ROD’S STILL GOT A CRUSH ON PENNY
FUR goodness sake, give him a bit of room! Singer Rod Stewart is all smiles as he and wife Penny Lancaster, 48, squeeze into the back of a car after celebrating his 75th birthday in London.
The couple left The Ritz with a barrage of balloons and a soccer shirt handed to Celtic fan Sir Rod by a pal. The star was on crutches after knee replacement surgery just days before. He seems well enough… and he does like a knees-up.
Harry and Meghan got it wrong. Plain and simple.
While many sympathise with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s desire to step back as senior Royals, the way they chose to do it has provoked justifiable shock and outrage.
Petulant, hot-headed and impulsive are just some of the barbs aimed at the couple after the bombshell public announcement that they wished to become part-time Royals and live much of the time abroad.
Inconsiderate, disloyal and reckless might also be appropriate.
In more than 60 years on the throne, the Queen has shown with impeccable style, dignity and judgement how the “old firm” should be run.
The sacrifices she and other members of the Royal Family have made have been not only for the monarchy, but for the nation.
That, by the antiquated system of a monarchic state, is their responsibility by birth.
And Her Majesty embraced that responsibility with grace, as even republicans admit.
Harry and Meghan’s wish to break away might be seen as an understandable cry for modernisation. Their desire to do so has been evident for a long time.
But discussing their intentions with friends such as Elton John before the Queen, and going ahead with their announcement without thinking through the full impact on their family or the monarchy, has caused a totally avoidable crisis.
That the Queen has had to intervene – calling a Royal showdown at Sandringham tomorrow to deal with the crisis – is a measure of the scale of the embarrassment caused.
She is right to step in and call the wayward couple to heel.
Only she has the authority to bang heads together and ensure a smoother route to whatever the future holds.