Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is facing a fresh round of criticism from some social media users after Australian tabloid reports suggested behind-the-scenes friction with a “MasterChef Australia” judge during the filming of her upcoming guest appearance, even as multiple sources close to the production have publicly denied any serious conflict occurred.

The duchess is set to appear as a guest judge on “MasterChef Australia” this Sunday, July 26, at 7 p.m. local time on Channel 10. Her segment was filmed in April during a visit to Australia with her husband, Prince Harry, and will feature Meghan emphasizing seasonal ingredients and personal storytelling as she challenges contestants to prepare a “dish fit for a duchess” using a selection of produce and pantry items she curated herself.

What the reports allege

Australian magazine New Idea reported that tension developed on set when several contestants reportedly gravitated toward series judge Poh Ling Yeow for feedback and reassurance rather than directing their attention to Meghan as the episode’s headline guest. According to one unnamed source cited by the outlet, “It was a bit awkward at times. You could tell Meghan was wondering what was going on.”

A separate point of friction reportedly involved Yeow introducing Meghan as “royalty” during the segment, despite Meghan and her team having asked producers beforehand not to use that word, according to Sky News reporting cited by multiple outlets. In a promotional clip for the episode, Yeow can be heard saying, “We’ve had royalty in the MasterChef kitchen before, but no one like this. All the way from sunny California, please welcome to MasterChef Australia, the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle.” Sky News reported that the introduction left Meghan “very frustrated,” which in turn reportedly left Yeow feeling upset about the moment.

Sources close to production push back on the characterization

Despite those reported moments of friction, several unnamed sources cited across multiple outlets have downplayed any suggestion of a serious rift. One insider told reporters that the issue had little to do with Meghan personally, saying Yeow “felt she had been unintentionally drawn into a royal protocol issue she never intended to be part of” and had wanted to reach out and apologize directly, but was advised by producers to let the matter be handled through standard production channels.

Another source explicitly rejected the idea that real tension existed on set, telling outlets, “There was no tension whatsoever, but it did feel like everyone was working hard to create those picture-perfect TV moments.” A third source offered a lighter take on the dynamic between the two women, describing Yeow’s high-energy, joke-filled personality as not always landing as intended when paired with Meghan, but characterizing any friction as minor. “It wasn’t major drama, just a few awkward moments during filming that were adjusted in the final edit,” the source said, adding, “Meghan was a great guest, and we feel very lucky she agreed to appear on the show.”

Public reaction has been more pointed

Despite those efforts to downplay the situation, the story has generated notable pushback from some viewers on social media, many of whom referenced past allegations involving Meghan’s treatment of staff during her time as a working royal. One Instagram commenter wrote that the “bullying allegations” pattern had become repetitive, adding that “she can’t even go on a show without trying to create issues about random things.” Other social media users echoed similar sentiments across platforms including X, with some questioning why the story kept recurring around Meghan’s public appearances.

It’s worth noting that the characterization of the on-set moments as “bullying” originates largely from social media commentary and headline framing rather than from any on-the-record accusation of mistreatment made by Yeow, her fellow judges or MasterChef Australia producers.

What the judges themselves have said

Speaking separately about Meghan’s approach to the episode, Yeow described the duchess as having been clear and intentional about what she wanted from the segment. “This was actually quite clear about wanting to get to know the contestants better,” Yeow said, describing Meghan’s interest in hearing personal stories from the competitors. “And she said, you know, you know these guys, but I don’t, so I really would like to see some stories and, yeah, food that’s gonna show us their personalities.”

Fellow judge Sofia Levin offered a positive reflection on Meghan’s connection to food as a home cook and gardener. “She’s a home cook and she’s a gardener herself,” Levin said. “So, when you think about it, you know, we’re getting more and more connected to our food.”

What to expect from the episode

Meghan will appear alongside judges Poh Ling Yeow, Sofia Levin and Jean-Christophe Novelli for the episode, with judge Andy Allen absent due to the birth of his son. During filming, Meghan reportedly told contestants that “there is a lot of pressure in that kitchen,” adding that she prefers cooking in “a really relaxed fashion” and encouraging competitors to “keep a sense of humour about it, and to cook from the heart.” She also spoke about cooking as an expression of care for the people in her life, saying that food is “how I show my nurturing and love for my friends, family and my kids.”

Context around the visit

Meghan and Harry’s April trip to Australia marked their first joint visit to the country since their 2018 royal tour, and included humanitarian and mental health-focused engagements alongside Meghan’s MasterChef appearance. The guest judging segment, recorded in Melbourne, was teased extensively in the show’s promotional material ahead of Sunday’s broadcast.

With the episode set to air this weekend, it remains to be seen how the final edited version portrays the interactions between Meghan and the judging panel, and whether that broadcast will do anything to settle the competing narratives that have circulated in Australian and international tabloid coverage in the days leading up to its release.

