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TV star charged over making indecent images of children

<p>Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has been charged with making indecent images of children. </p> <p>The 62-year-old, who left the UK public broadcaster in April after 40 years, faces three charges over alleged activity between December 2020 and April 2022.</p> <p>Police claim the offences are claimed to be linked to images shared on WhatsApp.</p> <p>After being arrested in November last year by London's Metropolitan Police, he was charged with the offences on June 26th.</p> <p>A Metropolitan Police spokesman said of the arrest, “Huw Edwards, 62, of Southwark, London has been charged with three counts of making indecent images of children following a Met Police investigation."</p> <p>“The offences, which are alleged to have taken place between December 2020 and April 2022, relate to images shared on a WhatsApp chat. Edwards was arrested on 8 November 2023. He was charged on Wednesday, 26 June following authorisation from the Crown Prosecution Service."</p> <p>“He has been bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 31 July."</p> <p>Married dad-of-five Edwards resigned from the BBC three months ago after a stellar career spanning almost 40 years.</p> <p>The BBC revealed their star presenter’s resignation in a short statement on April 22nd, writing, “Huw Edwards has resigned and left the BBC."</p> <p>“After 40 years of service, Huw explained that his decision was made on the basis of advice. The BBC has accepted his resignation.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: BBC</em></p>

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"Impossibly sad": P-plater jailed over fatal crash

<p>A southwest Sydney community is reeling after Tyrell Edwards was sentenced for causing the deaths of five children in a fiery crash last year. </p> <p>Edwards, 20, was driving recklessly at speeds of 147km/h in the suburb of Buxton when he crashed into two trees and struck five teenagers. </p> <p>Lily Van De Putte, Gabby McLennan, Summer Williams, all aged 14, Tyrese Bechard, 15, and Antonio Desisto, 16, were all killed in the devastating incident. </p> <p>Appearing in Campbelltown District Court on his 20th birthday, Edwards sentenced to 12 years in prison, and will be eligible for parole in seven years, after pleading guilty to five counts of aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death at a speed more than 45km/h over the limit.</p> <p>The judge described the deaths of the five victims as “tragic and impossibly sad”. </p> <p>“The loss of these five young people diminishes us all,” he said. </p> <p>“Their deaths were completely avoidable and responsibility for them lies squarely at the feet of the offender.”</p> <p>Gasps were heard in the courtroom as the sentence was read, with families of the victims sharing their disappointment at the sentencing. </p> <p>Speaking outside court on Friday, family members of three of the teenagers hit out at the “unfair” sentence. </p> <p>Samantha McLennan said her heart “dropped” as she heard the ruling, while Exavan Desisto said he was “speechless”.</p> <p>“I knew the outcome wouldn’t be spectacular but to hear it was a big shock,” he said. “The justice system absolutely stinks.”</p> <p>John Van De Putte said he expected the sentence to be low, but felt it did not match the crime. </p> <p>“There’s five lives lost. Seven years in jail,” he said. “You’d get more if you killed someone with a baseball bat</p> <p>Mr Van De Putte had previously told the court there was “no excuse” for Edwards, a licensed driver, to have driven so recklessly and endangered the lives of his underage passengers. </p> <p>“No matter what you get, it will not bring back the five lives,” he told the 20-year-old.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

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Buxton crash driver pleads guilty over five teen deaths

<p>Tyrell Edwards, 19, has pleaded guilty to five counts of aggravated driving occasioning death, following a fatal crash which killed five teens south of Sydney <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/new-details-emerge-as-driver-charged-in-tragic-buxton-crash" target="_blank" rel="noopener">last year</a>. </p> <p>The teen arrived at Picton Local Court on Thursday surrounded by family members who shielded his face from cameras using an umbrella. </p> <p>As he sat in the dock at the packed court, the magistrate read out the five charges he faced over the horror crash, where he was driving 45km/h over the speed limit. </p> <p>"Guilty, your honour," Edwards would repeat as each count was read out to him. </p> <p>Edwards, who was a P-plater at the time of the accident, crashed into a tree killing three boys and two girls between the ages of 14 and 16, while he suffered non-life-threatening injuries.</p> <p>Summer Williams, Antonio Desisto, Gabriella McLennan, Lily Van de Putte, and Tyrese Bechard were all pronounced dead at the scene. </p> <p>The court was told that the car only had seatbelts for four passengers in addition to the driver. </p> <p>His lawyers argued that he should remain on bail until his next court date on the 24th of August, so that he can receive treatment for mental health issues including PTSD and an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. </p> <p>But the Magistrate denied the plea, as they believed it wasn't a good enough excuse for Edwards to remain at liberty until then. </p> <p>"I'm also of the view that if it is necessary to take place then it can take place while the offender is in custody," Magistrate David Degnan said. </p> <p>"Accordingly his bail is revoked, and you will remain in custody, Edwards."</p> <p>The Magistrate also acknowledged family and friends of the five victims, who were present in court to hear the charges, before describing the tragedy as a "particularly egregious" example of dangerous driving. </p> <p>"And the impact was at speed and had a devastating effect," he said. </p> <p>Edwards faces a maximum of 14 years in prison for each of the charges. </p> <p><em>Image: Facebook/ Nine News</em></p>

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Suspended BBC presenter named by his wife

