How unnecessary of Prince Harry to evoke Diana when he controversially accepted the Pat Tillman Award — named after an American war hero who died in Afghanistan.
At the glitzy Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards in Los Angeles, Harry paid tribute to Pat’s mother, saying: ‘Her advocacy for Pat’s legacy is deeply personal and one that I respect.’ Then, clearly referring to his relationship with Diana, he said: ‘The bond between a mother and son is eternal and transcends even the greatest losses.’
All perfectly innocent, you might think — he was nominated for his relatively brief war record and his role in creating The Invictus Games for injured veterans.
Prince Harry controversially accepted the Pat Tillman Award – named after an American war hero who died in Afghanistan
![Meghan beamed as she sat beside him during the awards ceremony in Hollywood](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/12/20/87270065-13628805-image-a-3_1720814221853.jpg)
Meghan beamed as she sat beside him during the awards ceremony in Hollywood
Except there is a back story. Pat’s mother Mary didn’t want Harry to get the award, saying: ‘I am shocked as to why they would select such a controversial and divisive individual to receive the award when there are recipients far more fitting.’
As one commentator observed: Pat gave up money and fame for honour and duty, while Harry gave up honour and duty for money and fame.’
And how brazen of him to talk about the bond between mother and son after he has spent so much of the past four years breaking the bond between father and son with his petulant attacks on the Royal family.
For what it is worth, I don’t believe Diana would have ever let Harry trash his own family. And, I’m also certain she’d have seen through mesmerising Meghan Markle in five minutes, recognising her for what she is, a social climbing, money-hungry minx.
Harry should apologise to Mary Tillman, hand back his award and hang his head in shame.
A cautionary word to Jacob Rees-Mogg signing up for a five-part TV series Meet The Rees-Moggs — beware the stitch-up. I did a TV series in the Eighties with the working title Great Women In Newspapers. When it aired it featured mostly pictures of my legs in stilettoes and had been retitled Killer Bimbos Of Fleet Street.
Covered girl Daisy!
In a celebrity world where bit-part starlets on the red carpet get their knickers — if they’re wearing any — in a twist over who can sport the least clothing, how refreshing to see Twister star Daisy Edgar-Jones fully covered!
The sublimely understated brown Vivienne Westwood corset gown, with a flowing black cape flying off one shoulder, is enough to blow anyone away.
![Twister star Daisy Edgar-Jones wore a sublimely understated brown Vivienne Westwood corset gown, with a flowing black cape flying off one shoulder](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/12/19/87266379-13628805-image-a-82_1720807625725.jpg)
Twister star Daisy Edgar-Jones wore a sublimely understated brown Vivienne Westwood corset gown, with a flowing black cape flying off one shoulder
As Lucy Letby is sentenced to another life term for trying to kill a premature baby, some are asking if the jury got it wrong, if crucial evidence was mis-represented in court and if she could be the victim of NHS failings?
Too much is at stake here, not least the parents’ agony, for this to be left to bloggers and armchair experts to try to overturn the verdicts of the murder of seven babies and the attempted murder of seven more.
Westminster wars
Having appeared in a different designer outfit every day since Keir Starmer became PM, now we know what his hitherto fiercely private wife Lady Vic was up to, when absent from the campaign trail. She was choosing her First Lady wardrobe, which pretty much costs the average salary of the ‘working people’ Keir purports to defend.
One week since Labour’s win and 500 migrants have arrived in small boats, with four dying while trying to cross the Channel. Proof Keir’s victory sent a green light to illegal migrants, many of whom say scrapping the Rwanda scheme makes the UK an even softer target.
New Women’s Minister Anneliese Dodds believes a woman can have a penis and dismisses my lot as ‘biological women’. Yes, that’s 51 per cent of the population, most of whom like me are appalled to be described as such.
Charles in Euros call
Ahead of the Euros final tomorrow, King Charles spoke for us all by asking England’s stars to ‘secure victory before the need for any last-minute wonder-goals or another penalties drama’ to ease ‘stresses on the nation’s collective heart rate’.
Three cheers for the King and 50 million prayers our lads bring glory home.
Shirl looks as young as her girl
I did a double take when Dame Shirley Bassey, 87, took her daughter Sharon, 70, to receive her Companion of Honour from King Charles.
Our Shirl looked younger than her girl.
Is she glorious living proof that she’s been a big spender on gold-fingered tweakments?
![Dame Shirley Bassey, 87, and her daughter Sharon, 70](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/12/19/87266385-13628805-image-m-86_1720807640506.jpg)
Dame Shirley Bassey, 87, and her daughter Sharon, 70
Crossbow horror must lead to change in law
A quick search online after hearing of the horrendous murders of BBC commentator John Hunt’s wife Carol and daughters Louise and Hannah, reveals crossbows are available from as little as £27.46.
Lethal weapons with names such as EK Cobra Adder, the Guillotine-X+ and The Jackal, some costing more than £3,000, at your fingertips. The only condition is you must be over 18. Surely the law has to change? And shame on those who continue to flog them.
How terrifying that President Biden, leader of the free world and the man with his finger on the nuclear button, mixes up Presidents Zelensky and Putin, and his own Vice President Kamala Harris with arch rival Donald Trump. The only button doddery old Biden should have access to now is the red one beside his bed to call his nurse.
There’ll be one woman smiling as ex French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s wife Carla Bruni faces charges for her alleged involvement in a conspiracy over his dodgy financial affairs — Jerry Hall. She blamed Carla’s affair with Mick Jagger in 1992 for ruining their marriage. It may be three decades on but Carla’s difficulties will taste all the sweeter.
The BBC has apparently told Strictly’s head judge Shirley Ballas to stop publicly supporting Giovanni Pernice as they probe bullying claims. Yet judges Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood all continue to support him by taking part in his private dance classes. To which we Gio fans simply say: ‘Fab-u-lous darling.’
![The BBC has apparently told Strictly's head judge Shirley Ballas to stop publicly supporting Giovanni Pernice as they probe bullying claims](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/07/12/19/87266383-13628805-image-m-85_1720807633057.jpg)
The BBC has apparently told Strictly’s head judge Shirley Ballas to stop publicly supporting Giovanni Pernice as they probe bullying claims
What puzzles me about Alec Baldwin’s trial over the fatal shooting on the set of his film Rust is that an actor who plays gunslingers didn’t know better. As an Aussie, I learned to shoot aged 10 and the rules were always the same: ‘Check if the gun’s loaded, the safety catch is on and never point it at anything but a roo.’
Evil of driver who killed baby is evil
After killing eight-month-old Zackary Blades and his aunt Karlene Walker by ramming into their car at 141mph while three times over the drink-driving limit, driver Darryl Anderson told police: ‘Sometimes mistakes happen, but I’m not a bad person.’
No, not bad — reprehensibly evil.