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Prince William has described the past year as “brutal” and probably “the hardest year in my life” following his father and wife being diagnosed with cancer.

In a wide-ranging and surprisingly personal interview at the end of his week-long tour of Cape Town, the Prince of Wales was asked how hard the last year has been, answering: “Honestly? It’s been dreadful.

“It’s probably been the hardest year in my life. So, trying to get through everything else and keep everything on track has been really difficult.”

Speaking about how the King and the Princess of Wales have coped, he added: “I’m so proud of my wife, I’m proud of my father, for handling the things that they have done.

“But from a personal family point of view, it’s been, yeah, it’s been brutal.”

It’s the first time he has spoken so openly about the personal impact on him of his father and wife’s illness and treatment.

His answer emphasises just how difficult it has been for him, but in many ways will be seen as an extraordinary statement when you consider the years of upset he endured around the traumatic death of his mother Princess Diana.

Prince William and Prince Harry during their mother's funeral
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Prince William and Prince Harry during their mother’s funeral

Yesterday he praised Kate for being “amazing” and today when asked how she was doing said: “She’s doing well. Doing well.”

Prince says it is ‘very important’ he is ‘helping people’s lives’

During the year, both the King and the princess have taken some time away from public duties, at times putting more pressure on William to step up and go solo on engagements, especially in his new role as heir to the throne.

Asked about how he now feels about the responsibility and also potential freedom that comes with being Prince of Wales, he said: “It’s a tricky one.

“Do I like more responsibility? No. Do I like the freedom that I can build something like Earthshot then yes.”

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Prince of Wales praises ‘amazing’ Kate

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Princess of Wales: ‘Staying cancer free is now my focus’

Prince William’s Earthshot Awards celebrate and reward innovators working to combat some of the world’s most pressing environmental issues and have been described as the Oscars of the environmental world.

Elaborating on what that means for his future royal work, he said: “That’s the future for me. It’s very important with my role and my platform, that I’m doing something for good. That I’m helping people’s lives and I’m doing something that is genuinely meaningful.

“So, the Earthshot is a culmination, if you like, of all that put together. But it takes a lot of work, and there’s a lot of unseen stuff that goes on, a lot of meetings, a lot of people coming in, a lot of chatting and phone calls, letters, all trying to sort of make the Earthshot get to being the best possible entity it can be.”

The Prince of Wales during a visit to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town to meets with the 2024 Earthshot Prize finalists Picture date: Wednesday November 6, 2024. Pic: PA
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Pic: PA

Princess Charlotte in ‘floods of tears’ over prince’s beard

William travelled to Cape Town on Monday for the fourth annual Earthshot Awards.

On his visit it was quickly noticed he was wearing a beaded bracelet saying “Papa” that he was given by Princess Charlotte.

But William admitted she is less keen on another new addition to his appearance, his beard.

Asked about his new facial hair he said: “Well Charlotte didn’t like it the first time. I got floods of tears, the first one, I got a few tears, so I had to shave it off. And then I grew it back. I thought, hang on a second and I convinced her it was going to be okay.”

William frustrated over slow response to his call to action

The prince has seemed in his element throughout the week.

Excited about the “Earthshot movement”, he said he felt “quite emotional” as he sat in the audience for the fourth annual awards ceremony, but he clearly has frustrations some aren’t responding to his call to action quickly enough.

He said: “When you go and approach people and say, like business or whoever, or even government when you approach them, and say, ‘listen, we’re building this incredible thing, please come on board’. Some people are extremely fast and keen to do it.

“Others take a little bit longer and it’s those people who take a little bit longer, I’m like, ‘guys, we just don’t have the time’.

“So, yes, I get a bit frustrated that it takes a long time to convince people that this is worthy of their attention.”

Speaking directly to big corporations, he added: “My message to business really is: hurry up and be courageous. Invest faster because we just don’t have that time.”

‘I couldn’t be less relaxed this year’

Already Earthshot has attracted the likes of Uber and British Airways to commit to supporting some of the start-ups discovered by the annual awards. An investment platform called “Launchpad” also links up innovators with potential investors.

Many of us who follow the prince regularly would say he’s seemed more relaxed throughout the week, clearly buoyed up by the enthusiasm for Earthshot, but he also said it’s partly down to family time.

“It’s interesting you say that, cause I couldn’t be less relaxed this year,” he said. “So it’s very interesting you’re all seeing that. But it’s more a case of just crack on and you’ve got to keep going… I enjoy my work and I enjoy pacing myself and keeping sure that I have got time for my family too.”

