table tennis – Michmutters
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Commonwealth Games live: Australia finishes atop Birmingham 2022 medal tally as closing ceremony hands over to Victoria 2026

The closing ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games has officially begun after 11 days of history-making sporting moments.

It comes after the Kookaburras won their seventh consecutive Commonwealth Games gold in the men’s hockey final, beating India 7-0 to give Australia its 67th and final gold of the Games.

Follow the closing ceremony live, see our athletes’ personal reflections of the Games and share your top moments from Birmingham 2022 by hitting the blue “leave a comment” button below.

live updates

By Kelsie Iorio

Our athletes: Clay Mason Stephens

Clay’s unwaveringly positive attitude (and incredible cork hat) really stood out to me these Games.

He said after his all-around final that despite missing out on a medal, he “enjoyed (it) regardless of the result because I chose to do so.” Something we can all take with us!

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By Kelsie Iorio

The athletes enter Alexander Stadium

Diver and Birmingham gold medalist Melissa Wu carried the Australian flag for us—this is her fifth Commonwealth Games.

Lots of athletes on Team Australia and from other nations have already gone home, so the closing ceremony is a little more casual. But it looks like they’re having fun.

By Jon Healey

Kashmir?

Sooooo, we have some more industrial workers doing some ‘Look down, look down’ type pushing and pulling of a very big metal structure. Looks like some sort of Mount Midoriyama.

But they’re playing Kashmir by Led Zeppelin, so all I can think of is this scene from Ocean’s 12.

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Ohhhhhhhhh, it’s a worker shortage. They couldn’t lift it by themselves, and then a huge influx of immigrant families have arrived to help them lift the big horizontal metal thing into a big vertical metal thing.

It lights up with the word “TOGETHER”, pointing to Birmingham’s famed multicultural diaspora.

Performers lift a metal structure at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games closing ceremony.
(Getty)

By Kelsie Iorio

Our athletes: Kaye Scott 🥈

Referees stopped the 38-year-old’s gold medal bout in the light middleweight boxing division, putting a quick end to her hopes for gold.

But her Birmingham silver is still one-up on her Gold Coast bronze since 2018, and as she says herself: “Silver isn’t too bad.”

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By Jon Healey

Come On Eileen kicks us off

After a recreation of Birmingham rebuilding and industrializing after World War II, Dexys Midnight Runners are out there doing their banger while dancers… work on an Amazon production line?

A man wearing unique attire sings into a microphone.
(Supplied: Seven Network)

Now they’re on the beers?! Lord Bezos won’t approve of that.

Performers hold up pints of beer during the Birmingham Commonwealth Games closing ceremony.
Rapidly, rapidly.(Getty)

By Kelsie Iorio

Our athletes: Tinka Easton 🥇

Tinka won Australia’s first gold medal in judo in two decades on her Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham.

She says herself there are still big things coming — so it sounds like this won’t be the last we see of her.

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By Kelsie Iorio

Our athletes: Cedric Dubler 🥉

Cedric made headlines in Tokyo for his selfless drive that helped Ash Moloney to a bronze medal—well, this time, he’s got one of his own.

He stood alongside teammate and silver medalist Daniel Golubovic on the podium and says he’s “hungry for more”… or will, be after a nap. I’d be going for a lie-down after that too, mate.

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By Kelsie Iorio

Your thoughts on the Games:

Hey Jon 🙂 Hey Kelsie 🙂 I can’t recall a Comm games more awesome to watch than 2022.

-Natty

It’s been a good one, hey?

australian cricketers give each other a double high five
(Getty Images)

By Jon Healey

Our athletes: Emma McKeon 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇🥈🥉

What more can be said about this woman?

The swimming may feel like a lifetime ago, but six gold medals, one silver and one bronze in Birmingham is a pretty timeless achievement.

It adds to her haul from Glasgow 2014 and Gold Coast 2018, giving her TWENTY Commonwealth Games medals. The most of any athlete in history.

And let’s not forget she’s also Australia’s most decorated Olympian, with five golds and 11 medals overall. to freak.

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By Kelsie Iorio

Our athletes: Isabella Vincent

One of the babies of the Australian team and still in high school, Birmingham was Izzy’s first Commonwealth Games — but likely won’t be her last.

She says it’s been “an honor to rep the green and gold”and we hope to see this SA-based Para-swimmer again in Victoria in 2026!

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By Kelsie Iorio

Your thoughts on the Games:

Well donate all Australian athletes. I am so proud of you all. Each of you have given your all for our wonderful country.

-Lesley

We’re with you, Lesley!

Tell us your favorite moments of the games by hitting the blue comment button above ☝️

two australian athletes smile and wave on a podium wearing gold medals
Getty Images

By Kelsie Iorio

One final look at the medal tally

commonwealth games medal table with australia at the top followed by england canada india new zealand

It ended up pretty close — but Australia retains its place at the top of the tally with an incredible 67 gold, 57 silver and 54 bronze.

By Jon Healey

Key Event

🥈 Table tennis: Australia falls short in women’s doubles final

Table tennis players Jian Fang Lay and Minhyung Jee smile with their hands on their hips on the podium at the Commonwealth Games.
(AP)

Jian Fang Lay and Minhyung Jee were beaten 3-0 by Singapore pair Tianwei Feng and Jian Zeng.

Singapore started how they intended to go on, winning the first game 11-1. The last two were more contested, but both ended 11-8 in the favor of the Singaporeans.

Jee and Lay won bronze in the women’s team event last week as part of a six-medal haul for our table tennis team.

By Jon Healey

Key Event

🥈🥉 Diving: Silver and bronze in mixed events

Shixin Li and Maddison Keeney grab the back of their legs as they flip during a synchronized dive.
(AP)

last night Shixin Li and Maddison Keeney picked up silver in the mixed 3m springboard synchronized event.

They finished just 1.98 points behind winners Scotland, as both Aussie divers picked up their third medals of this Games.

climbing higher, Cassiel Rousseau and Emily Boyd added bronze in the synchro off the tall tower.

It’s Boyd’s first medal in Birmingham, while Rousseau added to his 10m gold and men’s 10m synchro bronze.

Emily Boyd and Cassiel Roussea touch their toes during a synchronized dive.
(AP)

By Jon Healey

Key Event

🥇 Hockey: Kookaburras maintain Commonwealth dominance against India

An Australian hockey player smiles and pumps his fists while holding a hockey stick.
(Getty)

SEVEN!

The Australian men’s hockey team have won Commonwealth Games gold seven straight times.

