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A photograph of the Duchess of Edinburgh smiling has been released by Buckingham Palace to celebrate her upcoming 60th birthday.

The photo of Sophie mid-laugh perched on a window seat at her home in Bagshot Park was captured by the London-based photographer Christina Ebenezer earlier this month.

The royal was sporting a cream pleated skirt and dark long-sleeved knit.

A portrait of Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, released for her 60th birthday
Pic: Christina Ebenezer / PA
Image:
Picture released for Sophie’s birthday. Pic: Christina Ebenezer / PA

Buckingham Palace said Sophie chose the Nigerian-born photographer as she was interested in her creative style of photography and wanted to support a rising female photographer.

Ebenezer has been named both a British Fashion Council New Wave Creative, and a Forbes 30 Under 30 Arts & Culture Leader. Two of her portraits were unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in partnership with Chanel last January.

The statement from the palace added: “As the Duchess looks ahead to turning 60, Her Royal Highness has a renewed sense of excitement and commitment to her work around gender equality and looks forward to further embracing and championing this issue in the years to come.”

Sophie will celebrate her birthday on Monday privately at home with the Duke of Edinburgh.

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Since the King’s coronation in 2023, the Duchess of Edinburgh has played a key role in the Royal Family, making official visits overseas and stepping in for the monarch as he underwent cancer treatment.

In April last year, Sophie became the first member of the Royal Family to visit Ukraine after Russia’s full-scale invasion began, and met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and first lady Olena Zelenska.

Later, the duchess met with five women who fled the Sudan civil war in Chad and was moved to tears hearing about their “devastating” experiences with sexual violence.

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Manhunt after five people stabbed at event in southeast London

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Manhunt after five people stabbed at event in southeast London

A manhunt has been launched after five people were stabbed at an event in southeast London, police have said.

Officers were called to Nathan Way, Thamesmead, at 4.19am on Saturday, the Metropolitan Police said.

Five people were found with stab wounds and were taken to hospital where their injuries are still being assessed.

No arrests have been made.

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“Enquiries are ongoing and a cordon will remain in place throughout the day,” a Met Police statement said.

Police are appealing for anyone with information to come forward.

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Three Iranians charged under National Security Act after investigation by UK counter-terror police

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Three Iranians charged under National Security Act after investigation by UK counter-terror police

Three Iranian men have been charged with offences under the National Security Act in the UK, police have said.

The trio have been charged with engaging in conduct likely to assist a foreign intelligence service between 14 August 2024 and 16 February 2025, following an investigation by counter-terror police.

The Metropolitan Police said the three men are Mostafa Sepahvand, 39, Farhad Javadi Manesh, 44, and Shapoor Qalehali Khani Noori, 55.

The foreign state to which the charges relate is Iran, police said.

All three men will appear at Westminster Magistrates Court on Saturday, the force added.

Sepahvand, of St John’s Wood, London, has also been charged with “surveillance, reconnaissance and open-source research” with the intention of “committing serious violence against a person in the UK”, according to a police statement.

Meanwhile, Manesh, of Kensal Rise, London, and Noori, of Ealing, London, have also been charged with “engaging in conduct, namely surveillance and reconnaissance, with the intention that acts, namely serious violence against a person in the UK, would be committed by others”.

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Commander Dominic Murphy, from the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command, described the charges as “extremely serious”.

“Since the men were arrested two weeks ago, detectives have been working around the clock and we have worked closely with colleagues in the Crown Prosecution Service to reach this point,” he said.

“Now that these men have been charged, I would urge people not to speculate about this case, so that the criminal justice process can run its course.”

A fourth Iranian national aged 31 who was arrested was released with no further action on Thursday.

In a separate unrelated probe, counter-terror officers arrested five Iranian men, aged between 29 and 46, during raids across various locations in Greater Manchester, London, and Swindon earlier this month.

Last October, MI5 director general Ken McCallum said the UK intelligence agency had responded to 20 “potentially lethal” Iran-backed plots since 2022, warning of the risk of an “increase or broadening of Iranian state aggression in the UK”.

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Two firefighters and one other person die after fire at former RAF base in Oxfordshire

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Two firefighters and one other person die after fire at former RAF base in Oxfordshire

Two firefighters and a member of the public have died in a large fire in Bicester, the fire service announced.

The firefighters died in the inferno at a former RAF base in Oxfordshire, which now hosts historic motoring and aviation centre Bicester Motion.

The local fire service was called to the scene at 6.39pm last night.

Chief Fire Officer Rob MacDougall said: “It is with a very heavy heart that we today report the loss of two of our firefighters. Families have been informed and are being supported.

“Our thoughts are with them at this most difficult of times and we ask for privacy to be respected.

“We cannot release any details at present but will provide further information as soon as we can.”

Two other firefighters sustained serious injuries and are currently being treated in hospital, Oxfordshire County Council said in a statement.

Footage shared on social media shows plumes of smoke billowing into the sky and flames swallowing the large building.

Clouds of smoke from the fire were billowing into the sky last night. Pic:@kajer87X
Image:
Clouds of smoke from the fire were billowing into the sky last night. Pic:@kajer87X

Damaged buildings following a fire at Bicester Motion, the site of a former RAF base which is home to more than 50 specialist businesses focused on classic car restoration and engineering in Oxfordshire, where a large fire broke out on Thursday, with witnesses reporting loud explosions and thick black smoke billowing from the site. Picture date: Friday May 16, 2025.
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Two firefighters and one other person died in the fire, while two more firefighters were seriously injured. Pic: PA

Ten fire crews attended the incident, with four remaining at the scene. The fire is still ongoing, but it is considered under control.

Local residents were advised to remain indoors and keep their windows shut, but this advice has now been lifted.

Bicester Motion said in a statement it would be closed today and over the weekend.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

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