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  • Phillip Schofield brands three ITV ex-colleagues ‘sh***’ and says there was ‘no loyalty’

    Phillip Schofield brands three ITV ex-colleagues ‘sh***’ and says there was ‘no loyalty’

    Phillip Schofield has launched a furious tirade against three unnamed ex-colleagues at ITV, branding two ‘cowards’ and another ‘brand orientated’ after his affair was exposed

    Phillip Schofield blasts a trio of people at ITV as “three sh*ts” – in an angry attack where he claims there was no loyalty for him at the channel.

     

    Schofield quit the channel in May 2023 after it emerged he had been having an affair with a younger male staff member on This Morning, something he had previously denied. But there is furious anger reserved for execs and possibly for his co-host Holly Willoughby who he is understood to no longer be friends with.

    Sat by the fire after a few days on a remote island filming his new Channel 5 series, Schofield starts by saying that when he started at the BBC as a booking clerk at 19, he first was able to go to Television Centre, where ITV’s This Morning was later filmed, and he “loved being there”.

    He added: “When what happened to me happened to me, it screwed up my favourite building in the world, and it pretty well blew away all those happy memories, and suddenly the place became hostile to me, and that was heartbreaking. And the people who did it to me, know, they know how important that building was to me. They know that when you throw someone under a bus, you’ve got to have a really bloody good reason to do it. Brand, ambition is not good enough. It’s not a good enough reason to throw someone under a bus.”

    Pausing to put more wood on the fire and seemingly enjoying expressing his true feelings, he then turns up the heat and says: “I was just thinking there as I was collecting wood. There are only three sh*ts. One of them is a coward who never stepped up in queue gate. One of them is a coward because they never stepped up when I was being battered by one journalist….and the other one is just brand orientated. Not what you expect, not what you think you’re going to get. When it all came to a sudden and very abrupt end, questions were asked about our toxic environment in parliament!”Undated handout photo issued by Paramount of Phillip Schofield on an island off the coast of Madagascar, on Channel 5's Cast Away.
    Phillip Schofield does some soul searching on the remote island 
    Image:
    PA)
    He insisted there were a few “tricky people” but the toxicity was exaggerated. Continuing with his complaints he added: “When you’ve given so much to somewhere and been so loyal, to have absolutely no loyalty shown to you. I know what I did was unwise, not sensible. But is it enough to absolutely destroy someone? Literally destroy them.”

    Schofield appears to be livid that he was not supported more when he and Holly were criticised when they visited the late Queen Elizabeth II’s lying in state without queuing. They used media passes and received criticism in some quarters. They were defended by the chief executive of ITV, Dame Carolyn McCall, who stressed the pair had been attending as members of the media to film a segment for This Morning.

    When he was dropped by his talent agency YMU on the same day he resigned from ITV after more than three decades with the company, he says he was “suicidal”. Schofield added: “They sent me what looked like a cut and pasted text, (saying) ‘this time we’ll have to let you go’.”

    The presenter says he knows people will claim he is having a “mad rant”, but he does not “care any more” as he has “nothing to lose”. In another scene whilst fishing on the island, he could be referring to Holly again when he says: “People just went who I thought were my friends and they just went. And that’s like ‘what the hell?’.”

    Schofield and Holly worked side by side for 14 years on This Morning but have not been seen together since he left the show or shared comments or photos on social media, a sharp contrast to their previous behaviour where they would regularly go out and eat at each other’s houses.

    File photo dated 01/03/18 of This Morning presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield during a photocall at the ITV Studios, Southbank, London.
    Schofield appears to take a swipe at his former This Morning co-star 
    In further comments which could be about Holly or other This Morning staff members, shamed Schofield says: “It is hard to come to terms with the fact that the people you thought you knew were not the people that you knew. They had completely different agendas.”

    He insists he doesn’t need “200 fake friends” possibly referring to many people within the TV industry who no longer speak to him and now has 10-15 friends he “would die for”. Warming to the attack on old friends and acquaintances at ITV, Schofield went on to say he doesn’t care what the reaction is when people view the programme.

    He adds: “The good thing is, when you do a programme like this and you do it just for yourself, you have nothing to lose. They’ve taken pretty much everything. Reputation, dignity, legacy, everything away. I’m not bleating Im getting it off my chest. And I’ve said my piece. Any anyone who’s bitter about that, honestly you can f**k off cause I don’t give a sh*t. I quit. Mic drop.”

    The attack, which could also be aimed at execs from This Morning or ITV Daytime who did not support him, comes in episode two of the series of Phillip Schofield : Cast Away and follows scenes in the opening show where he also mocked Holly. He asked his family “If you’re okay, then we’re okay and I’m Okay. Are you okay?” Holly famously asked this question ‘Are you OK’ of viewers after Schofield quit This Morning, which some people found a cringey intro to the show..

    Many people in the TV industry believe this Channel 5 series is Schofield’s attempt to return to television, where he had worked for four decades. But he insists whilst on the island that it is not his plan to be back, certainly not on a daytime TV show like This Morning anyway.

    Schofield on the island
    Schofield doesn’t expect to return to TVHe states: “You expect your life to follow a path? I honestly thought, you know. I’m going to die on live television, hopefully at 93. But then you know it. It’s gone. And it’s not the way you planned it to be. It’s not the life you expected.” He adds: “Look I love telly. I’ve got telly in my bones but I won’t sit on a sofa again. I’m not going to do that again. There are people I won’t work with again. Some people I won’t work with again. I’ve been hurt so badly by that sort of telly, that you get to a point where you think ‘I don’t want to do it anymore’.”

    In a lighter moment on the show he says often on family holidays he would build chairs on the beach out of sand and he tried to create one of his desert island. But something goes slightly wrong with the design and laughing he says it looks more like a grave. He says: Maybe this is what retirement feels like? And I absolutely refuse to you know sit in a rocking chair and do nothing. I want to explore. Maybe getting to this stage in your life is about setting new challenges.” He adds: “Things didn’t turn out the way you thought they might. So you have got to look elsewhere.”

    The experience gets even better for him when he successfully catches fish and crabs and full of energy climbs to the highest point on the island. He becomes tearful at the top of Ankarea mountain. Reflecting on the moment he says: “When anyone says to me where’s the favourite place you have ever been? It will never change, from now on – it’s this!”

    * Phillip Schofield: Cast Away begins airs at 9pm on Monday on Channel 5, and will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday at the same time.

  • King and Queen `utterly shocked and horrified´ by `senseless attack´ in Sydney

    King and Queen `utterly shocked and horrified´ by `senseless attack´ in Sydney

    The King has said he and the Queen were “utterly shocked and horrified” by the “senseless attack” in Sydney.

    Charles, the monarch of Australia, added that the royal couple’s “hearts go out to the families and loved ones of those who have been so brutally killed”.

    In a personal social media post, the Prince and Princess of Wales said they were “shocked and saddened” by the stabbings, adding that their thoughts are with those affected and the “heroic emergency responders who risked their own lives to save others”.

    It has been reported that Charles plans to tour Australia later this year, in the autumn, accompanied by Camilla.

    The King’s most recent visit to the country was to open the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018.

    His first official visit to Australia was as his mother’s representative at the memorial service of prime minister Harold Holt in 1967

    Charles has made a total of 16 visits to Australia, on 15 of which he either accompanied or represented his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

    As monarch of Australia, Charles is represented at the federal level by the governor-general of the country, which is currently David Hurley.

    (PA Graphics)
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    (PA Graphics)

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    In a statement, the King said: “My wife and I were utterly shocked and horrified to hear of the tragic stabbing incident in Bondi.

    “Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of those who have been so brutally killed during such a senseless attack.

    “While details of these shocking circumstances are still emerging, our thoughts are also with those who were involved in the response, and we give thanks for the bravery of the first responders and emergency services.”

    In a personal social media post, William and Kate wrote: “We are shocked and saddened by the terrible events in Sydney earlier today.

    “Our thoughts are with all those affected, including the loved ones of those lost and the heroic emergency responders who risked their own lives to save others. W & C”

    The Royal Family has a long association with Australia and has forged close links with its people and institutions during many trips to the country.

    Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales toured the country in 1983 and were pictured with their son William, then just an infant.

    Eleven years later when Charles visited Sydney, he witnessed dramatic scenes when a student was wrestled to the ground after firing a starting pistol as the royal stood to make a speech.

    Between 1954 and 2011, Queen Elizabeth II visited Australia 16 times, including a 1973 trip in which she opened the world famous Sydney Opera House.