<p>The BBC presenter at the centre of the explicit images scandal has been named as Huw Edwards, one of the public broadcaster's most notable news presenters.</p> <p>Huw was named as the man who allegedly paid tens of thousands of pounds for explicit images from a teenager over a number of years, after a media storm around the previously anonymous presenter saw him be suspended from his high-profile role.</p> <p>Vicky Flind confirmed her husband was the man in question after rumours swirled on social media for five days, as her statement came shortly after police forces said there was no evidence Edwards committed a criminal offence.</p> <p>Flind said she was issuing a statement on his behalf after days of speculation "primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children".</p> <p>Her statement said that Edwards has been suffering serious mental health issues since the allegations arose, and was currently in hospital. </p> <p>The statement reads, "In light of the recent reporting regarding the 'BBC Presenter', I am making this statement on behalf of my husband Huw Edwards, after what have been five extremely difficult days for our family. I am doing this primarily out of concern for his mental well-being and to protect our children."</p> <div id="piano-inline1"></div> <div data-component="text-block"> <div> <p>"Huw is suffering from serious mental health issues. As is well documented, he has been treated for severe depression in recent years."</p> </div> </div> <div data-component="text-block"> <div> <p>"The events of the last few days have greatly worsened matters, he has suffered another serious episode and is now receiving in-patient hospital care where he'll stay for the foreseeable future."</p> <div data-component="text-block"> <div> <p>Minutes before the family statement was published, a separate update was issued by the Metropolitan Police, which has been assessing the allegations in recent days after discussions with BBC executives. </p> </div> </div> <div id="piano-inline2"></div> <div data-component="text-block"> <div> <p>It said, "Detectives from the Met's Specialist Crime Command have now concluded their assessment and have determined there is no information to indicate that a criminal offence has been committed."</p> <div data-component="text-block"> <div> <p>The BBC said it would continue its "fact finding investigations" into the allegations, which has been put on hold at the Met's request while it carried out its own enquiries. </p> </div> </div> <div data-component="text-block"> <div> <p>A spokesperson for the corporation said: "We will now move forward with that work, ensuring due process and a thorough assessment of the facts, whilst continuing to be mindful of our duty of care to all involved."</p> <div data-component="text-block"> <div> <p>Huw Edwards has worked for the BBC since the mid-1980s, rising from a trainee position to becoming one of BBC News' most recognisable presenters.</p> </div> </div> <div data-component="text-block"> <div> <p>As well as hosting the Ten O'Clock News for many years, he has led coverage of major news events, such as elections and the death of Queen Elizabeth II.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Legal

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Pip Edwards breaks silence on Michael Clarke scandal

<p>The woman at the centre of Michael Clarke's alleged cheating scandal has spoken candidly about the dramatic events in Noosa. </p> <p>The P.E. Nation fashion designer made a stunning appearance at the Australian Open on Saturday ahead of the women's final, where she was grilled about the now-viral fight. </p> <p>Edwards told <a href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/pip-edwards-hits-out-at-the-carnival-of-the-michael-clarke-scandal-and-says-she-is-focused-on-business-pe-nation/news-story/8d91cfabae96e43b78b24e3414775dbb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Telegraph</a>, “It is definitely not my circus and I would like to say the carnival is over.”</p> <p>“The carnival is over and, to be honest, the focus for me is on the global expansion of P.E. Nation."</p> <p>“The carnival is done.”  </p> <p>A video of Clarke fighting with his girlfriend Jade Yarbrough went viral, in which Yarbrough accused the cricketer of cheating on her with his ex-girlfriend Edwards. </p> <p>After the scandal made headlines, photos emerged of Edwards at the pool, and some media outlets published them with a headline reading, “revenge body”.</p> <p>Pip quickly dispelled the sexist headlines, stating, “I have had this body for a very long time.”</p> <p>“I work on my body. It is part of my mental health. It is part of my stability. It is part of how I conquer my day. I live and breathe what I do. I thought that (headline) was a very interesting take."</p> <p>“As a woman in business, as a single mother, as someone who has worked very hard her whole life, the aesthetics of me are literally the cherry on top. It is the iceberg underneath that is what I am doing."</p> <p>“First and foremost I am a mother and a businesswoman, I just come with a body."</p> <p>“It is not out of revenge, it is not out of anything other than being healthy, fit and active.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

News

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“Love doesn’t know math”: Cher defends 40-year age gap

<p dir="ltr">Cher has defended the massive 40-year age gap between her and her new and much younger beau. </p> <p dir="ltr">The 76-year-old singer is currently in a relationship with 36-year-old music producer Alexander Edwards.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the 40-year age gap, Cher is not shying away from the “blossoming romance” and answered fans’ questions about the relationship along with a cheeky photo of Alex in his boxers.</p> <p dir="ltr">“He’s 36 and in end he came after me. I’m the skittish one. We love each other …. LADIES NEVER GIVE UP. Must say he was different for me,” she wrote. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">A.E.Hanging Ot <a href="https://t.co/TB5XXJqlxk">pic.twitter.com/TB5XXJqlxk</a></p> <p>— Cher (@cher) <a href="https://twitter.com/cher/status/1595612020325240832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">On paper This Looks<br />strange (Even 2 ME)<br />A.E Says ♥️Doesn’t<br />Know Math</p> <p>— Cher (@cher) <a href="https://twitter.com/cher/status/1595690505576161281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">BABE,SOME MARCH 2 A DIFFERENT DRUMMER,I Dance 2 One</p> <p>— Cher (@cher) <a href="https://twitter.com/cher/status/1595695842584731648?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“He’s kind, smart, hilarious … and we (kiss emoji) like teenagers,” she responded to a question asking about her favourite quality about Alex.</p> <p dir="ltr">“On paper this looks strange (even to ME) AE says love ️doesn’t know math,” Cher tweeted shortly after.</p> <p dir="ltr">The pair sparked rumours earlier this month when they were seen holding hands outside the West Hollywood restaurant Craig's where they met with rapper Tyga for dinner.</p> <p dir="ltr">During the night, Alex was seen kissing Cher’s hand as they drove off together. </p> <p dir="ltr">It was only days after the dinner that Cher confirmed the relationship on Twitter.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Relationships

