Author: Mr Bang

Prince Andrew and his family have spent many a Christmas at Sandringham, but the Duke of York has found the ‘perfect excuse’ not to attend this year, according to a royal expert.

King Charles is set to open the doors of Sandringham house for another year, continuing a tradition that has seen the Royal family spend Christmas at the Norfolk home for over 160 years. The festive gathering is no small affair, with the wider family, including Prince Andrew, his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson and their daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, usually in attendance.

However, this Christmas day, Andrew has the ‘perfect excuse’ not to attend, according to former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond. With both Eugenie and Beatrice now married and mothers themselves, Jennie has suggested to OK! the house could be too full.

“As families expand, life gets more complicated. And the Yorks now have two sons-in-law and four grandchildren to consider. So it is beginning to become untenable to have the whole extended royal family under one roof at Sandringham…especially with Camilla’s family to consider as well,” she explained.

Christmas at Sandringham has been a long-standing royal tradition, with Prince Andrew (pictured there in 2000) a staple on the guest list ( 
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Princess Beatrice and Eugenie are both doting mothers now, making Christmas busier ( 
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Eugenie is mum to two sons, August and Ernest, with her husband Jack Brooksbank, whom she wed in 2018. Meanwhile, Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi are expecting their second child together. They already share a daughter, Sienna, born in 2021, and Edoardo has an eight year old son, Christopher Woolf, from a previous relationship.

Jennie confirmed that Andrew will definitely receive an invite, as usual. She said: “However, it seems that Andrew remains keen on the traditional royal Christmas and, even after all the controversy over Royal Lodge, he and Sarah will almost certainly be invited to share the King and Queen’s celebrations. They don’t, however, usually stay in the main house but at Wood Farm nearby, where they can do their own family thing if they want. Charles is not a vindictive man…far from it…and whatever has gone on between the brothers, I think he will always extend an invitation for Andrew and his family to share big family occasions.”

Jennie also speculated that things would be easier if Andrew and Sarah do their own celebrations. “But Andrew’s own growing family will give him and Sarah the perfect reason to avoid Sandringham and surround themselves with their daughters and little one. Beatrice and Eugenie are very protective of both their parents”.

Christmas at Sandringham sees the royals head to church on Christmas day ( 
Image:
Getty Images)“And you can’t help but think that life would be easier all round if the Yorks began to stage their own festivities at Christmas.”

Christmas at Sandringham is a tradition embedded into Royal life, with Royal expert Duncan Larcombe recently sharing: “Christmas at Sandringham has been absolutely central to the family for years, and that legacy looks certain to continue with Charles.

“The estate has more of a country house feel than other royal residences, and it reflects the family’s love of the great outdoors.” Queen Victoria bought the 20,000-acre estate for £22,000 in 1862. When the pandemic struck in 2020 it prevented Queen Elizabeth II hosting Christmas there for the first time in 32 years.

“Sandringham had a very special place in the Queen’s heart,” Duncan adds. “It was where her father George VI passed away in 1952, which always gave it extra meaning for her.”

US President-elect Donald Trump gave the Prince of Wales a pat on the shoulder before the two shook hands and spoke for a few seconds at the Notre Dame ceremony

Prince William shook hands with US President-elect Donald Trump as the two greeted one another at the Notre Dame ceremony in Paris.

Mr Trump gave William a pat on the shoulder before the two shook hands and spoke for a few seconds on Saturday evening. The world-famous Notre Dame cathedral burned in a devastating fire in 2019, causing its spire to topple. In a ceremony to mark the re-opening of the landmark in central Paris, William and Trump were seen chatting ahead of a scheduled meeting the two are due to attend later this evening.

The Prince of Wales had been expected to meet Trump and outgoing first lady Dr Jill Biden ahead of the event, but Kensington Palace later said the pair would meet after the ceremony in another location in Paris.