  • This arts-loving royal, who turns 60 today, was born in a palace but lives in a terraced house! (A posh one, naturally). She was a big favourite of Queen Elizabeth and King Charles

    This arts-loving royal, who turns 60 today, was born in a palace but lives in a terraced house! (A posh one, naturally). She was a big favourite of Queen Elizabeth and King Charles

    When she was born at Kensington Palace on May 1, 1964, Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones was seventh in the line of succession.

    Weighing 6lb and 2oz, she was the first direct descendant of a sovereign in 145 years – since Queen Victoria‘s birth in 1819 – to have been born at Kensington Palace.

    And  the last royal to be born in a palace rather than a hospital.

    Her father, Anthony Armstrong-Jones, was not present for the birth but arrived an hour afterwards. Beaming, he then told the press: ‘She’s a super baby’.

    Lady Sarah, pictured shortly after her birth, was the last Royal baby to be born in a palace and not a hosptital
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    Lady Sarah, pictured shortly after her birth, was the last Royal baby to be born in a palace and not a hosptital

    Princess Margaret with her children Lady Sarah on her lap and Viscount Linley as they left Liverpool Street Station in 1968 on their way back from a trip to Sandringham
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    Princess Margaret with her children Lady Sarah on her lap and Viscount Linley as they left Liverpool Street Station in 1968 on their way back from a trip to Sandringham

    Prince Edward, right, at the nursery school in Buckingham Palace with his cousin Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, centre
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    Prince Edward, right, at the nursery school in Buckingham Palace with his cousin Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones, centre

    Lady Sarah Armstrong-jones Arriving For A Performance Of Cinderella in 1976
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    Lady Sarah Armstrong-jones Arriving For A Performance Of Cinderella in 1976

    Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones and her mother, Princess Margaret, at the Gala Premiere of International Velvet  in 1978
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    Lady Sarah Armstrong-Jones and her mother, Princess Margaret, at the Gala Premiere of International Velvet  in 1978

    Sarah was two-and-a-half years younger than her brother, David Armstrong-Jones.

    Her grandmothers – the Queen Mother and Lady Rosse – were among the first relatives to see her.

    Other family visitors included the Queen and Angus Ogilvy, the husband of Princess Alexandra, Margaret’s cousin.

    Lady Sarah was the fourth royal baby of the year, after the births of the Queen’s youngest son, Prince Edward, Princess Alexandra’s son James, and the Duchess of Kent’s daughter Lady Helen Taylor.

    Lady Sarah, who turns 60 today, is not a working royal but is regularly seen at family events.

    Today, she  is famed for her down-to-earth nature and her close relationship with the late Queen.

    Indeed, the Queen was described as a ‘surrogate mother’ to Margaret’s children  and was particularly close to Lady Sarah, who is believed to have reminded her of her late sister.

    One royal insider previously revealed: ‘The Queen adores Sarah and seeks out her company as often as possible. She is her absolute favourite younger Royal.

    ‘They are hugely at ease in each other’s company. Much giggling can be heard when they are together. They share a sense of loyalty, fun, duty and the ridiculous.’

    One acquaintance said: ‘Sarah is very unassuming; shy and almost embarrassed with no grandeur at all. Take royal events — she’ll be on the balcony, but she never pushes herself to the middle or the front, like some.’

    At the time, her parents, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon, were the toast of swinging London, their Kensington Palace apartment the scene of hedonistic parties. 

    But the marriage, a rebound affair after Margaret decided not to marry divorced equerry Peter Townsend, was notoriously tempestuous. 

    Fuelled by alcohol and affairs on both sides, their 18-year union was once described as a 16-year break-up.

    At just 13, her parents’ divorce was ‘terribly upsetting’ for Sarah. 

    As Margaret was granted custody, the children stayed in Kensington Palace. Sarah was sent to Francis Holland School in Chelsea, a smart all-girls’ day school, followed by Bedales with her brother. 

    The mixed boarding school in rural Hampshire — alma mater of actors Daniel Day-Lewis and Minnie Driver — was a fashionable, arty, bohemian choice.

    It had no uniform and nurtured artistic expression above all else. It was what both parents wanted — and it ensured Sarah inherited a love of art.

    This ‘progressive’ institution was the polar opposite to the starchiness of a royal upbringing.

    One contemporary said that when Lady Sarah turned up ‘she was practically in a velvet-collar coat and tweeds although everyone else was hanging out in their kickers’.

    However it was quite possibly this school — with its warm, nurturing atmosphere — that made her the woman she is now.

    Sarah had grown up knowing that her mother had little time or patience for babies and small children. 

    Despite Snowdon’s reluctance, nannies and housemaids were in charge and the children were instructed never to wake their mother before 11am — a rule that was keenly enforced by Nanny Sumner, whose old-fashioned methods were in direct conflict to the modern ideas of Snowdon.

    Her father, however, doted on her and it is from him she is said to have inherited her ‘immense charm’.

    Both her parents passed on their artistic eye to their children as Sarah, now a painter, and her brother David, a world-famous furniture designer, were taken around galleries in their youth. 

    The late Queen was described as a 'surrogate mother' to Margaret's children and was particularly close to Lady Sarah, who is believed to have reminded her of her late sister
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    The late Queen was described as a ‘surrogate mother’ to Margaret’s children and was particularly close to Lady Sarah, who is believed to have reminded her of her late sister

    Lady Sarah, centre, was Lady Diana Spencer's chief bridesmaid in July 1981. She is pictured with Clementine Hambro and Catherine Cameron
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    Lady Sarah, centre, was Lady Diana Spencer’s chief bridesmaid in July 1981. She is pictured with Clementine Hambro and Catherine Cameron

    Lady Sarah with the Prince and Princess of Wales at Guards Polo in Windsor in 1983. Prince Edward stands to the left
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    Lady Sarah with the Prince and Princess of Wales at Guards Polo in Windsor in 1983. Prince Edward stands to the left

    Lady Sarah accompanies Princess Diana to the Royal Variety performance at the Victoria Palace Theatre in 1984
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    Lady Sarah accompanies Princess Diana to the Royal Variety performance at the Victoria Palace Theatre in 1984

    Lady Sarah attends a birthday party for her mother Princess Margaret's 60th Birthday at Spencer House in St James's  in 1990
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    Lady Sarah attends a birthday party for her mother Princess Margaret’s 60th Birthday at Spencer House in St James’s  in 1990

    One of the most beautiful Royal brides, Lady Sarah stepped out of the car in an incredible dress by  Jasper Conran
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    One of the most beautiful Royal brides, Lady Sarah stepped out of the car in an incredible dress by  Jasper Conran

    Today, David, who was formerly Lord Linley, has inherited his late father’s title and is the Earl of Snowdon.

    On BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, David said that his mother was ‘very good at taking me to see just one object, so we would go to the National Gallery to see the Leonardo, or we would go to see the Vermeer – but only that.

    ‘So she would constantly be dragged away by us, saying: “Well, can’t we just go and see that?” And she would say: “Well, you can come back again if you want.” So one actually became very keen to go back.’

    Sarah went on to complete a foundation course at Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts, followed by a printed textiles course at Middlesex Polytechnic, paving the way for her training at the Royal Academy Schools.

    Working as a painter under the professional name Sarah Armstrong-Jones, she has since exhibited at galleries including The Redfern Gallery in London. 

    She has also continued her parents’ love of nurturing the arts, acting as Vice President of the Royal Drawing School and of the Royal Ballet School.

    The young Sarah never felt herself to be above her art school contemporaries and while she may have shared her 21st birthday with Prince Edward, Lady Helen Windsor and James Ogilvy at Windsor Castle, she also included all of her friends from art school.

    ‘Sarah’s art college and Bedales friends — people with Rasta hair — were the most varied and exciting people there,’ recalls one guest. 

    She had various good-looking, arty boyfriends. But it was when she met Daniel Chatto whilst working as a wardrobe assistant on Heat and Dust, in which dashing actor Daniel had a small role, that her love life became serious.

    The son of actor Tom Chatto, and theatrical agent Ros Chatto (who was the mistress of another theatrical agent, Robin Fox), Daniel appeared in around a dozen films and TV programmes, often period dramas based on the novels of W. Somerset Maugham or Charles Dickens.

    He soon gave up his acting career, however, to focus on painting, a passion shared with Sarah.

    Together he and Sarah set up home in Kensington while still unmarried — a fact that is said to have angered Princess Margaret — where they still live in a small, pretty, Grade II listed terrace house. 

