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The Princess of Wales escorted a group of four and five-year-olds from their school in London to the National Portrait Gallery to launch a new project – joining them on their minibus and helping them with their coats and jumpers

The Princess of Wales took on a new role today as she joined an excitable group of children on a school trip – and befriended one little girl who had no idea she was the future Queen.

Today Kate joined youngsters from All Souls CE Primary School in London on a school mini bus for an outing to the National Portrait Gallery (NPGs), to launch an interactive trail at the venue. The Bobeam Tree Trail, which is based on work by her Royal Foundation for Early Childhood, was created using the Shaping Us Framework, which outlines 30 social and emotional skills that are crucial to living a healthy, happy life at all ages and which the Princess launched on February 1.

The trail is based on a magical tree with beautiful, colourful leaves, which thrives when surrounded by stories. Children were asked to help the tree by discovering the stories of people depicted in the artworks – exploring facial expressions, listening to audio recordings and using props.

The Princess of Wales joins a school trip to the National Portrait Gallery ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
One little girl, Grace, five, became firm friends with the princess, clutching her hand as they arrived after they sat together on the bus. Kate then helped to shepherd the children into a crocodile before they made their way into the Gallery.

There were gasps of excitement as they spotted The Bobeam Tree, a life-sized model made from a metal frame covered in expanding foam and resin and topped with brightly coloured leaves. The children were welcomed by guide Anna Husband, the NPG’s Head of Learning, who explained that they would be following a trail to help the tree grow.

Upstairs in the Ondaatje Wing, the Princess walked past portraits of Winston Churchill and a young King George VI to the first stop on the trail, a Mood Magnifying Mirror Box, with a two-way mirror for children to look into one side and identify their friends’ facial expressions from the other.

The group followed a new interactive trail around the gallery ( 
Image:
Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace)
To help them, a portrait of the smiling actress Anna Neagle was pointed out and the youngsters were asked to identify how she might be feeling. ‘Happy!’ they shouted. They were also encouraged to imitate her pose, hands on hips, which Kate did with a smile.

Alix Ascough, executive headteacher at All Souls, said: “She [Kate] had been asked if she would have a partner, and she was sat next to Grace on the coach and Grace had chatted away to her the whole journey.” But the youngster did not know she was holding hands with the future Queen. “She knew it was a very special visitor,” added Alix. “We told her she was a princess. She just called her Catherine.”

She said of the bus journey: “The children, they’re four or five years old. They’re completely oblivious to everything that’s happening. They were just like, ‘we’ve got a posh coach with nice lights and aircon’ and Catherine was wonderful, really chatty with the children. And just felt like a really relaxed journey. She was helping out with the children, helping out with their jumpers. It was just lovely.”

Kate cuddles one youngster ( 
Image:
PA)Alix said of the children: “They absolutely loved, it was so magical, the awe and wonder. And just as they came in and they saw the tree and the magic of the day… I don’t think we’ll ever have another school trip like it!”

She said the Princess said it had been a “wonderful opportunity” to be with the children in the gallery. “She was complimenting the children and how well-behaved they were and what good artists they were because they had the opportunity to draw pictures,” she added.

“Those experiences that we give the children are incredibly important, and days like today, where those experiences become magical, you sow those seeds for lifelong learning.”

Aimed at nursery and reception age children, the trail is completely free and runs until March 16. The NPG website is also offering related activities to do at home. The Princess, who has been patron of the NPG since 2011, also met its newly appointed Director Victoria Siddall and chief executives and expert practitioners from five other galleries across the UK.

Kate and the teachers guide the children off the bus ( 
Image:
PA)

Kate holds hands with five-year-old Grace ( 
Image:
PA)Over the course of 2025, The Box, Plymouth, The Lowry, Manchester, Middlesborough Institute of Modern Art, National Museums Northern Ireland and Museums and Galleries Sheffield will work with the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood and the National Portrait Gallery to bring the Shaping Us framework to life through their own collections.

Staff at the museums and galleries will also co-design a toolkit to help others across the UK to incorporate the framework into their offerings for younger visitors. The future Queen unveiled the Shaping Us Framework earlier this week, calling on society to “invest in humankind” and “build a more loving, empathetic and compassionate” world.

