Thwarted

Jenny and Ian have hit upon a cunning plan to keep me from moving in on my mother's jig-saws and finishing them off for her; They've bought her one with a silver jubilee portrait of the Queen and Prince Philip.

It's That Woman Again

It's hot and heavy. Ailz and I are sitting on the patio with the awning over us. My mother is in the living room with the patio doors open- watching coverage of Royal Ascot.

The Queen is wearing mint green, says the commentator. I look sideways, across the shadowy interior, and see that Camilla is sitting beside her in the carriage. The Queen has one of those sui generis, flower-pot hats of hers which Camilla is all but eclipsing with a huge circular hat covered in gauze and toile and all that kind of thing.

We're seeing a lot of Camilla these days. In fact we're seeing a lot of all the lesser royals. I think this is the Palace PR department preparing us for the transition that can't be all that far ahead now- getting us enthused (they hope) about the extended clan in anticipation of the moment when everyone moves up a seat and Camilla will be Queen and her not greatly admired husband the reigning monarch.