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Shocking theory behind grandma's broad daylight murder-suicide

<p><strong><em>Warning: This article contains distressing content that some readers may find upsetting. </em></strong></p> <p>Court papers have revealed the sinister reason behind why a grandmother allegedly killed her daughter-in-law before killing herself. </p> <p>Terminally ill ex-probation officer Kathleen Leigh, 65, fatally shot 45-year-old Marisa Galloway, who shares a child with Leigh’s son, Zachariah Reed, on a New York street before taking her own life. </p> <p>Now Ms Galloway’s grieving parents, Nancy and John, have filed an emergency court petition claiming Mr Reed has run off to his “multimillion-dollar home” in Chicago with their grandchild Lili under the pretext of “mourning” his mother’s death.</p> <p>He has also barred the Galloways from any contact, either in person or via technology, with the child.</p> <p>“Clearly, [Mr Reed’s] mother had a deliberate plan to kill Marisa in order to provide custody for her son,” the court papers charge, according to an exclusive report by the <em><a title="nypost.com" href="https://nypost.com/2024/08/18/us-news/killer-nyc-granny-carried-out-slay-suicide-to-give-son-full-custody-of-child-heartbreaking-suit/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York Post</a></em>. </p> <p>“Unfortunately, [Mr Reed] has demonstrated an absolute intention to further those same goals of his mother as he has refused to provide us with any access to Lili at all in almost 3 weeks.”</p> <p>According to legal papers filed on Friday, the grandparents, who live a 12 hour drive away in New Jersey, are asking a Manhattan Supreme Court judge to pass on Marisa’s parenting time, hashed out in a 2022 custody agreement with Mr Reed.</p> <p>They are also asking that Mr Reed be forced to live in the New York until Lili is 18 so that she can keep a close relationship with her grandparents and with her half-sister, Mariel, the 1-year-old daughter Marisa had with a sperm donor who currently lives with the grandparents. </p> <p>“While Marisa was always the best mother, we would love to be involved with all aspects of taking care of an infant, toddler, and ultimately the little girl that Lili currently is,” Nancy wrote.</p> <p>Nancy said she is “extremely uncomfortable” being forced to file the petition but worried Lili would become estranged from her mum’s side of the family if they didn’t intervene.</p> <p>The grandmother laid out the history of Marisa and Mr Reed’s “tumultuous relationship” since the pair split and their “contentious” custody battle while she also claimed the pair dated before Marisa became pregnant but said their relationship ended “driven by the interference of [Mr Reed’s] mother.”</p> <p>On the day of the heinous crime on July 26th 2024, Marisa was loading her car and had put Mariel in her seat with plans to visit her parents for a few days. </p> <p>She was approached by Leigh while she was putting something in the boot, and shot her once in the back of the head and again in the back before taking her own life.</p> <p>Before her heinous crime, Leigh scrawled a seven-page letter “For Police” describing how she felt Marisa was trying to alienate Lili from her dad and saying she suspected Marisa of abusing Lili, despite child services clearing Marisa in two probes launched by Mr Reed.</p> <p>“She took away the child’s mother in order to make her son happy … it’s shocking,” a law-enforcement source had told the <em>New York Post</em> of Leigh right after the alleged murder-suicide.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Manhattan Supreme Court</em></p>

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Teenage boy in custody after stabbing at Sydney church

