British beef best, says Charles(BBC News)
Prince Charles addresses the chefs on their farm visit
The Prince of Wales has told some of Europe's
top chefs that British beef is the best in the
world.
To prove his point, he has invited them to
dinner on Tuesday in one of the UK's top
restaurants, prepared by French chef Raymond
Blanc.
The prince's charm offensive is aimed at
convincing the chefs that the product is safe
to eat. He wants to see it regain markets that
were lost after the worldwide ban on UK beef
was imposed because of fears over BSE.
At Tuesday lunchtime he showed the chefs
around a beef farm, telling them they would
not find better beef anywhere in the world.
"What we want to try
to show you are the
innovations in beef
production which have
been introduced into
the UK since the BSE
crisis," the prince said.
"The result is that we
have achieved the
highest standards of
quality control for beef,
to meet the high
standards required by
the European Union."
A farmer himself, Prince Charles has made a
point of championing the country's beef
industry. He has already tried to persuade
European meat producers to return to British
meat.
Tuesday's dinner will be served in one of
Britain's finest Michelin-starred restaurants,
the Manoir aux Quat' Saisons, outside Oxford.
The visit will end on Wednesday with another
beef meal, this time at the Prince's Highgrove
home.
Farmers rally
The chefs' visit coincides with a rally staged
by farmers protesting at what they say is the
worst crisis to hit the industry in decades.
Organisers hope thousands of people will
attend the event, which is taking place at
Chatsworth House, Derbyshire, with the
support of the stately home's owner, the Duke
of Devonshire.
A group of farmers from
Derbyshire originally
planned the rally on a
local scale to discuss
problems in the milk
industry but support
soon spread.
Dairy farmer Malcolm
Sutton who helped
organise the event
blames cheap imports
for reducing the price
British farmers could
get for their produce.
"People are getting in such a dire need that
they want to demonstrate to the government
that action has got to be taken," he told BBC
Radio 5 Live.
Although the ban on British beef was lifted in
the European Union last August, there has
been little rise in the fortunes of the industry.
Outside Northern Ireland, only two abattoirs -
one in Cornwall, the other in Scotland - are
licensed to export beef and less than a dozen
countries have actually placed orders.
~*~
Guide says Buckingham Palace is
'sterile'(UK Times)
BY MICHAEL HARVEY
BUCKINGHAM Palace has been condemned as
"inhuman, sterile and poor value for money" in a new
guide for tourists.
According to a new Which? Guide to British
Attractions: "If you're expecting an insight into the life and
times of the Royal Family, you're likely to be severely
disappointed."
The book's editor, Kim Winter, said it was her least
favourite attraction of the 300 reviewed. "They have just
taken the money and run," she said. "They had a unique
opportunity to create a world-beater, but they've blown it.
There is no explanation, no guides, you don't get any
feeling of the people and history that have been in the
rooms.
"If you compare the Palace to the White House in
Washington, which has the same difficulty of a resident
head of state, you see how much better they do it." The
Guide also accuses the Palace of having an expensive
guidebook.
But the Royal Collection, which manages the Palace's
opening from August to October, said the criticism was
unfair and pointed to the thousands of happy visitors who
tour the Palace each year.
Hugh Roberts, director of the Royal Collection, said:
"There must be a misunderstanding in the mind of the
inspector to produce this report about what the state
apartments in a palace are," he said. "To say that they are
inhuman is using a 21st century-criticism of a building that
was put up 200 years ago."
Mr Roberts said that Buckingham Palace was not just a
tourist attraction but was a busy working palace all year
round.
"In that way it is not really comparable to other attractions
on the list, such as zoos and museums."
~*~
Eyebrows raised by Queen's touchy subject(UK Times)
JOHN HOWARD, Australia's Prime Minister, denied
committing a protocol blunder by putting his arm around
the Queen.
In an incident reminiscent of the one involving one of his
predecessors, Paul Keating, in 1992, the cameras caught
Mr Howard giving the Queen a helping hand at
Canberra's Parliament House. It was in the capital's
parliament building that Mr Keating earned the nickname
"Lizard of Oz" with his touch of the royal back during the
Queen's last tour of Australia.
But Mr Howard was adamant yesterday that his hand did
not touch the Queen when he introduced her to Australian
MPs at a reception. A spokeswoman for the Prime
Minister said: "We firmly deny that there was any contact
whatsoever."
It was, however, a close call. So much so that Australian
television played a slow-motion sequence for viewers to
make up their own minds.
Technically, touching the Queen is a breach of protocol
except during a handshake.
But she is unlikely to take offence. According to the
Prince of Wales she did not mind Mr Keating's touch on
her back.
Paul Loxley, principal of Bourke Public School, put his
hand on the royal arm during a visit last Wednesday by
the Queen to his primary school.
