Table of contents for 17-2021 in Best

A love match from the start, the Queen’s cousin Margaret Rhodes wrote in her memoir, The Final Curtsey, that from the first time Elizabeth met Philip as a teenager ‘she never looked at anyone else’. No doubt, they had some rocky patches in 70 years but they were an amazing example – especially to Kate and William – on how to dig deep, be tolerant and make a marriage work. Britain’s future King and Queen are about to celebrate 10 years of marriage (they’re not the only ones, see page 18). So far, so good – and we can but hope they have as long-lasting a relationship as the Duke and the Queen. Another woman devoted to her husband is Kate Garraway, and on page 10 she talks about life…

She won hearts and made us smile with her catchphrases, most famously ‘Who IS she?! Who IS she?!’ but even her devoted family and friends couldn’t save the former Big Brother star from her long fight against anorexia, and she passed away on Friday 9 April, aged just 38. Tributes flooded in, including one from Big Brother host Davina McCall, who said: ‘She really was the funniest, most bubbly, sweetest girl.’ According to those close to her, lockdown had ‘floored’ Nikki, who had battled the cruel eating disorder for three decades, but as one close friend, Sue Moxley, said; ‘I really thought she would make it.’ The shock was palpable. Family, family and fans had recently raised more than £65,000 in a bid to get her admitted to a private…

‘A study conducted by the University of Miami and published in The Journal of Pain, on the perceptions of pain in men and women, concluded that women’s pain is better treated with psychotherapy than with conventional medicine because it’s not as intense as men’s. Okaaaay, so women’s pain is all in the mind and we’re just mad, emotional wrecks while men genuinely suffer, right? Brilliant. I haven’t laughed so much and so hard in ages! First of all, because it’s difficult to believe that such a study could ever have been necessary, but second, the method they used meant they showed videos of people expressing their pain. Seriously, who doesn’t know that all men exaggerate their pain? Or that all women play it down? I’m not even generalising, that is…

PRIME TIME Along with keeping make-up in place, primers also blur pores and smooth fine lines – it’s the skin-perfecting step you can’t afford to miss! With moisture-boosting hyaluronic acid, bareMinerals Good Hydrations Silky Face Primer, £26, leaves skin glowing. If redness is an issue, Origins Skin Pore Perfecting Cooling Primer, £27, instantly chills and calms skin thanks to anti-inflammatory algae. Give your primer a full minute to dry before applying make-up on top. CLEVER CONCEALER Your choice of cover-up depends on what the symptom is. Make dark circles disappear: a liquid concealer with a hint of skin-brightening peach is your go-to. Apply from the inner corner of the eye down along the socket line in a V-shape for a natural finish. Try Makeup Revolution Conceal & Define Concealer, £4.99,…

HOW IT WORKS 1 Protein pacing couldn’t be easier – it just means eating some protein from meat, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts or beans at every meal and snack. 2 Protein is essential for our body to repair cells and build muscles. If you’re not taking in enough of it, your body can actually make you feel hungry to try to encourage you to eat more. Increase your intake, though, and your cravings might stop. 3 Protein itself is also very filling. It takes a little while for our body to digest and turn to sugar, which keeps our energy up and our hunger down – and on top of that, it encourages our body to release appetite-suppressing hormones. 4 This combination meant that in one famous trial, people who…

Italian Burger A melted cheese centre hides inside these delightfully different burgers. Serves 4 Prep time: 25min Cook time: 15min Per serving: kcals 623; fat 39g; sat fat 13g; carbs 29g 500g beef mince50g sundried tomatoes, finely chopped2tbsp pesto125g mozzarella, cut into4 slices1tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to drizzle Large handful of rocket leaves25g pine nuts, toasted4 ciabatta rolls, split 1 In a large bowl, stir together the beef, sundried tomatoes, pesto and plenty of freshly ground black pepper (the tomatoes will add salt). Divide the mixture equally into four. Take one of the meat portions and flatten out into a thin circle on the palm of your hand. Place a mozzarella slice on top and fold the overhanging meat around the cheese and squish into a round,…

Walking along London’s Southbank, a stranger stopped me. ‘Please could I take your photograph?’ she asked. I was tired and looking forward to getting home but I smiled as she snapped away. ‘You should work as a Marilyn Monroe lookalike,’ she said. ‘You look just like her.’ This time, I had to hide my grin. Because that’s exactly what I already did. It was a job I loved, paying honour to a woman who, even to this day, touched so many lives – even if there were a few downsides, like people stopping me in the street, or staring as I walked by. Instagram had also recently closed my account, saying that other users might ‘confuse’ me with the real thing. That seemed to be going a bit far –…

