Prince does cover shot for gay mag
Just days after the deadly shooting at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida, Prince William has appeared on the cover of a gay magazine as part of efforts to raise awareness about homophobia.
“You should be proud of the person you are and you have nothing to be ashamed of,” William said in a statement to Attitude, a leading British magazine on gay issues.
William, the second in line for the throne, is the first member of the British royal family to be photographed for the cover of a gay magazine.
William revealed earlier this week that he would appear on the cover, making the statement when he was visiting the U.S. Embassy in London to sign a book of condolences for the victims of the Orlando shooting.
In May, Attitude magazine and members of the LGBT community met at Kensington Palace, the London residence of the prince and his wife, to talk about their experiences of bullying and its effect on mental health. Both William and wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, have made bullying and mental health of young people one of their main focuses.
Ford wins writing prize
U.S. writer Richard Ford, author of the widely acclaimed novel “Independence Day,” has won Spain’s prestigious Asturias prize for literature in recognition of his contribution to American letters.
The award foundation Wednesday described Ford, 72, as the “great chronicler of the mosaic of interrelated stories that is North American society,” and the considered heir to U.S. literary giants Ernest Hemingway and William Faulkner.
Among Ford’s most popular works is the four-book series about a failed writer, Frank Bascombe, that includes “The Sportswriter” and the Pulitzer Prize-winning “Independence Day.”
‘Hamilton’ honors
Wesleyan University has established a scholarship honoring alumni Lin Manuel Miranda and Thomas Kail, the creative forces behind the Broadway smash “Hamilton.”
The school announced the Wesleyan University Hamilton Prize for Creativity on Wednesday.
The four-year, full-tuition scholarship will be awarded to an incoming student who submits a creative written work judged to “best reflect originality, artistry and dynamism.”
Miranda and Kail will serve as honorary chairmen of the judging committee.
Miranda is the show’s star and creator. Kail directs. Kail and Miranda