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Camilla storms out of event after King Charles ‘goes on and on’ about BBC actress’ legs

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Charles, then Prince of Wales, complimented Carli Norris, of EastEnders and Doctors fame, at a function – but it is said Camilla was unhappy he continued to talk about the star

Camilla and Charles, pictured on Sunday, were referenced in a podcast this week(Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Camilla allegedly stormed out of a function after the then Prince Charles kept “going on” about an actress’ “very sexy legs,” it has emerged.

Charles, then Prince of Wales, had met Carli Norris, who has been in soaps EastEnders and Doctors on the BBC, after he watched her and co-stars in The Chiltern Hundreds in the West End. Charles talked to Carli following the performance, purportedly telling her: “You’ve got very sexy legs.”

Speaking in a podcast released on Tuesday, Carli said: “Prince Charles was walking around, introducing himself to everybody and he came up to me and he shook my hand and he went ‘You’ve got very sexy legs’. I went ‘oh thank you, your highness’. “

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But Charles, Camilla and some of the cast, including lead actor Edward Fox, then went out for dinner, during which Camilla “slapped her knife and fork down” and “left the room and stormed out”. Carli, who was in Hollyoaks for nearly two years until her exit in late 2013, added: “Apparently, Prince Charles was going on and on about my legs so much that eventually Camilla slapped her knife and fork down and said ‘oh for goodness sake, Chas, will you stop going on about that gal’s legs?!’ She left the room and stormed out.”

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Carli Norris
Carli Norris is pictured as Belinda Peacock alongside Nitin Ganatra (Masood Ahmed) in EastEnders in 2016(Image: SHARED CONTENT UNIT)

Edward had informed Carli, from Essex, about the episode the next day ahead of another performance of The Chiltern Hundreds, in which Carli played June Farrell, an attractive millionaire whose costume she says was merely a pair of hot pants.

Speaking on Chicken Soap for the Soul, a podcast presented by former Doctors star Elisabeth Dermot Walsh, Carli said she was later invited to Buckingham Palace as one of 100 “national treasures” for the Queen’s Jubilee. The actress thought it was a “joke” but, upon confirmation, she attended with her daughter in 2022.

Crowds on The Mall watch, as Queen Elizabeth II makes an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace
Crowds on The Mall watch, as Queen Elizabeth II makes an appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace amid her Jubilee in 2022(Image: Getty Images)
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“When you think of national treasures, you think of Judi Dench, don’t you, and Elton John… I am not a national treasure,” Carli continued, adding she was told she was picked by a commitee to be part of the select group. However, the mum of two playfully linked this with her encounter with Charles in 2016 in the West End. She added: “I can only imagine, Elisabeth Dermot Walsh, that Prince Charles has been following my career and he is the one that wanted me sitting near him for his mummy’s Jubilee, that’s what I can imagine.” Charles became monarch later that year following Queen Elizabeth II’s death.

Passionate Guardiola continues to solve Man City puzzle

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Sometimes there is no need to say anything.

When you are as expressive on the touchline as Pep Guardiola, visual evidence can be enough to gauge the importance of an occasion.

In Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over Aston Villa, there was a long period of simmering discontent, then thinly disguised fury at the penalty given against his team after referee Craig Pawson had been told to stop the game to check Ruben Dias’ ‘foul’ on Jacob Ramsey.

Most thought video assistant referee (VAR) John Brooks was right. Guardiola was not among them. He shook his head, ranted at his coaches on the bench, then launched a tirade towards the nearby fourth official.

Guardiola was booked for his emotive reaction but he felt wronged. He was still shaking his head forcefully, his face set like stone, as the replay was shown on the big screen at the exact moment he returned to his seat after half-time.

Then there was a demand for more noise, gesturing to all parts of the ground for City’s fans to turn up the volume, and a familiar sink to the knees as James McAtee’s delicate lob dropped just the wrong side of the post.

Finally there was the tension release of Matheus Nunes’ injury-time winner. Guardiola reacted as though he had scored himself, acknowledging the noise from the fans he wanted more from earlier.

There was a storming of the pitch as the whistle blew, a hug – tight – for Nunes, a laugh and a joke with Kevin de Bruyne, who at the weekend revealed his manager had not even made an offer for him to stay at the end of the season.

Make no mistake, this win was big.

“You don’t have to be a scientist to realise that we were playing against Aston Villa, one of the best teams, as you saw against Newcastle and PSG,” said Guardiola.

“They are an extraordinary team but we performed as we did in the past with the commitment.

“Qualification for the Champions League is important, of course, but sometimes we have to be calm. We must focus on the semi-final and after we have days to prepare for the four ‘finals’. Two at home, two away. “

‘I am on the side of the people’

Manchester City fans protestPA Media

In Guardiola’s mind, it is all so clear.

It is why detached observers are led to the conclusion City’s football is regimented.

Yet, the reality is Guardiola is making subtle tweaks as the season goes on.