US President-elect Donald Trump gestures as he talks with Prince William
Around 50 heads of state and government will be in the French capital to celebrate the rebuilding of the Gothic masterpiece following a restoration project that costed hundreds of millions of euros. Among those attending are billionaire Elon Musk and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

French President Macron will deliver a speech at around 7pm ahead of a commemorative service hosted by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris. From around 8:15pm, choirs of the Maîtrise Notre-Dame de Paris will sing during the service, while a televised concert is due to be broadcast from 21:15pm.

Trump was seen patting Prince William on the shoulder ( 
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French President Emmanuel Macron, Prince William and Brigitte Macron ( 
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Later this evening, William and Trump will meet to discuss the importance of the US and UK’s “special relationship”. Kensington Palace announced yesterday that the Prince of Wales would be attending the event marking the reopening of Notre-Dame Cathedral on Saturday.

A palace spokesman said: “The Prince of Wales will travel to Paris tomorrow to attend the ceremony marking the reopening of the Notre-Dame Cathedral. His Royal Highness is travelling at the request of His Majesty’s Government on behalf of the United Kingdom.”

Lady Gabriella Windsor, whose husband Thomas Kingston’s inquest was held earlier this week after his tragic death in February, joined the Princess of Wales for her carol concert at Westminster Abbey

Lady Gabriella Windsor has bravely joined the Princess of Wales for her emotional, annual Christmas Carol Concert.

The daughter of Prince Michael of Kent, whose husband Thomas Kingston died earlier this year, arrived for the service at Westminster Abbey alongside Kate’s sister Pippa and mum, Carole. The festive event comes just days after an inquest was held into Mr Kingston’s sudden death.

The inquest found that he had died from a shotgun wound after suffering an adverse effect to medication prescribed by his doctor. During the inquest at Gloucestershire Coroner’s Court on Tuesday, Lady Gabriella, 43, said people need to be warned about the effects of medications used to treat mental health conditions or more people could die.

Lady Gabriella makes her way into the Abbey ( 
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At the carol concert tonight, Lady Gabriella, who married financier Mr Kingston in 2019, wore a festive green coloured coat with chic gold earrings. She was also joined by her parents Prince and Princess Michael of Kent as well as other royals including the Duchess of Edinburgh, a pregnant Princess Beatrice and Zara Tindall.

It comes as Kate is making a gradual return to public events after completing her cancer treatment and joined William and their children at Westminster Abbey for her annual Together at Christmas carol service. The royal couple walked into the historic Abbey where they married in 2011 with Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, aged six.

The young royals had stopped at a “Kindness Tree” outside the Abbey’s great west door and hung messages on its branches in dedication to someone has supported them during their lives in keeping with the service’s theme of love and empathy.

William and Kate with their children at the service ( 
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The royal children were introduced to the Dean of Westminster, Dr David Hoyle when they first arrived with their father William. The 1,600 guests have all supported others, whether friends or family, helped individuals through their work or volunteered.

The order of service for the event paid tribute to these community stalwarts and others: “This Carol Service is dedicated to those who have shown love, kindness and empathy to others in their communities. “They have inspired, counselled, comforted, and highlighted how love unites and connects us all.” Christmas trees inside and outside the abbey were from Windsor Great Park and donated by the King.

Festive wreaths adorned with red ribbons and bows were made and donated by Fantasy Greens, a UK-based company, and the abbey was transformed with a Christmassy red-and-green colour scheme. Outside the gothic church in central London were foliage and trees collected from woodlands to create a natural, forest-like feel. After the service, all the trees and wreaths will be donated to local charities to enjoy over Christmas.

Among the celebrities who gathered in the 1,600-strong congregation were Strictly star Amy Dowden, TV presenter Kate Garraway, Olympic cyclist Sir Chris Hoy with his wife Sarra, and Giovanna and Tom Fletcher.

The Princess of Wales at one point appeared to emulate King Charles III during her appearance at the annual Christmas Carol in Westminster Abbey, a body language expert has told The Mirror

Princess Kate inadvertently hinted at a massive change in her life during a key royal appointment today, a body language expert has said.

