Prince Charles and Camilla's Royal Wedding Christmas Card

Prince Charles and Camilla's Royal Wedding Christmas Card - It's a Christmas card fit for a future king! For their annual holiday card, Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, chose a picture taken on the balcony of Buckingham Palace during Prince William and Kate's wedding in April.

Queen's pay takes a hit as U.K. cracks down

Queen's pay takes a hit as U.K. cracks down - The Queen of England faces a pay freeze. The monarch may delay palace repairs, while Will and Kate get cut off from taxpayer funds. The Queen of England may be forced to scrimp on repairs to her palaces and lavish public appearances under a recently passed British law expected to reduce her income over the next several years.

"The squeeze on the monarch's income is likely to delay a backlog of repairs to royal palaces," the Daily Telegraph's Matthew Holehouse reported Monday. "There will be no extra money from the taxpayer to pay for the court of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who are rapidly emerging as global stars." (Queen Elizabeth's son, Charles, Prince of Wales, will continue to kick in to pay the salaries for staff for Prince William and his new bride, the Sunday Times, however, reported.)

Under the new legislation, which passed into law six weeks ago, England will employ a new formula for calculating the Queen's taxpayer-funded allowance, as Americans might put it. "Under the new arrangement, the Queen receives 15 percent of the profits made over two years from the Crown Estate, whose portfolio includes Regent Street, Windsor Great Park and more than half the country's shoreline," Holehouse notes.

Last year, thanks to general stagnation in the UK economy, the old calculation netted royal revenues of around £32.1m--down more than half from the £77.3m high-water mark that the Crown Estate enjoyed during the boom years of 1991-92.

The decline in royal income has prompted rare muttering from the royal bean-counters. "Sir Alan Reid, keeper of the privy purse, warned last summer that it would be 'very difficult for overall expenditure to fall much further without impacting on the Royal Household's activities in support of the Queen and the long-term health of the estate,'" Holehouse reported.

But in characteristic fashion, the royals themselves seem to be keeping a collective stiff upper lip about the gloomy forecasts--and exploring options for diversifying their revenue streams. "Buckingham Palace is likely to boost its efforts to raise money from commercial sources, or to cut back on public appearances by the royal family," Holehouse wrote. It's unlikely, in all events, that the Queen and her immediate circle of relations will pursue the revenue-netting strategies that have won no small amount of notoriety for the commoners who have lately strayed into the Royal Family's orbit--reality TV contracts, fashion merchandising endorsements, and the like.

Instead, as Holehouse notes, tradition will once again trump the passing travails of the royals: "The sums the Queen will receive will depend on the Crown Estate's trading performance."

via: yahoo

U.K. eatery under fire for baby fee

U.K. eatery under fire for baby fee - Moms fume over a restaurant chain's $5 charge for infants who didn't even eat. Restaurant Apologizes for Charging $5 Baby Tax. Moms Still Fuming. Natasha Young's six-week-old son wasn't ordering off the menu at Cosmo's Restaurant in Croyden. But his mom still had to pay about $5 just to keep him on her lap at the table at England's largest eatery. Another new mom, Ana Sheridan, was told the same thing when she brought her 6-month-old daughter to the same restaurant.

Kate Middleton Dazzles in Green, Peace-Sign Covered Dress at Palace Party

Kate Middleton Dazzles in Green, Peace-Sign Covered Dress at Palace Party - She makes green look good. Duchess Kate was all smiles at a reception held by Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace Monday. The 29-year-old royal wowed approximately 350 guests during the press reception in a stunning emerald green dress. According to UK's Mirror, the Duchess' dress is the $2200 Mulberry full pleated shirt dress, which is available online. The designer's site describes the peace-sign covered frock as "prim and proper with a Mulberry twist, [with a] full pleated shirt dress will not let you blend into the crowd."

Queen Elizabeth, 85, also wore green, while Prince William, 29, opted for a traditional suit and tie.

According to the Mirror, Monday was the first time such an event has been held since 2002, when the Queen celebrated her Golden Jubilee. Next year she will celebrate her Diamond Jubilee.

via: usmagazine

$7K to see one Olympic event

$7K to see one Olympic event - Want Tickets for the London Olympics? Fork Over $7,000. Popular events are being sold as part of deluxe hospitality packages that will cost you a pretty pound. Contrary to what most people think, tickets are still on sale for the men's 100-meter finals at the London Olympics. The opening and closing ceremonies, too. Even beach volleyball (but not too many.)

As with all things in life, though, there is a catch. It will cost you.

