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It is exactly 20 years ago since Prince Harry caused outrage after wearing a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party – and he later admitted the incident was one of the ‘biggest mistakes’ of his life

Prince Harry once revealed one of the “biggest mistakes” of his life – and admitted it left him “so ashamed”.

Exactly 20 years ago the Duke of Sussex caused outrage when it emerged he wore a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party. The incident came in 2005 when Harry was 20 and he was invited to the costume bash and wore the soldier’s uniform that had a swastika. He was pictured in the costume while holding a drink and a cigarette.

At the time, his father King Charles’ official office Clarence House was forced to issue a statement, saying Harry had apologised for any offence or embarrassment caused.

Harry talked about feeling ashamed after wearing a Nazi uniform in his Netflix series ( 
Image:
Netflix)
But in his explosive tell-all Netflix series with wife Meghan Markle, Harry addressed the controversy for the first time. He admitted: “It was probably one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I felt so ashamed afterwards. All I wanted to do was make it right.” He also revealed he spoke to the chief rabbi as well as met a Holocaust survivor because he wanted to make it right and learn from it.

He continued: “All I wanted to do was make it right. I sat down and spoke to the Chief Rabbi in London, which had a profound impact on me. I went to Berlin and spoke to a Holocaust survivor. I could have just ignored it and gone on and made the same mistakes over and over again in my life. But I learned from that.”

In the same episode, the Duke of Sussex also addressed the idea of “unconscious bias” in his family, noting that while “it’s actually no one’s fault,” that doesn’t absolve one of responsibility. “Once it’s been pointed out or identified within yourself you then need to make it right,” he said. “It’s education, it’s awareness and it’s a constant work in progress for everyone ― including me.”

Immediately after the 2005 incident, Harry apologised in a statement, saying, “I am very sorry if I caused any offence or embarrassment to anyone. It was a poor choice of costume and I apologise.” The regretful prince added in a later interview: “Maybe it was a sign of my own immaturity. Something like that I will never do again. It was a stupid thing to do.”

Meanwhile, the Board of Deputies of British Jews said at the time that it was “pleased that [Harry has] apologised for … his ill-judged actions.”

“We would now want to concentrate on ensuring that everyone understands the evils and enormity of the Holocaust, and the resonance of the swastika, not only to the Jewish community, but to all in the United Kingdom affected by the Second World War against the Nazis,” the group added.

One member of the Firm has earned a reputation as a secret weapon thanks to her hard work and international influence, which brought her to Ukraine for a key visit in 2024

Prince William and Kate, the Princess of Wales, “get on very well” with a Royal Family member branded a “secret weapon” who it is said the future King has big plans for.

The Prince and Princess, the two centrepiece royals of The Firm, have led the family into the new year following a turbulent 2024 in which both Kate and King Charles III received devastating cancer diagnoses. While they remained senior figures representing the royals, their months-long health battles meant they had to step back from a selection of duties while they recovered.

That didn’t mean the Royal Family took it easy, however, as a large number of official visits were undertaken by other senior family members. One of them has been credited as a “secret weapon” who both royal leaders and members of the British public hold in high esteem.

William and Kate are reportedly big fans of Sophie and her husband ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
The Times reports that William and Kate “get on very well” with Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, and her husband Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh. A Palace source told the paper their appreciation of the couple may mean that, when William does eventually take the throne, both will be asked to play more prominent roles in representing the Royal Family.

William will reportedly be eager for his aunt and uncle to take point in key areas, with Sophie having become especially popular and well-regarded since she officially joined the family in 1999. Praise has been heaped on the hardworking royal, who undertakes a wide range of duties on behalf of royals.

Ingrid Seward, the editor of Majesty magazine and Edward’s biographer, said the royal is opposed to being credited solely for her success as a senior member, however. She told the Times: “With Sophie, it’s not all about her. She was one of the first ‘outsiders’ who came into the royal family and realised it’s about all of ‘them’ working together as a team.