Prince Philip hit by
tomato(BBC News)
The Royals have had an otherwise warm reception in
Tasmania
The Duke of Edinburgh has been hit by a
tomato during the Royal visit to Australia.
People in the crowd reacted angrily as the
tomato landed on the path close to the Royals.
Meanwhile, in Alice Springs, the next
destination on the tour, police carried out
controlled explosions on two "rudimentary
devices".
Queen enjoys the state of monarchy(Electronic Telegraph)
THE walkabout was only 100 yards long but more than 10,000 people
managed to catch a glimpse of the Queen in Hobart yesterday as she arrived
in Tasmania on the latest leg of her Australian tour.
Prince misses out on European chefs'
British beef treat(Electronic Telegraph)
EUROPE's leading chefs ate British beef for lunch with obvious relish
yesterday but their host, the Prince of Wales, declined to dine with them.
Prince's lunchless Lent(UK Times)
THE Prince of Wales invited the aristocracy of European
chefs to join him for lunch yesterday - then revealed that
he had given it up for Lent.
Queen will visit Ulster to honour the
RUC(UK Times)
THE Queen is expected to make a controversial visit to
Northern Ireland in the next few weeks to confer the
George Cross on the Royal Ulster Constabulary. The
medal was awarded last year.
Queen pulls the punters in Hobart
casino(UK Times)
THIS capital of Australia's most monarchist state after
Queensland has an elderly feel about it, like Bexhill but
with better weather. A pleasant, bungaloid city ringed by
bowling greens, its casino is busy by noon with women of
a certain age and hairstyle sitting in hypnotic devotion
before the flashing rows of pokies.
The tomato was thrown from a crowd as he
and the Queen were on a walkabout in
Launceston, Tasmania.
It clipped the side of
the 78-year-old Duke's
Panama hat before
landing at his feet.
Prince Philip looked up
as he felt the missile
clip the rear right-hand
side of his hat during
what was otherwise
warm welcome for the
Royal couple.
The Royal party had
just arrived in the northern Tasmania, during
the second week of their epic tour of Australia.
Thousands of well-wishers cheered and gave
the Queen flowers as she and the Duke walked
through the park to Albert Hall for a civic
reception and lunch.
Anger at prank
The salvo came from
behind a tree where
police earlier spotted
rowdy teenagers
fooling around.
An eye witness said
the Duke pointed
towards the tree after
the tomato struck.
Michael Rowland, an
Australian radio
reporter who was
about 20 metres away, said: "The Queen did
not appear to notice but the Duke stopped,
motioned to one of the Scotland Yard
detectives and pointed with his index finger
towards the tree."
A bystander picked up the tomato and handed
it to a police officer.
Controlled explosions
The Queen and Prince Philip are due to fly to
Alice Springs, in Australia's central desert, on
Thursday for a whistlestop visit.
The devices were constructed from soda
siphons and had been planted in the grounds
of the police station and near a water main.
Police said they are treating the matter as a
"prank".
~*~
By Robert Hardman
Tasmania has not seen her for 12 years
but the monarchy won a comfortable
62 per cent of the vote here in last
November's referendum and the
residents of the capital city were thrilled
to have her back. Schools had emptied
to allow children to take up prime
positions in Salamanca Place (named
after Wellington's Spanish victory over
Napoleon). The only protesters, who
were demonstrating against
genetically-modified food, were in welcoming mood too. "The Royal Family
Grows Organic," proclaimed one banner.
Vic Garth, 87 and reputedly the world's oldest town crier, heralded the royal
party into town with his bell. In his pocket, wrapped in plastic, was the reply
he had received from the Palace in 1948 when he wrote to congratulate
Princess Elizabeth on the birth of Prince Charles.
"It's a very long time," the Queen mused as she saw the letter. "Memories!"
There were tears from Tabitha Higgins, four, when she realised that she was
on the opposite side of the street from the Queen. She had been out picking
flowers for her all morning, had put on her favourite multi- coloured
Wellington boots for the occasion, and all she got in return was a chat with
Prince Philip. "Come on," he said with an avuncular smile and ushered her
across to meet the Queen.
At Hobart's Maritime Museum, the Queen saw exhibits of Tasmania's past as
a convict settlement and a major whaling centre. What also caught her eye
was one of the medals on the chest of one of the attendants. Ken Hudspeth,
78, was wearing the DSC. Closer inspection showed that it had two bars,
meaning that he had been awarded it three times.
Mr Hudspeth was happy to tell the Queen about his war record but did not
want to elaborate to anyone else. "All I'll say is that the first one was awarded
for failing to sink a battleship," he said modestly. It later transpired that he had
served in midget submarines in Europe but, beyond that, his secret was safe
with the Queen.
