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Julia Roberts shares rare throwback pic on twins' birthday

Julia Roberts, the timeless Hollywood icon, recently spread waves of joy and nostalgia across the internet as she celebrated the 19th birthday of her delightful twins, Hazel and Phinnaeus Moder. In a heartwarming Instagram post, the 56-year-old actress opened the treasure trove of old photo albums to share a precious throwback, capturing a moment from the early 2000s when her twins were just infants. The enchanting snapshot reveals Roberts, adorned with the timeless grace that made her a Pretty Woman, seated cross-legged on the floor, cradling her tiny bundles of joy in her arms. The image is a testament to the unspoken joy, the endless fun, and the wild rumpus of life that the actress cherishes with her beloved children. In a caption that twinkles with emotion, Roberts expressed, "✨✨19✨✨ There are no words for the joy, the fun, the wild rumpus of life together. 💕" Roberts shares this beautiful journey of parenthood with her husband, the talented cinematographer Daniel Moder. The couple tied the knot in 2002, their love story unfolding on the set of The Mexican two years prior. The twins, Hazel and Phinnaeus, made their entrance into the world in 2004, followed by the arrival of their younger brother Henry in 2007. While the world has been privy to glimpses of Roberts' family life through occasional throwback photos, the actress has been deliberate in keeping her children away from the prying eyes of social media. In a candid interview with The Sun in 2019, Roberts shared her thoughts on navigating parenthood in the digital age, acknowledging the unique challenges it presents. "It's interesting trying to raise kids in this day because it's all so new — the pressures, the resources, having the world in your hand like that," Roberts mused. "I try to keep them off social media because I don't really understand what they need that for right now." Last year, Roberts commemorated Hazel and Phinnaeus' milestone 18th birthday with yet another heartwarming throwback, a testament to the enduring bond she shares with her twins. The caption read simply, "🌟🌟18🌟🌟 Love you." The image, taken in the heart of the family kitchen, captured a moment of pure maternal bliss as Roberts lifted one twin in the air while the other sat surrounded by toys. In the preceding year, for their 17th birthday, Roberts treated her followers to a delightful selfie featuring the radiant trio. The caption exuded pride and love, "17 of the Sweetest years of life ✨ 👫♥️🥳," adorned with celebratory cake emojis. As Julia Roberts and her family continue to celebrate the passage of time, these glimpses into their lives serve as a reminder of the beauty of family, the enduring bonds of love, and the joy found in the simple, precious moments of life. Here's to many more years of love, laughter, and unforgettable family memories for the Roberts-Moder clan! ✨🎉💖 Images: Instagram

Family & Pets

Prince Andrew “terrified” to leave Royal Lodge amid eviction rumours

Prince Andrew is refusing to exit his royal residence as renovations are carried out on the Windsor property, despite advice to the contrary. According to The Daily Mail, the 63-year-old is putting his foot down over fears that he “might never get back in”, likely in response to circulating rumours that his brother - King Charles - wants to evict Andrew from the home as part of his grand plan to scale back the monarchy. While Andrew no longer holds any official royal duty after his involvement in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, he still maintains his claim on the mansion with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. And now, that same property is set to become “virtually a building site”, with Andrew having hired builders to undertake necessary repair work on the property, tackling everything from damp to mould. As a source told Page Six, Andrew was reportedly advised to vacate “while work was undertaken” over the course of a few months, “but he’s refused because he’s so terrified that the property might be seized in his absence. “In the meantime, Harry and Meghan vacated Frogmore after being told they needed to leave to make way for Andrew but he is refusing to go there, even though he was given the keys. “He’s allowing Eugenie to stay there. She’s just given birth to her second child so while she recovers and gets back on her feet, she’s staying in Frogmore to be near her mum and dad.” And while some believe the temporary move would make sense for Andrew, his fears remain at the forefront. “It’s become farcical,' an insider told The Daily Mail. “Andrew has roof repairs scheduled later this summer which will take several months to complete and has been advised that staying in the house during those renovations could prove problematic. But he is reluctant to leave.” Buckingham Palace has yet to comment on the rumours, but another source is adamant that the Duke of York will remain in the property, <a href="post.php?post=134779&action=edit&classic-editor">regardless of alleged drama and financial woes</a>. As Page Six noted, Andrew has been making the most of money left to him by the late Queen Elizabeth to fix up the house, with one source explaining that “he’s been quite open about where the money has come from because he doesn’t want people to think he’s come up with it through other means. “The costs are expected to reach into the hundreds of thousands of pounds.” And, as they surmised, Andrew “is adamant that he will see out the end of his [75-year] lease at Royal Lodge.” Images: Getty

Real Estate

Prince William’s undercover university ‘disguise’ revealed

Prince William knows a thing or two about life in the public eye, with most of his major life moments playing out for the entire world to see. But that hasn’t always been the case, with the prince taking matters into his own hands when it came to his education, and opting to fly under the radar during his time at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. And luckily for William, the media agreed, allowing him to conduct his studies with their constant - and prying - eyes on him. But he still had to take a few extra measures to blend in with the rest of the prestigious student body, with one move rising above all of the others: Prince William decided to go by ‘Steve’. According to The Mirror, the prince did still officially enrol under the name William Wales, but when it came to his friends and fellow students, ‘Steve’ was the perfect solution for avoiding any undesired attention. And, as some have pointed out, it’s likely his now-wife Kate used the nickname, too, as “they were close friends at university and lived in the same student accommodation.” However, it had been previously reported by the same publication that Kate had an entirely different pet name for the royal, in which they claimed she used the name ‘Big Willy’ instead. They also noted that the Princess of Wales had occasionally called him ‘Baldy’, too. As a source explained to The Mirror at the time, “the royals are not very good at communicating with one another so this is one way around it. Nicknames are a way of taking the family tension out of things.” William’s university stint wasn’t the first time he had gone by a different name, either, with the prince admitting in a 2007 interview with NBC that he had actually gone by ‘Wombat’ when he was younger - a nickname bestowed upon him by his mother, Princess Diana. “I can’t get rid of it now,” he said. “It began when I was two. I’ve been rightfully told because I can’t remember back that far. But when we went to Australia with our parents, and the wombat, you know, that’s the local animal. So I just basically got called that. Not because I look like a wombat. Or maybe I do.” And the unintended family tradition seems to have carried on through to William’s own children, with Charlotte having two nicknames of her own that have come to light. At the Chelsea Flower Show in 2019, the royals were with their children in Kate’s ‘Back to Nature’ garden when William called out to Charlotte. Although rather than using her real name, he called out for ‘Mignonette’ - a French word meaning “small, sweet, and delicate” or even “cute”. As for Kate, she revealed her nickname for Charlotte - ‘Lottie’ - during a visit to Northern Ireland in 2019, while she was chatting to another proud mother. Images: Getty