Princess Kate and the King were both battling cancer through much of 2024 ( 
Image:
POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

“She really gets that and doesn’t want praise heaped on her.” Sophie has epitomised the meaning of “soft power” and helped extend the Royal Family’s influence overseas in recent years, notably travelling to Ukraine to visit fighters and government representatives last year.

But she characteristically dismissed the high praise when she returned, commending the “brave people” of the country in her own piece for the Times. She wrote: “Many people have said how brave or courageous I was for going. I am neither. The brave people are those who have endured extreme violence and survived.

“The courageous are those who have reported the crimes committed against them.”

Gavin and Stacey duo Ruth Jones and James Corden have announced that the beloved characters from the show will be making a comeback in a new form next year

Gavin and Stacey creators Ruth Jones and James Corden have revealed the sitcoms much-loved characters will return in a new form next year.

Gavin And Stacey: The Finale will air on Christmas Day on the BBC and it will be the show’s final episode following 2019’s festive special which ended on a cliff-hanger when Vanessa ‘Nessa’ Jenkins, played by Ruth, proposed to James’ character Neil ‘Smithy’ Smith.

But the story doesn’t end there! Ruth and James have announced that they are writing a new book together, titled When Gavin Met Stacey and Everything in Between: A Story Of Love And Friendship. The pair’s literary offering with hit book shops in Autumn 2025 and will detail their journey to creating a comedy that touched the hearts of a nations.

Speaking in the wake of the book deal being announced, Ruth, 48, and James, 46, told fans: “We’re so excited to be sharing the story behind the story of Gavin and Stacey. The show has played a huge part in our twenty-five-year friendship and we hope this book will give readers a fresh insight into how it all came about.”
A teaser image of the final episode ahead of it airing next week ( 
Image:
PA)

“Gavin and Stacey is a TV series like no other. Now, for the first time, its creators James Corden and Ruth Jones tell the full extraordinary story of how they turned their little show into a full-on cultural phenomenon,” the book’s publisher Penguin added in its description of the upcoming book.

“As they recount the rejection, obstacles and challenges they faced on the way to giving birth to their beloved comedy creation, James and Ruth also explore the flourishing of their own real-life friendship. While their now legendary on- screen characters Nessa and Smithy had a profound awkwardness to negotiate, culminating in that marriage proposal in the 2019 Christmas special, Ruth and James forged a magical relationship of mutual support based also on a deep, shared sense of subversive fun.

“Here, from their tentative initial pitch to the emotionally overwhelming final day of filming, the duo detail what’s occurred every step of the way, bouncing off each other in inimitable style. Full of revelations and never-before-heard stories, this is a one-of-a-kind book about a show that’s already gone down in history.”

The book announcement comes in the wake of James admitting he “never ever thought” Gavin and Stacey would be a long-running show and that its success had been “a dream come true”. The 46-year-old added that just having a show that is “worthy of a Christmas special” was enough for him and that he thought ending at three series was the right decision.

Speaking at a screening in London earlier this week ahead of the Christmas Day episode airing, the Smithy actor said: “We’ve honestly never ever thought past what we’ve been commissioned to do, when we were writing the scripts for the first series, we didn’t know if the show would get green lit.

The final episode of Gavin and Stacey airs on Christmas Day ( 
Image:
PA)
“Then it gets green lit, then you shoot it, and then you’re hoping that someone finds it, then you get to do another series. And then suddenly, as that one starts coming out, it feels like lots of people are watching it. And then we did the first Christmas special, which was just a dream come true for us, like an absolute dream come true, to have a show that was considered worthy of a Christmas special, that was enough for us is the truth.

“And then we really felt like we probably told enough of the story, and if we’re honest with ourselves, we were finding it hard to construct ways for the families to keep meeting up… And so I think when we ended the third series, it was definite that was it.”

He explained that a finale episode was not certain and there was a chance that he and co-writer Ruth would leave the show at its cliff-hanger ending. James added: “We had a week in September, where we were like let’s get together then, and if there’s nothing there, if the characters don’t show us what the story is, it doesn’t matter.