They are part of hospitality packages sold by a company contracted by London Olympic authorities to sell the most desirable events. Combined with vintage champagne, fine wines, canapes and multi-course dinners, the deluxe deals offer companies a chance to entertain their most favored clients.

This is for people who don't mind spending 4,500 pounds (how much is that in U.S. dollars?) per person to attend a 10-second event if it could mean closing a deal worth a few million. Not what one might call the nosebleed seats.

"You may not remember who you were with when Chelsea played West Brom," said Alan Gilpin, chief operating officer of Prestige Ticketing Ltd., referring to two English soccer teams. "But you will remember who you were with when Usain Bolt runs."

The Prestige concept is new in an Olympic context. Among American sporting teams, NFL franchises have for years made their best seats available to top-paying season ticket holders and combined them with food, wine and extras. But up until now, the usual way to get such treatment at the Olympics was being an executive at McDonald's, Coca-Cola or other Olympic sponsors.

Big corporations are still willing to pay millions to attach their name to the games, piggybacking on the branding of an event devoted to healthy competition and warm, fuzzy stories of overcoming adversity. Prestige, however, gives high-rollers and smaller business executives a fighting chance to be oh-so-close as well.

The payoffs can be huge, says Marc Ganis, the president of Chicago-based SportsCorp., a sports consultancy.

"What the Olympics provide more than anything else is a platform for multinational companies to bring together their top customers and their top corporate decision makers," Ganis said, noting that chief executive officers are likely to attend to lead their own teams. "That can tend to lead to tighter relationships and more business."

Still, it's a tricky issue for London's organizers, who have struggled this year over the subject of tickets and access to them. They set up a complicated lottery system in which people blindly registered for tickets and handed over credit card details to pay for them before they even knew what — if any — tickets were getting.

"It's like going to a supermarket and putting some money down at the checkout in hopes of getting the shopping you want," said Matthew Bath, the technology editor of the consumer group Which?

Two-thirds of ticket seekers failed to earn any in a first round that ended in April — with 22 million requests in the first round for the 6.6 million tickets available. A second round was blighted by computer problems. Plans for further ticket sales at the end of December and again next year have failed to stem public grumbling.

Those dashed expectations are worrisome in a time of economic austerity, as critics have charged that millions were spent to build stadiums and otherwise finance the games — only for the public to be shortchanged when it comes to actually seeing them, complaints exacerbated by reports of huge ticket allocations for sponsors.

Prestige says its allocation comprises about 1 percent of the overall London Olympic tickets — and stresses that 70 percent of its packages sell for less than 1,000 pounds (how much is that in U.S. dollars?) a person. Their clients include broadcasters, national Olympic committees and media companies. Some 20 percent of their sales have gone to individuals, with packages offered to a minimum of four.

There will be stiff competition out there to lay on the best party for the London Games. Even Queen Elizabeth II has taken note. In an unprecedented move, the monarch has given permission for big fancy rooms at St. James's Palace in central London to be rented out to holders of royal warrants — companies with long-standing ties to the royal family. Those rooms are reported to include the Throne Room, the Tapestry Room and the Queen Anne Room.

Nonetheless, Andrew Burton, the chief executive of Prestige, said he's not worried about losing business to people who might want to rent out the palace.

"That's great," Burton said. "But it doesn't give you access to tickets."

Still London organizers might be a tad uneasy, since they have just over half of their tickets sold with fewer than nine months to go, Ganis said.

The Olympics are different than most other sporting events in that people who want to attend really plan ahead.

"There are a lot of logistics involved in traveling to an Olympics, unless they're planning on selling a lot of these packages locally," he said. "(Ticketholders) make those kind of arrangements months in advance and not on the spur of the moment."

via: bing

Phone-hack victims thought daughter was alive

Phone-hack victims thought daughter was alive - Rupert Murdoch’s apology ‘very sincere’ say Milly Dowler’s parents, who thought daughter was alive after hacking. The mother of a murdered girl told a British courtroom Monday she believed her missing 13-year-old was still alive once she reached the girl's previously full voice mailbox — only to learn later that her daughter's phone had been hacked into by a tabloid.

Sally Dowler said when she could finally leave a message on her daughter Milly's voice mail weeks after the girl disappeared in 2002, she shouted "She's picked up the voice mails! ... She's alive!"

In fact, messages on Milly's phone had been deleted not by Milly but by someone working for the News of the World tabloid while the Dowlers and the police were still searching for the girl, who was later found dead.

The Dowlers were the first in a string of high-profile witnesses, including celebrities such as Hugh Grant, Sienna Miller and author J.K. Rowling, testifying before a judicial inquiry set up by Prime Minister David Cameron on how they were followed, photographed, entrapped and harassed by tabloid journalists.

