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Friends of singer Liam Payne shared the star’s secret struggles with life away from One Direction after the band took a break in 2015 before his tragic death

Liam Payne’s friends previously shared the star’s secret struggles away from One Direction.

The singer, 31, was holidaying in Buenos Aires with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy when he fell from the third floor of a hotel. Police, firefighters and ambulances were seen outside of a hotel in the Argentina capital after Liam tragically fell. A body was found in an internal patio of the hotel.

The police were called to the hotel by the hotel manager. City ambulance service provider spokesman Alberto Crescenti said he had fallen around 40 metres and suffered “severe injuries which were incompatible with life.”

Earlier this year, the star was rushed to hospital when he was celebrating his one-year anniversary with 23-year-old girlfriend Kate Cassidy at the five star Mandarin Oriental hotel in Lake Como. Liam was reportedly “in agony” before he was rushed to hospital. A friend of Liam shared that the pop star had “struggled” with life after One Direction took a break in 2015.

Liam was part of the band from 2010 to 2015 ( 
Image:
WireImage)

The friend told The Sun: “It doesn’t come as a huge surprise — his lifestyle has been on a bit of a downward spiral for a while. Liam struggled so much in the band due to the heavy workload and being in the spotlight.” They shared Liam was in a bubble while in the band and the “restrictions really took their toll”. Adding: “His partying since the band’s break could well be a reaction to this.”

At the time, Liam’s 64-year-old mother Karen said she was feeling “helpless” while her son was in care in a foreign country more than 900 miles away. Speaking to the MailOnline, she said: “We are all worried sick about it but we just have to get on. It’s horrible – him being all the way over there. He’s in Milan and it sounds like he’ll be there for a week. I feel helpless.”

It was reported Liam had been rushed to hospital after suffering pain in his kidneys. A source told The Sun: “Liam is in a bad way but he’s in the best place he can be and finally doctors will be able to get to the bottom of what is going on. Naturally he is gutted that his and Kate’s trip to Lake Como has been ruined but at least she was there to help him when he fell ill.

Doctors have warned him not to expect to be signed off to go home for at least another six days.” It has been well documented that Liam has suffered from health issues ever since he was a newborn baby as he arrived into the world several weeks premature. Doctors discovered he had scarring on one of his kidneys and he was required to receive sixteen injections into each of his arms twice a day to keep him alive.

His health eventually improved as he grew older and he threw himself into sports to keep healthy. He later explained that his health scare as a baby gave him a clear perspective to live a healthier life. He said previously: “I have to be careful not to drink too much, even water, and I have to keep myself as healthy as possible.”

Singer Liam Payne issued a heartfelt message alongside a photo of One Direction on his Instagram page weeks before his tragic death aged 31

Liam Payne shared a photo of his time in One Direction before he died.

The singer, 31, was tragically found dead in a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Weeks before his death, the pop star took to Instagram to share a photo alongside his former bandmates. In what turned out to be his final post, the singer paid a tribute to American documentary filmmaker, writer and TV producer Morgan Spurlock.

Liam shared a photo of himself stood next to Morgan, Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik. Alongside the photo, Liam wrote: “Rest in peace Morgan Spurlock it was a pleasure working with you.” Fans flooded the post with tributes following the shock news of his death.

One fan said: “Please don’t tell me he passed away.” Another added: “tell me it’s not true.” Someone else commented: “rip liam.” The singer shot to fame as part of boy band One Direction after they were formed on the X Factor. He made his debut as a singer in 2008 when he auditioned for the ITV singing show.

Liam Payne’s final social media post

After being eliminated, he tried again as he auditioned for the 2010 series. He was put into a group alongside Niall Horan, Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, and Zayn Malik as they went on to become one of the world’s best-selling boy bands of all time.

The former One Direction star was holidaying in Buenos Aires with his girlfriend Kate Cassidy when he fell from the third floor of a hotel. La Nacion says the 31-year-old plunged from a hotel in the upmarket neighbourhood of Palermo. A body was found in an internal patio of the hotel. The police were called to the hotel by the hotel manager.

City ambulance service provider spokesman Alberto Crescenti said he had fallen around 40 metres and suffered “severe injuries which were incompatible with life.” In a statement, the local ambulance manager told TN: “At 17.04 through the 911 integrated public safety system, we were alerted of a person who was in an internal courtyard of the management of a south house hotel.

