AMANDA PLATELL: So sad Harry was missing in action on this most solemn day – I imagine he’s wondering whether his decision to shun so much of what he loves was worth it
Prince William spoke for us all when he said at the D-Day events: ‘It’s almost impossible to grasp the courage it would have taken to run into the fury of battle that day.’
At the deeply moving commemoration, William was wearing a clutch of medals and standing alongside world leaders, in place of his father King Charles who has had to ration his appearances because of his cancer treatment.
A moment to remember, as the baton was temporarily passed from father to son. And one that brought home to us Prince Harry’s absence more than ever.
How must Harry have felt observing the proceedings from the seclusion of his Californian mansion while his wife Meghan flogs jam for a living?
After all, Harry was the one the veterans loved, his natural camaraderie making it easy for him to joke and laugh with them. Unlike William, Harry knows what it is like to see active service and understands in part what these brave soldiers have been through. He, too, would have been proudly sporting his medals on this most momentous of days, had he not shattered his ties with his homeland, declaring war on his family in his memoir Spare.
Yet I couldn’t see a single post about the 80th anniversary of D-Day on the Sussexes’ website. Why nothing from him about the extraordinary courage of the veterans? Perhaps I missed any tribute he made, but his apparent silence only accentuates how he abandoned his past life, as well as his distance from family and country.
He must find the world a lonely place, looking on in sadness, I imagine, at the solemn events this week, no longer speaking to his brother and wondering whether his decision to shun so much of what he knows and loves was worth it. How tragic for him that, on June 6, Harry was missing in action.
Ugly side of Alec
Just weeks before his trial for manslaughter following the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of his low-budget Western movie Rust, Alec Baldwin announces he and his wife Hilaria are filming a new reality TV show due to air next year in the U.S.
‘We’re inviting you into our home to experience the ups and downs, the good, bad, wild and the crazy.’
Halyna’s family might rightly describe such a shameful show as The Good, The Very Bad and The Downright Ugly.
What right does Rishi have calling for young people to sign up for a year’s National Service when he can’t even last a day at the historic D-Day ceremonies himself and quits halfway through?
Accused of selfishness having dumped husband Eamonn Holmes after 27 years, just as he’s suffering serious illness, Ruth Langsford has hardly been off social media posting happy pictures of herself — even one having her roots done. And she’s still wearing her wedding ring! Guessing her next time on Loose Women will be when she takes it off, so she can milk her discarded marriage for all it’s worth.
Good luck to Olivia Henson, bride of the Duke of Westminster, who arrived with the train of her beautiful gown flying in the wind. When that happened to me, the priest said it was a sign that the angels were holding my happiness aloft. My marriage lasted six years. Just saying.
Hairy Biker Si King posts a picture of himself with a glass of beer, two bottles unopened and an empty chair for his best buddy Dave Myers, who died in February. Having lost my best buddy Gary in March, I still put out a bottle of his favourite, London Pride, knowing that he’ll be drinking it as he looks down on me.
Go fund yourselves, you luvvies
Hollywood stars Keira Knightley and Renee Zellweger are among those calling for funds to be taken from all movie budgets for an anti-bullying watchdog body to protect actresses like them on set.
Keira is worth around $80 million, Renee $90 million, while fellow signatories are Dakota Johnson ($14million) and Sienna Miller ($18million).
Crikey! Let’s hope these super-rich luvvies, who could fund a watchdog in the blink of a false eyelash, are digging deep into their Prada purses to help the struggling actresses following in their wake.
Cut calories to cut cancer
Researchers claim dramatic weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy cut the risk of obesity-related cancers by a fifth and bowel cancer by half.
Jolly good, but surely it’s bleeding obvious that obesity is a major risk factor for cancer and it reduces with diminishing weight.
Given that the annual NHS cost of obesity is £6.5 billion, larger people should just stop eating all the pies rather than expect expensive free drugs.
Full-figured Fiona Harvey, the alleged stalker who identified herself as the inspiration for the deranged character Martha in Netflix’s hit series Baby Reindeer, has filed a £133 million lawsuit against the streaming giant for emotional distress and reputational damage. Now that’s a hefty suit — I reckon more than £10 million per stone of her actual body weight.
Helen’s Worth her £250,000
Cost-cutting at Coronation Street is blamed for the departure after 50 years of star Helen Worth, who’s been playing Gail Platt on a salary of £250,000.
Blimey, given Gail’s had five husbands, one of them a serial killer who tried to bump off her mum, and buried all but one of them; and given she’s been cheated on for five decades, survived three murder attempts and been taken hostage, I’d say she was worth every penny of her glorious half-century!
Kate expectations
Ellie Bamber as 30-year-old supermodel Kate Moss in a new film calls to mind what her favourite photographer Mario Testino once told me: ‘Those chiselled cheekbones… Kate’s face is a blank canvas to paint the most beautiful pictures on.’
Ellie’s no Kate — she’s more like Jennifer Grey in Dirty Dancing just before she got sexy with Patrick Swayze.
When the home of neighbours with two infants was broken into this week at 1am while they were asleep upstairs, it was caught on security cameras. The police arrived quickly at least, but said they couldn’t identify the burglars, nor their car, despite CCTV showing the number plate. Their advice? Get new locks on your windows. A sad state of affairs when even the cops think the onus is on us to protect our homes and families from villains.
Westminster wars
Watching Tom Cruise nearly climb into the PM’s limo in Battersea, where Rishi was on the election trail, I felt a fleeting glimmer of hope for the Tories — someone with charisma and cunning who could triumph over impossible missions. Alas, it was a mix-up. Tom just tried to get into the wrong car.
No sooner does Nigel Farage declare he will lead Reform UK and stand as an MP than the Tories’ poll rating collapses and Reform is within two points. Not sure whether to laugh, cry or throw a milkshake in my own face.
BEST coverage of the election goes to LBC political editor Natasha Clark with her daily digest taking exactly one minute — about as much election as we can stomach.
