Ephraim Hardcastle

THERE’S more to report on Prince William’s refusal to speak about his new daughter, Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, outside St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington, although he was expected to do so. Apparently he refused because the BBC’s respected royal correspondent, Nicholas Witchell, was present. Now my source elaborates: ‘His dislike for Witchell is inherited from his father. Charles’s distaste dates from Witchell’s unflattering obituary (in February 2002) about Princess Margaret. The BBC will not give in to palace pressure to remove him.’ THERE’S another, gorgeous Princess Charlotte, pictured – the 28-year-old second child of Princess Caroline of Monaco. Her father was Caroline’s second husband, Stefano Casiraghi, an Italian businessman killed in a boating accident when Charlotte was four. Charlotte’s partner – they’re not married – is Moroccan-born stand-up comedian Gad Elmaleh. They have an infant son, Raphael, born in 2013. Sadly, his illegitimate status means he’s not in the Monegasque line of succession. The ‘serene highnesses’ of Monaco are very colourful. Charlotte’s aunt, Stephanie, ran off with a circus elephant tamer. SHOWBUSINESS types often boast of early hardship but Dundee-born movie star Brian Cox’s tale is remarkable. He says: ‘When I was about two, my father used to put me on the coal bunker and I would do Al Jolson impressions. My dad would gather his pals round and get me to perform. I’d be got out of bed at 2am to do it. I thought, “This is good – I like this”.’ Essentially he’s still doing it, at 68. TWICE divorced pop star Lulu, 66, talks in an interview about the two men in her life: ‘They’re my age and we have things in common like grandchildren and life experience. Oh, and there’s another one in his late 50s.’ Are you sure that’s the lot, Lulu? GEOFFREY Wellum, 93, a Battle of Britain flyer, isn’t overwhelmed by the legend he is part of, admitting: ‘There were times when I felt I’d rather be sweeping platforms at Clapham Junction station.’ Modest Squadron Leader Wellum’s brilliant, moving memoir of his wartime teenage flying, First Light (Penguin, £9.99), is, deservedly, still in print. LIB DEM deputy leader Vince Cable wants an identical number of government ministers (24) should they form another coalition with the Tories. The BBC’s hornet-like Andrew Neil comments: ‘So, one for every Lib Dem MP, then?’ SKY News’s abrasive Dermot Murnaghan informs Green MP Caroline Lucas: ‘You say David Attenborough has supported you. I don’t think Sir David is, correct me if I’m wrong, a self-confessed sexist who’s slept with hundreds of women, who rang up an actor to boast about sleeping with his granddaughter.’ Certainly he’s not! This is a reference to reeking Russell Brand, who included blameless Ms Lucas in his clammy embrace of Labour.