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KATE Meyrick embarked on building a nightclub empire as the Great War came to an end — earning a reputation as “The most dangerous woman in London.”

Here we take a look at the life and crimes of the entrepreneurial trailblazer, which have been dramatised in the BBC’s Dope girls.

Rex

Who was Kate Meyrick?

Kate Meyrick was born Kate Evelyn Nason in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, on August 7, 1875.

She was an infamous club owner who became known as the “Queen of the Night” in 1920s London.

Her journey from a respectable doctor’s wife to a notorious nightclub proprietor began after her separation from her husband in 1918.

As the single mother of eight children, she found herself struggling financially with a weekly allowance of less than £1.

Determined to support her family, in 1919 she entered the nightclub business, opening her first venue — Dalton’s in Leicester Square.

Rise to prominence

Over the next decade, Kate became a central figure in London’s vibrant nightlife scene.

She operated several clubs, including the famous 43 Club on Gerrard Street, which attracted gangsters, call girls and IRA members.

It also welcomed showbiz stars such as Hollywood bigshots Rudolf Valentino and Talllulah Bankhead.

She scandalised society by creating safe spaces where, behind closed doors, women could also indulge in sex and booze, and gained a reputation as “The most dangerous woman in London”.

Kate’s illicit empire of nightspots were locations where hedonists could also access the booming recreational drugs market.

Prostitution was rife and girls inside her clubs were known as Meyricks Merrye Maids.

Novelist Evelyn Waugh even used Kate as the inspiration for the character of Ma Mayfield — who ran a club called the Old Hundredth — in his 1945 novel Brideshead Revisited.

‘Ma’ Meyrick’s establishment was often infiltrated by police in evening clothes, posing as the tipsy aftermath of regimental dinners or bachelor parties

David NivenThe Moon’s A Balloon

In his autobiography, actor David Niven opened up about losing his virginity at the age of 14 to Nessie — a 17-year old dancer from the 43 Club.

He wrote in 1971 memoir The Moon’s A Balloon: “She had to be on hand in evening dress as a ‘dancing partner’, making a fuss of the rather high-class clientele and persuading them to buy champagne at exorbitant prices.

“She was not allowed to solicit on the premises — a rule that was strictly enforced because ‘Ma’ Meyrick’s establishment was often infiltrated by police in evening clothes, posing as the tipsy aftermath of regimental dinners or bachelor parties.

“But contacts were easily enough made and Nessie soon built up the basis of an enthusiastic clientele.”

Kate is understood to have made as much as £500,000 during her impressive — equivalent to roughly £17million today.

Legal troubles

Kate’s career was marked by frequent run-ins with the law.

She served five prison sentences and faced numerous fines for violating licensing regulations and selling alcohol illegally.

Despite these setbacks, she continued to operate her clubs, often reopening them under different names shortly after being shut down.

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Kate Meyrick pictured with two of her daughters in Monte Carlo[/caption]

She passed away on January 19, 1933, at the age of 57.

Her funeral took place in famed West End church St Martin-in-the-Fields, and theatres and clubs dimmed their lights out of respect.

Dope Girls

The BBC‘s drama series Dope Girls was partly inspired by Kate’s story.

While she herself was not involved in drug trafficking, the series draws on the broader context of female-led criminal enterprises in early 20th century London.

BBC

Dope Girls was partly inspired by Kate Meyrick’s story[/caption]

The show explores the story of a conservative, god-fearing 42-year-old single mother who builds a nightclub empire, mirroring aspects of Kate’s life.

The dark six-part series is based on Marek Kohn’s 1992 book Dope Girls: The Birth of the British Drug Underground, which follows the penniless women as they hit up the underground Soho club scene.

Despite its title, the book is not about drug gangs run by women.

However, in reality there are no records of female-led drugs gangs in London during this period — so there may not have been any at all.

The Forty Elephants was a notorious all-female gang that operated in London from the 1870s through the 1920s and beyond.

Led by Alice Diamond in the 1920s, they specialised in shoplifting luxury goods.

They broke away from the male-led Forty Theives gang, which operated from the London borough of Elephant & Castle.

MORE dodgy box operators are being identified than ever before with thousands of users affected in a new crackdown.

