Latest news with #Sandhurst
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
The hottest royal you've never heard of' follows in the footsteps of Princes William and Harry with Sandhurst graduation - as his grandmother makes rare appearance at celebrations
The late Queen's cousin, Princess Alexandra, made a rare public appearance on Friday afternoon to celebrate her grandson graduating from his Royal Military course. The daughter of Prince George, Duke of Kent, and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark, 88, opted for a vibrant ensemble for the occasion, which took place at the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, Berkshire. She came together with family to support Alexander Ogilvy, 28, otherwise known as 'the hottest royal you never heard of', who was recently accepted into the Household Cavalry following his graduation. Alexandra put her best fashion foot forward and donned a colourful paisley blouse and emerald green skirt, which she paired with a baby pink scarf and a wide-brimmed tan hat. The royal opted for glamorous makeup, donning bright pink blusher and rosy lipstick while styling her grey tresses in an elegant updo. Princess Alexandra, who is Queen Elizabeth's cousin, was sitting alongside her son James Ogilvy, 61, her daughter-in-law, Julia Ogilvy, 60, and her granddaughter Flora Vesterberg, 30. Flora, who is married to Swedish financier Timothy Vesterberg, looked effortlessly stylish in a cobalt blue and white satin caped frock designed by Emilia Wickstead. She paired this with a blue Aspinal of London clutch bag, which was personalised with her gold initials 'FV', and a Jane Taylor hat. Flora wrote on her Instagram on Sunday evening: 'On our way to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to celebrate my wonderful brother! 'Congratulations @acogilvy on your graduation - and for your acceptance into the Household Cavalry. Very proud of our British Army Officer! #London.' Flora, who is an art historian and philanthropist, boasts almost 80,000 followers on Instagram, with many gushing over her stunning ensemble. One fan wrote: 'Many congratulations to your brother! I love your look!' Another penned: 'Congratulations to your brother. You look so beautiful.' A third commented: 'This blue look! Stunning on you!' The clan gathered for the Sovereign's Parade, which is a special event marking the end of an Officer Cadet's time at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. They are then commissioned into the British Army and overseas armies, with the occasion taking place three times a year. Each cadet graduates the 44-week course and is awarded at the parade, a closed-off event attended by family and friends. Alexander has followed in the footsteps of Prince William, Prince Harry and Prince Edward, who have all graduated from the military academy. Flora's followers took to the comment section to share their thoughts about Flora's ensemble for the occasion He looked typically dapper in his military uniform as he proudly held his hat and showed off his medals in snaps with his parents, James and Julia, and his brother-in-law, Timothy. It was his sister Flora who initially revealed that he had started his training in a heartfelt post on Instagram last year. She posted: 'The @cartier Queen's Cup. Very proud of my brother @acogilvy beginning at RMA Sandhurst this weekend. We're full of admiration for you. Forever thoughtful and inspiring. Very good luck xx.' Alexander is the grandson of the late Queen's cousin, Princess Alexandra of Kent, making him 54th in line to the throne. Before deciding to join the military, he was based in New York where he worked for Prove, a technology firm. HIs graduation comes as Flora revealed she has been diagnosed with autism at the age of 30 in May. The royal, who is 62nd in line to the throne, opened up about the diagnosis in a deeply intimate essay published in British Vogue, calling it 'unexpectedly empowering'. She detailed her struggles battling 'the challenges of neurodiversity' during her formative years, and said the diagnosis has brought 'a sense of relief as well as validation'. An art historian and broadcaster, the royal ancestor mostly steers clear of publicity, but is sometimes spotted joining for events in the society circle calendar, including the Chelsea Flower Show, where she was pictured this year with Lady Amelia Windsor. Reflecting on her diagnosis during Autism Awareness Month, she hoped to 'contribute to a shift in statistics', referencing the figure stating that 80 per cent of autistic women remain undiagnosed by the age of 18. 'Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with autism. I've struggled quietly with the challenges of my neurodiversity since childhood, but am now also able to perceive its strengths,' she wrote. She told of having received her diagnosis from Dr Dimitrios Paschos, a consultant psychiatrist and Honorary Research Fellow at King's College London, ahead of beginning her PhD at The Courtauld Institute of Art. Undergoing multiple psychiatric evaluations over the course of a week earlier this year, Flora was left feeling both relieved and 'unsettled' by the final diagnosis. The royal, who works closely with heritage brands like Tiffany & Co. and Piaget, said it had also impacted the way she approached her job. She cited diagnostics for people with autism, notably women, who often 'camouflage' by mimicking 'social norms', habits she said she can relate to. Nevertheless, her symptoms don't prevent her from carrying out her work, explaining that she is able to 'speak eloquently at engagements'. Indeed, the diagnosis has helped her discover new ways to prepare to 'over-stimulating environments'. She said she hoped her opening up about the diagnosis would help contribute to changing the statistic, and that fewer autistic women would be 'hiding in plain sight'. Though not a senior royal, Flora is most definitely part of the elite family circle. For Trooping the Colour 2023, King Charles invited six members of the extended Royal Family to enjoy the flypast from a second balcony situated in the inner quadrangle of Buckingham Palace. One of these guests was Flora, who stood alongside her husband, Swedish financier Timothy Vesterberg, and Lady Gabriella Kingston.
