Thursday evening UK news briefing: Prince Harry and Meghan's Oprah interview opening a 'Pandora's box'

Sussexes bullying probe welcomed by alleged victim

It has been another day of high drama for the Royal family and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's Oprah interview does not even air until Sunday in the US. One of the Duchess's alleged victims has welcomed an investigation by Buckingham Palace into claims of bullying. The Palace confirmed its HR team would look into the circumstances outlined in the various allegations. Read on for the key figures at the centre of the bullying claims. Of course this comes as the Duchess accused the Palace of "perpetuating falsehoods" about her and Prince Harry in a new trailer for their Oprah interview. Dominic Green believes the spectacle will confirm America's suspicion that Britain is a land of vile snobs while Camilla Tominey analyses what will come next for Prince Harry and Meghan as they open a "Pandora's box which is going to be really difficult to close". Here is how you can watch the interview in the UK.

All this is taking place as the Duke of Edinburgh remains in hospital, with Buckingham Palace announcing he has undergone surgery for a pre-existing heart condition. Prince Philip, 99, will remain in hospital for several more days having been transferred from the private King Edward VII hospital to St Bartholomew's Hospital, a leading cardiac unit, on Monday. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard will not launch an investigation into allegations of criminality by the journalist Martin Bashir over his controversial interview with Diana Princess of Wales 25-years ago.

Budget to put one in six in 40pc tax band, says IFS

One in six UK taxpayers will be faced with 40pc income tax by the end of this Parliament under Rishi Sunak's Budget plans, compared with one in 15 back in 1990, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has estimated. However a leading economist has told the Chopper's Politics podcast the economy will recover more quickly than most people anticipate. It comes as the UK faces potential retaliation from the EU for Boris Johnson's unilateral decision to delay the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol. However, Britain has claimed a "Brexit bonus" after the US agreed to suspend tariffs on UK goods imposed in the fallout from a battle between America and the EU over illegal state aid for aircraft makers.

German vaccine U-turn and Italy blocks exports of jabs

Germany has made the AstraZeneca Covid vaccine available to over-65s in a reversal of its previous policy. The about turn - in light of new data from a Scottish government study - comes as Europe is gripped by vaccine uncertainty, with Italy set to administer just a single dose to those who have recently recovered from a Covid infection in a move apparently aimed at saving shots amid a stuttering EU inoculation rollout. Italy also became the first country to impose an EU export ban on vaccines after blocking a shipment of 250,000 AstraZeneca jabs to Australia. As France risks entering another lockdown, Ambrose Evans-Pritchard analyses why Emmanuel Macron is now the joker as Europe blunders into a fateful third wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

At a glance: More coronavirus headlines

• Fighting mutations | Vaccines tweaked for variants to be fast-tracked

• Exploiting ease up | Police urge vigilance amid terrorist warnings

• Meeting up | Four in 10 over 80s break lockdown rules after vaccine

• Travel boost | Spanish holiday bookings soar on 'green corridor' hopes

• Back to school | Essential checklist for your children's big return

Also in the news: Today's other headlines

Sturgeon under fire | Nicola Sturgeon has suggested she may try to cling on as First Minister even if an independent inquiry finds she broke the ministerial code of conduct in the Alex Salmond scandal. The day after her marathon eight-hour appearance, she endured a fiery First Minister's Questions at Holyrood. Meanwhile, a Tory member of the committee said she broke the ministerial code by making "untrue" statements and should step down. Read on for details.

• English nationalists | Equality laws can protect from discrimination

• Discrediting BBC | China 'using Big Tech firms to attack broadcaster'

• Risking safety | Why Pope Francis is committed to Iraq visit - analysis

• Apple probe | Investigation into 'unfair' App Store claims

• SpaceX Starship | Elon Musk's rocket lands before exploding - video

Around the world: US Capitol braces for QAnon attack

The US Capitol is braced for a possible attack by QAnon conspiracy theorists who believe that Donald Trump will retake the presidency today. House members were sent home on Wednesday and much of the political centre of Washington DC is fenced off as police warn of "a possible plot to breach the Capitol". Read why March 4 matters to pro-Trump conspiracy theorists while Nick Allen takes a look at the heirs emerging as the Republicans search for the new Trump. For more analysis, you can sign up to our Letter from the USA newsletter here.

Thursday interview

'I couldn't have coped with pregnancy while I was in Girls Aloud'

Nadine Coyle talks to Claire Newell about balancing motherhood with performing - and why she's glad she no longer has to go to fancy parties

Read the full interview

Comment and analysis

• Henry Hill | More than ever, PM must hold firm on refusing indyref2

• Molly Kingsley | This madness of masks in schools will cause anarchy

• Matthew Lynn | It's right to make the poorest pay some tax

• Sherelle Jacobs | The young face a lifetime bill for lockdowns

• Julie Burchill | Why does listening to pop in lockdown make me cry?

Editor's choice

1. Brexit threat | Is this the end of the great British supermodel?

2. Grown-up debate | My adult son says he won't have a jab. How can I convince him he's wrong?

3. The five stages of grief | The dreaded World Book Day is back

Business and money briefing

Working from home | Aviva plans to ditch more than 500,000 sq ft of office space and is on the hunt for a smaller London headquarters as it adapts to a permanent shift towards working from home.

• Oil prices rise | Opec considers raising output

• Airline grounded | Lufthansa to shrink in wake of record €6.7bn loss

• On top of markets | Live stocks and shares updates 24 hours a day

Sport briefing

Fourth Test | England's batsmen fell short again as they gifted India the upper hand in Ahmedabad on the opening day of the final Test in the series which the tourists trail 2-1. Read on for details as Tim Wigmore analyses how England's bizarre team selection left them exposed.

• Inside Newcastle's civil war | Bruce's bust-ups and fury over leaks

• Meet Charlie McNeill | Man Utd academy's goalscoring phenomenon

• Inside Line | How can Maro Itoje tread the fine line defensively?

Three things for tonight

• Watch | Piers Morgan's Life Stories with Rupert Everett, ITV, 9pm

• Book | The best theatre where you will be able to get tickets in 2021

• Play | The best gaming consoles that money can buy

And finally... for this evening's downtime

Fasting and a Peloton habit | He has put the country on a diet, but what are the secrets behind the Chancellor's svelte physique? Guy Kelly exanimes how Rishi Sunak keeps his belt tightened.