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Archibald Packing Room Prize winner announced

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> More than 50 years ago, when I was a junior curatorial assistant at the Art Gallery of NSW, I had the daunting experience of hanging the annual Archibald, Wynne and Sulman prizes. At the time the professional staff held the exhibitions in such disregard, they complained about the news media’s interest in this mediocrity while ignoring more worthy events. Attitudes changed in the 1980s with the <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-18/former-director-of-sydney-agnsw-edmund-capons-dies/10911456">late director Edmund Capon</a>, who recognised popularity was an asset – not a disadvantage. Capon raised the prize money with sponsorships and started charging the public to see the winners. His strategy proved so successful that the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman exhibitions are now a significant source of revenue for the gallery. This year, the highly experienced Beatrice Gralton, Senior Curator of Contemporary Australian Art, has curated the exhibitions with support from a crew of more than 40 colleagues. <h2>Packing Room Prize goes to Abdul Abdullah</h2> In the 1970s, the media was refused access to the exhibitions until just before the winner was announced. Now it is actively courted with a public viewing of the works that survive the rigorous culling process. This takes place a week before the final judging, when the Packing Room Prize is announced. The changing status of this prize is also evidenced by changing personnel. Those who did the physical work of packing and loading artworks in the past were not expected to know much about art – and often gave the prize to paintings that would otherwise not be hung. In 2025, the specialist installation crew that handles the portraits in the packing room are most likely to be professional artists themselves – a reminder that most artists need another gig to stay afloat. This year’s Packing Room Prize winner is Abdul Abdullah’s portrait of fellow artist Jason Phu, <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/media-office/packing-room-25/6ed&utm_source=email%20marketing%20software&utm_term=no%20mountain%20high%20enough">No mountain high enough</a>. There is a glorious irony in this, as Abdullah has long been a critic of the self-important art establishment. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665336/original/file-20250502-62-uqdqhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665336/original/file-20250502-62-uqdqhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665336/original/file-20250502-62-uqdqhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=716&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665336/original/file-20250502-62-uqdqhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=716&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665336/original/file-20250502-62-uqdqhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=716&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665336/original/file-20250502-62-uqdqhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665336/original/file-20250502-62-uqdqhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665336/original/file-20250502-62-uqdqhg.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=899&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Winner Packing Room Prize 2025, Abdul Abdullah ‘No mountain high enough’, oil on linen, 162.4 x 136.7cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.</figcaption></figure> His work is a riff on the heroic paintings of 19th century landscapes, except for the flock of twittering birds that surround the head of the solitary rider, a bit like a halo. His subject, fellow artist Phu, has to be seen as a serious contender for the main prize, which will be announced on May 9. Phu’s <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2025/30814/">portrait</a> of actor Hugo Weaving – older hugo from the future fighting hugo from right now in a swamp and all the frogs and insects and fish and flowers now look on – has both the humour and energy that has long characterised his work. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665338/original/file-20250502-56-1483xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665338/original/file-20250502-56-1483xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665338/original/file-20250502-56-1483xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=723&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665338/original/file-20250502-56-1483xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=723&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665338/original/file-20250502-56-1483xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=723&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665338/original/file-20250502-56-1483xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=908&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665338/original/file-20250502-56-1483xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=908&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665338/original/file-20250502-56-1483xl.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=908&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Jason Phu ‘older hugo from the future fighting hugo from right now in a swamp and all the frogs and insects and fish and flowers now look on’, synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 183.2 x 152.5cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.</figcaption></figure> But there are many serious contenders for this year’s prize. Kurdish refugee Mostafa Azimitabar first exhibited in the Archibald in 2022, with a <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2022/30409/">self-portrait painted in coffee, with a toothbrush</a>. Art became his refuge during the many years he spent incarcerated as an asylum seeker. He still uses a toothbrush, but has used paint for his wonderfully fierce painting of a taut Grace Tame, appropriately named <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2025/30774/">The definition of hope</a>. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665340/original/file-20250502-56-m193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665340/original/file-20250502-56-m193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665340/original/file-20250502-56-m193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=871&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665340/original/file-20250502-56-m193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=871&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665340/original/file-20250502-56-m193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=871&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665340/original/file-20250502-56-m193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1095&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665340/original/file-20250502-56-m193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1095&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665340/original/file-20250502-56-m193k.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1095&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Mostafa Azimitabar ‘The definition of hope’, oil on linen, 198.5 x 137.3cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.</figcaption></figure> Then there’s Kaylene Whiskey’s delightful self-portrait <a href="https://www.Artgallery.Nsw.Gov.Au/prizes/archibald/2025/30823/">From comic to canvas</a>, which manages to include images of her heroines, Dolly Parton and Tina Turner. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665341/original/file-20250502-62-7g3s6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665341/original/file-20250502-62-7g3s6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665341/original/file-20250502-62-7g3s6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=418&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665341/original/file-20250502-62-7g3s6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=418&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665341/original/file-20250502-62-7g3s6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=418&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665341/original/file-20250502-62-7g3s6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=525&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665341/original/file-20250502-62-7g3s6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=525&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665341/original/file-20250502-62-7g3s6a.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=525&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Kaylene Whiskey ‘From comic to canvas’, synthetic polymer paint and book pages on plywood, 79.8 x 114.3cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter. Sitter, Kaylene Whiskey.</figcaption></figure> Not all works are so strident, however. Lucila Zentner’s <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/2025/30826/">Wendy in the gallery</a>, is a subdued portrait of fellow artist Wendy Sharpe, placing her in the context of her art, almost as a decoration. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665342/original/file-20250502-56-7qpjls.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665342/original/file-20250502-56-7qpjls.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665342/original/file-20250502-56-7qpjls.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=726&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665342/original/file-20250502-56-7qpjls.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=726&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665342/original/file-20250502-56-7qpjls.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=726&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665342/original/file-20250502-56-7qpjls.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=912&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665342/original/file-20250502-56-7qpjls.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=912&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665342/original/file-20250502-56-7qpjls.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=912&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Lucila Zentner ‘Wendy in the gallery’, oil on canvas, 60.3 x 50.5cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.</figcaption></figure> <h2>A suite of diverse storytelling</h2> As is spelt out in <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/art/prizes/archibald/enter/">J.F. Archibald’s will</a>, the judges of the Archibald Prize must be the trustees of the gallery, and no one else may interfere in their decision. However, for decades after <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/culture/art-and-design/from-the-archives-1944-the-archibald-prize-court-hearing-begins-20191016-p531b6.html">a spectacular court case</a> resulting from the 1943 Archibald, the trustees were so nervous of litigation that the final judging was administered by the NSW electoral office. In a court case in 1944, plaintiffs claimed the trustees’ 1943 decision was a breach of trust as the winning painting wasn’t a portrait. And one trustee claimed he had accidentally voted for the winner, thinking he was voting against it. Today, all decisions are made in-house. Court cases have been fought over whether entries were paintings (or not), painted from life (or not), selected by the trustees (or not). In 1990 <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/archibald/1988/17795/">Sidney Nolan</a> had to withdraw his entry after it was pointed out he could not be described as a “resident in Australasia for 12 months preceding the date of entry”. But once the entry conditions are met, the curator has a free hand. This year, Gralton has hung all three exhibitions on the premise they are “about stories and storytelling”. There is the joyous extravagance of Meagan Pelham’s <a href="https://www.Artgallery.Nsw.Gov.Au/prizes/archibald/2025/30813/">Magic Nikki and Charlie fancy pants party … Djaaaaaaaay</a>, the stark analysis of Chris O'Doherty’s <a href="https://www.Artgallery.Nsw.Gov.Au/prizes/archibald/2025/30810/">Self-portrait with nose tube</a>, and the wildly painterly approach of Loribelle Spirovski’s <a href="https://www.Artgallery.Nsw.Gov.Au/prizes/archibald/2025/30819/">Finger painting of William Barton</a>. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665343/original/file-20250502-56-4t1b71.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665343/original/file-20250502-56-4t1b71.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665343/original/file-20250502-56-4t1b71.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=808&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665343/original/file-20250502-56-4t1b71.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=808&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665343/original/file-20250502-56-4t1b71.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=808&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665343/original/file-20250502-56-4t1b71.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1015&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665343/original/file-20250502-56-4t1b71.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1015&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665343/original/file-20250502-56-4t1b71.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1015&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Archibald Prize 2025 finalist, Loribelle Spirovski ‘Finger painting of William Barton’, oil on canvas, 182.6 x 137cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Jenni Carter.</figcaption></figure> In the Sulman prize exhibition – awarded for best subject painting, genre painting or mural project – the once academic modernist Mitch Cairns has gone full conceptual with his stark <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/sulman/2025/30883/">Narrow cast (studio mural)</a>. It looks like something straight out of the 1970s Art & Language movement. But my money is on Thom Roberts’ <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/sulman/2025/30901/">Mrs Picture Book and the three bears</a>, a painting as a book, in three canvases. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665344/original/file-20250502-68-t8tgtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665344/original/file-20250502-68-t8tgtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665344/original/file-20250502-68-t8tgtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=685&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665344/original/file-20250502-68-t8tgtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=685&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665344/original/file-20250502-68-t8tgtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=685&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665344/original/file-20250502-68-t8tgtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=861&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665344/original/file-20250502-68-t8tgtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=861&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665344/original/file-20250502-68-t8tgtv.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=861&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Sulman Prize 2025 finalist, Thom Roberts ‘Mrs Picture Book and the three bears’, triptych: synthetic polymer paint on canvas, 120 x 106.5 x 13cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Diana Panuccio.</figcaption></figure> The Wynne prize is for both Australian landscapes and sculptures. This year there are many three-dimensional works, ranging from the elaborate <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/wynne/2025/30829/">Billy Bain</a> to the almost agonised restraint of <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/wynne/2025/30872/">Heather B. Swann</a>. Lucy Culliton’s <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/wynne/2025/30842/">Cliff Hole, Bottom Bullock</a>, hangs alongside Betty Muffler’s <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/wynne/2025/30858/">Ngangkaṟi Ngura – healing Country</a> – both paintings of Country. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665345/original/file-20250502-56-ofrah4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665345/original/file-20250502-56-ofrah4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665345/original/file-20250502-56-ofrah4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=488&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665345/original/file-20250502-56-ofrah4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=488&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665345/original/file-20250502-56-ofrah4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=488&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665345/original/file-20250502-56-ofrah4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=614&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665345/original/file-20250502-56-ofrah4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=614&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665345/original/file-20250502-56-ofrah4.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=614&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Wynne Prize 2025 finalist, Betty Muffler ‘Ngangkaṟi Ngura – healing Country’, synthetic polymer paint on linen, 197.3 x 243.5cm © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Diana Panuccio.</figcaption></figure> Then there is Mehwish Iqbal’s beautiful, delicate <a href="https://www.artgallery.nsw.gov.au/prizes/wynne/2025/30849/">Zameen muqaddas (sacred earth)</a>, a pen and ink contrast of fine botanical drawing and delicate wash, all on handmade paper. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665346/original/file-20250502-56-dh2f7q.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665346/original/file-20250502-56-dh2f7q.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/665346/original/file-20250502-56-dh2f7q.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=731&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665346/original/file-20250502-56-dh2f7q.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=731&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665346/original/file-20250502-56-dh2f7q.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=731&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665346/original/file-20250502-56-dh2f7q.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=918&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665346/original/file-20250502-56-dh2f7q.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=918&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/665346/original/file-20250502-56-dh2f7q.jpg?ixlib=rb-4.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=918&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="" /></a><figcaption>Wynne Prize 2025 finalist, Mehwish Iqbal ‘Zameen muqaddas (sacred earth)’, watercolour and ink on handmade paper, 18 parts: 30 x 30cm each; 152 x 120cm overall © the artist, image © Art Gallery of New South Wales, Diana Panuccio.</figcaption></figure> While artist Elizabeth Pulie has already judged the Sulman prize, the judging for the Archibald and Wynne will be finalised early morning on May 9. This year’s result is anyone’s guess.<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/253747/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> By <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/joanna-mendelssohn-8133">Joanna Mendelssohn</a>, Honorary Senior Fellow, School of Culture and Communication. Editor in Chief, Design and Art of Australia Online, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> 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/archibald-packing-room-prize-goes-to-abdul-abdullah-for-jason-phu-portrait-among-broader-set-of-bold-and-deeply-personal-works-253747">original article</a>. </div>

