Kate Middleton's sister Pippa and Chelsey Davy among guests at fairytale aristocratic wedding in Harry Potter castle

Glamourous: Kate Middleton's sister Pippa, left, and Prince Harry's girlfriend Chelsey Davy, right, were among the guests at the wedding of Lady Katie Percy


Kate Middleton's sister Pippa and Chelsey Davy were among the guests at a fairytale aristocratic wedding in the castle used in the Harry Potter films.

Lady Katie Percy, daughter of the Duke of Northumberland, married City financier Patrick Valentine, followed by a reception at her family's Alnwick Castle, which doubles as Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films.

She travelled the short distance down Bailiffgate, Alnwick, in Northumberland, from the castle to St Michael's Parish Church in a restored horse-drawn carriage.

Pippa Middleton, who wore a fetching pink and black outfit, was followed by Chelsea Davey, who has been dating Prince Harry.


Happy: Lady Katie Percy, left is the daughter of the Duke of Northumberland, right


Speculation that his brother William, and Kate Middleton - who are friends of Lady Percy - were due to attend meant there were around 20 photographers waiting outside.
But there was no sign of the couple who will marry in nine weeks' time.


Fairytale: Lady Katie wore a beautiful Bruce Oldfield dress and was accompanied by her father in a carriage drawn by two white horses


Lady Katie, a 28-year-old former motorcycle mechanic and gunmaker, wore a beautiful Bruce Oldfield dress and was accompanied by her father in the carriage, which was drawn by two white horses.

Well-wishers who lined the route cheered as she arrived at the church.

Jane Wood, who taught Lady Katie and her siblings at prep school in Alnmouth, said: 'It's lovely to see them all grown up, going their own way and doing their own thing.'


Stand out: Miss Middleton wore a fuchsia fascinator to match her dress while Miss Davy wore a similarly striking blue dress and black feathered fascinator


Picturesque: The reception was held at her family's Alnwick Castle, which doubles as Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films


One wedding guest, having a pre-service whisky in the Oddfellows Arms, said the groom had been fishing this morning.

The guest, from Oxfordshire, said: 'He caught two salmon. They might be served at the banquet tonight.'


source: dailymail

'New Zealand's single most tragic event': PM calls for two minutes' silence as death toll rises to 145 people and British family describe 'near-death

'Lucky to be alive': Mark Ahier, 42, of Wymondham, near Norwich with his wife, Mandy, 40, and their children Maddie, 11, Lucas, nine, and Seth, seven, who ran desperately through the rubble to safety following the tremor which struck on Tuesday


Death toll rises to 145 with 200 still missing

Doctors amputate trapped man's legs with Swiss Army knife to save his life

British family describe terrifying 'near-death' experience while in bakery

37,000 people still without electricity

Massive demolition project takes place to restore the city


As the death toll in Christchurch rose today to more than 145 people, the Prime Minister described the tragedy as being New Zealand's 'single most tragic event'.

Police confirmed 145 people lost their lives in the 6.3-magnitude earthquake which struck on Tuesday and more than 200 are still missing.

Demolition began on buildings devastated by the disaster as teams carried on their search for surviving victims.

A British family who were taking a five-week tour of the country described their horrific ordeal as they were hit by the tremor when buying lunch in a bakery - and escaped death by seconds.


Destruction: a quake-damaged house is pulled down on Bealy Ave in Christchurch, New Zealand, 26 February 2011, while hundreds of victims could still be buried under the rubble


Mark Ahier, 42, his wife, Mandy, 40, and their children Maddie, 11, Lucas, nine, and Seth, seven had arrived in the city at 12.20pm - 31 minutes before the quake - and went looking for something to eat.

Mr Ahier, of Wymondham, near Norwich, said: 'We walked through the shopping centre and found a small bakery.

'We hadn't even paid when, without any warning, there was a really violent shaking and lots of noise.

'Everyone rushed out of the shop.'

The father of three stumbled through the rubble of collapsed buildings, seeing dead bodies in the street, before finding a park.

Luckily the family escaped with minor injuries and have managed to escape the country to Queensland, Australia.

