Ephraim Hardcastle

PRINCE Harry’s decision to accept an invitation to ‘edit’ Radio 4’s Today programme – positive publicity for him, a crawling opportunity for the BBC – comes after he apparently failed to commit to this arrangement. They then asked his father, Prince Charles, who agreed to do it. At which point Harry came back saying he’d appear after all. Has Harry ever listened to the often-boring Today show? A trusted royal source says: ‘Listen to it? I doubt if he’s ever been awake during the hours it is transmitted (6am to 9am).’ KIRSTIE Allsopp, 45, has quit Twitter after being branded a ‘snob’ for suggesting washing machines don’t belong in kitchens, but will she stay away for long? The broadcaster enjoys locking horns with her critics on social media. And the publicity. Luvvie Stephen Fry announced he was quitting Twitter last year after being criticised for a tasteless Bafta speech. He was back promoting himself – as Ms Allsopp also does well – a few months later. Moths to the flame! CAMILLA turns 70 and so will Charles next year. For most men it’s a birthday to be celebrated. For heirs-to-the-throne it’s a poignant reminder of how long they’ve waited. But Camilla has another 70th anniversary in mind as she limbers up to become Queen Consort. Her great-grandmother, ex-royal mistress Alice Keppel, died in Italy on September 11, 1947. APROPOS Charles, he appears to be wearing make-up in the new Mario Testino photograph taken to mark Camilla’s 70th birthday. ‘There is no sign of his usual ruddy complexion, so brilliantly imitated by Harry Enfield (pictured) in the comic TV series The Windsors,’ points out a keen royal observer. PRINCE Andrew tweeted 70th birthday greetings to the Duchess of Cornwall on Saturday – two days before her actual birthday. A royal source says: ‘A mistake but it never hurts to keep a future queen sweet, especially when her husband will one day control your income from the Duchy of Lancaster.’ DUE to have his BBC salary publicly revealed tomorrow, Andrew Marr, 57, has always denied reports that he earns up to £580,000 a year. He was enraged when details of his payslip were made public in 2011, and accused a colleague of theft. ‘Someone stole it,’ he insisted. Surely he’s worth every penny? COUNTRY Life magazine carries a scholarly article by Julius Bryant about Chevening, the Foreign Secretary’s 17th century official residence in Kent. It describes the ancient Roman tombstones in the garden and rare 16th century armour made for the Duke of MedinaSidonia. Underneath, it says, rested ‘the Foreign Secretary’s pink running trainers’. Pink? Boris? Email: peter.mckay@dailymail.co.uk