The developer behind Elden Ring has suggested it is looking to dive back into single-player games after The Duskbloods, ahead of its network test this weekend. 

FromSoftware has built its name on predominantly single-player games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne, but its recent titles have been geared towards multiplayer. 

Both Elden Ring: Nightreign and its next game, The Duskbloods, require you to play with others online. In the case of the latter, it combines player versus player (PvP) and player versus environment (PvE) elements in matches for up to eight players. 

For anyone adverse to multiplayer, it’s perhaps not an enticing prospect – but it sounds like the studio is looking to get back to single-player games for its future projects. 

Speaking to IGN, FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki said there was never a plan to release two multiplayer games back-to-back, it just happened that way because ‘both of those ideas just coincided’.

‘It’s funny because there was never really any big plan that these two games [Nightreign and The Duskbloods] would both release next to each other,’ Miyazaki said. ‘I mean, that’s a different director, but both of those ideas just coincided with being multiplayer games. 

‘It’s not necessarily some big reveal saying that this is the direction we plan to go moving forward. We still have a heavy focus on single-player content as well. This is just something that happened to work out the way it did.’

Miyazaki went on to indicate that the studio is looking to go the other way for its next project, adding: ‘But, it’s like, the more you work on something multiplayer for a long time, if anything, it scratches that itch only to want to make something single-player again.’

Elsewhere in the same interview, Miyazaki described The Duskbloods as an outlet for ideas that ‘didn’t really fit in the context of a single-player game’. 

As for why it’s a Switch 2 exclusive, FromSoftware’s president said Nintendo ‘seemed very excited and very receptive’ to the pitch of The Duskbloods, which gave Miyazaki ‘a lot more reassurance for moving forward’ with the idea. 

He went on to explain that FromSoftware’s shortcomings when it comes to tutorialisation also played a factor in collaborating with Nintendo. ‘The onboarding tutorials and making sure players understand how the game works and how to succeed in the game is something we’ve historically not been super great at conveying instantly,’ he added.

‘We’ve definitely just dropped players in and hoped they would figure it out. Nintendo is definitely the right partner for better conveying that information in a way that is understandable to the player; it definitely suits their strengths.’

What is The Duskbloods? 

The Duskbloods is a PvPvE game with battle royale elements. Each match pits eight players against each other across four timed phases, where players are eliminated as the match progresses until there’s one last person left standing. 

The overall goal is to gather Virtue, which you can earn by defeating other players, wiping out bosses and other smaller threats in the open world, or by exploring and discovering Virtue-infused corpses. By the fourth phase, the top three players with the most Virtue advance to an arena battle to decide the overall winner in a final confrontation. 

What time does The Duskbloods network test start and can I still join? 

Unfortunately, it’s no longer possible to sign up for the network test. The application period closed in late July and successful applicants have already been sent codes.

For those who have signed up and were successful, you can check out the network test schedule below. It’s set to begin from today at 11am BST. 

A release date for The Duskbloods is yet to be announced, but it’s slated to launch later in 2026. 

Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter.

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For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.

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North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information after a series of ‘vehicle interference incidents’ in Tadcaster earlier this week.

They say that vehicles in the town were targeted this week between Wednesday (August 19) and Thursday (August 20) in the Meadow Way area, with one vehicle left with the doors open and receipts scattered throughout the car after the glovebox was searched.

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“As part of ongoing enquiries, officers have identified that other vehicles in the area may also have been targeted during the same time period. CCTV footage believed to show a person involved has been obtained and is currently being reviewed,” said a spokesperson for the force.

They also issued a reminder to residents to ensure their vehicles are blocked, valuables were hidden, and asked them to report any suspicious activity around vehicles in their neighbourhood.

Anyone with information, who witnessed anything, or with any footage is asked email Nicholas.Woods@northyorkshire.police.uk, contact the police through their website or live chat, or call 101.

Please quote reference 12260162315 when providing information.

ISLAMABAD (AP) — The family and opposition party of imprisoned former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Friday accused authorities of violating a Supreme Court order by taking him to a government hospital for a medical examination instead of a private hospital designated by the court.