There were 13 legal notices delivered via post, email and in person to dodgy box providers and operators ordering them to stop their illegal streaming services.

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The notices were served in Dublin, Cork, Donegal, Offaly, Limerick, Louth, Clare, Westmeath and Laois, with the operation successfully resulting in the shut down of social media pages, services and subscriptions being stopped and paid settlements agreed.

Kieron Sharp, Chairman of FACT, has vowed to take action to “identify and take action against Illegal IPTV service providers.”

He said: “Together with our partners we will continue to identify and take action against Illegal IPTV service providers.

“They are breaking the law, making criminal profits and putting consumers at real risk of malware, data loss and identity theft.

“We want to protect consumers from these risks and operations such as this ensure the message goes out.

“It is not scaremongering; these are real criminal actions which consumers and their families are exposed to.

“These investigations and operations will continue this new year.”

Since March 2023, almost 70 illegal services across the country have been shut down.

FACT supports the consumer campaign BeStreamWise which aims to educate customers on the risks associated with owning one of these illegal boxes.

This latest crackdown is the fourth wave of action to date, with operations to continue into 2025.

The 13 providers were issued with the notices in December 2024.

The efforts have had a major impact on the “piracy landscape” in Ireland.

This has seen tens of thousands of end-users who would have watched the streams no longer able to access the illegal content.

Offences relating to these illegal streaming services and devices are being taken seriously with harsh sentencing being implemented.

In July 2024 a man, 42, was sentenced to 16 months in prison by Naas Circuit Criminal Court.

The man received a the jail time for operating an illegal dodgy box TV streaming service, King Kong Media and possession of over €900,000 in criminal proceeds.

The proceedings followed an investigation initiated by Sky’s Anti-Piracy team.

And in October 2024 a Derry man was sentenced to four years at Omagh Crown Court, for running an illegal streaming TV company.

He pleaded guilty to several fraud charges dating back to 2016 and his wife, 34, was also sentenced for crimes associated to her husband’s affairs.

MEGHAN Markle’s sudden company rebrand is a “huge faux pas”, especially when she’s got major backers like Netflix to keep happy, says an expert.

The Duchess of Sussex announced on Instagram her upcoming lifestyle company American Riviera Orchard is changing its name to As Ever weeks before the launch.

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Meghan Markle in the new video[/caption]

Instagram

Harry can be heard off camera telling her ‘it’s recording’[/caption]

It comes after a royal expert told The Sun, the name change exemplifies how Meghan is always “jumping in” without enough thought – and said the inclusion of Lilibet is shameless.

The duchess, 43, is due to tie in the brand with her upcoming cookery show With Love, Meghan for the streaming giant.

Some products, including homemade jams, have already been sent to Meghan’s pals with the old branding.

The name hit a stumbling block last year after the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) partially refused a trademark application for its name.

Meghan was told by officials she can’t have exclusive rights to the term “American Riviera” because it is a commonly used place name to describe Santa Barbara, where the duchess grew up. 

Nick Ede, brand and culture expert, told The Sun: “It’s a pretty big issue. If you’re going to be doing a deal with Netflix – making millions for yourself, but also for somebody else… 

“This huge faux pas where you’ve literally [sent out] your jams with the label saying American Riviera Orchard, and you’ve also created an Instagram site and a website.

“That’s a really big business issue, and because it’s being played publicly, obviously so many people are discussing it.

“It really looks like the business has flopped before it’s even [launched].”

Mr Ede also said to be having to change tact in such a huge way so quickly “is crazy for a brand that’s actually not even been released yet”.

“So it just feels like a really bad faulty start that she had and hopefully this new rebrand will do well, but I think time will tell,” he added.

No products have yet been made available to purchase, and the ‘As Ever’ name was registered in 2022.

Meghan didn’t touch on the specifics of why she’d changed the brand name in her announcement video, instead suggesting it was solely down to avoiding “limiting” what she could sell.

Mr Ede said: “I do think that maybe she should have just been as honest as possible about the trademark issues.”

Meghan also referred to her old lifestyle blog The Tig, which was taken down after she became a working royal in 2018.

