Kate and Wills enjoy a day at the races... and the Queen keeps smiling

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Young royals: Princes William and Harry, dressed to the nines in their suits arrive at the Epsom Derby, with Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge at their side. Always the joker, Harry performs one of his silly walks


Newlyweds the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were all smiles today as they enjoyed a day at the races, accompanied by royal jester Prince Harry.

The trio were clearly enjoying a chuckle as they made their way into the royal enclosure at today's Investec Derby at Epsom.

Even the Queen managed to keep a smile on her face, in spite of the fact her horse lost its race.

Despite being a favourite to win the Derby in today's race tournament, colt Carlton House - the 5-2 favourite - finished third of the 13 runners.


Family affair: They made their way to the royal enclosure to show support for the Queen's horse, Carlton House



Pink lady: The Queen arrives at the Epsom Derby in high spirits - and in a bright outfit - to cheer on her horse, which unfortunately did not win. Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge, keeps things simple, in a stylish off-white outfit with a nude-coloured fascinator. Meanwhile Prince Harry cuts a dashing figure in his top hat and tails


French raider Pour Moi, ridden by Mickael Barzalona and trained by Andre Fabre, won the race at odds of 6-4 while second place went to 25-1 outsider Treasure Beach.

Earlier in the afternoon the royals arrived in their sartorial finery at the Epsom Derby, one of the biggest events in the racing calendar.

The Queen look resplendent in a bright pink ensemble, finished off with a matching hat.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge looked every inch the royal couple as they made their entrance with Prince Harry.


Deep in thought: William and Kate chat to a friend while the Queen watches the track, clutching her race programme


Hats off to them: The princes minus their top hats, with Kate


Come on! Eugenie and Harry shout some encouragement during the race


Kate looked stunning in a simple, yet stylish, off-white two-piece complemented by a nude fascinator.

Meanwhile, Princes Harry and William cut dashing figures in their top hats and tails.

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie might have shaken off the last of the put-downs over the disastrous outfits they wore at the Royal Wedding last month, when they stepped out in chic and summery dresses.


Stylish: Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice look chic and summery in their outfits for the racing event - a far cry from the dresses they wore for their cousin's wedding



Nail-biting: The Queen looks as though her mind might be on her horse's performance as grandson Harry looks on in the background


A right royal gathering: The Queen enjoys her family's company at Epsom


The two princesses looked relaxed and happy as they entered the royal enclosure.

At odds of 5-2, Carlton House had long been a favourite on win the race but there were doubts over him taking part after he developed swelling in a foreleg following a work-out on Monday.

Earlier today, the horse had been declared fit to run in the Derby.


Mum's the word: Kate's mother, Carole Middleton, was also at Epsom today. Right, the young royals enjoying the racing action


Horses for courses: Mickael Barzalona riding Pour Moi (second left, blue) challenges wide and late to win the Investec Derby. The Queen's horse Carlton House is fourth from left (jockey in red and purple top) - and finished third


Champion: Jockey Mickael Barzalona celebrates winning the Investec Derby on Pour Moi


The three-year-old showed no ill-effects following an easy canter in Newmarket yesterday morning, according to connections of the colt, which is trained by Sir Michael Stoute.

John Warren, racing manager for the Queen, said: 'He's done a nice couple of canters and a bit of light work.'

Ryan Moore had ridden him and 'we're all on' for today, Mr Warren said.



Dazzling: Newlywed Kate, still tanned from her recent honeymoon, smiles broadly while Eugenie watches the fourth race at Epsom


Fun day out: Kate and Eugenie share a joke at the races


He added: 'Everyone involved has wanted to keep it in the public domain. Everything that we know, the public ought to know.

'The Queen is very well-informed and the public are really well-informed.

'We understand how big the betting side of it is and hopefully everyone is all the wiser about what is going on.


This sporting life: The royals, including Prince Andrew (right) gather to watch the horses in action


Binoculars at the ready: The Duke of Edinburgh came prepared for the event


'Obviously the Queen has been through this and the trainer has been through injuries just before a race as well, so it's not new territory, but it's territory that one would prefer to do without, to be honest.

'I think now the emphasis has moved away from the issue and into the excitement of the event.

'Owning racehorses and breeding racehorses is really what this is all about and Epsom is the pinnacle of all of that.'

Sohraab, a horse partly owned by the Duchess of Cambridge's parents, Michael and Carole Middleton, ran in the Investec Entrepreneurial Class 'Dash' at the 3.15pm race before the Derby.


