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Emmerdale star Lisa Riley lost 12st over 18 months to get the body of her dreams, but was instead left unable to work out due to agonising rolls of loose skin

Lisa Riley embarked on a life-changing journey, transforming her body from a size 28 to a size 12 and losing 12st in the process.

Over an 18-month period, the Emmerdale star turned her back on takeaways and junk food and instead embraced the gym and healthy eating.

The results were remarkable, but instead of being left with the body of her dreams, Lisa, 46, found herself covered in painful folds of skin, weighing more than 1.5 stone.

In her documentary, Lisa Riley’s Baggy Body Club, the TV star heartbreakingly said she felt like a ‘saggy mess’, and that she was ‘revolted’ by her own image.

Lisa Riley was a size 28 at her biggest

She lost 12st over 18 months ( 
Image:
ITV)

She said: “When I made the ­decision to lose weight, I never for one second imagined that I would end up looking like that. It never occurred to me that the loose skin would be so bad.

“I thought why on earth have I lost all this weight? I looked worse than I did when I was obese. And it was the pain as well. The skin was flapping about and dragging.”

Lisa felt she was left with no option but to go under the knife. She could have had surgery in secret, but she took the brave decision to allow the documentary crew to follow her to highlight the ­problems faced by thousands of people who lose weight each year.

The Loose Women presenter said: “I wanted to show the brutality of it. In life you can’t sympathise or have empathy with anybody unless you can see it.

Lisa was left with rolls of spare skin ( 
Image:
ITV)

The Emmerdale star said the rolls were causing her extreme pain ( 
Image:
ITV)me of her new friends in person, to hear their stories.

Despite being terrified of surgery, the chats gave her the confidence to go under the knife.

She said: “The night before the surgery, I was so petrified everybody thought I wasn’t going to go through with it.

“I was thinking that in 11 hours I could be dead. I might not wake up.

“Could I have lived with the loose skin for the rest of my life? Yes, but I wouldn’t have been happy. I don’t feel like I have had cosmetic surgery, I have corrected what I had done to myself.

A thrilled Lisa Riley showed her post surgery body to her best friend Kate ( 
Image:
ITV)
“Nobody made me eat 50 Twix bars, or a whole packet of sausages at one sitting. I did that to myself. No one made me not go to the gym.

“Some weeks I was probably having seven takeaways a week. I did that to myself. I have to take responsibility for that.”

Lisa had four operations – a fleur de lis tummy tuck which left her with vertical and ­horizontal scars, surgery to remove the loose skin from her thighs, a boob lift and the removal of her “bingo wings”.

Lisa underwent four surgeries to remove the skin folds ( 
Image:
ITV)
It took Lisa several long, painful months to recover from the surgery, which she insisted is no easy route to a slim physique. But now she couldn’t be more thrilled with her new body.

She added: “I had never been able to wear sexy underwear, before it was all just functional, mumsy bras and big knickers. Now I can wear little sexy sets.

“On the train from Manchester to London, the old me would have had a coffee, baguette, red wine, crisps and a cake.

“Now I plan my meals and order a ­sparkling water, people can’t believe it.”

Fresh claims echo Prince William’s fears Prince Harry rushed into marriage, which has thrown Harry and Meghan’s relationship into the spotlight.

Fresh claims echo Prince William’s fears Harry rushed into marriage (Image: Getty)

Fresh claims echo Prince William’s fears his brother Prince Harry rushed into marriage, which has thrown Harry and his wife’s relationship into the spotlight once again.

In a new book about the Royals by royal author Robert Jobson titled ‘Catherine, the Princess of Wales: The Biography’, new claims state Prince William believed Prince Harry was rushing into marrying TV Suits actress, Meghan Markle.

A source told OK! Magazine this concerns Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, who live happily in Montecito, California. They said: “It upsets Harry and Meghan when this is mentioned as they’re still together, very happy and have two gorgeous children. They knew from the start how they felt and they believe their marriage is a true love story and how they’ve overcome so much to be together.”

They added: “But it does seem to put a strain on them and it’s like they have to constantly prove their marriage and happiness. They have lost family because of their marriage.”

