Author: bang5

With Meghan Markle flying home to California, Prince Harry is now flying solo at the Invictus Games, and a body language expert has picked up on some telling changes

After spending several days at the Invictus Games with Prince Harry, Meghan has now returned home to Montecito, laden with presents for their two young children Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.

Now Prince Harry, 40, will be manning the Games solo, with a body language picking up on some telling changes as the spotlight shifts.

Taking to Instagram on the evening of Wednesday, February 12, Meghan showed her followers the personalised treats she’d brought home for Archie and Lilibet, writing: “A taste of Canada and The Invictus Games for our little ones! Cheering you [Harry] on from home!”

Meghan, 43, spent five days in Canada for the seventh edition of the Invictus Games, where she and Harry attended events in Vancouver and the renowned Whistler ski resort. In an address at the welcome evening on January 31, the mum-of-two emphasised husband Harry’s commitment to the Games, which are known to be his passion project.

She told participants: “You are his family, just as we are his family, and I hope you recognise how much of his heart he has poured into every single beat that has gotten all of you to this week that is going to be spectacular. I need you to know that, I need you to know how much it means to him and how much each of you means to you.”

Meghan spent five days in Canada for the Games ( 
Image:
WireImage)
Body language expert Judi James told the Mirror: “After being love-bombed by his wife for several days, Harry must have felt the chill of the icy Canadian slopes rather keenly as he emerged to work the Games alone here.

“He seems to be a subtler presence without his wife, posing at the back of this group rather than showboating in the middle, almost looking low-key in his grey knitted cap.

“His chats look a little less upbeat here. His smile is still in place, but he looks a little less assured and up for playful fun. It’s as though he has more of a desire to merge rather than dominate the poses now, putting the spotlight more on the competitors and fans.”

However, it would appear that Harry still keeps his sense of humour, with the prince leaving attendees at a breakfast event cracking up with a risqué joke about snowmen. The Duke told the gag after former US marine Michael Harrold urged him to tell his best dad joke at the event, which was attended by competitors from Team USA.

Judi believes Harry has a more ‘subtler presence without his wife’ ( 
Image:
PA)Recounting the cheeky joke, Michael, 41, told the Mirror: “He asked me ‘What is the difference between snowmen and snowwomen? … snowballs!’. Everyone laughed.” Michael continued: “I’d already told [Prince Harry] a joke my son made up and told him he owed me one back, so after he’d met a couple of other people he came back and found me. He’s got a good sense of humour and he’s very engaging.

“For a man of his calibre and his stature to make the time is fantastic. He makes the time to talk to people and remembers them from previous times he’s met them. He cares.”

It has been reported that despite US President Donald Trump saying he wouldn’t deport Prince Harry amid the row over his visa he could still support a prosecution if it’s found he lied about his drug use on the application

Prince Harry has been warned he is “far from off-the-hook” with Donald Trump despite the president previously saying he would not deport him from the US.

Just last week the US leader said he would not deport the Duke of Sussex from the US amid a row over his US visa due to his alleged drug use. Earlier this month, a judge hinted that he is open to the possibility of releasing some of the sealed documents from Harry’s US visa application. Court documents reveal that a judge has now set a date for next Thursday (February 20) for the US government to state which legal documents related to the case can be disclosed.

Harry and Meghan at the Invictus Games in Canada ( 
Image:
Humphrey Nemar/staff Photographer.)

The long-running legal case was sparked when conservative Washington DC think tank The Heritage Foundation questioned why the Duke, who is currently at the Invictus Games in Canada, was allowed into the US in 2020 after he admitted in his book Spare taking cocaine, marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms.

The think tank has argued that Harry either received special treatment from the Biden administration or had lied on his immigration forms. The punishment for lying on forms can include prison, a fine or deportation.

Prince Harry’s Absence In Royal Documentary Is ‘Not A Surprise’

And according to the Mail On Sunday, Trump remains committed to taking action in the form of a trial against Harry if he is found to have lied about his drug use, with sources saying the president has “vowed transparency”.

