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Kate’s baby bump on display at Swiss ski lodge

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The royal baby hasn’t even been born yet, but it has already enjoyed lavish holidays at the beach and on the ski slopes.

After a week on the Caribbean island of Mustique, the Duchess of Cambridge and her bump travelled to Switzerland on the weekend to attend a friend’s wedding.

Kate wrapped up warm for the ceremony but her growing stomach would not be suppressed, leaving her unable to do up the bottom buttons on her coat.

After the nuptials, Prince William went skiing but Kate stuck to sledging, a much safer pursuit for an expectant mother.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Kate’s growing bump.

Prince Harry also attended the wedding of Mark Tomlinson and Laura Bechtolsheimer.

Kate looked radiant at the nuptials, wrapped up warm in a cream coat and brown hat.

Kate’s growing bump left her unable to fasten all the buttons of her coat.

The wedding was held at the upmarket Swiss resort of Arosa.

The couple are spending a few days at the resort with Harry.

William and Harry have been skiing, but Kate has only been on a sledge.

Kate is currently five months pregnant.

Kate showed no signs of morning sickness at the wedding.

Kate and Harry had a ball laughing and chatting at the event.

William and Kate tried to stay out of the spotlight to avoid overshadowing the bride and groom.

Kate looked absolutely radiant.

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Oh no Rhonda! Ketut’s having a baby!

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Oh no Rhonda! Ketut's having a baby!

He won our hearts in those insurance ads, but Balinese hunk Kadek Mahardika has found love with his own real-life ‘Rhonda’.

Coming home to Bali, it wasn’t long before star-struck locals and Aussie tourists recognised Kadek Mahardika as the smiling Balinese waiter featured in the popular ‘Rhonda and Ketut’ AAMI ads. “The guy at the airport asked me if I was Ketut and wanted my picture,” laughs Kadek, 28, a former Kuta surf lifesaver who found fame after moving to Melbourne in 2008.

“I guess he’ll put it on Facebook. It is all very funny. My mum says she’s just happy that I can come home and visit. To her, I’m just her baby; they don’t think I’m a star, but they are happy. “I love Australia. It’s a great country. I love coming home, too.” Kadek made Melbourne his home when he followed his Aussie girlfriend and their son RJ, now five, to Australia to make a new life. “After she had the baby, she wanted to move back to Australia, so I got sponsored and I followed her there,” he explains.

“We aren’t together anymore, but I love spending time with my son and I love Melbourne.” Kadek embraced Australia wholeheartedly, setting up house and settling in, despite splitting with his partner. He now works as an excavator, and is expecting his second child, with new partner Laura Jack, a 22-year-old hairdresser.

Despite his natural talent, Kadek never anticipated a career in front of the camera, or being a household name in Australia and Bali. “My friend gave my name to a casting agent who was looking for a Balinese to play a part in a commercial,” he explains. “When they rang me, I told them, ‘Mate, I can’t act.’ They wanted me to come anyway and I thought, ‘Why not?’ When I got there, they introduced me to a girl. They said she’s ‘Rhonda’ and they wanted me to flirt with her. Flirting I can do! And I got the job.”

Read more about Ketut and his new baby in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale Monday March 4, 2013.

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Another royal wedding!

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Another royal wedding!

There’s a new princess bride waiting in the wings, if Harry has anything to say about it!

Prince Harry has already sent a clear message to the world about his feelings for girlfriend Cressida Bonas, with a passionate display of affection on their recent ski holiday. Now the young couple are quickly taking their relationship to the next level.

“Harry has only had eyes for Cressie for the last nine months or so,” a source close to the royal family tells Woman’s Day. “He’s been pulling out all the stops and they’re already talking about getting married.” While the decision might seem sudden for Britain’s most eligible bachelor, friends say he’s ready to settle down as he prepares to turn 30 next year – and Cressida, 24, is exactly who he pictured by his side.

“If Harry could go to a tailor and instead of having a suit perfectly made for him, he could have a girlfriend and future wife created, then Cressie is exactly what he would order. It’s like she’s made to measure!” one excited friend says. With Prince Harry recently admitting he envied his brother “because he gets to go home to his wife and his dog”, it’s no wonder UK bookmakers Ladbrokes make Cressida a 4/1 shot to be the next royal bride – and the odds are shortening by the day.

“Prince Harry’s wedding will be every bit as grand as William and Kate’s,” says veteran royal expert Bill Coles. “This will be the last major royal wedding of a generation. And all the talk inside royal circles is that the royal family was delighted with the huge boost in popularity they got during the last royal wedding, so they won’t be holding back on the pomp and circumstance for Harry and Cressida.” Cressie has been welcomed into the royal family’s girls’ club, too.

