ICYMI: Royals news you need to know for July 2019

Get caught up on all the royals news you might have missed in July 2019 — from Archie Mountbatten-Windsor's christening and a double duchess day at Wimbledon to a Malaysian sultan's messy divorce and a royal "Lion King" premiere, plus much more… On July 28, the all-important September issue of British Vogue was teased on the magazine's website and social media channels, revealing that Duchess Meghan served as its guest editor. As the @RoyalSussex Instagram account reveals, Meghan quietly worked on the "Forces for Change" issue with editor-in-chief Edward Enninful for seven months to curate content that "highlights the power of the collective." The cover features "a diverse selection of women from all walks of life, each driving impact and raising the bar for equality, kindness, justice and open mindedness," explained the Duchess of Sussex — seen here (in a photo that appears in British Vogue) in the London workroom of Smart Works, a charity of which she's patron. According to Meghan, "the sixteenth space on the cover, a mirror, was included so that when you hold the issue in your hands, you see yourself as part of this collective." (See who else made the list at U.K. Vogue's website.) Meghan does not appear on the cover but inside, there's an interview between her and former U.S. first lady Michelle Obama as well as a candid conversation between Prince Harry and famed chimpanzee expert Dr. Jane Goodall plus inspirational articles from changemakers and more. Keep reading for more royals news for July 2019…

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A royal wedding in Monaco

Louis Ducruet — the eldest child of Princess Stephanie of Monaco and ex-husband (and former bodyguard ) Daniel Ducruet — married college sweetheart Marie Chevalier in two ceremonies in Monaco in late July. On July 26, Marie wore a white silk crepe jumpsuit by designer Rosa Clara for a civil ceremony at Prince's Palace. The next day, the pair wed in a religious ceremony attended by family members (including the groom's parents, uncle Prince Albert II of Monaco and his wife, Princess Charlene, aunt Princess Caroline of Hanover and his royal cousins) at the Cathedral of Our Lady Immaculate, which is where Louis' grandparents, Prince Rainier II and American actress Grace Kelly, exchanged vows in 1956. Marie wore a gown by Atelier Boisanger for the church service then changed into a second look by Rosa Clara for the reception. Louis is 15th in the line of succession.

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Botox denial

On July 24, Kensington Palace did something it rarely does: It commented on a claim concerning Duchess Kate. In this case, it denied a British plastic surgeon's allegation that the Duchess of Cambridge has undergone some tweaks to her face. As reported by Page Six, London's Dr. Munir Somji from the Dr. Medi Spa Clinic posted two side-by-side photos of Kate on Instagram, which he's since deleted, captioning them, "Our Kate loves a bit of baby Botox." He went on to discuss each snapshot — one showed Kate looking tired with lines on her forehead, and one showed her looking rested and line-free. The clinic also coyly declined to deny that Kate was a client. A spokesman for the palace told the New York Post that the doctor's claims are "categorically not true" and "in addition, the royal family never endorse commercial activity."

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Princess Eugenie shares speculation-sparking Instagram post

Princess Eugenie raised eyebrows on July 24 when she sent a sweet note of congratulations to her parents, Prince Andrew and Sarah, Duchess of York — who divorced 23 years ago — in celebration of their 33rd wedding anniversary. "Who else has ever forgotten to congratulate their parents on their wedding anniversary! I'm a day late but I wanted to celebrate my parents getting married 33 years ago…" she captioned a photo from the Duke of York and Fergie's 1986 wedding day. "Thank you for always being the best of friends and bringing us up together." The post sparked speculation questioning if the exes — who, all these years after their breakup, both live in Andrew's home, Royal Lodge near Windsor Castle — could be getting back together. Then again, they've maintained a great friendship for their daughters, Eugenie and Princess Beatrice, for decades.

The queen meets with Britain's new prime minister

Britain has a new leader. Media outlets revealed that Queen Elizabeth II delayed the start of her annual summer holiday in Scotland so that she could meet with the newly elected leader of the Conservative party, Boris Johnson — who just became Britain's new prime minister (he replaces Theresa May) — at Buckingham Palace in London on July 24. In this photo, he's seen bowing to the queen during an audience where, as is the custom, he assumed his new role upon kissing her hand. He is the 14th prime minister of the monarch's 67-year reign.