The new royal book claims there was a dispute about Meghan wearing Diana’s jewellery (Image: Getty)

The source states the only way Meghan and Harry can get through all the criticism is to “remain strong for each other”.

The new biography also states Prince William “sought assurances” from the late Queen Elizabeth II, that Meghan Markle would not be wearing any of his late mother, Princess Diana’s jewellery for her big day.

The source also said: “William does believe Harry was rushing into marriage with Meghan – because only he understands the pressure they would be under.

“Kate and William took their time with their relationship and even had a brief split, as William wanted to make sure Kate was ready and could handle royal life.”

Harry previously alleged in his bombshell memoir, Spare, that things became heated between himself and Prince William when he raised concerns about Meghan. He also claimed that an altercation with William left him with a visible injury on his back due to him falling onto a dog’s bowl and breaking it.

Harry alleged that William wanted to talk about the “whole rolling catastrophe” of the couple’s difficulties with the press before things escalated

Princess Eugenie’s husband Jack Brooksbank has made social climbing an art by clawing his way up from bar manager to royal groom and renowned Hollywood schmoozer.

Jack looked like the cat that got the cream in a royal carriage after he married Princess Eugenie (Image: Getty)

Since they tied-the-knot in 2018, Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack Brooksbank have become regulars on the royal social scene, attending events with the rest of the Royal Family.

The couple married in a ceremony at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle on October 14, 2018, and since then Jack hasn’t looked back.

Let’s take a closer look at Princess Eugenie’s husband Jack Brooksbank.

August and Ernest

The couple welcomed their first son, August Philip Hawke Brooksbank, on February 9, 2021.

According to a statement shared at the time, the baby was born at the Portland Hospital, and Jack was present for the birth.

In January 2023, Princess Eugenie and Jack announced that they were expecting a second child, and in June of the same year, they debuted their new son, Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank.

Making his way up

Jack went to the private Stowe school in Buckinghamshire, England. Despite a glittering start, he decided to skip university and dove straight into a career in hospitality.

It was love at first sight for Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank (Image: Getty)
At one point, Jack managed the popular London nightclub Mahiki before he went on to better things.

In May 2022, it was reported that Eugenie and Jack would be splitting their time between the UK and Portugal as part of Jack’s new job with the Discovery Land Company, a development corporation owned by Mike Meldman.

Meldman was previously a partner in the George Clooney-founded Casamigos tequila brand, for which Jack had served as brand ambassador.

Despite forming a close friendship with Clooney, the actor was notably absent from the Brooksbank wedding due to it being open only to close friends and family. However, reports suggested that Jack and Eugenie served Casamigos at the wedding.

Clooney and his wife Amal made an appearance at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in the same year which Jack was said to have helped arrange.

How they met

Eugenie and Jack had been dating for seven years before they got engaged.

The couple met while skiing in Switzerland near to Eugenie’s father’s controversial £19 million chalet that he reportedly sold to help pay for damages to Virginia Roberts.

Jack Brooksbank once had a very close friendship with Prince Harry (Image: Getty)

“We met when I was 20 and Jack was 24, and fell in love,” Eugenie said of her husband in an interview with the BBC. “We have the same passions and drive for life. It’s so nice that we get to share this moment with everyone, and you get to meet Jack.”

The wedding

The couple married in a touching ceremony at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle on October 14, 2018.

Ahead of Eugenie and Jack’s big day, he told Daily Mail columnist Sebastian Shakespeare: “I’ll need to take a few minutes for myself before the speeches, because I’m terrified. It’s very exciting, but I’m a little bit nervous.”

Jack’s background

Jack’s parents are Nicola and George, an accountant and a company director.

He has one brother named Thomas and his family also has aristocratic connections.

Jack is descended from the Brooksbank baronets. In fact, Jack and Eugenie are distant cousins, much like Eugenie’s grandmother Queen Elizabeth and her late husband, Prince Philip.

One former royal employee has sent Prince Harry and Meghan Markle a stark warning over their upcoming visit to Colombia later this year.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been sent a warning (Image: GETTY)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been warned of “repercussions” if they have chosen not to get royal approval for their upcoming Columbia trip.

