Queen of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth (1926–2022)
An avalanche has struck a 10-person expedition on Broad Peak in Pakistan’s Karakoram. Rescue teams have recovered and identified multiple bodies, including famed climber Nirmal Purja’s teammates; harsh weather and rugged terrain are hampering further search and recovery. Officials and mountaineering groups are coordinating helicopter and ground efforts while investigations continue.
An international team has recovered more bodies from Broad Peak following last week’s avalanche. Rescue operations are ongoing, with several climbers confirmed dead and others still missing as weather allows. Pakistan’s Alpine Club and foreign governments coordinate ongoing efforts to return remains to families.
Netball at the Commonwealth Games ends with Jamaica stunning Australia 46-45; Jamaica and New Zealand will contest the gold, while England faces Australia for bronze. The Hydro will be converted to a concert venue for Simple Minds after the final netball matches.
The UK government has published documents detailing Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s appointment as trade envoy (2001–2011). The Queen’s wish for a prominent role is shown, but there is no evidence of formal due diligence or vetting at the time. Mountbatten-Windsor has denied any wrongdoing amid Epstein-related probes.
Historians are re-evaluating the widely taught image of George III as a tyrant, arguing that the American Revolution narrative has been shaped by wartime propaganda and that he was not mentally ill during the period. The new view emphasizes Parliament's role and the limits of royal authority within a constitutional framework.
Peter Phillips has married pediatric nurse Harriet Sperling at All Saints Church in Kemble, Gloucestershire, in a ceremony attended by senior royals, including King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Sperling, a mother and NHS worker, was previously linked to a prior marriage; the couple began dating in 2024 and announced their engagement in 2025. The wedding followed heavy rain and local public interest.
Former Democratic Unionist Party leader Jeffrey Donaldson has been found guilty on 18 counts of child sex offences, including rape and indecent assault, involving two victims who were children at the time. His wife, Eleanor, is deemed to have aided and abetted some offences but was found unfit for trial on mental health grounds. Sentencing will follow later this year.
A rarely seen Gwen John portrait will go on display in Edinburgh this summer before a global tour in celebration of her 150th birthday. Young Woman with a Coral Necklace from 1900s will feature at Modern Two and join more than 200 works, with lenders and partners spanning Cardiff, Yale and Washington.
David Hockney has died at 88 after a seven-decade career spanning painting, collage, photography and digital drawing. Born in Yorkshire, he lived in London and Los Angeles, later returning to Europe. His work, marked by saturated color, light and a restless reinvention, has defined pop and modern British art.
Prince George has been confirmed to attend Eton College from this September, moving from Lambrook as part of his education ahead of royal duties. The palace announcement follows weeks of schooling speculation. George will join a long line of notable alumni at Eton, near Windsor, alongside siblings Charlotte and Louis.
The monarchy remains under public and parliamentary scrutiny as new royal accounts disclose how much tax the King has paid and how royal funds are allocated. The Sovereign Grant, Duchy of Lancaster income, and private assets are outlined, with transparency urged amid ongoing questions about deductibles and private wealth.
Camp Mystic has filed for Chapter 11 in a Texas bankruptcy court, reporting debts exceeding $10 million and assets between $1 million and $10 million. Investigations found inadequate emergency planning during last July’s flood that killed 25 campers, two counselors, and the camp’s owner. The bankruptcy filing follows outrage from families and lawmakers and the camp’s decision to halt reopening plans.
The former leader of Northern Ireland’s DUP has been found guilty of 18 historical sexual offences against two women who were children at the time. He has renounced his knighthood and resigned from the Privy Council; honours removal now proceeds under the Forfeiture Committee process, pending royal approval. The case triggers scrutiny of state honours tied to figures found guilty of criminal offences.
A survey of how hot dogs have shaped American culture, from early prints to modern debates about regional styles. The piece cites historical milestones, regional varieties and how hot dogs remain a symbol in arts and diplomacy.
The United States marks 250 years since independence amid tensions with allies, domestic political divisions, and concerns over civil rights and freedom of expression. Public sentiment ranges from cynicism to cautious optimism as the nation reflects on its future.
Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler has died in a hospital in Portugal after an illness. She rose to fame with Total Eclipse of the Heart in 1983 and later hits such as Holding Out for a Hero. She had been hospitalized for emergency intestinal surgery in Faro and was in an induced coma earlier this year; her family confirmed the death.
JAXA has flown the RV-X, lifting it 11 metres and landing it upright 16 metres away at Noshiro, marking Japan’s first successful launch and landing of a rocket. China’s Long March-10B has achieved a sea-based net catch on its maiden flight, signaling a major step toward reusable launch technology. The stories show growing momentum in global efforts to reduce space-launch costs and expand access to space.
Prince Harry has visited the UK this month for charity and Invictus events and has met King Charles and Queen Camilla at Highgrove. The meeting has allowed Harry’s children, Archie and Lilibet, to see their grandfather for the first time since 2022. The trip has followed his loss in a High Court privacy case and a dispute over state-funded security for his family.
The UK is reforming marriage laws to let couples legally marry in venues chosen by the couple, with officiants approved for the ceremony. The changes aim to reduce costs and simplify ceremonies, allowing humanists to conduct legally binding weddings and potentially extending to back gardens, beaches, castles and vessels at sea. The consultation runs until 24 September.
The Queen has announced a new initiative to gift a special edition of Katherine Rundell's Impossible Creatures to every year 6/P6 child this Christmas, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust. The move aims to bolster children's reading enjoyment as part of the Queen's literacy advocacy. The book, Waterstones Book of the Year 2023, will include a personal message from the Queen.
A Buffalo jury has found Hadi Matar guilty on all counts in a federal terrorism case stemming from the 2022 stabbing of Salman Rushdie during a talk on writers’ safety. Matar already faces a 25-year state sentence for the August 2022 attack; the federal verdict could carry a life term. Prosecutors say the act was motivated by Iran’s fatwa against Rushdie and Hezbollah ties, while the defense questions Matar’s state of mind.
The Prime Minister has met Scotland’s First Minister in Glasgow amid Commonwealth Games coverage, arguing for deeper devolution to spur growth while ruling out a new independence referendum. Both leaders commit to constructive engagement and addressing the cost of living.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony has opened in Glasgow, with King Charles III and Queen Camilla attending. The event features a time-travel Tardis entrance, a garden stage, 74 nations parading, and a rotation of Scottish cultural moments amid budget constraints.
Australian One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has failed to overturn a court ruling that she racially discriminated against Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi by telling her to “piss off back to Pakistan” in a 2022 tweet. The Full Federal Court confirms the 2024 finding, ruling the post unlawful and not protected as free speech.
Mary Davidson Smith, a resident of Care UK’s Murrayside care home in Edinburgh, has received thousands of birthday cards for her 105th birthday, including one from King Charles. Cards arrived from as far as Singapore after the home’s appeal. She celebrated with a family day and afternoon tea, and a reunion with a traditional Korean hanbok outfit at the National Museum of Scotland.
Audiences at Bayreuth have reacted to an AI-generated visual staging of Wagner’s Ring Cycle during the festival’s 150th anniversary, with boos during the bows and praise for performers. The production uses AI to generate images drawn from 150 years of Ring productions and history, diverging from traditional stage direction.
Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank have welcomed a baby girl in Lisbon. The name is not yet announced; the couple are deciding on a name. The baby weighs 6lb 9oz and is their third child, following two sons, August and Ernest. The birth moves Eugenie into the 15th in line to the throne.