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According to an acclaimed biography of King Charles, in the days after the late Queen’s death, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had to come together with the Prince and Princess of Wales for an emotional night at Buckingham Palace

The bitter rift between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with the Prince and Princess of Wales is still as icy as ever.

The Sussexes have taken aim at William and Kate numerous since they dramatically quit as working royals, with relations between the two couples said to be almost non-existent now. But despite their feud, one royal book has claimed the Waleses offered Harry and Meghan a ‘small gesture’ of an olive branch after an emotional night at Buckingham Palace – and the late Queen would have approved.

It reportedly came in the days after the death of Elizabeth II when all members of the Royal Family converged on the palace after the former monarch’s coffin was taken there before being processed to Westminster Hall the following day for the lying in state.

The two couples during a service for the late Queen at Westminster Hall ( 
Image:
Getty Images)
The Firm awaited the arrival of the coffin before an informal supper, throwing together the two warring couples. However according to the biography Charles II. New King. New Court. The Inside Story by author Robert Hardman, William and Kate offered a small olive branch.

He explains: “Inside the palace, all members of the Royal Family were there to welcome the Queen back to royal headquarters for the last time, followed by an informal supper. Afterwards, the Prince and Princess of Wales suggested that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex should attach their car to their police escort for the journey back to Windsor since they were all going the same way.

“It was only a small gesture (they would not be sharing a car) and nowhere near any sort of reconciliation. However, the late Queen would have approved.”

The death of the late Queen came just months before Harry and Meghan released their controversial Netflix docuseries where they dropped a series of bombshells about life in the Firm. Both William and King Charles came under fire in the series, with William accused of “screaming and shouting” and King Charles of ‘lying’ at a high-profile summit.

But a pal tells the book that Harry’s apparent pointed snipe at Kate in his Netflix series was the “lowest of the low” for Prince William. Speaking in the first episode of the Netflix documentary, he said: “I think for so many people in the family, especially obviously the men, there can be a temptation or an urge to marry someone who would fit the mould as opposed to somebody who you perhaps are destined to be with.”

And according to the book friends of the Royal Family believed it was clear he was talking about William and Kate. One tells the author in the book: “On top of all the other breaches of trust, here was Harry making a blatant attack on Catherine. For William, this was the lowest of the low.”

Several weeks later, when Harry’s memoir Spare was published, he also didn’t hold back when dishing about Kate and revealed private details about a falling out between her and Meghan in his memoir Spare. He also described how Kate allegedly ‘grimaced’ when Meghan borrowed her lipgloss and how the women had a disagreement after the Duchess of Sussex said William’s wife had “baby brain” after Prince Louis was born.

Meghan smiled and waved to fans who had gathered to celebrate her fairy-tale wedding to Prince Harry – but the Duchess struggled with her 16ft-long veil at a crucial moment

A royal expert revealed the reason Meghan Markle struggled with her wedding veil when she married husband Prince Harry.

The Duchess’ minimalist silk £200,000 Givenchy wedding gown stunned the world as she tied the knot with the prince on Saturday May 19, 2018. Their wedding ceremony appeared to be stripped of stuffy formality as millions of people tuned in to watch their fairy-tale wedding unfold.

Meghan smiled and waved to fans who had gathered to celebrate her wedding to the prince – then 33 – before going up the steps to the church. Her extensive veil, decorated with flowers representing all 53 countries of the Commonwealth, was carried by two of her page boys.

But the dress’ 16ft-long veil became a problem, as it got caught when she stepped out of the Rolls-Royce as she arrived at St George’s Chapel in Windsor. Footage from the day shows Meghan’s veil had become twisted in the vehicle – and another aide along with dress designer Clare Waight Keller for Givenchy rushed to assist her.

Meghan’s veil caused a huge problem when she arrived at St George’s Chapel ( 
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Getty Images)

However, a military man who was tasked with opening the car door for Meghan did not offer his help. And according to Tom Bower, the author of Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors, he didn’t want to assist due to what had happened the previous day.

