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Halle Berry's priceless response to troll over naked balcony pic

<p>If you’ve got it, flaunt it. And if you’re Halle Berry, do it while sipping wine and basking in the sunshine, rising above a troll or two along the way. </p> <p>And that’s the exact approach the Academy Award winning actress has taken with her latest social media share, to the delight - and amusement - of fans all over. </p> <p>In a picture posted to Halle’s various online accounts, the 56-year-old can be seen standing nude on a balcony with a wine glass in hand, glowing in the light from above. </p> <p>Some strategic limb placement and shadow work keep the snap well within posting guidelines, though that likely wouldn’t have kept the actress from sharing her peaceful moment, with her caption reading “I do what I wanna do.” </p> <p>Comments flooded in for the <em>Catwoman</em> star, and while some were far more appropriate than others, the general consensus was that Halle should absolutely continue to do exactly what she wanted, with the heartfelt support of her fans behind her, and many applauding her bold statement. </p> <p>“Well behaved women never made history,” wrote author and wellness expert Maria Emmerich. </p> <p>“The blueprint,” declared American rapper Saweetie. </p> <p>“YES!!!!” gushed singer Kelly Rowland.</p> <p>“I’m 61. If I looked like her, I would be way worse!” said one fan. “She looks gorgeous.”</p> <p>“I just wanted to see the sunrise but this is 1000% better!” another chimed. </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/Cqyh2CYrZq6/?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/Cqyh2CYrZq6/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Halle Berry (@halleberry)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>However, despite the celebration from the majority, there were still those who saw fit to spew their cruelty, with some going so far as to blame Halle’s joy in her body for any hardships in her relationships. Halle silenced them soon enough though, confirming with one fan that it had actually been her own boyfriend - singer Van Hunt - who took the picture. </p> <p>And when someone took issue with Halle daring to bare all in her 50s, the star once again took the high road (to the balcony), drawing attention to the sheer absurdity of the original comment with her unique - and entirely unforgettable - comeback.</p> <p>“Imagine being in your 50s still posting nudes for attention in menopause when you should be chilling with your grandkids,” wrote Halle’s hater, “ageing with dignity is no longer a thing.” </p> <p>And Halle, in a move that gave the ageist comment none of the attention it was craving, merely asked of her followers, “did you guys know the heart of a shrimp is located in its head?” </p> <p>The comment was never going to sit well with the actress, who has been open about her thoughts on ageing in Hollywood - and life in general - in the past, even telling <em>AARP</em> in 2022 that “we’re all going to get older. Our skin is going to shrivel up and we’re going to look different. I see things changing with my face and body, but I’ve never put all my eggs in that basket. I’ve always known that beauty is deeper than the physical body you’re walking around in.”</p> <p>“I refuse to become someone who just tries to hold on to a youthful face and not embrace what’s most important about being beautiful - how you live your life, how you give back to others, how you connect to people, how you strengthen your mind, body, and soul and nourish yourself, how you give in a meaningful way of yourself. The most beautiful people have something radiating inside.</p> <p>“Women are told that when we reach a certain number, we’re no longer valuable. I believe the opposite. Society should look at us as jewels as we get older.</p> <p>“Because the older women get, the more formidable we are.”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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"Back to the kitchen": Granny Guns flexes down at online trolls