Relationships

"I am not a monster": Disturbing reason police have seized phone of woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann

Polish woman Julia Faustyna who went viral over <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/woman-shares-evidence-that-she-is-madeleine-mccann" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claims she could be Madeleine McCann </a>has had her phone seized by US police over claims it contains explicit images of children. The phone was given to authorities by a former spokesperson for Faustyna and psychic private investigator Fia Johansson. The phone was reportedly left with Johansson when she brought Faustyna, 21, to the US for <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/julia-faustyna-takes-dna-test-to-prove-wild-identity-claims" target="_blank" rel="noopener">DNA and family ancestry test results</a> over her claiming to be the missing toddler. The results confirmed that Faustyna was “absolutely, 100 per cent from Poland". Johansson handed the phone over to police during a search and seizure as part of an investigation, but the reason behind what prompted the pursuit remains unknown, according to the New York Post. Wroclaw police in Poland were contacted by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and were informed that they were in possession of a phone thought to belong to Faustyna, according to a RadarOnline.com report. “Our investigation is taking a deep look into it and we’re going to let them do their investigative duties and then from that point let the judicial system take over – if it needs to,” department spokesman Sergeant Mike Woodroof said. Johansson reportedly added, “I’m told an investigator from the Sheriff’s Department is personally taking the device to Poland to make sure it doesn’t get lost or misplaced.” She also shared an image of a denied release of case information form from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department on social media, including a statement regarding the investigation. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrJh_DVvl3i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CrJh_DVvl3i/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Dr. Fia Johansson (@persianmedium)</a> </div> </blockquote> “There will be no comment or discussion at this time or moving forward concerning the active ongoing investigation with Orange County Sheriff’s Department and special public affairs division due to protocol and the sensitivity and nature of the intelligence that has been gathered and rendered,” she said. “It’s an active investigation and DA will not comment out of concern for the safety of the victims.” After Faustyna received her DNA test results and appeared on Dr Phil, Johannson revealed she travelled back to Poland to live with her father. The DNA results prompted <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/news/news/madeleine-mccann-s-parents-speak-out-after-dna-test-results" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Madeleine McCann’s parents to break their silence</a> after months of emotional turmoil. Faustyna now denies all the allegations against her to reporters. “I didn’t have child pornography on my phone. I am not a paedo and I never tried to encourage any teenagers to do anything illegal and bad and disgusting,” she told The Sun. “Just think carefully, if someone is a paedo, I believe this person would never go by himself to a police station or this person would never talk about what I was talking in public to the whole world because it would be very dangerous for this person. “It is not logical ... I am saying the truth and I will make my name clean because I am not a monster.” She told The Sun she had purchased the phone from an unknown person, saying that if there were explicit images on her phone they were put there by someone else. Image credit: Instagram

Legal

Madeleine McCann's parents speak out after DNA test results

Madeleine McCann's parents have spoken out after the results of Julia Faustyna's DNA test have returned. Julia Faustyna, a 21-year-old Polish woman, has been claiming to be the missing British child in a high-profile campaign that has seen her undergo a DNA test to prove her identity. The DNA results determined that Julia is not Maddie, despite Julia's claims of having similar facial features, suffering an abusive childhood and had starting to question her parentage as a result. Private detective Dr Fia Johansson arranged for Julia to give samples in the US for extensive DNA tests - including a DNA test similar to a 23andMe test, which established she is not Madeleine. The test looked into her heritage, and showed that she is from Poland, with some Lithuanian and Romanian heritage, <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/21808585/who-julia-wendell-madeleine-mccann/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sun</a> reported, but nothing to suggest any link to the McCann's. In response, a spokesman for Madeleine’s parents Kate and Gerry McCann said, “There isn’t anything to report at this time. If and when there is, it will come from The Metropolitan Police.” Julia is also facing a nervous wait for the results of further health tests as doctors fear she <a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/news/news/sad-health-news-for-woman-claiming-to-be-madeleine-mccann" target="_blank" rel="noopener">may have leukaemia</a>, Dr Johansson - with Julia’s permission - revealed to The Sun. She said, “Her health is very poor she has bad asthma and she suffers lots of pain in her bones." “She is booked in for a CT and MRI scan because of the pain in her bones." “Her blood work is also abnormal so my doctor here in the US is investigating whether she could have leukaemia so we are awaiting the results of that." “And if she needs any treatment we will make sure she gets that.” Image credits: Getty Images