During an episode of the Mirror’s Pod Save the Queen podcast in August 2022, Mr Bower claimed: “A military man told me an extraordinary story about Meghan when she arrived at the wedding at Windsor Castle on that glorious day in 2018. You see her get out of the car unaccompanied and she has problems with the train of her dress and the army officer doesn’t step forward to help her.

“And the reason is, is the day before in the rehearsal, she had been very rude to him so he thought ‘well I’m not going to help you today’. I didn’t get the story from him but a fellow officer of his, who explained what had happened.”

Royal author Tom Bower explained why Meghan struggled with her 16ft veil ( 
Image:
AFP/Getty Images)

Millions of people tuned in to watch the fairy-tale wedding unfold ( 
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PA)
Eventually Meghan managed to sort out the veil herself and stepped out of the car, but she refused to take the arm of a different escorting officer.

“Ms Waight Keller designed a veil representing the distinctive flora of each Commonwealth country united in one spectacular floral composition,” Kensington Palace said of the show-stopping piece. The Commonwealth family of nations – of which Her Majesty The Queen is Head – will be a central part of Prince Harry’s and Ms Markle’s official work following His Royal Highness’s appointment as Commonwealth Youth Ambassador.

“Ms Markle wanted to express her gratitude for the opportunity to support the work of the Commonwealth by incorporating references to its members into the design of her wedding dress. Significant time was spent researching the flora of each Commonwealth country and much care was taken by Ms Waight Keller to ensure that every flower is unique.”

Meghan and Harry tied the knot in August 2018 ( 
Image:
Getty Images)One of the biggest guests at the wedding by far was Harry’s late grandmother the Queen – and many have wondered what she thought of the nuptials. And according to the book My Mother and I by royal biographer Ingrid Seward, the only remark the late monarch made about Harry and Meghan’s wedding was regarding the bride’s white, flowing Givenchy wedding gown.

The expert writes: “Lady Elizabeth [Anson] told me that the Queen had made only one remark to her about Meghan and Harry’s wedding, which was that the bride’s Givenchy wedding gown was ‘too white’. In the monarch’s view, it was not appropriate for a divorcee getting remarried in church to look quite so flamboyantly virginal.”

When the Royal Family takes part in public engagements they are often seen coordinating their outfits – and a fashion expert has revealed the sweet reason behind the fashion choice

The Royal Family are known to never have a hair out of place when they appear in public, officially representing the crown.

No detail is too small for the House of Windsor, especially when they are all attending a major, high-profile event. The royals often are spotted in outfits that match – or are cleverly coordinated – and a fashion expert has revealed that this isn’t just because they want to look picture-perfect, there is also a sweet reason behind their decision to do so.

Royal fans often spot that Prince William, Princess Kate and their three children, Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince Louis, six, are the royals that take part in this trend most often. The Wales family rarely appears altogether without at least one throughline to be seen in the outfits they have all chosen to wear: whether this be a colour that they have all donned, or a style of clothing.

Kate and William also make sure their family is coordinated ( 
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BBC Children in Need/Comic Relief via Getty Images)
Speaking to Fabulous magazine, fashion expert Amber Graafland explained, “When Kate, Prince William and their children wear coordinated outfits it’s about more than just looking good.

“By complementing each other, and sticking to a colour theme, they are showcasing a united front. It’s a technique Prince William and Princess Kate use to show [how] in tune they are when they attend official engagements together, and they also deploy it with their children.

“Adept at using their clothing to convey coded message, the Waleses know that by presenting a refined and harmonious image they convey a close-knit family with a strong bond. It also makes them instantly recognisable on the world stage.

The royals present a ‘united front’ with matching looks ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
There are almost too many occasions when the royals have coordinated their outfits to count. At King Charles’s coronation, for instance, Charlotte was her mother’s mini-me. The pair both wore white dresses designed by Alexander McQueen, and shoes to match. Charlotte’s cape-style coat dress reflected the shape and silhouette of of the Royal Victorian Order mantle that Kate donned for the historic occasion, which was cut from a rich blue fabric with a scarlet trim. The pair also wore their hair in matching up-dos and floral silver headpieces, designed by Alexander McQueen and Jess Collet.

