We’re at the point of the Princess of Wales-video newscycle where royalists are doing analysis of what the new video means and what’s really going on. On Monday, Kensington Palace released the statement and video from Kate and William, and it seemed like an uncomfortable new era for them, where they feel the need to provide proof of life for their marriage, only they can’t really pull it off. It also seemed like the imagery of their performatively “happy marriage” stepped on the “message,” which is that Kate is (by her own description) “cancer free” and that she completed her chemotherapy treatment. Well, anyway, this analysis in the Evening Standard is making the rounds this week. The headline: “I’m delighted the Princess of Wales is getting better, but that dreadful video was like a shampoo advert.” Sub-head: “It’s very good news that Kate is recovering but did we really need this emotional exhibitionism?”

Of course, it’s marvellous news that the Princess of Wales has come to an end of chemotherapy treatment and is well on the way to recovery. Which of us did not feel for her in her last, sombre announcement that she had cancer? It is also the best of news that she will be returning to public duties; she was missed. The prayers of the nation have been answered.

But forgive me…was it necessary to share this news with the nation in an utterly grisly video? If she were advertising Herbal Essences (Tropical Showers) shampoo, it would have been just the thing. The shots of her walking in slow motion through a sunlit meadow, her long hair moving in the breeze, her slender figure shown to advantage in her simple cotton frock, why, it made one feel emotionally manipulated, squeezed like a lemon for the last drop of sympathy. So, she’s feeling well? One is glad; one doesn’t need the point rubbed home with a gruesome image of her releasing a little yellow butterfly from her hand.

As for the shots of her and William lying on the grass, shoulder to shoulder, or her head lying his shoulder, it was in the first place a ghastly piece of emotional exhibitionism and in the second, a hostage to fortune. The time may come when their marriage may come under strain — these things happen to the happiest couples — and they won’t wish to have these images reproduced.

All one can say, really, is that the late queen would have died early rather than subject herself to this extraordinary display of trite sentiment (“Out of darkness, can come light, so let that light shine bright”). Or at any rate, she would have expressed her feelings of gratitude soberly in the light of her Christian faith. Kate’s is the stuff of every contemporary self-help book to do with living in the moment and being grateful for the small stuff.

Is emotional reticence now over in the Royal family? One fears so, though it still, thank God, has a place with the redoubtable Princess Anne. But it comes at a cost. By turning the Royals into exhibits of emotional wellness, it diminishes their value as parts of a national institution in which dignity is the main thing. Kate has lost that.

[From The Evening Stardard]

This is an important point: “she would have expressed her feelings of gratitude soberly in the light of her Christian faith.” QEII had significant health issues in her final years, and she found solace in her faith and she carried herself with dignity. Of course QEII would never subject herself to a glossy, try-hard commercial to prove the state of her marriage. The larger point is that the video felt ill-conceived and tonally wrong for the message. While it always amuses me to watch British people’s consistent revulsion towards any emotion expressed publicly, I think people have been turned off by this video more because it seems so trite and almost cynically conceived.

Photos courtesy of Kensington Palace/Will Warr.

As many have noted, it’s interesting to watch the reactions to and analysis of Prince William and Kate’s bizarre “cancer free” video, which was released on Monday. While royalists have done the most to praise Kate and her statement, it does feel like the video was A Keen Too Far. Even dyed-in-the-wool monarchists are openly admitting that if Meghan and Harry had made a video like that, the Sussexes would have been thoroughly mocked. I keep going back to the tonal, messaging and communications issues surrounding William and Kate this year – they are being advised poorly, or they are not listening to advice. The manipulated photos and videos, the refusal to acknowledge or thank Kate’s doctors or medical support, and months and months of lies. The video felt like the straw that broke the camel’s back of “WTF is going on here?” Anyway, you know it’s bad when Daily Mail commentators are calling sh-t out. From Liz Jones’ latest Mail column:

Kate’s message versus the video: “A few simple words we have all waited anxiously to hear. Phew. I was in tears. But then, suddenly and inexplicably, what began as a heartfelt message, a tonic, a relief after all the months of obfuscation, descended into a Boden advert. Or something Marc Jacobs might use to sell scent. There were trees. And ferns, so many ferns. Dappled sunlight. The sort of frolicking by children amongst farm machinery and ploughed fields that seemed to locate it not in 2024, but circa the Second World War, not least because of the old-fashioned cine camera special effects. Perhaps that was the message. Kate has been though hell, through a battle. And she is winning.”

