Latest news with #reception
Telegraph
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
King shares ‘salty tales' with old shipmates
The King has hosted a private Buckingham Palace reception for old shipmates from his naval days to 'share a few salty tales on the trip down memory sea-lane'. The event, thought to be the first of its kind, was personally requested by the King to thank his old comrades for their 'continued loyalty, laughter and support over the decades'. It was funded by the monarch privately. The King, as Prince of Wales, served in both the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force during the 1970s. Three months ago, he said: 'My own time at sea… remains one of the most formative, and fondest, experiences of my life.' Among some 400 guests invited to the reception were previous shipmates and their partners from HMS Bronington, Jupiter, Norfolk, Hermione, Minerva, Hermes, Dryad, Fox, and Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, as well as fellow aviators drawn from 845 Naval Air Squadron, and across the Fleet Air Arm. When the King gave up his military career to dedicate himself to royal duties in 1976, he used his Royal Navy severance pay to create the King's Trust. A palace aide said ahead of the reception: 'His Majesty was greatly looking forward to seeing his old shipmates, and no doubt sharing a few salty tales on the trip down memory sea-lane. 'He is most grateful for their continued loyalty, laughter and support over the decades, and looked forward to hearing where life's journeys had taken them all. 'As we approach the 50th anniversary of The King's Trust, which was initially funded with His Majesty's £7,400 severance pay from the Navy, it was a timely opportunity to reflect on what great things have sprung from those formative years – including lifelong friendships and a continued commitment to public service.' Others invited to the palace on Wednesday included a contingent from HMY Britannia and representatives from the King's patronages the White Ensign Association, the Royal Navy Club of 1765 and 1785, the Royal Naval Benevolent Trust and the Association of Royal Naval Officers. The King, as Prince of Wales, was taught to fly while he was studying at Cambridge University by RAF Squadron Leader Philip Penney. In 1971, he flew himself to RAF Cranwell in Lincolnshire to train as a jet pilot, graduating later that year after receiving his wings. The King went on to embark on his naval career, joining the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. He began as a 22-year-old acting sub-lieutenant, and was later posted to the guided missile destroyer HMS Norfolk and then to the frigates HMS Minerva and HMS Jupiter in the West Indies and the Pacific respectively. The King returned to England to learn naval aviation, eventually earning the Double Diamond trophy as best pilot. He rose to command minesweeper HMS Bronington before returning to royal duties. In 2012, Elizabeth II awarded him the highest rank in all three services – Field Marshal, Admiral of the Fleet and Marshal of the Royal Air Force. On her death in 2022, the King became the Commander-in-Chief of the UK Armed Forces and, a month later, he replaced his younger son, the Duke of Sussex, as Captain General of the Royal Marines. In March this year, the King became the first monarch to visit a Royal Navy warship at sea in almost 40 years when he flew by helicopter to HMS Prince of Wales in the English Channel as it prepared for a major deployment to Japan. He spoke with deep affection about his time in the Navy and described his 'enduring respect' for the service. Meanwhile, the Queen has hailed the legacy of a literary prize that brought women's writing 'from the margins of the literary world to its very centre'. Camilla surprised shoppers when she dropped in on a pop-up Waterstones store in London, before joining an event to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Women's Prize for Fiction. She said the prize had 'transformed the literary landscape for women', launching careers and ensuring that bestsellers had 'flown off the shelves into the hands and hearts of the public'. The Queen met the six authors shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction including Nussaibah Younis, whose novel Fundamentally tells the story of an academic who travels to Iraq to de-radicalise a teenage Islamic State recruit, and Yael van der Wouden, who wrote The Safekeep. 'I shall be thinking of you' Her Majesty told Tell Me Everything writer Elizabeth Strout: 'I have read your books, they are lovely.' 'Good luck to you all,' she told the group. 'I shall be thinking of you.' She was then introduced to the six shortlisted authors for the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction, including singer-songwriter and rapper Neneh Cherry, whose debut book, A Thousand Threads, tells the story of her career. The Queen told Clare Mulley, whose Agent Zo tells the story of the Polish wartime resistance fighter Elzbieta Zawacka: 'I think I will put that on my holiday reading list.' And she delighted author Chloe Dalton by telling her she had read her memoir Raising Hare about swapping the rat race for a rural life. Author Kate Mosse, who founded the prize, said the Queen's attendance had been kept secret. 'Nobody knew, which is why people were so surprised,' she said. 'If you're going to lay on the Queen, if it's not Beyoncé, it's got to be the actual Queen.'
