Author: bang1

Peter Andre appeared on Wednesday’s episode of Loose Women, where he spoke about his family

Peter Andre made a candid family admission during an interview on Wednesday’s Loose Women.

The Mysterious Girl singer, 51, has five children. He shares three children; 10-year-old Amelia, eight-year-old Theo, and nine-month-old Arabella with doctor wife Emily. Peter also has two kids from his previous marriage to Katie Price – Junior, 19, and Princess, 17.

Talking about being an older dad after welcoming baby daughter Arabella in his early 50s, Peter admitted: “It is interesting. I was always like: ‘Never am I having kids when I get to 50, that’s it’ and I said it would all have to happen before.

Peter Andre made a candid family admission during an interview on Wednesday’s Loose Women ( 
Image:
ITV)
“Here I am at 51 doing exactly what I said wasn’t going to happen. I actually think it’s been a real moment for me as I’ve spent a lot of time bonding this time. I said to my manager, I’ve been with her for 30 years, I just want six months to really bond and those six months were incredible as I think I’ve given more probably than I did with my others at that age, which I regret in a way. Maybe it took all that to get to this point.”

Panellist, Judi Love, then said: “Having your beautiful children, you’ve decided though it’s your last baby!” to which Peter admitted: “It’s difficult for a guy sometimes, it’s very difficult for a mum, what’s difficult for the guy is when your wife says: ‘Shall we try for a baby’.

“You’re not thinking, at that moment, you’re not thinking a baby is actually going to happen. You’re thinking more about the trying for a baby, your brain’s not and then all of a sudden… it’s a silly way to say it but it happens so quick” before cheekily adding: “Not that quick!”

“I was like: ‘This is it!’ but actually as long as she feels ‘this is it’ and she does, she absolutely feels ‘this is it’ so I said: ‘Shall I make it permanent?’ but then I thought if I get that, my voice is going to go” to which he started speaking in a very high pitched voice. Peter confessed: “I was so petrified so I backed out!”

Peter and Emily announced the birth of Arabella in April
Host, Charlene White, then interjected with: “At this point, I have to do my job, and say if you are concerned about the things Pete has just said. It’s probably best that you do your own research into this and having a vasectomy!” to which the audience laughed.

Peter and Emily announced the birth of Arabella in April, writing at the time: “Just minutes old… We feel so overwhelmed right now. So happy to welcome our beautiful girl to the family.

“Mum and daughter are doing amazing. Born Tuesday 2nd April 2024, 7lb 3oz and thankfully very healthy. Baby has been spoilt with cuddles from Junior, Princess, Amelia and Theo who are all in love with their new little sister. As parents, we couldn’t be happier.

“Only thing is…. She has no name yet. Help! Thanks to all the doctors, midwives and staff at Musgrove Park Hospital Taunton. You were incredible. And Emily’s parents, whom I adore. You have both been incredible. I’m so happy. Just off to hold her. Thanks everyone for reading.”

TV presenter Lorraine Kelly has weighed in with her own opinion of Strictly Come Dancing star Wynne Evans’s recent behaviour on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday morning

Wynne Evans has been making the headlines following his controversial exit from the Strictly Come Dancing tour, and now Lorraine Kelly has weighed in with her own opinion on the matter.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain on Wednesday 29 January, Lorraine agreed with host Susanna Reid that Wynne Evans now needs to take a break to look after his mental health. She then added: “He has to think about what he has done, I don’t get it, I don’t understand it, I don’t know why you would think that was acceptable – what kind of nutter does that when you are being filmed? It’s bad enough to think it but then to actually say it!”

Evans was filmed making sexualised comments during the photocall launching the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour in Birmingham. He has apologised for the comment, but has since departed from the live tour. He was recorded making an inappropriate sexual remark to Janette Manrara, who acts as host on the tour, when she walked over to the group. He sang out: “Go Compare,” before adding: “Not too close to Jamie [Borthwick].” He then used the hugely demeaning term “spit roast” in reference to a lewd sexual act.

Lorraine gave her opinion on Wynne’s exit from Strictly ( 
Image:
ITV)
Following her comments on Good Morning Britain, Lorraine Kelly returned to the subject of Wynne Evans during her show Lorraine later in the morning. She spoke about Wynne receiving supportive messages from fans and his professional dance partner Katya Jones, noting that “he is getting support” and noted, “He has apologised.”

