Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie swept into Germany today for their mini-adventure - a two-day tour of the country promoting the UK.

The well-dressed pair buzzed around the trendy German city in a Union jack-branded Mini on the first day of a tour which has been funded privately by their father, Prince Andrew, and is widely perceived as an attempt by the Yorks to fightback against Prince Charles efforts to cut them out of the royal picture.

The Goring hotel in Kensington, which sprung to fame when it was occupied by the Middleton clan before the Royal Wedding, has been awarded a royal warrant by the Queen.

The family-owned London hotel was the focus of the world's media when Kate Middleton stepped from its doors on her way to marry Prince William.

The Goring Hotel has been awarded a "Royal Warrant of appointment to HM The Queen for Hospitality Services", the hotel said in a statement this week.

Seems like the nude pictures really did his pulling power no harm: Prince Harry has been crowned Town & Country magazine's top bachelor in the world, beating out 39 other handsome, wealthy, and perpetually single men for the top spot.

The magazine describes the list, which features 40 fabulous gents, as "a highly subjective, thoroughly opinionated survey of the princes, politicians, scions, DJs, and billionaires-to-be we consider the most eligible men in the universe."

It credits Harry’s skills when it comes to both flirting and flying for his desirability, saying: "Prince William's baby brother flirts and flies Apache helicopters with equal aplomb."It says he likes "Bardot blondes; polo ponies and goofing off" and describes his 'natural habitat as either Mayfair nightclubs or "the caves of Tora Bora".

The list also features Jack Nicholson, Charlie Rose, George Hamilton Patrick Schwarzenegger and his cousin Conor Kennedy.

Catherine Zeta-Jones joked that 'saucy' Prince Charles had got a little too familiar with her boobs while pinning a medal on her chest when she appeared on the David Letterman show last night.

Shown a picture of her being presented with the award, Catherine said: ‘Look at his hands! Check out his hands, I dunno. I love the royal family but he is being a little saucy."

Letterman asked: "Is that to do with the award?"

She replied: "No. I just think that’s my breast actually."

The kiss may have been awkward, but their marriage wasn't a sham.

 Prince Albert of Monaco has accepted a high court apology and substantial damages from the Sunday Times over "seriously defamatory allegations" that he had entered a sham marriage with Charlene Wittstock.

The prince sued the News International paper following the publication of the article in July 2011 for damages of more than £300,000, but the high court heard on Tuesday morning that the exact settlement has yet to be agreed. The Sunday Times will also pay Prince Albert's legal costs.

Pippa Middleton sure does love her European aristocrats. Last time she went to a big Euro-bash, it was her pal Arthur de Soultrait in Paris who was hosting - and we wound up with toy gun-gate.

This time she's joined the Freres, Belgium's richest family for a hunting party in which six wild boar and nine deers were killed, according to Belgian newspaper La Capitale.

The hunt in Gerpinnes, south of Charleroi, took place in December and was organised by the two grandsons of Belgian billionaire industrialist Albert Frere, William, 27, and Cedric, 28.

The Frere family  refused to comment to La Capitale about whether or not the Duchess of Cambridge's sister was present, saying only 'hunting is a private affair'.

It's the kind of death that would suit the most dramatic of fashionistas - being killed by the revolving door at Vogue House.

And yesterday, that grim fate befell Tatler magazine's in-house mascot, a young Dachsund named Alan, arguably the most well-connected dog in Britain.

The revolving door through which  generations of celebrities and stylists have walked into the offices of Vogue, GQ and Tatler was transformed into the jaws of death for Alan - or Alan TBH Plumptre to give him his full name - after the small beast bounded forwards into the revolving door when being taken out for a walk by a hapless staffer whose identity has not been revealed.

It was by all accounts a grisly scene, but contrary to early reports on Twitter, Alan was not decapitated by the door, but although the London Fire brigade arrived on  with ten men to try and free him, he was pronounced dead at the scene.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie may have been squeezed off the royal payroll, but the feisty young princesses clearly have no intention of vanishing quietly into thin air. The girls will roar back into the public eye on Thursday when they will whizz through the streets of the German city of Berlin in a Union Jack-branded Mini, as part of a British trade push in the city.

The trip – organized by the British government’s Foreign Office who invited the young princesses to be part of it – will be read by many as a symbolic fightback by the glamorous York girls, who were squeezed out of this year’s Jubilee celebrations when they were excluded from the balcony appearance by Prince Charles, who has let it be known they will have to get jobs and cannot expect to be supported by the royal firm.

A source said the girls were ‘happy’ to be asked to participate by the Foreign Office. The girls’ father, Prince Andrew, who had to resign as trade ambassador after his friendship with pedophile Jeffrey Epstein was exposed, will likely see it as vindication of his belief that his girls still have much to offer their country.

Here at the Royalist we like to keep up with what's going on international royal circles, even though our own royals are clearly the most interesting.

In Euro-royal news, the King of Spain is facing further questions about his relationship with blonde German aristocrat Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, who famously accompanied him on an elephant-hunting trip while his country battled austerity.

The latest incident involves the King's son-in-law, Inaki Urdangarin, who is accused of embezzling public funds through a non-profit organisation he headed on the island of Majorca.

Kate has made it clear that she doesn't want to employ a nanny for their baby, but that doesn't mean she couldn't use a little help around the house.
The couple are advertising for a full-time Person-Friday to look after their home and walk their dogs.

The royal couple are advertising for a "discreet, loyal and reliable" servant to help manage their house, according to job notice posted on Buckingham Palace's internal employment board, which calls for someone to provide "a high standard of housekeeping" for William and Kate at their new Kensington Palace home.

"Discretion, loyalty and reliability are paramount," the advertisement reads. "Attention to detail, together with a flexible and pro-active approach is essential."

As well as cleaning, main duties include, walking the couple's dog Lupo, polishing silver and glassware, running errands, preparing basic meals and doing laundry — all in 37 hours a week (though the successful candidate must be willing to work extra hours when required).

The Royal baby is due in July, it was announced today.

And sources told the Royalist today that Kate's twelve week scan showed that Kate is NOT having twins, sparing the young royals a succession headache which could have arisen in the case of a caesarian delivery of twins. There are twins in both William and Kate's bloodlines.

In a short official statement,  St James' Palace said, "Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to confirm they are expecting a baby in July. The Duchess's condition continues to improve since her stay in hospital last month."

It is believed that Kate has now had her 12-week scan. The couple were bounced into going public with the news of the pregnancy  at a very early stage after Kate became extremely ill with a rare and acute form of morning sickness and had to be admitted to hospital. She may have been less than eight weeks pregnant at that stage as she is now thought to be between 13 and 14 weeks.

Her first official portrait may be hideous, but Kate and her bump were a thing of beauty as they visited the National Portrait Gallery together with babyfather William today.

Kate smiled broadly as she was confronted with her first official portrait, which appears to show her in ten years time, and clutched her hands protectively over her burgeoning belly. She wore a simple dress from high street chain Whistles.

OMFG! What happened? How does one manage to make a gorgeous, youthful and lithe woman like Kate look like this elderly spinster?

Believe it or not, this is not some provocative project cooked up by an attention seeking art student (or Morrissey) aiming to show us what Kate would look like if she was twenty years older, smoked, never washed her hair and ate junk food, but her first official portrait.

Obligingly, Kate has declared herself 'delighted' with the result, but few of Kate's fans seem likely to agree with he generous assesment. The Royalist, just back from vacation so excuse the long silence, is, quite frankly, horrified, shocked and astonished. It's an 'unwelcome home' present.