Here are some photos of Day 1 of Royal Ascot, which was Tuesday, June 18th. King Charles and Queen Camilla were in attendance, because Charles is trying to rebrand himself as a late-in-life horse enthusiast. Zara and Mike Tindall were also there, because they turn up to practically every royal event and no one blinks an eye. Prince Eugenie was also there, but she was not included in the “royal procession,” where royals ride along in carriages and wave to the peasants.

Someone who was invited to the royal procession? Lady Gabriella Windsor. She was also invited to Trooping the Colour, but she did not step onto the balcony. So Ascot marks her first real public appearance since her husband’s February death. Gabriella was invited to ride in a carriage with Princess Anne and Peter Phillips. Gabriella looked okay, all things considered. She’s lost a noticeable amount of weight but she made the effort to show up and smile. Hr vibe was “I’m ready to get out of the house for a few hours.”

The Court Jeweller had some interesting details about Camilla and Charles’s Ascot bling. Charles wore an antique tie pin bearing the royal cypher of Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria. Which is just weird, right? Meanwhile, Camilla dusted off her new favorite sapphire piece, the absolutely enormous Prince Albert’s Brooch, an extraordinary diamond-and-sapphire piece given to Queen Victoria by Prince Albert the night before their wedding. Camilla has worn the piece twice before. It was also a favorite of QEII. Camilla also grabbed a pair of QEII’s earrings with sapphires, diamonds, rubies and pearl drops. Camilla’s blue ensemble was done by dressmaker Fiona Clare, in her favorite “zippered housedress” style.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Justin Timberlake was apparently arrested on Monday night for driving while intoxicated. As of Tuesday morning, he was still in jail – likely sobering up – but he was released/bailed out by Tuesday afternoon. He was arrested for DWI in Sag Harbor, New York. It took a minute for the tabloid sites and New York media to call their law enforcement sources, but they had an abundance of tea by Tuesday afternoon as well. Obviously, the New York Post has been leading the charge. The NYP LOVES when celebrities commit crimes in New York. According to their sources, JT refused to take a breathalyzer, and the arresting officer didn’t even recognize Justin’s washed up ass.

Justin Timberlake refused to take a breathalyzer test when police pulled him over in Sag Harbor, NY, prior to his DWI arrest early Tuesday. Sources tell Page Six that the “Selfish” singer was at the American Hotel “with a bunch of friends” Monday night and “there were cops stationed outside where he was having dinner.”

After Timberlake left, we’re told the cops “pulled out and they pulled him over for a traffic violation.”

“His friends were telling the police, ‘Let him go, let him go,’” one insider tells us.

Sources say the pop star took a field sobriety test but “refused” a breathalyzer test. We’re also told that the cop who pulled Timberlake over “was so young that he didn’t even know” who the 10-time Grammy winner was. “He didn’t recognize him or his name,” our insider says.

A second source adds, “Justin said under his breath, ‘This is going to ruin the tour.’ The cop replied, ‘What tour?’ Justin said, ‘The world tour.’”

Timberlake, 43, was taken into custody shortly after midnight and charged with one count of driving while intoxicated and two other traffic violations: not stopping at a stop sign and failure to stay in a proper lane of travel.

His attorney, prominent Hamptons lawyer Eddie Burke Jr., did not elaborate on the specifics of his client’s arrest when reached for comment.

“He was a gentleman,” the second source tells Page Six. “He didn’t show any entitlement at all. He did refuse the tests, but that is his right.”

Ironically, the American Hotel is located directly across the street from the office of Burke Jr., who has previously repped clients such as Lizzie Grubman and Matt Lauer. The “SexyBack” singer was arraigned and released from custody on his own recognizance Tuesday morning. His license will be suspended in New York, but we’re told he has an out-of-state license.

[From Page Six]

Out of state license… that’s what I don’t understand. Why was Justin even in Sag Harbor? I think he has a place in Manhattan (or he did at some point) and he and Jessica have a place in Colorado and maybe LA. Do they own property in the Hamptons or somewhere in Long Island? Why was out there? Another question I have – clearly, if the cops were waiting outside the bar, they’re used to rowdy, drunk rich folks driving drunk out of the parking lot. Why did Justin not stop at the sign and why was he incapable of driving in the correct lane? He must have been sh-tfaced, just my guess. As for the cop failing to recognize him… lmao.

