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Royal reveal: Charles and Camilla's coronation portraits unveiled at last

<p>In a moment steeped in regal tradition, the official coronation portraits of King Charles III and Queen Camilla were recently revealed to the public at London’s National Gallery – two years after the historic coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey.</p> <p>Marking a legacy that spans over 400 years, the portraits capture the monarchs in striking fashion, echoing a time-honoured custom that has long defined how sovereigns are remembered. The King, adorned in his robe of state and standing beside the gleaming Imperial State Crown, gazes solemnly from the canvas, his figure framed by the grandeur of the Throne Room at St James’s Palace.</p> <p>Unveiled personally by Their Majesties, the portraits will remain on display for a month before finding a permanent home within the halls of Buckingham Palace, according to an official statement.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Take a closer look at the Coronation State Portraits of King Charles III and Queen Camilla...</p> <p>Commissioned to mark Their Majesties' Coronation in 2023, the portraits were unveiled by The King and Queen at the National Gallery earlier today. Click to find out more.</p> <p>— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1919724405887783082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></p></blockquote> <p>The unveiling comes during a challenging chapter in King Charles’ life. Now 76, the King has continued fulfilling royal duties while receiving treatment for an unspecified form of cancer, diagnosed in early 2024. Despite his health challenges, he sat for his portrait with characteristic grace and determination.</p> <p>The King selected renowned artist Peter Kuhfeld to create his portrait. “I have tried to produce a painting that is both human and regal,” Kuhfeld shared, “continuing the tradition of royal portraiture.” The result is a masterwork that balances solemn dignity with personal vulnerability – an image for the ages.</p> <p>Queen Camilla, resplendent in her ivory silk coronation gown, chose Paul Benney to paint her likeness. Standing beside a different crown, her portrait exudes strength and poise. Benney described his aim as showing “the humanity and empathy of such an extraordinary person taking on an extraordinary role”.</p> <p>This double unveiling rekindles a royal tradition dating back to the portrait of King James I in 1620 – a symbol of sovereign authority and cultural continuity. While historically used to assert power, today’s portraits serve as a testament to endurance, service and the deep personal commitment of the modern monarchy.</p> <p><em>Images: X (formerly Twitter), Royal Family</em></p>

Art

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Jackie O blown away by breathtaking Archibald portrait

<p>Radio icon Jackie 'O' Henderson has received a dazzling honour that places her in the pantheon of celebrated Australian figures: a stunningly lifelike portrait of the KIIS FM star has been named a finalist in the prestigious 2025 Archibald Prize.</p> <p>Painted by the immensely gifted artist <a href="https://kellymareeartist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kelly Maree</a>, the portrait captures Henderson, 50, in a dreamlike pose, adorned in a delicate blue tulle gown rich with embellishments. The piece has already been hailed as a masterstroke of emotional depth and technical brilliance.</p> <p>Upon learning of the news, Henderson expressed her profound gratitude, calling the experience "one of the great highlights of my life." Sharing the artwork on social media, she wrote, "To say I’m honoured doesn’t even come close… I’m still in awe."</p> <p>In a heartfelt message, Henderson recalled how the collaboration came to be. She was in New York when Maree reached out – an encounter she described as “serendipitous”. The artist, who painted actor Josh Heuston for last year’s competition, felt an immediate artistic connection with the broadcasting star. “Turns out we were drawn to each other,” Henderson said.</p> <p>Maree, equally moved by the recognition, shared her creative vision behind the piece. “I wanted the portrait to feel whimsical, as if she were outside beneath the moonlight,” she explained. “I positioned her leaning forward and looking towards the viewer as if caught in a moment of thought.”</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/DJGTXwDvAIO/?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/DJGTXwDvAIO/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Jackie O (@jackieo_official)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The portrait’s lifelike rendering and poetic composition have quickly earned praise from art lovers and critics alike, with many tipping it as a strong contender for this year’s top prize.</p> <p>The Archibald Prize, Australia’s most esteemed portraiture award, carries a $100,000 prize and will announce its winner on May 9. Whether or not Maree’s portrait takes the top honour, it has already achieved something deeply meaningful – immortalising Jackie 'O' in a work of art as iconic as her career.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Art

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Adorable new portraits mark Prince Julian's 4th birthday!

<p>Sweden is celebrating a special milestone as Prince Julian, the youngest son of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, turns four years old! In honour of this joyous occasion, the Swedish Royal Family has released an adorable new portrait of the young prince, capturing hearts across the nation and beyond.</p> <p>Dressed in a charming knitted cardigan over a collared shirt, Prince Julian was photographed sitting gracefully in an armchair, exuding both innocence and poise. His parents proudly shared the heartwarming portrait on their official Instagram account, accompanied by a loving caption: "Today we celebrate our exuberant Julian who turns 4 years old🎉❤️."</p> <p>Born on March 26, 2021, at Danderyd Hospital, Prince Julian is the third child of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. His arrival was met with great excitement from his parents and older brothers, Prince Alexander, now eight, and Prince Gabriel, seven. Upon his birth, Prince Carl Philip shared a heartfelt statement: "We are so happy and grateful to welcome our fourth son to the family. This day has been longed for by both us and his two older brothers. Now we look forward to getting to know our new family member."</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/DHqErnaoCpd/?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/DHqErnaoCpd/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Prinsparet (@prinsparet)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Prince Julian’s birthday comes during an exciting time for the Swedish royal family, as it follows the recent birth of his baby sister, Princess Ines. Born just weeks ago, Princess Ines is the first daughter of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, completing their beautiful family of four children. The proud parents introduced their newest addition with a touching Instagram post, stating: "It turned out to be a perfect little quartet. Big and warm thanks for all the nice congratulations to our little Ines."</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/DF9_AL8ofsh/?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/DF9_AL8ofsh/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Prinsparet (@prinsparet)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>While Princess Ines is a member of the Swedish Royal Family, she does not hold a position within The Royal House. This follows King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 2019 decision to redefine the roles of his grandchildren, allowing them to retain their ducal titles while removing their "Royal Highness" status.</p> <p>As Sweden celebrates Prince Julian’s fourth birthday, royal fans are delighted by this sweet glimpse into the young prince’s life. Happy birthday, Prince Julian!</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Readers response: What does ‘self-care’ look like for you now compared to earlier years?

