Placeholder Content Image

Jacinda Ardern receives Damehood at Windsor Castle

<p>Jacinda Ardern has been officially made a dame in a special ceremony at Windsor Castle in London. </p> <p>The former New Zealand prime minister received one of the country's highest honours on Wednesday, The New Zealand Order of Merit, for her services to the state. </p> <p>She was appointed a Dame Grand Companion a few months after her shock resignation as prime minister in 2023, but only just formally received her damehood from Prince William at the investiture ceremony in London. </p> <p>Prince William and Princess Catherine posted a clip of the moment Ardern received her damehood in a social media post, where they called her a friend and extraordinary advocate. </p> <p>"It was a privilege to present you with this deserved award at Windsor today!" he wrote. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBMNQx0tPjp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBMNQx0tPjp/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Jacinda said she was honoured and humbled by her damehood. </p> <p>"I feel really humbled by the chance to be here with my family, and really I see it as an acknowledgement of them and of every person I worked with, and of every person who's supported me, and that includes a very large number of New Zealanders."</p> <p>The former New Zealand prime minister was in the UK for a meeting of the prince's Earthshot Prize, which she is a trustee first. </p> <p>She advocated for the movement behind the prize, saying: "About telling every single person out there that we don't have to wait, for this catastrophe to happen to us, that there are things we can do and that are being done."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

International Travel

Placeholder Content Image

Princess Diana's niece finally reveals baby daughter's name

<p>Princess Diana's niece, Lady Kitty Spencer has finally revealed the name of her daughter, almost four months after confirming her <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/princess-diana-s-niece-secretly-welcomes-first-child" target="_blank" rel="noopener">arrival</a> on Mother's Day in the UK. </p> <p>The notoriously private royal took to Instagram to share a black and white photo of her sitting by a window, while holding her daughter. </p> <p>The new mum was pictured kissing her daughter's head as she stared out the window. </p> <p>"Athena watching the world go by," she captioned the photo, with a white heart emoji. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C81dKqtOcmI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C81dKqtOcmI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kitty Spencer (@kitty.spencer)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Royal fans were quick to share their delight and the chosen name. </p> <p>"Such a beautiful name!" one wrote. </p> <p> "What a beautiful name and photo," another added. </p> <p>"Athena is so gorgeous!! Like her mama," a third commented. </p> <p>Kitty, who is the late Princess Diana's niece and daughter of Diana's brother Earl Charles Spencer, shared the post over the weekend. </p> <p>She announced the arrival of her first child with husband Michael Lewis, earlier this year. </p> <p>"It's the joy of my life to be your mummy, little one. I love you unconditionally. Happy Mother's Day to those who celebrate today," she wrote at the time. </p> <p>She had kept her pregnancy private, and many were surprised to learn that she was a mum. </p> <p>Athena was reportedly born in late 2023.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

First lady of Australian television dies aged 92

<p>Renowned Australian children’s presenter Dawn Kenyon has died aged 92.</p> <p>Kenyon, originally Dorothy Dingwell, was born in Toowoomba in 1932 and made her TV debut in 1956, the same year that it was introduced in Australia. </p> <p>She became the country's first female host of children's show, with her appearance on <em>Captain Fortune</em>, and was later referred to as the “first lady of Australian television”.</p> <p>Known affectionately as Miss Dawn, she hosted several early Australian children's shows and became a household name with her role on Channel Seven’s <em>Romper Room</em> in the late 1950s, almost a decade before <em>ABC’s Play School </em>made its debut in 1966.</p> <p>In addition to her on screen roles, she also made significant contributions behind the scenes as a producer and screenwriter. </p> <p>A year after she made her TV debut, she married Fred Kenyon, a British TV engineer, and they share three children, Steven, Peter and Anne. </p> <p>After her marriage she chose to step away from her presenting career and relocated to England when her husband accepted a job there. </p> <p>Her legacy endured, with her friends in the media industry paying tribute to her as news broke of her death. </p> <p>“Dawn was always a shining light,” Australian journalist Anita Jacoby said.</p> <p>“She was so often the first to greet us, introduce us to new families, and lead us deeper into that magic of the Merry Makers,” <em>60 Minutes’ </em>Jeff McMullen said.</p> <p><em>Image: National Archives of Australia/ news.com.au</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Princess Diana's niece secretly welcomes first child

