Hands off - warning over the Princess Royal
Sydney Olympic officials apologised to the
Princess Royal after she was accidentally
touched on the arm at an Olympic hockey
match.
The incident echoes that in which former
Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating sparked
controversy in 1992 when he touched the
Queen's back at a Parliament House reception.
The infringement of royal protocol led to him
being dubbed 'The Lizard of Oz' by the British
media.
The Princess Royal, who competed in the
equestrian events for Britain in the 1976
Montreal Olympics, apparently never noticed
being touched.
She made no complaint over the incident,
which was spotted by a member of the Royal
party.
A spokesman for the Games confirmed: "A
sporting federation official has apologised for
inadvertently touching Princess Anne, the
Princess Royal, on the arm while escorting her
at the hockey stadium on Saturday.
"The touch was noticed by a member of the
Royal party who later drew it to the attention
of protocol officers. The Princess made no
complaint."
~*~
Princes lead Abbey tribute to the Few(Electronic Telegraph)
By P J Bonthrone
PRINCE PHILIP and the Prince of Wales joined Second World War
veterans yesterday for a service at Westminster Abbey marking the climax of
the 60th anniversary of the Battle of Britain.
Prince Philip, in the uniform of Marshal of
the Royal Air Force, the service's highest
rank, and Prince Charles, in that of
Vice-Marshal, were received by the Dean
and Chapter of Westminster Abbey. The
Dean, the Very Rev Dr Wesley Carr, later
offered a prayer of thanksgiving "for the
liberty which that battle preserved for us
and the world".
Many of the veterans, their medals glinting in the lights, used sticks or walking
frames to reach their places. Others were in wheelchairs. The first lesson,
from Isaiah 40, was read by Air Cdre Peter Brothers, a fighter pilot at Biggin
Hill airfield in Kent during the Battle of Britain. He was awarded the DFC in
1940. "They who wait upon the Lord shall mount up with wings like eagles,"
he read.
The young pilots who never returned from fighting the Luftwaffe over southern
England from July to October 1940 were brought clearly to mind when the
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Squire, read from St John's
Gospel. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for
his friends."
Later, a single Spitfire from the Battle of Britain Flight from RAF Coningsby,
Lincs, made two circuits of the Abbey, eliciting cheers from the veterans and
their families. As the Abbey bells rung out, one of the veterans, Squadron
Leader Donald Mercer, who had travelled from Lancashire with his wife,
Jean, and wore his original uniform, said: "I shouldn't think there are more than
100 of us left."
Other veterans reckoned that their comrades were dying at the rate of one a
fortnight. Squadron Leader Mercer, who flew both Spitfires and Hurricanes
during the Battle of Britain, said: "I was nicknamed 'Pop' because, at 24, I
was the oldest among my colleagues. The other pilots were aged around 19
and 20. It has grown easier as the years have passed but at the time it was
awful when people who had been at the base for perhaps only a few weeks
were shot down and killed."
Many of the veterans travelled on to Biggin Hill to see 16 Spitfires and four
Hurricanes take part in a fly-past. Wg Cdr Peter Ayerst, 79, from nearby
Beckenham, who flew both planes in the war, said: "It's tremendous to be
alive to see such a significant anniversary. I had a very busy war and many
men, some of them great friends of mine, lost their lives for their country. I feel
very privileged that I have been able to live to tell the tale."
A rare Hawker Hurricane warplane was forced to make an emergency
landing en route to a veterans' parade in Norwich, Norfolk.
The RAF pilot reported a technical problem and it was diverted to a former
US airbase at nearby Seething, where it landed safely.
~*~
Charles I's expensive taste brought his
fleet low(Electronic Telegraph)
By Tara Womersley
CHARLES I's taste for opulent decoration may have sent some of his
warships to the bottom.
That is the view of a team of divers which has found ornate wood carvings
and panelling in the wreckage of the Swan, which sank in the Sound of Mull in
the west of Scotland during a storm in 1653. Items recovered include carvings
of a goddess and cherubs.
Although the Swan was among the fastest in the fleet, its trappings meant that
it could not match the Flemish pirate ships on which it was modelled. Charles
was criticised for the luxury of his most famous ship, the 1,600-ton Sovereign.
This evidence from the Swan, which was eight times smaller, suggests that his
lavish taste spread throughout his fleet.
Dr Colin Martin, a lecturer in marine archaeology at St Andrews University
who is leading the dives, could not say whether the ship's design led to its
loss. He said: "The Swan was built to be extra fast because the bigger ships
were too cumbersome. Everything that was added to it hindered its speed and
balance.
"Recently we excavated through to the captain's cabin, which was very
lavishly done out with framed panelled doors and panelling that would not
look out of place in a contemporary aristocrat's drawing room. That was
great for the captain, but it would have made the ship less supple. It is like
having a fighter plane and putting lots of bits on that look nice but which are
going to affect the aerodynamics."
Heavy taxes levied for shipbuilding were one of the factors that led to the
outbreak of the Civil War. The Swan, used to make contact with Charles's
supporters and repel pirates, was captured by parliamentarians after the crew
surrendered without a fight because they had not been paid. She was sent
north when Oliver Cromwell declared war on Scotland.