OHMYGOSSIP — Prince William says it was a “huge privilege” to work with the East Anglia Air Ambulance.
The 34-year-old royal will be stepping down from his role as a helicopter pilot for the Air Ambulance service when his current contract runs out in the summer, and has taken the time to praise his team of “professional, talented people” for their hard work.
Prince William said in a statement released by Kensington Palace: “It has been a huge privilege to fly with the East Anglia Air Ambulance. Following on from my time in the military, I have had experiences in this job I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and that will add a valuable perspective to my royal work for decades to come.
“I would like to thank the people of East Anglia for being so supportive of my role and for letting me get on with the job when they have seen me in the community or at our region’s hospitals.
“I would especially like to thank all of my colleagues at EAAA, Babcock and Cambridge Airport for their friendship and support.
“I have loved being part of a team of professional, talented people that save lives every day. My admiration for our country’s medical and emergency services community could not be any stronger.”
Last week, it was reported that Prince William – who has Prince George, three, and Princess Charlotte, 20 months, with his wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge – would be stepping down from his Air Ambulance role in order to become a full-time royal.
However, it has been suggested he won’t use his free time to take on more royal duties than his father, 68-year-old Prince Charles, as he doesn’t want to appear to be “elbowing his father out of the way”.
A friend of Prince William said: “Some people may question why William still won’t do as much as Princess Anne but he is dead set on not queering his father’s pitch.
“He sees that Charles will probably be in his seventies before he becomes king and he doesn’t want to be seen as elbowing his father out the way.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Meghan Markle has embarked on a humanitarian trip to India.
The 35-year-old actress – who is currently in a relationship with Prince Harry – touched down in the country last week on a charitable visit as she journeyed to a number of poverty stricken areas.
The brunette beauty was spotted handing out sanitary items such as tampons and promoting hygiene to the young women she met on her travels.
Meghan embarked on the trip as part of her work as the global ambassador for World Vision, a charity which aims bring hope to children living in the world’s most poverty stricken regions.
Speaking previously about her work, the ‘Suits’ star said: “I’m the global ambassador for World Vision, which I’m really excited about and I’ve been working with them for the past year.
“So, in January, I’m going to India for two weeks setting up a girls’ programme that I’m really excited about and have been working on for the past six months.”
And it isn’t just Meghan who’s been getting involved in charity work overseas, as her royal beau Prince Harry – whom she has been dating for around seven months – recently made an impassioned plea to save the “incredibly special” African black rhino.
He said: “The rhino is one of Africa’s most iconic species. This is a black rhino, an animal that deserves the utmost respect, so to be able to be sitting next to her is incredibly special.
“The black rhino has been reintroduced into Botswana and its numbers are increasing here, while numbers are decreasing elsewhere. If we can’t save these animals, what can we save?”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Princess Diana felt “extremely isolated” in the years before her death.
The late royal had her life tragically cut short when she was involved in a fatal car crash in 1997, but a never before seen letter written by the Princess in 1991 has revealed she felt “continuously misunderstood” by those close to her.
The letter, obtained by the Daily Telegraph newspaper, was addressed to Princess Diana’s close friend, the late interior designer Dudley Poplak and dated on December 3 1991.
It reads: “Dearest Dudley, I did so enjoy our lunch today – it was special for many reasons and in particular our conversation towards the end of our delicious meal.
“I do feel extremely isolated more than ever now, as I see what’s coming to this country and this family.
“During the last couple of years I have been through a self-development programme which has brought a deep understanding of those who suffer and those who need love and support, wherever its in hospices or in the street.
“I feel that you believe in me, Dudley, and you’ve no idea what this means to me as I am continuously misunderstood by those around me.
“Please may we continue our conversation in January, when the pace of life isn’t so fast and furious, as I’d care to ask for your advice and relay to you my inner thoughts.
“Lots of love from, Diana x.”
