People News Roundup: UK royals pay tribute to British Red Cross; Portis de Rossi speaks out as criticism of Ellen mounts and more

Trump snubs civil right icon Lewis, cites absence at 2017 inauguration President Donald Trump's personal grievances aired anew this week as he dismissed the legacy of the late U.S. Representative John Lewis after snubbing the civil rights icon and defended his decision not to pay his respects following Lewis' recent death.

Following is a summary of current people news briefs.

UK royals pay tribute to British Red Cross to mark 150th anniversary

Britain's royal family has paid tribute to the British Red Cross on its 150th anniversary, with the Duchess of Cambridge remembering how her great-grandmother and grandmother served as nurses in the two World Wars. The charity was set up on Aug. 4, 1870, seven years after the international movement was created, to help those suffering from natural disasters, conflicts and individual emergencies. It has recently provided support during the coronavirus pandemic.

Portia de Rossi speaks out as criticism of Ellen mounts

Actress Portia de Rossi defended Ellen DeGeneres on Monday after a social media campaign called for the talk show host to step down following reports of a hostile work environment for employees on set. De Rossi, who has been married to DeGeneres for 12 years, posted an "I Stand By Ellen" hashtag on her Instagram account.

Britain's royal family wish Meghan happy birthday amid rift

Britain's royal family wished happy birthday to Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, wife of Prince Harry, via Twitter on Tuesday in a show of friendliness after a rocky period that saw the couple move to the United States. The official Twitter account for Buckingham Palace, which gives updates on the activities of Queen Elizabeth and other royals, posted a 2018 picture of the monarch with Meghan, who is celebrating her 39th birthday.

Trump snubs civil right icon Lewis, cites absence at 2017 inauguration

President Donald Trump's personal grievances aired anew this week as he dismissed the legacy of the late U.S. Representative John Lewis after snubbing the civil rights icon and defended his decision not to pay his respects following Lewis' recent death. Lewis, who played an instrumental role in passing the Voting Rights Act of 1965, was buried last week after an emotional service in Atlanta attended by three of the nation's four living past presidents.

Virgin Galactic's Branson to fly into space in early 2021

Billionaire Richard Branson will fly into space on a Virgin Galactic rocket ship early next year, the space tourism company he founded said on Monday, adding that it would raise new funds with a share offering. Branson's trip to space hinges on the success of two upcoming test flight programs, Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc said, with the first powered spaceflight scheduled for this fall from Spaceport America.

(With inputs from agencies.)