Charlotte was Kate’s mini-me at the coronation ( 
Image:
PA)But the coordination didn’t end there. Both Kate and Charlotte’s custom dresses featured symbolic floral embroidery that relates to the UK. And these themes were also seen in Queen Camilla’s coronation attire, something that the two senior royals collaborated on with the designers, the embroider Chloe Savage told People magazine, noting that “Kate and Camilla together were involved”.

And when the Royal Family attended church on Christmas Day at Sandringham, they coordinated in shades of dark green and navy blue. Camilla and Kate both opted for the same shade of forest green coats, and Kate added a tartan blue and green scarf that matched Charlotte’s coat and her son’s ties. Only Charles stood out, as monarch, in a timeless camel-coloured coat and a pale tie with lavender grey hues.

The Wales family also coordinated their looks at the annual carol service Kate hosts at Westminster Abbey – all seen wearing outfits with a matching shade of red, for William, George, and Louis this came in the form of a red tie, with Kate and Charlotte both wearing red coats.

Antiques Road Trip expert Paul Laidlaw was left in shock when an item he bought for £60 made a staggering £20,000 profit at auction

In a thrilling episode of Antiques Road Trip in 2021, Paul Laidlaw, the BBC’s treasure-hunting expert, hit the jackpot when he bagged a camera for £60 from a Margate antique shop, which fetched an astonishing £20,000 at auction.

The Margate store was like Aladdin’s cave, and the eager owner enticed Paul with a tour: “Three floors, the upstairs is mainly furniture but there’s stuff everywhere. And on this floor, there are four rooms through and in the middle, there’s a staircase which goes down to a room full of chairs and another room full below.”

Paul humorously retorted, “Don’t send the cavalry, okay?” After delving among the myriad items, he surfaced with the camera and bartered over its price, initially offering £50.

The shopkeeper stood firm until he proposed: “Give me £60, and I’ll shake your hand, but I’m not doing any better than that, I’m afraid.”

Victorious with the handshake, Paul secured the camera, speculating: “I think this is a very early camera. If I’m right, that could be quite exciting. The photographic market is very much in the ascent, it’s a hot market, I think that’s a good thing,” reports the Express.

Paul covered his mouth in shock ( 
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(Image: BBC))
Excitement peaked at the auction house in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, where auctioneer Edward Crichton found himself fascinated by the rare find, confessing he’d “never seen one” like it before.

Overflowing with excitement, he revealed: “The sub-miniature camera – I have never seen one, in fact, we have carried out some research and cannot find any other example which has sold at auction, we were very excited to see this and it has certain potential to make a significant profit.”

“You couldn’t fit many more in, could you?” remarked Kate as she took in the crowded view of the auction room.

As eager bidders jumped into action, five people swiftly indicated their keen interest. The bidding started at a cool £1,000, quickly ratcheting up into the thousands.

The camera was bought for £60 ( 
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(Image: BBC))
Watching the energetic scene unfold, Kate couldn’t help but note, “They’re not messing around,” as the figures climbed higher and higher. Edward was all agility, calling out, “£3,000, £4,000..”

Paul caught the moment’s intensity and exclaimed in astonishment, “He’s now taking £1,000 increments,” This excited Kate to chime in, “It is not slowing down.”

Shocked beyond belief, Paul clutched his face and gasped, “Oh my god,” just as the bid soared to £20,000.

Paul couldn’t believe his luck ( 
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(Image: BBC))The hammer finally sealed the deal at £20,000, prompting Paul to laugh while his co-star beamed and joined the applause.

Ecstatic, Kate squealed a hearty “Well done” as she congratulated Paul.

Reveling in the victory of the auction battle, a glowing Paul couldn’t hide his happiness, declaring, “I’m over the moon.”

With her own joy unmistakable, Kate gushed, “What an incredible result! I am so chuffed for Paul.”

Understated but capturing the day’s sentiments, Edward summed up the extraordinary event, musing, “Most items in this sale make between £50 and £500, so £20,000 is staggering, wonderful.”