“We haven’t told anybody, we haven’t told the cast, we haven’t spoken to the BBC, and it’s kind of lovely hearing Charlotte (Moore, the BBC’s Chief Content Officer) talk about those moments. We didn’t contact Charlotte till we’ve written, I think 70 pages of this special, because by then we felt like, ‘oh, we’ve got something that we feel that we’re ready to share’. Because it may sound like a complete nonsense but it doesn’t really feel like we’re in charge of writing, I feel like we just have to be together, and we sort of open a portal and the characters arrive, and they tell us what they want everybody to know.”

*Gavin And Stacey: The Finale will air on BBC One from 9pm on Christmas Day and will also be available on BBC iPlayer. The documentary Gavin And Stacey: A Fond Farewell will be shown at 7pm on New Year’s Day on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Two people were banished from the Scottish Highlands during the latest instalment of The Traitors on Friday, leaving fans completely gobsmacked

The Traitors fans couldn’t believe the result of the two exits on the show.

The show reached the halfway point of the series tonight with 10 of the Faithful either murdered or banished – and having caught just one solitary Traitor. But while they are proving astonishingly bad at discovering the enemies lurking in their midst, viewers have been lapping up the action.

BBC bosses were celebrating after new figures showed the series opener, which aired on New Year’s Day, has now been viewed by 9.1million viewers – making it the most watched Traitors episode of all time. Tonight’s episode saw model and beautician Livi Deane get murdered while bank risk manager Dan Bird was banished, adding to the group’s long tally of misses.

Dan, 33, had spearheaded many of the wrong calls and admitted that it felt “a bit embarrassing to be leaving at this point”. Having admitted that he played the game in a very particular way, possibly because he has autism, Dan said had learned much about himself that he would take forward into his life.

Dan Bird was banished from the castle ( 
Image:
PA)

Livi was also killed off ( 
Image:
BBC)

“I feel like I’m happy that I went out in a big explosion of emotion,” he said. “I’ve learnt so much about myself and my life – I think it has exposed a lot of really good strengths, but it’s also exposed a lot of weaknesses that I want to challenge in the rest of my life. Things like overthinking, trying to do too much. I think I did a lot of stuff in the game that I was really proud of, but I tried to do everything at once, so I just need to refine what I want to do in my life and focus on the things that are really important to me.”

Dan was ousted after lying over who he had gunked during Friday’s mission, in which the players get to win cash for their prize pot, which currently stands at £34,500. He said he’d enjoyed trying to influence how the whole game was played and didn’t mind the conflict – with one of his high points being the argument he’d had with Jake and Joe after the rowing boat mission. Dan added: “Initially I was quite disappointed to be a Faithful because it meant that I’d have a lot less control over the game. But then I thought one of my biggest strengths was that I can be authentic, and this gave me the opportunity for me to be fully me and not have to put on any kind of act.”

Livi, 26, left the castle at the start of last night’s show and claimed in her exit interview to have always known that her pal Linda Rands was a Traitor. Having learned once she was ousted that both Linda and Minah Shannon were pulling the strings in the castle, Livi insisted: “I did have a strategy which I kind of stuck to! I suspected Linda from day one, so I didn’t bring her up at the Round Table and I remained friends with her. We really got on, she was just amazing, and she was so caring with me but I also made friends with her so she wouldn’t murder me. That was my game plan from the start, to make friends with a Traitor.”

Fans have since taken to social media to share their reaction, with one writing: “Not Dan!!! #The Traitors.” A second penned: “And yet again what absolute idiots the faithful are. Dan didn’t help himself, but still. Keep on messing up clueless faithful.” “Right, Frankie out next please,” said a third.

The BBC One show continues on Wednesday, when viewers will discover whether Leon or Fozia is the next Faithful to be killed off.

The Traitors viewers questioned whether BBC bosses sent health and safety in during a ceremony held in the woods on Friday night’s dramatic episode

Fans of The Traitors noticed a subtle change during a scene of the popular BBC reality series on Friday night.

A ceremony was held in the woods and contestants had to put a bucket full of sludge behind the person who they believed was undeserving of a shield. The first two people had the sludge poured over their heads which eventually dripped into their eyes. “Oh my gosh, this is so gross,” Anna said as she spat out the sludge and wiped it from her eyes.

