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Queen Camilla shares update on Kate Middleton

<p>Queen Camilla has shared an update on Kate Middleton's wellbeing while chatting to the public during a royal engagement. </p> <p>While attending the Farmers’ Market in Shrewsbury on Wednesday, hundreds of royal fans gathered to catch a glimpse of Camilla, and to pass on their well wishes for the Princess of Wales in the wake of her cancer diagnosis. </p> <p>Two young girls greeted Queen Camilla with handmade posters that read "Send our love to Kate".</p> <p>Camilla promised she would pass the message on before telling the crowd, “I know that Catherine is thrilled by all the kind wishes and support.”</p> <p>The update comes in the days after Kate's shocking announcement that cancer had been detected during a planned surgery in January. </p> <p>In an emotional video message to royal fans, the Princess of Wales shared that she is undergoing preventative chemotherapy and thanked members of the public who had been concerned about her health. </p> <p>In the moving clip, the 42-year-old royal she said her diagnosis was a “huge shock” but vowed she was “going to be OK”.</p> <p>Camilla was said to be a pillar of support and in regular contact with Kate following her diagnosis.</p> <p>The 76-year-old has also been Charles’ “rock” following his own cancer shock and wants to be as supportive for Kate.</p> <p>The Queen has continued to carry out all of her royal duties and attended many events by herself after urging Charles to slow down.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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Queen Camilla's hilarious reaction to becoming a Royal Barbie Girl

<p>In a moment that could only happen in the whimsical world of royalty, Queen Camilla found herself face-to-face with an unexpected miniature version of herself during a reception at Buckingham Palace.</p> <p>But this wasn't just any Barbie doll; it was a bespoke creation, meticulously crafted in Her Majesty's likeness, complete with her signature style and regal flair!</p> <p>The Queen's reaction was nothing short of priceless, as she quipped that the designers had managed to shave off a good few decades from her appearance. "You've taken about 50 years off my life," she joked, "we should all have a Barbie."</p> <p>One can only imagine the possibilities if all it took to turn back the clock was a custom-made doll! However, the hilarity didn't end there. Despite the uncanny resemblance between Queen Camilla and her plastic counterpart, there was a slight wardrobe mishap that caught Her Majesty's discerning eye.</p> <p>It seems she had inadvertently misplaced her WOW badge, wearing it on her dress instead of her cape, unlike her miniature twin. Oh, the horror of a mismatched ensemble in the halls of Buckingham Palace! One can only imagine the flurry of royal assistants scrambling to rectify the situation, lest the fashion police be summoned.</p> <p>But among the giggles and guffaws, Queen Camilla seized the opportunity to reflect on a more profound message, delving into the history of women's rights and the symbolism of two stones preserved from a 1914 suffragette protest. As she eloquently put it, "These stones were picked up and handed to Queen Mary, who decided to keep them for posterity. I thought today we might, to quote Shakespeare, find 'sermons in stones'."</p> <p>Indeed, the juxtaposition of a miniature Barbie and historical artefacts provided a reminder of the progress made in the fight for gender equality, while also serving as a testament to the timeless spirit of hope and resilience embodied by women throughout history.</p> <p>In the end, Queen Camilla's encounter with her Barbie alter ego may have been a lighthearted affair, but it also served as a reminder that even in the most regal of settings, laughter and humility are never far from reach. After all, who says queens can't have a little fun with their plastic doppelgängers?</p> <p><em>Images: Getty / YouTube</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Sarah Ferguson makes first public appearance since skin cancer diagnosis

<p>Sarah Ferguson has made her first public appearance since her <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/fergie-reveals-second-cancer-diagnosis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">skin cancer diagnosis</a> was announced almost two weeks ago. </p> <p>The Duchess of York made an unexpected appearance at the <em>Haute Living Celebrates The Haute 100</em> event in Miami, Florida on Monday. </p> <p>Fergie rocked a military-style black and white blazer over a black dress for the cocktail event, and appeared happier than ever as she posed for the cameras. </p> <p>The 64-year-old was pictured cuddling up to and interacting with fellow guests at the event. </p> <p>This comes just two weeks after the Duchess <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/fergie-breaks-silence-amid-second-cancer-battle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opened up</a> on her second cancer diagnosis in a year. </p> <p>"I have been taking some time to myself as I have been diagnosed with malignant melanoma, a form of skin cancer, my second cancer diagnosis within a year," she said in the Instagram post at the time.</p> <p>She also recently opened up on her recovery from breast cancer, following her mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.</p> <p>The Duchess expressed her gratitude to her two daughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, for their constant support. </p> <p>"My two wonderful daughters are my wholehearted cheerleaders, my devoted champions and my soulmates, and they have been as supportive as can be, as they always are," she told <em>People magazine </em>at the time.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty </em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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"One people, one family": King Charles breaks silence after cancer diagnosis

<p>Amidst concerns and heartfelt wishes, King Charles III has released a statement following his shocking cancer diagnosis.</p> <p>In his first public comments since beginning his treatment, the monarch, while recuperating at Sandringham, expressed his sincere regrets for not being able to attend a significant upcoming event. His words, filled with warmth and gratitude, were directed towards the people of Grenada, a nation close to his heart.</p> <p>As Grenada celebrates its 50th anniversary of independence, King Charles III, although physically absent, sent his love and congratulations, reminiscing about his cherished visit to the Caribbean gem in 2019.</p> <p>“I can only say how sorry I am that I cannot be with you in person to mark this momentous milestone," he wrote. “My thoughts are with everyone across Grenada, Carriacou and Petit Martinique – ‘one people, one family’ – as you celebrate everything you have achieved and all that your future holds. My family join me in sending our heartfelt congratulations to you all.”</p> <p>Despite undergoing treatment, King Charles III's commitment to his duties remains unwavering. Buckingham Palace has reassured the public that while he may step back from public gatherings, he will continue to fulfil his constitutional responsibilities, including regular meetings with the British Prime Minister.</p> <p>The positive update on King Charles III's health was echoed by Queen Camilla, who, during her recent appearance at Salisbury Cathedral, shared encouraging news about her husband's progress. Surrounded by the tranquility of the cathedral, she expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support and well wishes they have received during this challenging time.</p> <p>In a video shared by ITV royal reporter Chris Ship on X, the queen said: "He's doing extremely well under circumstances. We are very touched by all of the letters and messages." </p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Caring

