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The Princess of Wales has said she is “not out of the woods yet” and has “a few more months” of cancer treatment to go, as she gave an update on her health.

Kate also said she would attend a public engagement tomorrow.

She has been undergoing treatment, including chemotherapy, since being diagnosed with an unspecified type of the disease earlier this year.

In a statement released today, she said she is “making good progress” but has “good days and bad days”.

The statement is accompanied by a new photograph of Kate.

“On those bad days you feel weak, tired and you have to give in to your body resting,” she said. “On the days I feel well enough, it is a joy to engage with school life, spend personal time on the things that give me energy and positivity, as well as starting to do a little work from home.”

Kate confirmed she will attend the King’s birthday parade, also known as Trooping the Colour, with her family in London tomorrow.

Kate’s message is full of positive news – but comes with caveats

As the speculation about Kate’s health had again started to build – along with rumours about whether she would be at Trooping the Colour – this will be seen as positive news from a woman, who like every other cancer patient, has clearly been going through a tough time.

Let’s start with the good news. We will see Kate at the King’s birthday parade tomorrow.

It’s a huge occasion for the Royal Family, where we’re almost guaranteed to see Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

As their mother, it is clear Kate wants to be with them and that’s why she won’t just appear on the Buckingham Palace balcony but will be in a carriage alongside her children to watch the military parade, before making an appearance for the traditional flypast.

Read Rhiannon’s analysis in full

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the King is “delighted the princess is able to attend” and “much looking forward to all elements of the day”.

It is understood Kate’s attendance at the event is not to be taken as a return to full public duties.

“[I] hope to join a few public engagements over the summer, but equally knowing I am not out of the woods yet,” Kate continued in her statement.

Read more:
Princess of Wales’s statement in full

Kate was pictured surrounded by nature. Pic: Matt Porteous.
Image:
Kate was photographed surrounded by nature in the grounds at Windsor. Pic: Matt Porteous.

“I am learning how to be patient, especially with uncertainty. Taking each day as it comes, listening to my body, and allowing myself to take this much needed time to heal.”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Kate’s update would be “especially meaningful to those who are fighting cancer and for their families”.

“They will recognise the same struggle in her words and draw hope and inspiration from her strength,” he added, saying the “whole country is behind her”.

This will be the princess’s first public engagement since December 2023 when she joined the rest of the Royal Family at the annual Christmas Day church service at Sandringham.

King Charles III, Kate, the Princess of Wales, from right, Prince Louis, and Prince George at the Christmas day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham in Norfolk, England, Monday, Dec. 25, 2023. Pic: AP Photo/Kin Cheung
Image:
Kate with Prince George and Prince Louis on Christmas Day 2023. Pic. AP

She was admitted to hospital for abdominal surgery on 16 January and the operation was made public the following day, when Kensington Palace said she was recovering.

The palace kept details of Kate’s health private in the months that followed.

What will happen tomorrow?

Trooping the Colour will officially begin at 10.30am when the Royal Family leaves Buckingham Palace as part of the procession to Horse Guards Parade.

It is understood William will be on horseback while Kate will travel with Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis in a state carriage.

The King will arrive at Horse Guards for the Royal Salute at 11am, when a 41-gun salute will be fired from the nearby Green Park.

The royals will then travel back to the palace where the family will gather on the balcony to watch an RAF fly past at 1pm.

It’s understood Kate will join her family on the balcony – though plans could change at short notice depending on her wellbeing.

A picture of Kate with her three children was released to mark Mother’s Day on 10 March – but the snap sparked a photo editing controversy which fuelled online speculation about the princess’s health.

Kate shared her cancer diagnosis with the public on 22 March.

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March: Kate reveals she’s having cancer treatment

At the time, in a pre-recorded video message, she said her planned abdominal surgery in January was successful and while it was initially thought her condition was non-cancerous, tests found cancer had been present.

She then began receiving treatment, including chemotherapy, which started in February, and was recovering in private.

Read more:
William to cheer on England at Euros
Kate ‘extremely moved’ by public support

The Prince of Wales has attended engagements solo since April and given a handful of updates on Kate while meeting with the public.

In May, he said Kate was “doing well” and earlier this month, he told a D-Day veteran she would have “loved” to attend the 80th anniversary commemorations in France.

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Man jailed for more than three years for loading illegal streaming services on to Amazon Fire Sticks

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Man jailed for more than three years for loading illegal streaming services on to Amazon Fire Sticks

A 29-year-old man has been jailed for more than three years for loading illicit TV streaming services onto Amazon Fire Sticks.

Jonathan Edge, from Liverpool, pleaded guilty to three offences under the Fraud Act.

He was sentenced to three years and four months in prison, which included a separate concurrent sentence of two years and three months for accessing and viewing the content he was supplying.

Edge ran a service uploading illegal services to Fire Stick devices in return for cash-in-hand payments at his home, Liverpool Crown Court heard.

He used Facebook advertising and word-of-mouth recommendations to run his operation.

He ignored multiple warnings about the illegal activity, which were referenced by the judge and treated as an aggravating factor in sentencing.

The prosecution was undertaken by the Premier League and supported by several other organisations, including FACT (Federation Against Copyright Theft) and Merseyside Police.

More on Liverpool

Kevin Plumb, Premier League general counsel, said: “The significant sentence handed down to the individual involved once again serves to highlight the severity of his actions.

