A Royal Love, an Olympic Love & a Hope for a Happy Ending

Love is in the air this weekend. Whether you’re celebrating with friends, family, or someone special, we have a few stories to spark thoughtful conversation. Plus, keep scrolling for a little something NEW from SmartHER News.

First up ... a news story that mixes romance, the royals and a dash history:

In 2019, a metal-detecting hobbyist unearthed a heart-shaped pendant in a field in Warwickshire, England — a discovery dating back to one of the most famous marriages (and annulments) in history.   

The 24-carat gold piece traces back to the 24-year marriage of King Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon — the longest of Henry’s six marriages and the one whose end led to the creation of the Church of England. 

The pendant features a Tudor rose representing Henry and the English monarchy, along with a pomegranate tree representing Katherine's Spanish heritage. Both motifs frame a banner reading tousiors — French for “always.” 

British law gives museums the opportunity to acquire meaningful historical finds before they go to private buyers, and after a four-month fundraising campaign, the British Museum announced this week it raised the 3.5 million pounds ($4.8 million) to keep the piece on permanent display as part of its collection. 

If you're interested in learning more on the discovery of the Tudor pendant and how the British Museum dated it, this video is worth a watch.

🗣️ Your Conversation Starters:

🛻 Rescinded: What just happened to the legal authority to regulate greenhouse gases and vehicles emissions. The Trump administration argues the act will “save Americans over 1.3 trillion dollars and lower the cost of cars and trucks.” But the president of one environmental group calls the action “a slap in the face to the millions of Americans who are living through climate disasters and their aftermath.” What do you think?

📜 Senate: Where the SAVE Act heads next after passing the House this week. If it became law, the bill would require additional proof of citizenship to register and vote in federal elections. House Speaker Mike Johnson describes it as “common-sense,” while Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries calls it “voter suppression.” Here's a good breakdown of what to know and how the act could change voting.

📈 Stronger Than Expected: What the latest jobs report indicates, according to new Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

💌 February 16: The most common day for apology cards. Perhaps this Olympian could use one after a cheating confession that caught everyone off guard — including his ex. He hopes for a “happy ending,” while she calls the act “hard to forgive.”

💍 “The Alchemy”: No apologies needed for this Olympic story. Olympian Breezy Johnson’s boyfriend proposed to her at the finish line — complete with a ring and a Taylor Swift quote. She said yes. And Taylor said congratulations.

❌ Disqualified: What happened to Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych in the Winter Olympics after he refused to remove his “helmet of remembrance,” honoring Ukrainian athletes killed since Russia invaded the country. The International Olympic Committee argues the helmet violated its rules against political speech; Heraskevych plans to appeal.

🍕 Nostalgic Valentine’s: Pizza Hut brings back its heart-shaped pizza through Feb. 22 with help from two ‘90’s boy band members.

💗 Updated: The messages on Sweethearts iconic Valentine’s candies. Instead of “Be Mine,” think... "BUY N BULK.”

💋 Kissing Room: A room in New York’s Grand Central Terminal once gave passengers a quiet place to say goodbye. But after decades hidden away, the room is back — bigger than ever.

⏰ Oura Hour: Has the Oura Ring entered its bipartisan era? Politicians from both parties are increasingly sporting the smart ring — alongside soldiers and Olympic athletes.

🧳 1,600 Acres: The size of this ancient Roman city in western Turkey’s İzmir Province — equal to ten Disneylands.

🏎️ The Frances: NASCAR’s founding family, who turned Daytona Beach into a racing and entertainment kingdom. The 78th NASCAR season begins Sunday with the Daytona 500.

🧠 NEPTUNE: Short for “neurophysiological evolutionary psychological theory understanding near-death experience,” this model emerged after researchers reviewed hundreds of studies related to the phenomenon.

🏠 Historic Dresser: Historians just confirmed that a piece of furniture at Manhattan’s Merchant's House Museum served as an entrance to the Underground Railroad. It's the first confirmed discovery of its kind in 100 years.

🙌🏽 What We Found SmartHER This Week:

Introducing the On the Record / Off the Record mug!

Flip it to match your mood — and support a free press while you sip.  

This mug is a fun reminder that good journalism matters - so you can make up your own mind ... and choose your own story!

Grab yours with free shipping included! ~ Buy 2, save an extra $5 & Buy 3, save an extra $15. 

A SmartHER way to support a free press. We’ll drink to that. ☕️ 

🎙️ This Week From Jenna: Two Top Stories

"It sure was a pleasant and sad surprise to hear from you.”

An excerpt from a love letter written in 1942, later discovered in a Nashville home. William Raymond Whittaker and Jane Dean exchanged letters during World War II after they met at Meharry Medical College shortly before the Army drafted Whittaker.

"Pleasant because you will always hold a place in my heart and its nice to know you think of me once in a while. Sad because you are in the armed forces — maybe I shouldn't say that but war is so uncertain, however I'm proud to know that you are doing your bit for your country,” Jane’s letter went on to read. You can view their exchanges digitally through the Nashville Public Library.

And that's The Weekend Digest!

❤️,  
Jenna and the SHN Team

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