The Queen has banned servants at the royal
palaces from carrying phones while they are on
duty.
A memo has been sent to stewards, pages and
footmen by the Master Of The Queen's
Household, Vice-Admiral Tom Blackburn
requesting that mobiles are switched off while
staff are work.
The ban was reportedly
prompted by several
mobile phones ringing
during a major banquet
held for foreign
dignitaries.
It said customised
melodies, such as the Hawaii Five-O theme
music and Colonel Bogey stretched the
Queen's patience to breaking point, according
to The Sun.
The mobile ban applies to Buckingham Palace,
Windsor Castle, Sandringham in Norfolk,
Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh and at Balmoral in
the Scottish Highlands.
Good manners
Royal staff with desk jobs who may need
mobiles and pagers for their work, are allowed
to keep them switched on.
A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: "No one
wants mobile phones going off during a state
banquet.
"This is really a case of common sense and
good manners.
"The memo was to
formalise a position
that has existed for
some time. In the past,
it's been verbal
guidance."
Staff are free to use
their mobiles during
breaks and pay phones
are available for
emergencies, said the
palace spokesman.
Figures released from
the four mobile network operators in July
confirmed that more than half the UK
population now own a mobile.
About 300 people work at Buckingham Palace
alone.
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Charles 'set for the Weatherfield cobbles'(Yahoo: Ananova)
The Sun newspaper claims that the Prince of Wales is set to be offered a walk-on part in
Coronation Street.
According the paper Corrie bosses aim to film him strolling along the famous
Weatherfield cobbles when he visits the Granada TV set in Manchester next month.
Then, if the Prince gives his permission, they will use the sequence as part of a
Coronation Street storyline.
The heir to the throne is allegedly already being secretly written into an episode in which Audrey Roberts - played
by actress Sue Nicholls - will tell other characters: "Prince Charles is visiting tomorrow, didn't you know?"
Granada TV bosses are expected to contact the Prince's aides at St James's Palace and give them an official
invitation for Charles to appear.
A Coronation Street insider told the newspaper: "Senior production executives are looking at ways in which
Prince Charles could have a role in the street.
"Various ideas are being floated about how to get him into the plot."
Charles - 52 on Tuesday - has already agreed to visit the Granada studios on December 8, the day before the
soap's 40th birthday.