Princess Charlene stole the show in a super sculpted cocktail dress while unveiling two portraits in the Salle des Marriages alongside her husband Prince Albert.

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Antler may be best known for its array of bold, durable and oh-so-chic suitcases, overnight bags and holdalls, but the brand has expanded its collection once again to bring shoppers even more protective items for our personal belongings. 

From June 3, Antler will launch its Summer Capsule, which includes a variety of protective garments to house your other travel and sporting essentials, such as a Tennis Racket Cover, Detachable Sunglasses Pouch, as well as a Reversible Tote Bag and more. 

The new seven-piece drop follows a unisex colour palette, as the designs are mostly monochrome with Antler’s signature green accents, which is said to mimic the “sharp lines of traditional lawn attire”, according to the website. This combination draws on Antler’s signature functionality, but also draws on quintessential British summer sporting aesthetic too – think the clean cuts of cricket and Wimbledon whites with a flash of bold hues (like that from a citrus tennis ball being batted back and forth). 

However, there are some staples in the collection that are a little bolder, such as the sunglasses pouches, which come in green and orange. 

The Summer Collection has been designed to support the existing (and much loved) luggage collection at Antler, whether you are packing for an active getaway or sporting retreat, Antler is the one stop shop for your suitcase, hand luggage, sunglasses case and tennis racket cover. Simply genius, if you ask us, especially considering the rise of airport aesthetics. 

However, you can simply be strolling to your next friendly match, heading for a coaching session, or a walk in the park, and the stunning new-in will still deliver. 

There’s no denying Antler’s products have been built to last, so not only is the new Summer Capsule stylish, but practical and durable to suit your every need, year in and year out. 

The collection ranges in price from £50 to £135, which you can shop at Antler from 3rd June.

Shop Antler’s Summer Collection

Tennis Racket Cover

With Wimbledon just around the corner it’s no surprise tennis, or padel, becomes one of the most popular sports. So, inevitably we dust off our rackets, or buy new, to get into the spirit. With a new found love for heading to the courts, we obviously need a Tennis Racket Cover to keep the precious piece of kit safe. The cover has been made from durable, water-repellent materials to see you through the seasons. It features a detachable strap to make it easy to wear when walking to and from your match hands-free.

BUY NOW FOR £90

Reversible Tote Bag

We love a tote bag, but a reversible tote bag is a new one, and of course we need it. This design features a cream side and contrasting black side, which you can easily switch between simply by flipping inside out. The fabric is water-repellent, lightweight, and durable enough to take you from the office, to the gym, and everything in between. Plus, it features two wide shoulder straps to avoid it digging into your shoulders.

Buy Now for £90

Heritage Crossbody Bag

A crossbody bag is a fuss-free bag I love, as it can house the essential items in one place, and is versatile enough to style in different ways, especially if you want to go handsfree. The long strap can be adjusted to help you find a comfortable fit when carrying the bag, whether it is across the body, over the shoulder, or around the waist. It is lightweight, and compact, so it is best used for the essentials, such as a phone, passport, and wallet. Available in black and cream colourways.

Buy Now for £135

Leather Sunglasses Case

Finding your sunglasses in a tote bag can be like finding a needle in a haystack, plus it can mean your lenses get scratched, which could jeopardise how protective they are from harmful UV rays. The solution? A sunglasses pouch. The structured leather pouch is not only stylish, but practical to keep your belongings safe. The popper fastening ensures your sunnies don’t slip out of the pouch, while the chain and carabiner can be hooked on to your bag to make it easy to access on sunny days. Available in vibrant orange or forest green.

Buy Now for £65

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Sleep is an essential we need to prioritise to make sure we function at our optimum. There are so many health benefits from an undisturbed night’s sleep, but it’s easier said than done, we know. 

In a bid to promote a healthy sleep environment there are a few factors to consider, such as the temperature in your room, ensuring it’s a no blue zone, cosy pyjamas, avoiding stimulants before bed, as well as comfortable bedding. 

Emma Sleep has heard our cries for luxurious hotel-like bedding, and not only created an extensive range of essentials, such as mattresses, duvets and pillows, but it has launched an unmissable sale to help kit out our bedroom. 

