Blog

Strictly Come Dancing 2024 has crowned its winner, with hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announcing the result live on air during Saturday’s final as Chris McCausland stormed to victory

Chris McCausland has won Strictly Come Dancing 2024, with the result revealed live on Saturday night.

The comedian and his pro dance partner Dianne Buswell burst into tears and celebrated as they were declared this year’s winners after a close final. Moments after sharing how much the win would mean to him, Chris was announced as this series’ champion.

Four couples remained with their final three performances all they could do to pull off a win. But only one couple could be victorious, as announced on air by hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

Chris and Dianne, Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola, JB Gill and Lauren Oakley and Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec all made it to the live final after months of live shows and training. As Saturday’s result came in, just one couple was awarded the Glitterball Trophy.

As the result came in, Chris and Dianne were in complete shock and quickly hugged it out. Left in tears, they were applauded by the judges, crowd and their co-stars as Claudia congratulated them.

Their fellow finalists rallied around them and embraced them, as Chris wiped back tears. Dianne was shaking, as the hosts asked Chris about his win.

Tess asked how it felt, with a speechless Chris saying: “It’s astonishing, I don’t know what to say. I thought I would go out in the first week or two. We have lasted and lasted and she has got so much out of me, she deserves this so much.”

Chris McCausland has won Strictly Come Dancing
He added: “This is for her and for everyone out there who thought… who got told they couldn’t do something or thought they couldn’t do it. With opportunity and support and determination anything can happen.” A teary Dianne told him it was “for both of them”, screaming: “We did it!”

Comedian Chris has inspired the whole nation with his performances, as the show’s first ever blind contestant. The way he has taken on the show and progressed his dancing skills, thanks to pro dancer Dianne’s help, has inspired viewers with them constantly heaping praise on the finalist.

In recent weeks the star has shared the obstacles he has faced throughout the series, with Dianne often explaining to the hosts, judges and viewers what they are up against in training. In a moving moment on Saturday night, judge Craig Revel Horwood revealed he finally realised just how much Chris and Dianne had to put into every training session in order to deliver such epic performances, as he visited the training room.

With Chris’ sight loss, Craig was able to see how Dianne trained him to dance and to follow the steps to ensure each routine was done correctly. The judge even wrote Chris a poem, after his newfound appreciation for Chris’ skill having seen how much work it takes to learn each step, direction, and to know what is going on around him.

Chris had previously confessed he put off Strictly for so long as he was unsure he could do it, and he also didn’t want to encourage negative comments. He decided to challenge himself and has gone on to win the entire show, something he wasn’t expecting.

The comedian and his pro dance partner Dianne Buswell burst into tears
Dianne was in tears in a recent episode after another amazing routine, as she detailed how Chris’ “safe space” had been looking at the floor for years, with him now changing his posture completely and seeming confident on the dance floor. It followed some critique about the way he was stood and his frame during his dance.

Ahead of the final, Dianne also shared how he had the disadvantage of not being able to see his fellow finalists, and not knowing how well they could perform as he had not seen a single step by anyone else. At the time, host Tess was so choked with emotion she could barely get the next link out. And Di’s words had a similar effect on all the pro dancers gathered in the Clauditorium.

Viewers had believed they knew who would win the series just hours before the finale on Saturday. Chris and Dianne were this year’s favourites amongst fans to claim victory over the three other pairings.

Taking to X before the live final and before any result was announced, one fan said: “Will win: Chris McCausland.” A second viewer agreed: “Chris will win out of highest quality year yet.” A third added: “There appears to be a consensus that Chris McCausland will win,” while another fan commented of who will win: “It’s obvious Chris & Dianne will win and if they do it’ll be well deserved!”

Comedian Chris has inspired the whole nation with his performancesThe comments kept on coming with another reading: “Genuinely never been so assured someone is going to win strictly before then I do think Chris & Dianne will do this evening.” A further theory read: “I think Chris will pass out if they win though, and Dianne needs some sort of special award for what she has achieved.”

Meanwhile, judge Anton Du Beke praised the series before the live finale as the consensus was it was one of the best series in years. With all four couples taking on three routines this weekend, Anton called this year’s series “magical”.

Co-judge Motsi Mabuse described the series as “one of the most exciting ever” and felt that all the finalists brought “something so unique to the competition”. She continued: “It’s been a joy to watch them grow. They really raised the bar this year. Heading to the final, it’s going to be a tough decision because each finalist brings magic to the dance floor. It’ll be a celebration of their talent and hard work and I can’t wait to see what they all deliver on Saturday night.”

