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"You made me enjoy the game": Federer's emotional retirement letter to Nadal

Roger Federer has penned an emotional tribute to Rafael Nadal ahead of his retirement, reflecting on their stellar careers together. Nadal’s career officially came to an end when Spain was defeated 2-1 by the Netherlands in the Davis Cup quarter-final in Malaga on Wednesday morning, with Nadal in tears as he stepped onto the court for the final time. Thousands of tributes poured in for Nadal as his retirement officially began, but Federer's tribute quickly went viral for his emotional words. “As you get ready to graduate from tennis, I’ve got a few things to share before I maybe get emotional,” Federer said. “Let’s start with the obvious: you beat me - a lot. More than I managed to beat you. You challenged me in ways no one else could. On clay, it felt like I was stepping into your backyard, and you made me work harder than I ever thought I could just to hold my ground." “You made me reimagine my game - even going so far as to change the size of my racquet head, hoping for any edge. I’m not a very superstitious person, but you took it to the next level. Your whole process. All those rituals." “Assembling your water bottles like toy soldiers in formation, fixing your hair, adjusting your underwear … All of it with the highest intensity. Secretly, I kind of loved the whole thing. Because it was so unique - it was so you." “And you know what, Rafa, you made me enjoy the game even more. OK, maybe not at first. After the 2004 Australian Open, I achieved the No. 1 ranking for the first time. I thought I was on top of the world. And I was - until two months later, when you walked on the court in Miami in your red sleeveless shirt, showing off those biceps, and you beat me convincingly." "All that buzz I’d been hearing about you - about this amazing young player from Mallorca, a generational talent, probably going to win a major someday - it wasn’t just hype." “We were both at the start of our journey and it’s one we ended up taking together. Twenty years later, Rafa, I have to say: What an incredible run you’ve had. Including 14 French Opens - historic! You made Spain proud … you made the whole tennis world proud." “And then there was London – the Laver Cup in 2022. My final match. It meant everything to me that you were there by my side – not as my rival but as my doubles partner." “Sharing the court with you that night, and sharing those tears, will forever be one of the most special moments of my career.” Federer signed off the 585-word tribute from “your fan Roger”. Image credits: ANDY RAIN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock Editorial

Retirement Life

Woman “bullied” on plane over budget seating trick

A young woman has recalled a flight from hell when she was “bullied” by a couple who were trying to utilise a seating hack that went viral on TikTok. The solo traveller took to Reddit to recount the story and ask social media users if she was in the wrong for her action. The woman began by saying she usually pays more to select her plane seat ahead of time, but a medical emergency on another plane had her waiting on standby and left with no option other than to sit in a middle seat. When she was finally able to board, she was greeted by a couple who had purchased both the window and aisle seats in a bid to have more space, utilising a travel “trick” that has been popular on TikTok. The method, which has been dubbed the 'poor man's business class', usually leaves travellers with an empty middle seat and more space, and few travellers opt to pick a middle seat. “When I got to my row the man and woman were chatting and sharing a snack... it was obvious they were together. I mentioned to the man that I'm in the middle, and he got up to let me in,” the unsuspecting traveller wrote on Reddit. “I asked them if they would prefer to sit together, I said I was totally okay with that. The woman reacted rudely to this and said ‘you're not supposed to be sitting here anyway’.” After noticing how the plane was full, she offered to show the pair her new ticket with the correct seat number on it. “She flicked her hand at my ticket and made a disgusted sound. I offered again if they wanted to sit together to which she didn't reply, her partner said it's okay and... made some small talk,” she continued. The man’s girlfriend then interrupted their conversation to ask,”'Did you use one of those third party websites to book your flight? It's so frustrating when people cheap out to inconvenience others.” The American woman explained that she had booked her flight directly and she had been placed on standby like everyone else and didn't choose the middle seat - she was assigned it. She then tried to keep the peace by refusing to engage with the furious woman. “I was so done with her attitude, I put my headphones on and attempted to do my own thing,” she explained. But the “entitled” girlfriend wasn't letting it go, as the woman explained, “This woman kept reaching over me and tapping her partner and trying to talk to him in a way that was super intrusive.” “I could tell even her partner was trying to engage her less so that she would hopefully stop, but she didn't.” “I think they tried to pull that tactic where they don't sit together on purpose...hoping no one will sit between them. But on full flights it doesn't work. And even so - it's not the other person's fault.” The traveller's post was met with hundreds of comments slamming the girlfriend’s behaviour, as one person wrote, “It's like a toddler having a tantrum.” “She was disappointed and a total a**hole. Gross entitled people,” another added. Another person applauded the traveller’s level-headed behaviour, writing, “Wow! You are my hero for keeping it classy - I’m afraid I would not have been as kind as you.” Image credits: Shutterstock

Travel Trouble

Young musician dies weeks after writing final song

Cat Janice has died aged 31 with her family by her side. The young musician, who had a large following on TikTok, had been battling cancer since January 2022 when doctors diagnosed her with sarcoma, a rare malignant tumour. She was declared cancer-free on July 22 that same year, following extensive surgery, chemo and radiation therapy. The mum-of-one was sadly re-diagnosed with cancer in June last year and despite fighting hard in the second round of her treatments, Janice told fans in January that her cancer "won" and that she "fought hard but sarcomas are too tough". Janice's family have announced her passing in a statement shared to her Instagram. "From her childhood home and surrounded by her loving family, Catherine peacefully entered the light and love of her heavenly creator," they said. "We are eternally thankful for the outpouring of love that Catherine and our family have received over the past few months." Before she died, Janice publicly announced that all her music would be signed over to her 7-year-old son, Loren, to support him in the future. Just weeks before her death, she released her final song Dance You Outta My Head in the hope it would spread "joy and fun". "My last joy would be if you pre saved my song 'Dance You Outta My Head' and streamed it because all proceeds go straight to my 7-year-old boy I'm leaving behind," she said, before the song was released. The song went viral, and took he number one spot in several countries and the number five spot on the Apple Itunes globally. Her family have said that the love she received for her final song, was unbelievable parting gift she could have ever received. "Cat saw her music go places she never expected and rests in the peace of knowing that she will continue to provide for her son through her music. This would not have been possible without all of you." Images: Instagram

Caring

"Uniquely, magically, indescribably us": Read the emotional love letter from Suzanne Somers' husband

