There are weeks where the royal calendar ticks along exactly as expected, and then there are weeks where the moments around the edges end up being the ones everyone talks about. This week delivered both. A milestone celebration in Cornwall, an Australian tour already under scrutiny, a behind-the-scenes figure stepping into the spotlight, a charity bike ride that took on a life of its own, and a duchess no one can quite locate.
King Charles and Queen Camilla were in Cornwall this week to mark 25 years of the Eden Project, a site closely linked to Charles’ long-standing work around sustainability through the Duchy of Cornwall.
The setting did most of the work. Those huge biomes, packed crowds and a milestone worth celebrating, and yes, a cake to match.
It was the cake-cutting that got people talking. With cameras in close and a crowd watching, there was a brief pause over who would take the lead before they both stepped in. The result was a slightly uneven slice and a shared laugh that broke the formality of the moment.
Camilla leaned into it, as she often does, while Charles seemed more than happy to go along for the ride. They both appeared to be in good spirits despite constant family drama and headlines that don’t go away.
The visit also tied back to something Charles has been associated with for decades. The Eden Project has long reflected the environmental work he championed well before it was fashionable, and marking its 25th anniversary felt like a natural fit.
Harry and Meghan haven’t even landed in Australia yet, but the conversation around their upcoming visit is already building.
One of the biggest talking points is whether Meghan will use the trip to expand her lifestyle brand presence locally. Reports suggest she may be planning additional appearances or meetings alongside the visit, raising questions about how closely those activities sit alongside a tour that will inevitably attract royal-level attention.
Security is another major focus. Coverage has centred on the scale of protection required and who will cover the cost, with some reports describing the figures involved as significant. It’s an issue that has followed the couple since stepping back from official duties, but it is front and centre again ahead of this visit. Put it this way the Australian public wants nothing to do with paying for this ‘tour’
There has also been commentary suggesting the trip could blur boundaries that were once clearly defined when they stepped away from royal roles. Whether that criticism is earned or simply reflects ongoing scrutiny, it is already shaping how the visit is being viewed.
At this stage, most of the discussion is not about the itinerary itself. It is about optics, expectations and how the visit will be positioned once they arrive.
Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, who has cared for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis since George was a baby, has been awarded a Royal Victorian Medal at Windsor Castle.
Borrallo trained at Norland College and joined William and Catherine in 2014. Since then, she has been a constant presence at key moments in the children’s lives, from early school drop-offs to public events like Trooping the Colour and Christmas at Sandringham, where she is often spotted just behind the scenes keeping everything running smoothly.
Her role goes well beyond day-to-day care. Norland nannies are trained in everything from security awareness to structured routines and child development, and Borrallo has been responsible for helping the Wales children manage life that is both highly public and tightly managed.
The Royal Victorian Medal is awarded for personal service to the monarch, which makes it one of the more meaningful honours within the royal system. It reflects long-term service and trust, and it is not something handed out lightly.
Prince William joined BBC Radio 1 presenter Greg James on part of his charity bike ride this week, supporting mental health initiatives aimed at young people.
Greg had set out to cycle across the country, visiting schools and encouraging conversations around mental health, when William turned up to ride alongside him for one leg of the journey. It was not heavily staged, more a case of showing up, getting on the bike and joining in.
That did not stop the internet from taking the moment in a completely different direction.
Footage from the ride quickly sparked a wave of commentary about William’s fitness, cycling form and, inevitably, his glutes. It is one of those moments where a straightforward appearance ends up being talked about for reasons no one planned.
Still, the attention pushed the ride well beyond its usual audience and kept the focus on the conversations Greg has been trying to start.
Sarah Ferguson has become the subject of one of the more confusing royal storylines this week, largely because no one seems entirely sure where she is.
Some reports place her in Australia, others suggest she has been in the UAE, while another line of speculation claims she has been keeping out of the spotlight amid renewed attention on Prince Andrew and ongoing legal pressure surrounding him.
What makes it more interesting is the timing. Fergie had been increasingly visible again over the past year, attending events, giving interviews and re-establishing her place on the royal sidelines. This sudden absence has been noticeable enough to raise questions.
There is also the practical side of things. Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie continue to maintain homes connected to royal properties, and Andrew’s situation remains unresolved, which keeps the entire family orbit under scrutiny. Whether Fergie’s movements are connected to that or simply coincidental is not clear, but it is feeding the speculation.
And then, because no royal story is complete without something slightly ridiculous, her spokesperson has also had to deny claims that she was involved in cloning Queen Elizabeth’s corgis. A sentence that probably did not need to exist, but here we are.
From Cornwall celebrations to Australian anticipation, and from a well-earned honour behind palace doors to a bike ride that took on a life of its own, this week had a bit of everything. If the lead-up to Harry and Meghan’s visit is anything to go by, the next round of headlines may already be writing themselves.
Proudly Australian owned and operated