The passing of Queen Elizabeth marked the end of a significant era. After reigning for 70 years, the UK bid farewell to one of its most beloved public figures when she passed away at the age of 96.
The new King was faced with the dual challenge of mourning his mother and immediately assuming the role he had been preparing for all his life.
On the morning of 8 September 2022, King Charles, then Prince of Wales, was summoned to Balmoral and informed that his mother's death was imminent. He and his sister, the widely admired Anne, Princess Royal, alternated in keeping vigil by their mother's bedside, as revealed in a new documentary.
The Channel 5 documentary, Birkhall: The King's Secret Sanctuary, delves into the poignant moment when Charles ascended to the throne. It discloses that Charles was called to Balmoral from his nearby residence, Birkhall, which is one of his preferred retreats.
Jennie Bond, the BBC's former Royal correspondent, shared in the film, "He was told that it would probably be a few hours before she passed away," reports the Mirror.
Queen Elizabeth died in 2022 (Image: Getty Images)
Royal expert and journalist Emily Andrews added, "Charles and Anne had been taking it in turns to sit with the Queen and then, I think, as she slipped into a coma, Charles needed a bit of fresh air and some nature."
It was during this brief respite in the grounds of Birkhall that Charles received the call.
Before Charles was formally informed of his mother's passing, a Royal expert detailed how he realised the sombre truth with just two words he had always known would one day come. "He knew what had happened," Jennie remarked, "Because he was addressed by the person who rang him, the courtier, as 'Your Majesty' and then he knew, 'Well, my mother has died' and obviously he raced back to Balmoral to be at her side."
Despite their sorrow, Emily Andrews suggests there was a consoling element for the Royal Family that the late Queen's last days were at Balmoral – a place close to her heart.
The rest of the Royal Family also journeyed to Scotland, allowing them private moments with the Queen; among them were Prince William and Prince Harry, who travelled separately.
The Queen's coffin was subsequently transported to Edinburgh to rest, enabling members of the public to pay their final respects. The coffin then travelled to RAF Northolt by air and from there returned to London for the lying in state at Westminster Hall ahead of her funeral.
During this solemn procession, Princess Anne displayed unwavering devotion, accompanying her revered mother at every turn.
Viewers have the opportunity to delve into Royal solitude with 'Birkhall: The King's Secret Sanctuary', broadcasting Saturday 21 June at 7.30pm on Channel 5.
A stalker has been jailed over a paint bucket trap, set only a few months after he was released from prison for smearing his ex's home with poo. Gorkas Casanovas, 47, unleashed a wave of problems for his former boyfriend in August last year after serving an eight month sentence imposed at Inner London Crown Court in May for an equally unsettling spate of stalking attacks.
The Spaniard, from Streatham, was dumped after a three-month relationship in December 2023, but decided to take matters into his own hands and embarked on a terrifying campaign of stalking and harassment. MyLondon previously reported how Casanovas hid under his victim's bed, lobbed dirty needles into his front garden, and splodged his door with poo, leaving the rest in a bag.
After Casanovas filled the victim's keyhole with glue, police attended the address and found Casanovas outside wielding a Stanley knife, a screwdriver, and a load of syringes. He was arrested on the spot and jailed last year, but time served on remand meant Casanovas was released almost immediately - opening the door for him to disregard a restraining order handed down by the judge.
Casanovas resumed his harassment by accusing the victim of lying, and sharing a screenshot of his IP address. On another occasion, the victim was covered in paint after Casanovas perched a paint bucket on top of his door frame, intending for it to fall down when the door was opened. Casanovas also set fire to the front door by stuffing the victim's t-shirt into a Pringle can and setting it alight.
In an impact statement, the victim said the continued stalking had a 'massive effect' on their mental health and that they had lost their appetite and could only sleep four to five hours a night.
Through his defence lawyer, Casanovas claimed he was the victim of theft, and that the IP address screenshot had been an attempt to accuse the victim of logging into his social media accounts. These claims were not supported by any evidence. The court heard Casanovas has previously been assessed for psychological issues and requires support.
