It comes after reports suggested the royal sisters were likely to skip the wedding amid ongoing family scandals

The nation has been left stunned after Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie made a surprise appearance at Peter Phillips and Harriet Sperling’s royal wedding this afternoon, June 6. The York sisters looked elegant as they made their way into the church alongside their husbands, where they were greeted at the entrance by Mike and Zara Tindall.

Their attendance has come as a shock, given earlier reports suggesting that while both sisters had received invitations, they were unlikely to show up. It had been widely suggested that the pair were keen not to cast a shadow over the special day amid the ongoing controversies surrounding the York family -particularly following the publication of the royal properties investigation earlier this week.

The damning document revealed that Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 36, pay no rent on their royal residences, with the bill instead being picked up by their uncle, the King – a revelation that has prompted considerable public backlash.

Their unexpected appearance also follows months of controversy surrounding their father, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and their mother, Sarah Ferguson and their friendship with late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

Those scandals have resulted in their divorced parents losing both their royal titles and their Royal Lodge residences, despite Andrew consistently denying any wrongdoing and accusations, the Express reports.

Whether Beatrice and Eugenie remain on speaking terms with their parents – who were notably absent from today’s guest list – remains unclear.

Despite appearing visibly nervous, both sisters seemed genuinely pleased to be part of the happy family celebrations, with Beatrice seen holding hands with her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi. Eugenie, who is heavily pregnant with her third child, also looked radiant in her navy blue dress.

The sisters are understood to share a close bond with their cousin Peter, who would undoubtedly have been keen for them to be there.

It comes after their father Andrew, was spotted on Thursday, June 4, driving his Land Rover near his home of Marsh Farm on the Sandringham Estate where he was photographed with a big purple mark around is eye.

The bruise is thought to be the result of a “non-serious medical condition”. The former Duke of York was reportedly inside a car with another man and a dog, in one of his few public sightings since a recent security incident at the Sandringham estate.

The situation is said to have taken place while Andrew was walking the late Queen’s corgis, which now remain in his care, when a stranger approached him near the estate shortly after 7.30pm on Wednesday, May 6, prompting alarm.

He is now expected to give evidence in court in July as part of proceedings against a man accused of threatening him close to his home on the Sandringham Estate. The defendant, Alex Jenkinson, 39, of no fixed address, faces two counts of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Patrick Godfrey, the actor known for The Bill, Doctor Who and Ever After: A Cinderella Story, has died peacefully at home aged 93, surrounded by his family

The Bill and Doctor Who star Patrick Godfrey has passed away aged 93.

The performer – whose credits also include Ever After: A Cinderella Story alongside Drew Barrymore – died peacefully earlier this week. News of the actor’s death at home was confirmed by his representation, reports the Mirror.

Markham Froggatt and Irwin, his talent agency, released a statement saying: “It is with great sadness that we can confirm Patrick Godfrey passed away last night. He died peacefully at home surrounded by his family. Paddy was an exceptionally talented actor and a remarkable individual, and we will miss him greatly.”

A cause of death is yet to be revealed. Patrick is survived by his wife Amanda Walker, an actress known for her roles in 28 Weeks Later and Room With A View as well as appearances in TV staples like Heartbeat and Casualty.

They tied the knot in 1960 and went on to have children Kate, who is Head of Voice at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and Richard.

Born in Finsbury in 1933, Patrick rose to fame in the 1970s after making his debut in the film Miss Julie and went on to appear in a string of British classics including Clockwise, A Room With A View and Heat and Dust, both of which also featured his wife.

During his career, Richard shared the screen with acting icons like John Cleese, Dame Judi Dench and the late Maggie Smith amongst a host of others.

Residents were sharply critical of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s visit to France on Saturday to commemorate the anniversary of the D-Day landings during WWII.

“He has very warlike remarks, and it seems to us that he does not exactly share our values ​​of democracy and freedom,” Sylvie Lamy Thepaut, a member of the local Langrune en Commun association, told the outlet BFM TV in French, The Daily Beast reports.