Drawn up by international academics, clinicians and early years practitioners brought together by her Centre for Early Childhood, it is hoped that the framework might be applied across society, in areas such as wellbeing programmes, team building, professional development, recruitment and human resources.

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have kicked off their first-ever official visit to Nepal, with their engagements set to reflect their work including equality for women and girls as well as youth opportunity

The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh arrived in Nepal on Tuesday morning for their first-ever official visit to the country.

Prince Edward arrived from India, where he had spent the past two days championing young people and the benefits of non-formal education, while Sophie flew from the UK commercially. Today, they were welcomed to the country at Rastrapati Bhawan, the Presidential Palace in Kathmandu, where they held an audience with Ram Chandra Paudel, President of Nepal and the First Lady, Sabita Paudel.

“It’s very, very nice to meet you,” Edward told the President as they greeted one another in the ornately decorated room filled with 12 sofas, large rugs and light bulbs in the colours of the Nepali flag. After posing for photographs, the two couples sat in gilded maroon and gold armchairs as they began their short bilateral meeting in the presidential office.

The royal couple meet President of Nepal, Ram Chandra Paudel and his wife Sabita ( 
Image:
PA)
During the meeting, the annual report on the Brigade of Gurkhas was handed over to the President by the Colonel Commandment of the Brigade of Gurkhas. Edward clasped his hands together and bowed, saying, “Thank you so much,” as the meeting wrapped up after 45 minutes.

Before leaving, the duke and duchess signed the visitor’s book in front of an impressive canvas of Mount Everest. Turning to point to the image, Sophie said: “It’s the closest I am going to get… sadly.” The royal couple are undertaking the six-day trip to celebrate the UK’s close ties with the country.

It marks the 14th visit by a member of the British Royal Family but the first by the Duke and Duchess. Prince Harry was the last royal to visit Nepal in 2016, a year after the devastating earthquake that killed about 9,000 people and devastated towns and villages.

Edward and Sophie are on their first official visit to Nepal ( 
Image:
PA)
During the visit, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh’s engagements will reflect Edward and Sophie’s work, including youth opportunity, healthcare, equality for women and girls, and conservation and biodiversity.

They will attend the annual Attestation Parade in Pokhara where young Nepali service personnel will formally join the British Army, marking a rich and proud tradition of collaboration between the two nations. The duke and duchess will also see the work of the Gurkha Welfare Trust in offering continued support to veterans and their families.

The couple, who were praised by Reform leader Nigel Farage last week for “doing a lot of the heavy lifting” by conducting so many royal engagements at home and abroad, will conclude their trip in Ghandruk, allowing them to experience some of the natural beauty and rich heritage of Nepal.

Buckingham Palace said: “The visit will celebrate the close ties between the UK and Nepal, and reinforce shared interests including youth opportunity, healthcare, equality for women and girls, and conservation and biodiversity.” The King visited Nepal in 1998 as the Prince of Wales, and his and Edward’s parents Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, travelled there in 1986

Meghan Markle has posted another video on her newly launched Instagram page, where she excitedly told her followers about how she was able to help a young victim of the devastating LA wildfires with the help of two famous pals

Meghan Markle has returned to social media for the first time since being branded a ‘disaster tourist’ and the scathing Vanity Fair article with a candid new video.

The Duchess of Sussex took to her Instagram page to excitedly tell her followers about a package she had just received that was going to help a teenage girl who along with her family had lost everything when the devastating Los Angeles wildfires destroyed her house. A make-up free Meghan explained how she had met the 15-year-old girl while visiting Altadena, one of the worst affected areas ravaged by the fires – and the girl was particulary upset at losing her Billie Eilish T-shirt.

And in the clip Meghan explains that with the help of her famous pals Maroon 5 lead singer Adam Levine and his wife Behati Prinsloo, she had managed to get her hands on some Billie Eilish merchandise, which she planned to send to the youngster.

Meghan Markle in her new Instagram video ( 
Image:
meghan/Instagram)

Meghan explains how she reached out to her some of her celeb pals ( 
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Instagram)
The 43-year-old returned to Instagram on New Year’s Day but over the last few weeks, has not shared much on the platform. When Meghan and husband Prince Harry helped out at a food distribution centre for victims of the fires, they were brutally branded ‘disaster tourists’. Then days later, the couple also had to contend with a savage article in Vanity Fair magazine, which made claims about what it is like to work for the couple and even featured complaints from the neighbours in their town of Montecito.