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British tourist who fell ill from methanol poisoning dies after ‘free shots’ giveaway in Laos resort

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British tourist who fell ill from methanol poisoning dies after 'free shots' giveaway in Laos resort

A British tourist being treated after a suspected mass methanol poisoning in Laos has died, according to UK officials.

Simone White, 28, from Orpington, Kent, fell ill after reportedly drinking “free shots” from a local bar in Vang Vieng – a resort popular with backpackers.

Four people had already died following the suspected poisonings – an Australian named Bianca Jones, 19, from Melbourne, as well as two Danish women in their 20s and a 56-year-old US citizen.

They are believed to have consumed drinks tainted with methanol, which is sometimes added to mixed drinks as a cheaper alternative to alcohol, but can cause severe poisoning or death.

“We are supporting the family of a British woman who has died in Laos, and we are in contact with the local authorities,” the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said in a statement.

The FCDO said it was also providing consular assistance to other British nationals hospitalised in the incident, as well as their families.

Bianca Jones
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Bianca Jones, a 19-year-old from Australia, also died

Explained:
What is methanol, how does it end up in alcoholic drinks, and how can you avoid it?

Ms White was an associate lawyer specialising in intellectual property and technology and worked at the London office of the American law firm Squire Patton Boggs.

Her work involved general commercial matters, and contentious and non-contentious intellectual property law issues, according to the firm’s website.

Bethany Clarke, a friend of Ms White and a healthcare worker, also from Orpington, said a group of six people had been taken to hospital after drinking from the same bar.

She posted on a Laos Backpacking Facebook group to warn other travellers after the group fell ill.

“Urgent – please avoid all local spirits. Our group stayed in Vang Vieng and we drank free shots offered by one of the bars,” she wrote.

“Just avoid them as so not worth it. Six of us who drank from the same place are in hospital currently with methanol poisoning.”

‘Every parent’s very worst fear’

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirmed to his country’s parliament that 19-year-old Bianca Jones had died after being evacuated to a Thai hospital from Vang Vieng.

Thai authorities confirmed that Jones had died of “brain swelling due to high levels of methanol found in her system”.

Her friend Holly Bowles, also 19, remains in hospital in neighbouring Thailand, Mr Albanese said.

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Laos methanol poisonings – what we know

Australian officials said “several foreign nationals” had also been victims of methanol poisoning

“This is every parent’s very worst fear and a nightmare that no one should have to endure,” Mr Albanese said.

“We also take this moment to say that we’re thinking of Bianca’s friend Holly Bowles who is fighting for her life.”

‘Her incredible spirit touched so many lives’

In a statement to the Melbourne Herald Sun newspaper, Ms Jones’ family paid tribute to her.

“She was surrounded by love, and we are comforted by the knowledge that her incredible spirit touched so many lives during her time with us,” the family wrote.

“We want to express our deepest gratitude for the overwhelming support, love, and prayers we’ve received from across Australia.”

The US State Department confirmed that an American had also died in Vang Vieng, and Denmark’s Foreign Ministry said two of its citizens had also died in “the incident in Laos”.

Neither would comment directly on a link to methanol poisoning.

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Storm Bert: Second named storm of season to bring snow, rain and 70mph winds to UK at weekend

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Storm Bert: Second named storm of season to bring snow, rain and 70mph winds to UK at weekend

The second named storm of the season will bring snow, rain and strong winds to parts of the UK this weekend, according to the Met Office.

Hundreds of schools are closed as the storm, named Bert, sweeps in, bringing freezing temperatures and snow over the weekend.

Wind gusts of up to 70mph are expected in some areas as well as the potential of flooding and travel disruption.

Heavy snowfall could bring further disruption to parts of the country while heavy rain is also likely over the weekend, the Met Office added.

Snowy conditions, in the village of Goathland, North York Moors National Park.
Pic: PA
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Snowy conditions, in the village of Goathland, North York Moors National Park.
Pic: PA

Parts of southwest England including Plymouth and Exeter are under a yellow warning for snow until 3pm today, with 5-10cm predicted in higher parts of Dartmoor.

Wintry showers will continue in different parts of the UK throughout Thursday and Friday, amid warnings of snow and ice for much of Scotland, northern England and parts of western and eastern England and Wales between midday today and 10am tomorrow.

