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Major Cruise line scraps entire season

Virgin Voyages has cancelled all of its sailings in Australia and New Zealand for the next year after they were left with "no choice" in the wake of escalating tensions in the Red Sea. The Resilient Lady ship will not return Down Under for its promised second sailing season next summer due to safety concerns following a series of strikes on container ships in the Red Sea. The cruise line revealed on Tuesday that a lengthier alternative return route around Africa was not viable for the company. "On the heels of these recent changes and based on the regional and government advice we have received, we remain very concerned about potential escalations in the Red Sea over the next 12 months," a spokesperson from Virgin Voyages said. “This significant and ongoing conflict puts unacceptable risks for safe passage through the region for our Sailors, crew and vessel." “To say that we are disappointed to have come to this tough conclusion is an understatement. “These adjustments are happening now to minimise potential future disruption to our passengers’ holiday plans, knowing there is a high likelihood that changes would need to happen in the future.” The cancellations will impact customers with trips planned in late 2024 and early 2025 on repositioning voyages between Europe and Australia. Virgin Voyages have indicated that a return to Australian waters will remain a possibility, as they continue to look for available options. They also said that if the 2024/25 can go ahead, customers who had previously booked their holiday will be prioritised if they would like to re-book. Currently, impacted customers have the option to re-book a different trip or request a full refund. A few other cruise companies who operate seasonal sailings or world cruises through the Red Sea and Suez Canal have also had to cancel, reposition, or re-route their sailings. MSC have cancelled three repositioning sailings in April, while Cunard, Princess and Seabourn have re-routed their world cruises to avoid the Suez Canal. Image: Virgin Voyages

Cruising

"Ended for good": Prince William launches project inspired by Lady Di

Prince William has launched his most ambitious project to date, announcing his plan to end homelessness in the UK within five short years. The Prince of Wales set out to visit six areas in the UK that experience different types of homelessness with a distinct set of challenges, outlining a detailed plan to see homelessness eradicated. On his two-day tour, the 41-year-old royal shared that his late mother, Princess Diana, was a big inspiration behind the project, after she helped open William's eyes to the nation-wide problem. In the south London borough of Lambeth, Prince William described how he was inspired by "heart-breaking" visits to shelters he made with his mother as a child. "My first visit to a homelessness shelter was when I was 11 with my mother," he told the Mosaic Clubhouse, which supports people with mental health problems. "The visits we made, left a deep and lasting impression." "I met so many extraordinary people and listened to so many heart-breaking personal stories. Too many people have found themselves without a stable and permanent place to call home." "Through these visits, I have seen first-hand the breadth and complexities of homelessness." William said he hoped the Homewards program would "inspire belief throughout the UK and beyond that homelessness can be ended for good". Prince William's Homewards program focuses on preventing homelessness before it begins, bringing together all organisations working in the sector to create solutions that target local challenges. The launch of the project, which was two years in the making, comes days before what would have been Diana's 62nd birthday on July 1st. A major focus of Homewards will be on providing homes to those who need them. "I am pleased to stand here today at the start of our path to ending homelessness," he said. "Over the next five years, I believe that we have a unique opportunity to develop innovative new solutions and scale tangible impact. This will inspire belief throughout the UK – and beyond – that homelessness can be ended for good." Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

Elderly pizza lady receives $390k tip after falling during delivery

Barbara Gillespie was completing a typical Friday night pizza delivery when things took an unexpected turn. The 72 year old had just made her way up a home’s front veranda stairs, arms laden with her pizza boxes, when she stumbled and fell on to a small white chair. The family, whose <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@momofthe5ks/video/7195696356508372266" target="_blank" rel="noopener">security camera captured the entire tumble</a>, came outside to see what had happened as the elderly driver was picking herself up from the ground. On shaky legs, Barbara apologised again and again for what had become of the family’s food, telling them that she’d “ruined” it. But the family - otherwise known as the Keighrons - were only concerned about her. “I opened the door and there she is, just laying on the ground trying to get up,” Kevin Keighron said on Good Morning America. “She was more worried about the food than anything else. And I was like, ‘I don't care about the food. I care about you’.” Kevin and his wife, Lacey, described Barbara as being “the sweetest”, and after the incident - which occurred in early February - the pair decided to set up a GoFundMe to give Barbara a “tip” for her hard work. “We would like to bless her by bringing by a ‘tip’ to help her with anything she may need,” Kevin said. “She is an older woman who fell and only cared about the food she dropped. “Let’s show her some kindness and take off some of this burden that our economy is causing the older generations especially!” More than 14,000 people donated, and the fundraiser achieved a whopping $390,000. “We thought we would get her a bigger tip and bring it to her. We never expected to get as much as we did,” Kevin said of their successful campaign. “We were just so excited and thrilled to be able to tell her the next day.” And when taking the surprise to Barbara, Kevin - Lacey, and two of their children - decided to make the grand reveal at her work. They later shared footage of the reunion to their TikTok account. <div class="embed" style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 620.262px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7195971641262755114&display_name=tiktok&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40momofthe5ks%2Fvideo%2F7195971641262755114&image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2F763d48ec7b5b4f728dcbe02bb60cc22f%3Fx-expires%3D1677142800%26x-signature%3DPCfbQDrxw5It6Ey%252FV9NWSJXsZ6A%253D&key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&type=text%2Fhtml&schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> They have since shared that with the extra funds, Barbara was able to put in her two-week notice and finally enjoy her well-deserved retirement. Barbara said that the generosity of everyone involved was overwhelming, and admitted she was close to giving up on people because some of them can be “so mean.” “And here we got loving, caring people. They care about someone else” she declared, seemingly delighted to have had her mind so thoroughly changed, “about an elderly woman.” Images: TikTok

