King Charles and Queen Camilla bid farewell to French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron on Wednesday after hosting the couple.
The royal family shared two pictures of the two couples together as the king and his wife saw off their guests.
In the first picture, the two couples face the camera for a departing photo.
The second photo shows the king waving to Macron and his wife, while Brigitte Macron has her hand extended in a dramatic gesture.
The photos sparked some humorous comments on Instagram, with one fan jokingly saying, “Queen Camilla is like I’m out of here! I’m so tired. Thanks for coming out. I need a nap.”
Another fan commented, “Look at Camilla!!! Hahahaha.”
A third fan poked fun at the first picture, saying, “Nobody is standing by Madame Macron. Her husband is scared for his life and hanging on to King Charles like a scared child.”
President Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron arrived in the UK to a spectacular welcome at the start of their state visit.
The president and Mrs Macron were greeted by Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton – on behalf of The King – ahead of the official welcome ceremony in Windsor.
In Windsor Town Centre, The King and Queen greeted their guests as the State Visit officially began, before boarding carriages which took them through crowds in the town and up the iconic Long Walk to Windsor Castle.
Later in the evening, the King, accompanied by The Queen and Members of the Royal Family, hosted a state banquet in St George’s Hall, Windsor Castle.
Barbie is expanding its representation with the launch of a doll that has type 1 diabetes, outfitting the toy with medical devices such as a wearable insulin pump that are regular sights for people with the condition.
Mattel announced newest member of its Barbie Fashionistas line on Tuesday, saying that it not only let’s children see themselves in the doll, but also encourages play “that extends beyond a child’s own lived experience.” The doll has a continuous glucose monitor attached to her arm and an insulin pump attached to her waist.
Krista Berger, senior vice president for Barbie and global head of dolls, said in a press release that the latest doll “marks an important step in our commitment to inclusivity.”
“Barbie helps shape children’s early perceptions of the world, and by reflecting medical conditions like T1D, we ensure more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love,” Berger said.
The Mayo Clinic defines type 1 diabetes as a chronic condition that results when a person’s pancreas creates little to no insulin, the hormone that breaks down glucose. A glucose monitor allows someone with the condition to keep track of their sugar levels and inject insulin to help their body process glucose.
An insulin pump is a wearable device that allows for an easy supply of insulin into the body.
More than 18,000 young people under the age of 20 have been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last year. The agency reported that there’s been about a 2% increase per year in diagnosed cases between 2002 and 2018.
Barbie partnered with the nonprofit organization Breakthrough T1D in the development of its new doll and to ensure an accurate reflection of the devices, the release said. Breakthrough T1D CEO Aaron J. Kowalski said he was “thrilled” when the company reached out about a collaboration.
“I have lived with T1D since I was 13, and my brother since he was 3, so this partnership is deeply personal – it means the world to be part of bringing greater visibility to a condition that affects so many families,” Kowalski said.
A link to buy the doll was live on Mattel’s website and it appeared to already have reviews from parents who were sent the doll, as the website notes the reviews are “incentivized.”
One parent said they gave the doll to their 7-year-old daughter and it opened up a conversation about diabetes. Another parent called it a “great addition” to the Barbie brand.
“We have a close family friend who is T1D, so this was an excellent opportunity to explain what each item was and what it does to help keep people safe and healthy,” the review said.
Kim Kardashian modelling an off-shoulder fake mink coat inspired by Elizabeth Taylor. Nicole Kidman and Kyle MacLachlan nattering on the front row. And an appearance from Mrs Bezos herself.
The stars were always going to align in Paris for Demna’s final show at Balenciaga. And on Wednesday lunchtime, the most controversial and copied designer in modern fashion bowed out after a decade with a show that conformed to the idea of couture as much as it challenged it.
Backstage, Demna spoke with relief about “leaving this city that I love and hate for good” when he moves to his new job at Gucci in Milan next week. But before then, he wanted to “make couture relevant”.
Democratising couture isn’t easy. This stuff is handmade to exacting rules and wildly expensive. But the plan was to use the show as a stage and the clothes as costumes for social commentary. Previous hot topics have included climate change, swag-wars and AI. On Wednesday it was a study of the relevant dress codes of “La Bourgeoisie” – and the moneyed few sat here who fork out for it.
The stage itself was Cristóbal Balenciaga’s former apartment, restored to its plush 1960s cream glory when the Basque designer introduced couture in 2021.