Art

From the bed sheets to the TV remote, a microbiologist reveals the shocking truth about dirt and germs in hotel rooms

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/primrose-freestone-315921">Primrose Freestone</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-leicester-1053">University of Leicester</a> For most of us, staying in a hotel room is either something of a necessity – think business travel – or something to look forward to as part of a holiday or wider excursion. But what if I told you there’s a large chance your hotel room, despite how it might appear to the naked eye, <a href="https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/922575">isn’t that clean</a>. And even if it’s an expensive room, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s any less dirty. Indeed, whoever has stayed in your room prior to you will have deposited bacteria, fungi and viruses all over the furniture, carpets, curtains and surfaces. What remains of these germ deposits depends on how efficiently your <a href="http://www.europeancleaningjournal.com/magazine/articles/european-reports/bacteria-that-breed-in-hotel-rooms">room is cleaned</a> by <a href="https://www.today.com/money/hotel-maids-how-much-how-little-do-they-really-clean-1D80287464">hotel staff</a>. And let’s face it, what is considered clean by a hotel might be different to <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/dirty-spots-in-hotel-rooms_n_5ae09906e4b061c0bfa4356d">what you consider clean</a>. Typically, assessment of hotel room cleanliness is based on <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/26330308">sight and smell observations</a> –- not on the invisible microbiology of the space, which is where the infection risks reside. So let’s take a deep dive into the world of germs, bugs and viruses to find out what might be lurking where. <h2>It starts at the lift</h2> Before you even enter your room, think of the hotel lift buttons as germ hotspots. They are being pressed all the time by many different people, which can transfer microorganisms onto the button surface, as well back onto the presser’s fingers. Communal door handles can be similar in terms of germ presence unless sanitised regularly. <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25005587/">Wash your hands</a> or use a hand sanitiser after using a handle before you next touch your face or eat or drink. The most common <a href="https://www.rd.com/list/ways-your-hotel-room-could-be-making-you-sick/">infections people pick up</a> from hotel rooms are tummy bugs – diarrhoea and vomiting – along with <a href="https://www.everydayhealth.com/cold-and-flu/surprising-ways-hotels-can-make-you-sick.aspx">respiratory viruses</a>, such as colds and pneumonia, as well as <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/28/3/21-2318_article?ACSTrackingID=USCDC_333-DM72795&ACSTrackingLabel=Latest%20Expedited%20Articles%20-%20Emerging%20Infectious%20Diseases%20Journal%20-%20December%2029%2C%202021&deliveryName=USCDC_333-DM72795">COVID-19</a>, of course. <a href="https://ami-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jam.15121">Toilets and bathrooms</a> tend to be cleaned more thoroughly than the rest of a hotel room and are often the least bacteriologically colonised environments. Though if the drinking glass in the bathroom is not disposable, wash it before use (body wash or shampoo are effective dishwashers), as you can never be sure if they’ve been cleaned properly. Bathroom door handles may also be colonised by pathogens from unwashed hands or dirty washcloths. <h2>Beware the remote</h2> The bed, sheets and pillows can also be home to some unwanted visitors. <a href="https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/eid/article/26/9/20-1435_article">A 2020 study</a> found that after a pre-symptomatic COVID-19 patient occupied a hotel room there was significant viral contamination of many surfaces, with levels being particularly high within the sheets, pillow case and quilt cover. While <a href="https://www.rd.com/list/dirty-hotel-room/">sheets and pillowcases</a> may be more likely to be changed between occupants, bedspreads may not, meaning these fabrics may become invisible reservoirs for pathogens – <a href="https://www.indy100.com/science-tech/beds-more-germs-than-toilet">as much as a toilet seat</a>. Though in <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/17444370/hotel-sheets-clean-changed-dirty/">some cases</a> <a href="https://www.insideedition.com/investigation-finds-sheets-werent-changed-between-guests-at-some-new-york-hotels-60419">sheets</a> <a href="https://www.frommers.com/tips/health-and-travel-insurance/hotels-dont-always-change-the-sheets-between-guests#:%7E:text=Sheets%20are%20usually%20changed%20between,they%20aren't%20washed%20regularly.">aren’t always changed between guests</a>, so it may be better to just bring your own. Less thought about is what lives on the hotel room desk, bedside table, telephone, kettle, <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/srep17163?utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=commission_junction&utm_campaign=CONR_PF018_ECOM_GL_PHSS_ALWYS_DEEPLINK&utm_content=textlink&utm_term=PID100087244&CJEVENT=7cf55981c74311ed82a0034b0a18ba73">coffee machine</a>, light switch or <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hotel-room-tests-uncover-high-levels-of-contamination-1.1160859">TV remote</a> – as these surfaces aren’t always sanitised between occupancies. Viruses such as the <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/17444370/hotel-sheets-clean-changed-dirty/">norovirus can live</a> in an infectious form for days on hard surfaces, as can COVID-19 – and the typical time interval between room changeovers is often less than 12 hours. Soft fabric furnishings such as cushions, chairs, curtains and blinds are also difficult to clean and may not be sanitised other than to remove stains between guests, so washing your hands after touching them might be a good idea. <h2>Uninvited guests</h2> If all those germs and dirty surfaces aren’t enough to contend with, there are also bedbugs to think about. These bloodsucking insects are experts at secreting themselves into narrow, small spaces, remaining dormant without feeding for months. Small spaces include the cracks and crevices of luggage, mattresses and bedding. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/bedbugs/faqs.html">Bed bugs</a> are widespread throughout Europe, Africa, the US and Asia – and are <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278431920301201">often found in hotels</a>. And just because a room looks and smells clean, doesn’t mean there may not be bed bugs lurking. Fortunately, <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/bedbugs/">bed bug bites</a> are unlikely to give you a transmissible disease, but the bite areas can become inflamed and infected. For the detection of bedbugs, reddish skin bites and blood spots on sheets are signs of an active infestation (use an antiseptic cream on the bites). Other signs can be found on your mattress, behind the headboard and inside drawers and the wardrobe: brown spots could be remains of faeces, bed bug skins are brownish-silvery looking and live bed bugs are brown coloured and typically one to seven millimetres in length. Inform the hotel if you think there are bed bugs in your room. And to avoid taking them with you when you checkout, carefully clean your luggage and clothes before opening them at home. As higher-status hotels tend to have more frequent room usage, a more expensive room at a five-star hotel does not necessarily mean greater cleanliness, as room cleaning costs reduce profit margins. So wherever you’re staying, take with you a pack of antiseptic wipes and use them on the hard surfaces in your hotel room. Also, wash or sanitise your hands often – especially before you eat or drink anything. And take slippers or thick socks with you so you can avoid walking barefoot on hotel carpets – known to be another <a href="https://www.rd.com/list/dirty-hotel-room/">dirt hotspot</a>. And after all that, enjoy your stay.<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/202195/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/primrose-freestone-315921">Primrose Freestone</a>, Senior Lecturer in Clinical Microbiology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-leicester-1053">University of Leicester</a> Image credits: Shutterstock 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/from-the-bed-sheets-to-the-tv-remote-a-microbiologist-reveals-the-shocking-truth-about-dirt-and-germs-in-hotel-rooms-202195">original article</a>. </div>