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First photos of new royal baby emerge

<p>Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg is every bit the proud grandmother as she took to Instagram to share photos of the newest royal family member, Prince Balthasar Felix Karl. </p> <p>Prince Balthasar is the third child of Prince Felix and his wife Princess Claire, and the Grand Duchess' seventh grandchild. </p> <p>"What a great joy the arrival of Balthasar, our seventh grandchild, born on January 7 in Luxembourg," she captioned the series of photos. </p> <p>The Grand Duchess, 67, was pictured with a huge smile on her face as husband Grand Duke Henri, 68 cradled Prince Balthasar. </p> <p>In another photo, Prince Felix and Princess Claire are pictured with their older children Princess Amalia, 9, and Prince Liam, 7, with Prince Balthasar fast asleep in his mother's arms. </p> <p>The third photo shows Grand Duchess Maria and Princess Amalia posing on the hospital bed as the Grand Duchess cradles her grandson. </p> <p>The Grand Duchess ended the series of photos with two pictures of her grandkids holding their new baby brother.</p> <p>The birth of Prince Balthasar was announced on Monday in a statement which read: "The newborn Prince will be named Balthasar Felix Karl. He weighs 3.220 kg (7lbs 1 oz) and measures 50 cm.</p> <p>"Prince Balthasar and Princess Claire are in perfect health."</p> <p>The Grand Duke and Grand Duchess share five children – Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume, Prince Felix, Prince Louis, Princess Alexandra and Prince Sebastien.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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“Privileged inbreds”: The Project host slams Charles and Camilla

<p dir="ltr">King Charles and Queen Camilla have been slammed by a co-host of <em>The Project</em>, who labelled them as “privileged inbreds” in the wake of their Christmas card. </p> <p dir="ltr">Nick Cody and the panel reacted to the royal family’s Christmas card, which shows Charles and Camilla posing in their royal regalia. </p> <p dir="ltr">The King and Queen stood in a stoic pose wearing their robes and towering crowns, with the message inside reading, “Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The monarch’s choice of attire didn’t go down well with Cody, who made his disdain for the couple clear on Monday night’s show. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0upAphhvLF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0upAphhvLF/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Project (@theprojecttv)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“I just need a moment here because, guys – I have some huge news from the weekend,” Cody began sarcastically. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Yes, the rumours are true. King Charles and Queen Camilla released their official Christmas card. I just want to say what everyone in Australia is thinking right now, thank you.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“Thanks very much, guys. It’s a wonderful festive treat that absolutely nobody asked for, and yet you delivered,” he continued, eliciting laughs from the panel and audience members. </p> <p dir="ltr">“You two look like a randy couple approaching me at a bar at 3am to say that you’ve been watching me and really ‘dig my vibe’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Cody then went on to highlight the ongoing cost of living crisis in both Australia and the UK, and how out of touch the card seemed to many people who are struggling. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0pagR3M5fD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C0pagR3M5fD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“I love the brazenness of the card statement too,” he continued. “Sure, people in Australia and the UK are struggling to pay bills and put food on the table this Christmas. They’re doing it tough. But despite all that external noise and the fact you gave yourself a massive 45% pay rise this year, you still found the courage to pose for this picture while wearing a $9.5 million hat. Your family jewels must be epically large, mate. Respect.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The Project</em> presenter then went on to double down on his criticism, and revealed that he’d made his very own Christmas card just for the royal couple.</p> <p dir="ltr">“So, as a small gesture, I have made this Christmas card for you,” said the star, before showing a picture of himself sitting on the toilet giving the King and Queen the middle finger. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I hope you enjoy it. Like you, I also shot it in May while sitting in my personal throne room. To Charles and Camilla, from me, Nick, the colony’s other privileged inbred, Merry Christmas!”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: The Project</em></p>

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He's back! Charles and Camilla's secret "son" drops DNA bombshell