Just one day before her death, Suzanne Somers' husband gave her a handwritten love letter as part of an early birthday present. Somers' husband, Alan Hamel, gave the letter to his wife of 45 years just 24 hours before she passed away at the age of 76. According to Somers' publicist, R. Couri Hay, Hamel “gave it to her a day early and she read the poem and went to bed and later died peacefully in her sleep.” The emotional poem was an expression of love from Somers' husband, as he struggled to define their intense relationships. “Love I use it every day, sometimes several times a day. I use it at the end of emails to my loving family. I even use it in emails to close friends. I use it when I’m leaving the house,” the note began, via <a href="https://people.com/read-love-letter-suzanne-somers-husband-alan-hamel-wrote-to-her-day-before-her-death-8358234">People</a>. “There’s love, then love you and I love you!! Therein lies some of the different ways we use love. Sometimes I feel obliged to use love, responding to someone who signed love in their email, when I’m uncomfortable using love but I use it anyway. “I also use love to describe a great meal. I use it to express how I feel about a show on Netflix. I often use love referring to my home, my cat Gloria, to things Gloria does, to the taste of a cantaloupe I grew in my garden.” “I love the taste of a freshly harvested organic royal jumbo medjool date. I love biting a fig off the tree. I love watching two giant blackbirds who live nearby swooping by my window in a power dive. My daily life encompasses things and people I love and things and people I am indifferent to,” he continued. “I could go on ad infinitum, but you get it. What brand of love do I feel for my wife Suzanne? Can I find it in any of the above? A resounding no!!!! There is no version of the word that is applicable to Suzanne and I even use the word applicable advisedly.” “The closest version in words isn’t even close. It’s not even a fraction of a fraction of a fraction. Unconditional love does not do it. I’ll take a bullet for you doesn’t do it. I weep when I think about my feelings for you. Feelings… That’s getting close, but not all the way.” “55 years together, 46 married and not even one hour apart for 42 of those years. Even that doesn’t do it,” he added. “Even going to bed at 6 o’clock and holding hands while we sleep doesn’t do it. Staring at your beautiful face while you sleep doesn’t do it.” “I’m back to feelings. There are no words,” he concluded. “There are no actions. No promises. No declarations. Even the green shaded scholars of the Oxford University Press have spent 150 years and still have failed to come up with that one word. So I will call it, ‘Us,’ uniquely, magically, indescribably wonderful ‘Us.’” Somers and Hamel tied the knot in 1977, giving them 45 years together as husband and wife. Somers died on Sunday morning after “an aggressive form of breast cancer for over 23 years,” her publicist said in a statement. Suzanne was best known for playing Chrissy Snow on the 1970s sitcom Three’s Company and Carol Foster Lambert on the ’90s family comedy Step by Step. Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

How to write a memoir

How to start a memoir My Story by Russell Durling is my 85-year-old father’s account of the highlights of his life. He is writing and editing it, by hand, in several notepads I gave him as a Christmas gift to encourage the memoir project he had talked about for years. In it, my dad shares stories of summer jobs when he was a teenager, breaking up log jams on the Saint John River near his hometown of Meductic, New Brunswick. He’d move from log to floating log to reach shore again safely – and he loved every minute of this adventure, even when he’d land in the water. Reading an early draft, I learned new details of his history, like how when they were children, his cousin Clara had a pet crow. He also wrote about lessons learned from his Royal Canadian Mounted Police career, which was spent mostly in Nova Scotia, and shared insights about how to retire well. Pro tip from my father: to add a decade to your life, ditch the city (if you can). This memoir will be a treasure for our family, and I’m glad my father was finally able to start writing it, after spending a long time talking about wanting to. And I get it. Writing your life story can feel like a daunting project. But it’s worth it, both to the writer and their potential readers. If you’re having a hard time putting pen to paper, here’s advice on how to start a memoir. First, ask yourself why you're writing a memoir Esmeralda Cabral is a writer who works with people who wouldn’t normally consider themselves writers through her workshop, Writing Your Life. Often, she helps people create written treasures for their families, and sometimes they’re writing just for themselves. To her, and those she teaches, memoir writing can be a way of remembering and reflecting on experiences both positive and negative. “There is a clarity that comes when you put something down on paper,” says Cabral. “Remembering and writing helps us make sense of things. If you don’t write it down or tell it, it’s lost. And that’s a shame.” Begin by jotting down your reasons for writing your story. You could summarise those reasons on a Post-It and stick it on your fridge as an encouraging reminder to stay motivated. After all, there are many good reasons to write: to remember and reflect on your past, to capture your adventures, to share life lessons with family and friends, or maybe even to be published. Consider sharing your plan with a friend or family member who can check in and cheer your progress. Where to start You don’t have to start a memoir with day one. In fact, as much as your future readers love you, they may find that approach less than gripping. In her workshops, Cabral helps people to start a memoir by using a photo that is meaningful to them. She asks them to imagine sitting down with a good friend and telling them the story behind it. Or begin your writing with an event or story you are particularly interested in sharing. What grabs you as a big moment? Select a vivid memory and start there. “Plug your nose and jump in and write down all your memories as truthfully as you can,” summarises New York Times bestselling author Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. Maybe start with a birthday party you remember, or your first-grade classroom. Try writing at the same time every day, so you can build a routine that will keep you putting words on the page. Write what you want In every life, there is light and shadow, joy and grief. If you are hesitant to write your memoir because you have difficult stories that might hurt others, there is a solution. First, “You don’t have to write about everything,” says Cabral. “It’s okay to have secrets that go with you to the grave.” Simply knowing you have the freedom to not go to the darkest of places in your writing can lift you over those psychological hurdles of hesitation. However, writing often takes on a life of its own. If you find yourself standing outside a door you had marked as “Do Not Enter,” consider Cabral’s advice: “Write about the hard things as if the person you are writing about is reading it. Be as kind as you can. Leave them with dignity.” Who is your audience? If you’re writing for your eyes only, as a kind of personal therapy, then you may be purposely opening doors and exploring what’s on the other side. That’s okay, too. You are creating a treasure for yourself, and that can be very healthy. Besides, whether the writing is for you or for others, you can always hit the delete button or visit the paper shredder later, if you wish. For now, just get it down. Stop yourself from sticking to rules Avoid letting worries over style or structure stop you from writing. If you care enough about grammar, you can ask someone you trust to read it over later on, or even hire a freelance editor if you’re really fretting over verb tenses. Remember, perfection in writing is not your goal. Readers are interested Writers also might hesitate to share stories because they fear they are boring. “I hear a lot of people say, ‘Oh no, that wouldn’t be interesting to anyone but me,’” says Cabral. But our life stories are of interest to others, whether they feel ordinary to us or if they really are extraordinary. They remind us we are all in this together. Writer Pauline Dakin, author of the award-winning 2017 memoir Run, Hide, Repeat: A Memoir of a Fugitive Childhood, was surprised how much the unusual story of her childhood on the run connected with readers. She’s since heard from hundreds of people. “They often begin by saying, ‘My family wasn’t nearly as crazy as yours, but…,’” she says. “They are relieved to hear my story. It makes them feel they are not alone.” We are all far more interesting than we know, she adds. It’s just a matter of believing we have a story to tell. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/uncategorized/how-to-write-a-memoir" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Books

