Heartbreaking tributes have been paid to the nine-year-old boy tragically killed in Friday’s Christmas market massacre.

André Gleißner was murdered after a suspect reported to be a Saudi exile rammed a black BMW rental car into a crowd of people at Magdeburg Christmas market shortly after 7pm Friday night. As well as Andre, another four women aged between 45 and 75 were killed, with more than 200 injured.

His devastated mother Désirée took to Facebook to express her grief after losing her “little teddy bear”. She wrote: “Let my little teddy bear fly around the world again. André didn’t do anything to anybody. He was only with us on earth for nine years. Why you? Just why?

“I don’t understand. Now you are with grandma and grandpa in heaven. They missed you very much, as much as we miss you here now. You will always live in our hearts. I promise you that.”

The post has already been liked more than 150,000 times, and racked up 185,000 shares in the hours after it was posted.

The Magdeburg attacker seen outside court ( 
Image:
BILD Fotoservice)
A family friend said: “It’s incomprehensible. André was just a little angel to everyone. He has enriched so many people in his short life with his kind nature and so much zest for life.

“My deepest sympathy to his wonderful family I wish you all a lot of strength and togetherness. I’m thinking about you guys.”

Other victims of the Christmas Market atrocity have spoken of their horror at being caught up in the attack. Their disturbing accounts began to emerge on Sunday morning after suspect Taleb al-Abdulmohsen was formally remanded in custody by a German court.

Taleb is accused of slamming a black BMW into a crowd of hundreds of revellers at a Christmas market in Magdeburg on Friday ( 
Image:
@Mick_O_Keeffe/X)

An image has been released showing Taleb al-Abdulmohsen before he left his native Saudi Arabia ( 
Image:
AFP via Getty Images)
The 50-year-old was brought before a judge on Saturday night and told he faces charges of murdering a nine-year-old boy and four women, aged 45, 52, 67 and 75. He also faces multiple counts of attempted murder and of dangerous bodily harm.

Marco Forciniti, 39, was among 205 people were hurt, including 41 seriously, when a BMW sped through crowds in the city of Magdeburg on Friday evening. He is in hospital with two broken legs and ankles.

Television series ‘with perfect ending’ based on ‘underrated’ film now streaming in full

What We Do In The Shadows has now concluded with its sixth season and the show’s final episode has been adored by critics and fans alike

The entire series of a show that treated fans to the ‘perfect ending’ and is based on an ‘underrated’ comedy film is now available for streaming’.

The cult classic What We Do In The Shadows, which originated as a mockumentary-style movie from New Zealand in 2014, has soared to indie fame with a stellar 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Its success catapulted actor, writer, and director Taika Waititi into the limelight, paving his way to direct Marvel’s Thor Ragnarok.

Taika Waititi crafted the original cinematic gem alongside Jermaine Clement, one half of the comedic duo Flight of the Conchords. Both feature as stars in the film.

It humorously chronicles the lives of a group of vampires through the lens of a documentary crew in Wellington. Fans have taken to the internet to praise the film, with one review celebrating it as an “underrated brilliant comedy.”

Although there were whispers of a sequel centred on the werewolves depicted in the movie, it never materialised. Instead, a television adaptation was created, maintaining the mockumentary format but relocating the vampire household to a borough in New York, reports the Daily Record.

Taika Waititi helmed the pilot episode of the hit series with Jemaine Clement’s expert script-writing skills. The quirky show followed the hilariously antiquated lives of vampires Nandor, Laszlo, and Nadja, alongside their unusual housemate Colin Robinsonan energy vampireall based in Staten Island and looked after by Nandor’s dedicated familiar, Guillermo.

They repeatedly find themselves at odds with modern society, otherworldly entities, one another, as well as having frequent run-ins with the authoritative vampire council. All the while, Guillermo navigates his conflicting loyalty to Nandor against his own vampiric aspirations, a situation made increasingly complex as he uncovers startling revelations about his lineage.

What We Do In The Shadows follows vampires Nandor, Colin Robinson, Nadja and Laszlo (Image: FX)

In a bittersweet farewell, What We Do in the Shadows has concluded with a banging sixth season, now fully available on Disney+, allowing fans to binge-watch the entirety of its supernatural charm. The show boasts a stellar performance on Rotten Tomatoes, with scores soaring from 90% up to an impeccable 100% for its third and fourth series.