“What’s happening with the Trump administration isn’t business as usual. The fact that Pete Hegseth is challenging all the international organizations that emerged from the Second World War isn’t business as usual,” Chantal Richard, another member of the group, told the station, The Daily Beast reports. “The words must be spoken, he must be called out for who he is, for the values ​​he represents: colonial, warmongering, racist, far-right values. Silence seems to us to be the worst thing we can do on these issues.”

Prior to Hegseth’s visit, the group put out a statement, originally in French, slamming Hegseth’s “anti-European remarks.”

The Independent has contacted the Pentagon for comment.

Langrune-sur-Mer deputy mayor François-Xavier Palao told FranceInfo he hoped villagers could perhaps “set political considerations aside” around Hegseth’s visit and focus on those who fought and died during the war.

“It is not that we particularly like the man, but this is first and foremost a commemoration for the veterans,” he reportedly said.

Others reportedly complained about heightened security protocols that accompanied the U.S. official’s visit.

During his Normandy speech, Hegseth compared immigration to an “invasion” arriving on the shores of Europe.

“Sadly, today, different European beaches are stormed by different, dangerous ideologies,” he said. “Beaches in Spain, Italy, Greece and Bulgaria, boats and men arrive.”

He also seemed to suggest U.S. allies were no longer doing enough to preserve global security.

“Each nation pulled its weight; each nation bled,” he said of WWII by comparison. “America will lead — and we must — but capable allies must be right there with us, shoulder to shoulder, in the breach, when it matters.”

“We forgot that freedom is not free,” he added. “We forgot that peace is not wished into being. It is bought with purpose, with honor and with strength. The men who landed on these beaches knew this; the question we ask ourselves is, do we?”

The Trump administration has been sharply critical of U.S. allies in NATO, alleging they don’t spend enough on Europe’s continental defense and that they let American forces down by largely declining to assist in the U.S. war against Iran.

It is Northern Ireland’s first remote control construction café, complete with traybakes, specialty coffee and a sandbox

Something new for Belfast is currently under construction in the east of the city.

After struggling to find rainy-day activities to enjoy with his daughter, estate agent Josh Fuller decided he wanted to open a space that would appeal to both children and adults alike.

Joining forces with his friend Dan Ennis, who owns his own landscaping business, the pair are preparing to open Sandpit Coffee, Northern Ireland’s first remote control construction café.

Located on the Woodstock Road in East Belfast, it is a digger-themed cafe with an indoor sandbox and remote-controlled construction vehicles that customers can operate while enjoying coffee, traybakes and light bites.

With plans to open early this summer, Dan and Josh invited Belfast Live down to dig around the new coffee shop and hear more about what customers can expect from this interactive new venue.

Josh said: “I came up with this idea about a year and a half ago, when my daughter really needed something to do and there was a lack of interactive things – so this came to mind, diggers, coffee and me and Dan are both very passionate about coffee.

“It seemed like the perfect idea. There is also a place which has recently started doing it in Indonesia and Dubai, and I saw they were successful, so I thought, ‘ok maybe that idea isn’t so crazy, let’s do it.”

With Dan knowing not only how to run a business but also his way around a digger as a landscaper, Josh approached him with the Sandpit Coffee concept, and the idea started to become a reality.

Dan explained: “This is something totally new to both of us. I own a landscape business, and he does property, so it’s our first time running any kind of business like this.

“It’ll be very new to us both, but we’re hoping that both our qualities in each different area will be able to get us going well.

“We’re preparing to open around the beginning of June. We’ve taken our time to do things slowly because we want to be done right.”

“When we combine our drive, we’re pretty unstoppable,” Josh added.

The duo want the cafe to be not only a place where parents can take their kids for a nice day out, but where everyone can enjoy the unique interactive experience while drinking good coffee, eating tasty traybakes and having even better craic.