The Princess of Wales, 42, was among the first senior royals to arrive at the annual Christmas Carol service held at Westminster Abbey this evening, appearing initially solo before she was joined by her husband, Prince William, and three children. The younger royals joined after visiting the “kindness tree” on which Prince Louis could be seen leaving a message for the late Queen and Prince Philip. The message read: “Thank you to granny and grandpa because they have played games with me.”

Princess Kate came with no such message, but body language experts who have carefully studied her body language have noticed subtle changes to her composure that speak volumes. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Judi James said she appears to have “changed her body language rituals” and even appeared to emulate the King.

Kate chats to performers ahead of the service ( 
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Ms James started with the Princess’ arrival, saying she emerged with a “radiant” smile before cementing her place as the “leader of the event”. She said: “Kate’s smile on her lone arrival was classic Kate, a radiant, perfect Duchenne smile that threw a warm and grateful-looking connecting tie-sign to the fans outside.

“Her lack of a bag to carry suggested confidence as she has at times used her bags as barriers when she has been feeling vulnerable. Here she just touched the fingers of both hands together or gesticulated as she spoke to again suggest confidence and to define her role as leader of this event.”

Kate arrived with a stunning smile, Ms James said

Ms James said Kate appeared “emotional” during the event ( 
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When she entered the service, the expert added, she expressed an all new “dimension” to her behaviour, with Ms James catching the Princess’ emotion at attending alongside other cancer survivors. She continued: “But when she was greeting the guests inside, we saw a new dimension to Kate’s body language rituals.

“She has always been politely animated but here she was much more openly expressive and emotional with her facial expressions. This is a very moving service for Kate, with other cancer sufferers attending, and that seemed to reflect in her animated expressions that ranged from nose-wrinkled, dimpled laughter to a much more empathetic and concerned look, with steepled brows and the saddest eye expression accompanying a kind mouth smile.”

Kate arrived alone before she was joined by her family ( 
Image:
PA)Ms James added that, at one point during the service, she appeared to mirror King Charles III. She said: “At one point she even seemed to be mirroring her father-in-law, arching her back slightly and performing the kind of playful chuckle that is Charles’s signature look when he is meeting guests.”

Despite this, the strongest mirroring came from Prince William and his eldest son, Prince George, 11, Ms James suggested. She said: “The strongest mirroring though came between William and George. The father and son have famously adopted mirrored poses but it’s usual that, with age, the tendency can decline.

“Here the opposite seems to be true though, with each mirroring the other now, sitting or standing in identical poses for much of the time.”

Sophie Winkleman, best known as Peep Show’s Big Suze has arrived at Princess Kate’s annual Christmas carol concert – and fans may not realise just how close the actress is to the Royal family

Actress Sophie Winkleman, best known for playing ‘Posho’ Big Suze in Peep Show, has arrived at Princess Kate’s annual Christmas carol concert.

Although she played an upper-crust character in the hit Channel 4 sitcom, fans may be surprised to learn just how closely linked Sophie is to the Royal family. Indeed, her marriage to Lord Frederick Windsor, son of Prince Michael of Kent, brought her into the same social circles as William and Kate – and their children even play together.

Sophie, who attended Royal Ascot back in June, arrived at Westminster Abbey with Lord Frederick and their children, looking festive in a smart tartan coat. But how exactly did the actress get on playdate terms with the Prince and Princess of Wales? Here, the Mirror looks at Sophie’s surprising royal link…

Actor Sophie will be attending Princess Kate’s annual carol service ( 
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Sophie, who more recently appeared in the BBC medical drama This Is Going To Hurt, wed Lord Freddie, a financial analyst, at Hampton Court Palace in 2009, and they have two daughters, Maud and Isabella. The couple joined Princess Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in the second carriage at the Procession, behind the King and Queen’s.

Lord Frederick, 45, is the son of Prince Michael of Kent, who is the Queen’s cousin. His father, Prince George, was the younger brother of Edward VIII and George VI. The actress has previously said she was welcomed into the clan with open arms, particularly by the Queen and King Charles.

