Life in the fold of the super-rich comes with serious perks, these nannies and former nannies reveal.

They’re taking to TikTok to lift the veil on the reality of au pairing for the super-rich – and shedding light on the luxurious benefits that are part and parcel of the role. 

Working holidays on private yachts, flying by private jet, VIP access to theme parks and meals cooked by private chefs can be all in a day’s work, they reveal.

One example is Ginger Rose Smith, 27, who recently shared a video about her experience working as a nanny for a Middle Eastern royal family who were spending time in Los Angeles. It taught her ‘how the wealthiest of the wealthy live’, she reveals. 

Ginger Rose, who is no longer a nanny, was employed in the position five years ago  to support herself while she was doing an unpaid internship in the city. Speaking to MailOnline Travel, Ginger Rose says that VIP access to ‘some of the most elite shops, events, and shows’ was one of the biggest perks of the role. She says: ‘We’d go shopping at the Nike store and they would literally close the store down for us to shop there.’

The most luxurious experience she had, she reveals, was when she accompanied the family on a trip to the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park. ‘I got to see how the one per cent attends these sort of experiences,’ she says, adding: ‘We had a personal guide [and] got to cut straight to the front of every line.’

Ginger adds that when they went on rides at the theme park, no other park visitors were allowed on the ride at the same time. ‘That day was pretty crazy,’ she says.

Another bonus was the ‘free stuff’ she was gifted. Ginger says: ‘I cleared out one of their spare rooms and they told me I could keep anything I wanted – I found a box filled with gift cards and over $400 (£322) worth of quarters.’

And meals cooked by the family’s private chef were another plus. ‘I would get to work in the morning and their private chef would ask me what I wanted to eat. There was always a million staff coming and going,’ she says.

Chef-prepared dishes are something Sami Jean Williams also enjoys daily in her role as a nanny – she frequently shares videos of these lunches and dinners with her 27,000 followers on TikTok.

Originally from Prince Edward Island in Canada, Sami has spent the Past two years working for uber-rich families – with billionaires among her employers – in the U.S.

In her videos, Sami, who is currently working for a family in Miami, reveals that other perks of the job include travelling by private jet, swimming in families’ private pools and holidaying with families on their private yachts. ‘Some families take you on vacation if they want you to help,’ she explains.

A video she shared of a yacht holiday on the job – titled ‘life is good’ – has racked up more than eight million views, with one user, ‘Bella’, declaring Sami’s role the ‘dream job’. And ‘user423541’ commented: ‘Some people live incredible lives.’

Another North American TikToker, Katrina Martin, also offered insight into the glamorous holidays that can be part of the role in a series of viral videos. 

In one clip, which has racked up more than 3.2million views, she admits: ‘My experience as a nanny was terrible, to say the least, but the one kind of interesting thing from my experience was that they took me with them on a family vacation to Turks and Caicos. We flew there on a private jet and we stayed in this insane villa – I’ve never seen anything like it.

‘It was giant. The staff there later told us that celebrities like Drake, Rihanna [and] countless Victoria’s Secret models had all stayed there.’

And luxury travel is a perk similarly enjoyed by nanny Valerie DaBaldo, 19, who is a university student and works as a live-in nanny in the summertime. Greece, Florida and Long Beach Island on the eastern coast of the U.S are among the destinations she has travelled to as part of the role. 

Describing how wealthy host families travel, she tells MailOnline Travel: ‘They don’t take ordinary trips, it’s always top of the line… the biggest perk is definitely the endless adventures and events I get to experience with [my host family] because they can afford to bring a nanny along.’ 

She adds: ‘I also gain access to limited clubs and country clubs just by being their nanny.’ 

And the homes she stays in as a live-in nanny are equipped for a pampering lifestyle. She says: ‘Wealthy people have an endless amount of luxurious technology and access to luxurious places. The home I stay at now has two saunas, a steam room, [a] home gym and a personal [masseuse] that we can call whenever.’

Documenting her life as a nanny on TikTok, Valerie shared one video showing her enjoying the walk-in shower in her host family’s ‘$9million (£7.3million) beach house’ that has racked up nearly 40,000 views. Another shows her unwinding in their infrared sauna, while others show her sunbathing by the pool or on the beach during her time off work. 

She also frequently shares outfit videos with her followers on TikTok, from bikinis for the beach to more laid-back looks for running errands. 

Valerie says that while working, she spends ‘most travelling days exploring with [the family’s children], at the pool or beach’. She adds: ‘My role as a nanny mainly comes at night when they’d like to visit a theme park or when they need a ride somewhere.’

Naturally, this exposure to luxury also applies to nannies hired by A-list stars, TikToker Rachel DiBease reveals. 

Now a model and content creator, she spent several years working as a nanny for famous families in the U.S and tells her followers: ‘As a celebrity nanny you are exposed to a different kind of wealthy.’

In one TikTok video, she reveals how she received gifts such as a Gucci bag from one of her employers and in another, she describes how one of the high-profile families she worked for ‘had an elevator put in [to their home], a bowling alley, a sauna, a game room with Skee-Ball [arcade machine]… just everything’. 

What about pay? New Jersey native DiBease worked as a medical assistant before becoming a nanny and admits that the career change quadrupled her annual salary.

She says that in the U.S, nannies working for celebrities and high-profile clients are paid annual salaries that range from $75,000 (£61,000) to $175,000 (£142,000). ’They are very high paying, almost always six-figure positions,’ she admits.

This set salary isn’t the only financial perk to the role. DiBease says: ‘I trialled with families who were open to giving me a living stipend if I lived in New York or California where the cost of living is really expensive… that’s something that a lot of families offer.’ Paid time off and a 401(k) – a retirement savings plan – are also common, she explains.

So how do you become a high-profile nanny? There are nanny agencies designed specifically for high net-worth families, DiBease reveals. Among them are agencies such as ‘The Nanny League’ and ‘Elite Nannies’.

When it comes to interviewing for the role, DiBease notes that wealthy families ‘really look for individuality’ from their nannies. It also helps if you’re bilingual, she adds.

Princess Eleonore and Queen Mathilde were the most stylish mother and daughter duo as they stepped out for a night at the opera today.

The royal duo were photographed attending ‘Cassandra’ the opera at La Monnaie Opera House in Brussels, alongside its director Peter De Caluwe.

Queen Mathilde, 50, looked elegant in a structured gold top with black floral detailing and black flared trousers to match.

She accessorised the look with a dazzling pair of gold floral drop earrings, a gold clutch bag and pointed black pumps.

For her make-up, a bold red lip was the perfect choice for the evening festivities, as was her black eyeliner and perfectly coiffed blonde bob.

Meanwhile her daughter Princess Eleonore, who marked her 15th birthday in April, scaled back the glamour ever so slightly.

She opted for a black sleeveless top and trousers, which she teamed with black patent leather flats.

Unlike her mother, she chose to keep things casual by omitting accessories, jewellry or a matching bag.