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Vandals of the UK’s Edward Colston statue learn their fate in court

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At the height of the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020, that were sparked by the murder of George Floyd by a US police officer, protestors all around the world took it upon themselves to remove commemorative statues of slave traders. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In the UK city of Bristol, four people removed a monument of Edward Colston from a town square, before pushing the statue into the nearby harbour. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Many protestors joined the four in spray-painting and destroying the statue, with many onlookers filming the destruction on their phones. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Edward Colston was a member of the Royal African Company, and was responsible for transporting thousands of slaves from Africa during the mid 17th century. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The four protestors - </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rhian Graham, Jake Skuse, Sage Willoughby, and Milo Ponsford - were all charged with criminal damage when they removed the statue without permission. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the </span><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/jan/05/four-cleared-of-toppling-edward-colston-statute"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Guardian</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the protestors did not deny that they had toppled the monument, but maintained their innocence over the charges. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite admitting their involvement, the four protestors were found not guilty and set free. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The graffitied monument of Colston has since gone back on view in view in Bristol in a museum, with historian David Olusoga saying that it is “the most important artifact you could select in Britain if you wanted to tell the story of Britain’s tortuous relationship with its role in the Atlantic slave trade.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image credits: Getty Images </span></em></p>

Art

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5 minutes with author P J McKay

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">5 minutes with the Author</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, <em>OverSixty</em> asks book writers about their literary habits and preferences. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Next in the series is <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.pjmckayauthor.com/" target="_blank">P J McKay</a>, a novelist and mum-of-three based in Auckland. After training and working as a food scientist, McKay began writing while undertaking her Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Auckland. During her studies, McKay was inspired by her travels through former Yugoslavia to pen her debut novel, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Telling Time</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">. After winning the 2020 First Pages Prize, McKay’s novel is now available.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">OverSixty</span> </em><span style="font-weight: 400;">sat down with McKay to chat about representing New Zealand’s Croatian community, her current reads, and the role cooking played in her novel.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: What book(s) are you reading right now?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">My current book on the go is <em>Betty</em> by Tiffany McDaniel — insights into the Cherokee Indian culture are an added bonus and despite the tough themes I’m enjoying cheering this resilient young woman on.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And I have just finished two novels:</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><em>Crazy Love</em> by Rosetta Allan — A love story with a twist. A triumph of love conquering adversity. A no-holes barred insight in the realities of supporting our mentally unwell. This is Rosetta’s third novel. She manages to inject humour into what’s a tough subject to tackle and never allows the story to wallow.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And for something much lighter, </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Take me Home</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> by Karly Lane — transports the reader from Australia to Scotland. A feel-good story with a dash of romance. </span></p> <p><strong>O60: Does your training in food science influence your writing in any way?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Great question! There are a few food descriptions peppered through <em>The Telling Time</em>. My love of cooking (and consuming food!) has most definitely influenced this. Some reviewers have noted it as a bonus to be transported by these descriptions. Any reference to food is of course relevant to the era and/or the setting but given the aroma, taste or even just the sight of food transports us to different settings it can be a useful and fun tool to employ: think Greece and Mediterranean dishes, or traditional Australasian sweet treats — lamingtons for example — or food which is typical in Croatia, such as <em>črostule</em>, <em>njoki</em>, <em>špek</em> or the local wine on Korčula, <em>Pošip</em>. As an author I invite the reader to use all their senses when imagining my characters in scene. If I get their taste buds watering then that’s a bonus.   </span></p> <p><strong>O60: How did you start writing historical fiction?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It’s the genre which I enjoy most as a reader and my background roles in research were also very helpful. The nugget for this novel came from my own experience when backpacking in the late 1980s tied in with my interest in the immigrant experience and for <em>The Telling Time</em>, the Croatian diaspora. I also wanted the novel to encompass the mother/daughter relationship, hence the dual timeline that includes the late 1950s and 1989. It’s scary to think that these two eras now count as historical! When researching for a novel like this it means going back even further in time. <em>The Telling Time</em> references events from the early 20</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">th</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Century, WWIII, and the events that followed afterward, particularly in the former Yugoslavia. I love that historical fiction often gifts the reader information they didn’t previously know. This for me is the joy of historical fiction writing; finding those facts to thread through the fiction to ensure the ‘world of the novel’ is credible. </span></p> <p><strong>O60: <em>The Telling Time</em> was inspired by your travels and the connections you made with the local Croatian community. How did it feel to represent this community with your novel? </strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I feel privileged to have been privy to stories from the Croatian community and delighted to shine some light on what makes this group unique, but also what unites their stories with other immigrant groups. It is always tricky finding the balance when representing a community that is not your own lived experience. For me, it was important to observe and listen at the local Dalmatian club when attending club nights and events. There were excellent resources to draw on at the club — their cultural museum and language tutor who checked my use of Croatian words/phrases in the novel — and having the novel reviewed by Dr Nina Nola from the University of Auckland’s English department was another essential step. Nina’s mother immigrated to New Zealand from Hvar in the 1950s. This is a novel, and therefore a work of fiction, but staying true to the culture and customs is an essential component and the feedback from readers of Croatian heritage suggests I have succeeded in getting the balance and details right. Of course, when Croatian publishers Znanje d.o. bought the translation rights for the novel earlier this year (to be published there in June 2022) this was a further seal of approval. I felt both proud and delighted that I would soon be able to gift copies of the translated novel to the club.  </span></p> <p><strong>O60: What book or books do you think are  underrated?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">That’s a curly question! <em>The Lost Lights of St Kilda</em> by Elisabeth Gifford is a gentle historic novel, published last year which I thoroughly enjoyed but don’t hear a lot about now. And I’ll put in a plug for fellow New Zealand author, Rosetta Allan, mentioned above. Along with <em>Crazy Love</em>, her two other novels, <em>Purgatory</em> and <em>The Unreliable People</em>, are both fabulous reads that deserve more air-time!!</span></p> <p><strong>O60: How do you deal with writer’s block?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">I found the best solution was to chat more. By this I mean nutting out a problem with trusted friends or asking a question which then often provided a lead, or new tangent to explore. There was one dire moment of writer’s block when I was desperate to get my character, Gabrijela, out of the house. I asked Mum for ideas about social events in the 1950s and she told me how popular a day at the races was along with a personal story about backing an outside runner called Red Glare. Bingo! Guess where Gabrijela was now off to! Critique was also a valuable tool, especially during my Masters in Creative Writing year at Auckland University. It challenges you to think harder and strive to improve, to iron out the creases waiting to trip the reader out of their suspended disbelief.</span></p> <p><strong>O60: Which author, dead or alive, would you most like to have dinner with?</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Has to be Janine Cummins, who wrote </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">American Dirt</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;"></span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Supplied</span></em></p>