Mr Ede said it could prove a difficult sell because the average person probably never knew about the defunct blog until after it was pulled.

“Who remembers The Tig?” he said. “It wasn’t particularly big, it didn’t go across the world…

“Are the fans of Meghan, who used to know her for The Tig still the same fans who used to buy into her? Do they still buy into her? 

“I think it’s a very different world now, and I think maybe she’ll come up against that, because people might not believe or buy into what she’s talking about.”

He went on to say, “one of the biggest hurdles is actually Meghan herself”, referring to how she appears to live in a bubble when it comes to making business decisions.

“She talks about going back to her glory days… like I’m going back to basics guys. 

“Well, actually, they don’t know where your basics are, because one of your basics is you were in the Royal Family. Next is, you’re an actress. 

“Next is that you’re a charity ambassador, and the next is that you’re slagging off a lot of people. So who are you?”

Mr Ede said the success of the upcoming show can’t be understated because its popularity is largely going to decide if As Ever can stay afloat.

“There’s no identity to it yet,” he said.

“There’s a lot that’s relying on this, and yes, you might get eyeballs on a TV show. But does that convert to sales? I’m not too sure whether it does.” 

Mr Ede said “everything is really hinging” on the Netflix show. “It’s so important for her to have this successful,” he explained. 

“It’s so important for Netflix to have people watching it, and you know Netflix are gambling at the moment with creating their own shopping environments, their own standalone stores, etc, which they’re piloting at moment in America. 

“So for them this is really important for Megan to be part of their Netflix universe.”

Mr Ede said another issue is people backing a new brand will be talking about “bragging rights”.

“Your bragging rights is when you say that you’ve got something, and you kind of feel that you’re a little bit elevated because you have it. 

“Do you have bragging rights in having something that Meghan Markle’s put her name to? 

“I don’t think at the moment people do, because she polarises so many people. She’s not this ubiquitously loved person.”

The Mega Agency

Meghan and Prince Harry during Invictus Games in Vancouver last week[/caption]

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Some people have accused the mum-of-two for making it the ‘Meghan show’[/caption]

COURTESY OF NETFLIX

The trailer for With Love, Meghan has been released, with the show launching next month[/caption]

DIVING into your iPhone settings might sound a bit dull way to spend an afternoon – but it could help you to free up loads of storage space.

There’s an easy-to-miss iPhone menu that does the job perfectly (I tried it out and saved loads of space), and it’s nowhere near the iPhone Storage settings.

Apple

It’s February, which means that it’s time for an iPhone spring clean[/caption]

Sean Keach / The Sun

You’ll want to head down into your iCloud settings[/caption]

That’s because the storage you’re saving isn’t physically on your iPhone, but in the cloud.

Your iCloud storage is where all of your backed-up content is held, including those precious photos, videos, and texts.

If you ever lost your iPhone, it’d be these iCloud back-ups that would save you from the despair of saying goodbye to those beloved files.

Sadly that iCloud storage can fill up pretty quickly – and getting more will cost you money.

You only get 5GB of iCloud storage for free, and updating to 50GB comes with a £0.99 / $0.99 fee.

This upgrades your account to iCloud+, which has some bonus perks (including a way to hide your email adress to limit spam).

And the top level of iCloud+ for £54.99 / $59.99 gets you a mammoth 12TB of storage.

But before you go forking out on extra storage, head into your settings to see if you can free up space.

EASY TRICK TO FREE ICLOUD STORAGE SPACE

One of the big reasons why your iCloud storage might be running low is old back-ups you don’t need anymore.

This will be linked to you having used a different iPhone previously.

Your iCloud might still be holding on to one of those back-ups, in addition to the back-up for your current iPhone.

And if you go into your iCloud settings, you can check for this.

I did just that, and managed to free up just under 90GB (gigabytes) of storage space.

Netflix says that a single gigabyte of downloaded content is equivalent to six hours of telly.

Sean Keach / The Sun

So I saved the equivalent of nearly 540 hours of TV – or just over 22 days’ worth.

To find these back-ups, you’ve got two easy options.

One is to go into Settings > iCloud > Recommended For You and then look for Delete Inactive Backups.

This will only appear if you actually have any inactive back-ups available to delete.

