- Stephen Hawking's inspiring outlook on living with ALS
USA Today

Stephen Hawking has died at the age of 76, according to his family.

Here is a look back on his life as one of the world's foremost theoretical physicists. Stephen Hawking's lifetime of accomplishments that gained him worldwide fame and cultural icon status, had to be achieved in the face of a disease he lived with most of his life — ALS. Hawking died Wednesday at 76 following more than five decades with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease, or more commonly, Lou Gehrig's Disease. The condition affects nerves and the spinal cord, inhibiting a person's ability to move or communicate. Hawking quotes: Stephen Hawking's memorable quotes: 'We are just an advanced ...

Stephen Hawking's lifetime of accomplishments that gained him worldwide fame and cultural icon status had to be achieved in the face of a disease he lived with most of his life — ALS.

Hawking died Wednesday at 76 following more than five decades with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as motor neuron disease, or more commonly, Lou Gehrig's Disease. The condition affects nerves and the spinal cord, inhibiting a person's ability to move or communicate.

More on Hawking: Stephen Hawking, legendary physicist, dies at 76, family says

Hawking quotes: Stephen Hawking's memorable quotes: 'We are just an advanced breed of monkeys'

Both happened to Hawking, who used a wheelchair and spoke through a speech synthesizer for most of his life.

Hawking, in 2002, described his first symptoms, the initial doctor's appointments and a bit of reflection on his life. He explained it was a "great shock" to get the disease, which he said starts with "bad absorption of vitamins."

More on Hawking: Remembering Stephen Hawking: 5 things to know about the legendary physicist

More on Hawking's ALS: How did Stephen Hawking live so long with ALS?

"In my third year at Oxford (University), I noticed that I seemed to be getting more clumsy, and I fell over once or twice for no apparent reason," he told the British Medical Journal in 2002. "But it was not until I was at (the University of) Cambridge that my father noticed, and took me to the family doctor. He referred me to a specialist, and shortly after my 21st birthday, I went into hospital for tests."

At first, he wasn't given an ALS diagnosis. Doctors, he recalled, told him it was atypical and "not multiple sclerosis."

"I gathered, however, that they expected it to continue to get worse, and that there was nothing they could do, except give me vitamins," he told the journal. "I could see that they didn't expect them to have much effect. I didn't feel like asking for more details, because they were obviously bad."

he said.

However, he survived, allowing him to share his thoughts on everything from black holes, the Big Bang and the beginnings of the universe for decades. He also got married, had three children and had a movie made about him.

Meghan Markle attends the 2018 Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey in London, England
- March 12, 2018

Meghan Markle is making a huge impact on Prince Harry's lifestyle.

The Suits star is big on fitness and nutrition and it seems as if the 33-year-old royal is picking up on Meghan's healthy habits. Royal expert Katie Nicholl, author of Harry: Life, Loss, and Love, told ET on Thursday that Meghan has had a very positive influence on Harry, and that his friends even poke fun at him for adopting a healthier lifestyle.

"There's a park outside Kensington Palace and Meghan has been seen running a circuit there. She's often in and out of the gym," Nicholl explained. "Meghan is a complete fitness fanatic. She loves to run laps around Kensington gardens, which is just outside Kensington Palace. I'm told that she's a fan of a private members club that does intensive fitness training classes, it's called the Skinny Bitch Collective. She was introduced to it by her friend Millie Makintosh. She loves her yoga, in fact, she starts most mornings with a yoga ritual and that's rubbed off on Prince Harry."

"One of the things I was told by a friend of his for the book is that he's also getting into yoga. He likes to start his day with a green juice now, just like Meghan, and his friends all find this very amusing that he's turned into a bit of a fitness fanatic himself," she added. "You'll often see him visiting the gym and he's given up his beloved Marlboro Lights, or at least he's smoking less and he's drinking less. So Meghan and her green LA lifestyle I think have really rubbed off on the Prince, and for the better."

Not only is the bride-to-be making Harry workout and eat better, she's also making him smile more often and open up emotionally.

