The Daily Mail was full of Windsor Woe on Thursday. You see, Prince Harry looked rich, handsome and charismatic during a breezy visit to London for the WellChild Awards, and the Mail was SEETHING. The Mail and the Windsors decided to attach themselves to Harry’s visit in any way possible, which is honestly what they’ve been trying to do since his visit was announced. Suddenly, the Kensington Palace clownshow sent out Prince William to make an ass out of himself, doing his first event in two months just hours before the WellChild Awards. Rebecca English dutifully wept about how William would never, ever meet with Harry (Harry didn’t ask) and that William is so terribly incandescent with rage towards his brother. “On the anniversary of the Queen’s death, her warring grandsons are still 100 miles apart” – by design, because William would likely assault Harry once again. Meanwhile, Eden Confidential decided to portray King Charles as right to “snub” Harry during this visit.

King Charles is well within his rights to decide he ‘has no time in his diary’ to meet Prince Harry tomorrow on his brief return to Britain. That’s the view of Daily Mail Diary Editor Richard Eden, in his latest Palace Confidential newsletter.

Many had expected a family reunion at Balmoral for the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s death on Friday, September 8. But as Mail on Sunday Assistant Editor Kate Mansey revealed last week, it’s unlikely Harry will be there. Instead, the King and Queen Camilla will spend the day privately at Balmoral, where Elizabeth died, while Prince William and Catherine are expected to lead the tributes as they carry out a public engagement at St David’s Cathedral in Wales.

Some have been upset by the apparent snub and say that Charles should take the opportunity to mend fences with his younger son, who will attend a charity awards ceremony in London this evening.

‘I disagree,’ writes Eden. ‘The California-based couple showed scant regard for Harry’s grandparents when they gave an explosive, appalling interview to Oprah Winfrey when Prince Philip was being treated in hospital for his final illness. And, while the frail Queen was in worsening health, they added to her worries by announcing that Harry would be publishing a tell-all memoir and appearing in a Netflix series with more criticism of her family. Who can blame the King if he doesn’t want to see the son and daughter-in-law who caused his dying mother such heartache?’

[From The Daily Mail]

If we’re using the cudgel of “this royal added to QEII’s stresses in her final years,” why do we never talk about Prince Andrew? In her final year of life, QEII’s favorite son was being sued for rape and human trafficking, and he had to beg his mother for the money to settle with Virginia Giuffre, lest he be dragged into American court and his whole web of lies around Jeffrey Epstein fall apart. Why do we never talk about Charles’s decades-long quest for his mother’s blessing to call Camilla “queen,” and how Charles (in essence) forged his mother’s signature on a statement assuring that “Queen Camilla” exists? I mean, if we’re talking about stress on QEII, those should be added into the mix as well. Surely we should also discuss the chaotic situation around the HMS Bubble which saw an apparently cancer-ridden monarch get a heavy case of Covid just seven months before her death. Y’all want to talk about stress, let’s f–king talk about stress.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

Today marks the one-year anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II’s passing and King Charles’s accession to the throne. King Charles and Queen Camilla stepped out this morning in Scotland, making sure that they were photographed going into the small church at Balmoral. The king also released a statement and several portraits of his mother, including “one of his favorite portraits” of QEII, a 1968 Cecil Beaton portrait taken of the queen in all of her Garter regalia. You can hear/read Charles’s statement below.

In marking the first anniversary of Her late Majesty’s death and my Accession, we recall with great affection her long life, devoted service and all she meant to so many of us.

I am deeply grateful, too, for the love and support that has been shown to my wife and myself during… pic.twitter.com/NfM6LDWTA0

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) September 7, 2023

Meanwhile, Project Embiggening Charles continues unabated. There’s been a flurry of “one year of Charles’s reign” pieces throughout the week, and Valentine Low’s piece in the Times included a hilarious comment about how Charles perked up as soon as his mom kicked the royal bucket.

A source who knows the King well said: “Before he acceded the throne, there was obviously a lot of nervousness around what would happen to the country following the demise of the Queen. And there was certainly nervousness around how people would accept him in those first few days.”

