Do 'woke' courtiers want William to chuck in polo? Aides want Prince of Wales and Kate to focus on 'worthy' causes instead, sport's bosses fear: RICHARD EDEN

Polo is a sport so intimately associated with the Royal Family that Prince Philip even founded a club in Windsor Great Park.

And King Charles played regularly for 40 years, despite suffering a string of painful injuries.

Now, however, Prince William competes in only one match per year and a very senior figure in the sport tells me that there's disappointment about a perceived lack of royal interest.

This grandee claims that palace courtiers don't want the heir to the throne to play because they see the sport as elitist and not 'woke'.

They would prefer him and the Princess of Wales to concentrate on their worthy causes such as the environment, ending homelessness and children's early years education.

'It's not "woke",' the polo grandee says, derisively.

'The people around William tell him he shouldn't play, but he says, 'You find me something else where I can raise £1million for charity in one hour and I'll do it'.

'This year's match raised £1.1million. He plays only once a year now. It's pathetic.'

Prince William competes in only one polo match per year and a very senior figure in the sport tells me that there's disappointment about a perceived lack of royal interest

William and Harry took up polo as children. They were given coaching by Claire Tomlinson, who, with husband Simon, owned Beaufort Polo Club near Highgrove, Charles's Gloucestershire retreat.

The couple's sons, Luke and Mark, became good friends of the princes and Harry stayed on the Tomlinsons' ranch in Argentina during his gap year after leaving Eton College.

Eton has a polo team so perhaps Prince George, who joined the school last month, will take up the game.

A Kensington Palace spokesman declines to comment. However, royal sources are keen to highlight William's annual polo match as evidence of his commitment to the sport.

Ellie sings praises of her children's dads  

The singer, 39, has a five-year-old son, Arthur, with Old Etonian Caspar, 34

Ellie Goulding's five-year marriage to Caspar Jopling ended in 2024, but the art dealer continues to play a big part in her life.

The singer, 39, has a five-year-old son, Arthur, with Old Etonian Caspar, 34, as well as a seven-month-old daughter, Iris, with her boyfriend, the actor Beau Minniear, 29. Combining a pop career with motherhood has been possible because of Caspar and Beau. 'I haven't really had to juggle because I have an incredible partner and two phenomenal dads, who are always so supportive,' she tells me at the Boodles Townhouse opening party in Old Bond Street, Mayfair.

The jeweller lent her a necklace worth £500,000 for the occasion.

'It's so elegant and iconic,' she gushes.

Will Fergie's Budgie take off again?

She's been lying low for months – even lower than her ex-husband Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.

But in the week that Andrew secured a High Court victory – a ruling that warrants to search Marsh Farm on the Sandringham estate and Royal Lodge, his former residence in Windsor, were unlawfully obtained – there are signs that the irrepressible Sarah Ferguson is also stirring.

I can disclose that she's just transferred the trademark rights for her Budgie The Little Helicopter and Little Red children's books

from one of her former companies – which is now defunct – into her own name. The move, recorded at the

Intellectual Property Office, suggests Fergie, 66, envisages the books continuing to generate income.

By contrast, she let the trademark for her charitable entity, Philantrepreneur, expire in June. Charity does begin at home, of course.

Historian Andrew Roberts is alarmed at plummeting sartorial standards in the Lords since the hereditary peers were expelled. 

'The thin veil of civilisation has been ripped aside and now anything goes,' Lord Roberts thunders. 

Ties are now 'optional', he says, with 'trainers, brothel-creepers, black shirts, bootees, light corduroy jackets and even ski jumpers' regularly worn. 

He even claims a former PM has taken to wearing 'elasticated black moccasins' and a ghastly smattering of 'light grey socks' appearing on the Tory Privy Counsellors' bench. The horror!

Sienna: I couldn't be on Traitors because of baby

Sienna Miller was 'desperate' to compete in Celebrity Traitors but couldn't because she was pregnant

Sienna Miller was 'desperate' to compete in Celebrity Traitors, but was already involved in a more important production.

'I couldn't do it because I was about to have a baby the month they were filming,' says the actress, 44, who has just had her second child with her boyfriend Oli Green, 29.

Sienna adds that the producer of War, the drama in which she stars alongside Dominic West, tried to secure a place for her by texting BBC bosses. 'I was desperate to do it,' she sighs.

It never rains but it pours for the Fiennes clan. Conservationist Jake Fiennes has been given a 17-month driving ban after being caught more than twice over the legal alcohol limit.

Jake, 56, was stopped by police while driving his BMW in Norfolk last month. Jake is head of conservation at Holkham Hall, the Earl of Leicester's ancestral seat where Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was recently a dinner guest.

Tom Cruise's backstage banter 

Tom Cruise's recent encounter with John Bishop left a lasting impression on the comedian.

The Hollywood star, 64, recently joined the Liverpudlian, 59, on The Graham Norton Show and surprised him with his backstage etiquette. 'Tom does this thing, which is a real mark of a star,' John explains. 'He goes around the dressing rooms of all the other guests before the show and says, 'Hello'. Obviously, everyone's excited to be on with Tom Cruise. It just wouldn't work the other way around.'

He adds: 'If I went knocking on the doors, 'I'm on with you', it just feels a little bit weird.'

Is all well in John Cleese's fourth marriage, to jeweller Jennifer Wade?

I ask only because the Fawlty Towers star has been talking about the insults he receives online.

He says: 'The description I like best is one bestowed on me recently by my wife – "nasty little man".'