Books

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Prince Charles aims to change Prince Edward's title

<p>Prince Charles has a title change planned for his younger brother Prince Edward, but it won't happen for almost a decade.</p> <p>When Prince Philip died in April, his Duke of Edinburgh title was passed onto Prince Charles as per tradition, but Prince Charles won't need it when he becomes King.</p> <p>Royal fans are curious as to who will receive the title, as it'll either be bestowed upon Edward, 57, or another member of his family. He can also leave it in abeyance.</p> <p>Arbiter, former palace press secretary, said that the title will be given to Prince Edward, but in around eight years' time.</p> <p>"That Prince Edward will become The Duke of Edinburgh in the next reign was his father's and is his mother's wishes and Prince Charles won't go against those," Arbiter<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/RoyalDickie/status/1415538495553146882" target="_blank">wrote on Twitter.</a></p> <p>"It won't happen immediately, but by 2029, when Edward turns 65, it will.</p> <p>"Time for speculation, without substance, to cease."</p> <p><em>9Honey's<span> </span></em>royal commentator, Victoria Arbiter, tweeted her thoughts on it as well.</p> <p>"Finding the Prince Charles/Duke of Edinburgh title debate highly speculative," Victoria<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://twitter.com/victoriaarbiter/status/1415386375810125829" target="_blank">wrote on Twitter</a>.</p> <p>"So far there's very little evidence to support the claim. Charles wouldn't go against the wishes of his parents, nor would he be discussing the topic while his mother is still alive."</p> <p><em>The Times</em><span> </span>quoted a source that's close to Prince Charles said that the decision is "up to him".</p> <p>"The prince is the Duke of Edinburgh as it stands, and it is up to him what happens to the title. It will not go to Edward."</p> <p>Prince Edward is well aware that the title should've gone to his elder brother Prince Andrew, but the Queen had already given him the dukedom of York.</p> <p>"It's a very bittersweet role to take on because the only way the title can come to me is after both my parents have actually passed away," Edward said.</p> <p>"My father was very keen that the title should continue, but he didn't quite move quickly enough with Andrew, so it was us who he eventually had the conversation with. It was a lovely idea; a lovely thought."</p>

News

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Prince Edward's wife breaks down mid-interview

<p>Prince Edward's wife Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, revealed that Prince Philip's death has left a "giant-sized hole" in the royal family.</p> <p>She also spoke about the pandemic has "slightly skewed things", which means that the royal family haven't been able to grieve properly.</p> <p>Despite the Duke of Edinburgh passing away "peacefully" at Windsor Castle on April 9th, the family aren't coping properly two months on from his death.</p> <p>She spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live and said that Prince Philip's death left a "giant-sized hole in our lives".</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qrc-By4JnSY"></iframe></div> <p>“Well he has left a giant-sized hole in our lives," she began.</p> <p>“I think the pandemic has unfortunately slightly skewed things in as much as it’s hard to spend as much time with the Queen as we would like to.</p> <p>“We’ve been trying to, but of course it’s still not that easy.</p> <p>“And of course the normal way of things isn’t normal yet so we’re not necessarily doing the things that we would normally have done with him.</p> <p>“So I think the whole grieving process is probably likely for us to take a lot longer. It may be the same for many other families out there.</p> <p>“Because if you’re not living with somebody, 24/7, the immediate loss isn’t necessarily felt in the same way, as if somebody was in the house with you all the time.”</p> <p>Interviewer Naga Munchetty saw that Sophie's eyes began to fill with tears and asked her if she was okay.</p> <p>Sophie responded: “It’s only when you would do the normal things that you would have done with them, and you suddenly realise that they are not there, that you really start to have an ‘oh my goodness’ moment.</p> <p>“Just talking to you now, it’s a bit of an ‘oh my goodness’ moment. I think they’ll come and go. But you have to let them come and go.”</p>

Caring

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Kyly Clark sets the record straight after rumours fly

