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The Princess of Wales made a surprise return ahead of the Paris Olympic Games closing ceremony on Sunday alongside Prince William, who was sporting a decidedly more rugged new look.
Congratulating Team GB’s heroes in a short video clip, Kate says: “From all of us watching at home, congratulations to Team GB,” before William adds: “Well done with all you’ve achieved. You’ve been an inspiration to us all.”
While her surprise appearance delighted royal fans, it was William’s new beard that stole the show with some viewers praising the look.
Meanwhile, some residents of Colombia are claiming the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes tour of the country is being used as a distraction from corruption scandals dogging its government.
Harry and Meghan will begin a four-day tour of the country from Thursday where they will “engage with leaders, youth, and women who embody the aspirations and voices of Colombians committed to progress.”
However, some remain unconvinced. A lawyer based in Bogota told the Mail on Sunday: “I’m sure Meghan and Harry mean well, but everyone here is talking about how obviously they are being manipulated.
“Of course, their star power will be used to bring attention to poor people and certain areas of culture in Colombia but the reality is the Colombian government has been drowning in scandal since it came in two years ago. They need something to appease people at home and make them look good abroad.”
Key Points
- Prince and Princess of Wales congratulate Team GB in video
- Harry and Meghan’s Colombia tour dubbed ‘a distraction’
- Meghan Markle’s half sister sues her for defamation
King congratulates Team GB
The Prince and Princess of Wales were not the only royals who congratulated Team GB athletes as the 2024 Paris Olympics came to a close.
King Charles also released a heartwarming message from himself and the Queen as the pair sent their “warmest congratulations to the competitors and their support teams from Team GB and across the whole Commonwealth”.
“Your achievements, across so many disciplines, were forged from that invaluable combination of raw talent, true grit and hard toil over many years, burnished these past weeks by sportsmanship and team spirit in the finest tradition of the Games,” the message read.
“To those who missed out on the greatest prizes, you have most certainly not fallen short in the pride that you, too, have generated for your nations.
“As we thank France for hosting such a wonderful tournament and look to the Paralympics ahead, I can only say that you have all been an inspiration.”
Athena Stavrou13 August 2024 05:00 1723514400Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand suffers new setback
Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard has suffered a setback ahead of its official launch following the discovery of trademark “irregularities”.
According to reports, several items intended to be sold by the luxury brandincluding yoga matts and picnic labels were incorrectly labelled and needed to be “corrected”.
The error, identified by the US Patents and Trademarks Office in July, will cost an estimated $11,382 (around £9,000) to fix.
News of American Riviera Orchard was first revealed earlier this year when the Duchess of Sussex, 42, set up a website and Instagram page for the brand.
While the pages did not reveal any of its products, it did reveal its logo and name “ARO” and the word “Montecito” – a reference to the California town where Meghan lives with Prince Harry and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Queen Elizabeth II memorial garden gets planning approval
A memorial garden in honour of the life of Queen Elizabeth II has received planning permission.
Reported to feature the late monarch’s favourite flowers, work will begin on the new space in London’s Regent’s Park later this year.
Andrew Scattergood, chief executive of The Royal Parks, said: “The approval of planning permission marks an exciting step forward in the creation of the new garden, which is designed to be a tranquil space for reflection, accessible to all.
“It provides a serene escape from the city’s hustle and bustle. This site will add two acres of biodiverse parkland for everyone to enjoy and explore.”
The memorial garden is scheduled to open in 2026.
Canada paid for extra police during Harry and Meghan visit - reports
Canada reportedly paid for police presence during Harry and Meghan’s visit to the country despite saying they would not use taxpayer money.
Vancouver police spent C$44,555 (£25,436) on 390.5 hours of security-related overtime during the couple’s visit in February for an Invictus Games event, CTV reported.
A representative for the Invictus Games said the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s security was paid for by private donors. It is also noted that the police overtime was not specifically used for Harry and Meghan as unrelated protests were also happening in the city.
“We didn’t specifically provide security for them,” a Vancouver police department spokesman told the outlet. “But we had officers in the area they were in [in] case any issues arose due to the ongoing protests in the city.”
A freedom of information request reportedly revealed the Invictus Games had paid $10,221 of the $44,555 security bill while the rest was paid for by the Canadian taxpayer.
Athena Stavrou13 August 2024 01:00 1723500000Harry and Meghan’s Colombia tour dubbed ‘a distraction’
Some residents of Colombia are claiming the Duke and Duchess of Sussexes tour of the country is being used as a distraction from corruption scandals dogging its government.
Harry and Meghan will begin a four-day tour of the country from Thursday where they will “engage with leaders, youth, and women who embody the aspirations and voices of Colombians committed to progress.”
However, some remain unconvinced. A lawyer based in Bogota told the Mail on Sunday: “I’m sure Meghan and Harry mean well, but everyone here is talking about how obviously they are being manipulated.
“Of course, their star power will be used to bring attention to poor people and certain areas of culture in Colombia but the reality is the Colombian government has been drowning in scandal since it came in two years ago. They need something to appease people at home and make them look good abroad.”
Why Kate Middleton’s ‘traditional’ Balmoral summer with Charlotte, Louis and George could be positive sign
The Windsors are enjoying their summer break with an annual sojourn to their private estate at Balmoral imminent.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have already been joined in Scotland by Princess Anne and it is believed that they will soon be joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales as well as their three young children.
The break will give the family a chance to take stock of a difficult first half of 2024, which saw them experience several health problems and ongoing tensions with the Sussexes.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are said to have not been invited to the estate, but it is unlikely that they would have accepted an invitation after the Duke of Sussex said the UK is too dangerous for his wife to visit.
The journey to Scotland marks the furthest distance Kate is reported to have travelled since being diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer earlier this year.
Read the full story here:
Why Kate’s Balmoral summer with Charlotte, Louis and George could be a positive sign
King Charles and Queen Camilla have already been joined in Scotland by Princess Anne
Athena Stavrou12 August 2024 21:30 1723489220Watch: Prince Harry recalls being ‘hit over the head’ with press cameras
Meghan Markle’s half sister sues her for defamation - ICYMI
Meghan Markle’s half-sister is suing the Duchess of Sussex for defamation, court documents have revealed.
Samantha, 59, claims the royal left her unable to secure employment after portraying her as a “lying, racist, fame-seeker.”
Court documents allege this had an impact on her image “publicly and on a global scale.”
“She has made it so Samantha cannot work, or even enjoy the most mundane of activities, like going to the grocery store without harassment,” the documents read, as reported by The Sun.
Queen Camilla was ‘initially against’ King Charles disclosing health troubles
Queen Camilla was against King Charles’s decision to publicly disclose his ongoing health concerns earlier this year, according to royal biographer Rob Jobson, who has written a number of books about Charles and other members of the royal family.
The monarch, 75, first announced that he was undergoing treatment for a benign prostate condition in January of this year.
Then, in February, it was announced that he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer, which had been discovered during the procedure.
Read the full story here:
Queen Camilla was ‘initially against’ King Charles disclosing health troubles
King Charles’s decision ‘ushered in a new era of transparency in matters of health and the Royal Family’
Athena Stavrou12 August 2024 18:00 1723478420Watch: Kate and William congratulate Team GB in surprise video
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