The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are under pressure to delay the broadcast of their interview with Oprah Winfrey while Prince Philip remains in hospital.
The interview, filmed in California, is due to be shown by British broadcaster ITV on Monday, about 24 hours after it is shown in the US.
Promoted by Oprah as having “no subjects off limits”, the programme was extended by 30 minutes for a running time of two hours.
The broadcast is due at an awkward time for Britain's royal family, with the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, still in hospital with an infection.
On Monday, he was taken from King Edward VII's Hospital in London to St Bartholomew's, site of Europe’s largest cardiovascular clinic, where he will undergo tests for a pre-existing heart condition and treatment for the undisclosed infection.
The duke, who turns 100 in June, was admitted to hospital two weeks ago as a precautionary measure.
His 14-night stay is the longest he has required medical care, although Buckingham Palace said he was comfortable and responding to treatment.
A statement on Monday said the duke would remain in hospital until at least the end of the week.
Royal commentators said that the decision to air Harry and Meghan’s interview would cause ripples.
"They can only hope and pray that the duke recovers and goes home. If something happens to him, it would look terrible. Even if Harry and Meghan wanted to stop it, they probably can't and it's out of their hands," International Who's Who editor Richard Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail.
“Who knows how matters linked to the duke’s health will play out over the coming days?” royal biographer Phil Dampier said.
However, Buckingham Palace aides told the Daily Telegraph the royal family was unconcerned with the interview.
“The family is very worried about Philip and their thoughts are very much with him rather than this Oprah interview. They have much more important things to worry about,” one aide said.
Others said that Harry and Meghan were not to blame for the timing because TV executives will determine when it is broadcast.
Meanwhile, the Duchess of Sussex has been granted an interim £450,000 ($628,000) down payment towards her £1.5 million legal costs in her privacy case against the Mail on Sunday.
The payment follows her victory last month against Associated Newspapers, publisher of the Mail on Sunday and Mail Online, over extracts published from a private, handwritten letter she sent to her estranged father, Thomas Markle.
Meghan had asked for an interim payment of £750,000. She is also demanding a front-page apology, and a High Court order forcing the newspaper to hand over any copies it has made of the letter, and destroy any copies of it or notes made about it.
Meghan, 39, sued over five articles published in February 2019. She was granted summary judgment in relation to her privacy claim, and part of her copyright claim.
At a remote hearing on Tuesday, Associated Newspapers argued that Meghan’s “extremely large costs bill” of about £1.5m was disproportionate. Full costs will be decided at future hearings in the case.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Four tips to secure IoT networks
Mohammed Abukhater, vice president at FireEye in the Middle East, said:
- Keep device software up-to-date. Most come with basic operating system, so users should ensure that they always have the latest version
- Besides a strong password, use two-step authentication. There should be a second log-in step like adding a code sent to your mobile number
- Usually smart devices come with many unnecessary features. Users should lock those features that are not required or used frequently
- Always create a different guest network for visitors
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
More on animal trafficking
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Graduated from the American University of Sharjah
She is the eldest of three brothers and two sisters
Has helped solve 15 cases of electric shocks
Enjoys travelling, reading and horse riding
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