This story contains spoilers for Episode 8 of HBO Max’s “Lanterns.”
From the very first time Tom King and DC Studios’ James Gunn ever talked about a Green Lantern show, they envisioned John Stewart as the kind of hero who could generate excitement and change the tide of any battle upon his arrival.
“The idea was to build a character as compelling and impactful as, say, Thor in the Marvel universe,” says King, the “Lanterns” co-creator, during a recent video call. “Someone who arrives in a movie with a thunderclap, and … the audience [just] screams when they arrive because you’re in love with that character … not just [for] the power set they have, but the integrity of that character.”
That hero officially takes flight in Sunday’s “Lanterns” finale.
Episode 8 of the HBO Max superhero crime drama, titled “Dirt and Stars,” sees John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) take up the mantle as Earth’s newest Green Lantern. After solving the mystery of his predecessor Hal Jordan’s (Kyle Chandler) death, Stewart claims Jordan’s power ring as his own, recites his oath and jets off toward his next adventure. (A second season of “Lanterns” has not been announced, but the character will appear in Gunn’s upcoming “Superman” sequel, “Man of Tomorrow.”)
Co-created by King, Damon Lindelof and Chris Mundy, “Lanterns” introduces Jordan as a grizzled, veteran member of the Green Lantern Corps, intergalactic space cops who are armed with a special ring that allows them to manifest objects and manipulate energy.
In the finale, John Stewart, left, claims Hal Jordan’s (Kyle Chandler) ring as his own.
(John Johnson / HBO Max)
Stewart is a new Green Lantern recruit, but when an investigation into the whereabouts of a killer alien robot on the run goes awry, they go their separate ways.
“One of the cool things about the canonical Green Lanterns is that, technically speaking, there’s only one ring delegated to this particular sector in which Earth fell,” says Lindelof of one of the show’s central conflicts.
The creative team knew from the jump that Stewart would be the one to bear that ring at the end of the season, but the idea that Stewart would be a child prodigy whose parents preordained his path to become the next Green Lantern developed over time.
“We [decided] the first part of John’s life is going to be [about] coming to terms with the fact that he doesn’t really want the ring — or he doesn’t want the ring on those terms,” Lindelof says. “Then there would have to be some period of time where he was living his dream. … Then and only then would he be able to wipe the slate clean, as it were, and gravitate back toward a healthy way to want the ring.”
In the comics, Green Lanterns are known for their oaths, which they recite when recharging their rings or to reaffirm their commitment to the group. In “Lanterns,” Stewart creates his own version that acknowledges his journey and perspective on becoming a Green Lantern.
“We talked a lot about it in the room, but the feeling was that he was changing the relationship with the Guardians in that moment,” Mundy says, referring to the immortal aliens that created the Green Lantern Corps.
In the end, Hal, left, is able to impart lessons that nobody else would have been able to teach John.
(John Johnson / HBO Max)
The Guardians had once considered Stewart an ideal replacement for Jordan because he was willing to blindly follow orders, but by the time he claimed Jordan’s ring, it’s clear Stewart has no plans to be affiliated with the Guardians or the Green Lantern Corps in that way, and the writers wanted his oath to reflect that.
“We wanted John to take [the role] on his terms,” Mundy says. “Even though Hal didn’t train him as well as he should have trained him, he taught him lessons that nobody else would have taught him. … [Including] how you need to be your own person even as you’re working for this organization.”
Besides his unconventional path to becoming a Green Lantern, Stewart is in possession of a unique lantern for recharging his ring that was forged by Sinestro, Jordan’s disgraced mentor.
The “Lanterns” showrunner remained coy when asked whether this lantern’s more ominous origins could lead to any unintended consequences for Stewart.
“It’s rife with possibility, is what I will say,” Mundy says.
In separate interviews, Mundy, Lindelof and King discussed the “Lanterns” finale, Stewart and Jordan’s bittersweet reconciliation and the show’s fiercely protective mothers. Their comments have been edited for clarity and length.
Because the “real” Hal is killed in 2026, his relationship with John is left unresolved. John shares a moment with the Halogram, the backup version of 2006 Hal’s consciousness, after working with him and the mystery is solved, but can you address that lack of proper closure for them?
Mundy: We talked about this thing as a love story between these guys in a certain way, but one of them has to die in order for them to truly come together. Even over the course of the Halogram being in the show, he never called John “Junior” ever. He always called him “trainee.” Until the last moment when he says … “I love you, too, Junior.” There’s something very bittersweet about the fact that the two people we spent all that time with don’t fully have their moment together.
King: What I think is hinted at between the Halogram and the final Hal we get is this Sinestro subplot. This is right from the comics, but Hal’s best friend, his mentor, the person who trained him, betrayed everything he trusted and Hal had to put him away. I think the trauma of that moment closed Hal up. It damaged him … so he was unable to see John for what he is and unable to listen to John the way he should. [With the Halogram] John finally encounters a Hal who hasn’t gone through that and they can have conversations they couldn’t have before. John can start to feel the empathy that Hal denied him, and he can see Hal for who Hal really is.
Lindelof: I love the idea that that version of Hal and John are unresolved. There is no apology. There is no forgiveness. The only closure that John can get is from this earlier version of Hal who has a lot of sympathy and empathy, not just for John, but for himself. Obviously, this is a crazy sci-fi superhero show, but that feels more authentic to life. Sort of like when someone that you love is gone, and you find a note that they wrote or an old birthday card and you extrapolate new meaning from it even though it’s from an earlier version of them.
Viewers get some backstory on the romance between Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald) and Hal.
(John Johnson / HBO Max)
Why was it important to show more of 2026 Hal Jordan’s life before his death in the finale?
Lindelof: The only flavoring that we get of him directly [before this] is in the diner scene, when John comes for his apology and doesn’t get one. Only toward the very end of that scene after John has hit Hal, and Hal says, “Don’t let anybody know that you were here,” is there a flash that something has changed in this guy. It’s one thing for Kerry to tell us that they were in love, or to hear Hal’s “buttercup” voicemail, but I think that the audience needed to see it and experience it. Hal is not a changed man in 2026, but he’s an evolved man. And there’s real tragedy inherent in all of the decisions that he’s making because we know that all of those decisions basically lead him to be a corpse in the stands at a football game. The subtle differences by which Kyle plays older Hal versus Halogram Hal is really on sharp display in the finale.
With Noah being a Manhunter, it turned out that he and John were dealing with similar questions around lineageand legacy and nature versus nurture. How did the exploration into these themes evolve during the show’s development? Much of it is unpacked in their truck ride together.
King: The basic idea [was] that John had been one of these kids who had been told, “You’re going to be this when you grow up.” Like a Tiger Woods or Michael Jackson-esque child. We started talking about what that’s like — to be a prodigy, to be forced into [something]. The idea that you’re kind of programmed by your parents. And then we were talking about Manhunters. The problem with Manhunters is they’ve been programmed to do this one thing, and they can’t defy their programming [to eradicate mankind]. That’s why they had to eventually be erased. Then we started talking about the parallel of programming and overcoming programming, and what makes you human, what doesn’t, that parallel came first. Those were the very nascent ideas, and we took that to our brilliant writers room, and [Breannah Gibson], Justin [Britt-Gibson] and Vanessa [Baden Kelly] added their own personal experience to that and made it a much richer … and personal story.