The couple, who stepped down as senior working royals back in 2020, announced their plans to visit Columbia later this year.

Their planned visit will reportedly showcase the heritage of Colombia and will also focus on ways to create safer spaces online.

It has also been revealed that the couple had been invited to visit by the vice president, Francia Marquez.

Although details of the visit remain unknown, it has been likened to a ‘royal tour’. Due to this, the couple have been urged to get approval from King Charles or they could be set to face “repercussions”.

Speaking on behalf of Spin Genie, former royal butler Grant Harrold said: “It will be good to know if this has been sanctioned by the Palace or if Harry had a conversation with his father asking if he can do this.

“I just can’t see them doing it without some sort of approval because this would upset the monarchy if they do it off their own back and I think there could be repercussions if they haven’t been given permission by the royal household.”

He also surmised that the couple’s visit could be them seeking their “first steps” to make a return as working royals.

Mr Harrold added: “If they are going to carry out a royal tour then they are acting as working royals so this could be an indication of them stepping back into royal life.”

Prince Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior working royals in 2020 (Image: GETTY)

On August 1, the Colombian vice president revealed in a statement: “As the Vice President of Colombia and Minister of Equality and Equity, I am pleased to announce that Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have kindly accepted my invitation to visit our beautiful country.”

During their time in Colombia, Harry and Meghan are set to visit Bogotá, Cartagena, and Cali with Márquez.

Her statement continued: “In these vibrant locations, they will have the exceptional opportunity to engage with leaders, youth, and women who embody the aspirations and voices of Colombians committed to progress. In addition to these meaningful interactions, The Duke and Duchess will experience the rich heritage of Colombia.”

Prince Harry looked “bored” in his new CBS interview, according to a body language expert.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s latest interview will be aired on the weekend (Image: CBS )

Prince Harry has been accused of looking bored as he “gazes off into the distance” in a clip from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s new interview that has gone viral online.

The couple, who stepped down as senior working royals in 2020, are set to feature in a new interview on Sunday, August 4. The interview will air on US broadcaster CBS.

Body language expert Judi James has claimed that, unlike his wife, the Duke of Sussex seems very “disengaged” as Meghan speaks to Jane Pauley at the very start of the clip – appearing to hint at a sense of boredom.

As reported by the Mirror, Ms James said: “Her engagement with the interviewer is as powerful as Harry’s disengagement signals at the start of this clip while the two women speak.

“We see him in the clip gazing off into the distance with a serious facial expression while his wife tells a much more sociable and emotional story.”

While discussing children’s mental health, Meghan also made a sweet comment about their young son and daughter.

Ms James also said that when the mother of two spoke about Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, she appeared “besotted”.

She said: “Meghan is seen changing her body language and vocal state to speak about her children, performing a massively coy smile with a puckered top lip and rounded cheeks and partially hiding her face with her hand as though proud but also cutely coy about referring to them.

Prince Harry looked into the distance at the start of the clip (Image: CBS)

Telling the interviewer they are ‘amazing’ she goes into a besotted-looking state, glancing down as though visualising them in a ‘moment’ as she shakes her head and her vocal tone dips to an intimate ‘throat-creak’.”

She then added: “But then she makes the link with her campaign message and her eyes bounce back to the interviewer, her brows raise and she gesticulates with her left hand to make her point with passion while Harry still gazes off into the distance, as yet un-activated.”

The former communications secretary to the late Queen revealed how Buckingham Palace staff celebrated the happy occasion.

Prince George was born on July 22, 2013 (Image: Getty)

The former communications secretary to the late Queen has finally revealed details of how Buckingham Palace staff celebrated the happy occasion of Prince George’s birth on July 22, 2013.

Speaking on Hello! Magazine’s ‘A Right Royal Podcast’, explains all staff were on “tenterhooks” waiting for the call of the arrival of Prince William and Princess Kate’s first baby.

Speaking about the moments leading up to the announcement and the staff celebration, Ailsa Anderson said: “My lovely colleague Ed Perkins was press secretary to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge as they were. I got the call in the morning to say things were happening, we were in the office on tenterhooks waiting for the call!