Sean Keach / The Sun

You can review inactive back-ups and delete them in an instant[/caption]

Another option is to go into Settings > iCloud > Backup > All Device Backups.

That’s where you’ll be able to see a list of all of the back-ups that you’ve got saving to iCloud.

And if you find that you have any redundant ones that aren’t in use any more, feel free to remove them.

Just make sure that you’re not getting rid of your main back-ups where all of your current files are being saved.

If you do that and you still don’t have enough storage, you could always upgrade your iCloud to one of the more premium iCloud+ plans.

As well as bonus storage, Apple says that you get the following perks:

• Automatic Syncing – Sync and access your data across all your devices.
• iCloud Private Relay – Keep your Safari browsing private.
• Hide My Email – Keep your personal email address private.
• Custom Email Domain – Personalize your iCloud email address with a custom domain.
• HomeKit Secure Video – Store, analyze, and view encrypted video from your home security cameras.
• Family Sharing – Share an iCloud+ plan with up to five family members.
• Apple Invites – Create unique invitations and manage events.

The Apple Invites app was only released this month – and we’ve already tested it out.

Sean Keach / The Sun

Make sure you only delete unwanted back-ups – and not your current ones[/caption]

But if you want to stick to the free iCloud tier, you won’t get those perks – and will have your storage capped at 5GB.

SCOTTISH clubs can often struggle to attract offers for their players for a decent valuation.

Youngsters are regularly snapped up early by English clubs, with valuable players tending to see out their contracts and leave for free or be secured for a fraction of their perceived worth.

Kenny Ramsay

Some fans have called for the 18-year-old to play for the national team, just like Rangers youngster Connor Barron[/caption]

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Motherwell’s Lennon Miller has attracted interest from all over Europe[/caption]

Calvin Ramsay and Bojan Miovski both recently left Aberdeen for upwards of £6.5m, and Celtic have had big paydays recently thanks to the likes of Jota and Matt O’Riley.

But with the non-Old Firm record sale being Craig Gordon‘s £9m switch from Hearts to Sunderland in 2007, it’s clear Scottish teams generally struggle to bag the tens of millions that teams in England and other major leagues do.

Possibly the nation’s hottest young commodity at the moment is Motherwell midfielder Lennon Miller.

He’s been in and out with injury, but when he has been able to play the talent he has is clear for all to see, with many fans believing he is long deserving of a senior Scotland call up.

His performances have attracted interest from all over, with it being reported in the most recent window that huge bids were rejected from Celtic, Udinese, and Union Saint-Gilloise.

It is also believed there was interest from Rangers and Southampton, but the Well’s chairman made it clear they wanted to keep and develop him for longer.

With the teenager contracted until 2026, the club are holding out to obliterate their previous record of £3m for David Turnbull to Celtic if they are to sell him.

Hearts legend Michael Stewart has said he believes the Fir Park side would be lucky to scrape £5m for the starlet despite being worth triple that.

With over 60 appearances for the Steelmen at just 18 years old, the Premier Sports pundit says the perception of Scottish football means the club are at a disadvantage in negotiating.

Speaking on the Scottish Football Social Club podcast, he argued: “I think the sell-on clause is an absolute guaranteed stick on, they’ll get that. I’m not sure they’ll get £5-6m unfortunately.

“I think it will be slightly lower but with a big sell-on. I think it will be around that (£4m) figure with a big sell-on clause.

“Look, we can argue and debate about this all day long – his value is whatever anyone is willing to pay.

“But we look at it objectively, Lennon Miller – his age, profile, all that sort of thing – there’s no question in my mind that he is comparative with players down south that will go for £14-15m, seriously!

“But it’s like a housing market. You take a cracking house that is not on the most attractive street, there’s a ceiling price.

“Move it on to a different street, it’s the same house but on a different street, all of a sudden it’s through the roof.

“That’s what happens with Scottish football unfortunately. There’s a ceiling that people are not willing to go beyond at times.”

Fellow pundit and Rangers legend Alan Hutton disagreed, believing his potential should attract upwards of £5m.

Miller has made five appearances for Scotland U21s, winning just one of those games.