<p>The Australian man who has long claimed to be the secret child of King Charles and Queen Camilla has shared the details of a wild plot to extract his DNA. </p> <p>The 57-year-old man from Queensland revealed he was tracked down by an American woman, who claimed she was the illegitimate child of the late Prince Philip, and attempted to get a DNA sample from the man. </p> <p>Simon Dorante-Day has made headline around the world with his claims that he is the son of Charles and Camilla, which he says are the results of decades worth of research. </p> <p>“My grandmother, who had worked for the Queen, told me outright that I was Camilla and Charles’ son many times,” he said.</p> <p>Now, in an interview with <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/aussie-man-who-claims-to-be-charles-and-camillas-son-drops-biggest-ever-dna-bombshell-c-12788618" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>7News</em></a>, Dorante-Day shared the story of how he was tracked down by the American woman, who knocked on his door in the early hours of the morning on December 2nd. </p> <p>The 57-year-old and his wife Elvianna were immediately skeptical of the woman, who said she used a private investigator to track him down. </p> <p>“This woman claimed that she was the secret illegitimate daughter of Prince Philip who lived in San Francisco,” Dorante-Day said.</p> <p>“She explained that she had travelled from the US after hiring an investigator to track me down in Queensland. The whole purpose of her visit was to ask me for a sample of my DNA."</p> <p>“She wanted to compare it to hers, to basically prove that we were both related to the royal family.”</p> <p>After humouring the woman and letting her share her evidence along with her elaborate story, Simon concluded that the whole thing was a scam, along with an illegal attempt to extract his DNA.</p> <p>“This woman had a lot of so-called proof to back up her claims, but the whole thing just seemed really fishy,” he said.</p> <p>He recalled how the woman shared her own adoption story, which resulted in her turning to the FBI for help, who allegedly handed her her original birth certificate, which listed Prince Philip as her father. </p> <p>“Of course my bulls*** meter is flying off the handle at this point. I know how hard it is to get any government authority to address these sorts of issues — I hardly think the Federal Bereau of Investigation would just offer up the fact that she was the daughter of the Queen’s late husband," Simon said. </p> <p>“It was all just wild.”</p> <p>The Queensland father and grandfather said it wasn’t long until the woman gave away her real reason for wanting his DNA: money.</p> <p>“She said that she’s already been given a large payout from the royal family after she proved she was the daughter of Prince Philip,” he said.</p> <p>“And she felt that if she was able to compare my DNA to her DNA, and prove we were both descendants of the royal family, then we could ask them for even more money."</p> <p>“Elvianna and I told her what we’ve said to everyone from day one — this isn’t about money for us, at all. This is about us finding out who my birth parents are and protecting my family. We have never wanted money.”</p> <p>After saying goodbye to the pair, Dorante-Day said he and his wife were left reeling.</p> <div> <p>“At the end of the day, this was an illegal attempt to procure my DNA,” he said. </p> <p>Despite the whole experience leaving Dorante-Day and his wife rattled, he said his stance on proving that he is Charles and Camilla's son has not changed. </p> <p>“It takes a lot of work, money and time to build a case like this, but I am confident I will get there,” he said.</p> <p>“I know Charles and Camilla are my parents and I’m ready to prove it.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Supplied</em></p> </div>

Family & Pets

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Duke and Duchess ordered to shorten their baby's name

<p>In a world where baby names have become battlegrounds for parental creativity, one Spanish duke is learning the hard way that there's such a thing as too much of a good thing.</p> <p>Meet Fernando Juan Fitz-James Stuart y de Solís, the 17th Duke of Huéscar and heir apparent to the dukedom of Alba. He and his wife, Sofía Palazuelo, recently welcomed their second child into the world, and they didn't hold back when it came to naming her. In fact, they let their imaginations run so wild that they've run into a bit of a royal roadblock.</p> <p>Their darling daughter was bestowed with a grand total of TWENTY-FIVE NAMES.</p> <p>Yes, you read that right. It's like they were trying to set a new record for the world's longest moniker.</p> <p>The poor girl's full name is Sofía Fernanda Dolores Cayetana Teresa Ángela de la Cruz Micaela del Santísimo Sacramento del Perpetuo Socorro de la Santísima Trinidad y de Todos Los Santos.</p> <p>In English, that translates to "Sofía Fernanda Dolores Cayetana Teresa Ángela de la Cruz Micaela of the Blessed Sacrament of Perpetual Help of the Holy Trinity and All Saints." Young Sofia would almost certainly need perpetual help writing that out on school and official documents were it not for the obstacle now preventing the 'normous name from sticking.</p> <p>Now, before you start thinking this was just a case of overly enthusiastic parents throwing every possible name they could think of at their child, hold on a moment. There's a method to this naming madness. Each of those 11 names was carefully chosen to honour important family members, including her mother, grandmother, father and great-uncle. The couple also included a nod to religious devotions, just in case little Sofía needed some divine intervention to carry her name around.</p> <p>However, the Spanish Civil Registry, apparently not a fan of name-related acrobatics, has thrown a royal wrench into the works. According to their rules, a child's name must contain "no more than one compound name and no more than two simple ones".</p> <p>In other words, they're putting a cap on the number of monikers a person can have, and Sofía's name blew right past that limit like a speeding chariot.</p> <p>So, the Duke and Duchess find themselves in a bit of a naming pickle. They need to trim their daughter's name down to size, and that's not a task for the faint of heart. After all, it's not every day that you have to decide which family member's name makes the cut and which one gets the royal snip.</p> <p>In the meantime, young Sofía will no doubt need a papyrus scroll just to keep track of all those names – and if she ever loses her way, she can simply follow the trail of syllables to find her identity again.</p> <p>This entire baby-naming escapade is reminiscent of the late Duchess of Alba, who for a time held the Guinness World Record for "most titled aristocrat", holding more than 50 titles in her lifetime. She passed away in 2014 at the ripe old age of 88, and w<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">hile the young Duke of Huéscar may not be aiming for the world record, he's certainly giving it a good-natured run for its money.</span></p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Queen Camilla pays tribute to Queen Elizabeth with a historic first

<p>Queen Camilla has honoured her late mother-in-law with a special tribute at a royal engagement in London. </p> <p>King Charles and Queen Camilla attended a reception at Mansion House in London on Wednesday evening, where the monarch called for unity amid increasing tensions over the conflict in Israel.</p> <p>At the event, Queen Camilla donned Queen Elizabeth's favourite tiara for the first time in a subtle display of respect for the late monarch. </p> <p>Camilla chose the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara for the event, which was worn by Queen Elizabeth regularly throughout her historic 70-year reign.</p> <p>The diamond headpiece was first seen on Elizabeth II in the first official photographs of the new monarch, taken on February 26th 1952, just 20 days after her accession to the throne.</p> <p>It was later worn during Her late Majesty's first visit to Australia in 1954, and became her most worn headpiece throughout her time as Queen. </p> <p>Queen Camilla paired the tiara with two other of the late Queen's beloved pieces of jewellery, the South African diamond necklace and bracelet.</p> <p>The Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara originally belonged to Queen Mary, who received it as a gift in 1893.</p> <p>It then came into Elizabeth II's collection in 1947 when Queen Mary gave it to her granddaughter as a wedding present.</p> <p>At the royal event, King Charles gave a speech as he called for peace in Israel and Palestine, referring to himself "as King and as a father and a grandfather" as he appealed for calm.</p> <p>He said, "I have often described the United Kingdom as a 'community of communities'; an island nation in which our shared values are the force which holds us together, reminding us that there is far, far more that unites us than divides us. Yet we are living in something of a watershed age."</p> <p>"Do we pause, instinctively and unerringly, before speaking or acting to ensure we are affording equal weight to both sides of the balance? Our society would be a kinder and gentler place for it."</p> <p>"Such understanding, both at home and overseas, is never more vital than at times of international turmoil and heart-breaking loss of life."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Queen Camilla meets . . . Princess Margaret?!