Dr. Jane Goodall meets baby Archie, Prince Harry tells her how many kids he wants

On July 23, Prince Harry met with famed primatologist and anthropologist Jane Goodall at her Roots & Shoots Global Leadership Meeting at St. George's House at Windsor Castle. (Check out the playful video of the pair sharing an impromptu dance and "chimpanzee greeting," which Jane taught Harry when they first met.) The same day, she revealed to the media (as reported by People magazine) that she paid a private visit to Harry, wife Duchess Meghan and their infant son, Archie, at their Frogmore Cottage home in June ahead of the Roots & Shoots event (this is likely when she chatted with Harry for a piece in the September issue of British Vogue — which was guest edited by Meghan — in which Harry told her he wants "two [children], maximum"). "He's very cute and very gentle," she said of Archie. Dr. Goodall also revealed that Meghan turned into a fangirl when they were introduced: "She told me she's followed me all her life. She told me, 'You've been my idol since I was a child. I've hero worshipped you all my life.'" The world-renowned chimpanzee expert also revealed that Harry's interest in her work was further sparked after he welcomed his son. "We talked about Roots and Shoots and I said, 'Of course you're interested now, you have a baby,' and he said, 'Of course!'" Dr. Goodall shared. "When you bring a child into the world, you have to worry about the future. If we don't make change, we don't have a future. It's as simple as that."

Prince George celebrates a birthday

Prince George turned 6 on July 22. To mark the occasion, Kensington Palace released three adorable photos that were snapped by his mother, Duchess Kate, including these two taken in their garden at Kensington Palace. While the photos were celebrated, George's attire in two of the pics — a shirt featuring the England Lionesses soccer team logo — had its critics, Town & Country reported: Some social media commenters felt that it appeared that George was giving England preferential treatment over Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Others, however, interpreted his sartorial choice as simply a sign that he's a big fan of the sport.

Belgium's royals celebrate National Day

Belgium's royal family — King Philippe and Queen Mathilde along with their four children, Crown Princess Elisabeth, Prince Gabriel, Prince Emmanuel and Princess Eleonore — stepped out to celebrate Belgian National Day in Brussels on July 21. They're seen here descending the steps of the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula following church services on the holiday — one of 10 public holidays in the European country — which commemorates the 1831 investiture of the country's first monarch, King Leopold I, following the Belgian Revolution.

Dutch royal family strikes a pose at annual photoshoot

The Netherlands' royals stepped out for their annual family photoshoot on July 19. King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima and daughters Princess Catharina-Amalia, Princess Alexia and Princess Ariane posed outside Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, one of the Dutch royal family's residences.

The Cambridges' summer vacation plans revealed

It's family vacation time! On July 18, Britain's the Sun reported that Prince William and Duchess Kate and their three kids are taking time off to enjoy their summer holidays and planned to travel to the Caribbean island of Mustique, which is part of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, again this year. "It is incredibly private and incredibly discreet but not remote. They know and trust the staff who work there and they are creatures of habit," a source told the Sun, explaining that it's the second year in a row the couple chose Mustique for their family vacation (they've been there previously too — Kate's family, the Middletons, are also big fans). The island paradise — it's only 1,400 acres — was also a favorite getaway spot for William's late great aunt Princess Margaret, who built a vacation home there.

New foundation name revealed, new office space offered at Buckingham Palace

Nearly a month after it was confirmed that Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan were splitting off from The Royal Foundation, the charitable organization they shared with Prince William and Duchess Kate, to go off and start their own, the couple have named their new endeavor. On July 18, People magazine confirmed that Harry and Meghan are keeping things consistent: Taking a cue from their @SussexRoyal Instagram handle, they're calling their new charitable organization Sussex Royal The Foundation of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. The same day the news broke, the Sun tabloid published a story claiming that there was drama brewing after Harry and Meghan were given up to six large rooms off the lavish master corridor at Buckingham Palace to run their initiatives. According to an insider, "traditionalists are grumpy that such a prime space is being given over to Harry and Meghan, who have perfectly adequate offices already at Kensington Palace." But another source insisted it's all much ado about nothing. "There are a lot of people trying to cause trouble for the Duke and Duchess as a result of this move [from Kensington Palace]," said the second source, adding that the couple's staff will be moved in by the end of the year. "The facts are they were offered these rooms by the master of the household because they are currently unoccupied and used as meeting rooms," noted the second source.