Khan’s sister Uzma Khan told a news conference she was present at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, a government-run hospital in Islamabad, when Khan was brought there overnight.

Khan’s personal physician, Faisal Sultan, said he had been escorted to Shifa International Hospital, where he waited for Khan until early Friday. He said he was eventually told that Khan had returned to Adiala prison in the garrison city of Rawalpindi.

The accounts came hours after Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Khan had been returned to prison after doctors examined him and found him medically fit.

Tarar said authorities took Khan to the public hospital because of security concerns involving supporters of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, or PTI, who had gathered outside Shifa International Hospital or were heading there. He said Khan was found to be in good health.

Dozens of journalists gathered outside the private hospital overnight after Khan’s party said he was being taken there. Authorities deployed heavy security around the facility.

Khan’s sister said that during a meeting with her, Khan complained that he had been kept in solitary confinement, which she said amounted to mental torture for him.

Suhail Afridi, a senior PTI leader, also accused the government of violating the order by taking Khan to the public hospital.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that Khan be examined at Shifa International Hospital by a medical board that included specialists and one of his personal physicians. On Thursday, government minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry wrote on X that the government would fully comply with the Supreme Court ruling.

The government maintains that under existing prison rules, inmates receive medical treatment in prison and can be transferred to government hospitals when necessary.

Concerns about Khan’s health intensified in late January after his family said he had lost about 85% of the vision in his right eye, a claim the government disputed. Authorities later said his condition was improving.

The former cricket star turned politician was ousted in a parliamentary no-confidence vote in April 2022 and has been imprisoned since 2023 after being convicted in multiple cases.

The Cotswolds, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly moving to imminently, might feel a million miles away from glitzy Montecito, the Californian enclave the couple are trading in for a new chapter in the UK. 

While the former is a picture-perfect portion of rural England, all honey-coloured villages, thatched cottages and rolling hills, Montecito is more sprawling gated mansions and mountain-to-ocean views. 

However, there’s one thing both places very much have in common, and it’s likely to have influenced the Duke and Duchess’ thinking about their potential new home. 

The ratio of mere mortals to celebrities is disproportionately high; you can rub shoulders with an A-lister at the drop of a hat in these discerning destinations on opposite sides of the Atlantic.  

And while, just like in Montecito, many celebrities reside on vast estates away from prying eyes, they do occasionally come out to play, with the Cotswolds’ raft of historic pubs their favourite port of call. 

From Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi to the Beckhams, Kate Moss, Liam Gallagher, Jeremy Clarkson and Damien Hirst, there are famous faces galore who call the Cotswolds home.

The area’s most famous resident – and one who was there long before the rest – is Harry’s father, the King. The prince’s cousins, Beatrice, Eugenie and Zara Tindall, are also regularly spotted in the area.

Over the last 30 years, the Cotswolds has become the rural hideaway of choice for major stars, with the Beckhams regularly sharing snaps of their lives there

Charles’s Cotswolds’ home, Highgrove, close to the royal town of Tetbury, was the venue for the Duke and Duchess’ recent private reunion with the Monarch – a meeting that may have spurred on the couple to return to UK shores with Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

So, where might Harry and Meghan go for a quick pint or a Sunday roast in their new home – and feel right at home… 

An old stomping ground: The Tunnel House Inn 

Cotswold beauty: Just 15 minutes’ drive from Highgrove, The Tunnel Inn is tucked away in rural countryside and was a firm favourite of the royal family before closing in 2020

This remote 18th century pub, tucked away in rural farmland just 15 minutes from the King’s Highgrove estate, was a firm favourite with the young Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex before their high-profile falling out.

The off-the-beaten track pub often saw the brothers sharing a pint while staying at their father’s Cotswolds retreat…but the popular inn was left in need of major restoration after its previous owners called time on running it due to a rental disagreement. 

At one time, speculation suggested that the pub might have been the venue for Prince Harry losing his virginity in 2001 – but the Duke of Sussex clarified in his memoir Spare that the encounter had actually taken place at The Vine Tree Inn, in the Wiltshire village of Norton.  

