Giles Kime presents a dramatis personae of 21st-century nuptials

When old men are getting hitched more than men in their prime, it seems fair to ask if society has taken a wrong turn. Are they discovering the joy of commitment, intimacy and stability late in life?

HOW DO WE CARVE OUT A LIFE THAT SUITS US – NOT SOCIETAL EXPECTATIONS? ON ENTERING HER 40S, Poorna Bell DECIDED TO EXAMINE EVERYTHING SHE’D BEEN CONDITIONED TO BELIEVE AS A WOMAN… AND THEN DO IT DIFFERENTLY

FAR FROM BEING DEPRESSING OR LONELY, COOKING AND EATING SOLO DINNERS IS ONE OF LIFE’S GREAT JOYS, SAYS Eli Davies

Sam Mercer, 52, adored her husband’s mother. But something unexpected was about to deepen their bond forever…

Experienced renovator Rebecca Jones embraced a fresh Cotswolds chapter, transforming a tired country house into a soulful, timeless home layered with history, charm and personal style