Read more about Harry and Cressie in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale Monday March 4, 2013.

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Suri’s secret twin: Abduction scare exposes truth

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Suri's secret twin: Abduction scare exposes truth

Woman’s Day can exclusively reveal the facts behind Suri’s mystery look-alike

For New York’s paparazzi, it was just another day at work. As a huge black SUV rolled up to the kerb outside Manhattan’s expensive private school, they stood poised, lenses at the ready, to capture images of the most famous six-year-old in town. But when the tiny brown-haired girl emerged, clutching her nanny and wearing tights, a headband and a cosy parka, the snappers did a double-take.

The small child was practically a carbon copy of Suri Cruise – so similar, they could pass as identical twins – but the offspring of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise was nowhere to be seen. In fact, the “real” Suri was being shuffled in through another entrance at the other side of the school. Following reports of a kidnap scare against Suri, the New York press was quick to label the doppelganger a “body double”.

“[Tom] has stepped up security in recent months and has met with risk assessment teams and abduction specialists,” a source tells New York’s Daily News. “Tom wants all the names of the parents of the kids Suri plays with. He has to approve them before Suri goes to their houses alone. He has them investigated and keeps a file on everyone,” claims the source.

There’s no doubt Katie and Tom have Suri’s safety at the forefront of their minds more than ever since she started school – they were both photographed looking incredibly harried last week. But now Woman’s Day has uncovered the truth about Suri and her “decoy”. In a world exclusive, we’ve spoken to parents inside the posh $38,000 per year school, who laughed off reports that the look-alike child is a pawn in an elaborate plan to protect Suri.

See the pictures and read more about Suri’s secret twin in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale Monday March 4, 2013.

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MKR uncut: It’s all fake!

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MKR uncut: It's all fake!

Insiders spill the beans on what really goes on behind the scenes.

It’s more than just clever editing that creates all the on-screen drama. From styling to proposals, everything we see is fake! Past and present contestants exclusively tell all.

‘You don’t cook at home’

No wonder some teams struggle finding their way around the kitchen – it’s not theirs! Teams cook in hired or borrowed homes that meet the producers’ strict criteria.“The kitchen must be completely separate from the dining room so guests don’t hear what is going on and vice versa,” explains an insider. Same for the bathroom.

‘You’re watched’

Shockingly, when contestants are cooking, they’re being supervised by chefs. “When Pete and Manu claim they can taste the meat hasn’t rested long enough or contestants have used packet stock, it is because they’re fed this information by the professionals through their ear pieces,” reveals a past contestant.

‘You get given a menu’

Ever wondered why some teams struggle to whip up their meals during the instant restaurant rounds? Well, turns out contestants only find out their theme and menu at 6pm the night before. Producers pluck themes and meals from the three theme ideas and eight menus contestants submit at auditions. “And contestants are strongly encouraged to try unfamiliar techniques,” says a former contestant. This can have devastating effects.“[Last year] Helen and Steve submitted their family favourite moussaka but were told they had to deconstruct it for their instant restaurant,” says a source. “Then they were slammed by the judges for not keeping it true to their family’s traditional format.”

Read more about the MKR secrets in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale Monday March 4, 2013.

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Do you need a divorce coach?

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Do you need a divorce coach?

When divorce coach Naomi Douglas tells people what she does for a living she almost always gets the same response: “You must be busy.”

Like the wedding planner and life coach of the nineties, divorce coaching is one of those job titles that provokes a scoff and an eyebrow raise from the unacquainted, but it’s a growing trade and the more you think about it, the more it makes sense.

With around one in three marriages ending in divorce in Australia, Naomi will have almost 100,000 new potential clients before the year is out. It’s no wonder US counsellors, mediators, therapists and family lawyers are flocking to reinvent themselves professionally and relaunching their careers as divorce experts.

“I certainly have no shortage of clients,” she says.

With a background in relationship counselling, Naomi set up shop following her own divorce seven years ago. Faced with such a serious, complicated situation, where so much could go wrong, Naomi realised she could do with some support, but didn’t know where to turn.

“You’re in a highly emotional state and you haven’t been trained to have a divorce,” she says.

“You’re also dealing with some of the biggest changes you’ll ever face in terms of money and lifestyle, so there are serious mistakes that can be made.

“The fact is divorce is an important issue, it’s a growing issue and it’s shaping our society. It’s also very serious.”

