stories

‘They call this place the Bermuda Triangle of Transylvania,” says tour guide Marius Lazin, his breath expelling a procession of cotton-wool ghosts into the sharp evening air. “So many people have disappeared here, some say it’s a portal to another dimension.” Marius is leading me on a night walk through what is often described as the world’s most haunted forest: Hoia-Baciu, a square mile of old-growth native woodland on the outskirts of the Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca. He’s been coming here three nights a week for the past 12 years, but even he looks a little uneasy as he arcs his torch like a searchlight against the knotted walls of elm and beech trees which embrace us on all sides, looking so thick that they might be the boundary of the known world.

Marius motions with his torch towards several pairs of slender beech trees, eerie in their symmetry, branches intertwined to form arches – portals or stargates, you might speculate, were you possessed of a particularly febrile imagination. “Many came in here and never came out. But don’t worry,” he adds, turning to me with a grin. “Our tours have a 100% return rate.”

Reports of strange happenings here date back centuries – the forest is named after a local shepherd who is said to have vanished in the distant past, along with 200 of his sheep. But Hoia-Baciu came to international attention in 1968, when a military technician named Emil Barnea photographed what he described as a UFO hovering above a circular clearing in the centre of the forest. In the decades since, Hoia-Baciu has drawn yogis, shamans, ufologists and paranormal investigators from across the world, curious to experience the strange energies said to echo through the forest.

It may be one of the world’s premier pilgrimage sites for lovers of the paranormal, but the forest is under threat. The western suburbs of Cluj-Napoca – a modern tech hub of more than 400,000 people, described as the Silicon Valley of eastern Europe – are encroaching, and developers are pushing for permission to clear the trees to build apartment blocks. Barring a few hectares home to locally rare Mediterranean oak trees, the forest is not officially protected, but Marius hopes that the company he co-founded – the Hoia-Baciu Project – will help to change that, encouraging the authorities to recognise the forest’s value as a tourist attraction. The company offers day and night walks in the forest, yoga sessions, paranormal lectures, treasure hunts and escape games – and even, for the particularly intrepid, overnight camping.

As twigs and autumn leaves snap and crunch beneath our boots, Marius recounts some of the folk tales and alleged paranormal happenings here. One famous story describes a five-year-old girl disappearing during a family picnic, only to rematerialise five years later with no memory of what had happened to her, having not aged a day, her clothes shy of the slightest speck of dirt.

More common reports describe mobile phones and camera equipment inexplicably shutting down on entering the woods, while emotional responses range from full-blown dread to states of ecstasy. Some people report seeing strange rashes on their skin, hearing disembodied whispers through the trees, or feel hands grabbing or pushing them, even when sure they are alone.

Marius pulls an iPad from his rucksack and shows me the UFO images which catapulted Hoia-Baciu to international attention in the 1960s. Grainy and monochrome, they appear to show a button-like flying saucer hovering above the trees. He flicks through dozens of other photographs taken in the years before and since, with similar saucer-like objects, glowing orbs or wraith-like apparitions. Enigmatic photographs of this nature have been a fixture of paranormal research for more than a century, not much use as evidence, but it’s worth noting that Barnea did not stand to profit from publishing his photographs – on the contrary, he lost his job in the military, with the communist government not looking kindly on anything with a supernatural tang. “Many of the old researchers who investigated the forest ended up in psychiatric wards,” Marius says. “Did the communist regime put them there? Or did something really happen to them, here in the forest?”

While many of the stories may be unverifiable, there is much before my eyes that is undeniably strange. All around are trees whose trunks are bent and twisted into fantastical shapes. Some bulge outwards at the base, their crowns disappearing into the black night, so they resemble giant meat hooks hanging from the heavens. Others droop like melted candles, or are bent in strange, spiralling patterns. Various suggestions have been given to explain the deformed trees: that hurricane winds could have bent the saplings, or naturally high radiation levels in the soil account for their crooked growth. But scientific investigations have turned up no satisfactory evidence.

Marius’s tours allow visitors to take part in a little scientific inquiry of their own. As we approach the clearing in the trees where Barnea took his famous UFO photographs, he hands me an EMF meter, a stalwart of ghost-hunting kits which measures electromagnetic fields. “We’re entering the most active part of the forest,” he says. “See what you can find.”

The trees suddenly stop dead as we emerge into a perfect circle. The only greenery is the short grass beneath our feet; it’s clear that it hasn’t been mown, and appears that this strange clearing is natural, not the work of human hands.

Wielding my EMF meter, I sweep the clearing like a detectorist, briefly excited when the needle begins to tick madly back and forth, only for my vibrating phone to indicate that the electromagnetic disturbance was just an incoming text message. Despite spending several hours in the forest, and being genuinely baffled by the twisted trees and the strange clearing, I haven’t seen anything I’d describe as supernatural. Perhaps the forest is a blank canvas, on to which people project their own fears and desires.

Transylvania generally is a place which stirs the imagination, where the border is blurred between fact and folklore. In rural Romanian communities belief persists in strigoi (“screamers”) – undead, shapeshifting bloodsuckers, who rise from their graves to terrorise local communities.

Bram Stoker’s famous vampire Count Dracula is forever associated with Transylvania, and Bran Castle – a Saxon monolith perched on a rocky outcrop in the Carpathian Mountains around four hours’ drive south of Hoia-Baciu – is keenly marketed as “Dracula’s Castle”. While it bears little resemblance to the shadowy ruin described as Dracula’s dwelling, and there is no evidence that it inspired Stoker, it’s still a major attraction for fans of all things gothic and ghoulish – particularly around Halloween, when the castle hosts costumed parties.

But even myth-shrouded Transylvania – literally, “the place beyond the forest” – feels solid and predictable compared to these eerie woods, which seem to be, for reasons radioactive, atmospheric or simply folkloric, a nexus for human imaginative power. “In Hoia-Baciu,” Marius says, “the line between reality and imagination is very thin.”

