Author: bang1

Sarah Ferguson’s royal reconciliation could offer hope to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, according to one expert. However, as another insider notes, Fergie ‘never burned bridges’

Fergie’s recent rekindling with the Royal Family could offer hope to Harry and Meghan

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s rift with the Royal Family could reportedly be mended with the help of an unlikely fellow outsider.

The Sussexes could potentially draw on advice from Sarah ‘Fergie’ Ferguson to help reconcile their tumultuous relationship with the Firm, a royal expert has claimed. The 64-year-old Duchess of York was recently welcomed back into the fold and made a rare appearance alongside her ex-husband Prince Andrew and the rest of the royals on their traditional Christmas day walk last year.

The event was the first time in 32 years that Fergie had been allowed to join in the royal Christmas festivities, after being banned from engagements by Prince Phillip. The Duchess had hit headlines over the years, including after her ‘toe-sucking’ scandal in 1992 which led to her split from Andrew.

The Duchess’ reconciliation with the Firm could represent a “turning point” ( 

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According to a royal expert, Fergie’s reappearance represents a “turning point” and suggests that a “reconciliation” may well be in the cards for Harry and Meghan. Speaking to OK!, Jennie Bond said: “If Sarah can be welcomed back after 30 years, hope is never lost for a reconciliation between father and son.”

Adding that Princess Eugenie – who is Fergie’s daughter – still has a close relationship with Harry, Bond added: “Perhaps Sarah could act as a mentor to help him reconcile with his father.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have grown distant from the rest of the Royal Family since they moved to America and stepped down from royal duties in 2020. The rift was hardened when the couple made explosive claims about The Firm in both their Oprah Winfrey interview and their Netflix docuseries.

However one expert noted that Fergie had never “burned bridges” – unlike the Sussexes ( 

Harpo Productions/Joe Pugliese v)

Last year, 39-year-old Harry added fuel to the fire with the release of his memoir Spare, in which he fired shots at several members of his family. Things were made even worse when royal author – and former friend of 42-year-old Meghan – Omid Scobie launched his book Endgame, in which he revealed details about the royal race row.

However, Bond claims that “all is not lost” and King Charles’ recent gesture illustrates that he may be up for patching things up with his estranged son. She explained: “If he tells us all to ‘treat others as we would wish to be treated’, then it is helpful if we see him extending friendship and forgiveness to Sarah. And it does suggest that all is not lost with Harry and Meghan.”

King Charles may still offer an olive branch to his estranged son ( 

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Fergie has always shown her support for the Royal Family ( 

Conversely, royal expert Hilary Fordwich says the Sussexes should not get their hopes up, pointing to the “stark contrast” between their actions and those of Fergie. Highlighting the fact that the Duchess of York “never burned bridges with the family”, and has actually been “steadfast in her support of them all”, Fordwich notes that Harry and Meghan should remember their past actions.

Speaking to Fox News, she explained that Fergie reviving her relationship with King Charles should be seen as a “strong sign that those who don’t throw the family under the proverbial bus are welcomed back.”

Prince Harry proposed to Megan in 2017 with a stunning ring worth a staggering 6 figures in a low-key yet dreamy and romantic way on the grounds of Kensington Palace.

Prince Harry reportedly nearly “gave the game away” before proposing to his wife, Meghan Markle while they were living in Kensington Palace back in 2017.

The Sussexes, who now live Stateside in California, recalled the romantic proposal in the second episode of their three part Netflix documentary series, Harry and Meghan. Harry said in the documentary: “I wanted to do it earlier, but because I had to ask permission from my grandmother I couldn’t do it outside of the UK,” reports the Daily Express.

He admitted that he nearly scuppered his own plans to completely surprise her with a ring, recalling: “I did pop a bottle of champagne while she was roasting a chicken, and that kind of slightly gave the game away and she was like ‘you never drink champagne, what’s the occasion?’ I was like ‘oh no, I just had it lying around here, whatever.’” At this point, Meghan jumped in adding: “It was a magnum!”

