All posts tagged: aide

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor accused of ‘physical altercation’ with senior aide of Elizabeth II

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor accused of ‘physical altercation’ with senior aide of Elizabeth II

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had a “physical altercation” with one of Elizabeth II’s most senior aides, it is claimed. The former Duke of York is said to have lashed out at Vice-Admiral Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, master of the Royal household, after he was told that he could not accommodate a Pitch@Palace event at Buckingham Palace. The altercation was described by one member of staff as a “kinetic” blow that caused astonishment within the royal household, a senior member of staff told royal author Robert Hardman. “It was a routine household matter. The Duke wanted to have a reception and there wasn’t any room. It was as simple as that,” a senior member of staff told Mr Hardman in an excerpt from his book Elizabeth II, which has been serialised in the Daily Mail. “Tony said he’d have to wait his turn like anybody else and the Duke …

Andrew accused of ‘physical altercation’ with Elizabeth II aide

Andrew accused of ‘physical altercation’ with Elizabeth II aide

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor had a “physical altercation” with one of Elizabeth II’s most senior aides, it has been claimed. The former Duke of York was accused of lashing out at Vice-Adml Sir Tony Johnstone-Burt, master of the household, allegedly because he could not accommodate a Pitch@Palace event at Buckingham Palace. His behaviour was considered so concerning that Prince Philip, his late father, reportedly felt obliged to write a letter of apology to Sir Tony. “It was a routine household matter,” a senior member of staff told Robert Hardman, a royal author. “The Duke wanted to have a reception, and there wasn’t any room. It was as simple as that. “Tony said he’d have to wait his turn like anybody else, and the Duke went for him.” According to Mr Hardman, it was “not just an outburst of expletives and a jab of a finger” but what one member of staff described as a “kinetic” blow, which caused astonishment in the royal household. The alleged incident is described in Mr Hardman’s latest book, Elizabeth II, which is …

Putin’s Aide Blames British Specialists Over Ukraine Strike

Putin’s Aide Blames British Specialists Over Ukraine Strike

Russia has blamed “British specialists” for helping Ukraine execute a deadly missile strike on a munitions factory. Kyiv said it had struck one of Russia’s “most important military factories” on Tuesday, known as the Kremniy El plant, using British-supplied Storm Shadow missiles. The site is the second-largest microelectronics manufacturer in Russia. According to Russian authorities, at least seven civilians were killed and 42 injured in what it called a “terrorist missile attack”. The Kremlin’s spokesperson, Dmitry Peskov, told reporters: “It is obvious that the launch of these missiles was impossible without British specialists. “We are aware of this, we know it well, and we naturally take it into account. “In order to prevent such barbaric actions by the Kyiv regime from continuing, the special military operation is being conducted.” Russia’s foreign ministry also claimed the attack was premeditated. It said: “Western states bear full responsibility for the consequences of this strike, which resulted in civilian casualties. “Britain has gone beyond the norms of international law and is ready… to take the conflict to a fundamentally …

GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas ends reelection bid after admitting to affair with aide : NPR

GOP Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas ends reelection bid after admitting to affair with aide : NPR

FILE – Rep. Tony Gonzales, R-Texas, speaks during a news conference Dec. 7, 2022, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Mariam Zuhaib/AP hide caption toggle caption Mariam Zuhaib/AP WASHINGTON — Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas said late Thursday he was withdrawing from his reelection race, after having admitted an affair with a former staff member who later died by suicide, but he vowed to finish out his term in Congress. He had faced calls from GOP leadership to end his reelection bid, and from others in Congress to resign. “After deep reflection and with the support of my loving family, I have decided not to seek re-election,” Gonzales said in a statement posted late Thursday to X. The move is the latest in a quickly changing situation that stunned Capitol Hill and resulted in a House Ethics Committee investigation into his conduct. Gonzales’ decision to bow out of the race appears to clear the field. On Tuesday, he had been forced into a May runoff against Brandon Herrera, a gun manufacturer and YouTube gun-rights influencer …

Exclusive: How Kate Middleton and Prince William are coping under pressure as senior aide admits: ‘We’re not in a good position’

Exclusive: How Kate Middleton and Prince William are coping under pressure as senior aide admits: ‘We’re not in a good position’

