Latest news with #Legiond'Honneur
Metro
4 days ago
- General
- Metro
Britain's oldest Second World War veteran, Donald Rose, dies aged 110
Britain's oldest Second World War veteran, Donald Rose, has died aged 110, believed to be the oldest man in the UK. The D-Day veteran, who was born on Christmas Eve 1914, passed away this week, Erewash Borough Council confirmed. Ilkeston Council Leader James Dawson has paid tribute to Mr Rose as a war hero and sent condolences to his family. 'Erewash was privileged to count him as a resident,' he said. In May, Mr Rose joined 45 other veterans as guests of honour at a tea party celebration hosted by the Royal British Legion (RBL) at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, to mark 80 years since VE Day. Mr Rose, who was attached to the division which liberated Belsen concentration camp, said at the event that he did not celebrate the momentous day 80 years ago. He said: 'When I heard that the armistice had been signed 80 years ago, I was in Germany at Belsen and, like most active soldiers, I didn't get to celebrate at that time. 'We just did what we thought was right, and it was a relief when it was over. I never would have believed I would be remembering this day at 110 years old. 'It's meaningful to come here today with the Royal British Legion, to remember the people who didn't come back.' In the same month, the Erewash mayor presented Mr Rose with the freedom of the borough for his bravery in the Second World War. More Trending According to the council, Mr Rose said he was proud and happy to receive it, but said: 'I didn't do anything that anyone else would not have done.' The council is flying its flags at half mast to mark Mr Rose's death. Originally from Westcott, Surrey, he joined the army aged 23 and served in North Africa, Italy and France, according to the RBL. He received a number of medals and was awarded France's highest honour: the Legion d'Honneur. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: 106-year-old man gives secret to long life and he eats a mug of it every day MORE: Daughter splashed £38,000 stolen from dementia-suffering dad on holidays MORE: Gardener who sliced throat with a chainsaw says cops thought his wife did it
Daily Record
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Kate Middleton dazzles in iconic tiara at first state banquet in almost two years
The Princess of Wales joined the senior members of the Royal Family at Windsor Castle's state banquet to welcome French President Emmanuel Macron this evening Kate Middleton looked exquisite in a glittering tiara tonight as she attended her first state banquet in nearly two years alongside a whole host of famous faces. The Princess of Wales donned the Lover's Knot tiara and red gown with caped back detailing by Sarah Burton for Givenchy as she attended the event alongside King Charles, Queen Camilla and her husband Prince William. Around 160 guests were in attendance for the white tie dinner at Windsor Castle,which is the glitzy highlight of the French state visit. French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte are being treated to the grandeur of royal hospitality in the historic St George's Hall. Kate, who was diagnosed with cancer in early 2024 and announced earlier this year that she is now in remission, last graced a state banquet in November 2023, when the Royal Family welcomed the South Korean president at Buckingham Palace. Just last week, she opened up about her tumultuous journey through cancer recovery, its profound effects on her life, and maintaining a "brave face" during an engagement at Colchester Hospital. Kensington Palace only confirmed her attendance at tonight's opulent dinner after she fulfilled her Royal obligations marking the commencement of the state visit earlier today, the Mirror reports. Prior to the banquet, William and Kate offered a glimpse into their evening attire by sharing a photo on social media captioned: "Ready for what promises to be a wonderful State Banquet this evening in Windsor." For the first time, Kate donned her Royal Family order from King Charles and accessorised with a lily of the valley embroidered evening clutch. Joining the festivities tonight are also Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, along with Princess Anne and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. Queen Camilla dazzled in an ivory silk and crepe evening gown by Fiona Clare, complemented by a diamond and sapphire tiara once worn by the late Queen. She also adorned herself with the Legion d'Honneur French sash, Garter Star, and the King's family order. The star-studded dinner was graced not only by royals but also by famous faces from the world of celebrity, including Sir Mick Jagger, who owns a chateau in France. Other attendees included actress Kirsten Scott Thomas, who resides in France, First Dates star Fred Siriex, a French national, and former Lioness goalkeeper Mary Earps, who recently played for Paris St Germain. She was spotted sharing a laugh and handshake with Prime Minister Keir Starmer before the commencement of the dinner as they engaged in conversation. In the meantime, the King enlisted his friend and King's Foundation ambassador, French chef Raymond Blanc, to collaborate with the Royal Household in curating the menu, designing the first course and the dessert. Blanc was present in the Windsor kitchens on Tuesday evening, ensuring the dishes were served flawlessly. The menu, penned in French as per state banquet tradition, commenced with a selection of tender summer vegetables from the Gardens of Le Manoir, accompanied by Sage, Raw Tomato and Extra Virgin Olive Oil Dressing. This was followed by Supreme of Rhug Estate Chicken with Norfolk Asparagus and Tarragon Cream, and