
Live King to pay tribute to Air India victims at Trooping the Colour
The centuries-old parade, which officially commemorates the King's birthday, will take place in London later today, two days after the crash in Ahmedabad claimed at least 260 lives.
The King, the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal and the Duke of Edinburgh, who will all take part in the parade in military uniform, will wear black armbands, as will coachmen and women from the Royal Mews and mounted officers.
A minute's silence will also be held after the monarch has inspected the hundreds of guardsmen lined up on Horse Guards Parade.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said the King had personally requested the changes 'as a mark of respect for the lives lost, the families in mourning and all the communities affected by this awful tragedy'.
More than 1,400 soldiers of the Household Division and King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery will be taking part in the parade, including over 400 musicians from the Massed Bands.
It will also include 250 soldiers from the Foot Guards, who will line the processional route along The Mall.
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The Independent
28 minutes ago
- The Independent
Final batch of rare £1 Queen Elizabeth II coins released
The Royal Mint has announced the release of the final batch of Queen Elizabeth II £1 coins into circulation across the UK. More than 23 million coins bearing the late Queen are being introduced, alongside 7.5 million new £1 coins featuring King Charles III. These 2022-dated Elizabeth II coins are set to become the rarest £1 denomination in active circulation, according to the Royal Mint. This dual release, totalling almost 31 million coins, marks a historic transition for UK coinage, symbolising the shift from Britain's longest-reigning monarch to her successor on the £1 denomination. They represent the last £1 coins featuring Queen Elizabeth II's portrait to enter public hands. Rebecca Morgan, director of commemorative coin at the Royal Mint, underscored the significance, stating: "This release represents a pivotal moment in British coinage history. 'As we release more of the King Charles III £1 coins into circulation alongside the final coins of Queen Elizabeth II, we're witnessing the physical representation of our monarchy 's transition. 'This dual release creates an exceptional opportunity for both seasoned numismatists and those new to coin collecting.' The Royal Mint is encouraging the public to check its change over the coming weeks, as the new coins begin to appear in pockets and tills across the nation. Ms Morgan added: 'Finding these new coins in your change could spark a rewarding hobby that connects you with the heritage, history and craftsmanship behind British currency.' Since the introduction of the King's effigy on UK coinage in 2023, the 50p and £1 are the only denominations with Charles's portrait to have entered circulation so far. The King's £1 coins feature an intricate bee design on the reverse and are part of the Definitive collection, inspired by the flora and fauna of the British Isles. Some 2.975 million £1s with the King's effigy were released in August last year. In total, there are around 24.7 billion coins in circulation across the UK, with the King's coins representing only around 0.004% of those, making his new coins highly desirable to collectors. All UK coins bearing the Queen's portrait will remain legal tender and in active circulation to allow a smooth transition and minimise the environmental impact and cost.