What is it about us humans? What is it that makes some of us draw out the negative in situations? Why are some of us only capable of seeing the darkness, in a room full of light? I ask this because I yearn to be a person of positivity; of optimism and enthusiasm. But something deep inside of me seems always to err on the side of reluctance and what I can only describe as a fear of the positive. There is something about me which feels more comfortable surrounded by a bit of nay-saying and circumspection, than I do enveloped by overenthusiastic hope and elation. It is said that if we are told 10 things about ourselves and one of them is negative, then that is the statement we…

ARIES 21 March – 20 April Australian model and businesswoman Miranda Kerr, American actress Carmen Electra and other Arians could be preparing to speak in front of a big group. Fortunately, they will have a knack for making subjects they talk about come alive. Creating visual presentations as an accompaniment will be a big help. TAURUS 21 April – 21 May Rise to a particular looming challenge and you will make some fast and giant strides towards a special achievement. You don’t need luck to make a dream come true. You can make things happen through sheer perseverance and purposeful effort. There is no one who is more determined than you. GEMINI 22 May – 21 June You could pick up some great buys at an auction that’s taking place…

‘Who married Prince Albert of Monaco?’ a voice at the other end of the line asked. I took a deep breath. ‘Grace Kelly,’ I answered. ‘Congratulations!’ cheered the voice. ‘You’ve won a royal wedding!’ As I screamed in excitement, I couldn’t quite believe it. I’d been engaged to my long-term partner, Liam, ever since he’d shocked me and my family by dropping down on one knee on Christmas Day 2009. We’d been saving up for a wedding but, as the money had mounted up, we’d decided to buy our first house together instead. Our plans to wed had been put on hold as we’d bought furniture, painted walls and decorated rooms When Kate and William’s wedding was announced, our local radio station, Touch FM, advertised a ‘royal wedding competition’. They’d…

JOIN THE CONVERSATION Do you airbrush your photos? It became a huge talking point last week when a snap of Khloé Kardashian – a member of one of the most glamorous and famous families in the world – went up on social media of her in a bikini by a pool. Only the natural-looking image wasn’t quite as ‘picture perfect’ as the reality star, 36, usually shares. Turns out, it’d been posted accidentally and the unfiltered image wasn’t meant for public consumption. It led to Khloé’s team trying desperately to have the photo taken down – and posting this explanation (left) about why she did it. But is there any harm in sharing a snap where celebrities look natural and unfiltered? Part of the Kardashian brand is looking glamorous, so…

WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT? Did you know the skin microbiome is just as important as the gut microbiome, and plays a crucial role in protecting our complexion? And to manage this, the new trend is using prebiotics and probiotics in skin care. HOW DO THEY WORK? Research has shown that protecting and respecting the skin’s microbiome or flora (the billions of microbes that live on it) has an impact on skin health. Much like our gut relies on active probiotics and other gut bacteria to restore health, the skin biome needs to maintain certain bacteria on the skin to reduce inflammation. When prebiotics and probiotics are applied topically, they encourage skin to grow its own beneficial bacteria, thus becoming healthier and reducing inflammation and strengthening the barrier layer. WILL IT…

One of the most famous teens on the planet (her influence on the world stage has been dubbed ‘The Greta Effect’), climate activist Greta Thunberg appeared on GMB recently – and told presenter Ranvir Singh she’d had enough of being branded an ‘emotional, angry teenager’. Ranvir was quizzing the 18-year-old Swede over appearing ‘emotional’ at certain points in her career, including in her documentary series, Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World, currently airing on BBC One. ‘We’ve heard the science from academics but what we don’t often get is the tears, the deep emotion and empathy that you feel for the unfairness of climate change,’ suggested Ranvir. Greta replied: ‘I think it’s the exact opposite, when we talk about climate… I get framed like an emotional, angry teenager.…

CHOCOLATE, HAZELNUT AND RASPBERRY TORTE A simple showstopper that will almost certainly leave you wanting a second slice! Serves 12 Hands-on time: 20min Cooking time: About 10min 300g plain chocolate, finely chopped25g golden syrup, plus extra to stick25ml Frangelico hazelnut liqueur, optional200g white chocolate, finely chopped100g brandy snaps600ml double cream75g icing sugar, plus extra to dust25g ready-roasted chopped hazelnutsAbout 450g raspberries 1 Melt the plain chocolate, golden syrup and Frangelico (if using) in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water – do not stir or the mixture will seize into a solid mass. Remove from the heat and set aside. Next, melt the white chocolate as above, then remove from the heat and set aside. Allow both chocolate bowls to cool until just warm, about 15min. 2…

