Dog's dinner for Queen

Oct 13, 2006, 14:09 GMT

Britain's Queen Elizabeth cuts up her corgis' food with a knife and fork, former Home Secretary David Blunkett has revealed.

The retired Secretary of State, who is blind, discovered the queen's penchant for helping her beloved dogs with their dinner when she offered to help him cut up his meat when they sat next to each other during a formal lunch.

Blunkett, 59, writes in his published diaries, 'The Blunkett Tapes': "When I was leader of Sheffield city council, the queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, came to Sheffield for an official visit and I was hosting lunch.

"It was one of those very pleasant occasions when it was possible to sit next to Her Majesty and have a genuine conversation, but (and I know she will forgive me for recalling it) it was strange when twice she asked me if I would like my meat cutting up - strange not because it was not a kind and thoughtful question, but because of the comment she made when I politely declined, 'You know, I often do it for the corgis.'"

In the tome, Blunkett also recalls a meeting with Prince Charles at the royal's Highgrove country home in 1997.

During a gathering of head teachers, hosted by the prince, the former cabinet member discovered an intimate detail about Charles' bathroom regime.

He writes: "Charles decided he would like to show me round his garden, which he duly did, and while he was taking me round I commented on being able to inhale the most wonderful smell of lavender everywhere we went. He replied, 'Secretary of state, I think you will find it is my aftershave.'"

(C) BANG Media International