Ephraim Hardcastle
IS the Royal Warrant on its way out? Since the Queen Mother’s death and Prince Philip’s retirement, the Queen and Prince Charles are the only two royals still issuing endorsements. according to a financial analysis, in 2015 they generated £134million for the economy. Despite this, Prince William, the only other royal in line to issue them, has shown no enthusiasm, prompting speculation that the system might be commercialised. Says a courtier: ‘Suppliers currently receive a warrant free of charge after a minimum of five years’ service. They are effectively celebrity endorsements and could raise large sums.’
ENDEARINGLY daft Beatle widow Yoko Ono, 84, welcomes Ringo Starr’s knighthood, announcing: ‘It’s about time! It is an honour for everyone in The Beatles family.’ But what about the MBE her husband handed back to Buckingham Palace in 1969? The Palace confirms the medal could be returned following a ‘direct approach from the recipient’s legal next of kin’.
STRIKInG actress Emily Blunt, 34, is cast as Mary Poppins, pictured, in a forthcoming ‘sequel’ to the 1964 classic starring Dame Julie andrews. However, she is anxious about the reaction of her three-year-old daughter Hazel, telling Vanity Fair: ‘I have a deep dread she is simply going to reject my version. I’m scared she’ll be like, “you are not Mary Poppins. She is so in love with Julie andrews and she knows every song.”’
RECIPIENTS of the Royal Victorian Order, in the personal gift of the Queen, shed light on HM’s private passions including, this year, the Yeoman of the Glass and China Pantry and the Yeoman Bed Goer. Her horse trainer, Nicky Henderson, got the Order’s LVO. And Geoffrey Munn – an MVO – is managing director of jeweller Wartski, which made the wedding rings for Camilla and Kate. He’s also a regular on HM’s favourite, Antiques Roadshow. Will it be presenter Fiona Bruce’s turn next year?
FORMER Scotland football manager Gordon Strachan, 60, insists the national team’s stadium, Hampden Park, has seen better days, ungallantly remarking: ‘It’s done, it’s beat. It’s Sophia Loren. We used to think she was the best-looking woman we had ever seen, but would I like to go out with her just now?’ The still-striking Ms Loren, 83, wouldn’t give vertically-challenged Strachan a second glance!
AFTER a rise in royalist support following the death of King Michael, Romania’s leaders plan a referendum on reintroducing a monarchy abolished in 1947. The only trouble is that there is no man to take the crown. Could Prince Charles, a lover of all things Romanian, with a home in Transylvania and proud of his connection with Vlad the Impaler, get the call?
FORMER Daily Mail chief foreign correspondent Dermot Purgavie, who has died aged 82, coined the wittiest remark during 1974’s media quest for Ronnie Biggs in Brazil. Ordered by telephone in Costello’s bar in new york to get down to Rio de Janeiro aSaP, he quipped: ‘There’s an awful lot of copy in Brazil.’