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Copies of Prince Harry’s memoir smeared with the blood of Afghan people are set to go on sale – with a five-figure price tag.

Artist Andrei Molodkin says he has covered 25 copies of Spare with human blood, which he will put on display at a shop in Windsor today.

It comes after the Russian anti-war artist projected a sculpture filled with blood on to St Paul’s Cathedral in London last week, in a protest over the Duke of Sussex’s remarks about his number of kills in Afghanistan.

Artist Andrei Molodkin says he has smeared 25 copies of Prince Harry's memoir with blood donated by Afghans
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One of the blood-soaked copies of Prince Harry’s memoir Spare

Molodkin said some of the blood donated for the artwork has now been used to create his “alternative Spare” books, which will be available to buy from 2 May – four days before the King’s coronation – for $10,000 (£8,000) each.

The artist says any money raised from the sale will be donated to Afghan charities.

In a statement about his latest stunt – called “Blood Money” – Molodkin said: “Prince Harry boasts of killing Taliban like they’re baddies in a video game, ‘otherising’ human life then cashing in on the sorry tale to sell books about his drug binging, sexual exploits and killing conquests.”

Artist Andrei Molodkin says he has smeared 25 copies of Prince Harry's memoir with blood donated by Afghans

After going on display in Windsor on Saturday, a spokesman for Molodkin said the blood-covered books will be available to buy at a/political, the art and activist body, in Kennington, London, on 2 May.

Harry faced criticism for revealing in his memoir that he killed 25 Taliban fighters while serving with the British army in Afghanistan. He wrote that it “wasn’t a number that gave me any satisfaction… but neither was it a number that made me feel ashamed”.

Prince Harry pictured while serving in Afghanistan in 2008
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Prince Harry pictured serving in Afghanistan in 2008

The prince also admitted that he did not think of those he killed as “people”, but instead as “chess pieces” that had been taken off the board.

He wrote: “While in the heat and fog of combat, I didn’t think of those 25 as people. You can’t kill people if you think of them as people. You can’t really harm people if you think of them as people. They were chess pieces removed from the board, Bads taken away before they could kill Goods.”

Read more:
Biggest revelations from Harry’s memoir
Afghans call for Harry to be ‘put on trial’

Artist ‘angry’ over Harry remarks

Molodkin told Sky News last month that Harry’s remarks had made him “very, very angry” and he wanted “to drench St Paul’s Cathedral in the blood of Afghani people” by projecting his sculpture on to the landmark.

He said: “They read they are just ‘chess figures’… for some prince hunting by helicopter.

“It looked like a safari situation. How he told it, for him it’s like a computer game.”

The artwork contains blood donated by Afghans, says Andrei Molodkin
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Molodkin’s Royal Blood sculpture contained blood donated by Afghans
Andrei Molodkin projected a sculpture filled with human blood on to St Paul's Cathedral
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Molodkin projected his sculpture filled with human blood on to St Paul’s Cathedral

Molodkin said about 1,250ml of blood was used in his sculpture – called Royal Blood – after being taken by a registered nurse, kept in a fridge and then “pumped” into the artwork.

The artist, who used to serve in the Soviet Army, said the blood was donated by Afghans in France and the UK and he explained to all the donors how it would be used.

The controversial artist who uses blood and oil to make his point

  • To coincide with the World Cup in Qatar last December, Andrei Molodkin unveiled a replica of the World Cup trophy that slowly filled with crude oil. It had a symbolic price of $150m – a figure that matched the amount of money allegedly spent on bribes and kickbacks to FIFA officials
  • Last August, Molodkin presented a sculpture of the White House that reportedly contained the radioactive blood of Nagasaki-born men to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs
  • In May last year, Molodkin showcased a glass portrait of Vladimir Putin which was filled with the blood of Ukrainian soldiers. An image of the artwork was said to have been live-streamed near Moscow’s Red Square as Mr Putin oversaw Russia’s Victory Day parade
  • Back in 2013, Molodkin opened an exhibition called Catholic Blood that featured an installation where he pumped blood donated solely by Catholics around his replica of the Rose Window at Westminster Abbey, which he saw as a Protestant symbol

He previously hit the headlines after producing a sculpture featuring an image of Vladimir Putin that was filled with blood donated by Ukrainian fighters.

