Prince William and King Charles may have managed to keep their reported differences behind palace walls for now, but with Prince Harry’s next UK visit looming, the King and his heir may need to find a compromise - and fast.

For months, reports of a growing power struggle between the pair have suggested that Charles’ determination to make his own decisions and reconcile with Harry is increasingly at odds with the reports that William wants nothing to do with the Sussexes and views them as a threat to the monarchy.

And Harry and Meghan Markle’s secret meeting with King Charles and Queen Camilla last month appeared to make the growing divide between them so apparent that a source recently told us how even Princess Kate fears the public may soon find out just how much their relationship appears to have deteriorated.

Now a source tells Closer how the father-and-son are being ordered to sit down and work out a compromise before the situation spirals out of control, as we’re told how Charles, 77, has finally agreed to meet William, 44, for a secret summit before Harry’s next trip, which threatens to tip the whole family over the edge.

An insider says, ‘It’s making life uncomfortable for everyone at the Palace; their advisors are still communicating, but William and the King are barely acknowledging each other, even when they’re in the same meeting.

‘The situation has become absolutely ludicrous, it’s causing chaos and fact is, it reflects badly on everybody. A lot of people are saying William is playing straight into Harry and Meghan’s hands by alienating his father this way.

‘But anyone that tries to broach this topic with him is ignored or reprimanded. People have been avoiding it for months but His Majesty has finally agreed that it’s time they sit down and face this before it gets any worse.’

Claims of hostility between the King and his heir come two years after Charles’ cancer diagnosis thrust the future of the monarchy into the spotlight, with questions inevitably raised about when William might take the throne and whether his father could eventually be forced to step back to focus on his health.

During the King’s treatment, William took on a greater share of responsibility and appeared to step confidently into the role of heir, offering a glimpse of the more streamlined monarchy he could one day create. But now, with Charles having revealed that his treatment has been reduced and showing every sign of wanting to continue as King for many years, the balance of power appears to have shifted once again.

And while William will undoubtedly be delighted to see his father in better health, he was perhaps not expecting the King to assert his authority in such a way that he must surely have been aware could pose a huge risk to their bond.

William is reported not to have spoken to Harry in four years, so the decision by Charles to roll out the red carpet for Meghan and Harry to waltz back into the heart of the royal fold has been seen as an upmost betrayal by some royal observers.

Now the source says the pair are facing a crucial test of their relationship, with Harry’s return to Britain – expected to be ‘before the end of the year’ - potentially forcing them to finally thrash out their differences.

The source explains, ‘Time is of the essence because Harry’s upcoming trip could tip things over the edge. It’s no secret that William is already furious that his father is ignoring his objections. If he doesn’t get a chance to air his grievances and say why he thinks it’s a dreadful idea, he may very well do something drastic.

‘William is convinced the Sussexes are plotting a permanent path back to Britain and are using Charles to regain as many privileges as possible while quietly building alliances with people like the Spencers and the York sisters behind his back.

‘From his perspective, it's deeply disrespectful to him and Catherine, particularly when he feels they've never received a proper apology, and he sees it as incredibly dangerous for the monarchy as a whole.’

William is reported not to have spoken to Harry in four years, so the decision by Charles to roll out the red carpet for Meghan and Harry to waltz back into the heart of the royal fold has been seen as an upmost betrayal by some royal observers.

Now the source says the pair are facing a crucial test of their relationship, with Harry’s return to Britain – expected to be ‘before the end of the year’ - potentially forcing them to finally thrash out their differences.

The source explains, ‘Time is of the essence because Harry’s upcoming trip could tip things over the edge. It’s no secret that William is already furious that his father is ignoring his objections. If he doesn’t get a chance to air his grievances and say why he thinks it’s a dreadful idea, he may very well do something drastic.

‘William is convinced the Sussexes are plotting a permanent path back to Britain and are using Charles to regain as many privileges as possible while quietly building alliances with people like the Spencers and the York sisters behind his back.

‘From his perspective, it's deeply disrespectful to him and Catherine, particularly when he feels they've never received a proper apology, and he sees it as incredibly dangerous for the monarchy as a whole.’

While speculative for now, this threat may come to fruition over the coming months following reports that Harry hopes to become a working member of the Royal Family again - in some capacity.

Wanting to both have, and eat, his cake, it’s claimed that Harry wishes to remain living in Montecito but to carry out philanthropic work and visits in the name of the Royal Family – for which, of course, he could be paid for via the taxpayer-funded sovereign grant.

This so-called ‘half in, half out’ bid had reportedly been rejected by the late Queen Elizabeth II back in 2020 when Harry and Meghan first stepped down as senior working royals, but now the source warns the tables could be turning – and not in William’s favour.

The insider says, ‘He could hand them all sorts of perks and total freedom to operate as they see fit; he could even give in and allow them to be working royals based in America. He’s the King of England so ultimately, he can do what he wants, and William should know that.’

However, given that William - who was last week seen putting on a united front with Kate and their children when the family attended the Commonwealth Games – has reportedly already threatened to ‘boycott’ family events at the Sandringham estate for the foreseeable future if this whole Sussex saga continues, we’re told it’s ‘unlikely’ he’ll bow down to any demands he sees as unjust.

‘Whether he’s actually willing to accept that reality is another story altogether and truth be told most people think it’s unlikely,’ the source says.

‘He’s cut from much the same cloth as his father. If he feels he's been wronged, he becomes very righteous and he rarely gives in. It’s not hard to imagine him being willing to go head-to-head with his father over this for a lot longer, no matter what the consequences are.’

The oven mitts are truly off as Meghan Markle and Martha Stewart battle it out for the title of the ultimate Queen of the kitchen.

Just weeks after she and Prince Harry made their much-anticipated return to the UK for a secret summit with King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove House, it appears Meghan may have dipped her finger into one pie too many, as last week the domestic Duchess found herself in the clasp of, as rumour has it, some of the sharpest claws in Hollywood.

Since Meghan landed her own highly sought-after Netflix deal with her cooking show, With Love, Meghan, she has been widely pitted against Martha, who, meanwhile, appears to have done little to dampen the growing speculation of a feud.

And last week, the pinafored powerhouse appeared to hit out at Meghan during an interview with People, not-so-subtly hinting that she had been discussing her visit with Charles and Camilla. Yes, the very same visit that the monarch is reported to have wanted to remain completely private.

Martha, 85, told the magazine, ‘I had dinner with Meghan Markle the other night. We were both guests at a dinner party in California. And she had just gotten back from the palace. I didn’t talk to her really more than to say a couple of words, but I know she was talking about it.’

Then, making matters worse, she then went on to criticise Meghan’s decision to enter into the lifestyle/homemaking sphere – a world many in Hollywood, including the likes of A-listers Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Garner and Jessica Alba have battled to compete in.

Martha, the all-time reigning Queen of the pantry, added, ‘If you’re an actress, it’s hard to then transition to a princess and then from a princess into a homemaking guru on a television show. It doesn’t sort of follow. So go from there.’

One thing Martha has never been, however, is subtle. She minces her meat, but not her words. Her scathing insults have included calling Blake Lively’s preserve company ‘stupid’ and said of GOOP founder Gwyneth Paltrow, ‘She just needs to be quiet. She's a movie star. If she were confident in her acting, she wouldn't be trying to be Martha Stewart’.

And now a source tells us that Meghan may have just become the latest victim of Martha’s tirades against her competitors.

An insider says, ‘The way she tells it, she was just innocently answering a question and telling the truth. She says she heard Meghan chatting about her time in the U.K., and she sees nothing wrong with saying as much.

'But Martha is very territorial and very catty, of course, she knows that her words carry a lot of weight, so no one thinks it’s an accident that she managed to make Meghan look bad and get herself a load of attention in the process.'

They add, ‘Martha does not like other people coming into the lifestyle space. Just look at how vicious she’s been to Gwyneth over the years, and when she feels at all threatened, she goes on the attack.'

Martha’s claims that Meghan had been gossiping about her royal return will no doubt have landed badly with the Palace at a time where the upmost discretion and total secrecy over any interactions with the Royal Family is the order of the day.

However, having seen a drop in popularity over recent months, both in the UK and the US, according to recent polls, what appears to have been a low blow from Martha may have actually helped boost Meghan’s acceptance in Hollywood, where even the biggest stars have fallen victim to Martha’s sharp tongue.

The source says, ‘She didn’t give any details or imply Meghan was being negative and says she finds it quite shocking that this has been turned into such a big deal. But it’s hard for most people to believe Martha is that naïve.

‘Martha has decades of playing these social games and manipulating the media. She’s acting as though she doesn’t see what all the fuss is about, as though she didn’t just drop a grenade.’

Meghan, however, appears to be brushing off the comments in the way only a Duchess can - with ice cream, a tiara, a birthday swim, holding a bunch of balloons and dancing around her kitchen, which appears to have undergone a swoon-worthy makeover with TWO islands, luxe Portuguese tiling and a dining area fit for a royal.

Showing off her gleaming new kitchen and whipping up homemade ice cream using jam from her own line also proves Meghan knows how to serve her own ice-cold revenge without saying a word. And the source says Meghan only plans to continue in the same vein and will hit Martha ‘where it matters most’ – in the kitchen.

‘Meghan will be fuming, but she’s not going to get into a public war of words with Martha; instead, she’s going to hit her where it matters most, by taking some of her market share,’ the insider says.

‘It may not happen tomorrow, but she’s vowing it will happen, no matter how long it takes, and Meghan plans to keep at it because, whether Martha believes it or not, she is sincere in all of this.

‘Cooking has always been a passion for her, and it still is; you can see that in her incredible state-of-the-art kitchen, it’s clearly something she’s invested in and takes seriously.’

Yet having built up her own lifestyle empire from scratch and being named as America’s first self-made female billionaire in 1999, we’re told Martha is adamant that no young upstart is going to eclipse her level of success - and isn’t afraid to tear down anyone who tries.

The source says, ‘The truth is that she [Martha] does not appreciate anyone that she views as trying to knock her off her perch in any way. She sees herself as the undisputed queen of the domestic lifestyle world, and all these newer personalities, with Meghan being the biggest name among them, really get under her skin.

‘Martha is clever enough to take her little swipes in a way that still allows for reasonable deniability. She plays dumb, but anyone that knows her, knows that she’s as wily as a fox, and, whether she wants to acknowledge it or not, her comments have fuelled another wave of negative headlines for Meghan.’

Yet we’re told there could also be another reason Martha appears to be so vehemently against Meghan’s bid for success as, alongside unexpectedly being BFFs with Snoop Dogg, she also revealed earlier this year how she calls King Charles ‘chuck’.

Ahead of her attendance at a charity gala hosted by the King at Christie's New York in May, Martha told journalists, ‘I call him Chuck, and he looks great girls’, before going on to compliment Camilla, too.

Now we’re told, ‘She’s also a huge anglophile, she adores King Charles and was falling all over herself to impress him a few months ago, so it’s not hard to imagine that has something to do with this too.’

Understandably, then, the source says Meghan feels like she’s fighting an uphill battle, but is determined to play Martha at her own game.

‘It’s the last thing Meghan needs right now and so demoralising because she is adamant that this never happened,’ they tell us.

‘But what can she do to defend herself? Her only reasonable option is silence because anything she says will only draw more attention to it, so she simply has to swallow her feelings and use them as fuel to outdo Martha at her own game.’

For plenty of couples, the idea of staying with the in-laws brings more anxiety than excitement – especially when it means bunking down in a guest room under their watchful eye.

Of course, when those in-laws happen to be King Charles and Queen Camilla, and the guest room is inside Buckingham Palace’s 240-room residence, you might expect the invitation to be hard to turn down. Yet insiders claim Meghan Markle isn’t keen on the idea and has reportedly told Harry she would prefer to remain at home in their luxury Montecito mansion.

The Duke of Sussex is due in the UK this September for a series of major charity engagements, and a room at the Palace has reportedly been set aside for him. King Charles is said to have invited both Harry and Meghan, 45, to stay at his London home. But sources suggest Meghan isn’t sold on the plan – and the disagreement has allegedly caused friction between the couple, as Harry focuses on repairing ties with both his father and the British public.

A source tells us, “Harry is working overtime to change her mind, and it’s becoming quite the saga as they continue to butt heads over differing priorities. Harry really wants her there with him; he feels like it’s crucial they build on the momentum from the last visit, and having her there by his side will send the message loud and clear that they’re both being welcomed back. If the public sees them both staying together at Buckingham Palace, it will go a long way to proving Meghan has got the King’s stamp of approval too, and he’s convinced that will give her popularity in the UK a huge boost.”

That boost may be needed. Since the couple publicly criticised the royal family in interviews, documentaries, and Harry’s memoir Spare, public sentiment in Britain has remained cool. A YouGov poll released last week indicated Meghan’s ratings have fallen to a new low, suggesting attitudes to the Duchess have hardened rather than softened.

However, Meghan is said to be concentrating on her profile – and earning power – in the United States. The source says, “Meghan keeps bringing the conversation back to reality. She's got businesses to run, projects to launch and money to make. As she sees it, that money isn't going to magically appear if she's spending all her time in Britain.”

It’s been a challenging stretch for the California-based couple, who relocated to California in June 2020. In March, Meghan separated from Netflix, which had backed her lifestyle venture As Ever. Then, in July, Harry lost his court battle against the publisher of the Daily Mail, a defeat that could reportedly cost them millions. He had alleged unlawful information gathering, but the court did not rule in his favour.

Business remains Meghan’s priority, according to insiders. “It’s great that the palace wants to extend this offer, but it’s not going to pay all the bills that are piling up. She’s just trying to keep their heads above water financially, and as great as it is that this trip to the UK might generate goodwill, it’s not going to generate cash.”

Harry’s focus lies elsewhere. With the Invictus Games set for Birmingham next year, maintaining strong UK relationships is vital. The charity sporting event for wounded and injured service personnel is widely viewed as his proudest achievement, making public and institutional support especially significant.

Still, he recognises his wife’s concerns. As one insider explains, “Harry understands why she wants to stay home; she’s got an endless pile of work, and, of course, throwing in a trip to her in-laws overseas, even if it is to stay at Buckingham Palace, is one more thing on her plate.”

There are also emotional factors. Palace life can be intense, and Meghan has previously spoken about feeling constrained during her time as a working royal. The couple reportedly remain estranged from Prince William and Kate, both 44, and their children – Archie, seven, and Lilibet, eight – have had very little contact with their cousins George, 13, Charlotte, 11, and Louis, eight.

“Harry knows it’s very draining, there are so many rules, and so many eyes judging her every move, so he gets why she is digging in her heels, but at the same time, he’s been working hard to make this happen, and now they are getting this amazing chance, which not too long ago seemed too much to ever hope for. He feels she ought to see the big picture and make it her number one priority.

“He stood very strong on her behalf and demanded plenty of concessions from the Palace and the royal team, and they’ve been very generous, so in his view she ought to be gracious and reward that show of good faith by showing up and standing by his side.”

Repeated questions about Meghan’s absence while Harry is in the UK are said to weigh heavily on the Prince.

“He must be dreading going over there on his own and, once again, having everybody asking him, ‘Where’s Meghan?’ It doesn’t feel like it’s too much to ask her to come stand by his side, even if it’s not something she wants, just for his sake.”

Beyond appearances, there is also family urgency. King Charles, diagnosed with cancer in 2024, continues treatment – and according to insiders, time feels precious.

“He knows just how much it meant to his father to see the children at Highgrove back in July,” we’re told. “He doesn’t see why they should wait until Christmas for the next family visit, especially since there’s a very real chance they may not make it over there for the holidays. These opportunities with his father don’t come along very often, so there’s a real danger of getting people’s backs up if Meghan doesn’t come. It’s a huge honour for the King to be welcoming them to stay at the palace; it will be seen as very bad form to reject that offer, and Harry is doing his best to impress that upon her. One of the key things that’s going to persuade his dad that they can be trusted again is to follow protocol and show proper respect to the institution and to him.”

Harry has reportedly warned that further indecision could frustrate palace aides. His plans for September still appear to be fluid, and patience is no doubt thinning. In July, officials pointedly noted that Harry had missed the deadline to secure a Palace room during a previous visit – a reminder that royal schedules are tightly managed.

“Harry senses that either of them is hesitant about accepting this invitation, it will get withdrawn the way it did the last time – he doesn't want to risk that happening again.”

Having been married for 18 years, Emma and Matt Willis are one of showbiz’s strongest couples – and they’ve clearly mastered the art of mixing business with pleasure.

Returning as hosts for a third series of Love Is Blind UK, they say that while many people would struggle to work with their partner, it only strengthens their relationship. ‘You’d think if you lived and worked together, you’d be like, “Christ, I need a break.” But we don’t,’ Emma, 50, gushes. ‘We just absolutely love being with each other all the time.’

BEST MATE

Matt, 43, says, ‘Of all the things I do, Love Is Blind is my favourite and it’s mainly because I’m working with Emma. We get to do this really cool job together, we get flown around the world with this amazing show which is all about love, and I’m with my best mate every day.’ The hit Netflix show sees a set of singletons attempt to find their soulmate from behind a wall in the famous Pods. While the format never changes, the love stories seem to get better with each series – and Matt and Emma are convinced this is the best one yet.

‘They’ve nailed the job of getting an amazing mix of people from all walks of life. It has all the romance, all the love, lots of comedy, a little bit of some drama, everything you’d want from a series,’ Emma teases. Agreeing with his wife, Matt says, ‘It’s my favourite series yet. It gets better and better as we progress, and there are some great standout characters.’

The show has already created some successful love stories, including Kieran Holmes-Darby and Megan Jupp, who fell in love on the second season and are now happily married in real life. And it sounds like season three could bring even more wedding bells.

A record-breaking 14 engagements happen this time around – a figure that even the hosts are startled by. ‘They’re all mad for it this year,’ Emma laughs, while Matt adds, ‘There are clearly a lot of thirsty people in the UK.’

Fans can also expect some steamy conversations from the contestants, with Emma saying, ‘When you’re at the point of going on a TV show to find a husband or wife, these are some of the most important questions you should be asking. I liked that they all had the guts to go there.’

And if you’re going to take relationship advice from anyone, it can definitely be the Willises. It’s safe to say that Emma and Matt – who tied the knot in 2008 and share children Isabelle, 17, Ace, 14, and Trixie, 10 – know a thing or two about romance.

LESSONS

However, Matt admits their first date didn’t quite go to plan. The Busted singer reveals he went to great lengths to woo Emma, but his efforts weren’t received well.

‘I tried to pick a really posh restaurant when me and Emma went out on our first date because I knew her as this glamorous woman who was a model and on MTV,’ Matt laughs. ‘She couldn’t eat anything on the menu because she didn’t like any of it. I could have chosen somewhere way cheaper!’ Emma chimes in, ‘He didn’t realise he was going out with someone from Birmingham who didn’t care!’

But first impressions aren’t everything. Matt and Emma reveal this is one of the lessons they’ve learned from hosting Love Is Blind, as contestants cannot see one another during their initial dates. ‘It always reminds me that we should never judge a book by its cover,’ Emma says. ‘You can see and perceive somebody in one way, but there’s always so much that we don’t know.’

Filming also came with an added bonus for the couple, as the show’s retreat segment was filmed in Ibiza, meaning Matt and Emma’s annual trip to the party island fit in perfectly with their work schedule.

SECOND HOME

Some downtime was no doubt needed for the pair. After a successful stint in the West End as Cabaret’s Emcee earlier this year, Matt has been busy working on his podcast, On The Mend. Meanwhile, Emma – who’s presented shows including Big Brother and The Voice – is gearing up for her biggest TV gig to date as she gets set to take over as Strictly ’s host alongside Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe.

Opening up about their ‘happy place’, Ibiza, Matt explains, ‘We’ve been going there on and off for 20 years. The island is like a second home.’ Emma adds, ‘We go every year, so even when we’re only there for a few days for work, we know exactly where we want to go and how to get there. We had it planned out to a T, and it all worked really well for us.’

After over a year away from TV screens, Holly Willoughby made a major comeback with her own YouTube lifestyle series, Together, last month. And when Closer catches up with her close pal Jenni Falconer, she’s full of praise for the ex-This Morning host.

‘I’m sure it will be absolutely brilliant,’ Jenni tell us. ‘Holly and her husband Dan are both working on it – it will inevitably be a huge success.’

Holly is the latest celebrity to set her sights on YouTube stardom, with the platform becoming increasingly popular in recent years. Jenni, 50, admits that she too is tempted to launch her own channel for her popular fitness-focused podcast, RunPod.

Passion

‘The way the world is going and the way content is being consumed, it feels like it’s a no-brainer to do that at some point,’ she says. ‘There’s been a real return to YouTube and turning everything into content. It’s fascinating.'

After moving in similar circles due to their TV careers, Jenni grew close to Holly, 45, and they sparked up a friendship. And in 2011, when Holly went on maternity leave from This Morning, Jenni filled in for her, presenting alongside Phillip Schofield.

Stepping into Holly’s role is one of Jenni’s career highlights, but the star admits she can’t pinpoint one standout moment from her incredible 32 years in showbiz. The mum-of-one laughs, ‘Every time I think I’ve got a career highlight, I go off to do something else and I’m like, “Oh, I love this!” Every step of the way, I have found something else that’s a passion. Everything has been amazing.’

As well as her This Morning stint, Jenni names live television gigs, fronting travel series and co-hosting GMTV’s Entertainment Today with Ben Shephard as some of her career favourites. Launching RunPod and becoming the host of Routes – a travel podcast in collaboration with London Northeastern Railway – are also on the list, as well as co-founding wellness brand Kollo Health.

She also talks fondly about her radio career, most notably her current gig as Smooth Radio’s Breakfast Show host. Jenni presents for four hours each morning, before handing over to Kate Garraway – a close pal and former colleague from GMTV. ‘I’ve known her since 2000 and we’re still working alongside each other,’ Jenni says warmly.

And as a doting mum to 14-year-old daughter Ella Grace – who she shares with husband James Midgley – it’s safe to say Jenni has her hands full. ‘It’s a bit of a struggle sometimes to juggle everything. In a perfect world, there would be an eighth day,’ she says.

Balance

Opening up about her work-life balance, she continues, ‘I have a bit of a routine with working on radio. From 6am until 10am, I’m on-air, and that means that I have the evenings at home. We work hard so that we can enjoy the reward of quality time together. I’ve got to say, I think I’ve got a good work life balance.’

But while Jenni boasts a glittering career in TV and media, she hasn’t quite convinced her daughter Ella to follow in her footsteps. ‘I don’t think she’s remotely interested. It’s so funny because she’s grown up with me and doesn’t really think it’s that interesting,’ she laughs. ‘I don’t think she’s had her head turned by this industry. Well, not yet…’

Showbiz might not have caught Ella’s attention, but Jenni’s love of fitness has certainly rubbed off on her. Spending time trying out new sports has become a way of bonding for the mother-and-daughter duo, with Jenni telling us, ‘Me and my daughter love being active together. We play tennis, we play Padel. Neither of us might be amazing at it, but it’s such a nice way to make memories.’

Strength work

Fitness has also given Jenni and husband of 16 years James, 51 – an actor known for his roles on Ackley Bridge and Coronation Street – a way of spending more quality time together. ‘We both try to play Padel. Sometimes James will play golf, because it’s a great way for us to hang out if we’ve both got an afternoon free,’ Jenni explains.

There’s no denying that Jenni looks incredible – and she certainly works hard for her figure, admitting that it’s running that has had her heart for decades. ‘I quite often run my commute because it’s a great way of getting that run in and ticking two birds with one stone,’ she says.

As she’s got older, strength training has also become a priority for the star. She adds, ‘I used to just do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. For me now, training is more structured. I definitely do more strength work in the gym.’

She recently announced that she’ll take a step back from the spotlight due to ‘endless, ongoing public scrutiny’.

And now, Ariana Grande’s family are rallying around her.

Watching his sister perform at the Chicago stop of her Eternal Sunshine tour, Frankie Grande shared a video of the pop star, 33, performing her 2014 track One Last Time.

‘Family forever,’ he captioned the clip, which showed him watching the concert alongside their mum Joan, 69. ‘I will have your back until the end of time. I am so proud of you and so happy for you.

‘Last night was a beautiful celebration of your artistry and the magnificent, eternal sunshine family you have built and created. It was a magical night. You are magical.’

Frankie, 43, added, ‘You are my everything, and I am so so happy I was there to see you shine on this tour one last time.’

Ariana will return to the stage on 15 August for the international leg of her tour in London, which will occur over several dates at the O2 Arena until 1 September.

But despite branding the tour ‘deeply fulfilling’ and ‘joyful’, a spokesperson for the Wicked star announced that she would be taking a public hiatus following its run.

‘She looks forward to finishing the tour and ending it on a high note, both healthily and happily, and then taking a much-deserved break from public-facing work and appearances, which has led to endless, ongoing public scrutiny,’ said the representative. ‘This tour has been a beautiful experience for her. She loves her fans and has loved every minute of this tour so much.’

Shortly after the announcement was made, it was revealed that Ariana would be stepping down from her role in Sunday in the Park with George.

In what would’ve been her West End debut, the Thank U, Next singer was set to perform alongside her Wicked co-star Jonanthan Bailey in the Stephen Sondheim musical at London’s Barbican Centre over summer 2027.

A statement from the show’s official X account read, ‘Following this evening’s announcement from Ariana Grande’s team, we can confirm that she has decided to step back from Sunday in the Park with George.

‘We know this cannot have been an easy decision, and she makes it with our complete understanding and support. We wish her nothing but the best.’

A source told Page Six of Ariana’s reasons for pulling out, ‘She went back and forth over it because she was genuinely excited about it, but in the end she felt it was the right decision for where she is at this point in her life.

‘Right now there isn’t some set timeline for when she’ll be back. She’s just taking things one step at a time and isn’t putting pressure on herself to make those decisions yet.’

Ariana’s decision to spend some time away from the limelight comes after months of public speculation about her appearance - particularly following the release of her music video for the song, Petal.

In a clip from the video, Ariana is seen auditioning to a panel of men in an office - but fans couldn’t get past the fact she appeared to be very underweight.

‘She is extremely thin and it’s concerning,’ wrote one person, while another added, ‘I think people are allowed to be concerned for her health.’

Ariana also recently split from her boyfriend of three years, Ethan Slater. The pair met on the set of Wicked - with the God Is a Woman songstress playing Glinda, the witch Ethan’s character Boq is hopelessly in love with. They were both still married - Ariana to her now-ex-husband, Dalton Gomez, and Ethan to Lilly Jay, with whom he shares a three-year-old son.

While it’s now been confirmed that Ariana is back together with her ex-boyfriend Ricky Alvarez, the source continued, ‘Ariana’s been nonstop and it’s taking a toll. ‘She’s never handled the public scrutiny well and constant chatter about her weight [doesn’t help].’

Another source added, ‘It's finally got to a point where she realised she needed to give herself permission to step back for a while.

‘She’ll be spending time with her family and friends, with loved ones, and just enjoying some well-deserved downtime.’

But while Ariana’s loyal fans will be sure to miss watching their favourite pop star onstage, it’s thought they’ll soon be able to from the comfort of their own homes.

According to reports, her ten-date residency at the O2 Arena is set to be filmed and released as a concert special.

The rights to the gigs - which sold out in minutes - will spark a bidding war with streaming giants battling to be the one to release the film.

Before this current run, Ariana hadn’t been on the road since 2019 with her Sweetener World Tour - which was eventually filmed for Netflix in a seven-figure deal.

‘Ariana didn’t think she would ever tour again and certainly won’t for a long, long time, so she wants Eternal Sunshine immortalised,’ an insider said. ‘It’s also the perfect present to her fans while she takes time away from the spotlight.’

Few public figures grasp the art of the strategic photo moment – or the subtle language of style and jewellery – quite like Meghan Markle.

Throughout her relationship with Harry, the Duchess has used meaningful accessories to hint at deeper narratives. Long before their engagement was confirmed, she wore fine 'H' and 'M' necklaces as a quiet nod to their romance. She has chosen pieces from Princess Diana's jewellery collection to reflect the enduring presence of Harry’s late mother in their lives. And on her wedding day, she famously incorporated 53 flowers into her veil, honouring every Commonwealth nation in a gesture toward the monarchy’s global reach.

So when Meghan appeared at a recent entertainment industry event noticeably without her striking six-carat engagement ring, many believe it was a deliberate choice rather than an oversight.

An insider tells heat, “There’s no way Meghan wouldn’t have known that stepping out without her wedding ring would create a storm of speculation. There’s this never-ending obsession with predicting doom and gloom for their marriage, and this is exactly the sort of detail people would notice.”

Naturally, questions have followed. While there may be a straightforward explanation, some close observers wonder whether the move could also serve as a subtle reminder to Harry amid ongoing discussions about where their future lies – particularly as he increases his time spent in the UK. Meghan has long been open about how unhappy she felt in Britain, and the idea of returning more permanently is said to be deeply unappealing.

Harry, 41, has been intent on rebuilding bridges with his father, King Charles, 77. Their family meeting in July reportedly went smoothly, and another trip to London is already said to be in the works for September, with plans for him to stay at Buckingham Palace. With the Invictus Games heading to Birmingham next year, his schedule is expected to involve more regular transatlantic travel as he focuses on the event he founded.

Meanwhile, Meghan, 45 – who shares Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, with Harry – reportedly has “zero intention” of abandoning her California life, even if discussions with King Charles about revisiting royal duties were to progress. Sources suggest she is unpersuaded by any idea of splitting her time between continents – which will inevitably lead to more time apart from Harry if he chooses to be in the UK.

“Harry’s dream is to work out some sort of compromise where he can go back more often and potentially even become a part-time working royal again and he would love Meghan to join him,” we’re told. “But there’s no way Meghan wants to move back to England, even part time. LA is her home. She shudders at the thought of going back there even for a visit, it’s impossible to imagine her moving back there, with all the hostility toward her there.”

At the screening of Cookie Queens – a documentary about girl scouts for which Meghan is credited as exec producing – she opted for a sleek cream trouser suit. The minimalist styling only heightened attention on her bare ring finger. Given the timing, amid complex conversations about their future, the symbolism did not go unnoticed.

Our insider says, “It’s almost like she’s reminding everyone, including Harry, that she’s still the independent, self-assured, driven woman he fell in love with. And if he wants to take her for granted then it’ll be at his peril.”

Before meeting Harry, Meghan had already built a successful career spanning television, modelling, brand partnerships and humitarian work. That drive, friends say, has not diminished simply because she’s a duchess.

Our insider says, "What gets underestimated is just how busy Meghan is and how much she has going on in LA. People have this idea that she’s running around looking pretty and trying to land deals on Zoom calls, but there’s a lot more to it than that. She’s constantly in meetings and talking to potential partners and investors, handling negotiations.

Harry has taken more of a back seat on that side because he’s so busy with charitable work, and this whole crusade he’s on to mend fences with his father. Ultimately that means that Meghan is the one who has taken on more of the responsibility for bringing in the money. Of course, they come together for meals and family time, but the days go by incredibly quickly when they’re both pulled in so many different directions.”

Those close to the couple say that, in practical terms, they already operate with a high degree of independence. Their professional goals, social circles and personal passions often differ, and extended travel is part of their reality. With considerable resources at their disposal, regular long-haul flights are less disruptive than they might be for most families.

The source says, "On one level, Harry and Meghan spending more time apart while he jets back and forth to the UK is less dramatic than people might assume it would be. They already have very full, independent lives. And LA is everything Meghan knows and loves. Her friends and mum are there, her work is there and her children have roots there now. Culturally, it’s where she feels comfortable; the fact is, she never really took to the stuffiness of England and all the rules. She has agreed to go back to England again, but only in short bursts, so whatever Harry ultimately decides he wants to do in the UK, it’s very hard to imagine Meghan agreeing to uproot the life she’s built in California.”

Still, some observers feel that appearing without her engagement ring at such a visible event inevitably reignites the very rumours the couple have previously spoken out against.

“This starts up the kind of gossip she and Harry have previously said was unbearable, so naturally people are asking why she would do something that would fuel it. Some people feel there’s really no question that it must have been intentional. She’s far too media savvy to accidentally do something like this, which is why people are convinced she could have been sending some sort of message.”

Harry personally designed Meghan’s engagement ring, embedding it with emotional significance. The centre stone came from Botswana – a destination meaningful to them early in their relationship – while the side diamonds were taken from Princess Diana’s collection. Given the symbolism attached to the ring, any decision not to wear it is bound to attract questios.

Ultimately, the biggest question may be whether Harry pursues a deeper return to royal life or chooses to remain fully anchored beside Meghan in California. Whatever unfolds, it is likely to shape not only their public image, but the next stage of their partnership.

They haven’t been seen together publicly since their bitter divorce over 16 years ago. But Katie Price and Peter Andre are gearing up for a face-to-face showdown at daughter Princess’ upcoming beauty range launch – and sources tell Closer it’s set to be drama-filled.

‘This will be their first official joint appearance since their split. Princess is feeling positive that they will both be in the same room on the night, it would mean a lot to her,’ an insider reveals.

‘She hopes they can both be civil and pose together for a picture. Ideally, she wants a family line-up, which to date has not happened, and she’s unsure whether it actually will. She knows historically that Katie is the most likely to do a no-show or have some kind of drama happen at the 11th hour. But this is about Princess and she wants them to bury the hatchet.

‘Princess doesn’t want Katie to do anything outrageous, and she has promised she will be on her best behaviour. She wouldn’t want to miss it for the world. In Katie’s eyes, she’d love nothing more than to sit down with Pete and have a good conversation, but she thinks it’s Pete that has the issue.’

Princess, 18, confirmed on her ITV2 reality show, The Princess Diaries, that she’s planning a party for her beauty company, called By Princess, which launches in September. During an episode, she was seen telling mum Katie that she plans to ‘invite close family and friends’. She later told older brother Junior, 21, ‘Mum and dad are in a truce now. So I am just going to invite mum and dad and whoever wants to come, comes,’ before noting that it could be ‘quite awkward’.

It would mark the first time warring exes Katie, 48, and Pete, 53, have been in the same room since their divorce in September 2009. The couple famously met on I’m A Celebrity! in 2004 and married the following year, but it all came crashing down four years later. While they’ve continued to co-parent Junior and Princess, all of their communication has been via lawyers over the past years.

Katie – who has since been married three times, including to most recent husband Lee Andrews – has hinted that she has no hard feelings towards Pete. In her recent Sky documentary, Behind It All, she called her relationship with him the ‘best times of my life’, but admitted that while she’d love to sit down and reminisce with him, the chance is ‘zero’.

Her comments came after she and Pete appeared to bury the hatchet earlier this year following their long-running feud. They released a statement saying they’d come to a ‘mutual agreement’ that neither would ‘speak negatively about the other going forward’, adding, ‘We want to stand united for our children. We are hoping this is a start of a positive relationship.’

While the next step in their journey to being amicable could be this in-person reunion, insiders say Pete is still wary of Katie and the drama that seems to follow her.

‘Pete thinks it would mean a lot to Princess if Katie did attend. He wants the best for Princess and totally understands and respect his daughter’s wishes for her mum to be there. But he worries that she could build her hopes up only to have them dashed,’ the source says.

‘He knows to be realistic when it comes to Kate – it’s 50/50 odds on whether she’ll turn up. There has been a shift in relations since Katie’s marriage to Lee. Pete is concerned that she’s made a terrible mistake – but it’s not his problem. His focus is on how it affects Princess and Junior.’

And Pete is no doubt concerned about his wife Emily, 36, who is set to attend the beauty launch with him. Over the years, Katie has taken a string of swipes at Emily – who has been married to Pete since 2015 and shares three children with him – and the pair are understood to have never come face-to-face.

Our source continues, ‘Emily puts her differences aside when it comes to Katie and she will be there supporting Princess. But pals are worried that this could well turn into another “Pricey” episode. Everyone’s scared she will play up and that there’ll be fireworks. Emily rises above it, and so far has avoided being in the same room as her.’

But Princess – who has carved out a career as an influencer and collaborated with beauty brands like Superdrug – still hopes that her parents can unite for one evening.

‘She knows her launch could be overshadowed by headlines of her parents both coming, but this is about her knowing that for once she has her parents in the room with her,’ the source adds. ‘Hopefully they can park it for one day and focus on what’s important – their daughter and her achievements.

She has remained tight-lipped about her infamous fallout with former co-host and best pal Phillip Schofield since it made headlines in 2023.

But now, Holly Willoughby has been warned that breaking her silence could be the key to saving her new YouTube show, Together, after it received mixed reactions.

NEGATIVE REACTION

‘Holly’s been all smiles on the surface, but behind the scenes, it’s been getting incredibly hard for her to ignore some of the negative reaction to her show,’ an insider tells Closer.

‘It’s left her asking a lot of questions. She’s found herself getting a few of the same answers from people in the industry who she respects – for some, they feel fans are still not over the whole drama with Phil and This Morning, and are eager to hear the real story from Holly. Some industry bigwigs have told Holly that if she wants a fair shot with anything in her career, she needs to address it. Bringing Phil back into her life at this point feels like a crazy move – but bosses are saying it could be her only chance.’

Once considered the queen and king of the small screen, Holly, 45, and Phil, 64, had a friendship and co-working dynamic spanning 17 years. But it imploded in May 2023 amid his confession to lying about an ‘unwise but not illegal affair’ with a younger colleague, which apparently left Holly ‘hurt’ and ‘blindsided’. While Phil quit his roles at ITV immediately, Holly remained at the helm of This Morning until October 2023 – when she stepped away from the spotlight following a kidnap, murder and rape plot against her coming to light.

ROCKY

The presenter returned to host the now-axed You Bet!, Bear Hunt and Dancing On Ice, but Together – which is produced by her husband Dan Baldwin’s production company Hungry Bear – is considered her big comeback. As Closer reported last week, reviews of the lifestyle series – which currently has 13.5k subscribers – have been mixed so far. While one fan said they ‘can’t wait for the next episode’, another described it as ‘too polished and overproduced’.

Our source goes on, ‘What doesn’t help is that the show is very surface-level and fluffy. Some viewers feel she’s trying to rehash what she did on This Morning, but without addressing the elephant in the room – her rocky relationship with Phil and everything that went down.

‘Holly’s really torn over it, but she does understand the advice about speaking her truth. She just doesn’t know if it’s better to carry on and keep her head down.’

Lydia warns Jesy: ‘Look out for red flags!’

It seems Jesy Nelson has found love again, as it’s been revealed that the singer is now dating Ben Davies, the ex-boyfriend of TOWIE’s Lydia Bright.

But sources tell Closer that Lydia has issued an ominous warning to Jesy about her blossoming romance with Ben. ‘Lydia hopes Jesy is careful, as a bit of male attention intensifies hugely when you’re a newly single mum, and it’s easy to get caught up in the moment.

‘You tend to have your barriers down and are not as observant for red flags or love bombers in the early days of a new relationship,’ our insider reveals.

HEARTBREAKING

It comes after Jesy, 35, who hinted at her romance with Ben when she posted a snap of a tattooed arm, split from fiancé Zion Foster earlier this year. She and Zion, 27, were on/off for around four years and had twin girls, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe in May 2025, going on to get engaged months later.

However, their relationship came to an end soon after Jesy shared heartbreaking news with her fans that their twins had been diagnosed with SMA Type 1, a genetic muscle-wasting condition.

Speaking about the break-up in her Amazon Prime documentary, Life Changing, Jesy said, ‘You’ll either be a team, or it’ll tear you apart, and unfortunately, I feel that’s what it’s done to me and Zion.’ She added, ‘We’re both dealing with this situation completely differently, and together we were clashing, so I decided we would be better off apart.’

Meanwhile, Lydia, 35 – who famously had an on/off relationship with James ‘Arg’ Argent for eight years – has been single since confirming her split from gardener Ben last January.

ROMANCE

The ex-TOWIE star – who is mum to daughter Loretta Rose, six, with ex-boyfriend Lee Cronin – confirmed their romance in April 2024 with a string of loved-up photographs appearing on social media, following months of keeping the relationship under wraps.

However, by the end of 2024, all of Lydia’s posts featuring Ben – a dad-of-one – had disappeared, and she eventually confirmed she was single again.

And despite Lydia’s relationship with Ben ending over a year ago, insiders say she’s still feeling taken aback by his new romance with Jesy, who is yet to publicly confirm her relationship with Ben.

Our source adds, ‘Lydia’s disappointed but not surprised to see Ben dating another celebrity. He loves the limelight and what comes from dating famous women.

‘It hurts – and knowing how fast it’s likely to develop with Jesy, she’s expecting to see a lot more of it over social media.’

Bradley & Gigi spark marriage rumours

Hollywood star Bradley Cooper, 51, and Gigi Hadid, 31, have apparently tied the knot in secret after they were both spotted wearing matching rings on their left hands.

The couple, who have been dating since October 2023 after meeting at a mutual friend’s child’s birthday party, have largely kept their relationship out of the spotlight, though model Gigi previously gushed that she feels ‘very romantic and happy.’

Insiders now tell Closer that the couple have had marriage on their minds for some time. ‘Gigi and Bradley are in love, there’s no doubt about it. His mum loves Gigi too, and has given her the stamp of approval. And of course, Gigi’s mum is absolutely over the moon at the idea of her daughter marrying a true movie star.’

This comes after Bradley’s split from model and actress Irina Shayk, 40, with whom he shares nine-year-old daughter Lea De Seine, and Gigi’s split from One Direction star Zayn Malik, 33, father of her five-year-old daughter Khai.

Bradley and Gigi are already said to be looking to add to their blended brood, according to our insider. ‘They’ve agreed they both want a baby together. They aren’t going to rush it, but a baby is high on her list. And Bradley is the most devoted dad.’

Kelly hits out at ex Sid

After ending their engagement in March, it looks like things have taken a bitter turn for Kelly Osbourne and Sid Wilson.

Following reports that Sid, 49, was fired from heavy metal band Slipknot – something the group has not yet publicly commented on – Kelly let rip about her ex on Instagram Stories.

Asking him to ‘let her heal’, the 41-year-old – who shares three-year-old son Sidney with the DJ – then slammed, ‘Also, while I’m at it, can I have my dogs back and all my possessions. Oh yeah, and maybe some child support?’

The couple, who began dating in 2022, got engaged at her late dad Ozzy Osbourne’s final show with Black Sabbath in July 2025. Reports later claimed they had faced challenges for some time before their split.

Danny puts Maura kiss scandal behind him

They've had a rocky year after he was spotted kissing I'm A Celeb! co-star Maura Higgins, 35, at the Brit Awards in March 2025. But Danny Jones, 40, proved that he and model wife Georgia Horsley, 39, have put this behind them as they celebrated their wedding anniversary.

‘Happy 12 Year Wedding Anniversary Darlin’, Georgia penned in a wholesome video where she kissed and danced with the McFly star and their eight-year-old son Cooper.

When the scandal erupted, Georgia, who began dating Danny in 2010, briefly moved out of their family home, according to reports.

Danny issued a public apology at the time that read, ‘I want to deeply apologise to my wife and family for putting them in this situation. I love them so much and we’ll continue to deal with this privately.’

She’s been soaking up the sun after jetting off to Turkey on a family holiday with her two-year-old daughter, Bonnie. But fans were surprised to see Laura Anderson travelling with Natasha Lucy – the ex-wife of Laura’s former boyfriend, Gary Lucy.

While the holiday may have seemed unconventional from the outside, the TV personality insists it worked brilliantly. ‘It was honestly so magical,’ Laura, 37, tells Closer. ‘Natasha’s been such a good friend to me. I was a bit nervous to ask her, but she said, “100% yes – me and all the kids would love to come and spend time with you and Bonnie.”’

CHALLENGES

Prior to his relationship with Laura, Hollyoaks star Gary, 44, was married to Natasha, 47, for 14 years before the couple split in 2018. Together, they share four children – India, 20, Elvis, 15, Sadie, 11, and Theodore, seven. Gary later found love with Laura after the pair met while filming Celebs Go Dating in 2022. But their romance ended shortly before the birth of their daughter Bonnie in 2023, and the former couple have endured a turbulent relationship ever since.

But Laura tells Closer that spending quality time with Natasha and their five children was exactly what she needed. ‘The four kids were just doting over Bonnie,’ she gushes. ‘Bonnie was just literally licking the face of Theodore. He’s the youngest one, so she was just jumping all over him. India, the eldest, is so motherly. Gary and I weren’t even together that long, but I remember when I would meet his kids, I was like, “I love them so much.” Natasha’s brought them up so well. It felt like we were a family, and it was just so lovely.’

Since her split from Gary, the former Love Island star has spoken candidly about the challenges of co-parenting. In 2024, Laura alleged that Gary had not seen their daughter for several months, claiming that ‘co-parenting and financial support didn’t exist.’ Gary appeared to respond by sharing a sweet compilation video of himself and Bonnie, captioned, ‘The little things’.

Tensions between the former couple flared again in September last year, when they became embroiled in a public war of words. Laura shared what she claimed were cruel messages from Gary and took a swipe at fathers who ‘hide money’, while Gary hit back by calling her a ‘narcissist’.

Now, Laura – who is currently single following her split from footballer Clark Robertson in March – gives Closer an honest update on life as a solo parent. ‘When I became a single mum, I felt probably a little bit embarrassed or like a failure,’ she says.

ACCOMPLISHMENT

‘But soon I realised, I’m doing a really good job, and this is an accomplishment. It’s very empowering, and when you look at your child, and they’re so happy, and you’ve actually done that all by yourself. Sometimes I do think, if I was still with her dad, would I be as good a mum? Maybe not. I think the most important thing is that you have a happy, calm, loving home, and I feel like I’ve achieved that. She’s so safe and happy, and that is the most important thing.’

The Scottish-born star first found fame on Love Island in 2018. While her journey in the famous villa had its ups and downs, life beyond the show has been a very different story, with Laura carving out a successful career as a radio presenter. Looking back on her time on the ITV2 dating show, she tells us, ‘Everyone’s so different. I think society does put Love Islanders in a box, so the more success people have, I think, makes us all look good, because then it’s like, “Oh, they’re not just dumb blondes with fake boobs!”’

NO-BRAINER

Laura is currently partnering with CoppaFeel! after admitting she was previously unaware of how younger women are susceptible to breast cancer. ‘In the years gone by, I just would never think someone my age could even get breast cancer,’ she says. ‘And the charity was set up by Kris Hallenga, who was diagnosed so, so young at 23. It just seemed like a no-brainer to get involved.’

After the highs and lows of recent years, Laura is firmly focused on the future – and right now, it’s all about making memories with her daughter. ‘Bonnie’s going to be three next month, I can’t believe it,’ she smiles. ‘I’m not going to have a big party this year, so I might take her to Peppa Pig World.’

Beyond that, though, Laura already knows what she’s hoping for – ‘Ideally, retired, in the sun with a big family, married and have lots of money!’

CoppaFeel! is on a mission to ensure all breast cancers are diagnosed early and accurately by encouraging everyone to know the signs and symptoms and check their chest regularly. For more info, visit www.coppafeel.org.

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She’s kept a low profile in recent years, but Cheryl is now set for a huge career comeback with her own documentary. And insiders tell Closer that the Fight For This Love singer is ready to share a string of explosive bombshells – and won’t be holding back.

'There are so many elements to Cheryl’s life and so many ups and downs, from a troubled family background, Girls Aloud fame, the truth behind The X Factor and what really happened behind the scenes when she was axed from the US version. That was explosive for her relationship with Simon Cowell and to get the truth from the horse’s mouth will be unmissable viewing,’ our source says.

‘Cheryl won’t hold back. She will expose what really went on. There are the Girls Aloud years with fallouts behind the scenes, reconciliation, the tragic death of Sarah Harding and then the comeback tour. And of course, there will be her relationship with Liam Payne, becoming a mum and her heartbreak over his death, which completely floored Cheryl. It will be hugely emotional for Cheryl to open up about some of the most devastating times in her life.’

Cheryl, 43, is said to be in ‘early talks’ for the documentary film, which would follow her rise to fame from Popstars: The Rivals, alongside her love life – which includes her marriages to football star Ashley Cole and restauranteur Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini and relationships with US dancer Derek Hough and Liam, father of her nine-year-old son, Bear.

While nothing is confirmed yet, Cheryl’s show is tipped to create a bidding war between all the big networks including Netflix, Amazon Prime and Apple – and our insider says that Louis Theroux is particularly keen to land the exclusive.

‘Louis thinks he is the right man to do this with Cheryl. He believes it will be huge. He is desperate to get her and has been pursuing her,’ the source explains. ‘Cheryl is also a huge admirer of Louis but she likes the format of the Beckhams’ Netflix show, so she is still undecided. It will be a massive pay day, on a par with the Beckhams and Rooneys.’

However, after being out of the spotlight for so long, Cheryl is feeling torn over her return to public life. Our insider continues, ‘Cheryl knows opening up her life in a documentary will bring her firmly back into the spotlight, which will open up more opportunities for her. She also hopes it will show people the real her and give her take on some of the biggest stories in showbiz over the years. She knows it will be huge but she wants to tread carefully and be in control of it all.’

The source adds, ‘Cheryl has been super-protective of Bear so this will be the first time she will properly open up about being a mother and give everyone a look into that world. She wants Bear to see it one day and be proud.’

Cheryl's shock roller-coaster moments

Love life

Cheryl was former footballer Ashley Cole’s wife between 2006 until 2010, before her second marriage to French restaurateur Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini from 2014 and 2016. She and Ashley, 45 – who met in 2004 while living in the same block of flats – were one of the iconic power couples of the Noughties. But they divorced following allegations of infidelity, which left the singer ‘betrayed’.

Cheryl later found love with JB, 45, and they secretly married in Mustique after a whirlwind three-month romance. However, they split 19 months later, with Cheryl claiming his ‘unreasonable behaviour’ had caused her ‘stress and weight loss’.

Simon Cowell

The singer has had a feisty friendship with Simon over the years. They worked together on The X Factor between 2008 and 2010 but fell out after he sacked her from the US version in 2011. However, she forgave her mentor, returning to the UK show in 2014 and was by Simon’s side for the Judge’s Houses stage in 2017.

‘I miss her,’ Simon said. ‘We had great fun working together. I would work with her again in the future with the right show.’

Liam’s death brought the pair closer, with insiders saying he’s supportive of her like ‘a family member’.

Liam tragedy

After her divorce from JB, Cheryl and Liam started dating in March 2016 and they made their red carpet debut as a couple two months later. A year later, they welcomed their son Bear, only to split in July 2018 after growing apart. Liam’s shock death, at just 31, in October 2024, left Cheryl heartbroken as she focused on looking after Bear.

Two years on, more details are still coming to light about the One Direction star’s death, with two call girls recently claiming he flew into a drug and alcohol-fuelled rage before falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Shereen Low joined Bauer as a celebrity writer for Bella in October 2018 and is now a senior content creator across Bella, Closer, Grazia, heat and Yours. Shereen, who received a distinction in NCTJ’s Senior Journalism course, has interviewed some of the biggest names around: she was propositioned by Ryan Gosling, sat on the same sofa as Beyonce, pondered the meaning of life with Johnny Depp and got up close to Rihanna.

She oozed confidence as she jetted off on a family holiday to Turkey, where she proudly showcased her figure in the sun.

And after months of speculation surrounding her relationship, insiders tell Closer that Stacey Solomon is feeling better than ever – but it has nothing to do with husband Joe Swash.

‘Stacey is feeling really happy with how she looks and is inspired to keep working out throughout the summer, but she has been quite clear that she’s finally doing this for herself and not Joe,’ a source reveals.

‘She’s doing this to feel sexy, and has been loving the response she gets on Instagram from fans who are cheering her on for being real and embracing her body. Stacey wants to inspire her fans that they don’t need to do this for a man.’

The getaway to Turkey was a family affair for Stacey, 36, and Joe, 44, who were joined by their three children, Rex, seven, Rose, five, and Belle, three, and Stacey’s son Leighton, 14, while her eldest Zachary, 18, was absent after jetting to America for the summer. The star’s sister Jemma, her husband Lee and their three children joined the Solomon-Swashes, as well as Stacey’s dad David and brother Matt.

Ahead of the trip, Stacey showed off her swimwear options on Instagram as she talked her fans through her picks. ‘I’ve finally, because it’s been years, found a swimsuit that doesn’t make me feel like Old Mother Hubbard’, she jokingly told her followers.

The holiday comes amid ongoing rumours about trouble in her relationship and talk of a split with Joe. In their BBC reality series Stacey & Joe, the pair laid bare their everyday squabbles at home, before delving into their troubles in a tense couples’ therapy session on-screen.

Speculation about the state of Stacey and Joe’s relationship intensified when the Sort Your Life Out host was pictured without her wedding ring earlier this year. When quizzed about it on This Morning, Stacey simply shrugged it off, joking that she’d ‘probably took it off to go to the toilet or something’.