Her make-up was subtle in nature, allowing her natural beauty to shine through.

Queen Mathilde’s appearance comes around a week after she visited the Vatican City with her husband King Philippe for a private audience with Pope Francis.    

There, the queen, wore a modest white dress for the occasion, which came to just below the knee, paired with a white mantilla, which she wore draped over her head. 

Black lace is customary when visiting the Pope – only a handful of people are permitted to wear white around the religious figure when visiting the Vatican. 

Only seven women in the world are permitted to wear white in front of the Pope. 

They include Charlene, Princess of Monaco, Queen Letizia of Spain, Queen Mathilde of Belgium and Maria Teresa, The Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. 

‘The privilege of the white’ also extends to Belgium’s Queen Paola and Princess Marina of Naples.

The privilege only extends to these royals because they are the seven Catholic Queens, Princesses and Duchesses. 

This meant that when Queen Camilla visited the Pope, she had to wear all-black, as she never converted to Roman Catholic, despite growing up in a Catholic household.

Instead, she is an Anglican. 

Mohammed bin Salman has admitted ‘mistakes’ over the killing of US-based journalist and critic Jamal Khashoggi.

In a wide-ranging interview with Fox News, the 38-year-old controversial Crown Prince said he was reforming the kingdom’s security system to avoid such ‘mistakes’ in the future.

‘It was a mistake. It was painful,’ the crown prince said, while insisting that ‘everyone involved’ served jail time. 

‘We try to reform the security system to be sure that these kind of mistakes doesn’t happen again, and we can see in the past five years nothing of those things happened. It’s not part of what Saudi Arabia do.

‘We take all the legal measurements that any country took… We did that in Saudi Arabia and the case being closed,’ MbS said.

Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist who wrote for the Washington Post and was critical of the Saudi government was brutally murdered on October 2, 2018, inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, in a case that sparked international outrage. 

Biden vowed to make Saudi Arabia a ‘pariah’ over the killing while campaigning for president in 2020 after multiple international intelligence agencies pointed to MbS’ involvement in the murder.

But he has since bowed to that reality, patching up relations with the Crown Prince while seeking his help in controlling oil prices and managing other regional issues.

The Biden administration released a declassified report by U.S. intelligence concluding that MbS ‘approved’ the operation that killed Khashoggi – but took no action against the crown prince himself.

MbS was also questioned about the possibility of Iran eventually creating a nuclear weapon, and he confirmed that if Iran were to begin building an arsenal, Saudi Arabia would seek to do the same.

‘We are concerned if any country getting a nuclear weapon: That’s a bad, that’s a bad move,’ he said. ‘They don’t need to get nuclear weapon because you cannot use it.’

When asked how he would respond to Iran securing a nuke, he said: ‘If they get one we have to get one’. 

That has worried nuclear nonproliferation experts, who say the U.S. granting the kingdom the ability to enrich uranium itself could fuel a regional arms race.

During the interview with Baier, MbS also said he doesn’t see an issue with a Saudi Arabian wealth fund injecting $2billion into Jared Kushner’s private equity – despite his family links to former president Donald Trump.

Six months after Trump left the White House in 2020, his son-in-law and former senior adviser Kushner secured a $2 billion investment from the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) led by MbS. 

When asked whether this created a conflict of interest – and if the royal family would pull the money should Donald Trump win re-election – MbS said ‘if it’s legal, what’s the problem?’

‘We look for opportunities in investment,’ he said. ‘We have a lot of investment around the globe with a lot of people with economic opportunity.’

On whether the $2billion would remain with Kushner even if Trump becomes president again, MbS answered in the affirmative. 

‘It’s a commitment that PIF have and when PIF have a commitment with any investor around the globe, we keep it,’ he said.   

Pushed on whether he recognized that this could create a conflict of interest, he said: ‘Saudi Arabia is so big, so I’m quite sure mostly any person around the world directly or indirectly you have something to do with Saudi Arabia. 

‘So if that can affect President Trump’s decision if he becomes a President, that means it can affect every president in the world and every person in the world’s decision. 

‘Because directly and indirectly they have some sort of interest in something to do with Saudi Arabia.’

The other major topic on the agenda was Saudi Arabia’s efforts to improve bilateral relations with Israel.

Saudi Arabia is discussing a major agreement with the United States to normalize relations with Israel in exchange for a U.S. defense pact and aid in developing its own civilian nuclear program. 

But the Saudis have said any deal would require major progress toward the creation of a Palestinian state, which is a hard sell for the most religious and nationalist government in Israel’s history.

‘For us, the Palestinian issue is very important. We need to solve that part,’ MbS told Baer.

‘We got to see where we go,’ the prince said. ‘We hope that will reach a place, that it will ease the life of the Palestinians, get Israel as a player in the Middle East.’

He also denied reports that the talks had been suspended, saying ‘every day, we get closer.’

The interview aired shortly after President Biden met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while both were in New York for the meeting of the U.N. General Assembly. 

Biden raised concerns about the far-right Israeli government’s treatment of the Palestinians and urged Netanyahu to take steps to improve conditions in the West Bank at a time of heightened violence in the occupied territory.

Netanyahu’s office said the meeting ‘mostly dealt with ways to establish an historic peace agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia, which could greatly advance an end to the Arab-Israeli conflict and facilitate the establishment of an economic corridor to link Asia, the Middle East and Europe.’

Asked during the interview about working with someone as conservative as Netanyahu, Prince Mohammed said: ‘If we have a breakthrough, reaching a deal that gives the Palestinians their needs and (making) the region calm, we’ve got to work with whoever’s there.

Prince William met with Prince Albert of Monaco and former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates in New York today as the pair joined forces at the Earthshot Summit.

The Prince of Wales, 41, opted for a classic suit and skinny tie as he met with his fellow royal to learn how various world leaders are tackling environmental issues.

He then headed on stage to announce the Earthshot winners and  revealed he started his day by going for a run in Central Park, while also that the pandemic and the Queen’s death delayed him heading to the Big Apples sooner.

‘I decided to join the hordes of New Yorkers doing their morning routine in Central Park,’ he said.

‘It was wonderful waking up in Central Park on a Sunday morning, rather than the rain we had yesterday,’ he went on.

‘It was beautiful getting some fresh air, and it’s been wonderful getting back.

‘I think 2014 was the last time I was here in New York, I’ve been trying to come back but with Covid and my grandmother passing away last year has meant I’ve not been able to come.’ 

 After annoucning the winners of the Earthshot prize, he to a fire station to meet with first responders.

William was without his wife, Princess Kate – who today visited a youth centre in east London – while Albert’s wife, Princess Charlene, also stayed home.

The future king is visit New York to attend meetings and events linked to the Earthshot Prize and learn how New York is tackling environmental issues, visit first responders and meet with leaders at the United Nations.   

Albert also has his own charity to tackle climate change. 

The Prince of Wales began his two-day US visit in dramatic style, crossing the Hudson River with the Manhattan skyline in the background. 