Prince William is on his way to becoming ‘the toughest ruler’ the royal family has ever seen – and it’s not good news for Harry and Andrew, a royal expert has said

Prince Harry and Prince Andrew both have very strained relationships with the rest of the royal family. And as a result, they are said to be “wary” of the future king Prince William, who is under “huge generational pressure” to maintain the monarchy, according to an expert.

William is said to have completely ‘cut ties’ with his younger brother Harry as a result of his numerous public attacks on the monarchy.

Similarly, he reportedly feels his uncle Andrew has jeopardised the Royal Family by being embroiled in a number of scandals over the years – most notably his links with Jeffrey Epstein.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, royal commentator Hilary Fordwich explained: “Prince William is dedicated to duty, as imbued in him by Queen Elizabeth II, who tutored him every Sunday regarding his royal duties. He’s also under huge generational pressure since the increasing public popularity of the monarchy ranks highest for both him and Princess Catherine.”

However, she also claims that despite the challenges he may face with the responsibility of his impending royal role, William “as a millennial… won’t and can’t risk public association with disastrous members of the family who merely serve as distractions from public duty”.

According to Fordwich, William believes this includes both Prince Andrew and Prince Harry, whose autobiography Spare acted as the ‘final straw’ for his older brother. And speaking of his decision to keep both at a distance, she further noted that the two are now likely “wary” of the future monarch.

A source recently told In Touch that William is not scared to assert himself, and that this will be evident when he eventually takes the throne. The insider claimed: “It’s no secret that anyone who pushes back against him will be swiftly shown the door. He’s not willing to take any nonsense, and the word is he’s already on his way to being the toughest ruler the family has ever seen.”

But while Harry and Andrew are out, other family members are likely to step up into more prominent roles once William becomes king – including Zara and Mike Tindall.

Royal reporter Jennie Bond told the Mirror that while the Tindalls “don’t have titles”, “they obviously have the cachet of being so much part of the extended Royal Family”. Not having titles isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as the royal couple “have managed to use that commercially without getting into too much bother”.

As far as their relationship with the Prince, the Tindalls “are both very close to William, and if he calls on them again (as he did at a garden party last year), they will definitely agree,” Bond continued. They won’t step into “an official working role, nor do I think the public would want to fund any more working royals,” the royal expert added.

Meanwhile, the Times has reported that “palace insiders believe that under the next reign, William V will be eager for his aunt and uncle, Sophie and Edward, to play a more prominent role in public life.”

Sophie and Edward reportedly “get on very well” with William and Kate, a palace source explained. “She’s tough, she knows her own mind and will argue her corner. There was always a danger people underestimated her but she stood up for herself, for Edward, for them as a couple,” a former palace aide told the publication.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been on the receiving end of brutal criticism in recent days after being spotted visiting a Los Angeles wildfires relief hub as well as speaking out about huge changes to Facebook

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been on the receiving end of blistering criticism after their latest decison.

The Sussexes were brutally branded “disaster tourists” after being pictured hugging victims of the devastating Los Angeles wildfires. The blazes have seen people close to Harry and Meghan’s home lose their homes and possessions as fires have ripped through their neighbourhoods.

But despite meeting victims and joining volunteers distributing food at the Pasadena Community Centre, actress Justine Bateman slammed the couple for a “repulsive photo op” labelling them “disaster tourists”. The fires have also led to Meghan postponing the premiere of her Netflix series With Love, Meghan – which has also seen her cruelly branded attention seeking.

Meghan hugs a volunteer while visiting Pasadena Community Centre ( 
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BBC)
Meanwhile, days later the couple also faced criticism after issuing a stern statement on their official website accusing Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram of “allowing more abuse and normalising hate speech” after its decision to scrap third-party fact-checking and loosen its content moderation.

And royal expert Jennie Bond has said it is ‘disturbing’ the amount of criticism the couple receive – especially now they seem to have put their days of criticising their royal relatives behind them. The former BBC royal correspondent told the Mirror: “Harry and Meghan must have expected much of the criticism they received after their accusations about the rest of the Royal Family.

“But I find it disturbing that almost everything and anything they now do is still criticised, in my view quite unfairly. They could have stayed holed up in their Montecito haven while so much of California burned.

