An artist who spent almost forty years converting her country cottage into a ‘real dollhouse’ has been told the property is now ‘unsellable’.

Mary Rose Young and her husband Phil Butcher bought their house, which also serves as a pottery studio, in Lydney, Gloucestershire, in 1987.

At the time, the couple were able to purchase the property for £30,000 and decorated each room in their unique style.

The kitchen has a checkerboard back wall and yellow walls with flowers painted on them.

Meanwhile, Mary’s pottery studio – where she creates her Alice in Wonderland-inspired designs – features a multi-coloured striped ceiling with various floral patterns.

The couple’s living room features bright blue walls and a yellow ceiling, while their dining area features a black and white magenta wallpaper on the floor.

Mary has also installed several statement lighting fixtures throughout the property, including a multi-colored chandelier in her workspace and a miniature version in their kitchen.

Ten years ago, Mary and Phil decided they wanted to open a boutique hotel and put their house up for sale.

At the time, estate agents were convinced the house was worth £500,000. However, buyers may have been put off by the quirky interior design choices.

Mary explained in 2021: ‘I created this house around my own life and I didn’t think about it being sellable.

‘We live like two children in a dollhouse and, in retrospect, why would anyone else want to buy that? It’s like a playhouse for adults.

“I thought it might go to some crazy collector of my work who might want to buy it, but no one was interested.

“Only one person came to see it the year it was on the market, and they weren’t here long.

“I think they just came out of curiosity about the decorations and were never interested. The brokers became desperate.

‘I could have painted over all my work, but I didn’t want to. I love my home and the home really works for me.

‘I am a colorful person and even have pink hair. As I get older, I like it more and more.’

Mary appears to still live in the property and last posted about the house in October 2023.

Mary shared a photo of a rainbow perfectly framing the house, writing on Instagram: ‘Somewhere under the rainbow! This is Mary Rose Young’s home, studio and gallery, taken yesterday… and yes, it rained in The Forest.’

Furthermore, Mary says she sees nothing unusual in her design choices.

She explained, “I don’t notice how colorful it is anymore because I’ve lived here for so long.

“Many people are self-conscious and don’t say much when they see the decorations, but the right response is to smile and say ‘oh wow.’

‘It should make you feel like a kid walking into a candy store. I want people to feel like adults can have fun too.”

Mary Rose Young sells her pottery on her website and her Easter-inspired collection starts from £95 for an egg cup.

A WOMAN known for sharing the secrets of getting the perfect Instagram photos only to show they aren’t ‘real’ has revealed how celebrities and Insta models always end up with a peachy bum.

Danae Mercer Ricci revealed on Instagram the secret method you need to use to get the perfect bikini photo. next one holidays.

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The Italy-based American mother of one has built a huge fan base of 2.2 million people and uses her platform to share the truth about what goes on behind the scenes to create the ‘perfect’ photo.

“How influencers take those peachy photos – oh my god your back is going to hurt after you try this,” she wrote.

Danae added: “Before I get into the technique, I just want to emphasize that THIGHS? Hips? They slide.

“SKIN? It folds. Dimples. Rolls.

‘And BOOOTEHS? They shake. Wiggle. Be gentle as we sit.”

But if you want to make your butt look peachy for vacation photos this summer, your mom spilled the tea on how to do it.

Sitting at the edge of a pool, Danae showed off what her derriere looked like before posing.

It looked like a normal bum, but it wasn’t quite Instagram-worthy.

She added that the most important thing to remember was that influencers in these photos were never actually sitting on their butts.

“The most important thing to remember is that influencers almost never focus their attention on anything,” she explained.

“This keeps the peach looking perky, and not all human smooshie.”

“In this pose, I’m: my back super arched, giving myself a wedge and using my arms to push my weight off my butt.”

The body-positive influencer added that it wasn’t comfortable at all, but good for the ‘gram.

In another clampthe journalist said that she knows she has so-called ‘curd thighs’ and ‘bingo wings’, but I didn’t care.

“I don’t know why society insists on reducing women’s body parts to snacks,” she added. “We are the whole damn meal and we are delicious.”

“For anyone who needs to hear today, these are not bingo wings,” she said, shaking her arms at the camera.

“These aren’t cutlets,” she added before touching her thighs. “And these aren’t cottage cheese thighs.”