William arrived from the UK on a commercial flight and travelled straight to Governors Island to meet students, volunteers and restaurateurs involved in the Billion Oyster Project, a unique initiative to restore oyster beds in New York harbour.

He stood in the bow of the boat with Pete Malinowski, co-founder and executive director of the Billion Oyster Project, as it travelled to the outcrop at the centre of the operation.

Manhattan’s skyline was clearly visible despite the persistent rain which had ended a mini September heatwave in the Big Apple, with the top floors of the highest skyscrapers shrouded in mist.

During his visit William will promote his Earthshot Prize which aims to celebrate and scale up solutions to ‘repair’ the planet, and announce the 2023 finalists.

Later he will sit down for talks with UN secretary general Antonio Guterres as the 78th session of the UN General Assembly begins.

A Kensington Palace spokesman said: ‘The prince is very much looking forward to seeing the secretary general and they are expected to speak about climate change and the environment as well as the innovative solutions that the Earthshot Prize is cultivating around the world.’

The first stop for William will be the hatchery centre for the fledgling oysters, and he will tour a group of tanks where the next generation is being nurtured.

He will also meet a group of high school students who are volunteering and learning about the project to restock the oyster population, with larvae relocated to a nursery made from discarded and cleaned oyster shells from 75 New York seafood restaurants.

The shells are housed in metal cages in the East River and it is hoped the molluscs, which cannot be eaten because of water pollution, will form oyster reefs providing three important benefits – filtration, new habitat and protection against storms.

Earlier today, William praised Ecuador for the ‘crucial’ work the nation is doing in the battle against climate change as he met President Guillermo Lasso Mendoza ahead of unveiling this year’s Earthshot Prize finalists on his solo trip to New York.

The Prince of Wales confidently strode into the bilateral meeting, beaming as he walked past an Andy Warhol print of his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

The heir to the throne was pictured shaking hands with President Lasso before they sat down together at the the British Consul General’s official residence at 50 UN Plaza overlooking the UN building and with panoramic views of the Hudson River.

His engagements in the US coincide with Climate Week in New York and the 78th UN General Assembly where nearly 200 countries are meeting. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky is among those in attendance.

Although Prince William will not address the assembly, he met UN chief Antonio Guterres in New York on Monday and discussed ‘efforts required to accelerate the fight against climate change and protect the environment’.

Today, he will also host business leaders, climate activists and policymakers, with those present including UN Special Climate Envoy Michael Bloomberg, former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. 

President Lasso told William the environment had always been important to his country. 

Ecuadorians voted in a recent referendum to ban oil drilling in Yasuni National Park, located within the Amazon rainforest, and one of the most biodiverse places in the world.

The country is also pursuing other measures to promote sustainability from protecting its waters to mobilising green finance.

William, speaking in the shadow of the print of his late grandmother, said: ‘It’s amazing. This is really important it is historic what you are doing.’

The prince also remarked on yesterday’s weather saying it was ‘pouring down’ when he arrived on Monday. With blue cloudless skies above Manhattan, William said: ‘We could have done with this weather.’

He went on to praise Ecuador for the ‘fantastic work’ it has done for environment. Although he admitted it takes a ‘business brain’ to understand the finances.

William, who flew commercial and was travelling without the Princess of Wales, went straight from the airport to Governor’s island, which sits in New York Harbour, yesterday. 

With William away on business, Princess Kate continued with her own engagements as she was this morning pictured visiting a charity back home in east London.

The Prince of Wales is in New York to announce the 15 finalists of this year’s Earthshot Prize, which awards companies and projects focusing on climate solutions.

He helped found the awards in 2020 and each year five winners get £1million towards their project. 

Upon arrival to the US, William said: ‘It’s so good to be back in United States. No one does optimism and ingenuity like the American people, so it’s only right we unveil this year’s Earthshot finalists in New York City.

‘Eighty years ago, the world came together in this great city to find a new way, through the UN, to solve our shared challenges.

‘I know our generation can take the bold action we need to make changes towards a healthy and sustainable world. The challenge may feel huge, but as John F Kennedy taught us, we rise to the challenge not because it is easy, but because it is hard. And vital’.

Before the main event, William yesterday met with UN chief Antonio Guterres. The Prince of Wales and the UN Secretary-General appeared in high spirits as they toured the 93-member world body where world leaders have gathered for their annual summit.

On Governor’s Island, William met schoolchildren who are studying marine biology and spoke with employees of the Billion Oyster Project.

He was due to see the giant pile of oyster shells that are donated by 75 restaurants in New York rather than being sent to landfill sites.

And afterwards – despite the grey skies and rain – he got waist deep in the East River from a small beach and put some oysters into the water.

He then changed into a suit for a trip to the UN ahead of a ‘no nonsense’ climate summit being hosted by Guterres on Wednesday.

After their meeting, a UN spokesperson said the pair also ‘discussed efforts to enhance implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as financing for development’. 

Leaders are also meeting at the United Nations on Monday and Tuesday on the Sustainable Development Goals, a 2015 ‘to-do’ list that includes wiping out hunger and extreme poverty, battling climate change and achieving gender equality.

Guterres warned that the goals ‘need a global rescue plan.’

Despite being in America, there appears to be no plans for William to see his estranged brother – just days after Prince Harry‘s Invictus Games came to a close in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The Prince left the Princess of Wales at home with the children as he travelled to the US – with Kate also not expected to join him for the Earthshot Awards ceremony in Singapore in November. 

William was in Boston last year to announce the winners of the 2022 Earthshot Prize.

The Prince of founded the awards three years ago, saying he wanted to turn ‘current pessimism surrounding environmental issues into optimism by celebrating the people and places driving change’. 

Every year between 2021 and 2030, an awards ceremony will honour winners in the prize’s five categories who are creating innovations which tackle environmental issues. Each winner is given £1million to support and scale their work. 

But this is William’s first visit to New York since 2014 and was postponed from last year due to the death of his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Ahead of William’s arrival, a Kensington Palace spokesman said: ‘The prince was incredibly appreciative for the love and support shown by the American people during that time.

‘He is very much looking forward to being back in New York this week and hopefully meeting as many New Yorkers as possible’

On the trip William is scheduled to visit a fire station in Manhattan and meet with first responders and talk about mental health – his trip is just a week after the 22nd anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

A meeting with US President Joe Biden, who is attending, is ‘unlikely’, the Kensington Palace spokesman said – the two men met last year in Boston.

It comes just days after his brother, Prince Harry, told veterans they ‘should not feel lost without a uniform’ during an emotional closing speech at the Invictus Games – three years after he was stripped of his military titles in the wake of Megxit. 

The Duke of Sussex was visibly emotional in a heartfelt speech last at the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games.

The 39-year-old said during his five-minute closing speech that they ‘don’t need to rely on a uniform’ nor should they ‘feel lost without one’. 

Prince Harry himself has not worn a uniform since he and Meghan moved away from the UK in 2020 and he was stripped off his military titles. 

