Former business secretary urges Royal Mail to shape up if Saturday post is scrapped

By Calum Muirhead

Updated: 06:53 EDT, 10 September 2023

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Buckingham Palace has quietly removed Prince Harry‘s title of His Royal Highness from his biography on the Royal family‘s website.

Harry smiled as he arrived in Tokyo on Tuesday and told reporters it was ‘good to see you again’ ahead of a summit about sport, community and philanthropy.

However, Harry has finally seen his title changed on the Royal website to be in line with an agreement made with Buckingham Palace after Megxit.

Three years ago, the Palace said neither Harry nor Meghan Markle would use their HRH titles as they had stepped down as senior royals.

In a statement on January 18, 2020, post-Megxit, the Palace said: ‘The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family.’

A slew of other errors on the site were also changed – including one that implied Prince Harry, 38, was five-year-old Prince Louis.

The Duke of Sussex beamed as he walked through Tokyo’s Haneda Airport among the crowds of passengers, wearing a black shirt and a dark cap bearing the logo of the Archewell Foundation he runs with wife Meghan Markle – who was not with him.

One reporter could be heard off camera asking Harry: ‘How do you like to be in Japan for the first time in four years?’ And he replied: ‘Good to see you again.’

A video broadcast on Japanese TV network ANN News showed Harry arriving at the terminal alongside his long-time friend, Argentinian polo player Nacho Figueras.

The duo will attend Harry’s fundraising Sentebale Polo Cup match in Singapore this Saturday which he has said will help young people affected by HIV/Aids.

It is not known which flight Harry landed on, but there were several services arriving from Los Angeles in Tokyo this afternoon – including the 5.25pm local time American Airlines flight, a 3.25pm United flight and a 2.20pm American Airlines flight. 

The Duke arrived in Japan ahead of his attendance at the ISPS (International Sports Promotion Society) Sports Values Summit ‘Special Edition’ tomorrow.

Harry will join a panel discussion with former New Zealand rugby player Dan Carter, an ambassador for ISPS Handa which is sponsoring the polo cup,

Also expected to be present are Sentebale chairwoman Sophie Chandauka and Royal Australian Navy Veteran and Invictus Games gold medallist Steve James.

In addition, the event in Tokyo is set to feature Professor Wim de Villiers, the rector and vice-chancellor of South Africa’s Stellenbosch University.

Harry will then stage the Sentebale Polo Cup in Singapore on Saturday, with the money raised used to support the organisation’s clubs and camps programme, which provides psychosocial support to young people living with HIV.

Speaking last month, Harry said: ‘The annual Polo Cup is essential to Sentebale’s vital work ensuring children and young people are healthy, resilient, and able to thrive.

‘The funds raised this year will support our clubs and camps programme, which provides intensive psychosocial support to young people living with HIV.

‘In a time where being HIV positive is no longer a death sentence, we are empowering young people to know their status, stay healthy, and eliminate the stigma so that they can break the cycle.’

Since 2010, the annual polo cup has raised more than £11million to support Sentebale’s work with children and young people affected by poverty, inequality and HIV/Aids in southern Africa.

The Duke will play on the Royal Salute Sentebale team, against the Singapore Polo Club team captained by the charity’s ambassador Mr Figueras.

Harry’s arrival in Japan follows claims that Netflix executives have paid £3million for the film rights to a romantic novel that Harry and Meghan will produce for the streaming service as part of their £80million deal.

Initial reports suggested the couple had personally stumped up the money for Carley Fortune’s The Meet Me At The Lake, which echoes their personal story and includes a character whose parent dies in a car crash.

However, an insider has now told Page Six it was Netflix itself that purchased the rights for them to produce a film adaptation under their Archewell Productions arm.

The source described the book as ‘right up their alley’ because they ‘love love stories and rom-coms’. The Sussexes famously wanted to tell their own ‘love story’ in their bombshell 2022 Netflix documentary ‘Harry & Meghan.’

The US-based outlet also reported that the couple have been restructuring their team following the departure of producer Ben Browning – former head of internal content at Archewell Productions and oversaw the documentary.

They have reportedly parted ways with Archewell’s senior vice-president of scripted television, Nishika Kumble, after less than two years in the role.

PR guru Mark Borkowski believes the financial backers of the Netflix adaptation overpaid because the Sussexes ‘have zero track record in drama or producing anything of consequence’.

