prince

The Graham Norton Show returns tonight and Hollywood actor Tom Cruise addresses Prince William and Kate Middleton attending the premiere of his new movie, Digger

Tom Cruise has opened up about being joined by the Prince and Princess of Wales on the red carpet at his movie premiere.

Prince William and Kate Middleton attended Tuesday’s (September 22) premiere of Digger, which stars the 64-year-old Hollywood actor. The trio were snapped at the star-studded event with Tom pictured holding Kate’s hand as her husband William wove to fans in the crowd.

Tom is one of the guests of The Graham Norton Show which returned tonight (Friday, September 25) for a new series alongside Oscar-nominated actor Florence Pugh, comedian and actor Lolly Adefope, top comic John Bishop and singer-songwriter Emeli Sandé.

When asked by host Graham about the Royal couple attending the premiere, Tom gushed: “They are amazing – very charismatic. I had such a good time.”

The Mission Impossible star also explained the extensive transformation he had to undergo using prosthetics for Digger, saying: “The makeup was taking so long that I decided to get it down from six hours to one – it was like a ballet getting everything in place. It was just like Formula 1.” Adding jokingly: “I had someone else hold the stopwatch!”

Tom stars opposite Riz Ahmed, Sandra Huller and Jesse Plemons in the film, in which he plays an oil tycoon whose company sets off an ecological disaster before being tasked with a mission to save humanity from his own mess.

He told Graham: “My character is outrageous and unpredictable. He says things that others may be thinking and never say. It’s a timeless story about power, greed, and ego framed in a very timely manner by Alejandro G Inarritu – one of the greatest filmmakers of all time.

“I’ve never read a script like it, and I have never seen a character like Digger.” He also shared his childhood dream to have an “adventurous life”.

Tom explained: “I am always doing something, learning something new which I can add to characters. I want to push every artform. I love the challenge of doing one thing while working on another. To create is life.”

Elsewhere on the show, Don’t Worry Darling actress Florence chatted about starring in the new adaptation of the Steinbeck classic East of Eden, saying, “It is a sweeping epic, and my character is also epic in every way. It has been the most amazing journey working with Zoe (director Zoe Kazan).

“It has been so special and it’s like releasing our baby. I am very protective of it, and really excited.” When asked about playing a character over seven episodes, Florence said, “Because I play a character that goes across several decades the thrill for me was figuring her out as she aged.

“It really was amazing and I had a brilliant time. Creating the series was a dream and I will be talking about this role for the rest of my career.”

The Graham Norton Show continues Friday, October 2 at 10.40pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer

LONDON — Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, have moved their two children to a new school over security concerns, a spokesperson said Tuesday, just weeks after the family returned to the U.K. to make a fresh start.

“The decision for the children to move school was taken following a discussion with the family’s security team about the practicalities of their current arrangements,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, had only just started the new school year in England after the family relocated from California in late August.

British media reported that the distance of the school run and the heavy traffic on the route were among the concerns raised by the couple and their security team. The family is living at a private, non-royal residence outside of London.

“This decision should in no way be interpreted as a reflection on the school or the exceptional care the children have received there,” the statement added.

The news followed reports that Harry and Meghan were awaiting a new risk assessment from the government committee that reviews protection of VIPs, including a decision on whether the family should be entitled to publicly funded security now that they live in the U.K.

Harry and Meghan gave up their royal duties and moved to California more than six years ago, saying they wanted to earn their own living. They later signed lucrative contracts with Netflix and Spotify.

Although relations with the rest of the royal family have soured since then, Harry has recently expressed an interest in reconciliation so he could spend more time with his father, King Charles III.

Harry has fought a long-running battle with Britain’s government for the restoration of publicly funded police protection, which was canceled when the couple gave up their royal roles.

He had previously said he couldn’t “see a world in which I would be bringing my wife and children back to the U.K.” without a security guarantee.

Earlier this month, the king reiterated that Harry and Meghan remain non-working members of the royal family and would continue to refrain from using formal royal titles, such as his royal highness and her royal highness, as they have done since 2020. The couple said they were surprised by the way the monarch issued that statement because they were given little time to review it.

CAIRO: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi will meet Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on Tuesday in Cairo to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest, Al Arabiya News Channel reported, citing the Egyptian presidency.

The two leaders will exchange views on regional developments amid the latest tensions and changes in the region, while also discussing ways to strengthen Egyptian-Saudi relations and expand bilateral cooperation.

LONDON: Jordan’s Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah Al-Hashimi on Monday visited the baptismal site of Jesus, also known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan, to review preparations for the 2,000th anniversary of the historical event, which will take place in 2030.

He issued directives to enhance the site for the Christian pilgrims and other visitors who will visit the UNESCO World Heritage site to mark the bimillennial celebrations, the Jordan News Agency reported.

