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Prince Robert of Luxembourg announces youngest son's death

<p>Prince Robert of Luxembourg has announced the heartbreaking loss of his youngest son, Frederik, at the age of 22. </p> <p>Frederik is Prince Robert's youngest son with wife Princess Julie of Nassau.</p> <p>According to a statement shared on the <a href="https://polgfoundation.org/frederik/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">POLG Foundation's</a> website,  Frederik died on March 1 in Paris, France, from POLG Mitochondrial disease, a rare genetic disorder that causes progressive multiple organ dysfunction and failure.</p> <p>"It is with a very heavy heart that my wife and I would like to inform you of the passing of our son, The POLG Foundation Founder and Creative Director, Frederik," the statement, written by Robert began. </p> <p>Frederik, was born in  Aix-en-Provence, France, on March 18, 2002, with POLG Mitochondrial disease, but was only diagnosed at the age of 14. </p> <p>He and his father later co-founded the POLG Foundation, with Frederik serving as Creative Director while Robert served as Chair.</p> <p>"Last Friday, February 28th, on 'Rare Disease Day', our beloved son called us in to his room to speak to him for one last time," the statement continued.</p> <p>"Frederik found the strength and the courage to say goodbye to each of us in turn." </p> <p>That included his brother, 27-year-old Prince Alexandre, his sister, 29-year-old Princess Charlotte and her 27-year-old husband, Mansour Shakarchi.</p> <p>Frederik also said his final goodbyes to his father's sister, Princess Charlotte, her husband Marc Victor Cunningham, and their three children: Charly, Louis, and Donall.</p> <p>"He had already spoken all that was in his heart to his extraordinary mother, who had not left his side in 15 years," Robert continued. </p> <p>"After gifting each of us with our farewells – some kind, some wise, some instructive – in true Frederik fashion, he left us collectively with a final long-standing family joke.</p> <p>"Even in his last moments, his humour, and his boundless compassion, compelled him to leave us with one last laugh….to cheer us all up." </p> <p>Prior to his other goodbye messages, Robert said, Frederik asked him: "Papa, are you proud of me?"</p> <p>"He had barely been able to speak for several days, so the clarity of these words was as surprising as the weight of the moment was profound," Robert wrote.</p> <p>"The answer was very easy, and he had heard it oh so many times, but at this time, he needed reassurance that he had contributed all that he possibly could in his short and beautiful existence and that he could now finally move on."</p> <p>"Frederik knows that he is my Superhero, as he is to all of our family, and to so very many good friends," Robert continued, noting how his son "was born with a special capacity for positivity, joy, and determination."</p> <p>"When he was little, I would always say that if there is one child of ours that I would never need to worry about, it was him," he continued. </p> <p>"He has social skills like no other, an amazing sense of humour, an emotional intelligence and compassion that were off the charts, a sense of justice, fairness and decency that knows no bounds. He was disciplined and organised beyond belief. " </p> <p>"Frederik is particularly headstrong (at times, I might have used the word stubborn). This serves him well. I cite him as being here in the present because I know that, though physically absent, he is still here, inspiring us and pushing us forward. His mission is not complete, and we all have much work left to do." </p> <p>Robert then thanked their family for their "messages of support and love", before asking those reading the tribute to volunteer with or donate to the POLG Foundation in Frederik's memory. </p> <p>"With our Superhero's help we hope to turn our deep grief into positive results and therewith follow his unwavering example," he wrote.</p> <p>"His ultimate message is one of hope, compassion, and resilience! We are all so very proud of you, Frederik. I am so very proud of you! We love you!"</p> <p><em>Images: The POLG Foundation</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Meghan Markle shares rare glimpse at Princess Lilibet

