Think of the Queen and you think of Buckingham Palace. It's up there with the White House as one of the world's most celebrated addresses. The Queen's office at Buckingham Palace declined to comment, but a royal source told us she continues to carry out a variety of engagements there and confirmed it remains the central base of the British monarchy. Normally the fact that the monarch completed her first in-person appearance after a bout of illness would be front page news over here. However, with the humanitarian crisis unfolding in Ukraine, attention was quite rightly diverted when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stopped by Windsor Castle on Monday. Photographs of the pair in the now-familiar Oak Room showed Trudeau clasping the Queen's hands as they appeared to chat and laugh together. But it was the background that garnered the most attention from the engagement. Eagle-eyed royal-watchers spotted a large bouquet of blue and yellow flowers -- the colors of the Ukrainian flag -- on a table behind the pair. It's been seen by many as a very deliberate choice of set dressing by the monarch to quietly convey her support to the people of Ukraine. It wouldn't be unheard of for the Queen to give subtle hints at her thinking -- she's certainly done it in the past. This latest possible example also follows her "generous" but private donation last week to an emergency humanitarian appeal currently operating in the UK.
🤝 How to help: Looking for ways to help those affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine? Organizations are on the ground in Ukraine and neighboring countries to help with shelter, food, water and additional aid. Head here to find out how to help. William caught up in social media storm. What exactly did he say about war in Europe? The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on Wednesday came laden with homemade brownies and granola bars from Kensington Palace for volunteers at a Ukrainian cultural center in London, which has been collecting donations for the war-torn nation. The couple learned about how the Ukrainian Social Club is coordinating relief packages, handling the generous outpouring of public offerings it has received and the distribution challenges in funneling aid back to Ukraine. The royal couple conveyed their shock at Russia's unfolding invasion and revealed their children have been asking them about the conflict. "Everyone is horrified by what they are seeing. It's really horrifying. The news every day, it's just, it's almost unfathomable," William said. "For our generation, it's very alien to see this happening in Europe. But we're all right behind you. We're thinking about you ... We feel so useless." In the hours after the engagement, "Prince William" was trending on social media after the royal's remarks were incorrectly paraphrased by the royal pool journalist, who had filed copy saying William had compared the war in Europe to conflicts in Asia and Africa. The pool system means British reporters take turns covering engagements and share information and photos among the group so that events can be widely reported by all outlets. Once the misheard remarks were distributed through the pool, they were widely used in various publications, before going viral on social platforms. By Thursday afternoon, video of the moment surfaced from broadcaster ITV clarifying William had never made such a reference. Media outlets issued corrections and online articles were removed or amended. Refugees could help Britain's skills shortage, Charles says. The Prince of Wales has spoken of "enormous benefits" possessed by many refugees escaping their war-ravaged homelands. Charles was visiting St. Luke's Church in west London on Wednesday to learn more about the Holy Trinity Brompton's Refugee Response program, launched in September to help support Afghan arrivals to the UK. During the visit, Charles told refugees from countries including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Iraq and Iran that he couldn't "begin to imagine the dreadful conditions" they had endured to reach the UK. The heir to the throne said he prayed they had been welcomed and that they bring much-needed skills to the country. "I know so many of you already have qualifications, training in your own countries, and we have enormous skill shortages in this country, where so much of what you can do could be of enormous benefit to it. We are very lucky in many ways to have you and your skills and all you can bring," he said. When Camilla met "Camilla." The Duchess of Cornwall opened the doors of Clarence House Tuesday for a special celebration to mark International Women's Day, welcoming guests to her London residence as president of WOW -- Women of the World Festival. She was met by Jude Kelly, the founder and CEO of the WOW Foundation, before mingling with invitees and taking part in a group photo. Among the guests were Inna Prystaiko, wife of Ukraine's ambassador to the UK, former British Prime Minister Theresa May and Spice Girl Mel B. Camilla also had a bit of a royal run-in when the duchess met her television alter ego, Emerald Fennell, at the event. Fennell portrayed a fictionalized version of a young Camilla in Netflix's most recent season of "The Crown." Rumors about the family's feelings on the hit series have swirled for years but Camilla was nothing but smiles during the encounter. While at the event, she also got the chance to catch up with three female Afghan judges, who were evacuated from the country along with 100 others by the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute, as the Taliban returned to power last year. "Their stories, of the humanity behind the headlines, are unbearably moving -- but they must, and they do, have the power to stir us to action, as do the heart-breaking stories from Ukraine of brutal attacks on democracy and freedom," the duchess said at the WOW reception.
Prince Andrew civil sex abuse case is officially over. US District Judge Lewis Kaplan officially dismissed Virginia Giuffre's sexual abuse lawsuit against the Duke of York Tuesday after attorneys for both parties submitted a stipulation to the court asking for a dismissal. David Boies, an attorney for Giuffre, confirmed Prince Andrew had paid the agreed settlement. That dollar figure has not been disclosed. "The payment was received, the settlement we announced last month has been completed. We are obviously very pleased with the outcome," Boies said. CNN has reached out to counsel for Prince Andrew for comment.
Prince Charles, who has been Colonel of the Welsh Guards since 1975, happily chats with a soldier from the Prince of Wales Company while visiting the Combermere Barracks in Windsor on Tuesday. The 73-year-old inspected soldiers before presenting them with "Operation Shader" medals, following their deployment to Iraq. March 14: Members of the royal family will come together for the annual Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday. The service -- which will be the first in-person gathering of the Commonwealth since coronavirus struck -- will pay tribute to the Queen's life-long commitment to the 54-member organization. Lord Bishop Sentamu, former Archbishop of York, will give an address, with musical performances from Emeli Sandé and Mica Paris, according to Buckingham Palace. Later Monday, Prince Charles and Camilla will attend the annual Commonwealth reception at Marlborough House.
"Mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and Head of State, The Queen’s extraordinary reign has been longer than any other monarch in British history -- inspiring a nation and dedicating her life to the service of the Commonwealth and its people."
– Charles, Camilla, William and Kate reflect on the Queen’s record-breaking reign The four paid tribute to the monarch on International Women's Day in a rare joint post shared simultaneously from their official Instagram accounts. Check out the accompanying carousel of snaps here.
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