Amid the flurry of planning by palace officials that preceded the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8, 2022, the monarch was busy getting her affairs in order.
In royal biographer Robert Hardman’s new book The Making of a King: King Charles III and the Modern Monarchy (out Jan. 18), the author reveals that the Queen’s staff discovered two private letters she had written and tucked into her red box, which was used for her correspondence, before her death at age 96. One was addressed to her son Charles and another to her top aide, Sir Edward Young. “We will probably never know what they said. However, it is clear enough that the Queen had known that the end was imminent and had planned accordingly. Were they final instructions or final farewells? Or both?” Hardman writes.
The Queen, who died of “old age,” according to her death certificate, knew she was in failing health and wouldn’t live to 101, as her mother had. Says Hardman: “Elizabeth II had been completing her own last pieces of unfinished business.” —ALEX ROSS
Grace KellyThe actress and Princess of Monaco wore this Givenchy ensemble to meet President John F. Kennedy and his wife, Jackie, for a luncheon at the White House in 1961. Bids start at $15,000
Audrey HepburnThe actress wore this white cotton Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche dress for her son Luca’s christening in 1970. Bids start at $2,000
Sarah Jessica ParkerThe actress, 58, wore this tulle three-tier tutu skirt in the opening credits of the 1998-2004 series Sex and the City. Bids start at $2,000
Elizabeth TaylorThe actress wore this white jumpsuit designed by Karl Lagerfeld for Tiziani in the 1968 film Boom! Bids start at $1,000
Princess DianaThe royal wore this black velvet Catherine Walker & Co cocktail dress with ivory satin accents to a private event in the ’90s. Bids start at $25,000
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: RANALD MACKECHNIE/CAMERA PRESS/REDUX; JULIEN’S AUCTIONS; EVERETT; TIM GRAHAM PHOTO LIBRARY/GETTY IMAGES; JULIEN’S AUCTIONS(2); EVERETT; HENRY GRIS/FPG/GETTY IMAGES; JULIEN’S AUCTIONS(2); BETTMANN ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES
It’s been two decades since UC Berkeley engineering student William Hung auditioned for American Idol in 2004 with a memorably mediocre version of Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs.” But it was how he reacted to judge Simon Cowell’s scathing criticism (“I already gave my best!”) that won hearts around the country.
Since then Hung, 41, has released an album, made appearances on shows like Arrested Development, earned an MBA in mathematics, worked for law enforcement as a data analyst and gone pro in poker. He’s also recovered from a gambling addiction and divorced twice.
Now happily married, he lives in Las Vegas and is trying to start a family. “I have no regrets,” he says of his path. “You can’t always stick with a life plan. You have to reinvent yourself when opportunities come up.” —GILLIAN TELLING
Following his viral Idol audition, Hung was featured in a March 2004 issue of People and described as “the vocal equivalent of the film Plan 9 From Outer Space—so bad he’s good.” He said then: “I am popular, but probably not for the right reason.”
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