Jeans have a place in my wardrobe all year round but when the temperatures drop I often find myself wanting something a little bit cosier and more autumnal. Corduroy trousers tick these boxes perfectly and the Duchess of Edinburgh has decided the time has come to ditch denim for this seasonal fabric.

She brought back her PAIGE Anessa trousers for a visit to Cumbria on 8th September and the sumptuous dark olive tone screams autumn to me. Duchess Sophie debuted them at this year's Royal Windsor Horse Show in May, but corduroy always surges in popularity at this time of year.

The textured finish is such an easy way to add dimension and softness to a layered outfit and cord is often made from cotton or a cotton blend which is breathable.

Shop Corduroy Trousers Like Sophie's

Complete The Look

The Duchess' trousers were high-waisted and wide-leg which is one of my favourite comfy silhouettes as it's very elongating on the frame and not restrictive. Straight-leg and flared cords are also everywhere right now and the variety of shapes and colours rivals even that of jeans.

Like your go-to denim, cord trousers can be the base of so many autumn outfit ideas. Choosing a neutral colour like Sophie did means they're easy to style with other shades and warm hues like olive, brown and tan complement the texture beautifully.

Her Paige trousers were a very dark green with brown undertones and she pretty much kept the rest of her outfit to this colour palette. She tucked in a crisp white shirt and then wore her mottled tweed ME+EM The Heritage jacket, with a discreet navy quilted jacket as an extra layer.

The Duchess of Edinburgh had a busy schedule in Cumbria, visiting Home Grown Here in Crosby to highlight community-led food systems and sustainable vegetable production. She also opened the first farm in the Addington Fund's New Entrant Scheme and celebrated the impact of the Supporting Rural Communities Programme as she met pupils from Crosby Ravensworth School.

All these engagements called for sturdy, practical footwear and Sophie chose the Philadelphia Lady GTX women's walking shoes from Meindl in tan. The hue worked well with her trousers and jacket, tying the whole ensemble together.

However, I personally love wearing my own corduroy trousers with heeled ankle boots or white trainers depending on how smart I want to look. Suede footwear mirrors the softness of the cord and is a classic pairing though leather gives an edgier feel.

There are so many different combinations and the best bit about cords is that you can pretty much recreate any outfits you'd normally wear with jeans and swap them in. Whilst denim can look a bit too casual depending on the colour and wash, corduroy is more elevated and can be dressed up or down with ease.

I can imagine Duchess Sophie getting a lot of use out of her Anessas over autumn/winter, styled in warmer ways. For her day in Cumbria she didn't need a full coat and looked excited and focused on shining a light on so many causes close to her heart.

The Princess of Wales would've chosen her outfit for Prince George's first day at Eton very carefully - not only because this is a big moment, but because she wouldn't want to overshadow the excited teen. However, I still couldn't help admiring her style and was surprised to see her ditching delicate necklaces for something more statement.

Kate wore the Laura Lombardi Portrait chain in gold and the chunky design was a fun contrast against her very sleek and formal dress. The frock was by Emilia Wickstead, one of her go-to British clothing brands, and it was a deep emerald green.

Traditionally silver jewellery is thought to work better with cool-toned colours and I generally stick to silver and green together. The Princess's duo was more of a contrast and proved that not only does gold and emerald look great together, but that we shouldn't worry about these "rules".

Shop Chain Necklaces

Shop Emerald Green

The gold necklace was made up of delicate circle links and it immediately drew the eye, whilst the squared neckline of the dress framed the future Queen's jewellery perfectly. It's surprising how much of a difference a slightly bolder necklace can make.

As we head into colder weather and start wearing more knitwear with jeans and skirts, having a hint of sparkle adds some extra dimension and glamour. Dainty chains might tend to get a bit lost in layered looks so something chunkier like Kate's Portrait necklace is a clever choice.

The warm undertone of the gold brought warmth to the Princess of Wales's overall outfit in a way that cool-toned silver just wouldn't. It actually felt slightly more daytime appropriate too, as a bright silver statement necklace would catch the light even more.

Emerald and forest green are generally considered cool colours and the gold chain was a soft contrast against them. Because she already had one warm-toned element, Kate could also easily incorporate more of these shades with her other accessories.

Her shoes for George's first day at Eton were dark brown suede court heels. She has plenty of green heels in her collection that would've coordinated, though not going for a strict colour match made her overall ensemble a little less formal.

It also meant that the necklace wasn't the only warm shade in the look and since chocolate is a big autumn/winter fashion colour trend for 2026, I suspect many of us will be reaching for brown boots very soon. The Princess of Wales has shown that mixing different undertones together like she did on 8th September can be so beautiful - and not as tricky as we thought.

I've even been swayed to not stick so rigidly to silver with green and I think the key to mixing cool and warm colours in a Kate-esque way is to pick one as the focus and add in a few elements of the other. Gold jewellery is such an easy way to bring in warm hues and a lot of handbags have gold hardware to tie in.

Vicky McClure made history at the 31st National Television Awards on September 8, after winning Best Drama Performance from the category's first-ever all-female shortlist.

The actress took home the trophy, her first win at the awards, for the role of police bomb disposal expert Lana Washington in ITV's hit thriller Trigger Point.

Vicky was up against Sheridan Smith (I Fought The Law,) Ella Bruccoleri (The Other Bennet Sister,) Ruth Jones (Run Away,) and Judy Parfitt (Call the Midwife.)

Visibly shaken when she took to the stage to accept the award presented by Vigil star Suranne Jones, the actress was supported from the audience by fellow nominee Sheridan Smith.

"Honest to god, I was just holding Sheridan's hand," she says, adding, "I don't know, I'm not prepared, because I didn't expect this, 100% did not expect this."

The actress reveals that she's "shaking," before going on to humorously offer thanks to her Line of Duty co-star Martin Compston.

"I'll give a shout out to Martin because he's here," she says as Martin laughs from the audience. "Thanks Martin," the actress concludes.

After the ceremony, Vicky wrote a message on Instagram to thank everyone who voted for her.

"THANK YOU SO MUCH!," she began, adding, "This award means the WORLD to me because it’s voted for by the people who matter most…the audience! I’m beyond grateful and happy."

She continues, "And I have to say it again, THANK YOU to everyone who makes Trigger Point! I Can’t tell you what a happy set it is.

"Don’t know how I’m going to sleep tonight, thank you!"

Competition in the Best Drama Performance category was fierce. Sheridan Smith was nominated for the role campaigner Ann Ming in I Fought The Law.

A true story, Ann Ming campaigned tirelessly for a change in the law after her daughter Julie was murdered by a former boyfriend.

Julie's murderer escaped justice because of a legal loophole, and Ann was responsible for getting the law protecting him overturned, eventually seeing justice served many years after her daughter's death.

Although Sheridan didn't win in the category, I Fought The Law did take home the award for best New Drama.

Ruth Jones was nominated for the role of Elena Ravenscroft, a police officer turned private investigator in Netflix's adaptation of the Harlan Coben thriller Run Away.

Veteran actress Judy Parfitt was nominated for her incredible turn as Sister Monica Joan in Call the Midwife. The 90-year-old actress had played the role of the dementia stricken nun for 14 years, until bowing out at the end of season 15.

Her performance and portrayal of Sister Monica Joan's death received huge critical acclaim, while leaving audiences of the fan-favourite character devastated.

Ella Bruccoleri was the youngest actress in the Best Drama Performance category, aged 30. She took the role of Mary Bennet in the BBC adaptation of author Janice Hadlow's 2020 novel The Other Bennet Sister.

The show delighted audiences and broke boundaries as a reimagining of Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice, giving an alternative look at what Mary Bennet's life might've looked like if she'd been given more than a look-in than simply being the 'plain one.'

The new series of The Great British Bake Off has now been confirmed to arrive on September 22, and there's so much to look forward to as Nigella Lawson joins the judging line-up, replacing Prue Leith.

In the run-up to the new episodes arriving and during the press launch of the show on September 7, Nigella offered some interesting insights into her new role.

The baking legend delved into topics ranging from what she's looking forward to the most during her time in the tent, to her alleged feud with Paul Hollywood - all delivered with her signature style of memorable wording.

According to The Telegraph, Nigella said at the press event, "I don’t have many skills, but eating is one of them," as she dug into some cake and delighted those present by suggesting, "I like a bit of goo."

Those tuning into the new series can expect to find Nigella gliding gracefully around the infamous tent, gently murmuring phrases that are sure to immediately circulate online and send social media into a complete meltdown.

"These flavours are giving me a lot of pleasure, I’m hoping to find that wonderful frisson," she'll be uttering, as she prepares to pass judgment on tasks that are named as if in her honour, such as the very first one - to create a "sumptuous" stout cake.

Alison Hammond said at the press launch, quite rightly, "Could there be a more Nigella word than ‘sumptuous’?" Probably not.

When Nigella was announced as the new judge on the long-running series, immediate, yet unverified reports arose that she and Paul Hollywood didn't get on.

Addressing these rumours, Nigella told The Times that audiences would believe what they wanted to believe about the stories.

"What will people say of us on the programme?" she asked, adding, "I feel that half will go, ‘Oh, there’s clearly something going on with them,’ and the other half will say, ‘Oh, clearly they don’t like each other at all.’ And I feel like that’s fine."

Paul also appeared to shut down the rumours of a rift between the pair, saying at the show's launch that Nigella had "fitted in beautifully" with the existing presenting team.

He was very complimentary about the new judge, saying of the line-up until now, "We've gone Dame, Dame, Queen." Here, he's referring to original judge Dame Mary Berry, who was followed by Dame Prue Leith, and now, there's Queen of baking, Nigella.

The baking star has also shared that she is looking forward to having a team of colleagues, as she is used to shooting her other baking shows alone.

"I’ve spent a lot of my professional life alone in a room, writing or pacing around thinking," she shared, adding, "It’s actually really lovely to be with lots of people. For me, it’s a sort of treat."

Nigella concludes, "I love solitude, I need solitude, but it’s really good to have a working life that feels companionable."

The Great British Bake Off airs on Channel 4 from September 22.

Autumn outfit ideas don't have to be complicated and Harriet Phillips' signature style is all about making the most of timeless basics. When she's not accompanying her royal husband Peter to formal occasions like Ascot or Trooping the Colour, the NHS nurse dresses more simply and she wore ecru denim to the Burghley Horse Trials.

These Wiggy Kit gaucho jeans are high-rise and the oversized patch pockets and flowy silhouette give them a casual, modern feel. Harriet also wore them to her and Peter's wedding rehearsal in June and this time she gave them an autumnal twist by pairing them with a floral Boden shirt.

Shop Harriet's Outfit

The British clothing brand is famous for their colourful designs and the royal's Carmen top had black piping and mustard, blue and pink flowers all over it. If you want to make floral pieces more seasonal then I'd recommend steering away from bright or pastel hues and going for something darker, deeper or more muted.

The black panel detailing on Harriet's top added the illusion of more structure and would've also made it easy for her to swap her ecru jeans for black denim or trousers and tie everything together. I like that she took a different approach, though.

Ecru and cream tones are a warmer alternative to bright white and look gorgeous with so many autumn/winter fashion colour trends like berry, scarlet and blue, offering some more contrast. They're also very versatile as they go with everything and because ecru denim doesn't have a graduated wash like blue, it tends to feel smarter.

Harriet Phillips is never seen in public looking super casual, so her jeans and shirt combination worked well for a day at the Horse Trials. She finished off her ensemble with green Chico espadrille flats by Penelope Chilvers and the sheen of the velvet brought some subtle glamour.

Later on in the day Harriet also donned a brown-black denim jacket from ME+EM over the top and the collarless shape layered seamlessly over her shirt. A brown suede or leather jacket would've looked equally polished and if you love blue denim jackets then the beauty of ecru jeans is that you can style them together without creating an obvious denim-on-denim outfit.

The NHS nurse accessorised with a woven white crossbody bag and a larger blue tote (both by Anya Hindmarch). We often see the royals carrying two bags to engagements - one for fashion and one for practical reasons.

Harriet's small handbag complemented her jeans and looked very neat and sleek. The tote brought a pop of colour, though if I had to pick between the two I think the crossbody is my favourite.

Her overall outfit was utterly timeless and perfect for a sunny September day when you have to still be prepared for potential showers or cold breezes. When it gets slightly colder, you could wear a neutral knitted vest or jumper over your shirts as an extra mid-layer and gently tuck the bottom into your jeans. This brings a preppy feel, though you could leave the knitwear draped and loose to be more casual too.

Tonight is the 31st annual National Television Awards (NTA) and as a TV writer, I get very excited about big ceremonies and like nothing more than predicting who might win.

The competition is absolutely fierce, and the history-making, all-female shortlist in the best drama performance category is going to be next to impossible to call - never before has there only been all women in this line-up, and they're all incredible performers.

Ahead of the NTAs airing tonight, I've gone through the major categories and chosen who I think will be walking away with a trophy. I'll be watching along to see whether voters agree with me, and how many I get right.

Reality competition

The nominees:

• I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!
• I’m A Celebrity… South Africa
• Race Across the World
• The Celebrity Traitors
• The Traitors

Who I think will win: The Traitors.

I'll be honest, I'm not hugely into reality TV. But when it comes to The Traitors, I'm fully addicted, cannot miss an episode, and get so invested I end up having The Traitors related dreams.

I love everything from the compelling drama that comes from the high stakes and intense environment, to Claudia Winkleman's fashion, and can't actually find a downside to this perfection of a TV treat.

I was fairly enraged when The Traitors didn't win last year, so the show had better not walk away empty handed this year.

New drama

The nominees:

• A Woman of Substance
• Believe Me
• Heated Rivalry
• I Fought The Law
• The Other Bennet Sister

Who I think will win: The Other Bennet Sister.

This is a ridiculously strong category and really hard to call. Given the huge success of The Other Bennet Sister, the fact a Christmas special has been ordered after its global success, and rumours are circulating about a follow-up focussing on a different sister, I'm calling it as the winner.

I Fought The Law is a serious contender, and the one I nearly went with as the winner, but I think it will win in another category. I have also written about the joy me and my friends got from Heated Rivalry, and how much I adored A Woman of Substance, and would like them all to get recognition.

But for now, I'm standing by the sheer boundary-breaking delight of The Other Bennet Sister.

Returning drama

The nominees:

• Blue Lights
• Bridgerton
• Call the Midwife
• Stranger Things
• Trigger Point

Who I think will win: Blue Lights.

There was a slight controversy when Blue Lights won Best Drama Series at the 2025 BAFTA TV Awards, with a lot of people deeming it a 'shock.'

I wasn't shocked by this win in any way, because this drama is actually amazing. The gritty realism of life on the front line of policing in Northern Ireland is a real eye-opener, and the brilliant cast do justice to the very complex characters they've been tasked with portraying.

High tension and high stakes, this show really does have every ingredient a good police drama needs. I think it will replicate the BAFTA win and take home an NTA.

Comedy

The nominees:

• Amandaland
• Changing Ends
• Last One Laughing
• Mrs Brown’s Boys
• Not Going Out

Who I think will win: Amandaland.

So, if it's not Amandaland as the winner, we riot? Because for me, it absolutely has to get the trophy. The writing team need some recognition for penning something so funny, I'd still be laughing on my 100th re-watch.

The cast and their perfect comic timing, and minute expressions in all the right places need to be heralded for what they bring to their roles.

There's nothing bad to say about the show, and there's no justice if it doesn't get the gong.

Drama performance

The nominees:

• Ella Bruccoleri, Mary Bennet (The Other Bennet Sister)
• Judy Parfitt, Sister Monica Joan, (Call the Midwife)
• Ruth Jones, Elena Ravenscroft, (Run Away)
• Sheridan Smith, Ann Ming, (I Fought The Law)
• Vicky McClure, Lana Washington, (Trigger Point)

Who I think will win: Sheridan Smith.

This of course, is the history-making category that is a huge challenge to call. I think Sheridan Smith will win for her absolute powerhouse performance in the true-crime drama I Fought The Law.

To be honest, every single woman on this list could and should win, but in being forced to pick, it's Sheridan for this one.

I have to give an honourable mention to Judy Parfitt though. She's always brought a comforting, gentle charisma to Sister Monica Joan, and I think fans of the show will agree she knocked it out of the park for the character's final moments of Call the Midwife season 15.

Daytime

The nominees:

• Good Morning Britain
• James Martin’s Saturday Morning
• Loose Women
• Scam Interceptors
• This Morning

Who I think will win: Good Morning Britain.

Another one that's quite hard to call, I think GMB will pull it out of the bag. It's the show's first ever nomination at the ceremony, and they've put absolutely everything they have into their campaign to get votes.

That aside, they have a strong, professional line-up of presenters, and the show is always delivered effortlessly and is easy to watch.

Talent show

The nominees:

• Britain’s Got Talent
• Strictly Come Dancing
• The Great British Bake Off
• The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer
• The Great Pottery Throw Down

Who I think will win: Strictly.

I know the upcoming series has been shrouded in uncertainty and controversy, with professionals leaving and the presenting line-up changing completely.

