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  • Danny Jones’ warning about Maura Higgins resurfaces after BRITs after-party kiss

    Danny Jones’ warning about Maura Higgins resurfaces after BRITs after-party kiss

    I’m A Celebrity winner Danny Jones spent time with former Love Island finalist Maura Higgins whilst in the jungle on the ITV show last year, months before the BRIT Awards

    Former campmate Danny Jones once issued a warning about his I’m A Celebrity co-star Maura Higgins.

    Danny, 38, has made headlines alongside pal Maura, 34, this week after it was reported that they had a “drunken kiss” at a BRIT Awards after-party in London on the weekend. It comes amid his marriage to his wife Georgia Horsley, 38.

    McFly member Danny and former Love Island finalist Maura – who have yet to publicly comment on the situation – had appeared together on the latest series of I’m A Celebrity. He won the ITV show, which ran from November to December last year, and Maura was voted out just days before the final.

    During their time in camp together, Maura had teased that she once took revenge on an ex and Danny later warned against “crossing” his co-star. The scene, which has now resurfaced, was in an episode that aired in November.

    Danny told viewers at the time: “Yeah, you don’t wanna mess with Maura.” Speaking in the Bush Telegraph after hearing about her apparent actions towards an ex, he then added: “Maura has got a side to her that you wouldn’t wanna cross.”

    His comments came after Maura told him and their fellow campmate Jane Moore, 62, about her decision to sign up for Love Island. Maura said that she had a boyfriend at the time but was encouraged by a friend to investigate if he was “up to no good” before ruling out the reality TV show.

    Danny Jones in a blue t-shirt and multicoloured headband in a hut on I'm A Celebrity.
    Danny Jones, pictured, warned I’m A Celebrity viewers not to ‘mess’ with Maura Higgins whilst on the ITV show last year 
    Image:
    ITV)
    Maura then said that she ended up going through his phone, adding: “I didn’t have a clue who that man was.” She added: “I said ‘I’m gonna get revenge on him’. I had a plan and no word of a lie, when he went to the gym the next day, I got his toothbrush and I filmed myself scrubbing in the verges [of the toilet]. He had a dentist appointment that day!”

    She went on to say: “He had a jacuzzi outside and this is bad what I’m about to say – I considered taking a dump in it.” Asked why she didn’t, Maura laughed and said: “I thought it was a bit far. […] That’s a bit far for me. Yeah, even for me!”

    Maura Higgins in a blue top, red jacket and multicoloured headband with her hand on her forehead in the jungle camp on I'm A Celebrity.
    It came after Maura, pictured, spoke about once getting ‘revenge’ on an ex-partner before her rise to fame 
    Image:
    ITV)

    The resurfacing of the clip comes after Danny was at the BRIT Awards on Saturday night. It was later claimed that whilst at Universal Music’s after-party, him and Maura shared a “drunken kiss” at 180 Studios on the Strand. Footage shared by the Sun appears to show Danny, who’s been married to his wife Georgia since 2014, having a kiss with Maura as they stood together. A source told the outlet that they “seemed to be having a great time,” adding: “They looked like they had a brief drunken kiss.”

    Danny has been married to his wife Georgia, with whom he shares his seven-year-old son Cooper, for over ten years. Maura – who has broken her cover following the reports – had been romantically linked to Pete Wicks, 37, until weeks ago, with it reported last month that they had parted ways.

  • Gabby Allen ‘relieved’ as Casey O’Gorman loses major TV job after Love Island

    Gabby Allen ‘relieved’ as Casey O’Gorman loses major TV job after Love Island

    Casey O’Gorman has reportedly turned his back on Made in Chelsea after winning Love Island, and Gabby Allen is happy for one major reason

    Love Island star Casey O’Gorman is reportedly not returning to one of his past reality TV roles after winning the ITV dating show.

    Casey, 28, and his partner Gabby Allen, 33, won the All Stars series last month, with the couple only just nabbing the top spot with 33.37 percent of the vote. Meanwhile, Grace and Luca won 30.38 percent of the votes, while Ekin-Su and Curtis secured 21.74 percent. Catherine and Omar only received 8.14 percent, and Elma and Sammy got just 6.36 percent.