Why you should encourage your grandchildren to write stories

In an article published in <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/41405103" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Language Arts</a>, educators who were interested in encouraging children to write were asked why it was important for children to be encouraged to write. Their reasons were varied and interesting, and worth considering for anyone who has a young child in their life – let’s take a look at some: 1. To entertain As humans, we tell stories for many reasons, but perhaps the foremost reason is that we want to entertain one another. By encouraging children to write their own stories, they can discover what entertains them, as well as what entertains others – well-told, engaging stories. 2. To stimulate the imagination By creating from nothing a story full of characters and original plots, a child’s imagination grows and develops. 3. To search for identity When children write their own stories, they can use the conflict and characters to take their first steps on their search for identity. The power simple stories can have on a child’s self-development is remarkable. 4. To improve reading and writing skills Children need to read and write, so we may as well find a way to make it more interesting for them. Not only will writing help kids learn how to read, it can also help them understand literary devices (suspense, twist, dramatic irony, etc.), and grammatical structures. Now that we’ve explored some of the reasons creativity in writing in our kids, let’s find some ways to help get them started: 5. Inspiration exploration When you’re spending time with your grandchildren, make a game out of looking for fun story inspirations. Interesting newspaper headlines, a unique-looking house, a colouring-in book. You could even keep a box full of story inspirations to explore together with your grandchildren. 6. Unblank the page Anyone who has ever sat down to write knows there’s nothing more intimidating than a blank page. To help kids out, try giving them the opening line to a story. You can create these yourself, find a list of opening lines on the internet, or even borrow the opening line of a book on your own shelf. 7. Work all of the mind If you find that your grandchildren have difficulty focusing on just words, encourage them to explore other aspects of their own creativity by using visuals. Storyboards, illustrations, or even writing the story as a comic book can help stimulate storytelling. Image credit: Shutterstock

Family & Pets

Young girl who penned heartfelt letter to King Charles is floored by response

An 11-year-old girl from New South Wales has captured hearts with her touching words and well-wishes for King Charles III. Maeve Malone, who lives in Willoughby with her family, wrote a letter to the monarch in September 2022 to offer her condolences on the loss of Charles’ late mother, Queen Elizabeth, and to let him know that she believes he will be a “fantastic king”. Maeve’s letter, which she shared with Ben Fordham on his 2GB series, opened with a quick introduction, before she launched into the heart of her message, writing that she was “really sorry to hear about your mum. I am 10 and in Year 4, Mum and Dad let me stay up to watch Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. “You were so brave on that sad day. I think you will be excellent at leading the commonwealth. I also believe you will be a fantastic king.” At the end of the page - one embellished with colourful images of purple flowers - Maeve shared another personal message for Charles, letting him know of their shared interest in botany when she said, “Mum told me you like gardening, me too! I hope the flowers in your new home are blossoming.” “I hope to visit London one day,” she concluded. “When I do, I will go past your home and think of you and your mum. “Best of luck with your new job.” After reading Maeve’s letter, radio host Fordham checked in with the young girl, asking her what had prompted her to put pen to paper and contact Charles in the first place. “I wrote it because I wanted him to know that I was sorry for Queen Elizabeth,” Maeve explained, “I really liked Queen Elizabeth, ‘cause she was a really good leader, and it was really sad for Charles to lose his mum.” When Fordham asked what Maeve had expected from her kind words, and whether or not she had anticipated a response, the 11 year old was quick to admit that she hadn’t expected one. But to her delight, she’d been wrong, with a letter arriving in the mail, addressed to her and signed by the monarch. “I got it out of the letter box, and when I got it … I started jumping with joy,” Maeve said. That letter - typed up with Charles’ signature at the bottom - read, “it was so very kind of you to send me such a wonderfully generous message following the death of my beloved mother. “Your most thoughtful words are enormously comforting, and I cannot tell you how deeply they are appreciated at this time of immense sorrow.” And while Maeve’s entire day might have been made with the kind reply, she still won’t be able to tune in for her new friend’s big day - he might have his coronation to attend, but Maeve is a busy girl, and has a party of her own to get to. Images: Ben Fordham Live / 2GB

Family & Pets

Never-seen-before letter from Princess Di revealed

The late Princess of Wales wanted the monarchy “to survive”, according to her former butler Paul Burrell. He has previously revealed an unseen letter handwritten by Diana, saying he believes she would have fully supported her ex-husband King Charles at the coronation. Burrell said Diana’s words were "so poignant at this time” as the British monarchy prepares to celebrate the first coronation in 70 years. He shared the letter in an interview with OK! Magazine. Burrell said the note was written by Diana between 1993 and 1997 after she had separated from then-Prince Charles. Diana often wrote notes, sending them to her friends and staff. In the letter to Burrell, Diana wrote, "I so want the monarchy to survive and realise the changes that will take to put 'the show' on a new and healthy track. "I am here to support Mama [the Queen] and to bring W + H [William and Harry] up in order to cope with the fast changing world we live in. "I love my boys to death and hope that the seeds I've planted will grow and bring the strength, knowledge and stability that is needed.” Burrell explained he shared the never-before-seen letter because he believes it revealed Diana’s true feelings about the monarchy. "I wanted you to see Diana's handwriting and her words because they are so poignant at this moment in time, tied into the coronation and tied into the fact she was a monarchist. "She loved the royal family and she wanted the royal family to survive. And also, the fact her sons William and Harry were part of this, what she called, 'The Show’. "She used to leave notes and letters for me all the time on my desk. She'd say, 'Whenever I have a thought and you're not there I have to write it down otherwise I'll forget. "She was thinking about her life and the way forward and her sons and her part in the royal family.” With the coronation fast approaching, Burrell said Diana would have been there if she could have and would support the King and Queen Consort Camilla. "I always think to myself, 'What would she do in this situation?' And she would have been at the coronation looking glorious, in her sixties, outshining everyone the way she did. "I don't think she would hold any animosity at all towards her ex-husband or towards her ex-husband's wife. "I think she would have gone on in life and achieved her own ambitions, still being royal and regal." Image credit: Getty

