PERSPECTA

News from every angle

Results for "Brady"

93 stories found

Element Pictures Announces Storyhouse Festival Lineup
Culturedeadline26d ago

Element Pictures Announces Storyhouse Festival Lineup

Oscar-nominee Brady Corbet, filmmaker Harry Lighton, Audrey Diwan, and writer Abi Morgan are among the talents confirmed to participate in the third edition of Element Pictures’ Dublin-based screenwriting festival, Storyhouse.

Looking for a summer job? One of the most exclusive clubs in America is hiring
BusinessBusiness Insider1mo ago

Looking for a summer job? One of the most exclusive clubs in America is hiring

The Yellowstone Club in Big Sky, Montana, is known for its exclusivity, allowing fewer than 1,000 members. 1-foto / 500px/Getty Images/500px The Yellowstone Club, which counts Bill Gates and Tom Brady among its members, is hiring. The Montana enclave has nearly 80 open summer positions, from cake decorator to camp counselor. It's an opportunity to get inside exclusive clubs, whose members include billionaires and celebrities. This summer, there are dozens of opportunities to get into the e...

Brady Tkachuk slams White House’s ‘fake’ Canada diss video
PoliticsYahoo1mo ago

Brady Tkachuk slams White House’s ‘fake’ Canada diss video

Under President Donald Trump, the White House’s official TikTok account isn’t averse to using AI-generated imagery. MORE: Olympic hockey gold medal winner breaks silence on missing White House visit The latest example capitalized on the wave of patriotism that followed…

Steven Spielberg Flees California Amid Raging Wealth Tax Battle
Politicszerohedge1mo ago

Steven Spielberg Flees California Amid Raging Wealth Tax Battle

Steven Spielberg Flees California Amid Raging Wealth Tax Battle Another day, another rich liberal leaving a state over policies they promoted.  In today's episode of modern hypocrisy, Steven Spielberg, director of blockbuster hits like Jaws, E.T., Poltergeist and Saving Private Ryan, has moved to Manhattan, according to the Los Angeles Times. A spokesperson for one of Hollywood’s most reliable Democrat Party donors was quick to insist the relocation has nothing to do with California’s highly controversial wealth tax proposal. “Steven’s move to the East Coast is both long-planned and driven purely by his and Kate Capshaw’s desire to be closer to their New York-based children and grandchildren,” spokeswoman Terry Press told the newspaper. Unsurprisingly, Press declined to say where Spielberg stands on the wealth tax when asked. California is now seriously considering a new wealth tax targeting billionaires, including a levy on unrealized gains. The idea has already spooked investors and contributed to several high-profile tech figures running for the exits. It’s a familiar pattern when progressive policies finally start to bite, a surprising number of billionaires discover a sudden deep affection for Florida, Texas, or even New York. Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin quietly began unwinding portions of their financial empires in California in the days leading up to Christmas, while Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg dropped $150 million on a Miami mansion. Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan had been looking for a home on Indian Creek Island, the ultra-exclusive, heavily guarded enclave nicknamed “Billionaire Bunker” that is already home to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, former NFL star quarterback Tom Brady, and Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump. Even Jeffrey Epstein pal Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn co-founder and major Democratic donor, has taken aim at the billionaire tax proposal, slamming it as a "horrendous idea" that could drive tech founders and executives out of the state. Rep. Khanna reached out to me to discuss the proposed California wealth tax; and while I am against the proposed tax, I'm always open to dialogue with our elected leaders. The proposed CA wealth tax is badly designed in so many ways that a simple social post cannot cover all of… January 7, 2026 "The proposed CA wealth tax is badly designed in so many ways that a simple social post cannot cover all of the massive flaws. One well-documented example is the horrendous idea to tax illiquid stock in the proposal. Poorly designed taxes incentivize avoidance, capital flight, and distortions that ultimately raise less revenue," Hoffman said of the plan. Hedge fund billionaire Bill Ackman, a longtime Democrat who voted for Trump in the 2024 election, warned that California is on a "path to self-destruction." California is on a path to self-destruction. Hollywood is already toast and now the most productive entrepreneurs will leave taking their tax revenues and job creation elsewhere. And then the Democrats highlight @CAgovernor Newsom as a great leader. Crazy. https://t.co/bFyLhARrNn December 27, 2025 "Hollywood is already toast, and now the most productive entrepreneurs will leave, taking their tax revenues and job creation elsewhere,” Ackman said. Our readers will recall that Tesla and SpaceX Ceo Elon Musk was one of the first big names to leave California years ago, citing the state’s punishing taxes and its embrace of radical left-wing governance. The list keeps growing. Buckle up, Newsom. Musk was the first and Spielberg won’t be the last. Tyler Durden Fri, 02/20/2026 - 16:40