Now living in the south of France, Molodkin said he “can’t go back to Russia” as he believes he would be jailed.

Artist Andrei Molodkin
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Andrei Molodkin uses human blood in his sculptures

Following the release of his memoir, Harry said it was a “dangerous lie” to say he had “somehow boasted” about the number of people he killed in Afghanistan.

The royal carried out two tours in Afghanistan during his time in the military, including one tour between 2012 and 2013 when he served as an Apache attack helicopter co-pilot gunner.

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Among the revelations in his book, Harry admitted he had taken cocaine, smoked weed and tried magic mushrooms, and revealed he had lost his virginity to an older woman in a field.

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Meghan speaks about difficulties balancing business and motherhood

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Meghan speaks about difficulties balancing business and motherhood

The Duchess of Sussex has spoken about the challenges of balancing being an entrepreneur and a mother.

Meghan, speaking on the final episode of her podcast Confessions of a Female Founder, made the comments while talking with her guest Sara Blakely – mother of four children, and founder of shapewear brand Spanx.

She said to Blakely: “The amount of what you have created, evolved through – the level of what you have done while having this many children, all at that age. It’s something that I think people often forget.”

Reflecting on her own experiences, Meghan said: “People forget that Lili is three, and Archie is five.

“So you look at the past five, six years of my life, it’s yes, with being pregnant or with a newborn or with a toddler, and then another one.”

Meghan has previously revealed that she has an “amazing” nanny, who has been with the family for five years.

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Alongside Prince Harry, the duchess stepped back from her duties as a senior working royal in 2020 – before starting a new life in the US.

Since then, she has launched her own brand, As Ever, a “curated collection” of products inspired by her “long-lasting love of cooking, entertaining and hostessing with ease”, according to the website.

She has, alongside Harry, also worked on Archewell, which includes the couple’s non-profit charitable organisation and their for-profit media production business.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
Pic: Jenna Peffley/Netflix
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Meghan, recently launched her Netflix show With Love, Meghan
Pic: Jenna Peffley/Netflix

In conjunction with her new business venture, Meghan launched her Netflix show With Love, Meghan – a lifestyle show where the duchess would invite friends and famous guests, and shared cooking, hosting, and gardening tips.

Her podcast followed shortly afterwards.

Meghan also discussed a “guilty mentality” facing female chief executives who have a lot of money.

She said: “I think so many women, especially, were taught to not even talk about money. And there’s lots of guilt mentality surrounding having a lot.”

“It wasn’t until the 70s that women could even have a credit card, a line of credit on a credit card without her husband.”

The discussion, which was wide-ranging in nature, also foregrounded the importance of self-care.

“I remember my acupuncturist in the UK said to me, and it has always stayed with me, he said, if the baby’s crying, treat the mother.

“It all starts with us. Good Lord, we have to take care of ourselves first.”

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Gary Lineker bows out from Match Of The Day

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Gary Lineker bows out from Match Of The Day

Gary Lineker bid a tearful farewell to Match Of The Day as he presented the show for the final time.

The ex-England striker, 64, announced his departure earlier this month after sharing a social media post from the Palestine Lobby group titled: “Zionism explained in two minutes.”

The Instagram post was illustrated with a rat, which has been used to represent Jewish people in antisemitic propaganda – including Nazi Germany.

Lineker “apologised unreservedly” for sharing it, saying he was unaware of the reference and it was a mistake. He maintained the importance of “speaking out on humanitarian issues, including the tragedy unfolding in Gaza”.

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Watch: Lineker confirms BBC exit

Presenting his final Match Of The Day alongside regular colleagues Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, Lineker did not directly address the circumstances of his departure during the programme.

“It wasn’t meant to end this way,” he quipped in his opening line, continuing: “But with the title race over and the relegation places confirmed, the Champions League was all we had left to talk about.”

Manchester City, Chelsea, and Newcastle secured the remaining places in Europe’s elite competition.

After running through highlights of all 10 games from the final day of the Premier League season, Lineker thanked his fellow pundits, viewers and those who work behind the scenes, before wishing good luck to his replacements.

Gabby Logan, Mark Chapman and Kelly Cates will take on presenting duties for the 2025-26 campaign.