They also got a photo of Justin in handcuffs, and his mugshot was released too. Ten bucks says he announces a rehab stay by the end of the month. He should welcome it – Page Six is also running a story about how “everyone knows” that he’s had a drinking problem for years. His face tells the tale, as I said yesterday. A music insider told Page Six: “It’s not a secret. Everyone knows. He has a real drinking problem, a lot of weed — but a major alcohol problem, and he’s been hiding and masking it for years.” I hope this is a wakeup call. I’m being genuine – he should go to rehab and try to live a sober life.

Happy Juneteenth Eve. pic.twitter.com/sRelCm5E2x

— Ernest Owens (@MrErnestOwens) June 18, 2024

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

Austin Butler met Cher at The Bikeriders premiere in LA. [JustJared]
Neil Jordan’s assessment of Tom Cruise is pretty dead-on. [LaineyGossip]
Scooter Braun is retiring from music management, he will not focus on the C-suite of the music industry (which is probably why his clients left him). [Hollywood Life]
Can Armie Hammer just be over and done? [Socialite Life]
Almost 200,000 people traveled out of state for abortions. [Jezebel]
Selena Gomez posed with her older gentlemen friends. [Seriously OMG]
I’m not surprised that Inside Out 2 had such a huge opening weekend, the first film is so good. But they should have brought back the original actors. [Pajiba]
Blake Lively wore Balmain & Valentino. [RCFA]
Ladies, do you trust your husband with your best friend? [Buzzfeed]
Miss Piggy is a fashion icon, and everyone copies her. [OMG Blog]

Monday was Garter Day in the UK, meaning the annual service for the Order of the Garter. Many of the senior royals are members of the Garter, plus some non-British royals, like King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands and Spain’s King Felipe. There are also just well-connected or extraordinary British people – like Andrew Lloyd Webber – who are Garter knights. Every year on Garter Day, the knights of the Garter gather in Windsor for a service at St George’s Chapel.

This year, Garter Day was attended by King Charles, Queen Camilla, Prince William, Princess Anne and Prince Edward, all of them Garter knights or whatever. The Duchess of Edinburgh does not belong to the Order of the Garter, but she was still there to show her support for her husband. She spent most of her time with William though, because William went stag to the event. No Princess of Wales – she wasn’t scheduled to appear, so it’s not like her absence was a last-minute scandal or anything. She’s not a Garter lady-knight or anything, but like Sophie, she usually comes out to support her husband.

So what can we gather from the Garter Day photos? Sophie is really doing the most to cozy up to an angry egg. Edward and William really resemble each other these days. William is fine with hanging out with Edward & Sophie too, he rode in the carriage with them and he and Sophie spent more time together than Sophie and Ed. Camilla still looks like the cat who got the cream. Charles looked a bit perkier on Garter Day than at Trooping. William looked perkier too – it seems like Kate’s absence actually makes everything run smoother, huh? And I still kind of hate-respect how Camilla actually rocks the velvet cape and white plumage.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

Almost one year ago exactly, Prince William brought the Duchess of Edinburgh as his “date” to a documentary screening. It was odd because it wasn’t like Princess Kate was busy, and it didn’t feel like Sophie and William had ever been particularly close. That outing caused some commentary about how Sophie and William have some kind of special bond. Well, the special bond was on display yet again on Monday, Garter Day. With the Princess of Wales skipping the service, William rode in a carriage with Prince Edward and Sophie, then Sophie was seen paying much more attention to William than her husband. The Daily Mail swears that Sophie is a “maternal” figure to Huevo.

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Edinburgh were snapped enjoying another intimate moment together yesterday – the latest in a series of interactions which demonstrate the ‘maternal’ pride ‘supportive’ Sophie has for the heir. Sophie, 59, is married to 41-year-old Prince William’s uncle Prince Edward, the Duke of Edinburgh, 60. And the mother-of-two seems to share close bonds with many members of the Royal Family.

As well as her famously close bond with the late Queen Elizabeth II, Sophie is also believed to be close to both Kate, the Princess of Wales, 42, and William. And this closeness was on display yesterday, during the ancient Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor Castle.

As the royals left following the service, William and Sophie were photographed smiling and chatting with each other, appearing to enjoy each other’s company. This interchange followed a sweet moment the two royals shared two days earlier, during Trooping the Colour. After the family appeared on the balcony to watch the RAF flypast, Sophie was seen placing a comforting hand on William’s back as they made their way back into the palace.