The significance of the letter – which is now being sold by a private collector after Dudley’s death in 2005 – comes as it was written just months before the “public falling out” which occurred when Andrew Morton published the controversial biography ‘Diana: Her True Story’ in 1992.
Chris Albury, from Dominic Winter Auctioneers, told the Daily Telegraph: “The letter sent in December 1991 is poignant in that it was written only months before all the public falling out following the Morton biography.
“She must have been feeling even more isolated from the Windsors at a time when her marriage had fallen apart and she had just told her version of her Royal life to Morton, knowing that she was about to let a genie out of the bottle which would change her life for better or worse.
“This heartfelt letter offers a unique window into Diana’s inner-torment at that time.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Prince Harry is taking his girlfriend Meghan Markle “extreme” camping with polar bears.
The 32-year-old royal is reportedly whisking the actress away to the remote mining town of Barentsburg – located on the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard in the Arctic Ocean – as part of a “love test” to see if the 35-year-old star could really be the one for the young Prince.
A source told the Daily Star Sunday: “Harry always said that he’d know if a girl was the one if he could take her to the middle of nowhere and she survived.
“Harry’s always on this quest for inner peace and it’s only in these silent spots he seems to find that.
“Allowing Meghan into that world was a huge love test.”
And it wouldn’t be the first time Prince Harry has taken the ‘Suits’ actress on a chilly romantic getaway, as they previously spent time together in the tiny Norwegian town of Tromvik where they managed to keep a low profile.
A source said at the time: “They were very discreet.”
The couple are reported to have stayed in the luxury Tromvik Lodge, which costs $374 per night.
Meanwhile, it was recently reported that the royal – who has been dating Meghan for around seven months – is “truly in love” with the brunette beauty.
A source said: “Harry is truly in love. They’re very serious.”
And the insider also claims that despite having not been together for very long, wedding bells could be on the horizon.
They added: “Those close to Harry and Meghan wouldn’t be surprised if there will be an engagement announcement sometime this year.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Luke Day’s menswear collection was inspired by Queen Elizabeth.
The stylist has revealed the 90-year-old monarch was the inspiration behind his collection for MSGM, which he debuted in Milan to great reviews.
He told the Mirror newspaper: “I think the Queen is a rather majestic muse, especially subverting it to be used for men’s fashion inspiration. The TV show The Crown has really put her at the forefront as our new TV obsession and reminded us what a style icon she is.
“Those images of her off duty driving a Range Rover are iconic now, as is her imitable style. The show was really fun to style, I loved turning the models into contemporary versions of her and giving it a sporty, youthful twist.”
Luke – who is also editor of Britain’s GQ Style magazine – says his collection featured outfits inspired by the British countryside and silk heads carves paying homage to the British monarch.
Uploading some pictures of his models on the catwalk superimposed next to the Queen, he wrote: “YAAAAASSSS QUEEN!! Styling by me @msgm_official @massimogiorgetti image by @soune21 (sic)”
The Queen is regularly praised for her stylish but classic outfits and she was recently featured in Vanity Fair’s International Best-Dressed List.
Amy Fine Collins, a Vanity Fair correspondent, wrote at the time: “She has consistently represented who she is and what she stands for, without wavering from a standard she set a long time ago. Politics, culture, and class structure in the empire – all of that shifts constantly, but she doesn’t. She’s a beacon.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Queen Elizabeth looked relaxed as she attended her first official public engagement of the year.
The 90-year-old royal was seen arriving at her annual Women’s Institute meeting in Sandringham, Norfolk after being plagued with a heavy cold over the festive period.
The members who attended the meeting at West Newton village hall were given a talk by historian Lucy Worsley earlier in the day.
Mary Relph, who watched as the Queen entered the meeting, said: “She looked lovely, she really did after her severe cold, I felt she looked lovely.”
The Queen was last seen publicly at Sandringham Church a couple of weeks ago, where she was joined by her husband Prince Philip, grandson Prince William and his wife Duchess Catherine and her sister Pippa Middleton.
