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Everton star Mykolenko makes same heartbreaking phone call daily to parents to make sure they’re still alive in Ukraine

EVERTON star Vitaliy Mykolenko has opened up on the heartbreaking daily phone call he makes to his parents back in Ukraine.

The full-back, 25, is set to be in action in the final Merseyside derby at Goodison Park on Wednesday night.

Vitaly Mykolenko of Everton in a blue jersey.
Rex
Vitaliy Myolenko could feature in Wednesday’s Merseyside derby[/caption]

Before the game he will check in with his parents, as he does every morning.

Mykolenko’s dad, Sergei, and mum, Olesia, still live at their family home near Kyiv in war-torn Ukraine.

With Russia continuing to bomb Ukraine, as they have done since invading in February 2022, Mykolenko makes sure to phone his parents before heading to Everton‘s Finch Farm base for training.

Speaking to the Mirror, he said: “I ask, ‘Are you okay?’ Sometimes it is bad news, they couldn’t sleep, sometimes it is okay.

“It is hard for me to be here but harder for them because they are there.

“They don’t know what can happen this night or the next night when they are dropping missiles and bombs at night. You never know.”

As a top-level athlete and member of the Ukraine national team, Mykolenko continues to inspire those back home.

Stars of other sports like Elina Svitolina and Oleksandr Usyk have also had an inspirational effect – with Mykolenko having met the latter.

He said: “I think he’s the best sportsman at the moment in Ukraine, the best boxer in the world.

“He’s a good guy. I spoke with him a few times when he came to visit us with the national team.

“He’s a very calm guy, very friendly. [You] can ask him everything, how he prepares for the big fights, it’s interesting to listen to him about how it is difficult.

“I know he was on the front line, not many times but more than once.

“You can help the people on the front line financially but sometimes it is better to help mentally.”

Mykolenko missed out on Everton’s 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Bournemouth over the weekend.

But boss David Moyes has confirmed that the left-back has returned to training and could be back in contention.

The Scot, 61, will have to do without Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Youssef Chermiti, Armando Broja, Dwight McNeil and Orel Mangala.

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Smash-hit Nintendo game ‘worth £820’ if you still have a copy at home as list reveals old titles now valued at hundreds

A SMASH-HIT game loved by millions is potentially worth hundreds of pounds if you’ve got the right copy at home.

The title appears on a list of the most valuable Nintendo 64 games being snapped up by fans of the beloved nineties console.

2DEWDJM A Nintendo 64 Console With the Power Indicator Light On and Super Mario 64 in the Cartridge Slot and a Controller Plugged Into It
The Nintendo 64 is one of the best-loved consoles of all time
Alamy
Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time
The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time is considered to be one of the greatest games ever made
Handout / Public Archive

Nintendo sold more than 32 million units of the console globally – and it was a big hit in Britain.

One of the console’s most iconic games was The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

The action-adventure title came out in November 1998 (although it didn’t land in the UK until December) and is widely seen as one of the greatest games of all time.

According to video game collectibles tracker PriceCharting, a top copy of the game is worth as much as £821.73.

PriceCharting tracks prices of old games and consoles based on sales across the internet to give a good idea of how much they’re worth.

And the website lists a brand-new sealed copy of the game as being worth £820.

If you’ve had it professionally graded, the value rises to a whopping £956.

Sadly the price drops steeply for unsealed versions of the game – but you can still fetch a decent price for them.

For instance, a complete-in-box version of the game (with the cartridge and all the original bits) is valued at £51.

And just the manual alone is said to be worth as much as £43.

If you’ve got the loose cartridge on its own, you could get about £17.

And the box with nothing inside has an estimated value of just under £12.

It’s worth noting that these aren’t guaranteed prices: they’re just approximations based on recent sales of the game.

So you might find that you’ll get lower offers for your old Nintendo classic. Similarly, they could fetch even more money that the values listed here.

