Every New Year?s Eve, the ?New Year Honors? list is revealed by Buckingham Palace. While the monarch passes out honors throughout the year to mark achievements or certain events, the New Year Honors are considered very special in the UK. This year, David Beckham was once again snubbed. It?s especially hilarious because Beckham has been doing the MOST to suck up to the Windsors for several years now. So who was honored? Carey Mulligan, Stephen Fry and the king?s apothecary. A real job!

Carey Mulligan, Stephen Fry, Sarah Lancashire and others have made the cut for King Charles? 2025 New Year Honors list. Honors are typically given out at the new year and at the monarch?s official birthday, celebrated each June, and celebrate contributions of well-known personalities, government officials and even everyday people who have served their respective communities in an extraordinary way.

Among those recognized on this year?s New Year Honors list are two doctors believed to have been a part of the King?s medical team as he navigated cancer this year ? the type and stage of which remains unknown to the public. The King, 76, has given honors to Dr. Douglas Glass and Professor Richard Leach this year. Per Hello!, Dr. Glass is the King?s apothecary and also served as Queen Elizabeth?s apothecary as well ? and ?was the medical professional in attendance at Balmoral when she died,? the outlet reported.

Professor Leach is a consultant physician at the private King Edward VIII?s Hospital in London, ?where members of the royal family have been treated for decades,? according to the outlet. ?It?s not uncommon for doctors of the royal family to receive personal recognition,? the outlet continued, citing the late Queen?s decision to knight her Head of the Medical Household, Sir Huw Thomas, in 2021.

Mulligan and Lancashire have both been named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), and Lancashire called the recognition an ?unexpected delight,? according to Hello!. For his part, Fry said he felt ?startled and enchanted? after receiving a knighthood for his services to mental health awareness and the environment.

Other notable names given honors this iteration include Gareth Southgate, former manager of England?s national football team, and London mayor Sadiq Khan, who were both knighted in the New Year Honors. Sadiq ? who has served as London?s mayor since 2016 ? said he was ?truly humbled? to receive the honor.

[From People]

I?ve never thought of Carey Mulligan as any kind of royalist, and she?s avoided almost all royal events and royal-adjacent events. It?s possible that her CBE is more about her actual career and her talent. She?s one of Britain?s best actresses, so I wouldn?t be surprised. I also find it odd that Charles has now repeatedly gone out of his way to recognize and publicly thank his doctors, all while there?s still so much mystery around the Princess of Wales?s health issues and treatment. Kate has never thanked any member of her medical team by name.

Also, the Mail had this very interesting story about how many people have rejected honors. Apparently, since Charles became king, ?more than 120 people have turned down a knighthood, damehood, MBE, OBE or other awards in recognition of their achievements in public life.? Not only that, but ?2024 marked the second-highest number of rejections in 15 years.? LMAO. Some of this is not even Charles?s fault ? as Boris Johnson was exiting 10 Downing Street, he gave honors to every unhinged Tory of his acquaintance. Johnson cheapened the honors system just as much as Charles did. Plus, people just don?t give a sh-t about honors anymore. Except for David Beckham.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Keir Starmer?s government has been telegraphing their interest in cozying up to Donald Trump ever since Trump ?won? the election. The problem is that Starmer is a Labour prime minister and he?s surrounded himself with people who have openly and loudly criticized Trump over the years. No worries, because Trump probably doesn?t understand that Keir Starmer is prime minister, and Trump absolutely believes that King Charles runs everything in the UK. So, obviously, Starmer and his people are using the Windsors as bait to lure Trump to their side. So much so that Starmer is offering up another state visit to Trump:

Donald Trump is set to become the first elected politician in modern history to be hosted for two state visits by the Royal family, The Telegraph can reveal. Number 10 and the Foreign Office are preparing to offer the incoming US president an invitation once he is back in the White House, with the backing of Buckingham Palace. It is proof of an emerging strategy from Sir Keir Starmer to use Mr Trump?s fascination with the monarchy to strike up a strong personal relationship that benefits the UK.

A senior Whitehall source said: ?[Mr Trump] loves the Royal Family. Look at the fact he?s had his own photo album made of the last visit. Why wouldn?t we want a repeat??

Official Royal family records dating back to 1954 show that no elected leader has ever been given two state visits to the UK. Only two monarchs have enjoyed the honour during this period. One was Queen Margrethe of Denmark, who was given a state visit to the UK both in 1974 and 2000. The other was King Olav of Norway, who came to Britain in 1963 and again in 1988.

