Novelist who backs Queen’s charity says royals must go

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She’s become very wealthy writing historical novels about the Plantagenet and Tudor periods, most notably The Other Boleyn Girl, which was adapted into a popular movie featuring Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman.

Despite being a strong supporter of Queen Camilla’s literacy charity, historical novelist Philippa Gregory believes the monarchy should become a thing of the past.

Philippa, 72, feels this practice is outdated and shouldn’t be done, especially if it costs a lot of money.

As a long-time supporter of the Royal Family, I’ve been following their finances closely. Last year, they received £86.3 million from us, the taxpayers, through the Sovereign Grant. On top of that, King Charles personally received £27.4 million from the Duchy of Lancaster this year, and Prince William received £22.9 million from the Duchy of Cornwall next year. It’s also concerning to learn that millions more of our money goes towards their security, but the exact amount isn’t public.

Philippa was involved in starting the Queen’s Reading Room Festival in 2023 and judged entries in the Commonwealth essay competition in 2024. She is speaking out while the Royal Family deals with controversy surrounding Prince Andrew.

Last week, the King’s brother was arrested – the first royal to face arrest in almost 400 years. Police took him into custody at his residence on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.

Philippa acknowledges Camilla’s important work in promoting reading, especially among children. She believes Camilla has made a truly significant contribution to literature and literacy in the country.

In an interview on BBC Radio 3’s Private Passions, she explained that her issue isn’t with the individuals in the royal family, but she questions whether a monarchy is necessary for a modern democratic society.

 

Princess Bea’s stylist expecting first child at 43

As someone who’s dedicated to helping people feel their best through style – I’ve even had the pleasure of working with Princess Beatrice! – I’m thrilled to share that I’m undergoing a bit of a personal transformation myself. It’s a really exciting time, and I can’t wait to share more of this journey with you all.

The stylist, known for her work with celebrities like Poppy Delevingne and Elizabeth McGovern, is pregnant and will become a mother at 43.

Olivia shared a photo of her baby bump online with a heartfelt message. She called becoming a mother ‘the best birthday gift’ and expressed immense gratitude as she begins this new journey. She added that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams.

The stylist, whose family has a prominent background – her great-grandfather chaired the Hong Kong Stock Exchange – has chosen to keep her personal life private. She hasn’t publicly identified a boyfriend and is also not sharing the identity of her child’s father.

 

Jockey Sam’s wildest ride yet 

In 2022, Sam Waley-Cohen, a friend of the Prince and Princess of Wales, made history by becoming the first amateur jockey in decades to win the Grand National. Now, he’s taken on an even bigger challenge.

Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! My absolute hero, he’s 43, is actually competing in the Gaucho Derby! It’s this insane 500km horse race across the Patagonian wilderness – deserts, mountains, the whole thing! And get this – they can’t even use their phones! He’s currently in fourth place, sleeping in a tent every night, just battling it out in the wild. I’m seriously glued to the updates – it’s the most amazing thing ever!

Sam is fundraising for Oxford Children’s Hospital, comparing his efforts to those of early western pioneers. He’s motivated by the loss of his brother, Thomas, who sadly passed away from cancer at just 20 years old after receiving treatment at the hospital.

 

Sir Grayson Perry, the well-known ceramicist famous for his colourful party outfits, is staying home after tearing his Achilles tendon. The 65-year-old, who also enjoys dressing in women’s clothing, jokes that he’s ‘laying low’ because none of his clothes match his medical boot. He’s even grown a beard, which he suggests would create a striking look with his dresses!

 

Prue Leith: Reform has the recipe for success

Reform UK may have won its first major celebrity endorsement.

Dame Prue Leith, a judge on The Great British Bake Off, has said she’s starting to understand the appeal of the Reform party. She explained to Saga magazine that she feels other political parties aren’t taking enough action, and Reform at least seems to be trying to do something.

Dame Prue Leith’s son, Danny Kruger, switched from the Conservative party to Reform last September. The 86-year-old Dame Prue says her biggest hope is to live to see her son become Prime Minister. While she dislikes Nigel Farage, she acknowledges that his views on issues like the cost of living, immigration, and ‘woke’ culture aren’t entirely unreasonable.

I generally agree with his points. While I believe the focus on social awareness has been positive in some ways, prompting important conversations, it’s now gone to an extreme.

 

Boris’ girl aces her first tennis outing

In 1985, a 17-year-old Boris Becker surprisingly won his first Wimbledon singles title, achieving this without being a seeded player.

Could his daughter conquer tennis at an even younger age?

I’m just surprised because Boris recently started taking his three-month-old daughter, Zoe, to the tennis court.

The 58-year-old actor happily posted a photo of his wife, Lilian, who is 36, holding their daughter, Zoe, and a pink tennis racket at the Aspria Harbour Club in Milan, Italy.

He mentioned he was taking his daughters to the tennis club, adding that it was their mother’s first time playing tennis since returning to the court.

 

Okay, so you know I’m a huge John Cleese fan, right? Well, he said just five months ago that there’s absolutely no way he’d work with the BBC again. And then I saw this ad they put out – for someone to basically make sure everything is ‘diverse’ and ‘inclusive’ – and honestly, it just confirmed everything! I mean, it’s exactly the kind of thing he was complaining about! There’s zero chance this will get him back on board, and frankly, it’s a little sad, but also… totally predictable. It just feels like they’re not even trying to understand why he left!

John Cleese, the creator of Fawlty Towers, believed the BBC prioritized promoting a social agenda over simply making good television. The recent creation of a ‘Diversity Lead’ position – a role paying £81,000 annually – seems to prove his point. This person will be central to the BBC’s efforts to increase diversity in its programming, working with production companies to ensure better representation and meet specific diversity goals. It’s a serious issue, and not something to be taken lightly.

 

Before her split last year from actress Sophie Melville, after a seven-year relationship, Erin Doherty called it the thing she was most proud of. Now, Sophie is celebrating a new milestone with her current partner, Lee Braithwaite, who starred alongside Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield in the 2024 film, We Live In Time.

Lee is transitioning and has been sharing updates on their progress after having top surgery, a procedure to remove breast tissue.

Last September, Lee started a GoFundMe campaign to cover the costs of an operation. The public responded by donating over £1,400.

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2026-02-24 04:19