Ephraim Hardcastle

THE leaking of Meghan Markle’s criticism of US farming methods – organic food campaigner Patrick Holden indiscreetly quotes her urging change in the country’s ‘industrial’ food systems – could embarrass the Queen. She is dining next week with US ambassador Woody Johnson, ostensibly to pave the way for a state visit by President Trump. Abrasive Woody has called the EU a ‘museum of agriculture’ and insisted US farm products must be included in any post-Brexit deal. Lots for HM to talk about over the (non-hormone enhanced) beef or (unchlorinated) chicken. APROPOS Meghan’s concerns. Courtiers are unhappy about what they see as the ‘weaponising’ of the Duchess of Sussex, no fan of Trump, as well as Holden, an associate of Prince Charles, breaching the convention that private conversations with royals remain confidential. SHOULD Tory MP Philip Davies be successful with his Bill to give daughters the same succession rights as sons – it has its second reading on March 22 – it could have repercussions for William and Kate’s daughter Princess Charlotte. Plans are being discussed for Charlotte, three, to eventually become Duchess of York. Traditionally, York goes to second sons of monarchs. But now that Charlotte can’t be overtaken in the line of succession by younger brother Prince Louis, it’s thought she’ll get the title. A change in the law could scupper that, with Prince Andrew’s daughter Beatrice entitled to succeed her father, as Duchess of York. And if the Bill exempts royal peerages, pass the tin opener for another can of worms. OVERSHADOWED by the blossoming modelling career of her lookalike daughter Kaia, 17, supermodel Cindy Crawford, 53, both pictured, explains her surprising decision to appear nude in a new book by photographer Russell James. ‘I thought, at what age is being naked not beautiful any more? Is there a sell-by date on us?’ No vigorous nodding Kaia! OLD bruiser Lord Prescott predictably joins condemnation of booby Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, accusing him of ‘contempt of Parliament and the taxpayer’. Before losing his transport brief in 2001, Prezza insisted on being chauffeur-driven 250 yards to Labour’s Bournemouth conference centre, before a speech urging people to use public transport. Referring to his wife, he explained: ‘Pauline didn’t like having her hair blown about.’ HOME Secretary Sajid Javid denies calling himself ‘The Saj’, while Treasury Secretary Liz Truss hasn’t (yet) challenged rumours that she’s ‘The Truss’. My Whitehall source says mandarins delight in secretly nicknaming their ministers. A Cabinet containing a Rudd, a Hancock and a Gauke is ripe for satire, as are Spreadsheet Phil, Failing Grayling, Brandon Pickle and May Day. One minister averse to nicknames is Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. Understandably. CHANNEL 4’s celebrity version of Bake Off prompts the Royal Collection to launch It’s A Royal Bake Off to promote sales of bespoke cake, biscuits and jam. Piggy-backing on Bake Off publicity is surely ironic given that the show has failed to lure a single royal into the studio.