Thursday, March 28, 2024

Dua Lipa announces Royal Albert Hall gig

Dua Lipa has announced a hometown show at London's Royal Albert Hall on October 17. The 'Levitating' hitmaker releases...
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Lord Nicholas Windsor’s wife is pregnant


Britain's Lord Nicholas Windsor's wife is to be the oldest royal mother-to-be.
The 43-year-old royal - who gave up his place in succession to the throne after converting to Catholicism in 2001 - and his spouse Paola, who turns 45 in August, have announced they are expecting their third child together.
Friends have hailed the news as a "miracle" as it came so soon after a sainthood was bestowed on popes John Paul II and John XXIII in a ceremony attended by Pope Francis and his predecessor, Pope Benedict, at the weekend.
One friend told the Daily Mail newspaper: "It is a miracle that Paola is having her child at her age so soon after the ceremony of the four Popes."
Nicholas and Swedish-Croatian Paola - whose full name is Paola Doimi de Lupis de Frankopan - married in 2006 and already have children Albert, six, and Leopold, four, together.
The previous oldest royal mother was the late Princess Alice, the Duchess of Gloucester, who gave birth to her second son, the Duke of Gloucester, at the age of 42.
In a coincidence, it was the duke who represented Queen Elizabeth at the beatification ceremony at the weekend.
Nicholas followed in the footsteps of his mother Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, in converting to Catholicism.
The duchess - who withdrew from royal duties in 2002 - was the first senior royal to convert publicly since the passing of the Act of Settlement in 1701.

Prince Frederick to attend Eurovision

Denmark's Prince Frederick and Princess Mary will attend the Eurovision song contest. The royal couple are expected to attend the final on May 10, which is being held in a former shipyard in their home city of Copenhagen. Additionally, Mary and the c...

Prince Charles tours caravan park


Britain's Prince Charles toured a caravan park yesterday (28.04.14).
The prince - who is known as The Duke of Rothesay in Scotland - spoke with management and visitors at the revamped Ballater Caravan Park in Aberdeenshire, which has been taken over from the local authority by a charitable organisation.
Among the people Charles met was 100-year-old Alexander Alexander - who is nicknamed double Sandy - who was there when the park first opened in the 1950s.
Mr. Alexander - who joined the prince in planting a tree outside the site's new office - said: "I've seen so many changes here since I helped clear the site in the 50s. It was just me and my boss at the time, then before you know it, it's expanding. It's so great for the village."
Charles also toured caravans owned by some holidaymakers, who were delighted to welcome him into the static homes.
Norma Burnett, 70, said: "He was very friendly and took an interest in the place. It was nice to have him visit."
Her husband Bob, 72, joked: "The caravan's never been so clean."
A family from New Zealand also met with Charles and presented him with a flag from their country and a small toy kiwi.
Dave Monk - who has been working his way around the world with wife Rachel and their sons Dylan, seven, and Lewis, five - said: "Kate and William [The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge] just visited our home town and now we've got the future king of New Zealand here too. It's been great, and the kids have been excited."

Princess Diana’s last letter sold


The last letter written by Britain's Princess Diana has sold for almost £3,000.
The hand-signed note - which was penned just three weeks before her death in a Paris car accident in August 1997 - was sold at auction for £2,796 yesterday (28.04.14), at Fellows Auctions in Birmingham, England.
Mark Huddleston, head of antiques at Fellows, described it as an important letter in modern history.
He said: "The letter is moving not only because of its heartfelt message but also because it would have been the last ever written by her."
The letter was typed on cream Kensington Palace headed paper and set to humanitarian campaigner Dilys Cheetham shortly after Diana had returned from a three-day visit to Bosnia as part of her anti-landmine campaigning.
In it she wrote: "I could not help but be deeply moved by the experience which hardened my resolve to ensure the world does not forget that those who have been so needlessly maimed by these terrible weapons will need care and support for many years to come."
Ms. Cheetham - who died in 2006 - sold the letter to Jason Fraser in a 1999 charity auction to raise money for landmine victims.
The photographer then sold the note to a private collector in 2007, who then put it up for auction.