The centuries-old pub, popular with walkers and close to the small West Country village of Coates, first shut its doors – and boarded up the windows – during the pandemic in 2020.

However, local publican Peter Austen, who also runs The Bell in nearby Sapperton, re-opened the historic pub after extensively renovating in June this year.

Spice up your life: The Fox, Oddington

The Fox (pictured), Bamford’s latest business venture, is a ‘million miles from a traditional Cotswolds pub’, according to Jane, though she notes that it has two ‘traditional’ rooms off the main bar

Owned by Daylesford Organic creator Carole Bamford, wife of billionaire Tory donor and JCB chairman Lord Bamford, The Fox is a character-filled pub with six trendy suites for guests who want to stay a little longer. 

Who might you spy perched at the oak bar, by the large inglenook fireplace, or sinking into the chocolate-coloured armchairs in the Tack Room? Geri Horner and Christian Horner are frequently spotted here.

The Swan Inn, Swinbrook 

Right next to St Mary’s church, where many of the Mitford family are buried, sits The Swan Inn at Swinbrook. This down-to-earth rural pub on the River Windrush has likely heard a few tales, with former Prime Minister, now Lord David Cameron of Chipping Norton, a regular. Other politicians have also been known to thrash out the country’s future while dining on a classic pub dinner.

‘Poshest pub in Britain’: The Wild Rabbit, Kingham

The bar at The Wild Rabbit, described as a ‘modern interpretation of a traditional country inn’

When it opened in 2013, The Wild Rabbit, also from Lady Bamford, the undisputed Queen of Cotswolds cool, it was dubbed the ‘poshest pub in Britain’.

Who might you find tucking into the highly-rated menu? David and Victoria Beckham have been seen enjoying family meals here, while Kate Moss is also a fan. 

And should Harry and Meghan fancy a rave up, Pete Tong will host a Day of the Dead DJ set there in November. 

The royal family has a long-standing love affair with the Cotswolds, with Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, right with Harry at Trooping the Colour in 2015, regularly spotted lunching in pubs there 

An F1 favourite: The Killingworth Castle, Wootton 

When Sir Winston Churchill stayed at Blenheim Palace in the 1930s, he would occasionally slip away for a spot of lunch at The Killingworth Castle. 

Opened in 1637 by Thomas Killingworth, this centuries-old public house is still enjoying the attentions of the rich and famous, and particularly those with a passion for speed – F1 stars Jenson Button and George Russell, and Geri and Christian Horner have all been spotted enjoying a pint or two.

Million dollar question: The Falkland Arms, Great Tew  

If Beyoncé and Jay-Z do seal the deal on those 58 acres, The Falkland Arms in Great Tew is likely to be the region’s newest A-list residents’ local boozer.

The pub has pedigree when it comes to famous people supping there; indeed millionaire television producer John Lloyd came up with the idea of long-running quiz show QI while at the bar. 

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi have all been spied dining here, as have Benedict Cumberbatch and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Cousins’ catch-up? The Bull, Charlbury  

In good company: Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are fans of the The Bull in Charlbury

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Former The Great British Bake Off star Prue Leith is a fan of this 16th-century foodie pub with rooms on Sheep Street in Charlbury. 

She told the Daily Mail in 2024: ‘We’re spoiled for great pubs in the Cotswolds and my current favourite is The Bull. ‘It still looks like a proper pub, not some decorator’s fantasy, and the food is just great – unpretentious, hearty and cooked with imagination and talent.’

Indeed, the grub is now so sophisticated, The Bull ranked 11th on the Estrella Damm’s Gastropub list this year. 

What might Prince Harry drink if he pops in? A pint of Steady Rolling Man pale ale, from DEYA Brewery, is a local favourite. 

Those who’ve also been spotted popping in for a Sunday roast include Robbie Williams, Ellen DeGeneres, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice and Jeremy Clarkson.

Lunch with Camilla: The Bell at Charlbury  

Just one letter separates this pub from its also popular peer The Bull in the gorgeous market town of Charlbury. 

