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Buckingham Palace Parties Return, Without Queen Elizabeth

The Mall is seen almost empty in front of Buckingham Palace, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain, April 30, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
The Mall is seen almost empty in front of Buckingham Palace, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain, April 30, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
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Buckingham Palace Parties Return, Without Queen Elizabeth

The Mall is seen almost empty in front of Buckingham Palace, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain, April 30, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo
The Mall is seen almost empty in front of Buckingham Palace, following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London, Britain, April 30, 2020. REUTERS/Toby Melville/File Photo

Members of the British royal family will stand in for Queen Elizabeth when the traditional garden parties return this summer at Buckingham Palace, her office said on Thursday.

Mobility issues have meant that the 96-year-old monarch has been forced to cut back on public engagements, and the Palace said members of the family would represent her at the garden parties which are returning after the COVID-19 pandemic led to a two-year hiatus.

Traditionally, the queen hosts three annual garden parties at her home in central London and another at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh but these have had to be cancelled because of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The Buckingham Palace parties will be held in May and the one in Scotland in June, Reuters reported.

"Her Majesty The Queen will be represented by other Members of the Royal Family at this year’s Garden Parties, with details on attendance to be confirmed in due course," her office said in a statement.

At the start of June there will also be four days of nationwide celebrations to mark the queen's 70th year on the throne, including a service of thanksgiving and a pageant through central London.

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Spain and Portugal Continue to Battle Storm Leonardo as New Storm Approaches

A mountain landslide blocks railway tracks during heavy rains, as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Benaojan, Spain, February 6, 2026. (Reuters)
A mountain landslide blocks railway tracks during heavy rains, as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Benaojan, Spain, February 6, 2026. (Reuters)
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Spain and Portugal Continue to Battle Storm Leonardo as New Storm Approaches

A mountain landslide blocks railway tracks during heavy rains, as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Benaojan, Spain, February 6, 2026. (Reuters)
A mountain landslide blocks railway tracks during heavy rains, as storm Leonardo hits parts of Spain, in Benaojan, Spain, February 6, 2026. (Reuters)

Storm Leonardo continued to batter the Iberian Peninsula on Friday, bringing floods and putting rivers at risk of bursting their banks while thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in Spain and Portugal.

In southern Spain's Andalusia region, some 7,000 people have had to leave their homes due to successive storms.

Among them were around 1,500 people ordered to evacuate the mountain village of Grazalema, where Andalusia's regional leader Juan Manuel Moreno warned that aquifers were "full to the brim with water,” and at risk of collapsing.

“It's raining on already saturated ground. The land is unable to drain," Moreno said. “We urge extreme caution. This is not over.”

Spanish police said Friday they had found a body located 1,000 meters (about 0.6 miles) away from where a woman had disappeared Wednesday after she fell into a river in Malaga province while trying to rescue her dog. Police said they had not yet identified the body, but believed it belonged to the 45-year-old woman.

Another storm front, Marta, was expected to arrive Saturday, with Spain's weather agency AEMET saying it would bring even more rain and heavy winds, including to areas already drenched by Storm Leonardo.

Marta is expected to affect Portugal, too.

Of particular concern was southern Spain's Guadalquivir River, which flows through Córdoba and Seville and eventually into the Atlantic Ocean, and whose water levels have dramatically risen in recent days.

Additional rain Saturday could leave many more homes at risk in Córdoba, local authorities warned.

In Portugal, parts of Alcacer do Sal were submerged after the Sado River overflowed, forcing residents to leave the city located 90 kilometers (about 56 miles) south of Lisbon.

Alerts were issued also for regions near the Tagus River due to rising water levels.

A separate storm in late January left a trail of destruction in Portugal, killing several people, according to Portuguese authorities.

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AROYA Cruises Debuts Arabian Gulf Voyages for 2026

AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options - SPA
AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options - SPA
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AROYA Cruises Debuts Arabian Gulf Voyages for 2026

AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options - SPA
AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options - SPA

AROYA Cruises, a subsidiary of the PIF-owned Cruise Saudi, has officially launched its inaugural season in the Arabian Gulf.

Running from February 21 to May 8, the season marks a milestone in regional tourism by blending authentic Saudi hospitality with international maritime standards, SPA reported.

AROYA offers a curated experience featuring culturally inspired entertainment and diverse dining options.

The season is designed to provide guests with a dynamic way to explore the Gulf, setting a new benchmark for luxury travel that reflects the Kingdom's heritage on a global stage.

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Snowstorm Brings Much of Denmark to a Halt

A car drives in heavy snow at Store Heddinge in South Zealand, Denmark, 05 February 2026. EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen
A car drives in heavy snow at Store Heddinge in South Zealand, Denmark, 05 February 2026. EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen
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Snowstorm Brings Much of Denmark to a Halt

A car drives in heavy snow at Store Heddinge in South Zealand, Denmark, 05 February 2026. EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen
A car drives in heavy snow at Store Heddinge in South Zealand, Denmark, 05 February 2026. EPA/Mads Claus Rasmussen

Denmark authorities halted public transport, closed schools and cancelled flights on Friday as heavy snowfall blanketed much of the country.

The Nordic country's meteorological institute DMI warned that heavy snow would likely continue until Friday evening in the east, where the capital Copenhagen is located.

Police said people should avoid going outdoors unless necessary and stay indoors in the capital and the surrounding region.

Copenhagen's airport cancelled flights to Paris and Berlin and warned of "delay and cancellation risks because of snowy conditions." Many schools were closed.

In the second-largest city of Aarhus, bus services were cancelled.