Family & Pets

A letter to my mum this Mother’s Day

A couple of weeks ago, we asked the Over60 community what they would say if they could write their mother a letter. We were flooded with hundreds of beautiful, touching and heartbreaking responses, and we’d like to share a few of them with you. 1. The important lessons “There are so many things I would say, but thank you for making my childhood so good. For teaching the important lessons, like be kind to others, try not to do anything you have to be sorry for and if you do, don't be afraid to say sorry. Do your best always. Look for best in every situation. Money is important, but not the most important thing you can have as an adult. Love, self-respect and follow your dreams. Be the person you want your children to look up to. Be happy. Thanks mum for loving me so much, I love you.” – Raelene Sched 2. Best mum in the world “Dear Mum, there is not a day that goes bye where I don't think about you. Nothing on this earth prepared me for you leaving and learning to live without you. I miss you so much, the ache is still in my heart. I love you and wish you were still here with us. I feel so lucky that you were my mum, I truly believe you were the best mum in the world, you were so giving and selfless.” – Kathryn Wotherspoon 3. Thanks for being my mum “Thank you first for being my mum. Always there for me and loving me. The loveliest nature person I have ever met. Always trying to please everyone and families. You left us so young because God only takes the best. Loved you then and even more now. Miss you every day.” – Caroline Carlson Corbett 4. Never been forgotten “You left me when I was 11 years old, but you were too ill to stay. I’m 77 years old now and it’s just like yesterday. I miss you every day and will never forget you. I talk to your picture and wish with all my heart you could have been with me and seen your grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I know you would be so loving and proud. I hope wherever you are happy. You have never been forgotten. I love you, mum.” – Pat White 5. My only regret “Dear Mum, I am all the better for having you as my mother, you worked so hard all your life and were a punching bag for Dad, but you survived and made sure we all had a way better life than you had. I love and miss you so much, and my only regret is not sitting by your bed and holding your hand as you got sicker and sicker. I let my two sisters have that pleasure while I was being too busy making sure everything was nice and clean and you had food to eat, if I had my time over, I would sit with you and tell you I love you over and over because we never know how much time we have left.” – Sharon Deans Illustration: Midjourney

Family & Pets

“A letter that someone will never forget”: Charles’ $43,000 job offer

Charles and Camilla have put out a call for help with their royal duties, searching for a passionate wordsmith to pen responses to the thousands of letters they receive each year. Their request comes in the form of a one-year contract <a href="https://theroyalhousehold.tal.net/vx/lang-en-GB/mobile-0/appcentre-1/brand-3/candidate/so/pm/1/pl/4/opp/2849-Assistant-Correspondence-Officer/en-GB">posted to the palace’s official website</a>, for an individual to “support the important work of The King and The Royal Family”. Coincidentally, the position advertises a start date of May 2023 - the same month in which King Charles III’s coronation will take place. The royals are offering a wage slightly above the United Kingdom’s minimum wage of 10.42 GBP (~19.45 AUD) per hour, with prospective writers looking at an hourly rate of 11.79 (~22.01) on top of the advertised “benefits”. According to the job listing, the ideal candidate is someone who dreams of “drafting a letter that someone will never forget” as part of a like minded team committed to supporting the royal family and engaging with the public. “Thousands of letters addressed to The Monarch and Royal Family are received every year,” the ad explains. “Working as part of the Correspondence team, your challenge will be to ensure that each one receives a timely and well composed response. “Every day you will respond to letters sent by the public regarding social, community and national matters, drafting bespoke responses to answer varying and often unique queries.” Reportedly, the letters sent in one year to the late Queen Elizabeth II amounted to around 70,000, so it’s no small surprise that the family have opted to call in reinforcements to make sure each one receives a thoughtfully crafted response. “It's working in a team with a shared and unique purpose,” the website notes, “engaging with the public whilst supporting The King's role. This is what makes working for The Royal Household so exceptional … Recording and monitoring all correspondence, you'll be proud of the number of letters you handle and this will drive you to deliver consistently high standards. “In this way, you will help to support the important work of The King and The Royal Family.” Unsurprisingly, the ad calls for someone who is confident in their ability to process large volumes of work according to strict deadlines, and who preferably has previous experience in administrative duties. “Excellent written and verbal communication skills” are, of course, a given. The listing hints at a digital sidekick, noting that applications should “have strong IT skills” that they can apply to “bespoke systems”, as well as a “keen eye for detail” to deliver their work quickly and accurately. Most of all, however, enjoyment in a team-based environment is crucial, while an interest in current affairs couldn’t hurt - especially in such a “truly unique environment”. Images: Getty

Money & Banking

Chatbots set their sights on writing romance

Although most would expect artificial intelligence to keep to the science fiction realm, authors are facing mounting fears that they may soon have new competition in publishing, particularly as the sales of romantic fiction continue to skyrocket. And for bestselling author Julia Quinn, best known for writing the Bridgerton novel series, there’s hope that “that’s something that an AI bot can’t quite do.” For one, human inspiration is hard to replicate. Julia’s hit series - which went on to have over 20 million books printed in the United States alone, and inspired one of Netflix’s most-watched shows - came from one specific point: Julia’s idea of a particular duke. “Definitely the character of Simon came first,” Julia told BBC reporter Jill Martin Wrenn. Simon, in the Bridgerton series, is the Duke of Hastings, a “tortured character” with a troubled past. As Julia explained, she realised that Simon needed “to fall in love with somebody who comes from the exact opposite background” in a tale as old as time. And so, Julia came up with the Bridgerton family, who she described as being “the best family ever that you could imagine in that time period”. Meanwhile, Simon is estranged from his own father. Characterisation and unique relationship dynamics - platonic and otherwise - like those between Julia’s beloved characters are some of the key foundations behind any successful story, but particularly in the romance genre, where relationships are the entire driving force. It has long been suggested that the genre can become ‘formulaic’ if not executed well, and it’s this concern that prompts the idea that advancing artificial intelligence may have the capability to generate its own novel. ChatGPT is the primary problem point. The advanced language processing technology was developed by OpenAI and was trained using the likes of internet databases (such as Wikipedia), books, magazines, and the likes. The BBC reported that over 300 billion words were put into it. Because of this massive store of source material, the system can generate its own writing pieces, with the best of the bunch giving the impression that they were put together by a human mind. Across the areas of both fiction and non-fiction, it’s always learning. However, Julia isn’t too worried about her future in fiction just yet. Recalling how she’d checked out some AI romance a while ago, and how she’d found it “terrible”, she shared her belief at the time that there “could never be a good one.” But then the likes of ChatGPT entered the equation, and Julia admitted that “it makes me kind of queasy.” Still, she remains firm in her belief that human art will triumph. As she explained, “so much in fiction is about the writer’s voice, and I’d like to think that’s something that an AI bot can’t quite do.” And as for why romantic fiction itself remains so popular - and perhaps even why it draws the attention of those hoping to profit from AI generated work - she said that it’s about happy endings, noting that “there is something comforting and validating in a type of literature that values happiness as a worthy goal.” Images: @bridgertonnetflix / Instagram

