Royal wedding memorabilia of Prince William and Kate Middleton are shown at a souvenir shop

Royal wedding memorabilia of Prince William and Kate Middleton are shown at a souvenir shop in central London, on April 24, 2011, before the royal wedding between Britain's Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011.



Actors Camilla Luddington (L) and Nico Evers-Swindell, who star as Kate Middleton and Britain's Prince William in a television film entitled 'William and Kate: The Movie' pose for photographs outside Westminster Abbey in London, on April 25, 2011. The film, inspired by the royal wedding, premiered in the United States on April 18. Britain's Prince William will marry his fiancee Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London, on April 29, 2011.




Gay Rights campaigner Peter Tatchell (C) holds a wedding card addressed to Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton in front of Buckingham Palace in London on April 25, 2011. Tatchell is in favour of changing the law which prevents gay couples getting married. Currently the law only allows civil partnerships for gay couples. Britain's Prince William is to marry his fiancee Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29, 2011.



People queue to visit Westminster Abbey, in central London, on April 25, 2011. Britain's Prince William will marry his fiancee Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London, on April 29, 2011.




Workmen build a media stand opposite Westminster Abbey, in central London, on April 25, 2011. Britain's Prince William will marry his fiancee Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London, on April 29, 2011.



A commemorative plate for Diana, Princess of Wales is pictured with a souvenir plate for the royal wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton on a market stall, in London, on April 25, 2011. Britain's Prince William is to marry his fiancee Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29, 2011.



Guest on his way to a wedding stops and buys souvenirs from a stall selling memorabilia for the royal wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton, in London, on April 25, 2011. Britain's Prince William is to marry his fiancee Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29, 2011.



Tourists are pictured walking along The Mall in front of Buckingham Palace in central London, on April 25, 2011. Britain's Prince William is to marry his fiancee Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29, 2011.


source: daylife
photo: Gettyimages

Willow Smith finally raises a smile on Sasha Obama's face at White House Easter party

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Picture of misery: Nine-year-old Sasha, centre, looks less than amused as her parents read out Chicka Chicka Boom Boom to a young audience at the White House. Her sister Malia, 12, does a much better job


Willow's mother and Michelle Obama cheered her on at event

One thing was clear for the President today - his daughter's far more interested in watching a pop star perform that letting him read her bedtime stories.

Nine-year-old Sasha Obama looked the picture of misery as she listened to Barack read out a story at the White House's annual Easter Egg Roll.

But she cheered up remarkably once her father's story was over, dancing and smiling as Will Smith's daughter, Willow, performed in a concert later in the afternoon.


What a transformation! Sasha looked much happier once Willow Smith, right, took to the stage for a concert


While her elder sister Malia managed to summon at least a hint of interest, Sasha seemed thoroughly bored by the whole affair, propping her head up with her hand as she struggled to stay awake.

But Sasha was much happier when 10-year-old Willow Smith proved to be quite the consummate as she performed to a packed crowd at the White House.

The singer delighted crowds who assembled on the lawn at the U.S. President's residence for the annual Easter party, complete with games, storytelling and a visit from the Easter Bunny.


Whip it! Willow Smith, the daughter of actor Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, performs her hit song Whip My Hair at the annual White House Easter Egg Roll in Washington today


Support: Her mother Jada and the U.S. President's wife Michelle Obama cheered her on from the packed crowd, which assembled on the famous South Lawn


Get me out of here: Sasha, left, looks distinctly unimpressed by her parents' storytelling, while elder sister Malia, 12, looks to the family's dog Bo to keep her entertained



Cheer up dear: Sasha manages a brief smile when Bo joins in the storytelling at the White House Easter Egg Roll


Mrs Obama said it was 'pretty amazing' that a record 30,000 were expected to attend. All 50 states and Washington, D.C., were represented, according to the White House.

'We are so excited about this year's Easter egg roll,' she said. 'The theme is "Get Up and Go!" because, as you know, I'm a big proponent of getting up and going, making sure we're moving and eating healthy, and this Easter egg roll reflects all of that.'

The event began at 7.30am and ran all day. Tickets were allocated to five groups, each of 6,000 people, who were allowed to spend two hours on the South Lawn.

