New Zealand Woman’s Weekly Issue 20, 2022

The first Monday in May is well known as the fashion event of the year and, as always, the outfits at the Met Gala did not disappoint. The year’s theme was Gilded Glamour, inspired by the Gilded Age at the end of the 19th-century that was defined by America’s new upper-class flaunting their wealth. One of the co-chairs of the event, Blake Lively, 34, kicked off the red carpet in stunning style in an Atelier Versace gown that paid homage to the iconic architecture that appeared in New York during that period. “This year was especially nerve-wracking being one of the hosts,” tells Blake. “I thought a neat perspective on the theme would be looking at the city that I love so much and the architecture, rather than just the fashion.” Half way…

It was a lovely autumnal day when Nikki Kaye arrived for her photoshoot with the Weekly – she had just a couple of hours before she was heading to the airport. It has been some time since she has been out of the public eye, after resigning from politics two years ago and, as she tells from page 14, she’s never been happier. A self-confessed workaholic, she needed to take time out to heal, spend time with her niece and nephew, and start working on new initiatives. Nikki is also building a tiny house and trying to learn the art of relaxing and saying no, something I’m sure that many women will relate to. Elsewhere, we talk to Tayla Dalton, the daughter of the incredible Tania Dalton, a Kiwi icon who…

Carole’s fingerprints are all over Kate’s move on the royal chessboard’ Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge has long been described as the royal family’s MVP, with one commentator now going as far to say that the British monarchy couldn’t survive without her. And for the part Kate plays in keeping the royals stable and popular, we have her mother, Carole Middleton, to thank. Carole, 67, played a critical role in Kate’s relationship with her husband Prince William, and if not for her guidance, things could have been very different, says royal biographer Tina Brown. Describing Kate’s mum as “Coach Carole” in her new book The Palace Papers: Inside the House of Windsor – the Truth and the Turmoil, Tina says Kate, 40, required “a lot of care and strategy to end up married to William”,…

They were meant to be their way of earning the millions of dollars they need to sustain their lifestyle away from the royal family. But now it looks like the deals Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, have with media giants Netflix and Spotify could be under threat. Netflix has axed animated children’s series Pearl, that was being developed by Meghan as part of the $140m deal the couple signed with Netflix 18 months ago to create content. Said to be based on Meghan’s life, Pearl focused on a 12-year-old girl inspired by influential women through history. The Sussexes have apparently got several projects on the go via their company Archewell Productions, but so far there’s been no sign of any of them. Royal experts say the couple could face pressure…

It may be her party, but the Queen can pull out of it if she wants to. It’s hoped that Her Majesty will make an iconic appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace along with family members as part of her Platinum Jubilee celebrations next month, but there’s a chance it won’t happen, says an insider. Organisers are coming up with a plan B in case the 96-year-old monarch’s ongoing mobility issues mean she’s unable to do her legendary wave from the balcony, tells the source. “It could still happen, but it is by no means guaranteed that we will see the Queen on the balcony during the Jubilee.” Appearances on the balcony, which overlooks The Mall in London, have been a part of many historic occasions over the years, including previous…

Where have the years gone? Princess Charlotte has just celebrated her seventh birthday – and her parents marked the occasion by sharing a series of beautiful photos taken by her mum, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. The gorgeous snaps show Charlotte sitting in a field of bluebells, thought to be near the Cambridges’ Norfolk home Anmer Hall. The smiling youngster, clearly a natural in front of the camera, is hugging the family’s cocker spaniel Orla in one shot. Releasing photos taken by Kate has become something of a tradition for the Cambridges. And there’s another custom the mum-of-three also sticks to for each of her children’s birthdays. The night before the big day, once the kids are tucked up in bed, she whips up a special birthday cake. When she appeared on TV cook…