RARE RICHES I bought a classic video game at Walmart for $16 - it’s a steal because another went for $228K at auction.. TAKEN WITHOUT PERMISSION.. https://comics.ha.com/itm/video-games/nintendo/the-legend-of-zelda-ocarina-of-time-wata-98-a-sealed-standard-release-n64-nintendo-1998-usa/a/7261-28131.s
A sealed and graded copy of Ocarina of Time could be worth nearly £1,000
Heritage Auctions

Ocarina of Time was the first game in Nintendo’s Legend of Zelda series to have 3D graphics.

The game saw players controlling hero Link in a quest across Hyrule to stop big baddie Ganondorf.

And gamers would play tunes on a virtual ocarina to progress through certain challenges.

It landed to critical acclaim, with reviewers heaping praise on its storyline, original soundtrack, gameplay, and impressive visuals.

OTHER TOP TITLES TO CHECK FOR

Here's how much PriceCharting says some of these classic Nintendo 64 games are now worth...

Super Mario 64

  • Professionally Graded: £3,795
  • New: £465
  • Complete: £46
  • Loose: £16
  • Box: £30
  • Manual: £10

The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask

  • Professionally Graded: £4,023
  • New: £547
  • Complete: £104
  • Loose: £49
  • Box: £28
  • Manual: £17

Paper Mario

  • Professionally Graded: £405
  • New: £368
  • Complete: £322
  • Loose: £120
  • Box: £79
  • Manual: £116

Pokémon Stadium

  • Professionally Graded: £1,767
  • New: £277
  • Complete: £63
  • Loose: £13
  • Box: £24
  • Manual: £10

Pokémon Stadium 2

  • Professionally Graded: £579
  • New: £283
  • Complete: £123
  • Loose: £89
  • Box: £56
  • Manual: £31

Mario Kart 64

  • Professionally Graded: £1,662
  • New: £312
  • Complete: £58
  • Loose: £24
  • Box: £24
  • Manual: £9

007 Goldeneye

  • Professionally Graded: £1,007
  • New: £180
  • Complete: £44
  • Loose: £9
  • Box: £26
  • Manual: £8

Keep in mind that these are valuations based on previous sales, and don’t guarantee you’ll get those amounts if you try to flog your own copy.

Picture Credit: Alamy

More than seven million copies of the game were sold globally.

And it became the fastest-ever-selling game in Britain at the time, until it was beaten by Gran Turismo 2 in 2000.

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Chilling moment schoolboy, 12, ‘stalks playground brandishing HUGE knife in front of pupils’

CHILLING footage has captured a schoolboy allegedly stalking a playground while brandishing a large knife in front of terrified pupils.

Cops raced to Redditch Vale High in Stockport yesterday afternoon after claims a pupil was seen holding the dangerous weapon.

Police officers outside a school.
Cops were called to a school in Stockport after a boy was seen brandishing a knife
Police officers at a school.
Footage shows a boy nonchalantly holding a blade on school premises

In footage, pupils shout as the boy casually walks through the playground with a large blade in his hand.

Students can be heard asking “what you doing man?” and “why have you got a knife?”

He’s seen walking in between two men, one dressed in a high-vis jacket, before he breaks into a run on the school grounds.

The blade can clearly be seen by onlookers and is caught reflecting light in the footage.

Cops were called to the premises around 3pm after a boy was spotted waving the dangerous instrument.

Parents told the Manchester Evening News it was “terrifying” and some are refusing to let their children return to school.

They have claimed they won’t be sending their children to any more classes.

Afterwards, students were ushered into the theatre until their parents could pick them up.

A concerned mum of a Year 7 boy said she received a worrying call from her son.

She said: “I said to him do not leave the school grounds, I will come and get you.

“I won’t be sending my son in tomorrow and I don’t know if I will be for the rest of the week, or if I’ll be looking for a new school for him.

“It’s absolutely terrifying.”

Another mum who shared a video of the incident refused to take it down after Reddish Vale High asked her to remove it.

She responded: “I haven’t because people have got a right to know that their kids are safe when they go to school and clearly they’re not.

“I’ve told the school that I won’t be sending my daughter to school until I know what precautions have been put in place to keep our children safe.”