Daniel Stables is the author of Fiesta: A Journey Through Festivity (Icon Books, £20). To support the Guardian, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply. A three-hour evening walking tour in Hoia-Baciu forest from 300 RON/£50. A five-hour night tour costs 500 RON/£85

The site of one of L.A.’s most notorious murder-suicides, Greystone has been supposedly haunted ever since. In February 1929, owner Ned Doheny, son of oil tycoon Edward Doheny, was shot and killed by his personal secretary and childhood friend Hugh Plunkett who, minutes later, shot himself. The motive for the crime was never discovered, though rumors posited a sexual relationship, a dispute over Plunkett’s salary and, most plausibly, the pair’s involvement in the Teapot Dome scandal. Doheny’s widow lived in the mansion until 1955, after which a series of sales almost led to its demolition, prevented by an 11th-hour purchase by the city of Beverly Hills, which converted the house into an event venue and the grounds into a park. Since then, there have been many reports by workers of mysterious sounds, the smell of rotting flesh and shadowy, spectral figures. That has not stopped it from becoming a favored filming spot for film and television, from “The Amazing Race” to “There Will Be Blood,” and a popular wedding venue.

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Tension between Indiana University and its student newspaper flared last week with the elimination of the outlet’s print editions and the firing of a faculty advisor who refused an order to keep news stories out of a homecoming edition.

Administrators may have been hoping to minimize distractions during its homecoming weekend as the school prepared to celebrate a Hoosiers football team with its highest-ever national ranking. Instead, the controversy has entangled the school in questions about censorship and student journalists’ 1st Amendment rights.

Advocates for student media, Indiana Daily Student alumni and high-profile supporters including billionaire Mark Cuban have excoriated the university for stepping on the outlet’s independence.

The Daily Student is routinely honored among the best collegiate publications in the country. It receives about $250,000 annually in subsidies from the university’s Media School to help make up for dwindling ad revenue.

On Tuesday, the university fired the paper’s advisor, Jim Rodenbush, after he refused an order to force student editors to ensure that no news stories ran in the print edition tied to the homecoming celebrations.

“I had to make the decision that was going to allow me to live with myself,” Rodenbush said. “I don’t have any regrets whatsoever. In the current environment we’re in, somebody has to stand up.”

Student journalists still call the shots

A university spokesperson referred an Associated Press reporter to a statement issued Tuesday, which said the campus wants to shift resources from print media to digital platforms both for students’ educational experience and to address the paper’s financial problems.

Chancellor David Reingold issued a separate statement Wednesday saying the school is “firmly committed to the free expression and editorial independence of student media. The university has not and will not interfere with their editorial judgment.”

It was late last year when university officials announced they were scaling back the cash-strapped newspaper’s print edition from a weekly to seven special editions per semester, tied to campus events.

The paper published three print editions this fall, inserting special event sections, Rodenbush said. Last month, Media School officials started asking why the special editions still contained news, he said.

Rodenbush said IU Media School Dean David Tolchinsky told him this month that the expectation was print editions would contain no news. Tolchinsky argued that Rodenbush was essentially the paper’s publisher and could decide what to run, Rodenbush said. He told the dean that publishing decisions were the students’ alone, he said.

Tolchinsky fired him Tuesday, two days before the homecoming print edition was set to be published, and announced the end of all Indiana Daily Student print publications.

“Your lack of leadership and ability to work in alignment with the University’s direction for the Student Media Plan is unacceptable,” Tolchinsky wrote in Rodenbush’s termination letter.

The newspaper was allowed to continue publishing stories on its website.

Student journalists see a ‘scare tactic’

Andrew Miller, the Indiana Daily Student’s co-editor in chief, said in a statement that Rodenbush “did the right thing by refusing to censor our print edition” and called the termination a “deliberate scare tactic toward journalists and faculty.”

“IU has no legal right to dictate what we can and cannot print in our paper,” Miller said.

Mike Hiestand, senior legal counsel at the Student Press Law Center, said 1st Amendment case law going back 60 years shows student editors at public universities determine content. Advisors such as Rodenbush can’t interfere, Hiestand said.

“It’s open and shut, and it’s just so bizarre that this is coming out of Indiana University,” Hiestand said. “If this was coming out of a community college that doesn’t know any better, that would be one thing. But this is coming out of a place that absolutely should know better.”

Rodenbush said that he wasn’t aware of any single story the newspaper has published that may have provoked administrators. But he speculated the moves may be part of a “general progression” of administrators trying to protect the university from any negative publicity.

Blocked from publishing a print edition, the paper last week posted a number of sharp-edged stories online, including coverage of the opening of a new film critical of arrests of pro-Palestinian demonstrators last year, a tally of campus sexual assaults and an FBI raid on the home of a former professor suspected of stealing federal funds.

The paper also has covered allegations that IU President Pamela Whitten plagiarized parts of her dissertation, with the most recent story running in September.

Richmond writes for the Associated Press.

Parenting in London can often be defined by “don’ts”, says Jen Ablitt, 48, who has a four-year-old daughter – “don’t touch that, stop there, don’t run”.

But whenever they go camping in the countryside, she finds, for a city kid it’s a completely different realm. “Off they go, and you give them more freedom,” she says.

Ablitt is one of many people taking a camping or caravanning holiday this summer, options that tend to be significantly cheaper than some other breaks while providing benefits such as proximity to nature.

Camping and caravan holidays work out cheaper than other domestic accommodation types. With 62% of UK adults saying they’re currently spending cautiously or cutting back due to the cost of living crisis, according to the British Tourist Authority, cheaper holiday options are increasingly attractive.

Dozens of people responded to a Guardian callout asking for their experiences of UK camping holidays. Here are some of their affordable tales of pitching up and switching off.

‘I don’t think I’ve ever met a little kid that doesn’t love camping’

I was recently made redundant, and hopefully I’ll get a new full-time job, so this might be the last summer holiday where I can spend the entire six weeks with my daughter, who’s four.

I rented our home out online and planned nearly three weeks staying with friends and camping: the Forest of Dean, the Peak District, the Lake District and north Wales. We camp a lot anyway – and started when she was 18 months old – so we’re used to it. I don’t think I’ve ever met a little kid who doesn’t love camping.

We’ve had a very cheap holiday – about £20 a night – more than paid for by the home rental money. But as a solo parent it has been exhausting to do all the driving, packing, camping, parenting, interspersed with house guest changeovers.

Overall, I’m very glad I did it. Camping is a terrific way to see some truly gorgeous parts of the UK. Jen Ablitt, 48, south-west London

‘I watched the children uncurl’

I went camping for the first time in the Lee Valley this August – three mums and six kids – to try to give our city kids a taste of outdoor living, off their phones and out into nature. They’re teenagers, and most of them are glued to screens.