Mr Ahier, a manager at insurance giant Aviva, saluted local people who helped them in their hour of need, but recalls their experience as harrowing.

'I found myself in tears when I realised how lucky we were, what could have happened and how sad it is for those less fortunate than us,' he said.


A team of Hampshire firefighters, part of the United Kingdom International Search and Rescue team, before they left for New Zealand to assist in the search for survivors. A 55-strong group landed at Christchurch Airport on Friday morning


As a British specialist rescue team who were involved in the rescue of Haiti earthquake victims yesterday arrived in New Zealand, Prime Minister John Key asked that the whole of the country observes two minutes' silence from 12.51pm on Tuesday - exactly one week after the quake.

Aftershock: New Zealand resident John Kirk inspects cracks in the green at Linwood bowling club, Christchurch, where many buildings have been devastated by the earthquake.


Mr Tobin, who attended Tadcaster Grammar School, had been on a round the world trip and was believed to have been working temporarily at a garage in Christchurch.

Some 228 people are still missing after the powerful quake and hopes of pulling anyone else out of the rubble alive have diminished.

The Foreign Office is working with the local authorities, police and hospitals to get more information about the large number of British people living in the area.


A rescue worker searches for signs of life in the rubble of CTV building yesterday


Relatives of people still missing three days after the devastating earthquake arrived today from several countries to join an anxious vigil for news that looked increasingly likely to be grim.

Students from Japan, China, the Philippines and other nations are believed to be among those inside the Canterbury Television building when it collapsed.

Many relatives of the missing arrived at Christchurch airport this morning, including about 20 from Japan, who were quickly whisked onto a bus by embassy officials.


Wrecked buses are seen in rubble on Colombo Street, the main street of Christchurch


Japanese rescue workers recover a victim from the rubble of the Canterbury Television building yesterday. Students from Japan, China, the Philippines and other nations are believed to be among those inside the office block when it collapsed


Japanese rescue workers head towards the rubble of the CTV building. Hundreds of rescuers from across the globe continue to scour Christchurch's shattered town centre district


A crane lifts workers up to inspect the damaged Christchurch Cathedral. Work teams today began gingerly picking through the piles of crumbled stone of the iconic structure, where it is believed up to 22 bodies may lay entombed


The Prince of Wales yesterday signed a book of condolence at New Zealand House in London expressing his sympathy for the nation.

He met High Commissioner Derek Leask, exchanging a traditional Maori nose-touching greeting called the Hongi, and spoke to staff during the short visit.

Charles's message read: 'With my deepest possible sympathy for the people of New Zealand at such a time of tragedy.'

The book is open for people to sign on weekdays between 9am and 6pm.


A helicopter lowers rescue service members onto the roof of the Price Waterhouse Coopers building in Christchurch today


A dedicated hotline - 020 7008 8765 - has been set up for concerned friends and relatives in the UK.

British nationals in New Zealand are advised to call 049 242 898 for advice and assistance.


source: dailymail

The Lady in Red: Kate Middleton is all smiles as she returns to the place where fairytale romance with Prince William began

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Happy returns: Couple went back to St Andrews two months before the Royal Wedding


After their eyes first met at St Andrews University almost a decade ago, Prince William and Kate returned to where their fairytale romance began today.

The couple braved the blustery Scottish weather which will be familiar to them from their student days as they launched the university's 600th anniversary celebrations.

Miss Middleton was dressed in a red suit with a black velvet belt and black leather gloves while William was wearing a dark blue suit.

Well-wishers waited patiently against crash barriers in the rain this morning as they tried to get the best view of the Royal couple.

Today the university announced they are creating a scholarship in their honour as a wedding gift which they were presenting to the couple.

The campus had been abuzz since the trip was announced last week.
The 28-year-old Prince and his 29-year-old fiancee, who became engaged in October while on holiday in Kenya, emerged from their Range Rover to be greeted by the Lord Lieutenant of Fife, Margaret Dean.


Radiant: Kate was wearing a dazzling red outfit while William was in a blue suit as they were led round the university by Sir Menzies Campbell


It was the first time the Prince had returned to the university since his graduation six years ago and he spoke movingly during a his short speech about the four years he spent there.