A Greater Manchester Police spokesperson said “Officers were called to a school on Reddish Vale Road in Stockport at around 3:10pm Monday 10 February following reports of a person with a knife on the premises.

“Thankfully, no one sustained any serious injuries.

“A 12-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of assault and possession of a bladed article.

“He has been taken into police custody.”

Cops have assured residents that “additional patrols” will be present in the area.

A spokesperson for Stockport Borough Council said: “We are aware of the distressing incident that took place at Reddish Vale School earlier today and we understand the concerns being shared by parents, students, and the wider community.

“The police were on site to deal with the incident and make the school safe and we are thankful no one was harmed.

“We are working closely with the school to support them and want to reassure everyone that the safety of pupils and teachers is our highest priority.”

Greater Manchester Police confirmed that a 12-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested.

He has since been charged with attempted assault, possession of a bladed article, threatening a person with an offensive weapon, and possession of an offensive weapon in a public place.

The boy has been remanded into custody and was due to appear at Manchester and Salford Youth Court on Tuesday, 11 February.

Chief Inspector John Picton, of GMP’s Stockport Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Whilst we do believe that this was an isolated incident, additional patrols have been deployed to the area to offer reassurance to the local community.

“If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to speak to them.”

The alarming event follows an incident last week when a pupil was threatened with a knife on school premises.

The Sun has reached out to Reddish Vale High for a comment.

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Meghan Markle to fly home early from Invictus Games without Prince Harry

MEGHAN Markle is set to leave the Invictus Games in Canada today to head back home to California, sources confirmed.

The Duchess of Sussex, 43, has been supporting husband Prince Harry, 40, at his games for wounded and sick service personnel and veterans.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, at the Invictus Games.
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Meghan Markle has reportedly flown home early from Canada without Prince Harry[/caption]
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in winter hats.
Getty
The couple looked cosy together while watching the Games earlier this week[/caption]
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games.
Alamy
They heaped on the PDA at the event in Vancouver[/caption]

But she is now due to return home to be with son Archie, five, and daughter Lilibet, three.

It is expected that she will attend the events throughout the day before flying back later this evening.

Meghan had always planned to leave on her own prior to the event.

A source close to the couple said: “This was always planned. Meghan is going home to be with her children.

“Meghan left the games in Dusseldorf early after five days to go home.

“This is Prince Harry’s event and she is there to support him but this was planned.”

The pair had been together at the Games in Vancouver since Saturday but critics have been quick to accuse Meghan of interfering in the event through her show-stealing antics.

The couple had been seen cosying up to one another in recent days including a bout of PDA at the opening ceremony.

Meghan and Harry embraced for a kiss in the stands as a lip reading expert revealed the Duke gave his wife a cheeky five word instruction.

It appeared the Sussexes couldn’t keep their hands off each other and the Duchess even rested her head on the Duke’s shoulder.

She was also spotted waving blue pom-poms as a show of support and grinned from ear-to-ear while taking photographs.

On Monday, Harry and Meghan were even spotted sipping on beers.

They were pictured drinking the pints in the luxury Canadian ski resort of Whistler after spending two days in Vancouver.

It came before the couple – wrapped up warm to brave -11C temperatures – were introduced on stage by their crooner pal Michale Bublé.

Speaking to a crowd of around 1,000 who had gathered to greet them, Harry joked that he was going to get Meghan to sing.

Despite some seeing these moments as sweet support for her husband, others saw it as Meghan seeming to place herself front and centre of this year’s Games.

Meghan also took part in an “impromtu” introduction for Harry during the opening ceremony – in which she gushed over the Prince’s parenting skills.

Royal biographer Ingrid Seward told The Sun that these “interferences” are simply not needed, given it is Harry’s precious event.

She said: “I thought it was unnecessary of Meghan to interfere with what is essentially Harry’s baby. She knows that.

“He really doesn’t need her. When Harry first launched the Invictus Games in London, he was launching it in front of his dad, his stepmum, and his brother.