From now until 23rd June Emma Sleep will run the Early Summer Sale, which will see select items reduced by up to 20%. 

The Emma Sleep Early Summer Sale will include the four-seasons duvet, which offers a bespoke cover to see you from winter through to summer, as well as the Hybrid Thermosync Mattress to help regulate your body temperature to prevent you waking up in the middle of the night.  The sale will also see mattress toppers, as well as the Cloud Pillow reduced, plus much more. 

Whether you are replacing your worn out mattress for a plush and supportive design, or overhauling your entire bedscape, the Emma Sleep sale is the perfect time to shop your favourites for less. 

Unsure what to shop? We have whittled down the best buys, though you can shop the full sale here. 

Shop Our Top Picks In Emma Sleep Sale

Emma Hybrid Thermosync Mattress

If you’re investing in a mattress to see you through all seasons, tend to be a sweaty sleeper, or may be going through the menopause, this temperature-regulating mattress will help. The ThermoSync technology works to wick moisture away from the body, and help regulate your body temperature to avoid waking you up at night. It offers medium firmness, which is thanks to the combination of Spring Technology and Emma Sleep’s signature Halo Memory Foam™. Available in single to super king sizes.

BUY NOW FROM £415.20 (WAS £519)

Emma Premium Cloud Pillow Bundle

Finding the perfect pillow to provide support without being too firm is a hard task. But, this set is customisable in height and temperature so you find the best pillow to suit your needs and preferences. The exterior boasts an Outlast thermal layer, which is cool to the touch, breathable and the cover is machine washable too. The set not only includes two microfibre pillows, but pillowcases too.

BUY NOW FOR £120 (WAS £160)

Emma 4-Seasons Duvet

This duvet does exactly what it says on the tin.This three-in-one design enables sleepers to adjust the warmth to suit their preferences as it combines a summer 3.5 Tog duvet, with a seven Tog autumn/winter duvet, and together provides an insulating 10.5 Tog duvet, hence why it is suitable for summer through to winter.Crafted from 100% cotton fabric, which is breathable, and machine washable. Available in single and super king sizes.

BUY NOW FROM £94.35 (WAS £111)

Emma Flip Mattress Top

If you’re updating your mattress, there’s a more affordable way to do so – a mattress topper.This layer sits on top of your existing mattress for an added firmness.This topper is a hybrid design as one side is soft, the other is firm, so you can flip the mattress topper to suit your needs.It is 6cm in thickness, and comes in single to super king sizes.

BUY NOW FROM £177.40 (WAS £208)

100% Cotton Sateen Set

There is nothing better than slipping into a bed with silky sheets that makes you feel like you’re staying in a five-star hotel suite.This luxurious bedding set has been created using a high quality 100% cotton satin 300 thread count that is not only soft, but will help prevent your face from wrinkling after a deep slumber, or hair from any damage, which can occur on rough surfaces. The set includes a duvet cover, fitted sheet, as well as two pillowcases.

BUY NOW FROM £62.05 (WAS £72.99)

Emma Hybrid Airgrid Mattress Deal

If you’re overhauling your entire bedding, this bundle is a worthy option that will save you more. It includes a bestselling Airgrid mattress, which is Emma Sleep’s “most breathable and cooling mattress”, as well as the Premium Foam Pillow, mattress protector and 4-Seasons Duvet, so essentially all of the above recommendations.It is available to fit a single to super king bed.

BUY NOW FROM £700.50 (WAS £934)

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The Chelsea Flower Show may be over, but that doesn’t mean you have to give up on pruning your garden, in fact quite the opposite. 

Whether you are a green fingered fan, dabble in some weeding, or want to become a landscape gardener, there are a few essential tools you need in your gardening arsenal, including a hedge trimmer. 

Admittedly hedge trimmers can be cumbersome and heavy, but we think we have found the perfect alternative at Gtech – the Lightweight Hedge Trimmer LHT50. 

Lightweight Hedge Trimmer LHT50

With a 315mm sharp carbon steel blade, an aluminium shaft and reinforced handles, this hedge trimmer is lightweight yet durable enough to cut through dense shrubs measuring 14mm. The 140° rotating blade with seven head positions, combined with the 10-foot reach, enables you to trim hard to reach areas.