Reminiscent of that long-buried 1969 documentary on the Windsors: And yet the ‘highly choreographed’ (those were the words used by the usually sycophantic ITV News at Ten), slick and soft-focus three-minute video released … was surely as misjudged as the 1969 documentary that attempted to portray the royal family as ‘normal’, backfiring so badly the Queen made sure it was never seen again. If that documentary following a year in the life of the monarch was accused of ruining the royal mystique by making them seem like any other ‘modern’ family, this new video was attempting to do the opposite. To portray the Waleses as hyper real, perfect, retro. Like something out of an Enid Blyton novel. But why on earth? A real portrayal would show the kids on their phones, surely. Catherine would look tired and pensive, not perfect with conker-coloured hair.

A literal walk in the park: She says it has been ‘incredibly tough’ but the trouble is, it all looks like a photogenic walk in the park. Only William seems almost real. Reclined on various blankets, or on the sand, he is awkward, as if placed there, limbs carefully arranged like a marionette. Catherine, towards the end of her voiceover (also strange, making the video seem like a wildlife documentary), speaks of walking side by side, hand in hand with other cancer sufferers, but in this short film she has never seemed more detached. It doesn’t help that her words are backed by a soundtrack of slow, ’emotional’ piano.

The cringe: Cancer is messy, imperfect, shattering. After all the mental health initiatives, her work stressing the importance of shaping young minds, this strange, odd film seems a misfire from a family once so protective of their privacy. It smacks of something Meghan and Harry might come up with: Hallmark, cringy, cliched. Not real or from the heart at all.

The keen chimera: Wouldn’t it have meant more if Catherine had discussed the type of cancer she is suffering from, possibly saving hundreds if not thousands of lives? Perhaps a video of her meeting other women with the same diagnosis? Where was the Catherine from that bench in Windsor, baring her soul, telling us of her diagnosis? Replaced by a chimera. An ideal. An illusion. Who at Kensington Palace thought this was the right approach? There were lots of sober comment pieces in the papers yesterday, saying Kate has taken control, driven the narrative. But it all seems off, and the public is seeing through it. After a strange video looking ecstatic leaving a farm shop, and radiant appearances at the Trooping of the Colour and Wimbledon, we suddenly have this outpouring of intimacy that, to me, to many of us, seems a bit… desperate.

The monarchy is hanging by a thread: To my mind, the portrait of our next King was off, too. How can we take William seriously, having seen his bare legs, wrapped around his wife? The monarchy is hanging by a thread, please don’t stretch our credulity. This was a film too easily dismissed as manipulative by those who don’t like the royals. I am, of course, a staunch supporter, but even I don’t want yet another Instagram account, spooning fantasy into our open mouths, as if we are baby birds, not adults with our own mounting problems.

[From The Daily Mail]

Yikes! Liz Jones makes some criticisms which even I, a certified hater, would hesitate to write. “Hallmark, cringy, cliched” and “seems a bit… desperate” and “To portray the Waleses as hyper real, perfect, retro.” I would love the behind-the-scenes story on who came up with the concept of the video and what was said in those palace brain trust meetings. There’s an aspect to the video which I do feel like is pure Kate. As in, this is what SHE wanted, this is the image she wants to project, as a throwback, retro, Edwardian royal who was briefly struck down with the vapors and now spends her days galloping in a field. So what was the coordination on Kate’s vision?

Photos courtesy of Will Warr/KP.

Here are more unfortunate photos of Prince William yesterday in Wales. He had a full day (lol) of events, visiting a school and doing some sports-related activities and more. As I looked through the photos, I became sort of sad. Like, does Huevo have anyone around him willing to speak truth to him? Does he have anyone in his life capable of saying “the beard is tragic and you look like you’re obsessively copying your brother?” I’m always struck by William’s lack of skincare too. There’s absolutely no reason for a 42-year-old man to look this vitamin-deficient and just… depleted and ashy. Perhaps he’s too busy on Duolingo to moisturize:

Prince William has revealed that he is learning Welsh on Duolingo during his visit to Llanelli today. The royal, 42 visited the town today and met children who took part in a major Welsh language youth festival.

