The Queen visited Google’s London headquarters in Victoria today, together with the Duke of Edinburgh.

To mark the occasion, the giant internet search company put up a new logo on its google.co.uk site (pictured).

The highlight of the visit was when Queen and Duke were shown a YouTube clip of a baby with an infectious laugh. Both were reduced to giggles by the footage.

They were also introduced to co-founder of YouTube Chad Hurley, as well as software engineers, senior managers, and other staff.

The Queen uploads a video to the Royal Channel on YouTube

Nikesh Arora, President of Google Europe, Middle East and Africa, who escorted the Queen around Google HQ, said: “She did seem very, very interested in everything going on. She has used YouTube and has her own Royal Channel and understands what our products are about.”

The Royal Channel was launched last Christmas and has been viewed 1.6 million times by Web users. It’s now one of the most popular destinations on the site.

Not to be outdone by the Brown government’s refusal to foot the bill for essential Palace maintenance, the Queen has used her personal funds to purchase a new aircraft for her own use and that of her Family.

Although a more Monarchy-friendly administration is due to take power in a year or so, many of us had hoped the Queen would become more proactive in her own interests. This is now beginning to take shape.

It’s also been announced that a new gym is being built in Buckingham Palace for the 450 staff who work there.

It will be fitted out with top-of-the-range equipment and a personal trainer. The facility will be situated in the Royal Mews and funded by the Royal Lifestyle Committee with generous help from HM herself.

A Royal source commented, “Research into the issue was conducted by the Lifestyle Committee recently and they discovered that all the top FTSE 100 companies provided gyms for their employees.”

The source added, “The Queen prides herself on being a top-class employer and with more than 450 staff on her books needs to offer them the kind of perks they would find at other large companies. The Queen is probably the best proponent of a healthy lifestyle you can find and she is confident that the gym will be well used — although probably not by herself.”

It’s good to see the Monarchy fashioning itself as a modern employer and adopting the best business practices.

The fact that taxpayer funds are not being used highlights the distressed state of the public finances.

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.

What are Prince William’s motives for choosing the RAF over Kate Middleton?

Whichever way you look at it his motivation for deciding on four more years in the military is hard to read. The choice is made more puzzling by his apparent sudden change of mind.

Just a few weeks ago William seemed set to spend 2009 learning about constitutional affairs, interspersed with some Royal engagements and other duties. Although it was never explicitly spelled out, most observers had pencilled in a summer wedding with Kate Middleton.

Then, anonymous voices claiming inside knowledge began to put it about that marriage had been postponed for 18 months at least. No reason was given, which made the claims less credible at the time.

Last week the absent bits of the jigsaw puzzle fell into place. William had decided to train for the RAF’s Search and Rescue unit and was intent on becoming a helicopter pilot on active duty around Britain’s shores and wild places.

So what were his motivations, and how does Kate feel about his apparent desertion? The obvious reason is that he enjoys the excitement of service life.

It may also be true that he views marriage as a millstone round his neck. However much he likes being with Kate, it may simply be “the institution, stupid”.

It’s possible that only one of these motives is the real one. Which one would be interesting to know. There’s a lesser probability that both figured in his decision, in which case maybe the French Foreign Legion would be a better choice.

If the first reason is the primary cause of his sudden change of heart, it holds up to the world that he may never be ready to settle down into the boring routine of marriage and Royal duty — at least until he is considerably older.

An even longer life for his grandmother, and an extended reign for his father, might be very welcome to the reluctant Prince.

I’m also beginning to think that Kate may share those views, although not to the extent of being separated from him for the best part of four years.

She may recognize that you have to swallow some bad stuff in order to realize your dreams. As a middle-class female she probably has a better grasp on the realities, like the necessity to compromise a little and settle for what you get.

William, though, as a Prince born to greatness and worldwide fame, may just believe he can have it all without any diversions down unwanted paths and alleyways.

There’s a disconnect somewhere here. Let’s hope neither of the two personalities in this affair gets hopelessly hurt.

It may be that a Christmas announcement is still in the schedule for a May or June wedding next year. In which case the trajectory remains intact. But some sources are warning this is not so, and normal life has been postponed in the foreseeable future.

Since the future of the Monarchy rests on their shoulders, it would be of great assistance if someone known and credible explained the reasons behind this radical change of tack to the great British public.