This time they did it with a thumping 7-0 win (how fitting) over India.

Jacob Anderson and Nathan Ephraums scored doubles, usual suspects Flynn Ogilvie and Blake Govers got on the board too, as well as Tom Wickham.

It’s Australia’s 67th and final gold medal in Birmingham.

By Jon Healey

It’s almost over, fam

Hello and welcome to this, our final blog of the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

We’ve got a couple of medals to wrap up before the closing ceremony, and we’ll also bring you some athletes’ reflections on the 2022 Games.

Leave a comment and have a chat with us using that button up there!

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Sports

Schedule, Aussies in action, medal tally, updates, results, scores

Having added seven gold medals to the collection on the penultimate day, Australia has one last chance to secure a further four golds on the final day of the Commonwealth Games.

It’s been a tremendously successful Games for the Aussies as they reached the 1000 gold medal milestone and are 11 golds ahead of host nation England in the tally.

Follow all the action from the final day in our LIVE blog below!

It comes as a five-time Commonwealth Games representative Melissa Wu was confirmed as the flag bearer for Australia at the closing ceremony.

After winning gold in beach volleyball, cricket, diving (twice), road cycling, and javelin, the superstar Diamonds netball team that brought up the incredible milestone by beating Jamaica 55-51 in the women’s netball final.

DAY 10 WRAP: Aussie’s final dive wins gold, Poms RAGE after cycling duel

The Kookaburras are also in action in the men’s hockey, while an Aussie duo compete for the gold in the women’s doubles final in the table tennis.

Foxsports.com.au has you covered on who’s in action, what they’re competing in and when you can watch them!

TALLY LIVE MEDAL

HOCKEY

the kookaburras face India in the men’s end and is scheduled for 9.30pm.

The Aussies, who have not lost at the Commonwealth Games since 1998 along with six gold medals in the trophy cabinet, will look to continue their mind-boggling streak having beaten host nation England in the semi-final.

In the Kookaburras’ most recent clash against India, the Aussies got the better of them to the tune of 7-1 in a pool match at the Tokyo Olympics.

However, India will no doubt be seeking revenge having overcome South Africa in the other semi-final.

Barber claims gold with CLUTCH throw | 00:28

DIVING

Australia’s first medal event was the mixed synchronized 3m springboard final in the diving, with li shixin teaming up with Madison Keeney and Domonic Bedggood paired with Annabelle Smith.

Keeney and Li grabbed silver with a score of 304.02 — less than two points away from gold.

Bedgood and Smith, who’d already won the gold in the women’s synchronized 3m springboard, finish in fifth, only five points off a medal.

the mixed synchronized 10m platform final saw Cassiel Rousseau and Emily Boyd winbronze.

Rousseau was coming off an incredible gold in the men’s 10m platform.

PERFECT 1O in final gold medal dive! | 00:30

TABLE TENNIS

aussie pair Jian Fang Lay and minhyung jee lost their gold medal match to Singapore to take home silver medals.

SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES AEST)

7pm: Women’s doubles plate final, squash (Alex Haydon and Jess Turnbull)

7:05pm: Mixed synchronized 3m springboard final, diving (Li Shixin and Maddison Keeney, Domonic Bedggood and Anabelle Smith)

7:10pm: Women’s doubles final, table tennis (Jian Fang Lay and Minhyung Jee)

8:19pm: Mixed synchronized 10m platform final, diving (Domonic Bedggood and Melissa Wu, Cassiel Rousseau and Emily Boyd)

9:30 pm: Men’s Hockey Final (Kookaburras)

5am ​​(Tuesday): Closing ceremony

LIVE BLOG

Follow all the action live below! Can’t see the updates? Click here!

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schedule, events, times, medal tally, Australians in action, Michelle Jenneke, Peter Bol 800m race time, athletics, Australia vs England netball final

Australia took home a stunning nine gold medals on Saturday and there are plenty more chances to add to the tally on Day 10 of the Commonwealth Games.

Foxsports.com.au has you covered with live updates from all the key events, which you can follow below!

DAY 9 WRAP: Aussies claim nine gold in staggering Commonwealth Games blitz

MEDAL TALLY: Aussies’ gold rush after Poms turn up heat in Comm Games race

Hoare bags SENSATIONAL 1500m Gold! | 00:32

AUSSIE WINS SILVER IN FIRST-EVER GAMES

In his first Commonwealth Games, Lin Ma has secured a silver medal for Australia in the men’s table tennis singles Classes 8-10.

Ma sadly lost to Wales’ Joshua Stacey, who won by three sets to two.

BAKER WINS GOLD!

Georgia Baker has won Australia’s first gold medal of the day after taking out the women’s road race in cycling.

It was a grueling race that pushed the six-strong Australian contingent to the brink, but Baker finished first over the line in what was her third gold medal in Birmingham.

Baker is joined on the podium by fellow Aussie Sarah Roy, who came third.

JUMPING JENNEKE JUST SHY OF PB IN HURDLES FINAL

Michelle Jenneke was unfortunately outclassed in the women’s 100m hurdles final, as Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan took home the gold medal.

Jenneke was right in the mix at the very start, but the heavy hitters eventually pulled away.

However, the Aussie was still all smiles after the race after finishing fifth with a time of 12.68.

Gold medal winner Amusan crossed the line at 12.30, setting a new Commonwealth Games record.

Celeste Mucci, the other Australian competing in the race, came second-last but gave everything she had in the final.

HEARTBREAK AS AUSSIE STAR HOSPITALISED

Australian cycling star Rohan Dennis has unfortunately been forced to withdraw from the men’s road race, joining Caleb Ewan on the sidelines.

An Aus Cycling statement read: “Rohan Dennis will take no further part in the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games following medical advice.

Dennis, who took gold in the Men’s Individual Time Trial on Thursday, woke up on Saturday morning in discomfort and was taken to a local hospital to undergo tests and observations.

As a precaution, Dennis was advised to withdraw from today’s road race, but remains comfortable and under observation.”

Australia’s six-man team for the event is now down to four, with Luke Durbridge, Luke Plapp, Miles Scotson and Sam Fox set to compete.

Australian Michelle Jenneke came fifth in the 100m hurdles final.  Picture: Michael Klein
Australian Michelle Jenneke came fifth in the 100m hurdles final. Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia

ATHLETICS

It all kicks off on the track with the men’s triple jump final, with Julian Konle competing at around 7.15pm.