At the Queen’s funeral last year, Harry was pictured wearing a suit while his father King Charles and his older brother Prince William were wearing their uniforms.

At the Invictus Games, Harry added in his speech on why veterans don’t need rely on their uniforms: ‘Why? Because everything you need is already within you. Tomorrow you will each walk away with memories that are different and unique to you.

‘But my hope is that every memory made, brings a smile to your face through a sense of belonging and an opportunity for you and your family to look forward with price and purpose. ‘

Harry also said to the competitors how their ‘vulnerability’ had ‘opened the hearts’ of millions of people all over the world.

Meghan Markle stood alongside her husband in the crowd in a glowing green dress. During the ceremony she couldn’t hide her pride as she beamed at Team USA when they took their place for the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games. 

The schism between Prince Harry and the rest of the Royal Family was laid bare today after the Palace appeared to snub the Duke of Sussex’s birthday celebrations by failing to publicly acknowledge his 39th. 

As athletes at the Invictus Games in Germany serenaded the prince with renditions of ‘Happy Birthday’ and inundated him with gifts – good wishes were notably absent from the monarchy’s official social media accounts. 

The palace’s official social media accounts instead spent all day posting about King Charles, Prince William, Princess Kate, and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh – without mentioning Prince Harry once. 

The Mail also understands that Harry, accompanied by his wife, Meghan, will fly back to the US this weekend without seeing his estranged family.

King Charles will be in Scotland and there are no plans for the couple to join him. Prince William hasn’t spoken to his estranged brother for many months.

The Duke of Sussex also failed to visit his family during his stop-over in the UK en route to the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, when he stayed overnight in Britain to attend a charity event.

The following morning Prince harry visited Queen Elizabeth’s grave at Windsor alone on the first anniversary of his grandmother’s death.

Buckingham Palace has indicated that the Royal Family now only sends public birthday wishes to those who are senior working members. 

The Duke of Sussex‘s birthday celebration came as he attended the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, where he watched a sitting volleyball match after a night of revelry drinking German beers and eating traditional food such as sausages, schnitzel and pork knuckle. 

Despite the late night out, the birthday boy looked fresh-faced as he arrived at the Merkur Spiel-Arena.

After Harry and Meghan took their seats in the stands, the stadium announcer asked the crowd: ‘Is there anybody here celebrating their own special occasion today? Anyone’s birthday? Oh I think it is someone’s birthday. A certain Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, 39 today. Happy birthday! Let’s sing along.’ 

The crowd then joined in as Harry clapped along and smiled next to the duchess – before he mouthed ‘thank you’ to the spectators.

Harry was later presented with a birthday cake by the Mayor of Dusseldorf, Dr Stephen Keller. The cake was in the colours of the Invictus Games with the words: ‘Happy Birthday Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex.’

Prince Harry washed down bratwurst sausages and wiener schnitzel with six beers but his wife stuck to one small lager at restaurant Im Goldenen Kessel last night. 

Harry famously went teetotal and abandoned caffeine when Meghan was pregnant with Archie, dumping beer, tea and coffee for green juices. In 2018 he raised a glass of water while everyone else was drinking champagne in solidarity with his wife. He also quit smoking. But based on last night he is firmly back on the booze. 

Meghan was on the march today as she took part in a medal ceremony.

She was perfectly in step with a military officer as she walked to the presentation ceremony in front of a cheering crowd.

A large crowd cheered as she took each step perfectly in time and level with the officer.

Prince Harry also took part in a ceremony and showed he had not forgotten how to march in step.

As he came to a halt, he did a smart parade ground turn and stamped his feet – showing he had not forgotten his training at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst.

In blazing sunshine Meghan walked perfectly in step with a Naval officer holding the three medals to be presented for cycling event.

She gave a broad smile as she walked slowly making sure to stay in step with the practised military officer.

Harry followed minutes later and looked comfortable marching along and was full of smiles.

He presented the gold medal for a time trial event to Dave Jarvis from Team UK. He was draped in a Scottish flag partly covering his kilt.

Harry noticed Jarvis’s wife Stephanie weeping with emotion at the side of track with her daughter Sophia.

He attempted to pull the metal safety barrier aside and when that did not work leant over and lifted the four-year-old over and handed her to her father.

As the family hugged, Harry picked up the blue and white Saltire and draped it round the family.

Stephanie revealed she shared the same birthday with Prince Harry and was presented with a necklace by her husband.

Stephanie, from the North East of Scotland, said:’ This is very emotional for us.’

Meghan presented the gold medal to James Rogers, the captain of Team UK.

He was wildly cheered by the large British contingent in the crowd who shouted out: ‘Well done, skipper.’

Meghan and Harry continued to be treated as rock stars as they went on a brief walkabout.

One man called Harry over to have his photo taken, but then shouted out for Meghan.

She obliged and Harry even took off his sunglasses as the pair continued their charm offensive.

Harry, accompanied by Meghan and a dozen of his support team, last night made a secret visit to a popular restaurant in the old town of Dusseldorf.

The Duke, who is 39 today, sank six glasses of the Alt Schumacher beer as he celebrated not only his birthday but the success so far of the Invictus Games. 

His party dined on local delicacies such as Wiener Schnitzel, sausage and pork knuckle.

Harry was also presented with white chocolate which he took back to his hotel and shared with his team. Meghan had only sipped a single beer during the evening.

For her latest appearance today, Meghan wore a Zara jumpsuit Celine Blazer and Saint Laurent Sandals and had a purse from the Cesta range made in Rwanda .

The couple watched a sitting volleyball match between hosts Germany and Poland.

The Polish team mobbed Harry after the game and sang happy birthday again.

With Meghan he posed for numerous selfies before leaving where they were greeted with screams of ‘We love you, Meghan’ from a group of excited teenagers.

The group had rushed down from the stands to try to get close to the Duchess as she left.

Lina Dettling, 15, said: ‘We love Meghan. She is so pretty and we just wanted to see her.’

Kerlos Yosif, 15, added: ‘We are excited to see Harry and Meghan. To us they are like popstars . They do so much good.’

The teenagers were among hundreds of students given the day off from school to attend the games.

Later, Harry and Meghan hitched a ride on a golf buggy to take them to the road cycling event.

Last night, Harry partied with Meghan in a traditional German bar in Dusseldorf with friends where he washed down bratwurst sausage and wiener schnitzel with six beers.

Bar staff said the royals were ‘lovely’ and left a ‘big tip’ as they enjoyed plates piled high with red cabbage and mashed potato. While Harry celebrated with six half-pints, his wife stuck to just one small drink.

Diners at the Im Goldenen Kessel restaurant and bar were asked not to take pictures but said they saw the prince laughing and joking as the food arrived at his table. He also looked thrilled when a birthday cake arrived at the end of the meal.

He and Meghan posed for photographs with the owner of the restaurant Thea Ungermann and head waiter Frank Wackers who has worked at the restaurant for 38 years.