    They also have a Georgian country farmhouse near Midhurst in Sussex, given to Sarah by her godfather, the late art-loving philanthropist Simon Sainsbury.

    The informal country life of dogs, horses and annual sheepdog trials — which she judges — is the essence of Sarah, a royal who has never been lured by pomp and ceremony. 

    Indeed her wedding to Chatto in July 1994 was such a short, simple affair that chauffeurs were caught by surprise: the Queen, Prince Philip and Diana had to wait at the City church of St Stephen’s Walbrook after the service for their cars to come back. 

    Her veil was anchored by the Snowdon Floral Tiara, created from brooches given to Princess Margaret by her husband, and the wedding portraits show the newlyweds flanked by the Queen and the Queen Mother. 

    Although her childhood lacked the stability she has created for her own family — according to royal insiders, she found her mother’s early indiscretions ‘almost unbearable’ — Sarah remained a loving, dutiful daughter until the end.

    Her mother’s death in 2002 — after a series of strokes and four years of suffering — saw her children by her side. 

    Sarah, says a royal source, had been ‘selfless and often left her own family overnight to drive to KP to care for her mother’.

    Margaret’s death brought the Queen even closer to her only niece, in her new role as something of a surrogate mother.

    Sarah was the only guest who would accompany the Queen to Craigowan Lodge — a relatively modest stone building a mile from Balmoral Castle.

    The Queen would retire to the secluded seven-bedroom house several times a year to read, write letters, walk and ride with Sarah for company.

    King Charles is also fond of his cousin and, in earlier years, the pair were often found sketching and doing water colours on the Balmoral estate, chatting easily or ‘hunched over their easels in harmonious silence, as they have been for years’.

    Sarah served as a bridesmaid at Charles and Diana’s wedding and was friends with her even before their engagement, having only a three-year age gap. 

    Prince Harry's Confirmation at Eton with his Godmother, Lady Sarah Chatto standing directly behind him in 2005
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    Prince Harry’s Confirmation at Eton with his Godmother, Lady Sarah Chatto standing directly behind him in 2005

    Lady Sarah with her husband, Daniel and their sons , Samuel and Arthur at Ascot in 2012
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    Lady Sarah with her husband, Daniel and their sons , Samuel and Arthur at Ascot in 2012

    Lady Sarah with her son, Samuel Chatto, at the Mey Highland Games in 2019
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    Lady Sarah with her son, Samuel Chatto, at the Mey Highland Games in 2019

    Lady Sarah Chatto walks to St George's Chapel, Windsor to see her Godson, Prince harry marry Meghan Markle in 2018
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    Lady Sarah Chatto walks to St George’s Chapel, Windsor to see her Godson, Prince harry marry Meghan Markle in 2018

    Lady Sarah sits behind Princess Beatrice at the State funeral of the late Queen in 2022
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    Lady Sarah sits behind Princess Beatrice at the State funeral of the late Queen in 2022

    Often the first choice for godmother, Sarah counts Prince Harry, Prince Edward’s daughter, Louise, and the Duke of Gloucester’s daughter, Rose, among her godchildren.

    She now has two sons, Samuel and Arthur, who are seen with Sarah at royal events including during the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations and the Queen’s funeral.

    After attending Eton College, Samuel studied History of Art of Edinburgh University and is now pursuing a career in pottery.

    While also studying at Eton and reading History of Art in Edinburgh, his younger brother Arthur joined the Royal Marines after working as a personal trainer, arriving in uniform at Prince Philip’s memorial service in March 2021.

  • The night that bra-free Diana stormed New York’s Met Gala in a Dior ‘nightie’ – and proved to the world that she was finally free from Charles…

    The night that bra-free Diana stormed New York’s Met Gala in a Dior ‘nightie’ – and proved to the world that she was finally free from Charles…

    The glitterati descend on the Metropolitan Museum in New York tonight, the first Monday in May,  for the world’s most spectacular fashion fundraiser.

    Photographers will be lining the red carpet to snap Hollywood stars, fashion icons and renowned designers, as they attend the Met Gala, or Met Ball, as it is known colloquially, in extravagant outfits inspired by JG Ballard’s dystopian short story, The Garden of Time.

    The Gala is the highlight of New York’s social calendar, frequently described as ‘fashion’s biggest night’.

    Yet there will be no Royal seal of approval this year – unlike the remarkable occasion almost three decades ago, when a newly divorced Diana caused an absolute sensation.

    John Galliano, Dior's new designer,  said that Diana had deliberately removed the interior bustier from the dress  ‘It was a reflection of how she was already feeling,’ he said. 'Liberated.'
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    John Galliano, Dior’s new designer,  said that Diana had deliberately removed the interior bustier from the dress  ‘It was a reflection of how she was already feeling,’ he said. ‘Liberated.’

    Diana’s £10,000 midnight blue dress, trimmed with black lace and worn underneath a matching velvet opera coat was the sensation of the night. She is pictured here with magazine editor Liz Tilberis
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    Diana’s £10,000 midnight blue dress, trimmed with black lace and worn underneath a matching velvet opera coat was the sensation of the night. She is pictured here with magazine editor Liz Tilberis

    Fashion commentator  Hilary Alexander described it as ‘the most important dress since Liz Hurley wore her safety-pinned Versace.’  The Daily Mail said it was more 'Oh, Couture' than 'Haute Couture'
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    Fashion commentator  Hilary Alexander described it as ‘the most important dress since Liz Hurley wore her safety-pinned Versace.’  The Daily Mail said it was more ‘Oh, Couture’ than ‘Haute Couture’

    It was on December 9, 1996, four months after the divorce papers had been signed and just eight months before her death, that Diana attended the gala, which launched a Christian Dior exhibition at the museum. It marked the 50th anniversary of the designer’s 1947 New Look.

    She had been invited to the event by Bernard Arnault, head of Dior, and flew in on Concorde, to attend the event.

    Diana was pictured arriving with close friend Liz Tilberis, the British editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar and chairwoman of the ball.

    Diana’s £10,000 midnight blue dress, trimmed with black lace and worn underneath a matching velvet opera coat evoked a louche turn-of-the-century glamour.

    It was also a fashion coup, as Diana she was the first person to wear a gown by Dior’s new designer, the enfant terrible John Galliano, from his highly anticipated first haute couture show.

    She teamed it with her sapphire choker set in a triple strand of pearls and her Lady Dior bag, originally called the ‘Chouchou’, and renamed in her honour.

    She had been given her first ‘Chouchou’ bag on a 1995 visit to Paris by the then-first lady, Madame Bernadette Chirac, and it became a firm favourite. She ordered it in blue the following year to ‘match her eyes’.

    Galliano and his team travelled from Paris to London three times for fittings, making their last visit on November 28, the designer’s 35th birthday. He arrived at Kensington Palace to find that the Princess had organised a cake and champagne.

    But the dress evoked mixed feelings. Fashion editor Hilary Alexander described it as ‘the most important dress since Liz Hurley wore her safety-pinned Versace’.

    ‘The whole idea of wearing a petticoat in public is new,’ she wrote in the Daily Telegraph.

    ‘We have seen actresses and starlets wearing underwear as outerwear, but for a princess to do it at a formal occasion is a different matter.

    ‘It is a very sensual rather than overly sexy dress, and it is a million miles away from the more formal outfits she usually picks.

    ‘It represents a new kind of royal dressing. By wearing the dress on such an important occasion, she is also paying a long-overdue homage to Galliano.’

    However, fashion critic Brenda Polan was not a fan: ‘It was not so much haute couture as Oh! Couture,’ she wrote, in the Daily Mail.

    ‘The problem, and there is no delicate way of saying this, is that it looked like she had accidentally stepped out in her nightie, which meant, of course, that she wasn’t wearing a bra.’

    However, in a 2018 interview, Galliano revealed that it was Diana, who had chosen to be provocative, removing the interior bustier. ‘It was a reflection of how she was already feeling,’ he told the Wall Street Journal Magazine.

     ‘Liberated.’

    Guests at New York’s party of the year included American Vogue’s British editor Anna Wintour, designers Calvin Klein and Christian Lacroix, models Linda Evangelists, Christy Turlington, and Iman and photographer Patrick Demarchelier.

    Three thousand guests for £150 for a ticket to the gala while another 900 paid £650 for the gala dinner, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Princess.

    After sipping champagne and chatting with designers Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Calvin Klein and Bill Blass, Diana, was seated between Tilberis and Galliano, dined on sea bass, veal and tarte tatin.