“He doesn’t need Meghan there to introduce him. I thought it was really wrong and kind of detracted from what he was trying to do.”

Meghan ‘trying to prove’ how happy she is in PDA with Harry

By Milad Sherzad

A BODY language expert has claimed Meghan’s recent PDA with Harry was a “two-finger salute” to US President Trump.

The couple were seen kissing and sharing warm embraces at the opening ceremony of the Invictus Games in VancouverCanada.

It comes as Trump ruled out deporting Prince Harry over his visa legal battle in a scathing attack where he referred to Meghan as “terrible”.

Body language expert Judi James told The Sun: “Meghan’s touch rituals were especially specific, as was the way she didn’t just hold Harry’s arm but also held his hand in a clasp, too.

“Her face-touching sent a strong signal of tender affection and ownership out to the world.

“When she clasped his head in both of her hands and planted her loving kisses she signalled, ‘He’s mine and I love him’.”

She explained this rare-move from Meghan could indicate she’s both solidly “swoony-in-love” but also purposefully making a projection.

Judi continued: “There were also clues that this open adoration and emphatic family vibe could be something of a two-finger salute to Trump, after his blistering comment about Meghan.

“She might have been trying to prove how blissfully happy she and Harry are and even how lucky he is to have such a loyal and supportive wife.”

Donald Trump confirmed he would not deport Harry as part of his ongoing legal troubles in relation to a previous application for a US visa.

In a scathing comment in response to being asked if he would deport the prince, Trump told The New York Post: “I don’t want to do that.

“I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.”

Meghan has not hid her aversion for Trump in the past, having dubbed him “divisive” and “misogynistic”.

The president also called Harry “whipped,” and believes the prince is “being led around by the nose”.

Turning back to Meghan and Harry’s appearance at the Invictus games, Judi explained the duchess’ body language signals had changed from previous appearances.

She added: “Her intro speech for her husband was performed in the same ‘Oh gosh’, breathlessly excited tone as her new Insta post and she giggled, squealed and rolled her eyes on stage in a ritual of newly-wed-looking coyness as she mentioned ‘My husband, the father of my very sweet and exciting children’ like a besotted bride and fan.

“There was the two-arm extended embrace and kiss on stage to make Harry look like the home-coming hero and then there was Meghan’s intense body language behaviours of love as they sat together in the audience watching the opening ceremony.”

Judi continued: “Meghan has previously focused her signals of love, support and appreciation of effort and triumph at the Invictus competitors but here her congratulatory ‘seal clapping’, her mouth-crumpled expressions of pride and her attention and attachment signals were primarily all aimed at Harry.”

At the ceremony, Judi said the couple were exhibiting “newlywed behaviours” with frequent arm-clinging and Meghan’s head often resting on Harry’s shoulder “as though she was on a date night”.

She added: “Everything that Meghan does seems to be making everything about her.

“She should have let Harry get on with it himself, instead of interfering.

“She should have said ‘actually, let me step back and you do it’. He doesn’t need it [Meghan’s help]. Harry’s a very good public speaker.”

Meghan’s attendance at the Games is understood to underscore her support for her husband and the mission of Invictus – a cause that is deeply personal to them both.

The couple famously appeared in public together for the first time at the Toronto Invictus Games in 2017.

They were lovingly pictured hand-in-hand at a wheelchair tennis event.

In 2023, Meghan and Harry again cheered on athletes among the crowds at the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf, Germany.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were sitting side-by-side clapping and also reacting to the game tensely as they watched the wheelchair basketball with Australia supporters.

While Meghan is understood to have several projects on the horizon, her family remains her top priority and she is determined to continue to stand together with Harry to support the causes they care about. 

The incredible Invictus Games, which spans nine days, will see athletes compete at sitting volleyball, wheelchair basketball and rugby, swimming, indoor rowing as well as some new sports.

These include Alpine and Nordic skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, skeleton and wheelchair curling. 

British veterans and serving personnel who were injured during service departed for Canada last week for the games.

