Russell Brand pleads not guilty to historic sex offences
British comedian and actor Russell Brand has pleaded not guilty to historic sex offences in a London court.
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7NEWS
2 hours ago
- 7NEWS
Tributes for Australian veteran lost in Ukraine landmine blast
Family and friends will gather this week to honour a 28-year-old Australian veteran killed clearing landmines in Ukraine. Nick Parsons was working with UK-based humanitarian group Prevail Together when he suffered fatal injuries near the city of Izyum in eastern Ukraine last month. The blast also claimed the life of British co-founder Chris Garrett and left a third person critically injured. Known affectionately as 'Nic' among friends, Parsons was remembered by close mate Lachie Romer as someone who brought light and laughter wherever he went. 'Nic was ... always up for a laugh, always there when you needed him, and someone who made life better just by being in it,' Romer wrote in a fundraiser to support Parsons' family and help cover funeral expenses. The campaign has seen an outpouring of support nationwide, raising over $20,000 in its first 15 hours. 'Let's come together and do this for Nic — for the good times, the laughs, and the memories we'll never forget,' Romer said. 'Rest easy, legend. 'We'll miss you forever.' A funeral service will be held on Thursday, June 5, at Morleys Funeral Home in Townsville, Queensland,followed by a memorial gathering at the Townsville RSL, where loved ones will share stories and celebrate Nicholas' life. Following the tragedy, Ukraine's ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko, praised Parsons' courage and selflessness. 'Demining is one of those areas where your life is 50/50 — you can live or you can die. 'We are very thankful to him and for his courageous work in Ukraine.' Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also offered his condolences, confirming Parsons had been engaged in humanitarian work and not in combat. 'The situation is extremely dangerous and we continue to strongly advise all Australians not to travel to Ukraine under any circumstances,' Albanese said. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is currently providing consular support to Parsons' family, while Prevail Together works alongside Ukrainian authorities to investigate the incident. Meanwhile, in a significant military development, a on Sunday. The operation, personally overseen by President Volodymyr Zelensky, reportedly took more than 18 months to plan. The attack came just one day ahead of new direct talks between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul, as Russian forces continued to bombard Ukrainian cities with missiles and drones.
Sky News AU
4 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Prince Harry asked uncle Earl Spencer for advice about changing his surname to honour his late mother amid deepening royal rift, insider reveals
Prince Harry reportedly considered dropping his royal surname in favour of Spencer, the maiden name of his late mother Princess Diana, as tensions with his family continue to escalate. The 40-year-old royal, who is fifth in line to the British throne, has "actively explored ways to assume his mother's surname", sources told Richard Eden of The Daily Mail. It's understood he even discussed the issue with his uncle, Charles Earl Spencer, 61, during a recent trip to the UK. "They had a very amicable conversation, and Spencer advised him against taking such a step," a friend of Harry's told the outlet, noting that the legal and logistical challenges were ultimately considered too great. Had he proceeded, the move would have meant rejecting the surname Mountbatten-Windsor, the official last name used by Harry and his wife Meghan Markle's children, Prince Archie, six, and Princess Lilibet, who turns four this week. Mountbatten-Windsor is a combination of the late Queen Elizabeth II's royal family name and the late Prince Philip's adopted surname. Philip took on the name Mountbatten after becoming a naturalised British citizen and renouncing his Greek and Danish royal titles in 1947. The name itself traces back to Philip's maternal uncle, Lord Louis Mountbatten, a significant influence not only on Philip but also on his great-nephew, King Charles III. Harry himself, born Henry Charles Albert David, has traditionally used titles rather than a surname. During their school years and military service, both Harry and his brother William went by the surname Wales, derived from their father's title, the then Prince of Wales. Photos from their time in the armed forces show Harry's uniform badge labelled "Harry Wales". In 2018, Queen Elizabeth II granted Harry the title Duke of Sussex upon his marriage to Markle, who became the Duchess of Sussex. Despite leaving the Royal Family and moving to the US in 2020, Meghan has stated she continues to use "Sussex" as her surname to share the same name as her children. In the second episode of her Netflix cooking show "With Love, Meghan," she corrected guest Mindy Kaling, saying, "It's so funny you keep saying 'Meghan Markle', you know I'm Sussex now." She added, "You have kids and you go, 'No, I share my name with my children'. I didn't know how meaningful it would be to me, but it just means so much to go 'This is OUR family name. Our little family name'." Controversy further arose when Meghan was accused of using the "HRH" title privately, despite an agreement with Buckingham Palace not to do so after stepping back from royal duties. The issue came to light after a gift basket sent to a friend included a card signed "HRH The Duchess of Sussex". Meanwhile, Prince Harry remains publicly estranged from senior royals, though he recently told the BBC he "would love a reconciliation". "There have been so many disagreements between myself and some of my family," he said in a May interview following the rejection of his legal appeal regarding UK security arrangements. "Of course, they will never forgive me for lots of things but… there's no point in continuing to fight anymore." He added: "Life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has, he won't speak to me because of this security stuff. "It would be nice to reconcile." has contacted Earl Spencer and representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for comment.