Mundy: John still doesn’t know if he’s about to die in this car. Noah is trying to learn about himself and figure out if he wants to kill John or die himself. The important thing was to hold that tension and then kind of step that conversation through chapters. There’s anger about what happened to Zoe. After he understands that a little bit better, he says “these are the different ways my life could go.” And then John can actually bring a piece of himself. We talked all the time about the way John was raised and the programming of the Manhunters and what’s “programming” and what’s “being raised.” Then there’s a confession that ends up being false, but also this request to be killed. There were three distinct sections of that conversation, and we wanted them all to be meaningful and personal.
In the final scenes of the episode, John and Kerry have a conversation about what parents are willing to do for their children.
(John Johnson / HBO Max)
With both Hal and John, so much of their intergenerational trauma is tied to their fathers. But with Noah and John, you also see just how big of a role their mothers have played in shaping them. How did that aspect come about?
Mundy: Once we knew that Noah was a Manhunter, it felt too cheap and too easy for that to be the answer [to the mystery of Hal’s death]. But it felt key to the answer of it, and we were talking so much about parenthood and what you would do for your child and what it means. What’s protecting people and what’s not? It just became a given pretty early on that Kerry would be the answer at the end. It just fit into the same story Bernadette was going through. And [John’s] conversation with Kerry explains so much of that.
Lindelof: I think this all came from Vanessa Baden Kelly. We had written the pilot, where John’s father is shooting the apple off of his head, and then when Vanessa came on shortly thereafter, she’s like, “Where’s mom?” It is one of those moments where you realize it, particularly because we were three men, but also inside of the canon of these superheroes, it’s always a dad. So the idea was having Bernadette really be the mastermind of John’s upbringing as a way to provide a simultaneous salve for her husband’s shame about being afraid about losing out on the opportunity.
I think that Kerry is an equally fierce mother. Obviously, she loves Hal. But when you watch it a second time after you’ve seen the finale, you realize that there’s guilt there as well because of what she did to him, all in the name of her son.
John starts to reframe what Bernadette did as something for him, as opposed to something for her — in a lot of ways, it was a selfless act. She’s doing it knowing that her child will hate her, but that he’ll be the Earth’s Green Lantern, and there’s going to be an aspirational quality to that for generations to follow.
City Section USC Hybrid 31, South LA College Prep 0
Southern Section Adelanto 19, Arroyo Valley 0 Agoura 42, Newbury Park 25 Burbank Burroughs 26, Temple City 7 Bonita 51, Claremont 0 California Military Institute 31, Desert Christian Academy 0 Camarillo 34, Royal 14 Castaic 38, Canyon Country Canyon 6 Cate 32, Bishop Diego 25 Channel Islands 12, Buena 6 Chino Hills 12, Rancho Cucamonga 6 Dos Pueblos 6, Ventura 0 Eastside 20, Palmdale 0 Eisenhower 31, Carter 6 Etiwanda 20, Upland 0 Grand Terrace 18, Bloomington 6 Highland 16, Lancaster 6 Hueneme 19, Fillmore 12 JSerra 34, Santa Margarita 20 Jurupa Valley 19, San Bernardino 0 Oaks Christian 24, Thousand Oaks 0 Oxnard 28, San Marcos 18 Oxford Academy 12, Norwalk 6 Mater Dei 23, Orange Lutheran 0 Mission Viejo 33, Dana Hills 0 Moorpark 24, Oak Park 6 Moreno Valley 27, Corona 7 Pacific 40, Rubidoux 0 Paloma Valley 32, Liberty 7 Quartz Hill 12, Antelope Valley 6 Ramona 7, Miller 0 Rancho Verde 19, Heritage 12 Redlands East Valley 39, Redlands 0 Redondo Uniom 46, Windward 6 Rialto 48, Fontana 0 Rim of the World 27, Colton 8 Riverside North 19, Hillcrest 13 Riverside Poly 33, Canyon Springs 6 Santa Barbara 13, Oxnard Pacifica 0 SEED: LA 25, Burbank Providence 20 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 49, Alemany 0 Simi Valley 26, Hart 12 St. Lucy’s 26, Los Osos 24 Summit 24, Jurupa Hills 18 Temecula Prep 27, Indio 0 Temescal Canyon 35, Tahquitz 7 Torrance 13, South Torrance 0 United Christian Academy 45, Calvary Baptist 0 Valencia 13, Saugus 0 Vista del Lago 19, Lakeside 6 Westlake 60, Calabasas 7 Westridge 12, Village Christian 6
MONDAY’S RESULTS
City Section Birmingham 16, Taft 7 Brio College Prep 46, Belmont 0 Camino Nuevo 19, Animo De La Hoya 0 Carson 49, Gardena 0 Eagle Rock 26, Lincoln 13 El Camino Real 34, Chatsworth 0 Fairfax 16, Los Angeles University 0 Foshay 46, Santee 0 GALA 6, Crenshaw 0 GALA 13, Dorsey 6 Garfield 32, Bell 12 Jefferson 21, Angelou 6 Los Angeles 6, West Adams 0 LACES 13, WISH Academy 8 Los Angeles Hamilton 15, Venice 6 Los Angeles Roosevelt 26, Legacy 6 Los Angeles Wilson 34, Los Angeles Marshall 0 Hawkins 30, Port of Los Angeles 13 Huntington Park 6, South East 0 Manual Arts 26, Diego Rivera 0 Marquez 7, Maywood Academy 6 Maywood CES 24, Elizabeth 12 Narbonne 13, King/Drew 12 Orthopaedic 20, Alliance Levine 8 Palisades 7, Westchester 0 Panorama 39, San Fernando 0 Port of Los Angeles 33, Dymally 0 San Pedro 12, Wilmington Banning 7 Sotomayor 32, Torres 0 Stern 14, Collins Family 12 View Park 13, Stella 6
Southern Section Alhambra 13, Mountain View 0 Anaheim 31, Orange 6 Anaheim Canyon 20, Esperanza 12 Aquinas 32, Woodcrest Christian 0 Arlington 18, Vista del lago 6 Baldwin Park 26, Azusa 19 Bishop Amat 42, St. Anthony 0 Bishop Montgomery 41, St. Bernard 6 Bolsa Grande 26, Western 25 Burbank Burroughs 32, Gabrielino 7 Camarillo 35, West Ranch 0 Cantwell-Sacred Heart 7, Ramona Convent 0 Canyon Springs 19, Hillcrest 0 Cerritos 25, Artesia 6 Chaffey 12, Ontario 0 Chaparral 32, Murrieta Valley 6 Chino 24, Montclair 0 Chino Hills 18, St. Lucy’s 6 Colony 18, San Dimas 12 Compton 32, Compton Early College 0 Corona 18, Norco 12 Corona Santiago 13, Compton Centennial 6 Costa Mesa 26, Buena Park 0 Covina 24, Hacienda Heights Wilson 6 Cypress 12, Crean Lutheran 6 Downey 28, Gahr 12 Edison 25, Los Alamitos 7 El Modena 27, El Dorado 12 El Monte 13, Arroyo 0 El Rancho 26, Bell Gardens 6 El Toro 28, Beckman 12 Estancia 39, Loara 13 Etiwanda 34, Rancho Cucamonga 6 Fullerton 7, Placentia Valencia 6 Garden Grove 20, Westminster 19 Garden Grove Santiago 12, Saddleback 6 Garey 26, Duarte 6 Glendora 19, Ayala 6 Glenn 21, Norwalk 19 Godinez 26, Ocean View 7 Great Oak 28, Temecula Valley 6 Harvard-Westlake 18, Brentwood 13 Heritage 13, Perris 12 Huntington Beach 40, Fountain Valley 18 Jurupa Valley 31, Entrepreneur 6 Laguna Beach 40, Irvine 6 Laguna Hills 28, Capistrano Valley Christian 19 La Habra 33, Garden Grove