Author: bang5

Harvey Price has been kicked out of his residential home for being ‘too difficult’ according to his famous mum Katie Price

Katie Price has been left devastated as her eldest son Harvey has unfortunately been ‘kicked out’ of his residential care home.

The former glamour model and mum-of-five, 46, shares son Harvey with ex Dwight Yorke. Harvey, 22, lives with Prader-Willi syndrome, autism, septo-optic dysplasia, and a number of learning difficulties. Prader-Willi syndrome is a rare genetic disorder that causes constant hunger and can lead to obesity and diabetes.

Harvey has been kicked out of his residential home for being ‘too difficult’ according to his famous mum. The frustrated mum-of-five opened up on the unfortunate series of events on her weekly podcast, The Katie Price Show as she admitted that she felt hugely ‘let down’ by the council after they informed her that she would have to find new living arrangements for Harvey.

Katie has revealed that Harvey has been kicked out of his residential home ( 
Image:
BBC)
Filling her listeners in on the unfortunate event, Katie said: “Harvey is supposed to be moving in four-and-a-half weeks, they’ve changed management and said they won’t be able to cater for Harv, because he’s too difficult. So now I’ve got to find another placement for him… so yeah, more drama to deal with.”

Katie Price shows off latest nose job

Later in the podcast episode, she added: “We worked months and months for that and he was told four-and-a-half weeks before that he couldn’t go there, and Harvey has been doing the countdown. Well it’s stressful because you want the right thing for your child and it is a lot of time and effort to go back and do more meetings, more forms, it is very time-consuming because you want the best for your child.”

It comes after Katie emotionally revealed her concerns about her son’s weight thanks to his rare genetic condition last week. Katie said she is going to put Harvey, who weighs 28 stone, on weight-loss injections in a last-ditch attempt to save her son who is ‘always hungry’. She fears her eldest son may die if he doesn’t receive any help with his spiralling weight.

Katie is putting Harvey on weight loss injections amid his health battles ( 
Image:
@katieprice/Instagram)

Harvey now weighs 28 stone ( 
Image:
PA)
She told how top doctors have suggested using the jabs on Harvey with the hope being they can help save and improve his life. Katie confessed the situation with Harvey is “really serious” and explained how he is at risk of a heart attack.

The mum-of-five candidly shared that due to his genetic disorder, Prader-Willi syndrome, Harvey isn’t getting smaller at present. Speaking to the Sun, Katie said: “He’s putting on weight. It doesn’t matter what we do. He can’t put his shoes on without sweating. He can’t walk far because he gets out of breath.”

Katie claimed doctors advised the jabs to give him a better and longer life as well as improving his health. Harvey has a number of debilitating conditions including autism, septo-optic dysplasia, ADHD and oppositional defiant disorder.

She said she believes the injection option is a good thing as, because it’s done weekly, they can stop if there is any effect on Harvey. “We’ve tried food, he’s had ­dieticians, it’s just the way he is,” she added before saying it won’t affect any of his other medications. The reality TV star added that doctors would like Harvey to try the jab for “one or two years” while they assess him.

During a recent royal engagement, a little boy had one particular question for Prince William, and the future King quickly came back with a funny seven-word reply

If there is one thing Prince William knows how to do whilst out and about on his official royal engagements, it’s how to get the children he meets smiling.

Along with his wife, Princess Kate, William is known to be a really hands-on parent who regularly takes on the daily duties that come with having three youngsters himself.

Whilst this might be normal fare for parents up and down the country, it’s a massive break with how children have traditionally been raised within the Royal Family – and how good the future King is with children always shines through when he chats with the public.

During a recent visit to Toxteth in Liverpool, William was lucky enough to meet a seriously charming little boy, who asked him a very sweet question – to which the Prince of Wales quickly had an amusing seven-word response – and the heartwarming exchange captured the attention of royal fans online.

The pair posed for a selfie, with Mohammed instructing William to ‘say cheese’ ( 
Image:
@stnicsliv/X)

The young boy seriously charmed William ( 
Image:
@stnicsliv/X)

“Hello, are you the King?” The little boy asked William upon meeting him, and William sweetly replied: “No, I’m not, no. I’m his son!”

The Prince of Wales then quickly turned the conversation round to the little boy himself: “What’s your name? Mohammed. How are you, Mohammed? Nice to see you. Did you have a good day at school?”

The pair also posed for a sweet selfie video together which saw Mohammed instruct the future King to “Say cheese!” – a request William instantly fulfilled.

In a video of William’s seriously sweet interaction with the Year Five pupil, shared by the school the royal was visiting – St. Nicholas Catholic Academy – on X, formerly known as Twitter, saw someone off-camera swipe off Mohammed’s woollen hat as the pair chatted, which made William laugh and insist that the youngster should be allowed to keep it on.

“Don’t worry. He needs it on to keep his ears warm. It’s cold out here; it’s very cold today,” William noted, smiling and rubbing his own hands together to keep warm in the chilly air.