The first few people had the misfortune of cleaning the sludge from their faces but by the time it was Minah and Alexander’s turn, sludge was only poured on the back of their heads and their backs. Fans pointed out the sudden switch and took to social media to question whether the Healthy and Safety team stepped in to make the changes.

“BBC Health and Safety team telling the guards to pour the goop down people’s backs, after blinding the first 2 people by accident,” one user pointed out on X/ Twitter and another commented: “Felt so sorry for Anna getting covered in the gunk, after seeing the reaction everyone else had it poured down their neck not over their head.”

The rest weren’t ‘accidentally blinded’ ( 
Image:
BBC)

Another said: “Could be a medical reason, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Joe kicked off at production and made a fuss so they only poured the gunk on his shoulders only… even the girls and those with long hair let it go on them,” while one added: “Why didn’t Joe get the gunk poured over his head?”

Meanwhile, Friday night’s episode ended with four contestants being chosen by the Traitors – who are Linda and Minah – to take part in a “deadly” game. They secretly chose Leon, Alexander, Fozia and Anna, who then met host Claudia Winkleman at a location, where the four of them sat around a table.

It was revealed that they would be playing a game, Deathmatch, and Claudia told them: “At the end of the game, one of you will be dead.” She had already suggested that the Traitors could have chosen any four players – including themselves – to play. She had told them: “Earlier, the Traitors chose you four to play a little game. Just to be clear, the Traitors could have chosen any players, whether they be Faithful or Traitors.”

The game involved each player having two cards, with the majority of cards marked ‘death’. One card in each round would however be a ‘life’ card. Each round, the players would swap card with each other and whoever had the ‘life’ card at the end of the round would be safe and exit the game. Claudia said: “The person left seated at this table will face murder.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber launched four talent shows to find his next West End star – and many of the contestants have gone on to have incredible careers.

Between 2006 and 2010, Andrew Lloyd Webber launched four musical theatre shows with the BBC, and they proved to be a smash hit with audiences.

With live performances, a star-studded panel of judges and new acting challenges every week, the talent show series launched many early careers in both music and acting.

The shows were presented by Graham Norton, and stars to grace the judging panel included John Barrowman, Denise Van Outen, the late Barry Humphries and, of course, Lloyd Webber himself.

The first series in 2006, entitled How Do You Solve a Problem like Maria?, aimed to find the West End’s next Maria von Trapp in Lloyd Webber and David Ian’s stage production of The Sound of Music.

In 2007’s Any Dream Will Do, the search was on to find the next Joseph in the revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

2008’s I’d Do Anything aimed to find two different stars for the upcoming revival of Oliver!, as they needed to cast both Nancy and Oliver.

The final series in 2010, called Over the Rainbow, put out a casting call for an actress to play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, as well as a dog to play Toto.

Despite the talent show’s short run, huge names have emerged from its four seasons, including the likes of Jessie Buckley, Samantha Barks and Lee Mead.

Without further ado, let’s take a look back at some of Lloyd Webber’s biggest stars.

Connie Fisher – How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?

Connie Fisher won How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?
Connie Fisher won the first ever BBC talent show to find Andrew Lloyd Webber’s next West End star.

In 2006, she earned stellar reviews for her role as Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music, and her West End contract was extended until 2008, before she resumed the role to join the UK tour in 2009.

Casualty fans might also recognise Fisher for her recurring role as patient Amanda in the BBC One medical drama series.

Sadly, she was diagnosed with congenital sulcus vocalis in 2011 and was told she would never sing again, which led her to pursue other roles.

Lee Mead – Any Dream Will Do

Lee Mead went on to win Any Dream Will Do ( 
Image:
BBC)
Lee Mead was the popular winner of 2008’s Any Dream Will Do, going on to star as Joseph in the West End revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Since then he has enjoyed plenty of success in the theatre world, starring in musicals like Wicked, Legally Blonde and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

In 2014, he also joined the cast of Casualty, playing the role of Ben ‘Lofty’ Chiltern, a part he reprised for Holby City in 2017. His other TV credits include Motherland and The Dumping Ground.