Prince Harry presented Meghan Markle with the ring while they were living in Kensington Palace ( 
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Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
However, the rest of the Prince’s plan went off without a hitch as he lead his then girlfriend out into the walled garden which was covered in electric candles. He then got down on one knee and asked the all important question, presenting her with a ring fit for any member of the Royal Family and featuring diamonds belonging to his late mother.

Sales Director of jewellery experts F. Hinds, Jeremy Hinds, told the Express: “Prince Harry designed Meghan’s engagement ring himself, incorporating a three-carat cushion cut centre diamond from Botswana – the place is said to be meaningful for the couple. Harry also used jewels from his mother Princess Diana’s personal collection, with the centre diamond surrounded by two round diamonds as a tribute to her. The jewels are set on a gold band.”

The pair married in a lavish Royal wedding ceremony in 2018 where Megan received a Welsh gold wedding band ( 
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Getty Images)
As expected, the ring is likely worth a staggering sum, according to the jewellery expert, who said: “Estimates have placed the original ring’s value at upwards of £100,000, with some estimates reaching as high as £300,000.”

Since the first receiving the ring in 2017 and getting married in May the following year, Meghan has made some additions to the already magnificent piece of jewellery, including extra diamonds. Mr Hinds said: “Meghan debuted a redesigned engagement ring shortly after the couple’s pregnancy announcement, having had the ring redesigned to incorporate a thin, yellow gold band set with micro-pavè diamonds.”

Meghan made some amendments to her ring over the years, including shortly after the birth of their first son Archie ( 
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Getty Images)
Welsh gold has used in the rings of Royal brides for decades, including the late Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana and Princess Kate of Wales who were all given gold wedding bands. Megan was no exception and now wears a gold band next to her engagement ring, as well as a third ring that was later spotted on her wedding finger, a diamond studded gold eternity band.

The trio of rings first appeared publicly shortly after the birth of couple’s first child Archie Mountbatten-Windsor in May 2019. Mr Hinds explained: “Alongside the revamped engagement ring and Meghan’s wedding band, 2019’s Trooping the Colour saw the public debut of an eternity ring.”

The Duchess of Sussex debuted a brand new eternity ring at the Trooping of the Colours in 2019 ( 
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He continued: “This ring was [reportedly] presented as a gift from Harry to honour both their first anniversary as a married couple, and the birth of their first child. The eternity ring features the birthstones of Harry, Meghan, and Archie – sapphire, peridot, and emerald respectively.”

The eternity ring is believed to have been amended to include a nod to the couple’s second child, Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, who was born in 2021. Lilibet’s birthstones are pearl, alexandrite and moonstone and so it is possible one of these stones was added to mark the arrival of the fourth member of the Sussex family.

King Charles and Prince William are ‘allies’ and are working closer together since Prince Harry’s departure, according to insiders, with the Prince of Wales standing in for his dad at one D-Day event

Prince William and King Charles have become closer since Prince Harry left, according to insiders.

The 75-year-old monarch is said to see his son as a “useful ally” in managing the day-to-day issues affecting the Royal Family since ascending the throne. This has included Harry’s criticism of the two of them in TV interviews and his memoir, Spare. The Prince of Wales has also played a vital role in standing in for the King as he continues to receive treatment for cancer.

In previous years, it had been claimed that the huge amount of media attention given to William and Kate, Princess of Wales had given rise to occasional bouts of frustration in Charles – with one person likening this to a “green-eyed monster”. But this is far from the case now, according to insiders.

Prince Harry was not at this week’s D-Day commemorations ( 
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AFP via Getty Images)

A friend told The Times: “If there was ever a green-eyed monster or a sense of rivalry between the two, that is a chapter of the past. The King sees his son as a useful ally on family matters and increasingly in discharging the duties of nation and state.” A source close to William meanwhile told the newspaper that the Prince of Wales “wants to support his father”, especially amid “everything the King is going through with his treatment”.

