David Hockney: Artist's Assistant Dead

A studio assistant to the artist David Hockney has died in hospital after being taken from the painter's home in a serious condition.

Dominic Elliott, 23, had sat for the artist on more than one occasion at his studio in Bridlington, East Yorkshire.

He died at Scarborough General Hospital on Sunday morning and police are now investigating the events surrounding his death.

Curtains drawn at Hockney's house in Bridlington

Humberside Police said that they were contacted after the man had been taken to the hospital by a friend in a serious condition.

Police said: "The 23-year-old man was sadly pronounced dead at hospital and the police notified.

"The circumstances of the man's death are not clear and officers are currently undertaking inquiries to establish events leading to his death.

"There were no signs of violence and a post-mortem is due to take place tomorrow (Tuesday) which is hoped may provide further information."

Tributes have been paid to Mr Elliott by members of the rugby club where he played in the seaside town.

Bridlington Rugby Club chairman Gordon Morrice told the Bridlington Free Press: "Dominic was a valued member of our club, a good player with great potential.

"With his size and ability he could easily have established himself as a first team regular.

"He was a popular lad and had so many friends at the club."

The club said Mr Elliott, who only took up rugby a couple of years ago, was a second row forward who mainly played for the Mariners - the club's second team.

Hockney, 75, is one of the most famous British artists of his generation and was celebrated at the Royal Academy of Arts last year with an exhibition of his large scale landscapes, called A Bigger Picture.

The Bradford-born artist is famous for artworks such as A Bigger Splash, a vivid depiction of a Los Angeles swimming pool, and the portrait Mr And Mrs Clark And Percy.

In recent years he has been exploring the possibilities of using an iPad for his artworks.

22.29 | 0 komentar | Read More

Alps Victim 'Really Popular Boy', Says School

A 12-year-old boy who along with his father died while hiking in the Alps has been described by his headteacher as a "really popular boy" who will be "really sadly missed".

Peter and Charlie Saunders were killed on a walking trip in the Chamonix valley in France after flying there for a short weekend adventure.

Mr Saunders tumbled to his death as he tried to search for his son who had fallen 300 metres, French police believe.

A statement issued on behalf of the family said: "Charlie was always full of life, had a really happy temperament and loved spending time with his father.

"Peter was fantastic at making things happen, resourceful, with a positive approach to life. They will both be sorely missed by friends and family alike.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank the French rescue services for all their efforts."

Charlie had started at Royal Latin School in Buckingham in September. Headteacher David Hudson told Sky News: "Charlie was a really popular boy, enthusiastic and got involved in everything from day one.

"I think there's a real sense of shock in the school generally. We're all affected on a very human level. Lots of us are parents ourselves. But all of the children in the school matter hugely to us.

"I think it's going to be a very difficult day and few weeks for us. He had just started with us in September so it was early days for him in his school career.

"But already he'd been involved in a number of clubs. He was a great sportsman.  He got involved in badminton and athletics. He obviously loved his outdoor sports so he was already making a huge impact in the school and he will be really sadly missed."

The Saunders were said to be exploring a 'dangerous' mountain trail

Rescue services in Chamonix were called by 48-year-old Mr Saunders at 2pm local time on Saturday.

He apparently said his son had fallen into a crevasse near Mont Blanc and that they were lost.

Captain Patrice Ribes, a French police officer, told Sky News that emergency services tried to trace the mobile phone call and launched a rescue mission.

But the rescuers lost contact and had to begin their search with little information about the pair's location.

A helicopter eventually spotted their bodies on Sunday morning at an altitude of 1,600m.

Capt Ribes said: "We think the father tried to find his son after he called us and asked for rescue. We believe he fell as he tried to find his son. Their bodies were found together this morning at 7.40am."

The father and son had ventured into the Glacier des Bossons area of the Mont Blanc mountain range.

Capt Ribes said they had inadequate equipment and were exploring a "dangerous, deep, snowy" mountain trail.

The valley, which boasts five ski resorts, gets a lot of British tourists throughout the year, with many owning holiday homes in the area.

According to reports, at least 10 off-piste skiers and mountaineers had already been killed in the area this month.

22.29 | 0 komentar | Read More

Snow Warning: New Cold Snap Brings More Misery

Another cold snap is on its way, with parts of the country facing more snow and freezing temperatures, forecasters say.