This 17th-century coaching inn is also part of the Daylesford empire and attracts a similar clientele to The Wild Rabbit and The Fox – well-heeled, basically. 

Who might you share the bar with? Queen Camilla has been known to lunch here. 

Regal patrons: The Woolpack Inn, Slad  

Overlooking the Gloucestershire valley that was made famous by Laurie Lee in Cider With Rosie, the Woolpack Inn is an unpretentious Cotswolds pub that knows how to host a sing-a-long – with the pub piano often the focal point. 

You Magazine’s Food Critic Tom Parker-Bowles, Queen Camilla’s son, is a regular thanks to this cosy boozer’s ‘really excellent food’. 

Lily Allen’s dad Keith Allen used to work behind the bar too.

A motorist is prosecuted every week for risking a head-on collision by driving the wrong way on the motorway, research has found.

Reckless drivers are caught reversing along the carriageway, pulling U-turns next to high-speed traffic and driving backwards in a bid to reach a missed exit junction, court papers show.

Some 31 drivers in the past 30 weeks were charged by police with criminal offences involving driving in the wrong direction on the motorways of England and Wales.

The shocking update comes days after five teenagers died in a catastrophic collision on the M9 in Co Kildare when their BMW crashed while driving the wrong way in a bid to get away from police.

Three sisters and a seven-year-old boy in the other car are still critically injured in hospital.

In June, National Highways data revealed that 947 incidents involving ‘oncoming vehicles’ on England’s motorways had been logged in the 12 months to May 11.

In a recent court case, Ervis Hatellari, 38, from Woodford Green in north-east London, was convicted after being caught reversing a Nissan Qashqai along the M11 in Essex.

Sergeant Philip Roberts, from Essex Police, said the incident happened at around 10pm on New Year’s Eve 2025 when he saw the car ‘in the hard shoulder and half in lane one of the M11, with reverse lights on, backing up to junction five’.

When Hatellari was pulled over, it turned out his driving licence had been revoked and the vehicle was being driven while uninsured.

At Chelmsford Magistrates Court on July 27, Hatellari was fined £660, banned from driving for a year and also ordered to pay £120 costs and a £264 victim surcharge.

In another case, van driver Daniel Udrescu, 57, apologised for a ‘moment of poor judgment’ when he was caught reversing up the slip road for the M6 toll motorway in Cannock, Staffordshire.

He told police when pulled over, at around 10.30pm on April 29, that he was ‘attempting to get to Glasgow and went the wrong way’.

The officer also spotted that the driver’s seat belt was clipped in place, indicating that Udrescu was not wearing it while driving.

He pleaded guilty last month to both offences at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court and was handed three penalty points, a £445 fine, £120 in costs, and a £178 victim surcharge.

In a third case, Innocent Ayodele, 32, an NHS worker from Manchester, apologised to a court in May after he was caught trying to escape a traffic jam on the M61 by driving the wrong way up an entry slip road.

PC Peter Weatherstone, from Greater Manchester Police, told the court he spoke to Ayodele to ask ‘what he was playing at driving the wrong way’.

‘I could see another driver at the side of another vehicle whom he could have struck,’ he wrote in his statement.

‘I pointed out the dangers of such behaviour, but the driver seemed totally blatant in his necessary to do this simply because he had finished worked and wanted to get home.’

Ayodele told Preston Magistrates’ Court he was trying to get home to his pregnant wife, but with nine penalty points already on his licence he could now face a ban when he is sentenced.

In June, the National Highways said its data showing 947 incidents of wrong way driving could include unconfirmed reports and it insisted ‘confirmed incidents of wrong‑way driving on motorways remain rare. Every report is treated seriously and acted on quickly’.

Steve Gooding, director of motoring research charity the RAC Foundation, said: ‘To think anyone could drive the wrong way onto a motorway heading into fast-moving traffic is truly the stuff of nightmares.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

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By ED HOLT

Published: 10:17 BST, 21 August 2026 | Updated: 10:54 BST, 21 August 2026

A shopper has been banned from wearing a backless dress inside a Post Office after the owner of the store warned they ‘can’t allow too much exposure’.