A source explained: “President Trump has said he won’t deport Harry but there is no doubt he would support a prosecution.” They added that Harry is not “off-the-hook with Trump”, saying: “The word in Washington is he should be very worried indeed. There is no love lost between the Sussexes and President Trump.”

Trump has spoken out about Harry several times ( 
Image:
AP)
Just last week when Trump ruled out deporting Harry he took a brutal dig at Harry’s wife Meghan saying: “I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.” Meanwhile, Harry appeared to hit back during a speech at the Invictus Games by criticising the “weak moral character in the world “.

Back in 2016, Meghan called Trump “misogynistic and divisive’ and then, in 2020 during the US election campaign between Trump and Joe Biden, the Sussexes appeared in a video urging Americans to ‘”vote against hate speech”.

While they did not specifically mention anyone by name, the remarks were interpreted as referring to Trump and therefore an endorsement of Mr Biden, with some claiming it was a breach of the Sandringham Summit agreement, which was written up when the couple quit their royal duties in 2020. Later Mr Trump spoke out saying he was “no fan” of Meghan.

The Heritage Foundation originally brought the lawsuit against the Department for Homeland Security (DHS) after a Freedom of Information Act request to see Harry’s visa application was rejected, with the think tank claiming it was of “immense public interest”.

The Heritage Foundation’s lawsuit argued that US law “generally renders such a person inadmissible for entry” to the country. The think tank also said answers on the duke’s prior drug use in his visa application should have been disclosed as they could raise questions over the US government’s integrity.

Meghan Markle was not at Prince Harry’s side during the closing ceremony of the Invictus Games in Vancouver tonight but she did send him a message via her Instagram Stories

Meghan Markle may have missed out on Prince Harry’s big moment at the Invictus Games closing ceremony. But that didn’t stop her from taking to her newly launched Instagram account to send a gushing message to her husband as the 2025 Games in Canada came to a tear-jerking end.

Meghan had been with Harry for the first few days of competition in Vancouver and Whistler but returned home on Tuesday to California to be with their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Last night, around 12,000 people packed into Vancouver’s Rogers Arena where they heard Harry give a speech as well as Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who paid a touching tribute to a tearful Harry, who helped to set up the Games over 10 years ago, causing a standing ovation from competitors and officials surrounding him.

Meghan Markle’s message to Harry on her Instagram Stories ( 
Image:
Meghan Markle/Instagram)

Prince Harry gives his closing speech at the 2025 Games ( 
Image:
PA)
Looking embarrassed by the reception, Harry humbly put his finger to his lips and could be seen telling them: “Sit down!”. And taking to social media, Meghan shared a clip of the emotional moment with the message: “So proud of you” and the applause emoji. The video she shared had been taken from inside the arena but had been shared with the Duchess by a friend who was at the ceremony.

During his speech, Harry, who founded the Invictus Games for injured service people in 2014, also vowed that the event, which will next be held in Birmingham in 2027, will continue for as long as it is needed.

He said: “Here we are more than a decade later in a world still full of strife and trauma. And as much as we wish these Games weren’t necessary, I understand why they are still needed, perhaps more than ever. It’s because of the strength you give to the world, the power of your example, your duty to one another. You may swear allegiance to different flags, but you stand united in your decency, your compassion, and your spirit of service.

An emotional Prince Harry at the Invictus Games closing ceremony ( 
Image:
Humphrey Nemar)“I can’t stand before you and promise there won’t be challenging times ahead, but I promise you, you’re better equipped now than you were before. You’ve reclaimed what was lost, restored what was broken… achieved the impossible. Remember what makes you tick. Hold onto it. Rely on it. Use it for yourself and those around you, for service to one another will save us.”