Pacifica 6 Lakewood 24, Mayfair 6 Lakewood St. Joseph 25, Gardena Serra 0 La Mirada 28, Santa Fe 24 La Puente 24, Pomona 18 La Serna 36, Bellflower 6 La Sierra 25, Norte Vista 0 Linfield Christian 45, Riverside Notre Dame 13 Loma Linda Academy d. CSDR, forfeit Long Beach Cabrillo 34, Compton Centennial 0 Long Beach Poly 32, Long Beach Jordan 6 Mater Dei 33, Yorba Linda 20 Millikan 28, Long Beach Wilson 6 Monrovia 35, Temple City 7 Montebello 33, Rosemead 0 Moreno Valley 14, Valley View 0 Murrieta Mesa 12, Vista Murrieta 6 Newport Harbor 54, Marina 0 Northview 21, Rowland 9 Nuview Bridge 32, Desert Christian Academy 6 Ontario Christian 47, Arrowhead Christian 6 Oxford Academy 27, Pioneer 0 Paloma Valley 57, Rancho Christian 6 Patriot 13, Miller 8 Ramona 21, La Sierra 12 Rancho Alamitos 26, Century 6 Rancho Verde 14, Liberty 10 Redlands Adventist Academy 40, Calvary Baptist 6 Riverside King 30, Eastvale Roosevelt 24 Riverside North 12, San Jacinto Valley Academy 6 Riverside Poly 20, Hemet 6 Rosary 13, Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 12 Sage Hill 22, Portola 18 San Gabriel 25, Keppel 0 San Marino 39, South Pasadena 0 Santa Ana Foothill 49, Brea Olinda 6 Santa Ana Valley 26, Magnolia 18 Santa Paula 14, St. Bonaventure 6 Schurr 8, South El Monte 6 Segerstrom 26, La Palma Kennedy 6 Sierra Canyon 61, Immaculate Heart 0 Sierra Vista 6, Nogales 0 Sonora 39, Sunny Hills 25 South Hills 33, Alta Loma 8 St. Monica 53, Sacred Heart of Jesus 0 St. Paul 59, Mary Star of the Sea 0 Temescal Canyon 27, Rialto 6 Tesoro 40, San Juan Hills 19 Tustin 18, Katella 12 Upland 12, Los Osos 0 Vasquez 14, Golden Valley 6 Warren 25, California 8 West Covina 25, Charter Oak 14 Western Christian 73, Legacy College Prep 0 Westminster La Quinta 32, Savanna 0 West Valley 18, Banning 13 Whittier 20, Whitney 7 Woodbridge 53, Irvine University 16 Workman 12, Edgewood 6
Intersectional Castaic 27, SOCES 0 Vistamar 12, St. Mary’s Academy 6
Southern Section Agoura 18, Thousand Oaks 6 Banning 18, Rancho Mirage 6 Beaumont 55, Redlands 21 Brentwood 40, SEED LA 7 Cajon 19, Yucaipa 0 California Military 6, Peninsula 0 Camarillo 35, Oak Park 14 Castaic 25, West Ranch 13 Chaparral 41, Norco 0 Colton 6, Bloomington 0 El Segundo 21, Vistamar 6 Etiwanda 24, Chino Hills 7 Grand Terrace 34, Carter 6 Great Oak 27, Valley View 6 Harvard-Westlake 39, Louisville 0 Hemet 27, Canyon Springs 24 Highland 12, Antelope Valley 6 Indian Springs 33, Arroyo Valley 26 JSerra 38, Orange Lutheran 0 Jurupa Valley 27, Rubidoux 0 Kaiser 19, Jurupa Hills 12 Lancaster 19, Knight 0 Moreno Valley 18, Vista del Lago 0 Oaks Christian 37, Calabasas 6 Oxnard 18, Ventura 13 Pacific 19, San Bernardino 6 Paloma Valley 47, Citrus Hill 6 Pasadena Poly 33, Rio Hondo Prep 12 Quartz Hill 32, Eastside 13 Ramona 20, Norte Vista 0 Rancho Cucamonga 24, Los Osos 0 Rancho Verde 41, Perris 6 Redlands Adventist 25, Loma Linda Academy 0 Redlands East Valley 31, Citrus Valley 0 Rialto 12, San Gorgonio 6 Rim of the World 19, Eisenhower 18 Riverside Poly 55, Riverside North 6 Santa Monica 24, Sunny Hills 0 Santa Paula 24, Fillmore 7 Saugus 18, Canyon Country Canyon 6 Segerstrom 32, San Dimas 6 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 38, Immaculate Heart 6 Simi Valley 14, Moorpark 12 South Hills 21, Colony 13 St. Bonaventure 14, Cate 0 Temescal Canyon 27, Elsinore 0 Tesoro 28, San Clemente 20 Torrance 22, North Torrance 0 Valencia 19, Hart 7 Westlake 55, Newbury Park 12 Westminster 14, Laguna Hills 7
MONDAY’S RESULTS
City Section Camino Nuevo 6, Smidt Tech 0 Collins Family 19, Rise Kohyang 8 New Designs University Park 12, Stella 6 Stern 26, De La Hoya 0 View Park 7, Locke 0
Southern Section Adelanto 21, Victor Valley 0 Alhambra 25, El Monte 19 Alta Loma 12, Colony 6 Anaheim Canyon 34, Corona 18 Arroyo Valley 39, Fontana 0 Azusa 21, Garey 0 Baldwin Park 25, Nogales 0 Bell Gardens d. South El Monte, forfeit Bellflower 12, California 6 Bishop Amat 12, Serra 7 Bolsa Grande 32, Magnolia 0 Bonita 40, Claremont 0 California Military 46, Nuview Bridge 0 Cantwell-Sacred Heart 20, Mary Star of the Sea 6 Canyon Springs 26, Tahquitz 6 Canyon Springs 12, Arlington 12 Carter 18, Bloomington 13 Cathedral City 33, Jurupa Valley 0 Century 24, Western 6 Cerritos Valley Christian 52, Fairmont Prep 17 Chaparral 40, Temecula Valley 0 Chino 26, Chaffey 0 Chino Hills 19, Los Osos 0 Corona del Mar 18, Fountain Valley 8 Corona Santiago 26, Norco 13 Costa Mesa 30, Ocean View 0 Covina 33, Charter Oak 12 Crean Lutheran 21, Esperanza 7 Desert Hot Springs 20, Palm Springs 6 Dominguez 48, Compton Centennial 6 Don Lugo 13, Montclair 2 Downey 60, Mayfair 0 Edgewood 19, Bassett 0 Edison 32, Marina 0 Eisenhower 14, Colton 8 El Monte Arroyo 7, Rosemead 6 El Rancho 25, Keppel 0 Etiwanda 29, St. Lucy’s 6 Flintridge Sacred Heart 20, Immaculate Heart 8 Fullerton 44, Laguna Hills 13 Gabrielino 26, Temple City 0 Garden Grove Pacifica 21, Troy 12 Garden Grove Santiago 19, Los Amigos 2 Glenn 27, Oxford Academy 0 Godinez 20, Katella 14 Hemet 20, Riverside North 6 Huntington Beach 46, Los Alamitos 21 Indian Springs 44, Jurupa Hills 13 Irvine 12, Newport Beach Pacifica Christian 6 Kaiser 6, Rialto 0 La Habra 28, Brea Olinda 0 Lakewood St. Joseph 48, St. Mary’s Academy 0 La Mirada 13, Artesia 7 La Quinta 24, Xavier Prep 0 Liberty 27, Citrus Hill 0 Loma Linda Academy 47, Public Safety Academy 0 Long Beach Cabrillo 6, Compton Early College 0 Long Beach Poly 41, Lakewood 0 Long Beach Wilson 42, Long Beach Jordan 12 Mater Dei 39, Santa Margarita 13 Miller 6. Norte Vista 0 Millikan 20, Quartz Hill 13 Monrovia 26, Burbank Burroughs 9 Montebello 6, Mountain View 2 Moreno Valley 32, Lakeside 6 Murrieta Mesa 19, Great Oak 7 Murrieta Valley 6, Vista Murrieta 0 Northview 25, Hacienda Heights Wilson 24 Norwalk 26, Whitney 0 Ontario Christian 33, Woodcrest Christian 14 Orange 37, Estancia 0 Orange Vista 38, Perris 14 Paloma Valley 39, Heritage 6 Patriot 20, Ramona 7 Placentia Valencia 24, Garden Grove 0 Portola 12, Northwood 6 Ramona Convent 59, Sacred Heart of Jesus 0 Rancho Cucamonga 20, Upland 6 Rancho Verde 41, Rancho Christian 0 Redlands 12, Palm Desert 7 Rim of the World 12, Grand Terrace 7 Riverside King 33, Corona Centennial 12 Riverside Poly 40, Hillcrest 0 Rosamond 27, Littlerock 12 Saddleback 32, Savanna 0 Sage Hill 25, Irvine University 14 San Gorgonio 13, Summit 7 San Marino 13, La Canada 8 Santa Fe 6, Paramount 0 Saugus 6, Village Christian 0 Schurr 33, San Gabriel 12 Sierra Vista 32, Duarte 0 St. Margaret’s 32, Laguna Beach 6 St. Paul 40, St. Bernard 0 Trabuco Hills 27, Beckman 13 Tustin 18, Buena Park 0 Valley View 19, Vista del Lago 0 Villa Park 14, Sunny Hills 7 West Covina 19, Rowland 0 Westminster 37, La Palma Kennedy 20 Whittier 26, Pioneer 7 Woodbridge 38, Tesoro 33 Workman 20, La Puente 14 Yorba Linda 28, Cypress 6
