Tag: royals

Biden, Prince William meet in chilly Boston

  Boston, United States (AFP) US President Joe Biden met briefly Friday with Britain’s Prince William in Boston where the two quickly hit on the most British of conversation topics — the bad weather. As the heir to Britain’s throne strode up outside the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum without an overcoat, Biden remarked that it was “freezing.” Prince William chuckled and later could be heard informing the president that “when we got in […]

Prince William, Kate, in US for visit overshadowed by new race row

  Boston, United States (AFP) by Cecilia SANCHEZ with Phil HAZLEWOOD and Jitendra JOSHI in London Prince William and wife Kate began their first visit to America in eight years Wednesday under the cloud of a fresh racism row after his godmother quit the royal household for repeatedly asking a Black British woman where she was “really” from. The Prince and Princess of Wales met Boston mayor Michelle Wu and governor-elect Maura Healey at the […]

William and Kate head to the US for first time in eight years

  London, United Kingdom (AFP) by Brigitte DUSSEAU Prince William and his wife Kate head to the United States this week for their first visit in eight years, and the popular couple’s inaugural trip as prince and princess of Wales. The three-day visit to the northeastern city of Boston culminates on Friday evening with a star-studded ceremony for William’s Earthshot Prize initiative to tackle climate change. The awards ceremony — described by royal insiders as […]

Saudi Arabia’s crown prince named prime minister

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | AFP | by Robbie Corey-Boulet Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman, who was named prime minister late on Tuesday, has shaken up the ultraconservative oil titan with economic, social and religious reforms since his meteoric rise to power. The 37-year-old de facto ruler has overseen the most fundamental transformation in the modern history of the Gulf nation and sidelined all rivals after he became crown prince in June 2017. But he has […]

Britain and the world bid adieu to Queen Elizabeth II

    by Jitendra JOSHI / Phil HAZLEWOOD Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain said farewell to Queen Elizabeth II on Monday at a state funeral attended by world leaders, before a historic last ceremonial journey through the streets of London packed with sorrowful mourners. Huge crowds gathered in near silence to watch as the queen’s flag-draped coffin, topped with the Imperial State Crown, her orb and sceptre, was carried slowly to […]

King Charles III to host world leaders as UK counts down to queen’s funeral

  London, United Kingdom (AFP) by Max DELANY / Jitendra JOSHI US President Joe Biden was Sunday to pay his last respects in London to Queen Elizabeth II as ordinary mourners queued for the final 24 hours left to view her coffin lying in state. After witnessing the sombre scene in parliament’s Westminster Hall, Biden, Japan’s Emperor Naruhito and other world leaders were due to attend a reception with the late queen’s successor, King Charles […]

Japan emperor, empress to attend Queen Elizabeth’s funeral

  TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako will attend Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, the Japanese government said Wednesday, in their first overseas trip since assuming the throne in 2019. Top government spokesman Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters that the royal couple would be present but Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and other government officials would not attend. Queen Elizabeth met three generations of Japanese royals and had invited Emperor Naruhito and his wife to […]

King Charles III is proclaimed, vows to follow ‘inspiring’ queen

    by Max DELANY / Marie GIFFARD Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — With a trumpet fanfare and gun salutes, Charles III was officially proclaimed king at a pomp-filled ceremony on Saturday, at which he pledged to emulate his late mother Queen Elizabeth II and serve for the rest of his life. A court official wearing a feathered bicorn hat declared Charles “our only lawful and rightful” monarch from the balcony of […]

King Charles III vows “lifelong service” as proclamation set for Britain’s new monarch

by Danny KEMP and Max DELANY Agence France Presse LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Britain’s Charles III will officially be proclaimed king in a ceremony on Saturday, a day after he vowed in his first speech to mourning subjects that he would emulate his “darling mama”, Queen Elizabeth II. The 73-year-old automatically became monarch upon the queen’s death Thursday, but an Accession Council ceremony at St James’s Palace early Saturday is a constitutional formality to […]

Queen Elizabeth II dies; Prince Charles ascends the throne as King Charles III

by Stuart GRAHAM with Phil HAZLEWOOD in London Agence France Presse Queen Elizabeth II, the longest-serving monarch in British history and an icon instantly recognisable to billions of people around the world, died at her Scottish Highland retreat on Thursday. She was 96. The eldest of her four children, Charles, Prince of Wales, who at 73 was the oldest heir apparent in British history, became king immediately. Royal officials confirmed he is now known as […]

World briefly unites to mourn ‘Elizabeth the Steadfast’

PARIS, France (AFP) — Leaders from every corner of the globe briefly united Thursday in homage to Queen Elizabeth II, after the world’s longest-serving monarch died at her Scottish home at age 96. Tributes poured in — from countries she had ruled over to those she had been at war with, from tiny territories to the mightiest governments on the planet, and from centuries-old institutions to nations that had not yet been born when she […]

Former Japan emperor recovering after heart failure diagnosis

  TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Japan’s former emperor Akihito has been diagnosed with heart failure but is in stable condition after being prescribed medication, the Imperial Household Agency said Tuesday. The diagnosis was made during an unrelated health checkup last month on the 88-year-old, who in 2019 became the first member of the world’s oldest royal family to abdicate the throne in more than 200 years. The examination confirmed heart expansion and pleural fluid, an agency […]