Meghan has been very active on Instagram since the Games began and on Friday marked Valentine’s Day by posting a photo of her exchanging a kiss with Harry. She said: “Back home taking care of our babies, and missing my Valentine, as he continues on at the Invictus Games, changing lives and reminding all of us of the power of healing and resilience through these incredible veterans and their families. Beyond proud of my husband and what he’s created.”

Referencing the meal in the photograph, she adds: “My love, I will eat burgers & fries and fish & chips with you forever. Thank you for you.” Later, she also shared a video that gave a glimpse of her children helping her prepare heart-shaped treats. Meghan posted a video of herself cutting heart-shaped strawberries and preparing Valentine’s themed food alongside her children, with the song L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole, on her Instagram story.

The mother-of-two shows off her culinary skills, decorating pink snacks with her daughter Lilibet before carrying the plate outside, following her son Archie. Neither child’s face can be seen in the video, in keeping with the couple’s attempts to maintain their privacy

Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis have showed off their artistic skills as their mum, the Princess of Wales, released portraits drawn by the youngsters

Princess Kate has released portraits drawn by her three children in a bid to encourage families to get creative together.

Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, each drew pictures of one another, while the Princess of Wales released her own sketch, the subject of which appears to be six-year-old Louis.

The sketches delighted royal fans, who praised the youngsters’ creative talents. One person said: “Wow! Prince George is so talented,” while another echoed the sentiment, writing: “Prince George’s portrait of his mum, The Princess of Wales, is amazing.”

Someone else added: “Wow Prince George has inherited his mother Catherine and his grandfather King Charles’s talent for art, drawing and painting.”

The Wales family drew portraits of one another ( 
Image:
X/KensingtonRoyal)

Kate and William are encouraging their kids to be creative

“This is a great way of being creative, and these are FANTASTIC portraits! Thank you for sharing them,” wrote another.

A fifth shared: “Beautiful drawings ! Thanks for sharing! Clearly Prince George has inherited his mother Princess Catherine’s talent! I bet you all had a lot of fun doing this!”

Prince William previously commended his wife and children’s artistic skills, confessing that they’re much more creative than he is – perhaps explaining why he didn’t partake in the portrait drawing. Last year, during a visit to a youth centre, he mused: “My wife is the arty one, my children are artier than I am.”

Explaining Kate’s wish for families across the UK to pick up their own pencils, a spokesperson for Kensington Palace said: “Following on from the launch of The Bobeam Tree Trail at the National Portrait Gallery earlier this month, The Princess of Wales and The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood are encouraging families to get creative together.

“When children engage in enjoyable activities with friends, family, and other caring adults, it not only allows them to have fun in the moment but can also help them to develop their social and emotional skills for the future. Creative activities like arts and crafts can be great ways to spend time together, have fun, and nurture your relationships. They also encourage children to focus their thoughts, involve communicating with others, and help them to know themselves.

“One idea is to sit down together and create portraits of one another. You can enjoy this activity in any way that is fun for you and the child you are with; you might want to draw, paint, or make a model out of things around the house to make your portrait. The magic of this activity comes in really looking at and focusing on each other, connecting, and having fun together.”

Today is the deadline for the US government to state which legal documents can be disclosed relating to Prince Harry’s visa application, which has come under scrutiny

The long-running battle over whether Prince Harry’s US visa application should be made public reaches a crunch date today.

Earlier this month, a judge suggested he could allow the release of some sealed documents from Harry’s visa application in a lengthy legal case sparked when conservative Washington DC think tank The Heritage Foundation questioned why the Duke of Sussex was allowed into the US in 2020.

The group are questioning the granting of his visa after he admitted in his book Spare taking cocaine, marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms. The think tank has argued that Harry either received special treatment from the Biden administration or had lied on his immigration forms.