We had looked at a few seaside holiday lets, but the prices – one place was £1,000 a week – were just too high. Cost was definitely a factor. It feels like UK seaside holidays are getting out of reach, whereas the campsite cost £140, including equipment hire, for two nights per family. It was camping for softies – none of us have camping equipment or tents, so we got to experience it without the stress of bringing endless bits.

Only one of us has a car, so she drove with the luggage, and the rest of us got the train, which was only 20 minutes. We then walked 45 minutes along the River Lea to the campsite. It was brilliant that it wasn’t far.

There were the initial complaints from the kids: “How long is this walk going to take? There’s no toilet in the tent. It’s cold at night. The shop doesn’t sell any good snacks.”

It took about 24 hours, but I watched the children uncurl, and by the end of our stay they were all out playing frisbee, making fires, going on river walks, watching the ducks and climbing trees to get apples. Rebecca Lovell, small business owner, east London

‘On clear nights you could see the Milky Way’

This summer, I’ve reacquainted myself with low-tech camping and had two glorious weeks in Dumfries and Galloway. My family prefer more comfort and also have less spare time, so I went solo.

I stayed at a family-owned farm campsite, which is in the Galloway Dark Sky area and close to lots of interesting attractions.

This is my happy place. Each day was an early rise, including watching an uninterrupted sunrise on Midsummer Day from my tent. Most days I cycled around the quiet roads and trails. On clear nights you could see the Milky Way and millions of stars.

For £17 a night, I got my pitch, free hot water and showers, a freezer for ice packs, and mains electricity to charge my phone and electric bike. It was amazing value and I had a great reception from the owners.

The carbon footprint of these holidays was tiny: two cans of butane gas a week and 50 litres of petrol. The weather was kind, but then being retired I could pick my weeks to take advantage of the sunshine.

As a solo holiday, there were many other folks around to chat with and share tips. I think these are the best holidays I can remember. Nick Norton, 70, retired business analyst, Glasgow

‘Camping offers the opportunity to be close to nature’

We took our two children to Coniston Water in the Lake District camping, We’re keen paddleboarders and kayakers. It did not disappoint and was only a two-hour journey from our home.

We all enjoyed the water, with spectacular views. We played ball games on the camping pitch, made a lovely campfire under the stars and toasted marshmallows. Our children also enjoyed the brilliant tree swing each day. It was absolutely perfect, and all for £34 a night.

As a family, we have enjoyed holidays to France, Finland, Scotland, Tunisia, Spain and Cornwall. Each holiday is unique so it’s hard to say how our camping trip compares, but we had just as much fun in the Lakes and felt really connected as a family.

Camping offers the chance to be close to nature, and it is a great learning experience for children. We love that these kinds of holidays build character and resilience.

Other holidays, you can end up fretting about a missed departure, getting lost or wondering whether you can afford to eat out. But when we got home from camping, we felt refreshed and relaxed. Rachel Hardy, teacher, northern England

In this Thursday’s Mirror Daily Digest, we’ve pulled together the biggest stories of the day from the sad news of how the mum of a slain schoolboy learnt about his death, to the reality of one of Europe’s top ‘party strips’

Welcome to the Mirror’s Daily Digest, where we pull together all the best stories of the day from our News, Showbiz, Sport teams and more. This Friday, we’re featuring everything from River Island’s planned closure of 33 high street stores, to the tragic story of how slain teen Harvey Willgoose’s mother found out about his death.

In other news, we’re also taking a look at how two cruise ship tourists died in bad weather, the depressing reality of the Magaluf ‘party strip’ in 2025, and the sad news of the death of Corrie icon Frank Grimes.

Harvey Willgoose: Mum learned schoolboy son had been killed through ‘RIP’ post

Earlier this afternoon, our UK News team shared the story of how Harvey Willgoose’s mum screamed in horror when she found out her son had been murdered at school. And she said she will forever be haunted with guilt because she urged the 15-year-old to return to the “lions’ den”.

Caroline Willgoose, 51 and her husband Mark, 52, spoke to The Mirror about only discovering their “amazing” son had died after seeing a social media post saying ‘RIP Harvey’. Despite their grief the couple have vowed to fight on until knife arches are installed in schools. “Children are going to school scared,” she told the Mirror. “This cannot be allowed to happen again.”

The defendant, a fellow pupil also aged 15 who cannot be named, had already admitted manslaughter but denied murder, saying he lost control and did not remember stabbing Harvey twice. But after more than 14 hours of deliberations the jury convicted him of murder with a majority verdict of 11-1. He is expected to be sentenced later this year.

Read the full story here .

River Island to shut 33 stores with hundreds to lose their jobs

Our Money team reported earlier today that major high street chain River Island has announced it will shut dozens of stores – leaving hundreds of people jobless. The move, part of a long-in-the-works “restructuring plan” worked up to prevent the chain from collapsing into administration, will see River Island shutter 33 shops and pay reduced rents on a further 71.

The clothing retailer is looking to secure further funding later this year to avoid falling into millions of pounds’ worth of debt. Landlords are being asked to cut rents for three years and potentially stop payments completely on some sites in a bid to stem losses. Matthew Weaver KC, for River Island, told a hearing on Friday that the company “simply has not been able to reverse” a trend of financial difficulty as the restructuring plan was approved by the High Court in the UK.

In written submissions, he cited a decline in footfall and sales due to “the pressures of a highly competitive and changing retail environment as well as the prevailing trend away from high street retail stores to online shopping”. It comes after Royal Mail made a major delivery rule change from this week for millions of UK homes.

Read the full story here .

Frank Grimes dead: Coronation Street actor dies after short illness

Our Showbiz team shared the sad story this afternoon that Coronation Street actor Frank Grimes has died at the age of 78. The actor died following a short illness, with The Irish Cultural Centre paying tribute to the acting legend.

Frank starred as Barrington “Barry” Connor in the ITV soap at regular intervals between 2008 to 2015 and played the father of Paul Connor, Liam Connor and Michelle Connor. Barry even made a return in 2015 to attend Michelle’s wedding to Steve McDonald. In all, he appeared in more than 50 episodes over the years and was a key character in the Connor family.

In a statement, they said: “Frank was undoubtedly one of Ireland’s greatest actors, he was a dearly loved friend of the ICC’s and over the past three decades, he trod the ICC’s stage on so many occasions.”

Read the full story here .