Mrs Obama has travelled around the country stressing healthy eating and exercise as part of a nationwide campaign against childhood obesity.


Nice work, sis: Willow was also supported by her 12-year-old brother Jaden


On a roll: Children take part in the annual event on the South Lawn of the White House


Doting parents: Actor Will Smith and Jada flick peace signs to the cameras as he leave the White House after their daughter Willow's soundcheck yesterday


source: dailymail

Shakira and boyfriend's PDA as they cheer his team to victory

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


Affectionate: Shakira and Gerard Pique share a passionate kiss in Barcelona, Spain, today where his Barcelona thrashed Osasuna 2-0


Shakira and her footballer boyfriend share a series of passionate kisses as they watched his team steam to victory today.

The very affectionate couple were spotted putting on a touchy feely show in the stands in Spain, where Gerard Pique's Barcelona teammates thrashed Osasuna 2-0.


Pique was not playing today, but a short bench at Camp Nou Stadium meant he had to sit in the spectator area.


Eyes not quite on the ball: Gerard enjoys being showered with affection by his pop star girlfriend while keeping a tentative eye on the match


Not that he was complaining.

The 24-year-old sportsman could barely wipe the grin off his face as his Columbian girlfriend, 34, showered him with affection.

Just days ago she was seen consoling Pique following Barcelona's defeat against bitter rivals Real Madrid in the Copa Del Rey Cup Final.


Happy couple: The Columbian singer only revealed she was dating the sportsman last month


Cheers: Shakira applauds after Barcelona's Lionel Messi's goal against Osasuna


Joy: Barcelona's players celebrate David Villa's goal


But thanks to goals from his teammates Lionel Messi and David Villa, things went much better for Barcelona today for the La Liga match.

Columbian singer Shakira only revealed she was dating the soccer ace last month, but they have proved how close they are on a number of occasions since then.

She confirmed her relationship with Pique last month when she posted a picture of the two of them on her Twitter account with the caption, 'I present to you my sunshine'.


source: dailymail

Royal Wedding: No Earl Spencer speech as 1,000 'very best friends' are given pride of place in the Abbey

By Katie Nicholl

Change of plan: It's thought that Prince William and Kate had originally wanted Earl Spencer to give a speech at the ceremony, as he did at Princess Diana's funeral (above right), but perhaps they remembered that he controversially used the occasion to attack the way he believed the Royal Family treated his sister


The Very Best Friends of William and Kate as well as members of the Middleton family and their guests will take pride of place at the Abbey.

But William’s uncle Charles Spencer, who had been expected to deliver an address during the service, will now have no formal role, Palace aides have confirmed.

More than 1,000 of the 1,900 in the congregation will be friends – who have been given the best seats.


The couple’s immediate families and VBFs from St Andrews University, where they met, will have the best view. Close to 500 of them will be seated in the North Lantern and the North and South Transepts and Stalls, which have unobscured views of the Sacrarium where the couple will exchange their vows.

While protocol has dictated that members of Foreign Royal Families and Crowned Heads will be seated next to the Royal Family in the South Lantern, the couple’s friends are spread out.

All the VBFs will have seats towards the top of the Abbey. And many will be seated in the North and South Stalls which have also been reserved for representatives of the Church and members of the Cabinet.

Meanwhile Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer and his fiancee, Canadian charity worker Karen Gordon, will be seated away from the Royal Family on the other side of the aisle. They will sit behind the Middletons, along with Princess Diana’s sisters Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes. Diana’s aunt Lady Anne Wake-Walker will also with the Spencers.

A Palace aide said: ‘The couple have worked tirelessly to get the seating plans just right. They have done all the hard work and I can tell you it has taken months.’

It will take Kate’s father Michael nearly four minutes to walk her down the aisle. His wife Carole will be opposite the Queen, who will be seated next to Prince Philip, then Charles, Camilla and Harry. In the row behind will be Prince Andrew, Beatrice and Eugenie, Prince Edward and Sophie, Princess Anne and her husband Vice-Admiral Timothy Laurence. Mr Middleton will sit by his son James, opposite Prince Philip.

Kate’s sister and maid-of-honour Pippa will also have a place with her family, together with her long-term boyfriend, former cricketer Alex Loudon.