<p>Lady Kitty Spencer, 33, surprised royal fans when she revealed she secretly welcomed her first child with husband Michael Lewis, 65. </p> <p>Spencer, who is Princess Diana's niece and the daughter of Earl Charles Spencer, took to Instagram on Sunday to share a reel of her celebrating her first mother's day in the UK. </p> <p>"It's the joy of my life to be your mummy, little one," her post began. </p> <p>"I love you unconditionally 🤍 Happy Mother's Day to those who celebrate today 🤍," she added.</p> <p>In the clip, Spencer can be seen doting on her baby girl as they spend time together at the beach and at home. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4U3U4Fs70Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4U3U4Fs70Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Kitty Spencer (@kitty.spencer)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Her sisters were quick to comment on the post, followed suit by royal fans.  </p> <p>"My perfect little niece,"  Eliza Spencer commented. </p> <p>"The most perfect angel in the world," added her sister Amelia Spencer. </p> <p>"What wonderful news dear Kitty! Congratulations on your precious little one," wrote one fan with a bunch of white love hearts. </p> <p>"Oh wow! Didn’t know you had a little bub. How gorgeous! Congratulations x," added another. </p> <p>"Oh Kitty! So happy for you❤ Happy Mother's Day!" wrote a third. </p> <p>Spencer tied the knot with Lewis in a lavish ceremony in Rome in 2021. </p> <p>She wore <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/beauty-style/lady-kitty-spencer-shows-fans-bts-look-at-her-five-wedding-dresses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">five custom Dolce & Gabbana wedding gowns</a>, and her two brothers walked her down the aisle as her father was unable to attend the wedding at the time due to a shoulder injury.</p> <p>The couple first met in 2018, and later got engaged in 2019, but had to postpone their wedding due to COVID-19.</p> <p>Her husband has three children from a previous marriage.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

Major Cruise line scraps entire season

<p>Virgin Voyages has cancelled all of its sailings in Australia and New Zealand for the next year after they were left with "no choice" in the wake of escalating tensions in the Red Sea.</p> <p>The Resilient Lady ship will not return Down Under for its promised second sailing season next summer due to safety concerns following a series of strikes on container ships in the Red Sea. </p> <p>The cruise line revealed on Tuesday that a lengthier alternative return route around Africa was not viable for the company. </p> <p>"On the heels of these recent changes and based on the regional and government advice we have received, we remain very concerned about potential escalations in the Red Sea over the next 12 months," <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">a spokesperson from Virgin Voyages said. </span></p> <p>“This significant and ongoing conflict puts unacceptable risks for safe passage through the region for our Sailors, crew and vessel."</p> <p>“To say that we are disappointed to have come to this tough conclusion is an understatement.</p> <p>“These adjustments are happening now to minimise potential future disruption to our passengers’ holiday plans, knowing there is a high likelihood that changes would need to happen in the future.”</p> <p>The cancellations will impact customers with trips planned in late 2024 and early 2025 on repositioning voyages between Europe and Australia. </p> <p>Virgin Voyages have indicated that a return to Australian waters will remain a possibility, as they continue to look for available options.</p> <p>They also said that if the 2024/25 can go ahead, customers who had previously booked their holiday will be prioritised if they would like to re-book. </p> <p>Currently, impacted customers have the option to re-book a different trip or request a full refund. </p> <p>A few other cruise companies who operate seasonal sailings or world cruises through the Red Sea and Suez Canal have also had to cancel, reposition, or re-route their sailings. </p> <p>MSC have cancelled three repositioning sailings in April, while Cunard, Princess and Seabourn have re-routed their world cruises to avoid the Suez Canal.</p> <p><em>Image: Virgin Voyages</em></p> <p> </p>

Cruising

Placeholder Content Image

"Ended for good": Prince William launches project inspired by Lady Di

<p>Prince William has launched his most ambitious project to date, announcing his plan to end homelessness in the UK within five short years. </p> <p>The Prince of Wales set out to visit six areas in the UK that experience different types of homelessness with a distinct set of challenges, outlining a detailed plan to see homelessness eradicated. </p> <p>On his two-day tour, the 41-year-old royal shared that his late mother, Princess Diana, was a big inspiration behind the project, after she helped open William's eyes to the nation-wide problem. </p> <p>In the south London borough of Lambeth, Prince William described how he was inspired by "heart-breaking" visits to shelters he made with his mother as a child. </p> <p>"My first visit to a homelessness shelter was when I was 11 with my mother," he told the Mosaic Clubhouse, which supports people with mental health problems.</p> <p>"The visits we made, left a deep and lasting impression."</p> <p>"I met so many extraordinary people and listened to so many heart-breaking personal stories. Too many people have found themselves without a stable and permanent place to call home."</p> <p>"Through these visits, I have seen first-hand the breadth and complexities of homelessness."</p> <p>William said he hoped the Homewards program would "inspire belief throughout the UK and beyond that homelessness can be ended for good".</p> <p>Prince William's Homewards program focuses on preventing homelessness before it begins, bringing together all organisations working in the sector to create solutions that target local challenges.</p> <p>The launch of the project, which was two years in the making, comes days before what would have been Diana's 62nd birthday on July 1st. </p> <p>A major focus of Homewards will be on providing homes to those who need them.</p> <p>"I am pleased to stand here today at the start of our path to ending homelessness," he said.</p> <p>"Over the next five years, I believe that we have a unique opportunity to develop innovative new solutions and scale tangible impact. This will inspire belief throughout the UK – and beyond – that homelessness can be ended for good."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Body language expert weighs in on Prince George