<p>We asked our readers what self-care looks like for them during their retirement years. Here's what you said. </p> <p><strong>Anne Henderson</strong> - More time and focus on my strength and fitness, and all of those things that will help with independence in old age. More saying no to society’s expectations … (including whether my 70 year old face and my clothing are acceptable to others)…. my routine has become simpler for this reason, not more complicated. Self care in older age to me is liberation from the shackles of all of the above.</p> <p><strong>Marie Jones</strong> - Definitely focusing on strength and balance hence exercise class and walking. Happy with my grey hair but always moisturising and have toned down make-up. I wear what's comfortable for me.</p> <p><strong>Dawn Dominick</strong> - Endless moisturising of my entire body not just my face any more.</p> <p><strong>Margie Buckingham</strong> - Love having long baths to relax in. Going to the podiatrist every month. Moisturising twice daily. Not wearing makeup unless it’s a special occasion. Wearing comfortable clothes. Considering stopping the every 5 week hair colouring. </p> <div dir="auto" style="font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, '.SFNSText-Regular', sans-serif; caret-color: #080809; color: #080809; font-size: 15px;"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></div>

Beauty & Style

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Queen Mary releases new portrait for 53rd birthday

<p>Queen Mary of Denmark has celebrated her 53rd birthday with the release of a new portrait.</p> <p>The Danish Royal Household shared the photo on Instagram with the caption:  "Her Majesty the Queen has a birthday and is turning 53 today 🇩🇰 Because of the birthday, a new portrait of the Queen is published."</p> <p>The Australian-born royal looked stunning in the photo, wearing a simple white long-sleeve top and pink floral lace skirt. She wore her hair down and accessorised with two fold Cartier bracelets, a pair of drop earrings and her diamond and ruby wedding ring. </p> <p>The Cartier bracelets are believed to be gifts from her husband King Frederik in previous years.</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/DFro8zYMAtm/?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/p/DFro8zYMAtm/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by DET DANSKE KONGEHUS 🇩🇰 (@detdanskekongehus)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The picture was taken in the couple's home, Frederik VIII's Palace at Amalienborg, Copenhagen. </p> <p>Royal fans took to the comments to share their birthday wishes, with one person writing: "53?! Must be a mistake. She looks like someone in her 30s max. Eh congratulations on that Mary." </p> <p>Another commented: "As beautiful as ever! Have a wonderful day Queen Mary! From Melbourne, Australia!" </p> <p>A third wrote: "The most beautiful Queen!"</p> <p>"What a beautiful portrait!!! 🥰 big congratulations on your birthday to our beautiful and amazing Majesty, Queen Mary," a fourth added. </p> <p>"Happy birthday to her majesty the queen. I am proud that we have such a strong and beautiful queen," another person commented.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram/  Steen Evald via Danish Royal Household</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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King Charles releases new portrait to mark 76th birthday

<p>King Charles has turned 76! </p> <p>The royal marked his birthday by opening two food distribution hubs, as part of his Coronation Food Project launched one year ago, with the aim of bridging the gap between food poverty and food waste. </p> <p>His Majesty visited one of the new hubs in south London on Thursday, which was hosting a "surplus food festival" as part of its opening, where they made meals using food that might otherwise have gone to waste. </p> <p>He also opened the second Coronation Food Hub in Merseyside in northwest England, in a virtual ceremony.</p> <p>The monarch spent his birthday touring the new facility before meeting beneficiaries and representatives of food banks, schools and community groups.</p> <p>Since it was launched, the food project has saved  853 tonnes of surplus food - the equivalent of 2.2 million meals - from going to waste. It has also given £715,000 ($1.4 million) in community food grants to 33 UK organisations. </p> <p>While the royal had an eventful birthday, the Royal Family's official X account shared portrait of the monarch with the caption: "Wishing His Majesty The King a very Happy Birthday today".</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">🎂 Wishing His Majesty The King a very Happy Birthday today. <a href="https://t.co/Nq7npnaXqa">pic.twitter.com/Nq7npnaXqa</a></p> <p>— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1856964218039214113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>The Prince and Princess of Wales also offered their best wishes in a post on social media, with a photo of the monarch taken during his recent overseas tour to Samoa. </p> <p>"Wishing a very Happy Birthday to His Majesty The King!" they captioned the post.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Wishing a very Happy Birthday to His Majesty The King! <a href="https://t.co/blN48K7490">pic.twitter.com/blN48K7490</a></p> <p>— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) <a href="https://twitter.com/KensingtonRoyal/status/1856983568657846417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 14, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>The bells of Westminster Abbey were rung at 1pm (midnight AEDT).</p> <p><em>Images: X/ </em><em>Zak Hussein/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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How can I make summer style part of my self-care routine?