Shortly after, it was revealed that Stacey and Joe’s marriage is in fact not legally binding. After tying the knot in 2022 at Pickle Cottage – their sprawling five-bedroom mansion in Essex – the couple never registered their marriage.

And while she and Joe – who are said to be eyeing up a new eight-bedroom Victorian mansion – have failed to address the question mark over their marriage publicly, Stacey has spoken out in defence of their relationship. She previously said, ‘Who cares if the whole world is like, “Oh, they’re on the brink of divorce?” Being in the public eye I think creates certain pressures, but not on our relationship because half the time what they’re saying, if we know it’s not true, who cares?’

And despite renewing her reality series with Joe for a third season, insiders say Stacey is keen to have her own career and independence away from her husband.

‘Stacey doesn’t want to be defined by her marriage. She’s really proud of the empire she’s built herself, and working out and looking good is just a bonus,’ our insider continues. ‘She and Joe have had their well-documented ups and downs, and she’s aware that some people might think she’s doing this to make him jealous, but it’s really about making herself feel good – which to her is the best type of revenge.’

Stacey’s well-known for being an advocate of body positivity. Sharing an Instagram snap on the beach in a yellow bikini back in 2024, she revealed how she’s teaching her daughters that they shouldn’t ‘measure their beauty against anyone else’.

The mum-of-five also documents her fitness routine online, having become a fan of working out in the gym in recent years. But she’s been adamant that changing her body isn’t the motivation behind her workouts, previously saying, ‘I genuinely only do it because I want to be so strong.’

And with over a year of strength training under her belt, our source says Stacey’s feeling better than ever. ‘Stacey has been working hard and doing extra squats whenever she can amid her gym workout routine,’ the insider explains.

‘It gives her such a rush and boosts her mood – when she’s feeling confident in herself, she feels like she can achieve anything. When pals have mentioned Joe being a lucky man or whether she’s doing it all for Joe, she’s just brushed it off because she feels as though that’s really missing the point.’

Although she’s been focusing on herself, she’s keeping Joe in mind. ‘She hasn’t given up on romance but she’s just in a type of mood where it’s more about what she wants, rather than what Joe wants,’ our source adds. ‘Stacey doesn’t think it’s healthy to be in a marriage where you feel insecure or as though you’re not enough for somebody.’

They’ve long faced rumours that they’re living separate lives. And insiders tell Closer that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are clashing over the duke’s growing desire to spend more time in the UK – while his wife of eight years has no intention of leaving behind her life in LA.

The source says, ‘Harry dreams of a compromise where he can come back to the UK more often, potentially as a part-time working royal again. He’d love Meghan to join him – but there’s no way she’d move back, even part-time. She feels there’s too much open hostility towards her.

‘They’re figuring out an agreement where Meghan accompanies him when it suits her. She’s very independent, so she’s leaving it up to Harry to navigate it, but the feeling is it’s very much a make-or-break situation.’

While Harry, 41, flew to the UK alone last month to mark the one-year countdown to the 2027 Invictus Games, he accepted an invitation from King Charles to visit Highgrove House on 10 July – alongside Meghan and their two children Archie, seven, and five-year-old Lilibet.

Though no photos were taken publicly of the Sussexes, Meghan later shared a carousel of snaps of the occasion to her 4.7 million Instagram followers – which was described by Buckingham Palace as a ‘private family occasion’ which lasted ‘for an hour or so’.

The trip – which was the first time in four years that the Sussex family had seen King Charles – was considered a huge success, and Harry has plans to fly across the pond again in September for the WellChild Awards. There are even rumours that Charles has invited the Sussexes to spend time at Balmoral this month.

But since returning home from the trip, Meghan, 45, has apparently caused a stir.

Making a solo appearance in LA as she attended a screening for Cookie Queens, a documentary about the Girl Scouts on which she serves as an executive producer, eagle-eyed fans spotted that the duchess wasn’t wearing her engagement ring – which our insider says was deliberate.

‘Meghan’s too media savvy to accidentally step out without her ring,’ they continue. ‘It’s almost like she’s reminding everyone, including Harry, that she’s still the independent, self-assured, driven woman he fell in love with. And if he wants to take her for granted, it’ll be at his peril.’

It’s far from the first time that the Sussexes’ marriage has come under scrutiny.

A Vanity Fair article last year shockingly addressed rumours that Meghan’s team had been shopping around for a ‘post-divorce book’ deal. The allegation was denied by a source close to Meghan – and Harry has also shut down speculation of their split, after there were suggestions of a ‘professional separation’.

Speaking in New York in December 2024, Harry laughed, ‘We’ve apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times. It’s hard to keep up with, but that’s why you just ignore it.’

However, despite the prince’s insistence of marital bliss, there’s still much speculation around the Sussexes’ separate lives.

‘Meghan’s constantly taking meetings in LA, and is handling a lot of the Netflix negotiations,’ the source says. ‘Harry’s taken a back seat as he’s busy with his charitable work, and mending fences with his father.

‘Meghan’s taking more of the responsibility for bringing in the money. They come together for meals and family time, but the days go by quickly when they’re pulled in different directions.

‘They have very full, independent lives. Culturally, LA’s where Meghan feels comfortable – she never took to the stuffiness of England. It’s hard to imagine her agreeing to uproot the life she’s built in California.’

And a second insider tells Closer that the couple have also been clashing over where their children will go to school.

‘Harry can’t rule out a British education. He wants his children to have a meaningful connection with that side of their family. He’d prefer the kids to attend a mixed school, and has even explored the possibility of a day-pupil arrangement,’ they say.

Singer Joss Stone – a friend of Harry who moved back to Devon from Nashville a year ago with her young family – added more fuel to the fire last September by divulging that the prince told her how ‘wonderful’ UK schools were when they both attended the WellChild awards.

And the insider adds that if Harry and Meghan can’t reach a compromise, things between them may not end well.

‘Education is just the symptom – the bigger issue is deciding where home actually is,’ the source says. ‘Friends are worried the disagreement risks ending in a complete stalemate.

‘If neither of them is prepared to compromise, the consequences for their relationship could be significant.'

After freelancing across the brands for four years, Sophie Cockerham officially joined Bauer Media as a senior content creator in August 2025 - and now writes across heat, Closer, Bella and Yours.

He’s enjoyed a long, starry career as an acclaimed actor and moonlighting rockstar. But Jared Leto is now facing a seismic reckoning, as serious allegations of historical sexual abuse against a plethora of women, some of whom were teenagers at the time, are stacked against him. The 54 year old continues to deny all claims, which include sexual abuse, threatened sexual assault, sexual grooming and statutory rape, but that hasn’t silenced the global shock as more accusations and revelations of his past behaviour come to light.

Now, insiders tell us, the actor is hoping to call in some famous faces to vouch for him in the form of power players like his ex-fiancée, Cameron Diaz, and former flame, Scarlett Johansson. But whether they’re willing to defend him as the furore gets louder remains to be seen.

‘Jared is staying very defiant and insisting that none of these accusations are true, but – obviously, this is very stressful for him,’ says an insider close to the actor and Thirty Seconds to Mars musician, who was first publicly accused of ‘aggressively pursuing’ teenage fans over 20 years ago, but has – until now - successfully avoided any kind of public takedown. ‘He’s desperate to try and put a stop to what he’s calling a “witch hunt”. He wants to defend himself, and he’s hoping that some of the people he’s dated will come out and say something to defend him. He dated Cameron for years, and Scarlett too, and he’s hoping they might speak out because it could really help him.

‘He needs a Hail Mary at this point, which is why he’s putting the word out that he could really use some reassurance and high-profile support. But it’s unlikely they’re going to want to get involved. They’ve never said anything bad about him, but that doesn’t mean they’re going to put their own necks on the line.’

Last week, the BBC aired the unflinching documentary Jared Leto: Hollywood’s Dark Secret, which featured 10 women who accused the actor of sexual misconduct between 2002 and 2016, when he was in his 30s and 40s. Four of those 10 women – who went by the aliases ‘Clara’, ‘Alex’, ‘Isabel’ and ‘Etta’ – alleged that they had all been victimised by him when they were still teenagers.

We hear ‘Clara’ recall how she was cherry-picked by someone who worked for Leto at one of his concerts in California – where the age of consent is 18. Though she was just 17 at the time, he allegedly took her back to his house, had sex with her, and apparently said to her ‘I would like you to call me daddy…pretend to be a little girl’.

Meanwhile, ‘Isabel’ claims she was sexually assaulted by the star in a motel bathroom when she was also just 17. The rest of the accusations follow similar patterns – painting the picture of a celebrity who used his power and privilege to indulge his predatory ways.

For his part, Jared has vehemently denied the allegations, saying in a statement shortly after the documentary was released, ‘I have never sexually assaulted anyone in my entire life. These claims are absolutely and categorically false.’ But that hasn’t stopped the public backlash from gaining pace – not least since this isn’t the first time he’s been accused of sexual assault.

Just last year, Air Mail published an article in which nine women accused him of sexual impropriety. This came after a historical Facebook status written by DJ Allie Teilz back in 2012 resurfaced, in which she’d written, ‘You’re not really in LA until Jared Leto tries to force himself on you backstage…in a kilt. And a snow hat.’ Allie gave further context last year, alleging, ‘I was assaulted by this creep when I was 17…He knew my age and didn’t care.’

Aside from his short statement denying all allegations, Jared has yet to comment further. However, as our sources tell us, he’s scrambling behind the scenes to rally VIP support, and pulling out all the stops to convince his friends that he’s not the monster he’s being made out to be. Having been in a four-year relationship with Cameron from 1999 to 2003, before he briefly dated Scarlett the following year, he’s apparently hoping that both famous ladies will be willing to defend him when it comes to his romantic predilections. However, it’s worth noting that neither actress has ever publicly discussed their relationships with Jared over the past 20 years, so it would seem far-fetched to think they’d do so now.

‘Jared swears up and down he’s not a bad guy, and says that his track record proves that,’ we’re told. ‘He has so many great friends and plenty of them are women – plus he’s still friends with plenty of his exes. He’s confident that he could get a thousand character witnesses if needs be, but the reality is that, in Hollywood, there tends to be a lot more weight placed on what famous people say, which is why he would be really grateful for some high-profile support.

‘Of course, he’s going to want to clear his name, and the way the world works and the power that celebrity has, it probably would help a lot if some of his famous exes spoke up on his behalf. He’s not expecting anyone to comment on the allegations, but a show of support would go a long way.’

Unfortunately for the actor, who first found fame on the 90s teen sitcom My So-Called Life, and also established himself as a rockstar in the 2000s, before winning the Oscar for Dallas Buyers’ Club in 2013, his infamous behaviour on set already speaks volumes. Famed for his extreme commitment to method acting, he’s been known to torment cast and crew members while staying in character as one of his anti-heroes. To that end, while filming The Suicide Squad in 2015, in which he played The Joker, he sent his castmates dead rats and used condoms, later telling E! News, ‘The Joker is somebody who doesn’t really respect things like personal space or boundaries.’

He’s also been slammed by crew members on tour for sending them out into the crowd to fetch girls for him. As one former tour member told Page Six last week, ‘He’s not a good guy. There’s no soul behind his eyes.’

Now it seems it’s up to Jared to try to prove the allegations wrong. But with so many voices standing united against him – and, at this point, no friends or former flames vocally lending their support, the odds don’t look good.

For six years, the Sussexes have effectively been treated as outsiders at Buckingham Palace – seldom referenced in public and barely acknowledged by senior figures, even as they lobbed very public grenades at the royal family from their luxury home in California.

Yet in the past few weeks, there’s been a marked shift in Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s standing with the royal family. In a twist few would have imagined this time last year, the couple quietly brought their stand-off with King Charles and Queen Camilla to an end when they paid a low‑key visit to Highgrove, the King’s Gloucestershire residence, on July 10, accompanied by their children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five. The meeting allowed Charles to spend time with his grandchildren for the first time in four years.

It may have reportedly only lasted an hour, but the visit carried huge symbolism. It suggested that with patience, goodwill and a firm agreement to keep details private, a route back into the royal fold is possible. Reports that Harry felt ‘energised’ and ‘buoyed’ afterwards – coupled with whispers of a potential Sandringham invitation for Christmas this year – reinforce just how dramatically the tide may be turning.

Perhaps most strikingly, this progress has come without any sign-off from the Heir Apparent and his Queen-in-waiting, the Prince and Princess of Wales. Sources say William and Kate remain deeply reluctant to forgive, and have made little effort to ease tensions. Nevertheless, Meghan is said to feel newly empowered by the knowledge that their return doesn’t hinge on the Waleses’ blessing. Insiders claim her stance can be summed up in five blunt words: ‘We don’t need you anymore’.

‘The fact that Charles is working so hard to put this rift in the past and lay the groundwork for the future, not just for Harry and Meghan but for their children and future generations, is hugely satisfying,’ says an insider close to Harry and Meghan, who haven’t publicly commented on their meeting with the King last month – in a bid to respect Charles’ wishes.

‘It's becoming increasingly clear that they don't need William and Kate's approval, which has really boosted Meghan’s confidence. She and Harry believe that William, and presumably Kate, went out of their way to make life as difficult as possible for them and tried to block them at every turn. Ultimately, they failed, so of course Meghan and Harry both feel vindicated.

‘That being said, they would still very much like to have a better relationship with William and Kate, and they do intend to work towards that. But if that never happens, they believe they and their children will always have a place within the family. After years of feeling like Kate and her supporters were trying to push Meghan aside, they see this as proof that they endured.’

Cast your mind back to the early days before Megxit, when the Sussexes and the Waleses appeared united – at least publicly. Meghan’s arrival was hailed as ushering in a modern era, with the couples dubbed the ‘Fab Four’. Harry once described Kate as ‘the sister I always wanted’, and insiders suggested he was thrilled to have a wife to complete the happy foursome.

But the harmony didn’t last. When Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals in 2020 and relocated to the US, the fracture lines widened. As months passed, frustration hardened into open hostility.

Central to the fallout were Harry and Meghan’s allegations about the Waleses’ conduct. In the Sussexes’ 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview, Meghan claimed it was Kate who had reduced her to tears during a disagreement about Princess Charlotte’s bridesmaid dress in 2018, countering earlier reports that Meghan had been the one to upset Kate.

Harry expanded on tensions in his 2023 memoir, Spare, recounting a clash in which a pregnant Kate rebuked Meghan for joking about her ‘baby brain’, telling her they weren’t ‘close enough for you to talk about my hormones’.

William, too, was criticised, with Harry alleging that his brother – labelled his ‘arch-nemesis’ – had physically confronted him during a heated argument over Meghan.

Since then, the Sussexes’ tone has softened, particularly after it emerged two years ago that both King Charles and Kate were undergoing cancer treatment. Kate is now in remission, while Charles continues to receive care. Notably, Harry and Meghan have avoided public criticism of the family during this period.

Harry has repeatedly voiced a desire for ‘reconciliation’, expressing hope last year that bridges could be rebuilt.

Even so, such an outcome seemed unlikely – not least because Meghan was reportedly reluctant to return to Britain. Two years ago, Harry said he wouldn’t bring his wife and children back without guaranteed security, citing safety concerns, while sources claimed Meghan was simply unwilling to return to a country where she felt hated.

Fast forward to August 2026, and circumstances appear transformed. The family visit went ahead, and discussions with the King are said to have paved the way for meaningful repair of their relationship. Talk has even surfaced that Charles could formally restore elements of their royal role – the sort of half in/half out arrangement the Sussexes had asked for before being forced to quit entirely. According to insiders, Meghan feels their position is stronger than ever – confident that, regardless of William and Kate’s feelings, their path forward no longer depends on them.

‘For Meghan, the way William and Kate are behaving just proves that she and Harry were never the problem,’ we’re told. ‘She has always believed that they were singled out and bullied by a large majority of the Firm, who were actively aided and abetted by William and Kate. It’s so obvious to her that they’ve been poisoning everybody against her and Harry for years. It’s nothing short of a miracle that Harry has managed to find a way around the tidal wave of hatred levied at them, and she gives him great credit for that. She also credits Charles for being willing to go against the Waleses for the sake of his son and grandchildren.

‘It’s not what anyone was expecting, least of all William and Kate. For so long, they were in the superior position, and – at least in Meghan’s view – very smug about it. And now, she feels they’re having to swallow some humble pie at last.’

It’s always useful to have a friend or partner nearby when you're struggling to apply sunscreen to your back. But Katy Perry seemed to have lost all sense of self-sufficiency last week while on a boat ride in the South of France with her boyfriend, former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and a group of friends. Lazing back in the sun, the popstar kicked her feet up as Justin got to work applying sun protection to her body – even lifting up the top part of her dress to allow him to reach underneath and slather SPF across her bare chest.

Responsible, it may have been; no one wants Katy, nor her breasts, to burn in the scorching sun. But it also seemed a tad excessive for the smitten pair to do in public. After all, we haven’t seen PDA on this scale between a politician and a popstar since former MP Lembit Opik dated a Cheeky Girl back in 2006 – and all these years later, the image is just as jarring.

But according to insiders, Katy, 41, and Justin, 54, don’t care what anyone thinks about their very lustful interactions in front of family and friends. Having first got together in July 2025, they still feel like they’re firmly in the honeymoon era, and they don’t care who is judging or what we think. In fact, we’re told they actually enjoy making people blush…which makes us all the more appreciative that Katy actually managed to keep her dress on for Justin’s rub-down.

‘They’re both complete exhibitionists when they’re together,’ says an insider close to the unlikely couple, who sent shockwaves across the globe when they were first spotted together last year having dinner in Montreal. ‘It’s probably shocking for people who know Justin from his political days, but anyone who knows Katy knows this is pretty standard for her.

‘When those photos of Orlando Bloom paddleboarding naked came out all those years ago, Katy’s friends all guessed she was the instigator because she’s always gotten a rush out of testing the limits and shocking people. Now that she’s with Justin, she’s really been encouraging him to embrace his own sexy side, and he loves it. They’re having fun pushing the envelope.’

As fans will remember, Katy and her former fiancé Orlando broke the internet back in 2016 when they were photographed on a paddleboard in Italy – with Orlando going full frontal for the occasion. The actor later claimed they’d been ‘completely alone for five days’ with ‘nothing around us’, so he’d mistakenly assumed they were well out of range of any secret snappers. But, as our source reveals, there might have been more than meets the eyeful, considering Katy’s love for a little bit of envelope-pushing.

The former couple were still well within their own honeymoon era at the time, as they’d only started dating earlier that year. But over time – and despite getting engaged in 2019 and welcoming their daughter, Daisy Dove, in 2020 – their relationship slowly soured, with intermittent break-ups and make-ups causing tension, and they seemed to lose that sexy spark that Katy’s always valued so highly. They finally split early last year, before finally confirming the break-up in June, saying in a joint statement that they’d been ‘shifting their relationship over the past many months to focus on co-parenting.’

Orlando, for his part, didn’t waste any time in moving on – embracing a bachelor Summer with very attention-grabbing appearances at the Oasis reunion concert and Wimbledon. He’s since moved on with Swiss model Luisa Laemmel.

However, not one to be outdone, Katy’s jumped headfirst into her relationship with Justin with all the loved-up lust of a Teenage Dream – gleefully telling friends and media outlets alike just how happy she is in this relationship.

Speaking on the red carpet this June at the New York premiere of her concert film Katy Perry: The Lifetimes Tour – Live from Paris, Katy told reporters, ‘I feel like a more grounded person in so many aspects of my life. I am very in love.’

Referring to Justin, she added, ‘Actually, that show was after I met the love of my life, and so I felt very anchored by that, because I’m a little bit like a rainbow kite. I fly super-high and touch the veiled cosmos, and sometimes I need to be anchored, so to have that anchor finally makes me feel really whole now.’

Yet despite feeling whole, we’re told that Katy’s still slightly bruised by the Orlando break-up, which came amid reports – fuelled by the singer in her single Band-Aids – that her ex-fiancé hadn’t given her the emotional support that she needed. So, as far as she’s concerned, her and Justin’s PDAs kill two birds with one stone. Not only do they scratch her itch for a little bit of naughty exhibitionism, but they also guarantee that Orlando will get a good look at just how happy she’s been since they split.

We’re told, ‘No one is saying she wants him back. It’s obvious she is absolutely crazy about Justin, but that doesn’t mean she wouldn’t enjoy rubbing Orlando’s face in her happiness. They were together for a very long time and, by all accounts it fell apart pretty badly towards the end, so it would make sense.’

As for how much PDA they can really get away with on holiday before they’re reprimanded, it seems the couple are at least staying on the right side of the law – unlike Kanye West, of course, who was slapped with a lifetime ban from a boat company in Venice after being pictured engaging in a lewd act with his wife, Bianca Censori, on a water taxi.

But more pressing is just how much more Katy and Justin’s entourages are willing to tolerate. We’re told their friends and employees might be averting their gaze for now – but they’re subtly trying to warn the pair that it’s going from cute and flirty to truly anti-social, and it’s now time to exercise restraint.

‘The problem is that Katy travels with this enormous entourage wherever she goes, so people are constantly having to sit there and avert their eyes,’ our source explains. ‘All too often, she and Justin will start shoving their tongues down each other’s throats, or he’ll be fondling her while slathering her with suntan lotion, like he is in these latest pics. It definitely makes people feel uncomfortable but they don’t seem to care.’

His family have been dragged into a seemingly never-ending spiral of scandals in recent years – but Prince Edward had always managed to keep his reputation as one of the royals’ safest pair of hands.

However, his standing as The Firm’s ‘quiet, stable and drama-free’ member has been dealt a blow after new details of his spicy relationship with a showgirl were exposed in a long-awaited memoir.

And now, in the wake of the expose, Palace officials and members of the royal family – in particular Edward’s wife of 27 years Sophie – are braced for even more details of his early life to be dredged up.

A source tells Closer, ‘His ex-girlfriend has essentially painted Edward as this big stallion and keeps teasing that there’s an awful lot more people don’t know about him and that he enjoyed quite the fast life back in his day.

‘Of course, Edward’s forgotten a lot of it. Like most people, he grew up and moved on. He knows he had fun, but now he’s worried this could open the floodgates and other people might come forward, which is also front and centre of Sophie’s mind. It’s no secret she had a pretty hard time with this book, it made her uncomfortable so the last thing she wants is more of the same, or worse.’

In the memoir, titled The Showgirl and the Prince, actress Ruthie Henshall - a five-time Olivier winner who has starred in Chicago, Cats and Les Miserables to name just a few - describes how she met the prince when she was 20 and he was 23, after he came to work as a production assistant at Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s Really Useful Theatre Company.

After detailing the slow-burn development of their romance, Henshall – who says she was inspired to write the book after recently finding love letters from Edward during a clear-out of her garage - described the first time she had sex with Edward as like something from a ‘romantic chick flick’.

She revealed how he laughed off rumours that he was secretly gay, saying he was ‘romantic and gentle and definitely NOT GAY! And he clearly had experience.’ In one excruciating confession, she described how she’d ‘often shag him into oblivion, leaving him bleary-eyed’.

There were also details of her regular nocturnal visits to Buckingham Palace, Windsor and a ‘night of passion’ at Balmoral – and in one particular saucy recollection she said, 'I remember turning up to the Palace in hot-pants… Of course Edward couldn’t wait to get them off'.

Henshall added that the couple would also meet at her two-bed flat in south London, where a protection officer would sit outside while they enjoyed ‘girlfriend and boyfriend’ time.

Our source adds, ‘Edward had been on edge for months before this book came out. When he finally read it, he was somewhat relieved because it didn’t paint him in an ultra-negative light, but it did tease an awful lot of other details.

‘Edward was never as wild or careless as his brother [Andrew], particularly when it came to his choice of friends and his behaviour, but he was a big womanizer. The worry now is that some of his former conquests will look at what this woman has got away with and decide they ought to try their luck with a book of their own.

‘There’s potentially a lot of money to be made, so of course he’s very concerned about who else might decide to come forward. It’s a particularly bad time for this because Charles is really leaning on Sophie, just as the Queen did.

'The Wessexes have a heightened place within the family - they’re in that very rare position where they get along extremely well with both the Waleses and the King.  They’ve been keeping calm and smiling their way through engagements, but the truth is things are actually very tense behind the scenes.’

Along with his 61-year-old wife Sophie, Edward, 62, consistently ranks as one of the hardest working of the royals. Following the death of his father Prince Philip in 2021, Edward became Duke of Edinburgh two years later and inherited the role of patron and chairman of trustees for The Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme. He also has patronages and supports over 70 other charities and organisations, holds several honorary military roles and undertakes official state duties on behalf of The King.

While Edward and Sophie – parents of Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, 22 and James, Earl of Wessex, 18 – are seen as steadfast and dependable, many of their royal relations have endured scandals and high drama. Notable lows have included the disaster of ‘Megxit’ with Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle making damaging claims about the The Firm, followed more recently by the downfall of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (formerly Prince Andrew) and his involvement with shamed paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, a link which has also seen Andrew’s ex-wife Sarah Ferguson stripped of her title and patronages.

And our source says this is why the expose of Edward’s early life is seen as an unwelcome intrusion into the earnest and dependable reputation that he has carved out in recent years and he is said to be trying to reassure King Charles and other senior royals that there’s nothing to worry about.

The insider adds, ‘[His sister] Princess Anne is trying to calm the situation and telling Sophie not to get too hung on worrying about this, because it’s all water under the bridge anyway.

‘But Edward can’t totally shake his worries and neither can Sophie. They’re wondering who might come out of the woodwork next, or whether Ruthie herself could eventually reveal more and take things up a notch.

‘It’s no secret that they’re being primed for a much bigger role when William ascends the throne. So, for Edward to suddenly find himself in the firing line and dealing with this kind of mess is unfortunate. There is no sense that something life-destroying will come out, but it’s still deeply humiliating for him and it’s very distressing for Sophie.

‘You can only imagine how Edward would react if one of Sophie’s former lovers came out and started sharing intimate details about her, he’d be furious.

‘It’s upsetting for William and Charles as well, because they just can’t manage another scandal and they’re hearing all kinds of rumours, from this woman potentially doing a second book, to others crawling out of the woodwork and taking aim.

‘It’s hard to know how the British public will react but the saving grace is that he’s a popular guy, he has a generally has a great approval rating, but that will only take him so far.  He knows that so he’s on tenterhooks right now and so is Sophie, it’s very tense at home, to say the least.”

Whispers have been growing for some months that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are spending more and more time apart. Sources suggest disagreements have surfaced over Harry’s wish to increase his time in the UK, while Meghan remains focused on building their future in America and is extremely reluctant to relocate – especially to a country she has such unhappy memories of.

According to insiders, the alleged strain within the Sussexes’ eight-year union has not gone unnoticed – particularly by King Charles. The monarch, who has reportedly worked to mend ties with his younger son over the last year, is said to be keeping communication lines open.

‘Charles has been watching everything unfold and, while he’s certainly not wishing for Harry’s marriage to fail, he’s realistic enough to know that even the strongest relationships can hit their breaking point under this kind of pressure,’ an insider tells Closer.

‘The King isn’t blind to any of this and he can’t help wanting to be there for his son. He’s been through a very public divorce himself and knows how different things can be behind closed doors.’

After Harry and Meghan reunited with Charles last month, reports claimed Meghan felt ‘humiliated’ by the very public dispute surrounding the family’s lack of police protection during UK visits. The disagreement reportedly resulted in Meghan and the couple’s children – Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five – arriving at Highgrove House undercover, with news of the visit emerging only afterward.

Even though Meghan later shared a series of photos of her idyllic-looking summer on Instagram – including a romantic dinner with Harry – speculation has continued to swirl that tensions may persist behind the scenes.

Last month, a royal insider alleged, ‘They’re living very separate lives now. It’s gone beyond work schedules. They have different priorities, different routines, and they’re spending much less time together than people realise.’

Previously, a source told heat that Meghan was ‘worried Harry is being pulled back into old patterns of manipulation by his family’ and is ‘extremely upset’ about the idea of relocating to Britain.

As is customary within royal operations, contingency strategies are often prepared in advance for major life events, including births, deaths and marital breakdowns – and officials have also had to consider the possibility of a separation between Meghan, 44, and Harry, 41.

‘The Palace is quietly drawing up contingency plans in the event of a split,’ a source said. ‘The thinking is that Harry might push for a return to the UK, but Meghan won’t want to come back from the US – and that schism is potentially dangerous.’

Despite such behind-the-scenes planning, insiders maintain that Charles’ main concern is his son’s wellbeing. ‘The King wants Harry to know that he’s there to listen and offer whatever wisdom he can as a father – there’s no judgement. Ultimately, all Charles wants is for Harry to be happy, but he also wants him to be able to face whatever lies ahead with his eyes open. He doesn’t think Harry should bury his head in the sand and pretend everything’s fine if it isn’t. More than anything, Charles wants Harry to know he doesn’t have to go through any of this alone.’

Within palace circles, the Sussexes’ marriage is said to have become a hot topic. ‘The relationship has become a major talking point among senior Palace staff,’ says the insider. ‘The tensions are becoming increasingly hard to ignore, particularly now Harry appears to want to spend more time in the UK while Meghan seems very resistant, which is only going to mean more time apart. It doesn’t help that they’ve got such different views on the Hollywood game, which certainly adds to the feeling that they’re on very different paths.’

The source adds, ‘There are people within the royal family who don’t believe it’s going to last, but the general feeling is that they’ve invested so much in their life together, they will do everything they can to make it work.’

Any formal split would have sweeping consequences, far beyond the emotional toll on the family. Previously, royal insiders have told how senior aides were ‘considering a golden handshake’ arrangement for Meghan, aimed at limiting fallout and avoiding a repeat of Princess Diana’s explosive 1995 Panorama interview, in which she detailed the collapse of her marriage to Charles and his love affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles.

‘It would include a strict gagging order designed to prevent further exposés of private life,’ said a source of the potential deal. ‘The agreement would also grant Meghan the continued use of her Duchess of Sussex title. The Palace sees it as a face-saving measure, because tearing it away from her could spark a media war.’

While it’s been widely reported that Charles, 77, is desperate to rebuild his bond with Harry and spend meaningful time with his two youngest grandchildren, insiders say his wish to see his son spend more time in Britain is balanced by a genuine desire for the couple’s marriage to stay strong.

‘Contrary to what a lot of people think, Charles is actually rooting for Harry and Meghan,’ says our insider. ‘He wants Harry to be happy and he wants to see his grandchildren grow up in a happy home. He feels very protective of them all.’

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If there’s one thing we know about Taylor Swift, it’s that she’d ‘very much like to be excluded from this narrative’. It’s the line she first uttered 10 years ago, after being embroiled in a public spat with Kim Kardashian and then husband Kanye West – and it’s the policy she’s been strictly following yet again when it comes to her ex best friend, Blake Lively.

As pop culturists will remember, Taylor, 36, and Blake, 38, had a showbiz friendship that, for over a decade, positioned Blake as the queen bee of Taylor’s girl gang. She was even entrusted with directing one of Taylor’s music videos, while Taylor was named godmother of all four of Blake and husband Ryan Reynolds’ children. But the love died early last year, when Taylor was unwittingly implicated in her BFF’s very public legal battle against actor and director Justin Baldoni.

At first, it was bad enough for the superstar to see that Blake had ostensibly used her as a bargaining chip, name-dropping her in thinly-veiled threats to Justin, and describing her as her Game of Thrones-type ‘dragon’, in what is believed to have been a bid to ‘take over’ their film, It Ends With Us, which Justin was directing. But then, jaws dropped when Blake’s private emails and texts were released, which showed that Taylor had initially colluded with Blake to help her gain the upper hand, and had referred to Justin as a ‘bitch’ and a ‘doofus’. Evidently, we saw their friendship sour before our eyes as their correspondence got colder, with Taylor eventually telling her friend she felt like she was treating her like a corporate ally in her legal battle.

Long story short, the friendship crashed and burned – and nowhere was that more obvious than at Taylor and Travis Kelce’s behemothic wedding in early July, which gathered every single celebrity you could ever possibly think of at Madison Square Garden arena. Every celebrity, that is, except Blake.

Until then, all parties had remained silent, ostensibly letting their public distancing do the talking. But then, director Justin set the cat among the pigeons just days after the wedding, when he piped up – breaking his two-year silence on his battle against Blake.

Speaking in an Instagram video alongside his wife, Emily Baldoni, he said, ‘We have not spoken publicly for the better part of the last two years, and it’s not because we haven’t had anything to say, because lord knows we have.’ They then both thanked their followers for not blindly following Blake’s narrative – which accused Justin of sexual harassment on set (charges that were dismissed) – and added, ‘So many of you had discernment, and you used your intuition, and you trusted that.’

Emily added, ‘There is so much more to say. That time will come’.

With that being said, we’re told that Blake’s feeling anxious. She and Justin reached an out-of-court settlement in May, with neither one ordered to pay damages to the other. Since then, she’s been waiting for the dust to settle, but the fact that Justin’s reclaimed his public voice has got her feeling nervous about what more he has to say – and with that in mind, she’s prepared to answer back.

As for where all this leaves Taylor, insiders say she’s absolutely fuming over what this could mean when it comes to her unwanted part in the neverending war of words. She’s already brutally – and demonstrably – cut Blake out of her life. But having Justin, and Blake in turn, speak up will inevitably mean her name gets dragged back in to the mix. What’s worse, with Blake feeling loose-lipped, we’re told Taylor’s worried she might decide to speak even more directly about her former BFF. Having been top dog in Taylor’s inner circle for so long, you can be sure she knows where all the bodies are buried, and – with nothing to lose – who knows what she could share?

‘The longer that Blake is vilified, the more likely it is that she’ll decide to have her say and explain everything she’s been through,’ says an insider close to the former friends. ‘It wouldn’t be about making money - it would simply be about clearing her name and telling her side of the nightmare. For Taylor, though, that would be a worst-case scenario because she’s incredibly sensitive about any private details coming out that she hasn’t approved.

‘Blake would never go all scorched earth on her, but – after so many years of friendship – she knows a whole lot about her, and the prospect of any of that becoming public would be an absolute disaster for her if it were to happen.’

Let’s remember, Taylor knows better than most the power of being the one to tell a story. She’s made a whole career out of it, famously singing, ‘I’ve got a blank page, baby…and I’ll write your name.’ But while she loves to tell a story, she hates being embroiled in one, which is why she was so quick to delete Blake from her life. But even if the latter does bite her tongue, there’s no guaranteeing that Justin will do the same. He’s already intimated that it’s only a matter of time before he speaks up more, and though his grievances are specifically aimed at Blake, there’s no denying that Taylor, at one point, was indeed involved. So, whether she likes it or not, she’s part of his story.

‘The reality is that she’s always going to be tied to this drama – there’s no escaping that,’ says our source. ‘So, if Blake goes ahead and hits back at Justin, it’s inevitably going to put Taylor back in the news cycle in a way that’s bound to get under her skin. It would be different if Justin was content to let this fade away, but, based on what he and his wife said, it seems pretty clear that he isn’t ready to do that. And Blake’s only human, so of course she’s going to want to defend herself, or – even better – get ahead of them and tell her side of the story.’

For now, it seems that all Taylor can do is hold her breath and hope that, if Blake and Justin do indeed start slinging mud yet again, she’ll stay largely out of the firing line. Yes, Blake must know the finer details of Taylor’s precious inner sanctum, but she also knows that having Taylor on somewhat amicable terms is better than having her as an enemy. After all, as her and Travis’ wedding attests, she has the whole of Hollywood in her corner. Blake won’t want to take on the whole army of Tinseltown. Justin, meanwhile, might be dicier – but the truth is, Taylor’s just a footnote on the massive thesis he must have to write about Blake. Let’s hope, for Taylor’s sake, she’s by and large excluded from this narrative.

When it comes to a celebrity’s transparency, we’ve seen every variant going. We’ve seen the ones who protect their privacy with the zero-tolerance policing of a dystopian regime. We’ve also seen those who love nothing more than oversharing in memoirs, on reality TV shows and on social media, telling fans everything from what they ate, to what exactly their bowel movements were thereafter.

But across the spectrum of celebrity candour, one thing remains clear: in recent times, nothing lands more effectively than one no-holds barred interview where we see the famous face dropping their guard, and the BS, and simply getting real without any PR-approved statements or pre-authorised questions.

Long gone are the days of heavily produced talk show appearances – we’re now living in the era of confessional podcasts, and the celebrities who are embracing them are reaping all the benefits from public support that’s duly sent their way. Just look at hit platforms like Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy, Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert, and Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett’s Smartless. Through podcasts like these, which double down on the need for honest conversation and radical vulnerability, massive stars like Gwyneth Paltrow, Brad Pitt, Miley Cyrus and – yes – Prince Harry have gotten raw and real on mic. The lesson is, any celebrity with a project to promote, or a reputation to clean up, will only stand to benefit from following suit…which makes Meghan Markle’s failure to do so all the more bewildering.

According to insiders, Meghan is being encouraged by her team to appear on a popular podcast like one of those above. But for that to happen, she’d have to be willing to drop the heavy self-editing and perfectly manicured image she presents to the world and actually show her real, true, vulnerable self. And, sadly, it seems she’s just not willing to let go.

‘Meghan is too guarded and too self-controlled to succeed in the podcasting world, and she’s afraid to go on other people’s shows where she’ll get asked tough questions in a long form setting,’ shares an insider close to the Duchess of Sussex, who’s tried to prove herself over the past few years as everything from a podcaster, wellness guru and a lifestyle brand boss to a cook, writer, philanthropist, TV producer and social media influencer.

'Unfortunately, that’s really the only effective avenue to grow a show, and Meghan isn’t willing to go to those lengths. After everything she’s been through with her bumpy relocation to America and attempts to make a media fortune, she’s still her own worst enemy.

‘It’s frustrating that she doesn't seem to want to make a few easy, harmless moves to fix her reputation, but it is what it is. She doesn’t seem to have anybody in her life – not even Harry – who can sit down with her and change her mind. Everything she does is so manicured and rehearsed that nobody will ever look to her for authentic moments. In podcasting, that’s a death sentence.’

As royal fans will remember, Meghan’s history with podcasting is troubled. First, she and Harry signed a $20m audio deal with Spotify in 2020 that led to her poorly reviewed podcast Archetypes. Over 12 episodes, Meghan spoke to guests including Serena Williams and Mariah Carey about ‘the labels that try to hold women back’. However, the series was panned for its ‘overly-rehearsed’ and ‘heavily-scripted’ soundbites. Then, Spotify dug the knife in when it dropped the royal couple in 2023, with one executive infamously labelling them ‘grifters’.

Then, last year, Meghan partnered with Lemonade Media to launch a new series, Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan. However, once again, the series was panned, with critics saying it offered ‘stomach-turning’ discussions that were based on ‘inane streams of mindless aphorisms’. General consensus was it seemed contrived and refused to really dig deep into core issues, and - one year later - the podcast remains on indefinite hiatus.

Meanwhile, Meghan’s appearances on other podcasts have been just as lacklustre. Choosing to go on shows fronted by close friends like Jamie Kern Lima and Emma Grede – where, one assumes, she can set the terms of what is asked - she’s once again been measured in what she’s willing to share. Last year, on The Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast, she did what she’s long done best – hinted at drama behind the scenes, while being frustratingly cryptic. To that end, she spoke about ‘being in the trenches’ with Harry in the first few months of dating - without any follow-up. Likewise, on the Aspire with Emma Grede Podcast, she ironically said she would like people to finally ‘tell the truth’ about her – again, without returning the favour.

To be clear, Meghan’s measured self-presentation is nothing new – especially when it came to her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, which showed her with a perma-grin in her kitchen (which wasn’t even her kitchen) while she sprinkled flower petals on food, made wax candles and hand-bound books for her bemused guests. Last year, in a startling deep-dive into the Harry and Meghan machine, Vanity Fair spoke to several people behind the scenes, who all said the couple were driven by a need for self-censorship…which makes Meghan’s insistent focus on ‘telling the truth’ all the more confusing.

As for what she could gain if she just loosened up and spoke more freely, you only have to look at those big podcasts’ popularity – and the positive response to their guests’ honesty – to see the turnaround she could have.

These days, every A-lister is willing to open up if the platform is big enough, with Gwyneth Paltrow famously comparing her exes Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck in the bedroom during an appearance of Call Her Daddy, while Anna Kendrick was globally praised for her candid conversation with Dax Shepard about suffering toxic abuse in a prior relationship. Even Prince Harry opened up to Dax in an episode of Armchair Expert, discussing his desire to break generational trauma.

But – as our source explains – Meghan believes she’s damned either way. As far as she’s concerned, if she does open up, she’ll be lambasted for oversharing.

‘At this point she’s picked apart for literally every single thing she does, no matter how innocuous,’ our source explains. ‘It hurts bad enough as it is. If she goes on a podcast and bares her soul, all that will do is give this army that seems to be against her more ammunition, so it’s understandable that she’d be more than a little hesitant to do that.’

Still, Hollywood is based on an ecosystem of high-profile friends and connections. And, as our insider reveals, the more Meghan turns down every opportunity to speak to influential people, the more she runs the risk of being sidelined for good.

‘The problem is that, as valid as her reasons may be, most people at the top in Hollywood are not used to being turned down, and they do not take it well,’ we’re told. ‘For a lot of them, when they can’t have something, they turn around and tear it down. That’s what she’s up against.’

She first found fame as a country music star – having famously relocated to Nashville, Tennessee at just 14, before becoming a household name in her late teens thanks to her trademark cowboy boots, perma-strapped guitar, and self-penned hits on heartbreak and honky-tonkin’ players. But while Taylor Swift, 36, may have left her southern belle roots behind, it seems that the genre’s about to get a surprising new addition to its roster…in the form of her brand-new husband, Travis Kelce.

According to insiders, the NFL player, 36, is quietly working behind the scenes to relaunch himself as a worthy successor to the likes of Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton, even using his and Taylor’s July mega-wedding as a chance to test out his performance skills on their 1,100-strong guests in attendance. But with superstar Taylor already owning enough music accolades to fill a museum, the big question is: is there room in this marriage for two-star performers…or are things going to start feeling a little crowded?

On the surface, at least, it seems as if Taylor is happy to share the spotlight. One insider told gossip columnist Rob Shuter last week that Taylor is ‘in his corner’. With that, they said, ‘Travis believes the sky’s the limit. Now it’s Nashville’s turn to decide if it’s ready for football’s next act…[He] has relentless drive, enormous charisma, and the biggest superstar in music standing beside him.’

They added, ‘Travis has been talking about making a country album for months. The wedding performance wasn’t just a fun moment – it was a test run. He was singing in front of the biggest names in music, and he wanted to see how it felt.’

Clearly, it takes a certain level of confidence to get up and sing at your own wedding. But to do so at your wedding of the century – which was held, fittingly, at the ultimate music venue, Madison Square Garden, and attended by almost every actor, singer and household name from every corner of the pop culture spectrum – ups the ante to unfathomable levels of self-belief. Still, all reports suggest that Travis was more than willing to rise to the occasion, apparently serenading his blushing bride in front of their A-list audience.

Let’s remember, this is the same event that not only saw Taylor take the mic to sing throughout her nuptials, but also welcomed global icons Stevie Knicks and Paul McCartney to the stage. The latter even took the opportunity to sing the Beatles’ classic, ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’ – the first time he’d done so live in over 60 years. With so much history-making music entertainment happening under one roof, you might think that Travis would have bristled at the thought of sharing the top billing. But not so for a man who’s made no bones in the past of his ambitions for fame and fortune.

And according to his brother, at least, he rose to the occasion. Taking to the Ross Tucker Football Podcast last month, Jason Kelce – who performed best man duties on the night – insisted that his younger sibling is a decent music icon in the making.

‘Yeah, Travis can sing,’ he said. ‘Travis has always been able to carry a tune. Obviously, paled in comparison to some of the other people singing that night, but he did OK.’

He added that their upbringing in Cleveland, Ohio instilled in them both a strong connection to music. ‘A lot of, like, former hippies have settled there,’ he said. ‘There’s always been a thriving music scene there. It’s a very interesting town.’

He continued, “Everybody in third grade, you’re starting to record. Everybody in fourth grade, you’re getting a musical instrument. When you’re in middle school, you’re either singing or you’re doing music with an instrument. So, it’s very artsy.’

What’s more, let’s not forget that – even before meeting Taylor – Travis made it clear that he didn’t want to be pigeonholed as a football player. In 2024, his longtime managers André and Aaron Eanes, shed some light on his ambitions, revealing to the New York Times that, in 2022, he told them he wanted to be ‘as famous as The Rock’.

From then onwards, he set about transcending from sports star to mainstream celebrity, launching his now massively popular podcast New Heights with his brother, landing a coveted spot as host on Saturday Night Live in 2023, and expanding his team to include acting agents. Last year, he even made a cameo in the film Happy Gilmore 2 – cementing a friendship with his idol, Adam Sandler, that came full circle last month when the latter officiated Travis and Taylor’s wedding.

He also previously filed trademarks for his own name, his Instagram handle ‘Killatrav,’ his catchphrase, ‘Alright Nah,’ his jersey number ‘Flight 87’, and ‘Kelce’s Krunch’ – with the intention of selling pins, posters, bobbleheads, clothing, jewellery, and even cereal – proving he’s focused on becoming a global brand with the influence and scope to match his beloved wife.

Admittedly, as we previously reported when Taylor and Travis first got together, all of Travis’ ambitions did initially cause some concern among her inner circle. After all, Taylor is one of the most famous people in the world, so it only tracks that those close to her would have worried he was riding her coattails to elevate his own status. The fact that he even took to the stage as a backing dancer on her Eras Tour back in 2024 set some tongues wagging over his intentions to share the spotlight.

Granted, most doubts since then have been eased. Now that they’re married – and have just enjoyed a few weeks of honeymoon bliss together – all signs suggest there’s nothing exploitative about Travis’ feelings for Taylor. What’s more, it’s clear that, for the moment, football remains his number one priority. To that end, he’s currently back in training with his team, Kansas City Chiefs, before the NFL season kicks off in September. So, for the moment at least, it seems as if Taylor has no need to make room alongside her on stage.

As for what the future may hold, time will tell. Who knows, maybe Taylor will welcome the opportunity to pass her country legacy onto her husband, while she continues to dominate the pop universe. Or maybe, just maybe, it will ignite some old-school marital competitiveness between the pair, and Nashville will get two Swift-Kelces for the price of one. Here’s hoping that, whatever route he takes, they continue to make sweet, sweet music together.

She’s never been afraid to put her sexuality on full display – not only with her racy snaps and risqué acting and modelling choices, but also with her envelope-pushing essays on sex, marriage and motherhood. And Emily Ratajkowski let fans know she’s not about to stop now, as she posed for some sultry photos while snorkelling on holiday last week.

Staying true to her MO, the actress and writer puckered up for the cameras, proving she’s not lost any of that fearless energy that’s so far won her a legion of fans – and as many critics – for her unapologetic approach to nudity, sex and female pleasure. It’s an attitude that’s taken her from sexy supporting actress to a powerful female voice in the industry, and it’s also now landed her a seven-figure book deal to release a brand-new book, MotherF*cker, about her sexual misadventures and life as a single mum, after sparking a whopping 12-way bidding war. Not bad for a girl who was once dismissed as having bigger boobs than brains.

Taking to Instagram to announce the news last month, Emily, 35, told fans “book no 2 here we go” – suggesting she’s set to deliver a tome that’s just as bold as her first offering, My Body, which came out in 2021. In that – which was presented as a collection of essays – the star explored the commodification of female bodies, using her own experiences as a young model in showbiz to put a spotlight on the insidious abuse that still happens behind the scenes. In one essay, she accused singer Robin Thicke of groping her without consent while she was appearing nude in the music video for his hit-song Blurred Lines in 2013. In another, she wrote, ‘I so desperately craved men’s validation that I accepted it even when it came wrapped in disrespect’.

This time, Emily’s second book promises to examine – in unflinching detail – the way she’s approached her sexuality as a single mum, post-divorce, while raising her now five-year-old son, Sylvester Apollo Bear (or Sly for short). It’s something she gave a searingly honest first look at in a recent essay for The Cut, also titled ‘MotherF*cker’. In that – which was published in June alongside images of Emily breastfeeding a plastic doll and drinking a glass of wine – she took readers on a sometimes shocking journey through her sexual escapades since splitting from her ex-husband, Sebastian Bear-McClard, in 2022.

Those included having sex with, among others, “Vegan Graffiti Artist with impeccable posture, Chef who thought he might have chlamydia, Spanish Gen-Zer who couldn’t stop sending me nudes, heavily self-medicated Son of a Billionaire with questionable politics, several Italians, and, of course, another DJ.’

Throughout Emily’s article, and – presumably – what she’ll double down on in her book, was her very candid approach to discussing details about her personal life, even if it put her in the role of the ‘villain’…which is something that a lot of her contemporaries in the entertainment industry often refuse to do.

She wrote, ‘The character I’d learned to embody after my divorce, in my period of compulsively dating, was a villain: Poison Ivy. Catwoman. Sexual but scary. And she drank gin martinis. Many, many gin martinis.

‘She was not tragic. Nothing close to a victim. No one needed to feel sorry for her. In fact, they should all be jealous.’

In another excerpt from her essay, she highlighted her need to feel desired following her marriage split, and not be dismissed as a sad, single mum. It was this desperation to be wanted, she revealed, that had led to her pursuing all the casual sex she could, even if she gleaned very little pleasure from the event itself.

Talking about one sexual conquest, she wrote, ‘What I wanted was his attention: I wanted to feel a man’s desire and to be reminded that I was a sexual being, not just a mother of a toddler. I hated the condescending way people looked at me in the wake of my breakup. Their furrowed brows, the pity in their faces as they delivered an “I’m so sorry, Emily.” I couldn’t stand my pathetic reflection in their eyes. They saw me as someone who was unwanted, who had been left. A reject with the burden of a needy, hungry, two-foot-tall sidekick.’

Clearly a polarising voice, Emily’s candour until now hadn’t stretched to include intimate details of the breakdown of her marriage. But speaking about it for the first time in her The Cut piece, she told readers, 'In a time period that felt both instant and excruciatingly slow, my marriage collapsed. Six months after my son was born, my husband and I stopped having sex. Less than a year later, we separated.'

We can only presume that she now plans to give more insight in her upcoming book, but in the meantime, sources have filled in the gaps, alleging that Sebastian is cheating on her. As one insider reported at the time of the breakup, ‘He’s a serial cheater. It’s gross. He’s a dog.’ And though Emily hasn’t confirmed or denied the reports, she did tacitly endorse them when she liked a tweet that said, ‘Can’t believe that little b**** cheating on emrata [her Instagram handle]’. Sebastian has declined to comment on the allegations.

As for what else we can expect from Emily’s second book, her trademark candour would suggest there will be some name drops in the mix – most likely including men she romanced during her ‘compulsive dating’ era post-divorce. Those allegedly include Brad Pitt, Pete Davidson, Eric Andre, and Harry Styles, whom she was pictured passionately kissing in Tokyo back in 2023, shortly after he split from actress Olivia Wilde. Fans might remember the drama that stirred at the time, given that Emily and Olivia were friends. One insider spoke of the ‘betrayal’ that Olivia had felt, which might very well be something that Emily will tackle when she soon puts pen to paper.

So, with so much material at her fingertips, you can rest assured that Emily’s ready to make a big splash all over again with her second book. In the meantime, all evidence suggests she’s happy to keep people talking, and blushing, with some sultry snaps and an implicit middle finger to anyone who dares to judge.

For years, she was vilified in the court of public opinion – having been painted as ‘the other woman’ in the fated marriage between then-Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana.

But while Queen Camilla has worked tirelessly – and successfully – over the past three decades to win over the public and prove herself as a steadfast and loyal royal companion, it’s no secret that she hasn’t been so triumphant when it comes to winning round her beloved husband’s two sons. Granted, from the moment she married Charles in 2005, Camilla was dutifully welcomed into the fold by Prince William and Prince Harry. But ever since then, rumours have persisted that they both struggled to accept her behind the scenes, not least given their implicit loyalty to their late mother. And those rumours were given extra weight in 2023 after Harry wrote about Camilla in his infamous memoir, Spare, in which he dispelled the idea she was an ‘evil stepmother’ – but did confess that he’d long feared that she’d turn out to be one, adding that she was ‘dangerous’.

He also described her as a ‘villain’ who had sacrificed him on her ‘personal PR altar’ – having colluded with royal spin doctors to leak stories about him to the press to remedy her own public image in comparison. With all this in mind, it’s no surprise that Camilla’s been allegedly reticent when it comes to Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle’s recent attempts to build bridges and reconcile with the royal family.

