Though their now-infamous Oprah interview certainly cleared up some speculation over why the couple decided to swap Frogmore Cottage for Montecito, speculation has abounded over what exactly happened in the weeks and months leading up to their dramatic exit.
The Commonwealth Day Service at Westminster Abbey, held shortly before the first UK lockdown in March 2020, was Harry and Meghan’s final royal outing (and the last time the couple were seen together with the Royal Family) before they departed for the US.
But according to a recent report in the Daily Mail, Kate and William actually made a last minute attempt to extend an olive branch to the couple on the day.
According to the tabloid, Harry and Meghan had hoped to remain part of the Queen’s procession at the beginning of the service. Instead, they were shown to their seats before the ceremony commenced like all the other guests – a move that reportedly left them “upset and emotional”.
But, says the publication, in a last-ditch effort to make peace, Kate and William made a change to the running order to ensure that they too would skip the procession and join the Sussexes in their seats ahead of the service.
So last minute was the decision that the order of services had already been printed – with Kate and William’s names still on the procession.
Who knew?
We hope that the ‘Fab Four’ are able to heal their ongoing rift soon.
Another markedly un-royal thing that we love about the Sussexes is their shared love of Halloween.
In fact, the holiday is thought to hold special significance for the couple, as they spent it together in the early days of their relationship back in 2016, before the world knew they were dating.
Harry and Meghan met on a blind date in July 2016 when Meghan was still working on legal drama Suits and living in Toronto.
In October of that year, around Halloween, Harry is said to have visited Meghan in Canada – with internet sleuths discovering that Meghan had actually posted an Instagram picture of a Halloween date during which Harry is thought to have been staying with her. (Sadly, Meghan’s personal Instagram account is no more.)
Though Harry is not in frame, the picture shows Meghan in a chunky cardigan holding a carved pumpkin with a smiley face, prompting many to wonder whether the couple had carved it together.
Credit: Instagram
That Halloween is also thought to be one of the last times the couple enjoyed a private holiday together before news of their romance hit the headlines.
Just how did they spend it, you ask? By attending a huge Halloween costume party, naturally.
Yep, apparently the soon-to-be-Sussexes spent the “perfect” evening together at Soho House Toronto, with royal reporters Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand writing in their 2020 unauthorised biography, Finding Freedom: “They especially didn’t feel like spending Halloween weekend in hiding, as there was much to celebrate.
“Some four months into their relationship, they were madly in love and eager to take part in the fun of one of their favourite holidays.
“The evening of October 29, with Harry in town, the couple decided to go to a big costume party being thrown at Soho House in Toronto.”
Apparently, the couple bought Venetian-style masks which meant they could attend the party under the radar, with Harry’s cousin Princess Eugenie also stopping by with her now-husband Jack Brooksbank.
“A cocktail or so into the party, they were both feeling relaxed, absorbing the Halloween spirit,” Finding Freedom continues. “It was possibly the perfect night out – until they received a call from one of Harry’s aides at Kensington Palace. It wasn’t good news.”
A newspaper had gotten hold of the couple’s romance, and was planning on running a story the following day, the biography claims – marking Halloween 2016 as the last time the couple got to spend together alone, before their relationship became a daily fixture in the press.
Here’s hoping Harry and Meghan are marking the significant milestone today with Archie and Lilibet.
Additionally, despite appearing in good health during a reception for business leaders at Windsor Castle last week, it was later announced by Buckingham Palace that the Queen would not be undertaking a planned two-day trip to Northern Ireland, and had instead “reluctantly accepted” medical advice to “rest”.
Following the criticism, the palace has now announced that the Queen has been advised by doctors to cancel all engagements for the next two weeks, meaning that Her Majesty will not be attending COP26, which kicks off today in Glasgow, as originally planned.
Releasing a statement on Her Majesty’s current condition on Friday, Buckingham Palace said: “Following on from their recent advice that The Queen should rest for a few days, Her Majesty’s doctors have advised that she should continue to rest for at least the next two weeks.”
But despite being advised to clear her typically hectic schedule, the Queen, who is said to remain in “good spirits”, ensured to maintain one historic royal custom this week: her weekly meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
The monarch may be tasked with remaining politically neutral, but since she ascended the throne in 1952, she’s kept a weekly meeting with the Prime Minister, during which she’s kept up-to-date with all important national matters.
And this week it was no different, as the PM revealed yesterday on Channel 4 News that he’d spoken to the monarch, and she remains “on very good form”.
The PM, who usually meets with the Queen on Wednesdays at Buckingham Palace, added: “She’s just got to follow the advice of her doctors and get some rest and I think that’s the important thing. I think the whole country wishes her well.”