<p>Taking care of yourself doesn’t have to be complicated. With summer just around the corner, it’s a great time to refresh your self-care routine with small changes that help you feel your best. </p> <p>One easy way to do this is by choosing clothing made from breathable Australian cotton and linen. They keep you cool, feel great against the skin and make looking put-together effortless. In this guide, we’ll show you how your summer wardrobe can fit into your self-care routine, featuring pieces from Sussan, a retailer known for easy, comfortable styles that last all season.</p> <p><strong>Simplify your day with matching sets</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/11/Sussan01.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p>A big part of self-care is simplifying your day as much as possible, and that includes your clothing choices. Summer is the time for relaxed, unfussy outfits that don’t require a lot of planning. <a href="https://www.sussan.com.au/clothing/sets" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matching sets</a> are perfect for this because they take away the guesswork. Everything is already coordinated, which saves you time and makes your mornings easier.</p> <p>A soft denim skirt made from Australian cotton paired with a lightweight tee is breathable and practical for warm days. These pieces help you stay comfy when running errands or enjoying time with friends.</p> <p><strong>Stay cool all day in linen dresses</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/11/Sussan04.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><a href="https://www.sussan.com.au/clothing/linen/linen-dresses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Linen dresses</a> are an easy go-to for keeping cool and comfortable during hot summer days. The fabric is light, breathable and perfect for warm weather, which is why it’s a great fit for everything from weekend barbecues to beach walks. With styles like shirt dresses, minis, midis and maxis, there’s plenty of variety to match whatever the day calls for.</p> <p>Styling a linen dress is also simple and practical. With the right accessories, it can easily shift from a casual daytime outfit to an evening look. Style it with a hat for an easy brunch outfit or a trip to the markets. To dress it up, add a light jacket and some jewellery, like a pair of earrings or a statement necklace.</p> <p><strong>Unwind with breathable loungewear</strong></p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/11/Sussan03.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p>Practising self-care through summer style can be as simple as choosing clothes that help you relax and feel comfy all day long. This is easy to achieve with loungewear made from pure linen and linen blends.</p> <p>Look for lightweight loungewear tops, pants and shorts that feel soft on the skin and keep you cool as you move through your day. For a summer-ready look, pair a linen top with matching shorts for warm afternoons, or switch to linen pants for a little more coverage on cooler evenings.</p> <p><strong>End your day in Australian cotton sleepwear</strong></p> <p>Winding down at the end of the day feels easier when you’re wearing clothes that make you feel calm and cosy. <a href="https://www.sussan.com.au/shop-the-edit-sleepwear/australian-cotton-sleepwear" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian cotton sleepwear</a> in soft, breathable fabrics is a great option as it sits lightly on the skin and keeps you comfortable during warm nights.</p> <p>You can mix and match Australian cotton pyjama tops, tanks, shorts and pants or wear nighties to match your mood and comfort level. These versatile let you settle in and enjoy quiet evenings at home.</p> <p><strong>Wear what feels good this summer</strong></p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/11/Sussan02.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></strong></p> <p>Updating your summer wardrobe with comfy, breathable pieces is an easy way to bring self-care into your routine. With matching sets, linen dresses, loungewear and soft Australian cotton sleepwear from <a href="https://www.sussan.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sussan</a>, you can have more time to focus on yourself and enjoy the season your way.</p> <p>Start refreshing your wardrobe with these pieces that feel good to wear, and use your summer style to prioritise self-care!</p> <p><em>Images: Sussan</em></p> <p><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Sussan</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Readers response: What’s the most unexpected thing you’ve learned about yourself through travel?

<p>When it comes to travelling, it's not uncommon to have revelations about yourself while self-reflecting in a new place. </p> <p>We asked our readers what the most unexpected thing they've learned about themselves is through travel, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said.</p> <p><strong>Penny Corbin</strong> - I don't need the cathedrals, monuments, the tours, I just love walking in the space and finding my own beauty wherever it leads me.</p> <p><strong>Dom Cimino</strong> - That I really love meeting people of all backgrounds.</p> <p><strong>Jenny Halkett</strong> - To treat it as an adventure, and don’t be afraid to ask a qualified person for advice.</p> <p><strong>Kristeen Collison</strong> - That I’m more adventurous than I thought.</p> <p><strong>Angie Jansen</strong> - That I love it. Just new places, culture, food, history, the wonderful people, the adventures you have and the memories, it’s the experiencing new things and learning, exploring, being amazed. Just so grateful I can still do it.</p> <p><strong>Palma Hemer </strong>- To have a sense of humour, rain hail or shine.</p> <p><strong>Anne Jenkin</strong> - That I can enjoy the travel by myself but I do like meeting new people on these trips.</p> <p><strong>Kath Sheppard</strong> - To try to learn basic phrases when travelling. It's definitely appreciated.</p> <p><strong>Kerry Fischer</strong> - Soak up the vibe wherever you are! Every place has beauty!</p> <p><strong>Jacqueline Buchanan</strong> - That a smile speaks many languages.</p> <p><strong>Martin Drake</strong> - That there is just too much to see and not enough time.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Travel Tips

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Olympian's life "a living nightmare" after simple self-check out mistake

<p>A former Olympian has spoken about how her life was ruined after she accidentally failed to scan to items at a self-checkout machine in Walmart. </p> <p>Canadian athlete Meaggan Pettipiece, 48, was arrested on March 28 in Indiana for theft, possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance.</p> <p>The charges have since been dropped, but Pettipiece lost her prestigious job as the head coach of the Valparaiso University softball team as a result and says her career and reputation have been ruined. </p> <p>The ordeal began when the self-checkout machine at Walmart reportedly failed to scan the asparagus and ham that Pettipiece intended to purchase. </p> <p>Walmart security saw that she failed to scan the items  — worth a total of $67 — prompting them to call the police despite her having paid $167 for her other groceries.</p> <p>Pettipiece was arrested and when police searched her they found three disposable vapes in her purse, along with two unopened blister packs containing anti-nausea medication Zofran.</p> <p>The former athlete said the vapes did not contain any nicotine or THC, and the anti-nausea pills belonged to an assistant coach who had asked her to keep them in her purse during a softball game, days before her arrest. </p> <p>“We both forgot about them,” Pettipiece told the<em> National Post.</em></p> <p>The outlet reported that earlier this month, her lawyer submitted an application for dismissal that included her account of the incident, proof of her assistant’s prescription, and character reference letters.</p> <p>After reading the application, her charges were dropped by justice officials on September 19, but the damage caused by the incident "changed everything". </p> <p>“It is bittersweet,” she told <em>National Post</em>.</p> <p>“I’m happy, obviously, the charges were dismissed. The sad part is the damage it did to my career. It has changed everything in my life.”</p> <p>Pettipiece resigned as head coach of the softball team shortly after the Walmart incident. </p> <p>"It's been five months, a living nightmare. I lost my career, I lost my job, the life I was building and it's been really difficult."</p> <p>Along with the damage to her career, Pettipiece said the effect on her reputation has been equally heartbreaking. </p> <p>“The softball community is a tight-knit group and it (the news) went through like wildfire,” she said. </p> <p>“You really do learn who the people are that really believe in you and trust you and are truly a friend for you." </p> <p>The former athlete is now living in Ohio with her family, and though the charges against her have been dismissed she is worried the damage "can't be reversed". </p> <p>“The tough thing is, how do you get out to people that you are innocent? And this damage was done for something so ridiculous,” Pettipiece told the outlet.</p> <p>“I’m not sure of the future. For now, I’m going to stay at home and focus on my kids. I’d like to figure out which direction I’m going to go in.”</p> <p><em>Image: Valparaiso University Athletics/ </em><em>ZikG / Shutterstock.com</em></p> <p> </p>