Prince Harry at the Invictus Games last week ( 
Image:
PA)
Several weeks ago, Judge Carl Nichols told a hearing in Washington DC that he wanted “maximum disclosure as long as it doesn’t violate privacy.” He set a date of today (February 20) for the US government to state which legal documents related to the case can be disclosed. It could pave the way for documents to be released after the judge previously said that after the US government meet the deadline, “the Court will determine what portions of those materials can be produced to Heritage”.

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 Harry has found himself in a row over his US visa ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump publicly spoke out about the case saying he would not deport Harry. But in a brutal dig at Meghan, he added: “I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.”

In a previous hearing for the case in September, a judge ruled the public did not have a strong interest in disclosure of the Duke’s immigration records, but the Heritage Foundation is asking for the judgment to be changed. The organisation originally brought the lawsuit against the Department for Homeland Security (DHS) after a Freedom of Information Act request was rejected, with the think tank claiming it was of “immense public interest”.

In his controversial memoir, the duke said cocaine “didn’t do anything for me”, adding: “Marijuana is different, that actually really did help me.” The Heritage Foundation’s lawsuit argued that US law “generally renders such a person inadmissible for entry” to the country.

The think tank also said answers on the duke’s prior drug use in his visa application should have been disclosed as they could raise questions over the US government’s integrity. In the DHS’s response to the legal claim, it said: “Much like health, financial, or employment information, a person’s immigration information is private personal information.”

The submissions previously made by lawyer John Bardo on behalf of DHS also said no “publicly available information shows that Prince Harry was ever convicted for a drug-related offence”. Mr Bardo added that any suggestion from the Heritage Foundation of wrongdoing on behalf of the US government was “purely speculative”.

Meghan Markle has been sharing even more glimpses of her children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet online after she and Prince Harry have been fiercely protective over their privacy – and one expert has weighed in on this strategy

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have long grappled with fiercely protecting their children from the spotlight.

Apart from photos of Prince Archie when he was born when his parents were working royals and a few of Princess Lilibet in their Netflix series – the two youngsters have largely stayed away from public view.

But ever since Meghan launched her new Instagram account in January, there have been more and more fleeting glimpses of Archie and Lilibet. Just last week, the pair featured in a video with mum Meghan helping her to make Valentine-themed strawberry bagels.

Not only that but a heartwarming snap of Meghan and three-year-old Lilibet running hand-in-hand in a green field is featured on the website for the Duchess’s newly-named lifestyle brand, As Ever.

Lilibet helps mum Meghan make Valentine’s Day treats ( 
Image:
@meghan?Instagram)

Archie also appeared in the clip posted on his mum’s Instagram page ( 
Image:
(Image: Instagram/@meghan))

However, both times, strategic camera angles were used so as not to reveal too much of their faces. And according to former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond, this might suggest the couple will reveal more and more of their children in the future. She told the Mirror: “They are clearly fiercely protective of their children. And I think much of that stems from Harry’s experience of having cameras trained on him when he was a little boy – and ever since.

“He showed his contempt for the cameras when he was very young, sticking his tongue out, as he sat in the back of a car with his mother. She told him to stop it very quickly! Of course, seeing only glimpses of them makes them even more interesting to the public. And it brings extra attention to whichever video they appear in, which is commercially valuable.

Harry and Meghan in Canada at the Invictus Games ( 
Image:
PA)“Sooner or later, they are bound to release pictures of the children. Otherwise, there’s a real danger that paparazzi will follow them until they get what they want – in the hope that a newspaper or magazine somewhere in the world will buy the pictures.”

Archie and Lilibet also appeared in the Sussexes’ 2024 Christmas card – several years after they opted out of showing them on the design. In the sweet card, the two children can be seen running into their parent’s arms. The family’s dogs Guy, who recently died, Pula and Mamma Mia are also in the image, which appeared to have been snapped in a park. The picture made up one of six featured in the card, which was sent by email.

It comes after last year, when a friend of the Sussexes told People how Harry wanted to protect his children by keeping them out of the limelight. They said: “Harry has been reluctant to show his children publicly, not out of a desire to hide them but to protect their privacy and safety from potential threats.

