Posts tagged with "Prince Harry"

Above, the Meghan Markle and Prince Harry puppets. (Photo source: therepbirmingham)

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are puppets now

February 9, 2023

Following the release of their revealing Netflix docuseries and the bombshell tell-all Spare, many royal spectators have been curious to know what Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s next move will be. Well, in a surprising turn of events, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been turned into puppets and have made their stage debut alongside some of the world’s biggest celebrities—kind of, reports Bustle.

Yes, Prince Harry and Markle puppets are featured in the brand-new theatre adaptation of the classic satirical sketch show Spitting Image.

Penned by comedians Sean Foley, Matt Forde, and Al Murray, Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image Saves the World opened at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre on Wednesday, February 8, and, along with Harry and Meghan, features an all-star puppet cast of celebrities and political figures including Tom Cruise, King Charles, Greta Thunberg, Stormzy, Sir Ian McKellen, and more.

The show is said to be “simultaneously inspired and appalled by real events,” and follows Top Gun’s Cruise as he is tasked by King Charles with saving Great Britain. Meanwhile, ticket holders can also expect a Thunberg and Stormzy duet, as well as appearances from Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.

“With a plot more improbable than the last year of British politics. Join the iconic Spitting Image puppets in this world premiere as they grace the stage for the very first time,” the show’s official synopsis reads. “Have they just come out for a night on the town? Or will they wipe out all of civilisation?”

As per the Independent, the original Spitting Image TV series aired for 18 seasons between 1984 and 1996—attracting 15 million viewers at the peak of its popularity. The show was revived in 2020 on the streaming platform BritBox, before being cancelled after just two seasons in late 2022.

Research contact: @bustle

Above, Queen Elizabeth II smiles at the Royal Windsor Horse Show in May. (Photo source: PA Media)

Britain’s royal family gathers at Balmoral amid concerns for Queen’s health

September 9, 2022

Just after 12.30 p.m. (7:30 a.m. EDT) in London on Thursday, September 8, Buckingham Palace issued a statement that doctors were concerned about the health of the long-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, age 96, and were recommending that she remain under medical supervision.

Soon after that, the BBC reports, all of the Queen’s children either had arrived to be with her at Balmoral Castle in Scotland or were on their way.

Prince Charles, Camilla, and Princess Anne were already at Balmoral. Prince William, the Queen’s eldest grandson and second in line to the throne, was flying there; while his wife Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, remained in Windsor, where her children had commenced their first full day of school for the year.

Prince William’s brother, Prince Harry, and his wife, Meghan, had been in the UK in recent days for engagements. They immediately canceled plans so that Prince Harry could be at the Queen’s side.

On Tuesday, September 6, newly appointed UK Prime Minister Liz Truss had, herself, travelled to Balmoral to be appointed by the Queen, in a break with tradition, as the monarch would have normally seen her in London. But the Queen had suffered from mobility issues recently and so the meeting was moved to Balmoral.

At 7:39 a.m. London time, Truss tweeted: “The whole country will be deeply concerned by the news from Buckingham Palace this lunchtime. My thoughts—and the thoughts of people across our United Kingdom—are with Her Majesty The Queen and her family at this time.”

Research contact: @BBC

Editor’s note: The Queen died on September 9. Buckingham Palace announced in an official statement, “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.” Following the announcement, a rare double rainbow appeared in the sky outside Buckingham Palace.

Above, UK's Prince William (left) and Prince Harry unveil Princess Diana's statue. (Photo source: The Sun UK)

Princes William and Harry reunite for unveiling of statue of their mother, ‘People’s Princess’ Diana

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July 2, 2021

Britain’s Prince William and Prince Harry reunited on July 1 to unveil a statue of their mother, Princess Diana, outside the palace she once called home on the occasion of what would have been her 60th birthday, NBC News reports.

Yet, for many, catching a glimpse of the statue in the gardens of her former home in London’s Kensington Palace, took second place to looking for clues about the state of the relationship between the two royal brothers.

Reports of a rift between the siblings have swirled in the British press since 2018, and Harry has previously said that he and William had “been through hell together,” but were now on “different paths.”

It was only the second time the brothers have been seen together in public since Harry and his wife, Meghan, stepped back from their roles as senior royals last year. Harry’s last visit to the United Kingdom was in April for the funeral of his grandfather, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, who died at age 99.

Like-minded in their grief for their mother, who was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997, the brothers unveiled the figure of Diana, which showed her surrounded by three children who represent “the universality and generational impact of the princess’ work,” Kensington Palace said in a statement.

“The statue aims to reflect the warmth, elegance, and energy of Diana,” the Palace added.

Beneath the statue is a plinth engraved with her name and the date of the unveiling and a paving stone with lines of poetry.