But I believe that overall, the public still has a lot of room in their hearts and will make time in their viewing schedule to continue watching - and voting for - the beloved show.

I'm looking forward to the new hosts jiving into the studio to usher Strictly into a new era, and seeing which celebrity will bring their best dance moves to take the coveted glitterball trophy.

TV presenter

The nominees:

• Alison Hammond
• Ant & Dec
• Claudia Winkleman
• David Attenborough
• Stacey Solomon

Who I think will win: Claudia Winkleman.

Not only do I love Claudia, I think she's loved up and down the country and has achieved national treasure status.

I adore her outlook on life - how she embraces ageing and doesn't care what people think of her appearance. I'm enamoured by her enormous talent for presenting and how she comes across as someone I want to be best friends with.

I could listen to Claudia speak for hours and not get bored - any interview with her or anything she appears on, I can't get enough of. I really hope I'm right with this one: Go Claudia!

Authored documentary

The nominees

• Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth
• Jesy Nelson: Life After Little Mix
• Our Girls: The Southport Families
• Sharon & Ozzy Osbourne: Coming Home
• Sir Chris Hoy: Cancer, Courage and Me

Who I think will win: Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth.

This is a very serious category, and all of these are important documentaries. I've chosen Caroline Flack: Search for the Truth because it resonated the most with me, and I think it will win.

As somebody who closely follows TV and celebrities as part of my job, this was a damning and devastating watch.

I also don't think the mistakes made in the handling of her case have been learnt from enough, and they're something everyone should be taking a bit more notice of and trying to challenge.

Reality docuseries

The nominees

• At Home With The Furys
• Clarkson’s Farm
• Fletchers’ Family Farm
• Mortimer & Whitehouse: Gone Fishing
• Stacey & Joe

Who I think will win: Clarkson's Farm.

I know opinions on Jeremy Clarkson himself are mixed, but Clarkson's Farm is definitely the strongest contender in this category.

The show really has shone a light on the harsh and devastating state and reality of farming in this country. And Jeremy himself seems genuinely passionate about improving things and helping those in the industry.

Let's not forget about the cast of totally unforgettable characters that also appear on the series - and I don't just mean Richard Ham. From Caleb to Gerald, and Cheerful Charlie to Dilwyn, everyone who appears on the show makes it memorable.

Factual entertainment

The nominees:

• 24 Hours in Police Custody
• Gogglebox
• Secret Garden
• Sort Your Life Out
• The Martin Lewis Money Show Live

Who I think will win: Secret Garden.

In the year of his 100th birthday, it only seems fitting that David Attenborough and the Secret Garden crew take home the award. It's also the best series in this category too, in my opinion.

Who would have thought that what is going on with the often unseen and unnoticed ecosystems in our own back gardens could be transformed into enthralling cinematic drama?

The Bruce Forsyth Entertainment Award

The nominees:

• Gladiators
• Michael McIntyre’s Big Show
• The Graham Norton Show
• The Masked Singer
• Would I Lie to You?

Who I think will win: Gladiators.

Gladiators, ready! Ready to win, that is. Me and my 10-year-old inner child honestly couldn't believe it when this show was revived.

I was obsessed with it as a kid, and now my own children are equally obsessed with it. Honestly, my favourite night of the week when this is on is a Saturday night - it's escapist family viewing at its finest.

I haven't given an opinion on the quiz and serial drama categories. I don't watch them and they don't come under my areas of expertise, so I cannot accurately offer an informed argument regarding who could win.

The National Television Awards air on ITV and ITVX at 8pm on September 8.

The King is staunchly standing by one of Queen Elizabeth's strict rules and he's made it crystal clear - the Sussexes might be back in the UK but they're not back in the working royal fold. In a letter sent on his behalf by the Lord Chamberlain, Charles stated that Prince Harry and Meghan will still not use their HRH titles or carry out royal engagements.

"The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity," the King's letter continued.

The message was sent the evening before an official review of the couple's security, but the timing was significant in a more personal way too. September 8th is the fourth anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's death and King Charles doubled down on her judgement of the Sussexes.

When Harry and Meghan first announced their intention to step back as working royals in 2020, the late Queen promptly shared her own statement. She didn't mince her words, either. Reports have suggested that Harry wanted a half-in half-out approach to royal life, yet Queen Elizabeth dashed her grandson's hopes.

Buckingham Palace confirmed, "While they can no longer formally represent The Queen, the Sussexes have made clear that everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty. The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family."

There was no arguing with that and now King Charles has held firm to her words and shown his commitment to Queen Elizabeth's decision.

Releasing the message just before the fourth anniversary of her passing - and the anniversary of him becoming monarch - adds an extra layer of meaning and shows the continuity between the two.

Mother and son are still aligned in their view of the Sussex situation and the King is emphasising the clear line between him seeing more of his son personally and how the monarchy remains unaffected by the family's return. According to their spokesperson, the Duke and Duchess "were a little surprised not to have been told about" King Charles' letter "in advance".

However, as per the BBC, royal sources claim the Duke and Duchess were made aware of the letter before it went public. Prince Harry and Meghan moved back to the UK in August and have enrolled Archie and Lilibet in British schools starting this month.

A month earlier they enjoyed a special reunion with King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House in Gloucestershire. This was seen as a positive step following Harry's open admission he would love a "reconciliation" with his family. Prince William didn't meet with his younger brother during the Sussexes' UK trip and in June, a royal source claimed to expert Duncan Larcombe in Woman that the King and Prince of Wales might have to make things clearer.

"There is an increasing view that the King and his heir may well have to try and draw a line in the sand when it comes to Harry and Meghan. They are acting as though the discussions with the late Queen never took place," they claimed.

Perhaps the King's message is this "line in the sand" the source predicted, but it definitely showed that Queen Elizabeth's decision remains unchanged.

Prince George might've hoped for slightly better weather for his first day at Eton College but the rain didn't look to have dampened his spirits. The thirteen-year-old was accompanied by the Prince and Princess of Wales on 8th September as he arrived wearing a smart suit and tie ready for his next chapter.

We shouldn't be surprised that this pivotal moment played out in front of the cameras. The Wales kids are used to their milestones being marked publicly and many fans will have been excited to see George as he prepares for the start of term.

He's following in Prince William's footsteps at Eton and the choice of school was seen as inevitable by many. However, royal expert Emily Andrews believes the key reason for William and Kate picking it was something rather surprising.

Back when it was first announced George was heading to Eton, Emily claimed to woman&home that "one of the deciding factors was that Eton is all boys". This seems totally at odds with their approach up to now, as the Prince and Princess of Wales have consistently sent their children to co-educational schools like Lambrook.

It's often been said that they've been very modern by choosing to have Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis educated together.

Eton College is a return to the royal mould and Emily alleged that "in the world of smartphones and social media" George being at an all-boys school "gives any nascent teenage angst a little more protection".

The future King and Queen are strict about their kids not having mobiles and are concerned about how smartphone use can lead to disconnection and isolation.

They might end up relaxing their rule now George is living away from home, though it's interesting that they could've partly picked Eton to protect their son's emotional wellbeing and minimise "angst". Protection in the more traditional sense is incredibly important too and it's likely that the media will take a similar stance as they did with Princes William and Harry.

While they were at school their privacy was respected in return for occasional, official pictures. Like his dad and uncle, George will also be boarding just a short distance from his family. Prince William famously used to go for tea with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip at Windsor Castle during his time at Eton and the Waleses live close by at Forest Lodge.

Emily Andrews thinks that this was another huge factor that made Prince William and Kate pick the Berkshire boarding school.

Knowing his mum and dad aren't too far away might make the "big transition" for George a little less daunting as although he's been boarding at Lambrook during the week, this will be his first time permanently living away from his parents and siblings.

He looked confident and happy as he arrived and will soon be kept busy when term officially starts on 9th September. The sweet pictures of Kate, William and George together at Eton will inevitably become one of the iconic snapshots of the 13-year-old's life and could be one of the rare times we see him publicly during this new chapter.

Zoe Ball was married to DJ Norman cook, AKA Fatboy Slim, for 17 years before they separated in 2016. The couple share two children, Woody, 25, and 16-year-old Nelly.

Since the pair separated and eventually divorced, they have build a positive and amicable relationship, and Zoe says they managed this with the help of people around them who served as a "brilliant inspiration" when it came to co-parenting.

The former couple continue to live near each other and Zoe shares, "As a family, we all have a really great relationship. We make lots of time for our kids together. I know it’s not always possible."

It was actually Norman's parents who helped shape this happy dynamic. Divorced themselves, Zoe says they "were a brilliant inspiration for me because they made a point of all being able to be together."

She says, "When we broke up I was like, ‘I want this for my kids,'" wanting to replicate what Norman's mum and dad had done.

In conversation with The Times, the presenter also reflects on her empty nest. Woody is now living in Bristol, and Nelly recently decided to live full time with Norman just before sitting her GCSEs, after moving between both parents' houses for a while.

Describing her house as "so quiet," Zoe explains Nelly's choice, saying, "She comes and goes but basically she had all her revision notes pinned to her dad’s wall like a CSI crime case. So it was just easier to be based there than going between two houses."

She's not entirely alone, with Woody sometimes visiting with his girlfriend, and her new partner now living with her.

She describes her boyfriend, TV production designer Mathieu Weekes, as "very wonderful." Zoe shares, "He’s not in the public eye, he doesn’t love all that stuff," and when she mentions him on her popular Dig It podcast, Zoe refers to Mathieu as "the lodger."

As well as being open about her co-parenting and family dynamic, Zoe often talks about her grief journey after losing several people close to her, particularly reflecting on the loss of her mum Julia to pancreatic cancer in 2024.

After being estranged from her mum until she was an adult, Zoe ended up building a close relationship with Julia after they reconciled.

She once expressed intense anger at her mum's death, and said on her podcast that her loss felt "almost like torture," and that she kept her "alive through love and memory" and "still talking" to Julia.

Offering a fresh update on where she finds herself with her grief, Zoe says, "Grief only gets greater really,” adding, "I miss my mum so much, you just want to share so much with them."

Zoe continues, "I had a lovely conversation with Woody’s girlfriend about how some of Mum’s ashes are still in the lounge." Her mum had once said to Zoe, "Put me in the bin," and she'd had to tell her, "No, Mum, we’re not doing that."

Her choices are often guided by her mum, as Zoe reveals, "I think, 'What would Mum do?' And in most situations, I know she’d always find some laughter and some joy."

The presenter concludes on a bittersweet tone, saying, "Life is so short, so precious, we have to live hard and live well when we can."

James Middleton has left his sister the Princess of Wales in no doubt about his trustworthiness and the signs are subtle but consistent. Unlike Kate, James is a free agent with his own personal Instagram account and whilst he does share family pictures, he's very careful about it.

He'll happily post sweet snaps of his wife Alizée and their son Inigo (without showing his face), but there are almost no photos of Kate - or their sister Pippa. James didn't share a photo for Pippa's birthday on 6th September or for Kate's birthday in January.

On the rare occasions he does post the Princess on his page, it's usually only after she's shared something similar herself like when she completed the National Three Peaks Challenge in June.

Kate undertook this challenge to raise money for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity and awareness of the importance of holistic healthcare. She was clearly happy for pictures to be shared if it would help towards either of these goals, so James posted several of the family congratulating her after finishing.

When the Princess first made her cancer diagnosis public in 2021, James also supported her publicly by sharing a throwback picture of the two of them with the caption, "Over the years, we have climbed many mountains together. As a family, we will climb this one with you too".

Once again, he followed her lead in sharing something and was incredibly respectful and minimal with what he said. There were no new details for people to analyse, just a special tribute to his big sister and the commitment to being there for her.

Other than these posts, the businessman has occasionally shared a snap of Carole Middleton for Mother's Day but that's about it. To me, it's a clear sign of how James is mindful of Kate - and their wider family's - privacy. Whilst she probably really appreciates this now, his discretion will be even more important when she's Queen.

Knowing who to trust is something the royals have to carefully consider and the Princess's brother has proved to her and the rest of the Royal Family that he isn't an over-sharer. The Middletons have kept some of William and Kate's biggest milestones entirely secret until they were ready to share - from the couple's engagement to the Princess's pregnancies.

Royal author Russell Myers claimed in William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story that Kate's family had "become a constant presence" in their lives and were particularly "crucial" when the kids were young. According to him, the Prince of Wales loved their sense of normality.

"William appreciated their involvement beyond measure, enjoying their company and the normalcy of the environment, whatever the circumstance," he claimed, adding that William apparently told an aide his in-laws gave them "more room to breathe".

"Michael and Carole enjoyed visiting the couple in Norfolk and would often stay for weekends, providing much-needed extra support for the young family," Myers continued.

Knowing that Michael, Carole, James and Pippa can be relied upon in a world where scrutiny and speculation follow the royals everywhere is no small thing for Kate and William. Whilst they have public-facing roles as Prince and Princess of Wales, their family helps the couple keep their personal lives blissfully private.

There's absolutely no doubt that The Gentlemen season 2 was definitely worth the wait.

After two and a half years, Guy Ritchie's gangster dramedy had a lot of time to either lose the interest of audiences or build so much anticipation that new episodes wouldn't have been worth the hype.

Neither happened and millions have tuned in to watch a second outing that's even better than the first. But, viewers have been left with questions about the fates of some characters after the credits finished rolling on the final episode of the second outing.

Let's break down that ending and make sure all your burning leftover questions from The Gentlemen season 2 are answered.

The Gentlemen season 2 ending explained

Season 2 saw Eddie firmly make the move from a grieving son, reluctantly trying to sort out the mess made by his older brother Freddie and tie up loose ends left by his dead father, to a full blown mob boss ready to scale up a drugs empire.

But, it looks like things have gone too far. At the opening of the season 1 finale, Eddie is desperately on the hunt for whoever ordered the plain crash that killed his new wife Bella during episode 6.

She had been killed instantly when a bomb detonated on a seaplane she was travelling in, instantly killing the new bride during her honeymoon.

This would also be the same person who orchestrated the attack on Halstead Manor in an attempt to wipe out the rest of Eddie's family and kidnap his infant nephew, Tarquin during episode 7.

While interrogating Bravo One, a surviving mercenary from the raid on Halstead Manor, Eddie can't get any true information from the soldier because he only has one confession he wants to torture out of him: Bobby Glass was definitely the person behind it all.

Not willing to hear any other explanation than this wrong assumption, the mercenary eventually gives in and confirms this theory. This leads to Eddie arranging a hit on Bobby in prison.

When Eddie later finds out that Stanley Johnston (with a T) sold Eddie’s debt to Bobby on when he married Bella, Eddie makes the shocking realisation that he's about to take out the wrong man for the crime, and Bobby wasn't behind the Halstead Manor hit and death of his wife after all.

By making a mad dash with Susie to the prison, Eddie manages to halt the hit on Bobby when he finds out he had the wrong person.

Who killed Bella and why?

But who did order the attacks on Bella and the Manor? Eddie eventually finds out it was Gospel John who was behind the plot - and he was helped by none other than Freddy (gasp.)

While staying in a religious rehab during season 2, Freddy came under the influence of rival gang leader Gospel John. Freddy was fuelled by the resentment of losing his inheritance to his older brother and Gospel John wanted revenge on Eddie's family for killing his brother during season 1.

Gospel John then presented himself as something of a spiritual brother who understood Freddy and what he'd lost.

Building that resentment and giving it a religious twist, John won Freddy over and gained his trust. By the time Freddy truly realised what was happening, Bella had been killed and his family attacked.

Bella was killed as part of the plan simply to try and break Eddie and cause him maximum pain.

Series writer and executive producer, Matthew Read, tells Netflix Tudum, "We thought it was really useful to see Eddie as somebody who could be broken, who was vulnerable."

He adds, "To see the journey of how Eddie would respond to such a terrible thing happening to him." Read says that Bella "awakened this possibility of a good life outside of death and destruction" in Eddie, explaining, "so when she's quickly wiped off the face of the planet, his whole sense of self and life is completely deconstructed."

When Eddie finds out the truth, he severely beats his brother and later has Gospel John captured.

Eddie doesn't kill Freddy, instead forcing his brother to kill John as a punishment. Freddy then chops off John's head with a chainsaw for a gruesomely creatively flourish to end his life with before lighting a cigar.

That's where season 2 draws to a close. Bobby has high hopes that his empire can expand even further while Susie is quietly building her own relationships in a possible move to have her own business away from her dad.

Freddy and Eddie's relationship is the most precarious its ever been, and nobody can predict what version of volatile Freddy we'll se in season 3.

As for Eddie, he is hardened to the core, and might've lost all sense of humanity. Theo James disputes this, arguing that he believes Eddie has "saved himself because he hasn’t had to murder his own brother, and he’ll be able to still remain a semblance of himself."

In conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor doesn't give much away about which path his character will take in the next season.

He says, "Ultimately, he’s on a path to surpass Bobby [as a drug lord], but also get complete vengeance from his brother. How that enacts itself is still in the process [of being determined.]"