“He wants them to lead as normal a life as possible without the fear of kidnapping or harm.” The friend added: “Harry is determined to ensure that history doesn’t repeat itself,” referring to the death of Princess Diana.

An insider shared details about an off-camera moment between Meghan Markle and staff from her new Netflix show, as she continues to ignore President Trump’s jibes

Despite enduring harsh criticism from President Trump and previously being branded “demanding”, an insider has given an insight into what Meghan Markle is really like off-camera.

While filming for her Netflix show With Love, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex is said to have given gifts to the cast and crew and made a moving speech.”She gave a speech on the last day of filming and graciously gifted Our Place pans and wooden spoons for the entire crew and engraved them in her own handwriting,” an insider close to the production revealed to the I paper.

The source went on to say Meghan had also proved she is easy to work, refuting claims she is “demanding”.

Meghan’s generous gesture comes amid ongoing jibes from the President towards both her and her husband Prince Harry, who reside in Montecito with their two young children.

In a recent interview, Trump labelled the former Suits actress as “terrible”.

Quizzed on expelling Harry from the country, Trump told the New York Post: “I don’t want to do that. I’ll leave him alone.

Trump recently made his feelings towards Meghan known ( 
Image:
Joe Raedle, Getty Images)
“He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.”

He went on to suggest that Meghan wore the trousers in their marriage, adding: “I think poor Harry is being led around by the nose.”

The Duchess of Sussex may be ignoring his jibes for now, but she has previously made her feelings towards him clear.

Speaking on The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore in 2016, she said: “Yes, of course, Trump is divisive, think about female voters alone, right?

“I think it was in 2012 the Republican Party lost the female vote by 12 points; that is a huge number and with as misogynistic as Trump is, and so vocal about it, that is a huge chunk of it.”

Meghan’s new Netflix series is set to debut next month after its release date was delayed.

On her show, filmed at a stunning California pad, the Duchess dishes out advice on everything from gardening to food tips, with the help of some of her celebrity friends.

Meghan announced her new show shortly after she returned to Instagram earlier this year, a move that’s seen her followers skyrocket to two million.

In a direct message to his majesty, famed US attorney Gloria Allred told him: “We can handle the truth, and the public deserves the truth” over Prince Andrew’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein

King Charles has been humiliatingly dragged into his brother Prince Andrew’s Jeffrey Epstein scandal after a lawyer for victims demanded the monarch speak out.

In a direct message to his majesty, famed US attorney Gloria Allred told him: “We can handle the truth, and the public deserves the truth.” The demand came as Andrew appeared on Wednesday to treat himself to a £100,000 birthday present as he was pictured driving a new special royal Range Rover as he turned 65. The vehicle has sparked a backlash from critics demanding to know why he is still permitted to drive such a 4×4 fitted with blue emergency lights despite being stripped of his police protection.

Ms Allred spoke out after an email written by the Duke of York recently emerged indicating he may have lied over the ending of his friendship with his paedophile pal. During his car crash BBC Newsnight interview, Andrew went to great lengths to stress the only reason he was pictured with Epstein in December 2010 was to break off all ties in person. He stressed he had no contact with him ever since.

Prince Andrew’s failure to speak with the FBI over his friend Jeffrey Epstein has left a lawyer asking King Charles to speak ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
The Duke said he did so after learning of the sexual abuse allegations and the financier’s 2008 jail sentence over his conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. But last month, it emerged that Andrew had emailed the sex offender eight weeks later. “Keep in close touch, and we’ll play some more soon!!!!” the email read. Now Ms Allred has hit out, demanding the monarchy come clean about Andrew’s friendship with Epstein as she fails to believe his brother’s version of events.

“My sense is they would all (the royal family) like it to end, but this is a drip, drip drip of information is like a water torture test,” she told the Mirror. “My guess is that this is not going to be the last time we hear something, a quote or evidence, not necessarily evidence admissible in a court of law, but evidence, at least in the court of public opinion or some questions raised and then not answered. It’s just going to go on like this.”