Urdd Eisteddfod is a cultural festival that sees many children and young people from the ages of eight to 25 compete in the sectors of music, arts and literature. Among them was ten-year-old Ruby Davies, who won the competition for her age group and her sweet reaction went viral and melted hearts all over the nation.

William said he had the language learning app, Duolingo, downloaded and that he was trying to learn Welsh ‘phonetically’.

[From The Daily Mail]

William’s approach to inheriting the “Prince of Wales” title is that he’s here for a good time, not a long time. He had four decades to pick up some conversational Welsh or at least study the language privately. He’s spent two years as PoW making excuses for why he never bothered to learn Welsh and why he won’t “rush things” on learning the language. Now he’s claiming that he’s doing Duolingo? Please.

There was also this story, about how William “advocates for female athletes” in Wales. Yes, the man was the patron and president of the Football Association for years and he couldn’t be bothered to attend the World Cup when England made the final… because it was the women’s team. GMAFB on “advocates for female athletes.”

Photos courtesy of Cover Images.

Dave Grohl was married in the 1990s to Jennifer Youngblood (what a metal name). The marriage ended in 1997 and there are references to her and their relationship in the Foo Fighters’ music from that era. In 2003, Grohl remarried. He married Jordyn Blum, and I’m including photos of Dave and Jordyn in this post. She is seven years younger than him (he’s 55 right now). They welcomed three daughters together – Violet, 18, Harper, 15, and Ophelia, 10. Dave and Jordyn were just seen out at Wimbledon this year, back in July. Well, it looks like Dave was keeping a secret from his wife. Dave has announced that he has fathered another child outside of his marriage.

Dave Grohl has shared that he welcomed another baby outside of his marriage. On Tuesday, Sept. 10, the Foo Fighters rocker, 55, shared on Instagram that he recently welcomed a daughter with a woman outside of his marriage. “I’ve recently become the father of a new baby daughter, born outside of my marriage,” he wrote in a statement.

“I plan to be a loving and supportive parent to her. I love my wife and my children, and I am doing everything I can to regain their trust and earn their forgiveness,” he continued. “We’re grateful for your consideration toward all the children involved, as we move forward together.”

A rep for Grohl had no additional comment. Grohl has been married to wife Jordyn Blum since 2003. The couple shares three kids, daughters Violet, 18, Harper, 15, and Ophelia, 10.

Although the former Nirvana drummer doesn’t often speak about his wife in interviews, he discussed the importance of his family in 2009, telling TIME, “I used to tour nine months out of the year. Now I don’t like being away from my kids for more than 12 days.”

The musician continued, “It’s changed everything that I do. When you have kids, you see life through different eyes. You feel love more deeply and are maybe a little more compassionate. It’s inevitable that that would make its way into your songwriting.”

[From People]

I mean, there’s a grand tradition of rock stars fathering children with mistresses, groupies and side-chicks. This happens all of the time, we usually don’t hear about it from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. This must be so devastating for Jordyn and their girls. I sincerely hope he didn’t spring this on his wife once the baby was born, although I’m not sure if it would be easier to deal with if he came home and was like “so, I got someone pregnant.” As I said, they were just out together at Wimbledon in July. Did Jordyn know then?

Dave Grohl missed a trick not opening this statement with “I’ve got another confession to make” pic.twitter.com/n00umERYRe

— Elliot Mitchell (@elliot_mitchell) September 10, 2024

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

For the better part of 18 months, the British lunatics at the Heritage Foundation (an “American think tank”) have been harassing Prince Harry and the Biden administration over Harry’s visa and immigration status. Heritage has filed multiple lawsuits and FOIA requests, all for a fishing expedition into Harry’s immigration records. They wanted to “prove” that Harry lied in his visa application, except they had no proof that he lied. All of this started up after Spare was published. In the book, Harry admits to using drugs when he was younger, and he’s highlighted the use of psychedelics in therapeutic settings too. But yeah, it’s not a smoking gun – Harry can write about trying cocaine when he was a teenager and it’s not a dealbreaker for US Immigration. Anyway, all of that targeted harassment has come to naught. The judge in the case apparently terminated it this week?

