Anne's milestone 75th birthday marked with new photograph
The King's sister, often hailed as the hardest-working member of the royal family, has eschewed any major public commemorations for her big day, preferring to host a special forum for her charities in June instead.
She is said to be spending the day sailing around the Western Isles of Scotland with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence, and marking her birthday privately.
The official portrait, taken by celebrated photographer John Swannell last month, shows Anne wearing a clean-lined colour-blocked royal blue dress with a contrasting bright white high collar, matching cuffs and white buttoned central trim.
Anne, who is known for re-wearing her outfits even decades later, was pictured in the same dress at The King's Foundation Awards at St James's Palace in June.
The image captures a relaxed-looking Anne, with her hair self-styled in her signature bouffant, resting her hand on a stone windowsill at Gatcombe.
It was from the princess's Gloucestershire estate just over a year ago that Anne was taken to hospital after she was believed to have been struck by a horse.
She was treated in intensive care for concussion and minor head injuries, spending five nights at Southmead Hospital in Bristol.
The princess, who was back on royal duties less than three weeks later, has said she has no memory of the incident but now views every day as a 'bonus'.
Last month the Royal Mint unveiled the first official UK coin to honour Anne, created in celebration of her birthday and lifetime of service.
Swannell was also tasked with taking the official photographs for Anne's 70th, and previously photographed Diana, Princess of Wales and her sons, the late Queen for her official diamond jubilee portrait in 2012, Sir Tony Blair, Sir Michael Caine and Sir Elton John.
Another image of Anne by photographer Chris Jackson was released last week showing the princess in a tiara and gown with Sir Tim on the night of the Windsor Castle state banquet for French President Emmanuel Macron.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
8 hours ago
- Metro
I can't stand when people put ice in their wine — it's so uncouth
Hands down, the question I get asked most often as a drinks writer is: 'Can I add ice to my wine?' Some see it as an inexcusable faux pas, the wine equivalent of blowing your nose into a napkin at a fine dining restaurant. Others are calling it 'Vin Piscine', aka 'swimming pool wine'. This is after the southwestern French trend of serving white or rosé in a large round glass filled with so much ice, it looks like the wine is taking a dip in a pool. In my opinion, this chic name has given ice-droppers a get out of jail free card to avoid looking uncouth. A few of my mates slip ice cubes into their wine when they think I'm not looking. They used to have the decency to look embarrassed, now they say, 'ahh, Vin Piscine!' But it's not just them – even some drink experts do it. Master of Wine and Wine Consultant to Aldi supermarkets, Sam Caporn, admits that she started off 'an ice denier', but then something happened to change her mind. 'A friend came over for dinner and we tried out rosé both without and then with ice, and I was a convert! 'Ice in rosé is one of my guilty pleasures, don't knock it until you've tried it!' You've probably gathered that I'm an ice-in-wine snob. As I see it, plonking a melty iceberg into a glass of carefully crafted wine is a form of vandalism; like watching someone slowly key a vintage Aston Martin. You see, as the ice thaws, it dilutes the wine and reduces the concentration of the beautiful flavour expression, throwing off the carefully curated balance of acids, aromatics and texture. You might as well top up your glass of Château Petrus with Coke Zero – it's basically the same thing. This isn't just me throwing ice out of my pram though, Dr Ian Whitehead, a flavour scientist who has more than 20 years' of experience in the industry, agrees that for higher-quality wines, it's a no-no. He tells Metro: 'There's no doubt that adding ice changes the experience, often not for the better – especially with higher quality bottles. If you value craftsmanship and intended flavour of your wine, skip the ice and use smarter chilling methods.' One of the chilling methods Dr Whitehead is referring to is an ice bucket filled with cold water, ice and salt (to fast-track the chilling process). Or, you could always pop a bottle in the freezer, wrapped in a wet paper towel for 25 minutes. Having said all that, there are a few exceptions to the rule. If you're drinking a fruity, off-dry white