Churchill's cousin the Duke of Marlborough dies aged 88 .

John George Vanderbilt Henry Spencer-Churchill was the 11th Duke

His family seat was Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, birthplace of Churchill

Was Churchill's godson, and distantly related to Diana, Princess of Wales 

His title will pass to his son, the 57-year-old Marquess of Blandford

Jamie Blandford is now clean after years spent battling addictions to drugs 

The Prime Minister David Cameron pays tribute to 'a good man and friend' 

The 11th Duke of Marlborough died this morning at the age of 88, Blenheim Palace has said.

The Duke, whose full name was John George Vanderbilt Henry Spencer-Churchill, was a cousin of wartime prime minister Winston Churchill and lived at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. 

His title will now pass to his son, former drug addict and ex-convict, the Marquess of Blandford, 58. 

A spokesman for the palace said: 'With great sadness, we announce that the 11th Duke of Marlborough passed away peacefully this morning.

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The 11th Duke of Marlborough, pictured at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, with fourth wife Lily Mahtani, has died

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Two generations: The Marquess of Blandford, pictured left, will now become the 12th Duke of Marlborough

'Further announcements will be made in due course. As per his wishes, the palace will be open as normal today.'

The Duke is survived by his fourth wife, Persian-born Lily Mahtani, and his four children: the Marquess of Blandford, Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill, 56, Lord Edward Spencer-Churchill, 40, and Lady Alexandra Spencer-Churchill, 38.

The marquess, his eldest surviving child, battled addictions to heroin and cocaine and three spells in prison, which resulted in his father taking legal action to prevent him from inheriting the 11,500-acre estate, where Churchill was born.

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The 11th duke, pictured left at a countryside event last month, and right with his fourth wife, Lily Mahtani

Blenheim Palace was a reward from Queen Anne to the first Duke of Marlborough for victory over the French

Today the Prime Minister paid tribute to the Duke, saying: 'I am greatly saddened to hear of the death of the Duke of Marlborough. To me, he was not only the Vice-President of my Association but also a good man and friend.

'His Grace will be deeply missed by all those he worked alongside at Blenheim and by the town of Woodstock where he played such a positive and active role in the community he loved.

'My thoughts and prayers are with all his family and friends at this sad time.'

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The 11th Duke married WHSmith heiress Susan Hornby, mother of the Marquess of Blandord, in 1951 

Blenheim Palace was a gift from Queen Anne to John Churchill, the first Duke of Marlborough, in 1704.

It was a reward for his victory over the army of Louis XIV of France in the Spanish War of Succession.

Winston Churchill was born at Blenheim, which became a world heritage site under the stewardship of the 12th Duke.  The 200sq ft estate has 187 rooms, dwarfing Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle,and attracts about 500,000 visitors every year.

\Source: UK Mail

Simon Rustage bought the winning scratchcard at a shop in Warrington, won £250,00 on the Mega Rich Scratchcard

Simon Rustage bought the winning scratchcard at a shop in Warrington

He was thrilled to find he had won £250,00 on the Mega Rich Scratchcard

Father-of-four then learned he would receive the sum annually for 15 years

Plans to spend some of his cash on a Warrington Wolves season ticket

His ex-wife says she's not bitter about his good luck, as he's a 'good dad'

Simon Rustage, 47, won the top prize on a £10 ‘Mega Rich’ scratchcard he bought at his local shop in Warrington, Cheshire.

Melanie Turner, who split from Mr Rustage 15 years ago after the couple had two children together, has revealed she's not bitter about her ex's good fortune, but is slightly jealous of his winnings.

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Big win: Simon Rustage won £250,000 every year for 15 years on a lottery scratchcard this week

Mr Rustage told yesterday how he celebrated his life-changing win with his partner of 14 years, Jacqui Webb, 38.

‘She came home and we cracked open a bottle of champagne,’ he said. ‘The money was in my account the same day. I keep having to pinch myself, it still hasn’t really sunk in.’

