Category: Royal Family

A solo traveller was left in a state of shock after stumbling on a pyramid dating back 150 years in a forest in Scotland.

Tom Prout was on a walk in Cairnogorms National Park, in Aberdeenshire, when he came across the ancient-looking structure, seemingly transported straight from Egypt or Sudan.

A video on TikTok shows the adventurer heading to the unexpected sight that many would deem impossible in the UK.

He told his 104,000 followers: ‘So, for anyone that thinks you have to leave the UK and fly to Egypt to find pyramids, let me tell you, you don’t.

‘I’m currently in Scotland in the Cairngorms National Park going to find one. And I’m gonna show you guys exactly where it is.’

Tom stressed that until a week ago he did not even know a pyramid in the UK was a possibility.

Famous as the ‘Secret Scottish Pyramid’, the human-made pile of stones, also referred to as a cairn, is one of 11 in the country.

It is located in the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire and was erected on the order of Queen Victoria in memory of Prince Albert after his death in 1861.

There are a total of 11 Scottish cairns out there, each commemorating events in the lives of members of the Royal Family.

Built out of granite and standing at 41 feet height, this one is the largest.

Tom described the pyramid as ‘the most surreal thing’ he has ever seen in the UK.

Speaking to his followers in the video, he goes on to say that he ‘didn’t even know’ that finding pyramids in the UK ‘was a possibility.’

The traveller said: ‘I was only ever taught that things such as this were in Egypt.

‘Now, I am not saying this is anywhere on the same scale but when it is surrounded by settings like this, you cannot beat it.’

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The Princess of Wales has shared a message for Mother’s Day, with professional video of the UK’s beautiful landscapes.

It comes after a furore over her message last year led to her picture being pulled from news agencies, in a row over manipulation which dragged on for weeks and led to a public apology.

She told how discrepencies seen in the family photo were not part of some big conspiracy, but her ‘amateur’ attempts at picture editing.

For 2025, Kate Middleton told how she has been comforted by nature over the past year, during which she received treatment for cancer.

She wrote: ‘Over the past year, nature has been our sanctuary.

‘This Mother’s Day, let us celebrate Mother Nature and recognise how our bond with the natural world can help not only nurture our inner selves, but remind us too of the role we play within the rich tapestry of life. C’

The message was shared on X, and signed off ‘C’, the ititial for her full name Catherine.

Along with the message same a video with scenes of awe-inspiring moments from the UK’s landscape, showing crashing waves, towering cliffs, and a ladybird crawling along a verdant leaf.

It also featured shots of her and William in Norfolk last summer.

The princess came under scrutiny following her Mother’s Day message last year, which included a photo of her and her children said to have been taken by William in Windsor earlier in the week.

Questions were raised that the image – the first of the princess to have been released after she underwent abdominal surgery a few weeks earlier – may have been manipulated before it was posted on social media.

It was withdrawn by international picture agencies later the same day.
Kate publicly took the blame for the manipulated photograph and issued a personal apology for the ‘confusion’.

She said: ‘Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing.

‘I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused.

‘I hope everyone celebrating had a very happy Mother’s Day. C.’

The princess underwent a course of preventative chemotherapy after her cancer diagnosis and announced in September last year that she had completed her treatment.

In January, Kate confirmed she is ‘now in remission’ from cancer following a surprise visit to the Royal Marsden Hospital where she received her treatment.

A message on social media, also signed ‘C’, said: ‘I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to The Royal Marsden for looking after me so well during the past year.

‘My heartfelt thanks goes to all those who have quietly walked alongside William and me as we have navigated everything.

‘We couldn’t have asked for more. The care and advice we have received throughout my time as a patient has been exceptional.

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It has been one year since King Charles‘s cancer diagnosis on 5 February, 2024.

Doctors said they were ‘very encouraged’ by his progress after finding that Charles had cancer and remained ‘positive about the King’s continued recovery’.

The Queen also informed well-wishers just a month later that he was ‘doing very well’.

Here’s everything we know more than one year on from the news of his diagnosis.