He said the upcoming occasion reaffirmed Jordan’s status as a premier destination for Christian pilgrimage. He emphasized the importance of efforts to promote the site of Jesus’ baptism, in coordination with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities and the Jordan Tourism Board.

During the visit, the crown prince met Prince Ghazi bin Mohammed, chairperson of the board of trustees for the Baptism Site Commission, and his wife, Princess Miriam.

Jordanian Ministry of Tourism officials recently met Palestinian counterparts to discuss collaboration in the field of religious tourism ahead of the 2030 bimillennial celebrations.

Both Jordan and Palestine are home to important Christian holy sites, including Mount Nebo in Jordan’s Madaba governorate, where the Bible says Moses saw the Promised Land before he died, and, in the West Bank, the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in East Jerusalem, which includes the traditional sites of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection tomb.

The crown prince was also joined on his tour of the baptismal site by the minister of tourism and antiquities, Imad Hijazin, the director of the Office of the Crown Prince, Zaid Baqain, and the director general of the Baptism Site Commission, Abdullah Bawareed.

RIYADH: A total of 114 racing camels worth an estimated SR270 million to SR492 million ($72 million to $131 million) entered to compete in the four final rounds of the Crown Prince Camel Festival in Taif, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The festival’s closing program featured four championship races, with 35 camels entered in the first round, 13 in the second, 46 in the third, and 20 in the fourth.

The event, organized by the Saudi Camel Federation under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, offered SR50 million in prize money and attracted leading owners and competitors from across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.

The festival’s most prestigious trophies, Al-Saif (Sword) and Al-Bunduq (Rifle), are awarded in the elite Hiyl (female camel) and Zumoul (male camel) championship races. Winning either title significantly enhances a camel’s prestige, breeding value, and market price.

Camel owner and racing specialist Abdullah Al-Sharif said the market value of a single camel competing in the Hiyl category typically ranges from SR3 million to SR6 million.

In the Zumoul category, camels are valued at between SR1.5 million and SR2 million.

Some elite camels command prices ranging from SR7 million to SR8 million, depending on their racing record, results, and bloodlines.

Qualifying for the closing championship trophy rounds can significantly increase a camel’s value, with previous achievements, breeding potential, lineage, prize money, and the level of competition all influencing market prices, Al-Sharif added.

Saudi Camel Sports spokesperson Murdhi Al-Khamaali said the festival has helped promote authentic Arab culture globally by bringing together traditions from Saudi Arabia, the Gulf, and the wider Arab world.

He said the event has grown beyond a sporting competition to become an economic, social, and cultural movement, while also helping revive Taif’s historical and cultural heritage.

Al-Khamaali added that bearing the name of the crown prince has transformed the festival into a cultural and economic destination for camel owners from across the Kingdom and the Gulf.

He said the festival’s rapid growth reflects its expanding importance as a platform for preserving heritage and supporting economic activity. Since its launch in 2018, the event has attracted more than 100,000 camels and earned multiple Guinness World Records titles.

The seventh edition in 2025 marked a major milestone, with participation surpassing 100,000 camels, building on the nearly 99,000 camels recorded across earlier editions.

The festival was recognized by Guinness World Records in 2024 for hosting the world’s largest camel race, with 21,637 camels participating. Held during the Kingdom’s “Year of the Camel,” the event highlighted the animal’s enduring cultural significance across the Arabian Peninsula.

The festival has also received several major accolades, including four Guinness World Records titles and the Makkah Economic Excellence Award in 2023, recognizing its contribution to cultural preservation, economic development, and the promotion of Saudi heritage.

In a separate update issued ahead of the finale, festival results showed Saudi-owned camels leading the standings with victories in 131 heats during the eighth edition.

Saudi-owned camels recorded 47 wins in the Al-Haqayiq category, 21 in Al-Laqaya, 15 in Al-Jadha’a, and nine in Al-Thnaya, for a combined total of 92 victories. They also secured 35 wins in the Intaj Al-Saudiyya races and four in the Sibaq Al-Hajjanah category, bringing their overall tally to 131 wins.

Emirati-owned camels ranked second with 35 victories, followed by Qatar with 27. Kuwaiti and Omani owners recorded three wins each, while Bahrain registered one victory.

RIYADH: Qatar on Wednesday condemned Houthi attacks on civilian and economic sites in southern Saudi Arabia during a phone call between the two countries’ foreign ministers.

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani expressed his country’s condemnation of the attacks during a call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The two officials also discussed the latest regional developments and diplomatic efforts by Saudi Arabia and Qatar to de-escalate tensions and preserve regional security and stability, SPA said.

The call came as the Iran-backed Houthis targeted civilian and economic sites in the southern cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran, injuring 73 civilians, including women and children.

Operations at some energy facilities were temporarily halted.

The Saudi-led coalition described the attacks as a “dangerous escalation” and said it would take measures to protect the Kingdom’s sovereignty, civilians and national assets.

