Latest news with #RobertHarris
The Independent
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
King ‘told Conclave author he watched papal selection film'
The author of the hit novel turned Oscar-nominated picture Conclave said the King revealed to him that he has watched the film. Robert Harris, 68, was formally made a CBE by Charles for services to literature in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday. Harris said it was 'eerie' and 'like an out of body experience' to see his 2016 book turned into a film, and then to see the papal selection process which he had researched in so much detail play out in May after the death of Pope Francis. '(It was) very odd, I suppose because I researched it very thoroughly, and really it's the sort of thing that can practically only be done in fiction because you have to have a lot of conjecture,' Harris told the PA news agency. 'And so it acted as a kind of primer for journalists and for people, so that was very strange. 'And then, of course, the extraordinary fact that the new pope watched it on the eve of the conclave.' Pope Leo's brother John Prevost told NBC News his younger sibling had watched the film before the secret vote. Harris said the King also asked about his new book. 'We talked a bit about Conclave, which he has seen,' Harris said. 'He's been reading my books for years, so it was nice to see him again.' The journalist-turned-novelist also joked about how seeing the inside of Buckingham Palace could provide him inspiration for his future books. 'There'd have to be some mystery in the throne room, yes, murder in the throne room! It's got possibilities.' Harris said it was a 'very generous gesture' to receive the honour and he had 'never thought about it' before being asked. Author Dame Jacqueline Wilson was made a Dame Grand Cross for her services to the same industry at the ceremony. The 79-year-old former children's laureate is widely known as the creator of Tracy Beaker and has written more than 100 novels. 'It feels like a dream,' Dame Jacqueline said on receiving the honour. 'I'm so pleased, so proud. 'I was just totally taken by surprise. To be utterly truthful, I didn't even know this particular honour existed. I'm so proud and so overwhelmed. 'If little girl Jacqueline could be told that I'd be standing outside Buckingham Palace with medals and a sash, she would have been astonished.' Dame Jacqueline said the King was 'jovial' and they laughed about getting her sash on over her 'silly hat'. 'And I did thank him, and particularly also thanked Her Majesty the Queen, because she takes such an interest in children's literature, and that makes all of us writers feel very pleased,' she said. Last year, Dame Jacqueline released her first adult novel since the 1970s as she returned to her beloved Girls series. The novel, Think Again, was nominated at this year's British Book Awards.
The Herald
10-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald
Pearson hold on for win over Tigers in tense finish
Pearson showed remarkable resolve on defence to hold off an attacking Daniel Pienaar team in the final five minutes, scoring a sensational 41-36 win in their schools rugby clash on the Hannes Strydom Field at Pearson on Saturday. In doing so, the home team managed to hold onto the Principal's Hat, which is the trophy these two teams contest for annually, after former Pearson principal Andre van Staden donated his hat as a trophy following one of their matches. From a game which Pearson dominated in the first half to run up a quick 21-0 lead (26-10 at the break), it developed into an intense scrap for supremacy as the Tigers showed massive fighting qualities to claw their way back into the hunt. Within four minutes of the second half, the visitors closed the gap to 26-24 with tries by wing Chibuzo David and flank Etto Mapapu, with fullback Ashley Liesing adding the conversions. But then in a period of play which was typical of the match, Pearson crossed for two tries themselves as Nicholas Gillespie got his second from a line-out drive and No 8 Robert Harris dived over after a brilliant break in midfield by centre Hanro Botes saw him brought down just before the line. It was at this time, in the 45th minute, that Daniel Pienaar received a red card for a dangerous tackle, but even playing with 14 men could not quell the fighting spirit of the Kariega outfit. They took advantage of some defensive lapses to cross for two more tries by hooker Denovan Booysen and flyhalf Rozario Grootboom, the second after a great run down the right by David. Liesing added the conversion of Grootboom's try from the touchline and suddenly Pearson found themselves all square at 36-36 with 13 minutes remaining. The home side, though, were alert to any opportunities and they made the final match-winning score when wing Matthew Els was put into space down the right flank for their seventh try of the match with 10 minutes left. Pearson almost blew it with five minutes to go when a quick tap from a penalty near the Daniel Pienaar line went astray and the visitors attacked the length of the field before being stopped by the scrambling defence. The Tigers poured on the pressure in the closing minutes, but the Pearson defence held firm to keep their lead in a titanic contest. • In East London, Graeme College continued their good season with a clear-cut 45-10 victory over Stirling High. For the winners, No 8 Ayola Mali and fullback Lucritia Magau led the way with two tries each, while centre Erin Nelson again had an impressive game in attack and defence. Stirling crossed for tries by Joshua Pickering and Lilitha Mayiji. • On the hockey field, the Pearson first and U16A girls took on Kingswood in Makhanda on Saturday and returned with two victories. The U16 team started slowly against an energetic home team, but they soon found their rhythm and began to create opportunities, resulting in them netting 11 goals by the final whistle. In the first team game, Pearson battled to capitalise on all their chances against a determined Kingswood side. After a hard-fought contest, Pearson took the victory 2-1. — additional reporting by The Herald
