EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Lord Snowdon was heartbroken over Princess Margaret’s auction
David Linley and his sister Sarah broke their father Lord Snowdon’s heart when they sold 800 of Princess Margaret’s belongings at auction four years after her death in 2006 in 2017 – as ‘devastated that his children lost the Poltimore tiara that Margaret wore when she married him sold for £926,400″. “This Christies sale was heartbreaking for Lord Snowdon,” says his friend Viscountess Hinchingbrooke. “In fact, he wrote to his children and asked them to stop.” David, now Lord Snowdon, and Lady Sarah Chatto raised almost £14million – but they didn’t get all the loot. The late Queen, also upset at the eviction, ordered that profits from official gifts to Margaret should be used for good causes.
David Linley and his sister Sarah broke their father Lord Snowdon’s heart when they auctioned off 800 belongings of Princess Margaret, four years after her death in 2006
King Charles was placed in an awkward position by the Royal College of Nursing’s wage war with the government. His mother was patron of the college until her death, succeeding Queen Mary. Then the college was less militant, resisting the TUC’s 1935 attempt to impose a maximum 48-hour working week, calling the 1941 proposal of a guaranteed £40 salary for nurses too high. The college might expect Charles or Camilla to replace the late Queen – but appointing a royal figurehead right now could be difficult.
After Nick Robinson’s interview with Michael Gove, American rapper and Public Enemy frontman Chuck D, pictured on Radio 4’s Today programme, admits he doesn’t know who Michael Gove is. “I’m still recovering from the fact you haven’t heard from Michael Gove, Chuck,” Robinson meows. Remembering Gove (actually a Chuck-D fan) who once awkwardly performed amateur rap for high schoolers, Robinson adds, “Poor old Michael. Maybe you can give him a lesson or two?’ Does anyone besides Nick think he’s a bottomless pit for thigh slappers?
After Nick Robinson’s interview with Michael Gove, American rapper and Public Enemy frontman Chuck D, pictured on Radio 4’s Today programme, admits he doesn’t know who Michael Gove is
Prince Harry’s memoirs confirm Archie was conceived at Schloss Mey four years ago, speculation here. There has not been a royal birth north of the border since 1930, when Princess Margaret was born at Glamis Castle. But Archie has the distinction of being the only known celebrity child conceived under a Scottish royal roof since Leo Blair was the product of Tony and Cherie having a boisterous night out at Balmoral in 1999.
Former Tory minister Lord Vaizey taunts Good Morning Britain co-host Ed Balls, cheekily remarking: “I have the only unsigned copy of Ed’s autobiography on my shelves.” Balls snorts, “Since it sold by the tens of thousands…I didn’t sign tens of thousands.” Vaizey clarifies, “I’m just teasing you.” Boys!
The delightfully irascible historian Paul Johnson, who invited Time Magazine’s Richard Stengel to his home in Bayswater in the 1980s, answered “don’t know” to every question – and then left without explanation. Stengel waited 15 minutes, searched the ground floor, called “Hello?” and gave up. ‘I shouted ‘Goodbye!’ he remembered. ‘And then close the front door behind me.’ Will we ever see Paul’s kind again?