“At 17.11 a SAME team arrived and verified the death of this man and later we found out that he was a singer in a musical group. Unfortunately, he had injuries that were incompatible with life, as a result of his fall, so we had to confirm his death, there was no possibility of resuscitation.”

In recent weeks, Liam has been documenting his travels in Argentina and attended the concert of his former bandmate, Niall. Liam was just 16 when he was catapulted to stardom and became a member of the biggest boyband in the world.

Contestant moves Reba McEntire to tears, Snoop Dogg makes dramatic last-second bid for teen singer

Blind Auditions come to a close this week as a former contestant gets a second chance on Monday’s episode of “The Voice.”

Coaches Snoop Dogg and Reba McEntire had big moments on Monday’s episode of The Voice. (Trae Patton/NBC)

As Blind Auditions wound down on The Voice, the coaches got pickier when it came to which singers would fill the remaining spots on their teams. With only a handful of selections left for Reba McEntire, Gwen Stefani, Michael Bublé and Snoop Dogg, Monday’s episode marked a crucial point in the competition where strategy and wit became vital pieces of the puzzle.

Season 26’s penultimate audition round didn’t disappoint — with a flurry of four-chair turns, a last-second decision by Snoop and another chance granted for a former Voice contestant. Meanwhile, Bublé used the final Coach Replay of the season, and McEntire quietly welcomed three more artists to her growing team.

Which singers made it to the next round on The Voice? Here are the standout musical acts of Monday’s episode.

Impressive four-chair turn

Nonbinary queer singer Cameron Wright, who uses they/them pronouns, opened the episode. They earned an instant four-chair turn with their cover of “The Way We Were” by Barbra Streisand, which was dedicated to their late grandmother who raised them. Wright’s experience singing with Stevie Wonder and touring with their gospel singer mother showed in their powerful performance, landing immediate praise from the coaches. “You came in and just sliced the air out of the room. Not one moment wasn’t perfect,” Stefani said, while Bublé declared that Wright was going to make it “to the damn finals.”

When Wright chose Team Bublé, the Canadian crooner was visibly surprised. It was Bublé’s feedback that prompted Wright to make the decision. “They were one of the greatest singers I have ever heard in my life. I mean, truly,” Bublé said. “That voice is sensational.”

An honorable mention goes to Lauren-Michael Sellers, whose performance of Hillsong United’s “Oceans (Where My Feet May Fail),” scored a four-chair turn, moving McEntire to tears and lighting a fire within Stefani, who spoke about her emotional connection to the worship song. Sellers picked Team Reba.

Dramatic last-second turn

It seemed as if Eliza Pryor would not make it past the Blind Auditions, but Snoop Dogg continued to live up to his “wild card” moniker and pressed his button at the last possible second. The rapper saw enough potential in the teen singer’s rendition of the Cranberries’ “Linger” to make her a member of Team Snoop. Pryor’s youthfulness didn’t faze him. Instead, he saw what was possible for her musically. “I see that you can go to a lot of different places with your voice.”

Bublé admitted he didn’t push his button because he was uncertain about Pryor’s range, and Stefani noted that she didn’t showcase her vocal strength until the end of the performance.

Michael Bublé uses the last Coach Replay

McEntire, Stefani and Snoop all used up their Coach Replay powers, so it was up to Bublé to decide when to use his. The lucky candidate was folk singer Mark Shiiba, who didn’t receive any initial chair turns but was described by Snoop as “a triple threat” after he impressed the panel with his harmonica and guitar-playing skills. Singing Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right,” it was Shiiba’s unique “character voice,” as Stefani called it, that made Bublé rethink his decision, ultimately using his one-and-only Coach Replay.

Once Bublé put all of his cards in Shiiba’s basket, he saw value in the singer’s distinct vocal stylings. “This guy might be a star. This guy might be [one of] those unique Americana singers,” he said. “I knew that I had made a mistake before the chair ever turned around. [He] got his second chance today.”

A deserving second chance

After receiving no chair turns when she first auditioned in Season 21, hopeful Camryn Brooks came back for a second go on The Voice. Performing “Light On” by Maggie Rogers, Brooks was proof that second chances do exist, earning a four-chair turn. It was a full-circle moment for Brooks, who had developed a heart condition called myocarditis after her first appearance on The Voice and trained for three years with her doctors to be able to sing a complete song.

