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Commando back with wife: Why I dumped Michelle

Commando back with wife: Why I dumped Michelle

Everyone said their chemistry was undeniable, and when Michelle Bridges stepped out in public for the first time with new lover Steve “Commando” Willis, they looked like the perfect couple. After weeks of denials, she soon officially confirmed the pair were in a relationship.

But 11 weeks later, Steve is back in the arms of his partner Froso after dumping Michelle and begging his humiliated ex to take him back.

A close friend of Steve and Froso reveals to Woman’s Day that it was Michelle’s relentless ambition and red-carpet lifestyle that drove a wedge between her and clean-living Commando, and sent him racing back to his family.

“He realised he still loves Froso,” the friend says. “That life of red-carpet events and celebrity parties he was leading with Michelle is not really his thing. He never used to drink. He’s a family man. He missed the kids and Froso – and wants nothing more than to go back to the way they were…”

Read more about Commando and Michelle in this week’s issue of Woman’s Day, on sale Monday, August 5 2013.

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Kim Kardashian’s million dollar baby booty!

Kim's million dollar baby booty!

A natural-born spender, Kim’s postnatal care plan has crept north of $2 million

It’s normal for any new mum to want to feather her nest, but Kim Kardashian is taking it to the extreme. With Kim and Kanye sharing a combined net worth of $140 million, the reality star is sparing no expense in making sure both she and her newborn daughter North have the best of everything, from personal trainers to bulletproof cars.

But one person isn’t so thrilled by Kim’s spend-happy ways, with mum Kris Jenner warning her not to throw her money away. As Kim’s manager, Kris knows the public’s appetite for her daughter, 32, will eventually wane, and the dollars will dry up.

“Kris wants her to start watching her money now that she has baby North. But that’s not how Kim rolls,” a Kardashian family insider reveals exclusively to Woman’s Day. “Kris wants Kim to put money aside in investments to ensure North will be raised in the lifestyle she’ll surely become accustomed to over the next few years.”

But Kris’s words of warning have not stopped Kim from reaching for her platinum credit cards…

Read more about Kim’s incredible spending spree in this week’s issue of Woman’s Day, on sale Monday, August 12 2013.

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It’s over: Michael and Catherine’s $330m divorce

It's over: Michael and Catherine's $330m divorce

He swept Catherine Zeta-Jones off her feet 14 years ago, but now that he’s beaten cancer, Michael Douglas is finally ready to end their troubled marriage.

One of Hollywood’s most enduring – if tragic – love stories has all but ended. That’s the claim from US magazine Star, which reports that iconic actor Michael Douglas is preparing to announce he’s divorcing Catherine Zeta-Jones after 13 years of marriage.

Rumours of relationship trouble have been dogging the couple for years, but it was Catherine’s strangely solo New York red-carpet appearance on July 16, to promote her new movie Red 2, that prompted the magazine to investigate why Michael, who was filming just 50km away in Greenwich, didn’t make the short trip to support his wife.

“Michael and Catherine’s marriage is effectively over. Michael is going to announce the split soon,” an insider close to the couple confirms to Star. “Catherine is fighting to save the marriage but he’s had it. He’s been through so much in recent years [surviving stage four throat cancer] and feels that life is far too short for her wild rages, temper tantrums, mood swings and demanding ways….”

Read more about Caterine and Michael’s divorce in this week’s issue of Woman’s Day, on sale Monday, August 5 2013.

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Kate is (probably) a Princess after all

Kate is (probably) a Princess after all

When Kate received the title Duchess of Cambridge on her and Prince William’s wedding day in 2011, royal watchers hoping for a new Princess stifled sighs of disappointment.

Since then, commentators have been careful to refer to the Duchess by her full title, and even her referring to her by her maiden name Kate Middleton is acceptable, but it’s taken the arrival of a new royal to make us realise we’ve had a Princess all along. Maybe.

When Prince William went to register his son’s birth and mouthful of a name — His Royal Highness Prince George Alexander Louis of Cambridge — he was also required to disclose Kate’s name and occupation.

Her occupation was listed as “Princess of the United Kingdom”, which has caused a great deal of confusion, even within the palace.

Kensington Palace was quick to defend Kate’s job description, although it contradicted statements they had made previously about how she was to be referred to.

Although she was given the title of Duchess, Kate is, by rank, a princess as she is married to a prince, and can be accurately be referred to as Princess William of Wales, a Palace spokesperson said on Friday.