Duchess Catherine named style icon


Duchess Catherine has been voted Britain's most stylish celebrity.
The 32-year-old royal - who was reportedly advised by her husband Prince William's grandmother Queen Elizabeth on her fashion choices for her recent tour of Australia and New Zealand - beat off competition from the likes of Holly Willoughby, Cheryl Cole, Emma Watson and Kate Moss to take top spot in the poll with a huge 21 per cent of the vote.
Nick Chalkley, Head Fashion Buyer at QVC, who commissioned the study, said: "When it comes to style it's clear to see the queen's opinion reigns supreme.
"Under Her Majesty's careful guidance, Kate has managed to top the style stakes with more women preferring a longer-length style."
Catherine - who was known as Kate Middleton before her marriage to William three years ago - was advised by the queen to wear longer hemlines and a more "regal" look for the official visit, and it seems the monarch's advice has been heeded by many other women, with a third of respondents saying they have embraced longer hemlines as it makes them feel more classy and grown up.
Meanwhile, over half of women - 51 per cent- said they dressed more conservatively when visiting relatives in order to create a good impression.

The top ten most stylish British women:
1. Duchess Catherine (21%)
2. Holly Willoughby (13%)
3. Cheryl Cole (9%)
4. Emma Watson (5%)
5. Michelle Keegan (4%)
6. Myleene Klass (4%)
7. Kelly Brook (4%)
8. Kate Moss (4%)
9. Pixie Lott (3%)
10. Millie Mackintosh (3%)

Tom Parker-Bowles remembers Mark Shand


Duchess Camilla's son has paid a touching tribute to his late uncle.
Food critic Tom Parker-Bowles has been left devastated by the passing of Mark Shand - who died aged 62 after a fall outside a nightclub in New York City last week - but says he feels "lucky" to have had the conservationist in his life.
He began the tribute by writing: "Uncle Mark is dead. Four words I never thought I'd write. It never even crossed my mind that Mark would cease to be."
He closed by saying: "Father, brother, uncle, friend. We're a very close family. And devastation doesn't begin to come near describing how we feel. Just the same as anyone losing a loved one.
"The fact we'll never see that stubble again, hear that rich voice, get the usual lippy text message ended with a million kisses. It's all those tiny things; the smell of his Trumper's aftershave. None of us has grasped he's gone. We won't for some time. There was no one like him, never will be.
How lucky we all were to have had this giant, magnificent figure in our lives. My keyboard's glistening with tears. His death leaves a massive, gaping hole that will never be filled."
In his piece for the Mail on Sunday newspaper, Tom admitted he thought his uncle would have been amused by the way he died.
He wrote: "Here was a man who'd brushed off cyclones, tsunamis, earthquakes, shipwrecks, pirates, bandits and malaria.
"He would have relished the irony of his demise. Not by poisoned arrow, or furious bull elephant in must, rather the cold, hard, mundane pavement of the New York night.
"He found humour in everything, however morbid. Nothing was off-limits, including himself. Especially himself."
Tom also recalled how Mark infuriated his sisters by supplying him and his cousin Ben with cigarettes and alcohol when they were just teenagers.
He wrote: "My cousin Ben and I worshipped the man. We'd do anything for him. He'd buy us cigarettes and booze and take us to the pub at 14. What other uncle would arrive back for Christmas with supermodel girlfriends - supermodel girlfriends who would come down to breakfast in tight silk negligees?
"My mother and aunt were less than impressed. Ben and I, in the first blushes of adolescence, were so excited we barely knew where to look. When we were aged about 12, he would sneak us into 18 certificate films. I say sneak - actually he would just stride in, pushing us ahead of him, ignoring the protests of any staff."