Jodie Prenger – I’d Do Anything

Jodie Prenger won I’d Do Anything
After a close competition for the role of Nancy in 2008’s I’d Do Anything, it was Jodie Prenger who came out victorious, going on to star in Oliver! on the West End.

Before I’d Do Anything, Jodie won the second series of The Biggest Loser in 2006, making her the first woman in the world to win the show after losing a staggering 9 stone.

In 2022, Jodie began playing Glenda Shuttleworth in ITV’s Coronation Street, and she has also appeared in Waterloo Road and as a guest panellist on Loose Women.

Her other theatre credits include Calamity Jane, Annie and One Man, Two Guvnors.

Jessie Buckley – I’d Do Anything

Jessie Buckley previously dated James NortonWhile she was only the runner-up in I’d Do Anything, Jessie Buckley has since become a Hollywood star since then

Her breakthrough role was in 2018 musical film Wild Rose, where she received a nomination for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Buckley’s performance in The Lost Daughter also earned her nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

In 2021, she also earned a Laurence Olivier Award for her incredible performance as Sally Bowles in Cabaret on the West End.

Her other notable roles include War & Peace, Chernobyl, Women Talking and Fargo.

Samantha Barks – I’d Do Anything

Samantha Barks became a huge musical theatre star
Samantha Barks placed third on BBC’s I’d Do Anything, but went on to be one of the show’s biggest successes. She made her Hollywood film debut just a few years later in 2012, where she starred as Éponine in the Tom Hooper-directed Les Misérables.

She starred opposite Jonathan Bailey in the Disney Channel musical-comedy Groove High and was also a judge on ITV’s Mamma Mia! I Have a Dream.

Barks has also continued to see a lot of success in the theatre world, originating the role of Vivian Ward in Pretty Woman: The Musical on Broadway in 2016. Since 2021, she has played Elsa in the West End production of Frozen.

Danielle Hope – Over the Rainbow

Danielle Hope won Over the Rainbow
Danielle Hope was the winner of Lloyd Webber’s final BBC series, Over the Rainbow, which launched her into stardom as Dorothy in the West End’s Wizard of Oz.

A year later, she was cast as Éponine in Les Misérables in the West End, starting in June 2012.

Her other theatre credits include The Last Five Years, The Sound of Music, Grease and Kinky Boots.

Sophie Evans – Over the Rainbow

Sophie Evans has enjoyed a successful West End career
Over the Rainbow’s Sophie Evans was a runner-up on the BBC series, but she ended up still playing the alternate role of Dorothy in 2011’s The Wizard of Oz, going on to take it up full-time in 2012.

She also went on to bag the part of Glinda in the West End production of Wicked in 2017 and again in 2021.

Her film and TV credits include The World’s End, Pride, Gangs of London and Under Milk Wood.

Stephanie Davis – Over the Rainbow

Stephanie Davis has starred in Hollyoaks and Corrie
Soap star Stephanie Davis may have started her TV journey on Over the Rainbow, only coming in 7th on the BBC show, but her career has gone in a different direction since then

Stephanie is best known for playing Sinead O’Connor in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks between 2010 and 2019.

She also joined the cast of Coronation Street as Courtney Vance in May 2023.

Additionally, she was the runner-up in the seventeenth series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2016.

Claudia Winkleman has long been tipped as a natural successor for much-loved Graham and now she will make her debut as host by fllling in for him

She’s one of the BBC’s biggest stars thanks to her role as host of two of the corporation’s most successful entertainment series.

Now Claudia Winkleman is to stand-in on Graham Norton’s chat show as host for the first time, two years after making a pilot for her own BBC interview series. The presenter, who fronts hit shows The Traitors and Strictly Come Dancing, will cover for Graham when he’s away doing his live theatre tour in Australia next month.

In tonight’s instalment of The Graham Norton Show Claudia, 52, appears as a guest and when he thanks her for covering for him, she quips: “I apologise in advance!” Graham, 60, is a big star in Australia thanks to his UK chat show being on air over there, but hasn’t visited the country since 1987. He will kick off his Evening with Graham Norton show, in which he tells stories about his long career as a comedian and chat show host, on March 9. It is not yet known who Claudia’s guests will be on February 28 but it will be the last live show of the series. Graham will front a compilation show the following week and then returns in September with a new run.