<p>In a collision of regal proportions, the world witnessed an unforgettable convergence of the fictitious and the real, as the one and only Helena Bonham Carter, famous for her portrayal of the indomitable Princess Margaret in seasons three and four of <em>The Crown</em>, found herself in the splendid company of none other than the Queen Consort herself, Camilla, at Clarence House.</p> <p>The rendezvous occurred at a glitzy reception held to celebrate 30 years of the Forward Arts Foundation. The Foundation, on a mission to spread the love of poetry throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, decided to throw this soiree just as London was gearing up for another artistic extravaganza: Frieze Week. Clearly, this was a battle for the city's cultural heart, and poetry had the honour of setting the stage.</p> <p>The highlight of the evening, however, was the majestic meeting of the minds between Bonham Carter and the Queen Consort. As they locked eyes, it was hard to tell who was more starstruck. The actress executed a curtsey so profound it nearly reached the Earth's core before engaging the Queen in delightful conversation.</p> <p>In a refreshing break from her usual attire, which would make even the most extravagant peacock jealous, Bonham Carter sported a dress adorned with bright florals and black feathers, accented by pink ribbons in her hair. Camilla, on the other hand, stole the sartorial spotlight in an arresting peacock feather print shirt dress that must've made any nearby birds quite envious.</p> <p>But Bonham Carter wasn't content with merely being a guest; she also graced the audience with her talents by reciting a poem. Her choice was William Stafford's "Yes," a poem that would have moved Shakespeare himself to stand up, clap and stomp his booted feet.</p> <p>William Sieghart, the founder of the Forward Arts Foundation, expressed his immense pride in the work of the foundation and thanked the Queen for her involvement, calling it "proof of the pudding" that they were indeed making progress.</p> <p>Among the distinguished guests at this intimate soirée were previous winners of the Forward Prizes for Poetry, including the Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, the actress Karen Bryson, and Bonham Carter’s former <em>The Crown</em> co-star, Natascha McElhone. </p> <p>Speaking of royalty, Netflix's juggernaut series, <em>The Crown</em>, has once again captured our attention. The recent announcement of the November and December release dates for the final season has ignited a whirlwind of excitement and speculation. The promotional artwork for this last hurrah features a moody and atmospheric image of the Queen, played by the talented Imelda Staunton, and a reimagining of the iconic photograph of Princess Diana poised on the diving board of a yacht in Portofino, just a week before her untimely departure from this world.</p> <p>While fans eagerly anticipate the upcoming season, it hasn't been without its controversies. Critics have <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/tv/major-twist-in-store-for-final-season-of-the-crown" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised their eyebrows at reports</a> suggesting that the show will include depictions of Princess Diana's "ghost". </p> <p>Bonham Carter herself, who graciously passed her fictitious tiara to Leslie Manville for the final seasons, has spoken out about the show's duty to distinguish between fact and artistic license. During a chat on the show's official podcast back in 2020, she insisted that <em>The Crown</em> carries a "moral responsibility" to remind viewers that this is a work of fiction inspired by facts, not an educational documentary. It's a reminder to us all that even the fanciest of crowns can come with a little disclaimer.</p> <p>So, as the final season of <em>The Crown</em> approaches, we can only wonder what other regal surprises are in store for us. In the meantime, let's raise a glass to the poetic evening at Clarence House, where fact met fiction, and where, for a brief moment, we were all kings and queens of our own whimsical kingdom.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Tragic end for pensioner struck by royal motorcade

<p dir="ltr">Helen Holland, the 81-year-old woman who was struck by a police motorcade escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh, has died. </p> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/elderly-woman-hospitalised-by-royal-motorcycle-escort">Helen was hit on May 10 at the junction of West Cromwell Road and Warwick Road in west London’s Earl’s Court</a>, and was taken to hospital after receiving treatment from paramedics at the scene.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her family confirmed the news of her passing, telling the<em> BBC </em>that while she had fought "for her life for nearly two weeks”, tragically “irreversible damage to her brain finally ended the battle”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Helen had suffered “multiple broken bones and massive internal injuries” in the crash, despite using the “safe route of [a] pedestrian crossing”, according to her son, Martin Holland. </p> <p dir="ltr">In the wake of the devastating incident, her family had announced that Helen was in a coma, with the police later revealing that she remained in a critical condition. </p> <p dir="ltr">In a statement reportedly shared with <em>Sky News</em>, the family had described Helen as a "beautiful, loving, kind, and caring lady who would always put anyone before herself.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The family are deeply saddened and shocked at the news Helen was involved in such a tragic accident.”</p> <p dir="ltr">They went on to share that while she had been 81 years old, she was “sprightly for her age and nothing stopped her living life to the full, spending precious time with her family, muddy walks with the dogs and lunches with friends is what she enjoyed most”, before asking that everyone keep her in their thoughts and prayers. </p> <p dir="ltr">Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace had announced that Sophie - the Duchess of Edinburgh - had offered her “heartfelt thoughts and prayers” to “the injured lady and her family”, and that she was “grateful for the swift response of emergency services and will keep abreast of developments".</p> <p dir="ltr">An investigation was launched by The Independent Office for Police Conduct soon after the event, and it remains ongoing, with the police watchdog assuring Helen’s family that they would keep them “regularly updated as the investigation progresses".</p> <p dir="ltr">That investigation involved examining footage from neary CCTV as well as footage from police body cameras. Additionally, officers who were present at the scene were to be interviewed, while the organisation sought other witnesses to come forward with any more information they might have.</p> <p dir="ltr">While the family waits for answers, they are also coming to terms with their difficult loss, with Helen’s grandson - Joe Strutter Holland - sharing on Facebook, “rest in peace Nanny (Helen) Holland. One of the kindest and most joyful souls you'll ever of had the pleasure of meeting. Taken before her time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">He went on to note that he was glad his grandmother and his son had gotten the chance to meet, writing 'I'll ensure he knows who you are, till we meet again”. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Facebook, Getty</em></p>

