Makes you proud to be British

How many heads of state would allow this bang slap opposite their pad?

You may have noticed a blessed period of silence from this old motor-mouth.

The reason is that first I went to speak in Tehran – an exhausting experience I shall describe in some detail when I have time to spare – then almost immediately to the US, where I had a hell of lot of copy to write rather quickly.

So what is the phone box doing there?

Well, in the weekend between these two jaunts I spent a morning in Windsor, having a leisurely breakfast opposite the castle in the Harte and Garter, a splendid Edwardian pile I recommend.

Outside the hotel I spotted the phone box.

As you can see if you look carefully there’s a painting of Her Maj  on it, complete with corgi and handbag, waving at you with a big smile on her face.

I just thought that is why I love this country.

Would a French president allow someone to make fun of him like that outside the Elysee Palace? No bloody chance. It’s against the law and he’s got no sense of humour anyhow.

There are still some things that make this country great.

P. S. Some tosser yesterday criticised the Duke of Edinburgh because he made a joke to a Philipina nurse about there being so many of them working over here there couldn’t be anyone left at home.

For God’s sake, the man’s 90. Give him a break. He’s spent most of his life being nice to people – many of them boring or tongue-tied. Making jokes must be the only way he’s stayed sane.