Commenting on the moment in a post on X (formerly Twitter) royal commentator Victoria Arbiter described Sophie’s gesture as one of support and comfort.

She wrote: ‘Always on hand to offer her support, The Duchess of Edinburgh was pictured giving Prince William a comforting “you did it” as the royals returned inside following their balcony appearance at Buckingham Palace.’

[From The Daily Mail]

It’s more complicated than “Sophie approached William like a loving aunt/surrogate mother,” in my opinion. Back in the day, Sophie absolutely thought she would be the next Diana, and that she would “fill” the role as the Windsors’ next charismatic blonde. That did not work out for her. But I don’t think Sophie actually treats William like an aunt or whatever. She genuinely seems to be sucking up to “the heir.” Flattering him, playing to his ego. It’s definitely… something.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

All of the post-Trooping the Colour keenery has been interesting to watch, although I’m sure I missed some of it. My genuine happiness at seeing the Princess of Wales has shifted over to annoyance at the canonization commentary of “Saint Kate, who is better than the lesser mortals with cancer.” I’m also fascinated by Buckingham Palace’s very obvious shift away from Kate’s presence at Trooping and overemphasizing the importance of Charles being seen with his Wales grandchildren. All in all, a wealth of competing PR narratives and general weirdness. Well, Katie Nicholl at Vanity Fair has a new piece. It looks like the Middletons are finally taking her calls too.

The announcement that the Princess of Wales was to attend Trooping the Colour came late on Friday, and it all but guaranteed a record turnout. The palace had previously indicated that the princess, who had not been seen in public since Christmas Day, would not carry out any public engagements while undergoing cancer treatment. Kate, who is Colonel of the Irish Guards, did not attend last week’s. However, after turning a corner on her health journey, Kate, who is undergoing a course of preventative chemotherapy, decided that she wanted to attend.

“It was the Princess’s decision and hers alone,” a source close to the family told Vanity Fair. “Catherine discussed the idea with William and with the King after having the OK from her medical team. Thankfully she has been feeling much better recently and Trooping has been something of a goal for her to work towards.”

Immaculately dressed in a white Jenny Packham dress and Jimmy Choo heels, coordinating smartly with her children’s navy and white outfits, the Princess looked radiant and happy. Aware that the cameras would be trained on her, she smiled almost constantly, but there were occasional moments when she appeared pensive, and after standing for an hour to watch the ceremony at Horse Guards, she gratefully accepted a seat.

The King has been a pillar of support to the Princess following her cancer diagnosis and has confided to friends that their shared experience has brought them even closer. Their warm and easy banter certainly showed the closeness between them. Charles had told his medical team and aides that his appearance at Trooping was “non-negotiable” and he was delighted that his daughter-in-law was well enough to be by his side for the occasion.

[From Vanity Fair]

Variations of “The king was delighted that Kate was there” have been briefed far and wide, as if to block the narrative that Charles was mad that Kate’s presence pulled focus from him and she stole his parade thunder. I genuinely believe that Charles does feel like Kate stole his thunder (after all, he was reportedly furious last year when she turned up to the Chelsea Flower Show on the same day), but he also understands that Kate and the kids couldn’t stay hidden forever, and it was better to exhibit her in a controlled fashion, where he could get some personal mileage out of it (the “grandpa keenery”).

All of which to say, I seriously doubt that “It was the Princess’s decision and hers alone.” Whatever has been happening behind the scenes for the past six months, Kate’s Trooping appearance had the feel of something stage-managed and ordered by Charles and his courtiers. Remember, I’ve been saying that Buckingham Palace wrested control of KP’s communications in mid-March, after the frankenphotos and bizarre/staged “sightings.” BP has clearly been “in charge” of the Kate situation since March 18th or thereabouts.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

I remember, years ago, when it felt like every celebrity was drinking and driving. There was like a three-year rash of celebrity DUIs and DWIs. It was legitimately a “trend” and a horrible one at that. There was significant backlash to the trend at the time too and Mothers Against Drunk Driving came out repeatedly to educate young people. Then drunk-driving was replaced by texting-and-driving as an issue. But I digress. We haven’t had a big-name celebrity get caught drunk driving in a minute. That’s what happened in Sag Harbor, New York on Monday. Justin Timberlake was arrested for driving while intoxicated.