However, according to insiders, there’s one key reason why Camilla may now have decided to embrace a reconciliation with the Sussexes – a U-turn that ultimately led to the King’s recent olive branch invitation to them to join him and Camilla for a long-awaited reunion at Highgrove House. And it’s perhaps all down to discomfort with the Prince and Princess of Wales’ growing power and popularity.

We’re told that Camilla is feeling particularly insecure over the future of the monarchy as the King continues to privately fight cancer, and Prince William and Kate Middleton contemplate what their own reign will look. For the moment, at least, Camilla has the ear of the King and knows he won’t do anything without her full approval – including his decision to meet with Harry, Meghan and their children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five. But once the rule of power is handed over, it’s only inevitable that things will change, so – in the meantime – she’s happy to be civil with the Sussexes and support their rehabilitation back into royal life.

After all, facing a life without Charles is awful, but ultimately realistic - and when that day unfortunately happens, Camilla could use all the allies and loyalists that she can find.

‘Camilla would like to hold onto her position within the monarchy moving forwards, even if Charles, god forbid, is not around,’ shares an insider close to the Queen Consort, who, having once been hated by the public, is now a respected and trusted figurehead of the monarchy. ‘She feels it’s her right to continue to serve in a prominent role. She loves the ceremonial part and the high profile that comes with it, but, more than anything, she doesn’t want to be shunted to one side.

‘As many gripes as she has about Harry and Meghan, ultimately, they are not a threat to her the way that William and Kate are because they are the ones who will eventually be in a position to decide her fate. No matter how many pleasantries they exchange – there’s always this undercurrent of mistrust that is impossible to deny.’

Described by royal biographers as having a ‘ruthless streak’ and a ‘steely nature’, Camilla has long prided herself on her fiercely protective loyalty to Charles and to the Crown, above all else. She may have once been his guilty secret, but, over the past few decades, Camilla has cemented herself as Charles’ most trusted confidante, with royal courtiers understanding that the King will make no decision without his wife’s full approval. After he was diagnosed with cancer in 2024, she took on even more responsibilities as a senior member of the Firm, deputising for him at the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey, and taking on several other public appearances in his stead. She’s also been by his side for every foreign royal visit – and, of course, was there beside him last month when he finally sat down with Harry, Meghan and their kids, marking the first time that Charles had seen his grandchildren in four years.

Still, it’s only inevitable that things will change once William and Kate take the throne, and, when it comes to the Queen Consort, there’s no way of knowing how things will fare for Camilla. After all, the late Queen Mother was the Queen’s beloved mum, but Camilla has no blood connection with William. What’s more, alleged moments that both he and Kate have shown some disrespect towards her in the past have apparently given her cause for concern about the future. Indeed, according to royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner, the pair recently caused uproar in the palace after allegedly walking past Camilla at a public engagement without curtsying or bowing.

‘I have heard there does not seem to be much family love between Camilla and William and Kate,’ he revealed. ‘They recently walked past the Queen without curtsying, which many interpreted as a public gesture of defiance.’

As our insider explains, Camilla is staying as pragmatic as ever regarding her future role in the monarchy. If it’s just William and Kate on top, her odds don’t look good. But if she comes to better terms with Harry and Meghan – while also helping them reintegrate into royal life in a meaningful way moving forwards – the balance of power might change. What’s more, and speaking less cynically, she ultimately wants Charles to be happy. So, helping him make peace with his younger son and his grandchildren, while also keeping her own role secure in the process, is a win-win situation.

‘William is refusing to come to the table with Harry,’ we’re told. ‘That has infuriated the King, and Camilla has merely pointed out that it could be a real concern for the future. If William is perceived as such a hothead who holds onto grudges and can’t find a way to move past all this with his brother, it’s perhaps going to be hard for him to make measured decisions when the time comes.

‘At the same time, she’s being more welcoming than ever to Harry and Meghan. She claims she’s changed her tune because she respects her husband’s wishes, but some are wondering if it’s a lot more layered than that.’

Prince William and King Charles have done an impressive job of rebranding The Firm over the last couple of years. They’ve slimmed down the royal family, ousted disgraced former Prince Andrew, welcomed greater financial transparency and devoted time to meaningful, current projects focused on mental health and the environment.

It’s all been about fortifying and future-proofing the monarchy and preparing William for the throne. What’s more, William, Kate and their children are held in extremely high esteem by the British public due to their impeccable behaviour, natural and compassionate way of interacting with people and their glamorous good looks. So it’s little wonder there have long been serious discussions about Charles abdicating sooner rather than later to make way for William, 44, while he’s still a relatively young man, and why William was given more responsibility, especially when his 77-year-old father was recovering from cancer.

But that now seems to have fallen by the wayside, causing a deepening rift between the pair, with another major player at the centre of it all: prodigal son, Prince Harry.

Harry is set to stay at Buckingham Palace when he jets over to the UK again next month, and William is apparently flabbergasted that Charles is ready to welcome him with open arms. He feels that, once again, Harry is eclipsing important royal business, with talks about abdication sailing out the window. William, we hear, has appealed to his father repeatedly to remain on track with their plans and stop kowtowing to Harry, but as both men are notoriously hot-headed, it descends into furious rows.

Our source says: “William says any advice he gives his father is met with indifference or even outright anger. What's really hurtful is that it seemed like they were busy preparing him to take over, everyone was talking about a potential abdication and now he's suddenly been pushed to the side while Charles rolls out the red carpet for Harry any chance he gets.”

The problem is that Charles is not just the King of the United Kingdom, he’s also a dad and grandfather. It’s understandable that emotions get in the way and that he desperately wants to continue nurturing this careful reconciliation. In July, Harry and family flew over to Europe while Harry promoted the 2027 Invictus Games taking place in Birmingham. Charles hosted Harry, 41, wife Meghan, 45, and children Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, at his Gloucestershire pile, Highgrove House. It was the first time he’d seen his grandchildren since 2022.

The run-up was anything but smooth sailing, with embarrassing public shenanigans over whether Harry would stay at Buckingham Palace. He didn’t, because, according to palace officials, he missed the deadline to accept. All things considered, the meeting appears to have been a success, as Harry is now reportedly set to stay with his father during his return for the annual WellChild Awards in September.

But William’s not in the mood for brotherly peace and love. Harry’s missives against the family in his book Spare were too much for him to forgive and forget. William is focused resolutely on his own family, Kate, 44, George, 13, Charlotte, 11, and Louis, eight, and the future of the monarchy. So seeing Charles and royal aides thaw to Harry and Meghan and accommodate their every wish is galling, to say the least.

Our insider tells us, “William thinks it’s lunacy and an act of blatant disservice to the Crown. He resents the fact that this whole saga with the Sussexes is getting so much airtime that’s distracting the whole family from way more important matters and creating this deepening divide within the household. He can scarcely believe that a number of key aides are now openly changing their stance towards the Sussexes and [these staffers are] imploring other members of the Firm that His Majesty’s wishes and actions must be respected, which means turning the other cheek [with Harry and Meghan] and wiping the slate clean.”

Says our source: “It’s bewildering and enraging all at the same time, but William says he’s past trying to understand it. He’s still hoping somebody else can talk sense into his father, but he’s not counting on it, and he’s through wasting his breath. His attitude now is that if Charles wants to have this relationship with Harry so badly, then he should have at it, and let William get on with the business of ruling the Crown because, clearly, Charles is at a point in his life where he’s more focused on sentimental matters than practicalities.”

We hear it feels like a bit of déjà vu for William, who felt that Charles’ soft treatment of his brother Andrew still rankles. Yes, his father stripped him of his title due to his connection with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, but William felt that didn’t go far enough. Our source says, “William believes Andrew has no place anywhere near the family and is not deserving of any mercy whatsoever, let alone free board and lodge at one of his father’s estates.”

William thought he and Charles were firmly on the same page about distancing themselves from troublemakers and scandal, and he’s astonished to find they are not: “For William it’s like a bad dream to see the King making these dreadful decisions, and the fact that he carries such little influence, despite being second in line to the throne, is infuriating. He still loves his father deeply, that will never change, but there’s no question that a lot of respect has been lost. So, at this point he’s trying to bite his lip and avoid negative discussions, which means keeping more of a distance, at least whilst he bides his time and sees how this all plays out with the Sussexes."

The son and father cannot afford to completely freeze each other; they are embroiled in steering the day-to-day of the Royal ship together: “He and Charles are still obligated to keep one another apprised about various decisions and day-to-day duties that affect the bigger picture of the monarchy. So of course, they’ll maintain a cordial relationship and project a sense of togetherness, when necessary, but most of the communication is being done through aides at this point because they’re keen to avoid each other where possible while things are so awkward.”

Charles, however, appears unmoved by William’s objections: “It’s upsetting and exasperating for Charles, but he’s made his position abundantly clear and no amount of foot stamping or complaining from William will make any difference. He’s actually telling people that it’s strengthened his resolve to stay on as King for as long as possible, because he worries that William is too hot-tempered and impulsive to rule the Crown, and that he has a lot of growing up to do in the coming years. Of course, that assessment will have made its way back to William and it’s only served to make him feel more irritated and undermined.”

After spending weeks Stateside following the World Cup, summer continues in true lavishness for the Beckham family. One minute they were watching Spain triumph against Argentina at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, the next they're photographed living the life of luxury in Ibiza aboard their yacht. Alright for some, isn’t it?

But even the highest extremes of fame and fortune do not make you immune to family drama, a harsh realisation that David, 51, and Victoria, 52, have been slapped around the face by this year. Since eldest son Brooklyn, 27, publicly severed ties with his parents in a scathing Instagram statement back in January, the feuding family have come geographically close to a run-in on several occasions. Back in June, footballing ace David was joined by Victoria and their three other children, Romeo, 23, Cruz, 21, and Harper, 15, as he received a coveted star on Hollywood’s Walk Of Fame. Notably missing were LA-based Brooklyn and his wife Nicola Peltz, 31, whose home Harper was later photographed arriving at in an apparent bid to reconnect with her estranged brother and sister-in-law. It then emerged that they were in New York – where they are believed to have watched some of the World Cup games instead of joining Brooklyn’s relatives in the stands.

The latest near-miss, however, is one that is sure to cut a family-proud David and Victoria particularly deeply. As they were spotted on their yacht in St Tropez (like we said, alright for some), Brooklyn and Nicola were photographed just 75 miles away spending time with the aspiring chef’s godfather Elton John and his husband David Furnish aboard their plush boat in Nice. The couple have been longtime friends of the Beckhams, having regularly holidayed together and publicly celebrated each other’s milestones.

Megastar Elton, 79, is widely regarded as a peacemaker to the stars, and according to reports, he continues to play Switzerland in the Beckhams’ drama – despite spending notably more time with Brooklyn and actress Nicola of late. Last summer, Elton hosted his godson and his wife at a beach club in Cannes, as well as being spotted having a deep conversation with the couple at his Oscars viewing party in March.

So while they may be near in miles, the family also couldn't be further apart as a source recently confirmed.

‘Nothing has changed. That is to say, neither party has reached out to the other. It’s devastating and, of course, David and Victoria would love nothing more than for their eldest boy to be with them on holiday.

‘Instead, Brooklyn is living it up in the South of France with Elton, who has previously tried playing peacemaker – albeit to no avail. Elton loves Brooklyn dearly and understands better than anyone the pressures of fame and families falling out.’

The source added that the Your Song singer has tried to speak to both sides, but ‘respects Brooklyn’s wish for silence’.

The plot thickened shortly after Brooklyn and Nicola were spotted with Elton – who is also Romeo’s godfather – and husband David, 63. The young couple opted to venture onto land for something to eat in St Tropez at the same time as Brooklyn’s parents, with reports claiming that photographers captured the respective pairs just minutes apart visiting locations that were just five minutes’ walking distance from one another.

A source previously claimed to Closer that David was furious with his wife of 27 years, as she was allegedly behind Elton’s latest peacemaking ploy.

We were told, ‘Victoria – unbeknownst to David – had been trying to rope in Elton to meet with Brooklyn and try to talk some sense into him. She was orchestrating this plan and David found out.

‘He's absolutely livid with her for meddling and stirring the pot, especially while they're supposed to be unwinding. He also feels like Elton’s involvement would only complicate things and thinks Victoria poking the bear is a massive mistake.’

Rumours of family tension originally gathered pace after Brooklyn and Nicola tied the knot in April 2022. While the rumours eventually simmered down – with Nicola seemingly lapping up time with her in-laws – speculation of tension ramped up again in 2025 on the heels of reports that Brooklyn and Romeo had fallen out over the latter’s relationship with Kim Turnbull. (It was reported that Brooklyn and Kim had previously dated, although Cruz rubbished the rumour on social media.)

Brooklyn and Nicola quickly became no-shows at major Beckham milestones including David’s 50th, and the Beckhams were not invited to the Peltz-Beckhams’ vow renewal last August. Come December, Cruz quashed hearsay that David and Victoria had unfollowed Brooklyn on social media, insisting ‘My mum and dad would never unfollow their son.. Let’s get the facts right. They woke up blocked… as did I.’

Just a month later, Brooklyn sent the internet into meltdown with his infamous six-page statement, in which he made a string of damning bombshells about his family and insisted he did not want to reconcile with them. He accused his parents of prioritising ‘Brand Beckham’ and consistently disrespecting Nicola, as well as sensationally claiming that Victoria hijacked the first dance at his wedding – and danced ‘inappropriately’ on him. Brooklyn also alleged that David and Victoria ‘repeatedly pressured and attempted to bribe me into signing away the rights to my name’ before the wedding. He later stated, ‘I do not want to reconcile with my family. I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.’

While David and Victoria did not provide a counter statement, the former Spice Girl said in April, ‘We’ve always tried to be the best parents that we can be. And you know, we’ve been in the public eye for more than 30 years right now, and all we’ve ever tried to do is protect our children and love our children. And you know, that’s all I really want to say about it.’

And after being asked his thoughts on the ‘vicious’ coverage on his household's ‘strife’ and the toll it has taken on those close to him, David replied, ‘To be honest, I'm sorry to stop you there, but that's a private matter. That's the one thing that I don't want to talk about.’

It was supposed to be the beginning of a new era of royal unity. Instead, we’re told that King Charles and his heir, Prince William, have never been more divided - with the King’s decision to welcome Prince Harry and Meghan Markle back into the royal fold allegedly driving an even deeper wedge between father and son.

For months, whispers of a power struggle between Charles and William have been swirling, but sources now claim the rift behind palace walls is far more serious than anyone realises.

Just two years ago, Charles’ cancer diagnosis inevitably prompted questions about the future of the monarchy, with speculation mounting over when William might be called upon to take the throne and even whether the King could eventually step down to prioritise his health.

As Charles underwent treatment, William was handed greater responsibility and appeared to step up to the plate, offering a glimpse of the monarchy he might one day hope to shape in his own image.

But earlier this year, the King, 77, revealed that his treatment regimen had been reduced and appeared admirably determined to continue carrying out his duties for years to come. And while William, 44, will no doubt be delighted to see his father in better health, we’re told Charles has also been keen to reassert his authority and make his own decisions without seeking his son’s approval.

The biggest flashpoint so far? The controversial decision to welcome Harry and Meghan back into the royal fold.

The Sussexes’ return was widely reported to have been orchestrated by Charles and is alleged to have left William so ‘furious’ that he threatened to boycott future family events.

Now, we’re told that rather than bringing the family closer together, Charles’ latest move has only deepened the divide between father and son - with the relationship allegedly reaching a low point that is far worse than anyone realises.

A source says, ‘William has never hidden the fact that he thinks Charles should've been a lot harsher with Andrew [re Epstein scandal], and now that Charles has gone against his advice again and has decided to pursue a peace truce with Harry, he’s even more convinced that his father’s judgment is way off.

‘He'll always be respectful in public, but behind closed doors, he's constantly pointing out all the things he would've handled differently.’

Caught in the middle of the alleged royal power struggle is the family’s unofficial ‘peacemaker’, Kate Middleton, who we’re told has found herself in the rather awkward position of sympathising with William’s ‘frustration’ while worrying about the damage the growing rift between her husband and his father could ultimately do to the monarchy.

According to a source, Kate, 44, is particularly concerned that the increasingly obvious distance between the King and his Heir could soon become impossible for the public to ignore.

So much so, we’re told, that she has been urging William to ‘step back and see the bigger picture’ - fearing that if the tensions continue to escalate, the public could soon get an uncomfortably close look at just how divided the future of the monarchy really is.

‘Kate knows William only wants what's best for the monarchy, but the problem is he and Charles have very different views on how to get there,’ the insider says.

‘Kate is on William’s side, and she completely understands his frustration, but she's telling him this can't go on because so much of the anger he's still carrying over Harry now seems to be aimed at his own father.

‘She’s worried now people inside the palace are starting to notice how at odds they are, and her fear is that it won’t be long before the public finds out, and that's certainly not the message she wants the monarchy to be sending. She just wants him to step back and see the bigger picture before the damage becomes much harder to undo.’

Reports of dis-ease between Charles and William first emerged last year, weeks before Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was finally stripped of his royal titles over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

At the time, it was widely alleged that William had wanted to cut Andrew from the fold for a long time, with a source close to William claiming, ‘William always said, just cut Andrew off completely. It’s not appropriate to have an alleged sex offender breaking bread with the royal family. Charles was so desperate to be seen as embodying the spirit of Christian forgiveness that he let Andrew back in.

They added, ‘William was right about Andrew, and he is right about Harry. Charles is weak. William is anything but weak.’

Now the source claims William continues to be ‘incredibly frustrated’ by his father’s decisions - most notably over Harry – and has so far chosen to ‘speak up’ over keeping the peace with his ‘pa’.

The source says, ‘William and Charles work very hard to put on a united front whenever they're out in public, but it's no secret that a lot of their private meetings leave William incredibly frustrated. He comes home in a terrible mood, and it’s up to Kate to try to calm him down. It’s exhausting for her, but more than that, she’s worried about what it’s doing to him, and she’s told him he needs to get a hold of himself.

‘William totally understands why she’s concerned, but at the same time, he doesn't want to be the kind of person who just sits back and goes along with things he fundamentally doesn't agree with. He feels he has a responsibility to speak up, even if it means going against his father.’

Meanwhile, fresh reports of tensions behind palace walls emerged this week following the news that Sir Clive Alderton, one of the most senior figures in the King’s household, is set to leave his role next year.

Sir Clive has long been regarded as a key figure in Charles’ inner circle and was famously dubbed ‘the wasp’ by Harry. He has also been widely reported to have reservations about the Sussexes returning to the royal fold, making his imminent departure something of a cause for celebration among ‘Team Harry’.

But according to our source, William is far from isolated within the Palace. We’re told the Prince of Wales continues to have considerable support from those inside the Firm, with his allies insisting that any resistance to Charles’ decisions is driven not by personal animosity, but by a desire to protect the monarchy and do what they believe is right for its future.

‘As much pushback as he’s getting, he says he’s also getting a lot of support from within royal circles. He insists he’s just trying to help his father do what is best for the monarchy as a whole, which he already sees as his duty,’ the insider says.

‘He’s well aware that he has a reputation for being a control freak with a very short fuse, but he insists that Charles is just as bad. The fact is, the two of them are very similar, so it's almost inevitable they're going to butt heads.’

This isn’t the first time Charles and William are reported to have butted heads over Harry, with a source telling us in September that the father and son met at Balmoral to discuss simmering disagreements, notably William’s estrangement from his brother.

At the time, a source said, ‘Getting William out to Balmoral for this father-son summit was a chance for them to have the peace and privacy they needed to really hash things out and quell the noise that’s been building about their own issues.’

Still, their reported disagreements continue to quietly rumble on behind the headlines of Harry’s homecoming, and the source says Charles continues to struggle with one issue in particular – what he perceives as William’s acting up as King before his time.

‘The biggest issue for Charles is that he feels William is trying to run before he can walk. There’s still a process to follow, and he doesn't appreciate William acting as though it's already his time,’ the source says.

‘Charles is very clear that he's planning to be around for many years to come, and he expects William to show him the respect he’s due, not just as his father, but as the ruling King. If he can't, there are bound to be more battles ahead because Charles is not going to be told what to do.’

It’s been nearly a year since they went public with their romance – and last week, Jennifer Aniston and Jim Curtis enjoyed a lavish, loved-up holiday as they soaked up the sun on a yacht in Mallorca.

Bikini-clad Jen, 57, showed off her age-defying abs and was pictured embracing her boyfriend. It seems hypnotherapist Jim, 50, has been firmly welcomed into the fold, as later in the holiday the couple were joined by Jen’s BFFs Courteney Cox and Pedro Pascal.

COLD FEET

But behind the scenes, insiders tell Closer that it’s been a testing time for the pair as they continue to split their time between Jen’s native California and Jim’s home in New York.

‘The hard truth is that Jim isn’t a California guy. He doesn’t mind spending part of his time on the West Coast, but his life is really on the East Coast. It’s where he’s anchored. They had agreed to get their own place somewhere in upstate New York, where they could have space and privacy, and the plan was to unload his place in the city. But it hasn’t sold, and now Jim has gotten cold feet and is taking it as a sign he ought to hang on to the place,’ a source reveals.

Six months ago, Jim – who is also an author and life coach – listed his New York City property for sale, suggesting a serious commitment to Friends actress Jen, who he’d been living with at her $21m Bel-Air mansion. But it seems he’s not quite ready to let go of New York, which has been his home for 30 years. Jim has built up his A-list coaching business there and also raises his now-teenage son, Aidan, in the city with his ex-wife, Rachel Napolitano.

Meanwhile, Jen was born and raised in California, growing up in the star-studded Sherman Oaks neighbourhood of Los Angeles. And insiders say the actress was hoping Jim would also make the West Coast his home, especially amid rumours that they’re hoping to tie the knot at some point in the near future.

TOTAL DISASTER

But Jim’s decision to pull his home, which he’s owned since 2015, off the market has prompted concern for Jen. Our source reveals that her primary worry is about her three dogs, Clyde, Sophie and Lord Chesterfield, as she can’t envision regularly taking them to New York or leaving them behind in LA for lengthy periods of time. ‘They’re her babies, and she misses them terribly when she’s away,’ our insider adds.

Secondly, Jen has found herself in this situation before – and it didn’t end well. Fans will recall that her second husband, Justin Theroux, lived in New York and was adamant that they’d split their time between Manhattan and Los Angeles during their two-year marriage, which ended in 2017.

And while Jen went to great lengths to try to make things work, she simply didn’t warm to the ‘fishbowl’ lifestyle of Manhattan, with her discomfort said to be one of the key factors behind her and Justin’s decision to part ways.

Now, Jen is determined that history won’t repeat itself. ‘When she met Justin, he was totally all in on living in California full time, and then that shifted, and he started to constantly complain about missing the East Coast, to the point where Jen even bought an apartment in Manhattan to try to make it work,’ our source explains.

‘But as everyone knows, that was a total disaster. Her relationship with Jim couldn’t be more different from what she had with Justin, but it’s still pretty triggering for her to be facing the exact same struggle.’

Despite the small geographical hiccup they’re facing, it’s believed that Jen and Jim are living in a loved up, drama-free bubble. While the actress has been reluctant to share too much about her love life following her failed marriages to Brad Pitt and Justin, she’s begun to relax over the past year since starting her relationship with Jim.

HUGE DECISIONS

Public declarations of love have appeared on social media from both parties, with adorable selfies, one of which showed a sparkling band on Jen’s ring finger.

And it seems they’re ready to tackle any obstacles together. Insiders say the pair remain devoted to one another and both agree that compromising is key to a happy relationship.

Our source reveals, ‘Jim keeps telling Jen there’s no rush to make any huge decisions, and that they’ll figure it out together. They’re going to have to find a compromise, perhaps a base in upstate New York and weekend trips to the city. Neither of them sees this as a dealbreaker. They’re still committed to finding their way through this, even if it means spending a lot of time flying back and forth.’

Life has been full of milestones for Lily Collins in recent years. Alongside starring in Netflix hit Emily In Paris, the actress welcomed her first child, daughter Tove, with husband Charlie McDowell in January 2025.

And now, she says her legendary musician father Phil Collins has loved stepping into his role as a grandad. ‘My dad loves it, he has really embraced it,’ Lily, 37, tells Closer. ‘I love seeing the two of them together. And when she is old enough, I am going to introduce his music to her and let her know that’s Grandpa P singing! If she wants to learn to play the drums, I know he would teach her in a heartbeat.’

While she now has an extremely close bond with her famous father, Lily has weathered a difficult relationship with the Genesis icon, 75, over the years. Following her parents’ divorce in 1996, she moved to Los Angeles with her mother, Jill Tavelman, while Phil relocated to Switzerland, leading to what she has described as a painful period of estrangement.

Opening up about their ‘terrible disconnect’, Lily previously said, ‘He may have still been alive, but most of the time it felt as if he were completely gone.’ She added in her 2017 memoir, ‘I forgive you for not always being there when I needed and for not being the dad I expected.’

Speaking on their relationship now, the Golden Globe-nominated actress says, ‘He is really proud of me, I was always clear that I wanted doors to open because of any talent I might have and not because my dad had opened them for me, and I think he always really respected that.’

Lily has spent much of her life in the spotlight. She first appeared in front of the camera at just two years old, before landing her breakthrough role opposite Sandra Bullock in 2009’s The Blind Side. She has since built an impressive career with starring roles in Love, Rosie, Mirror Mirror and, most famously, Emily In Paris.

Since taking on the title role in the Netflix hit in 2020, Lily’s star has continued to soar. The Emmy-nominated series has become one of the streamer’s biggest global hits, with its most recent season racking up 26.8 million views worldwide in its first 11 days. Now, Lily is preparing to say goodbye as the sixth and final series heads towards our screens.

‘As it gets nearer the time, I’m sure there will be a few tears,’ she admits. ‘But for now, we’re putting everything we have into making it incredible. I’m so excited for season six, and I’ve promised fans it’s going to include everything they love about the show. My dad’s a fan too – not just because I’m in it, he loves all the drama!’

Away from the cameras, however, Lily says the biggest chapter of her life has been becoming a mum. After marrying American film director Charlie, 43, in 2021 – two years after they met while working on the film Gilded Rage – the couple welcomed daughter Tove via surrogate last year.

Announcing the news on Instagram, Lily expressed her ‘endless gratitude’ to their ‘incredible surrogate’. However, the happy moment was overshadowed by criticism from some social media followers, who speculated the actress had chosen surrogacy for non-medical reasons.

Charlie quickly shut down the comments, saying, ‘It’s OK to not know why someone might need a surrogate to have a child. It’s OK to not know the motivations of a surrogate regardless of what you assume. And it’s OK to spend less time spewing hateful words into the world, especially in regards to a beautiful baby girl who has brought a lot of love into people’s lives.’

Now, Lily says motherhood has changed her for the better. ‘It is just the most amazing thing, it changes you without a doubt,’ she says. ‘I have great people around me – my husband, my friends and family, my colleagues. When you become a mom it really highlights the supportive people in your life.’

Of course, balancing a flourishing career with life as a new mum hasn’t always been straightforward. Tove was just a few months old when filming began on Emily In Parisseason five, but Lily says having her daughter by her side made all the difference.

‘I am so grateful I got to have her on set with me,’ Lily says. ‘So much of the time you are exhausted and you need to make peace at doing the best you can do. I had to learn to let go a little, that juggling working and being a mother meant that I had to let go of the idea of perfection.

It’s been a highly turbulent few months for Katie Price as scandals continue to swirl around her new husband, Lee Andrews.

Now insiders say her daughter Princess, whom she shares with ex-husband Peter Andre, is panicking over her mother’s behaviour.

‘Princess is becoming increasingly concerned about her mum as her marriage to Lee appears to unravel,’ a source tells Closer. ‘She knows how vulnerable her mum can be and fears a divorce could send Katie into another spiral. She’s voiced her concerns to some of her closest friends, and they’re just as worried about the impact all of this is having on her. After the Sky documentary, where everyone saw Princess burst into tears, people hoped things might change. But Princess feels history is repeating itself once again.’

It’s been a chaotic six-month romance for Katie, 48, who married Lee, 43, in January, just 10 days after meeting him. In the months that followed, her fourth marriage dominated headlines amid scandalous accusations. Most recently, Lee has been accused of attempting to sell an alleged sex tape of him and Katie for £250,000. He has since backtracked, insisting that he ‘wasn’t being serious’. Meanwhile, Katie stated on Instagram that the story is ‘completely untrue’ and that she has ‘never made such a tape’.

ROCK BOTTOM

Prior to this, Lee – who has had two prison stints for separate financial matters – was accused of having an affair with a 19-year-old man, allegations he told another publication were a ‘damaging pack of lies’.

It comes after years of roller-coaster romances and scandals for Katie. The former glamour model has been married three times – to Peter Andre, Alex Reid and Kieran Hayler – and has also faced unimaginable trauma. In 2018, she was kidnapped and held at gunpoint by six men while filming in South Africa, an experience she has since said left her with PTSD and triggered a devastating mental health breakdown.

Following her acrimonious split from Kieran in 2018, she admitted to turning to alcohol as a form of ‘escapism’. Amid her alcohol problems, the star was handed a 16-week suspended jail sentence for drink-driving after crashing her Range Rover.

She has now admitted she hit rock bottom, checking herself into rehab centre The Priory for cocaine and alcohol use. ‘It got to a point where I had a major breakdown’, she explained in her latest documentary. ‘I ended up in The Priory twice, five weeks at a time, and then I self-medicated on coke. I didn’t know how to deal with everything.’

In Katie Price: Nothing To Hide, 19-year-old Princess appears alongside her brother Junior, 21, and breaks down in tears as she recalls the devastating impact of her mum’s struggles with addiction on the family. ‘I remember after school I used to go home and feel so lonely, I used to cuddle the blanket and just cry,’ she said.

SPIRALLING AGAIN

And now, insiders say Princess – as well as her grandmother Amy Price, Katie’s mum – is terrified Katie will go down a similar path.

‘This past weekend, Princess saw the signs that her mum was spiralling again,’ the source says. ‘She’s seen it before and knows exactly what it looks like. Princess says that when Katie can’t cope, she acts out. She has different destructive coping mechanisms, which she has admitted to before. It’s even led to her ending up in rehab.

‘Katie becomes impulsive when she’s drinking and can make silly decisions. If she’s got an audience around her, she’ll always play up to it. Amy says Katie should be at home enjoying wholesome time with the family – horse riding, walks, simple things – instead of being out until the early hours wearing revealing outfits and making a fool of herself. Amy blames Lee for where Katie is now because she says Katie was in such a good headspace before.’

Meanwhile, influencer Princess has shared her opinion on her mum’s turbulent marriage to Lee. ‘I’ve never met him,’ she admitted on her reality series, The Princess Diaries. ‘But mum’s love life is everywhere at the moment.’

WARNING SIGN

After the latest allegations against her Dubai-based businessman husband, which reportedly prompted her to consult a divorce lawyer and remove her wedding ring, the star has since made a U-turn, appearing to tentatively stick by Lee after being spotted wearing her ring once again.

Our source insists that Princess just wants her mum to find happiness. ‘She genuinely believes her mum is in love with the idea of being in love. Princess desperately wants Katie to find her soulmate, but she doesn’t think it’s Lee. The family believes Katie is processing everything at the moment. They all recognise the signs, and spiralling has always been the biggest warning sign. But they believe she’ll come back stronger as long as her family is there to catch her and support her.’

Last week saw the launch of Holly Willoughby’s hotly anticipated comeback, as the former This Morning star launched her new show, Together, on YouTube.

But while Holly had excitedly teased her return to presenting over recent weeks, the show received just 41,000 views in the first four days after its release and received mixed reviews for its debut episode.

HUGE MISTAKE

While some praised it, calling it a ‘must-watch’ and saying ‘Loved it’, others called it ‘awkward and stilted’ and ‘like watching paint dry’, with some even drawing negative comparisons to Meghan Markle’s lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan. And insiders tell Closer that the criticism has hit Holly, 45, hard, but that husband Dan Baldwin – who is also the show’s producer – has been trying to boost her morale.

‘Holly knew she would get criticism for whatever she tried next, but she expected it more from the mainstream media than from comments on YouTube, some of which have been quite harsh,’ the source says.

‘It’s hard for her to see people reacting straight away, whereas before she could just hide away from them and not look. She’s terrified this could be a huge mistake – she’s so used to being the golden girl and having hit after hit. But Dan’s told her to trust the process and has insisted he knows what he’s doing, as does she.’

Holly’s lifestyle show, with fresh episodes dropping twice a week, features different celebrity guests. The first episode saw The Devil Wears Prada star Stanley Tucci cooking pasta.

It marks Holly’s comeback after her TV career unravelled in 2023 amid the fallout with former co-presenter Phillip Schofield – who stepped down from This Morning after an ‘unwise but not illegal’ affair with a younger male colleague – and the horrifying kidnap and rape plot that saw Gavin Plumb jailed for life with a minimum term of 16 years.

TEETHING PROBLEMS

Setback after setback followed as she tried to get her TV career back on track after Dancing On Ice, Celebrity Bear Hunt and You Bet! were all cancelled in recent years. Holly – who’s mum to Harry, 17, Belle, 15, and Chester, 11 – took a step back from public life until this year before teasing the launch of Together, hoping it would be her big comeback.

While the negativity has been tough, sources say that her husband Dan – whose production company, Hungry Bear Media, is behind Holly’s new multi-platform venture – is convincing her to hang in there.

The insider says, ‘Dan has told her this absolutely does not mean her career is over. He’s said the first couple of episodes were always going to be scrutinised and that people don’t like change. He’s assured her that people will soon see the Holly they loved for years on TV.’

The source adds, ‘Holly knows there will be teething problems and it isn’t perfect, but she just wants people to give her a chance and not pre-judge her.’

Shereen Low joined Bauer as a celebrity writer for Bella in October 2018 and is now a senior content creator across Bella, Closer, Grazia, heat and Yours. Shereen, who received a distinction in NCTJ’s Senior Journalism course, has interviewed some of the biggest names around: she was propositioned by Ryan Gosling, sat on the same sofa as Beyonce, pondered the meaning of life with Johnny Depp and got up close to Rihanna.

She’s sung about body positivity and female empowerment in her songs and she’s not afraid to clap back at criticism over her ever-changing body. Known for her curves, this US stripper-turned-singer is not averse to going under the knife in the quest for the ‘perfect’ body over the years.

Having had several tweakments including multiple boob jobs, veneers and a nose job, she’s also had liposuction and a Brazilian butt lift (BBL). But now, the Grammy-winning rapper has revealed why she had her bum injections dissolved two years ago.

‘A lot of y’all keep telling me to go get my ass reduced. I don’t need to go get my ass reduced. News flash, I did get my ass reduced,’ Cardi B said in a recent Instagram Live.

She explained that she ‘can’t just go and lipo my butt because my skin is loose’. ‘That’s why my ass shakes so much,’ she continued. ‘So, if I just go and get a lipo reduction, that is the easy way, my ass could drop. So, I would have to cut myself. And I’m not cutting myself. I’m not sitting down for four months.’

The Grow-Good Beauty founder, 33, explained that her ‘small’ frame influenced her decision to get the butt reduction in January 2024. ‘First thing first, I am a small girl. I’m a very small, petite girl,’ she said. ‘My mum is petite. My sister’s petite. My aunts are small.’

She has no regrets about the surgery U-turn either. ‘I’m outside, like I said. I like my body how it looks right now. I’m comfortable in my skin,’ she added.

The I Like It singer, whose real name is Belcalis Almanzar, had biopolymer injections in her bottom when she was 21, which she later regretted. She paid $800 for the silicone-based fillers on the black market, which were not approved by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) and could cause life-threatening complications. Cardi, who had the procedure done at an unlicensed basement in Queens, New York after seeing her stripper colleagues with bigger bums earning more than her, had planned to return to the illegal set-up for touch-ups but revealed that the operation had been shut down because the woman who injected her was ‘locked up’ after ‘someone died on her table’.

‘They don’t numb your ass with anything. It was the craziest pain ever,’ she said then. ‘I felt like I was going to pass out. I felt a little dizzy. And it leaks for, like, five days.’

In August 2022, Cardi underwent surgery to have 95% of the illegal biopolymer injections removed, with the final extractions in January 2024. She spoke out about her traumatic experience, advising other women to do their research before they go under the knife.

‘In August I got surgery and I removed 95% of my [biopolymers]… if you don’t know what it is, it’s ass shots. It was a really crazy process,’ she said. ‘All I’m going to say is that if you’re young – if you’re 19, 20, 21 – and sometimes you’re too skinny, and you be like, “Oh my god, I don’t have enough fat to put in my ass,” so you result to ass shots, DON’T!’

‘When it comes to BBLs, if y’all want advice from me, before you get your BBL done, you have to make sure your blood levels are all right,” she continued. ‘If a doctor says your blood levels are too low or you have diabetes or whatever, don’t do it.’

Cardi – who recently sparked dating rumours when she was spotted with Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye in Paris and Italy – was also persuaded to get the op after a boyfriend cheated on her with a woman who ‘had a fat, big ass’.

It’s not the first time that the singer and mum of four has gone under the knife. Cardi – who has daughters Kulture, eight, and Blossom, 23 months, and son Wave, four, with rapper ex-husband Offset and an eight-month-old son, whose name she has not revealed, with NFL player Stefon Diggs, with whom she split from earlier this year – first had a boob job when she was 18 after being insecure about her breasts.

‘I was really skinny when I was younger, and in the Bronx, it’s about being thick and having an ass, so young boys would be like, “Look at your flat ass. You ain’t got no titties”,’ she recalled. ‘And it would make me feel so ugly and undeveloped.

‘When I was 18 and became a dancer, I had enough money to afford to buy boobs, so every insecurity that I felt about my breasts was gone.’

She got porcelain veneers in 2016 and had a non-surgical nose job three years later, which she admitted ‘f***ed up’ her schnoz and made it look larger and wider. Unhappy with the botched surgery, she had ‘no choice’ but to undergo corrective rhinoplasty the following year.

Cardi, who told fans that she maintains her ‘snatched’ bod through a grilled chicken and salmon diet and fibre-loaded drinks, wants to be transparent with her followers about the cosmetic work she’s had done. ‘I’m very, very honest. First of all, I got two lipos and one ass reduction,’ she said.

And she revealed that her many tweakments are for her alone.

‘People will be assuming that when you do surgery, you’re insecure about yourself or you hate yourself, and that’s just not the truth,’ Cardi explained. ‘If I want to correct something or do a little something something, I’m going to do it.’

She added, ‘I like being perfect. I like a certain type of body for myself.’

They've looked relaxed as they soak up the sun on holiday in Ibiza, but insiders say that, behind the scenes, things have been tense for David and Victoria Beckham amid the bitter fallout with their estranged son Brooklyn.

Massive Mistake

Our source explains, ‘Brooklyn and Nicola recently visited the South of France and Victoria – unbeknownst to David – was planning to approach her close friend Elton John, who has an estate in Nice, to see if he would meet with Brooklyn and try to talk some sense into him. She was orchestrating this plan and David found out.

‘He was not happy and told her to stop meddling and stirring the pot, especially while they’re supposed to be unwinding in Ibiza,’ the source continues. ‘He also feels that Elton’s involvement would only complicate things and thinks it would be a massive mistake.’

After endless rumours of a Beckham family rift, Brooklyn, 27, confirmed it in January with his infamous scathing statement about his parents, in which he accused them of trying to ‘ruin’ his relationship with wife Nicola Peltz, 31.

In the months since, US-based Brooklyn and Nicola have remained estranged from his relatives while prioritising time with her family in Florida.

No Contact

Despite the consistent snubs – including from the couple’s vow renewal last August, over three years on from their wedding day – the Beckhams have extended several olive branches on social media. But even Brooklyn’s siblings, Romeo, 23, Cruz, 21, and 15-year-old Harper, are believed to have no contact with their older brother.

Meanwhile, singer Elton, 79 – a longtime friend of the Beckhams – is said to have hosted his godson Brooklyn and Nicola at a beach club in Cannes last year in a bid to ease family tensions, before being spotted having a deep conversation with the couple – who jetted off to the South of France last week – at his Oscars viewing party in March.

Our source adds that David hoped the family’s Ibiza trip would be a chance to switch off from the drama, but instead a big argument ensued.

The insider says, ‘Victoria insists she’s just trying to protect her son and fix her family, but David feels she’s putting that ahead of their peace and quiet. Instead of the relaxing, luxurious summer getaway they both desperately needed, the boat is filled with tension and silence. Victoria is completely refusing to back down, while David is at his wits’ end – leaving what should have been a dream holiday in ruins.’

She’s raised eyebrows among fans for her ongoing closeness with ex Charles Drury. But now, insiders say Lauren Goodger has been left feeling mortified after he appeared to publicly side with her ex-pal and former TOWIE co-star Yazmin Oukhellou.

Yaz, 32, publicly slammed Lauren, 39, for her ‘disgusting’ comments about the late Jake McLean – who tragically died in a car crash in 2022 and had dated both women. But the drama, Closer can exclusively reveal, has intensified since builder Charles, 29, liked Yaz’s photos on Instagram.

‘Lauren felt publicly humiliated by what Yazmin posted and believed it crossed a line, especially as they once moved in the same friendship circle. Charles engaging with Yazmin online has now poured fuel on an already sensitive situation. Lauren sees it as a betrayal because he knows how strained things have been between the two women.

‘It’s not about one social media like – it is about history, loyalty and Charles appearing to side with someone who has already caused her considerable upset.’

Lauren recently claimed there was ‘unfinished business’ between her and Jake – who she dated from 2012 to 2016 – and that he ‘should’ve come back to me and settled’. Yaz – who was hospitalised with serious injuries in the crash – called the comments ‘disgusting’ and ‘insensitive’, adding, ‘This kind of behaviour is just sick.’

Meanwhile, Charles and Lauren have had a notoriously on/off relationship since they started dating in 2020.

They welcomed their daughter Larose in July 2021 and were on and off throughout Lauren’s second pregnancy with their daughter Lorena, who they tragically lost just minutes after her birth in July 2022. A month later, Charles allegedly attacked Lauren on the day of Lorena’s funeral. While he denied the allegations, he was charged with assault and controlling or coercive behaviour, and the couple split again. Lauren eventually withdrew her support for the prosecution, and the charges were dropped.

Although the reality star has insisted it is just co-parenting, the pair sparked reconciliation rumours after a trip away with Larose. The source adds, ‘They were trying to enjoy family time despite the complications between them. But those aroundLauren believe Charles has taken her patience for granted and hope the Yaz situation is the final straw. Lauren wants that family unit so badly, but her friends feel she deserves to stop always being the one who compromises.

It’s been a big year for Venezuela Fury, having tied the knot with sweetheart Noah Price in a lavish ceremony, before then heading off on a £30,000 honeymoon. She moved out of the Fury family mansion to live with her new husband in their £53,000 static chalet, all at just 16. But sources tell Closer that the newlywed has been spending more time back at her family home as she adjusts to married life.

TEETHING PROBLEMS

‘Venezuela tried her absolute best to make the static home setup work, but the reality of daily life in such cramped quarters has been a massive shock to the system. Behind the scenes, she’s been feeling completely miserable and overwhelmed by how tough it actually is,’ the insider reveals. ‘Small everyday frustrations have quickly spiralled into silly bickering and tension with Noah, and it’s gotten to the point where they’re constantly snapping at each other because neither of them has any space to breathe.

‘It got so overwhelming for Venezuela that she ended up packing a bag and heading straight back to her family’s mansion just to get some peace, comfort and headspace.’

Venezuela – the eldest child of world-famous boxer Tyson and TV star wife Paris – rose to fame on the Netflix docuseries At Home With The Furys, where viewers got a peek inside the family’s luxurious £8 million mansion, where the couple live with their seven children, as well as an inside look at their chaotic home life. Viewers were also shocked when Venezuela got engaged at just 16 during her birthday party in the last series – just like her parents did when they were younger – and married eight months later.

As the pair settled into married life after tying the knot, reports over the last few months have shown them going through teething problems at their new marital home in Yorkshire. The newlyweds have clashed over bleaching the fridge, while Venezuela has grown annoyed with Noah teasing and interrupting her during her TikTok videos.

And while the influencer and Noah, 19, have enjoyed spending time at the Furys’ mansion, the source says their long-term plan is causing a bit of tension between them.

ULTIMATUM

‘Venezuela has reached a point where she isn’t sure she wants to go back to the smaller home with Noah – she’s loving being back with her family, where there’s more space,’ they say. ‘Venezuela is so used to having her family’s support network and a proper home around her, so trading that in for life in a static caravan has felt like too much of a sacrifice. Noah has also moved back in on/ off and spends a lot of time there. He loves the Furys, but he doesn’t want to be there long term.’

The insider adds, ‘Venezuela has handed Noah a firm ultimatum: either they figure out a way to move into a larger home together, or they’re staying at her family’s estate for the long haul. She loves Noah, but she refuses to sacrifice her happiness and quality of life for a setup that clearly isn’t working for her.’

Shereen Low joined Bauer as a celebrity writer for Bella in October 2018 and is now a senior content creator across Bella, Closer, Grazia, heat and Yours. Shereen, who received a distinction in NCTJ’s Senior Journalism course, has interviewed some of the biggest names around: she was propositioned by Ryan Gosling, sat on the same sofa as Beyonce, pondered the meaning of life with Johnny Depp and got up close to Rihanna.

She delighted fans with glamorous snaps from her son Matty Healy’s wedding last month, partying
with the stars while looking stunning in a pink gown and full glam.

Now, insiders say Denise Welch – who called the wedding ‘the happiest time of my life’ – is already hoping the newlyweds will start a family.

‘Being a grandmother is something Denise talks about all the time now,’ the source says. ‘She’s incredibly close to both her sons and absolutely adores seeing friends with grandchildren.

High-Profile

‘She jokes that she’s ready whenever Matty and Gabbriette decide the time is right and sees it as the next exciting stage of life rather than getting older. She’s feeling great in her skin right now and has even joked she’ll be the “sexiest nana”.’

Denise – who also shares son Louis, 25, with ex-husband Tim Healy – appeared to have the time of her life at son Matty’s wedding to model Gabbriette in LA. She partied with the likes of pop star Charli XCX and Matty’s bandmate George Daniel before going on to spend a week living it up in Malibu.

Matty, 37, achieved worldwide fame with The 1975, and his huge popularity in the US – as well as his brief romance with Taylor Swift – has also boosted Denise’s profile and expanded her fanbase.

In recent years, Denise, 68 – who is married to artist Lincoln Townley, 53 – has also been enjoying Matty’s
success, spending time in America hanging out with the likes of Lisa Vanderpump and attending high-profile events.

The insider adds that another goal Denise has her heart set on is spending more time in Hollywood and even trying to crack America.

Connections

The source continues, ‘Denise absolutely loves the energy in LA. She’s having enormous fun, making connections and meeting people she’d only ever seen on screen before. It’s opened her eyes to opportunities she never imagined she’d have at this stage in her career. She’d love to break Hollywood properly.’ The insider adds, ‘Her UK agent is actively searching for opportunities in the States, and she’s also exploring the possibility of signing with a US-based agent to help open more doors over there. She’s built up a really strong network of contacts in Los Angeles and Hollywood, and she’s determined to make the most of it.’

She recently gave a glimpse into her summer, including poignant photos of her children at Althorp, where the late Princess Diana grew up.

And while there have been conflicting reports overMeghan has been active on social media, posting family holiday snaps whether Meghan Markle and Prince Harry will join the royals for their annual trip to Balmoral, a well-placed source reveals that King Charles has invited his son and daughter-in-law to Scotland this month, ahead of Harry’s planned visit for the WellChild Awards in September.

The prospective Balmoral showdown has left the Duchess of Sussex feeling triumphant, but the Princess of Wales, by contrast, is feeling cautious, with our insider saying, ‘To Meghan, this feels hugely symbolic. There was a time when it seemed unthinkable that she would ever be invited back to Balmoral or Buckingham Palace. It’s Meghan’s revenge on Kate, in a way. Her message to Kate is, “You’ll never win, and you can’t keep us out.” Meghan believes she now holds all the cards.’

The source continues, ‘Kate feels like the royal family is being hijacked, and the last thing she wants is a showdown with Meghan. She and William don’t want to see the Sussexes welcomed back into the fold. They see them as troublemakers and people who can’t be trusted. While Meghan sees the invite as a triumph, Kate struggles with the prospect of sharing the royal stage once again.’

LOSING CONTROL

While Meghan, 45, and Harry, 41, brought their children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, to see the monarch and Queen Camilla at Highgrove last month as part of Harry’s wider visit to the UK, Balmoral would mark the first time the Sussexes have been face-to-face with Kate and William, both 44, since the Queen’s funeral in 2022.

Harry and Meghan infamously closed the door on royal life in 2020 in what was dubbed ‘Megxit’, opting to start over in the Duchess’s native home state of California.

Via their no-holds-barred interview with Oprah Winfrey, the duke’s best-selling memoir Spare, and their fly-on-the-wall Netflix series Harry & Meghan, the couple laid bare their experience of being part of the royal fold and made a series of accusations against certain family members.

One of those claims was that William ‘knocked Harry to the floor’ during a confrontation in 2019, which reportedly escalated after the heir to the throne called Meghan ‘difficult, rude and abrasive’.

Meanwhile, Kate and former American actress Meghan have also had a strained relationship. It was widely reported in 2018, when the Sussexes tied the knot, that Kate was left in tears over an issue with her daughter Charlotte’s bridesmaid dress.

But Meghan dismissed these claims in her interview with Oprah, saying that it was, in fact, the other way around and that Kate apologised. And with their fraught history showing no signs of becoming water under the bridge, the insider says that Kate is still wary.

‘Kate has worked incredibly hard to rebuild a sense of calm around her family over the last few years. The thought of reopening old chapters is naturally emotional. Kate feels like she’s losing control of the narrative. She just wants all of this firmly behind her.’

Among Meghan’s latest Instagram photos were family snaps taken in Portugal, as well as at Althorp, where the children were photographed holding bouquets, leading many to speculate that they may have visited Princess Diana’s grave. It was even suggested by some followers that Charles Spencer – Diana’s younger brother – was spotted in the background of one of Meghan’s photos.

ANXIETY

The source says there is some anxiety over what Harry and Meghan could document next for public consumption, but adds that the Duchess is increasingly confident in telling her own story. ‘Meghan sees it as taking control of her own story, whereas Kate feels it’s being rubbed in her face. Meghan is determined to do things on her own terms.’

And with Charles reportedly hopeful for Archie and Lilibet to have a place in the royal family, and the monarch having offered Harry a place at Buckingham Palace for his next visit, the source adds, ‘There are lots of conversations happening about the future. Everyone wants stability, but people have different ideas about how to achieve it. Meghan sees it as a sign that she and Harry haven’t been forgotten. She feels they’ve reached a point where people can no longer pretend they don’t matter.’

They’ve been pictured filming for the third season of their show, Stacey & Joe – with viewers hooked to their fly-on-the-wall docuseries since Stacey Solomon and Joe Swash launched it in April 2025.

The show follows the couple of 10 years – along with their combined six children and menagerie of pets – and despite the pair confirming in January that they were taking a break from filming, they U-turned months later.

But insiders reveal that after facing some backlash over the first series and battling rumours of relationship trouble, their decision to work together again has been testing them.

Our source says, ‘Stacey is feeling the pressure to make this series a success – but it means the lines between their work and personal lives have completely blurred. She and Joe have both found themselves snapping at each other over tiny things when the cameras stop rolling – it’s exhausting for her as she doesn’t want to feel like she’s “faking it”.

‘Stacey’s used to running her own solo projects where she has total creative control, and doing a joint show with Joe has proven way harder than she expected. She prefers it when things are separate and she doesn’t have to navigate a shared professional dynamic with her husband.’

First meeting in 2010, Stacey, 36, and Joe, 44, began dating six years later – and their idyllic life at their Essex home, nicknamed Pickle Cottage, is the envy of her followers.

Parents to Rex, seven, Rose, four, and three-year-old Belle, Stacey is also mum to Zachary, 18, and 14-year-old Leighton from previous relationships, while Joe shares son Harry, 19, with his exfiancée, Emma Sophocleous.

Owners of two dogs, four ducks, chickens and even rescue ponies, the pair said ‘I do’ in a fairy-tale ceremony at their £1.2million home in 2022, in front of their children and wider families. But since then, the couple’s relationship has faced months of scrutiny.

Though they’ve strongly denied any suggestion of a split –and Stacey insisted this May that they’re not ‘on the brink of divorce’ – she was grilled by This Morning presenter Ben Shephard after being pictured without her wedding ring in March. The Sort Your Life Out host replied that she ‘probably took it off to go to the toilet or something’, and joked she’d ‘dropped my ring in [Joe’s new fishing] lake… with our marriage!’

But though she laughed it off, Stacey was pictured again just weeks later without the band.

Things came to a head when it emerged the couple are not technically married – as they have never legally registered their nuptials.