    Despite the fine margins of his win, Casey has reportedly decided that he doesn’t need to rush back to Made In Chelsea for its 29th season. According to an insider, despite not having the silver spoon of the rest of the Channel 4 cast Casey “was seen as a great signing by producers.”

    The explained to The Sun: “When he joined, he was fresh from two Love Island stints and had proved popular with the ladies. They knew he’d bring fun and drama to the series – which is exactly what he did.”

    Gabby Allen and Casey O'Gorman
    An insider said that Gabby was worried about the ‘added pressure’ Made in Chelsea could add to her relationship with ladies’ man Casey, but he won’t be making a return 
    Image:
    ITV)

    Casey’s move suggests that although he’s made a romantic splash on MIC in the past, he’s now more focused on keeping his Love Island relationship afloat – after spending plenty of time having public dates with Gabby.

    The insider said that Gabby could “breathe a sigh of relief” thanks to Casey’s absence from the upcoming series. They added: “She trusts him but obviously knows he has a reputation for being a ladies’ man and filming a reality show always involves romantic dramas. She doesn’t want the added pressure to harm their relationship.”

    While Casey has supposedly sworn off MIC, fans are more concerned with confirming that he won’t be back on Love Island for the fourth time after accusing the voting of being rigged. Casey first did the original version of Love Island in 2023 before coming back for All Stars in both 2024 and 2025. On X, formerly known as Twitter, fans joked that the show was “rigged” by producers in the hopes that by giving Casey a win he’d stop returning to the villa every year.

    “Love Island had to crown Casey the winner – they didn’t want him back in the Summer,” one person joked, with another adding: “They handed Casey the win so he would stop coming back every January.”

    Reality TV aside, Casey sparked concern recently when he had his phone stolen, with his close friend Tom Clare – whom he met on Love Island in 2023 – posting on his own Instagram Story: “Casey’s had his phone stolen! Any info message me.”

    A source soon told The Sun that Casey was “worried,” explaining: “Casey is so worried because the thief had access to all his private pics and information – they posted some pics he never meant to see the light of day but it’s the Whatsapp messages he’s really worried about – there are a lot of chats with sensitive information in there.”

    Thankfully, it seems none of the “sensitive” content was released, with the source adding: “It could have been a disaster – in the end all that happened was the thief messaged some of his famous friends and asked for money.”

  • Penny Lancaster says ‘move on’ as she shuts down Loose Women co-star

    Penny Lancaster says ‘move on’ as she shuts down Loose Women co-star

    On Tuesday’s instalment of Loose Women, the panel were speaking about Meghan Markle’s recently released Netflix series.

    Loose Women star Penny Lancaster was caught in an awkward moment during Tuesday’s show. During the episode, the ITV panel were speaking about Meghan Markle’s most recent Netflix series.

    The eight-part show features the Duchess of Sussex sharing cooking, gardening, and hosting tips in a gorgeous Californian home. Host Christine Lampard said: “I think there’s always going to be a huge interest in her, and a lot of people will be watching and enjoying it.”

    Turning to her co-star, Penny, Christine said: “See, I can imagine you being the perfect hostess. I can imagine you teaching Meghan a few things.”

    Chuckling awkwardly, Penny said: “Well, maybe we should just kind of draw the line at this point in the conversation. I think we’ve got to move on to the next subject.”

    However, Christine was having none of it as she replied: “No! Penny, I’m not moving on until you tell me what you do. I can imagine your house just smelling gorgeous.”

    Penny Lancaster says 'move on' as she shuts down Loose Women co-star
    Penny Lancaster says ‘move on’ as she shuts down Loose Women co-star
    In the end, Penny shared some insights into her hosting skills, admitting she likes to go the extra mile.

    She said: “I think as far as making time for your friends and family, we’re all so busy in our lives so when we do make the time to invite someone over, I do like to create an atmosphere.

    “Whether you’re having dinner on your laps in front of a movie or you’re having a more formal sit down, I love to almost walk through the experience.”

    Penny wanted to move on from the conversation during Tuesday's show
    Penny wanted to move on from the conversation during Tuesday’s show
    The ITV star told the panel she enjoys playing music and lighting candles when she has people over. She added, “I like that whole ambience of just gelling everything together, depending on what the occasion is. I love to entertain.”

