Deccan Chronicle

Prince Harry can do what he likes

- Kishwar Desai is an author and chair of the Partition Museum Project Kishwar Desai

To unabashedl­y proclaim the values of Christiani­ty — even on Easter — could, if we take the usual secular line, project the UK as a Christian country I suppose. But what can a vicar’s daughter do? The early upbringing of Prime Minister Theresa May comes clearly through when she said in her Easter message: “This Easter, I think of those values that we share — values that I learnt in my childhood, growing up in a vicarage.”

“Values of compassion, community, citizenshi­p. The sense of obligation we have to one another.”

However, all of it rings true, doesn’t it?

No one can argue with the sentiment expressed.

It might come as no surprise that Jeremy Corbyn (who is reputedly an atheist) also put forth an Easter message, which somehow just did not resonate as much because if you are not a believer, what would be the use?

But it is also time for Ms May to be undoubtedl­y a little pleased because for the first time the polls show that the Tories are an incredible 21 points ahead of Labour.

The fact that Ms May is proving to be popular as a PM is a little hard to swallow for those who might have preferred a quick election, following David Cameron’s resignatio­n. But now that she is determined­ly going ahead with Brexit, her credibilit­y is at an all time high. And it is interestin­g that the only “scandal” so far has been the price of the clothes she wears. So Ms May has shown us all that she jolly well can.

Weddings! At last Pippa Middleton is only weeks away from saying “I do”!

Since the Pippa derriere is now old news — much of the attention will be on the bridesmaid and page boy — Charlotte and George, her Royal niece and nephew. Prince William and Kate Middleton will also stay at her parent’s home — so this promises to be a big fat English wedding. And the two toddlers will be the main attraction perhaps!

The hedge fund millionair­e — James Mathews (whom Pippa will wed at St Mark’s Church, Englefield) also comes from an entreprene­urial family — very alike the Middletons, who have grown a mail order business called Party Pieces, from which they have earned millions. At one time they were flight attendants on British Airways — which sounds like a long haul back!

So this is definitely one family that has done very well for itself.

But another member of the extended family, Prince Harry, is still at the wooing stage, and the press cannot get enough of his latest romantic rendezvous with Meghan Markle the Canada-based actress. Harry has been lately spotted, duffle bag slung over his shoulder, sneaking into her apartment incognito. But nothing escapes the British press, which is willing to pay thousands of pounds for just such a photograph.

Poor Harry! Little did he imagine that as he stepped out of a car in Toronto, wearing an all-concealing baseball cap that the media would immediatel­y snap the moment!

Now, of course, everyone will be waiting for the grand announceme­nt because the word is out that “Harry is serious”. At last! Because I have honestly lost count of the ladies he likes!

The interestin­g thing is that no one seems to mind about Meghan being older than him, or the fact that she is an actress. Perhaps being not the “heir” but the “spare” has its own advantages. Now that William has found Miss Perfect, Harry can do what he likes. What a relief!

At last a TV series on a genius which is long overdue. Based on Walter Isaacson’s 2007 biography, Einstein: His Life and Universe, National Geographic has commission­ed a biopic on Einstein — delving deep into not just his scientific discoverie­s — but also his personal life, creating a very human character. A particular focus will be given to his younger years — played in the series by Johnny Flynn.

For instance, his relationsh­ip with his first wife, Mileva Maric (played by Samantha Colley) is also being explored more thoroughly. A scientist in her own right, she, however, was not able to pursue her own career. His second wife, Elsa, (Emily Watson) was not just his first cousin but also someone who was fairly content and supportive. (That sounds depressing­ly like the secret to making a marriage work!) We will also encounter Einstein’s own guilt at having survived the war when so many of his contempora­ries were not so fortunate.

Why is it that we are so curious about the personal lives of others, specially famous people? Is it deep-rooted voyeurism — or just a need to know that they suffer as much as others? I prefer to think that it is because we draw inspiratio­n from these personal tales, which is why I am tempted to not just read, but also write biographie­s!

Cannot wait to see!

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