Mr Rustage, who lives with Miss Webb and their two children, Megan, eight, and Nathan, 14, said he has no plans to move from their £200,000 three-bed semi, in Appleton, Warrington, because ‘it’s a nice area’. 

Super fan: The warehouse stock handler says he is not planning to go on a wild spending spree although he might treat himself to is a season ticket for his beloved Warrington Wolves rugby team

 it wasn’t until the following morning, when Mr Rustage rang Camelot to confirm his win that he realised the cash was not a one off, but will eventually amount to £3.75million - or £250,000 every year for 15 years.

Mr Rustage said he will also be putting some cash away for his granddaughter, Myla-Rose, 20 months, and two older children – soldier son George, 17, and daughter Hannah, 19 - from his marriage to first wife, Mrs Turner. 

His older children, Baqar Hussain, 50, manager of Bridge Lane Stores, was on duty when Mr Rustage bought his lucky ticket.

‘Simon buys scratch cards in here nearly every day,’ Mr Hussain said. ‘He’s a great guy - everyone is very happy for him.

‘He scratched the card here in the shop and he had to ask me if the ticket was genuine because he was so stunned that he’d won.'

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Winners: Mr Rustage meets one of his Warrington Wolves heroes, Gareth O'Brien as he celebrates his win

Mr Hussain added: ‘He’s been in here after the win - he hasn’t let the money go to his head. I hope he enjoys spending his winnings.’

Next-door neighbour George Dean said: ‘He came round to tell us that he had some big news.

‘We had no idea what it was and then he told us he’d won a quarter of a million pounds every year for the next 15 years. None of us could believe it - we’re really happy for him.

Source: the DailyMail

Her Majesty paying tribute to WWI's fallen at the Tower of London in a sea of poppies

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh inspected Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red at the Tower of London

Her Majesty looked sombre as she and Prince Philip, himself a former military man, toured the installation

Afterwards, the royal couple took part in a thanksgiving service at the Tower chapel, St Peter-ad-Vincula 

The Chapel Royal is the burial place of queens Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard as well as St Thomas More

Royal salute: As the royal couple arrived, they were given a respectful salute by one of the Tower's traditional Beefeater guards

When the Queen and Duke first arrived at the imposing Tower of London they were met by its Constable, General the Lord Dannatt, the former head of the British Army, and Colonel Richard Harrold, Governor of the medieval fortress.

In an ancient ceremony they surrendered their ceremonial keys of office to the Queen and she symbolically touched the objects. Wearing a jade coat and dress with a mint trim by Stewart Parvin and a matching hat by Rachel Trevor-Morgan, the queen and the duke then walked carefully through the poppies before she touched a wreath laid on her behalf by Yeoman Warder Jim Duncan.

After viewing the poppies the Queen and her husband were driven in their official Bentley along the cobbles of Water Lane - past the famous Traitors' Gate - escorted by the resplendent Yeoman Body.

She arrived in The Broad Walk which was thronged by visitors - most of whom had no idea the Queen was due to visit. The royals were greeted by the Lieutenant of the Tower, the Bishop of London and Chaplain of the Tower before being escorted into the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula.

The chapel, which has recently been renovated, is the burial place of three English queens - Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard and Jane Grey - as well as Catholic saints Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher.

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Busy: The visit is the Queen's first public appearance since returning from Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire last month

Beautiful: Following their tour of the poppy field, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh visited St Peter-ad-Vincula

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Burial place: The Tower chapel is the burial place of Anne Boleyn, Katherine Howard and Jane Grey as well as Sir Thomas More

As a result, the chapel has become a place of pilgrimage for Catholics, with many visiting the grave of St Thomas More - Henry VIII's Catholic chancellor who was beheaded for refusing to recognise the fledgling Church of England which had Henry, rather than the Pope, as its head.

Although the Queen is the head of the modern version of Henry VIII's Church of England, she and the Duke of Edinburgh took part in a service to remember More and Bishop Fisher - another clergyman executed by Henry VIII for refusing to recognise the new church.

In addition to a renovation of the main crypt, which is used as an administrative space by the chapel choir, the Crypt of St Thomas More has been redecorated and re-ordered to render it more welcoming to visitors.