All episodes of The Gentlemen are currently airing on Netflix.

Prince William tries his hardest to arrange his royal diary around family life but this month his duty to King Charles might make this impossible. The Prince of Wales is heading overseas for an important occasion that falls on the same day as Prince George starting at Eton College.

The 2026 Michaelmas Term starts on 9th September and William would no doubt love to be there to wish his son luck and potentially drop him off that morning. However, he's set to represent His Majesty at the State Funeral of King Harald V of Norway at Oslo Cathedral later that day.

The service begins at 1pm local time and Princess Anne will also be paying her respects to the late monarch as the godmother of new King Haakon VIII. According to royal sources, Prince William's attendance representing King Charles upholds a tradition that the monarch doesn't usually go to the funeral of another Head of State.

Depending on flight times it's possible that the Prince of Wales could still get to Norway in time after taking his eldest son to Eton. He won't want to rush or risk being late to such a poignant State occasion, though, so I suspect William will miss out on George's big day.

Notably, Buckingham Palace has confirmed only that William will be there and not that the Princess of Wales will be going too. This makes sense, as if the Prince of Wales is unable to be there for the 13-year-old's first day at Eton, he'll still have his mother supporting him.

School drop-offs and pick-ups are something William and Kate prioritise doing personally and it might help Prince George feel a bit more at ease if his mum takes him to Eton for the start of the new term. Although we know he's been boarding at Lambrook School, this will be the first time he's permanently lived away from home.

It'll take some getting used to - for him and the rest of the Wales family. Returning home after King Harald's funeral and not having George there could be very strange for Prince William. Royal expert Robert Jobson previously predicted this period will be very "emotional" for all of them.

"They are such a tight family unit; George will be missed," Robert declared. "It will be like having an empty seat at the table."

He added, "William used to go to visit the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh at Windsor while he was at Eton College, but that has to be organised. You can't just pop home when you want to."

Both the Prince and Princess of Wales went to boarding schools themselves (Eton and Marlborough College respectively), so they'll know what George will be going through. His new, more structured daily life will prepare him for the royal duties that await him one day too.

In future Prince George will probably have to miss out on some personal moments to represent his father at major occasions. King Charles actually delayed his wedding to Queen Camilla by a day out of respect, so that he could attend Pope John Paul II's funeral in Queen Elizabeth's place.

It comes with the territory if you're a senior royal and Prince George will understand this. If the future King has to head to Norway before school drop-off, William could perhaps have a special phone call or FaceTime with his son later to see how he's getting on instead.

BBC News presenter Maryam Moshiri has been diagnosed with polycythaemia vera (PV), a rare, incurable type of blood cancer.

While there is no cure for the presenter's condition, it can be managed effectively as a chronic illness.

Maryam has been working at the BBC since 2003, and the 49-year-old has three children aged 13, 11 and nine.

She was given her diagnosis in 2024, and how now shared it publicly to raise awareness about the disease.

"It's been two years since my diagnosis and I've felt that I've started to understand the disease a lot better and the way it affects my life," she told the BBC.

Maryam adds, "I've got a handle on it to a degree now, so I felt it was really important to raise awareness. I'm going to have to spend the rest of my life being treated for this."

The presenter shares that she "had no symptoms" which is "one of the problems with this disease."

Her illness was found because "my GP was so fastidious in the way she did my routine blood tests and immediately sent them for further diagnosis."

According to Cancer Research UK, PV is a slow developing cancer that affects the bone marrow, and causes an increase in the number of blood cells.

For those with the condition, their stem cells make too many red blood cells, and white blood cells and platelets may also be affected.

Too many red blood cells can make the blood thicker, and having thicker blood makes it more difficult for your blood to flow around the body. This can increase the risk of blood clots, and those with a higher number of platelets may also be at risk of haemorrhage.

As part of her treatment, Maryam has undergone venesection sessions. This procedure involves a needle being inserted into a vein in the arm to slowly draw out blood, which can reduce its thickness.

She reports that after these sessions, "my iron levels hit the floor" and she was left "exhausted."

"After a while I started feeling extremely unwell and tired. I started losing my hair, I got itchy all over my body, but the main symptom was fatigue," Maryam explains.

The presenter adds, "I think it's really important people understand that this blood cancer is incurable but it's manageable with the right treatment and you can lead a relatively healthy life."

However, the side effects can be unpredictable. While she wants to continue working and playing with her children, the presenter can sometimes be hindered by fatigue.

"love what I do. I love being where the story is. I don’t want to allow blood cancer to stop me from doing my work," she told The Times.

She continues, "During my worst times when I was going through really quite gruelling treatment, I wasn’t there for my kids.

"I’d be lying on the sofa, and my son would say, ‘mummy, can you come play football with me in the garden?’ And you just can’t. You’re too tired."

Concerned about telling her children about her diagnosis, Maryam shares, "It took me a long time to be able to tell them about this illness, because I don't want to worry them, but they have been so understanding."

Weighing in on the unpredictable nature of the condition, Maryam concludes, "Even though I feel the best I have in two years, I don't know how I'm going to be in six months, one year, two years."

Singer Natalie Imbruglia was "horrified" to find she felt "shame" when she hit perimenopause, not understanding where the feeling came from.

“I felt a glimmer of shame when I first hit perimenopause,” she said during an interview on BBC Woman’s Hour.

She continues, "I was quite horrified by that because I didn’t know where it was coming from, and I didn’t like it."

When asked where she thought the shame came from, Natalie shared that it might’ve come from saying goodbye to the potential to be fertile, but believes it could have stemmed from societal expectations and the patriarchy.

"I had certain people try to hush me if I tried to talk about it in front of a man," Natalie explains, adding, "And I thought, 'This is a mental health issue, every single woman goes through this, possibly for 12 years.'"

Eventually, it was the "glimmer of shame" that led the singer to speak out and share her experiences, to open the door for more women to do the same - to help challenge societal expectations and question patriarchal standards that tried to stop her.

Society appears to believe women should remain young - there's a hugely profitable industry all designed around keeping women insecure about their appearances and leading them to 'believe' they constantly need improving and the only outcome they need to feel happy is to remain youthful.

Hitting perimenopause and menopause is a big indicator that a woman is passing into a new phase of her life, and some might equate it with feeling 'old,' and therefore being unhappy and ashamed of something that's a natural process.

Natalie's comments sparked a debate in those commenting on the post when it was shared to Instagram.

Some agreed that fear of ageing contributes to "shame" about it, while others believe women and their bodies and bodily functions are shamed as soon as they start menstruating.

One person commented to say, "The shaming starts in western culture when we get our first period and never stops. Hiding period products, hiding blood, hiding our suffering. Peri and menopause are just an extension of that."

This is a good point, with young girls suffering with period challenges from heavy bleeding to unbearable pain each month, and many stories of doctors who haven't investigated or a medical profession that's been unable to help them.

Similarly, at the other end of the spectrum, perimenopause and menopause care has been non-existent until recent years, and there's a still a huge gap in the knowledge of healthcare professionals and medical misogyny when it comes to helping women going through challenges during this time.

Women then feel silenced by what's happening to their bodies, and in turn, feel shame. Another person commented to say, "We don’t talk enough about the shaming of women in perimenopause and menopause.

"We can no longer hold ourselves to society’s expectations of what a woman should be: accommodating, productive, attractive, calm, endlessly coping.

"Instead of compassion, we get criticism. Perhaps we’re not becoming 'too much.' Perhaps we just have less capacity to keep making ourselves smaller."

The debate in the comments was certainly very interesting, and Natalie's comments definitely sparked a lot of conversation and women wanting to share their own experiences.

Another person wrote, "That shame is so interesting, because it says something about the stories women absorb long before perimenopause actually arrives."

"The symptoms are one thing… the sudden sense that ageing has somehow made you less visible, less desirable or less yourself can be another layer entirely."

In answer to the question about whether or not society shames women in menopause - the collective experiences of women engaging with the Woman's Hour post strongly suggests that yes, it does.

Prince William has been described as a real "big boy" and a "modern day dinosaur" - but, fear not, we aren’t talking about the Prince of Wales.

As it turns out, there’s a new Prince William who lives in one of the Commonwealth countries, and he’s a 12 foot 6 inch saltwater crocodile named in honour of the future King. The, let’s say, unique honour was bestowed upon Prince William by one of his new friends, famous conservationist Robert Irwin.

Robert has formed an unexpected friendship with William, and in honour of the prince’s work with his Earthshot Prize, and the son of the late Steve Irwin has celebrated this friendship and their shared love of environmentalism by naming a huge crocodile at the Steve Irwin Wildlife Reserve in Australia after him.

Introducing the regally named crocodile on his social media page, Robert said, "This is all for the conservation of crocodiles and over the years we have caught 300 crocs in this ground-breaking study.

"I’m very proud to say that this big boy right here is the 300th crocodile that we have caught. This is a really exciting milestone, and in gratitude and recognition for the incredible conservation work from His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, we wanted to name this extremely special modern-day dinosaur, this amazing animal, after His Royal Highness.

"So meet Prince William. Here he is."

As part of the reserve’s work, William the crocodile will be tracked for the next decade, providing data about what he eats, how long he can dive and how climate change affects his body temperature.

The future king and the 22-year-old conservationist have struck up the unlikeliest of friendships ever since Robert became an ambassador for William’s Earthshot Prize, which was launched in 2020 and awards five winners a £1 million grant each to scale their work towards goals of environmental and conservation importance.

Earlier in the year, after joining William riding London’s 3000th electric bus as part of London Climate Action Week, Robert appeared on ITV's This Morning where he spoke about the "privilege" of befriending the prince.

Describing him as one of the “greatest environmentalists that we have on the planet”, Robert revealed more about how William checks in.

"This is a perfect example of what he's like, right?" Robert responded, "I was doing Dancing with the Stars in America, bringing the conservation mission to a very different audience. He FaceTimed me in rehearsals with my dance partner just to wish me well on all the dancing."

He added, "He is just a down to Earth human being and someone who knows the importance of conservation reaching different audiences."

Nowadays, tweakments and a subtle zhuzh are part of many people’s beauty regimes - no longer reserved for Hollywood stars and no longer carried out in secret.

People will happily talk about the best filler or how certain injectables have helped with plenty of skin concerns, from sagging to fine lines and hydration. Or will they? On a recent episode of their podcast, Dig It, Jo Whiley and Zoe Ball got on to the topic of keeping their tweakments secret from their partners or families.

For Zoe, it’s all a question of do they even need to know, while Jo agreed that, sometimes, people can have the wrong impression and think that an injectable here or there is going to ruin one’s face.

Zoe got the conversation started, saying, “Who tells their other half about having Botox? Because I think most of the men I know are always like, ‘Oh, don't wreck your face. Don't do this. Don't do that to it’.”

She continued, “I don't hide it from them. Because obviously sometimes you can't hide it when you've had a bit too much or suddenly you can't smile anymore”.

Not only does Jo agree, she let listeners in on her own beauty regime secrets. She shared, “I have Profhilo, which I really like, which is just like very, very hydrating, and then a tiny bit of baby Botox just between the eyebrows and then around the eyes.”

Like Zoe, Jo doesn’t have any shame in the treatment, but there was a reason she didn’t tell her family about it. “I didn't tell anybody for ages because a bit of me was intrigued to see whether the family would notice.

“And also I knew they had quite strong views about it. I didn't want to tell them in the beginning, just out of my own curiosity to see whether they would actually notice anything different. And when they didn't, I was like, okay, so I'm getting away with it.”

Zoe added, “I really admire and respect people who don't do anything and look fabulous. But sometimes a little bit of something has made a difference to me and made me feel a little bit better.”

This issue struck a chord with many listeners who were quick to rush to the comments to debate the topic of judgement around these beauty choices, and why some still feel the need to keep it secret.

Perhaps proving Zoe and Jo's arguments, many of the comments seemed disappointed that the pair were even having the treatments in the first place. One comment read, "Have to admit, I feel a little disappointed in this. Icons who I thought would not reinforce impossible ideals. Such a shame we don't seem to be able to embrace who we are as we age."

On the other side of things, one fan wrote, “People dye their hair, it's not natural. Hairy armpits, very natural. Everyone has their line of what they will and won't do. Let's support freedom of choice and other women.”

Another seemed to prove Jo’s point that these treatments can be so subtle people just won’t notice when they added, “I was amazed how many of my friends have Botox when I discussed it.”

Queen Camilla is back from her summer holiday in Balmoral with King Charles and other members of the Royal Family and she’s right back to work, making an unannounced appearance in front of a stunned audience.

Her Majesty took to the stage at London’s Royal Festival Hall on Thursday evening (September 3) to make a surprise reading at Letters Live, a popular event which includes guest speakers reading personal or noteworthy letters on stage.

The Queen, who made the appearance in support of the National Literacy Trust, for which she is the patron, read a moving and emotional letter written by the Queen Mother to the British poet Edith Sitwell, detailing her journey through grief after the death of King George VI.

Stepping on to the stage to audible gasps and much applause, the Queen arrived dressed in a blue Fiona Clare gown with turquoise and diamond earrings.

The letter Her Majesty read aloud was written by Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother in September of 1952, not long after she lost her husband of over 28 years in February that same year.

In the moving letter, the Queen Mother wrote, "It was a day when one felt engulfed by great black clouds of unhappiness and misery, and I found a sort of peace stealing round my heart as I read such lovely poems and heavenly words."

Thanking the poet for sending her a book, she continued, "I can never thank you enough for giving me such a delicious book wherein I found so much beauty and hope quite suddenly one day by the river."

The Queen Mother's letter also quoted the poet George Herbert, “Who could have thought my shrivel'd heart, could have recovered greennesse? It was gone quite underground.”

She continued, "I am deeply touched by your thought of me, I love being given books, and I send you my warmest thanks. I am yours, very sincerely, Elizabeth R.”

The letter is a true piece of history, offering a rare look at a grieving Queen Mother in a way that hasn’t been seen before. At the time of his death, the Queen Mother reportedly favoured a much more stoical stance, choosing to grieve privately in Scotland.

She would return to public duties not long after, and true to the royal mantra of ‘never complain, never explain’, she seldom spoke of her grief publicly but continued to mourn him privately. According to several royal historians, this included the touching move of keeping his study at Royal Lodge, Windsor, exactly as it was when he died.

The Royal Family’s social media account posted footage of Queen Camilla at the event and described Letters Live as “a celebration of the enduring power of literary correspondence. Each show always features a completely different array of great performers, reading remarkable letters written over the centuries and from around the world.”

Jennifer Aniston paid tribute to Dolly Parton this week, and revealed the nuggets of wisdom shared by the late country singer that she tries to live by.

While hosting a Q&A in New York City with her boyfriend, Jim Curtis, Jennifer couldn’t help but stop to honour the legacy of her "dear friend" - joking that everyone in the world was suffering from “post Parton” blues. Despite the sadness, Jennifer thought of Dolly when she was asked what’s the best piece of advice she could give.

She shared that Dolly would often say, "'I chased a few rainbows and I caught some, I caught a few.'" The Friends star movingly added, "Go chase your dreams and go catch some rainbows. You’ll catch a few. [Dolly] did that, for sure."

Jennifer is paraphrasing one of Dolly’s famous quotes that was also a song lyric from her 2014 track, Try. In the inspirational song, Dolly sings, "I've chased after rainbows, I've captured one or two. I've reached for the stars, I've even held a few”.

Dolly and Jennifer became friends when they collaborated on the 2018 Netflix movie, Dumplin’, which featured Dolly as an off-screen influence and inspiration for the title character. The movie even featured existing and original music from the singer.

True to Dolly’s nature, Jennifer revealed at the time just how generous she had been during the making of the film. “She was only supposed to write one song and she ended up writing six,” she said. “The movie wouldn’t have been made if she said no.”

The two would even record together for the film, and Jennifer earned Dolly’s respect. “She did good, though, I have to say,” Dolly told Entertainment Tonight at the time. "She was a little nervous at the start, but she walked in there like she does everything else, like a real pro."

For Jennifer’s part, she recalled that she “burst into tears” after getting the chance to sing with Dolly, a hero of hers. In fact, Jennifer once had a dog named after Dolly.

When she appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel show back in 2018, Jennifer shared, “I loved her since I was little. You know, sang into a hairbrush singing Dolly Parton. I told her that I named my dog after her.

She added, “Dolly and I were doing press and somehow that came up. And then… she was like, ‘I know when she said I named my dog Dolly after you, I don’t know how I felt about that.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, God, I’ve insulted her.'"

Fortunately, Dolly couldn’t have been too insulted. The pair remained friendly and reportedly gave Jennifer her blessing for her planned remake of Dolly’s movie, 9 to 5. It’s reported that Jennifer has been working on a reimagining of the 1980 comedy film which co-starred Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin.

In 2025, Dolly said of the remake, “I love Jennifer. I think it’ll be a wonderful thing… I do wish her the best, because the script I read, I thought, was really good and a new and different take that really brings the office up to date the way that people live now”.

