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Fox News
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Fox News
King Charles shatters 100 year-old royal tradition to usher in modern monarchy: experts
After more than 100 years, King Charles is changing the rules at Buckingham Palace. For the first time, players on the royal family's outdoor tennis court no longer have to follow the strict "almost entirely white" dress code, The Sunday Times reported. According to the outlet, the 76-year-old has relaxed the protocol, making tennis whites now "preferred" but "not essential" for players, including members of the royal family, household staff and their guests. Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment. Shannon Felton Spence, a former British public affairs official, told Fox News Digital that the king has been determined to modernize the monarchy, making it fresh and relevant for today's public. "King Charles is a very progressive-thinking man," said Felton Spence. "He has been his entire life, always looking forward and trying to build for the future. He has made it his mission to reshape a monarchy fit for the purpose today and tomorrow, while keeping the cultural relevancy that grounds the institution. These initiatives are good news and should be celebrated." British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital that it's one of many changes the busy king has been making. She pointed out that Buckingham Palace announced on July 3 that the Royal Train, whose history dates back to Queen Victoria, would end 156 years of service. The palace shared it's too costly to operate and would require a significant upgrade to accommodate more advanced rail systems. "The Royal Train is no longer," said Fordwich. "Other changes have included lowering the temperature of the palace swimming pool to reduce energy consumption and other updates to palace amenities." "King Charles has previously broken many royal customs, including changes to ceremonial duties, the public displays of affection, and, in general, many public engagement styles," she shared. "His direct engagement in political lobbying has not been well received and has been most ill-advised." The dress code upgrade is significant for the king, who is known for his formal wear. According to the outlet, Charles is rarely seen in jeans or sneakers. However, he wanted his staff and guests, in particular, to "feel less restricted by protocol." "While the end of the all-white tennis dress code at Buckingham Palace might seem somewhat minor, it's a significant and rather symbolic step by King Charles to modernize the monarchy, making royal life more approachable and less bound by rigid traditions," Fordwich explained. Fordwich noted that the fashion rule was originally put in place when the court was built in 1919 during King George V's reign. According to the Royal Collection Trust, it's recognized as "London's most exclusive tennis court." The Sunday Times noted that it's located in "a shady area of the palace's 40-acre garden." "It has always been a hallmark of royal sporting etiquette," Fordwich shared. "Players, including royals, staff and guests, may not wear colored clothing... It's so sad to see yet another tradition abandoned." It's noted that for Charles's ancestors, sweat was considered unsightly, and colorful clothing showed it off more than white ensembles. Felton Spence noted that we can expect the king to continue bending the rules. "Protocol are simply unofficial rules adopted through tradition. They started somewhere," she said. Royal commentator Amanda Matta also told Fox News Digital that Charles's latest move may have been a quiet one, but its message was loud and clear. "It might seem like a minor change, but in royal circles, even a small dress code modification says a lot," Matta explained. "By easing up on the all-white rule for tennis at Buckingham Palace, King Charles is continuing his quiet push to modernize the monarchy. This modernization will not be through big pronouncements, but with subtle shifts." "The all-white rule dates back to Victorian ideas about formality and appearance, and changing it shows that Charles is willing to let go of traditions that feel outdated," she shared. "It's also a practical move. This isn't Wimbledon, after all, and the court is used by family, guests, and even palace staff, so relaxing the rules makes sense. I'm expecting (and excited for) more of these small tweaks throughout Charles' reign!" Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital that Charles isn't the only one looking to dust off the monarchy's rigid rules. Kate Middleton made her fashion first by wearing Christian Dior on July 8 for the start of the French state visit. According to the outlet, the 43-year-old's style choice was aimed at showing sartorial diplomacy. Her late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, was known to be a muse for the French fashion brand. "There have been many arguments recently allegedly about fashion styles," said Turner. "It is known that as soon as she is seen in a new outfit, it is sold out in minutes. Such is the demand to emulate her." Royal photographer Chris Jackson, author of "Charles III: A King and His Queen," previously told Fox News Digital that Charles's personal style has always shared important messages about his prized causes. "He's got this beautiful Aston Martin that runs on biofuel, which is surplus wine and cheese whey, which is pretty incredible," Jackson said. "He's obviously very passionate about the environment, [and] he's got this beautiful car, a DB6 Volante Aston Martin, that's environmentally friendly." The king, who has been a longtime advocate of sustainable living, bought the car in 1970. He converted it to run on biofuels, which use ethanol created from cheese-making whey and wine. He loaned his beloved vehicle to his son Prince William, who used it to drive Kate from their nuptials in 2011. WATCH: KING CHARLES' ASTON MARTIN, WHICH RUNS ON 'WINE AND CHEESE,' PAYS HOMAGE TO JAMES BOND: ROYAL PHOTOGRAPHER The king's cousin, Lord Snowdon, once joked, "How does [the former] Prince Charles drive his Aston Martin? Caerphilly." Daily Mail reporter Robert Hardman, author of "The Making of a King," also previously told Fox News Digital that Charles is known for sharing "coded messages" by using his ties. "His favorite has a little T-Rex motif on it," said Hardman. "I thought, 'That's a bit odd. I keep seeing this tie with a dinosaur on it… Of course, his cipher says, C. Rex, Charles Rex. So, I think he's having a little joke about being king with his tie. But he's in a good place. He's a happy monarch."
Daily Mail
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ricky Gervais gives fans another glimpse inside his £14.5M Hampstead mansion after admitting it's not his 'forever home'
Ricky Gervais offered fans another glimpse of his £14.5million mansion in Hampstead on Monday. The British funnyman, worth an estimated £120million, purchased the mansion in March last year and said a major factor behind the move was his desire for a bigger garden. Posting to his Instagram, Ricky showed off his massive garden with perfectly trimmed lawns and flourishing flowerbeds. It also featured a carport for his luxurious car and a huge tennis court which took centre stage. Alongside the snap he penned: 'Played tennis again today. It was pretty warm. Also, the baby foxes have been eating the net. Little b******s.' Last year, Ricky ripped out the existing basketball court to make way for the tennis court, a move which required planning permission from the local council. He also removed an 'outdated' waterwall, octagonal pagoda and retaining walls as part of a Ground Force-style revamp. Speaking on Sunday night during a vlog on X in August, The Office star admitted the property is unlikely to be his 'forever home' as his long-term partner Jane Fallon, 64, raised concerns about the pair living there in their eighties. Ricky said: 'I thought the last house was the one I was going to die in. 'But I didn't die and I wanted a tennis court so we had to move to a bigger house with a bigger garden just so we could get a tennis court and I just thought this is amazing, this is perfect. It's not even finished yet but I love it. 'But the other day, Jane went 'we can't live here when we're 80'. So that's like a ticking clock. She said 'there's all these stairs'. So I'm going to be moving when I'm 80.' He added: 'But I said let's not move let's just move in a load of doctors, nurses and security. 'I could have a team living inside. A driver, someone who I could play table tennis with, so that would be better 'Moving at 80 with all this s*** again. I don't want to think about it. Jane did most of it anyway.' Ricky and author Jane, who have been together for over 40 years, previously lived in a £10.8m home in Hampstead, North London. They also share a riverside property in Marlow, Bucks, and two New York apartments. Their mega mansion boasts nine bedrooms, including a master bedroom with dressing rooms and his and hers en-suite bathrooms. The property also contains a formal drawing room and dining room, a huge kitchen/diner, a bar and wine cellar, plus a gym with 'double height ceiling'. The luxurious mansion contrasts somewhat with the couple's first property they shared together. Speaking in 2017, Ricky explained: 'Our first flat was a one-room in a place called Kings Cross, which was a really rough area. 'I think it was above some sort of seedy sauna... That's all we could afford. Our little bed was in this room. I could open the fridge from the bed.' Ricky has topped up his fortune in recent years by signing a lucrative exclusive deal with streaming giant Netflix, who aired his latest comedy series After Life. His sold-out standup gigs, his latest called Mortality, are also linked with the streamer. And last year, royalties from hit BBC comedy The Office - which he co-wrote and created with Stephen Merchant - was further boosted due to the release of a new US reboot. Greg Daniels, the showrunner of the original US version starring Steve Carrel as Michael Scott - the equivalent of Ricky's David Brent character - is behind the project, which began shooting in July. Speaking to GQ in 2013, Ricky says The Office and its various incarnations have been immensely profitable. He said: 'Yeah, [The Office US has earned me] more than anything else probably I've ever done.
CTV News
28-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Tennis court crasher nabbed: OPP
Police have made an arrest after a truck crashed into the tennis court of a golf course in Muskoka Lakes Twp., Ont., on Sat., May 17, 2025. (Source: OPP/Supplied) A woman has been arrested after an expensive crash in Muskoka Lakes Township. Provincial police were called to a collision on Golf Avenue Road at around 8:15 a.m. on May 17. There they found a pickup truck had crashed through a fence and landed on a tennis court, seriously damaging both the truck and court. As a result of an investigation by the Bracebridge Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), police have charged a 32-year-old Muskoka Lakes Township woman with dangerous operation, mischief over $5,000 and fail to remain, along with a host of other Highway Traffic Act offences. She will appear in the Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge on July 8 to answer to her charges.
CTV News
19-05-2025
- CTV News
Truck crashes into tennis court of Muskoka golf course: OPP
Police are investigating an incident where a truck allegedly crashed into the tennis court of a golf course in Muskoka Lakes Twp., Ont., on Sat., May 17, 2025. (Bigley, Samantha (OPP)/Source: OPP/Supplied)