“We will continue to pursue legal action against those supplying unauthorised access to Premier League football, regardless of the scale or mode of operation. Ignoring warnings to stop only served to make the consequences worse for the individual.”

Read more from Sky News:
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Detective Sergeant Steve Frame from Merseyside Police said: “Merseyside Police is committed to working in collaboration to investigate intellectual property theft and we welcome today’s sentence handed to Edge.

“Many people see no harm in illegally streaming TV services but they are wrong, and this outcome should serve as a further warning how seriously such copyright theft continues to be taken.”

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Magic Circle on the hunt for first female member who tricked her way into society – to apologise to her

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Magic Circle on the hunt for first female member who tricked her way into society - to apologise to her

The Magic Circle is on the hunt for its first female member – who deceived the group by disguising herself as a man to enter its ranks – so it can apologise to her.

Sophie Lloyd hid her true identity from the famous society of magicians for 18 months.

Dressing up as a young man, Ms Lloyd fooled both the examiners and the Circle’s council and even went out for a drink with them.

However, she was expelled when the deception was revealed and the group hasn’t heard from her since.

At the time Ms Lloyd joined, women weren’t allowed to join the Circle. But when the rules changed in October 1991, Ms Lloyd revealed her true identity and was promptly kicked out for deceiving the society.

But now the group is trying to track her down, so it can apologise.

President of the Magic Circle Marvin Berglas told Sky News: “Times have changed.

“Back in the day she caused the ultimate deception of fooling the magicians and the council which is quite something.

“We’re trying to welcome Sophie back because it’s such a great story.”

He added: “Being that she was such a pioneer we would love to find her, get her side of the story and honour her.”

President of the Magic Circle Marvin Berglas
Image:
President of the Magic Circle Marvin Berglas

Mr Berglas said magic wasn’t “an old boy’s club” anymore and that around 5% of its members were women.

It’s thought Ms Lloyd had been an actress, and her name might have been Sue Lloyd, he added.

It’s possible Ms Lloyd received training from magician Jenny Winstanley, who had wanted to be the first woman in the Magic Circle, but was, Mr Berglas said, likely too well known to enter in disguise.

Read more from Sky News:
Archbishop of Canterbury resigns
Rat urine smell ‘overpowering’ at prison

Pic: David Sillitoe/The Guardian..Credit: David Sillitoe / Guardian / eyevine
Image:
Ms Lloyd in disguise (left) and her true self (right). Pic: David Sillitoe/The Guardian/eyevine

Mr Berglas continued: “We know she was in the Coventry, Warwickshire, Leamington Spa area.

“We would like to apologise for our faux pas.”

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Actor Timothy West has died, aged 90

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Actor Timothy West has died, aged 90

Actor Timothy West has died peacefully in his sleep aged 90, “with his friends and family at the end”.

He was known for many roles in television and the theatre, including popular soaps Coronation Street and EastEnders.

Husband to 92-year-old Prunella Scales – who played Sybil Fawlty in Fawlty Towers – the pair travelled together on UK and overseas canals in the Channel 4 series Great Canal Journeys.

His children Juliet, Samuel and Joseph West, said in a statement issued by his agent: “After a long and extraordinary life on and off the stage, our darling father Timothy West died peacefully in his sleep yesterday evening. He was 90 years old.

“Tim was with friends and family at the end. He leaves his wife Prunella Scales, to whom he was married for 61 years, a sister, a daughter, two sons, seven grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. All of us will miss him terribly.

“We would like to thank the incredible NHS staff at St George’s Hospital, Tooting and at Avery Wandsworth for their loving care during his last days.”

Timothy West and Prunella Scales.
Pic: Geoff Pugh/Shutterstock
Image:
West with his wife, Prunella Scales. Pic: Geoff Pugh/Shutterstock

He was the winner of an RTS television award for his lead role in Churchill And The Generals, released in 1979, according to imdb.com.

In his career, he played Winston Churchill three times, including in The Last Bastion (1984) and in Hiroshima (1995).

West was also nominated for best actor in the 1976 BAFTAs for his part as Edward VII in the historical drama.

Four years later, he was nominated in the same category for a number of roles, including as best actor in Crime And Punishment.

Timothy West (right), in BBC One's  drama, Last Tango In Halifax.
Pic: PA
Image:
West (right) in BBC drama, Last Tango In Halifax. Pic: PA

After a small part as Eric Babbage in Coronation Street in 2013, West appeared in 2014 for the first time as Stan Carter in EastEnders.

He also held other popular TV roles, such as in BBC comedy-drama Last Tango In Halifax.

Timothy West as King Lear during a photocall for the 2003 English Touring Theatre production of William Shakespeare's King Lear.
Pic: PA
Image:
West as King Lear during a 2003 English Touring Theatre production of William Shakespeare’s tragedy. Pic: PA

In the long-running BBC comedy, Not Going Out, he played Geoffrey, the father of Lucy Adams, played by Sally Bretton.

In comedy-drama Brass, he was the ruthless self-made businessman Bradley Hardacre, playing the role from 1982 to 1984 before returning for a third series in 1990.

In 2019, the Bradford-born actor played Private Godfrey in Dad’s Army: The Lost Episodes, a recreation of three missing episodes of the BBC comedy Dad’s Army.

He was also a regular performer of Shakespeare, playing Lear in 2016 and 2002.

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