When Mohammed asked if William was King he had a quick response ( 
Image:
@stnicsliv/X)

Royal fans praised the little boy for his ‘boldness’ and William for his endearing manner with children ( 
Image:
@stnicsliv/X)“Something to brighten up your day!!!” The school captioned the videos they shared after the royal visit. “So… one of our amazing year 5 Children managed to not only have a chat with @KensingtonRoyal Prince William, he also managed to get a selfie!”

Royal fans were quick to respond with praise to the endearing interaction, “One of my favourite things about Prince William . . . How sweet & kind he is with children of all ages! His Mum would be so very proud of the man he’s grown up to be!” wrote one user.

Another commented: “I love this young man had the confidence to walk up, to whom he thought was the King, to ask him and have a dialog with Prince William! Love, love the braveness and boldness!”

“That moment will live with Mohammad for a life time! Well done Prince William,” commented a third user.

Another posted, “This warms my frosty old heart I tell ya,” in response to the seriously cute exchange.

A royal author has claimed that Prince Harry is ‘bored’ in California, where he moved five years ago with his wife Meghan Markle, and where they are raising their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet

Prince Harry is “bored” by some aspects of living in California, a royal author has claimed.

The duke has spoken positively about his new life in the sunshine of Montecito, where he shares a lavish mansion with his wife Duchess Meghan, and their two children – Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet three. But former friends of his in the UK have apparently admitted that Harry’s life in the States isn’t exactly what he dreamed it might be.

Tom Quinn, author of a new upcoming royal book titled Yes Ma’am, told The Sun: “He just doesn’t have anything to do: from childhood he has been trained to be a royal, attending charitable events and meeting the public and he has thrown all that away.

“Friends say he’s made a decent stab at helping around the Montecito mansion, walking the dog and looking after the children,” the author claimed. “But the truth is he is bored. He can’t leave the mansion without a security detail and the couple’s neighbours – many of whom are far more famous than the royal couple – take little notice when they spot Harry out and about.”

Harry himself has said quite the opposite about his life in California, saying that it affords him far more privacy and freedom for himself and his children allowing him to do things he “undoubtedly wouldn’t be able to do in the UK”.

Speaking at an event in December, Harry said that his new life in America is what his late mother, Princess Diana, would have “wanted” for him and when he was asked if he planned to stay in California for good, he replied that he would. “I very much enjoy living here and bringing my kids up here,” Harry said.

However, the Duke of Sussex has also made it clear that no matter how sure he is that California will always be his family’s home base, he still wants Archie and Lilibet to get to know the UK and spend time in his home country.

He is currently embroiled in an ongoing legal battle with the Home Office over the removal of his automatic police security five years ago. As it stands, Harry is offered a “bespoke” security arrangement, which means the government decides on a case-by-case basis whether or not to provide him with police security. However, Harry and his legal team have maintained that the threats against him and his family have not changed because he is no longer a working royal, so his security should be reinstated.

Harry has said he currently feels unsafe bringing Meghan and the two youngsters to the UK without assured security because private security he can employ would not have the ‘proper jurisdiction or intelligence’ to keep them safe.

The Duke lost the initial rounds of the legal case, with the High Court finding that RAVEC – the committee which decides who gets security – had acted lawfully, but Harry won the right to appeal the decision, which is currently scheduled for April.

Meghan also spoke about the couple’s two children Archie and Lilibet, who she said call Harry papa

Meghan spoke to injured veterans about Prince Harry at the Invictus Games and told them: “You are his family”.

The duchess, 43, was speaking about her husband’s commitment to the event during a behind closed doors welcome reception for competitors in Vancouver on Friday night.

She made the remarks while introducing her husband, who has suffered high-profile fall-outs with his father King Charles and his brother Prince William, on stage at the event at the competition’s main venue the Vancouver Convention Centre.

It was the couple’s first public outing together since the publication of a distressing Vanity Fair cover last month. Meghan, who was dressed in a long brown ensemble, said of Harry: “You will see him throughout this week, you will see him at the Games, you will see him probably curling with you, cheering you on. He wants to be there with you, he is in it with you.

Harry was earlier been smiling while arriving in the Canadian city following a private flight from Santa Barbara ( 
Image:
Humphrey Nemar/staff Photographer.)
“What you won’t have seen is all of the moments in the lead-up to these Games. All of the moments with, as you know, with families, the big rush in the morning and getting ready for school and packing the lunch boxes and making breakfast and my husband’s in all of that with us.

“And then he’ll be on his phone and Archie will say ‘papa, why are you on your phone?’. He’s like ‘cos it’s Invictus… I’m getting ready for Invictus’. It means so much to him.

“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.”

The couple are said to be planning to give a ‘show of strength’ at the Invictus Games ( 
Image:
Getty Images for W+P)
Meghan spoke at the event, which was held just hours after she and Harry touched down in Vancouver after travelling on a private plane together from Santa Barbara, close to their home in Montecito.