    But she slipped away before midnight, whisked in a stretch limo back to the plush Carlyle Hotel as the dancing was set to begin, missing the furore on the dance floor as guests smashed glasses and split champagne.

    Diana  had been invited to the event by Bernard Arnault, right, head of Dior.  From the left: John Galliano, Liz Tilberis, Diana and Helene Mercier, wife of Arnault
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    Diana  had been invited to the event by Bernard Arnault, right, head of Dior.  From the left: John Galliano, Liz Tilberis, Diana and Helene Mercier, wife of Arnault

    The event proved to be a swansong for both Diana and Liz: the princess was killed in a car crash on August 31, 1997, at the age of 36. Tilberis died of ovarian cancer two years later at the age of 51
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    The event proved to be a swansong for both Diana and Liz: the princess was killed in a car crash on August 31, 1997, at the age of 36. Tilberis died of ovarian cancer two years later at the age of 51

    ‘It was a zoo and I guess that maybe they didn’t want to put her through it,’ said Mica Traynor, a fashion designer. But I didn’t feel she was actually here. I just wanted to see her dance once, but no luck.’

    ‘People wanted to just look at her,’ added debutante Crickett Richards. ‘They paid to see her, and, to all intents and purposes, she did not show up. It’s a shame. She is so beautiful. I think she could have tried a little harder.’

    However, Bianca Jagger said: ‘I don’t think she ever intended to stay long, but I know she enjoyed herself. She looked marvellous.’

    Either way, the event proved a swansong for both Diana and Liz: the princess was killed in a car crash on August 31, 1997, at the age of 36 while Tilberis died of ovarian cancer two years later at the age of 51.

    Claudia Joseph’s book Diana: A Life in Dresses is published by ACC Art Books £40.

  • Diddy forced staff to carry around pink cocaine – the drug found in Liam Payne’s system after his death

    Diddy forced staff to carry around pink cocaine – the drug found in Liam Payne’s system after his death

    Sean ‘Diddy‘ Combs allegedly forced all of his staff members to carry pink cocaine, the drug found in One Direction star Liam Payne’s system after his death, a new complaint reveals.

    The complaint suggests that Combs would pressure ‘all employees, from the butler to the chef to the housekeepers’ to keep tiny bags of the drug with them at all times.

    They would also be forced to ‘walk around with a pouch or fanny pack filled with cocaine, GHB, ecstasy, marijuana gummies,’ the complaint says.

    The complaint was filed in February by Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones, who has sued the music mogul and accused him of sexual harassment.

    Sean ' Diddy ' Combs allegedly forced all of his staff members to carry pink cocaine with them, according to a recently revealed complaint
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    Sean ‘ Diddy ‘ Combs allegedly forced all of his staff members to carry pink cocaine with them, according to a recently revealed complaint

    The complaint also alleges drug use was rampant within Combs’ business enterprise, and at one point Combs had drugged the producer and former videographer, according to People.

    At the time of the filing, Diddy’s team vehemently denied the allegations and said they have evidence that suggests otherwise.

    ‘Mr. Jones is nothing more than a con man, shamelessly looking for an easy and wholly undeserved payday. We have overwhelming, indisputable proof that his claims are complete lies,’ a lawyer for Combs said.

    ‘Our attempts to share this proof with Mr. Jones’ attorney, Tyrone Blackburn, have been ignored, as Mr. Blackburn has refused to return our calls.

    ‘We look forward to addressing these ridiculous claims in court, and intend to take all appropriate action against all who are attempting to peddle.’

    The report was filed this February by Rodney 'Lil Rod' Jones, who has sued the music mogul and accused him of sexual harassment
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    The report was filed this February by Rodney ‘Lil Rod’ Jones, who has sued the music mogul and accused him of sexual harassment

    At the time of filing, Diddy's team vehemently denied all such allegations and said they have evidence that suggests otherwise
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    At the time of filing, Diddy’s team vehemently denied all such allegations and said they have evidence that suggests otherwise

    Jones has also accused Diddy of forcing him to recruit prostitutes and have sex with them for the star’s pleasure, and claims he has hundreds of hours of video documenting Combs’s ‘serious illegal activity’.

    In response, the disgraced rapped instead a filed a motion to dismiss a $30m lawsuit launched by Jones.

    Pink cocaine – also known as Tuci- is a synthetic luxury drug cocktail that can cause a host of serious and lethal affects.

    Named for its alluring pink hue created using food dye, the drug ironically doesn’t often contain cocaine.

    Instead, it’s a potent mix of several drugs like the tranquilizer ketamine, the stimulant and psychedelic MDMA, and amphetamines like meth, though several recipes exist.

    Medics say those that take it risk suffering extreme agitation, hallucinations, heart failure and psychosis.

    Some have even linked it to a ‘bomb’ due to it combining the effects of stimulants and hallucinogens, and the huge strain it can place on the body.

    Several of pink cocaine’s ingredients can cause serious health problems by themselves. These include stroke, seizures and cardiac arrest.

    Pink cocaine - also known as Tuci - is a synthetic luxury drug cocktail that can cause a host of serious and lethal affects
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    Pink cocaine – also known as Tuci – is a synthetic luxury drug cocktail that can cause a host of serious and lethal affects

    Liam Payne shares ‘awkward’ Diddy encounter on Graham Norton Show

    While no standard recipe for pink cocaine exists, MDMA/ecstasy, ketamine, and amphetamines are the most common ingredients
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    While no standard recipe for pink cocaine exists, MDMA/ecstasy, ketamine, and amphetamines are the most common ingredients

    While no standard recipe for pink cocaine exists, MDMA/ecstasy, ketamine, and amphetamines are the most common ingredients, as well as legal stimulants like caffeine and strawberry food dye that give the drugs its namesake shade.

    However, LSD, hallucinogens like mescaline, and sometimes even powerful and addictive opioids like fentanyl have been found in some mixes.

    The fact the recipe varies in both substance and ratio makes the drug unpredictable, and users can suffer different affects, including fatal overdose, even if they have used the drug in the past in similar amounts.

    Earlier this week, Payne’s toxicology reports revealed that he had traces of a combination of drugs in his system when he plunged to his death from his hotel balcony in Argentina.

    The former One Direction singer died suddenly aged 31 after falling from the third floor of the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires last Wednesday.

    Earlier this week, Payne's toxicology reports revealed that he had traces of a combination of drugs in his system when he plunged to his death from his hotel balcony
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    Earlier this week, Payne’s toxicology reports revealed that he had traces of a combination of drugs in his system when he plunged to his death from his hotel balcony

    The hotel balcony where Liam Payne fell to his death from in Buenos Aires, Argentina, yesterday is circled
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    The singer died suddenly aged 31 after falling from the third floor of the CasaSur hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Preliminary results from toxicology tests showed traces of cocaine, benzodiazepine, crack cocaine and pink cocaine in his system.

    While tests on the substances – white powder, traces of chemical crystals and prescription medicines – found at his suite at the boutique hotel continue, results from a post mortem of his body have been completed.

    It determined that the singer died instantly from multiple injuries after falling 45ft from the third floor.

    An improvised aluminum pipe, commonly used to smoke crack cocaine, was also found in his hotel room, according to news reports.

    Argentine news website Infobae reported: ‘A forensic study carried out in Liam’s body determined the presence of cocaine.

    ‘A test carried out by the [Buenos Aires] City Police on the substance found on Liam’s room table have not confirmed the white powder as cocaine.

    ‘A second test is to follow to determine the nature of the drug.’

    Drone video shows Argentina hotel where Liam Payne fell to his death

    A report by ABC added: ‘A partial autopsy found that the former One Direction singer, who died at 31, had multiple substances in his system when he fell to his death from the third-floor balcony of his hotel room in Buenos Aires, Argentina on Oct. 16th.

    ‘Those substances included “pink cocaine” – a recreational drug that typically is a mix of several drugs including methamphetamine, ketamine, MDMA and others – as well as cocaine, benzodiazepine and crack.’

    It comes as police continue to hunt for the drug dealer who supplied Payne.

    DailyMail.com revealed on Tuesday that two hotel staff members are being investigated for supplying the star with hard drugs in the days leading up to the tragedy.

    A cleaner and another member of staff are said to have hidden the drugs in a Dove Soap box that detectives found in Payne’s room following his death.

    His body will not be released to his father Geoff Payne until all examinations have been concluded, according to Argentine judicial sources.

