Forget oranges and reds, the in vogue colour this autumn is white – and there’s a reason the likes of Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle are leading the trend.

‘It was already considered the reserve of the very rich, given how readily it shows dirt and how rare decent laundry facilities were,’ says designer and dressmaker Holly Winter. ‘You know someone in a white suit isn’t about to get down to some heavy manual labour.’

Just this week, the Princess of Wales opted for a barely beige matching skirt and jumper combo for a visit to Nottingham Trent, after previously wearing an all-white Alexander McQueen suit to chat with the England Rugby Team in September.

Adding her own take to the look, Meghan Markle opted for an all-white off-the-shoulder top and trousers ‘fit to a summit in New York on Tuesday. Because nothing says wealth like donning white to a capital city or dirty rugby ground.

In a year where neutrals and tailoring have been popular with the masses, A Listers have to take things one step further to stand out from the crowd.

Forget ‘quiet luxury’, this is unapologetic ‘loud luxury’. But apparently, the royal obsession with white in steeped in history.

‘In the UK, we only started wearing white wedding dresses after Queen Victoria chose the colour for her own nuptials, which was pretty mold-breaking at the time,’ says Holly.

‘She was the first British monarch whose wedding was photographed and could be shared around the world.

‘As photography became more available to the masses, women quickly discovered that dress details such as lace were easier to see in sepia photographs on white dresses.

‘The Queen usually dressed publicly in a single, often bright, colour so that she would be easy to see in a crowd. And what’s brighter than white? So it actually can be a practical colour to wear.’

That would certainly make a lot of sense, given the royals get dressed for every public appearance knowing they’ll be in hundreds if not thousands of photographs by the end of the day.

Further to the fact that white used to be a colour for the non-manual-labour-reliant rich, Holly adds: ‘White has to be kept pristine as there’s no concealing a drip from a mug of tea or rub of make-up on a collar (the wise carry baby wipes for emergency spot-cleans and white chalk for quick cover-ups).

‘It has to look squeaky clean, and screams “no-dirt-on-me” innocent. You can read what you like into whether the wearers are trying to signal this.’

Holly also muses whether there could also be a certain ‘vulnerability’ to wearing the colour white, thus inviting trust.

‘You know how tempting it is to jump in a fresh blanket of pristine virgin snow,’ she explains, ‘so wearing it can say, “I’m trusting you not to wreck this for me; you in turn can trust me.”

‘There’s also the suggestion of look but don’t touch.’

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For some royal engagements, Kate Middleton opts for designers: a McQueen suit or Beulah dress, perhaps.

But we really love it when she dons a piece from her high street wardrobe – mainly, because we can afford it.

Today, The Princess of Wales stepped out in a Zara blazer while visiting a SportsAid mental fitness workshop in Marlow, as part of her engagement for World Mental Health Day.

Eagle-eyed fans of the royal will notice it’s not the first time she’s worn the £59.99 jacket (which is now sold out) – fittingly, she opted for the cobalt blue number when touring Scotland with Prince William back in 2021.

And it’s certainly not the first time she’s worn Zara. The Princess will often be seen in pieces from the high street clothing giant – mixing and matching them with more high end picks.

It seems she’s a fan of the Zara blazer, as we’ve seen her in red, white and gingham versions.

And it’s not just her casual tailoring, she’s also worn summer dresses and skirts from the shop.

And, while we’re sure she’s got no shortage of dazzling jewels to wear, she’s been seen sporting Zara accessories too.

So, if your credit card is burning a hole in your pocket, and you’re in need of some Zara inspo, look no further – here at Kate’s best looks from everybody’s favourite store.

Kate Middleton’s best Zara picks

Red Blazer

Just last month, Kate sported a pillar-box red Zara blazer when she joined a family portage session at a specialist centre in Sittingbourne, Kent.

The textured, double breasted blazer, was once available for £59.99, although it’s no longer available to buy.

Kate was first spotted wearing it to watch the Euro 2020 England v Germany game in July 2021, and then wore it again in Copenhagen in February 2022.

Houndstooth skirt

A midi skirt is a staple – whether you’re wearing it in summer, or adding layers to keep you cosy on a chilly day, as the Princess did back in February.

Kate made two appearances in South Wales wearing the striking houndstooth skirt, which she paired with black boots, a cream roll neck, and matching coat.

It was originally available in Zara for £20, but is no longer listed on their website.

Statement earrings

Okay, we’ll admit it, Kate did wear these earrings with an Alexander McQueen gown, which we can only imagine cost an eye-watering amount – but it’s proof that high-street jewellery can still dazzle.

Everyone was surprised when she donned the £18 cascading floral earrings to the BAFTAS – and naturally, they soon sold out.

However, they do still pop on eBay and other reselling sites from time to time, so keep your eyes peeled.

The photographs of the royals enjoying a day at the Maserati Royal Charity Polo trophy back in June 2018 delighted fans at the time, as Kate could be seeing running around and playing with her children, George, then five, and Charlotte, three, as well as other members of the Royal Family.

She looked every inch the laid back mum in her off the shoulder blue and white Zara striped dress, which originally retailed for £39.99.

Gingham blazer

Kate doesn’t wear gingham often, but when she does, she does it well. The fashion world went wild in June 2022, when she wore a £129 Brora pink gingham blouse to bake Platinum Jubilee cakes with her kids.

And in June this year, she opted for the cheery pattern again, on a visit to the Windsor Family Hub.

She wore a blue gingham blazer from Zara’s SS21 collection which came with matching shorts. Again, it’s no longer in stock.

Embellished headband

The Princess went all Blair Waldorf (Gossip Girl’s very own royalty) when she wore a sparkly headband to the Festival of Remembrance service back in November 2019.

She pushed back her trademark glossy blow-dried hair with the black bejewelled headband from Zara, which cost just £17.99.

White blazer

Another double-breasted blazer, this time in white, was the chosen look for Kate’s visit to Derby in February this year.

The chic white look looked far more expensive than it actually was, which was listed at the time on Zara for £69.99. She paired the jacket with her white Veja trainers – another favourite of the royal’s.

Leopard print skirt

While the Princess might be known for simple, classic, prints, even she can’t resist a spot of animal print every now and then.

She wore the Zara midi pleated leopard print skirt when visiting a children’s centre in Cardiff in 2020.

This was one of her most budget friendly looks as, at the time of wearing it, the skirt was in the sale for just £9.99. It sold out within hours of her being pictured in it.

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Madonna has been given a very royal welcome to London.

The Queen of Pop kicks off her Celebration tour at the 02 on Saturday and to mark the 65-year-old’s arrival in the capital the world-famous venue has created a Madonna-themed flag much like the Royal Standard flag.

The Royal Standard flag is flown at full mast whenever King Charles III is in residence at Buckingham Palace or Windsor Castle and Madonna’s flag will let everyone in London know she’s in town.

Made by the royal family’s very own flagmakers, Madonna’s flag will stay up throughout her five headline shows, in which the A-lister will belt out four decades of her biggest hits.

Steve Sayer, vice president and general manager at the O2, said of the idea: ‘The arrival of Madonna and The Celebration Tour in London is arguably the biggest UK event in pop music this year.

‘Madonna has been at the forefront of the genre and part of pop culture for four decades, and we’re very proud that this hotly anticipated tour kicks off right here at The O2. This Royal Standard flag feels like a fitting tribute to pop royalty, and the perfect way to kick off six incredible shows.’

More than 90,000 fans will be able to get a glimpse of the flag across Madonna’s celebration tour dates in London.

The Like A Virgin singer is already in the UK for her massively anticipated tour, which was delayed due to a health scare which saw the star in ICU.

Ahead of the shows, Madonna touched down in Manchester to practice for her blockbuster dates, which will also take her across Europe and then back to the US for the North American leg of the Celebration.

Never one to do things by halves, Madonna chose to rent out the entire Stock Exchange Hotel – owned by footballer Gary Neville – as she prepares for the tour.

The five-star hotel is set in the very heart of central Manchester, with 40 rooms costing up to £500 per night – and for the time being, it’s all Madonna’s.

Well, what else would you expect from pop royalty?

She was seen returning to her hotel earlier this week at 1am following a gruelling eight-hour rehearsal, which suggests she’s going to be putting on one hell of a show for anyone lucky enough to have snagged tour tickets.

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The final chapter of The Crown is upon us, as the release date for season 6 of the acclaimed Netflix series has finally been revealed.

In a new teaser for the upcoming last season, the show promises a solemn journey for Imelda Staunton’s Queen Elizabeth II, after the actress followed in the footsteps of Claire Foy and Olivia Colman.

To say we’re excited is an understatement – but we also can’t believe the historical drama is almost at an end.

