A tunnel has been built under a new dual carriage way to help guide bats and other wildlife. This forms part of the major £1 billion Black Cat to Caxton project.
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The 45-metre long (5-metre-wide and 4.5-metre-high) tunnel runs beneath the new 10-mile dual carriageway. This is located between the Black Cat roundabout in Bedfordshire and Caxton Gibbet in Cambridgeshire.
Ecological surveys carried out in 2021 helped National Highways to understand how wildlife uses the area, including identifying bat flight paths crossing the route of the new dual carriageway.
It said the tunnel will help bats to “safely navigate” the new road. Alongside bats, the tunnel will help to guide other wildlife towards the crossing.
The underpass has been built alongside new hedgerows, trees, shrubs and specifically designed fencing. “It’s one of the ways we’re working to make sure the new road and the surrounding environment can live alongside each other”, a National Highways spokesperson said in a social media update.
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The A428 Black Cat to Caxton Gibbet upgrade aims to deliver a new 10-mile dual carriageway. It will replace the final stretch of single carriageway on the road between the M1 at Milton Keynes and the east coast ports of Harwich and Felixstowe.
Most of the scheme is set to open in spring 2027 including the new 10-mile A421 dual carriageway between Black Cat junction and Caxton Gibbet.
Other key junction improvements, include:
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the new A421 flyover at Black Cat junction;
dual carriageway entry and exit access at the new Cambridge Road junction;
fully upgraded Caxton Gibbet junction.
The final phase of the scheme is expected to open in mid-summer 2027, when the new A1 underpass at Black Cat junction comes into use.
Katie Holmes looked totally smitten with much-younger love Jason Bard Yarmosky as the pair holidayed in Lake Como recently.
Holmes, 47, who first achieved fame as Joey in US teen drama Dawson’s Creek in the Nineties, went Instagram official with her artist boyfriend, 39, last month – and the actress packed on the PDA with her partner on a yacht.
The star showed off her incredible bikini body in a sparkling bandeau bikini top, paired with string bottoms, as she hugged Yarmosky while smiling.
Her boyfriend, who wore black swimming trunks, returned her affection by placing a hand on her thigh.
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Later, Holmes was seen planting a passionate kiss on her partner as she emerged from the sea after a dip.
The Daily Mail has contacted representatives for Holmes for comment and has yet to hear back.
Katie Holmes looked totally smitten with much-younger love Jason Bard Yarmosky as the pair holidayed in Lake Como recently
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Holmes, 47, who first achieved fame as Joey in US teen drama Dawson’s Creek in the Nineties, went Instagram official with her artist boyfriend , 39, last month – and the actress packed on the PDA with her partner on a yacht
Holmes was married to Tom Cruise from 2006 to 2012 and had Suri, 20, but the father and daughter are estranged and have reportedly had no contact for more than a decade. She then had a private, six-year romance with fellow actor Jamie Foxx from 2013.
But last month Holmes went Instagram official with her new beau as she reposted images that Yarmosky had shared to his own account.
She dressed for the occasion in a vibrant purple dress while the artist opted for a long-sleeved black shirt and black trousers. The pair cozied up together as they took photos at the glitzy event.
A photo captured the pair looking smitten as they took part in karaoke together on stage. She also shared a picture of a round cake topped with lit candles.
‘Happy Birthday to the best of the best…,’ she wrote in the caption, followed by a red heart emoji.
The star was accompanied by the artist as they attended the premiere of The Invite in East Hampton.
The star showed off her incredible bikini body in a sparkling bandeau bikini top, paired with string bottoms
Holmes showed off her flawless figure as she relaxed at sea
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The new couple looked smitten as they spent the day together
The actress showed off her pert behind as she relaxed at sea
The couple looked happier than ever as they took in the scenic sights
Holmes planted a kiss on her new love on holiday
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The pair dove off the boat as they enjoyed their vacation
The pair both pointed at something in the distance
Holmes showed off her toned frame as she took in the sights
The pair were seen holding hands during the day
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The couple stared into one another’s eyes as they relaxed
The couple hugged as they took in the scenic sights
Yarmosky leapt off the boat during the day
Holmes looked smitten as she chatted with her beau
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Yarmosky glanced over at the camera while wearing a green cap and shades on the boat
Holmes was sitting at a table outside as they explored the area of Lake Como on the getaway
Last month in August, the pair went Instagram official with their romance as she reposted images that her beau had shared to his own account
Also in August, Holmes was joined by Yarmosky at designer Michael Kors’s 45th anniversary dinner in East Hampton, New York
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The actress also shared a sweet 39th birthday tribute to her boyfriend last week on Instagram
The pair were seen arriving at the theater ahead of the screening and sweetly held hands as they stepped through the entrance.