With so much on the line financially and emotionally and increasing evidence that the problems that arise from divorce can have a serious and lasting impact on children, Relationships Australia counsellor Denise Reichenbach isn’t surprise there is growing guidance in the area.

Although the concept of a divorce coach is relatively new to Reichenbach — and according to her, the rest of the counselling world — she says any support available to people going through divorce can only be positive.

“Going through a divorce can feel like going through a washing machine … it doesn’t come with a manual,” she says.

Like the uptake of life coaches and other modern day gurus, Ms Reichenbach credits the emergence of more specialised coaches, like Naomi, to a greater willingness of people to seek help.

“There is still the idea that counselling is only for people that have a problem, but I think it’s definitely more acceptable now, the stigma is wearing off,” she says.

“The shame that used to come with divorce is fading as well — people are more willing to seek help with getting divorced because it’s more common, and they’re not so ashamed it’s happening to them.”

While relying on coaches may place people in a position where they are dependent on other people to solve their problems, Reichenbach argues if there was ever a situation that called for hand-holding, divorce would be it.

“It’s hard to think that there is such thing as a ‘good divorce’, but there are definitely common mistakes that a coach or counsellor can help couples avoid to make the rollercoaster ride less rocky,” she says.

Naomi says her main role as a divorce coach is not to babysit or lecture the individuals (and less often, couples) who seek her services, but to stop them from making mistakes — often the same ones that have led to the destruction of their relationship — and to help them get the most positive outcome from an undeniable stressful and potentially damaging situation.

“Divorce can be very destructive but it can also be a big opening to address those destructive things that have developed in a troubled relationship,” she says.

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Catherine Zeta-Jones on sex scebes with Brad Pitt and Russell Crowe

At 68, Michael Douglas is 25 years older than his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, and it's probably for the best - Catherine's day job involves simulating sex with some of the world's sexiest men.
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Catherine Zeta-Jones

At 68, Michael Douglas is 25 years older than his wife Catherine Zeta-Jones, and it’s probably for the best — Catherine’s day job involves simulating sex with some of the world’s sexiest men and a younger man might let jealousy go to his head.

Catherine has shared the big screen with Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas and most recently, Russell Crowe.

She has enjoyed steamy scenes with all of them, but it doesn’t bother Michael, her husband of 13 years.

“When you are on set, it’s work mode,” Catherine tells the March issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly. “I remember a few years ago, when I was doing Ocean’s Twelve and Michael said, ‘What are you doing today?’ and I said, ‘I’m sleeping with Brad Pitt’ and he was like, ‘Good for you, love, have a good one’. My point is, it’s work.”

Catherine’s next role is in Broken City, which sees her finally star alongside long-time friend Russell.

“We go back 21 years, to when all these ex-pats came to LA, including Russell and myself,” she says. “We were vying for roles and going for interviews and castings.

“There was a whole bunch of us and Russell and I were part of that. So I’ve known him for years and he is a good friend, a lovely guy, and I’ve always wanted to work with Russell.

“But nothing has ever come up that he was cast in that I was suitable for, or vice versa, until Broken City. So, as you can imagine, I was thrilled when he joined the cast.”

Broken City opens in cinemas around the country on Thursday, March 7.

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Why working from home doesn’t work

Face to face interaction is just one of the benefits of having your staff in the office during office hours.
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Mum on the the phone with baby on lap

BRITISH Vogue editor-in-chief Alexandra Shulman sparked a furious debate — and the inevitable Devil Wears Prada comparisons — on the weekend when she wrote a piece explaining why she doesn’t let her staff work from home.

I agree with Alex’s predilection for staff being on hand during office hours. A full and present team creates a culture and a dynamic that is all important to a business.

I love the camaraderie of an office, and the on the spot conversations that were initiated each day.

The water cooler chats would often inform, or change a direction we were taking when I was editing Vogue.

I had a small period when I freelanced after the birth of my twins and I felt awfully out of the loop, even with the email at my fingertips.

No one has time to write send you a stream of consciousness email, but you can certainly cover off a lot by walking over to someone’s office desk and chatting for 10 minutes over a coffee.

I do, however, believe in flexibility about working from home on a case by case basis.

As Alex noted, it’s difficult to conduct phone interviews or write a 2000 word article if you work in a busy and noisy open plan office.

Of course, on the occasions when one of my staff had a sick child, I was happy to let them work from home via email and phone.

But the everyday communication that occurs organically between team members is vital, as great ideas will often spin off each other.

