Category Entertainment News

The Prince and Princess of Wales have shared a personal message to mark VJ Day to remember the “the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of all who served”.

Their powerful message comes after the King also paid tribute to those who fought and died in the Pacific and Far East during the Second Wolrd War, saying their service and sacrifice “shall never be forgotten”.

VJ Day on August 15 marks the anniversary of the end of the six-year-long war. Much of the celebration in 1945 focused on VE (Victory in Europe) Day in May, with those who served in the Far East labelled The Forgotten Army.

And in a special statement, William and Kate said: “Today, on the 80th anniversary of VJ Day, we remember the courage, sacrifice, and resilience of all who served. Today we especially think of those British and Commonwealth troops who fought in the Asia-Pacific.

“We owe an enduring debt to the generation who gave so much, and to whom we will always be grateful. Lest we forget. W & C”.

William and Kate will not be at the national service of remembrance later today at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. However, it will be attended by the King, Queen Camilla and the Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

In his message from earlier today, Charles hailed the “courage and camaraderie” of heroes who fought in the Pacific and Far East in “humanity’s darkest hour” as “a flame that shall blaze for eternity”.

He also significantly acknowledged the devastation caused by the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki which led to Japan’s surrender, describing the “immense price” on its citizens as one “we pray no nation need ever pay again”.

His reflection on the nuclear attacks, which paved the way for the end of the Second World War, comes at a time of increased concern about the global threat of nuclear conflict.

In an audio message to the nation, realms and Commonwealth, the King spoke of the horrors faced by allied prisoners of war “who endured years of brutal captivity: the starvation, disease and cruelty that tested the very limits of human endurance”, and the “mental and physical scars” the war left on those who survived.

And he vowed the service and sacrifice of VJ Day heroes “shall never be forgotten”, telling their families and the “sadly dwindling band of veterans”: “Please know that the courage and camaraderie displayed in humanity’s darkest hour is a flame that shall blaze for eternity – a beacon that honours our past and guides our future.”

The King, in what is believed to be the most direct reference by a British monarch to the suffering in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, said it was right to pause and acknowledge the impact of the “war’s final act” on the people of the Japanese cities.

“Innocent civilian populations of occupied territories faced grievous hardships, too,” he said in the broadcast released at 7.30am today. “Their experience reminds us that war’s true cost extends beyond battlefields, touching every aspect of life – a tragedy all-too vividly demonstrated by conflicts around the world today.

“On this landmark anniversary, we should also pause to acknowledge that in the war’s final act, an immense price was paid by the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki – a price we pray no nation need ever pay again.”

He added: “But in recalling so much suffering, we must not lose sight of how great was the cause and how sweet the victory.”

More than 90,000 British troops were casualties in the war against Japan, and nearly 30,000 died, while more than 12,000 Britons were among the 190,000 Commonwealth troops held as Prisoners of War by the Japanese. Of the Allied forces, the US suffered the greatest losses, with more than 100,000 killed in action.

In Hiroshima and Nagasaki, more than 200,000 people were killed by the US bombs and in the months after succumbing to radiation sickness, the effects of burns and other serious injuries.

Taylor Swift’s fans went wild when she announced her new album, Life of a Showgirl, but some have accused the Bad Blood billionaire of copying Aussie legend, Kylie Minogue

Taylor Swift has been slammed by some who have accused the Life of a Showgirl star of copying Kylie Minogue. The Bad Blood billionaire, 35, sent fans into a frenzy this week when she revealed her new album would be released on October 3 — just over a year and a half after the release of her 11th studio album, The Tortured Poets Department.

The Americana star poses to perfection on the new album cover, sporting a 1920s-style bejewelled headdress and barely-there bodysuit, encrusted with diamonds – and leaving very little to the imagination.

Looking longingly into the camera, Taylor leaves her long blonde hair loose and accessories with diamond cuffs, adorned with feathers, while sporting saucy fishnet tights. It comes as some accused the singer of risking alienating her fans with her new, sexed-up look.

