If you follow foodies on social media, you’ll know Humble Crumble needs no introduction, as the Borough Market desserts already enjoy viral fame on TikTok and Instagram, meaning there are long queues of tourists waiting to sample the puddings, in the busy London food market and its outposts in Covent Garden, Camden and Old Spitalfields. But now it’s been royally-endorsed, thanks to William and Catherine’s latest trip around Borough Market and Southwark.
On Thursday, the Wales’ headed to Borough Market and visited stands including Trethowan Brothers cheesemakers, Change Please coffee cart and Humble Crumble, where Catherine demonstrated her piping skills. They then went to the “Bermondsey Beer Mile” and showed their support for British pubs.
The Prince and Princess visited Fabal Beerhall, where Kate admitted she doesn’t drink much since her cancer diagnosis, saying, “Since my diagnosis I haven’t had much alcohol. It’s something I have to be a lot more conscious of now,” then turned to William and added, “But you like your cider, don’t you?” At Southwark Brewing Company, the duo added hops to a beer vat and had a go at pulling pints, after which, the Prince said, “Pubs are so important. They are places for people and the community to come together.”
The pair surprised shoppers and passers-by, as they wandered around the area on foot and crowds gathered to film them and snap selfies. They then boarded a speed boat and shot off down the Thames with the RNLI. “It was wonderful to meet the RNLI crews to hear first-hand about rescues on the river and the training behind them, meeting volunteer fundraisers, and hearing from lifeguards preparing for the University Boat Race,” the couple posted.
They looked to be genuinely enjoying their day out – snapped laughing and joking throughout. We can’t help thinking this new low-key approach is a conscious strategy to continue to appeal to a wider – and crucially, younger – audience than the rest of the, frankly, embattled Royal Family. According to the latest YouGov poll, the Prince and Princess of Wales are by far the most popular royals, with a 74-77 per cent approval rate, compared to the King at 60 per cent and Queen at 42 per cent. Whatever they’re doing, it’s working.
We love Camilla for always speaking her mind and never shying away from important issues. This week, the Queen marked International Women’s Day (IWD) by making a powerful speech supporting survivors of sexual violence. Speaking at a St James’s Palace reception to mark IWD and the 15th anniversary of Women of the World, of which Camilla is president, here is an extract from her speech.
“As you can see, I am wearing another badge next to my WOW one. You might not be close enough to read the message, but it says, simply, ‘Shame Must Change Sides’. It was given to me last month by Gisèle Pelicot, whom I was honoured and delighted to meet for tea, to hear her story in person, told with grace, strength and, above all, determination that the world’s view of violence against women and girls must shift dramatically.”
Camilla continued: “To every survivor of every kind of violence, many of whom have not been able to tell their stories or who have not been believed, please know that you are not alone. We stand with you and alongside you, today and every day, in solidarity, sorrow and sympathy. Every woman has a story. And these stories must be told. Because when we live in a culture of silence, we empower violence against women and girls.”
You can read Camilla’s full speech, here.
Our resilient royals are used to putting on a brave face, given the barrage of headlines lately, so Republic hecklers outside Westminster Abbey shouting “Not My King” were not going to knock them off their stride as they arrived for Monday’s Commonwealth Day annual service.
The King, Queen, Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Royal and Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, plus the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester greeted one another with warm smiles and kisses for one of the most important fixtures of the royal calendar. See some fabulous highlights, here.
In a message published in the order of service, Charles said: “We join together on this Commonwealth Day at a time of great challenge and great possibility… Across our world, communities and nations face the increasing pressures of conflict, climate change and rapid transformation. Yet it is often in such testing moments that the enduring spirit of the Commonwealth is most clearly revealed.”
The King continued: “Working together, we can ensure that the Commonwealth continues to stand as a force for good – grounded in community, committed to the kind of restorative sustainability that has a return on investment, enriched by culture, steadfast in its care for our planet, and united in friendship and in the service of its people.”
Meanwhile, it’s not just the Wales’ going on a charm offensive – Meghan made a surprise visit to the Children’s Hospital LA on Thursday. It comes after a spokesperson announced the Sussexes will be returning to Australia next month, for the first time since their seismic tour in 2018. That visit was in part responsible for the schism between the pair and the rest of the family. They are planning on a mix of private and public engagements, including a ticketed event for podcast Her Best Life, hosted by Aussie radio personality Jackie “O” Henderson.
But what will their reception be this time? Kerry wrote a news piece for The Independent, speaking to senior media executives and experts in Australia, who said the jury is out. Biographer and former Times royal correspondent Valentine Low, told Kerry, “There is nothing Australians dislike more than a whingeing Pom and given that Harry has become a world-class whinger, he might be less popular than he was. But they still have a certain celebrity gloss, and those who see the Royal Family as stuffy and outdated might be delighted to see them. It’s going to be a fascinating visit.”
Meanwhile, in the UK a new biography of the couple is proving controversial. So much so that yesterday a spokesperson for the couple issued a statement dismissing its claims as a “deranged conspiracy”, which includes one claim that Meghan had “brainwashed Harry”, causing their relationship to deteriorate with the rest of the Royal Family.
According to a new biography by best-selling author Tom Bower called Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the future of the Royal Family, the brainwashing claim was said to have made by Camilla to friends. Bower’s book, on sale 26 March, is currently being serialised in The Times.
As the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympic Games comes to an end today, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were flying the flag for Team GB this week. The couple, lifelong sports fans, had a great time in Italy cheering on athletes, plus meeting the vital staff supporting Team GB. Before saying ‘Ciao’, Edward, patron of the British Paralympic Association, and Sophie also hung out at the Games village.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source theroyallist.substack.com ’
