What had been the late Queen’s ideas about Vladimir Putin in 2003?
WHILE a new biography claims the late Queen found President Trump ‘very rude’, what were her instincts regarding Vladimir Putin whom she met in 2003? Then home secretary David Blunkett, who was present with his guide dog during the official reception for the Russian tyrant, revealed: ‘My dog barked very loudly [at Putin]. I did apologise to the Queen, saying, ‘Sorry Your Majesty, about the dog barking’. She said, ‘Dogs have interesting instincts don’t they, Mr Blunkett?’
A new biography claims the late Queen found President Trump ‘very rude’, what did she think of Vladimir Putin when he came to London in 2003?
Putin came to Britain for a four-day state visit as Russian leader after more than a century break.
Queen Elizabeth II hosted President Vladimir Putin at Buckingham Palace in June 2003
Then home secretary David Blunkett (right) was present with his guide dog that barked loudly at the Russian president
EX-BBC correspondent Jon Sopel notes American star James Taylor’s rendition of his 1971 hit You’ve Got A Friend was dropped at the Democratic National Convention, supposedly due to scheduling issues. Sopel points out: ‘Which deprived Joe Biden from listening to the lyric ‘when you’re down and troubled and you need a helping hand, and nothing, nothing is going right’.’ Who thought it appropriate in the first place?
WHY do the Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s videos have no sound, depriving us of eavesdropping on their chit-chat while on parade? Former BBC royal correspondent Michael Cole suggests: ‘Perhaps to avoid instances such as the one when TV cameras (with sound) filmed them coming out of a door, side-by-side, and Meghan snapping at Harry, ‘HAND!’ – obliging him to clasp hers for the camera.’
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex hold hands at an engagement while on their trip to Colombia
SO famous that Coronation Street called a character after her – ‘they had my blessing for that’ – upcoming Strictly contestant Toyah Willcox, 66, pictured, was asked in Uncut magazine if it was true that she once slept in a coffin. She replied: ‘I tried. We lived opposite a funeral parlour, and we got on very well with them. They also had a morgue for people who’d just died. I remember once they said, ‘did I want to come in and see Dick Emery?’ Absolutely, no! Not right’
KAYE Adams, 61, of ITV‘s Loose Women, says on her podcast How To Be 60: ‘Kamala Harris has really helped me rethink 60, cos she’s 59 but in terms of the coverage of this election now she is the young buck, she’s on TikTok, she’s cool, she’s happening. The energy around her is incredible. But she is nearly 60. It’s all about framing, isn’t it? Because she’s been framed as young, she IS young… and yet she’s 59. And in another conversation you could think ‘Oh God they’re 59!’ It is about just framing your thinking. Anyway that’s my cod psychology.’ And we’re all the wiser for hearing it, surely!
Loose Woomen presenter Kaye Adams says US presidential candidate Kamala Harris has taught her about how to be 60
HIGHLIGHTING a study in the BMJ stating Australians have the longest life expectancy, London-based Antipodean socialite Kathy Lette says in the Sydney Morning Herald: ‘This has caused a bit of a kerfuffle among Britons, who don’t like to think of Aussies as superior in any way.’ A saucy 65, Kathy adds: ‘My own maternal grandma lived to 101 and my beloved mum has just turned 93.’ So irrepressible Ms Lette is due to be name-dropping for a good while yet!
