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EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Bishop of London sidelined for Princess Charlotte's baptism as William and Kate break with tradition

By Ephraim Hardcastle for the Daily Mail

Published: 19:36 EST, 8 June 2015 | Updated: 02:03 EST, 9 June 2015

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The Bishop of London Richard Chartres appears to have been sidelined as a result of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s decision to have baby Charlotte christened at Sandringham.

An executor of Princess Diana’s will, Chartres is close to Charles and would have expected, as Dean of the Chapels Royal, to assist at the baptism.

But William and Kate, breaking with tradition, are not using a Royal Chapel. And with the Queen insisting on the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby officiating there is no role for Chartres.

William and Kate, breaking with tradition, are not using a Royal Chapel for Princess Charlotte's baptism

The Archbishop also baptised Prince George at the Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace with Chartres in his official role.

He can blame Kate for his absence. She has chosen as the venue St Mary Magdalene Church, a mere three miles from Anmer Hall, the Norfolk home given to William and Kate by the Queen.

The somewhat over-respectful attitude of Prince Charles to Jimmy Savile is laid bare in Jonathan Maitland’s play An Audience with Jimmy Savile which opens tomorrow night at the Park Theatre.

It features an extract of a letter, purportedly written by the Prince, to Savile stating: ‘....no one will ever know what you have done for this country Jimmy...’

Adds Maitland: ‘Charles is said to have sent Savile cufflinks for his 80th birthday in 2006 saying: “This is to go some way in thanking you.”’

New Tory MP Craig MacKinlay was asked yesterday by Sky News anchor Kay Burley about David Cameron’s EU vote U-turn.

‘We are a broad church,’ he replied.

Kay’s response? ‘Yes, and you know what happened in that TV programme? Lots of people died.’

Newly retired MP Glenda Jackson, 79, hasn’t ruled out a return to acting.

She tells London’s Ham & High newspaper: ‘It would depend on what it was. I keep saying to people, I’ll sit down and take a deep breath.’

Certainly we would all be taking deep breaths if she chose to reprise her naked role in Ken Russell’s 1969 film Women in Love.

Still time for an encore: Newly retired MP Glenda Jackson, 79, hasn’t ruled out a return to acting

John Lennon’s Gibson guitar, played on The Beatles’ debut chart hit Love Me Do in 1962, is to be auctioned off in Los Angeles, where it is expected to fetch as much as £525,000.

The song has less happy memories for Lennon’s bandmate Ringo Starr, brought in to replace axed drummer Pete Best.

Producer Sir George Martin relegated Ringo to tambourine-playing duties, preferring to use session drummer Andy White. Perhaps Ringo will offer the tambourine for sale one day?

Boris Becker, 47, tells Radio Times that he is proud of his daughter Anna, 15, conceived in the stairway in London’s Nobu restaurant.

‘My daughter Anna is one of the best things in my life. Those three words you mention [tennis, Wimbledon, Nobu]. Nothing wrong with them. If that’s what I’m remembered for, then I’m proud.’

That’s the spirit.