Two cruise ship tourists killed as gales batter Greece

Our World News team reported that two cruise ship tourists have died at sea in Greece after strong winds battered a holiday hotspot – causing travel chaos for thousands of travellers.

A man and a woman, both from Vietnam, were found on the Sarakiniko beach on the popular holiday island of Milos. The coastguard confirmed the travellers died following a tragic incident on Friday.

A spokesperson for the local coastguard said: “The man and woman were found unconscious in the sea and were taken to the local health centre.”

Read the full story here .

Woman takes video of Magaluf party strip in 2025 and reality is devastating

Our Travel team reported this afternoon that Magaluf, once synonymous with sun-soaked fun, beach frolics, and raucous nightlife, has seen its allure wane lately. And a stark video exposes the sad state of this once-thriving Majorcan hotspot.

At the start of the season, the sight of vacant sun loungers was telling. What’s more, pub landlords confessed to adjusting opening hours in response to the changing tourist demographic. This downturn in visitor numbers is attributed to stringent measures against disorderly holidaymakers.

The notorious Punta Ballena strip came under fire when former Majorca official Jose Ramon Bauza denounced it as “500 metres of shame”. Bauza’s scathing critique followed an incident where a young woman was duped into performing indecent acts for what she believed was a complimentary holiday, only to be rewarded with a cocktail mockingly named ‘Holiday’.

Read the full story here .

In this Wednesday’s Mirror Daily Digest, we’ve pulled together the biggest stories of the day – from Sharon Osbourne’s ‘final days’ plan for Ozzy, to a ‘mystery fish’ forcing a beach to evacuate

Welcome to the Mirror’s Daily Digest, where we pull together all the best stories of the day from our News, Showbiz, Sport teams and more. This Wednesday we’re featuring everything from a cricket legend’s plea for his wife to ‘help him end his life’, to the unmasking of the gangs exploiting migrants crossing into the UK.

Elsewhere, our Showbiz team have shared the heartbreaking story of Sharon Osbourne’s plan to make Ozzy comfortable in his final days, while our Lifestyle team reported on a brewing feud between neighbours over a garden fence.

Finally, our Travel team reported how a ‘mystery fish’ is attacking tourists and forcing a beach to evacuate.

Unmasked: Faces of migrant small boats criminals revealed for first time

Criminals responsible for hundreds of dangerous small boat crossings are being sanctioned – meaning they face having their assets seized and will be barred from entering the UK.

Today, these gangsters became the first people smugglers in the world to be sanctioned after the first wave of criminals was named. All face having their assets seized, and anyone in the UK caught doing business with them will face hefty sanctions.

Read the full story here.

Cricket legend Graham Thorpe ‘asked wife to help end his life’ before being hit by a train

Graham Thorpe asked his wife Amanda to help him end his suffering before he decided to take his own life, an inquest has heard.

Thorpe was found dead on August 4 after being hit by a train. The England cricket legend had been struggling with anxiety and depression before his death.

The 55-year-old had made an attempt on his life in May 2022 and spent a lengthy period of time in hospital recovering. That came after he had been sacked by the England and Wales Cricket Board as a coach of the England Test team following an incident on an Ashes tour of Australia.

Read the full story here.

Sharon Osbourne drew up heartbreaking two-year plan for Ozzy’s final days

Ozzy Osbourne faced a lengthy battle with his Parkinson’s disease before passing away at the age of 76, just days after his last ever gig. But his wife Sharon had long been determined to make his final years as comfortable as possible.

Ozzy and Sharon had previously expressed their desire to relocate back to the UK from Los Angeles. The couple have been living in the US for more than 20 years, but Birmingham-born Ozzy had said he was “desperate to come home”.

Sharon is said to have spent the past two years preparing for her husband’s final moments, renovating the Grade II-listed Buckinghamshire mansion they bought in 1993 to provide him with every comfort.

Plans were approved in 2023 for a ‘rehab wing’ with a health and welfare exercise studio along a flat for an on-site nurse, an art studio, pool house orangery with spa, wet room, and changing area. She was also the brains behind his farewell show after he was forced to cancel a series of concerts in 2023.

Read the full story here.

Beach evacuated in popular holiday hotspot after mystery fish ‘attacks tourist’

A Spanish beach at a popular holiday hotspot was cleared this week after a tourist was attacked by an unidentified marine creature. A red flag was lifted on Tuesday morning (July 22) at Playa de Palma, the main beach in Majorca’s capital, after a woman sustained a “severe bite” to her leg.

The holidaymaker, reportedly an 85-year-old Italian national, emerged from the water with “part of her calf torn off”, according to the Majorca Daily Bulletin. Lifeguards took the decision to clear the coastline to conduct a hunt for the animal, though the beach reopened roughly an hour later when no creature was discovered.

Read the full story here.

I agreed to move my neighbour’s fence – I was gobsmacked when I saw what they did

A homeowner was left gobsmacked when what they believed was a neighbourly favour resulted in a tradesman rocking up and beginning to lay tarmac across their property.

The resident revealed that their next-door neighbours had requested assistance to access their own driveway – and they’d initially agreed to shift a fence.

This was because houses on the cul-de-sac feature extremely cramped and awkwardly angled driveways, preventing residents from actually getting a motor onto them, ‘even though there is space further back’.

Read the full story here.

As the manager of Guns N’ Roses during the band’s debauched heyday, Alan Niven has no shortage of colorful stories.

The LAPD fetching Axl Rose from his West Hollywood condo and bringing him directly to the stage so Guns N’ Roses could open for the Rolling Stones at the L.A. Coliseum.

Slash going off script and taking a Winnebago for a joyride — and then standing in rush hour traffic and brandishing a bottle of Jack Daniels — while filming the “Welcome to the Jungle” music video.

Guitarist Izzy Stradlin carrying a $750,000 cashier’s check that Niven had to take from him and hide in his own shoe for safekeeping during a raucous trip to New Orleans.

About 15 minutes into a thoughtful Zoom conversation, the garrulous Niven poses a question of his own: “Why was I managing Guns N’ Roses?”

Given what he describes, it is a good question.

“Because nobody else would do it,” he says, noting that the band’s former management firm “could not get away fast enough” from the group. “No one else would deal with them. Literally, I was not bottom of the barrel, darling — I was underneath the barrel. It was desperation.”