The Dowlers also described their shock and anger when a private walk to retrace their missing daughter's last steps was secretly photographed by the tabloid.

Sally Dowler said she and her husband Bob had no idea they were being observed as they walked near their home in May 2002, but days later saw the pictures in the News of the World.

"It just felt like such an intrusion into a really, really private grief moment," she said. The couple said they later realized that their own phone, as well as their daughter's, had been hacked.

The Dowlers took the stand together and spoke in quiet, composed voices during their 30 minutes of nationally televised testimony. They described a tense July meeting with media mogul Rupert Murdoch, owner of the now shuttered News of the World, when he apologized for the hacking.

"It was a very tense meeting," Sally Dowler said. "He was very sincere."

via: nydaily

Prince Harry's Vegas Discovery

Prince Harry's Vegas Discovery - Free Drinks While Gambling. Looks like Prince Harry and Las Vegas are getting along just fine. One night after hitting the dance floor at Tryst, the prince's tour of Las Vegas continued with something a little more low key early Saturday evening.

Joined by eight guys
 – several from his group from the previous evening, including his security 
detail – Harry, 27, who's on a break from military training in the U.S., checked out Cirque Du Soleil's "O" at
 the Bellagio at 7:30 p.m.

Seated toward the front, the plaid shirt-wearing prince sipped Corona, sat on the edge of his seat and gave a standing ovation before being quickly
 whisked away before the house lights turned on.

On his way out, Harry was 
"all smiles" and was overheard saying he "loved the show," says a source.

Another thing Harry loved: Free drinks, which was something he discovered 
he could get from simply gambling. "He lost $300 gambling [Saturday
 morning] and his friends lost $200. He couldn't believe you got free
 drinks from gambling at the blackjack tables," a source tells PEOPLE.

And in typical Vegas fashion, Harry made it another late night, this time at XS Nightclub. 

Much like the previous evening, Harry kept a low profile, sitting a 
table off of the main dance floor usually reserved for the owner of the
club.

The club was tipped off that they had a royal in the house after deejay Sander Kleinenberg 
Tweeted: "Playin moonbahton for Prince Harry.. #onlyinvegas.

Mainly keeping to his boys, Harry left the club just after 4 a.m.
 He was overheard saying he may stay
 in Vegas Sunday.

via: people

King James Bible anniversary marked by Queen

King James Bible anniversary marked by Queen - King James Bible: The translation — the Old Testament from Hebrew, the New Testament from Greek was assembled by 47 translators in six committees working in London, Oxford and Cambridge. Queen Elizabeth II attended a ceremony at London's Westminster Abbey Wednesday to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, often considered the most influential book ever printed in the English language.

The translation — the Old Testament from Hebrew, the New Testament from Greek — was assembled by 47 translators in six committees working in London, Oxford and Cambridge.

It came about when King James I summoned a conference at Hampton Court Palace near London in 1604, hoping to thrash out differences between Church of England bishops and Puritans. Failing to make progress on other issues, Puritan leader John Reynolds proposed a new translation — which emerged in 1611.

Wednesday's service at Westminster Abbey came after lectures, educational programs and theater performances around the world marked the anniversary of the Bible dubbed the "DNA of the English language" by broadcaster Melvyn Bragg.

The queen was joined by her husband, Prince Philip, and son, Prince Charles, in leading around 2,000 worshippers.

Early editions of the bible were presented at the altar,and the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams paid tribute to the "extraordinary" and "abiding importance" of the King James Bible.

Williams told the congregation that the translators would have been "baffled and embarrassed" by the idea of a perfect translation but had sought instead to convey the "almost unbearable weight of divine intelligence and love" into the English language.

via: csmonitor

Prince William & Kate Mark First Anniversary of Their Engagement

Prince William & Kate Mark First Anniversary of Their Engagement - A year ago on Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2010, Kate Middleton's life changed forever. Though already secretly engaged, that was the day the couple decided to tell senior members of the royal family – and then the entire world – that they were getting married.

Making the announcement, the two spoke about how William proposed with the special engagement ring that had belonged to his late mother, Diana, while Kate recounted her "excitement and shock."

From there, the attractive young brunette from Bucklebury, Berkshire, suddenly became one of the most-discussed people on the planet.

Today, one year later, the couple are apart, though only briefly. The Duchess of Cambridge is in London, where she continues to focus on finding various charities and causes in which she thinks she can make a difference, as those close to her put it.

William, meanwhile, is 300 miles away in Anglesey, North Wales, training to become a captain and main pilot of one of the Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Sea King helicopters.

