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A “vibrant” 20-year-old student died suddenly from a silent undiagnosed heart condition that is estimated to affect as many as one in 300 children and young people in the world.

Poppy Eagle, from Washington, in Tyne and Wear, died on August 7 after her heart stopped and she could not be revived despite the best efforts of her family and emergency services. The student had been home for the summer when she died.

Following her death, her family set up the Poppy’s Light Foundation, a charity that aims to improve both bereavement support and screening for children and young people. The hope is that whatever caused Poppy’s heart to stop could be found during screenings and prevent a similar heart-breaking experience from happening to a different family.

Poppy died suddenly in August when she was home for the holidays ( 
Image:
Chronicle Live/Vicki Eagle / Poppy’s Light)

Vicki Eagle wants to support families across the UK with hope they will avoid a similar heart-breaking tragedy ( 
Image:
Chronicle Live/Vicki Eagle / Poppy’s Light)
Poppy’s absence is being felt acutely by the family with mum Vicki telling Chronicle Live: “Poppy’s Light fundraising has been such a success and there’s a real comfort in that. What we have found is that there is really not a great deal of support around for bereaved children.

“Poppy was such a loving person, so vibrant, so full of light. So the charity is a way of keeping that light shining while doing something that can support other children.

“Along with that there’s the cardiac screening – for us it’s the idea that screening could have at least given us some information that might have saved Poppy and it’s to see if we could save another family from the feelings we have this Christmas.”

According to Poppy’s Light Foundation said on its website that as many as one in 300 children and young people in the UK could be living with a silent undiagnosed heart condition.” The organisation hopes to raise awareness to prevent sudden cardiac deaths among the young via health screenings.

Poppy’s siblings Ollie, Faith, Heidi and Florence have all been closely involved, they were a close unit before the tragedy struck and processing the grief has been very difficult. Much of the inspiration behind the charity’s drive has been to provide better bereavement support for young people.

Speaking about hitting the £25,000 fundraising milestone the family set, Vicki added: “It’s just been the whole community coming together – so many family and friends, but even people who we had never met before have really helped get behind this. In January, my husband and son, and a few other dads and sons, will be climbing Kilamanjaro.”

Vicki, who spent her working life as a nurse, stepped back from her profession when Poppy died in order to support her other children as well as found the charity. She said her work family had been hugely supportive as well and had helped her through some of the toughest times.

To find out more about Poppy’s Light, visit the charity’s website or view its crowdfunding page here.

A community remains “deeply shocked and saddened” following the alleged murder of two women on Christmas Day.

It is said the 38-year-old and 24-year-old women were stabbed in the Bletchley area of Milton Keynes. Emergency services were called at around 6.30pm on Wednesday to a block of apartments on Santa Cruz Avenue, where residents have shared their sadness.

The Mirror continues to follow the tragedy today as police continue the investigation, having taped off a large section of the residential street in the south of the Buckinghamshire city. Neither the deceased – nor two other people seriously hurt in the ordeal – have yet been officially identified by authorities.

Shazna Muzammil, a Conservative councillor on Milton Keynes City Council, said in a statement on X: “This is horrible on Christmas Day and we are deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic events in Bletchley. Our thoughts are with the families, friends, and neighbours of the two women who have tragically lost their lives.”

A family left flowers outside the police cordon in Bletchley, Milton Keynes ( 
Image:
Joseph Walshe / SWNS)

What is alleged to have happened?

It is said the deceased were stabbed to death at the apartment on Santa Cruz Avenue on Christmas Day. They died at the scene. The next of kin of both victims have been informed and are being supported by officers.

And Thames Valley Police confirmed a teenage boy and a man aged in his late-twenties have also been injured in the incident and were taken to hospital. They are both now in a stable condition. A dog was also injured in the incident. It was taken to vets but sadly did not survive.

Now a police investigation continues. A 49-year-old man has, though, been arrested on suspicion of murder and attempted murder. The man, from Milton Keynes, remains in police custody at this time.

Residents on Santa Cruz Avenue described the street as ‘a lovely area’ ( 
Image:
PA)

What do we know about the victims?

The victims have not been named as yet by authorities. Thames Valley Police has stated “the parties are known to each other”. Tributes have been placed outside the address. They include two cuddly toys – a teddy bear and a pink flamingo.

One local said: “I didn’t know the people involved. It’s a right mixture around here. There’s some social housing mixed in with some quite nice townhouses.”

Another resident, who left flowers near the scene yesterday, said she didn’t know the victims. She added: “This is a lovely area. You don’t expect to see this kind of thing here.”