However, within a day of her death, when the King made his first address to the nation, in which he spoke of his “profound sorrow” at the loss of his “darling mama”, that nervousness began to dissipate.

“Immediately, things began to steady themselves,” said the source. Since then, the source argues, the King has shown himself to be sure-footed, and has enabled the public to refocus on the causes he champions, including the environment.

That much would seem to be borne out by opinion polls. A recent survey by YouGov found that 59 per cent of people thought the King was doing a good job. As for Charles, who became monarch a year ago on Friday, he seems to be thriving: “Someone who knows him well said to me, ‘He looks ten years younger and he has got a real sense of purpose about him,’” said the source.

[From The Times]

“He looks ten years younger and he has got a real sense of purpose about him” – I actually think it’s true, and it’s funny that it’s true. The man turns 75 years old in two months and he could totally pass for a man of 65. He’s truly never been happier than he has been in the past year. Which is why all of the mourning/grief setpieces kind of fell flat – no one really bought the new king’s fake mourning.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

I always forget that the WellChild Awards are scheduled for the late afternoon/early evening, mostly because it’s an event for kids. Plus, I think they pad the schedule because their royal patron Prince Harry likes to spend as much time as he can one-on-one with the children and the parents. Prince Harry arrived at Thursday’s WellChild Awards and immediately began his one-on-one sessions with the kids and families, so everyone got some face-time. Apparently, one family flew in from Ireland just to see Harry in person. Harry looked happy, healthy, buffed, polished and charming. He looked delighted to spend time with those kids after having to cancel on last year’s awards when his grandmother passed away. Speaking of, Harry referenced his late grandmother during his speech:

Harry took the stage at the event to present the award for Inspirational Child (aged 4 to 6), making Violet Seymour the youngest honoree of the night. He knelt down to take a photo with her. He also gave a speech, where he spoke about his late grandmother. Queen Elizabeth died one year ago on Sept. 8 at age 96.

“As you know, I was unable to attend the awards last year as my grandmother passed away,” he told the audience. “As you also probably know, she would have been the first person to insist that I still come to be with you all instead of going to her. And that’s precisely why I know, exactly one year on, she is looking down on all of us tonight, happy we’re together continuing to spotlight such an incredible community.”

Prince Harry is expected to spend the anniversary of his grandmother’s death privately. A representative for the couple tells PEOPLE, “The Duke, the Duchess and their family will privately acknowledge and honor the Queen on the anniversary of her passing.”

While Prince Harry attended the Wellchild ceremony solo, he told one family that his wife was “very upset that she couldn’t be here,” Hello! magazine reported.

[From People]

I wonder what Harry and Meghan will do (separately) today, QEII’s death-anniversary. Meghan is probably at home in Montecito with their children, and Harry is on his way to Dusseldorf, if he’s not there already. It’s notable that Harry, Meghan, King Charles and the extended family all made plans to be quiet and reflective on the anniversary… meanwhile, William and Kate are making asses out of themselves.

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

At the end of May of this year, Danny Masterson was finally convicted of two out of three rape charges. This was the second trial, after the first one ended in mistrial last year. Masterson’s predatory and disturbing behavior dates back years, but he was only outed as a serial rapist during the Me Too movement, when his victims began telling their stories to the LAPD. Masterson’s conviction is one of the few times a high-profile predator – and a Scientologist to boot – has been convicted in a court of law. Anyway, Masterson was sentenced this week. I was shocked by the number of years.

That ’70s Show” star Danny Masterson was sentenced Thursday to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women more than two decades ago at his Hollywood Hills home. Masterson, 47, displayed no visible emotion after Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Charlaine Olmedo threw the book at him.

“Mr. Masterson, I know that you’re sitting here steadfast in your claims of innocence, and thus no doubt feeling victimized by a justice system that has failed you,” Olmedo said just before dispatching Masterson to prison. “But Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here.”

Masterson’s wife, Bijou Phillips, a model and actress who was a constant presence at her husband’s trials, quickly donned a pair of sunglasses after Olmedo announced the sentence and left the Los Angeles courtroom without a word.