Holmes and Yarmosky flashed big smiles on their faces as they were greeted by an individual in a lighthearted moment.
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An eyewitness told People at the time that the NYC-based artist ‘was whispering in her ear, and she was laughing, they seemed very easy together and there was a smile on her face all night.’
Holmes and Yarmosky later made an appearance at an after-party that same evening and mingled with close pals, per the insider.
The pair have also been spotted on other outings together in New York City.
A source told TMZ that Holmes first crossed paths with Yarmosky at a Tribeca Festival dinner in NYC in June.
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The actress’s new romance with the artist comes nearly four years after her split from Bobby Wooten III.
‘Things are still pretty new between Katie and Jason, and they’re intentionally taking it slow,’ a source claimed to Page Six in July.
A source told TMZ that Holmes first crossed paths with Yarmosky at a Tribeca Festival dinner in NYC in June. Above, in August in East Hampton, New York
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It was recently revealed that Holmes’s daughter, Suri Cruise, has yet to be introduced to the star’s new boyfriend, as both she and Yarmosky take the romance very slowly
Holmes and Yarmosky have not taken ‘any major steps in the relationship yet’ and are ‘still in the dating phase for now.’
The insider added that the pair are ‘seeing where it goes.’
Their nearly ten-year age gap also ‘doesn’t bother’ Holmes and ‘hasn’t been a factor in their relationship whatsoever.’
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Suri is a student at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania, and will occasionally be seen spending time with her famous mom out in NYC.
Global head of football Edu has left Nottingham Forest after just over a year at the City Ground.
The former Arsenal midfielder has not attended a games since February and his exit, with his contract believed to have been terminated, has been expected.
His position came under the spotlight after a falling-out with Nuno Espirito Santo, who was sacked last September, the first of four managers at Forest last season.
Nuno hinted at internal tensions and said at the time his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis had changed.
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Edu is not expected to be replaced, with Forest’s chief football officer George Syrianos assuming his responsibilities.
Appointed in July 2025, Edu’s remit included Greek side Olympiacos and Portuguese club Rio Ave, who are also owned by Marinakis.
He arrived after six years at Arsenal, where he became the club’s first sporting director in 2022, having won two Premier League titles and two FA Cups as a player with the Gunners.
He brought Mikel Arteta to Emirates Stadium, who delivered the club’s first Premier League title in 22 years last season.
Councillor Sagal Abdi-Wali was chosen to lead the north London council in May this year, but could soon be stepping down from her role if she secures the nomination and wins the parliamentary seat vacated by former Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.
Sir Keir resigned from his seat last week, stating it was the “right time” to step aside and “pass the baton to a successor”, despite pledging to remain as a backbench MP until the next general election in 2029.
Camden council leader Sagal Abdi-Wali
Camden council
Here’s everything we know about Ms Abdi-Wali:
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Sagal Abdi-Wali first came to Britain in the early 1990s as a child refugee escaping civil war in Somalia.
First elected as a local councillor in 2022, Ms Abdi-Wali made history in May by becoming Camden’s first black female leader.
She has previously discussed her experience fleeing Somalia, telling the LabourList website in 2019: “Camden has been my home since I moved here with my family as a child refugee, fleeing war-torn Somalia.
“This new home is where I was raised and educated; it’s where I now work for the council and volunteer for local community groups and charities.
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“It is an area steeped in close community values, progressivism and inclusion, all of which have shaped who I am and the socialist principles by which I stand.”
What do we know about her political career?
She was first elected as a Labour councillor for the Camden Square ward in 2022.
Prior to becoming leader, she served as the Cabinet Member for Better Homes, managing the borough’s housing and neighbourhood development.
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She also helped lead Camden’s path to achieving “Borough of Sanctuary” status in 2024.
Succeeding Georgia Gould as leader of Camden Council in 2026, she is now tipped to be the frontrunner for the Labour candidacy in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election.
