Latest news with #Tasmanian-born
Sky News AU
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
King Frederik cozies up with Duchess of Edinburgh at Wimbledon two years after affair scandal that rocked Danish monarchy
King Frederik has appeared inside the iconic royal box at Wimbledon alongside Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh - without his Aussie-born wife Queen Mary. The oak-lined royal box on centre court was established in 1922 and has played host to a glittering array of royals, celebrities and dignitaries in its century-long history. The Danish monarch, 57, sat inside the box on Monday and watched on as Poland's Iga Swiatek defeated Denmark's Clara Tauson in the fourth round. At one point, Frederik was photographed warmly embracing the Duchess of Edinburgh with a kiss on the cheek before they took their seats in the same row. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh have longstanding ties to both Mary and Frederik and attended their 2004 fairytale wedding in Copenhagen on behalf of the Queen. Both Sophie and Mary hailed from similar middle class backgrounds and had their own careers before marrying into royalty in their early 30s. In 2016, Sophie invited Tasmanian-born Mary to join her in the carriage procession during an appearance at Royal Ascot. Meanwhile, Frederik's mother Queen Margrethe was one of Queen Elizabeth II's dearest friends. Frederik and Sophie were joined by Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester who also has a special link to the Danish King. The Duchess of Gloucester is Danish by birth and met her future husband Prince Richard while working as a secretary in the Danish embassy in London. The royal-studded appearance comes days after a palace insider claimed that King Charles is pushing for changes to the protocol surrounding the historic royal box. According to The Daily Mail's Royal Editor Rebecca English, King Charles directly appealed to the All England Lawn Tennis Club to allow his former sister-in-law Fergie into the box. "I think it shows a sign of how magnanimous King Charles has been,' Ms English said on Sunday. 'He's made it clear that he will continue his mother's attempts to bring (Fergie) slightly more back into the royal fold." The Duchess of York sat in the box alongside her daughter Princess Eugenie last week for the first time since 1990. Ferguson had previously been forced to sit with the general public at Wimbledon following her 1996 divorce from Prince Andrew.
Sky News AU
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'So sweet': Royal observers spot charming connection between Princess Charlotte and Danish royal Princess Isabella at recent events
Royal watchers have been charmed by a sentimental link between Princess Charlotte of Wales and Princess Isabella of Denmark, two young royals who recently honoured their family heritage with treasured heirlooms. Princess Charlotte, 10, drew attention at last week's Trooping the Colour parade, stepping out in a matching aqua outfit with her mother, Princess Catherine, 43. Pinned to Charlotte's outfit was a petite diamond horseshoe brooch, worn on the left side—the same brooch she wore at Queen Elizabeth II's state funeral in September 2022. The brooch holds deep family significance. Originally owned by the Queen Mother, it was first seen publicly in 1929 before being passed down to Queen Elizabeth II, and eventually gifted to her great-granddaughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana. "It has been detailed that the late Queen Elizabeth gifted the diamond horseshoe to Charlotte, this is so sweet," one royal fan wrote on a picture of the princess on Instagram. Another added: "She's so sweet, she resembles her great grandmother Her Majesty the Queen Elizabeth II." Over in Denmark, a similarly touching connection has been spotted. Princess Isabella, daughter of Tasmanian-born Queen Mary and King Frederik X, has also been seen wearing a prized family heirloom, the Queen Alexandrine Pink Pearl Drop Brooch. Isabella, who turned 18 in April, has worn the diamond-studded brooch on several public occasions. It features a central white pearl and a rare pink pearl drop and was originally owned by her great-grandmother, Queen Alexandrine, wife of King Christian X. Alexandrine, born Duchess of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, became Crown Princess of Denmark in 1906 and later Queen. Portraits from the early 20th century show her wearing the brooch, which was later passed to her granddaughter, Queen Margrethe II, at her baptism in 1940. Continuing the tradition, Queen Margrethe then gifted the piece to Princess Isabella at her own baptism in 2007. Isabella was first seen wearing the brooch publicly at her uncle Prince Joachim's 50th birthday in 2019, and most recently at Queen Margrethe's 85th birthday celebration in April. Just like Charlotte, Isabella received her grandmother's name, Margrethe, as one of her middle names in tribute. Both girls are also the second-born children in their families and have older brothers set to one day ascend their countries' thrones—Prince George, 11, in the UK, and Crown Prince Christian, 19, in Denmark. Interestingly, fans have also noted striking similarities between the young princesses and their fathers. Charlotte is often likened to Prince William at the same age, and Isabella is said to have inherited King Frederik's blue eyes and cheekbones. Adding to the connection between the families is the decades-long friendship between Denmark's former Queen Margrethe and the late Queen Elizabeth II, which began in the 1950s and lasted until Elizabeth's death in 2022. With so many similarities, perhaps Princess Charlotte and Princess Isabella will one day form a royal bond of their own.