Elsewhere, after Jemima Montag’s heroics in the women’s 10km race walk, fellow Australians Rhydian Cowley, Kyle Swan and Declan Tingay will also be going for gold in the men’s event at 8.20pm.

Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medalist Kelsey-Lee Barber will then be competing in the women’s javelin final at around 8.35pm (AEST).

Barber won bronze in the 2014 Commonwealth Games and silver in 2018, aiming to go one better this time around and claim gold.

She is in fine form, coming off a historic defense of her javelin world championships title in Eugene, Oregon.

Fellow Australian Mackenzie Little will also be competing for a medal in the final.

The men’s 4×100 relay final may have ended in heartbreak for Australia but the women will have a shot at a medal when they take to the track at 9.54pm.

Browning FALLS, relay goes begging! | 00:28

Of course, there will be plenty of support for peter bol too, who is competing in the men’s 800m final at around 4.35am.

Jessica Hull is also a strong chance at a medal when she competes in the women’s 1500m final alongside fellow Australians Abbey Caldwell and Linden Hall.

Caldwell and Hall progressed to the final after finishing inside the top four of their race with times of 4:13.59 and 4:14.08 respectively while Hull had a time of 4:16.13.

CRICKET

Australia won a thriller in the opening pool game against India but will they be able to get past their fierce rivals when it matters most?

The two will face off for the gold medal in the T20 final, with that game scheduled around 2 am.

Hot favorites Australia toppled New Zealand by five wickets in their semi-final while India edged England by four runs in a thrilling contest.

Ash Gardner was the hero when these two sides met in the pool stages, striking an unbeaten 52 from 35 balls to help the gold medal favorites chase down a 155-run target.

Australia struggled early in that game, with Indian seamer Renuka Singh recording 4-18 in just four overs as the top-order fell apart before Gardner’s heroics saved the day.

Hoare bags SENSATIONAL 1500m Gold! | 00:32

netball

It all comes down to this for our Aussie Diamonds, who will take on Jamaica in the gold medal match at 5.30am.

Australia gave up a six-goal lead in a stunning 57-55 loss to Jamaica in the pool stages, with international superstar Jhaniele Fowler starring in the upset win.

The West Coast Fever sensation scored 47 goals and backed it up with a perfect 54 from just as many attempts as a perfect shooting night saw Jamaica take down the Silver Ferns in the semis.

Australia booked its spot in the final with a 60-51 win over England in a spiteful game in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Gretel Bueta was the standout in that victory, with 43 goals at 98 per cent accuracy.

Gretel Bueta in action. (Photo by Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

HOCKEYROOS

And as if the cricket and netball finals were not enough, the Hockeyroos will also be in action against England in the women’s gold medal match.

That final is scheduled for midnight, with Australia booking its spot in the decider after defeating New Zealand and India.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL

There are two chances for Australia to claim gold in beach volleyball, with the first final at 1 am ace Paul Burnett and Chris McHugh take on Canada.

Later in the early hours of the morning, attention will turn towards the women’s doubles final. Mariafe Artacho of the Solar and Taliqua Clancy took home silver for Australia at Tokyo and will be looking to make it gold at Birmingham when they face defending champions Canada at 6 am.

CYCLING

Four men will be representing Australia in the men’s road race at 9:30pm.

BADMINTON & TABLE TENNIS

Hsuan-Yu Wendy Chen and Gronya Somerville will be looking to progress through to the gold medal match when they play England in the women’s doubles semi-final.

In the table tennis, Lin Ma will have a shot at gold when he competes in the men’s singles class 8-10 final at 7.10pm.

Meanwhile, Yangzi Liu will be going for bronze in the women’s singles table tennis at 8.05pm before Finn Luu and Nicholas Lum do the same in the men’s doubles event at 10.05pm.

Gronya Somerville of Team Australia celebrates winning a point. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

BOXING

There are plenty of chances for gold in the ring too, with kaye scott and Callum Peters both in action in finals at 8.15pm and 8.45pm respectively.

Edgardo Coumi, Caitlin Anne Parker and Tina Rahimi all lost their semi-finals on Saturday.

DIVING

14-year-old starlet Charlie Petrov and veteran Melissa Wu took gold in the women’s 10m synchronized dive and there are more opportunities for medals on Sunday.

All eyes will be on Brittany O’Brien, Madison Keeney and Georgia Shehan as they compete for a medal in the women’s 3m springboard prelims at 8.44pm.

Follow all the action live below! Can’t see the updates? Click here!

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Kate and William at Commonwealth Games shows where Meghan went wrong

Of all the gin joints, chintzy drawing rooms, Chelsea pub back rooms, Norfolk kitchens, and private members’ clubs in the UK; of all possible backdrops for a couple of deeply illuminating royal moments, whoever would have thought the 22nd Commonwealth Games in Birmingham would be it?

The first one took place outside a train toilet. really.

Matthew Syed is a journalist and Commonwealth Games gold medal winner – for table tennis, no less. This week, he and his son Ted were traveling to the Games to catch the action and he took to the pages of the Times to recount a truly extraordinary tale about the trip.

“Five minutes before pulling into [the Birmingham station], I use the bathroom (we are traveling first class) as Ted waits outside. As I am doing my thing, I hear him talking to a woman in the vestibule.

“They continue chatting as I use the soap, then tap, then dryer. Judging by the laughter, they are having a whale of a time… By the time I am finished, we are only a couple of minutes from the station.

“’Come on Ted,’ I say, ‘we have to get off!’

“’Oh, and thanks for keeping him company,’ I say, turning to the woman waiting [for] her turn when I am stopped in my tracks. My brow furrows, my face works. ‘Kate?’ I blurt out. There are no security guards in the vestibule; not armed guards. But here is the Duchess of Cambridge, chatting merrily with my son.”

Then we get to our second moment, starring Kate’s husband, Prince William, Duke of Cambridge in a chlorine-soaked aquatic center.

On Tuesday, the Duke, the Duchess and their daughter Princess Charlotte attended the swimming. While sitting in the middle of the crowd, he happily posed for a selfie with a group of Games volunteers who were seated in front of him.

Now, both of these instances could be filed under ‘Aw, aren’t they lovely?’ examples of two people who might be destined for coronations and crowns but who have not let their elevated status turn their heads.

But, this all comes after the publication of Tom Bower’s Revenge: Meghan, Harry And The War Between The Windsorsa 464-page full-frontal take-down of Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

And this week’s William and Kate stories? Those two, simple, brief interactions with the public? Well, they go a way to underscoring one of his key arguments about him, which is that Meghan’s expectations of royal life were a world away from the often unglamorous reality. Think, more making polite chitchat outside a public loo than private jets and Pol Roger.