Caring

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Why King Charles III arrived late to his coronation

<p>The reason why King Charles III was late to his own coronation has been revealed, with a military source attributing His Majesty’s tardiness to horse troubles.</p> <p>Six Windsor Greys were carefully selected to pull the Diamond Jubilee State Coach to transport King Charles, 74, and Queen Camilla, 75, from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey on May 6.</p> <p>Their names are Echo, Haven, Knightsbridge, Milford, Shadow and Tyrone.</p> <p>The source told <em>The Telegraph</em> in the UK that the dress rehearsal for the journey took place in the middle of the night when the horses were "quite sleepy and took their time.”</p> <p>"But on the day of the Coronation, they were wide awake and consequently went a lot faster than they had in the practice. That's what threw the timings out," they continued.</p> <p>As the royals arrived at the Abbey, viewers saw a visibly irritated Charles demanding an explanation.</p> <p>Initially, the delay was blamed on the Prince and Princess of Wales who were scheduled to arrive at Westminster Abbey before the monarch but rather arrived a few minutes after.</p> <p>A lip reader told <em>The Guardian</em> that the King muttered, "we can never be on time" and "there's always something”.</p> <p>The Prince and Princess of Wales arrived with their children Princess Charlotte, eight and Prince Louis, five.</p> <p>They were left to join the back of the procession to the altar of the abbey.</p> <p>There had been suggestions they were delayed by filming behind-the-scenes footage of their preparations, which was later posted on social media, but that is allegedly false.</p> <p>Prince George, nine, acted as Page of Honour for his grandfather at the coronation and performed his duties diligently.</p> <p>King Charles, Prince William and Prince George later posed for a “line of succession” portrait.</p> <p>Prince Harry was spotted at the ceremony, taking his seat in the third row with his cousins Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie.</p> <p>His visit was short-lived as he flew home to the US for his son Archie’s fourth birthday later that day.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Lionel Richie spills the one thing “no one knows” about King Charles

<p dir="ltr">Lionel Richie has spilled the tea on his interactions with King Charles over coronation weekend.</p> <p dir="ltr">The American singer, who attended the coronation and headlined the concert at Windsor Castle on May 7, shared some of the highlights in an interview with <em>Extra</em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Richie praised King Charles’ “amazing” sense of humour, and shared how he convinced the Royal Couple to make a guest appearance on <em>American Idol </em>last Sunday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think the highlight for me was that I actually walked up to the King the day after the coronation and said, ‘Would you like to be on “American Idol?” he told <em>Extra.</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Surprisingly, King Charles replied: “Yeah” and asked if it was alright to “bring the queen?”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I've known the King for quite a long time. He does have this amazing sense of humour that no one knows about.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He's a secret comedian, I'll put that out there,” Richie added.</p> <p dir="ltr">“For him to actually take the step and go out of the comfort zone — that was actually his comfort zone, he was hamming it up… It’s so good for the world to know.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Thanks to Richie’s little quip, the surprise cameo made headlines and gave viewers insight into the Royal couple’s playful rapport.</p> <p dir="ltr">The cameo, which was streamed live in the palace’s Throne Room, occurred shortly after Richie performed at the coronation concert.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I just wanted to check, how much, how long will you be using this room for?” King Charles quipped, suggesting that he wanted Richie out of the throne room as soon as possible.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We have to give the room up right away,” Richie replied.</p> <p dir="ltr">King Charles and Richie’s friendship came after the latter was appointed the First Global Ambassador and First Chairman of the Global Ambassador Group for The Prince’s Trust in 2019.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: ABC American Idol/ YouTube</em></p>

Music

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Queen Camilla's damning "proof" in Simon Dorante-Day's case