BreakingNews.ie
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BreakingNews.ie
Ralph Fiennes felt ‘flattered' when he learned Pope Leo XIV had watched Conclave
Conclave actor Ralph Fiennes said he felt 'flattered' when he learned the new Pope had watched the Oscar-winning film that sees his character arrange a papal gathering to elect the next head of the Catholic Church. Pope Leo XIV made history as the Church's first American pontiff when he was elected leader in early May, following the death of Pope Francis on Easter Monday. Advertisement The Pope's older brother, John Prevost, told NBC News that the former cardinal watched the movie before voting in the conclave began – so he would know 'how to behave'. Pope Leo XIV waves at the end of a Mass for the Jubilee of Families in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican (Andrew Medichini/AP) In an appearance on The One Show, Fiennes was asked about the film and whether he felt surprised at the news Pope Leo XIV had watched the movie. 'Didn't his brother suggest he watch it, so he could learn how a Conclave went or something? And I was of course flattered,' he told the show. Asked what he said to his brother before the conclave, Mr Prevost told NBC News in May: 'I said: 'Are you ready for this? Did you watch the movie Conclave, so you know how to behave?'' Advertisement 'And he had just finished watching the movie Conclave, so he knew how to behave,' he said with a laugh. Fiennes, 62, played Cardinal Lawrence in the film, also starring Stanley Tucci and John Lithgow, that was adapted from Robert Harris's novel of the same name. He was nominated for leading actor gongs at the Oscars and Baftas earlier in the year, but missed out both times to Adrien Brody – who won for his role playing Laszlo Toth in historical epic The Brutalist. Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini, Stanley Tucci and Edward Berger attends the BFI London Film Festival gala screening of Conclave (Ian West/PA) Overall, however, the film performed well during awards season and won the adapted screenplay Oscar and four Baftas for best film, adapted screenplay, editing and outstanding British film. Advertisement Fiennes, also known for playing Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter film series, appeared on the show to discuss Theatre Royal Bath's new staging of William Shakespeare play As You Like It, which he is directing. He said: 'I've done a lot of serious Shakespeare tragedies and histories with a lot of blood and gore and angst, and I just felt compelled by As You Like It. 'It's a wonderful play of spontaneous young love. And I've not been in it, so I have no baggage about having been in it. 'I've seen it before, and it's something about young love, young people transformed by love, by desire, in the context of a forest where, like in A Midsummer Night's Dream, their personalities, who they are, their sense of themselves, is changed by love and by nature.' Advertisement
Telegraph
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Robert Harris: Why Conclave should have elected an older pope
The author of Conclave has joked that he wishes cardinals had chosen an older pope to increase his chances of seeing another round of revived popularity in his book. Robert Harris said Pope Francis's death had elevated him from a journalist into an unlikely papal commentator who was regularly called in to offer expert insight. His novel Conclave, first published in 2016, also rode a wave of popularity on the back of its recent film adaptation. The 68-year-old told the Hay Festival: 'From my point of view it would have been better if the Conclave had gone on for one or two more days and if they had elected an older pope because I feel as though I have written a Christmas number one which will keep coming back. 'We will have to wait until the next Conclave which may be after my time.' He added: 'I feel like I have suddenly become a most unlikely expert on the papacy, not a role I really ever expected to play. 'But now we can all move on.' The author praised Peter Straughan, whose screenwriting credits include Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, for a 'brilliant adaptation' released to critical acclaim in 2024. 'He kept a lot of the dialogue, characters and story, but he boiled it down and kept what was best – he did a terrific job,' Mr Harris said, adding that director Edward Berger was 'wonderful'. Mr Harris said Robert De Niro and Javier Bardem had been pegged for the role of Cardinal Lawrence before Ralph Fiennes was chosen. 'That speech that he delivers – 'there will be no need for faith' – is just so brilliantly done,' the author said of Mr Fiennes, revealing that the actor and director had asked to change the character's nationality from Spanish to English. 'I looked across the table and I thought do I really want to lose Ralph Fiennes? No, make him English it won't make any difference. And of course it doesn't make any difference at all,' the author said. Looking back at the revival of interest in his book, he said: 'I found myself peculiarly having written a sort of primer. 'So much so that the new pope watched the Conclave movie on the eve of the Conclave so that he knew what was coming.' Pope Leo XIV watched the film to 'know how to behave', according to his brother. John Prevost, 71, who lives in Chicago, told news reporters that he had asked his brother as a joke whether he had watched the film, and the future pope confirmed he had. 'His brother is one of those great brothers who clearly just blurts out anything,' Mr Harris said, adding: 'He could be a source of great amusement in the years to come.'