What else has Thames Valley Police said?

Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Brangwin, of the major crime unit, said: “Firstly I would like to extend my deepest condolences to the families of the women who have tragically died in this shocking incident.

“We have launched a double murder investigation which may be concerning to the wider public, however we have made an arrest and are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident and the parties are known to each other. Members of the public will see a large police presence in the area while our investigation takes place.

“If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to approach our officers and they will do their best to help.”

A video has emerged showing exactly how the King’s Speech was filmed with never seen before behind-the-scenes clips.

The pre-recorded speech which is broadcast to the nation at 3pm on Christmas Day each year, is filmed in advance of the big day, with meticulous planning, writing and filming. It is then edited, with footage from other things the King has done throughout the year added in.

Now, an Instagram video has been shared, a day after the broadcast showing the King himself being directed and advised where to stand to deliver the message he wants to deliver. The 76-year-old monarch can be seen chatting to staff and at one point gets a little emotional as he watches a particular section back. The package also shows a drone shot as it is flown over Buckingham Palace for use in the speech, as the King’s words are overlaid.

The King is given direction ( 
Image:
The Royal Family)

The King speaks to the camera ( 
Image:
The Royal Family)
The King used his message to thank doctors and nurses who cared for him and his daughter-in-law the Princess of Wales throughout their cancer treatment this year.

Recorded at the Fitzrovia Chapel of the former Middlesex Hospital in London, he said he wanted to offer his “heartfelt thanks to the selfless doctors and nurses who, this year, have supported me and other members of my family through the uncertainties and anxieties of illness, and have helped provide the strength, care and comfort we have needed”.

As the nation paused to listen to the speech, the King could be seen standing up, a move away from his late mother’s speeches in recent years which saw her sat down, surrounded by photographs of much-loved family members. This year, a Christmas tree is the backdrop for the speech, as Charles wears a black suit, and bright blue tie.

He watched some clips back

He took his time to get the message rightThe King said: “As the famous Christmas Carol, ‘Once In Royal David’s City’ reminds us, ‘Our Saviour holy’ ‘came down to Earth from Heaven’, lived among ‘the poor and mean and lowly’ and transformed the lives of those he met, through God’s ‘redeeming love’.

“That is the heart of the Nativity Story and we can hear its beat in the belief of all the great faiths in the love and mercy of God in times of joy and of suffering, calling us to bring light where there is darkness.

The Royal Family are known for their many Christmas traditions, some of which are classic and others unique to them. From attending a church service like many across the UK, to opening presents on Christmas Eve in honour of their German heritage, the royals’ day is enjoyed by all.

However, every year, one tradition that typically takes place on Boxing Day draws significant criticism. Like many royals before them, hunting has always been a favourite pastime – whether they’re shooting stags, grouses or pheasants. Despite its historical significance, there was backlash when it emerged that Prince George, 10, had joined his family to watch the hunt at just five years old. Hunting has been the chosen sport of the royals for centuries, but it’s uncertain whether the tradition will continue this year.

There’s another annual shoot that happens in the summer called Balmoral’s Glorious Twelfth, where the royals roam the Balmoral Estate in Scotland hunting young grouse. While it’s unclear if family members participated in the annual season which starts on August 12 each year, the royals have enjoyed deerstalking on the estate for generations.

The hunt serves as a culling act for elderly stags likely to die during winter months, and as a way of controlling numbers. William shot his first stag at 14 years old, a feat he was “delighted at the time”, reports OK!.

Deerstalking is a beloved pastime for many members of the Royal Family, passed down through generations. King Charles, father to Prince William, was so fond of the sport that Princess Diana would affectionately refer to him as “my killer Wales”.

Prince William is Patron of Tusk ( 
Image:
Getty)
However, when it came to light that Prince George had attended a hunt at just five years old, animal charities expressed their concern. PETA director Mimi Bekhechi voiced her disapproval in 2020, stating: “For a child to be compelled to witness such casual killing – and by a parent he looks up to, no less – is potentially as harmful to his or her psyche as it is to the bird’s very life.”

She added: “It can desensitise children to the suffering of animals – which is cause for concern, given the well-established link between cruelty to animals in childhood and antisocial behaviour in adulthood – and could give George nightmares. To help him grow into a responsible, compassionate leader, his parents must teach him respect for all living beings.”

The Prince of Wales has also faced criticism for his hunting activities, despite being a prominent advocate for animal conservation.

In 2014, Princes William and Harry were criticised for participating in a boar hunting trip on the Duke of Westminster’s Spanish estate, just days before they joined a campaign against poaching and illegal wildlife trade.