Masterson was hit with the staggering sentence four months after he was convicted on two of the three rape counts he faced at his retrial in Los Angeles. He had been charged with raping three women — identified at trial as Jane Doe #1, Jane Doe #2 and Jane Doe #3 — between 2001 to 2003. A once popular sitcom star, Masterson did not take the stand at either of his trials and has, via his lawyers, repeatedly denied sexually assaulting the women. Nor did Masterson make any statement at his sentencing. Instead, the actor sat silently as the two women he was convicted of raping, and a former girlfriend he was acquitted of sexually assaulting, took turns urging the judge to hit him with a harsh punishment.

“When you raped me, you stole from me,” Jane Doe #2 told the court. “That’s what rape is, a theft of the spirit. You are pathetic, disturbed and completely violent. The world is better off with you in prison.”

Jane Doe #1 said Masterson “has not shown an ounce of remorse for the pain he caused. I knew he belonged behind bars for the safety of all the women he came into contact with. I am so sorry, and I’m so upset. I wish I’d reported him sooner to the police.”

Jane Doe #3 said Masterson’s actions sentenced her to “viewing my body as a crime scene my entire life.”

[From NBC News]

I’m so glad that all three women were allowed to speak at sentencing, even though he was only technically convicted of raping two of the Jane Does. I’m glad they were heard and that their stories weighed on the judge and jury. I’m glad that the judge didn’t play the “well, he seems like a fine, upstanding man, let’s let him go with a slap on the wrist” thing.

Meanwhile, I wonder if his wife Bijou Phillips will still be ride-or-die for him after 30 years in prison. When he was convicted in May, her side told People Mag that she had no plans to leave him and she was by his side until the bitter end. Welcome to the bitter end.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.

I think, by now, most of us have seen Barbie or are at least familiar with the impact it’s having on pop culture, popularizing new catchwords like “Kenough” and “Kenerg,” a phrase which we first heard from Gosling in a 2022 ET interview. If you haven’t watched Ryan Gosling’s “I’m Just Ken” music video yet, I highly recommend it. It’s so delightful.

“I’m Just Ken” was written and produced by Mark Ronson (of Mark Ronson fame) and Andrew Wyatt, who is the frontman of the Swedish electronic pop band Miike Snow. Ronson and Wyatt were also co-composers of “Shallow” from Lady Gaga’s version of A Star is Born. The “Ken” catchwords along with the sentiment behind “I’m Just Ken” have become such a cultural phenomenon that experts are now weighing in on how it’s sparking discussion about a new model of masculinity.

“I think ‘Kenergy’ is about claiming your basic space, meaning the right to feel reasonably good about you as you exist within the confines of your own body,” Andrew Wyatt says of Gosling’s Ken. “It’s a simple appreciation that being you is ‘Kenough.’”

Since seeing the film, audiences have found catharsis in Ken’s journey, using terms like “Kenergy” and “Kenough” to help define what masculinity can look like. Nicholas Balaisis, a psychotherapist in Toronto who wrote about the terms for Psychology Today after seeing Gosling’s performance, says “I’m Just Ken” strikes a chord on the “various crises of masculinity in the culture right now,” which is evident in lyrics like:

“Wanna know what it’s like to love, to be the real thing
Is it a crime?
Am I not hot when I’m in my feelings
And is my moment finally here, or am I dreaming?
I’m no dreamer.”

“Most men know that the older models of masculinity are no longer available or desirable,” Balaisis tells Yahoo Entertainment, “but there is now a new model ready-made to step into.”

That’s where Ken steps in, explains Sally Spencer-Thomas, a suicide-prevention advocate and co-founder of the campaign Man Therapy, who says the dance sequence featuring the various Kens in the film, choreographed by Jennifer White and Lisa Welham, offers a compelling exploration of societal norms.

