Tag: Queen Elizabeth

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Prince Harry considered quitting royal life

Prince Harry almost quit royal life for good.

The 32-year-old prince has admitted he "wanted out" of public service and considered stepping out of the spotlight and giving up his title but he eventually decided to stay out of loyalty to his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth.

Newsweek journalist Angela Levin had a candid interview with the prince and told the Mail on Sunday newspaper he had said: "There was a time I felt I wanted out. But then I decided to stay in [The Firm] and work out a role for myself."

Harry explained he was filled with turmoil in his 20s after leaving the Army because he "didn’t want to grow up" and struggled to find a meaningful role, while also dealing with intense scrutiny.

He said: "I spent many years kicking my heels and I didn’t want to grow up…

"I didn’t want to be in the position I was in, but I eventually pulled my head out of the sand, started listening to people and decided to use my role for good.

"I am now fired up and energised and love charity stuff, meeting people and making them laugh.

"I sometimes still feel I am living in a goldfish bowl, but I now manage it better.

"I still have a naughty streak too, which I enjoy and is how I relate to those individuals who have got themselves into trouble."

But while he hasn’t given up on royal life, Harry – who is in a relationship with actress Meghan Markle – is determined to live in as "normal" a way as possible.

He said: "I am determined to have a relatively normal life and if I am lucky enough to have children they can have one too. We don’t want to be just a bunch of celebrities but instead use our role for good."

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Paul Burrell wants to walk the red carpet with ‘shy’ husband Graham Cooper

Paul Burrell wants to show off his "shy" new husband Graham Cooper to the world on the red carpet.

The 58-year-old celebrity – who was the late Princess Diana’s former butler – married his partner Graham Cooper in a lavish ceremony in the Lake District this year in front of a congregation of 60 people including Paul’s sons Alex, 32, and Nick, 28, from his marriage to Maria Cosgrove.

After publicly revealing his sexuality, the next step for Paul – who divorced Maria last year after spending a decade separated from her – is to proudly attend a showbiz event with his husband to show their support for the LGBT community.

Speaking on UK TV show ‘Lorraine’ on Wednesday morning (04.12.17), Paul said: "He’s very shy, but I would like to one day to stand on a red carpet and hold his hand and say, ‘This is my husband,’ and we’re proud to support the LGBT cause, there’s no room for bigotry … He gave me the strength and support to come out. I don’t know if I’d have had the courage to do that without him, so it’s down to him."

Paul, 58, first met his lawyer "soulmate" on a train from London to Crewe more than a decade ago but never told the wider world he was a homosexual man until he announced his wedding plans a month ago.

Speaking about how the couple first met, he shared: "I looked at him and I thought, ‘You are him and I’ve been looking for you and it doesn’t happen.’ So as he got up to leave the train I thought if I let this man go I’m never going to see him again so this is your opportunity. So as he passed my seat I said, ‘Are you going to leave your number?’ And I thought, ‘Oh dear that’s a terrible line,’ and he had his card in his hand ready to leave it. He knew. We both knew."

Although he has now found the courage to come out, Paul has admitted he wouldn’t change being "32 years married with two wonderful boys" for "anything" and insists that Graham is very understanding about his past life and the attention that comes from being Diana’s confidante.

He said: "The most incredible thing I ever saw in my life was my children being born, nothing will replace that and he [Graham] knows that, he understands my previous life."

He explained how now the time is right for them to stand up and say "this is who we are".

He added: "He’s never been married, he wanted to be married and never in a million years did he ever realize that he could have been married. You know, 20 years ago this couldn’t happen, 10 years ago, no … and I can now hold his hand in public – he doesn’t have to walk two steps behind me [which he was doing before]."

The pair tied the knot at the Linthwaite Hotel in Bowness, Cumbria in matching tartan, designed by Paul himself. As a reminder of his time serving the late Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth, he opted to include red for Diana, gold for the Queen and green to remember his time on UK reality show ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’ in the tartan design. He also wore cufflinks handed to him by the late royal, who tragically died in a car crash in Paris, France, in 1997.