<p>Prince George has stunned fans by stepping out ahead of his family during the annual Easter Sunday service at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.</p> <p>9-year-old George was accompanied by his parents - the Prince and Princess of Wales - and his siblings, seven-year-old Princess Charlotte and four-year-old Prince Louis. And while in 2022 the young royal stood between her parents as they made their way into the service, all eyes were on George in 2023 when he took the lead and strode a step ahead of them. </p> <p>And now, body language expert Judi James - who took note of George at both the 2021 and 2022 services as well - has spoken to<em> The Daily Mail </em>about what she believes the 9-year-old’s new “grown-up dynamic” means - both for himself, and the future of the British royal family. </p> <p>“At this Easter service there was a status step-up from George, who walked ahead to lead his family into the service,” she explained, “showing a newly grown-up dynamic from the five Wales’ when it comes to royal outings.</p> <p>“George used to be the one holding his father’s hand and looking rather timid, but here it was Charlotte walking in alongside William, while Kate held Louis’s hand beside them.”</p> <p>Judi went on to note that even this line-up “had its own upgrade”, outlining how Charlotte had appeared to check in on her younger brother, before sharing “a beam of pride at his impeccable behaviour.”</p> <p>“On the way out of the service it was Charlotte mirroring her mother, walking beside Kate and offering her own shy wave to the crowds in a gesture that showed who she takes her own lead from,” she continued. </p> <p>“Louis was a very different boy from the playful, fidgety young royal <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/adorable-prince-louis-upstages-entire-royal-family" target="_blank" rel="noopener">we saw at the Jubilee</a>. Walking beside Kate he looked serious and confident, offering a level stare at the crowds of fans and well-wishers, who seemed to have saved a special cheer for this mother and son duo.</p> <p>“Kate looked down at Louis with a grin of pride before smiling back up at the crowd, as though sharing her admiration for his grown-up behaviour. Louis even appeared to look down to straighten his tie as he entered the chapel.”</p> <p>Judi circled back to George while discussing the family leaving the service, noting that George was the first to exit, and that he demonstrated initiative when he set out “shaking hands without any prompting.”</p> <p>Meanwhile, many fans just couldn’t believe how quickly the young royal had grown before their very eyes, taking to social media in the wake of the service to voice their surprise. </p> <p>“How grown up does Prince George look today?” wrote one. </p> <p>“Can't believe how much Prince George has grown up,” said another. “He will be as tall as Prince William soon.”</p> <p>“It has been wonderful to see him grow in confidence as well as height,” someone agreed.</p> <p>Another noted that George bore a strong resemblance to Charles Spencer, and that the “Spencer genes are currently running strong.”</p> <p>While others couldn’t forget the rest, declaring “​​Princess Charlotte &amp; Prince Louis too! They are so adorable!”</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

Elderly pizza lady receives $390k tip after falling during delivery

<p>Barbara Gillespie was completing a typical Friday night pizza delivery when things took an unexpected turn. </p> <p>The 72 year old had just made her way up a home’s front veranda stairs, arms laden with her pizza boxes, when she stumbled and fell on to a small white chair.</p> <p>The family, whose <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@momofthe5ks/video/7195696356508372266" target="_blank" rel="noopener">security camera captured the entire tumble</a>, came outside to see what had happened as the elderly driver was picking herself up from the ground.</p> <p>On shaky legs, Barbara apologised again and again for what had become of the family’s food, telling them that she’d “ruined” it. But the family - otherwise known as the Keighrons - were only concerned about her.</p> <p>“I opened the door and there she is, just laying on the ground trying to get up,” Kevin Keighron said on <em>Good Morning America</em>. “She was more worried about the food than anything else. And I was like, ‘I don't care about the food. I care about you’.”</p> <p>Kevin and his wife, Lacey, described Barbara as being “the sweetest”, and after the incident - which occurred in early February - the pair decided to set up a GoFundMe to give Barbara a “tip” for her hard work. </p> <p>“We would like to bless her by bringing by a ‘tip’ to help her with anything she may need,” Kevin said. “She is an older woman who fell and only cared about the food she dropped. </p> <p>“Let’s show her some kindness and take off some of this burden that our economy is causing the older generations especially!”</p> <p>More than 14,000 people donated, and the fundraiser achieved a whopping $390,000. </p> <p>“We thought we would get her a bigger tip and bring it to her. We never expected to get as much as we did,” Kevin said of their successful campaign. “We were just so excited and thrilled to be able to tell her the next day.”</p> <p>And when taking the surprise to Barbara, Kevin - Lacey, and two of their children - decided to make the grand reveal at her work. They later shared footage of the reunion to their TikTok account. </p> <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 620.262px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7195971641262755114&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40momofthe5ks%2Fvideo%2F7195971641262755114&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2F763d48ec7b5b4f728dcbe02bb60cc22f%3Fx-expires%3D1677142800%26x-signature%3DPCfbQDrxw5It6Ey%252FV9NWSJXsZ6A%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p> </p> <p>They have since shared that with the extra funds, Barbara was able to put in her two-week notice and finally enjoy her well-deserved retirement. </p> <p>Barbara said that the generosity of everyone involved was overwhelming, and admitted she was close to giving up on people because some of them can be “so mean.” </p> <p>“And here we got loving, caring people. They care about someone else” she declared, seemingly delighted to have had her mind so thoroughly changed, “about an elderly woman.”</p> <p><em>Images: TikTok </em></p>

