EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: What Frederick Forsyth really thought about Eddie Redmayne's Day Of The Jackal
The shadow of the absent Harry and Meghan looms over Saturday's Trooping the Colour with the Sussexes' latest bid to steal the limelight from the King with an appearance at Los Angeles Natural History Museum where Meghan will be honoured as a 'native Angeleno'.
This follows last week's Disney World photo shoot of their children neatly upstaging William's maritime initiative with David Attenborough. Charles's Canadian trip also coincided with Harry's appearance in China, Meghan's lifestyle brand was announced as William was speaking at the Diana Legacy Awards and in April the King's state visit to Italy had Meghan launching her new podcast and Harry's surprise Court of Appeal visit. Fingers crossed there'll be no twerking in Los Angeles.
President Emmanuel Macron 's expected address to MPs and peers at Westminster next month provides a potential headache for Sir Keir Starmer in advance of Donald Trump 's state trip later this year.
The US President was denied this honour on his first state visit after Speaker Bercow refused to let him in. So with many parliamentarians pressing to keep Trump out again how might the Government avoid a second snub? With September as the likely date, might he be asked to visit in the second half of the month when parliament is in recess?
Frederick Forsyth wasn't impressed with Eddie Redmayne in the Sky remake of The Day Of The Jackal, but placated with a consulting-producer credit. 'And I got the royalties,' he told a chum rubbing a thumb against his fingers, making the universal sign of filthy lucre.
Sir David Attenborough is unlikely to be on the guest list for Trump's inevitable state banquet in September. The reason? In the run-up to Trump's first election he was asked how to deal with him in The White House.
'Have we any control or influence over the American elections?' Attenborough replied. 'Of course we don't... we could shoot him… it's not a bad idea.' He faced death threats and an FBI investigation for his quip.
Feverishly promoting her autobiography, Jacinda Ardern, who had a baby while serving as New Zealand prime minister, reveals that she asked the late Queen whether she had any advice on raising children.
'You just get on with it,' said the monarch. A put-down? HM clearly wasn't one of 'the criers, worriers and huggers' earnest Jacinda dedicates her tome to.
Madness warbler Suggs, now slaking his camel's thirst for beer with non-alcoholic potions, provides a progress report on how his wife Anne is coping with his new found sobriety.
'She said she felt it was a bit like those stories recently, when they found out babies had been swapped in the hospital. She thought I've been swapped with somebody else since I stopped drinking.'
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