The brothers commissioned British sculptor Ian Rank-Broadley to undertake the project. His effigy of Queen Elizabeth II already appears on British coins.

“Today, on what would have been our mother’s 60th birthday, we remember her love, strength, and character—qualities that made her a force for good around the world, changing countless lives for the better,” William and Harry said in a rare joint statement.

“Every day, we wish she were still with us, and our hope is that this statue will be seen forever as a symbol of her life and her legacy.”

Harry, Duke of Sussex, and William, Duke of Cambridge, were joined at the unveiling by Diana’s siblings, Earl Spencer, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, and Lady Jane Fellowes, along with other close family members. The statue’s sculptor and the garden’s designer were also in attendance.

Outside, fans lined up with flowers, signs, birthday balloons and flags.

According to NBc News, the statue was placed in the area known as the Sunken Garden, one of Diana’s favorite locations, according to Kensington Palace. It’s also where Harry and Meghan posed for photos after their engagement in November 2017.

The garden was recently redesigned and replanted with 4,000 flowers—including roses, lavender and forget-me-nots, the palace said in a statement.

Diana lived at Kensington Palace during and after her tumultuous marriage to Prince Charles, and raised William and Harry there. It is now home to William’s family.

The brothers commissioned the statue of their mother in 2017 to mark the 20th anniversary of her death. However, it’s far from the only way they have invoked her memory.

Since his departure from the U.K., Harry often has called on his mother’s legacy. He displayed a photo of himself as a child on his mother’s shoulders prominently on his Archewell website, saying that he is “his mother’s son” and stated in a recent Apple TV+ documentary “The Me You Can’t See” that his mother would be proud of him “living the life she wanted for herself.”

Meanwhile, in May, William made a rare emotional statement following a BBC investigation that found the journalist Martin Bashir had used “deceitful behavior” to secure a landmark interview with Diana in 1995—wherein she famously said “there were three of us in this marriage,” referring to Camilla Parker Bowles, who would go on to marry Charles in 2005.

William and Harry’s father, Charles, the heir to the throne, did not join them at the event Thursday, nor did their wives.

The sculptor, Ian Rank-Broadley said: “Diana, Princess of Wales was an icon who touched the lives of people right around the world, so it has been a privilege to work alongside Prince William and Prince Harry on this statue which commemorates her life.

Research contact: @NBCNews

Above, Thomas Markle. (Photo source: Screen grab from ITV/Good Morning Britain)

Battle royal: Thomas Markle’s plans new documentary on his split from Meghan

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January 20, 2021

In January 2020, Meghan Markle’s father Thomas Markle, starred in a Channel 5 British documentary in which he tried to set the record straight about the seemingly strained relationship between him and his daughter. However, Markle has since revealed to The Sun that he wasn’t happy with the finished product, and intends to release a new film; which will chronicle his life from his career in television and raising Meghan to more recent event—including his absence from the royal wedding.

Now, Good Morning Britain has aired “everything we know about Thomas Markle’s new documentary”—and Bustle has reported the details.

Hoping to have the documentary “completed later this year,” Markle told the Sun that he hopes the project will help him to “figure out what went wrong” in his relationship with his daughter. “It begins with my life, my family, and my love of theatre and television and how I got there,” Markle explained. It will follow his “life with Meghan, growing up, her school days until she went off to college, and when her career began.”

Featuring unseen home footage of Meghan’s upbringing, Markle wanted to portray what he believes to be a truer version of events than what was shown in the previous documentary. “It was not edited in the correct order, dates were wrong, and it had too much generic public domain film added,” he told the Sun. “My documentary will have some new videos and my favourite photo of my ‘baby girl’ […] I think we will do a good job.”

The former Channel 5 version, titled Thomas Markle: My Story, saw Markle set the record straight in a one-on-one interview with the broadcaster. It covered the “staged” paparazzi photos that were released prior to Meghan and Harry’s wedding, as well as Markle not being able to attend the wedding due to serious health problems. The documentary also covered the publication of Meghan’s private letter to her father, and why Markle decided to publish part of it in British tabloids.

Research contact: @bustle

Above, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. (Photo source: royal.fabfour/#HarryandMeghan/Instagram)

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry partner with World Central Kitchen to open up relief centers

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December 23, 2020

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced this past weekend that they are teaming up with World Central Kitchen to launch community centers that will provide food and other services to those in areas impacted by disasters, Delish reports.

The couple’s Archewell Foundation is joining with the José Andrés-founded non-profit, based in Washington, D.C., to open centers around the world. These spaces will be permanent structures in the community, according to Bloomberg; which can be used as food distribution centers, schools, and clinics during times of crisis, but then can also be used as community spaces in other times.

The first center is slated to open early next year on the Caribbean island of Dominica, which was hugely impacted by both Hurricanes Maria and Irma in 2017. A second is expected to open in Puerto Rico, which also saw massive devastation by Hurricane Maria.

