Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 24, 2025 i New Zealand Woman's Weekly

It’s meant to be one of the happiest places on earth but also one of the busiest. So how did the Sussex family manage to stay under the radar when they spent two days at Disneyland celebrating Lilibet’s birthday? An insider says celebrity visitors can get special treatment to keep them away from the crowds. This includes using doors reserved for “cast members” (people dressed as Disney characters) to skip queues and making the most of a private VIP tour service, which helps people to “enjoy the attractions efficiently”. It’s believed all of the Sussexes wore hats and glasses in public spaces so they were less noticeable.…

Feud? What feud? The White Lotus season three stars Aimee Lou Wood, 31, and Walton Goggins, 53, have scotched rumours they’re at war. “There is no feud,” says Walton. “I adore – I love – this woman madly and she is so important to me.” Speculation of a rift between the two actors, who played star-crossed lovers Rick and Chelsea on the Neon show, swirled when they briefly unfollowed each other on social media after the season three finale aired in April. Aimee Lou says people made “something out of absolutely nothing”. Walton, meanwhile, says he warned Aimee Lou he was going to unfollow her in order to let go of the characters they played in the hit show. “It’s all so ridiculous,” he says. “It’s just part of me…

Some people spend a lifetime searching for their passion, but when opera singer Hadleigh Adams heard Puccini’s famous aria Vissi d’arte at the age of 10, he knew he’d found his calling. His talent’s taken him around the world, but it’s fitting that it’s Puccini who has brought him back home to perform on New Zealand stages for the first time in more than a decade. “I’ve sung all over the world, but being invited back for this feels like I’ve made it,” says Hadleigh, who’s starring in NZ Opera’s tour of La Bohème. “I’m very grateful.” Equally thrilled by his brief return is his beloved mum, Cheryll, 72, who flew from her home in Palmerston North to join Hadleigh, 40, for the Weekly’s photoshoot in Auckland. The few months…

Bacon & egg pudding PREP + COOK TIME 1 ½ HOURS (+ STANDING) SERVES 6 20g butter, plus extra for greasing 10 thick slices of crusty Italian bread (see tip) 1 medium onion, sliced thinly 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 2 teaspoons thyme, plus extra leaves to serve 250g sour cream 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 8 eggs 2 cups (500ml) milk Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to season 6 rashers streaky bacon, rind removed, halved 100g Gruyère or cheddar cheese, grated coarsely 20g finely grated Parmesan 1 tablespoon chopped parsley, to serve (optional) 1 Grease a 2-litre ovenproof dish with butter. Toast bread lightly until pale golden. 2 Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic and thyme, then sauté for 4-5 minutes or until tender…

I write this column on the 50th anniversary of Linda and my first kiss. Yesterday was the 50th anniversary of our first date. But I didn’t pluck up the courage to kiss her until after midnight. On that first date, I really went for it. This was London, 1975. We started with a drive through Hyde Park to posh Notting Hill for a drink at Julie’s Wine Bar. Weeks earlier, Mark Phillips had his stag party there, prior to marrying Princess Anne. The bar, now a restaurant, was launched in the Swinging Sixties, popular with the likes of Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney and Princess Margaret. As a London paper put it: “You could pitch up for a quick bite at lunchtime and still be there at midnight, by which time…

Letters to the Editor UNCARING BUDGET ● Winning letter I loved your Talking Point topic “Why women pay the price” (NZWW, June 9). What a wonderful article this was – accolades to you, Donna Fleming, for this great piece of work. I’m appalled that a female minister of finance in this day and age could stand and deliver such a bill, just to make her budget balance. Unbelievable! I advocated for many years for the rights of female workers, and now I feel as though all the hours of work done and the achievements that were made to give females pay equity has just been wiped out overnight with the stroke of a pen. I particularly felt for Carena Scott and other community home support workers like her. These people…

There’s something truly remarkable about the power of song – it can stir emotions, tell compelling stories and bring people together. In this week’s issue, we share the stories of three very different singers. We were honoured to speak with Dame Malvina Major, who opens up about the challenges of balancing motherhood with a global career, as well as her personal journey through anxiety. Meanwhile, Hadleigh Adams is a Kiwi opera singer making waves internationally. His passion for opera began when he heard a Puccini aria at the age of 10 and knew he had found his calling. He’s deeply grateful to his mum Cheryll, whose support has been instrumental in helping him follow his dream. And you might remember Michael Murphy, the NZ Idol runner-up from 2004 – he’s…

