EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Has King Charles confirmed his opposition to the blessing of same-sex civil marriages?
EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Has King Charles confirmed his opposition to the Church of England’s decision to ordain civil same-sex marriages?
In choosing Bishop of Coventry, Dr. Christopher Cocksworth, as his next Dean of Windsor, did King Charles reaffirm his opposition to the Church of England’s decision to ordain same-sex civil marriages? Cocksworth, an “open evangelical,” was one of two bishops who abstained from General Synod’s vote in February to introduce prayers and blessings for same-sex couples. His position was thought to have ended any hope of climbing further up the greasy pole of awakened Anglicanism. The king apparently had other ideas.
The King (pictured) has appointed Bishop of Coventry, Dr Christopher Cocksworth, as his next Dean of Windsor. Dr. Cocksworth was one of two bishops to abstain from General Synod’s vote in February to introduce prayers and blessings for same-sex couples
With £49m in the bank, all systems should work for William’s plan to build social housing on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall. In addition to the £1 billion cash surplus in the Duchy, William won’t have to endure the bureaucratic nightmare of other developers. He enjoys a slew of planning law exemptions, including the Town and Country Planning Act of 1990, the Planning Act of 2008 and the Localism Act of 2011. And if he breaks planning laws, the authorities can bizarrely only challenge him as Duke of Cornwall if he gives them permission to do so.
Prince George’s career as page of honor could be short-lived. After he and his fellow pages wore the king’s robes at the coronation, they were expected to be on duty on Garter Day. However, Charles abandoned the garb required by train porters for his normal garter attire. And now that the king is determined to dress smartly so as not to get bored, George and his friends may not even be needed for the State Opening of Parliament. Supernumerary at the age of nine? Of course not!
Catherine, Princess of Wales meets Paul McCartney and his wife Nancy Shevell at the reopening of the National Portrait Gallery
When he greeted the Princess of Wales at the National Portrait Gallery, was Paul McCartney tempted to write a song about Kate, as he once did after meeting the Queen? “Her Majesty is a nice girl, but she has not much to say,” Macca wrote. “I wanna tell her I love her very much, but I gotta get a belly full of wine / Someday I’ll make her mine, oh yes, someday I’ll make her mine.” Paul, in the picture, must have quite liked the tune. It’s at the end of the Beatles’ Abbey Road album.
Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward’s enthusiasm for growing long beards led bandmate Tony Iommi to set one on fire during a recording session. “Tony doused it in this flammable cleaning agent that was used to wipe down the mixing desk. Bill went up like a goddamn bonfire. He rolled on the floor trying to put out the flames,” Classic Rock reports. “Bill’s socks and jeans were fused to his legs. He was badly burned.’ Adds CR: “He took it in good spirits.”
Joseph Fiennes is getting impressive reviews for his impersonation of England manager Gareth Southgate. Yet he never met Southgate before appearing in James Graham’s play Dear England. “I settled for Youtube,” he explains. Fiennes couldn’t make out much from Southgate’s TV commercial for Pizza Hut after missing a penalty against Germany in Euro 96. Gareth was wearing a paper bag over his head.