The Prince and Princess of Wales are set to be hundreds of miles from London next week, as the Duke of Sussex returns to the UK for a significant legal battle. Prince Harry is due at the High Court in London on Monday for the start of his trial against Associated Newspapers.
A Deliberate Distance Amidst Royal Rift
This geographical separation ensures the brothers will not cross paths, continuing a pattern of avoidance that has marked their strained relationship for years. Prince William and Prince Harry have not spoken in over three years, and during Harry's last visit to the UK, their engagements were carefully scheduled miles apart.
On Tuesday, the second day of the court proceedings, William and Catherine will undertake an official visit to Scotland. Their itinerary includes meetings in Falkirk and Stirling, where they will engage with the Team GB and Paralympic GB curling squads ahead of the upcoming Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Scottish Engagements for the Waleses
The royal couple's schedule also features a visit to Radical Weavers, a handweaving studio and independent charity based in Stirling. This planned trip to Scotland, confirmed by palace officials, solidifies the physical and symbolic distance between the two royal households during a potentially tense period.
In other royal news, the Princess of Wales is today hosting a special reception at Windsor Castle for the England women's rugby team, the Red Roses. As patron of the Rugby Football Union, Kate will celebrate the team's World Cup victory, which they secured by beating Canada 33-13 in a record-breaking final at Twickenham last September.
New Revelations and Bold Invitations
Further insights into the Wales's lives are expected next month with the release of a new book, William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story by Russell Myers. The biography promises never-before-told details, tracing their relationship from university to the present, including the challenges of media scrutiny and Kate's cancer diagnosis.
Separately, Prince William's recent investiture ceremony saw a bold request from Oldham Athletic's owner, Frank Rothwell. After receiving his OBE, Mr Rothwell presented the prince with a letter proposing a royal garden party in Oldham to celebrate the town's role in the birth of the world's first IVF baby. He also revealed plans to build a large, embryo-shaped statue in the town as a tribute to this medical milestone.