Buy Now for £149.99 (was £219.99) with code NS69

The LHT50 Lightweight Hedge Trimmer features a 315mm carbon steel blade, which enables you to cut through foliage with a thickness of 14mm, an aluminium shaft and reinforced handles for a sturdy design. 

The trimmer offers a 10-foot reach, and has a 140° rotating blade, which can be adjusted into seven different head positions, so you can reach shrubs from all angles and heights. 

After one single four-hour charge the trimmer is powered for one hour. But this 60-minute run time is sufficient to trim the entire garden with time left over, according to shoppers. 

The best part is this gardening tool promises to be lightweight – one third lighter than the original Gtech – and easy to use as it’s cordless, so you will not be restricted by any pesky wires. Just because this trimmer is cordless it doesn’t mean it compromises on power. 

Gtech has paid extra attention to detail as the ergonomic handle makes it comfortable to hold, plus it features a safety harness for user protection, as well as an LED display so you can monitor the power to avoid being caught short.

To use all you have to do is slip the head into the main device until they click into place.  When you are ready to disassemble simply push the release button and detach the parts. 

Whether you have a dense bush that needs to be shaped, or a few stray branches are poking through, this multifunctional design will lend a helping hand.

The Lightweight Hedge Trimmer has garnered glowing reviews from customers, as many praise it as the ultimate multifunctional gardening tool. 

One happy shopper, Paul, shared: ‘Fantastic light weight pole hedge trimmer. I needed a hedge trimmer to replace a very heavy pole trimmer that is light, yet could tackle a long holly hedge and a separate leylandii hedge as I was suffering with tennis elbow. This product is brilliant, very light but cut both hedges excellently. It also had a good charge life with still two lights showing after one hour of use. Highly recommend this product especially if your priority is lightness.’

A second customer, Janet, added: ‘This lightweight hedge trimmer is perfect for any age group, or those who have difficulty handling a heavier model.  No awkward cables to get in the way, or accidentally cut through! So it is much safer for that reason than one with an electric cable attached to mains electricity. Also as it extends, often no ladder is required. The battery charges easily, and gives you plenty of power to cut even a long hedge.’

While Jo weighed in: ‘Great hedge trimmer – light enough for a 5’2” senior lady to use, which was the problem with all the others I tried.’

If that wasn’t enough, Gtech is offering shoppers a discount on the Lightweight Hedge Trimmer. Enter the discount code NS69 at the checkout to save £70 and see the price drop from £219.99 down to £149.99.

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Dr. Alka Patel is 53 – but going on 23. It may sound nonsensical but it really isn’t, she insists. 

A Longevity and Lifestyle Medicine Doctor based in London, Alka tells Metro that despite being in her fifties, 23 is her biological age. ‘It’s pretty simple. When we talk about biological age, we’re referring to the actual health of your cells and tissues — not just the number of candles on your birthday cake,’ she explains. 

‘A younger biological age means your cells and tissues are functioning as though you’re much younger: in your heart health, your brain sharpness, your skin glow. It’s not just about feeling better; it’s about becoming younger.’

And becoming younger is a passion for Alka. A GP for over 20 years, and now a Media Medic and TEDx speaker, she is on a mission to help people live longer and stronger. 

But why is this so important to her? ‘Because I nearly died — and I don’t want anyone to go through what I went through,’ she says.

On her 39th birthday, Alka was hospitalised with burnout afte spending all her time taking care of her patients and her family, and neglecting herself. It was so severe, her organs started to shut down. ‘I had a terrible fever and no one could work out why,’ she remembers.

‘I didn’t know if I’d live to see my children the next day. That moment truly terrified me. I was cut open by surgeons in an attempt to find the source of the fever – but it was a mystery. In the end I was diagnosed as PUO – Pyrexia of Unknown Origin – and left with the surgical scars of my burnout as a harsh reminder to take care of myself.

Being forced to confront her mortality was eye opening for Alka: ‘I wasn’t ready to leave my children without a mother. That experience didn’t just change me; it redefined me.’

She knew she had to rewrite her own health story — and in doing so, became determined to help others avoid the fate she nearly faced. 