Prince William gave a moving speech at the D-Day commemorations ( 
Image:
PA)

King Charles praised veterans at the poignant event ( 
Image:
PA)

One recent example of them working together was seen at the D-Day commemorations in Normandy this week, where a determined King Charles delivered a speech just hours after recieving his latest round of cancer treatment. He praised veterans and troops from Second World War as the generation who “did not flinch” and met veterans afterwards, before Prince William stepped in for his dad when he joined world leaders at the international ceremony on Omaha Beach.

Prince Harry did not attend the ceremony – and royal historian and expert Dr Tessa Dunlop has said she believes Harry will have been sad to see his brother at the events without him. She told the Mirror: “For the Duke of Sussex, looking on from the other side of the Atlantic, there will be some sadness. War is raging in the East of Europe right now and the Duke knows his presence not only captures headlines and boosts the Sussex brand, but helps tie war stories from the past to those in the present day. Likewise it is a loss for the Royal Family. The ageing King and Camilla with dutiful William know the drill but lack the pizzazz and lived frontline experience that these events thrive on.”

The monarch, who has been having treatment for cancer since February, has told friends he is not content with only seeing them on video calls from their US home

The King has committed himself to building a relationship with Prince Harry ’s children and to be present in their lives, sources say.

The monarch, who has been having treatment for cancer since February, has told friends he is not content with only seeing them on video calls after meeting Archie, five, only a handful of times and two-year-old Lilibet once.

His decision to step up efforts to become more involved comes as it can be revealed he sent Lili a “heartfelt gift and card” on her birthday last week.

Sources close to the 75-year-old King, who was in Normandy last week for D-Day commemorations, say he is “keener than ever” to focus on his family and his duties and “make up for lost time” after being forced to scale back engagements after his diagnosis.

Prince Harry with Meghan and mum Doria ( 
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Prince Harry, 39, his wife Meghan, 42, and their children live in Montecito, California, after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex quit royal life in 2020. Relations with the Royal Family have become fractured after high-profile interviews, including one with Oprah in 2021, a Netflix show in 2022, and Harry’s explosive 2023 memoir, Spare.

Those who know the King best say he has been in a reflective mood and considers his close bond with his son William’s three children a blessing. He is a “fantastic and enthusiastic grandpa” to Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, five, sources say. His wife Camilla, 76, is also ­understood to be a driving force behind his decision to ramp up efforts to see his other grandchildren.

A source said: “The King is absolutely committed to being present in all of his grandchildren’s lives. He values family above everything and whatever the course of his ­relationship with his son he would never be content with just seeing his grandchildren on the odd video call.”

Harry scrambled back to the UK to visit his father ( 
Image:
Netflix)
Harry scrambled back to the UK to visit his father following his diagnosis. Bit despite Harry flying more than 5,000 miles to be by his father’s side, the pair met for just 30 minutes. Days later, the Duke told US ­broadcaster ABC: “I love my family. The fact that I was able to get on a plane and go and see him and spend any time with him, I’m grateful for that.”

Ingrid Seward, author of My Mother and I – The Inside Story of the King and Our Late Queen, said: “Family has always been important to the King. He remembers his own somewhat fragmented childhood as his parents were always busy doing their duty. It is a great sadness to him he doesn’t see more of Archie and Lilibet.

“That is why he will never break ties with Harry. He does not want a FaceTime relationship with his son’s children. He wants to know them and be involved with their lives while they are still young enough to be able to learn from his wisdom. His cancer has made it all the more poignant to him as he knows that he won’t be around for ever.”

The monarch has been having treatment for cancer since February ( 
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A friend of Harry insisted: “There has never been an issue with the King being in their lives and there never would be. The door’s always open.”

Last month, when Harry visited London to attend the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games, the Duke was told his father’s diary was full and the pair did not meet.

Representatives for ­ Buckingham Palace and the Sussexes did not comment.