Turning to the King, Ms Alred then added: “Perhaps by showing sympathy for victims of sexual violence, whether it’s domestic or by a stranger, that maybe they’re trying to say, ‘Look, that’s not who we are. We do care’. And maybe they do. I don’t know. But the king should come out and say ‘We do care about victims. This is what we believe. We want to help them.’ Surely, that is the public image they would like to have. That’s the message they would like to send.”

The attorney, who has fought for women’s rights for decades, then turned to Andrew’s email to Epstein that was uncovered in a filing by the UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which is currently defending an appeal by Jes Staley, the former chief executive of Barclays Bank.

At the wheel of a new £100,000 Range Rover, Prince Andrew was spotted in the specially fitted vehicle on his 65th birthday ( 
Image:
Bruce Bennett)
In 2023, the American, 68, was fined £1.8 million and banned from senior management positions in financial services. Staley was sanctioned for misleading regulators about his ties to Epstein, and the evidence submitted in his case has now dragged Andrew back into the spotlight.

Ms Allred said: “It’s very disturbing that quote. This quote, if it was written by Prince Andrew, does not sound like it was from a person who had ended a relationship with Epstein. To the contrary, it sounds as though it was from a person who intended to keep his relationship alive with Jeffrey Epstein and whose relationship was social, although it may have had a business aspect as well. What does ‘we’ll play some more soon’ mean? Does it mean that they will party together? It doesn’t say we’ll play golf.

She continued: “It doesn’t appear to take seriously that Jeffrey Epstein had been convicted in 2008 in the United States for procuring a minor for prostitution. My guess is that we will only know who emailed that if depositions are taken and or Prince Andrew decides to speak with New York investigators or prosecutors. However, we don’t know if there is still interest by the FBI or prosecutors in speaking to him because there is a new United States attorney appointed by Trump who may or may not be interested in interviewing Prince Andrew.”

As Ms Allred hit out, the Duke – stripped of his royal duties by the late Queen due to his ties with Epstein – was photographed close to his Royal Lodge mansion in Windsor driving his new specially adapted vehicle. It is illegal for the public to fit blue lights to their car, but all members of the Royal Family have a special dispensation so that the vehicles can be used for official engagements and police convoys. However, as Andrew is no longer a working Royal, there are few scenarios – other than state funerals or coronations – where he or his private security team would be allowed to use the lights.

His Range Rover is often trailed by his private security detail in a £60,000 Land Rover Discovery. It has left critics baffled that, despite his dramatic fall from grace, he continues to receive such privileges. The pictures emerged as Ms Allred then urged the investigation into Epstein to continue demanding the Duke speak to the FBI after years of stonewalling their requests.

Famed US attorney, Gloria Allred, who represents victims of Jeffrey Epstein, called on King Charles to speak out ( 
Image:
NBC)
She added: “Prince Andrew needs to be under oath as he would be in a deposition and required to tell the truth as he would be if he were speaking to law enforcement in the United States. But I am sceptical that we will ever know the answers to these important questions. There is a cloud over Prince Andrew because of his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, and I doubt that it will ever go away.”
Ms Allred feels that the British public and victims need to hear from Andrew again, and if not, the king should speak out.

Speaking directly to the royals, she said: “We can handle the truth, and the public deserves the truth because he gave that interview, and since he’s gone radio silent on the whole issue. I don’t think he’s helping himself. I don’t think he’s helping the victims, and this isn’t just about public relations. I mean, this is about what’s the duty of anyone? If young women are hurt, if young women are in peril if young women who are vulnerable were taken advantage of, even by Jeffrey Epstein, not necessarily by him, why can’t they speak about it?”