Glowing: Sophie, Duchess of Wessex looked smart in a champagne silk skirt suit and large feathered hat



Nice day for a flutter: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Edward at Epsom

source: dailymail

Tragedy at the Queen's Salute: Horse has to be put down in front of shocked crowd after being run over by a gun carriage in Hyde Park

By REBECCA ENGLISH


Behind the foreground rider the horse can be seen as it falls and entangles its legs in the wheels of the gun carriage


Members of the public looked on in horror today as an army horse died on parade during a freak accident in London’s Hyde Park.

The animal, called Murphy, was taking part in the Royal Gun Salute which takes place on June 2 each year to mark the coronation of the Queen.

Soldiers from the King’s Troop were lining up when the horse tripped while galloping and his legs became entangled in the wheels of a gun wagon, which then dragged him across the grass.


Soldiers rush to disentangle the fallen horse


Realising the animal is bady hurt, a soldier dashes off to find expert help


As he fell, Murphy suffered a ‘complex fracture’ of his leg and after being examined by an on-site vet was immediately put down by injection.

Devastated soldiers erected a green tent around the animal to shield onlookers from the distressing scene which took place shortly before mid-day.

An army spokesman told Mail Online: ‘Unfortunately the horse, called Murphy, became entangled in the gun carriage which was being moved into position and very sadly broke its leg.


A soldier looks up as he realises the severity of the animal's injury


Distraught, a horseman buries his face in his hands


'The vet officer in place immediately gave him pain relief but it was a very complex fracture and the only course of action was to put him down by injection. It was really the only course of action.

‘Everyone involved was naturally distressed. Murphy had been with the regiment for a very long time.

‘It was a tragic accident, one of those split second things that happen and he went down straight away.

‘It is very rare, though, that something like his should happen. No-one can remember anything like this happening before.’


n a shot taken from the watching spectators, soldiers from the King's Troop erect a barrier around the horse as a vet gives it a lethal injection


The salute, to mark the 59th anniversary of the Queen’s accession to the throne, was cancelled as a mark of respect.


Horse injury cancels Queen's 41-gun salute



source: dailymail

Leaf little to the imagination: The glamour girls made entirely of cabbage

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Wilting beauty: One model hides her modesty with a leaf that looks like its seen better days


These glamour models look good enough to eat but they won't turn women green with envy - because they are made entirely of cabbage.

Artist Ju Duoqi created the bizarre sculptures for her project called 'The Fantasies of Chinese Cabbage'.

The wacky works of art show glamorous looking women in a series of poses usually found in glossy fashion magazines.



She's tasty: This piece by Chinese artist Ju Duoqi, made entirely out of cabbage, is entitled Nowa


Every piece of the sculpture is made from the vegetable, including their clothes, hats and jewellery.

A model is pictured lounging on a bed in one shot, with her hands on her hips in another and tastefully cupping her breasts in a third.


Hat's more like it: Ju uses fresh, withered, rotting, dried, pickled, boiled or fried cabbage to make her artwork



One tasty dish? The coquettish looking 'Sara' piece shows the level of intricacy involved in the artwork


Ju, from Beijing, China, uses a knife to slice the different colours and varieties of cabbage and holds them together using toothpicks.

The cabbage is left to age for varying lengths of time and then cooked in different ways to achieve a range of colours and textures.

Ju has previously used other vegetables to recreate famous paintings by artists such as Leonardo Da Vinci, Vincent Van Gogh and Andy Warhol.

She said: 'The different types, shapes and colours of the vegetables, with a bit of rearranging, can make for a rich source of imagery.

'Fresh, withered, rotting, dried, pickled, boiled or fried - they all come out different.'


Cool as a cucumber: The artist from Beijing must have been dicing for days to create this one


Cabbage patch doll: One veggie model inspired by the Japanese harajuku style


My floret lady: The ethereal effect created with red cabbage


source: dailymail

Britain's richest street: The place by the palace, where the average house price is £19.5m

By ARTHUR MARTIN and JAMES MCMEEKIN

The figure is 93 times the national average house price of £205,985. Even a single square foot of land in the street would cost you £1,193.


They are beyond the reach of mere mortals. In fact, the homes in Kensington Palace Gardens would be too pricey even for many celebrities, bankers and lottery winners.

A string of eye-watering property deals has helped to turn it into Britain’s most expensive street.

The average price of a mansion in the affluent road in Kensington, West London, is an astonishing £19.2million, according to a study by property company Zoopla.

Britain’s richest man Lakshmi Mittal, a steel magnate worth £23.8billion, bought one of the houses for £57million from the Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone in 2004, and renamed it Taj Mittal.

Since then he has bought another home on an adjoining street for a record £117million from hedge fund tycoon Noam Gottesman.


Pricey: The Boltons in Kensington is among the most expensive streets it the UK. Just a single square foot of land in the London borough now costs £1,193


Residents of Kensington Palace Gardens also include Jon Hunt, who founded Foxtons estate agency which he sold for £390million in 2007.