In the coaches’ evaluation of her performance, Bublé said his favorite part was “you losing it because that’s such a human thing,” referencing her visceral excitement mid-song over the chair turns. Stefani praised Brooks’s “round,” “soothing” voice. In the end, Brooks chose Team Gwen.

Who turns our chair

It was an embarrassment of riches on Monday’s episode, but our pick goes to Kay Sibal, a Los Angeles-based Filipino American singer whose Voice audition coincided with the three-year anniversary of her father’s death. Already emotional due to the timing of everything, Sibal put her own jazzy spin on Laufey’s “From the Start,” which Bublé immediately picked up on. He pressed his button, along with Stefani and Snoop, teeing up one of the more intense coach showdowns so far.

“You made that song so yours,” Bublé said, imploring Sibal to pick him as her coach because of his knowledge of the pop-jazz world. Stefani commented on her potential and positivity, which she said was apparent in the performance, while McEntire complimented the “lightness” in her voice. Though it seemed as if Sibal and Bublé were a match made in heaven, she ended up picking Stefani as her coach. “She was so excited, she was so hopeful and grateful to be here. People like that are the kind of people I want to work with.”

Quote of the night

“You may be the mack daddy, but I’m the macaroni daddy,” Bublé quipped while battling with Snoop over contestant Mary McAvoy, who wowed both coaches with her rendition of Jessie Ware’s “Say You Love Me.” To compete with Snoop’s blinged-out Death Row necklace, Bublé whipped out homemade pasta jewelry to persuade McAvoy to join his team. His attempt was unsuccessful. “Maybe we should rethink this,” Bublé said after putting on his edible necklace.

A look ahead at the next episode

The final night of Blind Auditions is upon us, so expectations will be high as the coaches’ teams are nearly complete. For those keeping track, there are only a few open spots: Team Reba, Team Gwen and Team Snoop each have two left, while Team Bublé has three. Which lucky singers will fill out the coaches’ teams? We’ll find out in less than 24 hours.

‘The Voice’ Fans Complain There’s Too Much Country Music on Show

NBC/YouTube

The Voice has always welcomed singers from across multiple genres, but some viewers think the current 25th season is starting to lean too heavily into country music.

This rise in country music on the show could be explained by two (technically, three) of the coaches being country artists, including Reba McEntire, the Queen of Country, and country pop duo Dan + Shay. Hip-hop artist Chance the Rapper and R&B/soul singer John Legend fill the other two chairs.

But it’s not just the coaches; this season has also seen an increase in auditionees focusing on country music, including the likes of Tae Lewis, Dani Stacy, Josh Sanders, Devon Sutterfield, Karen Waldrup, Rob Cole, and more.

“Too much country on #TheVoice so far I know many enjoy it but I personally can’t tolerate it,” wrote one viewer on X (formerly Twitter).

“The more country, the worse for the show. But they still don’t get it #TheVoice,” said another.

Another asked, “Is The Voice becoming a show for country music artists? That’s all that seems to audition lately.”

“This show has turned into the voice country,” said another, adding, “Now it’s even more the voice country after last week.”

“So the Voice this year is just country. Got it. Logs out,” said another commenter.

“I can’t be the only person annoyed that Country Western (CW) is overshadowing everything,” wrote one fan on The Voice Reddit forum. “If CW had its own show it would be better. If the music industry picked the winner it would also be better. America voting is a train wreck.”

Despite the surge in country artists on the show, The Voice has a long history with the genre. Country superstar Blake Shelton served as a coach for 23 seasons and held the record for most wins. Nine of Shelton’s victories came with country artists, including Cassadee Pope, Danielle Bradbery, Craig Wayne Boyd, and Brice Leatherwood.

Former coach Kelly Clarkson also won the show with country contestants Chevel Shepherd and Jake Hoot.

Not everyone was against the show’s country vibes, though, as one X user wrote, “If you don’t like it then don’t watch it. I love it but then again I like country music.”

Others had bigger issues, with one fan writing, “What bothers me more than Country singers is people who already have music careers and are earning a living as singers.”

The above statement comes after Grammy-nominated Bryan Olesen, the former lead guitarist for the Christian rock band Newsboys, made it through the Blind Auditions on Monday, March 5.

What do you think? Are there too many country artists on The Voice? Let us know in the comment section below.

Living well is the best revenge, or so the saying goes.