He accepts what he has now is not what even he expected when the campaign began, when Rodri and Erling Haaland were available, not on the bench as they were again against Villa due to injury.

No-one would have predicted Saturday’s hero at Everton would be 20-year-old Nico O’Reilly, making his fourth league start. Against Villa it would be Nunes, signed from Wolves for £53m in September 2023 when a plan to bring in Lucas Paqueta from West Ham had to be aborted, who turned into a right-back rather than his central midfield scheming role.

“If you told me at the beginning of the season that at the end of it we would be fighting for the FA Cup final or to qualify for the Champions League with Nico and Matheus at full-back, I’d say: ‘What are you talking about? ‘” said Guardiola.

“Matheus is a person that is incredibly loved. When you talk with the journalists he’s always so serious but in the locker room he’s always laughing.

“He has physicality for when he has to run and sustain the wingers. Step by step he has been so important. “

It’s another puzzle solved for Guardiola. Another solution found.

It will be fascinating now to see if City can keep alive their hopes of domestic silverware alive.

They have failed to win at least one trophy only three times since they won the FA Cup in 2011 to end their long wait for success.

Since Guardiola’s first season in 2016-17, City have always won at least one of the three domestic competitions on offer.

In theory, the supporters have never had it so good.

But many are not happy. Protests against ticket prices took place again before kick-off.

Those running the club argue the finance generated allows Guardiola to have the squad he demands. The fans do not agree – and Guardiola agrees with them.

“I am on the side of the people,” he said. “I’m a supporter for Manchester City as well.

“I don’t have to pay [for] the tickets but I understand the feeling.

“When I go to the theatre or to a concert and I pay for the ticket, I want to see something I like.

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US judge blocks Trump’s effort to shutter international news service

A federal judge has stated that US President Donald Trump illegally halted the operation of the Voice of America (VOA), a federally funded international news service created by Congress.

In a ruling on Tuesday, US District Judge Royce Lamberth ordered the Trump administration to restore the 83-year-old broadcaster’s capacity to the levels before Trump slashed funding and laid off scores of personnel.

In a March court filing stating that all 1,300 employees had been placed on administrative leave, lawyers for VOA said that the broadcaster seeks to report the news “truthfully, impartially, and objectively”, pushing back against claims from the Trump administration that it promotes a “leftist bias” and is insufficiently “pro-American”.

Judge Lamberth also ordered the administration to restore the capacity of two other broadcasters also funded by the federal Agency for Global Media, Radio Free Asia and Middle East Broadcasting Networks, while those lawsuits progress.

The judge also denied a similar request for two additional networks, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Open Technology Fund.

Trump and his allies have wielded federal funds to dismantle programmes and agencies within the government that they dislike and compel greater ideological compliance from media organisations and universities under the premise of combatting what the administration portrays as “left-wing” views. Kari Lake, a close Trump ally, was also placed in charge of the Agency for Global Media.

The administration shuttered VOA in March, instituting funding cuts that Lamberth said reflected a “hasty, indiscriminate approach”.

A labour union representing workers at the Agency for Global Media celebrated the ruling as a “powerful affirmation of the role that independent journalism plays in advancing democracy and countering disinformation”.

VOA was first founded during World War II in an effort by the US government to counter Nazi propaganda and was later used to project pro-US views to countries around the world during the Cold War, a history that has led some to criticise the network as a means of promoting US interests around the world.

“That simple mission [delivering impartial news] is a powerful one for those living across the globe without access to a free press and without the ability to otherwise discern what is truly happening,” lawyers for VOA wrote.

Many other institutions created during the post-war era to project US political and cultural influence around the world, such as the humanitarian assistance agency USAID, have also come under attack by a Trump administration that sees them as ideological enemies or sources of bureaucratic bloat.

Freddie Mercury’s sister in ‘battle to get back personal items sold by his ex’

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Freddie Mercury’s sister, Kashmira Bulsara, has reportedly spent a fortune getting back the iconic singer’s belongings put up for auction by his ex, Mary Austin

Freddie Mercury’s family war as sister fights to get back personal items sold by ex

Freddie Mercury’s sister, Kashmira Bulsara, is reportedly battling to get back the star’s personal items after his ex put them up for auction. Freddie and Mary Austin dated from 1969 until the late 70s and were engaged for a time before he eventually came out as gay.

However, they remained close friends until his death, with Mary caring for him when his health deteriorated. The singer even left her half of his estate in his will and his Garden Lodge mansion in Kensington, west London. Mary recently reportedly sold items that belonged to Freddie and even put his mansion up for sale last year.

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Freddie Mercury's mum, Jer, and his sister, Kashmira
Freddie’s sister Kashmira and her son Jamal Zook anonymously bid for his personal items at auction house(Image: Getty Images)

According to reports, Freddie’s sister Kashmira and her son Jamal Zook anonymously bid for those personal items at auction house Sotheby’s as they didn’t want Mary to know it was her bidding.

