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Queen Elizabeth visits stamp factory


Britain's Queen Elizabeth came face-to-face with millions of pictures of herself yesterday (30.10.14).
The 88-year-old monarch and her husband Prince Philip beamed widely as they toured a stamp factory in Wolverhampton, seeing row after row of stamps adorned with her own likeness.
During their tour of International Security Printers at the city's i54 business park, the couple were shown the printing machines at work before viewing a display of archived stamps and unveiling a plaque marking their visit.
And Philip shared a joke with staff operating an Italian-made Cerutti industrial printer.
Printer Richard Houghton said: "We told them about the machine and where it was from.
"And the duke asked 'Have you learned to speak Italian, or have you taught it to speak English?' "
Later in the day, the queen formally opened a £500 million Jaguar Land Rover engine manufacturing centre at the business park.
The couple toured the site - which will start full production next year - and met with staff members and apprentices, and also looked at vehicles, engines and tools, as well as meeting youngsters involved in educational engineering design schemes.
Aston Business School Professor David Bailey said the engine manufacturing centre was "hugely important" to the company.
He said: "Previously they'd bought in engines from Ford, but by doing it themselves it gives them much greater strategic control over it.
"They can produce engines that they need for different models at different brands at different times, so really important for the company going forward."

Queen Elizabeth to reveal garden secrets


Britain's Queen Elizabeth's garden will be explored in a new TV series.
The monarch granted gardener Alan Titchmarsh access to Buckingham Palace, and he spent a year exploring the 39-acre estate for 'The Queen's Garden', using aerial photography, time-lapse, thermal imaging and remotely-operated motion-sensitive cameras to capture the annual cycle from every angle.
He also shows the work of palace garden staff, including how they use "arisings", slang for fertiliser from the royal stables, while archive footage will show how the monarch and her sister, the late Princess Margaret played there as children.
ITV will air 'The Queen's Garden' during the festive season and promise a "magical" experience for viewers.
Richard Klein, who commissioned the series for ITV, said: "There is something magical about a garden hidden behind high walls, and no more so than here, at Buckingham Palace.
"Guided by Alan Titchmarsh and the four seasons, 'The Queens Garden' is a delightful and charming exploration of that magical world, with a light dusting of royal history."
The 65-year-old presenter has previously met the 88-year-old monarch on several occasions.
The queen memorably joked with him when she gave him his MBE in 2000, saying: "You've given a lot of ladies a lot of pleasure."

Princess Beatrice does charity trading


Britain's Princess Beatrice became a trader for the day yesterday (30.10.14).
The 26-year-old royal - the daughter of Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson - lent her support to the annual Bloomberg Tradebook Charity Day at the firm's London office to help raise money for her mother's charity Children in Crisis.
Beatrice was guided on the phones by staff members in fancy dress as she took calls and sealed deals with clients.
Bloomberg Tradebook later shared a selection of pictures of the princess and tweeted: "Big thank you to HRH Princess Beatrice for joining @BBGTradebook to support @ChildrenCrisis at #TBKCharityDay (sic)"
And she wasn't the only famous face to take part in the initiative, with presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy, 'Holby City' actor Alex Macqueen, DJ Sara Cox and 'Game of Thrones' actress Sophie Turner also on the trading floor for the day.
Commissions made from the day's trades would be donated to the charities chosen by the stars.
Children in Crisis - which was founded by Sarah in 1993 and aims to educate young people in some of the world's poorest countries - were extremely thankful for the high-profile fundraising.
Koy Thomson, CEO of Children in Crisis, said: "We are incredibly grateful to Her Royal Highness and Alex Macqueen for helping support the charity in this time of need as we face the very real threat of disease and political instability in some of the countries in which we operate.
"By lending their voices, they are helping us raise funds to continue providing education to children who so desperately want to learn and better their communities."