His second state visit is unlikely to happen until 2026 at the earliest, given the King?s schedule. King Charles is expected to go to Italy and the Vatican next year along with a second overseas trip, which is yet to be announced. Incoming state visits for 2025 are also in the works.

A royal source said there was no official precedent to stop a second state visit being offered to an elected politician and the palace had a positive experience from Mr Trump?s first visit. The source stressed such invitations were issued on the advice of the Foreign Office.

A government source noted that the ?unusual circumstances? of the gap between Mr Trump?s first and second term have kept him at the top of politics longer than many other elected leaders. The source added: ?The fact there has been a change of both sovereign and government in that break [from power] means a second state visit is entirely appropriate.?

Not all meetings between a foreign leader and the UK monarch are classed as ?state visits?. It is a special honour that involves more formality and takes months to plan. Officially state visits are issued by the monarch on the advice of the Foreign Office. It is often the prime minister of the day who makes the ultimate decision.

[From The Telegraph]

Yeah, not all visits by a head of state qualify as a real ?state visit,? I guess. Because I remember the Obamas visited QEII several times during their eight years in office, but some of those visits were not ?state visits.? I enjoy the breathless announcement of ?this is something the Starmer government is absolutely going to do, it?s going to solve everything, but it won?t happen for a year and a half.? Let?s face it, a lot of things can change in a year. I also have my doubts that Trump, Starmer and King Charles will all be around for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence in 2026. Do you know that the 250th anniversary is called ?the Bisesquicentennial? AND ?the Sestercentennial?? It would certainly be more significant for Trump (or Vance, or Musk or whoever is president in 2026) to host the Brits for that particular anniversary rather than the American president supplicating himself over to the British king.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

Ralph Fiennes closed out 2024 on CNN, doing Jools Lebron?s ?very mindful, very demure? monologue live with Anderson Cooper & Andy Cohen. [Just Jared]
Fake Spainard Hilaria Baldwin?s come-and-go Mexican accent is back. [Jezebel]
Jake Bates became a meme because of his sultry stretching. [Socialite Life]
The biggest box office lessons of 2024. [Pajiba]
Taylor Swift?s 2024 fashion featured a lot of WAG-wear. [Go Fug Yourself]
Grimes converted to Christianity to stop vaping. [OMG Blog]
Critics choice: best dressed of 2024. [RCFA]
Mark Wahlberg is balding in his new movie. [Seriously OMG]
Today is Dax Shepard?s birthday. [Hollywood Life]
Teachers share the final straw which made them quit. [Buzzfeed]

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Ivana Trump, the incoming dictator?s first ex-wife, passed away in the summer of 2022 after falling down the stairs of her six-story NYC townhouse. The cause of death was classified as blunt force trauma resulting from an accident and the whole incident was perfectly legitimate and not sus in any way (despite there being an elevator in the home). Anyway, the home went on the market shortly thereafter in November 2022 for $26.5 million, roughly $3,000/square feet for the residence that?s just under 9,000 square feet total, including some outdoor space. Shockingly, there were no buyers. So a year later they dropped the price for a month, before taking it off the market entirely for a wee spell. It went back up in June of this year, this time at $19.5 mill. And still no takers! Mayhaps it has to do with the objectively tacky interior design that Ivana personally oversaw (in the 90s) that comes with the property?

The late Ivana Trump?s New York City townhouse is still on the market more than two years after her death.

The property was first listed in November 2022, four months after the businesswoman died at age 73 after falling down a flight of stairs in the home on July 14.

It was initially asking $26.5 million. After almost a year on the market, the price was slashed to $22.5 million in September 2023. A month later, the listing was taken off the market and then relisted for a lower price in June 2024 for $19.5 million.

Ivana, who was married to Donald Trump from 1977 to 1990s, moved into the townhome shortly after their split. Very little has changed since she renovated the property in the ?90s.

Following Ivana?s death, it was revealed by the New York City Medical Examiner?s Office that she had suffered blunt force injuries to her torso as a result of the fall. Officials pronounced her dead on the scene and ruled the incident as an accident.

The home, located in Manhattan?s Lenox Hill neighborhood, is jointly listed by J. Roger Erickson of Douglas Elliman and Adam D. Modlin of Modlin Group.

The townhouse spans six stories and features five bedrooms and five full bathrooms. Lavish finishings include a crystal chandelier, silk wallpaper and a gold-embossed fireplace in the second-floor living room.

A gated elevator and a central, curved staircase connect each floor. The Versailles-inspired dining room?s vast windows overlook the private interior courtyard.

