Jennifer Lopez returned to LA a few days ago after about two weeks in Europe. She had a sun-soaked vacation in Italy, then she seemingly tacked on a quick trip to Paris for the Dior show at Paris Fashion Week. The vibe of the Italian vacation was definitely “something relaxing before we file for divorce.” The vibe of the PFW trip was “J.Lo looks glowing and happy no matter what.” If the Bennifer marriage ends, she wants us to know that she’ll be okay. Well, it had been two weeks since J.Lo and Ben Affleck had seen each other but they met up at his office on Thursday:

Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are back in the same country and hanging out … ’cause the two hit up his office — though photogs still couldn’t snap the two together. The actor and singer-songwriter both hit his Beverly Hills office Wednesday with Ben arriving in a chic suit around 10 AM and J Lo pulling up a couple hours later.

Check out the pics … BA’s looking dapper — and pretty dang serious — when arriving while his wife had her big movie star glasses on when her driver took her away, a few hours later.

Like we said, no shots of the two stars together … Jennifer reportedly left before Ben did. Unclear why they met up at the Beverly Hills office — but, it’s still a big deal ’cause the pair haven’t hung out since before Lopez’s European getaway.

As you know … Jennifer spent the last week parading around Italy — hanging out on a boat and grabbing dinner with pals sans Affleck. It all culminated in what some have called a classic Jenny from the Block move — flying commercial to Paris for the Dior Fashion Show.

[From TMZ]

TMZ doesn’t have any tea, and interestingly, neither does People Magazine. Meaning, neither side is leaking with an agenda at the moment. I honestly think it’s a good sign that Ben and J.Lo don’t seem to be publicly at cross purposes right now. Even if they’re falling apart, they’re keeping it relatively mature. That being said, I think it’s a horrible sign that the first time they saw each other in two weeks was a meeting at Ben’s office. It’s giving “sign the papers” vibes. If they are splitting, it would not surprise me whatsoever if they wait until they’ve worked out almost everything to announce it, à la Tom Brady and Gisele.

Jennifer Lopez returns from solo vacation, visits Ben Affleck’s office amid marital woes https://t.co/MsLlW84Kdu pic.twitter.com/ilInHPJxoX

— Page Six (@PageSix) June 27, 2024

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

One of my favorite conspiracies of the month is that Wimbledon smoked out the Princess of Wales and that’s why Kate suddenly appeared at Trooping the Colour. Just days before Trooping, Wimbledon’s tournament director was asked about their royal patron and what would happen if Kate isn’t around to hand out the men’s singles trophy or the women’s Venus Rosewater Dish. Wimbledon’s director was basically like: we wish Kate well and her priority should be her recovery, so we’re making contingency plans. Two seconds after Kate made her grand return to the public stage, Katie Nicholl was like: the next time we see Kate will probably be Wimbledon. It would have looked bad if Kate disappeared for six-plus months and her first event back was “watching tennis.” That’s why the Trooping appearance had to happen. So, yes, I do think we’ll see Kate at Wimbledon, which starts on Monday. As it turns out though, there are still contingency plans in place:

Wimbledon are hopeful that the Princess of Wales will be able to present trophies to the men’s and women’s singles champions after making a return to public life by attending the Trooping of the Colour earlier this month.

All England Club chair Debbie Jevans told Telegraph Sport that they will give her “as much flexibility as possible” as she continues her treatment for cancer, which could involve delaying a decision on who will present the trophies until the morning of the finals next month.

The Princess made her first public appearance this year at the Trooping of the Colour earlier this month following her emotional revelation in March that she is being treated for cancer. While her recovery remains ongoing, Royal sources have indicated that she would like to attend Wimbledon if possible. Although the All England Club have not formalised alternative plans for the trophy presentation, their options would include another member of the Royal Household or Jevans herself, as chair of the club and former player at Wimbledon.

“We’re hopeful that the Princess of Wales will be able to present the trophies as the Club’s patron, but her health and recovery is the priority,” Jevans said. “We don’t know what we don’t know. All we’ve said is that we’ll work with her and give her as much flexibility as possible. I don’t know who would present the trophies as an alternative – that’s something to consider nearer the time if necessary. We’re staying flexible. When we hear we’ll then think about what’s the right thing to do.”