After becoming Camden Council leader in May, Ms Abdi-Wali said: “Camden has been my home for 35 years. It is the place that gave my family sanctuary, that welcomed us, and that has shaped so much of who I am, what I stand for and what inspired my commitment to public service and to working for the community that welcomed us.
“Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with so many different communities across our borough and through this I have gained invaluable insights into what makes Camden such a unique place. I have seen not only the diversity, strength and resilience of our residents, but also the challenges and deep inequalities they continue to face.
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“And it is because of those experiences that I stand committed to working day and night to fight for social justice and to deliver meaningful change that will support our community’s access to the best opportunities, enabling them to have better and brighter futures.”
What is the controversy around Zia Yusuf’s comments?
After Ms Abdi-Wali emerged as the frontrunner for the Labour candidacy following Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation, Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf made a comment on social media platform X which was quickly criticised across the political spectrum as being “racist”.
Mr Yusuf wrote: “The front runner being foisted on the people of Holborn by Labour to replace the former Prime Minister Keir Starmer in our Parliament was born in Somalia. Do you understand what’s happening?”.
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During an interview on Sky News, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds condemned Yusuf’s remarks as “pretty straightforward racism”, noting how Ms Abdi-Wali arrived in the UK as a child and has spent her career working to better the lives of those in her local community.
The comments even triggered rifts internally within Reform UK.
Reports from Reform’s annual conference in Birmingham revealed that several senior party figures were furious with Yusuf, The Observer reported.
Party sources expressed frustration that his tweet was overshadowing their policy announcements, with some local councillors and party insiders reportedly calling for Nigel Farage to remove him from his position.
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Some pointed out the irony in his attack on Ms Abdi-Wali, considering Mr Yusuf himself is the son of Sri Lankan immigrants.
Khloe Simmonds confessed to spinning a web of lies
Olivia Bridge Reporter in Live News Network
18:09, 07 Sep 2026Updated 18:29, 07 Sep 2026
A woman has been brought to justice after they were found to have made up serious allegations against several men in a seven year period.
Khloe Simmonds, a pre-op transgender woman, claimed to have been seriously sexually assaulted and raped by men between 2018 and 2026. The 26-year-old, who was referred to with female pronouns in court, wasted hundreds of hours of police time to bolster the false accusations and present themself as a victim.
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At the height of the offending, Simmonds was responsible for 2.5% of all rape and serious sexual assault allegations in Harrow. They have now been sentenced for eight counts of perverting the course of justice over allegations made and sentenced to seven-and-a-half years in prison.
Harrow Crown Court heard how several of the men accused of rape were arrested and detained for a short period of time before being released. Sentencing Simmonds, His Honour Judge John Lodge said: “You repeatedly made false allegations of rape between July 2018 and January 2026. This was a sustained pattern of conduct, not isolated incidents.”
The judge said Simmonds’ conduct had an impact on the number of resources that should have been available to investigate cases involving “genuine victims of serious crime”. Simmonds initially attended the sentencing via video link from HMP Wormwood Scrubs, west London, but subsequently returned to a cell and refused to observe.
Prosecutor Ben Temple told the court that in the summer of 2018, Simmonds claimed an Afghan national had held a knife to her throat and orally raped her. The man was identified, arrested, detained and spent 88 days under police investigation, the court heard.
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He denied the allegation and instead stated that it was Simmonds who had made advances towards him which he had rejected. In February 2022, Simmonds met a chef on the dating site Grindr and invited him to their flat.
The court heard that after drinking with the defendant, he decided to leave because he felt uncomfortable. After he left, Simmonds called 999 alleging she had been raped and implied that he had drugged her by placing something in her drink.
The man was arrested outside his home address and told police that while at the flat, he went to the lavatory and upon returning, found that his beer smelt of whisky. In his victim impact statement, he described the arrest process as “humiliating”, adding that he spent 20 hours at the police station.
The court heard that the following month, Simmonds had spent the evening on a date and subsequently caught a taxi home. Upon arriving home Simmonds called 999, claiming they were raped by the cab driver.
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However the police obtained data from the vehicle and found that it had never travelled less than 25 miles per hour and had not stopped. Mr Temple said this data “annihilated the allegation” and Simmonds was arrested on suspicion of perverting the course of public justice.
The court heard Simmons admitted making up the allegations. In a victim impact statement, the taxi driver said he found the ordeal “traumatic”.
In June of that year, Simmonds matched with a musician on Grindr and the pair subsequently drunk alcohol and ended up at Simmonds’ home address. He felt tired and asked if he could rest on Simmonds sofa.