Prince Charles’s personal friends, totalling more than 250, have been demoted to the North Nave where their view will be obscured by a giant organ screen which divides the Abbey in two. Seats have been reserved for Camilla’s family members including Tom Parker Bowles and his wife Sara Buys, Laura Parker Bowles and her husband Harry Lopes. Their daughter Eliza is a bridesmaid and Laura will be sitting close to the aisle in case she needs to rescue her three-year-old.

Also in the VIP rows will be William’s friend Harry Meade and his wife Rosie Bradford, Harry Meade’s brother James, known as ‘Badger’, and many members of William’s Glosse Posse set including Lady Natasha Rufus Isaacs, daughter of the Marquess of Reading, William’s best friend Guy Pelly, polo players Luke and Mark Tomlinson, Thomas van Straubenzee, who is understood to be helping with Harry’s best man’s speech, and Tom and Victoria Inskip, two of William’s best friends from Wiltshire.

William’s private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton, who has helped plan the wedding, and his wife Susannah have also been given a key spot in the North Transept – their son Billy is a page boy.

Also invited is William’s former nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke, whose son Tom is a page boy.


Abbey days: All the 'very best friends' will have seats towards the top of the Abbey, while Prince Charles's personal friends, more than 250 of them in total, have been demoted to the North Nave


William has invited 80 guests from his charities, who will be seated in the general congregation. When Charles married Diana in 1981, 3,500 people packed into St Paul’s Cathedral but the bride and groom were allowed to invite only 120 of their friends.

The Mail on Sunday has been told that Camilla was allowed to go through the guest list with a red pen and several names were crossed out. Among them were Lady Annabel Goldsmith and Princess Diana’s best friend Rosa Monkton, who are both said to be ‘rather upset’. Lady Annabel was exceptionally close to Diana, William and Harry when they were growing up and they were regular house guests at Ormeley Lodge, Lady Annabel’s home in Richmond, West London.

A source close to the Goldsmith family said: ‘Annabel and Rosa feel they have been deliberately snubbed because they were so close to Diana. It’s a shame, they were both a part of William’s life when he was younger.’ Rosa Monkton has written extensively about the hurt Camilla caused Diana during her marriage to Charles.

The most awkward encounter of Camilla’s life took place at the home of Lady Annabel when Diana confronted Camilla at a birthday party.

Charles’s first girlfriend Lucia Santa Cruz, daughter of the former Chilean ambassador, will be at Friday’s wedding.

Cabinet cough up just £35 each for gift

Cabinet Ministers were accused of being mean yesterday after they gave just £35 each towards a collective ‘wedding present’ for Prince William and Kate Middleton.

The 23 Ministers, who each earn about £135,000 a year, received letters from Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O’Donnell telling them £35 was ‘an appropriate sum’.

They raised £805 for the couple’s wedding charity, which supports 26 charities chosen by them. The uniform sum and the decision to give it to charity was agreed by Sir Gus and David Cameron after fears it would be embarrassing if some bought lavish gifts while others gave nothing.

The decision was approved after a Cabinet discussion. Ministers then privately agreed they would all give exactly £35 to avoid one-upmanship. One said: ‘You can imagine the kind of media frenzy there would be if everyone gave different amounts.

It may not be very romantic but it is best if we all do the same.’

Labour MP Tom Watson said: ‘Most people will think £35 is pretty mean-minded coming from well-paid Ministers who can afford to give a lot more, especially when it is going to such good causes. You would raise more money at a jumble sale.’ Nick Clegg and Mr Cameron will also buy the Royal couple separate presents.

Tailsgate: Red Ed’s off to Moss BrosEd

Miliband will hire his morning suit for the Royal Wedding from Moss Bros.

The Labour leader, who doesn’t own morning dress, made the decision after Downing Street announced that the Prime Minister would, after all, wear the traditional attire.

Last weekend, aides to the Labour leader told The Mail on Sunday that he – like the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister – was intending to wear a lounge suit.

But once Mr Cameron announced on Wednesday that he was instead going to sport morning dress, Mr Miliband concluded that he should do the same. He decided that wearing a lounge suit would be seen as a statement and that nothing should detract from Prince William and Kate Middleton’s big day.

He will be able to hire a morning coat and trousers for £55 from the outfitting chain.