Legal

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How you can get the official Australian portraits of The King and Queen

<p>Royal fans nationwide can now request a special keepsake online for free. </p> <p>All Australians are entitled to their very own free portrait of King Charles and Queen Camilla. The way one can obtain the monarchy keepsake is through sending an email to their local federal MP requesting one. </p> <p>The initiative comes under the constituents' request program, which allows registered Australian voters to receive their own printed portrait of the royals. </p> <p>Official portraits of the King and Queen were provided to the Australian Government by Buckingham Palace in July and are available for public access. </p> <p>Photos available include a photo of the royal couple standing together, and seperate ones of the monarch and her majesty posing alone. </p> <p>In the photos the King and Queen both donned royal blue outfits and their Commonwealth Insignia, with the King wearing The Sovereign's Badge of the Order of Australia and the Queen wearing the Wattle Brooch.</p> <p>The portraits were taken by royal photographer Millie Pilkington in Buckingham Palace's White Drawing Room in June.</p> <p>The digital images can be downloaded for free from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet <a href="https://www.pmc.gov.au/government/official-australian-portraits-king-and-queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> for private use. Those who want a physical copy can request printed versions through  their Federal Member of the House of Representatives or Senator in their state or territory via email.</p> <p>The government-funded program, introduced in the Parliamentary Entitles Act 1990, is available for Australian citizens only.</p> <p><em>Image: <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet/ </span>Millie Pilkington</em></p>

Art

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The biggest faux pas for self-funded retirees

<p>Whether you have been retired for some time or are still looking forward to the time you can step back, chances are there are important considerations you may have overlooked.</p> <p>From planning and pensions to family and housing, these are the biggest self-funded retirement mistakes I come across, and some insights into how to avoid repeating them:</p> <ol> <li><strong>Lack of a plan</strong></li> </ol> <p>Not having a retirement plan is perhaps the most basic faux pas, but often the most costly.</p> <p>A detailed plan should cover things like:</p> <ul> <li>When you AND your partner will retire </li> <li>Where you will live (you may want to downsize, relocate, seek assisted living)</li> <li>Anticipated living costs (living situation, health, lifestyle)</li> <li>How you will spend your time (hobbies, travel, volunteering, time with family)</li> <li>Strategies to maximise investments and superannuation</li> <li>Tax minimisation strategies</li> </ul> <p>Remember: failing to plan = planning to fail.</p> <ol start="2"> <li><strong>Poor planning</strong></li> </ol> <p>Having a plan is the starting point, but it won’t get you far if it’s incomplete, not updated as circumstances change, or omits critical factors.</p> <p>For couples, not considering age differences is a big mistake. One partner retiring before the other can have big shifts on financial and tax dynamics and even the relationship itself. Then there is end-of-life care, particularly if the younger partner is still working.</p> <p>Not building in a safety buffer is another no-no. Too many retirees have been caught out by the high inflation of recent years, having calculated their anticipated income needs on much lower living costs.</p> <p>Balance short-term and long-term goals: being overly conservative early on can limit your financial situation down the track.</p> <p>And no plan is complete without contingencies for worst case scenarios – insurances, protections, back-up options.</p> <ol start="3"> <li><strong>Insecure housing </strong></li> </ol> <p>Government data has long shown major differences in quality of life for retirees who own their home versus those who don’t. </p> <p>Homelessness or insecure housing, the mercy of the rental market, and inability to customise your home as you age or if you need specialised support with disability or health issues are some of the challenges renters face.</p> <p>Furthermore, public estimates of how much the average Australian needs to retire typically assume home ownership – meaning rent is not part of that calculation. That’s a huge living cost you may not have factored into your retirement planning. </p> <ol start="4"> <li><strong>Unclaimed pensions</strong></li> </ol> <p>Contrary to popular belief, self-funded retirement and claiming a pension are not mutually exclusive. </p> <p>You may be eligible for a part-pension, calculated pro-rata according to the value of your assets and other income. Claiming a part-pension, no matter how small it may be, reduces how much income you need to draw down from super – making it last longer. </p> <p>Don’t fall into another common trap when applying – overestimating your assets. It’s easy to assume your non-monetary assets are worth more than what they really are, reducing how much pension you receive or negating your eligibility altogether.</p> <ol start="5"> <li><strong>Depleted Bank of Mum and Dad</strong></li> </ol> <p>With home ownership increasingly out of reach for younger adults, the Bank of Mum and Dad is often sought to bridge the gap. How you do so will impact your own situation.</p> <p>Giving more than you can afford can leave you overstretched. Missed loan repayments could see you fall behind on your own bills. Not putting agreements in writing can lead to disputes down the track. Having a loan guarantee called in could see you homeless.</p> <p>Be wise about decisions you make here and don’t let heartstrings cloud your judgement.</p> <ol start="6"> <li><strong>Suffering in silence</strong></li> </ol> <p>Elder abuse is a sad but significant problem. Given they have money in the bank, self-funded retirees are often the most vulnerable.</p> <p>Its effects can be far-reaching, impacting your mental and physical health, financial wellbeing, social interactions, and quality of life.</p> <p>Be aware of <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/retirement-income/are-you-a-victim-of-elder-abuse-without-even-realising-it">the signs that something isn’t right</a>. If you recognise it happening to you – or someone you know – speak up and seek help. </p> <ol start="7"> <li><strong>Forgoing professional advice</strong></li> </ol> <p>How much of the above details did you already know? Chances are, not all of them. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.</p> <p>Money is a complicated business and you simply don’t know what you don’t know, which is why seeking independent, tailored advice from a professional is so important. </p> <p>A good financial advisor can help you identify new opportunities and manage risks you may not have considered, limit expenses and also work with your accountant to minimise your tax.</p> <p><strong><em>Helen Baker is a licensed Australian financial adviser and author of On Your Own Two Feet: The Essential Guide to Financial Independence for all Women. Helen is among the 1% of financial planners who hold a master’s degree in the field. Proceeds from book sales are donated to charities supporting disadvantaged women and children. Find out more at <a href="http://www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au/">www.onyourowntwofeet.com.au</a></em></strong></p> <p><strong><em> Disclaimer: The information in this article is of a general nature only and does not constitute personal financial or product advice. Any opinions or views expressed are those of the authors and do not represent those of people, institutions or organisations the owner may be associated with in a professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated. Helen Baker is an authorised representative of BPW Partners Pty Ltd AFSL 548754.</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></strong></p>