Netflix’s Texas-set romantic drama “Ransom Canyon” returns for its second season Thursday, dropping all eight new episodes at once and picking up the on-again, off-again love story between its two central characters roughly six months after the first season’s cliffhanger ending.

The series, based on the book franchise by author Jodi Thomas, stars Josh Duhamel as rancher Staten Kirkland and Minka Kelly as dance hall owner Quinn O’Grady, whose long-simmering romance became the emotional center of the show’s first season before it ultimately fell apart amid Staten’s unresolved grief and anger. Season 2 begins streaming at 3 a.m. Eastern time, or midnight Pacific time, the standard release window for Netflix original series.

Where the story picks up

According to Netflix’s official synopsis, Season 2 opens six months after the events of Season 1, with Staten fighting to reclaim his standing after being unseated as trustee of his family’s Double K Ranch. Quinn, meanwhile, spent that time away in New York City pursuing her career as a concert pianist, leaving her hometown, and her relationship with Staten, behind.

The new season’s early preview clips show Staten learning that Quinn has returned to Ransom, setting the stage for their reunion. But according to Netflix’s Tudum editorial site, Quinn does not come back to town alone: during her time in New York, she appears to have begun a new relationship, a development the show’s trailer suggests will fuel jealousy on Staten’s part and further complicate their long-running dynamic.

New love triangles brewing

Beyond the central Staten-and-Quinn storyline, the new season’s trailer teases several additional romantic entanglements developing across Ransom’s tight-knit community. A love triangle appears to be forming involving rancher Yancy, a character named Ellie, and Yancy’s wife Sidney, a role played by newcomer Heidi Grace Engerman, who joins the cast this season. The trailer also hints at romantic tension developing between the character Lauren and Lucas’s brother Kit, even though, according to reporting on the show’s development, series creator April Blair had originally conceived of a different pairing for those characters before the storyline shifted during the writing process.

Showrunner and executive producer April Blair described the series’ guiding themes ahead of the new season’s release. “We have these three tenets, which are land, love, and legacy,” Blair said, characterizing the framework the show continues to build its interconnected storylines around heading into Season 2.

Cast changes

Season 2 arrives with a notably different supporting cast than the show’s first run. According to Deadline, two key cast members from Season 1, Eoin Macken and Andrew Liner, who played father-and-son ranchers Davis Collins and Reid Collins, will not return in regular roles this season. No official explanation was given for their departures, though their absence effectively closes out a love triangle from Season 1 in which Davis competed with Staten for Quinn’s affections.

Joining the returning ensemble is Patricia Clarkson, the Emmy-winning actress who takes on the role of Quinn’s mother this season, alongside Steve Howey, who plays Staten’s half-brother Levi in a recurring capacity. The broader Season 2 cast also includes returning performers Lizzy Greene, Garrett Wareing, Jack Schumacher, Marianly Tejada, Casey W. Johnson, Ben Robson, Tatanka Means, Justin Johnson Cortez, Philip Winchester, Jennifer Ens, Brett Cullen and Niko Guardado.

A show built on Yellowstone-style drama

“Ransom Canyon” premiered on Netflix in April 2025 and quickly drew comparisons to modern Western dramas like “Yellowstone,” blending ranch-set family conflict with sweeping romantic storylines centered on a fictional small Texas town. The series follows several interconnected families navigating land disputes, long-held rivalries and complicated romantic histories, themes that made the first season one of the platform’s more talked-about original dramas following its release.

Netflix confirmed the show’s renewal for a second season in June 2025, just two months after the first season debuted. Blair expressed enthusiasm about continuing the story at the time. “I couldn’t be happier that Netflix is ready to get back in the saddle for Ransom Canyon!” Blair said in a statement announcing the renewal. “Our dreamy little corner of Texas Hill Country is full of stories still untold, and we can’t wait to bring them to our incredible fans. Get ready for another ride.”

Production timeline

Filming for Season 2 began in the fall of 2025, following months of early writers’ room development that started even before the show’s official renewal. Blair told TV Insider in an interview that the writing process began ahead of the formal green light. “We’ve already started the writers’ room, even though the show hasn’t been picked up to series yet for Season 2,” Blair said at the time, reflecting the show’s confidence heading into its second outing.

What’s next for the series

As of Thursday’s premiere, Netflix has not publicly confirmed whether “Ransom Canyon” will return for a third season, leaving the show’s long-term future an open question even as all eight new episodes become available for fans to watch in a single release. Given the extensive setup embedded in the Season 2 trailer, including new relationships, family power struggles and unresolved tension between its central couple, the show appears positioned to leave plenty of narrative threads open heading into any potential future installment.