A lawsuit brought over Prince Harry’s visa status by conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation has been terminated, Newsweek can reveal.

The Duke of Sussex wrote in his memoir, Spare, how he had taken drugs including cocaine, marijuana and magic mushrooms. Heritage filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security demanding the publication of Harry’s visa documents, arguing that his use of narcotics should have barred him from living and working in America.

However, court records show that the case was terminated on September 9, when several sealed orders were filed in the case, heard in Washington D.C. before Judge Carl J. Nichols.

Little is currently known about exactly why the case was brought to an end, or whether this means Harry’s visa papers will now remain a secret. If that is the outcome, it will likely bring relief for the prince as Heritage had suggested his past drug-taking could undermine his right to live in America.

Kyle Brosnan, chief counsel for The Heritage Foundation’s Oversight Project, told Newsweek in a statement: “Prince Harry repeatedly admitted to using illegal drugs in his memoir. “This fact alone makes him inadmissible into the United States. We sued to get answers to a simple question of whether the government gave Prince Harry preferential treatment when he entered the country. It appears the judge has ruled and that ruling is under seal. We know nothing about how the judge ruled. No one should read into the order, or the fact that it is under seal. We have always said this case is unique and opinions can be initially sealed in such cases. We will continue to monitor the situation.”

Heritage had suggested in filings seen by Newsweek that Harry must have either been dishonest about his past drug use or given favorable treatment due to his royal status and that he had eroded his own right to privacy.

[From Newsweek]

Heritage made all kinds of wild, defamatory claims about Harry and drugs and the Biden administration, conveniently forgetting that Harry applied for and received his visa during the Trump administration. Heritage put the Department of Homeland Security in the awkward position of arguing that Harry has as much right to privacy as Donald Trump, and that Harry’s visa records are part of law-enforcement records (because ICE is part of DHS). Anyway, just a reminder, this was always a high-level scheme coordinated by the British media, the Windsors and Heritage working in concert to find some way to get Harry deported from America. Pretty disgusting if you ask me.

Top 8 Stories about the Heritage Foundation targeting Prince Harry

The ultra right wing Heritage Foundation has been trying to deport Prince Harry since Spare came out! Sign up for our mailing list and get the top 8 stories about the Heritage Foundation targeting Prince Harry! – Katie at Celebitchy

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Photos courtesy of Netflix.

Katie Holmes covers the September issue of Town & Country. An odd choice overall, but it doesn’t matter. Katie is promoting her return to Broadway in Kenny Leon’s revival of Our Town. Her daughter Suri is heading off to college and Katie already seems booked and busy. There’s an undercurrent of Katie trying to keep herself busy too, like she knows that being an empty-nester will hit her hard so she’s booking as much stuff as possible. But mostly, Katie has that je ne sais quoi quality of Xennials… the IDGAF attitude of a Gen Xer mixed with some older-Millennial quirks. Some highlights from Town & Country:

An empty-nester: Holmes has thrown herself into creative pursuits including dance classes (“I love a dance studio because every time you enter, you’re starting from the beginning, and that’s a good, meditative way to approach the day”), painting (“I like abstract and took a class right here”), and even a book club (“You learn so much about each other—it’s a chance for everybody to share what moves them”). She’s a great reader; her group, which meets about five times a year, recently discussed Abraham Verghese’s The Covenant of Water.

How she prepares for a role: “I read a lot to calm my mind down, and then I play. We all live at this fast pace, and I know sometimes I need to calm down.”

Choosing her work: “Do I have 20 scripts at my door, all with the green light? No. Would that make life easier? Yes. Is that unrealistic? Yes. Everybody has to find their interesting story, try to put it together, and make poetry out of things. There’s a lot of thought that goes into the projects I work on, but at the end of the day you still want to create something that people will respond to. You’re always at the whim of someone.”

On why she is writing a love-story trilogy: “I was drawn to create a love story, because I think that that never goes out of style. We all want to escape into that.”

