Queen’s Jaguar Daimler Up For Sale

A top-of-the-range Daimler formerly owned by Queen Elizabeth II is up for sale, with unique features including a handbag holder and corgi-friendly fittings.

The Daimler Majestic V8 Jaguar, which the monarch used from 2001-2004, has only 14,000 miles on the clock and is on offer to the highest bidder.

“It’s a truly unique vehicle,” Peter Ratcliffe, a specialist dealer who bought the car from Jaguar, told The Independent newspaper.

“There is nothing else out there, or ever going to be out there, that you can buy and say this was the personal car of the Queen of England, specially built for her,” he added.

The car, used to drive the queen from her Buckingham Palace residence to her Windsor Castle estate, originally included secure telephone phone lines to Downing Street and the Home Office.

Ex-Royal Harpist Released With Strings Attached

A former British royal harpist, who performed at the wedding of Prince Charles, walked free from court after being given a community order for handling stolen goods and attempted fraud.

Jemima Phillips, 28, the only musician to play at Charles’s wedding to second wife Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005, had been accused of burgling houses while battling a drug addiction.

But the Royal College of Music graduate was convicted of the lesser charge of handling stolen goods, taken by her ex-boyfriend and heroin addict William Davies.

Phillips, from the Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, was given a 12-month community order at Gloucester Crown Court, the Press Association reported.

She was told the order would also include a supervision element and a six-month drug rehabilitation program.

The court had heard how Phillips had been hooked on heroin at the time of the offences.

But Judge Michael Harington heard that she had made a “complete transformation” after staying clean for four months.

Her ex-boyfriend Davies, 41, of Cheltenham, who had been found guilty of four burglaries during a week-long spree, was jailed for 4-1/2 years.

Prince William’s Embarrassing Encounter With Naked Rugby Players

Prince William came face-to-face with a rather embarrassing situation when he bumped into naked All Blacks rugby team players during his New Zealand visit.

The 27-year-old British royal had arranged to meet the players, but strolled in as they were still in the showers.

“The Prince did a bit of a double-take, but actually dealt pretty well with what could have been embarrassing,” the Sun quoted an All Blacks source as saying.

“Some of the boys were more awkward. I think they’d have felt more comfortable being dressed more appropriately – or being dressed at all!” the source added.

Queen Slips Away For Date Night

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth stunned theater-goers in London this week when she and her husband slipped in to see a play unannounced and at the last minute, newspapers reported.

The queen and Prince Philip apologetically squeezed past other theater-goers to get into their seats for the West End production of World War One play “War Horse” at the New London Theater.

“The Queen and the Duke sat down as the lights dimmed and it was a huge shock when people realized who they were,” said a journalist at the show for The Lady magazine. “They were incredibly apologetic for asking people to let them past and there was no hubbub or fuss about it all.”

The queen and her husband often make incognito trips to the West End, but are rarely spotted, an aide told London’s Evening Standard newspaper.

“The Queen has regularly undertaken similar private visits throughout her reign without any fuss,” the aide said. “It allows her to live a bit more of a normal life.”

The journalist from The Lady said the queen appeared to enjoy the performance, disappeared during the interval and then reappeared discreetly.

“When they left at the end, they were given a round of applause, which the Queen acknowledged with a wave,” she said.

Japanese Emperor To Visit Pearl Harbor

The New York Post reports that the emperor of Japan is likely to visit Pearl Harbor in July – the first trip by a member of the imperial family to the site of the attack that brought the United States into World War II.

Emperor Akihito will be accompanied by Empress Michiko for the visit, according to a British report.

Officials declined to confirm the date of the visit, which will be the emperor’s first overseas trip since 2007. He has been in ill health in recent months and was hospitalized late last year for internal bleeding.

The trip is likely to include a visit to the USS Arizona Memorial.

Prince Harry Sent Back To Diversity Training

Prince Harry is being sent to retake an army equality and diversity course, following his recent apology for using racially offensive language.

The 24-year-old, who is third in line to the British throne, made a home movie in 2006 showing him referring to Pakistani fellow officer cadet Ahmed Raza Khan as “our little Paki friend”.

He also spotted a comrade with camouflage netting over his head and said: “It’s Dan the man… you look like a raghead.”

Harry has already been on the equality and diversity course as part of his army officer training but is being made to retake it following last month’s release of the home movie.