Jordan’s King Abdullah II decried Israeli settler incursions in the occupied West Bank as a strategy of ‘forced displacement’ that should be considered a war crime.
Sonay Kartal and Katie Boulter lost their respective singles matches as Great Britain were beaten by a strong Czech Republic side in the Billie Jean King Cup quarter-finals.
Anne Keothavong’s team headed into the tie as underdogs, with all five Czech players placed higher in the singles rankings than any of the British squad.
Sonay Kartal produced a gritty performance as she returned to tennis after six months out with a lower back injury, but fell to a narrow 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 6-4 defeat in a marathon three-hour encounter with Marie Bouzkova.
Boulter could do little to get Britain back into the best-of-three tie as she was outplayed 6-2 7-6 (7-3) by Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova.
It was a second successive loss for Boulter at the hands of a Czech player, coming just three weeks after a 58-minute demolition by Karolina Muchova at the US Open.
It is the first time since 2023 that Britain have failed to reach the semi-finals at the Billie Jean King Cup and their wait for a maiden title will go on for another year.
The Czech Republic, who are 11-time winners of the tournament and the only team boasting two top-10 players at the Finals, will face either Kazakhstan or Spain in Friday’s semi-finals.
Emmerdale villain Tom King – played by actor James Chase – will make his return to the Dales later this year in a devastating twist for Belle Dingle and her new partner Kammy
Emmerdale villain Tom King is returning
Emmerdale villain Tom King is returning to the Dales in a shocking twist.
Actor James Chase is reprising his role as the abusive Tom King for new scenes later this year. Belle Dingle – played by Eden Taylor-Draper – was targeted by her abusive ex-husband Tom.
Throughout their relationship, she was controlled by Tom, where he psychological abused her, cyber-stalked her and even harmed the family dog Piper to coercively control his wife.
He was convicted and sent to prison but now he is up for parole, and his unexpected return in Belle’s life threatens to turn her life upside down once again. Can the Dingles find a way to keep him in jail or will he manipulate those around him once more?
Emmerdale producer Laura Shaw said of the new storyline: “James’ return isn’t just about bringing back a familiar face; it’s about reigniting a complex and challenging story.
“When Belle gets the news that Tom is up for parole she’s forced to confront a trauma she battled hard to overcome. With her family and new partner Kammy by her side, we explore the lasting impact of Tom’s abusive actions on Belle as she fights to keep Tom away from the village.”
James Chase added: “Stepping back into Tom’s shoes is a responsibility I don’t take lightly. He is a character driven by obsession and a desperate need for control, and it is both fascinating and challenging to step back into that mindset.
“The audience knows exactly who he is and what he is capable of, so the challenge now is to show the lengths he is willing to go to in order to get what he wants, even if it means dismantling Belle’s life all over again. It’s a dark path, and I’m ready to see how far Tom will push it.”
Actor James left the show back in December 2024 after his character’s 10 month campaign of mental and physical abuse against Belle Dingle. He said of his departure: “One hundred per cent this is the right outcome for King.
“If the Dingles had gone after him and killed him, or even Belle kill him, I think that would be understandable but she and the family would be stooping to his level. By keeping it in the realms of legality, it is the right course of action.”
He added at the time: “This storyline has really resonated with viewers and, sadly, it’s been happening for a long time behind closed doors. Unfortunately, in real life, these things can go on for years.
“By doing the storyline for most this year, we have brought that feeling across – that you are trapped, you are with someone who is awful and you can’t find your way out of it. I feel really proud of what we have achieved and I’m especially proud of Eden (Taylor-Draper) who plays Belle Dingle. She is bloody brilliant and it has been intense. She has spent nearly every day crying.”
Emmerdale airs 8PM, weeknights on ITV1and STV or from 7AM on ITVX and STV Player and YouTube.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has told the Sunday Telegraph that the prime minister is “fiddling while Europe is at risk of burning”, external in the face of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s hybrid warfare. She said the government must stop pretending we live in a “carefree world” and increase defence spending. She accuses Andy Burnham of being a “people pleaser” and adds “difficult choices cannot be avoided through dither and delay”.
The Sunday Times says the head of Britain’s elections watchdog has said that he is considering slashing spending limits, external. Vijay Rangarajan, the chief executive of the Electoral Commission, believes it is essential that the rules are “fit for purpose” and maintain public trust in election financing. The move, if implemented, could affect Reform UK’s ability to spend £72m recently given by two crypto-billionaires.
In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, accuses the King of “gaslighting”, external him. The earl’s book, serialised in the Daily Mail, has produced a series of allegations about the Royal Family’s response to his sister’s death. He described the King’s response to his claims as “below the belt” and says his late sister would be “cheering from theh rafters” at his book.
The Independent carries polling which, it says, shows that rejoining the EU, external is supported in all but four constituencies in Great Britain. The paper quotes a YouGov poll which suggests it was by far the most popular option, when voters were presented with different options regarding the government’s future relationship with Brussels.
The Sunday Express says the seizure of illegal knives, external by UK Border Force in the first six months of this year almost exceeded the total number of blades taken by the organisation in the whole of 2025. The figure amounts to almost 3000, around 15 a day on average. The Ben Kinsella Trust, an anti-knife crime charity, tells the paper that the numbers illustrate the scale of demand for the banned weapons.
It took a field goal with 10 seconds left by star soccer player Alejandro Carranza to give King/Drew a 13-12 win over L.A. Cathedral last week. That’s a breakthrough win for King/Drew against a quality Southern Section opponent.