Face-to-face time cannot be undervalued, and I’m not convinced Skype is quite the same thing.

Robust, back and forth debates amongst the whole team will most usually lead to considered outcomes, and they are often spontaneous.

And hey, I like to see what people are wearing!

Your say: Do you work from home? Does it work for you? Email us on [email protected]

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Back to work after baby? Sorry-we can’t afford it

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Back to work after baby? Sorry – we can't afford it

Each week day care costs my family nearly three hundred dollars. That’s for three days care, split between two children. That’s a lot of dough.

It’s a Catch 22. I want my kids’ day care to be well staffed by qualified teachers and providers, who will educate and look after my children, sometimes for as long as 10 hours a day. But to afford this, I need to work … a lot.

I am thinking about working full-time again, but have no idea how I am supposed to afford day care while sustaining a decent income. So far, it doesn’t seem worth it.

The median income in Australia is just over $1200 a week, per household. The average day care cost in Australia? $80 a day.

That means for two kids, you’re looking at a whopping $800 a week in day care fees.

It’s expensive, inaccessible and unacceptable.

The last reform to fees was made before the 2007 election: the childcare rebate was increased to 50 per cent. This was good, except to meet the newly lowered staff-child ratios … childcare centres raised their fees.

Plus, the rebate is only available if you use a long day care centre or family day care in someone’s home. Employ a nanny, and your pockets will have to be even deeper.

It’s an election year, and so far the response on childcare has been pretty poor from both sides of the policy fence.

Labor wants to continue the rebate, but it will be re-indexed next year that means it could be lowered. The Liberals say they’ll pay the rebate weekly — so parents don’t have to be out of pocket for as long.

Nannies are being ignored by Labor, who claim they’re only for the rich, which is a shame. The Liberals see their potential value for all families, and promise they’ll get the Productivity Commission to look into their potential for a rebate. It’s a good first step.

Neither party addresses the real problem: that quality day care should be available to all, not just the rich. Women are being effectively locked out of the workforce because of the staggering costs associated with child-minding before school age.

In countries like Denmark, parents have to pay just 25 per cent of the cost of childcare — with the state funding the rest. The average cost of day care? Around $140 a week for a fulltime place.

Cheaper childcare means women have options. We can return to work sooner if we want to, knowing that our kids are being well-cared for by trained professionals. We can make sure our careers don’t suffer, that our kids know that Mum is just as capable at working as Dad, and is still a great parent.

We need options. It’s an election year and I for one am waiting.

Your say: Have you gone back to work full-time? How do you afford it?

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Aussie grandma tells: Why I dumped Barry Gibb

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Aussie grandma tells: Why I dumped Barry Gibb

Carol Ward was the star’s first love.

Fifty-two years after breaking Barry Gibb’s heart, Queensland grandmother Carol Ward has come face to face with the star. Carol, 65, was among thousands who turned out to Redcliffe on Valentine’s Day to watch Barry unveil a statue of the young Bee Gees. It was in the Brisbane bayside suburb that the Gibb brothers played their earliest gigs.

Carol was Barry’s first love. And Barry clearly remembered the girl who stole his heart then dumped him for another man, who she’s still married to today. “Barry looked straight at me and said, “I’ll talk to you later,” says Carol. “Hopefully, he’ll phone.” As she sorts through mementos, Carol recalls her first encounter with a 15-year-old Barry. “It was my last year in primary school and we had an end-of-year dance. Barry, Maurice and Robin sang,” she recalls. “At the end, I lined up to get their autographs.

“When it was my turn, Barry asked me where I lived. I didn’t think anything more of it, but somehow he found my house and turned up there the next day, and then every day after that. “He would hang around a little too long – long enough to miss the last bus, and my father would have to drive him home. “Dad got a bit sick of this, so using spare parts, he knocked together a bicycle, saying, ‘Here, Barry, ride home from now on.’”

Carol remembers often coming home to find the Gibb brothers singing up a storm in her kitchen. “Barry had this old bomb guitar. He was always playing music in our house, making up little songs. The boys were natural with their harmonies – they weren’t taught. Barry didn’t go to school, so he’d hang around our house, talking to mum. Robin and Maurice, who were 11, would often wag school. “I just think they enjoyed being around Mum and Dad, who were very kind-hearted. No-one ever left our house hungry.” Carol and Barry sealed their love by buying two red love-heart medallions with their names engraved on them. But the young lovebirds were torn apart by a high school dance.

Read more about Carol and Barry’s romance in this week’s Woman’s Day on sale Monday February 25, 2013.

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