    Liking the sound of how Penny hosts, Christine asked if she could have an invite over to her home as she replied: “Absolutely!” Frankie Bridge joked: “I always light a candle, but it’s because I live with smelly boys!”

    Touching on With Love, Meghan, Jane Moore seemed less than impressed with the series. She said: “I was expecting big things, and I was expecting big things because this is a multi, multi-million-pound deal.

    With Love, Meghan is available to watch on Netflix
    With Love, Meghan is available to watch on Netflix“So, a streaming platform like Netflix is going to throw money at something, you expect it’s going to be original, fresh, exciting, revelatory. Sadly, and I’m only speaking from my own personal experience, it was none of these things.

    “It’s beautifully shot, she looks amazing, she’s in loads of cream line. I mean, who wears cream-lined when they are cooking? But anyway, she looks great, it’s beautifully shot, a lot of money has clearly been spent on it. But whisper it, it’s boring, I just found it boring.”

  • Olivia Bowen announces baby’s gender as pregnant star breaks down in tears on Loose Women

    Olivia Bowen announces baby’s gender as pregnant star breaks down in tears on Loose Women

    Olivia Bowen and her husband Alex appeared on ITV show Loose Women on Tuesday with a lovely update after sadly announcing they’d lost one of the twins they were expecting

    Pregnant Love Island star Olivia Bowen broke down in tears on ITV’s Loose Women on Tueday as she spoke about her baby heartache before announcing she’s expecting a little girl. The news comes just days after Olivia had reaveled that she and her co-star husband Alex had lost one of their twins due later this year.

    The couple met on the hit TV dating series series in 2016 and went on to marry and they now have a two-year-old son called Abel. Last month they excitedly posted a sweet video sharing the news that they were expecting twins. But just days ago Olivia made the heartbreaking revelation that she had lost one of the babies

    She said while having “one safe, healthy baby” filled her with “happiness and joy”, she felt “excruciating pain and trauma” over the loss of the twin.

    Appearing on Loose Women alongside her husband, Olivia was comforted by host Christine Lampard after breaking down in tears as she spoke about the loss but the couple went on to share a video of themselves and Abel announcing that the other baby is a little girl.

    Olivia Bowen breaks down on ITV's Loose Women speaking about the baby she lost
    Olivia Bowen breaks down on ITV’s Loose Women speaking about the baby she lost 
    Image:
    ITV)

    Christine introduced the clip before applause rang out around the studio to congratulate the couple. Before they made news of the gender public they spoke about the early discovery that they were expecting twins when they went for a scan at just six weeks.

    “I’m quite an anxious person anyway so I was like I’m going for a scan and you were all for it,” said Olivia, who has twins in her family. “I went into the room and as soon as I sat down I could see two babies and not just one and we were floored by that.”

    She continued: “As soon as we found out it was twins I was already quite nervous because we’ve not had a great history of twins in our family but you were so positive weren’t you?” she said looking at Alex, who then spoke about how excited he had been at the prospect of being a dad to twins.

    Olivia and Alex are expecting a baby girl
    Olivia and Alex are expecting a baby girl 
    Image:
    ITV)
    For two weeks the couple made plans for becoming a family of five as they looked at baby car seats and bedroom plans.

    “We went back at eight weeks and something happened called vanishing syndrome,” said Olivia as she broke down in tears adding that one of the babies didn’t have a heartbeat.

    “I’d had no symptoms, I’d had no pain, no bleeding, absolutely nothing to tell me that that was what we were walking into and I guess from that moment we were completely floored. We were expecting to have these two little babies. Vanishing twin syndrome – it can as it just says literally vanish. The one beautiful part of it that I try to hold on to is that they do absorb into your body, those cells become a part of you and that’s what I’ve sort of been holding on to.”

    Olivia and Alex with son Abel
    Olivia and Alex with son Abel 
    Image:
    ITV)Olivia went on to say the scan was a “bittersweet rollercoaster of emotions” as they were also told the other baby was healthy and she said they’re “so excited” to meet their baby girl.

    The pair are keen to raise the profile of miscarriage in the hope that others in a similar situation won’t be afraid to speak about their loss and grieve alone.

