New Zealand Woman’s Weekly 1717

She’s confessed that growing up, her mother told her she should become a secretary. Well, it’s a good thing Barbra Streisand ignored that advice or we wouldn’t be celebrating 75 years of the music legend. That’s right, the one and only singing icon who lit up screens with Robert Redford or stood on stages belting out Don’t Rain on My Parade, is still a trailblazer. As one of the only artists to have won an Oscar (Funny Girl), a Tony, an Emmy and a whopping 14 Grammys, since she was a young girl, Barbra didn’t do things by halves. Perhaps most poignantly, though, is the Medal of Freedom she was honoured with in 2015 by former US president Barack Obama for her work on stage and fighting for women’s equality.…

It’s been years in the planning and finally it is here! This Friday evening, the World Masters Games kick off with a grand opening ceremony at Auckland’s Eden Park. And with 25,000 competitors, plus a further 25,000 visitors expected in the city, things are about to get busy! We’ve been excited to bring you stories over the last few months that shared the tales of many high-profile New Zealanders who will be competing in the Games, which proudly celebrate skill and maturity (the only real barrier to entry is a minimum age!). This week, we feature Peter Snell and his wife Miki, alongside another two Kiwi competitors, our oldest masters: 88-year-old Marcia Petley and 95-year-old Reg Rye. We have a long history now of telling the stories of our local…

‘Her Majesty is not immortal. The sad day will come when we will be farewelling her’ She’s outlived many of her peers and family members, and despite a scare when she was taken ill over Christmas and New Year, the Queen is looking healthier than ever. But her attendance at a memorial service for the late Lord Snowdon last week was a sombre reminder that at 90, she is one of the last remaining members of her generation, and while she may have bounced back from the nasty cold that laid her low a few months back, Her Majesty is not immortal. The sad day will come when we will be farewelling her. The Queen is not one for creating a lot of fuss, but unfortunately, when she does pass,…

She may not be a member of the royal family, but Pippa Middleton’s upcoming nuptials are sure being treated like a right royal extravaganza! The sister of the Duchess of Cambridge is set to marry hedge fund manager James Matthews (41) on May 20 in front of more than 300 family and friends in Berkshire, England. Kensington Palace has confirmed the attendance of Kate, Prince William and Prince Harry, as well as Prince George, who will act as a page boy, and Princess Charlotte, who will be a flower girl. Here, we take you inside the wedding of the year, from the dress to the party – and guess who’s not invited! THE HEN’S DO Pippa gathered her best friends, including her sister, for a girls’ trip to Méribel, France,…

‘All I can say is that he is an extraordinary person – very, very kind and compassionate’ He was the bloke whose best advice was to “kick it in the guts, Trev”; who asked if “it weren’t for your gumboots, where would you be?” and reminded us that We Don’t Know How Lucky We Are. A true national treasure and hero, comedian and satirist, John Clarke passed away from a heart attack last week in Victoria, Australia, aged 68, while on a bush walk with family and friends. “John died doing one of the things he loved the most, taking photos of birds in beautiful bushland with his wife and friends. He is forever in our hearts,” a spokesperson for his family said. “We are aware of what he has…

‘I led a perfectly normal life until Downton Abbey’ Before she took her turns as Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise and the delightfully acerbic Dowager Countess of Grantham in Downton Abbey, Dame Maggie Smith was left well enough alone, thank you very much. She could walk into any theatre or supermarket, or down any street, without so much as a double-take, despite her damehood and dozens of accolades, including two Academy Awards. But now, everyone seems to want a piece of Maggie and, quite frankly, she seems a little sick of it. Just last week, Maggie (82) slammed plans for the much-anticipated Downton Abbey film, saying she thinks there’s little to gain from a big-screen adaptation of the hit period drama. “They talk about there being a film...…