to employ more people who “do not pre-date the internet.”

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