At the heart of Bower’s book is the contention that when Meghan, clad in several hundred thousand dollars worth of couture Givenchy, made her way up the aisle of the 15th century St George’s Chapel at Windsor, she had little understanding of, or interest in learning about, the fabled institution she was joining.

Having, for so many long years, failed to claw her way out of the B-list, here she was, finally, about to become one of the most famous women in the world. The case that Bower makes is that the California native’s assumptions about what would follow were markedly different from what was, in actual fact, about to come next.

In Bower’s telling, even before the opening strains of Handel’s Eternal Source Of Light Divinewhich played as she made her way towards the altar, things were going off the rails.

Pre-engagement, when the couple was dating, Bower says that after “Harry’s demand for a dedicated female bodyguard for Meghan had been approved” that on one occasion, he met the Duke “on the tarmac at Heathrow with a police escort”.

“Meghan sped out of the airport towards Kensington. This was indeed the super-celebrity lifestyle for which she had always yearned.”

Then in the run-up to the big day, Meghan already “was confusing being famous with being a royal,” he writes. However, “the royal world is expected to be one of altruism, history, tradition and low-key patronage for no personal gain.”

Meghan’s misconception, in Bower’s reading of the situation, is that she fundamentally mistook the global fame of the royal family with Hollywood stardom, not grasping that, despite having become a Duchess and been catapulted to the highest stratosphere of stardom, she was not therefore automatically entitled to Beyonce-worthy treatment.

Take the issue of luxury gifts. Bower writes: “Palace gossip related that the publicity departments of some famous designer labels – Chanel, Dior, Armani, Givenchy and others – had been surprised by calls from a member of Meghan’s staff with a request: Meghan would be delighted if the House were to bequeath a handbag, shoes or an accessory to Kensington Palace in the near future. These items would be treated as goodwill gifts, the publicists were told. The women were puzzled by what they called ‘the Duchess’s discount’.

“In the past, their offers of gifts to Kate had been rejected on principle that the royal family did not accept freebies. Meghan’s staff, it appeared, were not worried about that rule.”

The veteran biographer writes that it would only be in 2019 that the Duchess “began to understand that the British monarchy, costing the public just £85 million ($A148 million) a year, was neither flush with money nor an invincible luxury Rolls-Royce machine. The power and influence which she assumed to have acquired from her marriage to Harry was an illusion.”

In the summer of that same year, one particular Meghan incident made international headlines. Attending Wimbledon with a couple of friends, their party de ella sat in the middle of a sea of ​​empty seats for a match, unlike when Kate regularly attended and took her place de ella in the stands, sitting in the midst of other tennis fans.

At one stage during the match, when a man sitting in the section in front of Meghan’s, got up to take a selfie of himself with the players, one of the Duchess’ protection officers “warned him about taking pictures in her vicinity,” according to the Daily Mail.

Former BBC sports commentator Sally Jones was also courtside.

“I felt this tap on my shoulder and was asked not to take pictures of the Duchess – but I had no idea she was there until then. I was absolutely gobsmacked,” Jones told the Email.

That Meghan took umbrage (or someone on her team took umbrage) at anyone trying to take her picture, despite that she had chosen to sit in a public place, where there were live TV cameras, looked all too much like suspiciously diva-ish behaviour. .

Contrast that scene with the events this week in Birmingham: In each instance, we have members of the royal family, at sporting events yet demonstrating two starkly different approaches to royalty.

At the end of the day, what William and Kate seem to fundamentally understand is that royalty is not the same thing as celebrity; it is not about special treatment, favorable seats or four-figure accessories finding their way into your wardrobe, free. It is about tedious devotion to duty no matter how repetitive or dull it might often be. (How many times do you think the Queen has asked, “And what do you do?” In her life de ella? I think we could confidently say the figure would have to be in the hundreds of thousands.)

The meat and potatoes of royal life is not swanning off to New York for an A-list baby shower held in a $100,000-a-night hotel suite but sitting through hospital wing openings and charming pensioners.

Really, HRHs are part public servants, albeit ones who don’t have to contend with home brand tea bags in the office kitchen, and part politicians stuck on lifelong hustings, forever trying to win the public over one handshake and smile at a time.

None of this is any sort of secret; none of this is insider knowledge. So why wasn’t Meghan better prepared?

One of the points that the Duchess of Sussex made during the Sussexes’ infamous Oprah Winfrey interview last year was that she “didn’t do any research about what that would mean” to marry into the royal family.

“I didn’t feel any need to, because everything I needed to know, he was sharing with me. Everything we thought I needed to know, he was telling me,” Meghan said.

That turned out to be a bit of a mistake now kids, didn’t it?

That an intelligent, educated woman would give up her career, adopted homeland, one of her dogs, and all of her friends to move across the world to dedicate her life to an ancient institution she knew nothing about defies all logic.

If she had done even a cursory Google search, she might have come across an excellent piece that Patrick Jephson, Diana, Princess of Wales’ long-time private secretary, had written way back in 2006 called “What Kate Should Know” in which he imagined what advice his old boss might give the younger woman.

Jepshon argues that the Princess would have urged Kate, that “modesty must be your watchword” and to “go easy on the conspicuous consumption”.

He writes: “Remember that living in a very big house surrounded by servants and riding in a gold carriage are all the excess that your future subjects will readily tolerate in their royal family. Don’t overlook the priceless symbolic value of Tupperware boxes, and try to develop a famous enthusiasm for turning off unnecessary electric lights.”

The piece (you can read it here) is basically a very sensible warning: Don’t let the gilded trappings of royalty go to your head. Understand the job for what it really is and get on with it.

If only Meghan had read Jephson’s piece; if only she had gone into royal life with a much clearer sense of what she was signing up for. That’s not to say ella she should have swallowed it holus bolus once she got there or not have tried to inject at least something fresh into the creaky monarchy – but forewarned is forearmed.

If Meghan had done a spot of Googling, she might also have come across the famous essay written by the journalist and satirist Malcolm Muggeridge in 1955 at the height of Princess Margaret’s fling with Group Captain Peter Townsend. In the piece, Muggeridge argued that “the application of film star techniques” to the royal family would ultimately have “disastrous consequences”.

He also said that the monarchy was “an institution that is accorded the respect and accoutrements of power without the reality”.

And, if the former Suits star had read a bit more still, she would have learned that the reaction to Muggeridge’s essay was so swift and furious it forced him out of the Garrick Club. (What a horrendous!)