News

"Totally bereft": Andrew Lloyd Webber's tragic family news

Andrew Lloyd Webber has shared the devastating news that his eldest son has died. The legendary composer said he was "shattered" to confirm the news that his son Nicholas, 43, had passed away after a battle with gastric cancer. The 75-year-old Oscar-winning composer shared the news on Twitter on Saturday, writing, "I am shattered to have to announce that my beloved elder son Nick died a few hours ago in Basingstoke Hospital." "His whole family is gathered together and we are all totally bereft. - ALW". The heart-breaking news comes just weeks after it was revealed that Nicholas, who was also a composer, has been moved into <a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/health/caring/we-are-all-praying-andrew-lloyd-webber-s-family-heartbreak" target="_blank" rel="noopener">hospice care</a> due to a bout of pneumonia. <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">In a statement to People magazine, Andrew gave the update that “as my friends and family know, he has been fighting gastric cancer for the last 18 months and Nick is now hospitalised." <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">“I, therefore, have not been able to attend the recent previews of Bad Cinderella and, as things stand, I will not be able to cheer on its wonderful cast, crew and orchestra on opening night this Thursday." <p style="font-size: 16px; box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1rem; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji';">"We are all praying that Nick will turn the corner," Webber continued. "He is bravely fighting with his indomitable humour, but at the moment my place is with him and the family." Stars from the world of musical theatre, politicians, celebrities and close family friends paid tribute to Nicholas as the sad news emerged. Image credits: Getty Images

Caring

“We are all praying”: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s family heartbreak

Andrew Lloyd Webber has shared the devastating news that his eldest son, Nicholas, is “critically” ill with gastric cancer. The composer, known around the world for his award-winning musicals, revealed that he and his family are “absolutely devastated” about the 43-year-old Nicholas’ diagnosis, and brave 18 month fight. In a statement to People, Andrew gave the update that “as my friends and family know, he has been fighting gastric cancer for the last 18 months and Nick is now hospitalised. “I, therefore, have not been able to attend the recent previews of Bad Cinderella and, as things stand, I will not be able to cheer on its wonderful cast, crew and orchestra on opening night this Thursday. "We are all praying that Nick will turn the corner," Webber continued. "He is bravely fighting with his indomitable humour, but at the moment my place is with him and the family." Bad Cinderella is Andrew’s latest Broadway creation - the 21st to his name - and is loosely adapted from the classic Cinderella story, with the titular character seeking to "create her own happily ever after.” It is set to open in March, and prior to the devastating news about Nicholas, he was to attend its associated press events. It’s also Andrew’s first production since School of Rock closed in 2019. Like his father, Nicholas Lloyd Webber - who is the son of Andrew and his first first, Sarah Hugill - has made a name for himself in the composing world. He scored BBC One’s Love, Lies and Records, the 2021 film The Last Bus, and the original cast recording album for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella - from which he received his first ever Grammy nomination. Nicholas’ first production came in 2011, when his musical adaptation of The Little Prince was performed. In light of the milestone event, Nicholas admitted that he was “very nervous”, as he knew there would be attention on him as the son of Andrew. “But I’d like to think that the show will be judged on its own merits,” he continued, “that’s all anyone can ask for.” And in 2011, he told The Times that he’d actually opted to drop the Lloyd part of his name for a while, just to see how attitudes toward himself and his work would shift. “I got some stuff on the radio,” he said, “so I thought ‘okay, I’m obviously not a complete idiot’.” From there, he came to realise that if people were happy to work with him regardless of his surname, then “maybe I should just get on with it.” Images: Getty

Caring

Sad health news for woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann

The Polish woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann has been dealt a devastating blow, while in the middle of an investigation to prove her identity. Julia Faustyna has been subject to a number of medical tests, such as DNA testing, MRIs and CT scans, which have unearthed a problem bigger than Julia's seemingly unknown heritage. The 21-year-old may be battling cancer, her spokeswoman has revealed, and she is awaiting test results back over fears she has leukaemia. “We are still waiting on the result of DNA testing that will show us exactly what Julia’s ethnic background is and what country she and her true family are from. These kinds of tests are very accurate,” Ms Wendell’s representative and private detective Dr Fia Johansson told <a title="www.thesun.co.uk" href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/21719616/girl-madeleine-mccann-dna-ancestry-cancer/">The Sun</a>. “Of course depending on the result of that we will continue our investigation to see if Julia is could be Madeleine or another missing person." “But now the focus is on Julia as a person - not Madeleine." “She has had a neglected childhood and suffered much abuse." “Her health is very poor she has bad asthma and she suffers lots of pain in her bones... and she is booked in for another CT and MRI scan." “Her blood work is also abnormal so my doctor here in the US is investigating whether she could have leukaemia so we are awaiting the results of that. And if she needs any treatment we will make sure she gets that.” Julia has submitted samples for three different forensic examinations that will outline her DNA sequence, along with a genetic test to establish her ancestry. If Ms Faustyna's ancestry comes from the same region as Madeleine’s parents, Gerry and Kate McCann, Dr Johansson said she will immediately send the DNA sequence to Portuguese investigators for comparison. The news of Julia's deteriorating health comes just weeks after she was forced to <a href="https://oversixty.co.nz/finance/legal/woman-claiming-to-be-madeleine-mccann-flees-home-country-amid-death-threats" target="_blank" rel="noopener">flee</a> her home country of Poland and relocate to the US after receiving countless death threats over her claims. <span style="font-size: 16px; caret-color: #212529; color: #212529; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol', 'Noto Color Emoji'; background-color: #ffffff;">Dr <span style="caret-color: #000000; color: #000000; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Johansson said Ms Faustyna felt “terrified” after receiving threats and vile messages from online haters, with one death threat even putting a $48,000 bounty on her head. Image credits: Instagram / Getty Images

News

Woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann flees home country amid death threats

