In the wake of Sean Combs’ arrest, people on social media have been doing way too much to spread conspiracies about all of the celebrities involved in Combs’ “parties.” The eagerness with which people are trying to drag celebrities into Combs’ crimes is insulting to the victims and it minimizes the actual crimes Sean Combs has been charged with. Combs, like Harvey Weinstein, was a predator for decades and he hid in plain sight by associating with famous people and inviting those people to his legitimate parties (parties which didn’t involve rape). Posting an old photo of Weinstein/Combs with [insert celebrity] isn’t proof of anything other than they posed together in 2004. Well, Ashton Kutcher is the “insert celebrity” of the moment. Ashton went to some of those parties. But Ashton wants people to know that he had nothing to do with it and that his marriage is fine.

Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis are not breaking up, despite online rumors, a source tells PEOPLE.

“This is absolutely ridiculous and false,” the source says in response to online chatter claiming the couple are separating amid renewed speculation over Kutcher’s past friendship with Sean “Diddy” Combs.

Earlier this week, old photos of Kutcher and Combs — who was arrested on Sept. 16 and charged with sex trafficking, racketeering and a transportation to engage in prostitution — partying together also resurfaced on social media. (Diddy, 54, has pleaded not guilty, but has been denied bail twice.)

Adds another source: “Ashton has no involvement in any of this. He doesn’t belong in this conversation about Diddy. Ashton has only seen Diddy in a handful of social and business events, all of which have been documented by the media.”

[From People]

I’m loath to defend Ashton Kutcher whatsoever, but again, I hope people stop saying that every single person who took a photo with Sean Combs somehow knew about the extent of his depravity. There is already plenty of evidence that Ashton Kutcher is a despicable person – his vocal support of a serial rapist like Danny Masterson is evidence enough – so I do understand why people are more likely to believe that Ashton is involved. But IDK, let’s wait until Combs starts naming names?

Ashton Kutcher warned there’s a lot he can’t tell about Diddy’s parties

“Diddy party stories… man, that was like some weird memory lane.” pic.twitter.com/lELJtG0NV0

— BAY AREA STATE OF MIND (@YayAreaNews) September 19, 2024

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

From Rosie: It’s my favorite time of year: Halloween season! I picked up this tablecloth in orange and black and love it so much. They also have ones with pumpkins and a glow-in-the-dark one, which I’m thinking about getting. I like this brand because it’s under $20, good quality and easy to keep clean. I also picked up a Halloween-themed Bluey coloring book for my younger son and this general Halloween-themed one for myself. As for the tablecloth, other people in reviews love it just as much as I do. “I love love love this table cloth!! EVERYTIME I see it it makes me smile! It’s just as pictured!!” “Very easy to clean! Always a plus when you have messy eaters. Good quality.” Here’s what else CB and I are looking at on Amazon this week.

Sales and deals
27% off the Gym People Thick High Waist Yoga Pants with Pockets – 19.99+
26% off Dyson V8 Plus Cordless Vacuum, Silver/Nickel – 349.99
76% off Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth 5.3 Headphones Bass Stereo – 21.99
41% off Walking Pad with Incline, Akluer Incline Walking Pad Treadmill – 99.99
36% off 6 pack Solar Lights Outdoor Waterproof, 3 Lighting Modes – 47.99
27% off 2 pack Women’s Slim-Fit Long Sleeve Rib Knit Crew Neck – 20.90
31% off 6 pack Heavy Duty Moving Bags with Backpack Straps and Strong Handles – 19.99
41% off CozyLux Queen Bed in a Bag White Seersucker Comforter Set – 32.99
27% off Mold Stain Remover Gel Cleaner Heavy Duty Stain Cleaner – 13.95
57% off Floor Lamp for Living Room with 3 Color Temperatures LED Bulb – 29.98
51% off Women’s Long Open Front Cardigans Striped Color Block – 33.99
47% off White Noise Machine with 20 Non Looping Natural Soothing Sounds – 15.99
43% off Womens Oversized Sweatshirts Turtleneck Pullover Long Sleeve Hoodies – 25.99

