A car collided with another vehicle and smashed into a storefront on Dominion Rd in the early hours of this morning The other driver was killed and a passenger is in a critical condition A manhunt is under way for a driver involved in a fatal crash in central Auckland last night after he fled from the scene on foot killed the driver of the other car and left a passenger in critical condition Detective Senior Sergeant Rebecca Kirk said just after 1am One vehicle smashed into the front of a vacant store while the other came to a stop a short distance away the driver of the vehicle which crashed into the shop fled on foot from the scene.” The wreckage of the front door is lying mangled on the floor of a commercial premises on Dominion Rd this morning Police have left the scene untapped and have not covered the front iron and car parts for people to see as they walk past The shop is in the middle of being remodelled with painters’ tape still on the walls and off-cuts of the flooring strewn around the floor amongst the glass A Herald reporter at the scene said there is a strong smell of petrol at the shop’s entrance Kirk said the other driver was pronounced dead on the scene The passenger remains in Auckland City Hospital Kirk said they are searching for the driver who fled and urged him to “do the right thing” and hand himself in “Our inquiries are ongoing to identify and locate the driver of the vehicle who fled “I encourage that driver to do the right thing and contact police or bring himself into the nearest Police station.” A section of Dominion Rd was closed overnight while the Serious Crash Unit examined the scene Anyone with information that can assist police inquiries is asked to contact police on 105 using the file number 250502/0011 Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 Sign up to The Daily H, a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday. The only high-reach ladder truck in Auckland broke down last night. Police were called to the incident on Balmoral Station Road in Balmoral at 7.20pm yesterday. A FENZ spokesperson said two units spent a "considerable amount of time" at the scene while they used a digger to lift the tree off the campervan. "The person was safely removed just before 10pm." Hato Hone St John said it responded with one first-response unit, two rapid-response units, one ambulance, and one manager. "Our crews assessed and treated one patient who was transported to Christchurch hospital in a critical condition," a spokesperson said. A photo showing the crushed campervan in Balmoral, Canterbuty. (Source: 1News) One person was taken to hospital in a critical condition yesterday evening after a tree fell on a campervan in Canterbury. More than 25kg cocaine seizure leads to four arrests across NZ Tauranga and Auckland as a result of the six-week investigation Crime and Justice Three in hospital after Christchurch house fire Emergency services were called to Warrington Street in Mairehau at around 8.05am New Zealand Stowaway weka catches ride across Southern Alps The native bird caught a ride after a couple left their car door open at their campsite Christchurch's Court Theatre makes grand return to the CBD It's been 14 years since the theatre lost its home in the Arts Centre to the earthquake Chch students discover resilience helps young people deal with the challenges of life State of emergency lifted for Christchurch Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger said there were still a "couple of issues in Banks Peninsula that we need to keep an eye on" Film industry anxiously awaits details on Trump's 100% movie tariff 7:17pm Search underway for Masterton man, 74, missing since Sunday 7:07pm Crooks, culture first order of business for Mike Bush in Victoria 7:05pm Charges filed against Woolworths over pricing, misleading specials 6:45pm Police, experts warn 'emerging risk' of 3D-printed firearms rising 6:33pm Trade war: Sir John Key's 'optimism' on Trump's next tariff moves 7:28pm 1US woman who disappeared for more than six decades found safe Sole survivor of poisoned beef Wellington takes the stand Govt halts all current pay equity claims, makes it harder to lodge new ones Two men's shared name brings years of trouble and a hefty bill to one Photos: Lorde among stars at 2025 Met Gala A$AP Rocky and Rihanna also revealed they are expecting their third child. Two arrested over alleged plot targeting Lady Gaga concert in RioBrazilian police said they thwarted an alleged bomb attack planned for Lady Gaga's concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. Lady Gaga rocks Copacabana Beach with free concert for over 2 million fansSun, May 4 Lorde announces new album name, dateThu, May 1 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robberyMon, Apr 28 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of FameMon, Apr 28 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robberyMon One person was taken to hospital in a critical condition yesterday evening after a tree fell on a campervan in Canterbury Police were called to the incident on Balmoral Station Road in Balmoral at 7.20pm yesterday A FENZ spokesperson said two units spent a "considerable amount of time" at the scene while they used a digger to lift the tree off the campervan Hato Hone St John said it responded with one first-response unit "Our crews assessed and treated one patient who was transported to Christchurch hospital in a critical condition," a spokesperson said More than 25kg of cocaine has been seized and four men arrested following an joint investigation into the importation of the drug into Christchurch Police and Customs received information about a "significant importation" of cocaine that had come through Lyttelton Port on March 29 Search warrants were then executed across the country by specialist teams to support investigators with evidence gathering including possession of cocaine for supply and burglary and will appear in various district courts across a range of dates Detective Senior Sergeant Phil Sparks said the seizure equated to more than 250,000 doses of cocaine and $9 million of harm "That is an enormous amount of damage and misery that had been heading into our communities that has now been halted through this investigation." Sparks said the success of the investigation was partly down to the "excellent partnership" between Customs and the police "We continue to have a focus on engaging with businesses and supporting their legitimate services by keeping them safe with prevention advice to deter drug trafficking organisations’ attempts to exploit their people and premises." Customs acting investigations manager Rachael Manning said the investigation resulted from quick action and close collaboration between the agencies as well as industry partners "We know that transnational and serious organised crime groups are actively targeting New Zealand to drive up both demand and supply of illegal drugs such as cocaine for maximum profit They’re using every method possible to exploit any vulnerabilities within international supply chains in secure areas or on vessels themselves." A weka who travelled from the West Coast to Christchurch over the Alps has been returned home after his roadie adventure The endemic bird caught a ride after a couple left their car door open at their campsite in Buller Gorge while packing up from their Easter getaway The gear was split between campers Kim Ranger and her partner Ian's two vehicles hidden in dog blankets in Ian's ute despite multiple stops He got home to Christchurch and hopped out and didn’t notice the weka," Kim said I opened the back door of the Ranger to get something there it was in the rear passenger footwell what on earth do you do with a weka in Christchurch?”  Kim said they contacted the after-hours vet SPCA and DOC but were told to care for the bird until morning Apart from setting off the car alarm at 7am and covering the inside of the ute with poo Kim said the weka didn't seem distressed after her last name and given its temporary home Ranger was collected by DOC and checked over at the South Island Wildlife Hospital where — apart from being slightly dehydrated — was in good health and was released back to the area from where it hitched a ride DOC Biodiversity supervisor Craig Alexander said the episode was a reminder for people to check their vehicles for any wildlife when camping “There are no wild weka in Christchurch so we wouldn’t want to see them accidentally introduced here.”  we also had someone accidentally bring two wētā over from the West Coast in their wetsuits,” said Alexander If you find a native animal has snuck a ride somewhere it shouldn't be; contact DOC on 0800 DOC HOT (0800 362 468) for advice on what to do next Christchurch’s Court Theatre has made its grand return to the city more than a decade after losing its home due to damage caused caused by the February 2011 earthquake A new location was found in Addington following the quake people queued to get a look at its brand new forever home The first reactions as people walked through the doors were all very positive I’m really excited to see lots of shows here,” one theatregoer said It’s such a moment for the city," another added The state of the art facility on Gloucester St houses two theatres – one large auditorium that seats 377 stopped by with his family to give it a once-over "We thought we'd pop down and see the new opening and I’m quite interested in architecture and was quite excited to see the building," his father said Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger described the project as a turning point for the city “Its return to the CBD is more than symbolic – it’s a celebration of what we can achieve when we work together," he said the theatre is expected to grow significantly It currently produces 20 shows annually with a combined audience of 120,000 Court Theatre executive director Gretchen La Roche said the new building "represents a transformative moment for the city’s arts scene” Artistic director Alison Walls called it symbolic and stirring “It feels beautifully fitting we open our new home with this deeply personal national story." Twelve Year 10 students from Christchurch’s Hornby High School have just finished a two-week wilderness adventure as part of Project K The Graeme Dingle Foundation runs the 14-month programme which is designed to help young people deal with the challenges of life 1News were there as the group returned on mountain bikes They were given a rousing guard of honour by fellow students and showered in love and hugs by their families Tania Mulholland greeted her son Toby McLeish with a tight hug "It's been a really long two weeks without him," she said getting them to achieve things that they've never done before so I think it’s great," she said Kayla said she has learnt "to never give up and to keep trying" Felt like I just wanted to go home but I just pushed through The teens trekked through native bush and arduous terrain near Otira One student said the tasks brought out the best in each of them "You'll feel scared and lonely and down and you just need to push through because you can do this," they said The students were nominated by their teachers to take part Hornby High School principal Ian Murray said those who were chosen had the "best opportunity to grow resilience and character to help them through the challenges that some of them may have been facing at the time" Their final task was to deliver a speech about what they’ve learnt I pushed myself beyond my limits and realised I had more to me than I thought," Kayla told the audience The Graeme Dingle Foundation's general manager for the Canterbury region said they've seen students flourish after going through the programme “We've seen them from students that have got their shoulders down and their heads down chin up and just beaming that they've overcome some amazing obstacles," she said The Graeme Dingle Foundation supports 27,000 young people to undertake a similar journey of discovery each year The state of emergency put in place in response to flooding has been lifted for Christchurch but remains in place for Banks Peninsula Mayor Phil Mauger said things in Christchurch had settled down but that there were still a couple of issues in Banks Peninsula the council "need to keep an eye on" "It’s good to have access to powers under the State of Emergency if they’re required and some land instability that needs to be monitored," he said "Although we are transitioning into a recovery period we are still keeping a close eye on the stormwater basins to ensure we keep any disruption to a minimum." Lifting the state of emergency for the Banks Peninsula ward would be assessed next week which reconnected Banks Peninsula with the rest of the region but some smaller roads across the peninsula remained closed Most roads across Christchurch were now open Lower Styx Rd from number 980 to the lagoon These roads were impacted by the managed release of water from stormwater basins which continued to drain slowly The landslip at Lighthouse Rd in Akaroa continues to be regularly monitored with no changes in the past 24 hours A temporary pump installed has now stopped wastewater entering Akaroa Harbour but residents were asked to continue to limit demand on the wastewater system A search and rescue operation is underway for a Masterton man in his 70s missing since Sunday John Rafferty was last seen at Masterton Railway Station about midday on May 4 The 74-year-old did not board a train and left on foot about 20 minutes later Matheson said it was possible Rafferty was staying with a friend but police and loved ones "want to know he’s safe" and John doesn’t have his cell phone or wallet," he said A search team and a helicopter has been out looking for the missing man "We are really keen to know that he’s safe." Police have released an image from CCTV showing Rafferty on a station platform on the day of his disappearance He was wearing a blue jacket with 'NASA' written on the back Anyone who saw him was asked to contact police on 111 or online at 105 if there was Information after the fact The next top cop of the troubled Victoria police force embraces his "outsider" status to curb its leadership malaise and has a stern warning for crooks Former New Zealand Police commissioner Mike Bush won the race to become Victoria's chief commissioner after months of top-level staffing woes The 40-year police veteran steps into the role on June 27 with a five-year contract The Kiwi conceded the job will be no picnic with Victoria's crime rate hitting an almost decade-high in 2024 everyone knows that," he told reporters today "These crime issues are actually global they are quite similar wherever you go but it's not good enough just to turn up after the act Rising youth crime and high-profile cases of alleged offenders committing crimes while on bail spurred the Victorian government to strengthen laws in March Bush said he was familiar with the crackdown but bail laws were just one part of the solution to tackling youth crime along with a "prevention mindset" He retired from the NZ police force in 2020 after joining in 1978 and spending his final six years in the top job Whakaari/White Island volcano eruption and Covid-19 pandemic were among the biggest crises Bush confronted during his tenure Bush also made headlines in 2022 after it emerged he had a past drink-driving conviction when unsuccessfully applying to become head of the UK's Metropolitan Police Former New Zealand police minister Stuart Nash describedr Bush as hard but fair He said Bush regularly met with police forces across the Tasman in his previous role and recalled travelling with him to every district across New Zealand once a year to chew the fat with communities and then we all had biscuits and a cup of tea," Nash told AAP "Mike is someone who had deep credibility in policing." The state government has not handed the reins of Victoria Police to an outsider since former NSW Police assistant commissioner Christine Nixon in 2001 The Kiwi was happy to wear the "outsider" tag and is already hatching plans to hit the ground running "I've got a lot to do to come up to speed," Bush said "Culture is a consequence of leadership." establishing relationships with community groups amid rising tensions and increasing police visibility on the beat were among his other top initial priorities Victoria Police was thrust into leadership turmoil in February with a no-confidence vote from officers costing chief commissioner Shane Patton his job