Sophie and her husband on the Buckingham Palace balcony in 2017 ( 
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Speaking to The Times, Sophie, 44, said: “I’ve been incredibly welcomed with open arms by all of them… They’d never tell me off at all if I wanted to play some [racy] role.” Following their wedding, the couple moved to the US so that Sophie could further pursue her acting career and Maud, 10, was born while they were living in California.

The couple later moved back to the UK and welcomed their second daughter Isabella, eight, in 2016. Sophie became the new royal patron of Children’s Surgery Foundation and later became the first female patron of School-Home Support.

She was a guest at the 2011 wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, as well as at the 2019 wedding of her sister-in-law Lady Gabriella Windsor. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Sophie revealed that she sang at Lady Gabriella’s wedding. The talented soprano said: “I sang one of my sister-in-law’s favourite songs, Will You Love Me Tomorrow. There were a few tears but I’m not sure if it was because they were moved or wanted me to stop!”

The couple pictured at the christening of their daughter Maud in 2013 ( 
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Her children are very close in age to the Prince and Princess of Wales’ kids – and Sophie has spoken in detail about her daughter Maud’s close bond with Prince George. In an interview with Hello, she said: “We were invited to tea at Kensington Palace just before Princess Charlotte was born. Maud and George got on very well… He is a very clever, articulate little boy and was speaking long before other toddlers his age.”

George and Maud both started at Thomas’s school in Battersea on the same day in September 2017. Speaking about her name, Lord Freddie told Hello! in 2013: “We liked the idea of an old-fashioned English name, and there are a couple of Princess Mauds in my father’s family from a hundred years ago – one was the youngest daughter of Edward VII who ended up being Queen of Norway, and another a grand-daughter of Edward VII by his daughter Princess Louise. It’s also a beautiful, elegant name, and it was always our first choice.”

Maud was also pictured next to Princess Charlotte when they both served as bridesmaids at Princess Eugenie’s wedding to Jack Brooksbank on October 12, 2018. Due to their lowly ranking in the line of succession, we rarely see Lord Freddie, Sophie, Maud or their youngest daughter, Isabella, at royal events.

Peep Show fans were gutted when the star didn’t turn up at the King’s Coronation in May 2023. Fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to lament: “Disappointed we never saw Big Suze”. Sophie was, however, present at the Queen’s state funeral in September 2022.

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Sophie’s Peep Show character, Big Suze, was Jeremy’s ex-girlfriend who was mentioned in the second episode of the show but does not appear until the third series. In the show, Mark starts falling in love with the incredibly posh woman and Jez wants to rekindle their romance, but she starts going out with Alan Johnson.

Big Suze’s poshness is often played for laughs in Peep Show, with Mark once commenting: “God, she’s so posh, that I, Mark Corrigan, who was privately educated until dad’s British Aerospace shares went kaput, could be her bit of rough.” Her ‘Big’ nickname comes from her height, but in an interview on the Podcast Secrets of the Pharaohs, Sophie explained that show creators Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong initially alluded that Big Suze may have been ‘big’ in the past but she is no longer so.

Ahead of tonight’s service, Kate wrote a heartwarming letter addressed to the 1,600 Abbey carol goers, including royal family members, telling them: “Love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times”.

A message included with the order of service, which features artwork by illustrator Charlie Mackesy, reads: “This Carol Service is a heartfelt celebration of every one of you, and a reminder that at Christmas, and throughout the year, we must all shine for each other. Because in times of joy and sadness, we are all each other’s light.”

The festive event will be broadcast as part of the programme Royal Carols: Together At Christmas, which will be screened on ITV1 and ITVX on Christmas Eve. It will feature three films about the stories of individuals and organisations who have inspired, counselled and comforted others during times of need.

Prince Harry raised eyebrows when he was seen visiting a tattoo parlour in New York earlier this year – and a new video has revealed exactly what went down during his hour-long visit to the shop

Prince Harry set tongues wagging when he was seen visiting a New York tattoo parlour just days after marking his 40th birthday.