Books

"Writing songs is my therapy": Ed Sheeran reveals further heartbreak

In the wake of the tragic news of the <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/tragedy-strikes-ed-sheeran-tour" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heartbreaking loss</a> suffered by his co-writer and touring partner, Ed Sheeran has taken to Instagram to share his struggle following a series of life-changing events – and how this has altered the course of his new album, Subtract. The singer shared how he “spiralled” into depression last year after his wife, Cherry, was diagnosed with a tumour during her second pregnancy, which couldn’t be treated until after she gave birth. The star explained that he was "trying to sculpt the perfect acoustic album" for almost a decade, when the series of events changed everything. “Writing songs is my therapy. It helps me make sense of my feelings. I wrote without thought of what the songs would be, I just wrote whatever tumbled out. “And in just over a week, I replaced a decade’s worth of work with my deepest darkest thoughts," he captioned. “Within the space of a month, my pregnant wife got told she had a tumour, with no route to treatment until after the birth. “My best friend Jamal [Edwards], a brother to me, died suddenly and I found myself standing in court defending my integrity and career as a songwriter. I was spiralling through fear, depression and anxiety. “I felt like I was drowning, head below the surface, looking up but not being able to break through for air". <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/CpPY7qyI6XB/?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/CpPY7qyI6XB/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Ed Sheeran (@teddysphotos)</a> </div> </blockquote> The four-time Grammy award winner shared that this album was a "trapdoor" into his soul, and a way for him to make sense of everything he's been through. Sheeran announced the birth of his second daughter, Jupiter, in May of last year.Subtract will be released on the 5th of May 2023, through Asylum/Atlantic. Image: Getty

Caring

Unlikely trio decodes Mary Queen of Scots' secret letters

An international trio of codebreakers have made history by decoding and deciphering a treasure trove of lost letters written by none other than Mary Queen of Scots. The unlikely team - consisting of a computer scientist, a physicist, and a musician - have a passion for historical ciphers and have been working together for 10 years. The letters were assumed lost until they were discovered in Paris, in the National Library of France. The documents and their unusual symbols had been neglected in a mislabelled folder until the trio got to the bottom of them and revealed their true origin. It was only when the code had been broken that it was possible to identify the author as Mary. George Lasry, the team’s computer scientist and cryptographer, is a member of the DECRYPT Project - an organisation with the aim of digitising, transcribing, and identifying historical ciphers. It didn’t take long for the team to realise the letters were written in French, not Italian, once they began working on the unique ciphers. They noted the use of feminine form verbs and adverbs, and mentions of captivity, as well as one codebreaking keyboard: Walsingham. “We were expecting Italian because that is what the catalogue said, but then we started to see some French words - 'ma liberté' (my freedom) - and sentences no-one would write if they were free," Lasry explained to Good Morning Scotland. “So we knew it was someone in captivity, and some of the language was in feminine form, so it was a woman,” he went on. “She also wrote 'mon fils' - my son - so it was a woman in captivity with a son. "We thought 'this is too crazy', it can't be Mary Stuart. But then we saw the word 'Walsingham' and we knew Francis Walsingham was the spymaster of Queen Elizabeth I, so we concluded it was from Mary. "It was very difficult to believe at the start so it was a very exciting moment." Mary, who spent the last 19 years of her life in English captivity, was able to smuggle her letters out via trusted visiting courtiers. Said letters, amounting to around 50,000 words in total, have offered new insight into Mary’s time in captivity. "We have cracked more difficult codes, and we have deciphered an occasional letter from a king or queen, but nothing compared to 50 new letters from one of the most famous historical figures,” Lasry said of their historic accomplishment. While it is believed that other letters may still be hiding out there for the next team of enthusiastic researchers to discover, this batch is set to keep historians and researchers busy for some time yet. “In our paper, we only provide an initial interpretation and summaries of the letters," Lasry explained, “a deeper analysis by historians could result in a better understanding of Mary's years in captivity. "It would also be great, potentially, to work with historians to produce an edited book of her letters deciphered, annotated, and translated." Images: Getty

Technology

Rare unseen private letters of Princess Diana revealed

Previously unseen letters written by Princess Diana have shared a rare insight into her separation from King Charles. The late Princess of Wales confided in her close friends at the time, admitting "she never would have gone through with her divorce" if she knew how "desperate and ugly" the process would be. In the correspondence to her friends, she described how negotiations over the terms of the divorce left her "on her knees", while also sharing her paranoia that her phone at Kensington Palace had been bugged by the royal family. Princess Diana wrote 32 letters to her friends Susie and Tarek Kassem, who have chosen to sell a selection of the letters at auction, believing that the "ownership of these poignant documents is a responsibility" that they "do not wish to pass on to their children or grandchildren". The letters will be sold by <a title="Lay's Auctioneers" href="https://www.davidlay.co.uk/news/diana-the-private-correspondence-of-a-princess/?pc=337" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Lay's Auctioneers</a> in Cornwall on February 16th and are expected to reach close to $160,000 AUD. Some of the proceeds will go to charities Diana supported during her life. In one of the most personal notes, dated April 28th 1996, Diana expressed her feelings about the breakdown of her marriage. Diana wrote, "I am having a very difficult time and pressure is serious and coming from all sides." "It's too difficult sometimes to keep one's head up and today I am on my knees and just longing for this divorce to go through as the possible cost is tremendous." In a letter dated May 20th 1996, Diana expressed her concerns that recordings of her private conversations were being passed on to the royal family, fearing her phone at Kensington Palace was bugged. "As I don't have a mobile it is difficult to discuss personal issues as my lines here are constantly recorded and passed on," she wrote. "If I'd known a year ago what I'd experience going through this divorce I never would have consented. It's desperate and ugly." Diana and Charles separated in 1992 but their divorce was not made final until August 1996. Image credits: Getty Images