Retirement Income

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Prince George looks all grown up in new birthday portrait

<p>Prince George is 11! </p> <p>The Princess of Wales has celebrated her son's birthday by sharing a new portrait of the young royal on social media. </p> <p>“Wishing Prince George a very happy 11th birthday today!” she captioned the black and white photo of George looking all grown up in a button up shirt and black blazer. </p> <p>Royal fans also flooded the comment section with happy birthday wishes for the young monarch. </p> <p>"This picture is so beautiful, he is growing up so fast! I wish the happiest birthday to Prince George, have the best day," one wrote</p> <p>"Prince George looks so much like his Dad," another added.</p> <p>"HE'S GROWING UP SO FAST! I can't believe! Happy birthday George!" a third commented.</p> <p>"Happy birthday! I hope you have so much fun," a fourth 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/p/C9t-OYdNdUb/?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/p/C9t-OYdNdUb/?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>This comes as Prince George's godmother, Julia Samuels revealed the young royal's birthday tradition that was inspired by the late Princess Diana. </p> <p>Speaking on the <em>How to Fail with Elizabeth Day</em> podcast, she shared that each year she buys noisy toys for George that take the Prince of Wales "days to put together" in a running joke inspired by Diana. </p> <p>"I come in slightly tipped by the size of the present that William then has to spend days putting together," she said. </p> <p>"And then put all the machinery together and it makes awful tooting noises and lights flashing and all of that. That makes me laugh and it makes George laugh."</p> <p>She also praised the young prince saying:  “He is amazing. He’s funny and feisty and cheeky and God she [Diana] would have loved him so much.</p> <p>“That is heartbreaking for all of them.”</p> <p>Julia Samuels is one of seven godparents for Prince George, and she was a close friend of Princess Diana, who she met at a dinner party in 1987. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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King Charles' official portrait vandalised

<p>The first offical portrait of King Charles has been vandalised by a group of animal rights activists. </p> <p>The portrait, which is hanging in London's Philip Mould gallery until June 21st, was targeted by campaign group Animal Rising, who took to the painting with a paint roller to stick signs over the portrait of the monarch.</p> <p>A video posted to the group's social media accounts captured the vandalism, showing the moment two activists covered the king’s head with an image of the British cartoon character Wallace, from the Wallace and Gromit comedy series.</p> <p>A speech bubble sign was then also tacked onto the painting with the following caption, “No cheese Gromit, look at all of this cruelty on RSCPA farms.”</p> <p>The action was designed to bring attention to a new report, released on Sunday by the group, which investigated 45 farms whose welfare standards are guaranteed by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA), while the Animal Rising group described their findings as “damning,” alleging that they found “severe animal cruelty” at all farms visited.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">‼️BREAKING: No Cheese Gromit! King Charles Portrait Redecorated‼️ <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RoyalFamily</a> </p> <p>‼️Find out why King Charles, Patron of the RSPCA should ask them to drop the Assured Scheme -&gt; <a href="https://t.co/pTneW0QCWf">https://t.co/pTneW0QCWf</a> 👈 <a href="https://t.co/jYLHFuxtHB">pic.twitter.com/jYLHFuxtHB</a></p> <p>— Animal Rising (@AnimalRising) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnimalRising/status/1800498356441198721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>The vandalism was also a direct response of  King Charles became the royal patron of the RSPCA last month despite the allegations of animal cruelty, as the monarch is a self-professed animal lover. </p> <p>In a statement provided to <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/06/11/vegan-activists-vandalise-portrait-of-king/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Telegraph</a>, an Animal Rising activist explained, “With King Charles being such a big fan of ‘Wallace and Gromit,’ we couldn’t think of a better way to draw his attention to the horrific scenes on RSPCA Assured farms! Even though we hope this is amusing to His Majesty, we also call on him to seriously reconsider if he wants to be associated with the awful suffering across farms being endorsed by the RSPCA.”</p> <p data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/clxaj1nt7000g3b6ldc3v3ptz@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true">The RSPCA responded to Animal Rising’s claims in a statement provided to CNN on Tuesday, stating that “any concerns about welfare on RSPCA Assured certified farms are taken extremely seriously and RSPCA Assured is acting swiftly to look into these allegations.”</p> <p data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/clxaj3ers000n3b6l776d50zk@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true">“We have responded openly and transparently to Animal Rising’s challenges to our farming work,” the statement continued. “While we understand that Animal Rising, like us, want the best for animals, their activity is a distraction and a challenge to the work we are all doing to create a better world for every animal.”</p> <p data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/clxaj3ypx000p3b6lwmbijygj@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true">The organisation also said it was “shocked” by the vandalism of the painting, saying “We welcome scrutiny of our work, but we cannot condone illegal activity of any kind.”</p> <p data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/clxah17cu00003b6lms79fnj7@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true">According to Philip Mould, owner of the gallery where the portrait is on display, the painting sustained “no damage” since it was protected by a layer of Perspex, as Mould told CNN the adhesive stickers used by the activists stayed on the portrait for “less than ten seconds.”</p> <p data-uri="cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/clxah17cu00003b6lms79fnj7@published" data-editable="text" data-component-name="paragraph" data-article-gutter="true"><em>Image credits: X (Animal Rising - Twitter)</em></p>

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"Looks nothing like her": Kate Middleton portrait ridiculed