The court heard there was no sexual contact between them and he fell asleep. While he rested, Simmonds called the police and claimed that the man had orally raped her.
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He was arrested but insisted there had been no sexual contact, telling police: “I am an innocent man.” In a victim impact statement, he said: “I find it deeply distressing that an innocent person could be subjected to such a traumatic process because of a deliberate lie.”
Simmonds also claimed to have been raped by an unknown male on three occasions in November last year, and also falsely claimed she had been raped on three separate occasions by an unknown male between December 2018 and February 2022. In January, Simmonds claimed she had been raped on a bench by a man she had met that evening.
The court heard that she had approached a group of strangers to say that she was in an “abusive situation” and asked for “help”. However, the man was quickly exonerated as footage showed no such assault had happened, the court heard.
The defendant also claimed she had been raped by her ex-partner in November last year. Dominic Benthall, mitigating, said Simmonds has been diagnosed with autism, ADHD, and suffered longstanding issues of alcohol dependency.
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“There is plainly, or was plainly, at the time an underlying mental health difficulty,” he said. Simmonds previously pleaded guilty to eight counts of tending and intending to pervert the course of public justice.
The family of a three–month–old girl who died while camping have said the death took place when ‘children and parents joined grandad for a night fishing at the pond’.
In a statement they also asked for the public to stop speculating about the ‘traumatic’ death as they ‘don’t even know the details or circumstances ourselves’.
The baby, who was camping with family in Great Wyrley, Staffordshire, went into cardiac arrest at around 8.45am on Saturday and was pronounced dead by paramedics shortly after.
Two men and two women have been arrested on suspicion of murder.
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The family told Chase TV: ‘We as a family appreciate the community concerns and well wishes for this tragic event that happened where the children and parents joined grandad for a night fishing at the pond.
‘As everyone can understand it is a traumatic time for everyone involved and we would ask for some privacy at this difficult time without speculation while Staffordshire Police do their job, as we as a family don’t even know the details or circumstances ourselves.’
In the latest announcement, police confirmed a 42–year–old man and a 30–year–old woman from south Staffordshire, a 20–year–old woman from Wolverhampton and an 18–year–old man from Walsall have been arrested. All four have since been bailed with conditions.
Officers cordoned off a fishing lake in the Wyrley and Essington canal nature reserve over the weekend and investigators remain there today.
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A tent was set up in a wooded area near a pond off Strawberry Lane, near the village of Great Wyrley in Staffordshire
Officers and an air ambulance were called following reports that a child had gone into cardiac arrest at around 8.45am on Saturday
Drone images from the scene show at least four tents and camping chairs positioned next to each other, close to fishing platforms.
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Today, the police cordon had been lifted at the scene where the family were camping and floral tributes to the baby girl had been left at the foot of a nearby tree.
A woman claiming to be the baby’s grandmother visited the scene with two relatives this afternoon.
She claimed that the infant and her parents had only been staying in the tent for one night, although the family were joining the child’s grandfather who had been camping in the area for several nights by that stage.
The flowers and a toy bunny rabbit appear to have been left by relatives, with one attached note saying: ‘Baby girl, I’ll look for the brightest star in the night sky. Nanna loves you.’
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Police appeared to have removed the tent where the family were staying, but just feet away the burnt–out husk of another tent – apparently pitched overnight – had been abandoned alongside a pile of litter.
One witness said she had directed paramedics towards the area over the weekend. Another local, who regularly cycles through the area, told the Daily Mail that he believed some people had been camping by the fishing lake for several days.
The grass below where a tent had been pitched appeared to be faded, suggesting it had been covered for some time.
Detective Inspector Josh Lee, from Staffordshire Police’s child protection team, said: ‘I want to assure the local community that we are working around the clock to investigate the circumstances of this tragic incident, which has understandably caused concern.
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‘While we can confirm that all four people have been arrested on suspicion of murder, we are still working hard to obtain further evidence and we are keeping an open mind as to the circumstances of the death at this very early stage, which we are treating as an isolated incident.
‘All four people were arrested at the scene of the incident and have been released on bail.
‘While we fully understand that speculation into the nature of this incident is likely to take place, we’d ask people to follow this page for factual, accurate updates as our investigation unfolds and to avoid sharing unconfirmed and speculative claims online.’