<p>Meghan Markle has shared a rare glimpse at her daughter Princess Lilibet spending time with her sports star "Auntie", Serena Williams. </p> <p>The Duchess of Sussex took to Instagram <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #333333; font-family: 'Proxima Nova', system-ui, -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Fira Sans', 'Droid Sans', 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 16px;">to share a series of photos and videos of Lilibet playing a game with the tennis star at their home. </span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;">"When the aunties comes to celebrate … and to play! Love you @serenawilliams," shared in her stories. </span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;">The three-year-old was pictured playing a personalised 'Archie &amp; Lili Candy Land' board game, wearing a long-sleeved top and floral pants, with Serena watching over her. </span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;">With the upcoming release of the royal's newest Netflix series, </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;"><em>With Love, Meghan</em>, a series where she holds candid conversations with friends while also sharing "practical how-tos" in the kitchen, garden and more, the royal spent some time with family and friends to celebrate. </span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;">"[Three] days until the party begins. All are invited ❤️ @netflix," Meghan shared a follow up Instagram story, with a picture of her embracing Serena. </span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;">Williams and the royal first met at the Super Bowl in 2010 and have remained close friends since. </span></p> <p><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;">They recently spent time together at the Paley Honours Fall Gala in December of last year. </span></p> <p><em><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Proxima Nova, system-ui, -apple-system, system-ui, Segoe UI, Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, Fira Sans, Droid Sans, Helvetica Neue;">Image: Instagram</span></em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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Princess Diana's former lover opens up in rare interview

<p>Army Major James Hewitt, who had a five-year affair with the late Princess Diana from 1986, has spoken about the royal in a rare television interview with <em>Good Morning Britain </em>on Tuesday. </p> <p>When asked about whether he thinks Diana may have been able to reunite her sons, who have barely spoken in five years, he replied: "I think any mother would be worried and concerned about such a rift, as you put it." </p> <p>"And she'd do her best to try and get them together."</p> <p>Major Hewitt, who now spends his time doing aid work in Ukraine, revealed that the last time he had spoken to the late Princess was  "just after" her <em>BBC Panorama interview </em>with Martin Bashir in November 1995, during which she admitted to their affair.</p> <p>He described the conversation as  "distant" and admitted that the interview did "create problems" for him from which he was "trying to move on".</p> <p>After the affair was revealed, Major Hewitt was labelled as a "love rat" by the tabloid media and found his reputation in ruins. </p> <p>He also said that the interview was "very distressing" for the late Princess, as someone she had trusted had used their connection to make money.</p> <p>"It was a stitch-up job," he said of the <em>Panorama</em> interview. </p> <p> "It was appalling of Bashir to [have] inveigled, lied to her, criminal activity, absolutely appalling."</p> <p>"As I've said, I hate bullies and bullying and arrogant people and I think it's appalling."</p> <p>Major Hewitt, who was Diana's riding instructor at the time, has previously denied claiming to have been a "father figure" to the princes but has said that he "played with them, swam with them, taught them to ride".</p> <p>The Duke of Sussex had also addressed the rumours that Major Hewitt was his biological father in his memoir <em>Spare</em>, saying that he felt the rumours were designed to turn him into a "laughing stock".</p> <p>"One cause of the rumour was Major Hewitt's red hair, but another was sadism," he wrote in his memoir. </p> <p><em>Image: Ken McKay/ITV/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

Relationships

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Prince William’s heartbreaking call after Kate's cancer diagnosis

<p>A former aide to the Prince of Wales has revealed that he was at his "lowest" after his wife Princess Kate was diagnosed with cancer about <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/kate-middleton-reveals-cancer-diagnosis-in-heartfelt-message" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a year ago</a>. </p> <p>In an interview with <em>60 Minutes Australia</em>, Jason Knauf, who was the chief executive of William and Kate’s Royal Foundation, revealed the phone call he shared with the Prince of Wales, after Kate's cancer diagnosis last year. </p> <p>"It was awful, absolutely awful. It's the lowest I've ever seen him.</p> <p>"Within a couple of weeks, if you're Prince William, you find out that both your wife and your father have cancer. I couldn't believe it."</p> <p>Princess Kate is now in <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/kate-middleton-confirms-the-end-of-her-chemotherapy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remission</a>, while King Charles receives ongoing treatment. </p> <p>The Princess of Wales' diagnosis was made public in March last year, with Knauf recalling: “But the problem was that all this crazy conspiracy theory stuff kicked off in the background, online. ‘Was she really ill?’.</p> <p>“But they didn’t want to say yet that she had cancer because they hadn’t told the children and they were still working through how to tell the children.”</p> <p>Knauf stepped down from his position at the end of 2021. He also previously worked for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex as their communications secretary. </p> <p>The Prince of Wales previously told reporters at the end of his visit to South Africa in November last year, that 2024 had been  “the hardest year" of his life. </p> <p>"Honestly? It's been dreadful. It's probably been the hardest year in my life. So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult," he told the BBC at the time. </p> <p>“But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been brutal.”</p> <p><em>Image: 60 Minutes/ Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Why the royal family is set to receive an eye-watering pay increase

