Table of contents for 21-2019 in Best

The birth of a baby is a happy event that traditionally brings families together. But young Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor would need superpowers to heal the bitter divisions within the Markle clan. Meghan’s feud with her father Thomas, 74, has been well documented. The pair are not believed to have spoken since his failure to attend the wedding due to health reasons, the revelation he had collaborated with staged paparazzi photos and the subsequent stream of embarrassing interviews he has given to the press. Thomas has not met his son-in-law Harry, and it’s looking increasingly unlikely that he will ever be introduced to his new grandson. When Archie was born, Thomas made a rather formal statement, saying, ‘God bless the child and I wish him health and happiness, and my congratulations…

‘Funniest thing I’ve seen on TV!’ Loose Women panellist Coleen Nolan took one for the team last week, as she tried out ‘adult swaddling’ on the ITV show – leaving fans in hysterics. Describing the latest trend, named ‘otonamaki’, which translates to ‘adult wrapping’, fellow Loose lady, Andrea McLean, 49, revealed, ‘A Japanese midwife has developed this technique to use on women who’ve just given birth.’ She added, ‘It’s supposedly similar to being in the womb, and offers a cocooning experience that a baby feels.’ The craze, which basically involves wrapping yourself in a sheet for 20 minutes, is also thought to help with tiredness and stress – which made the 54-year-old singer willing to be intricately wrapped in white fabric before being rocked back and forth. As ‘swaddling expert’ Sophie…

Waters, gels, sprays, drops – the ways to get yourself that coveted golden glow seem endless. Far from just a form of body make-up, the newest tan products in town care for skin, some with enough high-tech ingredients to rival your typical anti-ageing creams. Find your tan type here! Fake it yourself Fix your tan fails From streaks to stains, mistakes happen with self-tan, but getting rid of them is another matter. Rather than investing in a pricey shop-bought product, there are kitchen essentials that, if used carefully, can do just as good a job. Olive oil added to a bath will help dislodge some of the colour – simply soak in warm water for 30 minutes. Baking soda has been championed for removing fake tan, too. Mix 1tsp with…

1 GIVE THEM POCKET MONEY Most kids love money, whether that’s playing shop with pretend coins or receiving an allowance. They also love to spend, so make sure they know how to save, too. Letting them take charge of their own money is important, so that means giving them some! It’ll help them budget and work towards goals. 2 MAKE IT FUN Initiatives exist to help kick-start kids’ financial education. Try Discover Fortunes, a game available in schools and online that aims to provide financial education to young people. The book Your Money Matters, published by Young Money, is also a great resource – it’s the first financial education textbook to exist. 3 IT’S GOOD TO TALK Explain to the little ones in your life about earnings and costs to…

… best friends Jane Danson, who plays my screen sister Leanne, is one of my closest friends. If we get an hour free, we’ll whizz out and get a coffee, even if we’re together all day anyway! If I have time off, I’ll text or speak to Jane every other day – we never run out of things to talk about. … her Corrie storyline It’s very comedy capers and we were joking that it felt like filming Scooby-Doo! Toyah and Leanne convince themselves that Nick must have done a deal with Rick the loan shark to fund the barber’s, so they get to break in to Rick’s office to find evidence. It’s risky – Rick is someone not to be messed with! … enjoying Game Of Thrones I’ve just…

Blonde, beautiful and a household name, handsome hubby and four lovely kids… Looking from the outside in, it seemed Ulrika Jonsson had the perfect life. And, as well as her angelic face and a figure to die for, she had always enjoyed good health. Until the menopause exploded in her life like a bomb, leading eventually, she believes, to the collapse of her marriage to third husband Brian Monet. ‘I was up and down, mood-wise – it was a period of intense confusion and emotional turmoil. Brian just didn’t get it. I just felt incredibly alone,’ she admits. Not realising what was at the root of her problems, Ulrika, 51, dreaded that she was succumbing to dementia. ‘About five years ago, I started to think that I was losing my…