Launching the anniversary celebrations from the university's quadrangle, the ancient heart of the institution where 16th century buildings surround a small grass-covered square, he addressed 600 students and staff who had won their seats by ballot.

As the Prince and Miss Middleton arrived, their way was led by six mace bearers and he was introduced by former Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell, the university's Chancellor.

Events marking the milestone will be spread over three years as teaching began at the institution in 1410, chartered status was granted a year later and the university was formally constituted by a series of papal bulls issued by Pope Benedict XIII in 1413.


Knowing glance: Royal couple gaze at each other as they listen to speeches at their university


William said: 'This is a very special moment for Catherine and me, it feels like coming home.

'Despite being one of Europe's leading research institutions, the third-oldest university in the English speaking world, and of course far and away the best university in the world, St Andrews still has that uncanny knack of feeling like home and so it must have done for generations of undergraduates before us.'

Dr John Walden, a senior lecturer in geography who taught the Prince said: 'It's just a fabulous coup for the university to have them back here to promote the 600th anniversary celebrations.'

Recalling William's time as a student, he said: 'He was fabulous. He made life very easy for us. He tried as hard as he could to experience a normal student programme.

'He did a very good job of that. I'm amazed that he managed to stay focused with all the obvious attention. He managed to stay focused for four years and keep his head down and get some work done.'


Relaxed: Kate Middleton flashed a wide smile as she returned to the 600-year-old university today


The special scholarship created in the name of William and Kate has been given as a wedding gift.

It will have a value of up to £70,000 to meet the costs of tuition, if payable, accommodation and living expenses for a four-year undergraduate degree in science, arts, medicine or divinity.

Applicants of all nationalities will be able to apply for the award which will be given annually to a student who would otherwise have been unable to attend St Andrews.

Professor Louise Richardson, the university's principal and vice-chancellor, said: 'This will be the first scholarship of its kind at St Andrews and a reflection of this university's commitment to ensure that we find, attract and support the most gifted students from anywhere in the world.

'It will guarantee that a high quality Scottish higher education can be available to any citizen of the world, that a lack of means need not be a barrier to study, and that bright students who might otherwise have been unable to go to university can fulfil their potential.’

William graduated with a 2:1 in geography from St Andrews in 2005 and Kate got the same classification in history of art.

The Prince and his fiancee began dating while sharing a house in the picturesque seaside town in Fife, and almost 10 years later will wed at Westminster Abbey on April 29 as the world watches.


Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton sit with the Lord Lieutenant of the University, Menzies Campbell, during their visit


Hundreds of well-wishers gathered by the steel barriers hoping to catch a glimpse of William and Kate


The official visit was William's first in his role as patron of the 600th Anniversary Appeal, which will have a large focus on generating new funds for scholarships.

Joyce Robertson, 60, a retired nurse, who was waiting patiently with a friend, said: 'I've come to see William and Kate because I love the royal family - I think they will be a wonderful asset to the monarchy.'

Standing a few feet away was postgraduate student Jessica Volz, 24, who is studying for a Phd in English at St Andrews University.


Graduation: Kate Middleton and Prince William as they collected their degrees in June 2005


Royal return: The couple shared a house together as undergraduates before they graduated in June 2005


Miss Volz, from Denver in Colorado, the U.S., said: 'I just live right down the street so its very convenient but I don't mind getting wet.

'I've always been interested in the British history and right now's an interesting time for the monarchy.

'I really do admire William and Kate, especially their strong commitment to supporting charity.'

Yesterday Kate Middleton stepped out on her first official engagement - the launch of a humble inflatable lifeboat in Anglesey.

The bride-to-be, with a dazzling smile, quickly charmed the crowd of more than 1,000 people and bent to speak to the youngest, drawing flattering comparisons with Princess Diana.

As well as her restyled coat, it was Miss Middleton's striking velvet fascinator - with a spray of pheasant feathers - which drew the attention of onlookers yesterday.

It was designed for the 29-year-old by Vivien Sheriff Millinery, a small company based in rural Wiltshire which makes all of its hats by hand.