Fortunately, in the coming weeks there will be occasions to celebrate together, including their first Christmas as a married couple – traditionally spent by the royals at Sandringham, the Norfolk estate.

Then comes her 30th birthday, in January.

via: people

Prince Charles' veto power is controversial

Prince Charles' veto power is controversial - Prince Charles will keep his little-known veto over some planned laws, a power that dates back to the Middle Ages, after the British government said Monday it was not going to rewrite ancient constitutional rules. New evidence that the heir to the throne has been playing an active political role has touched a nerve among anti-monarchists, but Prime Minister David Cameron's office said it did not plan reforms.

Parliamentary records show that Prince Charles has been consulted over at least 12 planned laws over the past six years, with his consent sought over proposals on subjects including gambling, road safety, London's 2012 Olympics and housing.

Concern was raised after the Guardian newspaper published a letter obtained under a freedom of information request showing that parliamentary officials had reminded a House of Lords member that a proposed law would need consent from the prince.

Since around the mid-1330s, the Prince of Wales - who was then Edward of Woodstock, also known as the Black Prince - has been asked to approve legislation that could affect the Duchy of Cornwall, the 136,000-acre (55,000-hectare) estate established by Edward III to provide income for the heir to the throne.

Cameron's office said constitutional law dictates that Charles is currently consulted over laws that could potentially have an impact on the duchy, or on his interests in Wales or Chester. Charles is Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall and the Earl of Chester.

"If it is something that is specific to the Principality of Wales, the Earldom of Chester or the Duchy of Cornwall, then that consent is required and it's long been the case," a spokeswoman for Cameron said, speaking on customary condition of anonymity in line with policy.

Queen Elizabeth II - who has a ceremonial role in granting approval to every law passed by Parliament - must also offer consent to legislation that affects her personal property or hereditary revenues, Britain's Cabinet Office said.

Neither Cameron's spokesman nor Prince Charles' office would say whether the prince had vetoed any planned legislation or demanded alterations.

"This is not about seeking the personal views of the prince but rather it is a long-standing convention in relation to the Duchy of Cornwall, which would have applied equally to his predecessors," the prince's office said in a statement.

Opponents said the disclosure threatened to undermine Britain's democracy and muddied the conventions under which the royal family are expected to refrain from involvement in day-to-day politics.

"That such a loophole exists shows our constitution is fundamentally antidemocratic," said Graham Smith, spokesman for Republic, which campaigns for the abolition of the monarchy.

Prince Charles has been known to publicly air his views on environmental issues, warning in 2008 of what he claimed were the dangers of genetically modified crops. He also successfully lobbied developers to switch their plans for a glass-and-steel tower on the site of a former London army barracks to a more conservative architectural style.

Last week, Britain won agreement from 15 other Commonwealth nations where the queen is head of state to modernize ancient royal succession laws. It means princesses will now have the same right to the British crown as their male siblings.

via: sfgate

How cheeky Pippa Middleton won over her teachers

How cheeky Pippa Middleton won over her teachers - Pippa Middleton was a 'naughty’ pupil who managed to avoid punishment, claims one of her friends at boarding school. Pippa Middleton’s family decline to comments on reports that she has split up with her boyfriend, the former cricketer Alex Loudon, but one of her schoolfriends is less discreet about her mischievous past.

Gabby Young, a musician, who attended Marlborough College with the sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, tells Mandrake: “I was in loads of classes with Pippa. We were quite naughty, actually, always winding up the teachers.”

Miss Middleton was, however, an expert at avoiding punishment at the boarding school. “The teachers were always blaming me for leading her astray,” says Young.

“Pippa was never too affected. Unlike me, she was incredibly sporty, but we found a middle ground and got on really well. And the boys loved her, of course.”

She adds: “In many ways, the Middletons are just what this country needs. Catherine is her own person, with her own ideas. It’s really quite inspirational.”

via: telehgraph

Pippa Middleton splits from Alex Loudon

Pippa Middleton splits from Alex Loudon - perhaps for good. Pippa Middleton is a single woman, reports say. The 28-year-old sister of the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton has split with her long-term boyfriend, cricket player turned financier Alex Loundon, after a series of fights in recent weeks. "[Pippa] and Alex split briefly in the summer — but this time it's over," a source tells The Sun. "They are barely speaking."

In the wake of the breakup, Middleton is said to have turned to her sister and Prince William for comfort last night. Middleton also apparently spent the weekend with the royal couple at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

It's unclear exactly what caused the split after three years. Some friends claim Loudon was never comfortable with Middleton's status as a sex symbol and tabloid fixation, following her headline-making turn in a figure-hugging gown at her sister's wedding in April. But a source tells The Sun that Prince Harry was at the crux of the couple's demise. "It was said after the wedding that Alex was jealous of Pippa flirting with Prince Harry," the source said. "But the truth is she and Harry are just mates."