However, Lorraine went on to say: “He’s been a complete clown! Now he has to go away and think about what he did.” She added: “He’s talked about having mental health problems, and nobody wants that, nobody wants him to be in a very dark place. Have a wee bit of time, take a bit of space and then come back.”

“The British public are forgiving, you know, if you say sorry and you mean it. His older brother Hugh passed away at the start of the month, and he spoke about how that affected him and life on the road as well so it has all been difficult for him,” she concluded.

Wynne Evans has left the Strictly Come Dancing tour

Wynne Evans released a statement on Tuesday evening announcing he had left the Strictly tour. He said: “I’ve agreed with the BBC that I’ll take some time out from my radio show and the Strictly Live tour, as well as my other public commitments, to prioritise my wellbeing.

“I am deeply sorry for the pain my inappropriate actions have caused, and plan to take this time for self-reflection. Apologies to those I won’t get to see at the remaining performances and I’m grateful to my fellow tour gang for all the amazing support they have given me.”

Gloria Hunniford found the courage to speak about her beloved late husband Stephen Way

Loose Women’s Gloria Hunniford opened up about the heartache she has faced since her husband Stephen Way died last August.

In a touching moment on Tuesday’s (January 28) episode, the seasoned broadcaster, 84, joined by Janet Street-Porter, 78, Lesley Joseph, 79, and Prue Leith, 84, spoke candidly about her sorrow during the special 70+ show.

While embracing the positives of growing older on air, the ladies acknowledged that reaching the golden years can sometimes bring loneliness and a need for morning exercises to ease the stiffness of age.

It was during this discussion about ageing that Gloria addressed her recent loss and confessed to the difficulties she’s experienced in living without Stephen.

Speaking from the heart, Gloria revealed to her colleagues: “If I may pick up on something Prue said, I very sadly lost my husband about four months ago and you’re absolutely right when you say you’d hate to be without your husband”, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Gloria spoke about her struggles in life without her late husband
She poured out her thoughts further: “Because no matter what age you are, if you suddenly think to yourself ‘gosh I am on my own and I’ve never lived on my own’.”

Gloria, a familiar face on television, then expressed: “I’m rarely on my own by the way because of family and everything but you know I have always lived with husbands,” before playfully ribbing Janet, saying: “I only had two of them, Janet you had about five.”

Janet chuckled in agreement, responding: “Yeah,” as her colleague continued on the topic of life changes: “I’ve always lived with husbands and children and so when your partner, as in my case, we had 30 fabulous years, I mean great memories and everything and people are rightly very quick to say ‘oh you have all those lovely memories to keep you going’.”

At that moment, Janet stepped in with a caring interjection to offer some advice, telling Gloria: “No, now you’ve got to build a new life now Gloria.”

Gloria’s husband sadly passed away last August
In accord with Janet, she acknowledged: “Yes you do. Fortunately, I am a positive person and we have a phrase in our house, ‘what’s the alternative?’ and what it is the alternative? You’ve got to try and pick yourself up.”

Gloria sadly reflected on the loss of her husband Stephen last summer, with his family issuing a statement at the time which read: “It is with huge sadness and very heavy hearts that we share the passing of Stephen Way, Gloria’s beloved husband, who lost his battle yesterday afternoon. Stephen had been heroically fighting his illness… but always with great tenacity and a positive spirit.”

The Loose Women presenter has never shied away from discussing her husband’s medical struggles – Stephen experienced a heart attack in 2004 and encountered his first stroke in 2012. A subsequent stroke last year resulted in partial blindness for him.

Previously, Gloria had praised the NHS for its role in saving Stephen’s life after he was involved in a taxi accident in 2020 that resulted in a severe fracture at the base of his spine.

Loose Women airs weekdays on ITV1, from 12:30pm.

Stacey Solomon has shared another statement after revealing earlier this month that she and husband Joe Swash have allowed cameras into their home for the first time

TV favourite Stacey Solomon has confessed to feeling “so nervous” as she reminded her die-hard fans about the bombshell reveal that she and hubby Joe Swash have given viewers an all-access pass to their lives.

