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To the Manor Born star passes away

<p>The family of Angela Thorne has paid tribute to the veteran actress who passed away on June 16 at age 84.</p> <p>Thorne is best known for her role in the British sitcom, <em>To the Manor Born.</em> The actress is also the mother of the actor Rupert Penry-Jones.</p> <p>Rupert Penry-Jones said in a statement, "The actress Angela Thorne died peacefully at her home on the 16th of June. She was 84 years old.</p> <p>"She was the beloved wife of Peter Penry-Jones and is survived by her two sons Rupert and Laurie Penry-Jones and her grandchildren, Florence, Peter, Giorgio and Delilah. We will all miss her very much.”</p> <p>Thorne played Marjory Frobisher in the BBC sitcom, <em>To the Manor Born</em>, with other Hollywood greats Penelope Keith and Richard DeVere from 1978 to 1981.</p> <p>She was nominated for an Oliver Award for her portrayal of Margaret Thatcher in <em>Anyone for Denis?</em></p> <p>The actress also voiced the Queen of England in the 1989 film adaptation of Roald Dahl’s <em>The BFG</em>.</p> <p>However, it was her role as Marjory Frobisher that gripped fans.</p> <p>Thorne reprised the role twice, one for a 10-episode radio series in 1997 and once more in 2007 for a one-episode Christmas special on TV.</p> <p>Fans of the actress are remembering her on Twitter as a “sitcom legend”.</p> <p>"RIP Angela Thorne, ACT past Chair of 15 years' service, wise champion of actor-parents' needs, and devoted to the elderly actors at @DenvilleHall. It was a joy and a privilege to work with you," a trust that worked with Thorne wrote.</p> <p>"Ah, Angela Thorne has died. Proper sitcom legend. Farrington of the FO was much underpraised," a fan wrote.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Getty</em></p>

News

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Kate Middleton’s touching gesture to child

<p dir="ltr">Kate Middleton has once again shown her affection for young children by offering up her poppy to a young child who didn’t have one.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Princess of Wales was visiting Colham Manor Children's Centre as a royal patron for the Maternal Mental Health Alliance.</p> <p dir="ltr">A mother of three herself, the Princess spoke to new mums and families who have struggled since giving birth.</p> <p dir="ltr">On her way out, she bumped into three-year-old Akeem, who bombarded Kate with a series of questions – including asking for her name.</p> <p dir="ltr">“What is your name?” the curious kid asked.</p> <p dir="ltr">“My name is Catherine. Nice to meet you,” she responded.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">It’s not everyday you get a poppy from a Princess 😊 Akeem who’s 3 was very chatty when Kate unexpectedly stopped to say hello at a maternity mental health visit so she gave him her remembrance poppy. Thanks Liberty from Colham Manor primary and Akeem’s mum for letting me share <a href="https://t.co/ykP1wyujtf">pic.twitter.com/ykP1wyujtf</a></p> <p>— Rhiannon Mills (@SkyRhiannon) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyRhiannon/status/1590323556126457857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">She then asked Akeem if he had a poppy, pointing to her own, before he reached over and said, “No, I haven't found one”.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Would you like mine?" the Princess then asked, to which Akeem said yes – at which point she proceeded to take off her poppy.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Do you know what this is for? It's for remembering all the soldiers who died in the war," the Princess told the young boy as she removed the poppy from her coat.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Here you go, that’s for you. You look after it,” she then said to the excited child before handing the sharp pin to his mother.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Twitter</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Tiger Woods' secret Kiwi home hits the market