For now, fans eager to see whether Staten and Quinn finally find their way back to each other, and how the show’s newly introduced love triangles play out, can stream the full second season of “Ransom Canyon” starting Thursday on Netflix.

The U.K.’s rate of inflation in June declined to its lowest level in more than a year after gasoline costs fell, raising the likelihood that the Bank of England will keep its key interest rate on hold next week, even with prices likely accelerating in the months ahead.

Consumer prices were 2.6% higher in June than the same month of last year, slowing from a 2.8% inflation rate in both April and May, the Office for National Statistics said Wednesday. That marked the lowest annual increase in prices since March 2025. Economists polled last week by The Wall Street Journal expected a reading of 2.7%.

Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

Shares of Adani Green Energy declined as much as 5.3% to their day’s high of Rs 1,394 on the BSE on Thursday despite the company reporting 19% year-on-year (YoY) growth in its consolidated net profit at Rs 845 crore in the first quarter.

Revenue from operations in the reporting period increased 16% YoY to Rs 4,663 crore. Revenue from power supply rose 29% YoY to Rs 4,280 crore from Rs 3,312 crore.

Adani Green said that its performance was driven by capacity expansion and strong operating performance. The company’s operational capacity rose 27% YoY to 20,142 MW as of June 2026, compared with 15,816 MW a year earlier and 19,294 MW at the end of March 2026.

Energy sales rose 30% YoY to 13,657 million units in Q1FY27, helped by fresh greenfield capacity additions and higher generation. The company added 848 MW of capacity during the quarter and 4,327 MW on a YoY basis.

Also read: FIIs are leaving Adani Enterprises. Here’s who is buying

Adani Green’s EBITDA from power supply rose 33% YoY to Rs 4,122 crore from Rs 3,108 crore. The EBITDA margin stood at 94%, compared with 93% a year earlier and 91% in the March quarter.

Why Bernstein dislikes Adani Green

Bernstein retained its Underperform rating on Adani Green, saying the company remains the best player in the renewable energy space but raising concerns over its new structure for the commercial and industrial segment.
The brokerage highlighted Adani Green’s decision to allocate its entire merchant generation capacity, comprising 4 GW of operating and planned capacity, along with its entire battery storage capacity of 10 GWhr coming online this year, to Adani Energy Solutions on a long-term fixed tariff basis.
According to Bernstein, the structure allows Adani Green to focus on execution while maintaining its existing return hurdles, with Adani Energy Solutions selling the power forward to industrial customers such as data centres. While Bernstein said Adani Green has remained well ahead of its peers in renewable energy, it believes a reasonable portion of the potential upside has shifted to Adani Energy Solutions following the transaction.

Apart from this, execution remained on track, although curtailment reduced EBITDA by 5-7%, which the company expects to normalise in the second half.

Adani Green Q1 management commentary

CEO Ashish Khanna said the company began FY27 with strong momentum and crossed the 20 GW operational capacity milestone. “As renewable penetration rises and power demand continues to grow, storage will play a critical role in ensuring round-the-clock reliability and grid stability,” he said.

Read more: India needs 2,000 GW new power capacity in 20 years, says Adani Green’s Sagar Adani

Adani Green said it is progressing on the development of its 30 GW renewable energy plant at Khavda in Gujarat. The project is spread across 538 sq km, which the company said is almost five times the size of Paris.

Operational capacity at Khavda rose to 10.3 GW from 5.6 GW a year earlier. The portfolio at Khavda includes solar, wind and hybrid capacity. The company said it remains on track to achieve 30 GW renewable energy capacity at the site by 2029.

On a YoY basis, Adani Green added 3,051 MW of solar capacity, including 2,662 MW in Khavda and 389 MW in Rajasthan. It also added 684 MW of wind capacity and 592 MW of solar-wind hybrid capacity at Khavda.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of The Economic Times)

Ariel Investments, LLC is a global value-based asset management firm founded four decades ago in 1983. Ariel is headquartered in Chicago, with offices in New York City, San Francisco and Sydney, Australia. Ariel serves individual and institutional investors through five no-load mutual funds and eleven separate account strategies. Our four core values are: Active Patience®, Independent Thinking, Focused Expertise and Bold Teamwork. Ariel Investments models these behaviors in everything they do.Note: This account is not managed or monitored by Ariel Investments, and any messages sent via Seeking Alpha will not receive a response. For inquiries or communication, please use Ariel Investments’ official channels.

Banco Santander SAN -3.86%decrease; down pointing triangle said it is on track to hit its targets, after customer gains and higher activity levels helped second-quarter net profit rise on year.

The Spanish bank has sought to reshape its portfolio through dealmaking over the past year, moving to bolster its exposure to the U.S. and the U.K.

Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

Prince William and Catherine, the Princess of Wales, are planning an especially memorable summer for their eldest son, Prince George, ahead of a significant milestone this fall: his departure from home to begin boarding at Eton College.