Case in point: his very first Guns N’ Roses band meeting. On the way into the house, Niven says, he passed by a broken toilet and “one of the better-known strippers from [the] Sunset Strip.” Stradlin and Slash were the only ones who’d shown up. Once the meeting started, Stradlin nodded out at the table and Slash fed “a little white bunny rabbit” to a massive pet python.

“And I’m sitting there going, ‘Keep your cool. This may be a test. Just go with it and get through it.’ But that was my first GNR meeting.”

These kinds of stranger-than-fiction anecdotes dominate Niven’s wildly entertaining (and occasionally jaw-dropping) new book, “Sound N’ Fury: Rock N’ Roll Stories.” With brutal honesty and vivid imagery, he describes the challenges of wrangling Guns N’ Roses before and after the band’s 1987 debut, “Appetite for Destruction.” These include mundane business matters (like shooting music videos on a budget) and more stressful moments, such as navigating Rose’s mercurial moods and ensuring that band members didn’t take drugs on international flights.

But “Sound N’ Fury” also focuses extensively on Niven’s time managing the bluesy hard rock band Great White, whose lead singer, the late Jack Russell, had his own struggles with severe addiction. To complicate the entanglement, Niven also produced and co-wrote dozens of the band’s songs, including hits “Rock Me” and “House of Broken Love.”

Niven mixes delightful bits of insider gossip into these harrowing moments: firing for bad behavior future superstar director Michael Bay from filming Great White’s “Call It Rock ’n’ Roll” music video; Berlin’s Terri Nunn sending President Reagan an 8-by-10 photo with a saucy message; clandestinely buying Ozzy Osbourne drinks on an airplane behind Sharon Osbourne’s back.

And his lifelong passion for championing promising artists also comes through, including his recent advocacy for guitarist Chris Buck of Cardinal Black.

Unsurprisingly, Niven says people had been asking him for “decades” to write a book (“If I had $1 for every time somebody asked me that, I’d be living in a castle in Scotland”). He resisted because of his disdain for rock ‘n’ roll books: “To me, they all have the same story arc and only the names change.”

A magazine editor paid him such a huge compliment that he finally felt compelled to write one.

“He said, ‘I wish I could write like you,’ ” Niven says. “When he said that, it put an obligation on me that I couldn’t shake. Now I had to be intelligent about it and go, ‘Well, you hate rock ‘n’ roll books, so what are you going to do?’ ”

Niven’s solution was to eschew the “usual boring, chronological history” and structure “Sound N’ Fury” more like a collection of vignettes, all told with his usual dry sense of humor and razor-sharp wit.

“If you tell the stories well enough, they might be illuminating,” he says. “I saw it more as a record than I did a book. And you hope that somebody will drop the needle in at the beginning of the record and stay with the record until it’s over.

“For me, dialogue was key — and, fortunately, they were all more f— up than I was,” he adds. “So my memory of the dialogue is pretty good. … There’s some dialogue exchanges in there that imprinted themselves for as long as I live.”

One of the artists that doesn’t get much ink in “Sound N’ Fury” is another group known for its hedonistic rock ‘n’ roll behavior, Mötley Crüe.

“The fact that people are still interested in what you’ve got to say about things that happened 30 years ago is almost unimaginable,” Alan Niven says.

(ECW Press)

Niven promoted and facilitated distribution of the independent release of the band’s 1981 debut, “Too Fast for Love” and helped connect Mötley Crüe with Elektra Records. He doesn’t mince words in the book or in conversation about the band, saying he feels “very ambivalent about the small role I played in the progression of Mötley Crüe because I know who they are. I know what they’ve done to various people. I know how they’ve treated certain numbers of women. And I am not proud of contributing to that.

“And on top of that, someone needs to turn around and say, ‘It’s a thin catalog that they produced,’ in terms of what they produced as music,” he continues. “There’s not much there and it’s certainly not intellectually or spiritually illuminating in any way, shape or form. They are brutish entertainers, and that’s it.”

Still, Niven says he didn’t hesitate to include the stories that he did in “Sound N’ Fury,” and by explanation notes a conversation he had with journalist Mick Wall.

“He sent me an email the other day saying, ‘Welcome to the club of authors,’ ” he recalls. “And I’m going, ‘Yeah, right. You’ve been doing it all your life. I’m just an enthusiastic amateur.’ And he said, ‘Welcome to the club — and by the way, it’s cursed.’”

Niven pondered what that meant. “A little light bulb went on in my head, and I went, ‘Ah, yes, the curse is truth,’ because a lot of people don’t want to hear the truth and don’t want to hear what truly happened.

“There are people in the Axl cult who won’t be happy. There will be one or two other people who won’t be happy, but there’s no point in recording anything unless it’s got a truth to it.”

Niven says when the book was done, he didn’t necessarily gain any surprising insights or new perspectives on what he had documented.

“The fact that people are still interested in what you’ve got to say about things that happened 30 years ago is almost unimaginable,” he says. “I never used to do interviews back in the day. But at this point, it would just be graceless and rank bad manners not to respond.

“Occasionally people go, ‘Oh, he’s bitter,’” Niven continues. “No, I am not. I don’t think the book comes off as bitter. Many times I’ve said it was actually a privilege to go through that period of time because I didn’t have to spend my life saying to myself, ‘I wonder what it would have been like to have had a No. 1. To have had a successful band.’ Well, I found out firsthand.”

Niven stresses firmly that management was more than a job to him.

“It was my way of life,” he says. “People who go into management and think it’s a job that starts maybe at about half past 10 in the morning once you’ve had your coffee and then you check out at six, they’re not true managers.

“They’re not in management for the right reasons,” he adds. “Rock ‘n’ roll is a way of f— life. It’s 24/7, 365. And that was my approach to it.”

In this Tuesday’s Mirror Daily Digest, we’ve pulled together the biggest stories of the day from tributes following Kim Woodburn’s death to a ‘murder’ victim being found in an exploded house

Welcome to the Mirror’s Daily Digest, where we pull together all the best stories of the day from our News, Showbiz, Sport teams and more. This Tuesday, we’re featuring everything from Kim Woodburn’s death after a short illness to a human rights lawyer being found ‘murdered’ in an exploded London house and a review of Jeremy Clarkson’s pub.

This morning, news broke that Kim Woodburn had died following a short illness. Shortly after, her beloved husband and former co-star shared their tributes to the Celebrity Big Brother icon. Elsewhere, a ‘murdered’ woman was found after a house exploded in Stoke Newington and our reporter went to visit Jeremy Clarkson’s pub to see whether it was worth the hype.