Money & Banking

Prince William's godmother resigns amid racism row

Prince William's godmother and Queen Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting has resigned from her royal position after making "unacceptable comments" towards a black guest at Buckingham Palace. The incident reportedly took place earlier this week, when Camilla, Queen Consort was joined by Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, Queen Mathilde of Belgium and Queen Rania of Jordan at an event to highlight domestic violence survivors and charities. Ngozi Fulani, chief executive of Sistah Space, was invited to the afternoon reception at the palace through Safe Lives, a charity the Queen Consort is patron of. The next day, Fulani took to social media where she detailed an exchange with Lady Susan Hussey, saying the woman repeatedly asked where she was "really from", saying "this event remains a blur after the violation". <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Mixed feelings about yesterday's visit to Buckingham Palace. 10 mins after arriving, a member of staff, Lady SH, approached me, moved my hair to see my name badge. The conversation below took place. The rest of the event is a blur. Thanks <a href="https://twitter.com/ManduReid?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ManduReid</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/SuzanneEJacob?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SuzanneEJacob</a> for support🙏🏾 <a href="https://t.co/OUbQKlabyq">pic.twitter.com/OUbQKlabyq</a> — Sistah Space (@Sistah_Space) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sistah_Space/status/1597854380115767296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 30, 2022</a></blockquote> The palace released a statement saying it took the matter "extremely seriously", labelling it "unacceptable" and confirming the staff member had stepped aside. "In this instance, unacceptable and deeply regrettable comments have been made," a statement from Buckingham Palace on Wednesday afternoon (Thursday morning AEDT) said. "We have reached out to Ngozi Fulani on this matter, and are inviting her to discuss all elements of her experience in person if she wishes." "In the meantime, the individual concerned would like to express her profound apologies for the hurt caused and has stepped aside from her honorary role with immediate effect." Prince William's spokesperson almost made a statement to the BBC, saying "Racism has no place in our society." "The comments were unacceptable, and it is right that the individual has stepped aside with immediate effect," they said. As the Palace claims it has reached out to Fulani, she told London radio station LBC and UK newspaper The Independent she hadn't heard from Buckingham Palace yet. Hussey, who served as Queen Elizabeth's lady-in-waiting for over 60 years was given a role in the royal household by King Charles after his mother's death. Image credits: Getty Images

News

Queen Elizabeth's youngest maid of honour passes away

The youngest of Queen Elizabeth’s maids of honour at her 1953 coronation passed away just one day before Her Majesty’s state funeral. The Times reported that Lady Mary Russell died on September 18, aged 88. “Lady Mary died peacefully at home with her family around her on Sunday 18 September,” the outlet’s obituary read. “Beloved wife of David, much-loved mother of Arabella, Anthony, Philip, Jason and Marina, and dearly loved by her 12 grandchildren.” Lady Mary was 19 when she helped five other maids of honour in carrying the Queen’s six-metre train - which was so heavy the monarch would be unable to move without their hel[ - at Westminster Abbey during the coronation. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/qeii-coronation.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Queen Elizabeth II with her maids of honour Lady Moyra Campbell, Lady Anne Glenconner, Lady Rosemary Muir, Lady Mary Russell, the Baroness Willoughby de Eresby Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, Lady Jane Rayne. Image: The Print Collector/Getty Images Her father, the Earl of Haddington, was a childhood friend of the Queen Mother and was pictured carrying the Sceptre of the Dove at George VI’s coronation in 1937. In a previous interview, Lady Mary recalled how “moving” and “overwhelming” the coronation was, as well as the honour of being one of a select few chosen to be involved in the ceremony. "It was overwhelming and moving – especially during the anointing… It was an incredible moment, but all I could think about was how heavy the embroidery felt," she said. "Of all the girls our age in the country, we six girls were chosen to carry the Queen's train and that meant a great deal." Fellow maid of honour Baroness Anne Glenconner told the BBC that they had a taste of fame during the 1950s as a result of their role in the historic occasion, describing them as “the Spice Girls of their time”. Lady Mary’s passing comes two years after the death of Lady Morya Campbell, another maid of honour, at the age of 90. Baroness Glenconner, along with Lady Jane Lacey, Lady Rosemary Muir and Baronness Willoughby de Eresby, is still alive today. Image: Getty Images

Caring

Royal biographer hints at Queen's cause of death

A royal expert claims Queen Elizabeth II was suffering from a “relatively painless” but “invariably fatal” condition before announcing her death 90 minutes before Buckingham Palace. In a video uploaded to YouTube at 5pm local time (4am NZST), controversial royal biographer Lady Colin Campbell claimed the Queen had passed away at 2.37pm (1.37am NZST). Buckingham Palace announced the monarch’s passing 90 minutes later, at around 6.30pm UK time. Her announcement came at the end of a lengthy clip where the royal expert spoke about a condition the Queen was allegedly suffering from. Lady Campbell, who is most well-known for her books about Princess Diana and the Queen Mother, claimed that Her Majesty was suffering from a serious bone condition, though she wouldn’t reveal “the word that accurately conveys her diagnosis” out of respect for her “dignity and privacy”. “If she wants to reveal that word, or her advisors wish to reveal it, that is up to them. I don’t think one needs to use the word to get across the point that I think most people will be able to pick up, that this is a really serious situation,” Lady Campbell said in the video, prior to announcing the monarch’s passing. “The condition has been induced, in part, according to people who know her well, has been created by the tremendous stress to which she has been subjected over the last three years.” The Palace has not confirmed the Queen’s cause of death. “Can you imagine an older woman, as her life is winding down, and she is hoping to enjoy the last few years of her life in good health being bombarded by the tremendous abuse to which she and the monarchy have been subjected,” Lady Campbell said. She went on to say she had tried to warn people that the Queen was “far more ill than they thought she was” over the past few months. “I have on several occasions in the last few weeks, if not months, made the point that she had been affected to her bones. I used that repeatedly to get across the point that what she was suffering from was a malady of the bones,” she continued. “There are two maladies of the bones, one is more painful than the other. Fortunately the Queen’s malady, although it falls in the same category and condition of the more painful one, has been the less painful one. “It has been restrictive, and I will not go into the medical treatments she has been receiving. I have previously indicated that her bruising was due to cannulas and I have left it at that.” After the video cuts away, Lady Campell continued filming, claiming she had found out about the Queen’s passing. “Having just made this video it is with great sadness that I have to inform you that events have yet again overtaken one’s plans, and I am reliably informed that the Queen died at 14.37pm this afternoon,” she said. “And that the reason why the announcement has not been made so far is that they are waiting for Harry and Meghan to arrive at Balmoral, after which the announcement will be made.” Buckingham Palace went on to announce the news of Her Majesty’s passing before Harry arrived at Balmoral, while Meghan remained in London. “I think we should be very grateful for having had such a wonderful monarch,” Lady Campbell continued. “And I think we can be also grateful for the fact that her death was relatively painless. Bone cancer is not fun. “But she was fortunate enough to have the lesser of the forms of bone cancer, and she kept her spirits and her vitality to practically the end. “And now, I would say, my sympathies to all her loved ones, all her family, and really, all her subjects many of whom love her.” However, the <a href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/world/queen-elizabeths-cause-of-death-may-never-be-released/news-story/47ceca6491d9ef44b1d9112061674cdb" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Courier Mail</a> reported that medical experts said frailty and “geriatric syndrome” - a term describing a group of common health conditions older people experience that don’t fit in distinct disease categories - could have been contributors to her passing. Her symptoms reportedly met five of seven criteria used by Britain’s NHS to classify people as frail, including being over 85, having ongoing health conditions, requiring regular help, being forced to cancel activities and using a walking stick. In the hours before her death, a statement from Buckingham Palace said doctors were “concerned” for the Queen’s health and that she was “comfortable” at Balmoral. Images: Getty Images / Lady Colin Campbell (YouTube)