Previously Robert Duncan, district councillor for Cheslyn Hay, said: ‘I know how deeply upsetting news like this is for our community.
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‘It’s important that we allow the emergency services the space they need to complete their work with dignity and care.
‘As soon as the full and confirmed details are formally shared with me, I will provide a further update to residents.
‘Until then, please avoid speculation and allow the family and responders the privacy and respect they deserve.’
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Three-month-old girl died ‘when her family joined grandfather for a night of fishing’: Four arrested over ‘murder’
Plans to revive a “derelict” shop site have been slammed over safety concerns following the death of a pedestrian outside a similar store. A new Co-op shop in Mill Road in Isleham. is set to open, despite concerns over traffic and parking.
The shop would be relocated from the current store in West Street, and previous plans were withdrawn earlier this year after concerns were raised around heritage impact, transport and highway safety. The applicant, Co-operative Food Group Limited, revised the plans and changed the design and orientation of the shop and access from Mill Street.
The proposal, submitted to East Cambridgeshire District Council, sought full permission for the shop and outline permission for two bungalows to the back of the site. It also included 13 parking spaces – including one accessible space and one parent and child bay.
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Justin Lloyd, agent for the applicant, told the council’s planning committee that the former Pattersons Stores site, which was demolished in 2023, has “fallen into a derelict and deteriorating condition”. He said the new build would transform a “neglected site” into an “attractive landscape development” and create a “larger, more modern shop, with improved parking”.
Cllr Julia Huffer, district councillor for Fordham and Isleham, said everyone in the village is “desperate” to see a “new and improved store” but raised “safety concerns”. She accused Cambridgeshire County Council’s highways department of ignoring residents’ concerns around traffic and said a similar situation had happened before the Co-op opened in nearby Fordham.
The Conservative councillor said: “When trying to leave the car park I frequently take my life in my hands – it’s a regular occurrence. We were assured by the highways department that the road past the Co-op in Fordham was a quiet B-road and sufficient braking space was available.
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“However, following the death of a resident knocked down while trying to cross the road three months after the new store opened, the parish council applied for a pedestrian crossing.”
She said this was refused by the county council which said there was not enough braking space for a crossing as “traffic coming round the corner comes too quickly”. Cllr Huffer said: “I fear that a similar situation is likely to happen in Isleham and this is completely unacceptable.
“Residents know more about the everyday traffic conditions in their village than any highways expert or traffic management expert and we need to listen to their concerns.
“I seriously fear for the health and safety of the residents in Isleham if the same things happen in Isleham that have happened in Fordham.”
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She also claimed residents in Limestone Close were concerned the bungalows would overlook their properties and said the fencing “resembles a prison camp”, asking for it to be made more appealing.
Isleham Parish Council strongly supported the move to relocate the current store which they said is a “vital facility” for the village. Richard Radcliffe, chair of the council, told the committee the scheme would be a “significant enhancement” to the current shop and reiterated their “strong and long-standing support”.
The council approved the application by nine votes to two, adding the condition that an updated transport assessment be provided to consider parking and speed restrictions on Mill Street to make the road safer.
Prince Harry was seen today for the first time since he and Meghan Markle returned to the United Kingdom – only hours after King Charles insisted the Sussexes are still not working royals.
The Duke, 41, was pictured smiling at Tower Bridge Studios – the central London premises where Diary of a CEO and The Apprentice are filmed – on Monday afternoon.
The studio’s Instagram page posted: ‘Thank you Prince Harry for choosing Tower Bridge Studios! It was an absolute pleasure to have you in our studios and signing our wall. We look forward to welcoming you back again.’
It came on the same day that the King shared a letter of guidance to ‘senior stakeholders’ in the government, military and those who represent the Royal Family around the country.
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Charles said that Harry and Meghan’s titles are in abeyance and they should not be treated as working royals. He also advised that ‘security issues should continue to be directed to the relevant police authorities’.
The guidance was sent out under the King’s instructions by his most senior official, the Lord Chamberlain.
Royal officials have made clear it is sent in ‘full accordance’ with the Sussex family’s stated wishes to remain private citizens while in the UK, and in keeping with what became known as ‘the Sandringham agreement’ – ‘which still stands’.
The letter, which confirms Harry and Meghan cannot use their HRH titles, has been shared with the Duke and Duchess.
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It reads: ‘Following the decision by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to relocate to the UK, we have received a number of requests for guidance. To help avoid doubt or confusion, the King has directed that the following information be shared.
