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| Sean Coughlan | Royal Correspondent |
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| Welcome to Royal Watch. There’s a back-to-school feel in the air here in the UK, with people returning to work after their summer break.
King Charles will be in Scotland for the second anniversary of his reign. Looking ahead, the royals will be hoping for a return to a more business-as-usual year, after so many health problems. Queen Camilla and Prince William have been back on royal duty this week.
And is Prince Harry really going to leave California? | |
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Anniversary offers chance to reflect | This weekend marks the second anniversary of King Charles’s reign. It’s not a day that’s usually accompanied by any public fanfare, because it’s also the anniversary of the death of the previous monarch - in this case, Queen Elizabeth II.
It’s been called a time for “private reflection”. And King Charles must also be reflecting on an important autumn ahead of him, including his trip to Australia and a Commonwealth summit in Samoa.
The King has been out and about in Scotland - often seen wearing a kilt. That’s in contrast to Prince William, who has noticeably avoided the traditional Scottish garment. |
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 | King Charles used a pair of gardening shears to officially open the Royal Horticultural Society of Aberdeen's 200th Flower Show. Credit: Reuters | The royals are big fans of Scotland and their Scottish summers, but that affinity doesn’t always seem to be reciprocated. The latest polling from YouGov shows 43% of Scots would prefer an elected head of state compared to 41% who support the monarchy.
But overall, King Charles remains popular with the public across Britain, with 63% having a favourable view compared to 29% with a negative one.
The King’s health will continue to be a focus of attention, as he balances his work with cancer treatment. There were encouraging words from Queen Camilla, who said the King was “doing very well” during a visit to a hospital in Bath. |
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|  | The Queen unveiled a plaque and met staff and patients at the new Dyson Cancer Centre. Credit: Reuters | The Queen has attended a series of engagements, including supporting the Book Aid charity, which has provided millions of books to disadvantaged parts of the world.
Prince William was back this week, visiting an exhibition supporting his homelessness project. There will be hopes for a gradual return to public engagements for Catherine too. |
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Harry at a crossroads? | Stories about Prince Harry can feel a bit like watching the baggage carousels at airports, seeing the same items go round and round. |
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 | With such intense public interest, there will be more questions about how Prince Harry sees his long-term role. Credit: Getty | The latest circuit of headlines has been about whether Prince Harry is working on a gradual return to the UK.
There have been reports that as he approaches his 40th birthday he's restless in the US and itching to have more contact with home.
But the firm message from well-placed sources is that he has no plans to leave California - and that he can return to the UK whenever he needs to, such as last week’s trip to his uncle’s memorial service.
Don’t expect the carousel of stories about him and Meghan to stop going round, though.
Because in a modern news culture driven by online traffic, stories about them get big audiences. |
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