    “It’s becoming easier by speaking about it with other women and that’s what we wanted to do and especially Alex being a dad as I haven’t seen many men talking about it – we just want to change that perception of not being able to talk about miscarriage openly.”

    Loose Women is on ITV1 weekdays at 12.30pm and ITVX

  • Denise Welch makes rare comment about son Matty’s fiancée after ‘secret wedding’ rumours

    Denise Welch makes rare comment about son Matty’s fiancée after ‘secret wedding’ rumours

    Loose Women star Denise Welch’s latest comment comes just days after she paid a sweet tribute to her son Matty Healy’s wife-to-be, model Gabbriette Bechtel

    Denise Welch has made a rare comment about her future daughter-in-law Gabbriette Bechtel, following claims the model has already married her son Matty Healy.

    The 1975 frontman, 35, who is Denise’s eldest son, and the 27-year-old got engaged back in May 2024.

    Since then, rumours have swirled that the pair have already married in secret, though neither parties have confirmed this.

    Now, Loose Women star Denise has appeared to confirm that the pair are still yet to tie the knot.

    During the first episode of the show’s brand new podcast, the 66-year-old referred to Gabbriette as her “son’s fiancée” and not her daughter-in-law, as of yet.

    In response to her co-star Ayda Field Williams, who had been discussing her husband Robbie Williams’ addiction woes, Denise said: “Oh, my son’s fiancée is going through a metal detecting stage.

    “She’s not an addict, but she’s going through a metal detecting stage. Matt bought her one for Christmas.”

    Denise has only shared brief details about her son’s relationship since confirming their engagement live on the show last year.

    Gabbriette Bechtel
    Denise Welch said Gabbriette Bechtel is ‘everything she wants’ in a daughter-in-law

    Denise Welch with her sons and Gabbriette
    Denise Welch with her sons and Gabbriette
    Speaking on Loose Women at the time, she said: “We couldn’t be happier. She is everything I would want in a daughter in law.”

    The panellist went on to say she had known privately about their engagement for a “a few weeks” before the couple announced their news on Instagram.

    Discussing how they celebrated, she told her co-stars: “We went over to LA to see Matty and Gabby and celebrate the engagement.

    “Gabby is so busy modelling and she’s very hot right now, which is fabulous, so she couldn’t join us.

    “So we went up to see her mum and dad, who we had met once before, Chayo and Gary, we absolutely adore them!”

    Last week, Denise proved just how much she was a fan of Gabriette in a sweet tribute on Instagram.

    As part of Milan Fashion Week, the model left very little to the imagination with her braless look, which consisted of a mesh long-sleeved top, a knee-length skirt and leather boots.

    Sharing a snap of the model walking the catwalk, she gushed on Instagram: “My fabulous daughter-in-law to be @gabbriette walked for Fendi in Milan tonight,” alongside clapping hands and heart emojis.

  • Linda Robson ‘realised something wasn’t right’ on lunch date with Pauline Quirke

    Linda Robson ‘realised something wasn’t right’ on lunch date with Pauline Quirke

    Loose Women star Linda Robson has opened up about her friend Pauline Quirke’s dementia diagnosis, and remembered the moment she realised something was wrong

    Linda Robson has opened up about the moment she noticed something “wasn’t right” with her close friend and ‘Birds of a Feather’ co-star Pauline Quirke. Pauline, 65, was diagnosed with dementia in 2021, but the illness only became public knowledge when her husband Steve Sheen made an announcement in January this year.

    Linda, 66, expressed concern when Pauline stopped returning her calls, saying: “I hadn’t spoken to her for a little while and I kept wondering why she hadn’t returned my calls. Eventually, Steve phoned me back. Lesley [Joseph] and I went for lunch with her and that’s when we realised something wasn’t right with her, and that was three years ago.”

    The news hit Linda hard, yet she respected the family’s privacy and kept the diagnosis confidential, vowing to secrecy. “I’ve known for the last three years that she wasn’t well,” the Loose Women panellist added to Bella Magazine.

    “I managed to keep it a secret. It was very important that I did, because it was up to her family when it was time for them to let everyone know. Steve was taking her away a lot, just to get her out of the country.”