Back in September, he was spotted entering East Side Ink, a tattoo shop on the Lower East Side which is a favourite among A-listers, with several of his minders and a police officer. It came during his trip to the Big Apple, where he spoke at several events connected to the United Nations General Assembly. It sparked rumours that he was celebrating his landmark birthday with a tattoo – and the reason for his visit has now been revealed in a jaw-dropping promotional video for Harry’s Invictus Games.

Harry appears to scream in pain as he gets the tattoo

The clip shows the Duke of Sussex grimacing in pain as he appears to be given a shock neck tattoo by US music star Jelly Roll. In the sketch, the country singer and rapper jokes that Harry has agreed to be given his first tattoo.

Jelly Roll – who has been announced as the first headliner at the closing ceremony of the event next year – tells Harry: “Do you know, I could not believe it when they called me and told me Prince Harry wanted to get a tattoo today and he wanted me to give him his first tattoo?” However, the duke appears to have heard nothing about the deal.

“No, no, no, why are you wearing a glove?” Harry asks. Jelly Roll replies: “We are giving you a tattoo about the Invictus Games.” The duke says he wanted to ask Jelly Roll “to do” the games, not to tattoo him. Jelly Roll says he will only play the games if Harry lets him give him his first tattoo.

Prince Harry in a new video for his Invictus Games
The duke agrees and asks the music star – known for his own collection of body art – to tattoo his “lower back” or his “a**”. Jelly Roll suggests he tattoos Harry’s neck instead. “Trust me, man, you wouldn’t want nobody else doing this,” he tells the duke. He then tattoos ‘I am Jelly Roll’ on Harry’s neck, and tells him: “I’ll see you in Vancouver!”

Harry travelled solo to launch the programme for the event, due to be held in Vancouver and Whistler in February. Harry, a former British Army captain, launched the Invictus Games in 2014 as an international sports tournament for injured and wounded service personnel and veterans. In February, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex officially kicked off the countdown to the 2025 winter games at an event in Whistler. The games will feature the debut of winter sports including Nordic skiing, wheelchair curling, snowboarding and alpine skiing.

During his trip to Vancouver this week, Harry went to Canadian football’s Grey Cup final and also met children at the Seaforth Armoury, where he launched the Invictus Games schools programme.

And just yesterday, he visited Seaforth Armoury in the Canadian city, where he gave a heartfelt speech about courage as he launched the Invictus Games school programme. There he was seen hugging children who had come out for the event as well as taking part in a game of sitting volleyball.

Prince Harry has found himself at the centre of a row over his US visa with Donald Trump previously suggesting he could deport the Duke – and now the new US president-elect has made a move that could prove pivotal in the row

Prince Harry’s US visa row could take a new turn after a key ‘concerning’ move by new president-elect Donald Trump.

During his election campaign, Trump was outspoken in his opinion of the Sussexes with scathing words about them. And it appears the result of the election could prove to be life-changing for Harry and Meghan as the president-elect once suggested he would deport the Duke of Sussex from the country.It comes after Harry found himself in the centre of a row over his visa, which allows him to live in California. After admitting to using marijuana, cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms in his controversial memoir Spare, a lawsuit from the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation argued that the US Government should release records about the Duke’s visa US application to show whether his drug use was disclosed. Prolific drug use can lead to applications being rejected.

Prince Harry has found himself in a row over his US visa ( 
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And now Trump’s latest move in appointing controversial South Dakota Governor Kristi Neom as head of the Department of Homeland Security, which is in charge of immigration, should “concern” Harry, according to the Daily Mail. Ms Neom is known to be a no-nonsense politician, who has been a long-term loyal supporter of Trump. She faced a huge backlash after releasing her memoir, when she revealed she shot dead her family dog after it became ‘untrainable’ and ‘dangerous’.

Earlier this year, Trump raged at the Biden administration for maintaining the privacy of Harry’s immigration application in order to “protect Harry.” He told the Express US : “I wouldn’t protect him. He betrayed the Queen. That’s unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me.”

