ROYALTY joined with the stars of classical music to celebrate the 80th birthday today of violin virtuoso Sir Yehudi Menuhin. The Duke and Duchess of Kent were among the audience at a concert on Saturday in his honour at the Royal Albert Hall, where Mstislav Rostropovich, Samuel Ramey and Anne Sophie Mutter performed pieces by Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Elgar with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
Emma Thompson won the best actress Bafta last night but failed to notch up a double award for best adapted screenplay. The estranged wife of actor Kenneth Branagh had the satisfaction of seeing her film, Sense and Sensibility, scoop two other major awards.
Taiwanese director Ang Lee won the best film trophy and Thompson's co star Kate Winslet won for best supporting actress. The best adapted screenplay Bafta went to John Hodge, who wrote the hit British film, Trainspotting.
Cracker star Robbie Coltrane scooped the best TV actor award for the third time in succession and Cracker took best drama series.
Hollywood actor Bruce Willis, who was expected to appear at the event, failed to show.
It was a disappointing night for the BBC's Pride and Prejudice, which lost in the best drama serial category to The Politicians Wife. Only Jennifer Ehle (who played Elizabeth Bennet) was successful winning for best TV actress.
Perhaps the least surprising victory of all at last night's ceremony at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, was that of BBC1 journalist Martin Bashir who won the best talk show for his interview with the Princess of Wales last year.