Tag: deaths

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Deaths Duchess of Kent

The Duchess of Kent’s royal Catholic funeral is scheduled for September 16

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Katherine, the Duchess of Kent, passed away at the age of 92. She passed away at home in Kensington Palace Thursday night (9/4), and Buckingham Palace announced her death on Friday. I wondered aloud if the Windsors were going to use some obscure rule to avoid giving the Duchess a formal royal funeral, but it looks like they’re really pulling out all the stops. It will be the first Catholic funeral mass of a member of the British royal family in modern history, apparently. The funeral is scheduled for September 16th.

The funeral of the Duchess of Kent will be held at Westminster Cathedral on 16 September, with the King and Queen among the senior royals who will be in attendance, Buckingham Palace has announced. The duchess, Katharine, died on Thursday aged 92, prompting tributes for her kindness and support for tennis and music – including working as a primary school music teacher.

The duchess was a Catholic and there will be a Requiem Mass for her funeral, which will be the first royal Catholic funeral in the UK in modern history. It will be a private family service, after which the coffin will be taken to the royal burial ground in Frogmore in Windsor.

The duchess, who had been the oldest member of the Royal Family, died in Kensington Palace and her coffin will remain in the chapel there until the evening before the funeral, when she will be brought to Westminster Cathedral. In the Catholic tradition, there will be a service to mark the reception of the coffin into the cathedral, attended by her close family, with the duchess being survived by her husband, the Duke of Kent, and their two sons and a daughter. The coffin will remain in the Lady Chapel overnight, before the funeral the following day.

This first royal funeral at Westminster Cathedral, at 2pm on Tuesday 16 September, will be presided over by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, with the Anglican Dean of Windsor participating, before accompanying the coffin to Frogmore.

[From BBC]

I wonder if the family will also want a wake, another Catholic funeral tradition. As you can imagine, too many people are already making the Duchess of Kent’s death all about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Harry is arriving in London soon, or he’s already in the UK at this moment. Will he “stay” for the funeral? I would say… probably not, but there’s already a lot of speculation that he could. The Mirror said that King Charles and Queen Camilla will definitely attend Katherine’s funeral, as will some of the other members of the royal family.

Harry apparently “privately sent his condolences” to the Duchess’s family, his people confirmed to several outlets. There’s no conversation about postponing the WellChild Awards, like they had to do in 2022 when QEII died. Interestingly enough, one of the Duchess’s rare public outings in recent years was to Harry and Meghan’s 2018 wedding. She wore sneakers and seemed especially happy for them. She was very close to Princess Diana. Speaking of, Prince William and Kate paid tribute to her with a statement published on Twitter.

A message from The Prince and Princess of Wales pic.twitter.com/0VPYJr8j4Z

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) September 5, 2025

Photos courtesy of Photoshot/Avalon, Avalon Red and Cover Images.

Categories
Deaths

Katherine, Duchess of Kent, has passed away at the age of 92

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Katherine, the Duchess of Kent, has passed away at the age of 92. The Duchess of Kent was rarely seen in public in recent years, even though her husband is still technically a working royal with a public schedule. In the 1990s, the Duchess began working as a music teacher and a private piano teacher. In 2002, the Duchess made the choice to step away from most royal work. She also converted to Catholicism at some point.

Katharine, Duchess of Kent, who was married to Queen Elizabeth II’s cousin the Duke of Kent, has died at the age of 92, Buckingham Palace has announced. Buckingham Palace said the duchess had died late on Thursday evening.

The palace said in a statement: “It is with deep sorrow that Buckingham Palace announces the death of Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent. Her Royal Highness passed away peacefully last night at Kensington Palace, surrounded by her family.”

“The King and Queen and all members of the royal family join the Duke of Kent, his children and grandchildren in mourning their loss and remembering fondly the duchess’s lifelong devotion to all the organisations with which she was associated, her passion for music and her empathy for young people.”