Kim Woodburn dies after short illness as beloved husband and co-star Aggie break silence

This morning, our showbiz team broke the heartbreaking news that Kim Woodburn had died aged 83. The Celebrity Big Brother and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here icon, who shot to stardom for her no-nonsense attitude and witticisms on Channel 4‘s How Clean Is Your House with Aggie MacKenzie, died on Monday.

Her beloved husband-of-46-years Peter, who she lived with in their Nantwich, Cheshire home, is “heartbroken” over the loss of his soulmate. She was described as an “incredibly kind, caring, charismatic and strong person” by her loved ones, who were “so proud” of what she achieved in her career.

A representative for Kim shared in a statement: “It is with immense sadness that we let you know our beloved Kim Woodburn passed away yesterday following a short illness.”

Read the full story here.

‘Murder’ victim found in exploded house named as ‘lovely’ human rights lawyer

A beloved mother-of-two and human rights lawyer has been identified as the woman found with fatal stab wounds after a house explosion this morning. A huge emergency response including six fire engines and 40 firefighters raced to the two-storey terraced house where an explosion had torn through the basement and ground floor of the east London residence.

The victim has been formally identified as 46-year-old mother and human rights lawyer Annabel Rook, whose body was found with knife wound injuries after the explosion. Police arrested an as yet unidentified 44-year-old male on suspicion of murder before taking him to a major trauma centre in London for slash wound treatment. His injuries were not life-threatening, police said.

Neighbours told The Mirror: “She was a lovely lady – a very doting mother. I would always see her walking to school with her children. They go to school just around the corner.”

Read the full story here.

‘I drove 90 minutes to eat at Jeremy Clarkson’s pub — two words summed it up’

Nobody could have quite imagined the success Amazon would see after releasing Clarkson’s Farm. However, fast forward to 2025, the former Top Gear star’s agriculture show has just finished its fourth series, with a fifth series already on the way.

This season saw Jeremy Clarkson invest in a pub, The Farmer’s Dog, so our Deputy Content Hub Director, Steffan Rhys, went to go and check it out. He wrote: “There was a full-blown security and parking operation guiding arrivals into an enormous adjacent field with hundreds, if not thousands, of cars already parked in it. Visitors streamed like ants in formation between car park and pub and the stunned “bloody hell!” I heard from a fellow visitor pretty much sums up what I was thinking too.

“I’d naively thought that, given I had a lunch reservation (secured easily, several weeks earlier, on the pub website) it would be a quiet affair. After all, only so many people can fit in a pub, right? Wrong. Oh, so wrong.”

Read the full story here.

Killer who stabbed his partner, neighbour and dog on Christmas Day learns fate

A man who murdered his partner and neighbour and tried to kill his own son in an unprovoked and “frenzied” attack after taking cocaine on Christmas Day has been jailed for life. Jazwell Brown attacked his partner Joanne Pearson with a kitchen knife at their home in Bletchley, Buckinghamshire, at around 6.30pm on December 25 last year.

He stabbed her 31 times before turning the knife and a baseball bat on his son Jake Brown, with the youngster remarkably surviving his injuries. Brown went on to repeatedly stab Jo’s dog Tilly, a Staffordshire bull terrier, who was later spotted on CCTV limping from the scene.

Brown then headed next door to another flat and began attacking Teohna Grant. He also stabbed Teohna’s boyfriend 29-year-old Bradley Latter who survived, while Teohna was also pronounced dead at the scene. Police previously said the dog had died, but they have since been informed Tilly survived.

Read the full story here.

‘LEAKED’ Premier League fixtures for 2025-26 season – but fans spot major issues

As many football fans await the Premier League‘s return, our sports team got their hands on a reportedly ‘leaked’ list of Premier League fixtures for the 2025-26 season. However, the list – which has been leaked and widely shared on social media platforms – is not as it seems.

As is the case at this time of year, amid growing anticipation among supporters, social media has been awash with claims and fixtures coming to light early. One set in particular have been gaining quite a bit of traction. On the face of it, they look pretty legit. The usual font and layout used when the fixtures are actually released is certainly present.

But dig a little deeper and issues arise. Most notable among them are a number of admin errors which, perhaps if you’re only casting a casual glance and looking at the opening weekend, or even just for your club’s full list, you wouldn’t see.

Read the full story here.

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In this Monday’s Mirror Daily Digest, we’ve pulled together the biggest stories of the day from Romeo Beckham’s ex speaking out on the famous family feud to one Brit dad’s life-saving flight change and fallout from yesterday’s Soccer Aid

Welcome to the Mirror’s Daily Digest, where we pull together all the best stories of the day from our News, Showbiz, Sport teams and more. This Monday, we’re featuring everything from another development in the Beckham family feud to one dad’s lucky escape from the doomed Air India flight and Soccer Aid drama hitting social media.

This afternoon, Romeo Beckham’s ex girlfriend Kim Turnbull has broken ranks to speak out about the Brooklyn feud that has tormented the family. Elsewhere, a dad has spoken out after a last minute flight change saved his life and Paddy McGuiness has hit out at Carlos Tevez after the Soccer Aid star scored four goals past the TV icon last night.

Romeo Beckham’s ex Kim Turnbull breaks silence on Brooklyn feud and ‘scapegoat’ lies

As the Beckham feud drags on, our showbiz team spotted that Romeo Beckham’s ex-girlfriend, Kim Turnbull, broke her silence on social media this afternoon after being dragged into the bitter family drama. Kim, 26, is said to be at the heart of the Beckham fallout in which eldest child Brooklyn and wife Nicola Peltz, 30, have become estranged.

The DJ is said to have dated Brooklyn before he met billionaire heiress Nicola. However, following weeks of headlines about her and Brooklyn, Kim fumed that she was ’embarrassed by the lies.’

This Monday, Kim took to social media to speak out for the first time on the drama. She said: “I’ve avoided speaking on this topic to prevent adding fuel to the fire, however it’s come to a point where I feel the need to address it so I can move on.”

Read the full story here.

Brit dad meant to be in Air India plane crash survivor’s Seat 11A breaks silence

This Monday, our News team covered one British dad’s lucky escape after a last minute flight change saved his life – he was due on the Air India flight 171 this week. The dad has shared his shock and expressed his gratitude after he changed his plans at the very last minute and has spoken of the very bizarre coincidence with his new booking.