Jevans is expecting to extend an invitation to the finals to a new Prime Minister, given the state of the polls, following next week’s general election, but insists she remains open-minded regarding her own voting intentions. With the mens’ final clashing with the final of the European Championship on July 14, however, whether Keir Starmer would attend is likely to depend on England’s progress in Germany given his love of football. “The Prime Minister always has an invitation so if he wanted to come of course we’d welcome him,” Jevans said. “They’re both big football fans so it may depend on how England are doing.”

[From The Telegraph]

Re: prime ministers going to Wimbledon, there was an infamous moment at Wimbledon 2016, just after the Brexit vote, where David Cameron attended the men’s final, where Andy Murray won his second Wimbledon title. Andy gave Cameron a shout-out in his victory speech – Andy was actually quite apolitical and just thanked Cameron for coming out and said that being prime minister must be a tough job – and the entire Wimbledon crowd booed David Cameron. It was spectacular. As for Waity, my prediction is that she skips the first week of the fortnight but makes a few appearances in the second week. Then she’ll skip the women’s final, but she’ll be magically healed for the men’s final. All of this is dependent on if and when Roger Federer is there. That being said… it will likely be Andy Murray’s last Wimbledon. Will Kate show up for Muzz? Hm.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

Several days ago, the Mirror exclusively reported that King Charles’s trip to the South Pacific this fall was being changed. Originally, Charles and Camilla were planning to attend the Commonwealth meeting in Samoa, and then they would tack on trips to Australia and New Zealand, because C&C still haven’t visited any/all of their “realm” since becoming king and queen. Then Charles was diagnosed with cancer and he’s apparently still being treated. The planning for the trip was put on pause but not canceled, and now there’s saying that the trip will be shortened and they’re skipping New Zealand. Interestingly, very few outlets have picked up that news. But the Daily Beast has picked it up and they’re basically saying that Charles is going to try very hard to go to Samoa and Australia and nothing else.

Clive Alderton, King Charles’s private secretary who was memorably nicknamed “the wasp” in Prince Harry’s memoir, has been in Australia in recent days, preparing the ground for his master’s forthcoming visit to that country, expected to take place in mid-October this year. The absence of an Alderton sighting in New Zealand, however, has served as yet more evidence that Charles has now all but cancelled his tour of that country, which was to be bolted on to the Australia trip. A proposed trip to Fiji has also, reportedly, been shelved.

The Palace’s unwillingness to rush out an announcement is entirely understandable, given that they still hope Charles will be able to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government (CHOGM) conference in Samoa despite his ongoing cancer fight. Courtiers will want to have a definitive schedule approved and signed off by the king and his doctors before they start rocking the boat.

As to why his office has appeared so intent on maintaining what many now believe is the fiction that he is still going to New Zealand and Fiji, another royal source told The Daily Beast: “They are in denial by continuing to say that planning for the overseas trip is full steam ahead, but the orders come from the top. Charles is optimistic and desperately wants to keep going with everything. Missing New Zealand is a great loss, and it will be a source of great regret for him, because to be honest he probably won’t be doing it again. But it’s frankly incredible that he is still doing Australia and that should be celebrated.”

“Australia is such an important part of the Commonwealth that Charles feels it is absolutely non-negotiable. There is considerable popular antipathy to the entire concept of the British monarch being head of state there, and of course he doesn’t want to go down as the man who lost Australia. To go there when he is being treated for cancer wasn’t what he planned—but you could hardly think of a better way of letting Australians know how important they are to the crown.”

The Mirror also reported that the Australian tour is being reduced to six days—including a two-day break. But Charles’ entirely unsurprising decision to cancel the New Zealand leg of the tour has raised questions about running a packed schedule while being treated for cancer. A friend of the king told The Daily Beast: “Charles is keenly aware of the importance of a visit by the monarch, not just to a foreign country but to domestic charities and organizations. That is why he has been determined to do as much as he can, meet as many people as he can and support as many causes as he can. Sitting in splendid isolation in Balmoral with his feet up would not be good for his morale. But at the same time, if the doctors—and his wife—say no to something, he has to listen to them. I think that is what we are seeing now.”

