The Australian Women's Weekly August 2025

Like many young girls growing up in the 1980s, I marvelled at Diana, Princess of Wales, staying up to watch her wedding on TV in our lounge room in Adelaide like millions of others across the world. I even asked my parents for a tiara that Christmas, and I wore that fabulous plastic and diamanté creation everywhere, even to Brownies (Girl Guides)! Diana touched our hearts in so many ways, and changed the world. I think of the famous images of her holding the hand of a man suffering from AIDS, or walking through a live minefield, and her Panorama interview with Martin Bashir when she famously remarked that there were “three of us in this marriage”. Her tragic death in 1997 shocked, and chastened, the world. Princess Diana was…

Letter of the month Finally Friday and a new issue of AWW! My cat, Mitsy, has a favourite spot to take a nap while I am reading. Quiet time together, cold nights outside, cosy inside, purr-fect moments. Werribee South, Vic. Iconic cover star Thank you for showcasing Jane Fonda (above) and her many talents and achievements (Jane Fonda: The revolution within, AWW, July). From her incredible performances, to turbulent relationships and her joy in family and friends, she truly is an icon. Her philanthropy and dedication to changing the lives of many for the better is what keeps her young. C. Hatzis, Yokine, WA. Time to celebrate One of five children, I grew up on the Children’s Birthday Cake Cookbook. Mum would make the cake and us kids would shape,…

Island TOUR Rambling royals The windswept Faroe Islands, on the doorstep of the Arctic, feature beautiful and forbidding landscapes, narrow fjords, and a small, but welcoming population. Queen Mary and King Frederik X of Denmark took Princess Josephine to explore Koltur, the least populated of the 18 north Atlantic Islands, ahead of their official tour. The royals enjoyed taking a zipline over a gorge. Women we love Honour in Order Deborah Hutton has been awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for her community health and media work. “This recognition feels far bigger than me,” she said. Ms MI6 British spy agency MI6 will be headed by a woman for the first time in its history. Blaise Metreweli, who was director general of technology and innovation, has been elevated…

The US Amish volunteers are helping rebuild homes in North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene, which killed 250 people and caused $60 billion worth of damage. Italy Car-tastrophy Emergency services had to be called after an 81-year-old man got stuck trying to drive down Rome’s Spanish Steps. The landmark is not designed for cars. The UK A fix for London’s foxes London’s fox population is so large, the urban animals now have their own hospital. The Fox Project, which began as an information service, rescues 1400 foxes a year, including about 400 cubs. France Workers leave Louvre Thousands of patrons were left standed when staff at the Louvre walked off the job to protest overcrowding. Workers went on strike over “worsening conditions”. Last year 8.7 million people visited…

He’s sold over 300 million records, is one of only 21 EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony award) winners and is as renowned for his style as he is for his hits. Now the living legend has launched a new project, the Elton John Eyewear collection, exclusively with Specsavers (specsavers.com.au, available now). He chats to The Weekly about why he needed to return Down Under, as well as the secrets to his personal style. We are excited to receive the Elton John Eyewear collection in Australia. Why was it important to you to launch here? Australia has always held a very special place in my heart. It was one of the highlights of the farewell tour … it’s unforgettable. So to now have my eyewear range make its way Down Under…

Sissy Spacek is finding it tough to say no right now. And that’s lucky for us, as it means she’s agreed to a chat over Zoom from her family home, where she reveals this stage is part of the regular swings and roundabouts of the approach she takes to life. “Sometimes I’m in a ‘no’ phase,” the Oscar-winning actress explains. “I just say no to everything. But just recently I’m going through a ‘yes’ phase and I’ve been very excited. “Mainly I’ve been saying yes to my grandchildren. I have two – a four-yearold girl and her five-year-old brother. They’re just so entertaining and precious, so I’m enjoying them and spending a lot of time with them. And then I’ve been working a lot.” First work cab off the rank…