Do we know what type of cancer King Charles has?

No. The palace has only confirmed the King does not have prostate cancer, and has not revealed any further details.

In a statement, it said: ‘No further details are being shared at this stage, except to confirm that His Majesty does not have prostate cancer.’

Is it linked to King Charles’ prostate treatment?

Charles’s illness was discovered while he was being treated for benign prostate enlargement at the London Clinic.

It was the same day Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, had abdominal surgery that sparked her own cancer diagnosis.

The palace would later say Charles is ‘so proud of Catherine for her courage in speaking as she did’ after she announced it in March.

He spent three nights at the London clinic private hospital, where doctor’s discovered a ‘separate issue of concern’.

Buckingham Palace has confirmed the King does not have prostate cancer.

How is King Charles being treated for cancer?

When the diagnosis was publicly announced, Charles returned from Sandringham to London to start his treatment as an outpatient.

This meant he could stay at home instead of in hospital for the duration of hi treatment.

Where Charles is being treated, whether it is an NHS or private hospital, and what treatment he has been receiving has not been confirmed.

It was reported that Charles paused his treatment while on an 11-day visit to Australia and Samoa in October, according to the Daily Mail.

The palace confirmed his treatment would continue into 2025.

During a visit to Walthamstow in December, Sikh faith representative Harvinder Rattan asked ‘how are you’, to which Charles replied: ‘I’m still alive.’

What has King Charles said about his cancer?

An initial statement said Charles was ‘wholly positive’ and would continue to undertake State business and official paperwork, despite taking a break from public engagements.

Five days later, he released a statement saying: ‘I would like to express my most heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support and good wishes I have received in recent days.

‘As all those who have been affected by cancer will know, such kind thoughts are the greatest comfort and encouragement.’

His first visit after the break was to a specialist cancer centre in London at the end of April.

‘It’s always a bit of a shock isn’t it, when they tell you’, he said of his diagnosis during the trip.

Asked how he felt undergoing treatment, the King replied: ‘I’m alright, thanks. Not too bad.’

In his Christmas message, Charles said: ‘From a personal point of view, I offer special, heartfelt thanks to the selfless doctors and nurses who, this year, have supported me and other members of my family through the uncertainties and anxieties of illness, and have helped provide the strength, care and comfort we have needed.

‘I am deeply grateful, too, to all those who have offered us their own kind words of sympathy and encouragement.’

On World Cancer Day on Tuesday February 4, the Royal Family released a video featuring speakers from various charities and celebrities, including Macmillan Cancer, Maggies Centres, Cancer Research UK, Tom Daly, Victoria Derbyshire, and more shared inspirational messages.

They added he is grateful for the medical teams ‘swift intervention’.

However they have confirmed there will be no further updates today, and they will not be providing a ‘running commentary’ of his condition.

Could King Charles abdicate?

It was expected that the King’s son Prince William, would take up more public duties in his father’s absence.

But William’s wife Kate’s own diagnosis diverted his attention. Announcing an end to her chemotherapy in September, the couple said they wished to spend more time with their family, ‘which so many of us often take for granted’.

Kate announced in January that she is now in remission.

However, the King’s health concerns did raise the question of whether Charles might abdicate in favour of William, Prince of Wales.

Dr. Bob Morris, an honorary senior research associate at UCL’s Constitution Unit, previously explained that the Regency Act could also come into play amid any monarch’s ill health.

While the prospect remains unlikely, it could be triggered if the King became physically incapacitated due to illness, meaning he could no longer speak or move.

In such an event, his duties would be carried out by various members of the Royal Family.

After the Prince of Wales, Prince George would take the next place in the line of succession.

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King Charles is returning to a typical working week after he was taken to hospital to treat side effects from his cancer treatment.

Buckingham Palace announced the King is staying at Windsor Castle today after a ‘restful’ weekend at the family residence at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire.

Charles will have a fully fledged diary of investitures, meetings, credentials and public engagements, with only one or two minor tweaks.

The monarch ‘required a short period of observation’ before returning to Clarence House, Buckingham Palace said last week.