But Palace officials have previously insisted that like the late Queen Mother and Prince Edward’s wife, Sophie, she is not a princess.

The Express today reports there is inter-Palace confusion about Kate’s title and job description, with a senior aide from Buckingham Palace guessing perhaps William had taken it upon himself that his wife was a Princess.

“I will check further, but I’m getting the impression there are no hard and fast rules in this area,” spokesman James Roscoe told the paper.

Following the 2011 royal wedding a spokesperson from Clarence House said the Duchess “would have been Her Royal Highness Princess William if she had not been given her new title, but it is not correct to say she is a Princess now”.

“You don’t automatically become a Princess when you marry a Prince. She’s not a Princess, though we’re quite relaxed about it and realise some people will call her a Princess,” a Clarence House secretary said in 2011, the Express reports.

The confusion has prompted inquiries into Kate’s official title and job description, with Buckingham Palace expected to provide a full explanation today.

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Who cares if people stop smoking?

Who cares if people stop smoking?

The government’s smoking tax has been criticised as a cash grab, but after losing her grandmother to cancer sticks, Zoe Arnold explains why taxation is one of the most effective tools in the fight against smoking.

My Grandmother was the epitome of elegance in her youth. We have a picture of her in her 20s: a form fitting black dress past her knees, a modest heel and a string of pearls around her neck. She’s smiling: her perfect straight white teeth framed by a dash of red lipstick. And in her right hand sits a long cigarette holder with a cancer stick stuffed at the end.

Nana died at the not-so-ripe age of 69.

She had lost one of her big toes to gangrene in the years preceding her death. She’d developed Type-2 diabetes. She needed regular oxygen at home. And she nearly set herself alight with those damn cigarettes.

Nana claimed to have first started smoking in primary school. She and her 4 sisters were raised by her devastatingly strict father, a Methodist Minister, and sent off to boarding school young.

She was hooked from the first inhalation.

I remember sitting in her dining room, and while she always presented well — her face made up and well-pressed frock on — it was rare to see her without a cigarette in her hand.

She always had a fog surrounding her, and stopped travelling internationally once smoking was banned on board.

Even in her dying days, she would request to be wheeled out of the intensive care ward where she lay, to have yet another nicotine hit.

Last week, the government announced plans to raise the tax on cigarettes by 12.5 per cent every year for four years, meaning by 2016 a smoke would cost around a dollar a pop.

What good, good news.

Maybe you consider the tax increase nothing more than blatant cash grabbing by the federal government. It is estimated they will pocket $5.3 billion from the measure.

But seriously, who cares if it stops people smoking?

A dollar a cigarette doesn’t seem to go far enough to me. I crave my morning coffee on the way to work, and it sets me back $4.50 every time. If I only had to pay a dollar every time I had a cuppa, I’d be laughing.

Taxation of cigarettes is one of the most effective prevention tools a government has in the fight against smoking. As the Cancer Council puts it; ‘the bigger the increase, the better the health benefit.’

Those who are poorest are going to be hit hardest by the tax, but the same people are the ones getting sickest from smoking right now.

A whopping 16 cancers are caused by smoking. That’s not to mention the other fun side effects: an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, gangrene, emphysema, infertility, SIDS, and stroke. Oh, and premature death.

I was banned from visiting Nana alone after we caught her lighting a cigarette as she inhaled oxygen from her mask — her addiction removing any common sense.

My Grandmother was a proud woman, one who revelled in presenting well, in dressing for the right occasion. Her finger and toenails were always painted fire engine red.

It was hard to find shoes that fit properly after her toe was amputated. The wound didn’t heal properly, and regularly became infected, needing frequent medical attention.

There was no more polish on her toes.

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Tips for travelling with kids

Tips for travelling with kids

Organising a holiday, and particularly travelling with kids, doesn’t have to be difficult, according to Andrew McEvoy from Tourism Australia.

“I think a lot of parents think travelling with kids is too hard, but you can have a fun time,” he says.

“Twenty years ago there were no such things as kids clubs and babysitting services, but now there are plenty of facilities for kids. All it takes to travel and holiday with children is a little planning.”

Plan ahead and if your children are old enough, involve them in the planning of the holiday.

Travel with friends who have children the same age as yours. The kids will have someone to play with and the parents can take turns to mind the kids or have time away from them.

