New Zealand Woman’s Weekly Issue 26, 2022

Coronation Street is not the most glamorous show on TV. But its stars showed they can shine when they pulled on their posh frocks and swanky suits for the British Soap Awards, held for the first time in three years. The long-running series missed out on the top accolade of Best Soap – that went to Emmerdale – but two of its youngest stars collected awards for their performances. Millie Gibson, 17, was named Best Young Performer for her portrayal of troubled teen Kelly Neelan, and Maximus Evans took home the Best Villain gong for playing nasty Corey Brent, who killed Seb Franklin (Harry Visoni) and blamed Kelly. A thrilled Millie said she was grateful to be given such hard-hitting storylines, and thanked co-stars and family for their support. And Maximus, 20,…

Reading Kanoa Lloyd’s story about her journey in the early months of motherhood in Covid times made my heart go out to her and all of the mums who have had to navigate these last couple of years. There are precious experiences that they have had to delay or miss out on. It is certainly a different world from when I had my own four children. Kanoa, however, seems to be taking it all in her stride and tells that when she is worried about something to do with her adorable Nikau, she asks where she can go to get the help she needs, rather than looking at what the internet is saying – an approach that is working for her. Remembering my first months of motherhood, I was so…

It’s a milestone that Prince William has apparently said is “daunting”. But the future king will no doubt take his 40th birthday in his stride, just as he has been taking on board all of the extra responsibility thrust upon him of late as his grandmother the Queen hands over more of her duties. This particular birthday signals the beginning of a new phase of life for William, wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, and their children Prince George, eight, Princess Charlotte, seven, and Prince Louis, four. The family is moving to a house on the Queen’s Windsor estate in the next few months as William wants to be closer to his grandmother now that she is permanently based at Windsor Castle. At the moment, their time is split between their apartment at Kensington…

Her brother-in-law may have been persona non grata at the Order of the Garter, but it was Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall’s turn to shine. She was invested as a Royal Lady of the Order of the Garter, an honour bestowed on her by her mother-in-law, the Queen, 96. Her Majesty was photographed with Camilla, 74, and husband Prince Charles, looking elegant but rather frail and clutching a walking stick. She did not take part in the traditional procession of Garter Knights and Ladies through the grounds of Windsor Castle, but was present at the investiture and the lunch that followed. Decked out in traditional velvet Order of the Garter robes, Camilla walked in the procession alongside Charles, 73, William and other royals for the first time. After the investiture service at St…

They took two small children on a 10-and-a-half-hour flight, partly so their youngest could meet her great-grandmother for the first time, but was it worth it? Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, only got to spend 15 minutes with the Queen, during which they introduced her for the first time to her 11th great-grandchild, Lilibet. A palace insider says the meeting at Windsor Castle was kept formal by aides, and Her Majesty only saw her namesake great-granddaughter, one, and great-grandson Archie, three, very briefly. “It was a quick in-and-out job,” says the source. Harry and Meghan, 40, were only seen in public at one of the Platinum Jubilee events – the service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral – despite flying to London from their California home for the four-day celebrations. Insiders say Harry,…

Prince Andrew might have been a no-show at the Order of the Garter ceremony because his brother and nephew didn’t want him there, but the disgraced royal is still fighting to be able to attend prestigious royal events. Andrew pulled out of the public parts of the event at Windsor Castle after Prince Charles and Prince William asked the Queen to keep him away, because they felt it was not a good look for the royal family to have him there, and they feared he would be booed. According to some reports, William, 39, told his grandmother, “It’s him or me”, threatening to stay away if Andrew was there. The reason for his absence was given as a “family decision”. Andrew, 62, did not attend any of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations because…