Emergency Management Commissioner Rick Nugent became acting chief and expressed an interest in making the move permanent before throwing in the towel in April Deputy Commissioner Robert Hill will serve in an acting capacity until Bush takes over Bush intends to speak with Patton before starting and said he wouldn't shy away from pushing back if he disagreed with the government Premier Jacinta Allan said a recruitment agency was hired and instructed to find a leader capable of addressing the "challenges" plaguing the force "Mike Bush is the best person for the job," she said whose union led the no-confidence vote against Patton following a bitter pay dispute admitted there was a disconnect between members and leaders The state police union secretary welcomed Mr Bush's appointment and pledge to listen to the mounting workforce concerns "We have a police force that is currently under-resourced that needs fresh officers," he said The Commerce Commission has filed criminal charges against Woolworths NZ for alleged inaccurate pricing and misleading specials that may have breached the Fair Trading Act The commission filed the charges against Woolworths in the Auckland District Court It indicated in December last year that it would be filing separate criminal charges against Woolworths and two Pak'nSave supermarkets the commission said there were ongoing issues with pricing in the supermarket sector and the operators may have breached the Fair Trading Act deputy chair Anne Callinan said operators should know what the expectations were "Supermarkets have long been on notice about the importance of accurate and clear pricing and specials and we're not satisfied with the continuing issues we're seeing across the industry "Pricing accuracy is a consumer right and an expectation of a competitive market well-resourced businesses that should invest the time and effort to get pricing and promotions right." She said the charges were filed to remind all supermarkets that they are expected to fix the pricing accuracy issues and implement better processes In a statement when the charges were announced Woolworths managing director Spencer Sonn said it was important customers could trust prices advertised at their supermarkets Woolworths said it has cooperated with the Commerce Commission's pricing investigation for some time rnz.co.nz Former prime minister Sir John Key says he remains optimistic about Donald Trump's domestic economic policy despite opposing the tariff strategy that has sent global markets into turmoil in recent months who served as prime minister for eight years was the keynote speaker at an Auckland business summit earlier today Sir John told 1News he believed Trump would ultimately take a more moderate approach to tariffs than initially proposed "I'm not a fan of tariff policies I don't think they really work," he said as I think the stock market is telling you at the moment that actually there will be a more sensible landing place for the tariffs that he's wanting to impose." Sir John said he "wasn't entirely surprised" at Trump's call to go ahead with the policy "They're just a negotiating point I think he simply put on widespread and high rates of tariffs on every country to give himself a leverage point and a negotiating point "What I think he actually grossly underestimated was the stock market reaction You can actually make the case that his own strategy hasn't worked The reason the markets have recovered is because he's taken those tariffs off the most part 'I'm going to negotiate case by case'." Sir John suggested Trump's economic policies could still generally be positive for the US but the tariffs could be trickier for the global economy Asked whether he stood by his October comments that Trump would be good for the economy he said: "Do I think he's going to reduce regulatory burden in the United States It depends on where things shake down in terms of tariffs." Sir John acknowledged that for certain industries Trump's policies could be "a really negative thing" particularly if the president's proposed 100% tariff on the film industry were to be implemented "I can't see how it would be cost-competitive to make a movie in New Zealand with a 100% tariff on it," he said noting that films such as The Hobbit would not have been made in New Zealand without government subsidies who now served as a director of US tech company Palo Alto Networks said he had "always been opposed" to Trump's tariff policies but believes they won't be the "dominant part of his economic solutions" "I don't think it's perfect from New Zealand's point of view but I don't think we should panic either and America will still be a very big market for us to sell things to," he said "There are growing markets around the world It's not a great thing from New Zealand's point of view We've got a very sound economy with lots of options in front of us." Sir John suggested a belief that the Republican Trump was was better "on balance" for the US economy than Democratic opponent Kamala Harris he expressed concerns about Trump's tariff approach: "China doesn't pay those tariffs middle-income consumers or consumers in America do because when a tariff goes on a good that you bring into a country He added: "I don't agree with the massive tariffs and I don't think you'll follow through with all of that and I certainly don't agree with this view on trade." Audrey Backeberg disappeared from a small city in south-central Wisconsin after reportedly hitchhiking with her family’s babysitter and catching a bus to Indianapolis Nobody ever knew where she went or what happened to her All that changed last week when she was found alive and safe in another state thanks to the fresh eyes from a deputy who took over the case in February Detective Isaac Hanson discovered an out-of-state arrest record that matched Backeberg which triggered a series of investigative moves that led to finding her alive and safe in another state Turns out Backeberg chose to leave the town of Reedsburg on her own accord – likely due to an abusive husband safe and secure; And just kind of lived under the radar for that long,” he said Hanson was assigned the case in late February and he and other officials met with Backeberg’s family to see if they had a connection with that region They also started digging through Backeberg's sister's Ancestry.com account obituaries and marriage licenses from that region they found an address where a woman was living that Hanson said shared a lot of similarities with Backeberg including date of birth and social security number Hanson was able to get a deputy from that jurisdiction to go to the address "I was expecting the deputy to call me back and say ‘Oh nobody answered the door.’ And I thought it was the deputy calling me I could sense that she obviously had her reasons for leaving.” Most of the information he learned during that call he declined to share saying that it was still important to Backeberg that she not be found “I think it overwhelmed her of course with the emotions that she had having a deputy show up at her house and then kind of call her out and talk with her about what happened and kind of relive 62 years in 45 minutes,” he said Hanson described discovering her safe after more than six decades practically unheard of And while he doesn't know what will happen next in terms of her family reconnecting he said he was happy that she can reach out if she wants to so she has my contact number if she ever wants to reach out or needs anything any phone numbers of family members back here," he said "Ultimately she kind of holds the cards for that.” The government is making it harder to make a claim for pay equity that will cut costs There have been massive pay equity claims in recent years for nurses and resthome workers Workplace Minister Brooke van Velden announced the moves to raise the threshold for proving work has been historically undervalued to support a claim on Tuesday saying changes back in 2020 had created problems "Claims have been able to progress without strong evidence of undervaluation and there have been very broad claims where it is difficult to tell whether differences in pay are due to sex-based discrimination or other factors." Claims were concentrated in the public sector with costs to the Crown of all settlements so far totalling $1.78 billion a year "The changes I am proposing will significantly reduce costs to the Crown," she said "The changes will discontinue current pay equity claims." Van Velden told Midday Report she believes in pay equity but the current thresholds were "a bit too loose" Asked how she ensure women were not hurt by this the minister said "I'm a woman and I support women who work" "I also support removing gender based discriminations from our workforces but what I don't support are muddied laws and unclear laws," she said "So these changes are better for all women who are working where we can genuinely say hand on heart that what they are finding with their claims is genuine gender based discrimination." Van Velden told reporters at Parliament any current claims would be stopped and need to restart under the new threshold to show "genuine" gender discrimination and make sure the comparators were right She gave a figure of 33 current claims that would be stopped as the legislation was put through under urgency "You have librarians who've been comparing themselves to transport engineers We have admin and clerical staff at Health New Zealand comparing themselves to mechanical engineers." Social workers had compared themselves to air traffic controllers "We don't believe we have that setting right." Any comparison would now be between female employees and male employees at the same employer "But you cannot go fishing for discrimination across the New Zealand workforce." All current settled claims would continue but the government was drawing "a line in the sand" "We're not stopping claims." The nurse's union has this year had at least 10 pay equity claims in play The PSA union has said pay equity claims and settlements had resulted in significant improvements in pay and working conditions for many workers The union said the changes would make it "impossible for people in female-dominated professions to be paid fairly" "Women across the country will pay the price for this," PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons said "The government's changes today are a dark day for New Zealand women as the government says it will repeal the pay equity law and extinguish 33 existing claims in a constitutional overreach "The PSA is exploring all possible avenues to oppose these unconstitutional amendments and stop this attack on women We will not be deterred in our fight to achieve pay equity for all." "This is a blatant and shameful attack on women," New Zealand Nurses organisation chief executive Paul Goulter said "Women in workforces predominantly performed by female employees have been underpaid and undervalued for generations That is what pay equity claims seek to rectify," he said "This move by the government will widen the pay gap between men and women." The union had at least 10 pay current pay claims across Aged Care These cover many nurses and support workers The E tū union also called the changes an attack on women and a green light to pay them less for work of equal value The government was pulling the rug out from under a 13-year-long fight in aged care "These changes are not about evidence — they are about saving money by keeping women underpaid," national secretary Rachel Mackintosh said in a statement A number of unions have called a snap rally at Parliament at 1pm today in light of the announcement the Council of Trade Unions and representatives of other unions say they will be "protesting the government's attack on women and the destruction of progress on pay equity..." rnz.co.nz Shane William Pritchard has been charged with crimes he didn’t commit and chased for debts he doesn’t owe That’s because the Dunedin man is not the only Shane William Pritchard in town While the duo’s shared name and age has sometimes been a handy loophole for one Shane for the other it has caused problems for 36 years It’s been years of fearing every knock on the door Years of wondering if he’ll be hand-cuffed and taken to jail to be honest,” says Shane William Pritchard a scout and a member of the Air Training Corp remembers getting quite a shock when her friend called one evening She'd been acting as a referee for a gun licence for Shane whose friend informed her that the police had a long list of offences against Shane’s name Not long after that the police turned up to where Shane was working at the local tannery to arrest him “You're scrambling in your head to think of ways that you can prove it's not you.” Another Shane William Pritchard had been born in Otago They were separated by just two weeks and about 50 miles – one growing up in Mosgiel the other in Milton – but also by the lives they’d been leading To watch the full video story go to TVNZ+ Shane from Milton had huge problems focusing at school He was raised in foster care and then boys’ homes I just wanted to look cool and get in trouble,” he tells Fair Go Milton Shane was used to run-ins with police he got pulled over in his car and asked about his driving licence one’s got a licence and the other hasn’t.’ And I’m like ‘obviously it must be the one with a licence’.” he went to his bank to draw out an ACC payment and was asked which bank account was his He says that at that point he was trying to figure out what was going on “I thought it was just an error.” But he took advantage of the situation and withdrew a large sum of cash Mosgiel Shane became aware of the withdrawal when a scheduled car payment was declined and when Milton Shane turned up at the bank to withdraw more money Identity fraud was considered but Milton Shane was legitimately expecting an ACC payment so the withdrawal appeared to be a genuine mistake and the police couldn’t take any action 'Anything I could get away with Mosgiel Shane thought the bank incident would have alerted police to the problem But his nemesis had cottoned on to the advantages of having a second identity to use Milton Shane acquired a suite of furniture on hire-purchase Milton-Shane clocked up more driving offences Mosgiel Shane thought about changing his name but realised he’d have to provide his previous name in the process the courts and debt collectors such as Baycorp should be able to distinguish between himself and Milton Shane The police first addressed the issue in the 1990s after Mosgiel Shane went to the media He was given a letter to carry with him should he be apprehended He and his parents felt his situation wasn’t being taken seriously Mosgiel Shane went to the media a second time in the mid-2000s the police gave their word that a record in their system would stop the misidentification from happening again This does appear to have worked as far as police action goes But while Mosgiel Shane was given the same reassurance by the Ministry of Justice he continued to receive demands from the courts for unpaid fines He’d also get stopped and questioned whenever he left the country for work trips or holidays It took a huge toll on Mosgiel Shane’s mental health not realising the constant stress it placed on his life John Pritchard says that at times his son felt his life wasn’t worth living worrying about what he was going to do to himself and that really ate me up.” he and his son were in tears as Shane admitted he was at breaking point He described going for days at a time unable to eat or sleep wondering what might happen next "Am I going to be in a position where they've got me in handcuffs or I've got debt collectors coming to the door?" ...You're spiralling into this black hole." He started taking anti-anxiety medication which helped And events regarding Milton Shane seemed to settle Milton Shane was charged for fishing without a licence in Twizel and failing to comply with fisheries officers But a court registrar incorrectly entered the birth date of Mosgiel Shane in the system both Shanes were being chased to pay the $1530 fine It was Mosgiel Shane who spotted the error and rang the court He also sent a statement from his manager saying he’d not been fishing in Twizel that day The reply he got was to say he’d been given the wrong form and that they wouldn’t accept his proof They just wanted to know how I was going to pay the fine.” The first Milton Shane knew about this was when Fair Go told him Mosgiel Shane had been chased for the fine He was told to pay up or face the consequences feeling he shouldn’t have to pay good money to correct someone else’s mistake But it cost Mosgiel Shane over $5000 in legal fees and took months of back and forth between him “Why should anybody have to pay their own money to right somebody else's wrongs and prove who they are I’m sick and tired of proving who I am all the time.” He wanted the Ministry of Justice to take responsibility and reimburse him for his legal costs saying court staff such as the registrar in this case have immunity if they make mistakes such as the one made here and if I make a mistake and it's affecting my client that it's going to cost them money to rectify a mistake that I've made.” he deserves a million apologies from those guys,” she says Milton Shane told Fair Go he still gets in trouble but wants the other Shane to know he doesn’t use his birth date anymore And he had a message for him: “We’ve got to get it sorted for you so you can have a good life with you and your family because I’m trying to get my life together with my son and my grandson” He offers to meet to see if they can sort it out together but I’m not interested in meeting him,.” says Mosgiel Shane He says he doesn’t hold any grudges and accepts Milton Shane’s apology And he believes the only way for that to happen is for the courts and the Ministry of Justice to give him a guarantee that mix-ups won’t occur in the future Fair Go asked the Ministry of Justice to appear in person to apologise and provide reassurance to Shane of its plans to guard against these mistakes The Ministry declined our request to be on camera saying any comment on an individual case would compromise the independence of the courts as the Ministry operates separately But it did send a written apology directly to Mosgiel Shane It also admitted mistakes can occur in clerical records but said instructions were clear and the importance of getting things right had been emphasised to staff Mosgiel Shane isn’t totally convinced that’s the end of it “All I want is for the Ministry of Justice and the courts to do their job I'd like to live without this hanging over me all the time his criminal check has come back showing a clean slate Lady Gaga gave a free concert Saturday night in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach for the biggest show of her career (...) Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd kicked off the show at around 22.10pm local time with her 2011 song Bloody Mary Cries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand Concert organisers said 2.1 million people attended the show switching between an array of dresses including one with the colours of the Brazilian flag Some fans – many of them young – arrived on the beach at the crack of dawn to secure a good spot “Today is the best day of my life,” said Manoela Dobes a 27-year-old designer who was wearing a dress plastered with a photograph from when she met Lady Gaga in the United States in 2019 Madonna also turned Copacabana Beach into a massive dance floor last year The large-scale performances are part of an effort led by City Hall to boost economic activity after Carnival and New Years’ Eve festivities and the upcoming month-long Saint John’s Day celebrations in June “It brings activity to the city during what was previously considered the low season – filling hotels and increasing spending in bars generating jobs and income for the population,” said Osmar Lima the city’s secretary of economic development in a statement released by Rio City Hall’s tourism department last month Rio’s City Hall said in a recent report that around 1.6 million people were expected to attend Lady Gaga's concert and that the show should inject at least 600 million reais (NZ$178.3 million) into Rio’s economy Similar concerts are scheduled to take place every year in May at least until 2028 Lady Gaga arrived in Rio in the early hours of Tuesday The city has been alive with Gaga-mania since as it geared up to welcome the pop star for her first show in the country since 2012 Rio’s metro employees danced to Lady Gaga’s 2008 hit song LoveGame and gave instructions for today in a video A free exhibition celebrating her career sold out While the vast majority of attendees were from Rio the event also attracted Brazilians from across the country and international visitors More than 500,000 tourists poured into the city in the days leading up to the show according to data from the local bus station and Tom Jobim airport Rio’s City Hall said in a statement yesterday made a cross-continent trip from Colombia to Brazil to attend the show “I’ve been a 100% fan of Lady Gaga my whole life,” said Serrano who was wearing a T-shirt featuring Lady Gaga’s outlandish costumes over the years the mega-star represents “total freedom of expression – being who one wants without shame” Rio officials have a history of organising huge concerts on Copacabana Beach Madonna’s show drew an estimated 1.6 million fans last year while 4 million people flooded onto the beach for a 1994 New Year’s Eve show by Rod Stewart in 1994 that was the biggest free rock concert in history sixteen sound towers were spread along the beach Rio state’s security plan included the presence of 3300 military and 1500 police officers Among those present were Lady Gaga admirers who remember their disappointment in 2017 when the artist cancelled a performance scheduled in Rio at the last minute due to health issues “She's the best artist in the world,” the 25-year-old said I love you” in Portuguese rose from the crowd behind him whose real name is Ella Yelich O'Connor which also displayed what appears to be the album cover art — an X-ray of a pelvis "100% written in blood," the website read The new album's announcement came a week after she released her latest single What Was That The song's music video was filmed at a mysterious pop-up event in New York City's Washington Square Park that was initially shut down by police. The event ended up going ahead after all, and fans who stayed got to hear the new song for the first time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lorde (@lorde) It was the first sign of a follow-up to Lorde's previous album Her other albums were 2013's Pure Heroine and 2017's Melodrama she collaborated with British singer Charli XCX on a remix of Girl so confusing — on a re-release of the Grammy award-winning Brat Kim Kardashian thought she was going to be raped and killed when criminals broke into her bedroom in central Paris tied her up and stole more than US$6 million in jewellery 10 people will go on trial in Paris over the robbery abduction and kidnapping of the media personality and the concierge of the residence where she was staying during Paris Fashion Week the night of October 2 Kardashian’s lawyers said she will testify in person at the trial starting Monday and scheduled to run through May 23 "Ms Kardashian is reserving her testimony for the court and jury and does not wish to elaborate further at this time," they said "She has great respect and admiration for the French justice system and has been treated with great respect by the French authorities "She wishes the trial to proceed in an orderly fashion in accordance with French law and with respect for all parties to the case." In interviews and on her family’s reality TV show Kardashian has described being terrified as robbers pointed a gun at her In a 2020 appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix show she tearfully recalled thinking: "This is the time I’m going to get raped Twelve people were originally expected in the defendants’ box and another is seriously ill and can't be tried five of the 10 defendants were present at the scene of the robbery The French press has dubbed them The Granddad Robbers because the main defendants are elderly and have careers as bank robbers with long criminal records Kardashian told investigators she was taken to a bathroom next to her bedroom and placed in the bathtub Her attackers fled on bicycles or on foot and she managed to free herself by removing the tape from her hands and mouth She had also removed the tape from her feet and rushed to her stylist’s room She called her sister Kourtney to tell her about the theft Kardashian told investigators that she had not been injured adding that she wanted to leave France as soon as possible to be reunited with her children According to her testimony and that of the concierge at least one of the suspects had a handgun The gangsters stole many pieces of jewellery estimated to be worth more than US$6 million (NZ$10 million) Only one piece of jewellery — a diamond cross on platinum that was lost during the suspects' escape — has been recovered Two of the accused have partially confessed to the crime is one of two suspected robbers who allegedly entered the apartment his genetic profile was found on the tape used to gag Kardashian who was waiting for him in a parked car at a nearby train station The second robber said he tied up the concierge with cables but did not go up to Kardashian’s apartment said he acted as a lookout in the ground-floor reception area He said he was unarmed and did not personally threaten Kardashian but admitted he shared responsibility for the crime Abbas was arrested in January 2017 and spent 21 months in prison before being released under judicial supervision he co-authored a French-language book titled I Sequestered Kim Kardashian is the second alleged robber suspected of entering the flat although he was filmed by CCTV cameras and numerous telephone contacts with the other co-defendants show his involvement The other defendants are suspected of providing information about Kardashian’s presence in the apartment Others are accused of playing a role in the resale of the jewellery in Antwerp Joe Cocker and Bad Company will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — in a class that also includes pop star Cyndi Lauper the rock duo the White Stripes and grunge masters Soundgarden the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status and the late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon will get the Musical Influence Award pianist Nicky Hopkins and bassist Carol Kaye will each get the Musical Excellence Award who sang at Woodstock and was best known for his cover of The Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends a member of Elvis Costello & The Attractions who argued that Cocker is "about as rock and roll as it gets" Soundgarden — with the late Chris Cornell as singer — get into the Hall on their third nomination They follow two other grunge acts in the Hall — Nirvana and Pearl Jam Bad Company get in having become radio fixtures with such arena-rock staples as Feel Like Makin’ Love Can’t Get Enough and Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy The Ahmet Ertegun Award — given to nonperforming industry professionals who had a major influence on music — will go to Lenny Waronker Some nominees that didn't get in this year included Mariah Carey and subsequent Let’s Twist Again are considered among the most popular songs in the history of rock 'n' roll The 83-year-old has expressed frustration that he hadn't been granted entry before including telling the AP in 2014: "I don’t want to get in there when I’m 85 years old so you better do it quick while I’m still smiling." Lauper rose to fame in the 1980s with hits such as Time After Time and Girls Just Want To Have Fun and went on to win a Tony Award for Kinky Boots have six Grammys and a reputation for pushing the boundaries of hip-hop The White Stripes — made up of Jack White and Meg White — were indie darlings in the early 2000s with such songs as Seven Nation Army Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction The induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles this fall Nominees were voted on by more than 1200 artists historians and music industry professionals The selection criteria include "an artist’s impact on other musicians the scope and longevity of their career and body of work as well as their innovation and excellence in style and technique" Dave Matthews Band and singer-guitarist Peter Frampton were inducted One person was critically injured in the incident at Balmoral Recreation Reserve Camping Ground on Balmoral Station Rd in Hurunui last night said she “couldn’t see how nobody had been killed” she thought she was more at risk of a lightning strike as thunder shook the ground around them A holidaymaker was critically injured after a tree smashed through a campervan at Balmoral camping ground in North Canterbury yesterday I was more concerned about lightning hitting a tree than a tree falling over “I didn’t actually think it was that the wind was that bad.” she heard a massive “whomp” sound as it fell before people started to gather around the scene The camper described the scene as “horrendous” with the camper’s belongings strewn around the site Emergency services were forced to use a digger and a tractor to free the person said he was waiting out the storm with a cup of tea and a book when he opened up his curtains to see the flashing lights He said it was “absolutely pouring” and the tree that fell sat on the edge of the creek bank which he suspects is the reason it toppled over He estimated the tree to be about 40m tall Blomfield said he was “relieved” he had chosen to park in the sun and not under a tree Fellow campers at the Balmoral Recreation Reserve say they are shocked no one died The person was freed from the caravan at 9.52pm but remained in a critical condition They were transported to Christchurch Hospital A Fire and Emergency NZ shift manager said a digger and tractor were used to extricate the person in a “technical The incident was first reported to emergency services about 7.20pm one rapid response unit and one first response unit attended The axe still hangs above Balmoral Hall in Ashburton but its dancers are at least relieved they have time to find a new venue Dance teacher Charmaine Quaid has run her dance studio at the hall for 55 years she was staring down the impending eviction from the proposed sale or demolition of the hall Ashburton District Council had proposed to sell the building and adjacent land in the long-term plan with the building facing an estimated $1.3m repair cost to bring it up to standard - outstripping the $400,000 that had been previously budgeted for the work DanceWorx teachers Jessie Thompson and Quaid presented their case to councillors to retain the hall pleading to keep the hall with a "modest upgrade" to retain its affordability Quaid said she was blown away by the support they had in their fight to retain and repair the hall Come decision time there was a lengthy debate from the councillors before opting to retain the hall "for two more years The council will retain ownership of the land Quaid described the decision as a two-year stay of execution Had it been designated for immediate sale or demolition they may have only had a few months to find alternate arrangements They have the clarity of the two-year deadline but it still means the future of the dance school's location remains up in the air "[Which is] where it's been for probably a decade," Quaid said "I've spoken with the council and at this stage Minimal money will be spent on any repairs and maintenance to the hall with its impending sale or demolition "We would love it to be beautiful and up to date but as it is we have a wonderful floor space and that is our key requirement." Dance Worx has been actively hunting for somewhere to relocate to when their time is up at Balmoral Hall "We have been looking but have nothing definite yet." The Balmoral Hall has been home to hundreds of students over the years who have attended Quaid's dance studio and the number of students remains strong she said LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air Local Democracy Reporting RSS Follow RNZ News Auckland City$685,000311Looking for astute investors!Highly motivated vendor overseas has given us clear instructions that the property must sell One of the best priced 3 bedroom homes in the area with a seperate garage a beautifully renovated three-bedroom unit offering modern comfort in a prime central location this low-maintenance gem is an opportunity not to be missed contemporary interior where the light-filled open-plan living and dining area creates an inviting atmosphere The well-appointed kitchen features sleek finishes and ample storage Three peaceful bedrooms provide a comfortable