ICYMI: Royals news you need to know for June 2019

By Marisa Laudadio 6:17am PDT, Jul 1, 2019

Play ball!

Get caught up on all the royals news you might have missed in June 2019 — from Royal Ascot and Trooping the Colour festivities to a president's state visit and plans for baby Archie Mountbatten-Windsor's first international trip, plus much more… Let's start with a surprise outing: Duchess Meghan took an unannounced break from maternity leave seven and a half weeks after giving birth to son Archie to enjoy an American pastime — baseball! Meghan and husband Prince Harry were on hand to watch the New York Yankees play the Boston Red Sox at London's former Olympic stadium on June 29. The first ever regular season MLB game in Europe in part raised awareness for Harry's beloved Invictus Games Foundation. The couple met players from both teams in their respective clubhouses before the game and were gifted adorable tiny jerseys for their infant son. Keep reading for more royals news for June 2019…

Royal tour of Pakistan announced

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex — who head to Africa in October — aren't the only ones planning for a big fall royal tour: On June 29, Prince William and Duchess Kate announced a major upcoming visit on behalf of Britain: "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will undertake an official visit to Pakistan this autumn, at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office," read an announcement on their @KensingtonRoyal Instagram account, which didn't pinpoint their travel dates. It's the couple's first time there. "Her Majesty The Queen visited Pakistan in 1961 and 1997, and The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall visited in 2006," their Instagram announcement statement pointed out.

Prince William reveals how he'd feel if his kids identified as gay

During a June 26 visit to akt, the Albert Kennedy Trust — a charity dedicated to helping young and homeless LBGTQ+ people — Prince William was asked by a gay young man, "If your child one day in the future said, 'Oh, I'm gay, oh, I'm lesbian,' whatever, how would you react?" The father of three had a loving reply: "Do you know what, I've been giving that some thought recently because a couple of other parents said that to me as well. I think you really don't start thinking about that until you are a parent, and I think — obviously absolutely fine by me," he said, as reported by the Evening Standard. William added, "The one thing I'd be worried about is how they — particularly the roles my children fill — is how that is going to be interpreted and seen. So Catherine and I have been doing a lot of talking about it to make sure they were prepared. I think communication is so important with everything, in order to help understand it you've got to talk a lot about stuff and make sure how to support each other and how to go through the process. It worries me — not because of them being gay. It worries me as to how everyone else will react and perceive it and then the pressure is then on them."

Duchess Meghan's engagement ring was upgraded

Notice anything different about Duchess Meghan's wedding rings? In June, the new mom stepped out wearing a redesigned engagement ring from Prince Harry. On June 24, Town & Country published photos from Trooping the Colour on June 8 that revealed the three-stone ring now features a micropave diamond band instead of its original plain yellow gold band. Everyone, it seems, was so busy noticing that Meghan was wearing a third ring in addition to her engagement ring and wedding band — a new Lorraine Schwartz diamond eternity ring, BAZAAR.com confirmed, that was a first wedding anniversary present from Harry — that the alterations to her first ring went unnoticed! According to BAZAAR.com, Harry had the band on Meghan's engagement ring upgraded while working closely with the New York-based jeweler on the new ring.

Frogmore Cottage renovation costs revealed

The numbers are in! The Royal Household's latest financial report was released on June 24, and it revealed that the five-month renovation of Frogmore Cottage — Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's new home in Windsor, England — cost British taxpayers £2.4 million, or about $3 million, which was paid for from the queen's annual $63 million Sovereign Grant. The mid-1800s home, which the report states was in "poor condition," underwent significant reconfiguration and refurbishment as contractors turned it back into a single-family residence (it had previously been divvied up into five small dormitory-style units) including, a source told People magazine, ceiling beam and floor joist replacements, heating and electrical system replacements and new gas and water main installations. Reports that the couple added a yoga room to the five-bedroom home are not true, according to the palace. Harry and Meghan paid for all fixtures, furnishings, fittings and desired upgrades out of their own pockets, the source added. Also revealed? The taxpayer cost of the couple's royal tour Down Under last October ($103,000), Harry's February charter flights to join Royal Marines training in Norway ($29,000), and Meghan's first solo outing with the queen on the royal train in June 2018 ($38,000). (The report reveals the cost of other senior royals' travel too.)

Prince William turns 37

On June 21, Prince William turned 37. It's a bittersweet birthday, as the Duke of Cambridge is now older than his beloved mother, Princess Diana, was when she lost her life in a Paris car crash at age 36 nearly 22 years ago.