So how did Alka drop her biological age? ‘I redesigned how I lived: what I ate, how I moved, how I slept, and how I responded to the daily demands of life. Total lifestyle reset.’

She also utilised her medical background: testing her biology – aka her hormones, nutrient levels, toxins, inflammation – and using wearable health trackers to see how her body was really responding. 

‘It wasn’t guesswork, it was grounded in data,’ Alka explains. ‘I approached it with my ‘Foundational, Functional, Focal’ model.

‘I got the foundations right — optimising lifestyle, nutrition, sleep and movement; then I moved to the functional layer, testing for hormonal balance and nutrient levels; and then I got focal: targeting specific goals based on the data, such as improving my cognitive clarity. I ended up unlockinglayers of health I didn’t know were possible.’

Alka describes her day-to-day routine before her health crisis as ‘chaotic’. Juggling motherhood (Alka has three children), a demanding career, and ‘a personality that said “I can do it all”.’ 

Life would be eating packets of biscuits between patients, optional sleep, and constant stress. ‘I was living in reactive mode – always firefighting; never fireproofing,’ she remembers.

And now? ‘Now I’m in charge. I start my mornings with what I call 1-10: The Sunshine Sync, which means one minute of stepping out into the morning light followed by 10 seconds of gratitude for the day. 

‘I also prioritise protein and fibre with my meals and structure my day with micro-movements, like doing calf raises as I’m brushing my teeth.’  

Alka also measures her metrics with wearable devices like a Continuous Glucose Monitor for blood sugar control and every decision is deliberate, she says, before adding another alliteration: ‘Data, Devices, Decisions’. 

Some of those decisions have been a little out there, she admits. ‘People raise their eyebrows when I tell them about the seven days of complete silence. But silence is the ultimate biohack. It recalibrates your brain; resets your emotional state; and boosts your cognitive clarity. 

‘I’ve also run two marathons, do regular sauna sessions for detoxification and cell health, and commit to five-day fasts.’ Alka is quick to point out that while sometimes she does water only fasts (‘while wearing my glucose monitor to stay safe and motivated’), other times she does eat – and that assuming you don’t during a fast, isn’t correct.

‘It may sound contradictory but we can fast in a way that nourishes the body with a small amount of food while still providing the prolonged fasting benefits,’ she explains. ‘All of these thing challenge not just my body but my mind. It’s all about discomfort as a path to discovery.’

Alka admits that many of her colleagues are sceptical, but puts that down to the healthcare and medical education systems ‘not being set up for health; they’re set up for sickness.’ 

In today’s world, it’s hard to escape our current obsession with living longer, especially when you think of Bryan Johnson, the tech entrepreneur – known for his Project Blueprint – who takes 100 pills a day, had an infusion of his son’s plasm and spends millions on diet, fitness, tracking and treatments to reduce his biological age.

Alka tells Metro she is a fan of his work. ‘Bryan is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible — and that’s a good thing,’ she insists. When asked whether his method of using young blood plasma to rejuvenate ageing cells – parabiosis – is a step too far, Alka insist not.

‘There’s fascinating research behind parabiosis. (And cryotherapy – using extreme cold in surgery or treatments – for its stress benefits.) I’m a believer in doctor-guided biohacking because the body is complex, and taking control of your health with an expert by your side is how you ensure precision and safety.

‘I’m also mindful, though, that just because something is possible it doesn’t mean it’s practical or right for everyone,’ she adds.’ 

But why doesn’t anyone want to get old any more?  ‘I don’t think it’s about not wanting to get old, it’s about wanting to stay vibrant, independent, and strong for as long as possible,’ says Alka.

It’s about living well; not just living long. Getting older is inevitable; how you age is a choice. I’m not afraid of time catching up with me; I’m just moving faster than it at the moment.’

There’s no doubt that hers is one tough regime. She admits that the food noise that comes with five days of fasting is incredibly difficult to deal with, while running a marathon made her legs numb with pain – ‘but I’d tested my DNA and knew I carried genes for endurance,’ she adds. 

She also believes that growth doesn’t come from comfort. ‘I’m not afraid of discomfort; I’m afraid of stagnation. I’ve never felt stronger, sharper, or more beautiful. 