Taking on the monarchy is not for the faint-hearted but joining it? That’s for people happy to take trains, make small talk with the public and to pretend to like watching competitive bowls.

Daniela Elser is a royal expert and a writer with more than 15 years’ experience working with a number of Australia’s leading media titles.

Read related topics:Kate Middleton Meghan Markle

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Sports

live updates, how many medals has Australia won, number, gold, silver, bronze, swimming, athletics

Team Australia dominated the Commonwealth Games medal tally in Birmingham in the opening four days, sitting comfortably in front – thanks largely to more dominance in the pool.

Australia claimed a stunning eight gold medals on day one, including five of a possible seven in the pool! On day two, Australia added five more golds.

The gold rush continued with nine on day three, highlighted by Emma McKeon making history with a record-breaking 11th Commonwealth Games gold medal when she took out the Women’s 50m freestyle final.

Australia has dominated again on day four with another NINE gold medals, coming in judo, lawn bowls, cycling and gymnastics — along with the usual big haul in the pool.

Australia has opened day five with a 72nd medal of the Games, this time a bronze in the men’s vault in artistic gymnastics.

DAY 5 LIVE: Athletics begins as Browning opens 100m campaign; McKeon and Simpson eye final swim day

DAY 4 WRAP: Aussies win NINE golds in wild Games medal blitz; Chalmers win ‘hard to enjoy’

Read on for more details and the full medal tally.

Australia sit on top of the medal tally with 31 gold, 20 silver and 21 bronze (71 total!), ahead of England and New Zealand.

The Aussies topped the tally with 198 medals — including 80 gold — in the Gold Coast four years ago.

You can track the live medal tally for every country here, with key Aussie wins and updates as they happen.

Click here for a full list of EVERY Aussie medal winner!

Commonwealth Games kick off in style | 00:34

SCHEDULE: Sport-by-sport guide to every day

AUSSIES: Our top hopes to watch

INTERNATIONALS: The big names set to light up the Games

COMMONWEALTH GAMES MEDALS TALLY (AS OF 5:30AM WEDNESDAY)

RANK/COUNTRY/GOLD/SILVER/BRONZE/TOTAL

1. Australia — 37, 28, 30, 95

2.England—28, 30, 17, 75

3.New Zealand—13, 7, 5, 25

4. Canada — 10, 14, 19, 43

5. South Africa—6, 5, 5, 16

6. India — 5, 4, 3, 12

7.Scotland—3, 8, 15, 26

8. Wales—3, 2, 8, 13

9. Malaysia — 2, 2, 3, 7

10. Nigeria — 2, 1, 4, 7

See the full live medal tally here.

DAY-BY-DAY MEDAL LIST

DAY FIVE

James Bacuetti claimed Australia’s first men’s gymnastics medal of these Games, winning bronze in the men’s vault. 20-year-old English sensation Jake Jarman won gold – his FOURTH of the Games – ahead of Fellow Englishman Giarnni Regini-Moran.

Aofie Coughlan took home the gold medal in the women’s 70kg judo final while Eileen Cikamatana set a new Games Record en route to a gold medal in the women’s 87kg weightlifting final.

in the swimming, Mollie O’Callaghan produced a stunning upset to win the gold in the womens’ 100m freestyle as Elizabeth Deckers won the women’s 200m butterfly.

nina kennedy secured the gold in the women’s pole vault.

DAY 5 LIVE: Athletics begins as Browning opens 100m campaign; McKeon and Simpson eye more gold

DAY FOUR

Australia ended day four with 31 gold, 20 silver and 21 bronze (71 total!), ahead of England and New Zealand.

Georgia Goodwin narrowly won gold in the women’s vault over Canada’s Laurie Denommee, while at the track, matthew glaetzer won gold in the men’s 1,000m time trial. Ellen Ryan won gold in the women’s lawn bowls singles and Tinka Easton caused an upset by claiming gold in judo.

in the pool, Kyle Chalmer won the 100m freestyle, Kaylee McKeown won the 200m backstroke and matthew levy claimed gold in the men’s 50m freestyle S7. Emma McKeon then narrowly clinched gold in the 50m breaststroke to extend her Games record to 12 golds, while the Aussies ended the night with victory in the men’s 4x200m freestyle.

Aussie weightlifter robbed of Gold?! | 00:26

Elsewhere, 49-year-old legend Jian Fang Lay has led the Aussie team to bronze in the women’s table tennis team event.

It began with victory in doubles alongside Yangzi Liu, who won her own singles game before Jian Fang Lay sealed the 3-0 over Wales with a singles victory of her own.

Kyle Bruce claimed silver in the men’s 81kg weightlifting after a heartbreaking jury decision overruled his final, gold-winning lift.

The Aussie men’s triples claimed silver in the lawn bowls, fighting back from 12-1 down in the final to level the score at 12-12 against England before falling 14-12.

DAY 4 WRAP: Aussies win NINE golds in wild Games medal blitz; Chalmers win ‘hard to enjoy’

GOLDEN HEARTBREAK: ‘Devastated’ Aussie in tears after gold ‘stolen away’

CHALMERS GOES ALL IN: Legends not surprised by last-minute withdrawal

BIG BLOW: Diamonds’ dream run soured as star sidelined with calf injury

Jian Fang Lay led the Aussies to bronze in table tennis!
Jian Fang Lay led the Aussies to bronze in table tennis!Source: Getty Images

DAY THREE

Australians Sam Harding and Jonathan Gorlach kicked off the day with superb silver and bronze medals in the men’s PTVI triathlon final.

Emma McKeon and Kaylee McKeown then added two more gold in the pool taking out the Women’s 50m freestyle and the 100m backstroke respectively.

McKeon led home meg harris in silver with Shayna Jack (24.36) finishing third.

In the men’s 50m breaststroke, Zac Stubblety-Cook (59.52) took home bronze.

The Women’s 4x200m freestyle relay team then completed a dominant campaign in the pool by breaking the world record.

Georgia Godwin won the all-round rhythmic gymnastics women’s final.

Australia’s Women’s 7s rugby side then put the pain of Tokyo behind them to claim gold in the final against Fiji.

In track cycling, matthew richardson won the men’s final sprint.

Kristina Clonan took home gold in the 500m time trial.

Georgia Baker won the women’s 25km points race, while Jessica Gallagher picked up her second gold medal of the Games in the Women’s tandem 1000m time trial with pilot Caitlyn Ward.

