King delivers personal Easter message following cancer diagnosis

Published

1 month ago

March 28, 2024

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The King has said he is continuing to serve the nation with “my whole heart” in a personal Easter message in the wake of his and the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnoses.

The pre-recorded audio was broadcast in his absence at a Royal Maundy service at Worcester Cathedral on Thursday ahead of the Easter weekend.

The King, who announced in February he was undergoing cancer treatment, talked of his “special prayer” this Easter and expressed his “great sadness” of being unable to attend.

“The Maundy service has a very special place in my heart,” he said, after a Bible reading recounting Jesus washing his disciples’ feet.

He said the verse, from the Gospel according to St John, “has its origin in the life of our Lord, who knelt before his disciples, and to their great surprise, washed their trouble-weary feet”.

The monarch said in doing so, Jesus set “an example of how we should serve and care for each other” – and how as a nation “we need and benefit greatly from those who extend the hand of friendship to us, especially in a time of need”.

The 75-year-old, who acceded to the throne 18 months ago, said it reminded him of the pledge he made at the start of his Coronation service to follow Christ’s example – “not to be served, but to serve”.

“That I have always tried to do and continue to do with my whole heart,” he said.

“It is my special prayer today that our Lord’s example of serving one another might continue to inspire us and to strengthen all our communities.”

He added: “May God bless you all this Easter.”

The monarch – who has stepped back from large-scale public duties while receiving outpatient treatment – was pictured sitting at his desk in Buckingham Palace’s 18th Century Room as he recorded his message in mid-March.

While the King did not directly refer to his and his daughter-in-law’s health, his words will be interpreted as reflecting on the nation’s response to his and Kate’s challenges.

He told last month how he had been reduced to tears by the messages and cards of support he received from well-wishers.

Yesterday, the Queen, during a visit to Shropshire, was given posters from well-wishers for the Princess of Wales, and said Kate “will be thrilled” to receive them.

His message comes as he prepares to attend church on Easter Sunday with Camilla – his most significant public appearance and major royal engagement since his cancer diagnosis.

But there will be a reduced number of royals present to avoid the health risks associated with large crowds.

Prince William, the Princess of Wales and their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis will not be present.

The family are spending the Easter holidays together following Kate’s announcement she is being treated for cancer.

Kate revealed she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy in a video message to the nation on Friday.

The statement followed weeks of global social media speculation and conspiracy theories about her whereabouts after she had not been seen on official engagements since last December.

The 42-year-old had planned abdominal surgery in January which she said was successful.

It was initially thought her condition was non-cancerous, but tests after the operation found cancer had been present.

UK

Humza Yousaf: Scotland’s first minister claims Holyrood election could be called – as vote of no confidence looms

Published

58 mins ago

April 27, 2024

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Humza Yousaf: Scotland's first minister claims Holyrood election could be called - as vote of no confidence looms

Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf claims a Holyrood election could be called as he refuses to say if he will resign if he loses a looming vote of no confidence.

Speaking exclusively to Sky News in Fife on Saturday, the SNP leader said it was “really disappointing” to learn the Greens will refuse to enter further talks to change their minds on voting against him in a ballot which could prove fatal for his leadership.

Mr Yousaf has today written to all the opposition parties, including Alex Salmond’s Alba party, at Holyrood urging them to rethink their plot to oust him.

The SNP leader said on Saturday that he was leaving it to his rivals to determine his fate.

A Green Party source said the only letter they will accept from the first minister is his resignation.

Mr Yousaf told Sky News: “Well let me say again, that would be really disappointing if that is the Greens’ position.

“As I say, I’ve reached out to them, they are saying publicly that they’re going to support a Conservative motion against independence, first minister and independence government.

“That would be, I think, a poor choice to make.”

Asked if there might be a Scottish election if he doesn’t win the vote, Mr Yousaf replied: “Can’t rule it out.”

The casting vote now looks likely to be Alba MSP Ash Regan who sensationally defected from the SNP in the wake of her defeat in the race to replace Nicola Sturgeon last year.

Sky News understands Alba is holding an emergency meeting this weekend to determine how it will cast the key vote.

When asked how SNP members would feel about being “propped up” by Mr Salmond, Mr Yousaf said: “Let me make it really, really clear, I’ll be sending out to anybody I meet with, whoever comes round that table, that these are the priorities of the SNP minority government.

“This is what we’ll be pursuing, this is what we’ll be pushing. It’ll then be up to be it Ash Regan, be it Lorna Slater, be it Patrick Harvie or any of them, to decide what button they push when it comes to the vote of no confidence.”