‘I’m more focused, more driven, more present than I’ve ever been. My energy doesn’t fade halfway through the day – it’s constant; it’s consistent. These days I’m running on premium fuel instead of  fumes.’

Click here formore information on Dr. Alka’s 10 Years Younger in 10 Weeks programme.

A bride has been left devastated after her wedding day was ruined by her own father when he broke the one rule she had put in place – and called her selfish for not backing down

No matter how many times Carmen Davies showers, sprays perfume or brushes her teeth, she can’t mask the odour coming from her body.

In 2023, the 29-year-old, was diagnosed with trimethylaminuria (TMAU), a rare condition believed to affect around 100 people in the UK.

Also known as fishy odour syndrome, the genetic disorder causes sufferers to omit a pungent scent through their breath, sweat and urine.

Carmen says she will smell within minutes of eating certain foods – including fish and eggs – because her body is unable to break them down.

Although she can’t notice the smell herself, the mum-of-one can see other people’s reactions when she walks past.

But it hasn’t just knocked her confidence — it’s also impacted her ability to find work and even prevented her from attending her cousin’s funeral.

Carmen, who is currently unemployed, from Fallowfield, Manchester, says: ‘I live my life having to stay away from people, and that’s led to massive mental health issues.

‘Smelling like rotten fish, rotten eggs, urine and faeces is horrendous – it doesn’t matter how much I wash.

‘I go out wanting to be cautious about other people and feeling guilty about myself standing next to someone.’

Despite this, she’s tried her best to overcome her issues and leave the house more often since having her baby boy, saying: ‘He needs to be outside – so with having a child, I’ve had no other option.’

When people are in her vicinity, they often ask ‘what’s that smell?’. And while Carmen does her best not to take it personally, reminding herself it’s ‘a natural human reaction’, she finds it ‘really hard’.

‘My aim is to try and explain it to other people,’ she adds. ‘It really has altered my way of life in every single way.’

TMAU – which can be present from birth but typically gets worse during puberty – is caused by a mutation in the FM03 gene, which helps break down trimethylamine. Without it, the compound builds up, causing a fish-like odour.

Carmen first realised she had started to smell when she was in college aged 18.

She recalls: ‘There was this one boy that told everybody that I smelled like poo. I thought it was strange, and he was just being malicious to me, so I didn’t take any notice of it.

‘But then I started hearing indirect comments about me from other people – that I needed to have a bath and have a wash. This guy also started to make songs about me on his YouTube channel — he’d nickname me “poo-dle”.’

After seeking medical advice, she claims she was initially told it was a mental health related issue.

‘They believed I had a condition where I could smell smells that weren’t there,’ she says. ‘But I shower every morning and keep clean so I went back to the doctors and said I was sure something was wrong. I asked to be referred to a TMAU specialist centre but was told it was really rare and that it was all in my head.’

Carmen refused to be dismissed however, and pushed for answers until she eventually received an official diagnosis.

Unfortunately, there’s no cure for the condition, and symptoms can only be managed through dietary changes. But even though she avoids red meat, green vegetables and processed or frozen foods, Carmen says she will still ‘always have an odour’.

‘Over the years I’ve found that fasting makes you smell worse in the first seven days, but if you continue your fast then your TMAU tends to smell like cinnamon,’ she adds.

‘It was working in the sense that I didn’t smell like faeces and sewage, but I became too thin from not eating enough.’

Carmen continues: ‘I don’t have any quality of life — I have to wake up and have this smell every day.

‘I did ballet, singing, and dancing when I was younger, and I’d do anything to be able to do that again.

‘ Family gatherings are out of bounds too. I lost my cousin, and I couldn’t go to his funeral because of it. I really do sit in my house all the time.’

One small comfort has been an online TMAU forum where she was able to talk to fellow sufferers about the issues it causes.

‘We completely understood each other,’ says Carmen. ‘It’s so hard to explain to other people, and I wish the world could be kinder about things.’

Do you have a story to share?

Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

I was alone and lying in a hospital bed when a consultant came into the room.

It was 2010 and I was 19. I had been experiencing bloody diarrhoea for three months.