King/Drew is 2-2 in nonleague games and wants a return to the City Section Open Division playoffs. The Golden Eagles always seem to have lots of talent but have failed to reach the championship game of the City playoffs at the highest level.
This season there’s signs of progress on offense. Quarterback Gerard Torres has passed for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns. Receiver Darr Muhammad has 26 catches and three touchdowns. King/Drew has lost to San Pedro and Culver City this season and has wins over Cathedral and Gardena.
There’s a showdown with Crenshaw on Oct. 16 to probably decide the Coliseum League title. King/Drew also travels to face Baltimore St. Francis Academy, where coach Joe Torres used to coach.
King/Drew needs to keep improving to reach the top four in the City playoffs.
This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.
British monarch highlights AI’s potential darker capacities, urging safety and humanity-focused development.
Published On 17 Sep 202617 Sep 2026
The United Kingdom’s King Charles has warned Artificial Intelligence (AI) industry leaders of the “existential dangers” posed by the technology if it falls into the wrong hands.
The monarch’s comments on Thursday add to a global debate over whether, and how to regulate the industry.
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Charles hosted AI giants, including the cofounders of Nvidia and Google DeepMind, along with leaders from OpenAI and Anthropic at a summit at his Dumfries House estate in Scotland, to address safety concerns before it was “too late” to rein it in.
“There seems urgency in adequately considering the existential dangers of such technologies falling into the wrong hands, and being used in potentially catastrophic ways,” Charles told guests at the opening of the conference.
“Those in our world who value our humanity and its vital moral component are anxiously seeking your reassurance that we will not lose control of our destiny,” he told the industry leaders.
“Those who have created these technologies are now increasingly warning that AI risks developing darker capacities, perhaps even to take life,” or be used in “potentially catastrophic ways”, the king also said.
In recent weeks, global figures have weighed in on whether the industry should regulate itself or allow governments to produce guidelines on how the rapidly evolving technology develops.
In May, Pope Leo XIV said ”the world does not need an artificial intelligence that diminishes humanity” and must be “disarmed”.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has dismissed concerns about the technology as a “hoax”.
Slow the pace of AI development
Last week, two Anthropic researchers warned that the rapidly advancing technology could lead to human extinction in the not-too-distant future.
Anthropic Chief Executive Dario Amodei has also called for companies to slow the pace of AI development.
However, that has prompted an international debate about whether some executives were trying to get ahead of a possible government backlash and set the rules to keep the lead of particular companies.
“The development of AI – its substance and its pace – are both intriguing and deeply concerning in equal measure,” the British monarch said.
He urged industry leaders to harness it “with safety at its heart” and “to ensure that it remains firmly in the service of humanity, community and the natural world”.
The summit in Scotland is not expected to produce any binding agreements.
Southern Section Adelanto 25, San Gorgonio 6 Antelope Valley 16, Palmdale 0 Aquinas 13, Riverside Poly 12 Arroyo Valley 14, Victor Valley 2 Beaumont 26, Redlands East Valley 6 Bishop Montgomery 40, Vasquez 12 Cajon 20, Citrus Valley 0 California Military 54, Pomona 0 Carter 7, Colton 7 Charter Oak 25, Duarte 7 Chino 7, Sunny Hills 6 Colony 25, Los Altos 0 Colton 7, Carter 7 Dos Pueblos 31, Oxnard 20 Esperanza 13, St. Paul 6 Etiwanda 38, Los Osos 0 Grand Terrace 12, Eisenhower 8 Hart 14, Saugus 0 Harvard-Westlake 32, Alemany 0 Hemet 18, Hillcrest 14 Heritage 24, Liberty 15 Highland 18, Eastside 6 Indian Springs 32, Fontana 0 JSerra 39, Mater Dei 7 Kaiser 19, Summit 6 Laguna Hills 20, La Palma Kennedy 0 La Mirada 6, Santa Fe 0 Lancaster 27, Littlerock 6 Mission Viejo 25, Aliso Niguel 13 Moreno Valley 34, Arlington 7 Mountain View 13, Rosemead 6 Newbury Park 26, Oaks Christian 18 Nogales 8, Sierra Vista 2 Orange 19, Oxford Academy 0 Orange Lutheran 26, Santa Margarita 20 Oxnard Pacifica 24, Channel Islands 6 Paloma Valley 32, Perris 0 Palos Verdes 27, Inglewood 13 Patriot 33, Norte Vista 0 Quartz Hill 12, Knight 6 Rancho Cucamonga 44, St. Lucy’s 13 Rancho Verde 33, Orange Vista 6 Redondo Union 41, El Segundo 7 Rialto 7, Jurupa Hills 6 Rim of the World 33, Bloomington 14 Royal 19, Moorpark 6 San Bernardino 25, Rubidoux 0 San Marino 15, Gabrielino 6 Santa Paula 56, Bishop Diego 0 SEED LA 34, Yeshiva 14 Shadow Hills 37, Temecula Prep 12 Simi Valley 26, Oak Park 21 South Hills 48, San Dimas 0 Tahquitz 26, West Valley 0 Temescal Canyon 31, San Jacinto 14 Tesoro 34, Capistrano Valley 7 Thousand Oaks 46, Calabasas 0 Upland 15, Chino Hills 0 Valley View 20, Lakeside 0 Ventura 33, Rio Mesa 0 Village Christian 33, Rio Hondo Prep 0 Western Christian 35, Cerritos Valley Christian 7 Westlake 21, Agoura 0 West Ranch 18, Canyon Country Canyon 13 Westridge 19, Pasadena Poly 14 Yucaipa 19, Redlands 18
Intersectional Culver City 34, Vistamar 6 Santa Monica 27, Venice 0
MONDAY’S RESULTS
City Section Bell 34, South East 0 Camino Nuevo d. Collins Family, forfeit Carson 18, Los Angeles Wilson 6 East College Prep 50, Belmont 12 Fremont 36, Dymally 0 Fremont 28, Crenshaw 6 GALA 33, Washington Prep 0 GALA 19, Port of Los Angeles 0 Garfield 21, Huntington Park 0 Granada Hills Kennedy 25, Sylmar 6 Jefferson 26, Manual Arts 6 Legacy 6, South Gate 0 Los Angeles University 12, Palisades 0 Orthopaedic 33, Annenberg 0 Panorama 42, Sylmar 0 Santee 31, Diego Rivera 0 Stern 12, Rise Kohyang 6 Taft 12, SOCES 0 Van Nuys 26, Sun Valley Magnet 0 Venice 49, Westchester 12 Washington Prep 12, Port of Los Angeles 6
Southern Section Adelanto 37, Indian Springs 6 Alemany 32, Flintridge Sacred Heart 12 Alhambra 13, El Monte Arroyo 12 Alta Loma 14, San Dimas 12 Arrowhead Christian 14, Woodcrest Christian 7 Baldwin Park 33, Duarte 0 Bishop Amat 38, St, Mary’s Academy 0 Calvary Baptist 12, United Christian Academy 0 Castaic 14, Vasquez 6 Cerritos 22, Santa Fe 8 Chaffey 7, Don Lugo 6 Chino 26, Montclair 0 Chino Hills 7, Rancho Cucamonga 6 Compton 21, Long Beach Cabrillo 0 Compton Early College 13, Compton Centennial 12 Corona Centennial 43, Corona 18 Covina 20, West Covina 6 Downey 26, Warren 6 Edison 27, Fountain Valley 12 Eisenhower 42, Bloomington 6 El Modena 15, Villa Park 12 El Rancho 32, San Gabriel 6 Etiwanda 20, Upland 7 Fillmore 42, St. Bonaventure 26 Gahr 12, Bellflower 0 Gardena Serra 51, St. Anthony 0 Glendora 68, Claremont 0 Grand Terrace 13, Colton 0 Heritage 27, Rancho Christian 16 Hillcrest 15, Riverside North 12 Huntington Beach 38, Marina 6 Indio 13, Palm Desert 6 Jurupa Hills 19, San Gorgonio 13 La Canada 13, Burbank Burroughs 0 Laguna Beach 19, Rosary 0 La Serna 40, Mayfair 6 Long Beach Poly 26, Long Beach Wilson 7 Mater Dei 21, St. Joseph 6 Murrieta Mesa 18, Temecula Valley 6 Newport Harbor 25, Corona del Mar 0 Nogales 7, Azusa 6 Norco 26, Eastvale Roosevelt 14 Northview 26, Charter Oak 14 Orange 7, Garden Grove 0 Paramount 6, La Mirada 0 Pasadena Poly 39, Ramona Convent 0 Ramona 25, Miller 6 Rancho Verde 60, Citrus Hill 0 Rim of the World 6, Carter 0 Riverside King 39, Corona Santiago 19 Riverside Poly 33, Canyon Springs 0 Saddleback 18, Los Amigos 13 Sage Hill 25, Northwood 0 Santa Ana Foothill 25, La Habra 12 Schurr 34, Bell Gardens 6 Segerstrom 20, Laguna Hills 19 Serrano 19, Lancaster 0 Shadow Hills 31, Desert Hot Springs 8 Sierra Canyon 48, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 14 Sonora 32, El Dorado 7 South El Monte 47, Keppel 0 South Hills 13, Los Altos 0 St. Lucy’s 8, Los Osos 7 St. Margaret’s 41, Irvine 0 Trabuco Hills 13, El Toro 7 Valley View 13, Arlington 0 Vista del Lago 32, Lakeside 7 Whittier 21, Glenn 0 Windward 26, Brentwood 0 Woodbridge 46, Portola 14 Workman 26, Pomona 6 Yorba Linda 25, Anaheim Canyon 13