<p>The members of the British royal family are set to receive a record-breaking pay increase, funded by British taxpayers. </p> <p>From April 2025, the amount the royals will receive from the Sovereign Grant - funded by the UK’s public purse – will jump by a whopping £45 million (A$88 million), to £132 million ($260 million).</p> <p>Not everyone is happy about this enormous pay increase, as CEO of Republic Graham Smith said that while the UK remains in the clutches of the cost of living crisis, it is not the time for such a hefty increase to one of the richest families in the world. </p> <p>“This is public money, all of this money comes from the government, at a time when the government is not able to properly fund schools, hospitals police … It is scandalous,” Smith told <em><a href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/tradition/a63330811/british-royal-family-money-finances-2025/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Town &amp; Country</a></em>. </p> <p>“Not only should it not be going up at all, it should be going down.”</p> <p>The increase was first announced last year, with Buckingham Palace officials saying at the time that a huge chunk of that extra cash will be put towards the £369 million ($728 million) bill for long-planned, necessary Palace renovations.</p> <p>The exact amount that is being allocated from this year’s Grant for the work has not been made public.</p> <p>The Grant was established in 2012 in order to help the royal family pay for expenses related to their official duties, with the vast majority usually spent on property maintenance and staffing.</p> <p>When the Grant first came into effect, there were many more working royals which required a larger pool of funding. </p> <p>Now that the royal roster has been stripped back, royal author Richard Palmer believes the public is now “getting less for their money”.</p> <p>He told <em>Town &amp; Country</em>, “I do think that the monarchy in general does a good job for the country and is part of the glue that binds us all together but that doesn’t mean that as an institution, as individuals, they should be able to avoid criticism. They are not above scrutiny.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Money & Banking

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Prince William and Kate share poignant Christmas card

<p>Prince William and Kate have released their annual Christmas card. </p> <p>After a difficult year for the royal family, Prince William and Kate shared the poignant card to social media on Friday morning. </p> <p>The royal couple shared a clip of the card sitting open on a table in front of a lit-up Christmas tree and surrounded by fake snow, with the message inside the card reading: "Wishing you a very Happy Christmas and New Year." </p> <p>The image used in the Christmas card was taken earlier this year from a video that marked the end of Kate's chemotherapy treatment. It shows Prince Louis, Prince William, Kate, Princess Charlotte and Prince George all sitting arm-in-arm together in Norfolk last summer. </p> <p>The happy family are seen smiling broadly and the reason why they chose this photo was to highlight their family-first focus this year. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDwzZTct7Vw/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DDwzZTct7Vw/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Prince and William and Kate have already posted out their Christmas card  to family, friends and the couple's charities. </p> <p>The release of the card comes after A Kensington Palace source told UK news outlets that the royal couple have skipped the Buckingham Palace Christmas luncheon for the first time, as they had travel plans and it was not a last-minute change. </p> <p>The royal couple are reportedly already in their Norfolk home with their three kids and are said to be looking forward to celebrating Christmas Day with their family in Sandringham.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram/ Kensington Palace</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Queen Camilla shares major health update

<p>Queen Camilla has shared details of her health diagnosis, after she was forced to pull out of several key engagements in the last few weeks. </p> <p>During the Qatari royal visit in London, she revealed that her recent chest infection was actually a form of pneumonia.</p> <p>The royal had to miss out on the outdoor events of the state visit as she is suffering from post-viral fatigue. </p> <p>It is understood that her condition was viral, not bacterial, and while she doesn't have pneumonia anymore, doctors have encouraged her to rest and take more time to recover from the fatigue. </p> <p>A royal source told<a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/royals/32081690/queen-camilla-illness-royal-engagements/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em> The Sun</em></a>, "Some days the Queen is on really good form. It's just one of those things. She has lost the coughing but the lingering side of it is bouts of extreme tiredness.</p> <p>"There has to be a degree of flex in the Queen's diary at the moment."</p> <p>The Queen contracted the infection after her and the King’s royal tour of Australia and Samoa in October, and as a result had to pull out of a series of high-profile engagements including Remembrance Day commemorations and the Royal Variety Performance.</p> <p>She also had to cancel  her appearance at the Palace’s reception for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, hosted by her husband, King Charles, and the annual opening of the Field of Remembrance at Westminster Abbey. </p> <p>There was some concern late last month after the royal abruptly cancelled her planned appearance at the Royal Variety Performance, but she has since returned to her duties in a reduced capacity. </p> <p>“Following a recent chest infection, the Queen continues to experience some lingering post-viral symptoms, as a result of which doctors have advised that, after a busy week of engagements, Her Majesty should prioritise sufficient rest,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram/ The Royal Family</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Teen photographer who shared special moment with Kate Middleton dies