For Princess Diana, revenge took the form of an off-the-shoulder, form-fitting, silk dress that made history when she wore it 30 years ago today.

On the night Prince Charles admitted to his affair with Camilla, Diana slipped on the little black number by designer Christina Stambolian to send her own message.

As Charles revealed his sin to presenter Jonathan Dimbleby in a TV interview, Diana wore the Revenge Dress – as it was quickly dubbed – for her attendance at a glitzy fundraising dinner at the Serpentine Gallery.

Charles’s conversation was hugely newsworthy. Having been asked if he had been ‘faithful and honourable’, the future King said ‘yes’, before adding: ‘Until (the marriage) became irretrievably broken down, us both having tried.’

But it was Diana’s ‘response’ in the form of her choice of dress – in a colour that the royals reserved for mourning – which made even more of an impact.

Royal writer Tina Brown even described it in her 2007 book The Diana Chronicles as her ‘f***-you dress’, and newspapers at the time agreed.

The Mail reported: ‘Charles blusters as Diana dazzles’.

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Princess Diana wore the the iconic black number which is now known as the revenge dress, designed by Christina Stambolian, on June 29, 1994, to the Serpentine Gallery

Princess Diana filmed wearing ‘revenge dress’ in 1994

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At the time, her estranged husband Charles was being broadcasted on television around the nation being interviewed about his infidelity with Camilla Parker-Bowles

Diana only wore Stambolian’s dress that night because rival designer Valentino had leaked that the Princess would be wearing one of his designs.

So in making the last-minute swap, a dress that had sat in her wardrobe gathering dust for three years became one of the most famous in history.

She had bought the dress for £900 from Stambolian’s shop after lunching with her brother Charles Spencer at her favourite restaurant, the now-closed San Lorenzo, before wandering down Beauchamp Place in Knightsbridge and walking into Stambolian’s shop.

Christina Stambolian remembered Princess Diana asking for a ‘special dress for a special occasion’ in her store back in 1991, according to Claudia Joseph’s book, Diana: A Life in Dresses.

Stambolian previously recalled how Diana was initially unsure about the revealing design – and wanted it in cream rather than black.

She said: ‘We sat down, and I drew a few sketches on a piece of paper.’

‘The dress was revealing, quite short and showed quite a bit of leg and flesh. Diana was not sure about it. She thought it was a bit risqué. She wanted everything more covered up, longer and the neck higher.

‘I told her she had good legs, and she should show them. “Why not be daring?” I said. She asked her brother [Charles] and he said: “Do what you think is right.” Finally, she said “yes” to the style then we moved on to the colour.

‘I had black in my mind, but she wanted cream. To me Diana was a black and white sort of person. I didn’t like her in the pale pinks and blues with lots of beading.’

It took two dressmakers took more than 60 hours to create the outfit.

Stambolian said she was ‘thrilled to see Diana wear it on that night of all nights.’

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The sketch of Princess Diana’s revenge dress by Christina Stambolian taken from the book Diana: A Life in Dresses by Claudia Joseph

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The revenge dress is made up of an asymmetrical hem, with a flattering sheer tail which dangles from the cinched waist

Referencing Swan Lake – one of Princess Diana’s favourite plays – Ms Stambolian added: ‘She chose not to play the scene like Odette, innocent in white. She was clearly angry.

‘She played it like Odile in black. She wore bright red nail enamel, which we had never seen her do before. She was saying: “Let’s be wicked tonight.”

The dress featured an asymmetrical hem, with a flattering sheer tail which dangled from the cinched waist.

With a flirty sweetheart neckline, Diana turned heads as she paired the dress with sheer tights, stilettos and her beloved pearl and sapphire choker.

The choker originally been a brooch given to her by the Queen Mother.

Diana’s little black dress was daring in many ways.

By opting for a shorter evening look in black – a colour that the Royal Family typically reserved for mourning – the Princess was stepping away from the traditional code of dress.

The outfit represented the death of her marriage as she moved away from her life as a royal and emerged as a new woman.

While three years prior the princess had been too nervous to wear it because it was ‘too daring’, that night it was the perfect fit.

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The Daily Mail’s coverage of Princess Diana’s iconic revenge dress at the time in 1994

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Prince Charles, confessed to being unfaithful to Diana in an interview with Jonathan Dimbleby (left) on 29 June, 1994

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Mr Dimbleby asked Charles if he had been ‘faithful’ to Diana to which he replied ‘Yes,’ and added: ‘Until (the marriage) became irretrievably broken down, us both having tried’

It was everything that any other royal woman wouldn’t have worn to a public event.

