Kate meets Melinda French Gates a week after missing Royal Ascot
The Princess of Wales has returned to in-person duties a week after missing Royal Ascot by holding a meeting with Melinda French Gates.
Kate and husband William invited Ms Gates to Windsor Castle on Wednesday where the trio are understood to have discussed their philanthropic work.
The royal couple have made it onto Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential philanthropists.
William and Kate were named in the Innovators category where they were hailed by the US publication for modernising royal philanthropy.
Their Royal Foundation supports a number of their projects, including Kate's early years work and William's fight against the illegal wildlife trade.
Ms Gates, also named as a leading philanthropist by the magazine, is the former wife of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and established Pivotal in 2015 to accelerate social progress through investments.
The meeting was featured in the Court Circular, the official record of royal engagements, which stated: 'The Prince and Princess of Wales, Joint Patrons, the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, this afternoon received Ms Melinda French Gates (Founder, Pivotal) at Windsor Castle.'
In a surprise move last Wednesday, Kate missed Royal Ascot for the second successive year as she seeks the right balance following her treatment for cancer.
Since announcing in January she is in remission, the princess has been gradually returning to public duties and her appearances had increased in recent weeks.
She was last seen in public on June 16 attending the annual Order of the Garter service with senior royals.
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Powys County Times
6 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Kate meets Melinda French Gates a week after missing Royal Ascot
The Princess of Wales has returned to in-person duties a week after missing Royal Ascot by holding a meeting with Melinda French Gates. Kate and husband William invited Ms Gates to Windsor Castle on Wednesday where the trio are understood to have discussed their philanthropic work. The royal couple have made it onto Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential philanthropists. William and Kate were named in the Innovators category where they were hailed by the US publication for modernising royal philanthropy. Their Royal Foundation supports a number of their projects, including Kate's early years work and William's fight against the illegal wildlife trade. Ms Gates, also named as a leading philanthropist by the magazine, is the former wife of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and established Pivotal in 2015 to accelerate social progress through investments. The meeting was featured in the Court Circular, the official record of royal engagements, which stated: 'The Prince and Princess of Wales, Joint Patrons, the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, this afternoon received Ms Melinda French Gates (Founder, Pivotal) at Windsor Castle.' In a surprise move last Wednesday, Kate missed Royal Ascot for the second successive year as she seeks the right balance following her treatment for cancer. Since announcing in January she is in remission, the princess has been gradually returning to public duties and her appearances had increased in recent weeks. She was last seen in public on June 16 attending the annual Order of the Garter service with senior royals.
Scottish Sun
6 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
My memory blips and headaches were a tumour that deformed my skull over 15 years, says Hollyoaks actor
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) HOLLYOAKS actor Craig Russell says he "nearly died" due to a lime-sized brain tumour that grew undetected for more than a decade and 'deformed' his skull. The 48-year-old first noticed he was experiencing memory loss, confusion, migraines and brain fog in September 2022. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 10 Craig Russell, 48, began experiencing headaches and memory blips in 2022 10 They were caused by a benign brain tumour that had been growing for 15 years 10 Craig underwent surgery to remove the tumour and rebuild his 'deformed' skull By January 2023, Craig was "all over the place" and his wife Kate, 40, urged him to get his symptoms checked out by a GP. Tests showed the Welsh actor, writer and producer - known for his roles in TV shows such as Hollyoaks and Netflix's Queen Cleopatra - was going blind in his left eye. Meanwhile, a non-cancerous tumour the size of a squashed lime was found growing in his brain, so large it was 'deforming' his skull. 'It stopped me in my tracks, I never thought it would happen to me,' Craig - who lives in Falmouth, Cornwall with Kate and their two sons - said. Doctors reckoned it could have been growing slowly for 15 years. Craig underwent a risky operation to get rid of the mass and rebuild damaged parts of his skull in March 2023, which could have killed him or left him blind. 'There was a very real chance I wouldn't survive the operation because one little mistake and that's it, or at best I could come out blind or have a stroke," the actor said. The actor suffered complications following the surgery but has since recovered fully and has been able to finish his latest film, Protein, that's been 10 years in the making. 