Demna (second from left) in June at the Paris menswear spring/summer 2026 show with (from left) Guram Gvasalia, Tori Brixx and Rich the Kid. Photograph: Pierre Suu/Getty Images
At the glamorous end were a sugar pink debutante dress made from the world’s lightest organza, and a sequinned skirt suit based on – what else – Demna’s grandma’s kitchen tablecloth. No doubt Mrs Bezos had her eye on the elegant corset dresses which came without boning, “so you can actually breathe”, he said.
Famous for flipping traditional notions of beauty by casting models of all ages and sizes, out came nine Neapolitan suits without shoulder pads and modelled by bodybuilders because “it isn’t the garment that defines the body, but the body that defines the garment”.
There followed references from Demna’s greatest hits, including a seam-free puffer coat and couture trainers, while references from Cristobal’s came in the shapes and long sleeves; the show ended with a cream, bell-shaped Guipure lace gown which referenced the scale of Balenciaga’s from the 1950s.
Few designers have had the cultural reach of Demna, who was made creative director at Balenciaga in 2016 after stints at Maison Margiela, Louis Vuitton and his own label, Vetements.
During his career here, he has orchestrated frenzies around ordinary items such as Crocs and Ikea Frakta bags, upending the meaning of good taste while infuriating critics by whacking four-figure price tags on to distressed trainers.
Intended as a joke and a commentary on the hierarchy of value, it proved a particularly lucrative gag for Balenciaga’s parent company, Kering, becoming a billion-dollar megabrand.
For some, Demna never recovered from allegations that he had condoned child exploitation in a series of ads involving BDSM imagery and children in 2022. At the time, he took responsibility, although the scandal dented both hype and sales for some time.
Ultimately, it predicated a move away from his more viral designs, which had begun to distract, and he became more focused on his skills as a designer.
skip past newsletter promotion
after newsletter promotion
He is succeeded by the relatively safer designer, Valentino’s Pierpaolo Piccioli. Demna’s back catalogue will continue to polarise, but his legacy is indisputable. As Demna said: “I’m so hard on myself – but I could not do better than this at Balenciaga.”
Was this Giorgio Armani’s last ever collection? Last month, for the first time in the designer’s history, the designer missed his Milan shows due to to ill health.
The plan had been a precautionary one, a rest before this show. So a no-show from the designer at his show at the company headquarters this week, coupled with visibly emotional models ambling like Erté sketches down the catwalk, certainly sent tongues wagging.
In an attempt to stop the rumour mill, the 90-year-old designer explained his absence to a handful of reporters in an email: “Even though I wasn’t in Paris, I oversaw every aspect of the show remotely via video link, from the fittings to the sequence and the makeup”. His absence, he said, was at the behest of his of his doctors: “Although I felt ready to travel, they recommended extending my rest.”
Regardless of whether you could afford an Armani suit, one of his legacies has been encouraging women to wear trouser suits. And at the show, among the sculptural peplums and slithery gowns with oversized bows, came tuxedos in funereal black. Ostensibly glamorous versions of the menswear he began in the 1980s, there was also a finality to them.
Keen to control the narrative of his £10bn Armani empire, of which he is a sole shareholder, he was quick to remind us that “everything [we saw] … has been done under my direction and carries my approval”.
Seryth Colbert has lost an employment tribunal after claiming he was unfairly dismissed
A surgeon from Bath has lost an employment tribunal after claiming he was unfairly dismissed for whistleblowing about patient safety concerns.
The tribunal panel found Seryth Colbert, a consultant in oral and maxillofacial surgery, was sacked from the Royal United Hospital in Bath due to his behaviour, not the content of his concerns.
The surgeon argued he had been subjected to detriment for exercising his rights under the Public Interest Disclosure Act (PIDA).
The Bristol Employment Tribunal panel dismissed his claim and concluded his behaviour with some colleagues was unacceptable, with judgement issued on 30 May. Mr Colbert is planning to appeal against the decision.
The surgeon claimed his dismissal in October 2023 was due to retaliatory victimisation, leading to the tribunal.
This came after he raised concerns, which included allegations that cancer patients were not being treated and that a patient had been blinded during surgery.
In October 2023, a disciplinary panel upheld 11 out of 14 allegations against Mr Colbert, leading to his dismissal.
These included: bullying and aggressive behaviour, unwanted physical contact, undermining management, inappropriate use of trust processes and rude and dismissive communication.
The employment tribunal panel found: “Some of this conduct is more serious than others. An isolated rude email is clearly insufficient to warrant summary dismissal.