<p>Liz Hatton, a teenager who inspired Kate Middleton while pursuing her photography bucket list, has sadly passed away following her battle with a rare form of cancer. </p> <p>The 17-year-old made headlines around the world when she was photographed <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/caring/kate-middleton-helps-teen-with-cancer-fulfill-bucket-list-dream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">embracing the Princess of Wales</a> during a private meeting inside Windsor Castle in early October.</p> <p>Liz's mother, Vicky Robayna, confirmed that the teenager had passed away in the early hours of Wednesday morning. </p> <p>Robanya wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that Liz had  "remained determined to the last" and was still making plans for her future on Tuesday.</p> <p>"We are so very proud of the kindness, empathy and courage she has shown in the last year," she wrote.</p> <p>Liz began pursuing her photography bucket list in January after being diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumour, a rare and aggressive form of cancer and given between six months and three years to live by doctors. </p> <p>She had dropped her formal studies in favour of following her dream of photography, and in October, she was invited by the Prince of Wales to take photos at an investiture. </p> <p>The teenager also had a 30-minute personal chat with the royal couple, and her photos at Windsor Castle were later published by Kensington Palace. </p> <p>In a personal message, the Prince and Princess of Wales described Liz as a "talented young photographer whose creativity and strength has inspired us both".</p> <p>Liz's mother also wrote that not only was she "a phenomenal photographer, she was the best human and the most wonderful daughter and big sister we could ever have asked for".</p> <p>"No-one could have fought harder for life than she did," she said.</p> <p>"There is a gaping Liz-shaped hole in our lives that I am not sure how we will ever fill."</p> <p>She also thanked everyone who helped the teenager fulfil her dreams in her final months, and for those who supported her work. </p> <p>"You ensured Liz's last two months were her very best. She flew high until the end."</p> <p>There is currently no standard treatment for the type of cancer Liz had, and no charity specialising in the disease in the UK. </p> <p>Roboyna said that there were "two last favours to ask", and they included sharing one of Liz's photos in tribute and "help us with a mission to raise money to fund research into Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumour".</p> <p>"Whether you can share, donate or raise funds – please be our village one more time," her mother said.</p> <p>"Let's make this the last item on her bucket list and make sure other families don't face a similar fate."</p> <p><em>Image: Kensington Palace/ X </em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Prince Philip's final phone call to King Charles revealed

<p>Prince Philip was known for his quick wit and sense of humour, and now his family have shared their favourite moments with him in the BBC documentary <em>Prince Philip: The Family Remembers</em>. </p> <p>In the documentary, King Charles revealed the cheeky remarks the Duke made in their final phone call just hours before his passing on April 9, 2021 at the age of 99. </p> <p>Charles recalled discussing the Duke's upcoming 100th birthday celebrations and having to raise his voice so his father could hear him better, saying: “We’re talking about your birthday! And whether there’s going to be a reception!” </p> <p>The Duke quipped: “Well, I’ve got to be alive for it, haven’t I?”</p> <p>King Charles fondly shared what he said to his father's cheeky remark, “I told him ‘I knew you’d say that!'”.</p> <p>In another part of the documentary, the monarch recalled the benefits of having young parents. </p> <p>“He was marvellous at arranging silly games. I mean, the fun of having obviously young parents was… there were lots of chasing around and mad things," he said.</p> <p>Prince William also shared some of his fond memories with his late grandfather, recalling the pranks they used to pull together, and one of them being squirting mustard all over the ceiling - much to the Queen’s annoyance.</p> <p> “He used to take the lid off [the tube] and put it in your hands … and then he’d squish your hands together to fire the mustard onto the ceiling," William said. </p> <p>“He used to get in a lot of trouble from my grandmother,” he added.</p> <p>William’s cousins, Princess Anne’s children Zara Tindall and Peter Phillips, also remembered the same prank. </p> <p>“He gets you to hold it in your hands and I can’t remember exactly what he says — but he ends up slamming your hands together… it goes all over the ceiling,” Zara said.</p> <p>Her brother Peter added: “I actually think the marks are still there.”</p> <p><em>Image: Canadian Press/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Queen Camilla "heartbroken" by death of rescue dog