The 62 competitors – all veterans and serving personnel who sustained life-changing injuries and illnesses while serving in the UK Armed Forces – left the country from Birmingham Airport on Thursday.

The games aim to “inspire recovery, support rehabilitation and generate a wider understanding and respect for those who have served their country”, the Royal British Legion said.

They have previously been held in London in 2014, in Orlando in 2016, Toronto in 2017, Sydney in 2018, The Hague in 2022 and Dusseldorf in 2023.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, drinking beer at the Invictus Games.
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The Duchess sipped a refreshing pint next to her husband[/caption]
Prince Harry at the Invictus Games.
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Prince Harry’s Invictus Games are a key part of his life every time the event takes place[/caption]

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British Gas, Octopus Energy, EDF and OVO customers urged to find secret boiler button that could cut £120 off bills

CUSTOMERS of major energy suppliers are being urged to check a secret boiler button that that could slash energy bills by as much as £120 a year.

With temperatures remaining low the cost of heating is top of many people’s minds – but there are easy ways to save.

Hand adjusting thermostat overlaid with rising energy cost graph.
Getty
Boilers have a temperature control button separate to your thermostat[/caption]

Boiler expert Joshua Houston from Greenmatch, a company that offers green energy services like heat pumps and double glazing, shared an important tip that can shave £10 a month of bills.

He said: ‘’February is a tough month. The increase in heating costs leaves us with less disposable income.

“But there are ways in which you can save a little bit of money. Even though £10 might not seem like a lot, it quickly adds up for you to spend on something else significant.” 

The tip involves reducing your “flow temperature” if you have a combi-boiler.

This can be found on your boiler’s control panel and involves adjusting the button.

Depending on the type of boiler you have, this can look like a dial that you can turn, or there may be a plus and minus button.

Reducing the flow temperature on your boiler can mean it works more efficiently by using less energy, and saving you money.

Joshua said: “You will also likely not notice a difference if the temperature is reduced by between 3-5°C.

“This simple trick can save you around 10% on your end-of-month bill, which equates to £10. Due to the low effort involved, it makes it a very easy way to keep cash in your pocket.”

When you press the button or dial down, you should see numbers on the display reduce.

This will reduce the temperature of the hot water coming out of your taps and circulating in your central heating system heating radiators.

Typically the standard setting is higher than it needs to be – 70 or 80 degrees Celsius – when they work more efficiency at 60 and will still keep you warm.

It won’t change the temperature setting on your thermostat, which is typically around 18 degrees Celsius.

If you have a water tank, beware stored hot water must be above 60 degrees Celsius to avoid legionnaire’s disease.

Energy prices are expected to rise again in April when the next price cap comes into effect, so cutting costs is more important than ever.

Experts at Cornwall Insights say the price cap, which applies to around 26million on standard tariffs, will increase to £1,784.91 a year.

The exact temperature to set your thermostat

ENERGY bills remain relatively high leaving many worrying over the thermostat.

Energy experts have revealed the exact temperature to set it at so that you can save cash and still keep warm.

When it comes to your thermostat, the Energy Saving Trust recommends you should set it to the “lowest comfortable temperature”.

For the majority of us, this is between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius.

It’s just the right balance between keeping your home warm, and keeping those energy bills as low as possible.

If you have your thermostat set at a higher temperature you can probably afford to turn it down and still keep cosy.

Of course, there are exceptions like anyone who is in ill health, and there is support available to cover extra costs.

Just by turning down the temp by a single degree, you could save as much as £100 a year.

If you cut it by more you will obviously make even bigger savings.

The Energy Saving Trust also says that you don’t need to turn your thermostat up when it is colder outside, the house will still heat up to the set temperature.

Currently it’s £1,738, which applied from January 1, and that was a 1% rise on the previous three months.

Remember though that the price cap is actually a cap on the unit price of gas and electric, and this number represents the typical dual fuel bill.

You can pay more or less than this depending on your usage. The price cap is adjusted every three months to reflect wholesale prices.

But some fixed energy deals could save you money as they are cheaper than the price cap.

