My friend

No, not William or David but the woman in white standing behind them with her hands out. That's my long-time friend Dame Barbara, late of Edinburgh and FP of Boroughmuir High and now Her Majesty's Consul General in L.A. and host to the Royal couple.

I wouldn't normally blip on-line pics but apart from the fact that Barbara and I go way back I stayed with her at her home in Hancock Park in LA in April 2010 (my bedroom was the top left window, you can just about see in today's blip) so I feel I have some personal connection to the what's taking place there now. It's a beautiful house with a lovely garden (where the reception was held) and a pool that I've swum in. I hope the Duchess gets a chance to use it.

I'm sure that Barbara and her housekeeper Gloria will make them very welcome - she's a down to earth quine my friend the Dame.

Edit - just seen this shot on the BBC evening news. She'll be cool about it though. Having been Ambassador in Tashkent and Consul General in Istanbul she's met most of the Royals.

Back in Edinburgh, it's still raining and I've spent the day researching smartphones - any recommendations?