Throughout her history-defining reign, Queen Elizabeth II oversaw many firsts and ushered in many changes, but there was one “solemn” tradition that was kept private - and King Charles followed her lead seventy years later.

Queen Elizabeth’s 1953 coronation was the first of a British monarch’s to ever be fully televised, but one part was kept hidden - the anointing of the oil. The Chrism oil is consecrated in Jerusalem ahead of a coronation, and per the Royal Family’s website, “It has historically been regarded as a moment between the Sovereign and God.”

In a new book, royal historian George William Cullen Gross suggests this was Her Majesty’s way “to preserve the mystery surrounding it”, and perhaps a testament to her faith and dedication to her role as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.

In the book, Crown and People: British Coronations and the Shaping of National Identity 973–2023, Gross writes, "In a similar vein to the religiosity of baptism, the ceremony of anointing was hidden from television cameras during the 1953 coronation of Queen Elizabeth II to preserve the mystery surrounding it”

"In this instance, four Knights of the Garter held the canopy of gold over and around the monarch to shield the act from view. During the act of Anointing, the monarch disrobes from their crimson robes and takes off any jewellery, giving up all symbols of their status."

The book goes into more detail, explaining that the oil is presented in "an eagle-shaped flask in solid gold, [which] dates back to the remade crown jewels for the coronation of Charles II in 1661."

Interestingly, despite many changes in his own coronation in 2023, King Charles decided to keep this moment private as well.

The Royal Family’s website wrote in more detail about what was to take place in the build-up to the historic affair. They explained, “The Dean of Westminster pours holy oil from the Ampulla into the Coronation Spoon, and the Archbishop of Canterbury anoints the Sovereign on the hands, chest and head.

"It has historically been regarded as a moment between the Sovereign and God, with a screen or canopy in place given the sanctity of the Anointing."

King Charles’s anointing took place behind a special screen he had commissioned before the coronation. His Majesty personally chose the design of the anointing screen, which was inspired by the stained-glass Sanctuary Window in the Chapel Royal and created by the Royal School of Needlework.

The central design takes the form of a tree which includes 56 representing the 56 member countries of the Commonwealth. The King’s cypher was positioned at the base of the tree, representing the Sovereign as servant of their people.

The Gentlemen is finally back for season 2, with episodes airing on Netflix from September 3.

While there's been a huge buzz surrounding the release of the new season, and excitement that the hit comedy has already been renewed for a third series, there seems to be one big question everyone is asking about the show: Will Meghan Markle be in season 3?

Rumours have been widely circulating that Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, will make a spectacular return to acting in the show's next outing (which hopefully we won't have to wait another two and a half years for.)

While waiting for official confirmation or denial of the reports of her involvement in The Gentlemen, Theo James who plays the role of Eddie Halstead in the series, seems to have offered a definitive answer to the question.

"I think that is just a rumour," James said when asked by Digital Spy whether Meghan had a role in season 3. He adds, "I don’t even know the practicalities of how one would make that happen."

When asked who he'd like to be cast in a starring role instead of the Duchess, Theo replied, "In terms of people that I would like to have in the series, I’d like someone psychopathic, like old school Robert Carlyle."

When rumours first began that Meghan was in talks to appear in The Gentlemen, an insider told The Sun, "The gossip in TV circles is that Meghan could play the ultimate temptress, who puts the cat among the pigeons by seducing an aristocrat.

"The Gentlemen would be perfect for her as it’s a big budget, glossy production which is quintessentially British.

"But because it is on Netflix that gives it a huge global audience. In fact it is one of the streaming giant’s biggest hits of recent years.

"It would see her star opposite Theo James, who plays Eddie and he is one of the frontrunners to be the new James Bond."

They concluded by saying, "Everything about the project screams quality, but it is also one with a bit of an edge too."

However, it was later reported by Tina Brown, the former editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, that Meghan has been dropped from the project.

Writing on her Substack, Brown suggested, "I learned this morning that the casting of Meghan Markle in season 3 of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen has been withdrawn.

"The backlash in the UK was so intense, it became untenable to go forward. This does not bode well for Meghan’s acting comeback in the UK."

Meghan became widely known following her leading role as Rachel Zane in the legal drama Suits, in which she played the character for seven seasons.

On the big screen, she had a small role in the comedy Horrible Bosses, and had major parts in the Hallmark movies When Sparks Fly and Dater’s Handbook.

She retired from acting in 2018 following her marriage to Prince Harry, and recently made a small foray back to the small screen playing herself in the Amazon comedy Close Personal Friends.

The Duchess hasn't been entirely absent from TV screens during her retirement from acting, having appeared in a presenting capacity, fronting her own lifestyle show on Netflix.

In 2025, she hosted With Love, Meghan, as part of her and Harry's production deal with Netflix. Here, she chatted to celebrity friends, and shared favourite recipes and crafts with viewers.

When they became parents, it was inevitable that Prince William and Kate would find themselves learning new things, but the Princess of Wales might not have thought she’d have to teach her husband quite a common childhood game.

Exploring the royal couple’s personal lives and just how they continued to learn new things about one another years into their relationship, royal author Tom Quinn claimed that Kate had to show Prince William what a piggyback was - something he rather sadly revealed he’d never experienced himself as a youngster.

In his book, Yes Ma'am: The Secret Life of Royal Servants, Tom suggests a maid told him, "[Kate] had to show him how to give the children a piggyback, for example. William said very quietly, 'My father never gave me a piggyback.'"

He added, “Kate had to explain many of the things that parents outside the royal family do with their children as a matter of course.”

The insider went on to suggest, “I don't know where William would be without Kate - she hasn't had everything done for her throughout her life, so she calms him down when he gets a bit fractious.

"She said he sometimes has to be treated as her fourth child."

This isn’t the first time it’s been suggested that William experienced a whole other way of being thanks to Kate, and his in-laws. In fact, one royal source has previously suggested William was actually influenced by this less formal way of life he picked up from the Middletons.

Previously reported in the Daily Mail, a royal source claimed, "That the Middletons had to nip to the shop for food, ensure there was enough bread in the house, empty their own bins and put out the recycling on the right day were all refreshing".

They suggest that "William found the informality eye-opening" and something as trivial as “laying a tablecloth was a struggle” at first for the future King. But it was thanks to this that allegedly helped William and Catherine as they lived together for the first time in Anglesey. The couple were there during William’s time working as an RAF Search and Rescue Pilot.

When William was first sent to the supermarket “his first experience of a big shop following Carole’s detailed lists was apparently mind-boggling”.

Now, as a result, it could be why the pair have "introduced a lot of relative informality into home life” at their Windsor Great Park home, Forest Lodge. The couple are thought to make their three children - Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis - do their own chores like any other children, and they enjoy a level of informality that’s closer to Kate’s upbringing than William’s.

Indeed, one rule that they are reportedly adamant on is no live-in staff at their home. Royal biographer Ingrid Seward has previously shared, "William and Kate have never wanted live-in staff; I think that’s the modern way.

“Since William was a little boy, he’s seen all the staff at the late Queen’s homes, and he never wanted that. It’s not something Kate grew up with either."

The Gentlemen is finally back after a very long wait of two and a half years. With the new season comes new filming locations, as the tweed-clad characters move their scheming and deals to another country.

When we first met Eddie (Theo James,) he'd joined forces with Susie Glass (Kaya Scodelario) to help lead the cannabis operation her family had been running from a bunker on his family's estate.

Now Eddie would quite like to be rid of Susie and her dad Bobby (Ray Winstone.) They helped him sort out the financial mess Eddie’s brother Freddy (Daniel Ings) got himself into during season 1, which mean they had quite a strong hold over him.

But now he wants to go solo and be free of their clutches, by venturing to Italy to do a few drug deals and get himself a nice bit of sunshine in the process.

With the story moving between sun soaked Italy and the UK, we look at where the cast and crew actually filmed season 2 of The Gentlemen.

Where is The Gentlemen season 2 filmed?

Italy

In Italy, filming took place predominantly around Lake Maggiore in the Piedmont region of the country - the lake sits in northern Italy along the border of Switzerland next to the city of Verbania.

Verbania itself also features heavily in the character's Italian adventures. In the Pallanza district of the city, the Villa Rusconi-Clerici was used as a filming location.

This neoclassical lakeside estate features tiered formal Italian gardens, and the production crew built a temporary pier at the location that sees characters arrive at the villa on speedboats.

Elsewhere in Pallanza, the Grand Hotel Majestic also makes an appearance in the show. The luxury hotel was used as a filming location for key pre-wedding strategy meetings scenes, while the Catholic parish church Chiesa di San Leonardo was used to film the actual ceremony.

Outdoor scenes in Pallanza were shot at the district's Piazza Garibaldi and Via Vittorio Veneto. These areas were closed off to the public at various points to allow for uninterrupted filming of exterior and street scenes.

It's also been reported that Theo James spoke about filming in Stresa, a town on the shores of Lake Maggiore, and the Borromean Islands, which sits between Verbania and Stresa.

Speaking about filming in Italy, Guy Ritchie says, "This chapter sees a deliberate expansion, both geographically and thematically, as we journey from the English countryside to the Italian lakes.

"Eddie and Susie find themselves navigating an increasingly volatile empire as they’re besieged on all fronts by an influx of enigmatic new players."

Ashcombe House

One of Guy Ritchie's own properties features in season 2 of The Gentlemen, in the form of Ashcombe House in Wiltshire. The manor sits roughly halfway between the villages of Berwick St John and Tollard Royal, near Salisbury.

The estate and its lake serve provide the the setting for Eddie’s hunting party in the opening episode of the season.

The Grade II-listed Georgian manor was bought by Ritchie in 2001 when he was married to Madonna.

It remained his home following the couple's divorce, and the estate is open for private bookings. On site activities are also available, including a spa and wild swimming.

Salisbury Cathedral

Some scenes involving Eddie Horniman and Stanley Johnston (Giancarlo Esposito) were filmed in Salisbury Cathedral, Wiltshire.

Considered a masterpiece of Early English Gothic architecture, the Cathedral is home to both Britain's tallest spire (123 metres high) and the largest cloister court in England (roughly half an acre.)

The cathedral's Chapter House also holds one of only four surviving original copies of the 1215 Magna Carta. While in conversation with Eddie during one of their scenes there, viewers can see Stanley pause to look at the document.

Swakeleys House

Swakeleys House is a Grade l-listed Jacobean mansion built in 1638. It is a central feature of the Swakeleys Estate, a historic 25-acre estate located in Ickenham, in the London Borough of Hillingdon.

Swakeleys House can be seen in The Gentlemen when it's used as the St. Bartholomew's rehab facility where Eddie’s older brother Freddie is staying.

If you remember Freddie's spending, drug taking, chicken dancing and trying his best to financially ruin his family during season 1, you'll see that getting the help he needs (and getting out of his younger brother's way) is the best place for him right now.

The house and the estate are usually closed to the public, except for a few days a year when it opens as part of London's open house festivals.

The house is visible from Swakeleys park, a public park that was originally part of the estate's grounds before being sold to the council in the 1920s - this would be the perfect place to have a look at the location for those wanting to see it in real life.

Badminton House

Badminton House, Gloucestershire, makes a welcome return as Halstead Manor, where Eddie and his family were born and raised. The home has been in their family for generations.

The Grade I listed country house can be found in the village of Badminton, South Gloucestershire, surrounded by the 52,000-acre Badminton Estate. The house and estate sit around 15 miles north-east of Bristol.

The estate hosts multiple events throughout the year, including the famous Badminton Horse Trials. Some areas can be hired for weddings and events, but the house generally isn't open to the public apart from occasional heritage open days as it's actually somebody's home.

The house is actually the private residence of Harry Somerset, the 12th Duke of Beaufort, and his wife, Georgia Beaufort.

Speaking about the estate, The Gentlemen location manager Iggy Ellis says, "Badminton felt immediately right for Halstead because it's a proper, lived-in home, rather than a National Trust museum."

Iggy adds, "So inside there'd be some walking sticks by the door or a few shotgun rounds from where they'd been out shooting. There were cracks and tired bits, as you'd get in every family home. But there was also an oil painting and history and majesty. It felt perfect for our story."

The Gentlemen airs on Netflix from September 3.

Lorraine Kelly has been a steady presence on morning television for over 40 years, and has broken some of the most devastating news stories the country has ever seen during that time.

She has also had a diverse range of people sitting on her sofa to be interviewed, from celebrities and authors, to campaigners and members of the public with inspiring or emotional stories to tell.

Recently reflecting on her career, Lorraine was asked whether anyone had ever stormed out of her studio. She revealed that someone had, giving insight into the experience.

Sharing who it was Lorraine says, "Michael Winner, he was a movie director." She immediately describes the now deceased filmmaker as "prickly, to say the least."

Making the admission during an appearance on the Experience Is Everything podcast, Lorraine continues, "He actually stormed out during the break."

She adds, "He was sitting there talking about a movie he was doing, and he'd just had a triple heart bypass. I just happened to say, as you would with anyone who'd had a serious illness, 'Gosh how are you doing? Are you alright?'"

Lorraine went on to ask him whether he'd recovered or was still taking medication, and Michael became very offended by her questions.

He said to her, "I'm not here to talk about my health," and with that, Lorraine recalls that he "stood up, took his microphone off and buggered off."

Sharing what she thought of the encounter at the time, the presenter says her first thought was, "Oh, silly old idiot," suggesting that "some Hollywood stars can be a real pain in the neck."

Lorraine does also hint that having difficult people on her sofa is a very rare occurrence, saying, "But most people that come on are lovely."

She also keeps one thing in mind when she finds a person challenging, sharing, "I always give them a benefit of the doubt, they might be having a bad day."

However, after that a person will be out of chances. "But if the second time I meet them and they're exactly the same - well yes, you're just a nuisance, that's who you are," she says candidly.

Lorraine says she'll always try to give people another chance because "you don't know what people are going through." She adds, "Nobody ever knows what people are going through, you really don't."

She continues, "Put yourself in their shoes or give them the benefit of the doubt."

The presenter shares that a very important lesson she's learned by talking to such a diverse range of people throughout her career, is that, "We are all the same."

"The more people I've spoken to or interviewed, the more you realise we're all just wanting to get on with our lives - we've got more in common that what divides us."

She concludes, "When it comes down to it, we all just want to get on with our lives, make sure our kids are OK, make sure we've got friends, and make sure we're doing the best that we can."

Vigil actress Suranne Jones is among campaigners calling for a "bold and ambitious" plan to improve access to early and accurate diagnosis of dementia.

Presenter Jon Snow revealed in June that he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, a form of dementia, in 2023.

With research suggesting many members of the public face "months of delays" when it comes to getting a diagnosis of the cognitive condition, Jon, Suranne and other Alzheimer's Society ambassadors have signed a letter urging the government to improve how dementia is addressed and treated.

They were joined by Vicky McClure, Sir Jonathan Pryce and Dame Meera Syal, in signing the letter that outlines better treatment is required for those affected by dementia, which was handed in to Downing Street on September 2.

The campaign asks the government to set an ambitious goal to reduce the number of people that die from dementia; ensure robust plans are in place to deliver disease modifying treatments, as they become available; support the delivery of high-quality dementia training for the social care workforce; and ensure everyone can access an early and accurate diagnosis.

The call to action for improvements to dementia care comes as a survey by the Alzheimer's Society of just over 1,000 UK carers of people with dementia, found 45% had waited over six months for a dementia diagnosis after asking for help.

Of 868 carers supporting someone who had been officially diagnosed with dementia, 46% said waiting times for a diagnosis had affected their work. A further 35% said it had made it harder to plan for the future, while three in 10 felt their life was on hold while they waited.

The charity wants the government to introduce a new nationally recognised standard care pathway to ensure people with dementia receive an accurate diagnosis within 18 weeks of a GP referral. This would include having a care plan in place and access to treatment where appropriate.

As such a plan already exists for all other major health conditions, Michelle Dyson chief executive at Alzheimer’s Society says it would never be accepted for someone to be "left to work out the next steps on their own" after being diagnosed with cancer, but this is "the reality for too many people affected by dementia”.

Michelle says, "A dementia diagnosis can bring answers, understanding and access to the support, treatment and care that can make a real difference to people’s lives. But we know things can be so much better."

She adds, "Too many families spend months, and sometimes years, waiting for answers while their dementia progresses.

“It is like trying to plan a journey without knowing where you are going or when you will arrive. Behind every delayed diagnosis is a family living with uncertainty and trying to prepare for the future without the support they need."

A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson says, "This government is determined to strengthen the support that is available both to individuals affected by dementia, and the family members who look after them.

"We are bringing forward the timetable for Baroness Casey’s commission on reform of the social care system, and we are appointing a new dementia tsar to help lead our work in that area, as recommended by Baroness Casey.

"We are also implementing a new action plan for unpaid carers to ensure that they receive the support and recognition they deserve for the selfless work they do."

We’re calling this the one where Jennifer Aniston’s boyfriend made everyone go ‘awww’ - Jim Curtis has offered rare insight into his relationship with the Friends star, and he couldn’t feel more "blessed".

