So much for the old adage that there is no news in August (wrong, of course: Britain declared war on Germany in August 1914, the Great Train Robbery took place that month in 1963 and Diana died in August 1997).

The commentators, social-media warriors, Team Sussex/Team Wales tribalists and radio phone-ins now have inexhaustible material to keep everyone busy for the rest of the summer holiday: Where are the Sussexes going to live? Which school for the children? What will they do all day? What was the main reason for their return?

Inside the Royal Household, however, they will already be looking further ahead, charting potential problems before they materialise.

Buckingham Palace is an institution that likes to plan six months ahead. One event that will already have crossed minds in the Lord Chamberlain’s Office, which handles ceremonial matters, will be Remembrance Sunday.

There will be no place for Harry with the rest of the Royal Family on Whitehall or on the Foreign Office balconies because those places are reserved for working members of the family – who undertake royal engagements.

As a military veteran with two tours of active service under his belt, the Duke of Sussex, will, quite rightly, want to honour the fallen along with the rest of the country. But where and how? Whatever he does will incur accusations of seeking to upstage the King and the family.

Might he attend a service with his old regiment? Or might he choose to join one of the organisations with which he remains actively involved?

Perhaps he might join the contingent from Scotty’s Little Soldiers, the charity for bereaved Forces children to which he remains a devoted patron. Their annual appearance, marching past the Cenotaph in their black and gold scarves, brings a tear to the eye of the flintiest old soldier.

The couple will, however, remain private individuals and a return to the royal fold is not thought to be in their plans (Harry and Meghan are pictured after their engagement in 2017)

Remembrance Sunday will no doubt be an occasion which Buckingham Palace have already started planning for – but how, and where, will Harry choose to commemorate fallen soldiers? (the duke is pictured before his 2007 mission in Afghanistan)

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Or what about Christmas at Sandringham? Up to now, the non-appearance of the Sussexes has been easily attributable to geography: they were on the Pacific coast.

But if they are absent while living in Britain, it will be much harder to explain it away, especially when numerous other non-working members of the family are included in the house party. Some will accuse the King of being heartless; others will blame the Waleses.

In one regard, the Sussexes’ astonishing decision to return to these shores more than six years after narrating their own departure (in one of their own documentaries) as a ‘freedom flight’ is entirely true to form: they do love the element of surprise. Whereas, as all courtiers of old have learned, monarchs can handle almost anything but they do hate the unexpected.

Think back to the Sussexes’ announcement of their withdrawal from royal life, late on a January day in 2020, which caught everyone including the late Queen by surprise.

That followed the 2019 announcement that the Duchess had just gone into labour in London when she was already back home in Berkshire with her newborn son – leaving Palace staff and police unwittingly telling porkies to the Press.

Or those mismatched recollections on Oprah Winfrey’s sofa about an alleged racist remark by a member of the family (during pregnancy, according to the Duchess; years earlier, said Harry). Or the catalogue of family secrets tipped out into the public domain via Harry’s memoir, Spare, in January 2023 – at a crucial time midway between the King’s accession and coronation.

Each time, sources close to the couple explained that they could not share details with anyone, including family, for fear of leaks to the wicked media. It is hardly surprising that family, friends and staff found all the furtive plotting of such bombshells so disconcerting and unsettling.

No one, I understand, was more exasperated and dismayed by this than Prince William, an intensely private man. He might have his own issues with the media, yet he understands both that the Press is a fact of life in a free democracy and that a publicly funded monarchy has to be visible and relatable to its public.

For the moment, as Britain and the Sussexes renew their mutual acquaintance, we are presumably likely to see more, not fewer, surprises.

Nonetheless, I sense that, for the King and the monarchy, the positives outweigh the negatives as we examine the return of Harry and Meghan. Until the Sussexes illuminate us all in another interview/book/documentary, we can’t be wholly certain what lies behind yesterday’s announcement. But we can draw certain conclusions.

Harry’s greatest challenge upon his return to Britain will be rebuilding his relationship with his brother, Prince William (The ‘Fab Four’ are pictured in 2022)

Sources suggest that King Charles ‘welcomes’ news of his son’s return to the UK (Charles and Harry are pictured at Queen Elizabeth’s funeral in 2022)

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First of all, the couple have clearly decided that they want their children educated here rather than in America. That is about much more than a curriculum or the pronunciation of ‘tomato’ but about shaping a mindset and a sense of belonging.