<p>Kyly Clarke has revealed just exactly why she was seen on the northern beaches of Sydney alongside her ex-husband Michael, over the weekend.</p> <p>Pip Edwards, who briefly dated the cricket star in 2020, confirmed the pair were back together.</p> <p>“I wish them well,” Edwards told the<span> </span><em>Daily Mail.</em></p> <p><em><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841701/cricket-kyly-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6ab03f4ae39841ae9085f7b685767cab" /></em></p> <p><em>Michael and Pip Edwards. Image: Instagram</em></p> <p>Michael and Kyly were also spotted spending quality time with their daughter Kelsey-Lee.</p> <p>However, Michael put an end to the rumours altogether on Friday morning, telling<span> </span><em>The Kyle and Jackie O Show</em><span> </span>he and Kyly are not back together.</p> <p>Kylie, 39, who also joined the TV show, Channel 7’s<span> </span><em>The Morning Show</em>, vehemently denied any of the rumours about her and Michael.</p> <p>“A family holiday, it’s a great opportunity to get everyone together,” she said on Monday morning.</p> <p>“Kelsey-Lee’s aunty, uncle and cousins were there, and I think like anything, you’re trying your best to put your daughter first and prioritise her and she really had a ball.</p> <p>“It’s fantastic, it’s what anyone would want to achieve or try to achieve if you’re in this position, and I think her smile on her face says everything.”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841702/cricket-kyly-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d714b4b96d6d401da2380967661f59f6" /></p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p> <p>The couple met when they were just kids, at a sports school in Sydney. The pair did not date until many years later.</p> <p>“Kyly and I have said it from day one — we have such a great friendship, and the fact we can do that for our daughter, I don’t think there’d be a husband and a wife, or an ex-husband and wife that are not together, that wouldn’t want that for their child,” he told<span> </span><em>The Kyle and Jackie O Show</em>.</p> <p>“Kyly’s such a natural parent, she’s an amazing mum. For me, I’m learning as I go. I got 50 per cent custody of my daughter, so I love seeing her.</p> <p>“Kyly and I are speaking nearly every day, because I’m asking for advice … even down to food. If Kyly’s making her something when she’s with her, I’m saying, ‘Kyly, why does she love your lamb but she doesn’t love mine?’</p> <p>“I need the help as well … our friendship is so important for our daughter.”</p>

Relationships

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"I wish them well": Pip Edwards confirms Michael and Kyly are back on

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post-body-container"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Fashion designer Pip Edwards has confirmed that Michael and Kyly Clarke are back together at Australian Fashion Week in Sydney.</p> <p>Edwards was asked specifically about photos of the Clarkes on a romantic weekend away and refused to supply details.</p> <p>However, she did say that she was feeling "great" and "I wish them well".</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5PeBgbg4WJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5PeBgbg4WJ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by 🤍 K Y L Y 🤍 (@kylyclarke)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The pair started dating after Michael Clarke and Kyly Clarke split after seven years of marriage in September 2019.</p> <p>The pair didn't reveal their break up until February 12, 2020 and Michael started dating Pip as the pair have been friends for more than a decade.</p> <p>Michael and Pip broke up in February 2021 whereas Kyly, who was seeing V6 Supercars Champion James Courtney, broke up with him in December.</p> <p>Rumours of the Clarkes reuniting were sparked after<span> </span><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-9642849/Pip-Edwards-confirms-Michael-Kyly-Clarke-together.html" target="_blank">The Daily Mail</a></em><span> </span>posted pictures of the pair on a romantic getaway in Palm Beach.</p> <p>The pair spent two nights in a $13 million mansion, owned by former Crown Resorts chairman Rob Rankin, and costs $2,400 a night to rent.</p> <p>An onlooker told<span> </span><em>The Daily Mail</em><span> </span>that the pair were "quite affectionate".</p> <p>'I'm convinced they're back together. We're talking very much an item, not just friendly exes," the onlooker commented.</p> <p>The Clarkes have not addressed their reunion.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div>

News

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Pipped at the post: Queen loses mantle of most popular royal

<p>Queen Elizabeth II might be the world's longest-reigning monarch, but according to a new survey, she isn't the most popular royal.</p> <p>A survey conducted by a British based marketing company called<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://yougov.co.uk/ratings/politics/popularity/royalty/all" target="_blank"><em>YouGov</em></a><span> </span>polled 1,486 people and asked them who their favourite royal family member was.</p> <p>Prince William took out the top spot, with 75 per cent thinking he's the most popular and most famous royal family member.</p> <p>The Queen took out the second spot with 73 per cent, and Prince William's wife, the Duchess of Cambridge was in third with a 67 per cent popularity rating.</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CIl8yC9l2RR/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CIl8yC9l2RR/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@kensingtonroyal)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Meghan and Harry's popularity amongst the groups surveyed had dropped dramatically, with Meghan having a 32 per cent positive opinion and Prince Harry having a 41 per cent positive opinion amongst the groups.</p> <p>According to the data, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and Sophie, Countess of Wessex, is more popular than the Duchess of Sussex who has a 40 per cent negative opinion rate.</p> <p>The rankings were different among the age groups, with millennials saying they preferred the Queen but liked Prince William and Duchess Kate a lot more.</p> <p>Baby Boomers had the same rankings as Millennials, but every generation surveyed said that Prince Andrew was the least popular royal as he was caught up in the Epstein controversy.</p>

Beauty & Style

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Secret lover of Claremont killer’s first wife breaks silence