<p>A seemingly innocent comment made by Queen Camilla to the Archbishop of Canterbury about her relationship with King Charles has become new "proof" in Simon Dorante-Day's claims against the monarch. </p> <p>For several years, 57-year-old Simon from Queensland has claimed that he is the love child of King Charles and Queen Camilla. </p> <p>However, there have been several holes in his fact checking that have seen his claims been slammed. </p> <p>One major blindside in his story is the fact that he was born in 1966, and Charles and Camilla have famously dated their relationship back to when they were introduced by a friend in 1970.</p> <p>When Charles and Camilla first met, they were aged 21 and 22 respectively, and were not photographed publicly together until 1972.</p> <p>However, in a new documentary titled The Real Crown: Inside the House of Windsor, Dr George Carey, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, said their relationship could go back further than initially believed.</p> <p>Dr Carey was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1991 to 2002, and gave his blessing for Charles and Camilla to marry. </p> <p>In the explosive documentary, Dr Carey says Camilla confirmed that her relationship with Charles went “back to when they were teenagers”.</p> <p>The former Archbishop said he met Camilla at his son’s flat in Peckham, London, to discuss the possibility of marrying Charles, who was then the Prince of Wales.</p> <p>He explained they had met at the obscure location to avoid attracting public attention.</p> <p>“She walked through the front door and we had coffee together… we had an animated conversation and we talked about her relationship with Charles, going way back to when they were teenagers,” Dr Carey said in the TV interview.</p> <p>“And after that I decided there was no way I could treat her as anything other than a really nice human being who is deeply in love with Charles.”</p> <p>Dr Carey later gave his blessing for the pair to marry.</p> <p>Dorante-Day has long claimed that his own personal research has shown that Charles and Camilla first became close in 1965.</p> <p>He believes that months later, in the lead-up to when he was born, Camilla disappeared from Britain’s social scene for at least nine months, while Charles was sent to Australia.</p> <p>“I have been unable to find any photos of Camilla from the last months of 1965 or the beginning of 1966, when she would’ve been heavily pregnant with me,” Dorante-Day said.</p> <p>Speaking to <em><a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/queen-camilla-comment-to-archbishop-becomes-explosive-new-proof-in-aussie-simon-dorante-day-royal-love-child-case--c-10543212" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a></em>, Dorante-Day said the new interview with Dr Carey casts doubt over the public history of Charles and Camilla's early relationships days.</p> <p>“My adoptive grandmother said to me, she said to me quite clearly, that Charles and Camilla were your parents,” he said.</p> <p>“So when I looked back in the history of when they got together and if this was even possible, I didn’t just believe it. But I went off and I researched it."</p> <p>“When you go back and you look at the newspapers from the time and read the royal biographies, it was always stated that they first met in 1972 at a polo match in Windsor."</p> <p>“You know, sometimes the media got it wrong and said 1974 or things like that. But that story was always 1972 until I started doing this."</p> <p>“Then royal commentator Robert Jobson changed it to 1970 in a TV interview with me, pushed it back a few years."</p> <p>“People just keep changing the date. It’s interesting to me."</p> <p>“And now the Archbishop’s story, that Camilla said that they went back to when they were teenagers as well. Yeah. Come on."</p> <p>“It’s the first time someone has given a concrete account of when they met, where it wasn’t just reports and changing dates.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Elderly woman hospitalised by royal motorcycle escort

<p dir="ltr">A pensioner in her 80s is in critical condition after a collision with a police motorcycle that was escorting Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh.</p> <p dir="ltr">The rolling motorcade, manned by motorcycle outriders, was escorting the Duchess when the collision happened.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Duchess was being escorted by the Met Police‘s Special Escort Group, who provide armed escorts for Royal Family members, VIPs, protected members of the Government, visiting royals, heads of state and other visiting dignitaries.</p> <p dir="ltr">Met Police released a <a href="https://news.met.police.uk/news/woman-injured-following-collision-with-police-motorcycle-in-west-london-466651#:~:text=A%20woman%20has%20been%20injured,Road%2C%20Earls%20Court%2C%20SW5." target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a> that said: “A woman has been injured after being involved in a collision with a police motorcycle in west London.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At approximately 15:21hrs on Wednesday, 10 May a police motorcycle on escort duties was involved in a collision with a member of the public on West Cromwell Road, Earls Court, SW5.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance attended and a woman, aged in her 80s, was taken to hospital.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She remains there in a critical condition. Her family have been informed”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Road closures were in place and two bikes – one with King Charles‘ cypher – were seen inside the cordon after the collision happened.</p> <p dir="ltr">A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace has said: “The Duchess’s heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the injured lady and her family.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She is grateful for the swift response by the emergency services and will keep abreast of developments.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Further comment at this time would not be appropriate while the incident is being investigated.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

News

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King's-eye-view: Story behind incredibly rare shot from palace balcony

<p>Getty photographer Chris Jackson has shared insight into what it was like to capture the coronation, and watch the moment King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla walked out onto Buckingham Palace balcony from a unique perspective.</p> <p>Taking to Instagram, Jackson shared a rare image that gave the public a small sense of what Charles and Camilla would see from the balcony.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr6FZQwtiE6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr6FZQwtiE6/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Chris Jackson (@chrisjacksongetty)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"An honour to shoot 'behind the scenes' and a never seen before angle from today's historic Coronation, what a day!!!!!! Save a 🥂 for me!", he captioned the post.</p> <p>That wasn’t the only ‘behind-the-scenes' look at the King and Queen’s time on the Palace balcony. Jackson also shared a photo of the pair watching the Royal Navy, Army Air Corps and Royal Air Force doing a flypast.</p> <p>The image shows the aircraft leaving a trail of red, white and blue exhaust as they flew over the proceedings.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr6M3BDNoYw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr6M3BDNoYw/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Chris Jackson (@chrisjacksongetty)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"What a view! What a day!" Jackson captioned the post.</p> <p>King Charles and Queen Camilla were captured waving to the crowd from the Palace balcony following his coronation at Westminster Abbey.</p> <p>The pair travelled to the infamous site in a royal carriage for the long-lived tradition.</p> <p>Charles and Camilla were joined on the balcony by their royal pages and members of the British royal family.</p> <p>Prince William and Princess Katie appeared on the balcony with their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.</p> <p>There were two noticeable absences from the balcony, although neither were expected to be there as only working royals are given the honour of making an appearance on the balcony.</p> <p>Although Prince Harry did attend the coronation, he left shortly afterwards to travel back to the US for his son Archie’s fourth birthday celebrations.</p> <p>Prince Andrew was also present at the coronation but not on the balcony as Charles looks to “slim down” the monarchy.</p> <p>The day marked the first time the royal family appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony since the death of Queen Elizabeth II.</p> <p>The late Queen waved to the crowd from the balcony, accompanied by Charles, Camilla, William, Kate and their children during Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022.</p> <p>She passed away three months later on September 8, 2022, with Prince Charles immediately anointed as King.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty/Instagram</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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A new monarch who is a divorcee would once have scandalised. But Charles’ accession shows how much has changed