He said he was "overwhelmed" by the public’s response to his same-sex marriage and revealed: "I’ve got 70-year-old people coming into my flower shop and telling me, ‘congratulations’ and I never expected that. I didn’t expect people to be so understanding."

And he advises others who are considering "coming out" to tell their friends and family themselves.

He added: "Embrace who you are, sit with your loved ones, talk them through it and they won’t leave you. If they hear the story through someone else they will be bitter about it so you tell them face to face."

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Meghan Markle is ‘poised to meet the Queen on Mother’s Day’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are planning to meet the Queen for the first time as a couple on Mother’s Day.

The 32-year-old royal and the ‘Suits’ actress have been dating since mid-2016 and after their burgeoning romance was recently given the seal of approval by Prince Charles, the couple are reportedly set to meet the Monarch on March 26.

A source told the Daily Star newspaper: "Meghan is headed to meet the Queen on Mother’s Day.

"She’s already been given the green light from Prince Charles, the next step is the Prince’s grandmother."

Prince Harry and Meghan, 35, have been dating for less than a year, but it was recently reported that the British royal was preparing to propose to his girlfriend.

Prince Harry is said to be intent on transforming his late mother Princess Diana’s emerald tiara into a sentimental engagement ring so he can pop the question later this year.

A source said: "Diana’s jewellery collection was left in trust for the boys and Meghan apparently loves emeralds. For Harry, like Wills before him, using his mother’s gems means the two loves of his life will forever be linked."

The flame-haired Prince is reportedly working on "something incredible" with jewellers, so that he can give Meghan "the same sentiment" that his brother Prince William had when he proposed to the Duchess of Cambridge using Diana’s engagement ring.

The source previously said: "After Diana died, the boys both chose a keepsake from Kensington Palace when they moved to Charles’ rooms in St James’s Palace. Prince William picked his mum’s Cartier watch, and Harry picked her sapphire and diamond engagement ring.

"But they had an agreement that whoever got engaged first would have Diana’s ring – and of course that was William and Kate. Harry wants the same sentiment when he proposes to Meghan, so he is working with the jewellers to design something incredible."

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Steve Jones had sex in Buckingham Palace

Steve Jones had sex in Buckingham Palace.

The 39-year-old presenter claims he and wife Phylicia got frisky in a bathroom at the royal residence, which they were visiting for a charity event.

Asked the most famous house he’s been in on ‘Through The Keyhole’, he said: "Buckingham Palace. For like a charity thing, I took my wife with me and we had sex in the bathroom."

Host Keith Lemon asked: "Did you really?"

And Steve – who has previously been romantically linked with the likes of Pamela Anderson and Halle Berry – simply nodded in reply.

The former ‘X Factor USA’ host and Phylicia tied the knot in 2014 just a month after getting engaged, but the presenter previously admitted he wants to marry her over and over again.

He said:"The problem though is that Phylicia’s so fantastic I want to keep marrying her.

"I love her so much that I keep thinking, ‘Right, I’m going to propose in this moment, because she’s so perfect’. Then I think, ‘Oh wait a minute, she’s already my wife!’ "

Steve’s revelation comes after Robbie Williams revealed he had once smoked marijuana in Queen Elizabeth’s London home.

He said: "Threw up in Buckingham Palace? No. But I smoked a spliff in Buckingham Palace."

And Robbie isn’t the only person to do drugs in the Palace as Stephen Fry revealed he took cocaine in there too, as well as the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

Detailing the time in his autobiography ‘More Fool Me’ in 2014, he said: "There is no getting away from it. I am confessing to having broken the law and consumed, in public places, Class A sanctioned drugs. I have brought, you might say, gorgeous palaces, noble properties and elegant honest establishments into squalid disrepute."

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Eddie Redmayne is made an OBE

Eddie Redmayne has been made an OBE.

The 34-year-old actor was honored with an Excellent Order of the British Empire for his services to drama by Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle in Windsor on Friday (12.02.16) and has admitted the experience was beyond his "wildest imagination."

Speaking to reporters after he collected his medal from the monarch, he said: "It is something that I had never thought of and it was never in my wildest imagination.