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry separately condemned the attacks on Tuesday as a “dangerous escalation” and a violation of Saudi sovereignty and international law.

Doha reaffirmed its “full solidarity” with the Kingdom and its support for measures taken to protect its sovereignty, security and territorial integrity, adding that Saudi security was an integral part of the collective security of Gulf Cooperation Council states.

It also called on the international community to take a firm position against the attacks and ensure the implementation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions concerning Yemen and the security of navigation in the Red Sea.

Fighting between the Houthis and forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government has intensified in recent weeks, raising fears of a return to wider conflict after a UN-brokered truce in 2022 largely halted years of fighting between the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition.

The Houthis, who control Sanaa and much of northern Yemen, declared a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia in July and have since stepped up attacks on the Kingdom and vessels in the Red Sea. Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have meanwhile launched an offensive on several fronts against Houthi-held areas.

As it was recently revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are planning to move back to England, Social News Reporter Alice Sjoberg shared her top recommendations for places to visit in the Cotswolds

As news on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s return to to the UK dropped, the question of where quickly led to discussions and predictions. The Cotswolds is believed to be top of the list – and having just moved here myself, I can understand why.

While it would offer them the privacy they’ve been longing for, it’s still an easy commute to London. It’s also ideal for visit to several other members of the royal family’s homes, and good private schools for their little ones, Archie and Lilibet. But it also offers many places I think they should consider visiting.

While I’m no expert on the area just yet, I spent a lot of time in and around the Cotswolds for several years before I moved, as it’s where most of my friends and my partner’s family live. And not to mention, I just love it here. So here are the places I’ve visited that I think Harry and Meghan would love.

Cirencester Park

Cirencester is the capital of the Cotswolds and offers lots to do – from exploring the independent shops and cafes to the various historic grounds and Roman ruins. However, the one thing that really stood out for me was Cirencester Park.

While a park might not seem like the most exciting place to be, Cirencester Park, a Grade I-listed historic parkland, consists of 3,000 acres of gorgeous nature to explore. I’m not joking when I say the first time I visited, our ‘short morning walk’ ended up taking over four and a half hours, and we could have easily continued for longer.

Because of how big the park is, it offers plenty of opportunities for the family to enjoy the British countryside privately, as it’s easy to wander beyond where most of the crowds go.

The park is privately owned by the Bathurst Estate, which is located close to the entrance gates of the park. The Bathurst Estate also owns the Cirencester Park Polo Club, where the Royal Family sometimes have been spotted playing polo – including King Charles, Prince William, and Prince Harry himself.

And who knows, maybe Archie or Lillibet will become the next polo players of the royal family.

The Slaughters

For many people when thinking about the Cotswolds, villages like Burton-on-the-Water and Bibury will most likely spring to mind. These villages are often described to be like the ‘idyllic English villages’, with old cottages made of stone, scenic riverside settings. But due to their popularity, there are often large crowds of tourists.

But there are some equally gorgeous villages around that aren’t as popular among tourists, meaning there are less crowds and the possibility of exploring on your own – and this includes the Slaughters.

The Slaughters consists of two villages, Upper Slaughter and Lower Slaughter, and is easily connected with a scenic walking trail. The villages offer a quintessentially Cotswolds experience with unspoiled honey-coloured stone architecture, peaceful riverside settings, and a rich history, despite their ominous-sounding name.

Cotswolds Wildlife Park

When they first started dating, Prince Harry famously invited Meghan on trip to a £1,000-a-night campsite in Botswana, where they enjoyed a safari in the African wilderness. And while it may sound like a lot of hassle to bring their two young children on a safari when they’re still so young, they could head to the Cotswolds Wildlife Park.

Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens is home to more than 1,500 animals from 250 different species, making it one of the largest zoological collections in the United Kingdom. So while it’s not Africa, it still has a lot to offer.

Soho Farmhouse

Okay, so while I don’t personally have a membership at Soho Farmhouse, I’m sure this is something that would interest Harry and Meghan – especially as the former actress even had her hen do here in 2018.

Located in the Oxfordshire countryside, Soho Farmhouse is a private members’ club and luxury rural retreat set across 100 acres. It offers guests a sense of blissful rural isolation in a bucolic setting. It’s part of the exclusive Soho House members’ clubs that have over 28 houses across the world, and is a popular destination for celebs and professionals with a focus on the media, arts and fashion industries.

Cotswolds Lavender Fields

Throughout the years, Meghan has made it known that she has an interest in good quality food and resources, as well as the natural world, I think a visit to the Cotswolds Lavender Fields during the summer is something she, and the rest of her family, would love.

While it offers plenty of photo opportunities for adorable family photos, it also allows visitors to fully emerge themselves in the lavender, with the scent hitting you quickly. They also sell several products that are made from their own lavender.