<p>A body-builder granny has hit back at trolls after showcasing her killer biceps online.</p> <p>The TikTok star, 62, shows herself pumping iron, and doing various workouts on her account, with nasty individuals leaving comments saying she belongs in the kitchen.</p> <p>The 62-year-old enjoys making TikTok fitness videos, and she’s proved to be extremely successful online, having just shy of 800,000 followers.</p> <p>In one video, the granny is pumping iron at the gym.</p> <p>The video then cuts to her dancing around with a tray of homemade cookies, which she says is how she acts “any other time”.</p> <p>However, trolls online labelled her as just a woman made for the kitchen, and that’s when the biceps came out.</p> <div><iframe title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7208386374041423146&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%4065_strong%2Fvideo%2F7208386374041423146%3Flang%3Den&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp16-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Fobj%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2F632c57901f47459e97728aea3dbe7729_1678333249%3Fx-expires%3D1678683600%26x-signature%3DQUziUnUI1Gk%252FIjO45MfLA8OhWNk%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p> </p> <p>The granny made a video where she threw shade at a few hate comments such as “women are weak” or “back to the kitchen”.</p> <p>The video then cuts to her friends lifting weights in a show of strength.</p> <p>The gym granny was showing off a tough move at the bicep curl machine.</p> <p>As she pulled the bar to her chest, her biceps flexed to reveal some serious muscle.</p> <p>She captioned her TikTok, “For all my fellow female fitness lovers”.</p> <p>Fellow users flocked to the comments to show their support.</p> <p>“I have a crush on everyone,” one user said.</p> <p>Another exclaimed: “I love this! And all the amazing women in this video!”</p> <p>“I love you grandma”, a third gushed.</p> <p>To which the granny replied, “Love you back”.</p> <p><em>Image credit: TikTok</em></p>

Body

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“I didn’t come to play”: Bruce Willis’ wife smacks down trolls

<p>Emma Heming Willis has been forced to shut down the heartless trolls targeting her in the wake of husband Bruce Willis’ dementia diagnosis. </p> <p>In a video posted to social media, the 44-year-old model throws away claims that she’s been using Bruce for her “five minutes” of fame, and instead declares that she will turn them “into 10 because I'm always going to advocate for my husband.”</p> <p>Emma - who has spoken openly about her support for Bruce - once again stressed that she would be using this opportunity to raise awareness, before she was “going to turn my grief, and my anger, and my sadness, and do something good, around something that feels less than.”</p> <p>“So, watch this space,” she said, “because I didn’t come to play.”</p> <p>Emma’s message comes barely three days after she <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/any-tips-bruce-willis-wife-posts-heartfelt-plea" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reached out to followers</a>, “caregivers, or dementia care specialists navigating this world” alike, seeking advice on how to help “get your loved ones out in the world safely”.</p> <p>“If you are someone who is looking after someone who has dementia,” she said in the clip, “you know how difficult and how stressful it can be, just to get them out into the world and navigate them safely - even just to get a cup of coffee.”</p> <p>And while the response to her post was overwhelmingly positive, the cruel few determined to make things worse for everyone just had to say their piece, and to prompt Emma’s fight back. </p> <p>They were nowhere to be seen in her latest post - possibly hiding with their tails tucked between their legs - and instead, she was once more met with an outpouring of support. </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/Cpf2KBOOVc7/?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/Cpf2KBOOVc7/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Emma Heming Willis (@emmahemingwillis)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“HELL YES!” wrote Bruce’s eldest daughter, Rumer. “I am so so proud of you!”</p> <p>“As a Registered Nurse, I appreciate you being a patient advocate for your husband,” said another, before requesting Emma do the exact opposite of what the internet trolls craved, “please don’t stop, we need people like you in the medical community!!! Hang in there. You are doing beautiful.”</p> <p>One now-supporter, who admitted that her previous perception of Emma had been negative and generated by the paparazzi, said, “Good for you … so sorry for what you and your family are going through. You truly are a woman of substance and power. I will be listening and learning.”</p> <p>“You go girl! There is an army of people behind you,” urged another. </p> <p>“Having to deal with your husband’s illness is bad enough but also having to deal with rude and intrusive press is unimaginable,” one said. “Keep shouting, keep protecting. He deserves the best life imaginable!!”</p> <p>“Emma, how sad is it when people don't get it,” another wrote, “this is such a problem in our society today...the lack of empathy. Why would people choose to believe that this is something you are doing for attention? Your family is going through hell - their foundation rocked, but it's a ploy??? Advocating for and protecting your family is what mama bears do!!!”</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Caring

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Hugh Grant trolls outgoing PM Boris Johnson