The union flag at Buckingham Palace was lowered to half mast at midday as a mark of respect and a formal framed announcement will be posted on the railings of the royal residence shortly.

[From The Guardian]

It’s really sad, and I hope her husband and children take some time away from everything. I do wonder about the funeral arrangements, given her conversion to Catholicism. Obviously, she won’t have a state funeral or anything like that, but I wonder if there will be some weird rules about whether the Windsors can attend a Catholic funeral mass? I also sort of wonder if someone, somewhere will say that Prince Harry “needs to come back to England” for the funeral.

Tennis fans will always remember the Duchess of Kent for her humanity and empathy towards Jana Novatna after Jana lost in that Wimbledon final. The Duchess comforted Jana as she wept on the Duchess’s shoulder.

Photos courtesy of Photoshot/Avalon and Avalon Red.

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Brandon Blackstock Deaths Kelly Clarkson

Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband, passed away at the age of 48

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Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband, has passed away at the age of 48. Few people knew it, but Blackstock had been treated for cancer for the past three years. In case you’re wondering about the timeline, Kelly filed for divorce in June 2020, after she learned that Blackstock was stealing from her, misappropriating her money and misrepresenting her in business situations (he was her manager at the time). Their divorce took two long years to finalize, mostly because of a huge fight over money – Blackstock fought for every single nickel and dime he could get from her, and he even “squatted” in their Montana ranch and claimed joint ownership. She was paying him six figures a month in spousal support, and he walked away from the marriage (in 2022) with a reported $3.8 million. Soon after their divorce was finalized, he was diagnosed with cancer.

Brandon Blackstock, a talent manager known as both the ex-husband of Kelly Clarkson and the former stepson of Reba McEntire, has died. He was 48.

“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Brandon Blackstock has passed away,” a rep for the family tells PEOPLE in a statement. “Brandon bravely battled cancer for more than three years. He passed away peacefully and was surrounded by family. We thank you for your thoughts and prayers and ask everyone to respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time.”

On Wednesday, Aug. 6, Clarkson revealed Blackstock had been ill, and she postponed her Las Vegas residency to spend time with their children, River, 11, and Remington, 9.

“While I normally keep my personal life private, this past year, my children’s father has been ill and at this moment, I need to be fully present for them,” she wrote in a statement, apologizing to fans and expressing appreciation for their “grace, kindness and understanding.”

Blackstock also had two children from a previous marriage, Savannah and Seth, and became a grandfather in 2022 when his eldest child Savannah gave birth to a son, Lake.

[From People]

Well… I feel sorry for his kids. I also feel incredibly sorry for Kelly. This explains so much in retrospect, including her unexplained absences from her talk show and her sudden postponements of her Vegas residency. Reportedly, she was caring for her ex-husband. Yeah, she’s a bigger person than me. I’m sure she was thinking of their children and all of that, but there was so much water under that bridge. I hope she’s okay and the kids are okay.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.

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Deaths Malcolm-Jamal Warner

Malcolm-Jamal Warner has passed away in Costa Rica at the age of 54

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Malcolm-Jamal Warner has passed away at the age of 54. He was just a month away from his 55th birthday. Warner drowned while swimming in Costa Rica with his family. He was best known to Gen Xers and Xennials as Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, but he grew into a wonderful adult actor, director and musical artist as an adult. I remember when he popped up on Major Crimes and he really gave the show a much-needed injection of charm and charisma. I also remember that he had a role on Suits, and he gave at least one interview where he showed a lot of support for the Duchess of Sussex.

Malcolm-Jamal Warner has died. He was 54. The actor was in Costa Rica on a family vacation and drowned while swimming, a source confirms to PEOPLE. A rep for Warner did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The actor played the only son of Bill Cosby’s character, Heathcliff Huxtable, in the sitcom from 1984 to 1992. In 2023, Warner told PEOPLE of the show, “I know I can speak for all the cast when I say The Cosby Show is something that we are all still very proud of. We share a unique experience that keeps us lovingly bonded no matter how much time goes between seeing or hearing from each other.”

