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Queen replaces banquet with buffet for Charles, Camilla

     London: Instead of a grandly laid wedding feast, Prince Charles will make do with a modest buffet as ordained by the Queen. "The Queen feels it 'inappropriate' to have an over-the-top reception", Daily Mail quoted a source as saying. Candle-lit tables adorned with flowers in a sit-down banquet shall not be the high point in Prince Charles' wedding . Neither is the Queen in favour of the celebratory Champagne which she wishes to replace with Californian Cuvee Napa. The Queen's insistence on such a low-key reception for her eldest son and the heir to the throne signals her discomfiture over the idea of his marriage to Camilla Parker Bowles. She has decided to boycott the civil wedding ceremony at Windsor Guildhall on April 8, believing it will desecrate the 'mystique' of the monarchy. Over 700 guests are expected to attend the religious blessing at Windsor Castle afterwards, though, followed by a reception in the State Apartments.

     Charles was hoping the wedding feast would be a grandiose affair organised by his favourite former valet Michael Fawcett. Their plans included dozens of round tables decorated by candles and flowers. The prince had also hoped the menu would include organic food from his Highgrove estate. The Queen, however, reportedly opposed the proposals. She decided to assign the arrangements to the Lord Chamberlain Lord Luce and her Master of the Household, Air Vice-Marshal David Walker. The guests will now be offered simple finger buffet prepared by Buckingham Palace kitchen staff as the largest banquet table at the castle can take only 170 diners. The people incharge, however, are trying to cover up Queen's stand by insisting this was the possible option considering the blessing wasn't being held until 2.30 pm and the newlyweds plan to leave for their honeymoon in Scotland at around 6 pm. "It would be the wrong time of day for a sit-down dinner," Daily Mail quoted one of the aides as saying.

Kate Winslet's parents are her Oscar lucky charms (Go To Top)

     London: Hollywood beauty Kate Winslet, who has been nominated for the Oscars this year, revealed that as usual her parents, whom she thinks are her lucky charm, will accompany her to the ceremony. "My parents have been with me to all the Oscar ceremonies and the first thing I did after hearing of my nomination was to call them and say, 'Get your frocks you're coming with me,' the actress was quoted by Femalefirst, as saying. "Well, my Dad's not wearing a frock, of course, but he did say he was going on a diet," she added. Kate, who has been nominated for her role in 'Eternal Sunshine of The Spotless Mind', will also be accompanied by her husband Sam Mendes to the glittering awards ceremony.

Schwarzenegger hallucinates after chewing nicotine gum (Go To Top)

     London: Hollywood's action man Arnold Schwarzenegger reportedly hallucinated after chewing nicotine gum. The Hollywood actor-turned-politician accepted a packet of the gum, used by smokers to help them quit, from close friend, actor and script-writer, Tom Arnold to keep him going on a long road trip, reports Femalefirst. However, after eating some of the gum, the 'Terminator' star began hallucinating while driving on a busy motorway. "He took some nicotine gum from me before the trip but instead of taking one he took six because he liked the taste. A little while later he called me saying, I'm hallucinating! I'm driving down the highway!'" Arnold told US chat show host Conan O'Brien.

Zeta Jones' stalker will stalk no more (Go To Top)

     Washington: Catherine Zeta Jones' stalker Dawnette Knight will reportedly spend the next 90 days in prison as Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Mintz wants Knight to undergo psychiatric testing to determine whether the woman should be given probation or up to five years behind bars. The woman wrote threatening letters to Zeta Jones and vowed slice her "up like meat on a bone and feed her to the dogs" also pleaded no context to stalking and threatening the Oscar-winning Chicago star. Now, state-appointed psychiatrists will again evaluate her over the coming days to determine whether she's fit to serve time in prison or would be better served with an extended probation. Their findings will be released to the judge in time for a hearing in June.

Foxx and Farrell take to 'Miami Vice' (Go To Top)

     London: The 1980s small screen series 'Miami Vice' is now coming in its new big-screen avatar starring Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell. Farrell will play the sharp-witted and suave detective Sonny Crockett, played by Don Johnson in the original TV show. Foxx - nominated for the best actor this year in Oscars for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the film Ray - will play Ricardo Tubbs. The movie will be written and directed by Michael Mann as reported by Daily Mail.Mann was an executive producer on the hit police show, which ran for five years.

Halle Berry craves for children (Go To Top)

     London: Hollywood actress Halle Berry has admitted that she is desperate to have children. "I desperately want children of my own and hope I haven't missed my chance," Ananova quoted the 36-year-old Oscar-winning actress as saying Berry, who had filed for divorce from R and B singer Eric Benet in April last year after nearly three years of marriage, was the step-mother to Benet's daughter, India, from a previous relationship. The couple split after rumours started circulating that Benet had been unfaithful. She was previously married to baseball star David Justice. Berry who won the Oscar for the Best Actress in 2002 for her role in Monster's Ball, now questions her role in society. "What is my real purpose here? I've looked at what I do. I make believe and make movies; I entertain people and get paid for it. Sometimes it seems like such a shallow existence, how insignificant is the scheme of life," she says.