"I started charting Prince Harry's life 10 years ago now and there were tags that were attached to him," she explained. "He was a bit of wayward royal, you know, there was a bit of a rebel in him. I would say that Meghan has tamed him. I think Meghan has changed him for the better. I think she's helped get him more in touch with his emotional side and he is without a doubt a happier man with Meghan in his life."

"When I see him on engagements now he's smiling, he's always been enthusiastic. He's always been charming, that is part of Harry's appeal. But he seems so much happier," Nicholl added. "So much more ready to embrace the future and his royal role with someone to share the load with. He seems really to have met his match in Meghan."

Additionally, Nicholl told ET earlier this week that Harry knew he "had to up his game" after first meeting Meghan. The engaged couple hit it off rather quickly and, as we know, are now on their way to becoming husband and wife in a couple of months.

Harry is also looking to the future and ready to become a father.

"Prince Harry, particularly, is very keen to start a family, pretty soon after the royal wedding," Nicholl shared with ET on Tuesday. "He's made no secret about wanting children."

For more on the lovebirds' upcoming nuptials, watch below. And keep up with all of ET's coverage of the royal wedding right here as we count down to May 19.

Trump's new national security advisor has ties to Cambridge Analytica

Trump's third national security advisor, John Bolton, shares at least one

Trump's third national security advisor, John Bolton, shares at least one thing in common with his first one, Michael Flynn: both men have ties to Cambridge Analytica, a political data firm at the center of a new Facebook privacy firestorm.

In a new story, The New York Times reports that John Bolton's political action committee The John Bolton Super PAC hired Cambridge Analytica in August 2014, "months after the political data firm was founded and while it was still harvesting the Facebook data."

In Cambridge Analytica's early days, Bolton's PAC funneled $1.2 million toward polling and "behavioral microtargeting with psychographic messaging" over the course of two years.

"To do that work, Cambridge used Facebook data, according to the documents and two former employees familiar with the work," The New York Times reports.

That research supported candidates on the right, including Republican Thom Tillis's 2014 bid for the Senate. According to the report, Bolton's PAC was aware that the data came from Facebook users, though it's not clear if Bolton knew that the data was obtained through a Facebook developer without consent.

Cambridge Analytica continues to challenge reports that it held onto data improperly obtained. In a new statement, the company's acting CEO Alexander Tayler maintains the company's ignorance about the apparently unlawfully obtained data its parent company licensed from a Facebook developer:

    The company believed that the data had been obtained in line with Facebook’s terms of service and data protection laws...

    I became Chief Data Officer for Cambridge Analytica in October 2015. Shortly after, Facebook requested that we delete the data. We immediately deleted the raw data from our file server, and began the process of searching for and removing any of its derivatives in our system. When Facebook sought further assurances a year ago, we carried out an internal audit to make sure that all the data, all derivatives and backups had been deleted, and gave Facebook a certificate to this effect. Please can I be absolutely clear: we did not use any GSR data in the work we did in the 2016 US presidential election.

Like Cambridge Analytica, Bolton's PAC was a financial beneficiary of Robert Mercer, a conservative financier with considerable influence in the Trump administration.

    This article originally appeared on TechCrunch.

Vanity Fair
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle Make a Surprise Trip to a New Region

It’s not too frequently we are greeted, upon waking up, with a surprise royals appearance, as these things are generally scheduled way in advance and announced with fanfare. But this Friday, it was revealed Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were not just going to Northern Ireland for a series of appearances—they were already there. (Royal visits to Northern Ireland are generally not made public in advance due to security concerns.)

Harry and Meghan began their itinerary with a visit to Amazing the Space, an organization Harry launched last September that, per People, “encourages young people to become ambassadors for peace within their communities.” Then they made their way to the Crown Liquor Saloon, which sounds like a raucous club, but is, in fact, owned by the National Trust and is one of Belfast’s “most historic buildings.” They also visited a science park, and checked out Titanic Belfast, a tourist setup related to, yes, the Titanic.