Trump with South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem ( 
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AFP via Getty Images)
Days later he was also challenged on this stance on Harry during an interview with Nigel Farage on GB News. Mr Farage asked if there would be any “special privileges” for the prince, and the now president-elect said: “No. We’ll have to see if they know something about the drugs, and if he lied they’ll have to take appropriate action.”

Digging deeper, Mr Farage asked: “Appropriate action? Which might mean…not staying in America?” Mr Trump responded: “Oh I don’t know. You’ll have to tell me. You just have to tell me. You would have thought they would have known this a long time ago.”

In September, a judge made a ruling in the case saying that Harry’s visa documents should remain private. However, the Heritage Foundation has made another court filing saying it was not granted access to private submissions made to the judge by the Biden administration.

The lawsuit was originally brought by the Heritage Foundation after a Freedom of Information request for the Duke’s records was rejected by the Department for Homeland Security (DHS). In his bombshell memoir, Harry confessed that cocaine “didn’t do anything for me”, adding: “Marijuana is different, that actually really did help me.” He also recounts an experience with magic mushrooms, saying: “I stared at the bin. It stared back. ‘What-staring? ‘ Then it became… a head. I stepped on the pedal and the head opened its mouth. A huge open grin.”

US visa applications specifically ask the individual about current and past drug use, which can have a detrimental impact on the progress of the application. Prolific drug use can lead to applications being rejected, however, immigration officers use their discretion against a range of factors.

Prince WIliam met with several homeless and former homeless women in Newport today where he was with the Nelson Trust, as one woman told him she wants to use her experiences to help others

Prince William praised the courage of a woman who turned her life around after being made homeless as a teenager saying: “I’m not sure I would have come out the other side like you”.

The Prince of Wales took his crusade to end homelessness on the road today, travelling to Newport to hear about the city’s efforts to tackle homelessness, particularly among vulnerable women. William met several women who had found themselves homeless before coming into contact with the Nelson Trust, a women’s support service working across Wales, Bristol and surrounding areas.

Among them were five women helping to raise awareness of the issues and have taken part in a special photography series called “Women of Newport”. Rebecca, 32, a care assistant who told the Prince she was living on the streets at 16 before attempting suicide following the deaths of both her partner and her father.

The heir met with several women affected by homelessness ( 
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She said she had no support when she was growing up but was proud of who she was today, focused on her two young daughters and “making happiness without money”. She told the Prince she now wanted to use her experiences to help other “lost teenagers”.

William was clearly impressed with her attitude, telling her she should be “so proud” of herself. “You seem like a force of nature Rebecca,” he said.

“We need more Rebeccas in the world. You have been through more things than most people go through in their entire lifetime. I’m not sure I would have come out the other side like you.”

William said she wants to be a “disrupter” to homelessness ( 
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The future king also said he wanted to play the role of “disruptor” in his fight against homelessness as he encouraged those working in the sector to “throw the paperwork up in the air”. William, 42, told a group of business leaders and charity representatives he wanted them to throw off the “shackles” of their experience and take a different approach.

“I say that not to belittle you,” he said. “But it’s, how do we break it down, give you the freedom to think differently and try new things? I can be the slight disruptor here and say to you all to think very differently, outside the box, because this is unique, what you’re doing… let’s be really ambitious and almost throw the paperwork up in the air and see how it lands.”

Rebecca said afterwards that the Prince’s comments had made her feel “it was all worthwhile”. She said: “I wouldn’t change a thing for me to be where I am today.

William during today’s visit to Homewards Newport ( 
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“He’s moved me to the point where I feel like I could do anything now. He’s given me that boost of confidence I needed, because I do struggle with confidence and esteem but I can’t believe how much today has lifted my morale.”

Newport is one of six pilot locations the Prince is aiming to put a path towards ending homelessness by mid-2028 through his ambitious Homewards initiative. Women’s homelessness has been identified as a key priority in the city due to rising numbers, specifically among those who face multiple issues such as trauma, poverty and domestic abuse.