Scotland and the north of England are expected to see up to 20cm (eight inches) of snow build up from today into Wednesday morning, with temperatures dropping as low as minus 15C (5F) overnight.

The cold weather also meant more misery for road and rail travellers on Monday morning with serious disruption on a number of key commuter routes.

The Met Office has issued a yellow severe weather warning for today and tomorrow, urging those in the regions likely to be affected by snow to be aware.

The Grampians, eastern parts of the Southern Uplands, the Lake District and the Pennines are expected to be hit hard.

A man takes a walk through the grounds of Bowes Castle in County Durham

Wales, the Midlands, East Anglia and parts of the South East may also wake to a covering of up to one inch of snow on Wednesday morning and overnight frost is expected throughout the country.

The frost has caused problems for some south-east England train companies were hit by a build-up of ice on the "third rail" from which trains get their power.

Services in Hampshire, Surrey and Kent were particularly affected, with a number of trains being delayed and cancelled.

On the main line in Kent, the third rail problem meant there were delays of up to 50 minutes to trains between Sevenoaks and Orpington, while trains were unable to run between Havant in Hampshire and Guildford in Surrey.

There were also problems on the Tube where late-running engineering work meant a closure of a large section of the Metropolitan line at the start of the rush hour.

Services did resume later, but with severe delays.

Meanwhile, flights in and out of Leeds-Bradford Airport were halted on Monday morning after about 3cm of snow fell. Passengers were asked to check with their airline or tour operator before heading to the airport.

The A66 across the Pennines between Bowes, County Durham, and Stainmore, Cumbria, was also closed because of heavy snow.

Yellow: Be aware; Orange: Be Prepared (Met Office)

A Durham Police spokeswoman said: "There are currently tailbacks of traffic while this process is under way."

Sky News weather presenter Isobel Lang said the wintry weather would continue even as the spring equinox takes place.

"Snow and strong, cold east winds will cause disruption across eastern Scotland later on Monday and into Tuesday," she said.

"Over 10cm to 20cm (4in to 8in) of snow is forecast, with the highest accumulations over hills. It will feel freezing cold.

"Snow is likely in other areas too, for example across the Cumbrian Fells and Pennines today, and perhaps across eastern England later on Tuesday too.

"Drier, clearer weather midweek will lead to some widespread sharp frosts with lows of minus five to minus 10 Celsius."

Lang said the current conditions are in marked contrast to those last year when high pressure brought a settled and sunny period to much of the UK.

She explained: "Temperatures popped up to 22.8C at St James' Park at the end of the month, and broke Scottish records for March when Aboyne in Aberdeenshire hit 23.6C on March 27."

The third rail difficulties also meant delays for passengers travelling between Reading and Wokingham in Berkshire and there were no services between Alton in Hampshire and Farnham in Surrey and delays between East Grinstead in West Sussex and Oxted in Surrey.

The problem also led to delays of up to 45 minutes for passengers travelling between Horsham and Three Bridges in West Sussex, while similar-length hold-ups were hitting services between Tonbridge in Kent and Redhill in Surrey.

To add to passengers' woes, over-running engineering works caused disruption at Norwich, with trains between Norwich and Cromer/Great Yarmouth/Lowestoft delayed.

London Midland, which has suffered staff problems over recent months, had to replace trains with buses between Nuneaton and Coventry due to a shortage of train crew.

London Midland, and Virgin Trains, also suffered delays between Northampton/Rugby and Milton Keynes Central due to a signalling problem.

Another signalling problem near Glasgow meant trains could not run between Paisley Canal and Glasgow Central, while passengers were warned of possible delays and cancellations to trains East Kilbride and Glasgow Central.

22.29 | 0 komentar | Read More

Leveson: Parties Reach Deal But Row Over Clause

The three main political parties have reached a deal on how to regulate the press - but Labour and the Tories have become embroiled in a war of words over who has emerged on top from the fraught negotiations.

The details are expected to be revealed in the House of Commons later, but it appears a Royal Charter - rather than legislation passed by Parliament - will be used to create an independent regulator which will have more powers to deal with the press if it breaks the rules.

Prime Minister David Cameron, who will give an oral statement and apply for an emergency debate on the reforms, has been clear he is very uncomfortable with the idea of setting anything down in law because it could be seen as politicians meddling with the press.