Outside, a former MP and leading light in Australian monarchist circles was
busy telling the television cameras why Tasmania had done the right thing in
the referendum. Michael Hodgman, QC, said: "We've got the best
constitution in the world. It's given us freedom and rights and democracy for a
century. We love her. She loves us. God save the Queen!"
Throughout this tour, the Queen has been bombarded with flowers from
children and women. Yesterday, she even received a bouquet from a worker
in a shipyard. As she inspected a production line for Incat high-speed
passenger catamarans, fitter Brad Keep thrust forward a bunch of roses with
a nod of his hard hat. Afterwards, his colleagues were quick to tease. He said:
"I was just passing them on for an old lady who couldn't meet the Queen."
In the dock outside, the royal couple were shown a display of the latest in
liferaft technology when a chute burst out of the side of a catamaran and some
workers tumbled down into the raft floating alongside. All the supposedly
shipwrecked passengers promptly rushed to the front of the raft waving
furiously. There are, obviously, some republicans in Tasmania. The
referendum said so. At present, though, they seem as rare as the Tasmanian
tiger - last seen in 1936.
~*~
By Sean O'Neill
Michelin-starred Italians, Dutchmen,
Spaniards, Greeks, Belgians, Germans,
and Portuguese ate their fill.
Frenchmen, who are not allowed to
serve British beef in their own
restaurants, asked for more. To a man
they pronounced it delicious.
The Prince, however, was forced to
abstain, not due to any sudden
conversion to vegetarianism, but
because he has given up eating lunch for Lent. It was something of an
embarrassment for the Meat and Livestock Commission which has enlisted
the Prince's support in its efforts to promote British beef in the reopened
European markets.
The commission is spending more than £30,000 to bring 22 leading chefs to
Britain for a two-day tour to see how safe British beef is and to rediscover
how good it tastes. The Prince accompanied the party as it visited Wells Folly
Farm at Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire, where Douglas and Anna Scott
keep their prize-winning herd of South Devon beef cattle.
The Scotts had slaughtered an 18-month-old steer and there were canapes of
roast beef with asparagus and guacamole, carpaccio with tomato and
parmesan shavings, minute steak piri-piri, slices of beef wellington and tartlets
of beef ragout.
In the farm office the large contingent of French journalists devoured tray after
tray of roast beef sandwiches. A British reporter who had been vegetarian for
six years was also unable to resist the temptation. Despite his Lenten sacrifice,
there is no question of the Prince not doing his bit for the beef industry.
Today the chefs will be given a tour of the Prince's farm at Highgrove and
inspect his herd of organically-reared Aberdeen Angus beef cattle. Tonight
the Prince will play host to the European chefs and other guests, including
Clarissa Dickson Wright, Anton Mosimann and Nick Brown, the Agriculture
Secretary.
He admitted that he and his chefs were nervous at the prospect of entertaining
the aristocrats of European cooking. The Prince said: "I have to confess to
some apprehension as you will be sampling my own home-produced beef.
But I do know you will not find finer beef in the world than here in Britain and
hopefully, at the end of these two days, you will agree and be happy to buy
it."
He told the chefs that their trip had been organised largely at his initiative.
Arrigo Cipriani, the owner of Harry's Bar in Venice, one of Europe's leading
restaurants and the inventor of carpaccio, said that his lunch had been
"wonderful". He said that although he had been banned from serving British
beef at his restaurant he had served it at his private parties.
Sergio Mei, executive chef of the Four Seasons hotel in Milan, said the visit
was of great value. He said: "There has been a crisis, but the situation is now
improving and I am convinced British beef is safe." Jean Paul Bucher, the
president of the French Flo group of restaurants, lamented that he could not
serve British beef to his customers.
He said: "I am not surprised by the standards and quality that I have seen
today. It would not be a problem to me to serve British beef." The chefs'
endorsements were music to the ears of Mr Scott, whose cattle have fully
recorded histories and are promoted on their own website. Wells Folly's herd
comprises primarily breeding stock and much of the farm's business before
the onset of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy crisis was with Spain and
Italy.
~*~
BY SIMON DE BRUXELLES
The Prince of Wales is playing host to 22 leading chefs
and restaurateurs, most of whom can boast at least one
Michelin star, in an attempt to promote British beef to
sceptical European consumers.
But at the buffet to welcome them to a beef farm near his
Highgrove estate in Gloucestershire, they were surprised
to see the Prince decline to sample any of the canapés or
the hot finger buffet.
Mario Resen, head chef at Le Bels Fontana, one of
Milan's leading restaurants, said: "I noticed he wasn't
eating anything but I did not know why. Perhaps he
makes up for it at dinner. Is he a Catholic?"
The Prince, who will one day become Supreme Governor
of the Church of England, will not eat anything between
breakfast and dinner for the 40 days from Ash
Wednesday to Easter Day, April 23.