<p dir="ltr">Actor Hugh Grant has engaged in some hilarious antics against outgoing British Prime Minister Boris Johnson amid calls for the leader to quit.</p> <p dir="ltr">After several days defying calls for his resignation from Conservative MPs and mass resignations from his cabinet, Mr Johnson finally announced he would resign late on Thursday (Australian time).</p> <p dir="ltr">But, the announcement came with the sounds of <em>Yakety Sax</em> playing in the background - per a request from Grant.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-5fa9ef9d-7fff-14c1-c7fc-4f22cc7c8cf6">The<em> Love Actually</em> star requested activists standing outside Westminster to play the famed <em>Benny Hill Show</em> theme song, which activist and anti-Brexit campaigner Steve Bray honoured at full volume.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Morning <a href="https://twitter.com/snb19692?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@snb19692</a> Glad you have your speakers back. Do you by any chance have the Benny Hill music to hand?</p> <p>— Hugh Grant (@HackedOffHugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/HackedOffHugh/status/1544953409845043201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Morning [Mr Bray],” Grant tweeted on Thursday afternoon.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Glad you have your speakers back. Do you by any chance have the <em>Benny Hill</em> music to hand?”</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Bray was all too happy to play the tune, sharing footage of protestors dancing to the wacky tune on the College Green.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-02960a36-7fff-83c2-cb7d-de92ee69ab9d">“Just for [Hugh Grant] as requested here today at the media circus… College Green. The<em> Benny Hill </em>theme tune,” Mr Bray tweeted.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Just for <a href="https://twitter.com/HackedOffHugh?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HackedOffHugh</a> as requested here today at the media circus… College Green. The Benny Hill theme tune. <a href="https://t.co/Tazb57gT8e">pic.twitter.com/Tazb57gT8e</a></p> <p>— Steve Bray Activist Against Brexit +Corrupt Tories (@snb19692) <a href="https://twitter.com/snb19692/status/1544998211630383104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The music could even be heard in the background of news broadcasts which aired interviews with MPs, including supporters of Mr Johnson, also held in Parliament Square.</p> <p dir="ltr">Footage of the interviews quickly spread on social media, with many praising Grant and the activists.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Brilliant! Whoever is responsible for the choice of music &amp; the impeccable timing should be given an MBE!!!” one person commented.</p> <p dir="ltr">“You absolute beauties. He’s only gone and done it!” a second fan wrote.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-b3645abc-7fff-ab41-bca7-43924f381034"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“Don’t know about you, but I’m pretty damn excited with Boris Johnson’s replacement as the new PM,” another said, sharing a photo of Grant in his role as the British PM in <em>Love Actually</em>.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Hugh Grant tweeted a request at activists protesting outside Westminster to play the Benny Hill theme on their loudspeakers; when they did it became the soundtrack for street interviews with leading Tories trying explain the situation to the British people <a href="https://t.co/V1LxUoxRUE">pic.twitter.com/V1LxUoxRUE</a></p> <p>— Aaron Fritschner (@Fritschner) <a href="https://twitter.com/Fritschner/status/1545077380527673344?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“Your request was Grant’ed Hugh!” another joked. “Bravo Steve! Bravo!”</p> <p dir="ltr">Although Mr Johnson has announced his resignation, he wants to stay until his replacement is chosen.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Today I have appointed a cabinet to serve, as I will, until a new leader is in place,” he said in his speech outside Downing Street.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I know that there will be many people who are relieved and perhaps quite a few who will also be disappointed. And I want you to know how sad I am to be giving up the best job in the world. But them’s the breaks.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-e0904715-7fff-c9a1-0c72-f82ec641e619"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Getty Images</em></p>

Legal

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"Traumatised" shark attack witnesses condemned online