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While many Swifties praised the star for her eye-popping new appearance, some reckoned Taylor had copied Aussie star, Kylie, who also posed as a showgirl for her album, Showgirl: The Greatest Hits Era.

Kylie commenced her Showgirl world tour in 2005 in Europe before travelling to her native Melbourne, where she was diagnosed with breast cancer, causing her to postpone the remaining dates.

Comparing the two pop icons, one fan said: “Kylie is the one and only showgirl! No shade to Taylor but Kylie is the ultimate.”

Meanwhile, another said: “There’s only one Showgirl and that’s Kylie!!” while a third person stated: “There is only one Showgirl and that’s our Kylie.”

However, responding to the claims, Kylie said there was room for everyone, as she took to Instagram, posting: “When all your friends start sending you your Showgirl mems!!! Awww.

“Showgirl life is ‘a thing’, multi dimensional and so much more than feathers and dazzle.

“Respect and admiration to all my fellow hard working Showgirls.”

Agreeing with Kylie, one of Taylor’s fans posted: “‘So is ‘showgirl’ only reserved for Kylie or what? Don’t get me wrong as I am a fan of both Kylie and Taylor… Was just wondering.”

Another said: “These comments dragging Taylor are exhausting. Kylie is one of my faves, but how about we stop pitting women against each other?”

Meanwhile, a third suggested the singers should record together, as they replied: “‘Kylie and Taylor should do a collab.”

It comes as Taylor confirmed the release of her latest album following weeks of speculation.

The pop star appeared on a podcast with her boyfriend, Super Bowl star, Travis Kelce, and his brother, Jason, which over 1.3 million people tuned in to.

Taylor is notoriously private and rarely gives interviews, however the Look What You Made Do star offered an insight into the album, which will be released in October.

Life Of A Showgirl, which she wrote on her Eras Tour and recorded to in Sweden, will feature 12 tracks, including a duet with Sabrina Carpenter. Speaking about the album, Taylor said: “This album is about what was going on behind the scenes in my inner life during this tour, which was so exuberant and electric and vibrant.”

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The high street retailer is stocking a ‘dazzling’ pair of shoes that resemble a pricier alternative

Primark is stocking a pair of ‘dazzling’ £22 shoes that resemble a designer style. The fashion retailer, known for its affordable clothing, shoes, and accessories, could have a new crowd-pleaser on its hands.

The high street chain has introduced new Spiral Diamante Heeled Sandals, available in cream or black, which look similar to a designer pair from Kurt Geiger. However, the KG Kurt Geiger Athena Sandals, available in black, gold or silver from Next for £99, retail for a much higher price.

Both pairs share similarities, as they each feature a spiral design that wraps around the ankle, sparkly embellishments, and a stiletto heel. However, the shoes are not completely identical, and shoppers may have their preferences between the shoes, which vary in colour and construction.

The product description for the black Primark shoes says: “Step into sparkle with these black spiral diamante heeled sandals. The slim stiletto heel and square toe create a sleek base, while two slim front straps shimmer with hotfix rhinestones.

“The standout spiral ankle strap wraps elegantly around your leg, covered in sparkling crystals for a bold, eye-catching look. With no buckle closure, the coiling strap offers a unique fit and style. Perfect for adding drama to your evening outfit, these sandals bring a dazzling finish that’s sure to turn heads.”

Meanwhile, the product description for the black Kurt Geiger shoes states: “This Athena heel is crafted in gold with a gold crystal embellished spiral ankle strap. The heel is in a high stiletto style. Heel height: 9cm.”

Primark’s offering has proven popular on social media. TikTok user @prmrkmeadowhall recently showcased the two Primark pairs in a video that earned over 60,000 views and more than 3,000 likes. The caption said: “GORGEOUS heels in at Primark! Designer inspired heels for just £22!” Viewers loved what they saw. One commenter praised: “Too cute.”