Archie and Lilibet, currently sixth and seventh in line to the Throne respectively, will grow up feeling that Britain really is home, not an occasional treat. They will retain a broad international outlook through their American heritage, but they will come to absorb the norms and nuances of British life.

They will see their first cousins emerge from the relative privacy of their formative years and go through the usual rites of passage – possibly featuring some sort of military service – and ultimately grow into young members of ‘the Firm’.

As I have learned on several occasions from those close to the Prince and Princess of Wales, they believe that one of their most important duties – as important as William’s own preparations for becoming King – is ensuring George, Charlotte and Louis do not grow up hating or dreading their royal destiny.

If they succeed (and, thus far, they seem to be), then there is unlikely to be a royal role for the junior grandchildren of the current monarch. There has been none for the children of Princess Margaret (grandchildren of George VI) or those of the late Queen’s younger children. 

But the relationships between all those royal cousins – seldom seen except on the balcony at the late Queen’s birthday parade – were important ones. The bonds between Harry and his first cousins – in particular Princess Eugenie – have been vital and enduring. To whom else can you turn for a proper moan about the pitfalls of a second-tier royal bloodline?

Similarly, for the King in his role as paterfamilias, closer contact with his younger grandchildren can only be a blessing. As Supreme Governor of the Church of England and a deep-thinking Christian soul, he will be ready to extend olive sprigs – as long as he is spared a futile reopening of old grievances.

The monarchy has learned to evolve and adapt after graver family crises – post-Edward VIII, post-annus horribilis, post-Diana, post-Andrew (thus far) and it can do so again.

Charles, the father who tried so hard to make things work as a single parent in the aftermath of tragedy, will be inclined towards a rapprochement. Wise Queen Camilla, for all the barbs she has received from the Sussex camp over the years, will support him.

For the King in his role as monarch, however, there are still caveats that will need to be clearly defined and agreed.

In recent years, it has been all but impossible for him to have any sort of normal dialogue with his younger son because of Harry’s role as a serial litigant. In particular, throughout Harry’s long-running court case (plus appeals) against the Government over the question of his family’s security on British soil, the King was constitutionally obliged not to take Harry’s calls.

Archie, seven, and five-year-old Lilibet have already enrolled at a British school ahead of the start of the academic year (The family are pictured together in December 2025)

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Harry and Meghan’s return does not represent happy ever after. There will be bumps in the road, but a divided royal house is a diminished one (pictured in 2022)

As one senior royal adviser put it to me: ‘The King is the fountain of justice. If his son is suing his ministers in his courts then it’s impossible for him to have a normal chat, particularly given Harry’s track record of transmitting his own version of events.’

Every indication is that Harry’s days as a serial litigant are over. That has to be good for his relations with his father.

The greatest challenge, clearly, is rebuilding some sort of bridge with a deeply wounded Prince William. Perhaps they are wounds that will never fully heal but there have been moments of reunion, albeit through gritted teeth – not least after the deaths of Prince Philip and the late Queen. 

Next year’s 30th anniversary of the death of their mother is a moment when the world will be reminded of two brave, traumatised young boys marching behind her coffin. Most British people, I would suggest, would like to see some sort of reconciliation in her name.

There is another component to all this in the form of the Spencer family. Both William and Harry have retained a separate axis with their cousins on their mother’s side. During his recent return to the UK, we understand that Harry took his family to the family seat, Althorp, and to Diana’s resting place. 

We have yet to glean the Princes’ views on the upcoming book on Diana by their uncle, Earl Spencer, but both have long had a close and uncomplicated rapport with her sisters, Sarah and Jane, and their respective families.

Inevitably, this whole process will be harder for the Duchess of Sussex. She will be leaving the familiarity of home once again for a country that she had barely learned to love the first time round, and it is a feeling that remains mutual for many.

This is emphatically not a happy ever after – and there will be umpteen bumps in a long road ahead. But a divided royal house is a diminished royal house. Divisions remain – some perhaps insoluble – but as of today, those gaps have narrowed a little.

For that, as he enjoys the healing atmosphere of Balmoral – his happiest place on earth – the King can be grateful.

A young girl was out shopping with her mum when she was targeted by a predator filming her.

Alex Allegretto has been sentenced after he was caught on CCTV filming beneath the young girl’s skirt in a Cardiff shopping centre.

He then tried to run away, but the girl’s mother challenged him.

The incident unfolded inside St David’s 2 shopping centre on the morning of July 7 when the mum spotted him walking closely to her daughter before putting his mobile phone under her skirt.

Footage shared by the police shows how the angry mother challenged the depraved man as he ran away towards Churchill Way.

The 39-year-old then went to his car parked up nearby, providing a trail for detectives who tracked his movements to nearby Fitzalan Road.

Further checks revealed Alex Allegretto as a named driver on the vehicle, and he was arrested at his home address in Maesteg in South Wales four days later.

He admitted the offence of operating a mobile phone beneath the clothing of another person for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.

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He pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on August 5.

The encounter has left the girl anxious and worried about anyone walking behind her, detectives said.

Allegretto must register with the police for five years under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, do 140 hours of unpaid work and complete Rehabilitation Activity Requirements.

Sergeant Luis Antony, from South Wales Police, said: ‘Everyone has the right to feel safe, wherever they are, and nobody should be subjected to this kind of offence.

‘This incident continues to have an impact the victim. She is worried about people walking behind her and is anxious when out and about.

‘Through extensive CCTV enquiries we were able to track the suspect before, during and after the offence.

‘The footage clearly shows Alex Allegretto’s intentions and what he did to this young girl while she was innocently out shopping with her mother.

‘We hope the outcome at court provides some comfort to her and allows her to rebuild her confidence.’

South Wales Police said: ‘Excellent CCTV work by detectives resulted in this person being brought to justice for upskirting in Cardiff city centre.

‘We follow up as many investigative options as possible, including CCTV, to trace those responsible for committing crime and to get justice for victims.

‘And in this case, it proved crucial.’

Upskirting became a criminal offence in England and Wales in April 2019 after campaigning by victims.

Gina Martin was enjoying The Killers concert in Hyde Park in 2017 when she was targeted by a voyeur, who took a picture of her crotch.

He reported it to the police, but found out the man had not broken any laws, which set off the campaign that saw thousands of women share their experiences of upskirting before the major legal change.

Since upskirting became a crime under the Voyeurism Act, police forces have logged more than 1,000 incidents, including hundreds of children as victims.

Britain’s public transport network has seen a rise in upskirting crime, with hundreds of women having been targeted while travelling since 2021.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: Bully who stuck his tongue out for mugshot after strangling woman is jailed

MORE: Bus driver arrested after schoolboy, 14, killed in Portsmouth Harbour crash

MORE: Woman, 38, posed as 12-year-old using teddy and high child’s voice to trick couple into adopting her

A bully described as ‘a clear danger to women’ has been jailed.

Charlie Stefano, 35, stuck his tongue out for the camera as his mugshot was taken after he was arrested for assaulting a woman in Chatham, Kent, in the early hours of February 13.

He grabbed her by the throat twice, dragged her across the floor and held her over a staircase, and snapped her phone in half.

The woman fled the address and ran to a petro station when Stefano tried to check whether neighbours had called to police.

Stefano, of Dagenham, east London, was tracked down and arrested hours later.

He admitted charges of intentional strangulation and causing actual bodily harm at Maidstone Crown Court.

Two further charges of criminal damage and engaging in coercive and controlling behaviour were ordered to lie on file.

He was jailed for two years and 10 months and given a six-year restraining order.

Detective Sergeant Leighton Prior said: ‘A woman has been traumatised by Stefano’s actions and I hope the prison sentence and restraining order could bring her some closure.

‘I would like to commend her courage in supporting his prosecution and ensuring a man who is a clear danger to women is now behind bars.’

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

MORE: Bus driver arrested after schoolboy, 14, killed in Portsmouth Harbour crash

MORE: Woman, 38, posed as 12-year-old using teddy and high child’s voice to trick couple into adopting her

MORE: First picture of man, 42, shot dead in car by gunman who went on the run

Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has plunged to single digits as US-Iran peace talks have ground to a complete halt.

Only seven commodity vessels passed through the waterway on Thursday, some of the lowest numbers seen in weeks, according to Kpler data. Four ships entered the Gulf while only three exited.

This number was down from 14 on Wednesday. No supertankers or liquefied natural gas carriers were recorded passing through the vital chokepoint through which one fifth of the world’s energy passes.

Between 130 to 140 vessels transited the passage every day, before US-Israeli strikes sparked the war with Iran on 28 February.

Oman, which has been working on a deal with Tehran to reopen the strait, said on Thursday that lasting security required permanent peace in the region and rejected further escalation or conflict.

Before a 60-day ceasefire deal expired on Monday, oil flows through Hormuz had nearly tripled with 6.1 million barrels per day transiting on average, according to Al Jazeera, citing a Kpler briefing published on Wednesday.

