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Daily Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Meghan Markle's 'garden haul' of vegetables causes suspicion amongst fans who say they look store-bought
Meghan Markle's innocent-looking wholesome picture showing her 'garden haul' of fresh vegetables has left royal fans saying they look far too clean and some would not be available at this time of year. The duchess, 43, posted the image that featured the family's beagle Mia as she sniffed the basket of fresh produce seemingly freshly picked from the Sussexes Montecito mansion in California. Meghan's caption said of Mia: 'The unofficial quality inspector of this morning's garden haul.' Mia buried her face in the 'haul' comprising of broccoli, carrots, corn, red peppers, and squash as well as spring onions, and an assortment of fresh herbs. However, eagle-eyed social media users immediately claimed there was something suspicious about the packed basket, such as a lack of any mud on them. One person wrote: 'And everything is perfectly clean. She is also the only person outside of the U.S. Cornbelt to harvest corn in MAY?' Another said: 'Huh. She's so good at gardening she can grow all things from all seasons at once'. Taking note of the squeaky-clean vegetables, another critic noted there wasn't even a 'speck of dirt' on any of the food, despite appearing to be freshly picked. A comment read: 'I've never seen vegetables so clean after harvesting.' Others noted that in California, it could be too early to harvest several crops. Some even speculated that Meghan could have gone to a local store or farmers' market, instead. One person noted: 'The only place I see all that in season is the grocery store produce section.' Another critic said: 'It's way too early in the season for most of those vegetables to be grown in her garden and ready to pick.' Another wrote: 'No dirt?' According to the California Farmland Trust, sweetcorn's typically harvested from June to September - which meant it would be slightly too early for Meghan to have grown her own at home. Odd: Not everyone was convinced and some pointed out inconsistencies with the post By contrast, broccoli's harvested much earlier in the year, according to the Vegetable Research & Information Centre. Spring onions, bell peppers, carrots and certain types of squash could be ripe enough for harvesting. Meghan and Harry's rescue dog Mia was first seen in the family's Christmas card in December. Among six pictures included in the festive greetings card was one that showed the Sussexes with their two children Archie and Lilibet, as well as other dogs, including Labrador Pula, and their beloved beagle Guy, who passed away earlier this year. Nine-year-old Mia was rescued by the couple from an animal testing center in 2022. Royal brand: Meghan's lifestyle brand's called As Ever Solo time: Meghan and Harry had a date night meal at their local Italian restaurant Tre Lune in Montecito Meghan claimed she was taught to feel guilty about being rich and revealed her fears about 'never having enough' money to Spanx founder Sara Blakely. Speaking on the final episode of Meghan's Confessions Of A Female Founder podcast, Blakely spoke of the joy of female entrepreneurs 'obtaining a lot of financial freedom and money for themselves'. Meghan admitted she would 'love to adopt' her mindset but claimed that women often felt discouraged from building their own fortunes: 'So many women, especially, we're taught to not even talk about money and there's lots of guilt mentality surrounding having a lot. 'And at the same time there's a scarcity mindset that it's easy to attach to, of like "I'll never have enough."' Talking about her own businesses, which include her As Ever brand, Meghan said: 'When you only have yourself to answer to I think it's twofold. It can be incredibly liberating or it can be incredibly lonely. 'There's a misconception that you need to go to Harvard Business School and have a lot of money and get all the best people behind you [to be successful in business]... So you talk yourself out of it.' The duchess was referring to her business and balancing work with motherhood as the first series of her podcast ended. After her As Ever products jam, flower sprinkles, tea, and other items sold out, Meghan said she wants to 'step back, gather data from the launch, and figure out exactly what As Ever could be'. Meghan said for now she is planning to launch a new range of merchandise in early 2026 - and may widen her brand into clothing. She said: 'The category of fashion is something I will explore at a later date, because I do think that's an interesting space for me.' Her online store sold out in 45 minutes and contained homely items as well as her long-awaited pots of jam. In the interview, Meghan also revealed she wouldn't know 'what to call herself' if she had to write a CV. She said: 'If I had to write a resume, I don't know what I would call myself. I think it speaks to this chapter many of us find ourselves in, where none of us are one note. But I believe all the notes I am playing are part of the same song.' Meghan added that the 'mom moments' push her to success in the business world, with plans in the future ranging from home goods to fashion. Revealing her son Archie has begun to lose his teeth, she described becoming the tooth fairy and leaving coins and a little dinosaur underneath his pillow. She said: 'I had a lot of business meetings the next morning, but I still chose to cuddle with him the rest of the night. Those mom moments energize me to be a better founder, a better employer, a better boss.' Going, going, gone: She revealed she may not restock the previous As Ever goods she sold