Jay-Z's luxury watch collection is worth millions and includes one of the most complicated timepieces ever made
CultureBusiness Insider2mo ago

Jay-Z's luxury watch collection is worth millions and includes one of the most complicated timepieces ever made

Samir Hussein/Getty Images Billionaire rapper Jay-Z loves luxury watches; the rarer and harder to get, the better. His collection includes timepieces from Audemars Piguet, Richard Mille, and Patek Philippe. He's even worn watches valued at $1 million to attend events like the Grammy Awards. Jay-Z, born Shawn Carter, has long mentioned his love of luxury timepieces in his songs. You can find references to Rolex, Audemars Piguet, and Hublot throughout his decades-long music catalog. He doesn't only flash watches in his lyrics, though. The billionaire rapper, who has a $2.5 billion net worth, has amassed quite a collection of statement timepieces. The $1,075,652 Patek Philippe Grand Complication 5304-301R he wore at the 2025 Grammys was just one of them. Here's a look at that watch and other items included in his watch collection. Jay-Z has a Patek Philippe Grand Complication 5304-301R that retails for more than $1 million. Jay-Z wears a Patek Philippe to the Grammys in 2025. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy ; Patek Philippe Jay-Z is a big fan of Patek Philippe watches. He wore one with a rose-gold case and dozens of diamonds for the 2025 Grammys. Its face includes several functions, such as days of the week and moon phases, that help keep a perpetual calendar for tracking the date. The calendar automatically adjusts for leap years and accurately counts the days until 2100, according to GQ. The hand-stitched strap is made of alligator leather. Beyoncé reportedly gifted him a Hublot Big Bang. Hublot Jay-Z quite literally announced his love of Hublot in the 2011 song "Otis," where he pronounced, "New watch alert: Hublot." Perhaps it was prophetic. In 2012, his wife and fellow artist Beyoncé gifted Jay-Z a $5 million Hublot Big Bang in 18-karat white-gold for his 43rd birthday, according to jewelry blogs. The watch was encrusted with 1,282 diamonds, and it took more than 14 months to assemble, the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève, a foundation that highlights contemporary watches with awards and exhibitions, reported. It also took more than a year to source all the diamonds. A year later, the Swiss watchmaker collaborated with the rapper to design a timepiece under his name. Jay-Z wore his own Hublot watch onstage in 2013. Hublot/Adam Bettcher/Getty Images Hublot released the Shawn Carter Hublot Classic Fusion in yellow gold and black ceramic in 2013. The former watch was priced at $33,900, and the latter at $17,900. The collection was limited to just 350 total pieces, according to GQ. You can't miss his Richard Mille 56 Blueprint watch. Gotham/GC Images via Getty Images/Richard Mille Jay-Z's custom Blueprint Richard Mille 56 watch required more than 3,000 hours to produce, GQ said in 2019. No wonder it cost $2.5 million. During a 2019 show in his hometown of Brooklyn, the rapper freestyled a tribute to the timepiece: "Blueprint on my wrist cost 2.5/Only thing that flips the script between you and I." The rapper later purchased another one-of-a-kind Richard Mille piece — this time in green. Rich Schultz/Getty Images What was the price of that Richard Mille 56 watch? $3 million, according to Complex. Or at least, that was its retail value. Alex Todd, who customized the watch, told the outlet that its monetary value is higher. It was custom-made for Jay-Z and featured rare green sapphire crystals. Jay-Z eventually expanded his collection of Richard Mille watches. The Richard Mille RM011 Felipe Massa watch. Richard Mille He did so with an RM011 Felipe Massa Chronograph in rose gold. The watch was originally released in 2007 and was designed with its namesake, F1 driver Felipe Massa, the brand said on its website. The timepiece is meant to invoke a racing aesthetic and the sport's history of tech innovation. Its crown "resembles a smooth tyre encircling a spoked wheel rim," the maker said. Mille is no longer making this model, but you can get a used one for $215,000. He's worn Richard Mille pieces to attend major sporting events, like the US Open. Richard Mille/Matthew Stockman/Getty Images Jay-Z wore the Richard Mille RM027 Rafael Nadal to watch its namesake take on Novak Djokovic at the 2011 US Open championships. It was designed to be as lightweight as possible and take on all the wear and tear a tennis superstar like Nadal might put it through, Richard Mille said. Nadal referred to it as his "second skin" timepiece. There were only 50 of these watches made at the time, according to Mille. You can buy one on the secondary market for $1.95 million. Nadal collaborated with Richard Mille on several additional versions of this timepiece that the rapper later acquired. Jay-Z has also worn the Richard Mille Rafael Nadal 27-01, which has an anthracite casing. His collection also includes Audemars Piguet watches. Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Audemars Piguet Jay-Z shouted out Audemars Piguet in his 2011 "Watch the Throne" track "N—s in Paris," saying: "Ball so hard, got a broken clock / rollies that don't tick-tock / Audemars that's losing time / hidden behind all these big rocks." He's also worn the brand. Included in his collection is the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar Openworked 26585CE. It has an openwork sapphire dial, rose gold dial markers, a black ceramic band and case, and a titanium clasp. You can buy one from the watchmaker, but it's "price upon request" — or, in other words, wildly expensive. To get it on the secondary market, you'll need to shell out over $375,000. Patek Philippe watches can be tough to buy, but not for Jay-Z. The Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon 6002R watch. Patek Philippe When describing the Patek Philippe 6002 Sky Moon Tourbillon watch on its website, the brand notes the extensive detail that went into creating the timepiece. Some of the highlights include handmade engravings, a double-face design, a retrograde perpetual calendar, a sky chart, and more. It's one of the most technically complicated Patek Philippe watches, and its price is only available "on request." However, used versions of the watch can be found on the secondhand market for prices between $4 million and $6 million. Jay-Z wore his model to Lebron James' 39th birthday party. Jay-Z picked up a Tiffany and Co. x Patek Philippe collab in 2021. The Patek Philippe Tiffany watch. Tiffany & Co. The Patek Philippe Nautilus 5711 in Tiffany Blue initially retailed for $52,635, but since only 170 were made, the price skyrocketed on the secondary market. Days after the watches sold out, one was auctioned off for $6.5 million, CNBC reported in 2021. Jay-Z and Beyoncé were named Tiffany ambassadors that year. In 2023, the musician wore one of the rarest Audemars Piguet pieces. An Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 25594ST "Yves Klein" watch. Audemars Piguet The "Yves Klein" version of the Audemars Piguet Royal Oak 25594ST watch is an ode to the French artist. He's widely known for developing his own vibrant shade of blue — international Klein blue 191. The Royal Oak design features a perpetual calendar, which keeps track of everything from the time and date to the moon's phases. It's a popular style in its own right, but the Yves Klein version is especially rare. Few are rarely found on the resale market. He also sported a unique Patek Philippe that year. A Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Split Seconds Chronograph 5004P watch. Patek Philippe Jay-Z sported the Perpetual Calendar Split Seconds Chronograph 5004P watch during a decadent, seafood tower-filled lunch meeting with DJ Khaled in 2023. The watch is modeled on Patek Philippe's first perpetual calendar watch, released in 1996. The particular watch that Jay-Z has, the 5004P model with a silver link band, is nearly impossible to find, but it was valued at $600,000 in 2022, according to IFL Watches. The most intricate Patek Philippe watch belongs to Jay-Z. Jay-Z wearing the Patek Phillipe Grandmaster Chime Reference 6300G in 2019. Patek Philippe/Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Sean Combs The Grandmaster Chime is considered Patek Philippe's most complicated watch, with more than 1,500 individual components. The company made the watch in 2014 to commemorate its 175th anniversary, and only seven were produced. Six went to the watchmaker's most dedicated collectors (who apparently had to apply for the privilege of buying one), while the seventh went to the company's museum in Geneva. Patek Philippe then went on to make the Grandmaster Chime in other fabrications. Jay-Z has the white gold version, which runs around $2.5 million, according to reports. He acquired the Patek Philippe 2499 in a tight-lipped deal. A Patek Philippe 2499 went up for auction in 2011. Harold Cunningham/Getty Images Patek Philippe produced this watch in limited quantities from 1950 to 1985. Only 349 were made. Jay-Z's Patek Philippe 2499 was previously owned by Swedish watch collector and dealer Tony Kavak, who had a yellow-gold band specially made for the piece. As Kavak tells it, the watch wasn't initially for sale. "The watch is so exclusive that I often chose not to wear it in public, and I always wear my watches, that's my philosophy," Kavak told watch site Bezl. But he knew Jay-Z was the right person to own the watch, he added. "You should have seen his happiness," Kavak said in an interview with watch blog Hodinkee. "It just reminded me of how happy I get when I find something rare myself." Neither Kavak nor Jay-Z would reveal the deal's cost, but in 2022, a similar watch sold at auction for $7.68 million. He wore two different F.P. Journe pieces to the 2026 Super Bowl. Jay-Z photographs his daughter at the 2026 Super Bowl. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/Getty Images His first FP Journe Tourbillon Souverain was set with 93 baguette diamonds circling it and even more across its face, according to Celeb Watch Spotter. Jay-Z wore the piece for a meeting with Tom Brady. His wife Beyoncé later shared photos from Super Bowl weekend on her website. They included a close-up shot of another FP Journe Tourbillon Souverain watch, this one in green, on Jay-Z's wrist. Read the original article on Business Insider

Poděbrady to Study Use of Buildings Next to Town Hall
Politicsirozhlas29d ago

Poděbrady to Study Use of Buildings Next to Town Hall

The Czech town of Poděbrady will commission a study to explore the utilization of a complex of buildings adjacent to its town hall, including the Hlinka houses and a property on Paroubkova Street, potentially for a multi-purpose social hall.

Waste Of The Day: DEI Contractors Remain In Military's K-12 Schools
Politicszerohedge1mo ago

Waste Of The Day: DEI Contractors Remain In Military's K-12 Schools

Waste Of The Day: DEI Contractors Remain In Military's K-12 Schools Authored by Jeremy Portnoy via RealClearInvestigations, Topline: Controversial education firms that helped embed diversity, equity and inclusion principles in K-12 military schools during President Joe Biden’s administration are still working with the Department of Defense Education Activity, or DoDEA, and received a total of $171,175 in 2025. Key facts: Thomas M. Brady, the director of DoDEA from 2014 to 202...

CultureEL PAIS1mo ago

Who is Alix Earle and what was she doing at Bad Bunny’s La Casita?

The presence of the TikTok star at the Super Bowl alongside Karol G and Pedro Pascal sparked outrage among some and curiosity among others. After gaining popularity on social media for her unfiltered posts, she’s announced a reality show on the platform and has been linked to Tom Brady

The biggest scandals of the British royal family
PoliticsReutersbloombergNYT+12wsjThe GuardianAl JazeeraFox Newstimes-ukDWBusiness InsiderThe Independent+4 more2mo ago15 sources