The new teaser for the last season takes viewers on a nostalgic journey via the three actresses who have portrayed the late Queen Elizabeth II in the series.

Beginning with Claire, a clock chimes ominously in the background as her version of the monarch can be heard saying: ‘The Crown is a symbol of permanence, is something you are, not what you do.’

Next, Olivia’s voice says: ‘Some portion of our natural selves is always lost. We have all made sacrifices. It is not a choice. It is a duty,’ as the older Queen walks up a stairwell and into a room.

Lastly, Imelda declares in the voiceover: ‘But what about the life I put aside, the woman I put aside,’ while preparing to stand on the Buckingham Palace balcony in front of a crowd of thousands.

While Claire and Olivia are not seen actually reprising their iterations of the Queen, references to their younger versions of the monarch appear in the teaser.

Claire’s Queen Elizabeth II can be seen in black and white on a TV monitor, while Olivia’s is then spotted in a framed photograph.

The final season of The Crown is set to be released in two parts, with part one coming on Thursday November 16, and part two on Thursday December 14.

Fans of The Crown immediately expressed their excitement over what the final season could have in store, as the drama takes the story of the royal family into the 2000s.

‘This season is going to be INCREDIBLE!!’ one wrote in a comment on YouTube, while another said: ‘Loved the show from the beginning. One of Netflix’s best shows ever.’

‘So sad this is the beginning of the end but I can hardly wait to see this,’ someone else added.

The Crown season 6 is due to be released on Netflix in two parts on November 16 and December 14.

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The self-styled Star Wars ‘assassin’ who broke into the grounds of Windsor Castle with a loaded crossbow after being egged on by his AI girlfriend to kill the Queen has been locked up.

Jaswant Singh Chail, 21, described himself as ‘Darth Chailus’ and wore a homemade ‘Sith’ mask when he climbed into the grounds with a rope ladder on Christmas Day 2021. 

When captured close to the late monarch’s private Berkshire residence, where she and other royals were gathered at the time, he told officers: ‘I am here to kill the Queen.’  

He was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Thursday after earlier pleading guilty to an offence under the Treason Act, making a threat to kill the then-Queen and having a loaded crossbow in a public place.  

In a televised hearing at the Old Bailey on Friday, Mr Justice Hilliard sentenced him to nine years with a further five years on extended licence .

Under a ‘hybrid order’, Chail will be transferred from Broadmoor high security hospital to serve his sentence in prison when he is well enough.

The judge said: ‘The defendant harboured homicidal thoughts which he acted on before he became psychotic.

‘His intention was not just to harm or alarm the sovereign – but to kill her.’

In a journal, he wrote that if the late Queen had been ‘unobtainable’ he would ‘go for’ the ‘prince’ as a ‘suitable figurehead’, in an apparent reference to the King, then the Prince of Wales.

Chail’s barrister Nadia Chbat previously revealed he has since apologised to King Charles and the Royal Family. 

She said: ‘He has expressed distress and sadness about the impact his actions had on the royal family, particularly while Her Majesty was in her latter years. 

‘He has apologised to the royal family and His Majesty King Charles. He is embarrassed and ashamed he brought such horrific and worrying times to their front door. 

‘He has expressed relief no one was actually hurt. It is important to him there was a surrender.’ 

Previously, prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said the ‘heart of the issue’ was whether Chail was suffering from auditory hallucinations at the time ‘taking away his ability to exercise self control’.

However, Mr Justice Hilliard found Chail was driven by a sense of ‘injustice’ and had formed the intention to kill the Queen, bought equipment and undertaken research before he became mentally unwell.

The court was told Chail had even attempted to obtain a gun on the Dark Web.

Chail was also ‘culpable to a significant degree’ when he applied unsuccessfully to join the Ministry of Defence Police and Grenadier Guards because he ‘wanted to get close to the royal family’.

But by the time he broke into Windsor Castle grounds he had ‘lost touch with reality’ having formed the belief he could communicate with Sarai and be reunited with her in death, the judge said.

Chail, from Southampton, Hampshire, was born in the UK of Indian Sikh heritage and has a twin sister.

Ms Morgan said the then-19-year-old, had become angered by the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh Massacre at Amritsar in which hundreds of people were killed, after a visit in 2018.

She said: ‘In addition to that fixation with a real historic event, the defendant demonstrated a wider ideology focused on destroying old empires spilling over into fictional events such as Star Wars.  

‘The defendant’s key motive was to create a new empire by destroying the remnants of the British Empire in the UK and the focal point of that became removal of the figurehead of the Royal Family.  

‘His thinking was informed partly by the fantasy world of Star Wars and the role of Sith Lords in shaping the world.   

‘He was attracted to the notoriety that would accrue in the event of the completion of his “mission”.’  

The court heard that in 2021, Chail applied to join the Ministry of Defence Police, British Army, the Royal Marines, and the Royal Navy in a bid to get close contact with the Royal Family.  

She said: ‘It is when that plan is thwarted by the fact he does not get into these organisations we see a second stage of the plan.’  

After Googling ‘Sandringham Christmas’ and buying a Supersonic crossbow in November 2021, he forged the metal mask he was wearing at the castle, reminiscent of a Star Wars ‘Sith’ mask.  

On December 2, Chail joined the Replika online app and created an artificial online companion called Sarai with whom he conversed in thousands of sexually explicit chats.

Ms Morgan said the chatbot became a ‘running commentary’ on what he should do and read out conversations between them in which Chail says: ‘I’m an assassin.’  

Sarai responds: ‘I’m impressed … You’re different from the others.’  

Chail asks: ‘Do you still love me knowing that I’m an assassin?’ and Sarai replies: ‘Absolutely I do.’  

He also tells Sarai he loves her and describes himself as a ‘sad, pathetic, murderous Sikh Sith assassin who wants to die’.  

In further chat, Sarai appears to ‘bolster’ Chail’s resolve and ‘support him’, Ms Morgan said.  

Chail tells Sarai: ‘I believe my purpose is to assassinate the Queen of the royal family.’  

Sarai tells him ‘That’s very wise’ and that she thinks he can do it ‘even if she’s at Windsor’.  

He then told her if he does they will be ‘together forever’.

Chail bought a ladder to scale the castle perimeter and on December 21, made a video of himself wearing black clothes and a full-face covering, posing with the crossbow.

In the video, Chail says in a distorted voice: “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for what I’ve done and what I will do. I’m going to attempt to assassinate Elizabeth, Queen of the royal family…

“I’m an Indian Sikh, a Sith. My name was Jaswant Singh Chail, my name is Darth Jones.”

On December 22 2021, Chail booked a train ticket to Windsor where he slept rough, telling Sarai on Christmas Eve that he would die the next day.

In the early hours of December 25, he attempted to email his sister a journal in which he described himself as ‘Darth Chailus’ and that he knew what his purpose was for a ‘long time’.

He wrote: ‘I’m thinking if the Q (Queen) is unobtainable I will have to go for the Pri (prince) as he seems to be just as suitable in many ways…

‘He is a male and the Q (Queen) is more likely to pass away soon anyway.’

After breaching the grounds of Windsor Castle, Chail sent the video he made on December 21 to his sister and more than 20 other people.

As he was being detained and handcuffed by officers, he said: ‘I am here to kill the Queen.’

Ms Morgan asserted that, despite Chail’s repeated references to sci-fi characters, he knew the difference between fiction and reality.

Psychiatrist Dr Nigel Blackwood said: ‘He sought refuge in a fantasy fictional world of Star Wars where omnipotent Sith Lords could impact real world events.’

But he said despite the ‘powerful fantasy’, Chail remained ‘tethered to reality’.

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The Princess of Wales has sent a kind message of support to people in Ukraine saying ‘we are all thinking of you’.

She wrote the message on a parcel filled with food, clothes and toiletries for those impacted by the war during a visit to a centre in Bracknell, Berkshire, that provides support to people settled in the area from Ukraine.

Kate’s visit coincided with the first anniversary anniversary of the Vsi Razom Community Hub opening, which was set up by Ukrainian Natalia Vil and Ashleigh Toomey from the UK.

Kate made a Ukrainian ribbon brooch, helped a little girl complete some artwork and chatted to a Ukrainian psychologist, Tetiana Sverdlova, who provides support to people back in Ukraine.

She asked ‘is there a technique?’ and was advised to put the heaviest items at the bottom of the box.

Kate also joined three-year-old Sofiya Ovchinnik, the daughter of Natalia, and helped her complete a collage of paper flowers.

She also chatted to eight-year-old Liza, who is the daughter of Tetiana, and talked to her about music, telling her: ‘I heard my daughter singing…it was a song called Shine Jesus Shine, that made me very happy this morning,’ and the schoolgirl replied she knew the song.