All smiles: Kate waves to the crowd as the Royal couple arrive at Trearddur Bay, Anglesey


William and Kate arrive at St Andrews



source: dailymail

Princess ahoy! The day Kate Middleton was given her royal launch

By PAUL HARRIS


Smiling and waving for the crowds, Kate Middleton performed adeptly on her first official appearance


IT wasn’t exactly an event on the scale of a royal wedding, and as walkabouts go, probably not too testing either.

Even the boat she launched was a humble inflatable – hardly the Ark Royal.

But for a certain Miss Catherine Middleton, yesterday was a crucially important milestone in the life of a princess in waiting.

With a dazzling smile (and a craftily cut-down herringbone overcoat) she launched herself on the royal stage with the kind of confidence few might have expected from someone so new to public duty.

Why, she even looked as if she was enjoying it.


Royal role: Kate Middleton, right, greets children as Princess Diana did. Left the Princess of Wales meets Bosnian children in 1997


This was Kate’s first official public engagement alongside Prince William and their formal debut in Anglesey, where they will make their home.

And after naming a lifeboat that she christened with champagne, the Prince, perhaps appropriately, threw her in at the metaphorical deep end.

But within seconds, she appeared to have charmed a crowd of more than 1,000 people, who had been waiting hours in a cold and blustery wind for a glimpse of the couple – and, in particular, for a peek at the bride-to-be.


Support from the Prince: Kate performed admirably on her first Royal appointment


Praise: Kate Middleton looked every inch a Royal as Prince William addressed the crowd at the Trearddur Bay Lifeboat Station


THE £16,000 DINGHY LAUNCHED BY KATE AND WILLS
The 25ft-long Hereford Endeavour launched by Kate and Wills costs £160,000 and is one of the RNLI’s most advanced craft, with a tough carbon-fibre hull and capable of 35 knots – 40 mph.

Carrying four crew and with room for 20 survivors, it has special engines that work even after a capsize.


Stunning: Kate's chocolate-brown bespoke headpiece was handcrafted by Salisbury-based Vivien Sheriff. Designed this year, it is decorated with feathers and military button


Big smile: 2,000 people turned up for the launch of the lifeboat and to see the Royal couple


Blustery: Kate Middleton had to brave strong winds and grey skies as she visited the North Wales RNLI base but, right, she sang the Welsh national anthem perfectly


Kate prepares to douse the bow of the new Hereford Endeavour with champagne as William watches on


Prince William applauds as Kate Middleton pours champagne over the new lifeboat. The bottle was not smashed, as is tradition, because the vessel is inflatable


Regal: Kate Middleton looked elegant on her first official visit


A young girl is held back by her mother as Prince William and Kate Middleton greet the crowds




source: dailymail

An Academy Award-predicting possum? Cross-eyed Heidi's tips for the top Oscar winners

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Squinting possum: Heidi's pronounced squint doesn't prevent her from leading a full life...and she has hidden talents


A cross-eyed possum in Germany is predicting this years Oscar winners.

Following in the footsteps of Paul the octopus, who predicted the World Cup results, Heidi the possum is giving her tips for the Academy Awards.


Heidi the cute marsupial gives her tips for the Academy Awards by sniffing and touching the fake Oscar statuettes, complete with squinty eyed actors pinned to each one


Each day the cute marsupial is being released in a pen, where she comes face to face with a row of fake Oscar statuettes.

Whichever statue she touches with her paw first signifies the winner in that category.

On Tuesday night, Heidi picked Black Swan star Natalie Portman to take home the Best Actress award.

The possum made Portman her chosen one after sniffing around the trophies and walking in and out of her box.


Out of the box: Here she comes for her daily walk around her pen, ready to choose the next Academy Award winner


The hilarious footage was broadcast on Jimmy Kimmel's US chat show.

A picture of each actress was taped to each statuette - complete with cross eyes to make Heidi feel at home.

Heidi, who is believed to be two-and-a-half-years-old, was abandoned outside an animal shelter in North Carolina in the United States with her sister Naira, and has been living at Leipzig Zoo in Germany since May last year.