Another split for the Fab 4

The Fab 4 separation continues: Four months after Prince William and Prince Harry broke up their royal households, Harry and wife Duchess Meghan are leaving the Royal Foundation, the charitable organization they shared with William and wife Duchess Kate, it was announced on June 20. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will be establishing their own charitable foundation and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — who will be king and queen one day — will take over the Royal Foundation as their own. "These changes are designed to best complement the work and responsibilities of Their Royal Highnesses as they prepare for their future roles, and to better align their charitable activity with their new households," read a statement from Kensington Palace, according to CNN.

Happy 20th wedding anniversary!

Queen Elizabeth II's youngest child, Britain's Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and his wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, celebrated 20 years of marriage on June 19. They're seen here at the Royal Ascot horse races one day earlier.

Spanish princesses make rare public appearance

June 19 was a special day for Spain's young royals. Leonor, Princess of Asturias, 13 (left) — who's next in line for the throne — and her younger sister, Infanta Sofía, 12, made a rare public appearance as they joined their parents, King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, at a Civil Merit Order decoration ceremony honoring 41 Spaniards at the Royal Palace in Madrid. The event was also significant as it marked five years of Felipe's reign.

The royals head to the races

It's Royal Ascot time! June 18 marked the first day of Britain's annual thoroughbred horse races in England's Berkshire region — a multi-day event that's always well-attended by the royal family. Duchess Kate drew raves for her smart look on day one — a blue Elie Saab dress and a matching floral-embellished Philip Treacy hat — as she arrived in a carriage with husband Prince William then mingled with other royals including Princess Eugenie, Zara Tindall and Princess Anne.

Prince Harry supports his late mother's landmine eradication efforts

The late Princess Diana famously made landmine removal a key part of her humanitarian agenda — images from her 1997 walk through an Angolan minefield that was cleared by the Halo Trust to draw attention to locals injured by the military explosives are something anyone who watched the news in the '90s will remember. Now her youngest son, Prince Harry, is picking up where she left off. On June 17, he gave a well-received speech about the issue at a London forum in which he spoke about how funding to clear the remaining mines has dwindled in recent years, meaning dangerous conditions remain that affect the local economy, leaving many to suffer in poverty. Harry was there as Angola's Minister for the Environment announced a $60 million plan to clear the remaining mines once and for all. "Let's not forget landmines are a humanitarian issue and not a political one," Harry told the audience, as reported by Harper's Bazaar.

Monarchs descend on St. George's Chapel for Order of the Garter ceremony

This year's annual Garter Day in Britain on June 17 had some extra glamour as Queen Elizabeth II welcomed not only her own royal family members to attend but also King Felipe VI of Spain and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands (and their queens) to Windsor Castle's St. George's Chapel where the foreign monarchs were installed as Supernumerary, or "Stranger," Knights of the Garter. The Order of the Garter, created to curate a group of the most honorable knights in the land (it's the most senior order of chivalry in Britain), was started by King Edward II during medieval times nearly 700 years ago. Today, the knights — who are recognized for their public service and limited to 24 at any one time — can be of any gender and from a variety of backgrounds (no longer just aristocrats).

A very royal gathering

One of the most remarkable photos from the queen's Order of the Garter festivities that made headlines on June 17 was this one of, as HELLO! magazine's royal editor, Emily Nash, explained on Twitter, "Two Queens, two Duchesses, and a Countess at the Galilee Porch!" It certainly was a major gathering of royal woman: Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Queen Letizia of Spain, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and Duchess Kate all stood in a line and chatted as they watched the procession outside St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Prince Harry celebrates Father's Day with a new photo of son Archie

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan surprised followers and honored dads on Father's Day 2019, June 16, by sharing a gorgeous new photo of their infant son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, on their official @SussexRoyal Instagram account. They captioned the pic of Archie in Harry's arms, "Happy Father's Day! And wishing a very special first Father's Day to The Duke of Sussex!"

Sales figures revealed for "Together: Our Community Cookbook"

On June 14 — coincidentally the second anniversary of London's tragic Grenfell Tower fire that killed 72 and injured 70 more — sales figures for the Duchess Meghan-led "Together: Our Community Cookbook," which benefited Grenfell survivors who turned to the Hubb Community Kitchen to feed their families, were released in the annual Royal Foundation financial report. And it was a bona fide success. The Telegraph reported that the cookbook, which was released in September 2018, had sold 130,000 copies worldwide by March 2019 and made £557,638 (about $705,000) to keep the kitchen going and expand its operations after the royal charity invested £232,551 (about $294K) to get things started, with £204,031 of that spent on refurbishing the Al Manaar mosque's Hubb Kitchen and another £28,520 going toward training and development.