<p>Witnesses to Sydney's deadly shark attack on Wednesday have come under fire online for how they responded to the tragedy unfolding before them. </p> <p>Footage taken by a beachgoer of the attack has circulated on social media, sparking a furious response to both its grisly content and how witnesses reacted. </p> <p>Bond University Associate Professor of Environmental Science Dr Daryl McPhee, who specialises in the study of human-shark interactions, says this condemnation has to end. </p> <p>“Scapegoating of the witnesses who were at the scene must stop. They themselves are traumatised by what they have seen."</p> <p>Initial reactions from those on the shore seemed show a lack of remorse as the tragedy unfolded, but Dr McPhee said this emotionless response is common when in a state of shock. </p> <p>Dr McPhee also stressed that the victim and their loved ones should be considered in the conversation. </p> <p>“The victim’s family and friends should be foremost in our minds,” he said. </p> <p>“We need to let the authorities get on with their investigations."</p> <p>“I’d also urge news and social media outlets to take down videos of the attack and its immediate aftermath.”</p> <p>Following the deadly attack on Wednesday, NSW Ambulance inspector Lucky Phrachnanh said the swimmer “suffered catastrophic injuries and there was nothing paramedics could do”.</p> <p>Human remains and half of a wetsuit were later found in the water.</p> <p>Popular beaches in the area have closed since the attack, with Agriculture Minister Dugald Saunders ensuring that  Primary Industries would work with other authorities to determine if the killer shark - or any others - remained in the vicinity.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Caring

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"Rot in hell": Charlise Mutten's alleged killer attacked online

<p>A Facebook post from 2020 announcing the engagement of Charlise Mutten's alleged killer, Justin Stein, and her mother, <span>Kallista Mutten, has been inundated with death threats and violent messages. </span><span></span></p> <p><span>After a five-day </span>search for nine-year-old Charlise, NSW Police confirmed the worst when her body was found in a barrel in bushland near the Blue Mountains where she went missing.</p> <p>Shortly after her body was found, Justin Stein was arrested for murder, but major questions still linger about the case.</p> <p>Police have been unable to interview Charlise's mother Kallista, who remains under medical supervision and remains "difficult to approach", according to police.</p> <p>As news of Justin Stein's arrest broke, a Facebook post from December 2020 sharing news of Justin and Kallista's engagement has been flooded with hateful messages, with many telling the 31-year-old man to "rot in hell".</p> <p>The post has attracted over 2,000 comments with people sending death threats and photos of nooses, all while seeking vengeance for the slain nine-year-old girl.</p> <p>One person wrote, <span>“I hope you only know pure hell for the rest of your days!”, while another said, “Monster! Hope you rot in jail.”</span></p> <p><span>Others shared their sadness and </span>disbelief over Charlise's death, with one person saying, <span>“What a broken world! That poor precious girl deserved so much better in this world! Rest easy little one, no one will ever hurt you again.”</span></p> <p>A milestone post announcing the couple's new relationship, which began just one month before their engagement, has attracted a slew of similar comments.</p> <p>Charlise usually lives with her grandmother in the Queensland town of Coolangatta, but was spending time with her mother and step-father over the school holidays.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

News

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"Utter disgrace": Online trolls target Cleo Smith's parents

