Today’s birthdays

Prof Sir George Alberti, President, Royal College of Physicians, 1997-2002, is 81; Sir Alexander Graham, Lord Mayor of London, 1990-91, 80; Mr Nicholas Haslam, interior

designer, 79; Dame Josephine Barstow, soprano, 78; Baroness Blackstone, Chairman, Great Ormond Street Hospital, 2009-17; Vice-chancellor of the University of Greenwich, 2004-11, 76; Mr Ian Plenderleith, Executive Director, Bank of England, 1994-2002, 75; Adml Sir Ian Garnett, Vicechairman, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, 2008-11, 74; Miss Barbara Dickson, singer and actress, 71; Mr Michael

Houlihan, Director General, National Museum Wales, 2003-10, 70; Mr Patrick Cescau, Group Chief Executive, Unilever, 2005-08, 70; Miss Diane Abbott,

MP, 65; Sir Richard Stagg, former diplomat, 63; Mr Brendon

Mccullum, former New Zealand cricketer, 37; and Mr Luke

Campbell, professional boxer; Olympic gold medallist, bantam weight, London 2012, 31. Today is the anniversary of the launching of the Queen Elizabeth in 1938.