Love it or loath it (love, in our case), there’s no denying the cultural impact Emily in Paris had when it landed on Netflix in October last year.
Yes, in the darkest of lockdown days, a perfectly frivolous comedy peddling every French cliché going – think berets, pastries, handsome chefs and chain smoking – burst onto our TV screens and shortly thereafter into our hearts, with one episode giving away seamlessly into the next until we’d watched all ten in one sitting; moving only to add the Euro Star website to our Bookmarks bar.
So it doesn’t come as a surprise that Emily in Paris (or Emilee in Paree, if you’re among the super fans committed to pronouncing it correctly) was renewed for a second season, picked up a couple of Golden Globes nominations, and spawned a new generation of French girl style obsessives along the way.
Yep, searches for Emily in Paris style skyrocketed in the weeks following the show’s release, with everyone obsessing over the wardrobe of marketing executive turned influencer Emily Cooper (played by Lily Collins).
And while the Chanel ensembles were très chic, it was Emily’s American spin on French girl beauty that really had us pining for Paris. But pine no more, francophiles, because iconic French beauty brand Lancôme is dropping an Emily in Paris-themed beauty collection – and it’s practically a shortcut to looking like Lily Collins. (Well, sort of.)
Launching on the 1st December, the limited edition make-up, fragrance and skincare collection includes everything from an Emily in Paris Eyeshadow Palette (it’s heart-shaped, it has 12 shades and it’s the perfect tool for copying Lily Collins’ signature brown smoky eye, need me say more?) and an Emily Cooper-fied edition of Lancôme’s beloved Idôle Le Parfum.
“With this new collection, Lancôme celebrates the Parisian joie de vivre and the charm of Emily in Paris. It is the perfect way to re-create that distinctive French girl beauty and interpret it your way at home, bringing French glamour and sophistication to all women around the world,” Lancôme Global Brand President Francoise Lehmann said of the collection.
One (marginal) privacy breach the couple will have to put up with in their post-royal life, though, is the novelty of neighbours – something Harry, who grew up at Kensington Palace, is likely to have limited experience of.
Yep, it’s been reported that Harry and Meghan – who swapped Windsor’s Frogmore Cottage for Montecito, California, in 2020 – are set to welcome some new neighbours into their lives, after the property next to their $14 million dollar “forever home” was recently bought for a dizzying $19 million. (Casual.)
Formerly owned by billionaire Peter Sperling, the neighbouring seven-bedroom, 13 bathroom mansion was bought by an unidentified buyer in April last year.
While Meghan is probably well-versed in the joys of living with neighbours, Harry is probably less familiar, given that the royal residences in which he grew up can’t be purchased by members of the public.
New neighbours or not, though, Harry and Meghan are still unlikely to have any problem maintaining their ultra-private home life. According to Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand’s revelatory biography, Finding Freedom, houses in Montecito sit “within double-gated communities for maximum privacy” while also being “close enough to the amenities of civilisation when needed”.
Then there’s the fact that Harry and Meghan’s nine-bedroom house is 18,671-square-foot, and sits on a plot of 7.4-acres. Something tells us that they won’t be the type of neighbours to have a daily natter over the hedge, then.
Lefkada: The Greek Island that should definitely be on your holiday radar
Somewhere in the Ionian Sea just north of Kefalonia and several nautical miles south of Corfu lies Lefkada, lesser known than its two neighbours but still with plenty to shout about. This Greek island, connected to the mainland by a causeway, offers 335 square kilometres to explore, some of the best beaches in Greece and the perfect jumping off point to discover the wider Ionians.
Where to stay
We based ourselves in the small and pleasant town of Nikiana at the stylish Crystal Waters. A small complex of beautifully designed, white wash rooms and apartments set against a lush mountain backdrop. The hotel offers 3 pools (including a swim up bar), pool bar, main restaurant and shisha corners We opted for the Presidential Suite with private pool (built more as a plunge pool rather than for laps, but it’s the perfect way to cool off after a day in the sun) with two ensuite bedrooms, lounge, kitchen and terrace.
On closer inspection, most of the rooms are of a similar standard and the grander naming conventions refer more to the size of apartment than any additional luxuries (ours was meant for four). The interiors are a thoughtful curation of local artisan pieces resulting in minimalist paired back chic, but swanky enough to feel spoilt. The hotel’s restaurant Duende provides arguably the best food, service and setting in Nikiana and, as we discovered, is perfect for a small wedding party too! Crystal Waters provides an ideal location: set back from the main bustle of Nikiana but still stumbling distance from bars, restaurants and beach.