Dan continued: “It’s even great for like a date idea – taking her partner out, for something to do that’s different.

“I feel like in Northern Ireland you’re stuck, there’s not that much to do, and it’s not like the weather’s ever great, so it’s something to do while you’re out having a bite to eat or a cup of coffee.”

Sessions for the RC diggers and trucks can be booked online or when visiting. The Sandpit Coffee team hope that, when things take off, they will be able to expand to offer party options, corporate away-day sessions, and create an entirely unique offering for Belfast.

Designed by parents, Sandpit Coffee has a space to leave prams, construction-themed books and toys for the little ones who are just too small to play in the sandbox while still having a stylish and cool feel for a well-deserved coffee date.

“Our hope is to bring something new and fun, because on rainy days, and especially Sundays, I think there’s really a lack of things to do,” Josh added.

“People love going out for a coffee and tea and tray bakes, and combining them both [the sandbox concept] is quite satisfying.

“We hope to bring something to the Woodstock Road because it’s a very busy area and it’s very up and coming, especially the Cregagh Road – there’s lots of new coffee shops, so we can hopefully all bounce off each other and have a good experience.”

Dan concluded: “It’s just really exciting for us both to be trying something totally new, giving it a shot and see how we get on with it. Hopefully it turns out well.”

You can find out more about Sandpit Coffee and keep updated on when it opens here

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The company received reports from customers who claimed they experienced adverse reactions after using the products, with symptoms including skin irritation, eye irritation and infections.

Parents are being urged to check their homes after a popular range of baby wipes was recalled over fears they could cause serious and potentially life-threatening infections.

Target has voluntarily recalled several Up & Up baby wipe products after testing found traces of bacteria that may pose a health risk, particularly to newborns, infants and young children.

The recall affects both Up & Up Fragrance-Free Baby Wipes and Up & Up Fresh Cucumber Scented Baby Wipes sold in stores across the US and online.

According to a notice issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 5, the products were pulled from shelves following customer complaints and testing that identified contamination with bacteria.

Customers reported symptoms including skin irritation, eye irritation and infections after using the wipes. Some also noticed discoloration in the products.

The FDA warned that use of wipes contaminated with Burkholderia cepacia complex and Burkholderia gladioi could lead to serious illness.

“Use of products contaminated with Burkholderia cepacia complex and Burkholderia gladioi may result in serious and life-threatening infections,” the agency said.

The warning is particularly concerning because the wipes are primarily used on babies and young children, whose immune systems are still developing.

Health officials said there is an increased risk for immunocompromised people, including infants, with infections potentially spreading into the bloodstream and causing severe conditions such as sepsis or pneumonia.

Target and manufacturer Sapro Temizlik Urunleri received reports from customers who claimed they experienced adverse reactions after using the products. The incidents remain under investigation.

In a statement, the FDA said: “These reports remain under investigation. Target is coordinating with the manufacturer and continues to investigate this matter.”

Anyone who has purchased the recalled wipes is being told to stop using them immediately and return them to any Target store for a full refund.

Customers with questions can contact Target Guest Relations on 1-800-440-0680.

Recalled Up & Up baby wipes

• Up & Up Fragrance-Free Baby Wipes
• 20-count pack – UPC: 085239265956
• 72-count pack – UPC: 085239265949
• 216-count pack – UPC: 085239265963
• 800-count pack – UPC: 085239266137
• 1200-count pack – UPC: 085239266090
• Up & Up Fresh Cucumber Scented Baby Wipes
• 72-count pack – UPC: 085239265970
• 216-count pack – UPC: 085239265994
• 800-count pack – UPC: 085239265987

Parents who have any of the affected products are advised to stop using them immediately and seek medical advice if a child experiences irritation or signs of infection after use.

Moore fled the incident on foot before leaving the county

An attacker who repeatedly stabbed a man after kicking a woman in the face has been jailed, despite attempting to evade police by fleeing the area and dyeing his hair.