And though fans love watching Stacey & Joe, they’ve also been privy to some explosive on-screen rows and have gone as far as to brand Joe’s behaviour in the partnership as ‘useless’.

It’s even thought that a ‘row in the street’ between the pair in November 2024 – during which Joe was seen ‘storming off’ while his wife was apparently comforted by the production crew – was sparked by the tense couple ’s therapy episode . Viewers later watched as the former EastEnders actor said, ‘All I am hearing is that I am a huge problem in Stacey’s perfect life. ’

And our source says that while the couple love each other, working together again has been demanding.

The insider continues, ‘Stacey and Joe are both incredibly proud of the show and were excited for series three – but working together, juggling the kids and being together 24/7 is tricky for them.

‘The mixed reaction to the previous series has brought a level of pressure into Pickle Cottage – it feels a bit tense.’

Part of the tension between Stacey and her husband is said to be down to her being the main earner in the family.

With a whopping 6 .1 million Instagram followers, the former X Factor contestant has deals with Primark and Wild Deodorant – as well as owning a 33% stake in haircare brand Rehab. According to reports, the company recently almost doubled its net worth to £3 .1 million.

Not only that, but Stacey has presented Sort Your Life Out for six series since 2021 – for which she won a National Television Award, as well as being nominated for two British Academy Television Awards.

Meanwhile, Joe – who rose to fame on the Nickelodeon show L.O.L: Laugh Out Loud in 2002, before getting his breakthrough as Mickey Miller on EastEnders a year later – is mainly a stay-at-home father to their brood.

The insider goes on, ‘The dynamic at home has always fallen into Stacey being the main breadwinner, while Joe takes on the bulk of the day-to-day duties. That usually keeps their household running smoothly – but getting back on set gave Joe a real taste of having his own television career again.

‘Being back in that spotlight reminded him how much he misses working, so playing second fiddle while Stacey steers the ship has been a bit of a blow to his ego.’

The source adds, ‘They still love each other deeply, but filming together has created an underlying friction. They’re both praying they can get through this filming schedule without the strain causing any long-term damage to their marriage.

Amy: ‘Bill would divorce me if I had another baby!’

She tied the knot just three months ago to her partner of five years, Billy Delbosq – and now Amy Childs reveals that she has grand plans for their second nuptials, which will be taking place in September. ‘I’m looking at three dresses – big and small. I want short hair, long hair, everything!’ she tells us at ITV’s reality showcase.

The TOWIE long-timer, 36, also explains the reason she opted for two weddings instead of one. ‘Our first was just immediate family – 20 of us, very low-key. But now we’ve got the big one coming up in Spain. We’ve got 150 people,’ she says.

Looking back on her first ceremony, she recalls, ‘We went to an Italian after. I got spaghetti all over my wedding dress! But it was just amazing. The wedding was really lovely and married life is perfect. We’ve just been enjoying every minute.’

Amy has four children, twins Millie and Billy, both three, with husband Billy, as well as Polly, nine, and Ritchie, seven, from previous relationships. She tells us she’s ‘done’ having more, but adds, ‘Bill and I were having a conversation last week and I said, “Maybe when I’m 40, we should have one more.” Bill said, “Absolutely not.” So the answer is no. Bill would divorce me!’

For the mum-of-four, the priority over the next year is her health and being the best mum she can be. She says, ‘I lost quite a lot of weight last year. I was completely underweight due to the pressure after my mum had a heart attack.

‘For me now, it’s about putting weight back on, getting my fitness in and, obviously, my children are my whole life. This year I’ve had a little bit more time for myself, and I think I need that.’

Jordan: ‘Being a dad is my greatest achievement’

He welcomed his first child, a son named Brody, with partner Sophie Kasaei in June – and Jordan Brook is loving every moment of fatherhood.

‘It’s incredible – it’s the greatest achievement in my life,’ Jordan shares. ‘I’m the proudest, most over-the-moon man in the world at the minute. I’m in a proper baby bubble – I’m on cloud nine.’

Jordan, 31, and Sophie, 36, went through a worrying time ahead of Brody’s birth after Jordan spent 22 days in hospital in April battling meningitis and encephalitis.

Now on the mend, he says, ‘I’ve got great support around me and I’ll get there. It’ll just take some time. Being in hospital for so long – and having a health scare like that – really changes your perspective on how you look at everything. All the other petty stuff tends to not matter.’

Junaid: ‘Joe and I are like a married couple already’

After a spectacular proposal during the cast’s trip to Albania last month, Junaid Ahmed reveals that wedding preparations with fiancé Joe Blackman are already well under way.

‘I had a meeting with my wedding planner yesterday. The wedding is definitely next year, in the summer,’ the 31-year-old tells Closer. ‘It’ll be a really big Bollywood Essex wedding.’

And on engaged life with Joe, 27 – who he’s been dating since August 2024 – Junaid adds, ‘Joe and I are like a married couple as it is. I’ve locked him in forever now, so I don’t think he’s going anywhere! We’re are best friends.’

Diags: ‘I’ll propose to Jodie!’

Wedding bells could soon be ringing for Diags, who admits that Junaid Ahmed and Joe Blackman’s recent engagement has given him the nudge he needs to pop the question to girlfriend Jodie Wells.

‘It’s looking that way,’ Diags (James Bennewith) says. ‘After seeing Junaid and Joe’s proposal, we definitely felt like we wanted that. I’ve just got to find a way to surprise her because I don’t want her to have any idea.’

Diags and Jodie, both 35, who first got together in 2023, have already started looking at engagement rings. ‘We went into Cartier,’ he says. ‘I wasn’t buying anything, but we did get her ring size checked out.’

Ramla Jeylani is a showbiz writer for Closer, heat, Yours and Bella, covering everything from celeb interviews to the latest TV gossip. She joined Bauer Media in October 2025 after previously completing a Content Creator apprenticeship with the company in 2022.

Gary: 'We still speak three times a day'

Gary Lineker and Danielle Bux have stayed on the best of terms since ending their seven-year marriage in 2016. The former footballer, 65, has revealed they remain incredibly close, saying, ‘We still speak three times a day, we text all the time,’ and admitted he often stays at her Los Angeles home when visiting the US. Danielle, 47, has since married American entertainment lawyer Nate Greenwald, with Gary adding, ‘Nate is a really good friend of mine now.’

Bruce: 'I still love Demi'

After ending their 13-year marriage in 2000, Demi Moore and Bruce Willis are every inch the amicable exes. ‘I still love Demi,’ Bruce – who shares daughters Rumer, 37, Scout, 35, and Tallulah, 32, with the actress – declared at the time of their split. ‘We're probably as close now as we ever were.’ The actor, 71, moved on with Emma Heming Willis, with Demi, 63, attending their 2009 nuptials alongside her now-ex Ashton Kutcher. In recent years, the former couple have grown even closer as Demi continues to support Bruce through his dementia battle.

James: 'Chloe is a proper badass'

After their split in 2023, many expected Chloe Madeley and James Haskell to drift apart, but the former couple have remained close for the sake of daughter Bodhi, three. While appearing on Celebs Go Dating this year, James, 41, surprisingly revealed it was Chloe, 39, who encouraged him to sign up. ‘I was on the fence, and she told me to go for it,’ he said. ‘I want Bodhi to know how much I respect her mum because she's a proper badass.’

Tess & Vernon: 'We remain great friends'

Despite weathering a sexting scandal back in 2010, the showbiz world was left stunned when Tess Daly and Vernon Kay sensationally split after a staggering 23 years of marriage. The pair – who share daughters Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 17 – announced their separation in a joint statement in May this year. ‘We remain great friends and fully committed to our roles as loving parents,’ they wrote. Just weeks after the split, the former Strictly host, 57, and Vernon, 52, were spotted looking all smiles alongside pals at a music festival.

Gwyneth: 'Chris is there for me through anything'

Gwyneth Paltrow, 53, and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, 49, famously announced their ‘conscious uncoupling’ on her lifestyle website, Goop, in 2014 after more than a decade together. The former couple, who share daughter Apple, 22, and son Moses, 20, have since become the gold standard for celebrity co-parenting, regularly spending holidays together. Reflecting on their close bond, the actress – who is now married to music producer Brad Falchuk – said, ‘It’s not quite brother, but we are complete family. He is there for me through anything, and vice versa.’

Jen: 'He's the love of my life'

Hollywood heartthrobs Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner sent shockwaves through Tinseltown when they split in 2015 after 10 years of marriage, but they’ve since proved exes really can stay besties. The former power couple remain fiercely devoted to co-parenting their three children, Violet, 20, Fin, 17, and Samuel, 14. Just a year after their painful parting, Jen, 54, emotionally declared of her 53-yearold ex, ‘He’s the love of my life.’ Fast-forward to today and their friendship is stronger than ever, with Jen raving, ‘He’s an incredible co-parent… he’s wonderful.’

There’s something extra special about homemade pizzas, especially if you can make them authentic. We’ve teamed up with Firebloom to make sure you’re always having perfect pizzas at home, whether you’re cooking inside or outside, with one of its EP01 Electric Pizza Ovens up for grabs for one winner.

This Pizza Oven is ideal if you’re wanting to create authentic, stone baked, 12” pizzas but with the convenience of power, as this operates from a standard plug socket.

Whether you’re rustling up Neapolitan style pizzas, love a vegetable medley or are crafting your own creations, you’ll be able to go from pizza padel to plate in a matter of minutes as the oven gets up to 400°C.

Competition closes 04:00AM 18th August 2026.

Please note this competition is not open to ROI residents.

Get front-row access to the ultimate fashion show when Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci return in 20th Century Studios’ THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 out now on 4K Ultra HD™, Blu-ray™ and DVD! To celebrate we have a copy of the film on Blu-ray™ to give away to 5 lucky winners.

Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) returns to Runway magazine as the new features editor, where she finds her formidable former boss Miranda (Meryl Streep) facing threats to her glossy print empire. Familiar frenemies and fresh faces join the catwalk in this stylish sequel.

Enter now!

Competition closes 04:00AM 11th August 2026.

First Brad Pitt’s estranged children changed their surnames, now Tom Cruise’s daughter has publicly snubbed her dad in exactly the same way.

Suri, 20, now legally goes by Suri Noelle – Noelle being mum Katie Holmes’ middle name – just as she makes her first foray into the acting world.

It’s the second big blow for Scientology superstar Tom – after recently discovering his daughter is entering the world of showbiz without leaning on his considerable experience and influence.

Tom, 64, can only watch from afar as she plays to crowds at the well-regarded Arts Education Center's Peirce Studio in Pittsburgh. The Shakespeare-based play, Midsummer! will then move to the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It’s a modest but solid beginning.

An insider says, “The fact that she’s pursuing a career in his industry and he’s not able to help guide her is incredibly painful, of course it is. Tom is such a wonderful mentor to so many young people in the business, he’s always willing to give advice and a helping hand to someone he sees potential in, and yet he can’t even share any of that wisdom with his own daughter, it’s got to make him feel pretty guilty.’

This might also be pretty embarrassing for Tom. He is one of the most influential Hollywood players of all time, yet the whole world knows he’s estranged from Suri as she makes headlines for her acting debut. It feels ironic she’s being hailed as the latest ‘nepo baby’ – yes, her parents are both famous actors, but the one with all the industry power is not sprinkling any of that nepotism magic dust…yet. Because, we hear that Tom would love to influence his daughter’s career in a positive way.

Our insider says, ‘Tom doesn’t talk openly about Suri, it’s too painful, but it’s obvious he’s very proud of her, regardless of the state of their relationship right now. And it’s safe to say he would be willing to do anything to help her, should she ask. Even if she doesn’t ask, it's very hard to imagine that he won’t be putting in a good word for her with all his connections when the time comes.”

However, Katie is not likely to be best pleased…in fact she’d have the right to be downright furious.

Katie, 47, brought up her daughter single handedly, protecting her from the world’s prying eyes and making sure Suri had a grounded childhood. Eschewing gated communities and private schools in Beverly Hills, Katie built a low-key life in New York City, with Suri going to a non-fee paying local high school – albeit the iconic Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts, where the legendary movie Fame was set. Suri is currently studying Musical Theatre at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In short, it seems Suri is doing just fine for herself without Tom’s input. And that’s the way it’s been for 13 years.

Katie and Tom married in 2006, a few months after Suri was born, and divorced in 2012. Katie had left Scientology by the time of their split and allegedly did not want Suri involved in the church. Katie was granted residential custody, and Tom and Suri have been estranged since 2013, last photographed together in 2012.

Tom remains dedicated to Scientology, acting as second in command to leader and long-term friend David Miscavige. His older children with ex-wife Nicole Kidman, Isabella, 33, and Connor, 31, are embedded in the church and seemingly have no contact with their mother.

Our source tells us Tom has regrets over his lost relationship with Suri.

"He has mellowed a lot in recent years and there's no doubt that if he could take it all back and do things differently, he would. But when he and Katie split, everything was so explosive and painful he felt like the only choice he had was to basically give in to her demands, which meant taking a giant step back and pretty much letting her have complete and total custody.”

The insider continues, “At the time everyone advising him felt it was the best course of action, but no one ever imagined it would result in him having no contact with his daughter for this long. He's always maintained that his goal was to protect her by saving her from a horrendous custody battle so naturally the people close to him feel he made an incredibly selfless decision for her benefit and sadly the reward has been total alienation.”

Our source tells us Tom has regrets over his lost relationship with Suri.

"He has mellowed a lot in recent years and there's no doubt that if he could take it all back and do things differently, he would. But when he and Katie split, everything was so explosive and painful he felt like the only choice he had was to basically give in to her demands, which meant taking a giant step back and pretty much letting her have complete and total custody.”

The insider continues, “At the time everyone advising him felt it was the best course of action, but no one ever imagined it would result in him having no contact with his daughter for this long. He's always maintained that his goal was to protect her by saving her from a horrendous custody battle so naturally the people close to him feel he made an incredibly selfless decision for her benefit and sadly the reward has been total alienation.”

But he clearly feels Suri is going places…with the right guidance.

“Even when she was just a toddler, he'd tell friends he could already see she had a natural gift for performing, so seeing her choosing the path he predicted she’d take so many years ago is very bittersweet. It fills him with enormous pride because he always believed she had that spark. He'd love nothing more than to be able to share in this journey with her and he hasn’t given up hope that one day that will happen.”

Katie will no doubt have something to say about this. She’s content and settled in her professional and private life. Most recently she acted alongside her Dawson’s Creek co-star Joshua Jackson in the movie Happy House and is dating New York artist Jason Bard Yarmosky, 37. Katie has done a commendable job in building a good life for herself and Suri post Tom. So, it is unlikely she will want anything to rock that, including her ex re-entering their lives uninvited.

She’s recognised as one of Hollywood’s most stunning leading ladies – but Megan Fox proved she’s not afraid to hit back at haters after her latest Instagram update came under fire.

The 40-year-old mum-of-three raised pulses with a set of sultry photos for her 24 million followers recently, posing in sexy black lingerie and a sheer scarf for a gothic-inspired shoot.

Adoring fans flooded the comments with praise for Megan’s racy style, but as always, there were a few negative voices among the crowd.

‘This shi* is so unbelievably embarrassing for a 40-year-old mom to be posting,’ said one critic, adding that it was ‘16-year-old tumblr shi*’.

But rather than keeping a dignified silence, Megan clapped back with a barbed response aimed at the anonymous commenter.

‘Which one of my exes is this,’ she shadily wrote, to the delight of her fanbase.

Before her sharp reply made headlines, Megan – who is mum to Noah, 13, Bodhi, 12, and Journey, nine, with ex Brian Austin Green, and 15-month-old Saga Blade with former fiancé Machine Gun Kelly – has spoken previously about her issues with insecurities and body image.

‘We may look at somebody and think, “That person's so beautiful. Their life must be so easy,” she said in 2021. ‘They most likely don't feel that way about themselves. I have body dysmorphia. I have a lot of deep insecurities.’

Spending time focusing on her well-being, she’s gradually learned to see things differently, especially as she processed the way she was unfairly treated at the beginning of her acting career.

But over time, Transformers star Megan has changed her perspective - especially when delving into how she was mistreated during the early years of her career, which began in 2001.

‘That is something that I did a lot of work on,’ she explained. ‘I've done everything you can do to try to make sense of that. Because it's easy when you go through something like that to feel like a victim, obviously. That's your first instinct and response, but that doesn't serve you and that makes life miserable, living life as a victim.’

She added, ‘I did a lot of work to remove that feeling of being a victim and to realize that it was a lesson. So, there was purpose in it and I didn't have to suffer any more. It's [made me grow] into a much more interesting human being than I would have been without that. It allows you the space to have gratitude for something that previously you felt persecuted by. That's the one thing in my life I did a lot of work on, I do feel free from.’

Back in 2022, Megan was also honest about her cosmetic surgery journey, revealing what she’d done and why.

‘I had my boobs done when I was 21 or 22,’ the actress revealed. ‘I had them redone after I was done breastfeeding my kids because I don't know where they went, but they went.

'And then I had to have them redone very recently because the first set… I didn't have enough body fat to disguise [them]. You could see the rippling of the implant. So I had to switch them out to this set.’

Asking her surgeon for ‘1990 stripper titties’, Megan said, ‘I said, “I better wake up with the biggest boobs you can fit in my body” - and that is what he said he did. And they're not even that big. They're a 32D, which is not that big. They just look big on my body because my body's tiny. But if he could have gone bigger, I would've had him go bigger because I don't like surgery.’

She insisted she hasn’t had a ‘rhinoplasty since she was 23’ and addressed how fast nasty remarks can appear online whenever she shares a photo.

‘I feel like there's this stigma, and I'm not going to win,’ she said. ‘I'll be like, holy shi*, that is a particularly cruel thing to say. Who is this person? And I'll click on it and she'll be like, women's life coach, crystal healing, tantric lessons, divine feminine.

'And she's under my comments, crucifying me for being plastic or whatever. But if you were to ask her, she would be like, “Well, that's because she perpetuates an unhealthy standard of beauty.” So here I am, I'm going to be fully transparent. I still won't win.’

It could be just days now until the pitter-patter of new royal feet, with Princess Eugenie expected to welcome her third child with husband Jack Brooksbank this summer.

And of course, for grandparents to be Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, the arrival of another grandchild could bring more than just family joy, as the disgraced former Duke and Duchess continue to be entirely estranged from the Royal Family.

With their reputations battered and their standing within the Firm continuing to face scrutiny, we’re told how Andrew, 67, and Sarah, 66, are ‘pinning their hopes’ on the new arrival giving them a chance to wheedle their way back into the family fold– at least in the short term.

An insider says, ‘They’re absolutely thrilled for Eugenie and very excited to be getting another grandchild, but they’re also saying that nothing brings a family together quite like a newborn, so they’re seeing this as an opportunity to try and build a bridge with Charles and Camilla and the rest of their extended family.

‘Andrew’s very excited and proud, and he’s been sharing updates with the family members he still keeps in touch with, and certain courtiers and other staffers as well.

He and Sarah are definitely looking at this as a foot back in the door with the Firm. They know this baby isn't going to erase everything that's happened, but they can’t help but pin a lot of hope on this. They are determined to make the most of every opportunity this new arrival brings because, in their minds, it's a rare chance to remind everyone they're still part of the family.’

It’s now been ten months since the former Yorks were sensationally stripped of their titles and evicted from their family home of Royal Lodge on the Windsor Estate following increased scrutiny over the couple’s long-standing friendship with child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew has denied any wrongdoing.

Following their public humiliation, Andrew has resided in Norfolk, where he was arrested under suspicion of misconduct in public office in February. The investigation is still ongoing.

Meanwhile, his ex-wife, Sarah, who once declared that she and Andrew were ‘the happiest divorced couple in the world,’ has now all but fled to the remote mountains in Austria and appears to want absolutely nothing to do with him.

However, when it comes to her role as a grandparent, Sarah has always been a doting one, even helping to organise Princess Beatrice’s daughter, Sienna’s, third unicorn-inspired birthday back in 2024. Gifting her granddaughter a ‘pink mackintosh with glitter in it’, she hinted at her role as a somewhat naughty grandma when she quipped, ‘I think mum was thrilled with that!’

Now we’re told how Sarah is planning to fly over to Eugenie, who splits her time between the UK and Portugal, and help out with her new grandchild when the time comes.

‘Sarah is convinced she'll be spending plenty of time helping Eugenie once the baby arrives, and she's hopeful that'll mean she gets more time with Beatrice and her children, too,’ the insider says.

Yet Eugenie, 36, and her sister Beatrice, 37, have been forced to navigate their own public storms this year after coming under intense criticism when an audit by The National Audit Office (NAO) reported last month that King Charles covers the accommodation costs for non-working royals' homes, meaning that the sisters live rent-free in their properties within the Royal Family's London palaces.

The backlash was severe, with former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown even cruelly describing Beatrice and Eugenie as ‘symbolising a rot at the heart of the monarchy’, with calls for the Princesses to be stripped of their own titles.

But after very publicly being welcomed back within the royal fold at the wedding of her cousin Peter Phillips to Harriet Sperling last month, Eugenie is no doubt now walking a tight rope between swerving clear of her ‘radioactive’ parents to perhaps appease the royals, but also placating the new grandparents-to-be, whom the source poignantly adds are still her mum and dad.

The source explains, ‘Eugenie is in a very difficult position, because she wants to include her parents and allow them to bond with her new baby when the time comes, but the last thing she needs right now is any more stress or negative publicity.

‘It’s no secret she’s been incredibly shaken by all the scrutiny, as has Beatrice, since Andrew and Sarah are utterly radioactive in everyone’s eyes, and it’s hard to imagine that changing any time in the future. The scandal is far from over and done with, as this police investigation is still ongoing.

‘But she loves them both and refuses to completely sever ties, since they’re her flesh and blood after all. And despite everything that’s happened, their dad has still not been found guilty of any crime, nor has her mother.’

Yet even without any official photographs, any pictures of Eugenie reuniting with her mother and father following the birth of her third child will undoubtedly turn what is supposed to be a precious moment into a media circus and a potential PR exercise for the Yorks – something the source says both Eugenie and Jack cannot allow.

‘There’s only so much association she’s willing to allow, and it makes zero sense to her or Jack to allow their parents to use this baby as a tool to with their image,' the source says.

‘Quite honestly, she finds it pretty insulting that they’d try to do that, so the most Andrew and Sarah can hope for is quiet one-on-one grandparent time behind closed doors. That’s not stopped them from dreaming and plotting, though. They’re determined to latch onto any positive piece of news they can.’

Despite the fact that he now lives in near-hiding at Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate, Andrew is widely reported to have been the ‘mastermind’ behind his daughters’ return to the fold on Peter and Harriet’s wedding day.

He is reported to have urged his daughters, who were coincidentally photographed in clear view greeting Prince William, to ‘hold their heads high’ and remember they are ‘princesses of blood’.

His plea follows reports that upon leaving Royal Lodge, he also embarked on a spontaneous rant, during which Andrew is alleged to have demanded that his staff 'damn well' continue to call him by his 'correct titles' in his own home, until they 'send a vampire to suck out every drop of royal blood in my veins'. He’s then reported to have set them up a caravan in the front garden of his new home – perhaps as an apology.

Continuing in this vain, the source says Andrew is now ‘adamant’ that the latest Brooksbank baby deserves a ‘prominent position in the Firm’, because they carry his royal bloodline - of course.

‘Andrew, for one, is adamant that the York family as a whole will have a huge part to play in the future of the monarchy moving forward,’ the source says.

‘He is quick to point out that this baby, along with Beatrice and Eugenie’s other children, will carry his royal bloodline and will deserve a prominent position in the Firm by virtue of that. He wants that to be respected and upheld by King Charles and, of course, William when he takes the Crown.’

Meanwhile, managing the final weeks of her pregnancy with her two young sons – August, five, and Ernest, three, in tow – the source says Eugenie is finding the whole scenario ‘painful’ right now.

‘All this meddling and pontificating on his part is not helpful for Eugenie,’ we’re told.

‘She has her hands extremely full right now with her other kids, as well as the birth to prepare for. So needing to regulate her parents is a painful scenario that’s really weighing her down.’

Having had her first taste of magazine life at just 15 on work experience, Lauren Hill-Roger has now been working in the world of celebs for well over a decade. Now, most of her week is filled with reporting on Hollywood and the Royal Family for heat and Closer. From Megxit to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s scandal, she lives and dreams of the crown jewels and is a mega-fan of K Middy and his royal hotness, Prince William.

For a family that has spent years locked in a bitter feud, it was supposed to be the ultimate olive branch. Prince Harry had finally returned to the royal fold with Meghan Markle and their two children by his side, while King Charles and Queen Camilla were reportedly ready to welcome them back with open arms.

There was just one rather important royal missing from the family reunion - Harry’s older brother, Prince William.

After more than six years of estrangement, and reportedly at least four since the brothers last spoke, William remains firmly on the sidelines. The future King is widely believed to be ‘furious’ over the revelations and tell-alls from Harry and Meghan, and has so far shown little inclination to bury the hatchet.

Now, we’re told that the latest developments have done little to soften his stance. Rather than being encouraged to follow his father’s lead and consider his own route towards forgiveness and reconciliation with Harry, 41, William, 44, has allegedly been left ‘sickened’ by what he sees as the Sussexes’ latest attempt to generate publicity.

It had all seemed remarkably quiet in the days after Meghan and Harry’s top-secret summit with Charles and Camilla. With no interviews, photographs or carefully timed announcements emerging, royal watchers were left wondering what, exactly, had been agreed behind closed doors.

For weeks, Meghan, 44, appeared to be playing by Charles’ reported rules, keeping a deliberately low profile and maintaining the utmost discretion. Harry, of course, has no social media presence of his own, so there was little to suggest that the couple were planning to make their reconciliation a public spectacle. Not even a jar of Highgrove House-inspired jam appeared on Meghan’s brand.

But then, three weeks after the secret meeting – and conveniently coinciding with her appearance on MasterChef Australia at the weekend – Meghan broke her silence in rather more visual fashion.

Her social-media followers were suddenly presented with a carefully curated glimpse into the family’s summer, complete with beach days, laid-back outdoor meals and plenty of poolside fun.

Yet, nestled among the glossy holiday snaps was one image that was always likely to attract attention. Meghan shared a photograph of Archie and Lilibet making their way to Princess Diana’s grave at Althorp House, where they laid flowers for their late grandmother.

Royal author Tom Sykes summarised the jarring image, writing on his Substack, The Royalist, ‘They process down an avenue of lime trees at Althorp clutching bouquets to lay on Diana’s grave, which seems a weird thing to post as part of your holiday content, but hey ho: then we went to a grave! Everything is absolutely sun-kissed and amazing.’

Another headline screams, ‘Meghan's vulgar act at Diana's sacred resting place vindicates Prince William's suspicions’ as columnist Maureen Callahan writes, ‘Just when you think Meghan can’t go any lower, she outdoes herself.’

And while the picture may have been presented as just another moment from the family’s summer, we’re told that, for William, it was anything but.

A source tells us, ‘The fact they shared a photo of the children on the grounds of Diana’s family home has enraged William. He says it’s so obvious it was done to get headlines, and that sickens him.

‘He doesn’t have any objection to Archie and Lilibet paying their respects to their late grandmother, but in his view, to turn it into a publicity grab is just beyond disrespectful, and he’s incredibly sad that they would stoop this low.

‘That being said, he’s not the least bit shocked because this is exactly the sort of thing he was expecting to happen.’

Days after touching down back in the US, the Sussexes’ silence was shattered when Meghan posted the news that her now-defunct Netflix show, As Ever, had been nominated for a daytime Emmy Award.

But we’re told that it was the carousel of holiday photographs that William really found jarring, given that Meghan went as far as to share a picture of a restaurant and shop they had visited – a slip that, with a little digging, could lead to anyone of her 4.7 million followers and beyond to discover the location of their holiday home, believed to be their family villa in Portugal.

The insider explains, ‘He [William] believes that everything they do at this point is just about their public image. Even the photos they shared from Portugal have him seeing red.

‘They've gone to such extraordinary lengths to protect their privacy, yet here they are voluntarily sharing some of their most private moments and offering all these clues about where their holiday home is. He finds it very hypocritical and believes this proves nothing has changed and insists he’s not the only one who sees that they appear to want it both ways.’

It’s widely reported that William is far from alone in harbouring reservations about the Sussexes. Several reports have suggested that, behind palace walls, a number of courtiers remain wary of Harry and Meghan’s return to the royal fold, fearing that any fresh grievances could once again find their way into the public domain.

Queen Camilla, too, is said to have her own reasons for remaining cautious, with her reported distrust believed to stem in part from a desire to shield Charles from any further hurt.

And the source says the photograph, which sees Lilibet in the forefront, complete with a little purple handbag, walking towards Diana’s grave, has left ‘a lot of people’ feeling ‘suspicious’.

‘After everything that’s gone on, it’s very hard for a lot of people to see anything Meghan and Harry do without some level of suspicion, and naturally, after this visit, everyone was on high alert and essentially waiting for when and how they would try and monetise it,’ the source says.

‘That’s why the photo of Lilibet became such a talking point, it pretty well proved everyone’s predictions and reinforced this perception that nothing can happen without it being turned into some sort of publicity stunt.’

However, after speculation last year hinted at a ‘Bring Harry Back from the Cold’ mission had been launched by the Palace in a bid to ingratiate the Prince back into the public’s affections, the source adds that this latest ill-timed photo op has raised eyebrows over Harry’s own involvement.

We’re told, ‘For so long, Meghan has taken all the blame for anything they do that appears to be aimed at getting attention, but it’s becoming harder and harder for people to let Harry off the hook, especially after this photo of Lilibet that’s clearly taken at Althorp because it’s just impossible to believe he wouldn't have signed off on it.

‘This whole narrative that Meghan is making all the decisions and Harry has no choice in any of it just doesn't make sense.’

As ever, we are told Harry and Meghan are hitting back and see this latest wave of criticism as just another example of how their critics will stop at nothing to ‘tear into them’. And if the royals agree? Then so be it…

‘Of course, Meghan and Harry don't see it that way at all, as far as they're concerned, all this criticism is just proving that anything they do will be seen through a negative lens,’ the source says.

‘To have people tearing into them for sharing an innocent photo of a child in a garden is so absurd it doesn’t warrant any sort of response. They feel they’re going to be looked down on no matter what they do, so they’re past the point of even paying it any attention.

‘And, if the royals want to play that game, then so be it; they can’t control what other people think of them and would rather just rise above it. They certainly aren’t going to bend to this sort of nonsense.’

Having had her first taste of magazine life at just 15 on work experience, Lauren Hill-Roger has now been working in the world of celebs for well over a decade. Now, most of her week is filled with reporting on Hollywood and the Royal Family for heat and Closer. From Megxit to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s scandal, she lives and dreams of the crown jewels and is a mega-fan of K Middy and his royal hotness, Prince William.

Meghan Markle appeared to be sending a very public message that all is well in her marriage to Prince Harry when she shared a carousel of sun-soaked family snaps from their European getaway ahead of their return to the UK earlier this month.

There were candid shots of the couple laughing over a wine-fuelled al fresco dinner, deserted beaches enjoyed at the height of the summer holidays (the perks of royal life!) and even what appeared to be a joyful frolic through fields of lavender. Except that particular snap was actually taken during the family’s visit to Princess Diana’s grave at Althorp House during their brief UK trip.

It's an undeniably jarring - the carefree holiday snaps of soaking up the sun, wining and dining and frolicking in the flowers, all seemingly given the same glossy, filtered treatment as a solemn visit to the final resting place of Harry’s late mother. And perhaps that goes some way to explaining why one royal observer has since dismissed the entire collection as ‘bulls**t’.

Harsh? Perhaps. But the comment does raise an important question: Why have Meghan and Harry suddenly felt the need to put their PDA quite so firmly on display?

For months, speculation has swirled that the couple have been leading increasingly separate lives. Harry has repeatedly dismissed and mocked divorce rumours, but that hasn’t stopped observers from noting the potential pressure points in their marriage - including the Duke’s reported desire to spend more time in the UK and Meghan’s alleged reluctance to follow suit.

And now, we’re told that one person has been particularly aware of the challenges facing the Sussexes during their eight-year marriage: King Charles. According to a source, the monarch has made it clear that his youngest son can turn to him whenever he needs advice – or simply finds his current domestic predicament all too much to handle.

An insider says, ‘Charles has been watching everything unfold from a distance and, while he’s certainly not wishing for Harry’s marriage to fail, he’s realistic enough to know that even the strongest relationships can hit their breaking point under this kind of pressure.

‘Charles isn't blind to any of this, and he can’t help but want to step in and try to help. He’s been through a very public divorce himself and knows how different things can be behind closed doors compared to the image people see.’

Following their reunion with Charles earlier this month, Meghan was reportedly left ‘saddened’ that she was unable to attend any events alongside Harry during their UK visit, while also feeling ‘humiliated’ by the very public back-and-forth over the Sussexes’ lack of police protection. The row ultimately saw Meghan and the couple’s children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, secretly ushered through the doors of Highgrove House.

Now back in the US, there has been renewed speculation that the couple continue to lead ‘separate lives’.

A source told Naughty But Nice’s Rob Shuter, ‘They’re living very separate lives now. It’s gone beyond work schedules. They have different priorities, different routines, and they’re spending much less time together than people realise.’

Furthermore, a source previously told us how the Duchess of Sussex continues to be ‘worried Harry is being pulled back into old patterns of manipulation by his family’ and is ‘extremely upset’ about potentially moving back to the UK.

And while there is no suggestion that Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, are planning to separate - including Harry's insistence that there would be no pre-nup in place to protect his $30 million fortune - his reported desire to rejoin the royal fold in some capacity and to spend more time in the UK will likely have only heightened these reported tensions.

Of course, with everything at the Palace, contingency plans for births, deaths,and undoubtedly divorce are crucially always put into place. Back in the early 1990s, it was even reported by the New York Times that the late Queen had encouraged her son Charles to divorce Princess Diana ahead of her explosive Panorama interview to lessen the outrage and accusations of infidelity that would, and did, ensue.

And we were previously told that the possible eventuality of Meghan and Harry divorcing has had to be considered, too.

‘The Palace is quietly drawing up contingency plans in the event of a split. The thought is that Harry might push for a return 
to the UK, but Meghan won’t want to come back from the US – and that schism is potentially dangerous,’ a source said.

Meanwhile, despite this secret divorce plan, the source says that Charles’ priority continues to be his family’s happiness, as we’re told the King feels strongly that matters of the heart are an area he can advise in, especially if it means his youngest son doesn’t have to shoulder the emotional burden alone.

The insider says, ‘He wants Harry to know that, if he ever reaches a point where he’s overwhelmed or confused, there’s no judgment waiting for him; he'll be there to listen and offer whatever wisdom he can. He knows he can’t advise Harry on the Hollywood side of life or the business decisions he and Meghan are making, but relationships are another matter.

‘Ultimately, all Charles wants is for Harry to be happy, but he also wants him to face whatever lies ahead with his eyes wide open. He doesn't want Harry to bury his head in the sand and pretend everything's fine if it isn't. More than anything, Charles wants Harry to know doesn't have to shoulder this all alone.’

Yet even with the best intentions from the monarch, the source says Harry and Meghan’s marriage remains a ‘major talking point’ within royal circles.

‘The royals generally try not to dignify gossip, but Harry and Meghan's marriage has become a major talking point behind palace walls,’ the source says.

‘The tensions are becoming increasingly hard to ignore, particularly now that Harry appears to want to spend more time in the UK while Meghan seems very resistant to that idea, which is only going to mean more time apart. It doesn’t help that they’ve got such different views on Hollywood and the whole fame game, which certainly adds to the feeling that they’re on very different paths.

‘There are certainly people within the Firm who don't believe it's going to last, but the general feeling is that they've invested so much in their life together and have so much to lose if they were to split that they'll do everything they can to make it work.’

There is also no doubt that the fallout of a split would be monumental, even beyond the heartbreak of a family divided. So much so, we were previously told how courtiers are said to be ‘considering a golden handshake’ settlement, which would be ‘more generous than might be assumed, but heavily structured’.

The insider added, ‘It would include a strict gagging order designed to prevent further exposés of private life. It’s like with Princess Diana 
all over again – only, this time the language will be tighter, and the penalties for breaking it heavier. The agreement would also grant Meghan the continued use of her Duchess of Sussex title. The Palace sees it as a face-saving measure, because tearing it away from her could spark a media war.’

For months now, it had been widely reported that Charles, 77, was keen to reunite with his son and spend more time with his grandchildren. However, the source says that the monarch’s desire to bring Harry back to the UK runs alongside his wish for Harry and Meghan to maintain a happy marriage.

‘This isn't about trying to come between Harry and Meghan, in fact, contrary to what a lot of people might think, Charles is actually rooting for them,’ we’re told.

‘He wants Harry to be happy, and he wants to see his grandchildren grow up in a happy home. He feels very protective of them all.’

She’s the eternal rom-com queen who’s never quite managed to lock down her happy ever after. So, watching Jennifer Aniston look happier than ever with her boyfriend, Jim Curtis, is – of course – a joy to behold for friends, family and adoring fans across the globe. But, according to sources, the actress’s recent decision to scale down her work commitments, while throwing herself fully behind Jim’s own work projects, has now got her loved ones thinking twice.

Obviously, there’s nothing wrong with the 57-year-old rallying around her partner – especially since she believes so strongly in the work Jim, 50, does as a spiritual coach and hypnotherapist. The concern is that Jen is running the risk of sacrificing her own career in the process, diminishing her successes and making herself smaller to give Jim centre stage. She might not crave the limelight so strongly anymore – but, as far as her inner circle is concerned, she still deserves top billing.

‘Jen’s priorities have clearly shifted,’ says an insider close to the superstar, who’s worked hard over the past three decades to keep her place on top of the Hollywood pyramid. ‘She’s turning down work and spending virtually all her time focused on Jim and his career. It goes beyond being a supportive girlfriend. There’s even talk that she’d like to become actively involved in the business to the point that she’s interested in training as a hypnotherapist herself. That’s all well and good, but people around her can’t help noticing it’s coming at the expense of her own career, and they worry she’s making a mistake.’

Last week, eyebrows were raised after it was announced that Jen would be making a live appearance alongside Jim in New York in early September to promote his new book, ‘The Book of Possibility: Release, Align, Become’. Taking to the stage together for the first time ever, the couple will sit down for a live Q+A – which will see Jen interview Jim all about his ‘transformational work, the origins of his book in his workshops and coaching, and the role of the mind in healing’. Jim will then treat audience members to a ‘guided visualisation’ accompanied by live music.

By all accounts, it promises to be a special night for the pair – especially since Jen has previously voiced her admiration for Jim’s work, telling Elle magazine in an interview last year, ‘He’s quite extraordinary, and helps many, many people.’ But – with live audience members being charged $95 for a ticket, and at-home viewers paying $55 to watch the event online – questions are being raised over Jim’s decision to use his very famous girlfriend as something of a promotional tool. Granted, he might be well respected in his industry, but Jen is a household name with a global fanbase and 44.7m Instagram followers who hang onto her every word. So, it’s hard to deny that Jim has a whole lot to gain from having her throw her weight behind his work.

At the same time, it hasn’t escaped anyone’s attention that Jen’s been quietly retreating from a few of her own work commitments. Last week, it was revealed that she’s pulled out of the upcoming TV adaptation of actress Jennette McCurdy’s hit memoir, ‘I’m Glad My Mom Died’. Jen had been attached to the project for a while, and was due to executive produce the series, as well as star as Jennette’s controversial mother, but news that she’s pulled out – apparently due to scheduling issues – has left people wondering if she’s hitting the brakes on her own career. And the whispers have only gotten louder, as it has since been announced that Jen’s hit series The Morning Show will end after its upcoming fifth season.

As the news was released, Jen took to Instagram to share snapshots of the upcoming finale season, telling fans she was “laughing and crying” at the same time alongside pictures of herself with cast members Reese Witherspoon and Mark Duplass. As our source explains, seeing Jen wave goodbye to two projects in a short amount of time has only raised concern further. Needless to say, with a reported net worth of $320m, she could very happily retire at any time she wishes. But having long loved the work she does – and the people she does it with – it does seem odd that she’d now be turning her back on her lifelong vocation and enmeshing herself so insistently in Jim’s world.

‘The fact that the next season of The Morning Show will now be its last has only added to everyone’s worrying because, not too long ago, the talk was that she would keep that going for many years to come,’ we’re told. ‘This does feel like a very sudden turnaround – especially as it’s come hot on the heels of her dropping out of the Jennette McCurdy project. But Jen seems to be content with both decisions because it will mean she has a lot more free time, which she says she’s been craving. Still, it’s a little bewildering that instead of getting paid millions to do what she does best, she’s going to be on the road with Jim to promote his new book. It’s hard for people not to wonder if she’s dimming her own light to help him shine.’

Unsurprisingly, there’s now an effort inside Jen’s inner circle to remind her that – although things are going well so far – it’s still early days for her and Jim. They just celebrated their one-year anniversary after first being pictured together in July 2025. Nevertheless, there’s no denying that the actress seems more loved up and more content than she has in years. Crucially, it’s important to remember that, having been married twice to actors, Brad Pitt and Justin Theroux respectively, and having also dated her fair share of entertainers in the past, this is her first public relationship with someone who, though successful, dominates a completely different market. For that reason, she doesn’t have to worry about competing in the same arena.

And – though it is very possible that she’s purposefully taking a backseat to make sure her fame and fortune doesn’t eclipse his – it’s also just as fair to assume that, after all these years, she’s simply happy to shine the spotlight somewhere else for a minute.

Ultimately, we’re told, Jen’s managing to allay her friends’ concerns – for now, at least. ‘She insists she knows exactly what she’s doing, and says it’s completely worth it because she already has more than enough money and fame for 10 lifetimes,’ our insider explains. ‘What she values most now is love and the life she’s building with Jim. Everyone is just holding their breath and praying that she’s finally found a man worthy of all the incredible things she offers because, when she’s in love, she does not hold back.’

He’s currently very loved up with actress Zoe Kravitz and the couple are reportedly preparing to tie the knot within months.

As Closer recently reported, there’s talk that wedding bells could be ringing for pop icon Harry Style and Zoe by Christmas - possibly at her rock star dad Lenny’s luxury retreat in the Bahamas.

But while they’ve been flaunting their romance – and Zoe has been flaunting a very large 12-carat sparkler said to be worth $500,000 - Harry Styles has raised eyebrows after being spotted at a screening of his ex Olivia Wilde’s latest movie, discreetly slipping out before the film ended to avoid being seen.

The 1D star - who was spotted supporting his ex during his low-key visit to a cinema in Sao Paulo during his Together Together Tour in Brazil – was reported to have arrived with two bodyguards to watch The Invite, which is directed by and stars Olivia, 42.

The couple – who famously met when Olivia cast Harry in her movie Don’t Worry Darling in 2020 - split in 2022 after almost two years together. It was said that the ‘amicable’ split was down to their busy schedules, with him often touring and mum-of-two Olivia needing to remain in L.A with her young family.

At the time, a source told Closer that the then 28-year-old Harry had tried to end the romance a few times but Olivia, then 38, had wooed him back, with our insider saying, ‘Harry tried to end it with Olivia multiple times, but she kept begging him not to and would get upset every time he did try to leave.

‘He was so done with all the drama – her anxiety about other women, the toxic war with her ex [actor Jason Sudeikis], her failure to connect with his friends and family, plus the apparent pressure to get engaged. It all became too much in the end.’

And our insider said that Olivia was struggling to cope following the end of the relationship and was hoping that there could be a way back.

‘Olivia has this hope that they’ll wind up together again, but there’s zero chance of that. Harry’s totally done with the drama,’ the source told us. ‘For Olivia, this is heartbreaking. Harry was her everything, and she really believed he was in it for the long haul. She had her heart set on them marrying and building a long-term future together. Now, she’s wondering what she’s going to do next.’

More recently, last month Olivia opened up for the first time since her split with Harry to say that the age gap between them ‘really did upset people’ – and that he carries a ‘heavy burden’.

Speaking on the Call Her Daddy podcast, she said,  ‘It was crazy. I don’t know how much I understand it yet. I understand it had very little to do with me. People were f*****g p****d!

‘I think it also had a lot to do with the kind of parasocial relationship people have with him, which is a burden that is very weighty and not something I envy. He carries it with grace.’

She added, ‘I think that we existed in this, like, little bubble and the judgment never really got into that bubble, which was a miracle and testament to us making that happen.

‘I think that people were mad. It’s almost like the happiness made them mad. I would go to shows and dance, and people were like, ‘You slut! How dare you dance and smile?’ It really did upset people, though.’

Olivia added, ‘I think that is an enormous responsibility that all those stars have to carry, and it’s f***ing impossible. It’s wild because we had the loveliest relationship, so, so sweet and beautiful, and really very domestic and kind and lovely.’

Following their split, Harry had brief romances with model Emily Ratajkowski, pop star Taylor Russell and producer Ella Kenny, before hooking up with Zoe while she promoted her moving Caught Stealing, being spotted by a fan arm-in-arm in Rome in August last year.

Things have moved on quickly, with the couple apparently forging a deep bond over their shared love of all things ‘New Age’ and enjoying wellness routines together, including meditating and sound baths.

A source recently told us that this time, Harry is seriously in love and that it looks like Zoe is for keeps. ‘His friends feel like he’s really met his match. Zoë’s very independent and not threatened by his sex-symbol status,’ said the insider. ‘She’s played it cool and let things unfold naturally, which has only made Harry fall for her even harder. He finds her inspiring and feels lucky to be with her.’

And their love of all things spiritual is said to be spilling over into their wedding plans, with the source adding, ‘It’s no surprise their hippy side is spilling over into the wedding plans because this is who they genuinely are.

‘They want the whole day to feel authentic and full of positive energy, so there'll be lots of little rituals woven into the ceremony, from blessing crystals and setting intentions, maybe even a guided meditation before they say their vows. They know some people will think it's all a bit out there, but they couldn't care less, they are both very unique characters and their wedding will be too.’

Meanwhile, Olivia has since moved on with pop star Ellie Goulding’s ex, Caspar Jopling. Speaking earlier this year, Olivia said she felt protective of art dealer Caspar, 34, who she has been dating since September last year.

She told The Cut, ‘When you’re with someone who’s not in the entertainment industry or isn’t a public figure, I have a sense of, “I want to protect this person as much as I can”.

‘I’m in a really lovely relationship now.  I adore him, and I feel completely whole and intact as a person. I think it’s only possible after spending a couple years alone. If you haven’t ever been single for a few years, how do you even know who you are?’

Six years on from the ‘Megxit’ bombshell when Prince Harry and wife Meghan dramatically quit the UK, it finally seems as if tensions with the royal family are thawing after King Charles welcomed the Sussexes for a discreet meeting at Highgrove House.

But even though the 77-year-old monarch is eager for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to return as royals, a source tells Closer that Kate Middleton and Prince William are utterly opposed to the King’s move, with Kate believing that William can never forgive Meghan and Harry for the years of hurt he feels they’ve caused.

‘William and Kate both believe there are some things that can’t be undone,’ says our source. ‘However much Charles wants everyone to move on, William and Kate don’t think it’s possible to build bridges without first building trust – and, right now, that doesn’t exist.’

The insider adds, ‘Charles believes the monarchy has to think long-term, and Harry, Meghan and the children could still have a role in strengthening the institution if relationships could somehow be repaired.

‘But William and Kate don’t see it that way and they feel it won’t be solved by putting duty first. Kate is normally incredibly forgiving – she much prefers to forgive and forget, rather than hold grudges – but this is completely different.

'She feels like she was dragged into a very public dispute that she never wanted any part of. She can usually put difficult situations behind her, but she’s still carrying the hurt of what happened. She can’t file those feelings away just because someone tells her it’s better for the monarchy.’

Royal watchers were thrilled when Harry and Meghan, 44, accepted an invitation from King Charles to visit his Gloucestershire estate in early July, bringing Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, with them.

That Highgrove event, which the Palace called a ‘private family occasion’, was the first time Charles had met his youngest grandchildren since the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee events in June 2022 - his only previous chance to see Lilibet.

Perhaps wanting to prove their discretion, there have been no leaks about the last-minute get-together, other than that it lasted for ‘an hour or so’ and that Harry and Meghan were both reportedly ‘sworn to secrecy’ by the King.

Although the gathering was said to be smooth, the dynamic between Harry and William, 44, remains very strained. ‘It’s so broken,’ revealed the source. ‘There has been no movement, especially on William’s side. There is no contact.’

The long-standing tension between the Sussexes and Waleses has been widely reported since their ‘jarring’ first meeting, despite claims the heirs were at one point ‘regular – nay, religious – viewers’ of Meghan’s hit Suits.

One of the many revelations since the Sussexes stepped down from royal duties in 2020 came when Meghan spoke about drama before her and Harry’s wedding - saying she thought the story about her making Kate cry over a bridesmaid’s dress was deliberately leaked, when actually ‘it was the other way around’ and claimed that it was Kate who had made her cry.

In his 2023 memoir Spare, Harry also described Kate, 44, saying she was ‘owed an apology’ after Meghan joked she had ‘baby brain’, and told her that she and Meghan weren’t ‘close enough for you to talk about my hormones’.

Harry, 41, detailed an argument that turned physical between him and William, when William called Meghan ‘difficult’, ‘rude’ and ‘abrasive’. He also recounted in the Netflix series that William had ‘screamed’ at him in front of their grandmother in early 2020 when Harry revealed his plans to leave Britain.

These events, our source says, have resulted in a total collapse of trust. ‘Kate felt unable to defend herself after the television interviews and everything that came afterwards – the insinuations, the repeated references to the family, and the speculation that surrounded her. She’s found that incredibly difficult to forget.

'She can’t just rebuild the broken trust because it’s politically convenient. People often assume William is the emotional one because he’s naturally more outspoken, but Kate has been carrying this quietly for years. She was hurt by the way events unfolded and the public narrative surrounding her – she feels she became collateral damage in someone else’s story.’

Our source continues, ‘Charles has repeatedly encouraged William and Kate to separate their personal feelings from what he believes is best for the monarchy. He worries about its long-term future and believes unity would strengthen it.

'But William has made it absolutely clear to both his father and senior aides that there is no way back – unless the Sussexes properly acknowledge the damage they’ve done. From his perspective, asking everyone to move on without that isn’t reconciliation, it’s denying anything happened. He’s told Charles that he can’t move on without that – too much damage has been done.’

The insider says William is also sticking up for his wife. ‘He knows how much it affected Kate, and seeing how hurt she’s been has made him more determined to hold his brother accountable. He can’t separate his public and family life for the sake of constitutional duty.’

Back when Harry and Meghan still lived in the UK, the two couples were seen as friendly, once even nicknamed ‘The Fab Four’.

Kate and Meghan attended Wimbledon together in both 2018 and 2019, and Harry wrote that the Princess of Wales was ‘the sister I’d never had and always wanted’ – describing her as ‘carefree, sweet [and] kind’.

Harry has sometimes spoken about wanting his relationship with his family mended, telling the BBC in May 2025, ‘I would love reconciliation with my family. There’s no point in continuing to fight any more.’

And it seems Harry might be getting closer to that dream, as sources say Charles may now invite the Sussexes to join the family’s summer break at Balmoral in Scotland.

Our source says, ‘As both a father and head of state, the King still believes reconciliation is possible. He worries about the image of a permanently divided royal family, and believes future generations should have the opportunity to know one another.

'Charles doesn’t see Archie and Lilibet as outsiders, he talks about them as part of the family’s future, and if relationships are repaired, they could eventually help strengthen the monarchy. He believes every generation matters when it comes to protecting the crown and having Harry’s children connected to royal life would only make it stronger.

‘He’s trying to build a bridge between the Wales and Sussex families – even suggesting that there should be a meeting between them at Balmoral. But William and Kate have consistently told him, “This plan won’t work.”’

The source adds, ‘They understand why Charles keeps trying, and they respect the fact that he’s looking at the bigger picture. But every time the conversation comes up, they reach the same conclusion – their feeling is there’s no way back.’

For years, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner were one of Hollywood's most beloved couples. From red carpet appearances to raising a family together, their relationship captivated fans for more than a decade. Even after their marriage ended, the pair continued to defy the usual celebrity break-up script, remaining close as co-parents and supporting one another through life's biggest challenges.

It was that enduring bond that has made Jennifer's latest public appearance so poignant.

The former couple first met while filming Pearl Harbor in 2001, but romance didn't blossom until four years later after they reunited on the set of Daredevil. By the summer of 2004, friendship had turned into love, and just a year later they married in an intimate ceremony in the Caribbean.

Together they welcomed three children – Violet, 20,  Fin,17, and Samuel,14, – and quickly became one of Hollywood's most admired families.

