Sir Keir Starmer's defence that he and Chancellor Rachel Reeves did not mislead the public over last week's Budget has been met with a very public and scathing rebuttal from an unexpected quarter: Queen Camilla's son, Tom Parker Bowles.
A Royal Stepson's Stinging Rebuke
The food writer and restaurant critic used his platform as host of the Boisdale Xerjoff Cigar Smoker of the Year Awards in Canary Wharf, east London, to voice his profound disillusionment. Addressing the audience, the 50-year-old Eton alumnus declared they were "bruised, battered and perhaps destroyed almost by the sovereign functions of a government so useless, they cannot even be bothered to lie properly."
While the Royal Family traditionally remains above party politics, Parker Bowles, who is not a working royal, felt no such constraint. He urged attendees not to "let the politics of envy sully what is one of the most glorious and lovely nights of the year," directly criticising a perceived theme of the current administration. This follows a similarly fiery speech at last year's event where he targeted "woke" culture.
Society Spotlight: From Gloves to Protests
Elsewhere in high society, fashion took a regal turn at The Fashion Awards. Maddison May Brudenell, 31, made an elegant statement wearing a pair of gloves belonging to her grandmother, Lady Pamela Hicks – one of the late Queen Elizabeth II's surviving bridesmaids and a former lady-in-waiting.
Meanwhile, Lady Alice Manners, 30, daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland, found herself in a brush with the law. She was protesting against Chancellor Rachel Reeves's Budget plans in Whitehall and narrowly avoided arrest during a farmers' demonstration, showing her support as police seized a tractor.
Celebrity Nuances: Unconventional Weddings and New Friends
In personal celebrations, designer Lulu Guinness, 65, married her partner of two decades, writer John Ingledew, 66, in characteristically unconventional style. She opted for a bespoke Erdem dress featuring a portrait and a milliner's tiara, later pulling pints at her reception.
Chat show host Alan Carr, 49, was spotted at Soho Farmhouse's members' mixer night, sparking curiosity about his social circle following his win on 'Celebrity Traitors' and a fallout with friend Paloma Faith. Separately, comedian Robert Webb offered a droll take on AI at the Rose d'Or awards, suggesting it produces material as generic as a Clinton Cards greeting.
Adding a touch of domestic comedy, TV presenter Penny Smith, 67, shared an anecdote about being mistaken for a cleaner while diligently doing the washing up during a weekend stay with friends.