Royal insiders fear Prince Andrew’s links to an alleged Chinese spy could overshadow the good work of King Charles and Prince William – but the monarch has come to two realisations, a source claims

King Charles is said to be furious that Prince Andrew has dragged the Royal Family into a big scandal – but he knows he cannot “divorce or sack” his little brother, it is claimed.

Prince Andrew’s relationship with an alleged Chinese spy has been another blow to the reputation of the British monarchy – but a source today reportedly claims Charles has been forced to accept two home truths.

A royal insider has this weekend told the Daily Mail that King Charles III has accepted he cannot “divorce or sack” his younger brother, because “there will always be a bond of blood”.

The source told the paper: “The Palace has behaved the best it possibly can with a difficult relation. Every sanction that can be imposed has been, but you can’t divorce or sack your brother from being your brother.

“There will always be a bond of blood and all families often have difficult relatives to deal with. Of course it is understood that it looks bad for the entire family but that is because of one individual.”

This week, it emerged that a suspected Chinese spy who has now been barred from the UK after being deemed a threat to national security had become friendly with the Duke of York, who accepted the suspect as his “confidante”. The monarch was briefed by British intelligence over the major security breach – the latest scandal involving Andrew’s shady contacts following his association with multi-millionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein .

A source told The Mirror the King is “very aware of what has been and what is being done about it.” However, another source admitted that the monarch is “truly exasperated by the ongoing situation with his brother.”

Andrew’s latest nightmare was exposed after an alleged Chinese spy lost his appeal this week against being barred from the UK. The man, known only as H6, brought the case after being banned in March 2023 on national security grounds despite having become a close contact of the Duke of York.

Judges heard H6 formed a close working relationship with Prince Andrew, receiving an invite to his birthday party in 2020 and being told he could act on his behalf. But now it appears the UK’s MI5 domestic intelligence agency suspects the Prince’s Chinese confidante may have become a “gateway” agent used to forge a path into Andrew’s network. British intelligence officials briefed the King’s most senior aides who held an emergency meeting with the monarch over the severity of the situation.

King Charles cannot abandon his younger brother ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
Once a “gateway” is established, that person would then be able to introduce Chinese intelligence officers into the network being targeted, in this case Prince Andrew and his associates. It is believed the Prince was targeted because Chinese intelligence suspected he was vulnerable over his costly association with Epstein.

It is understood that Royal insiders fear the new controversy could overshadow the good work of the King, and Prince William. And it comes under a fortnight before the King is due to deliver his Christmas message.

Earlier in 2024 King Charles stopped the £3million annual security bill for his brother at Royal Lodge, and was thought to be asking him to move into less lavish accommodation. But the Duke of York was allowed to stay when, it is reported, he secured funds from an anonymous source.

Counter intelligence officers at MI5 are investigating how deeply H6 could have penetrated the royals’ network of contacts and who else could have been targeted by China. The suspect is believed to have worked for the United Front Work Department (UFWD), an arm of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) which launches “influence operations.”

China’s president Xi Jinping sits alongside the Duke of York at a banquet at the Guildhall in London on the second day of his state visit ( 
Image:
PA)
One security source told The Mirror: “The access this person would have had could have produced what China would view as a goldmine of information. Intelligence reporting on the Prince himself would have been of interest, perhaps producing telephone numbers, addresses, dates of forthcoming events and facts regarding his business and financial vulnerabilities.

“But crucially it would be about access to who he knows. In certain settings the Prince and his associates would have let their guard down lower than usual and this would have provided crucial access to powerful people. This means political and commercial targets of very high value may have been identified over a period of time and noted for future operations.

“And this person may have been able physically to get more people into the network, bringing in more intelligence officers to do more serious spying.”

H6 brought his case to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission, set up to consider appeals against bans from the country on national security or related grounds.

But the judge said that the then-home secretary, Suella Braverman , was “entitled to conclude H6 represented a risk to UK national security and that she was entitled to conclude that his exclusion was justified and proportionate.” The hearing found H6 surrendered a number of electronic devices, including a mobile phone, after being stopped by UK border security in November 2021.

On one of his electronic devices, a letter said: “Outside of closest internal confidants, you sit at the very top of a tree that many, many people would like to be on.” It added: “Under your guidance, we found a way to get the relevant people unnoticed in and out of the house in Windsor.”

A document listing “main talking points” for a call with Prince Andrew was also found. It states: “IMPORTANT: Manage expectations. Really important to not set ‘too high’ expectations – he is in a desperate situation and will grab onto anything.”

Outrage over Andrew’s links to billionaire paedophile Jeffrey Epstein saw him step away from royal duties in 2019.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and the Duke of York listen to speeches during a visit to Imperial College London, on day two of the state visit ( 
Image:
PA)

With royal Christmas at Sandringham just around the corner, those invited to the festivities will be preparing their outfits for the celebrations – but it seems the Princess of Wales once had a regret over one of her choices

King Charles is preparing to host one of his biggest Christmas celebrations ever with 45 royals expected at Sandringham for celebrations.