But he’s earned comparisons to Rangers‘ Connor Barron who has had senior national team opportunities, or Luke McCowan who has shone for Celtic and Dundee and has earned shouts for a call up.

The development and potential sale of the young talent will now be dictated by a new manager, as Michael Wimmer recently replaced Stuart Kettlewell at Fir Park after he stepped down.

Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page

PRINCE Harry may have left the royal family to live in Hollywood but he still “wants the best of both worlds”, according to a royal expert.

Ex-home office minister Norman Baker claimed on The Sun’s Royal Exclusive show that the Duke of Sussex still wants benefits from his HRH title, despite stepping back from royal duties.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020[/caption]

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A recent Sun poll found the majority of readers saw the couple as ‘celebrities’ instead of royals[/caption]

Royal author Norman claimed on the show: “Harry wants the best of both worlds. 

“He wants to be a celebrity or independent of the royal family, ‘I’m no longer part of this family.’

“But he also wants to be called HRH, and all the benefits that flow from that.”

The former MP added: “I think he’s entitled to leave the royal family if he wants to. 

“Nobody should be imprisoned by that if they don’t want to be there. 

“But he can’t then hang on to the bits he wants and abandon the bits he doesn’t want, it doesn’t work that way. 

“He’s just got to accept that, leaving the royal family, you should abandon HRH.”

This follows The Sun conducting a poll asking readers if they considered Harry and Meghan to be “royal” or “celebrities”.

This follows them stepping back from duties in 2020 and now living in California with Prince Archie, five, and Princess Lilibet, three.

The results showed 41 per cent see them as “celebrities”, 19 per cent see them as “royals” and 40 per cent see them as “commoners or non-Royals.”

Following the Sussexes stepping back, an official statement from Buckingham Palace confirmed: “The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family.”

The Duke of Sussex was said to be “upset” at the prospect of losing his titles and patronages – with the palace confirming he would no longer hold the honorary positions.

The couple had around 18 royal and private patronages until the Palace’s announcement.

By August 2023, Prince Harry’s HRH title was quietly removed from the royal family website, although they kept their Duke and Duchess of Sussex titles.

AP

After stepping back from royal duties, they are no longer able to use their HRH titles[/caption]

HRH change

After Harry and Meghan’s “stepping back” from royal duties, they no longer receive financial support from the Sovereign Grant and are considered financially independent.

Prince Harry is to appear in court to appeal a High Court judgement that upholds a Home Office decision to downgrade his security, following him no longer being a senior working royal.

Despite not being able to use their HRH titles, they have used their Sussex titles for a number of their post-royal ventures.

This includes the upcoming lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard which is “by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex⁣⁣⁣.”

Meanwhile, their recent Polo series on Netflix was credited as being “executive produced by Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”

And the upcoming With Love, Meghan Netflix show is described as “Meghan, Duchess of Sussex invites friends and famous guests to a beautiful California estate, where she shares cooking, gardening and hosting tips.”

Prince Harry has also done a tell-all memoir called Spare giving details about the royal family.

The Duke of Sussex claimed he was knocked to the ground in a row with brother William who, he says, had called Meghan “rude” and “difficult”.

Last year, the couple jetted to Colombia in a visit that was branded a “faux-royal” tour after an invite from the country’s Vice President Francia Márquez.

The Colombia visit did give the couple a chance to champion some topics that are key in their charitable foundation Archewell.

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The couple did a ‘faux royal’ tour of Colombia last year[/caption]

PA

Harry has also released an autobiography called Spare[/caption]

ROYAL fans have accused Meghan Markle of copying a logo for her new rebrand as an expert blasted “it’s another headache” for her team.

It has been claimed the Duchess of Sussex may have “copyright issues” after she announced her latest venture, As Ever, this morning.

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Meghan announced her rebrand As Ever to Instagram followers this morning[/caption]

Eagle-eyed fans have spotted similarities between her logo and the Coat of Arms of Porreres in Majorca.

Reddit users were quick to post the two designs side-by-side, showing both contain a palm tree and two birds.

Nick Ede, a brand and culture expert, told The Sun: “Yes the logo that she has used for the new brand As Ever is clearly very similar to the coat of arms for an area of Majorca.