Markle wore a cream sweater by Victoria Beckham and a green Greta Constantine skirt. The coat is from Mackage, and her purse is designed by Charlotte Elizabeth (not to be confused with Markle’s soon-to-be niece, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, unless the two-year-old already has a lifestyle brand-slash-clothing label, which honestly would not be too wild a shock). Having already received much attention for her “messy bun,” Markle is now making headlines for innovation in the space, sporting what is being called a “messy, low side bun.” (“Meghan Markle just broke another royal hair rule today,” they shout.)

Markle and Harry are, of course, due to be married on May 19, with invitations sent out Thursday, and official china newly unveiled. In a sweet bit of parallelism, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge also made a stop in Northern Ireland shortly before their wedding; in their case, they flipped some pancakes as part of their itinerary.

Meghan Markle’s Style: Her Classic Elements

Yoga Mats

Black Dresses

Crop tops

Jackets (Often Draped Over Shoulders)

Blazers

Shades

She looks gorgeous no matter what she wears.... and t isn't fair to compare her to the Duchess Catherine. They are two different people with two different personalities and two different styles! AND both of them are quite beautiful Ladies!

Prince Harry Is Reportedly Shedding for the Wedding, Thanks to Meghan Markle

With the Royal Wedding 2.0 now less than 60 days away (how time flies!), Prince Harry is apparently working hard to get in shape. Under the guidance of his messy bun–loving fiancée Meghan Markle, he’s quit reportedly smoking, started drinking less, been working out, and found a nutritionist — and he’s already lost 10 lbs as a result.

An “insider” told the New York Daily News that Markle has been helping the ginger prince on his path to getting his “soldier body” back since they announced their engagement in November. The Suits star has apparently been cooking healthy meals for the pair. She also encouraged him to give up smoking and cut back on his alcohol consumption for weight-loss, health and … uh … sperm reasons. (He reportedly wants to be a dad, like, yesterday.)

Inside Prince Harry’s Transformation from Party Prince to Philanthropic Fiancé

Hilary Weaver,Vanity Fair

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will get married on May 19. Since they announced their engagement last November, it has become the most highly anticipated royal event of the year. For her third book about the royal family, Vanity Fair contributor Katie Nicholl has published Harry: Life, Loss, and Love, a look at everything that led up to this major event in the beloved Harry’s life. She spoke to VF.com about why now is the right time for a book on Princess Diana’s second born.

What made you want to focus on Harry in particular for the third book in your royal trilogy?

I was looking at this young man and looking at this incredible renaissance that he’s in and seeing this relationship with Meghan going from strength to strength. I just thought it was the right time to do an in-depth book on him—and of course I’m not the first person to do a biography on Prince Harry—but, of course, this coincides with his engagement and his wedding. And it feels like, for me, a very exciting chapter in Prince Harry's life. So being able to chronicle it at this time in a biography has just been a wonderful opportunity.

When did you start working on the book?

The idea for the book came about in October/November [2016], and I pitched the ideas to my publishers. Even though it was early days, everything I had heard was that Harry had really fallen quite heavily for this actress. Hearing that confounded my feeling that this was all very, very timely and that there was every chance that the biography could coincide with a royal wedding. I was hearing even in the early stage that it was a really serious relationship. I started doing interviews in the new year of 2017 and started writing it probably about March, early April.

Did you try to publish the book around when you thought the wedding might be, or was that also very lucky?

We were very lucky with the timing of this book. But as I was writing it obviously the relationship was progressing at quite a speed, so I was very hopeful that there would be a royal engagement and announcements. It was a case of really bringing the publication day forward so that it worked with the royal wedding, of course, and bringing the book completely up to speed.

What were the difficulties with access for interviews?

As you can imagine, writing a biography on any member of the royal family isn’t an easy feat. They are incredibly private people. The royals don't grant interviews for books; it's really not the “done” thing. So, I was very reliant on my sources, and many of these were sources that I have had for many, many years, because, of course, I've been writing about the royal family for more than a decade.