A brain teaser puzzle that’s fun for kids and adults

From Rosie: Kanoodle is one of those “TikTok Made Me Buy It” crazes and it’s really fun. It’s a brain teaser puzzle game with 200 different 2D and 3D puzzles. It comes with a puzzle book and a case for easy travel. Right now, it’s only $10 on Amazon (normally $14). You can pick one up for yourself or at that price, grab a few to give as gifts. It has a 4.7 star rating, more than 28,800 reviews, and an A on Fakespot. In reviews, people mention that it’s fun for all ages and love that it’s a good alternative to playing on a phone or tablet. “Kanoodle is a fun and challenging puzzle game. It’s compact and easy to take anywhere.With various difficulty levels, it’s perfect for both kids and adults.” “I bought this gift for my eight year old and was pleasantly surprised by how fun it is for all ages. It kept him engaged for a long time, first starting with the 2D puzzles, then moving on to 3D. Later the adults we were hosting were all taking turns playing it. I plan to keep a few of these around for random gifting at Christmas time or birthdays.” “Love that this keeps me off my phone. Great brain teaser. Can use it anywhere.”

A stylish bathrobe that keeps you warm and cozy

From Rosie: My bathrobe is my favorite item of clothing. I absolutely would live in it if I could, and I’m excited for cooler weather so I have the excuse to wear it more often. This lightweight fleece bathrobe is an Amazon best-seller. It’s made of teddy sherpa fabric and designed to keep you warm while looking stylish. It comes in 14 different colors. It has a 4.6 star rating, more than 9,300 reviews, and an A on Fakespot. People love how soft and warm it is. “So soft and plush. It’s a great length and very comfortable to wear while lounging around the house.” “After months of searching through robe options, I gave this one a try. It does NOT disappoint! If you’re looking for a soft, plush robe, I highly recommend this.” “The robe is lightweight, yet warm. It’s also soft and very comfortable.”

Overnight patches that get rid of your pimples

From Rosie: The Mighty Patch is the #1 best seller in Amazon’s Beauty & Personal Care section. It’s a hydrocolloid patch that you put one over your pimples or blemishes overnight to help them heal. It also helps pull out the gunk so you never have to pop a pimple again. You can pick up a 36 count pack for $11. This has a 4.8 star rating, more than 148,700 reviews, and an A on Fakespot. Users rave about how well these work. “They stick well to the skin, staying in place without irritation, and are nearly invisible, making them perfect for daytime use as well…If you’re looking for a simple, no-fuss solution to cover and treat zits, Mighty Patch is definitely worth trying!” “I love the Mighty Patch. I’ve used it for several years and continue to purchase. It works well with ache that is close to the surface or open. It definitely reduces the size and appearance the next morning.” “Love them. It’s really satisfying to see all the gunk it extracts!! Leaves the pimple significantly flatter and doesn’t leave it really dry. I’ve bought them twice now.”

A divided party serving tray for taco nights, snacks and more

From CB: This covered divided serving tray would be great for taco night, for veggies and for snacks. It has a lid for easy storage and is BPA free and dishwasher safe. The center compartment fits standard round dip containers. This listing has 4.7 stars, over 2,000 ratings and a B on Fakespot. I looked through so many party trays before finding this one! People say it’s easy to clean, sturdy and fits well in the refrigerator. “I ordered the red one and it looked great with the lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickle slices (in the middle section with the lid) for a large barbecue picnic. I love it!” “Best veggie tray ever!! Everyone in my family loves it. It makes taking a potluck tray super easy to make and bring. As a bonus it is also dishwasher safe and easy to clean.” “Love the versatility of this tray whether you want to use it at home or put the lid on to take to a gathering. Super easy to wash. It has increased our families veggie intake as I make my own veggie tray weekly for us to snack on.”