They were later seen arriving at Vancouver’s five-star Fairmont Pacific Rim, where they are staying, in a convoy of three large blacked-out SUVs, ahead of the start of the nine-day event, which will begin on Saturday afternoon with a star-studded opening ceremony featuring live performances by a host of stars, including Katy Perry, Chris Martin and Nelly Furtado. Harry is also set to make a speech on stage at the event in front of a sold-out audience of 40,000 people at the city’s BC Place stadium.

The couple are no strangers to the area having moved to nearby Vancouver Island immediately after they quit royal duties in what became known as ‘Megxit’ in 2020. They later moved to Montecito in Meghan’s native California, but are both known to be keen lovers of Canada after also starting their relationship with secret dates and stays in Toronto, where Meghan lived while filming the TV drama Suits, for five years.

Beginning her remarks on Friday night, Meghan said: “I was not planning on speaking tonight and we just arrived, I don’t know, a couple of hours ago and I touched Candian soil and I went ‘ohh, feels like home!’.

Meghan also told how the couple’s children Archie and Lilibet are cheering on competitors from California ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)“We are so excited. We also recognise that most of you are probably so exhausted from how much travel you’ve done, how much adrenaline you have pumping, how excited you are for what is going to be one of the most outstanding, memorable, unforgettable and connective weeks probably for you and your families.”

It comes after Meghan and Harry were reportedly left upset by a report in Vanity Fair last month, which included speculation, which has been strongly denied, about the state of the couple’s marriage, as well as anonymous allegations about Meghan’s alleged management style towards staff.

They were also hit by claims in a new book and harsh criticism following a visit to survivors of the LA fires. However, it appears they are keen to put any negativity behind them.

Organisers say this year’s Invictus Games, which comes after previous Games’ were held in London, Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, The Hague and Dusseldorf, will be the biggest ever. It will be held at eight separate venues in Vancouver and the ski resort of Whistler, which are on the traditional territories of the Four Host First Nations of Lílwat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil Waututh.

More than 1,900 volunteers have signed up to help stage the £34million event, which will see up to 550 participants from up to 25 nations compete in eleven sports, including six winter ones for the first time in Invictus Games history. They will include Alpine Skiing, Snowboarding, Biathlon, Cross Country Skiing, Skeleton and Wheelchair Curling, as well as Indoor Rowing, Sitting Volleyball, Swimming, Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Rugby.

Speaking on Friday night, Meghan added: “We are just thrilled to be here and I would be remiss if I didn’t take the opportunity to introduce somebody who means a lot to me and I know means quite a lot to all of you.

“So it is my entire pleasure and complete honour to introduce to the stage, my husband, the father of our very sweet excited children, who are cheering you on from California… Prince Harry, founder of the Invictus Games, the Duke of Sussex.”

As Meghan looked on lovingly, Harry joked with the audience asking if anyone was tired, to which there were shouts of ‘no!’ from the audience.

He laughed before adding: “Well, obviously team Canada is not tired, everybody else had to travel half way round the world to be here!”.

Meghan Markle struggled to build relationships with her new family members after marrying Prince Harry in 2018, and her unusual approach to greeting the Royal Family left her feeling hurt

Meghan Markle was said to have had her feelings hurt after some members of the Royal Family “flinched” at her hugs. Insiders claim her “touchy-feeliness” caused some tension after she married Prince Harry in 2018.

Both Meghan and Harry have stated that Prince William and Kate found her love of hugging “jarring”, but now a royal expert has said it went even deeper in creating a “tense atmosphere”. Writing in his new book, Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants – which has been excerpted in The Times – Tom Quinn said: “Tension developed between William and Harry as a result of Meghan’s warm, friendly, hug-everyone approach. Kate, William and Charles tended to flinch when she moved in for a hug.

“Meghan was understandably hurt, as everyone apparently hugs everyone in California. Meghan even tried to hug a singularly stiff Old Etonian equerry. He too flinched as if she’d tried to poke him in the eye, as another member of staff put it.”

William was said to have ‘flinched’ at Meghan’s hugs ( 
Image:
PA)

Tensions rose with Meghan and the rest of the Royal Family ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
The couple previously opened up about Meghan’s hugging in their Netflix docuseries, Harry & Meghan. Meghan said she did not know the Royal Family’s “formality” carries through behind closed doors and that she is a “hugger” – which she did not realise was “jarring for some Brits”.

She said: “Even when Will and Kate came over and I was meeting her for the first time I remember I was in ripped jeans, I was barefoot. Like I was a hugger, I have always been a hugger. I didn’t realise that is really jarring for a lot of Brits.

“I started to understand that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside, that there is a forward facing way of being and then you close the door and think, ‘OK we can relax now’. But that formality carries over on both sides and that was surprising to me.’”