  • Loose Women’s Kaye Adams lets slip huge ITV show bombshell ahead of 25th anniversary

    Loose Women’s Kaye Adams lets slip huge ITV show bombshell ahead of 25th anniversary

    Loose Women has been part of the ITV daytime schedule for 25 years but show regular Kaye Adams has revealed that show bosses originally had very different plans for the programme

    Kaye Adams has dropped some major Loose Women news ahead of the show’s 25th anniversary.

    In September, the ITV daytime show will mark its milestone birthday with plenty of surprises in store for fans, including the return of former anchor Andrea McLean.

    The 61-year-old star appeared on James Martin’s Saturday Morning on August 10 for the first time and the chef grilled the journalist on her time as a panelist on the all-female show.

    Kaye explained: “Yeah, I think it was myself, Nadia Sawalha and Jane Moore were on the first programme in 1999.” James asked: “When you were doing that sort of show, did you think ‘this is something really special here’ because nothing else was like that.

    Kaye Adams
    Kaye Adams has revealed Loose Women was originally given a one-month pilot 
    Image:
    ITV)

    She replied: “It’s funny you should say that because it was initially a month’s pilot and it was September time. It’s a time a year when television executives get funny ideas for weird programmes but actually, if i’m very honest, I thought ‘do you know what I think we might be onto something’.”

    Over the past two decades, Loose Women has become a staple in the ITV schedule and last week, the show made history as TikTok star GK Barry became the first guest panelist who was born in the same year it started.

    James Martin
    James Martin grilled the journalist on her time on the ITV daytime show 
    Image:
    ITV)
    Kate couldn’t help by point out that co-star Frankie Bridge was no longer the youngest on the team. Throughout the show, Faye and fellow panelist Denise Welch make humorous quips about 35-year-old Frankie’s age, with Frankie seemingly getting riled up with the comparisons.

    In May, it was confirmed that Andrea would be returning to Loose Women four years after announcing she was leaving the show The presenter spent more than 20 years on TV before she took a break from the spotlight to focus on her mindset app, This Girl Is On Fire, as well as her Mastering Midlife podcast with her husband, Nick Feeney.

    Editorial use only Mandatory Credit: Photo by Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock (14167523r) Kaye Adams, Olivia Attwood, Georgia Harrison, Nicola Harrison, Nadia Sawalha, Jane Moore 'Loose Women' TV show, London, UK - 26 Oct 2023
    Kaye has been part of the Loose Women family for 25 years 
    Image:
    Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

    During her appearance on the show as a guest, Andrea announced she was returning to Loose Women in September for a special episode. Christine Lampard responded at the time: “You’ve been such a fabric and part of the DNA of the show over all those years, so it’s going to be a celebration, I think, of Loose Women… it will feel very special to be part of that.”

  • Charles is all white! King and Queen Camilla beam in matching summery outfits as they are welcomed into Samoa with colourful ceremony reserved only for monarchs

    Charles is all white! King and Queen Camilla beam in matching summery outfits as they are welcomed into Samoa with colourful ceremony reserved only for monarchs

    The King and Queen have been honoured in a loud and colourful ‘ava ceremony in Samoa today.

    King Charles was handed a bowl of a special drink made from the powdered roots of the treasured ‘ava plant – and ceremonially tipped a small portion on the ground, saying ‘May God Bless this ‘ava and ‘la manuia’, meaning ‘be prosperous’.

    Their Majesties had arrived at the National University of Samoa for the traditional Welcome Ceremony, which had been moved inside to an open-sided ‘fake’ after heavy rain throughout the morning in a police convoy.

    The ‘ava’ ceremony was hosted by The Head of State of the Independent State of Samoa, Le Afioga ia Tuimaleali’ifano Va’aleto’a Sualauvi II, and Ceremonial Attendants from Falelatai Village.

    Today’s is a special ceremony is reserved only for monarchs and a sign of great respect.

    Several hundred members of the village community were seated at the ceremony, with village elders – covered in tatau – tattoos – from their waists down to their knees as a symbol of the seniority and roles sitting cross legged on mats on the ground.

    King Charles and Queen Camilla attend an official Royal 'Ava ceremonial' welcome at the National University of Samoa
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    King Charles and Queen Camilla attend an official Royal ‘Ava ceremonial’ welcome at the National University of Samoa

    Charles is greeted by students as he attends the formal launch of the King's Commonwealth Fellowships Programme at the National University of Samoa
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    Charles is greeted by students as he attends the formal launch of the King’s Commonwealth Fellowships Programme at the National University of Samoa

    Charles arrives ahead of the official welcome at the National University of Samoa on Wednesday
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    Charles arrives ahead of the official welcome at the National University of Samoa on Wednesday

    Village community members wait for the arrival of Britain's Charles and Camilla
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    Village community members wait for the arrival of Britain’s Charles and Camilla

    Charles and Camilla talk to each other during the official Royal 'Ava ceremonial' welcome
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    Charles and Camilla talk to each other during the official Royal ‘Ava ceremonial’ welcome

    Queen Camilla whispers to King Charles behind fan at engagement in Samoa

    Camilla appeared emotion at the official Royal 'Ava ceremonial' welcome at the National University of Samoa
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    Camilla appeared emotion at the official Royal ‘Ava ceremonial’ welcome at the National University of Samoa

    The King and Queen were presented with ceremonial garlands known as lei on arrival. Charles’ was made of the dried fruit from the pandanus tree, while Camilla’s was a floral garland.

    Men known as taulele’a from Falelatai village commenced the ceremony with the blowing of conch shells to signal the arrival of Their Majesties and will formed a ceremonial guard of honour carrying large to’oto’o, ceremonial staff which once acted as weapons.

    Two men in traditional dress acted as ceremonial attendants.

    Their Majesties walked to their seats in the marquee, accompanied by the Head of State of the Independent State of Samoa and his wife, Masiofo Faʻamausili Leinaf, which were on a raised stage.

    The ceremony began with a short symbolic debate amongst the orators (‘talking chiefs’ or tulafale) to decide who will lead the welcome oration.

    Large ‘ava roots were symbolically presented to the centre marquee.

    These roots are not used in the ceremonial preparation of the ‘ava beverage, as dried and powdered root is used.

    The ‘ava was prepared for the King by the daughter of the Chief, Leinafo Tuimalealufanu.

    Four attendants assisted with the filtering of the ‘ava drink through a sieve made of the dried bark of the Fau tree.

    The King and Queen were presented with ceremonial garlands known as lei on arrival
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    The King and Queen were presented with ceremonial garlands known as lei on arrival

    Charles looks on as he attends the official event in Samoa on Wednesday
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    Charles looks on as he attends the official event in Samoa on Wednesday

    Charles arrives with Camilla following behind ahead of the official Royal 'Ava ceremonial' welcome
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    Charles arrives with Camilla following behind ahead of the official Royal ‘Ava ceremonial’ welcome

    Charles meets members of the Falelatai village following the official royal 'ava ceremonial' welcome
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    Charles meets members of the Falelatai village following the official royal ‘ava ceremonial’ welcome

    The royal pair meet members of the Falelatai village following thier official royal 'ava ceremonial' welcome
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    The royal pair meet members of the Falelatai village following thier official royal ‘ava ceremonial’ welcome

    Whilst the beverage was being prepared the ‘ava orator – or tufu’ava – explained the reason for the ceremony, before announcing when the ‘ava was about to be distributed.

    All those present clapped slowly, according to tradition.

    The server then called out the names of the guests to be served, in order of precedence, before carrying the cup to the honoured guests and presenting it with a sweep of their arm from right to left, to show the inner side of the forearm as a sign of respect.

    His Majesty was presented with the ‘ava drink, accepting it graciously before tipping a small amount onto the ground, saying, ‘May God Bless this ‘ava’ and ‘la manuia’ (la–man-we-a), which means ‘be prosperous’.

    Traditionally the recipients either sip the ‘ava or raise the cup in a symbolic gesture.

    The ‘ava drink is was also presented to the Head of State and Prime Minister of Samoa.

    The ceremony concluded with the presentation of traditional gifts, which ware received by villagers on Their Majesties’ behalf.

    Upon departure, Their Majesties also met briefly with selected village Chiefs and villagers involved in the ceremony.

    ‘Ava holds a significant place in Pacific traditions, with its origins deeply rooted in the cultural fabric of the region.

    For centuries, ‘ava (known in other Pacific countries as kava) has played a vital role in the rituals and celebrations of Pacific islanders.

    It is not just a beverage, but a symbol of community unity and connection.