An expansive primary suite occupies the entire third floor. From the bedroom, three French doors lead to the private outdoor terrace. The ensuite bathroom boasts pink onyx marble and includes a double sink and a large soaking tub.

Across the bedroom is an office adorned with leopard print furniture and an onyx fireplace with gold detailing. Adjacent to the office is a walk-in closet.

On the remaining floors, guest rooms overlook the stately homes on 64th Street. The impressive space also boasts a media room and a sauna.

[From People]

Ok, so whose bright idea was it to sell the place fully furnished? I?m no realtor, but I have been watching HGTV for well over 10 years. Plus, I have EYES. No one wants that townhouse as-is. No one is going to walk in there and think, ?Oh thank heavens they kept it intact. I?ll take it all!? What people are seeing when they look at the listing is all the millions on top of the initial price tag that will have to be spent on extensive renovations. And look, I freely admit that like the inimitable Iris Apfel before me, I?m a more is more girl. I like bright colors, mixing patterns, and I cannot honestly say that I wouldn?t decorate a room entirely in leopard. But the thing about going over-the-top is, the pieces you?re working with still have to be tasteful. So? yeah. But bless J. Roger Erickson?s heart for trying, like in this video tour where he claims that pink onyx is back in for bathrooms. Honestly, though? I love this for Don Jr., Ivanka, and Eric, to whom the proceeds will go. You know, in the increasingly unlikely event someone actually ends up making an offer.

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We don?t know the exact terms of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt?s divorce, which was finalized right at the end of 2024. TMZ said that Angelina is not getting any kind of spousal support and there doesn?t seem to be any custodial agreement for the only minor children, twins Knox and Vivienne. I would assume that Angelina accepted a simple lump-sum settlement, just as I?m assuming that Brad and Angelina both refused to sign NDAs. While neither Jolie or Pitt has said anything on the record, sources close to both are speaking at length to People Magazine. Some highlights from People?s exclusive:

Angelina Jolie hopes Brad will stop attacking her: A source close to Jolie tells PEOPLE that she hopes Pitt can now ?move on? and ?stop attacking her?Brad has successfully used his power and his privilege to cover up his conduct at his family?s expense, to punish Angelina for leaving, and even to attempt to paint her as the reason why his relationship is so challenging with the children,? says the source. ?Angelina hopes the finalization of their divorce will enable him to move on, stop attacking her, and instead help heal their family.?

Team Pitt rejects that characterization: A source close to Pitt rejects the characterization, telling PEOPLE that Jolie has engaged in ?one-sided attacks for the past eight years, including a never-ending distortion of facts and projecting their own behavior onto others, causing tremendous collateral damage to those in and around the family.?

The Miraval lawsuit continues though: On Dec. 30, a Jolie source added: ?Sadly, until he drops his lawsuit, this family will not have the peace and healing they so very much desire and deserve.? Still, ?Until he ends the Miraval lawsuit, Angelina will continue to stand up to him,? says the source.

Team Pitt still insists that Brad has a case: On Tuesday, Dec. 31, a source close to Pitt calls Miraval ?a perfect example? of Jolie?s approach to attacking Pitt. ?Brad built an extraordinary, increasingly valuable business and she chose to deliberately disregard their agreement, and instead of completing negotiations for him to buy her out and keeping Miraval fully in the family and ending the battles, she instead chose to sell to a total stranger not aligned with the company?s vision so she could take the money for herself and punish him,? says the source.

[From People]

All of this is true: ?Brad has successfully used his power and his privilege to cover up his conduct at his family?s expense, to punish Angelina for leaving, and even to attempt to paint her as the reason why his relationship is so challenging with the children.? I?ll never forget Pitt?s Oscar campaign and the way he?s been treated in elite Hollywood circles, even though his abuse is well-documented. It also feels like a relatively new thing with Jolie?s team calling it out for what it is: Brad trying to punish her for leaving. He?s still f?king mad at her for leaving eight years ago.

The stuff about the Miraval lawsuit is typical Pitt delusion too ? ?she chose to deliberately disregard their agreement, and instead of completing negotiations for him to buy her out?? I remember a time, not so long ago, when the crux of Pitt?s argument was that Angelina surprised him by selling Nouvel, that he had no idea about ANY of it. Now, suddenly, he remembers that she tried to sell Nouvel to him and walked away from the deal because he wanted her to sign a comprehensive NDA.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red.

