Latest news with #CeremonyoftheKeys
Scottish Sun
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Historic moment female Beefeater locks Tower of London for first time in 700 years in ‘fabulous honour'
AJ told The Sun how she feels to be creating history dating back centuries TOWER GIRL POWER Historic moment female Beefeater locks Tower of London for first time in 700 years in 'fabulous honour' A FEMALE Beefeater has led the Ceremony of the Keys, the locking of the Tower of London, for the first time in the ritual's 700-year history. AJ Clark, 50, can perform the task after becoming the first female yeoman warder promoted to sergeant. 5 AJ Clark has become the first female Beefeater to lead the Ceremony of the Keys in 700 years Credit: Peter Jordan 5 The ritual dates to 1340 after King Edward III arrived unannounced and was furious he could enter unchallenged Credit: Alamy 5 AJ Clark was recently promoted to yeoman sergeant, allowing her to carry the keys Credit: Alamy Other women have played a role in past ceremonies. But only sergeants carry the King's Keys. AJ told The Sun: 'I still pinch myself. 'It's just fabulous. 'There is so much history and it is such an honour to be part of it.' The ritual dates to 1340 after King Edward III arrived unannounced and was furious he could enter unchallenged. The ceremony lasts from 9.53pm to 10pm. We watched as AJ emerged from the Byward Tower — where Anne Boleyn lived before her 1536 execution — with a lantern and the keys. She walked alone to the Bloody Tower to meet her escort of four Irish Guards. They marched to the Middle Gate then the Byward Gate, where AJ closed and locked the huge wooden doors. Back at the Bloody Tower — where King Edward V, 12, and brother Richard, nine, were murdered — a sentry challenged AJ: 'Halt! Who goes there?' Adorable moment King's Guard breaks protocol to nod at little boy who dreams of becoming a beefeater AJ replied she had 'King Charles' keys' and her group was allowed to pass. She gave the keys to the King's representative, before the playing of the Last Post. AJ, of Burnley, spent 24 years in the Army before becoming a Beefeater in 2017. She lives in the Tower with her husband and three dogs. She added: 'It is the shortest military ceremony in history, but for us the most important. 'Being a yeoman warder is magical.' 5 AJ spent 24 years in the Army before becoming a Beefeater in 2017 Credit: Peter Jordan
The Irish Sun
13-06-2025
- General
- The Irish Sun
Historic moment female Beefeater locks Tower of London for first time in 700 years in ‘fabulous honour'
A FEMALE Beefeater has led the Ceremony of the Keys, the locking of the Tower of London, for the first time in the ritual's 700-year history. AJ Clark, 50, can perform the task after becoming the first female Advertisement 5 AJ Clark has become the first female Beefeater to lead the Ceremony of the Keys in 700 years Credit: Peter Jordan 5 The ritual dates to 1340 after King Edward III arrived unannounced and was furious he could enter unchallenged Credit: Alamy 5 AJ Clark was recently promoted to yeoman sergeant, allowing her to carry the keys Credit: Alamy Other women have played a role in past ceremonies. But only sergeants carry the King's Keys. AJ told The Sun: 'I still pinch myself. 'It's just fabulous. 'There is so much history and it is such an honour to be part of it.' Advertisement READ MORE LONDON NEWS The ritual dates to 1340 after King Edward III arrived unannounced and was furious he could enter unchallenged. The ceremony lasts from 9.53pm to 10pm. We watched as AJ emerged from the Byward Tower — where Anne Boleyn lived before her 1536 execution — with a lantern and the keys. She walked alone to Advertisement Most read in The Sun Breaking Latest They marched to the Middle Gate then the Byward Gate, where AJ closed and locked the huge wooden doors. Back at the Bloody Tower — where King Edward V, 12, and brother Richard, nine, were murdered — a sentry challenged AJ: 'Halt! Who goes there?' Adorable moment King's Guard breaks protocol to nod at little boy who dreams of becoming a beefeater AJ replied she had 'King Charles' keys' and her group was allowed to pass. She gave the keys to the King's representative, before the playing of Advertisement AJ, of Burnley , spent 24 years in the Army before becoming a Beefeater in 2017. She lives in the Tower with her husband and three dogs. She added: 'It is the shortest military ceremony in history, but for us the most important. 'Being a yeoman warder is magical.' Advertisement 5 AJ spent 24 years in the Army before becoming a Beefeater in 2017 Credit: Peter Jordan 5 She lives in the Tower of London with her husband and three dogs. Credit: Ian Whittaker - The Sun