Warner did, of course, acknowledge how the show’s legacy had changed given the allegations made against Cosby, 88, who was convicted of sexual assault in 2018 but later had the charge overturned in 2021, only for five more women to accuse him of sexual assault.

“Regardless of how some people may feel about the show now, I’m still proud of the legacy and having been a part of such an iconic show that had such a profound impact on — first and foremost, Black culture — but also American culture,” Warner said.

[From People]

It’s just so sad. According to TMZ, he was vacationing with his daughter in Costa Rica, and he was caught in a high current. Technically, he died of asphyxia. It is completely devastating. Apparently, his daughter is only six or seven years old as well.

Note by Celebitchy: I just watched Malcolm-Jamal Warner in the series The Resident, on Netflix now. His performance as Dr. AJ Austin was incredible and so memorable. When I finished the series I looked up his IMDB because he’s the character I miss the most. He was such an incredible actor and he will be missed. We’re thinking of his family and friends at this time.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.

Categories
Deaths

Paranormal investigator Dan Rivera passed away while touring the Annabelle doll

paranormal-investigator-dan-rivera-passed-away-while-touring-the-annabelle-doll

Everyone knows that I’m a scaredy cat who can’t watch horror films, right? Well, did you also know that I’m really superstitious and I refuse to invite the bad spirits into my life? I’m not looking to beef with any paranormal energies and if I accidentally invade a spirit’s house or area, I will leave swiftly. Well, Dan Rivera did not feel the same way. Rivera was a paranormal investigator/expert. He was leading a national tour of haunted/possessed objects, objects including the infamous Annabelle doll, which is a “demonically possessed” Raggedy Ann doll. Rivera passed away while the tour was in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, one of the most blood-soaked and ghost-ridden towns in America.

A paranormal investigator died at a hotel while on a tour showcasing a supposedly “possessed” Raggedy Ann doll named Annabelle. Dan Rivera, 54, a senior lead investigator for the Connecticut-based New England Society for Psychic Research, died on Sunday, July 13, during his visit to Gettysburg, Pa., as part of the Devils on the Run tour, the Evening Sun reported.

According to Adams County dispatch records, emergency crews responded to a Gettysburg hotel where CPR was administered on a male of Rivera’s age, the paper reported.

The organization also confirmed Rivera’s death on Monday, July 14, in a Facebook post, describing him as a friend and partner.

“We are heartbroken and still processing this loss,” the society said. “Dan truly believed in sharing his experiences and educating people on the paranormal. His kindness and passion touched everyone who knew him. Thank you for your support and kind thoughts during this difficult time.”

The Gettysburg stop of the Devils on the Run tour was hosted by the tour group Ghostly Images of Gettysburg at the Soldiers National Orphanage, this past weekend, the Evening Sun reported, with final tour stops in September. (Tickets remain on sale.)

[From People]

Local authorities also confirmed that Rivera was found by his colleagues in his hotel room and “Nothing unusual or suspicious was observed at the scene.” His colleagues also said that Rivera was “feeling sick” earlier in the day. The autopsy is still pending. I’m not saying it was the doll, but I’m not NOT saying it either. Like… there are legitimately bad spirits out there, and why would you travel around with these possessed items?? Also: I grew up around Civil War battlefields and for the most part, they’re treated as “places to stage reenactments.” But Gettysburg is different. The bloodiest battle of the Civil War, and generally considered to be one of the most haunted towns in America. It was like a perfect storm of paranormal activity.

Photos courtesy of Dan Rivera’s social media.