Travel Trouble

10 tips for a better night’s sleep in a hotel room

From noisy neighbours to unbearable bedding, a good night’s sleep in a hotel room can be hard to come by. Here are 10 tips to help you get decent shut eye. 1. Book a room midway down a hallway This is generally the quietest part of the floor, way from ice and wending machines, laundry facilities, exits, closets and any other places where sudden noises might occur. 2. Try to avoid rooms facing a pool While the view is something to admire, pools can also be the sight of noise generating late-night gathering and any sounds generally echo loudly off the water. 3. Inquire at the front desk about pillow options If the wrong pillow gives you back or neck pain have a chat to the front desk when checking in. Most hotels stock pillows of varying firmness, and can offer a better fit. 4. Pack earplugs and eyeshades When you’re struggling to get to sleep the tiniest noise or ray of light can end up being a huge distraction. Nip this in the bud by packing earplugs and eyeshades. 5. Turn your mobile phone off Mobile notifications can be a huge distraction (particularly when they’re coming from friends and family in different time zones). Turn your phone off, and enjoy the bliss. 6. Make use of your ‘do not disturb’ sign If you’re planning to sleep in make sure you put your ‘do not disturb’ sign on the outside doorknob, otherwise you might get a rude awakening from a housekeeper. 7. Report any noises immediately Sometimes a quick pound of the wall will quiet down a noisy neighbour, but this doesn’t always work. If the people in the room next to you won’t keep quiet, make sure you let the front desk know and they can take the necessary actions. 8. Adjust the room temperature Most people sleep better in a cooler room, so make sure you adjust the temperature to whatever is the best fit for you to get sleep. Even just opening the window a tiny little crack can make a big difference in terms of your overall comfort levels. 9. Ask the front desk about blackout shades Particularly if you’re staying in a city that’s full of lights, noises and distractions, blackout shades can provide you with a level of peace and comfort that will help you sleep. 10. Consider bringing your own sheets Particularly if you’ve got skin sensitives, it’s generally a good idea to bring your own sheets (if you’ve got enough space). The familiar scent and feel will really help you sleep. Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Tips

Choosing the best LED lighting for your room

When it comes to illuminating your room, LED lighting has become the go-to choice for many homeowners due to its energy efficiency, versatility, and long lifespan. However, with many available options, finding the perfect LED lighting solution for your room can take time and effort. Aside from enhancing safety and security, incorporating an <a href="https://www.metropolitanelectrical.com.au/blog/led-lighting-for-outdoor-spaces-safety-and-security/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LED light in outdoor spaces</a> and creating a well-lit and inviting area inside your room is equally crucial to meeting your needs and preferences. LED lighting provides the perfect solution to achieve a warm and cosy ambience while offering energy efficiency and long-lasting performance. You can transform your room into a comfortable and visually appealing haven by carefully selecting the right LED fixtures and considering essential factors. 1. Assess Your Room's Requirements The first step in choosing the best LED lighting is to assess your room's specific requirements. Consider the size of the room, its purpose, and the existing lighting setup. Identify areas that require more illumination and softer lighting for a cosy ambience. 2. Determine the Lighting Type LED lighting comes in various types, each designed to serve specific purposes. Some common types include: Ambient Lighting Ambient lighting provides overall illumination and sets the mood of the room. Choose LED fixtures like ceiling lights or wall-mounted fixtures that offer a wide dispersion of light. Task Lighting Task lighting is essential for focused activities such as reading, working, or grooming. LED desk lamps or under-cabinet LED strips are ideal choices for task lighting. Accent Lighting Accent lighting helps create visual interest and highlights specific features in the room, such as artwork or architectural elements. LED spotlights or track lights work best for accent lighting. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/08/Choosing-the-Best-LED-Lighting-for-Your-Room02.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="1022" /> 3. Consider Colour Temperature LED lights are available in different colour temperatures, measured in Kelvin (K). Lower values like 2700K-3000K produce warm white light suitable for living rooms and bedrooms, while higher values like 5000K-6500K provide cooler white light more ideal for task-oriented areas like kitchens and workspaces. 4. Energy Efficiency One of the significant advantages of LED lighting is its energy efficiency. Look for LED bulbs with the ENERGY STAR label, as they meet strict energy efficiency guidelines and can significantly reduce your energy consumption. 5. Check the Lumens Lumens measure the brightness of LED bulbs. Consider the lumens required based on the room's size and purpose. For instance, a 60-watt incandescent bulb is equivalent to approximately 800 lumens. 6. Dimmability If you prefer adjustable lighting levels, choose dimmable LED bulbs and fixtures. This feature lets you control light intensity to suit different activities and create the desired ambience. 7. Longevity and Warranty LED bulbs are known for their long lifespan, ranging from 20,000 to 50,000 hours. Additionally, reputable manufacturers often provide warranties that cover their products for several years, ensuring peace of mind. 8. Compatibility with Smart Home Systems For those looking to integrate their lighting with smart home systems, ensure that the LED bulbs you select are compatible with the preferred smart lighting technology. 9. Aesthetics and Fixture Design LED lighting comes in various shapes and sizes, including vintage filament-style bulbs or sleek modern fixtures. Consider the overall aesthetics of your room and choose LED lighting that complements the existing decor. 10. Budget Considerations While LED lighting may have higher upfront costs than traditional incandescent bulbs, remember that they save energy and last much longer, making them a cost-effective choice in the long run. 11. Sustainable Lighting Choices In this increasingly eco-conscious era, making sustainable choices is paramount to preserving our planet's well-being. Regarding lighting solutions, LED technology stands at the forefront of sustainability. Some of the environmental benefits include the following: <ul> <li>Reduced Energy Consumption</li> <li>Longevity and Durability</li> <li>Mercury-Free Lighting</li> <li>Lower Carbon Emissions</li> <li>Optimised Outdoor Lighting</li> <li>Energy Savings on a Global Scale</li> </ul> Choosing LED lighting for your room can have a far-reaching impact on the planet, making it a brighter and more sustainable place for future generations to enjoy. 12. Hiring an Expert <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2023/08/Choosing-the-Best-LED-Lighting-for-Your-Room03.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="852" /> If you find choosing LED lighting overwhelming or are unsure about the best lighting solutions for your room, consider hiring an expert. A professional lighting consultant from a trusted provider like <a href="https://www.metropolitanelectrical.com.au/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Metropolitan Electrical Contractors</a> can assess your room's layout, understand your lighting needs, and suggest the most appropriate LED fixtures to achieve the desired effect. Illuminate Your Space with an Expert Touch! Choosing the best LED lighting for your room involves considering the room's requirements, lighting type, colour temperature, energy efficiency, lumens, dimmability, longevity, smart home compatibility, aesthetics, and budget. By carefully evaluating these aspects and understanding your room's needs, you can create a well-lit, inviting space with LED lighting that enhances your overall living experience. Don't want to do it all alone? Get installation assistance from a specialist to ensure your LED lighting is expertly installed, leaving you with a perfectly lit room tailor-made to your needs. Let the specialists work their magic and bask in the glow of a well-lit and inviting space! Get started now and light up your life! Images: Supplied. This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with Metropolitan Electrical Contractors.

