Prince Harry has dominated newspaper headlines regularly during King Charles III's first year as monarch – something that has proved a distraction for the new reign – and now on the eve of the anniversary of his father’s accession, he is likely to do so yet again.
The Duke of Sussex is expected to return to the United Kingdom on September 7 to attend the awards ceremony for the charity WellChild, the day before the first anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's death.
The UK’s longest-serving monarch died at the age of 96 at Balmoral, her beloved Scottish country estate, instantly making Prince Charles, as he was then, king of the UK and 14 other realms.
The 74-year-old monarch is expected to mark the September 8 anniversary privately, with no plans to hold a family gathering or public event to commemorate her passing.
“The first anniversary of a reign is always a period where a previous monarch has died, so it is sombre,” the royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told The National.
“The Queen always marked the anniversary of her father’s death by remaining at Sandringham. It’s a sombre occasion.”
King Charles III was the longest-waiting heir in history and the oldest monarch to take the throne when he did so at the age of 73.
He had been a very vocal heir, on topics including homeopathy and architecture, but his accession speech made it clear he would be a different monarch, Mr Fitzwilliams says.
“His accession speech was the very significant moment, because he made it clear that he realised as Prince of Wales, you create your own role, and he created one that included work as an activist.
“There is no doubt he was provocative at time to time as well. He made it clear that the job as monarch is very different.”
And with the exception of the “curious case” of a controversial meeting with Ursula Von der Leyen, president of the EU Commission, which the government and palace each placed the onus for on the other, “he’s done exceptionally well”, Mr Fitzwilliams says.
His first overseas trip to Germany in late March was a success, and in May the country marked his accession in a lavish ceremony in London.
But the year did not come without its challenges, which, since the outset, have been dominated by his youngest son, Prince Harry, who complained about his wife Meghan not being allowed to accompany him on his trip to Balmoral to see his dying grandmother.
“There is no doubt that he has a certain understanding of what the role undoubtedly involves, with of course as the Queen had in her final years, the difficulty of Harry and Meghan and how you deal with a couple who are so unpredictable,” Mr Fitzwilliams says.
Prince Harry and Meghan had been problematic for the royal family for some time. In 2020, they stepped down as senior royals and moved to the US. The following year they sat down with chat-show host Oprah Winfrey, providing unprecedented – and somewhat shocking insights – into life in the royal family.
But their revelations only escalated during the first year of King Charles’s reign, starting in December with the release of their Netflix documentary.
In the six-part series the duke and duchess shed light on their troubled life within the royal family, accused Kensington Palace of lying to protect Prince William, and Prince Harry's father of lying at the Megxit summit.
That was quickly followed by the release of Harry’s autobiography, Spare, the following month, and accompanying media rounds, which shared further painful revelations.
“There is no doubt the response to Spare and those interviews, which involved attacking Camilla, was to evict them from Frogmore, was a positive statement. It was the one thing the family could do as a statement," Mr Fitzwilliams says.
“They couldn’t go point by point.”
Prince Harry’s HRH title has since been removed from the website because he and Meghan are no longer working royals.
He did attend his father's coronation, without his wife, but Prince Harry has undoubtedly been a problem for the new monarch.
“I think he has dealt with it as well as anyone could have,” Mr Fitzwilliams says.
But it has left a damaging hangover. Polling among 18 to 24-year-olds is now “consistently bad” he points out.
“The figure has plummeted and remained low,” Mr Fitzwilliams says.
And that is a direct result of the bad publicity created by Prince Harry and Meghan, says Catherine Meyer, the royal biographer and writer of Charles: The Heart of a King.
“There is a real sea change in the younger generations they need to capture to survive,” she said earlier this year.
“Although William and Kate are basically the same age as Harry and Meghan, Harry and Meghan appeal to a younger demographic, as William and Kate are already very sort of middle aged in their aspect.
“And their children are very young, so there is no one to capture the imagination there.”
She says the king’s relationship with his son, or apparent lack of, has created a situation in which the monarchy is, if not in crisis, now under “a lot more pressure than it has been for a really long time”.
“But that does not mean it is the beginning of the end for the monarchy. I don’t think the downfall of the monarchy can be as fast as you think it can be.