Nikiani itself is fairly unassuming, with little to write home about – a small strip of convenience stores, a bakery and a few bars make up the central hub. By day head to NV beach bar on Nikiana’s small sand and shingle beach and share a sundowner on the swing beds over the sea. By night check out the handful of bars and tavernas at the diminutive marina: Taverna Pantazis serves up traditional greek fare by the bucket load, washed down with €4 local wine and Ouzo (we requested the wine list!). All the bars and restaurants on the marina are of a similar standard and each offers up a pleasant waterfront location – we took advantage of Apico’s generous happy hours and the fresh fish and excellent service at Taverna Katerina.
If you’re looking for somewhere more lively, either base yourself in, or take a 10-minute taxi ride to Nydri further south along the coast. Nydri is your full blown tourist centre with a bustling strip, long marina and an abundance of bars and restaurants jostling for your attention. The coolest spot by far is Maraboo Beach Bar boasting comfy loungers set at the end of the bay and one of the best daiquiris we’ve had in a while. If you’re feeling hungry, head to Restaurant Panorama and share their famous mixed grill for two, you won’t be disappointed.
If a traditional picturesque Greek village is more your cup of tea, then you’d be hard pushed to find anywhere more idyllic than Agios Nikitas on the North West corner of the island. Small but perfectly formed, this pocket sized fishing village is positioned on one of Lefkada’s prettiest beaches and offers a handful of tavernas, bars and delicious ice cream parlours to pick from. Equally Sivota in the South East provides similar vibes.
Exploring the island
For the best beaches on the island, if not in all of Greece, hire a car and get yourself over to the pristine long white stretches of the west coast.
Milos Beach is virtually untouched and only accessible via boat from Agios Nikitas or on foot via a fairly strenuous hike. Halfway there, you may be questioning your life choices but as you scale down the steep cliffside you’re welcomed by a beautiful large cove of white sand and shingle with a handful of loungers and brollies. Pack your suncream, snacks and anything else you might need as there are virtually no facilities on the bay.
At the other end of the scale if you want luxurious loungers, all day service, facilities and a beach side pool and jacuzzi head to Copla Beach Club on the equally attractive Kathisma Beach. Two loungers, a brolly and safe box cost €25 for the day which in our mind is well worth it and a steal in comparison to the rates on say Mykonos.
Pack a change of clothes and head to either Amente Cocktail Bar or Rachi Restaurant for sundowners and evening sustenance. Rachi offers one of the best sunset spots on the island with breathtaking, uninterrupted views out across the Ionian sea and the chance to quite literally dine in the clouds.
Further south are Egkremni and Katsiki beach: both offering Instagrammable cliff backed, wide coved beaches. Katsiki offers a small selection of shops and cafes by the car park at the top of the cliff but everything else you need for the day you’ll have to carry down with you, as like Milos, the bay itself is untouched. If you’re looking for peace and quiet be warned that with Katsiki’s beauty also comes the tourists, both by car and by sea, and all the main tourist boats stop in for half an hour and make their presence known by booming renditions of Zorba the Greek – the first time is quite endearing, the third or fourth less so.
If you’re into water-sports and looking for a spot of action then the large port town of Vasiliki is the place for you, or stop off at Lefkada town to join one of the main sailing flotillas.
Further afield…
Nydri is the perfect jumping off point for exploring the surrounding islands by boat – Ionian Boats has a brand new fleet of boats to hire for novices like us, with no experience or license. Set sail and explore the surrounding Lefkada coastline and neighbouring islands of Meganissi and Scorpios. Moor up at Vathy on Meganissi for your fix of a traditional Greek marina, cobbled streets, waterfront restaurants and enough superyachts to shake a millionaires stick at.
Also from Nydri, board the main ferry and take the 1hour 40 minute sail over to Kefalonia to spend the morning exploring the picturesque port of Fiskardo and the array of cute independent shops and local eateries. If you’re only there for the morning head straight over the hill and take the twenty minute walk (or short taxi) to Emplisi beach, a beautiful small cove surrounded by pines and turquoise clear waters, be sure to quench your thirst from the small shack at the back of the beach, quietly pumping out sunny tunes to accompany your Mojito or cool Pimms.
We flew direct from London Heathrow to Aktion Preveza airport with BA, visit Crystal Waters to book your stay, room rates cost from €100 per night in low season, to €560 per night during high season – check out their newest Armonia Sea View Suite on “The Hill”.
But it turns out that the Queen’s youngest son, Prince Edward, was propositioned for the role of King of Estonia back in the 1990s. How exactly, you ask?