Someone wrote: “Now would u look at that. Primark can you bring chandelier heels in gold.” Meanwhile, another fan tagged a fellow social media user, writing: “I need the white ones so if you see them get them for me please n thankyouuuuu.” Their friend replied: “Very cutesy.”

As such, Primark’s offering could be a tempting alternative for fans of the Kurt Geiger style looking for a similar look for less. Alternatively, shoppers searching for a different diamante style might like Primark’s £20 Diamante Strappy Heeled Sandal, a more subtle style that resembles the ‘dazzling’ pair but does not have a spiral ankle strap.

Available in nude, the shoes are not an exact colour match for the other pair, but they could be just the ticket for fans looking for another elegant diamante style. The product description states: “Turn heads in these diamante strappy heeled sandals.

Countless videos about Princess Anne’s bold vintage fashion and her knack for recycling her outfits has earned her a whole new legion of fans on TikTok

Celebrating turning 75 today, Princess Anne has been given the unexpected title of ‘Queen of Recycling’ by TikTokkers who regard her as a fashion icon – despite her famous declaration that she would not go near social media “if you paid me.”

Gen Z can’t get enough of the accidental fashionista, who has released a picture to mark her birthday wearing a colour-block navy dress with white trim, which she was first pictured in at The King’s Foundation Awards at St James’ Palace in June.

Countless videos about the Princess Royal are getting thousands of views on TikTok, where influencers admire her bold outfits from the 1970s and commend her for recycling clothes – making them look fantastic at royal engagements 50 years on.

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Back in the 70s and 80s, Anne’s formal style consisted of brightly coloured tailored dresses and long, flowing floral gowns. Off duty, she often wore traditional country casuals, such as jeans and statement scarves.

And for one Tik Toker, Simon Glazin, who has an account dedicated to royal fashion from around the world, Princess Anne is a firm favourite.

Of her latest picture, he says: “I think we know by now that Anne is a superstar of the British Royal Family, Pictures and videos of her always show her smiling and having a sense of fun.

“And what a perfect dress too – demure yet statement, something she does so well, and one of her favourite colours – navy.

“We know she’s the queen of recycling her looks, and whilst most of us can’t wait to buy something new for birthday celebrations, she has chosen to re-wear this dress from June this year.

“In June she wore it with matching blue gloves, but I much prefer it without. It’s a great colour on Anne.”

The fashion blogger, who has almost 48,000 followers, regularly posts about Anne – with one post on her top five recycled looks receiving more than 100,000 views.

He says the vivid colours, bold prints and sleek tailoring, she wore in the 1970s established her as a trendsetter and, by rewearing outfits, she is now grabbing the attention of the younger generation. He explains: “What I love about her is it seems she is a bit oblivious that she is a fashion icon. Or if she does know it is a genius move.

“Definitely back in the 1970s, she wore some incredible stuff. There is an iconic picture of her where she is wearing this blue striped shirt with jeans with this amazing belt buckle and this necktie, which could be on the cover of Vogue right now.

“The 70s was definitely her era, but what is interesting about Princess Anne is that she will bring something back from the 70s and wear it now.” It is the sustainable element of her style that resonates with the TikTok generation.

Simon says: “From my TikTok I see the comments from people when I talk about Princess Anne and they are usually from younger people talking about how they never knew she recycled clothes.

“Because we now live in this very green conscious world, younger generations are really into recycling stuff with second-hand shops and thrift shops.

“When I did a video on her old 70s looks, the comments were overwhelming. They were all saying ‘I didn’t realise she wore this’, ‘I didn’t realise she had it in her’, ‘I didn’t know a royal could dress like that’. The comments are always from younger people saying ‘I would wear that now’.”

Prestigious Italian fashion house Fendi even remarked on her sustainable style, calling her “the chicest woman in the world” and praising her ability to “underline garments for life, not use and throw away”.

And Strictly host Claudia Winkleman said her wardrobe for the latest series of TV’s The Traitors was inspired by the princess.

