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20 December 2017


Are the Royal Family in Star Wars?

Prince William and Prince Harry both went to the opening night of Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi in London this week. They are both huge fans of the series.

But some people are saying that the brothers are actually in the film.

One of the stars of the film, John Boyega, has said that the brothers had a private tour of the film studios last summer, and filmed scenes dressed as storm troopers. Two other well-known people, actor Tom Hardy and Take That singer Gary Barlow, were also dressed as storm troopers. The four guarded Boyega's character in a lift, according to a Hollywood magazine.

In other royal news, Meghan Markle will join the family for Christmas at their country home, Sandringham. This is the first time that someone engaged to be married to a Royal has been invited to do this.

The Royal Family has set traditions at Christmas. They open presents on Christmas Eve, and go to church on the Sandringham estate on Christmas morning. Then they have lunch before watching the Queen's Speech on TV in the afternoon.

Baby born with heart outside her body

Vanellope Wilkins is lucky to be alive. The three-week-old baby was born with her heart outside her body - but after three operations, is doing well.

Her condition was discovered in a routine scan when her mother Naomi was just nine weeks pregnant. She was told her baby had almost no chance of survival, but decided to carry on with the pregnancy.

Vanellope cried a lot after she was born, which gave her parents hope. Her first operation, done when she was an hour old, gave her medication and began to open a space in her chest for her heart. It then took two weeks and more operations for the heart to get into the right place in Vanellope's chest, and to cover it with skin. She will need more operations as she grows.

Babies born with this condition have less than a 10 per cent chance of surviving.

Vanellope was named after a character in a Disney film, Wreck-It Ralph. Her father explained: "Vanellope in the film is so stubborn but she turns into a princess in the end."

America opens GBP 1bn embassy in London

This week the US showed off its brand-new embassy building. It is a glass fortress, with amazing but invisible security precautions.

There are hedges containing steel posts, ditches which would stop trucks, and a pool which is also a moat. The glass on the sixth floor is six inches thick and bullet-proof. Garden terraces in the building have plants from different US zones, and people are allowed to walk through the gardens and along the river.

Abba relive their history in London

The Swedish pop band Abba first made it big in the UK, after winning the Eurovision Song Contest at Brighton's Dome theatre in 1973 with the song Waterloo.

Now the Super Troupers exhibition at the Royal Festival Hall in London relives those days with recreations of 70s homes, fashion, music and more.

 

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