Prince Charles recalls anguish over Lord Mountbatten’s death


Britain's Prince Charles spoke of his "anguish" over the death of his beloved uncle Lord Mountbatten yesterday (30.10.14).
The 65-year-old royal and his wife Duchess Camilla showed their support for Colombia's peace process at the Peace and Reconciliation Centre in Bogota and Charles recalled his own devastation when his uncle was killed in a bomb blast in Ireland in 1979.
He said: "It is an immense tragedy that violence has cast such a long shadow across the whole of this remarkable country for the past five decades. Many of you here today will have experienced unimaginable suffering, and our hearts go out to you as you struggle to come to terms with all that has happened to you and your loved ones.
"I suspect that many of you will probably not know that my own much-loved great uncle, Lord Mountbatten, and members of his family including one of my godsons were murdered in Northern Ireland just over 30 years ago. So I feel I do understand something of the bewildering and soul-destroying anguish that so many of you have had to endure."
Charles spoke as government representatives and members of the FARC revolutionary group have been meeting to try to end conflict between paramilitary organisations, as well as security forces, and said he was hopeful the country will be able to find "a lasting and durable peace".
He added: "It is my earnest hope and prayer that Colombia will soon find a lasting and durable peace. Of course, as we have learnt in the UK from the Northern Ireland peace process, and the Good Friday Agreement, building conditions for peace takes time - and there are pitfalls along the way.
"Great political and moral leadership is required from all parties to the conflict; and from society at large, which must also strongly feel the need for truth, reconciliation and forgiveness.
"As one who has himself experienced the intense despair caused by the consequences of violence, it is my fervent hope that Colombians might find the strength to continue cultivating a commitment to peace and reconciliation in their own hearts. For this must surely be the key to a lasting solution in Colombia."

Prince Harry lends his support to the Poppy Appeal


Prince Harry lent his support to the Poppy Appeal in London earlier today (30.10.14) by helping to raise money.
The 30-year-old royal was joined by Barbara Windsor and other entertainment stars to raise support and awareness of the Poppy Appeal, which raises money for servicemen and women past and present.
The Prince was joined on his tour of the capital by 'EastEnders' actress Lacey Turner and singer Joss Stone, in addition to former and serving personnel from all three branches of the military.
Harry made his way across the capital using a London bus, which took him from Covent Garden to Leadenhall Market as he promoted The Royal British Legion's London Poppy Day, which raised £1 million in 2013.
And thanks to the presence of 2,500 uniformed personnel, veterans and supporters, the campaign enjoyed its most successful single-day collection of its kind in the country.
The bus was driven by Sir Peter Hendy, the commissioner of Transport for London.
The vehicle ultimately made its way to Downing Street, where everyone on-board was greeted by Prime Minister David Cameron, who took the time to talk to them and pose for photographs.

Kendra Spears and Prince Rahim expecting first child


Kendra Spears and her husband Prince Rahim are expecting their first child together.
The former model, now known as Princess Salwa Aga Khan, and her spouse - the eldest son of His Highness Aga Khan IV - have announced the happy news that Kendra is pregnant.
The pregnancy was revealed on the official website of the Ismaili Muslim community - Shia Muslims who have pledged allegiance to Aga Khan IV, who is the Imam of the faith and considered to be a direct descendant of the Islamic prophet Muhammad.
A statement on the site read: "Expressing his greatest happiness, Mawlana Hazar Imam informed the Jamat today that Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa are expecting their first child. Around the world, Ismailis are gathering in Jamatkhanas to celebrate the happy news.
"Aitmadi Mahmoud Eboo, Chairman of the Ismaili Leaders' International Forum (LIF) has submitted a message of congratulations to Mawlana Hazar Imam and the entire Imamat family, and also conveyed warmest wishes to Prince Rahim and Princess Salwa on this very happy occasion."
Kendra, 26, and Prince Rahim, 43, married in a private Muslim ceremony surrounded by family and close friends in September 2013 in the grounds of Château de Bellerive in Switzerland, which overlooks the shores of Lake Geneva.
Before marrying and becoming a princess, Kendra had enjoyed a successful catwalk career and had modelled for fashion houses such as Dolce & Gabbana, Chanel and Louis Vuitton.

