The Best Possible Start

It was never up to him. In Athens in 1941, so his diary records, Chips Channon met the future Duke of Edinburgh, great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria, and then aged 19. Channon records quite matter-of-factly that, "He is to be our Prince Consort, and that is why he is serving in our navy." 

This story has been in the public domain at least since Channon's diaries were first published in highly redacted form because so many of his targets were still alive. Prince Philip was apparently quite touchy about it.

Now, could you, or someone you know, be one of the first people to be presented with the David Lindsay Award? The first Bronzes should be next year, Silvers in 2023, and Golds in 2024. With my assistance, participants will select and set objectives in each of the following areas:

Volunteering: undertaking service to individuals or the community;

Physical: improving in an area of sport, dance or fitness activities, in all of which I have long been noted;

Skills: developing practical and social skills and personal interests;

Expedition: planning, training for, and completion of an adventurous journey in the UK or abroad; and 

At Gold level, an additional fifth Residential section, staying and working away from home for five days, doing a shared activity.

This is an opportunity not to be missed.

Seriously, though, although a sovereign state with its own free floating, fiat currency could of course do both, the priority ought to be, not a new Royal Yacht named after the Duke of Edinburgh, but the reversal of the cuts to youth services, so that more young people could participate in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award.