The woman, whose name is believed to be Lily, entered the convenience store wearing an outfit which left her back exposed.

She then claims that the postmistress who owns the shop directed her to a note in the window which read: ‘We do understand, it is very hot.

‘But because this is a convenience store of food and Post Office, we can’t allow: topless, backless or just with bra or too much exposure.

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‘Please wear a top before coming in. Thank you for your cooperation.’

The Post Office has since confirmed the existence of the note and that they had spoken to the owner of the store who has since removed the note ‘for now’. 

 It did not reveal the location of the store.

This particular Post Office, like many across the UK, is operated as an independent business and as such is legally permitted to refuse entry based on what a person is wearing as long as the dress code does not discriminate against protected characteristics under the Equality Act.

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The woman, whose name is believed to be Lily, entered the Post Office wearing a dress which left her back exposed. She then claims that the postmistress who owns the shop directed her to a note in the window which read: ‘We do understand, it is very hot

Pictured: The note in the window at the Post Office. The Post Office has since confirmed the existence of the note and that they had spoken to the owner of the store who has since removed the note ‘for now’ 

Lily shared a post on X about her experience in the store and it has since gone viral, gaining over six million views.

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She wrote: ‘I was just told by Post Office staff that my outfit was inappropriate and that, in future, I cannot wear “backless clothing” inside the store and should make sure I’m “covered up”. 

‘I was also directed to the note supposedly from store management. In the height of summer, I really don’t think this is a particularly scandalous outfit?’ 

 In response to her message, the Post Office said it was investigating the matter and they apologised to Lily. 

One X user who responded said: ‘There is nothing remotely inappropriate about this outfit, particularly in the height of summer. 

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‘Businesses shouldn’t be policing women’s clothing like this. Common sense needs to prevail.’

Another said the warning was ‘ridiculous’. 

Lily shared a post on X about her experience in the store and it has since gone viral, gaining over six million views

A Post Office spokesperson told the Daily Mail: ‘We want all of our customers to have a positive experience when visiting a Post Office. 

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‘In this instance, the branch and shop is owned by an independent Postmistress. 

‘She has requested that all customers adhere to a set of clothing standards that is respectful of this space being a convenience store and Post Office and that all customers can feel comfortable when going about buying their groceries or using our services. 

‘We have spoken to the Postmistress and she has said that the note has been taken down for now.’

Rory McIlroy has been a vocal critic of LIV Golf since its inception in 2022 and the four-time major champion was not shy in taking aim at Phil Mickelson when asked about the future of the Saudi-backed league

Rory McIlroy took the opportunity to take a dig at Phil Mickelson when pressed on the future of LIV Golf.

The Saudi-backed breakaway league lost its funding from the PIF midway through the 2026 season, forcing the cancellation of their Michigan team finale and warning staff of potential redundancies, before LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil announced that a new investor had been secured.

However, the identity of the investor and the size of the investment remain undisclosed, leaving LIV’s future shrouded in uncertainty following its controversial arrival on the golf scene in 2022.

In order to establish itself, the league needed players, financial backing, and engaging content, leading them to poach some of the PGA Tour’s biggest names, including two-time major champion Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and six-time major winner Phil Mickelson.

McIlroy, a longstanding critic of the circuit, made his feelings known when asked whether he would take pleasure in seeing LIV Golf fold, reports the Irish Star.

“I think I feel like I’ve kept my position consistent that LIV has never been a good thing for the game,” said McIlroy. “So, and whatever 2.0 looks like, if it even happens, you know, they say they’re trying to be more collaborative and all that. But I, this is, this is the best platform for the top professional golfers in the world.”

LIV Golf’s forthcoming schedule will comprise just 10 events with undisclosed prize funds, although players will receive equity stakes in the league. In the meantime, the PGA Tour has introduced format changes and brought in a new chief executive in a bid to strengthen the quality of the American circuit.