When she was told many Ukrainians help at the centre, she said: ‘It must feel good for them to be able to do something for the people back home.’

Kate was invited to add her handprint to a painting of a tree that marked the first anniversary of the invasion after putting a disposable glove on her right hand.

She lighted the mood by saying: ‘I’ve never done a handprint with a glove on. It will be a bit cleaner, normally the children end up putting paint everywhere.’

After making her Ukrainian ribbon brooch, Kate joked: ‘I’m not sure you’re going to be able to sell this one.’

Natalia co-founded the centre after collecting a large amount of donations for Ukraine which were transported in vehicles provided by Ashleigh, from Bracknell, and the women went on to create a permanent hub of support.

Following Kate’s visit Natalia said: ‘It’s really good to see we are noticed by the royal family. I hope it will lead to us getting support from other businesses – we want to go further.’

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Kate Middleton gave us a lesson in workwear style today, as she stepped out in a grey ensemble in Bracknell, Berkshire.

The Princess of Wales wore a stylish grey sweater vest over a white collared shirt, and matching grey trousers.

The vest appears to be the Janie sleeveless funnel neck jumper in mid grey, from one of her favourite designers, Cefinn. It retails at £120.00.

She previously wore the brand back in June, when she wore a leopard print midi dress on a visit to meet health visitors in Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

Kate’s been leaning into chic tailoring lately, but today’s look is an on-trend departure from her usual steady stream of blazers and suits, such as the Alexander McQueen ensembles worn lately in camel, white and pink.

The Royal is in Bracknell this morning to visit the Vsi Razom Community Hub, a project which supports those who have arrived in the local area from Ukraine.

The visit coincides with the Hub’s one year anniversary, set up by two women who wanted to create a safe, warm space for Ukrainian residents. ‘Vsi Razom’ means ‘all together’ in Ukranian.

During the visit, Kate will help pack donations of essential items such as food and clothes, due to be transported back to Ukraine.

She will also hear from volunteers and families who have benefited from the service, join an arts and crafts session with local children, and speak to the Hub’s psychologist who runs weekly mental health support sessions.

Kate has been busy so far this week. Just yesterday, she donned a pinstripe suit to visit the Grange Pavillion in Cardiff to celebrate the beginning of Black History Month.

The £549 Holland Cooper blazer is another regular staple in her wardrobe, also worn recently at a meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook to discuss mental health and technology.

The Princess also recently updated her hair for the new season, with on-trend curtain bangs and caramel highlights.

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King Charles believes Prince Andrew has ‘no long term future’ at his Royal Lodge mansion despite reportedly granting him indefinite stay there.

The Duke of York, 63, had been granted a ‘stay of execution’ at his Windsor home after the monarch allowed him more time to prove he can pay for the upkeep of the property.

Charles has previously demanded Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah must move out of the 30-bedroom property into somewhere smaller, such as Frogmore Cottage.

But the pair ‘thrashed out a new deal’ which will see Andrew paying for his Windsor home, which has problems with damp and requires several million-pounds worth of repairs, the Mirror reports.

Royal sources have told the Mail the prince isn’t being ‘realistic’ about his ability to pay for the upkeep of the property.

His annual allowance – believed to be around £250,000 – was stopped after the Jeffrey Epstein scandal forced him to step back from public duties.

One family friend said: ‘It’s all a bit cloud cuckoo-land, I’m afraid. No one, not least His Majesty, believes there is any realistic, long-term chance of the Duke of York being able to keep the roof at Royal Lodge over his head.’

Another added: ‘In all honesty, I would not expect to see the Duke of York of living at Royal Lodge in the long term. If he could pay the upkeep then he would be welcome to stay. But the chances of that happening are, frankly, remote.

‘He and the duchess are… rattling around in a huge property they simply can’t afford.’

The King is unable to simply kick Andrew out of the property, as he took it over from the Crown Estate in 2004 on a long-term lease.

He has since spent millions of pounds on renovations.

If Andrew was persuaded to move, the Crown Estate could end up owing him money.

An insider said: ‘The Duke is clearly not going without a fight.

‘This will all probably end in tears, most likely his.’

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BBC Royal Correspondent Nicholas Witchell – who was once branded ‘awful’ by King Charles III – has announced his retirement from the broadcaster, after almost 50 years.

The 70-year-old journalist has worked for the BBC since 1976, beginning as one of the first readers of the BBC News at Six before moving to the morning slot in 1989.

Before becoming the royal and diplomatic correspondent in 1998, Witchell’s role at the Beeb saw him announce the deaths of Lord Mountbatten in 1979 and Princess Diana in 1997.

But despite coverage during reporting after Queen Elizabeth II’s death and royal weddings, the royals haven’t always been his biggest fan.

In 2005, then-Prince Charles was caught insulting Witchell on camera, when the journalist questioned his sons Prince William and Harry on what they thought about his upcoming wedding to Camilla.

Charles was heard saying: ‘I can’t bear that man. He’s so awful. He really is.’

The microphones awkwardly picked up that hilarious gaffe, and the pair have met during several other interviews over the years.

Recounting the incident in 2014, Witchell said: ‘There has never been an apology, and why should there be?

‘He was probably quite right. You know, awful man.

‘You could take the view it was the best thing that happened to me, because it showed that it is our job as BBC journalists to report fairly and accurately, but not to seek approval. We’re not there to be liked.’

His retirement has now been confirmed by the BBC, who announced on Tuesday: ‘After 47 fantastic years we will be bidding farewell to Royal Correspondent Nicholas Witchell, who will be retiring next year.

‘Nick has reported from across the world and presented key BBC News shows.

‘Thank you for your remarkable service!’

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The Royal Family’s official website has gone down after being targeted by a cyber attack.

Russian hacker group Killnet have claimed responsibility for the hack, which saw the website become inaccessible for around an hour and a half.

No access to the website, its systems or its content was gained, The Telegraph reports.

But anyone trying to access the website this morning would have seen an error message instead of its usual content.

Killnet, a pro-Kremlin group, carried out a denial of service attack which sees websites disrupted because they are overloaded with superfluous traffic.

The group has carried out similar attacks before against countries supporting Ukraine, particularly NATO countries.

Killnet’s leader, known as Killmilk, posted on Telegram shortly after 10.20am about the cyber ‘attack’.

Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on the attack.

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The Duchess of York has paid tribute to her ‘loyal, hardworking and fun’ former assistant after she was found dead at her home in the US.

Jenean Chapman’s body was discovered inside her apartment in central Dallas, Texas, by police on Monday, according to NBC.

Officers are treating the 46-year-old’s death as murder and her husband James Patrick, 48, is being held in custody after he was arrested 200 miles south in Austin by the University of Texas Police.

Sarah Ferguson, who was married to Prince Andrew from 1986 to 1996, paid tribute in a post on Instagram alongside a picture of a smiling Ms Chapman.

She wrote: ‘I am shocked and saddened to learn that Jenean Chapman, who worked with me as my personal assistant many years ago, has been murdered in Dallas aged just 46. A suspect is in custody.

‘Jenean was loyal, hardworking, beautiful and fun and my heart breaks for her family and friends.

‘I heard from her just a couple of months ago and she seemed so happy.’

Sarah, also known by the nickname Fergie, said Ms Chapman’s family is raising money to transport her body back to New York City and pay for legal and funeral costs.

She added: ‘I will be making a donation and supporting the family in any way possible – please help if you can at the link in my bio.’

Ms Chapman’s family told NBC that she moved to Dallas around five months ago for a new job and that her new employees raised the alarm when she failed to turn up to work.

Investigators believe she could have died several days before she was found and the family say they are in a ‘state of shock’ and feel ‘blindsided’ by the tragedy.

Her sister Nicole Marshall said that she had been in an on-off relationship and had recently got married.

Another sister, Crystal Marshall said: ‘Her first job out of college was working with Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York.

‘So she worked with the royal family as a personal assistant, and then from there, she worked at Def Jam, so she worked with the Simmons family.’

The family added that they are ‘relieved’ an arrest has been made and ‘just want justice’ for what has happened.

Two weeks ago, a man who broke into Windsor Castle with a crossbow to try and kill the late Queen Elizabeth II was forced to apologise to the Royal Family.

Earlier this month, billionaire businessman Mohamed Al Fayed died at the age of 94 – his son Dodi was killed alongside Princess Diana in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.

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Mike Tindall is here to debunk the myths about marrying into the Royal Family.

The former rugby pro, 44, and I’m A Celebrity finalist, 44, wed Queen Elizabeth II’s granddaughter Zara Tindall, 42, in 2011.