A Polish woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann has fled her home country for the United States after being bombarded with death threats. Julia Faustyna left her homeland with California-based private detective and psychic medium Dr Fia Johansson, who is now working on the case and believes she could be the key to cracking it. Dr Johansson, who is renowned for working with police and private investigators to solve missing person cases around the world, said Ms Faustyna was no longer safe in Poland. She said Ms Faustyna felt “terrified” after receiving threats and vile messages from online haters, with one death threat even putting a $48,000 bounty on her head. Dr Johansson, who believes there are a lot of “unanswered questions” surrounding the mystery, flew to Poland to meet with Julia, but determined that she could not continue investigation amid the barrage of abuse online. The pair have now flown to the US, with Ms Faustyna, who has also been forced to close her viral Instagram account after claiming to be the missing British girl who disappeared at the age of three in Portugal in 2007, appearing in a post at LAX Airport. “I’m excited, thank you, Fia,” she said. “Never give up and believe in yourself dreams will come true.” Dr Johansson wrote, “Thanks for the extra protection; I love you USA. Welcome to USA Julia – the land of love and dreams.” In an interview with The Sun, Dr Johansson said her first priority was to keep Ms Faustyna safe. “The haters have been attacking Julia since she came forward,” she said. “The situation in Poland is she has nobody. Her family won’t talk to her." “Julia has never said, ‘I am Madeleine McCann.’ She has lots of questions about her past and she asked for help. We are open to all possibilities.” Image credits: Instagram

Legal

Julia Faustyna takes DNA test to prove wild identity claims

Julia Faustyna, the Polish woman who is convinced she is the missing Madeleine McCann, has reportedly taken a DNA test to prove her claim. However, in a stunning twist to the tale, Faustyna’s private investigation with spokesperson Dr Fia Johansson has led the young woman to consider the possibility that she may actually be another missing child - Livia Schepp, who went missing with her twin sister in Switzerland in 2011. “I’ve spoken to her about this and she is open to the fact she could be any missing child out there,” Dr Johansson said while speaking to The Sun. “Not just Madeleine. Julia wants to know the truth about who she is.” While Faustyna’s main argument has involved the physical similarities between herself and Madeleine McCann, one of the pivotal points in her story is how she recognised a suspect from McCann’s case - a man she has named as her own abuser. “One of the reasons she made the connection to Madeleine is because one of the suspects in Madeleine’s case looks very much like a man who she says abused her as a child,” Dr Johansson explained. “But the same man could be connected to Madeleine and other missing children, this is how predators and traffickers work.” “Julia has taken a DNA test,” she confirmed, “and we are investigating if it’s possible to check her DNA with that of [the] missing Livia. We are investigating all possibilities at this stage.” Livia Schepp - and her twin sister Alessia - went missing when they were six, after their father abducted them from Switzerland in 2011. Days later, he took his own life in Italy, and when police discovered the body, the twins were nowhere to be seen. Faustyna, who claims to have post-traumatic amnesia due to sexual abuse in her childhood, lacks clear recollection of her formative years, and has stated while she can recall holidays, she doesn’t “recall my mother being there, for example, or my stepfather, much less my dad.” Whether or not any of Faustyna’s theories are true, the public will have to keep speculating, as no results have yet been shared. However, Faustyna’s viral “@iammadeleinemccan”, where she was sharing updates and side-by-side comparisons with her followers, has since been deleted from the platform. The removal coincides with reports of the DNA test, and after Faustyna closed both her Facebook and Tiktok accounts, disputing her parent’s claim that she was only in this for attention when she said “if you don’t like me, please unfollow. I don’t want fans or followers.” Images: Instagram, Twitter

News

Prince Andrew’s eviction fears

Prince Andrew is facing eviction from his £30 million (~$53m) Windsor home, according to reports. The controversial royal figure is allegedly “distraught” over the news that a cut to his yearly earnings is on the horizon. It is expected that Andrew will have his allowance of 249,000 (~$440,000) cut in April, the same allowance that he has been “dependent” on since he took a step back from his royal duties in 2019 in the wake of sexual assault allegations against him. Andrew has reportedly informed his friends that he will be unable to maintain his home, Royal Lodge, without the money from his brother, and will be forced to leave the property by September. Reports claim that the 30-room mansion is in need of extensive work. Despite the cutbacks, Andrew will not be left penniless, as he will maintain his Navy pension. The Duke of York currently resides at the property with his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson. It has served at the official country residence of the 63-year-old since 2004, and was previously the Windsor residence of Queen Elizabeth II’s mother. Andrew’s yearly allowance, paid out from his mother’s private estate, has allowed for the upkeep of Royal Lodge. However, King Charles III is now in control of those payments, and with his goals for the British monarchy, his sights have been set on Andrew. Over the Christmas period, it is alleged that a senior royal made the joke that “we will kick Andrew out of the house.” The jest is likely to have fallen flat with the royal, as a source informed The Sun, “Andrew and Sarah are distraught they have been given such short notice. “The Queen died only a few months ago. He’s not being explicitly kicked out but it’s expected that he won’t be able to afford the maintenance - Royal Lodge has a swimming pool, 98 acres of land, and is already in need of some repair.” The source went on to explain that Charles’ decision was about telling Andrew “he can use his own money to pay for things” and how the same went for other members of the royal family, such as Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. “And while there is leniency with working members of the family, who have offices funded by the Sovereign Grant,” they added, “there have been other examples.” It was mentioned that Charles “doesn’t feel he should pay for the upkeep of ponies to pull the carriage” in reference to Charles’ aim to slim down the British monarchy, and the review into how their money is being spent. “He knows the public won’t want to see money wasted,” the source surmised. “Particularly in the current climate.” Images: Getty

News

How Prince Andrew and Prince Harry have thrown coronation plans into "chaos"