‘It is well known that in January 2020 the Duke and Duchess stepped down from undertaking representative duties on behalf of the Sovereign, and are no longer working members of the Royal Family.
‘This position, distinct from the state and royal duties undertaken by the working Royal Family, and with the personal latitude it brings the couple in respect of financial independence and protection of their privacy as they would wish, will continue to be fully respected.’
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Prince Harry was pictured today for the first time since he and Meghan Markle returned to the UK
The Duke was seen signing a wall at Tower Bridge Studios in central London, where The Apprentice and Diary of a CEO are filmed
Harry and Meghan at a David Foster Foundation event in Canada on August 7
King Charles III and Queen Camilla attend The Braemar Gathering in the Highlands on Saturday
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King Charles with Harry at Windsor Castle after Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September 2022
William, Harry, Meghan and Charles at a Commonwealth Service at Westminster Abbey in 2019
The letter – which was sent to relevant senior stakeholders across Government, the military and Lord Lieutenancies by the Lord Benyon, the Lord Chamberlain, who represents the Royal Household – continues: ‘It follows that there is no change to the current status of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Their styles as His and Her Royal Highness remain in abeyance and are not used.
‘The charitable work of the Duke and Duchess is a personal matter for them both and undertaken in their private capacity. In short, their position is akin to private citizens with commercial and charitable interests.
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‘Any specific questions from official and State organisations about the courtesies which should be extended to the Duke and Duchess, and particularly where recourse to public funds may be required, should be directed to Buckingham Palace. Any operational security issues should continue to be directed to the relevant police authorities.
‘All correspondence and administrative questions relating to the couple should be sent directly to their office, which will continue to operate separately from the Royal Household.’
Officials have insisted there is nothing controversial or new around the letter’s contents, which simply make clear ‘the continued position for the benefit of all parties’.
However, the fact that the Palace needed to send the letter out in the first place demonstrates the level of confusion and consternation Harry and Meghan’s sudden to return to the UK has caused.
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It will also be seen by some as a determined effort to put the couple in their place after sources close to them have repeatedly briefed out to favoured media in recent weeks their plans to undertake more charitable duties back in the UK.
The Sussexes returned to Britain a fortnight ago with their two children for what has been described as an ‘extended’ stay. Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are believed to be starting at a British school this week.
The wider issue of a framework for security provision remains for the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (Ravec) to determine, a source stressed.
Officials could not be pinned down as to how many people the letter had been sent to, particularly in government, aside from saying ‘a select few at an appropriate grade of seniority’.
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Lord Lieutenants act as the personal representative of the monarch on in their assigned county or area. There are currently 98 across the UK.
Cardiff Rugby and Cardiff RFC have unveiled a new kit to mark their 150th anniversary.
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The special kit, which has been made in collaboration with Macron, is based on the strip worn by Cardiff’s pioneering team of 1876. The all-black kit even features the original skull and crossbones logo famously captured in the iconic image of inaugural captain TS Donaldson Selby.
The new shirt will be worn for the visit of Ulster on December 5, which is the closest date to the anniversary of Cardiff‘s first competitive fixture. That first game saw Cardiff take on Newport RFC at Wentloog Marshes on December 2.
Cardiff RFC will take on the same opponents in a Super Rygbi Cymru fixture, which will happen after the BKT United Rugby Championship clash in what they hope will be a fitting occasion in the capital.
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The club called up on a few Cardiff legends to help launch the new kit, including Sir Gareth Edwards, and Steve Ford, who declared it “brilliant” and “absolutely beautiful”.
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Former Wales captain Sam Warburton was also impressed. “All black. Sexy all black,” he said, before then declaring the kit “naughty”.
“It’s good to see Cardiff rugby embracing a true colour,” was the verdict from former All Black Xavier Rush, who said he’d buy one before proclaiming it his “favourite ever Cardiff jersey”.
As well as the skull and crossbones design taking centre stage in striking white, there are a few other interesting details.
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Inside the collar, a gold tape reads “CELEBRATING 150 YEARS” and “YMLAEN CAERDYDD”.
The kit will be completed with all black shorts and socks, while a cotton long-sleeve jersey is also expected to be released in the coming weeks.
The club have already released their home and alternative strips, with the traditional blue and black colour-scheme featuring heavily.