On being a fashion icon: “This is where we are right now. Fashion is really big, and it didn’t used to be. As an actor, you weren’t necessarily photographed all the time on the street. It’s different now, and it’s flattering, but it doesn’t change how I live or dress. I’m adamant about having a life and not letting this industry dictate decisions as simple as what I wear or as complicated as what I do. You don’t want to be afraid of anything, right?”

On her daughter, Suri, heading to college: “I’m proud of my daughter. Of course, I will miss the close proximity, but I’m really proud of her and I’m happy. I remember being this age, this time of beginnings. It’s exciting to learn about yourself, and I loved that time, so it makes me happy to think about it like that.”

[From Town & Country]

We don’t know much about Suri, but from what we can see, she seems like a perfectly well-adjusted kid who grew up in New York. She has friends, she got into a good college (Carnegie Mellon) and she’ll come home to visit her mom when she can. I bet Katie starts working more now too, not just on Broadway. I imagine she’ll say “yes” to more stuff where she would have to travel or be on location outside of NYC. Anyway, I still root for Katie. I hope she’s doing well and I hope she stays busy with all of her projects and hobbies.

Photos courtesy of Ruven Afanador for Town and Country, sent via promotional Town & Country email. Additional photos courtesy of Cover Images and Backgrid.

Kevin Costner has his epic Horizon film series in his field of dreams and he’s gonna beat that wagon-pulling dead horse if it’s the last thing he does. Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1 got bad reviews and bombed at the box office in July. Then Chapter 2 had its August release date pulled, at which point Kevin spun it as what he wanted all along anyway, so that it could have a world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. And so it did last Saturday, out of competition. While there, Kevin reassured the film’s dozens of fans that he’s still dead set on coming out with the as-yet unfilmed Horizon: An American Saga — Chapters 3 and 4. I’ll give him this: it really does feel like a saga.

Thoughts from Sherlock: Kevin Costner spoke on the scrapped theatrical release of his second “Horizon” film on Saturday during its Venice Film Festival press conference, saying that “it probably was a reaction” to the underperformance of the first movie at the box office. “It didn’t have overwhelming success,” Costner said of the first film. “I’ve had a lot of movies that way, that have stood the test of time.”

His desire to continue is only increased: “Sometimes when things don’t come to us easily, we want to just step away. But there’s something in me that only increases my desire when something is not working,” Costner said. “It’s a story, it’s a piece of entertainment that I think can stand the test of time. When I feel rejection, unlike anybody else, when I open my eyes from my disappointment, my desire is only increased.”

Horizon is historical, not political: When asked if “Horizon” contains a lesson for the current state of America as it heads into a presidential election, Costner said “it’s not a message politically to anyone. ‘Horizon’ is not a message to my country, it’s a reminder to my country of how difficult it was that people made this journey,” he said. … The film continues the events of the first chapter in the epic, which is described as a “multi-faceted depiction of the Civil War expansion and settlement of the American West.” In addition to directing and starring, Costner served as a co-writer with Jon Baird (“The Explorers Guild”) and produced through his Territory Pictures.

Thoughts from Sisyphus: “Horizon” is intended as a four-part series, meaning that two more films are in development. Principal photography on “Chapter 3” began in May and is expected to wrap next year. As the press conference wrapped, Costner said all of the “Horizon” films have been written and teased “Chapter 3” as “devastating.” “You get to know all these people, and life keeps coming at them and you will see that,” he said. Of making the third film, Costner said he has to “hurry and not let the rock fall back downhill, I gotta go put my hands on it again and start to push it up.” However, the path ahead for “Horizon” still seems to be uncertain. “I don’t know how I’m going to make ‘Three’ right now,” he said. “But I’m going to make it.”