[From The Daily Beast]

“There is considerable popular antipathy to the entire concept of the British monarch being head of state there, and of course he doesn’t want to go down as the man who lost Australia.” LOL. I mean, I’m actually surprised that Australia hasn’t made more significant moves to free themselves from the British crown, but it’s a long process and maybe they’ll get there eventually. What’s the over/under on Charles actually making this trip? I’d say it’s pretty good – I think he’ll absolutely go to Samoa and he’ll probably spend some time in Australia, although his public schedule will probably be pretty curtailed for both. If you notice, there’s been a shift in how almost everyone talks about Charles’s “plans” across the board. Source after source, insider after insider, unnamed friend after unnamed friend, they’re all basically telling us that Charles is not doing well. Not only that, there’s no talk of handing off anything to Charles’s worthless heir.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Paul Walker Hauser has been kicking it around Hollywood as a supporting character actor for almost 20 years. He’s been in films such as I, Tonya and Richard Jewell, as well as TV shows like Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Cobra Kai, and Reno 911!. Paul is currently starring as Embarrassment in Inside Out 2, which we saw over the weekend. It was really good! Anyway, one of those interviews was with CinemaBlend’s Sean O’Connell. It was Paul and Lewis Black sitting down with O’Connell. During the interview, O’Connell tried comparing Paul’s career trajectory to Vin Diesel’s, because Diesel has also done a stint in voice acting, saying “I am Groot” over the course of six Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. Well, Paul shut that down real quick. He does not want to be compared to someone that he considers to be very unpleasant.

While promoting Inside Out 2, Hauser, and comedian Lewis Black, were chatting with someone at Cinemablend. The interviewer told Hauser that he was having a Vin Diesel-like arc, but the Cruella star shut them down quickly. “Please don’t say that. I like to think I am on time and approachable,” Hauser noted, much to the delight of Lewis Black. “I love people, but when I hear stories about Hollywood actors who get paid really well and mistreat people… I out them constantly, and it’s a blast.”

[From Pajiba]

Good on Paul for calling Vin out. You can watch the clip below, and you can tell Black is delighted by it all. Paul and Vin have never worked together so his comments came from what he’s heard from other people who have worked with him before. I would be so embarrassed if my coworkers were talking about how awful my behavior is but that’s because I have a sense of shame and try to treat people with respect. Anyway, Vin’s behavior has been whispered about for years. The first time I remember thinking, “Oh that guy’s a jerk, too bad” was after his beef with Dwayne Johnson. And yes, I know, The Rock has a bit of a reputation himself.

I wish more steadily working and respected actors like Paul would speak out about actors who are nightmares to deal with, whether on set or off. I know a lot of people would be afraid of doing that and ruining their careers, but as we saw with Ellen, it only takes one person to poke a hole in the bucket before the water starts rushing out. In December, Vin’s former assistant sued him for sexual battery, which got covered up pretty quickly, probably because it happened right before Christmas. Since Paul shading Vin has gone viral, it’ll be fun to watch who else speaks out about Vin’s bad behavior.

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Photos credit: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon, Faye’s Vision/Cover Images, Curtis Bonds Baker/Netflix ©2022 and Getty

There are no major spoilers in this post, link to source has spoilers.

Dark Matter is an apple TV scifi series, available now in full, starring Joel Edgerton, Jennifer Connelly, Alice Braga and Jimmi Simpson. It’s based on a book by Blake Crouch about a scientist who invents a way to travel the multiverse. Edgerton plays both the scientist and the mild-mannered professor whose life the scientists could be living if he made other choices. In the multiverse, both men exist and the scientist tries to impersonate the professor so he can take over his genteel family life. To tell anything more would give away too much of the plot, which can take some time to get used to. I was invested by episode three though, and so much of that was due to the performances and the relationships between characters.

In a new interview with Decider, Edgerton talked about how he approached the material (he’s a big fan of Crouch’s work and campaigned for this), how great it was to work with Connelly and Braga and how he explains the show to his friends and family who invariably ask about it. It’s a lovely interview that confirms my positive impressions of him. As Kaiser and I talked about on the last podcast, he is a leading man and should be more of a star. Here’s part of that interview, with more at the source (spoilers for that link, but I’ve cut those out of this excerpt):

“Blake Crouch called those final two episodes some of the “coolest viewing experiences” he’s ever had. What has it been like for you and your loved ones [to watch]?”
[Laughs] Blake’s causing me to have to deal with all the confusion of my family and extended family. They’re like, “I’m confused what’s going on here.” My mom’s latest text message to me: “Watched Episode 4 and 5 of Dark Matter. It is so complicated. But when you walked through the snow, how did that happen? And how did you do the underwater scene? Scary.” [Laughs] My mother-in-law watches it. She’s asking me all sorts of puzzling questions. And what I realized is that it forces people to really focus on what’s happening — the shifts between the different parallel realities — and keep track of things. Blake is super intelligent, obviously he’s built this incredible puzzle of a story and each one of us as human beings has a different capacity to understand things. So I think he’s done a nice job of holding the audience’s hand to a certain degree. I know for some people, they’re like, “I totally get it, I’m a little bit ahead of you.” Other people are left in the dust going, “Hold on, I need to catch up a little bit.” So most of my conversations with friends and family are asking to explain [something] to them, or they’re fascinated by how we made it happen. A lot of people are very excited by the world building and visual effects of it all. Some people are fascinated by the psychology. And still — I turned 50 yesterday…