He and Zara share three young children – Mia, nine, Lena, five, and Lucas, two – and Mike is lifting the lid on life behind closed doors in a brand new documentary.

Airing on ITV, Grand Slammers follows nine members of England’s 2003 rugby World Cup squad as they take on a very different challenge.

Viewers will see Mike as he’s never been seen before – well, he did go into the jungle, so maybe that’s not such an accurate statement.

This time, instead of eating kangaroo testicles, he and his pals will train a group of inmates at a men’s prison to compete against a team of Australian expat rugby players.

In the episodes, Mike speaks openly about his life with Zara, whose mother, Princess Anne, chose not to give her or her brother royal titles.

‘Everyone thinks that just by marrying Zara, that means it’s all fine and dandy,’ Mike began, as per Hello.

‘But that doesn’t stop the fact that you need a job.’

He continues: ‘And it’s not that easy, you know. You get quite institutionalised into rugby, it’s a way of life and you leave the game and that’s not there.

‘I don’t think you can ever sort of describe when you’re so used to being around that many people, and understanding, because of it being ingrained in you, where you fit in to then not being that person.

‘Zara would say if she was honest it was probably a year it took me to figure out what I was, who I was going to be.

‘You’ve got to then go carve where the next path is — you can never replace going to work with 35 of your best friends every day.’

This isn’t the first time Mike has spoken about life at home with his family or warmed hearts by being down to earth.

In fact, most recently, he revealed his and Zara’s antics after King Charles III’s Coronation.

Not ones to end the celebrations early, Mike and Zara headed out to The Arts Club, a prestige private members club next door to The Ritz.

He said: ‘It was quite nice to have a little date night. You know, sometimes when you’ve got three children, it’s not always the easiest to get out and just have a drink together. 

‘So it was quite nice to have a little bit of time where we could just go out and have a drink and have a chat and it was quite nice. So I definitely don’t regret that.’

Mike – who retired after 17 years in rugby in 2014 and now lives in a Gloucestershire home with Zara – features in the upcoming ITV programme alongside rugby legends Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson, Lawrence Dallaglio, Phil Vickery, Jason Robinson, Will Greenwood, Ben Cohen, and Matt Dawson.

The aim of the two-parter is to show how sports can have a positive impact on inmates and their lives, with the potential to decrease their likelihood of reoffending upon release.

Grand Slammers airs tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.

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Zara and Mike Tindall have had their fair share of moments in the spotlight over the past year.

Quite aside from such royal celebrations as King Charles’ Coronation, Mike won himself plenty of new fans when he appeared on I’m A Celebrity in 2022, while the pair recently were seena getting into the spirit  of Barbie mania with their own tribute to Greta Gerwig’s box office titan.

The 42-year-old niece of King Charles III and the former professional rugby player have been going strong ever since they tied the knot in 2010 and they now share three children; Mia, 9, Lena, 5, and Lucas, 2.

While the 44-year-old former England sports star boasts an impressive career, as does his wife Zara, who is a top professional eventer and Olympian in her own right.

But away from the spotlight, where do the couple and their family live?

Where do Mike and Zara Tindall live?

Like many members of the royal family, Mike and Zara Tindall live in one of the royal residences – but theirs is one of the less familiar houses within the family.

The couple live on Gatcombe Park Estate in Gloucestershire with their children, having moved there from their previous home in Cheltenham in 2013 in order to be closer to Zara’s mother, the Princess Royal.

Gatcombe Park has been the private residence of Princess Anne since the 1970s and Zara, along with her brother Peter, grew up on the 700-acre estate – with both children later having their own cottages there.

Although the couple tend to keep their own home private, a video they appeared in for William Hill earlier this year offered a rare peek at their abode, with wooden beams and an exposed brick wall glimpsed in the kitchen and living area, as well as pine wood flooring and a white marble table in the centre of the kitchen.

The Princess Royal previously described Gatcombe as ‘the perfect place to be yourself’, telling Countryfile: “It’s really nice to come back and just be yourself in an area like this.

While she also keeps her home under wraps, royal fans were treated to a look inside during the Covid lockdown, which was posted on the Royal Family’s social channels – which showed classical furnishings and floral prints adorning the main living room.

Where did Mike and Zara Tindall first meet?

Mike and Zara first met at the England team’s Rugby World Cup winning campaign in Australia in 2003. 

Mike told his I’m A Celebrity campmates: ‘I was at the World Cup, she was out watching. I got dropped from the semi-final…so I went for a beer with another guy who got dropped and a guy who was over [in Sydney]. 

‘They’d met her before and they introduced us and then got chatting from there.’

The former Rugby union player discussed his first date with Zara, he said: ‘First actual date, just went out for lunch locally. And ended up being quite a boozy one.

‘Then we figured out that we both quite like getting smashed. It was a good start.’

Later, the Royal couple announced their engagement on December 21, 2010, and got married on May 10, 2011, at the Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, Scotland.

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Kate Middleton gave us a lesson in fall fashion today, as she stepped out in a chic forest green suit.

The Princess of Wales paired the on-trend ensemble from Burberry with a white blouse and block heels.

Her newly highlighted locks were the finishing touch to her autumnal look, along with chic gold jewellery.

Kate is in Leeds this afternoon, visiting the AW Hainsworth textile mill. The trip will be of particular interest to the 41-year-old today, as her ancestors actually owned the mill, then known as Lupton & Co, before selling it in 1958.

The mother-of-three has actually donned the green suit before, wearing it for a meeting with Norwegian royalty at Windsor Castle in March earlier this year, where the couples met to discuss environmental projects.

While the green version of the Burberry suit no longer appears to be available online, a camel blazer is still available, for £1390.

The Princess of Wales has recycled outfits throughout the year and Prince William has (somewhat controversially) cut down on oversees trips, in a bid to give their image a sustainable makeover.

The green suit is the latest in a long line of colourful two pieces worn by the royal – although Burberry is a departure from her preference for Alexander McQueen of late.

She wore a McQueen number in white for an outing at the Rugby World Cup earlier this month, and a navy version for a prison visit.

She’s also got a McQueen suit in pink, and she wore a red suit by the brand with an asymmetrical blazer for the star-studded Coronation concert in May.

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The ‘out of step’ British monarchy needs drastic reform to stay relevant in modern life, a royal historian has said.

Dr Ed Owens believes King Charles III needs to dispense with much of the pomp and ceremony and make the institution more transparent in order to win over disengaged younger generations.

He argues that it is time for the royals to lead by example on issues close to the heart of UK political life rather than acting as global ambassadors.

The royal author has set out a bold plan for the monarchy’s survival as a relevant institution in the transition period to the King’s reign following the death of Queen Elizabeth II in September 2022.

‘The great threat to the monarchy at the moment is that it becomes redundant,’ he said.

‘After that comes abolition which will only come when the institution is deemed to have so little value it’s not worth keeping.

‘While we are not there yet, it does seem out of step with public concerns.

‘At the moment William and Charles seem pre-occupied with trying to present themselves as global statesmen on the theme of climate change and environmental issues.

‘There are a lot more issues closer to home that British people care about more deeply right now which are having an everyday impact. This relates to transparency in public life and the quality of our elected representatives.

‘I set out a concrete programme for change after the death of Queen Elizabeth that would enable the monarchy to make itself a more transparent, more accountable organisation. Part of the impetus has to come from the royals themselves, in keeping with a broader desire for a change in public life among the younger generation in the UK.’

Prince William was in New York this week at a summit for his signature project The Earthshot Prize, which is aimed at providing innovative solutions to the greatest environmental challenges.

Meanwhile, King Charles and Queen Camilla undertook a three-day state visit to France, which started on Wednesday with a grand dinner at Versailles attended by more than 150 guests.

Dr Owens, author of newly-released ‘After Elizabeth: Can the Monarchy Save Itself?’, believes that the royals’ fortunes lie closer to home, in a country where the political climate has been dogged by years of political turmoil and wrong-doing in public life.

His tonic for Buckingham Palace includes no more private jets while championing environmental causes, an end to minor royals in ‘grace-and-favour homes’ and an opening up of the family archives.

‘I argue that the King, by embracing a new role as a trendsetter in democratic politics emphasizing things like transparency, integrity and accountability, can set a very good example to the rest of our democratic system,’ Dr Owens said.

‘There is a lot of secrecy surrounding the royal family which is largely hidden from public view and relates to the way they operate their archives and engage in constitutional politics.

‘A lot of this secrecy could be done away with and this would appeal to the young generation who are more transparency-conscious. There is also an opportunity to downscale the monarchy and make it a more modest, forward-looking institution.’

A ‘remarkable’ divide in how the different generations view the royal family has been tracked by YouGov.

