Today’s birthdays

The Duchess of Gloucester is 72. The Rt Rev John Waine, Bishop of Chelmsford, 1986-96, 88; the Earl of Cranbrook 85; Ms Claire Tomalin, writer, 85; Miss Wendy Craig, actress, 84; Sir Joe Dwyer, Group Chairman, George Wimpey, 1996-99, 79; Sir Michael

Buckley, The Ombudsman, 1997-2002, 79; Mr Stephen Frears, film director, 77; Mr Andrew

Graham, Master of Balliol College, Oxford, 2001-11, 76; Mr

Christopher Scott, President, Prison Governors’ Association, 1995-2000, 75; Mr David French,

Chief Executive, Westminster Foundation for Democracy, 2003-09, 71; Mr Lionel Richie, singer and songwriter, 69; the

Hon Lord Justice Simon 68; Prof Gordon Marshall, Vicechancellor of the University of Reading, 2003-11, 66; Mr Vikram Seth, novelist, 66; Lord Justice Mcfarlane, President, Family Division, 64; Mr Justice Davis 64; Mr Allan Lamb, former England

cricketer, 64, Air Chief Marshal Sir Simon Bryant, C-in-c Air Command, 2010-12, 62; Miss Nicole Kidman, actress, 51; and Mr Brandon Lewis, MP, Chairman of the Conservative Party, 47.

Today is the anniversary of the succession to the throne by Princess Victoria in 1837.