Happy birthday, Duchess Camilla!

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall marked her 72nd birthday on July 17 with a work trip — and an incredible cake. She and husband Prince Charles were in the midst of a three-day tour of Cornwall and Devon when her birthday arrived. The couple attended the National Parks Big Picnic celebration at Exmoor National Park in Simonsbath, England, on July 17 and were greeted with a specially commissioned cake inspired by the landscapes of Britain's national parks. Charles certainly seemed delighted to help his wife cut into the enormous confection!

The Sussexes make Time magazine's latest prestigious list

On July 16, Time magazine released its fifth annual The 25 Most Influential People on the Internet list and two of Britain's royals made the cut for their global impact on social media and their overall ability to drive news: Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan. The couple — who launched their own joint Instagram account in April, @SussexRoyal — broke a Guinness World Record when they hit 1 million followers within the first five hours and 45 minutes of their account's debut and have since (as of late July) racked up a total of 9.2 million followers. "The Sussexes' forward-thinking, cause-oriented approach to social media fits neatly with other ways they are establishing their identity beyond the crown," Time wrote, explaining why the couple earned a spot on the unranked list that also includes social media powerhouses like music's Ariana Grande and BTS, politics' Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and President Donald Trump, beauty vlogger James Charles, teen sensation JoJo Siwa and others.

A Malaysian royal's messy split and paternity drama

There's a lot to unpack here: Last year, Sultan Muhammad V of Kelantan — who was elected king of Malaysia in 2016 — married former Miss Moscow Rihana Oksana Voevodina, first in a secret Islamic ceremony in Malaysia in June 2018 following her conversion to his faith (he was 48 at the time; she was 26), then again in her native Russia last November. In January 2019, he surprisingly stepped down as the country' 15th king (the title is rotated every five years among the nine Malaysian royal houses) — reportedly to devote himself to his controversial bride, whose past as a reality show contestant and bikini model offended some conservative Malaysians — just two years into his term, becoming the first monarch ever to abdicate. Then in May, his wife gave birth to their first child, Tengku Ismail Leon Petra Tengku Muhammad V Faris Petra. But in mid-July, there was another shocker: It emerged that the sultan had quietly divorced his bride weeks earlier in June after just a year of marriage — and that he did it, a lawyer confirmed, by uttering the word "talaq" three times, which is the most severe and irreversible form of divorce in Islam, the Straits Times reported. Though Oksana publicly denied a divorce, lawyer Koh Tien Hua told The Sunday Times it had indeed happened, then escalated the drama when he called into question baby Leon's paternity, saying, "There is no objective evidence as yet as to the biological father of the child." On July 21, Oksana wrote on Instagram, "I am so proud that Malaysian blood flows in the veins of my son." Two days later, a source told MailOnline of the sultan, "While he will provide for both of them, he seems to have disinherited the boy."

Goop goes royal

Back in May, Princess Martha Louise of Norway revealed in a lengthy Instagram post that she's in a romantic relationship with a man she describes as her "twin flame" — Derek Verrett, also known as Shaman Durek, who's a frequent spiritual wellness adviser on Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop site. On July 15, Princess Martha Louise revealed that she's now getting to know Gwyneth too. "Meeting amazing people that make us grow is such a gift of life, don't you think? Meeting @gwynethpaltrow was such a gift," the royal captioned a slideshow of selfies with Gwyneth and Derek on Instagram. "Your wisdom, strength, your clear vision and soft personality with a great sense of humor is so inspiring. Thank you for being who you are and for receiving us all with open arms. So looking forward to our next encounter. 💗🙏 Who inspires you to grow? #newfriends #inspiring @shamandurek."