retreat while the stylishly updated bathroom adds a modern touch A secure single garage offers parking or extra storage while the unbeatable location places you moments from local shops this home is also opposite the temple and provides easy access to motorways and the city Don't miss this chance to secure a stylish and convenient home in one of Auckland's sought-after suburbs - schedule a viewing today Disclaimer - All prospective purchasers shall complete their own due diligence and satisfy themselves with respect to information supplied during the marketing of this property including but not limited to: the floor and land sizes based on a borrower’s individual credit assessment.Canstar's Most Awarded Personal LoanGet a renovation loan up to $70K and bring your vision to life we can approve your home improvement loan quickly and get your renovation started They were transported to Christchurch Hospital The only high-reach ladder truck in Auckland broke down last night Ulster Bank hosted its annual pre-show breakfast briefing and policymakers to share insights and reinforce the bank’s long-standing commitment to the agricultural sector Held in partnership with the Guild of Agricultural Journalists the event took place at Ulster Bank’s Belfast headquarters and was led by the bank’s Head of Northern Ireland The session served as both a pulse check on the health of the industry and a platform to explore new opportunities in farming and food production delivers his annual farming update ahead of the 2025 Balmoral Show in partnership with Ulster Bank Cormac McKervey provided a detailed sectoral update offering a comprehensive overview of the state of NI farm businesses across dairy farming is generating good returns and is in a relatively stable position pigs and poultry and while there is still room for improvement with arables the situation is more positive than it has been in recent years,” he said McKervey pointed to a combination of favourable market conditions and improved weather as key factors easing pressure on producers and the recent spell of good spring weather has eased the pressure on field work,” he added Consumer behaviour is also playing a pivotal role in the industry’s momentum “Much of this positivity is being driven by strong consumer demand for locally produced food with today’s consumer placing more value on provenance than ever before,” McKervey explained and a buoyant outlook in borrowing and lending “This buoyancy is also being reflected in bank borrowing and our message to farmers continues to be that we are open to lend and keen to support new businesses.” “TB continues to severely impact some farms but also can have an adverse effect on a farmer’s mental health Changes to the inheritance tax threshold which is scheduled to be enacted from April 2026 may also be causing some additional stress and anyone connected with the agrifood industry will be watching what is happening in terms of tariffs very carefully.” McKervey reiterated Ulster Bank’s commitment to the sector: is that we remain confident and are willing to support businesses in the sector as best we can the expertise of our local team on the ground or with products offered by our partners throughout the NatWest Group.” speaks to Gareth McDonald and Gareth Gordon The event also provided a platform to highlight the bank’s support for agri-tech innovation through its Belfast-based Entrepreneur Accelerator introduced Gareth McDonald and Gareth Gordon the co-founders of Farm Drive—a farm management app born from a chance meeting at a previous Balmoral Show Through their participation in the accelerator peer collaboration and developmental support Their technology is now reaching new markets Farm Drive will feature at this year’s Balmoral Show where the founders hope to inspire farmers to “improve their profitability become more sustainable and introduce greater efficiencies.” Chair of the Guild of Agricultural Journalists Head of Ulster Bank NI and John Henning OBE closed the session by reaffirming the bank’s dedication to supporting the agri-food economy “Ulster Bank is very proud of our longstanding association with the Balmoral Show and while we are looking forward to the landmark event it is by no means our only association with the agri-food sector which we recognise as being one of the key drivers of our local economy,” he said “From helping farm businesses embrace new technologies to financing their plans for growth we have the tools and expertise to support businesses at all levels as demonstrated by Cormac and John at today’s event.” will take place from Wednesday 14th to Saturday 17th May at Balmoral Park the event remains the premier showcase for Northern Ireland’s farming excellence and rural innovation For more on Ulster Bank’s agricultural support services, visit www.ulsterbank.co.uk/agriculture. For ticketing and schedule details for the Balmoral Show, visit www.balmoralshow.co.uk WhatsApp: 07311 700 250 Privacy Policy President Donald Trump may soon be invited to spend time at Balmoral Castle alongside King Charles You also get 20+ other shows on the network ad-free Palace Intrigue : Kate Middleton - Meghan & Harry - King Charles - Royal Family gossip A police spokesperson said a tree was reported to have come down on a caravan at a Balmoral Station Rd address Emergency services used a digger to free a person with critical injuries trapped for hours tonight in a caravan that a tree fell on in Canterbury Fire and Emergency and police were notified that a tree had fallen on a caravan at the Balmoral Recreation Reserve Camping Ground on Balmoral Station Rd in Hurunui The person was freed from the caravan at 9.52pm tonight but remained in a critical condition They were going to be transported to Christchurch Hospital The incident was first reported to emergency services about 7.20pm tonight “We responded with a crew from Culverden and Amberley,” a Fire and Emergency spokesperson said A digger was requested to help with the rescue before 9pm “Crews are still on scene and are reassuring the person trapped in the caravan St John is also on site,” the Fire and Emergency spokesperson said during the rescue efforts one rapid response unit and one first response unit were on site “We are treating someone with critical injuries,” they said Sign up to The Daily H a free newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday A Napier pharmacy staff member has been praised for doing “everything perfectly” during a frightening robbery which led to an Armed Offenders Squad call-out and arrest The ordeal happened at Balmoral Pharmacy inside Pak’nSave Napier about 4pm on Friday A police spokesman said a man presented a written note inside the pharmacy stating he was armed and demanded medication No firearm was seen and the offender left the scene with the stolen medication and the pharmacy was briefly placed in lockdown “The alleged offender left the scene in a vehicle which was later located parked outside an address of Breakwater Rd [in Napier],” the spokesman said “Cordons were put in place while a search warrant was executed at a Breakwater Rd address with the assistance of the Armed Offenders Squad “The alleged offender was taken into custody and a firearm was not located.” A 20-year-old man has been charged with robbery and is due to appear in the Napier District Court on Thursday said the pharmacy reopened for the last hour of trading on Friday and has been open as is normal since She was pleased with the way the main staff member who was involved in the situation handled the incident she said the worker was shaken up when she got home She said the owner kept all the staff in the loop on Friday evening via a group message and they were pleased to hear police caught the alleged offender quickly She said victim support was available to any staff members who wanted it and the pharmacy checked in with staff over the weekend to make sure they were okay “We are all having a quiet day today and we mentioned to anyone if they are having a bad day they can wander out the back and have a cup of tea.” Gary Hamilton-Irvine is a Hawke’s Bay-based reporter who covers a range of news topics including business The Saturday closure comes amid a proposal to shut Napier Library for at least two years Princes of Wales pictured during a visit to Aberfan Kate Middleton announced she had cancer in March 2024 will be her longest journey since the diagnosis Princess of Wales is set to join the royal family at Balmoral this month The 42-year-old royal will accompany her husband Prince William and their three children as well as other members of the institution in what will be her longest journey since she was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year After revealing in March she was undergoing preventative chemotherapy following abdominal surgery earlier in the year Catherine has mostly divided her time between the family’s Windsor home Adelaide Cottage and their holiday residence in Norfolk with the two properties being around 125 miles apart The princess also made the short journey to London for Trooping the Colour in June and Wimbledon for the men’s tennis final in July Catherine revealed she is “making good progress” but still had “a few more months” of treatment to complete She said in a statement: “I have been blown away by all the kind messages of support and encouragement over the last couple of months It really has made the world of difference to William and me and has helped us both through some of the harder times but as anyone going through chemotherapy will know tired and you have to give in to your body resting “My treatment is ongoing and will be for a few more months spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity as well as starting to do a little work from home.” she is focusing on taking things one day at a time She said: “I’m looking forward to attending The King’s Birthday Parade this weekend with my family and hope to join a few public engagements over the summer but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet and allowing myself to take this much-needed time to heal “Thank you so much for your continued understanding and to all of you who have so bravely shared your stories with me.” 'The team have nailed it – it’s a strategy that everyone can understand.' Balmoral Castle is opening for public tours from 1 July In just a few hours, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, 40 lucky visitors will see what only the royal family and specially invited guests have seen; the inner rooms of Balmoral Castle one of the royal family’s beloved holiday homes will run public tours of several inner rooms trained staff will lead groups of 10 people through a 50-minute tour of seven ground-floor rooms including the main dining room Purchased in 1848 by Queen Victoria (King Charles’ great-great-great-grandmother) Balmoral Castle has been a favourite retreat for the royals for more than 175 years the public has only had access to the gardens castle grounds and the ballroom from April to the end of July Earlier this year, the King and the Balmoral estate announced they would allow a small number of tourists to visit in July and the start of August. Tour tickets cost $200 to $300 and sold out within 24 hours of going on sale in April after the website briefly crashed due to demand. Only 40 visitors can visit each day. Those who book an additional high tea will receive it on a replica of the castle’s White Stewart Tartan China. Before starting the visit, guests must put dust covers over their shoes and turn in their phones as photography is banned, the Telegraph reported. Those hoping to spot a royal during the tour will be out of luck as the family do not typically visit until August, with the King supposedly visiting for a summer holiday on August 19, the Daily Mail reported. Balmoral Castle is already a well-rated tourist attraction, with four out of five stars on Tripadvisor and 1720 reviews. Many said it was worth a visit even without one of the few thousand exclusive inside tickets. “You only get to see the Ballroom, but we thought it was interesting,” one woman wrote in June. “Lesser beings aren’t allowed to tour the grounds when the Royals are in residence. The grounds are, however, delightful - well manicured and lush greenery,” another wrote. Less glowing reviews suggest the fee is worthwhile for those with a fascination for the royal family or passion for gardens but less so for a typical tourist. India’s women offer a new lens on travel, tradition, and transformation. President of Italy Sergio Mattarella (C) and his daughter Laura Mattarella (L) a State Banquet at Quirinale Palace The Pipe Major plays his instrument outside the King's bedroom every morning, just as he reportedly did for the late Queen. Travelling with King Charles to whichever royal residence he chooses to stay, the piper plays at 9am each day. A fellow The White Lotus cast member has called her ‘more famous than Jesus and Elvis’, so just who is this K-pop superstar who’s infiltrated the world of high fashion? Paul, of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, became the Queen's 17th Pipe Major in 2021, taking over from Pipe Major Richard Grisdale. The tradition dates back to the time of Queen Victoria who issued the position in 1843 after she discovered that the Marquess of Breadalbane had her own piper In a letter addressed to her mother she once wrote: ‘We have heard nothing but bagpipes since we have been in the beautiful Highlands and I have become so fond of it that I mean to have a Piper Pipe Major Paul Burns plays during the State Funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at Westminster Abbey Victoria was introduced to the instrument in 1842 on the occasion of her first visit to the Highlands with Prince Albert. The story goes that it was because she fell so in love with Scotland that Albert bought her the bewitching Balmoral 10 years later. The royal, who recently celebrated turning 21, was effortlessly elegant in a baby blue gown at the gala in Oslo Described by Princess Eugenie as ‘the most beautiful place on earth’, Balmoral was apparently the late Queen's favourite home. An opinion shared by her grandfather, King George V, who once said: 'I am never so happy as when I am fishing the pools of the Dee.' Queen Elizabeth II had the instrument played to her since her accession to the throne in 1952, at Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Holyroodhouse or Balmoral. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer used a trip to the White House on Thursday to present the president with an official letter from the monarch offering a meeting at either Dumfries House or Balmoral Castle to discuss the logistics A meeting in Scotland would be Trump's first return to the country where he has family and business connections The only previous occasion a sitting president has visited Balmoral was Dwight D Eisenhower in 1959, when he described it as his "Scottish White House" Terrier Betty completes 'full house' of UK summitsThe terrier has walked up 282 Munros, 227 Munro Tops, 222 Corbetts, 231 Grahams and 140 Donalds. Kevin Booth: The betting tycoon who preyed on womenKevin Booth's former partner Tammy Conner says she fears someone could die if he is not stopped. Why has Scotland had its warmest day of the year?Sustained high pressure has seen temperatures rise over early April with chances Scotland could see its warmest day of the year so far. Ex-partner's warning over racing tipster who 'tortured' womenTammy Conner told the BBC that someone could end up dead at the hands of her ex-partner Kevin Booth. We're celebrating Scotland while New York protests - CummingAlan Cumming is in the US city to lead the Tartan Day Parade through Manhattan as its Grand Marshall. Watch: Scotland's oldest electricity pylons pulled downAgeing steel towers are being replaced by smaller wooden pylons in parts of the west of Scotland. The 85-year-old still working on dry stone dykesDave Goulder was named in the New Year’s Honours list for services to dry stane dyking. Whisky scammers 'knew about my terminal diagnosis'Victims have been conned out of millions of pounds in a whisky barrel investment scam, a BBC investigation has found. Five years since lockdown'Quaran-teens' - five years since lockdown The Scottish record shops dubbed 'world's greatest'Two record shops in Scotland were recently featured on a "world's greatest" list with others across the world. The young musician aiming to preserve a Black Isle dialectMusician Grace Stewart-Skinner is creating a music album to celebrate the fishing heritage of a Black Isle village Otter wreaks havoc in family kitchen in Shetland14 Mar 2025Scotland'We're sometimes frightened to run the central heating'A couple begin their legal challenge against UK and Scottish government decisions to cut winter fuel payments. Golf star Cruickshank 'deserves his place in history'A new exhibition hopes to raise the profile of the Highland golfer who became a star in the US. Black kept ADHD diagnosis private at 'toxic' WestminsterDiscovering she had ADHD was like being handed "an instruction manual for her my brain", former SNP MP Mhairi Black reveals. 