“Excited, maybe a glass of champagne was drunk after the announcement was made—I couldn’t possibly comment!”

Prince George at the Euro 2024 final with his dad, Prince William (Image: Getty)

Ailsa was also at the centre of all the action as she had to walk across the forecourt at Buckingham Palace to post the announcement of the birth at the railings, where crowds of spectators were waiting.

Ailsa explained: “As a communications person, you’re always behind the scenes, you’re never in front of the camera, but for once in my life, I was! I was honoured to walk across that iconic forecourt at Buckingham Palace and post the announcement of Prince George’s birth at the railings.”

She describes she was “terribly nervous”, and her son had spotted her “on the telly” as she carefully placed the notice for the crowds to see.

She added: “The crowds witnessing it were up to Green Park, people queuing to take a look at the notice. It’s history! It was the monarchy at its best, and this time now, the pomp and ceremony, it’s what we do best.”

Kensington Palace released a photo on George’s 11th birthday (Image: Kensington Palace)

George’s was celebrated across the globe, but one person was lucky enough to find out that the future King had been welcomed safely into the world before anybody else.

Due to royal protocol, the late Queen Elizabeth II was the first one to know that Prince George had arrived. It stands under a royal rule that the reigning monarch is always notified first.

The late monarch found out the happy news via a specially encrypted phone, and would have been the very first call that Prince William made.

To mark Prince George’s 11th birthday last month, the Prince and Princess of Wales proudly shared a new image of their eldest son. The black and white shot of George showed the future King looking smart and grown up in an open-necked white shirt and dark blazer as he smiled happily at the camera.

The royals enjoy a good summertime barbeque but there is one thing when it comes to dining etiquette that they will never do.

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The Royal Family like to use their cutlery (Image: Getty)

The Royal Family like to indulge in summertime classic foods during their holidays and while they may like the same things that we do, they usually eat them in a different way.

With the sun well and truly shining most members of the Firm will likely organise outings and barbeques with their respective families.

But they still like to keep up appearances even during less formal events, according to a former royal butler.

Grant Harrold, who worked as a butler for King Charles from 2004 to 2011, said the royals like to take advantage of all the perks the sunny season has to offer and revealed how they like to eat hamburgers – but in a different way.

Speaking on behalf of Spin Genie, he revealed: “When it comes to eating the food, they would use the correct cutlery, there would be knives and forks.

Prince William and Princess Kate enjoying ice cream in South Wales in 2020 (Image: Getty)

“I’ve never seen a royal pick up any food with their hands, but the younger ones will.

“The older royals use utensils because they’re more traditional, and they’re slightly more formal.

“They would definitely eat a hamburger, for example, with a knife and fork as they won’t want to get messy.”

Mr Harrold also revealed the major differences between a royal BBQ and one we might have at home, as he confirmed there are “seating plans” made with both BBQs and picnics in the royal household.

He said: “The one thing about the King and the Queen, is they’re very much lovers of the outdoors.

“As soon as we have good weather, it’s quite common for them to have dinners and lunches and even breakfast outside.

“They’re very much fans of the summer weather and making the most of it, so they love to dine al fresco.

“They still have seating plans at a royal BBQ, it’s all done properly and correctly – it’s the same with BBQs and picnics.”

Back in 2014, Prince William and Princess Kate travelled Down Under, taking baby Prince George with them.

Prince William and Princess Kate broke an unusual yet extremely important royal rule when they took Prince George with them on a tour of Australia and New Zealand.

The young family made the trip in the spring of 2014, less than a year after George’s birth in July 2013, but although it seemed like a sweet opportunity for some family bonding, they would have needed to seek the permission of Queen Elizabeth first.

This is because heirs to the throne are generally not permitted to board the same plane in case of an accident, which could destabilise the monarchy.

With two royal heirs travelling together, the late Queen would have had to give her blessing for the trip a decade ago, and next year the rule will affect George even more as he turns 12.

From that date he will no longer be able to travel with his father William nor his younger sister Princess Charlotte, the next in line to the throne after him, again in case of a plane crash.