"It was absolutely wonderful. Also being with such extraordinary people the whole experience is incredibly humbling and also getting to be in Windsor Castle is breathtaking, around Christmas as well with all the decorations."

The Hollywood hunk – who opted for a luxurious pin-striped three-piece suit accompanied with a cream pocket handkerchief for the event – was joined at the ceremony by his wife Hannah Bagshawe and his parents as they watched him speak with the queen.

Eddie has known about his award for a while as he was listed in the Queen’s Birthday Honors list in June 2015, just four months after he picked up Best Actor at the Oscar Awards for his portrayal of Professor Stephen Hawking in ‘The Theory of Everything’.

Receiving his OBE has topped off an excellent year which has also seen Eddie and his wife Hannah become parents for the first time as they welcomed their daughter Iris into the world in June.

And, despite his impressive achievements and global fame, the handsome star is determined to remain grounded and has no problem getting on public transport.

He said recently: "It’s really not a problem at all. How else do you get around London? I mean, in the sense that the traffic is so awful."

However, the ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them’ actor will often make a hasty exit from the train if someone tries to take a sneaky picture.

He said: "You just have this really awkward 37 seconds before you run off the train in embarrassment. You’re like, ‘Oh, I get it. But couldn’t you have asked?’ Of course, people go, ‘That’s what you’ve signed up for.’ Maybe they’re right."

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Zara Phillips is pregnant

Zara Phillips is pregnant with her second child.

The 35-year-old equestrian champion – who is the daughter of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips – and her husband Mike Tindall are said to be "thrilled" to be expecting a younger sibling for their two-year-old daughter Mia.

The new baby – which will be Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip’s sixth great-grandchild – is due in late spring, meaning Zara is around four or five months pregnant.

A royal spokesperson said: "The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and members of the Royal Family are delighted with the news."

Earlier this year, Mike, 38, admitted he would love more children one day.

He shared: "In the long run yes [I would like more kids], but I’m not sure when that will happen …

"I don’t think there’s one best part [about being a dad]. It’s just great, full stop, it’s a lot of fun. Mia has got bundles of energy.

And the former rugby player – who married Zara in 2011 – revealed his daughter loves being outside and hopes she will turn to sports one day too like himself and Zara.

He added: "Mia is always out and about. Where we live is an outdoor lifestyle. I’d love her to be sporty but if it’s not her thing she’ll make those decisions. We’re there to support her in whatever she decides to do. I’d love her to play golf, it would give me a reason to go to the driving range."

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Rod Stewart to be knighted by Queen Elizabeth

Penny Lancaster has revealed that Queen Elizabeth II will be bestowing Rod Stewart’s knighthood upon him.

The 71-year-old singer’s honor will be made official at Buckingham Palace in London on October 11 and the British monarch will be personally bestowing him with the title.

And the couple will be joined by their sons Alistair, 10, and Aiden, five, so they can see their dad become a knight at the royal residence.

During an appearance as a panelist on ‘Loose Women’ on Wednesday (09.13.16), she shared: "It’s going to be so lovely and we can’t wait for the big day and we’re going to take our two little boys with us … It’s on the 11th of October and I believe it’s going to be with Her Majesty. Prince Charles gave Rod his CBE, which is wonderful and he’s our favorite.

Penny, 45, also revealed what Rod’s official title will be when his knighthood is confirmed.

She said: "He is now Sir Roderick David Stewart CBE. Something less formal would be Sir Rod and Lady Stewart but we’re just Rod and Penny."

The couple had to keep the news secret for three weeks and they used that time to plan parties to celebrate without telling any of the guests what the bashes were really for.

She said: "It happened around the time when we were celebrating our wedding anniversary so we fooled everybody, when everybody turned up and they were like, ‘Oh, now we know!’ We had one party in London and another in Los Angeles."