He had to cancel an away day to Birmingham in order to prioritise his recovery as a precautionary measure.

Charles was last seen leaving his London residence at around 10.30am on Friday following the hospital stay.

He appeared in good spirits as he sat in the back of a black Audi, wound down the window, smiled and waved at well-wishers.

The King, 76, was said to be on good form at his London home where he is working on state papers and making calls from his study.

A source described it as a ‘most minor bump in a road that is very much heading in the right direction’.

The King’s return to normal scheduling comes as he gears up for a state visit to Italy on Monday next week.

The King visited the London Clinic on Thursday morning and travelled to and from the hospital by car. He was not joined by the Queen during his brief stay.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement: ‘Following scheduled and ongoing medical treatment for cancer, the King experienced temporary side effects that required a short period of observation in hospital.

‘His Majesty’s afternoon engagements were therefore postponed.

‘His Majesty has now returned to Clarence House and as a precautionary measure, acting on medical advice, tomorrow;’s diary programme will also be rescheduled.

‘His Majesty would like to send his apologies to all those who may be inconvenienced or disappointed as a result.’

Charles was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in February 2024 and returned to public-facing duties in April despite still undergoing weekly treatment.

He has had a busy run of engagements this month, including a reception for media on Wednesday evening after a visit to a soil exhibition in the day, and is due to make a historic state visit to Italy in 10 days’ time.

It is understood the overseas tour with the Queen from April 7-10, which will see Charles become the first British sovereign to address both houses of the Italian parliament, is expected to go ahead as planned.

Last week, the King made a whirlwind three-day visit to Northern Ireland with Camilla, and earlier in March hosted high-profile audiences with key political figures including Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, outgoing Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau and new Canadian PM Mark Carney.

Charles, who is known for being a workaholic, is said to have thrived on carrying out public and state duties in recent months, seeing them as being of great benefit to his overall wellbeing.

His long-haul visit to Australia and Samoa last autumn was described at the time as the ‘perfect tonic’ for the monarch.

Since his diagnosis last year, the King’s diary of engagements is understood to have been developed in full consultation with his medical team at all stages to protect and prioritise his recovery.

Sources stressed the hospital visit was not a major development and no further updates are expected on the King’s health, with any minor alterations to his diary that may be required next week being announced in due course.

The King was due to meet ambassadors in audiences at Buckingham Palace on Thursday afternoon but these were postponed due to his stay in hospital.

He also had a busy day planned in Birmingham on Friday, with four engagements back to back.

The London Clinic was the same hospital where he was treated for an enlarged prostate in January last year, and also where the Princess of Wales had abdominal surgery the same month.

The specifics of the King’s side effects have not been disclosed but they are understood to be temporary and not uncommon with many medical treatments.

The announcement from the Palace is understood to have been made late on Thursday because time was required for the King to consult his staff and medical team on his return to Clarence House.

It was decided on balance that it was wiser to cancel the visit to Birmingham as a precautionary measure.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: ‘His Majesty was due to receive credentials from the ambassadors of three different nations this afternoon.

‘Tomorrow, he was due to undertake four public engagements in Birmingham, and is greatly disappointed to be missing them on this occasion.

‘He very much hopes that they can rescheduled in due course and offers his deepest apologies to all those who had worked so hard to make the planned visit possible.’

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Prince Harry has quit as patron of his charity Sentebale after a row between the chair of its board and the trustees.

Harry has stepped down alongside his co-founder Prince Seeiso of Lesotho and Sentebale’s board of trustees.

The relationship between the chair Dr Sophie Chandauka, and the trustees ‘broke down beyond repair’, it is understood.

She has reported the charity to the UK Charity Commission and sued them after trustees questioned whether she was best placed to be chair, The Times reports.

Dr Chandauka says she has ‘blown the whistle’ about ‘abuse of power’ and ‘harassment’, and said her work was ‘in pursuit of the integrity of the organisation’.

Why has Prince Harry resigned from the charity?