On working with Braga and Connelly
I was very lucky to go to work each day and know that for the most part I was sharing scenes with either one of these two incredible actresses — plus Jimmy and Dayo and everybody else. I just think Alice’s character evolves throughout the show as we learn more about her and her true feelings and her past and selfless approach to life.

On a potential season two
I think everybody’s sort of open to it, for sure. I think everyone had a wonderful time. I know I did and I felt that from everyone around us. I think generally there’s a world right now talking about multiple universes. There’s a world of a multitude of television, which is a buffet that caters for all sorts of people’s tastes and the algorithms and all that stuff. I think that if there’s a world where people want more of Dark Matter and there was enough of an audience that was out there watching it and saw it through to the end, I think they’ll definitely do more.

[From Decider]

Happy belated birthday, Joel! Dark Matter is complicated, but it’s not annoying or confusing. I have questions about it because I’m genuinely curious, but there aren’t glaring plot holes. I didn’t come away frustrated or mad, like with Westworld or any Christopher Nolan film. In fact, John David Washington (Tenet) and multiple Westworld stars have said they don’t fully understand their shows and can’t explain them. That’s not what’s happening here. Dark Matter is clever and audacious, but it doesn’t expect viewers to grasp rules that only exist in the writers’ heads or worse, that change depending on the plot requirements. This multiverse establishes the rules and makes sense.

Edgerton said that he hopes there will be a second season. I do too, it’s one of the most unique and engaging shows I’ve seen in some time. Given the twist toward the end, there are so many possibilities for where this can go. Edgerton’s performances are a large part of that. You believe he’s a different version of himself and he never overplays it.

Photos courtesy of Apple TV Press, Backgrid

The Bear had a big premiere this week (Season 3 just dropped) and all of the cousins were there: Ayo Edebiri, Jeremy Allen White & Ebon Moss-Bachrach. [Hollywood Life]
Kyra Sedgwick & Kevin Bacon are amazing. [LaineyGossip]
Keira Knightley looks lovely but this Chanel collection is weird. [RCFA]
This is what happens when white women slavish support the patriarchy: they get their asses handed to them like everybody else. [Jezebel]
What’s the first film you saw which awakened your sexuality? Mine is probably Dangerous Liaisons. I still have a thing for John Malkovich. [Pajiba]
Katy Perry is trying way too hard. [Socialite Life]
What are the worst TV show endings? [Buzzfeed]
Give Giancarlo Esposito his flowers, he’s amazing. [JustJared]
Jeremy Allen White was on Law & Order: SVU. [Seriously OMG]
Will you watch The Fabulous Four? [OMG Blog]

Holy crap!! Prince Harry will be honored at this year’s ESPYs!! The ESPYs are ESPN’s prestigious awards for athletes, sports commentators and people adjacent to sports. This year’s ESPYs will be held on Thursday, July 11th at 8 PM on ABC, and they’re being hosted by ESPY winner and GOAT Serena Williams. ESPN just announced the recipients of their special awards, like the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage (which is going to Steve Gleason) and the Pat Tillman Award for Service. Which is going to Harry. Per ESPN’s media release:

In honor of his tireless work in making a positive impact for the veteran community through the power of sport, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex will receive the Pat Tillman Award for Service, an award given to a person with a strong connection to sports who has served others in a way that echoes the legacy of the former NFL player and U.S. Army Ranger, Pat Tillman.

After serving for 10 years in the British Armed Forces, including two tours of duty in Afghanistan as a forward air controller and Apache helicopter pilot, Prince Harry founded The Invictus Games Foundation, continuing his service by creating an international platform to support wounded, injured, and sick servicemen and women – both active-duty and veterans – who are navigating both physical and invisible injuries. Since inception, the Games have transcended borders and impacted lives across every continent, bringing together competitors from 23 nations, with continued support and programming 365 days of the year.

