Pro-Palestinian protest prompts scuffle onstage at Royal Opera House in London
Images posted on social media show what appears to be a member of the chorus holding the unfurled flag in front of his chest while the lead singers bask in the audience's applause. After a few moments, someone backstage attempts to grab the flag, but the performer holds onto the banner and snaps back into place.
Singers were taking their bows after the end of the opera by Giuseppe Verdi. Director Adele Thomas' production reinterprets the story of desire and an all-consuming curse, the opera said.
'The display of the flag was spontaneous and unauthorized action by the artist,'' the opera company said in a statement. 'It was not approved by the Royal Ballet & Opera and is not in line with our commitment to political impartiality.'
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CBC
9 hours ago
- CBC
Staff for King Charles and Prince Harry met. Is a royal reconciliation in the air?
Hello, royal watchers. This is your regular dose of royal news and analysis. Reading this online? Sign up here to get this delivered to your inbox. After representatives of King Charles and Prince Harry were spotted chatting al fresco the other day, the meeting set off all manner of speculation over whether reconciliation might be in the air for the monarch and his younger son. Despite no official comment from anyone, the U.K. media quickly took to calling the get-together at a private London club that promotes international friendship a "peace summit" or "secret talks." As much as there was intense interest in even a hint of rapprochement between father and son, observers were also quick to note that there was no apparent representation at the meeting from Harry's elder brother and heir to the throne, Prince William. "There's a strong public interest in King Charles III, Prince William and Prince Harry in terms of this being a family saga," Toronto-based royal author and historian Carolyn Harris said in an interview. Many people have felt as though they watched William and Harry grieve the death of their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, and grow up, Harris said. People have also seen the influence of both parents on some of the charitable causes the brothers championed. "And then when Prince Harry became estranged from his family when he wrote his memoirs, that attracted a great deal of comment," Harris said. "So I think there is interest in whether there is a way back for him on a personal level, whether he can reconcile — particularly with his father." Reconciling with William might prove more difficult. "William also fiercely protects the privacy of his family, and there were private moments that were shared in Prince Harry's memoirs, so it's possible the two brothers will never be able to reconcile," Harris said. Harry, who lives in California with his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and their two children, is expected to be back in the U.K. in September for charitable work and other engagements. Whether Harry and Charles will meet at that time is unknown — while Harry did make a quick trip back and had a short visit with Charles after his cancer diagnosis early in 2024, the father and son didn't meet when Harry was in London a few months later. Harry recently lost his legal challenge to the British government regarding his security arrangements in the U.K. after he stepped down from official royal duties. At the time of that ruling in May, he told the BBC he hoped for reconciliation with members of his family. Harry's return in September would come at a busy time for King Charles, ITV royal correspondent Chris Ship noted. "But most people might agree that the breakdown in the relationship between father and son is very sad, and if they could attempt to patch things up, given the King's ongoing cancer treatment, it would be best for both sides," Ship wrote. That there might be a meeting between senior staff of various members of the Royal Family is nothing new. "There's a long tradition of members of the Royal Family communicating through their offices," Harris said. That, however, has its advantages and disadvantages. "Everything's on record, and there can be a common narrative about what's been discussed and what's taken place," she said. "But we know from Prince Harry's own writing that he has been quite suspicious of some of the officials surrounding members of the Royal Family." Royal rifts — and reconciliations — are nothing new, but there are differences in the current saga. "What's unusual in this case is that it's a younger son in conflict with his reigning father, whereas if we go back in time historically ... often it's between the monarch and the heir to the throne," Harris said. "Often what fuelled these conflicts in the past was the heir to the throne wanting to have more independence and more autonomy, and if anything — in the case of King Charles III and Prince Harry — the conflict between the King and his younger son has brought the King and his heir closer together." There are other differences, too, Harris suggested. "This is a different kind of conflict in the 21st century where we're seeing a combination of official grievances in terms of security and the Royal Family's relationship with the press but also personal grievances in terms of how Prince Harry feels that he has been treated over time." Attempts now at reconciliation would make sense, Harris suggested, because when conflicts within the Royal Family fester, they can cast a long shadow. The abdication crisis surrounding King Edward VIII, who gave up the throne in 1936, is a "prime example" of that, she said. "Efforts at reconciliation between Prince Harry and his father at this time may be an effort to avoid the reign of the eventual King William V being overshadowed by a long-standing estrangement with Prince Harry." A Canadian on Camilla's reading list When the Royal Family posted a picture of Queen Camilla to social media as it thanked those who wished her a happy 78th birthday, a Canadian mystery writer's work was in the frame. The photo posted to Instagram and Facebook the other day shows Camilla — an avid reader — holding a copy of The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny. The royal nod came as a surprise to Penny, CBC Books reported. "I was floored when a friend in the U.K. forwarded me the photo," the author told CBC Books via email. "I knew she'd read the book, since she sent me a lovely note, but to see it in the birthday post was astonishing." Camilla's love of reading — and efforts to promote it — are well-known and came to the fore during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were unable to leave home. "Camilla was giving radio broadcasts about how she was spending time at home sharing her favourite books, [and] we see the efforts that would eventually develop into the Queen's Reading Room," Harris said. The Queen's Reading Room is a literary charity that undertakes various initiatives and events to support reading and literacy, along with providing reading lists and supporting authors. For Camilla, Harris suggested, reading is more than taking in a story from the written page. "It's not simply people taking the opportunity to read these books themselves but to come together in book clubs to discuss these books so there's a community-building effort here as well as promoting authors and reading." And maybe — just maybe — there was something else going on in the photo, too. Little happens by chance when it comes to photos the Royal Family chooses to post to social media, and this photo includes a Canadian author. Over the past six months or so, in the face of the repeated 51st state rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump, there have been subtle signals of support for Canada from the Royal Family. "In itself that Queen Camilla is reading Louise Penny, that's not necessarily a strong signal on its own," Harris said. "But when it's added to all of these other moments like King Charles III planting a maple tree or Michael Bublé being included in the list of Commonwealth songs that King Charles III publicized on Commonwealth Day, there's this emphasis on engaging with Canadian culture." That effort was on display during the whirlwind visit Charles and Camilla made to Ottawa in late May, Harris said. Penny herself was invited to Canada House in London and met the King there just before that visit a few weeks ago. "It was a very fun experience all around," she said in a post on Facebook. The 'honour and privilege' of a royal visit As Lt.-Col. Chris Michaud watched his regiment's colonel-in-chief greet its members, he couldn't help but be impressed. Michaud, the regiment's commanding officer, was at Prince Edward's side as the Duke of Edinburgh met members of the Prince Edward Island Regiment during his recent visit helping the regiment mark its 150th anniversary. "One of the biggest takeaways is how he engages with people. It's fascinating," Michaud said in an interview. He was with Edward as he met members at a royal regimental ball at a Charlottetown hotel. "He must have met 300 people that evening, and he took a moment to speak with each one, exchange a couple of questions with them and ... it was really interesting to see how somebody of such a stature [would] take the time to engage with each person they get an opportunity to meet," Michaud said. "As a leader, that's something you take away." Michaud had been prepared for a few nerves to kick in as he met Edward for the second time — he'd attended a regimental visit about a decade ago — but he found it got easier as the recent visit progressed through engagements with cadets, a stop at Abegweit First Nation, the ball, a regimental breakfast and a freedom of the city parade in Charlottetown. Still, Michaud did forget a couple of things — something that didn't go unnoticed by Edward. "From the dais, he's standing up there with a big smile, he goes: 'You forgot I was going to give remarks, didn't you?'" he recalled Edward