Money & Banking

Placeholder Content Image

Prince William's godmother resigns amid racism row

<p>Prince William's godmother and Queen Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting has resigned from her royal position after making "unacceptable comments" towards a black guest at Buckingham Palace. </p> <p>The incident reportedly took place earlier this week, when Camilla, Queen Consort was joined by Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Queen Mathilde of Belgium and Queen Rania of Jordan at an event to highlight domestic violence survivors and charities.</p> <p>Ngozi Fulani, chief executive of Sistah Space, was invited to the afternoon reception at the palace through Safe Lives, a charity the Queen Consort is patron of.</p> <p>The next day, Fulani took to social media where she detailed an exchange with Lady Susan Hussey, saying the woman repeatedly asked where she was "really from", saying "this event remains a blur after the violation".</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Mixed feelings about yesterday's visit to Buckingham Palace. 10 mins after arriving, a member of staff, Lady SH, approached me, moved my hair to see my name badge. The conversation below took place. The rest of the event is a blur.<br />Thanks <a href="https://twitter.com/ManduReid?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ManduReid</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/SuzanneEJacob?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SuzanneEJacob</a> for support🙏🏾 <a href="https://t.co/OUbQKlabyq">pic.twitter.com/OUbQKlabyq</a></p> <p>— Sistah Space (@Sistah_Space) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sistah_Space/status/1597854380115767296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>The palace released a statement saying it took the matter "extremely seriously", labelling it "unacceptable" and confirming the staff member had stepped aside.</p> <p>"In this instance, unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments have been made," a statement from Buckingham Palace on Wednesday afternoon (Thursday morning AEDT) said.</p> <p>"We have reached out to Ngozi Fulani on this matter, and are inviting her to discuss all elements of her experience in person if she wishes."</p> <p>"In the meantime, the individual concerned would like to express her profound apologies for the hurt caused and has stepped aside from her honorary role with immediate effect."</p> <p>Prince William's spokesperson almost made a statement to the BBC, saying "Racism has no place in our society."</p> <p>"The comments were unacceptable, and it is right that the individual has stepped aside with immediate effect," they said.</p> <p>As the Palace claims it has reached out to Fulani, she told London radio station LBC and UK newspaper The Independent she hadn't heard from Buckingham Palace yet.</p> <p>Hussey, who served as Queen Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting for over 60 years was given a role in the royal household by King Charles after his mother's death.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

Placeholder Content Image

Queen Elizabeth's youngest maid of honour passes away

<p dir="ltr">The youngest of Queen Elizabeth’s maids of honour at her 1953 coronation passed away just one day before Her Majesty’s state funeral.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>The Times</em> reported that Lady Mary Russell died on September 18, aged 88.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Lady Mary died peacefully at home with her family around her on Sunday 18 September,” the outlet’s obituary read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Beloved wife of David, much-loved mother of Arabella, Anthony, Philip, Jason and Marina, and dearly loved by her 12 grandchildren.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-256891b7-7fff-4e61-eff3-c37d885c2119"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">Lady Mary was 19 when she helped five other maids of honour in carrying the Queen’s six-metre train - which was so heavy the monarch would be unable to move without their hel[ - at Westminster Abbey during the coronation.</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/qeii-coronation.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Queen Elizabeth II with her maids of honour Lady Moyra Campbell, Lady Anne Glenconner, Lady Rosemary Muir, Lady Mary Russell, the Baroness Willoughby de Eresby Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, Lady Jane Rayne. Image: The Print Collector/Getty Images</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Her father, the Earl of Haddington, was a childhood friend of the Queen Mother and was pictured carrying the Sceptre of the Dove at George VI’s coronation in 1937.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a previous interview, Lady Mary recalled how “moving” and “overwhelming” the coronation was, as well as the honour of being one of a select few chosen to be involved in the ceremony.</p> <p dir="ltr">"It was overwhelming and moving – especially during the anointing… It was an incredible moment, but all I could think about was how heavy the embroidery felt," she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Of all the girls our age in the country, we six girls were chosen to carry the Queen's train and that meant a great deal."</p> <p dir="ltr">Fellow maid of honour Baroness Anne Glenconner told the <em>BBC</em> that they had a taste of fame during the 1950s as a result of their role in the historic occasion, describing them as “the Spice Girls of their time”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lady Mary’s passing comes two years after the death of Lady Morya Campbell, another maid of honour, at the age of 90.</p> <p dir="ltr">Baroness Glenconner, along with Lady Jane Lacey, Lady Rosemary Muir and Baronness Willoughby de Eresby, is still alive today.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-374db8d2-7fff-8d0b-8c98-b245f6100f68"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Royal biographer hints at Queen's cause of death