or rosé on a really hot day, adding a couple of ice cubes is acceptable. Why? Because slightly dilute, cold wine wins over warm wine, as it's closer to how the wine was intended to be served. Typically, wines with more sweetness work best with ice-chilling, as Dr Whitehead explains: 'Sugar is a flavour buffer, in sensory science, residual sugar (unfermented sugar left in the wine), counterbalances both the acidity and dilution, allowing the wine to retain an impression of body and fruit even when significantly chilled.' With that in mind, sweet or off-dry wines are the ideal match for ice, think Moscato d'Asti, Demi Sec Champagne, German Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Californian blush wines. These have higher sugar levels and bolder aromatic flavour compounds to counter the dilution. Do yourself a favour and avoid heavily-oaked Chardonnays or ultra-dry wines like Picpoul de Pinet, Pinot Grigio or Provence Rosé. Ice will turbo-chill them, drown out their delicate fruit flavours and put their acidity and bitterness on blast. As luck would have it, I'm currently on holiday near Toulouse where Vin Piscine was born. And while I was at a Leclerc supermarket, I noticed a wine called Rosé Piscine. You couldn't miss it, cases of the stuff were stacked up in a gigantic tower display. But here's the kicker, its strapline is, 'ABSOLUMENT AVEC LES GLACONS' (in caps), translated as 'ABSOLUTELY WITH ICE' Boom. I was triggered. But I ended up buying a bottle. I taste tasted Piscine Rosé against a dry rosé from Lidl, Chevalier de Fauvert Syrah Rosé. Both were unchilled (this was important) and ice free. Piscine Rosé was instantly off-dry with pronounced flavours of cantaloupe melon, apricot and peach, while Lidl's was significantly dryer with delicate notes of nectarine and tangerine. After adding two medium-sized ice cubes to each glass, I tasted them to assess the immediate effect. Piscine Rosé had been softened in flavour, still delivering melon and stone fruit flavours while Lidl's had all but disappeared, leaving a muted aroma and only a lightly fruity acidity on the palate. Having waited for five minutes for the ice to partially melt, Piscine Rosé had soft and refreshing nuances of melon and peach, while Lidl's had turned into acidic-tasting water. In conclusion, this experiment was a win for Piscine Rosé. Wines that are built for ice accompaniment must start off naturally more pronounced in sweetness and fruit flavours, with less zestiness to them to stand up to turbo-chilling and dilution In addition to picking the right wine, it's also important to use the right kind of ice in your drink. More Trending Bigger ice cubes melt more slowly and defer dilution. As, by contrast, 'finely crushed ice is the fastest route to watery wine,' explains Dr Whitehead. He also cautions us to pay attention to the type of water we use to make the ice, warning: 'Ice made from hard water will harm the flavour more than soft water, while heavily chlorinated tap water with give you a literal 'swimming pool wine', and not in a good way.' Evian it is then… If you count yourself a purveyor of the finer things in life, Metro's Drink Up column is where you need to be. Immerse yourself in the world of good drink, fronted by industry expert Rob Buckhaven – a place for readers to whet their whistle with the latest and greatest in the world of drinks. From unpacking the best supermarket wines from Aldi, Tesco and Lidl, to introducing audiences to the wallet-friendly Cremant out-bubbling the fanciest of French Champagnes (or the best wines to drink after sex), and finding out what it's like to go on a bar crawl with Jason Momoa, this is a haven for those who love to celebrate. Stay ahead of the curve as Rob plucks from the vines the wines of the season and the spirits you need to know about; speaking with experts and mixologists while unpacking the latest concoctions, finding the best non-alcoholic options for those looking to moderate, discovering the best food pairings for your drops, and going up against the latest TikTok chatter to demystify the liquid landscape. What are the best drinks to take to a summer picnic? Wine that you should never serve at a wedding And, truly, how should we be storing our wine? Read More. Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ View More » MORE: The common pub habit that marks you out as a 'nightmare' punter MORE: I stumbled across the best bar ever in Europe's newly-crowned 'safest city' MORE: Where to sip on mini cocktails in London Your free newsletter guide to the best London has on offer, from drinks deals to restaurant reviews.