The beloved Loose Women panelist shared earlier in the month that for the first time ever, the couple had thrown open the doors to their household for the cameras, allowing a behind-the-scenes look at their day-to-day for a brand new BBC One documentary series.

Although snippets of their daily routines are often seen online, this series will invite a film crew into their space to showcase how they juggle family duties with work and passion projects, including constructing a two-acre fishing lake on their property. Dropping a sneak peek for their fans, a teaser showed the bubbly couple at their £1.2 million Essex abode, featuring their brood of five kids, lovable dogs Teddy and Peanut, and their flock of ducks roaming free.

Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash want to give you a glimpse into their lives ( 
Image:
Joe Swash Instagram)
Accompanied by a heartwarming polaroid snapshot of the family, Stacey captioned the post, which reached her whopping six million followers, saying: “A new year. A very new adventure. Coming Spring 2025. We’ve been so nervous and excited to share this. Here is us. All of us. In 2024 we opened up our home and made a series about our lives, family, work and everything in between.”

Stacey Solomon has taken a bold step with her family, embracing the spirit of adventure by agreeing to more opportunities and diving into new experiences. She revealed their decision to embark on a documentary project, something they’ve considered for a while and that fans have been eager to see.

Stacey shared: “It was a huge leap into the unknown and it’s been an absolute whirlwind making it. But last year as a family we decided to say yes to more and do things we’d never done. We have spoken about making a documentary for a long time, lots of you have asked too. So here we go. A journey with us every second of the way. Through the laughter the tears and the craziness… We hope it makes you smile, feel good and hopefully enjoy getting to know us all a little more.”, reports the Manchester Evening News.

Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash’s new show is coming soon ( 
Image:
Stacey Solomon Instagram)

Now, in a heartfelt update to her personal newsletter subscribers, she announced the upcoming ‘Stacey and Joe’ show on the BBC. Stacey expressed her excitement and nerves about the show, which will offer an intimate look at their life at Pickle Cottage, beyond what she shares on Instagram and is coming to the Beeb later this year.

Stacey wrote: “Now I can FINALLY tell you that we’d been busy filming for ‘Stacey and Joe’ coming to the BBC later this year. It’s been such a big part of our lives… I love sharing what we do on Instagram, but this is capturing the laughs, tears and the craziness at Pickle Cottage in such a different way. On the actual TV.”

She thanked her fans for their support, saying: “It still feels surreal and I’m so nervous about it, but all your lovely comments have made such a difference. I’ll share more about the show when I can [heart emoji]. There’s honestly not a day that goes by that I’m not grateful for every single one of you… You’re just the best mates I could ever ask for. Thank you xxx.”

Former I’m A Celebrity winner Giovanna Fletcher has opened up on her marriage struggles with husband Tom Fletcher, as she admitted the couple can struggle to find time for each other

Giovanna Fletcher, who celebrates her 40th birthday today, has candidly discussed the challenges in her marriage with husband Tom Fletcher.

Appearing on Caroline Hirons’ podcast Glad We Had This Chat, she offered a new perspective on her relationship with the McFly singer.

A listener had written in confessing that their ‘demanding jobs’ were causing a strain in their relationship. Giovanna empathised, saying: “That’s really hard isn’t it. I can relate, I feel with Tom if we can manage to watch something together and our feet touch, that’s a win.”

She continued: “I also think being aware that you’re so busy that you’re juggling, that you’re drifting is really really important, because then you can do something about it. I think not being aware of it is the difficult place to be.”

Giovanna and Tom first met when they were in school together ( 
Image:
Dave J Hogan/Getty Images)

Giovanna passionately emphasised the importance of not comparing one’s relationship to others.

She said: “I think it’s so easy to look at other couples out there, whether that’s your mates, or online and go ‘oh my gosh they’ve got it sorted’. It’s all b******s, total total rubbish.”

Giovanna and Tom first crossed paths as children at the Sylvia Young Theatre School when she was just 13 years old. They exchanged vows in 2012 and have since welcomed three children; Buzz, Buddy and Max.

In recent years, Giovanna has made a name for herself in the podcasting world, hosting conversations about motherhood on her Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast. She’s had a host of famous guests, with perhaps the most notable being Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, who joined her for a chat five years ago.