Opera star and household name Dame Malvina Major might have retired a decade ago, but she’s far from her swan song. As she takes a moment to share a cuppa with the Weekly, the indomitable dame, 82, tells us about using her voice to support young Kiwi performers and adjusting to life in a retirement village. ‘I’ve made friends now, but it took the best part of 12 months to settle in’ Good morning, Dame Malvina. Tell us, who is your handsome friend here? Good morning. This is Patch. He’s an English springer spaniel and really is the most amazing dog. I wasn’t planning on getting a pet, but I was visiting my daughter Lorraine [53] at her home in Christchurch a few years ago and she had a litter…

It’s been two years since Cassie Roma hit the reset button on her life. Following the death of her best friend, she ended her marriage, packed up her life in New Zealand and moved into her parents’ home in California with her teenage daughter. After spending her entire adult life in a relationship, Cassie was determined to take time for herself and figure out who she was without a partner. But when she speaks with the Weekly, she coyly admits there is a new love in her life. “The second I found myself and was living the life I want, I went and did something silly – I fell in love,” the former The Apprentice Aotearoa advisor grins. “I was happy being single and thought I’d be on my own…

Sprawled in a slick leopard-print suit worthy of a rock star, with princesses, a pirate, a superhero, an astronaut and more around him for a Make-A-Wish Aotearoa campaign, musician Michael Murphy felt compelled to do more to help the worthy organisation. Then it came to him: “We should be writing a song!” In just one week, the new single The Waiting Room was written, recorded and uploaded to streaming platforms as a gift to Make-A-Wish. “It was an absolute whirlwind,” beams Michael, whose sons Archie, nine, and Harry, six, feature on the track with their mates. “We wrote it on Thursday with Davie Wong [Michael’s Written By Wolves bandmate], recorded it on Friday, and on Saturday I got all our friends and their kids over for a barbecue and put…

Winter might not seem like the obvious time to step up your skincare, but it’s actually the smartest. Lower UV levels, fewer social events and more time indoors make it the ideal season to try retinol, peels or that laser your friend swears by. Less sun = less risk One of the biggest barriers to using active ingredients or in-clinic treatments is UV exposure. Retinol, chemical exfoliants and many lasers leave skin more sensitive to sunlight, increasing the risk of inflammation or pigmentation. That’s why skin specialists favour winter. With lower UV and more time inside, it’s easier to protect your skin and avoid complications. Just don’t skip the SPF – it’s still essential. Laser treatments Big results Lasers – from IPL (intense pulse light) and fractional to resurfacing –…

Here’s a challenge – take $100 and buy yourself a whole new outfit to wear to an event that celebrates sustainable living. The test was issued by Climate Club Aotearoa and I was delighted to take them up on it. They’re a relatively new charity which started out as a passion project amongst young friends. Anyone who thinks Gen Z is all about fast fashion and cheap knockoffs isn’t seeing the whole picture because here is a whole cohort of enthusiasts finding daily, practical ways to fight climate change. I love a hot tip for making a difference. Most of us would like to do good things for the planet but don’t know where to start. We’ve also been told individual effort is futile, that we can’t compost and recycle…

Those of you who log every one of my columns and do AI analysis of their contents on a regular basis will know I have a certain set of skills when it comes to unlocking the unlockable. Yes, I’m the guy in the movie they come to when they’re assembling a “crew” for a “heist” and need a crack safecracker. I’ve probably got a nickname in the criminal underworld: Aladdin, or Semtex or something. I’ve written in the past of my deft picking of a family friend’s bike lock. For those whose memories fail them, let the record show it took me only 15 to 20 minutes to illegally take possession of a small pink child’s bike with trainer wheels and tassels on the handlebars. I have skills. But I…

WAKE-UP... I’m up at 7am when my son pops in for a cuddle, then promptly urges me out of bed – he’s very committed to punctuality. While making our breakfast, I try to tackle the feijoa mountain from our garden that’s threatening to become a fruit-fly farm. I freeze some and pack a lunch he might actually eat. COFFEE TIME... I switch between plunger, stovetop coffee and loose-leaf tea – today it’s Earl Grey in a to-go cup. There’s never time to drink it hot. Our usual school walk is derailed by my son’s last-minute bathroom call, so we drive. After, my English friend who’s staying with us, gets distracted by a novelty licence plate and we end up detouring through suburbs in pursuit. We miss the photo, but I…

They fled the UK for a new life in California because they felt trapped by being royal. But now Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, are open to their kids one day being working royals. Sources close to the couple say the Sussexes want Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to keep their titles to support the monarchy by carrying out official duties if they choose to when they’re older. The surprising claim was made after it was revealed that the children having titles was believed to have held up their applications for British passports. Royal expert Jennie Bond says it’s perplexing that Harry and Meghan would be happy for Archie, six, and Lilibet, four, to experience what they were so desperate to escape. “I really don’t understand why, having…

