The cross-Channel dragon boat race between a team of upmarket women — The Sisterhood — and a group of monkish men — The Brotherhood — was won decisively by the men, despite their veering off course for part of the way.

The Sisterhood begin their challenge

Prince William’s girlfriend, Kate Middleton, was forced to pull out of the race earlier because of security fears.

By chance, it was possibly the best conditions of the summer on the treacherous English Channel, renowned for its tidal rips, deadly shoals and deceptive sandbanks. The calm waters allowed the men to post a scintillating time of 3 hours and 31 minutes, smashing the previous record.

The ladies set off in near mill pond conditions and were heartened to hear the men had lost their way. However, they encountered choppy conditions approaching France and were nearly sunk by water surging over the sides of their flat-bottomed boat. Had the Channel been anywhere near its normal self, it’s doubtful whether either team would have made it to Gallic shores.

But make it they did, although bested by a team of very strong and experienced rowers. A commendable performance by both crews, raising around £100,000 ($200,000) for charity.

But what if Kate had been there at the helm of the ladies’ boat? Royal Anecdotes has no doubts that The Sisterhood would have triumphed.

Prince William and Kate Middleton have described their week-long break on Desroches Island in the Seychelles as “the best holiday ever”.

The Sun is reporting that, after dining with some staff on their last evening, William told them: “We will definitely return. We have had the most fantastic break.” When one local quipped that the isle was a “honeymooners’ paradise”, the couple exchanged “huge smiles”.

A source said, “William told islanders that he and Kate had the best holiday ever and that it was the break that they needed together. They are obviously devoted and could not keep their eyes off one another. There is very little to do on Desroches except relax with the one you love and they certainly did that.

“William told the locals he loved how secluded it is, without even a mobile phone signal. He said it was an ideal haven for a relaxing holiday. He then promised that he and Kate would definitely return. The locals were delighted and one said, ‘You know this place is famous as a honeymooners paradise?’ William and Kate exchanged glances and both had huge smiles on their faces.”

The Prince and Kate spent their last day scuba-diving and sunbathing before flying back home to London on Thursday night.

What everyone wants to know now is what was decided on the island about their future.

It’s believed they will head north following the Memorial Service for Princess Diana on Friday to spend more quality time at “Teapot” Cottage on the edge of the Balmoral Estate.

Teapot Cottage at Balmoral

It is unlikely anything will be leaked before the service. Might not an announcement from Balmoral be perfectly timed in this year of the Queen’s Diamond Wedding anniversary?

In a new book, Diana, The Inquiry They Never Published Chris Lafaille, a former Paris Match journalist, is claiming that Diana was “nine to 10 weeks pregnant at the time she died”.

The author says that “The document dated August 31 1997 was sent to the then Minister of the Interior Jean-Pierre Chevenement [and others]. … It has never been claimed or proved to be a fake.”

Several questions are raised by this assertion :

1. Diana stayed with her closest friend Rosa Monckton just days before she holidayed with the Fayeds and her death in Paris. Rosa provided incontrovertible proof that Diana was not pregnant then. I won’t quote her words as they were very personal, but they are on the record.

2. The French Judge Herve Stephan would have seen this document in his four-year investigation, which stated that she was not pregnant. Lord Stevens’s three-year investigation also came to the same conclusion.

3. Who is funding this journalist? Who wrote the document and has the journalist been given access to it. Or is it just more planted hearsay like so many of the so called “facts” of this case?

We know that as soon as Diana’s bodyguard regained consciousness, Ritz people were coaching him in what to say.

This case is now a toxic pond of confusion, designed to leave everything up in the air so no verdict can ever be reached.

Update : A spokeman for Paris Public Hospitals has said that the letter is a forgery which was first circulated just after Diana’s death.

“Examination of this document has established with absolute certainty that it is a fake,” he said. “Many of the medics who treated Diana remain at the hospital, and all deny the claims contained in this forged letter.”

Prince William and Kate Middleton booked into the exclusive Deroches resort in the Indian Ocean under the names, Martin and Rosemary Middleton.

At least they are an improvement on Fred and Gladys — names Charles and Camilla use for each other. Interesting too that they chose a “married” combination of names. More gallows humour perhaps.

Other reports are saying that William intends to give Kate one of Princess Diana’s favourite rings on the occasion of their engagement. According to Entertainment Wise UK the Prince has approached his uncle Earl Spencer about using the ring for a proposal, which some Royal sources are said to expect in the next six months.

Common sense dictates though, that if they have got this far, any proposal will come during the holiday. If that is the plan, speculation will be intense in coming weeks. Extra security around Kate will demonstrate her new status, so it’s idle to think an announcement can be postponed beyond their return to Britain.

Let’s hope we are not to be subjected to another round of confusion and uncertainty. The public may well tire of an endless charade and become indifferent to the outcome. In the public mind, they could actually turn into plain old Martin and Rosemary Middleton.