Intersectional Cleveland 27, Valencia 7 Mira Costa 27, Wilmington Banning 7 Sotomayor 13, Cantwell-Sacred Heart of Mary 6 Torrance 20, San Pedro 13
Filmmaker Paul Greengrass is often associated with a cinematic aesthetic colloquially known as “shaky cam” — handheld cinematography enabled by lightweight digital cameras that function a lot like another character in the room, on foot, at eye-level, responding and reacting to action and dialogue the way a person would.
It’s a style that has served him well in modern action thrillers like his installments of the “Bourne” franchise, and films depicting recent real-world events like “Captain Phillips” and “The Lost Bus.” Now, Greengrass applies his signature style to the Middle Ages — can shaky cam work in a medieval movie?
It may seem odd, but it’s a brilliant creative choice when considering that while “The Uprising” is technically about the 1381 Peasants’ Revolt in England, that’s not really what it’s about. It’s about right now.
The shaky cam is intended to jolt us into that awareness. When we pick up with our protagonist, a pathetic ploughman (Andrew Garfield) living a grief-filled and wretched existence, a plague has wiped out half the population. A small group of men hoards wealth and resources, while the peasant class is heavily taxed, laws brutally enforced. As Greengrass lays out the bare facts of this situation with a cinematic style that’s more news documentary than stuffy period piece, the parallels to our own current situation are laid bare.
“The Uprising,” which Greengrass wrote and directed, is told in a fairly simple fashion, with an emphasis on visual storytelling and visceral sensation (the disparate English accents are also lost in the melee of the mob). All we need to know is that the council advising the 14-year-old King Richard II (Woody Norman) conspires while the young royal prays and his mother (Katherine Waterston) glowers. Outside, a bloodthirsty mob armed with farm tools marches on London, led in part by Garfield’s ploughman, who started his own local uprising when he fought back against the taxman. He joins forces with Wat Tyler (Cosmo Jarvis), a former soldier, and John Ball (Jamie Bell), a priest deemed heretic, as the crowd demands an audience with the king.
As the chaos unfolds, Greengrass doesn’t pontificate on the morality of these events and, in fact, maintains a rather neutral stance on them for most of the film, withholding judgment. A revolution is not right or wrong for most of “The Uprising.” It is simply inevitable under the conditions the film presents.
The ploughman wants to play by the rules, but it’s how the revolt plays out that radicalizes him. While Greengrass shows us the uprising in all its messy confusion as the logical outcome of oppression, by following our protagonist as he witnesses treachery and deceit, Greengrass ultimately arrives at the belief that revolution is necessary, even in failure, and that freedom is worth more than anything.
The opening and closing of “The Uprising” are bracing and stark in their storytelling — the middle is a bit mushy and confusing. But it’s the performances that carry us through. Garfield, sensitive and earthy, is our bellwether as the events descend into bloody carnage dictated by muddled agendas. When he turns, we turn, and the anguish that Garfield wordlessly conveys is our compass.
Greengrass surrounds Garfield with actors who deliver bigger performances, like Jarvis as the brutish but shrewd Tyler, and Bell as the fervent Ball. Thomasin McKenzie plays a young woman, Alyce, steeped in her own trauma and loss, who attaches herself to the ploughman, and her ability to express wide-eyed, barely contained hysteria and fear is unmatched. Young Norman is riveting as the increasingly dastardly king.
The Peasant’s Revolt of 1381 is a fascinating moment because it’s a time when the notion of democracy wasn’t even a twinkle in a feudal servant’s eye. The mob’s actions are frustrating because they’re religiously bound to the king, who they believe is an emissary of God, and desperate to change their day-to-day existence. When those two instincts collide, it’s bound to be complex and conflicting, and Greengrass delivers that with a boots-on-the-ground style.
The murkiness of it all clarifies by the end of the film, not just in terms of its heroes, villains and message, but Greengrass also situates this story within a recognizable cinematic and storytelling history. There’s a thrill as it all comes together. Greengrass might be taking a big swing (of the scythe), but his blade finds its target nevertheless.
Fort Portal, Uganda – When King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV of Tooro was buried on September 12, the ceremony unfolded under the shadow of a bitter dispute over who should succeed him.
Prince Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, a 56-year-old news anchor and editor at Uganda Broadcasting Corporation, had been selected by the royal clan to succeed Oyo. During the burial at the Karambi Royal Tombs in Fort Portal, he formally assumed power by casting nine coffee berries into the king’s grave, part of the traditional handover ritual.
But the succession remains contested.
Oyo’s mother, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa, and his sister, Princess Ruth Komuntale, have opposed Kijanangoma’s selection, saying the late king’s will named a son as his heir.
Oyo never married and was not publicly known to have children. After his death, Tooro’s Prime Minister Calvin Armstrong Rwomiire Akiiki announced that the king had left a son whose identity would be revealed at an appropriate time. The child has not been publicly identified.
Oyo’s family says a 2022 will named a son whom he described as his lawfully recognised biological son as heir to the throne. But Babiito clan elders, who are responsible for guarding the Tooro royal lineage, determining succession and safeguarding the kingdom’s traditions, say Oyo had not introduced the child through the customary process and instead backed Kijanangoma as his successor.
“The will is not a determinant of who is supposed to be a king; it is a document that expresses one’s wish,” said Reverend Father Charles Oyo, a Babiito clan elder. “The Musuuga [Babiito clan leader] is above the will.”