But behind the scenes, cracks began to emerge.

In June 2015, just days after celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary, Ben and Jennifer announced they were ending their marriage. ‘After much thought and careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to divorce,’ they wrote in a joint statement.  ‘We go forward with love and friendship for one another and a commitment to co-parenting our children whose privacy we ask to be respected during this difficult time.’

Speaking of the period in 2015, when the couple began navigating their new reality Jennifer says, she was ‘consumed’ with the ‘upheaval’.

‘When my kids were little, I worked so little, and then we had such an upheaval in our family, that I really hardly worked for a long time.’

Their divorce was finalised three years later, but unlike many high-profile splits, theirs was marked by compassion rather than conflict.

Jennifer repeatedly spoke warmly about her former husband. In one interview after their split, she memorably said, ‘I didn't marry the big fat movie star. I married him. He's the love of my life.’

Ben has never hidden how deeply the breakdown of their marriage affected him.

‘I didn't want to get divorced,’ he admitted during an emotional interview on Good Morning America in 2020. ‘I didn't want to be a divorced person. I really didn't want to be a split family with my children. It upset me because it meant I wasn't who I thought I was. That was so painful and so disappointing.’

Just weeks earlier, he had offered another heartbreaking reflection while speaking to The New York Times, calling the divorce ‘the biggest regret of my life’ before adding that ‘shame is really toxic.’

Despite moving on romantically, the former couple have continued to put their family first, regularly spending holidays together and presenting a united front for their children.

But now, the Affleck family is facing a far more devastating heartbreak.

Ben is mourning the loss of his beloved mother, Chris Anne Boldt, who died peacefully in her sleep on June 2 at the age of 83 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.

The news was shared publicly in a touching obituary published by The Boston Globe on July 24, revealing that Chris had been diagnosed just six months earlier and given only a short time to live.

Chris was a constant presence throughout Ben's life and career, proudly supporting him long before he became one of Hollywood's biggest stars.

Many fans will remember her attending the 1998 Academy Awards alongside Ben after Good Will Hunting earned him and Matt Damon worldwide acclaim. Matt also brought his own mother to the ceremony, creating one of the night's most touching moments.

Reflecting on that memory years later, Ben explained why there was never any question over who would accompany him.

‘We were sitting next to our moms and we won,’ he recalled. ‘Of course our moms were going to go.’

Now, in the raw aftermath of her ex mother-in-laws death, Jennifer has quietly honoured Chris in her own heartbreaking way.

The 13 Going on 30 actress, 54, was photographed during a low-key trip to a farmers' market in Brentwood, Los Angeles, wearing a simple white T-shirt bearing the French phrase ‘Maman Je T'aime’ – translated as ‘I love you, Mom.’

She styled the meaningful top with striped drawstring trousers, oversized sunglasses and her hair pulled back into a ponytail as she was spotted walking through the bustling outdoor market.

While Jennifer has not publicly commented on Chris' death, many fans saw the touching choice of clothing as an emotional gesture following the family's loss.

It wouldn't be surprising given the close relationship Jennifer shared with her former mother-in-law.

Even after her divorce from Ben,53, was finalised, Chris remained an important part of Jennifer's life. During Ben's 2018 stay in rehab, Chris stayed with Jennifer and the couple's three children, helping to keep life as normal as possible while Ben focused on his recovery.

The bond endured long after the marriage ended. More recently, Chris spent Thanksgiving with Jennifer, Ben and their children at Jennifer's home, reflecting the unusually close family dynamic they had worked hard to preserve.

And just a couple of months ago, the former couple were photographed picking up takeaway from a Los Angeles restaurant, with Ben carrying the food as they spent time together – the latest reminder that they remain an important part of each other’s lives.

Although fans have long hoped Ben and Jennifer might one day reunite, both have moved on with their personal lives.

Jennifer has quietly dated businessman John Miller since 2018, with the notoriously private couple rarely making public appearances together.

Ben, meanwhile, famously rekindled his romance with former fiancée Jennifer Lopez in 2021. Their whirlwind second chance led to a lavish wedding the following year, but the marriage ultimately proved short-lived, ending in separation in 2024 before their divorce was finalised in 2025.

A year after announcing her split from husband Patrick Kielty, Cat Deeley surprised fans when she was spotted cosying up to a mystery man earlier this month. He was soon identified as film executive Charlie Coleman – and sources tell Closer the presenter, 49, is looking forward to enjoying a summer of love while she’s on holiday from her This Morning duties.

BUTTERFLIES

‘Cat is totally smitten with Charlie – he’s giving her butterflies again and she can’t wait for the next few months to get to know him better,’ the insider says. ‘Now she’s off work, Cat is planning a summer of fun with her new man – this is exactly what she needs. She feels like a teenager again!’

First meeting in 2002 as hosts of Fame Academy, Cat and ex-husband Patrick, 55, forged a firm friendship – until they began dating nine years later.

Tying the knot during a small 2011 ceremony in Rome, the couple went on to welcome their sons Milo, 10, and eight-year-old James. The family lived in LA for more than a decade until 2020, when a ‘terrifying’ mall shooting left Patrick and their eldest son ‘shaken’.

But in July last year – four months after Cat didn’t attend Patrick’s mother Mary’s funeral – the former couple officially confirmed in a joint statement, ‘We have taken the decision to end our marriage and are now separated. There is no other party involved.’

Since then, Cat has been navigating the separation – and though she’s been cautious about rejoining the dating scene, sources previously told Closer that her pal Ben Shephard, 51, was ‘trying to set his This Morning co-host up on blind dates’.

GENUINE

But after looking happy and relaxed with Charlie at a Lewis Capaldi gig in London’s Hyde Park on 12 July, it seems Cat doesn’t need her friend’s help.

The source continues, ‘Cat had a heartbreaking split with Pat and it’s taken her a while to get back out there, but she’s been dating Charlie for three months and is really enjoying getting to know him.

‘She’s not rushing anything as they’re still getting to know each other. She’s not thinking about the future just yet – they’re living in the moment. They laugh a lot and have lots in common – he seems very genuine and is spoiling her!

‘Cat is ready to enjoy a summer of fun, and friends say it’s been a long time coming. They couldn’t be happier for her.’

Liv Powell is a content creator who has been working across heat, Closer, Bella and Yours since October 2025. Liv is well-versed in all things TikTok and YouTube and has a passion for all things health and beauty - Liv looks to Olivia Attwood as her ultimate source of life advice.

She’s been loved up with boyfriend David Putman for three years, with the pair even sparking wedding rumours. But Alison Hammond tells Closer she has no plans to officially tie the knot – instead, she wants to celebrate their relationship with a big party.

‘I just don’t think I need to get married,’ the TV presenter shares. ‘I’ve got my man and I’m settled. I just want the big day, so I’m going to have a big summer party. I’d love a blessing and celebration of love. I’m going to have the beautiful dress, the band, food and drink, everything.’

And Alison – who has co-hosted This Morning every Friday alongside close friend Dermot O’Leary since January 2021 – reveals she’s already found a role for her TV partner on the big day. ‘Dermot keeps going on that he’s giving me away. He’s absolutely not giving me away,’ she laughs. ‘He can be the flower boy who comes down and scatters flowers on the floor at the blessing. That’s what he can do. My son is going to be giving me away.’

The broadcaster, who shares 21-year-old son Aidan with her ex Noureddine Boufaied, stands firm when it comes to rejecting traditional wedding arrangements. ‘If I marry someone, I want him to take my name,’ she explains. ‘Why does it have to be the other way round? I don’t want to be owned by anybody.’

Alison, 51, first met Russian model and masseuse David, 28, in 2023 after she booked him for a massage therapy session – and they have gone from strength to strength ever since.

Opening up about her dream date night with David, she admits it’s simply being in bed together. ‘Bedtime is just watching Love Island with cherries and some seaweed from Itsu. That is a night and a half for me. I’m in my element – him massaging my feet, you couldn’t get any better!’ she says.

And while Alison has found happiness in her own love life, she’s hoping the same is on the horizon for her close friend and This Morning co-star, Josie Gibson. The pair – who both found fame on Big Brother – have forged a strong friendship, and Alison tells Closer she’s rooting for 41-year-old Josie to find her perfect match. ‘I’d love for Josie to find the one,’ she admits. ‘I really want that for her. She’ll find the man when the time comes, it will come.’

As we chat to Alison, it’s clear that she’s in one of the happiest and healthiest places she’s ever been – both physically and mentally.

But the presenter – who also hosts The Great British Bake Off and For The Love Of Dogs – admits juggling exercise with her demanding work schedule hasn’t been easy.

‘I enjoy Reformer Pilates. I feel like the stretch is real. But because of filming The Great British Bake Off, I have fallen off my exercise routine, I’m not going to lie,’ Alison – who has lost around 13 and a half stone over the last few years – says.

‘I like exercise that’s fun. I like ballroom dancing, my boyfriend dances with me. He loves a dance – we do a bit of tango and foxtrot. That one gets you out of breath actually!’

Having built a stellar career on her famously down-to-earth and infectious personality, the TV favourite also lifts the lid on her secrets to staying youthful, admitting she swears by a strict daily regime. ‘I get through two litres of water a day without fail, and I never go to bed with my make-up on,’ she says. ‘I use the Tropic Radiance Cleanser and it takes my make-up off straight away. And I don’t drink alcohol. I’d rather spend the calories on a nice Chinese!’ And while she has undergone a magnificent transformation in recent years, Alison insists she remains exactly the same at heart. ‘I’ve literally stayed the same since the age of 20,’ she laughs. ‘I’ve always got young people around me – my young man, my young son and his girlfriend. I’ve got that young energy!’

Although she’s undoubtedly glowing, she admits that her trademark confidence didn’t come overnight. ‘When I was young, I used to get nervous about everything,’ Alison reveals. ‘But I don’t get nervous like that anymore – confidence comes with age.

‘My advice to my younger self would have been to just don’t worry about anything and face your fears. You realise in the end, that it’s actually not that hard once you just go for it. Everything that you want is going to happen.'

The nation's favourite broadcaster, Alison Hammond, has partnered with Tropic Skincare to champion a healthier and more empowering approach to skincare, encouraging women to focus on healthy skin and embrace their own unique beauty rather than chasing perfection. Alison’s Edit is priced at £58 (worth £84) and is available from tropic.com or via a local Ambassador.

Riding on a high following the huge success of their Netflix documentary, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle celebrated in a BIG way – by splashing out a reported £3.6 million on an exclusive villa in Portugal back in 2023.

The staggering amount ensured that not only would they have a European base, but that their expansive second home would be private, being set on a luxury development of 300 homes built on what has been named ‘the Iberian Hamptons’ and boasting neighbours such as Harry’s cousin, Princess Eugenie and her family.

Three years on and we were treated to just a small taste of how the Sussexes 'do' Europe. Miles of sandy beaches, rustic restaurants, frolicking in the pool and shopping for local artisan products appeared to be the flavour of the week.

Posting a carefully curated selection of holiday snapshots to social media, Meghan, 44, appeared to be living her best life. But behind the sepia-soaked images, Meghan and Harry’s finances have come under scrutiny in recent months, after the couple have seen most of their most profitable deals fall to wayside in recent years.

Now, in a u-turn that nobody will have expected, we’re told how the Sussexes could be faced with the heartbreaking decision over whether to sell their idyllic Portuguese retreat amidst their alleged deepening financial crisis.

An insider says, ‘Everything's under the microscope financially right now and their Portuguese place is one of their biggest expenses after Montecito, if not the biggest.

‘Even though it's a newer property, there are still plenty of costs beyond the millions they spent to buy it. The annual club fees alone are eye-watering, then you've got insurance, taxes, maintenance, and all the other day-to-day costs of keeping a holiday home running, so it's become a massive luxury at a time when there's less money coming in and plenty going out.’

The claims come just weeks after it emerged how Meghan’s popularity both in the UK and in the US appears to have fallen considerably.

Last month it was revealed how data collected by YouGov America showed a rapid decline in Meghan’s popularity since last year. Polls showed that compared to 2025, where 37% of voters ‘liked’ Meghan, only 29% voted in favour of the Duchess at the start of this year.

Furthermore, US site Newsweek claimed that a separate search they had conducted revealed that the traffic to Meghan’s As Ever brand’s website fell by 89,000 in the US in January.

Meanwhile, sources have claimed that Meghan is now the ‘breadwinner’ for their family, with Harry, 41, recently describing his day jobs as ‘full-time dad’ and ‘Prince of England’.

In the past few months, the Sussexes have announced their new project with Netflix – a film adaptation of the book ‘No Way Out’ by Major Adam Jowett – as part of their new, lesser deal with Netflix. Meghan is also reported to have trademarked her brand name in Australia, with plans to expand globally.

However, the source says time is of the essence and the couple may need to face ‘some difficult decisions’ if they want to maintain their current Californian lifestyle – and that could mean that their European ‘dream’ faces ‘the chopping block’.

We’re told, ‘They’re doing everything they can to hold onto it because they absolutely love having that escape, but the reality is they're having to look at every major outgoing. If things don’t improve financially, it’s definitely one of the assets that will very likely end up on the chopping block, as painful as that would be.

‘Neither of them wants to even think about selling it because they see it as their dream holiday home, but they're also having to be realistic. There are going to have to be cutbacks and some difficult decisions if they want to get their finances back on track, and that property is right near the top of the list because it's just so expensive to keep.’

And as with many things with the Sussexes, the images Meghan posts on Instagram and the conversations had around their lifestyle in Montecito, California, aren’t always what they want us to believe.

While home-baking, tending to chickens and, according to Meghan on her recent Masterchef debut, picking their own desserts from the garden, may hint to something akin to Little House on the Prairie, make no mistake – the Sussexes live in one of the most exclusive, and expensive, enclaves in California, undoubtedly with substantial outgoings.

Of course, behind the gates of their sun-soaked Californian home, Meghan only shares glimpses of their farmhouse style kitchen and idyllic grounds, but if she were to pan the camera a little further, audiences buying into her ‘simple life’ ethos would see the nine bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, a swimming pool, a play park and the expansive grounds and private rose garden the couple need to maintain.

Royal author Tom Bower made the shocking revelation in his new book, ‘Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family’, that the Sussexes need an income of at least $3 million annually to maintain their current lifestyle, with recent US reports speculating that the figure could even reach $6 million.

This figure is said to include a team of house staff, including security and a nanny, on top of key figures like PR advisers, management teams and travel costs – the list is seemingly endless.

In December it was also revealed that Meghan and Harry had been ‘forced to downsize’ their staff at Archewell; reportedly up to 60% percent of their team, as the foundation went through a major rebrand.

Now the source says, ‘It’s no secret they've been looking to cut back for a long time. Even before this monumental legal bill was hanging over them, they were already under serious financial pressure behind the scenes.

‘That’s why they downsized their staff to the bare minimum and became much more careful about where their money was going. They’ve quietly tightened their belts when it comes to so many of the luxuries they used to enjoy.

‘They’ve tried their best not to make a big deal of it publicly but there’s no denying they’ve had to make some pretty significant adjustments to their lifestyle. The fact is, the cost of living has gone up for everyone, and they aren’t immune.’

To add further insult to injury, Harry - alongside six other high-profile claimants including Elton John and Baroness Doreen Lawrence – could now face a staggering £50 million legal bill after a judge ruled against them following a lengthy legal battle against a British newspaper earlier this month.

Now the source says this has meant that Harry and Meghan could be more under pressure than ever to take ‘a hard look’ at their outgoings.

‘Now that Harry is on the hook for potentially millions of pounds, their financial worries have gone to a whole new level. This isn’t just about tightening the purse strings anymore, they’ve got to take a hard look at every major expense,’ the insider says.

‘There are certain areas where they simply can’t afford to cut corners, particularly when it comes to security. That’s always going to be their biggest priority and they’re not prepared to compromise on that under any circumstances. But outside of essential costs, everything else is being scrutinized and they’re going to have to make some very difficult decisions.’

And we’re told that the obvious place to start is their holiday home, despite it not only being an escape, but also a private and secure base for the family should they want to spend more time with the royals in England in the near future.

The source explains, ‘As much as they both want to hang on to it, the reality is that it’s an expensive luxury they may no longer be able to justify. Owning a second property comes with huge ongoing costs, and when you're suddenly staring down the possibility of a massive legal payout, those kinds of assets inevitably come under the spotlight.

‘If they do end up unloading it, there’s no doubt Harry will be absolutely gutted because it’s much more than just a house. It gives him an opportunity to spend time in Europe and provides at least some sense of being closer to home and connected to his old life. Letting it go would be an emotional loss but at this point they really can’t afford to make financial decisions based on what feels good’

It’s been just weeks now since Prince Harry, 41 and Meghan Markle, 44, returned to the UK for their much-anticipated reunion with King Charles. Joined by their children – Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five – the top-secret summit is said to have homesick Harry left feeling ‘buoyed’ and ‘really energised’.

Following what has largely been a six-year estrangement from his family, the emotional reunion will no doubt have been a cause for celebration for both Harry and his ‘pa’. But within weeks of the family touching down back in California, whispers had already begun that Meghan had been left feeling less than impressed by the way they were treated.

Days after the couple’s return to their home in Montecito, a source close to the Sussexes told People magazine that the Duchess will have been left ‘humiliated’ by the public back-and-forth between Harry and the Palace over the family’s security and accommodation arrangements – despite it being the Sussexes own team who had revealed their plans in the first place.

Furthermore, the source added that there had been ‘a lot of sadness’ for Meghan over their decision for her not to join Harry for any public-facing events due to the ongoing dispute over their security arrangements.

Yet while the Sussexes have now built a life in the exclusive enclave of Montecito, Harry’s desire to reconcile with his family and spend more time in the UK has been widely reported to have become a source of tension between him and Meghan.

And a source tells us that despite Meghan’s ‘frustrations’, Harry is adamant that they need to put any bad blood behind them and build on the future in which they will once again be welcomed with open arms back into the royal fold.

An insider says, ‘Harry really wants them to keep the momentum going. It's true the trip was disappointing on a lot of levels, and he completely understands Meghan's frustrations, but he still feels the best course of action is to put it behind them and focus on the positives.

'Harry's saying this is the time they should be making a real effort because that's the only way they're going to rebuild trust.’

Meanwhile, we’re told that Meghan does not share her husband’s sentiment and, the source claims that after, 'being treated like a pair of outsider', is 'relieved' it’s over.

‘She’s relieved to have the trip behind her and is in no mood to keep grovelling when she feels she was treated so badly,’ the source says.

‘Meghan now just wants to focus on everything she's got going on with her brand. Harry can't see how they'll move things forward if she stays this sour about the whole experience, but Meghan's finding that very hard to do after they were treated like a pair of outsiders and completely micromanaged.’

One of the major sticking points, we’re told, was the widely held belief that the Palace had demanded absolute secrecy, meaning no cameras present or any information being leaked about their meeting at Highgrove House, whatsoever.

For weeks, the Sussexes appeared to adhere to the reported rules. Then, at a time that coincided with her appearance on Masterchef Australia at the weekend, Meghan treated her social media followers to a very royal photo dump of their summer.

In a ‘swipe and you’ll miss it’ moment amidst a sea of snaps of their idyllic European holiday, which took place in the days leading up to their UK return, Meghan also shared an image of Harry, Archie and Lilibet in the grounds of Althorp House, Princess Diana's childhood home and resting place, on their way to lay flowers at her grave.

Intended or not, this could be seen as a subtle sign of rebellion to the one rule we’re told that really stung for Meghan.

The source says, ‘Not being allowed to take photos or post anything about the visit was especially insulting, and it still really stings.

‘Meghan accepts that they need to stay in the royals’ good graces, especially when it comes to his father, and that it means a lot to Harry for her to be a part of this relationship rebuild.

‘But she’s worried that they’re degrading themselves by caving into all of this censorship, which means they’re essentially muzzled or backed into a corner where they have no voice or right to express themselves in their own way.’

While security for themselves and especially their children had always understandably been at the forefront of the Sussexes' minds ahead of and during their trip back to England, their highly awaited grand return was undoubtedly a huge anti-climax.

Not only did the complete absence of Meghan from any official events veer wildly from the reported plans that she would join Harry at the One Year to Go Invictus Games event, but it also appeared to many that while Harry made his grand tour, his wife and children remained very much in the shadows - an agreement the source says Meghan is unlikely to agree to again.

We’re told, ‘It was upsetting enough that they didn’t receive ideal or adequate security during this trip, which meant she and the kids were pretty much in hiding the whole time and unable to walk around England with their heads held high.

‘Then, the fact they couldn’t share photos from their brief visit with Harry’s family was a step too far in her mind, especially when the royals are constantly uploading posts to their own social media pages, and this was, after all, a supposedly joyous event for all concerned that deserved to be celebrated.

‘But any talk of that was shot down, and even that one image of Lili in the garden [at Althorp] has been used as a stick to beat them with. She’s so annoyed by that and saying things need to be a lot more relaxed next time or there’s no way she’ll come.’

However, we’re told that for a family whose motto has been to ‘Never complain, Never explain’, the Sussexes silence has been rewarded by a follow-up invite to stay at a royal residence; a golden opportunity we’re told Harry believes could be just the beginning if they stay on track.

‘King Charles was thoroughly impressed by their toned-down behaviour, so much so that he’s now offering Harry a room at Buckingham Palace when he next comes over to the UK [in September],’ the source says.

‘Harry’s been trying to assure her that this [being in hiding] was just a one-off and that, eventually, they’ll work out a compromise [with security] as well as other matters like posting photos. But they needed to take this big step back in order to move forward.’

To add further salt, or sugar, to the wound, the source says Harry is now encouraging Meghan to really embrace the spirit of forgiveness and show love in the way she does best – by sending hampers of jam. But, unsurprisingly, we’re told that even Meghan is insisting that edible goods, even sprinkled with floral confetti, aren’t going to be enough to dispel the ‘bad taste in her mouth’ right now.

‘He wants her to send family photos, gift baskets and keep the dialogue going the way she was before the visit, but she's just not feeling motivated, which is pretty frustrating for him, to say the least,’ the source says.

‘But for Meghan, this is all extremely belittling. She didn’t want the red carpet rolled out, just the opportunity to be herself and make her own choices. But that was taken away from her, and it’s left a pretty bad taste in her mouth.

‘Fact is, Harry isn’t defending her like he used to and that stings. She wants and expects a lot more from him in that regard and finds it disturbing and depressing that he’s not putting her first.’

Olivia Wilde isn’t shying away from awkward conversations.

The actress and director, 42, is both behind and in front of the camera for her new comedy The Invite - and she’s hoping it will get audiences talking about some seriously spicy topics. From group sex to age-gap romances, nothing is off limits.

The film - which also stars Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton - centres on an unhappy married couple whose passion has fizzled out. When their far more adventurous neighbours come over for dinner, the evening quickly spirals into chaos, forcing everyone to confront their desires.

Explaining the premise, Olivia says, ‘It’s about a couple who have come to a place of real contempt in their marriage, and one of the symptoms is that they are no longer intimate and they blame each other for it. They are withholding from each other and haven’t really talked about it - people rarely do - and yet this other couple are very open.’

To make sure the script struck the right note, Belgian sexologist Esther Perel was brought in as a consultant. ‘She knows everything about sex. She wasn’t on set with us, but we were also calling and Zooming with her to get answers on how to talk about these issues in a way that is realistic. We feel like the conversation in this movie is one that people are either having or want to have,’ Olivia explains.

And according to the director, viewers are already debating the film’s more daring themes - particularly group scenarios. ‘They’re arguing about what they would do in these scenarios - and that’s great. Because everyone’s thought about f***ing their neighbour. Everyone’s thought about Penélope Cruz,’ she says.

That apparently includes Olivia herself. Recalling one unscripted moment, she laughs, ‘One of Penélope’s moments of improvisation is when she kissed me and I fully looked into the lens. Like, I lost my mind.’

Off-screen, Olivia’s own love life has often made headlines. Her relationship with Harry Styles - who is 10 years younger - began in early 2021 after they met on the set of Don’t Worry, Darling, the second of three films she has directed. They split in November 2022 after almost two years together.

Now, she’s dating art dealer Caspar Jopling, 34 - the former husband of Ellie Goulding - and says society needs to rethink its views on so-called ‘cougar’ relationships.

‘People have such a double standard about what we allow women to do in this world when it comes to romance,’ she says. ‘Particularly for older women, younger men are still such a taboo. But I do think that people are starting to get a little bit more ‘French’ about it.

‘I hope so - just relax. It’s 2026 - people have come a long way.’

Olivia has experienced age gaps from both sides. In 2003, aged 19, she eloped with Italian filmmaker and musician Tao dei Principi Ruspoli, now 50. They divorced in 2011. Soon after, she began dating actor Jason Sudeikis, 50. The pair got engaged in January 2013 and share two children - Otis, 12, and Daisy, nine - before separating seven years later.

Her romance with Harry followed in 2021, with the couple famously pictured holding hands at his manager’s wedding in Montecito, California. While sources maintained her split from Jason was amicable, Olivia was publicly served custody papers during a presentation at CinemaCon in Las Vegas in April 2022.

In September that year, she firmly denied any overlap, saying, ‘The complete horses*** idea that I left Jason for Harry is completely inaccurate. Our relationship was over long before I met Harry.’

These days, Olivia says heartbreak has taught her what she needs. ‘Only after heartbreak can you really be in love and be kind of a responsible part of a relationship. You have to see the bottom fall out to understand where you are.

‘If you stop laughing at your partner’s jokes, I think you’re cooked.’

She also believes those painful experiences have sharpened her performances. Speaking about her character Angela in The Invite, she explains, ‘My character had this experience of heartbreak that was not foreign to me. The movie was in many ways plucking from experiences that I’ve had, and it was a relief to rip my heart out of my chest and plonk it on the table.

‘If people sense it looks like maybe she has been through the dissolution of a relationship and heartbreak - yeah, I have, and I think that’s what gives me the muscle memory to represent this character fairly.

‘I don’t think I would have been able to play Angela if I hadn’t really f***ing felt myself tossed around by life and relationships - and I’m very open to the risk of confession. This sounds so pretentious, but they say great art is confession and should feel risky - that if it doesn’t feel risky then you’re not doing something worthwhile.’

For now, though, life seems calmer. Olivia was first spotted with Caspar in February this year during a romantic Valentine’s weekend in Mexico City - and she couldn’t sound happier.

‘I’m in a really lovely relationship now. I adore him, and I feel completely whole.’

They had the Hollywood fairytale – twice – that both times led to a showbiz disaster.

But almost two years since Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck’s two-year marriage dramatically imploded, putting an end to an on/off romance that was two decades in the making, the pair are apparently rebuilding a relationship all over again. However, this time – sensibly, for all involved - romance is no longer on the menu.

According to insiders, Jen is instead turning to her ex as a friend and confidant and is using him specifically as a sounding board when it comes to plotting the next steps in her acting career. And Ben, we’re told, is happy to oblige. After all, not only does it make those awkward family reunions easier (which come as a given these days thanks to their respective children’s close bonds with each other). But it also gives him that all-important ego boost – something that’s essential if you’re going to maintain a friendship with your very famous, very self-serious ex.

Now, we’re told, they’re getting on better than ever – an outcome we could have never foreseen while watching the second disintegration of the couple formerly known as Bennifer.

‘Ben isn’t neurotic at all about Jennifer continuing to rely on his counsel, and even his emotional support, when it’s needed,’ says an insider close to Ben, 53, and Jen, 56, who first got engaged in 2002 and split in 2004, before reuniting a whopping 17 years later. ‘He’s still advising her, and he wants her to win. In fact, it fuels his ego – in a healthy way – to know that she still takes him incredibly seriously as an advisor, even though they couldn’t make it work as a married couple. He is also genuinely fascinated by her business moves, so he always gets something out of it when she comes to him for advice.

‘And, in some ways, Jen trusts Ben more than many people on her team because he’s not listening to her out of any kind of contractual obligation. They truly are kindred spirits, even long after they stopped being man and wife.’

By all accounts, no one could ever accuse Ben and Jen of disrespecting each other’s professionalism – even if they both have very different preferences when it comes to living their lives in the spotlight. Back in 2002, when they first got together, Ben famously bought full-page ads in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter to publicly praise his then-girlfriend and refute claims that she was difficult to work with, lauding – among other things – her ‘great empathy, astonishing talent, real poise and true grace’. He signed off his missive, ‘I only wish I were lucky enough to be in all [her] movies’.

Then, in 2021 – before they officially reunited – he paid tribute to Jen in an interview with InStyle, claiming, ‘She remains, to this day, the hardest-working person I’ve come across in this business.’ He continued to sing her talents during their reunion, but has also doubled down on his praise for her yet again in the aftermath of their split, saying during a red-carpet interview last year, ‘For the record, Jennifer Lopez is spectacular, great to my kids, [she has a] great ongoing relationship with them.’ He added, ‘I love her kids. They’re wonderful. She’s [an] enormously important, tremendous person of a lot of integrity, who I adore and am grateful to.’

As our source explains, there are still – admittedly – residual feelings of heartache, especially when it comes to Jennifer, who really did everything she could to try to salvage their crumbling relationship two years ago. The notorious workhorse even cancelled her highly-anticipated Summer tour This Is Me…Live!, telling fans, ‘Please know that I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t feel that it was absolutely necessary.’ But rather than mourn the loss of what could have been, we’re told she’d rather focus on reaping the benefits of a mutually supportive friendship – especially since she’s always coveted the closeness Ben shares with his first ex-wife, actress Jennifer Garner.

‘Jen is over the moon that things between her and Ben have settled into such a good place now that the divorce is behind them,’ says our insider. ‘She’s always been envious of his close bond with Jen Garner, so at least she’s able to have her own version of that with him now, too. She loves that she can call him pretty much any time and he almost always picks up and is happy to hear from her – though she’s careful not to call too much because she doesn’t want to push him away. She definitely takes a lot of pride in the fact that he’s someone she can go to for advice and guidance.

‘She’s always quick to tell people they are better off as just friends and that she’s totally over him romantically, although it’s hard not to notice how attached she still is. Most people in her world believe she’d jump at another chance with him, but there is no doubt it would end in disaster because they’re just way too different. Everyone who knows them agrees they’re better suited as friends. It doesn’t seem like she’s fully accepted that yet, but the hope is that the more they settle into this new dynamic, the more clear-headed about all this she will be.’

As fans will remember, the pair’s Achilles heel always was their very different approaches to fame and life in the public eye. While Ben preferred to stay largely out of the spotlight when not promoting his film projects – even then, doing it begrudgingly – Jen was born to be on stage, and has lived her life accordingly. General consensus is that their relationship ultimately failed because, while they both loved each other greatly, Jen loved the limelight, while Ben loved his privacy. Their preferences just weren’t compatible.

To that end, it really does seem like they’ve now found their footing with this newfound, supportive friendship. Here’s hoping that one of them doesn’t go and spoil it all by saying something stupid like… ‘Let’s get married again.’

They’ve worked hard to keep things cordial since announcing the end of their 22-year marriage, but Tess Daly and Vernon Kay could be facing fresh turmoil as Rhian Sugden prepares to lift the lid on one of showbiz’s most notorious scandals in her tell-all book.

Insiders tell Closer that former Strictly host Tess is worried that the tell-all memoir could unearth explosive new details about Vernon’s sexting scandal that rocked their marriage – and reveal more about what really went on behind her back.

BRACING HERSELF

‘This is the last thing Tess wants – she has been trying to keep the split as amicable as possible and doesn’t want the past dragged up again,’ the source says. ‘It’s a nightmare for her – and she’s bracing herself for what Rhian might say and potentially what she may not know about her time married to Vernon. She’s been feeling tearful about all the drama.’

Back in 2010, Vernon, 52, found himself at the centre of a scandal after exchanging a string of flirty messages with former Page 3 model Rhian. The TV star publicly apologised to wife Tess, 57, following the revelations, but both Vernon and Rhian, 39, have maintained that despite the flirty messages, they never met up alone and their relationship never became physical.

And Vernon – who is paid £405k a year for his BBC2 Radio 2 show – is now fearful about the effect Rhian’s book could have on his career.

‘Obviously, Vernon is worried too – he’s built up a high-profile radio career and had hoped that with enough time passing, he could leave what happened with Rhian in the past.

REPUTATION

‘Now he’s worried about what will come out and how it might affect his reputation and career. Neither can understand why Rhian wants to drag this all up again 16 years afterwards, and they’re hoping there will be no public appetite for it.’

But another source says Rhian feels that now the couple, who share daughters Phoebe, 21, and Amber, 17, have split, it’s the perfect time to tell her side of the story.

‘Rhian felt she was dealt a tough blow with all the sexting with Vernon, and was seen as the scarlet woman. She feels it ruined her career and her reputation, whereas Vernon escaped unscathed with marriage and career intact.

The source continues, ‘Rhian feels at the time the real story didn’t come out, so wants to get her side properly out there. Now she’s been approached by publishers and is keen to take the opportunity as the couple have now separated.’

Liv Powell is a content creator who has been working across heat, Closer, Bella and Yours since October 2025. Liv is well-versed in all things TikTok and YouTube and has a passion for all things health and beauty - Liv looks to Olivia Attwood as her ultimate source of life advice.

Her fourth marriage has been nothing short of a roller coaster ride, dominating headlines with every twist and turn. And sources say that Katie Price has now been left agonised after unsubstantiated rumours that husband Lee Andrews has been cheating on her with a 19-year old man spread on social media.

But while those closest to her are urging her to walk away from the alleged conman, she is adamant that only she knows the real Lee, with our insider sharing, ‘Katie is completely consumed by the relationship, and people around her are starting to worry she can no longer see the situation clearly.

‘She insists only she knows the real Lee, and she believes everyone else is judging him wrongly from the outside, but friends fear she has become so emotionally invested that she will defend him no matter what comes out.’

The source adds, ‘Even with members of Lee’s own family reportedly turning against him, Katie has doubled down and promised to stand by him. She says she knows exactly what it feels like to have friends and family abandon you when you need them most, and she refuses to do that to him. The more people warn Katie, the more she treats it as proof that she and Lee are against the world.'

TEENAGER

Unconfirmed reports from a Facebook page called Chaos Corner have claimed that Lee was having a relationship with the teen. The account showed screenshots of messages – which have not been verified – allegedly sent between the 19-year-old and Katie’s husband, in which Lee states, ‘You know I am only married to put money aside for us.’

Although the screenshots have now been removed from Facebook, they have appeared on other social media sites such as Instagram and TikTok. Closer has contacted Lee for comment on the reports, but had not received a reply at the time of going to press, although Lee told another publication that the allegations were a scurrilous and damaging pack of lies.

This is not the first instance that Lee, 43, has been dogged by damning allegations ‘Lee wouldn’t cheat on me with a teen!’ As the latest bout of allegations against Lee Andrews put him under yet more scrutiny, sources say long-suffering wife Katie Price is still not prepared to give up on him throughout his whirlwind six-month marriage to Katie, 48.

In addition to two prison stints for separate financial matters at Dubai’s notorious Al Awir prison – he was released for the second time on 20 July – Lee has been accused of attempting to sell an alleged sex tape of him and Katie for a quarter of a million pounds. He is understood to have backtracked, insisting that he ‘wasn’t being serious’, meanwhile Katie stated on her Instagram story that the story is ‘completely untrue’ and that she has ‘never made such a tape’. ‘I feel incredibly upset, abused and humiliated that such serious and false allegations have been shared publicly without any factual basis,’ she said.

Prior to the latest claims, Lee had also been accused of exaggerating his professional achievements, and one of his ex-partners went so far as to call him a ‘lying swindler’ – but Lee has strenuously denied any ‘conman’ or ‘fraudster’ allegations against him.

It’s the infidelity allegations, the source says, that has hurt mum-of-five Katie the most as she doesn’t believe he would stoop that low.

CHEATING

‘Katie refuses to entertain the cheating rumours and shuts down anyone who even suggests there could be truth in them,’ the insider goes on. ‘She has convinced herself the rumours are being created to break them apart, and she believes Lee when he tells her there is nothing to worry about. She insists he wouldn’t cheat on her with anyone – especially not a teenager – because he only wants her.

‘But friends are terrified about what would happen if any evidence ever emerged. Katie has put so much of herself into defending him that discovering she had been lied to would be utterly humiliating and emotionally devastating. It would force her to confront every warning she ignored, every relationship she damaged and every sacrifice she made to keep standing beside him.’

Katie has previously been married three times, to Peter Andre, Alex Reid and Kieran Hayler, who the star accused of having multiple affairs, including with her best friend and their nanny.

The Sussex-based star – who is also a single mum to son Harvey, 24 – once claimed, ‘Everyone I’ve ever been with has always cheated or wandered or done something’ and admitted only this year that she ‘finds it hard to trust anyone’.

EXHAUSTED

Our source now says that Katie is ‘emotionally exhausted’ over the Lee situation, explaining, ‘The relationship has become almost like a test of faith for her. She needs Lee to be innocent because admitting otherwise would mean accepting that the people she pushed away may have been trying to protect her. Katie is still insisting the relationship is stronger than ever, but those closest to her feel the pressure is building and the cheating rumours are not going away quietly.

‘Katie is becoming increasingly desperate to prove that her love story is real rather than another public disaster.’

Millie Payne is a News and Entertainment Writer at Bauer Media, where her day-to-day role ranges from interviewing celebrities from all walks of showbiz life, to creating features and news pieces for online and print.

She’s had a roller-coaster career with highs and lows over the past 20 years, but now Tulisa Contostavlos admits she’s finally in a great place. ‘I’m doing good. I’m a functioning insomniac, but I’m happy. My biggest achievement is the person I’ve become now and where I’ve got to mentally, spiritually and emotionally,’ she reveals. ‘I’m feeling very balanced, very free and very unapologetically myself. I feel like I’m finally in that era where I’m unlearning all the negative things that I’ve learned. I’m focused on being as I am, and in turn, I am my greatest authentic self.’

Tulisa rose to fame when she was just 11, singing alongside her cousin, Costadinos ‘Dappy’, and their friend Richard Rawson, better known as Fazer. By the time she was 17, their group N-Dubz was voted MOBO’s Best Newcomer of 2007. With hits like I Need You, We Dance On and Best Behaviour, the hip-hop group were in demand with platinum-certified albums, sold-out tours and more awards. But it was The X Factor which catapulted Tulisa to become a household name. She joined the show as a judge in 2011, replacing Cheryl, and became loved by the nation after she mentored Little Mix to victory. The following year, she mentored Ella Henderson and Lucy Spraggan.

STING OPERATION

However, things came crashing down when Tulisa was embroiled in a ‘Fake Sheikh’ drama in 2013, after she was arrested on suspicion of supplying the class A drug cocaine during a ‘horrific and disgusting’ sting operation by undercover journalist Mazher Mahmood. She was cleared of all charges, and the case was thrown out when it was revealed that he had tampered with evidence and was jailed for 15 months.

At her lowest point, as she faced the prospect of a four-year prison sentence, she felt that her future was ‘ruined’. ‘I had moments when I felt like the world was ending and I was screaming on my bedroom floor, wanting to lose the plot,’ she admits. Speaking at the Happy Place festival in London, Tulisa, 38, continues, ‘At the time, that was just straight survival. No one really knows what they’re doing when they’re going through hard times. You’ve just got to go through it to grow through it. Pain can be an incredible life experience and great growth.’

After the trial’s collapse, the star stepped back from the spotlight for five years before returning with a vengeance in 2019 – As one-third of N-Dubz releasing new music and performing in public again. She opened up about her diagnosis with Bell’s palsy, which causes paralysis on one side of her face. And in 2022, she reunited with Dappy and Fazer – who she previously dated for two years, at the height of the group’s fame – for new N-Dubz music and a tour. The singer took part in I’m A Celebrity! in 2024, alongside Coleen Rooney, former Strictly pro Oti Mabuse and the eventual winner, McFly’s Danny Jones. She was the third campmate to be voted out and later admitted the experience left her struggling with her mental health, and she needed time to process being back in the limelight.

HEALTHIER

More than 18 months on, Tulisa – who now keeps her love life out of the spotlight but has previously dated actor Jack O’Connell and footballer Danny Simpson – has found a new perspective on life after implementing healthier, more positive habits. ‘It’s been long-term work over the years, and then I had a huge boost last November. Just great personal change, and I just went, “Right, enough is enough,’ she says. ‘I was sick of feeling like crap. I always end up there. Something happens which sets me off and triggers me. And I thought, “I need to stop complaining and do something about it.”

‘So I wrote a list of what my greatest self looks like. How does she think? What does she do? What does she wear? How does she feel? Where does she go? The list was pretty long, from the top of my head down to my arse cheek. I stopped thinking and talking about it and started to implement everything on that list.’

POSITIVE

She continues, ‘I gave up smoking. I stopped making excuses. I said I’m not going to think about doing ayahuasca in Peru or visiting the pyramids one day, and then end up going to Ibiza every year and get pissed. I’m doing it right now. And I did.

‘I started ticking off my bucket list. I’ve been to Peru and done ayahuasca and seen the pyramids in Egypt. I started living as my best and greatest self and then became that person. I stopped waiting and started creating the happiness that I wanted.’

With a new mindset and outlook, the future’s looking more positive for Tulisa, with new music, a documentary, another book and more in the pipeline.

‘This is probably going to be my most active year in a long, long time. There’s a lot coming so watch this space,’ she teases.

Shereen Low joined Bauer as a celebrity writer for Bella in October 2018 and is now a senior content creator across Bella, Closer, Grazia, heat and Yours. Shereen, who received a distinction in NCTJ’s Senior Journalism course, has interviewed some of the biggest names around: she was propositioned by Ryan Gosling, sat on the same sofa as Beyonce, pondered the meaning of life with Johnny Depp and got up close to Rihanna.

Summer may barely be getting started, but for royal watchers, thoughts are already beginning to turn towards Christmas - and, more importantly, the annual question of who will be sitting around the Sandringham dining table and who might find themselves out in the cold.

Following Prince Harry’s return to the UK with Meghan Markle and their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, earlier this month, speculation has already begun over whether the Sussexes could be in line for a festive invitation.

However, we’re told that while King Charles may be poised with his fountain pen, the sentimental monarch is continuing to face resistance from within the Firm over his apparent determination to forgive the Sussexes, and it seems the royal Christmas guest list could become a battleground of its own.

We’re told one senior royal in particular does not want to be celebrating the special occasion alongside Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44,– Queen Camilla.

‘Harry is doing everything he can to keep the dialogue going through aides and quietly pushing for a Christmas invitation, but none of it is going anywhere unless Camilla signs off on it first,’ the insider says.

‘She and Harry have never gotten along. It’s no secret she thinks he’s been a spoiled brat who’s made a whole lot of mistakes, but she does believe there’s still some good in him and that, deep down, he can be steered in the right direction.’

Camilla, who celebrated her 79th birthday last week, has long been regarded as a formidable woman - something Charles undoubtedly sees as one of her greatest strengths, both in supporting the monarchy and championing the causes closest to her heart.

More importantly, the Queen has remained firmly by her husband’s side as he continues treatment for the undisclosed form of cancer he was diagnosed with in 2024, making her presence in Charles’ life more significant than ever.

So it comes as little surprise that royal author Catherine Mayer recently described Camilla’s involvement as ‘non-negotiable’ when it comes to any communication between Charles and the Sussexes, including her highly publicised appearance at their reunion with the King at Highgrove House.

Mayer said, ‘She is a non-negotiable part of Charles’ life. There is no reconciliation with him without her.’

Of course, Camilla’s ever-present role may inevitably fuel those ‘evil stepmother’ vibes, particularly for Harry, who has already characterised his stepmother in such terms.

But, frankly, we’re told the Duke may simply have to like it or lump it - because Charles knows that Camilla has his best interests at heart.

An insider says, 'She wants to be front and centre for every single discussion and negotiation, and Charles has agreed because he knows how strongly she feels about it, especially about Meghan.

‘By Camilla’s estimation, she has Harry wrapped around her little finger. There's a concern that whenever Harry speaks to his father he’s reading from a script Meghan has prepared for him, which is exactly why she refuses to let any of these conversations happen without her sitting in on them.’

Before Harry’s latest homecoming, it had been ten months since he had last seen his father, following a brief afternoon tea with King Charles at Clarence House in September.

For Meghan and the children, meanwhile, it had been four years since they had set foot in the UK.

And while a source tells us Harry was ‘disappointed’ that he couldn't spend one-on-one time with his 'pa', his hopes of a long-awaited family reunion ultimately outweighed any reservations he may have had about Camilla being there.

That said, we’re told that agreeing to her presence didn’t make the eventual face-to-face encounter between Harry, Meghan and the Queen any less awkward.

‘Harry was pretty disappointed that he didn’t get even a moment alone with his father but he had no choice but to accept the terms of this visit and make the best of it. He and Meghan made nice with Camilla, but it was pretty awkward,’ the source says.

‘He doesn't blame his dad entirely because he knows he hates confrontation and wants to keep the peace at home, but he does wish they could have some private father-and-son time.

‘He still believes Charles genuinely wants to repair things, but with Camilla involved in every conversation like some sort of gatekeeper it’s very difficult for anything to feel natural.’

Meghan, we’re told, is still trying to win back the affections Camilla once held for her.

When she first officially joined the Royal Family after marrying Harry in 2018, Camilla gushed, ‘America’s loss is our gain’ and is reported to have bonded with her new stepdaughter-in-law over their mutual love of yoga and fine wines.

Just last year, Meghan heavily hinted that she had sent Camilla a box of her own branded wine for her 78th birthday, teasing fans on social media that she had gifted the bespoke rose to ‘ladies near and far’.

But the source says Harry isn’t quite as hopeful about Meghan’s bid for reconciliation and believes Camilla remains the ‘biggest obstacle’ to any further reunion with his father.

We’re told, ‘Meghan is still on a mission to win her over. She’s not ready to accept that she can’t find a way to charm her, but Harry’s much more realistic about it.

‘He’s known Camilla long enough to know how she operates. She may smile but Harry is not naive enough to take that at face value. Camilla has clearly appointed herself as his father’s guard dog and as far as he’s concerned, she’s become the biggest obstacle to rebuilding any kind of trust with his father.’

However, the source points out that while Harry may remain skeptical over the influence Camilla appears to have over his father, he too has been widely accused of being swayed by Meghan, or being ‘led around by his nose’ as President Trump bluntly put it.

‘These days, you don't get Charles without Camilla, they’re a package deal. In that way they’re very similar to Harry and Meghan, so it’s not exactly something they can complain about without being hypocritical,’ the insider says.

Furthermore, at the heart of the matter, it’s clear that Camilla will do whatever she can to protect Charles, 77, at any cost – even if that means keeping the Sussexes away for Christmas.

The insider adds, ‘The fact is, Charles relies very heavily on Camilla these days, any decision he makes, especially when it comes to personal matters, involves her and the fact that she doesn’t trust Meghan’s intentions is going to heavily influence how Charles proceeds, there’s no way around it.

‘And, no matter how many gift baskets Meghan sends, it's very unlikely Camilla will ever soften her stance because, in her mind, she's protecting Charles from being hurt all over again.’

Having had her first taste of magazine life at just 15 on work experience, Lauren Hill-Roger has now been working in the world of celebs for well over a decade. Now, most of her week is filled with reporting on Hollywood and the Royal Family for Closer and heat. From Megxit to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s scandal, she lives and dreams of the crown jewels and is a mega-fan of K Middy and his royal hotness, Prince William.

She recently took a dig at her ex, calling him out for giving ‘very little help’ in raising her children. Jennifer Lopez revealed her pride at bringing up her twins, saying, ‘I was like, “You did that s*** all by yourself. That’s great”. Like, “You had very little help”, you know?’

As Max and Emme, who now goes by Oskar, prepare to head out to university, the superstar, who’s been married four times, continues, ‘Both my kids got into all their colleges. They both got scholarships, and they’re going where they want to go. It’s an emotional time. It’s been the three of us. People have come in and out of my life, but it’s been the three of us. They’ve always been there, and I’ve always been there.’

She adds, ‘Now, I can really look at my life, appreciate it for what it is and what I’ve created for myself and be really happy.’Her comments show just how distant JLo has grown from her third husband, Marc Anthony, who is Max and Oskar’s biological father. And her swipe comes as he embraces fatherhood again, welcoming his eighth child to his brood.

Daughter Myla is Marc’s second child with his fourth wife, model Nadia Ferreira. The couple shared their baby joy on Instagram, posting a picture of their eldest child, Marco, three, holding his new baby sister, as well as a photo of the three of them holding onto the newborn’s arm. They wrote in Spanish, ‘What a great blessing to be able to share with you the arrival of our precious MYLA. You can’t imagine the happiness we have at home, we are over the moon.’

Marc, 57, and Nadia, 27, first announced they were expecting their second baby together in January, as they celebrated their third wedding anniversary. And in March, the couple, who married in January 2023, revealed that they are expecting a girl. ‘A surprise full of love… God through it all,’ the model wrote.

In addition to being dad to 18-year-olds Max and Oskar, Marco and Myla, Marc also shares daughter Arianna, 32, and son Chase, 36, with ex-girlfriend Debbie Rosado and sons Cristian, 25, and Ryan, 22, with ex-wife Dayanara Torres.

‘I have a wonderful family, a wonderful wife. I’m just enjoying this stage of my life,’ he said recently. And of hearing the patter of little feet in his late 50s, the six-time Latin Grammy winner said, ‘I’m enjoying it. I’m enjoying every second of it. I’m extremely fortunate.’

JLo, 57, and Marc had been friends for years before their relationship turned romantic. The Puerto Ricans first met in 1998 when he performed in the Broadway musical The Capeman – the same year she divorced her first husband, Ojani Noa. His first words to her were, ‘One day you’re going to be my wife.’ They dated briefly before deciding to move on, but remained friends.

The following year, they collaborated on the song No Me Ames for her debut album, On The 6. I was such a huge fan of his music in Spanish, and I was like, “Maybe we should do something in Spanish. I just love your music.” He was like, “Let me think about it,”’ she recalled. ‘He left the studio and literally five minutes after he left, he called and said, “I have the song for us”.’

Despite their chemistry in the studio, Marc and JLo married other people – he wed former Miss Universe Dayanara in May 2000 before splitting two years later. Meanwhile, after splitting from second husband Cris Judd in 2002, she started dating her Gigli co-star Ben Affleck, splitting in January 2004.

It was around then that JLo and Marc reunited, and they began dating. This time, she felt things were more serious than a rebound romance, as talk of marriage swirled around them. ‘All the heartache and pain of my recent break-up couldn’t have been for nothing, could it?’ she wrote in her True Love book. ‘Maybe I had to go through the bad so I could end up with the person I was meant to be with all along.’

Within six months’ time, by June 2004, the pair were married, tying the knot secretly at JLo’s home in Beverly Hills. ‘When you find that person who doesn’t run when things get hard – I think that’s where Marc proved to me that he was more of a man than anything I had experienced,’ she said.

As showbiz’s new power couple, they were unstoppable. They performed at the 2005 Grammy Awards, starred in the film El Cantante, and were judges on the dance competition show Q’Viva! The Chosen and toured together. The twins arrived in February 2008 – but three years later, the pair decided to go their separate ways. It is thought that parenthood might have taken a toll on the couple, with insiders citing they made the decision ‘after months of non-stop arguing’.

JLo said, ‘I went through a tremendous low. But I wouldn’t change anything because it made me who I am.’ She was granted primary custody of the twins in the divorce, which was official in June 2014. Five months later, Marc married model Shannon de Lima, which ended two years later, after the exes kissed on stage at the 2016 Latin Grammys after singing their duet.

‘I think we’re really good the way we are. Honestly, we’re always going to be great friends. I’m always going to be there for him; he’s always going to be there for me,’ she said. ‘We share something very special in the kids, and we know that. We’re there for them, and that’s the main thing.’ Marc responded by calling her ‘my girl – for life’.

But clearly, relations between them have since soured in recent years.

Viewers were overjoyed when Nigella Lawson was unveiled as Prue Leith’s replacement on The Great British Bake Off back in January. But with filming now well underway, sources tell Closer that tensions are running high in the show’s famous tent between the chef and her co-star, Paul Hollywood.

‘Tensions have developed between Nigella and Paul; they aren’t really getting on too well,’ a source says. ‘Nigella is very highbrow, whereas Paul is seen by some as much more down to earth. A clash of personalities is probably an understatement. She’s sophisticated and witty, and her humour tends to be clever rather than relying on innuendos or toilet jokes. They have completely different senses of humour, and it often misfires between them. A clash of personalities is probably an understatement.’

And despite filming for the latest series still ongoing, there are fears that tensions have risen so high that Nigella could even consider walking away before it hits screens.

