IT WAS off to the small country church at Sandringham as usual on Sunday for the Queen, even though the snow made it tricky underfoot.

The service marked the eve of the anniversary of the death of her father, George VI, and Her Majesty has now served as Britain’s monarch for 60 years.

In a special message the Queen has thanked the nation for the “wonderful support and encouragement” she and the Duke Edinburgh have received over the past six decades. And Prime Minister David Cameron led the tributes. The Queen had united the country and Commonwealth with her “experience, dignity and quiet authority,” he said.

On a lighter note former Prime Minister John Major, speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, said when asked about his private meetings with the Queen: “They’re very useful. I mean, where else can you talk to one person in total certainty that it’s entirely secret.”

To put the length of her reign into perspective, it is perhaps interesting to note that the Queen’s first Prime Minister was Winston Churchill.

Many events are planned to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee this summer. The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are expected to travel across the UK and in London there will be a flotilla of a thousand boats on the Thames. 

 

BRITAIN had its coldest night of the winter with temperatures down to minus 12C and then came the snow on Saturday.

Flights were cancelled, although the disruption at Heathrow was relatively short-lived. Many sporting fixtures were cancelled, although most of the fixtures in English soccer’s Premier League did go ahead.

 

IT IS always a little disturbing when fire breaks out in the centre of the city as happened recently when over 100 fire fighters tackled a blaze in the heart of London.

The fire broke out in Grafton Street, Mayfair, in the early hours of the morning on the third and fourth floors of a Grade 1 listed Georgian townhouse.

Grafton Street, Albermarle Street, Dover Street and the top end of Bond Street were closed at the peak of the activity as the fire was brought under control.

The five-storey building, sold in 2007 for £13-million, is owned by an offshore company.

THE thorny old subject of the Falkland Islands and tensions with Argentina never seem to go away completely and the latest news is that the Royal Navy is sending a nuclear submarine to the Falkland Islands.

The Ministry of Defence has said it does not comment on submarine movements, but this follows the “routine” deployment of the Duke of Cambridge to the islands for a short tour of duty as a helicopter pilot.

Earlier last week it was announced that HMS Dauntless, a Type 45 destroyer, is to go down to the South Atlantic to replace the frigate HMS Montrose.

 

A MAN who shared a £10.2-million lottery Jackpot with his wife six years ago is receiving £500 a month in disability allowance, according to Britain’s Sun newspaper.

The 73-year-old suffers from arthritis and has had a hip operation. Under current rules he is entitled to the payment, which is not means tested. He also receives a new car every three years under a Government scheme for disabled drivers.

The couple claim they give away much more than they receive to good causes each year. Under government reforms new rules will apply in the future, but it is not clear how they would work in this particular case.

 

THE Foreign and Commonwealth Office has announced a change of Governor to Bermuda with Mr George Fergusson succeeding Sir Richard Gozney, who will be retiring from the diplomatic service.

Mr Fergusson joined the FCO in 1991 from the Northern Ireland Office and his last overseas posting was as the British High Commissioner to New Zealand and Samoa, and Governor of Pitcairn.

“I am an admirer of Bermuda’s great combination of sophisticated business and well-preserved history,” he said. “I look forward to working with the people of Bermuda and their representatives to play my part in maintaining Bermuda’s high reputation as one of the best places to live, visit and do business. 

 

WE need to eat more fruit and vegetables in Britain and that’s official. The World Health Organisation has found in a study that people in Britain have plenty of advice about eating healthily but the country ranks 14 out of 19 countries in Europe when it comes to eating greens.

 

IT IS all happening in English soccer’s Barclay’s Premier League. On Saturday Manchester City players battled in snowy conditions and managed to keep their footing a little better to beat  Fulham 3-0 to secure the top spot on 57 points.

United fought back from a three goal deficit on Sunday to shares the spoils in a really exciting clash with Chelsea and have 54 points.

There has been some criticism of Arsenal recently. The team has been playing well but the results have not gone for them. But this weekend they did and they hammered Blackburn 7-1, Robin van Persie getting a hat trick.

Newcastle beat a useful Aston Villa outfit 2-1. Magpie’s manager Alan Pardew appears to be shaping a really existing side with Demba Ba and new signing Papiss Cisse looking a real handful up from. Both scored in the win.

 

 

Victor Gardner