Justin Timberlake was arrested on Long Island on Monday night and accused of driving while intoxicated, authorities said.

The pop superstar, who was still in custody in Sag Harbor on Tuesday morning, the Sag Harbor Village Police confirmed to NBC News.

He will face a DWI charge, a court official said.

[From NBC News]

My guess is that Justin has been drinking too much for years. His face tells the tale, iykyk. I remember when he was caught being completely sh-tfaced in New Orleans and cheating on his wife too – that happened in 2019. And you know it’s bad when someone is drinking to excess on a MONDAY. Anyway, shame on him. He’s in his 40s – he knows better and he’s extremely lucky he didn’t hurt himself or someone else. Lock him up!!

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

More fashion pics from the Tony Awards – Sarah Paulson looked amazing (minus the bows), and she picked up her first Tony, as did Jeremy Strong. [Just Jared]
Why was Kenya Moore suspended from RHOA? [Socialite Life]
I might have to resubscribe to ESPN+ to watch Serena Williams: In the Arena, her latest eight-part docuseries. [LaineyGossip]
Variety breaks down the best Disney fathers. [OMG Blog]
Andrew McCarthy, The Brat Pack and the wrong framing. [Pajiba]
Kerry Washington’s business skort is surprisingly great. [Go Fug Yourself]
Alicia Keys wore Gucci to the Tonys. [RCFA]
Gordon Ramsay was injured in a bike accident. [Seriously OMG]
How much plastic surgery has Lisa Rinna had? [Starcasm]
Miley Cyrus couldn’t drive for three days after one puff of her mom’s weed. [Hollywood Life]
Is John Mulaney married again? [Buzzfeed]

Thomas Kingston passed away in February of this year. His death was announced several days after the fact, and Buckingham Palace held the announcement until just after King Constantine’s Windsor memorial service. It was clear, in real time, that Kensington Palace was also briefing about Kingston’s death as a deflection from Prince William’s absence at Constantine’s memorial. Since then, Kingston’s widow Lady Gabriella Windsor has been avoiding public events. She moved out of the Notting Hill home she shared with her husband, and she apparently moved in with her parents in Kensington Palace. Reportedly, King Charles invited Gabriella to Trooping the Colour, and many of us wondered if Gabriella would turn up on the balcony. It felt like she was possibly “backup” – an attractive younger royal woman who could show up on the balcony in case the Princess of Wales couldn’t make it to Trooping. Well, Gabriella did go to Trooping, but she didn’t step foot on the balcony.

Lady Gabriella Windsor made her first public appearance since the tragic death of her husband, Thomas Kingston, at Trooping the Colour yesterday. The daughter of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent, 43, put on a brave face as she watched the RAF flypast from inside Buckingham Palace.

King Charles invited Ella, as she is known by friends, to attend his birthday parade, marking her first appearance since her war hero and financier husband, Thomas Kingston, was found dead aged 45 at his parents’ home in the Cotswolds.

‘Everyone hopes that Ella will attend the celebrations, if she feels up to it,’ a royal source told the Daily Mail’s Richard Eden in May, adding: ‘It would be a powerful signal of the Family’s love and concern for her.’

The source’s hope materialised yesterday as she stood watching the parade with family inside the palace, including her brother, Lord Frederik Windsor and his wife, Sophie Winkleman, whom she stood next to. Her invitation to yesterday’s event is a touching sign of the Royal Family rallying around to help Lady Gabriella recover from the ordeal. Kingston died from a ‘traumatic head wound’, an inquest heard in March. A gun was found near his body in an outbuilding at his parents’ home in the Cotswolds.

Understandably, Lady Gabriella hung back from the balcony and watched the RAF flypast from inside Buckingham Palace. Lady Gabriella was photographed observing the performance behind Princess Anne, her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Lawrence and the Duke of Kent.

[From The Daily Mail]

Only the Mail covered the photos – you could only see Gabriella from certain angles in wide shots of the far-right side of the balcony. I’m fascinated by the fake “honor” of being on the balcony versus the minor royal figures who “get invited” to Trooping. In 2022, the Sussexes were “invited” to Trooping at the last minute, but they watched the parade from a different area with the other cousins. Not Gabriella and Lord Frederick Windsor – they were actually invited into Buckingham Palace for Trooping, but simply not allowed on the balcony.