A vegan eyebrow gel that’s comparable to much more expensive brands

From CB: Essence Make Me Brow eyebrow gel is so inexpensive I thought that the 3-pack label couldn’t be accurate. You get three tubes of blonde or brown-based colors for under $9. This listing has over 2,000 ratings, 4.3 stars and a B on Fakespot. People say it fills your eyebrows well and that it’s similar to Charlotte Tilbury’s Legendary Brows, which is $26. I’ve ordered this and will report back! “The color is spot on & looks much more natural then you would think.” “This product is amazing. Its quick, and effective. It gives the right amount of color, plus the color match is on point. I love the fact that there are tiny little fibers in this formula. It really amps up the final look. The wand is super tiny, and you can get really detailed. Honestly for the price, I am blown away.”

A portable cable organizer box could solve that problem once and for all

From CB: If your house is anything like mine, there are chargers and connectors spread around, with some in boxes and others in drawers and areas next to where I might need them. When I need a different charger I have to search around and usually find it later. This portable cable organization box is on sale for 29% off at under $22. It has two levels to store both larger items like power bricks amd mice and smaller cables with so many compartments to keep them separate. This listing has over 1,200 ratings, 4.6 stars and a B on Fakespot. People say it’s a decent sized bag that’s sturdy, neat and stores so much. “I can pack so many cords, headset, trackball, etc. in this case and it fits perfectly in my backpack. Keeps me very organized.” “I labeled my cords and put them all in one case!!” “I could not ask for anything better. If you are a family that travels and you have electronics then this is perfect for keeping everything safe and organized.”

A multipack of women’s underwear to refresh yours for fall

From CB: I love my Amazon Essentials cotton underwear because they’re comfortable and breathable. You can get a pack of 6 for under $16 and they come in so many color varieties and in sizes xx-small to 6x. This listing has over 106,000 ratings, 4.3 stars and an A on Fakespot. These are the number one bestselling underwear on Amazon and other people find them as comfortable as I do. “I used to always buy the Victoria Secret bikini underwear but the last several times it was hard to find them among all the other teeny tiny underwear variants. I bought these in a pinch actually because my suitcase didn’t arrive on vacation, but I ended up loving them. They fit exactly the same as the Victoria Secret ones but are so much cheaper.” “I recently felt the need to switch to 100% cotton underwear and it’s made a huge difference. I don’t get a sweaty and they just overall feel more comfortable and the airflow is better. These are actually really soft and nice quality. I bought two different brands to compare and thought this was definitely the best of the two.”

Thanks for reading and commenting on our Amazon post! If you make any purchases from these links we get a small percentage and appreciate it.

This week has been full of (manufactured) drama about the Duchess of Sussex. The Hollywood Reporter’s September 12th report on the Sussexes’ business is still so strange to me, even moreso because THR’s editor is doubling down on their reporting and still claiming that the magazine spoke to current and former Archewell employees here in America. That’s what I keep getting stuck on, especially now that Archewell’s current and former employees have gone on the record to Us Weekly to say that Meghan and Harry are great bosses, and that Meghan isn’t running around, throwing tantrums and making grown men sob at their desks.

The only way THR’s reporting makes any sense is if THR’s editors are lying about their sources or their sources are lying to them about when & where they actually worked with Meghan. THR’s report so heavily mimicked the years of smears from the Windsors and the British media, it’s astounding that new American employees would have the exact same classist, racist, dehumanizing insults for Meghan, and that none of them would go on the record as a named source to THR. That was reinforced this week when a “courtier” ran to the Daily Beast and called Meghan a “demon” who had “psycho moments.” That’s part and parcel of the palace’s character assassination, and someone is trying very hard to convince everyone that Archewell’s employees feel the same way.