George turned 13 on July 22, and in September he will leave his family’s Windsor-area home to attend the prestigious all-boys school his father also attended decades earlier. A family friend told Vanity Fair that William and Catherine are determined to give George a “summer to remember” before that transition begins.

A quiet birthday, with one notable exclusion

Following royal family tradition, George celebrated his 13th birthday privately this week, including a cake baked by his mother, a custom Catherine has followed for each of her three children. According to Vanity Fair, the teenager is receiving a low-key birthday celebration, though the outlet noted one gift he will not be getting: a smartphone with internet access.

“One thing George won’t be getting is an iPhone,” royal commentator Sarah Hewson told Vanity Fair. “His parents are very hot on phones, and they won’t allow him on social media. They want to protect him from that for as long as they can.” The stance echoes comments William has made previously about limiting his children’s early exposure to internet-connected devices, even as he has said a more basic phone for calls and texting could be appropriate once George starts secondary school.

A summer centered on Norfolk

Much of the family’s summer will reportedly be spent at Anmer Hall, the Wales family’s country home in Norfolk, a property Hewson described as holding particular significance for the family. “It is very special to the family because it’s a place where they can escape daily life and enjoy their freedom,” Hewson said. “It’s their family sanctuary.” She added that the family’s traditional activities there, including walks, beach runs, sailing, picnics and swimming, are expected to make for “the best possible summer before George heads off to boarding school.”

A separate source told Vanity Fair that the upcoming transition carries real emotional weight for the family. “That’s a big step,” the source said of George’s move to Eton. “He will be away from home for the first time, and William and Catherine want to spend as much quality time together as they can this summer.”

Possible adventures on the horizon

According to The Sun, William and Catherine “have an action-packed summer in store” for their children, potentially including an adventure trip for George. Royal biographer Ingrid Seward described George’s enthusiasm for outdoor activity, noting his interests align closely with his father’s. “Like his father, he loves being outdoors, doing things,” Seward said. “Playing cricket and tennis and, in the last couple of years, even scuba diving.” An island getaway to Mustique, a longtime favorite vacation spot for the Wales family, has also reportedly been discussed as a possibility for the summer.

A teenager who wants to fit in

Seward also spoke to how George’s personality has developed as he approaches adolescence, describing a boy who prefers blending in with peers rather than standing out because of his royal position. “Teenagers hate that, and his parents understand only too well,” Seward said, adding that George is “no boaster” and “keeps quiet about his privileged family life.” She continued, “Like most teenagers, he wants to blend in with his friends and enjoy doing what they are doing. George is, of course, aware of exactly who he is. Lambrook parents have noticed he does not push himself forward unnecessarily.”

Seward, who also serves as editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, added that George’s personality is likely to keep evolving as he matures. “As a teenager he will no doubt change, but he will still be happiest outdoors and slowly gathering the confidence that will one day be important to his future.”

A family friend offered a similarly grounded description of George’s dual public and private demeanor to The Sun, saying, “Behind closed doors, he’s like any other teen, but in public he takes it all very seriously.”

A deliberate approach to parenting

Royal commentators and sources close to the family have pointed to this summer as reflecting a broader, intentional parenting philosophy William and Catherine have maintained throughout their children’s upbringing. Royal biographer Robert Jobson emphasized how quickly the milestone years are passing. “In the blink of an eye, George will be 18, and they must know that these years will fly by,” Jobson said. “They’ve done a very good job bringing up the children and focusing on their own family unit. Despite all the other drama going on in the family, they rise above it.”

A source told The Telegraph that the family’s approach to everyday routines, from school runs to time spent outdoors together, reflects a deliberate strategy rather than incidental choices. “The way they have lived their lives, getting the kids outside, spending time together, focusing on the school run, it’s just as strategic as any other part of their public service,” the source said, adding, “Preparing their children for the lives they are going to lead, it’s central to their roles, it’s not something that’s on the side.”

Getting ready for Eton

Part of the summer will also involve direct preparation for George’s move. According to Vanity Fair, George is said to be “over the moon” about starting at Eton, and will take part in a leavers’ party as he finishes his time at Lambrook School, where his younger siblings, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, continue to attend. Royal commentator Charlotte Griffiths described the close bond between father and son as central to that preparation. “William and George are very close, and William will be making sure George is well prepared,” Griffiths said. “They will hunker down and spend the summer together in Norfolk before the big move to Eton. It’s an exciting time for them all.”

With George’s move to Eton set for September, the coming weeks in Norfolk are expected to serve as both a celebration of his teenage milestone and a final stretch of concentrated family time before he begins boarding school life away from home for the first time, a transition his parents appear determined to ease with an especially full and memorable summer together.