Telegraph
21 hours ago
- Telegraph
Palace gave Princess Anne two ‘secret stepchildren' in online blunder
The Palace says the fact was attributed after avoiding 'otherwise rigorous checking process' Buckingham Palace erroneously declared that the Princess Royal had two stepchildren in an online profile marking her 75th birthday. The piece – entitled 75 facts about the Princess Royal – included at number 14: 'Her Royal Highness also has two stepchildren from her second marriage to Sir Timothy Laurence, Tom and Amy Laurence.' Sir Tim does not have any children, and while the Queen's son is called Tom Parker Bowles there are no known members of the extended Royal family called Amy. 'Best hidden royal secret ever' The blunder prompted bafflement among royal watchers, who queried whether Sir Tim had children that had been sequestered away. One social media user wrote: 'Pretty sure this is an error, but how did that happen? I can't think of any Tom and Amy siblings in the extended Royal family.' Another said: 'That would be the best hidden royal secret ever.' An hour or so after the piece was published, it was swiftly deleted, and later updated and reposted. A palace source said the inaccurate fact was included in error after it was inserted as a late addition and not put through the otherwise rigorous checking process. The Telegraph was told on Friday that the offending 'fact' had been sourced from a 'reputable publication online'. That publication is understood to be Women and Home magazine, which published incorrect information in 2023. Women and Home was contacted for comment. The palace marked the Princess's 75th birthday with the release of a new portrait taken by John Swannell, her favoured photographer. The King's younger sister is celebrating the milestone with a holiday, sailing around the Western Isles of Scotland with her husband.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Scotsman
I Fagiolini to bring 'emotional power of harmony' to the Lammermuir Festival
Acclaimed vocal ensemble I Fagiolini will take up a four-day residency at this year's Lammermuir Festival, offering opera, a mighty choral masterpiece, several other vocal works and even a discussion. David Kettle talks to the group's founding director Robert Hollingworth about what's in store Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... 'When you hear music, you mostly just hear a lot of noise, don't you? Unless you know the music really well, of course. So our job is to make the music's intentions and process as clear as possible.' It's a disarming but typically frank summing-up of our sometimes tricky relationship with unfamiliar music from Robert Hollingworth, founding director of pioneering vocal group I Fagiolini. Together, Hollingworth and his singers have been delving into choral music both ancient and modern – much of it deeply unfamiliar to listeners, hence his intent – for almost four decades now. And they've found a whole panoply of new, creative, sometimes quirky ways to do it – from theatrical concerts to concept films. I Fagiolini | Matthew Brodie Hollingworth and I Fagiolini take up a four-event residency at this year's Lammermuir Festival, offering opera, a mighty choral masterpiece, several other vocal works and even a discussion over the space of just four days ('Why do we sign up to these schedules?' Hollingworth chuckles). Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It marks the group's Lammermuir debut. Festival co-artistic director James Waters, however, was keen for them to visit East Lothian: 'I think the proof of the pudding is that Robert gets intense loyalty from his singers. It's a lot to do with the fact that they do really interesting projects, but it's also because he's just a really nice guy with great ideas.' I Fagiolini's performances form part of a particularly broad and ambitious programme this year, with some real coups for the festival, including visits from exceptional French pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, fiery Concerto Italiano with director Rinaldo Alessandrini, and the Philharmonia Orchestra. But back to I Fagiolini, whose residency will surely be a highlight of the festival's opening days. Much of what they're bringing revolves around a composer Hollingworth clearly adores: Claudio Monteverdi. 'It was about 50 years ago that I heard my first Monteverdi Vespers,' he says. 'I must have been nine or ten, a chorister in Hereford Cathedral, and we were singing some of the sections of the piece. But when I heard the rest of it, I thought: hang on, what's this? It's quite extraordinary.' Robert Hollingworth | Riccardo Cavallari But what makes it so extraordinary? Monteverdi is hardly an unknown name, but there might still be trepidation about exploring music created a century or so before the composer who seems grand-daddy of them all: JS Bach. 'I think Monteverdi is very strongly aware of the emotional power of harmony,' Hollingworth argues. 'He sets up things that you expect to be delivered, then holds them back – it's sometimes like a kind of written-out jazz. It's hugely expressive, and the thing is, anyone can listen to it. Someone once told me that they may not know much about how music works, but they know the real thing when the hear it.