Meanwhile, the British monarch missed a church service on Christmas Day for the first time in 30 years. A spokesperson insisted her failure to attend was just “precautionary measure” and not a cause for concern.
They said at the time: “[It was] a precautionary measure but there was no sense of undue concern.”
And in another statement a couple of weeks previous, the spokesperson added: “The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have heavy colds, and so have decided not to travel to Sandringham today.”
At last year’s Women’s Institute meeting, the Queen dined with other members of the Institute and was gifted with a birthday cake, a tree and a plague to mark her 90th birthday.
Yvonne Browne, vice-president of the Institute’s Norfolk group, said at the time: “We’ve bought her a sweet chestnut tree and a plaque for it. We presented her the plaque and a photograph of the tree.
“We had a little bit of a joke because when she went to the Albert Hall in London last year [for the Institute’s 100th birthday] she had difficulty cutting the cake. I said to her, ‘I hope you can cut this, Ma’am.’ And the knife went in easily so that was good!”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Prince Charles believes climate change is the “wolf at the door”.
The 68-year-old royal has joined forces with Tony Juniper – a former Friends of the Earth director – and Cambridge University climate scientist Emily Shuckburgh – to pen a book about the challenges and possible solutions to the issue of climate change.
In his foreword for the book, the Prince of Wales writes: “I hope this modest attempt to alert a global public to the ‘wolf at the door’ will make some small contribution towards encouraging requisite action; action that must be urgently scaled up, and scaled up now.”
Whilst a spokesperson for the Prince added to the Daily Telegraph newspaper: “It is the thing he is most concerned about. He regards climate change as the number one threat to the planet and it is the thing he cares most passionately about.”
The 48-page book – which is called ‘The Ladybird Book on Climate Change’ – is part of a new series of Ladybird books for adults called ‘The Ladybird Expert’.
Collaborator Tony said previously: “His Royal Highness, Emily and I had to work very hard to make sure that each word did its job, while at the same time working with the pictures to deliver the points we needed to make.
“I hope we’ve managed to paint a vivid picture, and like those iconic titles from the 60s and 70s, created a title that will stand the test of time.”
Whilst Rowland White, a publishing director with Penguin, added: “It was a coincidence where we were thinking about a new series for adults after the huge success of the spoof books, but this time wanted some factual books by experts on science, history and arts subjects. So the call and the idea from Clarence House was the catalyst for the new series.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Prince Harry has made an impassioned plea to save the African black rhino.
The 32-year-old royal has asked for support in saving this “incredibly special” creature as he revealed numbers in the wild have been on the decrease.
He said: “The rhino is one of Africa’s most iconic species. This is a black rhino, an animal that deserves the utmost respect, so to be able to be sitting next to her is incredibly special.
“The black rhino has been reintroduced into Botswana and its numbers are increasing here, while numbers are decreasing elsewhere. If we can’t save these animals, what can we save?”
And the flame-haired royal has become a patron of Rhino Conservation Botswana, a charity set up to monitor and protect Botswana’s black and white rhinos.
In a video filmed whilst the Prince was in Botswana, he added: “I’ve been lucky enough to visit Botswana for more than 20 years and am incredibly fortunate to be able to call it my second home.
“Being Patron of Rhino Conservation Botswana is an opportunity to give something back to a country that has given so much to me. It’s about time we start celebrating and supporting the countries that are taking the lead in conservation.”
It comes after Prince Harry revealed he is “incredibly proud” of his brother Prince William in his efforts in trying to stop rhino traffickers.
He said: “My brother, William, is working at a global level to encourage countries like America and China to lead the way in ending demand for ivory and rhino horn and to help African nations with the resources they need to beat the traffickers.
“Next week in London, he will host a global taskforce of transportation firms, government agencies, and wildlife experts to agree an ambitious plan to shutdown global trafficking routes. William has put the fate of endangered species back on the agenda of governments, companies, and NGOs around the world. I am incredibly proud of what he is achieving and will do whatever I can to support him.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Queen Elizabeth received a horse, a bag of salt and a union flag for her 90th birthday.