Princess Kate and Prince William travelled to Australia in 2014 (Image: Getty)

William too had to stop travelling with then-Prince Charles, Princess Diana and Prince Harry when he turned 12 in 1994 for the same reason.

The King’s former pilot Graham Laurie previously told OK! magazine: “We flew all four: the Prince, the Princess, Prince William and Prince Harry, up until Prince William was 12 years old.

“After that, he had to have a separate aircraft and we could only fly all four together when they were young with the written permission of Her Majesty. When William became 12, he would fly normally in a 125 from Northolt and we would fly the 146 out with the other three on.”

Kate and William took George with them despite the royal rule (Image: Getty)

There is another unexpected rule in place for the Royal Family when they travel, and that is that they must carry blood with them matched to the Firm’s blood type.

Dickie Arbiter, former press secretary to the late Queen, explained on Hello’s A Right Royal Podcast: “[You’ve] got to make sure that you’re covering every eventuality.

“The aircraft would carry blood in case there was a blood transfusion. There’s never any guarantee you are going to get the right type of blood at your destination.”

Soon George will not be able to travel with William and Charlotte (Image: Getty)

In 2016, it was reported by The Telegraph’s Gordon Rayner that the late Queen would bring a Royal Navy doctor with her on royal tours in case of a medical emergency.

The doctor’s job was also to research local hospitals and medical facilities.

He said: “In countries where a reliable blood supply is questionable, the Queen and the Prince of Wales both travel with their own personal packs of blood following in their convoy wherever they go.

“Their doctor is never more than a few paces away, carrying a bulky medical bag containing a mobile defibrillator and all manner of emergency medicine.”

EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry might have branded the UK unsafe for his family, but the Sussexes’ decision to visit ‘high terror threat’ Colombia makes no difference here, a former royal protection officer says.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are heading to Colombia later this year (Image: Getty)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s trip to “high terror threat” Colombia after branding the UK unsafe won’t make a difference to the Sussexes’ security concerns in Britain, an ex-royal bodyguard has suggested.

Despite the Duke of Sussex’s fears over bringing his family to the country of his birth, Harry and Meghan are set to visit Colombia later this year, even though there is a “high threat of terrorist attack” against British interests and UK nationals in the South American country according to the Foreign Office.

The move prompted criticism from some who have compared levels of safety in Britain with those in Colombia, where the Foreign Office says terrorists are “very likely” to carry out attacks.

But former royal protection officer Simon Morgan told Express.co.uk the Sussexes’ decision to accept an invitation to visit Colombia from the country’s vice-president won’t make any difference to Harry and Meghan’s security in Britain.

Mr Morgan said: “The threat and risk profile in the UK will be vastly different to Colombia. There are different specifics here… You need to look at the two places in isolation and consider the threat and risk profile of each separately. They are two totally different environments.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will visit Colombia later this year (Image: Getty)

He added: “Harry and Meghan have made a choice as private individuals to go to [Colombia]. [Their security] is entirely up to them now and their advisors. It doesn’t change anything [in Britain]… It’s a different scenario. We’re not discussing a permanent security detail with him. I don’t think it changes anything, not from [Britain’s] current position.”

The Duke is contesting a decision to downgrade his security staus in the UK made when he and the Duchess stopped being working royals in 2020.

Harry no longer receives the same level of taxpayer-funded police protection afforded members of the Royal Family, but instead has his security needs arranged on a case by case basis.

Prince Harry’s bid to challenge the Home Office’s decision to downgrade his security was rejected by the High Court in February, but the Court of Appeal said in June it would hear his challenge after an application from the Duke’s lawyers.

The decision over Harry’s security was taken by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee (Ravec), which is responsible for the provision of Royal Family members’ security arrangements.

Prince Harry has spoken of his fears about bringing Meghan Markle and their children to Britain (Image: Getty)

Mr Morgan explained that anyone who comes to the UK on an official state visit receives a degree of protection by a dedicated unit, with “everything” thrown into security, including vetting, controlling areas where dignitaries visit and searches.

