EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Prince William prepares for his first overnight stay away from Kate since her cancer diagnosis... The best sign yet the Princess of Wales may be on the mend

Prince William is packing his crested pyjamas for a two-day visit to his Duchy of Cornwall on Thursday and Friday.

Not unusual in normal times, but it will be the first time that William will have been away overnight since Kate received her cancer diagnosis. 

He has been at her side and doing the school runs, with his diary modified accordingly. 

His willingness to have a night away is the best indicator yet that the Princess of Wales may be on the mend.

Overnight stay: Prince William is packing his crested pyjamas for a two-day visit to his Duchy of Cornwall on Thursday and Friday

William's visit to the Duchy of Cornwall will be the first time that he has been away overnight since Kate received her cancer diagnosis

William's willingness to have a night away is the best indicator yet that the Princess of Wales may be on the mend

Harry's enthusiasm for tomorrow's Invictus Games 10th anniversary thanksgiving service at St Paul's surprised the cathedral's clerical bigwigs, who initially thought the request was a hoax. 

They thought Harry would opt for a secular event. A celebratory shindig at St James's Palace sanctioned by the King was considered. 

But when St Paul's – where his mother Diana married Charles – was mooted, Harry gave the Royal thumbs-up. 

One wonders if Diana, who Harry says in his memoir Spare is still guiding him, proffered him a celestial nudge.

Harry's enthusiasm for tomorrow's Invictus Games 10th anniversary thanksgiving service at St Paul's surprised the cathedral's clerical bigwigs, who initially thought the request was a hoax

Appearing in her 'first ever live television interview' on ITV's This Morning, Princess Beatrice found time to pay tribute to her late grandfather, Prince Philip, and her 'phenomenal icon' mother, the Duchess of York. 

No mention of dad! Was this stipulated before Beatrice's screen debut?

Fatal Attraction star Michael Douglas, whose volcanic kitchen sink sex scenes with Glenn Close, left cinema-goers wide-eyed, is no fan of intimacy co-ordinators. 

'Sex scenes are like fight scenes, it's all choreographed,' he tells Radio Times. 'In my experience, you take responsibility as the man to make sure the woman is comfortable, you talk it through. 

'But it's interesting with all the intimacy co-ordinators. It feels like executives taking control away from film-makers.' 

On Fatal Attraction, did you have a bunny boiler co-ordinator, Michael?

Fatal Attraction star Michael Douglas, whose volcanic kitchen sink sex scenes with Glenn Close, pictured, left cinema-goers wide-eyed, is no fan of intimacy co-ordinators

Bernard Hill, alias Yosser 'Gizza job' Hughes, who has died aged 79, once famously lost a filming job with Madonna on Shangai Surprise. 

He fell out with her husband Sean Penn, who promptly fired him. 

Gyles Brandreth, flaunting before Charles his latest gaudy scarlet jumper emblazoned with the King's crown and crest, asks: 'Don't you think it's fetching, Sir?' 

Replies Charles: 'I think it would be better as a hearth rug, don't you?' 

Midsomer Murders star John Nettles recalls meeting the late Queen, a fan of the show, who expressed concern about the high body count. 

'I apologised for the fact the show had bumped off so many of her subjects,' he says. 

'She said, 'I wouldn't like to live in Midsomer.' 

And one of her equerries said, 'No Ma'am. You'd be dead.'