Prince William, who is also the patron of Tusk, an African conservation initiative, has been lauded for his United For Wildlife campaign which aims to protect endangered species like rhinos, tigers and elephants.

The Royal Family may have their unique ways of celebrating Christmas – but one festive activity the Wales family enjoys is one many of us relish up and down the country.

Like many others, it seems the Prince and Princess of Wales love nothing more than cracking out a board game to play alongside their children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. However, he admitted there’s one game they all love – although it often leaves them “very cross”. William made the admission during a special chat in 2021 with Radio Marsden, a radio station that serves the Royal Marsden Hospital of which he is a patron. The hospital specialises in cancer care. During the chat, children took turns to ask William sweet Christmas-themed questions. One boy, Henry asked the future King: “What is your favourite board game?”

And William replied: “Henry, we are playing board games with the children quite a lot. We love Monopoly, that’s good and Risk, have you played Risk before? That’s a good board game, it goes on for hours and usually, everyone gets very cross because they lose. But that’s what I like playing.”

Elsewhere in the interview, William also revealed that Elf is his favourite Christmas movie, Feliz Navidad is his favourite Christmas song and he also confessed he had no idea what Elf On The Shelf was. One youngster called Theo asked William: “I love Elf on the Shelf – is Elf on the Shelf coming to your house?” But taken aback by the question, William had to admit: “So Theo, I don’t actually know what Elf on the Shelf is, but it sounds quite fun and I’d quite like to have an Elf on my Shelf in my house.”

This year, William spent Christmas at Sandringham with Kate, George, Charlotte and Louis as King Charles hosted the second festive season of his reign. As always, they appeared during the morning trip to St Mary Magdalene Church for a traditional service before greeting of well-wishers, and a sitting down to a family lunch with turkey and all the trimmings.

They will then have watched Charles’ second Christmas Broadcast as monarch,. Traditionally, members of the royal family sit down to watch the televised address when it airs after lunch at 3pm on December 25. It’s unknown what the family are doing for New Year – but they may spend it at their Norfolk botlhole of Anmer Hall.

King Charles reportedly took on Prince Harry’s jokester role last year for Christmas.

In the royal family, it can be difficult to pick out Christmas gifts since they have the world at their fingertips. Instead of trying to buy the next big and best thing, family members are known to buy each other trick gifts, instead. For many years, Harry was known as the funniest in the room. With Harry now noticeably absent from Christmas after his retreat with Meghan to the United States, someone else is stepping up to make others laugh.

Commentator Duncan Lacrombe told OK! Magazine: “It’s a long-running tradition for the family to exchange joke gifts at Christmas, so there’s always a lot of laughter at Sandringham.” He added: “In the past, Prince Harry used to be the biggest joker, but now I imagine it’s Charles, who has a very strong sense of humour.”

King Charles may be the funniest member of the Royal Family ( 
Image:
POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
It may seem strange to think of the King laughing and picking out silly gifts, but Duncan reassured that it isn’t out of the usual. Even the royals need a break from their serious demeanour. He added: “Charles once said having a sense of humour is what keeps him sane, and so sharing joke presents helps lighten the atmosphere when things can otherwise be quite formal. And you can imagine that Princess Anne is a bit like the naughty auntie, with everyone wondering what she might say or do next!”

The outrageous gifts have had a wide range over the years, including Princess Kate’s gift to Harry. She reportedly handed him a ‘grow your own girlfriend’ kit prior to his relationship with Meghan. The now estranged royal previously gifted his late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth, a shower cap with the words “Ain’t life a b***h” printed on it.

Regardless of their antics, the family is known to celebrate their present exchange on Christmas Eve rather than Christmas Day. Royal butler Grant Harrold said: “It’s a tradition that dates back to Queen Victoria. They have afternoon tea in the White Drawing Room at Sandringham, which is an absolutely beautiful room, and then they exchange silly gifts. That’s it, done.”

The Royal Family’s quirky Christmas traditions have become the stuff of legend, from swapping gifts on Christmas Eve to jokingly banning the game Monopoly because it becomes too “vicious”. Another funny tradition sees them buy each other joke gifts at Christmas time, with previous presents including a leather toilet seat, a ‘grown your own girlfriend kit’ and even a shower cap which had “Ain’t life a b****” written on it.

For newcomers celebrating the big day at Sandringham, the pressure of buying gifts for the family must be enormous. Meghan Markle certainly struck gold with her first Christmas present for the late Queen, much to the monarch’s delight.