Simon adds: “Most recently, she has been seen loads wearing these really cool Adidas ski sunglasses, and she was really ahead of the curve wearing them. It was really funny because you then saw them starting popping up on catwalks.

“There was this most incredible white, floral, to the floor dress she wore that had boho vibes with long sleeves with frills over it and oversized print over it, which is very now.

“There’s also an outfit from a village fete, where she nipped in her waist and wore a little cap sleeve, she did that quite a lot and this shirt dress vibe is very now too – we’ve seen it at Chloe and Celine on the catwalk.

“I think more than anything, we all love Princess Anne because you could imagine her not giving two hoots what people think. Like Princess Margaret, they both knew they weren’t going to be Queen, so I feel like this allowed them to do this.

A Californian TikTokker, posting as Allie – The Royalty Nerd – has 73,000 followers and posts saying she “loves” Anne’s 70s’ style, raving about the dress she wore when she became engaged to Captain Mark Phillips in 1973.

“It is so beautiful. The dress would also make a cute wedding dress nowadays too,” she posted, adding: “Anne also keeps her clothes forever and often rewears things which I really appreciate.”

London-based fashion expert Miranda Holder, who has 178,000 TikTok followers,is also an enthusiastic Anne supporter. She posted:”There’s been some epic fashion – and there still is – from Princess Anne, and there is a lot we can learn from her I salute you Anne, you are indeed a great fashion icon.”

EXCLUSIVE: The This Morning regular joined the panel on the ITV programme’s sister show Loose Women last week, and has now addressed her future on the show

Doctor Zoe Williams is hoping to make a return to Loose Women, after being a part of the show’s first-ever Loose Doctors episode last week. Alongside Dr Amir Khan, Dr Hilary Jones, and Dr Nighat Arif, the 45-year-old shared her expertise on a number of taboo topics as well as tips on how we can all improve our health.

Discussing her experience on the show, the This Morning regular said it was “an absolute privilege” to be a part of the episode, and expressed a desire to do it again.

She added: “The four of us are genuine friends as well as mutually respected doctors, so we felt able to have those really raw, honest conversations, and we had a lot of fun too.”

Asked if she would consider a return, Zoe continued: “Our hope is that there will be further episodes of Loose Doctors as we have so many ideas and so much more to share.

“It was difficult to narrow down what topics we would discuss on the first show. It somewhat depends on the response from the public, so if you loved it, please share.”

Zoe is mostly recognised for her regular appearances on This Morning, where she often gives her perspective on many health topics, including personal stories from guests.

From January 2026, the show will remain on television in its usual slot, though this isn’t the same for other programmes in the ITV schedule.

Lorraine Kelly’s self-titled show will air for just 30 minutes instead of an hour on a seasonal schedule, running 30 weeks of the year. Loose Women will follow suit, though it will retain its one-hour slot from 12.30pm to 1.30pm.

With the programme scheduled to air fewer episodes, there’s speculation that the current roster of 26 panellists may also face cuts.

For now, Zoe remains as a regular face on ITV and, as part of her hectic schedule, she has also partnered up with Tesco’s campaign to support their Free Fruit For Kids’ initiative.

As many parents will know, getting children to eat healthy food such as fruit can be a difficult task, but Zoe has three tips that can help with this.

She firstly suggests making the process fun, explaining: “Whether it’s a sticker chart or getting kids involved in preparing and cooking food, making the process fun and interactive can encourage the whole household to eat more fruit and veg.”

Secondly, the doctor believes pairing fruit with tasty extras can make it look more appealing.

“Sometimes all it takes is a little twist. Try serving apple slices with peanut butter, banana with yoghurt, or berries with granola. Fun pairings can help children get over texture or taste barriers,” she added.

Trying new recipes is Zoe’s third tip, adding: “Your five a day don’t have to come in the form of snacks or even whole fruit – you can incorporate fruit and veg into new recipes and formats like smoothies, juices or even desserts.”