'Get help'
Last time around Casanovas admitted stalking causing fear of violence, possession of a bladed article, and possession of a Class A drug. This time, he admitted four counts of harassment and one count of stalking causing serious alarm or distress.
Judge Ian Darling told Casanovas his conduct had caused the victim 'real difficulties, upset, and harm', while showing a 'worrying disregard' for the restraining order. The judge also found the door fire was a 'particularly worrying' escalation in behaviour.
Passing a two-year immediate custodial sentence, Judge Darling added: "It means in the near future you will be released again. I tell you again Mr Casanovas, as night follows day, if you keep doing this, the sentences will just keep getting longer. There are people out there that can help and if you do not get help you will keep doing this again and again."
A pair of sports sunglasses perfect for "looking cool by the pool" are on sale at Amazon for less than £20. Sunier Polarised Sports Sunglasses are described as "unbreakable" and ideal for any purpose, whether it's lounging by the pool, boating or canoeing, or driving in the sun. They are currently on sale at Amazon for £19.98, down from their usual price tag of £26.98.
Sunier Polarised Sports Sunglasses feature 9-layer polarised lenses that reduce glare while preserving true colours. These UV400-rated sunglasses ensure eyes are shielded from extended UV exposure and foster good eye health. Sunier Polarised Sports Sunglasses are unisex and are suitable for fishing, driving, boating, or cycling in the countryside.
Sunier Polarised Sports Sunglasses boast ultralight polycarbonate frames combined with imported shatterproof lenses. Engineered to be "unbreakable, highly flexible, and impact-resistant". Besides Amazon, the glasses are available at Ebay for £30.76.
Sunier Polarised Sports Sunglasses are described as "unbreakable" and ideal for any purpose (Image: Sunier / Amazon)
Sunier Polarised Sports Sunglasses are rated 4.6 out of 5 by over 600 customers, with over 300 purchases made in the past month. Among reviewers, 76 per cent have rated the item 5 out of 5 stars.
One happy customer wrote: "Brilliant sunglasses [that] exceeded expectations! Really impressed with these. Comfortable, lightweight, and excellent at reducing glare even on overcast days. The wrap-around design and UV400 protection make a huge difference for my light sensitivity. Bonus points for the included lanyards, cleaning cloth, and soft case, a thoughtful touch that shows the company really cares. Highly recommended! I will be buying more."
Another purchaser said: "Great sunglasses for our holiday in Morocco. Fantastic to wear in 34 degree blazing sun looking cool by the pool."
But not everyone was convinced. One person said: "The glasses seem well made, they are very light, the package includes two microfiber cloths for cleaning the lenses, two cords and a screwdriver. The only problem is that they are very tight, leaving a groove on the temples and the rods are not adjustable. The return was made immediately."
Get the most exciting London events and new bars and restaurants sent straight to your phone
You can sign up to get the most exciting events to the new bars and restaurants in London sent straight to your WhatsApp from the MyLondon team.
To sign up, you need to already have WhatsApp. All you need to do is click this link and select 'join community'.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the MyLondon team.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.
If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
A West London-based entrepreneur has taken the soft drink market by storm, creating a Coca Cola competitor right from her kitchen and selling nearly two billion cans across the globe in just 18 months. Aykiz Shah, at the age of 27, launched Salaam Cola back in October 2023 with no initial capital investment, spending only £160 on sample cans to kickstart her venture.
By 2024, this enterprising mum had already achieved a staggering turnover of €6 million in Europe, including £1.6 million from UK sales alone, with her 66p cans and bottles retailing for £1.
Using her background in recipe development for a beverage company, Ms Shah crafted the unique formula herself and secured a manufacturer in Turkey. Ms Shah is committed to health-conscious production, stating: "I wouldn't put in something that would damage peoples health."