At the end of 2024, various royal commentators tried to take stock of the Windsors? sh-tshow year. King Charles?s cancer, Princess Kate?s disappearance, a ?kill order? on a palace-released frankenphoto, more sleazy Prince Andrew shenanigans, Princess Anne getting kicked in the head by a horse, and on and on. The Daily Mail?s A.N. Wilson did a summary of all of that, but instead of striking a rosy tone about how 2025 could be better for the Windsors, Wilson makes the family sound like they?re on their last leg, especially with ?future king? Prince William. What?s also remarkable is that this is a highly critical piece and yet? Wilson did not mention the Sussexes whatsoever. Usually, the conversation is ?yes, the Windsors are doing terribly, but we still hate Harry and Meghan!? There?s none of that. Some highlights from ?Without their links to the Church and Armed Forces, the Royal Family are just a bunch of celebrities. Sooner or later, that means the end of the monarchy.?

Charles & Camilla in Australia: ?In spite of their age and vulnerability, the King and Queen visited Australia in October and put up as robust a defence of the monarchy as they could. It was impossible not to feel sorry for them having to endure that embarrassing week when, despite displays of loyalty by many Australians, the couple almost seemed to be there on sufferance. When an Aboriginal member of Parliament bellowed her nation?s grievances at King Charles, it prompted many to ask themselves: How long before this voice of Republicanism becomes as strong back in the United Kingdom??

William got heckled: That premonition seemed to come true just weeks later when Prince William was heckled with the chant ?Free Palestine? during a visit to Northern Ireland ? as if he were to blame for the tragic situation in the Middle East. Such an outburst in the presence of Queen Elizabeth II would have been unthinkable. ?How long??, the Republicans must gleefully have wondered ? how long?

The Slumlord Windsors: At present, Republicanism is not popular. But there are signs the movement is gathering strength. One of the most damaging arguments against the House of Windsor is its personal wealth and the way it is exercised ? which was put under stark scrutiny this autumn. A joint investigation by Channel 4?s Dispatches and The Sunday Times revealed some of the ways in which Prince William and his father have accrued truly vast sums of money through the Duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster?.The huge personal wealth of the Windsors is not a problem while they are popular and continue to believe in the constitution they sustain. But it is undeniably an embarrassment. Even the most fervent monarchist cannot really believe that the vast revenues from the duchies should be regarded as the royals? private money. It isn?t their money, is it? Not in the way that your wage packet or salary is yours.

The sorry state of modern royalty: Prince William has long strived to prove he is a modern royal. Last year, for example, it was reported that he saw no reason why his son George should ? unless he chose ? be a member of the Church of England or serve in the Armed Forces. That?s fine. We can all see that William is a very different person from his father. He has described it himself as being royal without a capital R. All of this works perfectly well, so long as the popular members of the Royal Family are in robust health and the monarchy continues to be stable. But when the King, Queen Camilla and Princess Catherine were taken out of the picture through illness this year, we were forced to imagine what the monarchy would look like without them. The vision, certainly, was a bare one. Princess Anne remained the ?hardest-working royal? this year despite taking some time off in the summer when she was kicked in the head by a horse. But what of the other royals and younger members of the family? What are they doing to bolster those crucial connections with the country?

What is the point of royalty? To put it another way: What is the point of royalty if it is not spelt with a capital R? If the men and women who are serving this country do not feel a deep sense of kinship with the monarch ? a kinship that is meaningless unless he or she can wear a uniform on public occasions ? have we not lost one of the essential building blocks of what makes the royals royal? If ? as seems increasingly possible ? the Church of England is disestablished and the monarch is no longer required to belong to it, another deep link with the past is removed?Sir Keir Starmer?s Government plans to remove the last hereditary peers from the Lords. You can see why. In today?s climate, how can the hereditary principle be defended?

William is not religious & he won?t retain links to the armed forces: But, if you apply that argument to the non-elected members of our Second Chamber, surely it also applies to the monarch? Why should someone be our head of state simply because they have inherited the role? The answer would once have been: Because of the link with the Church. But Charles will surely be the last English monarch who takes that link seriously, and William is not even especially religious. Another answer is ? because of the link with the Armed Forces. But, as referenced, William has suggested he does not think even that would continue when George grows up.