saying. "It was just a sign of his sense of humour, too, that I got to see over those two-and-a-half days." The visit was a "huge honour and privilege," Michaud said. "To have a member of the Royal Family who is engaged and interested and is aware of their connections to Canada's military and Canada's military history as well — it's just a huge opportunity." During the visit, Prince Edward presented members of the regiment with custom-made wool blankets woven by MacAusland's Woollen Mills in Bloomfield, P.E.I. The striped blankets incorporate the regimental colours of black and gold and include a commemorative label. The gift was arranged by the Canadian Wool Council and the Campaign for Wool in Canada, a patronage of Edward's elder brother, King Charles. "Wool has always had a deep connection with the military," Matthew Rowe, CEO of both organizations, said in an interview. Planning for the commemorative blankets began several months ago and brought together several focuses for the Campaign for Wool. "Prince Edward Island is home to one of the last blanket mills in Canada that makes product in 100 per cent Canadian wool, and wouldn't it be wonderful to create something special for this anniversary," Rowe said. "We wanted something that was ... meaningful, but that was also tangible.... it's also practical, it's something that can speak to that moment and speak to that affiliation but that will be a treasured and functional heirloom going forward for the men and women of the regiment." Enough custom blankets were woven to ensure one for every serving member of the regiment, plus others. Prince Edward also received one. "It's just such a great way ... of celebrating a great Canadian manufacturer, a great Canadian product and showing how Canadian wool can keep us safe and warm in many different levels of interpretation," Rowe said. Prince Edward praises Canada's achievements in July 1 speech 26 days ago Prince Edward capped off a weeklong visit to Canada with a stop in Ottawa, where he gave a speech to Canada Day revellers at LeBreton Flats Park. 'Today is truly a celebration of you, your home and your land, strong and free,' he said to cheers from the crowd. Royally quotable "It's the best therapy in the world." — Queen Camilla, referring to gardening, during a visit to an annual flower show. Royal reads King Charles says the world needs to better respect and understand the Muslim faith at a time of fractured global relations. [ITV] A summit at King Charles's Highgrove estate that was a celebration of his philosophy of harmony with nature brought together representatives from Indigenous peoples, including from tribes in the Amazon, along with environmentalists, climate campaigners, organic farmers, herbalists, educators, crafts people and philanthropists. [BBC] Staying at Highgrove, King Charles's passion for gardening and nature is well-known, but it has emerged that his exacting standards may have ruffled more than a few feathers among staff. [Daily Mail] King Charles has invited U.S. President Donald Trump for an unprecedented second state visit in September, scheduling the trip for three days when Parliament is not sitting and removing the possibility of Trump addressing Parliament. [The Guardian] The changing fashions of the late Queen Elizabeth are to go on show in a major exhibition next year at Buckingham Palace. The exhibition, featuring items from her childhood through to the decades of her long reign, will coincide with the centenary of her birth. [BBC] A new photograph of Prince George has been issued by Kensington Palace to mark his 12th birthday. A short video of George, with his sister, Princess Charlotte, and brother, Prince Louis, was also posted to social media. [BBC] Prince Harry visited Angola to back the landmine charity supported by his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. [ITV] Swan numbers have begun to recover on the River Thames after a couple of years of worrying decline, according to an annual royal survey of swans. [BBC] WATCH | Prince Harry follows in the footsteps of his late mother: Prince Harry recreates Diana's landmine walk in Angola 10 days ago Prince Harry retraced his late mother's footsteps on Wednesday as he walked through an active landmine field in Angola to raise awareness for a charity working to clear explosives from old war zones. Princess Diana's advocacy and the images of her landmine walk in 1997 helped to mobilize support for a landmine ban treaty that was ratified later that year.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Paul McCartney's 1985 Live Aid performance, his first live show in five years, was nearly derailed by a tech glitch