Hi Dubai
24-07-2025
- Business
- Hi Dubai
Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer Receives Sandhurst's Inaugural Life of Leadership Excellence Award
His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), has been honoured with the inaugural Life of Leadership Excellence Award by Sandhurst in the United Kingdom. This marks the first time the prestigious recognition has been awarded in the civilian sector, acknowledging Al Tayer's exceptional leadership and transformative contributions to the energy and water industries in the UAE. The award celebrates a lifetime of public service, innovation, and dedication to sustainable development, aligning with the core values of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Al Tayer was selected for his distinguished career, which has played a key role in positioning Dubai and the UAE as global leaders in clean energy and utility excellence. Vaughan Kent-Payne, Director of The Sandhurst Trust, praised Al Tayer's commitment to leadership through service: The Sandhurst motto 'Serve to Lead' is at the heart of this award. His Excellency Al Tayer exemplifies this ideal, and we are honoured to present him with the first-ever civilian Life of Leadership Excellence Award. In his acceptance remarks, Al Tayer dedicated the award to the UAE's leadership. In the UAE, leading by example is embedded in our DNA, he said. This honour belongs to our wise leadership—His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum—whose vision continues to inspire our nation to reach new heights. He added that the principles of integrity, innovation, and sustainable excellence have been deeply instilled within DEWA's organisational culture. 'We serve as role models, committed to pushing boundaries and delivering world-class utility services, Al Tayer said. The award presentation also recognised the support and presence of key figures including Vaughan Kent-Payne, Major General Paul Nanson, Colonel Mike Cooke MBE, Colonel Richard Westley OBE MC, and Craig Preston, CEO of the Ducis Leadership Institute. With this recognition, Al Tayer becomes a global symbol of public sector leadership, and his work continues to reflect the UAE's ambitions of setting international standards in energy, sustainability, and governance. News Source: Dubai Media Office
The Guardian
22-07-2025
- General
- The Guardian
Australian supermarket olives taste test: ‘I want to draw a still-life painting of these'
Imagine the best and worst olive. Take a second. Maybe close your eyes to immerse yourself in the exercise. What does the best olive look like? How about the worst? What is the texture of the best olive? How does the worst olive taste? I ask myself questions like this before every taste test, a mental exercise to help calibrate all the scores I'm about to give. But sometimes there are surprises, things so exceptionally good, bad or different they exist beyond the imagination. Things I thought weren't possible in a supermarket product or maybe at all. This taste test was full of them. The taste test was done blind over multiple rounds, each featuring whole olives of a different ripeness – green, purple and black. The tasters – 15 friends – tasted 22 olives (some pitted, some not), scoring each on appearance, texture and taste. I ate about 55 olives in 90 minutes. So, that best and worst olive you imagined: you probably came close with the best. There are sadly no big surprises at that end of the supermarket. But, unless you're wildly imaginative, or you've eaten the exact same olive I have, you're probably way off the mark on imagining the worst. Sandhurst Sicilian Whole Green Olives, 280g, $4 ($1.43 per 100g), available from major supermarkets Score: 7.5/10 Usually when I eat an olive, I feel as though my mouth has just won a fight – satisfying but it's still a bit of a violent experience. These olives are more like rolling down the gentle slope of a flower meadow while wearing head-to-toe cashmere. Other reviewers said they tasted like green tea, artichokes and various white cheeses. Two related it to the Cantonese and Teochew concept of gan, or unsweet sweetness (written 甘), which you'd use to describe tea. 