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EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Queen's Twitter debut shrouded in mystery six months on

By Ephraim Hardcastle for the Daily Mail

Published: 17:25 EST, 13 April 2015 | Updated: 17:59 EST, 13 April 2015

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Does the Queen Tweet? She seemed to do so for the first time at the Science Museum last October.

But a royal source says: 'By making a display of pressing hard on the corner of the iPad screen, so there was no doubt of when she was doing it, HM was sending a pre-arranged signal to an aide in the room who sent the Tweet via an iPhone that had been logged in to the Twitter account. So she did send it in the sense that she commanded it to be sent.'

I am reminded of the story – possibly apocryphal – about the Queen Mother declining a remote for her TV. She had staff to switch it on.

Does the Queen Tweet? She seemed to do so for the first time at the Science Museum last October

Australian PM Tony Abbott's clumsy offer of a state funeral for the great cricketing hero Richie Benaud – without consulting his family, who declined – might have been a rush to amend a lack of honours recognition.

Benaud, 84, was awarded the OBE in the 1961 New Year's Honours List for services to cricket but in the following 54 years went unnoticed – even after Australia ditched the honours system in 1975 in favour of its own AO (Order of Australia).

Meanwhile Rolf Harris (seven months older than Benaud) was made a member of the order in 1989 and officer of it in 2012. Honours which have since been rescinded.

Presenter Clare Balding, 44, who is married to ex-Radio 4 presenter Alice Arnold, says in an interview: 'I have never wanted children. It's my choice, but of course it's not something that's going to happen by accident. Yes, it could happen if I wished it to.

'One of the many benefits of being gay is that people don't assume you want children, so they don't ask you.'

Hillary Clinton has a keen British supporter in her quest for the US presidency. He's a man who hoped to be our next Prime Minister – David Miliband, who took a £300,000 job in New York after failing to become Labour leader.

Mrs Clinton told US Vogue in 2009: 'He is so vibrant, vital, attractive, smart.' Since brother Ed says their relationship is still at the 'healing' stage, a Hillary win in 2016 might be less problematical for David than an Ed victory here on May 7.

Might a future for him in US politics seem more palatable to him than a supporting role under Ed in No 10?

Hillary Clinton is a keen supporter of David Miliband, who took a £300,000 job in New York after failing to become Labour leader, losing out to his brother 'Red Ed'

Formula 1 boss Sir Frank Williams celebrates his 73rd birthday on Thursday. Let's hope his namesake – actor Frank Williams, one of only two survivors from the cast of Dad's Army – doesn't get his cards and presents.

The latter said in his 2003 autobiography, Vicar to Dad's Army: 'I get many fan letters wishing my team good luck in the coming season.

I write back to say that they have got the wrong Frank Williams, and sometimes have to return complicated drawings and sketches of engines which the writer has designed.

My agent once phoned me saying that a television company had asked if I would be willing to drive round the circuit at Le Mans. After explaining my technical inability, I declined the offer!'