Jim was interviewed on the Jamie Kern Lima podcast, where he discussed more about his work as a transformational coach working with a blend of neuroscience and spiritual principles - and, naturally, questions about his courtship of the Emmy winner came up.

The pair have been together for a year-and-a-half, and Jim described himself as being "incredibly blessed" to be "in a relationship with someone that is so open-hearted, kind and loving" - and shared their top tool for handling arguments.

He said, "My experience of her is so grounded and so open and caring and kind and loving… She uses words like ‘my love’ and she has this group of best friends that are like family."

"I feel incredibly blessed to be welcomed into that family", he continued, before adding, "Such a beautiful community and group of people. It really speaks to her and them, that everybody is so grounded, so kind and it's not just to me."

When the host shared her own experience with Jennifer, praising her for being “inclusive”, Jim heaped even more praise on his partner, giving her credit for remaining so open given everything that she’s gone through so publicly.

He said of her kindness, "You would understand if she was less so, right? I think that she is a real example of stepping into possibility. She came from living in New York and New Jersey and into this kind of household name and retained herself."

In a conversation about overcoming negativity and the more difficult moments, Jim did touch on how he and Jennifer handle their own arguments. When asked what their best way of dealing with it is, Jim answered, "Meditation".

He added, "Jen and I have been together a year and a half" so he doesn’t necessarily need to rely on loftier ways of conflict resolution yet. Instead, in addition to meditation, they turn to "Acceptance, understanding… In a honeymoon phase, your tools don’t have to be like big sledgehammers."

During a previous appearance on the Ced with Intention podcast, Jim touched on this topic in more detail. He said, "I spend a lot of time with my girlfriend. We spend a lot of time in the house together. Sometimes, we can have little things flare up. We have the opportunity to be silent, angry, leave the house, think about it and meditate on how to change it."

"Or we can say, 'Hey, this is what happened, I'm sorry,' and do the repair, and then go and work on making sure it happens less or doesn't happen again. Because once you make a repair and it just happens five more times, no one trusts it."

Jennifer has kept things relatively private, but she did praise him during an Elle magazine interview in 2025 as "very special, very normal and very kind" adding, "He's quite extraordinary, and helps many, many people".

As the BBC's horrifying exposé of the forced adoption scandal instantly lets viewers know, between 1949 and 1976, 250,000 unmarried mothers in the UK were forced to have their babies adopted.

Stolen Babies airs on September 2 on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, and the 90 minute film uncovers the true extent of the cruelty women and girls faced, just for becoming pregnant out of wedlock.

Some victims of the forced adoption scandal were in relationships and abandoned when they found out they were expecting a baby, others faced further trauma of having their babies as a result of sexual assault.

The documentary outlines "shunned" women, sent away to give birth, who were often denied pain relief and in one case, slapped during delivery, as penance for their so-called "sins."

"This scandal has echoes of everything that horrifies people about The Handmaid's Tale," says Dr. Michael Lambert, a lecturer and historian who appears in the documentary whose expertise helped uncover the extent of the horrors.

Victim Ann Keen hauntingly adds, "Let's face it, we were working-class, unmarried girls having babies that were being adopted by middle-class women."

Most of the women and girls wanted to keep their babies, but had no power against the church, state, social workers and a system that used them as vessels to provide children for women deemed to be of better social standing, unable to have their own.

"It was a machine that gathered vulnerable young women, and left us broken," says Judy, another victim.

Viewers hear distressing details of girls in the mother and baby homes gathering as they hear footsteps of adoptive parents arriving to take a baby away, not knowing whose child it be.

This would be followed by grieving howls when one of them realised it was her child, and she would be left devastated by the forced loss.

In some instances, a girl wouldn't find out her baby had gone until she was faced with an empty cot one morning and told to change the sheets ready for the next baby.

Joan Chambers spent nine months with her baby boy before he was taken. "Not knowing where your child is, it's complete and utter torture every day of you life," she says.

Heavy misogyny of the time placed all blame and responsibility on the shoulders of the girls who fell pregnant.

Some describe moments of kindness from midwives and workers in the mother and baby homes, but for most, they had become fallen women and forced to deal with their trauma and shame with no support or empathy.

Former social worker Wes Cuell appears in the documentary to give an idea of how the unmarried mothers were treated at the time.

"It was highly charged in terms of morality," he says, adding, "It was that they had morally transgressed and it was their fault, their responsibility, they were reprehensible and they were unfit to be a mother."

He finishes, "The only option we would be considering was adoption."

Scotland were the first to apologise to women who had their babies taken through forced adoption. Wales followed, and in 2025, Northern Ireland began a public inquiry into their own.

After years of campaigning for official accountability, The UK government formally apologised for the forced adoption scandal on July 2, 2026.

Speaking after the apology is delivered, victim Judy Baker says, "I think of all the things this experience brings, all the pain, the sorrow, the grief, the guilt, the biggest thing to deal with is shame."

She continues, "To be relieved of it is just amazing."

Although the figure of 250,000 victims of the scandal has been given, it's also been acknowledged that the true numbers will never be known.

Stolen Babies airs on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

If one fitness influencer’s encounter tells us anything, it’s that Princess Anne is exactly the same whether she’s on duty in public or relaxing with her family during their summer escapes to Balmoral.

Finlay Jacobs, a Scottish-based fitness content creator, shared his unexpected run in with the Princess Royal while he was out on a run around Scotland, posting his experience on his social media page (as reported by Hello!).

What stood out - and what feels so on-brand - was Princess Anne’s hilariously no-nonsense response. He shared that, rather than being flanked by security or trying to distance herself from the runner, the very relaxed Princess Royal simply ushered him to keep going and told him to “Keep going!”

Finley shared in his video that he debated asking her for a photo or a video before the Princess Royal instead willed him to keep going. The fact that he was able to stop and think about asking for a photo suggests how relaxed and informal the encounter must’ve felt, and Princess Anne choosing instead to focus on his exercise feels so on-brand for the no fuss royal.

Princess Anne is currently enjoying the summer holidays at Balmoral Castle, the 50,000-acre estate in the Scottish Highlands that has been a fixture for the Royal Family for decades.

Prince Albert (King Charles and Princess Anne’s great-great-great-grandfather) bought the estate in 1852, making it one of the privately owned royal properties and not part of the Crown Estate.

The late Queen Elizabeth II made it an important annual tradition that the family would enjoy summers in their private haven, a place where they could be off-duty and simply come together as a family - a tradition that King Charles is keen to continue.

There’s a reason it’s become such a valued tradition. Former royal chef Darren McGrady, who worked for the royals for 15 years, previously shared that it was during these Balmoral holidays that the royals could really “let their hair down” and come together like a regular family.

He even shared one particular tradition which would see the whole family take control of the cooking, with members claiming individual courses to oversee. He told Aberdeen Live, “You’d often get Princess Anne come down to the kitchen and say, 'I’m in charge of the first course tonight, what can I take?'"

He added, "Then Prince Edward would come down and be in charge of pudding, so would want to do something like pancakes. We’d make the batter and he’d want to fill them with things like raspberries or strawberries from the garden with ice cream."

They worked as a family on creating this meal, which they loved. They weren’t afraid to let their hair down and get stuck in."

Any new product launch from Jo Malone is cause for celebration, but this one feels even more joyful because it feels like a gift for our dogs.

For the first time, the fragrance experts are introducing a brand-new grooming essential for our four-legged friends – and it's approved by Tom Hardy and his beloved French bulldog Blue Hardy.

The newly launched grooming essential is an Orange & Cedarwood Dog Shampoo, created by Jo Malone London in collaboration with renowned pet-care brand WildWash to ensure it's perfectly formulated for our furry friends.

New launch: Jo Malone dog shampoo

Crafted with naturally derived orange and cedarwood essential oils, the shampoo is a delicately fragranced cleanser that freshens and leaves coats with a healthy shine – without stripping away natural oils. We almost can't wait for those muddy puddles just to bathe our dogs.

Like all the best Jo Malone perfumes, the new shampoo has a signature scent. "We're so careful about the scents we use on our own body and hair, so it's only right that we give the same thought to our four-legged friends," says Laura Honey, our w&h ecommerce editor. "Orange and cedarwood make for a fantastic pairing, especially for your pet's fur.

Orange brings a bright, zesty note that keeps things fresh and light, but citrus oils need to be paired with something woody, or they'll disappear faster than any other note in the fragrance. That's where the cedarwood comes in: warm, woody, and a little smoky, it gives the scent proper longevity and depth, holding onto the freshness of the orange, enhancing the earthy, natural overall fragrance. It's perfect for giving your pup a spa-worthy shine and scent."

This first-time dog grooming product comes 'personally approved' by French bulldog Blue Hardy – who proudly appears alongside his dog dad, Cypress & Grapevine ambassador Tom Hardy, in some of the brand’s campaign films.

Aside from being a premium beauty product, in true Jo Malone-style, the bottles are also a thing of beauty. Every 285ml bottle of Jo Malone's dog shampoo features one of four collectable dog breed illustrations of a French bulldog, Dachshund, West Highland White Terrier and Jack Russell.

As the proud owner of an elegant whippet, I'm secretly hoping the Jo Malone design team will add to the pack at a later stage – although for now I'll happily give a good home to any one of these characters because I can't wait to use the shampoo on my own pup.

The deliciously scented pet product is perfectly timed ahead for the autumn and winter months, where a love of muddy puddles becomes too irresistible for most pups. This new sweetly fragranced shampoo ensures our beloved dogs smell divine after even the wettest of winter walks.

She's a fearless and savvy businesswoman, and known to millions as a firm but fair voice as an investor on Dragon's Den.

Now, Deborah Meaden has given rare insight into her life away from TV, revealing why she's happily child-free, and the reason for once being reluctant to get married.

The businesswoman and presenter appeared on an episode of the Second Act podcast, to speak to host Ateh Jewel about her achievements, ageing and some of life's biggest decisions.

'I never felt maternal, it's as simple as that," Deborah shares of her choice not to be a parent. She adds, "When I looked into my future, children weren't there."

Deborah continues, "I've never felt the need to do what's expected of me, that's always been a big thing in my life. You can hand me that baby as much as you like, it's not going to change my views."

Deborah also feels she isn't "good with babies," and says she has always listened to her body. Using food as an analogy, she shares, "I eat when my body tells me to eat - if my body had said, 'I want you to have babies,' I would've had babies."

She concludes, "But I didn't feel it." Not that she has to defend her decision to anyone, the businesswoman also shares that she has received backlash for her very personal choice in the past.

She once gave an interview and mentioned that children weren't on the cards for her and her husband. "I got quite a lot of unpleasant feedback," she reveals, adding that she'd been asked, "What's wrong with you, and why not?" when it came to not wanting to become pregnant.

When it comes to marriage, this is something else Deborah felt really strongly that she didn't want to do. She did however eventually compromise and has been married to her husband Paul for 33 years.

They met when Paul was working for her father at Butlins, and at the end of the season, Deborah recalls, "I jumped on him and asked him for a cup of coffee."

As well as seeing her mother marry three times which put her off marriage herself, the businesswoman says she was "fiercely independent" and "worried marriage would change me" through too much compromise.

She says that her relationship with Paul works because they're "really good friends," and share the same sense of humour, love for travel, and don't feel the need to "hold hands all the time."

The couple briefly split up over Deborah's reluctance to get married, as she reveals they kept engaging in "circular discussions" over it, with neither of them changing their stance.

Realising she loved Paul after their split, Deborah did agree to marry him, but was firm in letting him know, "If marriage is the thing that keeps us together for the rest of our lives, then I'll get married."

However, she did keep her own surname, and was sure to firmly tell her husband on the morning of their wedding, "I'm only doing this for you."

However, she does sweetly share, "It was actually the best thing I ever did."

Susanna Reid has now made a welcome to return to Good Morning Britain, following a well-earned break for the summer.

While she was away from presenting duties, Susanna also gave herself a very short break from her usual teetotal 'rule' by allowing herself to have an alcoholic drink.

Now, the star of morning TV has shared why she makes just one yearly exception to usually remaining alcohol free.

According to The Mirror, Susanna usually allows herself a drink when she goes on holiday to Ibiza, and this year was extra special because she was also celebrating GMB being nominated for a National Television Award (NTA).

Her sons also love holidaying on the island, and the presenter shares, "Generally, as you know, I don't drink. I allow myself one day when I have a drink."

She continues to reveal her drink of choice, saying, "So I have Paloma, which is tequila and grapefruit."

Her one alcoholic drink is also usually consumed at the same famous open-air club and pool party venue. Susanna explains, " So I have a drink at O Beach, but very, very steady. I don't go mad. One or two to enjoy the day, and then I leave about maybe 8 O’clock."

Her sons, Sam, Finn and Jack are all in their early 20s. They of course are not ready to leave at that time. "The boys leave just a little bit later, and then they go to nightclubs," Susanna shares.

The presenter continues, "And I go back to the hotel and have an early night. I'm up early in the morning to do my exercise because, of course, there is a big wellness thing, and I'll be there. You know, the health side, that's part of it as well."

"I go and have a walk on the beach, which is beautiful. I like to see the sunrise if I can, have some nice lunch and put something on and go and do it all again."

While away on her holiday, Susanna was also forced to address ageist comments made about her outfit choices.

The presenter shared some images of herself to Instagram, celebrating the NTA nomination wearing a swimsuit and a pair of denim shorts.

Some comments suggested at 55, she was too "old" to be wearing such an outfit, letting her know their thoughts.

Susanna later wrote in a caption on the social media site, "Don’t let anyone tell you that you are too old, that you shouldn’t wear the swimsuit - or the shorts!"

Defending herself further, the presenter says of her outfit, "I loved it because I'm 55 years old, and if you're not going to go out and enjoy yourself in a swimsuit, what are you doing in Ibiza at 55?"

"It was great fun. I was at O Beach, which is one of the best daytime clubs." She continues to explain, "I'd been there and we had just been shortlisted, not just nominated, shortlisted for best daytime programme so it made total sense I would celebrate."

"And O Beach have these lovely women in their swimmers who hold up placards to celebrate people's birthdays or a significant achievement."

Susanna concludes, "It didn't feel out of place. It felt like I was appropriately attired for the environment that I was in. Exactly that."

After a long, hot summer off our ITV daytime favourites are preparing to return to our screens next Monday (7 September).

From letting loose at Ibiza’s infamous club, Ocean Beach, to a special wedding and unforgettable trip to Canada, it’s safe to say they’ve enjoyed their break. But now they’re raring to be back and reunite with one another.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone,” gushes Lorraine Kelly while This Morning’s Cat Deeley adds, “I can’t wait to see the team. Our crew are just brilliant, there isn’t a day when I go to work and don’t laugh.”

She explains that this is especially the case now that, following ITV daytime’s cuts earlier this year, This Morning, Lorraine, Loose Women and Good Morning Britain are all now in the same studio.

“I also love how we now all share the same space. I like to get to the floor early, and I sit on our blue sofa and watch Lorraine. Sometimes I forget I’m not at home and laugh - Ben has to remind me I’m not actually watching the television!”

Former woman&home cover star Ruth Langsford adds, “I always look forward to being back with the other women - for me that’s the best part of being involved.”

“I know it sounds a bit cheesy but we really are a family, we’re all different, we all gel. We all get on so well and we have the best time, being on Loose Women is not like going to work.”

While Alison Hammond says she “loves a little break to recharge,” she admits “there’s something really special about walking back into the studio.”

She explains, “It genuinely feels like coming home. I miss the team, I miss Dermot and I miss that feeling of not quite knowing what the day is going to bring.”

It’s the unexpected nature of live TV that Cat loves so much. “The show is at its best when things don’t go to plan,” she shares, explaining, “The spontaneity and the fact it’s live, means you never know what’s going to happen and you can’t do a retake.”

As for what they’re looking forward to the most as they start their ‘new term’, Lorraine is excited for her show’s ‘Check Your Boobs Day’ in October. While Ben Shephard teases, “We have got some brilliant showbiz guests lined up.”

He adds, “We've got a couple of really important campaigns, one in particular is going to offer real support to so many parents and children as they head back to school.”

New Season on ITV Daytime from 9.30am on Monday 7th September on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player

As a TV writer, nothing excites me more than sharing my favourite TV shows with other people, and finding out someone else has also watched and loved a film or series I'm obsessed with.

There really is nothing better than endless conversations about perfectly written characters, jaw dropping or totally implausible plot lines, and the frustration of cliff hangers.

So, if you're struggling to pin down the top TV shows worth your time in the coming month, you've come to the right place.

The search stops right here, because one of these shows from my September top three will definitely become your next TV obsession, and fill the void long and sunny evenings left behind. If you watch them, let me know what you think.

The top 3 TV shows to watch this September

The Gentlemen season 2

When is it on TV? All eight episodes of The Gentlemen season 2 will arrive on Netflix at the same time on September 3 for your bingeing pleasure.

If you haven't seen season 1, this could be good news, because it means you have the joy of making your way through those episodes first, before diving right in for the next helping of this guy Ritchie caper.