<p>The flatmate who is blamed for destroying Bradley Robert Edwards' marriage has spoken out and admitted he feels sickened that his actions could have been for the trigger for the Claremont killings.</p> <p>The secret lover, who has kept his identity a secret due to legal reasons, has broken his silence on his affair with Edward’s first wide.</p> <p>While appearing on the<span> </span>Nine News Perth special, the man revealed a paternity bombshell.</p> <p>He had a daughter with Edwards' ex-wife 24 years ago and now wonders if the child could be his.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838057/sscott-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d2121c5f86f4428f80b8f45e5f992adf" /></p> <p>Edwards' ex-wife always said the man was the girl's father, but then came revelations from his former partner on the stand.</p> <p>She told the court that while she was with the new man she had also been sleeping with Edwards.</p> <p>The secret lover admitted "I can't help but think, in the back of my mind, is this child mine?”</p> <p>The 60-year-old met Edwards' first wife towards the end of 1993.</p> <p>He had been going through a divorce and she was unhappy.</p> <p>"So I moved in. And it was awkward at first. I was trying to be more friendly towards him, hoping that the attraction with her would fade," he said.</p> <p>"I miss those times, playing softball, being friends with him."</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7838055/sscott-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/a07f3eda7ac1474cbd7e649879312c52" /></p> <p class="first"><em>Sarah Spiers, Ciara Glennon and Jane Rimmer all disappeared from Claremont in the 1990s.</em></p> <p class="first">A man already accused of killing Jane Rimmer</p> <p>He said the Telstra technician was unaware that his wife would sneak into his room on Sunday mornings.</p> <p>"When we got caught kissing, I thought nup, I'm not hanging around here.</p> <p>"It's the fear of what he had under the bed.”</p> <p>The rival lover revealed it was a rifle and a baseball bat.</p> <p>He said: "I just didn't want to not wake up in the morning. You just can't sleep with that kind of fear."</p> <p>Edwards told him to stay, but he moved out within weeks.</p> <p>She soon followed.</p> <p>The same night, the usually mild-mannered Edwards made an explosive phone call and it would be the last time they spoke.</p> <p>"He said, "You're having an affair with her." I said, "You're stupid. You know I am".</p> <p>“He said, I know where you live, and I'll come and kill you, he said."</p> <p>Not long after, Edward’s wife fell pregnant to her new lover.</p> <p>Prosecutors claimed Bradley Edwards attacked women he didn't know when his life was in turmoil.</p> <p>His marriage broke down around the time Sarah Spiers vanished.</p> <p>Around the time of Jane Rimmer’s murder, Edward’s ex-wife dropped her pregnancy bombshell.</p> <p>But despite that, and despite the decades old threat to kill, the 60-year-old believes Edwards is no killer.</p> <p>"I don't think so. I really, deep inside, really don't think it was him," he said.</p>

Legal

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Michael Clarke and Pip Edwards are officially a couple

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>Cricketer Michael Clarke has moved on after his split with ex-wife Kyly and is now dating fashion designer Pip Edwards.</p> <p>The <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/celebrity/francesca-packer-barham-goes-public-with-casual-boyfriend-20200627-p556s5.html" target="_blank" class="_e75a791d-denali-editor-page-rtflink"><em>Sydney Morning Herald</em></a> has reported that Clarke confirmed the relationship to a well-placed source who said that they are keeping their relationship "low key" for the sake of their children.</p> <p>Clarke has a daughter with his ex wife Kyly, four-year-old Kelsey Lee and Edwards has a 12-year-old son called Justice.</p> <p>The pair were seen holding hands after a romantic walk in Rose Bay.</p> <p>They are understood to have first gotten together after the former cricket captain split from his wife in September last year.</p> <p>Rugby league journalist Phil Rothfield alluded to the new woman in Clarke's life during a segment on the <em>Big Sports Breakfast</em> program on Monday morning.</p> <p>Rothfield mentioned he put Clarke in the “spotted” section of his newspaper column, but didn’t include who he was spotted with.</p> <p>“You know what? I did the right thing by him, I didn’t mention your female company at the table,” Rothfield said as part of their cheerful chat.</p> <p>Clarke laughed, responding: “Why not? Listen buddy, you can always mention my female company. How dare you leave that out.”</p> <p>The rumours initially started after Clarke was working as a consultant for Edward's business, but the pair denied being romantically involved in February.</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5jy-FApM-X/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B5jy-FApM-X/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Great meeting this afternoon with team @p.e.nation exciting project ahead 👊🏻@clairetreg @pipedwards</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/michaelclarkeofficial/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Michael Clarke</a> (@michaelclarkeofficial) on Dec 1, 2019 at 10:04pm PST</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“Pip and Michael have been friends for 12 years,” Edwards’ representative told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/" target="_blank" class="_e75a791d-denali-editor-page-rtflink"><em>The Daily Telegraph</em></a> in February. “He is currently consulting with P.E. Nation.”</p> <p>At the same time, Clarke’s representative Sasha Armstrong said: “Michael has known Pip for over a decade and is currently working with both Pip and Claire on a special project with P.E Nation.”</p> <p>Since then, the pair have been spotted on romantic walks and dining at restaurants in Bondi.</p> </div> </div> </div>

Relationships

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Queen Elizabeth honours Prince Edward’s 56th birthday with sweet throwback pic​