Caring

Lady Louise Windsor has surprising new job

Lady Louise Windsor, one of Queen Elizabeth’s numerous grandchildren, has joined the thousands of young people in a tradition as old as time itself: getting a summer job. Though she might be a royal, the 18-year-old’s new job is quite ordinary, with reports that she is earning £6.83 ($AU 11.68 or $NZ 13.03) at a garden centre. According to The Sun, Lady Louise was spotted by a shopper, pruning and potting plants, as well as greeting customers and serving them behind the till. The shopper described the daughter of Prince Edward and Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, as “modest”, “sweet” and “polite”. “I couldn’t believe it was Lady Louise – I had to look twice,” the shopper told the newspaper. “She is a really modest and sweet young woman who is polite and attentive to customers. She seemed to be loving the job. “You’d never imagine the Queen’s granddaughter would take on a role working behind a till.” It’s believed Lady Louise is working at the garden centre several days a week, with the news coming after a Buckingham Palace spokesperson confirmed she would be studying English at the University of St Andrew’s after finishing her A-levels in June. Though she is 16th in line for the throne, Lady Louise and her brother, James, don’t use an HRH title, nor are they expected to carry out duties when they’re older. As unexpected as the royal’s job appears, it seems to have delighted fans of the monarchy, with one fan telling The Sun: “It’s not every day you buy begonias off a royal.” Image: Getty Images

Home & Garden

Queen Elizabeth II in mourning

Queen Elizabeth II is in mourning after her life-long friend passed away. Lady Myra Butter, a descendent of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia and poet, novelist and playwright, Alexander Pushkin, died “peacefully” at the age of 97 in London. "Lady Butter was a daughter of Sir Harold and Lady Zia Wernher, and a granddaughter of Grand Duke Michael Mikhailovich of Russia and Countess de Torby,” managing editor of Majesty Magazine Joe Little wrote. "Myra was a close friend of the Queen and Prince Philip since childhood and from time to time appeared in royal documentaries." Lady Butter created the Pushkin award, which helped celebrate literary work in honour of her ancestor. She was married to Sir David Butter to who she had five kids with - and the Queen was the godmother of their eldest child, Sandra Elizabeth Zia. Lady Butter grew up with the Queen and her sister Princess Margaret, and spent their holidays together. She was also a guest at the Queen’s wedding to Prince Philip, the late Duke of Edinburgh, in 1947. “The war had been so grey that the royal wedding seemed to signify the world coming to life again,” Lady Butter previously told The Daily Mail. "Everyone was determined to have a new dress for the day and I wore a blue ribbed silk dress by Dior. It was one of the first three-quarter length dresses, and I wore it with a feathered hat. I had new shoes and a bag, too – any excuse. "All the people from the Commonwealth made the ceremony very colourful and the choir superb. "The Princess looked truly glittering. Her dress was beautiful and she was obviously in love. Philip looked very dashing in his naval uniform – and it really did seem like a fairy tale wedding." Images: Getty/ITV

Relationships

Ukraine’s first lady sparks controversy with Vogue cover

Olena Zelenska, Ukraine’s First Lady, has sparked backlash after she appeared on a new ‘digital cover’ of <a href="http://v" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vogue</a> with her husband, President Volodymyr Zelensky, amid the ongoing war with Russia. The accompanying article, titled ‘Portrait of Bravery’, was created in collaboration between Ukrainian Vogue and the Conde Nast Vogues, featuring moody, graceful portraits of the First Lady taken by Annie Leibovitz, including one where she stands next to female soldiers at Antonov Airport. Unlike her 2019 debut on the magazine’s cover, where she was styled in brands such as Prada, Lemaire and Jimmy Choo, this year’s feature sees her exclusively wear Ukrainian designers and a focus on the pain and trauma her country is currently experiencing. With Vogue’s historical connections to elitism, wealth and frivolity, the sombre tone and focus on the realities of war in Ms Zelenska’s latest feature has prompted backlash from some who have labelled it as tasteless. “While Ukraine is going through hell, Vogue is doing a photoshoot for the President & his wife,” columnist Amrita Bhinder wrote on <a href="https://twitter.com/amritabhinder/status/1552215355288088577" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Twitter</a>. US Republican <a href="https://twitter.com/MayraFlores2022/status/1552267933501489152" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mayra Flores</a>, a representative from Texas, was among a number of conservatives who jumped on the opportunity to attack the Biden administration for supporting Ukraine financially, insinuating it was funding vanity, as reported by <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/28/style/olena-zelenska-vogue.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a>. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> wartime vogue photo shoots. very serious. let’s keep sending ukraine weekly billion dollar aid packages to protect “democracy.” don’t question it. <a href="https://t.co/MXVaW16K0y">pic.twitter.com/MXVaW16K0y</a> — Logan Hall (@loganclarkhall) <a href="https://twitter.com/loganclarkhall/status/1552009719509925888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2022</a></blockquote> Others defended Ms Zelenska, arguing the photoshoot was a symbol for national pride and a means of raising awareness of the struggles facing Ukraine to audiences that might otherwise not be reached. Supporters included Lesia Vasylenko, a Ukrainian MP, who tweeted that Ms Zelenska’s interview with Vogue was “about duty, keeping sane and staying together”. “It’s about personal strength. It’s about what being Ukrainian is really like,” she continued. “It’s about what #Ukraine needs.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> The Zelensky <a href="https://twitter.com/voguemagazine?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@voguemagazine</a> interview is a true story of one family, of a couple who woke up in war 150 days ago. It’s about duty, keeping sane and staying together. It’s about personal strength. It’s about what being Ukrainian is really like. It’s about what <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraine</a> needs <a href="https://t.co/lr2rgx4UOd">pic.twitter.com/lr2rgx4UOd</a> — Lesia Vasylenko (@lesiavasylenko) <a href="https://twitter.com/lesiavasylenko/status/1552402194707746817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2022</a></blockquote> When asked about why she decided to appear on Vogue, Ms Zelenska told the <a href="https://twitter.com/LucyHockingsBBC/status/1552711694790557702" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a> it was about speaking to people directly. “Millions read Vogue, and to be able to speak to them direct, that was my duty,” she said. “I believe it is more important to do something and be criticised for it than to do nothing.” Image: British Vogue (Instagram)

Beauty & Style

Introducing the latest "Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter"