The festivies range from formal to fun, with a black-tie dinner on Christmas Eve and after-dinner games after a turkey feast on Christmas Day. One part of royal Christmas that fans particularly love is the annual walk to church on Christmas morning, which also sees the Firm greet wellwishers who turn out to see them. In recent years, the Prince and Princess of Wales have been joined by their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis for the outing, along with the rest of the family. Four years ago during the walk, it appeared that Kate colour-coordinated the family’s outfits, and they all looked very smart in dark green.

Kate Middleton on Christmas Day in 2019 ( 
Image:
UK Press via Getty Images)

Kate wore a heavy Catherine Walker coat ( 
Image:
WireImage)And while fans around the world loved their style, it turns out that Kate really regretted her outfit choice for the day, and even told one well-wisher she “really shouldn’t have worn it”. She looked stunning in a heavy grey Catherine Walker coat, with a green hat, bag and heels. But during a quick chat with 19-year-old fan Rachel Anvil, she admitted it was the wrong choice for the unseasonably warm weather.

Rachel’s mum told Metro : “Kate was talking to my daughter about clothes and how she was feeling too hot, she said ‘I really shouldn’t have worn this’. I’m there talking to Charlotte about dolls and my daughter’s talking about fashion with Kate. It wasn’t fake it was a genuine discussion, it was about a minute but it was tailored to my daughter, it was like speaking to a friend.”

Royal Christmases usually feature a morning trip to St Mary Magdalene Church, the greeting of well-wishers, and a family lunch with turkey and all the trimmings.

The royals are set to head back to Sandringham this Christmas ( 
Image:
PA)Earlier this week, Prince William hinted at just how big the festivities are shaping up to be telling guests at a party he will be celebrating the big day with around 45 relatives. Last month, the King travelled to Sandringham, where the royals traditionally celebrate the big day, to see how his Norfolk home is being prepared for the big day.

A royal insider said at the time: “The King is embracing the Christmas period already and really getting into the spirit. Staff who have seen him this week remarked how happy and healthy he was looking.”

In an interview, Camilla’s son Tom Parker Bowles confirmed his mum had requested that he and his family also join in with the royal gathering this year. This would mean invitations for Tom and his children Lola and Freddie as well as for Camilla’s daughter Laura, her husband Harry and their three kids Eliza, Gus and Louis.

However, two royals who are not expected at the big bash are the King’s estranged son Prince Harry, wife Meghan Markle and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. It was revealed earlier this month that they will not be returning to the UK for Christmas as they have not received an invite for this year’s get-together at Sandringham, according to a source close to the couple.

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, is under scrutiny over his relationship with a Chinese businessman, known as H6, who has been banned from the UK over spying concerns

Prince Andrew is still set to join the Royal Family at Sandringham for their Christmas Day celebration – despite the Chinese spy scandal.

The Duke of York, 64, had a suspected Chinese spy as a “close confidant” and trusted business adviser, it emerged last week. He has reportedly been ordered to “uninvite himself” from a pre-Christmas bash at Buckingham Palace this week to spare The Firm further embarrassment.

And King Charles is said to be “face a conundrum” about his brother’s presence at Sandringham for the traditional Christmas Day celebrations. The monarch is understood to be reticent to “ban” Andrew from the festivities on December 25, though the Duke of York’s presence alongside his closest relatives as they walk to church is feared to resurface the Chinese spy row.

“He (King Charles) is desperately hoping the Duke of York will ‘do the decent thing’ and ‘recuse’ himself from joining them at Sandringham to spare the rest of the Royal Family further embarrassment,” a royal reporter wrote today.

King Charles is thought to be an awkward position following the scandal concerning his brother and a Chinese spy ( 
Image:
POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The Duke of York meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in May 2018 ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

Andrew said he “ceased all contact” with the accused businessman when concerns were first raised about him in a statement from his office on Friday. However, questions were raised across national media on Sunday whether the row is an embarrassment for the UK.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp described alleged activities carried out by Beijing in the UK were “deeply concerning” and need “looking at very carefully”. The 48-year-old politician urged everyone in public life, academia and business to be “alert” to the risks of infiltration.

But Rebecca English, royal correspondent for the Daily Mail, said King Charles, 76, is reluctant to prevent his brother from joing The Firm next week. She wrote: “He is, at the end of the day, his blood brother: he can’t divorce him, or indeed prevent him from seeing other family members… As it stands, I am told, Andrew is due to join the rest of the family in Norfolk next week for the festive gathering… Engulfed in yet another furore of his own making, pressure is being placed on the duke to ‘see sense’.”