Next week will see the Queen welcome the President of Singapore and his wife to London, alongside the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who are expected to accompany Tony Tan and his wife for the traditional state procession. 

Once at Horse Guard's Parade, Mr Tan and his wife will be formally welcomed to the UK by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh before a second procession returns them to Buckingham Palace ahead of a state dinner. 

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Fascinating: The Queen, who also led the D-Day 70th anniversary celebrations, has long been a supporter of British military charities

Magnificent: The Beefeater stood to attention as the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh wandered through the poppy field

THE ROYAL FORTRESS THAT LOOMS LARGE IN BRITISH HISTORY: INSIDE THE MIGHTY TOWER OF LONDON 

A prison, a palace and a place of safety, the Tower has long loomed large over London, playing a crucial role in nearly every major upheaval to afflict the capital since it was begun by William the Conqueror in 1066 - months after his Normans defeated King Harold and the Anglo-Saxons.

The castle he built, the White Tower, was designed for defence but also functioned as a royal palace, with every subsequent Norman king processing from the Tower to their coronation.

That tradition persisted well into the 17th century, with Henry VIII, Edward I and Elizabeth I among the monarchs to spend a night there ahead of their coronations.

But it is as a place of execution and imprisonment that the Tower is more famous, with the very name of its Chapel - St Peter in Chains - offering a clue as to its use.

Although used as a prison from 1100 onwards, the first notable execution to take place at the Tower was that of William Wallace, a Scottish rebel whose death warrant was signed by Edward I 'The Hammer of the Scots'.

Wallace was by no means the only one. He was followed into death at the Tower by England's 'nine day queen' Jane Grey, Henry VIII's wives Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard and Queen Elizabeth I's former favourite, Robert Devereaux, among many others.

The Bloody Tower is also the scene of one of the most enduring mysteries in British history, with the Princes in the Tower confined to rooms in the building before disappearing - never to be seen again. 

Precisely what happened to the two young boys has never been established, although many suspect that the children were murdered - either by their uncle Richard III or the incoming Tudor king, Henry VII.

But while the deaths that took place during the Tudor and mediaeval periods are the most famous, the tradition of executing criminals at the Tower continued into the 20th century with the last prisoners to die executed by firing squad on Tower Green during the First World War.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Tower is also thought to be haunted with the tragic ghost of Anne Boleyn said to appear each year, wandering around the White Tower and carrying her head under her arm, on the anniversary of her execution on the 19th May 1536. 

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Contemplation: Beautiful though the installation is, each represents the loss of a British or Commonwealth soldier's life during WW1

Source: the dailymail

Cameron reveals pain of seeing Thatcher 'slip away' as she succumbed to dementia

PM says he saw the ex Tory leader deteriorate from 'height of her powers'

Lady Thatcher's struggle with dementia portrayed in 'The Iron Lady'

Cameron said all Cabinet ministers now signed up as 'dementia friends'

David Cameron has spoken about the pain of seeing Baroness Thatcher ‘slip away’ as she succumbed to dementia.

The Prime Minister said it had been hard for him to see her deteriorate from being at the ‘height of her powers’ to falling victim to the disease.

He revealed that every member of the Cabinet signed up yesterday morning to become ‘dementia friends’ – meaning they will receive training in how to deal with patients with the condition.

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David Cameron posed with the former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher on the doorstep of 10 Downing Street in London in 2010

Mr Cameron said the poor standards of care for thousands of sufferers – uncovered by the Care Quality Commission earlier this week – was ‘unacceptable’.

And he revealed he was worried he might develop dementia in later life.

Lady Thatcher died last year after long battle against dementia; a fight which was vividly brought to the screen by Meryl Streep in The Iron Lady.

Speaking to BBC Radio Oxford, Mr Cameron said: ‘It was very noticeable and obviously having seen her at the height of her powers when I started working for the Conservative Party back in 1988, you see what an effect this has on someone.

