Life must be filled up

It was very impressive to see the lights going out in London at ten last night. Did you keep the vigil? I did put a candle in the window and sat in the dark for a while but, sorry, I have to go to bed early and I can’t do that in the dark. I did feel rather, ‘Couldest thou not watch one hour’ about it. Admittedly, there aren’t many houses here but when I looked out, I couldn’t see a light anywhere.

I was much struck that the Duchess of Cornwall was performing such a high profile royal duty solo at Westminster Abbey. Just a few years ago, the Queen still refused to countenance the marriage yet now you see the two of them out and about together, giggling. Remarkable the way she and Kate have taken to royal ways with such ease.

A few weeks ago there was a question on University Challenge: which king was the father of the present Queen and Princess Margaret? No one knew. I related this in horror to a highly educated person who also claimed not to know. This afternoon I heard Steve Wright, obviously reading what someone else had written, declare that in the late eighteenth century King George VI popularized Brighton as a watering place. Words fail me.



King George VI 1937 – 1952

Here he is with Prince Charles. This is said to be the Queen's favourite photograph.