Warming Up

8483/21402

I can't believe the biggest royal story for centuries broke today and that I was going away so unable to cover it. I also can't believe that Ally somehow managed to do a Newsround on his own, yet still ignored this huge story. He did a good job though. Nice to know this can carry on after my death/when I get bored of doing it.

We were on the way to Cheddar to see the old folks. We had a relatively easy ride for once. The kids have rewatched Hamilton recently and are a bit obsessed, especially with King George, so we had to listen to the sound track, especially everything that the Mad King does.

Luckily it's an awesome performance by Jonathan Groff, who steals the show as easily as the character he played stole territory. Though it's even better when you watch it in all its pouty-faced, spit-flecked glory.

He also plays Kristoff in Frozen so is also responsible (in performance at least) for this banger (though thankfully the kids have moved on from this film and soundtrack after many plays).

Hamilton is a step up, in listening terms and also a lot more educational. Phoebe was asking tough questions like was America the first country to have a President and what year was George III on the throne. Of course my history degree meant I could easily answer, but in order not to intimidate my kids I pretended not to know and was about 40 years out with George's reign. Even though he mentions years in the song.

Ernie was more into the swearing and his favourite line was "They will tear each other into pieces,

Jesus Christ this will be fun!"

It's sad that one kid got the history gene and the other got the toilet humour gene, but at least they are definitely both mine. Poor sods.

So whilst the rest of you were enjoying the 2026 royal crisis, I was back living one from the past. I wish I could have been there to comment on the justified continued downfall of Randrew Andrew. I never thought I'd feel sorry for him and I was right. This is like when Homer Simpson falls off the cliff. The Newsnight interview is the skateboard leap - he thinks it's gone well and then tumble, tumble, tumble.

Unlike Homer Simpson, Mountbatten-Windsor-Legoland-Crystal-Greyskull-SnakeMountain utterly deserves his fate (remember he's not yet being tried for any sex crime). His life of utter privilege and entitlement and bullying and you know, all the other stuff is a thing of horror and he will have made a thousand enemies, each delighted to turn on him. He would have been so sure that he was untouchable (and maybe that's how it will turn out), but he is now having to face real world consequences for what he's done and the way he's behaved and I know that he is utterly bamboozled by it and will think it is he who is being wronged.

It could hardly have happened to a more deserving or craven bloke. Apart from maybe the person whose name appears on the Epstein files almost more than Epstein's name does. I suspect he will never have to atone for his crimes. And has plenty of time to add some more to the pile that will make the current ones look like debatable speeding tickets.

Ally may have missed the story, but his message is spot on. It was the least craven newsround so far.