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| Sean Coughlan | Royal Correspondent |
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| Welcome to Royal Watch. It's a complicated world at the moment, and the royals have been caught up in international events. I'm in Estonia, as Prince William visits to show support for UK troops guarding Nato's north-eastern border with Russia. Meanwhile, King Charles is once again between two roles - his diplomatic efforts to maintain good relations with the US on behalf of the UK, and his role as Canada's head of state, as the country comes under pressure from President Donald Trump. What signals is the King sending to Canada? The Princess of Wales also had a different type of military engagement this week. Slainte! | |
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Charles's coded support for Canada | Canada's new Prime Minister, Mark Carney, was warmly welcomed by King Charles at Buckingham Palace this week. It was the latest moment in a delicate diplomatic balancing act, as the King aims to send signals of support to Canada without antagonising US President Trump, who has infuriated Canadians with his calls for their country to become the 51st US state.
Charles has to stay out of politics. He speaks on the advice of ministers in the UK and Canada. Although he has been limited in what he can say publicly about Canada, there have been a barrage of symbolic signals. |
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 | King Charles, who is also King of Canada, met Carney on Monday. Credit: PA | When visiting aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, the King wore a set of Canadian medals. He also planted a maple tree in Buckingham Palace, and there was a special message marking the anniversary of Canada's flag. And when Carney arrived at the Palace, the King was wearing a red tie, with Carney later thanking the King for being Canada's "steadfast defender". But will that be enough for Canadians feeling under threat from their US neighbour? |
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|  | A ceremonial sword for Canada was presented by the King. Credit: Reuters | We also learned this week that the King had been forced to cancel a scheduled trip to Canada last year because of his cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment. Rearranging that visit will have to wait until after Canada's general election, but another visit must be a Palace priority. |
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William visits Estonia | Nine hundred UK troops are based in the Baltic state of Estonia. It's the British Army's biggest operational deployment at the moment, and a military priority.
Tallinn, the capital city, is full of Ukrainian flags, reflecting how much Estonians support Ukraine - and worry they could be Russia's next target.
William visited a school for the children of Ukrainian refugees in the city today. His two-day trip also includes watching UK troops training as part of a multinational military operation intended to deter any aggression. |
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 | On the first day of his visit, William met with Estonian President Alar Karis. Credit: PA | Estonia is a small, tech-savvy, country which feels quite Scandinavian. A "mini-Sweden" as a diplomatic source put it. But this royal visit reflects its strategic significance, right next door to Russia.
And William's appearance alongside soldiers and tanks close to the Russian border is intended to send a clear message about the UK's commitment to defending the country. This trip, in cold sunshine, is a sobering reminder of the fragile state of world affairs. |
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Catherine the thirst | Newspaper front pages seem to rely more and more on pictures of the royals. Maybe it's a reflection of a gloomy news agenda. But surely one of the most widely seen photos this week was of Catherine, the Princess of Wales, sipping on a pint of Guinness. |
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 | Catherine joined soldiers for a drink after giving out medals at Wellington Barracks. Credit: PA | It's become a fashionable tipple, but Catherine was drinking it for the most traditional of purposes, celebrating St Patrick's Day. She was visiting the Irish Guards and cleverly put some money behind the bar. "That's the least I can do," she said. |
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Prince Harry's visa under scrutiny |  | Application forms for US visas specifically ask about current and past drug use. Credit: Getty | Prince Harry’s move to the US in 2020 was headline news - and his visa application has become a talking point years later. Documents relating to his immigration forms have now been unsealed in court, but heavily redacted.
The release follows a freedom of information request by conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation, which claims Harry may have concealed past drug use on his forms. The group believes Harry’s past admissions of drug use, described in his memoir Spare, should have prevented him from obtaining a US visa. It says it is now considering another lawsuit. |
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