Which one will win? Heidi's on the prowl, inspecting all the statuettes put out for her yesterday


The zoo thinks her eye condition could have been caused by her diet before she was abandoned, or because she is overweight, leading to fat deposits behind her eyes.

Heidi, who will be picking Oscar winners on Kimmel's show all week, already has thousands of followers on her Facebook page.

Her popularity is reminiscent of Knut the polar bear, who became a global star in 2007 and even featured on the front of Vanity Fair magazine.

She has also been compared to Paul the octopus, who achieved fame when he correctly predicted the outcome of matches in last year's football World Cup. Paul died from natural causes in October.


Heidi the Cross-Eyed Possum Picks the Winners - Best Actress



source: dailymail

How Posh! Beckhams 'invited to William and Kate's wedding'

By FAY SCHLESINGER

Off to the Abbey: David and Victoria Beckham look set to get a nice golden-embossed invitation on their doormat


David and Victoria Beckham have been invited to the royal wedding, sources indicated last night.

In a decision approved by the Queen and Prince Charles, the footballer and his wife are likely to be among the most high-profile celebrities on Prince William and Kate Middleton’s guest list of 1,900.

When the prince, who is president of the Football Association, and Beckham met in South Africa during last year’s World Cup they were said by insiders to ‘get on like a house on fire, professionally and personally’.

They also led England’s failed bid for the 2018 World Cup, while fashion designer Mrs Beckham revealed this month that she is sending a selection of dresses to the bride-to-be.

Courtiers said yesterday that the pews at Westminster Abbey will contain a ‘small number’ of A-list stars and a ‘good proportion’ of soldiers and pilots, as well as more than 1,000 friends and family and 80 charity workers to reflect the prince’s ‘fairly ordinary life’ living in North Wales and serving with the RAF.

William, 28, drew inspiration from Prince Andrew’s 1986 wedding, when he was a serving naval officer, a senior royal aide revealed – despite William failing to invite his uncle’s ex-wife and close friend Sarah Ferguson.


Getting ready for the big day: Prince William and Kate Middleton


Elegant: The Royal wedding invitation


Sticking with royal protocol, about 200 political figures – including Prime Minister David Cameron, his deputy Nick Clegg and Labour leader Ed Miliband – and 100 foreign royals and dignitaries have been asked.

But American President Barack Obama and French president Nicolas Sarkozy are thought to have been omitted because the wedding is not classed as a full state occasion as William is not yet heir to the throne.

Corgi crass: 'downright silly'
Corgis wearing crowns and union jacks with the slogan 'let them eat cake' are among the mementoes being sold by Kate Middleton's parents to mark the wedding.

Carole and Mike Middleton's mail order firm Party Pieces has launched a range of products apparently designed to cash in on the street parties expected to be held on April 29.

Beckham and the prince showed their closeness in Johannesburg last summer when William joked that an intruder who had got into the England players’ dressing room was actually him in a football shirt.

He then made Beckham, 35, burst out laughing by adding: ‘(Prince) Harry and I left the door open, that’s why it happened. It was our fault.’

Mrs Beckham, who is five months pregnant with the couple’s fourth child, heaped praise on Kate, 29, during a preview of her autumn/winter 2011 line at New York Fashion Week.

The former Spice Girl, 36, said: ‘Apparently, she likes my clothes and has asked to see a selection. I admire her tremendously. She’s a beautiful young girl, she has a wonderful figure and I think she wears clothes beautifully.’

The couple are thought to have been invited to the ceremony on April 29 and may also have been asked to a lunchtime buffet for 600 people hosted by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.


Busy lady: A member of the Lord Chamberlain's Office inserts Prince William and Kate Middleton's wedding invitations into envelopes at Buckingham Palace


A senior courtier said of William and Kate: ‘The couple have made their own decisions about who to invite, with input from the Queen and Prince of Wales.

Kate's no style queen, says Viv
We don’t know who will create Kate’s wedding dress – but after some cutting words yesterday, it’s not likely to be Dame Vivienne Westwood.