CRINGEWORTHY

‘There has even been talk that Nigella could quit, which is the last thing anyone wants,’ our source says. ‘The production team is doing everything it can to make sure that doesn't happen. Nigella has privately described some of Paul’s behaviour as “cringe”, while considering aspects of his manner “a bit gauche”.’

It has been reported that Nigella is less than impressed by Paul’s showy arrivals on set, and is said to find it ‘cringe’ that the TV judge, who is married to pub landlady Melissa Spalding, has been flying into filming by his private helicopter, said to be worth around £500,000.

‘Another sticking point has developed over travel requests,’ our source says. ‘Paul commutes around 120 miles from his Kent home to the Berkshire filming location by helicopter. Nigella views such displays as “ghastly”.’

‘He likes to make an entrance. Nigella turns up by car like everyone else, then Paul arrives in his helicopter. There have been a few jokes about the chopper that felt like something straight out of the 1990s. They really didn’t land, and people were left cringing rather than laughing.’

The source continues, ‘Nigella is in a completely different league to Paul – and, some would argue, even the show itself. There have been conversations about whether Bake Off is really the right fit for her. If you compare it to supermarkets, Nigella is very much a Waitrose girl, whereas Paul is seen as more Lidl or Aldi. That’s certainly how some view the contrast between them. Paul had great chemistry with Prue. They could be in fits of giggles over a soggy bottom or a cheeky double entendre. That easy rapport just isn’t there with Nigella.’

Paul, 60, is now the last remaining face from Bake Off’s original line-up, having watched the much-loved show go through a string of major changes over the years. When the series made the switch from the BBC to Channel 4 in 2017, beloved presenters Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins departed alongside legendary judge Mary Berry. Sandi Toksvig later called time on her role as host in 2020, with Matt Lucas leaving the tent two years later. Then, earlier this year, Prue Leith revealed she would be stepping away from the show after almost a decade, with Nigella taking her place.

FROSTY

While Paul has famously struck up warm friendships with his fellow Bake Off stars over the years – including current hosts Alison Hammond and Noel Fielding – insiders say bosses are concerned that his frosty dynamic with Nigella could be noticeable to viewers when the new series airs.

‘There are concerns among some on the production that, without that light-hearted back and forth, the show could lose some of its spark,’ the source reveals. ‘Paul doesn’t want that, and neither does the rest of the team. Everyone is hoping they find their rhythm because it’s such an important part of what makes Bake Off work.’

The source continues, ‘There have been discussions between the production team, the on screen talent and their agents. Channel 4 is hoping these are simply early teething problems and that the situation improves as filming continues.’

Liv Powell is a content creator who has been working across heat, Closer, Bella and Yours since October 2025. Liv is well-versed in all things TikTok and YouTube and has a passion for all things health and beauty - Liv looks to Olivia Attwood as her ultimate source of life advice.

As the children of Katie Price and Peter Andre, being in the spotlight is all Junior and Princess Andre have ever known. After a messy split in 2009 followed by online spats, their parents have now called a truce, which has paved the way for both of their parents to star in Princess’ reality show for the first time.

‘It all happened naturally. My mum and dad did a truce online and they’re fine now. Then my show came along so it was perfect timing,’ Princess, 19, says. ‘It just worked out. It is way more fun for me to have them in the show because I like having my family there.’

Katie, 48, and Peter, 53, are both seen in the first episode of series three of The Princess Diaries, although not together. While the Mysterious Girl singer – who’s now married to Emily MacDonagh, with whom he shares Amelia, 12, Theodore, nine, and Arabella, two – is seen bonding with his elder two children over pancakes, Katie joins the pair on a glamping holiday.

‘She’s our mum at the end of the day. We’ve only got one mum so we own it,’ Junior, 21, adds. ‘It’s really important for us to have perfect relationships with our parents and our family, and that’s why it was great they could both be in it. It just solidifies the truce. Yes, they’re not best friends, but they don’t need to be. They just need to be calm.’

After nearly two decades of feuding, the former husband and wife – who divorced in 2009 after four years of marriage – surprised many by agreeing to stop their bickering in a joint statement in February. The pair said they have ‘reached a mutual agreement, both legally and personally, confirming that neither of us will speak negatively about the other going forward’, showing a ‘shared commitment to our family and stability’ to create a ‘calm and supportive environment’ for their children.

‘Our parents grew up in the industry so they’ve taught us from young to be more hardheaded and just be ourselves. To stay humble because that will get us far in life. Just do us and ignore what people have to say when it’s bad,’ Princess shares. Junior adds, ‘They tell us to be respectful, kind and down to earth, remember where we come from, treat people how you want to be treated, all the core, proper values.’

Although everybody is on good terms at the moment, Princess admits her mum’s life – particularly her latest marriage to Lee Andrews – is chaotic. ‘Mum’s love life is extreme. But as long as she’s happy. Mum’s life is just chaos, chaos, chaos,’ the teen says on the show.

As the eldest of their parents’ blended families of eight children, Junior and Princess are especially close – but that wasn’t always the case. ‘We used to hate each other when we were younger. We used to fight all the time,’ Junior says. His sister explains, ‘Yeah, we used to physically fight. But as we got older, we just got to that point where we’re like, why are we arguing over such a petty thing? I go to Junior with all my problems. He gives the best advice out of anyone and, as my older brother, I feel like he gets me more.

He adds, ‘It’s beautiful as we’re getting older, we’re getting closer and we’re doing more things and experiencing life together. We can have more grown-up conversations and I love how that translates in the show.’ They have even got matching tattoos to mark their bond. ‘We took that step together. We wanted to get something meaningful,’ he says.

After Katie and Peter met on I’m A Celebrity! over two decades ago, the siblings are now eyeing up a stint in the Australian jungle together. Junior says, ‘We’d do it together. We are the only jungle babies. It is literally calling to us – I can hear the birds and everything. I’m just waiting for the day I wake up there.’

They’re mini-mes of their parents: Katie wanted Princess to wear her wedding dress to her prom, and she’s launching a beauty brand this September, while Junior has followed in his dad’s footsteps by launching a music career.

‘I’ll be releasing more this year. I’ll play him my songs because I’m proud – and then he’s proud,’ Junior says. ‘But he has no input in my music at all. We’ve got different voices and different music tastes. I actually featured on one of his tracks. I wrote a rap on [a new remix of] Flava, which was one of his number ones back in the ’90s. But mainly, he’s not involved.’

He adds, ‘It’s difficult [to pave our own ways]. There are pressures but we’re working hard and doing what we love, following our dreams and passions. And just trying to do the best that we can.’

Shereen Low joined Bauer as a celebrity writer for Bella in October 2018 and is now a senior content creator across Bella, Closer, Grazia, heat and Yours. Shereen, who received a distinction in NCTJ’s Senior Journalism course, has interviewed some of the biggest names around: she was propositioned by Ryan Gosling, sat on the same sofa as Beyonce, pondered the meaning of life with Johnny Depp and got up close to Rihanna.

They’ve shared a string of loved-up snaps from their first holiday as a family-of-four after welcoming son Midas in June, and while they’re no doubt soaking up the bliss of their getaway to Athens, Closer can reveal Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury are clashing over wedding plans – and who they will sell the rights to.

TENSION

Since melting hearts when Tommy got down on one knee in July 2023, the couple, both 27, left fans stunned when they split just a year later. But after confirming they had reconciled last May and welcoming their second child earlier this year, they have finally turned their attention back to wedding plans. Yet, while the big day is back on the agenda, insiders say it’s already proving to be a fresh source of tension for the couple.

‘Molly and Tommy have come through a lot together. There were times when getting married felt like something that would never happen, but things are in a completely different place now,’ a source tells Closer. ‘Becoming parents again has given them a fresh perspective, and they’re excited about what comes next.

‘The couple are now hoping to tie the knot later this year, with cameras expected to play a major role in their celebrations. Nothing has been signed yet, but there’s a huge amount of interest and there are conversations taking place with both Netflix and Prime.’

After meeting on the fifth series of Love Island in 2019, they have gone on to become one of Britain’s biggest showbiz power couples. Molly-Mae has built an impressive business empire through successful beauty and fashion brands while sharing her life on YouTube and amassing more than 10 million followers across her social media platforms. She has also forged a strong relationship with Amazon Prime, where her hit docuseries Molly-Mae: Behind It All became a huge success and even secured her a National Television Award.

Meanwhile, Tommy has cultivated his own ties with Netflix. As well as appearing alongside his older brother Tyson Fury in the streamer’s smash-hit reality series At Home With The Furys, he has become a familiar face on screen in his own right, also giving fans an intimate look into his life in the BBC documentary Tommy: The Good. The Bad. The Fury. With both stars enjoying strong relationships with rival streaming giants – and commanding millions of loyal fans between them – it’s no surprise they’re eager for their wedding to be televised, but haven’t agreed on which streaming giant they’ll choose.

‘Molly has built a fantastic relationship with Prime through her documentary series,’ the source says. ‘While Tommy already has a strong working relationship with Netflix. Neither of them wants to damage those partnerships, so there have been plenty of conversations about which direction to go.

DIFFICULT PERIOD

‘It’s actually become quite tense at times because Molly has taken a much stronger lead in the relationship since they worked through their difficult period. She’s definitely the one making the final decisions now.

‘It’s not simply about whoever writes the biggest cheque, they’re thinking about what makes sense for both of their careers over the next few years.’

It was on screen where the couple first fell in love back in 2019 on Love Island and seemingly went from strength to strength. After welcoming their first daughter Bambi, three, in January 2023, the pair got engaged just months later in a romantic Ibiza proposal. But they shocked fans in August 2024 when they sensationally split with rumours swirling that the boxer had been unfaithful to his influencer fiancée. He later shut down the claims, explaining that his issues with alcohol were the reason for the breakup. ‘Cheating was never a thing. We broke up because I had a problem with alcohol and I couldn’t be the partner that I wanted to be anymore,’ he said.

And while the couple now appear happier than ever – sharing sweet photos of newborn life with baby Midas and big sister Bambi, and with Molly supporting Tommy at his boxing fight just days after giving birth, the source says it hasn’t been a smooth journey.

TRUST

‘There was a stage where Molly genuinely didn’t know if she could rebuild the trust,’ the source says. ‘Calling off the wedding was a very real possibility, and nobody expected them to find their way back.’

The source continues, ‘But they’re back on track and both want a traditional church ceremony in either Cheshire, where they built their family life together, or London. They’ve always imagined a classic British wedding surrounded by family and close friends. They’ve looked at venues before, and they’re returning to many of those ideas now.’

And now the insider says that while the couple have their hearts set on a UK wedding, they’re hoping to return to the White Isle for their honeymoon.

‘Once they’ve said, “I do”, they’re hoping to return to Ibiza for their honeymoon – the island where Tommy proposed in 2023. Ibiza has enormous sentimental value for them. Going back there as husband and wife feels like the perfect way to close one chapter and begin another. They want to relive one of the happiest moments of their relationship and create new memories together.’

Liv Powell is a content creator who has been working across heat, Closer, Bella and Yours since October 2025. Liv is well-versed in all things TikTok and YouTube and has a passion for all things health and beauty - Liv looks to Olivia Attwood as her ultimate source of life advice.

Six months after her debut lifestyle series was dropped by Netflix amid a barrage of criticism from viewers and critics, Meghan Markle has found herself celebrating an unexpected twist in the tale – a Daytime Emmy nomination for With Love, Meghan.

The Duchess of Sussex, who has become something of a royal queen of reinvention, announced the news on social media and will no doubt be delighted to have silenced some of the critics who previously mocked her endless pursuit of ‘moments of joy’. Perhaps there was even a Montecito celebration involving shop-bought pretzels decanted into a paper bag and an enthusiastic scattering of edible flowers.

Now, a source tells us the nomination has left Meghan feeling ‘vindicated’ and more convinced than ever that her critics got it wrong.

‘Meghan is beyond excited about getting this nomination. She sees it as proof that the show struck a chord with the people that matter,’ we’re told.

‘She was crushed when the show got cancelled, so this naturally has her feeling pretty vindicated. She also feels the ratings were unfairly judged and nowhere near as bad as some people made out.’

But while celebrations may be in full swing at the Sussexes’ Montecito home, the nomination has reportedly left some in Hollywood scratching their heads, particularly given the show's decidedly mixed reception.

With Love, Meghan managed just 26% on review site Rotten Tomatoes, while critics elsewhere branded the series 'queasy', 'exhausting' and 'painfully contrived'.

The ratings made for similarly uncomfortable reading, with the audience reportedly dropping from 5.3 million for the first season to just two million for the second. One PR expert previously summed up the stark decline by pointing out, ‘In any normal boardroom, a drop-off that severe means failure.’

Now, behind the scenes, there is growing speculation that Meghan may have somehow ‘wheedled’ her way onto the nominations list – although there is no evidence to support the claim.

‘It’s pretty brutal because, for a lot of people whose shows didn’t get nominated, it seems pretty bizarre that a cancelled show would even be in the running,’ the insider says.

‘There are a lot of people convinced she somehow wheedled her way to the nomination, whether that’s fair or not. Emmy campaigning can be catty and competitive at the best of times, but with so many people questioning whether she even deserved the nod, it’s especially vicious.'

They add, ‘The biggest complaint people in the industry have is that her numbers didn’t warrant this recognition, people are convinced that her name and her connections are the only reason she’s gotten this nomination, so there’s a lot of bitterness.’

Of course, this is far from Meghan’s first experience of weathering criticism since she and Prince Harry stepped down as working royals in 2020.

January marked six years since the Sussexes sensationally quit royal life, leaving the monarchy ‘blindsided’ as they aired their grievances on an increasingly public stage.

The fallout also paved the way for Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, to reportedly rake in more than $100 million in deals with some of Hollywood’s biggest power players, including Netflix, Apple and Spotify, all eager to secure a slice of the Sussex story.

But while the couple once appeared to have the world at their feet, the past few years have proved considerably more challenging.

The Royal Family has endured some of its darkest days, yet the tide now appears to have shifted back in favour of the monarchy – even in the US, where Harry and Meghan were once embraced as Montecito’s golden couple.

Last month, data collected by YouGov America was reported to show a significant decline in Meghan’s popularity over the past year. In 2025, 37% of voters reportedly said they ‘liked’ Meghan, compared with just 29% who expressed support for the Duchess at the beginning of this year.

Meanwhile, US site Newsweek claimed separate research had found that traffic to Meghan’s As Ever brand website had fallen by 89,000 in the US during January.

Perhaps nothing seemed to capture the apparent shift in fortunes quite like the news that Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos had unfollowed Meghan on social media and severed ties with her lifestyle brand in February.

However, more recent pictures of the pair together would suggest that, despite the headlines, their relationship remains on friendly terms.

Against this backdrop, it may come as something of a surprise that the determined Duchess appears to be refusing to let the criticism get under her skin. Instead, she is reportedly dismissing her detractors as ‘jealous’ and choosing to focus on enjoying what could be a rare moment of redemption.

‘She’s bracing herself for plenty more sniping in the run-up to the awards, but she’s not going to get drawn into the noise,’ the insider says.

'Meghan’s refusing to let all the negativity spoil this for her, and she says anyone saying the show didn’t deserve to be in the running is simply looking to find fault with her because they’re jealous.

‘She says the whole narrative that she’s somehow getting special treatment by getting this nomination after her show was cancelled just proves her point because it actually happens all the time and is completely within the rules.’

Of course, bagging an Emmy can also be a powerful make-or-break asset when it comes to reputation. But given that studios and production teams can make strategic choices about how and where their shows are submitted, critics have speculated that Netflix may have opted to help Meghan salvage the reputation of her brand by putting the show forward.

One expert claimed, ‘Emmy-nominated’ is a permanent, high-authority brand asset that completely erases the reality of a dying audience. That is how sophisticated optics work.’

However, we’re told that Meghan sees nothing amiss about her nomination whatsoever and claims her critics are ‘grasping at straws’.

The source says, ‘To accuse her of somehow manipulating the process, when all she did was make the series and submit it for consideration like everyone else, is just grasping at straws. She says, if people want to disagree with the voters, that's their right, but they're directing all their anger at her instead of accepting that the judging panel obviously saw something they didn't.

‘It’s very frustrating because no matter what she does, she can’t win. If the show hadn't been nominated, people would have called it a failure, and now that it has been recognised, they're saying the nomination doesn't count. From her perspective, the goalposts keep moving because some people have already decided they don’t like her and they’re working backwards to prove their assumptions about her.’

News of the nomination also emerged just days after Meghan and Harry – alongside their children Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five – reunited with King Charles and Queen Camilla for afternoon tea at Highgrove House in the UK.

The top-secret summit marked the first time Meghan has returned to the UK in four years and has been widely seen as a personal ‘win’ for the Sussexes.

Now, we’re told Meghan is determined to keep celebrating this streak of success - whether she walks away with a gong or not.

The insider says, ‘She knows the backlash is only going to intensify as the awards get closer, but she's determined not to let it rattle her. As far as she's concerned, she's earned the right to celebrate this moment, and she's not going to let anyone take that away from her.

‘If she takes home the prize on Emmy night, even better, but either way she’s going to make the most of this, no matter how many people try to tear her down.’

Having had her first taste of magazine life at just 15 on work experience, Lauren Hill-Roger has now been working in the world of celebs for well over a decade. Now, most of her week is filled with reporting on Hollywood and the Royal Family for Closer and heat. From Megxit to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s scandal, she lives and dreams of the crown jewels and is a mega-fan of K Middy and his royal hotness, Prince William.

The Sussexes may have only just wrapped up their latest UK visit, but it seems their return to British shores could be the beginning of a much bigger story - with more appearances from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle potentially on the horizon.

In a move we are now dubbing as ‘Meg-in’ (the reverse of 2020’s 'Megxit’), royal observers have speculated that Harry could now be hoping to negotiate some kind of new arrangement with the Palace, with the approval of his father, King Charles.

Such a deal could potentially pave the way for the Duke to finally secure the ‘half in, half out’ role that was firmly rejected by the late Queen in 2020.

The couple’s secret summit with Charles at Highgrove House has also led to the monarch being branded ‘soft-hearted’ for seemingly allowing his son to all but waltz back into the UK, despite the damage Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, are said to have inflicted on the monarchy over the past six years.

Meanwhile, a source previously told us that Prince William is facing growing pressure from certain members and staff within the Firm to finally make peace with his estranged brother Harry.

It’s a reconciliation that, we’re told, might yet happen - but the future King is unlikely to agree to it lightly.

An insider says, ‘Harry might have won over his father, but it’s going to take a lot more than a few feeble gestures to convince William to give him another chance.

‘William finds it appalling that there’s never been any sort of proper apology for all the cruel and revolting things that have been done. He hasn’t forgotten the stress Harry inflicted on their grandfather before he died, what he put their grandmother through, the heinous interview, the disgusting tell-all, or all the hurt and humiliation he and Kate have had to endure over the years.’

The long-running rift between the brothers, who are believed to have barely spoken in four years, shows no sign of thawing.

But this time, it appears William could have more influence than ever over what happens next, particularly when it comes to deciding whether Harry and Meghan have any place within the royal fold.

Reports have claimed that William was left furious by news of his brother's return, which allegedly came shortly before last month’s Trooping the Colour parade. The future King is said to have left before the traditional family meal following the event and threatened to boycott future gatherings for the foreseeable future.

While King Charles ultimately chose to welcome the Sussexes, the monarch may now find himself caught between his desire to maintain a relationship with his youngest son and the wishes of his heir.

And with William and Charles said to share an increasingly close bond, the King will undoubtedly have to consider his eldest son’s feelings as the family faces yet another chapter in the bitter brothers' feud. And the source says William, 43, is adamant that Harry and Meghan follow terms which may be considered brutal and humiliating for the Sussexes.

‘As far as William’s concerned, there have to be consequences, starting with an apology from both Harry and Meghan to him and his wife, he wants to see them take accountability - and he wants it to be public,’ they tell us.

‘Once that happens, he says he might consider sitting down with Harry but only if he’s willing to sign a legally binding contract stating there will be no more public attacks on the family, he doesn’t even want their names mentioned publicly by Harry without prior approval from the palace.

‘He also wants a promise that there won’t be any more of these shameless faux royal tours without permission, and he wants clear rules and boundaries set out over how Meghan uses her royal status to promote her brand. William says a legally binding contract is the only language the Sussexes will understand.’

William, 43, is still reported to be ‘furious’ about the direction Harry has taken since stepping away from royal life – particularly his decision to team up with Netflix in 2020, the streaming giant behind the controversial royal drama The Crown. But it is understood to be Harry’s explosive tell-alls that have caused the deepest wounds.

The Duke of Sussex famously referred to William as his ‘arch nemesis’ and, in his memoir Spare, alleged that his older brother physically assaulted him during a row over Meghan. While such claims might be explosive enough in any celebrity biography, revelations about the future King of England carry an altogether different weight - with the potential to cause serious damage to the monarchy itself.

As recently as a matter of weeks ago, there was still widespread speculation that William could strip Harry and Meghan of their royal titles once he becomes King. Against that backdrop, the latest calls for him to simply forgive and forget appear a long way from reality.

Indeed, the source claims William finds it ‘ridiculous’ that he is even being asked to reconcile with his brother, suggesting that, despite the latest efforts to bring the family back together, the bitter brothers' feud may be far from over.

‘After everything his brother's done, he doesn't understand how anyone can forgive him, and he finds it pretty sickening that he's now being told he needs to turn the other cheek,’ we’re told.

‘William's astounded that so many people have been taken in by Harry and Meghan's posturing when it feels like it was only yesterday that they were all sitting down for crisis talks and having very serious conversations about taking away their titles.

‘Yet here they are back in the fold, and now he’s the one being pressured to make amends. He thinks it's absolutely ridiculous that people are trying to strong-arm him into something that he simply doesn't believe is right or proper.’

Now that Harry is back in the US, William has continued to put on a united front with Princess Kate, with loved-up images from their social media pages only further proving that the royal couple are as united as ever.

By his side through it all, a source recently told us Kate, 44, knows better than anyone how much William has suffered, which we’re now told has led her to secretly hope that her husband may one day find it in his heart to forgive his brother - for his own sake as much as anyone else’s.

The insider says, ‘Kate is doing her best to walk the line between encouraging William to make peace while still being supportive of him because, as everyone knows, loyalty is extremely important to William, and the last thing she wants is for her husband to feel betrayed by her.

‘She would love to see these two brothers on speaking terms again, not just because she misses Harry, but also for the King's sake, and even for William's sake, because she can see the toll all this bitterness and anger is taking on him.

‘But she also accepts that there's no point in William agreeing to this if he doesn't genuinely feel any forgiveness in his heart. William’s well-being is her first priority.’

And we’re told that while Harry is unlikely to sign any written agreement, Kate believes it could be the one assurance that William needs if any trust is to be rebuilt between the brothers.

The source says, ‘While it might be seen as heavy-handed by a lot of people, if getting a signed agreement is what it will take for William to reach a place where he can forgive his brother, Kate doesn’t see anything wrong with that.’

Having had her first taste of magazine life at just 15 on work experience, Lauren Hill-Roger has now been working in the world of celebs for well over a decade. Now, most of her week is filled with reporting on Hollywood and the Royal Family for Closer and heat. From Megxit to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s scandal, she lives and dreams of the crown jewels and is a mega-fan of K Middy and his royal hotness, Prince William.

She has been seemingly living in hiding over the past few months, with her last known whereabouts thought to be the Austrian Alps in April.

But following reports that Sarah Ferguson is preparing to return to the UK ahead of the birth of her daughter Princess Eugenie’s third child, sources reveal that she’s demanding an audience with King Charles and Queen Camilla.

The royal insider shares that the former Duchess of York is expecting to be let back into The Firm – and she’s not going to take no for an answer. They say, ‘Sarah is nowhere near ready to just disappear into obscurity. She says she won’t allow herself to be tossed aside like rubbish simply because it’s the easier path for Charles and Camilla and she’ll definitely make them feel the consequences if they cold-shoulder her. They owe her a whole lot better than that and she intends to push them until she gets it. That doesn’t mean she’s not incredibly nervous about coming back to England, but she’s not letting that stop her.'

Sarah and her ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, both 66, have been embroiled in controversy over their friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In September 2025, it emerged that Sarah had called Epstein – who was convicted of procuring a minor for prostitution in 2008 – a ‘steadfast, generous and supreme friend’ in 2011, just a month after she publicly severed ties with him – something she ‘humbly apologised’ for.

DROPPED

A spokesperson for Sarah said the email was sent ‘to counter an aggressive threat Epstein had made to sue her for defamation’.

Other emails, one from 2010, saw Sarah write to Epstein, ‘You are a legend. I really don’t have the words to describe my love, gratitude for your generosity and kindness. […] I am at your service. Just marry me.’ It has also been claimed that Sarah took her then teenage daughters Beatrice, now 37, and Eugenie, 36, to visit Epstein in Miami in 2009, days after he was released from prison.

The under-fire former royal – who also accepted financial assistance from Epstein – was dropped by seven charities as a patron or ambassador following renewed scrutiny of her friendship with the disgraced financier.

But through it all, the insider says Sarah’s determined to be a good mum to her daughters – especially Eugenie as she prepares to give birth – and is willing to work with her disgraced ex-husband on being supportive parents.

‘As much as her relationship with Andrew has completely deteriorated, she knows it’s important that they’re on the same page, so that’s another difficult conversation she feels has to happen. More than anything though, she can’t bear the idea of being so cut off from her daughters and her grandchildren, especially with Eugenie about to give birth. She feels it’s crucial for her to be nearby.'

After reportedly retreating to a string of luxury European wellness clinics costing up to £13,000 a day, Sarah – who was married to Andrew between 1986 and 1996 but still lived with him at Royal Lodge until their eviction in February – is hoping that by returning to the UK, she can implore Charles to allow her back into the family. The monarch famously stripped his brother of his title as Prince and the style of His Royal Highness in November, before Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office four months later.

LONELY

The insider shares, ‘Since she left England, Sarah has been hopping from one luxury spa to another, spending a fortune trying to gather her strength. But as much as she doesn’t want to face the music, she can’t keep running forever. It isn’t sustainable financially and the reality is she’s very lonely. Sarah was hoping that with time people might soften towards her, but that’s wishful thinking – if anything the mood towards her is even worse than when all the revelations about her friendship with Epstein first came out.’

The source continues, ‘She’s clinging to the belief that sitting down with Charles and Camilla to plead her case could solve this for her, at least as far as her financial situation goes. Sarah just isn’t willing to accept being exiled. A lot of people feel the best thing she could do for her children and grandchildren is keep her distance but she can’t bear that, it’s too devastating to even consider.’

Meanwhile, the Prince and Princess of Wales – who, Closer has previously reported, are taking a ‘firm stance’ on the controversy surrounding William’s aunt and uncle – fear that more tension could cause issues for Charles’ health amid his ongoing cancer treatment. ‘William and Kate are worried about the toll this continued family drama is having on both Charles’s health and his wellbeing. Both Kate and Camilla have become incredibly protective. Kate’s support comes from a deeply personal place and she has been one of the stronger voices telling the King to slow down,’ the insider adds.

Millie Payne is a News and Entertainment Writer at Bauer Media, where her day-to-day role ranges from interviewing celebrities from all walks of showbiz life, to creating features and news pieces for online and print.

SOFIA, 54: ‘It’s always fun to try new things!’

Though Sofia Vergara says she is ‘the first to admit that I hate wasting time in the gym’, she’s come up with a great way to keep herself motivated – bringing a pal! ‘It might be the inspiration you need,’ the Modern Family actress, 54, advised. ‘A workout buddy will hold you accountable, and it’s always more fun to try new things when you have someone who can laugh through the experience with you.’

PATSY, 58: ‘Ditching salt changed me!’

While she’s also cut out processed food, and swears by ‘light weights and running’, Patsy Kensit revealed her body changed when she gave up salt. ‘Cutting out salt was really interesting because it’s had such a huge effect on my size,’ the actress, 58, said. ‘I tend to hold a lot of water – I’ve suffered from bloating ever since I hit puberty 100 years ago! Without salt, I found the bloating reduced. Such a silly, simple thing, but it’s been miraculous how much it’s changed me.’

DAVINA, 58: ‘It’s not about being thin!’

Davina McCall is known for her toned abs, but has admitted she ‘wasn’t brilliant at sports’. But nowadays, the presenter – who recently held a second wedding with hairdresser Michael Douglas after marrying last December – explained the gym is ‘not to get bikini-body ready – it’s for my own sanity.’ Davina, 58, added, ‘It wasn’t about being thin; it was about feeling good inside my head and inside my body – and that has benefits outside as well.’

AMANDA, 55: ‘I run for my wine!’

Looking incredible in her coral bikini, Amanda Holden keeps up with her fitness regime for her ‘own discipline and dignity’. Running three to four miles a week, hopping on her Peloton bike, practising Kundalini yoga and opting for Viking workouts – a high-intensity, functional and bodyweight-based programme that builds strength and endurance – the Britain’s Got Talent judge, 55, also has an unusual motivation hack. ‘The deal I struck with myself was that I have to run for my rosé wine in the summer and run for my red wine in winter,’ she explained.

EVA, 51: ‘I go on a rebounder’

Actress Eva Longoria is an early riser – waking up ‘at 5am with my trainer, six days a week, every week’. But though weight training is her ‘meditation’, the Desperate Housewives star, 51, also enjoys a different type of cardio – bouncing on the trampoline! ‘I go on the rebounder, and that’s just so fun, but I only do that once or twice a week,’ Eva, who also believes in ‘budgeting sleep’, revealed.

JENNY, 58: ‘Moving brings me back to myself!’

At 58, Jenny Powell credits her toned figure to her love of yoga – which she swears by to debloat. The radio presenter – who ditched fad diets to focus on clean eating – has described her hour-long morning sessions as something she ‘can’t live without’. ‘Not every week feels easy… but moving my body always brings me back to myself,’ she admitted. ‘No pressure. No perfection. Just showing up.’

After freelancing across the brands for four years, Sophie Cockerham officially joined Bauer Media as a senior content creator in August 2025 - and now writes across heat, Closer, Bella and Yours.

She found love with Australian model and actor Chris Dingwall in 2023 after they connected on Raya – and Melanie C has now got her fairy-tale ending after the pair tied the knot in a lakeside ceremony in Cumbria.

Surrounded by their loved ones – including her Spice Girls bandmates, minus Victoria Beckham, who was in the States for the World Cup – Melanie, 52, and Chris exchanged vows following his proposal in Mallorca last year.

RESILIENT

Melanie – who is mum to Scarlett, 17, from her previous relationship with Thomas Starr – has credited Chris’ with a ‘very calming energy’, adding, ‘My daughter is 17, and we’re pretty resilient the two of us, we’re a team. For anybody coming into our world… it was going to be tough, and he just fits perfectly. It’s a beautiful dynamic.’

Just a week before Melanie walked down the aisle, she chatted to Closer about a prospective Spice Girls reunion. The former band – also consisting of Emma Bunton, 50, Mel B, 51, and Geri Halliwell, 53 – catapulted to fame after the release of their debut single Wannabe in 1996. Following their 2000 hiatus, the girls reunited for a 2007 comeback tour and a performance at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, but their 2019 reunion took place without Victoria.

Weighing in on the girls’ close bond, Melanie says of a comeback, ‘I think one song isn’t enough. I wouldn’t be satisfied with that. We’re constantly talking. Marking the [Wannabe] anniversary, we could see the fans posting across social media and it’s like, “You don’t need to convince me, I’m here, I’m ready, I’m waiting.”’

REST DAYS

And Melanie is particularly proud of fashion designer Victoria, who designed her wedding dress. ‘She’s amazing, we’re so proud of everything that she’s achieved beyond being a Spice Girl,’ she said.
Over the years, the pop singer has also impressed fans with her age-defying physique, nicknamed Sporty Spice for her signature athletic style.

‘In the ’90s it was all cardio, cardio, cardio – bore off,’ Melanie laughs. ‘I do still need to do some cardio because I want to be able to run around on stage and sing, but for me now it’s more about strength. Rest days were a thing I never used to do in the ’90s. Now it’s about listening to your body more – and you get better results.’

Ramla Jeylani is a showbiz writer for Closer, heat, Yours and Bella, covering everything from celeb interviews to the latest TV gossip. She joined Bauer Media in October 2025 after previously completing a Content Creator apprenticeship with the company in 2022.

‘We’ll be better than the Kardashians’

They’ve expanded their audience by giving fans a glimpse behind the scenes of their marriage on the Therapy Crouch podcast for the last three years, and now sources say Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch are plotting to launch a reality show about their family life.

‘Abbey knows that the next step for them as a family is probably a reality TV show,’ a source tells Closer, adding, ‘Pete was always a bit against it and didn’t want the kids growing up in the spotlight but after the success of their podcasts, they’ve seen how much people love them as a couple and a family and Abbey knows it will help make their brand bigger. She’s even joked they'll be better than the Kardashians.'

The model, 40, and the retired footballer, 45, are parents to Sophia, 14, Liberty, 10, Johnny, seven, and Jack, six. And recently, Abbey has put her foot on the pedal when it comes to featuring more of her children on social media, with Sophia and Liberty even joining her in modelling campaigns.

‘With four kids, loads of animals, a house move and busy careers there’s going to be lots of footage,’ the source continues. ‘They’ve always had offers to do reality shows which they’ve turned down but having seen the success of other families they’re starting to change their minds.’

The couple have strong ties to ITV, with Abbey having launched her show, Celebrity Homes – for one series – back in 2023. Friends in the industry have also told them how well they would come across on screen. ‘Abbey and Pete are really good friends with Holly Willoughby and her husband Dan. Dan, as the big TV executive, knows that Abbey has the star appeal and that everyone loves Pete and that they would be a golden couple on TV. Abbey and Pete are also good friends with Coleen and Wayne Rooney.

‘It’s all about getting the right offer, whether it works for them as a family and what type of show they’d want it to be – Abbey is particular and it would have to be done in a classy and arty way.’

Janey and Roger engaged!

Three years after meeting on ITV’s ‘middle-age answer to Love Island’, My Mum, Your Dad stars Janey Smith and Roger Hawes have announced their engagement.

Sharing a loved-up selfie on Instagram showcasing her diamond rock, Janey captioned the post, ‘Dreams do come true.’ She also posted a wholesome snap of Roger’s dog who wore a tag that read, ‘Will you marry my daddy?’

The couple shot to fame on the show’s first series and have become one of its biggest success stories. Widower Roger was put forward by his daughter Jess while Janey was brought on by her son, Will.

Just weeks before Roger, 61, popped the question, Janey, 50, took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message about their relationship.

‘We met just under three years ago, thanks to a TV show for us mid-lifers and our children,’ she wrote. ‘I was 47 and Roger was 58. Dating in mid life is very different to when you’re in your 20’s! Peri-menopause for me, oh the joys! Roger has a bad knee. We both can’t read without glasses... Our journey comes with so much understanding and a “want” to be together not a “need”. This is where we are at, and I wouldn’t change a thing.’

Cher’s wedding ring ‘in the bin’

Former X Factor star Cher Lloyd has shocked fans by announcing she has split from her husband Craig Monk after 13 years of marriage.

The Swagger Jagger singer shared a post of her bare left hand on Instagram, fuelling speculation. When asked by a follower, ‘Where is your wedding ring?’, Cher replied, ‘In the [bin emoji]’, seemingly confirming the split.

Cher and Craig, both 32, met when she visited the hair salon where he worked and they had a whirlwind romance, getting engaged less than a year after they started dating. Marrying in 2013, they welcomed daughters Delilah-Rae, seven, and Eliza Violet, two, while Craig is also father to another daughter.

Jessie’s love split

Singer Jessie J has called time on her five-year relationship with boyfriend Chanan Colman, 42, three years after giving birth to their son, Sky, and two months after confirming she was cancer-free following a battle with breast cancer.

‘Chanan and I decided to end our romantic relationship some time ago,’ the Price Tag hitmaker, 38, wrote. ‘It has been a sad and difficult situation, but we have been focused on navigating the change privately and positively for a healthy and happy co-parenting environment for our son and ourselves.

‘We will always continue supporting each other with love, respect and care as friends and most importantly being Sky’s Mum and Dad.’

Ramla Jeylani is a showbiz writer for Closer, heat, Yours and Bella, covering everything from celeb interviews to the latest TV gossip. She joined Bauer Media in October 2025 after previously completing a Content Creator apprenticeship with the company in 2022.

A decade on from his messy split from Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt has suffered a tragic new blow.

While their lengthy legal battle may finally be drawing to a close - with the former couple now only quibbling over their $164m vineyard - the emotional fallout is far from over.

Much of the pain has centred on the former couple’s six children – and now, another bombshell is set to bring fresh heartache for Brad, 62.

Following twins Knox and Vivienne’s 18th birthday on 12 July, his youngest daughter has followed suit with the majority of her siblings and filed to legally drop her dad’s last name.

The teenager has filed a petition in Los Angeles County Superior Court requesting that her name be changed to simply Vivienne Marcheline Jolie.

According to court documents, the reason behind Brad’s youngest child changing her surname from Jolie-Pitt is listed as ‘personal’.

An official court hearing is scheduled for later this year on November 2 - but this isn’t the first time Vivienne has made it clear she wants to drop Brad’s name. When she appeared in a Broadway production of The Outsiders in 2024, she was listed on the bill as Vivienne Jolie.

But Vivienne is far from the first of her siblings to forge ahead and drop Pitt from her surname.

In May 2024, daughter Shiloh, now 20, was the first to take action - filing a legal petition to drop the latter half of her hyphenated last name on her 18th birthday, which was subsequently granted.

Her siblings Maddox, 24, and Zahara, 21, also followed suit this year - both filing legal petitions with the Superior Court of California to distance themselves from their dad forever.

Meanwhile, Vivienne’s twin brother Knox, also filed court papers to publicly drop Pitt - meaning that Pax, 22, is the only child to have not yet pursued a public or legal name change.

The 23-year-old reportedly spends time with his dad's side of the family, but ‘doesn't have much of a relationship with Brad’.

A source previously told heat, ‘Brad is absolutely crushed that the kids are formally disowning him one by one. It’s the definition of soul-destroying and almost impossible for him to comprehend.

‘Publicly, people see Brad carrying on as normal, but this has really affected him. His children are the one area of his life where he’s completely vulnerable. Brad’s tried so hard to mend his relationship with them, but he’s been shut down so many times that he’s gotten to a point where he’s almost stopped trying. Not because he doesn’t care, but he’s terrified of making things worse.'

‘There’s no question whose side the kids are on. The fact that, one by one, they’re dropping Brad’s last name says it all. They don’t sit around trash-talking their dad or wishing him harm. It’s more of a sad and unspoken topic, and something they’ve learned to live with.’

The split between Brad and Angelina, 51, who were dubbed Brangelina throughout their 11-year relationship, shocked fans around the globe. Just two years after tying the knot at their 1000-acre chateau in the south of France, Angelina filed for divorce, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’ following an ill-fated journey on a private jet.

According to Angelina’s lawyers, it was alleged that Brad was abusive to his wife and two of their children – one of whom is known to be a then-15-year-old Maddox – on the September 2016 flight.

Brad has always denied the allegations, and the case was closed after the incident was investigated by the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services and the FBI. But the actor has since admitted that his heavy drinking caused a lot of damage to their family life, and gave up alcohol shortly after the split.

Insiders also reported that the family engaged in ‘a lot of therapy’ to navigate their issues, but it didn’t seem to help, and the sessions stopped in 2020.

The source continues, ‘Brad would give anything for his kids to be able to experience this new version of himself, but he knows that this isn’t something he can demand. It has to happen naturally, which is why he’s stopped trying to force the issue. But anyone who knows him well will tell you his kids are always front and centre of his mind – and he wants the children to know that too.

‘One thing that gives him a lot of comfort is the fact that some of his kids are still in touch with his family [his father, William, and his brother and sister, Doug and Julie]. For him, that’s proof the door isn’t completely closed. He doesn’t expect some dramatic reconciliation overnight, but he refuses to believe this is how the story ends.’

The source goes on, ‘Of course, he wishes things were different right now, and he'd give anything to speed the process up, but he's accepted that's out of his hands. All he can do is keep the door open and hope that, when the time is right, his kids decide to walk through it. As far as Brad’s concerned, being their father isn't something that ends because they’ve chosen to drop his last name. He doesn’t care what they call themselves - they will always be his children, and he will never stop loving them.’

Though Brad has since moved on with jewellery designer Ines De Ramon, 33, who he has been linked to since November 2022, his battle with Angelina is far from over.

The former couple's divorce was finalised in December 2024, but Brad’s dispute with Angelina over the sale of her share of their French estate and award-winning winery, Chateau Miraval, to a Russian billionaire continues.

But according to our source, the children are team Angelina all the way.

‘They’re fiercely protective of their mom, so whenever there’s any sort of conflict, even over something relatively minor, they typically back her,’ the insider says. ‘It’s pretty cut and dry as far as the kids are concerned: their dad is clearly out to destroy their mom, and that’s something they’ll never understand or forgive him for.

‘They see firsthand how much it affects her, emotionally as well as financially, and the fact that it’s all going down right before they move to another country only amplifies the stress for everyone concerned.’

But the source adds, ‘Brad has patience, resilience and persistence, and he's not despairing about the situation with his kids. He knows he'll eventually have a place in all of their lives again, because he helped raise these kids and turn them into the people they are today.’

He may have only just landed back in the US, but Prince Harry gave us a major hint that he was already missing home when he appeared on After Hours with James Corden – bantering with his fellow Brit about football while he clutched a pint.

It’s been just two weeks since Harry, 41, met with his father King Charles for the first time in ten months and, joined by Meghan Markle, 44, and their children – Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five – sources described him as feeling ‘buoyed’ and ‘really energised’ following what is bound to have been a very emotional reunion.

Now, we’re told that homesick Harry is keen to keep this momentum going and wants to organise the next reunion between Charles and his beloved grandkids as soon as possible.

An insider says, ‘Getting the kids back together with Charles is absolutely top of Harry’s agenda right now. It’s practically all he can talk about. He has his heart set on bringing them back for Christmas, but he’d love to fit in a trip before then, too, if they can find a window in everyone’s schedules.’

However, in what may come as a surprise U-turn given that Harry’s plans have previously been thwarted by the estranged royal’s deep rift with his family, a source tells us that Meghan is now holding up a further reconciliation and is in no rush to return to the UK anytime soon.

Days after the couple’s return to their home in Montecito, a source close to the Sussexes told People magazine that Meghan will have been left ‘humiliated’ by the public back-and-forth between Harry and the Palace over the family’s security and accommodation arrangements – despite it being the Sussexes' own team who had revealed their plans in the first place.

The source further added that there had been ‘a lot of sadness’ for Meghan over their decision for her not to join Harry for any public-facing events due to the ongoing dispute over their security arrangements.

Ensconced back in their exclusive Californian enclave and celebrating her recent nomination for a Daytime Emmy Award, the source says tensions are growing between Meghan and Harry as she insists she needs time to rebuild her ‘sanity’ after being left ‘drained’ by their trip.

‘Meghan’s all for him being positive and trying to rebuild things with Charles, but not at the expense of their own sanity. It took all of Meghan’s strength to get through this last trip, so it’s got to feel pretty overwhelming that she’s already being asked to start planning for the next one,' the insider says.

‘It would be a different story if she’d come home feeling like some of the old wrongs were righted, but that simply isn’t what happened at all. The trip left her completely drained. All the back and forth was a nightmare for Harry, and she was the one who had to steady him through it all; she can’t go through that every couple of months, it’s too destabilising.’

Of course, the main purpose behind their long-anticipated return was widely reported to be Charles’ wish to form and maintain a close bond with his beloved grandchildren, who he is said to have been ‘delighted’ to spend quality time with.

However, the source warns that there could be crisis talks ahead between Meghan and Harry as we’re told she doesn’t want their young children travelling without her and is urging Harry to invite his father over to the States instead.

The insider says, ‘She certainly doesn’t want the children going without her, not at this stage. As far as Meghan’s concerned, it’s time Harry’s family made some effort to see them, but it’s very hard for Harry to imagine a scenario where Charles comes to America instead; he just can’t see it happening.

‘Which means, in the end, it all comes down to whether he can persuade Meghan to get back on a plane, and right now even Christmas is looking like a long and difficult conversation.’

Despite the glossy image Meghan presents in public, the couple are known to live a relatively low-key lifestyle in California – as low-key as you can be in a $29 million mansion, of course.

Even for birthdays and celebrations, the Sussexes prefer to stay at home and share homemade cake, and Harry famously enjoys time at the beach and cycling with their children.

So we’re told that a Christmas where they will undoubtedly be thrust into essentially a lion’s den of every member of the Royal Family still in favour with the King is a ‘daunting prospect’ for Meghan right now.

‘With all of the worries about security, there wasn’t a moment when she ever relaxed on this trip; she was in full fight or flight the entire time. The prospect of enduring that again anytime soon is daunting, to say the least, the source says.

‘It’s not like this was an easy trip for Harry, either. He had to fight tooth and nail until the last moment to figure out a way to bring the children, and even then, they only got one visit with the King, so it’s very hard to imagine how the next visit is going to be any less stressful.’

But we’re told that Harry maintains that the trip was a ‘huge success’, and just the first step on what he hopes will lead to a full family reconciliation – something that, after six years of estrangement, he is hoping will come to fruition sooner rather than later.

‘Harry fully admits that the circumstances were not even close to what he was hoping for, but he still says it was a huge success because they got some very special moments with his father, and that’s not something he’s taking for granted after everything that’s happened,’ the source says.

‘His intention was always to build on this visit, so it’s not a surprise that he wants to go back, but what is a shock is how quickly he wants this trip to happen; that was not something anyone, least of all Meghan, was prepared for.’

Meanwhile, with Charles turning 80 in the next couple of years and still receiving ongoing treatment for cancer, the source says Harry is insisting that time is of the essence. And we’re told that while Meghan agrees with Harry’s heartfelt sentiment, she needs time to both recoup and prepare for what lies ahead.

‘She says she needs time to fortify herself for the next trip, which Harry understands, but of course his argument is that they don’t have all the time in the world,’ we’re told.

‘His dad is fighting cancer, and he's in his late 70s, so naturally, Harry feels a huge sense of urgency to at least get something on the books. This is not a conversation he's just going to drop.’

Win two weekend camping tickets to Victorious Festival (28-30 August 2026) - the UK’s biggest Metropolitan festival of music and family entertainment.

Fresh off the back of supporting Oasis on their legendary reunion tour, the formidable Richard Ashcroft will be headlining Friday at the festival, with American rock duo The Black Keys headlining Saturday night and UK rock giants Kasabian closing the festival with an electrifying set of hits.

The stellar line-up also sees Scissor Sisters, Faithless, Bastille, Nile Rogers and CHIC, The Streets, Basement Jaxx, Jessie J, The Vaccines and many more gracing the stages at Victorious Festival this August Bank Holiday weekend.

Competition closes 29th July 2026.

T&C's:

• Prize includes two weekend camping tickets (2 adults) to Victorious Festival 2026.

• Entrants must be over 18 years.

• Each ticket admits one person.

• Travel and accommodation not included.

• Weekend camping ticket included in prize (no camping equipment provided).

• The prize is non-refundable and no cash alternative will be offered.

• The prize is non-transferable and ID will be required at time of collecting the ticket wristband upon arrival.

• The prize includes all free events and activities at Victorious (subject to availability) but not food and drink from any stalls or bar.

• Winner chosen at random.

• For more information on the festival visit the Victorious Festival website at victoriousfestival.co.uk.

• The tickets are issued subject to the festival’s standard T&Cs, which can be found here.

Please note this competition is open to ROI entrants.

The lead up to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s UK return led to many questions being raised over how, and if, they may attempt to engineer the trip in a way that would boost their plummeting popularity. Many critics even speculated that the pair could be set to do another explosive tell-all.

But to the surprise of many royal observers, the Sussexes were silent. Both Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, appear to have agreed to what is likely to have been the King’s request for total secrecy during their much-anticipated reunion earlier this month.

So it happened that, during a Chanel event at Highgrove House, the couple, alongside their children Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, sneaked into the estate without being noticed by photographers.

For Meghan, who had reportedly sworn never to step foot back in the UK, her return appeared to mark a huge U-turn – prompting criticism over whether her ulterior motive had been to help boost her popularity, and vicariously her lifestyle brand, As Ever.

However, just days later, Meghan was unexpectedly hit by her own personal lucky streak when her now defunct Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award – just ahead of her long-awaited appearance on MasterChef Australia, which will air next weekend.

Now, a source tells us Meghan is demanding that Harry step aside and let her shine, instead of moping about his own dramas and putting all of their eggs in one basket by focusing everything on reuniting with the royals.

An insider says, ‘Meghan feels she’s done her bit to help him. She went to England, kept out of sight, and abided by all the rules because she knew how important the trip was.

‘But now that they’re back home, she’s saying it’s time to forget about the royals and put their energy back into the life they’re building in America, which really means focusing on her and her brand.’

For months, Harry, 41, and Meghan Markle, 44, are widely reported to be under pressure when it comes to their finances and just how they are going to continue to fund their lavish Montecito lifestyle following recent polls that suggest their popularity has dropped both in the UK and the US.

Last month, it was revealed how data collected by YouGov America shows a rapid decline in Meghan’s popularity since last year. Polls showed that compared to 2025, where 37% of voters ‘liked’ Meghan, only 29% voted in favour of the Duchess at the start of this year.
Furthermore, US site Newsweek claimed that a separate search they had conducted revealed that the traffic to Meghan’s As Ever brand’s website fell by 89,000 in the US in January.

So there’s no doubt that not only will the Emmy nomination have boosted Meghan’s credentials and her morale, there’s also a lot riding on the awards ceremony – a night where TV’s biggest power players all come together. And we’re told that Meghan is determined that she and Harry put on a united front for the evening, which will be held on September 14th in LA.

The insider says, ‘She’s got a lot going on over the next few months and she wants her husband to stop making everything about his battles with the royals and let her needs take precedence for a little while, she feels that’s more than fair.

‘She’s getting this significant push in Australia and of course her show has been nominated for an Emmy, which is huge, and she has no intention of squandering the opportunity.

‘She’s very excited about Emmy night, she’ll be with all sorts of power players and her peers so it will be an amazing chance to network, and she wants Harry by her side for that.’

Beyond the celebratory scenes in Montecito, however, it appears the rest of Hollywood has been left baffled by this sudden turnaround, given that the lifestyle venture received a lacklustre 26% at best on review site Rotten Tomatoes.

On top of the dismal reviews, ratings also fell from 5.3 million for the first season to 2 million in the second, leading one PR expert to point out, ‘In any normal boardroom, a drop-off that severe means failure.’

But even Meghan’s harshest critics would admit that having ‘emmy-nominated’ ahead of her name gives off a certain prestige and a level of kudos within Hollywood circles – whether they think Meghan’s nomination is fairly earned or not.

And for Meghan, who King Charles reportedly nicknamed Tungsten for the metal with the highest melting point, we’re told the determined Duchess is again ready to re-mould herself into a whole new Hollywood persona that has directors and TV bosses falling at her feet.

The source says, ‘Meghan's in full campaign mode and sees [this Emmy nomination as] a very real opportunity to take her Hollywood dreams to the next level. She’s going to be busy day and night for the next few months, trying to maximize every bit of momentum she can out of this.

‘She would love to win the Emmy but even if she doesn’t win, getting this nomination has already given her a huge boost and she wants to use it as leverage to get meetings with people that have turned her down in the past.’

Back at the palace, it remains unclear whether the King gave the Sussexes any stipulations surrounding what appears to be a very gradual return to the royal fold, although it is widely reported that the monarch may have given the couple some form of ultimatum.

This new olive branch from the power players of Hollywood, however, may put paid to any rules about TV appearances and ‘quasi royal’ tours, as we’re told Meghan is also planning to ‘capitalize’ on the attention of the Australian public following her upcoming Masterchef debut.

Right now, her lifestyle products are exclusively sold in the US, but she and her team have made clear that they plan to sell her range of preserves and candles globally in the very near future. And, given the warm reception they received there in April, Australia would appear to be an obvious next step for expansion.

Now the source says, ‘Meghan isn’t limiting herself, or her brand, to America. She’s very keen to crack the Aussie market, which is why she filmed this segment for MasterChef Australia, it’s going to put her in front of a massive new audience, and she’s very keen to capitalize on that attention.

‘She knows these opportunities don’t come around every day and she has no intention of letting anything distract her or allowing Harry’s family drama to overshadow this major moment.’

Now the couple could face a major turning point in their marriage as both the trajectory of Meghan’s business and Harry’s wish to appease his family have collided at what could be a crucial crossroads for both of them.

But the source claims Meghan is adamant that their future in the US could be dependent on the success of her brand and that this needs to take priority, meaning Harry’s reunion hopes may have to take a backseat – at least for now.