For those of you who have seen season 1, it seems to be the norm that audiences are in for lengthy waits between seasons of great shows nowadays, and The Gentlemen is no different - you might've given up counting down the days for a second outing after the latest episodes took two and a half years to materialise.

Anywhere, they're here now, and definitely worth the wait. The action picks up a year after the events of season 1, and Eddie (Theo James) and Susie (Kaya Scodelario) are working together to expand Bobby’s (Ray Winstone) overseas criminal empire in Italy.

The new episodes see the pair's endeavours hindered by far reaching ambitions and Bobby's increasingly unsound decisions.

Expect more style, corruption and sharp humour, but with a far darker and more intense ride than season 1 gave you.

Slow Horses season 6

When is it on TV? Slow Horses season 6 premieres on Apple TV on September 16, with the finale airing on October 21.

Apple TV is jam packed full of hidden gems, and Slow Horses is absolutely one of them. You know it must be good when a TV show reaches its sixth outing and fans still want more - I'll certainly never tire of returning to Slough House and Jackson Lamb's unruly bunch of exiled MI5 misfits.

Again, if you're new to the show, what are you waiting for? Get those first five seasons under your belt (you'll get through them in no time, each episode is totally addictive,) and get ready for season 6.

The show is based on Mick Herron’s award-winning Slough House book series, and this season is adapted from the sixth and seventh novels, Joe Country and Slough House.

This time around, there’s a list kill list with all the Slow Horses’ names on it, and a race against time to bring down the assassins before they can take out our favourite motley crew.

Expect more of what is definitely a career best performance from Gary Oldman, plus some new faces joining the talented line-up of stars in the cast.

MobLand season 2

When is it on TV? MobLand season 2 makes a welcome return to Paramount+ on September 18.

Yes, there is another gangster-based drama on the list, and yes it's another one with Guy Ritchie involvement but trust me, this is one of the best things you'll ever see.

Forget whatever you've heard about dodgy accents and spats between the cast, you'll be drawn in by the incredible action, and watching Tom Hardy (Harry Da Souza) threatening absolutely everyone in his path is the entertainment you never knew you needed.

There's a lot of violence - season 1 was essentially a buffet of murder tapas, each one more terrifying and gratuitously gory than the next.

There's also Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, and a brilliant cast who are joined this time around by the equally brilliant Ophelia Lovibond and Johnny Flynn.

Season 1 saw two rival families in the grip of a bloody gang war. The series ended with heads of the Harrigan family mob Maeve and Conrad (Mirren and Brosnan,) off to jail, and their fixer Harry stabbed by his ex-wife.

Season 2 sees Maeve and Conrad out of jail and set to take on more power struggles. It's wild and I'm here for it, with all its strong 90s throwback vibes and people's wrong opinions that it's not very good - it really is.

We're finally entering jacket and coat season, but it's still not cold enough to be bundled up in thick layers, making trenches our new best friend. They're lightweight, often water-resistant and the classic structured style instantly gives autumn outfit ideas an extra level of sophistication.

The Princess of Wales relies on them a lot and one of her most beautiful coats was her Burberry Littleton wool-blend trench from March 2011. She wore it for a rainy day of engagements in Belfast and with the forecast very showery in the UK for the foreseeable future, I'm definitely taking some inspiration from her.

Kate didn't let the weather dampen her spirits and she looked chic in this stone-toned coat, which had all the traditional details you'd expect.

Shop Timeless Trenches

It featured epaulettes on the shoulders, belted cuff straps and a gun flap on the front. All of these elements are what gives trenches their distinctive, polished look and the Princess's also had a frill on the bottom hem.

The contrast between the femininity and the structure was stunning and although Kate favours longline outerwear now, this coat fell to her knees.

She styled it with a black dress the same length, tights and knee-high boots. This was a clever move and the key to styling a trench coat with dresses is to try and roughly match the hemlines. For example, if you're wearing a midi or maxi-length frock then a longer coat will echo this streamlined, leg-elongating shape.

Shorter pieces tend to work better with shorter coats as everything again looks very cohesive. If you're someone who prefers wearing jeans or trousers then this isn't so much of a factor, as both cropped or long trenches pair well with them.

Belted designs are great for accentuating the waist and also bring more of a formal edge. The future Queen's signature style is smart-casual anyway and she was undertaking engagements with Prince William, so wanted this elevated feel.

Kate's coat was made from a wool blend, though plenty of trenches are either fully waterproof or water-resistant and this is a practical feature worth keeping in mind if you're looking to add one to your collection. In Belfast, the Princess carried an umbrella when the rain started and she kept her trench fastened for warmth.

This stone colour is one of the most popular shades for trench coats alongside camel, though a plain black design is equally versatile. Neutrals go with everything and with jackets and coats, this is even more important because you want to be able to mix and match them with a variety of ensembles without worrying about clashing.

Minimalism is a big autumn/winter fashion trend and the Princess of Wales's 2011 trench fits this to a tee. The rest of her outfit was also pared-back, but you could also go for rich autumnal colours with a beige coat, like burgundy or olive green.

It sometimes seems as if divisions are all around us - and the fact that technology means we’re always ‘on’ has only heightened this.

With so much news and opinion coming at us from every angle, it’s not surprising that relationships - romantic, friendship or even professional - can be tested out of the blue, with strong opinions and convictions rising to the surface.

That’s the case with our reader, who has found herself struggling with her husband’s differing political views. When does debate turn into division?

When a loved one's views become intolerant and exhausting, how can you navigate it?

The reader asked: My husband and I have very different political views, and it’s coming between us.

In the past, we had healthy debates or could agree to disagree on issues like Brexit, but now he’s consumed by news and podcasts that make him intolerant.

I feel like he’s living in an echo chamber and it’s exhausting. How can I navigate this divide?

Living with a difference of opinion is one thing, but living with constant negativity is another

There’s a particular kind of sadness that comes from sitting opposite somebody you’ve been married to for years and wondering at what point they became a stranger to you. But reading your dilemma, I found myself wondering whether it’s not the politics that’s getting to you so much as your husband’s behavioural change.

He sounds irritable and inflexible, with every conversation just circling back to what’s wrong with the world. Living with a difference of opinion is one thing, but living with constant negativity is another.

The thing is, how we consume our media has fundamentally changed over the past 15 years. We used to form our opinions from newspapers or the evening news, but now we’re flooded with information 24/7.

Podcasts in the car, constant videos via social media, articles shared by mates. We’re never ‘off’ and none of us is completely immune to that.

If you think about it, the more time we spend listening to one particular version of events, it becomes more difficult to stay objective and form a viewpoint about other perspectives, especially when our algorithm is primed to feed us the same argument. That’s why I wouldn’t bother getting drawn into trying to change your husband’s opinions.

Don’t try to change someone’s opinions - try to start a conversation instead

Most of us don’t respond well to feeling corrected, particularly by the person we share a home with. My suggestion would be that you start a conversation about your relationship instead. Because what comes across most strongly in your dilemma isn’t disagreement, it’s actually loss.

You sound as though you miss the version of your relationship where you could disagree, roll your eyes at each other, then get on with your day.

It may also help you to consciously reclaim some territory. Not every car journey needs a podcast. Not every dinner-table conversation has to be about the latest political row. Relationships need room for ordinary life too - friends, family, the latest episode of The Traitors, and all the small things that remind us why we chose each other in the first place.

And, by the way, there are plenty of examples of couples who’ve managed political differences perfectly well. Alastair Campbell and Fiona Millar have spoken openly about not seeing eye to eye on every issue, despite both being highly engaged in politics.

Is there something beneath the surface?

As with all relationships, the challenge isn’t usually the disagreement itself. It’s whether respect and acceptance can survive alongside it. In other words, it’s about taking care of your marriage.

I also wonder whether there’s something else under the surface of your husband’s intolerance. Have you asked him whether he’s worried about ageing? Retirement? Change?

We’re living in a world of deep division, and that can leave people searching for certainty wherever they can find it. I sometimes find that strong opinions are a way for people to manage anxiety - it gives them a sense of safety when everything else feels so insecure.

You don’t need identical political beliefs to have a happy marriage. But what you do need is the feeling that you’re still on the same side. Once that begins to disappear, I’m afraid it stops being a political problem and starts becoming a relationship one.

If you would like help with a problem, email askanna@futurenet.com or leave a voice note at hello@itcantjustbeme.co.uk and mention you’re a woman&home reader. Note that Anna may choose your dilemma to discuss on her podcast, It Can't Just Be Me

With the end of summer approaching, thoughts turn to cosy nights in watching the TV - enter The Celebrity Traitors.

The show has become a staple of the colder months - thanks in part to Claudia Winkleman’s wardrobe of chunky knits, stylish accessories and timeless boots - and the second series promises more drama than ever before.

The BBC released the first look, with Claudia asking for "thoughts and prayers" for the star-studded cast, and based on what the showrunners have teased, she really means it. The BBC's Director of Entertainment, Ed Havard, revealed that he nearly had "to step in" during the series as "paranoia was off the scale".

Just as the broadcaster dropped the first teaser look for the new series, Ed teased what to expect from the show’s return at the Edinburgh TV Festival. He revealed, "The thing about this season is, things happen that you didn't think could happen... I came from working on the US version, and it just shows how many surprises this show can deliver.

"The paranoia is off the scale. I really wanted to step in and go, 'no one is actually being murdered. I don't want to give too much away, but there are tears in this series.

"I don't think that I thought there would be this many surprises in this season, but there are."

In the first look at the new series - which stars the likes of actor Richard E. Grant, comedian Miranda Hart and supermodel Jerry Hall - Claudia oversees proceedings with her usual flair, decked out in a heavy black blazer and a white, high-necked ruffle shirt.

Addressing the celebrities sitting in a church, Claudia announces, "A moment of silence for the celebrities gathered today. Thoughts and prayers."

As she exits the church, she says, “Who doesn’t love a dramatic exit?” as a background shows what appears to be funeral flowers spelling out ‘VIP/RIP’.

When is the Celebrity Traitors series 2 airing?

An official release date hasn’t been given yet, but expect it to come in a matter of weeks. Series one began airing on October 8. It aired nightly across Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays before concluding on November 6.

The inaugural series of The Celebrity Traitors was the most-watched show on British TV in 2025, being watched by an average audience of 14.9M, with a peak of 15.4M for the finale.

The full cast of celebrities joining Claudia in the Scottish Highlands and Ardross Castle this year are:

• Amol Rajan
• Bella Ramsey
• James Acaster
• James Blunt
• Jerry Hall
• Joanne McNally
• Joe Lycett
• Julie Hesmondhalgh
• King Kenny
• Leigh-Anne Pinnock
• Maya Jama
• Michael Sheen
• Miranda Hart
• Myha’la
• Professor Hannah Fry
• Richard E. Grant
• Rob Beckett
• Romesh Ranganathan
• Ross Kemp
• Sebastian Croft
• Sharon Rooney.

The Princess of Wales's popularity is at an all-time high, as she almost single-handedly provides the sparkle the Royal Family so desperately needs.

Blessed with stunning good looks and the ability to be elegant, whether in a ball gown or rolling up her sleeves to play table tennis with a group of underprivileged youngsters, Kate has cemented her place at the top table.

In recent years, she has enjoyed unrivalled popularity with the public both here and overseas. But her cancer diagnosis and the cruel way she was forced to silence the conspiracy theorists and online trolls about being unwell - and therefore out of the public eye - have simply served to prove that she's in a league of her own.

Having to sit down and calmly explain that she was being treated for cancer not only silenced her critics but also made those who love her reach a new level of infatuation.

Thankfully, she is in remission, but the moment anyone is told by a doctor, 'It's cancer,' remains one of the most frightening scenarios a human can face.

She might have married into the Royal Family, with all the trappings that come with that, but her relatability is just what's needed in this turbulent time for the Firm.

I first met Kate in 2005, when little - if anything - was known about the beautiful St Andrews undergraduate who had caught the eye of our future king. At the time, she had been told that if journalists or photographers approached her, she needed to simply smile and act as though she was pleased to see them.

My conversation with Kate during a ski trip in Switzerland that year was brief, and instead I ended up speaking to Prince William as she quietly slipped away.

But in our encounter I was struck by how sincere she seemed to be, and someone who had her head well and truly on her shoulders. For some, a royal encounter is too much to contemplate, but Kate has always taken it in her stride.

The truth is that Kate has turned out to be a natural. Someone the late Queen would have been extremely proud of and recognised as a huge asset.

In his recent book, the royal expert Russell Myers reveals something that, to me, simply shows what an exceptional person Kate really is.

Myers claims that Kate had instinctive and grave concerns about inheriting the title Princess of Wales. Not only were Princess Diana's enormous shoes to fill, but Kate was also concerned about detracting from the legacy of her husband's much-loved mother.

It was, according to Myers, something that she had even spoken to her husband and her father-in-law Prince Charles (as he was then) about.

In his book, Myers writes, 'Catherine had privately expressed to William and to Charles her reservations about taking over the title, conscious of the British public's exceptional feeling for, and connection to, Princess Diana even 25 years after her death.'

How incredible that someone about to inherit one of the most iconic titles in the world would be modest enough to raise her concerns. I would say that is a sign, if not proof, of Kate's star quality.

Kate, you are more than worthy of the title of Princess of Wales and will one day make a wonderful queen at William's side.

This feature first appeared in Woman magazine. Subscribe now and get your first 6 issues for £1.

Forget Jungian therapy, regression or ayahuasca, the best insight into a woman’s psyche is to see what’s hanging unworn in her wardrobe. Be honest. How many of your outfits are gathering dust?

And why do we buy expensive clothes, then refuse to let them see the sartorial light of day? It’s as if we’re kitting ourselves out for a parallel, more glamorous existence.

The outfits are ready, it’s just that our lives haven’t met the dress code.

My own wardrobe is a museum of alternative variations of me. It’s optimism on hangers. I have clothes for après-ski revelries, grand balls, cross-country hacking, Parisian soirées, Capri yachting, palace garden parties, elk-stalking and pole-dancing.

And what do I wear day in, day out? Saggy yoga pants and baggy tracksuits. I look poised to clean algae out of your aquarium or re-grout a shower at a moment’s notice. Clearly, I pay full price for a fantasy life... but get the reality for free.

Taking a trepidatious peek into my wardrobe, I’m chastened by the treasures I find. My first discovery: a shimmering, strapless pink chiffon dress with its price tag still attached. What did this lovely frock ever do to deserve my disdain? A cheeky leopard-print jacket is still wrapped in cellophane. Why haven’t I allowed it out to prowl the urban jungle?

It’s as if my clothes are in a witness protection programme. Why else have I kept that pinstriped pencil skirt hidden away? I bought it as a ‘statement piece’, yet I’ve never let it make a statement.

I have a ‘capsule wardrobe’ all right - a time capsule! That brocaded velvet pantsuit wasn’t even vintage when I bought it. I feel bad for that pea-green coat too. Why is it so cruelly neglected? I also seem to have ghosted a teal cashmere twinset I was keeping for ‘best’.

Well, the ‘best’ moment never came but the moths have RSVP’d, big time.

My underwear drawer offers yet more reprimands. Silk scanties, a satin teddy, a black peekaboo bra… yet what do I wear each day? Sensible granny pants and a grey, fraying bra. I purchased all that lovely lingerie for special sensual encounters. But shouldn’t every sensual encounter be special?

In truth, the ‘special occasions’ women wait for have been happening daily; we’ve just misread the dress code. Well, now is the Anna Wintour of my discontent! From now on I’m treating every day as ‘best’.

I’m swanning to the supermarket in a taffeta ball gown. I’m visiting Mum in the nursing home in leather hot pants. I’m wearing my fascinator to the bank and my tiara to the post office.

If every outfit tells a story, why not make yours a blockbuster? My new fashion statement is mischievously tongue-in-chic. My advice? Don’t wait for an invitation from destiny. Just go forth and be sartorially fabulous.

Kathy Lette writes her amusing columns on all sorts of topics, from female friendship to faking orgasms, camaraderie at divorce parties and going makeup-free – and even the importance of laughter itself. A new column is published in woman&home magazine every month.

Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle have officially moved back to the UK now, and are ready to enrol Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in schools ahead of terms starting next week.

The Sussexes return follows suggestions that things were improving between Harry and his father, King Charles, who met at Highgrove earlier in the summer. However, it’s suggested that not every royal is as optimistic about their return, with a source claiming it’s come as a "massive shock" to the Princess of Wales.

The source revealed she is prioritising "the stability of the family and the monarchy" over her personal feelings, but the fact that Meghan has "freedoms" to say what she wants in the press might be "bringing unresolved issues back to the surface."

Unnamed insiders revealed to Heat World, "Kate fears seeing the family dragged back into another cycle of accusations, briefings and public fallout. She can’t see how it’s all going to work, and it has left her reeling".

The unverified insider allegedly added that one of the biggest obstacles potentially preventing the Waleses and the Sussexes moving forward is the lack of trust.

They suggest, "So much has happened, and trust has been lost. How do you rebuild a relationship when you’re no longer confident that what happens privately will remain private?"