Celebrating a royal milestone, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall is thrilled to stand alongside the Queen and Prince Charles for this special occasion. Camilla has been formally invited into the oldest order of chivalry in the UK, the Order of the Garter. The royal milestone took place in a private ceremony in the Garter Throne Room in Windsor Castle. Going forward, the duchess will be formally acknowledged as a Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter. Reportedly, the duchess was "very pleased" to have the honour bestowed upon her and to celebrate the momentous occasion, Camilla, Charles and Her Majesty appeared in a royal portrait together. Camilla was wearing an ostrich plume hat while she and Charles were both donned in traditional velvet robes. The Queen, who continues to struggle with mobility issues, stood in the middle of the royal couple wearing her Sovereign of the Garter sash and could be seen holding a cane. The official portrait is both a celebration of Camilla's achievement as well as a signal of the future of the monarchy. It comes after the Queen's announcement earlier this year that it was her "sincere wish" that <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/family-pets/queen-consort-prince-charles-responds-to-her-majestys-announcement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Camilla will become Queen Consort</a> once Charles takes the throne. Meanwhile, the Duke of York, Prince Andrew was banned from appearing at the ceremony. The senior royals reportedly told Her Majesty they would "pull out" of the royal event if the disgraced prince was given a public role. They feared "backlash" and insisted the Queen change the plans. Andrew was told to stay out of sight "for his own good" following the tense family orders, however an unknown source close to the Duke insisted that it was his own "personal decision" not to appear in public. Image: Getty

Beauty & Style

The Queen moved to tears in emotional Jubilee moment

In an emotional display, Queen Elizabeth has been moved to tears at a Platinum Jubilee celebration. In the finale at Her Majesty's Official Platinum Jubilee Celebration A Gallop Through History, the Queen's granddaughter Lady Louise drove Prince Philip's carriage through the performance. The Queen, along with her companion for the night Sophie, the Countess of Wessex, were both seen wiping away tears at the heartwarming family display. Lady Louise shared her grandfather's love of carriage driving and following his death in 2021, he left her his carriage and two horses. Carriage driving was one of Prince Philip's favourite past-times, with the late royal often racing carriages near Norfolk and represented Britain at several world and European championships. At the age of 91 he had a carriage made to his specifications, using dark green materials, aluminium and steel. This is the beloved carriage he left to Lady Louise and that she drove during the celebration. Since her grandfather's death, Lady Louise has been seen driving the carriage in Windsor and participating in events including the British Indoor Carriage Driving Championships in April. The Commonwealth and the four nations of the United Kingdom were be celebrated, while there were military and equestrian displays from around the world including Azerbaijan, India, Oman, France, Norway, Switzerland, and Trinidad and Tobago. Over 500 horses and 1,000 performers took part in the event which will be broadcast on ITV in the UK and the Seven Network on May 20th in Australia. Image credits: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Adults only cruise coming to Australia and New Zealand

Sir Richard Branson’s award-winning cruise line is set to hit Australia and New Zealand’s shores in 2023. Resilient Lady hit the high seas in 2021 and is the newest ship in Virgin Voyages that is offering an “adults only” cruise. Aussies will be given the chance to sail the high seas from Athens to Sydney in a gorgeous 44-night trip. Included are also three itineraries: “Ancient Athens to Modern Dubai”, “Dubai Delights to Singapore Sights”, and “Singapore, Bali and Australia”. Resilient Lady will arrive at Station Pier in Port Melbourne, with sailors given the opportunity to experience the “exclusively adult voyages”. The journey will begin from Melbourne to Hobart and Burnie in Tasmania, along with Sydney. She’s also set her sights on New Zealand with itineraries that include ports of call in Picton, Napier, Tauranga, Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin. Passengers will be able to enjoy a delicious chef-driven culinary delicacy at six signature restaurants and food from more than 14 other eateries. They can also get involved in HIIT exercise sessions and bungee classes to fuel the day, or dance the time away with jaw-dropping festival-like entertainment. Spend the day around the pool to achieve that sun-kissed look, and lose those luxurious hours at the mermaid hideaway that is Redemption Spa. “Australia and New Zealand are without question the most beautiful countries in the world, and we knew that these destinations, paired with the Virgin Voyages experience, will make it the most incredible holiday for our Sailors,” Fellow Australian and Virgin Voyages’ President and Chief Experience Officer, Nirmal Saverimuttu said. “The Virgin brand is known and adored by Australians and New Zealanders, and we are committed to delivering a holiday experience you will love and memories that will last a lifetime.” Virgin Group Founder Sir Richard Branson described it as an exciting milestone for the brand. “Australia has a very special place in my heart, and we can’t wait for Australians and New Zealanders to meet our Resilient Lady and experience all that she has to offer in true Virgin style,” Sir Richard said. “For more than 50 years, Virgin companies have been innovating and making industries better for our customers. Virgin Voyages is very much charting its own path, offering a fresh perspective on cruise travel with all the elements of the Virgin experience that people love.” Resilient Lady will sail through Australia and New Zealand from December 11, 2023 - March 27, 2024. Images: Virgin Voyages

Cruising

Woman celebrates 100th birthday and becomes a Lady

A NSW woman has marked a major milestone - her 100th birthday - and received a Ladyship, all in one day. Lillian Peach celebrated her birthday at Arcare North Shore, an aged care facility in Sydney, with her family by her side. The team at Arcare hosted an outdoor high tea for Lillian and gave her an unforgettable present… a slice of pristine woodland in Aberdeenshire, Scotland! “I want to say a big thank you to Leia and the catering team for making Mum’s 100th birthday so special,” Lillian’s daughter, Sue Goldsworthy, said. “Mum and our family had the best day and the Arcare gift was very special; Lady Lillian was very thrilled.” Lady Lillian was gifted one square foot of land on a private estate in Ardallie through Established Titles, which came with a new title of Lady and a certificate confirming it. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/lady-lillian.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Lillian Peach pictured at 4AY (left) and on her wedding day (right). Images: Supplied Before she was Lady Lillian, the centenarian was a talented dressmaker who enjoyed designing and making bridal gowns. She also travelled around the country and the world and was heavily involved in charity work. She was the first person to be enrolled in Ayr State High School, in Queensland, and worked at the country radio station 4AY after her studies, which she remembers as “the best job in Ayr”. She shares six children with her husband, Thomas Peach, and has 13 grandchildren. Leia, the Lifestyle Coordinator at Arcare, said it was important to celebrate the birthdays of residents and bring people together. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/04/Lady-Lillian-Certificate-scaled.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1919" /> Lady Lillian Peach was given her Ladyship for her 100th birthday. Image: Supplied “We believe it is important to celebrate birthdays as they are special milestones in our residents’ lives and we enjoy seeing people come together to celebrate that,” she said. “I would like to wish Lady Lillian a Happy Birthday, we hope she enjoyed the birthday party and we look forward to celebrating with her again.” Image: Supplied