<p>A 15-year-old boy has been arrested after he stormed a church service in Western Sydney and stabbed a bishop and a priest. </p> <p>The Orthodox Christian church service was being live-streamed from the suburb of Wakeley on Monday night and captured the moment Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel's sermon was interrupted by the teen, who allegedly stabbed him several times. </p> <p>Father Isaac Royel was also stabbed, with two parishioners also sustaining injuries as they subdued the teenager until police arrived. </p> <p>The bishop and priest were both taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. </p> <p>Acting Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said the churchgoers did a "fantastic job" trying to calm the scene, but outside the church, an emotional crowd quickly built. </p> <p>NSW Premier Chris Minns chaired an urgent crisis control meeting with leaders from multiple faiths, all agreeing to a call for calm.</p> <p>When police arrived on the scene, the riot officers attempted to forcibly move the crowd away from the church, which led to violence against the officers. </p> <p>Police cars were smashed and two officers were taken to hospital after being injured by members of the crowd who broke into “a number of houses to gain weapons to throw at the police”.</p> <p>The 15-year-old, who was known to police, was arrested once officers gained access to the church and was taken to an undisclosed location for his own safety. </p> <p>Premier Minns later confirmed that the attack is being treated as a terror event, saying Police Commissioner Karen Webb had designated the stabbing a "terror incident" just prior to 2am. </p> <p>Chris Minns urged the community to keep calm and not perpetuate further violence, saying he and religious leaders “endorsed and supported a unanimous condemnation of violence in any form, called for the community to follow first responder and police instructions and called for calm in the community”.</p> <p>“We’re calling on everyone to act with kindness and respect for each other,” he said.</p> <p>The church said Bishop Emmanuel and a senior priest were in a stable condition and also appealed for calm.</p> <p>“We ask for your prayers at this time,” the church said in a statement posted on social media.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook / Nine News</em></p>

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Ted Lasso star ordered to pay massive child support sum

<p>Jason Sudeikis has been ordered to pay ex Olivia Wilde an enormous sum of child support, as a bitter two-year custody battle draws to a close. </p> <p>According to new court filings obtained by <em><a href="https://pagesix.com/2023/09/25/jason-sudeikis-and-olivia-wilde-settle-custody-battle-actor-to-pay-27500-per-month/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Page Six</a></em>, the<em> Ted Lasso</em> star has allegedly agreed to pay his ex $27,500 ($A42,800) per month in child support for their two kids, Otis, 9, and Daisy, 6. </p> <p>The hefty settlement has been based on Sudeikis' reported 2023 income of $10.5 million ($A16.3 million) and Wilde’s estimated income of $500,000 ($A778,000).</p> <p>“The parties agree that child support for the minor children in the amount of $27,500 per month is sufficient to maintain the needs of the minor children considering Jason’s station in life … is consistent with each child’s best interest, and application of the guideline would be unjust or inappropriate in this case,” the court papers reportedly state.</p> <p>The legal proceedings began two years ago, and took a dramatic turn in 2022 when Wilde, who was promoting her new movie <em>Don't Worry Darling</em> at the time, was served legal papers while on stage delivering a speech at CinemaCon. </p> <p>At the time, a source told <em><a href="https://pagesix.com/2022/04/29/olivia-wilde-mortified-after-being-served-with-legal-papers/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Page Six</a></em> that Wilde was mortified over the brazen act. </p> <p>“It seemed unthinkable to her, and it took a moment to set in, but as mortifying as it was, she did not want to give a reaction,” the insider explained.</p> <p>Since then, things have improved for the couple, as they were both seen putting on a united front at Otis' soccer game in LA. </p> <p>Wilde and Sudeikis started dating in November 2011 and got engaged in January 2013. They welcomed their two kids before separating in November 2020.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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Tragedy in Texas: 3 people in custody after 46 migrants found dead inside truck

<p>Three people have been taken into custody in Texas after the bodies of 46 migrants were found dead in a truck. </p> <p>Authorities are continuing to work at the scene in San Antonio's south-west where the vehicle was found with the 46 people dead inside, according to Fire Chief Charles Hood. </p> <p>Sixteen people, including 12 adults and four children, were found alive and have been rushed to hospital.</p> <p>Chief Hood added that the survivors were all suffering heat-related injuries. </p> <p>Mexico's Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard confirmed two of the survivors were from Guatemala.</p> <p>The truck was found next to railway track in a remote area of San Antonio, as Ebrard confirmed the vehicle had EU number plates designed to circulate without inspection.</p> <p>"Very likely the responsibility of traffickers," he said.</p> <p>San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said a worker nearby heard a cry for help around 5pm Texas time and went to investigate.</p> <p>"(They) found a trailer with the doors partially open and opened them up to take a look and found a number of deceased individuals inside," McManus said.</p> <p>Chief Hood said one body was discovered outside the truck, with the remainder of the deceased people being found inside the trailer. </p> <p>McManus said three people have been taken into custody however it is not clear whether they are "absolutely connected or not".</p> <p>He also added the tragedy is now a federal investigation as police officials work to determine an official cause of death. </p> <p>San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg called it a "horrific human tragedy".</p> <p>"We hope those who are responsible for putting these people in such inhumane conditions are prosecuted to the full extent of the law," he said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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NSW Police blasted after joining TikTok