Penguin Random House, the publisher of Harry’s global bestseller Spare, ‘probably’ helped do the deal because Penguin also put out Meet Me At The Lake, he said. 

Author Carley Fortune, who is a big fan of Meghan’s, calls her book a ‘love letter to Toronto’ – where Meghan filmed hit series Suits. The duchess could have a personal connection with Ms Fortune, who worked as a journalist in the city for many years.

Mr Borkowski told MailOnline that he believes that the adaptation is a ‘playbook’ attempt by Harry and Meghan to resurrect their media careers after multiple deals collapsed and business interests flopped. 

‘They are so far off the radar’, he said. Mr Borkowski added that the timing of the announcement, with lots of negativity around the couple, made him ‘suspect there is more to this than meets the eye’.

He said: ‘They need to do something. According to Tom Bower they fell out with the Beckhams. Harry was forced to cold shoulder Becks because of Meghan’s position on Victoria.

‘The rights for this could have cost up to £3million. Although, if it’s a best-seller, you wouldn’t be handing it to Harry and Meghan. There’s some amazing drama producers out there. Why would you give away a prize asset?’ 

MailOnline has asked Penguin Random House to comment.

The adaptation will be the Sussexes’ first attempt at producing a fiction hit as part of a multimillion-pound Netflix deal which is reportedly under threat. 

The author of the novel is a fan of the Sussexes and has said she was left in tears watching their wedding in 2018.

Ms Fortune, a Canadian writer and journalist based in Toronto, woke up at 4am to watch the royal wedding at St George’s Chapel in Windsor as the Sussexes tied the knot in 2018.

After seeing the duchess in her wedding gown designed by Clare Waight Keller, she tweeted: ‘Meghan Markle is pulling up to the chapel and I am feeling very teary! Maybe it’s the 4am start.’

Meet Me At The Lake, her second novel, is set in Ontario and the city of Toronto.

It is said to have captured the Sussexes’ imaginations – perhaps due to Meghan’s connection to the Canadian city, which is where she lived when she was filming Suits.

An insider told the Sun: ‘The themes of the book gripped the couple and it was chosen for their first adaptation with Netflix.’

Although Ms Fortune has not yet commented on the reported deal, it is thought she will be pleased to have handed over the rights to the duke and duchess.

The author and mother-of-two has revealed she is a fan of Suits, and previously shared on Twitter that she was binge-watching the legal drama, which was Meghan’s big break in the entertainment industry.

Shortly before Harry and Meghan tied the knot, Fortune tweeted: ‘I’m binging my way through Suits. I felt a bit sheepish about it at first but I’ve decided to own my fandom. SUITS ROCKS, YOU GUYS! (I think that Meghan Markle is going places).’

Despite knowing that royal life was not ‘a world they wanted for their family’, as a friend has claimed, Harry and Meghan have faced some hard realities since they left to bring up their children away from the limelight of the Firm. 

Having signed major multi-million pound deals with giants Netflix and Spotify, as well as Harry’s own book deal, they have since faced hurdles including the loss of the Spotify partnership.

Meghan hosted a series of her Archetype podcast on the platform, but it has not been renewed by the streaming service and the couple announced in June they had ‘mutually’ agreed to part ways. They have also struggled to break into Hollywood, despite Meghan’s background as an actress in Suits.

Although their docuseries Harry and Meghan was watched extensively all over the world, experts say their brand is a tricky one to sell, due to the drama surrounding them raising clients’ expectations.

But Harry is currently working on a series based around the Invictus Games, which he set up as an opportunity for ex-service people to compete in sports in a similar way to the Paralympics or Commonwealth games. Heart of Invictus is expected to be released on Netflix later this year.

Last Wednesday, Harry and Meghan put on a united front in their garden as they appeared in a video about working with young people to improve the digital world.

The Duke and Duchess surprised US recipients of the first Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund (RTYPF) grants with phone calls to congratulate them.

Harry, 38, also mentioned their children Archie, four, and Lilibet, two, telling one winner in a call: ‘Thank you for doing everything that you do. Our kids especially are incredibly grateful.’ Meghan, 41, then added: ‘They don’t know it yet, but they will!’

It comes after the couple’s Spotify tie-up ended in June and concerns were raised over the future of their Netflix deal, while Harry’s green travel project Travalyst made a major announcement about a big revamp in May without mentioning him.

