Latest news with #MaryQueenOfScots


BBC News
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Milton Keynes Mary Queen of Scots fan buys her letters for £35k
A Mary Queen of Scots fan who bought three of her letters for £35,000 hoped to put them on display. John White, 61, from Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, said he had "been fascinated by the royal since he was a boy and educated in bought the three letters signed by the monarch at an auction in Edinburgh, and said they were the "ultimate in his collection".He hoped to put on an exhibition "in the next few months" and added: "We are trying to keep something [an event] in the local area – maybe Peterborough Cathedral." The execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, took place in February 1587 at Fotheringhay Castle, body was taken to Peterborough Cathedral, and "her son then took her to lie in state in Westminster Cathedral next to Queen Elizabeth I", said Mr White. Mr White described the correspondence as "iconic pieces and are very rare" and said the letters "were written by her private secretary but signed by her".He said the queen lived in a man's world and was "an iconic lady facing up to the challenges of Scotland in the 1500s"."She was Catholic, a woman and a woman in power, and people did not like that", he by life, he started collecting things that related to her in the last few years. He also recently held an exhibition about her on the west coast of Scotland". "I have a lot of artefacts of Mary – I have a lot of cutlery she would have used, I have a lock of her hair and a lot of her embroidery," said Mr White."The lock of hair belonged to a millionaire in Jersey, and it is a well-known piece.""Locks of hair were given away by royalty to those who served them faithfully," he well as the recent auction purchases, Mr White also has original letters from Fotheringhay Castle, which he kept in storage in Scotland. Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.


BBC News
14-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Thousands back bid to save manor that housed Mary Queen of Scots
More than 3,000 people have signed a petition aimed at saving a landmark in Derbyshire which was once used to imprison Mary Queen of Manor near Alfreton is closed to the public and fears have been raised the site, which historians said was once a jewel in the county's crown, will never Valley MP Linsey Farnsworth and the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust started a parliamentary petition urging the government to take the necessary steps to save the is now working to secure a meeting with the culture secretary Lisa Nandy. Barry Joyce, vice chair of The Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust, said the petition "shows the strength of local feeling and that the public are keen to regain access".The retired conservation and design manager at Derbyshire County Council added that the manor is "deteriorating quickly" and that action is needed urgently. Farnsworth said she was taken aback by the strength of feeling among people living close to the manor, with many attending a series of sessions to sign the petition."It's been phenomenal really," she said. "We were hoping that we would see some support for the petition but we've got over 3,000 signatures, which is brilliant, and it's no mean feat as it's a paper petition with handwritten signatures." The manor was built in the 1440s and Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned there in 1569, 1584 and to improve the site have been hampered by a complex historic ownership arrangement which English Heritage is hoping to organisation said it had spent more than £100,000 on repairs and maintenance and it was developing a "full conservation project for those elements of the site in our care".A spokesperson previously told the BBC: "It has long been largely ruined and roofless and modern agricultural use has concealed parts of the historic complex."The two edges of the site are in the guardianship of the state and managed by English Heritage while the central section remains in private ownership."With it being originally conceived and built as a whole, this makes it a relatively complicated site on a number of levels, not least in terms of maintenance and conservation."We have previously discussed options for reuniting the site as a whole with the owner, but unfortunately we were not able to arrive at a consensus as there are major challenges and costs involved with securing its future."