When the memorandum of understanding was signed in June this figure had dropped to around 2.3 million barrels per day. But despite the halting progress throughout the agreement period, numbers have not reached the heights of 15 million barrels a day that were seen before the conflict broke out.

The US has grown increasingly frustrated at a lack of progress with President Donald Trump threatening “TREMENDOUS” sanctions on Wednesday while US treasury secretary Scott Bessent vowed to impose the “toughest sanctions in history” against Iran on Thursday.

Tehran has hit back at the threats as “economic terrorism” and has previously warned it is preparing to switch to a “fully offensive” strategy in the event that America escalates its campaign.

Trump declared the vital waterway “new US territory” in a bizarre post on Truth Social on Tuesday accompanied by a map.

“The Naval Blockade remains in full force and effect,” he continued on the platform. “The Hormuz Strait is open and operating. All water mines have been removed or detonated.”

Oil prices have hit a three-week high amid the uncertainty.

Earlier this week, Tehran said that it was close to finalising a deal with Oman over Hormuz acknowledging that there had been delays in the agreement.

Parliamentary speaker Mohammed Bagher Ghalibaf said that the shipping route is to remain closed until the US meets the conditions agreed in an interim deal.

This includes lifting a marine blockade and sanctions as well as releasing Iran’s frozen assets.

Trump threatened to launch an attack on Oman on Monday, writing: “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the s**t out of them.”

He was later asked if he was out of patience with Oman and told reporters: “No, I don’t think they behaved very well, but we’d handle them very easily, just like we do other things.”

“Trump’s remarks are unlikely to fundamentally alter US-Oman ties, which are deep, multidimensional and institutionalised,” Neil Quilliam an analyst at Chatham House told The Independent.

He added: “If Trump repeats these types of remarks, then it will be more difficult for Oman to act as a trusted diplomatic bridge between Washington and Tehran.”

A country property that has hit the market in North Yorkshire may be the ultimate animal lovers’ pad. 

The five-bed detached house in Galphay near Ripon not only has plenty of space for four-legged friends to roam, but also a range of features designed to pamper pets. 

It spans more than 8,000 sq ft, sits in six acres of grounds and has extensive equestrian facilities. 

This includes paddocks and a manege – the term for an indoor riding arena. 

It also has five stables, a tack room and a horse wash – a dedicated area for hosing down horses. 

The property, which is on sale for £3.75million, also features a heated dog kennel. 

No expense has been spared on the property’s interior, which comes with a pool, plunge ice bath, cinema room and a games room. 

The house has a large luxury open-plan living, kitchen and dining room with exposed beams and floor-to-ceiling windows. 

The bespoke fitted kitchen is equipped with high-end integrated appliances, a central island and breakfast bar. 

It is being sold by agents at Fine and Country and is offered fully furnished.  

The main bedroom is on the ground floor and has bi-folding doors that open out to the garden, a dressing room with fitted wardrobes, and an ensuite. There are five bathrooms in the property in total. 

A connecting hallway leads to the right wing of the property, where there is a gym, swimming pool, sauna, and shower. Two of the bedrooms are in this wing and one has an outdoor terrace leading to the garden. 

Via a spiral staircase there is a cinema room, a built-in cocktail bar, a home office, and a five-metre viewing window overlooking the swimming pool below. 

A large garage outside is currently being used as a gym, games room, and ‘entertainment suite’. 

In the garden there are multiple patio areas, expansive lawns, a hot tub, and a plunge ice bath. 

The villages of Grantley and Kirkby Malzeard are a short drive away and the city of Ripon is about a 15 minute drive away. 

Down time: The property has a cosy cinema room and cocktail bar area 

Vast: The house has a large games room… and spot the car in the background 

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Turnkey condition: The house is being offered furnished and has been renovated throughout 

Stunning: The main bedroom has an extensive walk-in wardrobe and dressing space 

Live in luxury: You can live like a hotel guest in your very own luxury home 

Space: The house spans more than 8,000 sq ft and has five bedrooms and five bathrooms 

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Equestrian perks: The property comes with stables and extensive equestrian facilities 

Fun outdoors: There is an ice plunge pool outside and plenty of outdoor entertaining space

Move-in ready: The property boasts countryside views and is ready to move straight into 

Louise Smith, branch manager, Fine & Country Wetherby, told This is Money: ‘We expect the property to appeal to families who want the countryside and the equestrian side without giving up village life – the pub is a two-minute walk, there are primary schools in the neighbouring villages and a strong choice of secondary and independent education within easy reach in Ripon and Harrogate. 