‘I'm actually sitting in Number 10 Downing street in what's called the Thatcher Room, named by Gordon Brown, there's a picture of her staring at me from the wall as we speak which is slightly disconcerting.

‘I've seen that with the parents of friends as well - one minute at the height of their powers, brilliant intellect and brains - then suddenly they start to slip away.’

Source: the UK Mail

Paris Hilton looks flawless in Chanel as she hits the shops with sister Nicky and her $13,000 Pomeranian puppy

The 33-year-old just can't get enough of her adorable teacup Pomeranian puppy Prince Hilton.

So much so that the hotel heiress has been taking the pint sized pooch everywhere with her.

The Big Apple: Paris was spotted out and about in New York with her new puppy Prince Hilton on Wednesday

Paris was spotted out and about in New York on Wednesday with her younger sister Nicky, 31.

And of course, Prince Hilton joined them in the Big Apple after flying out on his mum's private jet.

Paris was seen cradling the five-month-old puppy in her arms as she and her sister treated themselves to a shopping spree. 

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Doting auntie: The hotel heiress and her fluffy 'baby' were accompanied by her sister Nicky as they hit the shops

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Hefty price tag: Paris reportedly paid a whooping $13,000 for snow white pooch 

 Paris has rarely been seen without Prince Hilton - who now has his own Instagram account

Clearly wanting to look her best for the teeny pooch, she dressed up in a chic Chanel number for their day out together.

The heiress looked incredibly glamorous in a black shirt which she teamed with a pair of leather leggings, showing off her famous slim physique.

She then completed her outfit with a Chanel bag, leather gloves and a pair of oversized sunglasses.

Meanwhile, Nicky opted for a more casual look, sporting a boho-inspired brown shirt, ripped jeans and ankle boots.

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So chic: Paris was sporting a Chanel bag and Chanel gloves, which she teamed with leather leggings, a black shirt and ankle boots

Angelina: from controversy to humanism

In 1995, Angelina married Hackers co-star Jonny Lee Miller, wearing black leather trousers and a white top with her groom's name reportedly scribbled in her own blood.

The marriage lasted a year, after which he went on to date Kate Moss among others, while Jolie had her first openly gay relationship, a brief fling with actress Jenny Shimizu, in 1998.

In 2000, Jolie married Academy Award-winning actor Billy Bob Thornton in Las Vegas. Throughout their relationship, they were said to wear vials of each other's blood on matching necklaces.

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Previous loves: Husband number one was British actor, Jonny Lee Miller, in 1995, left, followed by Billy Bob Thornton in 2000

That same year, Jolie caused a stir when she and her producer brother, James Haven, shared a passionate kiss at the Oscars after she won the award for Girl, Interrupted.

Her marriage to Thornton lasted just three years, and after they divorced one of his former wives claimed they split because Thornton did not share Jolie's desire for children. 

The actress adopted her first child, Cambodian-born Maddox, in 2002 when he was seven months old, and in 2005 she adopted Zahara, a six-month-old little girl from Ethiopia.

Also in 2005 Jolie was involved in a scandal when it was claimed she was the reason for the divorce of Brad Pitt, then her co-star in the film Mr & Mrs Smith, and Jennifer Aniston.  Jolie repeatedly denied the suggestion and did not comment publicly on their relationship until January 2006 when she announced she was pregnant with their first child.

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Mr Right: Jolie co-starred with Brad Pitt in the 2005 film Mr & Mrs Smith, and announced she was pregnant by him the following year

Shiloh Pitt was born in 2006, and the following year the couple dubbed 'Brangelina' adopted Pax, a four-year-old boy from Vietnam.  In 2008, Jolie gave birth to twins, a girl named Vivienne and a boy named Knox.

In 2012, Jolie co-founded the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative (PSVI) with then-Foreign Secretary, William Hague, after Hague saw Jolie's 2012 film about Bosnian rape camps, where women were kept prisoner and only released when they were pregnant, Land of Blood and Honey.

Last year the actress announced in a New York Times article that she had a preventative double mastectomy because she carries the 'faulty' gene BRCA1, which sharply increases her risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer. 