Home & Garden

Princess Diana's never-before-seen backup wedding gown

The designer of Princess Diana's iconic wedding gown has revealed the details of a secret second dress that has never seen the light of day. In an exclusive interview with Hello! magazine, British designer Elizabeth Emmanuel revealed that she had planned for the worst in the lead up to the royal nuptials in 1981 by creating a backup dress. When Princess Diana married King Charles at St Paul’s Cathedral, she wore the now iconic voluptuous custom gown with a 25-foot train and 10,000 mother-of-pearl sequin and pearl embellishments. However, this gown may not have been the one debuted on the red-carpet aisle if news of it leaked before the big day. “The spare wedding gown was made just in case the secret of the real dress ever got out,” Emmanuel proclaimed. “Fortunately, it was never used.” Emmanuel drew inspiration from the 20-year-old’s initial design for the “spare,” pointing to a similar V-cut neckline adorned with a ruffle trim, puffy sleeves, and massive skirt in the never-before-seen sketch. The substitute was “pale ivory silk taffeta with embroidered scalloped details on the hem and sleeves” and detailed with delicate pearls along a tight-fitting bodice. To see the stunning draft design of the spare gown, click <a href="https://www.hellomagazine.com/brides/499047/princess-diana-spare-wedding-dress-unveiled-for-first-time-by-designer-exclusive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. In the lead up to the wedding, strict security measures were put in place to prevent anyone from seeing the dresses before Diana walked down the aisle. “We had the dress stored every night in a metal cabinet guarded by two guards, Jim and Bert,” Elizabeth noted. “So there was somebody there 24 hours a day and we put shutters on all our windows, and we put false color threads in the rubbish bins because people were going through our bins.” Elizabeth, now 70-years-old, lost track of the alternate gown, which the Princess of Wales never actually tried on. Just before what would have been the royal pair’s 42nd wedding anniversary, Elizabeth told Hello!, “I don’t know where it went. It just disappeared.” However, when Princess Diana tragically died, her original gown was left to both Prince William and Prince Harry, as the historic garment now rests in Kensington Palace. Image credits: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

The best cruise cabin for every type of need

So many options Cruise accommodations – also known as staterooms or cabins – are your home away from home while at sea. Far from a one-size-fits-all decision, there are numerous factors to consider when determining the best rooms on a cruise ship to fit your and your companions’ needs. From size to location to view and beyond, there are many things to keep in mind when selecting your stateroom, says Gianluca Corneli, hotel director at Royal Caribbean International. “How many will stay in the room? Is your room a place to hang out or just where you sleep?” Also, think about what you’d like to be near on the ship. “For example, consider if you would like to be near the elevator for convenience or prefer a location down the hallway with fewer guests passing by,” she says. Also factor in any ways you’d like to elevate your stay, like maybe a balcony or a suite for your next Caribbean cruise. It’s no wonder that some of the best cruise lines offer up to 28 different types of rooms on a single ship – they want to ensure there’s an ideal solution for every guest. Let’s focus on upgrading your room choice to the perfect fit for your specific needs. Best for avoiding seasickness Choose: the middle of the ship, on a low deck Picture a ship like a seesaw – the most movement will be felt on either end, while the middle stays fairly even-keel. “Middle and low, that’s where you want to be,” says cruise expert Dori Saltzman, senior editor with trade publication Travel Market Report. “While you don’t need to be on the absolute lowest passenger deck, you don’t want to go above the middle of the ship (vertical wise). You also want to try to be as middle (horizontal wise) as possible. If cabins in the middle of the ship aren’t available, she says to choose aft over forward, because the more forward a cabin is, the more you’ll feel the motion of the ocean. And while this may seem counter-intuitive, be sure to book a cabin with a window or balcony, so you can keep your eyes on the horizon if you start feeling queasy. Best for great views Choose: a cabin with a balcony, preferably at the back of the ship While you can always go to the upper decks of any ship for 360-degree views of your surroundings, there’s no greater cruise ship luxury than enjoying the scenery from your own private balcony. They may also be called verandah cabins. Balconies are the perfect place to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning or glass of champagne during a spectacular sunset and pretend you’re all alone at sea. And some of the absolute best rooms on a cruise ship are located at the rear, where you’ll also be treated to the photo-worthy wake left behind, which is a fun way to mark your ship’s progress. Balconies are also nice for having access to fresh air when you want it, it can be very soothing to listen to the sounds of the ocean from your stateroom, and you’ll have a better chance of spotting wildlife along your cruise too. Best for light sleepers Choose: a deck filled with other guest cabins and away from elevators Finding the best rooms on a cruise ship for light sleepers usually takes a little research, but that due diligence will pay off come bedtime. “You need your cabin to be located away from any bank of elevators, but also away from crew entrances,” says Saltzman. So being surrounded by other cabins of people who want to sleep too is a safe bet. “You also don’t want your cabin to be located above the ship’s main theatre, underneath any restaurants where you can hear the chairs scraping on the floor or under/over any of the lounges that have music late into the night.” Finally, you don’t want to be on a low deck that’s too aft or too forward, as you may end up above the engines or the anchor, which makes a lot of noise when it’s lowered and raised. You may feel a bit like Goldilocks trying to choose that perfect cabin on your next romantic cruise, but the reward of peace and quiet will be priceless. Best for a little more space Choose: a forward-facing cabin While you aren’t likely to find a balcony on a forward-facing cabin, you may find more interior space than similarly priced mid-ship cabins. Why? There are some odd angles in forward-facing cabins that the designers had to work around, thanks to the slanted style of the front of a ship. Those odd angles may work in your favour when it comes to square footage. It’s important to note that while these are some of the best rooms on a cruise ship for extra space, you will experience the most movement in a front-facing cabin, so this choice is not an ideal position for anyone prone to motion sickness. Best for cruising with little kids Most cruise lines offer family-friendly cruises and specific cabins suited for kids, which can be a mix of in-room amenities and proximity to other areas of the ship children will love. “On Disney’s ships, all cabins have two bathrooms, one with a sink and toilet and the other with a shower/bath combo (a small minority of rooms do not have the tub) for families that need the little one to be able to take a bath, while everyone else is still able to wash up,” says Saltzman. “Another good option is the Family Harbour cabins on Carnival’s Vista-class ships (Vista, Horizon, Panorama) and Excel-class ships (Mardi Gras, Celebration). Similar to the Disney cabins, these have two bathrooms, one a full one with a shower, sink and toilet, and the other with a sink and shower/tub combo.” Best for staying on a budget Choose: an interior cabin Unless you’re worried about feeling claustrophobic – since there will be no porthole or window to the outside world – an interior cabin is a nice option for saving money (we’re talking $300 for 7-day cruises). Not only is it the lowest-priced cabin type, which means you’ll have more funds to put toward excursions, a drink package or souvenirs, but you’ll also be able to take midday naps or sleep in later because there won’t be any light sneaking in. Another positive is that an interior cabin might encourage you to spend more of your free time roaming around the ship, meeting other people and getting more involved in activities, since you may not find it desirable to spend your time beyond sleeping and showering in a windowless box. Best for mobility disabilities Choose: an accessible stateroom For passengers with limited mobility or no mobility, most major cruise lines offer accessible staterooms in a variety of room types (inside cabin, ocean view and balcony). These options do vary based on the cruise line and the age of the ship, so it’s best to research this in advance and factor the accessible options available into your cruise planning process. Accessible rooms tend to be larger than standard cabins to accommodate wheelchair or scooter users, and they also feature larger bathrooms. Additionally, some rooms will have emergency-call buttons or specific amenities for hearing or vision-impaired guests. For instance, the fully accessible rooms on Holland America Line provide adequate turning space, accessibility routes throughout the room, roll-in showers, wheelchair access on both sides of the bed, handlebars in the shower and hand-held shower heads, says Sissel Bergersen, director of rooms division, Holland America Line. Before you lock in a booking, it may be best to call the cruise line and explain your needs so they can help steer you toward the perfect cabin. Best for being spoiled rotten Choose: a cabin with butler service or a spa cabin For travellers who like adult-only cruises or who are yearning for a little extra pampering, the best rooms on a cruise ship fall into one of two categories. The first is a suite that comes with butler service, where you’ll have someone helping with all the details you don’t want to spend your precious holiday time tending to – like reserving prime-time dinner slots at specialty restaurants, booking shore excursions, packing and unpacking and even drawing rose petal bubble baths. Rooms at this level may also come with exclusive access to private pools, clubs and lounges with more luxurious touches and solitude than you’ll find elsewhere on the ship. The other category that’s becoming increasingly popular is spa suites. On Norwegian Cruise Line, the Haven Spa Suite, Spa Club Balcony Suites and Spa Balcony (available on the Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Bliss and Norwegian Epic) have varying amenities that range from more tranquil room décor with an oversized shower and body spray jets to priority access to Mandara Spa. And on Celebrity Cruises, the AquaClass staterooms are focused on wellness, with a pillow menu, complimentary fitness pass, preferential rates on spa packages, healthy room-service menu options, an exclusive restaurant, a spa concierge, access to the SEA Thermal Suite and a yoga mat for use onboard. Best for solo cruisers Choose: a cruise line that offers single rooms or waives single supplements Solo cruises are a wonderful experience, yet so many cruise lines penalise single cruisers by forcing them to pay a ‘single supplement.’ This surcharge is added to the fare of a solo passenger, since cruise room pricing is generally based on double occupancy. This fee can be an additional 10 per cent all the way up to a full 100 per cent of the rate, making solo cruising unaffordable for many travellers. Instead, look for cruise lines that offer single staterooms, like Celebrity, which has the Edge Single Stateroom with Infinite Veranda (available on Celebrity Edge, Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent) and the Single Inside Stateroom on Celebrity Silhouette. Other cruise lines, including Holland America Line, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, also offer single cabins – these special solo and studio cabins aren’t subject to single supplements. Occasionally, you may even find cruise lines running special promotions and waiving their single supplement for a regular-size room. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/cruising/the-best-cruise-cabin-for-every-type-of-need" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Cruising