And, chatting on the Invite Only podcast last year, Giovanna shared some warm words about the 43-year-old, saying: “She’s just brilliant. From the first time I met her to now, I’m still blown away by her ability to connect with everyone.”

Before launching her own podcast, Giovanna also made several TV appearances, most notably winning ITV’s I’m A Celeb, where she beat radio presenter Jordan North to be crowned Queen of the Jungle. She has also been seen on shows like Loose Women and Lorraine.

Loose Women star Charlene White has announced the death of her close friend who she calls her brother, as she shared a series of photos of the pair together with a message

TV star Charlene White has shared a heartfelt tribute to her dear friend following his passing, in a heartbreaking post.

The Loose Women presenter, 44, posted pictures of herself alongside her friend Darrell, who she calls her brother, on social media. Charlene said her heart is “broken into a million pieces” as she announced Darrell, also known as DJ Optic, passed away after a Sarcoma cancer diagnosis. A sarcoma is a rare type of malignant (cancerous) tumour that develops in bone and connective tissue, such as fat, muscle, blood vessels, nerves and the tissue that surrounds bones and joints.

Charlene penned: “There will be many of you who will aware of me talking about one of my oldest and best friends Darrell @djoptic and his mission to beat the enemy which is Sarcoma cancer. In the early hours of Saturday morning, four and a half years after he was diagnosed, after a week of saying goodbyes to those he loved, sharing stories and banter, he took his final breath surrounded by his wonderful wife @mrsamymcdonald and children Maya and Theo.”

Charlene has announced the death of her close friend Darrell, who she has said was a brother to her ( 
Image:
Instagram)

Darrell passed away after a Sarcoma cancer diagnosis ( 
Image:
Instagram)
The TV personality went on to say: “He has been my brother since we met at 16 years old, I was the best man at his wedding, and god-mother to his eldest. The nonsense our little crew would get up to was hilarious back in the day, he was there for every milestone. My heart is broken into a million pieces.”

“He was by far one of the kindest men I’ve ever met, and throughout his treatment he made it his mission to shine a light on Sarcoma alongside @sarcoma_uk in the hope no other family had to go through what he and his family went through: raising awareness, raising money, educating doctors. He was quite simply, amazing.”

Charlene commended her close pal’s wife Amy and also mentioned she’d be returning to work as she “didn’t know what else to do.” Charlene concluded her message by saying: “Grief can sometimes just make you feel a little lost. Message your besties and let them know how much they are loved.”

Her Loose Women colleague, Ruth Langsford, responded with: “I’m so sorry Charlene. Grief is sadly the price we pay for loss. You know you will be held and supported by everyone @loosewomen My condolences to Darrell’s family and sending you a massive hug.” Coleen Nolan, who’s sister Linda Nolan recently passed away, also expressed her condolences, stating: “So deeply sorry Charlene for the loss of your friend… thinking of you and sending a big hug.” Katie Piper also sent her support, simply saying: “Sending you love.”

Like this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok , Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .

Frankie Bridge has taken a leaf out of Claudia Winkleman’s Traitors wardrobe with her argyle jumper, and although it’s now sold out we’ve found some amazing alternatives to shop

When Frankie Bridge appeared on Loose Women last week in a cosy argyle jumper, her Instagram followers went wild demanding to know where they could buy it. “Lovely jumper” wrote one, whilst another agreed: “Love the jumper- where’s it from??!!! X”

Inspired no doubt by the frenzy around Claudia Winkleman’s highland countryside outfits on The Traitors, which ended last week, Frankie’s Mango V Neck Argyle Jumper in Beige has already sold out everywhere. However, there are several other similar styles to shop right now that’ll get you her look, and we’ve put together some of our favourite pieces for you to shop.

The Urban Outfitters brown and pink argyle jumper is on sale ( 
Image:
Urban Outfitters)
Perfect for nailing the preppy look, this argyle collared jumper from Urban Outfitters is now on sale down from £49 to £29. You can also save an additional 20% by using the code EXTRA20 , taking the price down to £23.20. It’s made from a super soft knit, with a collared neckline and button details at the neck, and has a cropped silhouette similar to Frankie’s.