Critics have warmly embraced the finale, which left fans poignantly touched as they said their goodbyes. Rolling Stone lauded it saying: “In the End, What We Do in the Shadows is an ode to friendship. One of TV’s silliest, funniest shows of all time comes to a surprisingly poignant conclusion.”

AV Club praised the swan song, declaring: “What We Do In The Shadows ends on its own glorious terms. ‘The Finale’ pays tribute to the sitcom’s history, while thumbing its nose at any deeper meaning.” Consequence also adored it, offering the simple yet powerful review: “What We Do in the Shadows delivered a perfect series finale.”

Fans have been heaping praise on the series finale, with one taking to social media to express their delight: “The series finale really staked the landing. Good surprises, great call backs, funny and moving. The closing minutes were gold. Although the story of these undead may be over, the joy the show has brought so many is eternal.” Another fan enthused: “Chalk up #WhatWeDointheShadows as one of the series with a perfect ending. Kudos.”

Disney+ is offering an extra treat with an alternate ending for the finale. To access it, simply go to the show on the app, select ‘extras’, and it should be there. For those not ready to jump into the final season, there’s good news as the first four seasons are available for free on BBC iPlayer. However, patience is required as the service will take some time to add the last two series. If you’re keen on watching the original film that inspired the series, it’s currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

BBC Breakfast host Nina Warhurst made a rare admission about her life off-screen while presenting Sunday’s edition of the programme (December 22), leaving her co-host stunned.

The anchor shared hosting duties with Roger Johnson today, with the pair discussing the Strictly Come Dancing special episode, titled Strictly Come Dancing: 20 Fabulous Years, that aired last night.

The show featured tributes to the show’s late host, Bruce Forsyth as well as ex-contestant Caroline Flack, plus interviews with judges, dancers and contestants and plenty of behind-the-scenes footage. It was all in celebration of the show reaching the major milestone of 20 years on television screens.

“Looks like a gorgeous episode,” said Nina after a snippet of the programme was played, before confessing: “Another one that I missed last night because… I was out socialising for once.”

The revelation left her co-anchor Roger stunned as he replied, “Were you?”, as Nina continued: “In to bed early obviously, but it’s on my list for the Christmas telly binge.”

With a cheeky smile, Roger then made a confession of his own. “Yes, I was out as well,” he admitted as Nina swiftly turned around, beaming at him.

“I went to bed early though. Got to,” he added before quickly turning the attention to the weather forecast.

Nina famously likes to keep her life off-screen private. She previously gave viewers a glimpse into her personal life back in October this year, again while co-hosting an episode of BBC Breakfast with Roger.

Nina surprised her co-host Roger with the revelation (Image: BBC)

With a cheeky smile, Roger then made a confession of his own. “Yes, I was out as well,” he admitted as Nina swiftly turned around, beaming at him.

“I went to bed early though. Got to,” he added before quickly turning the attention to the weather forecast.

Nina famously likes to keep her life off-screen private. She previously gave viewers a glimpse into her personal life back in October this year, again while co-hosting an episode of BBC Breakfast with Roger.

DON’T MISS

Netflix has unveiled a stirring drama that pays tribute to the immense contributions of African-American women during World War Two.

The Six Triple Eight, featuring Kerry Washington, tells the story of the USA’s first and only Women’s Army Corps unit of colour, which was stationed in Europe during the war.

Known as the 6888th, this unit comprised 855 predominantly Black women who were assigned the daunting task of sorting through a three-year backlog of mail, as army officers feared that morale on the US front lines was dwindling due to servicemen not receiving news from home.

The formation of this unit came after civil rights activist Mary McLeod Bethune, portrayed by Oprah Winfrey, voiced concerns to the White House about the lack of meaningful democratic roles for Black women.

Her organisation, the National Council for Negro Women, played an instrumental role in securing pivotal roles for women of colour in the Women’s Army Corps. Washington plays Major Charity Adams, who made history as the first Black woman to command an overseas battalion for the US army.

Adams’ leadership skills truly shone when the unit travelled to the UK in February 1945 and were stationed at King Edward’s School, in Birmingham. They were given six months to sift through 17 million letters, many of which were addressed to nicknames or had been destroyed by rats, after languishing in warehouses for years.

Major Adams workforce diligently toiled in three eight-hour shifts, employing a meticulous filing system to complete their monumental task. Remarkably, they achieved their objective in a mere 90 days, outpacing their initial deadline by half, reports the Mirror.