Should Prince Andrew ‘uninvite himself’ from the Royal Christmas party? Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.

If Andrew continues with his plans, he and his ever-expanding family – including his ex-wife, the Duchess of York, and daughters Princess Beatrice and Eugenie and their children – will take over Wood Farm, a large property on the royal estate in Norfolk.

They will then join the rest of the 45-strong gathering privately to exchange gifts on Christmas Eve and then for Christmas Day lunch, which involves the very public walk to church in the morning.

And this year’s gathering is expected to be one of the biggest in recent memory, with even Camilla’s children invited, to acknowledge the challenges of the last 12 months and their hopes for a happier 2025.

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, is due to attend the pre-Christmas party at Buckingham Palace this Thursday but, following the Chinese spy debacle, insiders say he should do “the gentlemanly thing”

Prince Andrew has been told to “uninvite himself” from the Royal Family’s pre-Christmas bash over his friendship with a Chinese spy, reports claim.

The Duke of York, 64, is due to attend the lunch at Buckingham Palace this Thursday but, following the Chinese spy row, sources say he should “do “the gentlemanly thing” and skip the function.

His attendance would lead to fresh embarrassment over the scandal of his Chinese spy pal, insiders added. One said: “He is under pressure to step away.”

The Prince is also being urged to avoid being seen in public when the royals walk to church at Sandringham on Christmas Day, following a difficult year for The Firm.

King Charles may confront his brother at the function if Andrew attend, it is reported ( 
Image:
Getty Images)

Andrew’s invite to Thursday’s meal at Buckingham Palace for more than 50 members of the extended Royal Family is now said to be unten­able, with courtiers urging the Prince not to force King Charles’s hand in barring him. It would be the brothers’s first face-to-face meeting since the scandal broke, it is thought.

A source today told The Sun: “There would inevitably have to be some very awkward conversations and the King would not relish making his brother squirm.

“Andrew has managed the unthinkable and made a complete t*t of himself even before the Christmas party. It’s been a hell of a year for The Firm and the last thing they want is this scandal dragging on during a period of celebration. The thinking is he’s been foolish, but the more he keeps his head down the sooner everyone can move on.”

Should Prince Andrew ‘uninvite himself’ from the Royal Christmas party? Vote in our poll HERE to have your say.

And Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, told the publication: “Andrew should take it on himself and decline both invites. It would be the gentlemanly thing to do so he isn’t embarrassing the King. But Andrew is pretty thick-skinned and maybe we have to rely on the influence of Fergie.

“Christmas Day is different because the walk to church is so public and the pictures go all round the world. He should take a back seat and just not go.”

Andrew has been pictured in a meeting with an alleged Chinese spy ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)The Duke of York was last week described in court papers as a “close confidante” of a suspected Chinese spy. Named only as H6, the businessman, 50, lost an appeal against a decision to ban him from Britain on national security grounds.

It is the latest scandal to hit the Duke, who withdrew from public life after paying damages to Virginia Roberts-Giuffre, a victim of his US paedo pal Jeffrey Epstein.

 

 

The top earner at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle‘s charity Archewell has been revealed as a former actress who quit her career to brush shoulders with celebrities in California.

Shauna Nep, 38, from Canada, appeared in Survival on the Mountain and The New Addams Family as a child actress before turning her hand to philanthropy and now advises stars on how to splash their cash in the charity sector.Meghan also found fame as an actress, with her largest role in Suits, before she married into the Royal Family.

 

Nep, who has experience putting celebrities’ charity ideas into action, holds the position of co-executive director, treasurer and secretary at Archewell, bringing her total earnings to almost $300,000, the equivalent of more than five per cent of the charity’s revenue last year.

Her huge salary was revealed when Archewell released its tax return for 2023 after months of speculation over $4million that had not yet been declared.

The $4million donation was included in this latest return, called a 990 form, owing to Archewell’s tax year differing from that of its donors, which MailOnline repeatedly pointed out was to be expected.

At the same time as Archewell released its hotly anticipated tax return, it published its latest impact report, with a foreword from Nep and her co-executive James Holt that reaffirmed the charity’s grammatically questionable slogan ‘to show up, do good’.

The pair said they were ‘building a future of purpose, belonging, and joy’ and at Archewell this year had ‘witnessed the transformative power of human connection’.

+21
View gallery

Former actress Shauna Nep, 38, (pictured) has been revealed as the highest earner at Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s charity Archewell

+21
View gallery

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s charity Archewell pay the former child actress almost $300,000

+21
View gallery

Archewell’s latest tax return, for 2023, revealed Nep has a salary of $272,241 with $26,356 added on, totalling $298,597

Nep earns $51,669 more than Holt even though he is Archwell’s president.