Owen Jackson, 31, from Saffron Walden in Essex, had been in India on a work trip and was scheduled to fly back this week but had to decide between flying back on Thursday or Saturday. In the end his colleagues said to take the Saturday flight as the job would take a bit longer than originally planned.

He was then booked onto the same route on Saturday which would have been the same aircraft as the one which crashed, killing all but one of the 242 people onboard. In a bizarre coincidence, Owen was booked onto seat 11A for the Saturday flight – the seat number belonging to the only survivor of flight 171.

Read the full story here.

Paddy McGuinness hits out at Carlos Tevez ‘assault’ after Soccer Aid

Soccer Aid graced TV screens yesterday evening, raising over £15 million for UNICEF. However, drama over the hotly anticipated match has spilled in to today after former Manchester City ace Carlos Tevez fired four goals past England keeper Paddy McGuinness and fans accused him of forgetting Soccer Aid is for charity.

Paddy McGuinness has now broken his silence after being on the wrong end of the Carlos Tevez masterclass. Taking to Instagram today, Paddy shared a hilarious snap of him and Tevez post-match. Tevez had a huge grin on his face as he and Paddy pointed fingers at each other.

The funnyman wrote alongside it: “Police are looking to contact this man in connection with an assault that took place in the Old Trafford area of Manchester last night.” Viewers at home joked Tevez was approaching the game with the ferocity of a Champions League final.

Read the full story here.

Grooming gangs have ‘nowhere to hide’ Yvette Cooper vows as damning report published

This afternoon, our Politics team were in the Commons to listen to Yvette Cooper’s statement on grooming gangs. The Home Secretary said a “damning” report into grooming gangs found the UK has “lost more than a decade” in protecting children.

The Labour minister told MPs “vile” abusers will have “nowhere to hide” as she vowed to finally bring hundreds of evil predators to justice. She told the Commons the Government will bring in a string of new laws after Baroness Louise Casey unearthed chilling failures.

In a report published this afternoon, Baroness Casey called for a full national inquiry to highlight the harrowing abuse suffered by hundreds of children, and ensure it never happens again. Ms Cooper said: “We have lost more than a decade. That must end now.”

Read the full story here.

Brazen Prince Andrew heads to huge royal event despite King Charles ‘ban’

As Royals gathered for the annual Garter Day this Monday, Prince Andrew was spotted heading to Windsor Castle – despite not being expected to take part in its public procession. The disgraced Duke of York was seen in a shirt and tie driving his car towards the castle for the ancient Order of the Garter ceremony as the Royal Family‘s summer season began in earnest.

The day sees those in the order gather for lunch at the castle before a procession takes place through the castle grounds that sees members dressed in white plumed hats and dark blue velvet robes. Andrew is a member of the order alongside King Charles, Queen Camilla and Prince William and is believed to be joining the annual lunch and investiture, which takes place behind closed doors.

However, he was not expected to take part in the public procession through the castle grounds – having been banished from it for the past four years. Andrew stepped down from public life after the furore over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Read the full story here.

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In this Monday’s Mirror Daily Digest, we’ve pulled together the biggest stories of the day from an volcanic eruption at a tourist hotspot, to an update in the search for Madeleine McCann

Welcome to the Mirror’s Daily Digest, where we pull together all the best stories of the day from our News, Showbiz, Sport teams and more. This Monday, we’re taking a look at Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz breaking their silence on their ongoing family feud, to the health risks of the eruption of Mount Etna.

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola break silence in first interview since family feud exploded

This afternoon, our Showbiz team reported that Brooklyn Beckham and his wife Nicola Peltz have spoken out for the first time since reports of the Beckhams’ family feud broke.

Brooklyn Beckham snubbed parents David and Victoria Beckham in a revealing new interview about his marriage. The eldest of the Beckham kids, who is currently embroiled in a family feud, said he has been ‘captivated’ by wife Nicola Peltz and wanted to marry her within days of their meeting.

As the sad rift in the Beckham clan continues to rumble on, Brooklyn has broken his silence in a gushing interview all about his new wife in which he calls her his ‘best friend.’

Read the full story here.

Mount Etna eruption health risks from exposure to volcanic gases – key symptoms

Earlier today, our News team reported that Mount Etna, which is on the coast of Sicily, had turned black. Our Health team then did a deep dive on possible health risks of the eruption, some of which could potentially be serious.

Even if fire, lava and magma are unlikely to make an appearance, volcanic eruptions can pose a major health risk to people in the surrounding areas. This could mainly affect the eyes, lungs and skin through the acidic gases and ash released into the atmosphere.

The International Volcanic Health Hazard Network notes that being exposed to volcanic gases can have a range of effects depending on how concentrated it is and the length of time a person is exposed to it. This can include suffocation and death if the CO2 or H2S is concentrated enough.

Read the full story here.

Madeleine McCann updates: Cops launch major land search near top suspect’s house

Since 2007, the case of missing girl Madeleine McCann has been ongoing. Our World News team earlier reported some updates in the case, focusing on an upcoming search near the house of the case’s top suspect.

Fresh police searches are due to start tomorrow near the spot where Madeleine McCann was last seen.

German police have requested the searches, expected to take place between Praia da Luz where the three-year-old vanished on May 3, 2007 and a house near the holiday resort where principal suspect Christian Brueckner used to live.

A well-placed Portuguese source confirmed this week’s operation was scheduled get underway tomorrow but said some preparation work may take place beforehand. He said: “They will be land searches only. The main objective is to look for any signs of Madeleine’s body.”

Read the full story here.

Exact date Spanish scorcher sends UK mercury soaring to 31C as maps turn dark red

Our News team have reported that Britain is set to be hit by a 400 mile-wide ‘Spanish scorcher’ as temperatures finally top 30C. After the record spring sizzle, summer is beginning with drizzle and a cooldown this week, with disappointing 16-20C highs over the next few days and soggy spells.

But hot air blowing from melting Spain – which has ushered in 40C early summer temperatures across the Iberian peninsula – is due to blow to Britain after the weekend, according to weather maps. BBC Weather has predicted that the mercury will nudge 27C by next Wednesday and other weather forecasters have said 31C will follow, beating the 29.3C hottest day of the year recorded on May 1.