<p dir="ltr">TikTok has become the home of influencers, brands, creatives and even zoos, but the NSW Police haven’t received as warm a welcome on the platform as they might have expected.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite gaining popularity for their law-related memes and posts on Facebook, the organisation’s debut on TikTok has seen them be called out for issues including police violence, Indigenous deaths in police custody, and the rates of domestic violence in the force.</p> <p dir="ltr">Less than a month after starting the @nswpolice TikTok account, users have been taking advantage of the platform’s ‘duet’ feature (which allows users to create videos that play next to the original video) to address these issues.</p> <p dir="ltr">Ben Vance, a 26-year-old digital marketing coordinator in Sydney, has even been blocked by the account after duetting their videos with less-than-flattering headlines involving the police.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I thought, ‘This is the perfect time to air out some bad laundry’,” he told <em><a href="https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/stefficao/nsw-police-blocks-tiktok-duets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Buzzfeed News</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Some of the videos show officers acting out funny skits about their law enforcement tactics, with one viral clip showing an officer responding to the question, ‘How do we keep the roads safe this long weekend?’ with a cartoon filter overlaid with text reading, “DOUBLE DEMERITS”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Can’t say we didn’t warn you,” the caption reads.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-9a24f7f6-7fff-dd8f-e933-df4b97b1655f">Mr Vance <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@easymoneyvancey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">duetted</a> that clip with a video of himself smiling over a screenshot from the Australian Institute of Criminology’s report that reveals there were almost 500 Indigenous deaths reported in police custody in the last 30 years.</span></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/tiktok-nswpolice.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Ben Vance has been praised for pointing out issues involving the police, who have since blocked him on the platform. Image: @easymoneyvancey (TikTok)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Vance has had his own takes go viral, with supportive comments telling him he is “doing god's work” flooding in and messages from people sharing their frustrations with the police.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ve gotten people reaching out to me in my TikTok comments and DMs (direct messages) telling me they were 16, walking into a music festival, and strip-searched because they ‘looked like a drug dealer’,” he told the outlet.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though he said he didn’t intend to start “a beef with the police”, he thought it was a good opportunity to hold them accountable.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There’s a lack of accountability reporting in this country with the news media being owned by a select few people, and this information isn’t very well publicised,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">The double demerits clip isn’t the only one of NSW Police’s videos to be used to criticise the force, and Mr Vance isn’t the only person to be blocked as a result of their criticisms. </p> <p dir="ltr">Taken from the perspective of two officers tapping on a computer screen, it features the text: “POV: you’re looking up someone in the system who was using their phone while driving without a licence and speeding in an unregistered vehicle with two bald tyres and no working tail lights, wondering how they thought they would get away with it”.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-d57e00c0-7fff-00fb-7db5-d453298ce1dc"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">User @<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@biglublyleanne?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">biglublyleanne</a> responded to that clip, mimicking the officers with the caption, “POV: you’re writing an incident report after killing another Black Australian”, written over the top.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/tiktok-cops1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>TikTok user @biglublyleanne was also blocked shortly after pointing out the issue of Indigenous deaths in custody. Image: @biglublyleanne (TikTok)</em></p> <p dir="ltr">On the same day, the user revealed they had also been blocked by the account.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You can give Indigenous people the heat mercilessly but can’t take it,” they wrote in the caption.</p> <p dir="ltr">As of publication, interactive options that allow users to duet or stitch videos are no longer available - but preventing people from sharing their clips has just increased the backlash.</p> <p dir="ltr">A more recent clip about Ed, the tabby police cat that features prominently on the organisation’s Facebook page, has received comments asking for the features to be turned back on, while some joked that the page would soon prevent people from commenting too.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The police thinking they can come on tiktok and not be dragged,” one user wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Don’t be shy, turn duets and stitches back on,” another said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Imagine blocking people who are exercising freedom of speech - I thought criticism of government bodies was legal, guess not,” a third argued.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-0c36875b-7fff-2075-379a-00b334b382c9"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @easymoneyvancey (TikTok)</em></p>