The clip posted on her Instagram account @danaemercer has since gone viral with over 200 comments and 13,000 likes.

Many women took to the comments section and praised Danae for revealing the truth about posing.

One person wrote: “Omg! Really and truly! I did not know that. Keep it up Danae!!!! Everyone should see the reality!”

Another commented: “Kids NEED to see this… they need to know that what they see on social media isn’t real and stop comparing themselves.”

“Thank you for always posting the truth,” a third wrote.

Meanwhile, a fourth said: “Messages like this are so important.”

“Nice to know what to do!!! Whether we want a shot for the gram or for the boy,” claimed a fifth.

Someone else added: “Thank you for posting your content. It’s so great to be reminded that online is curated.”

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FEWER Britons are cooking from scratch and using the oven to save money, research shows.

A recent Kantar poll shows that more and more people are using the microwave – and one of our most popular choices is cottage pie.

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It also happens to be Prince William's favorite dish.

If you don't have the time or energy to make it yourself, supermarkets all offer their own versions that can be prepared in the microwave or oven.

Here, Lynsey Hope tries out the range and shares her favourites…

Asda Meal for Two Cottage Pie (800g)

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An attractive looking cake with a nice mash on top.

It was very rich and moreish, with plenty of meat, which made up 24 percent of the ingredients, and the potato was creamy and not watery, unlike some brands.

You can prepare this in the microwave or oven and it will taste like it's homemade.

It came out well, with a nice crust on the potato. A great, economical option and a winner for me.

Sainsbury's Cottage Pie (1.5kg)

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Wonderfully flavored mince and gravy, but quite heavy on the carrots.

The puree was creamy and smooth and there was just the right amount of it.

It is a bit salty, but you can prepare it in the oven or in the microwave.

Great value from Sainsbury's, beating even Aldi and Lidl when you buy this large portion.

Waitrose Cottage Cake (700g)

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The mashed potatoes on it were tasteless and a bit watery.

More puree was needed to mix with the generous portion of meat.

But the gravy was tasty and not too salty.

As a frozen meal, it's quite handy to have on standby when you need a quick and easy meal.

M&S Cottage Cake (800g)

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Delicious meat without gristle and a delicious gravy.

The potato was plentiful, soft and creamy as you would expect, but perhaps there was too much of it.

The meat content is only 17 percent compared to 52 percent potatoes, and I would have liked more.

It's also a bit pricey, at 84 cents per 100 grams – 29 cents more than you'd pay at Aldi – and I'm not sure it was tasty enough.

However, M&S tells me there will be a recipe upgrade soon, so keep an eye on this space.

Lidl Deluxe Cottage Cake (800g)

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It took 10 minutes in the oven, but it was worth the wait. The mashed potatoes were piped beautifully and tasted buttery and delicious.

There was a bit of crust, which others missed, and it was topped with cheddar cheese.

There was plenty of meat and it was in a rich red wine sauce, which I loved.

If I was being picky I'd say it needed a bit more seasoning, but otherwise top marks.

Tesco Cottage Cake (750g)

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This was let down by thick, slippery mashed potatoes.

It slid off the cake as soon as it was done and didn't look appetizing at all.

Tesco's offering included a reasonable amount of beef, which was tender and flavoursome, and price-wise it was middle of the road.

Aldi Crestwood Cottage Pie (400g)

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The highest concentration of beef, 25 percent, but it was a bit overwhelmed by the mash, which was thick and a bit dry rather than buttery and soft, as you might expect.

It also had a bit of a Worcester sauce kick, and quite a lot of onion. It can be prepared in the oven or microwave.

For the price it was okay, but this Aldi meal didn't blow me away.

Morrisons Cottage Pie (400g)

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This Morrisons pie contains a generous amount of beef at 24 percent, but I didn't like the taste.

It reminded me of 80's school dinners and had a funny aftertaste.

It's not great value either – in fact, this was more expensive than the cake from M&S or Waitrose. I wouldn't buy it again.

Alfred Wainwright once compared Coniston in the southern Lake District to Zermatt, high in the Swiss Alps, and said they all seemed to have a particularly strong affinity with their nearest mountains.

Okay, the Old Man Of Coniston can rise to just 2,635 feet, while the Matterhorn at Zermatt rises to a loftier 14,692 feet, yet there is some truth to the great walking writer's fanciful comparison.