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An estate on the Kāpiti Coast, to the north of Wellington, which has been home to diplomats, Danish heavy metal icons, and famed golfer Tiger Woods has entered the market in a rare sale.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 40s-styled manor is surrounded by manicured gardens and native bushland and features an extensively remodeled interior that is just as luxurious.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, it’s guest-list has been kept tightly under wraps by its current owners Ralph Green, his wife Letizia Columbano, and their son Lorenzo Green.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We don’t kiss and tell about our guests,” Green </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/houses/127024230/inside-tiger-woods-secret-kiwi-hideaway-beloved-of-nottobenamed-rock-stars-and-foreign-dignitaries" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Tiger Woods was rather hard to hide. He was meant to be a secret, but it got out because he’s like that. Other guests… I’m struggling to remember on purpose.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Woods stayed at the 1.89-hectare Greenmantle estate in 2002 while competing in the New Zealand Open.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before Green took over the property in 2012, the then-owner was the former head of New Zealand’s Criminal Investigation Bureau.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This was just after September 11, and there was a lot of scuttlebutt around that they were going to target an American ison, and that New Zealand was seen as a soft target area,” Green explained.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So there was something like 13 police patrolling around this place, the security was unusually high.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">More recently, Green said the Greenmantle estate had been approved to host heads of state by the diplomatic protection squad.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have quite high clearance,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Without revealing too many details, he said the most “surprising” celebrities he’s hosted had included “well-known” rock stars, with the lead singer of a Danish metal band with a quite profane name topping the list.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But the chance to host A-list guests wasn’t the reason why Green and his family took over the property.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After seeing the “beautiful pink house sitting proudly up a lovely drive” while growing up in the area, Green and Columbano jumped at the chance to tour the property when it hit the market years later.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We went in there and fell in love,” Green said, referring to the tour he and his wife took of the gardens and the nikau forest behind the house.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“To have a virgin nikau forest in your backyard, it was just too much. We surprised the real estate agent by saying, ‘yes, we’ll take it’. He was a little shocked.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After the previous owner had run the home as a boutique hotel, Green and Columbano converted it into “a luxury lodge”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Having a home and income combined quite usefully. THat’s how we ended up here, because of the gardens, the birdlife, looking at Kāpiti [Island], and having something that’s quite distinctive,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The house boasts six bedrooms - each with balconies and stunning views - as well as seven bathrooms, two separate guest cottages, a heated outdoor pool, and a permanent marquee house nearby.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Within the nikau forest, walking trails lead to a secluded spa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s like going to Indonesia but without the heat or the insects,” Green said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There is an area we call the nikau amphitheatre that people seem to want to get married in. It’s so nice to sit under all these nikau and listen to the sound of the owls at night.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having just become grandparents, Green and Columbano are saying a reluctant farewell to the property and moving to be with their daughter in Venice.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s a question of priorities, we’ve become grandparents for the first time, and we want to be grandparents,” Green said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having last sold for $2.05 million in 2012, propertyvalue.co.nz values the property between $3.25 and $3.5 million now.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The property, which is expected to sell for an even higher price, is on sale for tender by </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nzsothebysrealty.com/purchasing/property/wtn10334/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sotheby’s International Realty</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and closes on Thursday, December 9.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Getty Images, Sotheby's International Realty</span></em></p>

Real Estate

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Prince Charles and Duchess Camilla’s “love shack” on the market for $4.75 million

<p><span>The English country manor which Prince Charlie used to court Princess Diana, and later had an affair with the Duchess of Cornwall, is being sold for an asking price of $4.75 million.</span><br /><br /><span>The vast Bolehyde Manor in Allington, Wiltshire has a grand eight bedrooms, a swimming pool, tennis court, three cottages, stables, and can also boast a "tree house complex,” expansive gardens and more on 80 acres of expansive farmland.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9rSX0cAvzj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/B9rSX0cAvzj/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by British Royal Family (@britishmonarchy)</a> on Mar 13, 2020 at 6:59am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>The site has been dubbed the “love shack” for Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, and dates back to around 700 years.</span><br /><br /><span>According to the outlet, the Prince of Wales wooed his first wife Diana at Bolehyde Manor in the early days of their courtship and later had an affair with Camilla at the home.</span><br /><br /><span>She lived there during her marriage to ex-husband Andrew Parker Bowles.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBI3p7gJ_mk/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CBI3p7gJ_mk/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Prince Charles Doing Things (@princecharlesdoingthings)</a> on Jun 7, 2020 at 8:17am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p><br /><span>Camilla’s ex sold the manor home to the Earl and Countess of Cairns in 1986 for about $761,000, the Daily Mail has reported.</span><br /><br /><span>Now the residence, which holds a scandalous history can be anyone’s for $4.75 million.</span><br /><br /><span>Scroll through the gallery to see the former “love shack” of the royal couple.</span></p>

Real Estate

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Inside King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson's $10 million French country manor