Prince Albert hasn’t seen son for months


Monaco's Prince Albert hasn't seen his son for seven months.
The 56-year-old royal has distanced himself from Alexandre Coste Grimaldi - the 10-year-old illegitimate child of the prince and flight attendant Nicole Coste - and the little boy's mother has blamed his wife, Princess Charlene for making a relationship between father and son "impossible".
Nicole - who has unsuccessfully fought to have Alexandre recognised as a prince - told The Mail on Sunday newspaper "The truth is that, I'm sorry to say, Albert hasn't seen Alexandre since a brief visit last September. It has become impossible since he married that girl.
"I suppose as a new wife, how would one feel? But she should think about my innocent child. I don't want to attack her but I think it is just jealousy and I don't know why. I have been through hell in my fight for my son's name and future."
When Alexandre was born, Albert gave Nicole and her son a financial allowance and a villa on the French Riviera, and the 43-year-old fashion designer says the prince - who also has an illegitimate daughter, Jazmin, 22 - was initially a doting father.
She said: "Albert and his son shared an affectionate, natural father/son relationship with trips and pirate-themed birthday parties.
"The prince was proud of his son, often cuddling him warmly."
Nicole, who now lives in London, is desperate for Albert to play a bigger part in her son's life.
She said: "'I don't want to see my son rejected. He sees other boys in his class have their fathers around and it is not good that he doesn't even hear from his. I'm worried that this will upset Alexandre emotionally.
"Although Albert is very generous I don't feel I can contact him after his marriage.
"At Easter, Alexandre said two things upset him. One was the British weather and the other was not seeing his father.
"But I can't make miracles happen. There is more to being a father than just money.
"A son needs a father to love, help and guide him through life. We must find a way to make this happen."

Prince William’s 3k gift to Catherine


Britain's Prince William bought Duchess Catherine a £3,600 watch as an early anniversary gift.
The duchess - who was known as Kate Middleton before marrying the prince on August 29 2011 - was given the Ballon Belu de Cartier watch ahead of the couple's tour of Australasia, and wore it every day on the three weeks they were in Australia and New Zealand.
The stainless steel watch is embedded with a sapphire that matches her engagement ring, and Catherine - who has nine-month-old son Prince George with her spouse - is said to "adore" the gift.
And it seems William had carefully thought about the gift as he was said to be ensure Catherine keeps to time as she is known for chatting so much during walkabouts, her husband is regularly kept waiting for her.
Cartier is a favourite brand of the royal family, and one of William's most treasured possessions is an engraved watch given to him by his late mother Princess Diana as a birthday gift, while the princess herself regularly wore a yellow gold Cartier watch.
The watch wasn't the only gift from William to Catherine that she showed off on the tour, as she was also seen wearing an "elegant yet discreet" diamond eternity ring, which the prince is believed to have given her following George's birth.


Duchess Catherine missed Lupo


Britain's Duchess Catherine really missed her dog during her Australasia tour.
The duchess, her husband Prince William and their nine-month-old son Prince George have arrived back in London after three weeks in Australia and New Zealand, and the 32-year-old royal - who was known as Kate Middleton before her marriage - was particularly excited about seeing her beloved pet Lupo again.
After being presented with a toy for the black cocker spaniel - who Catherine and William adopted two years ago - by a young girl outside the National Portrait Gallery in Canberra, Australia last Thursday (24.04.14), Catherine said: "Oh, thank you so much. Everyone is giving me presents for George but this is the first present I've received for Lupo. Nobody knows how much I'm missing my own dog... I really miss him. He'll be so happy to have it to play with."
The family - who flew home on Friday (25.04.14) - enjoyed their visit to New Zealand and Australia and are already looking forward to returning.
Speaking on Thursday, William said: "Reluctantly, Catherine, George and I leave Australia tomorrow.
"Thank you for the warmth and generosity that has been shown to us during our visit. We go away with wonderful memories, and George goes away with his cuddly wombat, which he has taken to chewing so lovingly. We greatly look forward to coming back. And when we do return, it will be to marvel again at all that Australia is, and will yet become."

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