Harry also recalled the somewhat awkward first meeting between his now wife and his brother and sister-in-law in his bombshell memoir Spare. He claimed William “recoiled” from Meghan’s hug and described the moment he introduced his sibling to his then girlfriend as a “classic collision of cultures”.

“[It] completely freaked him out,” Harry wrote. “He recoiled. Willy didn’t hug many strangers. Whereas Meg hugged most strangers. Will had hoped that she would greet him with standard reverence per the protocol,” he added, “[but] she didn’t know it and I hadn’t told her.”

Traditionally, hugging is considered inappropriate for royals during official events, with a bow or curtsey being the preferred greeting. Harry has openly discussed his experience of limited physical affection within the Royal Family, including a lack of hugs during his childhood.

But it appears King Charles is leading the way in breaking this old-fashioned protocol. In September, Charles broke with tradition when he met the New Zealand Women Rugby Team, who made an unusual request.

“Yeah, we all wanted a hug,” Ayesha Leti-I’iga told the monarch, adding, “but only if it’s okay with you.” To the team’s surprise and delight, the King accepted, replying: “A hug? Why not!”

After the group embrace, which he joked was like being “flattened by a scrum”, Charles thanked the team for their “warm hug”, which he described as “very healing”.

Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants by Tom Quinn is out on February 18.

During Meghan Markle’s time as a working royal, she crossed paths with dozens of servants and staff, but not everyone warmed to the modern-day duchess, a new book claims

While many royal servants warmed to Meghan Markle, others reportedly found day-to-day challenges with the duchess.

Royal staff who waited on Prince Harry and his wife Meghan during their time as working royals have shared a glimpse into their lives within the four walls of royal palace. A brand new book, by author Tom Quinn, titled Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants, lifts the lid on what many insiders observed during their time waiting on the Sussexes.

In the explosive book, which has been excerpted in The Times, life is shed on Meghan’s very American mannerisms fuelling a shock rumour and claims she thought the Royal Family acted like ‘babies’ and were ‘belittling Harry’. Here, the Mirror takes a look inside the royal bubble and what allegedly went on behind the scenes…

Meghan thought the royals ‘behaved like babies’, a former staff member claims ( 
Image:
PA)

Meghan thought royals ‘behaved like babies’

The new book says that Meghan’s American upbringing made her sheltered from the realities of British royal life. Quinn writes that when Meghan discovered that Harry was only worth about £20million, she “quickly realised” that she needed to “reassess other assumptions she’d made about this strange new family”.

As one royal staff member put it, “She expected a billionaire and she got a millionaire.” A member of her former team is also quoted as saying that the actress “really disliked the hierarchy”. Giving an example of senior royals getting jealous of each other’s materialistic goods, the ex-staff member said: “Meghan thought they behaved like babies.”

Meghan initially tried to ‘run the show’

Before joining the Royal Family, Meghan was used to being far more independent and in control. But she soon realised that it wasn’t traditional royal protocol to ‘grab the bull by the horns’, according to the book. In early meetings with the new duchess and members of staff, Meghan was “so confident” that it seemed as though she wanted to run the meetings rather than listen and learn, one of her former team claimed.

Meghan thought royals were ‘belittling Harry’

Meghan was less than impressed by her first royal residence, according to the book. Quinn writes that Meghan felt the size of Nottingham Cottage, a two-bedroom cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace, “must be a reflection of how the royal family were belittling her husband”, as a member of staff told him.

He claims Meghan didn’t understand how Kensington Palace, where William and Kate lived with teams of live-in servants, seemed the “equivalent” of Nottingham Cottage. It’s not the first time the residence has come up in conversation, with Harry writing in his memoir Spare: “I was excited to welcome Meg to my home, but also embarrassed. Nott Cott was no palace.”

Meghan has always been a hugger and found it difficult to accept the royal formal way ( 
Image:
PA)

Quinn claims that Meghan’s tactile manner made William feel uncomfortable ( 
Image:
PA)

Meghan’s sweet dancing with William

Before their close bond crumbled, William and Kate were incredibly excited to welcome Meghan into the fold, Quinn says. The author recounts a surprisingly lighthearted moment between Meghan and William, allegedly witnessed by a junior staffer who saw them “doing a jokey parody of the Fifties jiving together”. One staffer recalled the Waleses thinking Meghan was a “breath of fresh air” at the beginning.

William and Kate weren’t the only ones to initially welcome Meghan with open arms. A courtier previously told the Daily Mail’s royal reporter Richard Eden that “the Queen believed that Meghan would be a breath of fresh air and a great asset to the Monarchy.”

They said: “The Queen fast-tracked her entry into the Royal Family, inviting Meghan to join her at a service to mark Commonwealth Day – her first official engagement with the Queen – two months before the wedding. It was another clear indication that Her Majesty valued Meghan and wanted her to be seen as a part of the family without delay.”

