The King sent delivered a heartwarming message to Sir David Attenborough at an event to mark his 100th birthday at the Royal Albert Hall this evening.
One of the most memorable moments saw a clip being played to the audience, which showed the monarch writing the national treasure 100th birthday card, that included well wishes from him and the Queen.
Charles is seen in a short film sitting at his desk in the library of Balmoral Castle with the Queen’s dog Moley keeping him company as he pens the personal note.
The film – premiered during Friday night’s live tribute to Sir David at the Royal Albert Hall – takes a magical turn as a cast of clever creatures ensure the special missive makes its way to the beloved naturalist.
Shorts – Quick stories
consumer
Revealed: How much it costs to run the UK’s favourite cars
Caption: File photo dated 01/06/20 of people viewing cars on the forecourt at Motorpoint showroom in Oldbury, West Midlands. The automotive industry has recorded this year’s first monthly increase in sales, following the reopening of dealerships. Some 174,887 cars were registered in July, up 11.3% compared with the same month in 2019. PA Photo. Issue date: Wednesday August 5, 2020. See PA story TRANSPORT Cars. Photo credit should read: Jacob King/PA Wire Photographer: Jacob King Provider: PA Source: PA Wire
With fuel prices soaring due to war in the Middle East, some car owners will be suffering more than others – including some of the nation’s most popular vehicles.
Top cars cost most
The UK’s most common car, the Ford Fiesta, is the second-most expensive vehicle to run, according to website car.co.uk. A million and a half drivers spend an average of £21.78 on fuel for these cars. This is topped only by over a million drivers of Vauxhall Corsas, who spend £22.86 a week.
It was in March 1905 that the Vauxhall company moved to Luton (Photo: Carl Court/Getty Images)
What about cheaper options?
Newer cars tend to be more efficient and cheaper to run
VW Golf 2025: £17.84
This was the 10th most popular new car of last year, and cheapest in the top 10.
MG HS 2025: £28.87
The most popular new car costs more to run than any other.
Explained
3 min read
Paul McCartney releases duet with Ringo Starr – what we know
The former bandmates released the song ‘Home to Us’ this morning ahead of Paul McCartney’s solo album, coming at the end of this month.
Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr added new parts to Now And Then, a new Beatles song inspired by a John Lennon demo tape (Photo: PA)
What you need t o know
The track is about, “where we came from”, according to McCartney, and was written in collaboration with Ringo Starr. It recalls their childhoods in Liverpool before The Beatles was formed in 1960 with a nostalgia for the stars’ “hometown”.
This is in keeping with the rest of McCartney’s new album, his first in five years, called The Boys of Dungeon Lane.
The Beatles in 1962. From left: Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr. (Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
FILM
5 min read
Solo careers
This is McCartney’s 27th post-Beatles album by some counts, with his first released the year the band split up. He has also written film scores and created music with his own band of music collaborators, Wings.
Caption: LOS ANGELES – MAY 1976: Founding member of the rock and roll band “The Beatles”, Paul McCartney, fronts his next band “Wings” in May 1976 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images) Photographer: Michael Ochs Archives Source: Michael Ochs Archives Caption: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 15: Ringo Starr performs with his All Star Band at The Greek Theatre on June 15, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images) Photographer: Kevin Winter Provider: Getty Images Source: Getty Images North America
Starr also launched his solo career as soon as the band split up. He released his most recent solo album – Long Long Road – last month, following on from his first album to reach No 1 last year.
Bonnie Tyler in induced coma after emergency surgery
The singer has been placed into a coma after she was rushed to hospital for urgent intestinal surgery, with well wishes pouring in from around the world.
Caption: MALMO, SWEDEN – MAY 17: Bonnie Tyler of the United Kingdom performs during a dress rehearsal ahead of the finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 at Malmo Arena on May 17, 2013 in Malmo, Sweden. (Photo by Ragnar Singsaas/Getty Images) Photographer: Ragnar Singsaas Provider: Getty Images Source: Getty Images Europe Copyright: 2013 Getty Images
What we know
Coma ‘to aid her recovery’
Caption: (FILES) British singer Gaynor Sullivan aka Bonnie Tyler poses with her medal after being appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) during an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on February 1, 2023. Husky-voiced Welsh singer Bonnie Tyler was “recuperating” on May 7, 2026 after emergency intestinal surgery in Portugal. (Photo by Andrew Matthews / POOL / AFP via Getty Images) Photographer: ANDREW MATTHEWS Provider: POOL/AFP via Getty Images Source: AFP
The 74-year-old Welsh sensation was admitted to hospital near her home in Faro, Portugal, on Wednesday. An update last night asked for privacy while she is treated.