The biggest scandals of the British royal family

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. CTR/ Star Max/ AP Images King Edward VIII rejected the crown in 1936 so he could marry a divorced American woman. In 1995, Diana sat down for a tell-all solo interview and talked about Charles' affair. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. For centuries, the British royal family has cultivated an image of duty and decorum. As public figures, they've also had their share of scandals. Forbidden romances, tabloid firestorms, and allegations of misconduct have rocked the House of Windsor over the years. Here's a look at some of the biggest scandals involving royal family members. King Edward VIII rejected the crown in 1936 so he could marry a divorced American woman. Wallis Simpson and Edward VIII. Len Putnam/AP Directly after his father died in 1936, Edward VIII took the throne. Less than a year later, he renounced it. That's because he had fallen hard for Wallis Simpson, an American socialite who'd already been divorced once and was working through her second. His proposal of marriage caused social and political uproar, since the Church of England technically forbade Edward from marrying someone who'd been divorced. Eventually, Edward was forced to abdicate. "I have found it impossible to carry the heavy burden of responsibility and to discharge my duties as King [...] without the help and support of the woman I love," he said in a radio address to the nation in December 1936. Edward and Simpson married in 1937 and stayed together until Edward's death in 1972. (And she wasn't the only commoner who married into royalty.) Princess Margaret fell in love with a married man. Captain Peter Townsend and Princess Margaret. AP Captain Peter Townsend was a Royal Air Force officer who served as an equerry — essentially an attendant to the royal family. He spent a great deal of time with Margaret, and before long, the two fell in love. The only problem was that he was married. Things got even more scandalous in 1953 when Townsend divorced his wife and proposed to Margaret, but the rules of the Church of England forbade such a marriage. (After all, Margaret's uncle Edward VIII had to relinquish the throne in order to marry a divorcee.) The relationship came to a heartbreaking close in 1955 when they called off the engagement. There was simply no way for Captain Townsend and Princess Margaret to have a happy ending. Her eventual marriage to a different man ended in a high-profile divorce. Princess Margaret and Anthony Armstrong Jones. AP Not long after calling things off with Townsend, Margaret married photographer Anthony Armstrong Jones. It was the first royal wedding to ever be televised. A few years later, their union became a source of "growing public ridicule," The New York Times reported. They fought in public, Margaret took long vacations without her husband, and rumors swirled around her close friendship with a man 17 years her junior. In 1976, the couple announced their separation, and two years later, they were officially divorced. Margaret became the first royal to divorce since Henry VIII, who reigned way back in the 1500s. Princess Diana and an alleged lover were secretly recorded on the phone. Princess Diana and James Gilbey. Kimimasa Mayama/Reuters; David Jones/AP In 1992 — while then-Prince Charles and Princess Diana were still married — media outlets published the transcript of a conversation between Diana and an alleged lover named James Gilbey. In the conversation, Gilbey told Diana that he loved her and called her by the pet name "Squidgy" 53 times. That's how the scandal earned the memorable moniker "Squidgygate." Later, in an interview, Diana confirmed that the conversation was real, but denied that it was adulterous in nature. The same thing happened to Diana's husband, Charles. Camilla Parker Bowles and Prince Charles. Alistair Grant/AP Not long after Diana's leaked phone call, Charles, Queen Elizabeth's oldest son, had one of his own. An Australian magazine published the transcript of a call between Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles — a longtime married friend. The transcript all but confirmed what many rumors had postulated: That Charles and Camilla were romantically involved. In one of the more confounding parts of the conversation, the couple joked about Charles turning into a tampon in order to "live inside" Camilla's trousers. Later that year, Charles and Diana announced their separation. Then Diana gave a bombshell TV interview, and the marriage collapsed for good. Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1992. AP In 1995, Diana sat down for a tell-all solo interview with journalist Martin Bashir to talk about the immense pressures of public life and her struggles with self-harm, postpartum depression, and bulimia. She also revealed that she knew about Charles' affair with Camilla. ("There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded," she famously quipped.) And Diana even admitted that she'd been unfaithful to Charles, saying that she had been "in love" with James Hewitt, her riding instructor. The BBC interview itself has since come under scrutiny. An article in the Sunday Times in 2020 alleged that Bashir manipulated Diana into doing the interview by showing her brother, Charles Spencer, fake bank statements that purported to show the media had been paying royal associates for information about her. A 2021 inquiry concluded that Bashir acted in a "deceitful" way, and the BBC and Bashir apologized. A few weeks after the interview, the Queen herself urged her son and daughter-in-law to divorce, and the following year, they made it official. Charles and Camilla, on the other hand, wed in 2005 and are still together. Princess Anne divorced her husband and married a member of the royal staff. Mark Phillips and Princess Anne in 1976. AP Princess Anne, the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II, married Olympic equestrian Mark Phillips in 1973. The couple spent large swaths of time apart and didn't appear to be happy — People magazine described the marriage as a "joyless sham." Then, in spring 1989, a British newspaper obtained stolen copies of letters written to Anne by one of her equerries, a British naval officer named Timothy Laurence. Though the content of the letters wasn't made public, tabloids described them as "extremely intimate" and "too hot to handle." In 1992, Anne announced that she was divorcing Phillips, and that she planned to marry Laurence. The two have been together ever since. Paparazzi caught Sarah Ferguson in a compromising "toe-licking" incident. Sarah Ferguson. John Redman/AP Sarah Ferguson (popularly known as "Fergie") married Queen Elizabeth's son, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, in 1986. Six years later, scandal erupted: Paparazzi photographers captured Fergie vacationing with an American financial advisor named John Bryan. In one photo — an image quickly plastered on the front page of The Sun — Bryan appeared to be licking Fergie's foot. Things didn't go very well after that. Fergie and Andrew separated in 1992, the same year as Charles and Diana, and divorced in 1996. Later, Fergie was accused of taking a $633,000 bribe. Sarah Ferguson and Prince Andrew on their wedding day in 1986. AP Fergie's marital drama didn't end after the divorce. In 2010, a News of the World journalist posed as a businessman and said he got Fergie to accept a £500,00 (about $633,000) bribe in exchange for access to her ex-husband, The Guardian reported. A video recording of their meeting was released to the media, and Fergie later apologized, saying she'd made a "serious lapse in judgment," Reuters reported. Prince Harry spent a day (yes, a single day) in rehab. The clinic where Prince Harry spent a single day in 2002. Sion Touhig/Getty Images After admitting to his father that he'd tried marijuana, a 17-year-old Prince Harry spent a day at the Featherstone Lodge rehabilitation center in London, The Telegraph reported. A statement from the royal family said Harry had agreed to visit the clinic "to learn about the possible consequences of starting to take cannabis." He was also photographed wearing a Nazi costume. Prince Harry's Nazi costume made headlines around the world. Adam Butler/AP In January 2005, British paper The Sun published a front-page photo of Harry wearing a Nazi armband, apparently at a costume party. The prince, who was 20 at the time, quickly released a statement of apology that read: "Prince Harry has apologised for any offence or embarrassment he has caused. He realises it was a poor choice of costume." In 2012, Harry got naked at a private party in Las Vegas, and someone leaked the photos to The Sun. Prince Harry in 2012. Sang Tan/AP The British tabloid published the naked photos of the prince in 2012, which were taken by another party-goer during a game of strip billiards in his hotel suite. According to an anonymous source who was in attendance, the prince's security team appeared to be aware that people were taking photos. "No one asked for our phones or anything about us when we arrived at the party," the source told The Sun. "It was obvious people were taking pictures." That same year, Closer Magazine published a photo of Kate Middleton sunbathing topless on its cover. Kate Middleton. WPA Pool/Getty Images At the time the pictures were taken, Prince William and Kate Middleton were staying in a private holiday home owned by the Queen's nephew, Viscount Linley. After the couple won a lawsuit against the company, Closer was ordered to pay $118,000 in damages to William and Kate in 2017. Meghan Markle walked herself down the aisle after her father was caught staging paparazzi photos in the lead-up to her wedding to Harry. Meghan Markle walks herself down the aisle. WPA Pool/Getty Images Thomas Markle's no-show at the royal wedding was thought to be due to his poor health, as he suffered a heart attack just days before Harry and Meghan Markle tied the knot in Windsor back in May 2018. However, in the year that followed, Thomas and the duchess appeared to have a strained relationship, with Thomas even speaking out against his daughter in several interviews with British tabloids. In 2011, Andrew resigned from his job because of his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. Prince Andrew. Sang Tan/AP Andrew served as the UK's trade envoy from 2001 through 2011, when he stepped down due to mounting criticism over some of his personal relationships, the BBC reported. Namely, he was close friends with American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This would not be the end of the matter, however. He stepped back from his royal duties altogether in 2019 after new allegations surfaced regarding his relationship with Epstein, culminating in a disastrous BBC interview. Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre, then known as Virginia Roberts, along with Ghislaine Maxwell. This photo was included in an affidavit where Giuffre claimed Prince Andrew directed her to have sex with him. Florida Southern District Court Virginia Giuffre, pictured with Andrew above, accused Epstein of forcing her to have sex with the prince when she was just 17 years old in 2001. The allegations from a 2015 defamation case resurfaced in the media as the case became unsealed. Andrew denied the claims, and a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace "emphatically denied" the allegations in an August 2019 statement provided to Business Insider. Four days after a catastrophic interview with "BBC Newsnight" where he spoke about his friendship with Epstein, Andrew announced he would step down from his royal duties. Epstein was found dead in his prison cell in August 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges. Giuffre died by suicide in 2025. Meghan Markle launched a lawsuit against British newspaper the Mail on Sunday after it published a private letter she wrote to her father. LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 11: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attends the annual Remembrance Sunday memorial on November 11, 2018, in London, England. (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage) Samir Hussein/WireImage Markle sued the publication over the misuse of private information, infringement of copyright, and breach of the Data Protection Act 2018 after it published excerpts from the letter earlier this year. She won the lawsuit in 2021. "I share this victory with each of you — because we all deserve justice and truth, and we all deserve better," Markle said in a statement. A judge later rejected the publisher's application for permission to appeal but said it can take the application to the Court of Appeals. The publisher, Associated Newspapers, said it would. After months of rumors, Harry and Markle announced they were taking a "step back" from royal life in 2020. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are stepping back from their roles as senior royals. Star Max/AP The announcement said they "intend to step back as 'senior' members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen." They also wrote that they would split their time between North America and the UK. The royal communications office followed up with a statement of their own. "Discussions with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are at an early stage," the Queen's statement read. "We understand their desire to take a different approach, but these are complicated issues that will take time to work through." The couple carried out their last official royal engagement at the annual Commonwealth Day service in London in March 2020. They later bought a home in California. In March 2021, Markle and Harry gave a tell-all interview to Oprah Winfrey about their rift with the royal family, revealing one bombshell after another. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in their interview with Oprah Winfrey. Getty Images The two-hour primetime special was full of stunning revelations. Markle told Winfrey that Kate Middleton made her cry the week of her wedding over a flower girl dress and not the other way around, as had been reported in tabloids. She also said members of the royal family had "concerns and conversations" about how dark Archie's skin would be before he was born, and The Firm told them that Archie wouldn't receive a title or security, breaking from protocol. She also opened up about having suicidal thoughts amid constant tabloid criticism and racism, and said a senior member of the royal institution wouldn't let her seek help. Harry revealed that his family cut him off financially in the first quarter of 2020, and that Charles stopped taking his phone calls before they announced they were stepping back from the royal family. He also said that it hurts that the royal family never acknowledged tabloids' racist treatment of Markle, and that none of the royal family members have reached out to apologize for the reasons he felt he had to leave. Following the interview, Buckingham Palace released a statement on behalf of the Queen. "The whole family is saddened to learn the full extent of how challenging the last few years have been for Harry and Meghan," the statement read. "The issues raised, particularly that of race, are concerning. Whilst some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately. "Harry, Meghan, and Archie will always be much loved family members." Before the interview aired, Buckingham Palace announced they were investigating claims that Markle bullied members of the royal staff — but no such investigations had been publicly made into Andrew's involvement with Epstein. Meghan Markle (second from right), Prince Harry (right), and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor (back row, right) with royal family members on Christmas Day in 2017. Chris Jackson/Getty Images The Times of London reported that Markle bullied two senior staff members during her time with the royal family. Buckingham Palace released a statement days before Markle and Harry's tell-all interview, saying that they were "very concerned" about the allegations, and that their HR team was investigating the claims. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex denied the claims to The Times, saying that the allegations were intended to undermine Prince Harry and Markle's interview with Oprah, calling it a "calculated smear campaign." While the palace launched an investigation into allegations that Markle bullied royal staff, no such investigations were publicly made by the palace when Andrew faced scrutiny over his involvement with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Royal biographers accused the palace of having double standards. Andrew was stripped of his royal patronages and military titles and faced a lawsuit as a private citizen instead of a royal. MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JULY 01: Prince Andrew, Duke of York, attends a commemoration service at Manchester Cathedral marking the 100th anniversary since the start of the Battle of the Somme. July 1, 2016 in Manchester, England. Services are being held across Britain and the world to remember those who died in the Battle of the Somme which began 100 years ago on July 1st 1916. Armies of British and French soldiers fought against the German Empire leading to over one million lives being lost. Christopher Furlong - WPA Pool/Getty Images In August 2021, Virginia Giuffre filed a lawsuit against Andrew, accusing him of sexual assault. She alleged that Epstein forced her to have sex with Andrew in his New York mansion, in London, and on Epstein's private island in the US Virgin Islands in 2001 when she was 17. The day after US District Judge Lewis A. Kaplan said the duke's motion to dismiss Giuffre's lawsuit was "denied in all respects," Buckingham Palace released a statement announcing that Andrew would no longer hold his royal patronages and military titles. "With The Queen's approval and agreement, The Duke of York's military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen," a spokesperson for Buckingham Palace said in a statement sent to Business Insider in 2022. "The Duke of York will continue not to undertake any public duties and is defending this case as a private citizen." In 2022, Andrew and Giuffre reached a settlement for an undisclosed amount. Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office as police opened an investigation into his ties to Epstein. Police officers at the gates at Royal Lodge, the former home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor in Windsor, Berkshire. Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office and is in police custody. Picture date: Thursday February 19, 2026. Jonathan Brady - PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images Andrew was arrested at his home in Sandringham, Norfolk, on February 19 and was released from police custody several hours later. An investigation is ongoing. The Justice Department's Epstein files revealed additional communications between Andrew and Epstein when the former prince was a UK trade envoy. Police conducted searches of his Sandringham home and at his former home in Windsor, Berkshire. "I have learned with the deepest concern the news about Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and suspicion of misconduct in public office," Charles said in a statement. "What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities." The king's statement continued: "In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation. Let me state clearly: the law must take its course. As this process continues, it would not be right for me to comment further on this matter. Meanwhile, my family and I will continue in our duty and service to you all." Read the original article on Business Insider

47th Annual Sports Emmy Awards Nominees Announced
Culturevarietydeadline27d ago2 sources

47th Annual Sports Emmy Awards Nominees Announced

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has announced the nominations for the 47th Annual Sports Emmy Awards, with prominent figures like Tom Brady, Jason Kelce, and Charles Barkley among the nominees.

JPMorgan Enlists Tom Brady, Dwyane Wade for Athlete Wealth Push
BusinessbloombergcnbcBusiness Insider+1seeking-alpha1mo ago4 sources

JPMorgan Enlists Tom Brady, Dwyane Wade for Athlete Wealth Push

JPMorgan Chase is expanding its wealth management services for athletes by forming a star-studded Athlete Council, including Tom Brady and Dwyane Wade, to advise its money managers on athlete clients and reflect increased competition in the sector.

Tom Brady Calls Logan Paul a 'B*tch'
Culturetmz1mo ago

Tom Brady Calls Logan Paul a 'B*tch'

The most random sports beef is intensifying -- Tom Brady isn't done going after Logan Paul for claiming he could hang with the NFL's big dogs ... straight-up calling the WWE Superstar a "b*tch!!" The trash-talking started during Super Bowl week ...…