Meghan’s affection ‘fuelled flirting rumour’

Meghan’s affectionate side has always stood out in stark contrast to the Royal Family’s formalities. But her hugging and cheek kissing was wrongly misinterpreted by staff as her ‘flirting’ with William, according to insiders quoted in the book. Quinn writes that her tactile manner made William feel “uncomfortable”, as Meghan would allegedly hug him almost every time they saw each other.

The hugging and cheek-kissing fuelled gossip among staff “that Meghan was flirting with William, which she was obviously not, but the tense atmosphere caused by all the touchy-feeliness (and the resultant gossip) deepened the rift between the brothers”, the book claims. Both Meghan and Harry have previously stated that William and Kate found her love of hugging ‘jarring’.

In their Netflix docuseries, Meghan said she did not know the royals’ formal way carries through behind closed doors. She said: “I started to understand that the formality on the outside carried through on the inside, that there is a forward-facing way of being and then you close the door and think, ‘OK, we can relax now’. But that formality carries over on both sides and that was surprising to me.”

Meghan was given a number of nicknames by staff, including the Duchess of Difficult and Mystic Meg ( 
Image:
PA)

The book claims that Meghan’s “warm, friendly hug-everyone approach”, caused tension to develop between William and Harry, with problems arising “fairly early on”. Quinn claims Kate, William and Charles “tended to flinch when she moved in for a hug”, as they weren’t used to so much affection between royals. He says California native Meghan was “understandably hurt”.

Meghan given nicknames by staff

Meghan, whose birth name is Rachel, chose to go by her middle name long ago. While Harry publicly calls his wife Meg and M, staffers had many nicknames for the duchess. According to Quinn, “her nickname for a while was the Duchess of Difficult, but she had other, friendlier nicknames, including Mystic Meg, while came about because she was so new agey, so woke, about so many things”.

It was previously revealed that Charles had his own nickname for Meghan during her time as a working royal, with the King recognising her resilience. He affectionately called her Tungten, due to her being ‘tough and unbending’, it was claimed. Tungsten refers to a metal in the periodic table, which is known for its high melting point and core strength.

The Invictus Games opening ceremony is now underway at Vancouver’s BC Place Stadium, with musical performances from stars such as Katy Perry, Nelly Furtado and Chris Martin

Prince Harry’s Invictus Games are now underway in Vancouver-Whistler, Canada, with a star-studded opening ceremony featuring the likes of Katy Perry, Nelly Furtado and Coldplay’s Chris Martin.

Held in the city’s 40,000-capacity BC Place Stadium, the glittering ceremony began at 9pm UK time, ahead of what is anticipated to be the biggest and best Invictus Games to date.

Prince Harry’s Invictus Games are now underway in Vancouver-Whistler, Canada, with a star-studded opening ceremony featuring the likes of Katy Perry, Nelly Furtado and Coldplay’s Chris Martin.

Held in the city’s 40,000-capacity BC Place Stadium, the glittering ceremony began at 9pm UK time, ahead of what is anticipated to be the biggest and best Invictus Games to date.

After Team United Kingdom entered the stadium, the camera then cut to Harry and Meghan watching from the stands, both received huge cheers as they smiled, with Harry seen waving to the crowd. The whole stadium then stood for the national anthem after hosts Canada entered to a standing ovation.

The crowds cheered as Harry and Meghan smiled ( 
Image:
PA)
Indigenous leaders from the traditional territories of the Four Host First Nations of Lílwat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil Waututh, where the Games are being held, raised wooden paddles in a symbolic welcome gesture to the competitors.

More than 500 competitors, from 23 countries, will take part in the Games. They entered the stadium in an Olympic-style parade while escorted by Canadian Armed Forces Cadets carrying placards displaying their country’s names.

Canadian singer-songwriter Nelly Furtado played some of her best-loved hits to enthusiastic applause as attendees settled in for a night of music and celebration.

Harry and Meghan watched the action unfold from the stands ( 
Image:
Humphrey Nemar/staff Photographer.)
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin then performed the Invictus Games anthem, which he composed the score for back in 2014.

Martin paid tribute to Prince Harry and could be seen joking with him. Harry and Meghan could also be seen on screen laughing

Crowds were on their feet as Martin sang Coldplay hit Viva La Vida – including Harry and Meghan. Meghan also appeared to be filming Harry on her mobile phone.

Master Corporal James Gendron led “a shared moment of healing” on his bagpipes. The serviceman, who previously suffered psychological injuries in Afghanistan after playing at 63 separate funeral-style ceremonies for fallen soldiers, was then joined on stage by more pipers, as well as drummers, who helped him create a cacophony of sound inside the arena. Harry spoke about the Team Canada competitor at the closing ceremony of the last Invictus Games.

Coldplay’s Chris Martin laughed and joked with harry from the stage ( 
Image:
Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Prince Harry paid tribute to injured veterans at the Invictus Games tonight, telling them: “We need you… and we’ll always need you.”

Harry, 40, was speaking on stage at the event’s opening ceremony, which included performances by pop stars Katy Perry, Chris Martin and Nelly Furtado.