Fixed deals are available for various periods, typically ranging from 12 to 24 months.

But taking out a fixed deal carries some risk of you paying more than those on the standard variable tariff if Ofgem’s energy price cap were to fall within your deal’s term.

How do I change my boiler’s flow setting?

For those with a combi-boiler, you’ll most likely have two dials on it – one for heating, and one for hot water.

The heating dial will most likely have a radiator icon on it, while the hot water dial will probably have a tap on it, according to The Heating Hub.

Nesta has created a handy step-by-step guide to turning down the heat on your boiler.

Boiler settings vary from model to model – so it’s a good idea to check the manual to find out exactly how to set yours.

If you have a hot water cylinder, you should keep the dial on 60c or more.

This is because hot water should be stored at a high enough temperature to stop bacteria like legionella from multiplying.

If you have a combi boiler, you don’t need to worry, legionella only breeds in standing water and combis keep it flowing.

Legionella bacteria flourishes between 20-45 degrees Celsius, so it’s important to store water at a higher temperature.

What energy bill help is available?

There's a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by.

If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.

This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.

If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.

Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.

But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.

For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.

British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.

You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.

EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.

Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).

The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.

Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.

Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.

 

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The real reason Donald Trump will NEVER boot Harry & ‘terrible’ Meghan out of US – & it’s all because of King Charles

HE’S quipped that he won’t deport Prince Harry from the US because the former royal has “got enough problems” with his “terrible” wife.

But the real reason Donald Trump will never force the Sussexes out of the country is actually thanks to a blossoming friendship with Harry’s father.

Donald Trump sitting at a desk in the Oval Office.
Donald Trump ruled out deporting Prince Harry because he ‘has enough problems with Meghan’
EPA
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle walking together.
Splash
Trump has previously called Prince Harry ‘whipped’ and accused him of ‘betraying the Queen’[/caption]

The Sun can reveal that it is thanks to his “warm relationship” with King Charles and his “respect” for the Royal Family that Trump won’t kick Harry out following a row about his visa application.

The President knows that if he were to deport Harry from California and his 14-bathroom mansion the 40-year-old royal would have nowhere to go, causing a headache for the King.  

A source said: “Having him back in the UK is actually harder than having him kept away in the USA.”

In public Trump has made it clear he has little time for the moaning Sussex duo calling Harry “whipped” and said he “betrayed the Queen” with his tell-all memoir and Netflix show.

He has also said “I’m not a fan” of Meghan and called her “nasty”.

Harry, meanwhile, was caught saying Trump had “blood on his hands” over environment policies and Meghan has previously called him “misogynistic” and “divisive”.

The Duke of Sussex’s right to live in the US is the focus of a court case over whether or not he lied about taking cocaine, marijuana and hallucinogens on his visa application.

But asked directly if he would deport Harry, the President said: “I’ll leave him alone”.

The King, 76, is in regular communication with The Donald after they struck up a rapport during his first term in office, including during his State Visit to the UK in June 2019.

They are said to share much in common and the King is known to write many letters to America, while Trump values the friendship with the King.

Trump has always spoken of his respect for the late Queen Elizabeth II and it seems he is keen to maintain a close relationship with the rest of her family.

In December, he boasted of meeting Prince William in Paris, where he claimed they had a “great, great talk” and declared the heir to the throne a “good looking guy”.

It is an ironic twist that after spending years blasting his brother and father it is their relationship with Trump that is keeping Harry safe.

Relations between William, Charles and Harry are still frosty, with Harry only given a 30 minute audience when he flew back to the UK in February 2024 following his father’s cancer diagnosis.

President Trump, Melania Trump, Prince Charles, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at Clarence House for tea.
PA
The Sun can reveal that Trump won’t kick Harry out due to his ‘warm relationship’ with King Charles and his ‘respect’ for the Royal Family[/caption]

When he returned to London in May, Harry reportedly turned down the chance to stay at Buckingham Palace – and was told his father was too busy to see him. 

After insults from the Sussex camp aimed at Kate and Camilla, only a public apology from outspoken Harry would begin mending any fences.