Currently, outlets like the Sun and the Daily Beast are trying to say that Us Weekly’s cover story is suspect because it’s Sussex-authorized pushback. As in, Meghan and the Archewell team put together a plan of how to combat yet another wave of character assassination – smears which affect Meghan’s professional reputation in California – and executed that plan by authorizing people to speak on the record to Us Weekly. That’s what’s being dismissed by British outlets and British commentators, who want you to believe their unnamed palace sources with an egg-shaped ax to grind.

Meanwhile, Us Weekly continues to repackage their exclusive, pointing out in a new piece that five current and former Archewell staffers have spoken to them on the record, and all of the people they’ve spoken to have sung Meghan’s praises as a boss and as a person. They told Us Weekly that Meghan has “never” yelled and she “gives clear direction and is solution-oriented.” Former Archewell COO Mandana Dayani also told Us Weekly: “Part of the profound injustice of having to speak publicly on this in light of these endless and damaging narratives is that so much of the kindness, mentorship, and support that Prince Harry and Meghan share with others happens quietly behind closed doors.”

Photos courtesy of Cover Images. Cover courtesy of Us Weekly.

I’ll admit it, when I started paying attention to Chappell Roan a few months ago, she pinged my radar. I thought she came across – in interviews and public statements – like an ignorant, navel-gazing brat. Looks like my gut reaction to her was pretty accurate, because she’s shown her whole ass this week. I think her recent Rolling Stone interview got the ball rolling, and I’m honestly shocked that some of her comments did not get wider play, especially the part where she suggested that President Biden would come after her and her Republican family. Then the Guardian published an interview with Roan over the weekend, and her statements like “There’s problems on both sides” have been going viral for days.

Then, on Tuesday night, Chappell made a TikTok in which she talked in circles about political endorsements and people needing to do their own research. She did say she wasn’t voting for Donald Trump, but she made a point of refusing to say that she planned to vote for Kamala Harris, nor did she endorse Harris or anyone else. Her word salad was, to me, Aaron Rodgers-esque and I wrote, half-jokingly, that she sounded like a typical Jill Stein voter. Because Chappell and her music have gotten so much attention this year, her TikTok and this whole issue have really exploded on social media and she’s gotten a lot of (well-deserved) criticism. So, Roan made another TikTok. In this one, she does say that she’s voting for Kamala Harris, all while mispronouncing “Kamala.” She also says outright that she cannot stand by the “completely transphobic views” of the LEFT. What are we doing here?

Oh my god she’s at it again pic.twitter.com/1tSIDNMf3C

— Stephen (@dcsteve5) September 25, 2024

You can tell that she thinks she’s making some bold, iconoclastic point when she says that a political endorsement doesn’t mean that a person will actually vote the way they’ve endorsed. LMAO. News at seven, your vote is private! *Morally superior voice* Did you know that you can say something publicly and not follow through privately? BOTH SIDES!!

How is this DO YOUR RESEARCH person the same one spreading misinformation about the Democratic position on trans rights? Not to mention, Chappell Roan refused to do her research on how to pronounce “Kamala.” But I digress. If you are a young queer woman and you are incapable of voting for the broad interests of all women and all LGBTQ people, then you are the one who needs to educate yourself.

Taylor Swift had more to lose with her endorsement than Chappell Roan.

She endorsed because she knew what was at stake. Not endorsing isn’t a flex.

— D (@dilemmv) September 25, 2024

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

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We’ve just entered Libra season with a Gaga moon rising! Our Lady has been rolling out a fairly low-key promo campaign (by Gaga standards) ahead of Joker: Folie à Deux, which comes out next week. Or so she had us fooled! Because it turns out she’s been lining up all sorts of releases that are about to drop in connection with the film. Shortly after Joker premiered in Venice last month, Gaga was seen filming at the Louvre in Paris, sporting a “Punk Raggedy Ann Doll” look. Rumors swirled that it was a music video for LG7, which she revealed is finally coming in February. But no! This shoot was for a teaser to promote another surprise: Gaga made what she calls a Joker “companion album” called Harlequin, and it’s coming out on Friday! The album includes 13 tracks from Broadway and the Great American Songbook (GAS!) that are featured in the film, but these are not the recordings from the film (more on that later). And if you stopped processing details after “Gaga – New Album – Friday,” it’s ok, I’m right there with you. Here’s what we know:

Harlequin could well be a stop-gap release between Chromatica and Lady Gaga’s long-teased seventh studio album. Its announcement arrives at the same time as billboards for “LG6.5,” and the singer has taken to calling her next album, apparently due in February, “LG7.” In addition, some of the Harlequin song titles — such as “Oh, When the Saints,” “World on a String,” “If My Friends Could See Me Now,” and “That’s Life” — indicate that it could be a sort of covers album.

Harlequin is one of two Joker-adjacent albums that comes out on Friday. The other is Hildur Guðnadóttir’s Joker: Folie à Deux (Score From the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).

Joker: Folie à Deux, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga, hits theaters on October 4. Lady Gaga will release another album that day, too: Joker: Folie à Deux (Music From the Motion Picture).

Harlequin:
01 Good Morning
02 Get Happy (2024)
03 Oh, When the Saints
04 World on a String
05 If My Friends Could See Me Now
06 That’s Entertainment
07 Smile
08 The Joker
09 Folie à Deux
10 Gonna Build a Mountain
11 Close to You
12 Happy Mistake
13 That’s Life

[From Pitchfork]

Yes, that reporting is right, there are indeed three different Joker 2 albums coming our way. This Friday, September 27, we’re getting Harlequin, which is Gaga singing her own renditions of songs that are in the movie. Also this Friday, the official film score soundtrack comes out. Hildur Guðnadóttir returns as composer — she made history in 2020 with her Oscar win for Joker, becoming the first woman to win since the category combined comedy and drama film scores together. Hildur’s music is eerie and edgy and really thrives in bleak, sinister worlds (Prisoners, Chernobyl, Women Talking, Tár) and I only wish we had an original song collab between her and Gaga! So that’s two albums; we get the third next Friday October 4, the same day the movie comes out. That album is all the songs Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix sing in the film in character.

Why are they separating the score and songs from the same film soundtrack? To make more money! I can’t say for certain. But I can understand Gaga wanting to make Harlequin so she can really belt out those numbers. She’s spoken frequently during her press about how she had to unlearn her training to sing as Lee. So going back to the teaser she just dropped, it’s about a minute of her singing “The Joker,” from everyone’s favorite 1960s musical The Roar of the Greasepaint — The Smell of the Crowd. (And if you know that show, I love you.) I first heard “The Joker” as an impressionable college freshman when a family friend changed the trajectory of my life by introducing me to the daffy Australian comedy Kath & Kim, where “The Joker” was played over the opening credits. Since then I have been amassing a playlist of pretty much every version of the song I can track down (and that involves sifting through a lot of Steve Miller Band on iTunes, let me tell you). I’ve got Sammy Davis, Jr., Herbie Mann, Sergio Mendes, Wes Montgomery, obviously Anthony Newley from the original musical (he also wrote the song!), and of course, the incomparable Dame Shirley Bassey. I have been bouncing off the walls (in my own sedentary fashion) that in a mere 24 hours I will be able to add Lady Gaga to that list.

Photos credit: DT/Click News and Media/Backgrid and via Instagram

Gwyneth Paltrow & Brad Falchuk are celebrating their anniversary in Paris, and Gwyneth went to the PFW Saint Laurent show. [LaineyGossip]
A calendar full of Aussie firefighters? Oh. [Socialite Life]
Did NBC even put it out there that Brilliant Minds is loosely based on Dr. Oliver Sacks? But I agree, the show is probably doing him dirty. [Pajiba]
I feel like we’re about to see a lot of this Versace collection on red carpets this fall, especially that vomit-green dress. [Go Fug Yourself]
Ryan Murphy defends his show about the Menendez brothers. [OMG Blog]
Did Kim Porter write a book before her death? [Just Jared]
Amy Ryan, that bodice ruffle is not great. [RCFA]
Adam Sandler’s dog (?) is so cute. [Seriously OMG]
More DV stories on 90 Day Fiance. [Starcasm]
Happy National Daughters Day. [Hollywood Life]
I hate men like this but at least men are having these conversations with other men, men who call them out for being jackasses. [Buzzfeed]