The Prince earlier made a private visit to a women’s support service to speak to victims of domestic abuse and sexual exploitation before joining local women who have experienced homelessness. He was joined by Sabrina Cohen-Hatton, chief fire officer at West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, and a Homewards advocate who experienced homelessness as a teenager in Newport.

Sabrina Cohen-Hatton during today’s visit ( 
Image:
Getty Images)Ms Cohen-Hatton said afterwards they had had several “powerful” conversations. “I think hearing about people’s experiences helps inform how he can direct Homewards to help,” she said. “One of the questions the Prince was asking throughout was how Homewards is making a difference and how it can help with the pinch points and the gaps.”

Women are often more susceptible to experiencing “hidden homelessness” than men, as they are less likely to rough sleep due to safety fears, resulting in sofa surfing, or sleeping on public transport.

The Prince’s visit coincided with the release of a report compiled by the Homewards Newport Coalition which identified specific local issues and made specific recommendations to help prevent women’s homelessness.

Queen Camilla has pulled out of tonight’s Royal Variety Performance due to ‘lingering post-viral symptoms’ following her chest infection, Buckingham Palace has said

Queen Camilla will not be with Charles at tonight’s Royal Variety Performance due to ‘lingering post-viral symptoms’ following her chest infection.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “Following a recent chest infection, The Queen continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms, as a result of which doctors have advised that, after a busy week of engagements, Her Majesty should prioritise sufficient rest.

“With great regret, she has therefore withdrawn from attendance at tonight’s Royal Variety Performance. His Majesty will attend as planned.”

The Queen had returned to royal duties this week, joining the King and the Prince of Wales for the annual diplomatic reception on Tuesday night and attending events on Wednesday and Thursday.

But due to the length and lateness of the performance tonight, her doctors have advised that she stays at home to avoid overstretching herself.

The Queen yesterday at the Commonwealth essay competition ( 
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It is understood that the Queen will remain in London tonight but will move to Sandringham for the week ahead, as was always planned. This week medics had been closely monitoring her recovery from the nasty chest infection and were taking each engagement as they came.

But today she is said to be feeling a little under the weather today and a royal source told the Express that Camilla is “naturally disappointed to miss the evening’s entertainments, and sends her sincere apologies to all those involved, but is a great believer that ‘the show must go on’. She hopes to be back to full strength and regular public duties very soon.”

Yesterday the Queen congratulated “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” teenage essay prize winners by comparing them to the young author of Mary Poppins at the Commonwealth essay competition.

She has hosted the Commonwealth’s oldest writing competition for a decade and this year’s theme was “our common wealth”. Four youngsters aged between 13 and 16 – from Malaysia, Singapore and Uganda – were presented with certificates by the Queen at Buckingham Palace on Thursday. The competition received a record-breaking 34,939 entries from 54 Commonwealth countries.

Queen Camilla will not attend tonight’s Royal Variety Performance ( 
Image:
PA)Camilla said the work by the winners and runners-up reminded her of a statement by the author of Mary Poppins: “A writer is, after all, only half his book. The other half is the reader.”

She said Pamela Travers was describing writing that “by some strange magic, makes the reader part of the story”, and added “This is definitely true of our wonderful finalists: thanks to your talents, your readers are taken on amazing journeys with you across the Commonwealth.”

Camilla added: “Now, if Mary Poppins were here, I wonder if she would be telling me to hurry up with a brisk ‘spit spot’ so that we can get on to the prize-giving. I will therefore end by saying that there is just one word to describe you all – but I might need some help from Gyles to get it right. You are utterly supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.”

The first trailer of Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’s hotly anticipated new Netflix series has been released – and it gives an inside look into one of the ‘glamorous’ worlds they occupy

The first trailer for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s new Netflix documentary has dropped after months of anticipation from royal fans.

The documentary, produced by the couple, is set to drop on the platform on 10 December and will explore the world of polo – a sport that Harry has played for years. It also promises to delve into the “grit behind the glamour”.

Harry said in a statement “This series offers audiences an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look into the passion and determination driving some of the world’s elite polo players, revealing the grit behind the glamour. We’re proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport — and the intensity of its high-stakes moments.”

