The queen

Violent and sexual criminals as well as foreign national offenders who return to the UK will face drastically heavier penalties under measures that will form the centrepiece of a Queen’s speech aimed at wresting the agenda away from the delicate Brexit negotiations. With just days to go before the deadline for Boris Johnson to clinch a last-ditch Brexit deal in Brussels, the Queen will on Monday set out his government’s priorities for a new session of parliament, including 22 new bills. But with MPs deadlocked over Brexit, few at Westminster believe a general election will be long in coming – and the Conservatives hope the policies will form the basis of their campaign. The proposals will see violent and sexual offenders serve a minimum of two-thirds of their sentence before becoming eligible to be released on licence, compared to half under current guidelines. But there were warnings from prison reformers that the plans could put staff in danger by taking away hope … [Read more...] about PM seeks to thrust law and order on to agenda in Queen’s speech

We have Helena Bonham Carter to thank for the revelation that the Queen’s sister, Princess Margaret, dead these many years, is now available – as she never was in life – for civil consultations with subjects. In that respect, at least, heaven seems to have done her a power of good. Bonham Carter was eager for tips, via a psychic, on how to portray Margaret in the forthcoming tranche of The Crown, during which Margaret, spoiler if you weren’t alive then, gets off with Roddy Llewellyn, divorces and smokes a lot. The princess had approved her casting, Bonham Carter revealed, and urged her to “get the smoking right”. As essential as this is in a series that prides itself on detail, you can’t help wishing – because who knows when another psychic will announce: “I’m getting a Margaret, she’s with me now” – that the conversation had taken a more discursive turn. Forget Margaret’s acting notes; what, given that … [Read more...] about The Queen might be admired, but the crown has seldom seemed so empty

The Queen is to boost her coffers by charging £3 for two hours in the car park on the Royal Sandringham Estate. The country park – part of her 20,000-acre Norfolk estate – is having a cafe, visitor centre and gift shop update with new Royal souvenirs. Paths and an arboretum will be built. A spokesman said: 'We had 500,000 visitors last year. The estate will implement a car park fee from February to assist with the increasing cost of maintaining facilities and to fund future developments.' The country park – part of her 20,000-acre Norfolk estate – is having a cafe, visitor centre and gift shop update with new Royal souvenirs. Paths and an arboretum will be built New pathways will be built and work is also set to start on an arboretum but for the first time visitors will have to pay to park. A spokesman for the Royal Estate said: 'Every year, thousands of people are welcomed to the Sandringham Estate to enjoy the country park, house, museum and gardens … [Read more...] about Queen is to boost income ‘by £1million a year’ by charging public to park at Sandringham

The British Royal Family is the original Coronation Street – a long-running soap opera with the occasional real coronation thrown in. Its members have become celebrities, like upmarket film stars, attracting often fawning coverage. So it’s easy to feel that we know the Windsors and that, in some ways, they are just like us. Yet the truth is that the disconnect between the Royals and the public is vast, not least in terms of the extraordinary fortunes they have quietly amassed for themselves. Some Royal wealth is conspicuous. Take Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House, for example: both were bought with public funds and qualify for taxpayer support when they are used for official business. They remain the Queen’s private property, all the same. Less obvious are the breathtaking tax breaks, the lavish state subsidies and an all-encompassing secrecy that hides the Windsors’ gluttonous excesses.  Regular attempts to nail down the private wealth of the Queen … [Read more...] about Where did Princess Margaret get £20m and how about the Queen mother’s £70m legacy? In his controversial new book, MP Norman Baker examines the family’s finances as he accuses the Windsors of Right Royal Robbery

Queen Letizia attended official events to mark National Day in Spain, with the Spanish royal choosing a romantic blush pink dress for the occasion. The royal, 47, was enjoying a military parade in Madrid today alongside her husband King Felipe and their two daughters princesses Leonor and Sofia.  She wore an elegant pink lace collar dress by Felipe Varela with sheer sleeves and delicate embroidery while her husband looked smart in a military suit.  She teamed the chic number with a pair of Steve Madden blush pink court shoes, a hot pink clutch from Magrit and statement pink earrings. Queen Letizia was enjoying the military parade in Madrid alongside her husband King Felipe of Spain, princess Leonor (left) and princess Sofia (right) Queen Letizia attended official events to mark National Day in Spain, with the Spanish royal chose a romantic blush pink dress for the occasion She wore an elegant pink lace collar dress by Felipe Varela with sheer sleeves Go regal like … [Read more...] about Queen Letizia charms crowds in an elegant pink lace collar dress as she joins husband King Felipe to celebrate Spain’s National Day at a massive military parade in Madrid