Prince William and Kate’s staffers have been trying to smear the Duchess of Sussex for more than six years. Their few specific complaints about Meghan were always ridiculous: Meghan looked at a staffer and made her cry; Meghan sent 5 am emails; Meghan was prepared for meetings and she assigned tasks. What was less ridiculous and more insidious, racist and sexist was the broad character assassination with zero evidence: that Meghan “bullied” staffers, that she was an unhinged diva, that she marched around, screaming at people. When similar smears popped up in the Hollywood Reporter’s September 12th piece, it pinged a lot of radars. We’re currently in a cycle where Archewell’s former and current staffers are coming out on the record to talk about what Meghan is really like as a boss (completely lovely), and this should be solely about Archewell and an American business and charity. Except William and Kate can’t help but chime in, via their asinine courtiers. Here’s the Daily Beast’s latest:

Meghan Markle was a “demon” who had “psycho moments” as a boss, people who worked for her have told The Daily Beast.

The former employees spoke out after a carefully curated crop of former and current staffers said she was the best boss ever, who gives her staff bundles of freshly cut flowers and home-produced eggs, and makes her staff feel like seeds being watered. The delightful portrait of Meghan’s management style was painted in Us Weekly on Tuesday, as Team Meghan launched a fightback against a report in The Hollywood Reporter that claimed Meghan was a “dictator in high heels” who reduced “grown men to tears.” Sources close to the couple denied that story as a “fabrication” to The Daily Beast last week.

However, one courtier who worked for Meghan and Prince Harry as part of their service at the palace told The Daily Beast: “There have been plenty of difficult royals over the years, and I do think that after the ill-feeling of Megxit, Meghan’s bad moments were amplified and distorted and blown out of proportion. Princess Margaret regularly got people to hold out their hands to use as ashtrays, for example, and that’s just laughed off as hilarious eccentricity. Look at Andrew, he was unbelievable to the staff. That said, there definitely were bad, very bad, even psycho moments. I witnessed people being chewed up in person and over the phone and made to feel like s–t. But it was an incredibly fraught time and I’m inclined to give her the benefit of the doubt. She has said herself she was suicidal at times.”

The source pointed out that Jason Knauf, who was press secretary to Meghan when she was a royal, complained about her.

[From The Daily Beast]

“That said, there definitely were bad, very bad, even psycho moments. I witnessed people being chewed up in person and over the phone and made to feel like s–t.” So still no specifics then? After six years, they still haven’t figured out a plausible and specific lie about Meghan’s exact “psycho” behavior. This isn’t the first time that unnamed courtiers have even suggested this kind of thing – people forget that William and his people told Robert Lacey that Meghan is a unhinged sociopath, then they repeated the same thing to Valentine Low. Someone’s behavior here is psychotic and it’s not Meghan.

“Made to feel like sh-t” – I don’t even believe that. I think Meghan felt unsafe on a daily basis and whenever she asked for some kind of accountability for what they were doing to her, she was harmed and targeted even further. That’s exactly what’s playing out now as “courtiers” try to piggyback on whatever the hell is going on with the Hollywood Reporter.

Top ten stories about Prince William lying and manipulating the press

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Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, Backgrid.

The Hollywood Reporter published their “Why Hollywood Keeps Quitting on Harry and Meghan” piece on September 12. The NY Post picked up the story quickly, but it took a week for the British media to really start circulating it. In THR’s piece, it felt like some very misogynoir smears were being recycled from the 2018-19 era, when Meghan and Harry were living in the UK and being subjected to a full hate campaign from the palace and press. There were mentions, in the Hollywood Reporter piece, of “5 am emails” and “Duchess Difficult” and “the Sussex Survivors Club” of former staff members. One source told THR: “She’s absolutely relentless. She marches around like a dictator in high heels, fuming and barking orders. I’ve watched her reduce grown men to tears.”