concluded with Iced Blackcurrant Parfait on a Blackcurrant-soaked Sponge with Elderflower Jelly for dessert. Buckingham Palace described the collaboration as being "in the spirit of the Entente Cordial". In a tradition initiated by the King, a unique cocktail named L'entente was crafted for the occasion. This delightful concoction blends British gin with lemon curd and French pastis, garnished with dried French cornflowers and English roses. A selection of French wines was on offer, alongside Taylor's 1977 Vintage Port and a 1948 Grand Champagne Cognac, chosen to commemorate the birth years of both Mr Macron and the King. The tables were adorned with flowers handpicked from the gardens of Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle and Windsor Great Park. Post-banquet, these blooms will be delivered to hospices and care homes for the elderly. Following the banquet, guests will adjourn to the Windsor Castle Music Room for a special performance by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. This dinner concludes a hectic day for the Prince and Princess of Wales who were present to welcome Mr and Mrs Macron at RAF Northolt this morning as they arrived in the UK. The princess has already showcased diplomatic Royal dressing in honour of the King's guests, opting to wear an ensemble from French fashion house Christian Dior for her daytime engagements. Her earrings were a cherished possession of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the pearl necklace was a piece from the late Queen's collection. The Princess of Wales was seen in a blush pink Christian Dior jacket, the 30 Montaigne Rose Des Vents Bar Jacket from the 2024 collection, paired with a tulle skirt. The piece was reimagined by Maria Grazia Chiuri, drawing inspiration from the original design created by Dior himself in 1947. Kate's stylish hat was designed by Jess Collett. Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here an Upon meeting French leader Mr Macron, who had just disembarked from his plane at RAF Northolt, the princess received a charming air kiss to her hand. Meanwhile, Prince William and the President engaged in a warm handshake and conversation. State banquets have been relocated from the Buckingham Palace ballroom to Windsor for the foreseeable future due to ongoing refurbishment work at the London Royal residence. In recent months, Kate has made a few public appearances, including Trooping the Colour, the annual Order of the Garter service, and a visit to a V&A storage facility in London. However, she was notably absent from Royal Ascot in June as she continues to find a balance between public appearances and her ongoing cancer treatment.
France 24
17-06-2025
- Politics
- France 24
French ex-PM Fillon given suspended sentence over wife's fake job
Fillon, 71, had been found guilty in 2022 on appeal of embezzlement for providing a fake parliamentary assistant job to his wife, Penelope Fillon, that saw her being paid from public funds although the court found that she never did any work in the National Assembly. The Paris appeals court also ordered him to pay a fine of 375,000 euros ($433,000) and barred him from seeking elected office for five years. The sentence was milder than the one handed down in 2022, when he had been ordered to spend one year behind bars without any suspension. But France's highest appeals court, the Court of Cassation, overruled that decision and ordered a new sentencing trial. No change was made to the punishment for Penelope Fillon, who is British, and who was handed a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to pay the same fine as her husband. The couple has always insisted that Penelope Fillon had done genuine constituency work. Neither was present in court for the sentencing. Fillon, a conservative, earlier this year called the ban on seeking public office a "moral wound". The scandal, dubbed "PenelopeGate" by the French press, hurt Fillon's popularity and contributed to his first-round elimination in France's 2017 presidential election that was won by current President Emmanuel Macron. "The treatment I received was somewhat unusual and nobody will convince me otherwise," Fillon said. "Perhaps there was a link with me being a candidate in the presidential election." 'A free man' Fillon claimed that fake parliamentary jobs were common between 1981 and 2021, saying that "a large majority" of lawmakers had been in a "perfectly similar situation" to his during that time. His wife's fake contract ran from 2012 to 2013. "It is the appreciation of the court that there is no proof of any salaried work in the case," the court said in its ruling. Fillon's lawyer, Antonin Levy, welcomed the decision to spare his client time in prison. "Francois Fillon is a free man," he said. In another recent high-profile case involving French politicians, former president Nicolas Sarkozy, also a conservative, was stripped of his Legion d'Honneur distinction following his conviction for graft. Sarkozy, 70, had been wearing an electronic ankle tag until last month after France's highest appeals court upheld his conviction last December of trying to illegally secure favours from a judge. Sarkozy is currently on trial in a separate case on charges of accepting illegal campaign financing in an alleged pact with late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi. Another case involves far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who was convicted in an embezzlement trial over fake European Parliament jobs, and is appealing the verdict. As well as being given a partly suspended jail term and a fine, she was banned from taking part in elections for five years, which would -- if confirmed -- scupper her ambition of standing for the presidency in 2027.