You can save an extra 20% on the Urban Outfitters grey argyle cardigan ( 
Image:
Urban Outfitters)
Cardigans are everywhere this season, and this chic grey, yellow and navy argyle print one from iets frans is the perfect pick for nailing multiple trends at once. Exclusively available at Urban Outfitters, you can also use the code EXTRA20 to save money, taking the price down to £14.40

ASOS’ beige and grey argyle jumper is also on sale ( 
Image:
ASOS)

Also on sale, this ASOS Design argyle jumper has a similar beige, grey and white colour palette to Frankie’s Mango jumper, but instead features a rounded neckline and longer length. It has a boxy, oversized fit with thick trim around the hemlines, giving it a classic, retro look.

The Apricot beige and brown argyle jumper is easy to style ( 
Image:
New Look)
For a more muted colour palette, this argyle jumper from Apricot is available through New Look and features a similar cropped design a V-neckline to Frankie’s. The neutral beige and brown tones also perfectly nail the mocha mousse trend, and are easy to style with any other colour combinations.

Add some colour with the Next green and yellow argyle cardigan ( 
Image:
Next)
If you’re looking for a more colourful way to wear the trend, this argyle print cardigan from Next is the perfect choice. We love this bold green shade, and it’s made with a blend of alpaca and wool so you know it’ll be extra cosy and soft.

A source tells us that Meghan Markle is devastated by the latest speculation that she and Prince Harry are heading for divorce – and claims her team have touted a tell-all book about it

Meghan Markle was left “devastated” by rumours that her team floated the idea of a post- Prince Harry divorce book to a publisher, a source claims.

The explosive Vanity Fair cover story claimed the Duchess of Sussex’s team had a conversation with a publishing house to “gauge interest” in a tell-all book about her life if a divorce from Prince Harry were ever to happen, as reports OK!.

Shockingly, the article claims that talk of the book emerged just a short time after the couple left their roles as working royals. However, the piece also makes it clear that no offer was made by the publisher and no manuscript was ever written. In fact, the article states that Harry and Meghan are still loved-up and not headed for divorce. The report resulted in fans fearing the pair were on the brink of ending their marriage. “Meghan knows that the rumours always make their fans worry about a split, and she doesn’t like that sort of negativity being spread,” the source told OK!.

Fresh reports of the rumours ‘devastated’ Meghan, our source says ( 
Image:
Anadolu via Getty Images)
Our source said that while the book rumours aren’t true, Meghan, 43, is becoming increasingly frustrated at the almost constant speculation that her marriage is on the rocks.

“Meghan was devastated when she saw all of these reports about a ‘post-divorce’ book coming out,” they claimed. “She knows there’s no truth to them and it’s just upsetting for her to constantly have this negativity around them. She’s getting really sick and tired of all the split rumours. Everywhere she looks and reads there is something about her and Harry breaking up.”

The latest report – a cover story in Vanity Fair – claimed the idea was “not a general book on life after marital dissolution, or one about Meghan’s past experience”, but “might center on a post-Harry divorce”. Of course this isn’t the first time the couple have heard and read rumours about a possible split, and Harry himself even addressed the speculation recently, making light of it at a major book event in New York.

When quizzed about how he feels about the constant rumours on stage at the The New York Times’ 2024 DealBook Summit, Harry, 40, said, “Apparently we’ve bought or moved house 10, 12 times. We’ve apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times as well. So it’s just like, ‘What?’ It’s hard to keep up with, but that’s why you just sort of ignore it.”

The couple spoke about the marriage in their Netflix documentary ( 
Image:
Netflix)
But given that Harry has form for publishing best-selling bombshell books himself, the couple should maybe not be surprised by the claims that should a divorce ever transpire, one of them might write about it.

Harry’s autobiography Spare, which came out in January 2023, is largely considered to be one of the final nails in the coffin for his relationship with his brother Prince William. Its 416 pages included details of conversations – some of them very heated – between Harry and William, 42, plus some rather uncomplimentary comments about his stepmother Camilla, and Meghan’s fallouts with sister-in-law Kate.