It has been a steep learning curve for Aykiz
The Brentford-based mother-of-three successfully pitched her idea to UK distributors, finding four who were ready to pay upfront for the initial production run. Utilising social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, she promoted Salaam Cola's brand ethos and its charitable goals to support displaced and injured Palestinians.
Salaam - a common greeting in Muslim countries - quickly found its way onto the shelves of grocery stores, fast food outlets, and retailers selling international foods throughout the UK.
Now an international sensation, Salaam Cola boasts over 1.9 billion cans sold in 16 countries across four continents, offering several distinct recipes. Perhaps key to Salaam's success is the fact that the company donates 10 per cent of all proceeds to good causes. So far, Salaam Cola has had impressive results, with £250,000 contributed to charity from UK sales alone in 2024.
Aykiz attributes the company's remarkable growth to its commitment to charity work. She said: "We wanted to create more of an ethical drink for people who are going through poverty or malnutrition to be able to give back and help vulnerable people. It sent a powerful image to our consumers as we are partnered with 'Muslims in Need' a registered charity."
The company recently expanded its range to support other causes
She continued: "Every month we calculate the proceeds that need to go to the projects and we transfer them the money. But it's not just the money, we actively work with the charity too, to do things like open schools for Palestinian children who were displaced to Egypt."
According to Aykiz, consumers increasingly seek out companies that uphold strong moral and social responsibilities. She observed: "I do think that a lot of people were looking for ethical companies because of the BDS [Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions] movement against Israel and the ICE situation with Coca Cola in the US with immigrant workers – there's been a lot of problems with the legacy companies."
Aykiz added: "Giving back is in our DNA as Muslims and my clients who work with us give back an extra 10 per cent on top of that, which is really making a difference. Every month we provide a video on social media to show where the profits are going and for a lot of people they don't feel guilty for buying a can which backs causes that they believe in – it's a no brainer for a nice drink and the charity work we do. And that's why I think Salaam Cola has become a movement and a household name."
Aykiz has the support of her family in her venture
Aykiz shared that the success of the company has had a profound impact on her life. She said: "For me personally, it's turned my life upside down - people work years and years to establish things that Salaam has managed to do in such a short space of time."
Despite the growth of the business, including hiring a second UK-based employee in August 2024, Aykiz continues to run operations from her home kitchen island. She's currently overseeing the development of new fizzy pop flavours, each representing and supporting a different country.
Salaam Cola was initially created to support Palestine, with its diet variant, 'Seriously No Sugar', raising funds for Syria. The company has since developed 'Yemonade' to aid malnourished children in need of medical assistance and food.
The latest addition to their line-up is 'Lebanorange', set to launch in the coming weeks, designed to support Lebanon.
Salaam Cola has gained plenty of support on social media
Aykiz expressed surprise at the diverse support her product has received, including from Coronation Street actor Sean Ward. She admitted: "I initially thought it would be a predominantly Muslim-backed product but really everyone's on board. We have distributors which are businesses that are run by Muslims, but equally we have lots of non-Muslim supporters who believe in the message too."
She continued: When you step back, you see that there's actually a lot of love in the world, despite all the negativity. We have been able to provide 10,000 Palestinians medical aid - we did that primarily for children in Al-Nasr hospital in Egypt who were victims of severe burns."
The charity's reach extends beyond Palestine, with initiatives in Syria and Yemen as well. Aykiz elaborated: "In Syria, we sponsor orphans through school and we are rebuilding a mosque that was bombed. And we have a community kitchen in Yemen which provides food for families because there is such a problem with malnutrition - I believe it is the highest amount of poverty in the world."
Salaam has even caught the attention of celebrities, with actor Sean Ward being a vocal supporter. Aykiz mentioned: "We've even had celebrity backers, such as Sean Ward, who has been a massive supporter of our work, and volunteers regularly to overlook and visit the Salaam charity projects."
