An extraordinary life: descendant welcomes biography of woman ‘gifted’ to Queen Victoria 18. October 2026 (09:00) A girl called Àìná was captured by an African king and later taken to England to become Sarah Forbes Bonetta, protege of the imperial monarch When she was seven years old, Bayo Randle’s great-great-grandmother Sarah Forbes Bonetta was presented to Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle as a “diplomatic gift” from an African king.Victoria would go on to pay for Bonetta’s education, approve her marriage to one of west Africa’s wealthiest men, and become godmother to her eldest daughter. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Condé Nast’s UK profits drop by more than a third as sale of Vogue publisher ruled out 18. October 2026 (09:00) Magazine group points to restructuring bill but says it ‘remains profitable in the UK for another year’Profits at Condé Nast’s UK arm slumped by more than a third last year, according to figures published shortly after the billionaire family that owns the luxury magazine group and titles from Vogue to GQ ruled out a sale.The publisher, which enjoyed a bumper 2024 after booking £64m in proceeds from the sale of its UK headquarters Vogue House in London, saw pre-tax profits excluding exceptional items tumble 36% from £28m that year to nearly £18m last year. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