Barry Du Bois shares emotional health update

Channel 10 star Barry Du Bois is currently battling Plasmacytoma Myeloma, a type of cancer that attacks the immune system. The Aussie designer, 62, shared a heartfelt post about the importance of being open during such turbulent times. “During a podcast last week, the host thanked me for being so open with my emotions,” he wrote. “She said we really don’t know each other that well and to expose my feelings so openly [and] honestly was very brave to allow that vulnerability,” he continued. “I explained that after being forced into the ring with terribly viscous opponents like cancer, it is not a scary thing for me to allow emotions to surface when sharing a painful story. "So I don’t see it as brave and have learnt that expressing your emotions rather than suppressing [them] helps to self reflect and gain emotional resilience.” The 62-year-old paired the post with a black and white photo of his arm hooked up to an IV drip as he lay in bed. <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/CtaS9UBvtIs/?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/CtaS9UBvtIs/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Barry Du Bois. (@baz_dubois)</a> </div> </blockquote> Du Bois is best known for co-hosting Channel 10’s The Living Room lifestyle show for the past decade, where he hosted the show’s renovations segment. After signalling a year-long hiatus, the cast bid fans farewell, and the show’s future remains uncertain. Du Bois’ current cancer comes after a decade-long battle in 2017. Speaking to the Adelaide Advertiser in March, he said he was determined to fight the blood cancer. “I looked, and I'm still looking, for every advantage I can find to give me an extra second, an extra day, maybe a week, or even a month with my children and this beautiful life that I've been gifted,” he said. Du Bois also made a surprise run for the Senate as an independent in the 2023 federal election. He eventually withdrew after deciding that his “health and family come first”. Image credit: Getty

Caring

How to set up your room to help you fall asleep

Getting a good night’s rest is essential for your health and quality of life. Sometimes sleep can be disturbed due to coffee or stress but sometimes it can be caused by the state of a bedroom. If you are having trouble falling asleep at night then your bedroom environment might be part of the problem. If your bedroom isn’t the sleep-friendly environment it should be, try these tips today. 1. Remove night lights and electronics If you have a bright light shining from a radio or alarm clock, it might be a good idea to cover it at night or turn it around so the light isn’t facing you as you sleep. Our brains can misinterpret dim lights and be aroused to wake up. It is also important to not be on your electronic devices right before you go to sleep due to the light that radiates from the screen. 2. Shut your curtains Even though the light from the moon, car headlights or streetlights might be outside your window, they still could be a factor in keeping you up. Drapes will help you fall asleep at night time and stop the morning sun waking you up as well. 3. Lower the temperature Just a small drop in temperature can help induce sleep. Experts recommend cooling down your room by a few degrees to aid your brain in drifting asleep peacefully. Studies have also found that wearing socks can help you fall asleep. It is believed that if your feet are warm, it helps the internal body temperature drop. 4. Get a comfy mattress A painful mattress will not only disturb your sleep but it will also leave you with aches and pains in the morning. Make sure you shop around and research carefully before buying a mattress so you can get one that allows you to have the most natural and deep sleep. Mattress protectors and mattress toppers are also a worthwhile investment for extra softness and comfort as you sleep. 5. Choose the right colour scheme Colours can speak volumes to your subconscious so it is important to paint and decorate your room with calming colours. Colours such as blue, purple and light pink can help calm your thoughts. Select colours that are the right shade to help you feel tranquil before you fall asleep at night. 6. Declutter your bedroom The impact of a cluttered room is far greater than you might initially think. If you are tossing and turning in the night make sure that before you go to bed, your bedroom is cleared of unnecessary clutter. Once your bedroom is clean, it will make you feel like you have more space and that you aren’t restricted. 7. Choose the right bedding The right sheets, the right pillows and the perfect number of pillows are all factors in helping you fall asleep. Whether you want cotton or flannelette bed sheets, make sure you are maintaining their quality as you use them. Image credits: Getty Images

Home Hints & Tips

Stop making these 5 living room mistakes

A living room should be a welcoming place to entertain guests and a space where you can go to unwind. Creating a comfortable and stylish living room doesn’t have to involve any manual labour or cost a fortune, a few simple tweaks can make a world of difference. 1. Furniture placement If you tend to push furniture up against all the walls of your living room, you’re making it look smaller rather than larger. Give the room the illusion of more space by pulling furniture away from the walls. Plan your living room around the scale of the room, it will open it up and become a place you’ll never want to leave! 2. Too much clutter Clutter makes a house a home but storage is key when it comes to keeping a tidy living room. Pack away what you can to keep your tables relatively tidy. Arrange flowers, books, candles or house plants however you like to create an inviting atmosphere. 3. TV placement The optimal place for your TV to sit is on a blank wall that doesn’t block window light. If you can, mount your TV on the wall for a cleaner look, otherwise have an appropriately sized TV unit to put it on. 4. Using the wrong rugs Rugs are a must for a stylish living room but they need to look like they belong! Small rugs can imbalance the room, so go for a big rug your furniture can sit on top of. 5. Lack of colour Many living rooms lack colour, not just the walls, but the lack of artwork, rugs and cushions. Bright pieces add life to a room. Hang artwork, get colourful pillows, plants, or other clutter to spruce up the room - just not too much! Image credit: Shutterstock

Home & Garden

Room to Move: Desperate renters forced into backyard boxes

Victorian tenants have taken desperate measures in their hunt for a home in the midst of a housing crisis, turning to portable rooms set up in their parent’s driveways and backyards. The portables - described as ‘stand-alone separate rooms’ - have been seen across Facebook Marketplace for up to $180 per week, in a time when Melbourne’s median rent has reached $460 each week. The company behind the Room to Move initiative have advertised a 7.2sq m room for $150 per week, and for those seeking a little more wiggle room, a 10.1sq m room is available for $180. However, a minimum hire period of six months applies to both, as well as a bond of $500, and a one-month written notice to end the lease. And for anyone just outside of Melbourne who might be interested, the rooms can be delivered within a three-to-four hour drive from the city - for a fee of $250. The spaces don’t come with bathrooms, but do feature weatherproof electrical sockets that power two double power points, two internal downlights, and a reverse cycle air conditioner. “There’s plenty of demand for people looking for a short term solution for accommodation,” Room to Move co-founder Nick Nottle said of the decision to launch the spaces. “Typically people place [the rooms] in their backyard or on their driveway back off the street a bit.” He noted that the spaces attracted the most attention from renters who were moving back in with family in a bid to save enough for their own house deposit, and that he and business partner Mike Rose launched Room to Move when they noticed a gap in the market, and saw an opportunity for portables that weren’t an eyesore in a residential environment. “Neighbours don’t really complain because people like the look of it,” he said, “it doesn’t look like you’ve just dropped a big shipping container in your backyard.” Beyond desperate renters, however, Nick believes the ‘properties’ also appeal to parents who want something self-contained to get their teenagers out of their hair, as well as having somewhere to house visitors coming from a long way away. And last but not least, according to Nick, “the other group is people using them as an office to work from home, or for studio-type businesses like a lash salon, tattoo parlour or hairdresser - things you can do from home rather than renting a space elsewhere.” Images: Facebook, realestate.com.au

Real Estate

12 things you should always do before you leave your hotel room

Check under the bed and dresser “I always get down on my hands and knees and look under the bed and under the dresser,” says Suzanne Markham-Bagnera, a former general manager at hotels. Young kids especially like to hide things, and then forget about them. “You get the frantic phone call that a child has left their Lovey, their stuffed animal, or their toy and they realised once they get in their car and start driving, but they’re not able to come right back to the hotel,” she adds. Pull the bed linens back Markham-Bagnera typically removes the bedding to both help out the housekeeper and make sure she hasn’t forgotten anything. “That’s my way of securing: I’ve done the clean sweep of the bed. I’m good,” she says. Guest aren’t expected to strip the bed, but should you decide to, make sure to leave the comforter on a chair or in the closet, not on the floor. And don’t ball the bed linens up with the blanket, keep them separate. Leave the used towels in the tub Markham-Bagnera puts all the towels on the bathtub, especially if they’re still wet. That way they’re out of the way and all together in the pile. And the room attendant only has to pick up one pile of dirty linen. “It makes it a lot faster to pick up,” Markham-Bagnera says. Take the food you want to keep If you’ve used the refrigerator, make sure that you take out the items that you want. “The ones that you don’t want, throw away,” she says. Some guests leave alcohol as a tip for the housekeeper, but policies vary from hotel to hotel on whether they can accept it or not. Stack overflow takeaway boxes next to a waste bin Hotel waste bin are pretty small, and the remnants of last night’s dinner may not fit. If you’ve got overflow, pile the boxes next to the waste bin instead of leaving them scattered all around the room. “The messier you leave the room, the harder it is for the room attendant to clean that room,” Markham-Bagnera says. Check between the mattress and box spring When a room doesn’t have a safe, hotel guests will sometimes hide items they don’t want to leave around the room between the mattress and the box spring. Housekeepers have recovered weapons and sex toys there, Markham-Bagnera says. Move the furniture back If hotel guests are travelling with children, they sometimes move one of the beds against the wall so there’s less opportunity for a child to fall out of the bed. That’s fine, but the courtesy is to move the furniture back where you found it before you leave. Take your medications and supplies with you Forgetting your medication can be dangerous for you, but leaving supplies like needles in your room could also be hazardous to your housekeeper. Also, if you gashed yourself shaving and used a towel to stop the blood flow, separate the towel out from the rest. “Hotels will have protocols for how to clean it or for how they have to bag it and have a company come and dispose of it. Because they can’t just put that in the regular trash and be done with it in a hotel,” Markham-Bagnera says. Make sure you have your charger! “If I had a dollar for every charger that I found, I could take my whole family on vacation,” says hotel manager, Adam Sperling. These days, it’s bad news if your phone dies, so take that last look around. “It’s things that get left behind that can often cause you stress at the end of your journey,” he says. Think about a tip Room attendants are typically paid hourly, so their position is different from a bellhop or a server that might make less per hour with the expectation that they will make more in gratuities, Markham-Bagnera says. That said, room attendants work incredibly hard and tipping is appreciated. Things to consider? The quality of the hotel, whether you’re staying one night or multiple nights, and how messy you’re leaving the room. “If you’ve got a lot of people staying in the room and you’ve got a pullout sofa or a cot, and you’ve used a lot more towels, it certainly is nicer to leave a little extra,” Markham-Bagnera says. Call down to the front desk for transportation Mornings can be hectic at hotels, with out-of-town guests rushing to make meetings and flights in cities they don’t know. You can save yourself some of the hassle by doing a little prep before you leave the hotel room. “Call down and say, ‘hey, I’m leaving at 7.30 tomorrow, can my car be waiting for me?’” Sperling suggests. “That helps everybody. Your car’s waiting for you and we’re not scrambling to go get it at 7.25 when you need it at 7.30.” Book your next stay If you really liked your room and are planning to be back in the area, before you leave your hotel is a great time to rebook, Sperling says. He recommends you ask for the front desk manager for face-to-face treatment that can trump the savings online. “You’re likely to get a great rate, and you’re likely to get upgraded,” he says. Image credits: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/12-things-you-should-always-do-before-you-leave-your-hotel-room?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Travel Tips

