Royal news – live: King Charles and family cancel string of engagements following election announcement

The royal family have postponed engagements that “may appear to divert attention or distract from the election campaign” after Rishi Sunak called a surprise summer general election.

Buckingham Palace said the King and Queen sent their “sincere apologies” to those affected, after Charles agreed on Wednesday to the Prime Minister’s request to dissolve Parliament for an election – for the first time in his reign.

Meanwhile, a new portrait of the Princess of Wales has sparked a debate online after commentators argued that it looked nothing like Kate Middleton.

The painting, by British-Zambian artist Hannah Uzor, features on the forthcoming edition of Tatler magazine and was created in honour of the Princess’s “courage and dignity” when announcing her cancer diagnosis.

There have been claims that Prince Harry rejected the King’s invitation to stay in a royal residence on his recent trip to the UK.

According to The Telegraph, Harry turned the invitation down because it had no taxpayer-funded security provision.

He opted to stay in a hotel where he “could come and go unseen”.