Milliner behind the fascinator revival lays into high street imitations

Bear Grylls and Dave Cameron, fellow Old Etonians – and, like myself, thriving survivors of Boarding School Syndrome – were recently introduced, Grylls tells me at a screening of his new Discovery Channel series Born Survivor. "He was cool, actually," said Grylls with an admirably straight face. "He's got a real presence about him. Politics aside, I thought he was great. Actually not even politics aside: I think his politics are great!"

Friends, rivals, partners – sisters can be all these and more. Why is this particular sibling set-up so complicated, and so fascinating to outsiders? From the Bennets to the Middletons, Harriet Walker studies the sacred bond of sorority

The entourage to Canada and the US will be 'humble' with only seven adults accompanying the couple. The national self-delusion is now untreatable

One of Britain's most eligible women, Pippa Middleton, is apparently single after reportedly breaking up with her boyfriend Alex Loudon.

While the matter of Carol Vorderman's controversial victory in the annual "Rear of the Year" awards seemed settled, after bookies refunded any losing bets placed on Pippa Middleton's pert behind, this particular bunfight now looks set to run and run, like the lovely Pippa competing in a mini-marathon. "Call yourself a journalist?" demands one Alan Hardie, in a pungent email addressed to this column. "How are we, your concerned readers, expected to make a judgement about the shocking 'Arse-gate' debacle without comparative pictures? Preferably in colour. Preferably side by side. Frankly, the high standards of journalism we have come to expect from The Independent are sadly lacking here. Please see to it that this is rectified." Alan, I shall.

Scotland Yard is believed to have committed six officers to comb through the mass of evidence it holds on the private detective Jonathan Rees.

After dipping a tentative toe yesterday into the "Arse-Gate" furore that erupted following game old girl Carol Vorderman's surprise triumph at the Rear of the Year awards this week, I had hoped that the matter would now be closed.

Our fortnightly series of travellers' guides to holiday destinations goes to French Flanders. Adrian Phillips reports

Some excellent restaurants are like secrets, tucked away from brashness and bustle, apparently known only to a select crowd of zealots and devotees. Roussillon is a classic case. Everything about it breathes veiled discretion. The Pimlico street in which you eventually gaze at its bow-windowed loveliness is so discreet, it doesn't even show up on my online Streetmap. Ring for directions, and you're told to park the car and walk.

Celebrity fitness instructor Mark Anthony claims a butt like Pippa Middleton's can be achieved by walking differently.

Michelle Obama's style choices can make or break a label. But she's not the only one. Harriet Walker on a visit that's frocking the world

You can tell how civilised a society is, so they say, from the way it treats its weakest members.

As this column reported a mere fortnight ago, the terminally disgruntled Morrissey (né Smith) rained on the royal wedding parade, telling Radio 4's Front Row that the Windsors were "benefit scroungers and nothing else. I don't believe they serve any purpose whatsoever". The glum one has since released a rare statement via his website accusing the BBC of "Iranian censorship" for having "chopped and cropped" the interview, and thus "confiscated" his opinions. Morrissey, it seems, was especially irate that the media all but ignored the death of punk musician Poly Styrene in favour of "blubbering praise" for Kate Middleton. Warming to his Middle Eastern theme, he controversially went on: "The message is clear: What you achieve in life means nothing compared to what you are born into. Is this Syria?? [sic]"