Ephraim Hardcastle
A CHANNEL 5 documentary to be aired weeks before the Coronation is set to regurgitate a claim that Charles used his influence with the MoD to have Harry recalled early from military service in Afghanistan. In Charles & Harry: No Way Back? – an update of a 2021 documentary about the family rift – it is alleged that Harry was ‘furious’ after discovering that his father was ‘implicated’ in the decision to recall him in 2008 out of ‘a desire to protect his son’. Despite the lack of any firm evidence, relationship psychologist Anjula Mutanda spouts on C5: ‘As a parent, Charles would have been in protection mode. As the son, [Harry] would have been saying, “Trust me, I know what I’m doing, don’t interfere”.’ Lots to discuss, should Harry turn up for dad’s crowning.
GALLIC groans from President Macron’s beleaguered supporters as the centime drops over King Charles’s weekend visit. What should have been a great moment for the Elysee Palace – the King’s overseas debut – is now a potential headache with one TV pundit observing: ‘When the sansculottes are rioting in central Paris and setting fires in the streets, the last thing they will want to be fed is taunting TV pictures of a King and a president feasting at the Palace of Versailles!’ La vie n’est-elle pas grandiose?
UNFUNNY comic Stewart Lee finally raises a laugh by claiming, in his Observer rant, that Fiona Bruce’s husband Nigel Sharrocks is a Tory donor. He isn’t. The paper has removed the mistake. To paraphrase the late Frank Carson: ‘Tis the way you tell ‘em Stewart!’
DAME Helen Mirren, wed to film director Taylor Hackford since 1997, admits she was a late convert to marriage. ‘ It just wasn’t to my taste, like turnips,’ says Helen, pictured. ‘It took me a long time to come round to acquiring the taste. I just had to meet the right turnip.’
LIKE planes queuing over Heathrow, worthies awarded gongs are stacked awaiting Royal investitures as Charles struggles with a huge backlog. It is caused by the slimming down of working royals and Covid-era social distancing which limits recipients to less than 50 per session. With several honours lists looming (including the birthday list and two PM’s resignation lists) it’s catch-up time. Of this year’s 17 investiture ceremonies Anne has taken eight, Charles five and William four. The King ideally needs to promote someone. Doesn’t the newly minted Duke of Edinburgh qualify? Exercise that dubbing arm Edward!
MR Suggs of Madness reveals that the BBC commissioned a pilot of an anarchic sitcom with the band in the Seventies. ‘I’ve still got the script,’ he says. ‘It had Margaret Thatcher turning out to be a martian and in a snap election, Madness got voted into power to give free beer to people under 16.’ He adds: ‘A lot of it ended up in The Young Ones.’