However, returning to Instagram, Meghan tells her followers: “I was just told that something arrived that I had been waiting for.” The former Suits actress then begins recounting the tale of how she met a woman and her 15-year-old daughter, whose house had burned down.

Meghan said: “Her mum shared something with me and said that when they came back to see their house for the first time, which is as we were meeting them, that all that she’d been looking for in her home was the T-shirt from the Billie Eilish concert that she had just gone to that she left in the washing machine or the dryer.”

Meghan reveals some of her merch she was sent, including a lunch box ( 
Image:
Instagram)

Some of the T-shirts Meghan is sending to the teenage Billie Eilish fan ( 
Image:
Instagram)However, all that had been in their house had been destroyed, so Meghan took it upon herself to get a new T-shirt for the young fan. She explained: “I thought of everybody that I knew and I made a voice note and I was like please can someone get this voice note to Billie Eilish.” She then shows the camera the merchandise that was eventually sent to her, including a signed record and a lunch box. And she added: “You guys, I don’t even know what all this stuff means, but it’s signed for her.”

Ending the clip, she added: “Huge thank you, Billie Eilish. This is going to mean so much to her, and honestly to Adam Levine and Behati, you guys helped get this over the line to everyone who’s showing up for people in big and small ways to get through what’s happened in California.

The Sussexes survey damage after wildfires in Los Angeles with Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo ( 
Image:
AP)“Just thank you so much. I’m going to go and email her mum now. Just wanted to share that with you guys.” Meghan posted the video with the caption: “Let’s keep supporting those affected by the California wildfires. Thanks to everyone who made this possible but most importantly, thank you to our first responders who are the community’s real heroes. As ever, Meghan.”

Her video comes after her Netflix show With Love, Meghan, one of the first things she prompted on her new Instagram page, was postponed due to the fires. It is set to premiere on the streaming platform on March 4.

Holly Willoughby has spoken about moving on from a troubled year to be more ‘fearless’ after being inspired by Bear Grylls on new Netflix show

After more than a year of turmoil, Holly Willoughby is facing the future full of fearless energy and with a smile on her face.

The presenter of new Netflix series Celebrity Bear Hunt, 43, is keeping mum about her next adventure but credits old pal Bear Grylls with helped her cope with the foiled kidnap plot that left her and her family reeling.

When I ask her what’s next, and if she will do more shows with Netflix I notice a familiar glint in her eye which suggests she has a plan ahead. “All I’ve learned out of life is you never know what’s around the corner,” she says with a grin. “So I’m like, one day at a time, one step at a time, just like in the jungle.”

Holly and Bear are discussing their new series, in which 12 celebrities live in the jungle learning survival skills, being tracked down by Bear and eliminated if they are not up to scratch. Holly says she “learned a load” from old pal Bear, revealing: “I just assumed that here was this man that had no fear.

“And actually he does have fear, but he doesn’t let that fear hold him back. And I thought, God, that’s brilliant. It really is something I want to try, and even if I can do it a tiny bit, then I think that will help.”

Holly returns to TV screens with different co-star ( 
Image:
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)
Holly is on solo hosting duties and it is the first time she is doing promo for a TV project since she left This Morning after security guard Gavin Plumb was jailed for masterminding a plot to kidnap, rape and murder her.

Before that, there was turmoil when her co-host Phillip Schofield quit This Morning after lying about an “unwise” affair with a younger colleague. Phillip and Holly are no longer on speaking terms. Asked if this show, made away from ITV, represents a fresh start, Holly thinks for a moment before saying: “I think when you do anything new, it feels like that.

“And it’s nice to try new things and go to new places. I’ve never been to Central America before, so this just felt like the right thing to do at the right time. Sometimes it’s nice to be out of your comfort zone. And when Bear calls me and said, ‘you want to go on an adventure?’ I was like, yes, 100%.

Holly with Bear and the Celebrity Bear Hunt cast at the Netflix Premiere in London on Tuesday night ( 
Image:
PA)
“My kids are that little bit older now, so it felt like the right time that I could do it, you know, the wheels weren’t going to fall off my life if I left home.” Holly, 43, left children Harry, 15, Belle, 13, and 10-year-old Chester and TV producer husband Dan Baldwin for three weeks of filming in Costa Rica.