The village of Coniston, population 928, somehow feels like it belongs to the mountain.

This close bond has a long history, with the industry supplying the glue.

For many years copper and slate were mined on the eastern slopes of the Old Man, dating back to the time of Elizabeth I, when the first copper mines were established, brought in by German miners.

These Germans turned out to be more than just rolling up their sleeves when working on the copper seams. It is also believed that they introduced the recipes for local sausages that would eventually become known as Cumberlands.

Whatever the truth of this, copper mining began in the 1560s and continued until the 1950s.

Slate is still quarried and it is possible to buy beautiful silver-green slabs at Coniston Stonecraft, a workshop on the path to the old man behind the Sun Hotel.

This tucked-away company is located in old railway depot buildings for copper ore and slate; songs used to come from Broughton-in-Furness.

Meanwhile, the Sun Hotel was where Donald Campbell is said to have stayed the night before his fatal 300mph crash in Bluebird K7 during his attempt to break the world water speed record at Coniston Water in 1967.

You can learn all about this at the Ruskin Museum, just off the main street, close to the gurgling waters of Church Beck and a busy group of inns that mark the village center at a crossroads with a bridge.

There is a mangled piece of the ill-fated ship at the back in a special Donald Campbell section.

The museum's name comes from another historical spirit: John Ruskin, the social reformer and essayist (1819-1900), who so loved the local landscape that he bought a country house across Coniston Water.

Called Brantwood (about a 45-minute walk along the lake from the village), this building is open to the public and offers an intriguing insight into Ruskin's somewhat peculiar life.

The Ruskin Museum is a rich source of local history. The root of the name Coniston goes way back to the Old Norse Konigs Tun (king's settlement), referring to a Viking king named Thorstein.

Displays also show the early days of mountaineering and the Fell & Rock Climbing Club, founded in 1906 and based in Coniston.

If the fit is good and the weather is good, it would be rude not to climb the Old Man. This I did, enjoying beautiful views over the glistening tarns to the Irish Sea and south to Morecambe Bay.

Then I descended into the village and had a pint of Bluebird beer in the quaint Black Bull pub.

I was in good historical company. The poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote that he 'dinned on oatcake and cheese, with a pint of ale, and two glasses of rum and water sweetened with preserved gooseberries' at the nearby Blacksmiths Arms, Broughton Mills, during his own walking tour of the Lakes in 1802 .

Back at my holiday home in Coppermines Valley, where the fire was roaring, I felt as if I was a world away from anywhere in Britain's 'Swiss Alps', safe and sound with the 'benevolent giant' (Wainwright's words) of the Old Man who loomed over it.

Questions have arisen over where Prince Harry will stay when he flies back to the UK to see his father following a shock cancer diagnosis, now that Frogmore Cottage is off limits. 

The Duke of Sussex will soon be leaving California for Britain to be reunited with his father King Charles following the announcement that he has got cancer. 

Harry will be travelling alone, without his wife Meghan Markle or their children Archie, four, and Lilibet, two, a source close to the duke revealed yesterday. 

It is unclear where the Duke will stay after he was told to vacate Frogmore Cottage, his former home, in January 2023, just days after his tell-all memoir Spare was published.

Last time the Prince flew to the UK was in September, for the Well Child Awards, where he stayed in a hotel. 

It is understood the Duke asked if he could stay at Windsor Castle to allow him to visit his grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II’s place of rest, but permission was denied. 

Harry usually travels with his own private security team, after being stripped of his right to automatic police protection when he left the Royal family in 2020. 

The King contacted both the Duke of Sussex and the Prince of Wales personally to tell them of his cancer diagnosis before it was announced by Buckingham Palace.

A source close to Harry said that he had immediately decided to come to the UK as soon as possible to be by his father’s side. Experts have claimed that Harry’s dash to Britain ‘indicates the seriousness’ of the King’s condition.

Announcing that Prince Harry will come and see his father, the Office of The Duke and Duchess of Sussex said: ‘The duke did speak with his father about his diagnosis. He will be traveling to UK to see His Majesty in the coming days.’ 

Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond said she hoped that King Charles III’s cancer diagnosis ‘will bring a reconciliation’ with Prince Harry. 