An extraordinary subterranean playground is being built which will house a tennis court, health centre and a private motor museum for his six vintage Ferraris.


Keeping up with the Joneses: Nigella Lawson and Madonna are just two famous faces who call the borough of Kensington home


The property tycoon is thought to have rejected an offer of £200million for his eight-bedroom home from Mr Mittal’s son Aditya in 2008.

One of his even wealthier neighbours, Russian oligarch Leonid Blavatnik, is also building a massive underground extension for a swimming pool, gym and private cinema.

Mr Blavatnik, who has made at least £4.7billion in the oil business, outbid Mr Mittal and Roman Abramovich in 2004 with an offer of £41million for the 15-bedroom property.

The street’s allure is helped by Kensington Palace, set back from the road on the eastern side. The former home of Princess Diana is still the residence of several minor royals.


Both ends of the street are manned by armed Diplomatic Protection Group officers because it houses several embassies, including those of Israel and Russia.

As prices in the street soared in the past decade the makers of Monopoly chose it as the top square on the board ahead of Mayfair.


The second most expensive street is The Boltons, Kensington, where the average house is £13.3million, with Frognal Way, Camden, third at £10.6million. In fact the top ten expensive streets are all in London.

Virginia Water in Surrey - home to Wentworth Golf Club - is the seventh most expensive postal district in the country, with an average house price of £937,419.

The survey found 5,922 streets nationwide where the average home is more than £1million. Of these, 2,290 are in London, followed by 89 in Guildford and 78 in Cobham, both in Surrey.

Nick Leeming, from Zoopla.co.uk, said: 'Our study has found an enormous gulf between prices at the lowest and highest ends of the property market.

'A home in Britain's most exclusive street is beyond the wildest dreams of all but an extremely wealthy elite.

'At a whopping £19.2million, even National Lottery winners would now struggle to afford a house on Billionaire's Row.

'Those who aspire to live in a wealthy area, surrounded by celebrities, will also need a reality check.


Fashionable: Commuter hotspot Guildford, in Surrey, boasts 89 'million pound streets' - the second highest in the country


Footballers' wives territory: Cobham has the third highest number of 'million pound streets' in the country


'With a single square foot of land in Kensington costing £1,193, it is well out of the price range of your typical British homeowner.

'People have always been obsessed with the value of their home as well as those of neighbours, friends and family.

'Our rich list will give those who live on streets near the top of the list some serious bragging rights.'




source: dailymail

A rare and beautiful sight: A spectacular end to a sunny Memorial Day

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Urban phenomenon: The sun shines down on 42nd Street at the end of Memorial Day during the biannual occurrence coined 'Manhattanhenge' by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson


One of the most beautiful things in nature must surely be the sun rising and setting.

When that sunset happens to align with a street grid, basking a city that never sleeps in a radiant glow of light, even busy New Yorkers would be pushed not to stop and marvel at its brilliance.

It's that time of year again known as 'Manhattanhenge' - when the sun aligns precisely with the street grid in Manhattan, simultaneously illuminating both the north and south sides of every cross street of the borough's grid.


Sun rising up: Manhattanhenge occurs when the setting sun aligns itself with the east-west grid of streets in Manhattan, allowing the sun to shine down all streets at the same time


This special day - also known as Manhattan solstice - comes twice a year. This year it falls on May 30 and July 12 - when the sun sets with half the disc sitting above and half below the horizon. Though fans can also enjoy the spectacular views on May 31 and July 11 when at sunset, you can see the entire ball of the sun on the horizon.

The times are calculated every year by the astronomer Neil deGrasse Tyson, an astrophysicist and director of the Hayden Planetarium in New York, who coined the term 'Manhattanhenge' in 2002, named after the British Stonehenge, which celebrates summer and winter solstice.

Though in New York it does not signal the solstice - the changing of the season - due to the position of Manhattan's grid.


Beautiful: This occurs in Manhattan due to a clear view to the horizon beyond the grid - across the Hudson River to New Jersey - as well as the tall buildings that line the streets, creating a vertical channel to frame the sun


Mr deGrasse Tyson explains: 'In spite of what pop-culture tells you, the sun rises due east and sets due west only twice per year on the equinoxes - the first day of spring and of autumn. Every other day, the sun rises and sets elsewhere on the horizon.

'Had Manhattan's grid been perfectly aligned with the geographic north-south line, then the days of Manhattanhenge would coincide with the equinoxes. But Manhattan's street grid is rotated 30 degrees east from geographic north, shifting the days of alignment elsewhere into the calendar.'

Mr deGrasse Tyson notes that the dates correspond with Memorial day and Baseball's All Star Break.