The British monarch was showered with gifts when she reached the milestone last April and again when she officially celebrated her birthday in June.
In a list of gifts given to the royal family, it was revealed that the Queen was given a purple bag of salt from the British Virgin Islands whilst Withyham parish in East Sussex, England offered the monarch a padded union flag with the words “Now we are Ninety” on it. A DVD titled ‘Three Cheers for the Queen’ was also included as a present.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police gifted the Queen a horse called Sir John whilst the Royal Cavalry of Oman presented the British royal with a bronze statue of 40 horses and a carriage.
There were a handful of more personal presents too including a pastel drawing of the Queen accepting the Ascot Gold Cup trophy in 2013 whilst her beloved corgis weren’t missed off the list with the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead sending four padded dog jackets.
The Indonesian cabinet secretary gave the monarch a painting of herself and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, standing in a paddyfield in Bali whilst the Chinese ambassador offered the Queen a silk fan.
Elsewhere, Prince Charles received his own selection of unique gifts including a model of Mother Teresa and watches for himself and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, from Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa.
And whilst visiting the Kovilj monastery in Serbia, Prince Charles was given three bottles of brandy, four jars of honey, three books and three CDs as well as a photograph album. Camilla received a pair of gloves and a necklace from the Serbian parliament.

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OHMYGOSSIP — Princess Anne has officially opened a rehabilitation centre in Dorset, England, for people with spinal injuries.
The 66-year-old royal was on hand to formally open the Livability Spinal Injury Centre, which is designed to provide rehabilitation services to people with spinal cord injuries.
During her visit, Princess Anne said she was “opening the doors for a very specific kind of support”, adding that she was looking “forward to seeing what the achievements of these facilities can bring”.
She also discussed with guests the “importance of such a facility” in helping people contend with the physical and psychological affects of a spinal cord injury, according to the Bournemouth Echo newspaper.
Princess Anne’s latest official engagement comes shortly after she and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence were given a tour of the London Boat Show.
The royal and her retired Naval officer husband were spotted at the annual boating event at the capital’s ExCeL Exhibition Centre in Greenwich last Wednesday (11.01.17), as they were given a tour by show officials.
The boat show – which kicked off on January 6 and ran until Sunday (15.01.17) – is known for showcasing some of the world’s finest and priciest vessels.
Princess Anne was spotted admiring the expensive boats, before meeting with members of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, who hold a stand at the event every year.

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OHMYGOSSIP — The Duke of York visited north-east England on Wednesday (18.01.17) to launch the University of Sunderland’s new Higher and Degree Apprenticeships.
The 56-year-old royal was joined at the event by a number of regional employers as he launched the new schemes designed to help support business growth in the area.
Vice-Chancellor Shirley Atkinson, who welcomed Prince Andrew, heaped praise on the royal, saying: “He is a great advocate of raising aspirations and understands the importance of education, skills and entrepreneurship in supporting, particularly young people, to have successful and rewarding careers.
“His work to ensure that Britain has the workforce and entrepreneurial culture to remain a global economic leader very much chimes with our own focus and impact at the university and it’s very positive to receive his support and endorsement of our work.”
Her sentiments were echoed by John MacIntyre, who is leading the university’s Higher and Degree Apprenticeships programme.
He said: “We have developed our Higher and Degree Apprenticeships by collaborating closely with employers to ensure that the programmes will deliver the skills they need in their workforce.
“We are about to launch our Chartered Manager Degree Apprenticeship programme, and a suite of three Degree Apprenticeships in Engineering.
“These follow on from our very successful programme for the IT industry (the Digital & Technology Solutions Degree Apprenticeship) which we started in 2015, and we have ambitious plans with more programmes in development to be rolled out later in 2017.”