Members of the public react as the body of the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV makes its way to Karambi Royal Tombs for burial in Fort Portal, Uganda, on September 12, 2026 [AFP]
Princess Komuntale has accused the elders of trying to take over the throne.
“King Oyo was a very peaceful man, a very humble man,” she said. “I just don’t want these evil vultures to come and steal what he worked so hard for. I continue to stand with my brother.”
The dispute has divided opinion over who should be regarded as Oyo’s legitimate successor. The Ugandan government also became involved in talks aimed at resolving the dispute before the burial.
The child king
Oyo’s own path to the throne began when he was just three years old.
He became king in 1995 after the death of his father, Patrick David Matthew Kaboyo Olimi III, and was recognised as the world’s youngest reigning monarch.
A coffin containing the body of the Late Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV is loaded onto a cortege after leaving the Karuziika Royal Palace before the burial at the Karambi Royal Tombs on September 12, 2026, in Fort Portal, Uganda [Hajarah Nalwadda/Getty Images]
As a child, Oyo was homeschooled, with the palace serving as his classroom. When he later joined primary school, childhood friends remember him as a kind and warm person.
During school holidays, he sometimes sneaked out of the family’s private residence in Buziga, Kampala, to play football in the neighbourhood.
Martin Odong, a radio journalist and childhood friend, remembers him as “friendly, social and compassionate”.
Oyo would stop football games to check on an injured player, regardless of which side they were playing for, Odong said.
His love of football continued into adulthood. He promoted local tournaments, including the Tooro Kingdom MTN Masaza Cup, which was suspended as his health deteriorated.
Oyo died on August 27, aged 34, in the United States while receiving cancer treatment. His body was returned to Uganda for nine days of mourning before his burial at the Karambi Royal Tombs, which coincided with Empango, the anniversary of his coronation.
At St John’s Cathedral, Queen Mother Best Kemigisa remembered her son as someone who had always protected her.
“He was my shield who always stood for me,” she said.
Mourners escort the cortege with the body of the late Omukama of Tooro, King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, for his burial at the Karambi Royal Tombs, in Fort Portal, Kabarole district, Uganda, September 12, 2026 [Abubaker Lubowa/Reuters]
She recalled praying for his life when she was in hospital.
“When I was in the hospital, I said, ‘God, please leave my son alone; take me first,’” she said. “He [God] decided to take him [King Oyo] first. I said, ‘Why? Because he was closer to You than me.’”
Princess Komuntale described her brother as a “funny person” who “always brightened my day”.
Although he was younger than her, she said, he often behaved like the older sibling and protected her and their mother after their father “left to be with the Lord”.
Father Charles Oyo remembered him as a “handsome king who loved his kingdom so much”.
He said Oyo died just as he was “beginning to demonstrate his abilities and capacity as a king”.
A king without political power
Uganda is a constitutional republic, and its traditional kings have no formal political authority. But the kingdoms retain cultural influence and command loyalty among many of their communities.
Queen Mother, Best Kemigisa (R), and her daughter (L), Princess Ruth Komuntale, attend a requiem mass for the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV of Tooro, at the St John’s Cathedral before the king’s burial at the Karambi Royal Tombs, on September 12, 2026, in Fort Portal, Uganda [Hajarah Nalwadda/Getty Images]
Uganda abolished its traditional kingdoms in 1967. They were restored in 1993 under President Yoweri Museveni.
Oyo was guided by regents while he was a child and took on the full responsibilities of the monarchy as an adult.
His unusual position meant he met presidents, royalty and other world leaders from a young age. Among them was former South African President Nelson Mandela, who reportedly wanted to meet the young king during a visit to Uganda. Oyo, however, was more interested in playing with his toys behind the VIP tent.
As an adult, he used the platform of the throne to promote issues beyond the kingdom.
In 2020, he climbed the Rwenzori Mountains to draw attention to climate change and the retreat of the glaciers there.
He also supported a campaign to plant 10 million trees across Tooro over five years.
He promoted healthy living and took part in cancer awareness runs. Komuntale called him her “best workout partner”.
Before his death, Oyo had allocated land and begun fundraising for a paediatric hospital in Kyenjojo district. Clan elders have since appealed to the government to complete the project and establish a specialised cancer facility and an international stadium in his memory.
His final months
Oyo’s illness was kept largely private.
According to his sister, he began experiencing pain in his back and rib cage last year. The family initially thought it might be linked to strenuous exercise or ulcers.
He later travelled to Kenya, where he was diagnosed with angiosarcoma, an aggressive form of cancer, before travelling to Germany for treatment and eventually to the US.
Members of the public react as the body of the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV makes its way to Karambi Royal Tombs for burial in Fort Portal, Uganda, on September 12, 2026 [AFP]
“He told us to keep it private, and we respected that,” Komuntale said.
She said that shortly before his death, Oyo spoke to key workers in Uganda about returning home. He wanted to celebrate Empango, the anniversary of his coronation, with his people.
He never made it home.
For Komuntale, the king remained her younger brother even after he became one of Africa’s most recognisable traditional rulers.
She remembered playing dodgeball with him and his love for his three dogs.
“Even though you were crowned a king, you were still a kid who loved to play,” she said.
“I will keep your legacy, what you loved, and we will talk about you every day.”
Instead I mean vibrant sets and costumes that bring the audience to the African savannah, but with an artistic touch.
Director Julie Taymor fuses the actors directly into the beautiful animal puppets, rather than hiding them in clunky mascot-like costumes.
Each is like a piece of art bringing the safari animals that feature in The Lion King to life.
Some critics have labelled the puppets as “dated” compared to newer productions such as War Horse or My Neighbour Totoro.
I disagree – everything in the show’s design remains timeless, from the costumes to the sets.
You can expect tear jerker moments tooCredit: PA:Press AssociationThere is even a life-sized elephant puppet that ambles across the showCredit: Getty
As living artwork parades down the aisles on either side of the theatre, I felt transported to the Pride Lands.
The most mesmerising part had to be when – spoiler alert – the life-sized elephant puppet ambled across the stage, with the same methodic but gentle stomps you’d expect of the magnificent beast in the wild.
It isn’t just the animals that are impressive – across the show much flora and fauna sets scenes and creates a depth to the stage.
Even one of the smallest characters (by size, not personality) – Zazu – was brilliant, where the puppeteer and actor was able to create comedy with a single head tilt, squawk or wing flap.
A memorable moment in the film is the stampede that takes Mufasa’s life.
And it is just as poignant on stage – my heart raced as the staging created a terrifying scene of hundreds of wildebeest stamping towards the audience.
Scenes at Pride Rock are equally as impressive, with the giant rock emerging magically from the floorboards.
Singing, dancing and acting – all simply phenomenal.
And just like the film, there are multiple tear- jerker moments which will leave you wishing you didn’t wear mascara to theperformancee.
George Asprey who plays Scar is one of the West End’s longest running actors having played the role for 17 years, as is his co-star, Shaun Escoffery who plays Mufasa.
There’s lots to do in the surrounding areaCredit: AlamyFor example, you could take the short walk to Covent Garden just around the cornerCredit: Getty
In a previous interview, George told Sun Travel: “Allow yourself to just open up to the set and the costumes.
“It is difficult to take everything in, in one sitting, and when you come again, you’ll pick up the different nuances. Maybe in the scenery, for example.”
And in terms of where to sit, the age-old question – do you need to fork out for the posh seats? Not at this show, apparently.
George said: “I’ve had friends right at the front of the stalls and I have had friends right at the bottom end of the upper circle, and I think the one thing about the Lyceum is that all of the viewing is extraordinary.
“I really don’t think there’s a vantage point in the upper circle where you won’t see everything still.