Keep it simple but interesting. Plan one major event for each day because children have short attention spans and get tired. Also, choose the right time to begin your drive so you miss rush hour.

Make sure the kids take favourite toys, familiar blankets and other gadgets that help them while away their time in transit. Music in the car is also helpful.

Children like to help, so give them a task the minute you arrive somewhere.

Create routines that highlight the holiday experience, such as filling in a family holiday diary, talking about the best part of the day at dinner or setting challenges for the next day.

Keep nerves calm in a car by putting a drop of lavender oil on a couple of cottonwool balls and storing them in the side pockets at the front of the car.

Pack a first-aid kit ? baby paracetamol, band-aids, thermometer, oral rehydration preparation, antiseptic and anti-itching lotion.

Look out for special offers where kids stay or eat for free and for places with kids clubs and babysitting.

Plan ahead and if your children are old enough, involve them in the planning of the holiday.

Travel with friends who have children the same age as yours. The kids will have someone to play with and the parents can take turns to mind the kids or have time away from them.

Keep it simple but interesting. Plan one major event for each day because children have short attention spans and get tired. Also, choose the right time to begin your drive so you miss rush hour.

Make sure the kids take favourite toys, familiar blankets and other gadgets that help them while away their time in transit. Music in the car is also helpful.

Children like to help, so give them a task the minute you arrive somewhere.

Create routines that highlight the holiday experience, such as filling in a family holiday diary, talking about the best part of the day at dinner or setting challenges for the next day.

Keep nerves calm in a car by putting a drop of lavender oil on a couple of cottonwool balls and storing them in the side pockets at the front of the car.

Pack a first-aid kit ? baby paracetamol, band-aids, thermometer, oral rehydration preparation, antiseptic and anti-itching lotion.

Look out for special offers where kids stay or eat for free and for places with kids clubs and babysitting.

Related video: How to keep kids entertained while travelling.

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Tips for travelling with kids

Keep it simple but interesting.
Tips for travelling with kids

Organising a holiday, and particularly travelling with kids, doesn’t have to be difficult, according to Andrew McEvoy from Tourism Australia. “I think a lot of parents think travelling with kids is too hard, but you can have a fun time,” he says. “Twenty years ago there were no such things as kids clubs and babysitting services, but now there are plenty of facilities for kids. All it takes to travel and holiday with children is a little planning.”

Plan ahead and if your children are old enough, involve them in the planning of the holiday. Travel with friends who have children the same age as yours. The kids will have someone to play with and the parents can take turns to mind the kids or have time away from them. Keep it simple but interesting. Plan one major event for each day because children have short attention spans and get tired. Also, choose the right time to begin your drive so you miss rush hour. Make sure the kids take favourite toys, familiar blankets and other gadgets that help them while away their time in transit. Music in the car is also helpful. Children like to help, so give them a task the minute you arrive somewhere. Create routines that highlight the holiday experience, such as filling in a family holiday diary, talking about the best part of the day at dinner or setting challenges for the next day. Keep nerves calm in a car by putting a drop of lavender oil on a couple of cottonwool balls and storing them in the side pockets at the front of the car. Pack a first-aid kit ? baby paracetamol, band-aids, thermometer, oral rehydration preparation, antiseptic and anti-itching lotion. Look out for special offers where kids stay or eat for free and for places with kids clubs and babysitting.

an ahead and if your children are old enough, involve them in the planning of the holiday.

Travel with friends who have children the same age as yours. The kids will have someone to play with and the parents can take turns to mind the kids or have time away from them.

Keep it simple but interesting. Plan one major event for each day because children have short attention spans and get tired. Also, choose the right time to begin your drive so you miss rush hour.

Make sure the kids take favourite toys, familiar blankets and other gadgets that help them while away their time in transit. Music in the car is also helpful.

Children like to help, so give them a task the minute you arrive somewhere.

Create routines that highlight the holiday experience, such as filling in a family holiday diary, talking about the best part of the day at dinner or setting challenges for the next day.

Keep nerves calm in a car by putting a drop of lavender oil on a couple of cottonwool balls and storing them in the side pockets at the front of the car.

Pack a first-aid kit ? baby paracetamol, band-aids, thermometer, oral rehydration preparation, antiseptic and anti-itching lotion.

Look out for special offers where kids stay or eat for free and for places with kids clubs and babysitting.

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Kate makes best dressed list — maternity style

On top of her seemingly effortless transition into royalty and now motherhood, over recent years the Duchess of Cambridge has become a fashion icon.