Harry estranged brother William is also in close contact with his father but neither brother has made a public statement yet. The heir to the throne, who returns to public duties this week after helping to settle his wife, the Princess of Wales, at home as she recovers from abdominal surgery.

He may also undertake some duties on behalf of his father, in addition to his own diary of engagements, while the King undergoes treatment.

As the King’s cancer shocked Britain, the Commonwealth and the world, it also emerged:  

Buckingham Palace announced on Monday that doctors discovered the cancer during a medical procedure for an enlarged prostate. Sources have suggested that the cancer is in a different part of the King’s body but was discovered during the surgery last week. 

Prince Harry was last in the UK over the summer, when he attended an event for a children’s charity. However, he did not meet with the Royal family during that visit before heading to Germany for his Invictus Games where he met up with Meghan. 

The Duke of Sussex attended his father’s coronation last May, but left London just hours after the ceremony to return to Montecito.

Harry is believed to be in contact with his father but sources have claimed that there has been no rapprochement with William, who is said to have been left upset by the Sussexes’ attacks on the Royal Family since Megxit.

Harry’s visit will raise hopes that there could be some thawing in the relations, which have been rocky since he and Meghan emigrated in 2020.

King Charles’ cancer diagnosis has shocked the world.

The 75-year-old monarch has returned to London from Sandringham to begin treatment immediately.

It is not connected with his recent surgery and is not prostate cancer, but medics spotted it when he underwent his medical procedure for an enlarged prostate.

The Duke of Sussex has spoken with the King about his cancer diagnosis and will travel to the UK to see him in the coming days, a source close to Harry said.

Buckingham Palace said in a statement tonight: ‘During The King’s recent hospital procedure for benign prostate enlargement, a separate issue of concern was noted. Subsequent diagnostic tests have identified a form of cancer.

‘His Majesty has today commenced a schedule of regular treatments, during which time he has been advised by doctors to postpone public-facing duties. Throughout this period, His Majesty will continue to undertake State business and official paperwork as usual.

‘The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.

‘His Majesty has chosen to share his diagnosis to prevent speculation and in the hope it may assist public understanding for all those around the world who are affected by cancer.’

The palace said the King ‘looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible’, but it is not yet known whether it will affect his attendance at events such as those marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day in June.

It is understood he will continue to receive red boxes and process state documents during treatment and there are no plans to appoint Counsellors of State.

A palace spokesman said: ‘Regrettably, a number of the King’s forthcoming public engagements will have to be rearranged or postponed.

‘His Majesty would like to apologise to all those who may be disappointed or inconvenienced as a consequence.’

It is understood details of the King’s diary are still being worked on and it is not yet known when a full programme of engagements will begin.

Reacting to the news, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak tweeted: ‘Wishing His Majesty a full and speedy recovery. 

‘I have no doubt he’ll be back to full strength in no time and I know the whole country will be wishing him well.’

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer tweeted: ‘On behalf of the Labour Party, I wish His Majesty all the very best for his recovery.

‘We look forward to seeing him back to swift full health.’

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle told MPs: ‘I know the whole House will wish to join me in expressing our sympathies with His Majesty the King following the news announcement this evening. 

‘Our thoughts are, of course, with His Majesty and his family, and we’d all wish to send him our very best wishes for the successful treatment and a speedy recovery following tonight’s news.’

The diagnosis is also likely to be professionally devastating for Charles, who was the longest-serving heir to the throne in British history before he became King on the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, on September 8 2022.

Since then he has hit the ground running with three state visits overseas, hosting two incoming state visits to the UK and undertaking hundreds of public engagements each year, taking on a punishing official workload well into his 70s.

Aides have said he has relished the challenge and is hugely enjoying his royal role.

The King’s diagnosis will pose serious questions for the working of the monarchy, with fewer working members of the royal family and the Princess of Wales out of action due to what has only been described as ‘abdominal surgery’ until after Easter.

The Prince of Wales, who is heir to the throne, had cleared his diary to be by his wife’s side and keep life as normal as possible for their three children.

Kensington Palace announced earlier today, however, that he would resume public duties this week by conducting an investiture on Wednesday at Windsor Castle, followed by a gala fundraising event for the London Air Ambulance in the evening.