Well, according to royal expert Robert Jobson’s book The Royal Family Operations Manual, one of the country’s political parties penned a letter to the Queen, requesting permission to crown her then 30-year-old son as King.
As per The Sunday Telegraph, the letter called the Duke of Wessex a “young British prince much admired by Estonians”, apparently adding: “Edward is perfect – young, royal, artistic and talented. We admire his Royal Highness Prince Edward enormously. We also admire Britain, its monarchy, democracy and culture.”
(Insert expected joke about getting someone to admire you as much as Estonia admires Prince Edward here.)
The party’s letter added that they “would be most honoured if you [the monarchy] would accept this rare request”.
Well, that’s unexpected.
Sure, the political party in question was the now-defunct Royalist Party of Estonia, who were largely considered nothing more than a joke party, but it’s still a pretty interesting piece of royal history we had no idea about until now.
And while we know that Prince Edward did not, alas, ascend the Estonian throne, just what was Buckingham Palace’s response to the request?
A spokesperson at the time called it “a charming idea but a rather unlikely one”.
A Princess Diana biopic was always going to be big news. The late princess is still one of the most beloved royals, with everything from her most iconic style moments to her humane approach to royal duties still making her a regular fixture in the press.
Released on 5 November, the trailer forSpencer depicts a totally transformed K Stew – complete with pitch-perfect English accent – play the princess as she navigates a difficult Christmas at Sandringham towards the end of her marriage to Prince Charles.
Stewart has been pretty open about her “obsession” with Diana, telling the LA Times recently, “I felt some spooky, spiritual feelings making this movie. Even if I was just fantasising. I felt like there were moments where I kind of got the sign-off.”
She took her fan girling one step further, though, with her most recent comments – and the internet is just about losing it.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter on the red carpet at the film’s Los Angeles premiere, Kristen explained why she’d taken on the role, saying: “Princess Diana’s a pretty rad figure in our history, man.”
Now we’ve heard the late princess described as many things, but even we’ll admit that “rad” is one of the more unusual ones.
Elaborating on why she opted for the part, Steward added, “Yeah, I didn’t know that as deeply as I do now, then. But I instinctively just thought, you know, this was something to lean into.”
Writer Evan Ross Katz posted the clip on Instagram, prompting a flurry of (hilarious) fan reactions; with one writing, “I can’t stop watching this,” and another saying, “Some words truly say so much and so little at the same time. No choice but to stan a succinct princess.”
There were also a lot of comments along the lines of “Screaming” and “Facts”, which, frankly, we’re inclined to agree with, too.
We can’t wait to see Stewart take on the role of Princess Di in Spencer.
Now, the Sussexes have penned a candid open letter to G20 leaders claiming that promises of vaccine donations from nations are not reaching the globe’s most vulnerable.
Ahead of the two-day G20 summit, which will see leaders from the world’s richest nations convene in Rome this weekend, Meghan and Harry called said leaders out for lack of action on the issue of vaccine equity, writing that access to the COVID-19 vaccine is a “fundamental human right”.
Though environmental issues are expected to be high on the G20 agenda ahead of COP26 kicking off in Glasgow on Sunday, the world’s recovery from the pandemic is also likely to be a point of discussion at the summit.
Co-authoring the letter with Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO director-general, Meghan and Harry certainly didn’t mince their words, writing: “When the leaders of the world’s wealthiest nations met at the G7 Summit in June, they collectively announced that one billion doses of COVID-19 vaccines would be sent to low and-middle-income countries to help vaccinate the world.
“Pharmaceutical companies have pledged almost the same. Yet, as several nations still don’t even have enough vaccines for their own health workers, the world is left asking, where are the doses?
“Of the almost 7 billion doses that have been administered globally, just three per cent of people in low-income countries have had a jab so far. Where are the rest?”
The letter found high profile supporters in the likes of Dr Seth Berkley of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and Chelsea Clinton of the Clinton Foundation.
This is far from the Sussexes’ first time using their platform to pressure political leaders, though.
Just last week, Meghan made headlines for an open letter she penned to US Congress, in which she called for paid parental leave as a national right, and opened up about her own early career financial struggles, writing: ‘I worked all my life and saved when and where I could – but even that was a luxury – because usually it was about making ends meet and having enough to pay my rent and put gas in my car.’
Her Majesty the Queen has been advised by doctors to cancel all engagements for the next two weeks, according to a statement released by Buckingham Palace.