“But one of the things Charles is already looking at, and you can see that with the different plans for Buckingham Palace, which is they have to find ways to reassert their value. He was already talking about slimming down the number of family members,” Meyer says.
That is not going to be easy, however, because there are already not that many of them.
“The idea of a slimline monarchy is constantly being quoted, but in reality, as Princess Anne made clear, there are so few of them.
“You couldn’t slim them down. And there are only four under 70, the senior working royals. You can’t, it’s a fact,” Mr Fitzwilliams says.
Looking ahead, the king and queen will finally visit France later this month for a trip that was postponed in the wake of widespread demonstrations against President Emmanuel Macron's retirement age reforms.
The couple had planned to tour Paris and Bordeaux in March as part of their debut on the world stage as monarch and queen consort. But the trip was shelved after nationwide protests rocked France, and Germany, which was originally intended to be the second leg of the journey, became the royals' first destination instead.
A state visit to France will now take place from September 20 to 22.
It is not known whether the King will see Harry when he is in the UK, but experts say he remains one of the monarch’s greatest challenges, both personally and potentially reputationally as a risk to the institution as a whole.
“At the moment their emphasis would appear to be elsewhere, not fortunately on attacking the royal family. That’s one thing and it’s to be welcomed,” Mr Fitzwilliams says.
“But on the other hand they are unpredictable. There is a four-book deal with Random House, if so, what about the other three books? We had this Netflix Harry and Meghan, what comes next?
“We simply don’t know. But we know enough to distrust them.”
King Charles III's coronation: Incredible images from a historic day - in pictures
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The specs: 2019 Haval H6
Price, base: Dh69,900
Engine: 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 197hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 315Nm @ 2,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Company%20profile
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More on Quran memorisation:
Sun jukebox
Rufus Thomas, Bear Cat (The Answer to Hound Dog) (1953)
This rip-off of Leiber/Stoller’s early rock stomper brought a lawsuit against Phillips and necessitated Presley’s premature sale to RCA.
Elvis Presley, Mystery Train (1955)
The B-side of Presley’s final single for Sun bops with a drummer-less groove.
Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two, Folsom Prison Blues (1955)
Originally recorded for Sun, Cash’s signature tune was performed for inmates of the titular prison 13 years later.
Carl Perkins, Blue Suede Shoes (1956)
Within a month of Sun’s February release Elvis had his version out on RCA.
Roy Orbison, Ooby Dooby (1956)
An essential piece of irreverent juvenilia from Orbison.
Jerry Lee Lewis, Great Balls of Fire (1957)
Lee’s trademark anthem is one of the era’s best-remembered – and best-selling – songs.
Three tips from La Perle's performers
1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.
2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.
3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 2 (Heaton (og) 42', Lindelof 64')
Aston Villa 2 (Grealish 11', Mings 66')
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Episode list:
Ep1: A recovery like no other- the unevenness of the economic recovery
Ep2: PCR and jobs - the future of work - new trends and challenges
Ep3: The recovery and global trade disruptions - globalisation post-pandemic
Ep4: Inflation- services and goods - debt risks
Ep5: Travel and tourism
Cracks in the Wall
Ben White, Pluto Press
'Worse than a prison sentence'
Marie Byrne, a counsellor who volunteers at the UAE government's mental health crisis helpline, said the ordeal the crew had been through would take time to overcome.
“It was worse than a prison sentence, where at least someone can deal with a set amount of time incarcerated," she said.
“They were living in perpetual mystery as to how their futures would pan out, and what that would be.
“Because of coronavirus, the world is very different now to the one they left, that will also have an impact.
“It will not fully register until they are on dry land. Some have not seen their young children grow up while others will have to rebuild relationships.
“It will be a challenge mentally, and to find other work to support their families as they have been out of circulation for so long. Hopefully they will get the care they need when they get home.”
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
Jordan cabinet changes
In
- Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
- Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
- Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
- Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
- Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
- Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
- Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth
Out
- Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
- Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
- Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
- Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
- Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
- Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
- Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
- Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
- Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
- Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 268hp at 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm at 4,800rpm
Transmission: CVT auto
Fuel consumption: 9.5L/100km
On sale: now
Price: from Dh195,000
Ad Astra
Director: James Gray
Stars: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones
Five out of five stars
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
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Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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