Celebrate

Zoological Society of London commissions poet laureate for animation to mark its 200th anniversaryOver its two centuries, acclaimed writers and artists have found inspiration at London zoo, from Edwin Landseer’s Trafalgar Square lions, to AA Milne’s naming “Winnie” after resident bear Winnipeg, and Sylvia Plath’s poem Zoo Keeper’s Wife.Plath’s husband, Ted Hughes, who would become poet laureate, worked at the zoo briefly as a dish washer, an experience said to have helped fuel his inspiration for The Thought-Fox. Continue reading...

Exclusive: pendant appears in 1635 painting Sir Thomas Aston at the Deathbed of His Wife that hangs in the Manchester Art GalleryA Hamnet-era mourning jewel has been rediscovered four centuries after it was immortalised in one of Britain’s most enigmatic and celebrated 17th‑century family portraits.The heart‑shaped pendant was depicted in Sir Thomas Aston at the Deathbed of His Wife, the 1635 life‑size, mourning masterpiece that was painted predominantly in black and white by the Cheshire artist John Souch. It hangs in the Manchester Art Gallery. Continue reading...

Leaders of Poland and Germany hail Péter Magyar’s majority as a turning of the tide – but analysts say there were other reasons for defeat of prime ministerFor Poland’s Donald Tusk, the crushing defeat of Hungary’s illiberal prime minister, Viktor Orbán, after 16 years in office was evidence that the world was “not condemned to authoritarian and corrupt governments”.Germany’s chancellor, Friedrich Merz, also believes the two-thirds majority secured by Orbán’s centre-right challenger, Péter Magyar, in Sunday’s elections was “a clear signal against rightwing populism” that showed “the pendulum is swinging back”. Continue reading...

BFI and National Portrait Gallery to mark centenary of the film star’s birth with ‘the summer of Marilyn’Though often reduced to a sex symbol frozen in time, or a tragic figure at the centre of several scandals, Marilyn Monroe was something far more subversive, according to two exhibitions that will herald what has been nicknamed “the summer of Marilyn”.To mark the centenary of her birth, Monroe is being celebrated by leading British cultural institutions as a performer of sharp comic intelligence, a canny architect of her own image, and a woman who reshaped the possibilities for female stardom on screen. Continue reading...

• International superstar Celine Dion, legendary guitarist Eric Clapton, and acclaimed actor-director Warren Beatty all celebrate birthdays on March 30, 2026. • The three iconic figures represent decades of achievements across music, rock, and cinema, with each marking another year in their storied careers. • The celebration highlights the cultural impact of artists born on this date who have shaped entertainment across multiple generations and mediums.

• Celebrated comedian Eric Idle of Monty Python fame turns a year older today, March 29, 2026, joining other stars in Hollywood's birthday spotlight. • Actor Brendan Gleeson, known for roles in In Bruges and The Banshees of Inisherin, is also marking his birthday alongside comedy icon Amy Sedaris. • Bored Panda highlights 10 familiar faces born on this date, emphasizing their enduring contributions to film, TV, and stage entertainment.

• Elton John turns 79 on March 25, 2026, while actress Sarah Jessica Parker celebrates her 61st birthday on the same day. • Other notable celebrities sharing March 25 birthdays include Marcia Cross (64), Big Sean (38), Jenny Slate (44), and comedian Nate Bargatze (47). • The musical icon was recently featured at the 2026 Elton John AIDS Foundation's 34th Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party charity event.