A dynasty’s sinking ship
PRINCESS Diana’s brother Charles, the 9th Earl Spencer — mum about Diana or any royal or anything anybody itches to know — has a new HarperCollins book. Out Oct. 19. On the UK best seller list. Title: “The White Ship.”
Year 1120’s sunken White Ship altered history, leading to Britain’s current monarchy. Screams — as a countess’ heavy gown dragged her under, a knight aiding a worker — were heard by townsfolk on land.
Its drunken crew proved incapable of rescuing King Henry I’s son and only legitimate heir to the throne. Years later Henry poisoned himself by eating a “surfeit of lampreys,” which means poisonous eels. And medieval England proved unready for Henry’s daughter to occupy the throne. The dynasty that ruled England since 1066’s William the Conqueror thus ended.
Minus that, the current sovereign wouldn’t be the current sovereign. This worst shipwreck in history unleashed two decades of civil war. Ushered in was the royal house of Plantagenet who next ruled England over 300 years.
And ... then ... down the newest bloodline . . . came Prince Andrew and Prince Harry.
Chirlane in charge
COURT papers allege Chirlane McCray sat in on interviews of police chief candidates — and other officials — “as employment decisions were made about who should hold the Police Department’s highest rank.”
This was part of a lawsuit about Joanne Jaffe who had been the city’s first female three-star chief. Jaffe was ousted by a younger, less experienced Latina whose interview de Blasio’s wife attended. Chirlane’s managerial skills have already been called into question. Next ask is: When did she become qualified to select police chiefs? And does she interview fire chiefs, too?
And Piglet, too?
A Rockefeller is now the money behind Winnie the Pooh. So how come? Jonathan Rockefeller: “After film school I wanted to stay behind the camera. I love the literary and as part of Americana I became involved with Winnie the Pooh who’s 95, been on TV 55 years, was Walt Disney’s last project and most prized possession after Mickey Mouse.
“Winnie lives in the Hundred Acre Wood. So on Oct. 21, West 42nd’s 200-seat renamed Hundred Acre Theatre, we’re opening Winnie’s new show. Like nothing you’ve seen before. It’s life-size lifelike reactive 5-foottall animated characters. Agile. Jump, bounce, moving as if alive.
“I’m 6 feet and our eight characters almost come up to me. Research and development took three years.”
Poo’s eight pals are awaiting opening night in a nearby studio.
Making scenes
MARISKA Hargitay at Bocca di Bacco in Chelsea shooting a scene for NBC’s “Law & Order: SVU” . . . AND stripper Dita Von Teese who claims her revues “Strip, Strip, Hooray!” and “The Art of the Teese” are burlesque’s biggest shows in history will film a special “Night of the Teese” Sunday with co-star Dirty Martini. Civilization can see it starting Oct. 1. Tickets available at Driift.link/DitaVonTeese.
WORD circulates that calf and leg and limb and knee and thigh and toe and ankle and hip and misstep Fauci will not receive additional vaccine. However, he will be inoculated against the disease known as foot-in-the-mouth.
Not only in New York, kids, not only in New York.