They continued, "Meghan also has freedoms that Kate doesn’t. Kate has protocol and a royal diary, whereas Meghan can give interviews, use social media and choose her own public appearances.

"Meghan can also speak out in a way Kate and William simply cannot respond to. There have already been serious allegations, which caused enormous damage and scrutiny, and Kate knows just how quickly another revelation could reopen all of that."

Since quitting life as working royals in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan have made several allegations against the Royal Family and their staff - with many stories involving Prince William and Kate.

In his memoir, Spare, Harry wrote about "an awkward moment" between the pair when Meghan asked to borrow Kate’s lip gloss and she "grimaced"... an experience which "left a little mark."

In the book, Harry also pins the blame on William and Kate for his decision to wear a Nazi costume in 2005, when he was 20-years-old.

He recounted, "I phoned Willy and Kate, asked what they thought [about his costume choices]. ‘Nazi uniform’, they said. I rented it, plus a silly moustache, and went back to the house. I tried it all on. They both howled."

Other allegations have included Harry claiming William physically attacked him and Meghan suggesting Kate made her cry in a disagreement over bridesmaid dresses.

True to form for the royals, they’ve rarely responded. The only riposte came in March 2021, following the Sussexes explosive Oprah Winfrey interview. In a rare move, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II issued a public statement on accusations made against the family which declared, "Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately."

The bank holiday weekend has arrived, and there's nothing better than knowing you have an extra day to kick back and watch some of the brilliant new television on offer.

Saying that, it can get a bit overwhelming when you're presented with listings for multiple channels and streamers and can't decide what to tune into.

To stop the channel doom scrolling and frustrating indecision that can come with that, I'm sharing the only two TV shows going on my watch list this weekend, and they should be going straight on yours.

They're both intense, gripping, and will leave you wanting more - what more do you need?

Vigil season 3

Suranne Jones and Rose Lesley are finally back as married detectives Amy Silva and Kirsten Longacre in Vigil - hurrah! I've been waiting nearly three years for this.

The highly anticipated third instalment of the entertaining crime thriller arrives on BBC iPlayer and BBC One from Sunday 30 August.

While previous seasons have seen the detective duo investigating wrongdoings on board a submarine, and then across Scotland and the Middle East, series 3 is taking a totally chilly turn and sees Amy and Kirsten sent to a remote Arctic research station.

A member of a covert British special forces mission has been murdered, and as well as catching the killer, there's potential international confrontation to defuse with different nations trying to control the Arctic and its resources.

Arctic scenes were filmed in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Suranne Jones has said filming there was an "amazing" experience, as was getting to spend more time shooting scenes with Rose than she did during seasons 1 and 2.

Suranne says, "Rose and I felt like we were just on top of the world because we went to places that tourists don’t normally visit since we were filming in such remote locations."

"There were reindeer outside the breakfast room every morning, we got to drive the snow buggies. The people and the crew in Svalbard were incredible."

The pair were also very adventurous with their food while in Svalbard, and even got to eat some of it in a pretty glorious location.

"We tried some moose and reindeer, which is part of the local cuisine – I had moose stew," Suranne shares, adding, "I went to a husky café where you get to have a coffee and meet retired husky dogs!"

Sweetly, she says that filming with Rose was a "standout" moment for her. "Rose is always my standout of filming Vigil," she says, concluding, "because it’s always gorgeous to see her and work with her. We didn’t stop talking the whole time."

Trigger Point season 4

The excellent Vicky McClure is back for Trigger Point's fourth outing, as the fearless but troubled Lana Washington.

Like Vigil, Trigger Point season 4 also airs from August 30, and will be available on ITV and STV, and later can be streamed on ITVX and STV Player.

Getting straight into the action, the series opens with Lana on the front line with Counter Terrorism Command as London finds itself under attack after a wave of devastating bombings.

Chasing down skilled and dangerous adversaries, it's not long before unsettling cracks start to appear in the investigation. Lana needs to work out who to trust as some of those she works closely with are hiding dark secrets and time is running out.

Speaking about filming the stunt scenes for the show, Vicky says she was absolutely "knackered" by it, but proud of herself for doing it.

"I was knackered! There's a lot of running on Trigger Point," she says, adding, "I've made it quite clear that I don’t go to the gym, but I do enjoy being active and I just knuckle down as much as I can to make the stunts look realistic."

The actress continues, "I still feel young-ish, but I never would have thought I'd be doing action stuff in my early 40s, and I’m quite proud that I am. I'll always have a go because you're never going to get those experiences again."

Elaborating on what audiences can expect from the new episodes, Vicky shares, "This series is the most ambitious yet – we had to up the ante because the audience deserves ambition, they deserve for us to stretch ourselves and go as far as we can."

She adds, "We’ve thrown everything at this series, to make it as entertaining and as real as possible. The priority is always character – plot is vital to keep the story moving, but I always want to make sure the audience gets as much as possible out of all the characters."

The actress concludes, "After that, my motto is just that I want to enjoy it. We get the best job in the world and we’re very lucky to make this show, so let’s make sure we enjoy it and that it's a happy, joyful place to be."

Dame Kristin Scott Thomas knows that people often mistake her for the "cold" women she often plays on-screen, but her reality couldn’t be more different.

In a candid and open conversation on Paloma Faith’s Mad, Sad, Bad podcast, The English Patient star opened up on feeling like "a dismal failure" and resenting becoming a statistic when her first marriage ended.

However, she revealed why her second marriage feels "freer" because of how much better she knows herself as an individual - as well as celebrating the lessons "women [have taught] the new generation of men".

Speaking with Paloma, Kristin was asked how differently marriage and romance is when it comes later in life - when there’s no pressure in terms of feeling like one should be having children or building their career.

Kristin shared, "It's a different thing. It's different. You know, he's got three children. I've got three children… I think it probably is freer

"You're established as a person. You know who you are by then. You know, when I was 21, I didn't really know who I was very much. I know what works, what doesn't work, where the danger zones are, and what I should look out for”.

This sense of freedom has allowed the Slow Horses actress to really hone in what she relishes and what to "make the most of and go full flat out down a certain path."

Kristin is married to John Micklethwait, a journalist, with the pair tying the knot in 2024. Before, Kristin was married to François Olivennes between 1987 and 2005, with the pair sharing three children.

When that first marriage ended, Kristin concedes, "I felt like a dismal failure. The worst thing about it was the fact that I became a statistic. I became one of the 40something percent or whatever it is and I really resented that".

Despite the marriage ending, in a conversation about how things have changed over the years, Kristin revealed they remain in one another’s lives and things are the best they’ve ever been.

Kristin said, "I think a lot of women feel that they're trapped, socially, financially, economically... They feel that they have to stay in a relationship because otherwise what do they do?

"You know, they've given up work to go and to look after children or whatever. I think that is probably a case of a lot of women, but certainly wasn't in our case. I mean, I'm really lucky in that my ex-husband is still quite present in my life.. And it's great.

"To be honest, I'm 65 now and things have never been better."

Kristin also spoke about the changes she’s noticed in relationship dynamics over the years, praising the younger generation of men for being more hands on with childcare.

Speaking about her own family, and spending a weekend with her grandchildren, she was proud to see how involved the men were.

"Just to see how the dads were with these children was extraordinary for me. I mean, it was totally thrilling because they were so on it and completely natural, efficient, brilliant. Just didn't even think twice about changing the nappy or feeding. It was just completely organic.

"It's a testament to us women teaching the new generation of men to see child rearing as a group activity."

Only a few years ago, the Sussexes and the Beckhams - two of the most famous families in the world - were believed to be very friendly with one another. However, sources now tell me that has all changed, and things between the couples are at an 'all-time low'.

One insider blamed the success of recent projects carried out by the Beckhams, while Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have arguably had far fewer positive headlines and, indeed, less success.

The Duke of Sussex's failed attempt to sue the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday was cited as a reason the bitterness has escalated, and it perhaps laid bare the lengths the Sussexes would go to for public victory. And, with the publisher seeking to recover some of its extensive costs, this is arguably a very low moment for the couple. Do they even have the money to pay the newspaper?

Meghan, someone who has courted the limelight for years and has been criticised for lashing out at the very institution that keeps her in the headlines, is understood to be baffled that the Beckhams receive overwhelmingly positive media coverage while she feels under constant attack.

It's not the first time relations have been reported to be fraught. Last September I spoke to Woman about how Harry and Meghan had reached out to the Beckhams' son Brooklyn and his wife Nicola over their shared family-feuding drama. This must have made Victoria understandably furious.

Like I said at the time, I think Meghan is a social climber and that this was perhaps just another example of her being prepared to play some people off against each other.

So it is perhaps hard to understand why Meghan is thought to be struggling with the Beckhams winning on the publicity front.

One source even went as far as to tell me, 'Meghan feels as though it is one rule for the Beckhams and another for her and Harry. This apparent double standard is a constant issue for Meghan, who sees herself as one of the most trolled women on the planet.'

Victoria and Meghan were once good friends, of course, in the days when the duchess was happy to wear VB-designed outfits and the Beckhams famously attended the Sussexes' wedding in May 2018.

And prior to meeting wife Meghan, Harry was close to David, with the former England football captain-turned international icon a familiar face in supporting some of the good causes promoted by the Firm.

But, ultimately, the friendship was to be short-lived, with my sources claiming that the former friends' fall-out most likely 'boils down to jealousy' and one even breaking rank by saying, 'I believe it was envy that caused the fall-out.'

My sources also suggest that Meghan was 'furious' about the success of David's Netflix documentary, as well as the announcement of Victoria's dedicated limited series.

Indeed, when the Sussexes unveiled the trailer for their high-powered and non-scripted sports show Polo in November 2024, the insider said there was 'an element of the green-eyed monster' relating to their respective upcoming releases.

Royal biographer Tom Bower wrote in his book The House of Beckham that Meghan and Victoria initially fell out over requests for free clothing from Victoria's fashion line, make-up tips, as well as a 'snubbing' during a visit to Australia – accounts that led to the Beckhams being accused of leaking stories to the press.

'In Meghan's celebrity world, ranking depended on wealth and fame,' Tom Bower claimed in his book, adding, 'As a seasoned operator, Meghan deluded herself that her status in the Royal Family placed her above Victoria in the social pecking order.'

'[Meghan] was irritated to discover that the Beckhams had considerably more wealth than herself. They owned five homes, had constant access to private jets, invitations to sail on yachts and much more money. And she was soon to be a duchess.'

Bower's biography on the Beckhams also alleged that Meghan 'put on airs' around Victoria when they first met, but that she also felt she had 'little in common' with the former pop star.

But if reports are to be believed, this didn't stop her from requesting free clothes from Victoria's label. However, according to Bower, Meghan's arguably crude request was 'vetoed by the Palace for being against their rules'.

Tom Bower even suggested that the friction between the couples heightened when the Beckhams were not requested to attend the Sussexes' wedding dinner, having only received an invite to the ceremony.

But the Sussexes hit back at the biographer following his more recent book, Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family, saying in a statement, '[Bower] has made a career out of constructing ever more elaborate theories about people he does not know and has never met.'

Reports of the couples' falling-out recirculated in August 2023 after stories suggested that the former England football captain was 'absolutely furious' after it was claimed that the Beckhams had shared private details with reporters. At the time, a source said that 'any making up now is so unlikely'.

Victoria had previously been nothing but glowing about Meghan, calling her a 'genuinely lovely woman' in a 2018 interview. And, according to a Vanity Fair article from the same year, Meghan had been consulting VB for fashion advice. 'Meghan really likes Victoria's style and was keen to pick her brains about pulling together a working wardrobe,' a source said.

Meghan even wore one of VB's designs for her final official outing as a working royal, at the 2020 Endeavour Fund Awards. The turquoise-blue pencil dress became something of an iconic image as the couple walked through rainy London, looking decidedly happy about the new life that lay ahead for them in California.

As a jobbing actor growing up in LA, many think Meghan would have dreamt of the day when A-list stars would fall over themselves to make her acquaintance. In reality, many of the Hollywood movers and shakers appear to have grown wary of publicly associating themselves with the Sussexes.

When former US President Barack Obama celebrated his 60th birthday in August 2021, an invite for Harry and Meghan seemed conspicuous by its absence. And even celebrities such as Oprah Winfrey – who, of course, famously interviewed Harry and Meghan in 2021 – are believed to have distanced themselves from the royal couple.

The reason stems from Harry's ongoing feud with Prince William. Relations between the two brothers are so bitter that many of the rich and powerful are reluctant to be seen as 'Team Sussex', given that William is the future King.

It feels like things aren't going to get easier for the duke and duchess any time soon.

This feature first appeared in Woman magazine. Subscribe now and get your first 6 issues for £1.

Davina McCall has always been frank and open about her health battles, sharing her journey through her brain tumour and breast cancer with fans.

But as the TV icon picked up the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Edinburgh TV Festival, Davina opened up like never before, revealing the moving reason why she feels “almost grateful” - and it has to do with her husband, Michael Douglas.

Davina shared that losing her short term memory as part of her brain tumour "pushed us apart", with her hairdresser husband "worrying if [she] was ever going to come back". It was going through breast cancer afterwards that "smushed" them back together.

The Long Lost Family host said, "At the end of brain-tumour-gate, cancer brought us together. The tumour pushed us apart because I had no short term memory - I was over here trying to get better and he was over worrying if I was ever going to come back.

"But cancer smushed us back together in such a weird way, it was just a beautiful way for us to just reconnect and rebond. I was almost grateful for that experience".

"I caught it early so I did make a full recovery but there was something about it that we needed."

That wasn’t the only new insight Davina shared while collecting her award. She shared that an unlikely fellow celebrity proved to be an invaluable support for her during her cancer treatment - comedian Peter Kay.

Davina started by revealing how differently the two diagnoses hit her - with her response to the brain tumour in 2024 allowing her to feel in control while breast cancer a year later left her "angry”.

She said, "I had this brain tumour diagnosis and I spoke about it because I was going to disappear off the face of the earth for three months. So I said exactly what it is, how big it is and the name of it so [the media] could cover everything they needed to, and I would be left alone. It was a really good way of dealing with it.

"But when I got breast cancer, it was like... I could really disappear and not talk to anybody about this, but I can’t because I have done this before.

"And do you know who helped me? It was Peter Kay. He called me when I was in hospital with my brain tumour. And I don’t really know him that well, but he was unbelievably supportive.

And then when I had my breast cancer diagnosis, he helped, and he just talked me through He said, ‘I think you know what you want to do. And I was like, ‘Yeah I want to talk about it.'

"I was kind of angry about having to talk about it because I knew I was going to be questioned about HRT and there was going to be judgment around that."

Fortunately, things are looking much better. Davina completed preventative radiotherapy in early 2026 and shared in April that she was all clear. She also married her husband in late 2025 in a small, intimate wedding before having a huge party to celebrate it after she had the all-clear earlier this summer.

Actress Lisa Riley has shared hurt and anger over AI pictures of herself circulating online, depicting her holding a baby scan and also an infant child.

The faked pregnancy 'reveal' comes after the star's struggles with IVF and fertility that have left her unable to have a child of her own, despite wanting to be a mother.

Lisa shared the devastating pictures to Instagram, writing, "THIS HAS TO STOP! It’s absolutely horrendous! Saying that I’m pregnant again!"

She continued, "How is this allowed, it makes me so upset… What world do we live in that these lies, and more lies are allowed to be put in the public domain. I’m sick to death of it now."

The actress has been very open about her fertility journey, discussing it with the Loose Women panel on some occasions when she's been hosting the show.

Having built her career starring in the likes of Waterloo Road, Fat Friends and Emmerdale, Lisa once shared that she "waited and waited" to find the right person to have a child with.

She's been with her musician boyfriend Al since 2014, and decided he was the right person to start a family with. Sadly, despite "trying everything," Lisa has been unable to fall pregnant.

Now aged 50, the star has admitted that, "Sometimes in life it's not meant to be."

During one Loose Women appearance, Lisa shared, "I couldn't fall pregnant, I would've given everything in my life to have had a child."

She added, "I wasn't that lucky. I tried everything." Committed to continuing to try, it was her partner Al who eventually convinced her to stop.

Lisa shares that Al turned to her one day to say, "You have to stop all the IVF treatment. It's diminishing you, it's taking your personality away, you're trying too hard."

Agreeing he was right, Lisa says she felt like a "jigsaw with a missing piece," realising she wouldn't have a child, and sometimes "still struggles" when conversations she's having head towards pregnancy and babies.

The actress received many supportive comments when she shared the AI pictures of the faked scan and herself holding a newborn.

One person wrote, "What on earth!? Have people lost their minds? This is so upsetting. Sending you lots of love," while another added, "Inexcusable. Sending tons of love Lisa."

Elsewhere in the comments, another supporter shared, "So wrong on so many levels.
Truly hope you’re ok. It needs to stop and Instagram has a responsibility to those being affected by it."

Echoing the same sentiments, another person said, "Oh Lisa this is just so awful. I’m so sorry you have been subjected to this. It’s disgusting. Sending you the biggest hugs."

