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.

Using digital technology to place the Queen against a moody backdrop of Buckingham Palace lake, Anne Leibovitz has produced another atmospheric photograph of the Monarch to celebrate her 81st birthday.

The picture has elicited a lot of unfavourable comments, including that it’s too contrived and theatrical for a lady not known for her thespian ways — not in public anyway.

It could be seen as HM’s Wuthering Heights moment, or even her appearance as the French Lieutenant’s Woman.

I suppose since the world’s rediscovery of Her Majesty following Helen Mirren’s striking portrayal of her in The Queen, for which she won an Oscar as best actress, something of this nature might be thought appropriate.

For myself, although I liked the first portrait, also published on Royal Anecdotes, I think this one may be just a little over the top.

Helen Mirren
Helen Mirren is reported to have turned down a personal invitation to dine with the Queen on May 1st because she is currently filming in America. It may have been wiser of the Palace to check on her availability first, rather than forcing her to cancel such an important engagement.

The UK Ministry of Defence and Clarence House have issued a joint statement on the deployment of Prince Harry to Iraq :

A joint statement from the Ministry of Defence and Clarence House about the operational deployment of Cornet Wales. 22nd February 2007

We can confirm today that Prince Harry will deploy to Iraq later this year in command of a troop from ‘A Squadron’ of the Household Cavalry Regiment.

Whilst in Iraq Cornet Wales will carry out a normal troop commander’s role, involving leading a troop of 12 men in four Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicles, each with a crew of three.

The decision to deploy him has been a military one, made by The Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Richard Dannatt, in conjunction with Cornet Wales’ commanding officer. The Royal Household has been consulted throughout.

Speculation about precisely where Cornet Wales will serve, or the exact details of his role, is potentially dangerous. The Ministry of Defence and Clarence House are writing to ask all media organisations to respect this matter of operational security in order that Cornet Wales can undertake a normal tour of duty, which is his express wish and that of the Army.

A Statement by Royal Anecdotes

Good luck, Harry. Give ‘em hell. Come home safely.