Photographer Mark Saunders, the author of Dicing with Di, told the 1997 documentary Diana: In Search of Happiness: ‘Everyone remembers the night of the Dimbleby interview when Prince Charles admitted an affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles and look how Diana turned up at the Serpentine Gallery.

‘I mean my God that was brilliant and I applaud her for it, I thought it was great. But that’s what Diana does, she manipulates and she’s very good at it.’

Diana’s late former stylist Anna Harvey told the 2013 documentary Princess Diana’s Dresses: The Auction, that she wanted to hold her head high in what she chose to wear that evening.

Ms Harvey said: ‘She wanted to look a million dollars. And she did.’ The stylist also wrote in Vogue that it ‘thrilled’ the Princess to make an impact.

But the decision did not come easy to Diana, according to Paul Burrell, her former butler.

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Princess Diana talking to the designer who created the revenge dress, Christina Stambolian (in black jacket)

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Christina Stambolian (pictured) says she remembered Princess Diana asking for a ‘special dress for a special occasion’ in her store back in 1991

He told the Channel 5 documentary, Secrets of the Royal Dressmakers: ‘She said, “I can’t go, I can’t face the world knowing what Charles has just said.

“And anyway I haven’t got anything to wear.” I went to her wardrobe room and pulled out the Christina Stambolian dress, and showed it to her.’

He also added that she was worried that the slinky dress would not fit her anymore, having bought it three years prior.

He said: ‘I zipped her up and she looked a million dollars.’

And for a couple of hours, at least, her husband’s television confession was forgotten as all eyes were on Diana.

His lively ‘dad dancing’ at Taylor Swift‘s Wembley concert earlier this month left royal fans in hysterics.

Prince William clearly enjoyed bobbing along to the popstar’s hit song, Shake It Off, from her album 1989.

But the Prince of Wales is far from the first royal to showcase their (not always spectacular) moves.

Over the years, members of the Royal Family have let their guard down and displayed their sense of rhythm in public.

In fact, everyone from Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana to Kate Middleton and Camilla has been captured joining in the fun.

Royal Swiftie! Prince William dances to Shake It Off at Wembley

Catherine, Princess of Wales

During the royal tour of the Caribbean with Prince William in 2022, Kate enjoyed dancing with the residents of Hopkins, Belize.

The small town is home to the Garifuna community, who couldn’t resist involving Kate in traditional jiving.

The mother-of-three could be seen playfully shimmying towards her husband, while he watched on with a huge beam on his face.

Kate Middleton flirtily dances with Prince William in Belize

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Kate enjoyed dancing with the residents of Hopkins in Belize during her royal tour of the Caribbean in 2022

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh

The Duchess of Edinburgh showed off her dance moves as she joined members of the Royal Family at King Charles’s Coronation Concert last May.

Wearing a coral Beulah dress and with a Union Jack flag in hand, Sophie showed off her free-spirited moves while singing along to Lionel Richie‘s hit tune, All Night Long.

Royal fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to praise her carefree nature, with one fan claiming she is ‘all of us who couldn’t attend the concert but wanted to.’

Duchess of Edinburgh on her feet for Take That coronation finale

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Sophie showed off her free-spirited moves while singing along to Lionel Richie ‘s hit tune, ‘All Night Long’ at King Charles’s Coronation Concert last May

Queen Elizabeth II

Queen Elizabeth hosted the annual Ghillies Ball for Balmoral staff and the local community each October.

BBC footage from the 1991 ball shows the monarch enthusiastically partaking in traditional Scottish dancing alongside Prince Philip, Prince Andrew, Princess Anne, Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana

The clip begins with Her Majesty waving a finger at Prince Philip, then taking his hands and dancing with him, before it cuts to Princess Diana holding hands with guests and dancing.

Members of the Royal Family then gather around the Queen in a circle, referred to as the Eightsome Reel, as she twirls in the centre.

Queen dances with Princess Diana and her mother at the Ghillies Ball

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Queen Elizabeth hosted the annual Ghillies Ball for Balmoral staff and the local community each October. Footage from the 1991 ball shows the monarch enthusiastically partaking in traditional Scottish dancing

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Prince Phillip and Queen Elizabeth take part in the Scottish country dancing called the Eightsome Reel

King Charles

In 1985, the then Prince Charles made history when he attempted to breakdance during a visit to Middleton-on-Sea in Sussex.

While dressed in a smart double-breasted suit, Charles busted out his moves in front of a crowd of onlookers.

The moment was even immortalised in Netflix’s The Crown.

Hilarious footage of the then Prince Charles breakdancing in 1985

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Charles attempted to breakdance during a visit to Middleton-on-Sea in 1985

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The then Prince danced with gusto as he was cheered on from the sidelines

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

Following his DJ set at the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s wedding in 2011, Idris Elba revealed that Meghan had been the best dancer at the reception.

‘I think Meghan was the one that was really like letting it go,’ the Luther actor told ET Canada.

‘You know, she was real… she just had a lot of fun. It was her wedding. So she had the greatest time.’

Among Meghan’s requested songs for the event were Still by Dr Dre and Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody.

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Idris Elba revealed that Meghan Markle was the best dancer at her 2018 wedding reception after he performed a DJ set at the event. Above: Meghan and Harry dancing at their wedding reception

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Among Meghan’s requested songs for the event were Still by Dr Dre and Whitney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody

Prince Louis

Much to his sister’s annoyance, Prince Louis burst into a dance in full view of royal fans during Trooping the Colour earlier this month.

He was watching proceedings with his mother Kate and siblings Prince George and Princess Charlotte from a window in the Horse Guards building.

When he started jiving, Charlotte appeared to order him to ‘stop’.

Moment Princess Charlotte appears to tell Louis to stop dancing

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Much to his sister’s annoyance, Prince Louis burst into a dance in full view of royal fans during Trooping the Colour earlier this month

Queen Camilla

Queen Camilla and Len Goodman impressed onlookers when they swayed across the dancefloor during a charity function in London in 2019.

The event, held by the British Dance Council in conjunction with The Royal Osteoporosis Society in 2019, was intended to demonstrate how beneficial dancing can be for your bone health.

2019: Watch Len Goodman dance with huge Strictly fan Camilla

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Camilla showed off her dancing skills when she was swept onto the floor by Len Goodman in 2019

Afterwards, Mr Goodman said: ‘It was my favourite kind of dance. Holding a lovely lady and having a nice little shuffle around.

‘She had great rhythm. It was lovely dancing one on one with her.’

In an impromptu speech, the royal said: ‘I can’t tell you how much I’ve enjoyed this morning. I love dancing.

‘I have a granddaughter who is passionate about it and maybe we will see her on Strictly one day.

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The pair danced at the Victory Services Club in London

Prince Harry 

Prince Harry certainly isn’t afraid of the dancefloor – as his wedding reception proved.

But he also showed off his skills during his tour of the Caribbean and Brazil in 2012.

Within hours of arriving in Belize, Harry was whisked to a street party in the capital city of Belmopan, where he was challenged by the city’s mayor.

He said: ‘I have been forewarned you are an outgoing person who is a good dancer!’

Harry set about confidently dancing with a local woman. At one point, he expertly spun her away and continued jiving to the reggae music.

The Prince, who appeared to enjoy the experience, later said: ‘I’m just glad my brother isn’t here as he would want to do it and that wouldn’t be cool.’

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Prince Harry certainly isn’t afraid of the dancefloor – as his wedding reception proved. But he also showed off his skills during his tour of the Caribbean and Brazil in 2012. Above: Dancing with a local woman in Belize

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Harry took part after being challenged by the city’s mayor who said that he had been told he was a ‘good dancer’

Princess Diana

All eyes were on Princess Diana as she twirled around the dancefloor with her husband in 1988.

The Princess, who dazzled in a floral Catherine Walker gown, put on an animated display with Charles at the glamorous ball in Sydney.

Princess Diana dazzles on the dance floor with Charles in 1988

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Princess Diana wowed crowds in Sydney when she danced with Prince Charles in 1988

It came three years after her famous dance with John Travolta and other stars at a ball at the White House during a royal tour of the US.

Diana jived with Travolta for 20 minutes to songs from his hit films Grease and Saturday Night Fever and then danced with Magnum PI star Tom Selleck.

She also took to the floor with Hollywood great Clint Eastwood.

The Princess had a passion for dance and had dreamed of becoming a ballerina before she became too tall.