The former soldier, who completed two tours of Afghanistan, said: “The Games were born more than a decade ago, from a promise I made to myself. A promise to uphold my obligation—a sacred obligation after my own decade and privilege of military service —to do whatever I could to help my fellow brothers and sisters heal, and to champion everything we stand for.

“Over the past decade I’ve lost count of the times we’ve heard you tell us that the Invictus Games saved you. Respectfully, I disagree. Invictus didn’t save you. You saved yourself. It was you, who pushed through the doubt and despair.

“You, who summited your own mountain and brought us along with you. It was you who kept going even when you didn’t think you had any more to give. We didn’t do that. You did.

“The Games simply reveal what is already within you. That scarcest—and most precious—of the world’s resources: character. A spirit—of fortitude and perseverance that can never be defeated. That is the magic of the Invictus Games.”

As Meghan, 43, proudly watched on from the crowd, Harry added: “Today, and for the next week – warriors unite. In this moment of difficulty and division in many parts of the world, we gather here in Vancouver in a spirit of unity.

“We represent 23 nations. Speak many different languages and reflect the full breadth of the world’s religions and faiths.

“Beyond any differences, here at the Invictus Games we are grounded in mutual respect, competing fiercely, but believing in one another. Supporting one another. And rooting for one another.”

The Sussexes could be seen sharing a kiss in the stands ( 
Image:
Karwai Tang)Harry and Meghan had earlier been treated to huge cheers from the 40,000 crowd inside Vancouver’s BC Place stadium after they were shown together in the crowd on the arena’s giant jumbotron.

The two-hour show ended with a high-energy performance by US star Katy Perry, who is a pal and neighbour of Harry and Meghan in Montecito, California.She belted out a number of her biggest songs, including Roar, Part of Me and Firework, alongside soldiers from The Naden Band of the Royal Canadian Navy, the 15th Field Regiment Band and The Royal Canadian Artillery Band. The ceremony also included a performance by Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Noah Kahan.

Former soldier Harry delivered a heartfelt speech ( 
Image:
Humphrey Nemar)
Performers later transformed the floor of the stadium to resemble the waters of the Pacific coastline, while giant models of whales and dolphins flew over the audience, who waved blue pom-poms to create the illusion of water.

The show also featured art and music by members of all four separate First Nations, including singers, drummers and even a DJ, who combined electronic music with traditional Indigenous rhythms.

Men and women from the Canadian Armed Forces also starred throughout the ceremony, including during a rendition of the Canadian national anthem by band members.

Soldiers and cadets formed an honour guard, under the direction of Lieutenant Ben Van Slyke, before Governor General of Canada The Honourable Mary Simon gave a speech welcoming the more than 500 competitors and their families from 23 different countries.

The Invictus Games Flag entered the stadium escorted by Canadian Rangers before being passed to Chief of Defence Jennie Garignan and Chief Warrant Officer Bob McCann. And there was an emotional moment when Master Corporal James Gendron led “a shared moment of healing” on his bagpipes.

The serviceman, who previously suffered psychological injuries in Afghanistan after playing at 63 separate funeral-style ceremonies for fallen soldiers, was then joined on stage by more pipers, as well as drummers, who helped him create a cacophony of sound inside the arena.

It was a night of music and ‘unity’ ( 
Image:
Humphrey Nemar)
This year marks the first time the Invictus Games will include winter sports such as alpine skiing, snowboarding, and Nordic skiing. Kicking off today (February 8), the Games, which are known to be Prince Harry’s passion project, will continue until February 16.

Prince Harry first founded the Invictus Games in 2014 with the aim of championing wounded, injured, or sick service personnel and veterans. The prince is known to be very hands-on with a project regarded by many to be his legacy, which, given his own years as a soldier, holds a deeply personal significance.

Meghan could be seen waving blue pom poms as she watched the show ( 
Image:
Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Organisers have said that this year’s event, which comes after previous Games’ were held in London, Orlando, Toronto, Sydney, The Hague and Dusseldorf, will be the biggest yet. It will take place at eight separate venues in Vancouver and the ski resort of Whistler, located on the traditional territories of the Four Host First Nations of Lílwat, Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil Waututh.

The ceremony is now underway ( 
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@meghan/Instagram)

The Duke and Duchess landed in Vancouver yesterday ( 
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@meghan/Instagram)
Chief Executive Officer Scott Moore said: “We will deliver the best ever Invictus Games over the next nine days. These Games will be life-changing.”. Mr Moore added: “I was lucky enough to do eleven Olympic Games in my career. People ask me what is the difference between the Olympic Games and the Invictus Games. The Olympic Games changes lives… the Invictus Games saves lives.”

Prince Harry and Meghan were seen arriving in Vancouver yesterday evening after landing in the city via private jet from Santa Barbara, close to their home in Montecito. Harry’s ongoing commitment to the project was highlighted yesterday (Friday 7) at an evening welcome reception for competitors, where Meghan warmly described participants as “family”.