<p>King Charles III is the first British monarch who has previously had a civil marriage and a civil divorce.</p> <p>In 1981, Charles, then the Prince of Wales, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/historyofthebbc/anniversaries/july/wedding-of-prince-charles-and-lady-diana-spencer">married Lady Diana Spencer</a> in a fairytale wedding watched by 750 million people worldwide.</p> <p>However, the royal couple <a href="https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/1992-12-09/debates/ecfacae4-f52c-461c-b253-d7c04a299735/PrinceAndPrincessOfWales">separated in 1992</a> and they were <a href="http://edition.cnn.com/WORLD/9608/28/royal.divorce/decree/">divorced in 1996</a>. The marriage had spectacularly broken down.</p> <p>Charles later went on to marry his long-time love interest Camilla Parker-Bowles. They married in a civil ceremony in 2005. This broke with the tradition of royal family members getting married in an Anglican church ceremony.</p> <p>The extramarital relationship of Charles and Camilla prevented them from being remarried in church. But there was a subsequent <a href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/g19135643/prince-charles-camilla-wedding-photos/">service of prayer and dedication</a>. Queen Elizabeth II <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/4289225.stm">declined to attend the wedding</a>, reportedly because it conflicted with her role to uphold the Christian faith as supreme governor of the Church of England.</p> <p>The accession of Charles to the throne is not only politically significant, but also carries religious importance. Charles is the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/king-charles-defender-of-faith-what-the-monarchys-long-relationship-with-religion-may-look-like-under-the-new-sovereign-190766">defender of the faith</a>” and the supreme governor. Charles’ status as a divorcee puts him at odds with his religious roles.</p> <h2>Royal divorces</h2> <p><a href="https://www.history.com/news/henry-viii-wives">King Henry VIII</a> was infamous for having six wives in the 16th century. He annulled his first marriage to Catherine of Aragon. This meant the marriage was never legally valid to begin with.</p> <p><a href="https://archives.blog.parliament.uk/2020/06/02/the-queen-caroline-affair/">King George IV</a> was almost successful in divorcing his wife Queen Caroline in 1820. At the time, divorce could only be granted by Act of Parliament. The trial took place in the House of Lords. The king accused his wife of committing adultery as grounds for divorce. However, Prime Minister Lord Liverpool eventually withdrew the divorce bill due to political pressure.</p> <p><a href="https://www.royal.uk/edward-viii">King Edward VIII</a> was forced to abdicate in 1936 because he wanted to marry an American divorcee Wallis Simpson. This conflicted with his role as supreme governor.</p> <p>While Charles was in a similar position to his great-uncle in his marriage to Camilla, they lived in different worlds. The Conservative government and the Church of England simply could not tolerate Edward’s marriage to a divorcee. It was viewed as an affront to morality. </p> <p>Similarly, <a href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/news/a8139/princess-margaret-peter-townsend-love-affair/">Princess Margaret</a> was pressured to not marry the divorcee Group Captain Peter Townsend. As the sister of the queen, the marriage would have been scandalous in some circles.</p> <p>Queen Elizabeth called 1992 the “<a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-22/2021-could-be-queen-elizabeth-ii-second-annus-horibilis/100643696">annus horribilis</a>” (horrible year) for the royal family. Her three children Prince Charles, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew’s marriages had all broken down. Divorce by then had become increasingly acceptable in society.</p> <h2>Royal civil marriage</h2> <p>Charles had to seek his mother’s permission to marry Camilla. The <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/apgb/Geo3/12/11/1991-02-01?view=extent">Royal Marriages Act 1772</a> stipulated that all descendants of King George II were required to seek the consent of the sovereign to marry. </p> <p>This law was repealed in 2013. Only the <a href="https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2013/20/enacted">first six persons</a> in the line of succession now have to seek the sovereign’s permission to marry.</p> <p>There was controversy at the time whether a member of the royal family could legally marry in a civil ceremony. The <a href="https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/transformingsociety/private-lives/relationships/overview/lawofmarriage-/">Marriage Act 1836</a> permitted civil marriages. But the law stated this did not apply to members of the royal family.</p> <p>The British government released a <a href="https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld200405/ldhansrd/vo050224/text/50224-51.htm#50224-51_head0">statement</a> declaring Charles could legally enter into a civil marriage. The view was the Marriage Act 1949 had repealed the previous legislation. The government also argued there was a right to marry under the Human Rights Act 1998 and the European Convention on Human Rights.</p> <p>The civil marriage of Charles and Camilla symbolised the changing values of society. The view of marriage had shifted from a moral commitment to a celebratory union. This marked the modernisation of the monarchy over tradition.</p> <h2>A modern monarchy</h2> <p>The accession of a divorcee as king a generation earlier would have been unpalatable to many. But Charles embodies the modern character of monarchy and the liberal values of wider society.</p> <p>Charles has recently <a href="https://www.royal.uk/kings-remarks-faith-leaders">affirmed</a> his commitment to Anglican Christianity. This is an acknowledgement of his constitutional role in the <a href="https://www.royal.uk/act-settlement-0#:%7E:text=The%20Act%20of%20Settlement%20of,succession%20for%20Mary%20II's%20heirs.">Act of Settlement 1701</a>. Only Protestant Christians can claim succession to the crown. </p> <p>It also affirms his role as nominal ruler of the Church of England. The monarch still <a href="https://www.churchofengland.org/about/leadership-and-governance">appoints bishops</a> on the advice of the prime minister. Anglicanism is the official state religion of England.</p> <p>Yet Charles is also pushing for a modern monarchy. He has viewed himself as a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/sep/09/king-charles-to-be-defender-of-the-faith-but-also-a-defender-of-faiths">defender of diversity</a>. Upholding a space for multifaith practice and expression of secular ideals form part of the agenda of his reign.</p> <p>The monarchy faces a tension between modernity and tradition. As a divorced and remarried monarch, Charles III represents the reinvention of the crown, an ancient institution that seeks to embrace its role in a multicultural, religiously diverse and more open and tolerant society.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-new-monarch-who-is-a-divorcee-would-once-have-scandalised-but-charles-accession-shows-how-much-has-changed-204544" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