Perth Now
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
UFC champ Conor McGregor set to visit Perth for wild event
Former UFC champion Conor McGregor is expected to visit Perth when the proposed Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship takes over RAC Arena in July. It comes as the two main fights on the July 19 card were announced by BKFC across social media on Wednesday. WA Combat Sport's Commission is due to make a final decision on whether the event will go ahead this week, while Sports Minister Rita Saffioti conceded she would not have the event pulled if the commission approves it. Australian athlete Alex 'Godly Strong' Simon, who has openly talked about spending time in prison as a young man, is taking on former UFC fighter turned BKFC champion 'Big' Ben Rothwell for the proposed main fight. The pair will fight for the inaugural BKFC super heavyweight title — a new weight class for athletes above 120kg. Rothwell, the current heavyweight BKFC champion and MMA veteran, could walk away with two belts if he defeats the Australian. Alex Simon, when speaking to the Secrets of The Underworld Podcast in May, said his weight had reached a maximum of 181kg when pursuing a career in powerlifting after a short stint in prison as a young man. The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is set to make its Australian debut in Perth on July 19. Credit: Supplied 'Pretty much we robbed a drug dealer, but it was like a home invasion and it was armed,' the Sydneysider told the podcast. After being released, Simon undertook a career in powerlifting, breaking Australian strongman records at the age of 24. He has since turned his attention to combat sports and could fight on his biggest stage yet at RAC Arena if all goes ahead. Fighting on the co-main event is Tasmanian-born athlete 'Rowdy' Bec Rawlings, who became the first ever BKFC female champion and a well-respected voice in the ongoing fight against domestic violence abusers. She will face French-Canadian boxer Jade Masson-Wong. The female athletes have a collective Instagram following of more than 300,000 people. They both also work as OnlyFans content creators, offering both fight-related and adult-only content. The promotional poster also said New Zealand-born heavyweight Haze 'The Huntsman' Hepi will appear. It is unknown how many bouts will be on the July card. Both the Australian Medical Association and the opposition have slammed the Labor Government ahead of the proposed event. In a letter to the Premier, Ms Saffioti and other Ministers, AMA WA President Michael Page expressed 'profound concern' and said the lack of protective gear made bare knuckle boxing worse. RAC Arena — which is owned and operated by government statutory authority Venues West — advertised ticket sales across social media and on their website on Wednesday despite the event being formally approved. BKFC President David Feldman further quashed any suggestion the event was being cancelled by labelling the July 19 event as the 'beginning of a new era for combat sports in Australia.'. 'Australia has long been on our radar,' he said. 'The energy, the fans, and the venue are all perfect for showcasing BKFC.' The WA Combat sports commission told The West Australian the event was still under consideration on Wednesday. Tickets currently available on Ticketek for the RAC Arena event are starting at $151 with the next available tier at $302. The highest available tickets — classed as 'The Notorious Access' — are going for an eye-watering $6000.