TOP TIP! Brighten up your kitchen with new textiles and crockery.…

I DON’T RECOGNISE MY MUM! My mum, 72, remarried 10 years ago – and though she’s still as loving as ever, she has dramatically changed her politics to be more like her partner. We’re now arguing over the Covid vaccine – she wants to visit once lockdown is ‘over’ this Summer, but she and her husband won’t take the vaccine and I said I don’t really want her visiting till she does (one of my children has severe asthma and was shielding until recently). She says I can’t stop her from seeing the grandkids like this. Where do I go from here?! Lucy, Doncaster What does being vaccinated have to do with politics? Your mother is at severe risk of extreme illness and even death if she contracts Covid. The…

On a hot day in June of 1921, a child was born at Mon Repos, a Regency villa on the Greek island of Corfu. The baby, a longed for boy, who followed four sisters, was delivered on the dining room table and registered in Corfu Town under the name of Philippos. His mother was Princess Alice of Battenberg, the great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria, and sister to Earl Mountbatten of Burma. His father was Prince Andrew of Greece and Denmark. A major general in the Greek Army, he was away fighting in the Greco-Turkish war when his son was born, and did not see him for several months. But following Greece’s defeat, he was blamed, and narrowly escaping a death sentence had to flee the country along with Alice, their four…

CLEAN UP YOUR BODY BEFORE YOUR BEDROOM EAMONN My fight with chronic pain, brought on by three discs out of place, has been not only a battle for me, but it’s made me less judgemental. I’ve always been a cleanliness and smell snob. Don’t ask me why, but I now realise that’s the totally shameful way I was likely to judge you as a person. Crippling pain gives a person – this person – a chance to realise what’s really important… and that’s health. Not being able to bend down, reach, pick things up when I drop them, put things in the right place, and keep a sense of order has been frustrating, shameful and humbling. Without help, without Ruth, I wouldn’t be able to cook or clean up after…

May the thirteenth is a bright, crisp blue day, but Louise doesn’t really notice. Her head is bent, her fingers fiddling with the clasp on her handbag, the buckle on her shoes, the strap of her watch on her wrist. Anything to take her mind off the day, off how nervous she feels. The air, when she finally steps outside, has a cold edge to it, and she pulls her scarf a little more tightly around her neck, watching as a small dark bird pecks at a discarded piece of blossom on the pavement. Peck, peck, peck goes its little beak, and the fragile pink petals disintegrate. Louise looks away, taps her foot once, twice. She is waiting for her daughter, Mary, to come pick her up. It’s times like…

THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR Sky Cinema In Sydney Pollack’s 1975 thriller, starring Robert Redford and Faye Dunaway, a CIA employee discovers his colleagues have been killed by an assassin, and races to identify the culprit. MY EVIL STEPDAD Channel 5, Friday 2.20pm If for you, like us, melodramatic afternoon movies are a bit of a guilty pleasure – then this one’s a don’t-miss! When Ashley’s mother’s new husband decides he wants her out of their lives, events take a very dark turn… I SEE YOU Netflix In this chilling 2019 movie, the Harper family are unaware that they have two people living in their loft watching their every move, before a series of strange occurrences start to appear. Brrr. Starring Helen Hunt and Judah Lewis.…

Susanna Reid may not have mentioned her former co-host Piers Morgan since his dramatic exit from GMB – but we suspect she’ll be missing him more than she expected, especially given the show’s huge ratings dip (last week, viewing figures were reported as dropping a million from a record of 1.8 million). So we can’t imagine Susanna will have been delighted by Piers’ recent comments during an interview with Fox News in America, in which he maintained his former co-star was ‘in the grip of fear’ and afraid that ‘if she went too far in saying nice things about me, the same thing might happen to her’. Last month, some celebrated and others commiserated Piers’ shock departure from GMB, following a row over comments he made about Meghan, the Duchess…

As BBC Breakfast sofa queen and a proud mum-of-two, Louise Minchin, 52, who lives in Cheshire, approaches her 20th anniversary on the show which she co-hosts with Dan Walker. Here she talks early mornings, that Piers Morgan walkout and why her husband, David, is her rock… Louise, you’re approaching your 20th anniversary on BBC Breakfast… Breakfast is such a unique programme. You’re in everyone’s kitchen, and telling people what is going on is what still gets me up by 3.40am every weekday morning! But this year has been a year like no other and the difference with the pandemic is I am involved in the story just as much as everyone else – that has been challenging. Have you found yourself welling up at times on-air? Yes, definitely – because…