With King Charles' coronation looming closer, royal experts have claimed that the celebratory weekend will be overshadowed by controversial royals Prince Harry and Prince Andrew. Buckingham Palace recently released <a href="https://www.oversixty.co.nz/lifestyle/beauty-style/new-details-announced-for-king-charles-coronation-weekend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more information</a> on the slew of events that will take place over the coronation weekend in May, with a range of ceremonial, celebratory and community happenings to commemorate the new reigning sovereign. However, the plans for the grand weekend seem to already have been thrown into "chaos" by the revelation the Duke of York has amassed a £10 million ($A17.6 million) war chest to launch a case against sex abuse victim Virginia Giuffre. Plus, Prince Harry’s memoir, which quickly became the fastest-selling nonfiction book of all time, is still making headlines all over the world. Royal expert Angela Levin thinks the coronation plans will “absolutely” be thrown into chaos as a result, questioning whether the royal outcasts will even attend. She told <a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/21135717/kings-coronation-plans-chaos-prince-andrew-harry-meghan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sun Online,</a> “I don’t even know if he and Harry are going together.” The Sun revealed on Saturday that Prince Andrew is making a bid to overturn the multimillion-dollar settlement with his sex accuser after her abuse case against a high-profile US lawyer crumbled. Angela said, “Andrew is out of control – who’s guiding him on this?” She said it seemed to be more than a coincidence that the Duke’s plans came to light less than two weeks after the release of Spare, saying “It seems very odd." “I’ve got no evidence. But the people who feel full of resentment could be going up against King Charles." “The nastiness is just beyond imagination really.” After Prince Harry's string of revelations in Spare, it has been speculated that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will not attend the coronation, with no confirmation yet on whether they plan to face the royal family for the joyous occasion. Image credits: Getty Images

Family & Pets

Julia Roberts learns shocking family secret

In an interview with Ancestry's Finding Your Roots series, Julia Roberts discovered a shocking fact about her connection to the Roberts family, dating back over 150 years ago. Dr Henry Louis Gates Jr dug into her family tree and discovered that Julia Roberts' real name should be Julia Mitchells. The revelation came after Dr Gates found that Rhoda Scuttle, the actress' great-great-grandmother, had an affair. "Digging into Georgia's County archives, we discovered that sometime in the 1850s, Rhoda married a man named Willis Roberts," Dr Gates said. "Julia carries Willis' last name, but Willis passed away in 1864, over a decade before Rhoda gave birth to Julia's great-grandfather, John, leading to an inescapable conclusion." That conclusion was, "Willis Roberts could not possibly be your great-great-grandfather. He was dead." The Pretty Woman actress was left at a loss for words, "wait, am I not a Roberts?" she asked. Dr Gates then explained that he dug deeper into her history, using her DNA and found that she and her other relatives are linked to one man: Henry McDonald Mitchell Jr. "We found a cluster of matches that tie Julia and her cousin to one man," the ancestry expert said. "So, we're Mitchells?" Julia responded in disbelief. Dr Gates confirmed that her real name should be "Julia Mitchells". Image: Getty

Family & Pets

Julia Roberts shares adorable throwback pic in celebration of her twins' birthday

Julia Roberts has celebrated the 18th birthday of her twins with an adorable throwback photo. The Hollywood actress shared a snap from when her children, Finn and Hazel, were younger on Instagram while sending them well wishes for their birthday milestone. The photo shows a young Julia holding one of her babies while the other looks on. She posted the photo with the simple caption, "🌟🌟18🌟🌟 Love you". The 55-year-old Oscar winner also shares another child with husband Daniel 'Danny' Moder: their 15-year-old son Henry. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClhFFqby85b/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/ClhFFqby85b/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Julia Roberts (@juliaroberts)</a> </div> </blockquote> Fans flocked to the comments section, where Tom Hank's wife Rita Wilson wrote, "It can't be!!!!!!! Happy Birthday!!!!", while Jennifer Aniston was among the 400,000 people who likes the candid photo. The doting mother also shared a picture of the twins last year on their 17th birthday with the caption, "17 of the Sweetest years of life." Roberts gushed over her husband Daniel and their three children as she opened up about her family life in an interview with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPu5SSYe_t0" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">CBS This Morning</a> in October. The award-winning actress, who has been married to the cinematographer for over 20 years, said, "acting is my dream, but it is not my only dream come true". Roberts insisted that her home life "isn't all rainbows and kittens" though, but she finds "a lot of joy" from spending time with her clan. She added, "The life that I have built with my husband [and] the life that we've built with our children, that's the best stuff. To come home at the end of the day, triumphantly, to them." Image credits: Instagram

Family & Pets

Prince Andrew to appeal loss of another royal perk

Prince Andrew has lost another costly royal perk in the wake of his various controversies, but his appeal against it may spark ire among Brits struggling with a cost-of-living crisis. The former royal has been told he will no longer be granted taxpayer-funded armed guards from next month, nearly a year after he was stripped of his titles and duties after his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein was publicised. Unlike titles and duties, security for the royal family is determined by the Royal and VIP Executive Committee, including the Home Office, Metropolitan Police and palace officials. According to The Sun, insider sources said Andrew has written to the Home Office and Met Police over losing his security detail. ''He is going to write to the Home Office and the Met Police to complain about losing his taxpayer-funded security,'' the source told the outlet. Currently, Andrew is escorted by police guards whenever he leaves the grounds of Windsor, with the escort estimated to cost taxpayers up to three million pounds ($NZ 5.8 million) a year. With the UK facing a cost-of-living crisis and skyrocketing bills this winter, there is speculation that Andrew’s complaints may cause more negative reactions towards him. ''He doesn't seem to understand that he's in disgrace and people don't want to hear from him anymore - especially him with his begging bowl,” a Labour MP said, as reported by Express UK. The latest loss comes after the 62-year-old was told to stop using His Royal Highness and his royal military titles in January, with his royal patronages also returned to the late Queen. In the following months, Andrew settled a lawsuit launched against him by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager. With the ultimate decision surrounding his security detail lying with Home Secretary Suella Braverman and given his recent controversies, it seems unlikely that Andrew’s appeal will be a success. Image: Getty Images