The Independent
a day ago
- Business
- The Independent
Rare royal ring bought for £15 in charity shop could be worth huge sum
A rare mourning ring commissioned by George IV to commemorate his sister, Princess Amelia, is set to be auctioned after being purchased for just £15 at a charity shop in Leicester. The ring, dating back to the early 19th century, was brought to auctioneer Charles Hanson by a client who was unaware of its historical significance. Mr Hanson described the find as the most important he had encountered from a charity shop in a decade. The piece is now expected to fetch between £3,000 and £5,000 at auction. 'I was stunned and dazzled,' Mr Hanson said. 'This find proves treasures still lie hidden on our high streets. From a simple box emerged a piece of deeply personal royal history, commissioned by the royal family itself to honour a lost loved one. 'It's not just the monetary value, it's the emotion, history and humanity behind this ring that truly moves you.' Princess Amelia died in 1810 from tuberculosis. The ring was commissioned that same year and crafted by the royal goldsmiths Rundell, Bridge & Rundell. On her deathbed, Amelia is said to have pressed a ring containing a lock of her hair into her father George III's hand, whispering 'remember me'. Those final words were immortalised in the ring's design, with the phrase inscribed beneath the image of a crown. Her father later lost his sanity, an event which became the subject of countless literary and cultural depictions of the 'Mad King George'. The ring is one of only 52 made, which would have been distributed among family and close friends after Amelia's funeral at Windsor. 'The white enamel used in the ring denotes that Amelia was unmarried at the time of her death,' Mr Hanson said. 'White enamel symbolised purity and innocence in mourning jewellery, particularly for those who died young or unmarried. It contrasts with the more commonly used black enamel, which signified general mourning.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
The subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) ways Meghan Markle and Prince Harry repeatedly turn the spotlight on themselves to create 'Sussex distractions'
Prince Harry recently said in his no-holds-barred interview with the BBC that he wanted reconciliation with his family. But for some royal observers, this is hard to believe. It seems that whenever King Charles or Prince William make headlines for royal engagements or celebrations, the Sussexes appear with their own news. Most recently Charles and Camilla arrived for a whirlwind visit to Ottawa, which was already billed as a message to President Trump that ' Canada is not for sale'. The couple arrived for a historic visit to the country's capital - the first by Charles as its head of state - to formally open parliament. It was the first time a sovereign had undertaken the honour for 58 years and came as Canadians voiced their outrage at the US President's suggestion that Canada could become America's '51st state'. Charles and Camilla were greeted with shouts of 'welcome home' as they exited their plane which had travelled from the UK. Prior to the trip, Charles was reportedly 'concerned' about the growing friction between Canada and the US. At the same time, Harry made a surprise visit to China for a tourism conference in Shanghai where he advocated for sustainable travel. In his first ever visit to the country, Harry spoke to fulfil his role as co-founder of Travalyst, an organisation which promotes environmentally friendly forms of travel. His older brother Prince William made a similar diplomatic trip to China ten years ago, marking the first official royal visit in 30 years. In Harry's BBC interview, which aired hours after he lost his battle over taxpayer-funded bodyguards earlier this month, the prince said Charles 'won't' speak to him. There has been ongoing tension between the King and his youngest son since Harry stepped down as a working member of the royal family alongside his wife, Meghan Markle. The rift escalated after Harry and Meghan publicly spoke out about their experiences with the Royal Family in their Oprah interview and Harry's tell-all memoir Spare. And this wasn't the only recent occasion where Harry and Charles have made clashing plans. In April Harry made a dramatic London court appearance to coincide with Charles's state visit to Italy. Charles and Queen exit the airplane during a state visit to The Republic of Italy on April 7 In April Harry made a dramatic London court appearance to coincide with Charles's state visit to Italy Harry landed in the UK just before King Charles III jetted off to Italy for a historic four-day state visit at the beginning of April