I had a pretty good understanding of my subjects. Because I had set out to do a very positive piece of work, I think when people knew that my agenda was only positive, they were willing to speak to me.

What were those interviews about Harry like?

I must have spoken to about one hundred people for the book, and no one had a bad word to say about him. People really were very positive about him. There are clearly times in Harry's life when he has gone off the rails, and not all of the coverage has always been favorable. I did cover those in my book because they are part of his life. But for all the research in my book, for the most part, people were very positive. They portrayed a young man who is very genuine, very determined to use his role to do some good.

Katie Nicholl's latest book, Harry: Life, Loss, and Love.

Since you wrote the book about Harry and William in 2010, what, overall, just seems different about him and his character and the way he presents himself?

The prince I was writing about in 2010 is quite different than the Harry I found myself writing about in this book. This Harry is more confident. He’s more settled, and I think he’s more aware of his role and willing to embrace his destiny now. I think it was was a struggle for him when he was younger. I think it was a struggle because the line of duty would be a very daunting prospect, but he’s grown up.

One of the charity workers that I spoke to was very interesting, and compared being with Harry on Walking with the Wounded the first trip to the arctic and the second trip to the arctic. He said he noticed the real difference of Harry on that first trip and that second trip; he seemed more comfortable in his skin.

Since Harry been speaking out so much about his own mental health and advocating for other people with his mental-health charity, Heads Together, what effect do you think this has had on the connection he makes with people?

2017 was a watershed year for the royals, but for Harry in particular. For the first time, we heard him open up about the impact that the death of his mother had had on him as a young man. He was quite amazingly honest and incredibly brave in going on record so publicly in talking about his own mental-health issues.

I think we were all very surprised because we don’t expect royals to be so open, and we don’t expect them to be so normal, either. And I think it was apparent from those interviews that he’s just a normal man. In one of my chapters I talk about the “Harry Magic,” and his ability to empathize with people, his ability to connect, his willingness to be so open make him I think a very real and acceptable role model.

What do you expect will be different about this wedding in comparison to Kate and William's wedding?

I think that Harry and Meghan want it to be different not just from the 2011 royal wedding but from the other weddings that they've been to. She’s clearly a very modern, independent, and opinionated—in a good way—young woman. And I think that can only be a good thing, because I think she's going to bring a freshness to the royal family. Yes, she’s going to do things a bit differently, but you know what, from that perspective, so well suited to Harry. Because if you look at Harry, he's always done things a bit differently too. He’s always pushed royal boundaries. You know, his mother broke royal protocol in so many ways, and Harry is very much Diana’s son.

His courtship with Meghan was quick. Why do you think that was?

I think Harry just knew. He’d had two big serious romances. I went into both of those relationships in the book in quite a lot of detail—his relationships with Chelsy [Davy] and Cressida [Bonus]—and I was really interested in why both of those relationships didn’t end up in an engagement. I think when he met Meghan, he knew he’d met someone who was able to deal with the intense scrutiny that comes with being his girlfriend, someone with some real life experience, who could handle the media attention, and who loved him enough to make the sacrifices that the other women in his life haven't been.

I think he recognized pretty early on that there was a real connection with them right from the start. I think it was a real case of Harry knowing that there was something special about Meghan and you know, he was gonna do everything he could to make that work.

What did you find surprising in your research?

Without a doubt, Harry's time in Afghanistan. Obviously, there were cameras on both tours of Afghanistan, but I think really we only got a snapshot of his time out there, and I was really compelled by the accounts of some of the men that he served with in Afghanistan. I never realized what real danger Prince Harry was really in when he was out there on the front lines.

I loved learning about his sort of second home and the wonderful life that he can enjoy in Botswana. He’s described it as his spiritual home, and speaking to the people that know him, I think I know why it is so special to him, and I think it's wonderful that he's got a retreat sanctuary in Africa, which is a place thats so close to his heart.