<p>Queen Camilla, who is recovering from a chest infection, has had to make the tough decision of putting her beloved pet dog, Beth, down after she was diagnosed with an untreatable tumour. </p> <p>The news was revealed by Buckingham Palace in a message shared to social media, which read:  "A sad farewell to Beth, the Queen's much-loved companion from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home who brought such joy, whether on walkies, helping on official duties, or curled up by the fire".</p> <p>The 77-year-old royal is said to be "heartbroken" by the loss over the weekend. </p> <p>Beth was rescued by Camilla in 2011, and because she was a rescue, the animal charity was never sure of Beth's age. </p> <p>The royal later adopted another Jack Russell, Bluebell, soon after getting Beth, when she became patron of  Battersea Dogs and Cats Home in 2017, taking over from the late Queen Elizabeth II.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCg830XISLD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DCg830XISLD/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Royal Family (@theroyalfamily)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Recalling the moment she found Bluebell, the Queen previously told <em>BBC Radio 5 Live</em>: "Along I went to Battersea, and Beth appeared, and she had just been moved from pillar to post and dumped.</p> <p>"We thought it would be nice for her to have a friend. They found [Bluebell] two or three weeks later, wandering about in woods, no hair on her, covered in sores, virtually dead. And they nursed her back to life and her hair grew again.</p> <p>"She's very sweet, but a tiny bit neurotic, shall we say.</p> <p>"The nice thing about dogs is you can sit them down, you could have a nice long conversation, you could be cross, you could be sad and they just sit looking at you, wagging their tail."</p> <p>The two dogs were often by her side at public events and were even featured in an official portrait alongside Camilla. </p> <p>Pictures of her two pups were also embroidered onto the Queen's Coronation gown. </p> <p>Camilla once said of her dogs: "I cannot imagine my life, my home or my sofas without them".</p> <p><em>Image: Instagram/ The Royal Family</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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King Charles releases new portrait to mark 76th birthday

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

Family & Pets

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"Hardest year of my life": Prince William's candid admission

<p>Prince WIlliam has made a candid admission about his life this past year, following the double cancer diagnoses of his father King Charles and wife Kate Middleton. </p> <p>When asked how this year has been in an interview with UK print media in Cape Town during his trip to South Africa, the royal replied: “Honestly? It’s been dreadful.</p> <p>“It’s probably been the hardest year in my life.”</p> <p>The Prince of Wales, who took time off while Princess Kate was being treated added:  “So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult.</p> <p>“But I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for ­handling the things that they have done. But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.”</p> <p>While the King and Princess Kate have both issued statements about their health struggles, this is the first time William has spoken candidly on the subject. </p> <p>The Prince of Wales is in South Africa as part of Earthshot Week, and presented the Earthshot Prize Awards on November 6. </p> <p>When asked if his family had watched the live broadcast of the awards ceremony, he replied: “I don’t know yet. I haven’t clocked in with them yet but I hope they did.</p> <p>“But it’s interesting you say that, ’cause I couldn’t be less relaxed this year, so it’s very interesting you’re all seeing that. But it’s more a case of just crack on and you’ve got to keep going.</p> <p>“I enjoy my work and I enjoy pacing myself and keeping sure I have got time for my family too.”</p> <p>He also shared an update on his wife's condition saying that "she's doing well. Doing well". </p> <p><em>Image: Andrew Parsons/Kensington Palace/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Never-before-seen party photo of Kate Middleton surfaces

<p>A previously unseen photo of Kate Middleton has been posted to social media by one of her old university friends. </p> <p>Laura Warshaur - who was in the same halls as the royal - shared the photo to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C9lQ1A0P2QQ/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a> and reminisced their "lovely" college years together at St Andrews. </p> <p>She captioned the photo: “Sending love to Kate Middleton, the future Queen of England and my university dormmate!</p> <p>“This was us at a Hope Street flat party. I have the loveliest college memories with Kate.</p> <p>“She is the kindest, most caring, down-to-earth, genuine person, and it’s incredible to see her shining so brightly and inspiring the world with her compassion and courage.”</p> <p>The Princess of Wales was snapped wearing a cream turtleneck jumper with minimal makeup and her natural curls flowing. </p> <p>The picture taken at a flat party on Hope Street, was also where the Prince and Princess of Wales lived in their second year, according to <em>The Sun. </em></p> <p>In the photo the Princess and Laura smiled for the camera as they held up brownie bites. </p> <p>Laura shared the photo on her Instagram a while back to show support for the Princess of Wales as she continued her cancer treatment. </p> <p>The image caught the attention of royal fans this week, who took to comments to share their delight. </p> <p>“Neither of you has changed much, so gorgeous. So happy to see her out and about again with that big smile,” commented one user.</p> <p> “How sweet your tribute to her back when she was diagnosed. And how beautiful you both are in this picture," added another. </p> <p>“No way, most unexpected duo EVER," commented a third. </p> <p>Laura, who has since lost touch with the royal couple, previously revealed that all their friends rooted for the royal couple and believed that they would end up together. </p> <p><em>Image: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Beauty & Style