During Middleton and Loudon's brief break this summer, Middleton was spotted out with her ex, George Percy, at a dinner in London and then at a Wimbledon tennis match. But the couple eventually reconnected and, last month, was photographed kissing outside the Boodles Boxing Ball at 4:30 a.m.while waiting for a taxi.

Just a few weeks ago, reports said that Loudon had asked a friend to help him shop for an engagement ring and had his eye on a blingy Diane von Furstenberg sparkler for Middleton. A source told The Sun at the time, "Alex knows that if he doesn't ask her soon he might lose her. He's an ideal choice for Pippa."

via: nypost

Kate Middleton Wears Loose-Fitting Silver Gown to Palace Dinner

Kate Middleton Wears Loose-Fitting Silver Gown to Palace Dinner - Stunning in silver!. Amidst pregnancy rumors, Duchess Kate stepped out Thursday in a loose-fitting, floor-length chiffon satin asymmetric gown by British designer Jenny Packham. Prince William and his wife, 29, attended a benefit dinner for the National Memorial Arboretum Appeal at St. James' Palace in London.

The world has been on baby bump watch for Kate since she politely declined to sample peanut paste during her and William's Nov. 2 visit to a Denmark UNICEF distribution center. (Although Kate is not allergic to peanuts, pregnant women are often advised to avoid peanut products to prevent allergies in their babies-to-be.)

But a royal insider tells the new Us Weekly -- on stands now -- that Kate might not be expecting just yet.

"She's not comfortable eating in front of cameras," the insider said. "What if she didn't like it and made a face? That expression would then be on every newspaper."

A spokesman for the couple tells Us the policy is "to never confirm or deny [pregnancy] rumors," but an insider insists: "If and when there is an announcement to make, it will be made by the palace as soon as it's safe to."

If Kate is expecting, she might not have her hubby by her side throughout her entire pregnancy. England's Ministry of Defense said in a statement Thursday that early next year, William, 29, will be deployed to the Falkland Islands for six weeks. He will join a crew of three other RAF personnel as part of his training and advancement as a Search and Rescue Pilot.

Should Will and Kate have a daughter as their firstborn, a new ruling will allow her to someday be queen. Upending centuries of royal law, leaders of the 16 countries that recognize the British monarchy recently agreed that a firstborn daughter should be able to ascend the throne even if she has younger brothers.

via: um

Prince William, Kate Middleton to Be Apart for 6 Weeks

Prince William, Kate Middleton to Be Apart for 6 Weeks - Parting will be such sweet sorrow for Prince William and Duchess Kate. William, 29, will be deployed to the Falkland Islands early next year, England's Ministry of Defense said in a Thursday statement. The Prince (whose Royal Air Force title is Flight Lieutenant William Wales) will join a crew of three other RAF personnel as part of his training and advancement as a Search and Rescue pilot.

"All RAF Search and Rescue pilots routinely deploy to the Falkland Islands, on a rolling basis, as part of their training and career development," the statement explained.

A royal source adds that pilot William's deployment will last about six weeks -- certainly the longest time he and his wife Kate, 29, have been apart since their April 29 wedding of this year.

via: usmagazine

Kate Middleton Pregnant? Why She Refused Peanut Paste

Kate Middleton Pregnant? Why She Refused Peanut Paste - Does passing on peanuts mean that Duchess Kate is pregnant? Not necessarily. Since the 29-year-old royal declined to sample peanut paste during her and Prince William's Nov. 2 visit to a Denmark UNICEF distribution center, rumors have been rampant that the couple is expecting a child. (Although Kate is not allergic to peanuts, pregnant women are often advised to avoid peanut products to prevent allergies in their babies-to-be.) But a royal insider tells the new Us Weekly -- on stands now -- why this might not be the case.

"She's not comfortable eating in front of cameras," the insider said. "What if she didn't like it and made a face? That expression would then be on every newspaper."

A spokesman for the couple tells Us the policy is "to never confirm or deny [pregnancy] rumors," but an insider insists: "If and when there is an announcement to make, it will be made by the palace as soon as it's safe to."

