Latest news with #ZaraPhillips
The Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I'm being booted out of our £4m home in 10 days… but I REFUSE to leave, says Harry Potter star Leslie Phillips' widow
CARRY ON star Leslie Phillips' widow is being ordered to leave the home they shared throughout their married life. Zara Phillips has been warned by lawyers that if she does not vacate by August 7, they will go to court to get her out. 4 But Zara, 69, insists: 'I am not going.' After Leslie, who voiced The Sorting Hat in the Harry Potter films, died two and a half years ago aged 98, the contents of his will remained private. But when his last wishes were made public in 2024, it became clear that Leslie' s will had been changed during the Covid crisis. The new will, approved in the Court of Protection, was substantially different to the one drawn up by Leslie the day before the couple married in December 2013. In 2014 Leslie suffered a massive stroke, and Zara quit work and looked after him until his death in November 2022. Leslie's first will had allowed Zara, his third wife and 36 years his junior, to stay in his £4million West London home for the rest of her life. But former air stewardess Zara discovered that a new will states the property must be sold and the proceeds put into a trust fund to be divided between her and Leslie's two sons and two daughters from his first marriage to actress Penelope Bartley. The new will, drawn up in November 2020, insists Zara has to be out of the five-bed property next month. According to a legal letter seen by The Sun, if she refuses to go, lawyers will apply to the courts for possession. Fighting back tears Zara says: 'Where would I go? I am in ill-health, old and frail, not well enough to move and I am still grieving.' She adds: 'Leslie would not have wanted me to be thrown onto the street. I had known him for nearly 30 years. 'They told me that if I do go to court, they will deduct the money from my inheritance. 'The court can bring the bailiffs to throw me out but I won't go. The executors said, 'We know you looked after Leslie very well 24/7. That's the reason we're giving you money'. 'I found it very disrespectful. A wife doesn't charge her husband for looking after him when he is ill.' In a showbiz career lasting eight decades, Leslie appeared in more than 200 movies as well as hit TV series and on stage around the world. He was best known for his catchphrases 'Ding Dong', 'Well, Hellooo' and 'I Say' from appearing in 'Carry On' movies, delivered in rich dulcet tones. He wooed a new generation of fans as the voice of The Sorting Hat in Harry Potter movies, and also appeared with Angelina Jolie in Tomb Raider as well as Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun and in Out of Africa with Robert Redford. Leslie's personal life was plagued by tragedy. His first wife Penelope died in a house fire in 1981, while Leslie was in Australia. The following year he married Bond girl Angela Scoular, who killed herself in 2011 with a lethal cocktail of drugs and alcohol after suffering terminal bowel cancer. Zara, a friend for more than 20 years, helped Leslie come to terms with Angela's death. They fell in love and married in December 2013. The actor's estate is valued at over £5million, including the house, which he bought in the 1960s at the height of his fame. When Covid shut down the country in 2020, Zara protected Leslie from the effects of the pandemic. But at that time Leslie changed the will, giving Zara just two years nine months after his death to vacate the house. Zara says: 'I was very vulnerable that time. The country was in the grip of the Covid crisis. 'I was the main carer for Leslie, who was disabled. His will was not my priority at that time. 'I was younger than him and I was devoted and committed. He was my main priority. I loved him with all my heart. I did what I had to do and put Leslie first.' A spokesman for the executors of Leslie's will says: 'I confirm that the administration of Leslie Phillips' estate is ongoing in accordance with a Will approved by the Court of Protection. 'It would not be appropriate for me to comment further for reasons of confidentiality.' 4 4
ITV News
16-07-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
'We are still suffering': People affected by forced adoption demand government apology
Women affected by the forced adoption scandal have staged a protest at Westminster, demanding a formal government apology. In the decades after World War II, an estimated 250,000 women had their children taken and adopted because they were unmarried. Women claim their suffering, shame and trauma have been ignored by successive governments. A human rights joint committee recommended a formal apology in July 2022, prompting the Welsh and Scottish governments to apologise to people affected by forced adoptions. But the UK government has not. Three years later, dozens of people travelled to Westminister to make their voices heard. Zara Phillips - who was adopted as a baby - organised the protest. "It would mean an acknowledgement of what we went through as adoptees and for our mothers who were really just teenagers and had committed no crime," Zara said. ITV News understands that the Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has written to the Movement for an Adoption Apology (MAA) to organise a meeting, which campaigners have been requesting for more than a year. Ann Andic was pregnant and unmarried when she was sent to a mother and baby home in North London in 1969, at the age of 19. Her child was placed in foster care at six weeks old. Ann worked two jobs to save up enough money to find them a home. But against her wishes, she said the baby was placed for adoption and social workers pressured her to sign the legal papers. After decades of silence and shame, Ann contacted ITV News after seeing our ongoing investigation and met other survivors for the first time. Aged 76, she protested for the first time on Tuesday. "It was a relief, gave me a voice having remained silent for so long and feeling like I was an inferior person," she said. "I feel like I'm part of a community now, a sisterhood. It's a double-edged sword. I'm sad there are so many of us, but it's a relief to know that I'm not the only one. "I hope the government will listen and see we are still suffering; they have to acknowledge the part that they played." For Ann, there has been a double tragedy. She believes, like other women in mother and baby homes across Britain, she may have been given the controversial drug Stilbestrol to dry up her breast milk shortly after giving birth. The drug - a synthetic hormone - was linked to cancer and the risk of blood clots and later withdrawn internationally. Ann wants to know if the drug is to blame for her health problems. In her late 20s, she was diagnosed with cervical cancer, which left her unable to have any more children. In a statement, the Department for Education said it took the issue 'extremely seriously' and would continue to engage with and provide support for people affected. 'This abhorrent practice should never have taken place, and our deepest sympathies are with all those affected." The Department of Health and Social Care said its sympathies were with anyone harmed by the historic use of the drug. 'The Secretary of State has been clear he will look seriously at these allegations, and the government will continue to consider enhanced screening for those impacted by the use of this drug,' a spokesperson said.
