Archive June 9, 2025

When Princess Eugenie married Jack Brooksbank, many were left puzzled by an empty seat in the front row of guests. As people speculated on the reason behind the unoccupied chair, it turns out the cause was a strict royal protocol from the Queen herself.

When Princess Eugenie tied the knot with Jack Brooksbank, the joyous affair saw all the royal family in attendance to celebrate their union. Eugenie and Jack married in St. George’s Chapel in Windsor almost seven years ago, with the guest list boasting Queen Elizabeth and other senior royals, as well as superstar royal friends such as singer Robbie Williams and supermodel Cara Delevingne.

While more than 850 people were in attendance to watch Eugenie and Jack exchange vows and rings, one unusual detail caught the eye of many royal fans. Although the busy chapel was filled with guests, one prime seat directly in front of Queen Elizabeth was left empty, despite it being the best seat in the house.

Many were quick to speculate on the reason behind the unoccupied seat, with some believing it was due to a no-show on the day, and others claiming it was left empty to pay respect to a deceased relative.

However, it was actually due to tradition that the seat in front of her was kept empty so her view of the altar was not obstructed. This specific seat is also said to be one the late Queen “didn’t find comfortable”, explaining why she opted to sit in the second row of pews.

Historically, the Queen and the royal family would sit in the right hand choir pews at St George’s Chapel, with the Queen sitting on the far-right as the rest of the senior royals sat to her left.

For the occasion of Eugenie’s nuptials, the then-Prince Charles, Prince William, Kate, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle joined her in the second row.

The bride’s parents, Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew, sat in the front row alongside Princess Beatrice and Zara and Mike Tindall, but they all sat further along the pew.

This gave the late Queen, who stood at a mere five foot and three inches, an unobstructed view of the wedding ceremony. The same seat was also left empty months earlier when Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married in the same chapel.

The late monarch also memorably sat in the same spot at the 2021 funeral of Prince Philip, her husband of 73 years, sitting alone in the pew due to Covid social distancing restrictions. According to sources at Buckingham Palace, the seat is still kept empty as the tradition has continued since Charles became King.

At Queen Elizabeth’s committal service in 2022 shortly after her passing, the chair in front of Charles was kept empty. There have also been occasions when the Royal Family has honoured the deceased by leaving a chair vacant.

Since their star-studded wedding in 2018, Eugenie and Jack have welcomed two children. Their eldest son, August, was born in February 2021, and he became a big brother in May 2023 when Ernest was born.

At the time of Ernest’s birth, Eugenie explained the significance of his full name: Ernest George Ronnie Brooksbank. She said: “He is named after his great great great Grandfather George, his Grandpa George and my Grandpa Ronald.”

Brianne Howey refreshes her skin while filming for Netflix’s Ginny and Georgia with an £18 face mist

Ginny and Georgia series three hit Netflix with a bang last week, and if you’ve already binge-watched all ten episodes, you’re not alone. News that series four has been confirmed broke over the weekend, so we’re looking to get our G+G fix in other ways until it’s back on our screens.

We’ve been doing a bit of research into Georgia star Brianne Howey’s skincare routine, after spending all of series three gawking in awe at her flawless skin. And while she doesn’t post too much herself on Instagram outside of sharing glamorous snaps from premieres, we did come across her whole skincare regime courtesy of Glamour US.

Speaking about filming for Ginny and Georgia, Brianne said: “There are lots of emotional scenes, so you’re taking makeup off, then reapplying. That’s where I feel like I have to take the most care of my skin.”

She then goes on to list a host of rather pricey products, including two buys from La Mer, she turns to while filming. However, in amongst the high-end products is an affordable gem that you can shop over here: Caudalie’s Beauty Elixir, £18 on LookFantastic.

“I didn’t discover Caudalie until I was in Paris this summer,” she explained. “Obsessed. I use it too much. I go through a bottle every two weeks. She smells so good. My girlfriend also swears by it for hangovers.”