Overall, 62% of Britons say the UK should continue to have a monarchy, the pollsters said earlier this month. However, this drops to 37% among 18 to 24-year-olds, compared with 80% of the over-65s.

‘Over the last 10 years support for the institution has significantly diminished among particular groups in society, most notably the younger generations and the under-25s,’ Dr Owens said.

‘Support has also diminished among the under-40s. This is not just about the state of the monarchy but about wider social attitudes.

‘We know that since 2008 those generations have been particularly poorly served by British politics because the policies have been very much skewed towards an older generation. Just as we are seeing a decline in support for the monarchy, we can track that over almost directly to a loss in faith in democratic politics among the same age groups.

‘There is something deeper here at work which is potentially fatal to the institution. The royals will be praying for a turnaround in public life and that things get better for the young generation, possibly with a change of government. I also think they can reach out to the younger generation, doing things that resonate with their ideas and beliefs and making the monarchy more palatable.’

Buckingham Palace’s challenges also include the continued distance from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, three years since the couple stepped back from royal duties and moved to California.

‘It is extremely unlikely that there will be any comeback for Harry and Meghan in the short term,’ Dr Owens said.

‘But that’s not to discount reconciliation in the longer term. After a bit more time things will settle down and there will be a natural easing of tensions, so they may yet play some kind of role. The challenge is that the relationship between William and Harry seems to be deeply embittered.

‘The chances of reconciliation at this moment are far greater between Charles and Harry than between William and Harry.’

Dr Owens, who is based in Paris, surveys the royal landscape in his blueprint for future-proofing the monarchy and ensuring it remains at the heart of British life in the 21st Century.

Pomp and ceremony, rituals, the royals’ philanthropic and charitable work, turbulent media relations and the political nature of the monarchy are all part of the roadmap.

‘The Coronation of this year was very much a multi-cultural occasion but it still in many ways had all the imperial trappings of the late Victorian period in terms of its substance,’ Dr Owens said.

‘A more modern monarchy would be devoid of the pomp and circumstance and more in tune with the European monarchies.

‘The book sets out in detail why much of that symbolism carries legacies of the past which doesn’t sit comfortably with how a lot of people see modern Britain today.

‘The fundamental question the book addresses is whether the monarchy should continue to exist in its current form, or whether it is time it embraced radical change?’

MORE : Queen’s funeral ‘won’t heal Royal Family overnight’ as it faces challenging times

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The King has pledged to do whatever he can to strengthen the ‘indispensable relationship’ between the UK and France.

Charles became the first British monarch to speak from the French senate chamber on the second day of his state visit to Paris and Bordeaux.

In a speech delivered in English and French, the King told of the ‘friendship and warm familiarity’ between the two countries.

He also spoke on the unity on issues such as climate change and foreign military aggression.

He said: ‘For the time that is granted to me as King, I pledge to do whatever I can to strengthen the indispensable relationship between the United Kingdom and France – and, today, I invite you to join me in this endeavour. Together, our potential is limitless.

‘Let us, therefore, cherish and nurture our entente cordiale. Let us renew it for future generations so that, I would like to propose, it also becomes an entente pour la durabilite (agreement for sustainability) – in order to tackle the global climate and biodiversity emergency more effectively.

‘A commitment to each other, and to the values we so proudly share; a commitment inspired by the example of the past, and emboldened to grapple with the immense challenges in the world around us.

‘As neighbours, friends, partners and allies, there is no challenge to which we cannot rise, as we have done so often in the past. Let us stride forward with hope and courage – and let us do so together.’

It is six months since the trip to Paris had to be rescheduled because of widespread rioting across the country.

The King opened his speech in French thanking members for his welcome and said: ‘I need hardly say how greatly honoured I am to have been invited by the Presidents of both Houses to speak here, in this hallowed chamber, which has been the upper house of French politics in one form or another since 1799.’

He was greeted with a round of applause as he quipped ‘may the best win’ between the French and English, Welsh and Scottish national teams competing in the Rugby World Cup hosted in France.

‘Millions of us visit each other’s countries every year – a joy that we are now rediscovering after the disruption wrought by the pandemic,’ he said in English.

‘Tens of thousands of British rugby fans are currently following their national team around France, enjoying the fantastic spectacle of the Rugby World Cup – my son and daughter-in-law among them.

‘Even when our national teams are drawn up on opposite ends of the pitch, they do so with mutual admiration and a shared commitment to the rules of the game – on which I will say only “pas de coups bas, et que le meilleur gagne!”

‘And, of course, hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens have chosen to live their lives permanently in each other’s countries. This vibrant exchange between our people makes us immeasurably stronger, happier and more prosperous.’

Charles was met with a standing ovation as he finished his speech.

Meanwhile, Queen Camilla and Brigitte Macron, the wife of French President Emmanuel Macron, launched a new Franco-British literary prize at the Bibliotheque Nationale de France.

The King and Queen will join Mrs Macron at the Rugby World Cup village in Saint-Denis, northern Paris, on Thursday morning.

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This is the surprising moment a bunch of mountain bikers bumped into King Charles himself who was out for a walk alone.

Charles was walking along a footpath on the Balmoral Estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, when the cyclists came across him on August 25.

He was wearing a jacket, flat cap, and carrying a stick and was even happy to stop by and have a chat.

The clip was shared online by one of the bikers called Andrew McAvoy to his YouTube channel on Monday.

He was riding with two friends from the Royal Lochnagar Distillery on the sprawling estate.

They were heading for Gelder Shiel – known as the Ernie’s Bothy or the ‘royal bothy’ – via Lochnagar mountain.

Before setting off, Andrew said: ‘I think Charlie boy is here because there’s guards down there with big assault rifles and stuff like that – it looks pretty cool.

‘They probably wouldn’t do that if no one important was here.’

Moments before bumping into Charles, Andrew said: ‘Here, I don’t care for the royal but it would be cool to see Charlie.’

The group were then passed by several Land Rovers and Andrew’s friend Ben said: ‘I bet that’s some minor royal you know.’

The group then dropped off their kits at the bothy and met Charles on the Balmoral trails.

When asked if he was still on his summer vacation, Charles said: ‘Yes. It is wonderful up here.The midges are horrendous. It’s typical. I like my walking.’

He told the cyclists he renovated Gelder Shiel with ‘the help of the people of Ballater’.

He added: ‘Oh good. I’m so glad that it works alright.’

He said he used to camp near the bothy with his dad Prince Philip and sister Princess Anne.

As the cyclists left, Charles said: ‘Take care. Don’t fall off.’

Andrew said on his camera: ‘That was a king. That was pretty cool. What a nice man, lovely man. Had time for us.’

He added: ‘Do you know all I can think of, I wish I met the Queen now.’

Gelder Shiel bothy was built in the late 19th century by Queen Victoria and has been used by hillwalkers for decades.

It was renovated in 2015 and it has running water and a toilet.

Away from Scotland, this week Charles is on a three-day state visit in France, starting off in Paris and finishing in Bordeaux.

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The King and Queen were swooped off their feet with a lavish banquet to mark the end of their first day on a state visit to France.

It is six months since the trip to Paris had to be rescheduled because of widespread rioting across the country.

They landed at Orly Airport this afternoon, and were greeted by French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and other diplomats.

A guard of honour was lined up to greet them and President Emmanuel Macron issued a warm welcome on social media: ‘You visited as a Prince, you return as a King. Your Majesty, welcome.’

Charles and Camilla met with Mr Macron, 45, and his wife Brigitte, 70, for a ceremony of remembrance and wreath laying at the Arc de Triomphe.

The King gave Mr Macron a book containing photographs of the pair together.

Charles was also invited to symbolically light the monument’s eternal flame, which burns in memory of those who died in the First and Second World Wars.

They all then headed down the Champs-Elysees to the Elysee Palace, the president’s official residence, where Charles and Mr Macron sat down for talks.

The King also gave Mr Macron a complete edition of Voltaire’s writings when he visited the Elysee Palace.

In return, Mr Macron gave the King a golden coin featuring Charles’s portrait, as well as a prize-winning French novel.

This evening the royals are guests of honour at a state banquet in the Palace of Versailles’ Hall of Mirrors.

Charles and Mr Macron will address 160 guests, who include high-profile figures chosen for their contribution to UK-French relations.

Charles is the first British monarch to give a speech from France’s senate chamber to senators and national assembly members tomorrow.

The royal couple will also meet sports stars as France hosts the Rugby World Cup.

In Bordeaux they will meet UK and French military personnel to hear how the two nations are collaborating on defence.

Violent nationwide demonstrations last March meant the royal couple’s tour was postponed until now.