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Couple's wedding nightmare as police called and four-star hotel cancels evening reception after 'breakfast brawl' hours before the nuptials
A couple had their dream wedding turn into a nightmare when a 'brawl' broke out at breakfast, police were called and their evening reception at a plush hotel was cancelled. Bride Mica Morrison and groom Rob Leah, both 29, were said to have been 'heartbroken' after officers tried to halt the ceremony with nearly 100 guests and ordered everyone to leave. Desperate family members held crisis talks with the hotel manager and it was finally agreed that the noon service could go ahead followed by a buffet lunch in a decked out marquee. However, a ban on alcohol was imposed at the meal and, apart from guests raising a single glass of bubbly or beer to the couple after they had tied the knot, it was strictly bottled water only on each table. The distraught newlyweds had to cut short a professional photo shoot to frantically try to find an alternative place for their evening party, for which a further 50 guests had been invited. One guest at Ringwood Hall Hotel - a popular 4-star wedding venue and spa in Brimington, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire - told the Daily Mail that 'all mayhem broke out' after a row at breakfast. Three police cars and two vans raced to the scene after a member of the wedding party started rowing with other hotel guests on Thursday last week. Officers are still investigating the incident. The burly man, in his early 30s, had asked other guests to move, claiming they were blocking the way as he was pushing a disabled woman, thought to be his mother, in a wheelchair, witnesses said. One guest, who saw the drama unfold, said: 'The man started shouting and gesticulating. 'He was a big fella and he looked quite intimidating. When a couple from the group he was rowing with grabbed his arms to calm him down, he kept shaking them off and in the scuffle a woman ended up on the floor. 'Staff looked horrified and it was shocking for other guests to see, as we were trying to enjoy a peaceful breakfast. 'You don't expect behaviour like that at a decent hotel. It was all going off at the breakfast buffet. It was mayhem. 'Shortly afterwards, police arrived and started talking to those involved as well as searching the place as if a murder had been committed. 'Someone said the bride and groom had been upstairs at the time and not at breakfast but were furious police had turned up and ruined their wedding. 'They were saying staff and police overreacted, that they had mis-read the situation and acted too impulsively. 'The person who had started the row wasn't arrested but was banned from the premises.' People using the hotel's spa were advised to stay within the facility and not leave until the drama was over. One spa guest added: 'The bride and groom were overheard pleading with staff to let them go ahead with their wedding. 'The bride in her white gown was overheard saying: 'This was meant to be one day for we would always remember and now we will for all the wrong reasons.' The guest went on: 'All sorts of rumours were going around, that food was being thrown across the room and a woman had been flung over a table which were slightly exaggerated.' It is understood Ms Morrison, a teaching assistant at a special needs school, and her partner of seven years, who is an assistant manager at a windscreen removals firm, finally tied the knot in a low key service at the 'idyllic' hotel. They had ironically won their booking at the bespoke venue for free in a competition but paid nearly £6,000 in other wedding related costs. The party was banned from holding a planned evening reception in the stunning 29-acre woodland grounds but fortunately found another location at the eleventh hour, it was said. The night bash was held at Heanor Town Football Club in Derbyshire - a 30-minute drive from the hotel, which meant costly taxi journeys. Some of the guests due to stay a second night at Ringwood simply cancelled and are understood to have been given room refunds. A DJ booked for the original reception was cancelled and the newlyweds ended up with no live entertainment at the impromptu reception, instead dancing to music played on a mobile phone. The wedding party feasted on takeaway pizza. Disc jockey Jonathan Jono Hotchkiss - booked through JC Events in Stourbridge for £870 - had posted: 'Well what a day! Turned up at Ringwood Hotel, two-hour drive to set up and was told the gig's been cancelled due to a big fight at breakfast. 'Police attended and advised the hotel to cancel the wedding. 'We turned the van around and now we get a message as we're half way back to say they have moved venue.' But it was too late for the DJ to make the new venue. Ringwood Hall Hotel boasts it helps create a 'perfect wedding', stating in its brochure: 'Hosting your wedding day, from the ceremony through to evening reception and overnight stay, means you and your love ones can relax from the very beginning of the day, knowing that your ceremony and celebrations are in very safe hands.' A hotel source said: 'What happened was an upsetting experience for the wedding party, other guests and our staff. 'Police wanted the wedding to be cancelled but we spoke to them and it was agreed it could go ahead with restrictions - a ban on alcohol and cancellation of the evening reception. 'Also, the wedding guest involved in the fight in the breakfast room was ordered to leave the hotel. The source said the hotel had clamped down on bad guest behaviour following an incident last year during another wedding, saying: 'After that the hotel issued a new policy - any trouble and ask them to leave.' She added: 'It's not fair for staff or other hotel and spa guests to have to tolerate any offensive behaviour.' Ms Morrison and Mr Leah, parents of two young children, who live in Derby, did not wish to comment. Ringwood Hotel's management was approached for comment. A Derbyshire Police spokesperson said: 'Officers were called to reports of an altercation at Ringwood Hall Hotel in Brimington, Chesterfield, at about 8.45am on 29 May. 'No arrests have been made and enquiries into the incident are ongoing.'