“The choreography acts as a portal to an alternate realm, and the dance transcends mere physical movement; it escalates into an emotional catharsis,” she tells Yahoo Entertainment. “The very essence of the dance aims to liberate the Kens from the constricting boundaries of traditional masculinity. It’s a profound notion that these individuals, previously embroiled in emotional turmoil and frustrated by their own masculinity, find their emancipation through the language of dance.”

The song’s bigger theme, say Balaisis and Spencer-Thomas, is the freedom of expression, which is articulated through Gosling’s unapologetic performance as well as the song’s lyrics. Indeed, Balaisis adds, being unafraid of “letting go” is a gift Wyatt, Ronson and Gosling may have unknowingly bestowed on younger generations of men.

“Men often experience really high levels of shame in relation to their personal appearances of feeling judged and scrutinized on their looks or for standing out,” he says. “The capacity to risk expression in fashion or clothing can be a sign of inner esteem, of being ‘Kenough,’ and thus able to withstand the judging glares we perceive from others.”

[From Yahoo]

I like this analysis and the explanation of a new model of masculinity. Margot Robbie said in an interview that she considers Kenergy to be a play on BDE and Kate McKinnon interpreted it as “a recognition of the ways in which masculinity under patriarchy is limiting.” I agree with both of them! If Barbie can have so much impact that it leads to more men feeling comfortable to release their inner Kenergy, then LFG. Let’s embrace that the traditional expectations of masculinity no longer apply. Embrace that Kenergy!

Photos credit: Avalon.red, Cover Images and via YouTube

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Good news on the womens’ health policies front, and it’s from… Texas? Did I wake up in the right year today? So the Texas that declared the FDA couldn’t authorize the abortion medication mifepristone, the Texas that banned abortion immediately after the Dobbs decision. This Texas has actually enacted a law that benefits women? Well as I live and breathe. Texas has joined the ranks of the majority of states (and the UK) to eliminate the tampon tax, with a law that went into effect in September. Some specifics on the new law and the movement behind it:

Sept. 1 marked the end of the ‘tampon tax’ in Texas: Shoppers in Texas no longer have to pay a sales tax on menstrual products, making the state one of the few in the nation to eliminate the so-called “tampon tax.” A new law that went into effect Friday eliminates the sales tax on feminine hygiene products including items like tampons, menstrual pads and menstrual cups.

Family care items are also now sales tax-free under the new law: In addition to menstrual products, the law, S.B. 379, also eliminates the sales tax on family care items including diapers, baby bottles, baby wipes, maternity clothing and breast milk pump products. The law, signed by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in June, makes Texas one of nearly two dozen states that no longer charge a sales tax on diapers, according to the National Diaper Bank Network, a nonprofit organization.

The realities of period poverty are appalling: Period poverty, when people cannot afford even the most basic of period supplies like pads and tampons, is an issue that affects women around the world, including the United States. A 2019 survey of low-income women in St. Louis, Missouri, found nearly two-thirds couldn’t afford menstrual hygiene products in the past year, and more than 1 in 5 said they had the same problem every month. The women said they instead had to use cloth, rags, tissues, toilet paper and sometimes diapers or paper towels, according to the report published in the medical journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Texas Republican state Sen. Joan Huffman, sponsor of the law, speaks: “Every woman knows that these products are not optional,” Huffman said in a statement last year. “They are essential to our health and well-being and should be tax exempt.”

Let’s not praise Texas too much too soon: Texas’ law eliminating sales tax on menstrual and baby products comes as the state continues to enforce several strict abortion laws, including one prohibiting all abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, except in medical emergencies, which the laws do not define. Under these bans, performing or attempting an abortion is a second-degree felony, punishable by up to life in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. The law also allows private citizens to sue anyone who “aids or abets” an abortion.

[From Yahoo! News]

So my reading of this was “oh, they snuck the tampons in under the cover of diapers and baby bottles.” I’m sorry, but I just have trouble trusting Texas lawmakers these days. State Senator Joan Huffman may have sponsored this law, but take a look at her record: she’s voted in favor of schools displaying the ten commandments and requiring transgender student athletes to play against “those of their biological sex,” while voting down a 1% energy savings goal and – get ready – equal pay for women.