The inspiration behind their unique gift exchange traces back to Queen Victoria and has been passed down through generations. The royals honour the German tradition of unveiling presents on the eve before Christmas.

In 2021, Royal expert Robert Jobson shared with The Express, “On Christmas Eve when all the clan are together, the Queen’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren put the finishing touches to the 20ft Christmas tree in the White Drawing Room.”

He revealed the ins and outs of their yuletide custom, noting, “Presents will be opened that day at tea time as the royals still keep to the German practice of opening their gifts on Christmas Eve. Gifts are laid out in the Red Drawing Room on a white linen-covered trestle table, with cards marking exactly where the piles of gifts should be put.”

The Royal Family will be returning to Sandringham this year ( 
Image:
UK Press via Getty Images)
The royal guests are treated to a traditional Christmas, complete with tree decorating and the exchange of quirky, inexpensive gifts. Meghan Markle nailed her first festive season with the Royals by gifting the late Queen a singing toy hamster, which reportedly delighted Her Majesty as she quipped: “It can keep my dogs company.

While these presents are typically funny, the Princess of Wales once opted for a more heartfelt gesture. In a 2016 ITV documentary honouring the Queen’s 90th birthday, Kate shared the story behind her gift, saying: “I can remember being at Sandringham, for the first time, at Christmas. And I was worried what to give the Queen as her Christmas present.”

She continued: “I was thinking, ‘Gosh, what should I give her? ‘ I thought back to what I would give my own grandparents. And I thought, ‘I’ll make her something,’ which could have gone horribly wrong. But I decided to make my granny’s recipe for chutney.”

“I was slightly worried about it, but I noticed the next day that it was on the table. I think such a simple gesture went such a long way for me and I’ve noticed since she’s done that on lots of occasions and I think it just shows her thoughtfulness, really, and her care in looking after everybody.”

A source revealed: “Meghan bought a little hamster that sings with a little rope for Her Majesty. It was so funny, especially when the corgis tried to take hold of the toy.”

Sadly, the Queen’s joy was short-lived as her corgis destroyed the toy before Christmas Day had ended.

It is well known that the Royal Family buy each other joke presents for Christmas each year, but it would seem the festive season is not the only time that these gifts are exchanged. It seems the late Diana, Princess of Wales was the chief prankster of the family and would often do cheeky things or buy naughty gifts for her two sons.

But while those gifts are pure family fun, the Royal Family also receive hundreds of gifts and tokens every year from members of the public. And according to Diana’s former bodyguard, the late princess had a genius tactic to keep her sons’ feet on the ground.

Diana is often praised for the excellent mother she was to Prince William and Prince Harry. She often took them to private charity visits and on normal days out as she wanted them to live without the restrictions of strict royal protocol.

Her biographer, Andrew Morton said: “She took the young royals with her on her private charity visits from a young age – one of the reasons was she didn’t want the boys to grow up thinking the whole world was 4×4 Range Rovers, shotguns and nannies.”

And this sense of normality extended to the festive period. According to a close former member of the late Princess of Wales’s staff, Diana would restrict the number of presents her children received.

Diana, Princess of Wales is often praised for being an excellent mother ( 
Image:
2007 Getty Images)
According to her former bodyguard, Ken Wharfe, she would sometimes return gifts that people would send to them or donate them to charity. Mr Wharfe explained that Christmas gifts would show up at the palace for Princes William and Harry from unknown sources.

The bodyguard previously told OK!, “Diana was very careful to ensure that they weren’t flooded with gifts – gifts did appear from unknown sources, and they were often returned or given to charity because they didn’t need them.

She was very conscious about what she bought as she knew the hallway at Sandringham would be full of presents.”

Prince Harry is spending Christmas an ocean away from his royal relatives, but he’ll no doubt be reflecting on time shared with his beloved grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.

The Duke of Sussex has previously spoken fondly of a gift he chose for the late Queen that amused her no end, so much so that she displayed it ‘proudly’ at one of her favourite Royal residences. And it wasn’t the jewel-encrusted treasure you might be imagining.

Although you’d expect a royal Christmas, typically held at the imposing 20,000-acre Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, to be a very grand affair, it’s understood The Firm likes a bit of silliness mixed into the season.

When it comes to presents, the family has imposed a strict ban on anything too lavish – it must be difficult to buy for those who admittedly don’t want for much in terms of material possessions. Instead, they prefer to shop around for daft gag gifts or share heartfelt homemade items.

It seems that Harry, 40, excelled in this particular area, with his well-known cheeky sense of humour making Her Majesty’s day even merrier…

The gag gift is said to hang ‘proudly in Balmoral’ ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
The hilarious gift in question was a singing fish. The late Queen apparently loved it so much that it still hangs “proudly in Balmoral” – per Finding Freedom, a book about Harry and Meghan released in 2020. The singing fish even made it into a scene in The Crown on Netflix, however, they depicted that Prince Andrew gave her the much-enjoyed gift.

Another gag gift that Prince Harry reportedly gave his grandmother was a “Ain’t life a b***h” shower cap. Princess Anne is said to have once given her brother Charles a leather toilet seat cover, and Kate apparently given Harry a ‘grow your own girlfriend’ kit back in his single days.

The Royal family prefer silly gifts at Christmastime ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
The royals join Charles at Sandringham on Christmas Eve – which is when they exchange their gifts too, per the German tradition as a nod to the family’s heritage. During the late Queen’s reign, royals arrived in order of seniority, with those lower down the line of succession arriving first.

They are said to all place their gifts for one another on a table before they’re exchanged, and then they go on to enjoy what Ingrid Seward of Majesty Magazine has called “lethal martinis”. The penchant for gag gifts shows that a sense of humour is crucial to enjoying Christmas with the Royal Family, which in many other respects still retains a very formal atmosphere. Reportedly, no television is allowed except the King’s Christmas message and none of the royals are allowed to depart for bed until the monarch has done so.

Since leaving the UK for sunny California, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Christmasses look quite different. Last year, US Weekly reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex spent Christmas in their star-studded hometown of Montecito, with children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, and Meghan’s mum Daria Ragland.

Opening up in a recent interview with Marie Claire, Meghan offered an insight into what their new Christmasses look like following their breakaway from royal life.

The royal family gathers at Sandringham each year to celebrate Christmas – but it may not be as regal as everyone thinks.

Members of the Firm join King Charles at his estate in Norfolk, and this year was no different, keeping up the tradition of his late mother, Elizabeth II. Prince William revealed earlier this month at an event for families of the 1st Battalion Mercian Regiment at Picton Barracks in Wiltshire that 45 royals would be in attendance at Sandringham this year.

But despite the massive guest list, the residence is one of the smallest and least grand, making it a tight squeeze for the King and Queen Camilla to host their guests. The estate reportedly sleeps around 16 to 18 people comfortably, meaning some guests have to make do with shared rooms and ‘fish finger’ style beds.

King Charles III, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Catherine, Prince George of Wales react upon arrival to attend the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
One solution when they run out of beds is to turn the staff quarters into guest rooms, according to an expert. Royal commentator Rebecca English told MailOnline: “In previous years I’ve been told that they’ve actually had to kick staff out of their quarters. And Edward and Sophie were put in some of the staff quarters because they had nowhere else to stay.”

She added, “It sounds more glamorous than it is.” The expert went on to explain that the royals are able to fit so many beds into one room by using old-fashioned “fish finger beds” that come with “creaky bedsprings.”

It is not known how many bedrooms Sandringham house boasts as it is a private residence, however it is believed to be around 30. Guests traditionally arrive in order of seniority on Christmas Eve, with junior royals first.

December 25 begins with breakfast before the royals walk 330ft to attend the 11am Christmas service at the estate’s St Mary Magdalene Church, famously greeting the crowds as they leave. Back at the main house, the family enjoys pre-lunch drinks – Veuve Cliquot champagne being a popular choice – before sitting down for Christmas Dinner at 1pm.

A general view of the front of Anmer Hall on the Sandringham Estate ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
There is no starter, with guests going straight to the main meal of turkey – traditionally ordered from nearby Scoles of Dersingham – with mashed and roast potatoes, stuffing, sprouts, carrots and parsnips, with cranberry and bread sauce. A flaming Christmas pudding, doused in brandy and decorated with holly, is then served with brandy butter and brandy sauce before a cheese course with port.

Earlier this month, Prince William revealed that he was “no way” ready for Christmas this year, but expressed his excitement for long dog walks with his family over the festive period. He said he was also looking forward to spending time with his family members “all in one room”.

On Wednesday, the Princess of Wales sparkled in green as she walked to church in Sandringham, clutching Prince Louis’ hand. King Charles led the Royal Family to church for their traditional Christmas Day service with Queen Camilla by his side.

They were followed by Prince William and Kate, who wore a forest green coat by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen and a matching hat along with a green tartan scarf. Louis held his mum’s hand and looked grown up in a suit and overcoat with a green tie.

Also in the walking party was Princess Anne, Edward and Sophie the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, Mike and Zara Tindall and their children, as well as a pregnant Princess Beatrice, her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi and his son Wolfie.