4 things you can take from your hotel room – and 6 you can’t

<h2>What you can take: soap or shower gel</h2> If there’s one thing most hotels reliably have in their rooms, it’s soap. And according to Ousman Conteh, hotel general manager, these mini bottles are OK to take from your hotel room. “Often hotels receive negotiated pricing for items from another brand,” he says. However, Curt Asmussen, managing director of ObieHospitality, notes that it’s not encouraged to take these items – but guests aren’t penalised in any way if they do. <h2>What you can take: Shampoo or conditioner</h2> Much like the mini soaps stocked in the bathroom, the travel-size shampoo and conditioner are also fine to take from your hotel room. Hotels sometimes brand these items too, Conteh says. So taking their shampoos and sporting the hotel brand name can help the word out about a hotel. <h2>What you can take: Anything “complimentary”</h2> Complimentary items could include things like dry-cleaning bags, coffee, creamers, sugar packets and certain marketing collateral pieces, Asmussen says. It’s fair game to take them with you. Joanna McCreary, hotel general manage, adds that some hotels even give exclusive complimentary gifts which you are, of course, free to take. “We love giving people champagne on check-in on peak arrival days,” she says. “We don’t advertise it, but do get a good deal on it, and complimentary surprise champagne you will find is a very easy sell.” <h2>What you can take: Paper and pens</h2> These paper items also usually have the hotel brand name on them and serve as a marketing tool. Feel free to take them with you! <h2>What you can’t take: Sheets and towels</h2> Sheets, towels and other linens are definitely something you shouldn’t take from hotel rooms. As McCreary explains, the hotels’ goal is to prepare the perfect room for the next guest. Taking pricy essentials, like sheets, make it harder for hotel staff to do their job. According to the Telegraph, however, 68 percent of people in a survey admitted they steal linens and towels from hotel rooms. Beware that some hotels can track stolen towels thanks to electronic tags, HuffPost reports. <h2>What you can’t take: Electronics</h2> Conteh notes that in most cases, there are disclaimers on all items that shouldn’t leave the room – especially in the case of pricy electronics. “They note that there will be a cost levied on the room charge if a tablet or other item of value goes missing or removed from the premises. <h2>What you can’t take: Robes</h2> These plush robes are one of the most common items people think they can take from hotel rooms, but can’t, according to Conteh and McCreary. You will be charged! Slippers, on the other hand, won’t be used again and are typically OK to take. <h2>What you can’t take: Wooden hangers, glass bottles and mugs</h2> There is a chance that taking these items from your hotel room could lead to consequences beyond an extra charge to your room – including being “blacklisted,” NBC reports. Hotels keep a record of guests who trash hotel rooms or steal items and might ban these people from booking rooms again. In rare scenarios, some people could get arrested. The Telegraph reports a couple in Japan was arrested for stealing robes and an ashtray. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so only take the complimentary items that you really need. Remember, just because you can take something doesn’t mean you should. Image credit: Shutterstock <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/travel-hints-tips/4-things-you-can-take-from-your-hotel-room-and-6-you-cant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article originally appeared on Reader's Digest.</a>

Travel Tips

Prince Harry reveals “fundamental” drug use

Prince Harry has opened up about his recreational drug use in a livestream chat with trauma expert Dr Gabor Maté. During the session, the Duke of Sussex revealed to Dr Maté that he has turned to drugs to help him deal with - and overcome - the traumas of his past, and how it all began as a recreational activity for the 38-year-old. “It was the cleaning of the windscreen,” he explained, “the removal of life’s filters - these layers of filters - it removed it all for me and brought me a sense of relaxation, relief, comfort, a lightness that I managed to hold back for a period of time. “I started doing it recreationally and then started to realise how good it was for me. “I would say it is one of the fundamental parts of my life that changed me and helped me deal with the traumas and the pains of the past. They’re unlocking so much of what we’ve suppressed.” This is not the first time Harry has admitted to his drug usage, having opened up about his cocaine abuse in his controversial memoir, Spare. In the book, he made reference to tabloid stories from his teenage years at boarding school, and dubbed his father - King Charles - a “harried single dad coping with a drug-addled child”. Despite Buckingham Palace denying claims about Harry’s drug use at the time, he confessed in Spare that “of course” he was “doing cocaine around this time”, and that he was “at someone’s country house, during a shooting weekend” when he was offered the drug for the first time. “I’d been offered a line,” he later admitted, “and I’d done a few more since.” And while he decided that drug use wasn’t “much fun”, and that cocaine didn’t “make [him] particularly happy”, it helped him achieve his goal of feeling different. In his memoir, Harry also made note of the time he tried magic mushrooms during a party at actress Courteney Cox’s house, after discovering a box full of “black diamond mushroom chocolates.” “My mate and I grabbed several, gobbled them, washed them down with tequila,” he said, before going on to recall his drug-induced hallucinations - namely, a bin transforming into a head. “I stepped on the pedal and the head opened its mouth,” Harry described, “a huge open grin.” However, Harry’s story didn’t exactly line up with Courtney’s account, with the 58-year-old denying his story in the wake of the memoirs release, telling Variety, “I’m not saying there were mushrooms! I definitely wasn’t passing them out.” Whether or not the story is entirely factually accurate, the Duke of Sussex credits his experience with substances as the thing that helped him see the world, and his life, for what they were, writing in Spare that “under the influence of these substances I was able to let go of rigid preconcepts, to see that there was another world beyond my heavily filtered senses. “A world that was equally real and doubly beautiful.” Images: Getty

Body

Courteney Cox breaks silence over Spare claims

Courteney Cox has finally addressed her unexpected cameo in Prince Harry’s memoir Spare, debunking the Duke’s claims. In the book, Prince Harry shared an anecdote about going to the Friends actress’s home where he’d helped himself to a “box of black diamond mushroom chocolates” in her fridge that led to a wild, hallucinatory trip. After unveiling her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the 58-year-old actress confirmed to <a href="https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/courteney-cox-friends-prince-harry-1235531048/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Variety</a> that the royal had once stayed at her house for “a couple of days”, but denied she’d been the one offering up the mushrooms. “He did stay here for a couple of days — probably two or three. He’s a really nice person,” she said. “I haven’t read the book. I do want to hear it, because I’ve heard it’s really entertaining. But yes, it’s gotten back to me about it. I’m not saying there were mushrooms! I definitely wasn’t passing them out.” In Prince Harry’s best-selling memoir, he admitted he had become a “Friends fanatic” after becoming engrossed in the series while dealing with mental health issues and panic attacks after his second tour of Afghanistan in 2013. In the years following, during a trip to Los Angeles with a friend, he’d spontaneously crashed at Cox’s house while party-hopping. “We went from the home of [my friend] Thomas’ girlfriend to the home of Courteney Cox. She was a friend of Thomas’ girlfriend, and had more room. Also, she was travelling, on a job, and didn’t mind if we crashed at her place,” Harry wrote. “No complaints from me. As a Friends fanatic, the idea of crashing at Monica’s was highly appealing. And amusing. But then … Courteney turned up. I was very confused. Was her job cancelled? I didn’t think it was my place to ask. More: Does this mean we have to leave?” “She smiled. Of course not Harry. Plenty of room,” he said. “Great.” The story was one of many eyebrow-raising revelations in Harry’s memoir, including details of private clashes with Prince William, a story about losing his virginity, and recounting having a frostbitten penis while he attended William and Kate’s wedding. Image credits: Getty Images

Books

“I am the woman who took Harry’s virginity”