Throughout their arduous endeavour, the thoughtful major ensured her team’s wellbeing by establishing a hospitable environment, complete with a refreshment bar and hair salon.

An incredible true story inspired the drama (Image: Perry Well Films 2 / Courtesy of Netflix)

Guided by their self-coined mantra, “No mail, low morale”, the battalion diligently fulfilled their obligation, demonstrating unwavering dedication. Their exceptional performance did not go unnoticed and soon, the Six Triple Eight was tasked with organising mail in France, first in Rouen and then in Paris.

Following her military service, Major Adams embarked on an educational career and in 1996, reflected on her tenure at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum stating: “When I talk to students they say, ‘How did it feel to know you were making history?’ But you don’t know you’re making history when it’s happening.

“I just wanted to do my job.”

Major Adams passed away in 2002 at 83 years old. Her legendary battalion was posthumously recognised with the unveiling of a commemorative monument in 2018 at the Buffalo Soldier Military Park in Kansas.

Moreover, Adams continued to blaze trails even in death, as she became the first African American woman in U.S. history to have an army fort bestowed with her name – Fort Gregg-Adams in Virginia – a perpetual testament to her remarkable achievements.

Phil Collins has faced a decline in mobility over the past decade due to a severe neck injury that resulted in significant nerve damage. He now relies on a cane for support and, at times, uses a wheelchair.

In the new documentary, Phil Collins: Drummer First, the Genesis star discusses how years of drumming has affected his hands, legs, and overall physical health.

The 73-year-old, who previously confessed to difficulties in playing the instrument he once mastered, poignantly shares with viewers: “If I wake up one day and I can hold a pair of drumsticks, then I’ll have a crack of it. But I just feel like I’ve used up my air miles. It’s still kind of sinking in a bit.

“I’ve spent all my life playing drums. To suddenly not be able to do that is a shock. If I can’t do what I did as well as I did it, I’d rather relax and not do anything.”

He states: “I’m not a singer that plays a bit of drums; I’m more of a drummer that sings a bit,” reports the Mirror.

In the same episode, Phil’s son Nic, who now performs with Genesis as Phil is unable to, shared that his father needed “big surgery on his neck that stemmed from all those years playing drums and bad posture”.

He also disclosed that Phil suffers from drop-foot, a condition where one of his feet has lost sensation.

Phil bid his fans farewell at his final gig with Genesis at London’s O2 Arena in March 2022. Despite appearing frail and needing to sit for the performance, he humorously told the crowd he will now have to get a “real job”.

The tour was Genesis’s first series of live performances in 14 years. Phil opened up to The Guardian about the adjustments they had to make due to his declining mobility, saying: “Of course, my health does change things, doing the show seated changes things.

“But I actually found on my recent solo tours, it didn’t get in the way; the audience were still listening and responding. It’s not the way I would have written it, but it’s the way that it is.”

In an honest reflection shared on the official Genesis website, Phil delved deeper into his ongoing health battle, revealing: “Somehow, during the last Genesis tour, I dislocated some vertebrae in my upper neck and that affected my hands.

“After a successful operation on my neck, my hands still can’t function normally. Maybe in a year or so it will change, but for now it is impossible for me to play drums or piano.”

Collins also bravely disclosed his past struggles with alcohol, which nearly spiralled out of control, culminating in acute pancreatitis. Recounting this dark period during a 2016 press conference, he confessed: “Within months you’re drinking vodka from the fridge in the morning and falling over in front of the kids, you know.”

He further remarked: “It was something I lived through, and I was lucky to live through it and get through it. I was very close to dying.”

Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes still talking through lawyers despite star’s olive branch

Despite seemingly offering reconciliation on social media, reports suggest Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes have continued to communicate through lawyers.

This comes after the broadcaster publicly displayed support for Ruth when she paid an emotional visit to her sick mother Joan in hospital earlier this week.

Taking to Instagram, she uploaded a photo of her mum’s hands from a hospital bed alongside a newspaper displaying a half-finished crossword.

In the caption, Ruth informed fans that “She’ll be in hospital for a bit longer yet, but she’s in pretty good spirits considering, and I hope she’ll be home for Christmas.”

Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes still talking through lawyers despite star’s olive branch

Despite seemingly offering reconciliation on social media, reports suggest Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes have continued to communicate through lawyers.

