When a British TV presenter announces that their guest is a “royal expert”, I suspect I am not alone in what happens next. I switch off.
I’ve often wondered what the definition of a “royal expert” might be in 21st century Britain. If you Google the phrase, you will find plausible sounding folk who describe themselves in that way. But what does their “expertise” involve? There is so much nonsense written about the British royal family over the years. I save time (and my sanity) by not listening to it or reading any of it, beyond a few headlines and some serious writers, including William Shawcross, Ben Pimlott and Robert Lacey. Otherwise it’s mostly tabloid gossip – a soap opera with supposed heroes and villains.
Nowadays, the endless ruminations mostly involve Prince Harry and his wife Meghan. In 2021, Prince Harry gave an interview to Oprah Winfrey suggesting two members of the royal family discussed what Harry and Meghan’s children might look like in terms implying racism.
I have never understood why so many people seem so obsessed by these stories that a “royal expert” industry thrives
This week, the two members of the family were supposedly identified, although since I am not a “royal expert” I have no idea if any of this is true. Besides, some commentators suggest that as we celebrate a pregnancy it is not unusual to wonder whether the baby will look more like their mother or the father, without this implying racist intent.
Nor is it at all unusual in 21st century Britain for children to be of mixed race. In other words, I have no idea why this “story” is truly a story nor what the facts might be. And I have never understood why so many people seem so obsessed by these stories that a “royal expert” industry thrives.
But then, every so often, something happens within the British royal family which reminds me not of gossip and froth, but of the real significance of the monarchy within the British way of life. It happened profoundly in 2022.
Queen Elizabeth II, the UK’s longest reigning monarch, passed away. That period of national mourning came almost simultaneously with a political crisis during which then prime minister Boris Johnson was finally forced out of Downing Street.
But what struck me was that among the mourning and the turmoil, the UK did something wonderful. It changed its head of state and head of government at the same time, in a way that was flawless and peaceful. The only gunfire was from cannon celebrating the accession of King Charles III.
And now in Dubai at Cop28, the King has also done something remarkable, and he did it twice. First, he is a longstanding environmental champion. A few years ago, I met the then Prince Charles and had a conversation about subjects close to his heart, including organic farming, food and a better environment. All I can say is that the King knows the subject very well. As a landowner he tries to practise what he preaches. And as he showed in Dubai, he is well informed and passionate about ensuring our planet remains habitable and secure.
But the second issue he touched on in Dubai was a surprise, and it will endear him to many people in the UK and elsewhere. The tie King Charles chose to wear from the (no doubt extensive) royal wardrobe reflected the colours and pattern of the Greek national flag. Charles’s father, the former Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, was born on the island of Corfu. But the monarch wearing the Greek flag tie when he met the British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in Dubai sent a clear message even for those of us who are not “royal experts”.
That’s because Mr Sunak, in what appears to have been a fit of pique, refused to meet the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on a recent London visit. Mr Mitsotakis was about to raise the long running issue about the return to Athens of the Parthenon marbles, currently in the British Museum. Successive Greek governments have asked for their return. The answer is always “no”.
Whatever side you are on in this discussion, it is admittedly complex. But a British prime minister refusing to meet a friend and ally of the UK was a mistake. It’s the behaviour of a moody adolescent rather than a wise statesman.
Britain needs to work with Greece on European security, migration, defence and other issues. As head of state King Charles cannot become involved in politics. But he can wear a tie and send a clear signal. In the depths of the British rows about Brexit and the EU, his mother once wore an outfit with strong echoes of the EU flag. The King’s tie has made clear he believes in friendship with Greece.
Opinion polls suggest only a third of 18-24 year olds believe the monarchy is “good for Britain”, compared with about 80 per cent of those over 65. But King Charles being somewhat mischievous on our friendship with Greece may have done the image of the monarchy a power of good with younger people. And we certainly don’t need “royal experts” to explain why that may be a good thing.
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Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
'Munich: The Edge of War'
Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Fly Etihad or Emirates from the UAE to Moscow from 2,763 return per person return including taxes.
Where to stay
Trips on the Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian cost from US$16,995 (Dh62,414) per person, based on two sharing.
WOMAN AND CHILD
Director: Saeed Roustaee
Starring: Parinaz Izadyar, Payman Maadi
Rating: 4/5
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
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SUNDAY'S ABU DHABI T10 MATCHES
Northern Warriors v Team Abu Dhabi, 3.30pm
Bangla Tigers v Karnataka Tuskers, 5.45pm
Qalandars v Maratha Arabians, 8pm
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WHAT ARE NFTs?
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are tokens that represent ownership of unique items. They allow the tokenisation of things such as art, collectibles and even real estate.
An NFT can have only one official owner at one time. And since they're minted and secured on the Ethereum blockchain, no one can modify the record of ownership, not even copy-paste it into a new one.
This means NFTs are not interchangeable and cannot be exchanged with other items. In contrast, fungible items, such as fiat currencies, can be exchanged because their value defines them rather than their unique properties.
The biog
Name: Samar Frost
Born: Abu Dhabi
Hobbies: Singing, music and socialising with friends
Favourite singer: Adele
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, Leon.
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Scores
New Zealand 266 for 9 in 50 overs
Pakistan 219 all out in 47.2 overs
New Zealand win by 47 runs
LILO & STITCH
Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
Rating: 4.5/5
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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MATCH RESULT
Al Jazira 3 Persepolis 2
Jazira: Mabkhout (52'), Romarinho (77'), Al Hammadi (90' 6)
Persepolis: Alipour (42'), Mensha (84')
RedCrow Intelligence Company Profile
Started: 2016
Founders: Hussein Nasser Eddin, Laila Akel, Tayeb Akel
Based: Ramallah, Palestine
Sector: Technology, Security
# of staff: 13
Investment: $745,000
Investors: Palestine’s Ibtikar Fund, Abu Dhabi’s Gothams and angel investors
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
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AL%20BOOM
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Brief scores
Barcelona 2
Pique 36', Alena 87'
Villarreal 0
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
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Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
Russia's Muslim Heartlands
Dominic Rubin, Oxford
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House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
The years Ramadan fell in May
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Freezer tips
- Always make sure food is completely cool before freezing.
- If you’re cooking in large batches, divide into either family-sized or individual portions to freeze.
- Ensure the food is well wrapped in foil or cling film. Even better, store in fully sealable, labelled containers or zip-lock freezer bags.
- The easiest and safest way to defrost items such as the stews and sauces mentioned is to do so in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
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