Princess Masako attends first banquet for 11 years


Crown Princess Masako of Japan attended her first banquet at the Imperial Palace for 11 years on Wednesday (29.10.14).
The 50-year-old royal has barely participated in royal duties since she was diagnosed with a stress related illness in 2004 and the last function she attended at the residence was in October 2003 to welcome Mexican President Vicente Fox and his wife.
But on Wednesday Masako and her husband Crown Prince Naruhito both attended the dinner held in honour of their friends King Willem-Alexander and his wife Queen Máxima of the Netherlands - whom she stayed with last year.
Naruhito's parents Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko hosted the banquet, which was also attended by other members of the Japanese royal family.
Masako - who has 12-year-old daughter Princess Aiko with Naruhito - also participated in a welcoming ceremony for King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and Queen Maxima as they arrived at the Imperial Palace. This was the first welcome ceremony she had been involved with in five years.
In December 2013, on her 50th birthday, Masako released a statement thanking people for their support as she battled her illness and promised the Japanese public she would be "making efforts to accomplish my duties, whether business or personal, as much as possible".

Duchess of Cornwall given snake skin handbag


The Duchess of Cornwall was presented with a snake skin handbag during her first day in Columbia.
British royal Camilla and her husband Prince Charles began their four-day trip to the South American country in the capital Bogota on Wednesday (29.10.14) and the 67-year-old royal looked very grateful as she was given the unique accessory by Columbian designer Mario Hernandez, who created the bag.
Olga Lucia de Hernandez - the wife and business partner of Mario, who has his own self-titled label - revealed the inspiration behind the bag for Camilla.
She said: "We created the evening bag because we know she has a lot of evening events. The fact they've come to our country means they really admire our country."
Mario and Olga also made a "casual" handbag for the Duchess of Cambridge, and they gave the item to Camilla to pass on to pregnant Catherine - who is married to Prince William - when she gets back to the UK.
Camilla and Charles, 65, are in the country to "highlight and promote the partnership" between it and Britain and according to the British Ambassador in Columbia, Lindsay Croisdale-Appleby, their visit has generated much excitement.
Ambassador Croisdale-Appleby said: "I have a lot of contact obviously with the President Juan Manuel Santos government and contact more broadly with Colombians and there's a very palpable degree of excitement about the visit. There's a great enthusiasm to get to know Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall."

Sarah Ferguson believes in fairies


Sarah Ferguson "believes in fairies".
The Duchess of York has revealed she thinks the flying, miniature mythical creatures really exist and she thinks the world is also full of "magic".
Ferguson - the mother of Queen Elizabeth's granddaughters Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, her children with ex-husband Prince Andrew - makes the surprising admission in new book 'What Makes Me Happy?'
Speaking in the tome, she says: "I do believe in fairies. I do believe in magic and when you blow on a dandelion, you will see the light of the enchanted spreading their wings and disappearing off on their own journeys, just like you have today when you opened your eyes. Don't let the day go by without looking for fairies and magic. That makes me happy, as every day is, therefore, a day of exploration and adventure."
'What Makes Me Happy?' features over 100 famous people revealing what gives them fulfilment in their lives and has been released to raise money for BBC Children In Need. It was compiled by 13-year-old schoolgirl Hanni Blaskey who got the idea while watching a Children in Need documentary about a young girl who had to care for her bed-ridden mother
It is available to buy for £3 from Sainsbury's and for every copy sold £2 will go to the charity.
Other contributors to the tome include Sir Paul McCartney, who reveals that eating with his grandson makes him happy, Rod Stewart, who says a cup of tea makes him "uncontrollably happy" and 'Strictly Come Dancing' judge Len Goodman who insists "eating a bacon sandwich" is his favourite thing.
McCartney said: "I love to hear the noises in the kitchen as the meal is prepared and then my little grandson climbs on my knee and requests a bite for every bite that I take."

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