'I feel 27 years in Holyrood is right time to move on' - Robison'I feel 27 years in Holyrood is right time to move on' - Shona Robison Dust off your waxed jackets and lace up your brogues Miu Miu’s new collection is inspired by Elizabeth II – and its pop-up shops are going global I don’t understand how something can be both I never really thought of her as rebellious, to be honest. Also “versatile and individual” according to Miu Miu Miu Miu? The Italian fashion brand, founded by Miuccia Prada, which has just launched a new range named after the queen’s Scottish summer retreat Does that not sound like the queen’s summer wardrobe to you Fashion icon … Elizabeth II in 2002. Photograph: Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty ImagesIt does and that’s a big part of the problem I’m having. That’s fashion – all styles, however unlikely, eventually come due for reassessment But she only died two years ago … Like it or not I can get it from any respectable farm supply retail outlet And now you can also get it from Miu Balmoral pop-up shops that will soon be opening in Tokyo I see: it’s classic British dowdiness recast as high fashion for foreign markets Alessandro Michele and John Galliano were all inspired by her I’ll take your word for it. Even her dogs became fashionable. In the weeks after she died internet searches for corgis increased tenfold and the price of puppies shot up What else is big in Balmoral style? If you’re trying to get the authentic look, you could do worse than a handcrafted goat’s hair sporran modelled on those worn by Balmoral castle ghillies in the 19th century: £490 from the House of Labhran. I don’t even know enough about Scottish fashion to know whether that’s a lot for a sporran. In an emergency you can pick one up for less than £50, but the goat’s hair ones tend to be pricey. What about a horse? Will I need some of kind horse? Maybe hire one for the weekend first, to see how you like it. Do say: “These shoes are lovely, but do you have anything browner and sturdier?” Don’t say: “When I say my personal fashion icon is the queen, I mean Camilla.” The Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince Edward's Balmoral trip set to be cut short The Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince Edward's Balmoral trip is set to be cut short are currently in Scotland as guests of King Charles and Queen Camilla at Balmoral Castle The monarch has followed in the footsteps of his late mother who would take up a yearly summer residence at the Aberdeenshire castle until October the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh's stay at Balmoral is set to be cut short this year is awaiting big news as he joins the Royal Family at Balmoral for their summer break The 16-year-old sat his GCSE exams earlier this year and will be collecting his results on Thursday James attends Radley College in Oxfordshire a good eight-hour drive away from Balmoral Castle The youngest nephew of King Charles will almost certainly be joined by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh at Radley College as he collects his GCSE results Earl of Wessex will be receiving his GCSE results on Thursday Edward and Sophie would be forced to cut their Balmoral trip short The duke and duchess have tried very hard to allow James as normal an upbringing as possible When asked in 2020 if her children had a "normal" childhood Sophie told The Times: "What’s normal "They go to friends for sleepovers and parties At weekends we do lots of dog walking and stay with friends Balmoral Castle is located in Aberdeenshire The Duchess of Edinburgh and Prince Edward with their two children "I guess not everyone’s grandparents live in a castle but where you are going is not the important part "We try to bring them up with the understanding they are very likely to have to work for a living "Hence we made the decision not to use HRH titles They have them and can decide to use them from 18 Prince Philip came face to face with Bigfoot (stock)(Image: Getty Images)Prince Philip spotted a Bigfoot while walking in Balmoral Bigfoot was reportedly strolling round the Scottish highlands (stock)(Image: Getty Images/Science Photo Library RF)Mark said: “I had some contact from the Palace there was some sort of Bigfoot at Balmoral that the Duke of Edinburgh saw once Although sightings of Big Foot have commonly been made in North America and reports of the Yeti – believed to be the same creature – come from the Himalayas Mark says there have been reported sightings of creatures in Britain Flash Gordon actor Brian Blessed previously revealed that Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth both believed Big Foot was real and once met a man who claimed he was kidnapped by a family of Sasquatch The encounter reportedly happened at Balmoral (file)(Image: Getty Images)The 88-year-old actor – who starred in the late monarch’s favourite film Flash Gordon – has revealed the royal couple met a tracker called Albert Ostman in Vancouver during a trip to Canada who told them both that he been captured by a family of the mythical ape men during a fishing trip to Venezuela He said: “The Queen when in Vancouver wanted to meet a man called Albert Ostman who was a trapper in Venezuela and North America The Daily Star front page on May 1(Image: Daily Star)“Just outside Venezuela he wanted to go on a holiday and go fishing … He was an experienced traveller and explorer in his tent It’s the most brilliant account of Sasquatch I’ve ever heard They couldn’t find anything wrong with him “The Queen and Prince Philip spent an afternoon with Albert but he told the Queen the whole story and she believed him implicitly.” The Royals reportedly had quite the fascination with Bigfoot (stock)(Image: Getty Images)‌Brian worked with Prince Philip on his Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme and the actor revealed that he and Philip discussed their belief that Yetis live all over the world The beloved British star – who can be heard performing the parts of The Master of Ceremonies and The Caveman on upcoming album Tubular Bells - A 50th Anniversary Celebration – knows that Yetis exist because he saw them on an expedition in Mongolia He said: “There are all these creatures alive in the Earth In Mongolia they walked thousands of miles I climbed several of the mountains and there they were For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters. enjoying some downtime without their three children William and Princess Kate were photographed on their way to church on Sunday where they joined King Charles and Queen Camilla for the weekly service William drove his wife to Crathie Kirk and Kate, who has not been photographed since announcing that she has completed her course of preventative chemotherapy looked radiant in a feathered hat and a pair of Cassandra Goad gold earrings Sources in Scotland said that Kate, who featured in the Court Circular last week for the first time this year looked remarkably well and that Charles was on “fighting form.” “The Prince and Princess had a private weekend and appeared to be on good form,” said the source Palace sources would not comment because the trip was private it is believed to be the first solo trip William and Catherine have made to Scotland without their three children the family spends a long weekend at Balmoral at the end of August The late Queen began the tradition and loved to host her grandchildren and great-grandchildren at the castle the couple’s three children stayed in Berkshire with Kate’s parents Before they were married often staying at a small cottage on the Balmoral estate Now when they visit Aberdeenshire they stay at Balmoral How Miriam Adelson Went From Big MAGA Winner to Casino Loser in Trump’s First 100 Days Trump’s Lies Are Finally Catching Up to Him The UK Has Found Another Reason to Be Mad at Meghan Markle “It’s About Him”: How Trump Is Perverting the Presidential Photo Stream The Ballad of Bill Belichick and Jordon Hudson The Truth Underlying Pete Hegseth’s Job Security Why Are Americans So Obsessed With Protein How Sebastian Stan Became Hollywood’s Most Daring Shape-Shifter Every Quentin Tarantino Movie Meet Elon Musk’s 14 Children and Their Mothers (Whom We Know of) From the Archive: Sinatra and the Mob it might be your turn to tie the knot on the 50,000 acre estate The late Queen Elizabeth II was so fond of the estate that she chose to spend the last days of her life there before she passed away in 2022 Now, King Charles has submitted plans to allow the public access to portions of Balmoral, including the Queen’s building – with one of the space’s proposed functions being a fairytale wedding location It’s the latest step in the King’s gradual opening up of the estate which has long been the private epicentre of many of the royal family’s secret summits and most most intimate discussions are more often found staying at Birkhall when they visit Balmoral preferring the Queen Mother’s long-time residence over the illustrious Victorian castle So fond was the late Queen Elizabeth II of Balmoral that she chose to spend her final days at the castle The then Prince Charles with his dog at Balmoral Those hoping to host their big day at the royal family’s holiday home will have to wait for the council’s approval. Their decision will involve weighing up whether regulations should be applied on the patio outside the building, and they may impose a ban on amplified music – which seems a little perfunctory, considering the 50,000 acres of land surrounding the site. The Queen of timeless fashion: Elizabeth II’s 100 most elegant looksBy Chandler TregaskesRead MoreIndeed, the application document promises that there is ‘no such prospect of neighbours being disturbed’ by any late-night discos. Staff, too, will be trained to ensure that no alcohol is sold to anyone underage, meaning no Balmoral vino for any flower girls There are, of course, already opportunities to enjoy a glass of wine at the Scottish estate. In an attempt to offset Balmoral’s reported £3 million annual upkeep cost, the royals recently opened the castle to the public for £100 and in December it was announced the visitors could enjoy seven courses worth of locally sourced cuisine – including specially paired wines – for £250 a head ticket revenue at Balmoral raises around £500,000 a year with roughly 75,000 royal fans visiting the estate per annum King Charles is looking to increase public access to Balmoral While he is marking his birthday, her daughter is gracing the cover of Tatler…Revisit Susannah’s relationship with Viscount Linley, now the 2nd Earl of Snowdon, and how it won over the heart of his mother, Princess Margaret Charles introduced Diana Spencer to the royal family for the infamous Balmoral test in 1980 As the Disney+ adaptation of Rivals proves to be the steamiest show on television, Tatler takes a tour of Chavenage House, the real-life filming location for Britain's best-loved period dramas, from Poldark to Wolf Hall. With its haunted history, however, it's not just Declan O'Hara going bump in the night the Royal Family are reported to spend their time taking ‘long walks in the countryside Barbecues also play an important role during their visits as the late Prince Philip was said to enjoy cooking for his family al fresco using his own 'specially engineered mobile barbecue' Shooting and stalking and salmon fishing are also some of the traditional activities enjoyed by guests Could wedding bells soon join the countryside sounds on this idyllic estate You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image Members of the not-for-profit community group will apply to have the building listed in Ashburton District Council’s District Plan Heritage Schedule The review is pending as the last one was formally adopted by the district council in 2014 Gilkison said the group would be putting forward Balmoral Hall when the district council called for nominations of potential heritage buildings as part of that plan "But it takes at least another two to three years before they work through that and get it adopted Balmoral Hall will likely be demolished before then," Gilkison said He said Ashburton has lost many heritage buildings in recent times including the district council-owned Cavendish Chambers late last year and the privately-owned Ashburton railway station in 2013 "It’s disappointing that what little heritage we have left that’s owned by the council that seems to get tossed on to the pile," he said Balmoral Hall was built as an assembly hall for the former Ashburton Technical College A recent rally cry from dancers to get ratepayers to submit to the district council’s Long Term Plan in support of the hall failed to attract enough support Of 1266 who responded to a question of what to do with the hall and its neighbouring polytech land Only 24 per cent chose for the hall and polytech site to be retained and repaired and eight per cent chose a none-of-the-above option reflecting a theme of retaining the hall but selling the polytech site to help finance upgrading the hall 2025King Charles just made an announcement about Balmoral Castle that his late mother he made the controversial decision to open the castle for tours to the public which is something he plans on resuming for the summer of 2025 The news was revealed on the official Instagram page for Balmoral Castle "Don’t miss your chance to book a Balmoral Castle Interior Tour in 2025 Additional tickets have been released for May and June Following the historic opening of the castle’s doors in the summer of 2024—for the first time since its completion in 1855—we are once again delighted to offer exclusive private tours As Hello! Magazine reported, Queen Elizabeth II preferred to keep Balmoral castle private It served as a beloved retreat for her and her family for decades where they could escape from the pressures of day-to-day life in England Whether or not the Queen would've given her blessing to open the castle to the public will never be known visitors couldn't be more delighted by the news "I'm so looking forward to visiting your stunning castle in July It'll be like a busman’s holiday for me famed for being Downton Abbey & other things too 😊" Another added, "We will be there 2026 as part of our globe trotting tour 😎." 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s purchase of the Balmoral Estate to the present day You’ll have the rare opportunity to view a selection of rooms within the Castle that are still used by Their Majesties The King and Queen as well as other members of the Royal Family." booking a trip to the Scottish Highlands.) on Sunday."},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Charles was in a kilt and tweed jacket while Camilla wore a blue coat with a tartan lapel and a red hat decorated with a feather."