Put the kettle on – it’s been a week of peace talks, pastry politics, and petty princely pique. Same cheeky brew as last time, promise.
Harry The King: Tea, Cake… and a Truce?
Yes, it finally happened: Harry slipped into Clarence House for a swift father–son catch-up after 19 months apart. Reports say it was very British: tea, tight timing, and (because we live for the details) chocolate biscuit cake laid out for the prodigal prince.
And not just any cake, this is the royal family’s comfort dessert. It was Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite treat, so beloved she’d have a slice every day until it was gone, with leftovers even sent ahead when she travelled. William loved it so much he had it as a groom’s cake at his wedding. And yes, Harry’s been known to adore it too. So Charles making sure it was on the table? That was more than a sugar fix, it was a nod to his mother, a wink to Harry’s sweet tooth, and perhaps the most British olive branch imaginable: reconciliation via sponge and cocoa.
Post-tea, Harry told The Guardian his focus for the next year “has to be on my dad,” which set the speculation engines roaring that Charles’ health may be more fragile than we’re being told.
Some royal watchers are blunt: reconciliation only makes sense if you accept the King may be much sicker than the palace lets on. The official line is tight-lipped, but speculation is doing laps around the palace gates.
The Ukraine Detour: Have Cake, Eat Warzone?
Then Harry hopped an overnight train for a surprise visit to Kyiv, meeting veterans and families tied to the Invictus community. Lovely sentiment; thorny optics. He’s not a working royal… but he’s doing the very royal thing of turning up in a live war theatre with cameras clicking. Cue debate about having it both ways.
And if you heard a distant grinding noise, that was reportedly William’s teeth. Palace caution (and heir-to-the-throne security realities) make a Ukraine trip for the Prince of Wales a non-starter for now which only sharpens the contrast when Harry swans in. William has had to content himself with safer NATO-adjacent visits, like Estonia earlier this year, but you can bet he’s itching for a frontline photo op.
Jam Tomorrow? Meghan’s Spread Stirs the Pot
Meghan’s jam saga remains the most British scandal imaginable: sugar, labels, and vibes. After a sell-out launch at around US$9 a jar (with and without keepsake trimmings), came a sudden “pause” on restocking while she “stabilises” the brand. Meanwhile, critics tut-tutted that the homemade narrative screams mass production with whispers of Illinois factories and cheaper jars dragging down the artisanal fantasy. Is it cottage-core chic or Tesco’s finest with a fancier sticker? You decide.
Trump Week Prep: Polishing the Plateware
Buckingham Palace has moved into state-visit mode with Donald Trump’s visit, think Windsor pomp, a state banquet and a security operation to match. Palace staff are buffing silverware within an inch of its life, while the Met readies for “every eventuality.” Translation: it’s about to be pomp, protocol, and a lot of Union Jack bunting.
Kate Keeps It Personal, While Sophie and Anne Keep It Classic
Princess Kate has been quietly on the up: she visited two historic textile mills, Sudbury Silk Mills and Marina Mill, rolling up her sleeves to see traditional looms and bespoke fabrics in action. She also sneaked nods to William and their children in her outfit, with a Prince-of-Wales check jacket and a necklace bearing the initials G, C, L (for George, Charlotte, Louis) to make sure family was part of the message.
Meanwhile, Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, made a softer appearance, cheering on her niece Zara Tindall at the Cornbury House Horse Trials in Oxfordshire, bright smile, autumnal tones, very aunt vibes. And Princess Anne treated a crowd of schoolchildren to something extraordinary: she landed in a royal helicopter at Merchant Taylors’ School, letting kids marvel over the aircraft and meet the pilots. The Princess Royal is doing what she does best being steadfast, quietly impressive, and very royal.
And in Broader Royal-Adjacent Scandal… Belgium’s Bombshell
Belgium’s royal house was jolted this week when Prince Laurent, the younger brother of King Philippe, confirmed he has a 25-year-old son, Clément Vandenkerckhove, from a past relationship in the 1990s. The admission doesn’t affect the line of succession but still caused a stir, especially as Clément is stepping into the spotlight with a new documentary, Clément, Son of…. Laurent asked for privacy, saying the family has been “open and honest” about it for years, but the revelation adds another chapter to Belgium’s growing list of royal paternity dramas.
So, with tea leaves swirling and silver polished, next week promises more royal drama served piping hot – jam jars, banquets, and all.
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