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan hire a nanny for baby Archie

On June 13, BAZAAR.com reported that Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have hired a nanny to help them care for son Archie. The new childcare expert is said to be female and British-born. Current plans have her not working weekends and not being permanently based with the couple at Frogmore Cottage (unlike some other royals, who've traditionally had live-in help).

Sophie, Countess of Wessex, makes history with Lebanon visit

Prince Edward's wife, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, made history on June 12 when she became the first member of the British royal family to visit Lebanon. There, she spent time with Syrian refugees including children and female heads of household to talk about their struggles. She also met with charities that are working to prevent sexual and gender-based violence in the region, reported MailOnline, which explained that Sophie's visit was not previously announced by the palace because of security concerns.

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan planning two-week Africa trip — with Archie!

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan have big plans for the fall! On June 11, Britain's ITV reported that the couple will be heading to Africa for a two-week official royal visit. On June 27, Buckingham Palace confirmed the news and the couple revealed on Instagram that they would "tour Southern Africa this autumn" — and that it would "be their first official tour as a family!" Which means reports that baby Archie is joining them are true. It was further confirmed that they'll visit South Africa and that Harry would travel solo to Malawi, Angola and Botswana. The trip is expected to take place in October when Archie is 5 months old.

Did Prince Harry hook up with a model after meeting Meghan Markle?

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's meet-cute was a modern-day fairy tale: After being set up by a mutual friend in July 2016, the royal and the actress hit it off while having a drink in London then quickly fell madly in love. "We met once and then twice — back-to-back, two dates," he told the BBC after they got engaged. "And then it was I think about three, maybe four weeks later that I managed to persuade her to come and join me in Botswana. And we camped out with each other under the stars…" But a June 11 report from Britain's Daily Express alleged that it actually took Harry a minute to become a one-woman man. "During the very early stages of his relationship with Meghan, Harry was thought to have gone on dates with Burberry model Sarah Ann Macklin," Angela Levin, author of the book "Harry: Conversations with the Prince," told the outlet. "They met at a private party, he took her number and bombarded her with texts. But it turned out to be just a fling."

Duchess Meghan to guest edit British Vogue's September issue

On June 11, Us Weekly broke the news that Duchess Meghan will be taking a break from her maternity leave to guest edit the September issue of British Vogue. According to Us, the Duchess of Sussex plans to contribute an op-ed piece as well as photos from inside Frogmore Cottage — the recently renovated Windsor, England, home she shares with Prince Harry and their son, Archie. "Meghan will be writing an opinion piece of her own as well as bringing a selection of female change-makers on board to write their own personal essays," said a source, adding that photos would be shot in mid-June. Britain's the Sun further reported that, according to an insider, "This [has] nothing to do with Archie, or family or home life. It's purely on women's empowerment." Buckingham Palace and British Vogue, which is led by editor-in-chief Edward Enninful, did not comment.

Prince Philip turns 98!

The queen's husband, Prince Philip, retired from public life nearly two years ago, but that didn't stop the monarch from celebrating his birthday on social media. "Wishing His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh a very Happy 98th Birthday today! #HappyBirthdayHRH," read a tweet from Buckingham Palace that was accompanied by this joyful photo of Philip that was snapped in March 2017.

Duchess Meghan takes a break from maternity leave to honor the queen at Trooping the Colour

Britain's royal family came out in droves for this year's Trooping the Colour, the U.K.'s annual official celebration of the monarch's birthday (Queen Elizabeth II turned 93 in April). Three guests in particular made headlines this year, starting with Duchess Meghan. Though she's been on maternity leave following the May 6 birth of her first child, son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, she briefly returned to public life to honor the queen. Meghan also made headlines after eagle-eyed fans noticed that during a carriage procession through London, she was sporting some new bling on her left-hand ring finger. People magazine and other outlets soon confirmed that the diamond eternity band worn with her engagement ring and wedding band was not a push present, as some had speculated, but a first wedding anniversary gift from Prince Harry. Later in the month, BAZAAR.com revealed that Harry collaborated with American jeweler Lorraine Schwartz on the new ring to make it really special: The conflict-free diamond eternity band includes birthstones for Meghan (an olive green peridot), Harry (a blue sapphire) and son Archie (a green emerald) on its underside. Harry also used the opportunity, the outlet added, to upgrade the band on Meghan's engagement ring — it's now covered in tiny diamonds — something royal watchers didn't notice right away.