Categories
Crime Deaths

Woman accused of killing ex’s family with poisonous mushrooms is found guilty

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Woman Accused of Killing Ex-Husband’s Family with Poisonous Mushroom-Laced Beef Wellington Is Found Guilty https://t.co/RfDpTPQv9e

— People (@people) July 7, 2025



As some of you noted in the comments yesterday, it’s been a newsy week for Beef Wellington. First we heard from Margaret Cho about how she and John Travolta regularly dined on the delicacy (along with boysenberry pie) while filming Face/Off in 1997. Then the verdict came in for an Australian murder trial where Beef Wellington was the weapon. Or more accurately, the conveyor of the weapon. Two years ago Erin Patterson invited her ex-husband and his family to lunch. The ex declined, but his parents, aunt and uncle accepted. Less than a week later, three of the four lunch guests were dead, with the fourth still hospitalized. It wasn’t the quality of the cooking itself that proved fatal, but an extra ingredient: death cap mushrooms, which, as the name suggests, are lethal. In fact, Amanita phalloides are the deadliest variety of mushroom known to humans. And so on Monday, Erin Patterson was found guilty of murder for the three who perished, and guilty of attempted murder for the one survivor.

The verdict: On Monday, July 7, the Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court in the South-Eastern Victoria town of Morwell heard that Erin Patterson, 50, had been convicted of the murders of her estranged husband Simon Patterson’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, as well as Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66, 9 News reported. She was also found guilty of the attempted murder of Heather’s husband, pastor Ian Wilkinson, 68, who was hospitalized for weeks following the family lunch, the outlet stated. Don, Gail and Heather were taken to the hospital and died within days after consuming the Beef Wellington served by Erin, which had been laced with the deadly mushroom at her Leongatha house in July 2023, PEOPLE previously reported.

The defendant: As Monday’s verdict was read out, Erin didn’t drop her gaze from the jury, per The Guardian. After previously pleading not guilty to the murders, Erin said at a trial date last month that she accepted that there must have been death cap mushrooms in the dish, The Guardian previously noted.

The evidence: Among the evidence used during the trial, the BBC reported on Monday that images of Erin’s dining room table had been shown to the jury, as well as photos of a food dehydrator which she’d initially denied owning. Erin had since admitted that she’d dumped the dehydrator at a landfill a week after the fatal lunch, the outlet noted. The appliance was later recovered by police and Erin’s fingerprints and traces of death cap mushrooms were found on it by a forensic examination team, per the BBC.

The testimony: The weeks-long trial had also heard that survivor Ian had said Erin had served her guests Beef Wellington on grey plates, while she gave herself an orange one, the BBC reported. She had no traces of death cap mushroom poisoning, per the outlet. Erin had told the trial that she wasn’t that ill after the meal because she’d made herself sick after eating too much cake, the BBC stated.

The history: The Associated Press previously reported in May that Erin had also invited her ex-husband Simon to the lunch, but he chose not to attend. The agency noted that Erin had been accused of attempting to murder her ex on three previous occasions dating back to 2021. While previously denying any wrongdoing after the death of her third victim, Erin told reporters, “I’m devastated. I loved them. I can’t believe that this has happened and I’m so sorry,” per the AP.

[From People]

The real kicker to me in this crime of errors, is the color-coded plates. At that point, a killer is just helping out the detectives, right? Erin Patterson actually left a lot of crumbs for law enforcement to follow, like being caught on CCTV tossing her food dehydrator in the landfill. She also initially denied to police that she even owned that appliance… only she’d posted photos on Facebook of her using the dehydrator — on mushrooms. (Reminder #1: Don’t commit crimes. Reminder #2: Don’t post them on social media.) A sentencing date has yet to be set, but Erin is definitely facing life in prison.

Wishing peace and healing to her ex-husband Simon, and their two children.