Aykiz used her background in recipe development to create the drink
Despite the success, Aykiz remains humble and grateful to the companies that initially backed her product. She recalled: "We originally sold the product to four distributors across the UK, in Lancashire, the Midlands, London and Glasgow. They prepaid for a full container of Saalam and bought the stock to resell."
With only four initial buyers, the business was still in a precarious position, but fortunately, it took off immediately. Aykiz marvelled: "I was lucky – four buyers was still a relatively low number of backers, and the business all depended on how it went with them, but it's crazy that it took off straight away."
Aykiz is pushing boundaries as a woman in the beverages sector, unapologetically embracing her burqa and veil in a male-dominated trade. Aykiz remarked: "I do think the drinks industry is a very cut throat industry for everyone, but for women it's just a touch harder. I'm a very conservative Muslim and I dress very modestly. That's another stereotype that we're breaking. But people love the product and I think they like working with me which is nice because I'm not judged by my appearance."
Aykiz added: "I want to inspire and empower women to achieve for themselves, no matter the limitations and how they look."
Juggling motherhood and business, Aykiz is thankful for the unwavering support of her husband, Mohammad, aged 36, as she navigates her busy schedule.
Aykiz reflected: "I have to remind myself to not let the stress catch up to me, that life's too short for it. The meetings with Canada and the US can be in the middle of the night – at the start I was sleeping about two or three hours a day because it went viral straight away. I was living on coffees. I didn't know what I was doing, every day was a learning curve and I was making it up as I went along. I don't know how I did it or how it happened – I guess it's God's plan."
As the UK braces for a sizzling weekend with mercury levels predicted to soar up to 34C, drivers are being urged to clear out four everyday items from their vehicles to dodge any serious damage.
The Met Office stated the necessary conditions for weather to be considered a heatwave. They said: "a UK heatwave threshold is met when a location records a period of at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heatwave temperature threshold. The threshold varies by UK county".
Greater London and neighbouring Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, and Cambridgeshire are most likely to meet heatwave criteria, with the Met Office stating that daily highs must hit at least 28C to enter official heatwave territory.
Don't leave your sun cream in the car or things could get messy (Image: Jordan Lutes via Getty Images)
Bottled water
It's crucial to keep hydrated during long drives, especially when the forecast hints at a scorching 34C, but motorists need to be savvy about where they stash their water bottles and make sure not to leave them in the car when parked.
Cars parked under the blazing sun can turn into ovens, potentially causing chemicals to leach from plastic bottles into the water, rendering it unsafe to drink. And if the heat cranks up even higher, a water bottle left in sight could act like a lens, focusing sunlight onto car interiors like seats or carpets, and sparking a fire risk, reports the Express.
Sun cream
Another essential for scorching weather, sun cream may protect drivers from getting burnt in the heat - but it can wreak havoc on a car's interior if left exposed. Much like water, plastic bottles containing suncream can become brittle and cause a buildup of pressure, which can ultimately lead to the suncream splattering all over the interior.
In many instances, exposure to high temperatures can also render the sun cream much less effective, meaning it won't shield users from the sun.
Medicine
A wide array of common medicines, including paracetamol and other types of painkillers, can also lose their effectiveness after being left inside a hot car. While the tablets may still appear normal, exposure to a hot climate can cause ingredients to behave differently.
Many medical experts suggest drivers should err on the side of caution and avoid taking medicines that have been left inside their car. To determine if a driver can leave a certain medication inside their car, they should read the instructions inside the packet, which often state the maximum temperature at which they can be stored.
Battery-powered electrical devices
While many motorists avoid leaving pricey electronic devices in their car due to the risk of them being stolen, items that use a battery can also cause damage to the interior in sunny weather.
Items such as smartphones, MP3 players, cameras and laptops all feature incredibly dense battery packs that, in most cases, should not be left in temperatures above 40C. While exposure to these temperatures can make devices less effective, losing charge at a much faster rate, they may catch fire in particularly hot weather.
Enfield Council has been awarded £18.6m by the government to connect its district heating network to eight schools.