Prince Andrew was given a guided tour of the facility and MacIntyre added that the university is proud it can now teach “the next generation of healthcare workers”.

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OHMYGOSSIP — The British royal family are like a real-life fairy-tale for Americans, according to an etiquette expert.
Myka Meier, the founder and director of Beaumont Etiquette, a New York-based etiquette school, has claimed that America’s fascination with the British monarchy stems from their Disney-like traits.
She explained: “Americans grow up watching Disney fairy-tale movies with queens, princes and princesses, which are all depicted as quite magical and romantic characters.
“The fact that in another similar country these figures actually exist creates a certain fascination that we develop from a very young age. It’s like the excitement of finding out that your favourite fairy tale is real.”
Meanwhile, Heather Cocks, a co-author of the book ‘The Royal We’, thinks there are a number of reasons why Queen Elizabeth is so popular in the US.
She told PEOPLE: “I’m sure a big part of the Queen’s popularity here is that we don’t have to stress about the taxpayer implications of the monarchy, so it’s all of the pomp and pageantry and none of the politics.
“But also, I think we’re realising she’s an amazing example of girl power. She got her hands dirty as a mechanic during World War II. She’s been incredibly devoted to her public and charity work. She is the head of a challenging family and takes no BS from any of them.
“Most of all, she took a job because her country expected it of her, she’s done it tirelessly for 64 years even when it negatively affected her personal life, and the only time she’s ever slowed down is because she caught a cold at age 90-and-a-half. It’s hard not to be impressed by her.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Meghan Markle has penned an essay about the racism she has encountered.
The 35-year-old actress, who is currently dating Britain’s Prince Harry, is mixed race and has recalled a story in which her grandfather was forced to eat in the parking lot of a fried chicken restaurant.
The American star wrote: “That story still haunts me. It reminds me of how young our country is. How far we’ve come and how far we still have to come. It makes me think of the countless black jokes people have shared in front of me, not realizing I am mixed, unaware that I am the ethnically ambiguous fly on the wall.
“It makes me wonder what my parents experienced as a mixed race couple. It echoes the time my mom and I were leaving a concert at The Hollywood Bowl, and a woman called her the ‘N’ word because she was taking too long to pull out of the parking spot. I remember how hot my skin felt. How it scorched the air around me. (sic)”
Meghan’s essay ends with her thanking inspirational leaders like Martin Luther King and her parents for “choosing each other not for the ‘color of their skin but the content of their character’ (sic)”.
Meghan has been dating Prince Harry since mid-2016 and the Prince recently whisked her away for a romantic vacation to Norway.
Harry decided on Tromso as the destination for their first holiday together in order to see the Northern Lights.
A source said: “Harry wanted to make this first holiday something Meg will never forget.
“It wasn’t an obvious choice like a glitzy beach resort or tropical island.
“He’d put a lot of thought into it and wanted to make it as romantic and special as possible.
“Harry wanted to get away from everyone and be totally on their own, just them.
“The Northern Lights are at their best at this time of year. They really have had an unforgettable time.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Matt LeBlanc has joked about being disappointed he didn’t get a backstage kiss from Prince Harry after meeting him at a Bruce Springsteen concert.
The ‘Episodes’ actor took his two daughters – Marina, 12, and Jacqueline, 21 – to see the iconic rock star at Wembley Stadium in London after he received an invite from TV director James Burrows, and Matt revealed that unlike his children, he did not get a peck on the cheek from the Prince.
He shared: “We went backstage in the hospitality suite to meet Bruce and Prince Harry was there.
“Prince Harry at the end of the night gives my stepdaughter and my daughter a kiss goodnight on the cheek and they were both just floored. I got no kiss myself.”
Matt also joked that nothing will ever match the excitement of receiving a kiss from a real-life Prince in the minds of his children.
He told TV host Ellen DeGeneres: “Something like that to impress her, we’ve got big shoes to fill now.”