‘The layout also lends itself to multi-generational living, with the wings giving extended families their own space under one roof.’

The typical British home increased in value by £5,000 in the year to June, recent official figures showed.

The average house price rose by 2 per cent year-on-year, according to the latest HM Land Registry data. 

This was a decline compared to April and May, when prices had risen by 4 per cent and 3 per cent respectively.  

House price growth has been weaker in early summer 2026 than it was in the same period last year. 

Average prices rose by just 0.1 per cent between May and June this year, compared with a 1 per cent increase in the same period a year ago.

However, the property industry is hopeful that the market will rebound in September.  

In previous years, Liberty has kicked off the advent proceedings at the end of July, with most retailers and brands following suit into August and September. In 2026, however, a glut of beauty advent calendars dropped in July, including Harrods, Lush, Tatcha and Fortnum and Mason. The majority of other advents were subsequently revealed – in one way or another, with some brands still holding exact product rosters close to their chests – through the first week of August. As it stands, only Selfridges is left among the big four London department stores (together with Harvey Nichols, Harrods and Liberty) to unveil its 2026 Christmas countdown.

In short, yes, beauty advent calendars are always worth more than what you’ll pay; however, you have to consider whether they’ll be worth it for you personally. I’ve been diving into the best beauty advent calendars since 2015 (my first was from M&S) and I can say with confidence that some brands undoubtedly offer a better haul than others. Key things to consider are:

• Do you travel a lot – Minis are part and parcel of a beauty advent calendar, so having a place to use them will be key.
• Are you unsure where to start in your skincare, haircare or make-up routine – Minis can also be a great way to introduce yourself to premium brands without forking out so much initially
• Do you have the time – With everything from face masks to hair bonding treatments within, these products will seriously level up your beauty regimen, but you’ll need to set aside an extra five or ten minutes to use them
• What’s your budget – If you’re looking to spend less than £100, you’ll definitely have less big-name brands to choose from your haul. I recommend tallying up the cost of the products you like the look of to ensure you’re getting more than £100 of value from those formulas specifically. Extra products aren’t valuable if you won’t use them.

Beauty advent calendars can range in price from £40 to £650, with brands such as Revolution (£37.50, Boots.com) sitting at the lower end, and luxury perfumers like Byredo in the premium price category. More typically, the core beauty advent calendars (from Boots to Harrods) cost between £100 and £285 – though I’d argue you don’t need to spend more than £250 to take home a seriously spectacular haul.

While there are calendars from make-up brands such as W7 (approximately £24) that offer beauty advent calendars below £30, I’d recommend looking to the likes of Revolution (£37.50, Boots.com), Soap and Glory (£43.20, Boots.com) and Boots x Macmillan (£44, Boots.com) for more exciting yet affordable products.

For instance, W7 mimics packaging from Charlotte Tilbury and Estee Lauder products – to name a few – but doesn’t *actually* replicate the formula. However the Boots x Macmillan calendar boasts best-selling brands including Liz Earle and No7. After all, if your calendar costs less but you never use the products within, have you really saved money?

In 2025 the Space NK beauty advent calendar was arguably the most popular and sold out within a few weeks of its September launch. In fact, in previous years it was reported that two Space NK advent calendars sold every minute after its release. Following closely behind the Cult Beauty advent calendar is always a best-seller and, this year, the Harrods fragrance advent calendar has already sold out, so I’m expecting the retailer’s main beauty offering to run out of stock in the coming weeks, too.

As a senior shopping writer, this will be Lucy Smith’s third year reviewing the best beauty advent calendars for IndyBest. Prior to her professional coverage, Lucy has been purchasing beauty advents from M&S, The White Company and more since 2015, putting her experience in the category at more than 10 years. Elsewhere, Lucy covers all the latest beauty launches – such as the Dyson supersonic travel dryer – year round, so she knows what the must-have products of 2026 are for this year’s advent offering. Plus, having reviewed everything from the best foundations to the best hyaluronic acid, she’s well versed in the brands that pop (and the ones that flop), so you can trust that her round-up of the best beauty advent calendars for 2026 isn’t full of hot air.

Read more: I’m a beauty addict and the John Lewis 2026 advent could be my favourite of the year

By IMOGEN GARFINKEL – SENIOR FOREIGN NEWS REPORTER

Published: 08:07 BST, 21 August 2026 | Updated: 09:40 BST, 21 August 2026

Having matched Martin’s 32 stoppages, Serrano believes returning to two-minute rounds for this 12-round bout could deliver the finish.