Now celebrating its tenth year, The Invictus Games has evolved into a globally celebrated and acclaimed organization that celebrates resilience, community, and healing through the power of sport. Past recipients of the Pat Tillman Award for Service include Jake Wood (2018), Kirstie Ennis (2019), Kim Clavel (2020), Marcus Rashford (2021), Gretchen Evans (2022) and the Buffalo Bills Training Staff (2023).

“It’s our privilege to recognize three incredible individuals – Steve Gleason, Dawn Staley and Prince Harry,” said Kate Jackson, VP, Production, ESPN. “These honorees have used their platforms to change the world and make it more inclusive for marginalized and suffering communities, demonstrating incredible resilience, positivity and perseverance, and we’re thrilled to celebrate them at The 2024 ESPYS.”

[From ESPN]

I’m not sure if people outside the US understand how big this is. It’s a huge f–king deal that Harry is receiving an award named for Pat Tillman, who left pro football to serve his country in uniform. To be recognized for the Invictus Games on this kind of scale is so significant for Harry and for the Invictus community. I’m writing this before I check in with the British commentary, but I can imagine there will be some massive meltdowns when they realize how huge this is.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

Kelly Bensimon is a 56-year-old RHONY alum. She’s also a former model and former fashion editor. Her stint on RHONY seemed to give a boost to her career as an all-around celebrity and she reportedly has a net worth around $10 million. In 2009, she was charged with misdemeanor assault for allegedly punching her boyfriend at the time, Nick Stefanov. She ended up taking a plea deal and performing two days of community service. Years later, she met Scott Litner at a Rangers game. Litner is a finance bro who has worked for Bank of America, Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns. They got engaged last year on the Fourth of July. Their wedding was supposed to happen this coming weekend, only Kelly called off the wedding and ended the engagement. She issued statements to Us Weekly and People Magazine about why she ended things so suddenly:

Kelly Bensimon is speaking out after calling off her wedding to financier Scott Litner four days before the pair were supposed to tie the knot, telling PEOPLE that she “refused to marry him” after he wouldn’t sign a prenup.

“Ultimately, my decision is nobody’s business, but I understand that there is speculation and gossip, and I want to put an end to all of it,” Bensimon, 56, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “To be clear, he refused to sign a prenuptial agreement, and I refused to marry him. Full stop.”

PEOPLE confirmed Bensimon called off the nuptials earlier this week, with an insider close to the reality star saying that she was taking time for herself to regroup during a difficult time.

In an official statement, the Real Housewives of New York City alum confirmed the news, saying that the June 29 wedding was called off on Tuesday, June 25, and that she was “disappointed by this turn of events.”

“She was looking forward to an exciting new chapter in her life together with Scott when everything became clear to her late on Tuesday afternoon,” the statement read, adding a quote from Bensimon herself: “He thought that I would enter this union without legal protections in place, that I would leave everything to faith. But I’ve worked really, really, hard as a single mother and have always made smart decisions for myself and my family, and that will continue.”

The statement added Litner, who works as a wealth management advisor, “refused to sign a prenuptial agreement, effectively stalling their engagement mere days before the wedding.”

[From People]

I would imagine that Litner has his own money from his finance career, and it sounds like he’s used to pulling down mid-to-high six figures a year. My point being, a prenup would have protected him and his assets as well and I do think it’s shady AF that he seemingly refused to sign a prenup. Kelly also told Us Weekly that she thought the refusal was “the ultimate red flag,” and I kind of agree with her?

Also, I have to say something really political here, so if you’re not in the mood, just skip this but given the hard-right evangelical political turn in many states and within the Supreme Court, women need to start being very VERY f–king careful about who they become legally attached to. If this year’s elections take a bad turn, no-fault divorces are on the chopping block in a big way. Birth control access is on the chopping block, nevermind abortion access. I’m just saying… ladies, if you want to shack up with a man, go ahead. But don’t combine finances, don’t marry without a prenup, don’t leave yourself unprotected, don’t let that man baby-trap you or marriage-trap you.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Jason Kelce and Travis Kelce recorded this week’s New Heights podcast last Saturday, just hours after they met Prince William, Prince George and Princess Charlotte backstage at Taylor Swift’s Eras concert at Wembley. As we discussed yesterday, Travis thinks Prince William is “the coolest motherf–ker.” That was the big headline and I wanted to get the story out quickly because I knew that it would be one of the bigger stories of the day (it was). The British media is crowing about it too, that Taylor Swift’s cool football player boyfriend thinks an angry egg is a “cool motherf–ker.” Of course they’re trying to drag the Sussexes into it too. Anyway, that’s all an explanation for why I didn’t get to the quotes about what the Kelces thought about the royal kids. Turns out, both Jason and Travis spent a little time with William, Charlotte and George and they were full of praise for the Wales kids.