Meanwhile, Prince Harry recently introduced his girlfriend, actress Meghan Markle, to the Duchess of Cambridge.
The 32-year-old royal and the ‘Suits’ actress have been dating for a number of months and Harry brought Meghan to meet his sister-in-law Catherine and his niece Princess Charlotte at Kensington Palace.
A source recently said: “Kate was really looking forward to meeting Meghan and she knew how important it was to Harry.
“They are very close and he really values her opinion on girlfriends.
“Obviously Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, died when he was very young so Kate really fulfils that older sister/maternal role.
“It went really well and Meghan was very excited about meeting her.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — Professor Green discussed the issues of mental health and masculinity with Prince William at an event staged by the charity Heads Together on Tuesday (17.01.17).
The 33-year-old rap star – whose real name is Stephen Manderson – is a long-time sufferer of anxiety and has lifted the lid on the candid conversation he had with the British royal.
He said: “I’ve always had anxiety. Before I knew it was anxiety I used to tell my nan that I had a bellyache.
“Later in life my dad took his own life and so did his brother.
“I know a lot of people who have suffered a hell of a lot due to mental health issues so it’s something that means a hell of a lot to me.
“We see being sad or being scared as a vulnerability but there’s a real strength to be taken from being honest about how you feel.”
The rapper said it is important that people feel able to speak openly about their mental health struggles.
He told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “People think that being hard is being strong and it’s quite often the opposite.
“The image of masculinity is one of being hard but being hard and being strong are two completely different things.
“That’s what I want to get across to people.
“The conversation that I had with William we were saying the same things to each other about how there is that common misconception between being hard and being strong and they are two completely different things.”
Meanwhile, Prince William’s younger brother, Prince Harry – who also attended the event – said he is encouraged to see attitudes changing towards mental health.
Prince Harry said: “In the past, the phrase ‘mental health’ would be translated to mental illness. But thankfully that is changing!
“As a result of family, school or work pressures, everyone’s lives are lived at a frightening pace and these stresses can often seem overwhelming.
“Some will ignore the signs of stress, others will insist they’re OK after losing a loved one.
“Some will be afraid to ask for help, others won’t have anyone to turn to.
“The truth is we can all help each other. You don’t need any qualifications to help your mate out, simply to listen to what they have to say. At the heart of this campaign is our hope that no-one should be afraid to ask for help, and no-one should worry about knowing how to help.”

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OHMYGOSSIP — An ex-soldier has revealed the unfortunate gaffe he made to Princess Diana in the midst of her break-up from Prince Charles.
The Princess visited a minefield in war-torn Angola five months after her break-up from her husband, but guide Paul Heslop made a cringe-worthy joke about her marriage without realising they had split.
Handing over a decommissioned mine, he quipped: “For God’s sake, when you get home don’t put this in Charles’ bed.”
But Paul insisted it was a completely honest mistake, pointing out that he had not visited the UK for 12 months and, therefore, was not up-to-speed with the status of their relationship.
He told the Daily Mirror newspaper: “Of course, at this point I didn’t even realise the marriage was as troubled as it was, let alone over. I hadn’t been in Britain for a year.”
Thankfully for Paul, Diana – who died in a car accident in Paris in 1997 – laughed the comment off rather than making him feel guilty about it.
Meanwhile, Prince William recently spoke about the death of his mother when he visited a bereavement centre run by Child Bereavement UK.
The 34-year-old royal is a patron of the charity – which strives to help families struggling with the loss of a child, or to help children facing their own bereavements – and spoke openly about his mother’s passing at the event in London.
The future King was filmed comforting a nine-year-old girl – who had recently lost her father – by explaining that he “lost [his] mummy when [he] was very young too.”
Speaking to the girl, who was named as Aoife, Prince William said: “Do you know what happened to me?
“You know I lost my mummy when I was very young too. I was 15 and my brother (Prince Harry) was 12. So we lost our mummy when we were young as well.”

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