Just found out that the site opens after I have opened any other site.
It just doesn't open as a start page

It works on my PC in Edge and it works on my wife's PC in Opera.
Windows updates itself whenever there's an update from MS.

Hi,
On my PC (win 10, OP 66) this website can't be opened: www.spiegel.de.
I only see a rotating red circle but the website never opens.
However, my wife's PC (same win, same OP) has no problem opening this same website. I'm sure it's some setting that needs to changed but which one?

Well, you could turn off Opera VPN completely, download and install the free ProtonVPN app and Bob's your uncle! No more Opera VPN problems.

Have you tried it with Opera VPN turned off?

When I turned my PC on this morning (VPN on) the ipleak site displayed my true location. Turned VPN off, still my true location, obviously.
However, when I turned VPN on again, ipleak showed my location in Europe. Apparently, VPN does not work automatically after boot-up but only when triggered OFF and ON again.

Worked for a few days.
Now VPN is back to show my true location (set to the Americas or Europe) no difference.

Funny thing is, I never access anything Google. I avoid it like the plague.

Yes, the Opera VPN is always set the Americas.

OK, found it, thanks.
It's set to US but that doesn't seem to prevent virtually every website I visit to place me into Europe.