They tell us, ‘For Harry it’s not as easy as simply deciding to switch off when it comes to everything going on with his family. He’s thrilled with the progress that’s been made but he’s already trying to plan the next trip back to England so his father can see the grandchildren again.

‘But even if she wanted to go back to England, Meghan simply doesn’t have the time right now; she’s far too busy and feels now is the time for Harry to take on the supportive role so that she can start achieving some of her goals. This is the biggest opening she’s had in a long time, and she wants Harry to put his own issues aside and help her make the absolute most of it.’

Her outrageous show-stopping outfits have made her almost as famous as her superstar rapper husband – but Bianca Censori is planning on stepping things up a gear as she chases a new level of fame.

The Australian model, who married Kanye West in 2022, has made a name for herself by stepping out in ultra-revealing looks and achieved notoriety after a jaw-dropping appearance on The Grammys red carpet when Kanye ordered her to drop her fur coat - leaving her stood in front of banks of photographers in a sheer dress that revealed her naked body.

Now insiders tell Closer that she’s pinning her hopes on her latest big move – a fashion and art project called ‘The Very Breast of BIANCA’ – to propel her to new heights. And despite Kanye, 49, promising that he will help her become a global fashion icon, she’s said to have warned him that failure will leave their relationship hanging by a thread as she considers walking away.

Our insider says, ‘Bianca has put up with so much from Kanye, everyone says she’s got the patience of a saint to stay married to him, but at some point, her patience is going to run out.

‘She’s left him before and every time he’s managed to lure her back by promising her the world and insisting everything was going to change but there’s only so many times she can hear the same empty promises.

She’s had a very hard time getting over her disappointment from last year when he pretty much sabotaged her fashion launch following criticism of his Grammys stunt, so if he does anything to derail this new project, which is supposed to make up for his last screw-up, it will be the end of things.

‘Bianca believed all the hype for a long time, but now she wants to see results. She’s a lot smarter than people give her credit for and she’s got huge ambitions of her own, if Kanye lets her down again there won’t be much left keeping Bianca in the relationship.’

Bianca, 31 – who is Head of Architecture for Kanye’s fashion label Yeezy - has rarely been out of the headlines since she got together with the controversial rapper. Her ‘out there’ fashion choices and public appearances with Kanye have often caused offence and in 2023 police in Venice were even reported to have investigated the couple over ‘acts contrary to public decency’ after an incident on a water taxi.

Their Grammys appearance last year led to accusations that Kanye was exploiting Bianca and indulging in coercive control. In response to these claims, he posted on X, ‘I have dominion over my wife’, though he added, ‘Yes, I don’t make her do nothing she don’t want to but she definitely wouldn’t have been able to do it without my approval’.

And in an interview with Vanity Fair, Bianca said, 'I wouldn't be doing something I didn't want to do. Me and my husband would work on my outfits together. So it was like a collaboration, it was never "I was being told to do something."'

Last year there was more drama for the couple after speculation that they had split over Kanye’s increasingly controversial posts on social media, particularly anti-semitic statements among other worrying incidents of public behaviour. In a leaked song in April last year, Kanye’s lyrics appeared to beg her to come back to him.   Soon after, the couple made a public appearance in Spain looking cosy. More recently they were celebrating Kanye’s 49th birthday in an epic birthday party at the iconic Palace of Versailles in France.

But our insider says trouble is brewing again as Bianca is tiring of constantly being told she will ‘be bigger than Kim [Kanye’s ex Kim Kardashian] but failing to make it in her own right.

‘She’s not wandering around half-naked for his entertainment, she’s doing it because she genuinely believes it’s going to eventually pay off because he’s promised her it will,’ says our source.

‘Bianca is desperate to be famous in her own right, and not just some reality level fame, she has dreams of being a fashion icon, and Kanye has played into that from the day they met, always promising her that she’ll be ‘bigger than Kim,’ if she sticks with him.

‘He always takes credit for turning Kim into the superstar she is today. He says her success is proof he knows exactly how to create a global brand and he has promised over and over that he can, and will, do the same for Bianca if she gives it time. She definitely drank the 'Kanye Kool-Aid' because even now, after so many disappointments, she’s still clinging to this hope that he’s got the vision and influence to pull this off.

‘That's why she's still going along with what he tells her to do, but there's only so much longer she's going to be able to keep the faith. It's been more than three years since they got married and she's done everything that he asked of her.

She's endured the jokes and all the online abuse because she believed him and she wants to see some results. Kanye's always telling her to trust the process and promising that everything they're doing will make sense in the end, but she's heard that speech too many times now.

‘If this new project doesn't finally open some real doors for her, or even worse if he sabotages her work again, she’ll leave - or at least that’s what she’s telling friends. Of course, if he throws a bunch of money at her projects the way he usually does when she’s angry, she might change her tune because he can be very convincing when he’s worried he’s going to lose her.

‘She’s becoming a lot harder to win back these days though, so there’s no doubt he’s on very thin ice with her. She’s said this is the absolute last chance and everyone in her life wants to believe that this time she will stick to her guns.’

In the days leading up to Prince Harry’s UK return, his brother Prince William was widely reported to be so incensed by his brother’s audacity to waltz back into royal life that he had threatened to boycott family events for the foreseeable future.

Harry’s homecoming and Meghan Markle’s return after four years was so monumental that it threatened to rock the very foundations of the monarchy, with the King and his heir reportedly at loggerheads over what, if any, role the Sussexes will play in the future of the Crown.

Meanwhile, Harry, 41, maintained a huge grin on his face and very much looked like the ginger cat who got the cream. His tactic, we soon learned, was to attempt to kill his brother with kindness.

Visiting Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Harry shared a sweet moment discussing football with a young patient, who shared that he supported Aston Villa. Harry, 41, then told him, ‘My brother supports Aston Villa,’ mentioning their recent Europa League win in Istanbul, where William was photographed cheering on the game.

The secret messages continued when, appearing on the Joe Marler Will See You Now podcast, he shared a childhood memory of how Princess Diana would hug both him and William ‘as tight as possible’ after a tough day – a comfort he says he now tries to continue with his own children.

And we’re told that, now back in the US, Harry - who just three years ago in his memoir Spare described his older brother as his ‘arch nemesis’ – has been hit by the heartbreaking reality that life without his brother is a ‘painful’ and is now praying that they can finally end of their six-year rift.

The insider reveals, ‘Harry has been throwing out these little hints here and there to make sure it’s known that he’s not carrying any sort of grudge towards his brother anymore, but he’s doing a heck of a lot more than that behind the scenes.

‘He accepts that they have very different views on a lot of things, but he’s sure that if they can simply agree to disagree, they will actually find they have a lot more common ground than they realise. He’s tired of living like his brother doesn’t exist; it’s simply too painful.’

At present, William, 43, is believed not to have spoken to Harry since their late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022 and even then, the relations between the two siblings were noticeably frosty at best.

In what was later widely speculated to be the final straw that broke the camel's back for the brothers’ once close bond, Harry then alleged in Spare that William had physically assaulted him during an argument over Meghan.

Still, Harry continues to share his desire to reconnect with his family, and the source says now that he has met with his father, he hopes Charles and even their mutual friends back in the UK will also help him in his plight to reunite with William.

‘He’s asked his father and various aides to let William know that he’s ready to sit down to talk anytime he chooses. If he had any chance of reaching William, he’d just call him up directly, but he’d never get through, so he has to resort to this roundabout way,’ the source explains.

‘He’s even told the few mutual friends they still have that he misses his brother; Harry clearly wants that to get back to William.’

There is no doubt that Harry has made his stance clear in extending an olive branch, but there remains one key question at the heart of all this: Is his plea too little, too late? We’re told it may well be.

The source says, ‘Harry says he can’t control his brother’s anger, so the best he can do is keep his side of the street clean and continue to let it be known he’s ready to make peace. This has been going on far too long and from his perspective the only way it will ever end is if they sit down one on one to sort this out.

‘Of course, it’s all well and good for Harry to suddenly decide he wants to move past all the ugliness, but that doesn't mean William is ready. He still feels so violated by everything that's gone on, it's hard to imagine him agreeing to even be in the same room as Harry right now.’

William’s resistance undoubtedly doesn’t come from a place in which he no longer loves his brother, but from the cautious approach he has now been forced to take to protect the monarchy from further reputational damage.

Meanwhile, it has been widely reported that William wants to continue to streamline the monarchy as part of his bid to reshape the Crown – a plan that could one day see Harry and Meghan Markle being stripped of their royal titles when he becomes King. And the source says Harry is very aware of this rumoured threat and knows that he will have to act sooner rather than later to protect his own standing.

The insider says, ‘As much as this is about him wanting to mend things from an emotional standpoint, there’s no way to ignore the fact that getting back into William’s good graces is important from a business perspective too.

‘If this feud is still raging when William takes the throne, it will have very real consequences on his title, which will inevitably affect his and Meghan’s bottom line. So the time to make this happen is now, before William is totally in charge, and while Charles is still around to help broker some sort of peace deal.’

They add, ‘Harry swears he just wants his brother back, that this has nothing to do with protecting his title, but of course, people are suspicious of his motives, especially William.’

Until now, Harry and Meghan, 44, have been ostracised from royal life, with the widely held belief being that the majority of the family had made the decision to understand and support William’s viewpoint that the Sussexes could be a threat to the monarchy.

But King Charles’ very public show of forgiveness has changed everything, and the source says the tide of opinion behind palace walls could now be turning in favour of the Sussexes – whether William likes it or not.

‘There are a lot of people behind the scenes who are really pushing hard for this sit-down. No one is blaming William, but the tide has turned within the Firm, and the general consensus is that this estrangement is having a negative impact on the monarchy as a whole, and it’s gone on long enough,’ the insider says.

‘The fact that Charles is willing to forgive and move forward has shifted things for a lot of people so Harry is feeling quite hopeful that the pressure from his father and the wider family will eventually help him crack William’s tough shell.’

Now the next few months could prove crucial for Harry and his future within the fold, but the source warns that Harry’s very public olive branches could again just provide ammunition for what has already become a very public feud, and risk even further angering William.

‘The bad news for Harry is that so far nothing has had any effect on William, if anything, the pressure is making him dig his heels in more,’ we’re told.

‘Harry genuinely believes that he’s doing the right thing by making it known publicly that he isn't holding a grudge anymore, but to William is just smacks of more posturing. Clearly, they are still seeing things through completely different lenses.’

Few celebrities have endured as many turbulent chapters as Britney Spears. Once one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, the singer's life has played out under an intense spotlight for more than two decades.

Following years of personal struggles, public scrutiny and legal battles, Britney spent 13 years under a court-ordered conservatorship before finally regaining control of her life in 2021.

But in the years since, her Instagram posts – which have featured provocative dance moves, skimpy clothing, and once, even a dance with knives – and public appearances have continued to spark intense debate among fans and critics alike. Even after officially stepping away from the music industry in 2024 and selling her music catalogue in a reported $200 million deal, the headlines haven't stopped.

Earlier this year, the singer made headlines once again after she was arrested in Ventura, California, on suspicion of driving under the influence. She later voluntarily checked into a treatment facility before pleading guilty to a lesser reckless driving charge in May.

Her sentence included 12 months of probation, mandatory psychological and psychiatric sessions, mental health and DUI education programmes, and one day in jail credited as time already served.

Throughout much of Britney's most difficult years, another painful chapter unfolded away from the stage - her relationship with her two sons.

The custody battle between Britney and ex-husband Kevin Federline ended in 2008 with Federline being awarded sole legal and physical custody of Sean Preston, 20, and Jayden James,19, following Britney's mental health struggles and hospitalisations.

The family later became publicly estranged, with Britney spending almost three years apart from her sons before they began rebuilding their relationship in 2025.

Now, one of those sons has made a rare public intervention after a shocking accusation was made about his famous mother.

During a recent social media livestream, her youngest son, Jayden, hit back at viral claims suggesting Britney has either died or been replaced by a clone.

‘I hop on TikTok, and I see this one video that has 1.2 million likes, and the caption is like, “The biggest theory ever: Is Britney Spears still alive?”’ he said. ‘Like, bro, you can go to her page and see her right now.’

Jayden branded the rumours about his 44-year-old mum ‘ridiculous’, explaining that seeing so many people believe them had changed the way he viewed social media.

‘It makes me know that a lot of the stuff on media is exaggerated and fake,’ he said. ‘People know how gullible people are, and they use that to their advantage.’

He continued, ‘Anyone that sees it on media, they just see it, and if it has a lot of likes, they believe it. They don't even research it; they're just, “Wow, yeah, it's crazy. I believe it.”’

The disturbing conspiracy has circulated online for years, with some social media users dissecting Britney's facial expressions, voice and appearance in her Instagram videos in an attempt to ‘prove’ she had been replaced. Others have pointed to changes in her dancing style or mannerisms as supposed evidence. There has never been any credible evidence to support the claims, yet the theory has continued to resurface online, attracting millions of views and comments across TikTok and other platforms.

Notably, Sean Preston has chosen not to publicly comment on the latest rumours.

Britney isn't the only celebrity to have become the subject of so-called ‘clone’ conspiracies, with similar unfounded claims previously targeting stars including Jim Carrey and Selena Gomez.

Jayden's comments come during what appears to be a much happier chapter for the family. Following Britney's DUI arrest earlier this year, her representative confirmed that Sean and Jayden had rallied around their mum.

‘Her boys are going to be spending time with her,’ the spokesperson said. ‘Her loved ones are going to come up with an overdue, needed plan to set her up for success for well-being.’

Friends of the family have described the reunion between Britney and her sons as one of the most positive developments in the singer's life over the past year. While the road back hasn't been straightforward, those closest to the family say Sean and Jayden have remained focused on supporting their mother rather than dwelling on the difficulties of the past.

A source later told Us Weekly, ‘They expressed concern about her recent behaviour and urged her to seek professional help, which has been long overdue. All they've ever wanted for their mom is health and happiness, even during the years they were estranged. They hope she'll take it seriously.’

The brothers have also started stepping into the spotlight themselves. Last month, Sean and Jayden made their runway debut together during the Vetements Menswear Spring/Summer 2027 show at Paris Fashion Week.

Although Britney wasn't there in person, Jayden revealed she made sure they felt her support.

‘She wasn't there with us, but she sent us flowers to our hotel as a good luck thing, and called and texted us so many times,’ he told Vogue.

Before the show, she encouraged them by saying, ‘Yeah, you guys are my sons. You've got this.’

Despite enjoying the experience, Jayden admitted he felt "stiff" because of nerves and doesn't see modelling becoming his future.

Instead, both brothers say they're following in their mother's footsteps.

‘Music is the foundation of everything for me,’ Sean explained. ‘Jayden and I have done music our whole lives, and we definitely gravitate towards that more than anything else.’

It’s the sporting event that’s had the world gripped for over a month, but the FIFA World Cup finally drew to a close with Spain taking home the trophy after battling against Argentina in the final.

80,000 spectators gathered at MetLife Stadium in New York to watch the last match play out, with over 1 billion people tuning in via TV and livestreams – but it wasn’t the football that had everyone talking.

For the first time in World Cup history, a half-time show was included, mimicking the spectacle that operates similarly during the Super Bowl each year.

And with a list of performers longer than the list of yellow-carded Argentina players, reports have emerged that two of the iconic singers were locked in a behind-the-scenes feud that left organisers tearing their hair out.

Organised by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, the performance exceeded football’s usual 15-minute half-time limit, taking just over 27 minutes, and replaced 96 years of tradition in the meantime.

Madonna kicked off the show, accompanied by former professional footballers Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, who drove her into the stadium on a buggy. Also on the line-up was the Muppets’ house band, the Electric Mayhem – minus their leader, Dr Teeth – performing the White Stripes’ classic, Seven Nation Army, along with BTS, performing Dynamite.

Arguably, the standout moment of the half-time show was Shakira and Burna Boy performing a version of World Cup track Dai Dai, and Coldplay then shared a song called Believe in Love alongside a children’s choir.

And after his historic Coachella headliner sets earlier this year, Justin Bieber was back on stage. The pop star, 32, belted out his now-viral track Everything Hallelujah.

The half-time line-up followed an already star-studded pre-match show, which saw Robbie Williams, Nicole Scherzinger, Jennifer Hudson, Laura Pausini, Swae Lee, Post Malone and iShowSpeed all perform, before Tom Cruise took to the stage with a heartfelt speech.

While there’s no doubt that the World Cup performances were stressful to organise, it’s been revealed that things took an even trickier turn behind-the-scenes, after a feud erupted between two pop icons.

Reports claim that Madonna, 67, was struggling to see eye-to-eye with Justin. The pair’s ideas about how they wanted the half-time performance to play out were wildly contrasting, with both determined to have their moment on stage.

'Neither wants to walk away feeling like they played second fiddle. Their different approaches have created real tension behind the scenes,' a source claimed.

Both singers had different points to prove at the half-time show. While Madonna is promoting her new dance album CONFESSIONS II, Justin is easing himself back into live performances, having returned to the stage earlier this year at the Grammys and Coachella – his first live performances since 2024.

And their creative outlooks couldn’t be further apart. The Material Girl singer is known for her risqué stage performances and ensures she puts on a show for fans, whether it be stunts and OTT outfits or kissing fellow performers on stage.

Justin takes a more laidback approach to his live performances nowadays. At Coachella, he sang with no dancers or backing singers and during one part, he performed with his old YouTube videos playing in the background from a MacBook.

And with his headliner sets having received mixed reviews, it’s claimed that the Baby singer had become set on playing the half-time show safe, with no possibility of backlash – something Madonna wasn’t on board with.

An insider told the Daily Mail, ‘Finding the balance between Madonna's instinct for spectacle and Justin's desire to play it straight has been the biggest challenge of the entire production. Madonna has no intention of being upstaged. If she feels he's steering things in a direction that's too safe, she won't be - and hasn't been - shy about pushing back.'

And with the show being the first of its kind, Madonna’s expectations were high, sources say. 'She believes a stage this massive calls for something people will be talking about for years. In her mind, a World Cup Final performance should be unforgettable - not safe.'

This tug-of-war left Chris – who creatively directed the show – stuck in the middle, but insiders say the Coldplay frontman had a very clear vision and wasn’t prepared to let anything get in his way.

A source added, ‘His mindset is simple. Don’t overcomplicate it, don't take unnecessary risks, and absolutely don't have a performance that becomes a story for all the wrong reasons. He wants this to be about the music.’

While Madonna and Justin did opt for contrasting performance styles on the day, it seems things went off without a hitch, though reviews of the World Cup half-time spectacle were extremely mixed.

Despite the line-up of pop powerhouses, some were left disappointed by how it played out. Footballer-turned-pundit Wayne Rooney branded the show ‘crap’ when asked about it by the BBC’s Gabby Logan directly after the performance ended, and other reviews criticised the extension of football’s usual 15-minute half-time period, insisting it could’ve taken place prior to the game beginning.

“Just make it the preshow. I don’t know why they had to make it in the half-time break,” a fan said on X, as another added, “Just too long for no reason.”

However, some football fans applauded the introduction of a half-time show. “Ashamed to say it, I enjoyed the World Cup half-time show,” a football fan wrote, while someone else said, “I thought it was kind of nice, the production was top-notch.”

Oasis singer Liam Gallagher also had something to say on the performance, calling it a ‘bad trip’, but adding, ‘It’s a good job I’ve got my spiritual socks on or that halftime entertainment could have tipped me over the edge.’

It’s been an exciting time for Jeff Brazier, who became a first-time grandad in March when his youngest son Freddy welcomed his baby daughter, Isla Jade, with on/off girlfriend Holly Swinburn.

And now, the 47-year-old tells Closer how much he is loving this next chapter for his family. ‘I’m finding it to be the most wonderful experience that I’ve ever had,’ Jeff says.

‘There’s a different kind of love that you experience for a grandchild, you get to just hold them and just know that they’re so safe in your arms. And all of the lessons you’ve learned through being a parent yourself, and now you get to use all the best bits to make sure that this little girl knows how loved she is.’

Freddy’s journey into fatherhood has unfolded against the backdrop of a turbulent relationship with ex-girlfriend Holly. The couple first connected on TikTok in June last year and announced they were expecting a baby just two months later.

But by November, they had split after reports Freddy, 21, had partied with other girls at Holly’s home while she was away on holiday. He denied the claims, stating, ‘No orgy has been had in our flat.’ Although they briefly reunited around the time of Isla’s birth, the pair called time on their relationship again three months later.

Freddy – who Jeff shares with the late Jade Goody, as well as older son Bobby – has also spoken candidly about his past struggles with cannabis addiction, alleging his maternal grandmother Jackiey Budden introduced him to drugs when he was just 12. Jackiey has denied this. In March 2025, Jeff launched legal action to prevent Jackiey from contacting his youngest son over concerns for his wellbeing, but later withdrew the case after the pair reached a reconciliation.

Now, Jeff says he has been passing on the lessons he’s learned from his own parenting journey. ‘I wrote Freddy a letter as I wanted to express to him the things that are most important about being a parent,’ he tells Closer. ‘The main one was about being present. We think that we have to be the answer to everything and, actually, it’s impossible to be that.

‘We need to leave space for our children to problem solve. What your children go through is not a reflection of whether you’ve been a good or bad parent. A lot of the time you have to leave room for your kids to make mistakes and grow through the lessons.’

Jeff is also immensely proud of his eldest son, Bobby, 23, who followed him into showbiz with a role on BBC’s EastEnders before reaching the Strictly Come Dancing final in 2023. More recently, Bobby – who is also a model – has embraced the Hare Krishna faith and relocated to America. ‘Bob’s out in New York enjoying himself,’ Jeff tells us. ‘I was over there for the football and I got to spend a couple of days with him. He’s having a good time and plans to kind of stay out there for the foreseeable.’

He laughs, ‘I miss him, but also my home is really tidy now. But I love seeing him flourish and go and enjoy wonderful adventures.’

Away from fatherhood and grandfatherhood, Jeff has also navigated changes in his own personal life. Last November, the TV presenter announced his separation from his wife of seven years, PR executive Kate Dwyer, revealing they had quietly gone their separate ways earlier that summer. The couple, who met in 2013 and married in Portugal in 2018, had previously separated in late 2022 before reconciling.

Throughout life’s highs and lows, Jeff has remained open about his own mental health journey, even qualifying as a grief counsellor and life coach.

‘Authentic relationships are the ones that we should really be looking for, because that’s steeped in reality,’ he explains. ‘The power is in the sharing and in the receiving that you get from that and the connection it builds between you and whoever it is that you’re entrusted. There are so many benefits to speaking your truth.’

Jeff is currently working on the Let's Save Water campaign, championing caution over water usage – for both the environment and his children and grandchildren. ‘I’d rather be in the countryside than in London, because I value nature and the effect it has on mental health,’ he says. ‘I wouldn’t want to contribute to anything that means that these environments are going to struggle, and I don’t want my children and grandchildren to have to worry about how much more they’re allowed to use on a daily basis.’

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After their dramatic split in 2010 amid mounting tensions, it seemed the Pussycat Dolls might never reunite. But now, Kimberly Wyatt chats exclusively to Closer about joining forces once again with Nicole Scherzinger and Ashley Roberts as the iconic girl group returns as a trio.

‘Nicole and Ash, they’re such badass women in their own right,’ she gushes. ‘Being back with my girls, they’re so talented and I can’t wait. We’ve spent a lot of time away, but you get back and things just click. No time has passed when we get in the studio. That’s really how it feels.’

Kimberly, 44, says the years apart haven’t weakened their friendship. ‘We’ve got a bond that’s undeniable and it’s built from our 20s together,’ she continues. ‘As women, we sit down, we have dinner and we’ve all grown so much. I’ve got three kids and a life, each of us are living in different places, but we connect on another level. There’s nothing quite like that kind of relationship. We know each other in a way that no one else will, and I think that’s really special.’

The Pussycat Dolls burst onto the global music scene in 2003 as a six-piece featuring Nicole, Kimberly, Ashley, Carmit Bachar, Jessica Sutta and Melody Thornton. But the chart-topping group sensationally split in 2010 after Kimberly and Ashley left, with Kimberly saying at the time, ‘I don’t think that happiness is within this group right now.’

Two years later, Ashley claimed during her stint on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! that the band had grown frustrated with Nicole dominating the spotlight. ‘Even in the group I wasn’t allowed to talk, we were told to be quiet,’ she said. ‘Only Nicole was allowed to talk.’

A highly publicised reunion for the girl group announced in 2019 was ultimately derailed by the pandemic and a bitter legal dispute over profit shares. But following a recent confidential settlement, the group has officially returned as a streamlined trio, releasing new music and embarking on their 2026 PCD Forever world tour.

But it seems not everyone has welcomed the reunion. Former member Carmit claimed on Instagram she had been left blind sided by the decision. ‘I was not contacted regarding the group’s decision to move forward, and I learned of these plans at the same time as the public,’ she wrote, adding that the situation was ‘disappointing on a personal level’. Jessica also admitted she found the reunion announcement ‘difficult’ after revealing she had unsuccessfully tried to contact her former bandmates.

Away from the headlines, however, Kimberly says the trio have been throwing themselves into rehearsals. ‘We do between eight to 12 hours in the rehearsal studio every single day. It’s so intense. I came back weighing a lot less,’ she admits.

Being a Pussycat Doll has always required serious stamina, but Kimberly – who shares Willow, 11, Maple, eight, and Ford, six, with husband Max Rogers – says she’s more than ready for the challenge.

‘I do a lot of fitness. I do a lot of HIIT training and boxing and lifting and dancing,’ she explains. ‘Dancing is my first love. There’s just something about when you tap into being a Pussycat Doll, man, it’s intense. You dive in and you give it everything you’ve got and you’re sweating for eight to 10 hours every single day.’

Long before finding fame with the Dolls, Kimberly worked as a professional dancer in Las Vegas before moving to Los Angeles, where she appeared in music videos and films including 13 Going On 30. Now, she’s adding another acting credit to her CV, as she plays barmaid stripper Daisy in the new film Jackie The Stripper.

Since relocating to the UK following the band’s split, Kimberly has become a familiar face on British television. She served as head judge on Got To Dance, won Celebrity MasterChef in 2015 and reached the final of Dancing On Ice in 2022.

Now settled with her family in the Surrey countryside, where she’s lived for 16 years, Kimberly says Britain truly feels like home.

‘I love it here. I am a Brit,’ she laughs. ‘I love the village-like feel of our community. I love that we walk places. I grew up in the States and I have a lot of family there, but I guess I’ve been here so long now that I identify with the Brits more than I do Americans!’

And while she’s swapped Hollywood for Surrey, it’s one quintessentially British institution that’s stolen her heart. She adds, ‘I love the Co-op. Who doesn’t love a Co-op?’

She was all smiles as she attended the final day of Wimbledon with her eldest children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, last weekend. But insiders tell Closer that there is a secret sadness behind Kate Middleton’s smile, as eldest child George is due to head to Eton College in September.

A source reveals, ‘Kate is genuinely upset that her son will soon leave home. She is determined to make every remaining week of the summer count before her “baby” departs. She’s incredibly emotional about it. She’s already shed a few tears. In her eyes, she’s saying goodbye to her little boy.

‘Boarding school is a huge adjustment, even when your family lives close by. Kate knows she’ll suddenly go from seeing him every day to only seeing him at set times during the term.’

By heading to Eton, George, 12, will be following in his father William’s footsteps, as well as those of his uncle, Prince Harry, several prime ministers and other notable figures. Eton is a traditional choice for George – who turns 13 later this month – and one that has the support of both his parents, particularly because the school is well suited to preparing him for his future role as King.

Despite all of this, it’s understood that Kate, 44, is still feeling apprehensive about watching her eldest leave the family home.

‘Kate completely understands why George is going, but that doesn’t make it easier as a mum. If Kate had been choosing purely as a mother, she would have preferred somewhere he could come home every evening. But she also understands the importance of tradition and the unique preparation schools like Eton provide for someone who will one day become King,’ an insider says.

But for the time being, Kate and William, 44, are focused on making the summer the best it can be for George and his siblings, Charlotte, 11, and Louis, eight, before everything changes.

An insider adds, ‘This summer is all about George. Kate wants it to be filled with happy memories because she knows life is about to change for all of them. There’ll be family days out, time outdoors and lots of opportunities for George, Charlotte and Louis simply to enjoy being children.

‘The family will divide their time between Anmer Hall, Balmoral and the Isles of Scilly this summer. They’re also planning a week away somewhere warm, but they’re determined to keep the destination under wraps because of security concerns.’

They delighted millions of fans with their united appearances during the World Cup, posing together for a stream of Beckham family snaps. But one notable absentee from the stands was estranged son Brooklyn and his wife Nicola Peltz, who were believed to have been watching the games from New York.

And insiders say that the ongoing Beckham family rift is continuing to take a heavy toll on Victoria.

IN TEARS

The source says, ‘The feud has caused so much pain. It’s such a sore subject that if his name comes up, it usually ends up with Victoria in tears or David getting cross about it.

‘It has now become too upsetting to mention the B-word in the house – at the moment, there doesn’t seem to be a way through it. Victoria is still beside herself with worry and is not coping well at all. It’s hard for her to get out of bed some days, and she’s constantly sick with worry about Brooklyn.’

Following rife speculation about tensions between Brooklyn and Nicola, 31, who have been spending time together on the set of her new film, Prima, and his relatives, the aspiring chef confirmed the family feud in January with a scathing Instagram statement. He accused parents Victoria, 52, and David, 51, of disrespecting his wife, whom he married in 2022, as well as putting the family brand above all else. He also stated that he did not want to reconcile and sensationally claimed that former Spice Girl Victoria danced ‘inappropriately’ with him on his wedding day, leaving him feeling ‘embarrassed’ and ‘humiliated’.

Ever since, Brooklyn – who largely spends his time with his wife and his in-laws – has had no contact with his family, including siblings Romeo, 23, Cruz, 21, and Harper, 15. But there have been several olive branches from the Beckham camp, most recently on David and Victoria’s anniversary when the fashion designer referenced their ‘four amazing children’.

On the other hand, Brooklyn – who is believed to have blocked his family members on social media – recently took a swipe at the feud via his $1 million DoorDash advert, saying ‘it’s a long story’ as to why he would watch the World Cup from home.

HURTING

‘David is very worried about his son because he’s retreated from doing anything with any of his family or friends and seems to have cocooned himself with just Nicola. It’s not the Brooklyn they know,’ the source goes on.

Brooklyn was previously close with both his maternal grandparents, Tony and Jackie, and paternal grandparents, Ted and Sandra. While he wished Tony a happy 80th birthday in May, he did not attend the milestone celebrations.

And the source adds, ‘Behind the scenes, the grandparents are really hurting. They had a really special connection with Brooklyn. The grandparents see the conflict from both sides. They’ve tried to be as neutral as they can, acting as the bridge between Brooklyn and his parents, but even that bridge appears to be crumbling.’

She has spoken candidly about her weight and body image over the years since rising to fame as Sonia Fowler in EastEnders, a role she first took on in 1993 at the age of just 10.

And now, Natalie Cassidy has given her verdict on the widespread use of weight-loss jabs, telling Closer, ‘I just think everybody should have a choice – I think it’s good that life has choices. Everyone should do what they want to do and what’s right for them.’

GOOD PLACE

In 2007, Natalie, 43, signed a £100,000 deal for her fitness DVD, Then & Now Workout, shedding four stone in three months. However, it’s a decision she regrets. ‘It wasn’t the right thing to do,’ she previously admitted. ‘You’re losing a lot of weight in such a short space of time, consuming very few calories and training every day.’

Natalie said the experience actually left her feeling worse about her body, and regaining weight sparked a difficult relationship with food.

‘I really wasn’t well. I was bordering on having an eating disorder. There were nights I would go out for dinner, and then I’d go home and take laxatives because I didn’t want the food inside me,’ she said in 2012.

But fortunately, Natalie – who is mum to Eliza, 15, with her former partner Adam Cottrell and Joanie, nine, with fiancé Marc Humphreys – says she’s now in a ‘good place’.

She adds, ‘I feel very content. But I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t have that food noise. You know that, “Oh, I’m going to have a really big lunch today, so tonight I’ll probably just have a little dinner.” But I just think I’m a little bit more thoughtful about what I’m eating and what I’m doing now.

‘Having children, having a family, you need to feel content for them. You don’t want any sort of negativity to rub off on them. But it’s also important to talk about how you feel and not shut that down.’

Natalie has also reached a point where the number on the scale no longer defines how she feels about herself. Instead, she finds confidence in the things that matter most to her. ‘That’s to do with how you sleep, your relationships, your friendships and my children – if they’re happy, I feel happier,’ she says.

Following her shock exit from Albert Square last year, the actress has focused on family life. Natalie – who has been engaged to cameraman Marc since 2014 – previously told Closer that she was looking for ‘more work-life balance’ after leaving EastEnders. ‘It’s such a hard job. It’s a brilliant job, but it’s relentless,’ she said.

PERIMENOPAUSE

Amid her busy schedule, Natalie still makes time for fitness. Opening up about what her workout routine looks like these days, she says she loves to ‘get out and walk.’ She adds, ‘I’ve got some kettlebells sitting in my spare room ready to go. I’m a member of a gym, and I really love swimming. But being a freelancer, every week is very sporadic. So there’s not so much routine. But when I have those windows of opportunity, I love to go and do the bits that I love doing.’

However, she doesn’t put too much pressure on herself. ‘At the moment I’m doing nothing because it’s summer – the tennis has been on, the football has been on. I’m having barbecues, I’m in the garden with family and friends,’ she says. ‘But as you get older, you need to start thinking about muscle mass and going into perimenopause. I’m not in perimenopause yet, but it won’t be long.’

Natalie has previously been a keen runner, completing the London Marathon twice – in 2019 and 2023. And she says she’d be open to taking on another challenge in the future.

CHALLENGES

‘The minute I crossed those finish lines, I didn’t run again,’ she explains. ‘It’s really upsetting. I’m someone that needs a goal. There could be another half-marathon in the future – something where I can get running again.’

Having been so open about her weight journey, Natalie – who has teamed up with Novo Nordisk on the Make Life Gains campaign – shares what has helped her navigate the challenges.

‘I think friends, getting away from things, hobbies, finding new work, meeting new people and taking myself out of certain situations and patterns,’ she says. ‘I was 19 when I lost my mum. When I look back, grief is hard. I was only a few years in from that, and all of that affects those things. But I’ve always had a very strong family network. I’ve been very fortunate.’

And on what she hopes people will take away from her story, she adds, ‘I hope they find comfort in it if they’ve struggled, or are struggling. I hope it sparks conversations between people to talk about how they’re feeling about their weight.’

After months of speculation, Holly Willoughby has finally confirmed that her new YouTube series, Together, will launch on 28 July.

But while fans await more details on what to expect, insiders tell Closer that the This Morning-style show – produced by her husband of 19 years, Dan Baldwin’s production company, Hungry Bear – has caused some tension between the couple.

A source tells us, ‘Holly is working around the clock on Together, which is planned to launch while This Morning is off air for its summer break. But the excitement has come with pressure behind the scenes.

‘Holly’s pouring everything into this job – the stakes feel much higher – and her perfectionist streak has led to the odd clash with Dan. They’re both passionate and have had some tense moments. Neither is afraid to fight for their ideas.’

The hotly anticipated new lifestyle show will mark Holly’s big comeback after a tough couple of years. Her close friendship with former BFF and co-presenter Phillip Schofield, 64, broke down after his affair with a younger male colleague came to light in May 2023. Five months later, Holly took the decision to step away from her 14-year presenting role on This Morning – which has since been taken over by Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard – after becoming the target of a sick kidnap plot.

On top of that, Dancing On Ice – which Holly hosted for almost 20 years – was axed by executives last year, and Celebrity Bear Hunt, her Netflix show with Bear Grylls, wasn’t renewed for a second season. Holly’s lifestyle brand, Wylde Moon, is also said to be struggling, having dropped all but two of its employees, Holly and her sister Kelly, from its previous team of 14.

Though Together feels like a fresh start, it’s far from the first time that Holly and Dan have worked together. Their joint projects include sports panel show Play To The Whistle, Take Off With Brad & Holly and Freeze The Fear with Wim Hof. But our insider says the pressure on this project, which Holly is reportedly funding herself, is affecting their marriage.

‘Holly’s shouldering a lot of the responsibility for making it brilliant,’ they say. ‘She and Dan have always left work at work, but with this project, they’re still talking about rehearsals over dinner. Holly tweaks things she’s not completely satisfied with, which most people wouldn’t notice. The intention is still to launch in the next few weeks, but Holly would rather delay it than put out something that isn’t the very best it can be.’

The insider adds that the hope is that Together can catapult Holly – who shares children Harry, 17, Belle, 15, and 11-year-old Chester with Dan – back to stardom.

The source says, ‘Viewers can expect a more relaxed feel than traditional television, with celebrity interviews alongside fashion, cooking and lifestyle features. There’ll be plenty of familiar faces too – Michael McIntyre is one of the names lined up – as Holly is keen to make the most of her friendships.

‘There’s a lot riding on Together, and Holly knows first impressions matter. She wants people to immediately understand what she’s trying to build.

They’re loving parents to their brood of six children, along with numerous pets that make up their lively household. And now insiders reveal that Joe Swash is keen to expand his and Stacey Solomon’s family – and to silence the ongoing reports of relationship trouble once and for all.

A source tells us, ‘Joe is a big family man. He loves the kids, he’s a great dad, not just because he’s a bit of a kid himself, but he is also very loving and attentive to them as well. He does everything for them – he just loves being a father and truly believes having another child could really help their marriage. He doesn’t think of it as a stress having a baby, but he knows some people say you shouldn’t have one unless you know your relationship is absolutely tight.’

The insider adds, ‘He feels that kids always brought him and Stacey closer together and hopes another baby would do the same. He thinks it would definitely help their relationship and make them feel closer again as a couple.’

It’s been over a decade since Stacey, 36, and Joe, 44, began dating, and four years since they tied the knot in the grounds of their Essex home, Pickle Cottage. After welcoming their first child, Rex, in 2019, the couple went on to have daughters Rose and Belle in 2021 and 2023, respectively. Combined with Stacey’s two sons, Zachary, 18, and Leighton, 14, and Joe’s son Harry, 19, the pair definitely have their hands full.

And while they’ve long portrayed an image of a happy family to the public, Stacey and Joe’s relationship has come under scrutiny in recent months.

FRESH START

They’ve faced constant rumours of tension and marital issues, especially after their day-to-day squabbles were laid bare in their BBC reality show last year. Reports of rows over differing careers and parenting styles have been rife, and eyebrows were also raised when it was revealed earlier this year that their marriage is not legally binding.

More recently, it was claimed that Stacey and Joe were preparing to put their five-bedroom Essex mansion on the market after falling in love with a larger home nearby, prompting rumours of the pair seeking a fresh start.

And our source says Joe is keen for a whole new beginning.

They say, ‘They’ve had such a rocky time recently – lots more downs than ups. So, when they’ve moved and are in the new house, he would love to have a baby just to bring them back together – he’s joked they could christen the house with a new arrival. He thinks it would be beautiful.’

In recent years, Stacey and Joe have seen their careers take different paths. The mum-of-five has a thriving TV career, from fronting BBC’s Sort Your Life Out to being a guest judge on Britain’s Got Talent, not to mention her ever-growing Instagram account, which has led to collaborations with several major fashion and lifestyle brands. Meanwhile, Joe has largely styled himself as a stay-at-home dad, sharing clips of himself cooking family meals and playing with the children at Pickle Cottage.

DOWNSIDES

And while Joe may be eager to add to his and Stacey’s brood, she previously admitted that their youngest, Belle, is likely their ‘last baby’ after fearing she was experiencing early symptoms of menopause at age 36. In a conversation with her sister Jemma, which aired during an episode of her and Joe’s reality series, Stacey said, ‘I think we have always in the back of our heads known that on mum’s side, the menopause came early. If I am going through the menopause and that’s it for me, no more children, then I think… animal sanctuary.’

But despite his wife’s reservations, sources say Joe is hopeful that another baby could soon happen.

The source says, ‘Stacey is very career driven and still struggles with the downsides of fame and fortune – the trolls, speculation over their marriage… Joe thinks bringing a new baby into the house would help her have something positive to focus on. She’s not saying no, but she’s not convinced either. She’s very creative, driven and feels unfulfilled still in her career. She has lots more plans.’

Sam's tears: 'I need Billie at my wedding!'

Fans have been speculating that Paul Knightley has finally popped the question to long-term partner Sam Faiers after she was spotted sporting a huge diamond ring on her finger.

And now insiders say the ex-TOWIE favourite is indeed engaged – but the happy news has been overshadowed by some ongoing tension with her sister Billie.

‘Samantha is over the moon, but it’s bittersweet as things are still fractured with her sister and the tension shows no signs of thawing anytime soon. Sam can’t imagine getting married without sorting things out with Billie, and she doesn’t think she’d dare let that happen,’ a source says.

‘She always thought when she got engaged and married, she would have Billie by her side through all the proposal aftermath, the excitement, the planning and as her maid of honour. Sadly, it hasn’t quite worked out like that.

‘Pals are assuming it will be a long engagement. This will give them time to repair their relationship so she can have her sister by her side on the day.’

After both rising to fame on TOWIE, Sam, 35, and Billie, 36, established themselves as TV stars with their own reality show, The Mummy Diaries. The sisters documented their journeys as mums, as well as their relationships and work projects, but Sam – who shares sons Paul, 10, and Edward, four, and daughter Rosie, eight, with partner Paul – eventually quit the show in 2021. Billie and her partner, Greg Shepherd – parents to Nelly, 12, Arthur, nine, and Margot, three – then continued the series under the title The Family Diaries.

Although Sam and Billie launched their own podcast shortly after, there were already cracks beginning to show in their bond, especially after Sam relocated to Surrey in 2020 and left Essex behind. The existing tension combined with their newly-launched series Sister Act being axed by ITV after one series prompted rumours of a bigger falling out last year. However, earlier this year it seemed things were looking up, as Sam and Billie holidayed together with their mum, Suzie, in Turkey.

But our source says things are still tense and, as it stands, Sam and Billie are worlds apart from the sisterly bond they once had.

‘Sam and Billie have been distant for ages. They really tried to brush things over recently, but the fallout actually seems to be getting worse,’ the source says.

‘Since Samantha left Essex, the sisters have drifted apart. The girls have grown in different directions and are nowhere near as close as they once were. They just can’t seem to see eye to eye and, in their case, time hasn’t been a healer.

Arrested again? Katie Price and new hubby Lee in more scandal

As the roller-coaster saga involving Katie Price’s husband continues to rumble on, it emerged last week that Lee Andrews had been arrested yet again after allegedly failing to settle a debt.

Now insiders exclusively tell Closer that Katie has forked out for legal advice to help get her husband out of prison – and her family are not pleased.

‘Katie has paid for legal advice for Lee, and it’s left her family concerned. She felt like she had no choice but to help him,’ says our insider. ‘Those closest to her can’t understand why she’s taking on another expense when she’s spent so long trying to get her own finances back under control. Her family feel Lee’s problems are becoming Katie’s responsibility, and they’re worried she’s sacrificing her own security to rescue him.’

After only knowing Lee, 43, for a matter of days, Katie, 48, married him in Dubai back in January. Speculation about Lee’s motives immediately began circulating, especially after his exes spoke out against him. The drama intensified when Lee suddenly disappeared, only for it to be revealed that he’d been imprisoned over a ‘private civil matter’ without Katie’s knowledge. And when he failed to turn up for an interview on Good Morning Britain, further backlash ensued – but Katie has stood firmly by her husband’s side.

Concerns have been voiced by many, including Katie’s family and children. Her sister Sophie previously said the situation was causing their mother Amy ‘horrendous’ stress and warned Katie that Lee was ‘mugging her off’. More recently, Katie’s eldest child, Junior, 21, branded his mum’s fourth marriage the ‘most silly, stupidest thing’.

But the warnings are falling on deaf ears, sources say. ‘Katie won’t hear a bad word against Lee. People around Katie fear she’s become so emotionally invested that she can’t see how much the situation is costing her. Katie has reached the point where supporting Lee feels like defending her own judgement. Walking away would mean admitting her family may have been right all along,’ they add.

Andy and Lou back on... again!

They’ve been on and off, but it seems Andy Carroll and Lou Teasdale are back together once again. The couple – who began dating in 2024 – are following each other on social media again, with loved-up photos of the pair also restored.

Andy, 37 – who has three children from his nine-year relationship with TOWIE star Billi Mucklow – and Lou, 42, have split and reconciled three times since they began dating, with a source claiming their ‘opposing lifestyles’ have caused tension.

Last June, Andy hit the headlines after being quizzed by police over an alleged drunken bust-up with Lou while in Ibiza.

Fans of Michelle Keegan are gearing up for her brand-new drama series The Blame to hit screens this autumn. And the newly released trailer has only added to the excitement, with followers rushing to praise the actress’s performance.

However, while Michelle’s career reaches new heights, insiders claim there is a strain at home with husband Mark Wright, who would love to team up with her on a new project – but she is not keen.

‘Behind closed doors, tensions are brewing as Mark is pushing Michelle to team up with him to help save his career and ensure more work. Mark would love to team up with Michelle, ideally a husband-and-wife role on a show such as This Morning or something in the reality genre, but she’s reluctant.

‘She likes to do her own thing, and the possibility of them doing their own reality-type show is close to zero. She has refrained as much as possible from reality TV despite numerous offers,’ a source says.

‘Mark is totally in Michelle’s shadow in terms of profile and work, and it’s hurting his ego. Of course, he’s incredibly proud of her and supports her endlessly. But there are elements of jealousy with the work that constantly floods in for his wife, while he waits for more opportunities to come in to help sustain his profile.’

CAREER-CHANGING

In recent years, Michelle, 39, has seen her career skyrocket. After rising to fame on Coronation Street, she landed the leading role in the drama series Our Girl, allowing her to reach a new audience. Further roles in Brassic and Ten Pound Poms followed, before she achieved global recognition by starring in Netflix’s Fool Me Once. Michelle’s role in the Harlan Coben drama proved to be career-changing, with the show reaching number one on Netflix in several countries and coming in sixth place on the streaming giant’s most popular TV list with over 98 million viewers in 91 days.

She’s currently filming another Harlan Coben drama, The Woods, with actor Tom Bateman – with the famous author saying, ‘What a thrill I get to collaborate again with the amazing Michelle Keegan.’

After the release of Fool Me Once, Michelle welcomed her first child, daughter Palma, with Mark. But her time away from acting was brief, and she soon got stuck into filming The Blame. She and actor Douglas Booth are the stars of the six-part crime drama and have been busy promoting the show, even raising some eyebrows with their chemistry off-screen.

And thanks to Michelle’s ever-growing success, her income is steadily increasing. It’s been reported that she raked in £5 million last year – £1.4 million more than the previous year – despite taking time away from acting after becoming a mum.

BACKLASH

Meanwhile, Mark – who rose to fame on ITVBe’s The Only Way Is Essex – has seen his career become noticeably quieter than his wife’s. After leaving TOWIE, the 39-year-old was inundated with work opportunities and went on to front numerous TV shows and appeared on the likes of I’m A Celebrity! and Strictly Come Dancing, before heading to America to become a presenter on Warner Bros.’ entertainment news programme, EXTRA. Now, he hosts a weekly Saturday morning radio show on Heart with best pal Olly Murs and earlier this year began fronting BBC’s Clean It, Fix It.

But while their clothing brand Aytee7 didn’t manage to make a splash – they quietly closed the business four years after its launch – the dad-of-one has focused on social media influencing, collaborating with the likes of Marks & Spencer and Listerine in recent months, and building up a following of two million on Instagram.

And with plenty of other celebrity couples monetising their relationships through joint ventures like podcasts, Mark is said to be keen to do the same.

Mark’s family previously launched a podcast, Wright At Home, but it faced backlash when his mother, Carol, and sisters, Jess and Natalya, publicly criticised women who wore thong bikinis, branding them ‘gross’. Awkwardly, Mark’s dad, Mark Wright Sr, was later spotted liking Instagram models wearing these, sparking ridicule from fans.

Reports at the time claimed Michelle was unimpressed with the drama surrounding the incident, and insiders say the criticism only reinforced her reluctance to do a podcast with her husband or work together in such a public way.

BEING CANCELLED

‘Due to what became a social media brawl, even the prospect of a husband-and-wife podcast worries her. She doesn’t want anything to affect her credibility as a serious actress.

‘They tried working together previously on their fashion brand, but they have very different visions and opinions in terms of work,’ the source says.

And with her career continuing to flourish, Michelle doesn’t want anything to tarnish her reputation or threaten her future opportunities.

Our insider adds, ‘Michelle says she just wouldn’t want to do that and risk “being cancelled” for anything that’s said out of context. She’s on the up and doesn’t want to rock the boat. She just wants to focus on her career right now and achieve her full potential.’

Prince Harry’s homecoming was marred by chaos at the start of last week as photographs emerged of the estranged royal looking devastated and defeated following an epic judgement that ruled against him in his lengthy and bitter legal battle with a British newspaper.

Now, Harry - alongside six other high-profile claimants including Elton John and Baroness Doreen Lawrence – now face a staggering £50 million legal bill, with legal fees reported to have reached around £350 to £5000 per hour for the high-stakes case.

The end of his UK trip of course ended triumphantly with what was undoubtedly an emotional reunion with his ‘pa’ King Charles at Highgrove House. But a source tells us that the humiliating court defeat has still come as a ‘brutal blow’ for Harry – one from which the Prince may take a long time to recover from if he is forced to foot the bill.

An insider says, ‘Harry's putting on a brave face but privately this has been a brutal blow because the financial hit may end up being worse than anyone expected.

‘It’s going to be up to the judge to decide exactly how much he’s on the hook for, but between his own side’s costs and the defendants, the bills are massive and his share could potentially be upwards of $25 million.

‘Harry is being very defiant about all this and saying the numbers are all being exaggerated to try and intimidate him and make this look like an even bigger loss, but the fact is he did lose the case and by law will have to pay up.’

Harry, 41, and Meghan Markle, 44, are widely reported to be under pressure when it comes to their finances and just how they are going to continue to fund their lavish Montecito lifestyle following recent polls that suggest their popularity has dropped both in the UK and the US.

Last month, it was revealed how data collected by YouGov America shows a rapid decline in Meghan’s popularity since last year. Polls showed that compared to 2025, where 37% of voters ‘liked’ Meghan, only 29% voted in favour of the Duchess at the start of this year.

Furthermore, US site Newsweek claimed that a separate search they had conducted revealed that the traffic to Meghan’s As Ever brand’s website fell by 89,000 in the US in January.

And, of course, behind the gates of their sun-soaked Californian home, Meghan only shares glimpses of their farmhouse style kitchen and idyllic grounds, but if she were to pan the camera a little further, audiences buying into her ‘simple life’ ethos would see the nine bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, a swimming pool, a play park and the expansive grounds and private rose garden the couple need to maintain.

Royal author Tom Bower made the shocking revelation in his new book, ‘Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family’, that the Sussexes need an income of at least $3 million annually to maintain their current lifestyle, with recent US reports speculating that the figure could even reach $6 million.

However, the source says Harry is insistent that ‘standing his ground was worth the price’ even though we’re now told his defeat may have come at a huge personal cost as he could be forced to make a major change.

Harry, 41, and Meghan Markle, 44, are widely reported to be under pressure when it comes to their finances and just how they are going to continue to fund their lavish Montecito lifestyle following recent polls that suggest their popularity has dropped both in the UK and the US.

Last month, it was revealed how data collected by YouGov America shows a rapid decline in Meghan’s popularity since last year. Polls showed that compared to 2025, where 37% of voters ‘liked’ Meghan, only 29% voted in favour of the Duchess at the start of this year.

Furthermore, US site Newsweek claimed that a separate search they had conducted revealed that the traffic to Meghan’s As Ever brand’s website fell by 89,000 in the US in January.

And, of course, behind the gates of their sun-soaked Californian home, Meghan only shares glimpses of their farmhouse style kitchen and idyllic grounds, but if she were to pan the camera a little further, audiences buying into her ‘simple life’ ethos would see the nine bedrooms, 16 bathrooms, a swimming pool, a play park and the expansive grounds and private rose garden the couple need to maintain.

Royal author Tom Bower made the shocking revelation in his new book, ‘Betrayal: Power, Deceit and the Fight for the Future of the Royal Family’, that the Sussexes need an income of at least $3 million annually to maintain their current lifestyle, with recent US reports speculating that the figure could even reach $6 million.

However, the source says Harry is insistent that ‘standing his ground was worth the price’ even though we’re now told his defeat may have come at a huge personal cost as he could be forced to make a major change.

The insider says, ‘All this talk about Elton John and other people coming to the rescue is not grounded in reality at all. For one thing Harry is far too proud to go around asking his friends for handouts, and even if he was willing to humble himself and beg, everyone in the real world knows that it's not as simple as that, people don't just write huge checks to their friends for tens of millions of dollars.

