Bob Geldof and the curious incident in the embassy with Prince Charles
Meeting the Prince. For the record my hand is hiding a drink and is not in my pocket
This week Live Aid celebrated its 35th birthday. I have been re-watching all the documentaries about that joyous day in 1985 and how Bob Geldof bullied, verbally beat up, and cajoled so many VIPs to play at the biggest gig in the world. It was a feat that only a certain type of personality could do. Taking the first, second or third no for an answer is not that type of personality. July 13th 1985 remains one of the best days in my teenage life.
Watching those documentaries also reminded me of an evening I spent in the company of the Boomtown Rat.
It was November 2010 and a few months before the Queen was to pay her historic and very successful first visit to Ireland. I, alongside many other Irish citizens here in the UK, had been invited to the Irish embassy which overlooks the grounds of Buckingham Palace. I suspect my invitation was probably a spelling error. They had probably wanted John Lydon or Joanna Lumley instead of a mere BBC correspondent.
The official guest was Prince Charles and his wife Camilla - again the first official visit by the heir to the British throne on Irish ’soil’.
It was a lovely occasion and the prince was genuinely – and I know this is a cliche – charming - see the G&T filled glass in the photo.
The then charming Irish ambassador Bobby McDonagh went around introducing his guests to the Prince. When he arrived at me, His Excellency said “and this is Joe lynam from the BBC”. But to everyone’s shock - and especially to mine, the Prince interrupted Bobby to say in an uncanny impression of himself: “Yes yes I know you from the television.”
We had a brief chat and he mentioned Fergal Keane’s brilliant documentary about WWI. He then promptly disappeared when I pointed over to where the famous Corkonian was standing. So much for that bonding session.
But the other thing that I do recall was Bob Geldof scurrying around the ornate rooms of the Irish Embassy looking for a photographer. Not for himself or his fellow Slebs i must add.
He had just spotted Prince Charles doing an official photograph with two Unionist politicians (Ian Paisley and David Trimble) and was determined that that not be the official published photograph of the occasion without some representation from the NI Nationalist side as well.
Bob is a physically imposing and distinctive man at well over 6 foot and how should I put this – Sagittarius - hair. And when he is moving around rapidly a pretty full room of VIPs it’s a sight to behold.
He moved around the assorted dignitaries and celebrities inquiring as to the whereabouts of Mark Durkan from the SDLP in order to get Charles to pose for another photograph with them as well as the Unionist politicians. Bob and Prince Charles were old mates at this stage as anyone who watched the Live Aid documentary will know. Of course no sooner had he found the SDLP leader, he would lose either the heir or the former DUP leader or Lord Trimble or vice versa. Much as Bob might have liked to, he wasn't able to physically hook them by the arm and wheel them around the embassy like children. It was hilarious to watch from a distance.
A little later at the same reception, Bob came over to me to chat alongside the then British Airways boss Willie Walsh and Patrick Kielty. We spoke in glowing terms about the opportunities afforded to us in Britain which might not otherwise have come our way in a much smaller country.
Bob now has an honorary knighthood while Prince Charles is still waiting for that long promised promotion.
FIN