Entertainment Tonight

Meghan Markle Is Bringing Back a No-Fuss Hairstyle That Anyone Can Replicate
Entertainment Tonight Jackie Willis‍ ‍,Entertainment Tonight Fri, Mar 23 7:32 PM GMT+

It doesn't necessarily take a hairstylist to get Meghan Markle's latest look.

On Friday, the 36-year-old actress and her fiance, Prince Harry, made a surprise appearance in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and once again all eyes were on the bride to be.

Meghan stepped out in a teal, fitted Greta Constantine skirt, brown pumps and an off-white sweater, but perhaps what was most astounding about her style is how she managed to make a messy side bun look so flawless.

This isn't the first time the Suits star has pulled off this casual hairstyle. In January, she also sported a low messy bun when she and Harry visited Cardiff Castle in Cardiff, Wales.

Royal expert Katie Nicholl tells ET that while Meghan's hair isn't always done up, she definitely seems to be getting some help with her look.

"If you compare Meghan at the Invictus Games [in September] -- when she turned up in ripped jeans and flat pumps with slightly messy hair -- to that very polished, poised performance at the Commonwealth Service, it looks very much to me as if there is someone behind the scenes helping her dress more royally," Nicholl noted. "She certainly seems to be opting for more conservative designers and really stepping up to the plate in terms of royal dressing and presenting herself as a future princess."

Meghan has looked to her future sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, for "advice on royal fashion and go-to designers," a source told ET earlier this month.

Another source further noted that the royal family is "embracing" Meghan ahead of her wedding to Harry on May 19.

"Both Kate and Camilla [Duchess of Cornwall] have been doing what they can to make sure Meghan knows she’s loved and supported as she navigates her life as a future royal," the source said, explaining that becoming a royal member can be isolating. "She’s been embraced by the royal family. She’s also been exploring various charitable avenues she'd like to pursue after she gets married."

Here are more details on the royal wedding, including Meghan's dress. Will she sport a messy bun on her big day?

Melissa Minton,Brides Fri, Mar 23 9:01 PM GMT+3

Meghan Markle Reportedly Doesn't Want to Upstage Kate Middleton's Iconic Wedding Dress

With Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's nuptials just around the corner, many details about the royal wedding have come to light. The invitations have been sent, the wedding cake flavor has been announced, and the venue for the May 19th event has been confirmed. But the final piece, and arguably one of the most important pieces of the big day, the wedding dress, has yet to be revealed, being kept under tight security and, in turn, fueling lots of the speculation. Now, royal expert Katie Nicholl is revealing some vague ideas about what the public can and can not expect from Markle.

“I think when it comes to her wedding dress, she knows that this is a very, very important dress,” the royal biographer explained to Entertainment Tonight. “It’s got to fit for the occasion, it’s got to suit the regal historical backdrop that is Windsor Castle." According to Nicholl's sources, fashion lovers can expect Markle's dress to bear a resemblance to Kate Middleton's choice, featuring both lace and sleeves. However, Markle is also reportedly taking the cost and style of Middleton's dress into consideration when picking her own.

“There have been reports that [Meghan’s] considering spending hundreds of thousands of pounds on a wedding dress. I think that’s incredibly unlikely,” Nicholl, who recently published the book Harry: Life, Loss, and Love said. “Kate Middleton's dress cost 150,000 pounds. It was her parents, Carol and Michael Middleton, who paid for that bill. I think it was very unlikely that Meghan would spend more than that and in doing so try and upstage a future queen.” She also added that Markle is well aware of criticism she might incur if she does choose something considered over-the-top. “I think Meghan is very sensible,” Nicholl explained. “She understands what the perception will be of this gown. I don’t think she's going to want to get royal life off to a start where she's criticized for spending something like 400,000 pounds on a wedding dress.” She also speculated that Markle might choose Stewart Parvin to design her dress, one of the queen's favorite couturiers.