<p>A painted portrait of Kate Middleton has gone viral for all the wrong reasons, after royal fans everywhere claimed the artwork "looks nothing like" the Princess of Wales. </p> <p>The image, created by artist Hannah Uzor, appeared on the front cover of UK magazine <em>Tatler</em>, as the artist recreated Middleton's appearance at a banquet held in South Africa in 2022. </p> <p>The Princess wore a white beaded Jenny Packham gown, and also donned her famous tiara, the Lover’s Knot, which was previously worn by Princess Diana.</p> <p>Uzor explained that in creating the artwork, she was inspired by the composure and bravery demonstrated by the royal mum-of-three in her emotional cancer diagnosis video in March.</p> <p>“A moment of dealing with something difficult, speaking from the heart, having the courage to tackle it head-on,” she explained in awe.</p> <p>However, many royal fans slated the artist on social media, simply asking, “are you kidding me?”.</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-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C7Qy93EtBeT/?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/C7Qy93EtBeT/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Tatler (@tatlermagazine)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“This is just plain weird, looks nothing like her,” one person commented.</p> <p>“What have they done to her face,” asked another.</p> <p>A third agreed: “Doesn’t look like Catherine at all. If she wasn’t wearing that dress I’d have no clue as to who it’s meant to be.”</p> <p>“Are you kidding me? … You must be joking,” scorned someone else.</p> <p>Others slated the artwork by saying they believed it looked “like it was created by a child”.</p> <p>“It’s absolutely dreadful and should never have seen the light of day, let alone appear on the cover,” agreed another.</p> <p>Hannah Uzor defended her artwork, saying she had to draw on other sources as she was not able to meet the Princess directly to create her portrait. </p> <p>She said, “When you can’t meet the sitter in person, you have to look at everything you can find and piece together the subtle human moments revealed in different photographs: do they have a particular way of standing or holding their head or hands? Do they have a recurrent gesture?"</p> <p>“[Kate] has really risen up to her role – she was born for this. She carries herself with such dignity, elegance and grace."</p> <p><em>Image credits: Tatler Magazine / Chris Jackson/WPA Pool/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

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Petition to put Gina Rinehart's portrait in Times Square goes viral

<p>When Gina Rinehart's portrait featured in an exhibition at the National Gallery in Canberra, she <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/gina-rinehart-demands-for-national-gallery-to-remove-her-portrait" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanded</a> it be taken down. </p> <p>The gallery refused, and said it would stay hanging in the gallery until the end of the end of the exhibit on July 21st. </p> <p>Rinehart's outrageous request to take down the artwork went viral on social media, and even saw her feature on Stephen Colbert's late night TV show. </p> <p>Now, comedian Dan Ilic has started a <a href="https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/put-vincent-namatjira-s-work-in-times-square#/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">petition</a> to get the artwork displayed in New York City's iconic Times Square. </p> <p>Ilic told <em><a href="https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/2024/05/21/rinehart-times-square" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New Daily</a></em> that it is important to celebrate Australia’s art and artists, because “not many other people are”.</p> <p>“The person who was seeking for it to be removed has a unique place in Australian culture and politics, and uses their power for things that are very much in line with their interests,” he said.</p> <p>“Us, using our own power as a community to try and leverage a lot of little people’s contributions to this celebration of great Australian art, is a great thing.”</p> <p>Ilic said people approached him to launch the fundraising campaign because “I’ve become the person to do such things”.</p> <p>“I happened to go to an art event on the weekend with some people who know [artist] Vincent Namatjirawell and I asked them to check if he would like it,” he said.</p> <p>“He said it’s very funny, so we went ahead with it.”</p> <p>A 10-minute slot in Times Square costs $16,000, however Ilic is campaigning to raise $30,000 to beam Rinehart’s portrait into one of the busiest locations on the planet, with any excess money being donated to Indigenous-led youth climate network Seed Mob.</p> <p>He said, “By the very nature of that organisation, they’re at odds with a lot of what big corporations like Hancock Prospecting are all about.”</p> <p>Ilic said he was confident about passing the $30,000 goal and making the 10-minute slot a reality, after already raising over 70 percent of his goal.</p> <p>“There is an old maxim in crowdfunding: If you reach 50 per cent within the 50 per cent mark of time, you’ll get the rest,” he said.</p> <p>“We hit that earlier this morning and it’s about halfway now, so I think we’ll get the rest.”</p> <p>Ilic has previously campaigned to have features in Times Square, with one such ad highlighting Australia's lack of climate change action ahead of the COP26 meeting in 2021. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Dan Ilic - Indiegogo</em></p>

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Royal artist reveals King Charles' reaction to official portrait

<p>Jonathan Yeo, who is known for his portraits of royal family members, has revealed the King and Queen's reaction to the most recent <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/entertainment/art/king-charles-unveils-first-post-coronation-portrait" target="_blank" rel="noopener">portrait of King Charles</a> which made headlines. </p> <p>The portrait, which was done in four sittings from 2020, featured the King in his crimson Welsh Guards uniform, with a butterfly hovering above his shoulder. </p> <p>"People don't know their own faces, so it's much more useful to see the reaction of someone who knows that person well because they know in a split second if you've captured them," he told <em>The Times</em>. </p> <p>"Sometimes they'll say it, but more often you see it in their face – amazement, pleasure or recognition."</p> <p>He recalled how during his and Charles' final sitting in November, Camilla told him: "Yes, you've got him," with a look of recognition across her face. </p> <p>Yeo also revealed that the King saw the portrait when it was half completed and despite the surprise at the intense colour, he smiled at the painting and said: "It is remarkable how it has turned out." </p> <p>The artist said that the King and Queen were prepared for the mixed reactions from the public. </p> <p>"They knew what to expect," he told the publication, before revealing that the King appeared in good health despite his recent cancer diagnosis. </p> <p>"[Our last sitting] was before his diagnosis. He didn't look remotely ill to me, and he looked amazingly well on Tuesday."</p> <p>"We already had a bit of a rapport and that definitely makes it easier," Yeo said of the painting process. </p> <p>"He was really relaxed and I think it helped that he is interested in the process. We spent a lot of time talking about art and artists, as well as the environment."</p> <p><em>Image: Aaron Chown-PA/POOL supplied by Splash News/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

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Can you control your image? Gina Rinehart, King Charles and ‘moral portraits'