“This is another brand set back as it looks like its been copied rather than a whole new brand identity created.

“This may potentially create copyright issues and a further headache for Meghan and her team.”

In response to the social media post, one fan said: “What is she doing. Girl just stop.”

“She is no longer rational and in panic mode is trying anything. Hanging on by her fingernails. Desperation, your name is Meghan,” wrote another.

A third slammed “that is a complete plagiarised logo”.

This comes just hours after Meghan announced to followers she was “thrilled” to introduce them to As Ever.

In her new Instagram post, she said: “Some of you may have heard whispers about what I’ve been creating. In two weeks, my series on @netflix launches — but there’s something else I’ve been working on.

“I’m thrilled to introduce you to As Ever — a brand that I created and have poured my heart into.

“‘As ever’ means ‘as it’s always been’ or some even say ‘in the same way as always’.

“If you’ve followed along since my days of creating The Tig, you’ll know this couldn’t be truer for me.

“This new chapter is an extension of what has always been my love language, beautifully weaving together everything I cherish — food, gardening, entertaining, thoughtful living, and finding joy in the everyday.

“I will keep sharing behind the scenes tidbits with you here as we ramp up to launch, and I can’t wait for you to get your hands on everything we’ve been creating. Sending lots of love…“

And people were quick to notice the mum-of-two had been signing off her previous Instagram posts with “As Ever, Meghan”.

The cryptic message now appears to have been a hint of the up coming launch.

The new As Ever website features a photo of Harry and Meg’s rarely seen daughter Lilibet, three.

Meghan’s lifestyle brand had originally been called American Riviera Orchard, a nickname for where she grew up in Santa Barbara.

But this had sparked several trademark issues, as previously reported.

Meghan did not mention such matters in her video, however, instead said the name “limited” her to selling items manufactured only from the area.

As Ever, the duchess explained, was secured in 2022.

She promised fans she will still be selling jams, saying “my jam is my jam”, but As Ever opens up more opportunities and is tied to her upcoming Netflix show With Love, Meghan.

This re-brand comes after Meghan was instructed by officials she can’t have exclusive rights to ‘American Riviera’ because it is a commonly used place name to describe the California coast.

Further obstacles included Meghan and her team filling in the official forms incorrectly, and failing to send enough cash.

And their application wasn’t even signed.

Her team, led by top US attorney Marjorie Witter Norman under Meghan’s fledgling Mama Knows Best LLC firm, applied to the Patent and Trademark Office in the States for legal protection to exclusively trade using the name ‘American Riviera Orchard’.

But the application, filed in March, was rejected leaving her with just three months to amend the request – or it will be removed from the register.

And, this is not the first time Meghan has faced allegations of plagiarism in her new ventures.

The Duchess was accused of copying recipes and Princess Kate’s beekeeping in her new Netflix show.

With Love, Meghan, which airs on March 4, will consist of eight 33 minute episodes featuring a host of Meg’s various Hollywood friends trying her simple, yet “elevated”, food.

A montage of various clips in the nearly two minute video showed Meghan walking through vegetable patches and fields.

She was also filmed browsing florists and hand selecting beautiful flowers for table arrangements, showing off her creative side.

The Duchess even tried her hand at beekeeping, fully suited up, as she collected honey.

But eagle-eyed viewers have already pointed out a number of uncanny similarities to old recipes and shows following the trailer’s release.

Many online believed that the style of the Netflix release was far too similar to others in what has been branded a “copycat” move.

And Meghan’s beekeeping was noted for also being one of Princess Kate’s favourite hobbies.

The Princess of Wales was snapped tending to her own beehive at Anmer Hall in Norfolk in May 2023 to mark World Bee Day, and is known for producing her own honey.

Queen Camilla also keeps bees at her retreat in Wiltshire and is actively involved in the charity Bees For Development, which works to protect bee habitats worldwide.

One viewer tweeted: “If anyone wanted to read between the lines, this is yet another opportunity for Netflix, Reed Hastings and Markle to continue trolling the British monarchy, since all Meghan is trying to do is to imitate an English lifestyle, dressing and keeping bees like Catherine.”

Another wrote: “And you know who keeps bees? Princess Catherine at her home in Amner Hall.