Prince Harry detailed a moment where he was left heartbroken and betrayed as he turned to his brother Prince William for help after a shocking news story was published

Prince Harry admitted he felt heartbroken in a shocking moment when his brother Prince William finally took his side.

The Duke Of Sussex detailed an incident that left him reeling and struggling to cope as he described how he turned to his brother for support. Harry spoke about how a seven-page newspaper article accusing him of having issues with substance abuse left him devastated.

Writing in his memoir Spare Harry explained the moment from January 2002 when he made front page news under the headline ‘Harry’s Drugs Shame’. Harry branded the article as “lies” as he explained how the story “not only had me down as a habitual drug user, it had me recently going to rehab. Rehab!”

Harry turned to his brother over the upsetting story ( 
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Getty Images)
Harry also explained that the editor “had got her mitts on some photos of Marko and me paying a visit to a suburban rehab centre, months earlier,” as he described the visit as “a typical part of my princely charitable work,” which the journalist had used and “repurposed the photos, made them visual aids for her libellous fiction.”

The dismayed Prince said that he had then “gazed at the photos and read the story in shock.” He explained: “I felt sickened, horrified, I imagined everyone, all my countrymen and countrywomen, reading these things, believing them.”

Harry also expressed that it made him internally “hear people all across the Commonwealth gossiping about me.” He then went on to express that his father, Charles, and stepmother, Camilla, may have been a part of the story leaving him “heartbroken at the idea that this had been partly the work of my own family, my own father and future stepmother.”

Harry recalled the incident in his book Spare
Harry mused how they had “abetted this nonsense. For what? To make their own lives a bit easier?” He then detailed how he “phoned Willy, I couldn’t speak. He couldn’t either. He was sympathetic, and more.” Harry elaborated on the conversation further as he added: “At moments he was even angrier about the whole thing than I was, because he was privy to more details about the spin doctor and the backroom dealings that had led to this public sacrifice of the Spare.”

However, Harry admitted that William also played down his distress as he told him nothing could change what had happened. He continued: “And yet, in the same breath, he assured me that there was nothing to be done. This was Pa. This was Camilla. This was royal life.”

The brothers have since become embroiled in a bitter feud and are thought to have not spoken for months, maybe even years.

King Charles has not seen Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s kids Archie and Lilibet since June 2022

King Charles will never break ties with Prince Harry due to Lilibet, Archie?

King Charles will never break his ties with younger son Prince Harry owing to his grandchildren Archie and Lilibet, a royal expert has claimed.

Speaking to the Mirror, royal author Ingrid Seward said: “Family has always been important to the King.”

King Charles remembers his own somewhat ‘fragmented childhood’ as his parents were always busy doing their duty, the expert said and added “It is a great sadness to him he doesn’t see more of Archie and Lilibet.”

Ingrid claimed, “That is why he will never break ties with Harry. He does not want a FaceTime relationship with his son’s children. He wants to know them and be involved with their lives while they are still young enough to be able to learn from his wisdom.

“His cancer has made it all the more poignant to him as he knows that he won’t be around for ever,” the royal expert said.

The monarch feels “great sadness” over his lack of relationship with Archie and Lilibet.

Prince Harry moved to the States with his wife Meghan Markle and children in 2020

Prince Harry mulls buying home in UK to get away from Meghan Markle?

Prince Harry is contemplating to have a home in the UK as his honeymoon period in the States is coming to an end now, an expert claims.

The Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan Markle stepped back from their senior royal positions in 2020 and moved to California with their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

However, Harry still wants to have “a permanent base” in the UK as he no longer has a formal royal residence to return to when he visits the country.

Royal author and expert Tom Quinn exclusively tells the Mirror: “As time goes by, Harry misses some aspects of his old life in the UK. Inevitably, the honeymoon period where everything in the States is new and exciting is coming to an end and Harry is looking back at the past through rose-tinted spectacles.”

He added: “He misses his Old Etonian and army friends, many of whom have not visited as they don’t get on with Meghan. Harry is determined to find his own permanent home in the UK, which is partly why he’s continuing his legal action to get the British taxpayer to pay for his security.”