PRIVATE MESSAGES

But the Charles and Trump friendship is now key in Harry’s right to remain in California with Meghan and their two children Archie, 5. and Lilibet, 3.

A day before Trump’s inauguration King Charles sent a private message of congratulations.

It was understood to reflect the “enduring Special Relationship’ between the UK and USA.

The King also wrote a private message of support after Trump survived an assassination attempt.

The message was delivered via the UK embassy in Washington DC after Trump, who was running for President at the time, survived a shooting while he was speaking at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania in July last year.

Trump is also in line to receive his second State Visit to the UK.

Although there is “nothing in the diary” this year it is understood there are plans to roll out the red carpet.

Thanks to his UK links – his mother Mary was born on a remote Scottish island – Trump places much importance on his relationship with the country. 

Donald Trump at a political rally.
Getty
King Charles privately wrote to Donald Trump after he survived an assassination attempt[/caption]
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
The Mega Agency
Charles and Trump friendship’s is now key in Harry’s right to remain in California[/caption]

He has hailed his connection to Queen Elizabeth II insisting that he was “her favourite president”.

Last November, Trump wished the King well during his cancer fight and praised the “fantastic” Queen Elizabeth II.

Footage showed the US president-elect leafing through a glossy book of photographs while on a jet during the campaign.

Pointing to a picture of him and his wife Melania standing alongside the late Queen, he says: “This is with Queen Elizabeth, who was fantastic, by the way.”

He goes on: “These images – I mean, who has images like this? And these were relationships, too.”

The footage, part of former Fox News host Tucker Carlson’s docu-series Art of The Surge, shows Trump pictured with Charles and Camilla, who were then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall.

Having him back in the UK is actually harder than having him kept away in the USA.

Trump says: “Look, he’s now the King — here’s Charles with the guard. It’s a piece of history at the highest level. Look, it’s Charles, so beautiful.

“Hopefully he’s going to be well, because he’s a really good person. Camilla is fantastic. You get to know them so well.”

Charles and Trump are believed to have first met at a glitzy bash at New York‘s Museum of Modern Art during his and Camilla’s tour of North America in 2005.

They spent a lot of time together during Trump’s 2019 State Visit to the UK.

Charles and Camilla carried out the official welcome at Buckingham Palace garden and at the State Banquet.

The following day Charles and Camilla joined a dinner hosted by Trump at Winfield House in Regents Park.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games.
Reuters
In December, he boasted of meeting Prince William in Paris, where he claimed they had a ‘great, great talk’[/caption]
Queen Elizabeth II and Donald Trump inspecting a guard of honor at Windsor Castle.
Getty
Trump has always spoken of his respect for the late Queen Elizabeth II[/caption]

Trump later said: “He is really into climate change, and I think that’s great. I mean, I want that. I like that.”

A meeting between the two was scheduled to last only 15-minutes but Trump and Charles chatted for an hour and a half.

Trump later said that Charles ‘did most of the talking’.

The then-Prince of Wales stood shoulder-to-shoulder with the US President at the 75th anniversary of D-Day landings shortly afterwards, and Charles and Camilla also hosted Trump and Melania for tea at Clarence House.

The official meetings were the start of a warm cross-Atlantic friendship which is coming into fruition now Trump is back in office.

It is a far cry from his relationship with the Sussexes.

Last week, Trump weighed into Harry’s visa row when asked if he should be deported, saying: “I don’t want to do that. I’ll leave him alone. He’s got enough problems with his wife. She’s terrible.”

The following day Harry appeared to take a veiled swipe at Trump during his opening speech at the Invictus Games where he told competitors’ “courage, values, and humanity” deserved special acknowledgment at a time “when there is no shortage of crises, no absence of uncertainty, no lack of weak moral character in the world”.

Think tank The Heritage Foundation is still fighting in court for the US government to release Harry’s visa application.

DRUG CONCERNS

They are demanding to know whether Harry declared his drug taking during his application to live in the US in 2020.