Graham will miss the final live show of the series while he tours Down Under ( 
Image:
BBC)

Claudia has appeared as a guest on Graham’s show on several occasions ( 
Image:
PA)

She always enjoys herself! ( 
Image:
PA)
The Mirror revealed last January that Claudia had been toying with the idea of becoming a chat-show host, but the idea had been “put on ice” because she is too busy. The BBC pilot she made was with So Television, the TV production company which makes Norton’s long-running BBC1 series.

Speaking to Graham tonight Claudia revealed she had been given treatment for a bad back while filming The Traitors by a physio who specialised in animals. Revealing what happened when she needed a massage during filming, Claudia explains: “I did my back in so asked if I could see a physio. We are in the middle of nowhere so that wasn’t easy. When this chap turned up the producer asked me not to be chatty with him – I thought she meant I was not to talk about what was going on in the production, so I asked him who else he had treated and he said, ‘Two shire horses and a miniature Dachshund’. It turns out they didn’t want me to know he was a vet.”

After filming her chat-show pilot one insider confirmed that it had gone well but added: “Nothing is going to happen with it anytime soon. Claudia is just so busy, for now the timing is all wrong.” In March last year Claudia stood down from the Radio 2 Saturday show she had previously replaced Norton on in 2021, saying she wanted to spend more time with her family.

While the mum-of-three’s two elder children are away at university, her youngest – Arthur – is 13. Announcing her decision to leave, she explained: “The truth is my children are growing up inordinately fast so I have decided to follow them around at home before they leave for good.”

Graham has previously said he was thinking about retiring but is currently busier than ever as host of gameshow Wheel of Fortune on ITV alongside the BBC chat show and his Virgin radio weekend morning shows. He is also a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and hosts the annual Eurovision Song Contest for the BBC.

He said that being unable to work properly during the pandemic had made him realise he wasn’t ready to stop working. “I had this idea that I was going to cut down on my workload, just kind of take my foot off the pedal a bit, and yet the opposite has happened. I’m busier now than I think I’ve ever been,” he explained at the time.

Last year insiders told The Mirror that Claudia was the obvious choice to fill his shoes whenever he finally does decide the time is right to either slow down or step away. Calling it “sensible forward planning” one said: “This is for when Graham decides that he wants to do less. One idea was to keep the chat-show going across the same number of weeks, but have different people hosting it from time to time. So it would be The Graham Norton Show hosted by Claudia Winkleman, for example.”

 

As wildfires rage around California, people have been forced to flee their homes at a moment’s notice – and it appears that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are among the countless celebs who may have to evacuate their mansions as the blazes spread

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have opened up the doors to their mansion to those forced to flee devastating LA wildfires.

But it seems the Sussexes themselves are also having to prepare to escape as the fast-spreading blazes could also threaten their Montecito home.

So far, the upmarket California enclave has not been affected by the fires, which are still some way from the town. However, with the flames spreading extremely quickly, it is believed that Harry and Meghan are prepared to evacuate with their kids if the situation arises, with sources saying they are ready to go into “crisis mode”.

Fires have destroyed homes across Los Angeles ( 
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Getty Images)
Their security team has been coordinating an evacuation plan while packing essentials for their children, Archie, five, and Lilibet, three. A neighbour said: “It’s not chaos here yet but the fire is moving fast and we are not taking any chances.” The couple and their neighbours have been given public safety survival kits containing a solar charger, flashlight, protective equipment, ice, water, snacks and safety pamphlets.

With the fires continuing to devastate and Montecito safe for now, it is understood the Sussexes have invited friends and loved ones who have been forced to evacuate due to the nearby fires to stay with them. The couple is also believed to have donated supplies to people affected by the blazes, including clothing, children’s items, and other essential supplies.

The series of major fires in California have killed 10 people, ravaged communities and sent thousands of people fleeing their properties, including in areas popular with celebrity homes.