How Storm Bert is set to impact the UK this weekend. Pic: Met Office
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How Storm Bert is set to impact the UK this weekend. Pic: Met Office

Met Office chief meteorologist Matthew Lehnert said: “A northerly airflow will continue to feed snow showers into Scotland over the next few days, with this reaching lower levels at times and bringing the potential for some travel disruption.

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“Overnight temperatures will drop below zero fairly widely over the next few days, which has resulted in some ice warnings, with further warnings likely through this week.”

More than 114 schools are shut in the Highland Council area today due to snow, including Inverness Royal Academy where pupils were told their prelim exams planned for the day would be rescheduled.

Almost 40 schools in Aberdeenshire are also shut while many others had delayed openings, and in Moray around 12 were closed and others opened late.

It comes after more than 100 schools or nurseries were closed in Scotland yesterday because of the weather.

Commuters dressed in warm clothes walk over Westminster Bridge.
Pic: Reuters
Image:
Commuters dressed in warm clothes walk over Westminster Bridge.
Pic: Reuters

South of the border, 89 schools were shut in Devon today, 18 in Dorset and 60 in Cornwall, while in Wales around 10 were closed in Conwy, 18 in Denbighshire and two in Wrexham.

As Storm Bert hits the UK, areas where warnings are in place in the south and west are likely to be impacted by heavy rain on Saturday and Sunday.

Between 50-75 mm of rainfall is expected there on the weekend, while Wales and southwest England could see more than 100mm.

There is already a yellow warning for heavy snow on Saturday followed by a “rapid thaw” and rain on Saturday night in northeast and northwest England, the West Midlands, Yorkshire, and much of Scotland.

Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist, Dan Holley, said: “Storm Bert marks a shift to much milder air and wintry hazards will gradually diminish through the weekend, but heavy snowfall is expected across parts of northern England and Scotland for a time on Saturday, especially over higher ground, and warnings are in place.”

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Dylan Thomas found guilty of murdering ‘best friend’ on Christmas Eve in Cardiff

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Dylan Thomas found guilty of murdering 'best friend' on Christmas Eve in Cardiff

A man has been found guilty of murdering his “best friend” on Christmas Eve.

A jury of 10 men and two women heard Dylan Thomas, 24, killed William Bush, 23, in a “frenzied attack” in the Llandaff area of Cardiff last year.

Thomas had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter by diminished responsibility but denied Mr Bush’s murder.

A trial at Cardiff Crown Court heard Thomas attacked Mr Bush “from behind” in his bedroom after he entered through the kitchen at the property they shared, owned by the defendant’s grandparents.

During the “sustained attack” Mr Bush “fled for his life” down two flights of stairs and onto the patio, the trial heard.

William Bush
Pic:South Wales Police
Image:
William Bush. Pic: South Wales Police

Mr Bush sustained 37 stab wounds in total, including 21 to the neck.

His cause of death was given as “multiple stab wounds to the neck and trunk”.

The defendant, who was wearing a blue t-shirt, attended the hearing via video link from a secure hospital.

The jury returned a unanimous verdict on Thursday afternoon after just over three hours of deliberation.

Thomas, who was suffering from schizophrenia, had initially claimed he was acting in self-defence.

‘Clear thinking’

The court heard how Mr Bush was Thomas’s “only known real friend”.

During the trial, it was also heard how Thomas had been arrested “for trying to climb into Buckingham Palace” some weeks previously.

He also wrote to Elon Musk telling him he believed he had the ability to harness gravity.

The defendant was staying with his grandmother in Rhoose, the Vale of Glamorgan, on the night before the attack.

In the early hours of Christmas Eve, the jury heard Thomas had carried out an online search for the “anatomy of the neck”.

Thomas, who could not drive, enquired about getting an Uber to Tŷ Matthew in Llandaff at 3.31am.

Later that morning, his grandmother agreed to take him to the house after he told her he “wanted to walk the dog” and they left her home in Rhoose at 10.41am.

He had sent several messages to Mr Bush in the hours before the attack in which he said he needed to see him before Mr Bush went home to Brecon to spend Christmas with his family.

The prosecution argued there was “clear thinking on the part of Dylan Thomas”.

“This was a frenzied attack where Mr Thomas could only have had one intention and that was to kill Mr Bush,” said Gregory Bull KC, prosecuting.

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Storm Bert to bring 70mph winds to UK
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But the defence argued Mr Bush’s schizophrenia lay “at the centre” of the case.

“He didn’t understand, because he was deluded. He believed, for whatever reason, that his best friend was threatening his life,” said defence barrister Orlando Pownall KC.

Thomas will be sentenced on Monday 16 December.

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