There’s been so much speculation about Meghan, Duchess of Sussex making a potential return to acting now she and Harry are back in the UK. However, she's not the only royal to have appeared on screen and we almost had a rather surprising cameo from Queen Camilla in Emmy winning TV show, Only Murders in the Building.

In a new interview, John Hoffman, the producer of the hugely popular series spoke about the upcoming sixth season being filmed in London. He told Vulture, "We almost got Camilla. I know it’s insane, but yes, there was a moment".

Sadly, it didn't come to pass, though this was reportedly not down to the Queen being unwilling. He claimed UK filming rules meant that they couldn’t make it happen.

Explaining how it all started to come together, he told the publication that he couldn’t quite believe it when he was told it wasn’t out of the realms of possibility that they could potentially book Her Majesty for an appearance.

"I was like, ‘Wait, what? Is that real?'" he laughed. "Then we kind of went down the road a little bit… I did pursue it a little bit, until I realised it’s going to be a whole thing".

By "whole thing", he meant the union rules that are in place while filming in the UK. With shooting reduced to strict ten-hour days, the logistics of getting Queen Camilla involved apparently proved too much.

Only Murders in the Building has landed several high profile appearances since its inception, with Meryl Streep, Paul Rudd, Renée Zellweger and Eva Longoria joining main cast members Selena Gomez, Steve Martin and Martin Short.

For the upcoming season, the show has moved from New York City to London, and with it, a number of British icons have joined the fun. Jennifer Saunders, Olivia Colman, Geri Halliwell-Horner, Simone Ashley and Jim Broadbent are just some of the UK stars set to appear in the new series.

And while Queen Camilla sadly won’t be joining them after all, it actually wouldn’t have been too far-fetched for her to agree. Her Majesty is known to be a fan of murder mysteries and has given her approval to appear as a character in one in the past.

Peter James’s 2025 novel, The Hawk is Dead sees Detective Superintendent Grace investigating after the royal trail derails and a sniper kills a trusted aide. Queen Camilla is also on board and is believed by many to have been the true target.

Author Peter previously told the BBC how he received approval from the Queen - who had reportedly told him in the past how much she loved his books - to use her as a character in his long-running series.

"I was aware that there was chaos in the palace due to renovations, and when I heard art was being moved, I saw an opportunity," the best-selling author explained. "I drafted a few lines and sent it to the palace, but the Queen loved it. It got signed off by Buckingham Palace communications."

It wouldn't be the first time Her Majesty had a brush with acting fame. In 2022, she and King Charles made a cameo appearance in the BBC soap opera, EastEnders. In the Platinum Jubilee themed episode, the residents of Albert Square were shocked when King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived in a car outside the iconic Queen Vic pub.

Meeting Queen Elizabeth isn't something you ever forget and for the late Dolly Parton the build-up to the experience was totally different from the moment itself. She performed at a special Royal Variety Show in Glasgow to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee in 1977 and was introduced to Her Majesty afterwards.

Pictures capture this special moment between British and country music royalty and in 2023, Dolly said she'd been anxious about the protocol beforehand. Thankfully, she quickly realised that the Queen wasn't really concerned about faux pas.

Dolly told BBC Radio 2, "Even though you have to do the protocol, you have to bow and all that, I could tell that she didn't care about that. That's just something she had to do. And if somebody made a mistake, it was OK."

"I was scared to death that I was not going to know how to curtsy, that I wasn't going to bend right," she continued. "But she was just very warm, very sweet, and I could tell she was a very giving person. And just meeting the Queen of England, just to meet a queen, it was amazing."

Although the Royal Family's website confirms that there aren't "obligatory codes of behaviour" when it comes to greeting the monarch, the traditional way for women is a "small curtsy". This seems to be what the singer was preparing for and meeting "sweet" Queen Elizabeth in person backstage must've been particularly special - if nerve-wracking - for her.

Dolly, who sadly passed away after a "brief battle with cancer" on 25th August, confessed she was intrigued by royalty as a child growing up in Tennessee.

The Jolene star explained, "I remember as a child being fascinated with the kings and queens and all their flamboyant clothes, people living in another world with riches and crowns and jewelry and all that. But when I actually got to meet her, she was very sweet."

She almost got to meet a future Queen too, as in the same interview Dolly revealed she'd been asked to tea with the Princess of Wales. Sadly, she "couldn't even go" as she was so busy promoting her album, Rockstar. However she thought Kate's gesture was also "very sweet".

The Princess would surely be honoured to be described by Dolly Parton in the same way as her late grandmother-in-law. When Queen Elizabeth died in 2022 there were outpourings of tributes from people across the world and the flags on the royal palaces were lowered to half-mast.

Following Dolly's passing, official US flags are at half-mast as a mark of respect for the 12-time Grammy Award winner and they'll remain lowered for a full week.

Across the pond, King Charles shared a special video on social media, in which the Band of the Coldstream Guards played a rendition of 9 to 5 outside Buckingham Palace. This unique performance surely fulfilled Dolly's childhood idea of a "flamboyant" monarchy.

The King is still on holiday at Balmoral but work never stops when you're monarch and plans for a major overseas tour in the autumn have just been confirmed. Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles and Queen Camilla will undertake a royal visit to Antigua and Barbuda in October before attending the 2026 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

This will be the couple's first overseas trip since the US State Visit in April and it looks like His Majesty has started an intriguing new travel tradition. Like last time, Charles's schedule includes solo visits to other nations - in this case The Bahamas and Guyana.

The monarch will be kicking off the tour in The Bahamas and according to the official announcement, it will just be him. He will then head to Guyana "at the invitation of the President" and "at the request of the UK Government".

King Charles is the Head of State of The Bahamas and in Guyana he'll be helping celebrate 60 years of bilateral relations between them and the UK. It's interesting that Queen Camilla won't be by his side for these important visits and she didn't go with him to Bermuda after four days in the US.

Now this split schedule has happened again, it's beginning to look like a new custom for Charles and it's possible that there are logistical reasons for this. Perhaps the Queen has other prior commitments to patronages or organisations in the days he'll be in The Bahamas and Guyana.

However, it could also be a subtle move to make these trips a little less official and more personal. The last time the royals visited The Bahamas was when the Prince and Princess of Wales went on their Caribbean Tour in 2022.

The tour in general attracted considerable criticism, especially when the couple rode in in the same Land Rover in Jamaica that the Queen and Prince Philip used in 1953. King Charles will no doubt want his first visits to The Bahamas and Guyana as monarch to be seen very differently.

Going on his own is always going to be low-key than if both the King and Queen were there and he can solely focus his attention on his engagements and strengthening his relationships with these two Commonwealth nations. It also isn't going to draw as many direct comparisons between his visit and those of the other two royal couples in the past/

Queen Camilla is Queen Consort of several Commonwealth Realms but does not have a formal constitutional role in the Commonwealth like her husband, so her presence for all of the tour isn't as crucial.

She'll join King Charles to visit Antigua and Barbuda and attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, so she'll still be involved and representing the monarchy.

The full royal tour is planned for 27th October-4th November and the palace said it will "celebrate the communities, cultures and nature within the Commonwealth family". It'll be the first time the monarch has visited the Caribbean since he went to Barbados in 2021, when they officially removed Queen Elizabeth as its Head of State.

In a speech as Prince of Wales, Charles acknowledged the "appalling atrocity of slavery, which forever stains our history".

Just days after one of most spectacular partial solar eclipses of the last 30 years on August 12, skywatchers are in for another rare astronomical treat with a Blood Moon about to happen.

Taking place across August 27 and 28 2026, the Blood Moon lunar eclipse will see Earth pass between the Moon and the Sun. This movement will cast Earth's shadow onto the Moon's surface.

The alignment of the Sun, Earth and Moon in the night sky causes the full Moon, also known as the Sturgeon Moon, to glow red.

The Moon will appear bigger than usual at this time due to a phenomenon known as the Moon illusion. But why does this cause the moon to become red in colour?

We take a look at why the moon turns red during a Blood Moon, and how to watch the rare event from wherever you are in the country.

Why does the moon turn red during a Blood Moon?

During a lunar eclipse, the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon and the Moon sits temporarily in the Earth's shadow.

When a partial eclipse occurs, not all of the Moon enters the shadow - only part of it passes into the darkest, innermost core of the the shadow, known as the umbra.

This means the Moon isn't completely cut off from sunlight, and sunlight passing through the Earth's atmosphere becomes scattered.

There are some shorter, blue wavelengths that scatter easily, but there's actually more of the longer wavelength red lights at this time.

As they reach the Moon, the longer red wavelengths are reflected back towards Earth, and the eclipsed Moon glows and appears red and coppery.

How to see the Blood Moon in the UK

The best place to see the Blood Moon will be in the South West of the UK. This is because the Moon illusion will cause the Moon to appear very low in the sky, and the eclipse could look more dramatic.

However, it can still be seen from around the UK and will take place in the early hours of Friday, starting at around 02:23 BST. At this time, the Moon moves into the the more faint, outer part of the Earth's shadow, known as the penumbra.

At 03:33, the main phase of the partial eclipse will take place when the Moon begins to enter the umbra, or the darkest part of the Earth's shadow.

Approximately 93% of the Moon will be concealed by the umbra at 05:12, and the partial eclipse ends at 06:51. The ending won't be visible to potential viewers because the Moon will have set below the horizon by this time.

The precise moonset times will vary across the UK, and anyone wanting to see the Blood Moon will need to find out the specific time for where they live.

The good news is that unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse is safe to watch directly and no specialist eye protection is needed to look at it.

The bad news is that the weather might put a dampener on the event. According to the Met Office, at the start of the eclipse cloud is forecast across Cornwall and Devon, Wales, the Midlands, parts of northwest England, and most of Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Southern and eastern England are expected to be free from cloud from around 2am, but could clouds could increase as the night progresses and the eclipse reaches its maximum.

Therefore, it's difficult to pinpoint any one area that might offer ideal viewing conditions throughout the event and skywatchers are asked to to check their latest local forecast before setting out to see the Blood Moon.

Princess Anne might have finally had enough of the ongoing rift between Prince William and Prince Harry and she isn't afraid to make her feelings known. The King's sister is famous for her no-nonsense approach and according to reports, she seems to think that her nephews need to reassess their own priorities and consider their father.

A source is reported to have said: 'Anne says everybody in this situation shares some of the blame, not just the Sussexes and not just the Waleses, and in her view they all need to be brought into line and told that this nonsense has gone on far too long.'

They continued, "In her view, for two grown men to be fighting, sulking and getting bent out of shape over every little thing when they should be treasuring every moment they have left with their father, and showing him proper respect is appalling."

The Princess Royal is fiercely loyal to King Charles, who has been undergoing cancer treatment since his diagnosis in 2024, all whilst still maintaining a busy schedule of engagements. Unlike William, the King has started to see more of his younger son.

In July, Charles even reunited with Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet at Highgrove House and is said to welcome the opportunity to spend time with the Sussexes now they're moving back to the UK this month. It looks like His Majesty is open to the "reconciliation" Harry is hoping for - but big brother William is another story.

In Prince Harry's memoir, Spare, he vividly recalls a plea his father apparently made after Prince Philip's funeral in 2021 - "Please, boys. Don't make my final years a misery". Now the inside source claims their aunt Anne has been "chipping away" at William and "trying to get him to see how bad this is for his father's legacy" too.

If the Princess truly has decided the rift has been "too long" and has been speaking to her nephew, then maybe there is a flicker of hope for a brotherly reunion. She is hugely respected within the Royal Family and just focuses on what needs to be done.

Anne will also be aware of how the ongoing issues between William and Harry have affected the monarchy's reputation. Like the rest of the family, she might not have been thrilled by the remarks the Sussexes have made about The Firm over the years, but if she could put this aside for King Charles's sake then perhaps she could convince the Prince of Wales to do the same.

Of course, we'll probably never know, as Princess Anne sticks by the royals' old unofficial motto of "never complain, never explain" and keeps her views on such matters private. She never gets involved in drama and has said she sees her job as "serving" the nation, following her parents' "way of working and where they saw their role being".

Princess Anne has also been described by royal author Robert Jobson as being "determined to serve her brother as he steadies the throne". If she can manage to bring about peace between her two nephews that will surely be a huge source of comfort to King Charles personally too.

We're used to autumn/winter fashion colour trends featuring rich browns and burnt oranges but this year there's another huge contender in the mix - poppy red. This is good news for the Princess of Wales, as this fiery tone is one of her go-tos for outfits.

That in turn is great news for those of us who maybe aren't as confident styling bright colours, as she's already shown us plenty of ways to do it. I particularly loved Kate's boucle blazer and ballet flats from September 2023 and even though the rest of her outfit was quite formal, we can easily take some tips from this look.

The future Queen attended a Portage Session for her Shaping Us campaign and the blazer was a Zara double-breasted design.

Shop Flats Like Kate's

Shop Poppy Red

Tailoring and bright colours might sound like a very bold combination, but a jacket like Kate's is also the focal point of an outfit. The rest of her clothing was entirely neutral and this kept everything in balance. She opted for a beige knitted top, plain black cigarette trousers and then black shoes from Boden.

The Princess regularly steps out in pieces by this British clothing brand, though she rarely wears flats. This is maybe why this particular look stands out to me so much and the pumps had pointed toes and a buckle decoration on the front. Pointed toe footwear creates a lovely leg-elongating effect and you can get a subtler form of this from almond-toed shoes too.

Square-toe flats are another great option and they feel a bit more contemporary and fashion-forward compared to rounded designs. No matter which shape suits you best, a pair of classic black flats like Kate's are so handy for autumn outfit ideas.

When it's mild like it is now, it's not quite the season for boots. However, trainers can be a bit too casual and ballet pumps or loafers are comfy yet elevated. The Princess of Wales wore hers with crisp trousers, though you could recreate a similar look with blue or black jeans and a red blazer would then finish things off with a pop of colour.

Alternatively, go for a poppy-red jumper, cardigan or shirt and this still brings in the trending shade but in a more relaxed way. The important thing is to stick to classic shapes and keep the rest of your outfit quite minimal.

This will help ensure that the bright red isn't overpowering everything else. We've often seen Kate do this when she wears scarlet to engagements like the Portage Session. There are occasions when she goes all-out in head-to-toe red, though she tends to do this more for ultra formal events such as the Commonwealth Day service or welcoming dignitaries for a State Visit.

Otherwise, this formula of picking one main red item is her go-to and she likes the contrast of red and black together. Black makes the poppy tone stand out and her black ballet flats are the kind of style that could be re-worn time and time again, compared to red accessories.

The death of Dolly Parton has sparked an outpouring of tributes across the world and King Charles's way of honouring the Queen of country music was every bit as majestic as she deserved. The Royal Family's Instagram account shared a special video the day after Dolly passed away, filmed at the most iconic of residences - Buckingham Palace.

It featured the Band of the Coldstream Guards playing a rendition of her hit, 9 to 5, during the Changing of the Guard on 26th August. This was already incredibly moving, though the caption included another detail that made it even more meaningful.

"Remembering the late, great Dolly, who brought joy, comfort and inspiration to so many - including the millions of children given free books through her Imagination Library. We will always ❤️ you" the King and Queen's message read.

Whilst Dolly Parton will forever be remembered for her musical accomplishments as a 12-time Grammy award winner, the Imagination Library became her "mission". She set up the literacy initiative in 1995 and was inspired by her late father, Robert Lee Parton.

"Before he passed away, my Daddy told me the Imagination Library was probably the most important thing I had ever done," she wrote on their website. "I can't tell you how much that meant to me because I created the Imagination Library as a tribute to my Daddy. He was the smartest man I have ever known but I know in my heart his inability to read probably kept him from fulfilling all of his dreams."

"Inspiring kids to love to read became my mission. In the beginning, my hope was simply to inspire the children in my home county but here we are today with a worldwide program," Dolly continued.

The King's reference to the extraordinary impact of the Imagination Library in the royal tribute was a beautiful way to honour Dolly's work beyond her music. I suspect this detail was something Queen Camilla would've especially wanted to include.

She is also an advocate for literacy and set up The Queen's Reading Room book club, which is now a charity and which celebrates and promotes the benefits and power of reading. Together with the 9 to 5 rendition, the caption is such a special way to remember Dolly Parton, who once met Queen Elizabeth after singing at her Silver Jubilee Royal Variety Performance and grew up "fascinated" with all things royal.

"I remember as a child being fascinated with the kings and queens and all their flamboyant clothes, people living in another world with riches and crowns and jewelry and all that," she explained in 2023. "But when I actually got to meet [Queen Elizabeth], she was very sweet."

The singer recalled being "scared to death" about the curtsy, but the late monarch "was just very warm, very sweet, and [she] could tell she was a very giving person. And just meeting the Queen of England, just to meet a queen, it was amazing."

Dolly Parton passed away on 25th August at the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center "surrounded by loved ones" after "bravely facing a brief battle with cancer", her reps confirmed to PEOPLE in a statement. They added that she "spent her life and career bringing joy, laughter, hope and integrity into everything she touched" and praised her "unmatched generosity".