I was really concerned that the Sussexes would do the same thing they did last year about Spotify and Bill Simmons: absolutely nothing. I worried that they would stick their heads in the sand and ignore the festering wound to their professional reputations in America. Thankfully, they’re pushing back – Us Weekly’s cover story this week is full of first-person accounts of named former staffers, all talking about how the Sussexes are lovely, considerate and thoughtful bosses. Unfortunately, this week, suddenly people are talking about an Access Hollywood interview. Access Hollywood did an interview with Maer Roshan, co-editor-in-chief of THR. The Mail picked up the interview:

A US report claiming Meghan Markle is a ‘dictator in high heels’ came from someone ‘very high up’ still working for the couple, a senior journalist has claimed. The source said that Meghan ‘doesn’t take advice’ and has reduced ‘grown men to tears’, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Maer Roshan, Co-Editor in Chief of the publication, has said he stands by the story after a backlash amongst supporters and friends including one Sussex source who said the claims were ‘fabricated’. Meghan herself has also always denied claims of bullying staff.

Mr Roshan believes that their insider has revealed that it ‘probably isn’t true’ that claims Meghan is ‘difficult’ to work with and the nickname ‘Duchess Difficult’ were ‘manufactured’ by the Palace after Megxit. The allegations about her behaviour emerged in a piece on the exodus of staff who have worked for the Sussexes, including the couple’s chief of staff Josh Kettler who resigned from his role in August after just three months.

Mr Roshan told Access Hollywood: ‘Our reporter talked to a very high up source who works for the couple and said: “Everyone is terrified of Meghan”.

‘Duchess Difficult is a nickname that has trailed Meghan Markle for quite a few years. What is new is that this notion, since coming to America, that a lot of these rumours were manufactured by the Palace and the reporting that we did suggests that probably isn’t true and there is still this undercurrent of fear’.

Mr Roshan told Access Hollywood: ‘Two things can be possible at once. The couple does help a lot of people. Meghan and Harry declined to comment on our story. I think Meghan would have said that barking around orders is something that we expect from men and it would never raise an eyebrow’.

[From The Daily Mail]

I think it’s notable that THR is standing by their reporting and the EIC is saying no, we have a source here in America who currently works for Harry and Meghan. A lot of people wanted to believe that this was “commissioned” or manufactured by the British media (I saw that a lot in the comments), but THR doesn’t work like that. They’re not, like, Fox News. I’m not saying that I believe THR’s story or anything, but I believe something else is going on here. For the EIC to back up their reporting and stand by their source? It’s really strange. I’m also reminded of that weirdness around Archewell’s “delinquent” status because of a missing check, which was bizarrely publicized too, remember that? My Spidey sense is telling me that there’s a mole in Archewell.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

In Queen Elizabeth II’s day, people would complain all the time about the cost of the monarchy and all of the low-ranking royals who all got to live in palace apartments on the taxpayers’ dime. But there was also a sense that the Windsors were a big, eccentric clan and there was something for everyone, even if you didn’t care much for the institution as a whole. Crash cut to September 2024, two years into King Charles’s reign, and it feels like the wheels have come off. Charles has cancer and he looks kind of awful. Camilla is simply evil. Prince William is too lazy to work and grow a beard at the same time. And god knows what’s going on with Kate. There are still random royals littered around, but it just feels like the monarchy is less relevant than ever and they’re not even providing much in the way of “service” to their people. Perfect moment for a huge salary bump, eh?

The cost of the grant that funds the monarchy is due to increase by more than 53% in the next year to £132m – a rise of £45m.