Laying my tiny baby down on her changing mat, I rubbed a baby wipe over her super-soft skin. It was April 2017 and just a day before, I’d given birth to Caitlin. Now, back at our Birmingham home, I was getting her ready for bed. ‘I’ve got a clean vest,’ my older daughter, Janey, said, kissing Caitlin gently. Then eight, Janey was delighted to be a big sister. She helped me dress Caitlin, then I laid her down in her crib. My partner Richard, 34, and I gazed at Caitlin while she slept. I was exhausted, but it didn’t matter. I was just so happy that she’d arrived. My perfect family. Yet later, while waiting for the community midwife to arrive, Caitlin started making a strange whimpering sound. She didn’t…

Talk to the palm Safari style doesn’t have to be all about khaki and cream! Pick up a bold print in muted shades for a modern twist. Cool culottes Team a pair of wide-leg culottes with mules and a crisp shirt for a relaxed weekend look. Work it out For smart office style, you really can’t go wrong with a utility-inspired dress. Hot tropics A jumpsuit in earthy tones is a holiday must-have this season.…

HOW IT WORKS • According to nutrition expert Fiona Lawson, ‘Eating the right foods before your trip will stabilise blood sugar levels, so you’re more resistant to sugar cravings.’ If you eat sweet treats and drink alcohol regularly, it causes sugar dips and loss of energy that makes you tired and crave more sugar! Cut out all refined sugar – including white bread, pasta and booze – before you go, and think about packing Nature’s Plus KetoLiving Sugar Control Capsules, £29.95 (revital.co.uk), which help to regulate sugar levels – minimising trips to the dessert bar! • Cut out foods that can cause bloating – such as broccoli, onions and beans – a few days before you go, and swap your usual cuppa to peppermint tea that helps with digestion. Gas…

DREADING OUR HOLIDAY! My boyfriend and I are going on our first sunny holiday next month, to Greece. This may sound ridiculous, but I’m dreading stripping off and lying on a beach, as I know everyone else will look slim and tanned and gorgeous – and I feel like a beached whale complete with stretch marks. I know he loves me, whatever my size, but I just don’t want to bare all. Do you have any tips for me? Debbie, Chelmsford Welcome to the ‘Oh my goodness, I’m not beach-body ready’ club. I’m in the same boat. We’re off to a wedding in Spain and I’ll be parading my flabby bits in front of bride, groom and all the wedding guests. I’m going for the slinkiest one-piece cossie in slimming…

Nearly 10 years to the day that Peter Andre walked out on her, Katie Price laid bare the depth of her enduring feelings for her first husband – and father to two of her children – last week. ‘I had a tough year last year!’ she tweeted. ‘A person stirred trouble with me and Pete which he reacted to protect our children! Yes, I said things, but I was upset and didn’t mean harm! ‘Me and Pete love each other really lol! I’m sorry @MrPeterAndre if I hurt you!’ Her other husbands – number two, Alex Reid, and number three, Kieran Hayler – have come and gone without regret. But Katie, who turns 41 this week, can’t help reaching out to the one that got away… And this latest twist…

TRAVEL SNAPSHOT If you’re longing to breathe some fresh air and appreciate some gorgeous British scenery, then, as the old slogan goes – let the train take the strain! Rail Discoveries Lakes & Dales By Steam offer a five-day guided tour of the Lakes and Dales, staying at the Hallmark Hotel nestled in the centre of Carlisle, Cumbria. You can explore this breathtakingly beautiful region, taking in some stunning landscapes and fascinating hidden gems. INSIDER’S GUIDE Day One: To the four-star Hallmark Hotel, Carlisle, a Victorian hotel with a boutique feel, for dinner. Day Two: By steam train from Haverthwaite to Lakeside, on the shores of Lake Windermere, with a boat trip across the water to Bowness-on-Windermere. Day Three: A journey on the world-famous Settle to Carlisle Railway, crossing the…