Ms Ungermann told MailOnline: ‘Harry was a lovely man and was having a very jolly time. Meghan was lovely.’

Meghan stuck with the white skinny jeans she wore to watch the volleyball match yesterday. She paired it with a red and white pinstriped shirt and nude ballet pumps. Meanwhile Harry wore dark jeans and a grey top.

During his meal, Harry was presented with a birthday cake by staff at the restaurant, based in Dusseldorf’s old town.

He and his party took up two tables at the restaurant, which is part of the Schumacher brewery, and were served their food and beer by Mr Wackers.

Mr Wackers told MailOnline that Harry had six small beers – about half a pint rather than the litre-sized beers most German breweries serve.

He said the group were served Wiener Schnitzel, pork knuckle, sausage and plates of roast and mashed potato.

Mr Wackers said: ‘They were very happy. He is a lovely man, and they were so nice.’

He also joked that Harry’s bodyguard asked what was the beer like. ‘He said that he would kill me if the beer was bad, but I know he was joking.’

Aides and staff sang Happy Birthday as the restaurant presented Harry with a white chocolate cake.

After tucking in, the party then walked back to their waiting cars in the cobbled Altstadt area of the city.

A source close to the prince said: ‘They drank local beer and ate family style dishes to experience a true German meal. Everyone was incredibly friendly, especially the waiters pictured in the photograph online.

‘They did not dine in a private space and were in joyful spirits, toasting and laughing with the team.

After dinner, the group headed back to the hotel to sing Happy Birthday and eat cake just shy of midnight.’

The owner of the restaurant said Harry picked up the bill and left a big tip for the staff.

The restaurant is attached to the Schumacher brewery, one of two popular venues in Dusseldorf.

Both Ms Ungermann and the head waiter speak fluent English so were able to take Harry and Meghan’s orders without needing to translate them into German.

Harry and his party had driven from their hotel in the Media Harbour of the city and were dropped off by a pedestrian area.

They walked the 50 yards to the restaurant past other bars before occupying two tables in a raised section of the restaurant which is next door to a McDonalds.

The party drank the locally brewed beer called Alt Schumacher which is also served at the Merkur Spiel-Arena where the Invictus Games are held.

Ms Ungermann said: ‘The couple were very relaxed, they drank our beer, Schumacher Alt – it’s the same beer they are serving at the Invictus Games.

‘Harry and Meghan sat next to each other during the meal. I had goosebumps when they walked into the restaurant, I had watched his speech on the stage at the Invictus Games and couldn’t believe he was in my restaurant. Prince Harry was so lovely and gave me a hug.’

The restaurant posted the group photo of Harry and Meghan with staff on their social media.

Harry is thought to have had an early 39th party because he will be busy with events at the games today.

Prince Harry turns 39 today and partied with Meghan in a traditional German bar last night where he washed down bratwurst sausage and wiener schnitzel with six beers, MailOnline can reveal.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex enjoyed a night out in Dusseldorf with friends as the Invictus Games draws to a close.

Bar staff said the royals were ‘lovely’ and left a ‘big tip’ as they enjoyed plates piled high with red cabbage and mashed potato. While Harry celebrated with six half-pints, his wife stuck to just one small drink.

Diners at the Im Goldenen Kessel restaurant and bar were asked not to take pictures but said they saw the prince laughing and joking as the food arrived at his table. He also looked thrilled when a birthday cake arrived at the end of the meal.

He and Meghan posed for photographs with the owner of the restaurant Thea Ungermann and head waiter Frank Wackers who has worked at the restaurant for 38 years. 

Ms Ungermann told MailOnline: ‘Harry was a lovely man and was having a very jolly time. Meghan was lovely.’ 

Meghan stuck with the white skinny jeans she wore to watch the volleyball match yesterday. She paired it with a red and white pinstriped shirt and nude ballet pumps. Meanwhile Harry wore dark jeans and a grey top. 

During his meal, Harry was presented with a birthday cake by staff at the restaurant, based in Dusseldorf’s old town.

He and his party took up two tables at the restaurant, which is part of the Schumacher brewery, and were served their food and beer by Mr Wackers.

Mr Wackers told MailOnline that Harry had six small beers – about half a pint rather than the litre sized beers most German breweries serve.

He said the group were served Wiener Schnitzel, pork knuckle, sausage and plates of roast and mashed potato.

Mr Wackers said: ‘They were very happy. He is a lovely man, and they were so nice.’

He also joked that Harry’s bodyguard asked what was the beer like.

‘He said that he would kill me if the beer was bad, but I know he was joking.’

Aides and staff sang Happy Birthday as the restaurant presented Harry with a white chocolate cake.  

After tucking in, the party then walked back to their waiting cars in the cobbled Altstadt area of the city. 

A source close to the prince said: ‘They drank local beer and ate family style dishes to experience a true German meal. Everyone was incredibly friendly, especially the waiters pictured in the photograph online. 

‘They did not dine in a private space and were in joyful spirits, toasting and laughing with the team.

After dinner, the group headed back to the hotel to sing Happy Birthday and eat cake just shy of midnight.’

The owner of the restaurant said Harry picked up the bill and left a big tip for the staff.

The restaurant is attached to the Schumacher brewery, one of two popular venues in Dusseldorf.

Both Ms Ungermann and the head waiter speak fluent English so were able to take Harry and Meghan’s orders without needing to translate them into German.

Harry and his party had driven from their hotel in the Media Harbour of the city and were dropped off by a pedestrian area.

They walked the 50 yards to the restaurant past other bars before occupying two tables in a raised section of the restaurant which is next door to a McDonalds.

The party drank the locally brewed beer called Alt Schumacher which is also served at the Merkur Spiel-Arena where the Invictus Games are held.

Ms Ungermann said: ‘The couple were very relaxed, they drank our beer, Schumacher Alt – it’s the same beer they are serving at the Invictus Games.

‘Harry and Meghan sat next to each other during the meal. I had goosebumps when they walked into the restaurant, I had watched his speech on the stage at the Invictus Games and couldn’t believe he was in my restaurant. Prince Harry was so lovely and gave me a hug.’

The restaurant posted the group photo of Harry and Meghan with staff on their social media. 

Harry is thought to have had an early 39th party as he will be busy with events at the games today.

The Prince and Princess of Wales today helped children prepare food around a campfire on a royal visit to a primary school.

William and Kate looked right at home as they threw themselves into action at a Forest School in Hereford, where pupils attend once a week to learn in a woodland environment.

Run by Madley Primary School, it also allows children to be taught about key issues like environmental awareness, conservation and woodland management.

The Waleses, who were gifted books for their children, George, Charlotte and Louis on arrival, took part in skimming bark off logs before crouching down and using a saw to help make a tree den.

But there were laughs when an enthusiastic William accidentally knocked a branch off the den while inspecting it, before hastily putting it back in its place.

Before leaving the site, they told staff and pupils: ‘More schools need the opportunity to do things like this.’