    Charles and Camilla is accompanied by the Head of State of the Independent State of Samoa
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    Charles and Camilla is accompanied by the Head of State of the Independent State of Samoa

    The ceremony concluded with the presentation of traditional gifts, which ware received by villagers on Their Majesties' behalf
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    The ceremony concluded with the presentation of traditional gifts, which ware received by villagers on Their Majesties’ behalf

    The pair both wore full white outfits as they attended the official event on Wednesday
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    The pair both wore full white outfits as they attended the official event on Wednesday

    The preparation of ava is a meticulous process, involving the careful pounding of the root into a fine powder before mixing it with water.

    This ritual is often performed in a communal setting, fostering a sense of unity and camaraderie among participants. Traditional embellishments to the ceremony are added for special guests of honour, hence the term ‘ava faatupu’ – an ‘ava ceremony for a King.

    ‘Ava ceremonies take place on important occasions in Samoa, such as the bestowal of a chiefly title, the welcoming and bidding farewell of guests and visitors, or at significant gatherings and meetings.

    The ceremony includes speeches and the formal drinking of ‘ava by both male and female participants.

    The ceremony is typically led by the High Chief of the hosting village. It brings together participants in a spirit of harmony and enables the hosts to show deep respect for their guests.

    The ‘ava beverage is made from the dried roots of the ‘ava plant (Piper Methysticum). It is prepared in a shallow bowl known as a tanoa, which is made from the wood of the ifilele tree (Intsia bijuga).

    The ‘ava ceremony is usually conducted with the hosts and their guests seated in a circle.

    The ‘ava makers (aumaga) are seated in the centre of the circle. It is a great honour to be selected to serve as an aumaga. Traditionally, all daughters of Samoan chiefs are taught to prepare ‘ava, although both men and women may serve as aumaga.

    Charles looks on as he attends the official event in Samoa on Wednesday
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    Charles looks on as he attends the official event in Samoa on Wednesday

    The King is greeted by students as he attends the formal launch on Wednesday
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    The King is greeted by students as he attends the formal launch on Wednesday

    When the beverage is ready, or as it is being prepared, the ‘ava orator (tufu’ava) will explain the reason for the ceremony and announce that the ‘ava is about to be distributed. All present clap loudly and slowly. The ‘ava server (tautu’ava) stands and begins distributing the ‘ava to each guest of chiefly rank, in a polished coconut shell cup known as a tauau or ipu tau ‘ava.

    At today’s ceremony, the ‘ava was only distributed to His Majesty, the Head of State of Samoa, and the Prime Minister of Samoa.

    As the ‘ava ceremony draws to a close, the guests of honour are traditionally presented with gifts. In today’s Royal ‘ava ceremony, Their Majesties were presented with a set of gifts known collectively as the sua faatamalii, reserved for the most highly ranked chiefs.

    The Queen wore a White tunic and Palazzo trousers by Anna Valentine with gold fish earrings.

    King Charles looked particularly dapper in a bush jacket with trimming by Samoan school of fine art.

    Two men in traditional dress acted as ceremonial attendants, and one opened the proceedings welcoming the King and Queen.

    He said: ‘The royal and traditional ‘Ava ceremony, the highest protocol of respect in the Samoan culture in honour of Your Majesties’ state visit to Samoa.

    ‘A symbol of friendship, safe passage and journey and the collective spirit of commonwealth as one family.

    ‘Thank you and God bless.’

    A short symbolic debate amongst the orators (‘talking chiefs’ or tulafale) then began to decide who would lead the welcome oration.

    Camilla shakes hands with villagers following the official Royal 'Ava ceremonial' welcome
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    Camilla shakes hands with villagers following the official Royal ‘Ava ceremonial’ welcome

    Charles meets members of the Falelatai village following the official royal 'ava ceremonial' welcome
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    Charles meets members of the Falelatai village following the official royal ‘ava ceremonial’ welcome

    Large ‘ava roots were symbolically presented to the centre marquee

    For centuries, ‘ava – known in other Pacific countries as kava – has played a vital role in the rituals and celebrations of Pacific islanders. It is not just a beverage, but a symbol of community unity and connection.

    The youngest daughter of the Chief, Maria Leinafo Tuimalealiifano, 30, then began to prepare the ‘ava drink, which is made from dried and powdered ‘ava root is used.

    She has tattoos running from her thighs to her knees, which is considered a symbol of seniority.

    Maria prepared the drink in a shallow bowl known as a tanoa, which is made from the wood of the ifilele tree, and carefully pounded the root into a fine powder before being mixed with water.

    Four attendants – known as ‘ava makers or aumaga – ‘assisted with the filtering of the ‘ava drink through a sieve made of the dried bark of the Fau tree.

    It is a great honour to be selected to serve as an aumaga.

    Whilst the beverage is being prepared the ‘ava orator (tufu’ava) explained the reason for the ceremony and announced when the ‘ava is about to be distributed.

    In response, all those present began to slowly clap.

    Village community members wait for the arrival of Charles and Camilla ahead of the official royal 'ava ceremonial' welcome
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    Village community members wait for the arrival of Charles and Camilla ahead of the official royal ‘ava ceremonial’ welcome

    An 'ava drink is prepared during the 'ava ceremony, reserved only for monarchs
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    An ‘ava drink is prepared during the ‘ava ceremony, reserved only for monarchs

    The server will then called out the names of the guests to be served, in order of precedence.

    As a sign of respect, the server will carry the cup to the guests and present it with a sweep of the arm from right to left, to show the inner side of the forearm to the guest.

    The ‘Ava drink was presented to the King in a coconut shell, accepting it he tipped a small onto the ground, saying, ‘May God Bless this ‘ava’ and ‘la manuia’, which means ‘be prosperous’, before taking a sip.

    The ‘ava drink was similarly presented to the Head of State and Prime Minister of Samoa.

    Two women then bowed before presenting Their Majesties with ceremonial garlands, known as lei.

    The King’s was made of the dried fruit from the pandanus tree and The Queen’s was a beautiful floral garland.

    Traditional gifts, known collectively as the sua faatamalii, were presented to the villagers on behalf of the King and Queen, in a sign that the ceremony had come to an end.

    A butchered pig was also presented but that will be gifted back to the village.

    ‘Ava ceremonies take place on important occasions in Samoa, such as the bestowal of a chiefly title, the welcoming and bidding farewell of guests and visitors, or at significant gatherings and meetings.

    Traditional embellishments to the ceremony are added for special guests of honour, with the one held today known as the ‘ava faatupu’ – an ‘ava ceremony for a King.

    Upon departure, Their Majesties will also briefly meet selected village Chiefs and villagers involved in the ceremony.

  • Beckingham Palace… Miami! Grinning David Beckham inspects his new $77m waterfront mega-mansion as he and Victoria plan to take their throne as ‘King and Queen of Miami’

    Beckingham Palace… Miami! Grinning David Beckham inspects his new $77m waterfront mega-mansion as he and Victoria plan to take their throne as ‘King and Queen of Miami’

    David Beckham has been spotted arriving to inspect his newly-purchased £60million Miami mega-mansion in a flashy McLaren supercar.

    The football legend has splashed out with his wife Victoria on the impressive nine-bedroom property which keeps him near his team Inter Miami CF, which he co-owns.

    The home in Florida, which was only built in 2018, comes with a range of stunning features including a chef’s kitchen, private cinema, gym, spa and swimming pool.

    And Beckham was photographed smiling for the cameras on Sunday after driving into the gated property in his McLaren 750S which sells new for at least $311,000 (£240,000).

    He appeared relaxed as he viewed the home which also boasts 13 bathrooms, an outdoor kitchen, a rooftop lounge and 124ft of frontage on Biscayne Bay.

    David Beckham smiles as he arrives to view his newly purchased $77million Miami mansion
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    David Beckham smiles as he arrives to view his newly purchased $77million Miami mansion

    The Miami property includes a chef's kitchen, private cinema, gym, spa and swimming pool
    +22

    The Miami property includes a chef’s kitchen, private cinema, gym, spa and swimming pool

    Beckham is photographed smiling for the cameras after driving into the gated property
    +22

    Beckham is photographed smiling for the cameras after driving into the gated property

    Beckham arrives at the home in his McLaren 750S which sells new for upwards of $311,000
    +22

    Beckham arrives at the home in his McLaren 750S which sells new for upwards of $311,000

    The football legend has splashed out with his wife Victoria on the nine-bedroom property
    +22

    The football legend has splashed out with his wife Victoria on the nine-bedroom property

    Beckham is spotted arriving to inspect his newly-purchased home in a McLaren supercar
    +22

    Beckham is spotted arriving to inspect his newly-purchased home in a McLaren supercar

    Beckham appears relaxed as he walks into the home with 124ft of frontage on Biscayne Bay
    +22

    Beckham appears relaxed as he walks into the home with 124ft of frontage on Biscayne Bay

    Pop star Shakira and Bee Gee Barry Gibb will be among the Beckhams' neighbors at the home
    +22

    Pop star Shakira and Bee Gee Barry Gibb will be among the Beckhams’ neighbors at the home

    Victoria and David Beckham celebrate Easter in Miami with family

    Beckham wore a pink Inter Miami hat, white T-shirt, black trousers and pink Adidas ‘Originals x Lionel Messi Samba’ trainers – named after the Miami player.