Is Gwyneth Paltrow's marriage in trouble? (Go To Top)

     London: Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin's marriage may be going through a rough patch following reports of them having a series of fights, that apparently got personal. Their friends say their relationship is going through "an incredibly rough patch" and were recently reported to have had a row at the New York restaurant Next Door after they couldn't get a table. The Oscar-winning actress married singer Chris Martin in December 2003 after they met at a Coldplay concert in 2002.The couple now has a nine-month-old daughter, Apple. "The argument began about the table but turned into more personal things.They are under stress over their hectic work schedules as Chris is currently working on the band's hugely anticipated third album while Gwyneth is about to begin shooting new movie 'Running With Scissors' " , Femalefirst quoted a source as saying. Chris was in trouble with Gwyneth last year for allegedly abandoning her to work on his new Coldplay album. The singer has been engrossed in preparing for his next record .He has reportedly been spending over 18 hours everyday on the same, returning to the couple's north London home only to sleep. "Gwyneth is furious with Chris for not spending enough time at home with his family. Chris is completely driven by the new album. His bandmates are managing a normal working day, but Chris is obsessed and has got into bother with Gwyneth" , a friend was quoted as saying. Paltrow's representative, however, refutes these reports as being "absolute rubbish". "Chris has been with Gwyneth this whole time in New York mixing the Coldplay album. She's now in L.A. to attend the Oscars and then film two weeks on 'Running With Scissors,' and Chris will join her in about a week. They are extremely happy together" , Page 6 quoted Paltrow's rep, Stephen Huvane as saying.

Prince Harry's secret 14-day rendezvous with Chelsy (Go To Top)

     London: Being grounded by Prince Charles for his part excesses failed to stop son Harry from spending a 14-day secret rendezvous with his girlfriend Chelsy Davy recently. The prince flew Chelsy in to England from South Africa and spent most of his time with her on holiday from February 2 to 17 at his father's Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire. "Harry was over the moon when Prince Charles gave the go-ahead for the visit.They were both keen to keep Chelsy's visit top secret. The last thing they wanted was to make it public knowledge", The Sun quoted a source as saying. Chelsy, 19, reportedly left South Africa on the pretext of meeting a sick relative in Zimbabwe. "The pair are besotted with each other and it has been hard for them having to spend so much time apart. This trip shows just how serious the relationship really is. Her visit allowed the pair to have Valentine's Day together.However, it is unclear whether or not Chelsy stayed the night at Highgrove but she certainly spent a lot of time there" , the source added. Meanwhile a Buckingham Palace insider has reported that the 20- year-old prince will be seeing Chelsy again before he joins the Sandhurst Military Academy in May for training. "Charles will allow him to have one more trip to Africa before then", added the source.

Jlo is set to be a mum (Go To Top)

     London: Latino singer Jennifer Lopez is expecting her first child with her singer husband Marc Anthony. The singer who has already been married thrice and was almost engaged to Hollywood hunk Ben Affleck is said to be 'delighted' after tests revealed that she is expecting her first child with her third husband, reports the Sun. The actress had been eager to have a child with Marc Antony ever since she married him last June.

Selling college online lands Oxford student in a soup (Go To Top)

     London: An Oxford University student ended up in a mess after he tried to sell a college on eBay for just 10 million pounds. The college would be replaced by a new bar and sauna complex and "would make a fine complement to any suburban home or garden," The Sun quoted David Green as saying. Green told punters that Brasenose College, whose alumni include luminaries like Jeffrey Archer, Michael Palin and Archbishop Robert Runcie was surplus to Oxford's requirements. Green said that he had received 60 bids for the premise, most of them from the US, pushing the price up to 10 million pounds. He was caaught after using a university e-mail address. "I'm in enough trouble as it is," Green said.

Hugh and Jemima's dream island is overrun with tourists (Go To Top)

     Washington: Hollywood star Hugh Grant, who was reportedly eying a super-private estate in France with girlfriend Jemima Khan, might reconsider before splashing 50 million dollars on the Sainte-Marguerite island, as sources have claimed the island is actually 'not so private'. According to The New York Post, David Duffy, who keeps a boat there, said that Sainte-Marguerite is overrun with tourists in high season. "There are so many yachts moored in the harbor you can practically walk across them to the mainland," Duffy was quoted as saying. So if it's privacy Grant and Khan are after, forget it - "It would be a bit like putting up a tent in Central Park," he said.

When Sir Sean Connery reduced Richard Gere to tears (Go To Top)

     London: You may have liked Sir Sean Connery on screen in the 1995 movie 'First Knight', but off-screen the star had such an intimidating presence that he reduced his co-star Richard Gere to tears. According to femalefirst, in the movie, Connery, who was playing King Arthur, howled at Gere when he arrived late on the set. The 'Pretty Woman' star was so offended by the abrupt treatment he received from Connery that he retreated to his trailer and broke down. He was too scared to confront Connery so he sent his assistant with a message informing him of his distress. But the screen legend remained unconcerned, and said, "A fuss about nothing. You get this on film sets."

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