},"children":[]}]},{"name":"paragraph","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"Before entering the church the couple were given a hand-written manuscript of the piece called "},"children":[]},{"name":"italic","children":[{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":"The Weather of My Being"},"children":[]}]},{"name":"text","attributes":{"value":" who has created music for a number of royal events including the Prince and Princess of Wales’s wedding and several of Charles’s birthdays says 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Queen were given a hand-written manuscript of the music by its composer Paul MealorPAUL CAMPBELL/PANick ForbesMonday April 14 2025 The TimesThe King and Queen have attended a church service near Balmoral where they heard a new piece of music celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary Charles and Camilla waved to onlookers outside the tiny granite Crathie Kirk Charles was in a kilt and tweed jacket while Camilla wore a blue coat with a tartan lapel and a red hat decorated with a feather Before entering the church the couple were given a hand-written manuscript of the piece, called The Weather of My Being, by its composer Professor Paul Mealor, who teaches at the University of Aberdeen The Geographical Names Board (GNB) is seeking community feedback on a proposal by Lake Macquarie City Council to amend the suburb boundary between Balmoral and Buttaba The proposal seeks to extend the suburb of Buttaba to include the properties located on the northern side of Fred Avery Drive This adjustment aims to provide the community with a more logical and visual boundary as this street is bordered by bushland to the north and is not accessible via Balmoral The proposed boundary will create a clearer Have your say by 11:59pm Monday 12 May 2025 See consultation methods We pay respect to the Traditional Custodians and First Peoples of NSW and acknowledge their continued connection to their country and culture has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with LS Cable & System and LS Marine Solution to collaborate in the floating offshore wind sector and on the 750 MW Bandibuli/Firefly project in South Korea The agreement with the Scotland-based buoyancy and insulation services provider follows LS Cable & System’s MoU with Equinor to cooperate on Bandibuli/Firefly under which the dynamic subsea cable the Korean cable manufacturer developed is being considered for Equinor’s floating wind farm The Korea-based companies aim to collaborate with Balmoral Comtec through this new MoU to establish a secure and optimised operational system for floating offshore wind cables LS Marine Solution will enhance installation efficiency and ensure stable maintenance supporting the successful execution of the project said: “This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) highlights our ongoing commitment to the floating wind sector We are delighted to collaborate with LS Cable & System and LS Marine Solution on the Bandibuli project Balmoral Comtec is uniquely positioned to support the offshore wind industry By leveraging our innovative products and expertise we aim to help accelerate the industry’s growth and meet its ambitious targets.” The 750 MW floating wind farm is planned to be built 70 kilometres off the Ulsan coast across two sites Equinor signed an MoU for the development of the Firefly/Bandibuli project with Ulsan City in May 2019 and received approval for the project’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in July 2024 allowing the wind farm to participate in the fixed-price contract auction for wind power projects In October 2024, the wind farm entered into a Transmission Service Agreement (TSA) with Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) and two months later the 750 MW Firefly/Bandibuli was announced as one of the five offshore wind projects awarded capacity by South Korea’s Ministry of Trade Equinor’s project was also the only floating wind farm selected in the auction the four other offshore wind farms being fixed-bottom The Firefly/Bandibuli floating wind farm will feature Siemens Gamesa 15 MW wind turbines, with plans to assemble the nacelles locally under an agreement Equinor signed with Siemens Gamesa in October 2024 “Although floating offshore wind currently accounts for only about 1% of the market we aim to secure core technologies and continue leading the market through ongoing technological advancements and global cooperation” an LS Cable & System official said following the new MoU with Balmoral Comtec Get in front of your target audience in one move OffshoreWIND.biz is read by thousands of offshore wind professionals daily Daily news and in-depth stories in your inbox Leveraging 20 years of experience with offshore windDecember 2023 will forever mark a milestone in our company history as we became part of the world-wide CS WIND group The acquisition goes beyond a mere change in ownership; it marks a leap into a future where our combined strengths will pave the way for optimized production […] The TimesMargaret Thatcher once observed Queen Elizabeth doing the washing-up at Balmoral It was there too that Sir Tony Blair remembered Prince Philip manning the barbecue The estate was one of the few places where the late Queen was afforded true privacy away from the public the royal haven is becoming increasingly accessible to the public as part of an emerging trend of opening up royal properties across Scotland and the rest of the UK Tours now give visitors access to the interior of Balmoral Castle and Dumfries House Luxury dinners at the Castle of Mey are bringing in more revenue while an application to extend the capacity of the Queen’s Building at Balmoral creates the possibility of private events more than 1,300 people were given the opportunity to visit the Scottish seaside castle over the course of two weeks and its extremely Scottish energy seems discordant to modern tastes But apparently the distaste for Balmoral’s interiors goes all the way back to the beginning The Power and the Glory: Life in the English Country House Before the Great War author Adrian Tinniswood points out that early guests “Queen Victoria rarely stayed with one of her subjects after Albert’s death in 1861 But she regularly spent time at her own country houses: Osborne “Both were furnished and decorated to her own taste and the taste of her husband It was not shared by everyone: Lord Rosebery famously said he thought the drawing room at Osborne was the ugliest room in the world until he saw the drawing room at Balmoral.” “The new Balmoral was be-tartaned from the linoleum to the roofs of the rooms.” Even Victoria’s friends were less than impressed later wrote that the tartan were “highly characteristic and appropriate but not all equally flatteuse to the eye.” Drawing of the sitting room of Queen Victoria's consort and lavender on a grey backdrop) when she spent her summers in the house Queen Elizabeth II waits in the Drawing Room before receiving Liz Truss at Balmoral Castle The royal family has filed plans with a local government council to open a nearly 300-person wedding venue on the grounds of Balmoral Castle in Scotland an estate that has been in the family for nearly 200 years and has been opened to the public more than ever under the reign of King Charles the Scottish home of the British royal family seeking permission to use the building for “weddings The application includes plans to use a large outdoor patio for events of up to 277 guests host live performances and serve alcohol until after midnight The move is the latest under King Charles to open the Balmoral estate—the beloved summer home of his mother where she spent her final days in 2022—to the public and tickets (priced from $130 to $195) sold out within 24 hours of going on sale Queen Elizabeth II waits in the drawing room at Balmoral Castle on Sept Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip with their children Prince Andrew (centre) Guests attending a royal house party at Balmoral Castle circa 1885. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in the study at Balmoral Castle in 1976. Princess Diana and King Charles honeymooned at Balmoral in 1981. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts.  Forbes Community GuidelinesOur community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's Terms of Service.  We've summarized some of those key rules below Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain: User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in: Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's Terms of Service. The Royal Family are descending on Balmoral for their summer holiday, with King Charles expected to be joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales and their family, as well as the Edinburghs, Yorks, Tindalls and Phillips for the annual break. It's a particularly poignant trip for the family and follows a challenging year for the royal family; both the King and Kate Middleton have faced health battles, leaving others like the Queen and Sophie to pick up more responsibility in their absence. Elsewhere, Peter Phillips split from his longterm girlfriend, Princess Anne suffered a horse-related accident which left her with a concussion and the family remains at odds with Prince Harry. He's Time's Person of the Year and the next President of the United States. She is a former small-time Slovenian fashion model who rose to wear the mantle of First Lady. On the eve of the US presidential election back in 2020, friends, DC insiders and Melania herself gave Ben Judah the inside track… Balmoral is known to be place where the royal family come together The residence is a particularly special one It was at Balmoral that the late Queen Elizabeth II undertook her final engagements The last public photograph ever taken of the monarch was captured in the minutes following the meeting showing the 96-year-old Queen smiling brightly Queen Elizabeth II in one of the last photos taken before her death The then Prince Charles with Prince William and Prince Harry on the banks of the Dee, on the Balmoral estate While at Balmoral, the Royal Family are reported to spend their time taking ‘long walks in the countryside, fishing, horseback riding, and cycling’. Barbecues also play an important role during their visits, as the late Prince Philip was said to enjoy cooking for his family al fresco using his own 'specially engineered mobile barbecue'. Shooting and stalking and salmon fishing are also some of the traditional activities enjoyed by guests. Prince Philip and Queen Elizabeth II on a farm on the Balmoral estate in Scotland, 1972 In the May 2019 issue of Tatler, David Jenkins wrote about the 365 days that had passed since Meghan Markle’s marriage to Prince Harry. Now, many of the anecdotes of courtier gossip and fall outs with friends ring resoundingly true The Queen maintained a strong relationship with the Balmoral staff throughout her reign famously holding the annual Ghillies Ball in the Castle Ballroom where her neighbours and castle staff would participate in Scottish dancing it was dubbed the ‘Ghillies’ ball because that is the Gaelic word for groundskeepers it’s also the name of the shoe worn during certain Scottish reels Her late Majesty was also known to have encountered a number of members of the public whilst walking on the Scottish estate once famously bumping into an American couple who mistook her for a fellow tourist the former monarch replied: ‘I live in London pointing to her private protection officer Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh with Prince Charles and Princess Anne at Balmoral As Charles and the rest of the family look toward their summer holiday in Balmoral, Tatler shares a brief history of the Royals at the Scottish castleBy Rebecca CopeRead MoreThe residence is therefore privately owned One tradition established by Queen Victoria that the late Queen reportedly enjoyed was having a bagpiper play for 15 minutes under her window at 9am every morning something she is even said to have replicated at Buckingham Palace has invested £1 million (approximately $1.3M) in a new wave and current simulation facility at Balmoral Business Park in Aberdeen.  the facility is designed to simulate surface and seabed conditions for testing offshore wind and other subsea systems in dynamic water environments partially funded by a £74,000 contribution from Energy Transition Zone (ETZ) aims to support the renewable energy transition by enhancing technology validation and development The facility will play an important role in enhancing the performance and design validation of HexDefence Balmoral’s scour protection product launched in 2023 offering operators an alternative to traditional rock dumping This investment follows approximately £2 million already spent on HexDefence’s development “The launch of the Wave and Current Simulation Facility marks a pivotal step in our ongoing commitment to delivering sustainable energy solutions and advancing renewable technology,” said Fraser Milne Projects and Engineering Director at Balmoral Comtec “This cutting-edge resource allows us to provide unmatched testing capabilities that will benefit not only our HexDefence projects but also the wider offshore energy sector.” Beyond renewables, the facility will support oil and gas and other marine industries requiring advanced simulation environments. Balmoral also plans to open the facility to third-party users “This region is creating an ecosystem of innovation and entrepreneurial support for firms building the energy system of tomorrow this simulation facility will play a valued role in helping to test and de-risk technologies before coming to market for wide-scale deployment in areas including offshore wind,” added Freda Miller The Pioneers of Offshore Engineering GustoMSC part of NOV’s Marine and Construction business is recognized for providing advanced design & engineering consultancy for mobile offshore units and reliable equipment and technical knowledge into realistic & innovative ideas The performance of new and existing jack-ups Queen Elizabeth's final photo was taken at Balmoral Castle just two days before she died The King said Scotland is a \201cuniquely special place.\201d The King gave a speech in honor of the Scottish parliament's 25th anniversary touching on his fond memories of the country Scotland has always had a uniquely special place in the hearts of my family and myself," he said King Charles went on to stress the importance of the Balmoral estate to his mother, Queen Elizabeth, who died at the castle in September 2022 at the age of 96 "My late mother especially treasured the time spent at Balmoral where she chose to spend her final days," he said The King added his "beloved grandmother was proudly Scottish," referring to the Queen Mother whose family seat is Glamis Castle in Scotland Indeed, Balmoral held a special place in Queen Elizabeth's heart. Nestled in the Scottish Highlands, the castle and its surrounding land—more than 50,000 acres of it—gave her a respite from the buzz of Buckingham Palace and the chance to embrace the simple joys of country life Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends Each summer, the Royal Family vacations on the Balmoral estate enjoying simple pleasures such as horseback riding When the couple didn't recognize the monarch but I've got a holiday home just the other side of the hills." he's continued his mother's traditions—and affinity for Scotland—telling the Scottish parliament Kristin ContinoSenior Royal and Celebrity EditorKristin Contino is Marie Claire's Senior Royal and Celebrity editor She's been covering royalty since 2018—including major moments such as the Platinum Jubilee Queen Elizabeth II’s death and King Charles III's coronation—and places a particular focus on the British Royal Family's style and what it means Kristin is also the published author of two novels, “The Legacy of Us” and “A House Full of Windsor.” She's passionate about travel and learning everything she can about her favorite city in the world Balmoral is the Royal Family's privately owned Scottish estate We reveal how the late Queen spent her many summers there The late Queen Elizabeth II might have had access to several luxury properties meaning it's privately funded by the Royal Family first became part of their holdings in 1852 when Prince Albert bought it as a gift for Queen Victoria Victoria might have been Queen Elizabeth II's great-great-grandmother but the two shared similar tastes it seemed Balmoral was thought to be one of Her Majesty's favourite places - and this is what she got up to during her Scottish summers and escapes The late Queen Elizabeth II had spent her summers at Balmoral since she was a child with the Aberdeenshire retreat widely understood to be where she was at her happiest it was important to keep up the family tradition of heading to the Scottish estate something the royals had been doing for over 100 years This is why she would invite her family throughout the season from children to grandchildren and later her great-grandchildren Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news expert advice on styling and beauty trends and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered This Sunday Times bestselling biography explores the remarkable life and legacy of Queen Elizabeth II Author Gyles Brandreth met the late monarch on several occasions making this account all the more personal as it reflects upon everything from her childhood to her later years Balmoral was really a place