<p><span>As the search for Cleo Smith exceeds its second week</span>, her distraught parents have been the target of online trolls. </p> <p>According to Western Australia Police, Cleo's mum Ellie Smith and stepdad Jake Gliddon have been "nothing but helpful" during the investigation, and have been ruled out as suspects. </p> <p>Despite a public statement from police saying they believe Cleo's parents are innocent, vile accusations have been sent to the family online. </p> <p>The majority of comments left on Ellie's page have been filled with hope and support for Cleo to be found. </p> <p>However, Jake's Facebook has become a stomping ground for sick trolls to voice their accusations against the couple. </p> <p>Other users have been reporting the comments, but many of them have stayed on the page and are now days old. </p> <p>Commenters have accused them of withholding information from the police, while others have said the couple should be subject to a polygraph test to "clear your names".</p> <p>Shockingly, one person suggested the couple did not look sad enough during media appearances, which is the same criticism Lindy Chamberlain received during the media search for Azaria.</p> <p>Other comments including the sickening suggestion that Ellie and Jake may have intentionally harmed Cleo. </p> <p><span>A family friend, who did not wish to be named, branded the comments an “utter disgrace”.</span></p> <p><span>“Most of the Facebook comments are being made by parents themselves and I think that’s disgusting,” he told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/cleo-smith/cleo-smith-search-parents-ellie-smith-and-jake-gliddon-target-of-sickening-online-trolls-ng-b882056362z" target="_blank">Perth Now</a>. </span></p> <p>“Just imagine if it happened to them and they had to read all these horrible comments during undoubtedly the hardest time of their lives."</p> <p>“The police have cleared Jake and Ellie from being suspects. I have known them for years and I can tell you they are the best people I know and my heart aches for them.”</p> <p>He went on to say the trolls who are just "sitting behind their keyboards" should stop the negative and hurtful comments, adding there was "no right way to act when your child is stolen from you".</p> <p><em>Image credit: 7News</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Trolls really are just angry souls

<p><span style="font-size: 14px;">Words don’t come easy. But anger does. Research suggests it’s not the anonymity of the internet that excites hostility. Instead, being obnoxious is usually already well and truly entrenched in an online troll.</span></p> <div class="copy"> <p>A <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/abs/psychology-of-online-political-hostility-a-comprehensive-crossnational-test-of-the-mismatch-hypothesis/C721597EEB77CC8F494710ED631916E4" target="_blank">study</a> published last weekend by the journal <em>American Political Science Review</em> aimed to pin down differences in online and offline behaviour, based on surveys of more than 8000 US and Danish subjects.</p> <p>Common excuses for social-media and chat-room angst include a loss of empathy through the lack of body-language feedback, the minimal context conveyed by raw text, and reduced inhibitions through responding from a safe, familiar place.</p> <p>“There are many psychological reasons why we might have a harder time controlling our temper online,” says lead author Alexander Bor. “In the end, personality differences turn out to be a much stronger driver of online hostility.”</p> <p>Put simply, the study’s statistics suggest online trolls are already trolls long before they get behind a keyboard. They turn out to be just as hostile in face-to-face debates.</p> <p>And that has implications for troll slayers.</p> <p>“We cannot remove online hate through education because it is not born out of ignorance,” says the Danish postdoc student. “Hostile people know that their words hurt, and that is why they use them.”</p> <p>But Macquarie University Department of Indigenous Studies professor Bronwyn Carlson says online trolls aren’t that two dimensional, though personality does play a key role.</p> <p>“It is not as simple as some people are more aggressive or assertive and others are not,” she says.</p> <p>For example, racists can express their views through aggressive online trolling, but they also can “remain friendly while they continue making racist comments or ‘help’ us see the ‘great things’ Western civilisation has done for us”.</p> <p>“It is not always the case that they remain anonymous, either – some, and indeed many, are happy to have it known who they are, and they stand by their views.”</p> <p>Flinders University digital technology security and governance researcher Dr Zac Rogers says the study reinforces the danger posed by amplified trollish voices, and how such “useful idiots” can be exploited.</p> <p>“Anger drives responses,” he says. “That means more clicks. That means more revenue. Social media and search algorithms have long since discovered this and actively promote it.”</p> <p>Feeding trolls is big business. And angry trolls make useful political and marketing tools.</p> <p>Anger draws the attention of profit-seeking algorithms, Dr Rogers says. So the more intense a gathering of trolls, the further their voice – and message – gets propelled.</p> <p>“But we need to be wary of any suggestions social media is only holding a mirror up to society,” he says. “The internet serves as an automated filter and funnel. It is an amplification mechanism that is highly distorting of the thing it reflects.”</p> <p>Bor agrees. “To end online hate, we need to decrease the visibility and reach of those who are hateful. The alternative is that many people will be deterred from participating in online discussions. This is a democratic problem, given that social media play a larger and larger role in political processes.”</p> <!-- Start of tracking content syndication. Please do not remove this section as it allows us to keep track of republished articles --> <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=163543&amp;title=Trolls+really+are+just+angry+souls" alt="" width="1" height="1" /> <!-- End of tracking content syndication --></div> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/trolls-really-are-just-angry-souls/" target="_blank">This article</a> was originally published on <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a rel="noopener" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/jamie-seidel" target="_blank">Jamie Seidel</a>. Jamie Seidel is a freelance journalist based in Adelaide.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> </div>