She has salary of $272,241 and made $26,356 added earnings in 2023, meaning she raked in a whopping total of $298,597.

Holt is on $246,928. He received a 1.6 per cent pay rise of $3,878, increasing his earnings from $243,050 to $246,928.

That is despite Holt being one of Prince Harry’s longest-serving team members, having led communications for the Royal Foundation from October 2017, when it was run by Harry along with Prince William and Kate Middleton.

Nep is a relatively new addition to the team, having joined in 2022.

The mother-of-two’s older sister Elana, 43, was an actress as well, who is most well known for her role as Erin Woodbridge in Canadian high school drama Edgemont.

After Shauna gave up on her dreams to be a successful actress at the turn of the century, she went to the University of British Columbia to study history and the philosophy of science and went on a year abroad to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

She then studied for a Master’s in bioethics at New York University, where she wrote about the ‘the moral right to healthful foods and the duty to re-vamp the American food system’.

+21
View gallery

She also works for Hailey Bieber, who is married to Canadian popstar Justin Bieber (pictured together)

+21
View gallery

Shauna Nep appeared as Mary in the 1998 TV series The New Addams Family when she was 12 (pictured)

+21
View gallery

Meghan Markle’s biggest role was as Rachel Zane (pictured) in American TV series Suits

+21
View gallery

She left the popular American legal drama after marrying Prince Harry in 2018. Pictured: Meghan on the show

+21
View gallery

Meghan was seen alone at an awards ceremony in Beverly Hills, California, on December 4

For the past decade, she has found success as a philanthropic advisor and executive at a series of charities, helping turn bosses’ ideas into projects on the ground.

Her former colleagues said she was especially gifted at using social media to drive projects forward.

As well as raking in hundreds of thousands at Archewell, she is currently employed by three other organisations, including as the Vice President of philanthropy at music mogul and Taylor Swift enemy Scooter Braun’s SB Projects and the head of Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Futures Foundation.

She has been vocal about her desire for greater gun control and is passionate about ‘economic empowerment’ and ‘poverty alleviation’.

She regularly shares snaps of her jetset charity lifestyle with her 18,700 Instagram followers – recently travelling to Colombia with Harry and Meghan for their quasi-royal tour as well as to Deià in Mallorca, where English poet Robert Graves spent his final days.

Outside of work, she lives in Los Angeles with her award-winning film director husband Jacob Medjuck, 48, who she married in April 2011.

The couple have two children – Olive, eight, and Ruby (short for Reuben), four.

+21
View gallery

Shauna Nep and Chandni Sharma-Modi attend a fundraiser lunch on June 13, 2024 in Los Angeles, California

+21
View gallery

Shauna Nep and journalist Emily Ramshaw speak onstage during the Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen panel during the 2024 SXSW Conference and Festival at Austin Convention Center on March 8, 2024 in Austin, Texas

+21
View gallery

Nep has had two children with her award-winning film director husband Jacob Medjuck, 48, who she married in April 2011

+21
View gallery

The well-paid charity worker also advises music mogul Scooter Braun (pictured) about philanthropy

+21
View gallery

Another of her four jobs is as the head of Hailey Bieber’s Rhode Futures Foundation. Pictured: Justin and Hailey Bieber

+21
View gallery

Fellow Archewell employee James Holt has worked for Prince Harry for seven years since 2017, but only received a 1.6 per cent pay rise of $3,878, increasing his earnings from $243,050 to $246,928 – more than $50,000 less than what Nep makes

In addition to Nep’s huge pay package, Archewell’s tax return also showed Harry and Meghan are directors but do not get paid a salary and work a nominal one-hour-per-week.

The return showed communications manager Deesha Tank was paid $140,000 plus $7,100 in ‘other compensation’.

Archewell also dished out $155,000 to Herlihy Loughran. The consultancy is run by Beth Herlihy, a former actress who once played a stripper in UK teen soap opera Hollyoaks and has been a loyal worker for the Sussexes after she was laid off by Kensington Palace following Megxit.

+21
View gallery

The mother-of-two’s older sister Elana, 43, (pictured on the show) was an actress as well, who is most well known for her role as Erin Woodbridge in Canadian high school drama Edgemont

+21
View gallery

She appeared in all 70 episodes of the show, which aired between 2000 and 2005

The charity additionally revealed last week a $250,000 partnership with Joe Biden‘s daughter Ashley.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have spent recent months focussing on more solo charity and business ventures, rarely appearing together since their joint tour to Colombia over the summer.

But despite reports of a ‘professional separation’, they are front and centre of a new behind-the-scenes video of Archewell’s major moments of the past 12 months with Coldplay‘s Sky Full of Stars as the soundtrack to the near-two minute film.