The National
6 days ago
- Politics
- The National
President Sheikh Mohamed hosts Eid Al Adha reception
President Sheikh Mohamed at an Eid Al Adha reception at Mushrif Palace, with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah, Sheikh Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi, Ruler of Fujairah, Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, Sheikh Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla, Ruler of Umm Al Quwain, and Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Ruler of Ajman. All photos: Presidential Court
CNET
18-05-2025
- CNET
These 10 Hacks Could Be the End of Your Terrible Signal Forever
There's nothing worse than being in the middle of a road trip and realizing your cell signal has dropped out. No GPS, no music and no way to call for help if something goes wrong. A weak signal can cause all kinds of problems, but the good news is that there are a few quick fixes that might get you back online fast. Whether you're using an iPhone or Android, these simple hacks can help boost your reception and keep you connected when you need it most. Whether you're doing some routine phone maintenance or you're stuck in an emergency, there are multiple ways to improve your reception on an iPhone or Android phone, no matter what type of phone plan you're on. It might even come down to something as simple as toggling Airplane mode. To go from dropped calls to full bars, here's what you need to know. Find Free Wi-Fi Near You to Stay Connected Find Free Wi-Fi Near You to Stay Connected Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 8:02 Loaded : 6.23% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 8:02 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Find Free Wi-Fi Near You to Stay Connected Note: Although software across different iPhone models is relatively the same, Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel and other Android phones may have different software versions, so certain settings and where they are located might differ depending on device. For more, check out how you can use Google Maps when you're offline and how you can maybe fix your internet when it's down. To improve your cellphone service, try these steps first The settings on your phone can help you get better cell service, but there are other tricks for improving your reception without even touching your phone's software. Move yourself so that there are no obstructions between your phone and any cell towers outside . That might involve stepping away from metal objects or concrete walls, which both kill reception. Instead, get to a window or go outside if possible. . That might involve stepping away from metal objects or concrete walls, which both kill reception. Instead, get to a window or go outside if possible. Remove your phone case . It doesn't hurt to remove whatever case you have on your phone, especially if it's thick, so that the phone's antenna isn't blocked by anything and can get a better signal. . It doesn't hurt to remove whatever case you have on your phone, especially if it's thick, so that the phone's antenna isn't blocked by anything and can get a better signal. Make sure your phone is charged. Searching for and connecting to a stronger signal drains power, so if your phone battery is already low on charge, you may have a difficult time getting good service. Some phone cases cause more signal disruption than others. David Carnoy/CNET Always start by turning Airplane mode on and off Turning your phone's connection off and then back on is the quickest and easiest way to try and fix your signal woes. If you're moving around from one location to another, toggling Airplane mode restarts the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and cellular network modems, which forces them to find the best signal in the area. Android: Swipe down from the top of your screen -- to access the Quick Settings panel -- and then tap the Airplane mode icon. Wait for your phone to completely disconnect from its Wi-Fi and cellular connections. It doesn't happen instantly, so give it a good 15 seconds before you tap on the Airplane mode icon again. iPhone: On the iPhone, you can access Airplane mode from the Control Center, but that varies depending on which iPhone model you have. On the iPhone X and later, swipe down from the top-right corner to access the Control Center. On older iPhone models, swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Then tap the Airplane mode icon, which will turn orange when it's enabled. Again, wait up to 15 seconds before turning it off. Left: Airplane mode on your iPhone. Right: Airplane mode on an Android. Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET If Airplane mode doesn't work, restart your phone Our phones are miniature computers, and just like computers, sometimes you can fix issues like network connection by simply restarting them. Android: Hold down the power button, or the power button and the volume down key (depending on your Android phone), until the on-screen menu shows up, and then tap Restart. If your phone doesn't offer a restart option, you can simply tap Power Off to shut down your device, and then boot it back up with the power button. iPhone: On the iPhone X and older models, hold down the sleep/wake button and either one of the volume buttons and then swipe right on the power slider to turn off the device. Wait until it fully turns off, then press down on the sleep/wake button to turn it back on. Alternatively, you can do a force reset on your iPhone: Press the volume up button, followed by the volume down button and then press and hold the side button. Keep holding it in, after your phone's screen goes black and until you see the Apple logo appear again. If your iPhone has a home button, hold down the sleep/wake button until the power slider is displayed and then drag the slider to the right. Once the device is turned off, press and hold the sleep/wake button until you see the Apple logo. Left: Restarting an Android phone. Right: Powering off an iPhone. Screenshots by Jason Cipriani/CNET Older phone? Take your SIM card out Another troubleshooting step that might help is to remove your SIM card, if your phone has one, and then place it back in with the phone turned on. If the SIM card is dirty, clean it. If it has any physical defects, you may need to replace it. You'll need a SIM card tool -- usually included in your phone's box -- or an unfolded paper clip or sewing needle to get the SIM tray out of your phone. All phones: Remove the SIM card, check to see if it's damaged and positioned in the SIM tray correctly, then put it back in your phone. eSIM: For phones with an eSIM -- that is, an embedded electronic SIM in your phone -- there's nothing for you to remove. The best you can do is restart your phone. Removing and putting your SIM card back into your phone takes just a couple of seconds. Jason Cipriani/CNET Check your carrier settings (and update your software) Mobile carriers frequently send out carrier settings updates to help improve connectivity for calls, data and messages on their network. Although this feature is available on all iPhone models, it's not universal on Android, so you might not find carrier settings if you don't have a supported phone. iPhone: Carrier updates should just appear, and you can update from the pop-up message that appears. To force your iPhone to check for a carrier settings update, go to Settings > General > About on your phone. If an update is available, you'll be prompted to install it. Android: As mentioned before, not all Android phones have carrier settings, so you'll have to open the Settings app and type in "carrier settings" to find any possible updates. On supported Pixels, go to Settings > Network & internet > Internet, tap the gear next to your carrier name and then tap Carrier settings versions. Left: iOS carrier settings. Right: Android carrier settings. Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET Reset your phone's network settings Sometimes all you need is a clean slate to fix an annoying connectivity issue. Refreshing your phone's network settings is one way to do that. But be forewarned, resetting your network settings will also reset any saved Wi-Fi passwords, VPN connections and custom APN settings for those on carriers that require additional setup. Android: In the Settings app, search for "reset" or more specifically "reset network settings" and tap on the setting. On the Pixel, the setting is called Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth. After you reset your network settings, remember to reconnect your phone to your home and work Wi-Fi networks. iPhone: Go to Settings > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network settings. The next page will warn you that resetting your network settings will reset your settings for Wi-Fi, mobile data and Bluetooth. Tap Reset Network Settings and your phone will restart. Resetting network settings should be one of the last troubleshooting steps you try. Screenshots by Nelson Aguilar/CNET Contact your phone carrier Sometimes unexpected signal issues can be traced back to problems with your wireless carrier. A cell tower could be down, or the tower's fiber optic cable could have been cut, causing an outage. For consistent problems connecting to or staying connected to a cellular or data network, it's possible your carrier's coverage doesn't extend well into your neighborhood. Other times, a newfound signal issue can be due to a defect with your phone or a SIM card that's gone bad. Contacting your carrier to begin troubleshooting after you've tried these fixes is the next best step to resolving your spotty signal. Sometimes contacting your carrier is the only way to get signal issues resolved. Angela Lang/CNET If all else fails, try a signal booster to improve cell reception If after going through all of our troubleshooting steps, including talking to your carrier to go over your options, you're still struggling to keep a good signal -- try a booster. A signal booster receives the same cellular signal your carrier uses, then amplifies it just enough to provide coverage in a room or your entire house. The big downside here is the cost. Wilson has three different boosters designed for home use, ranging in price from $349 for single room coverage to $999 to cover your entire home. To be clear, we haven't specifically tested these models. Wilson offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and a two-year warranty should you have any trouble with its products.