<p>Queen Elizabeth has shared a sweet photograph for Prince Edward’s 56th birthday.</p> <p>The image is a throwback one with her youngest child in 1972 – taken when he was just eight years old.</p> <p>The Earl of Wessex is listening carefully as Her Majesty speaks to him in the photograph and was snapped during the Trooping of the Colour ceremony.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Happy birthday to The Earl of Wessex, who celebrates his 56th birthday today. 🎈🎉<br /><br />📸 The Earl of Wessex (then Prince Edward) with The Queen during Trooping of the Colour in 1972. <a href="https://t.co/r9kzhBnYsK">pic.twitter.com/r9kzhBnYsK</a></p> — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1237278653286924288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>The Queen paid tribute to her son on all of the royal family social media accounts, with the caption: “Happy birthday to the Earl of Wessex, who celebrates his 56th birthday today.</p> <p>“The Earl of Wessex (then Prince Edward) with the Queen during the Trooping of the Colour in 1972.”</p> <p>Another post snapped of the royal showed him cutting a birthday cake as his wife, Sophie watched on in delight.</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9i3sMAH7Sm/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <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;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9i3sMAH7Sm/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily)</a> on Mar 10, 2020 at 12:32am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Later in the day, the Duke and Countess of Wessex travelled to Essex where they meet with locals and schoolchildren as well as members of the community at the Mersea Island Community Centre.</p> <p>Prince Edward has been a busy-working royal since 2017, when he took on more public engagements as his father Prince Philip retired.</p> <blockquote 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);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9kJnFuHFoZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9kJnFuHFoZ/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">The Earl and Countess of Wessex visited Essex today, where they met schoolchildren and members of the community at the Mersea Island Community Centre. Thank you to the children from Mersea Island Primary School for coming out to say hello! 👋 . At Wilkin and Sons, @tiptreephotos, The Earl and Countess learned about farm to factory production. 🚜🍊Wilkins have farmed in Tiptree for almost 300 years: the estate produces unusual fruits such as medlars, mulberries and quince – as well as strawberries, raspberries, cherries and plums. These fruits are then made into preserves and jams in the factory.</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/theroyalfamily/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> The Royal Family</a> (@theroyalfamily) on Mar 10, 2020 at 12:27pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The Duke has succeeded Prince Philip as president of the Commonwealth Games Federation and has been vice-patron since 2006. He has also taken over his father's role in the Duke of Edinburgh Award.</p>

Beauty & Style

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“Despair and devastation”: John Edward's gut feeling about 9/11 weeks before it happened

<p>John Edward, well known psychic medium, had a gut feeling he just couldn’t shake as he was in a ballroom back in 2001.</p> <p>He shared with <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/john-edward-medium/?utm_source=Mamamia.com.au%20-%20All%20Newsletters&amp;utm_campaign=b6079f2877-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_07_22_05_54&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_9dc62997a2-b6079f2877-211561537&amp;mc_cid=b6079f2877&amp;mc_eid=c10f87c072" target="_blank">Mamamia’s No Filter Podcast</a></em> about the weird sensation he felt as he ducked into a nearby lobby to take a phone call from a friend.</p> <p>“It was the most eerie, ominous, evil feeling. I can’t even tell you,” he said. “I get goose bumps as I tell you this. I looked around and I looked at the security guard, and then I remember looking everywhere around, and I just was like, ‘Oh’.</p> <p>“I walked out of the building, and I went to my wife. I go, ‘I need to talk to you… You have to find a new place [for the competition]; you can’t do it here next year.’ And she’s like, ‘What?’ I go, ‘I don’t want you to come down here. Go talk to your boss. You’ve got to get it moved’.”</p> <p>His wife was surprised at his sudden panic and kept pressing for an answer.</p> <p>“I go, ‘Death, despair and devastation’.”</p> <p>The nearby lobby he was standing in happened to be the World Trade Center.</p> <p>The feelings Edward felt that day in mid-August, 2001 – just weeks before tragedy struck on September 11 – sat with him for a long time. They reappeared when he was dining with friends and his wife, Sandra, suggested brunch at the World Trade Center restaurant, View of the World.</p> <p>It was here that Edward erupted.</p> <p>“I turned to her and snapped. I bit her head off, like a lunatic. She like looked at me, like, ‘I’m gonna be polite because we’re in front of other people right now, but I want to push your arse in front of an oncoming bus for the way you just spoke to me.’</p> <p>“But I just really erupted. [I said] ‘There’s no way you’re getting me in that building! There’s no way I’m going up there.’ I can’t even convey to you how it came out. It was like a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde moment. It was really weird.”</p> <p>Edward then spend the next days in a deep depression. It was so noticeable that even strangers, who recognised him from his show <em>Crossing Over,</em> asked him if he was OK.</p> <p>“I was really struggling. It was a debilitating doom-and-gloom feeling, like I didn’t want to get out of bed if I didn’t have to,” he said.</p> <p>It was only when Edward recorded an episode of CNN interview program <em>Larry King Live</em> that the fog within him lifted. The pair had spoken about loss, grief and how to cope.</p> <p>However, the following day was one that plunged the world into a state of shock and unease as two planes that were hijacked by al-Qaeda terrorists flew into the World Trade Center twin towers on September 11. The attack killed 2,977 people and reduced the buildings to toxic dust that still claims victims to this day.</p> <p>After the attack, Edward was contacted by several New Yorkers as well as people from the surrounding areas.</p> <p>“They literally said to me, ‘You were the last thing we watched, my husband and I. You were the last thing that we watched, us together. We had a conversation about grief. We had a conversation about the afterlife because of you. It was the last thing that we did.’" </p>

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How Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex are celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary

<div> <div class="replay"> <div class="reply_body body linkify"> <div class="reply_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>On June 19, 1999, Prince Edward – who is the youngest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip – married Sophie Rhys-Jones.</p> <p>The Earl and Countess of Wessex married in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, in a particularly unique service where guests were informed not to wear hats.</p> <p>The televised ceremony attracted an estimated 200 million viewers around the world.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">The Earl and Countess of Wessex at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RoyalAscot?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RoyalAscot</a> - the day before their 20th wedding anniversary 📷 Chris Jackson &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamDavyPA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AdamDavyPA</a> <a href="https://t.co/mxwp4ZoCX0">pic.twitter.com/mxwp4ZoCX0</a></p> — PA Royal Reporters (@PARoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/PARoyal/status/1141031255888355328?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 18, 2019</a></blockquote> <p>The unlikely pair met at a tennis event in the early 1990s, where Sophie was a public relations professional.</p> <p>It has been two decades since the royal couple tied the knot, and since the royal couple have welcomed two children – 14-year-old Lady Louise Windsor and James, viscount Severn who is 10.</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see the last two decades the Earl and Countess of Wessex have spent together.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

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Inside King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson's $10 million French country manor

<p>It was where King Edward VIII spent his weekends with wife Wallis Simpson after abdicating the British throne. Now, the French former country home of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor has been listed on the market for £5.6 million, or about $10.36 million.</p> <p>The couple bought Le Moulin de la Tuilerie in 1952, about 15 years after Edward abdicated the throne to marry Simpson and become the Duke of Windsor. Located by the Chevreuse Forest half an hour away from Paris, the estate spans 26 acres and includes six separate properties, a polo pitch and landscaped grounds.</p> <p>The Duchess once described the house as “our only real home”, where they entertained guests such as Maria Callas, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Sir Cecil Beaton.</p> <p>During the 20 years of their ownership, the estate also underwent major renovations led by French interior designer Stéphane Boudin, who went on to restore and redecorate the White House in the US for the Kennedys.</p> <p>After the Duke’s death in 1972, the ownership went to a Lebanese doctor. According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tatler.com/article/former-parisian-exile-estate-of-the-duke-of-windsor-and-wallis-simpson-for-sale" target="_blank"><em>Tatler</em></a>, the buildings were also made available for holiday through the Landmark Trust.</p> <p>Nevertheless, the Duke and Duchess’s imprint in the residence still remains. The <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/real-estate/a27320197/duke-of-windsor-wallis-simpson-paris-house/" target="_blank">Times</a></em> reported that the estate still houses a piece of art commissioned by the Duchess, which reads: “I am not the miller’s daughter. But I have been through the mill.”</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see inside King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson's French country manor. </p>

International Travel

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King Edward's affair with "sweetheart" before marrying Wallis Simpson

<p>As the only British monarch to abdicate voluntarily, the story of King Edward VIII is not to be missed.</p> <p>In 1936, King Edward VIII – who was the brother of Queen Elizabeth's father – rocked the British monarchy after he expressed his wish of marrying twice-divorced American woman Wallis Simpson. As head of the Church of England, Edward was advised against tying the knot with a divorcee, and his proposal was met with opposition from the religious institution and most politicians in the Commonwealth.</p> <p>After failing to find a solution, Edward finally abdicated his throne in December – making Queen Elizabeth's father King George VI of England – and left for Europe to marry Simpson the following year. The couple, who became the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, stayed together until Edward’s death in 1972.</p> <p>However, before the marriage, Edward also had a series of affairs with married women. One of them was English socialite and textile heiress Freda Dudley Ward, who Simpson once described as “my husband’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/18/obituaries/marquesa-first-true-love-of-edward-viii-is-dead-at-88.html">first true love</a>”.</p> <p>Dudley Ward first met Edward, then the Prince of Wales, in 1918 during an air raid in London, when she had been married for five years to Liberal politician William Dudley Ward. The two soon became smitten with each other and began their relationship.</p> <p>In the letters to Dudley Ward, which were later sold at Sotheby’s New York, the prince repeatedly avowed his love. “'I love you love you so so madly &amp; desperately,” he wrote in one of the correspondences. “I worship &amp; adore you my sweetheart &amp; cant bear being away from you.”</p> <p>He called her his “Sweetheart &amp; Tormentor” and “my little Fredie” while signing himself as her “little slave” and “little parpee” (puppy). He would also phone her four to five times a night, and would reportedly become bereft when the line was busy or she was out of the house.</p> <p>Soon the affair became well-known among the high society, with Winston Churchill <a href="https://winstonchurchill.org/publications/churchill-bulletin/bulletin-082-apr-2015/winston-the-windsors/">once commenting</a>, “It is quite pathetic to see the Prince and Freda. His love is so obvious and undisguisable.”</p> <p>Dudley Ward’s marriage with her politician husband was dissolved in 1932. She enjoyed the prince’s company for a couple more years until their relationship was abruptly ended.</p> <p>In 1934, she called the St James’s Palace after a few weeks of not hearing from the prince. However, the operator informed her, “I have orders not to put you through.”</p> <p>Sotheby’s expert Marsha Malinowski said even though Dudley Ward was “admired by almost everyone in the prince’s circle”, she knew “their relationship wasn’t going anywhere and never would.”</p> <p>Since then, the two never spoke or wrote to each other again. According to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/08/style/fractured-fairy-tale-an-archive-of-a-royal-romance.html" target="_blank"><em>New York Times</em></a>, the prince had become attached to Simpson, who did not favour any contact with old girlfriends.</p> <p>Dudley Ward went on to marry Pedro José Isidro Manuel Ricardo Monés in 1937, but they ultimately split up in 1954. She died in London in 1983 at the age of 88.</p>

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