+21
View gallery

Nep’s Instagram profile includes videos of her time in Colombia when she joined Harry and Meghan on their quasi-royal tour in August this year

+21
View gallery

Meghan gave a speech at an Afro Women and Power forum, at the Municipal Theatre in Cali, Colombia, on August 18, 2024

+21
View gallery

Though she divorced Prince Andrew nearly 20 years ago, the Duchess of York, known as Fergie, has stressed she will support Prince Andrew going forward amid the Chinese spy row

Sarah Ferguson insists she continue to support Prince Andrew in his scandal around his links to an alleged Chinese spy.

Fergie, 65, said she “won’t let Andrew down” as her ex-husband faces scrutiny over his relationship with the Chinese businessman, known as H6, who has been banned from the UK over spying concerns.

“I won’t let him down. He supports me as much as I support him. He’s supported me through thick and thin, not just marriage or divorce,” the Duchess of York, who divorced Andrew in 1996, said in a tell-all interview published by The Sunday Times yesterday.

The chat also gave a glimpse into Sarah’s relationships with the Royal Family as well as the mum’s battle with cancer. It is believed the interview was conducted before the China revelations emerged.

The Duchess of York, who shares two daughters with Andrew, added: “I was totally and utterly in love with Andrew. I would do it all over again, 100 per cent. He’s the best, a great man with a great heart, and kind. Our wedding was the best day of my life. But I gave up my anonymity that day. I was able to because love conquers all. It’s still with us today.”

Prince Andrew, pictured with his brother King Charles, is under scrutiny over his links with a Chinese businessman ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
The Duke of York, 64, said he “ceased all contact” with the accused businessman when concerns were first raised about him in a statement from his office on Friday. However, he has now been ordered to “uninvite himself” from a pre-Christmas bash with The Firm on Thursday, it is understood.

His attendance would lead to fresh embarrassment over the scandal of his Chinese spy pal, insiders added. One said: “He is under pressure to step away.”

In her interview, Sarah also spoke about her cancer journey. In July 2023, the Duchess of York went under the knife for an eight-hour mastectomy – but during the follow-up surgery, dermatologists had to remove several moles, finding one to be malignant melanoma. Sarah and Jane’s father died of melanoma, and the duchess said the diagnosis was scary.

Fergie, a novelist and memoirist, continued: “I was sure I was going to die, then I looked up ‘mastectomy’ and faced it… When I got that diagnosis on New Year’s Eve 2023, I nearly fainted.”

In a heartfelt plea, she urged people not to wait to be themselves. Gran-of-three Sarah continued: “Otherwise I’ve got to live life, I’m lucky, it’s (cancer) freed me from the shackles of my heart. Before, I didn’t think it was okay to be myself. Don’t wait to get cancer to free yourself.”

Prince William and Kate Middleton’s youngest son, Prince Louis, is always having fun — whether he’s at a royal event or hanging out with his siblings, Prince George, 11, and Princess Charlotte, 9.

“He still has that cheeky streak that people adore, and he’s really starting to settle down,” the insider said of the 6-year-old tot. “He’ll probably always be a little mischievous, that’s a part of his personality, but there’s certainly been a noticeable shift. He’s doing his chores and does seem to be better behaved in public.”

Source: megaPrince Louis typically makes funny faces at events.

Though Louis has seemingly matured, “it’s too soon to say he’ll never get caught sticking his tongue out at the camera, but William and Kate are crossing their fingers that he’s reigned all that in,” the source said.

Fortunately, the pair can rely on Charlotte, who has “been a big help, too,” the insider dished.

“She’s the ultimate big sister, like a little mother hen with him. When he gets out of line she corrects him. That’s how William and Kate handle it, too. They don’t scold him too badly, they’re of the mind that he’ll grow out of it with the right guidance,” the source added.

Though the three kiddos are part of the royal family, Kate, 42, is all about making sure they remain humble.

“I think it would surprise people to see how ordinary things are at home,” another source told Daily Mail. “The children help with laying the table, clearing their plates when they’ve finished eating and helping with tidying up. There’s no preferential treatment.”

According to the source, Kate and Prince William “manage their busy working schedules” and spend time with their little ones “after school.”

Source: megaThe pair share three kids.

During Kate’s cancer battle, she still made sure to “make sure her children’s home life is not disrupted,” and that their routine remains as “normal as possible.”

“Catherine is very, very natural,” the source continued. “She keeps the family down to earth. Home is a safe haven. In a bid to keep things functioning as smoothly as possible, she has been keen for everything to carry on as normal for the children.”