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“Were there some things at the start of LIV that the PGA TOUR could have done better? Sure,” McIlroy continued.

“But I think that, you know, the guys that went, or you look, you think back to the start with, like, say, Phil was unhappy with some stuff or whatever it was. Like, surely that just warranted a conversation instead of blowing the entire professional game up and doing something else.

“So I don’t take any personal satisfaction of people like losing jobs. Like, that, that doesn’t, that doesn’t seem right. I’ve always felt like this is the best place to play professional golf. And I’m pretty sure if the PGA Tour were handed 6 billion dollars it would have done a better job with it.”

LIV Golf is currently holding its season finale in Indianapolis, amid growing speculation that the breakaway circuit could be set to lose several of its marquee names, including Rahm.

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Hartlepool Borough Council said the car park at the Middleton Grange Shopping Centre has been temporarily closed today (August 21).

The council is yet to give a timeframe for when it will reopen, but has said that further updates will be provided when possible.

In a statement, a council spokesperson said: “Due to a maintenance issue, the multi-storey car park at Middleton Grange Shopping Centre is temporarily closed until further notice.

“We apologise for any inconvenience this causes, and a further update will be provided as soon as possible.”

So much for the old adage that there is no news in August (wrong, of course: Britain declared war on Germany in August 1914, the Great Train Robbery took place that month in 1963 and Diana died in August 1997).

The commentators, social-media warriors, Team Sussex/Team Wales tribalists and radio phone-ins now have inexhaustible material to keep everyone busy for the rest of the summer holiday: Where are the Sussexes going to live? Which school for the children? What will they do all day? What was the main reason for their return?

Inside the Royal Household, however, they will already be looking further ahead, charting potential problems before they materialise.

Buckingham Palace is an institution that likes to plan six months ahead. One event that will already have crossed minds in the Lord Chamberlain’s Office, which handles ceremonial matters, will be Remembrance Sunday.

There will be no place for Harry with the rest of the Royal Family on Whitehall or on the Foreign Office balconies because those places are reserved for working members of the family – who undertake royal engagements.

As a military veteran with two tours of active service under his belt, the Duke of Sussex, will, quite rightly, want to honour the fallen along with the rest of the country. But where and how? Whatever he does will incur accusations of seeking to upstage the King and the family.

Might he attend a service with his old regiment? Or might he choose to join one of the organisations with which he remains actively involved?

Perhaps he might join the contingent from Scotty’s Little Soldiers, the charity for bereaved Forces children to which he remains a devoted patron. Their annual appearance, marching past the Cenotaph in their black and gold scarves, brings a tear to the eye of the flintiest old soldier.

The couple will, however, remain private individuals and a return to the royal fold is not thought to be in their plans (Harry and Meghan are pictured after their engagement in 2017)

Remembrance Sunday will no doubt be an occasion which Buckingham Palace have already started planning for – but how, and where, will Harry choose to commemorate fallen soldiers? (the duke is pictured before his 2007 mission in Afghanistan)

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Or what about Christmas at Sandringham? Up to now, the non-appearance of the Sussexes has been easily attributable to geography: they were on the Pacific coast.

But if they are absent while living in Britain, it will be much harder to explain it away, especially when numerous other non-working members of the family are included in the house party. Some will accuse the King of being heartless; others will blame the Waleses.

In one regard, the Sussexes’ astonishing decision to return to these shores more than six years after narrating their own departure (in one of their own documentaries) as a ‘freedom flight’ is entirely true to form: they do love the element of surprise. Whereas, as all courtiers of old have learned, monarchs can handle almost anything but they do hate the unexpected.

Think back to the Sussexes’ announcement of their withdrawal from royal life, late on a January day in 2020, which caught everyone including the late Queen by surprise.

That followed the 2019 announcement that the Duchess had just gone into labour in London when she was already back home in Berkshire with her newborn son – leaving Palace staff and police unwittingly telling porkies to the Press.

Or those mismatched recollections on Oprah Winfrey’s sofa about an alleged racist remark by a member of the family (during pregnancy, according to the Duchess; years earlier, said Harry). Or the catalogue of family secrets tipped out into the public domain via Harry’s memoir, Spare, in January 2023 – at a crucial time midway between the King’s accession and coronation.