Relationships

“You are not alone”: Prince Harry pens emotional letter to bereaved children

Prince Harry has penned a letter to children whose parents have died as a result of being in the military, telling him they share a bond in losing a parent and experiencing grief. The former royal wrote of how he learnt to cope with grief and encouraged the children to “lean into your friends” in his letter, which was shared by the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers on Remembrance Sunday. “As many of us observe and reflect on Remembrance Sunday, I wanted to write to you and let you know you are all in my thoughts and heart today,” he began. “We share a bond even without ever meeting one another, because we share in having lost a parent. I know first-hand the pain and grief that comes with loss and want you to know that you are not alone. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/11/prince-harry-nov-letter.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Prince Harry penned a letter to children supported by the charity Scotty’s Little Soldiers for Remembrance Sunday. Image: Scotty’s Little Soldiers "While difficult feelings will come up today as we pay tribute to heroes like your mum or dad, I hope you can find comfort and strength in knowing that their love for you lives and shines on. Whenever you need a reminder of this, I encourage you to lean into your friends at Scotty’s Little Soldiers. "One of the ways I've learned to cope has been through community and talking about my grief, and I couldn't be more grateful and relieved that you have amazing people walking beside you throughout your journey. "We all know some days are harder than others, but together those days are made easier." Scotty’s Little Soldiers, a charity that supports children who have lost a parent in the military, was founded in 2010 by Nikki Scott, whose husband Corporal Lee Scott was killed in Afghanistan in 2009 and left behind two young children. On Sunday, 55 children and their parents took part in the Remembrance Sunday parade wearing black and yellow scarves. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> A proud moment for Scotty’s 💛 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RemembranceSunday?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RemembranceSunday</a> <a href="https://t.co/CsD7wL9BQP">pic.twitter.com/CsD7wL9BQP</a> — Scotty's L Soldiers (@CorporalScotty) <a href="https://twitter.com/CorporalScotty/status/1591767075567333378?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 13, 2022</a></blockquote> In his letter, Prince Harry acknowledged that taking part in the parade would be “hard but equally important to do” to raise awareness for others. “Today you will bring new awareness to young people, just like you, who will benefit from this community of support,” he wrote. “I salute you for serving others in need, in the most honourable memory of your parent.” The Duke of Sussex has long supported the charity, which was one of the organisations chosen by Harry and Meghan Markle to benefit from donations they received as gifts for their 2018 wedding. In 2017, he met with children who’d lost a military parent at a special party on the grounds of Buckingham Palace. This year, he and Meghan attended a service on Remembrance Day to pay their respects to those who died in war across the US and the Commonwealth. Image: Getty Images