The burden on William & Kate: Abolish those two ingredients ? church and military ? along with the hereditary principle in political life, and the monarchy starts to look vulnerable. It is straying perilously close to being just a group of celebrities, like the Beckhams or Elon Musk. If that is all they are, then the end ? sooner or later ? will come. The burden of all this is on the shoulders of Prince William and his wife. They are the ones who have to carry the institution forward into new generations, for the sakes of their children and the majority of Britons who wish them all the very best. That burden is particularly heavy on William as the shadow of Catherine?s illness continues to loom. We can only pray she makes a full recovery, for the prospect of her absence from royal engagements ? however short-term ? heaps further pressure on William?s already mighty task.

[From The Daily Mail]

In Endgame, Omid Scobie wrote about how Queen Elizabeth?s courtiers always believed that the monarchy would be in safer hands with William than Charles, that the courtiers believed that William would be more popular and a more uniting figure than Charles. But since QEII?s passing, I?ve genuinely gotten the feeling that there?s some panic within the ?establishment? that William is a total dud, completely unprepared for the job and utterly unwilling to do much of anything. That?s what 2024 showed us too ? that with Charles and Kate largely out of commission, William could not be counted on to pick up any slack.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

At the very end of 2024, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie finalized their divorce after more than eight years. We still don?t know what shifted, but I said at the time that it would not surprise me if part of the Miraval case affected the divorce situation. As in, Angelina was given access to Brad?s emails and texts with his PR team from eight years ago, and Brad suddenly decided to settle the divorce? Yeah. But according to Team Pitt, Brad?s girlfriend Ines de Ramon was the one encouraging him to finalize everything with Angelina. Hm.

Brad Pitt?s girlfriend Ines de Ramon encouraged him to settle his nearly decade-long divorce battle with Angelina Jolie so that they could move on with their life together, sources tell Page Six.

?He was influenced by Ines to finally settle,? says the insider. ?Ines wants to have a life together ? with possibly children in the future ? without the albatross that was the eight-year War of the Roses. She has made [it known that] her opinion is that life would be much more enjoyable with this settled,? the source added.

Another source tells us, ?Ines is positive influence on Brad. She has a really good perspective on things. It?s sad how this whole thing has played out, but at least this is progress in the right direction.?

They also tell us when it comes to signing, ?Both sides realized it was time to move on. it was mutually beneficial to get it done with.?

[From Page Six]

From the way it sounded, with Angelina reportedly deciding on Christmas Day to sign the papers, I would assume that Brad finally made her a real settlement offer and it was more like Angelina?s decision, rather than Ines whispering in Brad?s ear to sign the papers? But whatever, if Ines was pushing Brad to let go of his one-sided obsession with Angelina, then good for her. While I think Ines is an idiot for getting involved with Brad, I actually buy that Ines is a ?good influence? on him, because of this kind of thing. Still, it doesn?t sound like Ines is getting a ring any time soon:

Brad Pitt isn?t looking to get down on one knee to propose to girlfriend Ines de Ramon ? at least, not yet ? TMZ has learned. Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ? reports claiming Brad is planning to get married next year after settling his divorce from Angelina Jolie are a bunch of hogwash. We?re told the Oscar winner has no imminent engagement plans ? though, he is still very happy in his relationship with Ines.

Per our sources, Ines is currently living and constantly traveling with Brad as he wraps up filming his upcoming sports action flick, ?F1.? So, it?s clear these two are still going strong after first linking up in 2022.

Sources say Brad is feeling positive about the divorce settlement, as it now allows everyone involved to get on with their lives. We?re told the whole experience has been an exhausting one for Brad, but he moved on from the drama a long time ago.

[From TMZ]

Poor Ines, but also?whew, at least she won?t be legally tied to him any time soon. I hope she gets out while the getting is good, you know? I still don?t know what she?s really getting out of any of this.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Backgrid.

It was a New Year?s Day surprise, and I hope a harbinger of things to come this year: the Duchess of Sussex dropped a video on Instagram on New Year?s Day! It turns out that the @meghan IG account really does belong to Meghan. Hopefully, this is the start of something great for 2025 ? Meghan on social media, promoting American Riviera Orchard and other projects, and a new era of visibility on her own terms. People Mag got the confirmation that Prince Harry was the one who filmed Meghan?s video too:

Meghan Markle is back on Instagram! On Jan. 1, Meghan, 43, kicked off the new year with a new account on the social media platform. It had long been rumored that the handle @meghan belonged to the Duchess of Sussex, and her first post under that account featured her in a video, wearing all white and running on the beach, writing ?2025? in the sand before running back off camera. PEOPLE understands the unfiltered video was shot by her husband Prince Harry at a public beach near their Montecito, California home.

In addition to her first post, the @meghan account also updated its profile picture to a black-and-white shot of Meghan smiling and wearing white, though a different white look than in her first post.

