Presenter will return to broadcaster for first time since 2018 to oversee weekend of programming
The radio and TV presenter Kirsty Young will return to the BBC for the first time since 2018 to lead the broadcaster’s platinum jubilee coverage.
Young, who presented BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs for 12 years, stepped back from the programme in August 2018 because she had a form of fibromyalgia, a long-term condition that causes pain all over the body.
Continue reading...Pearl was to have focused on the adventures of a 12-year-old girl inspired by historically influential female figures
Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has fallen victim to cutbacks at Netflix, according to a US report that said the struggling streaming giant has dropped plans for her animated series Pearl.
Announced to fanfare last summer, with Meghan as its creator and executive producer, the “family series” was to have focused on the adventures of a 12-year-old girl inspired by historically influential female figures.
Continue reading...UK dispatches minister after ex-leader charged with drug offences and inquiry finds serious governance issues
The Foreign Office is risking a political backlash on the British Virgin Islands if it goes ahead with plans recommended by an independent commission of inquiry to impose a form of direct rule on the islands from London after allegations of maladministration and corruption.
Natalio Wheatley, the acting BVI premier elevated to the office after the former premier Andrew Fahie, 51, was arrested on drug running charges in Miami on Thursday, said he opposed the plan for direct rule for two years, with the British appointed governor taking charge and being advised by a council of local politicians.
Continue reading...Felipe renounced inheritance from his father, Juan Carlos, who abdicated after financial scandals
Spain’s royal palace has unveiled King Felipe VI’s personal wealth for the first time, saying it amounted to €2.6m (£2.2m).
The announcement late on Monday came as Spain’s leftist government said it would pass a decree to “strengthen the transparency, accountability, efficiency” of the scandal-hit royal household “in line with the principles that have presided” during Felipe’s reign.
Continue reading...No explanation given for change, with royals due to begin platinum jubilee tour of Caribbean on Friday
A planned visit by the Earl and Countess of Wessex to Grenada has been postponed at the 11th hour, just one day before the couple embark on their six-day platinum jubilee tour of the Caribbean and weeks after the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s controversial visit to the region.
No explanation for the late postponement was given by Buckingham Palace, which followed a consultation with the government of Grenada and on the advice of the governor general.
Continue reading...Duke and Duchess of Sussex will address spectators in The Hague accompanied by Netflix film crew
The Duke of Sussex took part in a driving challenge as the Invictus Games got under way on Saturday. Ahead of the opening ceremony, he and the Duchess of Sussex joined a junior driving contest where they were driven round a circuit of miniature Land Rovers.
The couple are expected to speak on stage at the Invictus Games opening ceremony on Saturday night.
Continue reading...News follows announcement last week that monarch, 95, would not attend Thursday’s Maundy church service
The Queen will not attend the Easter Sunday service in Windsor after pulling out of several events in recent months because of mobility problems.
Buckingham Palace said the Queen, who has experienced health problems recently, was not expected to attend the event on Sunday, although it is not known why.
Continue reading...The Patriarchs – An Elegy shared via royal social media accounts on first anniversary of Duke of Edinburgh’s death
The royal family have shared a poem in tribute to the late Prince Philip on the first anniversary of his death.
The elegy was written by the poet laureate Simon Armitage and shared via official royal social media accounts on Saturday.
Continue reading...Monarch to be represented by Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla Duchess of Cornwall
The Queen has pulled out of the Royal Maundy church service and will be represented by Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, at the annual event for the first time.
The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will fulfil the ancient tradition of handing out Maundy money to community figures on Thursday at St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
Continue reading...Exclusive: Concerns were aired over Pitch@Palace contest win for banker linked to over £1m of payments to Duke of York
Fresh questions have been raised over Prince Andrew’s Dragons’ Den-style scheme after it emerged that concerns were raised over a contest winner who since been linked to more than £1m of payments received by the royal.
Selman Turk, a Turkish businessman, received an award in November 2019 from the Duke of York at a Pitch@Palace event during which 40 entrepreneurs gave rapid-fire pitches in a room full of potential investors.
Continue reading...Duke met man accused of fraud in high court months before receiving disputed payments, report claims
Prince Andrew had known an alleged fraudster for at least six months before receiving more than £1m in disputed payments from the man, it has been reported.
The Duke of York was introduced to Selman Turk via a mutual contact, Tarek Kaituni, a Libyan-born convicted gun smuggler, in May or June 2019 at Windsor Castle, and held subsequent meetings, the Sunday Telegraph reports.
Continue reading...Entrepreneur Selman Turk is being sued by a Turkish millionairess, in a case involving a payment to the Duke of York
When the Turkish entrepreneur Selman Turk launched a new digital bank three years ago, he was entering a crowded market of online start-ups hoping to grab business from the traditional banks.
It seemed there was little to distinguish the new London-based venture, Heyman A, from a host of other contenders. It had a rudimentary website, meagre funding compared to some of its digital rivals and no banking licence. “We are building a good bank for good people,” said its website. A footnote added that it was “in the application process” to become a bank in the UK.
Continue reading...Duke of York wrote about his experience in the conflict in a post on his ex-wife’s Instagram account that was quickly deleted
The Duke of York said he returned from the Falklands war “a changed man” in a piece posted to his ex-wife’s Instagram account.
Andrew, who reached a multimillion-pound out-of-court settlement in a civil sexual assault case a few weeks ago, wrote more than 700 words about his experience in the Falklands.
Continue reading...Report follows Turkish millionaire’s claim in high court that her financial adviser said cash was for help with passport application
One of the Duke of York’s senior aides told bankers that a now disputed cash payment to the prince was for his daughter Princess Beatrice’s wedding, it has been reported.
In 2019, Andrew received £750,000 from Nebahat Isbilen, a Turkish millionaire and wife of a former leading politician, who has claimed in the high court that she was told by her financial adviser Selman Turk to pay the sum to the prince in return for assistance with a passport application. It was later claimed in court documents that this was a false representation.
Continue reading...Analysis: Concerns about royal family’s judgment and message to abuse victims as prince appears at Queen’s side
Prince Andrew has long been known as the Queen’s favourite son – which may help explain why she wanted him by her side at the Duke of Edinburgh’s memorial service six weeks after he reached a multimillion-dollar settlement with a woman who accused him of sex assault when she was 17.
But Andrew may be hoping other elements of his reputation have a lot less sticking power.
Continue reading...Legacy of ‘colonial-era ideologies’ is condemned as community leaders demand reparations for imperialism
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s recent tour was in “sharp opposition to the needs and aspirations of the Caribbean people”, a human rights alliance from the region has said.
The British monarchy’s historic role in the slave trade continues to damage the Caribbean’s society and economy, Jamaica’s Advocates Network said in an open letter published jointly with representatives from Belize and the Bahamas.
Continue reading...Royal couple say they are ‘committed to service’, which is not ‘telling people what to do’, at end of Caribbean tour
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have insisted they are interested only in a “better future” for the Commonwealth, not in who leads it, at the end of their tour of the Caribbean.
William said foreign tours were an “opportunity to reflect” and he and his wife were committed to “serving and supporting” the people of the Commonwealth, not “telling them what to do”, in a statement published on the couple’s Twitter account.
Continue reading...Leaders of Bahamas, Jamaica and Belize present as duke says ‘we respect your decisions about your future’
As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s controversial tour of the Caribbean draws to a close, William has signalled that the UK would support with “pride and respect” any decision by Jamaica, Belize and the Bahamas to break away from the British monarchy.
It comes after the couple visited the three countries during a week-long tour to mark the Queen’s platinum jubileeand were met with criticism and protests amid calls for slavery reparations and fury over the Windrush scandal.
Continue reading...Calls for slavery reparations and Jamaica’s PM insisting country was ‘moving on’ signal sea change in relations with royals
It was supposed to be a visit to mark the Queen’s diamond jubilee – a chance to present the modern face of the British monarchy to a region where republican sentiment is on the rise.
But it really didn’t turn out that way.
Continue reading...Royal couple’s visit met with growing republican sentiment and pressure for reparations over slavery
Jamaica’s prime minister has told the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge that his country is “moving on” and intends to become a republic.
The royals’ arrival in Jamaica on Tuesday coincided with a much-publicised demonstration urging the monarchy to pay reparations for slavery, and calls from politicians for the country to become a republic.
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