“He’s been baptised by the girlies as the latest daddy of the internet, our therapist, and world leader”: Pitbull fans reveal why they enjoy dressing just like the beloved rapper

One of the best parts about living in London is deciphering who is playing in the O2 based on what women are wearing on the Tube. Western boots and sequins for Taylor Swift, pink cowboy hats for Chappell Roan. But picture this: a sea of young women in bald caps, svelte black suits and aviators, as far as the eye can see.

In June 2025, Pitbull lived up to his stage name of Mr Worldwide, and started a global movement amongst his fans, in which women attending his concerts (and it does appear to be largely women) have elected to dress exactly as the singer. Distinctive elements of his appearance include the bald head, black suit and facial hair.

In fact, according to TikTok’s recent The Big Shop Report, Pitbull’s 2025 Party After Dark tour saw a 420% spike in costume sales, which includes the bald caps and fake soul patches, while #PitbullConcert views increased by over 6000% between May 25 and June 25.

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From Paris to Dublin, TikTok videos have gone viral of large groups of women in this exact uniform making their way from bus stops and train stations. They have accumulated millions upon millions of views, even inspiring their own ‘Pitbull concert FOMO’.

But what is it actually like to attend one of these concerts? And why has the 44-year-old Miami rapper inspired such a loyal, young, female fanbase keen to cosplay as him? I spoke to two Pitbull fans behind some of this year’s most viral TikTok bald-cap videos.

Nicole, who posted her viral video under @whatnicolebakes, attended Pitbull’s concert in the O2 London with a close friend in June. She says they spent under £100 each on the costumes and tickets. “Everyone was dressed as Pitbull in suits, bald caps and drawn on facial hair,” she tells The Mirror. “If you weren’t dressed like that, you stuck out.”

But what inspired Nicole to become one of the bald-capped masses? She claims she’s been a fan of the Worldwide star since “the very beginning”. Nicole reveals: “I grew up listening to his music and the love really started from his earlier popular releases like Hotel Room Service, I Know You Want Me, and International Love, and it’s continued ever since.”

Where does the appeal come from? Nicole says: “Pitbull’s songs are timeless. They’re catchy and get everyone dancing instantly, and you can’t not sing along to some of his greatest hits!”

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Plus, it’s not just about the music. Although she’s never met him, Nicole believes he’s “genuinely a great, inspirational person.” She declares: “He’s been baptised by the girlies as the latest daddy of the internet, our therapist, and world leader.”

It might sound somewhat implausible to the casual Pitbull listener. After all, doesn’t he mainly sing about drinking, hooking up in hotel rooms and “dale”? But the term ‘Pitbull therapy’ has been running around online circles for a while now, with fans sharing videos of his feel-good sayings.

Nicole explains: “His Pitbull-isms and lyrics are iconic and have been ingrained into the brains and hearts of people everywhere. My personal favourite is ‘This for everybody going through tough times. Believe me, been there, done that. But every day above ground is a great day, remember that.’”

Saff (@saffronleijs) attended Pitbull’s O2 concert last November and has a similar story. She says her bald cap, sunglasses and tie only came to about £10. As for Pitbull’s music, she says she’s been listening to it for years and has loved it since she was “18 and clubbing”.

She describes the night: “The whole experience getting to the concert dressed as Pitbull was so funny and then getting closer to the O2 seeing more and more Pitbulls was hilarious. The whole energy of the concert was incredible and still the best concert I’ve ever been to!”

Of course, there is something nostalgic about Pitbull’s music. He encapsulates a specific kind of 2010s party essence: a never-ending fiesta of good vibes, free-flowing drink and unselfconscious fun . Who else would inspire so many women to ditch the opportunity to get dressed up for a night out and instead imitate the artist himself?

But there remains the big question: what does Pitbull himself make of his thousands of doppelgangers? He recently told the BBC that it makes him “very, very happy”. He added: “Every time I’m at a show, I let them know that when you put on a bald cap, I hope you’re ready to have the time of your lives – it feels deeper than just music.”