The month after she underwent eight hours of surgery, removing the breast tissue and replacing it with a temporary filler, Jolie made a humanitarian trip to the Congo with British Foreign Secretary William Hague as part of a UN initiative. She reportedly fainted in a bathroom during the trip.

In April she visited a Women In The World summit in New York, before flying to London later that month to attend the G8 meeting, before having reconstructive breast surgery. 

After learning she carried the BRCA1 gene Jolie, whose mother Marcheline died of ovarian cancer, took the decision to undergo a hysterectomy next year. 

Jolie married Pitt in the south of France this summer in an Atelier Versace dress decorated with drawings by her young children.

Jolie meets Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace to be officially awarded her honorary damehood

The 39-year-old actress and star of Lara Croft: Tomb Raider had a private midday audience with the monarch today

Received the Insignia of an Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George 

The DCMG honour is in recognition of her campaigning against rape in war zones and services to UK foreign policy

Her work culminated in a landmark international summit in London in June on ending sexual violence in war zones 

Jolie, a United Nations special envoy, was recognised for an honour in this year's birthday honours list

Her husband, actor Brad Pitt, and their six children went too and met the Queen, but didn't feature in official pictures

Oscar-winning Jolie, who married Pitt in August, was named Hollywood's highest-paid actress by Forbes last year  

Angelina Jolie was made an honorary dame during a private audience with the Queen today in recognition of her campaigning against sexual violence.

The Hollywood actress, 39, was presented with the Insignia of an Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George at a reception at Buckingham Palace. 

The monarch herself received Oscar-winning Jolie, who starred as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider, Mr and Mrs Smith, and Changeling, and who was named by Forbes as Hollywood's highest paid actress.

The actress was accompanied to the Palace by her husband, Brad Pitt, and their children, sources told MailOnline, and they were all introduced to the Queen, although they did not have official pictures taken.

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Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie was made an honorary Dame by the Queen in recognition of her work against sexual violence

she is a foreign citizen Jolie may not be addressed as Dame, though she can use the initials DCMG after her name, but received the award on an honorary basis for her work at trying to stamp out rape in war zones.

She was recognised in the Diplomatic Service and Overseas Birthday 2014 Honours list and received the honorary damehood (DCMG) for services to UK foreign policy and the campaign to end war-zone sexual violence.  

The award was first announced in June during the week when Jolie was co-chairing the End Sexual Violence in Conflict (ESVC) global summit in London with then foreign secretary, William Hague. 

Honour: The Queen herself received the Oscar-winning actress in a private audience at Buckingham Palace today

The actress and her husband Brad Pitt touched down in a private jet in London yesterday, ahead of today's ceremoy

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The other day job: Jolie, whose films include Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, above, and Mr and Mrs Smith, is Hollywood's highest paid actress

Jolie pictured arriving at the sexual violence summit she organised with then Foreign Secretary William Hague, centre, and Brad Pitt

The actress was accompanied to the Palace by her husband, Brad Pitt, and their six children, five of whom are pictured above

Her humanitarian work runs parallel to her Hollywood career and bringing up her six children with actor Brad Pitt, three of whom are adopted.

Jolie has been described by US Secretary of State John Kerry as a 'fierce and fearless advocate' and he said her dedication to campaigning could overtake her successful film career as her lasting legacy. 

Palace aides chose not to make public details of the audience beforehand but released a series of stills of the Queen meeting the Queen of Hollywood later.  

The audience took place in the 1844 room, named in honour of the 1844 State Visit of the Russian Emperor Nicholas I.  

In a statement Buckingham Palace said: 'Ms Angelina Jolie was received by The Queen today when Her Majesty presented her with the Insignia of an Honorary Dame Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George.

'His Excellency the Hon Paul de Jersey was received in audience by The Queen and kissed hands upon his appointment as Governor of Queensland.'

When her damehood was announced, Jolie said: 'To receive an honour related to foreign policy means a great deal to me, as it is what I wish to dedicate my working life to.

Source: the dailymail