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Spectator
02-07-2025
- Spectator
My memories of the royal train
It is the most civilised way to travel anywhere in the kingdom. Which is why I am so distraught that the King has cancelled it. This week His Majesty has agreed, reluctantly I can be sure, to decommission his royal train. The decision was announced by the Keeper of the Privy Purse, James Chalmers. Mr Chalmers brings to the Royal Household all the romance and lyricism you'd expect of a chartered accountant who spent 39 years at PwC, including time as something called a Global Assurance Leader. He justified the decision on the basis of the need for 'modernisation' and 'fiscal discipline'. This is not so much letting daylight in upon magic as strangling it with a spreadsheet. It is a tragedy. The most myopically mean-minded cost-cutting measure forced on a monarch since Regan and Goneril took away Lear's knights. I am biased, I admit. Partly because I know which side I would have been on at Marston Moor, standing with the first King Charles against the loathsomely drab utilitarians who would have denied that monarch the money needed for his ships. But also because I have travelled on the royal train and mourn its passing with the sadness of one who sees another cherishably special link with our past dismantled by the un-holy alliance of the lanyard class and Treasury brainiacs. The royal train itself is very far from the last word in luxury. Defiantly unmodernised, its decor owes more to Seventies Ventnor than Silicon Valley. It is like the royal family – understated, comfortable, traditional, gently hierarchical and thoroughly reliable. I travelled on the royal train in March 2018, as environment secretary, accompanying the Prince of Wales (as he then was) on a visit to mark Unesco designating the Lake District a world heritage site. We boarded the train at dusk at a wayside halt in Bucks before it made its way to Kemble in Gloucestershire to pick up HRH. Dinner in the mess with the Prince's private secretary and protection team was basic but delicious – steak and chips cooked in a galley unchanged since Harold Wilson's day. My berth for the night was fitted out like an Aberdeenshire B&B from my childhood. A narrow single bed with reassuringly itchy sheets and blankets, framed prints of non-descript highland landscapes, a Roberts radio and blinky electric strip lighting. The one undeniable luxury was the ensuite bathroom – no other train in Britain allows you to soak in Radox suds. But even that indulgence was reassuringly retro. The bath itself was the sort of pastel pink plastic that takes you back decades – to a time when the only essential oil was diesel. There was a protocol to arrangements on the train. The late Queen, Prince Philip and the Prince of Wales each had their own dedicated carriage. Other travellers would be allocated their size of berth depending on their place in the Palace pecking order. Members of the royal family would entertain guests in a compact drawing room occupying a section of a carriage fixed between their accommodation and the rest of the travelling entourage. I was invited there to join HRH for a nightcap (Laphroaig) before we retired and breakfast (a minimalist fruit salad that even a dieting catwalk model would consider frugal) the next morning. Concerned that such a meal would not set me up for the day ahead, the police officers travelling with us insisted I have a 'big boys' breakfast' with them in the mess beforehand. I think the sausages may have been Wall's rather than Highgrove organic, but they were appropriately fortifying. The royal train runs to its own timetable, and is never more than a few seconds early or late, a novel experience for an MP who had to rely on South Western Railway to travel to and from his constituency. I've no idea if the crew were Aslef or RMT, but now that these professionals with their curious habit of punctuality are being made redundant perhaps they could replace the current management of Network Rail. As we rolled into Langwathby station, on the breathtakingly picturesque Settle to Carlisle line, the impression created by the royal train's arrival was vivid on the delighted faces of the gathered schoolchildren and curious residents. It was as though the Hogwarts Express had materialised through the drizzle: stately, traditional and wreathed in mystique. Dull would he be of soul who wasn't taken by the appearance of living history on platforms where only inter-city 'sprinters' normally draw in. But now the royal train – environmentally friendly, a clockwork-perfect piece of British engineering heritage from our manufacturing past, affordable even when the state took less than 10 per cent of GDP and Gladstone was taking his axe to government excess – is to be scrapped. It will save less than Ed Miliband's department spends annually on air fares. As Philip Larkin put it, when another round of cost-cutting left a lesser Britain:
Scottish Sun
29-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
Three cheap and easy tips to clean your barbecue in time for the good weather
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WITH the weather hotting up – and the long weekend on its way – it's the perfect time to host in the garden. But don't worry if your barbecue has seen better days, these easy steps can make it sparkle in no time. 7 We have three cheap and easy tips to clean your barbecue in time for the good weather Credit: Getty GRILL POWER: Raid cupboards for ingredients that will shift grime stuck to grills. Try pouring a little beer over a heated grill and the acid will loosen dirt, so you can scrub it off. Onions also work wonders thanks to their natural acids. Just cut in half and rub across grates. And lemons are also powerful at cutting through grease. Again, just cut in half and rub over the metal. A tough wire brush is ideal for scrubbing grime and grease off the grates. But rather than buy one, you can use aluminium foil screwed into a ball. STAIN OR SHINE: For stains that are tougher to budge — and if you have a barbecue with a lid — grab some vinegar and mix with equal part water. Then pour the solution on a metal tray and heat up the barbecue. Close the lid and leave for around 15 minutes. The steam should loosen the grime. Or before heating, you can mix up a paste of bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar and let it sit on the grills for at least 30 minutes. Then scrub off with warm soapy water. Proper temperatures for perfectly cooked meats BRING TO RUST: If your barbecue has been sitting outside and developed rust patches, you can also use the same bicarbonate and vinegar paste and apply to these areas to help clean it up. After using your barbecue, try rubbing a light layer of vegetable oil across the grills and other areas to help prevent rust in the future. All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability Deal of the day 7 This Boots self-care beauty box is just £34 Credit: Supplied PAMPER yourself with this Boots self-care beauty box, £34, featuring goodies worth £137, including hair serum, sleep mist and teeth whitening strips. SAVE: £103 Cheap treat 7 Radox mineral therapy shower gel is just £1 from Boots Credit: Supplied WITH its mood-boosting fragrance, Radox mineral therapy shower gel, £1 from Boots, will help you feel uplifted after a shower. What's new? NUTELLA fans will love the ice-cream version of the chocolate spread, new in at Asda, £5.48 for a 470ml tub. Top swap 7 This Bottega Veneta bag is £2,150 at Selfridges Credit: Supplied 7 This microweave bag from Next is just £26 Credit: Supplied LIVE the five-star lifestyle with the Bottega Veneta bag, £2,150, at Selfridges. Or back in the real world, look stylish for £26 with this microweave bag from Next. SAVE: £2,124 Little helper AT Morrisons, the Flash speedmop starter kit is down from £16 to £10 with a More card as part of a sale on cleaning products. Ends May 18. Shop & Save 7 This Revolution tubing mascara is now £6.39 at Superdrug Credit: Supplied LIFT your lashes with help from Revolution tubing mascara, down from £10.99 to £6.39 at Superdrug. SAVE: £4.60 Hot Right Now BRING some colour to your garden with four perennials for £10 at B&M, saving £2. PLAY NOW TO WIN £200 7 Join thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we're giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers - whether you're saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket. The more codes you enter, the mor
The Sun
29-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
Three cheap and easy tips to clean your barbecue in time for the good weather
Sun Savers Published: Invalid Date, WITH the weather hotting up – and the long weekend on its way – it's the perfect time to host in the garden. But don't worry if your barbecue has seen better days, these easy steps can make it sparkle in no time. 7 GRILL POWER: Raid cupboards for ingredients that will shift grime stuck to grills. Try pouring a little beer over a heated grill and the acid will loosen dirt, so you can scrub it off. Onions also work wonders thanks to their natural acids. Just cut in half and rub across grates. And lemons are also powerful at cutting through grease. Again, just cut in half and rub over the metal. A tough wire brush is ideal for scrubbing grime and grease off the grates. But rather than buy one, you can use aluminium foil screwed into a ball. STAIN OR SHINE: For stains that are tougher to budge — and if you have a barbecue with a lid — grab some vinegar and mix with equal part water. Then pour the solution on a metal tray and heat up the barbecue. Close the lid and leave for around 15 minutes. The steam should loosen the grime. Or before heating, you can mix up a paste of bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar and let it sit on the grills for at least 30 minutes. Then scrub off with warm soapy water. Proper temperatures for perfectly cooked meats BRING TO RUST: If your barbecue has been sitting outside and developed rust patches, you can also use the same bicarbonate and vinegar paste and apply to these areas to help clean it up. After using your barbecue, try rubbing a light layer of vegetable oil across the grills and other areas to help prevent rust in the future. Deal of the day 7 PAMPER yourself with this Boots self-care beauty box, £34, featuring goodies worth £137, including hair serum, sleep mist and teeth whitening strips. SAVE: £103 Cheap treat WITH its mood-boosting fragrance, Radox mineral therapy shower gel, £1 from Boots, will help you feel uplifted after a shower. Top swap LIVE the five-star lifestyle with the Bottega Veneta bag, £2,150, at Selfridges. Or back in the real world, look stylish for £26 with this microweave bag from Next. SAVE: £2,124 Shop & Save LIFT your lashes with help from Revolution tubing mascara, down from £10.99 to £6.39 at Superdrug. Hot Right Now BRING some colour to your garden with four perennials for £10 at B&M, saving £2. PLAY NOW TO WIN £200 7 JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we're giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers - whether you're saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket. The more codes you enter, the mor
Scottish Sun
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Kelly Brook ditches model glam for low-key look as she runs London Marathon with husband Jeremy Parisi