Paul McCartney hadn't taken the stage in over five years when he sat down at his piano to sing 'Let It Be' for Live Aid on July 13, 1985, in a performance that was almost totally derailed by a single tech glitch. There the music legend was – performing live for the first time since his post-Beatles band Wings had broken up, and his lifelong friend and Beatles bandmate John Lennon had been assassinated – to sing 'Let It Be,' one of the last songs the Fab Four ever released… and minutes into the performance, McCartney's microphone died. 'One guy. A mic and a piano (and) a mic for the voice. Really simple. What happened?' Live Aid organizer and musician Bob Geldof recalled thinking at the time in CNN's 'Live Aid: When Rock 'n' Roll Took On the World.' Geldof added that he thought, 'Oh no, it's going to be a disaster.' All of the estimated 1.8 billion viewers tuning into the mega benefit concert couldn't even hear McCartney, let alone the massive crowd that stood before him at London's Wembley Stadium. Then something magical happened: the crowd started to sing along and help pick up the song for McCartney. But it wasn't just the crowd who saw that McCartney needed help, either. 'There were a bunch of people standing around and either Pete (Townshend, of The Who) or David (Bowie) said to me, 'Come on, let's help him.' Literally if you can think of a moment where 'I am not worthy' is beyond true, it's that moment,' Geldof recalled. Townshend, Bowie, Geldof and singer Alison Moyet huddled behind McCartney on stage to help him sing the song's final verses when the microphones started to work again, allowing the impromptu quintet – along with the singing Wembley crowd – to complete the song. Afterward, Townshend and McCartney hoisted Geldof on their shoulders before the Wembley Stadium headliners, including George Michael, Bono, members of The Who, Bowie, McCartney, Queen and many more, all joined together on stage to sing Band Aid's 'Do They Know It's Christmas' to close out the show. Return to the stage The Live Aid benefit was organized by musicians Geldof and Midge Ure to draw attention to a famine in Ethiopia. It spanned multiple locations, drew nearly two billion viewers around the world and raised more than US$125 million for relief efforts. While Geldof had already secured a lineup of the most famous and revered rock 'n roll musicians for Live Aid, he said in an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock earlier this month that he felt he needed a Beatle to participate and wrote McCartney a letter at the time outlining his case, asking him to play one song at the end of the show. 'I knew he must get a hundred requests to do things, but I really felt like the program would not be complete without him there. I was not writing to Paul McCartney, the man, I said, but to PAUL MCCARTNEY, the phenomenon,' Geldof explained. 'If he played, millions would watch who would not otherwise watch. That would mean money would come in that would not otherwise come in.' McCartney and his band Wings hadn't performed since 1979's Concerts for the People of Kampuchea, and shortly thereafter disbanded in 1981. McCartney hadn't taken the stage after that but did continue to release new music over the next few years. So when Geldof approached him about Live Aid, McCartney recalled telling him, 'I can't Bob, I haven't got a band together now.' Geldof, according to McCartney, didn't find that to be a problem at all, telling him, 'Well, you just sit at the piano and play your own number.' Ultimately, McCartney agreed. 'I just had to come. Simple as that,' McCartney said, adding that Geldof was also the person who chose the song that McCartney would sing. 'He's running the whole bloody show!' Geldof told Ultimate Classic Rock that 'there is a hierarchy in rock 'n' roll,' with the Beatles being at the top. 'So he goes on, one song, to give U.S. the benediction, to give U.S. the Beatles imprimatur, and of course it's 'Let It Be,' which I had asked him to do.' Live Aid wound up not just being McCartney's return for a one-off performance. He's been touring regularly ever since – even up until today, as McCartney, now 83, is set to continue his Get Back tour in the U.S. this fall. Turns out, the legendary musician isn't quite ready to just let it be. By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
‘We're all about community and family': Third annual Island Fest hits downtown London
The sights and sounds of the Caribbean can be found in downtown London this weekend. The third annual Island Fest is underway at Covent Garden Market Rotary Square and Talbot Street. The event features vendors, food, and performers from as far away as Trinidad. There's also a Kiddie Corner. Cherie Leslie, marketing and social media director, says it gives people a chance to soak up Caribbean Culture in the heart of the city. 'In the Caribbean, we're all about community and family, so it's nice to bring the community and family to London here as well,' said Leslie. 'Many moons ago, we used to have these kind of festivals, then they kind of disappeared. So, we decided it was time to bring them back, and here we are, and every year they ask for when's it going to come back, and what we're expecting, so it's great to know that people actually want to see this and come out to support.' Island Fest is a free event, which runs through the weekend.