The princes said in a joint statement: ‘With heavy hearts, we have resigned from our roles as Patrons of the organisation until further notice, in support of and solidarity with the board of trustees who have had to do the same.

‘It is devastating that the relationship between the charity’s trustees and the chair of the board broke down beyond repair, creating an untenable situation.

‘These trustees acted in the best interest of the charity in asking the chair to step down, while keeping the wellbeing of staff in mind.

‘In turn, she sued the charity to remain in this voluntary position, further underscoring the broken relationship.’

The statement adds that the princes would be ‘sharing all of our concerns with the Charity Commission as to how this came about’.

The former trustees, Timothy Boucher, Mark Dyer, Audrey Kgosidintsi, Dr Kelello Lerotholi and Damian West, said in their statement that the decision is ‘nothing short of devastating’ for all of them.

They added in the statement: ‘This was not a choice willingly made, but rather something we felt forced into in order to look after the charity.’

Who is Dr Sophie Chandauka and why has she sued the charity?

Dr Sophie Chandauka is the Chair of Sentebale and is refusing to step down from the role.

Dr Chandauka said in her statement: ‘There are people in this world who behave as though they are above the law and mistreat people, and then play the victim card and use the very press they disdain to harm people who have the courage to challenge their conduct.’

She added this was the ‘story of a woman who dared to blow the whistle about issues of poor governance, weak executive management, abuse of power, bullying, harassment, misogyny, misogynoir – and the coverup that ensued’.

What is the Sentebale charity?

Sentebale was founded by Harry in 2006 and aimed to address the impact HIV and Aids has on young people living in Botswana and Lesotho.

Harry set it up with Prince Seeiso, whose mother died in 2003, after he visited Lesotho during his gap year.

The geographical focus of the charity centres on Lesotho and Botswana and part of the row focusses around a decision to focus fundraising largely in Africa.

What’s next for the charity?

A spokesman for Sentebale said: ‘We are pleased to confirm the restructuring of our board on 25 March 2025 to introduce experts with the capabilities and networks to accelerate Sentebale’s transformation agenda as announced last year.

‘In April 2024, Sentebale signalled its evolution from a development organisation focused on addressing the impact of HIV/Aids on the lives of children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana, to one that is addressing issues of youth health, wealth and climate resilience in Southern Africa.

‘Our highly successful Return to Southern Africa campaign with prospective international funders in October 2024 demonstrated Sentebale’s potential in these domains.’

The Charity Commission said in a statement to Metro: ‘We can confirm that we are aware of concerns about the governance of Sentebale.

‘We are assessing the issues to determine the appropriate regulatory steps.’

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The King and Queen’s state visit to the Vatican has been postponed because the Pope needs further time to recover, Buckingham Palace has announced.

Charles and Camilla were due to visit Pope Francis in the Holy See in two weeks, but the tour was put on hold after medical advice suggested Francis would benefit from extra time to recuperate.

The news came after Pope Francis left hospital on Sunday, returning to the Vatican after surviving a five-week, life-threatening bout of pneumonia.

Today, the doctor in charge of the Pope’s hospital care revealed how his medical team briefly considered suspending treatment to ‘let him go’, but decided on an aggressive treatment that put his organs at risk.

The pontiff, who appeared weak and frail when he greeted the crowd outside the Gemelli hospital before his discharge, is under doctors’ orders to observe two months of convalescence during which he should avoid large gatherings.

Buckingham Palace said: ‘The King and Queen’s State Visit to The Holy See has been postponed by mutual agreement, as medical advice has now suggested that Pope Francis would benefit from an extended period of rest and recuperation.

‘Their Majesties send The Pope their best wishes for his convalescence and look forward to visiting him in The Holy See, once he has recovered.’

The Palace had announced last week that the trip to the Vatican would go ahead despite the pontiff’s continued illness.

The visit to the Vatican and Italy from April 7-10 was set to celebrate the papal jubilee and the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Church of England.

The historic overseas tour was due to be the King’s first meeting with the Pope as monarch and head of the Church of England.

During the state visit to Italy, he will become the first British sovereign to address both houses of the Italian parliament.

