CURRENT EDITION: June, 8th 2001

1) A Royal tragedy in Nepal shocks Buckingham Palace

The past week's Royal news was dominated by the murder last Friday of almost the entire Royal Family of the Himalayan Kingdom of Nepal, by the Crown Prince Dipendra. The Sunday tabloids all ran the story of a 'crime passionel' by the Prince, who gunned down his parents and siblings over his thwarted love for the daughter of an opposing Royal dynasty before shooting himself. The story was told in many papers as a modern Romeo and Juliet scenario, reenacted in the hills of Katmandu. The broadsheets noted the close personal ties between the British and Nepalese Royal Families. The SUNDAY TIMES and SUNDAY TELEGRAPH quoted the Prince of Wales shocked at this 'unimaginable tragedy'. 'My heart goes out to all the family and the people of Nepal,' he said on learning the news. The Queen was said to be 'shocked and saddened' and ordered Royal palaces and Government buildings to fly the Union Jack at half mast as a mark of respect. The SUNDAY TIMES carried a brief resume of some of the close Royal links forged by three generations of British Royals with their Nepalese counterparts. The July issue of THE ROYAL REPORT print newsletter will look at these in depth, and assess the impact of this tragedy on the charitable work undertaken by the Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal and the the Duke of Edinburgh in this mountain kingdom wedged between China and India.

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(2) Palace staff in 'protest' at their new conditions

The MAIL ON SUNDAY carried an exclusive report claiming that the Master of the Royal Household had failed to cajole Palace staff into contributing money for Prince Philip's 80th birthday present. Footmen, butlers, valets and maids are said to have united in boycotting the whip-round to pay for a 10,000 pound bronze replica of Storm, one of Philip's prized carriage horses. The tabloid notes that 'the Duke is not a popular figure with his servants. Unlike the Queen, he can be rude and abrupt with those who serve him, and regularly shouts his demands.' The paper, however, suggests that the problem lies at the door of Sir Michael Peat, Keeper of the Privy Purse, and the man responsible for trimming the Royal finances. Staff are said to be outraged at the cost-cutting accountant's attack on their pay, job security and perks. It notes that some staff earn just 7,000 pounds a year and have recently lost such benefits as grace-and-favour housing on retirement, subsidised bars, free soap and free shoe repairs. Their fuel allowance to commute to Balmoral for the summer court has been cut, the paper notes, and they will not receive the traditionally expected medal to commemorate the Queen's Golden Jubilee. The culture of the Palace has also changed, so that they can no longer expect to hold their job for life. A 'Royal insider' is quoted: 'People are fed up with being badly paid and having all the perks whittled away. It is a terrible cheek to ask us to give money at such a time.'

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(3) Queen tells Norway that the Orkney Islands will stay British

The Queen's official visit to Norway last week, accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh, received scant coverage from the tabloids. The broadsheet DAILY TELEGRAPH however noted the relaxed informality of the visit, which was blessed with sunny weather to match the sunny smiles of the participants there to celebrate the 'seafaring and cultural links between Britain and her Nordic neighbour'. Britain's Foreign Secretary Robin Cook was doubtless pleased to hear from the TIMES that, in her speech at the State banquet, the Queen assured her host, King Harald (they share Edward VII and his Consort Queen Alexandra as great-grandparents), that Britain would not be returning the Orkney Islands off the northern coast of Scotland to their former Viking owners.

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(4) Queen Mother honours war heroes

The indomitable Queen Mother's attendance 'on parade' at the bi-annual church service to commemorate the 1752 holders of Britain's highest award for gallantry, the Victoria Cross and the George Cross, received press coverage, as did a photocall of her as President of the Orders with some surviving members. The TIMES described a controversial plan for a monument inscribed with holders' names to be erected in Westminster Abbey: 'a tribute to servicemen, policemen and civilians who went beyond the call of duty in war or peacetime'. Dissent came from the often controversial Dr Wesley Carr, Dean of Westminster Abbey (the abbey, known as a 'Royal Peculiar', is under the direct control of the Queen). Dr Carr told the gathering that he believed 'it would not be right' to honour them in this way. The Queen Mother, who will be 101 in August, received press plaudits for walking unaided into the church.

PLUS...

--The tabloid SUNDAY EXPRESS carried an exclusive story about the policeman caught having a sly smoke in the corridor outside the Queen's bedroom at Buckingham Palace while she was preparing for a reception. A 'fuming' Queen evidently smelt the aroma of a 'handrolled' cigarette and called a butler to investigate what she thought was a fire in the Palace, the paper says. The Queen, who is justifiably edgy about Palace fire precautions after the great 1992 fire at Windsor Castle, was not amused to discover that an officer was smoking. When found, he had opened a window and was trying to blow the smoke out. A Palace aide was quoted: 'The Queen was furious and made it her business to pursue the incident.' A Scotland Yards spokesman later told the paper: 'An officer was given words of advice relating to professional standards following a recent incident.' A retired serviceman who did many hours of Palace Guard duty during his service with the Scots Guards, a Queen's Household Regiment, told THE ROYAL REPORT: 'Palace guards must leave their cigarettes in the office or guardroom before coming on duty. He won't see the inside of Buckingham Palace again.'