Prince Harry was absent Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor’s wedding with Olivia Henson

Prince Harry was absent Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor’s wedding with Olivia Henson

Prince Harry’s absence at the Duke of Westminster, Hugh Grosvenor’s wedding with Olivia Henson shows the rift with his brother Prince William couldn’t be “wider.”

Harry, the Duke of Sussex was missing at the wedding at Chester, where his brother the Prince of Wales acted as an usher. William was spotted beaming happily as the couple exchanged their vows.

Weighing in on Harry’s absence at his close friend’s wedding, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told The Express: “Harry’s non-appearance [on Friday] at the wedding of the year [was] inevitable.”

“It should be noted that he and Meghan don’t attend anything comparable in California,” he noted.

“He would surely not be human if he did not feel genuine regret as his friendship with Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster reportedly endures, and so many of his friends in his former life were there,” continued the expert.

Fitzwilliams noted that William’s presence made Harry think that he couldn’t attend the ceremony: “With William being an usher, it is a sad sign of the rift between the brothers that he felt he could not be present.”

“After the extraordinary briefings when he was last in Britain for the Invictus Service at St Paul’s, as to whether his father was too busy to see him and if there was enough security at a royal palace which he was reportedly offered, it is clear that the rift in the Royal Family could not be wider,” he concluded.

Sue Cleaver – best known for her role as Eileen Grimshaw – appeared as a panelist on Loose Women twice this week, with her opening up about weight loss on one occasion

Loose Women viewers said that they didn’t recognise a guest panellist who frequently appears on Coronation Street.

Sue Cleaver, 60 – best known for playing Eileen Grimshaw on Coronation Street – appeared on the ITV panel show twice this week. She featured as a guest on Thursday’s episode, before returning to the panel the following afternoon.

During her first appearance this week, Sue spoke about her experience with weight loss, after having reportedly lost three stone in recent years. She also urged viewers to consider how they talk about weight loss moving forward.

Sue posed alongside co-stars Simon Gregson and Denise Welch ( 
Image:
loosewomen / Instagram)

The actress is best known for playing Eileen Grimshaw ( 
Image:
Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Sue was seen alongside panellist Denise Welch and co-star Simon Gregson backstage in a photo that was shared by the show’s account on Instagram on Thursday. It prompted some reaction from fans, with many complimenting Sue.

One person wrote in response to the photo: “You look amazing.” Another said in the comments section on the platform earlier this week: “Sue looks radiant.” Sharing their thoughts, a third person reacted: “Sue looks fabulous.” There were also compliments over her outfit choice for her appearance, with some fans interested in the blouse that she wore for the episode. Similarly, some people took the opportunity to ask where Sue had got her glasses from.

Whilst others shared that they hadn’t recognised her initially, with one person writing: “Blimey, I didn’t know that was Sue Cleaver.” Another said: “Gosh didn’t recognise [her] at all.” Someone else responded to the comment: “Neither did I.” “Same here. Took a few seconds,” another person wrote in the comments section. Someone reacted to the photo: “[She’s] unrecognisable! She is pretty with her shortcut.” Another person said: “Didn’t realise it was Sue at first.”

There was a similar reaction to her appearance on Friday’s episode. One person tweeted: “Is that Sue Cleaver at the end? She’s looking amazing. That green really suits her too.” Another person tweeted: “Sue is looking so good.” Sue spoke about experiencing weight loss on Thursday’s episode, sharing: “My weight has been up, down, all over the place … a lot of it was helped by red wine! At the minute, I am a lot thinner but I’ve been ill this year.”

Sue opened up about her weight on the show ( 
Image:
Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)She commented: “What I hate is the shame that is attached to being a bigger person. The judgements that are made about another person […] often from other women.” Sue added on the show: “I always find it really hard to take.”

The actor urged: “We know we have a problem. We know we have an addiction. Don’t treat us like we are idiots!” She went on to share her thoughts about apparent “innocent” commentary, including people complimenting her.