    Pop star Shakira and Bee Gee Barry Gibb will be among the Beckhams’ neighbors at the home, where they also have a waterfront deck and mooring for a yacht.

    Earlier this month a local property source claimed that the Beckhams’ offer on the property had been accepted, and they plan to move in early next year.

    The Beckhams have had a base in Florida for years, and also spent about £18million on a full-floor five-bedroom penthouse in downtown Miami in 2020.

    The couple already have a property portfolio which includes a £31million townhouse in London’s Holland Park and a £12million Cotswolds country pile.

    Long-time celebrity columnist Jose Lambiet told the Mail earlier this month: ‘I don’t think people necessarily remember that David Beckham was a football player.

    ‘They now think of him as a society guy, and the ownership of the soccer team has made him a stalwart in South Florida.

    ‘Miami is a place where he and Victoria can be comfortable because people are used to famous faces here – there are hundreds of celebrities.’

    It is understood that the whole Beckham family had already been to see the property before the latest visit by Beckham, with a source saying that ‘everyone loves it’.

    They added: ‘Although it’s David who has the work connection in Miami, the impression from the estate agents is that Victoria has been pushing for the move.

    Beckham wears Adidas 'Originals x Lionel Messi Samba' trainers, named after the Miami player
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    Beckham wears Adidas ‘Originals x Lionel Messi Samba’ trainers, named after the Miami player

    Beckham is pictured wearing a pink Inter Miami hat, white T-shirt and black trousers
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    Beckham is pictured wearing a pink Inter Miami hat, white T-shirt and black trousers

    Beckham drives his McLaren 750S into the Miami property which has sold for $78 million
    +22

    Beckham drives his McLaren 750S into the Miami property which has sold for $78 million

    The Beckhams have had a base in Florida for years, but have now bought the new mansion
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    The Beckhams have had a base in Florida for years, but have now bought the new mansion

    Beckham arrives at the home in his McLaren 750S
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    Beckham arrives at the home in his McLaren 750S

    A local property source claimed that the Beckhams' offer on the property has been accepted
    +22

    A local property source claimed that the Beckhams’ offer on the property has been accepted

    The new house adds to the Beckhams' property portfolio which also features homes in the UK
    +22

    The new house adds to the Beckhams’ property portfolio which also features homes in the UK

    An aerial view of the Beckhams' new £60million mega-mansion overlooking Biscayne Bay
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    An aerial view of the Beckhams’ new £60million mega-mansion overlooking Biscayne Bay

    Aerial images of the Beckhams' new property in Miami offer a glimpse of the stunning views
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    Aerial images of the Beckhams’ new property in Miami offer a glimpse of the stunning views

    The Beckhams spent $23million on a penthouse in this building in downtown Miami in 2020
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    The Beckhams spent $23million on a penthouse in this building in downtown Miami in 2020

    The Beckhams already have a £31million townhouse in exclusive Holland Park in West London
    +22

    The Beckhams already have a £31million townhouse in exclusive Holland Park in West London

    David and Victoria Beckham also have a £12million Cotswolds country pile in their portfolio
    +22

    David and Victoria Beckham also have a £12million Cotswolds country pile in their portfolio

    Victoria Beckham celebrates Miami team’s big win on the pitch

    ‘What we hear is she wants to have a sort of salon there where she can gather interesting famous and wealthy people. It’s going to be a social scene but the idea is she can turbo-charge her fashion and make-up brands by juicing those links.

    ‘It seems she wants to be the Queen of Miami and to lean into all the celebrity links which come from the football club.’

    Former England captain Beckham exercised an option in his contract with his former Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy to buy an expansion franchise in 2014.

    He launched the team in Miami in 2018, before confirming it would be called Club Internacional de Futbol Miami, or Inter Miami CF. It made its MLS debut in 2020.

    The former Manchester United midfielder finished his playing career in 2013 with 718 appearances, 127 goals and 214 assists. He played 115 times for England.

  • Loose Women’s Coleen Nolan brands co-star ‘ugly’ and snaps ‘are you still talking’

    Loose Women’s Coleen Nolan brands co-star ‘ugly’ and snaps ‘are you still talking’

    Loose Women quickly turned awkward when chat turned to beautiful people living longer and Coleen Nolan was seemingly unimpressed as she took offence over the segment

    Coleen Nolan was not full of pleasantries on Tuesday’s (August 13) Loose Women episode.

    The Nolans singer, 58, was on the panel with the very same co-star’s that she’d shared the ITV stage with only yesterday, with the same clan back in business for the second day on the trot it was evident that they all seemed more than comfortable in each other’s company.

    Kelly Holmes, Christine Lampard, Brenda Edwards and Coleen, having now built up a good rapport on Monday’s programme, kicked off the show discussing ‘people living longer who were more attractive’.

    According to Christine who was in the hosting seat, a recent study discovered that people who were more beautiful, were deemed to live at least two years longer than those supposed to not be as attractive.

    Coleen appeared on the Loose Women panel
    Coleen took a stab at beautiful Christine

    Immediately, Coleen took a disliking to the conversation, pulling snarling faces in Christine’s direction and at the camera as the audience roared with laughter.

    Judging by the disappointment written across her face, the former popstar was not happy that the camera had honed in on her, with Coleen throwing her arms up in the air.

    Christine took the hosting seat on Loose Women
    Christine took Coleen’s comments all in her stride
    Turning to Christine, who was giggling away, she asked: “Are you going to press that button?” The chat continued, with Christine seemingly digging an even bigger hole as she explained some of the most beautiful people were actually “very dull”.

    Bored with the topic now, Coleen rudley interjected: “Are you still talking?” before beginning to fake snore noises live on air, leaving co-star’s Brenda and Kelly in hysterics.

    Coleen on the Loose Women panel
    Christine praised Coleen in spite of her comments
    Despite being uninterested in the findings of the study and conversation, Coleen did delve into her thoughts on the matter.

    She commented: “I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I’ve been out with some dodgy looking guys in my time… but they’ve really made me laugh and therefore the whole attractiveness comes into it of the overall person.”

    Christine praised: “Well said,” as Coleen took another stab at her beautiful co-star and wife of football ace Frank Lampard, she jibed: “Alright ugly, get on with it.”

  • How Diana hid secret tension in marriage to Charles during iconic visit to Nigeria: Couple had few joint engagements and were VERY awkward when they were together in 1990 visit

    How Diana hid secret tension in marriage to Charles during iconic visit to Nigeria: Couple had few joint engagements and were VERY awkward when they were together in 1990 visit

    It was a visit that came just two years before Charles and Diana separated – and the tensions behind the scenes were etched on their faces.

    The royal couple’s five-day trip to Nigeria was one remembered for their largely separate engagements and their few awkward joint appearances.

    However, when the then Prince Charles and the Princess of Wales arrived in Lagos on March 15, 1990, thousands of fans welcomed them with cheers and flags.

    Diana looked resplendent in a series of dresses by designers Catherine Walker and Paul Costelloe as she characteristically attracted much of the limelight.

    She displayed the kindness that she was so loved for when she held the hand of a leprosy patient at a hospital, as Charles initially stood awkwardly by her side.

    At the time, the couple’s marriage troubles were not public knowledge, but they were both engaged in secret affairs.

    Charles was seeing Camilla, now the Queen, and Diana was romantically involved with James Hewitt, a Captain in the British Army. She had also had a fling with her protection officer, Barry Mannakee.