Read more:
BBC can breathe easier after Lineker leaves
A history of Gary Lineker’s most controversial posts

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Lineker leaves BBC: Timeline of events

‘It has been so special’

Lineker wiped away tears at the end of the show, having been played a montage of messages including from Richards, Shearer, Ian Wright, Alan Hansen, Paul Gascoigne, Pep Guardiola, and Claudio Ranieri.

Italian manager Ranieri led Lineker’s beloved Leicester City to the Premier League title in 2016, which memorably saw the BBC’s highest paid star present an episode of Match Of The Day in a pair of boxers.

He had promised to appear on the show half naked if Leicester won the league.

Lineker started presenting Match Of The Day back in 1999, and has also fronted the BBC’s coverage of World Cups, Euros tournaments, and the Olympics.

“It has been so special,” Lineker said as he signed off, “and I am sorry that your team was always on last.

“Time to say goodbye. Goodbye.”

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Urdd Eisteddfod: Why Strictly star Amy Dowden is supporting Welsh festival that is ‘like Britain’s Got Talent’

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Urdd Eisteddfod: Why Strictly star Amy Dowden is supporting Welsh festival that is 'like Britain's Got Talent'

Thousands of people are expected to attend Port Talbot this weekend as the town gears up to welcome an annual Welsh festival.

The Urdd Eisteddfod is a celebration of Welsh culture when children and young people up to the age of 25 take part in a variety of competitions.

There are 400 of them in total, including singing, reciting poetry and dancing.

The Urdd organisation itself was established more than a century ago in 1922, with the aim of giving children and young people in Wales the opportunity to learn and socialise in the Welsh language.

Its six-day Eisteddfod is held during May half-term and in a different part of Wales each year.

The Urdd Eisteddfod broke its own records last year, with more than 100,000 registrations to compete.

A choir competes at the 2024 Eisteddfod yr Urdd in Meifod, Powys.  The annual youth festival is Europe's largest touring youth festival. Pic: Urdd Gobaith Cymru
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A choir competes at the 2024 Eisteddfod yr Urdd. Pic: Urdd Gobaith Cymru

Margam Park is home to this year’s event – the first time since 2003 that it’s played host.

Among the main prizes up for grabs this year are the chair (awarded to the main poetry competition winner) and the crown (awarded to the main prose competition winner).

This year’s crown and chair have been made using some of the final pieces of steel produced at Port Talbot steelworks before the closure of the blast furnaces last year.

The chair at the 2025 Eisteddfod yr Urdd was created using some of the last pieces of steel produced at the Port Talbot steelworks. Pic: Urdd Gobaith Cymru
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The chair at the 2025 Eisteddfod yr Urdd was created using some of the last pieces of steel produced at the Port Talbot steelworks. Pic: Urdd Gobaith Cymru

The 2024 Eisteddfod yr Urdd "Maes" in Meifod, Powys.  The annual youth festival is Europe's largest touring youth festival. Pic: Urdd Gobaith Cymru
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Pic: Urdd Gobaith Cymru

There are some new additions to this year’s Eisteddfod, including awards for singing, musical theatre and acting, named in honour of Sir Bryn Terfel, Callum Scott Howells and Matthew Rhys.

Another new award – the Amy Dowden award for dance – will also be awarded for the first time this week.

Speaking to Sky News, Strictly Come Dancing star Dowden said it was a “real honour” to be supporting the next generation of dancers.

“The arts and the industry is tough, and I just hope that [the young people] can see that I’ve managed to push myself through it,” she said.

“I’ve worked hard, I’ve had a few challenges along the way. Hopefully I can help inspire them as well.”

Amy Dowden. File pic: PA
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Amy Dowden. File pic: PA

‘It’s like Britain’s Got Talent’

As a former competitor herself in what is one of Europe’s largest touring youth festivals, Dowden says she “couldn’t imagine [her] childhood without it”.

“I’ve loved Eisteddfods since I can remember. Every year at school I took part in everything, from the baking to the reciting poems, to the folk dancing, to the creative dancing,” she said.

“The Urdd Eisteddfod is literally like one big talent competition, it’s like Britain’s Got Talent.”

Read more:
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Wales: The land of song – but for how much longer?

The winner of the Amy Dowden award will get one-to-one sessions with her as part of the prize, as well as masterclasses at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.

They will have the opportunity to perform on an international stage and also win a cash prize.

“I know from my dance training and everything, each of those is so beneficial to getting yourself to that professional level,” Dowden added.

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