Harry has reportedly banked around $27m (£21.8m) from his advance fee and subsequent hardback and paperback sales. Prior to stepping back from royal duties in 2020, the Sussexes received around 95% of their annual income from King Charles (then the Prince of Wales), with the rest coming from the Sovereign Grant – funded from taxpayers’ pockets.

Harry’s book has reportedly made him more than £20m ( 
Image:
Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Despite the appeal of earning millions from written revelations, our source said Meghan would never dream of subjecting Harry or their relationship to a ‘Spare-like’ treatment.

“In reality, they’re really happy and strong, so it’s frustrating to constantly have people saying they’re on the edge of a split,” they claimed. She’s getting bored of the rumours – she would never write a book about him. She just wants Harry to be happy, and for people to realise how much he does for her because they’re in love.”

Meanwhile, the world will have to wait for a glimpse into the life of Meghan and Harry in Netflix ’s big-budget series With Love, Meghan. The eight-parter was due to drop earlier this month, but has been pushed back because of the devastating wildfires across California.

Meghan’s new show has been pushed back to March ( 
Image:
Netflix)Netflix released a statement the day before it was due to air on 15 January saying the decision to push it back came “at the request of Meghan”, and that the “heartfelt tribute to the beauty of Southern California” would land on 4 March instead. Harry and Meghan, who have children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, reportedly opened up their Montecito mansion for nearby friends who had to evacuate, and posted a list of resources and charity links on their official website, along with a plea for others to do the same.

“If a friend, loved one, or pet has to evacuate and you are able to offer them a safe haven in your home, please do,” it said. “And be sure to check in with any disabled or elderly neighbours to see if they need help evacuating. Some families and people have been left with nothing. Please consider donating clothing, children’s toys & clothing, and other essentials.”

Prince William is set to have a private meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer today amid a busy day for the Prince of Wales, who is also leading the nation in commemorations for Holocaust Memorial Day

Prince William is set to hold a meeting with the Prime Minister Keir Starmer amid a busy day for the Prince of Wales.

It has been confirmed that William will sit down for a meeting later today with Mr Starmer as part of the royal tradition that sees the heir to the throne have an annual meeting with British PM. However, the meeting will be strictly private with anything discussed remaining a closely-guarded secret.

It comes on the same day that William is leading the nation in commemorations for Holocaust Memorial Day – and it has been confirmed he will also be joined by wife Kate. The Prince of Wales is set to give a reading at a special service in London attended by survivors and guests from around the world who have spent their lives fighting extremism.

Prince William with Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the summer ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
As part of this year’s event marking the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp complex, and the 30th anniversary of the genocide in Bosnia, the prince’s speech will be in line with the theme “for a better future”.

Ceremonies held across the world will remember the six million Jewish men, women, and children who were murdered during the Holocaust, alongside the millions of other people killed under Nazi persecution, and those killed in other genocides such as in Rwanda, Srebrenica, and Cambodia. . A royal source said: “As part of an unending commitment to remember those who perished and suffered from the horrors of the past, the Prince of Wales is honoured to take part in such an important commemoration.”

In 2020, Prince William and wife Kate – when they were styled the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge – joined Holocaust survivors at Westminster’s Central Hall to mark the 75 year anniversary. During the poignant commemorative ceremony, William read an extract from a letter written by a friend of his great-grandmother, Princess Alice, which described her efforts to save Jews in Athens.

William and Kate met Holocaust survivors in Westminster in 2020 ( 
Image:
PA)
At the same time Kate published photographs of Holocaust survivors in a contribution to an exhibition marking 75 years since the end of the genocide. At the time she said her subjects were “two of the most life-affirming people that I have had the privilege to meet”.

A year later the moving portraits were part of an exhibition at The Imperial War Museum London, featuring 50 contemporary portraits of Holocaust survivors and their families.

Today, the King is visiting for the first time the Auschwitz-Birkenau site in Poland as part of a one day visit to the country. The Mirror last month revealed Charles will become the first British monarch to visit the Polish death camp, after the Prince and Princess of Wales made an emotional pilgrimage in 2017 to the Stutthof camp in northern Poland, where 65,000 people died during Germany’s occupation.