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Astonishing new wax figure of Queen Camilla Consort unveiled

<p>A new tribute to King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla has been unveiled in London ahead of the highly-anticipated coronation.</p> <p>As the Queen Consort prepares for a crowning of her own, Madame Tussauds London has created a wax figure of the 75-year-old wearing a tiara, gown and sash.</p> <p>The statue was first shown on April 27, ahead of being displayed beside one of King Charles’ waxworks.</p> <p>Queen Camilla’s wax figure shows her in a midnight blue dress, made by one of her favourite designers, Anna Valentine, and decked with a royal blue sash and star of the Order of the Garter.</p> <p>The royal is also seen in a replica of the late Queen’s Belgian sapphire tiara and matching George VI sapphire necklace.</p> <p>The necklace was a wedding gift from her father, King George VI when she married Prince Philip in 1947.</p> <p>The Queen Consort was seen in the Belgian tiara at the first state banquet of King Charles’ reign, where they hosted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at Buckingham Palace in November 2022.</p> <p>Both the royal’s Art Deco engagement ring and Welsh gold wedding band are seen on the figure.</p> <p>"Whilst for many people this will be their first experience of a coronation, the Coronation of King Charles III will be the eighth that Madame Tussauds London has celebrated," General Manager Tim Waters said.</p> <p>"We're incredibly proud of our centuries long link with The Palace and what better way to mark the official start of this new chapter in the history of the British Monarchy than with the creation of our brand new soon-to-be Queen Camilla to stand alongside her husband, The King."</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

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Video of Dame Edna's antics with the King and Queen Consort resurfaces

<p>As <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/tributes-flow-for-barry-humphries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">tributes</a> start pouring in for Barry Humphries following his death, a viral video of the comedian making King Charles and Queen Consort Camilla lose their composure has resurfaced.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Aussie entertainer, whose persona included Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson has met the royals on countless occasions, but this one meeting had left a lasting impression.</p> <p dir="ltr">Performing as Dame Edna Everage in the 2013 Royal Variety Performance, Humphries posted a clip of the interaction onto his Dame Edna Everage Facebook page in 2019.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Me with Prince Charles and Camilla at the Royal Variety Show. I absolutely ADORE them!” he captioned the clip, which has now been viewed over 10 million times.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the clip, Dame Edna, who was dressed head to toe in scarlet sequins, her trademark wisteria hair and oversized glasses, bustled into the royal box unannounced.</p> <p dir="ltr">The royal duo immediately burst into laughter at the sight of Dame Edna who acted like she didn’t see them until Charles pointed a finger at her to which she blew a kiss back.</p> <p dir="ltr">Dame Edna, who was enjoying the attention she received from the roaring crowd, sat next to the royal couple and broke protocol by grasping Camilla’s arm.</p> <p dir="ltr">At this point, Charles completely lost it as he audibly guffawed at Dame Edna’s antics.</p> <p dir="ltr">A lackey then walks into the box, taps Dame Edna on the shoulder and whispers into her ear causing her face to drop.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m so sorry,” she said remorsefully as she stood up to leave, as the King and Queen lost themselves in a fit of giggles.</p> <p dir="ltr">“They’ve found me a better seat,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><iframe style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FDameEdnaOfficial%2Fvideos%2F740650273031100%2F&show_text=false&width=476&t=0" width="476" height="476" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p dir="ltr">Fans have commented on the video sending their tributes to Barry Humphries.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This is brilliant. What a legend! She'll be missed,” wrote one person.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There will never be another Barry Humphries . You are the best of us! May you rest in peace!😢” wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Will be missed!! Had endless laughs, so enjoyable to watch. R.i.p,” commented a third.</p> <p dir="ltr">The monarch has also issued a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/tributes-flow-for-barry-humphries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement </a>saying that he was "saddened" by the entertainer’s death.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

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Camilla's unexpected coronation guest

<p>As the royal family prepares for the highly-anticipated coronation of King Charles, an unexpected guest has been revealed to be attending. </p> <p>Camilla's ex-husband, Andrew Parker Bowles, will be present for the coronation in Westminster Abbey in May, as he remains “joined at the hip” with his ex-wife.</p> <p>Andrew and Camilla were married for 22 years before they divorced in 1995. </p> <p>Andrew went on to marry Rosemary Pitman the following year, who died from breast cancer in 2010, while Camilla married the then-Prince of Wales in 2005. </p> <p>Ever since their divorce, the couple have remained close. </p> <p>A friend of Parker Bowles told <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/camillas-naughty-ex-andrew-parker-bowles-is-coming-to-the-coronation-blwlqc9dv" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>The Sunday Times</em></a>, “He arranges so much for her. They have lunch together the whole time. He’s right in there. He was always, and still is, Camilla’s co-conspirator.”</p> <p>One of Camilla’s Queen Companions, the Marchioness of Lansdowne said everyone “loves Andrew” and that he’s a “real charmer but he’s always terribly misbehaving”.</p> <p>She added, “Through adversity they’ve kept a really good family ethic. It helps with their children and grandchildren.”</p> <p>Parker Bowles was unfaithful to Camilla during their marriage, and their friends describe the retired army officer as “a bit of a rogue” and “very naughty”.</p> <p>He remains close, however, with several members of the royal family, including Princess Anne with whom he had a brief romance.</p> <p>Parker Bowles has attended both of Charles’ weddings, including to Princess Diana in July 1981 when he accompanied the then-Prince and Princess of Wales’s carriages on horseback after the ceremony.</p> <p>Parker Bowles was also present at Charles and Camilla’s wedding in 2005, attending the ceremony with Pitman.</p> <p>Camilla and Andrew have two children together, Tom Parker Bowles, who is King Charles' godson, and Laura Lopes, who have given the former couple five grandchildren. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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