Both Travis and Jason were big fans of 9-year-old Charlotte, who was pictured beaming alongside her dad, 42, and brother, 10, in a selfie with Swift and Travis, both 34.

“I gotta say, Prince William was fantastic, but the highlight was Princess Charlotte. Prince George was great too. She was so f—— adorable. Like, I cannot…” Jason shared, as Travis agreed and said “she was.”

“She was a superstar,” Travis added, as Jason admitted, “I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I have three girls now. She had fire to her. She was asking questions,” Jason continued, calling that the “most electric” part of the meeting.

“I love it when parents ask their kids to be present, be vocal,” Travis revealed. “They encourage them to take the lead in a conversation,” added Jason, which the Kansas City Chiefs star called “such a good parent move.”

“Just a good meet and the picture, keep it moving. No, let them have a moment, let them feel comfortable in talking to people… If anyone’s doing it right, Prince William’s doing it right,” Travis said. “So thank you, Your Royal Highness. It was awesome meeting you, and Charlotte and George.”

[From People Magazine]

While I generally dislike the way the media has tried to “assign” personalities to the Wales kids – the clown, the boss, the shy heir – I do have to admit that Charlotte seems to be very self-assured and, for lack of a better word, “cool.” It also feels like Charlotte takes the lead and her brothers follow her. Anyway, I don’t have an issue with what the Kelce bros said about the kids. Personally, I find the whole volte face on “f–k kings, we’re Americans” to “William is the coolest motherf–ker” issue to be on-brand for the Kelces too.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid & Instagram.

This year, we’ve seen a surprising number of royal “portraits.” A few months ago, Jonathan Yeo unveiled his portrait of King Charles to widespread acclaim. Soon after, Tatler commissioned Hannah Uzor to do a large-scale portrait of the Princess of Wales, to widespread mockery. Yeo’s portrait of Charles actually looked like him and it was thought-provoking. It slapped, honestly. Uzor’s portrait of the then-missing Kate was just flat and very basic. Well, the trend of royal portraiture continues. British artist Dan Llywelyn Hall has a new exhibition called The Reign, in which he painted some modern royals to look like historic royals. As in, the Duchess of Sussex is painted as the White Queen, Elizabeth Grey. Prince Harry is painted as Bonnie Prince Charlie.

The Duchess of Sussex has been portrayed as the White Queen in a nod to her “influential” outsider status. Artist Dan Llywelyn Hall depicted Meghan, 42, as Dame Elizabeth Grey, who became Queen of England after marrying Edward IV in 1464, and Prince Harry, 39, as Charles Edward Stuart, otherwise known as Bonnie Prince Charlie.

He said: “I thought putting Meghan in the role of the White Queen, who was a queen consort and possibly the most influential ‘outsider’ in royal history, might have a fine irony to it and not necessarily beyond the realms of reality.”

Mr Llywelyn Hall, who at 32 was the youngest artist to paint Elizabeth II, has produced 10 new portraits inspired by royalty throughout history for the Society of Antiquaries. Artist Adam Dant has painted a further 10 works. Their exhibition, titled The Reign, marks the 150th anniversary of the society, which is based at Burlington House in London’s Piccadilly, and will be auctioned to support the cataloguing and digitisation of around 25,000 prints and drawings from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Mr Llywelyn Hall said: “The Royal family is possibly the most enthralling longest-running drama in history, the inspiration of theatre, books and every art form. It seemed that these figures caught on the knife edge of public opinion were ideal for drawing comparisons from distant monarchs – like the exiled princes and princesses of the past, that lurk in the background but are still irrevocably tied to the job. We can’t help ourselves and wonder whatever next?”

He added: “In Harry’s case, I have entered the story before he met Meghan – the young party-goer with his future very much in the balance, a bit like the Bonnie Prince I have likened him to.”

[From The Telegraph]

Hall’s artistry seems in the same vein as Lucian Freud, and I would guess that Freud is an inspiration for Hall. As for the paintings themselves…the Harry piece bears a resemblance, I’ll admit, although it’s giving “Henry VIII” more than Prince Harry. Meghan-as-the-White-Queen though… I’m not so sure. Anyway, I hope these paintings sell! At least they’re interesting.

Portraits courtesy of Dan Llywelyn Hall’s Instagram.