Telegraph
28 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Inside the first Dishoom hotel rooms
Since the first Dishoom outpost opened its doors in Covent Garden back in 2010, it's no stretch to say that the nostalgia-steeped Indian restaurant group has cemented itself as a London dining scene mainstay. Even 15 years later, hopeful diners queue for hours to sample the likes of Goan monkfish curry with a fresh-from-the-tandoor masala paratha. During the pandemic, its legendary hangover-curing chilli-jam-laced bacon naan roll was so missed that a DIY at-home kit was launched. A major aspect of Dishoom 's success is the transportative feel of each space. From the artful lighting and mellow soundtrack to the pithy yet approachable menu annotations, founders Shamil and Kavi Thakrar have always had their fingers firmly on the pulse. New locations have sprung up in Brighton, Cambridge and Oxford over the course of the past year or two – each one an impeccably designed portal to 1960s Bombay, but with its own unique kick. No surprises, then, that the duo's next project allows for around-the-clock immersion, with the unveiling this summer of the Permit Room Lodgings – a two-bedroom suite in the middle of Notting Hill, above the all-day bar-café space. 'We've always loved the kind of stay where we're with friends or family in Bombay. The door's open, someone's insisting we eat something and we're utterly looked after,' says Kavi. A great deal of thought is put into the premises that house each new Dishoom. Take the Manchester restaurant, for example, which is set in a Grade II listed former Freemasons' hall on the edge of Spinningfields, or the branch just off Kensington High Street – occupying a corner of the Art Deco Barkers building. The Notting Hill opening is no exception. '186 Portobello Road has lived many lives,' Kavi told me when I checked in recently. 'It was a hotel back in the day, then a West Indian pub – a place where Londoners have long come to eat, drink and stay, so it felt right to revive that spirit.' Step in off the street and you'll notice at once the wispy plumes of sandalwood incense that, over the years, have become just as much a Dishoom signature as the house black daal. There's no check-in desk – instead, guests head over to the jade-coloured bar to retrieve a four-digit door code and are then guided towards a steep stairway hung with old-school gig posters. The Lodgings can be found at the top of the building, on the second floor. A parquet-floored hallway leads through to two en-suite bedrooms – both a celebration of rich colour and pattern – and then there's the lofty living space, with its butter-yellow walls and arched windows framing vignettes of lively Portobello Road below. Areca palms burst from burnished gold pots in every corner and the furniture is a considered mishmash of 1970s pieces – a glossy teak sideboard here, a geometric-print lampshade there – with a few restored Mumbai market finds thrown in for good measure. Conversation-starting works from the likes of Tarini Sethi and Mustafa Mohsin adorn the walls, each piece hand-picked with a steer from the team at Rajiv Menon Contemporary in Los Angeles. Meanwhile, cult newsagent Shreeji News has had a hand in curating the zines and books you'll find scattered about the place. In Shamil's words, it has been designed to feel 'like the home of a Bombayite friend – the kind who's inherently stylish and has impeccable taste without trying'. For all the design-forward details, the overall mood is warm and homey. The first round of drinks is on the house; guests can call down and order (on a powder-blue rotary phone) whenever they're ready. The list features some curious riffs on the classics – mangosteen daiquiri, anyone? – and the feni martini I opted for went down nicely as I got ready for dinner and rifled through the vinyl collection. It's a pretty decent line-up, pulled together in collaboration with Notting Hill mainstay Rough Trade West – expect to find the likes of Father John Misty and Sade, plus a bit of early Indian electronica. Down in the dining room, there's always a table for guests of the Lodgings and service has an unhurried feel to it without being frustratingly slow. You can expect to see a good number of long-standing favourites on the menu, alongside a couple of specials, the most tempting of which has to be the spatchcock chicken tandoori with kachumber, tangy green chutney and charred lemon. After dinner, those partial to a nightcap can assail the Lodgings' custom-made drinks cabinet (stocked with Kingfisher lager, house-made tipples and bars of crunchy caramel-studded chocolate from Melt, just down the road). The next morning, breakfast can be brought up to the living room or taken in the ground floor bar-café, which looks out over the Electric Cinema. There's date and banana porridge, plus a satisfyingly spicy take on the full English. Best of all though is the akuri pau – eggs scrambled with tomato, onion and plenty of green chilli, served with a pillowy-soft bun that's just right for dunking. There's a lot to like and with prices starting from £700 for the characterful two-bedroom, two-bathroom space, value for money is decent given the prime Portobello Road position. With more restaurants opening in Glasgow and Leeds, and the brand making its stateside debut in New York City early next year – with backing from the luxury LVMH group, no less – it will be intriguing to see whether Dishoom can continue to expand without diluting what is, evidently, a winning formula.