Caring

Queen suffers more heartbreaking news

Queen Elizabeth II has endured more heartbreak after the death of Lady Farnham four days after Christmas. The <a rel="noopener" href="https://honey.nine.com.au/royals/queen-elizabeth-lady-in-waiting-diana-maxwell-lady-farnham-dies-aged-90/45c3386a-2413-4046-9c5a-18c51a0d52db" target="_blank">news</a> of Lady Farnham’s death comes mere weeks after the death of the Dowager Duchess of Grafton, Queen Elizabeth II’s most senior ladies-in-waiting and one of her closest confidants. 90-year-old Diana Maxwell - who married the 12th Baron Farnham, Barry Maxwell - served as the Queen’s Lady of the Bedchamber since 1987. She joined the monarch on multiple royal tours and services, including the Queen’s 2011 tour of the Republic of Ireland. Lady Farnham also rode with the Queen on the way to her 2012 Diamond Jubilee service. “It is very sad news for the Queen,” a royal source told The Telegraph. “Everyone loved Lady Farnham, she was always so good humoured. She was also a very glamorous and attractive woman. She was always very generous to new people joining the household. “It has not been a good year for the Queen - losing her husband and then the Duchess of Grafton and now the Lady of Farnham,” the source continued. “They were dear friends who supported the Queen on official duties. Unfortunately a sad consequence of living a long life is that you have to say goodbye to a lot of people you care about.” <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7846567/queen-farnham1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fca846e98ecc4df69a21785f98e1fcf2" /> Lady Farnham accompanied Queen Elizabeth II at a service celebrating her Diamond Jubilee in 2012. Image: Getty Images Lady Farnham notably sat next to the Queen during her Diamond Jubilee celebrations when her late husband, Prince Philip, was unwell and unable to attend. Born as Diana Marion Gunnis, Lady Farnham married Barry Maxwell - an Irish banker who died in 2001 - in 1959 and shared two adopted children with him: Harriet, 57, and Sophia, 54. The couple also shared three granddaughters and one grandson. Her personal service to the monarch was recognised in 1998, when the Queen appointed her Commander, Royal Victorian Order. In 2010, she was appointed Dame Commander, Royal Victorian Order - an award made by the Queen to recognise services to the sovereign. Image: Getty Images

News

Hibbert’s flowers and Hitler’s beetle – what do we do when species are named after history’s monsters?

“What’s in a name?”, <a href="https://www.bartleby.com/70/3822.html">asked Juliet of Romeo</a>. “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” But, as with the Montagues and Capulets, names mean a lot, and can cause a great deal of heartache. My colleagues and I are <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-not-the-science-of-tax-and-five-other-things-you-should-know-about-taxonomy-78926">taxonomists</a>, which means we name living things. While we’ve never named a rose, we do discover and name new Australian species of plants and animals – and there are a lot of them! For each new species we discover, we create and publish a Latin scientific name, following a set of international rules and conventions. The name has two parts: the first part is the genus name (such as Eucalyptus), which describes the group of species to which the new species belongs, and the second part is a species name (such as globulus, thereby making the name Eucalyptus globulus) particular to the new species itself. New species are either added to an existing genus, or occasionally, if they’re sufficiently novel, are given their own new genus. Some scientific names are widely known – arguably none more so than our own, Homo sapiens. And gardeners or nature enthusiasts will be familiar with genus names such as Acacia, Callistemon or Banksia. This all sounds pretty uncontroversial. But as with Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, history and tradition sometimes present problems. <h2>What’s in a name?</h2> Take the genus <a href="http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/speciesfacts_display.cgi?form=speciesfacts&name=Hibbertia">Hibbertia</a>, the Australian guineaflowers. This is one of the largest genera of plants in Australia, and the one we study. There are many new and yet-unnamed species of Hibbertia, which means new species names are regularly added to this genus. Many scientific names are derived from a feature of the species or genus being named, such as Eucalyptus, from the Greek for “well-covered” (a reference to the operculum or bud-cap that covers unopened eucalypt flowers). Others <a href="https://theconversation.com/its-funny-to-name-species-after-celebrities-but-theres-a-serious-side-too-95513">honour significant people</a>, either living or dead. Hibbertia is named after a wealthy 19th-century English patron of botany, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Hibbert">George Hibbert</a>. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437440/original/file-20211214-15-1u4xyy3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" alt="George Hibbert by Thomas Lawrence" /> George Hibbert: big fan of flowers and slavery. <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_Hibbert_by_Thomas_Lawrence,_1811.JPG" class="source">Thomas Lawrence/Stephen C. Dickson/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" class="license">CC BY-SA</a> And here’s where things stop being straightforward, because Hibbert’s wealth came almost entirely from the transatlantic slave trade. He profited from taking slaves from Africa to the New World, selling some and using others on his family’s extensive plantations, then transporting slave-produced sugar and cotton back to England. Hibbert was also a prominent member of the British parliament and a <a href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/16791">staunch opponent of abolition</a>. He and his ilk argued that slavery was economically necessary for England, and even that slaves were better off on the plantations than in their homelands. Even at the time, his views were considered abhorrent by many critics. But despite this, he was handsomely recompensed for his “losses” when Britain finally abolished slavery in 1807. So, should Hibbert be honoured with the name of a genus of plants, to which new species are still being added today – effectively meaning he is honoured afresh with each new publication? We don’t believe so. Just like statues, buildings, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/was-first-governor-james-stirling-had-links-to-slavery-as-well-as-directing-a-massacre-should-he-be-honoured-162078">street or suburb names</a>, we think a reckoning is due for scientific species names that honour people who held views or acted in ways that are deeply dishonourable, highly problematic or truly egregious by modern standards. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437442/original/file-20211214-13-1yaho8u.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" alt="Anophthalmus hitleri" /> This beetle doesn’t deserve to be named after the most reviled figure of the 20th century. <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anophthalmus_hitleri_HabitusDors.jpg" class="source">Michael Munich/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" class="license">CC BY-SA</a> Just as Western Australia’s King Leopold Range <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-03/wa-king-leopold-ranges-renamed-wunaamin-miliwundi-ranges/12416254">was recently renamed</a> to remove the link to the atrocious <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_II_of_Belgium">Leopold II of Belgium</a>, we would like Hibbertia to bear a more appropriate and less troubling name. The same goes for the Great Barrier Reef coral <a href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/species/elegance-coral/">Catalaphyllia jardinei</a>, named after Frank Jardine, a brutal dispossessor of Aboriginal people in North Queensland. And, perhaps most astoundingly, the rare Slovenian cave beetle <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/773804">Anophthalmus hitleri</a>, which was named in 1933 in honour of Adolf Hitler. This name is unfortunate for several reasons: despite being a small, somewhat nondescript, blind beetle, in recent years it has been reportedly <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/fans-exterminate-hitler-beetle-6232054.html">pushed to the brink of extinction</a> by Nazi memorabilia enthusiasts. Specimens are even being stolen from museum collections for sale into this lucrative market. <h2>Aye, there’s the rub</h2> Unfortunately, the official rules don’t allow us to rename Hibbertia or any other species that has a troubling or inappropriate name. To solve this, we propose a change to the international rules for naming species. Our <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/tax.12620">proposal</a>, if adopted, would establish an international expert committee to decide what do about scientific names that honour inappropriate people or are based on culturally offensive words. An example of the latter is the <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/tax.12622">many names of plants</a> based on the Latin caffra, the origin of which is a word so offensive to Black Africans that its use is <a href="https://www.cfr.org/blog/k-word-south-africa-and-proposed-new-penalties-against-hate-speech">banned in South Africa</a>. Some may argue the scholarly naming of species should remain aloof from social change, and that Hibbert’s views on slavery are irrelevant to the classification of Australian flowers. We counter that, just like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Edward_Colston">toppling statues in Bristol Harbour</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/18/goodbye-cecil-rhodes-house-renamed-to-lose-link-to-british-empire-builder-in-africa">removing Cecil Rhodes’ name from public buildings</a>, renaming things is important and necessary if we are to right history’s wrongs. We believe that science, including taxonomy, must be socially responsible and responsive. Science is embedded in culture rather than housed in ivory towers, and scientists should work for the common good rather than blindly follow tradition. Deeply problematic names pervade science just as they pervade our streets, cities and landscapes. Hibbertia may be just a name, but we believe a different name for this lovely genus of Australian flowers would smell much sweeter. This article was co-authored by Tim Hammer, a postdoctoral research fellow at the State Herbarium of South Australia.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172602/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kevin-thiele-136882">Kevin Thiele</a>, Adjunct Assoc. Professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/hibberts-flowers-and-hitlers-beetle-what-do-we-do-when-species-are-named-after-historys-monsters-172602">original article</a>. Image: John Tann/Wikimedia Commons