Caring

The 5,000-year history of writer’s block

Ann Patchett, who has written eight novels and five books of nonfiction, says that when faced with writer’s block, sometimes it seems that the muse has “<a href="http://www.annpatchett.com/titles#/thisisthestoryofahappymarriage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gone out back for a smoke</a>.” It doesn’t matter whether you’re an award-winning novelist or a high schooler tasked with writing an essay for English class: The fear and frustration of writing doesn’t discriminate. My most recent book, “<a href="https://broadviewpress.com/product/a-writing-studies-primer/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A Writing Studies Primer</a>,” includes a chapter on gods, goddesses and patron saints of writing. When conducting research, I was struck by how writers have consistently sought divine inspiration and intercession. It turns out that frustrated writers who pine for a muse or help from above are adhering to a 5,000-year-old tradition. <div data-id="17"> </div> <h2>The first writers look to the skies</h2> The first writing system, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/cuneiform" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cuneiform</a>, arose in Sumer around 3200 BC to keep track of wheat, transactions, real estate and recipes. Scribes used clay tablets to record the information – think of them as early spreadsheets. Originally the Sumerian goddess of grain, <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Nisaba/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nisaba</a> became associated with writing. She was depicted holding a gold stylus and clay tablet. As it was common for people to adopt a god or goddess for their professions, a new class of scribes latched onto Nisaba. Practice tablets from <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/367648" target="_blank" rel="noopener">schools that trained young scribes</a> invoke her name – “Praise be to Nisaba!” Poets trumpeted her influence and <a href="https://twitter.com/anctxtmodtablet/status/1097890316458360832" target="_blank" rel="noopener">credited her for giving beautiful handwriting</a> to diligent students. Her Egyptian counterpart was <a href="https://ancientegyptonline.co.uk/seshat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Seshat</a>, whose name <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Seshat/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">translates to</a> “female scribe.” Identifiable by a stylized papyrus as her headdress and a stylus in her right hand, Seshat guided the reed pens of scribes as priests communicated with the divine. Writing was all about communicating with the gods, and the Greeks and Romans continued this tradition. They turned to the nine daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, known collectively as <a href="https://www.ancient-origins.net/myths-legends-europe/nine-muses-0013523" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Muses</a>. Calliope stands out most notably, not only because a musical instrument was named after her, but also because she was considered the foremost of the sisters for her eloquence. The Muses <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124242927020125473" target="_blank" rel="noopener">have since evolved</a> into one overarching “muse” that serves as a source of inspiration. <h2>Global gods and goddesses of writing</h2> Gods and other legendary figures of writing are not limited to Western civilization. In China, the historian Cangjie, who lived in the 27th century B.C., is said to have created the <a href="https://www.ewccenter.com/cangjie-and-the-invention-of-chinese-characters" target="_blank" rel="noopener">characters of the Chinese language</a>. Legend has it that he was inspired by the pattern of veins on a turtle. (Back then, the Chinese <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Oracle_Bones/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">often wrote on turtle shells</a>.) A <a href="https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Fu_Xi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">competing story</a> says that cultural folk hero Fuxi and his sister Nüwa created the system of Chinese characters circa 2000 B.C. Yet it is Cangjie’s name that lives on in the Cangjie Input Method, which refers to the system that allows Chinese characters <a href="https://www.cangjieinput.com/?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to be typed using a standard QWERTY keyboard</a>. In India, writers still invoke the elephant-headed Hindu god <a href="https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/blog/ganesha-chathurthi-birth-elephant-headed-god" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ganesha</a> <a href="https://www.thestatesman.com/features/common-writing-rooms-well-known-authors-lord-ganesh-1502544876.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">before putting ink to paper</a>. Known as a remover of obstacles, Ganesha can be especially meaningful for those struggling with writer’s block. There’s also <a href="https://www.worldhistory.org/Sarasvati/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Saraswati</a>, the Hindu goddess of learning and the arts, who’s renowned for her eloquence. In Mesoamerica, Mayan culture looked to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Itzamna" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Itzamná</a> as the deity who provided the pillars of civilization: writing, calendars, medicine and worship rituals. His depiction as a toothless and wise old man signaled that he was not to be feared, an important characteristic for someone promoting an anxiety-inducing process like writing. <h2>Enter the patron saints</h2> In Christianity, <a href="https://theconversation.com/who-are-patron-saints-and-why-do-catholics-venerate-them-148508" target="_blank" rel="noopener">patron saints</a> are exemplars or martyrs who serve as role models and heavenly advocates. Various groups – professions, people with a certain illness and even entire nations – will adopt a patron saint. Within the Catholic Church, a range of patron saints can serve as inspiration for writers. <a href="https://theconversation.com/st-brigid-the-compassionate-sensible-female-patron-saint-of-ireland-gets-a-lot-less-recognition-than-st-patrick-176659" target="_blank" rel="noopener">St. Brigid of Ireland</a>, who lived from 451 to 525, is the patron saint of printing presses and poets. A contemporary of the better-known <a href="https://theconversation.com/10-things-to-know-about-the-real-st-patrick-92253" target="_blank" rel="noopener">St. Patrick</a>, St. Brigid established a monastery for women, which included a school of art that became famous for its handwritten, decorative manuscripts, particularly the <a href="http://www.kildarearchsoc.ie/the-book-of-kildare/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Book of Kildare</a>. Following St. Brigit in Ireland is St. Columba, who lived from 521 to 597 and founded the influential abbey at Iona, an island off the coast of Scotland. A renowned scholar, St. Columba transcribed over 300 books over the course of his life. The influence of patron saints dedicated to literacy – reading and writing – continued long after the Middle Ages. In 1912, the <a href="https://www.css.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">College of Saint Scholastica</a> was founded in Minnesota in tribute to <a href="https://d.lib.rochester.edu/teams/text/whatley-saints-lives-in-middle-english-collections-life-of-st-scholastica-introduction" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Scholastica</a> (480-543), who with her twin brother, Benedict (died in 547), enjoyed discussing sacred texts. Both Italian patron saints came to be associated with books, reading and schooling. <h2>Objects charged with power</h2> Some writers may think supernatural figures seem a bit too far removed from the physical world. Fear not – there are magical objects that they can touch for inspiration and help, such as talismans. Derived from the ancient Greek word telein, which means to “fulfill,” it was an object that – like an amulet – protected the bearer and facilitated good fortune. Today, you can buy talismans drawn on ancient Celtic symbols that purport to help with the writing process. <a href="https://www.moonlightmysteries.com/pewter-talisman-for-poets-writers-and-actors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One vendor promises</a> “natural inspiration and assist in all of your writing endeavors.” Another supplier, <a href="https://www.magickalneeds.com/product/talisman-for-poets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Magickal Needs</a>, advertises a similar product that supposedly helps “one find the right word at the most opportune moment.” Others turn to crystals. A <a href="https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/831873886/healing-crystals-for-writers-writers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writer’s block crystals gift set</a> available through Etsy offers agate, carnelian, tiger eye, citrine, amethyst and clear quartz crystals to help those struggling to formulate sentences. <h2>What makes a writer?</h2> What drove the creation of divine beings and objects that can inspire and intercede on the behalf of writers? To me, it’s no mystery why writers have sought divine intervention for 5,000 years. Sure, tallying counts of sheep or bushels of grain might seem like rote work. Yet early in the development of writing systems, the physical act of writing was exceedingly difficult – and one of the reasons schoolchildren prayed for help with their handwriting. Later, the act of creation – coming up with ideas, communicating them clearly and engaging readers – could make writing feel like a herculean task. Ironically, this complex skill does not necessarily get easier, even with lots of practice. The romantic image of the <a href="https://theconversation.com/genius-in-the-garret-or-member-of-the-guild-60175" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writer in the garret</a> doesn’t do justice to the tedious reality of churning out words, one after another. In his memoir “<a href="https://stephenking.com/works/nonfiction/on-writing-a-memoir-of-the-craft.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">On Writing</a>,” Stephen King reflected, “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” At the suggestion of a friend, the writer Patchett attached a <a href="http://www.annpatchett.com/titles#/thisisthestoryofahappymarriage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sign-in sheet to the door of her writing room</a> to ensure she wrote every day. No matter how accomplished a writer, he or she will inevitably struggle with writer’s block. Pulitzer Prize−winning author John McPhee, who began contributing to The New Yorker in 1963, details his writer’s block in a <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2013/04/29/draft-no-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2013 article</a>: “Block. It puts some writers down for months. It puts some writers down for life.” Another famous writer for The New Yorker, Joseph Mitchell, was struck by <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/av/magazine-32602862" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writer’s block in 1964</a> and simply sat and stared at his typewriter for 30 years. I’ve even wrestled with this article, writing and rewriting it in my head a dozen times before actually typing the first word. Poet and satirist Dorothy Parker <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/projects/cp/obituaries/archives/dorothy-parker" target="_blank" rel="noopener">once said</a>, “I hate writing; I love having written.” You and me both, Dorothy. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-5-000-year-history-of-writers-block-190037" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Books

Touching note from the Queen to a young Prince William goes viral

A sweet letter from Queen Elizabeth to a young Prince William has gone viral online, with the touching note highlighting the relationship between the two. Posted on Twitter by the Real Royal Mail fan account of the royal family, the note was sent to the young prince by his grandmother along with an advent calendar. The hand-written letter reads, "William, I hope you enjoy opening this each day, Granny." The undated letter was written on official Buckingham Palace stationary, with the Twitter account saying the letter was purchased by a former employee of Princess Diana. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> "William, I hope you enjoy opening this each day, Granny"- A card written in the hand of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QueenElizabethII?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QueenElizabethII</a> & sent to the young <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrinceWilliam?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrinceWilliam</a> obviously along with an advent calendar. It was purchased from a former employee of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrincessDiana?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrincessDiana</a>. <a href="https://t.co/qo6j882yUb">pic.twitter.com/qo6j882yUb</a> — Royal Household Mail 🇬🇧 🇺🇦 (@RealRoyalMail) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealRoyalMail/status/1584756638099148803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 25, 2022</a></blockquote> Fans of the royal family quickly went wild over the note online, with one writing, "Aww how lovely, beautiful, precious memory to treasure." Meanwhile another wrote, "Aww this is the sweetest thing." A third added, "I have never seen this! They had such a lovely relationship." The note originally went up for auction in December 2016, where it was expected to fetch up to £1,400 ($2,500 AUD). At the time, Robert Livingston, executive VP at Boston-based RR Auction, called the letter "a seldom-encountered piece of correspondence from within the royal family, enhanced by its fitting Christmas time association". Image credits: Twitter / Getty Images

