WHEN she visited Australia in the 1980s, tens of thousands of admirers lined the streets to see Princess Diana. This time the crowds have been disappointing.
Security measures went haywire yesterday when well-wishers swamped the Princess as she was leaving the Commonwealth Day Council lunch in Sydney. Plans to put her in the best suite at a Sydney hotel had to be changed because Priscilla Presley, widow of Elvis, already had it booked.
A US stand-up comic has filed a lawsuit accusing Monaco's Prince Rainier of slapping him during a New York dinner show. Timothy Ward (32) claims Rainier, who attended the show with his daughter Princess Caroline and son Prince Albert, became angry over Ward's jokes about Prince Albert's balding head and eating habits.
Ward alleges Ranier beckoned him to his table, motioned for him to lean over "as though to whisper something" and then "viciously" hit him.
A French judge has turned down a request by Brigitte Bardot's ex-husband and son to ban her new memoirs. Jacques Charrier and Nicolas Charrier contended that the book, Initials B. B., violates their privacy.
Noel Gallagher of Oasis has signed a £2 million publishing deal to write songs for another two albums. The group were on the point of splitting up in September after Noel's brother Liam walked out during their US tour, but now are recording their third album in London, to be released next year.
The Duchess of York said she would have committed suicide but for her small daughters Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, according to the Daily Mail yesterday, quoting from Dr Allan Starkie's book Fergie: Her Secret Life.