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Dressed in a blue velvet Victor Edelstein gown, Princess Diana made history when she danced with John Travolta at the White House in 1985

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Diana also danced with Magnum PI’s Tom Selleck at the White House in 1985

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Princess Diana later danced with Hollywood great Clint Eastwood, whilst Selleck to the floor with US First Lady Nancy Reagan

Princess Beatrice

Princess Beatrice was snapped being whisked around the floor at a ball in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity in 2013.

The royal sported a beaming smile as she was dipped and twirled on the otherwise empty dancefloor.

Beatrice, who has loved ballet from a young age, has reportedly continued her passion as a way to keep fit in recent years.

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Princess Beatrice was snapped being whisked around the floor at a ball in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity in 2013

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She managed a big smile as she was dipped and twirled on the otherwise empty dancefloor at the Adventure in Wonderland Ball

Sarah Ferguson has shared a touching tribute to her late friend and former sister-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales.

The royal, who was once married to the then-Prince Charles, would be 63-years-old today.

Meanwhile, Fergie was married to Prince Andrew. However, the two met as teenagers, before they married Queen Elizabeth II‘s sons.

Sharing her poignant message on Instagram today, Sarah wrote: ‘Happy birthday to my dear friend, Diana.

‘You were a pillar of light and love. And what a legacy you have left behind. I will forever remember our laughter and the kindred, kind spirit I found in you. I am sure you are watching over us always. Rest in peace my friend.’

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Sarah Ferguson (pictured, left) shared this image of herself and ‘kindred spirit’ Diana, Princess of Wales (pictured, right) on Instagram today, to mark the late royal’s birthday

The Duchess of York accompanied the photograph with a touching message, in which she described her friend as ‘a pillar of light and love’

The Duchess of York, 63, has previously spoken about the close bond she shared with the late Princess of Wales, denying the rift rumours that had swirled around the pair.

Speaking to People magazine in 2021, Sarah said: ‘We promised each other we would always be together – there was never any daylight between us,

‘But everybody wanted that because we were so strong together. People want to break something so strong.’

Sarah said the two were ‘best friends’ and that she called the Princess of Wales ‘Duch’.

‘She taught me so much of public life. She was so brave. We used to have the most incredible time together,’ Sarah added.

Speaking about her old friend as an aunt and mother, Sarah said that Diana ‘adored’ her sons Princes William and Harry, as well as adoring Sarah’s two daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.

She added that Diana would be ‘very proud’ of both her sons and their ‘wonderful’ wives, and would be ‘completed obsessed with her five grandchildren, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

Taking to Sarah’s post from today, a number of her followers shared their own tributes to the late princess.

Sarah’s followers took to the comment section, to share their own tributes to both the late Princess and Sarah

One wrote: ‘You could have been 63 but you remained 36, Blessed Heavenly Birthday Our Queen Of Hearts! Rip Princess Diana.’

Another added: ‘Two wonderful women that supported each other separated too soon. Best friends.’

A third wrote: ‘I think she found support and relief in your company. Happy birthday Diana.’

In a similar vein, another Instagram user said: ‘Duchess, what a beautiful photo and what deep words.’

And a fifth added: ‘You two would be having so much fun right now [if] she was still here.’

Inter Miami is finalizing a deal to sign Ecuadorian defensive midfielder Dixon Arroyo, an experienced,

hard-nosed player who is being added to replace injured team captain Gregore, expected to miss six months with a leg injury.

Arroyo, 30, previously played for Ecuadorian club Emelec. He is known for his physicality, courage to take on tackles and his leadership skills,

which make him a natural to step in for Gregore. Arroyo also has played for Ecuador’s national team, where he was a teammate of Inter Miami forward Leo Campana.

Emelec released Arroyo from his contract on Saturday, the player flew to South Florida over the weekend and was undergoing the team physical on Monday,

according to multiple team sources. Once his paperwork is done, he will begin training with the team, likely by the end of the week.

Inter Miami is mired in a five-game losing slump after starting the season with a pair of wins. The latest loss was 1-0 at home to FC Dallas on Saturday night. Gregore’s absence has been noticeable, and the addition of Arroyo is expected to bolster that area of the field. The team is off this weekend and plays next April 22 on the road against Houston.

Bryce Duke, typically an attacking midfielder, has been taking on a more defensive role in recent weeks as a stop-gap, but that is not his natural position.