<p dir="ltr">A royal expert claims Queen Elizabeth II was suffering from a “relatively painless” but “invariably fatal” condition before announcing her death 90 minutes before Buckingham Palace.</p> <p dir="ltr">In a video uploaded to YouTube at 5pm local time (2am AEST), controversial royal biographer Lady Colin Campbell claimed the Queen had passed away at 2.37pm (11.37pm AEST).</p> <p dir="ltr">Buckingham Palace announced the monarch’s passing 90 minutes later, at around 6.30pm UK time.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her announcement came at the end of a lengthy clip where the royal expert spoke about a condition the Queen was allegedly suffering from.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lady Campbell, who is most well-known for her books about Princess Diana and the Queen Mother, claimed that Her Majesty was suffering from a serious bone condition, though she wouldn’t reveal “the word that accurately conveys her diagnosis” out of respect for her “dignity and privacy”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“If she wants to reveal that word, or her advisors wish to reveal it, that is up to them. I don’t think one needs to use the word to get across the point that I think most people will be able to pick up, that this is a really serious situation,” Lady Campbell said in the video, prior to announcing the monarch’s passing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The condition has been induced, in part, according to people who know her well, has been created by the tremendous stress to which she has been subjected over the last three years.”</p> <p dir="ltr">The Palace has not confirmed the Queen’s cause of death.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Can you imagine an older woman, as her life is winding down, and she is hoping to enjoy the last few years of her life in good health being bombarded by the tremendous abuse to which she and the monarchy have been subjected,” Lady Campbell said.</p> <p dir="ltr">She went on to say she had tried to warn people that the Queen was “far more ill than they thought she was” over the past few months.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I have on several occasions in the last few weeks, if not months, made the point that she had been affected to her bones. I used that repeatedly to get across the point that what she was suffering from was a malady of the bones,” she continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“There are two maladies of the bones, one is more painful than the other. Fortunately the Queen’s malady, although it falls in the same category and condition of the more painful one, has been the less painful one.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It has been restrictive, and I will not go into the medical treatments she has been receiving. I have previously indicated that her bruising was due to cannulas and I have left it at that.”</p> <p dir="ltr">After the video cuts away, Lady Campell continued filming, claiming she had found out about the Queen’s passing.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Having just made this video it is with great sadness that I have to inform you that events have yet again overtaken one’s plans, and I am reliably informed that the Queen died at 14.37pm this afternoon,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And that the reason why the announcement has not been made so far is that they are waiting for Harry and Meghan to arrive at Balmoral, after which the announcement will be made.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Buckingham Palace went on to announce the news of Her Majesty’s passing before Harry arrived at Balmoral, while Meghan remained in London.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I think we should be very grateful for having had such a wonderful monarch,” Lady Campbell continued.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And I think we can be also grateful for the fact that her death was relatively painless. Bone cancer is not fun.</p> <p dir="ltr">“But she was fortunate enough to have the lesser of the forms of bone cancer, and she kept her spirits and her vitality to practically the end.</p> <p dir="ltr">“And now, I would say, my sympathies to all her loved ones, all her family, and really, all her subjects many of whom love her.”</p> <p dir="ltr">However, the <em><a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/world/queen-elizabeths-cause-of-death-may-never-be-released/news-story/47ceca6491d9ef44b1d9112061674cdb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Courier Mail</a></em> reported that medical experts said frailty and “geriatric syndrome” - a term describing a group of common health conditions older people experience that don’t fit in distinct disease categories - could have been contributors to her passing.</p> <p dir="ltr">Her symptoms reportedly met five of seven criteria used by Britain’s NHS to classify people as frail, including being over 85, having ongoing health conditions, requiring regular help, being forced to cancel activities and using a walking stick.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1630db36-7fff-3f8c-cae6-c2b858607b4b"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">In the hours before her death, a statement from Buckingham Palace said doctors were “concerned” for the Queen’s health and that she was “comfortable” at Balmoral.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images / Lady Colin Campbell (YouTube)</em></p>

Caring

Placeholder Content Image

Little Louis' heartbreaking comment about "Grannie"

<p>As mourners gathered outside Windsor Castle to pay their tributes to Queen Elizabeth, Kate, William, Harry and Meghan reunited in a show of solidarity. </p> <p>As they spoke to heart-broken Britons about the Queen, Kate revealed the devastating comment her son Prince Louis made after hearing about the Queen's death. </p> <p>Kate spoke of the touching anecdote while meeting people on the Long Walk, with 28-year-old Banita Ranow hearing the new Princess of Wales tell the children next to her what her 4-year-old son said.</p> <p>She said Kate told the children, “Louis said ‘at least Grannie is with great grandpa now’.”</p> <p>Ms Ranow said the Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge was “welling up” as she spoke to the children.</p> <p>Ms Ranow, along with several others who attended the makeshift memorial, said it "so beautiful to see" the reunion of the Cambridges and the Sussexes in the wake of the Queen's death. </p> <p>She said, “I felt so emotional and I felt the Queen would have loved it. I just hope in the future they remain like that and that the brothers come together, and the families.”</p> <p>It was William and Kate’s first engagement under their new titles, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the first time they have appeared in public with Harry and Meghan since the National Service of Thanksgiving for the Queen’s Jubilee in June.</p> <p>A royal source said the Prince of Wales asked his brother and his wife to join them in viewing the tributes, as they all inspected tributes to Queen Elizabeth and met with well-wishers at the gates of Windsor Castle. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

A new era for the House of Windsor: How Her Majesty's death will affect royal titles