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“A lot of people are hurting”: NT officer cleared of murder charge

<p dir="ltr"><em>Content warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this story contains the name and image of a person who has died.</em></p> <p dir="ltr">The Northern Territory police officer who was charged over the fatal shooting of 19-year-old Kumanjayi Walker has been found not guilty after facing the NT Supreme Court in Darwin.</p> <p dir="ltr">Constable Zachary Rolfe smiled after the verdict was announced and hugged his defence lawyer.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Walker’s relatives and members of the Yuendumu community wept in court.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Rolfe was cleared of the murder charge laid against him, as well as the two alternative charges of manslaughter and engaging in a violent act causing death.</p> <p dir="ltr">He had pleaded not guilty to all charges related to the shooting, which occurred just after 7.20pm on Saturday, November 9, 2019.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>One of three shots deemed to be in self-defence</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Walker was shot three times during an attempted arrest at a home in the remote community of Yuendumu, 300 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs.</p> <p dir="ltr">The first shot from Mr Rolfe came after Mr Walker stabbed him in the shoulder with scissors, and was followed by a second shot 2.6 seconds later and a third 0.5 seconds after that.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Walker died an hour later at the Yuendumu police station, where he was given first aid.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-7998f855-7fff-ea9a-e976-43e1aefc28e5"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">The Crown accepted the first shot was legally justified through self-defence, but argued the second and third shots weren’t.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/03/walker.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Kumanjayi Walker was shot three times by Constable Zachary Rolfe in 2019. Image: 9News</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Prosecutor Philip Strickland, SC, argued that Mr Rolfe’s second and third shots were proof that he intended to kill or seriously harm Mr Walker, who had been restrained on the ground by his partner by then.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The Crown case is that the evidence that the accused gave in court, that he did have those beliefs, was a lie, and the accused lied to justify the unjustifiable; namely the fatal shooting of Kumanjayi Walker,” Mr Strickland <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/zachary-rolfe-not-guilty-of-murder-kumanjayi-walker-northern-territory/258709e8-b63e-4154-a364-dd18fccbe18d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Rolfe’s legal team argued he was defending himself and his partner in line with his training, responding instinctively.</p> <p dir="ltr">“(Mr Walker) was, at all times, non-compliant with violent resistance, even after three bullets had entered his centre body mass, the exact location where Zachary Rolfe had been trained to aim,” Mr Rolfe’s counsel, David Edwardson, QC, told the court in his closing address.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Each time (Mr Rolfe) pulled the trigger, he was acting in good faith.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He was acting in the reasonable performance of his duties, and he was acting in self-defence; the self-defence of himself and his partner.</p> <p dir="ltr">“In these circumstances there can be only one verdict and that is one of not guilty to all charges.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The verdict came after five weeks of evidence and testimony from more than 40 witnesses, including footage from police body-worn cameras.</p> <p dir="ltr">It comes as Mr Rolfe became the first NT police officer to face trial over the death of an Indigenous person in custody since the 1991 royal commission.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Walker’s death and the laying of charges against Mr Rolfe four days later made global headlines and sparked protests around the country.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>“No winners in this case”</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Addressing the media scrum after the trial, Mr Rolfe said he thought it “was the right decision to make”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But a lot of people are hurting today - Kumanjayi’s family and his community … and I’m going to leave this space for them,” he <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-11/zachary-rolfe-not-guilty-murder-kumanjayi-walker-police/100895368" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Edwardson told the media “there are no winners in this case”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“A man died and that’s tragic,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At the same time, Zachary Rolge, in my view was wrongly charged in the first place.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It was an appalling investigation and very much regretted.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-628e97a2-7fff-0738-4a5d-923d83ccf1ac"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: 9News</em></p>