Harry landed in the UK just before King Charles III jetted off to Italy for a historic four-day state visit at the beginning of April. The Duke of Sussex was back in London for an appeal against a High Court ruling on whether he is entitled to armed bodyguards paid for by the taxpayer, which has since been lost. His arrival in the UK capital came as the King and Queen jetted into Rome, before visiting the city of Ravenna, as they used the 'soft power' diplomacy of the monarchy to strengthen Britain's relationship with its ally. As Harry arrived at the central London court, he waved as he entered but did not speak to reporters gathered outside. He wore a dark suit with a blue patterned tie and walking through Bell Yard, he did not reply as a reporter asked, 'Did you speak to your dad?' Harry's time in the UK overlapped with his father, whom he last saw more than a year ago when it was first announced that the monarch had been diagnosed with cancer. However, MailOnline reported that the estranged pair did not meet up as the King spent his weekend at his Highgrove home in Gloucestershire before flying to Rome from RAF Brize Norton with Queen Camilla. It was reported that Harry's appearance 'overshadowed' Charles's visit to Italy. It was the very kind of duties which the Sussex's withdrew from, that the King and Queen were busy with as Harry was in court. It was the very kind of duties which the Sussex's withdrew from, that the King and Queen were busy with as Harry was in court Meghan Markle left royal fans stunned with her emotional admission and shocking revolution in a tearful interview on the eve of William and Kate's 14th wedding anniversary And it's not just Harry who raised eyebrows with his timing. Meghan left royal fans stunned with her emotional admission and shocking revolution in a tearful interview on the eve of William and Kate's 14th wedding anniversary. The Duchess broke down in tears as she revealed personal details about her and Harry's life during her appearance on The Jamie Kern Lima Show Podcast on April 28. Also in April, the Waleses' youngest child showed off his missing baby teeth in his 7th birthday portrait, released via social media on April 23. Hours after this photo was released Meghan revealed her son Archie was about to lose his first tooth. The Duchess took to the stage at the Time100 summit in New York City where she discussed everything from her latest business ventures to how she handles hate. During the intimate chat, the mother-of-two also opened up about her children, Archie, five, and Lilibet, three. She candidly told the audience that her eldest has a loose tooth and is 'just about' to lose it this week, adding that she hopes she's back to California in time to see it. Hours after this photo was released Meghan revealed her son Archie was about to lose his first tooth 'What we're going to put out during our next launch is equally as important to me as Archie getting his first [big] tooth this week,' she said. 'It's about to happen, I might get back just in time for it!' Meghan was also accused of 'copying' clothes worn by Kate's children. The Duchess introduced royal fans to her 'Easter edit' on her newly launched ShopMe page on Instagram. However, eyebrows were soon raised when it came to light that she had linked to the exact outfits worn by Prince George and Princess Charlotte. On her ShopMe Instagram page, for example, were the blue gingham pyjamas by Petite Plume worn by a then two-year-old George to meet the Obamas at Kensington Palace in 2016. Despite the Sussexes' attempts to subtly turn the spotlight to themselves, many royal observers are catching on and calling out the couple for this bad look. Thankfully for Charles, the Duke's speech about environmentally travel failed to diminish the headlines the King garnered supporting Canada's sovereignty.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Princess Anne's surprising wish for her two children that made the Queen 'anxious' and left a lasting legacy to this day
For many fans of the royals, it would be a dream come true to become a member of the most famous family in Britain. However, in the case of Princess Anne - the late Queen's most rebellious child - she was desperate for her children to have as normal an upbringing as possible. To do so, the Princess Royal decided on behalf of her son and daughter that they would forgo much of the trappings of royal life. Anne's controversial decision happened immediately after the birth of her son Peter in 1977 when she decided her son would not be given a title. Writing in his biography of Princess Anne, royal insider Brian Hoey said that Anne did so because she believed 'in this day and age a title would be more of a hindrance than an advantage as her children try to make their way in the world'. Although Queen Elizabeth II reluctantly agreed to Anne's request. Hoey wrote that the late Queen had been 'anxious' to give her first born grandson a title. And - according to royal biographer Ingrid Seward - Elizabeth was left disappointed by her decision but was nevertheless persuaded to respect her daughter's decision. Despite not being bestowed the title of prince, Peter still grew up with many of the airs and graces that define the royals. After his birth Anne was quick to resume her own duties as a working member of the royals which meant that Peter was brought up by a nanny. Peter and later his sister also went to Gordonstoun, the same public school his grandfather - Philip - and his three uncles all attended. Hoey perfectly summarised Peter's upbringing as 'not exactly a run-of-the-mill commoner'. When Anne's daughter was born in 1981, she again decided not to give her a royal title and broke convention in a different way when she named her Zara, an unusual for a member of the Royal Family. And the Princess Royal was very much involved with bringing up her daughter with a young Zara 'never very far from Anne's side'. Whether Anne succeeded in giving Zara and Peter a 'normal' life is up for debate but they certainly got the best of both worlds in many respects. As while their cousins continue their roles as working members of the family, Anne's children have had successful careers elsewhere. From 2000, Peter worked in Formula One first for Jaguar as a corporate hospitality manager and then for Williams racing team as a sponsorship accounts manager. Anne with the Queen and a young Peter. Despite not being bestowed the title of prince, Peter still grew up with many of the airs and graces that define the royals Anne pregnant with Zara. The Princess Royal was very much involved with bringing up her daughter with a young Zara 'never very far from Anne's side' He left F1 in 2006 for a job at the Royal Bank of Scotland and since leaving the bank in 2012 he has held numerous other jobs in the private sector. Zara had a successful equestrian career which saw her compete in multiple horse riding competitions. Her career high point was representing Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympics where she won a silver medal in the equestrian team eventing. This was the first time Britain had won a medal in the event since 1972 when Zara's father - Captain Mark Phillips - won a gold. Peter has in the past made lucrative uses of his royal connections despite not being a prince. At his wedding to his now-ex-wife Autumn Kelly, the couple sold Hello! the exclusive rights to picture most of the ceremony including inside the chapel and the reception in Frogmore House. This resulted in a 100-page exclusive feature from the magazine, which included remarkably candid shots of the royals including images of the family laughing and one photo of Prince Harry giving his grandmother - Elizabeth II - a peck on the cheek. They were a far cry from the traditionally stage-managed wedding photographs released by the Royal Family. However, senior members of the family - including the late Queen - were less than impressed and allegedly felt blindsided by the publication of the pictures. Buckingham Palace released a statement shortly afterwards claiming that the deal was a 'serious error of judgement'. The couple's profitable wedding deal with Hello! would not be their last money making scheme. Eight years later, Peter's celebrity management company was paid £750,000 to oversee a £150-a-head street party in The Mall to celebrate the Queen's 90th birthday. Peter was criticised in 2020 for using his family connections to sell milk on Chinese TV. Anne's mission to give Zara and Peter a more normal upbringing has left a lasting legacy on the Royal Family with younger members of the firm also attempting to bring more normality to their lives. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's children - Archie and Lillibet - were given royal titles upon King Charles' accession to the throne. However, Harry and Meghan - who stepped down as working royals in 2020 - have not explained their royal titles to their young children just yet. According to US Weekly in August 2024, Harry and Meghan have not explained their royal heritage to their children but will 'have those conversations in due time'. Harry and the young Prince Archie and Princess Lillibet are still fifth, sixth and seventh in line to the British throne respectively. For the Prince and Princess of Wales, giving their children a more ordinary upbringing has been seen as a priority. This means getting George, Charlotte and Louis to muck in with the chores. In August 2024, a source told the Mail: 'I think it would surprise people to see how ordinary things are at home. 'The children help with laying the table, clearing their plates when they've finished eating and helping with tidying up. There's no preferential treatment.' The royal couple decided three years ago that Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo, the family's former live-in nanny, would not relocate with them when they moved to Windsor from Kensington Palace. Although the couple still make use of a nanny, evenings in their four-bedroom country bolthole Adelaide Cottage involve just themselves, taking turns to do the cooking. The source said: 'Catherine is very, very natural. She keeps the family down to earth. 'Home is a safe haven. In a bid to keep things functioning as smoothly as possible she has been keen for everything to carry on as normal for the children.' The source added: 'The children are still expected do their chores and to muck in at home.'
News.com.au
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Lady Frederick Windsor spills ‘disgusting' detail about her royal wedding
'Disgusting'. That's not a word you hear too often when it comes to the royal family unless it's some anonymous Windsor source huffing down a Bakelite phone about Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's latest home shopping network juicer side-hustle. That or someone has left oat milk in the palace fridge again. But not today with a royal bride having come out and given a shockingly (and wonderfully) candid interview, revealing she didn't pick out her own wedding dress, knew very few people at the reception and even admitting that there was one detail she found 'disgusting'. Everyone say a polite hello to Sophie Winkleman who is also Lady Frederick Windsor and while she might not be a household name in Australia, she is very much between the royal bosom. Back before it was restricted to working members of the royal maily, she used to be able to be spotted the Buckingham Palace balcony, and these days you are likely to spy her having a jolly old time of it with 'dear friend' King Charles in the royal box at Ascot or doing her bit to support Kate, The Princess of Wales' annual Christmas concert. Extra points if you knew her daughter Maud Windsor used to be in the same London class as Prince George and was a bridesmaid at Princess Eugenie's wedding. Specifically, Sophie is married to Lord Frederick Windsor, the son of Prince and Princess Micahel of Kent and the King's second cousin, and while Freddie is so far down the line of succession you have to squint at number 54 but still, the couple are very much in the titled thick of it. (Lord Frederick was 17th in line when he was born.) This week Sophie, who also happens to be a working actress, has given a new interview and admitted some wonderfully indiscrete details about her own royal wedding. The year was 2009, long before the les Windosrs would 'welcome' another TV gal into their midst, and with Prince William yet to pop the question to long time squeeze Kate Middleton, what the UK needed was a royal wedding. A guest list was assembled about the length of an abridged copy of Burke & Peerage, Hampton Court Palace was rightfully booked for the affair and various HRHs were assembled (Princess Eugenie, the Duke and Duchess of Kent). However now Sophie has admitted that there was a part of the day she found 'disgusting'. Speaking to the Telegraph this week she said: 'It was such a blur because we had to move to Los Angeles the day after and I had to start a brand new job the day after that…I'd been so concentrating on the work that I hadn't thought about the wedding.' Enter unto the breach her future mother-in-law and longtime Buckingham Palace balcony stalwart Princess Michael of Kent who 'sort of took it all over,' said Sophie. 'I actually didn't mind at all. I thought, 'Great, do everything''. The end result, based on photos, is of a frou-frou-y affair that even diehard Cinderella-stans might have considered OTT; 'fairytale' was never going to be used as an adjective. In the cold light of 2025, Sophie does not sound exactly enamoured of all that bugle-beaded 'everything'. 'My hair was so disgusting and Freddy still gets upset about it. It was just disgusting. And my mother-in-law chose my dress, which was very sweet and puffy, but I looked barking,' she told the Telegraph. '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'. This is not the first time that deliciously unfiltered Sophie has pulled back the curtain on her Windsor nuptials and what goes into planning a royal hitchin'. 'I didn't know anyone at my wedding. I had my best pals there but basically it was full of faces I'd never seen before,' she told Tatler in December last year. During that same interview she enthused about Princess Michael having 'brilliantly' 'taken full personal charge' of the 400-person event and said, 'I was so determined not to be a bridezilla, I didn't even work out my hairstyle and I cannot tell you how disgusting it looked.' Coming up the aisle, the first thing I said when I saw Freddie was, 'I'm so sorry about the hair.'' He said, 'Yes, what on earth have you done?'' While the Sussexes have hardly been tight-lipped about what a rough trot Meghan had joining Crown Inc, Sophie has only ever raved about her extended in-laws. She told Tatler last year: 'Behind the camera they're really fun, clever, kind people...I love Catherine and William, but they're so busy and don't live in London, so I don't see them much.' Meanwhile, Charles 'is a very dear friend'. 'I spend a bit of time with him,' she told the Times in 2020. 'You see how he works all day long, has a quick supper and then disappears until about 4am to write letters. 'He cares about so many things and he comes up with brilliant solutions. 'I've been incredibly welcomed with open arms by all of them. I haven't had a single negative experience. 'They'd never tell me off at all if I wanted to play some [racy] role. Everyone's looked after me.' And she means that quite literally. The late Queen and Charles both offered practical support after Sophie broke her back in a 2017 car crash during she thought she was 'a goner'. After the accident, Charles (then the Prince of Wales) tasked his Clarence House cook to provide Freddie and Sophie's family with twice-a-day meals, 'for weeks on end . . . It was life saving'. Then, during her recuperation, Queen Elizabeth suggested a solution to help her manage the pain of rehab. As Sophie told Tatler: 'She said, 'We can't have that. You have to go in the water.' She told us that when horses had broken backs, they swam, and so she let me use her pool at Buckingham Palace. 'That's the reason I got better. It was so typically thoughtful.' Blimey. The Palace pool. 'Disgusting' hair. Looking 'barking'. It would be remiss of me here to not play a quick game of Sussex Subbing. What if all of this had come out of Meghan's mouth instead? Imagine a lit match going off in a fireworks factory built on top of an oil refinery. Kablooey. There is a lesson in all of this for any Cinderella-ish aspirants. Don't overlook the very clear benefits to being wed to No. 54 rather than anyone in the single digits, of marrying far farther down the royal rung. Just think, all the invitations to Ascot and Westminster Abbey, none of wing-clipping self sacrifices of senior royaldom and the occasional chance to do a lap in the palace pool. Daniela Elser is a writer, editor and commentator with more than 15 years' experience working with a number of Australia's leading media titles.