Day 3 WRAP: ‘Extraordinary’ Aussies break world record, McKeon makes history

‘It is shocking’: Thorpe stunned as England World record holder toppled in ‘unbelievable’ boilover

SHOCK CRASH: Cyclist catapults into crowd in horror scenes after Comm Games crash

‘Lost my s***’: Boxall goes bonkers AGAIN as Aussie coach celebrates WR win

‘Took all my courage and energy to swim’: Chalmers stuns in raw, emotional interview

DAY TWO

madison de rosario took out the women’s T53/54 marathon in style, dominating the field to win with a Commonwealth Games record time of 1:56:00.

Jess Stenson won the women’s marathon with an incredible run, going better than her two bronze medals in Glasgow and the Gold Coast.

It was another ripping day in the pool, with katja dedekind winning a gold meal in the women’s 50m freestyle S13 while both the men’s and women’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay finished first.

There were silver medals for maeve plouffe in the women’s 3000m individual pursuit, Brendon Smith in the men’s 400m IM, Emma McKeon in the women’s 100m butterfly and the artistic gymnastics team.

DAY 2 NEWS

WRAP: McKeon makes history amid swim gold rush; rugby stars win thriller

‘A load of s***’: Chalmers explodes at media for ‘ruining it all’ over love triangle claims

‘Dream big’: ‘Extraordinary’ journey behind ‘one of the great’ Aussie athletics triumphs

‘I was just guessing’: New Aussie cult hero’s shock reveal after ‘epic’ career-best run

DAY ONE

matt hauser had the honor of being the first Australian to win a medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, taking home the silver medal in the Men’s Triathlon Sprint Distance Final.

Ariarne Titmus won gold in the women’s 200m freestyle, 18-year-old Aussie Mollie O’Callaghan claimed silver in an unbelievable late charge, ahead of Madison Wilson.

Elijah Winnington won gold in the men’s 400m freestyle, ahead of fellow Aussies Sam Short and Mack Horton. Zac Stubblety-Cook won gold in the men’s 200m breaststroke while Kiah Melverton took silver in the women’s 400m Individual Medley.

In the final race of night one, Australia won gold in the mixed 4x100m relay.

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Categories
Sports

Day Four, live blog, Aussies in action, Emma McKeon, full schedule, Cody Simpson, when do they swim, Diamonds, Hockeyroos, results

LIVE: Emma McKeon has cruised into another final as the Australian swim sensation continues her assault on the history books on Day Four of the Commonwealth Games.

On Day 3, McKeon broke the Commonwealth Games record with a stunning 11th career gold medal, and her meet isn’t finished yet with more medals still up for grabs.

In the swim finals scheduled for Tuesday morning (AEST), McKeon heads a raft of Australians including Kyle Chalmers, who withdrew from one event to prioritize the massive 100m freestyle final.

Follow all the action from Day Four at the Commonwealth Games in our LIVE BLOG below! See the full schedule at the bottom.

Medal Tally: Aussie gold rush continues as Women’s 7s erase Tokyo pain

McKeon was back in the pool - and is now back in another ending.
McKeon was back in the pool – and is now back in another ending.Source: Getty Images

McKeon once again hit the pool on Day Four in the women’s 100m freestyle heats, with fellow Aussies Shayna Jack and Mollie O’Callaghan also successfully qualifying for the semi-finals.

O’Callaghan qualified first in 54.28s, ahead of Jackthird in a comfortable 54.28s.

“I was definitely trying to hold back,” Jack said after her race.

McKeon only managed third-fastest in her heat and sixth-fastest overall as she cruised to the finish in 55.36s.

The 28-year-old won the same event at the Tokyo Games last year and is a massive chance of doing the same in Birmingham.

Read more on the rest of the swimming results below, or skip to the morning finals’ schedule at bottom.

ALL-TIME COMEBACK FALLS JUST SHORT

Australia’s men’s triples lawn bowls team came within an inch of pulling off one of the all-time great comebacks only to fall just short in a gold medal heartbreak.

Barry Lester, Carl Healey and Ben Twist – all sporting brilliant gold-dyed haircuts – were down by as many as 12-1 to England’s team of Louis Ridout, Nick Brett and Jamie Chestney.

But the Aussies charged back into the fight as the home side began to fall apart, with Australia snagging four in the 12th end en route to tying the scores up at 12 apiece.

England didn’t score from the ninth end until the 16th, but claimed a single on that second-last leg and then did the same on the last leg – after Australia missed a host of chances at the death.

DIAMONDS DEMOLISH SA… BUT COP BIG BLOW

In easily their toughest test of the Commonwealth Games so far, the gold-medal-favorite Diamonds went up a gear to defeat South Africa 74-49.

From the start, the Diamonds were in fine form, shooting with outstanding accuracy and harrying the South Africans all over the court with exceptional pressure.

Australia is undefeated after three Pool A games. They play Wales tomorrow before a huge match with more-than-dark-horses Jamaica.

But a calf injury to Paige Hadley, who had played just 15 minutes in the second game after missing the opener, looms as a potentially defining moment in their campaign.

FULL STORY.

Diamonds’ dream run soured as star sidelined with calf injury

Kyle Bruce nearly claimed an incredible gold medal with this lift.Source: Channel 7

AUSSIE ROBBED IN WILD HEARTBREAK

Kyle Bruce has been controversially robbed of a gold medal in the men’s 81kg weightlifting after a heartbreaking judges’ decision.

23-year-old Bruce was a gifted rugby flanker who only entered the gym to improve his ability on the field, before swapping to weightlifting full time and going on to claim a silver medal four years ago.

This time around, I have finished second in the snatch portion of the competition by lifting 143kg before twice failing to lift 147kg.

He successfully lifted 180kg in the clean-and-jerk portion for a stunning total of 323kg which had him in a second. Then, with the gold medal on the line, he attempted to lift 183kg on his final attempt.

He struggled with the lift and was wobbling, but was initially given three green lights from the judges to indicate a successful lift… only to have it overturned almost immediately afterwards by the jury, who spotted a small movement of Bruce’s left elbow.

That relegated him to a silver medal, behind England’s Chris Murray in a Games Record 325kg total.

He said: “It got overruled for a press-out. I haven’t seen the video so I’m not sure. But sometimes this is how sport goes and you know, congratulations to Chris on winning it

“He was the good lifter on the day and I just got a bit unlucky there, but it is what it is, I’m humble in defeat and I’m happy.”

He adds: “Coming away with a silver, not gonna lie, is quite disappointing… I’ll be ready for 2026. I’ll come back and I’ll have some redemption.”