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Lady Gaga praises innovator Prince

Lady Gaga thinks Prince has gone to "innovate in heaven".
The ‘Poker Face’ hitmaker has paid tribute to the iconic star – who was found dead at his Paisley Park estate on Thursday (21.04.16) – for "sharing his soul so deeply" and thanked the ‘Gold’ hitmaker for choosing to lead a life in public in order for people to share his "gift".
She wrote on Instagram: "I tend to believe that when we die our souls hover for at least a moment if not longer before they either rest or are recycled into the consciousness of an already living being or maybe a newborn baby.
"Isn’t it amazing Prince shared his soul with us so deeply before his death, and now after we will be replenished endlessly by both his legacy and all that he still has to give from the beyond.
"Thank you for sharing your life with us Prince. Giving up your anonymity because you felt compelled to share your gift. We learned so much. You just found God early, he needed you upstairs to innovate in heaven."🏽
Meanwhile, staunch anti-royalist Morrissey has hailed Prince as "the royal that people love" while hitting out at Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, who turned 90 on the same day the singer passed away.
He wrote on website True To You: "Prince, who made something of his life as opposed to having fortune handed to him, is far more ‘royal’ than Elizabeth 2, and he will be mourned far more than she, for she could never make herself loveable, no matter how many paid and promoted non-stories flood the newspapers of the world.
"The laughing gulls of Buckingham Palace will never allow you to forget who wields the stick. And, of course, we know very well what gulls tend to do on the people below.
"Prince is the royal that people love, whereas Elizabeth 2 was thrust on the people who have never been asked whether or not they want her.(sic)"
The animal rights campaigner also bemoaned the fact that little has been mentioned about Prince being vegan or "a strong advocate of the abolition of the abattoir".

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Britain’s Queen Elizabeth celebrates 90th birthday at Windsor Castle

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth celebrated her 90th birthday today (21.04.16) with thousands of people at Windsor Castle.
The monarch opted for a bright spring green outfit and matching hat as she and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, met with well-wishers outside her country retreat in Windsor, Berkshire.
Many bought gifts of flowers, cakes and cards, which they handed over to the Queen and her aides, and they were treated to a performance of Happy Birthday by the Coldstream Guards as she arrived at the castle.
At the event, Her Majesty was presented with her birthday cake, made by ‘The Great British Bake Off’ winner Nadiya Hussein.
The beautiful creation – which featured both purple and yellow icing – was an orange drizzle cake complete with butter cream or marmalade filling.
Following their walkabout around the crowds gathered at Windsor Castle, the Queen and Prince Philip were driven through the streets of Windsor in an open top Land Rover, where they waved to excited locals.
Terry Hutt and Margaret Taylor camped overnight to ensure they got the best spot.
Margaret said: "I gave her a birthday cake. I had to give it to her lady-in-waiting as it was so heavy, which amused the Queen."
Whilst Terry added: "I told her she looked younger than ever and she smiled and said ‘Thank you.’"

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Prince William: Queen Elizabeth helped me cope with my Diana’s death

Prince William has thanked Queen Elizabeth II for helping him come to terms with the death of his mother Princess Diana.
The 33-year-old heir to the British throne tragically lost his mother in 1997 when she killed in a car crash in a Paris tunnel at the age of 36.
William was just 15 and his brother Prince Harry was only 12 when they lost their mother and the future king has now admitted his grandmother was a great comfort to him at the time and "understood some of the more complex issues when you lose a loved one".
William – whose father is Prince Charles – said: "She’s been a very strong female influence. Having lost my mother at a young age, it’s been particularly important to me that I’ve had somebody like the queen to look up to and who’s been there and who has understood some of the more complex issues when you lose a loved one … So she’s been incredibly supportive and I’ve really appreciated her guidance."
William made his comments for a documentary about Queen Elizabeth to mark her 90th birthday on Thursday (21.04.16) for Sky News called ‘The Queen At 90’.
In the program, the Duke of Cambridge also recalled a time in his childhood when he was given an almighty telling-off by his grandmother after almost injuring his cousin Zara Phillips.
William – who has two children, two-year-old son Prince George and 11-month-old daughter Princess Charlotte, with his wife Duchess Catherine – said: "We were chasing Zara around who was on a go-cart, and Peter (Zara’s older brother) and I managed to herd Zara into a lamppost and the lamppost came down and nearly squashed her.
"I remember my grandmother being the first person out at Balmoral running across the lawn in her kilt. She came charging over and gave us the most almighty b******ing, and that sort of stuck in my mind from that moment on."