Business Mayor
18-05-2025
- Business
- Business Mayor
M&S shoppers urged to follow 'simple rule' after cyber incident
M&S shoppers have been urged to be vigilant after it was revealed that customer details were stolen in a recent cyber attack on the retail chain. The cyber incident affected services for over a week, with shoppers unable to make orders online while in-store purchases were also affected. An update on the incident posted on the M&S website explained that 'some personal customer data has been taken', including personal details such as names and email addresses, and even some 'masked' payment card details used for online purchases. M&S advised customers to use strong and unique passwords for their email and other accounts, and to do any software updates on phones and devices to ensure you have the latest security updates in place. Robert Harris, senior director of Product Marketing at financial crime prevention group Feedzai, shared some tips for staying safe online in the event that criminals have managed to get some of your details. He said: 'Scammers often use bits of your real data—like your name or address—to make their story sound convincing. But here's a simple rule: never share personal information with someone who contacted you out of the blue. 'If the call, email, or message is legitimate, the organization should already have your details and won't ask you to confirm sensitive information. 'If in doubt, don't engage. Hang up and contact the company directly through an official phone number or website—not the one provided by the caller. It's always better to take an extra minute than to fall for a well-crafted scam.' If your suspicions are raised by a message you receive, Mr Harris says it's always good to double check if it's real, by looking up independent reviews or searching for the website on scam-reporting platforms such as He shared another telltale sign to look out for that a product offer is bogus, saying: 'If you're negotiating and the seller agrees to a price too easily, that's a red flag. 'Also, consider how you're paying—use a credit card whenever possible, as it offers more protection. And never feel pressured to make a decision on the spot. Pause, review, and only proceed if you're confident it's legitimate.' Fraser Mitchell, chief product officer at digital compliance group SmartSearch, also shared a warning about indications a message may be fake. He said: 'Always be wary of any unsolicited email or SMS. If sent a link check the email address of the sender for slight inconsistencies or spelling errors. 'By placing the cursor of your mouse over any link you will be able to see the address of the Web page you will be sent to. Again, check this for consistency and spelling errors and never click anything you are unsure of.' He said it's a good practice to ensure your password is 'complex and random', but to never include personal data such as your date or year of birth, or your name. Research from wealth firm Saltus found that one in three high net worth people have fallen victim to a cyber scam in the past six months, with 30% of victims targeted through social media and a fifth targeted by email. Mike Stimpson, partner at Saltus, said: 'Incidents like the M&S data breach give scammers a new opportunity to strike. We could well see a rise in phishing attempts, impersonation scams and fraudulent messages claiming to be from trusted brands in the short term. 'It is essential that individuals are aware of the methods scammers use and are vigilant against any emails, calls or other contact with people or brands they don't know. 'The default position should be that someone contacting them out of the blue is a scammer, and until steps are taken to verify the identity of the contact a cautious approach is critical, particularly in the coming weeks as the true impact of recent high profile data breaches at M&S and others becomes clear.' READ SOURCE