Also in June, a YouGov survey found Meghan’s popularity had sunk to -47, which is the lowest since polling her favourability began in 2017, while Harry’s fell to -36.

The couple are expected to attend the Invictus Games in Düsseldorf together next month for the events between September 9 and 16. It is not yet known whether the couple will visit the UK during their time abroad. 

King Charles and Queen Camilla were all smiles as they led the procession for the final day of Royal Ascot this afternoon.

The monarch, 74, wore traditional charcoal morning suit and black top hat as he arrived in a horse-drawn carriage with his wife.

Meanwhile, Queen Camilla, 75, looked effortlessly elegant in a white coat dress by Anna Valetine and matching feathered hat by her go-to designer Philip Treacy.

The stylish royal paired her sophisticated piece of outerwear with a simple gold necklace.

Camilla has worn two other Anna Valentine coat dresses this week, including the one she previously picked for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in 2018.

Meanwhile, Philip Treacy – who also created Camilla’s wedding headpieces – has been the royal’s go-to hat designer this week.

The royal couple were joined by the Earl of Caledon – who carried Northern Ireland’s Standard at their Coronation last month – and his wife.

Lord Frederick Windsor and his wife Lady Sophie followed behind the King and Queen in the second carriage.

The pair shared a carriage with Princess Zahra Aga Khan, who will be presenting a trophy today, and Lady Weatherby, who is the wife of the late Queen’s Ascot representative.

Prince Michael of Kent’s daughter Lady Gabriella and her husband Thomas Kingston followed in the third carriage with horse trainer Andrew Balding and his wife Anna-Lisa.

Finally, retiring jockey Frankie Dettori and his wife Catherine – who will also be presenting an award today – arrived in the fourth carriage in the procession with Jamie and Lucy Snowden.

Frankie – who makes leaping out of the saddle his trademark move – hit a new milestone yesterday when he hit 80 winners at Ascot yesterday.

The British royal family have been out in force at the event this week, with the Prince and Princess of Wales, Princess Anne, 71, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and Princess Beatrice, 33, and Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 38, all attending.

Yesterday, the Princess of Wales, 41, looked sensational in a scarlet Alexander McQueen dress as she attended Ascot.

During her visit to the Berkshire races, Kate enjoyed chats with her royal relatives including the Duchess of Edinburgh, 58, and also other famous faces including Dame Judi Dench. 

The mother-of-three tied her hair back into a sleek bun and opted for fabulous statement gold earrings from Sézane, which she has worn before. 

As she looked elegant in the A-line red frock, the mother-of-three paired her dress with a red clutch bag from Hermes and red suede pumps.

Joining the Prince and Princess of Wales in the second carriage in the royal procession was Princess Beatrice, 34, and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, 39.

The foursome arrived in the second carriage in the procession, which followed King Charles and Queen Camilla with the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.

During her 70-year reign, Her late Majesty attended almost every single Royal Ascot festival, with the exception of last year where she couldn’t attend due to mobility issues.

On Thursday, King Charles and Queen Camila both shed a tear when they secured their first ever Ascot win.

The royal couple were overcome with emotion as they watched their horse Desert Hero win the King George V race from the royal box, after two losses.

Throughout the week Princess Anne, Princess Beatrice and Mike and Zara Tindall have also been spotted enjoying the races.

This year, organisers have displayed a heartwarming collection of photos of the Queen visiting Ascot over the years.

They include a black-and-white photo of the royal riding on the tracks in 1960 when she was 34 years old. 

The mother-of-four was pictured with a headscarf and riding boots on as her horse galloped along the track.

The Queen was taking part in an unofficial race with other members of her royal party and ended up finishing fourth. 

What’s more, the organisers also selecting a photograph of the Queen beaming at Ladies Day in 2013. 

The event turned out to be one of the Queen’s most successful Ascots as her horse Estimate won the Gold Cup – making her the first monarch in 200 years to scoop the prize.

The late royal was pictured beaming at her trophy, which was presented to her by her son Prince Andrew. 

The Queen was dressed in one of her signature coat dresses in a pretty shade of purple. 

Underneath her jacket, the monarch wore a pretty floral dress – which perfectly complimented the flowers on her hat. 

In the image, the Queen is seen wearing a three-strand pearl necklace – which she also wore to her final ever Ascot in June 2021.  