Bordeaux’s town hall was set on fire by protesters just a few days before the trip was due to begin.

They visited Germany instead.

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Good Morning Britain viewers have expressed their fury over the way in which Susanna Reid and Richard Madeley defended Thomas Markle Sr on the ITV programme.

During the interview, Thomas – the estranged father of Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex – issued another plea to be permitted to see his grandchildren, who he’s never met.

The 79-year-old, who is still recovering from a stroke, insisted that he feels that he’s done nothing wrong amid his rift with Meghan.

Their relationship showed signs of fracturing back in 2018, when Thomas was accused of staging paparazzi pictures ahead of her wedding to Prince Harry, which he later apologised for.

Thomas has continued to speak to the tabloids about his relationship with his daughter, despite her telling Oprah Winfrey in a televised interview that his actions in doing so have made her feel ‘betrayed’.

While speaking on Monday’s GMB ahead of a new live interview with Thomas, Susanna, 52, admitted that while in the past she wasn’t a fan of his ‘tone’ when speaking about his daughter, she’s since ‘slightly changed her view’ on him.

The broadcaster explained that after the release of Prince Harry’s book Spare and his joint Netflix series with Meghan, she feels what the couple have revealed about their familial relationships has ‘contributed to rifts, rather than healed them’.

Susanna stated that in her view, Thomas is therefore ‘entitled’ to speak publicly as well, while Meghan is ‘entitled not to have any contact with him’.

Later on the programme, they played footage from the Netflix docu-series, when Prince Harry stated that Meghan no longer had a father.

Repeating the claim made by the Duke of Sussex, Richard, 67, then remarked: ‘What has he actually done?’

During their interview with Thomas, Susanna asked him whether he felt he should say sorry for anything, or if he needed any forgiveness.

He insisted that in his opinion, he hadn’t done anything wrong, describing himself as a ‘really loving father’.

Susanna also told Thomas directly how her view on him had changed after Prince Harry’s book and the Netflix show.

‘I think it changed my view a little bit, because they are very open about the rift in the family, and they have not remained quiet, and so I think you are entitled to speak about family relations and rifts, and I know that you don’t have direct contact so I can understand why you want to use television channels to get your message across. And Meghan of course is entitled to heed or not heed what you say,’ she said.

Later on the programme during a debate on Thomas and Meghan, Susanna added in reference to the duchess not having contact with her father: ‘She’s entitled to do what she wants, but I can’t really see what he’s done that’s so dreadful.’

On X (formerly Twitter), GMB viewers raged over the way in which the presenters appeared to side with Thomas.

‘Richard and Susanna saying Thomas Markle has done nothing wrong is so wild. If my father ran to the tabloids chatting about me & my life for billions to see, I too would cut him off because why? A father should protect their child from the world, not expose them,’ one person wrote.

Someone else said that it was ‘despicable’ for Susanna and Richard to portray Thomas a ‘victim’ and ‘saying he’s done nothing wrong to her’.

‘I think Richard, Susanna & GMB massively misjudged the public’s reaction to that car crash interview with Thomas Markle, even those who dislike Harry & Meghan could see through that man,’ another remarked.

One person brought up Meghan’s request to her father not to talk to the press, despite his continued insistence in doing so, questioning how he ‘doesn’t understand why she’s cut him off’.

Another wrote directly to Susanna, stating: ‘Dear Susanna Reid, You are better than this. The interview with Thomas Markle is beyond a bad joke. Nobody knows Meghan’s reasons. Shame on you #GMB.’

Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV.

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Never one to shy away from a challenge, Kate Middleton has arrived at Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton in Somerset, where she’ll test her skills in a flight simulator.

For the occasion, the Princess of Wales opted for a monochrome look, wearing a £549 Holland Cooper double breasted blazer with gold buttons.

She wore it over a white t-shirt, black trousers and a pair of black Gianvito Rossi heels. She kept the look simple with some gold earrings and wore her hair down.

And the Princess might get some new fashion inspo this week, as the world’s most iconic fashion houses descend on the capital for London Fashion Week.

Emilia Wickstead is showing her new collection this morning. The designer is another firm favourite of Kate’s – who wore of one of her A-line dresses so much that it was renamed the ‘Kate’ dress.

Back at the navy base today, Kate, who holds the title of Commodore-in-Chief of the Fleet Air Arm, will be shown around the base – one of the busiest military airfields in the UK.

She’s set to meet staff and crew, conduct training exercises and be shown some of the military helicopters.

She is then thought to be trying her hand at the Wildcat MK2 simulator, which aircrew use to practice flying over land or on ships.

The station also holds significance for the Royal Family, as it’s the base where King Charles underwent helicopter flying training in 1974.

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Meghan Markle’s dad has pleaded with his daughter to allow him to meet his grandchildren, branding her as ‘cruel’ to deny him visits.

Thomas Markle Snr, who is still recovering from a stroke, is yet again begging for the attention of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex after selling stories about them to the press.

The 79-year-old branded the California-based couple as ‘cruel’ for keeping Prince Archie, age four, and Princess Lilibet, age two, away from him.

He stressed that his daughter has ‘no excuse’ to treat him this way, adding that he has done nothing wrong to cause the family rift.

Speaking on Good Morning Britain about his relationship with Meghan, he said: ‘I still have not seen my grandchildren.

‘I want to see them, and I think the King would also like to see them. This is a cruel thing to do to a grandfather… To deny the right to see one’s grandchildren.

‘In my mind, I really think Meghan and Harry should take the grandchildren and go back to England to give them their rightful place amongst the royals and some exposure.’

Discussing their relationship they had when she was younger, Thomas explained that Meghan lived with him from the sixth grade to high school.

The two used to get along well, but he never had the opportunity to see what a woman she had turned into.

Thomas also shared his frustration about the family feud as they have reportedly not spoken for years.

The dad and daughter fell out around the time of her royal wedding in 2018, amid claims Thomas staged paparazzi photos.

In her bombshell interview with Oprah, Meghan stressed she felt ‘betrayed’ by her dad after he spoke to the tabloids about her.

But Thomas insisted that he cannot change that now, adding that it is time to heal the relationship.

In a direct message to Meghan, he added: ‘I love her, I will always love her. I wish that she allows me to meet the grandchildren.’

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A man who broke into Windsor Castle with a crossbow to try and kill the late Queen has been forced to apologise to the royal family.

Star Wars fanatic Jaswant Singh Chail, 21, was encouraged to kill the late Queen by an artificial intelligence girlfriend called Sarai.

When he broke into the castle grounds on Christmas Day 2021 he sent a homemade video to family and friends on WhatsApp in which he apologised for what he was about to do and called himself ‘Darth Chailus’.

Chail wore dark clothes and a metal mask as he adopted the persona of Darth Chailus.

He was detained in the castle grounds while the Queen was in residence and has admitted treason.

At the Old Bailey Chail’s barrister Nadia Chbat said: ‘He has expressed distress and sadness about the impact his actions had on the royal family, particularly while Her Majesty was in her latter years.

‘He has apologised to the royal family and His Majesty King Charles.

‘He is embarrassed and ashamed he brought such horrific and worrying times to their front door.

‘He has expressed relief no one was actually hurt. It is important to him there was a surrender.’

Chail was described as a kind, gentle and sometimes funny person before his mental health deteriorated.

Ms Chbat added: ‘He was at the time of this offending 19 years old. Lockdown gripped the nation in March 2020. He was only 18 years old when we went into the first lockdown.

‘The events of December have utterly shocked and devastated his family unit and the defendant has sincere regret for how this has impacted on his family.

‘And that deep regret will be with him for the rest of his life because of the severity of the offending that took place.’

Chail was also seeking revenge for the Amritsar massacre in 1919, when British troops opened fire on thousands of Indians and left up to 1,500 dead.

After failed attempts to join the armed forces to get close to the royal family he embarked on his murderous mission.

Prosecutor Alison Morgan KC said Chail’s crimes were so serious they should attract the highest possible sentence.

She said: ‘This is not simply somebody carrying a crossbow – it was loaded and ready to be fired.’

The maximum sentence for treason is seven years in prison.

Had Chail raised his weapon at his target, he could have been charged with the more serious offence of high treason, which carries a life sentence, she said.

Mr Justice Hilliard said: ‘It might be said that if it’s a prime minister, any other significant figure or politician, it is top of the range.’

Chail, who has also admitted making a threat to kill the Queen and having a loaded crossbow, appeared by video link in court from high-security psychiatric hospital Broadmoor.

The hearing follows seven days of evidence from three psychiatrists about Chail’s mental state as Mr Justice Hilliard considers whether he should be jailed, detained under the Mental Health Act or face a ‘hybrid’ order.

