EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Letting Prince Andrew attend coronation in Order of the Garter could backfire on King Charles
The king’s decision to allow Andrew to attend the coronation in his Order of the Garter robe may backfire. The disgraced duke, who was refused permission to wear military uniform at his mother’s funeral, is now pushing for a more public role at next month’s Garter Day events. Last year he was barred from participating in the public procession of the Garter to St. George’s Chapel. Now his case is that the public has been reminded that he is a member of the oldest order of chivalry, so trying to hide it no longer makes sense. No good deed goes unpunished, Charles!
Pictured: The Duke of York at the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey on May 6, 2023
Charles is continuing his mother’s tradition of handing out the coronation medal to the wider Royal Family, with Harry and Meghan due to receive theirs shortly. But even before the medals were dispatched, a potential recipient offered theirs for sale online for £750. As the keepsake includes an image of Queen Camilla, will Harry be tempted to do the same?
Princess Anne’s current trip to Canada, just three weeks after Prince Edward’s return, angers the King who wants to reduce duplication among his small group of royals. He was also annoyed when Sophie Edinburgh started a trip to the United States last December, the day after William and Kate ended. HM wants to introduce a centralized system so that the “royal stardust is more evenly distributed”. Good luck with his stubborn sister Anne!
ITV’s Schofield/Willoughby soap prompts former BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin to reflect on the men she shared airtime with, telling Radio 4: ‘Earlier in my career it there were very delicate relations … it is absolutely direct and brutal. It’s a fight for airtime. Surely not a dig at former pushy BBC man Jon Sopel, Louise’s longtime BBC News co-presenter?
ITV’s Schofield/Willoughby soap prompts former BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin to reflect on the men she shared airtime with, telling Radio 4: ‘Earlier in my career it there were very delicate relations … it is absolutely direct and brutal. It’s a fight for airtime’ (File photo)
The late Fiona, Lady Montagu’s obsession with Elvis – even her spaniels had capes and jeweled collars – evokes memories of the late Dowager Duchess of Devonshire’s devotion to Presley. Debo was a frequent visitor to his Tennessee home, Graceland, and even had an Elvis phone in the downstairs bathroom at Chatsworth. And she graciously granted phone interviews to the press only on her birthday.
Recently disappointed Vanessa Feltz lost weight to prep her awesome infrastructure for the beach. “I’ve been on the infamous ‘broken heart diet’ which works spectacularly well,” she sighs. “I’m going to take my flaws and wonky bits, and spread out on a towel with the best of them – and have the time of my life.” Catch girl!
Elton John’s wife, David Furnish, remembers the star wearing a giant Louis XIV wig with a galleon on top and cannons firing talcum powder for his fiftieth birthday. En route to the venue in a car, David had to hold the wig in place. “He was so heavy that he kept tilting back and forth, and every time the car moved, his wig moved.” Puts into perspective the discomfiture of King Charles wearing the 5 pound crown of St Edward at the coronation.
