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| Sean Coughlan | Royal Correspondent |
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| Welcome to Royal Watch. If good news seems in short supply at the moment, one of the quirkier royal traditions provided a dose of optimism on the River Thames recently. Plus, Prince George celebrated his 12th birthday this week - and Prince William has also been celebrating a sporting win from England's Lionesses. And read on to find how the biggest exhibition of Queen Elizabeth II's clothes will go on display at Buckingham Palace next year. | |
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Swanning up the river | "Swan upping" is an enjoyably eccentric summer tradition which dates back to the 12th Century. It sees boats gliding up the Thames, with crews wearing colourful outfits and royal flags trailing behind. |
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 | In 2022, 155 swans were counted in the annual royal survey. Credit: Getty | The purpose of the exercise is to count how many swans are on the river. There have been fears that seeing the elegant birds on the Thames could become increasingly rare, as there's been a sharp decline in numbers in recent years. They've been hit hard by avian flu and vandalism, with some cases of swans being attacked by catapults and dogs. But there was better news this year. The King's Swan Marker David Barber said he was "delighted" to report that numbers were beginning to recover, with the five-day search finding 115 young swans, compared with 86 last year. |
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 | The overall health of the cygnets was "very good," Barber said. Credit: EPA | Barber, with a swan feather tucked into his cap, said he hoped that avian flu was starting to ease and that people were getting the message about not harming these beautiful creatures. The royal connection is that the monarch can lay claim to any unmarked mute swan swimming in open water. But these days it's more of an environmental project to protect swans. It's also become a popular spectacle, with crowds on the riverbank and in back gardens watching this ancient tradition. |
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Royal quiz | Work has begun to renovate the ruins of a historic house in Leicestershire, which was the childhood home of England's shortest reigning monarch. Who was this royal figure?
A. Edward V B. Lady Jane Grey C. Edward VIII
Read further down for the answer. | |
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A double celebration | Prince George celebrated his 12th birthday on Tuesday, with Kensington Palace releasing a photograph which shows him leaning against a fence and wearing a country-style gilet.
| As the oldest child of Prince William and Catherine, he's the second in line to the throne - meaning many responsibilities lie ahead for him one day. |
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 | The picture of George was taken in Norfolk. Credit: Kensington Palace/Josh Sinner | But for now the biggest questions are around which secondary school he'll attend. There's been no shortage of speculation, with a number of private schools suggested, including Eton, Marlborough and Wellington - though no mention of a state school as a possibility. On the day that Prince George turned 12, England women's football team also had cause for celebration, as they beat Italy to reach the final of Euro 2025. |
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 | The Lionesses won Tuesday's match by 2-1. Credit: Getty | As patron of the Football Association, Prince William will travel to Basel in Switzerland to support the team on Sunday. "One game from glory," he wrote in a social media post. |
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(Not) top of the charts | Remember the buzz about Meghan's Netflix cookery show earlier this year? With Love, Meghan generated a huge amount of coverage - and some highly critical reviews. |
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 | The eight-part series showed Meghan preparing food with celebrity guests. Credit: Courtesy of Netflix | But Netflix's audience figures suggest the public were less interested in her love-ins with celebrity pals in expensive kitchens. The series didn't make the top 300 shows viewed on the streaming platform in the first half of this year. It had 5.3 million views, a long way behind the top-ranked UK drama Adolescence, which had almost 145 million. Meghan's show also had fewer views than children's TV shows Sharkdog's Fintastic Halloween and Lego City 2017. A second series of With Love, Meghan is already in the pipeline, which will no doubt please her fans. But they may be less happy about reports asking whether the Netflix deal with the Sussexes might quietly fizzle out. |
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Your Royal watch | Last week we asked for your thoughts on the so-called peace talks between the King's and Prince Harry's aides, and whether you thought they'd succeed.
Some of you saw the talks as a welcome, if tentative, step in the right direction. "If Prince Harry is really determined to return as a working royal, this may be the start of the opportunity," wrote Marija from Lithuania.
David, who got in touch from Las Vegas, was hopeful there would be a reconciliation, "due to the King's health and age, and of course, the fact that a parent always wishes for common ground."
However, others felt that that this was impossible. "I think Prince Harry has sunk his boat, he could never compensate for the hurt he has caused his father and brother," Allison wrote. Doreen in Canada said talks would "come to nothing if Prince William's approval is necessary."
And Mimi asked: "I would like to see accord in the British Royal Family, but how can they ever get past Harry's writing [of] that book?"
Swan upping is just one of many traditions that have stood the test of time. Which royal tradition do you find most fascinating, and why? Please share your name and the country from which you're writing. Send us your thoughts on royalwatch@bbc.co.uk. | |
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A piece of royal history | The changing fashions of Queen Elizabeth II are going on show in what's likely to be a blockbuster exhibition at Buckingham Palace next year.
Marking the centenary of the late Queen's birth, it's being claimed as the biggest ever exhibition focusing on her style, with about 200 items set to go on display, from dresses and jewellery to hats and shoes.
Formal 1950s gowns will rustle alongside more relaxed designs from the 1970s. There will be clothes from her childhood, as well as her wedding dress from 1947, which was designed by Sir Norman Hartnell. |
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 | Credit: Getty | The late monarch's "off-duty" clothes - which became style icons in their own right - will also be on show, such as her more informal headscarves and tartan skirts. The dates of the exhibition at the King's Gallery at Buckingham Palace will be announced in November. |
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New Sandringham flower show 'prices out locals' | The chairman of a flower show held on the King's Norfolk estate says an alternative event being held there next year will price some out. | Find out more > |
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| King and Queen visit Suffolk for royal visit | The couple were welcomed by a large crowd as they spent the day in Suffolk for their first official visit since their coronation in May 2023. | See the pictures > |
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| Royal head gardener's home becomes holiday let | The six-bedroom Gardens House at Sandringham is being offered as a holiday let - with a stately price tag attached. | Take a look inside > |
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