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/roger-benjamin-119535">Roger Benjamin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p>“She’s no oil painting”.</p> <p>Those were the unkind words of a colleague commenting on the subject of Vincent Namatjira’s acrylic painting, Gina. Every one of the prominent Australians and cultural heroes in Namatjira’s ensemble <a href="https://theconversation.com/vincent-namatjiras-paintbrush-is-his-weapon-with-an-infectious-energy-and-wry-humour-nothing-is-off-limits-217361">Australia in Colour</a> (2021) is subject to his trademark distortions.</p> <p>When the painter gets to work interpreting the press photographs that his main source, resemblance is always stretched. No one comes out unscathed: Tony Abbott looks just as scary as Angus Young from AC/DC; a grimacing Queen Elizabeth as grisly as a roaring Cathy Freeman. Indeed, in the <a href="https://thamesandhudson.com.au/product/vincent-namatjira/">2023 volume on Namatjira</a> there are no fewer than four paintings of Gina Rinehart – and they look like four different people.</p> <p>Do we expect a portrait to be a moral <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physiognomy">physiognomy</a>, the ancient pseudoscience that assumes the way someone has lived their life shapes their features and appearance?</p> <p>Roman emperors were shown to be ideal types: the heroic portrait. Who knows what these men actually looked like? In the case of King Charles III, whose <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68981200">new portrait</a> by Jonathon Yeo was unveiled this week, we can compare his likeness to the myriad photographic and filmic images.</p> <p>Newspaper caricature, <a href="https://firstamendmentmuseum.org/exhibits/virtual-exhibits/art-politics-300-years-of-political-cartoons/political-cartoons-part-1-1720-1800/">popular since the 1700s</a>, works hard to point out imperfections, posit animal likenesses, and exaggerate specific facial features to satirise public figures.</p> <p>Namatjira brushes with caricature even when depicting himself.</p> <h2>Can you control your image?</h2> <p>I think Rinehart should be flattered to be one of Namatjira’s favourites. The wits in the twittersphere have in the past 24 hours shown several more of his Ginas, and it turns out there are also at least half a dozen colour portraits of her by other artists.</p> <p>They range from <a href="https://scottmarsh.com.au/products/mothers-milk">Scottie Marsh’s mural</a> on a Sydney wall of a matronly Rinehart giving the breast to infant Barnaby Joyce (with apologies to Raphael), to Xavier Ghazi’s demonic hard-hatted Gina <a href="https://citynews.com.au/2023/bald-archy-prize-heading-for-immortality/">giving Australians the finger</a> – it’s in newspaper caricature mode, his entry in the Bald Archies competition for 2023.</p> <p>Although Rinehart has reportedly called for Namatjira’s painting to be taken down, the initiative <a href="https://www.theage.com.au/culture/art-and-design/gold-medallist-led-campaign-to-take-down-gina-rinehart-portrait-20240516-p5je1y.html">apparently comes</a> from members of the Australian swimming team and their former coach (Rinehart is that sport’s major private sponsor).</p> <p>I suspect their discomfort comes from reading Namatjira’s Gina as a moral portrait; that is, ugliness of appearance projects an ugly spirit (whereas for them she is the epitome of generosity).</p> <p>It’s an interesting idea that the fresh-faced teenage daughter of Lang Hancock in <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/abcs-australian-story-focuses-on-gina-rineharts-bond-with-father-lang-hancock-20150706-gi6h1f.html">old news photos</a> has changed not just because times takes beauty away (as we all know), but because of the impact of things she inherited from her father: not just the extreme wealth and the jawline, but the conservative views, and the ways she has used her money and power.</p> <p>Her control of vast tracts of (unceded) grazing land across western and central Australia give reason to reflect on what Western Aranda man Namatjira might think of her.</p> <h2>And yet what about commissions?</h2> <p>When can a sitter control their portrait image? Only when they commission the work. Art history has plenty of cases in which a sitter has rejected their portrait. Monet in the 1860s painted his brother Leon, who so disliked the canvas he locked it in an attic, from which it emerged 150 years later.</p> <p>Portrait paintings have had to be altered, payment refused, or be paid for then destroyed. The commissioned portrait, it’s assumed, must flatter the sitter or at least offer a fair and non-judgemental likeness.</p> <p>The British royal family has historically been very forgiving about portraits, and has the sophistication to know it is futile to protest a likeness. Doing so invokes the perverse “<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streisand_effect">Streisand effect</a>”, as we see happening with Namatjira’s Gina.</p> <p>There are dozens of depictions of Elizabeth II and Charles III in Namatjira’s pantheon – including one of the late queen alongside Rinehart in Australia in Colour. Namatjira has a family link to Elizabeth and Prince Philip, who met Albert Namatjira (the painter’s great grandfather) on their 1954 tour of Australia.</p> <p>But no one is asking for Queen Bess to be removed from the National Gallery of Australia.</p> <p>As a mark of <em>noblesse oblige</em>, King Charles has accepted the newly unveiled commissioned portrait of himself by Jonathon Yeo. It is an absolute shocker, and he should have sent it back.</p> <p>The King, de-aged by 20 years, looks pleasantly out at us from a floor-to-ceiling fog of strawberry- and cerise-coloured paint that covers his dress uniform. The joke, of course, is that the red colouration can be read as a reference to “<a href="https://time.com/6226657/crown-charles-camilla-tampongate/">tampongate</a>”, the product of an infamous case of tabloid phone-hacking in 1993.</p> <p>It’s a case of a portrait generating an unintended consequence – just as Namatjira surely did not expect to provoke international headlines today with his Gina, whom he’s been depicting for years.</p> <p>Fittingly, wise heads have rejected calls for the gallery to remove the canvas, starting with director Nick Mitzevich’s <a href="https://amp.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/portrait-gina-rinehart-doesn-t-want-you-to-see-mogul-demands-national-gallery-remove-her-image-20240513-p5jd59.html">measured statement</a>, seconded by the National Association for the Visual Arts whose <a href="https://visualarts.net.au/news-opinion/2024/nava-defends-vincent-namatjiras-artistic-freedom-amid-demands-removal-nga/">press release</a> insists on freedom of expression.</p> <p>Finally, late yesterday, Namatjira, resisting myriad calls for interviews, issued a statement in the pithy mode of his book texts. Let him have the last word:</p> <blockquote> <p>I paint people who are wealthy, powerful, or significant – people who have had an influence on this country, and on me personally, whether directly or indirectly, whether for good or for bad. Some people might not like it, other people might find it funny, but I hope people look beneath the surface and see the serious side too.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/230297/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/roger-benjamin-119535"><em>Roger Benjamin</em></a><em>, Professor in Art History, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-sydney-841">University of Sydney</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: X (Twitter)</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/can-you-control-your-image-gina-rinehart-king-charles-and-moral-portraits-230297">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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Gina Rinehart demands for National Gallery to remove her portrait

