Mail Online Fails To Check Again

Howlers that should have been spotted by a half-decent proof reading are par for the course with the Express, where Richard “Dirty” Desmond has driven costs through the ground and his unfortunate hacks’ noses into perpetual contact with the grindstone, but are unexpected at Mail Online. Or they were until Rebecca English penned a pieceabout the Royal visit to Jordan.

You calling my f***ing website crap, c***?!?

That, of course, is Jordan as in the Hashemite Kingdom, not the surgically enhanced sleb who is famous for being Herself Personally Now. Yes, Charles and Camilla have been visiting another Royal family in the Middle East. They were greeted by the son of the late King Hussein, someone whose title was difficult to get wrong as there was no number after his name.

Sadly, King Abdullah’s title has proved too much for her, and she refers to him as “King Abdullah 11”. Bloody hell, the kingdom’s only been in existence since 1949 and already they’re on at least their twelfth king! Actually, no they aren’t: make that their third. Ms English has had a problem with her Roman numerals. Let’s try that one again: King Abdullah II.

Behold some truly lamentable copy

So where did the Royals meet up? Apparently this happened at “Hummar Palace”. Where that? Ah, perhaps she means the al-Hashmiya Palace, which is located in the al-Hummar area. Only a minor howler, and most Mail Online readers will be none the wiser (again).

But Ms English’s real interest appears to be Queen Rania, who she claims looks like the Duchess of Cambridge (no, not really, but it’s the Mail. You don’t expect accuracy in the Mail), and who “has been ranked the most beautiful consort or first lady in the world by Harpers and Bazar Magazine”.

“Harpers and Bazar Magazine”? What that? Someone failed to make the change from Harper’s & Queen to Harper’s Bazaar back in 2005. Then someone let the resulting howler slip through.

Don’t anyone tell Paul Dacre or Martin Clarke, now.