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Aunt "refuses" to take on kids when her terminally ill sister dies

<p>A woman has "refused" to take on her terminally ill sister's children when she passes away, despite her sister begging her to, and her decision has gone viral. </p> <p>In a lengthy post to Reddit, the woman revealed that her older sister, 31, has recently been diagnosed with a large brain tumour that will drastically shorten her life. </p> <p>The woman's sister has a six-year-old, a two-year-old and a newborn baby, who she claims she doesn't have anyone other than her sister to leave them to. </p> <p>Her sister asked her to be the sole carer of her children, despite her and her husband, both 25, deciding to remain child-free. </p> <p>"We don't have family, and her ex-husband wants nothing to do with the kids since she cheated on him for years with many men and they aren't his. She doesn't know who the dad is," the woman explains.</p> <p>The woman then goes on to list the many reasons why she told her sister "no".</p> <p>"1. Since we are both child-free it would be unfair to ask my husband to make this kind of sacrifice. We both agreed to no kids when we got married; to change something like that generally means a divorce."</p> <p>"2. I am an atheist. My sister wants me to raise them religiously and to 'know god' and take them to church. No."</p> <p>She goes on to say that she was never very close with her sister, due to their six-year age difference, and that the memories she has of their childhood aren't so sweet.</p> <p>"[From] the memories I do have, she was always awful to me, [and] cynical...After she moved out at 18 we haven't talked once, besides at my parents funeral. I don't even know her kids, let alone her," she writes.</p> <p>Unsurprisingly, her terminally ill sister did not take her refusal well. </p> <p>"She cried and called me 'awful' but it's my life, and ultimately I get to be selfish with it..."</p> <p>"A child isn't an 18-year commitment; it's lifelong, and one I have decided not to take."</p> <p>The woman explains that since she told her sister "no", she has been bombarded with vicious messages from her sister's friends. </p> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 16px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: 'Proxima Nova', system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 18px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 28px; vertical-align: baseline; caret-color: #333333; color: #333333;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; vertical-align: baseline;">"Friends of hers whom I've never met have been reaching out to me and calling me at all hours to leave nasty voice mails.</span></p> <p>"[They say] I need to step up as a sister, but I just feel like she's trying to use me as her ticket out to dying and not feeling guilty," she wrote.</p> <p>The post has since gone viral on the social media website, with most commenters siding with the woman. </p> <p>One person said, "I've worked with kids for the past 20+ years and I can tell you that one of the worst things for a kid is to be with a parent who can't/doesn't want to be a parent."</p> <p>Another commented, "If you don't know these children at all, I don't see why your sister would want you to be their guardian. How could they possibly be comfortable with you after the loss of their mother? These so-called friends of hers would be better suited if they have an established relationship with the children."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

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How many shots, who pulled the trigger

