The Queen Mother is said to be making "steady
progress" as she recovers from breaking her
collar bone in a fall.
But it has emerged that she also cut her leg in
the fall and suffered some bleeding.
It is understood that the "abrasion" has now
healed, that she no longer has her arm in a
sling, and that she is walking short distances
with the aid of two sticks.
Her private secretary Sir Alistair Aird said: "It's
still early days but we are very pleased with
her progress."
The Queen Mother, who celebrated her 100th
birthday in August, tripped on the edge of a
carpet as she entered her sitting room at
Clarence House on 3 November.
Great pain
She was found by a member of her staff within
a minute and treated for a fracture of the
left-hand-side of her collar bone.
Although said to have been badly bruised,
suffering from shock and in great pain, she was
not admitted to hospital.
There was no mention at the time of her
grazing or cutting a leg.
It is hoped the Queen Mother, who has had
two hip replacement operations, may be well
enough to attend a Christmas church service
with other members of the Royal Family at
Sandringham in Norfolk.
~*~
Young Princes are asked to plan their
funerals(Electronic Telegraph)
By Rachel Sylvester
PRINCES William and Harry, along with other members of the Royal Family,
have been asked to design their own funerals.
The Government, concerned to avoid a repeat of the confusion after the death
of Diana, Princess of Wales, has invited them to set down the style of music
and type of guest list they would like at a commemorative service in the event
of their death.
Outline plans have been submitted for the funerals of Prince William, who is
18, and Prince Harry, 16, according to sources close to the Royal
Household. The Queen, the Prince of Wales and his siblings have also
advised the Government of their wishes.
Traditionally, preparations are made in advance for older members of the
Royal Family. The Queen Mother is known to take a keen interest in the
details of the hymns, procession and guest list planned for her burial service.
However, the Government's decision to consult younger family members is a
new approach. Downing Street, the Home Office and the Department for
Culture, Media and Sport are co-ordinating the compilation of a file on royal
funerals.
A spokesman for St James's Palace, which represents the Prince of Wales
and his sons, confirmed that plans had been made for "a number of
eventualities".
There were arguments after the Princess died in a Paris car crash because she
had not said how she wished to be buried. Although such decisions would
traditionally have been left to Buckingham Palace, Downing Street intervened
to ensure there was a "people's funeral" which Tony Blair believed to be in
keeping with the public mood.
Alastair Campbell, Mr Blair's press secretary, Anji Hunter, his personal
assistant, and Hilary Coffman, a No 10 political press officer, joined courtiers
at the meetings to plan the event.
It is estimated that 31 million people in Britain and 2.5 billion people around
the world watched the funeral, which included a rendition by Sir Elton John of
Candle in the Wind. The choice of music for the young princes is likely to be
more contemporary than classical.
Prince William, who is said to be a fan of the teenage singer Britney Spears
and the girl band All Saints, enjoys pop, dance and techno music. He has also
sung The Village People's disco classic YMCA in karaoke. Prince Harry is a
fan of the Spice Girls. He invited them to sing at his 13th birthday.
~*~
The Queen names first woman as press
chief(Electronic Telegraph)
By Robert Hardman
Penny Russell-Smith, 44, the Queen's deputy press secretary, will take over
when Geoffrey Crawford, 50, leaves Buckingham Palace at Christmas to start
a job with a public relations consultancy in Sydney.
Mr Crawford, originally a diplomat, arrived at the Palace in 1988 on
secondment from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs. After three
years as assistant press secretary, he was invited to stay on by the Queen
who liked his unstuffy approach to the job.
He went on to be appointed deputy press secretary with the added role of
press secretary to the Princess of Wales, although he resigned from that
responsibility in 1995 when it emerged that she had given an interview to the
BBC's Panorama programme without consulting him.
In 1997, the Queen put Mr Crawford in overall control of the Palace press
operation and he was soon in the thick of unprecedented global media
attention following the death of the Princess.
It had always been his intention to return to Australia and it had been known
for some time that he intended to relinquish his position as press secretary at
the end of the year. He had accepted an offer to stay on as an assistant
private secretary until the Queen's golden jubilee in 2002 with the proviso that
he might return to Australia in the event of a suitable opportunity arising.
His departure is likely to prompt a restructuring of the press office following
the recent recruitment of a new director of communications, Simon Walker,
from British Airways.
~*~
Norway shocked by royal romance (UK Times)
BY ROGER BOYES
THE popularity of the Norwegian royal family plunged yesterday
as the country’s strict Lutherans took exception to the relationship
between Crown Prince Haakon, one of Europe’s most eligible
bachelors, and a single mother with what tabloid papers describe
as a “wild past”.
Prince Haakon announced his engagement on Friday to
27-year-old Mette-Marit Tjessen Hoeiby. Her former boyfriends
include a man investigated for drug offences and she makes no
secret of her enthusiasm in the early 1990s for all-night parties.
That seems to have shocked Norwegians, especially those living in
rural areas. About 20 per cent of the population are now unsure
whether they prefer a monarchy to a republic, and outright
republicans account for 13 per cent. According to an opinion poll
conducted by the MMI Institute, approval rating for the Crown
Prince has dropped 12 per cent in the past three months. The
Prince will be head of the Lutheran Church when he succeeds to
the throne, hence the outrage.
Crown Prince Haakon is bucking the European trend. Across the
Continent, various eligible Crown Princes have been signalling their
intention to settle down. Their choice of partner does not always
conform to the classical criteria of royal suitability, but none has
gone out on a limb as far as Haakon.
Crown Prince Felipe of Spain, the 32-year-old son of King Juan
Carlos, was recently spotted at a ballet performance and was
asked whether he was on the lookout for a bride. “No, no,” he
replied. “I want to marry a princess.”
A very suitable royal match seems to be shaping up between
Prince Frederik of Denmark and Princess Madeleine of Sweden.
His late grandmother, Ingrid, urged him in a letter released after
her death three weeks ago to seal the knot with Madeleine despite
the age difference (he is 32, she is 18).
In The Netherlands Prince Willem-Alexander, whose previous
girlfriends have included lingerie models, appears ready to marry
the daughter of a former Argentine minister. The decision is
controversial — the minister served under the Junta — but the
Dutch, who have lived through the many ups and downs of the
Crown Prince’s active romantic life, appear relieved that he is
ready to settle down.
Only Prince Haakon is flying in the face of public opinion.
“Modern Norwegians have no problems accepting an
unconventional marriage,” said Norbert Loh, a German
royal-watcher. “The problem is in persuading the fishermen and
the farmers and all the God-fearing people in the fjords that he will
not betray the principles of the Lutheran faith.”