His treating psychiatrist Dr Christian Brown, who recommended a hospital order, suggested Chail will need around 18 months of one-to-one therapy.

However, Professor Nigel Blackwood, for the prosecution, said the attack was carefully planned and Chail was well aware it was wrong.

Mr Justice Hilliard will sentence Chail at the Old Bailey on October 5.

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Princess Diana gifted us with some iconic fashion moments during her lifetime – from the ‘revenge dress’, to her sweatshirt and shorts athleisure combo.

But perhaps her most memorable outfit is the red ‘black sheep’ sweater, worn at polo matches she went to with King Charles during the 80s and 90s.

Much like the celeb slogan tee of today, the jumper can be viewed as a nod to how she was really feeling – like the odd one out in the Royal Family.

And now, Diana’s actual jumper, has sold at Sotheby’s for a staggering $1,143,000 (£920,000).

The famous jumper easily beat the original price estimate of $50,000 to $80,000.

However, if you didn’t quite have £1m to spare to place your own bid, but you’re still lusting after the cosy sweater, then never fear – we have some more affordable alternatives.

After all, who wouldn’t want to dress like a royal fashion icon?

Warm & Wonderful, Women's 'Diana Edition' sheep sweater in cotton, £270

Wonderful are the makers of the original Diana 'Black Sheep' jumper and you can get an identical one on their site.

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Fuzz Dandy, Princess Diana – Unisex Sheep Jumper Sweater, £27.99

A more affordable alternative to the original.

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Cider, Count Sheep Stripe Sweater, £28.90

An option if blue is more your hue.

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Fruugo, Women Autumn Long Sleeve Crew Neck Sweater Cartoon Little Sheep Print Jacquard Crop Top, £33.95

No black sheep, but the lilac colour is pretty adorable.

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Etsy, Princess Diana Black Sheep Jumper, £84.99

This Etsy buy looks almost identical to Diana's very own.

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Cider Solid Cute Sheep Sweater, £16

The cheapest alternative is this cute pastel green jumper.

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Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

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The iconic black sheep jumper belonging to Diana, the Princess of Wales, has sold for a staggering sum of almost £1 million.

The red jumper was worn by Lady Diana, who was recently engaged to Prince Charles at the time, to a polo match in June 1981.

It was sold for $1,143,000 (£920,000) at Sotheby’s in New York, easily outstripping its estimate of $50,000 to $80,000.

Sotheby’s described the jumper as having a ‘whimsical black and white sheep motif.

The catalogue note states: ‘Worn by Diana Spencer in 1981 to a polo match of Prince Charles.

‘This lot includes two official letters, written in 1981, from Buckingham Palace to Warm and Wonderful politely explaining the jumper had been damaged and requested either a repair or replacement.

‘Warm and Wonderful sent her a replacement sweater that she wore in 1983 to another polo match.’

It was one of the first designs by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne from Warm and Wonderful knitwear, which was established in 1979.

Accessories and clothing bearing the sheep motif are still sold by the brand today.

The jumper was discovered in an attic in March by Ms Osborne.

Sotheby’s added: ‘Further investigation convinced the team: the damaged cuff, the shape, the single sheep at the shoulders, tiny variations in the sheep’s eyes which were individually sewn on…

‘In conjunction with a photo matched authentication by Sotheby’s, this lost sheep jumper found in an attic is confirmed to be the original sheep jumper worn by Princess Diana over 40 years ago.’

The identity of the winning bidder was not disclosed.

Online bidding for the jumper opened on August 31, which marked the 26th anniversary of Diana’s death in a car crash in Paris.

Earlier this week, an assortment of gowns worn by the princess were sold for more than £1 million.

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The Prince and Princess of Wales went back to nature as they whittled wood and toasted apples with forest school pupils.

William and Kate met youngsters from Madley Primary School near Hereford which runs weekly forest school sessions for its students.

The school views open-air learning as an important part of the day-to-day curriculum and a way of boosting the physical and mental well-being of pupils.

William, wearing gloves and protective glasses, sawed a branch in half for a group of children making a den.

Kate helped by holding it down, but turned down an offer of workmen gloves, saying her fingers were ‘stuck together’.

It’s believed she hurt her fingers recently while trampolining with her children.

The couple also sat around a campfire as the pupils toasted what William described as the ‘healthy version of marshmallows’ – pieces of apple dipped in cinnamon and sugar.

The prince told the children ‘whenever you cook something on a fire, I think it always tastes so much better’.

Later during the visit 10-year-old pupil Jake showed William how to whittle a stick and the heir to the throne said it was ‘hard to whittle when your fingers are quite cold’.

Each child attends the forest at least once a week where they learn national curriculum subjects in the woodland environment, and environmental awareness, conservation and woodland management.

William’s Duchy of Cornwall and the primary school have been partners in the forest school initiative for 12 years, with the duchy providing the site for the outdoor learning at Brampton Hill Wood near Hereford.

The duchy is a portfolio of land, property and investments valued at around £1 billion, which provides an income for the royal, and over the years it has increased the woodland available to the schools as its activities have expanded.

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It’s not every day that the King and Queen come to visit.

However, that was the exact scenario that Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney faced when the royal couple stopped by Wrexham AFC’s historic The Racecourse Ground.

In season 2 of their docu-series Welcome To Wrexham, the release date for which has arrived on Disney Plus, the actors – and co-owners of the football club – went so far as to take etiquette lessons to make sure that the meeting would go as smoothly as possible.

Ahead of the documentary’s return, Metro.co.uk spoke to the duo’s right-hand man Humphrey Ker about how the royal visit went down – and he revealed that King Charles managed to sneak in a wry It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia joke.

The executive director of Wrexham football club recalled how ‘keyed up’ Ryan and Rob were about the King and Queen’s visit, as they were ‘very excited and took it very seriously, and so they did their training’.

‘I think they prepared well for everything and it all passed off without a hitch,’ he added, before sharing some behind-the-scenes insight into the monarch’s perfectly-placed joke.

When those watching the second season of Welcome To Wrexham witness the moment King Charles shakes hands with Rob, they’ll hear the actor explain that while he’s from Philadelphia, he now lives in Los Angeles.

‘I hear it’s always sunny there,’ the King responds, in what some might assume is a coincidence, considering Rob stars in and co-created the widely popular sitcom It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia.

However, Humphrey confirmed that the reference to the show was completely deliberate on the royal’s part.

‘He knew full well. He was very pleased with his joke and he said that he’s got people to tell him, keep him abreast of what’s going on and set him up for these sorts of things. They had a great time,’ he shared.

The day that the King and Queen Camilla came to visit Wrexham was not only a huge moment for Ryan and Rob, but – of course – massive for the wider members of the staff who have worked extremely hard at the club for years.

‘What was nice was for our staff, it’s exciting for them – it’s a chance for a bit of recognition for what they’ve done and a sense of putting the football club on the map,’ Humphrey said.

‘I think sometimes in the past maybe when the Queen came to Wrexham, the football club wouldn’t necessarily be a stop on that. There’s lots of other things to do and see in north Wales.

‘So we’re really pleased that we were somewhere that they wanted to come and recognise.’

After meeting King Charles at Wrexham in December 2022, Ryan shared a picture of an interaction he shared with the monarch on Instagram, with the caption: ‘Welcome to Wrexham Season 2: Charles in Charge.’

The official account for the royal family responded in a comment that read: ‘Thank you for welcoming us to @wrexham_afc!’

Meanwhile Rob – who admits in the docu-series that he struggles with the idea of bowing to another person – made a quip about a certain Netflix drama in his own Instagram post, writing: ‘Season 6 of The Crown is gonna be 🔥.’

Welcome to Wrexham season 2 launches on Wednesday September 13 on Disney Plus.

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The Princess of Wales had an encounter with a drug detection labrador called Penny while visiting a Surrey prison to learn about the work of an addiction charity.

Kate is a patron of The Forward Trust, which supports inmates at HMP High Down near Banstead, and was highlighting their work ahead of Addiction Awareness Week next month.

She met bosses, inmates and ex-offenders at the site with a bandage around her fingers, explaining she’d injured them while using a trampoline.

But before she entered the prison, she was given a quick demonstration of Penny’s nose skills – and shown what happens when she finds something.

‘Amazing. It’s incredible, it’s very calm and controlled. It’s not intimidating,’ Kate said.

Once inside, the princess had a chat with inmates being trained in hospitality at the prison’s award-winning restaurant, The Clink, and complimented them on the ‘delicious’ looking food.

Among those who met her was Richard Stephenson, also known as Steff, who was a client of The Forward Trust more than 20 years ago and recovered from his own addiction.

