Hugh Jeers

I meant to mention this a week ago when the Queen had her birthday picnic for the lucky children of England. Prince Philip was there but no other members of the royal family. Nicholas Witchell, the BBC's royal and diplomatic correspondent, was reporting on the event for the news on television. He has a score to settle with the Prince of Wales, who unguardedly declared out loud that he could not stand, etc etc Mr Witchell - which comment was then gleefully broadcast to the nation.

At the picnic were many characters from children's literature, among them Peter Pan, Mrs Tiggywinkle, and Noddy - but not, we were told, Big Ears.