Harry and Meghan have already opened up their home to those forced to flee the fires
Yesterday, Harry and Meghan spoke publicly about the fires for the first time with a statement on their website. They also recommended a list of fire service charities, animal groups and other initiatives to support. It said: “In the last few days, wildfires in southern California have raged through neighbourhoods and devastated families, homes, schools, medical care centres, and so much more – affecting tens of thousands from all walks of life.”

The Sussexes added: “If a friend, loved one, or pet has to evacuate, and you are able to offer them a safe haven in your home, please do. Be sure to check in with any disabled or elderly neighbours to see if they need help evacuating. “Some families and people have been left with nothing. Please consider donating clothing, children’s toys and other essentials. The American Red Cross is on the ground helping those in need.”

Airbnb and 211LA, a non-profit organisation offering housing advice, have partnered to provide free temporary housing to people displaced, Harry and Meghan said. They added that long-time Archewell Foundation partner World Central Kitchen is serving meals to emergency service crews and victims. The list also included Cal Fire and LA Fire Department Foundation which are supporting firefighters, as well as the Animal Wellness Foundation which is housing evacuated animals.

Baby2baby is offering nappies, clothing and emergency kits to families, Compton Cowboys is providing emergency transport for horses and bookshop All Power Books is keeping its doors open to distribute aid and offer supplies and water for pick-up, the Sussexes said.

TV personality Paris Hilton, US actor Billy Crystal, The Princess Bride star Cary Elwes, talk show host Ricki Lake and Oscar-winning songwriter Diane Warren are among those who have confirmed that their residences have been destroyed in the fires.

In 2014, Prince Harry had been enjoying a romance with aspiring actress Cressida Bonas but according to a book, their relationship came to an abrupt end after a royal tour embarked on by Prince William and Kate

Prince Harry might be settled with former actress wife Meghan Markle, but long before they met, he dated another actress.

For two years, the prince had an on-and-off relationship with Burberry muse and model Cressida Bonas – after reportedly being introduced by Harry’s cousin Princess Eugenie. But the romance fizzled out and now Cressida is pregnant with her second child with husband Harry Wentworth-Stanley.

And it appears the reason why her royal romance didn’t last was because Cressida decided royal life was just too much for her – especially after seeing Harry’s sister-in-law, the now Princess of Wales, on TV.

Harry and Cressida dated for around two years ( 
Image:
AFP/Getty Images)
According to the book Battle of Brothers about Princes William and Harry, royal expert Robert Lacey claims William and Kate’s royal tour of New Zealand and Australia “spooked” Cressida. He writes: “A rising actress, Cressida did not enjoy the critical remarks that she could hear people making behind her back when she walked down the street in London – she felt that the fame of her relationship put her “in a box”.

“In 2014, she was said to have been ‘completely spooked’ after watching the TV coverage of William and Kate touring New Zealand with baby George in tow – that was not the way she would want to enjoy her eight-month-old son, she regretfully explained to Harry.”

At the time of their split, a friend said: “It’s very sad that they have decided to split but this is a completely amicable separation and they are remaining the very best of friends.” However, Harry and Cressida remained friends, and the actress was invited to Meghan and Harry’s royal wedding back in 2018.

Cressida is now expecting her second child ( 
Image:
Dave Benett/Getty Images for Hershesons)

Cressida married husband Harry Wentworth-Stanley in 2020 ( 
Image:
Tim P. Whitby/Getty Images)
Cressida had a secret lockdown wedding to her husband Harry, an estate agent and the son of the Marchioness of Milford Haven, in August 2020. The bride and groom enjoyed a private ceremony in the countryside joined by a select few friends and family. Cressida wore an unexpected and understated £599 dress for her big day which she had previously worn in a James Arthur music video.

Two years ago she welcomed her son Wilbur and is now expecting her second child after she used an embryo she had frozen following struggles to conceive her first child. The 35-year-old said: “I am now well into my second pregnancy. Having conceived through IVF the first time, we were fortunate to have another embryo stored away in a freezer… I’ve been battling morning sickness. I’ve never had it before, and now feel like I’ve been swaying on a boat for months.”