Cynicism aside, I’m pleased that the elimination of the tampon tax is steadily sweeping the nation. But I’m reserving full triumph until all period products are free, like Scotland made law for its citizens in November 2020. The obvious economic inequity affects all women, and in particular those who suffer period poverty and are forced to improvise in demeaning ways, all for essential healthcare needs. It’s misogyny, plain and simple.

Here are links to two sites that are great resources for more info on the movement to end period poverty.

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Gigi Hadid: one of the few women who can pull off this shade of canary-yellow. She attended the big Victoria’s Secret event last night in NYC. [JustJared]
Priyanka Chopra looked great in Giambattista Valli at the VS show. [RCFA]
The thing about this kind of spoof is that the callback should be iconic in the first place, and Justin Bieber’s ad was not. [OMG Blog]
Hot Guy Thursday: Mads Mikkelsen in Venice. [GFY]
Lainey’s doing a substack/newsletter! [LaineyGossip]
Timothee Chalamet stans are having breakdowns. [Pajiba]
Taylor Swift was right about Joe Jonas. [Buzzfeed]
Institutional “Himpathy” at the college level. [Jezebel]
Imagine being famous for chugging beer at the US Open. [Egotastic]

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Sophie Turner was 19/20 years old when she first started seeing Joe Jonas in 2016. By 2018, they were engaged and in 2019, they were married. She was 23 years old. Then she was 24 when she welcomed their first daughter, Willa, and 26 when she welcomed their second daughter last year (whose name we still don’t know). And now Sophie is 27 years old and that’s when her husband filed for divorce because she went back to work and hung out with friends. While the Daily Mail has taken up Sophie’s case – part of their ongoing transatlantic feud – the Mail is also a misogynistic rag, so I’m not sure they’re doing Sophie any favors here. Some highlights from the Mail’s exclusive:

Problems for all of 2023: A friend of Sophie’s, who did not want to be named, revealed that the couple started having problems last Christmas and that she separated from him at the start of this summer, spending the ensuing months partying with school friends in the UK or holidaying with them in Europe. The actress looked in high spirits as she partied the night away at arcade bar Dropshot Digbeth in Birmingham – where she had been filming her upcoming ITV series, Joan. It’s believed to have been the wrap party for the series, which has seen Sophie working in Britain since May, and she let her hair down in style as she enjoyed the £6.50 cocktails and showcased her strength by punching a boxing game.

A British visit: In an effort to save the marriage, Joe came to the UK with their two children over the summer and spent time in Warwickshire, where Sophie was brought up. But after failing to work through their differences, he returned to the US with their children who have been living with him since the split.

Sophie felt trapped: The friend revealed: ‘Sophie feels like she’s only just waking up to what her life and reality really is. She became famous at a very young age, then married and had kids at a young age and never really had the teenage years of sleeping around and just having carefree fun with friends. She feels like her life has stalled after Game of Thrones and so has her personal life. Since the kids came along, she’s feeling trapped. She’s the only person in her tight friendship group who is married with two children… Now she feels that she wants to make up for the time she’s lost as a young person. He (Joe) wants a more settled life but she’s not ready for that because she feels that she’s not even had a teen or young adult life.’

Joe wanted another child: ‘Joe would like another kid, he’s a real family man. But while Sophie’s been in the UK, she’s also realised just how much she misses this country; it’s the final nail in the coffin for them.’

Being compared to Nick Jonas & Priyanka Chopra: ‘Nick is younger than Joe but is more settled. He and Priyanka are on the same page about their careers and family life. Joe and his family want him to be in a relationship like this, but Sophie feels that she’s only 27 and hasn’t even really lived because she’s spent all her good, young years working. It wasn’t an issue at first but the age gap between Sophie and Joe has become a real problem. They want very different things.’