The Duchy of Cornwall and Madley Primary School have been partners of the Forest School initiative for the last 12 years as the Duchy supplied Madley Primary School with a woodland site at Brampton Hill Wood in order to enable the Forest School to take place in Hereford. 

Over the subsequent years, due the school’s expansion, the woodland area that the Duchy provides has increased, along with the facilities available.

After visiting the school, William and Kate headed to Kings Pitt Farm, to meet with Duchy of Cornwall farming tenants, Sam and Emily Stables. 

Following struggles with their own mental wellbeing and seeing the stigma around mental health in the farming industry, Sam and Emily founded We Are Farming Minds, a charity working to support the mental health of farmers in rural communities throughout the county. 

It offers Herefordshire farmers fully funded access to a range of services including counselling, a 24-hour phone and text support line, free mental health awareness workshops and social events throughout the year to break feelings of isolation. 

The Duchy of Cornwall is working closely with We are Farming Minds to enhance its new Mental Health Strategy which provides ongoing mental health support to all its tenants, with a specific focus on tenants in rural and more isolated communities. 

Their appearances today come amid claims that Prince Harry’s deep rift with his family is casting a shadow over the Invictus Games.

The Duke of Sussex‘s time with the Army in Afghanistan inspired him to launch the sporting event in 2014 but William and Kate were central to its initial success. 

The couple’s now-defunct foundation, which they formed with the duke, hoovered up sponsors and spent huge sums of cash to get Invictus up and running.

Nine years ago Harry, his father and brother stood united as they attended the opening ceremony and multiple events at the games in London – but the new King and his heir have had zero involvement since Harry met Meghan.

Despite Harry’s passion for Invictus, which is growing in size, officials say there have been plenty of spare seats at the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Dusseldorf. Some believe the involvement of King Charles, William and Kate would change that.

The Waleses have both been at the Rugby World Cup in France in the past week while Charles and Queen Camilla and other senior royals have been at the Highland Games. 

One Team GB insider told The Daily Telegraph: ‘The athletes find it bizarre but don’t want to get caught up in the royal crossfire.’ 

This year’s games in Germany are the biggest ever, involving 22 nations and 500-plus athletes. Harry has been there from start to finish, joining the applause, dancing in the crowd and joking about going out on the beers at the end of the day.

He was in high spirits in the days before Meghan arrived, high-fiving children and singing Sweet Caroline. 

But there has been no word from his family in the UK. 

Palace sources reportedly say that Royal Family members never involve themselves in others’ professional endeavours, and they would not expect the duke to voice support for William’s Earthshot Prize, for example.

One critic of Harry said: ‘Harry has never supported any of [the] latest [of] William’s projects, not Earthshot when he is president of African Parks and an advocate for climate change… but they insist William must support Invictus. I’m so tired of this nonsense.’

Prince Harry was all smiles as he arrived for the opening ceremony of his Invictus Games in Germany – and a mix of royal fans and protestors gathered.

An excited crowed of royal fans eagerly awaited the arrival of Prince Harry at the ceremony being held in Dusseldorf Town Hall. He was joined by Stephen Keller, Mayor of Dusseldorf.

Over 500 people stood in the blazing sunshine as they stood behind barriers hoping the Prince would go on a walkabout and greet them. They shouted his name as he walked in a lightweight blue suit, white shirt and silver tie.

Representatives from the 21 nations competing in the Invictus Games waited inside the town hall for his arrival.

A small group of demonstrators shouted out anti military slogans but as soon as Harry’s car pulled into the market square in front of the town hall they were drowned out by cheers from his fans.

Prince Harry’s bodyguard, ex Secret Service agent Chris Sanchez kept a close eye on Harry as he walked the short distance from his car to the town hall.

Among the crowd was 20-year-old superfan Madeleine Durant who had driven two hours from her home in Dortmund to see Harry.

She held up a yellow banner saying ‘Harry, I came all the way to take a photo with you’. She said: ‘I am a big fan of Harry and hope that he sees the banner and comes over. I really do like him as he speaks the truth.’

About six people demonstrating against the German military’s involved in the games for disabled and wounded military vets held a demonstration in a corner of the market square.

Police outnumbered the half dozen demonstrators who have claimed the Games will be used by the military to enlist new recruits.

One of the demonstrators held a banner with the words ‘Bomber Harry’ – a reference to his time in Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter gunner.

The estranged royal, who founded the sporting event for wounded and injured servicemen, also posed for a picture with volunteers and competitors just a day after he attended a private memorial for his grandmother Queen Elizabeth II.

Wearing a black T-shirt and looking relaxed Harry stood the middle of the group. The visit to the Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf was unannounced.

The Duke of Sussex, who went on the solo whirlwind trip to the UK without his wife and children, was spotted leaving St George’s Chapel in Windsor at lunchtime yesterday.

The fifth in the line to the throne was photographed paying respects to the Queen by a tourist in a shock secret visit to the church, where the late monarch was laid to rest. 

He then flew last night to Dusseldorf in Germany for the opening ceremony of his Invictus Games. 

The Duke is booked into a £2,000 night suite with stunning views across The Rhine and will be joined later in the luxurious residence next week by his wife Meghan.

The expansive suite on the 17th floor of the Hyatt Regency hotel in Dusseldorf will be their base for the next eight days.

The Invictus Foundation posted a photo of the team group shot on their Twitter account. The group Harry posed with carry out assessments of the athletes and their recovery.

With temperatures expected to be in the high 80s there has been concern among organisers for those taking part in outdoor events, such as the athletics and archery.

Many of the sports for disabled and wounded military veterans will take place inside the indoor arena.

Tonight he will launch the sports event for wounded and disabled military veterans and attend the week long event, dropping in to cheer of competitors in events such as archery, swimming and wheelchair rugby. 

Over 500 competitors from 21 countries are taking part in the games which are sponsored by the US based Boeing firm.

Organisers predict up to 100,000 people will attend the games which will close with a speech from Prince Harry and a set of six songs from singer Rita Ora.

Teams from around the globe have all arrived in Dusseldorf and were met at the airport by the mascot of the Games, a brown bear with the name Buddy.

The UK team and friends and family flew from Birmingham on a RAF transport jet. The 59 members of the include 15 who are still serving in the military while the others are retired from service.

The team UK Captain, Lt Commander James Rogers said: ‘ Whether a veteran or still serving, we are one team heading into the Games and I am immensely proud of how much everyone has achieved in this process. It has brought with it a sense of camaraderie and excitement, as well as noticeable physical and mental health benefits.’

Wearing a white shirt and smart trousers, Harry looked sombre yesterday as he left a side entrance of St George’s Chapel as family, Britain and the world again mourned the Queen’s passing. It is not known if he went to Her Majesty’s grave in the King George VI Memorial Chapel, which sits within the walls of the church.

Harry was seen by the public leaving the church where his grandparents are both buried at around Midday. An executive Range Rover was waiting for him with his bodyguard waiting to open the door. 

A number of members of the Royal Family are understood to have visited the chapel yesterday. Harry remains close to his cousins Beatrice and Eugenie but it is not yet known if they and others paid their respects together. MailOnline has asked Buckingham Palace and a spokesman for the Duke of Sussex to comment. 

The warring brothers are spending the first anniversary of their grandmother’s death in the same country – but still couldn’t be farther apart and did not meet before Harry jetted off to Germany last night.

The Duke of Sussex was at his personable best in London on Thursday as he met winners of the WellChild Awards – a charity he has been patron of for 15 years and stayed with after his acrimonious departure from the Royal Family.

Harry flew in for the engagement from his home in California, making his first appearance in the UK since June.

But despite the long flight, the duke cut a relaxed figure as he sat with the youngsters and their families during a pre-ceremony reception at The Hurlingham Club in south-west London.

It was as Harry prepared for the awards this time last year that news began filtering through that his grandmother was seriously ill before passing away hours later. The duke took a flight to Scotland but landed too late to see the Queen before she passed away.

‘As you know, I was unable to attend the awards last year as my grandmother passed away,’ he told the audience.

‘As you also probably know, she would have been the first person to insist that I still come to be with you all instead of going to her. And that’s precisely why I know, exactly one year on, she is looking down on all of us tonight, happy we’re together continuing to spotlight such an incredible community.’

Kate Middleton was seen kneeling down to speak children as they handed her flowers during a seaweed farm visit on the anniversary of the Queen’s death. 

The Princess of Wales, 41, was joined by Prince William as they visited Câr-Y-Môr Seaweed Farm – the first ‘regenerative ocean farm’ in Wales – this afternoon.

Before they left Kate was presented with a posy by four-year-old Isla Evans-Kohler, the daughter of deputy coxswain Judd Kohler and crew member Ellen Evans.

While William was given a jar of St Davids wild honey by her younger brother Albie Evans-Kohler, aged two, who was wearing a Welsh rugby shirt.

Kate asked Isla if she had been on the lifeboat. The little girl shook her head and her mother explained she had been on the boat but not out on the water, while Albie interjected and said: ‘Me.’

Kate then asked him: ‘Have you been on the boat? It goes very fast, and your daddy has got a very cool job.’

Albie then started mimicking the boat’s siren and the princess said: ‘I didn’t hear the siren, but it was a lovely day on the water. Thank you very much for coming to see us.’

William told Albie he ‘loved’ his rugby shirt as the boy gave him the honey.

‘Do you like honey? It is very yummy. Do you like rugby too? First game on Sunday,’ William said.

The couple met with staff and volunteers at the farm, learning about the impact their work has on the ocean environment.

They then took a boat out onto the farm to see the seaweed lines. 

The Prince quipped that seaweed produced at a seaweed farm off the Welsh coast tasted salty when asked what it was like to eat.

William made the comment to veteran royal photographer Arthur Edwards, saying: ‘What did the seaweed taste like?’

He replied: ‘Salty.’

The company also supports the local community through job creation, supply of fresh local seafood and environmental restoration. 

In June 2022, following two years of research, the company installed a three-hectare ocean farm where various species of seaweed, mussels, native oysters, and scallops are grown. 

Notpla, which produces plastic-free consumer packaging made from seaweed and plants, is a key investor in Câr-Y-Môr. 

Among its innovations, Notpla replaces plastic-lined takeaway boxes and other disposable plastic items such as cutlery. 

The London-based start-up won the 2022 Earthshot Prize in the ‘Build a Waste-Free World’ category and received a visit by The Prince of Wales in May 2023. 

Kate opted for a £350 Troy London parker for the occasion, recycling a piece she was first seen in six years ago during the couple’s royal tour of Canada.

She paired the trendy jacket with a white t-shirt and her £96 G-star Cargo trousers, which have also been a favourite of hers in recent years.

Earlier in the day, the Princess had opted for a smart burgundy coat from London-based designer Eponine.

The Princess opted for natural makeup for the outing today to the sea farm, and swept her hair up into an intricate updo, revealing a pair of gold hoop earrings.

The royal finished off her outfit with a pair of casual white Veja trainers which she has worn on a number of occasions.

After the tour of the farm, the Royal couple transferred from the barge onto the St Davids Lifeboat where they returned to shore to meet members of the lifeboat station crew.

Queen Elizabeth II was patron of the RNLI from 1952 until her death last year.

Earlier in the day, Kate made a sweet tribute to the late Queen as she sported her earrings to a memorial service to mark the first anniversary of her death.

Kate, 41, paired the diamond and pearl drop earrings with a burgundy coat from London-based designer Eponine for the church service at St Davids Cathedral in Pembrokeshire. 

She added to her eco-credentials with a recycled Mulberry bag she’s worn several times since 2017 and Gianvito Rossi heels, which are also a repeat wear. 

The royal wore the coat to her Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey in London in 2022, while she’s worn the earrings to pay tribute to Her Majesty before, including during a Remembrance Sunday service in 2020.  

Both Kate and the Queen have chosen the earrings before to wear on particularly special occasions, with the Duchess choosing the set to leave the Lindo Wing with Prince Louis in 2018.

The Queen sported the earrings for a service of thanksgiving and carriage procession during her Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2012.

And Kate chose them for a day of engagements in The Netherlands in 2016, her first official solo overseas visit without Prince William.

Kate stepped out with her husband Prince William to mark the one year anniversary of Her Majesty’s death.

Elsewhere, Prince Harry made a shock and secret visit to the Windsor church where the Queen was laid to rest.

A number of members of the Royal Family are understood to have visited the chapel today. Harry remains close to his cousins Beatrice and Eugenie but it is not yet known if they and others paid their respects together.

The King and Queen today attended a special service at Crathie Kirk to commemorate the life of the late Queen Elizabeth – and appeared moved by warm-wishes from crowds who also gathered to mark the anniversary of her death.

Charles and Camilla made the short journey by car from the nearby Balmoral Estate to the Scottish church, where successive monarchs have worshiped since Queen Victoria.

The couple spoke to crowds outside afterwards who shared their condolences and handed them bouquets and cards. The King told them that the flowers were ‘wonderful’ and joked with children about getting back to school.

Other royals were also at the service, including the Queen’s great nephews Samuel and Arthur Chatto, sons of Lady Sarah and Daniel Chatto, who also went. And staff from Balmoral, the beloved Scottish home of the Queen where she died, also attended, walking to and from the service in the September sunshine.

The Prince and Princess of Wales travelled to St Davids Cathedral in Pembrokeshire – exactly a year since the nation’s longest-reigning monarch died at Balmoral aged 96.

Crowds gathered to catch a glimpse of their arrival in the grounds of the cathedral from dawn, but they had to wait in the sunshine after fog nearby meant the couple’s helicopter had to be rerouted and their arrival delayed by more than an hour.