Interview
7 min read
From the valleys to Eurovision
Tyler, born Gaynor Hopkins, in Neath, South Wales, shot to fame with her hit Total Eclipse of the Heart in 1983. It earned her a Grammy nomination and spent four weeks at number one.
She represented the UK at the Eurovision song contest in 2013, finishing 19th out of 26, and was awarded an MBE in 2023 for services to music.
MUSIC
3 min read
MUSIC
3 min read
CONSUMER
Key parking fine rules clarified by appeals body
Caption: WHITBY, ENGLAND – MAY 02: A parking fine is attached to a goth car windscreen as it parked during Whitby Goth Weekend on May 02, 2026 in Whitby, England. The Whitby Goth Weekend is a world-renowned bi-annual festival (April and October) celebrating goth music, culture, and fashion. Founded in 1994, it honors Whitby’s deep links to Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The event features live music and attracts visitors in elaborate costumes, including Steampunk, Victoriana, and Cybergoth styles. (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images) Photographer: Ian Forsyth Provider: Getty Images Source: Getty Images Europe Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
As record numbers of drivers successfully appeal parking fines, the industry group granting the reprieves has issued guidance on how to avoid getting one in the first place.
Here are their top tips.
Fines last year in figures
Of appeals submitted to Parking on Private Land Appeals (Popla) last year…
50.5%
resulted in cancellation of the fine.
107,202
appeals were submitted, the first time the figure has gone over 100,000.
39,522 appeals were uncontested by the operator, while 14,578 were contested but Popla ruled in favour of the driver.
What are the rules?
It’s worth appealing if you think you have paid
Not paying in time
Fines not to be given if the driver has paid by the time they leave the car park.
Keying errors
Fines to be reduced to £20 for obvious mistakes typing in number plates.
Airport drop-offs
Fines only to be issued if driver hasn’t paid within 24 hours of leaving.
Exclusive
2 min read
Confusion is ‘clearly profitable’, says expert
It’s mind-blowing how many people just pay it without question because they think it’s a ‘fine’ – that’s part of the business model. That it explains why parking charge notices (invoices issued by parking firms) look similar to penalty charge notices.
SCOTT DIXON, CONSUMER DISPUTES EXPERT
Ministers in talks with more local authorities to expand national parking app (Photo: Getty)
Indonesia volcano eruption kills three as 10 hikers missing
An eruption of Mount Dukono in the eastern island of Halmahera has killed at least two foreigners and a local who were walking in the area. Several still missing are believed to have been climbing.
Caption: HALMAHERA, INDONESIA – MAY 08: (—-EDITORIAL USE ONLY – MANDATORY CREDIT – ‘INDONESIAN SEARCH AND RESCUE AGENCY (BASARNAS) / HANDOUT’ – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS—-) Joint search and rescue (SAR) teams prepare to evacuate victims affected by the eruption of Mount Dukono in North Halmahera, Maluku Province, Indonesia, on May 08, 2026. At least three Singaporeans have been killed, while 17 others are still being searched for. (Photo by Basarnas/Anadolu via Getty Images) Photographer: Anadolu Provider: Anadolu via Getty Images Source: Anadolu
Rescue efforts continue
Seven climbers have descended the volcano safely, and five were injured in the eruption, which shot an ash cloud six miles into the air, according to Indonesia’s national disaster management agency.
Caption: HALMAHERA, INDONESIA – MAY 08: (—-EDITORIAL USE ONLY – MANDATORY CREDIT – ‘INDONESIAN SEARCH AND RESCUE AGENCY (BASARNAS) / HANDOUT’ – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS—-) Joint search and rescue (SAR) teams prepare to evacuate victims affected by the eruption of Mount Dukono in North Halmahera, Maluku Province, Indonesia, on May 08, 2026. At least three Singaporeans have been killed, while 17 others are still being searched for. (Photo by Basarnas/Anadolu via Getty Images) Photographer: Anadolu Provider: Anadolu via Getty Images Source: Anadolu Caption: Smoke after the eruption of Mount Dukono in North Halmahera Regency, North Maluku, Indonesia, May 8, 2026, in this picture obtained from social media. Jhon Frengki Manipa/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. Verification Lines: – Buildings, flagpole, floor and basketball stand matched file and satellite images. – Date verified by original file metadata. Photographer: Jhon Frengki Manipa Provider: Jhon Frengki Manipa via REUTERS Source: UGC
Those still missing are believed to be in an area which was declared to be off-limits to visitors last month, after monitoring showed an uptick in activity from Mount Dukono. Rescue efforts are taking place mostly on foot as the rough terrain prohibits vehicle access to parts of the slope.