Speaking out for the first time in an exclusive interview with <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/21277348/woman-took-prince-harry-virginity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sun</a> on Sunday, the “older” woman detailed in Prince Harry’s memoir Spare has come forward to confirm that it was she who took the young royal’s virginity in a field behind a busy pub in Wiltshire in July 2001. Forty-year-old Sasha Walpole – who is two years older than Prince Harry – told the publication: “I am the woman who took Harry’s virginity. It was literally wham-bam between two friends.” The Sun went on to report that Mrs Walpole admitted that the encounter occurred after she and Harry had consumed 10 shots of tequila, Baileys and sambuca. “The sex was passionate and sparky because we shouldn’t have been doing it,” she said. “One thing just quickly led to another. We ended up on the floor.” The one-off encounter took place in a meadow behind the car park of the historic Vine Tree Inn in Norton, Wiltshire, in July 2001. Mrs Walpole and Prince Harry reportedly knew each other from when she was employed as a stable girl at Highgrove, the country retreat of the then Prince Charles. The evening in question was actually the occasion of Mrs Walpole’s 19th birthday, which was being celebrated at the pub – and the pair became intimate in the meadow after leaving the party. Afterwards Harry hid in a red phone box to avoid being seen, before one of Ms Walpole’s friends delivered a protection officer to the young prince in her blue Ford Fiesta. Mrs Walpole, now a married mum of two, said: “We went outside and both climbed a three-bar fence to the field. We were quite drunk at this point. I gave Harry a cigarette. I lit mine and then his. “We finished our cigarettes – Marlboro Lights – and it just happened. He started to kiss me. He was wearing boxers. There was no chatting, no words. It was exciting that it was happening. It was exciting that it was happening like the way it was. We were away for 15 minutes but the sex was about five minutes. “We didn’t set out to do it and it wasn’t premeditated. He was young. We had been purely friends and it was a little bit naughty, in the sense that it shouldn’t have been happening. “It wasn’t ‘Prince Harry’ to me. It was Harry, my friend – and something that got a little bit out of control. It just so happened that he was a prince. “Afterwards I did grab his bum and gave him a slap. It was with one hand. He had a lovely peachy bum – but he was young.” Mrs Walpole agreed to speak to The Sun after being left shocked by Harry’s disclosures in his book, and also went on to explain why she came forward. “No one warned me about the night being included in the book – and Harry, or his people, could have found me to tell me if they had wanted to do so,” she said. “I lead a peaceful life – I didn’t invite this.” “I don’t understand why he went into such detail. He could have said he lost his virginity and left it at that. But he described how it happened, in a field behind a pub. “That’s fine if you’re not the other person involved. But if you’re me, then you suddenly feel as if your world is getting a little bit smaller. He has done this to my privacy. “I was going to keep my head down and not talk about it. If it wasn’t in the book, none of this wouldn’t be happening. “I can sit quietly and hope it goes away, but then it is like a ticking timebomb, and you’re looking over your shoulder.” To listen to the entire interview with The Sun, <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/21277348/woman-took-prince-harry-virginity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">head here</a>. Image: The Sun

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Meghan Markle’s “gentle concerns” over Harry’s memoir

Meghan Markle expressed concern over the release of Prince Harry’s memoir Spare, a royal insider has revealed to The Telegraph. The source, who declared Meghan to be “media-savvy”, claimed the duchess had previously raised “gentle concerns” over the bombshell publication, and had questioned whether or not it was the right time to go ahead with its release. The couple have moved as a united front since revealing their engagement to the media in 2017, and so it raised some eyebrows when Meghan was noticeably absent from Harry’s press tour for Spare. The insider reports that Meghan kept her distance to avoid anyone assuming she was “trying to steal the limelight” during Harry’s big moment. And a big moment it was, with Spare shattering sales records across the globe on its release as readers sought to learn more about the royals. Despite its success on a sales front, the fallout from the book has seen Harry’s popularity slump across both the United Kingdom and the United States. Some suspected that Meghan was somehow behind all of it, but as Camilla Tominey wrote for The Telegraph, this “could not be further from the truth.” “No stranger to taking on her enemies,” it was said of Meghan, whose every move has been dissected and commented on for years, “she is understood to have been more wary than the Duke about this particular project.” Despite Meghan’s concerns, it is reported that once Harry had made up his mind to go ahead with the project, the duchess offered him “her full support and is immensely proud of his achievements.” As a source confessed to Camilla Tominey, “is this the way she would have approached things? Possibly not. But she will always back him. “This was about his own life, his journey and his own perspective,” they added. Although Harry has his wife’s support, the same cannot be said of his father and brother, who reportedly did not take well to some of the bombshell revelations and allegations made in the book. As another source told Vanity Fair, King Charles was left “deeply hurt”, and Prince William “cannot speak to his brother”. Only time will tell what this means for the royal family, but with experts predicting that Harry and Meghan will be in attendance at King Charles’ coronation in May, it is certain that fans and critics from all over will be watching to find out. Image: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Prince Harry accused of war crimes

Prince Harry has been accused by Iran of war crimes after coming out and claiming he killed 25 Afghans when serving. The royal included the shocking figure in his newly released book Spare in which he revealed that he killed 25 Taliban fighters while serving for the British Army in Afghanistan. In his book, Prince Harry wrote that he thought of the people he killed as “chess pieces”. This in turn has since seen the Iranian regime slamming the royal for his words amid tensions with the UK government over the execution of a British national by Tehran. "The British regime, whose Royal Family member sees the killing of 25 innocent people as removal of chess pieces and has no regrets over the issue, and those who turn a blind eye to this war crime, are in no position to preach others on human rights,” Iran's foreign ministry tweeted. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The British regime, whose royal family member, sees the killing of 25 innocent people as removal of chess pieces and has no regrets over the issue, and those who turn a blind eye to this war crime, are in no position to preach others on human rights. — Iran Foreign Ministry 🇮🇷 (@IRIMFA_EN) <a href="https://twitter.com/IRIMFA_EN/status/1615182547666833409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2023</a></blockquote> Dual Iranian-British citizen Ali Reza Akbari, a former senior defence ministry official, was executed by the regime for spying. His death has been condemned by UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who called the act “cowardly”. "This was a callous and cowardly act, carried out by a barbaric regime with no respect for the human rights of their own people," he said. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> 1/3- Mr. Harry! The ones you killed were not chess pieces, they were humans; they had families who were waiting for their return. Among the killers of Afghans, not many have your decency to reveal their conscience and confess to their war crimes. <a href="https://t.co/zjDwoDmCN1">pic.twitter.com/zjDwoDmCN1</a> — Anas Haqqani(انس حقاني) (@AnasHaqqani313) <a href="https://twitter.com/AnasHaqqani313/status/1611315062018543616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 6, 2023</a></blockquote> There are now fears that Prince Harry has put himself in danger after revealing his killings after serving in the British Army for 10 years during two tours of Afghanistan, one from 2007 to 2008 and the other from 2012 to 2013. Images: Twitter

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10 surprising things we learned from Prince Harry’s book, Spare

