ZARA PHILLIPS, the Princess Royal's daughter, escaped with minor facial
injuries yesterday when her Land Rover overturned on a country road.
She was alone in the vehicle when it clipped a wall and slid into a ditch,
leaving her badly shaken but not needing medical treatment. Miss Phillips, 19,
was driving from her home at Gatcombe Park, near Stroud, Gloucestershire,
to the stables of David Nicholson, where she was due to ride with her
boyfriend, the jockey Richard Johnson.
She ran into fog on the 20-mile journey and lost control on an unclassified
road near Upper Slaughter shortly before 7am. When police and an
ambulance crew arrived, Miss Phillips was being comforted by a friend she
had contacted on her mobile telephone. She was taken to Stow-on-the-Wold
police station where she was breathalysed as a matter of routine. The test was
negative.
A spokesman for Jackdaw Castle Stables, at Temple Guiting, where
23-year-old Mr Johnson trains, said that Miss Phillips was used to taking a
few tumbles and was "fine". He said: "She did not go riding after the accident,
but she does not want a fuss made about it."
Last night Miss Phillips was recovering at home with her family. Buckingham
Palace said: "We are aware that Zara was involved in a road accident and
thankfully she escaped with minor cuts."
~*~
Prince says sorry in EU army row(Electronic Telegraph)
By Robert Hardman and Michael Smith
THE Prince of Wales has expressed his regret to the Government that his
private worries about plans for a European defence force have been leaked,
leading to renewed exchanges on the issue yesterday.
He has assured ministers that while he feels entitled to his opinions, he has no
intention of airing them in public or adding to the political controversy. St
James's Palace emphasised that the Prince's views were private. But it made
no attempt to deny reports that he had told a friend he was "concerned" about
the impact of the force on the Anglo-American alliance. A spokesman said:
"He has never said anything publicly about this and nor would he."
There was no official comment from Downing Street, but it was clear that the
Prince was irritated and embarrassed that his views have again put him at
odds with the Government. Late on Thursday night, as news of his remarks
emerged, Downing Street officials received a call from his private secretary,
Stephen Lamport, expressing regret at the leak and insisting that the Prince
had no wish to become embroiled in the debate.
Yesterday, while the Prince made his usual pre-Christmas visit to hospices in
Gloucestershire, his office continued the fence-mending exercise by contacting
defence ministers. Aides assured them that the Prince had simply spoken in
private as a private individual. A Whitehall source said: "They said that they
were sorry for any embarrassment caused."
Last night, a friend said that, privately, the Prince had been far more
concerned by the defence cuts imposed by the last Conservative government
than by Tony Blair's vision of a European force. "He knows that the Prime
Minister is sensitive to the importance of the special relationship with America
and has been impressed by the way that Mr Blair always keeps him informed
on defence matters."
While ministers appear not to have taken umbrage - in public, at least -
Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrat defence spokesman, attacked the
Prince for harbouring a personal opinion on the subject. Mr Campbell, a
staunch advocate of an EU force, said: "If these reports are true, as Prince
Philip might well have said, 'it's none of his bloody business'. Prince Charles
should not stray into the political arena."
Tories rushed to the Prince's defence, attacking Mr Campbell for what they
described as his "insolent" reaction. Iain Duncan Smith, the shadow defence
secretary, said: "Every citizen in this country, whether or not they are heir to
the throne, has a right to be worried about the Government's march to a Euro
army. Through a process of deception and spin, the Government is misleading
the public about the true nature of this EU force."
Bruce George, Labour chairman of the all-party Commons defence select
committee, said: "I think Prince Charles moves in military circles and there are
people who express anxiety. But what is being done is not damaging to Nato;
it strengthens Nato." The Prince has placed himself at public odds with the
Government on genetically modified crops. Similarly, he has made no secret
of his opposition to China's conduct in Tibet.
But while he holds that such issues are above and beyond domestic party
politics, he is adamant that the EU defence force plan is entirely a matter for
the politicians. A friend said: "The Prince spends a lot of time supporting and
talking to the military, so it is hardly surprising if he forms views on military
matters."
~*~
Everything must go as Harrods cuts
royal links(Electronic Telegraph)
By Robert Hardman
LONDON'S best-known retailing landmark will be left a little bare next week
when Mohamed Fayed, the owner of Harrods, tears 16 royal coats of arms
from the facade of his store.
The removal of the four coats of arms from the four
corners of the Knightsbridge building follows last
year's decision by Buckingham Palace not to
renew Harrods's royal warrant as "outfitters" to
Prince Philip. Like every company that loses a
warrant, Harrods was given a year's grace to
withdraw the warrant from its livery and stationery.
That period expires on December 31 and if the
Duke's warrant is not down by then, Mr Fayed will
face prosecution.
But rather than cling on to his three remaining
warrants - those of the Queen, the Prince of Wales
and Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother - Mr
Fayed has already decided to dispose of the whole
lot. A Harrods spokesman yesterday confirmed that the operation would take
place within the next few days.
Given Mr Fayed's attacks on the Royal Family since the deaths of his son,
Dodi, and Diana, Princess of Wales, it was becoming increasingly absurd that
Harrods should continue to boast of royal patronage. The Royal Family have
not bought a thing there for a couple of years.
However, Palace officials decided that any premature withdrawal of the
warrants would appear spiteful and that the Harrods warrants, like any others,
should be subjected to the standard five-yearly review. So, when Prince
Philip's warrant came up for review last year and it was established that there
was no longer a trading relationship with his household, Harrods was
informed that the warrant would not be renewed.
The warrants of the Queen and the Prince of Wales were due to be reviewed
last month. Knowing that these would suffer a similar fate, Mr Fayed took
pre-emptive action five months ago and announced that he would not be
seeking their renewal.
Harrods could still use the Queen Mother's warrant - "By Appointment,
Suppliers of China, Glass and Fancy Goods to HM Queen Elizabeth the
Queen Mother" - since her warrants are no longer reviewed. But Mr Fayed
has decided that everything royal must go.
He said in July: "Since neither the Queen nor Prince Charles have shopped in
Harrods for several years, displaying the royal crest would be totally
misleading and hypocritical." The Royal Family, he added, would still be
welcome to spend "any of their vast fortune" in his shop with the exception of
Prince Philip whom he has banned from the premises.
Having had continuous royal warrants since 1910, Harrods will soon have
none at all.
~*~
'Demonic' Diana statue to stay in Walsall(Yahoo: Ananova)
Plans to keep a controversial black granite statue of Diana, Princess of Wales on display
in the West Midlands have been approved.
Walsall Council and regional passenger transport authority Centro asked people in the
town of if they wanted life-size figure of the late Princess to become a permanent fixture
there.
The £3,500 statue has been the centre of much debate since it was previewed at a
funeral services exhibition earlier this year, with some critics labelling it "demonic".
Nearly 4,000 of about 6,000 people, taking part in the vote, want the statue kept on
public display but some expressed concern about it being vandalised.
Sites mooted as a permanent home for the tribute are its current location at the town's
new multi-million bus station or the nearby New Art Gallery.
Jeff Williams, commercial director of memorial makers Andrew Walsh Ltd, which made the figure, said: "The
result is what we have known for two-and-a-half years. It is no surprise to us.
"From a company point of view, we are under the impression it was going into the main concourse of the bus
station facing the town centre. That's our preferred place.
"But wherever it goes, we're interested in it getting the respect it deserves."
The statue will be taken back to the firm's showroom while a public consultation body is set up with Centro to
decide on the site, Mr Williams added.