<p>As the world mourns the loss of Queen Elizabeth II, the royal family is shaking up their official business structure to accommodate for their "great sadness".</p> <p>Following the death of Her Majesty at age 96, the man formerly known as Prince Charles is now officially King Charles III, as announced by British Prime Minister Liz Truss this morning and later confirmed himself in an emotional statement.</p> <p>King Charles III is not the only one who has come into a new title after the death of Queen Elizabeth, as the entire royal family will see a change in their official titles as the line of succession has shifted down a generation. </p> <p>Camilla is soon to be known as Queen Consort, as per the late Queen Elizabeth's wishes, forgoing her title of the Duchess of Cornwall. </p> <p>Prince William is now first in line for the throne, meaning his title is expected to change from Duke of Cambridge to the titles his father held before ascending the throne: Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall.</p> <p>While the title is not yet official, Prince William and Kate Middleton, formerly the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, have changed their social media pages to read: "The Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge."</p> <p>To align with her husband's new title, Kate is set to become the Princess of Wales: a title that has not been used since Princess Diana married King Charles in 1981. </p> <p>Out of respect, Camilla chose not to use the title Princess of Wales upon her marriage to Charles in 2005.</p> <p>"It's hard to see it not happening. I'm sure it'll be a bit of a bittersweet moment," a source told <a title="The Telegraph" href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/royal-family/2022/01/09/celebrating-40-project-queen-kate-begins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Telegraph</a> in January this year of what is expected to be Kate's title.</p> <p>"This is [Diana's] son and his wife, so in some ways, it will be coming full circle – but it will also be a poignant reminder of what we all lost."</p> <p>It's not just senior working royals who will come into new titles, as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, three, and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, one, are entitled become Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.</p> <p>Current guidelines laid out in 1917 in a Letters Patent by King George V – the Queen's grandfather – say that the children of the sovereign, the children of the sons of the sovereign and the eldest male son of the son of the Prince of Wales would all be titled as prince and princesses.</p> <p>All the children and grandchildren of the current monarch are ultimately bestowed the prince or princess title, but it is unclear if Harry and Meghan will accept the titles for their children – or if Charles will allow it, which, according to <a href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/prince-charles-to-deny-prince-harry-meghan-markle-son-archie-royal-title-under-plans-to-slim-down-monarchy-when-he-is-king/7adc0484-6b0b-40ba-bbe3-58f0d4034615" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previous reports</a>, it seems he will not.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Family & Pets

Placeholder Content Image

Lady Louise Windsor has surprising new job

<p dir="ltr">Lady Louise Windsor, one of Queen Elizabeth’s numerous grandchildren, has joined the thousands of young people in a tradition as old as time itself: getting a summer job.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though she might be a royal, the 18-year-old’s new job is quite ordinary, with reports that she is earning £6.83 ($AU 11.68 or $NZ 13.03) at a garden centre.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to <em>The Sun</em>, Lady Louise was spotted by a shopper, pruning and potting plants, as well as greeting customers and serving them behind the till.</p> <p dir="ltr">The shopper described the daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, as “modest”, “sweet” and “polite”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I couldn’t believe it was Lady Louise – I had to look twice,” the shopper told the newspaper.</p> <p dir="ltr">“She is a really modest and sweet young woman who is polite and attentive to customers. She seemed to be loving the job.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You’d never imagine the Queen’s granddaughter would take on a role working behind a till.”</p> <p dir="ltr">It’s believed Lady Louise is working at the garden centre several days a week, with the news coming after a Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed she would be studying English at the University of St Andrew’s after finishing her A-levels in June.</p> <p dir="ltr">Though she is 16th in line for the throne, Lady Louise and her brother, James, don’t use an HRH title, nor are they expected to carry out duties when they’re older.</p> <p dir="ltr">As unexpected as the royal’s job appears, it seems to have delighted fans of the monarchy, with one fan telling <em>The Sun</em>: “It’s not every day you buy begonias off a royal.”</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-40e9b517-7fff-cd84-bd70-3ee69a7e173c"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Home & Garden

Placeholder Content Image

“I am here to kill the Queen”: Crossbow assassin charged

<p>A man from the UK has been charged after storming the grounds of Windsor Castle armed with a crossbow. </p> <p>Jaswant Singh Chail allegedly told a police officer, "I'm here to kill the Queen", before being apprehended and handcuffed.</p> <p>The 20-year-old assailant is being charged under the Treason Act with intending to "injure the person of her majesty Queen Elizabeth II, or to alarm her majesty".</p> <p>He has also been charged with threats to kill and possession of an offensive weapon.</p> <p>The incident took place at the royal residence west of London on Christmas Day 2021, when the Queen was staying at the castle. </p> <p>Prosecutors allege the former supermarket worker from Southampton in southern England was wearing a hood and a mask and carrying a loaded crossbow with the safety catch off.</p> <p>His attempts to kill the Queen were immediately thwarted and he was taken into police custody. </p> <p>Prosecutor Kathryn Selby said the Supersonic X-Bow weapon allegedly carried by Chail had the potential to cause "serious or fatal injuries".</p> <p>Prosecution lawyers maintain Chail wanted revenge on the British establishment for its treatment of Indians and sent a video to about 20 people claiming he was going to assassinate the Queen.</p> <p>Prosecutors also allege that the man had tried to join the British Army and the Ministry of Defence Police in order to get close to the Royal family to carry out his revenge plan.</p> <p>Charges under the Treason Act of 1842 are rare, with the last person charged and convicted in 1981. </p> <p>The man in question, Marcus Sarjeant, was charged under the act after firing blank shots at the Queen as she rode on horseback in the Trooping the Colour parade in London.</p> <p>He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years in prison.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Supplied</em></p>