Ms Allred accused Andrew of making a decision himself rather than letting Southern District of New York prosecutors evaluate whether the information he has on Epstein could be important for their criminal probe. In 2020, when he was the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoffrey Berman made the extremely rare decision to blast Andrew publicly.

He accused the Duke of “seeking to falsely portray himself” as eager to help his Epstein inquiry before he accused Andrew of providing “zero cooperation.” Berman claimed that despite public statements to the contrary, the royal had “repeatedly declined” requests to schedule an interview. Andrew’s legal team denied his claims, insisting that the Duke offered to assist authorities on at least three occasions.

Melania Trump, Prince Andrew, Gwendolyn Beck and Jeffrey Epstein at a party at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, Palm Beach, Florida, February 12, 2000 ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Speaking of Andrew’s failure to talk to the FBI, Ms Allred said: “He definitely saw something in Jeffrey Epstein’s home in New York in 2010 – maybe it wasn’t criminal activity, but that’s for prosecutors to decide,” she said. “That’s not for him to decide. It’s just very disturbing. Every time something like this happens, it’s alarming.”

Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in Manhattan in August 2019 while he awaited trial on sex trafficking charges. The death was ruled a suicide.

What would likely have been the UK’s most stunning mansion – that is said to be even larger than Buckingham Palace itself – has never been completed and left to rot in the Sussex countryside, to the annoyance of neighbours

In the midst of the stunning Sussex countryside, there lies a truly incredible, and pretty unexpected sight: a sprawling mansion that, if it had ever been completed, would have been more impressive than some of the royal residences.

Said to be even bigger than the iconic Buckingham Palace itself, the property, which has been under construction for decades, has been left crumbling – leaving some local residents less than impressed.

Hamilton Palace, even in its incompleted ruin, is truly an impressive sight, and construction began on the gargantuan and elaborate property all the way back in 1985, on the instructions of business tycoon and multi-millionaire Nicholas Van Hoogstraten.

The businessman, who hails from a working-class background in Sussex, became a millionaire aged just 22, and quickly made headlines for his financial achievements. At one stage he was reported to be worth as much as £800 million, although recent estimates place his family’s wealth at £25 million, per The Express.

No one has ever lived in Hamilton Palace ( 
Image:
Daily Mirror)

Van Hoogstraten’s property empire extended far beyond the palatial mansion he decided to build in the mid-1980s, in the pretty woodland landscape near Uckfield, East Sussex. At one stage he owned huge swathes of the county, and he claimed, he was for the most part mortgage free.

The business tycoon has long made headlines for his forthright comments defending his business empire, and been caught up in scandal and controversy. He was repeatedly accused of being a slumlord in the 1960s, because of the conditions in which some of his tenants lived, and the violent manner in which evictions were said to be carried out, and was reportedly jailed in 1968.

The businessman spent four years in prison “for ordering a grenade attack on a rabbi whose son allegedly owed him money” the Daily Mail reports.

Nicholas van Hoogstraten has been a controversial figure over the decades ( 
Image:
Press Association)
In 2002 he was charged with manslaughter of business rival Mohammed Raja, who was stabbed five times and then shot outside of his home in South London – however, this conviction was overturned on appeal. In a civil suit, the tycoon was ordered to pay the Raja family £6 million, three years later – with the High Court finding it likely he was involved in the killing.

Around this time, Van Hoogstraten said that completing construction on the sprawling mansion, reported to be worth £40 million, was not a “top priority”.

Some local residents are less than impressed with Hamilton Palace’s state of disrepair, but Van Hoogstraten slammed their complaints that the property was rotting and “crumbling” with no construction taking place by calling them “peasants”.

“Even the most moronic of peasants would be able to see… that we have been busy landscaping the grounds of the palace so as to prepare for scheduled works,” he is reported to have said in 2016.

No one has ever called Hamilton Palace home – and Van Hoogstraten now reportedly lives in Zimbabwe, spending little time in the UK. He is said to have been a close friend of Robert Mugabe, before the former leader’s death in 2019 and to have bought an estate in the country aged just 19.