“Low level unwanted physical contact might also be regarded as somewhat innocuous.”
Plans for appeal
The panel added: “Similarly, the fact that the claimant raised issues brought to him by junior doctors with someone other than the clinical lead in the department, may seem a long way from repudiatory conduct.
“However, once the context, intention and impact are considered, the conduct, taken collectively, does, we conclude, amount to repudiatory breach.
“The claimant acted in a way which was coercive to junior colleagues, undermined a senior colleague and was intimidating.
“Although, there is no doubt at all, that his treatment of other colleagues was exemplary, beneficial and inspiring, that does not detract from our findings.”
Made in Chelsea star Miles Nazaire said he broke down realising he had to rehome his dog
Made in Chelsea star Miles Nazaire has come under fire after revealing he rehomed his dog Rocky because he’s too busy to look after him.
The 29-year-old says he’s “not a bad person” and that it was a “really, really tough decision”.
Some fans criticised Miles for treating Rocky as “disposable” while others praised him as “selfless” for rehoming him.
The Dogs Trust says the number of pets being rehomed is at a record high but that people shouldn’t be judged for it.
Miles, who also appeared on Dancing on Ice last year, told his followers he broke down while travelling for a work event, realising he couldn’t keep his pet.
“With TV and content creation, your life is up and down most days and Rocky definitely felt that.
“I don’t know if I could handle it anymore and it just wasn’t fair on him. I was always travelling.”
Miles says he got Rocky at a “weird” time when he was “feeling quite lonely” only to realise later he couldn’t properly look after him.
Allow Instagram content?
This article contains content provided by Instagram. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read and before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
In a video shared on TikTok and Instagram, he admitted some people may think he’s selfish but that he found comments that he “abandoned” his dog upsetting.
“Realistically I don’t owe anyone anything but I wanted to clear things up because I’m not a bad person, I loved my dog and he loved me.”
Miles says Rocky’s been adopted by a family in Somerset and “he is so much happier being in a big field [with] people he loves”.
‘Don’t judge for rehoming’
The reaction to Rocky’s rehoming has been mixed, with fans split over whether Miles “betrayed” his pet or did the right thing rehoming him.
A report by the Dogs Trust last year says younger dog owners (25-34) were more likely to find them hard work or stressful than older owners.
Miles isn’t alone in choosing to rehome his dog and the charity’s chief operating officer Rachel Casey tells BBC Newsbeat “it’s almost always because people’s circumstances change”.
After the comments on Miles’ post, she says it’s important “not to be judgemental” of owners who give up their pets.
“For people to demonise them or be negative to them is really hard,” she says.
“Our message is to give people a bit of love, to help them through what is a really difficult time when they’re giving up a beloved member of their family.”
And sometimes it can be the best choice, as Rachel says dogs can “develop new bonds”.
“It is hard for the dog but at the same time, if your circumstance changes and you have to be out at work 16 hours a day – that’s also really bad for the dog.”
Newsbeat has contacted Miles for comment.
Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here.
Years before it became associated with an algorithm-driven playlist on streaming services, hyperpop was an unruly and nebulous internet subculture driven by independent musicians obsessed with pop music.
Chief among them was SOPHIE, whose debut project celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. PRODUCT wasn’t necessarily the first hyperpop record let loose into the world, but this maximalist and alien-sounding collection of songs helped catapult hyperpop into the mainstream.
When the late British producer released PRODUCT in 2015, the subculture’s mycelia had already begun to spread beyond the darker corners of the internet. Producers like SOPHIE, A.G. Cook and 100 gecs’ Dylan Brady and Laura Les would stake hyperpop’s flag into the music industry. Soon after, pop acts like Charli xcx, Carly Rae Jepsen and Clairo would become early investors, turning the subculture into a bonafide mainstream movement.
Listen to World Cafe’s Proto-Hyperpop Mix
To commemorate 10 years of SOPHIE’s PRODUCT, we wanted to thread the needle between past and present by considering older tracks that preceded hyperpop but are imbued with the subgenre’s experimental and oddball spirit.
“Temporary Secretary,” by Paul McCartney
YouTube
This is basically McCartney noodling about with a new toy — a sequencer that produces those squelching synthesized arpeggios. Combined with his robotic vocal delivery and nonsensical lyrics, “Temporary Secretary” feels in line with the synthetic sonic textures and “uncanny valley” feel that defined a lot of SOPHIE’s signature sound.