William and Kate described their experience as “shattering” and said the site is a “terrible reminder of the cost of war”. The late Queen Elizbeth II in 2005 made her last official foreign trip to Germany where she also made her first-ever visit to a concentration camp, stopping to lay a wreath at Bergen-Belsen and to meet with Holocaust survivors.

King Charles has become the first British head of state to visit Auschwitz-Birkenau today after attending a poignant ceremony at the former Nazi concentration camp to mark the 80th anniversary of its liberation

A moved King Charles has made history by becoming the first British monarch to visit Auschwitz for an emotional ceremony to commemorate the 80th anniversary of its liberation.

Charles has headed to Poland to commemorate the milestone with foreign monarchs, presidents, prime ministers and Holocaust survivors invited to a service at the Auschwitz-Birkenau museum and memorial. More than a million people, mostly Jews but also Poles, Soviet prisoners of war and other nationalities, were murdered by the Nazis at Auschwitz-Birkenau during the Second World War as part of the Holocaust in which six million Jewish men, women and children were killed.

During the ceremony today, the King looked emotional and appeared to wipe away a tear has he listened to Auschwitz survivors poignantly recall their stories of surviving the Nazi death camp. He sat alongside other moved royals, including the King Frederik of Denmark as well as Queen Mathilde of Belgium.

King Charles listens as survivors tell their stories at Auschwitz today ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
The ceremony was being held in front of the infamous gates of the former Nazi concentration camp which had the words Arbeit Macht Frei – “work sets you free” – above it. Auschwitz survivors adressed the invited guests who include France’s President Emmanuel Macron, Ukraine’s Vlodymyr Zelenskyy, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands and Spain’s King Felipe and Queen Letizia.

At the end of the service, Charles and other dignitaries walked along the railway where Dr Josef Mengele – the so-called “Angel of Death” – decided which of the new arrivals should live or died, and they place candles at the monument.

After the ceremony Charles will walk through the gates to view personal items confiscated from victims when they entered the camp and lay a wreath at a reconstruction of the Death Wall, the site where several thousand people, mainly Polish political prisoners, were executed.

King Charles solemnly listens to the stories of survivors during a ceremony at Auschwitz today ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
Earlier today Charles visited the heart of Krakow’s Jewish community as commemorations began. He told those gathered at the Jewish Community Centre (JCC) that remembering the “evils of the past remains a vital task”, and knowledge should be used to inspire people to “build a kinder and more compassionate world”.

He told the guests to be in Poland to mark 80 years since the liberation of Auschwitz was “sombre and indeed a sacred moment”. He went on to say: “It is a moment when we recall the depths to which humanity can sink when evil is allowed to flourish, ignored for too long by the world.

“And it is a moment when we recall the powerful testimonies of survivors such as Lily Ebert, who so sadly passed away in October, and who collectively taught us to cherish our freedom, to challenge prejudice and never to be a bystander in the face of violence and hate.”

Charles lays a candle at Auschwitz ( 
Image:
UK)He added those lessons could not be more important in a world that has seen the “dangerous re-emergence of antisemitism” and remains “full of turmoil and strife”.

The King said: “As the number of Holocaust survivors regrettably diminishes with the passage of time, the responsibility of remembrance rests far heavier on our shoulders, and on those of generations yet unborn. The act of remembering the evils of the past remains a vital task and in so doing, we inform our present and shape our future.”

Meanwhile, back in the UK, the Princess of Wales will make a last-minute appearance alongside husband Prince William today as he leads the nation in commemorations for Holocaust Memorial Day.

Polish historian and Holocaust survivor Marian Turski delivers a speech during the emotional ceremony at Auschwitz ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)William will give a reading at a special service in London attended by survivors and guests from around the world who have spent their lives fighting extremism. The event will be the princess’ first official outing since she revealed she was in remission from cancer just under two weeks ago.

In 2020, the Waleses when they were styled the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, joined Holocaust survivors at Westminster’s Central Hall to mark the 75 year anniversary. During the poignant commemorative ceremony, William read an extract from a letter written by a friend of his great-grandmother, Princess Alice, which described her efforts to save Jews in Athens.

At the same time Kate published photographs of Holocaust survivors in a contribution to an exhibition marking 75 years since the end of the genocide. At the time she said her subjects were “two of the most life-affirming people that I have had the privilege to meet”.