However, it is understood a compromise has been reached to include three lines of statute - a clause in the legislation to ensure that any Royal Charter cannot be amended in the future without two-thirds majorities in both Houses of Parliament.

There will be no industry veto of who sits on the regulator, and judges will have the power to direct newspapers on apologies.

But the main point of contention - whether or not it should be underpinned by law - seems to be a matter of interpretation, and has triggered a dispute about the degree of statutory regulation.

The row centres on a clause being inserted into the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill in the Lords later.

It does not explicitly refer to the Royal Charter that will establish the new press arrangements - but Labour and the Liberal Democrats argue the effect would be the same.

David Cameron insists all parties have accepted his blueprint

Labour leader Ed Miliband and Deputy Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg claim the deal is based on their plans for a Royal Charter underpinned by law, so that it cannot be watered down or changed.

But Mr Cameron, who was addressing Conservative MPs this afternoon ahead of the Commons showdown - disagrees.

He has denied the new press regulations will have "statutory underpinning", and insists the agreement on a Royal Charter, struck in the early hours of this morning, avoids the need for a law to control newspapers.

He said: "It's not statutory underpinning. What it is, is simply a clause that says politicians can't fiddle with this so it takes it further away from politicians, which is actually, I think, a sensible step.

"What we wanted to avoid and we have avoided is a press law. Nowhere will it say what this body is, what it does, what it can't do, what the press can and can't do. That, quite rightly, is being kept out of Parliament.

"So no statutory underpinning but a safeguard that says politicians can't in future fiddle with this arrangement."

He added: "What's happened is that everyone has accepted my argument for a Royal Charter. Why does that matter? Well I thought it was important to avoid a press law, a law that said the press can do this, the regulator's got to do that. That would be dangerous, that's not going to happen and that's what we secured and that's why this is a good deal."

But Mr Miliband said: "What we have agreed is essentially the Royal Charter that Nick Clegg and I published on Friday. It will be underpinned by statute ... because it stops ministers or the press meddling with it, watering it down in the future.

Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg claim they have got what they wanted

"It will be a regulator, a system of complaints where the regulator has teeth, can direct apologies ... and it is independent of the press.

"For too long we have had a system where the press have been marking their own homework. There has been a lot of tough negotiation in this process, but I genuinely believe this upholds the freedom of the press ... at the same time as protecting the victims.

"People who revealed MPs' expenses, people who revealed phone hacking have nothing to fear from what has been agreed."

The Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Dems are understood to have held talks for more than five hours.

Mr Cameron was not present but was represented by Oliver Letwin, who has been the key figure for the party in recent negotiations.

Mr Clegg told Sky News that in his opinion "everybody" was a winner. "We have secured the cherished principle of the freedom of the press, but also given innocent people reassurance that they won't be unjustifiably bullied or intimidated by powerful interests in the press without having proper recourse when that happens," he said.

Hacked Off, the group campaigning for victims of phone hacking, also welcomed the cross-party deal.

London bombing hero Paul Dadge told Sky News: "This isn't to stop stories in the newspapers in the future. This is to ensure that things that happened to me, the Dowler family, the McCanns, don't happen again in the future."

But Neil Wallis, former executive editor of the News Of The World, disagreed. "What these people want to do is to control what the public is told. And if you give the state legislation, what you have not got any longer is a free press." he said.

"You can't put those words in the same sentence - 'state regulation' and 'free press'. It simply stops."

Trevor Kavanagh, former political editor of The Sun, added: "Until we've examined the fine print we will have to hold our fire, but it's a little worrying when the three political parties get together and their final verdict is welcomed so enthusiastically by Hacked Off, which is definitely seeking to shackle and gag the free press."

Mr Cameron, who last week pulled out of talks about implementing Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations, previously warned that legislation would endanger press freedom.

22.29 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hacking: 'Hundreds Of Victims' In New Plot

Police have found a new conspiracy to intercept voicemails with "potentially hundreds more victims" the Law Courts have been told.

The revelation came during the 14th case management conference relating to civil damages actions brought by scores of people from all walks of life over the phone hacking scandal.

At the beginning of proceedings, Hugh Tomlinson QC told the High Court that there had been "substantial developments" since the previous case management hearing.

He said a number of further arrests had been made "in what the Metropolitan Police Service have characterised in their public statement as a new conspiracy to intercept voice mail messages".

