EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Queen Elizabeth II was quite dismissive of the Epstein-related allegations against Prince Andrew

With confirmation that Prince Andrew has been invited to spend time with the King at Balmoral later this month, it emerges that when the Epstein-related allegations against him were revealed in 2015, the late Queen was quite dismissive of them.

Three senior members of the Royal Household wrote to Her Majesty suggesting it would be wise if Andrew were suspended from royal duties pending a full inquiry.

The trio received a curt reply conveying the royal displeasure from an assistant private secretary. 

And their invitations to the staff Christmas party that year appeared to have got lost in the post.

It emerges that when the Epstein-related allegations against Prince Andrew were revealed in 2015, the late Queen was quite dismissive of them

Three senior members of the Royal Household wrote to Her Majesty suggesting it would be wise if Andrew were suspended from royal duties pending a full inquiry, as his links to convicted felon Jeffrey Epstein starting to emerge

Prince Andrew has been invited to spend time with the King at Balmoral later this month

Hair to the throne

Prince William's new beard is no match for the jumbo whiskers his father sported during a trip to the Arctic and Canada with the Royal Navy in 1975.

He shaved them off before being invested as Great Master of the Order of the Bath. Charles insisted on keeping a Clark Gable-like moustache for his investiture – a largely forgotten look, pictured, which didn't last long!

Charles shaved off his beard before being invested as Great Master of the Order of the Bath - but insisted on keeping a Clark Gable-like moustache for his investiture

Prince William's new beard has set many a tongue wagging this week

Susan refused to be edited out

Harper Collins editor Susan Watt, who has died, was Bernard Cornwell's editor for 44 years and owed her prolonged career to the best-selling author of the Sharpe books.

The firm planned to show her the door a decade ago with a farewell party, but Cornwell threatened to move the books to another publisher.

HarperCollins relented, turning Watt's retirement bash into a celebration of her career and promoting her to editor-at-large. 

A case of the sword being mightier than the pen?

Emily's cutting edge hairstyle 

Returning to Netflix tomorrow in Emily In Paris, Lily Collins seems a trifle obsessed with her hairstyle, declaring: 'I love the fringe but Emily's fringe is growing out this season... It was nice to play with the fringe, and then play with a half-fringe version. 

'The fringe came out of a bit of a freak-out moment last season.' 

Coming soon from Lily: The Fringe Through The Ages?

Not quite on the fringe: Lily Collins returns in the new series of Emily in Paris

Not so Marr-vellous for Alan 

Back at the Edinburgh Festival, Alan Cumming notes it's 40 years since his performance in double act Victor and Barry earned a scathing review from young Scotsman scribe Andrew Marr.

The duo sought revenge in song, warbling: 'We can thank you Andrew Marr, you're not as smart as you like to think you are.' 

Bet that gave wee Andy sleepless nights!

lan Cumming notes it's 40 years since his performance in double act Victor and Barry earned a scathing review from young Scotsman scribe Andrew Marr

Lynda got a Private Eye-ful

My esteemed late colleague Lynda Lee-Potter will be spinning in her grave at Pakistan-born Tariq Ali's disclosure in his new memoir of how he sabotaged her interview with then Private Eye editor Richard Ingrams.

In the loo, he stripped to his underpants, tied a towel around his waist and 'affecting the accent of a guru' burst in to say: 'Mr Ingrose, sir. Time for meditation. Please remove all clothes.' 

'Lynda nearly fainted,' writes Tariq, '[and] hurriedly excused herself.'