I wasn’t even a third of the way into Spare, the new bombshell memoir written by Prince Harry, when I found myself with a frustrating recurring thought: He’s just an average bloke. We all know there’s something magical about following the stories of royalty – especially one with such deep history as the House of Windsor. But, as I journeyed through Prince Harry’s memoir Spare, I can’t help but marvel at the normalcy of his life. How he secretly played countless hours of Halo as a teen, how his “stag” party before his wedding involved giant boxing gloves, how his father – now the King of England – showed Harry a surprising amount of tenderness, frequently calling him “darling boy.” Our world has made such a spectacle of the royal family yet has failed to humanise their existence. No one considered how someone like Prince Harry would really feel about being labelled “the naughty one” when his teenage life sounded so abhorrently normal compared to the rest of us – despite the elite schooling and the rigorous attire, or how he felt with cameras constantly flashing in his face from the relentless “paps” he was always trying to get away from. It’s one of his lines, when he was forced to act in Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing as a requirement to graduate from Eton, that Prince Harry writes what I found to be one of the most profound truths that the world seems to forget: “Being royal, it turned out, wasn’t all that far from being onstage. Acting was acting, no matter the context.” So while there are certainly some jaw-dropping factoids revealed in his new book – drugs! That costume party! His frozen todger! – it was the little facts in between that had us shocked regarding Prince Harry’s life so far – and how often this royal clawed desperately at trying to have a normal life. Here’s what we learned about Prince Harry: For the longest time, he thought Princess Diana simply disappeared The memoir starts on that dreadful day – the day of the passing of Diana, Princess of Wales. Harry was with his brother and father at Balmoral for a summer holiday, and it was his father who woke him up and told him the news. As a young boy, Harry couldn’t believe that his mother could just be gone. And for the longest time, as he explains throughout his memoir, he thought she disappeared. Escaped from the press. Decided to rid of it all. It wasn’t until he told his driver to ride through Pont de l’Alma in Paris, the tunnel where Diana fatefully died in a crash, that the truth really truly hit him. Harry only cried once 17 years after his mother’s death In the early days of his mother’s passing, Harry details how he didn’t cry when he first heard the news. The only time tears streaked his face was at her burial where he wept bitter, mournful, sobbing tears. But then, he didn’t again. Not until 2014 when his then-girlfriend Cressida Bonas asked about her did he finally cry. In the many years following, crying wasn’t something that Harry was used to, and wasn’t able to do it freely until hopping back into therapy at the start of his relationship with Meghan Markle. Both princes pleaded for King Charles III to not marry Camilla After meeting Camilla officially, both princes told their father they were OK with having Camilla in their lives because they wanted him to be happy. They came to him with one simple request: Just please don’t marry her. Just be together, Pa. He did eventually marry her, in a small civil union in Windsor Guildhall in April 2005. Harry used psychedelics as part of his therapy to treat his post-traumatic stress after the war While I expected a majority of this memoir to be about his romance with Meghan Markle and the shocking news that they left the monarchy, I was surprised to learn that a third of the book was dedicated to his war days. So many particular details about training and battles, and his burning desire to get back on the battlefield – one of the only places he truly felt “normal” and not constantly bombarded by the press. Like so many who come home from battle, Harry suffered from PTSD and bouts of anxiety and depression. After finally going to therapy (which was originally encouraged by “Willy,” who was worried about him), as part of his healing process, Harry admits to using psychedelics as a type of medicinal therapy, as a way to see the good in the world. “They didn’t simply allow me to escape reality for a while, they let me redefine my reality,” he wrote. “Under the influence of these substances, I was able to let go of rigid pre-concepts, to see that there was another world that was equally real and doubly beautiful.” King Charles III is painted to be surprisingly tender to Harry Maybe because of the constant headlines we’ve seen over the years or the way King Charles is portrayed in the popular TV show The Crown, it’s always been assumed that this man was not a great father. And yet, throughout Harry’s memoir, a different tale is told – of a father that is surprisingly tender and kind to his son, who is patient and willing to listen, who constantly calls him his “darling boy” and who actually cares about what is going on in his life. His gentleness and love for Meghan are especially sweet and watching him walk her down the aisle was even more inspiring to rewatch. Meghan was meant to wear Diana’s tiara until the Queen asked her to wear one of hers While a few not-so-true stories were released about Meghan and her fiasco involving the tiara she would wear on her wedding day, Harry clears the air with the true story behind it all. Yes, Meghan was meant to wear Princess Diana’s tiara on the day of her wedding. But the Queen then invited her to her private collection, and after trying on the one she eventually wore, the Queen said, “Tiaras suit you.” Meghan and Harry were touched by that special moment with his Granny, but of course, the press evidently ruined it with a false story about how it all went down. Meghan and Harry furnished their place in the early days with IKEA lamps and discount furniture Prince Harry laid out some of the details of having to live within the financial control of his father, given he was the one who controlled the funds for their family. Later in the book, after Harry and Meghan married, Harry makes a comment about the type of furniture that the two used to furnish their cottage as he compared his IKEA lamps and discount sofa (bought through Meghan’s personal credit card) to the lavish home of his brother. Prince William also believed Meghan to be difficult There’s no denying the amount of revolting fake and horrific stories that were published about Meghan, particularly about her nature as an employer. Journalists told stories of how she was nasty to her staffers and treated them poorly, while Harry’s memoir paints the complete opposite picture. It seems, in the telling of this particular moment in time, that Prince William also came to believe some of the lies swirling around about Meghan. One particular evening he laid it all out to Prince Harry, calling Meg difficult and rude and abrasive. This particular interaction became quite the fight, mostly on Prince William’s side, who grabbed the neck of Harry’s shirt as it ripped and knocked him to the ground. While many royal family members love having good press, Harry wanted out It felt like the entire underlying story behind this memoir was Harry’s war against the press. But it always felt like a one-sided war – the press constantly writing salacious, untrue stories about Harry and soon his wife, while Harry was told to sit down and do nothing. What’s particularly interesting about this narrative is how his family members strived for good press, even finding themselves jealous when Harry was getting too much of it. Many times negative stories would release about the “Fab Four” – Prince William, Kate Middleton, Harry and Meghan – as a way to give good press to King Charles and the Queen Consort, even though they denied having any part in it. Instead of trying to fight the onslaught of negative and false media, the memoir made it clear that the royal family was also to blame for planting particular stories – as a way to control the story instead of stopping it, to make one member sound better than the other. But Harry never once admits to trying to do the same and was always one to fight against the media’s hidden royal agenda. Just like his mum. He left because of constant harassment from the press – not because of his family The press always made it seem that it was either the royal family’s fault, or it was Harry and Meghan’s fault when they ultimately decided to leave the monarchy. But according to Spare, it was neither. “My problem has never been with the monarchy, not the concept of monarchy,” he wrote. “It’s been with the press and the sick relationship that’s evolved between it and the Palace. I love my Mother Country, and I love my family, and I always will. I just wish, at the second-darkest moment of my life, they’d both been there for me.” The underlying theme of his memoir was how toxic the press is when it comes to the well-being of the monarchy, and how their mental health is constantly threatened with headlines that are meant to simply sell papers and make money. Yet the lies that seep into the nation start to take dark holds on the hearts of those who once loved the spiky-haired prince, making him and his wife seem like villains. It’s so abhorrently sad. And after finishing his memoir, I am grateful I had the chance to hear his side of the story. Written by: Kiersten Hickman. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/culture/10-surprising-things-we-learned-from-prince-harrys-book-spare" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. Image: Getty Images

Books

Prince Harry believes he was born to offer spare organs to his brother

Prince Harry has shared that he believes he was only bred to offer spare organs to his brother, Prince William. In yet another bitter revelation from the Duke of Sussex's memoir Spare, he revealed that he thinks he was only brought into the world in case the heir apparent needed help. “Two years older than me, Willy was the Heir, whereas I was the Spare,” the exiled prince wrote, explaining the title of his memoir, which was officially released on Wednesday. “I was the shadow, the support, the Plan B. I was brought into the world in case something happened to Willy,” he wrote of his brother and current heir to the throne. He said he understood his role was to be a “diversion” and “distraction” from his brother, or to provide, “if necessary, a spare part” to him. “Kidney, perhaps. Blood transfusion. Speck of bone marrow,” he added in morose detail. He also shared how his dad, now King Charles III, could never be on a plane with his elder son, William, “because there must be no chance of the first and second in line to the throne being wiped out”. “But no one gave a damn whom I travelled with; the Spare could always be spared,” Harry claimed. “This was all made explicitly clear to me from the start of life’s journey and regularly reinforced thereafter,” he claimed of his apparent throwaway standing in the family. Harry complained that the heir and spare clarification “wasn’t merely how the press referred to us”, but was also “the shorthand used by” his royal family, including “Mummy,” the late Princess Diana, “and even Granny,” the since-deceased Queen Elizabeth II. He wrote that when he was 20-years-old, he was told that his father reacted to his birth by saying to Princess Diana, “Wonderful! Now you’ve given me an Heir and a Spare — my work is done.” Despite naming his memoir Spare, and using his clear distaste for his role in life to justify his ultimate split from his family, Harry maintains that he was initially accepting of it. “I took no offence, I felt nothing about it, any of it,” he wrote — initially acknowledging his incredibly privileged life. “Every boy and girl, at least once, imagines themselves as a prince or a princess. Therefore, Spare or no Spare, it wasn’t half bad to actually be one,” he conceded. Image credits: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Why Peter FitzSimons has defended Prince Harry

Outspoken journo and author Peter FitzSimons has defended Prince Harry in the wake of the slew of intimate bombshell revelations the young royal’s memoir Spare has presented to the public. Mr FitzSimons, who is the husband of Lisa Wilkinson, responded firmly to a Twitter commenter who branded the prince a “sook” and a “weak man” who was effectively being “controlled by a manipulative woman” – stating that Harry’s wife Meghan Markle was in fact the direct cause for him “knifing his own family” with the release of Spare, and that “this is her revenge…using him to do the dirty work.” “That is way too simplistic, in my view,” wrote FitzSimons in response to the Twitter user. “His broad point is, "They have leaked against me and my wife for years. I am not leaking, I am putting my name to my views, and this is what happened." And to me he sounds credible.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> That is way too simplistic, in my view. His broad point is, "They have leaked against me and my wife for years. I am not leaking, I am putting my name to my views, and this is what happened." And to me he sounds credible. <a href="https://t.co/S0owBdBiMP">https://t.co/S0owBdBiMP</a> — Peter FitzSimons (@Peter_Fitz) <a href="https://twitter.com/Peter_Fitz/status/1612380697603473408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2023</a></blockquote> Prince Harry has recently defended his actions in revealing family secrets in the biography during interviews with UK and US TV networks, saying that he was simply retaliating against being leaked against by other royals – including his stepmother Camilla Parker Bowles. FitzSimons appears to agree with this stance, continuing: “As to the notion that he shouldn't tell family secrets, his equal point is that everyone else in the Royal Family has been leaking to the press for years. They have told several books worth, courtesy of the tabloid press. So, for once, he can tell his own story.” In response to a different Twitter user who asked why an “intelligent man” would waste time thinking about the royal family, FitzSimons further revealed his reasons for defending Prince Harry, suggesting that the fallout between the young prince and the rest of the royal family would almost certainly have implications in the Australian republic debate. “One reason is, the whole imbroglio speaks to the republic. The notion that this is a special family - put there by God to be so much better than the rest of us, that they must reign over us - is wearing a bit thin, yes?” he tweeted. Despite having stepped down as head of the Australian Republican Movement last October, FitzSimons continues to lobby for Australia to dispense with heads of state that lie within a royal family. On Tuesday morning Jan 10, Bill Shorten – Minister for Government Services for the Albanese government – also pushed for Australia to become a republic by saying on the Today show: “It's a shame to see a family bust-up but perhaps at the deepest level, why do we need to keep borrowing a dysfunctional British family to be the Head of State of Australia? 'It's gossip but scintillating. To me it just shows there's a lot of damage and trauma but at another level this is just family gossip. “And it reminds me that this family are the head of state of Australia, so it really puts a question mark around our government structures, where we've got a feuding family on the other side of the world who seem to really not like each other very much - they're actually the head of Australia.” Images: Instagram

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