[From Variety]

Kevin Costner has a dream and it will not be trampled on! All he wants is to give us 12 hours of slow-paced storytelling about Civil War-era westward expansion divided into four films to be screened in theaters instead of comfortably streamed at home! So sure, he had to spend $38 million of his own money to make the first installment, and put up the mortgage on his Southern California mansion as collateral. And sure, the movie-going public rendered their verdict by handing the first movie a disappointing $11 million opening weekend (compared to its $100 million budget), prompting the August release of the next movie to be nixed. But does that mean he should read the room, cut his losses and stop? YES NO! Look, it’s always a good message not to let the naysayers deter you. But how much of his own wealth does he plan on throwing at this endeavor? Will he at least budge and let go of the theatrical releases? Because the first film’s numbers improved once it went to VOD. To quote a great film that’s stood the test of time: if you put it right in people’s living rooms, they will come.

Photos credit: Ottavia Da Re / Agenzia Sintesi / Avalon, Maria Laura Antonelli / AGF Foto / Avalon, IPA/INSTARimages

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice opened in theaters last weekend. Mr. Rosie and I saw it on Sunday. I don’t want to spoil anything, so I’ll give my quick thoughts on it below, keeping them as vague as possible.

To celebrate the movie’s opening, several movie theater chains did one of those promotions where they sell tie-in merch in their concessions stands. For instance, Regal had popcorn containers in the shape of the Handbook for the Recently Deceased and Cinemark had drink containers shaped like Bob’s shrunken head. AMC took it one step further and sold a crazy 24 oz cocktail called the “Sandworm Slayer.” The Sandworm Slayer is blue and black raspberry juice mixed with vodka and topped with gummy worms. That may sound crazy, but that’s not the kicker here. The drink went viral because, depending on where you live, it costs somewhere between $21 and $31. Yes, $31! For that kind of cost, it better be Belvedere or Gray Goose in that drink, my goodness.

A Beetlejuice Beetlejuice promotional drink at AMC Theatres‘ is getting attention on social media for its seemingly exorbitant price. The concoction is the Sandworm Slayer, a specialty drink topped with some gummy worms.

“Naw Beetlejuice would’ve had to show up and bring me my drink for that price,” replied one commenter, while another snarked, “You could have bought 6 shares of AMC Theatres stock with that $31, not sure which one would have been worth the price.”

There is some context to this, however, which takes at least some of the fun out of it.

First, this is a 24-ounce cocktail made with blue and black raspberry juice and “premium vodka” (we’re skeptical about the “premium” part, but that’s what the press release says). So this is not just some blue soda.

Second, the usual price for the Sandworm Slayer is a hefty-but-more-reasonable $21. According to AMC’s internal research — yes, they researched this question! — the price at 92 percent of AMC locations is $21 plus tax. AMC notes the drink was apparently purchased in Illinois, which has some unique liquor pricing laws that we won’t bore you with, which bumped the drink’s price to $28.25, plus tax.

Thus, if you’re going to one of the 8 percent of AMC theaters that are located in Illinois and opt for the 24-ounce version of Sandworm Slayer, you can also get a vibrant drink in an ice-filled plastic cup for an all-in cost of around $31. (Given these are sold at AMC’s MacGuffins bar, one wonders if you can also add a generous tip — c’mon, let’s get this blue juice up to $40!)

Still, the resulting drink does look a bit less exciting than the promotional photo for the drink, but you can say that about everything:

AMC adds that the drink, “like so many of our movie-tie-in drinks, is wildly popular across the AMC circuit and sold very well during the weekend.” Indeed, chug a couple of these and you’ll forget how many times you said “Beetlejuice.”

Update: The viral $31 Sandworm Slayer was apparently purchased in California, not Illinois, so the plot thickens.

[From The Hollywood Reporter]

That is crazy! We’ve bought a few of the specialty merch things before, like a Slimer popcorn bowl for Ghostbusters: Afterlife and that cool Infinity Rings drink holder when Avengers: Endgame came out, but I would never pay that much money for an adult beverage at a movie theater, or, to be fair, anywhere else if I could avoid it. The drink also doesn’t look very appealing. That said, putting together some sort of drink like this one would be a cool little offering for a Halloween house party, like a punch with gummy worms in it or something spooky/creative like that.