The first minister was asked twice whether he would resign if he failed to win the confidence of parliament.

He responded: “Again, I’m not planning to lose the vote of no confidence, I’m planning to win that vote of no confidence.”

Asked if his position would be untenable, he said “Planning to win.”

UK

Jewish campaign group cancels walk over safety fears as Met Police chief defends policing of pro-Palestinian march

Published

6 hours ago

April 27, 2024

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Jewish campaign group cancels walk over safety fears as Met Police chief defends policing of pro-Palestinian march

A Jewish campaign group has cancelled today’s Walk Together demonstration amid safety concerns, as the Met Police says the risk of disorder from a pro-Palestinian march is not high enough to seek a ban.

Thousands had been expected to attend the event in central London as part of the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) event, which would have coincided with today’s pro-Palestinian march.

The CAA said it cancelled the event, where people would have walked “where they please”, after receiving “numerous threats” and identifying “hostile actors (who) seem to have intended to come to any meeting locations that we announced”.

It added: “The risk to the safety of those who wished to walk openly as Jews in London… as part of this initiative has therefore become too great.

“We are no less angry about these marches than our Jewish community and its allies. We want to walk.”

The CAA said it had suggested “concrete measures” to government aimed at changing how the pro-Palestinian protests are policed.

It highlighted concerns over antisemitic chants, inflammatory placards, and instances of glorifying terrorism, as well as incidents of violence, including attacks on police officers.

“Police have told us that they intend to handle the march no differently from the passive way that they have become accustomed to over the course of more than six months,” the group added.

But the Met’s assistant commissioner, Matt Twist, said the force aimed to police “without fear or favour”, adding that the impact of the weekly pro-Palestinian protests was “felt widely” but had been a “particular cause of fear and uncertainty in Jewish communities”.

Mr Twist added that pro-Palestinian protests had “never” reached the threshold where it was a “risk of serious public disorder”.

He said: “The only legal route to ban a march is if there is a risk of serious public disorder – that is rioting or serious violence that could not be dealt with by other restrictions or conditions.

“We have never got close to that threshold on these Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC) marches to date.”

The CAA had announced its Walk Together after its chief executive, Gideon Falter, was prevented from crossing a road near a pro-Palestinian protest by a police officer last week because he was “openly Jewish”.

Footage showed a tense, lengthy stand-off between police and Mr Falter as one Met officer described his presence as “antagonising”.

The campaigner then spoke to another officer who said if he remained in the area, he would be arrested.

After the incident, Mr Falter was critical of the Met and said there were “no-go zones for Jews”, while Scotland Yard apologised twice for the officer’s choice of words.

The PSC protest today, which organisers claim could attract “hundreds of thousands” of protesters, will take place on a pre-agreed route.

Simultaneously, a separate demonstration arranged by the pro-Israel Enough is Enough group will go ahead following a route parallel to the PSC march.

The Met Police said 450 arrests have been made since the pro-Palestinian marches began, with 193 of those being for antisemitic offences, the majority involving placards, chanting or expressions of hate speech.

The cost of policing the protests stands at approximately £38.5m, the Met added.

UK

King Charles’s return to public outings marks significant moment, but uncertainty remains

Published

18 hours ago

April 26, 2024

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King Charles's return to public outings marks significant moment, but uncertainty remains

After a difficult few months we have a more positive picture from the Palace.

A personal moment of the King and Queen released with the news he can now return to public duties.

It’s the details he will be delighted to share.

Not only are his medics “encouraged” with his progress, and “positive” about his recovery, they’re also happy he can get back to work.

And for a man who is widely reported to be a workaholic, this will be wholly welcome.

This was not how he’d imagined the first year after his coronation.

He knows from his late mother’s mantra, a monarch has to be seen to be believed.

But his cancer diagnosis changed everything.

The royal year so meticulously mapped out was put on pause with unprecedented and huge uncertainty.

The King’s constitutional work has continued, but the public outings were stopped.

His family has stepped up to support him, and protocols were in place should the need arise.

But it has been an incredibly challenging time for the House of Windsor.

News of the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnosis a double blow for the family.

There remains a lot of uncertainty; the King won’t return to full duties, and his engagements will be adapted to reduce the risk while he recovers. There’s also no confirmation yet about the big set piece events like Trooping the Colour or an overseas state visit.

But this is a significant moment. And the King’s return to public work will start with a personally poignant visit, as he and the Queen meet patients and staff at a cancer treatment centre.