    Linda Robson gets emotional after discussing Pauline Quirke

    In the wake of the public statement in January, Steve informed fans about Pauline’s withdrawal from her professional engagements and commercial responsibilities because of her dementia. However, he assured that Pauline’s UK-wide performing arts academy would continue to thrive, remaining true to her ideals and vision, reports Bristol Live.

    Pauline Quirke with husband Steve Sheen
    Pauline Quirke’s husband went public with her Dementia diagnosis in January 2025
    In a heart-wrenching update, Linda revealed that Pauline, her friend of over 50 years and co-star in Birds of a Feather, no longer recognises her or speaks much during their FaceTime calls. Despite ruling out any further filming for the sitcom without Pauline, Linda plans to honour her long-time friend in other ways.

    Over her 50-year career, Pauline has graced more than 60 television and film productions, including The Sculptress, Broadchurch, Carrie’s War, North and South, Casualty, and ITV soap Emmerdale. Dementia manifests differently in different people, but there are some common early signs that may appear before a diagnosis, according to the NHS.

    Common early symptoms of dementia

    Memory loss
    Difficulty concentrating
    Finding it hard to carry out familiar daily tasks
    Struggling to follow a conversation or find the right word
    Being confused about a time and place
    Mood changes

    The NHS website explains: “These symptoms are often mild and may get worse only very gradually.

    “It’s often termed ‘mild cognitive impairment’ (MCI) as the symptoms are not severe enough to be diagnosed as dementia.”

    The health system also states that dementia is not a natural part of ageing, and recommend seeing a GP sooner rather than later if you’re worried about memory problems or other symptoms.

  • Exclusive: ‘I joined Harry and Meghan at Invictus – one moment revealed everything about their marriage’

    Exclusive: ‘I joined Harry and Meghan at Invictus – one moment revealed everything about their marriage’

    Prince Harry and Meghan Markle dazzled fans with their huge public displays of affection at the Invictus Games, but what are they really like behind the scenes? The Mirror’s Patrick Hill spent four days with the Sussexes and delivers his verdict

    It was a moment that involved no speech, yet said more than a million words ever could.

    After months of speculation about their marriage, Meghan leaned into Harry and tenderly put her head on his shoulder as they held hands. They may have been surrounded by more than 40,000 people at the Invictus Games opening ceremony, but despite the gaze of many being on them, it was clear they only had eyes for each other.

    While enjoying a shared moment of satisfaction in what Harry, 40, has achieved to change the perception of injured military veterans worldwide, they were also sending a message of love, unity and togetherness about themselves.

    The pair shared a loving kiss at the Invictus Games opening ceremony in Vancouver on Saturday
    The pair shared a loving kiss at the Invictus Games opening ceremony in Vancouver on Saturday 
    Image:
    Samir Hussein/WireImage)

    VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA - FEBRUARY 09: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex attend the wheelchair basketball match between the USA v Nigeria during day one of the 2025 Invictus Games at the Vancouver Convention Centre on February 09, 2025 in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
    The Duchess of Sussex watches the wheelchair basketball match between the USA v Nigeria during day one of the 2025 Invictus Games 
    Image:
    Karwai Tang/WireImage)
    Some may baulk at the former actress and Harry’s public displays of affection during these Games, including a kiss worthy of ending any Hollywood movie. But watching them together here in Canada I have absolutely no doubt every single one is absolutely genuine and heartfelt.

    I have been lucky enough to see them up close, as an accredited journalist, at three previous Invictus Games, including the one held in Toronto when they were pictured together for the first time. I was sent to Windsor to watch as they blissfully paraded through the streets after getting married in May the following year.

    And I also saw them at events during their royal style tour of Colombia in August last year. But in all that time, I have never seen them looking so happy and in-step with each other as they have here in Vancouver and Whistler.

    Outside temperatures have at times plunged as low as -12, but everywhere they have been together they have radiated genuine warmth and happiness.

    The couple were in good spirits despite freezing temperatures on Tuesday
    The couple were in good spirits despite freezing temperatures on Tuesday 
    Image:
    Humphrey Nemar)

    They laughed together on stage in Whistler after Harry joked Meghan was about to sing
    They laughed together on stage in Whistler after Harry joked Meghan was about to sing 
    Image:
    Humphrey Nemar/staff Photographer.)Harry publicly addressed rumours about he and Meghan’s marriage in December last year, as well as speculation about why they had chosen to carry out some work independently of each other. He laughed as he said: “Apparently we’ve bought or moved house 10, 12 times. We’ve apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times as well. So it’s just like, what?’.