Joshua Moore, 21, assaulted a woman known to him as they walked down a communal staircase at a property in Sturminster Newton on September 30, last year, leaving her with significant bruising around her eye.

When a man in his 30s confronted Moore over the attack, the confrontation escalated and Moore stabbed him several times with a four‑inch lock knife, according to SomersetLive.

The victim was taken to hospital with wounds to his body and arm, while Moore fled on foot. Officers searched the area but he had already disappeared.

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Moore was found at a hotel in Petersfield, Hampshire on Thursday, October 2. Dorset Police said he had dyed his blond hair jet-black to try to hide his identity.

Moore, from Weymouth, was arrested and charged by officers and later found guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and assault by beating at trial and was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday (June 5)

Detective Constable Emma Oram, of Dorset County CID, said: “This was a violent assault with a knife and, while it left the victim with significant injuries, the consequences could have been far worse and even fatal.

“We are committed to raising awareness of the dangers of knife crime and taking robust action against anyone responsible for offences of this nature.

“Thanks to our comprehensive investigation, we were able to track down the defendant when he had left the county and ensure he was held to account for his crimes.”

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The application, submitted for Cherry Tree Way, sought confirmation that the construction of a single-storey outbuilding would be lawful under permitted development rights.

The proposed structure will measure 10 metres wide, five metres deep and have a maximum height of 2.5 metres.

Planning officers assessed the proposal under Schedule 2, Part 1, Class E of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.

Their report concluded that the development complies with all relevant limitations, including height restrictions, site coverage requirements and its position within the property’s curtilage.

The council confirmed that permitted development rights had not been removed from the property through planning conditions or an Article 4 Direction, allowing the proposal to be considered under the permitted development framework.

A decision notice issued on June 1 stated that the outbuilding “would have been lawful” and therefore qualifies for a Certificate of Lawfulness under Section 192 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

The development must be carried out in accordance with the approved plans submitted as part of the application.

The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called a U.S. push for the denuclearization of North Korea an “anachronistic dreams,” saying Sunday the North will steadily expand its nuclear arsenal in the face of U.S.-led threats.

The statement came a day before Chinese President Xi Jinping visits North Korea for talks with Kim Jong Un, in his first visit to the country in seven years.

“The U.S. assertion to backbite the status of the DPRK as a nuclear weapons state has no legally binding force and no one will be bound by the U.S. unilateral rhetoric,” said Kim’s sister and senior official, Kim Yo Jong, using the abbreviation for North Korea’s official name.

She dismissed as “false information” a U.S. announcement that President Donald Trump and Xi confirmed their shared goal to denuclearize North Korea in their summit in Beijing last month.

“Some officials in the United States have failed to wake from their escapist and anachronistic dreams,” Kim Yo Jong said.

North Korea has been focusing on enlarging its nuclear arsenal since Kim Jong Un’s high-stakes diplomacy with Trump collapsed in 2019. Experts say the North Korean leader wants an international recognition as a nuclear state so that he could demand lifting of international economic sanctions on North Korea.

During a visit to a new nuclear materials production plant last week, Kim Jong Un said North Korea would bolster the country’s nuclear forces “at an exponential rate.” On Sunday, North Korea’s state media reported Kim Jong Un visited a weapons factory the previous day and called for increasing the country’s missile production capacity 2.5 times under a five-year plan period.

In her statement, Kim Yo Jong accused the U.S. and South Korea of pushing for “ceaseless arms build-ups,” saying her brother’s push for “steadily beefing up the nuclear war deterrent for self-defense” is “an irreversible final conclusion to be carried out unconditionally.”

Analysts say Xi’s visit to North Korea is largely meant to reassert China’s influence over North Korea, whose foreign policy priority has shifted to Russia in recent years. They say Xi will likely refrain from directly raising the denuclearization issue and offer economic assistance programs during his meeting with Kim Jong Un.