A waistcoat will cost him an extra £12.

He does not, though, plan to wear morning dress to his own wedding to his partner Justine Thornton, which is on May 27.

Who spelt Eton wrong?

There was one howler in the wedding guest list.

One of the guests, Dr Andrew Gailey, was described as Prince William’s housemaster at ‘Eaton’ rather than Eton College.

A Clarence House spokesman described it as a typographical error but declined to unmask the culprit.

Meanwhile, Eton pupils are planning a protest after the school announced it has no plans to celebrate the Royal Wedding.

Boys at the £9,995-a-term school, who will return from their month-long Easter holiday on Wednesday, are upset they must attend lessons while the rest of the country has the day off.

The 1,300 pupils’ only time off will be to watch the service at 11am in their boarding houses before resuming their normal timetable.


source:dailymail

We are family! Grandfather-and-granddaughter double act wow the judges on Britain's Got Talent

By LIZ THOMAS

Double act: Ted, 92, and his 21-year-old granddaughter Grace are the stars of the show with their double act


With a 70-year age gap they are perhaps the most unlikely of musical duos.
But 92-year-old singer Ted and his 21-year-old granddaughter are set to steal the show tonight.

The pair have developed a singing double act that plays to both their strengths in a bid to appeal across the generations.


Strong man: The judges are amazed by 54-year-old Micky, who does a one-fingered press-up on a nail


Dressed in a tweed hat, gray cardigan, and chino trousers the pensioner drew cheers from the crowd as he explained how he wanted to make his granddaughter proud.

Ted said: ‘I used to be a professional singer in pubs and clubs and I gave it up when my first daughter was born. When Grace came along I was unearthed again. I don’t want to let her down.’

Viewers will see him perform If I Were A Rich Man from musical classic Fiddler on the Roof and then dance as his granddaughter arrives on stage and sings Gwen Stefani’s If I was a Rich Girl’.


Dog act: Linda and her dog Fenn perform a routine to Shirley Bassey's Big Spender


The show is facing an uphill struggle after losing a million viewers for the opening show - compared to last year.

According to ITV1 figures, the first show of the fifth series drew a peak audience of 10.9million on Saturday - 1.3million down on last year’s opening night.

The beginning of the 2010 series drew a peak of 12.2million and captured almost half the television audience, pulling in an average of 10.6million. This time the prime-time average was 9.9million.

Many fans felt that the programme has been weakened by Cowell’s absence.

The music mogul has pulled out as a judge during the audition rounds to focus on the launch of his U.S. X Factor series. He will return for next month’s live shows.


Competition: But there is competition from Pippa and her dog Buddy, who get a standing ovation from the audience after their act



Funny man: Les impresses with his impressions








source: dailymail

How it's difficult to avoid haunting comparisons with Diana

By CATHERINE OSTLER

Backwards glance: It's difficult to avoid haunting comparisons between Kate Middleton (right) and William's mother, Diana, pictured shortly after her engagement to Prince Charles


For so many of us, it is difficult to avoid the haunting comparison. When willowy Kate Middleton goes walkabout wearing an elegant suit and that optimistic smile, it’s the woman who would have been her mother-in-law who springs disconcertingly to mind.

Diana was, of course, the last beautiful young woman to marry an heir to the throne — precipitating a fashion fever and thousands of young girls’ dreams of wearing a puff-ball dress as they were swept off their feet by their prince.

Just like Diana before her marriage, Kate Middleton can start a trend in minutes. This time, it’s royal blue and fitted tweed rather than knickerbockers and pie-crust collars.


Sham: While we all wanted to believe in the fairytale wedding of Charles and Diana, it actually made fools of us all


Like Diana, Kate seems to be a natural at meeting ‘ordinary’ people. She has happily flipped pancakes in Belfast, and christened a lifeboat with champagne in Anglesey.

These appearances have been deemed ‘triumphs’ by Palace aides.

Certainly, with her striking looks and personable manner, Kate is a hit with the public; and yet I sense that Britain is not as gripped by joyous wedding anticipation as the monarchy and the British Establishment might wish.