Meghan Markle looked pretty in pink while attending a baby shower for her friend Samantha Stone, as the Duchess of Sussex was photographed in a Posse Alice midi dress smiling alongside Stone, Kelly McKee Zajfen and Markus Anderson.

“I love 💕 a theme,” Zajfen wrote in an Instagram post featuring the quartet. “Wear Pink she said! Celebrating our sweet baby girl coming oh so soon! Adore you @samanthamstone and can’t wait to meet baby Stone ✨💕. She’s a lucky little girl to have a mama like you.”

Stone was surrounded by her A-list inner circle — which included Blake Lively, Casey Wilson and Crystal Kung Minkoff.

Friends of the mom-of-two were excited to see her enjoying a night out.

“Gorgeousness overload,” one Instagram commenter wrote.

“Friendship goals,” another added.

Source: NETFLIXMeghan Markle’s friends defended her luxury baby shower in ‘Harry & Meghan.’

Although fans of Meghan were excited to see her celebrate Stone, the Duchess of Sussex’s 2019 baby shower wasn’t well-received. The Suits star traveled to New York during her first pregnancy to celebrate the milestone, but the former actress’ gathering was greatly criticized.

‘”My girlfriends surprised me with a really beautiful baby shower in New York,” Meghan recalled in Harry & Meghan, which took place in a luxury suite at the Mark Hotel. “They were like, we’re gonna shower her with love, we’re gonna shower her baby with love, and she’s gonna survive this.”

Serena Williams and Amal Clooney both commented on how amazing the shindig was. “It was just so cool, and so fun, to try to have an intimate moment,” Williams said in the tell-all series. “I don’t think I understood that there was no intimate moment that one could have.”

Publications in the U.K. deemed the event as “extravagant” due to the cost of the hotel room used to host it.

“Why are you taking such a beautiful moment and trying to ruin it?” Meghan said in defense of the party.

Source: MEGAMeghan Markle announced she was pregnant with Prince Archie in 2019.

Meghan’s bestie Abigail Spencer got emotional when discussing Meghan’s special moment being ruined.

“That was a really dark time, and I didn’t know what to do,” Spencer said. “They are in this complex organism that I don’t know anything about, or how to help, and I’m not allowed to say anything.”

Source: MEGAMeghan Markle accused critics of attempting to ‘ruin’ her ‘beautiful’ baby shower.

In 2019, Gayle King gushed over the controversial celebration.

“A good time was had by all,” King began. “I hope she won’t mind me sharing this because I’ve never seen anything like this at a baby shower. They did flower decorations.”

“They had flower arranging, they brought in somebody to explain how to arrange flowers,” she revealed on CBS Mornings. “We all each made an individual vase. And then Meghan, at her request, they got in touch with an organization I’ve never heard of with, Repeat Roses, and they’re all donated to different charities. I thought that was a very sweet thing.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have seen another staff member step down from their charity Sentebale – and they are not the first high-flyer who has worked for the Sussexes to then quickly move on

A new team quickly formed around Prince Harry and Meghan Markle when they dramatically quit their royal roles and moved to the United States for a new life.

But the couple soon gained something of a reputation for being unable to hang on to employees as they forge ahead with their charitable and production ventures outside the Firm. In recent weeks, three top executives at Harry’s charity, Sentebale, have stepped down – taking the total number of staff leaving them to 21.

In a major blow, the London-based chief executive of the charity that Harry co-founded in 2006, alongside Prince Seeiso of Lesotho, stepped back after five years in the position – and isn’t set to be replaced. Instead, the Daily Mail reports, Richard Miller, aged 62, will be replaced by an “interim executive director” – Carmel Gaillard – who has been tasked with completing a “strategic transformation” of Sentbale and is based in Johannesburg.

The news comes only a few months after it was revealed that Harry’s chief of staff had left his role after just three months. Josh Kettler, a high-flying PR executive, took up the senior post working with Harry in May ahead of the Sussexes’ tour to Nigeria.

His departure came as Harry and Meghan were preparing for their working trip to Colombia in August. It is understood Mr Kettler was hired on a trial basis and the decision to part ways was mutual, with both sides agreeing it was not the correct fit. These names are not the only staff members to leave in recent years…

Prince Harry, whose chief of staff has left his position ( 
Image:
Getty Images for Project Healthy Minds)

Josh Kettler, who has quit as chief of staff ( 
Image:
Getty Images for Invictus Games Foundation)

Stepping back from Sentebale

Since he co-founded Sentebale – which means ‘forget-me-not’ in Sesotho, a nod to the late Princess Diana’s favourite flower – Harry has been dedicated to the charity, which works with children and young people living with HIV/AIDS. The news that Richard Miller will be giving up his role as chief executive comes after two other major resignations within the charity.