A voiceover in the trailer calls it a “sexy” and “glamorous sport” ( 
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The trailer sees clips of elite players speaking to the camera about their experiences with the sport, including Nachos Figueras – a close friend of the Duke of Sussex – who described the high stakes of the game, saying: “Imagine going on a horse at 35mph with someone coming at you at full speed.”

Other polo players seen in the trailer include Louis Devaleix who says “the adrenaline that goes through your body,” when playing the sport is “addicting”. He appeared alongside Timmy Dutta, Keko Magrini, and father and son players Adolfo and Poroto Cambiaso – who are set to go head to head playing against each other on the polo field.

Player Louis Devaleix’s personal life looks set to be explored ( 
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Netflix)
In the clip, Poroto Cambiaso opens up about about facing his father – a legendary player of the sport – “I want to win against my dad, I can say that I beat the greatest of the sport.” For his father’s part, Adolfo is filmed saying, “I am very proud of my son but I try to beat him”.

However, it seems that it won’t just be life on field that is explored in the documentary, with Nachos saying: “Polo is not just a sport, polo is a lifestyle. We eat, we breathe, we sleep polo.” A female voice is also heard saying that the world of polo is “glamorous” adding that “it’s a sexy sport too, dirty, sweaty boys riding”.

Some of the off-field drama included in the new series seems to surround the young player Timmy Dutta, a prodigious talent who is seen butting heads with his father and coach, as he insists “it’s healthy to have somewhat of a personal life outside of being an athlete,” to which his father replies, “Timmy is extremely charming and his looks are what they are, it’s a distraction.”

Louis Devaleix’s personal life also looks to be a major focus, with a scene of his pregnant wife saying “Polo can have a toll on your family, and that’s no secret.”

Life on and off the field will seemingly be explored in Harry’s new Polo documentary ( 
Image:
Netflix)
Polo will be the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s third offering for Netflix through their production company Archewell Productions. Their series Harry & Meghan, released in 2022, was a candid exploration of the couple’s love story, their royal exit, and move to California – and broke records on its release.

The premiere of the documentary was the highest-viewed documentary ever released by the streaming giant – although some critics accused the couple of rehashing old ground across its six episodes. On review accumulator Rotten Tomatoes the couple’s eponymous series has only scored 45 percent positive reviews, despite the huge amount of interest generated in its release and the longstanding public fascination with the couple.

Other titles produced by the couple are Live to Lead – which saw global leaders share their stories – and Heart of Invictus, which followed six competitors preparing themselves for the games. Harry appeared in Heart of Invictus, but the documentary primarily focussed on those former service people who were taking part in the competition, and Meghan did not make an appearance in the show.

It isn’t clear if the couple will appear in the documentary ( 
Image:
PA)Neither the Duke nor Duchess appear in the new trailer for Polo and it remains to be seen if Prince Harry – a regular competitor on the field who regularly plays in charity polo matches – will appear in the series itself. Previous reports have claimed that Netflix bosses were “unhappy” that Harry didn’t play a major part in the final cut, with a source saying: “Any reasonable person tuning into a show about polo made by Prince Harry would expect Harry to take a starring role. That he’s not is hugely disappointing for Netflix. Let’s face it, polo isn’t exactly a mainstream sport so the attraction would have been watching Harry. Without him, it’s marginal at best.”

Meghan is said to be set to appear in a new lifestyle series for Netflix, which is reported to surround her new brand America Riviera Orchard, which was initially revealed earlier this year. Meghan set up a new Instagram account for the company, launched a new website, and sent out promotional jars of strawberry jam in a limited edition of 50 to her closest pals.

The cooking show is said to “celebrate the joys of cooking, gardening, entertaining, and friendship” and is reported to have finished filming – although it has not been announced when it will be released. America Riviera Orchard itself is said to have been dealing with some trademark issues since the initial launch, with the New York Post reporting that another company Royal Riviera, has made a protest to Meghan’s trademark because of a “likelihood of confusion” between the two brands.