Category News

This winter, we’re all on the hunt for the perfect pair of walking boots that can survive the wet and cold weather ahead – and this pair is proving a favourite among shoppers

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Although not confirmed, it appears that Princess Charlotte wore a pair of Dubarry of Ireland walking boots in recent photos of her embracing the outdoors, adopting a style reminiscent of her mother’s go-to country look. The pair looked to be these Waterford Country Boots, in a versatile and stylish brown shade, which are a hit with shoppers.

Hailed as “perfect” for walking in winter, these could be the waterproof Chelsea boots you need for hikes or dog walks in the elements this year, with a Royal-inspired style.

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Touted as having all the performance and technology of the brand’s iconic country boot collection, combined with the smart style of women’s Chelsea boots. The Dubarry Waterford shoes are waterproof and breathable, featuring a GORE-TEX Product Technology lining to keep your toes warm and dry as you explore the outdoors.

These boots also boast a duo compound PU and rubber sole, which provides durable comfort and shock absorbency, ensuring you can rely on them to keep you steady on any terrain. These shoes are constructed from leather uppers, which feature a DryFast-DrySoft water-resistant finish.

The boots’ neat, elasticated panelled sides ensure a snug and secure fit, suitable for any foot and ankle size, allowing you to enjoy top-tier comfort wherever you walk.

Whether you pair them with jeans, winter-ready knitwear, thermal leggings like those Princess Charlotte opted for, or a quilted jacket that the Royals love, these boots promise both practicality and style.

Available in sizes EU 36 to 42, these boots come in a wide range of versatile shades, including various brown hues or black, depending on your aesthetic. These boots retail for £229.

Shoppers who have picked up a pair can’t stop singing their praises, as one 5-star reviewer raves: “Comfortable, stylish and so well made, I am delighted with my boots. They look great with slim-fit jeans as well as a skirt. I wear them in the fields and on trips to town. Very comfortable right from day one and quick to relax for ease of getting on and off. I have bought several items from Dubarry, it’s my go-to place for country wear, my favourite store.”

Further praise comes from this buyer who beams: “Great boots, perfect for walking the dog. Initially very tight to get on and off. Very comfortable.”

Another shopper says: “The Waterford are the most comfortable pair of boots that I own. They are perfect in every way. One needs a shoe horn, though! That’s why shoe horns exist, for form-fitting footwear. These boots will be a constant companion for years to come!”

While a fourth enthuses: “Comfortable right out of the box. Stable sole in the winter. Style is nice enough to wear to work. Good investment.”

And this buyer notes: “I love my new ankle boots. They’re like slippers. Very comfortable.”

Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden left her co-star stunned as she reflected on her wedding anniversary with husband Chris Hughes

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Amanda Holden celebrates her 17th wedding anniversary with husband Chris Hughes today – but there is no sign of romance. Returning to the airwaves on Wednesday, the Heart Radio host revealed how a humorous blunder occurred on what should be a day of love and appreciation.

Kicking off the show, alongside co-presenter Jamie Theakston, the 54-year-old gushed: “It’s my wedding anniversary today, 17 years ago we got married today at four o’clock.

“And I really wanted it to snow so I had a snow effects company who came to make it snow.

“And Father Christmas popped in with some reindeers because Lexi [their eldest daughter] was nearly three, and oh my gosh it feels like yesterday.”

When Jamie asked if they celebrate such occasions, Amanda confessed the couple typically don’t bother with grand gestures.

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“We’re a bit rubbish at it, no, we sort of go, ‘Happy anniversary darling’ and I mean, I woke up this morning to one of the dogs having a poo,” she shared.

Jamie quipped back: “Oh that’s nice, is that what it is for 17 years?”

“It’s actually furniture,” Amanda responded, revealing she had already looked up the traditional anniversary gift list.

She added: “I can’t see what else to get Chris, but what I was going to say was, I cleaned everything and bleached everything, but I left the dog poo wrapped up in kitchen roll on the side!

“I was meant to put it in a bin bag and then put it in the bin before I go into the car.