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The home jersey features a traditional quartered design, while the alternate kit is predominantly white with blue and black shoulder, sleeves and side panels.
Cardiff begin their URC campaign away to Welsh rivals Scarlets on September 26.
Maresca had already promised to make changes at the Estadio Do Dragao, however. Speaking after sinking Coventry, he told reporters: “We saw today with Ayyoub [Bouaddi], [Ryan] McAidoo, Iliman Ndiaye, they haven’t played in Champions League but they need to start, so on Tuesday they are going to start to get minutes in the Champions League.”
An eleven-year-old boy was the victim of a sectarian assault in North Belfast last week, with his mum saying the investigation is “not being taken seriously” by the PSNI.
The young boy was assaulted at around 9pm on Wednesday, September 2 in the Queen Victoria Gardens area by a group of children aged between 12 and 16 – who shouted sectarian abuse at him.
The following morning, mum Catherine McCotter, from the Skegoneill area, reported to the incident to police, but said she did not hear from officers until that evening, when the same group of youths came to her street and began to shout abuse at her and her child.
Later that night, she received a call from a police officer, dismissing the incident as “just a fight.” The concerned mum said they no longer feel safe in the mixed area, after living on their street for nine years, and her son feels unable to leave the house.
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Speaking to Belfast Live, Catherine said: “My son and another wee boy were fighting around in Queen Victoria Gardens but a group of youths from Tiger’s Bay had come into the area. They all turned on Kevin and called him sectarian names, like ‘dirty taig’, and Kevin came around to me saying there was a big crowd of them. We walked away, but we were still getting abuse.
“My child was so upset, but I waited until Thursday morning and rang police to say this needed to be sorted, there was too big of a crowd against just one child. There was no police response.
“On Thursday night, the crowd then came into our street, and again shouted sectarian abuse, more or less trying to intimidate me and my son. It was only then that police responded.
“It took them until 7pm on Thursday night for them to come, and even then when they came into my home, the incident I reported hadn’t been read through or anything, they were reading it while sitting on my sofa.
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“The crowd informed me they recorded the fight between the two kids, so I told police and said it was being shared around.
“I haven’t had word back from police about the video, or whether the crowd are being investigated. Last night [September 6], the whole crowd were back up at the top of Queen Victoria Gardens again. There have been no increased police patrols, there’s nothing, there’s no police to be seen to be looking out for any community resolution.”
Catherine said she believes her family has been let down by the PSNI, and has reported their response to the Police Ombudsman for investigation. She is calling for increased police patrols in the area, and for further support for her son.
In response, police said they deal with a “considerable number of calls for assistance on a daily basis” in the North Belfast area, and “all information given is considered when prioritising calls.”
“The police said it was just a fight. If it was just a fight, why were these kids able to come in and intimidate me in my street? My child can’t walk in this area on his own,” she said.
“I don’t feel safe, and it’s even worse now as the police have let me down. If they came out on Thursday morning, I wouldn’t have been dealing with the crowd in my street on Thursday night, that’s the way I see it. And it feels like to me the whole incident has just been blown off as it was just a fight.
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“If it was just a fight, why are the kids bringing sectarianism into it? We respect the area. My kids don’t wear their Celtic or Cliftonville kits out there because we are in a mixed area.”
Catherine said the incident has left her young son shaken, and unable to do the things he would normally enjoy in the local area for fear of running into the group.
She said: “Kevin would usually go to the library down at the Grove, or around to Peas Park as he’s an outdoorsy child. But he can’t do that now on his own for the fear of meeting some of these kids again and getting a beating.
“I would have thought there would have been a police patrol car around the area, especially at the weekend. But there has been nothing.
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“I told police my child was left suicidal by this whole incident as he knows he can’t walk around the area and he is being tortured. He didn’t want to go to school in case the video was circulating around.
“Where is the reassurance my child can walk down the street and nobody is going to touch him? Where’s the reassurance that these kids’ parents know what they’re doing in this area? There’s no reassurance of that whatsoever.
“I’m living in a mixed area and the police response and the way they’ve handled this has installed more fear in me. I feel even more intimidated.”
A PSNI spokesperson said: “Police in north Belfast deal with a considerable number of calls for assistance on a daily basis. All information given by the reporting person is considered when prioritising calls and those where there is an immediate risk to life or property are given precedence. As this matter has now been referred to the Police Ombudsman, we are unable to comment further on this matter.”
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