'I want to draw a still-life painting of these and compose a thesis on their depth of flavour,' another wrote. Oddly, the three reviewers who didn't like them all mentioned medicine, carpet or both. Ceres Organics Kalamata Olives, 320g, $10 ($3.13 per 100g), available from Woolworths Score: 7/10 Unlike the green olive round, there were no standout purple olives, which is why this uncontroversial 7/10 olive is one of two winners. As one reviewer wrote: 'Strong, salty but kind of straight shooting – no real funk or gasoline vibes.' That's talking about how they taste, anyway. Texturally, they were all over the place, some firm but some disconcertingly flabby, like eating a partly mushy strawberry. Drop a handful in a pasta and it won't matter much, besides the fact it cost $10 to do so. Macro Organic Whole Kalamata Olives, 350g, $3.30 ($0.94 per 100g), available from Woolworths Score: 7/10 There was a strong correlation between salt and nuance. While the saltiest olives were powerful and sometimes snackier, they sacrificed some character to get there. Macro's olives are a great example. They have almost half the sodium of other products, and reviewers described them as balanced, funky, vegetal and 'unapologetically olivey'. Some thought that was a 9/10 feature, others a 5/10. They're also a beautiful dark shade of purple, like Grimace emerging from a pool in a racy teen romcom, the moonlight glistening on his hair. Deli Originals' Whole Kalamata Olives, 350g, $2.49 ($0.71 per 100g), available at Aldi Score: 6.5/10 Salty, sour and uncomplicated. A classic mid-range kalamata but a bit uglier. What you want to cook with, not serve on a platter for guests worried about your financial security. One reviewer wrote: 'Doesn't have a strong sense of self.' While true, I'm happy for its purpose to be a soldier in the grocery coalition that's fighting for my hope of one day owning a home. Muraca Whole Italian Large Olives, 580g, $8.95 ($1.54 per 100g), available at select grocers Score: 7/10 I recently had a dream where I was an alien living on Earth, masquerading as a human, and the only way I could ever hang out with my friends was at dress-up parties. These olives are always at the dress-up party. While they look like olives, they're unusually enormous, they've got a juicy, meaty texture and a nutty, grassy flavour that I haven't tasted in any other olive. In my dream, it didn't really matter whether I was human or another organism – I found enough people to like me. Same with these olives. As one reviewer said: 'Sticking out into its own territory but I'll follow it there.' Sign up to Saved for Later Catch up on the fun stuff with Guardian Australia's culture and lifestyle rundown of pop culture, trends and tips after newsletter promotion Always Fresh Olives Pitted Sicilian, 230g, $4 ($1.74 per 100g), available at major supermarkets Score: 6.5/10 Always Fresh sells two kinds of green olives: these weirdly green ones (more like a moss green than any olive you'd find on a tree) and another less green variety that's way bigger and more expensive. Although we gave the huge ones a better score (7/10), I think there's use for both. The bigger ones are for maximalists and hedonists. They're sour, salty and, thanks to the novelty size, fun. The smaller ones are fruity, nuanced and delicate – they have no vinegar and less salt than any other olive we tried. These are for people who prefer baroque covers of pop songs over the real thing. Penfield Olives Australian Pitted Green Olives, 250g, $4.49 ($1.80 per 100g), available at select grocers Score: 6/10 On texture, these were the highest-scoring olives of the day. Many reviewers described them as meaty, firm and almost crunchy. But it's hard to give a nuanced description of their taste due to the 4,750mg of salt in the jar (that's a whopping 1,900mg per 100g). Their kalamatas are similar but a bit fattier. Are they good olives or bad olives? I don't know, depends on your salt tolerance. I'd be careful cooking with them, but if you like your martinis in leather pants with the crotch cut out, this is worth a try. Wicked Pitted Kalamata Olives, 450g, $4 ($0.89 per 100g), available at Coles Score: 6/10 Listening to the other reviewers progressively eat and describe this was akin to reading internet commentary about child rearing: how are there so many radically different opinions about this? One said they tasted like cherry pie filling, another like petrochemicals. I thought they were quite wine-like in flavour, while others said anchovies and menthol. The only similarity is the intensity of all those flavours, which makes sense as they were also the most sodium-dense product of the day (1,990mg per 100g). My favourite comment was: 'Straddling the line between exciting and disturbing.' Like meeting your clone – you won't know if you like it or not until you experience it. Mount Zero Organic Kalamata Olives, 300g, $9.70 ($3.23 per 100g), available at select grocers Score: 5/10 The first thing I wrote on my scorecard was: 'What is this?' I knew it was an olive, a kalamata