Equal partnership: Kate has so much more in common with William than Diana ever had with Prince Charles


Full of confidence: Kate is ten years older than Diana was on her wedding day


source: dailymail

Casual Katie upstaged at film producer Brad Grey's wedding

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


Celebrity guests: Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise arrive at the wedding of Paramount Pictures CEO Brad Grey at his Bel-Air mansion yesterday


It was a star-studded event by any account.

So the competition between the celebrity guests in the glamour stakes at film producer Brad Grey's wedding was always going to be high.

Among the guests were Katie Holmes and husband Tom - but it was Gwen Stefani and J-LO who pulled out all the stops in the wardrobe department.


Turning heads: But Katie was upstaged by some of the fellow attendees, including Gwen Stefani who was joined by her husband Gavin Rossdale (not pictured)


While Katie donned an off-white skirted number, Stefani upped the ante in a partly see-through polka dot dress while American Idol judge Jennifer complimented her curves in a form-fitting, sparkly gown.

Brad Pitt was another guest among the celebrity contingent, although he brought manager Cynthia Pett-Dante as his guest with no sign of partner Angelina Jolie.

J-Lo was joined by her husband Marc Anthony, while Gavin Rossdale came along with wife Gwen.

Brad Grey, the CEO of Paramount Pictures, married Cassandra Huysentruyt at his Bel-Air mansion.


Curvaceous: J-Lo flattered her curves in a form-fitting, glittering gown and arrived with husband Marc Anthony


Where's Angie? Brad Pitt brought manager Cynthia Pett-Dante as his guest


The 53-year-old was appointed in his role in 2005 and is responsible for overseeing all feature film development and production for films distributed by Paramount Pictures Corporation.

In 2002, Grey formed Plan B with Brad Pitt and his then-wife Jennifer Aniston, with Warner Bros.

The company produced two movies for Warner Bros - Tim Burton's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which starred with Johnny Depp and The Departed, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and Jack Nicholson, another guest at the wedding.

Grey and Pitt moved the company to Paramount Pictures in 2005 after his split from Aniston.


Star-studded: A host of stars turned out to the wedding, held at Grey's Bel-Air mansion



The happy couple: Grey married Cassandra Huysentruyt, pictured here together on the red carpet in California back in 2009


source: dailymail

Holidaying Charles irritates Palace by dithering on party to welcome foreign Royals ahead of William and Kate's wedding

By Katie Nicholl


Take a break: Charles and Camilla are staying in Scotland during the run-up to the wedding


Prince Charles is said to have caused ‘intense irritation’ within Buckingham Palace by refusing to commit himself to a dinner welcoming overseas Royals on the eve of William and Kate’s wedding.

The Prince of Wales is under pressure to attend the party at a five-star London hotel, where the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh and senior Royals will greet their foreign counterparts.

But a spokesman for Charles, who has been in Birkhall on holiday with Camilla, said the Prince and the Duchess of Cornwall remained ‘undecided’ on the matter.


Charles had planned to stay at his Scottish residence until the eve of the wedding, but his aides last night insisted he would return to England earlier for a planning meeting.

‘The Prince and Duchess will return more than a day before the wedding for a meeting, but they are undecided at the moment as to whether they will attend the dinner, which is a private affair,’ a spokesman confirmed.

Charles and Camilla traditionally spend the Easter holidays in Scotland and have invited William to join them at Birkhall.

But one source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘There is a sense of disbelief that Charles is actually still in Scotland when everyone else is rushing around trying to organise all the final details.

‘Charles is overseeing the entire evening reception with William and Kate, and it’s not the most convenient thing having him in Scotland.

‘Most of the work is done but there are still final details to sign off. Thankfully he has agreed to come back for a planning meeting.’

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will lead a line-up of around 40 British Royals at the pre- wedding dinner on April 28 at the exclusive Mandarin Oriental hotel in Knightsbridge, overlooking Hyde Park. The party is being organised by the Queen’s cousin, Lady Elizabeth Anson.

Those attending include the Duke of York, Prince Edward, the Countess of Wessex, Princess Anne, Peter and Autumn Phillips, Zara Phillips, her fiance Mike Tindall and Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, with their boyfriends Dave Clark and Jack Brooksbank. The Duchess of York will not be there.

Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, Lord and Lady Freddie Windsor and Lady Gabriella Windsor have also confirmed they will be going.