While Queen Elizabeth suffered episodic periods of ill-health over the years and underwent surgery on a number of occasions, including on her knee and cataracts, there was no major health crisis of this magnitude until the very last months of her historic 70-year reign.

That, however, would have a serious knock-on effect on the family life of the Prince and Princess of Wales.

They moved to Windsor 18-months ago in order to allow their children to enjoy a more carefree childhood, outside of the royal bubble, until absolutely necessary.

Prince George, ten, who is second in line to the throne, Princess Charlotte, eight, and five-year-old Prince Louis all attend a local school. Lambrook, and have settled in well at their new home, Adelaide Cottage.

William and Kate’s team are still based at Kensington Palace in London, their official residence, and travel up to Windsor for meetings.

Questions will inevitably be asked how practicable it will be for them to do so now.

The King has largely enjoyed very good health throughout his life, apart from suffering from a cripplingly bad back.

The first sign that anything was amiss with his health came on January 17 when Buckingham Palace made a surprise announcement that the King had ‘sought treatment’ for an enlarged prostate.

The palace added that His Majesty’s condition was ‘benign’ and that he would attend hospital the following week for a corrective procedure.

They said he was personally keen to share details of his diagnosis to encourage other men who may be experiencing symptoms to get themselves check.

The NHS subsequently reported an encouraging spike in people seeking more information on their website.

His Majesty, who was in Scotland at the time, travelled back down to Sandringham afterwards and then on to London the night before his surgery.

He was admitted to The London Clinic in Marylebone, central London, on January 26 with his wife, Queen Camilla, by his side.

Buckingham Palace said he wanted to thank everyone for their good wishes and was delighted to learn that his diagnosis was having a positive impact on public health awareness.

He was finally released on Monday last week after three nights in hospital and said to be ‘doing well’.

He initially resided at Clarence House, his London residence, in order to be close to his doctors, before returning to Sandringham with his wife.

Queen Camilla has continued to undertake public engagements, telling members of the l public that her husband was ‘doing fine’ and looking forwards to getting back to work.

Last Tuesday she told well-wishers he was ‘getting on’ and ‘doing his best’, adding: ‘Thank goodness!’

One in every three men over the age of 50 will have symptoms of an enlarged prostate, which include needing to visit the toilet more frequently, with more urgency, and difficulty emptying the bladder.

An enlarged prostate, known as benign prostatic hyperplasia, does not usually pose a serious threat to health, and it is not cancer.

But patients may need to have several tests for the condition to rule out the possibility they have another illness with similar symptoms, such as prostate cancer.

Surgery is usually only recommended for moderate to severe symptoms that have not responded to medicine.

Mark Drakeford , the First Minister of Wales, wished the King a ‘full and swift recovery’ following his cancer diagnosis.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, he said: ‘I’m saddened to hear the news that HM King Charles III is facing further health challenges.

‘My thoughts and those of people across Wales will be with him and his family this evening.

‘I send my very best wishes as he starts treatment for a full and swift recovery.

‘Gwellhad buan.’

Northern Ireland’s new First Minister Michelle O’Neill, who as leader of Sinn Fein is a republican, wished the King a full and speedy recovery. 

‘I am very sorry to hear of King Charles’ illness and I want to wish him well for his treatment, and a full and speedy recovery,’ she posted on X.

Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis said after the shocking news today: ‘I am saddened to have heard about His Majesty The King’s diagnosis. 

‘I know that the Jewish communities of Great Britain and the Commonwealth will join me in wishing him a Refuah Sheleima – a complete and swift recovery.’

Health and Social Care Secretary Victoria Atkins wrote on X: ‘My thoughts are with King Charles and the whole Royal Family.

‘His decision to share his diagnosis to assist public understanding for all those affected by cancer is commendable.

‘Wishing His Majesty the very best and look forward to seeing him resume his public duties.’

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting, who received treatment for kidney cancer in 2021, said: ‘One in two of us will develop cancer during our lives, but millions more are affected when someone they love is diagnosed with cancer.

‘Sending best wishes to His Majesty for his treatment and to his family as they support him throughout.’

The Princess of Wales is back home at Adelaide Cottage in Windsor Great Park as she recovers from abdominal surgery.

Kate Middleton, 42, has returned to the four-bedroom royal residence she shares with husband Prince William, 42, and three children: Prince George, 10, Princess Charlotte, eight, and Prince Louis, five.