'Someone asked me if I thought I'd ever see the film finished, which was a sobering idea as I nearly died before it came out,' Craig said. 'I'm so glad I was there to see it, so I just have a lot of pride for everyone involved. Beaming Davina McCall reveals she's got all clear from brain tumour after life-saving surgery 'I feel lucky to have had a brain tumour in a way because I've learnt so much about life, people and resilience.' In September 2022, Craig noticed he was experiencing out-of-character symptoms – such as memory loss, confusion, migraines and brain fog. He also heard a 'whooshing' sound emerge from the back of his head when producing a scream during filming for the movie Edge of Summer, which 'nearly caused [him] to collapse'. Craig was told by doctors that they'd "found something" in his brain after his GP visit in January 2023. 10 Craig was diagnosed with a meningioma 10 The actor was stunned at his diagnosis 10 He praised his wife Kate, 40, for her 'unwavering support' 10 Craig feared he'd die before seeing his new film Protein completed He was referred for further MRI scans towards the end of February and the actor was told he had a large, non-cancerous tumour growing in his brain, roughly the size of a squashed lime. Doctors suspected the tumour was a meningioma – a benign tumour that forms in the layers of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord. This diagnosis was confirmed after his surgery. 'The tumour got so big it pushed my skull up and out, it deformed the back of my head,' Craig said. He was told the best course of action was to surgically remove the mass, but there could be risks. Symptoms of a benign brain tumour A benign brain tumour is a mass of cells that grows relatively slowly in the brain. Benign means it in not cancerous. Non-cancerous brain tumours tend to stay in one place and do not spread. Some slow-growing tumours may not cause any symptoms at first. When symptoms occur, it's because the tumour is putting pressure on the brain and preventing a specific area of the brain from working properly. As the tumour grows and increases pressure in the skull, you might experience: New, persistent headaches that are sometimes worse in the morning or when bending over or coughing Feeling sick all the time Drowsiness Vision problems, such as blurred or double vision, loss of part of your visual field and temporary vision loss Epileptic seizures that may affect the whole body, or you may just have a twitch in one area See a GP if you develop any of these symptoms. They'll examine you and ask about your symptoms. If they suspect you may have a tumour or are not sure what's causing your symptoms, they may refer you to a brain and nerve specialist for further investigation. Source: NHS 'My surgeon explained my tumour had been growing there for about 15 years, and it appeared to have enveloped all the important stuff I needed to survive,' the actor said. Craig's seven-hour operation on March 6 2023, at the Derriford Hospital in Plymouth involved cutting away a piece of his skull, which had become damaged by the tumour. From there, the tumour was removed and part of his skull was rebuilt from a plastic-concrete mix, held in place by bolts, before everything was sealed with '55 staples' into his scalp. Thankfully, the surgery was a success and the tumour was removed in its entirety. After suffering subsequent complications with swelling and excess fluid building up on his brain, Craig said he has since made a full recovery, finding weight-lifting helped the fluid to drain naturally. 'My head still hurts occasionally but I'm now back to full health,' Craig said. 'Listen to your body' In March 2024, Craig spoke in parliament to call on the UK Government to release more funding for research into the disease, and in September that year, he became an ambassador for Brain Tumour Research to champion for others impacted. New treatments for meningiomas, could be on the horizon, as researchers at the University of Plymouth have identified a protein that plays a significant role in their growth, according to Brain Tumour Research. By blocking the protein, researchers were able to slow or halt tumour cell growth in laboratory settings, unlocking the potential for new treatments, which Craig said is 'a big step forward'. Craig's latest film, Protein, which is currently out in select cinemas, marked an emotional experience for the actor as there was a chance he may not have seen the film's release. Protein is in select cinemas now and will be released on digital platforms from July 14. The actor is urging others to pay attention to worrying symptoms. 'If I had truly listened to my body, this would have all been done and dusted years ago – so if you think you've got something wrong, please just go and see your doctor.' 10 Craig spoke in parliament to call for more funding into brain tumour research 10 Craig has made a full recovery despite some initial complications
South Wales Argus
7 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Aldi, Tesco, Lidl and more UK supermarket recall warnings
These recalls have been issued on products for a variety of reasons, including metal being found in a breakfast food, food that may contain insects, potatoes with the wrong labels, and a popular brand of pies having incorrect use-by dates on the label. If you have bought any of the items mentioned below, you can return them to stores for a full refund. Aldi recall Aldi is recalling Inspired Cuisine Baby Potatoes with Herbs and Butter because it contains milk which is not mentioned on the label. This means the product is a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents. This is all Inspired Cuisine Baby Potatoes with Herbs and Butter, pack size 385g, for all date codes up to and including 01 July 2025. If you have bought the above product and have an allergy or intolerance to milk or milk constituents, do not eat it. Instead return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund. For more information, please call customer services on 0800 042 0800. Tuesday 24 June 2025 - Aldi recalls Inspired Cuisine Baby Potatoes with Herbs and Butter because of undeclared milk #FoodAllergy — Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) June 24, 2025 Pieminister recall A range of Pieminister Kitchens pies have been recalled because they have been labelled with incorrect use-by dates which may make them unsafe to eat. The affected pies have been labelled with a use-by date of June 24, 2026, instead of a use-by date of June 24, 2025. These are the pies being recalled by Pieminister: Pieminister Moo – British Beef Steak and Craft Ale Pie Pieminister Moo & Blue – British Beef Steak and Stilton Pie Pieminister Kate & Sidney – British Beef Steak, Kidney and Craft Ale Pie Pieminister Deer & Beer – Venison, Milk Stout, Mushroom and Thyme Pie Pieminister Free Ranger – Free Range British Chicken and Ham Pie with Leek Pieminister Fungi Chicken – Free Range British Chicken, Portobello and Chestnut Mushroom Pieminister Wild Shroom – Portobello and Chestnut Mushroom Pie Pieminister Mooless Moo – Jackfruit, Craft Ale and Black Pepper Pie Pieminister – Goat's Cheese and Sweet Potato Filo Pie Pieminister – Spinach and Feta Filo Pie Friday 13 June 2025 - @pieminister Kitchens recalls various Pieminister pies because of incorrect use-by dates: — Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) June 13, 2025 A Pieminister spokesman said: 'The fresh pies, made in our Bristol bakery on one day this week, were labelled with an incorrect use-by date on the boxes. 'Pieminister Kitchens would like to reassure our customers that these pies have been produced to the same exacting standards of food safety and quality that you expect from us, and they are completely safe to eat until June 24, 2025. 'However, if you would prefer to return any pies incorrectly labelled, please contact Pieminister customer service for a full refund. You can reach us by email at hello@ or by phone on 0117 942 3300. 'Pieminister Kitchens apologise for any inconvenience this technical issue may cause our customers and assure them that we take this matter very seriously. 'We are working closely with our technical teams and have implemented additional measures to prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. 'No other Pieminister products, or batches of these products, are affected.' FSA slushie warning The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is warning parents not to let children under the age of 7 drink iced slushie drinks this summer if they contain glycerol. An FSA board meeting this week endorsed the advice and called for clear communication to parents and carers to help manage glycerol intake in young children. The FSA said: 'Slush ice drinks can contain glycerol as a substitute for sugar to prevent them from freezing solid. 'Consumed at high levels, glycerol can cause very low blood sugar levels and unconsciousness in young children. 'Businesses are advised to only add glycerol at the minimum quantity technically necessary to achieve the slush effect. 'While glycerol is found in some other foods, it is added at much lower quantities than in slush ice drinks.' Lidl recall Lidl is recalling one of its products because it may contain pieces of metal. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned anyone who has purchased the recalled item not to eat it. The recall affects Lidl's Harvest Basket Hash Browns. The impacts hash browns come in packs of 750g, have a best before date of May 24, 2027, and a batch code of 5144L. Thursday 12 June: @LidlGB recalls Harvest Basket Hash Browns because they may contain pieces of metal #FoodAlert — Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) June 12, 2025 An FSA spokesman said: 'Lidl GB is recalling the above product. A point of sale notice will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling this product. 'This notice explains to customers why the product is being recalled and tells them what to do if they have bought the product. 'If you have bought the above product, do not eat it. 'Instead, return it to your nearest store for a full refund. For further information contact customer care on or 0203 966 5566.' Recommended Reading: A Lidl spokesman added: 'If you have bought the above product we advise you not to eat it. 'Customers are asked to return this product to the nearest store where a full refund will be given. 'We apologise for any inconvenience caused and thank you for your cooperation.' Chocolate recall Shoppers who purchased some Dubai-style chocolate products have been warned the food may not meet Food Standards Agency (FSA) standards. Some of the imported Dubai-style products could pose a risk to consumers with allergies, the food safety watchdog warned. Those with food allergies should be careful when buying the popular chocolate as some imported products may not be intended for sale in the UK and could lack a full ingredients list or allergen labelling, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said. The watchdog said it had identified a number of products that posed a health risk to consumers with allergies. Some of these products may also contain additives and colours which are not allowed on the UK market, it added. The FSA said it was surveying and sampling the products to work out the scale of the issue, and working with allergy charities in the meantime to raise awareness of the risk with consumers. It said that 'most' Dubai-style chocolate available in UK shops was safe. The FSA said: 'If in doubt, don't buy it and report any concerns to your local authority.' By law, labels must list all ingredients and clearly highlight any of the 14 regulated allergens. The FSA advised consumers to look out for labelling details to check whether a product is intended for sale here. By law, products made to UK standards should have labels in English containing the name of the food – for example, milk chocolate with pistachio paste filling – a list of ingredients with allergens emphasised, the weight of the food in grams and a best before or use by date. Labels must also include the name and address of the UK or EU business responsible for the product information. If the food is not from the UK or EU, the name and address of the importer must be included. Today we've published 'Our Food 2024: An annual review of food standards across the UK' with @FSScot. It's the fourth report since the UK left the EU and is an evidence-based assessment of food standards across all four nations. Download the report: — Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) June 19, 2025 Jolly Rancher recall Multiple Jolly Rancher sweets sold in the UK have been recalled as they contain products that make them 'unsafe to eat' and they do not comply with UK laws, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned. Four Jolly Rancher products have been recalled, as the FSA has told anyone who has bought them not to eat them. The affected products are the Jolly Rancher Hard Candy, Jolly Rancher 'Misfits' Gummies, Jolly Rancher Hard Candy Fruity 2 in 1, and the Jolly Rancher Berry Gummies. The recall covers all pack sizes, batch codes, and best before dates of the sweets listed above. They contain Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons, (MOAH), and Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons, (MOSH), making them unsafe to eat. Wednesday 11 June 2025. Food Alert "For Action": To Consumers who have purchased and Food Businesses who have purchased and sold Jolly Rancher products manufactured by The Hershey Company #FoodAlert — Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) June 11, 2025 The FSA said: 'For consumers, don't buy them, and if you've eaten these products, there should be no immediate cause for concern, as food safety risk is low, but don't eat any more. 'These products contain mineral oil, which isn't allowed in food in the UK and may pose a food safety risk if consumed regularly over a sustained period of time.' The FSA said that the Hershey Company, who produces Jolly Rancher sweets, had been working collaboratively to remove unsafe products from the UK markets. It added that while the parent company had decided to stop supplying the UK market in 2024 some businesses still continued to import the products for sale in the UK. An FSA spokesman said: 'Although the levels consumers are exposed to are likely to be low, they may present a risk to health because they contain Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons, (MOAH), and Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons, (MOSH). 'Consumption of the affected sweets is of toxicological concern, especially in younger age groups and where consumers eat a lot of the products or eat them regularly. 'MOAH can cause damage to DNA and has the potential to increase the risk of cancer, particularly if consumed in high quantities over a prolonged period of time. MOAH is a genotoxic carcinogen, therefore no exposure is without risk to human health. 'We are asking enforcement authorities to make immediate contact with businesses who may have been supplied with or received the affected products, and to take action to ensure that the non-compliant and potentially unsafe products are withdrawn from the market and where sold at retail, recalled. 'We are also asking the Local Authorities to inform the FSA of product recall and withdrawal actions. 'If you have bought any of the above products, do not eat them. Instead, dispose of them at home. 'If you are concerned, notify your Trading Standards department or environmental health department in the local authority you purchased it.' Tony's recall Popular chocolate bars sold at a number of UK supermarkets have been recalled as they may contain 'small stones'. Tony's Chocolonely is recalling certain batches of two of its chocolate products because of the 'potential presence of foreign objects'. The chocolate bars which may contain the small stones are the Dark Almond Sea Salt Bar 180g and the Everything Bar 180g. Only certain product codes of the chocolate are being recalled. (Image: Tony's Chocolonely) These are the Dark Almond Sea Salt Bar codes and best before dates affected: 162633 with a best before date of February 28, 2026 162614 with a best before date of February 28, 2026 163061 with a best before date of April 2, 2026 These are the Everything Bar codes and best before dates affected: 4331 with a best before date of November 26, 2025 4332 with a best before date of November 27, 2025 4333 with a best before date of November 28, 2025 A spokesman for Tony's Chocolonely UK said: 'We are extremely sorry to have to issue this recall, and for the inconvenience that this will cause people who purchased these products. 'Whilst the probability of a product being affected is low, we always put the safety and satisfaction of our consumers first and that is why we have made the decision to recall these products. 'We apologise to consumers and our partners for the impact this will have. 'This recall only affects these specific products and lot codes. All other Tony's Chocolonely products remain safe to consume and are not impacted. 'Do you have a bar with the impacted lot number(s)? Please don't eat the chocolate. Instead, we kindly ask you that you return the product to the store where you bought it for a refund or replacement.' Tesco recall Tesco has recalled one of its products from supermarket shelves across the UK because they may pose a health risk to customers. The supermarket giant has recalled one of its Tesco Free From Meal Kits because they contain undeclared soya. The presence of soya, not mentioned on the label, makes them a potential health risk for anyone with an allergy to soya. The affected products are the Tesco Free From Katsu Curry Meal Kit, affecting all products with a best before date up to and including December 12. Recommended Reading: A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency (FSA) said: 'Tesco is recalling the above products from customers and has been advised to contact the relevant allergy support organisations, which will tell their members about the recall. 'The company has also issued a recall notice to its customers. 'These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product. 'If you have bought the above products do not eat them. Instead, return them to any Tesco store for a full refund. For more information contact Tesco Customer Services on 0800 505 555.' Iceland recall Iceland has issued a 'do not eat' warning to its customers over a product that may contain pieces of plastic. The supermarket is recalling its Iceland Vegetable Lasagne because of the risk of plastic in the dish, making it unsafe to eat. The affected products have best before dates of July 23, 2026, and July 30, 2026. A spokesman for the Food Standards Agency also told anyone who has purchased the dish not to eat it. They said: 'Iceland Foods Ltd is recalling the above product. The company has issued a recall notice to its customers. 'These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product. 'If you have bought the above product do not eat it. Instead, return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund. For more information, please call 0800 328 0800.' An Iceland spokesman added: 'We are taking the precautionary measure of recalling the dates codes of the above product because it may contain hard pieces of plastic making it unsafe to eat. 'Only the best before date codes listed in this notice are affected. 'If you have purchased any of the above product, DO NOT eat it.' Granola recall A popular breakfast choice sold at Tesco, Ocado, Amazon and other outlets has been recalled because it may contain insects. Rude Health Foods Ltd is recalling its Rude Health Chocolate Crunch Granola because of the possible presence of insects. The affected product is the 400g box of granola with a best before date of October 24. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned anyone who has purchased the granola not to eat it but return it to wherever they bought it for a full refund. A spokesman said: 'The product listed above might contain insects, which may make them unsafe to eat. 'Rude Health Foods Ltd is recalling the above product. Point of sale notices will be displayed in all retail stores that are selling this product. 'These notices explain to customers why the product is being recalled and tell them what to do if they have bought the product. 'If you have bought the above product do not eat it. Instead, return it to your local store for a refund. For further information, please contact Rude Health Foods Ltd at hello@ Recommended Reading: A Rude Health Foods spokesman added: 'No other batches of the chocolate crunch granola or other Rude Health products are affected by this recall. 'If you have bought the above product we advise you do not consumer it. 'We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused to our customers.' What is a product recall? If there is a problem with a food product that means it should not be sold, then it might be 'withdrawn' (taken off the shelves) or 'recalled' (when customers are asked to return the product). The FSA issues Product Withdrawal Information Notices and Product Recall Information Notices to let consumers and local authorities know about problems associated with food. In some cases, a 'Food Alert for Action' is issued. This provides local authorities with details of specific actions to be taken on behalf of consumers.