He is also set to hold audiences with Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and the monarch and his wife will attend a black-tie state banquet at the Palazzo Quirinale, hosted by the president.

Charles and Camilla are celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary on April 9 while away in Italy.

Twenty years ago, their marriage ceremony was postponed with just four days to go after the death of Pope John Paul II.

The then-Prince of Wales put duty first and his wedding date was moved from April 8 to April 9 because it clashed with the pope’s funeral.

Charles and Pope Francis first met in 2017, when the then-prince and Duchess of Cornwall were received at a papal audience in the Vatican at the end of a European tour.

He also met the pontiff in 2019 at the canonisation of Cardinal John Henry Newman.

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Beatrice has revealed her daughter’s premature birth was ‘humbling.’

Princess Beatrice spoke on the impact her daughter’s birth several weeks premature had.

Athena Elizabeth Rose, Beatrice’s second child, was born on January 22 and is 11th in line to the throne.

In an essay for British Vogue, Beatrice said she endured ‘months of sheer worry’ during her pregnancy.

She said women’s health had ‘been left off the agenda’ in the past.

Little Athena was ‘so tiny it took more than a few weeks for the tears of relief to dry,’ Beatrice wrote, adding that her daughter was ‘doing really well.’

The 36-year-old princess wrote: ‘Nothing quite prepares you for the moment when you realise your baby is going to arrive early. There’s so little control.

‘The uncertainty leaves you with an overwhelming fear of the unknown.’

She had been due to give birth in early spring.

Beatrice, the eldest daughter of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson and ninth in line to the throne, was appointed as the new patron of prematurity charity Borne earlier this month.

She continued: ‘Following routine scans we became aware our precious cargo needed close monitoring, and understood we needed to prepare for an early arrival.

‘What I learnt in this process has been humbling.’

Beatrice and her property developer husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 41, began to prepare for the possible early birth after she received medical advice in December warning her not to travel long distances.

This upended the couple’s Christmas plans as she had been planning to travel overseas.

Instead, Beatrice was seen attending the annual Christmas Day church mass in Sandringham with most of the Royal Family.

Both Athena and Beatrice’s first-born Sienna, three, have Elizabeth as a middle name to honour the late Queen.

Beatrice and Mozzi tied the knot at a secret Windsor wedding on July 19, 2020, during the Covid pandemic after dating for about a year.

The couple were seen smiling at the camera next to the Queen and Prince Philip. Prince Philip passed away the following spring at the age of 99.

The Royal Family has faced a year of upheaval after King Charles’ cancer diagnosis, followed by Kate Middleton’s treatment for the illness.

The Princess of Wales confirmed in January she is ‘now in remission’ from cancer.

The King, 75, has been undergoing ‘regular treatments’ since his diagnosis in February last year, Buckingham Palace said.

In December, Queen Camilla contracted pneumonia after a long-haul trip to Australia and Samoa, forcing her to pull out of royal engagements while she recovered.

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A senior Vladimir Putin official threatened to target Prince William with drone strikes if ‘he gets into our sights’.

It comes as the royal rode in a British Challenger 2 tank near the Russian border during a two-day visit this week to Estonia to support UK troops stationed there.

‘This is a great target for my drone pilots,’ Dmitry Rogozin wrote online, alongside a picture of William during military exercises in the Baltic state.

‘We haven’t yet zeroed out the heir to the throne, let alone the traditionally hostile Great Britain.

‘Let him do some PR for now, but if he gets into our sights, we won’t stand on ceremony.’

Rogozin currently heads a specialist military drone unit while also acting as a Kremlin-appointed senator for part of Zaporizhzhia, an illegally invaded and annexed territory in Ukraine.

He is a former Putin deputy premier and ex-head of the Russian Space Agency.

While in the latter role he lead tests of the 15,880mph  Satan-2, aka Sarmat, the Kremlin’s largest hypersonic nuclear rocket, the size of a 14-storey tower block, weighing 208 tons.

Earlier this week he appealed for new volunteers for his military unit, dismissing hopes that the conflict might soon end.