Shane Richie is among the new victims

He added that it involved "potentially hundreds of victims".

Mr Tomlinson, who represents claimants in the action, said it was "not known at the moment how many more claims may be issued".

Sky correspondent Rachel Younger, who was in court, said: "Only one of the new victims has been named - TV star Shane Richie - who has made his application to the court."

During the proceedings Labour MP Siobhain McDonagh accepted "very substantial" damages and a public apology over phone hacking. 

In October 2010 her private mobile telephone was stolen from her car in south west London.

David Sherborne, representing the MP for Mitcham and Morden, told Mr Justice Vos that in June last year police notified her they had "obtained evidence that The Sun newspaper had accessed her text messages from about October 2010 and therefore appeared to have accessed and/or acquired her mobile phone".

A QC told the court on behalf of the newspaper that it was accepted that her mobile phone "should not have been accessed and used and furthermore accept that there has been a serious misuse of her private information".

Mr Sherborne said the defendants, the publishers and/or owners of The Sun, had agreed to pay Ms McDonagh "very substantial damages" and her legal costs.

:: Retired boxer Chris Eubank told the court that he was looking forward to a "gargantuan battle" in the phone-hacking litigation.

The former world champion told Mr Justice Vos he was confident that evidence relating to his case would get in the public domain shortly and he looked forward to the "gargantuan battle" ahead of him.

"I know that Mrs Murdoch has a pretty good left hook so I am going to ask her to be gentle with me," he joked.

Despite interruptions by the judge - who said that his case was at a preliminary stage and it was not appropriate to try to negotiate in the face of the court - Eubank persisted in holding the floor, saying he was not accepting News Group Newspapers' "derisory offer" of £21,000 as they had taken everything away from him.

He said he was fighting on, alleging they had destroyed his marriage and he had been unable to care for his children.

22.29 | 0 komentar | Read More

Uncovered: The Public Bodies Snooping On You

The Department for Transport is among a range of public organisations that has paid private firms to spy on its behalf, while it has been claimed some 14 bodies, including 10 councils, may have commissioned potentially illegal surveillance.

The findings, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act by civil liberties and privacy campaigners Big Brother Watch (BBW), showed that £3.9m has been spent by public bodies in the last two years on paying private investigators for surveillance work -including snooping on their own staff.

A total of  29 organisations - 27 councils, one public authority and one government department, the DfT - paid private firms to undertake surveillance using powers under Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (Ripa) in the years 2010/11 and 2011/12.

But some 14 organisations - 10 councils and four public authorities - paid private firms to undertake surveillance that was not covered by Ripa - meaning they commissioned potentially illegal activity.

Two public authorities and two councils paid other public bodies to spy on their behalf at a cost of £7,600, while four councils - Caerphilly, Dudley, Leicestershire and York - used private investigators to monitor their own staff.

BBW director Nick Pickles said: "This research has uncovered cases where it looks like the law has not been followed and it's essential they are urgently investigated.

"Unlike the US, British law isn't strong enough to stop evidence obtained by illegal surveillance being used in court and the punishments for people deliberately flouting the law are trivial.

Eric Pickles says councils which have flouted the law should face justice

"We need a proper licensing system for private investigators, reformed laws to stop unauthorised surveillance being used in court and most importantly to replace the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act with legislation that is fit for purpose."

City of York Council denied using private investigators and said it had used an external fraud team.

BBW has recommended urgent reform of Ripa to protect against unauthorised surveillance by third parties.

The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 should be strengthened to stop unauthorised surveillance by raising the bar about what evidence can be used in legal proceedings, BBW recommended.

The group also wants private investigator licensing to be strengthened and a duty to regulate contracted investigators to be introduced.

Communities secretary Eric Pickles said: "This Government has clamped down on the overuse and abuse of surveillance powers by town halls.

"Such powers can only be used for serious crimes, and require a magistrates' warrant. It is totally unacceptable if councils are trying to sidestep these important new checks and they should be held to account for acting outside the law."

00.35 | 0 komentar | Read More

Archbishop Of Canterbury: I Don't Drink Alone

The new Archbishop of Canterbury has revealed he never drinks alone for fear of becoming an alcoholic like his father.

The Most Rev Justin Welby said while he does enjoy a tipple, his wife keeps an eye on his drinking to make sure he does not have one too many.