PEOPLE understands Meghan is excited to return to social media as a way to reconnect with communities around the world and share updates about the projects she?s working on, looking to lead by example in demonstrating the potential for social media to bring joy and positive connection.

[From People]

?PEOPLE understands?? As in, this came from the Archewell team. Don?t @ me ? Harry, Meghan and their team sometimes speak to the media in this way, and I wish they would do it more. Anyway, I?m glad she?s on Instagram and I wish she would have been ?gramming this whole time. I get that she and Harry are rightly concerned about the effects of social media, especially on kids and teens. But social media can absolutely be a tool for good, a tool for promotion, and a platform to spread a positive message directly.

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Happy New Year, everyone! Hope everyone stays safe! We?re off for New Year?s Day, but we?ll be back later this week.

Ben Affleck & Jennifer Garner spent Christmas together. Unsurprisingly, it was mostly about their three kids. Like, divorced parents do that all the time. [JustJared]
Jimmy Carter?s funeral has been scheduled for January 9th. [Hollywood Life]
OMG, Walmart is selling a knockoff Birkin bag. [OMG Blog]
Timothee Chalamet & Elle Fanning recreated the ?holding space? meme. [Socialite Life]
More analysis on the Blake Lively situation. [LaineyGossip]
Thoughts on A Complete Unknown ? maybe Joan Baez deserves her own biopic? I could see that, because I kind of think they messed up the Baez ?character.? [Jezebel]
Yeah, Lauren Sanchez?s publicist is doing too much. [Pajiba]
Margaret Qualley is tired of doing these artsy films. [Buzzfeed]
Glen Powell has a new thing. [Seriously OMG]

The first three months of 2024 were pretty bonkers for people who follow royal gossip. A missing Princess of Wales, a mysterious health crisis, a cobbled-together frankenphoto released officially by Kensington Palace, and photo agencies issuing kill orders on an official palace-released photo. All of this happened in a bizarre period of time for Prince William and Kate?s office as well ? Kate had been without a private secretary since the fall of 2022, and William?s private secretary left after William shared his plans to hire a CEO. William and Kate?s office seemed like it was being run by clowns as they staggered from self-made crisis to self-made crisis. I still believe that the situation at KP got so dire that King Charles had no other option than sending in royal fixers to ?manage? the mess in March. Well, you would think that William and Kate would have learned a lesson about their poor management skills and childish antics. But no ? apparently, they?re still committed to bypassing ?the men in gray.?

The mysterious image of ?men in gray suits? who operate the monarchy behind closed doors has long intrigued the public. Princess Diana reportedly feared these ?gray men? ? palace courtiers and aides ? and their influence over her personal life. Prince Harry has also publicly discussed his struggles with some of his family?s courtiers, referring to three of them by unflattering nicknames in his memoir Spare and describing them as ?middle-aged white men who?d managed to consolidate power through a series of bold Machiavellian maneuvers.?

A royal expert recently suggested that after analyzing Prince William and Kate Middleton?s actions over the past year, which have seen the couple face significant challenges, it appears that the future King and Queen plan to manage their roles more directly, possibly avoiding these ?gray men? entirely.

As William and Kate juggle their royal duties with raising their young children ? Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six ? they?ve made it clear that family is their top priority, according to royal expert Jennie Bond, formerly the BBC?s royal correspondent, in an article for the i newspaper. This is a significant shift from the House of Windsor?s culture during the late Queen Elizabeth?s reign, who was known to prioritize her monarch duties over motherhood, reports the Mirror.

Bond believes this change, along with a recent hire in their office, indicates that William and Kate plan to do things differently when William ascends the throne. ?The Waleses have stepped outside the Palace walls in more ways than one,? says Bond.

?They?ve appointed a former CEO of Tescos to head up their Royal Foundation and are planning a more corporate approach for their private office. While plans are on hold as the Princess recovers, it?s clear that the couple intends to bypass some of the ?gray men? at the Palace and take more direct control of their affairs.?

[From The Daily Mirror]

I actually think Bond is correct, in that William and Kate still intend to do things in their own clownish, mismanaged way. There were several moments during the year where I thought William in particular was rebelling against his father after Charles cleaned up William?s mess. William and Kate?s September ?cancer-free? video was also a ?f?k you? to Charles, done without Buckingham Palace?s input. There?s a real push-pull on William these days as the courtiers try to prepare him for kingship and he has to be dragged kicking and screaming into those preparations. It will just get worse in 2025.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.