Prince Louis makes his Trooping the Colour balcony debut

Prince William and Duchess Kate's third child, 13-month-old Prince Louis, made his Buckingham Palace balcony debut as he attended his first Trooping the Colour on June 8. He stole the show as he waved to the crowds (wearing what appeared to be one of uncle Prince Harry's old childhood outfits) and marveled over the military aircraft flypasts.

A new husband's Trooping the Colour debut

Princess Eugenie's new husband, Jack Brooksbank, also made his Trooping the Colour and Buckingham Palace balcony debut on June 8 when he joined his wife and her family for the queen's birthday celebrations. (He's seen here that day traveling in a horse-drawn carriage alongside the queen's cousin Prince Edward, Duke of Kent.)

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's wedding photos hacked

Hacked! In early June, unreleased private photos from Prince Harry and Duchess Megan's May 2018 royal wedding started popping up on social media. On June 7, Britain's the Sun tabloid revealed that the couple's official wedding photographer, fashion snapper Alexi Lubomirski, had his archives hacked. The breach allegedly occurred last September but the photos didn't make their way onto Twitter and Instagram until June. "There was an online compromise. Pictures were hacked then leaked. There was an internal investigation but police weren't involved," a royals source told the Sun. "The situation has now been contained." It was not revealed if the hacker's identity was discovered.

A Danish prince turns 50

On June 7, Denmark's royal family celebrated a prince's milestone birthday with a glamorous dinner. Queen Margrethe hosted a party to mark the 50th birthday of her second son, Prince Joachim, who's now sixth in line to the throne, at Amalienborg Palace in Copenhagen, her official residence. The birthday boy's big brother, Crown Prince Frederik, and his wife, Princess Mary, plus their four kids were among the notable guests. Joachim's second wife, Princess Marie of Denmark, as well as their two kids (Princess Athena and Prince Henrik) and his kids from his first marriage (Prince Felix and Prince Nikolai, a sometime fashion model) were also in attendance (seen here).

Royals celebrate Swedish National Day in Stockholm

Members of Sweden's royal family including Crown Princess Victoria and her oldest child with husband Prince Daniel, daughter Princess Estelle (who's second in line to the throne) — donned traditional clothing to celebrate Swedish National Day (or Nationaldagen, as the Swedes call it) at Skansen in Stockholm on June 6. The annual event, as explained by Town & Country, commemorates King Gustav Vasa's election in 1523 as well as the adoption of a new constitution in 1809.

Princess Eugenie debuts a new name

Princess Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank, Casamigos Tequila's European commercial manager, in October 2018. And in June, it emerged that she's changed her name to honor her husband without giving up her royal title. People magazine pointed out on June 4 that in a Court Circular item about attendees at a royal garden party, instead of going by "Princess Eugenie of York" as she has previously or "Eugenie Brooksbank," Prince Andrew's daughter used the new moniker "Princess Eugenie, Mrs. Jack Brooksbank."

Queen Elizabeth II pays tribute to veterans on 75th D-Day anniversary

On June 5, Queen Elizabeth II and other world leaders including British Prime Minister Theresa May and American President Donald Trump headed to Portsmouth, England, to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings during World War II. In a stirring speech, the British monarch — who remembers the horrors of WWII first hand — paid tribute to those who risked and lost their lives during the Normandy landings and on behalf of "the whole free world" thanked them for their sacrifices. "When I attended the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings, some thought it might be the last such event. But the wartime generation — my generation — is resilient, and I am delighted to be with you in Portsmouth today," she said, honoring the hundreds of thousands who "left these shores in the cause of freedom." According to CNN, she also quoted a speech broadcast by her father, King George VI, 75 years ago: "What is demanded from us all is something more than courage and endurance; we need a revival of spirit, a new unconquerable resolve."

The queen welcomes the president during official state visit

On June 3, President Donald Trump kicked off a three-day state visit to Britain where he and first lady Melania Trump spent time with senior royals including the queen, Prince Charles and wife Duchess Camilla, Prince Andrew, Prince Harry and more. The glamorous highlight of the visit, which began with a pomp-and-circumstance-filled welcome ceremony at Buckingham Palace followed by lunch with the monarch, was a white-tie state dinner attended by the president's family, advisers and key royals including Prince William and Duchess Kate. In a lengthy toast, the queen said, in part, that "visits by American Presidents always remind us of the close and longstanding friendship between the United Kingdom and the United States, and I am so glad that we have another opportunity to demonstrate the immense importance that both our countries attach to our relationship."