The actress’s joyful news comes years after she said her “body was failing” her when she struggled to get pregnant despite a specialist told the couple “there was nothing fundamentally wrong”. Writing in The Sunday Times, Cressida had said: “I spent time and money on reflexology, nutritionists, acupuncture and psychics…Even a German healer who speaks to angels. I heard nothing, not a squeak.

“My mind was on a constant worry loop and my obsession with getting pregnant became overwhelming, No matter how many Mystic Megs I saw or expensive supplements I took, nothing was working, and I felt as if my body was failing me.” In July 2022, Cressida, also a model, confirmed she had fallen pregnant after undergoing IVF, and she gave birth to Wilbur in November of that year.

Royal expert Jennie Bond said Zara and Mike Tindall would ‘step up’ if Prince William calls on them as he did at a garden party last year – but they don’t want official roles

Zara and Mike Tindall are willing to “step up” if Prince William asks them to do so, a royal expert has claimed.

The couple, who are now attending 2025 Magic Millions events in Australia, have seen their popularity skyrocket in recent years and are seen as firm favourites among royal fans. According to royal expert Jennie Bond, Zara and Mike have “the very best of both worlds” due to their unique position within the Firm and while they are unlikely to want more involvement, they would be ready to “step up” if need be.

The expert said: “Although they don’t have titles, they obviously have the cachet of being so much part of the extended Royal Family. They have managed to use that commercially without getting into too much bother.”

The couple have ‘the very best of both worlds’, according to Jennie Bond ( 
Image:
UK Press via Getty Images)

Zara and Mike at Ascot in June 2024 ( 
Image:
UK Press via Getty Images)
Ms Bond said: “They are both very close to William, and if he calls on them again (as he did at a garden party last year), they will definitely agree.” Clarifying that this support would not extend to official working roles, Ms Bond added: “Not to an official working role, nor do I think the public would want to fund any more working royals.”

Praising the couple’s genuine connection after seeing pictures of them at events in Australia, Ms Bond said: “Zara really is a remarkably beautiful woman, no wonder Mike always looks so proud and happy. The feeling is mutual: she oozes love for her big bear of a rugby star husband, with his crooked nose and rugged appeal.”

Zara, 43, and Mike, 46, live on Princess Anne’s Gatcombe Park estate in Gloucestershire and seem to be “living life to the full”, always showing love for each other, the royal expert said.. While speaking about Mike’s and Zara’s relationship, Ms Bond said: “Zara really is a remarkably beautiful woman, no wonder Mike always looks so proud and happy. But the feeling is mutual: she oozes love for her big bear of a rugby star husband, with his crooked nose and rugged appeal. I think we all enjoy seeing them out and about together, usually arm in arm or having a cuddle – living life to the full.”

Mike and Zara are a fan favourite when it comes to Royal couples ( 
Image:
Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Earlier today, we reported that a property expert has warned that Zara and her brother, Peter Phillips could be hit with a hefty inheritance tax bill if they inherit their mother’s Gatcombe Park estate. Purchased by the late Queen Elizabeth in 1976, the property is now estimated to be worth a whopping £6million.In the documentary Gatcombe Park: A Royal Residence, royal experts suggested the children could inherit the estate. Simon Vigar, royal correspondent at 5 News, said: “I think Gatcombe Park is the forever home for Anne and Tim, it’s obviously where she is happy. She’s been very happy there since the late 1970s.”

Meanwhile, Editor-in-chief at Majesty Magazine Ingrid Stewart said: “I think it’s absolutely no doubt that Zara and Peter will keep Gatcombe going, the last thing in the world they’d want to do is to have to sell it and they won’t.” But Zara and Peter may face a monumental issue should they indeed inherit the estate – a giant tax bill.

Terry Fisher of We Buy Any Home shared his expertise, explained: “If Gatcombe Park is valued at £6million, inheritance tax (IHT) could be substantial. In the UK, inheritance tax is currently charged at 40% on estates exceeding the £325,000 threshold, unless exemptions or reliefs apply.”