The Inspector calls at Cliveden House, the hotel where Meghan Markle stayed before the royal wedding. However, he doesn’t exactly get the royal treatment. Here’s his verdict…

By The Inspector

Updated: 05:12 EDT, 20 June 2023

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Updated: 11:37 EDT, 19 June 2023

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Lila Moss, Vick Hope and Charli XCX were among the celebrity arrivals at the 2023 Royal Academy of Arts Summer Preview Party at Burlington House in London on Tuesday. 

The model daughter of Kate Moss, 20, kept it simple but elegant in a black slip dress, which showcased her slim physique as she posed for photographs outside the historic building.

Lila, who accessorised with delicate drop earrings, wore her long blonde tresses in a loose sleek style, while keeping her make-up to a minimum with a light coverage and a slick of nude lipstick.

Vick, 33, who looked incredible in a sequin checked print co-ord, showcased her toned midriff in the pretty bralet and matching maxi skirt, which featured red and yellow hues. 

The Radio 1 star added a selection of gold jewellery to the look, including a chain necklace, earrings, a bracelet and rings. 

Continuing the gold theme, Vick added a pair of towering gold platform heels. 

She was joined at the event by Charli XCX, 30, who made an edgy appearance in a black Givenchy dress and boots as she accompanied her celebrity cohorts at the arts party.

Charli showcased her sizzling physique in the form-fitting black dress which was covered in the trademark Givenchy logo and featured a sheer panel on the back.

The singer styled her look with a pair of the brand’s Shark Lock knee-high boots, which retail for £ 1,750. Charli also toted a pink bag from the fashion brand and a pair of trendy shades.

Elsewhere, Stanley Tucci and his wife Felicity Blunt were spotted arriving at the exclusive event.

The American actor, 62, looked dapper in a cream suit jacket, which he wore over a white shirt and grey tie with checked trousers and trousers.

Stanley accessorised with a pair of circular shades as he posed beside his wife Felicity, 42, who looked chic in a miliary jacket with silver buttons.

She styled the look with a black T-shirt and a pair of white linen trousers, finishing the outfit with a pair of cool platform trainers.

The literary agent wore her brunette locks in bouncy curls and opted for minimal make-up, highlighting her natural good locks. 

The reknowned Summer Exhibition is a glamorous evening of Champagne and canapés in the beautiful surroundings of the Royal Academy.

The purpose of the exbition, which was set up in 1768, is to raise funds to support the Royal Academy Schools, Britain’s first art school.

Individual tickets cost £525 and earns you entry to the party, a programme, bubbly and nibbles and 2023 Exhibition List of Works & Price Guide.

A VIP ticket, costing £850, comes with a special listing in the preview programme, early access to view artworks and the first opportunity to buy works.

These guests are also granted access to exclusive VIP Reception in the Royal Academy’s Fine Rooms.

Princess Beatrice appointed as director of a membership community focused on nurturing UK entrepreneurs

By Leah Montebello For The Daily Mail

Updated: 17:05 EDT, 1 June 2023

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Before 1800, many dogs in Britain would have been the sort of rascally, wire-haired mutts made up of 57 varieties.

Then along came certain devoted Victorian dog-lovers, who wanted to introduce more exotic foreign varieties —and in a matter of decades many of the breeds of dog we now take for granted first made their appearance, from bassets to borzois to St Bernards.

So, points out Michael Worboys, as well as other great inventions, such as steam trains, iron and steel bridges, postage stamps and bicycles, the Victorians gave us ‘the modern dog’.

And what an eccentric lot these dog-lovers were. Starting at the top, there was Queen Victoria herself, who absolutely doted on her collie, Sharp, finding him such a consolation after the death of Prince Albert. ‘Her diaries record that she owned 640 dogs, belonging to 32 breeds,’ says Worboys.

When her spaniel Dash died, on Christmas Eve 1840, he was honoured with his own memorial in Windsor Great Park, and the following splendid epitaph: ‘Here lies DASH, The favourite spaniel of Her Majesty Queen Victoria . . . His attachment was without selfishness, His playfulness without malice, His fidelity without deceit. READER, If you would live beloved and die regretted, Profit by the example of DASH.’

Like so many doggy people, Victoria may well have preferred dogs to humans. Not everyone felt the same. The royal courtiers were ‘less favourably disposed’ to Edward VII’s wire-haired fox terrier Caesar, calling the dog Stinky.