Each time, sources close to the couple explained that they could not share details with anyone, including family, for fear of leaks to the wicked media. It is hardly surprising that family, friends and staff found all the furtive plotting of such bombshells so disconcerting and unsettling.

No one, I understand, was more exasperated and dismayed by this than Prince William, an intensely private man. He might have his own issues with the media, yet he understands both that the Press is a fact of life in a free democracy and that a publicly funded monarchy has to be visible and relatable to its public.

For the moment, as Britain and the Sussexes renew their mutual acquaintance, we are presumably likely to see more, not fewer, surprises.

Nonetheless, I sense that, for the King and the monarchy, the positives outweigh the negatives as we examine the return of Harry and Meghan. Until the Sussexes illuminate us all in another interview/book/documentary, we can’t be wholly certain what lies behind yesterday’s announcement. But we can draw certain conclusions.

Harry’s greatest challenge upon his return to Britain will be rebuilding his relationship with his brother, Prince William (The ‘Fab Four’ are pictured in 2022)

Sources suggest that King Charles ‘welcomes’ news of his son’s return to the UK (Charles and Harry are pictured at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022)

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First of all, the couple have clearly decided that they want their children educated here rather than in America. That is about much more than a curriculum or the pronunciation of ‘tomato’ but about shaping a mindset and a sense of belonging.

Archie and Lilibet, currently sixth and seventh in line to the Throne respectively, will grow up feeling that Britain really is home, not an occasional treat. They will retain a broad international outlook through their American heritage, but they will come to absorb the norms and nuances of British life.

They will see their first cousins emerge from the relative privacy of their formative years and go through the usual rites of passage – possibly featuring some sort of military service – and ultimately grow into young members of ‘the Firm’.

As I have learned on several occasions from those close to the Prince and Princess of Wales, they believe that one of their most important duties – as important as William’s own preparations for becoming King – is ensuring George, Charlotte and Louis do not grow up hating or dreading their royal destiny.

If they succeed (and, thus far, they seem to be), then there is unlikely to be a royal role for the junior grandchildren of the current monarch. There has been none for the children of Princess Margaret (grandchildren of George VI) or those of the late Queen’s younger children. 

But the relationships between all those royal cousins – seldom seen except on the balcony at the late Queen’s birthday parade – were important ones. The bonds between Harry and his first cousins – in particular Princess Eugenie – have been vital and enduring. To whom else can you turn for a proper moan about the pitfalls of a second-tier royal bloodline?

Similarly, for the King in his role as paterfamilias, closer contact with his younger grandchildren can only be a blessing. As Supreme Governor of the Church of England and a deep-thinking Christian soul, he will be ready to extend olive sprigs – as long as he is spared a futile reopening of old grievances.

The monarchy has learned to evolve and adapt after graver family crises – post-Edward VIII, post-annus horribilis, post-Diana, post-Andrew (thus far) and it can do so again.

Charles, the father who tried so hard to make things work as a single parent in the aftermath of tragedy, will be inclined towards a rapprochement. Wise Queen Camilla, for all the barbs she has received from the Sussex camp over the years, will support him.

For the King in his role as monarch, however, there are still caveats that will need to be clearly defined and agreed.

In recent years, it has been all but impossible for him to have any sort of normal dialogue with his younger son because of Harry’s role as a serial litigant. In particular, throughout Harry’s long-running court case (plus appeals) against the Government over the question of his family’s security on British soil, the King was constitutionally obliged not to take Harry’s calls.

Archie, seven, and five-year-old Lilibet have already enrolled at a British school ahead of the start of the academic year (The family are pictured together in December 2025)

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Harry and Meghan’s return does not represent happy ever after. There will be bumps in the road, but a divided royal house is a diminished one (pictured in 2022)

As one senior royal adviser put it to me: ‘The King is the fountain of justice. If his son is suing his ministers in his courts then it’s impossible for him to have a normal chat, particularly given Harry’s track record of transmitting his own version of events.’