It is said Kashmira anonymously went for a ‘private viewing’ with her son and her personal assistant to get a better picture of what she wanted to retrieve.

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“Then when it came to auction time, Kashmira’s PA went in person to Sotheby’s and was on the phone to Kashmira throughout,” an insider claimed to The Sun.

Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin
Freddie and Mary dated from 1969 until the late 70s and were engaged for a time before he eventually came out as gay(Image: Getty Images)

It’s said she watched the auction online and told her PA how much to bid for the items after “setting aside a huge budget”.

“She was saddened to think of some of his sentimental belongings not being with his loved ones,” the source added. According to the publication, Freddie’s 73-year-old sister purchased a Wurlitzer Model 850 jukebox for £406,400, a waistcoat with portraits of Freddie’s six cats which went up for auction for £139,700.

Kashmira also purchased a jacket made for Freddie’ 39th birthday, which was £457,200 as well as eight pages of draft lyrics of Queen’s song Killer Queen for £279,400.

Other items included a Daum Persimmons vase for £22,860 and a Nike sweatshirt for £40,640.

In early 2024, , Mary put up Freddie’s ‘country house in west London’ for sale. He tragically passed away in the Kensington home three decades ago and had purchased the property back in 1985.

The mansion went on the market for £30million after its value has increased sixtyfold. Mary – who Freddie referred to as his ‘common-law wife’ – said: “The house has such love and warmth in every room. It has been a joy to live in and I have many wonderful memories here”.

The Mirror have reached out to Kashmira and Mary’s representatives for comment. Kashmira declined to comment.

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Four points separate five teams – who will prosper in race for Europe?

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Manchester City boosted their Champions League qualification hopes with a late victory against Aston Villa on Tuesday, with Matheus Nunes’ 94th-minute winner sending Pep Guardiola’s side third in the Premier League.

That moved them above Nottingham Forest, albeit having played a game more, who earned an important win at Tottenham Hotspur on Monday.

Just three points separate Forest in fourth and Aston Villa in seventh, with the Premier League’s top five guaranteed a spot in the Champions League next season.

Forest have twice lifted the European Cup but haven’t played in Europe’s premier competition since 1980.

As many as 11 European places are up for grabs and there will definitely be a minimum of eight teams – up from the usual seven – playing in Europe next season, but things could change in the coming weeks.

It means Crystal Palace down in 12th still have something to play for.

Who do the contenders have left to play?

Liverpool: Tottenham (H); Chelsea (A); Arsenal (H); Brighton (A); Crystal Palace (H)

Arsenal: Crystal Palace (H); Bournemouth (H); Liverpool (A); Newcastle (H); Southampton (A)

Newcastle: Ipswich (H); Brighton (A); Chelsea (H); Arsenal (A); Everton (H)

Nottingham Forest: Brentford (H); Crystal Palace (A); Leicester (H); West Ham (A); Chelsea (H)

Manchester City: Wolves (H); Southampton (A); Bournemouth (H); Fulham (A)

Chelsea: Everton (H); Liverpool (H); Newcastle (A); Manchester United (H); Nottingham Forest (A)

Aston Villa: Fulham (H); Bournemouth (A); Tottenham (H); Manchester United (A)

Bournemouth: Manchester United (H); Arsenal (A); Aston Villa (H); Manchester City (A); Leicester (H)

Fulham: Southampton (A); Aston Villa (A); Everton (H); Brentford (A); Manchester City (H)

Brighton: West Ham (H); Newcastle (H); Wolves (A); Liverpool (H); Tottenham (A)

Brentford: Nottingham Forest (A); Manchester United (H); Ipswich (A); Fulham (H); Wolves (A)

How many teams could qualify for the Champions League?

Depending on how things pan out this season there will be between eight and 11 teams from the Premier League taking part in Europe next season.

A minimum of five of those will be in the Champions League, which is higher than the usual four because of England’s performance in Uefa’s coefficient rankings.

Graphic showing how many teams could finish in the Champions League

How many teams could qualify for the Europa League?

The maximum number of Premier League teams who could be competing in the Europa League is three.

Two places will likely go to the team who finishes sixth and the FA Cup winners.

However, if the cup winners have already secured a European place it will then go to the next highest placed side that has not qualified for Europe.

A graphic showing there will be a third Europa League spot awarded if Chelsea win the Conference League and fail to qualify for the Champions League

What about the Conference League?

There will be one Conference League place awarded to a Premier League team.

Currently, that will go to Carabao Cup winners Newcastle, but that could change if Eddie Howe’s side qualify for the Champions League or the Europa League.

As Newcastle currently sit inside the top four that looks likely.

How could 11 English teams be in Europe?

This could happen, but it is highly improbable.

It would require Arsenal to win the Champions League, Manchester United or Tottenham to win the Europa League and Chelsea to lift the Conference League trophy, and all three winners to finish outside the top six.

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