But the King was so devoted to the mutt that he stipulated Caesar/Stinky should be in his funeral procession, positioned proudly just ahead of Kaiser Wilhelm, ‘who was allegedly angered by his demotion’. Might this have been another small but overlooked cause of the World War I?

There was the absurdly rich American banker, J.P. Morgan, who kept his collies in kennels with electric lights, central heating and bathrooms.

My favourite doggy eccentric, though, has to be Gordon Stables, whose Scottish terrier, Wagga-Wagga, had anger management issues, it seems, because he lacked a tail; so Stables solved this problem by affixing a squirrel’s tail to his rump with wire.

But there was a darker side to the Victorian dog world. It seems unbelievable today that there could ever have been such a sport as lion baiting, but there was. In 1825, a showman called George Wombwell entertained the public with the spectacle of a lion, called Nero, fighting dogs. ‘Nero showed no interest in fighting, but suffered injuries when attacked by three dogs at once in the final round.’ Sickening. But the vile Wombwell ‘was criticised on all sides’, and perhaps his gruesome idea of fun was one of the drivers for the Cruelty to Animals Act of 1835.

The Act doesn’t seem to have covered rat-killing events, though, and admittedly it must have been hard to feel much fondness for the disease-spreading, food-stealing creatures of the London slums.

Two terriers who excelled at rat-killing against the clock were Tiny the Wonder and Jacko.

Tiny, was only slightly bigger than a rat, yet, on one occasion, in 1848, ‘he destroyed 200 rats in just under 57 minutes’. The much heftier Jacko, meanwhile, managed to kill 100 rats in just five minutes and 28 seconds, a record that ‘was never beaten’.

From the highs and lows of Victorian society, and of human behaviour, Doggy People offers a fascinating portrait of a small corner of 19th-century life.

And despite such a niche subject, it uncovers a surprisingly wide and interesting array of forgotten and colourful characters.

Love Story: New Photography Of Love And Intimacy

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Whenever photographer Deanna Dikeman left her parents in their retirement bungalow to drive home, there were emotional goodbyes. Dikeman’s natural response was to capture them waving farewell each time (above), in a 27-year ritual that began in 1991. The final shot in this poignant collection was taken when she left the property one last time after her mother’s funeral.

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Royal Mail’s biggest shareholder rules out takeover bid for delivery group but warns it must ‘adapt’ to be successful

By Daily Mail City & Finance Reporter

Updated: 16:50 EDT, 28 May 2023

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It was a historic address to a nation which Britain had unwillingly given up in the 18th Century – under the watch of King George III. 

On May 16, 1991, George’s distant relative Queen Elizabeth II spoke in the US Congress, becoming the first British monarch to do so.

In a speech that received a two-minute standing ovation, Her Majesty talked up the long history of friendship between Britain and the US, telling how, ‘force, in the end, is sterile’. 

This week in royal history also marks the moment that, in 1984, the then Prince Charles expressed his hatred of a proposed extension to the National Gallery, calling it a ‘monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend.’

Three years earlier, Zara Tindall – the daughter of Princess Anne – was born at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington.

And on May 19, 1536, Anne Boleyn – the second wife of King Henry VIII – was beheaded at the Tower of London.  

Queen Elizabeth II becomes the first British monarch to address Congress – May 16, 1991

On May 16, 1991, Queen Elizabeth II became the first British monarch to address the US Congress.

Before a packed joint session, she told beaming lawmakers: ‘Some people believe that power grows from the barrel of a gun.

‘So it can, but history shows that it never grows well nor for very long. Force, in the end, is sterile. 

‘We have gone a better way: our societies rest on mutual agreement, on contract and on consensus.’

The speech, which received a two-minute standing ovation, came during the Queen’s third of four state visits to the United States.

During her first, in 1957, President Dwight Eisenhower was in the Oval Office. 

In 1991, it was George H. W. Bush and his wife Barbara who welcomed Her Majesty and Prince Philip. 

A day before her address, the Queen visited Marshall Heights, an impoverished part of Washington. 

There she was greeted by a great-grandmother, who broke royal protocol by hugging her. 

Alice Frazier, then 67, said afterwards: ‘They told me not to do it, but it is a natural thing. I couldn’t help myself. It is the American way.’  

Prince Charles calls proposed addition to the National Gallery a ‘monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend’ – May 17, 1984 

On May 17, 1984, the King, who was then the Prince of Wales, spoke out against one of his many pet hates: modern architecture. 