And although hosting alone was unusual in her career, Holly did not find that an extra problem. “I know what you mean, normally there’s somebody alongside me. But actually, what’s been quite nice, obviously, Bear’s with me for a fair bit of it. And if Bear’s not there, then I’m either with the celebrities or I’m with them.

Holly reveals Bear does have fear
“So for me, like when you’re on telly, even if you’re on your own, it’s always about connections. You’re either connecting through the camera with the person that’s watching, or you’re connecting with the person you’re interviewing, so it doesn’t actually feel like a lonely place ever. I don’t think.”

The celebrities on the show include Spice Girl Mel B, former tennis ace Boris Becker, TV presenter Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, models Lottie Moss and Leomie Anderson, and Strictly judge Shirley Ballas. Journalist Steph McGovern, Ted Lasso star Kola Bokinni, TV chef Big Zuu, Inbetweeners actor Joe Thomas, former Saturdays singer Una Healy and ex-rugby player Danny Cipriani complete the 12.

Holly is taking life one step at a time ( 
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Netflix)
They take on a variety of survival tasks and some fare better than others. Bear admits he hoped Boris would triumph over adversity but “the jungle took its toll” while Lottie surprised everyone by “letting out her warrior spirit”. Having also fronted I’m a Celebrity for one year too, I wonder how Holly would fare if she took part?

“I would be utterly useless,” she says. “I mean, that’s why I honestly, if the call came through, I would sit in the corner and cry. I just, I wouldn’t have said yes to this, like if I’d been asked to take part. “I just wouldn’t, because I’d have been, I’d have been too scared, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.

Mel B is among the stars of the new show ( 
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Netflix/Youtube)
“But that’s why I’m so in awe of our 12 celebs taking part, because I just think, God, well done you.” Perhaps knowing how well Holly has come through adversity in the last year, Bear disagrees. Turning to Holly, he says: “She’s always deflecting, saying how great [the celebs] are, and they were all great, but you come off a sort of a career of pressure. Live TV is pressure.

“So I think you’re pretty good at that. And I think I kept thinking, you would be, you’d be steelier than you give yourself credit for.”

Rylan’s pal Ruth is finally getting over her painful split from estranged husband, Eamonn Holmes – but dating right now is a step too far, claims a source

Last year was a heartbreaker for Loose Women star Ruth Langsford after her split from husband Eamonn Holmes in May following 14 years of marriage and 27 years together. According to a source, friends are convincing the star to get back out there and start dating again – but she’s not quite ready for that.

Her painful marriage split must have been incredibly tough for Ruth, especially when Eamonn was seen stepping out with his new flame, Katie Alexander, 42, just months later before finally going public at the star-studded TRIC Awards in December.

But, as the saying goes, you can’t keep a good woman down. A source tells us that 2025 will be the year that the glammed-up presenter will let her hair down and potentially even meet a new man.

Ruth let her hair down with good friends including Rylan and Lizzie Cundy ( 
Image:
Instagram/rylan)

Ruth and Lizzie enjoyed a dance during their wild night out ( 
Image:
Instagram/Lizzie Cundy)
They maintain that, while Ruth is definitely ready to leave Eamonn in the past, the much-loved presenter isn’t quite ready to dip her toe in the dating pool just yet. “She’s not ready to date, it’s not her priority and she just wants to have fun,” the source claimed. “Her friends are all telling her to, but she’s not there yet.”

But they add that the year ahead will undoubtedly be one full of positives for the presenter. “This is Ruth’s year – she wants all good vibes and positive energy. She wants to be surrounded by good people and is putting all of her energy into her new range of clothes with QVC, work and having a great time”.

It certainly seems that way. The 64-year-old, who is looking better than ever right now with her fresh, youthful new hairstyle and a distinct twinkle in her eye, partied the night away recently with besties, Lizzie Cundy and her ‘TV son’ Rylan Clark.

Ruth has never looked better, and a source claims she has moved on from estranged husband Eamonn ( 
Image:
Instagram/ruthlangsford)

Fans are loving the Loose Women star’s glow-up ( 
Image:
ruthlangsford/Instagram)Hitting the dance floor in London for a wild night out, Ruth was videoed by Rylan who called his pal a “saucy mare” as she sang along to Montell Jordan’s hit This Is How We Do It. Posting the clips to his Instagram Stories, Ruth reciprocated with a video of the Radio 2 DJ shaking his hips as she danced to Shakira classic, Hips Don’t Lie.

It seems Ruth, who spent her first Christmas without her estranged husband last year, is ready quite literally to shake all the pain away as she looks to the future. “Ruth is showing Eamonn what he’s missing by going out and having fun, but she’s put him in the past and doesn’t want to focus on his relationship.”

The source added, “She doesn’t want to think about the past, she really has moved on. She’s been surrounding herself with friends and people she can have a good time with. She has put Eamonn and Katie on the backburner – they’re not in her brain, she’s moved forward.”

Between presenting on Loose Women and a successful clothing range on QVC, she’s doing well career-wise, too. “She’s getting so many work offers and is in a really good place,” our source said. “She is leaving the past behind her and focusing on having fun this year after a hard time in 2024.”

Ruth and Belfast broadcaster Eamonn announced their split last year ( 
Image:
Dave Benett/Getty Images)

The source claims this is Ruth’s year – and she’s focused on ‘having fun’ ( 
Image:
GC Images)
Ruth, who shares grown-up son Jack with Eamonn, is also looking remarkably trim, and is clearly enjoying a new health and diet kick since her marriage split.

Her recent social media posts have given fans a glimpse of her “healthier” approach to the year, revealing lunches full of protein such as boiled eggs, turkey, and salad, alongside green juices she whips up at home, including ginger, spinach, cucumber, pineapple, apple and water. “I take this to work most days,” Ruth previously explained to her followers, adding that it helps stop her snacking on processed foods.

And Ruth clearly has all the support she needs from her Loose Women crew, including good friend Coleen Nolan, who recently opened up proudly about how great Ruth’s looking at the minute. “She’s also had such a glow-up. She looks better than I think I’ve seen her in years, she looks like she’s lost 10 years. Not that she didn’t look great before, but now she looks fabulous and she’s working really hard and she’s just getting on with it.”

Discussing how Ruth is coping with her divorce, Coleen – who is also trying to move on following her split late last year from boyfriend of three years Michael Jones – added: “She’s been amazing. I’m not one to give advice, but I’ve just been there when she’s wanted to vent or wanted to just talk about it. I really admire her, she’s been so classy through the whole thing and just got on with it.”

No doubt it works both ways and Ruth will have been a shoulder to lean on for Coleen, not only after her own relationship breakdown, but the tragic death of her older sister Linda last month. Whether this proves to be the year Ruth finds love again, who knows. Meanwhile, it’s great to see her happy again and living her best life.

Loose Women star Coleen Nolan, who attended her sister’s funeral over the weekend, revealed her fear of returning to work after a difficult time

Coleen Nolan returned to social media to share a personal update on her life and career following the death of her beloved sister, Linda Nolan.

The Loose Women presenter and singer joined her family members as Linda was laid to rest on Saturday in a moving send-off that was also attended by many of Linda’s celebrity friends. Linda, who was a columnist for The Mirror, passed away on January 15 following a lengthy battle with cancer.

Massive crowds gathered for the funeral as Linda’s pink, sparkly coffin was carried into church by Coleen’s son’s Shane and Jake. Coleen and her sisters – who formed The Nolans pop group in the 70s – all wore pink breast cancer broaches and earrings for the moving service.

Ahead of her return to work, Coleen took to social media to share a clip of herself thanking fans for their support. The clip started with a chair placed in an empty room. Coleen soon entered the frame to sit on the chair. She said: “Ready? We on? Hi there everyone. I just want to say, as many of you already know, it has been a really hard weekend saying goodbye to my sister Linda as you all know. But I’m back here now in London, going to be on Loose Women tomorrow.”