The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero agreed to grant the money to support the council's wholly-owned company Energetik to "replace end-of-life gas boilers in schools" and connect them instead to the growing heat network.
Oasis Academy, Heron Hall Academy, Capital City College, Waverley School, Edmonton County School, Winchmore School and St John and St James School will all be connected and supplied by Energetik via 12km of new pipes, expected to be operational by March 2028.
At a cabinet meeting last week (June 11), senior Labour councillors also agreed an additional £1.6m capital loan from the council to Energetik to further support the project, along with £761,000 from the council's schools capital budget.
Energetik's aim is to create a 23km (14-mile) network of pipes around the borough that take waste heat from Edmonton incinerator and other energy centres to provide central heating for homes connected to the network. New developments such as Meridian Water and Joyce and Snells estates in Edmonton are due to be supplied by Energetik.
The project to connect schools is part of the council's newly-amended business plan for Energetik which it said will enable the heat network to "accelerate decarbonisation, improve air quality, and generate long-term income for the borough, all while reducing financial risk".
While the plan has not yet been published, in response to growing concerns over how a series of large loans to Energetik are being spent, the cabinet agreed to publish the business plan within 30 days "to support transparency", with further loans to the company "conditional on this publication".
Council Leader Ergin Erbil also asked Energetik Managing director Simon Pollock about the "benefits" of schools being connected to the network. Simon said: "The big difference is that our technology will last twice as long as a gas boiler on site, [and] maintenance will cost nothing.
"The energy usage is around 20% less than a gas boiler to heat the same building and the energy source we'll be using from 2028 will use 90% less carbon than a gas boiler. On top of that, even 75% less than a heat pump."
A Hackney primary school praised for setting pupils up to succeed 'exceptionally well in life has kept up the standards that earned it Ofsted's top rating. Southwold Primary School, in Clapton, has retained its outstanding status following a two-day visit by inspectors in April, having excelled in all assessment areas.
Children at the Detmold Road institution are said to be thriving in a "welcoming" and "nurturing" environment where they feel "valued" by staff. Days are packed with an "ambitious" curriculum, where each year group is encouraged to choose challenging books and develop an advanced vocabulary.
Staff were noted as 'expertly' teaching phonics in particular, skilfully helping youngsters recognise sounds as they move from nursery to Reception Year. Support is also offered 'quickly' to any pupil thought to be falling behind.
The school sits in the heart of Clapton (Image: Google Maps)
As a result, the young people are highly motivated to learn and show a "focused attitude" towards their work, with classrooms seen to be 'calm' and 'purposeful'. This is reflected in the end-of-year outcomes as the 2024 Year 6 group received "phenomenally high" scores in in reading, writing and mathematics.
Ofsted inspectors found this was particularly impressive as the cohort had well above average levels of disadvantage. This is helped in part by the quality of support given, especially that given to young people with additional needs.
The published reports reads: "Relationships between staff, pupils and their families are positive and respectful. Pupils are confident that, if they have a worry or a concern teachers will listen and help them.
"Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are swiftly identified. The school works alongside external professionals who provide the school with guidance so that these pupils access the curriculum successfully.
"Teachers are knowledgeable of pupils’ needs. Therefore, teaching approaches are appropriate and effective. Consequently, pupils with SEND achieve highly."
Whilst educational development is a priority, the East London school also places emphasis on interpersonal skills through a variety of extra-curricular activities. Older pupils are appointed as 'peer mediators' and 'lunchtime helpers' to provide help for younger children, whilst all year groups enjoy visits to art galleries, forests and places of worship.
"Resilience" and "independence" is built up via residential stays both in the UK and abroad, as well as opportunities to become a school leader for the day. A highlight for many in the school year is a trip to Cambridge University to learn about the different courses on offer.
This is the first Ofsted visit to Southwold Primary School since it was last deemed 'outstanding' in October 2019. Since September 2024, reports no longer provide an overall grade but determine whether a school is maintaining standards.