Associated Press
19-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Ancient Voices, Future Journeys: Scottish Tour Company Revolutionises Marketing with Google's Veo3
Scottish tour firm Heartland Travel uses Google's Veo3 AI to create videos with historical figures inviting future bookings. Owner: AI's a game-changer. STIRLING, STIRLING, UNITED KINGDOM, June 19, 2025 / / -- Imagine Robert the Bruce or Mary Queen of Scots stepping out of the history books to personally invite you on a grand tour of their beloved homeland. This seemingly impossible feat is now a reality for Heartland Travel - Tours of Scotland, a private tour business based in Stirling, thanks to a groundbreaking application of Artificial Intelligence, specifically Google's advanced video generation tool, Veo3. Heartland Travel is leveraging the power of AI to create captivating social media video clips, each featuring a famous character from Scottish history. These historical figures, brought to life with remarkable realism by Veo3, directly address viewers, urging them to book a private tour of Scotland with Heartland Travel in the future. This innovative approach is a game-changer for the small, family-run business. 'As a small business, we could never produce content like this, and as real as it is, AI is a game changer for our little tour business,' enthuses a spokesperson for Heartland Travel. Their sentiment highlights a significant shift in the landscape of small business marketing, where advanced AI tools are democratising content creation previously only accessible to large corporations with substantial budgets and resources. Google Veo3, known for its ability to generate high-quality, realistic video from text prompts, has allowed Heartland Travel to bypass the traditional complexities and costs associated with video production. No longer do they need to worry about casting historical look-alikes, elaborate costumes, period-accurate sets, or extensive post-production. Veo3 seamlessly handles these elements, creating compelling visuals and even integrating native audio, including synchronized dialogue. The strategic use of iconic Scottish figures serves not only to entertain but also to deeply connect with potential visitors, tapping into the rich historical tapestry that makes Scotland such a compelling destination. By bringing characters like William Wallace or Bonnie Prince Charlie to life, Heartland Travel is offering a unique, engaging, and memorable marketing experience that stands out in a crowded online landscape. This pioneering move by Heartland Travel exemplifies how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism sector can harness cutting-edge AI technology to level the playing field. The ability to produce professional-grade, highly personalised, and culturally resonant content at a fraction of the traditional cost empowers businesses like Heartland Travel to reach wider audiences and compete effectively. As the tourism industry continues to embrace digital innovation, Heartland Travel's adoption of Google Veo3 offers a compelling case study for the transformative potential of AI. It's a clear signal that the future of travel marketing might just involve a friendly, albeit ancient, face encouraging you to explore the wonders of Scotland. David Hope Heartland Travel - Tours of Scotland 7717795882 ext. email us here Visit us on social media: Instagram Facebook YouTube Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Saoirse Ronan Is Pregnant With Her First Child
Saoirse Ronan and Jack Lowden are expecting their first child. The Lady Bird actress previously showed off her growing bump in a black silk and lace slip dress at the Louis Vuitton Cruise 2026. The couple married last summer in Edinburgh and Ronan later opened up about wanting to start a are in order, because Saoirse Ronan and her husband Jack Lowden are expecting their first child. People confirmed the news after the Daily Mail published photos of a visibly pregnant Ronan taking a walk with her husband and their dog in London on June 1. Rumors about Ronan's pregnancy first spread after the actress's appearance at Louis Vuitton Cruise 2026 in Avignon, France, where she wore a lingerie-esque lace and silk slipdress. Styled by Danielle Goldberg, Ronan's black pleated slipdress featured a plunging lace-trimmed neckline and a floaty maxiskirt. She paired the dress with a pair of black strappy flat sandals and she tucked her straight blonde hair behind her ears, showing off a fresh rosy makeup look by Nina Park. Ronan and Lowden, who was recently cast as Mr. Darcy in Netflix's upcoming Pride & Prejudice adaptation, met in 2018 while filming Mary Queen of Scots. They tied the knot in a private ceremony in Edinburgh in the summer of 2024. As Ronan explained at a red carpet event after the wedding, the city had become her "second home." 'When I was a kid, I had done a couple of days in Edinburgh on a film called Death Defying Acts, and I remember turning to my mam—we were doing a night shoot, everyone was knackered—and I thought 'I'm going to move here one day,'' said Ronan. 'It's just so nice now to kind of call it a second home. Ever since I made Mary Queen of Scots, I've always loved Scotland. In 2023, Lowden praised his partner to the i newspaper, saying, "The woman is a force of nature, on- and off-screen, and utterly fearless and a brilliant leader as well." Meanwhile, Ronan has also gushed about Lowden, telling Harper's Bazaar, 'When a person you respect as much as I do him says that, it means more than anyone else's opinion.' Last October, Ronan opened up about wanting kids. 'Yeah, I do,' she told British Vogue of her desire to be a mother. 'I became successful when I was quite young. So it meant that, actually, by the time I found my partner, I'm now at the stage where if it happened, I would like to have a kid. I feel fortunate enough that if I step out of this for a minute, I'm hopefully not giving it up forever. But, yeah, I've always wanted that.' Read the original article on InStyle


Daily Mail
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Saoirse Ronan prepares for next major role as a new mum as she is spotted taking a stroll in London with husband Jack Lowden for the first time since announcing pregnancy
She's been nominated for an Oscar four times, but Saoirse Ronan 's next major role will be as a mother. The Irish actress debuted her baby bump on the red carpet in France last week, and these exclusive pictures show her stepping out in London with her husband, Slow Horses star Jack Lowden, for the first time since she revealed her pregnancy. The couple, who married last year and are famously guarded about their private life, were seen taking a stroll with their dog, Fran, near the £2.5million home they share in Islington. Saoirse, 31, who has been critically acclaimed for her roles in Little Women and Lady Bird, surprised fans by appearing heavily pregnant in a black silk Louis Vuitton gown at an event for the French luxury fashion house in Avignon. But the couple's outing this week was considerably more low-key – which is perfectly in keeping with their laid-back relationship. Scottish star Jack, 34, who plays River Cartwright in the Apple TV+ spy drama, wore a sports jacket with tracksuit bottoms and trainers, while Saoirse wore a comfortable outfit of leggings, cap and padded jacket. The couple are said to be 'thrilled' at the fact they are to become a family less than a year after they married in Edinburgh in July 2024. They met on the set of historical drama Mary Queen Of Scots, where Saoirse had the leading role and Jack played Lord Darnley, Mary's husband. In a rare insight into her private life last year, Saoirse described how it was her dream to be a parent. 'I became successful when I was quite young,' she said. 'It meant that by the time I found my partner, I'm at the stage where if it happened, I would like to have a kid. I've always wanted that.' Jack has described his wife as a 'force of nature, on and off screen'. Saoirse will next star as a teacher in thriller Bad Apples, and Jack – who has been tipped as the next James Bond – is to play Mr Darcy in the new Netflix adaptation of Pride And Prejudice.