Poet Laureate snubs the Queen for an ode to Emin's rock: Duffy pens poem about artist's marriage to a stone... but has yet to mark Her Majesty's 90th

Does Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy enjoy cocking a snook at the Queen? After refusing to write a poem for Her Majesty's 90th birthday in April, she has so far failed to pen one for her official anniversary, celebrated tomorrow.

To add insult to injury, Duffy, whose post is supposed to involve writing poems for important royal occasions, published yesterday an ode she had written about peculiar artist Tracey Emin's 'marriage' to a rock.

It follows Duffy's announcement in April that she would be writing verse marking the end of the old gas and electricity meters.

Does Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy enjoy cocking a snook at the Queen? After refusing to write a poem for Her Majesty's 90th birthday in April, she has so far failed to pen one for her official anniversary, celebrated tomorrow

Her poem for Emin, best known for her unmade bed artwork complete with soiled sheets, cigarette butts and discarded panties, is called Stone Love.

She wrote it after Emin announced in March that she had 'married' a rock in a ceremony at her home in France last summer while wearing her father's white funeral shroud.

The daughter of a Glaswegian Labour candidate, Duffy succeeded Sir Andrew Motion as Poet Laureate seven years ago but has since published only two royal poems. 

Her poem for Tracey Emin, best known for her unmade bed artwork complete with soiled sheets, cigarette butts and discarded panties, is called Stone Love

One for the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton, another to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee. She did, however, find time to write one about David Beckham's Achilles tendon.

Duffy was not available to comment, while a royal source said the poet was not known to have written anything for the Queen's milestone birthday.

The code of omerta surrounding the Bilderberg meeting fell on deaf ears in Labour MP Helen Goodman's camp. The trenchant Leftie put out a press release trumpeting her presence at the top-secret summit for the global elite, which started yesterday in Dresden. Quite what attendees will make of scatty Goodman is anyone's guess. 'She's the least likely Bilderberger ever,' says my source. 

David Beckham once encouraged his eldest son Brooklyn to work as a part-time barista to learn the value of hard work. Now Brooklyn, 17, has bagged the cover of Vogue Italia's L'Uomo magazine modelling a tuxedo complete with a bow tie and black hat.

'My parents taught me to treat people how you want to be treated, and you know, never give up, have a good work ethic and always be humble,' he says. Let's hope Kate Moss's sister Lottie, 18, and 13-year-old daughter Lila Grace, who have landed their own Vogue covers, will remain as modest.

Brooklyn Beckham, 17, has bagged the cover of Vogue Italia's L'Uomo magazine modelling a tuxedo complete with a bow tie and black hat

Just two weeks ago, Man Booker prize winner Sir Salman Rushdie was cavorting around London with 40-year-old blonde Canadian pop star Nikki Milovanovic.

But given his chequered romantic past — including four divorces — it was never going to be long before the Midnight's Children author had a new young woman on his arm.

Thankfully, this time it was just his future daughter-in-law, 29-year-old classical singer Natalie Coyle, who is engaged to Rushdie's eldest son, Zafar. The family have gathered this week in New York where Sir Salman, 68, resides, for the wedding.

Just two weeks ago, Man Booker prize winner Sir Salman Rushdie was cavorting around London with 40-year-old blonde Canadian pop star Nikki Milovanovic

'The calm before the storm with the future Papa Rushdie,' wrote Coyle as she posed next to the author against the city backdrop.

Luckily for the bride and groom, he won't let his failed marriages put a downer on the big day. 'You could ask my ex-wives what they think but I think I'm a perfectly nice, cheerful person to be around,' he insists.

His family arrived on these shores with just £5 to their name, but Royal Opera House music director Sir Antonio Pappano is calling the tune when it comes to his lavish pay.

Latest accounts show Sir Tony, the son of Italian immigrants, earned more than £737,000 for conducting operas in 2015 — a near £200,000 pay rise on the previous year.

Despite a 'challenging economic climate', the charity's chief executive Alexander Beard earned £267,000, and head of opera Kasper Holten earned £250,000.

The Royal Opera House says it makes ends meet despite cuts to funding thanks to 'careful financial stewardship'. On top of £28.5 million Arts Council grants — a fifth of its £141.6 million income — ROH received £40 million in donations from tycoons, oil giants and Swiss banks over the year to August 2015.

But if times get tough, the ROH could flog some of its £10.6 million art collection. According to the accounts, the haul includes a David Hockney portrait of former Royal Opera boss Sir David Webster, which soared in value by £500,000 last year to £5 million. Bravissimo.