FULL STORY: ‘Devastated’ Aussie in tears after gold ‘stolen away’

Meanwhile, Sarah Maureen Cochrane competes in the women’s 64kg final at 11pm AEST.

Resilient Chalmers sets Games record | 00:27

CHALMERS WITHDRAWS AS AUSSIES SURGE INTO MORE FINALS

Kyle Chalmer has withdrawn from the 100m butterfly so that he can focus on his 100m freestyle final in the evening session.

His scintillating semi-final swim last night (local) has him the firm favorite to claim gold in his favored event, and it’s no surprise he’s going all-in.

Teammate Cody Simpson qualified fifth for the semi-finals in 52.47s, just behind fourth-placed Matt Temple, the Australian record holder touching in 52.28s.

“It’s a great heat swim for him,” Ian Thorpe declared on Channel 7 of Temple.

Simpson has already won a gold medal for his involvement in the first heat of the men’s 4 x 100m freestyle relay, although he did not swim in the final.

FULL STORY: Legends not surprised as Chalmers pulls out of event at last minute

Australian swimmer Kyle Chalmers won his 100m freestyle semi final. Picture: Michael KleinSource: News Corp Australia

Meanwhile, Kaylee McKeown qualified fastest for the 200m backstroke final (2:10.95s), with fellow Aussie minna atherton also making it through in third (2:11.38s)

McKeown won the event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the recent 2022 World Championships in Budapest.

She also reached the final of the women’s 200m individual medley, qualifying behind Abbey Harkin in equal fourth with 2:13.24 and Ella Ramsay in km in 2:14.03. McKeown was seventh in 2:14.23s.

All three Aussies also qualified for the Women’s 100m Breaststroke semi-finals: Chelsea Hodge fourth in 1:07.68, Jenna Strauch fifth in 1:07.80, and Abbey Harkin sixth in 1:07.85.

debutante Grayson Bell qualified for the semi-finals of the men’s 50m breastroke in fifth after winning his heat in a personal best 27.63s. Sam Williamson won his own heat in 27.20s to qualify third-fastest. Joshua Young also qualified with his 27.96s.

Recent world championships silver medalist Lani Pallister qualified first for the final of the women’s 800m freestyle with a strong 8:32.67s. Ariarne Titmus qualified second-fastest with a very measured 8:36.17. Kiah Melverton was fourth-fastest in 8:40.29. Could we see another podium sweep?

MORE COVERAGE

Day 3 Wrap: ‘Extraordinary’ Aussies break world record, McKeon makes history

‘It is shocking’: Thorpe stunned as England world record holder toppled in ‘unbelievable’ boilover

AUSSIES SET TO RACK UP LAWN BOWLS MEDALS

Australia’s day has started in sensational style in the Lawn Bowls, with three teams all winning their semi-finals.

Carl HealeyBarrie Lester and Ben Twist are into the men’s treble final (9pm AEST) after beating Fiji 26 – 13. They will face England, who beat Wales 15-5 in the other semi-final.

Damian Delgado and Chris Favel are into the men’s pairs B6-B8 final after beating England 17-4.

And serena bonell and Cheryl Lindfield are into the women’s pairs B6-B8 final after seeing off South Africa 19-12 in their own semi. Both Para Pairs B6-B8 Finals take place on Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, Aussie Ellen Ryan competes in the finals of the women’s singles at 1.30am AEST on Tuesday.

Ellen Ryan of Team Australia is into the women’s singles final.Source: Getty Images

SIX-TIME COMPETITOR LEADS AUSSIE BRONZE

Australia’s six-time Commonwealth Games competitor Jian Fang Lay has led the Aussie team to bronze in the women’s table tennis.

She won the opening doubles with yangzi liu, who won her own singles game before Jian Fang Lay sealed the 3-0 over Wales with a singles victory of her own.

Jian Fang Lay now has eight minor medals to her name.

minhyung jee was the other member of the team.

Jian Fang Lay led the Aussies to bronze in table tennis!Source: Getty Images

KEY OVERNIGHT EVENTS

SWIMMING

In the morning session (4am AEST Tuesday), medals are on offer in the:

– men’s 100m freestyle final (Kyle ChalmerWilliam Xu Yang, Zac Incerti)

– women’s 200m backstroke final (Kaylee McKeown, Minna Atherton)

– women’s 200m individual medley final (Kaylee McKeown, Abbey Harkin, Ella Ramsay)

– men’s 50m freestyle S7 final (Matthew Levy, Joel Mundie)

– women’s 100m breastroke SB6 final (Isabella Vincent, Ella Jones)

– men’s 50m backstroke final (Ben Armbruster, Andrew Jeffcoat, Bradley Woodward)

– women’s 50m butterfly final (Alex Perkins, Emma McKeon, Holly Barratt)

– men’s 4x200m freestyle relay final (Australian team)

HOCKEY: The Kookaburras play their second game of the Games – facing NZ at 6am AEST.

JUDO: Aussie judoka Joshua Katz (60kg) and brother Nathan (66kg) are both competing for bronze medals overnight.

DAY FOUR SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES AEST)

Lawn Bowls and Para Lawns Bowls, 5.30pm

Hockey, 6:00 p.m.

Table Tennis and Para Table Tennis, 6.30pm

Weightlifting, 6.30pm

Judo, 7.00pm

Swimming and Para Swimming, 7.30pm

Badminton, 8:00 p.m.

Boxing, 9:00 p.m.

Netball, 9:00 p.m.

Squash, 9.00pm

Artistic Gymnastics, 10.00pm

Track and Para Track Cycling, 11.00pm

Hockey, 11:00 p.m.

Weightlifting, 11.00pm

Beach Volleyball, 11.30pm

Boxing, 3:30 a.m.

Weightlifting, 3.30am

Hockey, 4:00 a.m.

Swimming and Para Swimming, 4.00am

Beach Volleyball, 4.00am

Basketball 3×3 and Wheelchair Basketball 3×3, 4.30am

Follow all the action from Day 4 of the Commonwealth Games in our LIVE BLOG below!

Can’t see the blog? click here

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Categories
Entertainment

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s unprecedented pressure after 12 hellish days

The very best thing about being Harry and Meghan, Duke and Duchess of Sussex, right now, as far as I can tell, is that no one is going to make them go to Birmingham. On Friday, the Commonwealth Games opened in the Midlands city and in the coming days, various members of the royal family will be sent forth to do their flag-waving best.