specifically, but I had no idea how an olive could be bitter and sweet in the way wine is (sort of hinting at sweetness but no actual sugar content) while also kind of nutty and oily. One reviewer said it 'tastes like a failed fine dining dessert', which I thought was apt, because like all great art, fine dining should be divisive. I think many people will love them, but few will feel neutral. Always Fresh Black Olives Pitted, 220g, $3.50 ($1.59 per 100g), available at major supermarkets Score: 5/10 Each score is an average of all the reviewers' scores, but a 5/10 average could be made up of 6/10 and 4/10 scores, or by 1/10 and 10/10 scores, and those are very different things. This was the latter. 'Notes of petrol', 'taste like soggy bread' and 'battery acid', said the dissenters. 'Weirdly ersatz floral', 'pleasant fruitiness' and 'nostalgic blandness, giving Pizza Hut vibes but with a hint of creaminess', said their opposition. I thought it was faintly floral and buttery, like tasting an olive through a cloth. Somehow, I still gave them a 7/10 – but maybe even the most minimal, weird Philip Glass song feels special after listening to 21 tracks of hardcore EDM. Monini L'Oliva Leccino Pitted, 150g, $4.90 ($3.27 per 100g), available at Coles Score: 3/10 I have eaten many terrible things in my life and both Monini's green and black olives are right up there with the worst. Like primary school orchestra dissonance, early AI videos and my grandparents' cooking, they're bad in a creative way, so much so I would have no idea how to recreate the experience. Had I not been in an olive taste test, I could have easily guessed them to be a non-olive entity. One reviewer wrote: 'Conduct a study into the psychology of people who knowingly buy this. Or perhaps give them a Covid test.' Which is exactly what I'd like to do to the two people who gave them a positive score. Green Valley Pitted Kalamata 6.5/10 Coles Whole Green Olives 6.5/10 Always Fresh Pitted Giant Green 7/10 Always Fresh Organic Kalamata Olives Pitted 6/10 Sandhurst Pitted Kalamata Olives 6/10 Penfield Olives Pitted Kalamata Olives 5.5/10 Woolworths Pitted Whole Kalamata Olives 5.5/10 Ceres Organics Green Olives Pitted 5/10 Coles Pitted Kalamata Olives 4.5/10 Monini L'Oliva Bella Di Cerignola Pitted 3.5/10
The Advertiser
17-07-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
Raffle benefits felt wider than the club
One of the nations oldest football clubs claimed victory in the 2024 season. Picture supplied By Jen Walker Updated July 17 2025 - 4:20pm, first published 11:34am In partnership with Toyota. The Sandhurst Football Netball Club is one of the oldest AFL clubs in Australia. In 1861, J B Thompson, who a couple of years earlier had been one of the founders of Australian Rules football, moved to Bendigo and became secretary and captain of its first football club, called Sandhurst. Today, it is a thriving club, with both male and female football leagues, all grades of netball, and Auskick. Club Treasurer Peter Watson explains that while Sandhurst is an affiliated and well-known club in the senior league, it actually comprises about three-quarters juniors, with football and netball reaching into primary school levels. "We like to offer choice for people who think team sports are the way to go - especially football and netball. If people want to play sport with us from infancy until retirement, they can probably do that." The club is unique in that there isn't actually a place called Sandhurst in Bendigo. Most clubs draw from their geographic area, whereas Sandhurst's 500-plus players and members hail from all over the district, often coming from nearby schools or family connections. Games are played at what Peter calls "one of the great grounds of country Victoria" - Queen Elizabeth Oval in the centre of town - and he says the club likes to do its bit to contribute to the facilities such as the social areas and change rooms. Volunteer-based clubs rarely have the budget to cover all that needs doing, so effective fundraisers that are easy to run are seen as a bonus, and for Sandhurst Toyota's Good for Footy Raffle is just that. Peter said the club has been involved in the raffle for a few years, although it held back when the raffle first started because it sounded too good to be true. "A fundraiser that is so easy to administer and where you get to keep all the proceeds? We believe it now and can't praise Toyota enough for its generosity. This is an outstanding initiative, and clubs can only benefit." Last year, Sandhurst made close to $5000 from the raffle and hopes to do slightly better this year through