Harry and Meghan chat to a volunteer
“Instead they went out and offered what help and support they could. Meghan could have let her new show go to air as planned, but she either instigated or fully supported the Netflix announcement that it would be postponed. Whatever they do is dismissed as cynical by someone or another, which must be dispiriting.”

Jennie believes that Harry and Meghan have recently been using their global reach for good, getting involved in causes exploring the dangers of social media – and it’s now time for their critics to “move on”.

She added: “They have a platform, and they are using it. Their criticism of the removal of safeguards by Facebook strikes me as a perfect use of the influence they have.

Harry and Meghan talk abou the dangers of social media at an event in New York ( 
Image:
AP)“The danger posed by the internet is something they have been actively campaigning on for some time, and their criticism of Mark Zuckerberg is totally consistent with the stand they have taken. Good for them, someone needs to speak out about the potential dangers of the internet. So, I say give Harry and Meghan a break. They haven’t attacked the royal family for some time. What’s done is done. Time to move on.”

It comes after a source told Page Six that Harry and Meghan feel the Justine Bateman’s comments about them visiting the relief hub in Pasadena were ‘offensive’ They explained: “It’s offensive to Meghan and Harry that anybody would think this is merely a photo opportunity.”

The source added: “Meghan was born and raised in Los Angeles, so this is, and always will be, home to her.” They also added that the duchess was ‘not a tourist’ and that “her heart is completely broken for all the lives that have been lost and for those whose homes have been destroyed in these fires.”

Mayor of Pasadena Victor Gordo also praised the pair, saying they were keen to provide any support they could. The mayor said they were “great people” with “great personalities.” He added, “They really buoyed the spirits of the first responders. We visited the command post at the Rose Bowl, and people were very happy to see them.”

The Princess of Wales has previously stated her love of the vibrant, bite-sized pieces of fruit that come from the Far East

Kate Middleton’s diet is often picked apart by fans of the Royal family, who are keen to make similar healthy choices. The Princess of Wales has often been quite open about her love of nutritious superfoods.

HELLO Magazine previously examined the future Queen’s diet choices and pointed out one staple snack that the mum-of-three loves. According to reports, she tends to avoid processed sweets, opting instead for healthy alternatives like raw fruit and vegetables, such as goji berries.

The fruit, native to China, can be eaten in multiple ways – including raw, dried or cooked. Some people choose to blend the powerful superfood up into smoothies and combine them with other tasty fruits and vegetables.

You can pick up a packet of dried goji berries in Asda for just £1.50. The 100g pack contains three servings, which roughly works out to 53p per 33g portion.

These tasty berries are worth considering if you’re deep into your January health kick and are tired of the same basic fruits available in the supermarket. Goji berries, which have a distinct sweet and sour flavour, are rich in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and amino acids.

Some say they’re believed to slow signs of ageing and maintain good eye health. A 2021 study suggested eating goji berries regularly during middle age may reduce the risk of age-related macular degeneration.

A portion of dried goji berries are convenient snacks enjoyed by royalty – and you can too ( 
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Getty)
Goji berries are also brimming with antioxidant compounds that combat oxidative stress. These compounds essentially help to protect skin cells from damage and signs of ageing, improving the skin’s appearance.

The fruit is also a good source of iron, according to a report by Healthline. Iron is an essential mineral involved in oxygen transport and the production of healthy red blood cells.

Goji berries can help lower cholesterol levels and promote heart health, according to an expert featured in a BBC Good Food report. They said: “Long term consumption of goji berries has been shown to decrease LDL cholesterol and help in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.”

The fresh fruit, originally from China, has a distinct sweet and sour flavour ( 
Image:
sonsam via Getty)

The report cited a study which showed polysaccharides – a string of carbohydrates in goji berries – may regulate blood pressure and reduce bad cholesterol levels. Thereby, protecting the heart.

However, certain people should approach these bright red berries with caution, as they could be harmful to their health. Goji berries may interact with blood-thinning and diabetes medications.

These Asian berries may cause stomachaches or allergic reactions, especially if eaten in large quantities. And, like all dried fruits, goji berries contain sugar so it is important to avoid overconsuming if you know you struggle with blood sugar imbalances.