to enjoy the simple things - and the Queen would make the most of the sort of freedom she wouldn't get in central London getting out and about in the 50,000 acre estate Taking long walks has become something of a royal tradition - and it's not unheard of for fellow ramblers to come across King Charles taking a solo stride Famed for her dry sense of humour and surprising lack of pretence Queen Elizabeth II was never more at ease than during her stays at Balmoral And one famous anecdote sums it up best American tourists reportedly asked her if they'd ever seen the Queen the longest-serving monarch in British history Rather than being offended that she wasn't recognised her widely quoted reply involved her pointing to a nearby guard and saying The Queen's first pony was given to her by her grandfather King George V and it marked a lifelong love of the noble animal So it comes as no surprise that, for most of her summers at Balmoral, Her Majesty made the most of the open plains and Scottish landscape, riding her horses solo or going on trots with family members like Princess Anne or King Charles One massive celebration that the Queen would oversee each year at Balmoral was the Ghillies Ball something which viewers of Netflix's The Crown may recall featuring in the show Queen Victoria and Prince Albert started the tradition when they would hold a summer party for their staff The event is a heartfelt thank you to the castle and estate staff The Royal Family have had a long-standing tradition when it comes to angling - and The Queen Mother was reportedly a proficient angler and the Queen would also highlight her passion for angling during visits to the likes of Kenya and Canada Being a working estate - and with similar estates nearby - plenty of typical country activities were on the schedule all summer Queen Elizabeth would take part in activities like deer stalking The only major change facing the royals is that hunting has been banned since 2023 A new neighbour took over the nearby Abergeldie Estate putting an end to their hunting on the grounds after over 100 years Making the most of being away from Buckingham Palace Queen Elizabeth would make sure to soak up all the fresh "[Queen Elizabeth] loved the fact that her bedroom windows were open every night and she would get the fresh air from the highlands every night Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter, Princess Eugenie recalled in the documentary Our Queen At 90 that her memories of Balmoral involved "dogs - a lot of dogs the Royal Family eschewed elaborate spreads and luxury lunches and favoured a classic picnic throughout their Balmoral summers If she wasn't enjoying a brisk walk or a thrilling horse ride one might have spotted the late Queen moving around at a much faster pace showing off her skills behind the wheel (she was a mechanic during the war A popular story about the Queen's fast-paced driving around Balmoral involves a Saudi Crown Prince As told in the 2012 memoir of British diplomat Sir Sherard Cowper-Coles the Queen may have subtly made her displeasure at women being banned from driving in Saudi Arabia known reportedly taking the Crown Prince for a drive and scaring him with her fast turns and speeds With a massive 50,000 acres and over one hundred buildings the Balmoral estate was vast - as were the options of how to wile away the hours the Royal Family had access to a completely private golf course Created in 1925 exclusively for the royals and estate workers the course was opened to the public in 2017 The late Queen was thought to be an avid reader She was a patron of several organisations that promote literacy While the summers at Balmoral emphasised family time and relaxation Her Majesty was known to occasionally carry on duties including welcoming diplomatic visitors and meeting with politicians like former Prime Ministers Liz Truss and Margaret Thatcher Her Majesty was thought to be more relaxed while enjoying time in Balmoral but that didn't mean all tradition and ceremony went out of the window An inspection of a guard of honour from the Royal Highland Fusiliers would be one of the first things carried out when the Queen arrived for her stay Sharing the bittersweet feeling of knowing the summer was coming to a close in the last week of August the Queen would reportedly send her grandchildren (and later great-grandchildren) back to school with happy memories a final chance for the family to connect before returning to normal life for another year While most of Queen Elizabeth's life was tied to her royal roots having enjoyed a childhood at Glamis Castle because of this connection to her mother and heritage that she was so happy at Balmoral Princess Eugenie said in the documentary Our Queen at 90 that it was where she was "most happy” and that she “really Leisurely mornings are the key to a relaxing day and the late Queen would certainly have enjoyed an ideal start to her days The Royal Family really are just like any other family - when they're together and relaxing they love nothing more than indulging in a favourite takeaway Per The Mirror the late Queen Elizabeth would always tuck into a traditional fish and chips from the nearby village of Ballater whenever she was in Balmoral Prince Harry revealed more about intimate family moments at Balmoral and how his grandparents loved serving up a feast He describes how Prince Philip would be busy "tending to the grill…stood amid a thick cloud of smoke." the Queen would pitch in helping to prep the food and had a speciality in salads a holiday would be getting away from chores there might have been something refreshing about enjoying the simpler life and taking control of some domesticities Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher once recounted how she was shocked to see the late monarch standing at the kitchen sink washing the dishes - and this inspired her to send the Queen a pair of washing up gloves as a gift the Royal Family would often come together to catch a good film or a TV show Many reports suggest Her Majesty had some favourites too. It was rumoured that she loved the BBC quiz show Pointless the palace staff - were packing for the royal sojourn to Balmoral each summer of us wouldn't think to take on holiday - a sword The late Queen was said to always bring her knighting sword to Balmoral Maybe she got some practice in on a quiet afternoon One tradition established by Queen Victoria that the late Queen Elizabeth reportedly used to enjoy each morning during her Balmoral stays was having a bagpiper play for 15 minutes under her window at 9am every morning The late Queen Elizabeth II was so relaxed and at ease in Scotland that she felt comfortable being out and about and bonding with the residents of the nearby town It carries on the traditions from her childhood would be taken to local village fetes and similar Indeed, when she passed away, people from the community of Ballater referred to her as “a neighbour, more than just the Queen.” We all know that feeling - sometimes having the whole family around and filling your days can actually tire you out more the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip would usually spend the first week of their Balmoral holidays away from the main estate seven-bedroom guesthouse about a mile from the castle When you're the head of the Church of England It was likely that most Sundays at Balmoral the royals would attend a Sunday Service at Crathie Kirk captures a snapshot of a relaxed and friendly monarch who spent her Balmoral summers getting to know the staff while driving a Scottish cleric on a tour of the estate she suddenly shouted “Hooray!” as they passed one of her gamekeepers walking on the hills with a young woman The Queen explained that his wife had left him and she was delighted that he was out with a new girlfriend they try to make it as outdoorsy as possible With Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace surrounded by city they no doubt feel freer to explore the great outdoors Indeed, per The Telegraph said "Lunch is always outdoors and they are outside every day going on expeditions." Not everything at Balmoral was carefree and relaxed Balmoral is where newcomers to the family would be invited and put to the test Long reported on with plenty of rumours and misinformation the Balmoral Test isn't anything official - or as mean-spirited as it seems It was more of a grilling to see if someone could cut it as part of 'The Firm.' Historian Robert Lacey, per the Daily Mail revealed more insight into how the family liked to relax together at Balmoral some of Her Majesty's favourites included a game where one had to mime words and phrases Another involved writing down a celebrity name on a sticky note and handing it to a family member they had to work out who they had on their sticky note with the help of their team the Queen one year chose Prince Andrew to be Geri Halliwell the Royal Family loved to attend the Highland Games The Queen (and now King Charles) acted as Chieftain of the games and the Scottish event always amused the family From the annual tug-of-war challenges to sack races and log throwing some of the happiest pictures of the royals laughing and smiling are taken at the games Jack SlaterFreelance writerJack Slater is not the Last Action Hero but that's what comes up first when you Google him Jack gets his thrills by covering news celebrity, film and culture for woman&home Having written for various print and online publications—ranging from national syndicates to niche magazines—Jack has written about nearly everything there is to write about celebrity features, TV and film scoops reviewing the latest theatre shows lighting up London’s West End and the most pressing of SEO based stories After hosting festive celebrations at Sandringham King Charles and Queen Camilla have relocated to the serene Scottish Highlands for a period of relaxation The Court Circular confirmed their stay at Balmoral Castle this week The 76-year-old monarch is set to return to his royal duties on Monday at Buckingham Palace His first engagements of the year will include hosting three organisations focused on Holocaust education and preserving the memory of its survivors who traditionally remained at Sandringham until February 6 to mark her father’s death anniversary Charles and Camilla have chosen to split their winter retreat between Norfolk and Scotland The royal couple welcomed family members to Sandringham over Christmas The Prince and Princess of Wales also joined the celebrations Mary Magdalene Church with their three children before spending time with the King and Queen who stayed at Royal Lodge in Windsor amidst ongoing controversy surrounding his alleged ties to a banned Chinese national accused of espionage The Duchess of York makes an emotional appeal in new statement Kate Middleton’s youngest son gets passed down key position in the family Rihanna confirms her third pregnancy as she debuts baby bump at the Met Gala carpet Cardi B shows off transformation at Met Gala 2025 with new eye color and hairdo Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce fans wonder if power couple will attend Met Gala 2025 Carnie Wilson shares what one exec said about her ‘weight problem’ for Wilson Phillips music videos Copyright © 2025. The News International, All Rights Reserved | Contact Us | Authors Ever wondered how cruise lines supersize their ships In 2008, the cruise ship Balmoral underwent a significant transformation at Hamburg’s Blohm + Voss shipyard when it was extended by 99 feet (30 meters) showcasing an innovative approach to increasing ship capacity commissioned the extension to enhance the Balmoral’s capacity The process involved cutting the ship in half and inserting a new midsection effectively increasing its length from 616 feet to 715 feet “This lengthening process is a testament to modern engineering capabilities in the maritime industry,” said a spokesperson “It allows cruise lines to expand their fleet capacity without the need for entirely new vessel construction.” The structural integrity of the extended ship was put to the test in 2009 when the Balmoral encountered 50-foot waves in the Bay of Biscay Check out the video below to see the entire process from precision cutting to the seamless integration of the new section and finishing Another notable cruise ship lengthening took place in 2018 at Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo, Italy, when the luxury cruise ship Silver Spirit was lengthened by 15 meters using a similar process. You can see photos of that project here Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update and updates delivered daily straight to your inbox Fincantieri and Viking have announced plans for the world’s first cruise ships powered by onboard hydrogen marking a significant milestone in the sector’s decarbonization efforts sees no signs cruise demand is waning despite worrying signs across the travel industry that consumers are pulling back a French maker of sailing yachts and powerboats that generates about 20% of its sales in the US Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news Stay informed with the latest maritime and offshore news For general inquiries and to contact us,please email: [email protected] To submit a story idea or contact our editors, please email: [email protected] For advertising opportunities contactEmail: [email protected]Phone: +1.805.704.2536 Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip walking in Balmoral Queen Elizabeth at the North of Scotland Gun Dog Association Open Stake Retriever Trials at Balmoral Castle on October 6 "I just hope when he gets back to America and he shows those photographs to his friends And according to one of her former protection officers the Queen wasn't beyond some light trolling During an appearance on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show former royal protection officer Richard Griffin opened up about a particularly funny moment he witnessed in Balmoral The Queen regularly spent summers at her Scottish residence and would take long walks in the surrounding countryside Griffin accompanied the monarch on many of her walks around Balmoral and the two of us would go walking up in the Highlands Queen Elizabeth particularly enjoyed getting "a bit of peace and quiet" away from her official royal duties that peace and quiet was interrupted "one sunny August day" when "a couple of hikers" approached the Queen and her protection officer Griffin recalled meeting "an American couple on a walking holiday" who seemingly had no idea who Queen Elizabeth actually was "[T]he American gentleman hadn't recognised the Queen because she had a Barbour jacket on and a headscarf," Griffin told the outlet "And he started telling Her Majesty where they'd come from America When the tourists asked Elizabeth where she resided but I've got a holiday home just the other side of the hills." That vacation home the Queen was asked if she visited Balmoral very often "I've been coming up here ever since I was a little girl so over 80 years," she reportedly told the clueless visitors Despite revealing her affinity for the area the American tourists were reportedly unaware they were speaking with the monarch 'if you've been coming up here for over 80 years you must have met the Queen,'" Griffin recalled Griffin reportedly made a cheeky joke about Her Majesty telling the tourists that the Queen was sometimes "cantankerous." Before leaving the visitors requested photographs with both Griffin and the Queen which the monarch reportedly found quite funny 'I just hope when he gets back to America and he shows those photographs to his friends someone will tell him who I am,'" Griffin explained some lucky tourists really did stumble across the Queen in Scotland Her celebrity interviews include Jennifer Aniston she delivered an academic paper at Kimposium Those who got £100 or £150 tickets – already sold out – can judge King Charles’s design choices at Aberdeen estate where late queen died The royal family is opening the doors of Balmoral Castle to the public from Monday and giving extensive tours for the first time in more than 170 years. Visitors will be able to take a guided tour of a number of rooms in the Aberdeenshire castle, such as the entrance hall, red corridor, main and family dining rooms, page’s lobby, library and drawing room. And they will be able to judge the additions made by King Charles since he became monarch, including his decision to change the drawing room carpets back to Hunting