[From The Daily Mail]

Here’s what I believe from these quotes: I believe that Sophie felt trapped because Joe trapped her, I believe she’s been homesick for England for a while and I believe that once she took a job in England for months, that was basically the beginning of the end. She got away from Joe and took a good look at her life in comparison to her peers, she likely realized that she wants to keep working and she wants to have some different experiences beyond the tradwife life. The thing is, people were concerned about this from the very beginning of her relationship with Joe – I remember saying “wow, she’s too young for all of this.” Did her family not say that to her? Did her friends? I mean, what’s done is done, but yeah… this was all heavily foreshadowed for years, she just didn’t see it. Oh, and Joe wanted a third kid? Get off of her! Let her work!

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.

There isn’t a cry-laugh emoji big enough for this desperation. This past weekend, Prince Harry and Meghan were seen out and about at Beyonce concerts and soccer games, hanging out with their A-list friends, flaunting their Beygency protection, hobnobbing with billionaires and shaking their asses without a care in the world. Those photos and videos landed like a ton of bricks on William and Kate, who obsessively watch every single thing Harry and Meghan do and say. Will and Kate haven’t done jacksh-t all summer, and the only time they’ve been seen since Wimbledon, William was chauffeuring his rapist uncle around Balmoral. So of course, William officially came back to “work” today, the day Prince Harry arrives in England to attend the WellChild Awards.

William made a “surprise visit” to Pret A Manger in Bournemouth today. He made a big show of taking selfies with people, because he is truly Prince Peggington, Man of the People, The Other Brother Who Never Puts A Foot Wrong. The visit was done to highlight Pret A Manger’s existing program to employ homeless people and to ride on that outfit’s coattails. He also met with local leaders to talk about how they’re tackling homelessness. Then Prince Peggington, Man of the People, will go back to his palace and make some calls to the executives at the Duchy of Cornwall, the largest real estate holding company in the country, which William inherited.

The desperation is just… off the charts. King Charles should want the Sussexes to come back for no other reason than Harry and Meghan’s mere presence lights a competitive fire under Will and Kate’s lazy asses. It’s just… like, who the hell is advising William? “Yes, sir, brilliant plan, you absolutely need to go back to work after a two-month holiday on the day your brother flies in to attend his patronage!”

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

I’m patiently waiting for the stalkers at the Daily Mail to publish their exclusive timeline of Prince Harry’s arrival to the UK and a giant map of the path he will take to get to the WellChild Awards. There’s only one sort-of good thing about the attention Harry’s brief visit has gotten: it feels like it would be pretty hard for the Windsors to organize some kind of stunt to harm him. Like, this isn’t a quiet visit, Harry has deliberately told everyone where he’ll be and why he’s coming to London. I hate that I even have to worry, but the last time the people knew where the Sussexes would be, it was a huge catastrophe involving a “paparazzi swarm” and what felt like a paramilitary exercise designed to harm them.

So, fingers crossed that Harry is able to move around and attend the event with little to no drama. It’s actually a good thing that the British papers have no idea when he’s arriving or if he’s already in town. It shows that Harry is perfectly capable of going stealth-mode whenever he wants. It also shows that the Sussex team isn’t leaking. Speaking of, you know how TMZ reported that the Sussexes toured a six-acre lot in Malibu this past weekend? It was only a matter of hours before the British media had photos of the property. Which pretty much tells you that the Sussexes won’t move there. In case we needed it emphasized, Page Six got a denial from the Sussexes’ spokesperson?

The “Princess of Montecito” isn’t going anywhere. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle — who currently reside in a $14 million Montecito, Calif., mansion — are not planning to move to Malibu despite reports that they recently toured an $8 million plot of land, a rep for the pair tells Page Six exclusively.

“There is no truth to them moving to Malibu or anywhere,” the spokesperson said Tuesday, adding that the Sussexes were not even in the California beach town over the weekend.

Instead, the duke and duchess spent their weekend attending high-profile events in Los Angeles, which is about 29 miles east of Malibu.

[From Page Six]

Okay. So they’re not moving to Malibu, nor were they looking at Malibu properties. It’s very weird that TMZ got that story. It’s even weirder that the Sussexes were apparently in LA the whole weekend and no one has any idea where they were staying! As I said, stealth mode. I’m so happy that they’re able to travel and do whatever the hell they want.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid.