LONDON (Reuters) - Prince William has been voted Britain's first ever "Sleeping Beauty", the British
Sleep Council said.
The sleep promotion group said 55 percent of respondents had voted for the fresh-faced
second-in-line to the throne in a nationwide survey to find the most rested and healthy looking person in
the public eye.
Pop rebel Liam Gallagher of Oasis was voted the most tired and unhealthy looking man -- 53 percent
of people thought he needed more sleep, the Council said.
Three-quarters of respondents to the survey said they needed between six to eight hours sleep.
The Sleep Council is an organisation supported by bed manufacturers, retailers and suppliers whose aim is to promote the
benefits of a restful night's sleep and regular bed replacement.
~*~
Anger over Charles's support for hunt
book(Electronic Telegraph)
By Peterborough
THE Prince of Wales has lent his support to a cookery book produced by the
Beaufort Hunt.
He has submitted a recipe for an artichoke mousse for the publication, which
will also contain contributions from Jodie Kidd, the model, the cookery guru
Prue Leith and the authors Jilly Cooper, Joanna Trollope and Penny Junor.
The book, called In the Buff, will also contain pictures of hunt members in a
state of undress. It is being published to raise money for the Haven Trust, a
breast cancer charity, and the Wiltshire Air Ambulance.
However, the Prince's support was criticised last night by the League Against
Cruel Sports. A spokesman said: "The public will see the Prince is supporting
hunting and that leaves him completely out of touch with the vast majority of
people. With Ken Livingstone's anti-foxhunting Bill, the timing is absolutely
awful and shows the Prince has no political vision at all."
A spokesman for the Prince said he was supporting the project because it
was raising money for good causes. He said: "The Prince nominated a recipe
which his chef had dreamed up on his behalf. He is delighted to help out,
sharing his love of cooking in the process."
The book has been compiled by Emma Farquhar, the daughter of the Master
of the Hunt, Capt Ian Farquhar, and Netia Hibbert, both 22. Miss Farquhar
said: "Netia and I wanted to do something for charity, and we considered a
calendar. Eventually, we came up with the idea for a cookbook over a couple
of drinks and went from there. We are printing 3,000 copies and they will be
on sale at Badminton and from the Haven Trust."
Capt Farquhar said it was not an official Beaufort Hunt project and he would
not be undressing for the book. He said: "I'm afraid I won't do that. I wouldn't
want to frighten the horses."
~*~
Prince William puts on a Cup-winning
display(Electronic Telegraph)
By Robert Hardman in Klosters
ASTON Villa's Wembley prospects are hardly the stuff of history books but
history of a sort was made yesterday when Prince William gave his first live
interview to the world's press and declared: "Villa are up for the Cup."
The Prince of Wales and his sons had
agreed to a second and final photocall
with the media in exchange for privacy
during the rest of their skiing holiday in
the Swiss resort of Klosters. What
emerged was not just a memorable
picture of father and sons in the Alps
but a portrait of a self-assured young
King-to-be.
Prince William has clearly accepted
that these occasions are a fact of royal life. Indeed, such is his new-found
indifference to the media, that lunch-time diners were surprised to see him
walk across a pizzeria to chat with a television crew who were editing their
despatch at one of the tables.
A posse of cameramen and reporters had gathered in sunshine on the slopes
of the Madrisa mountain for the rendezvous at a mountain restaurant. Clearly
in good spirits, the three Princes swept alongside on their skis and obediently
removed their hats and sunglasses for the photographers.
"How nice and picturesque you look in the sun," Prince Charles joked as he
squinted at the unlovely phalanx before him. Entreaties to look this way and
that rang forth in a variety of languages and Prince William, now the hottest
property on the international photographic market, was the prime target.
"William, one for ze French, pleez!" yelled one of a cluster of Parisian
paparazzi. "Yeah, sure," he replied with a wry smile and promptly turned the
other way, to guffaws from the British contingent. Another French
photographer was alarmed that the Prince's ski poles were obscuring his face.
"Tirez les batons!" he pleaded. "I understood that one," said the Prince, duly
moving the poles.
The shyness of photocalls past had vanished as both boys threw an arm
around Dad, Prince Harry playfully ruffling his hair. The Prince of Wales's
pride in his strapping sons, both now taller than him, shone through but did not
reciprocate. "My arms aren't long enough to get round," he said. For teenage
boys, such displays of affection can only go so far. Asked to put an arm
around each other, they recoiled in mock horror.
And then the questions began. So, how did Prince William feel about the
prospect of turning 18 in June? "It will be interesting," he said. No problems
there. Along came a googly. What did he think of the Klosters nightlife? After
revelations of his prowess at karaoke and a reported sighting of the Prince in
a club in the resort, the question was loaded.
"Wouldn't know, wouldn't know," Prince William replied with a grin which
suggested that he had just delivered his first public fib. "Don't answer
questions like that," his father chimed in. So, what did he think of Aston Villa's
victory in last weekend's FA Cup semi-final? A keen Villa fan, the Prince had
attended the game and chatted to the players.
"It was a good result," he said. "The FA Cup is definitely secure at Villa." This
prompted raucous protests from the British element. "Arsenal are number
one!" yelled a photographer, to the delight of Arsenal-mad Prince Harry, 15.
The Swiss media scratched their heads and asked the nearest Brit which villa
the Princes were on about.
Quite why Prince William is a fan of the Birmingham club has been baffling the
press for some time. "Go on, tell us why you support Villa," urged a reporter.
"I knew someone was going to ask that," was the reply, leaving this great
sporting enigma unsolved. With that, the royal party bade farewell and
resumed their skiing at a furious pace. What seems beyond doubt, however,
is that neither A-levels nor wild horses will keep Prince William away from
Wembley on May 20.
~*~
Princes relax on the slopes(BBC News)
Princes William and Harry enjoyed a relaxed
photocall with their father as they took a
break during their skiing holiday in the Swiss
Alps.
Laughing and joking for the cameras, the pair
threw their arms around the Prince of Wales,
embracing him in a show of family affection.
The royal trio posed for photos before about
60 journalists during a coffee break on the
Madrisa Mountain, near Klosters. The photocall
was one of a series of official sessions which
are arranged in return for privacy during the
rest of their stay.
Asked to reciprocate the embrace, Prince
Charles joked: "My arms aren't long enough."
Prince Harry then ruffled his father's hair
playfully and patted his bald patch.
'Good fun'
When asked about the skiing, William, 17, who
has brought three friends with him on the
holiday, replied: "It's good fun."
He also responded briefly to questions about
the holiday nightlife and his forthcoming 18th
birthday.
When quizzed about the performance of his
favourite football club, Aston Villa, in the
recent FA Cup semi-final, he predicted the
team would continue its success.
"It was a good result.
The FA Cup is definitely
secure," he said.
Harry supports Arsenal,
and when it was
pointed out that his
team were doing well,
William replied: "Yeah,
whatever."
This year's royal skiing
trip is being held later
than usual because
millennium celebrations meant a New Year trip
was impractical.
Asked if he would return at the same time next
year, Charles replied: "I have no idea. You
never know."
But the appeal of empty slopes at the end of
the season were clearly appealing.
"That is nice. You don't bump into so many
people," he said.
On Thursday the princes posed for photos at
the bottom of the slopes, with Prince Harry
urging his father and brother to hurry up and
ski with an impatient "Oi".
The royal party, which includes the princes'
friends Charles and Patti Palmer-Tomkinson,
their daughter Santa and former royal nanny
Tiggy Legge-Bourke, are to stay at the resort
until Monday.
~*~
Queen makes a killing on the Web(UK Times)
BY OLIVER WRIGHT
THE QUEEN made more than £900,000 yesterday on an
Internet investment.
In November she invested £100,000 of her own money in
the Internet start-up company, Getmapping.com.
Yesterday the shares she acquired for 22p closed their
first full day of trading on the Alternative Investment
Market at £2.24, below their best of £2.37. In the first
hour, they had fallen nearly 10 per cent from the offer
price of £2.
The Queen bought the stock through the Privy Purse as
part of a private offer to institutional investors. Under the
terms of the company's offer, she gave £50,000 as an
interest-free loan and was given £50,000 worth of shares,
which amounted to a 1.5 per cent stake in the company.
At close of trading yesterday that was worth around
£950,000.
The Queen's involvement with Getmapping.com began
when the company dedicated its Millennium Map,
designed to provide a Domesday Book-style snapshot of
the country at the turn of the century, to her.
It is in the process of producing aerial photographs of the
whole of the UK, which it aims to sell over the Internet to
estate agents, civil engineers and local authorities, as well
as private individuals.