Money & Banking

“I believe Prince Andrew”: Fergie’s ex speaks in bombshell interview

Sarah Ferguson’s former partner has made bombshell allegations about Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew and the late Queen, including claims that the convicted sex offender planned to blackmail the monarch. John Bryan, who was in a relationship with Ferguson for four years in the 1990s, made the claims in his first tell-all interview, per The Sun. The US businessman said that Epstein earned some of his wealth by blackmailing others in powerful positions into giving him money in exchange for his silence over their illicit behaviours. “People always ask how Epstein made his money. He was supposed to be this tax wizard. But it was all a con,” Bryan told the Mail on Sunday. “He blackmailed rich men and then made them pay to avoid scandal. He made hundreds of millions of dollars this way.” Bryan also claimed he was secretly drafted for crisis talks with Prince Andrew after the royal’s disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview, including that he was smuggled into the Royal Lodge to advise the royal in the wake of the Epstein scandal and amid claims he had sex with then-teenager Virginia Giuffre. He said the conversation involved probing Andrew about his relationship with Epstein and convicted sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell. “Andrew’s television interview had been a catastrophe so they needed an honest strategic plan that everyone could buy into,” Bryan recalled. “[Fergie] invited me to come over. She was desperate. She told me that Andrew was in terrible shape. “He was distraught. They were distraught.” He claimed that he helped the family come up with a “long term strategy” called “House of Kroy”, a backwards spelling of York. During the interview, Bryan said Epstein’s “ultimate” aim was to blackmail the Queen using the allegations of child sexual abuse and other sexual activities made against Andrew. “Epstein tried to lure Andrew into his web, but I believe his ultimate mark was the Queen,” Bryan said, adding that Epstein’s plan to target the Queen supported his belief that the allegations against Andrew were unfounded. “I believe Andrew is innocent. If he genuinely was involved in ‘orgies’ as has been alleged, then Epstein would have used that to try and bribe the Queen into paying out millions to protect her family,” he said. “Andrew has never had any money. The Queen was the one with money. “I truly believe Epstein was going after her but Andrew never gave him the ammunition to do so.” The financial advisor recalled another meeting with the royals, including Andrew, Princess Beatrice, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank. Bryan claimed Princess Beatrice told Andrew, “you’ve hurt our family”, and that Andrew was “downcast” and yelling: “I don’t care anymore, I don’t care. I am being treated unfairly.” He added that the Duke was in a state he had never seen him in before after the interview. “In the four years I dated Sarah I never once heard him raise his voice or lose his temper,” he said. “It showed what strain he was under, how much he cared about the damage this was doing to the Royal Family.” Bryan added that he had only seen Andrew with women aged in their mid-20s while he was dating Fergie, and that he believed there was “no hint” of “anything untoward going on”. “I truly believe if there was anything untoward going on I would have known about it, Sarah would have known about it,” he said. “But there was never a hint of that. I remain and will always remain an outsider, so let me be the first outsider to say that I believe Prince Andrew – and I don’t say it lightly. “This outsider has a lot of inside knowledge.” Image: Getty Images

Legal

Prince Harry and Prince Andrew’s Remembrance Day wreaths removed

Remembrance Day wreaths laid by Prince Harry and his disgraced uncle Prince Andrew have been removed. The wreaths displayed by the Duke of Sussex and the Duke of York at the Poppy Factory were “got rid of” while the wreaths laid by senior royals over the years remain. The removal is reportedly another way of “removing” the two from the Royal Family, according to UK media. Prince Harry, who fought in Afghanistan, laid a wreath at the last Remembrance commemoration he took part in, in 2019. “Harry used to have his wreath on display in the centre’s old exhibiting area, but it isn’t any more,” a source said. “We’ve got rid of it – and all the duplicates we kept too.” The Mirror reports that The Poppy Factory and Buckingham Palace declined to comment about what had happened to Harry’s £1,000 wreath. Wreaths from King Charles, the late Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, Princess Anne and Princes William and Edward remain on display. Images: Getty

Travel Trouble

Matthew Perry reveals rendezvous with Julia Roberts

Friends actor Matthew Perry has opened up about his heated rendezvous with Julia Roberts…and other actresses. Perry found himself on the receiving end of Roberts’ flirty messages before he found out that she only agreed to appear in Friends if they shared the storyline. The sitcom’s co-creator urged Perry to get in touch with Roberts and “woo” her to join the series. “I had to woo her. I wanted something a tad flirty. I sent her three dozen red roses and the card read, ‘The only thing more exciting than the prospect of you doing the show is that I finally have an excuse to send you flowers’. “Her reply was that if I adequately explained quantum physics to her, she’d agree to be on the show. “The following day I sent her a paper all about wave-particle duality and entanglement, and only some of it was metaphorical. “Not only did Julia agree to do the show, but she also sent me a gift: Bagels — lots and lots of bagels.” The pair continued to communicate via fax for three months before Roberts appeared at Perry’s doorstep. In Perry’s new memoir Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing, he revealed that he would be rushing home to see if Roberts had faxed him back. “This was pre-internet, pre-cell phones. All our exchanges were done by fax,” he wrote. “I was grinning like some 15-year-old on his first date. And we had never even spoken yet, much less met each other.” One fateful fax later, Roberts told Perry to call him and he realised that they had fallen for each other. Later that week, Roberts appeared at his doorstep and their relationship blossomed into a whirlwind romance. “I let her in, both figuratively and literally, and a relationship began. We would already be a couple by the time we started filming the Friends Super Bowl episode.” Then on New Year’s Eve in 1996, Roberts took Perry to a mountain hideaway in New Mexico on her private jet to her mountain hideaway to meet her family. But soon things took a turn with Perry unable to tame his demons and the thought of dating Julia Roberts became too much. “Dating Julia Roberts had been too much for me. I had been constantly certain that she was going to break up with me. “I could never be enough; I was broken, bent, unlovable. So instead of facing the inevitable agony of losing her, I broke up with the beautiful and brilliant Julia Roberts. “I can’t begin to describe the look of confusion on her face.” Later in his memoir, Perry went on to reveal that he was also interested in Jennifer Anniston but she only wanted to be friends. He admitted that things were awkward on set but eventually he moved on from her lack of interest in him. And in 1994, before Friends hit the world by storm, Perry met Gwyneth Paltrow at a party in Massachusetts and the pair made out. “We slipped off into a broom cupboard and made out,” he revealed. “This was the last summer of my life when I could make out at a party with a beautiful young woman called Gwyneth and no one, save Gwyneth and I, cared.” Image: Getty