According to Delish, two more centers are planned, although their locations have not been immediately announced.

 “The health of our communities depends on our ability to connect to our shared humanity,” said Meghan and Prince Harry in a statement:

When we think about Chef Andrés and his incredible team at World Central Kitchen, we’re reminded that even during a year of unimaginable hardship, there are so many amazing people willing—and working tirelessly—to support each other. World Central Kitchen inspires us through compassion in action.

“We are more energized than ever to continue this vital work,” José told Bloomberg in a statement, “and we’re proud that it will be hand in hand with Archewell Foundation and The Duke and Duchess of Sussex. I have come to know both of them well, and believe that their values are directly aligned with what we stand for at World Central Kitchen.”

Research contact: @DelishDotCom

Above (l-r) Jon Stewart, Bruce Springsteen, and Prince Harry will appear at the virtual Stand Up for Heroes event (Photo source Rolling Stone)

Bob Woodruff Foundation and NY Comedy Festival present first-ever virtual Stand Up for Heroes

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November 11, 2020

New York’s highly anticipated night of hope, healing, and laughter honoring America’s veterans and their families—the 14th annual Stand Up for Heroes benefit—is going virtual this year; with support from a team of celebrities including Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, Prince Harry, Tiffany Haddish, Brad Paisley, Ray Romano, Patti Scialfa, Sheryl Crow, Nate Bargatze, Ronny Chieng, Jeannie Gaffigan, Mickey Guyton, and Iliza Shlesinger.

The benefit will air Wednesday, November 18 at 9:pm (EST) on ABC News Live, TikTok, Facebook Watch, Cheddar, Twitch, and Armed Forces Network.

Stand Up for Heroes was started by ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff 14 years ago, shortly after he suffered devastating head injuries in Iraq while covering the war.. Over the years, it’s grown from New York’s Town Hall, to the Beacon Theater, to the 5,600-seat Theater at Madison Square Garden. The lineup shifts from year to year, but Springsteen has been a part of nearly all of them. Each time out, he plays a brief acoustic set and even tries out a few jokes, Yahoo News reports.

Hosted by Jon Stewart, the event also will highlight inspiring moments, memorable surprises, and stories of resilience ;while recognizing the men and women who have served in our nation’s military, the organizers said in a press release.

Stand Up for Heroes is presented by the Bob Woodruff Foundation and the New York Comedy Festival—and is also supported by Vehicles for Veterans, and sponsored by Craig Newmark Philanthropies and Veterans on Wall Street, led by Citi, HSBC Bank, and Wells Fargo.

SUFH has featured immense talent over the past 14 years, including comedians and performers Tony Bennett, Jimmy Carr, Ronnie Chieng, Eric Church, Stephen Colbert, Sheryl Crow, Jim Gaffigan, Ricky Gervais, Whoopi Goldberg, John Mayer, Seth Meyers, Hasan Minhaj, John Mulaney, Trevor Noah, Conan O’Brien, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Jerry Seinfeld, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Stewart, Ray Romano and Robin Williams.

Research contact: @YahooNews

Above, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. (Photo source: sussexroyal_hm)

‘Megxit’ effect: Could Vancouver Island be the next Martha’s Vineyard?

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February 19, 2020

Following  a “battle royal” among  the  members of Britain’s sovereign Windsor family, Prince Harry and his wife—the former (and future?) actress Meghan Markle—and their son, Archie, have been living on Canada’s posh Vancouver Island, located just off the coast of British Columbia.

In taking up residence on the island, either temporarily or permanently, the Sussexes have instantly elevated awareness of the 12,000-square-mile enclave—now trending globally as the next “it” place to buy property or vacation.

“Vancouver Island is now on the map as a place where royals reside and live, similar to Martha’s Vineyard being put on the map by the Kennedys and Kennebunkport by the Bushes,” Eric Smallwood, president of the Apex Marketing Group, told NBC News this week. “The focus will be tourism. A little longer term, it will be real estate.”

Smallwood told the network news outlet thatd all of the buzz is worth more than $38 million in positive brand value for the country, with that number increasing daily based on news coverage and information about the Sussexes’ new life on Vancouver Island, according to an analysis he conducted for NBC News.

Sotheby’s Realty lists 57 luxury homes for sale on the island for anyone who might be interested in living like a royal. One home, billed as a “surfer’s paradise” located on the water is priced at $10.5 million, while another “luxurious oceanfront estate” is on the market for nearly $6.8 million.

Additionally, Levine predicted that the couple’s presence could lead to a new cottage industry: independent, “not-so-royal tours, which highlight the family’s favorite local shops, restaurants and playgrounds,” he said. “There may be a temporary influx of visitors trying to catch a glimpse of the couple out and about.”