Much of Harry’s court hearing in February was held in private due to security concerns, but he recently told ITV fears for the safety of his family have prevented him from bringing them to the UK. This includes an attack from a lone individual targeting his family.

His last trip to Britain was in May when the Duke was in London to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games. On that occasion he visited without Meghan and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, before jetting off to Nigeria where he and the Duchess carried out a three-day tour.

On the risk profile in Colombia, Mr Morgan said: “Colombia is a beautiful, but also an extremely brutal and complex environment from a security perspective because of not just the drug cartels in and around the country, but also far-left terrorism.

“Certainly in the border regions, kidnapping, murder and exploitation are common currency, even in the capital, Bogotá.”

He explained that Harry and Meghan will be “in good standing” because they’ve been invited by the Colombian government so the state’s military, law enforcement and intelligence agencies will all be charged with making sure the trip goes off without a hitch.

Mr Morgan said: “There would be damage to [Colombia’s] international reputation if something happened. They will put in as much mitigation (against security risks) as they can in a layered security process: vetting people in areas the Sussexes will visit, providing armoured cars I would imagine to be a definite. They would also consider security from the air as well.

“Their itinerary will be published in advance so you lose an element of surprise so there will be a need to improve mitigation and contingencies.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle could be targeted by Colombian drug cartels or far-left terrorists looking to embarrass the country’s government, according to the security expert, who now works as Director of Operations and Training at security firm Trojan Consultancy.

Mr Morgan warned: “It would be a major coup if a cartel did something to destabilise or cause embarrassment to the Colombian government. It would be extremely embarrassing… From a Colombian perspective, they already live with a heightened level of security. That would have to be increased.”

Before meeting Sophie Rhys-Jones, Prince Edward was in another relationship and she even snuck into Buckingham Palace to see him.

Prince Edward and Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh have been happily married since June 1999 but before then he had a six year on/off romance with West End star Ruthie Henshall.

The couple first crossed paths in the late 1980s when she was starring in Cats, but despite her “genuine love” for him it eventually ended due to her career commitments.

During her appearance on Radio Four’s Desert Island Discs, Ms Henshall opened up about them spending time together in the Palace and how King Charles also hung out with them.

She told presenter Kirsty Young that “it was very exciting…I genuinely fell in love with him”, adding that she was even “smuggled” into the Palace to see Edward.

Ms Henshall recalled attending cook-outs with members of the Royal Family, including the late Queen Elizabeth, with Charles “turning the sausages”.

Prince Edward was in a relationship before he met Sophie (Image: Getty)

Ms Henshall was later married to fellow actor Tim Howar, but said of her time with Edward: “I think I had hopes that we could walk on in our relationship but really and truthfully I think I was very aware that I wouldn’t be able to do what I do for a living if I’d have stayed with him … there was nothing – at that stage – that was more important than what I did.”

The pair clearly remained on good terms as she later attended Edward and Sophie’s wedding, and according to the Daily Mail she still has his phone number.

Following her appearance on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in 2020 she told the publication: “I think if I had been talking about deepest, darkest secrets, or negativity, possibly it might have been a very different thing, but I don’t have anything negative to say about any of the family.

Ruthie Henshall only had good things to say about the royals (Image: Getty)

“I’m not busting any secrets that aren’t mine to talk about, but also they’re not really secret — it’s just a part of my history and I’m completely up for embracing that. It’s been a long time, too — I mean, I was 20 when I met him.”

The West End star spoke about how their romance blossomed when Edward was working as a production assistant: “He was the one who’d call me up and say, ‘You’re rehearsing at 2 o’clock’ or whatever.’

“And he said to me: ‘Would you like to come to mine and watch the film of A Star Is Born and you can have some dinner?’. I was like: ‘What, at the Palace — is that where you live?’”

Edward and Sophie have been married for 25 years (Image: Getty)

Recently Edward and Sophie celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary, possibly with their two children Lady Louise Windsor and James, Earl of Wessex.

Louise was born on November 8, 2003, with her little brother James arriving four years later on December 17, 2007.

The family live at Bagshot Park in Surrey and Berkshire, although Louise is currently at the University of St Andrews studying for a degree in English Literature.