And now the always impeccably dressed Kate has proven she’s stayed stylish throughout her pregnancy, rocking maternity wear all the way to Vanity Fair’s iconic best-dressed list.

The yummy mummy has made her fourth appearance on the list since she first appeared in 2008.

Throughout her pregnancy, Kate donned a mix of designer and high street clothes and managed to look even better than she did pre-pregnancy.

We can’t wait to see how she dresses baby George in the months to come.

The Duchess of Cambridge

Kate at her last public appearance before she gave birth.

She looked radiant in a peach lace dress and matching coat.

Kate at her last solo royal engagement on June 13.

Kate’s coat skimmed over her growing bump.

The Duchess’ baby bump popped in the last few weeks of her pregnancy.

Kate was a ray of sunshine in yellow at a garden party in June.

Kate’s bump was the centre of attention.

Kate in May.

Kate was happy to show off her lovely legs at the event.

Kate donned a designer dress in April.

She looked glowing and lovely.

Kate in Glasgow in April.

Kate at the Cheltenham Festival in March.

Kate at a St Patrick’s Day parade in March.

Kate cradled her bump at the event.

Kate took a ride for the Tube’s 150th birthday.

Kate in London in February.

Kate showing off her growing bump in February.

Kate in Grimsby in March.

Kate sporting a roomier coat in March.

Kate at a wedding in Switzerland in March.

Kate at the unveiling of her first portrait in January.

Kate playing hockey in St Andrews, Scotland, in November 2012.

Kate leaving hospital after her treatment for morning sickness in December 2012.

Kate in November 2012.

Kate in Cambridge in November 2012.

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Call me Gaga: Camilla reveals her grandmotherly nickname

Call me Gaga: Camilla reveals her grandmotherly nickname

Prince George is set to be spoiled by his grandparents and the Duchess of Cornwall, and while we don’t yet know what he will call her, Camilla revealed yesterday her own grandchildren call her “Gaga”.

The 66-year-old grandmother of five told revealed the nickname to the Daily Mail, with one disclaimer.

“My own grandchildren call me GaGa. I don’t know if it’s because they think I am!” she said.

“It is funny but is still very sweet.”

Camilla has five grandchildren under the age of five from her first marriage to Andrew Parker Bowles and is thrilled to add to the brood with the addition of Prince George, who is the first grandchild of her husband Prince Charles.

“We are all just about to go off on holiday together, there will be seven children in all. Can you imagine?” she said.

“It can be quite chaotic but I just love having them around.”

Prince Charles will insist on being called ‘Grandpa’ by the week-old Prince George when he gets older, but when it came to discussing what Camilla’s nickname would be she said they hadn’t decided yet.

“That’s something we have got to have a think about.”

Grandpa Charles has described becoming a grandfather as “wonderful” and royal watchers have said he has never seemed so cheerful and relaxed since welcoming his first grandson.

“It’s a wonderful feeling [to be a grandfather],” he said on a visit to the Sandringham flower festival yesterday.

He told well wishers that he had enjoyed meeting the “very sweet” baby George, but felt a bit out of practice with the little one.

“I think I am going to have to go on a babysitting course as it’s a while since I have done this sort of thing,” he said.

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‘Grandpa’ Charles and ‘GaGa’ Camilla

“Grandpa” Charles and “GaGa” Camilla

Prince Charles has revealed he wants his new grandson, Prince George, to call him “Grandpa”, while Camilla wishes to be known as “GaGa”.

The two spoke of their new grandson and step-grandson while visiting Sandringham Flower Show, where well-wishers bombarded them with questions about the royal baby.

The Duchess of Cornwall is already called “GaGa” by her own five grandchildren. “I don’t know if it’s because they think I am, but it is still very sweet,” she told The Mail.

Charles also told the crowds that he plans to be hands-on with his grandson, but that he fears he may be a bit out of practice.

“I think I am going to have to go on a babysitting course as it’s a while since I have done this sort of thing,” he said.

The pair also gushed proudly about the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s “lovely” new addition to the family.

“She said that he looks absolutely gorgeous – that he doesn’t really look like anyone else at the moment but that he’s a really beautiful baby,” one flower show visitor said of Camilla.

“It’s a wonderful feeling [to be a grandfather]. It’s a very nice feeling, isn’t it?” Charles reportedly added.

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