Stewart tartan – the original style chosen by Queen Victoria. Tickets for the guided tours – priced at £100 or £150 with afternoon tea – sold out within 24 hours of going on sale, with 40 people a day allowed to visit from 1 July to 4 August. James Hamilton-Goddard, visitor enterprise manager for the estate, said: “It’s a magnificent place, I think the king wants people to see [it]. “The public who managed to get a ticket will come away [having seen] the royal family’s holiday home – that’s exactly what it is, it feels very homely.” The royal summer retreat has been a royal residence since it was bought by Prince Albert in 1852 for a reported £32,000. It is often cited as Queen Elizabeth II’s favourite residence, and is where she died in 2022. Balmoral’s walls are hung with paintings – selected by Charles – by the Victorian artist Sir Edwin Henry Landseer, a favourite of his great-great-great grandmother, Victoria. Landseer is best known for creating the lions at the base of Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square and was invited to Balmoral every summer to teach Victoria and Albert to paint. The castle’s library, which was once Victoria and her consort’s breakfast and lunch room, is today used by the king as his study. Other items on display include the chauffeur’s whistle, used in previous years to call the driver. Visitors can also see the dinner gong, used to summon Balmoral guests and made from materials salvaged from HMS Temeraire. The public have previously only been able to visit Balmoral’s ballroom and the grounds of the castle. The opening takes place before the king and queen arrive at Balmoral for their summer break. After her appearance at Crathie Kirk on Sunday, it would seem that the Princess of Wales is experiencing all that a Balmoral summer has to offer: rest relaxation and crucial time away from public life Kate looked in high spirits as she arrived at the church, driven in a classic Land Rover Defender by her husband, Prince William glossy blow-dry that has become her signature she re-wore a favourite beige tartan trench coat from Holland Cooper which she paired with gold drop earrings and a chocolate-hued feather-adorned fedora from Hicks & Brown It is, perhaps, no surprise that she and William have jumped at the chance to spend a few weeks of this month at Balmoral, a long-held tradition for the royal family, who decamp to Scotland every summer to fish be staying in the 52-bedroom castle like the rest of the family – but in their own cottage nestled in a secluded spot on the 5,000 acre estate The Prince and Princess (pictured here in Ireland in 2020) have often spoken about their love of the countryside and the outdoors Compared to the couple's other residences, Tam-Na-Ghar is somewhat humble: it hasn't the grandeur of Anmer Hall, their main home on the Sandringham estate, or of Adelaide Cottage, the pink-walled house they have near Windsor Castle one of the Wales family's most special homes both for the memories it holds and the privacy it offers William and Kate (pictured here near Durham in 2021) first started visiting Tam-Na-Ghar as students While it was not until 2009 that Kate went to Balmoral on an official visit, she has been a regular at Tam-Na-Ghar ever since she began dating William in 2001. While they were students at St Andrews University the couple would reportedly escape to the cottage for some alone time hiding away at the bolthole in order to avoid the paparazzi the couple have told friends that Tam-Na-Ghar is the site of some of their happiest times together over the years King Charles' preferred residence on the Balmoral estate which was built in 1715 and bought by Queen Victoria in 1849 Kate, too, has apparently developed a real affection for the Balmoral estate thanks to the privacy it afforded her during the early days of her romance with her husband – and their children are not far behind. ‘George, Charlotte and Louis already know how dear Scotland is to both of us and they're starting to build their own happy memories here too,’ William has said Charlotte and Louis are said to be making their own precious memories in Scotland adding that the whole royal family would be bound to ‘surround her with love Balmoral Castle has long been the royal family's summer getaway offering a chance for everyone to step back from official duties and relax No doubt, however, time alone with her family at Tam-Na-Ghar, the site of so many special memories, will have been a much-needed tonic for the Princess after a very difficult period. During the small ceremony outside the Castle Gates The King inspected a Guard of Honour formed of Balaklava Company 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland The Band of The Royal Regiment of Scotland and the Pipes and Drums of The Royal Corps of Signals performed at the ceremony His Majesty and Queen Camilla are expected to stay at the Royal Deeside estate until October ShareSaveKevin Booth: The betting tycoon who preyed on womenKevin Booth's former partner Tammy Conner says she fears someone could die if he is not stopped. 'Our lives are here now' - Syrians settled on Isle of ButeThe Isle of Bute off Scotland's west coast has welcomed more than 100 Syrian refugees over the past decade. Look back at President Eisenhower's visit to BalmoralArchive footage shows President Dwight D Eisenhower visiting Balmoral in 1959, when he described it as his "Scottish White House". Parade of planets to line up across night skyMars, Jupiter, Uranus, Venus, Neptune, Mercury, and Saturn will all be briefly visible in the evening sky. Islanders' films show life in the 1970sThe films were part of a project aimed at capturing every day life in the Western Isles. They’re the three words that strike fear into the heart of any potential royal partner: The Balmoral Test there reaches a point when your credentials must be assessed Do you know precisely what to wear on a hunting trip Can your dinner table conversation match that of Britain’s most important diplomat Could a royal engagement be on the cards for Peter Phillips and his new girlfriend Harriet Sperling?By Harriet JohnstonRead MoreNow as things get more and more serious between the late Queen Elizabeth’s ‘favourite grandson’ Peter Phillips and his girlfriend Harriet Sperling Tatler asks: might the new royal belle be faced with the ultimate test this summer The annual visit to Balmoral is known to be a time of rest and relaxation for the royal family – though for any potential royal in-law, it may become quite the opposite. Pictured here: the late Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Philip, Prince Edward, Prince Charles, and Prince Andrew in 1979 And while Diana may have won over the royals during her Balmoral Test, the Princess would later say that her visits to the estate would be surrounded by ‘negative atmospheres’, filling her with stress and sapping her of energy. ‘I panic a lot when I got up to Balmoral,' she told told Andrew Morton. 'It's my worst time, and I think: “How the hell am I going to get out of this?”’ Paradise found: In 2025, Londoners seeking to escape the city are heading to Northamptonshire. In Tatler's August 2022 issue, Annabel Sampson discovered exactly what was drawing the social set further north She added: ‘The first couple of days, I'm frightfully chirpy when I get up there and everything's wonderful. By the third day, they're sapping me again. There are so many negative atmospheres. That house sucks one dry.’ Kate Middleton had quite the unique experience when she underwent her own Balmoral Test The future Princess of Wales had really met the late Queen when she took to Aberdeenshire in the summer of 2009 having briefly met Elizabeth at the wedding of Peter and Autumn Phillips Kate was graced with the opportunity to break from royal protocol while in Balmoral The then Prince Charles with Prince William and Prince Harry by the river Dee at Balmoral Castle Balmoral Castle sits at the heart of a 50,000-acre estate ‘giving her permission to take pictures at Balmoral—a true gift to a photographer’ The royal family are known to be at their most relaxed on this annual summer getaway To permit the gaze of a photographer’s lens into this inner sanctum must have been a sign that the late Queen was willing to welcome her soon-to-be granddaughter-in-law into the family’s trust the Prince recounts the moment Charles learnt that Meghan shared a birthday with his grandmother the former chatelain of Mey: ‘At the memory of Gan-Gan The late queen and the then Prince Charles at Balmoral in 2019 Elizabeth II received Liz Truss in the drawing room at Balmoral Castle in September 2022 they found themselves too busy following the birth of their son Prince Archie and Covid restrictions are said to have prevented them flying from Montecito to attend the holiday during the summer of 2020 So, could it be time for Harriet Sperling to go north of the border? Things have certainly been getting serious between the NHS nurse and Peter Phillips. Princess Anne’s son has already introduced his girlfriend to Queen Camilla, with the pair sharing a joke during the Badminton Horse Trials earlier this year. And Harriet certainly looked relaxed at one of the royals’ favourite events walking hand in hand with Peter in the sun ‘They looked completely smitten and he was grinning from ear to ear,’ said the source ‘He looked like the cat that got the cream and acted without a care in the world.’ Queen Camilla and King Charles III watch the racing from the royal box at Ascot Phillips separated from his partner of three years Phillips was married for 13 years to Autumn Kelly before their divorce in 2021 The pair have two children together: 13-year-old Savannah Anne Kathleen ‘I liken us to an island and it has often felt hard to imagine anyone joining that island.’ The nurse also spoke of how important her Christian faith was to her during those years writing that ‘it is often tough parenting alone God is able to step in and turn it for good.’ Harriet Sperling and Peter Phillips attend theRoyal Charity Polo Cup 2024 at Flemish Farm Despite this royal tiff, sources have told Express.co.uk that Prince Andrew has been offered residence at the late Queen’s favourite cottage during his stay in Balmoral. Craigowan often played host to Queen Elizabeth in the days leading up to her official Balmoral retreat, and Charles and Princess Diana used the seven-room stone house before their wedding in 1981 the subject of a key decision in the draft Long Term Plan out now for consultation will be open on Saturday 13 April so members of the public can look around the building Council’s preferred option is to sell the ageing hall and adjacent old Polytech site though other options are to retain and repair or demolish or relocate the buildings and redevelop the site Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown said Balmoral Hall needed $1.3 million spent on it to bring it up to building code the heating is inadequate and the kitchen and bathroom facilities are substandard “That has sparked a wider discussion about what to do with the hall and Polytech site which includes an old classroom and surrounding land.” People interested in seeing Balmoral Hall for themselves can visit on Saturday 13 April Mayor Brown said the open hall was at the same time as a sausage sizzle at Baring Square East where Councillors would be talking about the Long Term Plan and answering questions “Balmoral Hall is just two blocks away so people can take a look around and then come back and talk to us if they have questions “There are a lot of details about the hall already on our ItsOurPlace.nz website It has a capital value of $1 million and the Polytech building and land is $1.45m and if we sell the properties we can reduce Council debt overall “We know there are a lot of memories attached to Balmoral Hall and it has been well used by the community since it was built in 1936 A dance school currently uses the hall at $25 an hour but all the income from hirers only covers about a quarter of the hall’s actual expenses which include insurance and electricity.” Council would borrow $1.3m to do the repairs and the debt would cost ratepayers $388,000 a year until it was paid off Mayor Brown said that a dance studio was being proposed at EA Networks Centre “If it is determined that Balmoral Hall is to be demolished and a dance studio is to be included in the EA Networks Centre Council would try to coordinate this to prevent a gap between the demolition and the new studio all decisions would be subject to the final form of the Long Term Plan.” To have your say on this topic and for more information about the draft Long Term Plan go to ItsOurPlace.nz View all news from 12 May 7:00 to 15 May 18:00 from 17 May 9:00 to 17 May 16:30 from 17 Apr 6:00 to 9 May 18:00 from 7 Apr 7:00 to 27 Jun 18:00 View all Road Closures | Live map Balmoral Comtec has invested £1 million ($1.32 million) in developing a wave and current simulation center at the Balmoral Business Park subsea and seabed conditions for assessing offshore wind facilities solar and other subsea systems under dynamic water conditions The company will use the development, part-funded by the Energy Transition Zone, for design validation of its HexDefence scour protection The new facility can replicate offshore wave and current scenarios offshore and gas sector and other marine industry requirements And it will also be available to third parties for testing purposes reviews the latest projects and technologies expert insights and more on offshore wind advancements.  Download the (FREE) report. This monthly e-newsletter provides updates on new technology projects and policy for the development of offshore renewable energy from wind Subscribe today. The gathering is expected to address the "whirlwind of a royal year" so far and the monarchy's future in light of recent setbacks Prince William and Kate Middleton are focused on the Crown's future "I have no information that there is going to be a royal summit at Balmoral," former royal correspondent Jennie Bond shared "But it would be slightly odd if the family were all together for once and didn't mull over what has happened and how they proceed in the future." Such summits were reportedly a common focus of "around a week or two" of the late Queen Elizabeth II's long Balmoral summer and early fall vacations there was a more formal setup when senior royals discussed strategy in a forum known as The Way Ahead Group," she added "Its aim was the ensure that the monarchy stayed relevant to the modern age." This year's Balmoral sojourn will also include Charles III's "Accession Day" on September 8, which celebrates his two years as monarch while reflecting on Elizabeth II's death on the same day. Talks of "modernity" have become a common running thread throughout the Carolean Age thus far with the King preferring to introduce change "slowly." The Prince of Wales is said to want to make modifications to the Crown "on a massive scale," which some say causes monarch and heir to clash King Charles and Kate Middleton presented a united front during Trooping the Colour "There may be some similar discussions at Balmoral William is certainly preoccupied with keeping the monarchy relevant but essentially this is a holiday for the royals a time to stop worrying about everything and like other families on holiday just breathe in the fresh air relax and enjoy one another's company," Bond concluded The King became the oldest monarch ever to accede to the British throne at the age of 73. If he were to live as long as his mother, his reign would barely approach the 24-year mark, which means he would not celebrate any jubilees or milestones. This would also mean that William and Kate, Princess of Wales would be in their 60s by the time they become King and Queen With some reports suggesting the monarch's cancer could still be "quite serious" despite palace efforts to conceal Charles III's discomfort equal concern faces the heir to the throne The Princess of Wales is also still receiving preventative chemotherapy treatments for an unknown form of the disease The Prince of Wales receives millions of pounds per annum thanks to being heir apparent to the throne The Prince of Wales will not become the monarch until his father's death Prince William wants to be a 'different kind of monarch.' Powered by RedCircle Daily Express reported on Bond's remarks. GET BREAKING ROYAL NEWS STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX. 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