How Kate Middleton Expertly Turned Down Autograph Request to Avoid Breaking Royal Rule
Elisabeth Hasselbeck got a big lesson in royal etiquette after meeting Queen Elizabeth II.
Amid the View alum’s return to the ABC talk show for a weeklong guest cohosting stint, she recalled an encounter with the late British monarch during a White House state dinner hosted by former president George W. Bush—and the meeting didn’t quite go the way she hoped.
“I had so much static electricity, I was so nervous,” Elisabeth, 48, shared during the March 7 episode of The Weekend View. “I had no idea what to do when I got there.”
Indeed, the TV personality admitted her nerves got the best of her, leading to a major royal faux pas.
“I went in for a hug—it didn’t go well,” she continued. “It was very awkward when I went in there.”
But Elisabeth’s crash course in etiquette didn’t end there, as she revealed she accidentally drank from a fingerbowl during the event.
“I remember this chalice of something,” she explained. “I’m mid-sip and Jeb Bush leans over, Condoleezza Rice is at my other side, and he’s like, ‘You might not want to drink that. That’s for your hands.’”
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While Elisabeth’s experience mingling with the Queen—who died in September 2022 at age 96—wasn’t exactly smooth, she’s not the first person to make a blunder when meeting the British royals. In fact, Kate Middleton avoided breaking royal protocol during a recent public engagement in Powys, Wales, when an attendee approached her with a pen and asked for her autograph.
“I can’t sign things, I’m so sorry,” Kate, 44, said in a video published by Hello! Feb. 27. “I can shake your hand, though.”
Indeed, members of the royal family are forbidden from giving their signature to prevent forgery, a rule the Princess of Wales is all too familiar with. After all, she found herself in a similar scenario in 2022, when she opted not to sign drawings she made with a group of schoolchildren at an event in London.
“My name’s Catherine,” she told the kids at the time, per People. “I’m not allowed to write my signature—it’s just one of those rules.”
For the latest on the British monarchy and other royal families around the world, read on…
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Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor Arrested
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly known as Prince Andrew, was arrested on Feb. 19, his 66th birthday, on suspicion of misconduct in public office.
The arrest came amid renewed controversy over Andrew’s alleged ties to Jeffrey Epstein. (Andrew has denied any wrongdoing.)
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Prince William and Kate Middleton Break Silence on the Epstein Files
The Duke and Duchess of Wales spoke out amid the release of millions of documents in connection with Jeffrey Epstein, sharing their support for the victims of the late convicted sex offender.
“I can confirm The Prince and Princess have been deeply concerned by the continuing revelations,” a Kensington Palace spokesperson shared in a statement obtained by MS NOW Feb. 9. “Their thoughts remain focused on the victims.”
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Marius Borg Høiby, Son of Norway’s Crown Princess, Arrested Ahead of Rape Trial
Marius Borg Høiby—the eldest son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and step-son of Crown Prince Haakon—was arrested Feb. 1 for assault, threats with a knife and violation of a restraining order, Oslo police confirmed in a statement to The Associated Press.
The 29-year-old—who does not carry a royal title or official duties—is being kept in detention for up to four weeks over risks of reoffending after the Oslo district court granted the request. His attorney Petar Sekulic told the outlet that they are considering appealing the decision.
Høiby is expected in court Feb. 3 as part of a separate indictment regarding four alleged rapes between 2018 and 2024, as well as two alleged acts of violence against a partner and violating a restraining order.
His defense team addressed the allegations in a statement to the AP, saying that Høiby “denies all charges of sexual abuse, as well as the majority of the charges regarding violence.”
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Flora Vesterberg, Queen Elizabeth’s Cousin, Announces Pregnancy
Flora Vesterberg, the granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II‘s first cousin Princess Alexandra, announced that she is pregnant with her and husband Timothy Vesterberg‘s first baby.
“Delighted to share that Timothy and I are expecting our first child,” she wrote on Instagram Jan. 19. “We’re truly over the moon.”
Photo by Brook Mitchell / AFP via Getty Images
Prince Harry Appears in Court for Lawsuit Against U.K. Tabloids
Harry appeared at London’s High Court Jan. 19 for the start of what is expected to be a weeks-long trial against Associated Newspapers—the media group that publishes the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday, and Mail Online—over allegations of unethical newsgathering tactics
Other stars including Elton John, Elizabeth Hurley, and Sadie Frost are also taking aim against the publishing company in the lawsuit.
Associated Newspapers has “vigorously denied” the claims, according to the BBC.
Instagram/Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Celebrate 10 Years Together
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex celebrated ten years together by sharing a romantic black and white video of themselves dancing in their backyard.
Set to Olivia Dean’s “So Easy (To Fall In Love),” the couple revealed that the clip was recorded by none other than their 4-year-old daughter Lilibet. Alongside a camera emoji, Meghan—who also shares 6-year-old son Archie with Harry— added in the caption of the Jan. 16 Instagram post, “cred: our daughter.”
The couple also shared a throwback photo from their first year of dating. In the adorable snap, the pair embraced each other during a nature-filled getaway.
“When 2026 feels just like 2016….,” Meghan wrote in the caption. “You had to be there.”
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Princess Irene of Greece Dies at 83
The Greek royal family’s private office announced Jan. 15 that Queen Sofia of Spain’s sister died at the age of 83.
As the statement read, “It is with deep sadness that the Greek Royal Family announces that HRH Princess Irene, beloved sister and aunt, passed away on Thursday, January 15th 2026, at 11:40 local time, in Zarzuela Palace in Madrid surrounded by loved ones.”
Her funeral was held Jan. 19 at the Metropolitan Cathedral in Athens following her death, with the burial at the Royal Cemetery of Tatoi.
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Kate Middleton Celebrates Her Birthday With Moving Message
On her 44th birthday, the Princess of Wales shared a message on the power of nature to heal.
“Even in the coldest, darkest season, winter has a way of bringing us stillness, patience and quiet consideration,” Kate said in a voiceover alongside footage of snowy landscapes in her Jan. 9 video. “Where the stream slows just enough for us to see our own reflection, to discover the deepest parts of ourselves, alongside the whispers and the pulse of every living thing.”
She added, “I find myself reflecting on how deeply grateful I am. For the rivers within us flow with ease, fears washed away, cleanse and purify, come to peace with our tears and discover what it means to be alive, to be at one with nature—a quiet teacher and a soft voice that guides in memory helping us to heal in.”
(Photo by Isabel Infantes / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
Kate Middleton Makes Surprise Appearance With Prince William
The Princess of Wales marked her first public appearance of 2026 as she joined her husband during an engagement at the Charing Cross Hospital in London. The outing in support of healthcare workers came almost a year after she announced she was in remission following her cancer diagnosis.
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