Mind

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Greta Thunberg’s timely trolling of Trump ignites the internet

<p>If you cast your mind back to December 2019, you might remember Donald Trump tweeting about Greta Thunberg’s “anger problem”.</p> <p>Well now, the teen climate activist has waited 11 months to get back at the president.</p> <p>After Trump falsely claimed victory before the results of the presidential election were released, he is now threatening legal action claiming there has been fraudulent activity occurring.</p> <p>Early Friday morning, Thunberg, 17, retweeted the former businessman's demand to "STOP THE COUNT", offering him some very familiar words of advice.</p> <p>"So ridiculous. Donald must work on his Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend!" the Nobel Peace Prize nominee wrote.</p> <p>"Chill Donald, Chill!"</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">So ridiculous. Donald must work on his Anger Management problem, then go to a good old fashioned movie with a friend! Chill Donald, Chill! <a href="https://t.co/4RNVBqRYBA">https://t.co/4RNVBqRYBA</a></p> — Greta Thunberg (@GretaThunberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/GretaThunberg/status/1324439705522524162?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 5, 2020</a></blockquote> <p>Last year, Trump tweeted those exact words when Greta was named TIME magazine’s Person of the Year for 2019.</p> <p>At the time, he was criticised for mocking a 16-year-old girl and her accomplishments.</p> <p>But the best response came from Greta herself, who changed her Twitter bio to let the world know she had taken on Trump’s advice.</p> <p>"A teenager working on her anger management problem. Currently chilling and watching a good old fashioned movie with a friend," her updated profile read.</p> <p>When the election polls opened earlier this week, Thunberg urged her American followers to use their vote wisely.</p> <p>"Today, many of you will have the opportunity to make a choice. Your vote will affect billions of people around the world," she wrote on her social media accounts.</p> <p>"Your vote will affect countless of generations to come. Use it. Use it well. Every election is a climate election."</p>

News

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“Ugly and repulsive”: Acid attack survivor slams troll after undergoing 400th operation

<p>British TV personality and model Katie Piper has shared the vicious taunt she received from a troll on Instagram, calling out the cruel nature of the comments.</p> <p>The 37-year-old has been the subject of vicious trolling since suffering a horrific acid attack in 2008.</p> <p>The mum was assaulted by an ex-boyfriend while walking in the street in London, and has since undergone almost 400 surgeries to correct the damage that resulted from the attack.</p> <p>Sharing a screenshot of the message she received on her Instagram, the troll wrote: "You're the most repulsive and ugliest thing I've ever seen why even bother with make-up."</p> <p>In response, the TV presenter noted "more work needs to be done" to combat online harassment.</p> <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CFeJjjvj3lt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CFeJjjvj3lt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Morning 🌻🌼 Amongst all this uncertainty the sun and being able to take walks has provided some consistency and peace. What’s providing you with a little escapism and clarity at the moment? Big or small My dress is @ted_baker</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/katiepiper_/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> K A T I E P I P E R</a> (@katiepiper_) on Sep 23, 2020 at 12:43am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"I've posted this message from my inbox to show you all the work and conversations around diversity and inclusion, the everyday reality for anyone who is in the minority category," she wrote.</p> <p>"The everyday existence is very different to the positivity campaigns. More work needs to be done."</p> <p>A week before, Piper shared a health update after having an operation on her right eye.</p> <p>The TV personality was left blind in her left eye following the March, 2008 attack.</p> <p>A representative for Piper told the Mail Online she was "being as brave as ever" in the lead up to the procedure and "remains positive about the future."</p> <p>"The operation was a skin graft to her upper eyelid using skin from her left arm. She is currently resting to minimise the threat of infection and to ensure a quick recovery. Katie thanks everyone for their care and warm wishes," they added.</p> <p>Piper sustained the injuries from her ex-boyfriend Daniel Lynch and accomplice Stefan Sylvestre.</p>