You shall go to the ball: Princesses Beatrice (left) and Eugenie (right) have been invited to the wedding, but their mother, Sarah Ferguson, has not


The guests will include almost 60 heads of state, many of whom are understood to have been invited by the Prince of Wales.

As a result there is ‘intense irritation’, according to one senior aide at Buckingham Palace, that Charles is still undecided as to whether or not to attend.

The source said: ‘At the moment Charles has said he is not coming to the dinner, but he has changed his mind several times.

‘There is quite a bit of pressure on him to be there and hope that he and Camilla will come. There is a great misconception that the Queen has invited all the crowned heads to the Royal Wedding.

‘In fact, Charles has invited quite a few and the list is now very long indeed, which isn’t really what William and Kate wanted. They specifically wanted a wedding for their closest family and friends, and not a state wedding.

'Given Charles has invited so many of his foreign counterparts, it would be wrong and rather rude if he and Camilla were not there to greet their guests.’

Those guests will include royals from nations large and small around the world.

Alongside the King of Tonga, the Queen of Spain, the Aga Khan and the Crown Prince of Bahrain, will be the Sultan of Brunei, who is said to have a personal fortune of around £25billion.

The famously extravagant Sultan owns the Dorchester hotel in London. He also counts among his possessions 17 private jets, including a Boeing 747 with gold-plated furniture, 2,643 high-performance cars, a 180ft yacht and a £50million Renoir.

Another on the guest list is King Mswati III of Swaziland, who has 14 wives, at least 23 children and in 2008 celebrated his 40th birthday with a huge party at a football stadium filled with 10,000 half-naked women.

A controversial figure, the king, who owns a fleet of limousines, including a £270,000 Maybach, has seen violent protests against his rule.

Around 70 per cent of his subjects live below the poverty line.According to tradition, Swazi monarchs can marry their fiancees only after they have fallen pregnant, proving they can bear heirs.

Perhaps to avoid confusion, none of the King’s spouses have been invited to the dinner.

King Constantine of Greece and the Prince of Monaco will also be at the Mandarin Oriental, as will the King of Bhutan.

The tiny and secretive Himalayan kingdom is an eccentric state where rulers have in the past declared that ‘gross national happiness’ is more important than Gross

National Product and made it illegal to sell tobacco products or indulge in climbing, swimming, throwing stones into rivers or cutting down trees without planting a replacement.

Another name on the guest list is Prince Seeiso Bereng Seeiso of Lesotho, younger brother of King Letsie III. Currently his country’s high commissioner to Britain, five years ago he founded a charity,
Sentebale, with Prince Harry.

Many of Charles and Camilla’s family and friends are also invited to the dinner, including Camilla’s ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles.

After the Royal Wedding, William and Kate’s evening dinner and dance is being hosted by Charles, who has organised Swiss chef Anton Mosimann to cater at the Palace. The Prince of Wales is also overseeing flower arrangements and the music with Kate.

Clarence House said last night: ‘Prince Charles is involved in every detail of planning. It has been tremendous fun so far.’

HARRY HAS REASON TO CELEBRATE

Prince Harry was celebrating this weekend after being made a captain in the Army Air Corps.

The promotion puts the 26-year-old, pictured above, at an equivalent rank to his older brother Prince William, 28, who is a flight lieutenant in the RAF.

It was a double celebration for Harry, who also earned his Apache badge, qualifying him to fly the £46 million attack helicopter without an instructor.

Royals are sacrificing William, claims Amis

Leading novelist Martin Amis has attacked the Royal Family for ‘sacrificing’ William ‘for the needs of the Crown’.

He told French magazine Le Nouvel Observateur: ‘One can’t, in the era of media supremacy, make one’s children go through everything which a wedding like this entails: Not only the loss of one’s private life but also the sacrifice of oneself.

‘The Royal Family is so spied on, so scrutinised by the media that the life of these children becomes quite unbearable.’

Amis, 61, suggested William and Harry could avoid the international circus surrounding them if they stayed single.

‘Harry and William rebelled some eight or nine years ago and effectively let people know they weren’t going to sacrifice their lives any more for the Crown,’ he said.

‘They were probably told it’s the oldest institution in Europe and they had to preserve it. But how can we, today, ask for so much from a human being?’