“Let Your Body Learn,” by Nitzer Ebb
YouTube
Much more minimalist than most hyperpop tracks, Nitzer Ebb’s single from 1987’s That Total Age still pulses with a frantic energy. It’s an aggressive fusion of punk, industrial and techno that hyperpop acts would continue to push and distort in subsequent decades.
“Pluto,” by Björk
YouTube
This deep cut from the Icelandic musician’s Homogenic is a chaotic ball of fire, fueled by powerful lines about destruction, transformation and rebirth. It feels spiritually tethered to SOPHIE’s work, which often explores how we perceive ourselves versus how others perceive us — and how we have the power to reshape ourselves into new forms.
“We Like To Party! (The Vengabus),” by Vengaboys
YouTube
Long before hyperpop sprung from the cyber-ether, faceless producers across Western Europe were engineering some of the campiest and most cartoonish facsimiles of pop music ever recorded. If songs were food, “We Like To Party!” is high-fructose corn syrup made from genetically modified kernels.
“Volcano,” by Swans
YouTube
Hyperpop isn’t all sugar. There are moments on PRODUCT that bite too. This track from Swans’ 2001 album, Soundtracks for the Blind, is cut from the same cloth. “Volcano” is a 5-minute odyssey through a violent, metallic and ghostly soundscape that channels hyperpop’s more abrasive edges.
“What If,” by Aaliyah
YouTube
SOPHIE wasn’t just a music producer. She was a sound designer who stretched and distorted musical elements beyond recognition. It’s an approach you can hear on this track from the late pop star’s self-titled album from 2001. Producer Timbaland pits rubbery beats against distorted guitar riffs, creating a weirdly synthetic take on R&B that hyperpop will eventually pull from.
“Grindin’,” by Clipse
YouTube
In a 2020 interview with The Face, SOPHIE credited this early hit from the hip-hop duo of Malice and Pusha T as a formative song for her. The connection is pretty obvious once those jagged, impossibly crisp beats — courtesy of The Neptunes — hit your ears.
“Tokyo Drift (Fast & Furious),” from The Fast And The Furious: Tokyo Drift OST
YouTube
By the mid-aughts, the sheen of the internet was leaving a clear mark on pop music. This NOS-charged track from the third film in the Fast & Furious franchise is a mish-mash of global influences, American commercialism and modern technology. It’s the perfect embodiment of hyperpop’s appreciation for fast cars, cute ringtones and undeniably viral music samples.
“Bubble Pop Electric,” by Gwen Stefani
YouTube
“Bubble Pop Electric” has all the ingredients for a hyperpop masterpiece. You’ve got Stefani’s coquettish vocals, a playful cameo from André 3000 and an innuendo-fueled, B-movie, drive-in theater concept built around a flurry of popping bubble sound effects.
“XXXO,” by M.I.A.
YouTube
Deeply misunderstood upon its release in 2010, M.I.A.’s third studio album was a clarion call, in retrospect. “XXXO” is 3 minutes of glitchy, glossy, noisy pop that is as alluring as it is grating. No one knows if SOPHIE heard this song, but the following year, she’d begin uploading the glitchy, glossy and noisy demos that would eventually become PRODUCT.
Punk rock record label Hopeless Records has closed on a deal to acquire the catalog of Fat Wreck Chords — the label co-founded by NOFX’s Fat Mike and Erin Kelly-Burkett — the two companies announced on Wednesday.
The companies didn’t disclose financial details of the purchase. As part of the deal, Hopeless and Fat Wreck Chords said that all the unrecouped balances for Fat Wreck’s roster will be cleared. Also as part of the deal, Hopeless has agreed to a “no-new-signings policy” that the companies said would ensure all focus and resources stay on FAT’s existing roster. Fat Mike (real name Michael John Burkett) and Kelly-Burkett will retain ownership of Fat Wreck Chords’ name, logo and trademark.
Hopeless Records is particularly known in the punk and metal scenes, having released records for artists including Avenged Sevenfold, All Time Low, Taking Back Sunday, YSum 41 and Destroy Boys among others since Louis Posen founded the label in 1993. Fat Wreck Chords, meanwhile, has been home for artists including NOFX and Rise Against since its launch in 1990.
In their announcement, Posen, Fat Mike and Kelly-Burkett describe the new partnership as a “full-circle moment” given their nearly 30 years of friendship. Posen, originally a music video director, first met Fat Mike after reaching out to direct a video for the NOFX song “Bob,” and Mike and Kelly-Burkett later gave Posen guidance on running an indie label. “Without Fat Wreck Chords, there would be no Hopeless,” the companies said in their announcement.