Body

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“Your husband must hate you”: Doctor trolled for being too attractive to do her job

<p class="p1">Doctor Medina Culver is intelligent, attractive and is particularly annoyed at receiving hate comments for being a “pretty woman and badass doctor”.</p> <p class="p1">The physician who is based in Las Vegas posts her medical journey on her Instagram regularly in the hopes that it will help promote the profession to women.</p> <p class="p1">But her efforts are not always met with kindness, with people often telling her she’s “too attractive” to possibly be smart.</p> <p class="p1">Culver addressed the hateful words in an Instagram video saying that ever since she began sharing statements about “women empowerment” she’s received messages telling her that she is a “waste of time” and she should be her “husband’s property”.</p> <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGJ_BBDhKZk/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGJ_BBDhKZk/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Don’t spend all your time wondering what you are, or who you like, or whether it’s right for you or wrong for you. Just be yourself and be happy 👩🏼‍⚕️🩺</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/drculver/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Medina Culver, DO</a> (@drculver) on Oct 10, 2020 at 1:17am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p class="p1">Some have gone as far as telling her that her husband “must hate her”.</p> <p class="p1">"You don't love your husband, you're arrogant, you're selfish" one of the criticisms read.</p> <p class="p1">In response, Culver simply quipped, "women are here to stay and lead - we are partners, leaders and we are gorgeous and smart."</p> <p class="p1">"Women are damn strong despite all the negative comments."</p> <p class="p1">Culver also regularly shares her day-to-day life on her page, whether that’s lounging by the pool or engaging in hobbies outside of profession.</p> <p class="p1">But even the appearance of her “normal life” has been met with criticism, with people regularly telling her that she’s “too pretty to be a real doctor”.</p> <p class="p1">"Well thank you... pretty ambitious," she responds.</p> <p class="p1">"Pretty hard-working and pretty determined to achieve my dreams."</p> <p class="p1">"Pretty women can be more than pretty faces....we can also be badass doctors."</p> <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-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGVSqEwBZHq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <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="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CGVSqEwBZHq/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">Strong women never give up. We might need a coffee, a cry, or even a day in bed but we always come back stronger 💪🏼</a></p> <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 post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/drculver/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Medina Culver, DO</a> (@drculver) on Oct 14, 2020 at 10:40am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p class="p1">The post attracted comments from other female professionals in the medical field, with one user revealing "I've been a therapist for 10 years and I get that and you're ‘so young’ all the time."</p> <p class="p1">"I get the ‘you're too young’ or straight up ‘you don't look like a doctor’,” shared another.</p> <p class="p1">Culver's statements were widely applauded by her 26,000 Instagram followers, with users writing, "Here's to strong women. May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them."</p> <p class="p1">"No truer words! ‘Cheer each other on’ Love it," wrote one user.</p> <p class="p1">"Just laugh at that crap, it's hateful and absurd. I guarantee you are fantastically inspiring to most people who follow you or come across your posts," said another.</p>

Beauty & Style

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"Most trolled person in the world": Meghan Markle and Prince Harry speak out