Daily Mail
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Zara Phillips cuts a stylish figure at Royal Windsor Cup Final as she takes on new role
One of the biggest dates in the society summer calendar ended yesterday as Royal Ascot drew to a close - but Zara Phillips was back in the equestrian world on Sunday, as she attended the Royal Windsor Cup Final. The royal, 44, has taken on the role that her late grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, had previously held at the event. This afternoon, she will present a trophy to the winning team in the tournament, as her grandmother did for many years at the oldest tournament to take place at the swish Guard's Polo Club. Wearing an on-trend belted navy blue striped white dress, the mother-of-three, who's married to former England rugby star Mike Tindall, looked cool in the warm weather. Weather her blonde bob-cut hair under a summer straw boater, the royal, cut an elegant figure at the event. She finished the look with a pair of beige heeled sandals, a tan leather clutch bag and some delicate gold drop earrings. The prestigious polo show, held annually, attracts guests from society's highest echelons. The event is one of the top five polo tournaments in the world - wooing the biggest names in the game and their impressive pony power, as well as plenty of famous faces. This year's event marks the 70th anniversary of the Royal Windsor Cup, which was the Club's first tournament. Zara watched on this afternoon as the 15-goal tournament came to a conclusion. Earlier, there had been a jousting display from the Knights of Middle England alongside a carriage driving display by the British Driving Society. The event takes place at the historic Guard's Polo Club, with the action unfolding on Smith's Lawn, which is named after a 17th century gamekeeper. Guards Polo Club was founded in 1955 with the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, as the club's first President. The King took on the role in early 2024, with Zara this year asked to present the cup. Zara remains a serious international equestrian competitor, having garnered a gold medal at the European Eventing Championships in 2005 in addition to attaining a silver medal at the World Equestrian Games in 2006. Earlier this week, she joined the King and Queen and other members of the extended royal family at Ascot, stepping out in a stylish blue trouser suit. The daughter of Princess Anne donned the unique outfit for the fourth day of the Berkshire racing festival on Friday. She teamed the suit with a matching blouse and a statement hat featuring an eye-catching white bow. Zara finished off the chic look with a pair of pointed blue heels, sunglasses and a white patterned clutch bag. Meanwhile her beaming mother looked equally fashionable in a trendy monochrome polka dot frock. King Charles, 76, appeared in great spirits as he greeted his niece Princess Eugenie, 35, with kisses on her hands. His Majesty was also joined by another of his nieces, Zara Tindall, the daughter of Princess Anne, who looked delighted to see her royal family members. Camilla, 77, also oozed glamour in a white chiffon dress with embroidered flowers from Anna Valentine, paired with a feathered Philip Treacy hat. Meanwhile stylish revellers created a sea of vibrant colours as they prepared for another day of action in the 28C heat. While some revellers bet on horses hoping to win big, others simply came along to soak up inspiration, as race day style has become just as famous as the race itself. As ever, lavish millinery turned heads, with many revellers commanding attention in vibrant creations adorned with feathers, flowers and lace. Stunning floral ballgowns, sizable fascinators and dapper top hats were also all on display as hundreds of well-heeled race enthusiasts made the most of the hot weather which is a rarity in the UK. Glamorous revellers showed off their fashion prowess by donning one of the trendiest colours of the season - hot pink. Dressed to the nines, groups of classy racegoers also opted to coordinate their attire for the annual occasion, rather than wearing their ensembles solo. Princess Diana's twin nieces Lady Eliza Spencer and Lady Amelia Spencer, both 32, also made an appearance in strikingly similar classy monochrome ensembles with matching wide brimmed hats. The fashion model duo - who were sporting glitzy diamond necklaces and jewelled drop earrings - are no stranger to the camera and posed up a storm at the event. The sisters were also snapped with Millie Mackintosh, best known for her appearances in Made in Chelsea. The pair sported matching handbags each in different colours that matched their ensembles, with Millie sporting a lavender frilly, chiffon dress.