The son of author Sir Kingsley Amis added that the Queen ‘never listens’ and said Charles ‘laughs like a pig’s snore’.

He said: ‘In reality, I’d prefer not to be English.’

Asked what he thought of the Royals, he said: ‘They are philistines,’ adding, ‘As for the aristocracy, it’s pathetic. All that snobbery is ridiculous today.’

He also said he would reject a knighthood if he were offered one.

‘I don’t want any link with the British Empire. It’s ridiculous.’

Blooming marvellous – if flowers don’t wilt

Prince William and Kate Middleton have appointed leading florist Shane Connolly, who holds a Royal warrant, to oversee floral arrangements for their big day.

The couple have requested white blooms including roses, lilies and lily of the valley for the bridal party, the wedding cake and to dress the state rooms of Buckingham Palace.

The flowers are being stored in the cellars of the palace, where it is hoped the cool temperature will preserve them until April 29. Many have flowered prematurely because of the warm weather.

A source said: ‘William and Kate want seasonal flowers. The problem is we had the summer in spring. Final decisions about arrangements will be made in the week of the wedding.

‘Shane is very well liked at the palace and known for being discreet and very creative. Kate has been very hands-on in choosing the flowers.’

It has been reported that Kate may wear flowers in her hair rather than a tiara, following in the footsteps of Queen Victoria.

A Royal aide confirmed: ‘Shane is in charge of the floral arrangements. He oversaw the flowers for the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall’s wedding.’


source:dailymail

Megan Fox slips into Daisy Dukes to support husband Brian Austin Green

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Proud wife: Megan Fox was happy to support husband Brian Austin Green at the Long Beach Grand Prix Celebrity Pro Race, today in Long Beach, California


Doting wife Megan Fox was all smiles as she watched husband Brian Austin Green compete in the Long Beach Grand Prix Celebrity Pro Race today in Southern California.

Casually dressed in a green t-shirt and tattered, cut-off shorts, Megan tried to blend in, but stood out the rest of the crowd with her flowing hair, svelte figure and high heeled sandals.

The Jennifer's Body actress smiled at fans and gawkers alike, as she was escorted to her seat in her very short shorts.


Friendly: Megan chatted with other fans as they watched the racing competition unfold
A few minutes later she was spotted chatting with other excited fans, as they watched the competition race into action.


Brian, who recently appeared on several episodes of Desperate Housewives, is an avid racer and last year finished third place competition.

Megan's weekend at the track comes after she received an apology from her Passion Play co-star Mickey Rourke earlier this week.


Ready for the competition: Brian Austin Green, who finished third in the competition last year, has been working to improve his race time


On Tuesday night while at a party, Rourke criticized her talents and their movie together in an interview with New York Magazine's Vulture entertainment blog.

Rourke called the movie 'terrible' and when asked about Megan, Vulture reported that the Oscar nominated actor 'smirked.'

A day later Rourke reached out to the blog to clarify his derisive remarks.

'When I talked to you, I was at a party. It was loud and crowded, I was in a sh**ty mood, ' Rourke said.

He continued, 'I don't know why I said that stupid sh*t... I love Megan. My bad.'


Family Affair: Kevin Jonas, who took part in the competition, was joined by brothers Nick and Frankie Jonas


Megan, who has remained mum about Rourke's embarrassing slip of the tongue, remained upbeat today as she attended the race in Southern California.

The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach, a three day auto racing competition which started yesterday, features professional race car drivers and draws thousands of fans.

But today, the competition was open to celebrity racers, with a portion of the money raised going towards scholarships to help local high school students pay for college.


Suited up: A roster of celebrities including actors Djimon Hounsou and Brian Austin Green, Rules of Engagement actress Megyn Price


Other celebrities taking part included a mix actors, professional athletes and singers.

Before the competition started, Kevin Jonas was spotted wearing his racing uniform and posing for pictures with brothers Nick and Frankie Jonas.

Blood Diamond actor Djimon Hounsou and Malcom in the Middle star Frankie Muniz also took part in the competition.


And they're off: Thousands of excited fans gathered to watch the races today in Long Beach


Picturesque: The weather in Long Beach this weekend was picture perfect with the temperature around 80 degrees Fahrenheit


source: dailymail