Ruth Langsford and Eamonn Holmes have continued to communicate through lawyers even though the Loose Woman star seemingly offered an olive branch to her estranged husband.

The 64-year-old appeared to accept Eamonn’s peace offering and returned a like on a post of him and his GB News co-host Isabel Webster.

This comes after the broadcaster publicly displayed support for Ruth when she paid an emotional visit to her sick mother Joan in hospital earlier this week.

Taking to Instagram, she uploaded a photo of her mum’s hands from a hospital bed alongside a newspaper displaying a half-finished crossword.

In the caption, Ruth informed fans that “She’ll be in hospital for a bit longer yet, but she’s in pretty good spirits considering, and I hope she’ll be home for Christmas.”

“They both need space but particularly Ruth who feels hurt by everything that has happened over the past few months

“Eamonn was trying to keep his relationship with Katie for as long as possible so it didn’t hurt Ruth but now the cat is out the bag and it’s painful.”

The insider added: “Everything is still very raw. Her friends have rallied around her which has helped a lot but she can definitely give the NTAs a miss for one year.”

The former couple announced the end of their 14-year marriage in June and it’s understood that they’re hoping to settle the divorce after the festive period.

Among the well-wishes from her followers and celebrity pals, there was also a simple like from Eamonn.

Although Ruth returned the favour in celebration of the hosts wrapping up their final show of the year, the estranged couple are said to still have strained communication.

According to the MailOnline Ruth and Eamonn are still talking through their respective lawyers.

A source close to the duo previously told Express.co.uk: “At the moment Eamonn and Ruth are not in contact with each other.

 

It has been 12 years since any new episodes of BBC’s The Royle Family last aired. The much-loved sitcom ran for three series from 1998 to 2000, with specials from 2006 to 2012.

But since then fans have been desperate to see more from the show. Now, they have been shocked to see some of the programme’s much-loved characters come together once more for a snap that provided a nostalgic hit with viewers.

A picture of four of the main cast members has been doing rounds on social media. It features Ricky Tomlinson who took on the role of Jim, Sue Johnston, who played Barb, Craig Cash who portrayed Dave and Ralf Little who played the part of Anthony.

The actors had aged from their time in the sitcom back in the 90s, making it appear as though the picture had been captured recently – much to the delight of fans.

Commenting on the image, many social media users made the same demand as they begged for the show to return once more. One fan wrote: “Shame we didn’t get Xmas special. I know Caroline passed away but she would love them to carry on with Xmas specials.”

Another suggested: “I’d love them to do an episode dealing with living without Denise and saying she’d died of cancer. Craig and Phil should do that because for everyone life goes on for those left and they have to get on with it and I think they’d make it both poignant and funny.”

“Bring back one more series please,” someone else wrote with praying hands emojis.

However, one person disagreed as they wrote: “Wouldn’t have been the same. They’d either mention her character had died or ‘Stuck in another country’. Best to leave it as it was.”

Others noted how heartbreaking it was to see the cast together without Caroline. Someone wrote: “Love it, but one person missing, bless her.”

Another added: “Bittersweet without Caroline Aherne and Liz Smith,” while a third penned: “I watched an old xmas episode where Denise goes into labour. What a loss of the brilliant Caroline and Liz.”

The BBC show followed the Royle family, with almost all of the episodes taking place in their working-class home all centred around communal family TV viewing. Veteran actor Ricky Tomlinson stars as Jim Royle, the family patriarch and eternal complainer.

Sue Johnston playing Barbara, Tomlinson’s long-suffering wife, with the rest of central cast being made up by Caroline Aherne as Jim’s perhaps not-so-bright but loving daughter Denise, Craig Cash as her easy-going other half Dave, and Ralf Little as youngest son and eternal dogsbody Anthony.

The programme was ended once and for all when writer and actress Caroline became ill when she was diagnosed with cancer. On the morning of 2 July 2016 she died, aged 52.

Following her death Ricky Tomlinson said: “I’m so bloody shocked. She was absolutely wonderful and amazing to work for. Kind, funny, witty.”

Joanna Page, who plays Stacey West in Gavin and Stacey, has worked with James Corden since the BBC series first launched in 2007, before the writer and actor rocketed to fame in the US while fronting The Late Late Show, from 2015 until 2023.

However, the Love Actually actress has insisted in a new interview that James hasn’t changed at all, despite “becoming massively famous”.