<p>Gina Rinehart has demanded that her portriat be removed from the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra because she doesn't like it. </p> <p>The portrait of Australia's richest woman appears alongside many others, including Queen Elizabeth and former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, in an exhibition by acclaimed Archibald Prize-winning Indigenous artist Vincent Namatjira.</p> <p>Namatjira's works are known for having cartoon-like qualities, as he often paints famous figures as caricatures. </p> <p><a title="www.smh.com.au" href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/portrait-gina-rinehart-doesn-t-want-you-to-see-mogul-demands-national-gallery-remove-her-image-20240513-p5jd59.html">Nine Newspapers </a>have the National Gallery of Australia (NGA) have been flooded with a dozen complaints about the portrait of Rinehart, including some from athletes she sponsors through her company Hancock Prospecting. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Australia’s richest person, Gina Rinehart, has demanded the National Gallery of Australia remove a portrait of her from an exhibition by Archibald Prize-winning Indigenous artist Vincent Namatjira. THAT’S A GOOD REASON TO SHARE THE PORTRAIT WIDELY. <a href="https://t.co/pYoMh6vQcW">pic.twitter.com/pYoMh6vQcW</a></p> <p>— Maurie Mulheron (@maurie_mulheron) <a href="https://twitter.com/maurie_mulheron/status/1790621641502036239?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 15, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>One complaint allegedly accused the NGA of “doing the bidding of the Chinese Communist Party” with the portrait of Ms Rinehart. </p> <p>On the NGA website, Ms Rinehart is listed as a “friend” of the gallery, as she historically has donated up to $9999.</p> <p>The NGA has refused to take the painting down, and the artwork will be on display until July 21st.</p> <p>“Since 1973, when the National Gallery acquired Jackson Pollack’s Blue Poles, there has been a dynamic discussion on the artistic merits of works in the national collection, and/or on display at the gallery,” the NGA said in a statement. </p> <p>“We present works of art to the Australian public to inspire people to explore, experience and learn about art.”</p> <p>In response to the demand to have the painting removed, Namatjira released a statement saying, “I paint the world as I see it. People don’t have to like my paintings, but I hope they take the time to look and think, ‘why has this Aboriginal bloke painted these powerful people? What is he trying to say?’"</p> <p>"I paint people who are wealthy, powerful, or significant – people who have had an influence on this country, and on me personally, whether directly or indirectly, whether for good or for bad. Some people might not like it, other people might find it funny, but I hope people look beneath the surface and see the serious side too.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images / X (Twitter)</em></p>

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King Charles unveils first post-coronation portrait

<p>King Charles has unveiled his first post-coronation portrait in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace. </p> <p>The painting by Jonathan Yeo - known for portraits of celebrities including Nicole Kidman, Paris Hilton and Grayson Perry - was commissioned in 2020 to celebrate the then Prince of Wales’ 50 years as a member of charitable institution The Drapers’ Company. </p> <p>Yeo had four sittings with the King, with the first sitting when Charles was still Prince of Wales in June 2021 at his country home in Highgrove, and the last sitting in November 2023 at Clarence house. </p> <p>The portrait  – approximately 2.6 metres by 2 metres framed – depicts King Charles wearing the uniform of the Welsh Guard. </p> <p>“It was a privilege and pleasure to have been commissioned by The Drapers’ Company to paint this portrait of His Majesty The King, the first to be unveiled since his Coronation,” the artist said.</p> <p>“When I started this project, His Majesty The King was still His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, and much like the butterfly I’ve painted hovering over his shoulder, this portrait has evolved as the subject’s role in our public life has transformed.</p> <p>“I do my best to capture the life experiences etched into any individual sitter’s face.</p> <p>“In this case, my aim was also to make reference to the traditions of Royal portraiture but in a way that reflects a 21st century monarchy and, above all else, to communicate the subject’s deep humanity,” said Mr Yeo.</p> <p>“I’m unimaginably grateful for the opportunity to capture such an extraordinary and unique person, especially at the historic moment of becoming King.”</p> <p>The King and Queen met The Master of The Drapers’ Company, Tom Harris and Past Master, William Charnley on Tuesday at Buckingham Palace. </p> <p>The portrait will go on public display for a month at the Philip Mould Gallery in London, from May 16 until June 14 and will be displayed at Drapers’ Hall from the end of August.</p> <p><em>Images: news.com.au</em></p> <p> </p>

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New birthday portrait of Princess Charlotte revealed

<p>The Prince and Princess of Wales have shared a new photo of their daughter, Princess Charlotte, to celebrate her ninth birthday. </p> <p>“Happy 9th birthday, Princess Charlotte! Thank you for all of the kind messages today,” they captioned the portrait of the young royal, which was posted on Instagram. </p> <p>Charlotte smiled confidently for the camera as she leaned against a fence surrounded by flowers in the garden of their home in Windsor.</p> <p>The young royal donned a dark red cardigan, a blue top and a denim skirt with stockings in the picture taken by her mother, Kate Middleton. </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/C6dejAktAsO/?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/C6dejAktAsO/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Royal fans shared their birthday wishes and praised the Princess of Wales' photography skills. </p> <p>“Another gorgeous photo taken by Catherine,” wrote one fan. </p> <p>“Am enjoying seeing her grow up and flourish.”</p> <p>“She’s growing up so fast and isn’t she the image of her father,” another follower wrote.</p> <p>“Magical. Happy birthday young lady,” commented a third. </p> <p>One fan noted that Charlotte had her father’s eyes and her mother’s “beautiful smile”, while a few others commented on how quickly she was growing up. </p> <p>Just last week Charlotte’s younger brother Louis turned six, and as part of their tradition, a portrait <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/kate-middleton-shares-new-birthday-photo-of-prince-louis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">photo</a> of him that was taken by his mother was also released. </p> <p><em>Image: Instagram/ Getty</em></p>

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