A Love Island star has spoken out about why she has turned down an offer to appear on hit BBC show The Traitors in the past and why she would never want do it in the future

Love Island star Maura Higgins has revealed that she was asked to appear on The Traitors in the past but turned the hit TV series down.

Maura, who recently appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! was on Loose Women on Friday 17 January discussing her time in the jungle with panellists Frankie Bridge, Nadia Sawalha, Katie Piper and Kaye Adams. They all said that she was a great liar on the reality show, as she convinced the other celebrity contestants that she and Reverend Richard Coles were having a tough time in a separate camp when in fact they were enjoying numerous luxuries, so they thought she would make a perfect Traitor.

However Maura, sporting a new chic short haircut, revealed that she had previously been approached to appear on the show. “I actually turned them down, maybe a year ago,” she said. “I turned it down because I think people will work me out, and I would probably rather be a Traitor than a Faithful. I like to be a bit devious!”

Maura said she would not do The Traitors ( 
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ITV)
She added: “I don’t think I would ever do it. I think it is a great show but I think I would be figured out.” She also spoke about why she did accept the offer to go to Australia and appear on I’m A Celebrity.

“I was ready for something like that,” she explained. “I’ve done a podcast talking about mental health and I really struggle about opening up but then I did that and I thought, ‘maybe this is the year for change’ and to take myself out of my comfort zone.”

Maura revealed that the celebrities who were in the jungle together are still all in touch with each other, “the group chat is popping off 24/7,” and they are all really close, with some having met up the night before at Coleen Rooney’s launch of her new wellness range. Maura, Oti Mabuse, Barry McGuigan and King of the Jungle Danny Jones all showed up to support Coleen at the Applied Nutrition launch.

Maura was on I’m A Celeb at the end of last year ( 
Image:
James Gourley/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)Coleen was able to catch up with her campmates – the first time they’ve reunited since leaving Australia . “We’ve had a few FaceTimes and stuff [since leaving the jungle], but today was the first day when I’ve actually physically seen them,” Coleen told the Mirror on Thursday after wining and dining Maura, Danny, Oti, Barry and Dean McCullough, who DJed the star-studded event in London.

“A few of them have seen each other like when they’ve been doing interviews and stuff down here, but it was so nice to get the group and you could see everyone was buzzing just to be back together again,” she added. “Obviously it’s hard to meet up regularly, because we’ve all got busy schedules and we all live in different places, but we said when and if we can, we’re going to organise a big reunion. We’re calling this a mini reunion because unfortunately not everyone could be here.”

Loose Women’s Nadia Sawalha left her fellow panellists in shock when admitting that she likes to snoop around people’s houses and ‘steal’ plasters from their bathroom cabinets

Loose Women star Nadia Sawalha has revealed that she often snoops around people’s bathrooms when she’s visiting other people’s homes – and ‘steals’ a useful yet surprise item.

The 60-year-old returned to the Loose Women panel today for Friday’s show alongside the likes of Kaye Adams, Katie Piper and Frankie Bridge.

Speaking about bathrooms on the ITV panel show, Nadia admitted that she likes to look through people’s bathroom cupboards. “Me and Kaye, because we have these weird similarities, we both love a root around somebody else’s cupboard,” she admitted. “I love having a look. You open thinks like verruca care, wart care.”

Loose Women’s Frankie Bridge was left stunned by Nadia’s admission
Meanwhile, a surprised Katie Piper said: “Are you serious? That’s so bad.” Frankie added: “What are you looking for?”

Nadia continued: “I’m looking that if I’ve made a diagnosis about a certain condition, I can see that the medication is in there and I know I was right. I love it!”

Despite Frankie branding Nadia’s nosy habit as “bizarre”, Nadia didn’t stop there. “Sometimes I steal people’s plasters because I never think to buy plasters!,” she admitted, laughing.

Kaye quickly jumped in to distance herself from Nadia’s claims, saying: “I don’t touch anything but I do have a snoop.”