Baroness Chalker – the overseas development minister – has stepped back from the board of trustees after 18 years, but despite leaving her official position has said through a spokesperson that “her commitment to the charity and the Duke of Sussex remains unwavering”.

The Mail reports that alongside Baroness Chalker and Richard Miller, Sentebale also recently lost another important figure: Andrew Tucker. Said to have been dubbed as ‘Tucks’ by Harry, Tucker had held a senior position at the charity for a decade, before stepping away.

Richard Miller has said about his exit from the charity: “It is the logical next step for Sentebale, and the time is right for this shift to local leadership. Carmel is an incredible asset to position Sentebale further as a leader in the region.”

For their part, cofounders Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso said in a joint statement: “This shift reflects our continued commitment to being guided by voices from within the region we serve. We sincerely thank Richard for his pivotal role in steering our organisation toward this important evolution.”

Royal exodus

After Harry and Meghan wed in May 2018, the couple, who were still working royals at this point, saw a string of staff changes with several leaving their posts. Among those leaving were senior communications secretary Katrina McKeever, Meghan’s personal assistant Melissa Toubati, a female royal protection officer and their assistant private secretary Amy Pickerill.

Melissa Toubati mysteriously handed in her notice after just six months with the Duchess of Sussex. A source said: “Her job was highly ­pressurised and in the end it became too much. She put up with quite a lot. Meghan put a lot of demands on her and it ended up with her in tears.

“She is hugely talented and played a pivotal role in the success of the royal wedding. She’ll be missed by everyone in the household. Melissa is a total professional and fantastic at her job, but things came to a head and it was easier for them both to go their separate ways.”

Meghan Markle with the late Queen and Samantha Cohen in 2018 ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
In October 2019, their private secretary Samantha Cohen, who had worked for the late Queen also left. Former Times royal correspondent Valentine Low claimed in his book, Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown, that fed-up Ms Cohen likened the job to “working with teenagers”.

In his book, author Low told how Ms Cohen organised the couple’s first official tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga and New Zealand but alleged she ended up being “screamed at”. “Sam always made clear that it was like working for a couple of teenagers,” Low claimed a source said. “They (Meghan and Prince Harry) were impossible and pushed her to the limit. She was miserable.”

Ms Cohen left soon after, told Australia’s Herald Sun that she only agreed to a short secondment but was unable to leave as the palace couldn’t find anyone willing to replace her. She said: “I was only supposed to stay for six months but stayed for 18 – we couldn’t find a replacement for me and when we did we took them on tour to Africa with Harry and Meghan to show them the ropes but they left (quit) as well while in Africa.” Meanwhile, after they left the royal lives behind, their director of communications Sara Latham also parted ways with them.

Archewell execs

When Harry and Meghan quit the UK for the USA, they quickly set up their charitable organisation Archewell, making several big appointments including chief of staff Catherine St Laurent.

However, she only completed 11 months in the role before she moved on. In an interview with The Cut, she described working for Harry and Meghan as “an incredible experience”. She added: “They are incredibly talented and creative leaders. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to do that, to be able to be with them on their journey. The time that I spent with them was incredibly fulfilling.”

Former Archewell executive Catherine St Laurent ( 
Image:
Linkedin)Just months later, the couple’s global press secretary Toya Holness also left Archewell after just a year in the role. She had been tasked with overseeing the Sussexes’ PR on both sides of the Atlantic. Insiders at the time claimed she “wanted out” after finding herself “having to fulfil a great many functions for the couple”.

The in December 2022, just days before Harry and Meghan’s controversial documentary landed on Netflix, then president of Archewell Mandana Dayani left her post after just 18 months. At the time, it was understood that Harry and Meghan were to take on full leadership of the organisation, and a statement from Archewell was at pains to make clear they had not fallen out.

Meanwhile, last year, Fara Taylor, who was in charge of marketing at Archewell also left the organisation as Harry and Meghan looked to ‘streamline’ staff.

Production staff

However, it hasn’t just been from their charitable arm where Harry and Meghan have lost staff. They’ve also seen a high turnover from their production company. The couple set up the production arm in the wake of signing multi-million dollar deals with Netflix and Spotify.

But in December 2022, the head of Archewell Audio, Rebecca Sananes, quit after being hired to work on Meghan’s Archetypes podcast. The podcast lasted one season on Spotify before the Sussexes’ deal with the streaming giant was axed.

Last year, Nishika Kumble, who was the senior vice-president of scripted television at Archewell, left after less than two years. She was closely followed by TV executive Bennett Levine, whose departure was described as a “serious blow”, after he moved to a rival organisation.

Also quitting was Oscar-winning producer Ben Browning, who worked on the Netflix docu-series Harry & Meghan, who had been their head of internal content.