Construction on the property has never been completed ( 
Image:
Getty Images)One local called the incomplete mansion the “biggest slum in Britain” and another dubbed it the “ghost house of Sussex”, with some people reportedly complaining that the property is a “death trap” that attracts anti-social behaviour in the area.

“The site is not secure. Fencing is always being ripped down and youths get onto the land and head to the house. The place has become a magnet for kids with nothing better to do. It is high time the local authority did some checks on the property to ascertain its security and safety because youths who get in there could be killed,” said one resident, per the Manchester Evening News.

Another local accused the council of being “scared” of the property tycoon, “‘I feel the council have bent over backwards for this man because they are a little bit scared of him and his wealth,” they said to the Daily Mail.

Locals have said the construction site has become a hotbed for antisocial behaviour and is a ‘death trap’ ( 
Image:
Daily Mirror)

Wealden district council said: “Hamilton Palace is not located in a densely populated area. The closest public right of way is situated to the very east of the estate, divided from the main building on site by several field parcels and blocks of woodland.

“However, if there are concerns about a dangerous structure, this can be reported to the Council and we will investigate further. With regard to anti-social and or unlawful behaviour, this is a police enforcement matter.”

Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes stunned fans when they announced they had split up in May, but the Loose Women star has now made a surprising statement about her status

Ruth Langsford has made a huge statement about her marriage to Eamonn Holmes after telling fans they were heading for divorce in May.

The former This Morning stars, both 64, sent shockwaves through the showbiz world when they announced they had called time on their 14-year marriage with reports Ruth was ‘sick of being Eamonn’s carer’.

The GB News star thanked fans for their support the day after the news broke, but Ruth kept quiet, including during her recent return to Loose Women where she failed to mention the break-up.

However, in her latest post on Instagram, she is still wearing her wedding ring as she told fans she was heading off to a meeting with the QVC shopping channel. Looking very glamorous, sporting a natty white blazer, Breton striped top and black designer sunglasses, she captioned the selfie, which she took in a lift: “Design meetings all afternoon @QVCUK.

Ruth Langsford is still wearing her wedding ring ( 
Image:
ruthlangsford/Instagram)

The couple stunned fans when they announced they had split in May ( 
Image:
Getty Images Europe)

It comes after Ruth returned to Loose Women last month after a three-month hiatus, telling the audience: “Welcome to your first Loose Women of the week, it’s great to have your company!” Her co-star Coleen Nolan added: “Can I just say, I am so so happy you are back.” As the crowd cheered for her return, panellist Janet Street-Porter shouted: “Thank God! Thank God. I was left with her and her,” she joked gesturing to Coleen and Brenda Edwards. “I know, I won’t do it again Janet. It’s very nice to be back with you all,” Ruth responded.

So far, Ruth has refrained from speaking about her breakup with Eamonn. However, there were multiple reports about why she split with the seasoned journalist, with some claiming the mum-of-one was tired of looking after the dad-of-four, who has had a double hip operation and struggles to walk.

Eamonn spoke about his ill health at the recent TRIC Awards when he told the Mirror he felt like he was living on “borrowed time”. Struggling with chronic back pain, which saw him require a high-tech wheelchair at the ceremony, the star spoke candidly about his health after his father died aged 65 from a fatal heart attack in 1991.

The presenter has battled multiple heath issues over the past few years, before his split with Ruth was announced. Speaking to us, he admitted he had considered pulling out of attending the star-studded bash in London, which he usually goes to with his estranged wife, as he had been in so much pain.

Eamonn is reportedly leaning on several female friends in the wake of his split from Ruth. The Northern Irishman said he hoped to remain on good terms with his soon-to-be ex-spouse, despite the Loose Women star staying silent about their relationship.

According to Best magazine, when asked about the mother of his youngest son, Jack, he responded, “It’s too early to say, but I hope we can still be friends.”