‘The whole war is still ahead,’ said Rogozin.

“We need motivated and well-trained volunteers in the profile of our combat activities.’

The taunt from Rogozin – who was wounded in his bottom earlier in the war by a Ukrainian shell strike on his birthday party in Donetsk – was one of several from Putin’s war mongers following Prince William’s tank ride.

‘He will be sorely missed in a real burning tank,’ posted war Telegram channel Bati chitayut novosti.

‘Britain’s heir to the throne, Prince William, popped over to Estonia to take a spin in a tank near the Russian border,” said Aleksei Zhivov, a Russian military volunteer and political analyst.

‘That’s a pretty blunt message from the Royal Family to Moscow.

‘William also said he was there to show support for Estonia, which is ‘dangerously close to Russia’.

‘Well then, I suggest the Royal Family help move Estonia somewhere safer—Wales or Ireland, maybe?

‘And just a reminder—Britain’s not exactly far from Russia either. About 20 minutes by air, give or take [with a Putin missile].’

Vlad Shlepchenko, military analyst for ultranationalist Tsargrad TV, complained at the prince’s ‘visual message’ to us Russians’ that ‘British soldiers and British tanks are already here, on the lands of the Russian Empire and the USSR’.

Estonia was once part of the tsarist Russian empire and the communist Soviet Union and is often seen as the next target for invasion if Putin seeks to take new territory.

‘Prince William decided to scare Moscow and arrived in Estonia for NATO exercises… in a tank,” wrote Bloknot Rossiya war channel.

‘The tank chosen for intimidation was the Challenger 2 – a British legend, known for its high cost, poor cross-country ability and excellent flammability – which has already been proven in the [Ukrainian war] zone.

‘We approve of the prince’s choice – if NATO wants to intimidate Russia, then everything is going according to plan with such methods.’

The Russians also hit out at ex-Royal Navy Rear Admiral Chris Parry who warned one British nuclear submarine, armed with Trident missiles, could wipe out 40 Russian cities in a single strike.

Parry said: ‘One Trident submarine has the ability to incinerate 40 Russian cities very quickly.

‘That is a lot of food for thought for Putin and that should make any world leader fearful.’

One Russian war source – On The Frontline Telegram channel –  said that ‘such statements’ by Parry ‘often miss a key element – the Russian counter-attack that will inevitably follow.

‘Vanguard submarines are certainly an important part of the UK’s nuclear deterrent. But in a hypothetical standoff with Russia, the UK would not have the advantage, and here’s why.

‘Russian military doctrine envisages the use of the full range of weapons: from air-launched cruise missiles to the latest ballistic missiles, such as the Sarmat [Satan-2].

With a range of more than 11,000 miles, it has 750 kiloton power in each warhead – ‘enough to guarantee the destruction of not only military facilities such as the Catterick, Brize Norton, Lakenheath or Clyde bases [where the Vanguard submarines are based], but also key decision-making centres.

‘For example, the residence of the British Prime Minister at 10 Downing Street in London will be one of the first targets for a retaliatory nuclear strike.

‘If Britain decides to use nuclear weapons against Russia, then about a third of London will be wiped off the face of the Earth along with the residence of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

‘And if the Sarmat with a full block of weapons is not spared for the entire British capital, then this city will cease to exist entirely.’

There are 900 British soldiers stationed in Estonia, making it Britain’s largest overseas deployment.

The prince was given a tour of training grounds at Tapa Camp – part of Operation Cabrit, which is the UK’s contribution to secure Nato’s ‘collective security and defence’ in a region vulnerable to Russian attack.

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The severed head of a British King’s statue has appeared on stage with Kneecap nearly a year after it was stolen.  

The Belfast rap group – who are known for songs that promote Irish republican themes including Get Your Brits Out – are currently on tour in Australia.

Last week more than 10,000 people descended on Melbourne’s Federation Square after a free concert by the trio – which consists of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí – was announced.

Then, over the weekend the group also attracted plenty of attention after being presented with the stolen bronze head of the former British monarch.