Speaking about a proposed extension to the National Gallery in London, he said the plans looked like a ‘monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much loved and elegant friend.’

The mooted addition to the National Gallery building, which had stood since the 19th century, was drawn up by British architectural firm Ahrends Burton Koralek, now known as ABK. 

The future King added in his speech that the planned extension looked like a ‘kind of vast municipal fire station complete with the sort of tower that contains the siren 

Charles’s comments drew gasps from his audience of 700 top architects and members of the construction industry.

He was speaking at the 150th anniversary dinner of the Royal Institute of British Architects at Hampton Court Palace.

Charles also addressed what he called the ‘wholesale destruction’ of Georgian and Victorian housing. 

One attendee said afterwards: ‘I don’t think people here expected such a virulent attack on the output of the profession over the last 25 years.’ 

The planned addition to the gallery was ultimately dropped. Instead, the more traditional Sainsbury Wing was constructed and opened in 1991.    

Three years later, Charles hit out at modern architects again by drawing comparison to German bombing raids on Britain in the Second World War.

He said: ‘You have to give this much to the Luftwaffe. When it knocked down our buildings, it didn’t replace them with anything more offensive than rubble.’

Responding to critics of his views, he told Jonathan Dimbleby in an ITV interview in 1994: ‘I just wanted to make the point that I felt anyway that… I didn’t want to see this country which I mind about and love greatly… disappear under a welter of ugliness.’

He added: ‘I want to say one more thing, to emphasise the real basis on which I have tried to express these feelings about architecture, and that is that while I am thoroughly of an avant-garde generally, what I do not think is sensible in the long run and right is when the avant-garde becomes the establishment.

‘And that is what has happened I believe. Not only in architectural terms but in many other areas as well.’

Birth of Zara Tindall – May 15, 1981

On May 15, 1981, Zara Tindall – the second child of Princess Anne – was born at the traditional hospital for royal births, St Mary’s in Paddington.

Weighing in at 8lb 1oz, Zara was born three-and-a-half years after her brother Peter.

Zara’s father, Captain Mark Phillips, who was present at the birth, said afterwards: ‘I am absolutely delighted.’

Anne opted not to give either of her children royal titles, a decision described as a ‘masterstroke’ by former Buckingham Palace press secretary Dicki Arbiter. 

‘Growing up as a commoner allowed Zara to thrive as her own woman, and there has never been pressure on her to conform. She has benefited from it in all sorts of ways,’ he said. 

Zara’s birth came 11 years before her parents divorced, before her mother went on to marry Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence. 

Like Charles and his father Prince Philip, Zara was educated at Gordonstoun, a prestigious private school in Scotland.

She married rugby player Mike Tindall in 2011 and the couple have children, Mia, Lucas and Lena.    

Anne Boleyn is beheaded at the Tower of London on charges of adultery, incest and treason – May 19, 1536

On May 19, 1536, Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, was beheaded at the Tower of London. 

She was put to death after just three years of marriage to Britain’s most infamous monarch. 

The couple had enjoyed a secret romance when Henry was still married to his first wife, Katherine of Aragon.

Henry had become disillusioned with his first wife after she produced only one surviving child, the future Queen Mary.

Desperate for a legitimate son, Henry caused a split with the Catholic Church by having his marriage to Katherine annulled so he could marry Anne.

Anne’s fate was sealed when she failed to produce a male heir for the King. Her only child, daughter Elizabeth, would go on to succeed her sister as Queen of England.

Anne also fell out with Henry’s chief minister Thomas Cromwell, prompting him to level charges of adultery and plotting against the King’s life. 

She was arrested on May 2 and subjected to a sham trial before she was held prisoner in the same royal apartment in the Tower of London where she had awaited her coronation.

In her final statement before her death, Anne heaped praise on her husband. 

She said: ‘Good Christian people, I am come hither to die, for according to the law, and by the law I am judged to die, and therefore I will speak nothing against it. 

‘I am come hither to accuse no man, nor to speak anything of that, whereof I am accused and condemned to die, but I pray God save the king and send him long to reign over you, for a gentler nor a more merciful prince was there never: and to me he was ever a good, a gentle and sovereign lord. 

‘And if any person will meddle of my cause, I require them to judge the best. And thus I take my leave of the world and of you all, and I heartily desire you all to pray for me. O Lord have mercy on me, to God I commend my soul.’ 

Just 11 days later, Henry married his third wife, Jane Seymour.