“So I’ve had to text Chris, ‘Happy anniversary, I’ve accidentally left dog poo on the side for you’. Oh my God, poor Chris,” she confessed.

Later in the programme, the Britain’s Got Talent judge shared her husband’s response with listeners.

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“He said, ‘I love you too’, he sent me a picture [of it] this morning,” she revealed.

Amanda and Chris have been an item for over two decades and are parents to two daughters; Lexi, 19, and Hollie, 13.

The couple first crossed paths in Los Angeles in 2003, before saying their vows five years later at St Margaret’s Church in Somerset.

Chris is Amanda’s second spouse, following her marriage to Les Dennis. The ex-couple were hitched from 1995 to 2003, but split after Amanda had an affair with Neil Morrissey.

In a previous interview with HELLO! Magazine, Amanda opened up about her second marriage, saying: “Chris is very funny and errs on the side of lightness. We can make jokes out of any situation throughout the best and darkest times of our lives.

Paralympian swimming star Ellie Simmonds lifts the lid on who she wants to win Strictly this year – and reflects on her own ‘life-changing’ appearance in 2022 with Nikita Kuzmin

Paralympian Ellie Simmonds OBE, 31, says there’s one person and one person only that she wants to see lifting the Strictly glitterball as the final of the BBC show looms.

The swimming star, who appeared on the sequin-filled show in 2022 alongside pro partner Nikita Kuzmin, exclusively tells the Mirror, “I’m rooting for Karen Carney – that’s who I’m getting all my mates to vote for at weekends! She’s just incredible.”

“She’s a top sportswoman, which is obviously close to my heart – and to make that transition from football to dancing look so easy… What she’s doing with Carlos [Gu] is phenomenal. I’d love to see her lift that glitterball.”

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But Ellie, 31, is also rooting for her old dance partner Nikita, she says – who last weekend survived the dreaded dance-off with his partner this year, theatre star Amber Davies.

“Of course, I can’t forget Nikita, he’s doing brilliantly with Amber. We haven’t really stayed in touch since the show, he’s super busy, but he was the best partner – and I follow his journey avidly on social media!”

As for her own trailblazing appearance on the show, which saw Ellie reach week 7, before being eliminated after losing in the dance-off to EastEnders ’ Molly Rainford, she says it was ‘life-changing’.

“It was amazing and it meant so much to me. Strictly is just incredible for representation and educating people on disabilities. What blind comedian Chris McCausland did last year was phenomenal. He, and Dianne Buswell, showed millions of viewers that people – disabled or otherwise – can do whatever they put their minds to. They may have to adapt things to do it – but the sky’s the limit.”

And Ellie feels immensely proud to have the platform to speak openly about disability, and raise awareness. “I feel so privileged – and to do it alongside brilliant people, like comedian Rosie Jones, Sophie Morgan…

“Hopefully we can help children and their parents out there – let them know they’re not alone – and that their child with a disability is going to be OK.”

Meanwhile, Ellie tells us, she’s been busy working alongside the charity Dog’s Trust, who she’s been a Celebrity Ambassador for since July of this year.

She says, “I’ve seen the amazing work they do, and visited their dog’s rehoming centre in Harefield. I was at their Christmas carol service last week. They do amazing work.”

She is supporting a campaign about the Happy Place Index, based on research carried out by the charity Dogs Trust, with 5,000 owners up and down the country, on what makes people’s dogs happy and content.

“We all know dogs become such a huge part of the family – and they can be so therapeutic when you’re going through tough times..

“So it’s about making sure they’re OK. The research has found that dogs have been left on their own for a long time, up to 5 hours which is making them anxious – they say 4 hours is best. There’s lots of tips and tricks on how to decrease their dog’s anxiety when they’re on their own. “

And Ellie is starting her own fostering journey in the New year, she says. “I’ve just moved house, I was renting and have bought my own place so I couldn’t do anything before the move.

“You can adopt or foster – and that could be a week, a month – it gets them away from kennels and used to living in a loving home.”

