EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Will Princess Anne become Duchess of Edinburgh?

Did King Charles’s alacrity at appointing William Prince of Wales the day after the death of the Queen prompt Prince Edward to wonder when he would succeed his father Philip as Duke of Edinburgh? A source whispers that Charles may be considering making Princess Anne Duchess of Edinburgh, a title last held by her mother. As a Knight of the Thistle she already has Scotland’s highest order of chivalry. Charles is determined to promote his sister and the late Queen’s pointless awarding of the earldom of Forfar to Edward in 2019 hinted that the dukedom was not a done deal. Could Charles give Anne Edinburgh to consolidate her position as the designated Royal for Caledonia?

A source whispers that Charles (left) may be considering making Princess Anne (right) Duchess of Edinburgh, a title last held by her mother

A source whispers that Charles (left) may be considering making Princess Anne (right) Duchess of Edinburgh, a title last held by her mother

 

A Channel 5 documentary about Westminster Abbey reveals that the 700-year-old Coronation Chair is undergoing renovation in preparation for the crowning of King Charles III. ‘I’m cleaning the seat, which is covered with 18th and 19th century graffiti from visitors and Westminster schoolboys,’ says conservator Krista Blessley. ‘There is one saying, “P. Abbott slept in the chair 5th to 6th July 1800!”’

 

Has news of William’s scaled-down Prince of Wales investiture reached the late Lord Snowdon’s celestial haven? As organiser of Charles’s 1969 ceremony, Princess Margaret’s husband designed for himself a tight, bottle-green uniform with brass buttons and fancy frogging. Prince Philip’s verdict? ‘You look like Buttons.’

 

Amol Rajan’s criticism of ‘accent bias’ and ‘posh’ voices among BBC news presenters prompts raised eyebrows among colleagues at Radio 4’s Today where former anchor – now World at One presenter – Sarah Montague, married to an Old Etonian baronet, is Lady Brooke.

Martha Kearney, pictured – privately educated at George Watson’s Ladies College, Edinburgh – mischievously announces during the show’s newspaper review: ‘Well, I’ll try not to talk too posh when I read out the papers!’

 

Suspended Labour MP Rupa Huq has form. Appearing on Channel 4 News in 2018 she startled host Krishnan Guru-Murthy by mimicking Boris Johnson, saying: ‘Oh sorry, I just s***ged your wife! Didn’t realise!’ As her sister, ex-Blue Peter presenter Konnie, didn’t say: ‘Here’s one faux pas I made earlier!’

 

Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain tells Yours magazine she will not make any of her three children follow her example and have an arranged marriage, explaining: ‘I’d like to think we’ll have raised three well-rounded human beings who are able to pick the right person for themselves. I mean – what if I picked the wrong person? I wouldn’t be able to deal with that.’

 

Celebrity armed robber John McVicar, who has died, had to pay athlete Linford Christie £40,000 after wrongly claiming he used anabolic steroids. During the 1995 libel action there was laughter in court when Mr Justice Popplewell inquired: ‘What exactly is Linford’s lunchbox?’