Ephraim Hardcastle
WITH statues toppling and Britain’s colonial past under forensic criticism, was the Queen wise to wear the Cullinan V diamond brooch for Prince Philip’s birthday photo? Its heartshaped 18.8-carat diamond was part of a stone given to Edward VII in 1907 by the Transvaal colony, at the time under British rule, with the native black population oppressed. Prime minister Henry Campbell-Bannerman left the decision over accepting the gift to the king and it was colonial under-secretary Winston Churchill who urged him to accept. HM, wearing the colonial bauble, could reignite memories of Britain’s unsalubrious Empire behaviour and the monarchy’s involvement in it.
DURING their diamond wedding anniversary in 2007 Prince Philip conspired with his wife’s officials to have the plane taking them to Uganda for an official visit to be diverted to Malta, their first home together, for a short break. Behind Philip’s crusty facade beats a romantic heart.
WITH 1939’s Gone With The Wind removed from us streaming service HBO Max, the late Hattie McDaniel – the first African-American to win an oscar for her role – has a posthumous view. Criticised for her typecasting as a maid, McDaniel, who died in 1952 aged 57, remarked: ‘Why should I complain about making $700 a week playing a maid? If I didn’t, I’d be making $7 a week being one.’
FORMER Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq, pictured, admits her worst moment on the BBC children’s show was digging up a time capsule buried in 1971 by predecessors Valerie Singleton and John Noakes. It smelt so bad she was almost sick on air. Anyone seen Shep?
OXFORD Chancellor Lord Patten, opposed to the removal of the Cecil rhodes statue, tells BBC radio 4 Today’s Nick robinson that his ancestors were Irish potato famine immigrants, adding: ‘I walked under oliver Cromwell’s statue going into Parliament for years. What am I supposed to think about that?’
LIVERPOOL slave-trader James Penny had a road named after him 170 years before the Beatles sang Penny Lane. So will Mayor Joe Anderson succumb to demands to drop Penny’s name from the now world-famous tourist attraction? No, he explains: ‘The street got its name for a different reason.’ As the Fab Four might warble: ‘We can work it out.’
BEATLE John Lennon’s chauffeur Les Anthony, who has died, supplemented his £36 weekly salary with bribes from motor tradesmen keen to sell cars to his boss. After helping Lennon purchase one vehicle in the late Sixties, he was approached by yoko ono, recalling: ‘She insisted on a share of my commission.’
DIRECTOR Spike Lee recalls that Barack Obama and Michelle Robinson’s first official movie date was to see Do The Right Thing, his study of racial tension. He adds: ‘It’s a good thing he didn’t take her to see Driving Miss Daisy or Michelle would’ve got rid of him after the first date!’