Ephraim Hardcastle
CHRIS sherwood of Relate is tipped to become the toxic RSPCA’s third chief executive in five years. A colourful former Labour parliamentary candidate (teignbridge 2005) and bachelor, he uses the gay sex app Grindr, including recently on a trip to Uzbekistan. ‘i’m a mid-30s gay man and i know that around the world technology and dating apps have enabled gay men and young lesbians to connect with each other even in some of the most oppressive regimes,’ he has said. my source observes: ‘the RSPCA’s ruling council is at war over the appointment. moderates fear he’s been favoured by the animal rights lobby.’ Look out!
REPORTS that the Queen is to give Harry and Meghan York Cottage on the Sandringham estate as a wedding present are old news to my readers. I mentioned this on June 1, 2017. My source then (and now) says: ‘The couple looked around the place over Christmas. The proximity to William and Kate, whose Anmer Hall is close by, is a big draw, but York Cottage needs a lot of work.’ Not a problem for wealthy Prince Harry, or his grandmother, surely?
UNLIKE Lefty malcontents in London, the Queen is said to be delighted at the prospect of a visit by Donald trump – easily the most extraordinary Us president of her reign. trump’s her 13th president. she’s keen at 92 to add to her tally. Queen Victoria had 18 but met none. three had brief presidential tenures but one – James Garfield in 1881 – was assassinated and served only 200 days.
MEGHAN Markle’s mother Doria Ragland, 61, pictured with her, is apparently poised to be grilled by US TV’s ‘tell us all your secrets’ interviewer Oprah Winfrey. She spent six hours last weekend at the latter’s £70million Santa Barbara hacienda. The prospect of an Oprah ‘tell all’ interview with dreadlocked, nose-ringed yoga expert Doria must alarm palace aides. She offered the young Meghan the enigmatic advice: ‘Never give the milk away for free.’
BUMBLING life peer Lord Roberts of Llandudno, who disgracefully smeared theresa may as a Nazi, has a barrister son Gareth Roberts, who says: ‘He may be old and a bit daft… but he is motivated by a belief that his grandchildren and every other child is better off in a world that works together to sort out its problems’ – lawyer-speak for ‘those supporting Brexit don’t care for the future of their children and grandchildren’. Roberts junior is a defeated Lib Dem general election candidate. His father lost five times. if Gareth’s beaten another four times, will he get a life peerage too?
CHANNEL 5 broadcaster Matthew Wright, 52, surprises media colleagues by throwing in the towel after 18 years hosting the daily topical news show The Wright Stuff, citing the need to find new challenges – a familiar-sounding excuse. My source at ITN, which has produced the show since January, says there was tension between their staff and Wright’s people, adding: ‘There was a lot of ranting and shouting.’ Oh dear.