William and Kate had been due to arrive at 12.25pm, but eventually turned up around 1.30pm and greeted well-wishers before walking inside for the ten-minute service. One well-wisher could be heard shouting towards William: ‘You’re doing a great job!’

During the service, the Very Revd Dr Sarah Rowland Jones, Dean of St Davids, said: ‘It is particularly poignant to welcome you here, Your Royal Highnesses, on Accession Day, the first anniversary of the death of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

‘She came here four times: the only monarch to sit in the Sovereign’s stall, the seat of a Chapter member which came into the possession of the Crown at the Reformation.

‘Today countless numbers will be remembering her with both sadness and with great affection, giving thanks again for her long life of dedicated service – as we do here.’

The King and Queen today attended a special service at Crathie Kirk to commemorate the life of the late Queen Elizabeth – and appeared moved by warm-wishes from crowds who also gathered to mark the anniversary of her death.

Charles and Camilla made the short journey by car from the nearby Balmoral Estate to the Scottish church, where successive monarchs have worshiped since Queen Victoria. 

The couple spoke to crowds outside afterwards who shared their condolences and handed them bouquets and cards. The King told them that the flowers were ‘wonderful’ and joked with children about getting back to school.

Other royals were also at the service, including the Queen’s great nephews Samuel and Arthur Chatto, sons of Lady Sarah and Daniel Chatto, who also went. And staff from Balmoral, the beloved Scottish home of the Queen where she died, also attended, walking to and from the service in the September sunshine. 

The King looked emotional as he left Crathie Kirk having paid a moving tribute to his adored mother as the nation marks the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death today. Crowds gathered at Buckingham Palace and Army gun salutes honouring Her Majesty rang out across the United Kingdom. 

In an unprecedented break with tradition, signifying how touched he has been by the country’s grief at her passing but also pride in a remarkable life of public duty, His Majesty recalled his mother’s ‘long life, devoted service and all she meant to so many of us’. 

William and Kate have travelled to Wales to grieve Queen Elizabeth’s passing and shared their own favourite pictures of the late monarch and said: ‘Today we remember the extraordinary life and legacy of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth. We all miss you. W & C’. 

Initially Charles, 74, had planned only to mark his mother’s death – and his own grief-tinged accession – in ‘quiet contemplation’ at home in Scotland.

In doing so he would follow the same pattern that Queen Elizabeth chose to adopt for 70 years, marking her father King George VI‘s death, at Sandringham in Norfolk, away from public gaze.

But in recent weeks he began to have a change of heart, having been so deeply touched by the global outpouring of grief after his mother died on September 8 last year.

Indeed, the Mail can reveal that the King and Queen Camilla chose last night not to return to their own home at Birkhall on the Balmoral estate as planned, but to remain at the castle itself where Elizabeth died at the age of 96, surrounded by the glory of the Scottish Highlands she adored.

They will remain there today, comforted by some of those who were closest to Her late Majesty, spending tonight there as well, before moving back to their neighbouring estate. A source said: ‘I think it will be of comfort to be surrounded by so much that was familiar to her.’

Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess of Wales are to mark the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s death with a small private service in Wales. William and Kate will attend St Davids Cathedral in St Davids, the smallest city in Britain, in Pembrokeshire on Friday. They will also meet members of the local community in the adjacent cloister, including local people who met Elizabeth II during her visits to St Davids.

St Davids has been a site of pilgrimage and worship for more than 1,400 years, since St David – the patron saint of Wales – settled there with his monastic community in the sixth century.

Since the Reformation, one of the quire stalls has been in the possession of the Crown and is known as the Sovereign’s Stall. This makes St Davids the only UK cathedral where the sovereign has a special stall in the quire among members of the chapter, the governing body of the cathedral.

His tribute was echoed by that of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who said: ‘On the solemn anniversary of the passing of Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, our thoughts are with His Majesty King Charles III and the whole Royal Family.

‘With the perspective of a year, the scale of Her late Majesty’s service only seems greater. Her devotion to the nations of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth only seems deeper. And our gratitude for such an extraordinary life of duty and dedication only continues to grow.

‘I treasure my memories of those occasions when I met Her late Majesty, in particular the private audience I had with her at Buckingham Palace before presenting my first Budget as Chancellor. I was struck by her wisdom, by her incredible warmth and grace, but also her sharp wit.’

And he spoke for many when he recalled the effect that she had on everyone she met.

‘People across the UK – whether they had the good fortune to meet Her late Majesty or not – will be reflecting today on what she meant to them and the example she set for us all. We will cherish those memories,’ he said.

‘The bond between country and monarch is sacred. It endures. So, while we continue to mourn Her late Majesty’s passing, we should be proud that this remarkable legacy of service – and this remarkable bond – continues to grow today under the reign of His Majesty the King.’

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the long queues through the night to see the late Queen lying in state had shown that she ‘always enjoyed a special bond with her people’.

‘It was a relationship built from her understanding that service of this great nation is the thread that unites sovereign and subject,’ he said.

‘So, as we reflect on her legacy again today, let us embrace that spirit of public service as our guide towards a better future.’

Her last prime minister – albeit briefly – Liz Truss, with whom she was so memorably photographed for the final time, also opened up about their encounter.

She described how the frail but ‘upbeat’ and ‘mentally alert’ monarch had told her they would be ‘meeting again soon’. The Queen had welcomed Ms Truss to Balmoral on September 6 to appoint her as prime minister.

‘She was very, very keen to reassure me that we’d be meeting again soon. It was very important to her,’ Ms Truss told GB News.

Ms Truss added: ‘She was very determined to do her duty, right to the end.’

The Queen died two days later, with Ms Truss describing the scene as she waited in Downing Street when the confirmation came at around 4.30pm.

‘We were in the Downing Street flat with, officials, other people. So when the news came through, it was sort of confirming all the worst fears that we’d had,’ she said.

She recalled the King was ‘very, very resolute’ when she spoke to him to express her condolences on the phone the day his mother died and his reign began.

Today, soldiers and horses which took part in the state funeral procession and proclamation salutes signifying the new reign are to return to perform Accession Day anniversary gun salutes in the King’s honour.

Captain Amy Cooper – who was the lead rider in the procession which carried the Queen’s coffin to lie in state in Westminster Hall – will give the order to fire a 41-gun salute at midday in London’s Hyde Park.

Captain Cooper is with the King’s Troop, almost all of whom played a role in the final farewell to the Queen a year ago.

There will also be a 62-gun salute at the Tower of London by The Honourable Artillery Company, while bells will be rung at Westminster Abbey at 1pm in commemoration of the King’s accession.

The Prince and Princess of Wales will be in Wales at St David’s Cathedral where they will commemorate the life of Queen Elizabeth and speak to members of the community she met during her visits to the city.

A source said it was important to William and Kate to be in Wales in honour of their new titles and to honour the bond the late monarch had with the Welsh nation.

A source said King Charles and Queen Camilla will ‘balance between reflecting properly on the public nature of moment but finding the space for privacy to reflect in private’.