The words in this headline were emailed to me a few years back, shortly after the death of Bob Hope. At the time, I was writing a twice-weekly opinion column for the Independent, and I had devoted one of these to the memory of the grinning funny man. It was not a fond eulogy. I… Continue reading ‘YOU, SIR, ARE AN ABSOLUTE SHIT’
Read moreIt was, even by the standards of the British royal family, an extraordinary revelation. The Duke of Edinburgh, according to a report by the veteran court correspondent Talbot Church, had been causing more concern than usual in royal circles with his unscripted, off-the-cuff comments. Shortly before Prince William married Kate Middleton in 2011, he had… Continue reading Exit, Royal Joker
Read moreIs there anything quite as hilarious, yet embarrassing, as the British media moving into royal mode? The simpering fake familiarity, the cringing deference, the solemn recital of every dreary detail of royal domestic life, the unspoken obsession with class: nothing reveals our national character more ruthlessly than a royal wedding. Behind the usual forelock-tugging, something nastier… Continue reading They’re off! The Royal Brown-Nose Handicap is under way
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