Fergie Cancels US Trip

Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has cancelled a planned trip to the US for fear that Turkey could press to extradite her.

Ferguson has had charges brought against her for her covert filming of the living conditions of a state-run orphanage in Turkey. The US-Turkish extradition treaty could cause the Duchess of Controversy a huge headache.

The Duchess stands by her documentary, which she filmed for ITV in 2008 with her younger daughter, Princess Eugenie.

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You Can’t Make It Up: Dwarf blames injuries on Mike Tindall

Martin Henderson was attacked by a man he claims was imitating Mike Tindall’s rugby team behavior in a “dwarf tossing” event in New Zealand.

Henderson, who has appeared in “Harry Potter”movies and various television shows, says he worries that the injuries he suffered may end his career.

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The “Aye-Ayes” Have It: Royal Yacht To Proceed

Construction of a new royal yacht is to be funded by money raised from donating members of the public and corporate sponsors. The idea for the yacht is the brainchild of the charity Future Ship Project 21st Century.

The new ship is to replace the old yacht, Britannia, which was decommissioned in 1997. To the Queen and royal family, however, nothing will truly replace Britannia. Launched in 1953 (the year of the Queen’s coronation) it carried members of the royal family on almost 1000 official voyages over 44 years. Her Majesty spent some of her happiest times on this ship, bringing along her young children – Charles and Anne – during voyages.

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He’s Out, But Not Down: Philip Gives Up Shooting

The Duke of Edinburgh’s health scare over the Christmas holiday has led his doctors to one conclusion: give up shooting.

Philip, who had been suffering chest pains, was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was fitted with a stent to open a blocked coronary artery. After a few days of rest, the doctors let him return to the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, the royals’ Christmas holiday residence.

Now it is being reported that the Duke’s doctors have advised him to give up shooting for fear of gun recoil. The jerk of a recoil from a shotgun could dislodge the stent.

Philip has already given up carriage driving, a passion of his since the 1970s. In 2010 the Duke sustained an ankle injury while carriage driving in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

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Ascot’s Dresscode Reinforced

After a spate of “night club” attire popping up all over Ascot in the past few years, the organizers of the historic racing venue have decided to put the kibosh on casual.

Nick Smith, a spokesman for Ascot, said: “It is stretching a point to say standards have collapsed but there is no doubt that our customers would like to get back to a situation where it is universally acknowledged that this is a formal occasion and not an occasion where you might dress as you would at a nightclub.