Addressing attendees, Meghan said: “You will see him throughout this week, you will see him at the Games, you will see him probably curling with you, cheering you on. He wants to be there with you, he is in it with you.

“What you won’t have seen is all of the moments in the lead-up to these Games. All of the moments with, as you know, with families, the big rush in the morning, and getting ready for school and packing the lunch boxes and making breakfast and my husband’s in all of that with us.

“And then he’ll be on his phone, and Archie will say, ‘Papa, why are you on your phone?’. He’s like, ‘cos it’s Invictus… I’m getting ready for Invictus’. It means so much to him.”

This year’s event is expected to be the ‘best ever’ ( 
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@meghan/Instagram)

The Sussexes have described participants as ‘family’ ( 
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@meghan/Instagram)
Meghan continued: “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.”

This comes at a tricky time for the Sussexes, who have been subjected to considerable scrutiny in recent weeks.

A recent Vanity Fair piece, published January 17, cast a critical eye over the couple’s five years outside of the palace fold, with the couple having famously stepped back from their duties as senior working members of the Royal family back in 2025.

The usually supportive publication spoke with various insiders about what it was like to work for the power couple, and there were some less than rosy accounts of Meghan’s allegedly “painful” management style towards staff members.

A source who worked on Sussex media projects told the outlet: “[It was] really, really, really awful. Very painful. Because she’s constantly playing checkers—I’m not even going to say chess—but she’s just very aware of where everybody is on her board. And when you are not in, you are to be thrown to the wolves at any given moment.”

The article, titled ‘American Hustle,’ also addressed speculation over the alleged state of Harry and Meghan’s marriage, which the couple have strongly denied. It even speculated on rumours that Meghan had been approached to write a ‘post-divorce’ book. However, it also stated that this was not on the cards for the Duke and Duchess, with another source revealing their “love is real”, while asserting they are “still hot for each other.”

Now, a new book by royal author Tom Quinn has seen the Sussexes come under scrutiny once again, with its numberous revelations including the claim that Meghan allegedly didn’t care for hers and Harry’s first “small” home together, Nottingham Cottage.

The couple has faced some criticism in recent weeks

In Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants – which has been excerpted in The Times – Quinn penned: “‘Meghan felt it was so small that it must be a reflection of how the royal family were belittling her husband. She just didn’t understand that real royals don’t care much about houses and material possessions because, having always had them, they take them for granted, said one member of staff who helped out regularly at Nottingham Cottage.”

He continued: “A rather beautiful house in the grounds of a famous palace hardly seemed to Harry the equivalent to being forced to live in a shed at the end of the garden. But for Meghan, things were more complex. She saw Kate and William living just a few yards away in Kensington Palace itself with teams of live-in servants.”

Meghan Markle has been using her Instagram account to promote the launch of her new lifestyle brand “As Ever” – but the Duchess of Sussex is only following one account on the platform

Meghan Markle has taken Royal enthusiasts by surprise this year, not just by setting up an Instagram account but also by being quite active on it. The 43-year-old Duchess of Sussex has been sharing various posts, many shot at their Montecito home, and is currently using her platform to hype the launch of her new lifestyle brand “As Ever”.

This week, she shared a video introducing the brand, initially named American Riviera Orchard, and today she confirmed with a photo post that the launch is slated for this spring. Since her debut on the social media site last month, Meghan has already attracted 1.9 million followers.

Yet, in a move that might raise eyebrows among her fans, Meghan follows only one account – that of her own brand. @aseverofficial, the brand’s account, boasts 645,000 followers and a single post announcing its spring debut, which reads: “You’re warmly invited: As ever, coming Spring 2025.”

Meghan Markle follows just one account on Instagram ( 
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(Image: Chris Jackson/Getty Images))
Meghan’s return to Instagram comes just before the premiere of her Netflix series “With Love, Meghan”, originally scheduled for last month.

Due to the California wildfires, the release of the eight-episode show was delayed, now set to premiere on March 4. A post shared by @aseverofficial, reports the Express.

The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, first revealed her latest venture with Netflix on January 2 by posting the series’ official trailer on Instagram. At that time, she expressed her enthusiasm, writing: “I have been so excited to share this with you! I hope you love the show as much as I loved making it.”

Speculation suggests that Meghan’s ‘As Ever’ project could drop just weeks after this new Netflix series debuts.

Meghan posted a video on Instagram for her fans ( 
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Meghan/Instagram)

Meghan shared her rebrand ( 
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Meghan/Instagram)
Meanwhile, Meghan’s new logo for her lifestyle brand As Ever is proving to be controversial – just hours after she unveiled it.

However, the thinking behind the branding that replaces American Riviera Orchard has been revealed – with the intentional use of the palm tree and hummingbirds on the emblem. It is believed the palm tree represents Meghan and Prince Harry’s home in California with the two hummingbirds a nod to Harry, as they are a favourite of the Duke, who is a keen birdwatcher.