However, the Grade II listed building built in 1831 for William IV's wife Queen Adelaide may not be the most suitable choice for Kate due to its cold interior, a royal expert claims.

Former BBC correspondent Michael Cole told GB News that the family home was “definitely not an ideal place” to recover from surgery, quoting a description of the property once written by Rosemary Townsend.

'She wrote in her memoirs that it was the coldest place she had ever encountered in her entire life. So maybe not the best place to feel better, especially in this quite cold winter we are currently enjoying.'

The Wales family moved from Kensington Palace to Adelaide Cottage, located in Windsor Great Park, in the summer of 2022.

Their preference was for a home that didn't require renovation or extra safety measures (Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, by contrast, spent £2.6 million refurbishing the nearby Frogmore Cottage).

In addition, four bedrooms were considered sufficient as there are no live-in staff. Instead, assistants commute to the property when their services are needed.

Nestled in the heart of the Crown Estate's 655-acre private park, Adelaide Cottage was built in 1831 as a retreat for William IV's wife, Queen Adelaide of Saxe-Meiningen.

It was also known as a favorite home of Queen Victoria as she often enjoyed breakfast there.

Its most famous former resident, however, is the late Princess Margaret's ex-lover, Group Captain Peter Townsend, whose affair with the Queen's sister caused a national scandal.

The cottage underwent a major renovation in 2015, meaning Prince William and Kate did not have to spend millions on the home's renovation.

Adelaide Cottage still boasts original features, including a marble Greco-Egyptian fireplace and a large bedroom, with a coved ceiling with gilded dolphins and rope ornaments reused from the royal yacht Royal George.

The property has seven gated entrances and exits to Windsor Castle, allowing the family to come and go in relative privacy.

Adelaide Cottage had mostly receded into the background, in the shadow of the gray stone of Windsor Castle.

Yet the four-bedroom home has a colorful past to draw from.

In the years following the Second World War, Adelaide Cottage was the favorite home of group captain Peter Townsend and his first wife, Rosemary.

But the dashing RAF pilot would soon cause a scandal and become Princess Margaret's divorced lover.

Townsend lived in the property with his first wife, Rosemary, in the 1940s so he could support the king in his role as equerry.

Despite its proximity to the monarch's residence, living conditions in the cottage were in stark contrast to those of its more powerful neighbor.

Electricity was supplied via cables from Windsor Castle, but the power was so poor that only a vacuum cleaner and a small electric heater could be used at the same time.

The interior of the cottage was reportedly 'gloomy', with Victorian wallpaper and heavy furniture. One commentator in the 1950s described it as 'small and unattractive'.

Princess Margaret, along with her sister, then Princess Elizabeth, and mother, Queen Elizabeth, regularly took tea in the cottage gardens with the Townsends and their two young sons.

Margaret was only 13 years old when Townsend was appointed, but later admitted: 'When he first appeared I was madly in love with him.'

Townsend and his family left Adelaide Cottage in 1952, when he divorced Rosemary. However, the affair was said to have been doomed by the Royal Marriages Act, which stipulated that no member of the royal family could marry a divorcee while the ex-partner was still alive.

Since then, the cottage has been home to a host of well-connected dignitaries and courtiers, including most recently Simon Rhodes, son of the Queen's cousin and best friend Margaret Rhodes, who died in 2016.

Adelaide Cottage is also close to Kate's parents, the Middletons, who live 45 minutes away by car in the village of Bucklebury.

Even closer is Frogmore Cottage, which the Duke and Duchess of Sussex use when they visit Britain, although the brothers' long-term effects make it unlikely they will socialize together anytime soon.

According to a source, the queen offered the monumental building to Harry and Meghan shortly after their wedding. The couple reportedly went for a viewing and liked it, but ended up moving into Frogmore Cottage, before leaving the UK completely.

Kate, who Kensington Palace says is 'doing well', left tThe London Clinic in Marylebone yesterday morning after admission for surgery on January 16.

The Mail revealed on Monday that Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis were not taken to visit their mother in hospital after she underwent 'abdominal surgery'.

As her children would have been at school when she returned, they would probably not have seen her for the first time until they returned to Adelaide Cottage from Lambrook School, a ten-minute drive away, later in the afternoon.

It will almost certainly be the longest period the princess has been away from them.