Before joining Emelec in 2018, Arroyo played for Independiente del Valla, LDU Loja and Deportivo Quito. He made his Ecuador national team debut in March 2021 against Bolivia. He bid farewell to his teammates through an Instagram post, which read, in part: “Every beginning has an end. I appreciate all my teammates and coaches who have been part of my time at this marvelous club, which gave me the opportunity play here. I will always take these colors (blue and white) in my heart. I wish success to this club, where I was very happy day to day, in every training session and game, where I gave my maximum.”

Joe Lycett has shared a statement in response to reports claiming he previously played live shows in Qatar,

after publicly criticising David Beckham for accepting an ambassadorship role with the country.

On Monday evening, The Sun published an article with the headline: “Joe Lycett played gigs in Qatar and Dubai – despite blasting David Beckham for being paid to go there.”

In the piece, they claim that the stand-up comic performed shows in Qatar seven years ago, which Joe addressed on social media the following morning.

“Oops! I’ve been caught out by The Sun!” he joked, before stating he’d done “two gigs in Doha in 2015 and kept it entirely secret by writing about in my own book

and mentioning it in multiple interviews, including with the NY Times”.

Setting the record straight, he continued: “If you’re interested, I was paid a few hundred quid (not by Qatar but by UK comedy promoters) but it was 2015 and that went a lot further back then.

“I reckon that if a popular comedian from those days (eg Shane Ritchie) had shredded a few hundred quid to persuade me not to go, it would have made a difference.

“But who can say? I don’t have the perfect hindsight and spotless morality of, to pick a completely random example, The Sun newspaper.”

Last month, the stand-up comedian publicly criticised David Beckham for accepting a role reported to be worth £100 million to serve as an ambassador for Qatar during the 2022 World Cup.

A mural of David Beckham near the Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar

In a video posted on social media, Joe claimed that if David pulled out of the deal he would donate £10K of his own money to charities supporting LGBTQ+ people – but if he didn’t, the comic would shred the money instead.

When David failed to pull out of the deal – or even acknowledge Joe’s video – the former Great British Sewing Bee host appeared to hold up his end of the deal, sharing a video of him throwing £10K into a shredder.

However, he later confirmed that the whole thing was a stunt.

David finally referenced the situation via a statement from his publicist last week, which said: “David has been involved in a number of World Cups and other major international tournaments both as a player and an ambassador and he’s always believed that sport has the power to be a force for good in the world.

“Football, the most popular sport globally, has a genuine ability to bring people together and make a real contribution to communities.

“We understand that there are different and strongly held views about engagement in the Middle East but see it as positive that debate about the key issues has been stimulated directly by the first World Cup being held in the region.

“We hope that these conversations will lead to greater understanding and empathy towards all people and that progress will be achieved.”

Joe isn’t the only public figure to have called out David for his Qatar deal, with former Great British Bake Off star John Whaite stating: “I think it’s disgusting, he’s cheapening himself.”

Meanwhile, pop singer Will Young said: “The decision to take the alleged £150 million over 15 years is greedy enough, the burying of your head in the sand from you, your team and your advisers is repellent and cowardice personified.”

Victoria Beckham took to Instagram with a sweet message for Nicola Peltz, the wife of her eldest son with David Beckham, Brooklyn, 25.

The 29-year-old actress recently confirmed her grandmother ‘Naunni’ had tragically passed away.

Just a few weeks later, Nicola took to social media again to announce that her beloved dog Nala had died.

“If life couldn’t get any worse, my angel Nala passed away tonight out of nowhere,” she wrote, before thanking the vet who “stood by her side”.

Nicola has since taken to Instagram to share that she is “investigating the situation” after Nala died suddenly following a session with a groomer.

She alleged that the groomer “isn’t cooperating with our investigation” and penned her dog “deserves better than this heartbreaking ending”.

Her mother-in-law Victoria shared Nicola’s post and added a supportive message below the statement.

“Thinking about you at this difficult time, we love you,” she wrote.

The actress’ post has been shared by a number of other family members and friends, which she in turn added to her Instagram Stories.

Nicola also revealed she’s not alone as fans have messaged her directly to share similar “horrifying experiences”.

“The response to the tragedy in my comments, dm’s and texts from others that detail similar horrifying experiences with their animals and groomers has shocked me to my core,” she said.

“Never in my wildest nightmares could I have imagined other families experiencing the same pain and horror.”