Never mind that much of Europe is busy slathering on the SPF 50 or that the Queen has begun her usual summer hols or that the beaches of Mustique are calling. To be a working member of the British monarchy this week requires that all available HRHs front up while looking jolly pleased to have to wear a Team GB polo shirt and watch badminton.

Having absconded more than two and a half years ago for sunnier climes and fatter bank accounts, this sort of tedious duty is no longer part of the Sussexes’ lives.

Small mercies, huh?

However, aside from the fact that the couple won’t have to contend with so much polyester and so many hours of archery anytime soon, things are not exactly looking that rosy over Montecito way, with the couple having taken hit after hit over the last 12 days or so.

Rewind to July 18 and Harry and Meghan were jetting into New York where they had an appointment at the UN, with the duke having been asked to give the address to mark Nelson Mandela Day. In the couple strode to the famed building’s foyer, a masterful demonstration of what has become a hallmark of their post-royal careers – purposefully marching into the important buildings for supposedly important meetings and events after which … nothing much would seem to happen.

Anyway, they were back! Back at doing their quasi-royal darnedest! Harry had a speech, Meghan had a Jackie O-esque black dress – what could possibly go wrong?

Well, for one thing, not that many people turned up. As the Duke of Sussex gave his address to him, talking about climate change (conveniently forgetting that the family uses private jets on the reg), disinformation and abortion rights (all the good stars on these fronts) the vast majority of the seats were visibly empty.

For whatever reason, the bulk of the great and good of the international body would seem to have decided to be elsewhere and not watch the sixth in line to the throne have a crack at international statesmanship. (Maybe the UN cafeteria was serving waffles?)

If Harry looked grim when the couple was caught by the paparazzi leaving Italian restaurant Locanda Verde, he had every reason to look sour. That week saw the publication of biographer Tom Bower’s Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors.

Bower’s book is a largely unrelenting, highly unflattering take on the Sussexes, casting them as fueled by ego and some misguided notion that Meghan was going to be Diana mark two, aside from the fact that, in the biographer’s telling, she seemed to have no interest in the monarchy, no willingness to learn its fusty ropes and little enthusiasm for the boring parts of HRH-dom.

As the week progressed, Bower did the press rounds, offering a series of caustic takes including that he thought “they pose a real threat to the royal family” and labeling the duchess “a very scheming” person.

What is surprising has been the reaction from Montecito, with the Sussexes having so far not commented. While in the past, the duo have filed multiple court cases against various media outlets and sent out legal letters during the storm over their daughter Lilibet’s name, however in this instance they have remained staunchly silent.

Then came the development playing out in a court in Florida when lawyers for the duchess got into the “subjective” nature of truth. Earlier this year, the former actress was sued by her estranged half-sister Samantha Markle for allegedly telling “false and malicious lies” during her bombshell Oprah Winfrey interview last year.

This week, the Duchess of Sussex’s lawyers moved to dismiss the case, with legal papers filed by their side arguing that Meghan’s description of growing up “as an only child” during the interview was “obviously not meant to be a statement of objective fact” and was “a textbook example of a subjective statement about how a person feels about her childhood.”

While it’s an argument that has more than a tinge of Philosophy 101 (what is truth?) this strategy then raises an obvious question: If Meghan’s characterization about her upbringing was “subjective” then were any of the other devastating claims she made during the two -hour tell-all “subjective” too?

One bright spot on the horizon for the duo during all this was Harry’s successful appeal to the High Court for a judicial review over the Home Office’s decision to no longer automatically grant him full-time bodyguards when he is in the UK.

Except, even this was not exactly a slam dunk; just because the review was granted does not mean it will automatically be successful.

Then there is the cost of the whole legal imbroglio. the Sun has reported that the UK government has spent $156,000 on the case from September last year to May 2020. If Harry’s costs are similar then that would mean he has also spent well into the six figures to argue the case over his security arrangements which only pertain to the handful of days per year he has spent, on average, in the UK since quitting.

That bill could only go up if he ultimately loses the case, with the Home Office having previously said it will look to recover costs if they win.

While August is a traditionally quiet month on the Planet Royal, the rest of the year is shaping up to be a barnstormer of a doozy.

Harry is looking down the barrel of some of the most monumental months of his life since the sonic boom of Megxit, with news his memoir will be published before Christmas and with Page Six having reported that Netflix wants the couple’s “at home” docu series (shush you in the back there yelling “reality show”!) to hit screens this year too.

This book and show will very likely prove to be huge commercial successes for the couple, much needed professional wins after having released exactly no content up until this point for the streaming giant, since 2020 – but at what cost?

If either or both of these projects are focused on little more than the Sussexes launching a fresh volley of complaints about their treatment by the royal family, interspersed with some vignettes of them doing some caring, then they could be playing with fire.

If this scenario came to pass, they would run the risk of looking dangerously like little more than perpetual whingers who are clinging to the self-appointed victim status inside their $20 million mansion at a time when war, fire, floods and monkeypox are blighting the world.

Then there is what toll these two releases could take for his tattered relationship with House of Windsor, a bond that is reportedly hanging by a thread.

as the Sun’s former royal editor Duncan Lacrombe recently told the Daily Beast: “Once the book is out, William will have to make a decision about what he is going to do about Harry, but he is not going to do a thing until he knows what is on.” every page of that book. The reality is that if, as a senior member of the royal family, you have written a tell-all book, you have broken rule No. 1 of the royal family.”

If Harry’s book and/or their Netflix series sees them paint big fresh targets on the monarchy’s backs then will Queen & co. sit idly by and suffer through a fresh hellish round of monarchical character assassinations?

Thus far the Sussexes’ repeated media provocations have been met with a certain imperiousness and contrived dismissiveness from London but should the duke and duchess continue to bait the royal family but we might soon discover that The Firm has some very sharp teeth.

For example, the duo do still, of course, use their gifted Sussex titles from the Queen, day in and day out. While only parliament could officially revoke those titles, that is not to say the weight of the Crown and Harry’s father and brother could not be brought to bear pressure on them to no longer use them.

Would Prince Harry and Meghan Mountbatten-Windsor (or Prince Harry and Princess Henry of Wales) as they could only then call themselves be quite so marketable for Hollywood?

There is so much on the line for them in the coming month – their image, reputations, careers and potentially even a large chunk of money. But, there is always a sliver lining: At least no one is going to be making them sit through a table tennis match any time soon.

Daniela Elser is a royal expert and a writer with more than 15 years’ experience working with a number of Australia’s leading media titles.

Read related topics:prince harry

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