William and Kate have both prioritized their children above all else, arranging arrangements so that at least one of them can do the school run where possible.

They have also made sure that foreign trips are shorter so that they can be home on weekends, with the only exception being their trip to the Caribbean in 2022.

It is understood that Prince William, who cleared his diary so he could be by his wife's side all the time, was in hospital when she was discharged and likely drove her home.

In a statement yesterday, a spokesperson for Kensington Palace said: 'The Princess of Wales has returned to Windsor to continue her recovery from surgery. She is making good progress.

'The Prince and Princess would like to thank the entire team at The London Clinic, and especially the dedicated nursing staff, for the care they provided.

'The Wales family remains grateful for the well wishes they have received.'

• The four-bedroom house is located at the main entrance to Avondale Park in Notting Hill
• Agents Maskells Estates say the property needs a complete renovation

By Darren Boyle

Published: 03:27 EST, January 14, 2024 | Updated: 05:01 EST, January 14, 2024

From today, the former Mary Donaldson's, 51, home base will be Copenhagen's breathtaking Amalienborg Palace, with its huge entourage of guards, servants and courtiers.

How very different from the life of her ancestor Marion Horne, who was recently widowed at the age of forty and lived a life from hand to mouth in a shabby two-storey fisherman's cottage on the east coast of Scotland.

Like almost no other queen in history, Mary's story is truly one of rags to riches – for as we can now reveal, she is descended from a pauper.

It's hard to imagine a more difficult life for a mother of four, with no plumbing, no heating – and absolutely no money.

Marion's entry in the 1861 national census humiliatingly lists her as a 'pauper' – someone who had to survive on alms from friends and former shipmates of her late husband John, who had died at sea the year before.

In many ways, Marion's life mirrors the history of the Princess of Wales's miner ancestors, first revealed by me in a Daily Mail article in 2010.

In the 19th century, Kate's ancestors were part of an exploited underclass in the coal mines of northeast England, sent into the mines as children and doomed to a life in darkness.

A short one too, because life was cheap: the sea and the coal mines greedily swallowed up lives, regardless of age.

And so it was for the fishermen of Tranent, Port Seton and Prestonpans, proud, hard-working communities a few miles from the glory of Edinburgh, but in Victorian times a lifetime away from wealth and warmth.

Working fishermen could only guarantee themselves one day off a year, as they proudly paraded through the city with a chest of money they had raised to distribute to widows and those injured at sea.

The pauper Marion would be very grateful if that day came every autumn.

But like Kate Middleton's ancestors, Mary Donaldson's ancestors had a backbone of steel — and they realized that to move forward, you had to get out of it.

When Marion's daughter Annie married fisherman Peter Donaldson in June 1871, the family's centuries-long connection to the area was about to change.

Peter's grandson – also Peter – finally made the move that would truly transform the family fortunes when he emigrated to Tasmania in 1963.

A successful merchant navy captain, he had endured shipwrecks and the high seas to build a new life far from the bleak winters of Scotland's east coast.

Peter followed in the wake of the local pioneer, a swashbuckling explorer named Francis Cadell, who, after arriving in Australia in 1852, became the first person to navigate the Murray River, the all-important waterway that opened southeastern Australia to business. and trade.

The local connection between Scotland and Australia was established – but fortunately sea captain Peter Donaldson did not suffer the fate of his predecessor Cadell, who was murdered by the chef's mate after complaining about the ship's food.

Peter's son John – Queen Mary's father – maintained his Scottish connections, having married a local girl before emigrating to Tasmania and starting a career in higher education.

He first taught mathematics before being appointed professor and teaching at universities such as Oxford, Montreal and Houston.

In 2004, with the marriage of his daughter to Crown Prince Frederick, John Donaldson finally erased the pauper label from the family tree when he – along with Mary – was given a coat of arms by the Danish royal family to signify his social elevation.

It features an eagle and a boat symbolizing their Scottish heritage, along with a lion from the Scottish coat of arms which, by a happy coincidence, also appears in the heraldic coat of arms of Tasmania.

So like some of Catherine's ancestors, the Donaldsons have made the journey, over several generations, from the lowest rung of the social ladder to the very highest.

And two royal families today are all the better for that journey.

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• Owners have given the house a modern renovation with an artificial lawn and veranda

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