The circle of (royal) life

On July 14, two worlds collided when members of Britain's royal family showed up to celebrate the European premiere of Disney's "The Lion King" remake at the Odeon Theatre in London's Leicester Square. Prince Harry escorted wife Duchess Meghan to the event where the devoted wildlife supporters met with the film's cast (more on that in a minute) as well as representatives from groups working on conservation efforts. The Walt Disney Company had previously announced #ProtectThePride, a global conservation campaign to support efforts protecting the rapidly diminishing lion population across Africa, and — as the @SussexRoyal Instagram account explained — made a donation to Harry's "upcoming environment & community initiative which will be formally announced this autumn." Meghan, who stunned in a black Jason Wu dress, was overheard calling the outing "a date night for us," People magazine reported.

British royalty meets music royalty

The Beyhive was buzzing after seeing photos and video of the Duchess of Sussex meeting the Queen of the Pride Lands at the London premiere of "The Lion King" on July 14. Duchess Meghan and Beyonce — who plays lioness Nala in the flick — hugged, held hands and very clearly bonded as they chatted ahead of the premiere. Beyonce called Meghan "my princess" and gushed about the Sussexes' son, Archie, saying the "baby is so beautiful," Cosmopolitan reported. Video reveals Prince Harry telling Bey and husband JAY-Z that Archie had reached a milestone and has started holding his neck up, while the rapper and father of three — as reported by the Daily Mail — dropped a little parenting advice on Harry, telling him, "The best advice I can give you: Always find time for yourself."

"Down-to-earth" duchess gets real about pressures on her marriage

Two more stories that made headlines following the London premiere of "The Lion King"? Duchess Meghan's interactions with these Hollywood stars. Comedian Billy Eichner, who plays Timon in the film, was caught on video worrying about protocol moments before meeting Meghan and Prince Harry and, during an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (via The Hollywood Reporter), later recounted what happened. "I completely freaked out, although they were very, very nice and totally chill and down-to-earth and lovely," he said. "Meghan and I went to the same college — Northwestern. We were both theater majors. I didn't know her when we were in theater. So we had this strange conversation about our acting teachers." It also emerged that after Pharrell Williams, who has a song on the movie's soundtrack, praised Meghan and Harry's love, telling them, as reported by ITV, "It's so beautiful, your union. Love is amazing. It's beautiful. Don't ever take that for granted, what it means in today's climate. I want to tell you, it's so significant for so many of us. Seriously. It's significant. We cheer you guys on," Meghan replied: "Thank you. They don't make it easy."

Double duchess tennis time!

Duchess Kate and Duchess Meghan had a girls' day out on July 13 as they sat together (alongside Kate's little sister Pippa Middleton, not pictured) in the Royal Box at Centre Court at London's All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to watch Meghan's pal Serena Williams take on Simona Halep in the Wimbledon Women's Final. After months of headlines claiming the sisters-in-law were feuding amid tensions between their husbands, new headlines gushed about how friendly and in sync they seemed at Wimbledon. "There is a sense of [Meghan and Kate's] relationship strengthening," a source told People magazine — which also reported that motherhood has really given them something to bond over — a few days later. An insider added that the duchesses "were genuine and sweet together" at Wimbledon. When Meghan's close friend Serena lost her match, added an observer, "Kate put her hand out and rubbed Meghan's back to console her."

Ready to write again?

On July 8, DailyMail.com reported that Duchess Meghan — who ran her own lifestyle blog called The Tig before she gave it up to marry Prince Harry — is in discussions to write a regular column for Vogue magazine. She's also reportedly doing a photoshoot and piece for the magazine that would run inside rather than on the cover. "The spread in Vogue won't be a superficial photoshoot — on the contrary, she wants to use it as a platform to make a difference," a source told DailyMail.com, referring to the British version of the monthly fashion magazine. "She is working with Vogue as a contributing editor on a few fabulous stories about the causes that are near and dear to her and it may eventually become a regular column. Anna Wintour [who edits American Vogue] is also part of the talks and is in discussion about running some or all of the stories in U.S. Vogue." The outlet went on to claim that the idea is at least in part inspired by Meghan's human rights attorney pal Amal Clooney, who, DailyMail.com writes, "encouraged the duchess to use the magazine to promote her charity work."

A polo playdate

Just a few days before their Wimbledon outing, Duchess Kate and Duchess Meghan made headlines when they were photographed casually hanging out together with their kids while their husbands played polo on July 10. Meghan cuddled and carried 2-month-old son Archie Mountbatten-Windsor while Kate goofed around with 1-year-old Prince Louis (Princess Charlotte and Prince George kicked around a soccer ball nearby) on a summer day as Prince Harry and Prince William competed in the King Power Royal Charity Polo Match for the Khun Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Memorial Polo Trophy at Billingbear Polo Club in Wokingham, England.

The way they were

Barbra Streisand had a little fun with some old rumors during a performance at London's Hyde Park on July 7. She playfully referenced an old alleged dalliance with Prince Charles as photos of the music legend and the future king decades ago — as well as the newspaper headline "Barbra charms her prince, Charles" — flashed on a screen. "If I had played my cards right, I could have been the first Jewish princess," she quipped, as reported by People magazine. Charles has previously said Babs was his "only pinup" when he was young, and they got a lot of press when he was photographed meeting her in 1974 when she was working on "Funny Lady" (pictured). The two were photographed together again two decades later when Barbra performed at London's Wembley Arena during an event that benefited his Prince's Trust charity. Reports that they once had an affair later emerged. While on stage in July, Babs praised Charles's former wife, Princess Diana (calling her "so kind") and referenced Charles's new daughter-in-law, Duchess Meghan, too when she changed the lyrics to "When the Sun Comes Out" to "When the sun begins to sparkle / like that ring on Meghan Markle," Business Standard reported.

Archie's private christening

Prince Harry and Duchess Meghan's first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was christened by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the Private Chapel at Windsor Castle in Windsor, England, on July 6 — the same day he turned 2 months old. Rather than allow media photographers to snap away as family members and guests arrived for the baptism as other senior royals have done, the couple sparked criticism because they chose to keep the blessed event private (they also bucked tradition and chose to keep Archie's godparents' names private). Instead, they shared two images with the world after the fact via their @SussexRoyal Instagram page. In this picture, the couple and Archie are pictured in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle with Duchess Camilla, Prince Charles, Doria Ragland (Meghan's mom), Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale (the late Princess Diana's sisters) and Prince William and Duchess Kate. Archie wore, according to tradition, a replica of the Honiton Lace royal christening gown that was commissioned by Queen Victoria during her reign.

Support for a famous friend

Duchess Meghan surprised tennis fans when she took a break from maternity leave on July 4 and showed up — notably wearing jeans and a gold "A" necklace — on day four of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London to watch close friend Serena Williams beat Kaja Juvan.

Prince Harry speaks about being a role model for son Archie

Prince Harry gave some insight into how fatherhood has changed him when he spoke about "the power of the invisible role model" during the National Youth Mentoring Summit — which is run by The Diana Award (a charity set up in memory of his late mother) — on July 2, one day after what would have been his mom's 58th birthday. Harry explained that a role model could be "the person who may be sitting here today that doesn't realize that someone looks up to them that — for that person — you inspire them to be kinder, better, greater, more successful, more impactful," he said, as reported by the "Today" show. "Perhaps it's the newfound clarity I have as a father knowing that my son will always be watching what I do, mimicking my behavior, one day maybe even following in my footsteps."

Duchess Kate wears white to Wimbledon

Duchess Kate made royal watchers swoon when she arrived for the second day of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships — she's not only an avid tennis player herself but Wimbledon's royal patron — at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London on July 2 wearing a crisp white Suzannah dress with a black Alexander McQueen belt and an official Wimbledon bow in the club's purple and green colors.

The Prince of Wales celebrates a major anniversary

July 1 is a notable day for Britain's royals for many reasons. It's Canada Day — the day the British Commonwealth nation celebrates the union of three colonies joining into a single dominion within the British Empire. It's also the birthday of Prince William and Prince Harry's late mother, Princess Diana. And in 2019, July 1 also marked the 50-year anniversary of Prince Charles's investiture as the Prince of Wales. His mother, Queen Elizabeth II, formalized his title in a televised ceremony filmed at Caernarfon Castle in Wales back on July 1, 1969, as family members including his grandmother Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, father Prince Philip and sister Princess Anne looked on.