Legal

Placeholder Content Image

Queen Elizabeth II in mourning

<p dir="ltr">Queen Elizabeth II is in mourning after her life-long friend passed away. </p> <p dir="ltr">Lady Myra Butter, a descendent of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia and poet, novelist and playwright, Alexander Pushkin, died “peacefully” at the age of 97 in London. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Lady Butter was a daughter of Sir Harold and Lady Zia Wernher, and a granddaughter of Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia and Countess de Torby,” managing editor of Majesty Magazine Joe Little wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Myra was a close friend of the Queen and Prince Philip since childhood and from time to time appeared in royal documentaries."</p> <p dir="ltr">Lady Butter created the Pushkin award, which helped celebrate literary work in honour of her ancestor. </p> <p dir="ltr">She was married to Sir David Butter to who she had five kids with - and the Queen was the godmother of their eldest child, Sandra Elizabeth Zia.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lady Butter grew up with the Queen and her sister Princess Margaret, and spent their holidays together. </p> <p dir="ltr">She was also a guest at the Queen’s wedding to Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947. </p> <p dir="ltr">“The war had been so grey that the royal wedding seemed to signify the world coming to life again,” Lady Butter previously told The Daily Mail. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Everyone was determined to have a new dress for the day and I wore a blue ribbed silk dress by Dior. It was one of the first three-quarter length dresses, and I wore it with a feathered hat. I had new shoes and a bag, too – any excuse.</p> <p dir="ltr">"All the people from the Commonwealth made the ceremony very colourful and the choir superb.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The Princess looked truly glittering. Her dress was beautiful and she was obviously in love. Philip looked very dashing in his naval uniform – and it really did seem like a fairy tale wedding."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty/ITV</em></p>

Relationships

Placeholder Content Image

Ukraine’s first lady sparks controversy with Vogue cover

<p dir="ltr">Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s First Lady, has sparked backlash after she appeared on a new ‘digital cover’ of <em><a href="http://v" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vogue</a></em> with her husband, President Volodymyr Zelensky, amid the ongoing war with Russia.</p> <p dir="ltr">The accompanying article, titled ‘Portrait of Bravery’, was created in collaboration between <em>Ukrainian Vogue</em> and the <em>Conde Nast Vogues</em>, featuring moody, graceful portraits of the First Lady taken by Annie Leibovitz, including one where she stands next to female soldiers at Antonov Airport.</p> <p dir="ltr">Unlike her 2019 debut on the magazine’s cover, where she was styled in brands such as Prada, Lemaire and Jimmy Choo, this year’s feature sees her exclusively wear Ukrainian designers and a focus on the pain and trauma her country is currently experiencing.</p> <p dir="ltr">With <em>Vogue</em>’s historical connections to elitism, wealth and frivolity, the sombre tone and focus on the realities of war in Ms Zelenska’s latest feature has prompted backlash from some who have labelled it as tasteless.</p> <p dir="ltr">“While Ukraine is going through hell, Vogue is doing a photoshoot for the President &amp; his wife,” columnist Amrita Bhinder wrote on <a href="https://twitter.com/amritabhinder/status/1552215355288088577" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-60e80651-7fff-c53c-865e-54e32704ef34"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">US Republican <a href="https://twitter.com/MayraFlores2022/status/1552267933501489152" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mayra Flores</a>, a representative from Texas, was among a number of conservatives who jumped on the opportunity to attack the Biden administration for supporting Ukraine financially, insinuating it was funding vanity, as reported by <em><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/28/style/olena-zelenska-vogue.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a></em>.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">wartime vogue photo shoots. very serious. let’s keep sending ukraine weekly billion dollar aid packages to protect “democracy.” don’t question it. <a href="https://t.co/MXVaW16K0y">pic.twitter.com/MXVaW16K0y</a></p> <p>— Logan Hall (@loganclarkhall) <a href="https://twitter.com/loganclarkhall/status/1552009719509925888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Others defended Ms Zelenska, arguing the photoshoot was a symbol for national pride and a means of raising awareness of the struggles facing Ukraine to audiences that might otherwise not be reached.</p> <p dir="ltr">Supporters included Lesia Vasylenko, a Ukrainian MP, who tweeted that Ms Zelenska’s interview with <em>Vogue </em>was “about duty, keeping sane and staying together”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s about personal strength. It’s about what being Ukrainian is really like,” she continued.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-723af7bd-7fff-f677-2ce9-31586b385290"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s about what #Ukraine needs.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Zelensky <a href="https://twitter.com/voguemagazine?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@voguemagazine</a> interview is a true story of one family, of a couple who woke up in war 150 days ago. It’s about duty, keeping sane and staying together. It’s about personal strength. It’s about what being Ukrainian is really like. It’s about what <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraine</a> needs <a href="https://t.co/lr2rgx4UOd">pic.twitter.com/lr2rgx4UOd</a></p> <p>— Lesia Vasylenko (@lesiavasylenko) <a href="https://twitter.com/lesiavasylenko/status/1552402194707746817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">When asked about why she decided to appear on Vogue, Ms Zelenska told the <em><a href="https://twitter.com/LucyHockingsBBC/status/1552711694790557702" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a></em> it was about speaking to people directly.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Millions read <em>Vogue</em>, and to be able to speak to them direct, that was my duty,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I believe it is more important to do something and be criticised for it than to do nothing.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-f3fbcc95-7fff-0e5f-a214-6f786a7e370d"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: British Vogue (Instagram)</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