Applicants are usually rejected if they have a history of drug taking – which raises questions over Harry, who revealed his use of cocaine, marijuana and hallucinogens in his memoir Spare and promotional interviews.

Harry has blasted the UK in the five years since he and Meghan fled to the US and is embroiled in an ongoing legal row against the Home Office over a decision to downgrade his taxpayer funded security.

He has not brought his children to the UK since the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022, meaning the King has only met Lilibet once in person.

While Harry is said to have hoped Charles would intervene on his behalf, sources close to the King say it would be “wholly inappropriate” for him to get involved.

Meanwhile Harry told Oprah Winfrey during a mental health series for Apple TV  in 2021 that he felt “tense” and “triggered” whenever he flew back to the UK.

Why did Prince Harry and Meghan Markle step back as senior working royals?

PRINCE Harry has always wanted out of the Royal Family and the repercussions will be felt for years, an expert has claimed.

The Duke of Sussex has lived in California with his wife Meghan Markle since 2020 after they dramatically quit their jobs as working royals and moved across the pond.

Katie Nicholl, who is Vanity Fair’s royal correspondent, told The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show that Megxit did not come as a surprise to her.

Speaking to The Sun’s Royal Editor Matt Wilkinson, the commentator explained: “Anyone who knows Harry is aware he’s always wanted a way out of the Royal Family.

“He’s said multiple times on the record that he wished he’d never been born a prince.

“I think he really is living the life he wants to now. It’s very, very sad that it’s played out the way it has.”

In a statement made on the Sussexes’ Instagram account as they stepped back in 2020, the pair wrote: “After many months of reflection and internal discussions, we have chosen to make a transition this year in starting to carve out a progressive new role within this institution.

“We intend to step back as ‘senior’ members of the Royal Family and work to become financially independent, while continuing to fully support Her Majesty The Queen.

“It is with your encouragement, particularly over the last few years, that we feel prepared to make this adjustment.

“We now plan to balance our time between the United Kingdom and North America, continuing to honour our duty to The Queen, the Commonwealth, and our patronages.

“This geographic balance will enable us to raise our son with an appreciation for the royal tradition into which he was born, while also providing our family with the space to focus on the next chapter, including the launch of our new charitable entity.”

And their $100m Netflix show ‘Harry & Meghan’ caused controversy when it branded the Commonwealth, much loved by the late Queen, as ‘Empire 2.0’.

Academic Afua Hirsch gave the association of nations the label, while author Kehinde Andrews claimed ‘nothing has changed’ from the UK’s colonial past, apart from the Royal Family’s ‘better PR’. 

Many saw the comments as an attack on the Queen’s legacy by the Sussexes, who had previously served as 

President and Vice President of the Queen’s Commonwealth Trust, which supports youth empowerment in Commonwealth countries until they lost their patronages during Megxit

It seems that Harry and Meghan don’t want to be back in Britain – and many Brits don’t want them back either.

So it’s good news for everyone that the King and President Trump have such a special relationship.

Prince Harry interacting with a young girl in traditional Indigenous clothing.
Getty
Harry appeared to take a veiled swipe at Trump during his opening speech at the Invictus Games[/caption]
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at the Invictus Games.
Getty
It seems that Harry and Meghan don’t want to be back in Britain – and many Brits don’t want them back either[/caption]

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Man City vs Real Madrid LIVE SCORE: Champions League updates as European giants clash after Brest vs PSG – latest

MANCHESTER CITY welcome Real Madrid to the Etihad for the first leg of their Champions League knockout phase play-off TONIGHT.

Pep Guardiola‘s side will be looking to take a lead to the Spanish capital as they will know the European kings will be tough to beat on their own patch next week.

A last-16 clash with either Atletico Madrid or Bayer Leverkusen awaits the winner over two legs.

However, we will first have LIVE COVERAGE from the All-French clash in France, where Paris Saint-Germain have travelled to face Brest.

  • Kick off time: 8pm GMT
  • TV/Stream: Amazon Prime Video
  • Man City team: To follow…
  • Real Madrid team: To follow…

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