Lady Gabriella Windsor joined the Royal Family at Trooping the Colour in her first public appearance since the tragic death of her husband Thomas Kingston https://t.co/sDfo0EkpRd pic.twitter.com/IvF57ejRg5

— Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) June 16, 2024

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

Joe Alwyn is only 33 years old but he has some old-ass eyes. Whenever I see a closely cropped photo of his face, I’m always surprised by how exhausted his eyes look. Anyway, Joe covers the most recent issue of the Sunday Times’s Style Magazine. He’s promoting Kinds of Kindness, his second time working with director Yorgos Lanthimos after his turn in The Favourite. Joe has always given interviews to promote his films, but he very rarely answers personal questions. That was true for the years he dated Taylor Swift, circa 2016-2023. But Kinds of Kindness is his first big promotion since he and Taylor split last year. This interview is the first time he’s really talked about any of it. I find myself admiring his reserve – if I had excited a relationship with the Queen Snake and she had devoted an album to the guy who came after me, I’m sure I would want to settle some scores. Joe is not into score-settling, although the fact that he’s even trying to address *some* of what’s happened is remarkable. Some highlights from the Times:

Whether he’s listened to The Tortured Poets Department: “In thinking on what I was going to say, I would think and hope that anyone and everyone can empathise … This isn’t a direct answer to your question, but just thinking about what I want to talk about …I would hope that anyone and everyone can empathise and understand the difficulties that come with the end of a long, loving, fully committed relationship of over six and a half years. That is a hard thing to navigate. What is unusual and abnormal in this situation is that, one week later, it’s suddenly in the public domain and the outside world is able to weigh in.”

What is known vs. what is said: “So you have something very real suddenly thrown into a very unreal space: tabloids, social media, press, where it is then dissected, speculated on, pulled out of shape beyond recognition. And the truth is, to that last point, there is always going to be a gap between what is known and what is said. I have made my peace with that.”

He’s not into commodifying the relationship: “As everyone knows, we together — both of us, mutually — decided to keep the more private details of our relationship private. It was never something to commodify and I see no reason to change that now. And, look, this is also a little over a year ago now and I feel fortunate to be in a really great place in my life, professionally and personally. I feel really good.” Later I point out that, arguably, the reason to change tack is because Swift — who has 283 million Instagram followers — has released an album where some songs seemingly relate to their relationship unravelling. “Well, as I said, there’s always going to be a gap between what’s known and what’s said.”

He won’t discuss whether he’s still in touch with his ex or whether he is dating again: “I’m sure you can appreciate, given the level of noise and scrutiny about my past relationship, why I wouldn’t want to just open the door to things like that right now.”

He’s trying to ignore the Swifties: “I have brilliant, authentic people in my life. I try and live in reality and away from the kind of online noise of Twitter — or wherever else it comes from — and try and just stay in the moment.” He laughs off the idea that he’d have to go out in disguise, but clearly avoids the Swift-related conspiracy nuttiness and trolling. “I try and dial that volume down. I was obviously made aware of it and think that mistreating anyone, whether it’s in person or behind the anonymity of a keyboard, is shameful.”

Taylor’s namecheck of the Black Dog pub in Vauxhall: Capitalising on this association, the pub has recently released merchandise: £50 hoodies, naff caps, tees and travel mugs. “I’ve never been to Vauxhall,” says Alwyn, smiling a smile that hints that there is more to say.

[From The Times]

“There is always going to be a gap between what is known and what is said” – while I think he mostly means the outside world dissecting and discussing his relationship with Swift, I also think he’s referencing Taylor herself and how she writes and sings about her relationships. He seems confident that no matter what, he’s not going to get the full “Taylor’s Ex” treatment. What’s amazing is that he’s right – it’s been more than a year and he’s mostly weathered the storm with little to no repercussions. The Swifties have tried to throw accusations at him – he cheated, he refused to marry her, he strung her along – but Joe just stayed placid and quiet. And that shows how well he knows Taylor too – maybe he didn’t know exactly how it would happen, but he knew Taylor would make an ass out of herself and the heat would be off of him at some point. Matt Healy was like instant karma.

His comment about the very online Swifties is interesting too – “I was obviously made aware of it and think that mistreating anyone, whether it’s in person or behind the anonymity of a keyboard, is shameful.” Funny, Taylor has never said anything like that about her own fans.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, cover courtesy of The Times.