‘What can I do to help?’ my mum, Sengar, asked. I had to smile – it was about the hundredth time she’d asked. Don’t get me wrong, heavily pregnant with my first child, I appreciated her offers of assistance. We’d always been close, and as she lived just a half-hour drive away from my home in Saffron Walden, Essex, we saw each other every week. She was almost as excited about the birth of her second grandchild, as me and my husband, Tom, 36, were. So together, we got the nursery ready and stocked up on bibs, babygros and blankets. On 7 June 2019, I went into labour. My pregnancy had been straightforward but the birth wasn’t. Our son, Hudson, was born not breathing. Thankfully, doctors resuscitated him, and I…

TOP TIP! Add two layers to dry patches – like knees and elbows – for extra hydration.…

Do you have a story you’d like to share with our amazing army of best readers? We’re looking for real-life stories from women just like you and your friends – and will pay up to £200 for all those that make it into these pages. Stories can be funny, sad, emotional, inspirational – just like some of the examples on this page. The only rule: they must be true. Have you been on a diet that changed your life? Have you battled against tough times and come out fighting? Have you found love or happiness against the odds? If you – or a friend – have a story to share, whatever the subject, do drop us a line, with your contact details, a photo and a brief outline of your…

HELP WITH CHRONIC PAIN I could so sympathise with Eamonn Holmes when he spoke on Twitter and This Morning about his chronic pain. I’ve suffered with my own version of this, fibromyalgia, for the last few years now and often have excruciating pain all over and extreme fatigue. Is there anything in your experience that could help me? Diane, Liverpool DR HILARY SAYS: The chronic pain and extreme fatigue of fibromyalgia is distressing and life-changing – but there are many things which can help you. You’ve probably already tried ordinary painkillers, such as ibuprofen paracetamol or codeine. However, you can also obtain pain relief from a low dose of an antidepressant such as amitriptyline, venlafaxine or fluoxetine. These increase neurotransmitters, which tend to be low in people with your condition.…

THE CRIME: A picturesque coastal spot. Four brutal unsolved murders. A two-decade investigation. Who was terrorising Pembrokeshire? THE CASE: They were once described as ‘everything you’d expect of an everyday English family’, and Peter Dixon and his wife Gwenda, seemed very happy. They had two grown-up children – Tim and Julie – and for the past 15 years had spent every Summer on the Pembrokeshire coast in Wales. Gwenda, 52, a keen badminton player, worked as a secretary for her local social services department and Peter, 51, was a marketing manager who enjoyed running. In the Summer of 1989, the couple had been staying at Howelston Camping and Caravan Park. It was the first time their daughter hadn’t joined them as she’d gone on her first trip aboard with friends.…

She’s had more than her fair share of problems to deal with, but Katie Price recently revealed that she is facing her most heartbreaking prospect yet – the loss of her beloved mum. Amy Price, 66, was diagnosed with an incurable lung disease in 2017, and now uses oxygen at home to help her breathe. She moved to Spain in the hope that the better climate would help her lungs, but, in a harrowing update last week, Katie, 42, revealed that Amy ‘hasn’t got long to live’. In a film recorded for Steph McGovern’s chat show Steph’s Packed Lunch, Katie spoke to Amy on a video call, begging her: ‘Turn your oxygen up, Mum, you’re coughing.’ The film explores how, together, Katie and Amy have been preparing for the inevitable.…

HEATHERS High-octane black-comedy musical Heathers – based on one of the greatest cult teen films of all time, starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, is coming back! The hit show makes its return to the West End’s Theatre Royal at Haymarket from 21 June. Full of moody teen angst and great musical numbers alike. Book at trh.co.uk/whatson/heathers-the-musical GREASE Fancy some real Summer lovin’? Well, a UK tour of Grease might help! The iconic high school musical will be touring UK theatres from 30 July – on some dates, guest starring Peter Andre as the Teen Angel and Vince Fontaine. Head to greasethemusicalontour.com to plan some sing-along Summer fun! THE MOUSETRAP It’s suspense and frights a-plenty, as an all-star cast – including Strictly star Danny Mac – brings Agatha Christie’s classic…

Use the anagrams, straight, cryptic, quiz and picture clues to solve the crossword. When completed correctly, the pink squares, reading top to bottom, left to right, will reveal the answer to the following question: PICTURE B has a tattoo of a what on her hip? (6). This is your prize answer. Enter by using the numbers at the top of the grid or at hearstmagazines.co.uk/bestcross1721 ACROSS 6 Grinding tooth (5) 8 What fruity first name did Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow give to their eldest child? (5) 10 Do your own ___ work!, expression (5) 11 Unit of energy widely used in nutrition (7) 12 Go the other way round and TEN is a trap! (3) 13 A star and what other shape can be found on the Turkish flag?…