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Post by Admin on Oct 6, 2014 22:58:57 GMT
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall, have arrived at St Peter's Church in Edensor for the funeral of the late Dowager Duchess of Devonshire, Deborah Mitford. Charles and Camilla looked sombre as they entered the church in Derbyshire just behind the hearse and the Duke of Devonshire. The pair were amongst the hundreds of mourners who gathered to celebrate the life of the 94-year-old woman, who was the last of the famous Mitford sisters. Around 200 guests packed into the church but hundreds more crowded outside to follow the funeral on two giant screens. Canon Dave Perkins led the service, which began with the hymn Holy, Holy, Holy, and the Dowager Duchess was later laid to rest in the Cavendish family plot. The Duchess lived at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire, and the garden of the estate will be open all afternoon for a celebration of her life, following the Duchess's express wishes that no memorial service was held. As the hearse left the estate on Thursday morning for the church, 600 of the estate's staff lined the route to pay their respects. Charles and Deborah were close friends, and when the Duchess died last month at the age of 94, Charles issued a personal tribute, in which he spoke of his and the Duchess of Cornwall's "deep sadness". "We shall miss her so very much," he said, describing her as a character who "will not easily be forgotten". He continued: "She was a unique personality with a wonderfully original approach to life, and a memorable turn of phrase to match that originality.
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Post by Admin on Oct 26, 2014 22:51:11 GMT
Prince Charles has spoken of the late Lynda Bellingham, calling her a "wonderful ambassador". "I did just want to pay, if I may, a special tribute to Lynda Bellingham, who was, as many of you know, a wonderful ambassador for Prime," the Prince told guests at the launch of the new report f Prince's Initiative for Mature Enterprise (Prime). "Personally I was greatly saddened to learn that she had passed away this week. As you know, she was not only a marvellous actress but also someone who worked tirelessly for others." Lynda was also an ambassador for the organisation, which is part of Charles's charity Business In The Community, which helps the over 50s start their own businesses. The 66-year-old actress passed away on Sunday "in her husband's arms" after losing her battle with cancer. The sad news came days after Lynda filmed her final farewell episode for Loose Women, which aired on Wednesday. She received a standing ovation from the audience as she walked out of the ITV show. As the star of the Oxo adverts, Lynda was everybody's favourite TV mum, and a new generation came to love her through chat show Loose Women. The death of the actress united fans and fellow celebrities in grief, with actor Simon Pegg describing Lynda as a "gorgeous, brassy, funny, generous, talented human being" and "My first TV mother figure".
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Post by Admin on Feb 7, 2015 22:28:27 GMT
The Prince of Wales has arrived in Jordan's capital Amman at the start of a six-day tour of the Middle East. Prince Charles was greeted by a small entourage including Jordanian King Abdullah II's religious adviser, Prince Ghazi Bin Muhammad. The prince will hold bilateral talks with King Abdullah on Sunday. The country is still reeling from the murder of 26-year-old Jordanian air force pilot Moaz al Kasasbeh by Islamic State (IS). The heir to the throne was urged to press the Gulf state's new monarch over the treatment of blogger Raif Badawi, who faces a decade behind bars and 1,000 lashes for discussing domestic politics on his website. World leaders have condemned the barbaric punishment of the free speech champion, who was convicted of insulting Islam and sentenced to receive 50 lashes every Friday for 20 weeks. It will be the Prince's second visit to the controversial Arab state in as many weeks, coming just 10 days after the death of the nation's 90-year-old monarch Abdullah. Charles was amongst dozens of world leaders and dignitaries criticised for travelling to Riyadh following the death of the king, who ruled a country marked by abuses of free speech and women's rights and has been succeeded by his ageing brother Salman. Leading human rights charity Amnesty International UK said the Prince should also use his influence to highlight the plight of workers involved in building projects for the 2022 football World Cup in Qatar. There have been allegations that vulnerable migrants - many from the poorest parts of India and Nepal - are being enslaved and forced to work in horrendous conditions as the oil-rich state gears up for the world's biggest sporting event. The Prince will begin his tour of the region in grief stricken Jordan, which is in mourning after the brutal killing of 26-year-old fighter pilot Moaz al Kasasbeh by the Islamic State. Footage of the brave airman's gruesome execution, showing him being locked in a cage and burnt alive with petrol, sent shockwaves of revulsion around the world. The Middle Eastern state, which is part of a US-led coalition involved in airstrikes on the barbaric group, responded this week by bombing arms stores and bunkers near the terrorists' de facto capital Raqqa.
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Post by Admin on Mar 19, 2015 22:11:14 GMT
Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla continued their whirlwind visit to Washington on Thursday, paying visits to presidents, meeting veterans, immigrants and local police. And Prince Charles tried his hand at bowling. Their third day started with a trip to President Lincoln's Cottage — his summer home — in northwest Washington, on the sprawling campus of the Armed Forces Retirement Home. Built in 1851, it predates Lincoln's Cottage. Charles wore a double-breasted blue suit. Camilla had on a taupe-colored (oyster, the British called it) coat and dress by a favorite, Bruce Oldfield, with silky circular insets at the sides. She had British tan-colored bag and sensible shoes, and gold and diamond jewelry, including an impressive brooch by Van Cleef and Arpels Kristina. At Lincoln Cottage, the couple were met by Erin Carlson Mast, director of the site, who briefed them on the history, educational and preservation programs of the cottage. Mast presented Charles with two gifts — the book Lincoln's Sanctuary, about the cottage, and for his grandchild, Prince George, the book What Do You Do With An Idea? The cottage is known as the place where Lincoln developed the Emancipation Proclamation and, according to the cottage's site, served as bookends for the Civil War — Lincoln first visited the grounds three days after his inauguration and last rode out to the site the day before his assassination.
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Post by Admin on Mar 21, 2015 21:48:49 GMT
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall have certainly packed a punch while on their tour of the US, cramming in plenty of sights during their four-day visit and attracting visitors from far and wide. And the final day of their tour saw the couple receive a warm message from boxing royalty. Boxing legend Muhammad Ali paid tribute to the Prince as he and Camilla arrived in his home city of Louisville - describing the heir to the throne as 'the greatest'. The sport star's words came in a letter - not in person - as he was not well enough to join leading figures from the city at a cultural greeting for Charles and Camilla. But the presence of the three-time former world heavyweight boxing champion was still felt when a letter written by him was read to the prince. The 73-year-old sports star, considered by many to be the greatest boxer of all time, retired in 1981 and has suffered with Parkinson's disease since the mid-1980s. The royal couple were visiting the Kentucky Centre for African American Heritage - a stone's throw from Ali's childhood home - Louisville's Mayor Greg Fischer welcomed the royal couple. The welcome was, on every level, a traditional one. A choir serenaded with a rendition of 'My Old Kentucky Home' and later the couple toured stands showcasing the state of Kentucky and Louisville's heritage, culture, history and sustainability projects.
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