Today’s birthdays

The Duke of Kent is 85.

Sir Colin Corness, Chairman, Glaxo Wellcome plc, 1995-97, 89; Cdr Michael Saunders Watson, President, Historic Houses Association, 1982-88, 86; Mr Brian Blessed, actor, author and climber, 84; Sir Stephen Sedley, a former Lord Justice of Appeal, 81; Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, architect; President, Royal Academy, 2004-11, 81; Gen Sir Samuel Cowan, Master of Signals, 2003-08, 79; Prof John Garside, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, UMIST, 2000-04, 79; Baroness Donaghy, Chairman, ACAS, 2000-07, 76; Sir Roddy Llewellyn, author and horticulturalist, 73; Prof Oliver Hart, joint winner, Nobel Prize for Economics 2016, 72; Sir John Rose, Chief Executive, Rolls-Royce, 1996-2011, 68; Miss Sally Burgess, classical singer, 67; Dr Stephen Spurr, Head Master, Westminster School, 2005-14, 67; Mr Justice Stewart 67; Mr Steve Ovett, former middle distance runner; Olympic gold medallist 800m, Moscow 1980, 65; Sir Hugh Robertson, Chairman, British Olympic Association and of Camelot; former Conservative Government Minister, 58; Mr Andy Platt, former Great Britain Rugby League player, 57; Mr David Cameron, Prime Minister, 2010-16; Leader of the Conservative Party, 2005-16, 54; Mrs Carling Bassett-seguso, former tennis player, 53; Mr Stuart Lancaster, rugby union coach; Head Coach, England Rugby Team, 2011-15, 51; and Miss Annika Sorenstam, former golfer, 50.

Today is the anniversary of the awarding of the Nobel Prize for Literature to Alexander Solzhenitsyn in 1970.