Asked if he was teetotal in an interview with The Sunday Times Magazine, he replied: "No, absolutely not. I very much enjoy a drink.

"I remember reading that the children of alcoholics have a much better chance themselves of having a dependency problem.

"So Caroline and I have an agreement that she keeps an eye on me, so she'll say if I am going over ... but I have rules myself. I don't drink alone, things like that."

He described his father, Gavin Welby, who died in 1977, as "charming, volatile, unpredictable".

"You never knew what was going to happen," he said.

"It took me a long time after he died to ... think back over my time with him with any equanimity. It had just been all so painful."

Asked if this was because his behaviour was conditioned by his drink problem, he continued: "Yes, very erratic behaviour, very irrational, dishonesty, shouting ... then, of course, one worries how much of this is how one's going to behave oneself."

The Most Rev Welby was named as Dr Rowan Williams' successor in November and is due to be enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury in a service at Canterbury Cathedral on Thursday.

The father-of-five resigned as an oil executive in 1987 after 11 years in the industry to train for the Anglican priesthood.

00.35 | 0 komentar | Read More

Police Release 87 After Town Centre Fracas

More than 80 people arrested in the build-up to a football match have been released on bail.

Warwickshire Police Inspector Darren Webster said 87 people had now been released on police bail while enquiries continue.

The arrests were in connection with alleged "violent disorder" ahead of a non-league fixture between home side Nuneaton Town and Lincoln City on Saturday afternoon.

Insp Webster said: "Everyone has now been bailed in connection with the incident. The senior investigating officer will now evaluate what action needs to be taken."

Riot police from three forces and the British Transport Police were called to deal with reports of trouble at several pubs in Nuneaton shortly before 10.30am.

Officers from Warwickshire, West Mercia and West Midlands Police forces then began arresting dozens of people on suspicion of violent disorder at The Granby pub in the town centre from 3.20pm.

Chief Inspector Adrian Knight, in charge of the policing operation, said it had been "a particularly challenging day".

"Police officers responded to reports of disorder at a number of public houses in the town and were deployed in full protective equipment for their own safety," he said.

Nuneaton Town chief executive Ian Neale said the trouble was nothing to do with the football club or its supporters.

Mr Neale said police went to The Granby pub to organise an escort to town for Nuneaton fans but only three people said they were interested in going to the match.

Police from several forces took part in the Nuneaton operation

He said: "They were allowed to leave the pub to take a taxi to the ground, which is two miles away from where the arrests were made.

The Granby had opened in December after the former venue was redecorated and had promoted Saturday lunchtime as "family time".

After the incident staff thanked its normal patrons on its Facebook page.

"Just time to say a massive thank you for all your words of support and thank you to everyone who came down to show that we will continue and become better from it," it said.

Supporters responded with their own messages of support.

Jackie King wrote: "Hey, these so called 'footie fans' may have done u a favour - people'll be flocking in to show support."

After Saturday's incident in the town centre, Nuneaton went on to win the Blue Square Bet Premier League fixture 1-0.

00.35 | 0 komentar | Read More

Leveson: Grant And Rowling Attack Cameron

Hugh Grant has urged MPs to back the Liberal Democrat and Labour plan for press regulation as he accused David Cameron of "sucking up" to press barons.

The Notting Hill actor, who is leading the Hacked Off campaign for stringent press controls in the wake of the hacking scandal, claimed on Sky News that the Prime Minister was turning his back on the victims.

Mr Cameron suddenly pulled out of cross-party talks about implementing Lord Justice Leveson's recommendations last week, declaring that the three main party leaders were too far apart.

The Tories are firmly opposed to any statutory regulation of the press and want a system backed by a Royal Charter.

Labour and the Liberal Democrats also want a Royal Charter but crucially their plan would be underpinned in legislation - raising fears about creeping restrictions on the freedom of the press.

MPs will now vote on the Tories' plans on Monday in what could turn into a major defeat for Mr Cameron as Labour and the Lib Dems look certain to unite against him, with Tory rebels also crossing the floor.

Before Mr Cameron's decision on Thursday, Grant had been personally speaking to members of the shadow cabinet to urge them not to reach an agreement "much too early".

