Ephraim Hardcastle
WHILE the Royal Family website carries photos of William and Harry’s visit to the Diana memorial garden, together with a biography of the late princess, the event is ignored by Prince Charles’s social media apparatus at Clarence House, which tweets information about his Prince’s Trust. William and Harry pointedly said nothing about their stepmother to mark her 70th birthday in July. It’s felt by some courtiers that they aren’t keen on her becoming queen. It’s pointed out: ‘She would rank higher than their mother – and, if widowed, would retain that rank.’
SHOULDN’T Sky have reminded viewers that Theresa May sacked the Europhile Tory grandee Lord Heseltine, 84, as a government adviser after he rebelled over Brexit? This might have put into context his declaration to them yesterday: ‘I don’t think it’s realistic that she will lead the Conservative Party into the next election.’
DAME Helen Mirren, 72, on ageing: ‘The truth is that your heart does get broken at 26 and, at 70, you realise that it wasn’t really broken at all! And other things will come and replace it.’ The ‘other things’ might include her husband of 20 years, film director Taylor Hackford, also 72. Was her heart broken by Liam Neeson, 65, with whom she lived (both pictured) after making the film Excalibur? He told a US interviewer: ‘I fell in love with Helen Mirren. Oh, my God. Can you imagine riding horses in shiny suits of armour, having sword fights and stuff, and you’re falling in love with Helen Mirren? It doesn’t get any better than that.’
THE new Great British Bake Off appears to have a relaxed approach to food hygiene laws. Co-host Noel Fielding doesn’t tie up his long hair, let alone wear a hair net. Even bald-as-a-coot Masterchef presenter Greg Wallace wears one when making his rather manic BBC food documentaries.
THE Prime Minister’s insistence that she isn’t a quitter – as if she could have said otherwise – is taken seriously. It calls to mind the late Sir Terry Wogan’s 12-hour bender with fellow BBC disc jockey Chris Evans. After a three-hour lunch, a round of golf and a marathon dinner with lashings of alcohol, Evans suggested around midnight that they ask for the bill. Sir Terry exclaimed: ‘Well, I never had you down as a quitter!’
PARIS mayor Anne Hidalgo, 58, has kept an election promise and announced the opening of a public nudist park in the Bois de Vincennes. Fans are sad comely Ms Hidalgo didn’t open the facility personally. Neither, regrettably, did France’s more-popular-than-her-husband first lady, Brigitte Macron, whose interview with Elle magazine notches up record sales. Francophile UK naturists eager to disrobe in the city of love are advised that the park is open only until mid-October, when temperatures range from 46F (8C) to 61F (16C).