Daily Mail
28 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
I ditched the UK for an underrated African country - it's just as safe and I live in a huge house with a swimming pool, but there's one thing we always miss about England
A woman who ditched the UK to move to Zimbabwe has revealed the one thing she misses about living in England - despite living it up with a huge house and pool. Natalie Furk, from Leicester, moved to Zimbabwe in March 2024 with her husband James and their two children as they were attracted by the 'lifestyle' changes it would bring them. The family moved into a huge four-bedroom home with an office, large kitchen and dining room area, which they plan to renovate and a large garden, where they grow their own organic produce. But despite the sunshine, spacious living and wide availability of 'delicious, healthy' food, Natalie says her children can't help but crave one thing - McDonalds. Recently, the mother-of-two revealed she visited family in the UK for two weeks and on her way home she decided to bring chicken nuggets and chips back on the plane - even bringing them back in plastic sandwich bags. Taking to her TikTok account, @naturallyfakemum, Natalie said: 'I live in Zimbabwe and I've just got back from visiting my family in England for two weeks without my kids, without my husband and I promised them one thing. That I'd bring them a McDonald's back.' Natalie filmed herself surprising her children with the food from the fast food giant, which does not currently have any outlets in Zimbabwe, racking up more than 290,000 views on TikTok. She previously said the reason why she decided to make the move from the UK to Zimbabwe was because of the 'lifestyle' it offers her and because her husband's family lives there. 'My husband would always go on about how he had an amazing childhood in Zim,' she said. 'They got to play outside every day and swim every day, because most households have a swimming pool. 'We just want that. We have gone to Zim almost every year we've been together. I've got to know the lifestyle of Zim, I've got to know all the people.' Nat said that, in her opinion, living in Zimbabwe is no less safe than being back home, adding: 'It's just such a kind community and everyone is there for each other. A lot of people say it's unsafe, but it's just like here, you have to have your wits about you. 'Also, Zim is a beautiful country and it's on the rise. In the past eight years I've been going, a lot of stuff is being rectified. The roads are being fixed, businesses are popping up and creating more jobs. 'What I really love about Zim is that the food is so fresh, it's so delicious and so organic. It's actually more expensive to buy processed food there than it is to buy fresh food.' However, telling her UK-based relatives that they were making the big move didn't initially go down well. 'Telling my family was one of the hardest things I ever had to do!' she said in a TikTok video. 'I was nervous sweating and my heart was racing. My dad stormed out the room, and my sister cried.' On TikTok, people were left divided by her McDonalds 'hack', while others were surprised it's not yet available to buy in the south African country. One person wrote: 'Would the chicken not be a bit dodgy to eat with all that traveling not in a fridge?' Another said: 'This is on another level of 'mum can you bring McDonald's home please'' Someone else added: 'Could you not just keep the packaging and cook some fries and nuggets??' A fourth said: 'Is there not one there? I thought there was a McDonald's everywhere lol xx' Natalie works in aesthetics, offering botox, microblading, microneedling services, and also bakes cakes to sell at a local market every weekend. Previously, an expat revealed how he ditched the UK for the north African country of Morocco. 'The weather in Morocco is terrific, the wine is cheap – and there's no undercurrent of racism here, like in the UK.' The clip racked up over 290,000 views and people rushed to the comments to leave their thoughts on Natalie's extreme lengths So says British-born architect Philip Brebner, who has been running Riad Porte Royale, a B&B he owns in Marrakech, for the last 20 years, alongside writing books, with his newest novel, Shadows of Marrakech out now. It was a 'moment of madness' in 2004 while accompanying his wife on a work trip, that saw Philip buy the property in the town's old quarter, the Medina. At the time, the Marrakech riad was 'rundown and dilapidated', as the couple 'didn't have much money', but they decided to renovate it before opening it as a guest house in 2006, and Philip has never looked back. He says: 'Marrakech is a really lovely place to be and a wonderful location. It's a bit of an oasis, and it's just got everything. 'In the city, all the buildings are pink, so it just feels really magical and charming. 'You also have the Agafay Stone Desert very nearby, and you can see the Atlas Mountains from the city, where you can go skiing if there is enough snow. And then, if you go over the Atlas, you have wonderful gorges, a dune desert and oases. 'And, of course, it's sunny most of the time!'