Latest news with #SecondWorldWar.The
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Castle Howard rooms damaged in 1940 fire reopen to public
Rooms damaged by a fire 80 years ago at a country estate have been restored and reopened to the Howard in North Yorkshire unveiled the revamped Tapestry Drawing Room, Gallery and Grand Staircase as part of its 21st Century Renaissance rooms were damaged in 1940 during a suspected chimney fire, which swept through nearly a whole wing of the Howard, who runs the estate with his wife Victoria, said that rebuilding the Tapestry Drawing Room around the pieces that were woven to hang there was like "making a suit to match the buttons". Stately home Castle Howard is a private residence and has been home to the Howard family for more than 300 fire destroyed the building's dome and more than 20 rooms in the house while it was being used as a school for girls during the Second World dome was restored in 1962 and the filming of Brideshead Revisited at the site helped pay for the reconstruction of the the Garden Hall and New the latest work was carried out, the tapestry room was a shell with a hole in the wall where the fireplace had four tapestries which were woven for the room in 1706 by John Vanderbank and depict the four seasons have now been returned to their original positions. Eleanor Brooke-Peat, curator of collections and archives, said the tapestries revealed information about the original home."This would have been a house filled with colour," she said."We know from some very early visitor accounts to the house in the early 18th Century that people were really blown away by that." Speaking about the newly reopened rooms, Victoria Howard said: "Ironically, we're hoping that people who've never been to the house before will just see them as part of the house because we want it to look as though it has always been here." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Speaker turns on famous Big Ben light to mark wartime anniversary
House of Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has switched on Parliament's historic Ayrton Light to commemorate the moment his predecessor did the same thing 80 years ago towards the end of the Second World light which sits above the Big Ben bell at the top of the Elizabeth Tower, was switched off at the outbreak of war in 1939 to comply with blackout rules were aimed at reducing any light which could help Germany bombers find their 1945, then Commons Speaker Col Clifton Brown interrupted a parliamentary debate to tell MPs that after five years, seven months and 23 days, he was turning the light back on. Addressing the Commons, Clifton Brown said: "I pray that with God's blessing, this light will shine henceforth not only as an outward and visible sign that the Parliament of a free people is assembled in free debate, but also that it may shine as a beacon of sure hope in a sadly torn and distracted world.' To mark the anniversary, Sir Lindsay recreated the switching on, accompanied by Chelsea Pensioners John Morris, 103, and Tony Hunt, Hunt was seven years old on VE (Victory in Europe) day and recalled his memories of blackout regulations being lifted."One minute we were making sure the blinds were down and diving into air-raid shelters for safety in the dark because the sirens were sounding – the next, cars and buses had their headlights on, and it was a different world.'We had street parties, played cricket in the streets, and families were reunited – it was a very special time."Mr Morris joined the Army at the age of 17 and during the war served as an anti-aircraft gunner in the Royal Artillery. He later joined the Raiding Support Regiment and fought in Italy and Yugoslavia. Sir Lindsay said it was "an incredible privilege to recreate such a symbolic moment in our history, with two Armed Forces veterans who remember what it was like to realise that peace was returning after six long years at war."Turning on the Ayrton Light was important to Speaker Clifton Brown because it showed that democracy had survived the war and it is something we have held dear ever since."The Ayrton Light is switched on to signify that either the House of Lords or the House of Commons are sitting. It was installed in 1885 at the request of Queen Victoria who wanted to be able to see from Buckingham Palace if her parliamentarians were sitting after dark. The light was named after Acton Smee Ayrton, Commissioner of Works between 1869 and 1873. It was switched off in 2017, for the first time since the war, to allow repairs to take entire light was dismantled and sent to a Sheffield workshop to be restored and was turned back on in 2022.
BBC News
10-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
King and Queen leave Italy after state visit
King Charles and Queen Camilla have left Italy after a four-day state ended the trip with a celebration of the country's food, trying their hand at making pasta at a festival in visit had included a brief private meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican, where the pontiff, who has been seriously ill, gave them his best wishes for their 20th wedding anniversary, which they celebrated on Thursday, they had an enthusiastic reception from big crowds in the historic city, with people waiting hours in the Italian sunshine to see the royal visitors. On the last day of the visit the King and Queen had a tour around a food festival full of local was a slight end-of-term feel to the event, after an intensive few days of public events, with the King and Queen looking relaxed as they shook hands with crowds lining the King has spoken of his love for Italian culture and the trip to Ravenna allowed him to see the tomb of the writer Dante Alighieri. The Italian writer is famous for his depictions of heaven and hell, but despite any pressures from his ongoing health problems, the King showed no sign of being in any kind of in a summery suit on a hot afternoon, he was quick to get over to chat to people at the barriers. Although in a heaving square, he was more at risk of being mobbed by a battalion of dignitaries than people who had come to see was also a commemoration in Ravenna's town hall of the role played by Canadian troops in liberating this part of Italy in the Second World King is also head of state of Canada – and he has been at pains to send symbolic signs of support to Canada, at a time when it has been put under pressure by US President Donald Trump. This has been a very well-received state visit that seemed to generate plenty of goodwill, with a warm reception from both the Italian public and political King received a standing ovation after a speech in Italy's Parliament on Wednesday, where he called for Italy and the UK to stand together to defend democratic praised how the UK and Italy "stood by Ukraine in her hour of need". At a state banquet at the Quirinal Palace in Rome, where the King and Queen spent the evening of their wedding anniversary, the King joked about the lavish dinner for 150 guests."I must say it really is very good of you, Mr President, to lay on this small romantic, candle-lit dinner for two…," the King told the state visits are carried out on behalf of the government and the backdrop to this trip to Italy has been a wave of international economic and diplomatic turmoil, with the conflict in Ukraine being mentioned in both of the King's speeches."We are living in a very precarious and fragile world," the King told the state banquet on Wednesday UK government has been keen for a post-Brexit "reset" with its European partners and the state visit saw multiple references to the military links between the UK and was given symbolic form by a joint flypast thundering over Rome from the UK's Red Arrows and the Italian pilots of the Frecce King had summed this up in his speech: "In difficult times, friends stand together." In a country full of antiquities, this was a theme both ancient and modern.