posters with QR codes, and promotion through social media, email and home games, although Peter said they could potentially make much more. "And that's nothing to do with the raffle itself. Toyota spoon-feeds you with everything possible for you to succeed. I don't think there are too many other initiatives where for a bit of effort within your community, you can really draw your own return. It's the quintessential 'everyone does a little bit and it gets a big result'. "Toyota takes all the administration, effort, technology, transactional elements off your hands, and when you're in the weeds in club land, you really appreciate that." The Toyota Good for Footy raffle offers a chance to win one of 47 prizes, including three new cars, from a prize pool worth nearly $300,000. Tickets are $5 and your ticket price goes to the AFL club of your choice. Sandhurst plans to spend its raffle proceeds predominantly on making capital improvements and buying equipment and appliances that wouldn't usually be covered by its operational funds. As their home ground is a multi-use facility that is used year-round by different sports, these benefits will be enjoyed by thousands in the community, not just Sandhurst members. This article has been produced in partnership with Toyota
News.com.au
15-07-2025
- News.com.au
‘Suspicious': Influencer's home firebombed in targeted attack
An Australian influencer has shared her shock and distress after her Melbourne home was firebombed in what police believe was a targeted attack while she was holidaying in Bali. Caitlin Lyndon, popularly known as ' fitmum ' online, was celebrating with friends on Sunday when she received a late-night call at 2am informing her of the attack. Victorian police told the fire in Sandhurst, 37 km southeast of Melbourne's CBD, was considered 'suspicious'. 'Police are investigating a suspicious house fire in Sandhurst on 13 July,' they said. 'Emergency services responded to reports of a house fire on Malua Circuit, with at least two people fleeing the scene in a dark coloured hatch about 2am. 'No one was inside the house at the time of the blaze.' A short time later, police responded to reports of an abandoned car on fire in a street approximately five minutes away. Investigators are working to determine if the two incidents are linked. Ms Lyndon, who is a mum of one and an OnlyFans creator, said her home had been so badly damaged she 'literally fell on the floor' when she heard the news. The influencer, who has 84,000 followers on Instagram, told The Daily Telegraph that she was struggling to understand why her home had allegedly been targeted in the arson attack. 'I cannot fathom that somebody would do this to me,' she told the outlet. 'Everyone has enemies … I think everyone pisses people off in every life, but I would never imagine having pissed people off enough to have your personal home lit on fire where you and your son's belongings are.' After the incident, Ms Lyndon took to social media in a rant and lashed out at the alleged attackers, labelling them as 'f***ing rats' despite not knowing who could be responsible. Police have said that an arson chemist will attend the scene but encourages anyone with information that could assist police to come forward. Ms Lyndon had only recently moved into the home just two months ago, but the fire damage has made the property now 'uninhabitable'. 'I lost everything. People can hate and say I'm just in Bali and living life, but this is the worst experience of my life,' she said. 'I will be going into emergency housing, which is my only option at the moment, but my main focus is to keep my son in routine … obviously, he's lost all his toys.' In her Instagram video, she shared that her house was fitted with CCTV but it was somehow disabled before the attack. 'And I live in the biggest Karen estate ever, so this is just grouse,' she said. 'I didn't even think you could shut down CCTV so these c**ts are just dogs.' She said at the end of the day, she was 'grateful' her son and dogs were safe and that she could 'replace our furniture', but not her family. 'I've never wanted to hold my baby so tight in all my life. True friends and families' colours are shown in times like this,' she said. 'I'm not afraid to cry and show you that I have f***ing emotions because you know what I worked my a** off to get to where I was, and even if I've lost everything, you've burnt it down and you've ruined my life. I will build my life again, but my son does not deserve this.' She also shared a photo to her Instagram stories showing the damage to her home. 'My home,' she wrote next to a crying emoji.