Foreigners ignored warnings, says police chief
Erlichson Pasaribu said that foreigners had ignored signs and social media posts warning of danger in the area. “Local residents understand and don’t want to climb,” he said. “Many [hikers] are foreign tourists who wish to create content.”
Caption: HALMAHERA, INDONESIA – MAY 08: (—-EDITORIAL USE ONLY – MANDATORY CREDIT – ‘INDONESIAN SEARCH AND RESCUE AGENCY (BASARNAS) / HANDOUT’ – NO MARKETING NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS – DISTRIBUTED AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS—-) Joint search and rescue (SAR) teams prepare to evacuate victims affected by the eruption of Mount Dukono in North Halmahera, Maluku Province, Indonesia, on May 08, 2026. At least three Singaporeans have been killed, while 17 others are still being searched for. (Photo by Basarnas/Anadolu via Getty Images) Photographer: Anadolu Provider: Anadolu via Getty Images Source: Anadolu
LIFESTYLE
5 min read
A fallen tree threatens the journey of the birthday note but animals including an eagle, a fox, a red squirrel and an otter come to the rescue and traverse the nation with the royal dispatch.
In the note, the King recounts a seven-decade friendship with Sir David that began when the then nine-year-old Prince Charles visited the set of the BBC children’s programme Zoo Quest in 1958 with his sister Princess Anne.
He said: “Dear David. My wife and I are delighted to learn that you will be celebrating your 100th birthday on May 8 and wanted to send you our warmest congratulations on such a special occasion.
“It is amazing to think that you and I have known one another for more than 60 years.
“Indeed, I believe we first met in 1958, almost a decade before the age of colour television. And of course our paths have crossed many times since.
“Over those decades you have revealed the beauty and wonders of nature to audiences around the world in new and marvellous ways.
“In so doing you have shared my determination to highlight the urgent need to protect and preserve this precious planet of ours and all life on earth for future generations.
“Thank you then for all that you have done. And on behalf of the whole nation I wish you a very happy 100th birthday.”
Animals could then be seen delivering it across land, sea and air, before Sir David could be seen holding his royal birthday card aloft in the Royal Albert Hall.
Bastille frontman Dan Smith and the BBC Concert Orchestra also performed at the event which was called 100 Years On Planet Earth
He performed a version of the indie pop band’s hit song Bastille, which featured in Sir David Attenborough’s Planet Earth 3
The event began with wooden puppets of animals, including a giraffe and a gorilla, being led into the arena as the BBC Concert Orchestra scored a compilation of highlights from the 100-year-old presenter’s career.
Before its beginning, there was a standing ovation for Sir David as he took his seat in the royal box next to the Prince of Wales.
Presenter Kirsty Young then took to the stage to hail Sir David as “a very special person” and an “unparalleled communicator”.
The audience were then shown a series of clips from the 18 shows Sir David has worked on in the past decade, which noted how Blue Planet 2 had seen the broadcaster lead the battle against plastic pollution.
Before the show, children could be heard excitedly asking their parents “where is he?” in reference to Sir David.
Prince William earlier today paid tribute to Sir David in a video posted to the Earthshot Prize social media accounts, saying: “Happy 100th David. I cannot believe it’s your 100th birthday. Thank you so much for all your support with Earthshot Prize.”
“Everything you do continues to inspire me,” he added. “Have a very happy day.”
Leonardo DiCaprio, Sir David Beckham and Morgan Freeman were among the stars who have wished Sir David Attenborough a happy 100th birthday on Friday.
The beloved environmentalist has been inundated with birthday messages, and tributes poured in from the King and Queen, and stars including Dame Judi Dench, Geri Halliwell-Horner and Bill Bailey.
In the week leading up to the veteran broadcaster’s centenary there were also birthday wishes from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the Duke of Sussex.
Hollywood star DiCaprio called Sir David “one of the most enduring champions of our shared planet” in a lengthy post on Instagram on Friday.
The One Battle After Another star posted an image of the broadcaster and hailed his “extraordinary legacy”, adding: “He has reshaped global awareness of conservation and reminded us, time and again, that protecting nature is not optional — it is fundamental to our future.