Relationships

"Prima donna in pigtails": how Julie Andrews the child star embodied the hopes of post-war Britain

In June, the American Film Institute presented its 48th Life Achievement Award, the highest honour in American cinema, to the beloved stage-and-screen star <a href="https://www.afi.com/laa/julie-andrews/">Julie Andrews</a>. On conferring the award, the AFI praised Andrews as “a legendary actress” who “has enchanted and delighted audiences around the world with her uplifting and inspiring body of work”. As anyone who has seen Mary Poppins (1964) or The Sound of Music (1965) can attest, “uplift” is central to the <a href="https://www.sensesofcinema.com/2002/female-glamour-and-star-power/andrews/">Julie Andrews screen persona</a>. It is a sweetness-and-light image that is easy to lampoon. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BZtTQSbl-nw/?hl=en">Andrews herself</a> is alleged to have quipped “sometimes I’m so sweet even I can’t stand it”. But it’s an element of feel-good edification that fuels much of the star’s iconic appeal. The idea of Julie Andrews as a figure of uplift has a long history. Decades before she attained global film stardom in Hollywood, Andrews enjoyed an early career as <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19392397.2022.2109303">a child performer</a>. Billed as “Britain’s youngest singing star”, she performed widely on the postwar concert and variety circuit with forays into radio, gramophone recording and even early television. Possessing a precociously mature soprano voice, Andrews was widely promoted in the era as a <a href="https://paralleljulieverse.tumblr.com/post/63601790519/julies-status-as-a-juvenile-prodigy-possessed">child prodigy</a>. A 1945 BBC talent report filed when the young singer was just nine years old enthused over “this wonderful child discovery” whose “breath control, diction, and range is quite extraordinary for so young a child”. <h2>‘Infant prodigy of trills’</h2> Andrews made her professional West End debut in 1947 where she dazzled audiences with a coloratura performance of the Polonaise from Mignon. Newspapers were ablaze with stories about the “12-year-old singing prodigy with the phenomenal voice”. Reports claimed the pint-sized singer had a vocal range of over four octaves, a fully formed adult larynx and an upper <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistle_register">whistle register</a> so high dogs would be beckoned whenever she sang. On the back of such stories, Andrews was given a slew of lionising monikers: “prima donna in pigtails”, “infant prodigy of trills”, “the miracle voice” and “Britain’s juvenile coloratura”. While much of it was PR hype, the representation of Andrews as an extraordinary musical prodigy resonated deeply with postwar British audiences. The devastation of the war cast <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK436946/">a long shadow</a>, and there was a keen sense a collective social rejuvenation was needed to reestablish national wellbeing. The figure of the child was pivotal to the rhetoric of postwar British reconstruction. From political calls for <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0363199020945746">expanded child welfare</a> to the era’s booming <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/30036327">family-oriented consumerism</a>, images of children saturated the cultural landscape, serving as a lightning rod for both <a href="https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/growing-up-in-the-second-world-war">social anxieties and hopes</a>. In her status as “Britain’s youngest singing star”, Andrews chimed with these postwar discourses of child-oriented renewal. A popular myth even traced her prodigious talent to the very heart of the Blitz. Like a scene from a morale-boosting melodrama, the story claimed the young Andrews was huddled one night with family and friends in a Beckenham air raid shelter. In the middle of a communal singalong, a powerful voice suddenly materialised out of her tiny frame, astonishing all into silent delight. <h2>‘Our Julie’</h2> One of the most pointed alignments of Andrews’ juvenile stardom with a discourse of postwar British nationalism came with her appearance at the <a href="https://www.royalvarietycharity.org/royal-variety-performance/archive/detail/1948-london-palladium-">1948 Royal Command Variety Performance</a>. Appearing just two weeks after her 13th birthday, Andrews was the youngest artist ever to participate in the annual event. It generated considerable media coverage and yet another grand nickname: “command singer in pigtails”. Andrews performed a solo set at the event, and was also charged with leading the national anthem at the close. Ideals of restorative nationalism shaped Andrews’ child stardom in other ways. Much of her early repertoire was markedly British, drawn from the English classical canon and rounded out by traditional folk songs. Press reports emphasised, for all her remarkable talent, “our Julie” was still a typical English girl thoroughly unspoiled by fame. In accompanying images she would appear in idyllic scenarios of classic English childhood: playing with dolls, riding her bicycle, doing her homework. Elsewhere, commentary was rife with speculations about Andrews’ prospects as “the next <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelina_Patti">Adelina Patti</a>” or “future <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lily_Pons">Lily Pons</a>”. The mix of nostalgia and hope helped make the young Andrews a reassuring figure in the anxious landscape of postwar Britain. <h2>All grown up</h2> Little prodigies can’t remain little forever. There lies the troubled rub for many child stars, doomed by biology to lose their principal claim to fame. In Andrews’ case, she was able to make the successful transition to adult stardom – and even greater fame – by moving country and professional register into the American stage and screen musical. Still, the themes of therapeutic uplift that defined her early child stardom would follow Julie Andrews as she graduated to become the world’s favourite singing nanny. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/prima-donna-in-pigtails-how-julie-andrews-the-child-star-embodied-the-hopes-of-post-war-britain-188363" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