MODEL Kelly Brook toned down her usual red carpet-ready look to take part in the London Marathon. The 45-year-old star donned a green t-shirt, black leggings and trainers to run the 26.2 mile course around England's capital city on Sunday. 7 Kelly Brook was spotted in tears after completing the London Marathon today Credit: i-Images 7 Kelly proudly showing off her medal at the finishing line Credit: ©Karwai Tang 7 Kelly and Jeremy both completed the 26.2 mile course 7 Kelly was spotted in the crowds Credit: Goff 7 She looked in good spirits Credit: Goff In a video uploaded to her Instagram stories, Kelly revealed she was joined by 39-year-old husband Jeremy Parisi, who also signed up. She said the couple hardly had the ideal preparation, telling her fans that neither of them had slept well the night before, owing to their burglar alarm going off during the night. Sitting next to Jeremy in the back of a car, Kelly said: "Good morning! So, we thought we'd just get up and run a little marathon today, because that's what we do. See you out there! See you out there!" Before, she turned to Jeremy and asked: "Are you excited?" Read More on The Marathon CAPTAIN SLOW Terry forced to walk as blood pours from NIPPLE in gruelling London Marathon Jeremy's seeming lack of enthusiasm to her question is then explained by Kelly, who added: "We didn't get any sleep because our burglar alarm went off at 1'o'clock this morning. Awesome." Kelly and Jeremy, were sponsored by marathon partners Radox to take part in the race, and were joined at the start by the likes of Harry Judd, Joe Wicks and Alexandra Burke, who were among the other famous faces running the course. Speaking recently to The Sun's Bizzare column, Kelly said she liked to have Jeremy running in front of her, so she could admire him in lycra, and also revealed running had given her a new found appreciation for Vaseline. She said: "Jeremy looks great in Lycra. I always tell him to run ahead. I find it a nice distraction. "Jeremy I'm sure will carry me over the finish line if he has too." Before revealing that the week prior had made her realise how important petroleum jelly was for preventing chafing caused by running. Kelly Brook looks stunning as she strips off to green swimsuit on luxury holiday with overwater villa, heart-shaped pool and private butler She added: "I have gone through pots of Vaseline and on Sunday I was away. I was tapering and had a quick 10k to do. 'I panicked because I left my Vaseline at home so I went without. Nothing prepares you for the chaffing! I was bleeding after 10k." And she also revealed that having done an increasing number of physically exerting challenges with Jeremy recently, the London Marathon felt like the ideal next step for the couple. She said: "We were both pretty strong anyway but this has definitely made us more dynamic. "After a 25km run you feel invincible. We love to train hard and keep that up all year. "When we did Race Across the World we had to climb a volcano in the snow for the final Episode. "We had spent Christmas in the Alps hiking mountains in the snow so we were weirdly prepared mentally to tackle that! "We train a lot just to prepare ourselves for life in general you never know in our job what you're going to be asked to do next. " "This has been brilliant because we are in control of our training and performance. With TV it's never entirely down to you what the outcome will be. "With the Marathon it's all on us and it's exciting we can't wait." 7 Kelly's fans are more used to seeing her far more glamorously dressed Credit: Splash
The Sun
27-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Kelly Brook ditches model glam for low-key look as she runs London Marathon with husband Jeremy Parisi
MODEL Kelly Brook toned down her usual red carpet-ready look to take part in the London Marathon. The 45-year-old star donned a green t-shirt, black leggings and trainers to run the 26.2 mile course around England 's capital city on Sunday. 7 7 7 In a video uploaded to her Instagram stories, Kelly revealed she was joined by 39-year-old husband Jeremy Parisi, who also signed up. She said the couple hardly had the ideal preparation, telling her fans that neither of them had slept well the night before, owing to their burglar alarm going off during the night. Sitting next to Jeremy in the back of a car, Kelly said: "Good morning! So, we thought we'd just get up and run a little marathon today, because that's what we do. See you out there! See you out there!" Before, she turned to Jeremy and asked: "Are you excited?" Jeremy's seeming lack of enthusiasm to her question is then explained by Kelly, who added: "We didn't get any sleep because our burglar alarm went off at 1'o'clock this morning. Awesome." Kelly and Jeremy, were sponsored by marathon partners Radox to take part in the race, and were joined at the start by the likes of Harry Judd, Joe Wicks and Alexandra Burke, who were among the other famous faces running the course. Speaking recently to The Sun's Bizzare column, Kelly said she liked to have Jeremy running in front of her, so she could admire him in lycra, and also revealed running had given her a new found appreciation for Vaseline. She said: "Jeremy looks great in Lycra. I always tell him to run ahead. I find it a nice distraction. "Jeremy I'm sure will carry me over the finish line if he has too." Before revealing that the week prior had made her realise how important petroleum jelly was for preventing chafing caused by running. She added: "I have gone through pots of Vaseline and on Sunday I was away. I was tapering and had a quick 10k to do. 'I panicked because I left my Vaseline at home so I went without. Nothing prepares you for the chaffing! I was bleeding after 10k." And she also revealed that having done an increasing number of physically exerting challenges with Jeremy recently, the London Marathon felt like the ideal next step for the couple. She said: "We were both pretty strong anyway but this has definitely made us more dynamic. "After a 25km run you feel invincible. We love to train hard and keep that up all year. "When we did Race Across the World we had to climb a volcano in the snow for the final Episode. "We had spent Christmas in the Alps hiking mountains in the snow so we were weirdly prepared mentally to tackle that! "We train a lot just to prepare ourselves for life in general you never know in our job what you're going to be asked to do next. " "This has been brilliant because we are in control of our training and performance. With TV it's never entirely down to you what the outcome will be. "With the Marathon it's all on us and it's exciting we can't wait." 7 7