Domestic Travel

Hibbert’s flowers and Hitler’s beetle – what do we do when species are named after history’s monsters?

“What’s in a name?”, <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bartleby.com/70/3822.html" target="_blank">asked Juliet of Romeo</a>. “That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” But, as with the Montagues and Capulets, names mean a lot, and can cause a great deal of heartache. My colleagues and I are <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/its-not-the-science-of-tax-and-five-other-things-you-should-know-about-taxonomy-78926" target="_blank">taxonomists</a>, which means we name living things. While we’ve never named a rose, we do discover and name new Australian species of plants and animals – and there are a lot of them! For each new species we discover, we create and publish a Latin scientific name, following a set of international rules and conventions. The name has two parts: the first part is the genus name (such as Eucalyptus), which describes the group of species to which the new species belongs, and the second part is a species name (such as globulus, thereby making the name Eucalyptus globulus) particular to the new species itself. New species are either added to an existing genus, or occasionally, if they’re sufficiently novel, are given their own new genus. Some scientific names are widely known – arguably none more so than our own, Homo sapiens. And gardeners or nature enthusiasts will be familiar with genus names such as Acacia, Callistemon or Banksia. This all sounds pretty uncontroversial. But as with Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, history and tradition sometimes present problems. What’s in a name? Take the genus <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.flora.sa.gov.au/cgi-bin/speciesfacts_display.cgi?form=speciesfacts&name=Hibbertia" target="_blank">Hibbertia</a>, the Australian guineaflowers. This is one of the largest genera of plants in Australia, and the one we study. There are many new and yet-unnamed species of Hibbertia, which means new species names are regularly added to this genus. Many scientific names are derived from a feature of the species or genus being named, such as Eucalyptus, from the Greek for “well-covered” (a reference to the operculum or bud-cap that covers unopened eucalypt flowers). Others <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/its-funny-to-name-species-after-celebrities-but-theres-a-serious-side-too-95513" target="_blank">honour significant people</a>, either living or dead. Hibbertia is named after a wealthy 19th-century English patron of botany, <a rel="noopener" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Hibbert" target="_blank">George Hibbert</a>. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437440/original/file-20211214-15-1u4xyy3.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" alt="George Hibbert by Thomas Lawrence" /> George Hibbert: big fan of flowers and slavery. <a rel="noopener" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:George_Hibbert_by_Thomas_Lawrence,_1811.JPG" target="_blank" class="source">Thomas Lawrence/Stephen C. Dickson/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a rel="noopener" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" class="license">CC BY-SA</a> And here’s where things stop being straightforward, because Hibbert’s wealth came almost entirely from the transatlantic slave trade. He profited from taking slaves from Africa to the New World, selling some and using others on his family’s extensive plantations, then transporting slave-produced sugar and cotton back to England. Hibbert was also a prominent member of the British parliament and a <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/person/view/16791" target="_blank">staunch opponent of abolition</a>. He and his ilk argued that slavery was economically necessary for England, and even that slaves were better off on the plantations than in their homelands. Even at the time, his views were considered abhorrent by many critics. But despite this, he was handsomely recompensed for his “losses” when Britain finally abolished slavery in 1807. So, should Hibbert be honoured with the name of a genus of plants, to which new species are still being added today – effectively meaning he is honoured afresh with each new publication? We don’t believe so. Just like statues, buildings, and <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/was-first-governor-james-stirling-had-links-to-slavery-as-well-as-directing-a-massacre-should-he-be-honoured-162078" target="_blank">street or suburb names</a>, we think a reckoning is due for scientific species names that honour people who held views or acted in ways that are deeply dishonourable, highly problematic or truly egregious by modern standards. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/437442/original/file-20211214-13-1yaho8u.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" alt="Anophthalmus hitleri" /> This beetle doesn’t deserve to be named after the most reviled figure of the 20th century. <a rel="noopener" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Anophthalmus_hitleri_HabitusDors.jpg" target="_blank" class="source">Michael Munich/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a rel="noopener" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" class="license">CC BY-SA</a> Just as Western Australia’s King Leopold Range <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-07-03/wa-king-leopold-ranges-renamed-wunaamin-miliwundi-ranges/12416254" target="_blank">was recently renamed</a> to remove the link to the atrocious <a rel="noopener" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_II_of_Belgium" target="_blank">Leopold II of Belgium</a>, we would like Hibbertia to bear a more appropriate and less troubling name. The same goes for the Great Barrier Reef coral <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.edgeofexistence.org/species/elegance-coral/" target="_blank">Catalaphyllia jardinei</a>, named after Frank Jardine, a brutal dispossessor of Aboriginal people in North Queensland. And, perhaps most astoundingly, the rare Slovenian cave beetle <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/773804" target="_blank">Anophthalmus hitleri</a>, which was named in 1933 in honour of Adolf Hitler. This name is unfortunate for several reasons: despite being a small, somewhat nondescript, blind beetle, in recent years it has been reportedly <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/fans-exterminate-hitler-beetle-6232054.html" target="_blank">pushed to the brink of extinction</a> by Nazi memorabilia enthusiasts. Specimens are even being stolen from museum collections for sale into this lucrative market. Aye, there’s the rub Unfortunately, the official rules don’t allow us to rename Hibbertia or any other species that has a troubling or inappropriate name. To solve this, we propose a change to the international rules for naming species. Our <a rel="noopener" href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/tax.12620" target="_blank">proposal</a>, if adopted, would establish an international expert committee to decide what do about scientific names that honour inappropriate people or are based on culturally offensive words. An example of the latter is the <a rel="noopener" href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/tax.12622" target="_blank">many names of plants</a> based on the Latin caffra, the origin of which is a word so offensive to Black Africans that its use is <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.cfr.org/blog/k-word-south-africa-and-proposed-new-penalties-against-hate-speech" target="_blank">banned in South Africa</a>. Some may argue the scholarly naming of species should remain aloof from social change, and that Hibbert’s views on slavery are irrelevant to the classification of Australian flowers. We counter that, just like <a rel="noopener" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Edward_Colston" target="_blank">toppling statues in Bristol Harbour</a> or <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/mar/18/goodbye-cecil-rhodes-house-renamed-to-lose-link-to-british-empire-builder-in-africa" target="_blank">removing Cecil Rhodes’ name from public buildings</a>, renaming things is important and necessary if we are to right history’s wrongs. We believe that science, including taxonomy, must be socially responsible and responsive. Science is embedded in culture rather than housed in ivory towers, and scientists should work for the common good rather than blindly follow tradition. Deeply problematic names pervade science just as they pervade our streets, cities and landscapes. Hibbertia may be just a name, but we believe a different name for this lovely genus of Australian flowers would smell much sweeter. This article was co-authored by Tim Hammer, a postdoctoral research fellow at the State Herbarium of South Australia.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/172602/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/kevin-thiele-136882" target="_blank">Kevin Thiele</a>, Adjunct Assoc. Professor, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067" target="_blank">The University of Western Australia</a> This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/hibberts-flowers-and-hitlers-beetle-what-do-we-do-when-species-are-named-after-historys-monsters-172602" target="_blank">original article</a>. Image: <a rel="noopener" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hibbertia_procumbens_(6691568261).jpg" target="_blank" class="source">John Tann/Wikimedia Commons</a>, <a rel="noopener" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/" target="_blank" class="license">CC BY-SA</a>