“It’s one of her passions. Meghan has never had an original idea ever.”

But that’s not the only thing raising eyebrows.

Some fans are even drawing comparisons between Meghan’s show and Emma’s Kitchen, a YouTube series hosted by Celebrity MasterChef star Emma Weymouth, Marchioness of Bath.

Emma – formally known as Emma Thynn – launched her cooking brand back in 2015.

The Marchioness often films her dishes in the kitchens of Longleat House and some viewers say the set-up in Meghan’s trailer looks suspiciously similar.

One viewer wrote: “Why is Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex trying to channel Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath?

During the trailer, one dish also caught the attention of sharp viewers.

Meghan was seen preparing a “Ladybug” appetiser — a dish that’s been circulating online for years.

Food blogs and Pinterest pages have featured the same recipe since 2015, and it also appeared in First For Women magazine in 2018.

In 2023, even TikTok’s Home Cooks World posted a recipe for it which includes a baguette, pesto, mozzarella, basil, cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, sesame seeds, and olive oil.

The Duchess’ team were contacted for comment.

HAAS rookie Ollie Bearman FAILED his driving test on the first attempt – despite being an F2 racer at the time.

The 19-year-old burst onto the Formula One scene last year when he stepped in as a last-minute replacement for Carlos Sainz at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

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Oliver Bearman has revealed how he failed his driving test[/caption]

Sainz was forced to withdraw from the event after being diagnosed with appendicitis and undergoing surgery.

In replacing the Spaniard, Bearman became the youngest-ever driver to compete for Ferrari.

He qualified in 11th but managed to earn points in the race by finishing seventh.

Just four months after his F1 debut, the teenager earned a permanent seat with Haas and signed a multi-year contract.

He is now gearing up for his first full season on the grid.

Ahead of the 2025 launch event at the 02 Arena in London, Bearman was questioned about his driving test.

Sky Sports F1 commentator David Croft – also known as Crofty – asked him if he had passed.

The Haas star responded: “Luckily I passed it a few years ago since you can pass at 17 here, not 18, like in Italy, I did pass second time.”

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS

Crofty then went on to ask why he failed, to which Bearman replied: “I didn’t stop at a stop sign.

“But I didn’t blow it. I slowed down, but you know, like I was crawling, but you’re meant to stop.”

Bearman will partner Esteban Ocon for Haas this season.

Both will be in attendance at F1’s launch event on Tuesday evening.

THESE are the 11 “professionally performed amateurism” techniques used by Meghan Markle in her ‘As Ever’ launch video, a body language expert has claimed.

The “contrived outtakes” by the former Suits actress, who usually appears “eloquent” and “confident” in front of the camera, are indicative of a technique used by influencers to appear relatable and boost their likeability, says Judi James.

Instagram / @meghan

Instagram / @meghan

A video posted by the Duchess of Sussex to her 1.8 million Instagram followers gave viewers a sneak peak into the upcoming launch of her brand, ‘As Ever’.

The caption of her post read: “I’m thrilled to introduce you to As Ever — a brand that I created and have poured my heart into.

“I will keep sharing behind the scenes tidbits with you here as we ramp up to launch, and I can’t wait for you to get your hands on everything we’ve been creating.”

The Duchess’ candid video shows her sat outside in nature, wearing relaxed clothing and minimal makeup – worlds away from her usual glamorous and put-together appearance.

But body language expert Judi told Fabulous that key giveaways prove Meghan’s post is a further step for her into the “social media influencer world.”

One such clue is the fast-paced, jarring editing techniques used in the final clip, which features 14 cutaways and make it seem as though Meghan “can’t possibly sit still” long enough to do one take – a contrast to her usual “polished” delivery.

GETTY

GETTY

And Meghan’s “poor framing” implies she doesn’t know how to position the camera well, despite her extensive background in media.

This is further reinforced by the “bad camera angle” she uses, which make is seem “as though she’s gate-crashing her own scenes.”

And the Duke of Sussex’s inclusion is a tactic to show followers she’s “reliant on Harry,” initially depending on her husband to tell her when the camera is rolling, despite later switching the video function off herself.