Coleen said she was ‘nervous’ about returning to work ( 
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Instagram)

Linda died in January after a long battle with cancer ( 
Image:
Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hea)

Coleen added: “But before I do that I wanted to give a massive shoutout to every single one of you who sent messages, not only to me but my whole family. I cannot tell you how much it meant to us to feel the love from you all. People we’ve never met, strangers to us, who sent out heartfelt messages and cards, flowers…

“Just a little big virtual hug to each and everyone of you and to say thank you. I’m quite nervous about doing Loose because I’m really scared I won’t be able to hold it together but I hope you forgive me if I can’t but I need to get back out there and Linda would be the first to say ‘get back out there’ because you have to.

She ended the honest post: “Thank you for all your support throughout all the years but especially at this very very sad time for me and my family.” Friends and fans rushed to the comment section to share their words of support, with Myleene Klass writing: “love you Col,” with a few heart emojis and Judi Love posted: “We love you @coleen_nolan.”

“The Loose Women will pull you through.. Linda would be so proud of you getting on with life . Big hugs Coleen ..One day at a time,” one proud fan said to the star.

The recent accident comes after Ruth’s mother, Joan, also suffered a fall, fracturing her pelvis in December

Ruth Langsford has spoken out about the health of her dog, Maggie, following a recent accident. The Loose Women star, 64, said it all started when her pooch jumped off the sofa while visiting family, injuring the back of her leg.

Despite the small drop, Maggie was so hurt that she ‘couldn’t walk at all’, with Ruth having the carry her straight to St George’s, her local vet in Weybridge, Surrey. Thankfully, nothing was broken, but the Collie-cross was kept on ‘bed rest’ and pain killers throughout last week with no walks allowed.Although Maggie’s ‘still limping’ even now, Ruth assured that she’s making progress everyday, and took to Instagram to share the news. “So, last Monday Maggie jumped off the sofa when we were visiting my Mum and hurt her back leg … she couldn’t walk at all.” Ruth penned.

“I took her (carried her!) straight to our amazing vet @stgeorgesveterinarycentre who checked her over and reassured me nothing was broken thank goodness. Maggie’s been on pain relief and ‘bed rest’ all week but today I could see she wanted to venture out….so this is her first little walk outside the garden!”

Ruth posted a quick video of Maggie hobbling through the grass and sniffing the ground outside. She added: “She’s still limping a little bit but getting better every day. More sniffing than walking but she’s getting there! Love my old girl so much.”

Unsurprisingly, Ruth’s update was soon flooded with countless comments from users keen to express their well-wishes. Among them was Strictly Come Dancing pro Karen Hauer who wrote: “Bless her, my Betty did the same a couple of months ago and she bounced back quite quickly with lots of rest and cuddles.”

Meanwhile, another user added: “Aww Maggie feel better soon,” as someone else wrote: “Aww bless her. Speedy recovery Maggie. Sad when they get old. My Milo is 13 this year. They still spoilt rotten though.”

Ruth posted a quick video of Maggie hobbling through the grass and sniffing the ground outside ( 
Image:
Phil Lewis/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)Maggie’s health ordeal comes less than two months after Ruth’s mother, Joan, also suffered a fall, fracturing her pelvis. While the family were grateful that Joan required no surgery, she was encouraged to take some time to heal in hospital.

Posting to Instagram in December, Ruth explained: “No dancing in my kitchen peeling the veg for my darling Mum this Christmas ….she’s had a fall and fractured her pelvis! She’s ok…ish, no surgery required thank goodness but she needs rest and time to heal now.

“She’s in hospital at the moment but I’m hoping to get her home soon. This time last year she fell and broke her hip but recovered well.” It was after Christmas on January 4 that Joan finally came home, with Maggie especially pleased to see her again.

In a separate update, Ruth wrote: “Mum is finally out of hospital! Thank you to all the nursing staff at St. Peter’s Hospital and Woking Community Hospital for taking such good care of her.”

Coleen Nolan broke down in tears during Tuesday’s episode of Loose Women as she opened up about the loss of her sister Linda just days after her funeral took place

Coleen Nolan broke down in tears when discussing her sister Linda’s funeral, as she made her return to the Loose Women panel.

When asked by Christine Lampard how the family were doing after Linda’s funeral, which took place on Saturday, Coleen said they were “doing great.” Although, she said they have absolute meltdown moments, “which come out the blue.”

Thanking the public for their support, and messages Coleen held back the tears as she spoke on how hard the loss of her sister was. She then opened up about the difficult decision to go back to work.