<p><em><strong>Content warning: This article contains references to and images of deceased Indigenous individuals. </strong></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A man who was shot dead by police in Western Sydney on Tuesday has been identified.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stanley Russell was shot after police arrived at his home in Seven Hills just before 11.30am.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Officers arrived at the property with a warrant for Mr Russell's arrest.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 45-year-old father and grandfather allegedly confronted officers with a knife and an axe, and was fatally shot following a brief struggle.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It is understood that his family was nearby.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845464/shooting1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6090e1f05bc3462599ed47d7d0886bb2" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Russell and his partner of 29 years. Image: 7NEWS</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We’ve got five kids, six grandkids and I still can’t get up there,” Mr Russell’s partner said, as she was seen becoming emotional at the scene.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Soon after the shooting, officers closed streets in the surrounding area and told residents to stay away.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An investigation will be launched into the incident, with officers to determine how many shots were fired and who pulled the trigger.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845465/shooting2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f2d36ab8672e429bbf94fb81cb57039d" /></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Police at the scene of the Seven Hills property. Image: 7NEWS</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Four police officers were attending the scene at the time of the shooting.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">7NEWS</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> reported that a witness said he heard five gunshots.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Mr Russell’s death comes two days after another Indigenous man died in custody, according to AAP.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A 26-year-old man was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at Shortland Correctional Centre on Sunday, with Corrective Services and police investigating the incident.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Greens MLC Daivd Shoebridge spoke to Mr Russell’s family on Tuesday and later said the fatalities were another reminder of the “national crisis” of Indigenous people dying in custody.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is the second Aboriginal death in custody in just three days and it sends another wave of pain and hurt across communities,” he told </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">AAP</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It never seems to end.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Indifference, platitudes and empty gestures from politicians who could create change only allow these killings to continue.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: 7NEWS</span></em></p>

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The crazy reason why Harry and Meghan won’t have custody of their own children

<p>While living the royal life can seem like a dream for some, the truth is, there are many bizarre rules that average people are lucky to not have to follow. One of them, in particular, has to do with the royal children.</p> <p>It’s hard enough raising children in the spotlight, with paparazzi constantly on your tail and having to figure out creative ways for them to behave during official royal events. But the most peculiar is the custody arrangement with the Queen.</p> <p>Despite how much of a royalist you claim to be, there is a chance that you skipped over this fine detail. According to royal historians, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge do not have legal custody of their own children.</p> <p>That right is given to the children’s great-grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II.</p> <p>Royal expert Marlene Koenig spoke to<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/celebrity-life/royals/bizarre-reason-why-meghan-and-harry-wont-have-custody-of-their-children/news-story/5070826afa1e1869db31304d4674bd3b" target="_blank">news.com.au</a></em><span> </span>and said: “The sovereign has legal custody of the minor grandchildren.</p> <p>“This goes back to King George I [who ruled in the early 1700s], and the law’s never been changed. He did it because he had a very poor relationship with his son the future King George II, so they had this law passed that meant the King was the guardian of his grandchildren.”</p> <p>With the law dating back 300 years, it was passed by a majority of 10 out of 12 judges in the year 1717, who ultimately came to the decision that the monarch should have the “right of supervision extended to his grandchildren and this right of right belongs to His Majesty, King of the Realm, even during their father’s lifetime”.</p> <p>Koenig, who has written two books on the history of the British royal family and has had multiple articles published in the<span> </span><em>Eurohistory Journal</em>, says the law has not changed since 1772, as the law was legislated again during King George III’s reign and has not been suspended by new legislation.</p> <p>Due to this, the upbringing of royal children is greatly affected especially when it comes to their upbringing, travel and education.</p> <p>“When [Princes William and Harry] were little, Prince Charles asked the Queen if both children could fly on a plane to Scotland, to which the Queen said yes,” Koenig said.</p> <p>“Technically, they needed permission for travel. The Queen has the last word on parenting decisions like that.”</p> <p>And that wasn’t the only time the Queen was asked for her approval.</p> <p>Before her passing, Princess Diana was not allowed to fly with her children to Australia as per the Queen's refusal. Also, later Prince Charles was forced to ask for the Queen’s permission before sending Prince William to a holiday camp in America in the late 1990s.</p> <p>According to Koenig, once the Queen passes, Prince Charles would then be handed the legal custody of George, Charlotte, Louis and all other grandchildren as he would then be king.</p> <p>But due to Prince Charles having progressive views, Koenig believes he is “very respectful of his son’s parenting” and would not choose to interfere in their upbringing.</p> <p>“He understands they want to raise their children privately … the only thing Charles might ask for is more pictures,” she joked.</p>

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