Family & Pets

“It’s time for the world to read this”: Simon Dorante-Day shares last letter to the Queen

Simon Dorante-Day, the Queensland man who claims he is the secret son of King Charles III and Camilla, has shared the final piece of correspondence he sent to Queen Elizabeth II. The 56-year-old took to social media on Australia’s National Day of Mourning with a full version of the letter he sent to the late monarch last November. In it, he explains that he wrote to the Queen after approaching Dr Jeanette Young, Queensland’s Governor General, about his case. “I take the liberty of approaching you via the Governor’s Office however, given the position with which my family and I find ourselves, we feel this action is justified,” he writes. He then details medical procedures he claims were performed on him as a child, including changing his eye colour from blue to brown when he was eight and filing two of his teeth at age 15. “These actions I believe were undertaken to conceal my true identity,” he continues. “Furthermore, over the years of residing with the Day family, my adopted grandparents Winifred and Earnest Bowlden often spoke about the time they worked for the Royal household. “Then on my last visit to the United Kingdom in 1998, my adopted grandmother Winifred told me herself, that my birth parents were your son Charles and his wife Camilla.” <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/dorante-day-letter.jpg" alt="" width="472" height="575" /> Simon Dorante-Day has shared the contents of the letter he sent to Queen Elizabeth II. Image: Facebook After detailing his claims, Dorante-Day appeals for help from the Queen with his case. “It would be naive of me to think you are not aware of my claims. Nor that you have not been following events to date,” he writes. “Subsequently, you will all be aware of the actions I have recently commenced and the level of attention this has already received. “I am writing on behalf of my family and I to ask for your assistance in coming forward and resolving this issue and stopping this global assault. “May God give you the strength to come forward.” Speaking to <a href="https://7news.com.au/lifestyle/man-who-claims-to-be-charles-secret-son-shares-last-queen-letter-before-she-died-c-8382605" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7News</a>, Dorante-Day said it was finally time for the world to see the contents of the letter. “I think it’s time - it’s time for the world to read this,” the father-of-nine said. “I’ve kept the contents of the letter confidential until now, but with her passing I think it’s appropriate to share my last correspondence with her. “When she passed away, I was disappointed that she had died without responding to my message. That was my first thing - just sad, because that window of opportunity has closed.” He added that he is looking forward to taking up his case directly with Charles. “It makes no difference to me whether that mountain in front of me is male or female. It makes no difference to me how high that mountain is,” he said. “I’ve still got to climb it to prove what I know to be true. So from that regard, nothing has changed.” Along with the letter, Dorante-Day also shared a message to the Queen from his wife, Dr Elvianna Dorante-Day, including a “special thank you” for existing. “You and I knew we came from warring backgrounds, but we both loved something in common, your grandson Simon Charles, your first-born grandchild,” her message read. “In loving him as much as we do, we had to put our differences aside and pursue peace, not only for you and I but for the whole of humanity. No-one understood the path we walked together on this planet, and our work isn’t over, as you and I know. “Through your grandchild Simon Charles and his children your legacy lives on in them.” Image: Facebook

Family & Pets

Queen's letter for Sydney that can't be opened until 2085

Sitting inside a locked, glass case, within the dome of Sydney’s Queen Victoria Building, is a letter from Queen Elizabeth II that can’t be opened until the year 2085. The letter was written by the monarch in November 1986 and has become the subject of conversation once again following the news of <a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/news/news/queen-elizabeth-ii-dead-at-96" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Her Majesty’s passing</a> last week. Addressed to the Lord Mayor of Sydney, the Queen requested that her message be shared with the people of the city in 2085. “On a suitable day to be selected by you in the year 2085 AD, would you please open this envelope and convey to the citizens of Sydney my message to them,” the Queen wrote on the outside of the letter, signing it simply as, “Elizabeth R”. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/queen-letter-sydney-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1920" /> The letter in question will remain sealed until 2085. Image: Creative Commons She wrote the letter after the restoration of the Queen Victoria Building in the 1980s, which was saved from demolition in the late 1950s by “ardent public campaigning” from Sydneysiders. According to <a href="https://7news.com.au/entertainment/queen-elizabeth-ii/queens-secret-letter-is-hidden-in-sydney-vault-and-cant-be-opened-for-63-years-c-8193155" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7news.com.au</a>,it is unknown what the Queen wrote in the letter, even among her personal staff. In 2012, <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/hidden-treasures-to-expose-secrets-in-plain-sight-20121026-28b3l.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sydney Morning Herald</a> reported that the letter came to be in the building when the Queen visited, with then-centre manager Natalie Douglas telling the outlet that the monarch put the letter inside a time capsule and buried it in the central dome. “Nobody knows what it says,” Ms Douglas said. It seems that mystery will continue to surround the letter until its fateful opening many decades from now. Image: Getty Images

Domestic Travel

Man receives letter from Queen Elizabeth on the day she died

Just moments after hearing the news of Queen Elizabeth's death, a Tasmanian man received a letter from Her Majesty in the mail. Lloyd Babcock, who is just weeks away from his 100th birthday, received the honorary letter to celebrate his centenary, which was written by the Queen just before her passing. The 99-year-old said that the fact Queen Elizabeth was able to write him a personal letter so close to her death made it even more special. "She was just a wonderful person, I had complete admiration and respect for her, her whole reign," Lloyd told Today Extra. "I remember her coming to Devonport in 1954 and she's just one amazing person." Lloyd said his friends had been bragging about already getting their letter from the Queen and he had hoped he would too before she passed away. "I was very pleased to get it from Queen Elizabeth," he said. "I always said I wanted it from the Queen, not from Charles, so it was very timely." Lloyd's wife Barbara said the letter feels "very important", and said the letter would stay in their family for generations to come. Lloyd then assured he would be showcasing the letter to his friends and family at his 100th birthday party in a few weeks. Image credits: Today Extra

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“It’s time for the world to read this”: Simon Dorante-Day shares last letter to the Queen

Queen's letter for Sydney that can't be opened until 2085

Man receives letter from Queen Elizabeth on the day she died