They would have been forgiven for feelings of trepidation when they stepped out for their first big moment with members of the public since the bombshell arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. A week after the monarchy was plunged into an unprecedented crisis, with serious questions being asked about who knew what, and when, in regard to the long‑running Jeffrey Epstein scandal, the Prince and Princess of Wales may have been braced for heckling, as other family members have experienced in recent weeks. But instead, on the surface, they were able to breathe a sigh of relief. William and Kate seemed to be blown away by the incredible reception they received in Wales last week, when, amid mounting scrutiny of the royal family, the couple outwardly projected calm resilience. An off‑the‑cuff remark by Prince William a few days earlier had made headlines around the world, but their relaxed smiles and warm interactions with the crowds conveyed a sense of stability during these turbulent times. Their busy programme took in a visit to a community cafe, an art …

Rep. Tony Gonzales asked for explicit photos from aide who later died by suicide

Rep. Tony Gonzales asked for explicit photos from aide who later died by suicide

Just after midnight on May 9, 2024, U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales begged an employee, Regina Santos-Aviles, to send him a “sexy pic.” When she pushed back, saying the conversation had gone too far, the married San Antonio Republican persisted, saying he was “just such a visual person.” Santos-Aviles, Gonzales’ district director in Uvalde, died in September 2025 after lighting herself on fire. Her husband, Adrian Aviles, shared these text messages with The Texas Tribune on Monday as evidence of an affair between the congressman and his staffer. Aviles told the San Antonio Express-News, which published the text messages first, that the relationship and the professional ostracization his wife faced after it was discovered led her to become despondent before her death. Gonzales did not respond to a request for comment. He said in November that rumors of an affair between him and Santos-Aviles were “completely untruthful.” But as more evidence has emerged over the last week, he has sidestepped direct denials, instead accusing Aviles of trying to blackmail him and blaming his opponent in next …

Sarah Ferguson’s bond with obsessive aide turned killer Jane Andrews

Sarah Ferguson’s bond with obsessive aide turned killer Jane Andrews

ITV’s new drama The Lady dramatises the “rags-to-riches” tale of Jane Andrews, Sarah Ferguson’s former dresser, who was convicted of murdering her boyfriend in 2001.  The series follows the working-class girl from Grimsby, who found herself rubbing shoulders with the royals after landing a job as the former Duchess of York’s dresser at Buckingham Palace. But after nine years, Jane lost her job and met charismatic businessman Thomas Cressman, whom she was convicted of murdering in 2001.    Ahead of the show’s premiere, find out everything you need to know about Jane’s relationship with Sarah, including the former dresser’s “obsession” with the royal and why she was made redundant after nine years.  What did Jane Andrews do?  In 2001, Jane was jailed for killing her boyfriend, businessman Thomas Cressman.  WATCH: The trailer for The Lady His body was found at their shared flat on September 18, 2000; Jane had hit him with a cricket bat and stabbed him in the chest.  © ShutterstockJane Andrews was convicted of murdering her boyfriend in 2001 After going on …

Kremlin Aide Medinsky to Head Russian Team as Ukraine Peace Talks Move to Geneva Next Week

Kremlin Aide Medinsky to Head Russian Team as Ukraine Peace Talks Move to Geneva Next Week

MOSCOW, Feb 13 (Reuters) – Talks between ⁠Russia, ⁠Ukraine and the United ⁠States on ending the war in Ukraine ​will move to Geneva next week and Kremlin aide ‌Vladimir Medinsky will head ‌the Russian delegation, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was ⁠quoted ⁠as saying on Friday. Russian news agencies quoted him as ​saying the talks would take place on Tuesday and Wednesday. They follow two rounds of negotiations in Abu Dhabi at ​which Russia’s team was led by Igor Kostyukov, its head ⁠of ⁠military intelligence. A Ukrainian presidential ⁠aide ​confirmed to journalists that Kyiv’s delegation was preparing for talks ​in Geneva. The ⁠return of Medinsky, who led the Russian team at earlier talks in Turkey in 2022 and again last year, could signal that Russia expects the focus ⁠to move beyond security issues to broader points of disagreement ⁠between the warring sides. Nearly four years into the war, and despite intensive efforts by U.S. President Donald Trump to end what he calls a senseless “bloodbath”, Russia and Ukraine remain far apart on key issues including territory and …