Responding to allegations of “diva behaviour” aimed at the Smithy star in recent years, Joanna simply stated “he’s still the same person”.

Speaking to The Sun’s Fabulous Magazine ahead of Gavin and Stacey’s highly anticipated return to our screens on Christmas Day, Joanna shared: “James has become massively famous. But he’s still the same person. He’s just James.

“When we started, I was only 29 and now I’m 47. All of us have got married and had children. So many things have happened, but when we got together it was like going back to the first series.”

It comes after James issued an apology for his conduct during an episode of The Late Late Show in 2022, when it emerged that the TV host was banned from New York City restaurant Balthazar over his alleged treatment of the staff.

The drama began when James’ wife Julia ordered an off-the-menu omelette consisting of only yolk, as she is “severely allergic” to egg whites.

However, the British star admitted he became irritated and “made a sarcastic, rude comment about cooking it myself” after the dish arrived to the couple’s table containing whites multiple times.

“My wife explained that she has a serious food allergy,” James told viewers on his CBS show in October 2022.

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by Taboola

Cheryl’s ‘desperate’ plight for Bear in heartbreaking first Christmas without Liam Payne

Cheryl is said to be pulling out all the stops for her and Liam Payne’s son Bear, who will be spending his first Christmas Day without his beloved father this year

By Sasha Morris
11:39, Sun, Dec 22, 2024 | UPDATED: 12:13, Sun, Dec 22, 2024

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Cheryl and Liam Payne split in 2018 after welcoming Bear (Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Uni)

Cheryl faces her first Christmas without  Liam Payne, the father of her son Bear, seven. The 31 year old One Direction star tragically passed away after a fall from a third-floor balcony at his hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16th.

Now, the former X Factor judge is determined to make the festive season as special as possible for Bear, who will experience his first Christmas Day without his cherished dad. Liam always made it a point to spend the holiday with his son and family, and Cheryl, the Girls Aloud singer, is aiming to fill the gap during what could be a challenging time.

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by Taboola

Cheryl’s ‘desperate’ plight for Bear in heartbreaking first Christmas without Liam Payne

Cheryl is said to be pulling out all the stops for her and Liam Payne’s son Bear, who will be spending his first Christmas Day without his beloved father this year

By Sasha Morris
11:39, Sun, Dec 22, 2024 | UPDATED: 12:13, Sun, Dec 22, 2024

0Bookmark

Cheryl and Liam Payne split in 2018 after welcoming Bear (Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images for Uni)

Cheryl faces her first Christmas without  Liam Payne, the father of her son Bear, seven. The 31 year old One Direction star tragically passed away after a fall from a third-floor balcony at his hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 16th.

Now, the former X Factor judge is determined to make the festive season as special as possible for Bear, who will experience his first Christmas Day without his cherished dad. Liam always made it a point to spend the holiday with his son and family, and Cheryl, the Girls Aloud singer, is aiming to fill the gap during what could be a challenging time.

Plans are in place for Bear to receive visits from Liam’s parents Karen and Geoff, as well as his older sisters. According to reports, Cheryl is going above and beyond to ensure the day is memorable, as their shared sorrow is likely to be more acute.

“It has been a really sad time for Bear and Cheryl… This was the time when Liam would skip over to Cheryl’s and despite them not being together, they would give Bear the most special of days,” an insider revealed to the Mail on Sunday. “Wherever Liam was in the world, he’d always make sure to be home to spend Christmas Day with Bear. [Bear] will always have those memories, but now things will be different.”

Cheryl’s mother Joan, who is also very close to her grandson, will join the effort to create a memorable Christmas for him.

A source revealed: “Cheryl has gone to great lengths to ensure Liam isn’t forgotten. She has been careful not to spoil Bear, given he is the son of two wealthy people, but this year is going to be tough and everyone wants to see a smile on Bear’s face. He has had an utterly heartbreaking few months.”

 

The Queen may have modernised many aspects of the monarchy during her 70-year reign, but she could still be a traditionalist from time to time.

One such occasion was when the late monarch allegedly expressed her disapproval of Meghan Markle opting to wear a veil at her wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018.

Royal author Tom Bower claimed Her Majesty raised her concerns in his 2022 book Revenge, writing: ‘The Queen also questioned why Meghan needed a veil for the wedding, given it was to be her second marriage.’The late Queen was also allegedly taken aback at the divorcee’s choice of a white bridal gown, which typically represents virginal purity.