Posting details of what unfolded on social media, Kneecap shared images holding the head along with an explanation.

‘Well well a chairde Gael [my Irish friends]! Some madman dropped by with a huge King George’s head so he could hear a few tunes for our last Melbourne show!’ it read.

‘Allegedly his head was cut off last year in the city..…anyways he was put on stage for a few tunes and then whisked away…remember every colony can fall 🔥’

The 2.7 metre statue, located in the King’s Domain parklands since being unveiled in 1952, was beheaded during the King’s Birthday Weekend in June last year.

It’s since appeared in social media posts being flushed down a toilet and being barbecued.

In a statement, Victoria Police said the investigation into the damage caused to the statue is ongoing.

‘Melbourne Crime Investigation Unit detectives continue to investigate damage to a statue in Kings Domain last year,’ a Victoria Police spokesperson said, as reported by the ABC.

‘Investigators are also aware that the head from what appears to be a statue appeared at a concert in Melbourne on March 14. Detectives will investigate whether there is any link between the two incidents.’

They added that no-one had been arrested over the act of vandalism last year.

Since releasing their debut single C.E.A.R.T.A.” (Irish for ‘Rights’) in 2017, Kneecap have become known for releasing music promoting Irish republicanism, pushing for reunification of Ireland and opposing British rule in Northern Ireland.

They refer to themselves as ‘Republican Hoods’ while their fans are known as ‘Fenians’.

During their shows in Australia over the past week, the band have also flown Palestinian and Aboriginal flags whilst also displaying a mural from an Indigenous artist ‘defying the occupation’.

Speaking to The Guardian in 2024, Kneecap spoke about how ‘rave, rebel songs and great tunes’ was what drove them.

‘Kneecap was born of the need to represent that identity,’ Moglai said.

‘[We were part of] this weird first group of young people in an urban setting in Belfast to really speak Irish together socially… sharing the words and the youth culture, and taking recreational drugs, and all that melded together.’

The trio also starred in the movie Kneecap last year, which charted their rise. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and later received six nominations at the Baftas and was selected as the Irish entry for the Academy Award for best international feature film.

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Princess Kate Middleton made a public appearance to visit the Irish Guards today ahead of the annual St Patrick’s Day Parade.

The Princess of Wales is honorary colonel of the regiment, but missed the events last year due to her ongoing cancer treatment.

Last year, Kate missed the parade but put £2,000 behind the regimental bar at Aldershot – and it’s rumoured she’s done the same this year.

Metro contacted Kensington Palace for comment.

This morning, Princess Kate presented fresh sprigs of shamrock to members of the Irish Guards.

Following tradition, she handed out the symbolic greenery to officers, warrant officers, and the regiment’s Irish wolfhound mascot, Turlough Mor.

She later joined soldiers for a half pint of Guinness after the parade.

In a sit down chat with troops on the special day, she quizzed them on the difficulties of being on deployment.

She said: ‘Being able to manage that work-life balance – it’s tough.’

Guardsman Barry Loughlin, who led the toast, said afterwards: ‘She wanted to know how things were going with the blokes in general.

‘She was really nice and really warm. I was kind of flustered. You could tell she had a genuine interest in us.’

The Irish guards are a regiment of the British Army, which work to guard the Royal Family.

They’re often found at royal palaces from time to time sporting the famous red tunic and a bearskin cap.

Last year, Kate also penned a letter to the Irish Guards, apologising for missing the final rehearsal for the Trooping the Colour parade as she continued her recovery from cancer.

Her letter said: ‘I am very sorry that I’m unable to take the salute at this year’s Colonel’s Review.

‘Please pass on my apologies to the whole regiment, I do hope that I am able to represent you all once again very soon.’

This year, the Irish Guard’s mascot has caught attention online. Turlough Mor, or Seamus, is named after a former Irish king – the King of Connaught from 1106 to 1156 and the High King of Ireland from 1136 to 1156.

Seamus wore a dashing red coat this morning as he led the regiment’s parade.

He also made appearances for Trooping the Colour, and was present for King Charles’ coronation.

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