That’s when I was told something I’ll never forget: ‘Prepare for the worst because your symptoms could be a sign of bowel cancer.’

While I understand they may have been trying to prepare me, this did little to comfort me. Instead, I immediately burst into tears.

I was terrified and didn’t want to die.

This all started five months earlier when I contracted food poisoning from uncooked chicken at a chain restaurant while in my final semester of first-year at university.

I’d experienced vomiting and diarrhoea ever since, which meant I’d spent almost every waking minute close to a toilet – going up to eight to 10 times a day. I even had to stop going out with friends and couldn’t drink alcohol as it made my symptoms worse.

Eventually, I went to see my GP who then referred me to a gastroenterologist for tests.

Unfortunately, while awaiting my hospital referral, I caught a virus. I couldn’t keep any food down, I was rapidly losing weight from bloody diarrhoea, I had a high temperature, and generally felt rubbish.

Yet all I was given to fight it off was some anti-sickness tablets and the advice to ‘rest up’.

After two weeks of this, I realised I wasn’t getting any better. So my parents took me to A&E, where I was admitted.

There, doctors administered fluids and steroids.

The next week in the hospital was an incredibly apprehensive time awaiting diagnosis. 

That’s when the comment from one of the consultants about potentially having bowel cancer came about. I was scared. 

Meanwhile, I was kept on a high dose of steroids, which thankfully helped my symptoms slowly start to ease. Then I had a colonoscopy, which is when I was finally given my official diagnosis: Ulcerative Colitis.

This long-term health condition causes the lower bowel to become swollen and ulcerated, which causes a variety of symptoms, including diarrhoea, stomach pain, and extreme fatigue – all of which I had.

Essentially, food poisoning triggered my first ulcerative colitis flare-up, which then caused my immune system to attack itself, which also explained why I’d struggled to fight off that virus.

I was in the hospital for over a week while doctors got my condition under control. But even when I left the hospital, I was incredibly weak.

Not only had I lost so much weight due to the flare-up, but it was also really mentally draining trying to adjust to life with a lifelong, incurable illness.

Thankfully, over the next year, I started to gain my strength back. I turned to the charity Crohns & Colitis UK, who provided a ‘can’t wait’ card – which makes it easier to ask to use toilets in public places without having to give a long explanation – and a radar key for me to use disabled bathrooms.

I also joined Facebook groups like Colitis UK – being able to speak to others with the same condition as me has really helped me mentally overcome my diagnosis and feel less alone.

I always explain that there’s no one size fits all solution with this condition. Some treatments work for some, and not for others, that’s sadly just the way it is with autoimmune conditions.

I’m now on preventative medication, which has kept things under control over the last few years. I take it every day and will be on it for life to keep my immune system from attacking itself, but I definitely consider myself lucky.

Of course, there are still good days and bad days.

When I started working in the TV industry in 2013, I struggled with flare-ups due to the long hours, stress, and general lack of self-care. 

Being disabled and from a northern working-class background, the odds were against me, but somehow, I made it and maintained a freelance career for almost a decade.

The industry, however, eventually took its toll on me, and I made the initial decision to leave for my own mental and physical health in 2021.

Now, I am working with Beacon Films, a production company in the North East of England that supports the talents of disabled and neurodivergent filmmakers. 

I am part of Inclusive Lens, an industry inclusion group that is looking to add positive change to the TV industry for those who identify as disabled.

There is a real misunderstanding of what it means to be disabled. That’s why it’s important to embrace conversations to ultimately change these misconceptions.

For me, taking preventative medication, changing career, exercising, self-advocacy, and working with a great IBD team and a very supportive GP have reduced the frequency of flare-ups.

Today, 15 years on from my own diagnosis, I have managed to remain in remission for the last few years – that’s something that never seemed possible when the consultant told me to prepare for the worst.

Yes, brain fog, anemia, and joint pain (even when not during my flare-ups) are still part of having this condition, but the strength and resilience I have found in myself from having this disease has been incredible.

Being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease will change you, it will teach you patience, it will test you to breaking point. But despite it all, it doesn’t define who you are.

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing James.Besanvalle@metro.co.uk. 

Share your views in the comments below.