The controversial 69-year-old designer appeared to suggest that the bride-to-be was not stylish enough to wear one of her outfits.

‘I would have loved to have dressed Kate Middleton but I have to wait until she kind of catches up a bit somewhere with style,’ she said.





source: dailymail

Banksy who? Los Angeles tears down artist's Mickey Mouse graffiti billboard not realising it could be worth a fortune

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


Distinctive work: Banksy has apparently been making his mark on LA with graffiti displays on billboards


When street artist Banksy arrived in Los Angeles earlier this week, he wasted no time in making his mark on the city.

The elusive artist - who is nominated for an Oscar for his 2010 documentary Exit Through The Gift Shop - is suspected of being behind a number of Banksy-style piece which have appeared on walls and billboards in the city in recent days.

Among these was a depiction of Mickey and Minnie Mouse, which sees Mickey downing a cocktail and putting his arm provocatively around a scantily-clad model, which appeared on a billboard above a petrol station on Sunset Strip.

According to the celebrity website TMZ.com, the image caused great excitement, with a stream of fans visiting the area to admire the work.

However not everybody is such a big fan, it seems. Officials removed the poster from the billboard the following day, despite the site reporting that the petrol station owners had offered to pay $10,000 for it.

Other works which have sprung up in the past few days include an image of a child holding a machine gun loaded with crayons, standing in a field of brightly-coloured flowers, which appeared on the wall of a clothes shop in the Westwood district.


Not so keen: The gas station next door to the billboard loved Banksy's work - but it was taken down just a few days later


'Banksy has often pointed fun at the military industrial complex,' Sebastian Buck, author of the street art blog Unurth, told The Independent.

'Putting a gun in a kid's hand is a striking way to do that, then twisting it by replacing bullets with crayons, so there's only peaceful intent, that's very clever.'

An image of a dog urinating on a wall also showed up in Beverly Hills, while a picture of a Charlie Brown figure starting a fire appeared on the side of a burned-out building on Sunset Boulevard.


Making his mark: Another Banksy work, of a child with a machine gun loaded with crayons, in a field of flowers, was spotted behind a clothes shop in Westwood


It is not the first time Banksy has left images on walls in the U.S.

He visited Los Angeles around the time that Exit Through The Gift Shop was released, and left his mark with a stencil drawing of a policeman walking a balloon-shaped dog.

And several Banksy-style images were left on walls in Park City, Utah, when he attended the Sundance Film Festival last year.


Tongue-in-cheek: The unidentified works of art - including this dog - have been springing up all over Los Angeles in recent days


His work also surfaced in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Banksy's film Exit Through The Gift Shop - dubbed 'the world's first street art disaster movie' - focuses on French videographer Thierry Guetta and his insider look at underground artists at work.

If he wins the Oscar on February 27, it will be collected on his behalf by the film's co-producer Jaimie D'Cruz, since the artist's identity remains a mystery and he does not show his face in public.


source: dailymail

Ouch! What did you do that for? The playful white lions relieved to be out of quarantine after ten weeks

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Nippy: A female lwhite ion yelps as mischievous male, Credo, bites her at Ouwehands Zoo in The Netherlands


He's the colour of snow... and just as nippy.

But the bite this male giving his fellow white lion a bite, causing her to yelp, is only playful.


Mane event: The four lions, which cannot survive in the wild, are on public view for the first time


They are among four big cats who have just been released from quarantine after travelling to Ouwehands Zoo in Rhenen, Holland, from the Timbavati Game Reserve in South Africa.

The male, Credo, is seven months old and the females, Ilanga, Bhandura and Luna, are aged ten months.

Yesterday was their first appearance in public at the zoo, which is specialised in the care of endangered species.


Hiding: The three young females hide as Credo stalks his enclosure looking to pounce with aim of playing


Gotcha! But Credo is pounced on before he has a chance to move


Trio: The women of the pride like to hang around together and a wary of male Credo


What's that? The lions look bemused by the viewing public


White lions cannot survive in the wild because their colour stands out, not making for very good camouflage.

The animals, which usually live for around 29 years, can weigh up to 31 stone (434lb).


source: dailymail