Every indication is that Harry’s days as a serial litigant are over. That has to be good for his relations with his father.

The greatest challenge, clearly, is rebuilding some sort of bridge with a deeply wounded Prince William. Perhaps they are wounds that will never fully heal but there have been moments of reunion, albeit through gritted teeth – not least after the deaths of Prince Philip and the late Queen. 

Next year’s 30th anniversary of the death of their mother is a moment when the world will be reminded of two brave, traumatised young boys marching behind her coffin. Most British people, I would suggest, would like to see some sort of reconciliation in her name.

There is another component to all this in the form of the Spencer family. Both William and Harry have retained a separate axis with their cousins on their mother’s side. During his recent return to the UK, we understand that Harry took his family to the family seat, Althorp, and to Diana’s resting place. 

We have yet to glean the Princes’ views on the upcoming book on Diana by their uncle, Earl Spencer, but both have long had a close and uncomplicated rapport with her sisters, Sarah and Jane, and their respective families.

Inevitably, this whole process will be harder for the Duchess of Sussex. She will be leaving the familiarity of home once again for a country that she had barely learned to love the first time round, and it is a feeling that remains mutual for many.

This is emphatically not a happy ever after – and there will be umpteen bumps in a long road ahead. But a divided royal house is a diminished royal house. Divisions remain – some perhaps insoluble – but as of today, those gaps have narrowed a little.

For that, as he enjoys the healing atmosphere of Balmoral – his happiest place on earth – the King can be grateful.

A young girl was out shopping with her mum when she was targeted by a predator filming her.

Alex Allegretto has been sentenced after he was caught on CCTV filming beneath the young girl’s skirt in a Cardiff shopping centre.

He then tried to run away, but the girl’s mother challenged him.

The incident unfolded inside St David’s 2 shopping centre on the morning of July 7 when the mum spotted him walking closely to her daughter before putting his mobile phone under her skirt.

Footage shared by the police shows how the angry mother challenged the depraved man as he ran away towards Churchill Way.

The 39-year-old then went to his car parked up nearby, providing a trail for detectives who tracked his movements to nearby Fitzalan Road.

Further checks revealed Alex Allegretto as a named driver on the vehicle, and he was arrested at his home address in Maesteg in South Wales four days later.

He admitted the offence of operating a mobile phone beneath the clothing of another person for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.

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He pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on August 5.

The encounter has left the girl anxious and worried about anyone walking behind her, detectives said.

Allegretto must register with the police for five years under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, do 140 hours of unpaid work and complete Rehabilitation Activity Requirements.

Sergeant Luis Antony, from South Wales Police, said: ‘Everyone has the right to feel safe, wherever they are, and nobody should be subjected to this kind of offence.

‘This incident continues to have an impact the victim. She is worried about people walking behind her and is anxious when out and about.

‘Through extensive CCTV enquiries we were able to track the suspect before, during and after the offence.

‘The footage clearly shows Alex Allegretto’s intentions and what he did to this young girl while she was innocently out shopping with her mother.

‘We hope the outcome at court provides some comfort to her and allows her to rebuild her confidence.’

South Wales Police said: ‘Excellent CCTV work by detectives resulted in this person being brought to justice for upskirting in Cardiff city centre.

‘We follow up as many investigative options as possible, including CCTV, to trace those responsible for committing crime and to get justice for victims.

‘And in this case, it proved crucial.’

Upskirting became a criminal offence in England and Wales in April 2019 after campaigning by victims.

Gina Martin was enjoying The Killers concert in Hyde Park in 2017 when she was targeted by a voyeur, who took a picture of her crotch.

He reported it to the police, but found out the man had not broken any laws, which set off the campaign that saw thousands of women share their experiences of upskirting before the major legal change.

Since upskirting became a crime under the Voyeurism Act, police forces have logged more than 1,000 incidents, including hundreds of children as victims.

Britain’s public transport network has seen a rise in upskirting crime, with hundreds of women having been targeted while travelling since 2021.

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