Queen Elizabeth's coronation outfit goes on display

<p>In celebration of Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, the dress, robe and jewels she wore for her coronation in 1953 are being displayed in Her Majesty's residence at Windsor Castle. </p> <p>The Sir Norman Hartnell coronation dress and Robe of Estate are now on display in the largest room in the castle, in the spectacular setting of St George's Hall.</p> <p>The eye-watering jewels include a platinum, gold and silver set diamond necklace, which features 25 graduated cushion-shape brilliant cut diamonds with a central drop-shape pendant, and are accompanied by matching earrings.</p> <p>They were originally created by Garrard for Queen Victoria in 1858 and will be available for viewing in the Lantern Lobby.</p> <p>The exhibition also features other key jewels, including a number of brooches from around the Commonwealth - with the Australian wattle and New Zealand silver fern brooches amongst those on display.</p> <p>Also featured in the display are the first official portraits taken of Her Majesty, as well as unseen photos that document her accession. </p> <p><iframe title="YouTube video player" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lgPowhnhSA8" width="560" height="315" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>The collection, titled <em>Platinum Jubilee: The Queen's Coronation</em>, opened to the public on Thursday and runs until September 26th. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Royal Collection Trust / Getty Images</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

Introducing the latest "Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter"

<p>Celebrating a royal milestone, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall is thrilled to stand alongside the Queen and Prince Charles for this special occasion.</p> <p>Camilla has been formally invited into the oldest order of chivalry in the UK, the Order of the Garter.</p> <p>The royal milestone took place in a private ceremony in the Garter Throne Room in Windsor Castle. Going forward, the duchess will be formally acknowledged as a Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter.</p> <p>Reportedly, the duchess was "very pleased" to have the honour bestowed upon her and to celebrate the momentous occasion, Camilla, Charles and Her Majesty appeared in a royal portrait together.</p> <p>Camilla was wearing an ostrich plume hat while she and Charles were both donned in traditional velvet robes. The Queen, who continues to struggle with mobility issues, stood in the middle of the royal couple wearing her Sovereign of the Garter sash and could be seen holding a cane.</p> <p>The official portrait is both a celebration of Camilla's achievement as well as a signal of the future of the monarchy. It comes after the Queen's announcement earlier this year that it was her "sincere wish" that <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/queen-consort-prince-charles-responds-to-her-majestys-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Camilla will become Queen Consort</a> once Charles takes the throne.</p> <p>Meanwhile, the Duke of York, Prince Andrew was banned from appearing at the ceremony. The senior royals reportedly told Her Majesty they would "pull out" of the royal event if the disgraced prince was given a public role. They feared "backlash" and insisted the Queen change the plans.</p> <p>Andrew was told to stay out of sight "for his own good" following the tense family orders, however an unknown source close to the Duke insisted that it was his own "personal decision" not to appear in public.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Beauty & Style

Placeholder Content Image

Finally! New pics of Lilibet on her 1st birthday

<p dir="ltr">Harry and Meghan have finally released a photo of the first portrait of their daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor after celebrating her first birthday.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Duke and Duchess of Sussex shared the photo of Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor that was taken at her first birthday party in the UK during Platinum Jubilee celebrations.</p> <p dir="ltr">Lilibet appears to be the splitting image of Harry, taking his red hair and is seen smiling from ear-to-ear in her parent’s garden at their UK residence, Frogmore Cottage in Windsor.</p> <p dir="ltr">Photographer Misan Harriman took the “candid, spontaneous photograph” as close family and friends celebrated Lilibet’s first birthday on June 4. </p> <p dir="ltr">A second photo was released from the day showing the Duchess holding baby Lilibet alongside Mr Harriman's wife and their children.</p> <p dir="ltr">Misan shared the heartwarming photos to Twitter along with the caption: It was such a privilege to celebrate the 1st birthday of Lilibet with my family and hers! Joy and face painting all around.</p> <p dir="ltr">The cake was also baked by Claire Ptak, who also created the couple’s wedding cake back in 2018. </p> <p dir="ltr">The Duke and Duchess requested donations to the World Central Kitchen instead of gifts. They raised $US100,000 ($A139,000).</p> <p dir="ltr">This is not the first time Mr Harriman has captured memorable moments for the Duke and Duchess. </p> <p dir="ltr">He previously photographed Harry and Meghan when they announced they were expecting their second child, now Lilibet, on Valentine’s Day in 2021. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Misan Harriman/Twitter</em></p>

Family & Pets

Our Partners