Int'l Business Times
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
French Ex-PM Fillon Given Suspended Sentence Over Wife's Fake Job
Former French prime minister Francois Fillon was on Tuesday given a four-year suspended prison sentence over a fake jobs scandal that wrecked his 2017 presidential bid. Fillon, 71, had been found guilty in 2022 on appeal of embezzlement for providing a fake parliamentary assistant job to his wife, Penelope Fillon, that saw her being paid from public funds although the court found that she never did any work in the National Assembly. The Paris appeals court also ordered him to pay a fine of 375,000 euros ($433,000) and barred him from seeking elected office for five years. The sentence was milder than the one handed down in 2022, when he had been ordered to spend one year behind bars without any suspension. But France's highest appeals court, the Court of Cassation, overruled that decision and ordered a new sentencing trial. No change was made to the punishment for Penelope Fillon, who is British, and who was handed a two-year suspended sentence and ordered to pay the same fine as her husband. The couple has always insisted that Penelope Fillon had done genuine constituency work. Neither was present in court for the sentencing. Fillon, a conservative, earlier this year called the ban on seeking public office a "moral wound". The scandal, dubbed "PenelopeGate" by the French press, hurt Fillon's popularity and contributed to his first-round elimination in France's 2017 presidential election that was won by current President Emmanuel Macron. "The treatment I received was somewhat unusual and nobody will convince me otherwise," Fillon said. "Perhaps there was a link with me being a candidate in the presidential election." Fillon claimed that fake parliamentary jobs were common between 1981 and 2021, saying that "a large majority" of lawmakers had been in a "perfectly similar situation" to his during that time. His wife's fake contract ran from 2012 to 2013. "It is the appreciation of the court that there is no proof of any salaried work in the case," the court said in its ruling. Fillon's lawyer, Antonin Levy, welcomed the decision to spare his client time in prison. "Francois Fillon is a free man," he said. In another recent high-profile case involving French politicians, former president Nicolas Sarkozy, also a conservative, was stripped of his Legion d'Honneur distinction following his conviction for graft. Sarkozy, 70, had been wearing an electronic ankle tag until last month after France's highest appeals court upheld his conviction last December of trying to illegally secure favours from a judge. Sarkozy is currently on trial in a separate case on charges of accepting illegal campaign financing in an alleged pact with late Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi. Another case involves far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who was convicted in an embezzlement trial over fake European Parliament jobs, and is appealing the verdict. As well as being given a partly suspended jail term and a fine, she was banned from taking part in elections for five years, which would -- if confirmed -- scupper her ambition of standing for the presidency in 2027. The court found no evidence that Penelope Fillon ever did the parliamentary work she was paid for AFP
RTÉ News
05-06-2025
- Business
- RTÉ News
Paschal Donohoe awarded Chevalier rank in French National Legion of Honour
Paschal Donohoe has been awarded the rank of "Chevalier" in the French National Legion of Honour this afternoon. The Minister for Finance was given the award in recognition of his "unwavering commitment to maintaining European unity" during his time as President of the Eurogroup. The former French Finance Minister, Bruno le Maire, recommended Mr Donohoe for the award and travelled to Dublin for the event. The Legion d'Honneur, established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, honours individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to their fields and to the greater good of society. Mr Donohoe is being recognised for his exceptional service in public office in both Ireland and Europe, and his efforts in fostering strong Franco-Irish relations. Mr Le Maire said; "I am deeply proud to see my friend Paschal Donohoe awarded the title of Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur. Through his outstanding leadership as President of the Eurogroup, he has made remarkable contributions to both the unity and effectiveness of Europe. "A steadfast advocate for deeper European integration, he has consistently worked to equip our Union for the challenges of the 21st century. Throughout his career, he has remained a true friend of France." "I am truly honoured to receive the Legion d'Honneur, a distinction that reflects the enduring values of the French Republic - excellence, civic responsibility, and a deep commitment to the common good," said Mr Donohoe. "France has long championed a vision for a strong Europe, and for the need for economic growth to deliver social progress. Both are so important at a time of global change.