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Tick and tick. Made with 100% natural-origin ingredients, this multitasking mist is basically your skin’s new BFF, prepping it before make-up, setting everything in place and giving your complexion a little pick-me-up whenever it needs it – ideal for Brianne to mist in-between scenes. The formula is as soothing as it sounds: a refreshing burst of moisture that instantly smooths, soothes and plumps, leaving you with a soft, dewy luminosity. It’s no wonder this little green bottle is beloved by A-list make-up artists and celebrities alike, including Margot Robbie and Victoria Beckham.

It packs a glow-boosting trio of green grape, orange blossom and a medley of nourishing plant oils, all working together to deliver antioxidant goodness and a rosy, radiant finish. And while it’s handy if you’re on film, it’s equally as useful if you’re mid-commute, on a plane, post-workout or heading to dinner from your desk.

There isn’t a mention on Caudalie’s product page of it being a little-known hangover cure, but we can see where Brianne is coming from. The mist gives a temporary pore-tightening and toning effect– kind of like a cold compress with attitude. The minty, herbal scent and fine mist are also very invigorating. It’s like splashing your face with a fancy herbal iced tea. Since the smell of mint is also known to relieve nausea, it’s very likely the scent of the mist also helps with that.

The pop star, 37, stressed the importance of speaking out about her emotions after being diagnosed with early-stage cancer

Jessie J has opened up about the tears and panic attacks she’s experienced amid her ongoing health battle. While the pop star is determined to remain positive, she said yesterday was by far the ‘worst day’ she’s faced since being diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer.

Posting to her Instagram Story last night, Jessie said: “Honesty. Had my worst day so far yesterday since my diagnosis and the busiest three months I have had in years. Work. Toddler. Cancer. Life etc had my mind.

“Panic attacks/tears/big fears/anger/overwhelm. Bad. And you know what helped?” In a subsequent post, she continued: “I ate a corn on the cob. Turns out it’s extremely hard to panic or cry while eating one. Highly recommend.”

Despite the tough day, Jessie stressed the importance of speaking out about emotions and being authentic amidst personal challenges. In doing so, she believes you may learn to better cope with the problem and heal over time.

This morning, she continued: “It’s key to acknowledge fear, anger, sadness, panic, overwhelm and let it come up and come out. Holding it in won’t make it go away. In any challenging situation in life.

“So, when I posted what I did yesterday about my current challenge in life, also while making light of the situation. That was one day in 10 weeks that I just lost it and was completely drowned in all the negative and bad feelings any cancer journey can bring.

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“Which is healthy and needed. [In my opinion]. I say this because I have had a lot of people since I posted that say to me things like, ‘Don’t think about the negative’ and ‘To beat this you have to stay strong’, ‘Good thoughts only’ – and don’t get me wrong, I know all are meant with well intention and love.

“But it’s sparked me thinking about how interesting it is in what we individually see as being strong is. I have always advocated for being real. Honest in your feelings. We cannot heal what we don’t acknowledge etc.

“Just don’t unpack your suitcase and live in it. Or let it define you… So I will cry. I will be scared. I will panic. I will feel all of it for a minute or even a full day. And then eat a corn or listen to a song that lifts me up.

“Or laugh with a friend on [FaceTime]. And then go and be Mum, and go to work and show up and be what I feel 90% of the time. Strong, fearless, healthy, and make some jokes about it all because that’s my way. But I will not ignore the 10% that is fear and the sadness.”

In a separate post last week, Jessie also emphasised that while ‘cancer sucks in any form’, she is eager to remain hopeful and is holding on to the word ‘early’. The 37-year-old is due to undergo surgery following her performance at Capital Radio’s Summertime Ball, which is taking place on June 16.

“It breaks my heart that so many people are going through so much similar and worse – that’s the bit that kills me,” she said last week. “I just want to just let you guys know it wasn’t something I’d planned, but yeah.”