‘The more likely scenario is that he will have to find his own way to come up with the cash through a more traditional loan which will throw all of his, and Meghan's, plans into total chaos.’

The Sussexes have also found themselves in a catch 22 following their reunion with the King, with the general consensus amongst royal observers now being that, if Harry and Meghan are to have any further opportunities to reconcile with the royals, they must under no circumstances speak out about anything considered personal or private.

So far, so reasonable, but given that the couple’s most profitable projects in recent years, including their 2022 documentary, Harry & Meghan, and Harry’s 2023 memoir, Spare, have had one notable selling point – telling their ‘truth’ about the Royal Family.

Meanwhile, Meghan has now thrown herself whole heartedly into expanding her lifestyle brand, As Ever, but the source says there is now a fear that the cutbacks they are putting in place to fund this legal bill could have a devastating effect on continuing to promote the brand.

Yet the unexpected hurdle could be the least of their worries, with the biggest fear being that they could, in time, be forced to sell their Montecito home if they don’t brainstorm some ways to pull in more cash – and fast.

The source says, ‘The expansion for her brand will most certainly have to be dialed way back, if not totally put on hold. There’s been all this talk about them looking to buy more property and that will be difficult, if not impossible.

‘Their property in Montecito is worth $30 million, but having to sell that and purchase something cheaper would be devastating. He’s telling Megan not to worry, but it's easier said than done.’

She’s currently in her Formula 1 wife era, being in the throes of romance with racing driver Lewis Hamilton, after her marriages to a record producer, an NBA star and a rapper – but while she’s living the high life, one of Kim Kardashian’s ex-husbands is a fast-food entrepreneur and loving his new low-key life.

Once known for his prowess on the basketball court, playing for the NBA’s top teams like Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors, Kim’s second husband, Kris Humphries, has swapped being courtside for the kitchen, and he’s all the happier for it. 15 years after their split, the former sportsman – who famously married the reality star for 72 days in 2011 – runs Dave’s Hot Chicken restaurants in Minnesota. He’s been working on the franchise venture since he retired from professional basketball in 2019.

‘Since I’ve stepped away from the game, I’m trying to stay under the radar and work on a new phase of my life,’ he said. ‘I’ve been developing some business ventures.’

Kris, 41, launched his first franchise restaurant near Ridgedale Centre in Minnetonka, Minneapolis, in 2023. ‘I’m familiar with the area: we used to come over to the mall a lot after school. So I thought it would be cool to do the first one near where I used to go to school,’ he said.

The following year, he signed on to launch ten more throughout Minnesota, with the help of his family: parents William and Debra and cousin Alex. Their latest restaurant in Oak Park Heights – their eighth eatery – opened in June.

The restaurants have become such a runaway success that the former power forward has already signed up to open 30 more locations across the Twin Cities in Minnesota and surrounding counties last September.

While his social media accounts were previously packed with basketball content, now his grid is filled with chicken challenges and cheese sticks – a sharp contrast from his ex-wife’s Instagram promoting her SKIMS line. Dave’s Hot Chicken is known for its Nashville-style spicy chicken, chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks, mini sliders and of course, fries.

This isn’t Kris’ first foray into food – he invested in Five Guys during his NBA career, and owned 10 diners across Minnesota and became a franchise partner for Crisp & Green health-focused restaurants.

While this may seem like an unexpected twist, viewers of Keeping Up With The Kardashians would not be too surprised by Kris’ career pivot. The couple, who had a whirlwind romance after meeting in 2010, clashed over his hopes to return to Minnesota, away from Kim’s Hollywood home.

‘I’m never moving to Minnesota. Ever,’ she told him on an episode of Kourtney And Kim Take New York. ‘How am I going to have my career and live in Minnesota?’ to which he told her, ‘Baby, by the time you have kids and they’re in school, and all that, no one will probably care about you. Let’s be honest.’

Kim, 45, and Kris had one of the shortest marriages in Hollywood history. The worlds of sport and reality collided when they met in October 2010, after she saw him playing at a New Jersey Nets basketball game and was introduced by their mutual friend Kris’ teammate Jordan Farmar. Seven months later, in May 2011, they were engaged. The couple married at a private estate facing the ocean in Montecito, California, on 20 August, with the run-up to their lavish nuptials covered by a two-part TV special and the big day airing on E!

But just 72 days after they walked up the aisle, their relationship came crashing down when it was announced that Kim had filed for divorce, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’. In December 2011, he filed his response to her petition, requesting an annulment on the grounds of fraud.

Kim later admitted that while she had entered the marriage for love, she had gotten swept up in the pressure and hype of the television production and realised after the honeymoon that they were incompatible. ‘At the time… I just thought, “Holy s**t, I’m 30 years old, I better get this together. I'd better get married,’ she said. ‘We’re filming this for a TV show. If I leave, I’m going to be known as the runaway bride forever, and it’s going to be a huge joke.’

It was her second marriage, following her union with music producer Damon Thomas when she was 19, which lasted three years until 2003.

While Kim and Kris’ marriage lasted less than three months, the consequent estrangement lasted nearly two years. Rumours flew that it was all a publicity stunt to promote the Kardashians’ brand and subsequent TV ventures, which the family denied. Kim and Kris reached a divorce settlement in April 2013, and their divorce was finalised in June 2013, by which time Kim was already loved up with rapper Kanye West and heavily pregnant with their daughter North – despite still being legally married to Kris.

She later said that she owed Kris an apology for the way their short-lived marriage and years-long divorce were handled, but admitted, ‘I tried to. I tried calling him for months. I handled it totally the wrong way. I fully broke up with him in the worst way, and I couldn’t – I just didn’t know how to deal. I learned so much from it.’

The pair once bumped into each other at the Beverly Hills Hotel, while Kim was with North and pregnant with Saint, but Kris gave her the cold shoulder. ‘We had the tables next to each other. All of his friends got up and said hi to me, and he literally just looked at me and wouldn’t even speak to me,’ she said.

It wasn’t to be a happy ever after for Kim and Kanye either, who split in 2021 after nine years together and four children – North, 13, Saint, ten, Chicago, eight, and Psalm, seven. She’s now dating racing ace Lewis, while Kanye is married to architect Bianca Censori. Kris, meanwhile, has kept out of the spotlight, away from the cameras, which he’s more than happy with.

‘At the end of the day, I’m just a guy from Minnesota who loves the game of basketball,’ he said in 2019. ‘I never wanted to be that guy.’

Vicky Pattison

The Queen of UK reality TV was once famous for being absolutely WILD on hit show ‘Geordie Shore’. At that time, she would often be filmed getting ‘mortal’ (that’s very, very drunk for those who don’t speak fluent Geordie) and basically partying up a storm. These days, she’s settled down after marrying in 2024 and she’s living a healthy (mortal-free) lifestyle. Now 38, she swears by dog walks and Pilates to keep her fit. ‘I don’t want to be a slave to the gym, so getting (her beloved pooches) Milo and Max transformed my life. I’m a big advocate for getting out into nature and I do about five-to-10 walks a week. I also like Zero Gravity Reformer Pilates.’

J.Lo

We’ve all heard those rumours about J.Lo, 56, insuring her butt for a million dollars… but given this impressive poolside look, we would strongly advise Jennifer to take out a new policy for a TRILLION dollars for the whole bod.  Want to get her look, ladies? Well, you’ll need 10 hours sleep a night, not a drop of alcohol or caffeine EVER and sadly you will have to spend a fair chunk of your waking hours in a gym doing heavy weights, circuit training and Pilates. Other than that, it’s just plenty of greens and plenty of SPF. Easy-peasy!

Tulisa Contostavlos

The N-Dubz singer has long been known as The Female Boss. And just in case you were thinking of challenging her about that, know this: Tulisa, 37, loves nothing more than an intense boxing session. She’s also into strength training, so be warned that those upper cuts will, er, cut. It’s no wonder that her biggest hit was ‘Ouch’!

Liz Hurley

Every time we write a caption for a picture of Liz we have to do a double-take. Just how is it possible that this body has walked the Earth for 61 years? Looking more like a hot 20-something, the sexy sexagenarian loves sharing pics of her bikini body and who can blame her. The secret to this wizardry? Eat sensibly, eat slowly, don’t bother with the gym, do bother taking the stairs, make sure half of your dinner plate is vegetables and make your own bread and cakes. Could it be possible to love her anymore than we already do?

Rita Ora

When one of your biggest hits is ‘Hot Right Now’ you really need to make sure you can live up to the promise. And Rita really does. Hotter than the surface of the Sun, Rita credits sloooow and steady workouts with weights and rather than trying to hit thousands of steps per day, she says that 20 minutes of movement is enough. Add to that two litres of water per day, some red light therapy and green juices and you’ll be good to go like our girl Rita.

Tess Daly

She’s recently quit her starring role hosting Strictly Come Dancing (the UK version of Dancing With The Stars) and she’s recently quit her marriage to fellow TV presenter Vernon Kay. But we’ll tell you something that just won’t quit – her smoking hot bikini look! Tess may be 57 but she’s channelling 27 thanks to her daily yoga habit, power walking, cardio intervals and, get this, her ‘phone call routine’. She swears by using phone calls as an opportunity to get off her butt and take a hike. Also known as the ‘walkie talkie’!

Amanda Holden

With an Instagram account titled ‘noholdenback’ you pretty much immediately get the message. Amanda loves to be ‘out there’ and here she is in yet another sensational two-piece rocking her 55-year-old curves while looking for all the world like she’s just quit college. As well as drinking fresh coconut milk, the British TV presenter swears by a vegetarian diet, Peloton workouts, A LOT of water (she reckons about twice the recommended amount) and accidental fasting (accidental as in ‘whoops, I forgot to eat’). Not something you’ll ever catch us doing!

Lizzo

Having reached her ‘weight release goal’ last year, the Good As Hell singer has a new-found appreciation and love for her body. ‘I’m taking the time every day to put some love into it,’ she admitted. Lizzo, 38, does ‘intense’ Pilates, skipping and circuit training with weights and an exercise ball. She’s got it all going on!

Kelly Brook

One of the UK’s finest models, 46-year-old Kelly is celebrating 30 years at the top of her game this year. And since running the London Marathon last year, Kelly has a fresh outlook. ‘I absolutely love my body. My body has got me through so many things. I love my curves – my husband [actor Jeremy Parisi] loves my curves,’ she says. ‘Yes, I am older and not as thin as I used to be, but my life is 100% better and I am definitely 100% happier. I don’t think being thin makes you happy. Being healthy does.’ You go, girl!

Tina O’Brien

She grew up as a child star of one of the biggest soaps in the world – Coronation Street. But all these years on and Tina, 42, doesn’t look like she’s aged a day. The mum of two credits her youthful looks to plenty of sleep and exercise. ‘Sleep is a superpower for me – I aim for a minimum of eight hours, but I love 10,’ she said. ‘I love exercise, too, and like to lift weights.’

After months of speculation, Meghan Markle finally flew to the UK to join her husband, Prince Harry, on his recent visit to Britain. In an encouraging step towards a royal reconciliation, the couple enjoyed a successful private meeting with his father, Charles, 77, and Queen Camilla, 78, at Highgrove on 10 July, alongside their two children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five. But the Gloucestershire estate wasn’t the duke’s only familial stop-off – as he was later driven to his mother Diana’s ancestral home, Althorp.

SUSPICIOUS

The Northamptonshire pile – still owned by the late princess’s brother, Earl Charles Spencer – is Diana’s final resting place. And insiders tell Closer that Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, took their children for their first visit to their grandmother’s grave – ahead of the 30th anniversary of her untimely death.

A source says, ‘It was an emotional and cathartic occasion for Harry, and such a special honour for Meghan and the kids to be included too. They’re extremely proud of Harry for being so protective and proactive about maintaining his mother’s legacy. He sees this as his birthright, but he’s also very keen for the family to be included – though he treats the topic with the utmost sensitivity.’

The world was stunned when Diana was fatally injured in a Paris car crash on 31 August 1997, aged just 36. But rather than be laid to rest in the family vault, her brother Charles opted for her to be buried on a small island at Althorp, known as the Oval Lake, due to concerns about public safety.

Five years ago, Harry took Meghan to the Oval Lake for the first time. ‘At long last, I was bringing the girl of my dreams home to meet Mum’, he wrote in his autobiography, Spare.

And as the milestone anniversary of her tragic death approaches, our source says, ‘Harry intends to honour his mother in a special and meaningful way. He’s more committed than ever to making it happen, and the precise arrangements are currently being planned as an ongoing priority.’

However, Harry and Meghan’s visit has apparently upset his brother William, as the source says the Prince of Wales believes the couple are on a ‘content gathering’ trip.

After previously monetising other royal moments for their Netflix series – as well as in their bombshell 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, and Harry’s 2023 memoir – William, 44, is perhaps right to have his concerns.

The insider says, ‘William is suspicious that obtaining footage for a docuseries about Diana is the real motivator for Meghan to come on this trip. It upsets him that she’s going to have any part in this tribute to his mother. He blames her for tearing the family apart and doesn’t believe for a second that Diana would approve.’

Not only that, but Harry has made several comparisons between Meghan and Diana in the past.

DEEPLY OFFENSIVE

In their 2022 series, Harry – who previously shared that the Sussexes have a shrine to her at their family home in Montecito – said, ‘So much of what Meghan is, and how she is, is so similar to my mum. She has the same compassion, empathy, and confidence. She has this warmth about her.’

The latest claims also come after reports that Meghan could be set to launch a fashion line inspired by Princess Diana, following speculation sparked by her wardrobe choices during a visit to Switzerland in May.

The source claims that this has fuelled William’s fears that a project could help to bolster Meghan’s lifestyle brand.

They say, ‘Harry keeps selling this idea that Meghan is Diana 2.0 – and it really gets under William’s skin. He finds the comparisons deeply offensive and way off the mark.

‘The thought of her ending up front and centre in the tribute would make him explode at Harry. As far as he’s concerned, they are using Diana’s legacy to help build Meghan’s brand, which he’ll never stand for. He’s told his inner circle he simply won’t let Harry disrespect their mother.

Following their previous 2017 BBC documentary, Diana, Our Mother: Her Life And Legacy – which saw the brothers come together to mark the 20th anniversary of her death – William reportedly rejected Harry’s offer to team up.

So it appears the duke and his wife have taken matters into their own hands.

The insider goes on, ‘Harry apparently took some discreet photos and video footage while paying his own private respects. He also met with the ground staff, whom he thanked for lovingly maintaining his mother’s final resting place.

‘Harry’s aware that people will criticise him for using the footage in a documentary or tribute. But his conscience is clear – he’s past the point of being affected by other people’s judgements.

‘Harry knows in his heart that his mother would trust him to make his own decisions, and feels it’s crucial that future generations know what she stood for – the embodiment of decency, compassion and sheer selflessness. Her work is utterly unrivalled in that regard, so Harry couldn’t be prouder to keep flying the flag in her honour. If people want to pick apart how he goes about that, it’s just water off a duck’s back.’

They’re an unlikely duo, but last week it emerged that TV star Alan Carr and former Duchess of York, Sarah ‘Fergie’ Ferguson had had a secret meet-up to discuss an upcoming TV show together – before her alleged links to Jeffrey Epstein were exposed earlier this year.

Comedian Alan, 50 – who won Celebrity Traitors last year – is said to have hit it off with Fergie, 66, during a private lunch at Royal Lodge.

The pair reportedly discussed a travel TV show that would see them visiting extraordinary places around the world. A source said they believed ‘they could make a great partnership for telly, flying around the world together’, with the project said to have attracted interest from a production company.

It seems Alan – who already has a travel and renovation TV show with BGT judge Amanda Holden – was likely one of the last visitors to Royal Lodge before Fergie and disgraced husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor were reportedly evicted following the release of the Epstein files.

Leaked emails also revealed Fergie’s close relationship with the convicted sex offender, including one which showed her describe him as ‘a supreme friend’ and ‘the brother [she] never had’ even after his paedophile convictions.

Alan – who previously had Fergie as a guest on his hit podcast Life’s A Beach back in 2023 – hasn’t publicly commented on the allegations or the state of his relationship with her. Following his skyrocketing popularity after Celebrity Traitors, he’s currently working on new Disney+ show CastleMan, which sees him buy and renovate a Scottish castle as he approaches his 50th birthday.

Wowing fans with her bikini body, Josie Gibson looked happier and healthier than ever last week. And now insiders tell Closer that the presenter, 41, who is currently single after a series of heartbreaks over the years, is ready for romance.

‘Josie is flying high in her work and her personal life – she’s in the best shape ever and has admitted she’s ready for love,’ says a source. ‘She’s got a spring in her step after losing 5 stone and is now working hard to tighten and tone up other areas.

‘She’s been given some fantastic advice from pals too – they think she should get herself a new workout partner, and she has a queue of men wanting to take her out!’

Josie, who rose to fame by winning Big Brother in 2010 before becoming a TV presenter on shows including This Morning, has been unlucky in love over the years.

OLD-FASHIONED GIRL

Splitting from her Big Brother boyfriend, John James Parton, a year after the show, Josie became engaged to plumber Luke Sanwo in February 2012 – just six months after their romance began. But the pair never made it down the aisle and separated in 2015.

And just four months after welcoming their son, Reggie, now seven, in September 2018, Josie and her then boyfriend, property developer Terry Bond, called time on their year-long romance.

Earlier this month, Josie – who has been linked to horse farrier Sam Wolfenden, though both denied the claims – admitted she would love another baby, ‘If I’d met the right man, I probably would have had about 10 [children]. I would love to foster.’

And the source says the star is now ready to get back on the dating scene to make that happen.

‘Josie can’t believe the messages that slip into her DMs – they leave her blushing! She’s quite an old-fashioned girl at heart, but she loves a good flirt,’ they explain. ‘She likes a real man’s man – she’s ready to be swept off her feet and wants the butterflies and passion.

‘Josie finally feels she looks good in her underwear and has spent a small fortune on matching lingerie – she’s told friends it’s a shame to have it go to waste! She’s loving the changes and feeling like her pin-up best.’

Josie has never shied away from talking about her weight loss and body image.

OVERHAUL

Dropping 6 stone and slimming from a size 20 to a size 8 in the 12 months after leaving the Big Brother house, Josie released workout DVDs including 30 Second Slim and her book, The Josie Gibson Diet.

Undergoing a tummy tuck in 2016 to remove 6lbs and 13 inches of loose skin, Josie revealed that becoming a single parent made her previous fitness regimen unsustainable.

‘I’ve done everything. I took diet tablets back in the day. I’ve done some extreme things, but I can’t mess around with my body anymore,’ she previously told Closer.

But after overhauling her nutrition and exercise plan, Josie has also lost an incredible 5 stone and has said it’s down to the ’70s diet of focusing on smaller portions and more filling, less-processed foods.

In an Instagram post, Josie wrote, ‘I didn’t get a gastric bypass – I got off my big a***, moved more, ate less and educated myself on what I was stuffing into my body.’

Not only that, but Josie was diagnosed with lipoedema – a chronic condition that causes an abnormal build- up of fat in the legs and sometimes the arms – after seeing a myriad of experts.

The TV personality then made the decision to spend £7,000 on calf liposuction last September and underwent an arm lift in March to treat the condition, which she described as a ‘last resort’, as even ‘training seven days a week’ won’t get rid of lipoedema fat.

PERFECT MATCH

Josie then told Closer, ‘I healed really fast. I threw everything at it because I’m a working mum. I didn’t have the time that they said I’d need to heal – I had to go back to work after two weeks.’

One of the ways Josie now stays healthy is by circuit training with her son, Reggie, once a week.

‘It’s so cute,’ she admitted to Closer. ‘If I try to stop, he goes, “Come on, Mum. Get up, get up!” He’s been like my little personal trainer!’

And someone else Josie has in her corner is close friend Alison Hammond. The presenter, 51, has been in a relationship with 28-year-old David Putman since late 2023 and recently told Closer that she’s rooting for Josie to find her perfect match.

‘I’d love for Josie to find The One,’ she admitted. ‘I really want that for her. She’ll find the man when the time comes – it will come.’ And the insider says that Josie agrees.

‘Josie doesn’t know what’s next, but she’s never felt better and hopes Mr Right comes knocking,’ they add. ‘Her new confidence has led TV producers to start seeing her as the new Holly Willoughby.

‘Alison is obviously her biggest supporter, and has even suggested the pair start double dating!’

After years of speculation that Meghan Markle had no intention of ever returning to Britain, the Duchess of Sussex surprised royal watchers last week by accompanying Prince Harry on his first UK visit with his family in four years.

The couple were joined by their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, as they travelled to Highgrove House for a private afternoon tea with King Charles and Queen Camilla.

The reunion was orchestrated with remarkable discretion. Harry and Meghan reportedly arrived during a Chanel event taking place at the royal residence, allowing them to avoid photographers entirely, with no official images released. Even Meghan's usually active social media channels have remained noticeably silent.

That silence has not gone unnoticed. Many royal insiders believe it signals a significant shift in the Sussexes' approach, suggesting Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, may finally be willing to respect the King's preference for keeping family matters firmly behind closed doors after years of public criticism and headline-making revelations.

Now, sources claim that while Harry is said to have approached the meeting with a renewed sense of humility, he has also made it clear to Meghan that, if they hope to receive another invitation, they will both need to "swallow their pride" and embrace a very different relationship with the Royal Family going forward.

An insider says, ‘Clearly they've been pretty humbled by everything that's happened. As much as they don’t want to accept it, their only option now is to follow Charles’ rules if they want any hope of rebuilding the relationship.

‘Harry’s telling Meghan they have to take a serious step back and trying to keep the ball in their court because this opportunity may never come again, and he knows any mistake could come at a huge personal cost.

‘He’s told Meghan they've got to swallow their pride, follow all directions from Charles and his aides and prove they can be trusted. At this point, they really have no other choice.’

Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, Meghan has spoken candidly about the challenges she faced adapting to life inside the monarchy, sharing a series of stories that painted an unflattering picture of royal life.

Among the most talked-about moments was her 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, where many viewers felt she poked fun at the tradition of curtseying to the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Another anecdote that drew attention was her reported response of 'colourful' when the Princess of Wales asked what she thought of the annual Trooping the Colour parade—a remark that was widely interpreted as highlighting her unfamiliarity with royal traditions.

Meghan has also described her first meetings with the Royal Family as awkward, claiming Kate seemed taken aback when she went in for a hug, while revealing that Oprah had laughed at the modest size of Nottingham Cottage, the couple's first home after their wedding.

Given that history, it's perhaps no surprise that insiders say Harry's biggest priority is ensuring details of this latest meeting remain private.

According to sources, he has urged Meghan to stick firmly to the agreed approach and avoid the kind of public disclosures that have previously caused tensions within the family—at least for the time being.

‘It's a huge adjustment for Meghan in particular because staying quiet and just toeing the line really isn't in her nature, but she's reluctantly accepted that's what has to happen,’ the source says.

‘She knows how much this means to Harry, and she also sees it's important for the children and for their future prospects. Harry's biggest concern is that nothing derails the progress they've made. He doesn't want anything that could put a spanner in the works, so there can’t be any leaks or any demands.’

Harry’s return to the UK came just over a year since the estranged Prince admitted that Charles had refused to see him amidst his legal dispute over his security arrangements when in the UK, and ten months since he last met the King for a brief afternoon tea in September.

The Sussexes homecoming also comes after weeks of reports suggesting that William had been left ‘furious’ by Charles’ apparent resolve to welcome Harry and Meghan back into the fold. So much so, he is alleged to have threatened to boycott any family events at the Sandringham estate for the foreseeable future.

And with Charles potentially risking his harmonious relationship with William to reconcile with his son and form a closer bond with his grandchildren, the source says Harry is also keenly aware that he and Meghan will have to make their own sacrifices in return.

‘This is a complete 180 to the way they’ve been approaching this up until now but Harry has clearly come around and realised they need to get off their high horses and make a lot of concessions if this going to work,’ the insider says.

‘He came so close to losing his relationship with his father, so the fact that Charles has agreed to move past everything that’s been said and done and give them another shot does feel like something of a miracle, and he’s vowed not to do anything to jeopardise that.’

The week before the Sussexes' return also saw a staggeringly public tit-for-tat between the palace and Harry, as last-minute battles over the Duke’s security and accommodation ahead of his UK trip descended into complete chaos.

Eight days after Harry and Meghan’s UK itinerary was reported, it was then announced that Harry would be returning alone, due to not having been granted police protection for their family in the UK ‘at the eleventh hour’.

Meanwhile, it has since been made clear that the armed security, which Harry had previously sworn he wouldn’t bring his children to the UK without, had never been withdrawn, because it had never been granted.

So why make their visit and the children’s potential reunion with their grandpa so public? According to royal observers, the very public twoing and frowing may have been a very deliberate attempt to use the children to ‘blackmail’ the King into attempting to influence the security decisions made by RAVEC [Royal and VIP Executive Committee].

And after, the Crown appeared to make their own standpoint clear when it was revealed that the King had revoked his son’s invitation because it had not been accepted within the given timeframe.

Now the source says it has been made clear to Harry that any more demands or games of royal top trumps will be highly unwelcome – a message we’re told he has been at some pains to relay to Meghan.

‘It’s been spelt out to him just how catastrophic it will be to the peace process if there’s any sense that he and Meghan are making demands or trying to dictate how this will unfold,’ the insider says.

‘Harry is in a very awkward position because he’s now got to find a way to abide by his father’s wishes without completely sacrificing his own values or making his wife feel like she’s not being heard.

‘It’s not been easy because he and Meghan usually operate as a team, but in this case the only option is for her to take a back seat. He’s very proud of how strong and outspoken she is, and he’s certainly not asking her to change who she is. But at the same time the gravity of this situation requires that they take a very different approach then they have in the past.’

Meanwhile, Harry has long expressed his desire to reunite with his ‘pa’, especially follow Charles’ cancer diagnosis in 2024, for which he continues to undergo a now reduced regimen of treatment.

Now, ten months on from when he declared that ‘the focus has to be on my dad this year', Harry may have finally, but tentatively been granted his wish.

In return, the source says that Harry – who knows all too well the preciousness of time - now wants to ensure that his near-80 year old father is granted to the opportunity to spend further time with his grandchildren in the very near future.

They tell us, ‘He’s also considering the King and the state of his health, which is still a big concern. The last thing Harry wants to do is add any more stress. And to be fair, Meghan certainly isn’t out to do that, either.

They both want to build on this renewed connection with Charles, and they want him to look forward to these visits and that’s clearly being reflected in how deferential he’s now being, not just to Charles but to the courtiers as well. It’s very out of character but it goes to show how badly Harry wants this to work.’

It’s been just days since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s reunion with King Charles, but it appears the Royal Family now seems more divided than ever.

For months, the message had been clear – if Harry and Meghan were not willing to show remorse for their public lambasting of the Royal Family, then the doors of the Palace, or Palaces, would remain firmly shut, with both Charles and Prince William at the helm as gatekeepers.

Then came Friday’s secret summit at Highgrove House and a statement from a source close to the King that: ‘Blood is blood’ – an odd sentiment given that his other son William has reportedly threatened to ‘boycott’ any family events at Sandringham for the foreseeable future.

Now royal observers are now waiting on tenterhooks as to Charles’ next meeting with William, and what will unfold in the aftermath of the King’s shocking U-turn.

The proof of William’s stubbornness over his brother needs no explanation. They are believed not to have spoken for four years, and William, 43, has shown absolutely no sign that he is willing to forgive and forget.

Until now, the King has appeared to have taken a backseat to what has been largely viewed and reported as a feud between the Sussexes and the Wales. However, we’re told that Charles is now ‘angry’ at William for not ‘falling into line’ and is demanding that he follow this three-word ultimatum: Let It Go.

The insider says, ‘It’s become a real battle because Charles believes it’s time for William to let this go. He’s made his decision to make peace with Harry and Meghan, and, in his assessment, everyone, including William, should fall in line. After all, he is the King.

‘But William is refusing. He’s furious and insists his father has been manipulated into all of this, which is only making Charles angrier because he sees it as a sign William no longer trusts his judgment.’

The King and his Heir had until recently stood united, and we’re told their alleged divide has now sunk deeper behind palace walls, as William and Charles’ respective teams are finding it increasingly ‘difficult’ to manage their loyalties.

So much so, the source claims Charles, 77, has made the decision to stop briefing his son on his interactions with Harry, 41, altogether.

‘The longer William digs in his heels and refuses to make peace with his brother, the more difficult it becomes for his aides and other senior royals who are loyal to both him and Charles. Things have gotten so bad that Charles has stopped briefing William on what’s been discussed with Harry,’ the source says.

‘He’s insisting those conversations are private and telling him to stop poking for information because it’s simply none of his business. That has only made William more convinced that Harry and Meghan are working their way back into Charles' inner circle.'

Meanwhile, for months, there have been reports of a power battle between William and Charles. On one hand, the heir who it’s claimed had been given more responsibilities following his father’s cancer diagnosis, and who continues to carve out the kind of monarchy he one day wants to rule, and a King who appears to be admirably determined to fulfil his duty as leader throughout his reign.

Now, following the happy news earlier this year that Charles is now undergoing a reduced regimen of treatment, we’re told the very idea of him being painted as ‘a fool’ is ‘incredibly insulting’ – especially when his primary goal is to heal the family feud.

The insider says ‘Charles finds it borderline obsessive that William is still so fixated on everything Harry does. He’s accused William of having far too much pride, and he says it’s a quality he ought to be working to snuff out if he wants to be a good ruler down the line.

‘Charles also takes a huge offence to William telling people that he’s going to get taken advantage of, that’s incredibly insulting because it implies that he’s somehow lost his edge and can’t see when he’s being played for a fool, which he says it absolutely ridiculous and not true in the slightest.

‘He is adamant that this visit with Harry was done with a lot of consideration and that it was the right choice, not just on a personal level, but also because he doesn’t want his legacy to be one of bitterness and family infighting.’

However, the Sussexes' return to the royal fold has also come at a time when the couple are widely reported to be struggling with their commercial endeavours following the end of their five-year deal with Netflix last year.

Last month, it was revealed how data collected by YouGov America appears to show a rapid decline in Meghan’s popularity since last year. Polls concluded that compared to 2025, where 37% of voters ‘liked’ Meghan, only 29% voted in favour of the Duchess at the start of this year.

Furthermore, US site Newsweek claimed that a separate search they had conducted revealed that the traffic to Meghan’s As Ever brand’s website also fell by 89,000 in the US in January.

Even so, royal observers have claimed Meghan is still the ‘breadwinner’ for their family, with Harry recently naming his full-time occupations as ‘full-time dad’ and ‘Prince of England’.

And the source claims William is very aware that, from a cynical perspective, the timing could be seen as somewhat suspicious.

‘William won’t budge, though, and says this is just a case of his father trying to justify a terrible decision,’ the insider says.

‘It’s hard to imagine this getting any better because William still sees Meghan as a huge threat to the monarchy. Even if he finds a way to drop his sword with Harry, he honestly can’t see how they could ever have a proper relationship while she’s still in the picture.

‘Regardless of how the meeting went, William is still convinced Harry has an agenda that is being driven by Meghan and that every move is designed to strengthen the Sussexes’ brand. He finds it staggering that Charles can’t see something that’s so painfully obvious.’

In the days that followed Harry’s return, William appeared determined to put duty and his own family first, competing in the Royal Charity Polo Cup and later photographed hugging Kate Middleton on the sidelines.

But the source says, make no mistake, Charles’ actions have ‘felt like a huge betrayal’ to his eldest son, who fears things could only be on a downward spiral from here.

The insider says, ‘He’s at the end of his tether over this and genuinely worried that Charles has become too soft in his old age. He’s convinced that Charles is being made to look like a fool by his own son, and he says that is going to damage his legacy more than standing his ground against his spoiled son and daughter-in-law, every could.

‘What makes it even harder for William is that he and Charles were on the same page for so long, so this sudden flip-flop feels like a huge betrayal.

‘William is doing his best not to constantly fight with his dad over this, but it’s very difficult. He’s convinced that it’s only a matter of time before Meghan and Harry betray them all again, and he’s not going to roll over and let it happen.’

She’s been stoically single – and insistently reclusive – for 10 years now, ever since splitting from Brad Pitt and enduring one of the most toxic celebrity divorces of all time.

But reader, cast your minds back to a time pre-Brangelina when Angelina Jolie was the ultimate Hollywood femme fatale. Men adored her, women idolised her, and her ballsy attitude, larger-than-life pout, and ability to both kick ass and seduce any suitor on screen – and in real life – knew no bounds.

As we all know, life really did a number on Angelina, 51, in the interim. She’s been shyly licking her wounds and focusing first and foremost on her brood of six for 10 years and counting, while also fighting – up until late 2024 – the constant legal battle that was hers and Brad’s never-ending divorce.

But the question is – 10 years since their bitter split – is she finally ready to put the past to bed, and focus on entering a whole-new era…one that might even include welcoming some love into her life?

Indeed, that’s the question on everyone’s lips, including Angelina’s, who got surprisingly candid last month in an interview with Yahoo Entertainment.

Speaking about her personal life, she told the publication she is slowly becoming ‘the person I used to be’ and credits her six children for ‘bringing me back to my old self’. To that end, she hinted she might finally be ready to ditch her decade-long dating drought.

‘To be candid, I haven’t dated since I divorced a decade ago,’ she said. ‘So, I kind of get in my head that that aspect of me is not centred in my life if I’m focusing on my children, my family.’ It was her family, she added, who were pushing her to open herself up to love.

‘I think they kind of want me now to not just be “mum”,’ she confessed. ‘There’s a different room for me to be that woman again, that’s not just a mum.’

All this has, of course, sent fans reeling with excitement over what could be – potentially – the renaissance of one of the most seductive and adventurous women to ever rule Hollywood. But behind the scenes, she’s apparently not feeling quite so ballsy this time around. According to insiders, Angelina is indeed eager to finally cast a line in the sand on all the pain, heartache and inertia of the past 10 years.

But the problem is, she simply isn’t the person she used to be. Since then, she’s had her heart torn apart, and she can’t help but worry that, this time around, it won’t survive another battering. All that, we’re told, is leaving her fixated on Brad and all the baggage he left her with, making it even more difficult to move on for good.

‘Angelina’s talking a good game and is putting the word out to friends that she’s open to suggestions or introductions,’ says an insider close to the actress, who had already been married twice by the time she met Brad, aged 28, in 2004. ‘But the truth is she’s filled with anxiety about putting herself out there again, letting her guard down and running that risk of disappointment if and when things don’t ultimately work out. Brad did a real number on her faith in romance – there’s no escaping that – and Ange is not sure if she could deal with trusting her heart, then getting trampled on all over again. She blames him for that entirely.’

Time was when Brangelina really were the golden standard for modern family bliss. Despite some rocky beginnings – that involved meeting and falling in love on the set of Mr & Mrs Smith while he was still married to Jennifer Aniston – they plastered over that with their jet-set lifestyle and rapidly growing family. By the time they got married in 2014, they had six kids, and split their time between making movies and travelling the world together for work and charity projects.

But then, the perfect portrait was smashed to smithereens in September 2016 after that private plane altercation, which allegedly saw Brad reportedly turn abusive to both Angelina and the children. The FBI and the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services both investigated Brad, and while the actor was later cleared of all allegations, he himself has admitted that his heavy drinking did a whole lot of damage.

They split immediately after and spent the next eight years fighting a contentious legal battle over custody, financial disputes, and ownership of their French vineyard, Miraval.

Since then, Brad, 62, has lived a life of two halves. When it comes to his children, he’s really fallen short. Though no one has crystallised the current situation, optics suggest he barely has any relationship with any of his kids, five of whom have either publicly or legally changed their names to permanently distance themselves from their paternal name ‘Pitt’.

But – as for his professional and love life – Brad’s come up trumps. He’s resolutely back on top of the Hollywood pile, and he’s also more loved up than ever with his girlfriend of four years, Ines de Ramon, 33.

As for Angie, her life has been 100 per cent dedicated to motherhood. Despite rumours of dinner dates here and there with the likes of the Weeknd and – most recently – her Couture co-star Louis Garrel, she truly hasn’t been significantly attached to anyone.

But this summer marks a whole lot of changes for the star, not least since her youngest children, twins Vivienne and Knox, turned 18 this month. This is a serious milestone, as it means she no longer has to stay living in Los Angeles - something she was legally bound to do while they were underage. Speaking last year, Angelina reflected on this moment, telling The Hollywood Reporter, ‘As soon as [my kids are] 18, I’ll be able to leave’. She added that she will ‘spend a lot of time in Cambodia’ moving forward.

Then, there’s the fact that this September marks 10 years exactly since the blissful marital bubble burst. If ever there was a time to reflect and move on, it’s now.

To that end, we’re told that – despite all the nerves and anxieties – Angelina’s tentatively pushing forwards, not least for the sake of her children.

‘She knows they worry about her being lonely; they’ve been telling her for years that she needs to meet someone, so she has promised to at least give it a try,’ our insider reveals. ‘She’s admitted that she’s not got a lot of faith in her ability to pick men that aren’t going to ultimately hurt her and let her down, and the fact is, she’s terrified of getting into another toxic relationship. But she also doesn’t want to just give up and make her life choices from a place of fear, that’s certainly not the example she wants to set for her children.’

Ultimately, it seems as if the wheels are finally in motion. But crucially, it all hinges on Brad’s continued ability to cast a shadow in Angelina’s life. If she can finally give up the ghost and move on, that might just be her ballsiest move yet.

His relationship with one of the world’s most famous women took fans by surprise – but despite raising eyebrows, Lewis Hamilton’s romance with Kim Kardashian looks to be the real deal.

The Formula One megastar has dated a string of famous and famously beautiful women, but is now said to be captivated by the reality queen and there’s even talk of the two starting a family of their own.

But until then, insiders say the racing driver is pulling into pole position as a supportive ‘stepdad’ to Kim’s brood – and he’s already stepping in to help her eldest daughter, North West, who is determined to become a major star with her debut single ‘Piercing on My Hand’.

North, who is 13, has faced a barrage of criticism for her edgy style and most recently, her collection of dermal piercings – with jewellery embedded into the skin on her fingers and hands – has sparked concern among worried fans and been condemned by some experts who warn she could be scarred.

Our insider tells Closer, ‘Kim wants Lewis to be a big part of the kids’ lives and, right now, North is the one who needs the most support because she's throwing herself headfirst into this big showbiz career.

‘She's doing incredibly well despite some of the negativity that she gets online. Lewis is no stranger to being on the end of an online backlash himself, so he has this rescue plan for her and is constantly reminding her not to lose sight of her goals. He loves that she’s carving out her own unique path, but of course, there are a lot of pitfalls ahead of her, and as someone who can see the bigger picture, he can't help wanting to guide her through them.

‘He’s very careful not to overstep the boundaries because he wants to be respectful to Kanye, but he’s become one of North's biggest cheerleaders. He's always telling her how proud he is of what she's achieving and, whenever she needs it, he's there with a pep talk or some advice about handling the pressures that come with success.”

Lewis has spoken before about his desire to have a family. In an interview with The Times in 2017, the F1 legend – who regularly posts pics of himself with his godson and is very close to his niece and nephews – said that the only thing stopping him would be the demands of his career.

‘I’m not even in a relationship, but I love kids, and I know I want kids. If anything, the amount I want is growing.

‘My heart melts when I’m around them. I look forward to that stage of my life. But what I have witnessed of friends who are not always able to be around because of commitments - I already struggle with my dogs. I can’t have them with me all the time. Travelling is very, very difficult for them. It’s strenuous on your heart to be away from them.

‘Hopefully, I think I’ll be fortunate enough to be in a position where I don’t have to be [away], particularly in the early stages of their life.’

A source previously told Closer that Kim was open to the idea of having another baby with Lewis, saying, ‘Kim’s long friendship with Lewis is what makes this so different for her. Lewis was upfront and said he didn’t want to risk that for something casual.

Meanwhile, our insider says that it’s not just North that Lewis has formed a supportive bond with.

‘He’s really fantastic with all the kids, which of course totally melts Kim’s heart. He came with them on their annual family summer vacation to the lake in Idaho for the July 4 holiday, and it could not have gone better. Kim told everyone they all had the most incredible time, and she says Lewis was a big part of what made it so fun.

‘He was all in on playing with the kids and being really present for them. Kim says he's a total natural with them, nothing is forced, and he genuinely seems to get a kick out of them, which is such a huge relief for her because trying to date as a single mom of four kids is not easy, even when you are Kim Kardashian!

‘She says finding someone who excites her but is also happy to fit into her family and play a stepdad role to her kids, kind of feels like a miracle, she definitely prayed for it.’

And the source says that by winning over the affections of North, who is set to go on her debut music tour this August, Lewis has easily fitted in with the family dynamic. He’s also said to have been accepted by Kim’s ex and the father of her children, rapper Kanye West.

‘North is by far the toughest one of the kids to win over, and she sets the tone for the rest of them,’ says the insider. ‘So the fact that she likes Lewis is a massive relief. It also helps that Kanye isn’t making any issues for them and has actually come round to the idea and given his approval.

‘He wasn’t so easy going about it at first, because he and Lewis were friends way back when, but he's moved past all of that, thankfully. Having him accept that Lewis and Kim are together, and actually be somewhat positive about it, makes a huge difference to how North reacts because she’s such a daddy's girl.

‘She’s accepted that Kanye has moved on with Bianca and actually really likes her, and now she’s bonding with Lewis too. Kim loves that North has got another person in the world who’s looking out for her and supporting her.

‘It doesn’t hurt that Lewis is one of the most admired race car drivers in the world. North acts pretty nonchalant about that, but every once in a while she drops her too-cool teenager act, and Kim says she can tell she’s actually impressed by Lewis!’

Nicola Peltz

Reportedly just 7st after four months of intensive ballet training for an acting role, fans suggest 31-year old Nicola’s altered features could be down to her dramatic weight loss. But Dr Hassan Galadari, aesthetic doctor and dermatologist, tells Closer, ‘Nicola’s very beautiful, but possibly has subtle anti-wrinkle injections like Botox to maintain a smooth forehead, as well as gently lifting her eyebrows. Nicola’s nose appears more refined, which could be from either a surgical or non-surgical rhinoplasty using dermal filler. ‘Her even skin can be achieved with treatments such as IPL – which targets pigmentation, redness and sun damage, while still looking natural.’

Kelly Osbourne

Candid Kelly hailed her 2018 gastric sleeve operation as ‘the best thing I’ve ever done’. And though the TV personality, 41, has ‘never done anything but Botox’, she has ‘needle-free’ EmFace and EmSculpt to tighten her skin following her 85-pound weight loss. Plastic surgeon Dr Fai Hamadani says, ‘Treatments such as Quantum RF stimulate collagen production and tighten the skin without creating an overfilled look. Kelly’s smooth complexion hints she'll also likely be having regular laser treatments, medical-grade skincare and anti-wrinkle injections.’

Michelle Keegan

Michelle’s appearance has altered since entering the spotlight aged just 19. ‘People point out that they think I’ve had a nose job. They think I’ve had new cheeks, a new chin – but I haven’t and I don’t think I ever would,’ the actress, 39, previously revealed. Dr Barbara Kubicka says, ‘Michelle’s possible aesthetic treatments are very subtle – skin boosters to improve hydration, anti-wrinkle treatments to soften expression lines, and treatments designed to stimulate collagen production. Michelle's appearance is polished and fresh without looking over-treated.’

Adele

Fans were thrilled when Adele made a rare public appearance at the British Grand Prix – but some noticed that the global superstar, 38, looked a little different. ‘Botox and enhanced lips?’ speculated one. Dr Paul Banwell tells Closer, ‘Weight loss can alter facial proportions – it's common to see greater definition around the jawline and cheeks, and reduced facial volume sculpts the face. Adele’s polished look may be down to small amounts of filler to restore volume, alongside anti-wrinkle injections. She perhaps has laser treatments or regenerative skin booster procedures such as Jalupro. Work is very conservative – she looks refreshed and age-appropriate.’

Victoria Beckham

Attributing her ageless looks to make-up, Victoria, 51, has commented in the past, ‘A lot of people have said that I've had some kind of surgery on my nose. I have never […] It's clever contouring.’ Dr Barbara Kubicka says, ‘Victoria’s skin looks exceptionally smooth, bright and even. She may have benefitted from anti-wrinkle treatments alongside collagen stimulating procedures such as radiofrequency microneedling,
laser resurfacing or injectable skin boosters – which improve skin quality and firmness while maintaining natural movement. Victoria’s a good example of healthy, luminous skin that still looks like your own.’

Brooklyn blasts Posh: ‘I told you to stay away!’

It was a family affair for the Beckhams as they celebrated Victoria’s first fashion and beauty pop-up shop in Florida – with the notable absence of estranged son Brooklyn. Victoria and David, with daughter Harper and their sons Romeo and Cruz, along with their girlfriends Jackie Apostel and Kim Turnbull, turned out for the House of Victoria Beckham launch at Bal Harbour Shops in Miami.

Victoria, 52, shared photos of her big night afterwards, writing, ‘So excited to be here tonight in Miami, celebrating the House of Victoria Beckham at @balharbourshops with my family and friends!’ Now, sources say that Brooklyn, 27, is ‘absolutely livid’ about his mum’s new venture in his wife Nicola Peltz’s hometown, despite Victoria and David – who co-owns Inter Miami CF – also having a home there.

‘Brooklyn went ballistic when he heard about the shop. He sees Victoria having her own store there as an aggressive encroachment on their personal territory,’ the insider says. ‘Brooklyn has warned Victoria this is crossing a major line. He’s said he feels like she’s deliberately trying to muscle in on the Florida fashion and beauty scene that Nicola’s family has been such a big part of for years.’

The insider adds that Nicola, 31, is less than thrilled. ‘Nicola feels like this is a deliberate slap in the face and a highly strategic power play by Victoria to mark her territory right on their doorstep.’

Since his bombshell Instagram statement in January, Brooklyn has distanced himself from the rest of his family, despite them offering olive branches. Most recently, David, 51, and Victoria gave a shout-out to their ‘four amazing children’ as they celebrated their 27th wedding anniversary earlier this month.

Molly-Mae's sexy night with Tommy

After welcoming their second child Midas in May, engaged couple Tommy Fury and Molly-Mae Hague enjoyed some quality time together for their seventh anniversary – with a day at Wimbledon, followed by a £12,000-a-night stay at the Musician’s Penthouse at the Corinthia hotel in London.

Molly-Mae, 27, shared photos of their jaunt to SW19, writing, ‘Spent the day court side,’ to which Tommy replied, ‘Gorgeous girl’. He also posted snaps of them on Centre Court, which he captioned, ‘Court is now in session’. Tommy, 27, later shared pics of their two-storey Corinthia suite with piano, chandeliers and private outdoor terrace.

The mum-of-two also posted throwback photos during their time on Love Island, saying, ‘Who would’ve thought!!!’ before adding a current pic of them as a family. ‘Seven years of us’, she captioned with a heart emoji, while Tommy wrote, ‘Happy seven years my girl’.

The couple – who share three-year-old daughter Bambi and six-week-old son Midas – met on Love Island in 2019 and got engaged in July 2023. A year later, they announced their shock split over his boozing ways but rekindled their romance last year, before announcing Molly-Mae’s second pregnancy in February.

Trinny's hinge dates!

Three years after splitting from art dealer Charles Saatchi, Trinny Woodall is ready for romance again as she joined dating app Hinge. The former What Not To Wear TV stylist, 62 – who found fame hosting with pal Susannah Constantine – revealed she’d swiped right for Rupert, who’s offering ‘fun, honesty, food and warmth’. ‘I’m in the game,’ she said after she sent him a message. But she was less impressed with others, one of whom she called ‘a bit creepy’.

Trinny, who has daughter Lyla, 22, revealed she prefers a taller man to match her height. ‘I’m somebody who might be with a really short man and that’s cool, but because I’m 5’10”, it’s challenging,’ she admitted. Luckily for her, Rupert is 6’7”.

Helen's heartbreak: ‘I won’t be disrespected!’

Seven months after they moved in together, Call The Midwife star Helen George, 42, is reported to have split from her boyfriend Dan Innes, after he was pictured moving his belongings out of her London home.

Seemingly alluding to the split on social media, Helen said, ‘I absolutely take responsibility for when I am wrong. But I will never apologise for responding to disrespect. If you lit the match, do not stand in the flames pretending to be the victim.’

She also posted, ‘I don’t want my daughter to be like me. I want her to speak up sooner. Walk away faster. Trust herself deeper. Apologise less. Take up more space. Ask bigger questions. Dream louder. And if that means she becomes everything I wasn’t, good.’

Helen – who shares daughters Wren Ivy, eight, and Lark, four, with ex-husband Jack Ashton – and property marketing agency manager Dan, 52, had been dating since March 2025 after meeting on dating app Raya, and he moved in with her earlier this year.

A source said, ‘Helen and Dan have gone their separate ways. They had a whirlwind romance but their differences became apparent.’

Headlines have been dominated by Katie Price’s fourth marriage to Lee Andrews in recent months – and her close pal Hannah Elizabeth has been just as hooked by the drama as the rest of us.

‘I don't like to be too nosey and ask a lot of personal questions, but I was invested in the whole thing. Only Kate!’ Hannah, 36, tells Closer.

The two glamour models struck up a friendship years ago, joining forces for a raunchy OnlyFans shoot in 2022. The pair remain close, with Hannah revealing more plans to work with Katie, 48, are in the pipeline. ‘I love Katie. We are so similar. I think she’s absolutely hilarious and what you see is what you get,’ she adds.

And while both Hannah and Katie have carved out successful careers as glamour models, most will recognise Hannah from Love Island. One of the show’s OG cast members, she was a runner-up on the very first series in 2015 with ex-fiancé Jon Clark, who she famously got engaged to during the ITV2 show’s finale.

Hannah – who split from Jon just three months later – remains in disbelief, telling us, ‘Genuinely at the time, I thought “Oh my god, this is the love of my life,” but when I look back… I got engaged. Who does that?! That is wild.’

Hannah returned to the villa for a second chance at finding love in 2024 as one of the All Stars Islanders. While she ‘had a ball’, she ultimately failed to find a romantic connection. ‘You've got to go in there and have a laugh. I obviously didn't meet anyone. I was just along for the ride to be honest. It was amazing,’ she admits.

Romance wasn’t on the cards, but Hannah won her own prize after All Stars. The show catapulted her back into the public eye and ultimately enhanced her OnlyFans career – and her bank balance. She reveals, ‘I had such a nice response from the public. It definitely helped to give a big boost in with my earnings.’

The former Playboy bunny launched her OnlyFans account during the pandemic, having already built up a fanbase thanks to TV and glamour modelling. And while she’s worked with a handful of brands on Instagram, Hannah admits she never had any plans to follow the traditional Love Islander-turned-influencer career path.

Describing glamour modelling as her ‘thing’, she explains how her love for the ‘big bombshell look’ associated with it led to her numerous plastic surgery procedures – the most recent of which was a simultaneous boob job and lower face lift at the beginning of the year.

‘I always wanted the Pamela Anderson; the big, pin up, playboy look. I've always loved that. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but I am so about that,’ she says.

Hannah has previously revealed that she’s spent over £100k on surgery, including a fox eye lift, a nose job and a BBL. But at the time of our chat, she doesn’t have plans for any further procedures. ‘I'm happy. I think for the time being, I'm done. But I love a bit of surgery,’ she adds.

Away from the glamour, Hannah is a doting mum to five-year-old son Reggie, who she shares with her ex-fiancé George Andreetti, who she split from in October 2019. The mention of her son prompts a smile from the star and it’s immediately evident that being a parent is her top priority.

And she’s clearly mastered balancing work and motherhood, as she says, ‘I'm lucky because I can do my work from anywhere. I get to balance that with spending time with my son.’

The arrival of Reggie in November 2019 prompted Hannah to relocate to her native Liverpool, after living in Essex for around eight years. Being closer to her parents, who she describes as ‘amazing’, was the driving force behind the decision, as well as her love for the ‘best city in the world’.

But she admits there’s one thing missing. Describing her love life as ‘tumbleweed’, Hannah is unapologetically honest about the lack of romance she’s experiencing – though she won’t be entertaining the world of online dating anytime soon.

‘There are just no fellas!’ she says. ‘I don’t even know where you’d meet a nice fella. I feel like no one comes over. I don’t know if I’m a bit too loud for them and they can’t handle it. Honestly, there’s no one. I've never been on a dating app. I like to know the person and be mates with them first.’

Despite her current singleness, Hannah is still a hopeless romantic at heart – and is certain she’ll find her happily ever after. ‘I’m romantic. I want the fairytale!’ she adds.

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