Lovebirds Dakota Johnson and Chris Martin may have broken up, but the pair remain close friends. Dakota, 35, and Chris, 48, confirmed their split this month after almost eight years together. An insider says the couple called it quits a while back, but their bond remains strong. In May, they were photographed together in Malibu and in January, they held hands in India, where Coldplay frontman Chris was touring with his band. “Their relationship has been over for a long time – they just haven’t been able to make it official,” says the insider. “Dakota held a flame for them to be together because she loved him so much and loved his kids so much. “Break-ups aren’t instant, and they continued to break-up and make-up. Little things just kept adding…

HELP IS HERE Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 any time for support from a trained counsellor. Lifeline – 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP). Depression Helpline – 0800 111 757 or free text 4202 (to talk to a trained counsellor about how you are feeling or to ask any questions). Anxiety NZ – 0800 269 4389 (0800 ANXIETY). It’s a rare and special thing to find a friend for all seasons. Someone to help navigate love, loss, children and the unpredictable winds of life. For Sonia Gray, one of those people is her longtime pal Jaquie Brown. Even during their Weekly photoshoot, Sonia lights up the moment Jaquie walks through the door. Though life often pulls them in different directions, they both know…

With cheeky one-liners always on the tip of his tongue and a penchant for bow ties, former TV broadcaster Tim Wilson was known to many as “the quirky one” while reporting on Seven Sharp and as the first US correspondent for TVNZ. But the 59-year-old originally got into print journalism – and is probably one of the few journalists who’s been published in both the New Zealand Woman’s Weekly and the New York Times. Each are disciplines, he’ll tell you. At 35, Tim sold everything he owned to move to New York to pursue international journalism, never expecting to return transformed by Catholicism. These days, he’s the executive director of Auckland-based think tank the Maxim Institute (maxim.org.nz), and still provides commentary on Newstalk ZB and RNZ. Parenting has also been…

FRUIT BOWL 1. POMEGRANATE The skin colour of a pomegranate can vary from ruby red to reddish brown. Choose one free from blemishes or flat spots, with leathery skin that doesn’t appear dry. It’s a good source of dietary fibre, vitamin C and vitamin K, and are high in antioxidants. 2. NASHI Nashi is a type of pear. It has crisp, juicy flesh and is round like an apple. It’s picked ready to eat and comes with a variety of skin colours. Choose a firm nashi that feels heavy for its size and is free from spots or bruising. Nashi provide vitamin C and are a source of dietary fibre. 3. PINEAPPLE Pineapples are ready to eat once they are in the shop. Choose a pineapple that smells sweet. Skin…

CANCER Jun 22 – Jul 23 Something behind the scenes is starting to make more sense. Maybe a slow-burn situation is revealing its truth or you’re finally hearing what your intuition has been whispering. Don’t ignore the signs. Give yourself quiet time this week to connect with what’s underneath the noise. Your instincts are right. LEO Jul 24 – Aug 23 You’ve been carrying a lot and this week offers some welcome connection. Friends, groups or even online communities may bring insight or inspiration. You don’t have to do it all alone – reach out or rally around a shared goal. Your energy is powerful. VIRGO Aug 24 – Sep 23 A career highlight is forming and this week could offer a moment to step up or be seen. That…

When the offer came, I was in like a robber’s dog! “If we took a minivan down to Hamilton to watch the Blues play the Chiefs, would you come too?” asked my friend Di. Would I? You bet I would! A roadie to the Tron to watch the Blues in my old stamping ground in the company of enormously fun people? Count me in. “I knew you’d be enthusiastic,” sighed Di. “I’m not. I don’t have a good feeling about this game.” She was right to be wary of the Chiefs. They were the top of the Super Rugby table and were in tremendous form. The Blues, last year’s champions, were coming right but their season had not been a standout. The Chiefs were favourites and if they won, that…

First past the post A woman’s life comes alive through her letters Sometimes a novel is so unexpectedly wonderful, so filled with quiet observations and subtle details, that when you finish it, you want to start again from the beginning to pick up on all the things you might have missed first time. That was how I felt about The Correspondent. It is an epistolary novel, entirely conveyed through letters and the occasional email sent and received by its main character Sybil van Antwerp. This may seem like an old-fashioned method of telling a story, but it’s also a very intimate way to piece together the puzzle of a person. Sybil is a retired lawyer in her seventies, a smart, often spiky woman with a lot to say for herself.…