The Queen asked ministers for money to heat Buckingham Palace from a fund reserved for low-income families, it has been revealed. Royal aides pleaded for the cash as they claimed gas and electricity bills had risen by more than 50 percent in a year - totalling more than £1million. They thus complained that the £15m government grant to cover the Queen's palaces was inadequate and her energy bills had become "untenable".
And now for the "money quote": The dosh would have come from £60million of energy-saving grants reserved for cash-strapped families, housing associations and hospitals.
But what Queenie really needs to do is have a word with her son Charles. The lad has recently embarked on a tour of Britain to promote his sustainable living initiative, START. The initiative, we are told, aims to combat the confusing messages around climate change, global warming etc, and just get people to "start with something really simple", like having a clothes swapping party or walking the kids to school.
Whilst there's nothing new in what Prince Charles is doing, burble its supporters, "it's refreshing to see a simple message of community, responsibility and sustainability without the hysteria and nay-saying that's usually associated with environment stories."
So there you are ... Charlie - the boy wonder who wants energy bills to increase so that we can save the planet - can meet his cash-strapped mum and arrange a new START. It's a bit late for her to start walking the kids to school, but I'm sure the clothes swapping party would go down an absolute bomb.
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