Mirror lifts lid on Queen's viewing habits

The Queen is a rather more human figure today. It is already a matter of record, or at least commonly held gossip, that she watches a fair amount of television, and has a fondness for soap operas. But what was not wholly apparent until the Daily Mirror managed to infiltrate her staff was quite how addicted she was to the soaps, and quite how downmarket her taste in television is. The Bill, yes. EastEnders, maybe. But Kirsty's Home Videos?

The evidence for this comes from the short time Ryan Parry spent working at Windsor Castle, the royal residence which is effectively the Queen's weekend retreat. Away from Buckingham Palace, a place for which the Queen has little love, it is at Windsor that she can really relax - often without her family to bother her.

A central part of that relaxation is, it seems, enjoying dinner in front of the television. And even if the evening meal is not taken in front of the box, it may still have to wait while the Queen finishes watching her favourite soap.

During the long weekend Parry spent working at the castle, Prince Philip was away in Barbados, not returning to the UK until the Monday morning.

Just a handful of staff were on duty, and Parry says his jobs included laying her table for dinner at 8pm in front of the large television set. As always, the table was laid with painstaking precision, with the remote control carefully placed on the left of the Queen's place.

Her favourite programmes were, apparently, The Bill, EastEnders and Kirsty's Home Videos.

Like many others who find themselves addicted to such programmes, the Queen knows that perhaps she should not be watching them: but, sadly, she simply cannot help herself. One night a page told Parry: "She was watching The Bill. I was pouring the coffee and she said, 'I don't like The Bill, but I just can't help watching it'."

ON the Friday night that Parry was at Windsor, dinner was served late because the Queen insisted on watching the end of EastEnders. On Saturdays it is apparently videoed re-runs of that day's racing, followed by Kirsty's Home Videos. What the Queen thinks of that programme - a You've Been Framed-style effort on Sky One fronted by Kirsty Gallacher, daughter of golfer Bernard Gallacher - is not on record.

But the Queen would perhaps like to know that she shares her viewing tastes with Damien Hirst, who once included the programme in his list of "guilty pleasures".

One can only hope that Her Majesty draws the line at the Uncut! version featuring clips from nudist camps. Loyal subjects will, however, be relieved to hear that the Queen does not confine herself to watching... well, rubbish.

Sometimes she takes a look at proper documentaries, on the BBC even. One was about the history of Concorde, prompting this reflection: "I once travelled from Barbados by Concorde because I had to get back for the State Opening of Parliament. We arrived back at five in the morning and I was very tired."

A brief comment about a television programme - and two revealing insights into the Queen's life.

One is that the Queen has to make considerable sacrifices in order to perform her royal duties (or not, depending on one's point of view): the other is that Her Majesty is not always on the best of form when she is out there going through her paces on our behalf.

What is perhaps surprising is the level of intimacy the Queen has with even the humblest of servants, often sharing with them her thoughts on the most important of subjects.

On the day that Tony Blair was rushed to hospital with an irregular heartbeat, the Queen's dinner was delayed for a quarter of an hour as she took a succession of calls. Afterwards she spoke to her page Steve Niger as he poured her coffee.

He said: "She's very concerned about Blair. She told me, 'I do hope it's not too serious. He told me he's had similar complications in the past'."

This exchange is of some importance, because former US President Bill Clinton said a similar thing after Blair's heart scare, only for it to be promptly denied by Downing Street. Mr Clinton said: "I've known about this for a long time. He told me about it quite a few years ago."

However Downing Street responded: "This is the first time this has happened. The Prime Minister does not have, and has never had, a heart condiconfidentiality clauses signed by all members of