King Charles III, Prince William and wife Kate have made their first public appearances since the publication of Prince Harry’s memoir, but there was no royal review and book-related questions were sidestepped with ease.
The Prince and Princess of Wales made a hospital-opening trip to Liverpool while King Charles visited a charity group — both low-key trips for the senior royal family members, but high profile considering the timing.
These were also the first public royal events of the year.
Prince Harry’s book Spare, in which he savages his family and explains how he came to retire from royal life, was published on Tuesday.
Questions on Prince Harry were fired at the Prince and Princess of Wales but the media experts refused to take the bait.
When they arrived at the hospital opening, Prince William and wife Kate ignored the first of a number of Prince Harry-related questions during their day in Liverpool.
A man in an outside area reserved for the media asked: “Do you ever plan to comment on Harry's book, sir?”
At their next stop at a mental health charity, a broadcaster shouted: “Your Royal Highness, have you had a chance to read your brother's book?”
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King Charles III arrives at an event in Aberdeenshire two days after the release of Prince Harry's book 'Spare'. Getty Images -
Prince William, Prince of Wales and Catherine, Princess of Wales, were also back out fulfilling royal commitments, visiting the Royal Liverpool University hospital. Reuters -
King Charles unveils a plaque in his honour during the visit in Aberdeenshire. AP -
The Princess of Wales poses for selfies with staff at the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital. AP -
King Charles signs a guestbook. Getty Images -
The Prince and Princess of Wales listen to young adults in the 'Mentor Room' while visiting the Open Door Charity in Birkenhead. AP -
King Charles toured new facilities at the local community space, as well as meeting with support groups. AFP -
Prince William and his wife meet staff at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital. AFP
Again, the question was brushed aside without any acknowledgement.
Both trips were a contrast to the publicity tour that Prince Harry has been on to promote Spare.
So far, neither Buckingham Palace nor aides for any of the royal family members have commented on Prince Harry's disclosures.
The king, meanwhile, visited Aboyne, near the late Queen Elizabeth II's Balmoral estate in Aberdeenshire, to tour the Aboyne and Mid Deeside Community Shed and meet local hardship support groups.
He drank tea in the Aboyne Men's Shed, which is part of an international network providing community spaces for men to connect, and met local people.
King Charles, dressed in a hunting Stewart tartan kilt, then unveiled a plaque to a round of applause and as Scotland The Brave rang out on the pipes.
Sandra Charles, 64, visiting from Australia, said she had been tipped off about the king's visit by a friend in Aberdeen.
“I thought, while I am over here, why not come along and see if I can get the chance to meet him,” she said, minutes before King Charles spoke to her.
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King Charles III at a Jewish community centre in London ahead of Hanukkah celebrations. AP -
The centre is open to all faiths and is a hub for arts, culture, social action and learning in North London. Reuters -
The king and Dean of Westminster David Hoyle at the 'Together at Christmas' service at Westminster Abbey in London. PA -
Front row left to right, King Charles, Queen Consort Camilla, Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Kate, Princess of Wales and Sophie, Countess of Wessex during the service. PA -
The monarch inspects a chicken during a tour of a community kitchen in Harrow, Greater London. Getty -
Another part of the kitchen tour. Getty -
The king visits Westminster Hall to unveil a plaque marking the place of the lying-in-state of Queen Elizabeth II. PA -
AstraZeneca chief executive Pascal Soriot, is knighted at Windsor Castle. PA -
King Charles meets guide dog Bobby at Royal National College for the Blind in Hereford. AP -
The king and queen consort's Christmas card. Getty -
King Charles at St Giles' Church in Wrexham at a celebration to mark the town becoming a city. AFP -
The king and queen consort talk to Wrexham football club owners Ryan Reynolds, left, and Rob McElhenney, right. Getty -
The monarch at the 40th anniversary celebration of Business in the Community at Central Hall Westminster in London. Reuters -
The king at a diplomatic corps reception at Buckingham Palace. Getty -
King Charles makes the traditional namaste gesture on a visit to the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Luton. AFP -
The king at an event on the new cable transit system that will connect Luton rail station to Luton Airport. PA -
The king meets schoolchildren in Luton. AFP -
The monarch visits the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Family in Exile in London. AFP -
King Charles is presented with a maquette of Queen Elizabeth by South Australia Governor Frances Adamson and other Australian officials at Buckingham Palace. AFP -
The monarch meets Spain's King Felipe VI at Clarence House in London. AFP -
An audience with Jordan's King Abdullah II at Buckingham Palace. AFP -
The king and queen consort are shown a scaled replica of a statue of Queen Elizabeth on a visit to York Minster. AFP -
The king and queen consort formally mark the conferral of city status on Dunfermline in Scotland. AFP -
The king with Prince William and his wife Kate at the Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall in London. AFP -
Laying a wreath at the Cenotaph on Remembrance Sunday in central London. AFP -
The monarch with David Attenborough during a lunch at Buckingham Palace. AFP -
The monarch on a visit to Aberdeen. AFP -
Visiting St Bartholomew's Hospital in east London. AFP -
Arriving to reopen the refurbished Burrell Collection museum at Pollok Country Park in Glasgow. AFP -
With trainees during a visit to the Goldsmiths' Centre charity in London. AFP -
Plants a lime tree at Buckingham Palace garden ahead of Cop27. AFP -
With British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, fashion designer Stella McCartney and US climate envoy John Kerry at Buckingham Palace. AFP -
The Princess of Wales, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and the queen consort listen to the king during a banquet at Buckingham Palace. AFP -
Meeting Kuwait's UK ambassador Bader Al Awadi at Buckingham Palace. AFP -
Greeting Mr Sunak at Buckingham Palace on his appointment as Prime Minister. AFP -
King Charles walks behind the coffin of Queen Elizabeth during a procession from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster. AFP -
The king greets then-prime minister Liz Truss at Buckingham Palace. AFP
Speaking after her interaction with the king, she added: “I was waving and he came up and I said I was from Australia. He said to say hello to everyone back in Australia.
“When he came back out, he remembered me and said, 'are you still here?', and then said, 'we can't do without the Aussies'.”
While visiting the Men's Shed, King Charles watched members perform craft skills including wood and stone carving.