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Readers response: Have you ever seen or met a member of the royal family during one of their visits?

<p>When the royal family make one of their special, dedicated visits to Australia, some royal fans are lucky enough to catch a glimpse, or even have an interaction with them. </p> <p>We asked our readers if they have ever seen or met a member of the royal family, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. </p> <p><strong>Mike Rogerson</strong> - I saw the Queen and Prince Phillip on the Princes Highway at Blakehurst, NSW. They were on their way to Wollongong, NSW. We were a group of Blakehurst primary school children on the side of the road in 1954. I was eight at the time.</p> <p><strong>Lorraine Strand</strong> - First saw the Queen when the country school kids travelled by train to Adelaide. Then again in Darwin, when she was visiting houses built after Cyclone Tracy. On a more recent visit by the royals, my husband and I attended the same St Paul’s Anglican Church Service in Canberra as the Queen and Prince Phillip.</p> <p><strong>Annette Maree</strong> - I saw the Queen when she was driven past my house in the 1960’s. She was stunning. I clearly remember her wave, her smile, and her “peaches and cream” complexion. It was one of those flashbulb moments that stays in your mind forever.</p> <p><strong>Glenda Grange</strong> - Yes in 1983 I saw Diana and Charles. They attended a royal command performance in Melbourne. I received a formal gilt edge invitation and was one person away from them. I was invited as a bush fire victim of Ash Wednesday.</p> <p><strong>Elaine Smith</strong> - I haven’t but my mum and grandpa did, in 1954 when she came to our small country town of Red Cliffs, VIC. My grandpa and mum were on a special platform with aged residents of country towns, even got to shake hands with her. I was in the crowd with my girl guide group.</p> <p><strong>Gary Johnson</strong> - 1970 when I was in first year high school we went to Perth airport to see Prince Phillip arrive. I had a school blazer on and Prince Phillip came over and asked what school I was from. If it wasn't for my mum forcing me to wear it, I wouldn't have that great memory.</p> <p><strong>Janice Yvonne Colman</strong> - Not in Australia, but in the UK when they passed by our village on way to a county close by. My brother &amp; I got the royal waves as we stood on the side of the road! We were quite thrilled as we were only 14 &amp; 12 at the time.</p> <p><strong>Jean Bryant</strong> - I saw Princess Margaret back in the 50's when she visited a British Air Force base in Germany.</p> <p><strong>Ian Hewitt</strong> - Yes! At NSW Government house in 1992. It was an honour to us to personally meet their majesties.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p>

Domestic Travel

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King and Queen of Spain attacked during royal visit

<p>The king and queen of Spain have been attacked by furious locals during a tour of the flood-ravaged area of Valencia. </p> <p id="story-headline">King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia were met by an angry mob who have been dealing with the fallout of deadly flooding that has killed 217 people, with another 1,900 missing. </p> <p>Accompanied by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, the royal couple arrived in Paiporta on Sunday, when a crowd of hundreds descended.</p> <p>The crowd began to throw mud, rocks, sticks and rubbish at the group while screaming “murderer” and “shame”, with much of the vitriol seeming to be directed as the Spanish leader.</p> <p>The royals were struck with some of the debris, with vision showing the couple’s faces and clothing dirtied with mud.</p> <p>“It’s been four days, where have you been?” one onlooker yelled at the king. “You’ve just come here to pose for pictures. You have no shame.”</p> <p>Another screamed at a visibly frightened Queen Letizia, “You lack for nothing while we here don’t even have water to drink.”</p> <p>According to reports, security tried to whisk the royals away to safety but King Felipe insisted they stay and continue speaking with those who wanted to, with the couple later seen consoling survivors, with one man crying on the king’s shoulder. </p> <p>As they eventually got into their car to leave, a policeman shouted “long live the king”, which was met with howls of “guillotine” by some of the protesters.</p> <p>In a statement issued by the palace hours after the melee, it was announced a second visit by the king to nearby Chiva, another flood-affected town, had been called off.</p> <p>Juan Bordera, a local politician in Valencia, told the BBC that the king and queen’s tour was a “very bad decision”.</p> <p>“It’s logical that the people are angry, it’s logical that the people didn’t understand why this visit is so urgent,” Mr Bordera told the <em>BBC</em>.</p> <p><em>Image credits: GTres/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Psycho": Biographer reveals truth about Queen Elizabeth's corgis