Daily Mirror
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
King Charles shares love of highly-unusual food he loves to eat with biscuits
While on a royal outing to Lancaster Castle, Charles admitted to his love for a very strange snack during a candid chat with local business owners King Charles has admitted his love for a very unusual snack during a royal engagement to Lancashire, where he spoke candidly with business owners about local produce. Charles visited Lancaster Castle, where he took part in the historic Ceremony of the Keys and spoke to D-Day veterans, before turning his attention to local food vendors. During a candid chat with Butlers' Farmhouse Cheeses owner Gillian Hale that he loves to indulge in eating sheep's cheese on a digestive biscuit. The King smelt a number of the cheeses on display but opted not to try any, while Ms Hale said: "We're going to send some to him later in a goody bag. He was so gracious." Despite his particular taste for sheep's cheese, the indulgent snack is not a regular occurrence for Charles, as he told the BBC in 2022 how he abstains from meat and fish on two days of the week and that he also avoids dairy on one of those days. King Charles has long been a champion of organic foods and sustainable farming practices, opting to follow a largely natural diet for more than 40 years. In 1990, he even launched his own organic range, called Duchy Originals, and has spoken extensively about conservation matters and the importance of maintaining biodiversity in nature. In 2017, Prince Charles warned that the 'very future of humanity' may depend on organic farming, as he addressed the audience at the 70th anniversary of of the Soil Association in London. Charles said his own road to becoming an organic farmer started in the 1980s when he decided to find a way of producing food at his Gloucestershire estate outside of 'conventional and industrialised' agricultural practices. Rumours of the King's other unusual eating habits have been put to rest over the years, with Jeremy Paxman claiming in his 2006 book titled On Royalty that Charles demanded seven eggs to be boiled for him a day by Palace kitchen staff - only eating one to make sure it was cooked to perfection. Charles was forced to hit back at the claims in the Frequently Asked Questions section of the Clarence House website, with one reading: 'Does The Prince of Wales have seven boiled eggs cooked for his breakfast but only eat one, as claimed in Jeremy Paxman's book On Royalty?' The royal reply said: 'No, he doesn't and never has done, at breakfast or any other time.' While at Lancaster Castle where Charles candidly shared his unusual snacking preferences, he was also given a neck tie and some gloves for the Queen from Northern Yarn, with business owner Kate Makin saying: 'He was really interested in the regenerative farming and the local wools we use.' The King, who is also the Duke of Lancaster, was greeted at the Lancaster railway station from the royal train by the Lord-Lieutenant of Lancashire, Amanda Parker. As part of an ancient ceremonial tradition, Charles was also handed the keys to the castle in front of the John O'Gaunt gateway. The reigning monarch has taken part in the Ceremony of the Keys with each visit to the castle since 1851, when the keys were first presented to Queen Victoria, with Queen Elizabeth also receiving the honour in 2015. Despite the warm welcome Charles received at Lancaster Castle by royal fans, a group of anti-monarch protestors were also waiting outside the castle grounds with placards and chants of 'not my king', 'abolish the monarchy' and 'ditch the Duchy'.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
King Charles Shares Surprising Life Advice During Sweet Moment with 101-Year-Old Veteran
King Charles attended the Ceremony of the Keys at Lancaster Castle, where he gave a 101-year-old veteran some unexpected advice The outing comes amid the monarch's ongoing cancer treatment Queen Elizabeth also took part in the Ceremony of the Keys in 2015, and the event dates back to 1851, when it began with Queen VictoriaKing Charles shared a sweet moment with a 101-year-old centenarian during his latest outing. The royal, 76, attended the Ceremony of the Keys at Lancaster Castle on Monday, June 9, where he greeted visitors and dropped a bit of advice while chatting with a D-Day veteran. The King previously met Richard Brock while visiting Normandy last year, and when he saw him again on Monday, he noted how good 101-year-old Brock looked, The Daily Mail