Should Will and Kate have a daughter as their firstborn, a new ruling will allow her to someday be queen. Upending centuries of royal law, leaders of the 16 countries that recognize the British monarchy recently agreed that a firstborn daughter should be able to ascend the throne even if she has younger brothers.

via: usmagazine 

TV 'streaker' pushes boundaries - MTV EMAs: Gaga! Bieber! Queen! Streaker!. The MTV Video Music Awards have had their share of controversial moments in the past, from Madonna's "Like a Virgin" performance to the Material Girl/Britney kiss to Kanye's "Imma let you finish"-ing of Taylor Swift. But compared to what goes on at the MTV European Music Awards, all those incidents are about as contentious as a Disney movie. Case in point: At last night's MTV EMAs in Belfast, a male streaker ran out on stage while Hayden Panettiere was about to present the award for Best Song.

It was a scripted skit (according to Reuters, and anyone who's seen these kind of planned awards-show moments of spontaneity) with the actress doing her best to act surprised, the EMA audience and those watching at home were provided with an extended moment of uncensored, full-frontal male nudity.

Once the streaker reached the front of the stage where Pannetierre was standing, he made awkward conversation with the actress while covering his private parts. "So," he said through a very thick Irish brogue, "You're on that show 'Heroes' yeah?" They discussed hanging out at the post-party, but unfortunately the streaker didn't have his cell phone to take down Panettiere's number. Once he'd exited the stage, Hayden quipped: "Well, that was different."

If this ever happened in the States, the FCC would come to MTV's Times Square headquarters with a battering ram and a multimillion dollar fine -- especially given the number of young Bieber fans that were watching -- but this kind of behavior is perfectly acceptable across the Atlantic. You can watch the very-NSFW clip at Gawker if you dare, but here are some less explicit highlights from MTV's European awards:

In non-streaking-related news, Gaga left her annoying Jo Calderone alter ego back in the U.S. for the EMAs as she performed her latest single "Marry the Night." Dressed as a giant blue Frisbee or a downed satellite, Gaga sang the track atop a large half-moon, which limited her dance moves as she tried to balance on the lunar surface. "Marry the Night" had as many pyrotechnics as a Kiss concert, but it was a fairly low-key routine for the Fame Monster. (We don't want to tell award show directors how to do their job, but a stationary, faraway shot is not the best way to capture a Gaga performance.)

Gaga was also the big winner at the EMAs, scooping up four awards, including all the top prizes: Best Song and Best Video for "Born This Way," plus the Best Female and Biggest Fans trophy. Justin Bieber, who was probably happy to flee the U.S. for a few days, finished the night with two EMAs, Best Pop Act and Best Male Singer. "There's been a lot of crap talked about me lately, but I've pulled through," Bieber told the crowd after accepting his second award, Reuters reports. Bieb's girlfriend Selena Gomez hosted the EMAs, and while rumors of a rift between the two have surfaced, the pair seemed to be in good spirits through their time in Ireland. Here's Justin singing "Under the Mistletoe" and "Never Say Never" at the EMAs:

The show also featured performance by Red Hot Chili Peppers, LMFAO, Coldplay and, since this is a European award show, Snow Patrol. Queen were also on hand to accept the Global Icon prize. (The Amp understands that Gomez is just reading a teleprompter, but "one of the world's greatest rock bands" is not a phrase that should describe Queen three decades after the group's prime.) The band recruited Adam Lambert -- he's still big in Europe! -- to fill in for Freddie Mercury, and the former Idol runner-up does a great job in the role. He should think about joining Queen full time, it'd be beneficial for both acts:

Lady Gaga and Brian May were in the same building at the same time, and they didn't play "You and I" together? Seems like a squandered opportunity.

via: yahoo

American actress to play Princess Diana

American actress to play Princess Diana - Jessica Chastain Is Your New Princess Diana. Considering how much of an iconic figure she remains to this day -- and considering how young she conveniently was when she died -- it's a little surprising there haven't been more fictional portrayals of Princess Diana. IMDB only lists a handful, almost all of which are in cheesy TV movies and/or "South Park" satires. It's possible this is the case because it's difficult to portray Diana doing anything. That's not meant to be an insult, but much of Diana's life was doing public appearances, showing up at parties, speaking in front of crowds. She never acted, or sang, or took down terrorists. (As far as we know.) Diana can be difficult to dramatize.

At the American Film Market, though, a long-simmering Diana project is finally coming together, and the lead role is to be played by none other than Jessica Chastain, previously known as Official Crush of The Projector. (She is also, it bears noting, another American actress portraying a British icon.) The film is called "Caught in Flight," and will be directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, who previously helmed "Downfall." (In other words, expect lots of Diana YouTube parodies after the film is released.)

So what are they dramatizing Diana doing? Makin' out, of course.

The film revolves around a secret affair between the late princess and a heart surgeon, Dr. Hasnat Kahn, who was said to be the love of her life. Described as a "love story between a princess locked in a tower and an ordinary man," the film is set to go into pre-production in March 2012.