Later on in the show, Kaye and the rest of the presenters welcomed I’m A Celebrity and Love Island star Maura Higgins onto the panel – and wasted no time in asking her about her romance with Pete Wicks. When asked whether she would go on Love Island: All Stars, Maura said: “No – my dating show days are done!

Maura appeared on Loose Women later in the episode ( 
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ITV)
“I don’t want to go on a dating show, I’ve turned down All Stars before and I turned down the Celebs Go Dating. I’ve done it once [Love Island] and I spent the whole time in Love Island single!”

Katie then asked: “So is that you saying you’re not single?,” to which an embarrassed Maura said: “No, did I say that? I know what you’re doing! No, I never said anything, next question!”

Frankie then followed up with the question: “Is there anything going on with Pete?” After the studio applauded, Maura said: “Do we? I never really thought about it. He’s got better hair than me to be fair! There’s not really much to tell, I know that’s very boring, we’ve known each other for what, six years?

“We spend time together, we get on very well, our personalities are very very similar and he’s a great person but there’s actually nothing to tell. There’s really not though, no one believes me, there’s not!”

Loose Women airs weekdays from 12:30pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

In the brand new trailer for her Netflix series, Meghan Markle’s engagement ring can be seen on full show – and some believe it shows that she has made yet another change to the jewellery

Meghan Markle’s treasured engagement ring has gone through several changes since Prince Harry proposed.

And fans are convinced the Duchess of Sussex has made yet more tweaks to the jewellery after noticing what they believe is a huge amendment to the piece in the trailer for her new Netflix series. Meghan was first given the ring, which was made with two diamonds from Princess Diana’s collection and one from Botswana when she and Harry became engaged in 2017. It underwent a major redesign two years later when the plain gold band was swapped for a thinner micropave style.

In 2023, she was spotted without the ring on several occasions and it was reported this was due to the delicate piece being fixed due to a loose stone. And now fans believe the ring might have had another change – and it’s all down to the shape of the central diamond.

Meghan in the trailer for her new Netflix show ( 
Image:
Netflix)
In one moment of the trailer for With Love, Meghan, the duchess can be seen reaching for some flowers with her full ring on show. And many believe that the main diamond appears to now be a square cut – rather than the round cut of the original.

Taking to X one asked: “Is that a new engagement ring?” While another said: “Looks like she’s changed the centre stone from a round diamond to the more expensive square cut.”

The first glimpse we got of Meghan’s engagement ring came in 2017 when she and Harry announced their engagement to the world and they appeared for a photocall at Kensington Palace.

A close-up of Meghan’s original engagement ring design ( 
Image:
Samir Hussein/WireImage)

Meghan shows off her beautiful new ring at the Trooping the Colour
In an interview to mark the happy occasion, Harry revealed: “The ring is – is obviously yellow gold because that’s what – her favourite and the main stone itself I sourced from Botswana and the – the little diamonds either side are from my mother’s jewellery collection to make sure that she’s with us on this – on this crazy journey together.”

However, less than two years later, the ring looked very different after a redesign, which M eghan debuted at Trooping the Colour in 2019 . By then, Meghan was wearing the ring on a thinner micropave band – along with another stunning ring.

And in a book about the couple, it was explained why the ring was changed – and the meaning behind the eternity band. In their biography Finding Freedom, royal reporters Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand write: “On May 19, 2019, Harry also surprised his wife of one year with the gift of a ring that he had created with jeweller-to-the-stars Lorraine Schwartz, a favourite of Meghan’s.

“The conflict-free diamond eternity band paid homage to the family of three with Meghan’s, the newly born Prince Archie’s and Harry’s birthstones (peridot, emerald, and sapphire, respectively) on the underside of the ring.” The jeweller told the authors: “Harry wanted to make it special. He’s the loveliest person ever. So romantic, so thoughtful.” The book continues: “Harry also thought to have Lorraine resize and reset Meghan’s engagement ring with a new diamond band.”

Meghan then made a string of appearances in 2023, including at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, where she was seen not wearing the ring. However, speaking to Page Six at the time, a source claimed the ring was “being fixed”, hence the fact that it is missing from her ring finger. However, in recent months she has been seen wearing it again.