Before that, it’s Christmas with the family – but the sporting star is feeling a tad unprepared. “ I’m a disaster, I’ve done no Christmas shopping and I only put my tree up last night! But I am starting to feel festive, and I’ll be spending the day up in Birmingham with my family.

“I can’t wait. Then next year hopefully I’ll be welcoming a little four-legged friend home for cuddles!

For more on Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, see www.dogstrust.org.uk.

Paralympian swimming star Ellie Simmonds lifts the lid on who she wants to win Strictly this year – and reflects on her own ‘life-changing’ appearance in 2022 with Nikita Kuzmin

Paralympian Ellie Simmonds OBE, 31, says there’s one person and one person only that she wants to see lifting the Strictly glitterball as the final of the BBC show looms.

The swimming star, who appeared on the sequin-filled show in 2022 alongside pro partner Nikita Kuzmin, exclusively tells the Mirror, “I’m rooting for Karen Carney – that’s who I’m getting all my mates to vote for at weekends! She’s just incredible.”

“She’s a top sportswoman, which is obviously close to my heart – and to make that transition from football to dancing look so easy… What she’s doing with Carlos [Gu] is phenomenal. I’d love to see her lift that glitterball.”

READ MORE: ‘I tested Christmas dinner boxes from Aldi, Iceland, and Sainsbury’s – there’s one clear winner’

But Ellie, 31, is also rooting for her old dance partner Nikita, she says – who last weekend survived the dreaded dance-off with his partner this year, theatre star Amber Davies.

“Of course, I can’t forget Nikita, he’s doing brilliantly with Amber. We haven’t really stayed in touch since the show, he’s super busy, but he was the best partner – and I follow his journey avidly on social media!”

As for her own trailblazing appearance on the show, which saw Ellie reach week 7, before being eliminated after losing in the dance-off to EastEnders ’ Molly Rainford, she says it was ‘life-changing’.

“It was amazing and it meant so much to me. Strictly is just incredible for representation and educating people on disabilities. What blind comedian Chris McCausland did last year was phenomenal. He, and Dianne Buswell, showed millions of viewers that people – disabled or otherwise – can do whatever they put their minds to. They may have to adapt things to do it – but the sky’s the limit.”

And Ellie feels immensely proud to have the platform to speak openly about disability, and raise awareness. “I feel so privileged – and to do it alongside brilliant people, like comedian Rosie Jones, Sophie Morgan…

“Hopefully we can help children and their parents out there – let them know they’re not alone – and that their child with a disability is going to be OK.”

Meanwhile, Ellie tells us, she’s been busy working alongside the charity Dog’s Trust, who she’s been a Celebrity Ambassador for since July of this year.

She says, “I’ve seen the amazing work they do, and visited their dog’s rehoming centre in Harefield. I was at their Christmas carol service last week. They do amazing work.”

She is supporting a campaign about the Happy Place Index, based on research carried out by the charity Dogs Trust, with 5,000 owners up and down the country, on what makes people’s dogs happy and content.

“We all know dogs become such a huge part of the family – and they can be so therapeutic when you’re going through tough times..

“So it’s about making sure they’re OK. The research has found that dogs have been left on their own for a long time, up to 5 hours which is making them anxious – they say 4 hours is best. There’s lots of tips and tricks on how to decrease their dog’s anxiety when they’re on their own. “

And Ellie is starting her own fostering journey in the New year, she says. “I’ve just moved house, I was renting and have bought my own place so I couldn’t do anything before the move.

“You can adopt or foster – and that could be a week, a month – it gets them away from kennels and used to living in a loving home.”

Before that, it’s Christmas with the family – but the sporting star is feeling a tad unprepared. “ I’m a disaster, I’ve done no Christmas shopping and I only put my tree up last night! But I am starting to feel festive, and I’ll be spending the day up in Birmingham with my family.

“I can’t wait. Then next year hopefully I’ll be welcoming a little four-legged friend home for cuddles!

For more on Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, see www.dogstrust.org.uk.