BBC News
07-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive in Italy for state visit
King Charles and Queen Camilla have arrived in Rome to begin their state visit to Italy, which will see a mix of soft-power diplomacy, greeting the crowds and also romance, as the trip coincides with the couple's 20th wedding flew into Ciampino airport, stepping out into late afternoon sunshine, with Italian government officials and a guard of honour to greet UK's ambassador to Italy, Lord Llewellyn, part of the welcoming party, said this was an "historic" moment and such visits had an "intangible but priceless" a backdrop of international uncertainty, the visit is part of the UK's post-Brexit "reset" in reinforcing links with European allies. "This state visit comes at a key moment," said Lord Llewellyn, "as we reset our relations with our European partners".There had already been reports of "royal fever" and the Italian public valued the King and Queen's enthusiasm for their history, culture and cooking, said Lord Llewellyn, speaking to reporters ahead of the visit."Their love for Italy... and all things Italian resonate deeply here," said the ambassador, predicting a warm welcome ahead of the trip to Rome and the historic city of state visit was originally intended to include the Vatican, where the King had been due to attend events including a service in the Sistine Chapel, but that had been postponed because of the ill-health of Pope Pope seems to be recovering, appearing in St Peter's Square at the weekend, but so far there are no plans for a private meeting, although there has been speculation it might be something that would appeal to both sides if possible. State visits, carried out on behalf of the UK government, are an eclectic mix of elaborate ceremony, charming the crowds, flying the flag for business, trying local food and addressing serious international will be pizza, pasta and visit comes at a time of economic and diplomatic upheaval from US President Donald Trump - and accompanying the King is the UK's Foreign Secretary David will be an emphasis on the UK's closer military ties with Italy, which Lord Llewellyn said was "vital in a changing Europe, as both our countries stand steadfast in our support for Ukraine".Italy is also the UK's ninth biggest trading partner - and a popular tourist destination, with Rome's historic sights currently overflowing with was a nod to Canada too in the ambassador's comments, saying that a trip to Ravenna would reflect that King Charles was also King of Canada, with tributes to be paid to Canadian forces who helped to liberate Italy 80 years ago during the Second World King has had a complicated diplomatic balancing act, as head of state of both the UK and Canada, at a time when Canada has been put under great pressure by the Trump whisky producers, worrying about US tariffs, might also welcome a plug for their produce at a food festival in Ravenna, where it will be paired with parmesan cheese. Over the next three days, the royal couple will visit the Colosseum, watch a joint Italian and UK airforce flypast and learn about Italian slow food. The King will also meet Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni and become the first UK monarch to give a speech to both houses of Italy's culture-loving royals will also have visits associated with the writers Dante and Lord evening of the King and Queen's wedding anniversary on Wednesday will be spent at the Quirinale Palace for a state banquet. It will be a big personal moment for the couple, but these are also glitzy public events, with celebrities and politicians on the guest list, with a menu that showcases the country's of the trip, there was an Italian dinner at the King's Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, attended by guests including film stars Stanley Tucci and Helen Mirren, and former footballer David state visit is going to be an intensive set of engagements and follows a recent "bump in the road" for the King's had a brief stay in hospital after suffering side effects from his cancer treatment, but was well enough to return to a series of engagements last Lord Llewellyn said he was confident the trip by the royals - described as "Carlo and Camilla" in the Italian press - would leave a "meaningful and broad legacy". Sign up here to get the latest royal stories and analysis every week with our Royal Watch newsletter. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
BBC News
05-03-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Special musical to mark 80th Liberation Day in Jersey
A Jersey primary school has started rehearsals for a special musical to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Liberation Mary's School pupils have been learning the lines and songs for Make Do And Mend which was originally written to mark the 50th anniversary of Liberation follows the story of a character called Collette who keeps a diary stating in 1939, showing what life was like during the Occupation in the Second World play has been adapted to include more children and the pupils will perform the musical at Jersey Arts Centre on 6 May in the build up to Liberation Day. Annabella, 10, is playing the lead role of Collette while Mia, 11, is playing the role of Collette's said: "It's been really fun. It's a lot of words to learn but I think with time and effort that I can learn them all.""The play has definitely helped me understand the Occupation and what ordinary families had to do to survive."Mia added: "I've really enjoyed rehearsals because you know you're going to be performing on the Arts Centre stage." St Mary's School headteacher Maria Stegenwalner adapted the musical from the original and has been helping with said: "I worked for the headteacher who wrote this in 1955." She said the writer had been "worried that lots of the stories from that time would disappear and children wouldn't know what happened".Ms Stegenwalner added: "We are really early in rehearsals but the pupils keep finding new little things that crop up that they hadn't considered before about the Occupation."The school had asked for help making the costumes for children playing German soldiers and costume designer Denise Renoulf has offered to help.