 

Meghan had previously been married to Hollywood film producer Trevor Engelson between 2011 and 2013.

Queen Camilla, who had previously been married to Andrew Parker Bowles between 1973 and 1995, stuck with tradition and opted not to wear a veil for her wedding to Charles in 2005.

But Meghan forwent subtlety when it came to her veil for the grand service in the historic St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

The 16ft-long piece of material was trimmed with lace depicting flora from each of the 53 Commonwealth countries.

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The late Queen observes Meghan during her wedding to Prince Harry at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, on May 19, 2018

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The duchess arrives for her wedding in her 16ft-long veil which was trimmed with lace depicting flora from each of the 53 Commonwealth countries

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Two page boys were required to help carry the £100,000 dress’s long veil into the chapel

Fashion designer Clare Waight Keller, then of Givenchy, who worked alongside Meghan on the £100,000 dress said she wanted to create a ‘timeless piece’ but also ‘convey modernity’.

She said: ‘In contrast, the delicate floral beauty of the veil was a vision Meghan and I shared, a special gesture embracing the commonwealth flora, ascending the circumference of the silk tulle.’

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Biographer Tom Bower claimed the Queen questioned the veil in his 2022 book

The gown and veil were created after 3,900 hours of work by 50 people, with the dressmakers having to regularly wash their hands to avoid discolouring the material.

The veil was held in place by Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau tiara, which was made in 1932 and lent to Meghan by the late Queen.

But the decision to wear such an eye-catching veil for her second wedding appeared to raise eyebrows with the more traditional royals.

The practice of brides wearing veils is said to go back to ancient Greeks and Romans, who wore them to disguise themselves from any evil spirits who wanted to stand in the way of their happiness.

Over the centuries many cultures have embraced the garment and it is now often associated with aspects of bridal virtue like modesty and chastity.

Recalling the dress for a Windsor Castle exhibition on the wedding, Meghan said: ‘I had a very clear vision of what I wanted for the day and what I wanted the dress to look like.

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The duchess steps out of her car in her Givenchy dress made by British fashion designer Clare Waight Keller

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Meghan Markle and her mother Doria Ragland arriving at Windsor Castle

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Meghan’s veil was held in place by the Queen Mary’s diamond bandeau tiara, which was made in 1932 and lent to Meghan by the late Queen

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When Charles married Camilla  in 2005 in a civil service, she opted to wear off-white and forgo the veil entirely

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Meghan waves to the crowds on her wedding day while wearing her veil and Queen Mary’s diamond tiara

‘So what was amazing in working with Clare [Waight Keller] is that sometimes you’ll find designers try to push you in a different direction. But she just completely respected what I wanted to see for the day, and she wanted to bring that to life for me.’

But the elaborate veil was not the only controversy that arose from Meghan’s choices for her bridal gown.

The late Queen never voiced her true opinion about the duchess to anyone except her very closest confidantes, including Lady Elizabeth Anson.

Known as Liza to her friends, she was a cousin of the Queen, and used to speak on the telephone to the monarch on a daily basis.

Lady Elizabeth told royal author Ingrid Seward 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’.

She wrote in her February 2024 book My Mother and I: ‘In the monarch’s view, it was not appropriate for a divorcee getting remarried in church to look quite so flamboyantly virginal.’

Her husband, Prince Phillip, would also go on to make comparisons between Meghan and Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee who Edward VIII abdicated to marry.

Seward claims he was ‘one of the few wary’ of being charmed by Meghan and thought it was ‘uncanny’ how much she reminded him of the socialite Simpson.

Although twice-divorced Simpson did not opt to wear white when she married Edward in 1937, instead choosing pale blue.

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Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson pose for a portrait after their wedding at the Chateau de Cande, in Monts, France, on June 3, 1937. Simpson chose a pale blue dress rather than a white one

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Wallis, centre, is driven to the funeral of her husband, the Duke of Windsor, in 1972

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Edward and Wallis in 1966

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Meghan and Harry in 2018

Katie Nicholl, in her book The New Royals, also reported a similar concern from the late Queen after she was told by a source that the decision to wear white had left her ‘surprised’.

She wrote: ‘Perhaps it’s a generational thing, but she believes if you’ve been married before, you wear off-white on your wedding day, which is what the Duchess of Cornwall [Camilla] did.’

As well as the controversy surrounding the dress veil and colour, the person who walked Meghan down the aisle while she was wearing it also became an issue.