David Cameron is battling to avoid any statutory regulation

But he dismissed the idea that Hacked off was a "smooth sinister operation", downplaying it as a "few dandruffy professors in a cheap office with a slightly insane, chess champion ex-Lib Dem MP and a couple of threadbare lawyers and me".

The actor said ordinary victims of press abuse had reacted with "horror and astonishment" to Mr Cameron's behaviour and accused him of breaking his word.

On Sky's Murnaghan show, he claimed: "For him, politically, it was more important to suck up to the newspapers than to fulfil the promise that he made under oath.

"(He said) that what mattered as an outcome to all this was that those victims should never be subject to those kind of abuses again."

He described the vote as "incredibly important" and said politicians would have to "ask their consciences" whether they were going to side with press barons or back the victims.

Grant added that his acting career, which sees him star in the upcoming film Cloud Atlas, is now less important than his campaigning to curb the excesses of the press.

Harry Potter author JK Rowling also spoke out on Sunday, saying in a statement that Mr Cameron's actions had left her feeling "hung out to dry".

"Monday's vote will make history one way or another - I am merely one among many turning their eyes towards Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg and hoping that they have the courage to do what Cameron promised, but which he failed to deliver," she said.

The Prime Minister has said he will abide by the will of Parliament

Author JK Rowling giving evidence to the Leveson inquiry in 2011

Without an overall Commons majority, his allies accept he is unlikely to win sufficient support for using the threat of punitive damages against non-participants to persuade papers to sign up.

Despite efforts to shore up the vote - including bringing a minister back from Japan - a number of Tories are expected to back the Lib/Lab proposals.

Earlier on Murnaghan, Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes suggested as many as 60 Conservatives could side with Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband.

Chancellor George Osborne expressed hope of a last-minute deal, warning that any regulatory system that did not have cross-party support would not last.

"We want to make sure we have a system of press regulation that prevents the abuses we saw in the past happening again, but also makes sure we have a free press in this country," he told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show.

"That is such a precious thing: people fought - and literally died - to give us a free press."

Mr Miliband wrote in the The Observer that Monday was "the day that politics has got to do the duty by the victims and has got to stand up for the victims".

Shadow culture secretary Harriet Harman told Murnaghan: "I think it is absolutely a straightforward issue - across the House of Commons the feeling is it is not right for the press not be accountable to a proper code of conduct.

"It is time for a proper tough regulator and that we don't slip back to what it was like before. We don't want ministers to tamper with the royal charter and change it afterwards - it can't be weakened down or toughened up later. And it must have teeth."

00.35 | 0 komentar | Read More

Pregnant Kate Attends St Patrick's Day Parade

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have braved wet weather to attend a St Patrick's Day parade at a military barracks.

Kate, who is five months pregnant, wore the same green dress coat she wore to the event last year to meet soldiers from the Ist Battalion Irish Guards at Mons Barracks in Aldershot, Hampshire.

Prince William wore ceremonial dress as the pair stood on a podium sheltered from the rain and listened to the National Anthem.

The Duchess presented traditional sprigs of shamrock to the officers and guardsmen, and also to her husband.

Afterwards, the royal couple chatted to soldiers in the Guardsmens' cookhouse.

At one point the Duchess had to free her heel from a drain

Guardsman Lee Wheeler, 29, said: "I was talking to her about the baby, of course. I asked her 'do you know if it's a girl or boy', and she said 'not yet'.

"She said 'I'd like to have a boy and William would like a girl'. That's always the way.

"I asked her if she had any names yet and she said no. I said I suppose you've got to stick to traditional names."

The presentation of shamrocks by a senior female member of the royal family is a century-old tradition which was started by Queen Alexandra, the wife of Edward VII, in 1901.

The role was famously carried out by the Queen Mother.

Kate, who wore a black hat with her hair up, finished off her outfit with black tights and heels.

Ahead of watching the parade the Duchess suffered an embarrassing mishap when the heel of one of her shoes became stuck in a drain.

Kate had to lean on William while she pulled it out with her hand.

The last sprig of shamrock was given to the regiment's new mascot, seven-month-old Irish wolfhound Domhnall, who was carrying out his first public engagement.

The royals looked on from the podium as about 200 soldiers paraded through the puddle-strewn square, bringing a splash of colour to the occasion in their full ceremonial uniform of scarlet tunics and bearskins.

They were led by the Band of the Irish Guards.

00.34 | 0 komentar | Read More