Julio Cortez / AP file

Jay-Z and Beyonce.

Prince William liked it so he put a ring on it, but did he also ask Beyonce and Jay-Z to perform at his wedding reception? That's the buzz coming from the Daily Star, anyway.

A source close to the royals told the publication, “Both William and Kate are massive fans of Beyonce and Jay-Z. They really wanted to make their big day even more special and what better way than by getting pop royalty to perform at the party?”

The Palace did not confirm or deny the rumor, and reps for Jay-Z and Beyonce did not respond to TODAY.com's requests for comment.

As for whether "99 Problems" might become a problem at a Royal event, the source said the musical performance would be part of a less-formal reception. "Will and Kate will have an official reception for hundreds of dignitaries before throwing a less formal bash for loved-ones," the source said.

Related content:

• The latest on the wedding at The Windsor Knot
• Beyonce slideshow

Exciting news!

TODAY

Find the Telegraph's full article here.

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The quaint Victorian house where Kate Middleton spent her time as a young girl growing up will be auctioned off in June. It may not be fit for a queen, but this four-bedroom, semidetached house is on the market for £460,000, or about $743,000, and the selling price could go as high as £550,000, or $888,000, Bloomberg reported. That’s a pretty big markup from the £39,000 that the Middletons paid for the house in 1979.

It was in that house, called West View, that Carole Middleton started her successful mail order business, Party Pieces. While they lived there, the couple added a playroom and extended the kitchen, but few changes have been made since.

 "It truly gives you a sense of how normal Kate's early life was," said NBC's Michelle Kosinski, who took a tour of the now-famous property, including a peek at the cozy kitchen and Kate’s master bedroom. "It was really her parents that propelled the family to success, sending their children to the best schools, and you have to wonder if Kate doesn't sometimes stop and think, 'Is this really me?' "

The Middletons moved to Bucklebury, about four miles away, in 1995, when Kate was 13.

“It’s always possible that someone will buy it as an investment, because if Kate becomes queen someone might even want to open it as a museum one day and charge people to see it,” Dudley Singleton, the auctioneer handling the sale in Pangbourne on May 31, was quoted as saying in the Telegraph.

“There’s also a chance that someone could look to buy it as a holiday let, but if it sells to someone who just wants it as their home I’m not sure the royal connection will attract a huge premium.” 

Mario Testino / Reuters

Mario Testino, the photographer who snapped the now-iconic official engagment portraits of Prince William and Kate Middleton, has opened up to vogue.com about the session, and he has nothing but good things to say about the royal lovebirds.

Testino had photographed the prince several times before, and met Kate at a few social occasions, but this was his first session with the princess-to-be. Still, "I already felt confident that she would be an easy sitter," the lucky shutterbug confided.

"I  had noticed how beautiful she usually looks in the press and how stylish she is," Testino added. "It was a real treat to photograph her."

The photographer also explained why Kate's simple white dress was chosen for the formal portrait: "Two people in love have a glow," he said. "I wanted that to be the subject of the picture, not what they were wearing."

Testino also revealed that as the photos were being taken, he was playing the same music that played when he photographed Princess Di: French singer Dalida performing "contemporary informal music" to keep everyone relaxed. Looks he made the right choice!

Kevin Lamarque / Reuters

The president and first lady were dressed to the nines for a Kennedy Center Honorees Reception at the White House earlier this month -- but if the U.K. Daily Mail has it right, they won't need to break out their glad rags for Will and Kate's wedding.

The U.K. Daily Mail is reporting that President Obama and first lady Michelle Obama will not be invited to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton next April. The British tabloid cites "a senior courtier" as saying that "The guest list is still being drawn up and could change, but as things stand it’s right (to say Mr Obama will not be invited)."

The Mail claims that because William is not yet heir to the throne, the wedding is not an official state occasion and Will and Kate are more interested in having people who work for William's many charities and just plain folks among the 2,000 guests at their "people's wedding" than dignitaries and VIPs. However, the Mail says that French President Nicolas Sarkozy and wife Carla Bruni will likely be invited.

But state occasion or not, not inviting the Obamas would certainly be a break from tradition. In 1981, for example, President Ronald Reagan and wife Nancy were invited to the wedding of Charles and Diana (Nancy came, but the president, recovering from an assassination attempt, stayed home).