The affair is, of course, best described as "alleged" (Diana is said to have met Dr. Khan in 1995 and carried on an affair with him until her death in 1997). This also happens to sound almost exactly like the plot to "My Week With Marilyn," which makes a certain amount of sense. We must ground our icons, and there's no better way to do that than to have them cameo, briefly, in the real world before having to return sadly to their home planet. Megacelebrities, they're sort of like E.T. in that way.

via: yahoo

TV 'streaker' pushes boundaries - MTV EMAs: Gaga! Bieber! Queen! Streaker!. The MTV Video Music Awards have had their share of controversial moments in the past, from Madonna's "Like a Virgin" performance to the Material Girl/Britney kiss to Kanye's "Imma let you finish"-ing of Taylor Swift. But compared to what goes on at the MTV European Music Awards, all those incidents are about as contentious as a Disney movie. Case in point: At last night's MTV EMAs in Belfast, a male streaker ran out on stage while Hayden Panettiere was about to present the award for Best Song.

It was a scripted skit (according to Reuters, and anyone who's seen these kind of planned awards-show moments of spontaneity) with the actress doing her best to act surprised, the EMA audience and those watching at home were provided with an extended moment of uncensored, full-frontal male nudity.

Once the streaker reached the front of the stage where Pannetierre was standing, he made awkward conversation with the actress while covering his private parts. "So," he said through a very thick Irish brogue, "You're on that show 'Heroes' yeah?" They discussed hanging out at the post-party, but unfortunately the streaker didn't have his cell phone to take down Panettiere's number. Once he'd exited the stage, Hayden quipped: "Well, that was different."

If this ever happened in the States, the FCC would come to MTV's Times Square headquarters with a battering ram and a multimillion dollar fine -- especially given the number of young Bieber fans that were watching -- but this kind of behavior is perfectly acceptable across the Atlantic. You can watch the very-NSFW clip at Gawker if you dare, but here are some less explicit highlights from MTV's European awards:

In non-streaking-related news, Gaga left her annoying Jo Calderone alter ego back in the U.S. for the EMAs as she performed her latest single "Marry the Night." Dressed as a giant blue Frisbee or a downed satellite, Gaga sang the track atop a large half-moon, which limited her dance moves as she tried to balance on the lunar surface. "Marry the Night" had as many pyrotechnics as a Kiss concert, but it was a fairly low-key routine for the Fame Monster. (We don't want to tell award show directors how to do their job, but a stationary, faraway shot is not the best way to capture a Gaga performance.)

Gaga was also the big winner at the EMAs, scooping up four awards, including all the top prizes: Best Song and Best Video for "Born This Way," plus the Best Female and Biggest Fans trophy. Justin Bieber, who was probably happy to flee the U.S. for a few days, finished the night with two EMAs, Best Pop Act and Best Male Singer. "There's been a lot of crap talked about me lately, but I've pulled through," Bieber told the crowd after accepting his second award, Reuters reports. Bieb's girlfriend Selena Gomez hosted the EMAs, and while rumors of a rift between the two have surfaced, the pair seemed to be in good spirits through their time in Ireland. Here's Justin singing "Under the Mistletoe" and "Never Say Never" at the EMAs:

The show also featured performance by Red Hot Chili Peppers, LMFAO, Coldplay and, since this is a European award show, Snow Patrol. Queen were also on hand to accept the Global Icon prize. (The Amp understands that Gomez is just reading a teleprompter, but "one of the world's greatest rock bands" is not a phrase that should describe Queen three decades after the group's prime.) The band recruited Adam Lambert -- he's still big in Europe! -- to fill in for Freddie Mercury, and the former Idol runner-up does a great job in the role. He should think about joining Queen full time, it'd be beneficial for both acts:

Lady Gaga and Brian May were in the same building at the same time, and they didn't play "You and I" together? Seems like a squandered opportunity.

via: yahoo

X Factor 2011: Shock as Cocozza survives X Factor elimination despite being booed 

X Factor 2011: Shock as Cocozza survives X Factor elimination despite being booed after his 'bad karaoke' performance - His rendition of The Black Eyed Peas' hit I Gotta Feeling was considered so bad that it prompted a loud chorus of boos from the X Factor audience.

Even the judges were left cold and thousands took to their social networking sites to slam the big-haired self-proclaimed lothario for his tuneless performance.

So the question on everyone's lips today is not just how on earth has Frankie Cocozza managed to stay in the competition - but who exactly is voting for him?

We can rule out his legion of adoring female fans, many of whom are in their mid-teens and have already abandoned their previous pop crushes to give the 18-year-old his new pin-up status.