‘If you’ve got it, flaunt it!’ Good Morning Britain may have lost the news coverage award at last week’s BAFTAs, but they certainly gained some recognition with presenter Susanna Reid’s jaw-dropping dress! The newly single 48-year-old (who has shed more than a stone after binning booze last year) put her relationship woes behind her, making her first red-carpet debut since splitting from Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish, 53, after a year of dating. The sheer bra-less ballgown was a very different look to her daytime outfits on the ITV breakfast show, and fans were quick to comment on the eye-catching dress, with remarks such as, ‘If you’ve got it, flaunt it!’, ‘Blimey!’ and ‘Very seductive.’ When recently quizzed about the split by her cohost, Piers Morgan, Susanna assured us she…

TOP TIP For a cute and casual look this summer, ditch your favourite jeans and team a pair of loose-fitting shorts with a pair of trainers instead! TOP TIP A pair of linen shorts is a holiday wardrobe must-have! Opt for a longer length with a fitted waist for the most figure-flattering style. TOP TIP An above-the-knee short is a great option if you don’t want to reveal too much leg. Wear with a tailored blazer and a pair of mid-height heels for a smart and sophisticated look.…

1 Rosemary is a great mosquito deterrent. Grow it on your patio or windowsill and the mozzies won’t come near. It’s also good for dandruff – simply rinse your hair in a cooled solution of boiled rosemary leaves and water. 2 Most of us love the scent of lavender, but our insect friends hate it! Put little bags of lavender in your wardrobe or drawers to keep moths away. It can aid sleep, too – pop a drop of lavender oil on your pillow if you suffer from insomnia. 3 Basil can treat acne and other infections because of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. For a natural acne treatment, simply soak fresh basil leaves in hot water for 20-30 minutes. After the water has cooled, apply the liquid to problem…

‘Once again, I find myself thinking how happy I am that I’m old. I don’t mean I love actually being old – far from it – but I’m glad I’m not young now. It seems to me that being young these days is not a very good thing. They think they have it so tough – always accusing old folk of “stealing their future” for voting for Brexit, moaning about not being able to buy a house as soon as they leave school, and don’t get them started on climate change! As a result, they don’t seem to be happy or having a very good time. I’m always reading about things they don’t do. I don’t mean “don’t do ever”, but don’t do as much as you would expect young…

Being 21 seems like a lifetime ago for me – and not just in years. I’m 32, and things were so different back then. Social media was in its infancy, people still met on nights out – and there seemed to be a lot less pressure on young people than there is nowadays. Admittedly, I didn’t have the traditional early twenties lifestyle of partying in pubs. Because when I turned that milestone age, I’d already given birth to my beautiful daughter, Elesha, having fallen pregnant at 15. It was a big shock and, on the day she was born, it hit me that I had just gained a huge weight of responsibility, as well as a daughter. Suddenly, I wasn’t a typical teenager anymore, and the transition left me with…

Julia O’Hara Stiles, who rose to fame alongside the late Heath Ledger in 1999 teen romance, 10 things I Hate About You, is married to Preston Cook. The couple have a son, Strummer. So, season two of Riviera really ups the ante, doesn’t it? Absolutely. I think it’s taken the drama to a whole new level. There’s so much crazy stuff – incest, murder, lies, deceit – but it works, because Riviera is set in a heightened reality. I feel like you just go along for the ride. If Shakespeare and the ancient Greeks had a love child, it would be the second season of Riviera! How has Georgina changed since the first series? In season one, she was trying to be accepted in that world. But now she’s more…

ANTHEA TURNER IS A GEMINI 22 May – 21 June You’re never afraid to experiment, and it’s your natural versatility that allows you to go after goals with passion. For all Geminis, nothing can stop you once you have set your sights on an audacious goal. VIRGO 24 August – 23 September Whatever you take on now, you are committed to it. You know exactly where you’re going, and will be taking the most productive route to get there. This will enhance your reputation, generating favourable publicity. Don’t be surprised if workmates ask you to be their unofficial spokesperson. SAGITTARIUS 23 November – 21 December Helping someone who is struggling could turn into a fulfilling project, as you’ll make an outstanding achievement together. You always enjoy working with other people,…