In assessing the credibility of the Mail's report, it should be noted that the tabloid has had to pay out hundreds of thousands of pounds in high-profile libel cases involving celebrities over the past decade alone. On the other hand, the newspaper has broken its share of scoops as well.

Matthew Childs / AP

Prince William, left, with British Prime Minister David Cameron and David Beckham during a meeting in Zurich to discuss the 2018 World Cup.

Looks like two of Britain’s most powerful couples are becoming friends. Though Prince William and soccer superstar David Beckham were unsuccessful in lobbying to have the 2018 World Cup held in England (the tournament will take place in the Russian Federation), now come reports that their significant others – Kate Middleton and Victoria Beckham - are planning to meet for tea.

“David, Victoria and the kids are spending Christmas in the U.K., so William thought it would be lovely to have them over. Victoria is really excited. She can't wait to meet them, particularly Kate,” Now Magazine quoted a source close to the couple as saying.

Perhaps Kate will hit up the fashion-forward Victoria for advice about choosing a wedding dress. The former Posh Spice has drawn rave reviews for her designs, even snagging a nomination for designer brand of the year from the British Fashion Awards.

David makes no secret of the fact that he is a fan of Prince William, and although the wedding guest list is nowhere near final, the Beckhams may be hoping for an invite.

“I grew up in a family that was passionate about the royal family, and a royal wedding will be fantastic for the whole country,” the Daily Mail quoted David Beckham as saying.  But, he added, “I haven’t asked for an invitation yet.”

Reuters

The white Nanette dress Kate Middleton wore in the official engagement photos is no longer in stock.

She may have stylists galore at her disposal, but if her fashion is any guide, Kate Middleton lives up to her reputation as a regular girl.

In the official engagement photographs released over the past weekend, Prince William’s fiancee is pictured wearing what’s known locally as high-street fashion – basically, clothing from stores found in any U.K. shopping area or mall. Hardly the designer digs one would expect from a princess-to-be.

The white Nanette gown she wore in the formal photo, for example, comes from British retailer Reiss, and is said to have sold last season for about $250, while the white “vintage-inspired” silk top she wore while wrapped in Prince William’s embrace sells for about $150, according to the Daily Mail newspaper.

Kate also did her own makeup for her engagement portraits. "Kate had already done most of her makeup the way she wanted – she wanted to look very natural," a source tells UsMagazine.com.

Since the engagement was announced, Kate has become the woman to watch on Britain’s style scene: Anything she’s pictured in is almost guaranteed to send sales soaring. For Reiss, this has meant a real uptick in traffic since the photos were splashed across the front page of nearly every U.K. newspaper last Sunday.

Reiss

The white Nanette dress Kate Middleton wore in the official engagement photos has sold out, but British retailer Reiss will have a new version available next month.

But in what’s sure to be considered a stroke of bad luck, the Nanette dress is no longer available in stores. The retailer, which has nine stores in the U.S., is scrambling to meet the newfound demand, and will have a new version of the dress available in January 2011. Whistles also plans to re-release its white silk blouse in early 2011.

“Kate has been a customer of Reiss for some time now and we are absolutely delighted that she chose to wear one of our dresses for such a wonderful occassion” said David Reiss, founder and managing director. “We wish both Prince William and Kate Middleton all the best for the future.” And for those who can’t wait another month for the future, a recent listing on eBay featured the dress, with tags still on, selling for about $715.

Last month, retailers saw a run on the royal blue Issa dress Kate wore to announce her engagement. At about $715, the dress sold out and instantly. Within days, it spurred knockoffs from value retailers, like Tesco, which is selling its “Kate dress” for about $25.

For more about Kate's style, watch the video:

Reuters

Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton pose in one of two official engagement portraits, taken by photographer Mario Testino on Nov. 25.

The official engagement photos of Will and Kate have been released, and they provide a stark contrast to the images of a clearly shocked Prince Charles and Camilla caught in a student riot in London last week. Taken by the celebrated Mario Testino – the favorite photographer of Prince William’s mother, Princess Diana—the informal engagement shots were taken just after the announcement, and they reveal a couple “in their prime and brimming with love,” Testino said. There is speculation that their release was timed to divert attention from the unpleasantness surrounding Charles and Camilla—but with anarchist groups threatening to disrupt the royal nuptials, will security and cost issues darken Will and Kate’s big day? Watch the video: