Latest news with #BritishRoyalFamily
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Copycat Harry is at it again... how many times is he going to pull the Mum card? William must be thrilled watching him pretend to be Diana: JAN MOIR
Sometimes I feel very sorry for Prince Harry, and sometimes I very much do not. Watching him walk across an Angolan minefield this week, with his expression set to Hollywood-wattage-warzone-grim, caused a mixture of emotions in my calloused heart.
BBC News
5 days ago
- BBC News
The secret royal 'pyramids' of Scotland
Tucked deep in the woods of Balmoral, the Scottish royal estate beloved by Queen Victoria, lie 11 little-known memorial cairns – including one massive granite pyramid. Built to commemorate royal milestones and loss, they tell a quiet story of love, grief and nation building. When Queen Victoria first visited Balmoral Castle in rural Aberdeenshire on 8 September 1848, six years after her first visit to Scotland, she took time out to appreciate the woodlands, gardens and rippling mountains. Perhaps she deeply breathed in the Caledonian pine air. Perhaps a deer stood motionless, caught in her gaze. Certainly, she saw a different future for herself and her husband, Prince Albert, on Deeside in the Highlands. "All seemed to breathe freedom and peace, and to make one forget the world and its sad turmoils," she recorded in her diary. Soon after, the baronial estate became a mainstay for the rest of her life – and it remains a sanctuary for the British Royal Family to this day. There are many stories hidden at Balmoral Castle, but perhaps none so intriguing as that of the estate's secret "pyramids", or memorial cairns. There are 11 of these, strewn almost negligently around the near-50,000-acre estate. The largest is a stone monolith more in keeping with the design of the great dynastic structures of Ancient Egypt than anything Scottish, while the smaller ones are scattered like clues to a greater mystery. And seeking them out – on a hunt akin to an Indiana Jones-type treasure hunt – is a little bit of everyday magic hidden among the Scots pine, firs and hemlocks. Like many visitors to the Royal Deeside, I'd been to the country's best-known estate before. Located in the eastern Cairngorm mountains, the turreted 167-room castle, ballroom, mews courtyard, sunken garden and thistle-shaped maze are a bonanza for visitors, especially between April and early August when the full grandeur of the castle is open to ticketed visitors. There are around 80 residential properties on the wider estate, too, plus commercial forestry plantations, a hydroelectric dam, facilities for deer stalking and grouse shooting and a golf course. But following the Covid-19 pandemic, when locals were forced to stay closer to home and making nearby discoveries became the national habit, the unlikely memorials appeared on social media posts like whispered secrets. Balmoral estate is 100 miles from where I live in Edinburgh, so I had lodged them in my mind as a rewarding challenge to track down the next time I was in Aberdeenshire. Why were these marvels created? According to Ewen Cameron, professor of Scottish history at the University of Edinburgh, most were commissioned by Queen Victoria to commemorate significant events in the lives of her family, including the marriages of her nine children. The cairns commemorate Prince Albert Edward, Princess Alice, Prince Arthur and Princess Beatrice among others, forming a kind of family map across the forested hills. "Princess Louise's cairn has perhaps the most interesting backstory," said Cameron, whose research includes Scotland's post-union history from the 1700s onwards and the politics of Highlands' land ownership. "She was the sixth child and fourth daughter and married John Campbell, the 9th Duke of Argyll, and this helped strengthen the family's ties to the Highlands, which was so important to Queen Victoria. There's a certain irony that a descendant of the House of Hanover was in thrall to this romantic idea of Scotland too." Another marker came after the death of Prince Albert in December 1861. This saw the arrival of the estate's largest cairn, in the shape of a pyramid cut from granite, explained Gordon Casely, a respected heraldist and former journalist interested in the myths and legends of the north-east. Tucked away at the top of Craig an Lurachain hill with a stunning panorama of the surrounding Cairngorms National Park, it requires the most effort to reach and is now often dubbed "the Great Pyramid of Scotland". "The cairns are a fabulous, if unlikely, addition to the estate," Casely said. "They're absolutely intriguing, as each one has its own backstory and design, and I'm not surprised more visitors are seeking them out. Their legends are worth telling." Setting out from the Balmoral car park at Crathie, just east of the town of Braemar, I shouldered my backpack and entered the dark of the estate's woods to see all of these silvery-stone creations for myself. An ancestral path climbed high above the silvery River Dee then rollercoastered over thick roots and fell into a sharply cut glen. Every tree branch helped blot out the early summer Sun, and the only sound was birdsong. The first cairns I found were Princess Helena's, soon followed by Princess Louise's on a yawning gap atop a rocky outcrop. Next came the Purchase Cairn, built in October 1852 to commemorate the purchase of the Balmoral estate from members of Clan Farquharson by Prince Albert. That it was the first memorial erected still holds significance today: the twisted forest is a maze, and the cairn's lofty outlook on the summit of Craig Gowan makes it by far the easiest to track down. It also captures one of the finest views of Royal Deeside. What many don't realise is the cairns might well have ended up elsewhere. In the mid-1800s, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited a number of Highland estates before alighting on Balmoral. For a time, the royal couple even considered buying Ardverikie estate, which overlooks Loch Laggan on the far western side of the Cairngorms. For them, Cameron mused, it was perhaps too hard to get to, even for the Highlands. The alternative – Balmoral Castle – was leased in 1848, before the full estate was purchased four years later. "Balmoral… was out of the way, but not too much," Cameron explained. "It had everything. The rugged Highlands' scenery, the River Dee, the mountains, and the Queen had imbibed this increasingly romantic idea of what Scotland was. Balmoral also became very useful to her after Albert's death in 1861 – she was in a kind of purdah after he died, aged only 42. It provided her with a sanctuary from the world." Hunting down the cairns is a journey into that past – and into the very idea of Scotland as shaped by Victorian ideals. Queen Victoria was responsible for what has been labelled the "Balmoralisation" of the Highlands, and, as Cameron told me, the idea is still very alive in the minds of many of those who visit. More like this:• The mysterious circular symbols of Scotland• Freshwater pearl mussels: Scotland's little-known royal gems• A world-first in the Scottish Highlands "Scotland has long been pitched as an empty, wild, romantic place – even though we Scots know it's not," he said. "That idea has carried on through the centuries, whether through the influence of a writer like Sir Walter Scott or the art of Edward Landseer, a favourite painter of Queen Victoria, whose most celebrated work, The Monarch of the Glen, is a potent romanticisation of the deer-filled landscapes like Balmoral." Today, for interested visitors, that royal commission-turned-nation-defining painting is on display at the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh. Back in the woods, my journey continued through this largely unchanged landscape, along six miles of meditative woodland trails in the company of red squirrels and an osprey, before, finally, the path began to climb steeply uphill. Then the trees opened onto a memorable scene: the near-11m-high Prince Albert pyramid overlooking all of Royal Deeside. The view was the archetype of beauty in nature: romantic and wild, just as it was when Queen Victoria first raised her royal banners there. The pyramid, stark and stony, is an unlikely version of the Highlands from the one that so many dream of. Even in a country home to a trove of ancient stones, Neolithic sites and mysterious histories, this Victorian cairn is still a marvel. Approaching it and the other cairns on foot, alone and in silence apart from droning insects and birdsong, has the effect of making them even more bewitching – especially when seen in brilliant sunlight, under an uncommonly saltire-blue Highland sky. -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Inside Royal family's most scandalous vacation spots
Like anyone else, the royals love to let loose on a glitzy getaway. The British royal family's vacations are typically kept private. But over the years, their go-to destinations have made headlines. It turns out they don't just go to Balmoral, their Scottish estate, to reflect and spend time with loved ones. 'There have been many incidents of royal recreations which have raised eyebrows in the past,' Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital. 'In the 1950s, Prince Philip regularly went on sailing trips to New Guinea, Ceylon and Malaysia for three months at a time, allegedly with female secretaries, leaving the queen alone in London.' 'Balmoral was always the official favourite for the royals and the queen chose [to spend] her last days there,' he shared. '[But] there were many [past] stories of girls rushing up to [the former Prince] Charles in skimpy bikinis when he was a bachelor visiting Australia.' The game Royal kids are forbidden to play Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams pointed out Prince Harry's escapades in Sin City are still legendary. 'Prince Harry's naked cavorting in Las Vegas was the perfect advertisement for the city – 'What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,'' Mr Fitzwilliams said. '[The city] reportedly benefited from the publicity enormously.' Harry wrote about his 2012 trip to Las Vegas in his explosive 2023 memoir 'Spare,' Vanity Fair reported. According to the Duke of Sussex, after a night of gambling and boozing, his pals invited a group of 'dodgy' women to his luxurious suite. 'I suggested we up the stakes,' Harry wrote, as quoted by the outlet. 'How about a game of strip pool? Enthusiastic cheers. Ten minutes later I was the big loser, reduced to my skivvies. 'Then I lost my skivvies. It was harmless, silly, or so I thought.' The photos from the night were posted on TMZ. And while Harry was expecting his father King Charles to reprimand him, he was 'gentle, even bemused.' 'He felt for me, he said he'd been there, though he'd never been naked on a front page,' Harry wrote. 'Actually, that was untrue. When I was about eight-years-old, a German newspaper had published naked photos of him, taken with a telephoto lens while he was holidaying in France.' But several royal experts agreed Harry wasn't the royal family's most well-known for escapades across the pond – it was the late queen's younger sister, Princess Margaret. Her lady-in-waiting's husband, Lord Colin Tennant, spent vast amounts of his fortune on transforming Mustique, a tiny island in the Caribbean, into a party resort for the rich and famous. He gifted Margaret a 10-acre plot of land on the island. 'Princess Margaret's scandalous affair with 'toy boy' turned wannabe disco star Roddy Llewellyn also unfolded on Mustique,' Vanity Fair reported. 'In 1976, photos of the couple frolicking on Mustique (Llewellyn wearing Union Jack swimming trunks) were published in The News of the World, hastening Margaret's separation from equally unfaithful husband Antony Armstrong-Jones.' Over the years, other royals have found themselves in hot water. Vanity Fair reported the 'most notorious vacation mishap in modern royal history' took place in 1992. Sarah, Duchess of York, who had separated from Prince Andrew, was soaking up the sun in St. Tropez with her beau, financier John Bryan. It was there where paparazzi snapped photos of Bryan sucking on her toes while she sunbathed topless. Sarah and Andrew's divorce was finalised in 1996. 'Recently, there haven't been any scandals,' British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. 'But back in 2012 … the topless photo scandal involving Kate Middleton … was considered in such poor taste that the media has stayed away from such [stories] in general.' In 2012, the French magazine Closer and the local newspaper La Provence published photos taken with telephoto lenses of the future Princess of Wales sunbathing topless with Prince William at a chateau in France, Glamour magazine reported. According to the outlet, the couple sued and were later awarded $US118,000 ($A179,000) in damages by a French court. While the royal family's vacations don't always take place during the steamy season, they are known for letting their hair down when duty doesn't call. According to Vanity Fair, the Prince and Princess of Wales, now parents of three young children, also enjoy embarking on family trips to Mustique, the Isles of Scilly, the ski resort of Courchevel in France, as well as Jordan, where Kate spent a part of her childhood. 'By all accounts, Prince William and Catherine are such upstanding royals that they simply aren't involved in any scandals,' Ms Fordwich added. For William and Harry, Africa has been a destination for love. Prince William proposed to Kate in Kenya in 2010. Harry and his then-girlfriend, Meghan Markle, travelled to his beloved Botswana in 2017. 'I gave her my best Botswana pitch,' Harry wrote in 'Spare,' as quoted by Vanity Fair. 'Birthplace of all humankind. Most sparsely populated nation on Earth. True Garden of Eden, with 40 per cent of the land given over to nature. 'Plus, the largest number of elephants of any nation on Earth. 'Above all, it was the place where I'd found myself, where I always re-found myself, where I always felt close to – magic? 'If she was interested in magic, she should come with me, experience it with me.' Since the couple tied the knot in 2018, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have reportedly vacationed in Costa Rica, Canouan in the Caribbean, as well as Elton John's home in Nice. 'We look forward to hearing how they vacation in their reported holiday home in Portugal,' said Mr Fitzwilliams. Harry is said to have bittersweet memories of the south of France. In July 1997, his mother, Princess Diana, was photographed in St. Tropez on the Jonikal, Mohamed Al-Fayed's yacht. A month later, the Princess of Wales died from injuries she sustained in a Paris car crash at age 36. According to the outlet, Diana was known to use her getaway during the last year of her life to bargain with paparazzi, who were eager to take photos of her in stylish swimsuits. It's been said that Diana wanted to show the public that she was free after her divorce from Charles was finalised in 1996. 'There was much laughter, horseplay, the norm whenever Mummy and Willy and I were together, though even more so on that holiday,' Harry recalled in 'Spare,' as quoted by the outlet. 'Everything about that trip to St. Tropez was heaven. The weather was sublime, the food was tasty, Mummy was smiling.' In recent years, Charles appears to be focusing on cost. While he still maintains his late mother's tradition of spending his summers in Balmoral, Buckingham Palace announced that the king will end 156 years of service for the Royal Train. The palace noted it costs too much to operate and would need a significant upgrade for more advanced rail systems. 'It is a pity this did not happen in the 1990s,' Mr Fitzwilliams said. 'The Royal Yacht Britannia, which was decommissioned in 1997, should have been saved … It was famously used for the royal family's summer holiday when Queen Elizabeth could relax at her beloved Balmoral. 'This became a rite of passage for members of the royal family.' 'A royal favourite was the Britannia,' chimed Mr Turner. 'It was one of the few times the queen was seen to shed a tear when it was decommissioned due to cutbacks in finances.'
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Royal caught napping at Wimbledon days after major celeb 'dozes off' on centre court
The Royal was pictured falling asleep just days after another famous face was snapped having a nap in the stands Primarily reserved for members of the British Royal Family, foreign royals, heads of state, celebrities, and former champions, all eyes are often on the Royal Box at Wimbledon and all movements are caught on camera. However, one particular Royal was spotted nodding off during the Men's singles final on Sunday, July 13. Lord Frederick Windsor attended the Men's Singles final at Wimbledon on Sunday, July 13 with wife, Sophie Winkleman. The couple were seated in some of the best spots on centre court. Lord Frederick is the son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, and is 54th in line to the British throne. His father, Prince Michael of Kent, is a first cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II. The couple were seen enjoying the sporting action but seemingly forgot that all actions were being captured on camera, reports the Express. Pictures from the event showed the Royal with his eyes closed, propping up his head with one arm, appearing to doze off multiple times. After a brief nap, he woke up and joined in the applause and cheering as the tennis tournament continued. Frederick, aged 46, looked dapper in a blue suit, a white shirt and a powder blue tie. Sophie, on the other hand, who is an actress, wore an elegant white dress adorned with tiny strawberries. Sophie turned heads with baroque-style pearl earrings and a pair of tortoiseshell sunglasses to keep the sun at bay. Tennis enthusiast, Lord Frederick Windsor, was also spotted indulging his love for the sport, having graced the Championships on day two, day nine, and day 12. But it wasn't just royalty that snoozed amidst the thrill of this year's acclaimed tennis contest. Social media buzzed when BBC viewers caught Hugh Grant apparently dozing off during a match at Centre Court. The 64-year-old was there to soak in the Men's Singles Quarter-Final between Novak Djokovic and Flavio Cobolli. Accompanied by his wife Anna Elisabet Eberstein, the film star settled into Centre Court seats. A segment broadcast showed Hugh in the Royal Box, donning shaded sunglasses with his head dipped slightly forward. BBC Sport posted the moment that went viral on X, quipping: "It's all got a bit too much for Hugh Grant," followed by emojis signalling laughter and sleep. Spectators chimed in, noticing Hugh's drowsy moment, and shared their animated thoughts online. A viewer couldn't help but comment on X: "Not even Djokovic can keep Hugh Grant awake today." A second joked: "Well done Hugh. Exactly what I would have done in the sun." A third concluded: "Merely resting his eyes". In the end, Jannik Sinner fought back to beat defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in four sets and win Wimbledon for the first time in his career. The Italian No. 1 seed is now a four-time Grand Slam champion. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sure, Kate Middleton Wowed in Pink Today, But It Was Queen Camilla's Vibrant Green That Turned Heads
Today was kind of a big deal for the British royal family—and for international diplomacy, too. For the first time in 17 years, France made an official State Visit to the U.K., with French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron arriving on July 8. On hand to welcome them? None other than King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William and Princess Catherine. And yes, we need to talk about the fashion. Let's start with the Princess of Wales, who absolutely nailed the moment. For day one of the visit, she wore a beautifully tailored blush-pink Dior ensemble. GONZALO FUENTES/POOL/AFP via Getty Images The look featured the iconic Bar jacket and a floaty tulle skirt, designed by Maria Grazia Chiuri (Dior's first-ever female creative director, FYI). She topped it off with a coordinating hat by British milliner Jess Collett and brought the sentiment with jewelry: Queen Elizabeth II's pearl choker and drop earrings that once belonged to Princess Diana. While Kate was effortlessly elegant, Queen Camilla made waves with her vibrant green color choice. She clearly stood out from the crowd with her head-turning splash of color (something that was sorely missing among the rest of the attendees). Richard Pohle - WPA Pool/Getty She stepped out in an eye-catching emerald green chiffon dress by Anna Valentine, paired with a matching Philip Treacy hat (yep, the same one she wore to Royal Ascot last month). On her feet were nude leather toe-cap pumps by Eliot Zed and her jewelry was a full royal moment featuring a four-strand pearl choker, a gold plate pendant with a ruby and Queen Mary's emerald and diamond Celtic knot French President's trip marks the first State Visit hosted at Windsor Castle in over a decade—last time was back in 2014 for Irish President Michael D. Higgins. It's also the first official visit from an EU leader since Brexit, underscoring the U.K.'s intent to strengthen ties with its continental neighbors. Safe to say, the fashion diplomacy is off to a strong start. Here's hoping for even more iconic royal looks as the three-day visit unfolds. Want all the latest entertainment news sent right to your inbox? Click here. Queen Camilla Just Wore a $109K Brooch That Hasn't Been Seen in Nearly a Century