As for the movie itself, it is absolutely batsh-t bonkers in the best way possible and you can tell that everyone in the cast was having an absolute blast filming it. Jenna Ortega fit right in and I really liked the more mature relationship between Lydia and Delia. While watching, I had made mental notes of certain clues that foreshadowed the plot twist, but assumed that it would culminate in a different way, so I completely didn’t see it coming. I also died laughing during the dream sequence in the church. There was one storyline that they could have cut out and saved for a third movie, but otherwise, we thought that it was a really fun, off-the-walls movie. It is more graphic than the first one, though, and not for kids under age 12 or 13.

This is what was in this fucked up thing pic.twitter.com/6cA4VgRMA8

— Andrew Woods (@JimJarmuschHair) September 8, 2024

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Photos credit: Phil Lewis / Wenn / Avalon, Cat Morley / Avalon, James Warren / Bang Showbiz / Avalon

Rachel Zoe & Rodger Berman are divorcing after 26 years of marriage. If you watched The Rachel Zoe Project, you know that it’s surprising that they even made it last as long as they did. Their sons are 13 and 10 years old, just FYI. [JustJared]
Angelina Jolie is extremely popular in Toronto. [LaineyGossip]
Photos of the late James Earl Jones. [Hollywood Life]
Women are receiving substandard medical care after Dobbs. [Jezebel]
Ralph Fiennes stars in Conclave, about the Vatican. [Pajiba]
Nicole Kidman checked in with Naomi Watts before working with Naomi’s ex. [Buzzfeed]
What’s going on with this Emily Armstrong situation? [Socialite Life]
Flavor Flav on the floor of the NYSE [Seriously OMG]
This is such a Barbie look on Brie Larson! [RCFA]
Trailer for Anora (which looks interesting). [OMG Blog]

Over the weekend, Roya Nikkhah at the Times had an exclusive about the Princess of Wales’s fall and winter plans. Long story short, sources said Kate would only be seen publicly maybe two or three more times this year: Remembrance Day, her Christmas piano recital and possibly at the walk to church on Christmas morning. Then on Monday, Kensington Palace released a new statement by Kate, confirming that she completed chemotherapy but will likely not return to work any time soon. It was a rare palace strategy which stayed on message – the Times piece was the preview, and Kate’s statement and video did not contradict Roya’s sources. It looks like Kensington Palace is also doing post-video briefings to emphasis it too, the fact that we will be seeing much, much less of Kate from now on.

Kate Middleton is adjusting to life after completing chemotherapy for cancer. Although the Princess of Wales, 42, has finished chemotherapy, she is not expected to fully return to royal duties anytime soon.

“She had a lovely summer and is very focused on her wellbeing. She is definitely going to be doing less,” says a source in her circle.

She will take on a lighter schedule for the remainder of the year, including a few select public engagements as part of a gradual return to her royal responsibilities. Decisions regarding 2025 will depend on medical advice, PEOPLE understands.

While working from home at Adelaide Cottage, Princess Kate remains engaged in her causes, including her early childhood work. While she is likely to attend Remembrance Day alongside the royal family in November and is actively involved in planning her annual carol concert at Westminster Abbey for December, her focus remains on healing and spending quality time with William and their children.

As Kate said in her message, being cancer-free is her focus, and it will take time. However, she is looking forward to undertaking a handful of public engagements in the coming months when she can, PEOPLE understands.

[From People]

Considering the months of clownery from KP earlier this year, I guess we should give them a cookie for consistency this week. Of course, I think the whole KP-produced video was cringe, but the message has gotten through and everyone’s on the same page, the page being “Kate won’t do much from now on.” Of course we hope that Kate is doing better health-wise, but that didn’t seem like the purpose of the video or any of this messaging.

If there has been inconsistency, it’s with this part of Kate’s statement: “Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus.” Some of the royal reporters went to KP and asked them if we’re now supposed to say that Kate is “cancer-free” and the message seems convoluted.

A mixed message and some confusing headlines tonight. On the one hand, Kate says: “Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus.” Yet at the same time, we’ve been told it is incorrect to describe her as “cancer free” or in remission.

— Richard Palmer (@RoyalReporter) September 9, 2024

I think what Princess of Wales meant is that she is doing what she can to become and then stay cancer free.
As her office confirms, she is currently not classed as cancer free” nor “in remission”. https://t.co/J1DCYiLO61

— Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) September 9, 2024

Screencaps courtesy of Will Warr/Kensington Palace.