“Canada has been trying to advance tourism to British Columbia,” Levine added. “So, if whale watching isn’t working, maybe ‘Markle spotting’ will be a hit.”

George Hanson, president and CEO of the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance, told NBC News he is “continually surprised at how few North Americans are aware of our island,” which is a short trip from Seattle. Hanson said he’s thrilled that the island is now known by people around the world.

“Vancouver Island is one of the most progressive, beautiful, pristine. and spacious destinations in the world,” he said. “We understand why Harry and Meghan might choose to live here and why others not familiar with the island might want to come see this appeal for themselves.”

 “The couple could have chosen to live anywhere in North America and they selected Vancouver Island. That’s a powerful endorsement and is generating positive buzz for the community,” said Andy Levine, chairman of the marketing company Development Counsellors International.

Research contact: @NBCNews

Above, the Sussexes. with Meghan in foreground. (Photo source: Bangkok Post)

Meghan blabs: Tells friends she found royal life ‘toxic’ and ‘soul-crushing’

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January 20, 2020

Life with the Windsors was simply a royal pain, as Meghan Markie is telling friends now—and it was “a matter of life or death” to escape the UK with Harry and baby Archie, The Daily Beast reported at the end of last week.

A friend told DailyMail on January 16 that Meghan felt that living within the royal confines was “soul crushing” and that she didn’t want Archie growing up within such a “toxic environment ….”

According to both newspaper reports, the Duchess of Sussex told her friends that “her soul was being crushed and that the decision to leave was a matter of life or death. Meaning the death of her spirit. She felt she couldn’t be the best mother to Archie if she wasn’t being her true, authentic self. She didn’t want Archie picking up on her stress and anxiety. She felt like it was a toxic environment for him because there was too much tension.”

The Mail also reported that staff at their Windsor home, Frogmore Cottage, are being let go from those positions and reassigned to other jobs within the royal household. Palace sources told the Mail that Meghan will never return to live in Britain in “a meaningful way.”

However, The Daily Beast said, cracks are now appearing in the couple’s delicate plans to move to Canada, amid signs that the royals might have overestimated the willingness of the Canadians to have an unemployed prince and his wife on their hands.

Indeed, The Globe and Mail, billed as Canada’s national newspaper, has spoken out against the Duke and Duchess settling in Canada if they remain tied to the Royal Family professionally. The publisher claimed Canada was not a “halfway house” for the Royals while they “work out their own personal issues”.

In an article posted online, the publisher said: “The Canadian monarchy is virtual; it neither rules nor resides. Our roys don’t live here. They reign from a distance. Close to our hearts, far from our hearths.”

What’s more, findings of a poll conducted on behalf of the nonprofit Angus Reid Institute found that a stunning 73% of respondents said they would prefer Canada not to pitch in as much as a red cent to the cost of keeping the Sussexes safe.

Michael Behiels, an emeritus professor of political and constitutional history at the University of Ottawa and fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, said the Sussexes’ decision to move could end up in the Supreme Court of Canada.

He told The Times of London: “They can visit Canada on behalf of the Queen but they can’t take on any other royal family responsibilities or live in Canada permanently or part-time. I hope that [the] Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet fully respect the nature and scope of Canada’s Constitution Acts of 1867 and 1982.”

Trudeau tweeted before Christmas that Harry, Meghan, and eight-month-old Archie “were among friends, and always welcome here,” but he may live to regret the open invitation.

Research contact: @dailybeast

Meghan Markle (left) and Prince Harry. (Photo source: marieclaire.com.au)

When Harry met Meghan: British media reports that Prince Philip told grandson not to marry actress

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June 18, 2019

Prince Philip of the UK’s royal House of Windsor warned his grandson against marrying Meghan Markle, telling Prince Harry: “One steps out with actresses, one doesn’t marry them,” a new report by Britain’s The Sunday Times claims.

The straight-talking nonagenarian, who is Queen Elizabeth’s consort, is said to have made the comment in 2017, after Prince William also had advised Harry to think about whether he was “sure” he wanted to rush into marriage to Meghan, The Daily Beast reported on June 17.

The gossip was aired by society journalist Sophia Money-Coutts, a former writer at Tatler.

Harry ignored the urgings of his family and proposed to Meghan in November 2017, six months before they married.

Other friends, such as Tom Inskip, also urged Harry to progress more slowly, and were punished by being excluded from the after party of Harry’s wedding.

According to sources quoted by Money-Coutts: “Anybody who voiced any kind of reservation about Meghan has been sidelined.”

She also quotes another source on the roots of the feud with his brother: “Harry felt like William and Kate didn’t make enough effort when Meghan arrived at Kensington Palace; that they didn’t roll out the red carpet for her.”

Research contact: @thedailybeast