He said: 'Future anthropologists might conclude that, via the sun, the people who called themselves Americans worshipped war and baseball.'


Namesake: Manhattanhenge is named after Stonehenge in England when the sun Sun rises in perfect alignment with several of the stones, signaling the change of season



Last year: The sun illuminates New York's 34th Street during 2010's Manhattanhenge as well as the city's iconic Empire State Building


He explains that the reason this unique urban phenomenon occurs in Manhattan is due to a clear view to the horizon beyond the grid - as New York does across the Hudson River to New Jersey. Combine that with the tall buildings which line the streets, creating a vertical channel to frame the sun and you get a rare and striking photographic opportunity.

To get the best view of this rare and beautiful sight, sun watchers need to be as far east in Manhattan as possible and look west across the avenues.

The best places to get a view are the Empire State or Chrysler buildings as well as along 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, and 57th Streets.

Tonight, Manhattanites can view the full ball of the sun at 8.17pm for about ten minutes.


source: dailymail

Who was Pippa Middleton's charming companion? After living high life in Paris, she is accompanied by mystery Frenchman

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Secret admirer? Pippa Middleton is spotted with a French friend during her trip to Paris earlier this week


As she watched the tennis, Pippa ‘high-fived’ a dashing male admirer.

And the same Frenchman was with her later as, with a large group of friends, she went for dinner at the exclusive Le Cinq Mars restaurant.

Afterwards the group went on to the achingly trendy Montana Club, frequented by every major celebrity who finds themselves in Paris, including Kate Moss, Victoria Beckham and Lenny Kravitz.

Pippa and her friends stayed out clubbing until 2am before heading for her apartment.


High Five! Alongside other friends, the pair laugh and celebrate as they watch the tennis


Once again, the attractive brunette was accompanied by her mystery escort.

But when asked by a photographer if he was a boyfriend of Pippa’s, he was quick to reply: ‘No! Just a friend.’


Just friends: Miss Middleton and her friend share a joke on court. He has insisted the pair are 'just friends'


Pippa is said to be ‘seriously’ dating former professional cricketer turned City broker Alex Loudon, an Eton-educated friend of Prince William.

But although he attended both Kate’s confirmation in March and her wedding to William last month, he and Pippa haven’t been pictured together for several weeks.


Pippa Pops Up at the French Open as William and Kate Reveal North America Plans!


source: dailymail

Pippa's Paris freebie: VIP treatment at the tennis tournament for Kate's sister

By REBECCA ENGLISH

VIP treatment: Pippa Middleton receives a book from Xavier Peugeot during her freebie trip to watch the tennis in Paris


Sitting centre stage at the French Open on Monday, she appeared to be having a ball. And no wonder.

For Pippa Middleton was enjoying what those in the business like to call a ‘freebie’, courtesy of leading car firm Peugeot, which sponsors the Paris tennis tournament.

Indeed so excited was the company at its coup that news of the younger Middleton sister’s arrival in the Roland Garros VIP enclosure was plastered over the competition’s official programme yesterday with the headline: ‘Pippa à Roland! Sensation!’


Best seats in the house: Pippa could barely hide her delight as she watched the action through her Gucci sunglasses at Roland Garros


Her host Xavier Peugeot, who is the great, great grandson of one of the original founders of the firm, Armand, ensured the moment was captured for posterity.

Mr Peugeot, who is the family firm’s director of marketing and communications, even presented the new Duke of Cambridge’s sister-in-law with a lavishly bound book charting the 200-year history of the brand.

A coquettish Pippa – who normally drives a BMW Z4 – looked delighted to receive it.

The six-day trip saw Kate’s little (and some would say wildly more ambitious) sister arrive on Eurostar in Paris on Thursday for a few days’ sightseeing, with everything done in the best possible taste.

It will, however, raise questions about whether it is wise for her to be seen ‘cashing in’ on her sister’s new found celebrity.


Swanky: Pippa stayed for part of her holiday at a luxury apartment in the super chic - and eye-wateringly expensive - Rue de Varenne


Her seats at the Roland Garros tournament on Monday were some of the best in the house and Pippa, 27, who is herself a formidable player, couldn’t hide her delight as she watched the on-court action through a pair of tinted Gucci sunglasses.

A Peugeot source said: ‘Pippa was invited to Roland Garros by a friend who was a guest in the Peugeot VIP area hosted by Xavier. Once they realised who she was, she was introduced to a number of influential people. As a high profile and distinguished guest Xavier was keen to give her a gift to mark the firm’s bicentenary.’

The tennis tournament’s organisers were clearly also cock-a-hoop at the publicity Pippa’s visit afforded them, with the event’s daily newsletter picturing her on the front.


source: dailymail