    “It’s hard to keep up with, but that’s why you just sort of ignore it. The people I feel most sorry about are the trolls. Their hopes are just built and built, and it’s like, ‘Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,’ and then it doesn’t happen. So I feel sorry for them. Genuinely, I do.”

    During the same sit-down chat on stage in New York City, Harry also spoke of how he loves his life in Montecito, California, with Meghan, 43, and their two children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three. He added: “I feel as though it’s the life that my mum wanted for me.

    “To be able to do the things I’m able to do with my kids that I undoubtedly wouldn’t be able to do in the UK — it’s huge. I’m hugely grateful for that.”

    Harry and Meghan watching wheelchair curling in Whistler on Monday
    Harry and Meghan watching wheelchair curling in Whistler on Monday 
    Image:
    Humphrey Nemar)
    There have been recent negative headlines about Meghan’s upcoming Netflix TV show, titled With Love, Meghan, and she and Harry have been upset by a new book and a cover piece in Vanity Fair, which included a string of lurid claims.

    And everyone it seems has an opinion about Harry and Meghan and the way they are publicly perceived, including a group of women linked to the Nigerian Invictus team, who refused to speak to British journalists at one Invictus event on Sunday due to their belief they are against Meghan.

    Biographer Tom Bower, who wrote a best-selling book about the couple and their separation from the royal family and was sitting in the press seats at the opening ceremony, also came in for some tough treatment from a Harry and Meghan fan in Vancouver earlier this week.

    But broadly, everywhere Harry and Meghan went during their five-day trip together, there was nothing but positivity. From the very first moment they were first spotted arriving here in a cavalcade of cars, they have been seen almost constantly smiling and laughing, while enjoying each other’s company.

    Meghan enjoyed Harry's impression of a Canadian moose
    Meghan enjoyed Harry’s impression of a Canadian moose 
    Image:
    Humphrey Nemar)
    At the wheelchair basketball finals on Sunday night, Meghan couldn’t help bursting out laughing at Harry’s goofy impression of a Canadian moose. She chuckled heartily, before jokingly admonishing him, after he joked that she was about to follow in their close pal Michael Buble’s footsteps by singing on stage to a crowd of more than 1,000 people on Monday.

    And she was also seen visibly amused at the thought of him racing ten-year-old Australian schoolboy Hamish Greenstreet down the slopes in Whistler, before celebrating with a triumphant “yes!” at the finish line on Tuesday.

    Cynthia Phelps, whose husband James served alongside Harry at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan in 2012, perfectly summed up the mood here about Harry and Meghan. She told me: “Meghan is always personable and very down to earth and just really cares about us. Every time she talks to us it’s very visible and genuine.

    “They genuinely care about the healing journey of every single one of the competitors. It’s a blessing to be able to spend time with them.”

    Former Suits star Meghan, who held Cynthia’s seven-month-old baby Laramie in her arms as she told how she was missing her own children, is now back in California on motherly duties.

    For her, this year’s Invictus Games is over. But the memories she and Harry made here and the message it sent to the world will continue to be poured over and remembered for a long time to come.

  • Royal Family behind closed doors revealed from Meghan ‘outrage’ to William’s ‘needier’ side

    Royal Family behind closed doors revealed from Meghan ‘outrage’ to William’s ‘needier’ side

    A brand new book by Tom Quinn claims to lift the lid on what a whole host of royals, including Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, are like behind closed doors – as told by those who work for them

    A brand new royal book has hit shelves that claims to expose what the Firm is really like behind closed doors – as told by those who work at the palace.

    Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants by Tom Quinn recounts the memories of staff working inside the royal bubble – and claims to lift the lid on a whole host of royals, including the Prince and Princess of Wales as well as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle before they sensationally quit royal life.

    From Meghan’s apparent difficulty understanding how the palace machine worked to Queen Camilla’s alleged moans about protocol, The Mirror takes a look at some of the book’s biggest claims…

    Meghan’s hug ‘outrage’

    When it comes to Meghan trying to navigate life in the Royal Family, the book examines the hurdles she faced. And it claims that her “warm, friendly hug-everyone approach” caused tension to develop between William and Harry, with problems arising “fairly early on”.

    Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games 2022
    The book contains claims about Meghan’s love of hugging 
    Image:
    Getty Images)
    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”. He also says that Meghan also left courtiers ‘outraged’ with her affection. He added: “The courtiers were almost as outraged when Meghan tried to hug a singularly stiff Old Etonian equerry. He flinched as if she’d tried to poke him in the eye, as one staffer put it.

    ‘Goody two-shoes’

    In another part of the book, Meghan’s approach to royal life is compared to that of her sister-in-law, Kate. Quinn quotes a palace insider as saying that Kate “doesn’t jump in straight away” and that she “bides her time” as she is “very intelligent and intuitive”.

    Meghan and Kate
    Meghan with sister-in-law Kate
    But another former Kensington Palace staffer claims that Meghan thought Kate was “just too eager to please, too much a goody-two-shoes girl.” They added that many at the palace did like Meghan’s feisty nature while others felt her making changes was “not an acceptable role for a complete outsider”.

    Wild perception

    The new book also says that Meghan’s American upbringing sheltered her 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.”

    Camilla’s request

    As another newcomer when she married into the Royal Family almost 20 years ago, the book claims that Queen Camilla also found adapting to royal life tough. And ahead of her wedding to King Charles in April 2005, Quinn claims that Camilla asked her soon-to-be-husband: “Can’t we get away from all this protocol? “It’s all bo****ks.” Charles, who is said to hate swearing, allegedly replied: “You’re doing it [becoming queen] for me, darling.”

    Queen Camilla with husband King Charles
    Queen Camilla with husband King Charles 
    Image:
    PA)

    Meghan’s nickname

    The royals are known for their love of nicknames, and one that Meghan allegedly earned is detailed in the book. 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.

    Part-time Diana

    Meanwhile, members of staff for Meghan and Harry reportedly revealed to the author that Princess Diana was a big inspiration for Meghan when she entered royal life and that Meghan said she wanted to “finish” what her late mother-in-law “started”. They also noted that the Duchess of Sussex really would have preferred to undertake their royal duties only on a part-time basis – something that both Harry and Meghan have said themselves.

    “Meghan once said, ‘What Diana started I want to finish,’ and we took that to mean she wanted to become a sort of globetrotting champion of the poor and the marginalised,” the insider claimed.

    Meanwhile, life was completely different for William and Kate growing up. While Kate experienced all of the normalities of an ordinary family, William grew up in the spotlight and his family dynamic was broken following his parents’ split and his mother’s tragic death. Quinn writes about William’s “needier side” in the book and reveals a heartbreaking admission a former maid allegedly made about his childhood.

    The staffer claimed Kate had to explain many of the things parents do outside of the Royal Family and even showed William how to “give the children a piggyback”. They said: “William said very quietly, ‘My father never gave me a piggyback’.”

    Yes Ma’am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants by Tom Quinn is published today.

  • Prince Harry makes veiled Donald Trump swipe hours after King’s unprecedented invite

    Prince Harry makes veiled Donald Trump swipe hours after King’s unprecedented invite

    Prince Harry made a surprise appearance at the Upfront Summit in Los Angeles, where he talked about how ‘basic morals and empathy are abandoned’ in what could be seen in a dig at US President Donald Trump

    Prince Harry appeared to make another veiled dig at Donald Trump – just hours after his father King Charles extended him an ‘unprecedented’ invite.

    The Duke of Sussex made a surprise appearance at the Upfront Summit – a summit for investors, entrepreneurs, and leaders – in Los Angeles. Harry’s appearance at the event had been unannounced but he took to the stage for a speech telling delegates he had something important to say

    During his speech, he explained how he had been investing his money over the last five years since quitting his royal role and how he still approaches his work “through the lens of service”. But in one eye-raising moment during the speech, he appeared to take another swipe at the US president when he talked about how billions of people are feeling the “detrimental effect” when “basic morals and empathy are abandoned in favour of power and control”.