“It’s just hard,” she said, holding back the tears. “Is it too soon? But you just have to, life goes on. Linda’s had this for 20 years,” Coleen explained. “The one thing she would want to say is, that she wouldn’t want anybody that’s still going through this horrendous disease to give up.”

Coleen broke down in tears as she spoke about her late sister ( 
Image:
ITV)

Speaking on Linda’s impact in the family, she continued: “She was just such a massive force in our family, and it feels like such a hole.”

Despite the difficult decision to go back to the Loose panel, Coleen said she was “glad to be back”.

Linda’s funeral service was held at St Paul’s Church on Saturday February 1 It was a place that held a special place in Linda’s heart as it was the same place where she exchanged vows with her “soulmate” husband, the late Brian Hudson. The pair tied the knot in the summer of 1981.

The funeral was a celeb-filled service, with the likes of Shane Ritchie, Paul Chuckle and Jodie Prenger in attendance at the service.

Charlotte Dawson spoke to PA ahead of the funeral service to pay tribute to Linda. She said: “She touched so many hearts and she’s just fabulous. ‘I’m in full glam for you Linda’, because she’d love me in full glam. The sun is shining for her and she’s just such an amazing person. She just lit up every room she walked into.”

The pregnant reality star went on: “We just used to have so many different memories, travelling all around the country, having a laugh and just getting up to mischief. That was our favourite thing to do.”

Throughout the emotional ceremony, a number of Linda’s favourite songs as well as her own tunes were played.

Linda, who had planned her funeral years before her death, proved that her wicked sense of humour lives on through her final song at her committal. She chose Please Don’t Talk About Me When I’m Gone by Frank Sinatra – who The Nolans once supported on tour.

The decision left mourners in fits of giggles as they heard the lyrics: “Please don’t talk about me when I’m gone. Oh, honey though our friendship ceases, from now on. And, listen, if you can’t say anything real nice, it’s better not to talk at all, is my advice.”

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King Charles and Queen Camilla’s special day falls on April 9 – however, it’s now a date that is tinged with sadness for the Royal Family since Prince Philip’s death on the same day in 2021

The King and Queen will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary on a royal tour in Italy, it can be revealed.

The couple’s first major foreign trip of the year will include an audience with the Pope and a visit to the wondrous Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

Although taking place on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to strengthen relations between the two countries post-Brexit, the four day tour will have an added significance for the royal couple given their “China” anniversary.

Their special day on April 9 is, however, a bittersweet moment for the King. After tying the knot with Camilla in 2005, his father, the late Duke of Edinburgh, died on the same day in 2021. Charles and Camilla wed in a civil service before having a church blessing at Windsor Castle.

King Charles and Queen Camilla will be on Royal duties in Italy at the time of their anniversary ( 
Image:
Andrew Milligan/Getty Images)

The late Queen Elizabeth II and Charles’ late father, Prince Philip, did not attend the ceremony but were a blessing and the following reception.

The Mirror understands the King and Queen both found the timing of the tour “a welcome addition” and although they will spend the day working during the visit, they will have a private celebration in Italy.

The trip for the couple also marks a major sign of intent for the King as he commits this year to a full work schedule, while still undergoing weekly treatment for cancer.

Italy is also celebrating a Jubilee year, with the Pope labelling the theme “Pilgrims of Hope”. It began on Christmas Eve and will run until January 6 next year, with millions of pilgrims visiting Rome and Vatican City to seek spiritual renewal over the period.

A royal source said: “The King and Queen are absolutely delighted to be heading to Italy, to celebrate the ties between our two countries, especially in such an important period for their hosts. The fact their milestone anniversary will fall during the visit is a welcome addition.

“Although it will be a working day, they are sure to find some time to have a small, private celebration.”

It is expected the occasion will also be marked on social media ( 
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Getty Images)
Buckingham Palace is also likely to mark the occasion on social media.

In Rome, the King and Queen will meet Pope Francis for an historic audience with the head of the Catholic church. The couple will also visit the spectacular Sistine Chapel on their visit.

The resplendent church is famous for its frescoes, particularly those painted by Michelangelo, and for being the site where the next pope is chosen. The royal couple will be shown the famous ceiling of the chapel, covered in nine panels that depict stories from the Old Testament.