Instead of the traditional father of the bride, Thomas Markle, handing her over to the groom, it was decided on short notice that Prince Charles would do the honours.

Thomas had decided not to come to the wedding when he became embroiled in a scandal after it was discovered by The Mail on Sunday that he had staged photographs with paparazzi for cash.

But the late Queen reportedly felt regret that the bride had not made up with her estranged father before the paparazzi drama unfolded.

According to Nicholl, the fact that Harry had not yet met Thomas and that Meghan was still not speaking to her father concerned the Queen, and while she rarely intervened, she made a point of speaking to Harry and Meghan about the situation.

‘It was the Queen’s feeling that Meghan should sort things out with her father and that Harry should have met Thomas before the wedding,’ a family friend told the author. ‘She thought the whole thing could have been better handled.’

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The late Queen and Meghan watch a flypast to mark the centenary of the Royal Air Force from the balcony of Buckingham Palace on July 10, 2018

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Meghan and her mother, Doria Ragland, driven along the Long Walk in a Rolls-Royce Phantom IV as they arrive for her wedding ceremony

But once the deceit of his actions around the photographs was revealed, the duchess’s relationship with her 80-year-old father broke down, and it seems they still don’t speak.

Although Meghan was not alone in choosing to forgo tradition for her wedding, as her husband-to-be Harry also wanted to carve out his own image for the big day.

When he was about to get married, he went to see the Queen to ask permission to keep his beard on his wedding day.

Long-standing protocol in the British Army states beards are forbidden, and since Harry was going to be married in military dress uniform, his would have to go.

But in an effort to save his ginger fuzz, the prince did the only thing he could think of to get around the rules – begging his grandmother to make an exception for him.

Harry later recounted in his tell-all memoir Spare that he ‘desperately wanted to hang on’ to his beard as it had become an ‘effective check on my anxiety’.

He claimed it helped ‘therapy, and meditation, and a few other things’ to calm his nerves.

When he gave all his reasons to the Queen, which also included concerns he didn’t want Meghan to see a ‘total stranger’ at the alter, she permitted him.

Harry later recounted a conversation he had with William, who got married clean shaven, about his beard pass, writing his brother said: ‘You put her in an uncomfortable position, Harold! She had no choice but to say yes.

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Harry asked the Queen for special permission to keep his beard for the wedding

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Meghan added a personal touch to her wedding dress, stitching a piece of blue gingham fabric from the dress she wore on her first date with Harry to the hem

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Meghan and her father Thomas were already estranged at the time of her wedding to Harry

He replied: ‘No choice? She’s the Queen! If she didn’t want me to have a beard I think she can speak for herself.’

Meanwhile, although the Queen was concerned about Meghan’s choice of veil and white dress, perhaps the biggest pre-wedding concerns came from the tiara.

She had offered Meghan access to her collection of tiaras and, during what Harry later described as an ‘extraordinary morning’, allowed her to try them on in front of her, her devoted dresser Angela Kelly and a royal jewellery expert in her private dressing room.

Something later went badly wrong, however, when Meghan tried to arrange a fitting with Kelly, who, it seems, did not like the manner in which the bride and groom were treating her, according to Daily Mail diary editor Richard Eden.

Perhaps accustomed to ordering around underlings on a television shoot, Meghan may not have been used to dealing with someone such as Kelly, who – although a servant – was also a confidante and friend of the Queen.

Harry denied in his memoirs that he angrily told Kelly, ‘What Meghan wants, Meghan gets.’ He did, however, admit they had been exasperated by the dresser, who ‘fixed me with a look that made me shiver’.

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The late Queen’s closest adviser and dresser Angela Kelly seemed to have been annoyed with how she was treated by Meghan during the tiara fitting

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The Queen (pictured two days before her death on September 8, 2022) was reportedly saddened at Harry and Meghan’s choice to leave the Royal Family, allegedly confiding to a close friend that she was exhausted by the turmoil of it all

He added: ‘I could read in her face a clear warning. This isn’t over.’

On the day of the wedding, royal watchers noticed the Queen’s face looked stern as she looked across at Meghan in her wedding dress.

In the years following the wedding, the Sussexes continued to grow more distant from the Royal Family as they clashed with the strict order of things within the institution.

They eventually made the decision to leave the Firm and move to the US in 2020, later attacking the family in an interview with Oprah Winfrey the following year.