Is there anything the Queen can't do? Not only does she have unparalleled skills in waving and feigning interest (Gawd bless 'er), as well as truly world-class expertise in accepting bouquets of flowers from snot-nosed hellspawn in national dress (look, it's a demanding discipline, alright?), she is also gifted with previously unguessed-at journalistic skills. Brenda was in Canary Wharf today to open the new Reuters building with its tickertape flim-flammery, and filed a story while she was at it. Yes, filed a story - she didn't actually write it:
The Queen, 79, pressed the file button to launch a story about her visit onto the agency's news wire, propelling it on to the screens in the lobby, outside the building and worldwide.
Paul Majendie, royal correspondent and author of the text, said: 'I just said to her that has to be the most nerve-wracking story I have ever had to file. I have never shared a byline with royalty before!'
Has anyone ever shared a byline with royalty before, Paul? We were under the impression that they were too inwell-bred to pick up a Mont Blanc, or set finger to keyboard before this.
At least this time Her Maj got to see a real newsroom; last time she visited Reuters, in 1963, the newsroom was deemed "too rough and tough" for her eyes, and a "realistic but sanitised mock-up" was created for her. What did they do, hide all the gin bottles? Would she even have (Mount-)batted an eyelid? Bien joué, ma'am!