Read the full story here.

Holidaymakers told to wear masks and get jabs as cases of ‘new Covid’ soar

A big story from our Travel team today is reported warnings from a popular holiday spot to be wary of the latest Covid variant.

The Thai government has urged people to wear masks, wash their hands, get vaccinated and avoid activity that could spread Covid as a new variant sends cases rocketing, The World Health Organisation has issued a warning over the new variant, NB.1.8.1, which has seen cases soar in countries including Egypt, the Maldives and Thailand.

The new strain, which is said to be more infectious than previous variants, has also been found in the US and the UK. Now the government in Thailand has issued a warning after 257,280 cases of Covid and 52 deaths.

Read the full story here.

In this Friday’s Mirror Daily Digest, we’ve pulled together the biggest stories of the day from jail horror after a prison officer was reportedly stabbed to airport chaos leaving many Brits distressed

Welcome to the Mirror’s Daily Digest, where we’ll be pulling together all the best stories of the day from our News, Showbiz, Royal teams and more. This Friday, we’re bringing you the biggest stories from the newsroom – from a prison officer who was left with ‘serious injuries’ after reportedly being stabbed to the Tenerife airport chaos which left Brits trapped in sweltering queues.

Meanwhile, our News team has been following the Liverpool parade crash suspect Paul Doyle’s appearance at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court today. We’ve also got the latest on Go Compare star Wynne Evans, who has been axed by the BBC following his Strictly Come Dancing scandals.

Horror as ‘prison officer stabbed’ at jail housing notorious inmates

Our News team has reported that a prison officer has been rushed to hospital after he was reportedly stabbed with a flick knife. Emergency services rushed to HMP Long Lartin at around 10 am this morning, following reports that an inmate knifed an officer. It has been reported that the weapon was dropped into the prison via a drone.

A Prison Service spokesperson confirmed the attack and said an investigation is underway. They said: “Police are investigating an attack on a prison officer at HMP Long Lartin. We will not tolerate assaults on hardworking staff and will always push for the strongest punishments against perpetrators.”

A spokesperson for West Mercia Police added: “We were called to HMP Long Lartin in South Littleton around 10am this morning (Friday, May 30), following a report someone had been assaulted by an inmate. One man was taken to hospital with serious injuries after sustaining a stab wound. The inmate remains within the prison and the investigation is on-going. “

Read the full story here.

Wynne Evans axed by BBC after Strictly scandal

After months of Strictly Come Dancing scandals, Wynne Evans has been axed by the BBC, our Showbiz team reported this afternoon. The Go Compare star revealed that he has not had his contract renewed and will not be back with the BBC for his radio show – and thus has decided to continue to do his radio show away from the BBC.

It comes after the TV personality hit headlines during his time on the dance show, where he was shown grabbing his professional partner Katya’s waist before she pushed his hand away, but he later insisted it was a joke. He then came under fire for using the term ‘spit roast’ to Janette Manrara during a Strictly photocall but he later insisted it was directed at Jamie Borthwick and nothing to do with Janette.

As a result of the comment, he was axed from the Strictly tour – and then a video emerged of him sending a sex toy to his co-star Jamie, which both were heavily criticised for. In an emotional statement, he said: “My beloved Wynners, From the very depths of my heart — thank you. These past few months, your love has been the light in my darkest days. Every message, every word of encouragement, every moment you stood by me has carried me through more than you could ever know.”

“It breaks my heart to say the BBC has decided not to renew my contract so I won’t be returning to my radio show. I’m gutted. That show wasn’t just work — it was home. It was us. We laughed, we cried, we sang like nobody was listening. And somehow, through the airwaves, we became a family.”

Read the full story here.

Brits caught in ‘inhumane’ airport chaos as passengers fight and vomit in crush

Our Travel team has been following the latest updates on the Tenerife South Airport chaos, after British travellers found themselves trapped in two-hour queues and “inhuman” conditions at the start of the school holidays. Last Monday night, more than 500 people found themselves packed into a waiting area at the Canary Islands travel hub.

They waited for hours to pass through the security as a bottleneck formed by two checkpoints, each staffed by two National Police officers. Top Spanish officials will now hold an urgent meeting after the tourists faced “inhuman” conditions at the start of the school holidays.

Many were held on a sweltering plane for 45 minutes, only to disembark and find broken escalators and lengthy queues for passport checks. Becks Gravil was one of those swept up in the chaos. It took her family two hours to leave the airport after landing at 8.30pm. “Never in my life have I ever seen it this bad,” she explained.

“There was fighting, people being sick, people fainting – all crammed in like sardines. What should have been an hour from landing to Adeje turned into four hours. What a day!”

Read the full story here.

Paul Doyle LIVE: Liverpool parade suspect in court

Our News team has been working around the clock to cover Liverpool parade crash suspect Paul Doyle’s appearance at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court this morning. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the 53-year-old is accused of two counts of unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and two counts of causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He is also accused of two counts of attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and one count of dangerous driving. Doyle shook his head in the dock as the prosecutor told the judge he drove “deliberately at the crowd” and “used his vehicle as a weapon”.

Police previously said 79 people were injured when a car drove into supporters on Water Street at around 6pm on Monday, with seven people still in hospital when Merseyside Police revealed his charges yesterday. Doyle will appear at court again on August 14 for plea and trial preparation hearing.

Read the full story here.

Prince Harry ‘so disappointed’ by Diana sisters’ blunt take on Meghan

There’s never a quiet day for Prince Harry, and it has emerged that the Duke of Sussex “was so disappointed” when he introduced Meghan Markle to Princess Diana’s two sisters, our Royal team reported. Harry had hoped Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes would have similarities to his mother, who died when Harry was just 12.

However, although Harry believed Diana would have been “over the moon” about his relationship with Meghan, he was upset with her sisters’ reaction. They reportedly did not see the same character traits in the two women and Harry, 40, suffered a further blow as Lady McCorquodale and Lady Fellowes “thought Meghan would not fit in with the Royal Family.”

Regardless, Harry married his partner soon after in 2018 and has gone onto have two children with the former actress. The insights have come about in the book Revenge: Meghan, Harry, and the War Between the Windsors, written by royal biographer Tom Bower. He penned: “Harry assumed that Diana’s family and friends would see a similarity between Diana and his fiancée. Both, he said, shared the same problems. He was so disappointed.”

Read the full story here.

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