I'm not on this site much any more. But from the age of 5 onwards, nothing has made me more angry than people getting things WRONG about QUEEN ELIZABETH I. It's pathological. I ended up getting a PhD in it.

So, some Friday content for you about the Telegraph & Good Queen Bess. Left: the famous Ditchley Portrait. Shows Elizabeth I standing on a map, feet on Oxfordshire, a storm clearing behind her. Hangs in @NPGLondon

Right: a later copy, showing Elizabeth I wearing the same dress. But none of the symbolic background was copied over. Held in @GovArtCol

Last month, a controversy kicked off at @The_Globe.

Artistic Director Michelle Terry announced she would play Richard III: she was met with a storm of criticism, and of 'taking up space' which should belong to disabled actors.
prospectmagazine.co.uk/culture/perfor… My Prospect theatre feature on this month is a deeper dive into some of the issues raised.

If the arts world consensus is now that disabled roles ‘belong’ to disabled people, there is no consensus on how we assess and define disability or force medical disclosures from actors.

I'm aware there are bigger issues in #SparebyPrinceHarry, but it's jarring to find Harry (or his ghostwriter) claim that Henry VI was his "great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather". Henry VI's only child was killed. In a little thing called the Wars of the Roses. There's a whole thing in Spare about how Harry doesn't like history, and he resents his Ludgrove teacher, 'Mr Hughes-Games' for expecting him to have any particular knowledge of royal history. Fair enough. But some basic respect for factchecking would be nice.

I know most of my followers aren’t here for academic beef, but if you want to end 2022 on a jaw-dropping saga of (alleged) plagiarism, (alleged) sock-puppeting and COLOURISING MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPTS (😱), you could do worse than check out #Receptiogate & super sleuth @mssprovenance What are the underlying issues that make it such a compelling drama on academic Twitter? Well…

Update on our @theipaper story, with @janemerrick23

Matt Hancock's allies insist his announcement TODAY he will not seek re-election has naught to do with the fact that a no-confidence letter was set to be published TOMORROW by his association's officers
inews.co.uk/news/politics/… Following our story, the West Suffolk Conservative Association has published the letter on their website. It was sent on 1 December to the Chief Whip Simon Hart and to the Newmarket Journal for scheduled publication tomorrow. (But Hancock resigned first.)
westsuffolkconservatives.com/news/letter-rt…

Here's the Matt Hancock story.

The former Health Secretary's announcement that he would not seek re-election came only after the officers of his local Tory Association held a vote of no confidence in him, ruling him 'not fit' for to be their MP.
inews.co.uk/news/politics/… A letter announcing the West Suffolk Conservative Association officers' decision, seen by me, was sent to the Chief Whip on 1st December, but a copy was also sent to their local paper, embargoed for release tomorrow (Thursday 8).

🚨You asked. I heard.🚨

By overwhelming popular demand, I’ve created my definitive list of the final 6 Tory leadership candidates as wives of Henry VIII. It reflects the results of yesterday’s ballot.

Look out for it later this morning. When my Wi-Fi’s better. LIZ TRUSS - CATHERINE OF ARAGON

Longest career. Once notorious for intransigence & refusal to compromise, she’s enjoyed reappraisal by sympathisers who admire her fiscal expertise. Backed by Jacob Rees-Mogg. Would definitely send Henry VIII the bloody coat of his defeated enemy

OK. By popular demand.
Tory Leadership Candidates (eight still in the race at start of play 13 July) as Kings of Henry VIII

I did warn you that it wasn't actually very funny. Henry I : SUELLA BRAVERMAN

Keen on national charters of liberties. Simultaneously did and did not play a role in death of former king. But let's be honest, no one has heard of them.

Went down to Clapham Common with my Press ID - because that’s my job. The bandstand was surrounded on all sides by women - and a few men - fed up, exhausted, let down. Without question: this gathering at Clapham Common is less Covid safe, more angry and much more radical in terms of the voices dominating it, than if the Met had reached an agreement with #ReclaimTheseStreets for a marshalled events. (Instead, it is led by @SistersUncut)

Seriously, @Channel4? To deliver a homily on courtesy, you’ve invited a man accused by two independent reports of overseeing a culture of bullying and harassment? Surely, this isn’t actually true?

https://twitter.com/rcolvile/status/1209023276820942848

@Channel4 One question for @mahonalex & @iankatz1000: have you read the Gemma White report? Or the Laura Cox report?