    It was a visit that came just two years before Charles and Diana separated - and the tensions behind the scenes were etched on their faces. Above: The royal couple visiting a farming village in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, on March 19, 1990
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    It was a visit that came just two years before Charles and Diana separated – and the tensions behind the scenes were etched on their faces. Above: The royal couple visiting a farming village in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, on March 19, 1990

    Charles and Diana appear to have a difficult conversation on the day of their visit to the Molai Centre, a leprosy hospital in Maiduguri, northern Nigeria
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    Charles and Diana appear to have a difficult conversation on the day of their visit to the Molai Centre, a leprosy hospital in Maiduguri, northern Nigeria

    Former royal correspondent Elizabeth Blunt recalled that Diana’s Nigeria trip with Charles was an attempt by the Palace to ‘revive’ interest in them.

    She previously said: ‘The West African tour was officially meant to be for Prince Charles, as future head of the Commonwealth, to get to know the region; in reality it was very much more about getting the right kind of coverage in the British press.

    ‘Looking back, this was a low point in the royal couple’s popularity; the glamour and novelty of their marriage had worn off; the problems in their relationship had not yet become public; the palace press office was keen to revive flagging public interest in the future King and Queen.

    ‘The chosen solution was a punishing round of activities which took them to every corner of Nigeria and Cameroon; Prince Charles opened a British Council Library, walked in the rain forest, and greeted war veterans in a tropical botanic garden.

    ‘Princess Diana visited children’s hospitals, traditional hand loom weavers and women’s development projects. And wherever Diana went, the royal press pack followed.’

    She added: ‘I had Prince Charles’s engagements virtually to myself; no-one else was in the slightest bit interested.’

    Prince Charles and Princess Diana during Nigeria tour back in 1990

    At the time of the visit, Charles and Diana were both engaged in extra-marital affairs. Above: Diana wearing a pink and white floral patterned Paul Costelloe dress as she sits next to Charles
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    At the time of the visit, Charles and Diana were both engaged in extra-marital affairs. Above: Diana wearing a pink and white floral patterned Paul Costelloe dress as she sits next to Charles

    Charles and Diana talk to medics during a visit to the Molai Centre in Maiduguri, northern Nigeria
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    Charles and Diana talk to medics during a visit to the Molai Centre in Maiduguri, northern Nigeria

    Charles wears a pale blue safari suit during a visit to Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in March 1990
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    Charles wears a pale blue safari suit during a visit to Port Harcourt, Nigeria, in March 1990

    The Princess of Wales displayed the kindness which she became famous for when she held the hand of a leprosy patient as her husband initially stood by awkwardly. The patient, named Lucky, beamed when the princess held her hand at the Molai Centre, a leprosy hospital and rehabilitation village in Maiduguri, northern Nigeria, in March 1990
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    The Princess of Wales displayed the kindness which she became famous for when she held the hand of a leprosy patient as her husband initially stood by awkwardly. The patient, named Lucky, beamed when the princess held her hand at the Molai Centre, a leprosy hospital and rehabilitation village in Maiduguri, northern Nigeria, in March 1990

    The 1990 visit was Diana’s first time in the country. Charles had been as a young boy in 1956, when he accompanied his mother Queen Elizabeth II on her royal tour.

    He has been back three times since, in 1999, 2006 and 2018.

    Five years before the 1990 trip, Charles and Diana had shared an awkward kiss at a polo match.

    By then, their two children were too young to pick up on any tension between them. Prince Harry not even a year old, whilst Prince William was barely three.

    In 1987, there was another sign that the couple’s marriage was in trouble when Diana did not join the Royal Family on their annual summer trip to Balmoral.

    Two years later, transcripts of an intimate phone conversation between Charles and Camilla emerged.

    During the call, the Charles spoke of wishing to be close to Camilla in intimate terms – and expressed a fear of being reincarnated as a tampon.

    After reading the transcript, which was reported under headlines including ‘tampongate’ and ‘Camillagate’, Diana reportedly declared ‘game, set and match.’

    However, there was still royal duty to attend to, and the Nigeria visit was part of that.

    Charles and Diana were deeply moved when they visited patients afflicted with leprosy at a hospital and rehabilitation village in Maiduguri, northern Nigeria in what was one of their few joint engagements in the country.

    One patient, named Lucky, beamed when the princess held his hand in hers as he lay in his bed.

    Diana went on to do the same to several other children, showing the kindness which she had become so famous for.

    Charles initially looked more cautious and had his hands clasped behind his back but he eventually followed the lead of his wife by physically reaching out.

    After the trip, Diana was made patron of the Leprosy Mission in Britain.

    The couple also attended a regatta at Port Harcourt in Rivers State, southern Nigeria.

    Charles and Diana went on to Cameroon before returning to the UK.

    In the year the couple separated, Diana made her feelings clear in Andrew Morton’s revelatory biography.

    In hours of sessions that were taped for Morton, Diana told him every detail of her experience of married life with the heir to the throne.

    Prince Charles and Diana attend a rare joint engagement during their royal tour of Nigeria
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    Prince Charles and Diana attend a rare joint engagement during their royal tour of Nigeria

    Diana, Princess of Wales, wearing a pink-and-white floral patterned Paul Costelloe dress, with women during a visit to the farming village of Umuagbai in Port Harcourt, Nigeria
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    Diana, Princess of Wales, wearing a pink-and-white floral patterned Paul Costelloe dress, with women during a visit to the farming village of Umuagbai in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

    Charles and Diana - who is wearing a pale green-and-white Catherine Walker dress with a Philip Somerville hat - are greeted by the then Nigerian vice president Augustus Aikhomu and his wife Rebecca at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on the first day of their royal tour, March 15, 1990
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    Charles and Diana – who is wearing a pale green-and-white Catherine Walker dress with a Philip Somerville hat – are greeted by the then Nigerian vice president Augustus Aikhomu and his wife Rebecca at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on the first day of their royal tour, March 15, 1990

    Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales attend a regatta at Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Nigeria, March 19, 1990
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    Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales attend a regatta at Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Nigeria, March 19, 1990

    Princess Diana, wearing a blue Catherine Walker dress, inspecting a craft display at a cultural show in Enugu, Nigeria
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    Princess Diana, wearing a blue Catherine Walker dress, inspecting a craft display at a cultural show in Enugu, Nigeria

    The Princess described cutting herself with a pen knife, throwing herself down the stairs when she was pregnant and throwing up four times a day as bulimia took hold.

    In 1994, Charles made his own feelings clear in Jonathan Dimbleby’s book, The Prince of Wales: A Biography.

    Charles had already sensationally confessed to his affair with Camilla in a TV interview with Dimbleby earlier that year.

    But the book offered up further royal bombshells, including Charles’ implicit admission that he never loved Diana, and a portrayal of his father Prince Philip as someone who could reduce his son to tears with a few harsh words.

    It revealed how Charles went into his marriage believing that it was a mistake, with the Prince of Wales having felt pressured to tie the knot by his father’s warning that he had to make up his mind about her.

    Dimbleby told how Diana became ‘exceptionally interested’ in Charles’s previous relationships, especially ‘with his old friend Camilla Parker Bowles‘.

    Questions were raised after the book was released about whether Charles could ever become King, given the way he had been so open about his family struggles.

    The Prince and Princess of Wales smile as they arrive at Enugu Airport in Nigeria, March 18, 1990
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    The Prince and Princess of Wales smile as they arrive at Enugu Airport in Nigeria, March 18, 1990

    Charles and Diana greet adoring crowds in Lagos, Nigeria, during their five-day tour of the country
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    Charles and Diana greet adoring crowds in Lagos, Nigeria, during their five-day tour of the country

    Prince Charles and Princess Diana sit together during their royal tour of Nigeria
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    Prince Charles and Princess Diana sit together during their royal tour of Nigeria

    Further trouble was to come with Diana’s own sit-down TV interview with now-disgraced BBC man Martin Bashir the following year.

    The conversation was watched by 23million people and caused a worldwide media frenzy as Diana told Bashir on ‘there were three people in this marriage’.

    It emerged more than two decades later that, to secure access to Diana, Bashir showed her brother, Earl Spencer, false bank statements which suggested his former head of security had been receiving money from tabloids and the security services to spy on his sister.

    Once he had gained access, Bashir told Diana a string of lies, convincing her that Prince Charles was having an affair with then royal nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke – now Alexandra Pettifer – and that she became pregnant and had an abortion as a result.

    In December 1995, the Queen urged Charles and Diana to divorce and in August 1996, they finally did.

    But less than a year later, Diana her lover Dodi Fayed died tragically in a car crash in a Paris underpass.

    The Daily Mail's report on Princess Diana's visit to a hospital for leprosy patients with Prince Charles
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    The Daily Mail’s report on Princess Diana’s visit to a hospital for leprosy patients with Prince Charles