    Prince Harry made a touching promises as he closed the Games in Canada
    Prince Harry spoke at the Upfront Summit 
    Image:
    PA)
    He added: “Now this would be a great time to talk about how a sickness in leadership across sectors—from politics to tech—can have a detrimental effect on millions, if not billions, of people. When service to others is sacrificed for personal gain. When basic morals and empathy are abandoned in favour of power and control. But I’m not gonna get into all that now!”

    The veiled swipe came just hours after Keir Starmer met President Trump at the White House yesterday with the Prime Minister delivering an invitation from the King for Trump to make a second state visit to the UK.

    Prince Harry and US President Donald Trump
    Prince Harry and US President Donald Trump
    During a meeting, the Prime Minister presented Trump with a letter from the King, as he invited him for the visit. As the two were sitting next to each other in the Oval Office, Sir Keir handed him the personal invitation from the King, later saying “this is truly historic and unprecedented”. After reading it, Mr Trump then said: “That’s a great, great honour. And that says at Windsor – that’s really something.”

    However, it is not the first time, Harry has seemingly criticised Trump. Earlier this month at the opening of the Invictus Games in Canada, the Duke of Sussex also railed against the “lack of weak moral character in the world “. That also came hours after Trump criticised Harry’s wife Meghan calling her “terrible”.

    Elsewhere in Harry’s speech yesterday, he also claimed that he has never been allowed to vote in elections – but has personal experience of the “power of serving others firsthand.” He explained: “I’m not one to be caught in the divide between left or right views, not cornered by a belief in blue or red. Hell, I’ve never even been allowed to vote!

    “From my institutional role travelling the world to my decade of duties in the military, I saw the power of serving others firsthand,” he said. “My personal experiences overseas taught me that when you put others first, you build stronger, more sustainable systems. That’s true from Nigeria to Nepal, and from Sydney to Santa Barbara.”

  • Veteran news reader gives blistering assessment of Meghan Markle’s time as a royal

    Veteran news reader gives blistering assessment of Meghan Markle’s time as a royal

    Sir Trevor McDonald has defended the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in a new article for Saga – and has said that Meghan ‘could have brought a new dimension to the monarchy’

    Top former newsreader Sir Trevor McDonald has shared his thoughts on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and has claimed that Meghan Markle “never stood a chance” in the royal family.

    Harry and Meghan famously quit royal life in January 2020, less than two years after their wedding. Since then they have made a series of public attacks on The Firm and are now all but estranged from the family.

    Writing in Saga magazine, Sir Trevor claimed that Meghan could have brought “a new dimension to the monarchy”. “By having a different background, perhaps she could have changed how the Royal Family is perceived by those who had never before felt a strong connection,” he wrote.

    “Yet it seems to me that precisely because of those differences, she never stood a chance of being accepted. To be blunt, she is a foreigner: an American, a divorcee, a former actress – and black. She was never given a chance to prove herself.”

    no longer part of the working monarchy.” He noted that Harry’s presence would give the royals strength in numbers, noting that the past year has exposed how ‘slimmed down’ the monarchy has become, with both the King and Princess Kate taking time out for cancer treatment.

    “From where we are today, it looks almost impossible that someone could persuade Harry and his family to come back to Britain,” he said, but added: “I sincerely hope it can be done one day; we cannot afford to lose someone so young, so full of energy and so imbued with the charitable instincts that are at the core of our Royal Family.”

    While Sir Trevor has claimed Meghan ‘never stood a chance’ with the Firm, royal insiders have said she struggled with one major aspect of life within the House of Windsor.

    In his new book, ‘Yes Ma’am’, royal author Tom Quinn cites a former member of the royal household who said that Meghan “hated” having to let people know her movements, and the timings of her comings and goings.

    He quotes a former Kensington Palace staffer as saying: “Meghan quite rightly hated the fact that when she was in Nottingham Cottage, she had to agree well in advance what time she might leave for an appointment or an event and she had to make sure she didn’t leave at the same time as, or clash in any way with, a more senior royal leaving the palace.”

    Another source – who is said to have worked for the late Queen Elizabeth – told Quinn that the hierarchical nature of the Royal Family meant that Meghan, alongside the other royals, had to work to support the monarch as the centre of the institution, rather than shining her own light – something that she “struggled” with. Outside the monarchy having your own path would be “fair enough” the source explained, but inside the institution things have to be “tightly controlled”.