<p>The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have spoken out about the intense abuse they have received, saying it is “almost unsurvivable” in a podcast to mark World Mental Health Day.</p> <p>The couple joined three Californian high school students on an episode of their podcast Teenager Therapy to speak on topics including mental health stigma, self-care and online abuse.</p> <p>Meghan said the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in more online time for most people.</p> <p>“Yes, it’s a great way to connect, but it also ends up being a place where there’s a lot of disconnection, you know, I can speak personally to,” she told the hosts.</p> <p>“I’m told that in 2019 I was the most trolled person in the entire world, male or female. Now, eight months of that I wasn’t even visible, I was on maternity leave or with a baby.</p> <p>“But what was able to just be manufactured and churned out, it’s almost unsurvivable, that’s so big, you can’t think of what that feels like, because I don’t care if you’re 15 or 25, if people are saying things about you that aren’t true, what that does to your mental and emotional health is so damaging.”</p> <p>Prince Harry added that people feel safe hiding behind usernames on virtual spaces in order to say things they would not say in person.</p> <p>“I think many, many people are hurting, a lot, and are freaking out because of the way the world is and because of, sometimes, the echo chamber that has been created for them by the online platform that they’ve chosen to be on,” he said.</p> <p>“But also it comes down to control as well, you can control what you see, you can control what you do, so whether it’s notifications or whether it’s vibration ringtones, whatever it is, these things control you, rather than taking control.”</p> <p>The podcast was recorded in the US area of Santa Barbara where the Sussexes now live.</p> <p>Harry went on to emphasise the need of prioritising self-care and having important conversations about health.</p> <p>“The more we talk about it the more it becomes normal, and it is normal, and it’s not a sign of weakness, it’s a sign of strength,” he said.</p> <p>The pair also called out social media sites that use specific algorithms that don’t promote consuming online material in a healthy way.</p> <p>“I think it’s very easy to be sucked in and consumed by negativity, but we all have the choice to be able to cut that out of our lives,” Harry said.</p> <p>“Hate following has become a thing, you don’t need to do that.</p> <p>"Just as much as we worry about, be concerned, and take notice of what we put in our bellies as a diet, the same applies for our eyes and our mind, what we’re consuming is affecting us.”</p>

Caring

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Nasty trolls target Princess Charlotte on her birthday

<p>Internet trolls have targeted Princess Charlotte on her second birthday leaving vile comments on her <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2017/05/new-princess-charlotte-photo-released-for-her-second-birthday/">new birthday photo</a></span>.</strong></p> <p>To mark her second birthday, royal fans were treated to an adorable new photo of Charlotte dressed in a knitted cardigan. It’s the first photo the public has seen of the youngest royal since Christmas, when she was pictured at church service.</p> <p>While many on the internet wished Charlotte a happy birthday, it didn’t take long for the nasty comments to begin.</p> <p><img width="482" height="321" src="http://www.oversixty.com.au/media/36018/princess-charlotte_500x333.jpg" alt="Princess Charlotte" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p> “Prince George is one ugly child and Princess Charlotte is even uglier. I hate children,” one wrote.</p> <p>Another said: “Just me that thinks Princess Charlotte is kind of ugly?”</p> <p>Others called her a “spoiled brat” and even took aim at her outfit, saying, “That cardigan is hideous! Looks like an old granny already!"</p> <p>It’s enough to make you quit the internet but quickly royal supporters hit back at the trolls branding them “disgusting”, “cruel” and “nasty”.  </p> <p>One user wrote: “I think Princess Charlotte and Prince George are absolutely adorable. Some people are so nasty. If you don’t like the royals just do one and stay quiet. They are just children ... I hope you’re all proud of yourselves.”</p> <p>"Wow cannot believe some of the comments I'm reading and coming from grown adults,” another said.</p> <p>And we think this comment sums up the vitriolic hate aimed at a defenceless toddler: "Taking their nastiness out on this beautiful little girl just because they don't like the royal family. Do you have kids? Would you like people to call your kids?”</p> <p>In a statement on Monday, Kensington Palace said: “The Duke and Duchess are very pleased to share this photograph as they celebrate Princess Charlotte’s second birthday.</p> <p>“Their Royal Highnesses would like to thank everyone for all of the lovely messages they have received, and hope that everyone enjoys this photograph of Princess Charlotte as much as they do.”</p> <p> </p>

News

Over 60

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