Sky News AU
7 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Royal bride Lady Frederick Windsor says her wedding hair was 'disgusting' and dress picked out by her mother-in-law made her look 'barking' in candid new tell-all
Sophie Winkleman has shared an unfiltered take on her royal wedding, admitting her hairstyle was "so disgusting" it still upsets her husband, Lord Frederick Windsor, all these years later. The British actress, 44, married into the royal family in 2009 when she wed Lord Frederick Windsor, 46, the only son of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent. The pair met on New Year's Eve in 2006 after sharing a taxi from a party in Soho, where Frederick recognised her from her breakout role as Big Suze in the hit series Peep Show. Their wedding took place at Hampton Court Palace in front of around 400 guests, including Princess Eugenie, the Duke and Duchess of Kent, Lady Annabel Goldsmith, actress Jane Asher, Lady Helen Taylor, and musician Bryan Adams. But despite the grandeur, Winkleman admits she doesn't look back on the day with much fondness- largely due to her hair and the gown, which was selected by her mother-in-law, Princess Michael of Kent. "My hair was so disgusting and Freddy still gets upset about it," she told The Telegraph. "It was just disgusting. And my mother-in-law chose my dress, which was very sweet and puffy, but I looked barking." The gown, a silk design with lace sleeves and a three-metre train, was made by Anna Bystrova of Roza Couture, a designer favoured by Princess Michael, who reportedly took the reins on many aspects of the ceremony. "She sort of took it all over and I actually didn't mind at all," Winkleman added. "I thought, 'Great, do everything'. I was concentrating on this acting job and saying goodbye to my darling granny who wasn't very well and just doing other stuff. But now I look back on it and think I should have worn a simpler dress and I should have got my hair blow dried by someone who'd done it before." Adding to the whirlwind, Sophie and Freddie packed up and moved to Los Angeles the very next day to pursue work opportunities. "We got married on Saturday and moved everything, our whole lives out to America the day after," she recalled. Frederick transferred with JP Morgan, while Winkleman went on to star in Two and a Half Men opposite Ashton Kutcher, and wrote screenplays for stars like Salma Hayek and Penélope Cruz. "We thought we shouldn't just huddle in England but be brave, do something different, so we did," she told HELLO! last year, calling the experience "very interesting and freeing". The couple eventually returned to the UK after welcoming their eldest daughter, Maud. They now live in South London with their two daughters, Maud, 11, and Isabella, nine, while Frederick works as an executive director at JP Morgan. Winkleman says she's remained close with her royal in-laws. "Family isn't always brilliant but this lot are very sweet. I love all of them," she told The Telegraph. Back in 2020, she also told The Times that she hadn't had "a single negative experience" with the royals. "I was incredibly welcomed with open arms," she said at the time. "The Queen's been wonderful, Prince Charles (now King Charles) has been wonderful, Prince William's been heaven. "They'd never tell me off at all if I wanted to play some role. Everyone's looked after me. Oh God, please don't make me sound too gushing." Her comments contrast sharply with those of fellow actress-turned-royal Meghan Markle, 43, who, along with Prince Harry, 40, stepped back from official royal duties in 2020 and moved to California. Unfortunately, Meghan and Harry remain estranged from the royal family.