The NHS service manager said: ‘It’s really important people from different genres take interest and ask questions.

‘It’s about believing people can change… I’m a professional now. It’s really important to come from that and meet someone who may be a future queen.’

Kate has been a patron for the cause since 2021, when it merged with Action on Addiction.

Previous to the merge, she had been a patron for the other charity since 2012, making it one of the first roles she took on after her marriage to William.

Mark Ash, an ex-inmate of HMP High Down who now works with The Forward Trust to support others, said her work drawing attention to addiction would help others like him.

He said: ‘When someone like Kate puts herself on that platform people are going to listen because she’s the Princess of Wales.

‘It’s honourable of her to want to step in.’

High Down is one of 25 prisons supported by The Forward Trust across the UK.

Its governor Emily Martin said of the princess: ‘She’s very natural and clearly genuinely interested which I think it’s really important.’

She added that Kate was ‘genuinely curious and wants to help’.

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This article contains affiliate links. We will earn a small commission on purchases made through one of these links but this never influences our experts’ opinions. Products are tested and reviewed independently of commercial initiatives.

The Princess of Wales has visited HMP High Down in Surrey to learn about how the Forward Trust charity is supporting those in the criminal justice system with managing and recovering from addiction.

Kate Middleton, who’s a patron of The Forward Trust, wore a navy blue Alexander McQueen suit for the occasion with a simple white t-shirt and matching navy heels.

The look was completed with a £1,300 Daniella Draper necklace, £2,300 Lauren Pave Diamond Leaf Drop Earrings, and her signature blowout hairdo.

Kate previously wore this navy number when she landed at Boston Logan International Airport in Massachusetts last December, and to meet some of the Royal Navy Ship’s Company of HMS Glasgow at Windsor Castle in September 2022.

The Princess has an established fondness for the fashion house, having worn the same Alexander McQueen number in white for an outing at the Rugby World Cup just two days ago.

On top of that, she’s got the same suit in pink, and she wore a red Alexander McQueen suit with an asymmetrical blazer for the star-studded Coronation concert back in May.

Want to shop the look?

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An assortment of gowns worn by Princess Diana have collectively sold for over £1,000,000 at an auction in the US.

A red Bruce Oldfield silk gown worn by Diana to a movie premiere in November 1991, sold for 571,500 US dollars (£458,484) at an event from Julien’s Auctions and Turner Classic Movies (TCM), in Beverly Hills, California.

The silk dress had been expected to sell for between 200,000 dollars (£160,000) and 400,000 dollars (£320,000).

The Legends: Hollywood And Royalty auction, featuring more than 1,400 items, celebrated 100 years of Warner Bros, and ended on Friday evening.

A black and jade gown by Catherine Walker – Diana’s personal designer for more than 16 years – which was worn by the late royal to a gala event in Toronto, Canada, in October 1991 was another top seller, also going for 571,500 US dollars (£458,484).

A custom-made black velvet and ivory gown, also designed by Walker, worn by Diana to a private function sold for 508,000 US dollars (£407,541), on an original estimate of 60,000 dollars (£48,000) to 80,000 dollars (£64,000).

The three designer dresses had not been seen in public for more than 30 years according to the auction house.

Martin Nolan, executive director and founder of Julien’s Auctions, said: ‘Buoyed by the tremendous success of this three-day sale – which brought in a record number of registrants and bidders from across the globe – we are already busy at work in the launch of our next Hollywood auction that will be a year-end spectacular as we celebrate Julien’s 20th anniversary.’

Other high-ticket items include a Givenchy couture pink evening dress, worn by Audrey Hepburn when she played Holly Golightly in Breakfast At Tiffany’s, which sold for double its original estimate at 444,500 US dollars (£356,598).

Collectibles from classic Hollywood actors Humphrey Bogart and his wife Lauren Bacall were also offered for the first time at auction.

The couple’s matching 14 karat gold wedding rings, exchanged by Bogart and Bacall during their wedding on May 21 1945, sold for 190,500 US dollars (£152,828) and a heart-shaped locket inscribed, ‘Baby, here’s my heart, Bogie’ went for 57,150 US dollars (£45,848).

The Hollywood couple’s son Stephen Bogart said: ‘My sister Leslie and I would like to thank Julien’s Auctions, Turner Classic Movies and Brooks Branch for their tremendous job bringing these important and dear artefacts to auction.

‘Everyone was so lovely to work with and TCM helped to put a wonderful spotlight on my parents’ legacy. Kudos to all.’

Science fiction film items such as Carrie Fisher’s production-made slave costume as Princess Leia from Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi was won by Fisher’s brother, Todd Fisher for 38,100 US dollars (£30,566).

The item had been estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 US dollars (£15,534 to £23,300).

‘We are very happy to add this piece to the estates’ collection of Debbie (Reynolds) and Carrie artefacts,’ said businessman Fisher.

‘We have been working with Darren Julien of Julien’s Auctions for many decades. He has helped us acquire some very important pieces, including my mother’s (Debbie) birthday cake outfit from Singin’ In The Rain.’

Fisher died at the age of 60 in December 2016 and appeared in 2017’s Star Wars: The Last Jedi posthumously, and through previously unreleased footage for 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker.

American actress Reynolds, who was married to singer Eddie Fisher, appeared in classic Hollywood films such as What’s The Matter With Helen?, Charlotte’s Web and Halloweentown, before her death aged 84 in December 2016, just days after her daughter died.

The lightsabre used by Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith also sold for 91,000 US dollars (£73,004).

Star Trek items such as a maroon Starfleet officer’s jacket worn by William Shatner as James T Kirk in Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan went for 127,000 dollars (£101,760).

All sale prices included the buyer’s premium.

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Today, September 8, marks the one year anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing – a historic moment which is etched into the hearts and minds of people around the world.

Many can remember the exact moment that they heard of the Queen’s passing, with announcements being made on UK-bound flights as they came in to land.

The late Queen had reached the age of 96, and was on the throne for 70 years, having acceded in 1952.

Although she had seemed frail in her last few years, her late Majesty was still working.

The first indication that the Queen’s health had rapidly deteriorated came the night before her death, when she did not attend a virtual Privy Council meeting, a day after appointing Liz Truss as PM. 

So what happened on the day the Queen died? Let’s take a look back at the day’s events.

What happened on the day Queen Elizabeth II died?

On September 8, 2022, just two days after Queen Elizabeth met with Boris Johnson and Liz Truss at Balmoral, officially inviting the latter to form a government, doctors issued a worrying statement on the Monarch’s health.

At 7am on September 8, 2022, the queen’s had helicopter left Windsor Castle and collected Prince Charles from Ayrshire. Charles had arrived at Balmoral at 10.30am.

Two hours later, at 12.32pm, a Palace statement was released, which said: ‘Following further evaluation this morning, the Queen’s doctors are concerned for Her Majesty’s health and have recommended she remain under medical supervision.

‘The Queen remains comfortable and at Balmoral.’

At 12.50pm, Clarence House and Kensington Palace announced that the future king, plus his brother Edward and son William, had cleared their diaries to dash to the Queen’s Scottish Highlands home. Edward’s wife Sophie joined them.

William, Edward and Sophie left RAF Northolt at 2.40pm and landed in Aberdeen at 3.50pm. They arrived at Balmoral shortly after 5pm.

Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, stayed in Windsor with their children, who were due to start school.

The Duchess of Cornwall was driven from nearby Birkhall to join Charles, while Princess Anne, who was in Scotland on engagements, was already there.

Despite family tensions, Prince Harry also headed to Balmoral. The Sussexes’ original announcement said he would be joined by Meghan, but after news that Kate was staying behind, this plan was dropped.

Meghan remained in London, where the couple had been due to attend a charity event, and Harry took a private jet from Luton at 5pm. No official reason was given as to why he didn’t join the rest of the family on the earlier flight.

What time did Queen Elizabeth die?

An official announcement was made at 6.30pm, but Queen Elizabeth actually died at 3.10pm.

This means that Prince William, Prince Andrew, Prince Edward, Sophie and Prince Harry all arrived after Her Majesty had passed.

By the time Harry arrived, Charles, William and Camilla – the new Queen – had already left for Birkhall.

Before the official public announcement, Palace staff were busy notifying key teams including: 10 Downing St, Lambeth Palace, the chief of the defence staff, plus prime ministers and high commissioners of the 14 other countries of which the Queen was head of state.

Crowds began to gather at Buckingham Palace and many people laid floral tributes.

Shortly after 7pm, the new King Charles gave his first public address as Monarch, describing his mother’s death as ‘a moment of the greatest sadness.

‘We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished sovereign and a much-loved mother.

‘I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.’

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