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hollingworth and I Fagiolini have two big Monteverdi concerts, covering the rich devotional settings of the 1610 Vespers and the far earthier, more human concerns of some of the composer's madrigals. But, explains Hollingworth, Monteverdi's sacred and secular musics are more similar than you might think. 'The language is pretty much the same,' he says. 'In fact, in 1606-7 he reworked his fourth book of madrigals – some of which are quite erotic – as sacred pieces, just putting sacred words to them. He worked with a priest in Milan on it, and they had no qualms about doing it. To us, it might feel extraordinary, but it isn't really if you think about the intensity of Catholic religious passion at the time.' Coming closer to home – and, perhaps, into more familiar repertoire – I Fagiolini's operatic offering is Purcell's iconic classical tragedy Dido and Aeneas. 'But as much fun as that will be,' Hollingworth smiles, 'it's almost the first half of the concert which is more interesting, because we're going to be singing about seven or eight Purcell pieces that are absolute treasures. I spent a year and a half of my life just before the pandemic going through every single piece that Purcell wrote, and this little collection is what I think are the very finest bits.' I Fagiolini are renowned for their sense of theatricality – no doubt put to good effect in Purcell's opera – but elsewhere, Hollingworth explains, they'll be letting the music speak for itself. 'If you're going to be theatrical, you need a good reason – if it gets in the way of the music, you're doing the music a disservice.' It all goes back to clarity, he explains – in terms of ensuring that audiences understand and feel connected with music that's possibly unfamiliar to them, and probably written centuries earlier. 'I always think of my mother – she'd be in the audience, and she'd have no specific knowledge of the music. So I'd always think to myself: how is she going to understand this music? How can I help her?' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It's perhaps hardly surprising that Hollingworth is pursuing his passions in I Fagiolini's Lammermuir Festival concerts. 'Co-artistic director Hugh MacDonald and I have this terribly naive theory,' Waters explains. 'Don't mess about with artists' programmes if they're really serious. They know what they perform best – let them do it. You don't need to have all the ideas yourself as artistic director – you need to know how those ideas fit together, but they don't all have to come from you.' James Waters | Contributed This sense of freedom and a focus on artists' individual strengths is particularly evident in 2025's programme. British cellist Laura van der Heijden, for example, appears several times across the festival's 12 days as a concerto soloist and a chamber musician, while Dutch pianist Hannes Minaar devotes two late-night concerts to Shostakovich's 24 Preludes and Fugues - his own suggestion. One unnamed artist with a particularly challenging programme even queried the wisdom of pressing ahead with it, Waters confides. 'They said: if we do that, will we sell any seats? I just sent a note back saying: well, what are festivals for?' It's a strong position for the Lammermuir Festival to be in at its 16th outing, and having developed trust among its participating musicians and audiences, Waters and MacDonald are able to take risks. But despite all the warm feelings of nurturing a network of artists who can do their own thing, the festival is clearly far more analytical and hard-headed about its audiences, where they're coming from, and how to attract even more people. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We know we have about five or six different audiences,' explains Waters. 'A lot of people go to everything, but many don't, and we try to cover those audiences' tastes.' He also draws attention to growing international interest in the event. 'I've had a couple of emails from the USA saying they couldn't come this year, so could we let them know our 2026 dates? We'd love to increase our international reach – partly because it's good for our artists, but also because it does a really good job for the county. I do profoundly believe that top-line culture helps the people who live in the county, and also brings economic benefits to the area.' So at its 16th outing, the Lammermuir Festival is a complex mix of deep creativity and canny expertise - and that mixture is clearly working, judging by the richness of this September's programme. There's even a repeat of last year's young people's initiative – Front Row – giving up-front seats as well as offering valuable internships to youngsters. 'If we thought we'd be where we are now when we launched in 2010, we'd have burst out laughing,' admits Waters. 'But I think we can say we're now one of the UK's major classical music festivals. We've sort of come up quietly on the rails, but now I think there's virtually no classical artist we wouldn't pick up the phone to.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