She said: “When I’ve lost weight, I can go into a room and someone goes ‘Oh my God, you look amazing! You’ve lost so much weight!’ and all I will hear is that: ‘You looked like an absolute dog when you were big!’ It’s how we talk about it and how we talk around it, that makes a big difference!”

Coleen Nolan responded: “We are our own worst enemy [though] because if I’ve worked hard to lose weight and I walk in a room and someone doesn’t go ‘oh my god you look amazing’ I think ‘well I may as well have carried on eating doughnuts’.” Sue replied to the panellist: “Doesn’t that just tell you how obsessed we are about our outward shape.”

Stacey Solomon has revealed how her festive break to the Caribbean ended badly after she was rushed to hospital on the last day of her family holiday

Stacey Solomon has told how she was rushed to hospital on the last day of her festive holiday to Jamaica.

The Loose Women star took to Instagram to give fans an update and apologised for not coming back on to social media straight away, like she said she would, to give them organisational tips for January.

Revealing she had actually been really ill and was still not feeling 100 per cent, the 34-year-old said: “I know it feels like I’ve just fallen off the face of the earth the last few days and I promised I’d come home and get straight into our January sort out together and I’ve been promising it for months. I’m so sorry.

“We had the worst exit to Jamaica of all time. I can’t even get over what’s happened. It doesn’t feel real. Today’s the first day I’ve felt like I can walk around the house and feel like normal.” Explaining what happened during their Christmas and New Year getaway, which saw Stacey surprise her family with tickets to the Caribbean, the mum-of-five continued: “The day before we were travelling home I started to feel like a bit flu-y, so I was like, ‘Oh, I’m getting that flu that everyone’s got. That’s alright. We’re going home tomorrow so I’ll just get through it and get over it and carry on. So I carried on and then as the day went on, I just felt worse and worse.”

Stacey gave fans an update after her terrifying hospital ordeal ( 
Image:
Instagram)

Stacey and Joe took their whole family to the Caribbean as a special Christmas present ( 
Image:
Instagram)

After telling husband Joe Swash to take the kids to dinner while she slept it off, Stacey said Joe came back took one look at her and rang her sister, who is a nurse, because she “looked a mess”. Stacey went on: “My sister comes in the room and I know it’s something serious when my sister comes in the room. She’s a nurse but she’s very much like, she wouldn’t bother. She’s like ‘you’re fine’, unless you’re not fine.

“She came in and was like, ‘We need to sit you up, cool you down, get you some paracetamol.’ Every time she checked my temperature all I remember was her not saying anything. She said to me afterwards my temperature was going up and not coming down.” In the end, the family called for medical help in their hotel and the nurse took one look at Stacey, put her on an oxygen mask, covered her in wet towels and told her she needed to get to hospital immediately.

Once there, Stacey was given an IV drip and fluids and said she instantly began feeling better, even though she was “still rough as hell”. After begging doctors to let her fly home with her family and not remain in Jamaica on her own, they agreed after monitoring her overnight.

Though she managed the flight home, Stacey said that poor husband Joe “had all the kids for 10 hours”. Vowing she would now listen to her body in the future instead of pretending she is OK, she said she was going to “let myself get well” and joked she would be that “weirdo” who was keeping her Christmas decorations up until February while she recovers. She added: “I’m just gonna rest up and hopefully in a couple of days I’ll feel back to normal. But even that, I think I’m gonna take it slow because I don’t ever wanna be in that situation again. It actually scared me a little bit.”

In a later post, Stacey took to Instagram again to tell fans what was wrong with her. Sharing a snap of cuddling her two pet dogs, she wrote: “Teddy and Peanut are the best nurses in the world. Thank you for all of your kind messages. I’ll be back to life soon. Loads of you asking what it actually was. I rambled for 5 minutes and still didn’t say. It was an infection in the end that was causing my fever. But antibiotics are working well so fingers crossed they’ll get rid of it completely.”