Ephraim Hardcastle
SHOULD Prince William go back to the drawing board with his Homeward initiative to tackle homelessness? The Big Issue, quoting a poll showing a majority would support Wiliam’s plan if royal homes were used, calculates that converting Buckingham Palace’s 77,000 square metre floor space into 39 square metre studio flats would provide 1,974 homes for down-and-outs. ‘This would be a useful step towards housing the estimated 10,000 rough sleepers on London streets,’ says TBI. ‘Using the same maths for Windsor Castle, Balmoral, Holyrood and Sandringham, more than 3,700 people could have a home.’ How many more if Kensington Palace, Birkhall and the Castle of Mey were added? Pass the royal abacus!
AS the State Opening of Parliament looms, rumours abound that King Charles will not wear the crown but have it on a side table, as the Queen did in her later years. And how will he read Rishi’s agenda? Charles dislikes wearing spectacles in public and may ask for an extra large print version of his King’s Speech. George V refused to wear his pince-nez and claimed that Court protocol prohibited glasses. ‘At the end of his reign,’ noted a biographer. ‘The type was enormous.’
EX-WIFE of former Pakistan PM Imran Khan, Jemima Goldsmith, pictured – whose late tycoon father Sir James was of Jewish descent – is alarmed to discover a bogus version of herself is appearing across social media stating: ‘I stand with Israel.’ Jemima, insisting she ‘stands with the innocent human beings on both sides of this conflict’, announces: ‘Just sent this by my former sister-in-law... this is a fake post circulating on social media. When will this ever stop?’
TAKING exception to the backlash that’s met the BBC’s current Gaza coverage, grandiose World Affairs Editor John Simpson announces: ‘Calling someone a terrorist means you’re taking sides and ceasing to treat the situation with due impartiality.’ Piers Morgan angrily tweets back: ‘Bull****. Those who murder and decapitate babies, kidnap elderly Holocaust survivors, and massacre 260 young festival goers, are terrorists. Stop appeasing them with weasly language.’
TEASING John Cleese about his upcoming new show on controversy-hit GB News, Good Morning Britain host Ed Balls mischievously remarks: ‘You’re the only presenter joining them rather than leaving them at the moment.’ Cleese responds: ‘Well they’re clearing out a certain amount, which is not a bad idea.’ Ed pipes up: ‘Get the old wood out and the new blood in.’ Tiring of annoying Balls, Cleese fires back: ‘Will you shut up?’
OTHERWORLDLY actor Patrick Stewart recalls meeting Sting for the first time on the set of David Lynch’s Dune and asking him about his career. Admits the Star Trek icon: ‘I congratulated him on playing with a police band.’