North Korea has sent troops and conventional weapons to Russia to back its war efforts against Ukraine. South Korean and U.S. officials say North Korea has received economic and other assistance from Russia in return.

The 18-year-old touched the hearts of people across the country with his positivity.

The heartbroken family of inspirational teenager Blake McCaughey have spoken about how they are keeping his memory alive five months on from his death.

The 18-year-old, from Tandragee, touched the hearts of people across the country with his positivity. He was a Belfast Giants season ticket holder for over 12 years, an avid Liverpool FC fan and a member of Portadown True Blues Flute Band.

Blake, who had a rare genetic disorder, died on Saturday, January 17, after emergency services were called to the family home when he took ill. Despite their best efforts, which saw his mum Christine perform CPR and “every avenue explored”, he sadly passed away.

Since losing their ‘beloved Blake’ earlier this year very suddenly and unexpectedly, his grieving family – including mum Christine, dad Andy and sister Pixie – along with his many friends and supporters, the teen is being lovingly remembered.

Reflecting on how the family have been coping in the months since losing Blake, his mum Christine told Belfast Live: “We’re holding it together. Blake was always so upbeat, even though he was in and out of the hospital for so much in his life. He had one hospital stay that was extended over three years, and he never once gave off or complained.

“As much as the grief is so heavy, it would be wrong of us to let it take hold of us. There’s so much that happens around the week or so when a loss happens, but life changes after that.

“We’ve gone from a house where we had nurses in five days a week for eight hours a day, and then you go from that to the door not knocking for a while. He had five different medical devices in his abdomen and was fed through his heart, directly through a line. When you go from that level of 24/7 care to nothing, it’s a huge void, but now Pixie wants to channel her energy and help others.”

Following Blake’s passing, 15-year-old Pixie set up a charity in her brother’s name – Blake’s Lasting Legacy – to help other families living with children who are medically complex and also walking alongside those families navigating the loss of a child or young person.

Christine told us: “Pixie has also been distributing memory boxes to hospital wards, nursing teams and funeral directors who then pass these on to the family on the loss of their child. Inside are numerous items to make lasting memories at such difficult times.

“She’s also making sibling packs which are given out to brothers and sisters who have lost a sibling, and these are filled with books, fidget toys and treats to remind people that we are there for them.

“With Blake’s Lasting Legacy, we plan to create even more memories for families by offering meet-ups, family nights out, bereavement support, and flower-arranging courses so they can make their own displays for their loved ones’ resting place. This is all whilst letting families know that they never have to walk alone.”

The proud mum added: “Pixie wants to drive his charity and drive our grief into something positive for other families and to let other people see that they’re not alone, because it can be such a lonely place. I think your biggest fear as a parent is them being forgotten, so we’re trying to push ourselves.

“Pixie and her daddy have started doing park runs and 5Ks, just finding a new way of life, because we were so medically heavy with Blake. We’re very lucky with both our kids, and Pixie has always been the upbeat one, pushing us on and wanting to do more for other people. It makes her heart happy to know that she’s doing something good.

“We’re very proud of her, and it’s a lot because she’s navigating her own journey after his loss. She tells us: ‘You knew life before Blake – I never knew life without Blake’.”

Next Sunday, June 14, the McCaughey family are inviting people to come to Craigavon Lakes to walk part or all of Blake’s 18 miles for 18 years of Blake’s life.

Christine explained: “Blake loved Craigavon Lakes and that’s where his first sponsored walk was when he was aged five for a wheelchair. The whole theme is blue skies, clouds, rainbows, and red hearts, because that’s just what Blake was all about – bright, colourful, fun.

“It will be six laps, but people can join in and drop out as and when they wish. Each lap will start on the hour from 12noon and everyone is welcome to come along, join in on the fun, meet some special guests and celebrate Blake all whilst raising vital funds to help families in Northern Ireland.”

You can donate to Blake’s Lasting Legacy here.

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