“We all want a knockout,” she says. “With the two minutes, I get to give it my all. It’s so much higher pace than three minutes. I can just give everything.”

Beyond Friday, the curtain is coming down. Serrano has mapped out a solitary farewell in Puerto Rico, targeted for later this year or early 2027.

While former undisputed super-bantamweight champion Ellie Scotney has moved up to featherweight and is targeting Serrano, the reigning champion remains focused on her exit strategy.

She has already begun guiding the next generation under MVP, managing talents like Krista Rosado and Alexis Chaparro.

“I love Ellie as a person, and as a fighter she’s great, but right now I’m concentrating on this fight,” Serrano says.

“Seventeen years, I’ve accomplished what I wanted. Now it’s time to enjoy the sport from the other side, watching them.”

Fittingly, long-time rival Taylor is also preparing for her own farewell against Flora Pili at Dublin’s Croke Park on 5 September.

“I already fought my dream opponent three times,” Serrano smiles. “Retiring so close together, we might share the Hall of Fame together.

“I wouldn’t be prouder than to share that moment with Katie Taylor. She’s a great champion and a great human being.”

Britain’s strictest head mistress has proved her critics wrong yet again with top GCSE results to rival Eton despite serving one of the capital’s most deprived areas.

Katharine Birbalsingh, head of Michaela Community School in Brent, north London, is celebrating more than 50 per cent of her entries being grade 9 – ten times the national average of 5 per cent.

In addition, 82 per cent of all grades were at least a 7 – the equivalent of the old A – compared with around 22 per cent nationwide.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Mail, she said: ‘I’m delighted. The teamwork at Michaela between the teachers and the kids, and the love that the staff have for the children, is what pulls them through. 

‘It means the kids are able to really hit their potential in ways that people wouldn’t possibly imagine. 

‘Every year I’m astonished by how well we do. It seems so unbelievable, for example, that it’s possible to get 50 per cent grade 9s. I feel really proud to be leading a school which is able to demonstrate what’s possible in the inner city.’  

Eton College, in Windsor, has not published its results yet this year, but in 2025 61.9 per cent of its grades were 9, and 94 per cent were at least a 7. 

The fact that Michaela’s results are not far behind is all the more remarkable because, unlike Eton, it has no entrance exam and has a completely ‘comprehensive’, mixed ability intake.

Katharine Birbalsingh, head of Michaela Community School in Brent, North London, (pictured) is celebrating more than 50 per cent of her entries being grade 9 – ten times the national average of 5 per cent

Some 82 per cent of Michaela entries got at least a grade 7 – the equivalent of the old A – compared with around 22 per cent nationwide (pictured: a pupil receives her results at Michaela)

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A pupil at Michaela reacts as she opens her results envelope

A pupil at Michaela reacts as she opens her results envelope

And while Eton, which has educated 20 British Prime Ministers as well as Princes William and Harry, charges fees of more than £65,000 per year, Michaela receives a fraction of this from the Government for each child. 

Ms Birbalsingh added: ‘Our results are certainly in the range of private schools. Even though we have no trees and no grass, no fields. We have no sports hall. We don’t even have a car park.

‘But rather than concentrating on what we don’t have, or each child thinking about the boys at Eton having it better, we think, “how can I make the most of what I’ve got”.

‘The whole school is emblematic of that and for the kids that idea is rooted in their souls.’

Ms Birbalsingh spoke as hundreds of thousands of pupils across the UK collected their GCSE results yesterday, with England giving grades on the 9-1 scale and Wales and Northern Ireland retaining the old A*-G system.

Four-fifths of Michaela pupils achieved at least one grade 9, and nearly one-fifth achieved eight or more grade 9s.

Meanwhile, 99 per cent of all GCSE grades at the school were 4 to 9, and 98 per cent were 5 to 9.

Ms Birbalsingh, 53, earned her moniker of ‘Britain’s strictest head mistress’ because of her focus on discipline, uniform and core academic subjects.

However, despite routinely delivering fantastic results, she has been a target for criticism from the Left for her traditional, ‘no excuses’ approach.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, she revealed A-level and GCSE results days are when she gets the most ‘hate’ on social media, mostly from teachers at other schools.

‘Every year in August, they go mad attacking us,’ she said. ‘It’s when our results come out that we get the most hate.’