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Deaths J.D. Vance Jill Sobule Music politics

The late Jill Sobule’s final song was ‘J.D. Vance Is a C-nt’

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At 66 years young, it was much too soon to say goodbye to free-spirited indie singer-songwriter Jill Sobule when she died in a house fire earlier this month. If you’re a child of the 90s and are thinking, “Oh yeah, Jill Sobule had that one hit, right?” Jill would clap back with, “How dare you call me a one-hit wonder! I’m a TWO-hit wonder!!” Those two being her 1995 songs “Supermodel,” from the Clueless soundtrack, and “I Kissed a Girl,” written more than a decade before someone else used the title. While those were her most famous tunes, Jill never stopped creating. At the time of her death, Jill was deep into working on her one-woman musical, F*ck 7th Grade, and was enjoying viral success with a song she penned this year with her girl group the Sugar Tits (Michelle Lewis and Kay Hanley are the other members). What, pray tell, was this hit taking social media by storm? A rhyme-tacular, educational ditty called “J.D. Vance Is a C-nt.” Rolling Stone published a tribute to the artist and her unwitting swan song:

The song really was taking off: As far as “J.D. Vance Is a C__,” Sobule told Westword, a few days before her death, that it was a “really dumb little thing with a lot of words that rhyme with ‘c-nt.’ It’s not radio-friendly. It’s not my best song, but it does get to the point.” In a bittersweet irony, the song — possibly the last one she wrote — was becoming a viral hit when she died. The two-minute video of Sugar Tits singing “J.D. Vance Is a C__” was approaching one million views on Facebook, giving Sobule more public exposure than she’d had in years and thrusting her back into the national conversation in ways she didn’t expect.

Jill was planning more songs of political satire: For another project, Sobule had reached out in February to frequent collaborator, journalist, cartoonist, and musician Bill DeMain. She told him she was working on a group of songs “playfully criticizing people in the new administration,” DeMain recalls. Topical songs weren’t new to Sobule; her earlier “Soldiers of Christ” and “America Back” took aim at Christian conservatism and MAGA, respectively. In this case, Sobule had written one verse for “J.D. Vance Is a C__” but needed a melody, so DeMain devised what he calls a “Harry Nilsson-type tune” that would offset the bluntness of the lyric. “She said, ‘That’s great, because it lightens it but also makes it more, in her word, ‘insidious,’” says DeMain, who also contributed a verse.

There’s an art to writing political songs: “It’s not easy to write political songs without sounding like an asshole or preachy or, holier than thou, and it’s really difficult to do that especially for women,” says Hanley. “But she was so funny, sweet and smart that you just couldn’t be pissed at her. When claws came out for other sorts of liberal activists, Jill seemed to avoid some of that because of the way she was. She was like pixie dust.”

Humor vexes authoritarians: “The fact that the song has struck a chord is maybe because we’re not hearing a lot of songwriters who are brave enough to criticize [the Trump team], says DeMain. “And humor is one of the things that really bothers Trump. It’s why he gets so mad at Jimmy Kimmel or Saturday Night Live, because he doesn’t know how to laugh, so he’s furious. She acknowledged it was just kind of a silly little throwaway thing, but it’s something people will be talking about.”

So sad: In the meantime, her friends, including her occasional bandmates, are wrapping their heads around Sobule’s shocking death. Sobule had planned on returning to Los Angeles to resume writing songs for Sugar Tits posts. “She was going to be staying with Michelle and that was what we had planned for this week,” says Hanley. “Instead, we’re planning a Shiva.”

[From Rolling Stone]

I love Jill’s Sugar Tits bandmate describing her as “like pixie dust;” that really captures the presence Jill had on stage! A delightful little imp with a twinkle in her eye and a song in her heart. As for the song in question, it is short and salty but with a sweet melody. Part of what makes the piece work so well satirically, is that it sounds like an educational song for preschoolers. Heck, I’m no preschooler but I still learned something in the song — that the host of candid camera was Allen Funt! And then the chorus ends with that decidedly adult lyric, which, if anything, is almost disrespectful to c-nts everywhere. J.D. only wishes he could be as glorious as a c-nt, amirite? All in all, though, I love everything about this story, except for the fact that Jill is no longer here to enjoy it all. If you haven’t listened to it yet, fair warning: another way in which “J.D. Vance Is a C-nt” resembles a preschool-age song, is that it easily gets stuck in your head!

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