Sailors who played a historic role in Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral service have been honoured by King Charles III at a ceremony at Windsor Castle.
About 150 Royal Navy men and women received the Royal Victorian Order medal during an outdoor service on Tuesday.
Recipients included the naval personnel who pulled the queen's coffin in the procession on a 123-year-old gun carriage using ropes – a tradition dating back to the funeral of Queen Victoria.
The sailors all played a key role in the high-profile funeral, where any mistake would have been spotted and transmitted around the world in seconds.
The striking sight of the sailors in their distinctive uniforms with blue and white collars and white caps, marching in unison and acting as the Sovereign's Guard, was one of the defining images of the funeral.
King Charles personally presented the medals in recognition of the duties carried out in tribute to his late mother.
Medical Assistant Paisley Chambers-Smith was awarded a silver Royal Victorian Medal for pulling the gun carriage with her colleagues.
“It's not something I imagined doing so soon in my career. The training was so hard but worth it, and on the day, it was a massive honour to be there,” she said.
Her partner Royal Marine Sgt Stephen Leonard was also on duty, a member of the street-lining party standing in Parliament Square when the coffin passed.
“[It was] massive to be there,” Ms Chambers-Smith said. “Pride took over when you walk through the streets of London and just knowing that you're there and a part of history forever.”
Commenting on her brief chat with the king, she said: “He was asking how the training was for the funeral, which was hard – it was tough and the new boots hurt your feet.”
Ms Chambers-Smith, who is pregnant, said the king also “asked when the baby was due and how it was, standing in the heat”.
In the bright summer sun, six ratings were helped off the parade ground after apparently fainting – but at least two returned to receive their meals.
Warrant Officer Class One Eddie Wearing, the state ceremonial training officer for the Royal Navy who masterminded planning for the funeral, was made a member of the Royal Victorian Order.
“Everybody was recalled and the training commenced. We had 10 days from start to finish to get everybody in uniform and trained at the right level for the funeral on the 10th day,” WO1 Wearing said.
“It's something from a command perspective we had rehearsed … it's just getting the people ready and that's what takes the time, but I personally think we're absolutely on point.”
The Royal Naval personnel were appointed to the Royal Victorian Order by King Charles in March as part of the Demise Honours list, which is traditionally published following the death of a monarch to recognise those who have provided personal service to the late sovereign.
Joined by a military band, they paraded into Windsor Castle's quadrangle via the George IV Gate, and on to the quadrangle where the king took a royal salute.
The monarch, joined by the First Sea Lord, presented each recipient with their medal individually.
Royal Victorian Order honours are in the king's personal gift, bestowed independently of Downing Street, and are awarded for service to the British royal family.
The late queen's funeral on September 19 and preceding lying-in-state cost the UK government an estimated £161.7 million, figures have shown.
The largest cost was reported by the Home Office at £73.7 million, followed by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (£57.4 million) and the Ministry of Defence (£2.9 million).
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Company name: baraka
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Investors: Class 5 Global, FJ Labs, IMO Ventures, The Community Fund, VentureSouq, Fox Ventures, Dr Abdulla Elyas (private investment)
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
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Defending champions
World Series: South Africa
Women’s World Series: Australia
Gulf Men’s League: Dubai Exiles
Gulf Men’s Social: Mediclinic Barrelhouse Warriors
Gulf Vets: Jebel Ali Dragons Veterans
Gulf Women: Dubai Sports City Eagles
Gulf Under 19: British School Al Khubairat
Gulf Under 19 Girls: Dubai Exiles
UAE National Schools: Al Safa School
International Invitational: Speranza 22
International Vets: Joining Jack
What is graphene?
Graphene is extracted from graphite and is made up of pure carbon.
It is 200 times more resistant than steel and five times lighter than aluminum.
It conducts electricity better than any other material at room temperature.
It is thought that graphene could boost the useful life of batteries by 10 per cent.
Graphene can also detect cancer cells in the early stages of the disease.
The material was first discovered when Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov were 'playing' with graphite at the University of Manchester in 2004.
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
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Profile of Udrive
Date started: March 2016
Founder: Hasib Khan
Based: Dubai
Employees: 40
Amount raised (to date): $3.25m – $750,000 seed funding in 2017 and a Seed round of $2.5m last year. Raised $1.3m from Eureeca investors in January 2021 as part of a Series A round with a $5m target.
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