Prince Charles talks climate change with President Trump

Another headline-making moment during President Trump's state visit to Britain this month? His conversation with Prince Charles about climate change. Trump, who's previously called climate change a "hoax" despite overwhelming scientific evidence to the contrary, revealed during a June interview on "Good Morning Britain" that during a 90-minute meeting with the Prince of Wales — a longtime and vocal supporter of environmental responsibility and conservation — the royal brought up the subject. "He did most of the talking, and he was really into climate change and I think that's great," Trump said. "He wants to make sure future generations have climate that is good climate as opposed to a disaster and I agree." Trump then went on to blame other countries for polluting the air and water sources.

Was that a fist bump?!

After seeing a photo of President Donald Trump greeting Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace on June 3 as he kicked off a three-day state visit to Britain, the internet went wild as thousands speculated on social media that the American leader had given the monarch a fist bump. Not so, video of the encounter soon revealed — a camera lens simply caught their handshake at an odd angle.

Duchess Kate debuts Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order accesssory

Back on April 29, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed a huge honor on granddaughter-in-law Duchess Kate: a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, which is the highest rank in the dynastic order — it's the equivalent of a knight and one made personally by the monarch herself for services to the sovereign. Several weeks later on June 3 at a Buckingham Palace state banquet welcoming President Donald Trump to Britain, the world got its first look at the Duchess of Cambridge's new accessory that reflects the honor — a blue, red and white sash that she wore with her white lace Alexander McQueen gown. As People magazine pointed out, the order is also represented by a Maltese cross, which Kate wore near the bottom of her new sash.

Priyanka Chopra sounds off on Duchess Meghan criticism

This month, one of Duchess Meghan's celebrity friends weighed in on the scrutiny and attacks that have haunted the American actress-turned-royal since she was first romantically linked to Prince Harry two and a half years ago. The criticism, actress Priyanka Chopra told The Sunday Times in an interview published on June 2, is "really unfortunate," but "if there's anyone who can handle it, it's her." Priyanka was asked if she believes criticism is tied to the fact that Meghan is of mixed race. "For sure, 100 percent," the former Miss World said. "Of course it has to do with racism, it's an obvious reason. But the beauty of Meg is that she's been herself through all of this. A lot of people got to know her after everything [once she started dating Harry], but I knew her before and she's the same chick." Priyanka added, "Now that she's got a real platform, she talks about the same things she always did. We spent hours speaking about the difference that influence and dialogue can make to the world before this whole thing happened, so what you see now is authentically her. She's always been the girl wanting to move the needle."

Princess Grace's granddaughter Charlotte Casiraghi marries in Monaco

Monaco's Charlotte Casiraghi, the daughter of Princess Caroline of Hanover, married film producer Dimitri Rassam, the son of actress-model Carole Bouquet, on June 1. People magazine reported that the couple, who share a 6-month-old son, Balthazar (Charlotte is also a mom to 5-year-old Raphael with comedian ex Gad Elmaleh while Dimitri has a daughter from a previous relationship), tied the knot in a civil ceremony at Monaco's Prince's Palace. Afterward, they celebrated at a garden party followed by a reception at the Villa La Vigie, a palatial residence overlooking the Mediterranean. People magazine reported that Charlotte wore the Cartier diamond tiara necklace that her grandmother, former Hollywood actress Grace Kelly — the late Princess Grace of Monaco — received as a wedding gift in 1956 when she married Prince Rainier III.

A "Real Housewives" star's royal ex marries in Germany

Germany's Prince Casimir Sayn-Wittgenstein-Sayn — who dated "The Real Housewives of New York City" star Tinsley Mortimer in 2009 and 2010, People magazine reported — married American model Alana Camille Bunte on June 1. MailOnline reported that the groom, who's a descendant of King James II of England and Ireland, wed his bride at the 12th century Schloss Sayn castle in Bendorf, Germany.

A show of royal support for Pride Month

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan marked Pride Month with a June 1 Instagram post that also paid tribute to Harry's mother, Princess Diana, and her support of LGBTQ+ rights decades ago. As Harper's Bazaar UK pointed out, the couple notably included in a photo collage a snapshot of Diana meeting a patient at an AIDS hospice a year before her untimely death. It "demonstrates how the late royal used her global platform to challenge the social stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS," the magazine explained. Harry and Meghan wrote in the caption that they support the LGBTQ+ community too and hoped for a "more inclusive future," adding, "We stand with you and support you 🌈 Because it's very simple: love is love."