Ghislaine Maxwell opens up about “dear friend” Prince Andrew

Content warning: This article mentions sexual assault and child sexual abuse (CSA). Convicted sex offender Ghislaine Maxwell has spoken about her “dear friend” Prince Andrew and made new claims about a piece of evidence used against the former royal. In an exclusive interview from her jail cell, Maxwell told journalist Daphne Barak that she feels “so bad” for the prince. “I follow what is happening to him,” she told Barak. According to the Sun on Sunday, the outlet that published the interview, Maxwell looked “shaken” when told Andrew’s lawyers had claimed the pair were never close. “I accept that this friendship could not survive my conviction,” she said in response. “He is paying such a price for the association. I consider him a dear friend. I care about him.” The interview is the first since she was convicted of sex trafficking underage girls for convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to abuse between 1994 and 2004, for which she was sentenced to 20 years behind bars. It also comes as Andrew’s attempts to salvage his public image continue after he was accused of raping Virginia Giuffre during the period of time when she was a victim of Epstein. Two <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/five-key-details-in-prince-andrew-s-statement-after-settlement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">weeks before the case was due to begin</a> in federal court, the prince settled the case with a reported payment of $US 12 million ($NZ 21.5 million). Though Maxwell refused to deny allegations she was in a relationship with Andrew, she now claims that one of the biggest pieces of evidence used against him is fake. The socialite claimed the infamous image of Andrew with his arm around Giuffre, with Maxwell in the background, was forged and that the “original one” has never been produced. "This photo is not real," Maxwell said of the photo reportedly taken at her London home in March 2001. "There was never an original one produced." According to the Sun, Maxwell wouldn’t speak further on Giuffre, telling Barak: “I don’t even want to start talking about Virginia.” Maxwell’s new claims go against what she has previously said about the image, including a 2015 email where Epstein’s lawyer asked her whether it was real to which she replied: “It looks real. I think it is.” When Barak questioned her about these claims, Maxwell said she had intended to say she recognised the interiors of her house. “I don't recognise that picture and I don't believe it is a real picture,” Maxwell said. “... But I have come to discover that image I don’t believe is true. And the original has never been produced because it doesn’t exist. I don’t believe that image is a true image.” When asked to explain her response to Epstein’s lawyer, Maxwell it didn’t occur to her at the time that the image could have been created by someone. "If you see a photograph and it's a photograph of you in your home, and someone says to you, 'is that a picture of you?' So you don't question," she said. “[It] would never occur to me … that somebody would have created a photograph or, you know, done something with a picture … I recognised the surroundings of that photograph, nothing more than that.” The 60-year-old went on to claim that there were “over 50 problems with the picture” that led her to believe it was fake. When asked about reports she was romantically involved with the prince, Maxwell said she had heard “so many monstrous inaccuracies” about what happened. "I have read and seen and heard and had reported to me so many monstrous inaccuracies that I can't even start to pick apart all of them,” she said, adding that she would be “super-happy” to address them with Barak after her appeal. Maxwell also spoke about the possibility her friendship with Andrew could continue in the future. “I don't have an expectation. People who I have been friends with — and very close friends with … I can't think about what they will want to do or not do,” she said. If you or someone you know is affected by issues in this article, there is support available. You can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, Bravehearts on 1800 272 831, or Blue Knot on 1300 657 380 for support relating to sexual abuse. Image: US Department of Justice

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Julia Roberts shares rare throwback pic on twins' birthday

Prince Andrew “terrified” to leave Royal Lodge amid eviction rumours

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Julia Faustyna takes DNA test to prove wild identity claims

Prince Andrew’s eviction fears

How Prince Andrew and Prince Harry have thrown coronation plans into "chaos"

Julia Roberts learns shocking family secret

Julia Roberts shares adorable throwback pic in celebration of her twins' birthday

Prince Andrew to appeal loss of another royal perk

“I believe Prince Andrew”: Fergie’s ex speaks in bombshell interview

Prince Harry and Prince Andrew’s Remembrance Day wreaths removed

Matthew Perry reveals rendezvous with Julia Roberts

"Prima donna in pigtails": how Julie Andrews the child star embodied the hopes of post-war Britain

Ghislaine Maxwell opens up about “dear friend” Prince Andrew

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Julia Roberts shares rare throwback pic on twins' birthday

Prince Andrew “terrified” to leave Royal Lodge amid eviction rumours

Prince William’s undercover university ‘disguise’ revealed

"I am not a monster": Disturbing reason police have seized phone of woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann

Madeleine McCann's parents speak out after DNA test results

"Totally bereft": Andrew Lloyd Webber's tragic family news

“We are all praying”: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s family heartbreak

Sad health news for woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann

Woman claiming to be Madeleine McCann flees home country amid death threats

Julia Faustyna takes DNA test to prove wild identity claims

Prince Andrew’s eviction fears

How Prince Andrew and Prince Harry have thrown coronation plans into "chaos"

Julia Roberts learns shocking family secret

Julia Roberts shares adorable throwback pic in celebration of her twins' birthday

Prince Andrew to appeal loss of another royal perk

“I believe Prince Andrew”: Fergie’s ex speaks in bombshell interview

Prince Harry and Prince Andrew’s Remembrance Day wreaths removed

Matthew Perry reveals rendezvous with Julia Roberts

"Prima donna in pigtails": how Julie Andrews the child star embodied the hopes of post-war Britain

Ghislaine Maxwell opens up about “dear friend” Prince Andrew

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