Birthdays

TODAY: King Harald V of Norway, 61; Sir John Bourn, Comptroller and Auditor General, 64; Professor Ruth Bowden, anatomist, 83; Miss Jilly Cooper, author and journalist, 61; M Hubert de Givenchy, fashion designer, 71; Mr Michael Deakin, documentary film maker, 59; Mr Leslie Durbin, silversmith, 85; Baroness Fookes, former MP, 62; Sir John Goulden, UK Permanent Representative, North Atlantic Council, 57; Sir Michael Grylls, former MP, 64; Sir Conrad Heron, former senior civil servant, 82; Sir Reginald Hibbert, former ambassador to France, 76; Sir John McGregor Hill, former chairman, British Nuclear Fuels, 77; Lord Hunter, a former Senator of the College of Justice in Scotland, 85; Mr Peter McEnery, actor, 58; Mr Robert Mugabe, president of Zimbabwe, 74; Professor Sir Rupert Myers, scientist, 77; Ms Diana Morgan MP, 46; General Sir Robert Pascoe, former Adjutant-General, 66; Sir Ashley Ponsonby, former Lord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, 77; Professor John Prescott, principal, Wye College, University of London, 61; Lieut-Gen Sir John Richards, former marshal of the Diplomatic Corps, 71; Mr Alan Rickman, actor, 52; Professor Frederick Rimmer, Emeritus Professor of Music, 84; Miss Nina Simone, singer, 64; Professor Leslie Wagner, Vice-Chancellor, Leeds Metropolitan University, 55; Mr David Wood, actor and playwright, 54.

TOMORROW: The Duchess of Kent, 65; Miss Judy Cornwell, actress, 56; Mr Joseph Ettedgui, fashion designer, 62; Professor Sir Brian Follett, Vice- Chancellor, University of Warwick, 59; Mr Bruce Forsyth, entertainer, 70; Miss Sheila Hancock, actress, 65; Senator Edward Kennedy, 66; Sir John Kerr, Permanent Under-Secretary of State, and Head of the Diplomatic Service, 56; Mr Niki Lauda, motor-racing champion, 49; Miss Frances Line, former controller, BBC Radio 2, 58; Mr Devon Malcolm, cricketer, 35; Sir Christopher Meyer, ambassador to the United States, 54; Sir John Mills, actor, director and producer, 90; Mr Noel Murphy, rugby footballer, 61; Mr Richard Page MP, 57; Mr Nigel Planer, actor, 45; Air Marshal Graeme Robertson, Chief of Staff and Deputy Commander-in-Chief, Strike Command, 53; Lieut-Gen the Hon Sir William Rous, former Quarter Master General, Ministry of Defence, 59; Sir William Slack, consultant surgeon, 73; Mr Ian Stark, show jumper, 44; Lord Strathclyde, Opposition Chief Whip in the House of Lords, 38; Miss Julie Walters, actress, 48; Mr Robert Young, actor, 91.