A St James's Palace spokeswoman said that anyone
inviting the Prince to lunch during Lent had been warned
about his fast to avoid the embarrassment of having a
large plateful of food placed in front of him. She said:
"This was a personal decision. He doesn't usually have
much time for lunch anyway. We don't have that many
lunch engagements and during Lent we are telling hosts
that he won't be eating."
Among the delicacies he waved away yesterday were
miniature slices of Beef Wellington, roast beef and onion
confit in eggcup-sized Yorkshire puddings, and beef
carpaccio - whose inventor, Arrigo Cipriani of Harry's
Bar in Venice, was among the guests.
The Prince of Wales's fast failed to impress Phil Saunders
of the Meat and Livestock Commission, which organised
and paid for the visit. "The only thing I'm giving up for
Lent," he said, "is lentils."
~*~
BY CHRISTOPHER WALKER, CHIEF IRELAND
CORRESPONDENT
Plans for the highly sensitive visit leaked in Belfast
yesterday but have not been officially confirmed for
security reasons. A Buckingham Palace official said that
reports of the visit were speculation and added that the
Palace "never comments in advance about royal trips to
Ulster".
The Queen's visit, which is being seen as an effort by the
British and Irish Governments to buoy up moderate
Unionists after the collapse of the 1998 Good Friday
peace agreement, is being planned as the RUC finds itself
at the centre of controversy again.
Last weekend, the Ulster Unionist Party, led by David
Trimble, voted never to return to the power-sharing
executive at Stormont unless the Government's decision to
scrap the "Royal" and change the force's name to the
Police Service of Northern Ireland is reversed.
Any visit by the Queen will be difficult for Unionists of any
stripe to criticise. But some have hinted privately that they
regard the planned medal ceremony as an attempt by the
Northern Ireland Office to divert attention from the bitter
row surrounding the proposed Patten Report reforms of
the RUC.
Pater Mandelson, the Northern Ireland Secretary, has
hinted that these will not be altered because of the vote by
the Ulster Unionist Party Council and will be introduced in
the Commons over the next few weeks.
Some hardline Unionists blamed "spin-doctoring" by Mr
Mandelson as being behind the George Cross award and
part of his moves to set up the power-sharing experiment,
which was suspended after less than ten weeks.
Officials countered that aranging such an honour could not
be arranged in an off-the-cuff manner as was being
suggested.
The Queen last visited Ulster in 1997 when she helped to
celebrate the RUC's 75th anniverary at a garden party at
Hillsborough Castle, in Co Down.
A source said yesterday: "It was felt that this was the most
fitting way to acknowledge the bravery and sacrifice of the
RUC."
Insiders said that it was hoped that the Queen would lead
a ceremony at Hillsborough to meet members of the force.
The George Cross award, which was presented to Malta
in 1942, is given for acts of outsanding courage where a
military medal would not be appropriate.
According to insiders, senior Northern Ireland Office and
Buckingham Palace officials are finalising plans for the
visit, which could still be cancelled or altered if any IRA or
dissident republican threat against the Royal party were to
emerge.
It is hoped that during the ceremony the Queen will meet
members of the force from all ranks, as well as retired and
wounded officers.
~*~
FROM ALAN HAMILTON IN HOBART
Business at the poker machines was slack yesterday. The
women were out on Salamanca Place, a harbourside
street whose early Victorian sandstone warehouses raised
by convict labour have the air of a Cornish fishing port
circa 1954. Except that this used to be a thriving whaling
port, and they boiled the blubber in the middle of the
street.
By contrast yesterday, the fragrance level could hardly
have been higher, with 10,000 loyalists from an island
whose entire population is only that of Edinburgh lining the
boulevard eight deep to meet the Queen. Glenorchy, the
leading local Australian rules football team, is likely to get
a crowd 120th the size on a good Saturday, local opinion
ventured.
Any hint of republicanism was hard to detect. The Queen
and the Duke of Edinburgh had flown from Canberra, and
were driven to the city centre accompanied by Jim Bacon,
the premier of Tasmania, and his wife. Alderman Robert
Valentine, the Lord Mayor of Hobart, recalled the
couple's first visit in 1954.
On the subsequent 100-yard walkabout the Queen was
almost drowned in flowers as children pressed bouquet
after bouquet into her hand. One woman presented her
with a posy from her hospital bed, which had been
wheeled up to the kerb. A teenager pressed an Australian
dollar coin bearing her profile into her hand.
The crowd was ecstatic; the town band played Waltzing
Matilda and the Queen, cool in peppermint green, clearly
basked in the adulation.
Unlike all previous ports of call on the Queen's two-week
tour, Tasmania was showing her visit live on lunchtime
television.