Middleton, of course, wore Sarah Burton for Alexander Wang for her 2011 wedding to Prince William. It featured an ivory lace bodice with long sleeves and a satin skirt. No matter what Markle chooses, it's sure to be flawless. And Nicholl agrees: "I think it's gonna tick all the right boxes: traditional, elegant, sophisticated, memorable, and fitting.”

Royal Family Secrets Reveal Why Prince Charles Has Always Hated His Father

So much is said about Prince Charles and his relationship with his mother, Queen Elizabeth. But not as much is said about how Charles gets along with his father, Prince Philip. And while they appear to be close today, the relationship between the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales has a long history of being distant, difficult, and contentious. We take a long look back at what has shaped this relationship — and caused Prince Charles to constantly feud with his father.

For starters, they’re very different

They aren’t always on the same page. |
Justin Tallis – WPA Pool/Getty Images

Both Prince Charles and his father have openly recognized how their different personalities have shaped their difficult relationship.
Charles has referred to the relationship as “cold” and has said that he even felt bullied by his father at times.

What Prince Philip has said

Prince Philip has confirmed that they have different personality types. |
Yui Mok/AFP/Getty Images

When Prince Philip spoke to royal biographer Gyles Brandreth in 2016, he explained that his and his son’s personal characters were so different that they could never grow close. “He’s a romantic and I’m a pragmatist. That means we do see things differently,” Prince Philip reportedly said. “”And because I don’t see things as a romantic would, I’m unfeeling.”

Erin Reimel
March 25, 2018

Markle and Kate Middleton’s Wedding Invites

Royal Wedding Day (May 19) is less than two months away, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle had their invites sent out this week in preparation. Kensington Palace revealed the invitation on Twitter, and it turns out that there are some pretty noticeable differences between this one and the invitation sent out for Prince William and Kate Middleton back in 2011.

The biggest difference is actually in who sent the invitations, because (twist) the royal couples themselves did not. Sticking to protocol, invitations are instead sent on behalf of a member of the royal family. William and Kate's invite, for example, was sent as a command on behalf of The Queen. The invite reads, "The Lord Chamberlain was commanded by The Queen to invite ______."

Harry and Meghan's is less formal and sent as a request on behalf of Harry's father, Prince Charles. The invitation says, "His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, K.G., K.T., requests the pleasure of the company of ______."

The reason for Will and Kate's extra dash of formality could be because Prince William is currently second in line for the throne, after his father. He's much closer to be becoming king than his brother Harry, who will be sixth in line after William and Kate have their third child in April.

See for yourself:

Kensington Palace
✔
@KensingtonRoyal

The invitations follow many years of Royal tradition and have been made by @BarnardWestwood. They feature the Three-Feathered Badge of the Prince of Wales printed in gold ink.

5:31 PM - Mar 22, 2018 · Kensington, London

The invites also differ in design: William and Kate's had the reigning monarch’s crest at the top, while Harry and Meghan’s has the feathered badge of the Prince of Wales (due to the different family members who sent the invitations).

It's also interesting to see that Kate was referred to as "Miss Catherine Middleton," while Meghan was referred to as "Ms. Meghan Markle." The reason for this is unclear, but it could be due to Meghan having been divorced. There isn't an established formal etiquette for what name she should go by, so "Ms." may be her preference.

Otherwise, the dress code seems to be the same for both weddings: "uniform, morning coat or lounge suit." (We can't wait to check out all the hats.)

Despite the still-formal royal invitation etiquette, Harry and Meghan have a few untraditional plans in store for their wedding. There are reports that Meghan might have her mother walk her down the aisle and that she'd like to give a speech at the reception, which is unusual at a royal wedding.

Six hundred people were reportedly invited to the ceremony, which will take place at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. That will be followed by a lunchtime reception at St. George's Hall hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.

But don't expect festivities to stop there: Two hundred guests were invited to a reception at Frogmore House later in the evening, hosted by Prince Charles.

Needless to say, we're beyond ready to see it all unfold. In the meantime, we'll just keep checking our mailbox for that invitation...