reports. The King told Brock, "You are fantastic," after asking his age, then quipped, "Keep drinking the whiskey." Brock's son Tony said, "He mentioned a nip of whiskey and said to keep taking it," per The Daily Mail. The outing comes as King Charles continues to receive treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, a diagnosis that was shared with the public last year. Despite the health challenge, the King has kept a steady pace of in-person engagements and will lead the royal family at Trooping the Colour on June 14. In April, the King shared another candid — and humorous — moment while visiting Italy. After planting an oak tree at Villa Wolkonsky in Rome, he joked, "Well I do hope that I shall live long enough to see a little bit of growth in the tree." After arriving at Lancaster Castle for his first official visit as monarch, the King — who is also the Duke of Lancaster — participated in a Ceremony of Keys, during which he was given the keys to the castle. The tradition first began in 1851 with Queen Victoria. The King's late mother, Queen Elizabeth, also participated in the ceremony in 2015. Inside the grounds of Lancaster Castle, the King met with local business owners who sell cheese, wool yarns and furniture, and spoke with them about their products, including Gillian Hale of Butlers' Farmhouse Cheeses. The Daily Mail reports that the King smelled some of Hale's cheeses but did not taste them. He did, however, tell her that he especially loves sheep's cheese, which he prefers to eat with a digestive biscuit. Hale said she planned to pass some of her products along to the King after the Lancaster Castle event. "We're going to send some to him later in a goody bag," she said. "He was so gracious." At a reception after the ceremony, the King met with members of St. John's Hospice, staff from the Lancaster Literature Festival and employees from the organization Escape 2 Make, which hosts creative workshops for young people. Can't get enough of PEOPLE's Royals coverage? to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more! It's no secret that the King enjoys his whiskey — he even has his own line. King Charles released a special version of his Highgrove Royal Gardens whiskey in honor of his 75th birthday in November 2023. He also recently took a trip to Northern Ireland with Queen Camilla, where the pair took shots of whiskey at a bar while taking part in a tasting in March. In a video from the visit shared to X by royal reporter Rebecca English, the King and Queen toasted before knocking back the whiskey. They both fell silent after the shot, which earned plenty of laughter from onlookers at the bar. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
King Charles Looks 'Happy and Healthy' Following Reported Grim Update With Cancer Battle
King Charles Looks 'Happy and Healthy' Following Reported Grim Update With Cancer Battle originally appeared on Parade. King Charles appeared to be in great spirits while interacting with crowds during a royal event in Lancaster, England on Monday, a day after it was reported that the monarch "may die with cancer. In an Instagram video shared by the Royal Family, the monarch was seen chatting with locals, sampling food and participating in the Ceremony of the Keys at Lancaster Castle, a tradition that dates back to 1851, according to the post. "It was wonderful to meet so many members of the local community at Lancaster Castle this morning!" the video caption read. King Charles, 76, who for the most part has kept up with public appearances after announcing his cancer diagnosis last year, immediately received supportive comments on the post from social media users. "King Charles looks healthy and very happy 😊 to be meeting folks!" said one commenter. "King Charles look healthy doing his dutie [sic]" agreed another, while a third simply said, "He brings joy everywhere He goes." However, his Monday appearance follows the grim Telegraph report that suggested the King's cancer is incurable despite his ongoing treatment. The appearance also comes as People confirmed that the monarch will be participating in the annual Trooping of the Colour celebration on Saturday. However, instead of riding on horseback, he will ride in a carriage alongside Queen Camilla as he did last year. People also noted that plans are reportedly underway for his 80th birthday celebration which would be in 2028. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 King Charles Looks 'Happy and Healthy' Following Reported Grim Update With Cancer Battle first appeared on Parade on Jun 9, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