“I think it’s a decent price for a reason and I don’t think it’s not worth it – I wouldn’t avoid coming if you can only afford a certain seat, because you still get a wonderful experience.”
The Lion King is performed eight times a week, with evening performances on Tuesdays through to Saturday at 7:30pm and then the matinee performances take place on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2:30pm.
No performances take place on Mondays.
The show lasts two-and-a-half hours with an interval included.
Click below to sign up to Sun Club and bag your discounted tickets.
Q&A What you need to know
Is there a minimum age requirement for attending the show?
The Lion King is recommended for ages six-ears-old and above, with children under the age of three-years-old not permitted.
All those under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
Do you agree with the age rating?
To get the most of the experience, I would recommend taking children aged eight and above. However, it’s gripping enough for kids aged 6 up to handle the full-length show, although some may find Mufasa’s death upsetting.
How much is the programme and is any merch available?
The souvenir programme costs £10 and merch is available including hoodies and plush toys.
Any extras?
There are four bars in the theatre including The Ballroom Bar which opens 90 minutes before the show starts. There is also a cloakroom charging £1/£2 depending on the item. And if you want to elevate your experience, you can get VIP lounge access before the show for £75pp.
Is there a best seat in the house?
Anywhere – due to the design of the theatre, every seat has a great view.
Where’s the closest affordable hotel?
The Z Hotel Strand is less than a five-minute walk away and costs from £65 per night.
Where is the closest place to get a pint?
Head to The Lyceum Tavern just around the corner, where a pint will set you back around £5.60.
Where is the closest place to have a meal?
Being on the Strand, there are plenty of places to grab a bite to eat including Frankie & Benny’s and Vasiniko for pizza, Ole & Steen for cafe bites and numerous watering holes for pub grub.
I want to make a day of it. What else is nearby?
Thanks to being in central London, there is a load on your doorstep. Just across the road is a Charlie and The Chocolate Factory-themed afternoon tea and around the corner is Covent Garden where you can stop by The London Transport Museum or watch street performers.
18+ Subscription to Sun Club required. Online access required. Save an additional 10 per cent off tickets. Offer ends at 23:59pm on Thursday, December 31, 2026. Sun Club new customer offer: £1.99 per month or £12 for the first year, then £19.99 thereafter unless you cancel at least seven days before your next billing date. Full T&Cs apply, see thesun.co.uk/club.
Southern Section Adelanto 27, Victor Valley 8 Alta Loma 19, Covina 13 Antelope Valley 18, Eastside 0 Aquinas 41, Arrowhead Christian 6 Arlington 34, Vista del Lago 0 Arroyo Valley 47, Fontana 0 Ayala 18, Glendora 6 Baldwin Park 15, Garey 7 Banning 19, Indio 8 Burbank Providence 19, Pasadena Poly 18 Cajon 14, Vista Murrieta 6 California 19, Mayfair 0 Camarillo 25, Royal 21 Cerritos Valley Christian 19, Village Christian 7 Chaminade 20, Thousand Oaks 7 Citrus Valley 18, Norte Vista 7 Colony 7, Etiwanda 0 Dos Pueblos 49, Lompoc 0 Downey 19, La Serna 6 Eastvale Roosevelt 6, Rancho Cucamonga 0 Edison 39, San Clemente 14 Eisenhower 26, Carter 6 El Rancho 13, Paramont 0 Elsinore 27, West Valley 12 Fillmore 38, Bishop Diego 0 Gahr 60, Long Beach Jordan 0 Garden Grove 34, La Palma Kennedy 6 Grand Terrace 19, Bloomington 14 Hart 46, Golden Valley 6 Heritage 32, Citrus Hill 12 Highland d. Littlerock, forfeit Hillcrest 25, Canyon Springs 6 Hueneme 37, St. Bonaventure 25 Indian Springs 21, Rialto 19 Jurupa Hills 20, Summit 14 Jurupa Valley 36, San Bernardino 0 Knight 0, Palmdale 0 Liberty 31, Orange Vista 12 Los Alamitos 31, Lakewood 6 Los Osos 29, Ontario 0 Moorpark 20, Oak Park 6 Moreno Valley 39, Valley View 6 Mountain View 13, Pomona 6 Nogales 51, Duarte 0 Norco 33, Riverside North 7 Northview 21, Temple City 6 Oaks Christian 24, Ventura 13 Orange Lutheran 19, Mater Dei 12 Oxnard Pacifica 38, Rio Mesa 20 Patriot 34, Corona 27 Quartz Hill 31, Lancaster 0 Rancho Verde 13, Paloma Valley 7 Rim of the World 20, Colton 14 Rio Hondo Prep 33, Chadwick 0 Riverside Poly 32, Hemet 0 Rowland 19, Whittier 6 Sage Hill 33, San Juan Hills 9 San Gorgonio 14, Kaiser 6 San Jacinto Valley Academy 7, Nuview Bridge 6 Santa Barbara 13, Santa Paula 0 Saugus 14, West Ranch 12 Segerstrom 7, Placentia Valencia 6 Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 52, Louisville 0 Simi Valley 32, Newbury Park 12 St. Paul 24, San Marino 6 Sunny Hills 20, Chino Hills 0 Tahquitz 13, San Jacinto 6 Temecula Prep 47, Desert Christian Academy 0 Temescal Canyon 34, Riverside King 26 United Christian Academy 14, Public Safety Academy 0 Valencia 12, Castaic 7 Vasquez 32, PACS 6 Windward 53, YULA 0
LONDON — Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, were surprised by the way Buckingham Palace released a letter that made clear they remain non-working members of the royal family even though they have returned to the United Kingdom.
The letter, sent on behalf of King Charles III to senior government and military officials, caught the couple off guard when it was released to the media on Monday in part because they were given little time to review or comment on its contents, a person familiar with the discussions said.
The couple’s representatives received a copy of the letter just one hour and 12 minutes before it was released to news outlets, the person said. That left them with little time to respond because they were unable to reach Harry, who was in a meeting, until just two minutes before the letter was released, the person added.
The letter said Harry and Meghan would continue to refrain from using the formal royal titles, such as his royal highness and her royal highness, as they have done since stepping back from official royal duties in 2020. Any charity work the couple undertakes will be carried out in a private capacity, and operational security decisions are matters for the relevant police agencies, the letter said.
“To help avoid doubt or confusion, The King has directed that (this) information be shared,” the Lord Chamberlain, the most senior official in the royal household, said in the letter.
Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in 2020 when they moved to North America to make their own living through lucrative deals with Netflix and Spotify. At the time, Queen Elizabeth II made clear that the couple could not be part-time royals and they had to give up their royal positions if they wanted to pursue such commercial arrangements. Charles reiterated that position after he became king in 2022.
The couple’s reaction to the letter, which confirms that their status remains unchanged, highlights tensions surrounding their return to the U.K. Some palace observers have expressed concern that Harry and Meghan’s presence in Britain could allow them to establish a sort of parallel royal court that would compete with working members of the royal family.
The security question is particularly sensitive because Harry has fought a long-running battle with the government for the restoration of publicly funded police protection, which was canceled when the couple gave up their royal roles.
Any decision about whether to restore the couple’s round-the-clock police protection is a matter for a government panel known as RAVEC, or the Royal and VIP Executive Committee. The committee is expected to meet this week, the person familiar with the discussions said.
![TOPSHOT - Members of the public react as the body of the late King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV makes its way to Karambi Royal Tombs for burial in Fort Portal, Uganda, on September 12, 2026 [AFP]](https://i0.wp.com/www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/afp_6aa5b63bb446-1789244987.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
