Coleman won the leading actress prize for her turn as a cantankerous Queen Anne in the spiky period drama.

Culture Minister Josepha Madigan last night congratulated Element Pictures on the film's success.

The recognition received by Element Pictures for their co-production 'The Favourite', both at home and abroad, is richly deserved. It is fantastic to see Irish talent capturing the attention of both the public and the film industry at an international level," she said.

'The Favourite' was shot by Irish cinematographer Robbie Ryan and was partly post-produced in Dublin.

However, there was disappointment for Irish actors Barry Keoghan and Jessie Buckley, both of whom were nominated for the rising star award. They lost out to 'Black Panther' star Letitia Wright, in the only Bafta category voted on by the public.

Appearing overwhelmed as she collected her gong, Wright said: "I identify myself as a child of God and I can't get up here without thanking God.

The only thing that pretty much pulled me out of that was God, my belief, my faith and my family and an email from Bafta saying they wanted me to be a part of the Bafta Breakthrough Brits and I was like 'let me try again'.

So this wasn't an overnight thing, it wasn't a click-of-a-finger success and I'm still a work in progress."

Rami Malek scooped the leading actor category for his turn as Freddie Mercury in 'Bohemian Rhapsody', while Mahershala Ali was named best supporting actor for his role as Professor Don Shirley in 'Green Book'.

Accepting the award, a tearful Ali said: "Thank you for this, my fellow nominees, thank you for your work. You know the work itself has always been the reward for me so it's a little surreal to get this kind of thing for something you feel so passionate about and grateful for."

A Star Is Born' won for its original music, with the film's writer, director, star and composer Bradley Cooper collecting the prize.

Irish Independent

Gorkha rule
The old king's palace on a hill in Gorkha

After decades of rivalry between the medieval kingdoms, modern Nepal was unified in the latter half of the 18th century, when Prithvi Narayan Shah, the ruler of the small principality of Gorkha, formed a unified country from a number of independent hill high states. Prithvi Narayan Shah dedicated himself at an early age to the conquest of the Kathmandu Valley and the creation of a single state, which he achieved in 1768.

The country was frequently called the Gorkha Kingdom. It is a misconception that the Gorkhali took their name from the Gorkha region of Nepal; actually, the region was given its name after the Gorkhali had established their control of these areas.

After Shah's death, the Shah dynasty began to expand their kingdom into much of the Indian subcontinent. Between 1788 and 1791, during the Sino-Nepalese War, Nepal invaded Tibet and robbed Tashilhunpo Monastery in Shigatse. Alarmed, the Qianlong Emperor of the Chinese Qing Dynasty appointed ***'anggan commander-in-chief of the Tibetan campaign; ***'anggan signed treaty to protect his troops thus attaining a draw.[15] The draw was later converted to victory by Nepali forces sent on commands of PM Jung Bahadur Rana.[15]

After 1800, the heirs of Prithvi Narayan Shah proved unable to maintain firm political control over Nepal. A period of internal turmoil followed. Rivalry between Nepal and the British East India Company over the princely states bordering Nepal and British-India eventually led to the Anglo-Nepalese War (1814–16), in which Nepal suffered a heavy defeat. The Treaty of Sugauli was signed in 1816, ceding large parts of the Nepalese controlled territories to the British.
Bhakti Thapa leading Gorkha men at Anglo-Nepalese War
Rana rules

Rana rules
Jung Bahadur Rana was the first ruler from this dynasty. Rana rulers were titled "Shri Teen" and "Maharaja", whereas Shah kings were "Shri Panch" and "Maharajdiraj". Both the Rana dynasty and Shah dynasty are Rajput caste in the Hindu tradition. Jung Bahadur codified laws and modernized the state's bureaucracy. In the coup d'état of 1885, the nephews of Jung Bahadur and Ranodip Singh murdered Ranodip Singh and the sons of Jung Bahadur, stole the name of Jung Bahadur and took control of Nepal. Nine Rana rulers took the

hereditary office of Prime Minister. All were styled (self proclaimed) Maharaja of Lamjung and Kaski.

The Rana regime, a tightly centralized autocracy, pursued a policy of isolating Nepal from external influences. This policy helped Nepal maintain its national independence during the British colonial era, but it also impeded the country's economic development and modernisation. The Ranas were staunchly pro-British and assisted the British during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 and later in both World Wars. At the same time, although Chinese claims, the British supported Nepalese independence at the beginning of the twentieth century.[16]

In December 1923, Britain and Nepal formally signed a "treaty of perpetual peace and friendship" superseding the Sugauli Treaty of 1816 and upgrading the British resident in Kathmandu to an envoy.

Slavery was abolished in Nepal in 1924 under premiership of Chandra Shamsher Jang Bahadur Rana.[17]

Following the German invasion of Poland, the Kingdom of Nepal declared war on Germany on September 4, 1939. Once Japan entered the conflict, sixteen battalions of the Royal Nepalese Army fought on the Burmese front. In addition to military support, Nepal contributed guns, equipment as well as hundreds of thousand of pounds of tea, sugar and raw materials such as timber to the Allied war effort.