Ms Birbalsingh congratulated her pupils on X yesterday morning

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Last week, on A-level results day, Ms Birbalsingh posted her results on X along with some videos of her pupils opening their envelopes.

‘Their problem last week was that I was celebrating,’ she said. ‘How dare I celebrate? It’s just insane. I put out a few videos saying, “Hooray, these kids have got these results. Isn’t it nice.”

‘They’d say I was crowing. But ultimately, it’s rooted in the fact that I’m very vocal about the fact that I think traditionalism works, that I think children need to be held to account, that I believe in strong discipline, and I believe in the adult being the authority in the room.

‘They don’t like that. And so, when we do well, and it sort of proves that traditionalism works, they don’t like it.’

It’s not a new phenomenon for Ms Birbalsingh, who has battled critics ever since she set up Michaela, an academy, in 2014 under the then Tory Government’s free schools programme.

The Oxford graduate, who was born in New Zealand and grew up in Canada, taught in tough inner London schools and became disillusioned with the education system.

She came to public attention at the Tory party conference in 2010 when she hit out at the low standards in Britain’s schools – causing her to fall out of favour with her own boss at the time.

Asked how it has felt facing down constant criticism over the years, she said: ‘Well, it’s not nice. Obviously, one doesn’t like being hated.

‘Especially when all I’m doing is trying to show people what works.

‘But we get 1,000 [teacher] visitors every year. So it’s not the case that all teachers are like this.

‘I have to say, the majority of teachers quietly come and visit us and learn from what we do and take those ideas back to their classrooms. And good for them.

‘But there are just some very loud teachers on X who are just constantly criticizing.’

A Michaela pupil celebrates his results

A Michaela pupil reacts as she opens her envelope

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Two friends at Michaela celebrate their results

A student showcases his grades

A pupil receives a hug for top results

Ms Birbalsingh pointed out that her core principles would not have been considered controversial 40 years ago – but in recent decades they have fallen out of fashion.

These ‘small c conservative values’ include ‘taking personal responsibility’, ‘duty towards others’, ‘sacrificing what’s important to you for the sake of the whole’, and ‘being part of a team’.

She added: ‘Young people these days are encouraged to embrace a sense of victimhood and to see themselves as oppressed by various powers, and as a member of a particular victim group.

‘We reject all of that wholesale and very much believe in jumping over the obstacles that are in front of us. We’re not constantly comparing ourselves to those who have more than us.

‘And I think that that attitude of taking personal responsibility means that, in the end we’re more likely to succeed because there’s a real positivity and an energy in the school that propels us forwards.’

Her views are at odds with those of the new Education Secretary Lucy Powell, who said earlier in the summer that forcing schools to focus too narrowly on academic achievement was failing disadvantaged pupils.

Ms Birbalsingh said it looked like the new minister wants to ‘utterly destroy’ the reforms of the previous Tory governments, which introduced tougher standards in these areas.

‘Standards will be completely obliterated, and English, maths, and science will fall out the window,’ she said. ‘[Ms Powell] feels bad for the kids who aren’t getting English, maths, and science, and so she, without much knowledge of the education system and what will realistically happen on the ground, thinks, “Oh, this will make things better”.

Michaela’s results are not far behind Eton College (pictured), despite having a completely comprehensive, mixed ability intake.

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Pictured: Ms Birbalsingh addressing the Tory party conference in 2010

‘It will only make things worse. Her ideas have already been demonstrated in the past to fail.

‘And it’s not the kids at Eton who will stop getting their English, maths, and science, is it? It’s the kids in the inner city and in the coastal towns.

‘We need to be increasing the number of kids who get these subjects, not decreasing it.’

Michaela has a ‘normal Brent intake’ due to entry being by council lottery, with most of the sixth form made up of students coming through from the younger years.

Some are those who did not get into the two local grammar schools, Henrietta Barnett and Queen Elizabeth’s – also known as QE Boys.

When they arrive, they do a seven-day behaviour ‘boot camp’.

‘People think that strict means mean, but it doesn’t,’ the head added. ‘It means that I love them enough to keep my standards high for them.’

She believes that ‘gentle parenting’ is responsible for many of today’s problems among the young, with some families reluctant to enact consequences for poor behaviour.

‘We talk about Gen Z not being able to take responsibility, being snowflakey, being worried about their feelings all the time, she said.

‘That is, I think, a direct result of gentle parenting, because they’re not told you need to take responsibility for whatever choices you’ve made. 