Official royal accounts released earlier this year revealed that huge profits of over £1bn from the crown estate mean the taxpayer-funded sovereign grant, which pays for the royal family’s official duties, will increase from £86.3m in 2024-25 to £132m in 2025-26.

Republic, an anti-monarchy organisation that campaigns for a British republic, has analysed the “true cost” of the royal family to the public and claimed that it now exceeds £500m a year.

Officials said the extra cash will be funnelled into the decade-long, £369m update to Buckingham Palace. Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, said: “If [the chancellor] Rachel Reeves thinks tough decisions are needed in these difficult times, she needs to start with the royals. We’re being told the budget will be painful. Well, if that’s true, the cuts must start at the top. How can we talk about cutting the winter fuel allowance while wasting half a billion pounds on the royals?”

Republic claims the largest portion of the money, £150m, was spent on royal security and a further £96m in “lost revenue”, the report claims, as royal residences “occupied by the royal family cannot be used to their full potential by the state”.

[From The Guardian]

I’m not going to pretend to understand what money is being spent on security, palace upkeep, staffing and more, but I agree with Republic that a lot of costs are being hidden because they’re not technically being taken out of the SG. The Sovereign Grant supposedly pays for Charles, Camilla and everyone other than the Prince and Princess of Wales. QEII made the SG “stretch” to support various cousins and distant relations, in addition to her other children’s lives, spouses, offices and staffs. But in KC3’s reign, he’s pinching pennies and pushing family members out of their homes and apartments. You know he’s cutting off a lot of funds from a lot of his family members. So the family has “retracted,” especially in visibility. Why isn’t the SG also retracting? I know why on a technical level – it’s because so much money is coming in from “royal land.” Not just rentals and farms, but wind farms have been massively profitable for the Crown. Instead of the government simply taking the windfall, they’re passing it on to Charles, to do with as he sees fit. It’s bizarre.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Buckingham Palace.

Last weekend, Prince William and Kate apparently enjoyed a “kids-free” holiday at Balmoral, with King Charles and Queen Camilla. Yesterday, I asked you guys why would William and Kate go, especially considering that their kids are back in school. Many of us believed that the Waleses were summoned and that plans were hatched. My theory was that the plan was specifically about how to deal with Prince Harry’s New York trip and upcoming visit to London (Harry will likely arrive in London this coming weekend). I also think Charles, Camilla, William and Kate hatched some kind of plan for how they would try to get attention this week. Speaking of, the Princess of Wales had another private meeting at Windsor Castle, a meeting which was dutifully added to the Court Circular. Pics or it didn’t happen.

The Princess of Wales has begun planning her Christmas carol concert, it is understood, as she appears in the Court Circular for the second time during her recovery from chemotherapy. The Princess is listed in the official record of Royal family engagements as having held a meeting at Windsor Castle on Tuesday morning.

It is understood to have been a discussion about planning for her fourth annual Westminster Abbey carol concert, hosted personally by the Princess for children and their families. The event has become part of the royal calendar, with the Princess joined annually by her husband, the Prince of Wales, and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, for the televised event.

It is one of two public events that the Princess has signalled she hopes to attend this year, health permitting. The other is an appearance to observe the Remembrance service at the Cenotaph in November.

The Court Circular for Tuesday Sept 24 states: “The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron, the Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, this morning held a Meeting at Windsor Castle.”

[From The Telegraph]

While I predict that Kate will make it to the Remembrance Day balcony AND the Christmas piano recital, it’s interesting to me that no one is saying that Kate will also appear with her family on Christmas Day at Sandringham. I have no doubt she’ll be there as well, but I guess no one likes to remind the public that Kate considers that a work event too, walking to church on Christmas. Anyway, as I said, pics or it didn’t happen. Kate has very little to do with organizing the concert, it’s all done by staff and it was just something given to Kate to make her look busy. She probably won’t even prerecord her own piano recital this year, boooo.

Photos courtesy of Instar, Cover Images, Avalon Red, Kensington Palace.