<p>It was where King Edward VIII spent his weekends with wife Wallis Simpson after abdicating the British throne. Now, the French former country home of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor has been listed on the market for £5.6 million, or about $10.36 million.</p> <p>The couple bought Le Moulin de la Tuilerie in 1952, about 15 years after Edward abdicated the throne to marry Simpson and become the Duke of Windsor. Located by the Chevreuse Forest half an hour away from Paris, the estate spans 26 acres and includes six separate properties, a polo pitch and landscaped grounds.</p> <p>The Duchess once described the house as “our only real home”, where they entertained guests such as Maria Callas, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Sir Cecil Beaton.</p> <p>During the 20 years of their ownership, the estate also underwent major renovations led by French interior designer Stéphane Boudin, who went on to restore and redecorate the White House in the US for the Kennedys.</p> <p>After the Duke’s death in 1972, the ownership went to a Lebanese doctor. According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tatler.com/article/former-parisian-exile-estate-of-the-duke-of-windsor-and-wallis-simpson-for-sale" target="_blank"><em>Tatler</em></a>, the buildings were also made available for holiday through the Landmark Trust.</p> <p>Nevertheless, the Duke and Duchess’s imprint in the residence still remains. The <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/real-estate/a27320197/duke-of-windsor-wallis-simpson-paris-house/" target="_blank">Times</a></em> reported that the estate still houses a piece of art commissioned by the Duchess, which reads: “I am not the miller’s daughter. But I have been through the mill.”</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see inside King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson's French country manor. </p>

International Travel

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Inside Jamie Oliver's new $10 million 16th century country manor

<p>Despite rumours of the top floor being haunted, nothing could stop Jamie Oliver and his family of seven moving into this 16th century manor house in the English countryside, with the chef paying $10.7 million for the property in Essex.</p> <p>The family has continued to grow, with daughters Poppy, 16, Daisy, 15, Petal, 9, and their sons Buddy, 8 and fifth child River, who will turn two in August 2019.</p> <p>An insider has revealed to<span> </span><a href="https://www.thesun.co.uk/tvandshowbiz/8128535/jamie-oliver-6m-mansion-haunted/"><em>The Sun</em></a><span> </span>about the new mansion:</p> <p><span>"'It’s an amazing place and the whole family fell in love with it at first viewing."</span></p> <p>They added, "The only thing Jamie wasn’t so sold on was the top floor nursery which is said to be haunted, and has put off several perspective buyers."</p> <p>The mansion is a 70-acre estate in Essex and comes with:</p> <ul> <li>A six bed farmhouse</li> <li>Three bed lodge</li> <li>Converted stables</li> <li>A cart shed</li> </ul> <p>The house has been owned by the same aristocratic family since the 1700s, with the most recent alterations done in 2010.</p> <p>Although the mansion has been updated, there are no visible changes to the main rooms or the facade of the house.</p> <p>With Jamie's blossoming new family, it seems like they need all the space they can get! </p> <p>Scroll through the gallery to see inside their new home.</p>

Home & Garden

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Stay in a historical Italian manor with Airbnb

<p>Have you ever looked at the set of <em>Downton Abbey</em> and thought “Gosh, wouldn’t it be lovely to stay just a few days there?” Unfortunately, the real Downton Abbey property isn’t available for holiday rental. However, thanks to <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/?af=61160407&amp;c=apac_au_over60_auhomepage" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Airbnb</span></strong></a>, there are many other extraordinary pieces of architectural history that are.</p> <p>The historical manor of Villa Pianciani has a rich history dating back to the 1700s. Its manicured lawns speak of an aristocratic past and its classic design is one of the most remarkable examples of countryside residences in all of Italy.</p> <p>Perched elegantly atop a hill, the property dominates the Umbrina countryside with 360 degree views. Sleeping sixteen, there are ten generous bedrooms, eight bathrooms, spacious living areas (billiard room, music, library, honesty bar, TV set and Wi-Fi), as well as a well equipped kitchen, a large courtyard and formal dining room.</p> <p>Within the historical Park we find the "Villa" originally called "Casino Principale" (main house), the Old Kitchens, a three-storey house connected to the main Villa, and the "Rudere" (the Ruin), a large two-storey building once used as stables and for storage. All architectural elements are, so to speak, limbs of a body whose style and character give the whole structure unity in both purpose and artistic value.</p> <p>At the back of the main building stands the villa's private Chapel, perfect for a private celebration of any kind. On the south side of the park, you’ll find a quaint, secret garden with architectonic elements sure to delight. Walls, stairs, a fountain, ruins, and even a small temple.</p> <p>Can you believe such a thing still exists? Scroll through the gallery above for images and visit the listing on Airbnb <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/237747/?af=61160407&amp;c=apac_au_over60_Italian_villa" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">here. </span></strong></a></p> <p>Do you think you could get your family or some old friends together for a reunion here? What would you get up to? Tell us what you think in the comments below.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/04/converted-church-airbnb-in-adelaide/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Spend the night in a converted church in Adelaide</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/04/train-carriage-transformed-into-luxury-airbnb/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">100-year-old train carriage transformed into luxury cottage</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/04/vintage-railway-carriages/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Orient Express-style vintage railway carriages</span></strong></em></a></p>

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