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Tens of thousands sign petition to investigate mechanism that allows Queen to vet draft laws More than 50,000 people have called for a parliamentary investigation into an “unfathomable” mechanism that allows the Queen to vet draft laws before they are approved by the UK’s elected representatives.They have signed a petition supporting an urgent investigation by a House of Commons committee as they are concerned...

Famous past appearances suggest Harry and Meghan should be wary of opening up to Oprah The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are due to give a “wide-ranging” interview with Oprah Winfrey next month, and according to a source the couple will not want to say anything to undermine their love and respect for the Queen. However, when royals face TV interviewers, it doesn’t always...

Royals used secretive procedure to approve laws that gave special exemptions to Duchy of CornwallThe royal family has used a secretive procedure to vet three parliamentary acts that have prevented residents on Prince Charles’ estate from buying their own homes for decades, the Guardian can reveal.His £1bn Duchy of Cornwall estate was later given special exemptions in the acts that denied residents the legal...

Exclusive: secretive procedure used to review laws ranging from Brexit trade deal to inheritance and land policy More than 1,000 laws have been vetted by the Queen or Prince Charles through a secretive procedure before they were approved by the UK’s elected members of parliament, the Guardian has established.The huge number of laws subject to royal vetting cover matters ranging from justice, social security,...

While the fourth series has come under fire for factual inaccuracy, it is just one of many series to reflect the royals’ long history of mythmaking‘Let’s get it over with,” sighs Prince Philip as he reluctantly prepares to venture towards a crowd of adoring subjects. On the one hand, this moment in The Crown has the ring of truth: realistically, why would members of...

The wife of Hugh Lindsay, who was killed while skiing with Prince Charles, had asked show not to feature the disasterThe widow of a British army major who died in an avalanche while skiing with Prince Charles has criticised the producers of The Crown as “unkind” for dramatising the disaster against her wishes.Major Hugh Lindsay, a former Queen’s equerry, was skiing off-piste at the...

The royal family leads the UK’s commemorations on the 75th anniversary of VJ Day – the day the second world war ended with Japan’s surrender.Prince Charles led a two-minute silence at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, as part of a service of remembrance. The prime minister also spoke at the event. UK marks 75th anniversary of Victory over Japan Day Continue reading...

French president is greeted by Prince Charles and will hold talks with Boris JohnsonEmmanuel Macron has been welcomed to the UK with a ceremony of pomp and pageantry as he marked the 80th anniversary of a famous wartime broadcast by General Charles de Gaulle.The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall greeted the French president at their official London home, Clarence House, remaining 2...

Britain observed a two-minute silence on Friday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of VE Day, marking the end of the second world war. Charles, the Prince of Wales, and the Duchess of Cornwall led the ceremony from Balmoral in Scotland. Political leaders also paid silent tribute at 11am along with the rest of the nation. Nazi commanders surrendered to allied forces in a French...

Latest updates as Europe marks 75 years since the official surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allied forcesVE Day 75 timetable: what’s happening today in the UKRAF jets to roar over UK to mark 75th anniversaryOnce again a battle-scarred Britain must find a new role in the worldPicture essay: a VE Day party to remember 9.22am BST Welcome to the Guardian’s live feed on...

Prince of Wales walks alongside Muslim and Christian leaders on historic visit to West BankThe Prince of Wales has sympathised with the Palestinian people, speaking of the hardships they face and saying he wished them “freedom, justice and equality” in the future.Charles’s words of support – spoken during his first visit to the Palestinian occupied territories – came as Donald Trump was expected to...

Representatives from Europe, Russia and America warned against the resurgence of antisemitism at a memorial event at the World Holocaust Forum in Jerusalem. Prince Charles, representing Britain, said the lessons of the Holocaust were ‘searingly relevant to this day’Israel: world leaders warned of growth of antisemitism at Holocaust eventPrince Charles: lessons of Holocaust still ‘searingly relevant’ Continue reading...

Royal to warn against hatred and intolerance in speech at Holocaust forum in JerusalemPrince Charles is to warn that lessons of the Holocaust are “searingly relevant to this day” as “hatred and intolerance still lurk in the human heart”.He is due to address world leaders gathered in Jerusalem on Thursday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. Continue...

Prince Harry and Meghan will no longer be working royals. That should be in everyone’s interestsA centuries-old institution survives not only through the accumulated weight of tradition, but through the ability to make sharp adjustments to its course when it finally realises it must. The British monarchy, by temperament a tortoise, has just put on a turn of speed again. Saturday’s statements from the...

As royals including Harry return to engagements, aides counter reports Meghan barred from talksThe Duchess of Sussex did not take part in the Queen’s Sandringham summit to decide future roles for herself and Prince Harry, it has emerged, as the remaining full-time working royals returned to their round of official engagements.Before Monday’s crisis family meeting, sources had indicated Meghan was likely to be personally...

Monarch says she would have preferred couple to remain full-time working royals as day of talks endsQueen gives reluctant blessing to Harry and Meghan’s plansCharities defend Harry and Meghan’s decision to reduce royal role 7.27pm GMT Here are the main points so far today: Related: Queen gives reluctant blessing to Harry and Meghan's plans 7.11pm GMT Community workers and charity organisers have defended the...

The Queen, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex to meet at Sandringham on MondayThe Queen has summoned senior royals to an emergency summit at her Sandringham estate in Norfolk on Monday to discuss the future of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.The meeting, to be attended by the Queen, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cambridge and Duke of Sussex, will...

Duke and Duchess of Sussex look to forge an untested path by stepping back from public dutiesThe announcement by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex that they are to step back as senior members of the royal family follows a year of stress and uneasiness about their roles.The ambition of Prince Harry and Meghan to plough an untested and unconventional path comes after much...