No doubt they took to their mobile phones in their thousands this weekend to keep the Brighton boy in the competition, even though it was the second week running that Frankie's performance has fallen flat.

Last week, when he performed the Clash's Should I Stay or Should I Go?, the general consensus swayed towards the latter.

Frankie has also found himself making headlines off-screen as he continues to live up to his bad boy status off-screen, leaving many cold by his bed-hopping antics as he revealed that he has slept with six girls since the X Factor started.

But even he is at a loss of the how is still in the competition, with his self-effacing attitude on Twitter, saying: ''The show goes on' please keep hating, I'd hate me to.. Thankyou for the support, looks like my beautiful followers are winning #grateful'

Last weekend, he also admitted he should have been elimianted, telling the Daily Star: 'It’s ridiculous that Sophie Habibis has gone and I am still here.

'I’m nowhere near as good a singer as she is - or anyone in the ­competition, to be honest. It’s a singing competition and I’m the worst singer so I should go.'

Many expected that this weekend would be his last especially after yet another chorus of boos from the dissatisfied audience.

Even his mentor Gary Barlow - who rowed with fellow judge Louis Walsh over his comments directed at the teenager - admitted that his song choice had been a bad one.

But he and Kelly Rowland slammed judge Louis Walsh for his negative comments and said it was unfair of the audience to turn on him.

He said: 'I apologise. I think I chose the wrong song for you tonight. I know you are under great pressure but to be booed on this stage is disgusting. It should not be allowed and you did your best tonight.'

But Louis didn't hold back after Frankie's performance and told him: 'That was really bad karaoke I don’t know how you are still here. You are not a rock star and never will be. The only thing you have going for you is your hair.'

Viewers began complaining that the show was fixed after Frankie was saved for another week, something that host Dermot 'Leary quickly denied.

He said: 'Can tell most of you aren't happy, but if the acts don't get the votes they go out. It's that simple. Talk of a fix is a joke.'

Frankie also began trending on Twitter almost immediately with many slamming his performance and predicting that he would be one of the two acts for the chop the following evening.

In relation to the song Frankie had sung, Angry Britain wrote: 'Frankie, I've got a feeling that tonight's gonna be a bad, bad night.'

And they were angry when he was saved and Tulisa's boy band The Risk and audience favourite - and many's guilty pleasure - Johnny Robinson, were voted off.

Xunbroken megan added: 'I feel bad for The Risk, they actually had talent & they were nice boys, unlike Frankie Cocozza. FIX FACTOR.'

Another Tweeter, calling himself @mikenewcastle, said this morning: 'Another thrilling Monday morning...made worse by the thought Frankie Cocozza is still out there with the belief he has an ounce of talent.'

Even the celebrity Tweeters got in on the act, with Manchester United star Wayne Rooney writing: 'Just turned X Factor off. Disgraceful. 1st time I've ever refused to watch it.'

Cricketer Michael Vaughan added: 'That's it. My X Factor watching career is over. Joke.'

via: Dailymail

Lady Gaga is a digital success

Lady Gaga is a digital success - Lady Gaga, who wins four prizes at MTV Awards, is one of the top sellers of digital downloads in 2011. Lady Gaga, who won four awards at the MTV European Music Awards in Belfast last night, has also been hailed as one of the digital successes of 2011.

Lady Gaga has sold more than 100,000 digital albums in 2011 according to the Official Charts Company.

Sales of digital albums have already broken last year's record with 21.3 million copies being downloaded and digital albums now represent over a quarter (26.2%) of total album sales, up from 17.5% last year. Lady Gaga, Jessie J and Ed Sheeran are among the artists to have sold over 100,000 digital copies in 2011.

Chart-topping superstar Lady Gaga led the nominations with six nods in Belfast and triumphed with four prizes, including Best Female and the new Biggest Fan category.

Her track Born This Way scooped Best Song and Best Video.

In a variety of outlandish outfits, including a performance where she showed off her tights-clad bottom, she dedicated her wins to her videographer Nick Knight, her fans - who she dubbed Little Monsters - and her sister.

"I knew that this song was very special when I wrote it, and I didn't know when I first started out as a songwriter how special it would be. It's the most important single to me," she said on stage, where she also paid homage to David Hasselhoff's "huge" appendage.

Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, added: "Thank you for believing in me. I love you little monsters, until the end. This success of Born This Way has really changed my life. This has been such an unexpected and exciting evening."

Continuing in the great British tradition, a male streaker found his way on stage, surprising Heroes actress Hayden Panettiere as she presented Lady Gaga with the award for Best Song.

via: telegraph