Releasing a statement on Her Majesty’s current condition yesterday, Buckingham Palace said: “Following on from their recent advice that The Queen should rest for a few days, Her Majesty’s doctors have advised that she should continue to rest for at least the next two weeks.
“The doctors have advised that Her Majesty can continue to undertake light, desk-based duties during this time, including some virtual Audiences, but not to undertake any official visits. Her Majesty regrets that this means she will be unable to attend the Festival of Remembrance on Saturday, 13th November.
However, it remains The Queen’s firm intention to be present for the National Service of Remembrance on Remembrance Sunday, on 14th November.”
But despite being advised to rest, the Queen, who is said to remain in “good spirits”, has been carrying out virtual engagements; having recorded a speech for next week’s landmark climate summit and awarded British writer David Constantine with The Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry via Zoom.
Speaking to The Mirror, a senior royal source said that the monarch is “incredibly saddened” to miss the Festival of Remembrance at The Royal Albert Hall on November 13, but doctors “would have to make a very strong case” to prevent Her Majesty from attending Remembrance Sunday one day later.
The 95-year-old monarch has only missed six Remembrance Sundays at the Cenotaph during her 69-year reign.
Four of those absences were due to the fact she was abroad on royal tours, while the remaining two were while she was pregnant. A virtual National Service of Remembrance was held last year owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Did you know that your menopause can start as early as your thirties?
Yep, you read that right. Don’t worry – there’s no need to panic and you might not even notice. But it’s worth knowing that early menopause is a thing and so too perimenopause – the years leading up to the final moment – which can start far sooner than you’d expect.
Menopause still has such a toxic image and is inextricably linked with visions of wrinkles, withering and retirement. In fact, it’s simply a life stage, which all women will go through at some point.
“The hormones which are produced by the pituitary gland and the ovaries to trigger and maintain fertility at puberty, start to go down over a period of years,” says menopause expert, doctor Tonye Wokoma, consultant in community gynaecology, sexual and reproductive health. Of course, there’s far less fanfare and interest around our loss of fertility, as it only affects women. There is a great deal of sexism around the subject.
The word menopause comes from Ancient Greek – meaning ‘month’ and ‘to pause’ – referring to your periods stopping. So the menopause itself is actually a fleeting moment, occurring exactly 12 months after your last period.
So, question: do you know what the average age of menopause actually is or when you’re expected to go through the change?
The official and most quoted age of menopause is 51. Although merely an average, it’s been pretty much set in stone at around this time since records began.
Perimenopause – the symptoms you experience in the lead up to the menopause – can last up to ten years before and post-menopause refers to the symptoms you experience in the years after.
Fun fact: there are 13 million peri or postmenopausal women in the UK, which is a lot of overheated and misunderstood women.
But you may experience some symptoms sooner
Only in the last few years has it been noted that the symptoms of menopause been recognised start to nudge at you sooner than expected. In a UK survey of 1,000 women, 70% of participants said that they’d experienced perimenopausal symptoms in their thirties and early forties.
Ninety per cent didn’t realise what was going on – taking an average of 14 months to join the dots.
The problem with perimenopause is that symptoms can be vague and by no means obviously linked to hormones. “There are oestrogen receptors around your entire body, which is why there’s such a diverse range of symptoms,” says Dr Tonye Wokoma.
I found one website suggesting that there are over 100, but you had to group ‘anger, irritability and temper’ together for this to really ring true. The number 34 is most often cited. “Symptoms can be surprising,” says Dr Wokoma. “Yes, they can include hot flushes, but they range from irregular periods to anxiety, depression, insomnia, brain fog, dry skin, dry hair, vaginal dryness and aching joints.”
Don’t underestimate the perimenopause
For Alice, the biggest surprise when researching a book about menopause was the discovery that perimenopause is possibly the most significant time, and yet one with which most women struggle because of the lack of information available.
This is partly to do with a lack of training in the medical profession. This year a survey reported that 41% of 32 (out of 33) medical schools didn’t have a mandatory menopause education programme for their students, and it’s not mentioned in any of our standard (and gratefully received) health checks.
Thankfully this is changing, but far too many women are prescribed anti-depressants rather than hormone replacement therapy, or HRT. “Too many women are still failed,” says Diane Danzebrink, founder of menopausesupport.co.uk and #makemenopausematter.
“They are dismissed, offered antidepressants or sent off on a round of referrals to rheumatology, cardiology and sometimes psychiatry, costing the NHS valuable time and money and causing needless distress.”
It’s a shame, but the fact is that we need to educate ourselves, fight for change, and be aware that the menopausal transition is far more than just a moment, and one which might start a few years before you’d expect.
