There are more signs of strain between the Royal Family and the Middletons this weekend.

It’s been reported that Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie refused to make space in the front row of a fashion show for Pippa Middleton, Kate’s younger sister. After some embarrassment, she found a seat elsewhere.

It seems that Kate didn’t invite Beatrice to her midnight roller-skating event two weeks ago. Nevertheless, the Princess turned up only to find herself inappropriately dressed.

We also learn that Prince William will be required to spend six years on active service in the RAF following 18 months of training. That adds up to a formidable seven-and-a-half year spell in various inhospitable regions a long way from London.

A chorus of friends and insiders are now claiming that a marriage between William and Kate is off the schedule for at least that length of time.

As Royal Anecdotes suggested immediately after the announcement of William’s decision, a marriage must now be in serious doubt. Extensive preparations by the Palace for a 2009 wedding are said to have been shelved.

As I wrote at the time, all the psychology of this decision fits in with the classic Bolting Bloke Syndrome (our name). He has been with her for so long they’ve become comfortable with each other, but the spark is gone. It’s no longer interesting enough to go the last mile to marriage.

By signing up for a lengthy military service, he creates a wide gap of both time and space between them in the hope the relationship will wither on the vine and fade in the minds of the general public.

The thought may occur that an engagement could still happen at Christmas, as was previously pencilled in, leading to a wedding in the summer. However, would Kate — who enjoys London nightlife — be prepared to live as a service wife in remote parts of Scotland or Wales for seven years, with William out on active duty or standby for much of the time? She would be 35 when he is released.

Again, the psychology says not.

In our view, Prince William has made the decision to move on. It was the only explanation for his announcement, which took everyone at the Palace and Clarence House by surprise.

Kate should move swiftly to shore up her reputation by indicating the relationship is over. Hanging on to an occasional friendship while becoming a laughing stock among her peers, and her gloating enemies, is the worst possible outcome for her.

I believe a wedding was definitely on, and being actively planned for. In the end, William couldn’t bring himself go through with it, but couldn’t end it either. He felt boxed in and made his escape in a helicopter.

Last week Kate was seen out with her first serious boyfriend, a chap who slightly resembles Prince William. He may now be the closest she gets to her Prince.

The Queen’s Private Secretary has requested (”commanded” in the old parlance) a visit to Google’s London offices sometime in October.

HM particularly wants to meet the team that created a Royal Channel for her on YouTube, which is now owned by Google.

Staff say the Queen learned to use computers only two years ago to be able to email her grandchildren. She has also mastered the art of texting on her mobile phone and regularly keeps in touch with Prince William, Harry and Zara.

It’s believed Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie taught her how to use YouTube and Facebook and may even have suggested the Royal Channel idea.

Her Majesty is said to surf the internet a lot, and probably likes to see what people are writing or saying about her and her family.

I would think it more than likely that she reads Royal Anecdotes occasionally as we are often in the top four or five results in Google searches for Royal terms.

It would be good to know that HM approves of our combined efforts and, who knows, might even post a comment one day.

Sometimes getting hold of authentic Royal info can be as difficult as tickling for trout in a chalk stream in full spate. Any inside information would be most welcome.

The Queen clears her diary
An inside source is saying that the Queen has cleared her diary of engagements for the holiday season at Balmoral in case Prime Minister Gordon Brown falls on his sword and resigns from office.

Such is his plight — poll ratings dropping like a brick, conspirators plotting against him from all sections of his party — that the Queen reportedly feels she should be prepared for any eventuality. It’s the convention that a Prime Minister resigns directly before the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

A courtier is quoted as saying, “The Queen is spending most of the summer at Balmoral but we aren’t putting any visits to far-flung tropical islands in her diary. If Brown comes a cropper, she must be able to get to Buckingham Palace sharpish.”

The source does not mention the PM’s annual pilgrimage to Balmoral when the Sovereign entertains her chief minister and spouse while being briefed on all the latest Westminster gossip.

According to various reports, on these occasions the Royal Family serve their guests and even clear away the dishes themselves after dinner. Cherie Blair was said to be speechless when this happened to her.

Perhaps that’s why the Queen does it.

Is Kate Middleton receiving free designer dresses?

A weekend newspaper report suggested that Kate Middleton was being gifted free or heavily-discounted outfits from the Brazilian couturier, Issa.

The haul included the astonishing coral pink number (pictured) that she wore to the Boodles Ball, on which we commented fulsomely here at Royal Anecdotes. The implication of the piece was that Kate may be using her Royal connections to obtain freebies.

However, the designer herself said that Kate is a “private client” and that was all there was to it.

I don’t know how these things work so can’t really make much sense of it. It may be that the designer “lent” her a dress or two for a big occasion because of her patronage in the past.

Kate’s signature “look” seems to come from this talented designer. But she must beware of any hint of free-loading. Once that hits the headlines, the public and press will never let go and every transaction she makes will be examined for the slightest discount or favouritism. The Duchess of York is a salutary example — and I won’t even mention the Blairs.

Judging by the style this Brazilian lady has given Kate, would I be amiss in suggesting she might be perfect to design her wedding dress?

But for Kate’s sake it should be paid for in full … plus a generous tip!

Are Royals infiltrating politics?

We know that some senior politicians, especially in the Labour Party, secretly covert the Crown. Their attitude is, “why should they get all the glory while we do all the work?”

But are the Royals hitting back — in the best traditions of Tudor skulduggery?

It seems the new Mayor of London, former Tory Minister, Boris Johnson, is a direct descendant of King George II and a distant cousin to the Queen. Having displaced Red Ken Livingstone in the May elections, Boris is perfectly placed to turn City Hall into a minor Royal Palace.

The revelation comes in that excellent BBC programme, Who Do You Think You Are?, which examines famous people’s family trees.

Amusingly, the show was held back during the election in case it dented Boris’s man-of-the-people image. As an Old Etonian with the poshest accent on record, that might have been water off a coot’s back.

And if you think that’s a one-off, think again. Conservative leader and the next Prime Minister after a general election, David Cameron, is a direct descendant of King William IV. The Royals are on the march.

Of course, the Labour Party could hit back by encouraging some of its young bloods to marry into Royalty.

Watch out Beatrice and Eugenie!

The Boris edition of Who Do You Think You Are? will be shown on BBC1 on August 20.

Royal Ascot opened today with a cracking card of great racing and star performers.

The procession of Royal Landau at Royal Ascot today

As usual it was opened by the Royal procession of carriages along the course from Windsor, led by the Queen and Prince Philip, who seemed in great form.

The Queen and Prince Philip in the first carriage

The second of the four Landaus carried the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall together with Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. I’m told that all three ladies wore hats by Philip Treacy. Can that be a record? Even so, they all looked a little glum in that carriage.

Prince Charles and Camilla with Beatrice and Eugenie

Apart from the Princesses, none of the younger Royals was present, although Zara Phillips is expected. Princess Anne arrived on foot rather than in a carriage.

Perhaps Kate Middleton and even Chelsy Davy will be along on Ladies Day.