It was a mistake, one to which the Princess of Wales has admitted. Kate has said sorry for any confusion caused over a digitally altered photograph released by Kensington Palace to mark Mother’s Day.
The error was not one of malice but naivety. Whatever their motivations, the royal family have left themselves open to conspiracy theories about the state of the princess’s health. The British public is, on the whole, on Kate’s side. Not least when she is continuing her recovery from surgery, while the wider family is mourning the horrific death of Thomas Kingston as well, of course, as coming to terms with the King’s cancer diagnosis.
Privacy and public life are not easy bedfellows. Ultimately, William will be head of state and Kate queen. While this episode will not be remembered fondly, it is far more likely to be barely remembered at all. Time to accept the apology and move on.
Make Tube safer
For many Londoners, their biggest fear on the Tube is a five-minute wait for a train. But for others, particularly women, it is of something far more sinister: sexual harassment. That is why Tory mayoral candidate Susan Hall today pledged to appoint a “women’s commissioner” and target sexual harassment on the Tube if she wins. In a major policy announcement ahead of the election on May 2, Hall said the commissioner would “work with Londoners to create a fully-fledged women’s safety strategy”.
Transport for London does not publish figures on the number of women who report sexual harassment on the Tube, but its most recent passenger survey found six per cent of women said they had been a victim of “unwanted sexual behaviour” on public transport in the previous three months. More widely, there were 461 reported sexual offences on the Tube and 383 on buses between April and September last year.
Women’s safety, whether on public transport or the streets, ought to be a key part of this mayoral campaign. From more police officers on the beat to CCTV on all Tube lines, we must leave no stone unturned.
Save the Chelsea bun!
Much like how the grey squirrel chased out the native red, the Chelsea bun may soon be placed on the endangered species list.
Minister for London Greg Hands has taken it upon himself to spearhead a campaign to save it from extinction by competition from imports including the French pain aux raisins and the Portuguese pastel de nata.
The capital isn’t one for protectionism, of course. But the Chelsea bun dates back to the 18th century. So next time you’re at a bakery, give the delicacy a try.