<p>The late Queen Elizabeth's love for her corgis was well known throughout her reign, but a new book suggests the pups weren't as sweet as they seemed. </p> <p>The late monarch was a fan of corgis and dorgis – a mix breed between a corgi and dachshund, and she bred them from a young age, owning a total of 83 over 14 generations. </p> <p>In his new biography, <em>A Voyage Around the Queen</em>, Journalist Craig Brown has revealed that the Queen's dogs were actually "psycho" and known for their unpredictable temperament. </p> <p>While it was a common trait for their breed, Brown claims that the lineage bred by the Queen was particularly nightmarish, especially her first Corgi, Dookie. </p> <p>"Dookie did not restrict his aggression to humans: he would happily attack the dining room chairs at Royal Lodge, the family home in Windsor Great Park," he shared.</p> <p>He claimed that Dookie even once bit a politician who came to visit. According to Brown, the corgi's disposition for violence was passed down from generation to generation, even recalling what the Queen's first dorgi, Honey, was like. </p> <p>"In 1984, Piper, the great-great-great-grand dorgi of Honey sank his teeth in several victims, including the Queen Mother and Prince Edward," explained Brown.</p> <p>The journalist added that Piper was then handed over to Princess Anne, who allegedly has a "soft spot for nippers and biters."</p> <p>The late Queen did eventually figure out how to keep the violence at bay, although the method itself is a little strange. </p> <p>"Coincidentally, the way to scare off a belligerent corgi is the same as for a belligerent human being: a blast from the bagpipes," Brown wrote.</p> <p>"Happily, the Queen always kept a set of bagpipes at hand."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram/ thequeenscorgis</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Jacinda Ardern receives Damehood at Windsor Castle

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

International Travel

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Princess Eugenie's sweet birthday tribute to Fergie

<p>Princess Eugenie has celebrated her mum's 65th birthday with a special tribute. </p> <p>Sarah Ferguson's youngest daughter took to Instagram to share a series of images, including one of Fergie with one of her grandkids. </p> <p>"Happy birthday to my beautiful mumma," Princess Eugenie's caption began.</p> <p>"So proud of the Grannie you are, the mum you are and the woman you are.</p> <p>"You're an inspiration and our endless chats bring me so much happiness and incredible support."</p> <p>She also included a photo of with Fergie's sister Jane, who lives in Australia, as well as a photo with Princess Beatrice. </p> <p>The Duchess of York took to comments to share her appreciation for her daughters, saying: "Thank you my wonderful, kind, and beautiful daughters ❤️" </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DBJT89iCsHc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DBJT89iCsHc/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Princess Eugenie (@princesseugenie)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Royal fans shared their also shared their birthday wishes in the comments, with one writing: "Happy birthday to her! What a wonderful role model she is x."</p> <p>"This is why you endured the trials and tribulations of life so that you could have those happy moments with your children and your sweet grandchildren. And there are more to come,"  another commented. </p> <p>"Happy birthday to your lovely mama," another wrote. </p> <p>The year has been both rewarding and challenging for the Duchess of York, who was diagnosed with <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/fergie-breaks-silence-amid-second-cancer-battle" target="_blank" rel="noopener">skin cancer </a>earlier this year, her second cancer diagnosis. </p> <p>Despite all her trials, she recently shared her excitement at being a grandmother again, following news that her eldest daughter, Princess Beatrice, is pregnant with her second child. </p> <p>"Such an incredible blessing and an embrace to my heart," she wrote in a social media post at the time. </p> <p>"Wolfie, August, Ernie and Sienna will be over the moon to have the fifth member of the five aside!"</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Family & Pets

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King Charles' special tribute to Holocaust survivor