The Mirror understands that as part of the process of creating the logo, Meghan’s team undertook “comprehensive” global searches of registered trademarks. It comes after the Mayoress of Porreres, a town on the Spanish island of Majorca, claims the logo is strikingly similar to their coat of arms and has gone as far as saying the logo is a “complete copy” as it also features a palm tree and birds.

The new logo for As Ever ( 
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As Ever)Mayoress Ms Mora told Spanish publication El Pais that the town’s heraldic coat of arms dates back to 1370 and its reproduction is “part of the idiosyncrasy of Porreres, of its heritage and cultural identity”. She admitted they are not in a position to sue for plagiarism but said they are calling for the logo to be removed.

Ms Mora said: “To sue for plagiarism is complicated and costly, and a small town council like ours is not in a position to fight against the English crown. At first, we took it as a bit of a joke because we didn’t really understand where it had come from and what their objective was in copying our coat of arms,” she explained to Vanitatis.”

Princess Anne has been named patron of The Murrayfield Injured Players Foundation which provides support to injured players in the grassroots game in Scotland

Princess Anne has just been named the patron of a Scottish Rugby charity, adding to the her already packed workload. The Princess Royal has long been known as the family’s hardest working member and she has no intention of slowing down.

At 74 years old, the Princess Royal is now the figurehead of The Murrayfield Injured Players Foundation (MIPF), which extends support to injured grassroots players across Scotland. The rugby charity, founded in 1973, helps amateurs who face difficulties after being injured on the field.

MIPF chair Ian Rankin has warmly welcomed her, stating: “The Princess Royal has been a dedicated supporter of the Scotland rugby team through umpteen swings of fortune since the 1980s, performing the official opening of Murrayfield’s East Stand in 1983 and becoming the SRU’s Patron in 1986.

“Her passion for sport, her commitment to the game at all levels, is well documented and we are honoured to have her join us as our Patron.”

Princess Anne is now patron of the charity ( 
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(Image: Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images))

In the past year alone, the charity has backed 18 men’s players and eight women’s players with their rugby-related health issues, reports the Express.

This appointment comes hot on the heels of Anne disregarding any notion of retirement. Often hailed as the most industrious Royal due to her extensive number of engagements each year, she quashed retirement talks during a PA interview post her South African Royal tour.

The Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace ( 
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AFP via Getty Images)
When prompted about considering retirement, the King’s sister declared: “It isn’t really an option.” She added: “It really isn’t written in, no. It isn’t really an option, no, I don’t think so.

“You’re jolly lucky… if you can continue to be more or less compos mentis and last summer I was very close to not being. Take each day as it comes, they say.”

Love Island has been hit with a whopping 2000 plus Ofcom complaints in its final week as fans fumed over ‘bullying behaviour’ by various contestants on the show

Love Island has been hit by over 2000 Ofcom complaints in its final week.

Angry fans have contacted Ofcom as the show came to a close, as they fumed at various stars for their “bullying behaviour”. On February 12, there were 1,347 complaints, followed by 820 on February 11, 63 on February 13 and 57 on February 16.

The February 12 episode saw Ekin-Su and Elma clash over the latter’s comment about Ekin-Su and Curtis having the weakest connection. Things only got worse between the group when Ekin-Su had kissed Sammy during the heart rate challenge. During the argument, an angry Elma swore at Ekin-Su and Curtis and told them to “shut their mouths”.

It is not the first time the hit ITV show has been reported to Ofcom by fans. Back in 2021, Faye Winter’s lengthy expletive-laden outburst at Teddy Soares saw over 24,000 complaints roll in.

Elsewhere, in 2022, the show received 3,617 complaints in one week following the fallout from movie night. The couples rowed and argued as they found out what the others had been up to whilst in the villa.

Love Island came to an end earlier this week ( 
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ITV)
Gabby Allen and Casey O’Gorman won Love Island All Stars on Monday night. Speaking about their win, Gabby said: “All the couples were so strong, I don’t think you could call it! You have to take into account, we only see what we see, so we don’t know what everyone’s seen. I couldn’t believe we’d won it.”

“All of the couples were in such a good position and in such a happy place,” Casey added, as Gabby shared in response: “We all would have been happy for anyone to win.”

Speaking about why she connected with Casey, Gabby said: “What’s important to me is how he is with other people and the energy he brings to everyone else. He’s so polite and kind to everybody and everybody sees that. He’s hilarious and fun to be around and I don’t stop laughing when I’m with him, which is such a good feeling.

“You want to feel excited for the day. Obviously I fancied him anyway. He’s a bit of me. So that’s a big deal and an important factor. I think he’s smart and amazing and such good energy. I’m excited.”

Casey shared: “I think it was just that initial spark when we first spoke. I haven’t felt that in such a long time about anyone. I fancy her so much. We laugh constantly and have such a good time. I love every second of being with her.”