Princess Anne brought was in Dartmouth on Thursday, overseeing a milestone moment for the Royal Navy’s newest officers as they marked the end of months of intense training.

At Britannia Royal Naval College, the Princess Royal attended the traditional passing-out parade,

The ceremony is steeped in naval history, where officer cadets officially graduate and step into their roles as commissioned leaders. 

The occasion marks the culmination of around 29 weeks of rigorous training, transforming civilians into naval officers through a demanding mix of leadership drills, academic study and time at sea. 

Set against the scenic backdrop of Devon’s coastline, the parade blended military precision with proud celebration, as families and senior naval figures gathered to watch the next generation of officers take their place. 

Earlier, she was spotted at 1 Great George Street for an engagement with the Ministry of Agriculture.

A Florida couple has been arrested over defrauding people of more than $200,000.

For scamming people, they booked fake Royal Cruise bookings and luxury watches that were never delivered.

The fraudsters are 65-year-old Antonio Diaz and 64-year-old Maria Blasco Diaz. Couple were arrested on April 7 and is now facing felony charges.

The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office reported that the couple collected around $200,259.85 in three years by scamming people.

The couple used to scam people by claiming that they could secure special discounts through a friend who worked for Royal Caribbean. They also used to lure people by offering exclusive packages, room upgrades, drink packages, and travel insurance for Royal Caribbean.

One of the victims even paid the couple $44,910 for a family booking for Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas scheduled for July 9, 2023.

However, till date, she has never received any updates. Responding to her repeated requests, Blasco Diaz came up with several excuses, eventually claiming her friend had been fired.

Upon direct contact with Royal Caribbean, they established that although the reservation was valid, it was not for her nor any of her family members. The payments written by the couple for their partial refund failed due to a lack of sufficient funds.

The couple is said to have received close to $139,000 as deposits for 16 Rolex watches and one Patek Philippe watch, owing to a claimed 50 percent discount on account of Antonio Diaz working in a jewelry shop.

Blasco initially confessed to the crime and made a statement that her husband “had nothing to do with it.”

For now, the couple has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, they can face up to 30 years in prison.

How to avoid Royal Caribbean booking scams?

Officials have requested users to confirm the booking number immediately on the Royal Caribbean website or app to ensure it exists. Moreover, never pay upfront, and use the phone number directly from the official Royal Caribbean site for authentic contact.

Benjamin Bratt looked back fondly on his time working with Sandra Bullock in the 2000 comedy, Miss Congeniality.

At the Los Angeles premiere of his new Prime Video film Balls Up, the actor shared with E! News that Bullock was “one of the loveliest people” he’s ever worked with.

“I remember Sandy at the helm as a producer and as the star of the film,” Bratt said.

“She was courageous and willing to go for anything.”

He noted that Bullock’s leadership created an environment where he and their costars, including Michael Caine, Candice Bergen, William Shatner, and Heather Burns, felt safe to take creative risks.

“That’s really the beauty of being in a situation where the safety net is built in,” Bratt explained. “It encourages you as a performer to just jump off the cliff and see what happens.”

The risks paid off, with Miss Congeniality becoming a box office hit and spawning the 2005 sequel Miss Congeniality 2: Armed & Fabulous.

Though Bratt did not return for the sequel, he credits Bullock’s comedic fearlessness for the franchise’s enduring popularity.

“It really endures because of Sandy and what she did with it,” he said, adding that her willingness to be silly and make a fool of herself set the tone for the cast and crew.

Reflecting on Bullock’s influence, Bratt concluded, “She leads from the top. If you start the work day with an essence of fun, then hopefully the result will fall into line.”