<p>King Charles has paid tribute to Holocaust survivor Lily Ebert, who has died aged 100. </p> <p>The Hungarian-born British writer died peacefully at home in north London. She was the eldest of six children and was freed from Auschwitz at the age of 20, almost 80 years ago, as her mother and two younger siblings were killed in the gas chambers.</p> <p>She migrated to the UK in 1967 with her husband and began educating the world about the horrors of the Holocaust. </p> <p>Since then, her story and resilience has touched millions worldwide, including King Charles, who met her in 2015 when she joined him to light one of six remembrance candles in London for the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust. </p> <p>Last year, he made her an MBE (Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in recognition of her services to Holocaust education. </p> <p>In a statement released by Buckingham Palace, the monarch said  "it was with the greatest sadness" that he had heard of her death.</p> <p>"As a survivor of the unmentionable horrors of the Holocaust, I am so proud that she later found a home in Britain where she continued to tell the world of the horrendous atrocities she had witnessed, as a permanent reminder for our generation – and, indeed, for future generations – of the depths of depravity and evil to which humankind can fall, when reason, compassion and truth are abandoned," he said.</p> <p>"Alongside other Holocaust survivors, she became an integral part of the fabric of our nation; her extraordinary resilience and courage an example to us all, which will never be forgotten."</p> <p>In 2021, Charles, who was the Prince of Wales described how he had been personally inspired throughout his own life by the stories of survivors and their bravery and personal sacrifice. </p> <p>At the unveiling of the Queen's Gallery in London, Ebert told him:  "Meeting you, it is for everyone who lost their lives." </p> <p>To which the King replied:  "But it is a greater privilege for me."</p> <p>Ebert's great-grandson Dov Forman, who helped co-write her book<em> How I Survived Auschwitz and Found the Strength to Live, </em>paid tribute to the family's "beloved matriarch", known as Safta on social media. </p> <p>"Over the years, Safta's story touched hundreds of millions worldwide, reminding us of the resilience of the human spirit and the dangers of unchecked hatred," he began.</p> <p>"She taught us the power of tolerance and faith, the importance of speaking out, and the need to stand against prejudice.</p> <p>"Safta was the queen of our large, loving family. With a surviving daughter and son – remembering a daughter who pre-deceased her – 10 grandchildren, 38 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild, her legacy lives on in each of us.</p> <p>"She rebuilt her life with faith and love, never asking, 'Why me?'. Instead, she focused on what could be rebuilt from the ashes, and her positivity continues to guide us through these difficult times.</p> <p>"As we mourn our beloved Mummy, Safta, we also celebrate her extraordinary life.</p> <p>"A light that shone so brightly has gone dark. She was our hero, and her absence leaves an unimaginable void in our lives."</p> <p><em>Images: </em><em>Arthur Edwards/WPA Pool/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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Kate Middleton helps teen with cancer fulfill "bucket list" dream

<p>Kate Middleton has taken another step back to public duties after inviting a teenage girl with a rare form of cancer to Windsor Castle. </p> <p>The Prince and Princess of Wales invited 16-year-old Liz, a budding photographer from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, to Windsor Castle after the teen was told by doctors earlier this year that she only had between six months and three years to live. </p> <p>“A pleasure to meet with Liz at Windsor today,” the Prince and Princess of Wales wrote in a social media post shared on Wednesday, with a photo of Kate hugging the teenager.</p> <p>“A talented young photographer whose creativity and strength has inspired us both. Thank you for sharing your photos and story with us.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DAoPPEMNX6F/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DAoPPEMNX6F/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by The Prince and Princess of Wales (@princeandprincessofwales)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Liz had a photography bucket list "to create a lifetime of memories" after being diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumour in January. The cancer has no form of standard treatment. </p> <p>She first took up photography in Year 6 after saving up to buy her first camera. </p> <p>Liz was given the opportunity to take photos of cyclist Mark Cavendish and ex-footballer Ally McCoist's investiture ceremony, after Prince William heard about her through his  patronage of London Air Ambulance Charity.</p> <p>A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: “Following the investiture both the Prince and Princess of Wales met Liz privately with her family to hear about her day and journey."</p> <p>Liz said she was "over the moon" after meeting the couple at the castle.</p> <p>“Such lovely, genuine and kind people, I’m over the moon that my family and I had this experience,” she recalled on social media. </p> <p>The event is a rare appearance for the Princess who has been out of the public eye for most of the year following her own cancer diagnosis earlier this year.</p> <p>While the meeting is not being treated as an official engagement for the Prince and Princess, it was their first joint appearance this year. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

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