“The opportunity to lead the history, catalog, and roster of Fat Wreck Chords into the future, alongside Mike and Erin, is the honor and privilege of my 30-year career,” Posen said in a statement. “We are incredibly grateful that Mike and Erin have entrusted the Hopeless team to care for their 35 years of passion and hard work. “I don’t know when it will fully sink in, but we are deeply committed to honoring and continuing the remarkable history of Fat Wreck Chords.”
Fat Mike said that his label had been in touch with several other companies about a potential deal over the past three years, but that after looking around “Erin and I realized that Hopeless was the only choice.”
“We’ve been friends with Louis for over 30 years and he is someone who always seems to doing things for the greater good,” he said. “I completely trust his ethics and acumen with the legacy of Fat Wreck Chords.”
Kelly-Burkett called the deal “one of the biggest decisions I’ve ever made,” but also “one of the most exciting.”
“FAT has been my baby for 35 years,” she said. “To me, it’s more than a label; it’s a community, a home, and a legacy built from the ground up. Louis understands that, and I can’t think of anyone better than Hopeless to carry FAT forward. As a true fan, Louis knows firsthand what FAT is all about, and will build on the foundation Mike and I laid with care and respect. These bands are my family, and I know they’re in good hands with the Hopeless family.”
Mattel, along with Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF), has introduced a Barbie with Type 1 diabetes.
“Barbie helps shape children’s early perceptions of the world, and by reflecting medical conditions like T1D, we ensure more kids can see themselves in the stories they imagine and the dolls they love,” Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and global head of dolls, said in a news release.
Barbie wears a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) on her arm to help manage her Type 1 diabetes, and she has a phone that displays a CGM app to help track her blood sugar levels throughout the day. The doll also wears an insulin pump that allows for automated insulin dosing.
The blue polka dot top and matching skirt the doll wears represent diabetes awareness. The Barbie with Type 1 diabetes is available for $10.99 at Walmart and Amazon, but both sites indicate the doll is currently not available.
“Visibility matters for everyone facing type 1 diabetes,” Emily Mazreku, director of marketing strategy at Breakthrough T1D, said in a news release. “As a mom living with T1D, it means everything to have Barbie helping the world see T1D and the incredible people who live with it.”
The Barbie doll with type 1 diabetes was introduced at the Breakthrough T1D 2025 Children’s Congress, held July 7 to July 9 in Washington, D.C., to advocate for continued federal research funding. Youth delegates from all 50 states and Breakthrough T1D’s international affiliates in the United Kingdom, Australia, Israel, the Netherlands, and Canada received their own dolls.
Mattel also honored two global role models and Type 1 diabetes advocates—Peloton instructor Robin Arzón in the United States and model Lila Moss in the United Kingdom—with their own one-of-a-kind Barbie dolls.
“Receiving messages from people who see my patches and feel represented means everything to me. To be able to now see Barbie dolls with T1D, and to receive a Barbie doll that visibly looks like me, even wearing her patches, is both surreal and special,” Moss said.
The Barbie doll with Type 1 diabetes is part of the Barbie Fashionista series. As the brand’s most diverse doll line, the Barbie Fashionistas series offers more than 175 looks in a variety of skin tones, eye colors, hair colors and textures, body types, disabilities, and fashions.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where the immune system destroys insulin-producing beta cells in pancreatic islets. Patients rely on insulin and careful monitoring of blood glucose levels. About 2 million Americans have type 1 diabetes.
Billy Ray Cyrus and son Trace’s feud is still not over
The Cyrus family has more or less rekindled their relationship with each other after years of estrangement but Trace and Billy Ray Cyrus still have unresolved feelings.
The 36-year-old singer called out his dad on social media calling him “delusional” and “evil” in a post last month.
Things seemed to settle down when Miley Cyrus shared in an interview that the “dark decade” was over for the family.
However, an insider told RadarOnline, “Trace isn’t done by a long shot. He wants his dad to suffer and feels angry that he’s gotten a pass from the rest of the family after all the pain he’s caused.”
Speaking of Tish Cyrus and other family members, the source continued, “They’re all telling Trace to let it go and saying no good can come out of going after him publicly.”
They added, “But he’s like a dog with a bone. He considers his father pure scum, and this is his way of getting closure. He’s asking the others to back him and threatening to raise merry hell if they don’t.”
Although Billy Ray is now desperate for his family to be in peace, Trace isn’t ready to move on from past hurt.