‘There’s a reason why children are suffering from mental health issues. They don’t feel happy. They’re not able to take control of their lives and take personal responsibility. They need to be trained with praise and punishment when they’re young.’

And for those GCSE pupils who did not get the results they were hoping for yesterday, Ms Birbalsingh had some characteristically no-nonsense advice. 

‘Yeah, well, you know, sometimes we fall down,’ she said. ‘Pick yourselves up. Keep on going.’

Responding to her comments about Ms Powell, a Department for Education spokesman said: ‘It is ridiculous to suggest this government wants anything other than excellence for every child in English, maths and science.

‘But forcing every young person down the same narrow academic route is leaving far too many out in the cold.

‘Every child should leave education with a passport to their future — high-quality options, academic, technical, creative or a mix, and the chance to follow the path that is right for them.’

Katharine Birbalsingh’s new podcast, Strictly Education, went live yesterday on YouTube.

Trumpington residents have expressed their frustration at road management in new developments still being in private hands

Cambridge residents living near the city’s latest railway station say enforcement must improve to stop a “surge” of parking. Clay Farm and Glebe Farm were built over the last decade, but developer Vistry remains responsible for managing the residential roads within the estates.

Cambridgeshire County Council said they have agreed in principle to adopt the roads at some point, but as of yet there is no legal agreement to do this.

David Plank, who has lived in Glebe Farm since 2014, said: “It really is a scandal that more than 10 years on none of the roads in those two developments have been adopted.”

A spokesperson for the county council said that developers can offer roads up for adoption, but the council has no powers to mandate this. They said it is not possible to say when these roads may be adopted but they remain content in principle to adopt the roads “once all technical and legal requirements have been fulfilled by the developer”.

Mr Plank, a member of the Trumpington Residents’ Association (TRA), said there has been “widespread non-enforcement” of parking restrictions and signs had either worn away over the years or been removed.

The 82-year-old said: “Cars were parked all over the place and in dangerous places like corners and bends, posing a danger not just to residents, but particularly to children. The residential roads in the new developments are used by children to play, not just for driving about at high speeds.”

He said that Pinnington Close, the street nearest the station, has been used for parking and the residents association is fighting to have parking signage put up there.

Dr Kevin O’Brien, a Clay Farm resident, said parking enforcement had been “very up and down” since moving in 2016 and “more or less” stopped during the pandemic.

The 56-year-old said: “It had been a major concern, but with the opening of Cambridge South we were very worried it would get a lot worse. There was a bit of a surge where we are – but we are quite far away from the station ourselves.”

He said that there’d been an increase in parking enforcement after residents started “making a lot of noise” for around three months but “it seems to have slipped away again”.

Other residents closer to the Long Road side of the development said they haven’t noticed much of an increase in parking since the station opened.

Lloyd Decruz said that he understands why the new signs warning of parking rules have gone up, but people visiting friends and family have been hit with tickets.

The 64-year-old said: “I’ve had guests come over and get parking tickets – there’s two bays for visitors and the signs never used to be up.”

Mr Plank said many TRA members have reported increased parking outside of designated areas close to the station, but added that they are “very supportive” of the decision not to provide parking other than for people with disabilities.

He said: “It is primarily a destination station for the Cambridge Biomedical Campus not a Cambridge south-wide and beyond suburban station.

“This is the basis upon which approval of the station’s construction was approved – and we argued for at the public inquiry.”

Councillor David Levien, Liberal Democrat county councillor for Trumpington, said concerns had been raised about parking and he has been in contact with both residents and the developer to discuss the situation.

Cllr Olaf Hauk raised a motion at Cambridge City Council asking for more transparency around who is responsible for managing roads in new developments where they are yet to be adopted.

The Lib Dem councillor said: “Cambridge needs new homes, but new homes must come with accountability. Residents should not have to wait more than ten years for promised facilities.

“They should not spend years wondering who is responsible for fixing basic problems, and councillors should not have to tell them, ‘I’m sorry, but there isn’t much more we can do.’”

A spokesperson for Vistry said they were aware of the concerns and had recently subcontracted parking management company BridgePAM to install signs and enforce restrictions.

They said: “Residents are being informed through direct communications and on-site signage, which explains the parking restrictions and management arrangements. We will continue to monitor the situation and work with residents to ensure access routes remain safe and operational while the roads remain under our management.”

A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said: “The council has been in dialogue with the developers throughout the design and construction phases of these developments. We approved the design of the streets and we have inspected the works throughout the entire construction period.”