Charles’ first meeting with a Pope since his divorce from the late Princess Diana in 1996 came in 2009, when he, along with Camilla, met Pope Benedict at the Vatican.

In a bizarre twist, their wedding in 2005 was postponed by a day so the prince and some of the other guests could go to the funeral of John Paul II.

At the time, Rome remarked how it demonstrated the closeness of the papacy and British royal family.

It will be the first time in more than a decade since a British monarch, as head of the Church of England has met with the head of the Catholic Church.

Often heralded for his unique ability to unite peoples of different faiths, Charles is understood to be keen to meet Francis, who at 88 has been in ill health and suffering from mobility problems in recent years.

In 2014 the late Queen Elizabeth II had a personal audience with Pope Francis in a trip to the Italian capital.

Pope Francis, who has experienced mobility problems in recent years, did not attend the Queen’s funeral in 2022, choosing instead to send a Liverpool-born priest to represent him.

Senior Vatican official Archbishop Paul Gallagher, the Vatican’s secretary for relations with states and international organisations, travelled from Rome for the ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

The late Queen met five popes during her 70 year reign – John XXIII, Paul VI, John Paul II and Benedict XVI – greeting the latter two on their visits to the UK. As a princess she also met Pope Pius XII.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may be gearing up for joint appearances together at the upcoming Invictus Games – but in recent months their public appearances have been increasingly solo, and an expert believes this is down to a strategic reason

Their joint appearances over the past few months have been few and far between.

But one event that has seen Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stand shoulder to shoulder time and time again starts this week – The Invictus Games. Ever since the couple started their romance, Meghan has attended every Games for wounded and injured former service personnel, set up by her husband.

And with the 2025 Games in Vancouver and Whistler starting on Saturday, fans are expecting Meghan will be there to support Harry. If she is, it will be somewhat of a marked difference from the last few months, where the couple has raised eyebrows for making increasingly separate public apperances – despite Meghan once gushing the pair always “moved together”.

Prince Harry during a recent solo appearance in New York ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Sources say that the change boils down to Meghan wanting to pursue business ideas, such as her American Riviera Orchard brand and her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan – while Harry focuses on charitable work.

And for royal expert Jennie Bond, this approach may be down to one clear thing – Harry’s lack of experience in the commercial world. The former BBC royal correspondent explained to the Mirror: “I think Harry is happy to continue his family life in California but, hopefully, spend more of his time on his charity work into which I think he can pour his heart and soul.

“The commercial world is simply something he’s not used to and, let’s face it, his wife is probably better at it than he. No shame in that: he is a very wealthy man already and, in my opinion, can indeed carry out the kind of ‘universal service’ that he pointedly alluded to as he exited the official working Royal Family.

Meghan alone at a red carpet event in honour of her friend Tyler Perry ( 
Image:
FilmMagic)
“I think it is an entirely legitimate way ahead for Meghan to concentrate on commercial activities and celebrity appearances, which she seems to very much enjoy, while Harry pursues the charitable work he is known for and where he can make such a difference. This is a modern world, after all, and it really doesn’t matter who is the chief breadwinner, as long as the family is happy and secure.”

The Games in Canada also comes at a worrying time for the Sussexes, with new US president now firmly in the White House. Two weeks into his second spell as US leader, Trump has been quickly setting the agenda for his presidency as the world watches on, with two people who may be more keen than most to see what his next move could being Harry and Meghan.

Previously, Trump made a series of damning statements about the Sussexes on the election campaign trail – even suggesting Harry could be deported from the United States. It comes as Harry has found himself in the centre of a row over his visa, which allows him to live in California.

After admitting to using marijuana, cocaine and psychedelic mushrooms in his controversial memoir Spare, a lawsuit from the conservative think tank the Heritage Foundation argued that the US Government should release records about the Duke’s visa US application to show whether his drug use was disclosed.

And even though Trump has so far been busy dealing with other issues, royal expert Jennie Bond believes it could be a worrying time for Harry and Meghan. She added: “It must be rather awkward having a President of the United States whom Meghan has openly criticised and who has the power to throw Harry out of the country if his visa application was proved to be fraudulent.

“You could say that it’s squeaky bum time for the Sussexes, but the fact is that the most powerful man in the free world probably has more to think about than the residency rights of an estranged Prince of the United Kingdom.”