Home & Garden

Tony Bennett's emotional final show with Lady Gaga

Tony Bennett has taken to the stage of Radio City Music Hall in his emotional finale New York performances. Joined with special guest Lady Gaga, the 95-year-old celebrated his birthday by leaving his heart on the stage for his devoted audience. The show took place in August, six months after Tony and his family revealed he is suffering from Alzheimer's. Now, the rest of the world has a chance to experience the TV special, One Last Time: An Evening With Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga, which aired in the US on Sunday night. Tony Bennett sang all of his signature songs, including I Left My Heart in San Francisco, Fly Me to the Moon and Steppin' Out With My Baby, before signing a number of duets with Lady Gaga. Some of Tony's family members have admitted that since his diagnosis, he often doesn't know where he is or what is happening around him. But, on the stage in New York City, the legendary performer was in his element and didn't miss a beat. Lady Gaga belted out her own rendition of New York, New York before Tony took to the stage, as she teared up to introduce him. "He's my friend. He's my musical companion. And he's the greatest singer in the whole world. And I'm counting on you, New York, to make him smile. So you better cheer. You better yell. You better laugh. You better cry. You better give your soul," she said. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CW15vNishM8/?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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CW15vNishM8/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by CBS (@cbstv)</a> </div> </blockquote> Walking on stage, Tony was greeted with a standing ovation before singing a single note. Throughout the evening, the audience stood and applauded the legendary performer, as they sang along to all of his classic hits. Although Tony feels at home on the stage, his wife Susan told 60 Minutes they were unsure if the show was going to go ahead due to his health. But Susan said that once she saw him onstage that night, she knew everything would be just fine. "He became himself. He just turned on. It was like a light switch," she told 60 Minutes in a segment that aired last month. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CW2EbJyMPeU/?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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CW2EbJyMPeU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Lady Gaga (@ladygaga)</a> </div> </blockquote> According to Bennett's neurologist Dr Gayatri Devi, this is because music and performing are so ingrained in Tony's mind. "People respond differently based on their strengths. In Tony's case, it's his musical memory his ability to be a performer. Those are an innate and hardwired part of his brain," Devi said on 60 Minutes. "So even though he doesn't know what the day might be, or where his apartment is, he still can sing the whole repertoire of the American Songbook and move people." Image credits: Getty Images

Music

Tony Bennett sets a new Guinness World Record

Grammy Award-winning singer Tony Bennett has set a new <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2021/10/legendary-tony-bennett-officially-the-oldest-person-to-release-an-album-of-new-ma-678310" target="_blank">Guinness World Record</a>. The music legend has released a collaboration with Lady Gaga titled Love for Sale, making Bennett the oldest person to release an album of new material. When the project was released on October 1st, Tony Bennett was 95 years and 60 days old. Despite their 60-year age gap, Lady Gaga said she finds inspiration performing alongside the senior crooner. "I see a young boy every time I sing with him, and it just makes the experience of singing so freeing." "To have it be about two souls singing together ... and then at the same time, I also take in all his wisdom. The wisdom of all his years." <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUsr56LPOFf/?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> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUsr56LPOFf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Lady Gaga (@ladygaga)</a> </div> </blockquote> The new album celebrates the legendary music of Cole Porter, bringing Bennett and Gaga together for another collaboration. In 2011, they recorded the song The Lady is a Tramp, and three years later they released a collaborative album entitled Cheek to Cheek. Tony Bennett's latest world record is not the first time the singer has appeared in the Guinness books. Throughout his 70-year career, he holds four other records: <ul> <li>Oldest person to reach No.1 on the US album chart with a newly recorded album for Cheek to Cheek.</li> <li>Longest time between UK top 20 albums: 39 years.</li> <li>Oldest person to enter the UK top 20 album chart with Duets: An American Classic when he was 80.</li> <li>Longest time between the release of an original recording and a re-recording of the same single by the same artist.</li> </ul> Image credits: Getty Images