This suggests “her state of ‘helplessness’ at the start was acquired,” Judi claims.

The expert questioned why Meghan chose to include herself asking her husband “is the camera on?” despite the final video “being spliced at least 14 times during its editing process.”

Meghan also shoots her partner a coy upward gaze at the start of the video, “letting us know she’s looking at Harry to show it is all a loving double-act.”

It could also be tell-tale that the Duchess of Sussex deliberately opens her video with a candid “outtake,” ensuring it’s the first impression given to viewers.

And it’s not just Meghan’s body language that indicates “deliberate amateurism,” says Judi, noting the disruptive background of Meghan’s video.

As the Duchess begins talking to the camera, she’s interrupted by her dog and casts a quick glance backwards to make sure the pet “won’t interrupt the scene.”

Despite knowing “all about professional movie sets,” Judi says it seems she “can suddenly hardly bear to make eye contact with the camera, looking away for long periods of time before glancing coyly up like an excited schoolgirl” and giving off airs of “shyness” and “diffidence.”

Getty

Getty

And Meghan’s child-like giggles continue as she appears “giddy with excitement” and lets out a “brief projectile laugh of glee,” relishing “that there has been ‘a lot of curiosity'” about her latest project.

Judi labels this “cute but not professional” and notes the Duchess’ “scrunched body pose” which she says suggests “a submissive approach.”

While Meghan’s relaxed choice of appearance, wearing a white shirt that looks “casually thrown on” and her hair “adorably unkempt” could be another purposeful choice to make her seem more relatable to followers.

Despite her confident demeanour during her wedding day, where she displayed “not one fiddling gesture to imply anxiety or a lack of self-confidence,” Meghan can be seen performing “auto-contact rituals including scratches, face-touches and fiddling with her foot,” which could be seen as an attempt to promote feelings of real friendship with the viewer.

And Meghan reveals her upcoming Netflix deal “with some coy fingering of her neckline, to again make this look like a very personal form of intimate secret-sharing.”

And the body language pro questions why Meghan can be seen turning the camera off herself at the end of the video, instead of editing this part out too.

These body language and filming techniques are popular among influencers, and for good reason.

Judi explains: “We buy products because we feel a friend has recommended them to us as individuals.

“It’s the current counterpoint to slick, glossy ads that go out prime time to capture and sell to the largest audience.”

Viewers react

But Meghan’s fans loved her fresh appearance and gushed over her latest video on X.

One user said: “As Ever! We are so happy for you Meghan. Best name ever.”

While another agreed: “OMG this is HUGE!”

Another cheered: “Megan looks beautiful, relaxed, joyful, young, I love it!”

While someone else commented: “She looks so beautiful – fresh, natural, and above all, HAPPY.”

WEST HAM UNITED legend Tony Cottee has hailed Evan Ferguson’s West Ham debut.

The Republic of Ireland striker impressed the former Hammers forward despite the 1-0 defeat to Brentford.

The Bettystown ace came off the bench at half-time in the Premier League defeat but made an instant impact for Graham Potter’s outfit.

Ferguson teed up Mohammed Kudus within seconds of his introduction, only for his teammate to squander the opportunity.

The loanee also came close to marking his maiden appearance with a goal.

And Cottee, who scored 146 goals across two spells with West Ham, reckons the Irishman has a solid presence about him.

Speaking to TalkSPORT, Cottee was excited that West Ham have signed a player who can lead the frontline.

The seven-time capped ex-England star said:“I saw someone leading the line. He looked fit, he looked sharp.

“He had a good effort where he hit it on the turn – if that had gone in, it would have been fantastic.”

“West Ham need a focal point. I can’t stand playing without a centre-forward – it absolutely does my head in.

“It’s hard for everyone – the defenders, the midfielders, the wide players—because they’ve got no focal point.

“As soon as Ferguson came on, West Ham had one.”

Ferguson, 20, joined the Hammers for the rest of the season from Brighton, reuniting with Graham Potter, who gave him his first-team debut at the Seagulls.

The two now reunite as Ferguson looks to relaunch his promising career in East London.

Ferguson made 13 league appearances under Fabian Hürzeler at Brighton this season, scoring just once before the loan switch to East London.