31 October, 2024

Sean Coughlan Royal Correspondent Welcome to Royal Watch. There was an optimistic note from royal aides about the King’s health this week, with the message that he’s well enough for a “pretty normal” set of overseas tours in 2025. This would usually mean spring and autumn trips. Where will he go next?  ‌ At the moment, he’s back in the UK after the Commonwealth summit in Samoa - and you’ve shared your thoughts on the future of this global club. The UK government has sanctioned a group of Russian agencies and individuals linked to spreading fake news about Princess Catherine. And it’s Halloween! Find out which palaces may be full of ghosts.

King Charles on tour next year The King’s cancer treatment, paused during his travels, will now resume. But he seems to expect to do more trips in 2025 than this year. ‌ The royal trip to Australia and Samoa proved a “perfect tonic”, say Buckingham Palace aides. The King is said to have a holistic approach to his health, looking after “mind, body and soul”.

King Charles is said to have been reinvigorated by his recent tour. Credit: Reuters Pencilling in travel plans will likely fuel speculation about possible destinations. Somewhere in Europe? There had been rumours about a trip to Canada before the King’s ill health. ‌ He has been a regular visitor to India too, and the King and Queen stopped there on the way back from Australia and Samoa, before arriving in the UK yesterday. Wherever he goes next, the King seems determined to carry on working.

King Charles returning to 'normal' schedule next year

Your Royal Watch Last week we asked what you thought about the role of the Commonwealth in today’s world. ‌ Sylvie in the UK said it offered a “sense of belonging” and could help smaller countries feel they’re “not alone in tackling, for example, climate change”. Marion in Australia agreed, saying it “gives small countries a voice. It is about the greater good, rather than the individual”. ‌ Laura in Canada appreciated how the Commonwealth can “create bonds of understanding, even when perspectives are different”. But Ali in Pakistan thought it should focus more on climate change and “poverty alleviation”. And Stephi from Australia wanted more recognition of the harm done to indigenous people under colonial rule. ‌ Janet from the UK thought there should be more acknowledgement of difficult history, saying: “The royal visits would be far more effective if they met this issue head on, acknowledged what happened during imperialist rule, and asked people what reparations should be made.” ‌ This week, we had a preview of Prince William’s documentary on homelessness which included four previously unseen photos of the prince and his mother Diana from 1993. Do you have any of your own photos tucked away of visits by Diana or any other of the royals? ‌ Email us at royalwatch@bbc.co.uk. Please remember to include your name and the country you’re writing from.

Sanctions over disinformation Remember earlier this year when wild rumours swirled on social media about the whereabouts of the Princess of Wales? The speculation was shared millions of times - and security experts thought some groups were seeking to spread fake news and cause confusion.

The so-called Doppelganger group has been linked to spreading false rumours about Catherine. Credit: PA Media A Russian disinformation network was identified - and this week the UK government announced sanctions against people and organisations connected to the group. Sanctions for Russian disinformation linked to Kate rumours

Ghoul Britannia It’s Halloween and anyone looking for a ghostly encounter might try the royal palaces. Hampton Court is said to be haunted by two of Henry VIII’s wives, Jane Seymour and Catherine Howard. In the early 1900s there was such fascination with the royal spectres that a postcard with a fake photo of Catherine Howard’s ghost was a bestseller for visitors to Hampton Court.

In the Victorian era, these ghost postcards were sold as souvenirs. Credit: Apic/Getty   Maybe he’s trying to dodge his ex-wives, but Henry VIII’s ghost is claimed to haunt Windsor Castle. His daughter Elizabeth I is said to have been seen in the library there too - presumably looking at books that were ghost-written.

A piece of royal history   Fake news, rumours and disinformation surrounding the royals aren’t just modern issues. In 1817, a woman called Mary Willcocks arrived in Almondsbury, a village in south-west England, wearing a turban and speaking a language that nobody understood. She managed to convince Bristol's elite she was Princess Caraboo from Indonesia.

Credit: Alamy Eventually, the truth - that she was really a servant from Devon - surfaced. But this was months after she “hobnobbed with the rich and famous of Bristol and she became this centre of attention,” says BBC presenter Lucy Worsley, who has recently made a podcast about Willcocks's life. Listen to the full story of the fake princess on BBC Sounds