Music

“He doesn’t know he has it”: Susan Benedetto on Tony Bennett’s diagnosis

Susan Benedetto, Tony Bennett’s wife, has revealed that the musical icon “doesn’t know” he has Alzheimer’s disease. The 95-year-old singer appeared on the US 60 Minutes with Benedetto and interviewer Anderson Cooper, as the show followed his final on-stage appearance with Lady Gaga in August. “He recognises me, thank goodness, his children, you know we are blessed in a lot of ways,” Benedetto <a rel="noopener" href="https://celebrity.nine.com.au/latest/tony-bennett-alzheimers-disease-not-aware-wife-susan-benedetto-60-minutes-interview/8379c29a-a893-43ed-9fe9-13d4a8ec908f" target="_blank">told Cooper</a>. “He’s very sweet.” Referring to his Alzheimer’s, Benedetto said, “He doesn’t know he has it.” Bennett’s family revealed in February that he had been living with the disease. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.0304449648712px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844677/despite-his-alzheimers-tony-bennett-prepares-to-perform-with-lady-gaga-1-37-screenshot.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/d41867ee644a4ca2b31bbbe1f6f317bd" /> Image: 60 Minutes / YouTube Benedetto previously said Bennett was unable to understand what the disease is. “He would ask me, ‘What is Alzheimer’s?’ I would explain, but he wouldn’t get it,” she told AARP Magazine earlier this year. “He’d tell me, ‘Susan, I feel fine’. That’s all he could process - that physically he felt great. So, nothing changed in his life. Anything that did change, he wasn’t aware of.” Bennett was first diagnosed in 2017, after he became concerned with his memory a year earlier. “We came home one night and he said, ‘Susan,’ he said, ‘I’m having a hard time remembering the names of the musicians [who he works with]’,” Benedetto said. “And so it was unusual and I said, ‘Well do you wanna go see a doctor about it?’ and he said, ‘I do’.” <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Tune in to <a href="https://twitter.com/60Minutes?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@60Minutes</a> tonight at 7pm ET/PT on CBS for my conversation with <a href="https://twitter.com/andersoncooper?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@andersoncooper</a> about Love For Sale and my dear friend <a href="https://twitter.com/itstonybennett?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@itstonybennett</a>. ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/UQDfYbThDy">pic.twitter.com/UQDfYbThDy</a> — Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) <a href="https://twitter.com/ladygaga/status/1444770602024267779?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 3, 2021</a></blockquote> When Cooper asked Lady Gaga if she thought Bennett’s last performance was “a sad story”, she shared her thoughts on working with the icon. “It’s not a sad story,” she said. “It’s emotional. It’s hard to watch somebody change. I think what’s been beautiful about this, and what’s been challenging, is to see how it affects him in some ways, but to see how it doesn’t affect his talent. “I think he really pushed through something to give the world the gift of knowing that things can change and you can still be magnificent.” Gaga and Bennett performed at two sold-out concerts in celebration of his 95th birthday and their second and final album together, Love for Sale. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Tony, this is the last album we will have created together, but the celebration of jazz, and us as musical companions, will live on with me forever. We offer the public “Love For Sale” for free love, to make them smile, because that’s what we’re here for. ❤️ Love, LG <a href="https://t.co/VP6QifdrHA">pic.twitter.com/VP6QifdrHA</a> — Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) <a href="https://twitter.com/ladygaga/status/1438714751165480961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2021</a></blockquote> When asked about the recording process, Gaga told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2021/10/04/lady-gaga-talks-tony-bennett-alzheimers-love-for-sale/5979884001/" target="_blank">USA Today</a> it was “hard” to talk about, but “it’s important during times like this to be authentic and share the pain of the realities of what it’s like to have a loved one have Alzheimer’s or dementia”. “I really extend my heart to people going through a similar situation.” See an excerpt of Bennett, Benedetto and Gaga’s appearance on 60 Minutes here. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/yNrvXw9juNs" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> Image: @itstonybennett / Instagram

Mind

Everything we know about the new Lady Di film Spencer

Fans of The Crown rejoice: a new Diana-centric film is set to hit our screens. Spencer, named of course for the late Princess of Wales’ maiden name, focuses on just three days of her life and what might have happened following her decision to leave the royal family and end her marriage to Prince Charles. The film will be directed by Pablo Larraín, known for directing the biopic Jackie. Here’s everything we know so far. Kristen Stewart to take on Lady Diana The American actress, made famous for her starring role in The Twilight Saga, is set to play the iconic royal. <img style="width: 480px; height: 410px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843885/spencer-02-1616976520.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2c54969f183b4b24ba5720ac4915b954" /> Image: NEON Speaking with InStyle last year, Stewart shared her enthusiasm about the role. “I haven’t been this excited about playing a part, by the way, in so long,” she said. But, she did face some challenges playing the British royal. “The accent is intimidating as all hell because people know that voice, and it’s so, so distinct and particular,” Stewart said. “I’m working on it now and already have my dialect coach.” The actress also did her research on the late princess in order to do her justice. “It’s one of the saddest stories to exist ever, and I don’t want to just play Diana - I want to know her implicitly,” she said. “To be honest, I’ve now consumed pretty much all there is to consume in terms of videos and interviews. I’ve watched everything that you could hear or see. In an interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at the end of 2020, Stewart shared another important detail about the film: Diana’s hair. “She has very architectural hair,” Stewart explained, “so we’re going to build it … I don’t think I can do it solely with my own hair.” There have already been some theories circulating about the movie involving the recently-released poster for the film. Stewart, dressed as Diana in an embroidered gown, is seen curled up and appearing to cry, with her face hidden from the camera. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843884/spencer-diana.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/bfd78c9087ee472ab8047101d6fa443f" /> Some theorise that the look is taken from the dress Diana wore to the German Embassy. Image: NEON (left), Getty Images (right). Some Twitter users believe the dress is inspired by the gold and white gown the princess wore to the German Embassy in London in 1986, with some noted similarities between the two. Poldark star Jack Farthing to play Prince Charles Best known for his role as George Warleggan in the BBC series Poldark, the British actor will be starring alongside Stewart as the Prince of Wales. The pair will be joined by a slew of acclaimed actors, including Sean Harris (The Borgias), Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water), and Timothy Spall (The King’s Speech). Release date The movie has finished production, and has already premiered at the Venice Film Festival and received raving reviews from critics. As for the general public, Spencer is expected to arrive in theatres in November 2021, according to <a rel="noopener" href="https://variety.com/2021/film/global/kristen-stewart-princess-diana-spencer-venice-film-festival-1235017419/" target="_blank">Variety</a>. See the full trailer below. <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MUnsoxe7K4g" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen=""></iframe> The plot centres around three days Taking place at the royal family’s Sandringham Estate, where they usually spend the holidays, Spencer details Diana’s realisation that her marriage to Charles has fallen apart and her reevaluation of her life. Speaking to Jimmy Kimmel, Stewart said, “[Spencer] takes place over three days, and it’s this really poetic, internal imagining of what that might have felt like, rather than giving information. In an interview with Deadline, Larraín said the story would focus on Diana’s self-discovery. “ We decided to get into a story about identity, and around how a woman decides somehow, not to be the queen. She’s a woman who, in the journey of the movie, decides and realises that she wants to be the woman she was before she met Charles,” Larraín said. “The key is how she discovers during the process of the movie that what she really needs to do is be who she wants to be. “And by that, it doesn’t mean she needs to be next to anyone, to be part of anything, but herself and her own children.” Image: NEON

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Tony Bennett's emotional final show with Lady Gaga

Tony Bennett sets a new Guinness World Record

“He doesn’t know he has it”: Susan Benedetto on Tony Bennett’s diagnosis

Everything we know about the new Lady Di film Spencer