ABC News
04-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Star AFL recruiting pair Derek Hine and Todd Patterson will be in charge of Tasmania Devils list
The Tasmania Devils have pulled off a stunning double coup, securing the services of a pair of recruiting gurus who will construct the club's inaugural AFL, VFL, AFLW and VFLW lists. Former Collingwood list manager and head recruiter Derek Hine has been lured to Tasmania and will take the role as the club's first ever head of recruiting, while Tasmanian-born Melbourne AFLW list manager Todd Patterson has also committed as the team's first head of list management and strategy. Mr Hine is best known for his time at the Magpies where he helped build teams that claimed the 2010 and 2023 AFL premierships, contested the 2018 grand final and were perennial finals contenders since his appointment in 2003. Under his tenure, Collingwood drafted Scott Pendlebury and Dale Thomas in 2005. Former Collingwood recruiting manager Derek Hine (centre) will be the Devils' head of recruiting. ( ) Mr Hine also oversaw the selection of Steele Sidebottom and Jordan De Goey, as well as trades that secured Jack Crisp from Brisbane and Tasmanian Jeremy Howe from Melbourne. Mr Hine and Mr Patterson's first task will likely be assembling the club's inaugural VFL list, which is set to take the field next year. They'll then move into helping construct the Devils' inaugural AFL team, which is set to play its first game in 2028. Mr Hine will initially split his time between Melbourne and Hobart. In a statement, Devils chief executive Brendon Gale said Mr Hine's recruitment was a "significant addition" to the club and that "his passion for talent identification and team building aligns perfectly with our vision for the Tasmania Devils". "It's a really exciting time for football in the state," he said. Pair to access salary war chest Mr Patterson, who hails from Launceston, will return to his home state following a 16-year stint in Victoria, with an eight-year stint at Melbourne, which included women's talent identification and ultimately a six-year term as the club's AFLW list manager. The Demons won the AFLW flag in 2022 and have been a long-time powerhouse of the women's competition. Todd Patterson will join the Devils as the club's head of list management and strategy. ( Melbourne Football Club ) Tasmania's women's team is slated to enter the AFLW in 2027, making the Devils the first club in history to field a women's team before a men's side. Both Mr Patterson and Mr Hine will officially start later this month, and have been employed on full-time, permanent contracts. The pair will be handed about a dozen first-round picks, which will be spread across the 2027, 2028 and 2029 drafts, and which could still possibly include the number one pick in 2027. Some of those will likely need to be traded for established players. The Tasmania Devils are slated to enter the AFLW in 2027, while the men's team is due to enter the league in 2028. ( ABC News: Luke Bowden ) Mr Patterson and Mr Hine will also likely have access to a salary war chest that will be used to lure players from other clubs, as well as to uncontracted free agents from other clubs across two trade periods. The appointments come as The proposed stadium, which is expected to cost more than $775 million, is a non-negotiable requirement of the Devils entering the AFL, but has been met with strong community opposition. It has bipartisan support in the state's lower house but will need the vote of at least two independent upper house members to progress.
Sky News AU
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'Legacy is still up for debate': Queen Mary speaks on misunderstood royal in new documentary film 'Danner of Denmark'
Queen Mary of Denmark is set to star in a new film spotlighting a controversial royal figure who, much like herself, rose from humble beginnings to leave a lasting legacy. The Tasmanian-born royal appears in Danner of Denmark, a film set to premiere at Frederiksborg Castle on May 1. The documentary delves into the story of Countess Danner, born Louise Christine Rasmussen, and the evolving interpretations of her role in Danish society. On Monday, the Danish Royal House released a series of images showing the 53-year-old monarch examining historical artefacts connected to the Countess, including her birth certificate and jewellery. "The film tells the story of one of history's most significant female figures, and the objects help to illustrate how Countess Danner's history as a role model and norm breaker is closely intertwined with Denmark's history," the palace said. "The Queen also talks about the Countess' religious beliefs and about the defamatory writings that document Countess Danner's role as a complex historical figure who divided the waters in her time, and whose legacy is still up for debate to this day." Countess Danner, who married King Frederik VII in 1850, was born into poverty and raised by a single mother. She trained as a dancer at the Copenhagen Opera's ballet school and later opened a fashion shop after leaving the stage. Her relationship with then-Prince Frederik began in the 1840s, though it sparked fierce opposition due to her working-class background and illegitimate child. In 1850, she was made Frederik's morganatic wife, a union that granted her the title Countess Danner but excluded any children from the line of succession. Despite being shunned by the upper echelons of Danish society, Countess Danner lived happily with the King at Jægerspris Castle and continued her philanthropic work after his death in 1863. In 1873, she founded Frederick the VII's Foundation for Poor Women from the Working Class. She died the following year, leaving the castle in her will to support disadvantaged women. Queen Mary has long expressed admiration for Danner's story. In November, she gave a speech at the unveiling of a four-metre bronze statue of the Countess, made by artist Kirsten Justesen, in Copenhagen. "The story of Countess Danner is also the history of Denmark," the mother-of-four said during the ceremony. "A monument is a memorial, and in Countess Danner's case, it will stand as a symbol of her importance for women's liberation, social awareness and social mobility. "She never forgot her origins." Parallels have often been drawn between Queen Mary and Countess Danner- both women began their lives as commoners and went on to marry future Kings of Denmark. They also share a passion for charity work. Mary is a patron of the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund), supporting maternal health initiatives in developing nations, and serves on the International Committee of Women Leaders for Mental Health. She also founded The Mary Foundation to combat social isolation and improve the lives of vulnerable people. Danner of Denmark will be on display as part of a special exhibition at Frederiksborg Castle until November 16.
