The Papers: \'Normal by Christmas\' and \'secret\' royal wedding

Newspaper headlines: 'Normal by Christmas' and 'secret' royal wedding

By BBC News Staff
The Telegraph front page 18 July
Image caption Like many of Saturday's front pages, The Daily Telegraph leads with Boris Johnson's announcement that the UK will be "back to normal" by Christmas. The public should start "looking ahead with optimism", the paper quotes the PM saying, as he urged people to return to work from the start of August as advice to avoid public transport was rescinded. A photo of the Queen knighting Captain Tom Moore dominates most of the front pages.
The Daily Express front page 18 July
Image caption The Daily Express also leads on the PM's hopes that the UK will be "back to normal by Christmas". The paper says Mr Johnson offered hope to millions of families as he unveiled the next steps in the easing of lockdown restrictions. And centenarian Captain Tom Moore, who features on the front page, is quoted as telling the Queen: "If I kneel down I may never get up."
The i weekend front page 18 July
Image caption Elsewhere, the i weekend says Mr Johnson's plans for the UK to return to "normality" have been given a "reality check" by his top scientific advisers. Despite the PM's hopes for a normal Christmas, and setting out a timetable to relax rules on office working and transport, the country's chief medical officer has warned that distancing rules must be in place "for a long period".
The Guardian front page 18 July
Image caption And the PM has been accused of making policy "on a wing and prayer", according to the Guardian. The paper notes that Mr Johnson was careful not to claim that his proposals for easing lockdown had been endorsed by his chief medical officer Prof Chris Whitty and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.
The Times front page 18 July
Image caption Moving away from the PM's speech, The Times leads with a report that Mr Johnson will mark his first anniversary in office by giving Brexit loyalists, including former England cricketer Sir Ian Botham, a peerage. Other new peers to be announced this month, the paper reports, are former Labour MPs Frank Field, Gisela Stuart, Ian Austin and John Woodcock. Former Tory MPs Ken Clarke, Philip Hammond and Ed Vaizey are also on the list.
The FT Weekend front page 18 July
Image caption The FT Weekend reports that a deal between EU leaders is being blocked by Dutch demands for a veto over how Europe distributes a proposed €750bn of post-pandemic recovery funding. EU leaders, the paper says, face a struggle this weekend to bridge deep divisions over Europe's response to pandemic recovery.
The Daily Mail front page 18 July
Image caption Elsewhere, the Daily Mail leads with the first "secret" royal wedding for 235 years, as Prince Andrew's daughter Beatrice married Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi on Friday. Prince Andrew walked the bride down the aisle, that paper reports, adding: "The clandestine nature of the hastily arranged nuptials meant the Queen's beleaguered son was spared appearing in public."
The Daily Mirror front page 18 July
Image caption The disappearance of Madeleine McCann is the Daily Mirror's front main story, with the paper reporting that suspect Christian B allegedly had a secret female accomplice during a string of Algarve burglaries.
The Daily Star front page 18 July
Image caption And finally, "Greedy Willy Wonkas" is the headline on the front page of the Daily Star, as the paper reports that Cadbury plans to reduce the size of its chocolate bars but keep the same price. "2020 just got worse," the paper says.

In common with many front pages, the Daily Telegraph leads with the words of the Prime Minister: "We'll be back to normal by Christmas."

But the paper notes that - just hours after his call for the public to "look ahead with optimism" - Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance was striking a more pessimistic tone.

He warned a Lords committee that Britain could need another lockdown this winter, and the challenge would be "very much greater".

The Guardian says England's Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, was equally sombre when he told the committee social distancing would have to continue for a long period.

The i reports that the PM's roadmap to normality got an "expert reality check".

However, the Daily Express says he offered hope to millions of families that they would be able to enjoy Christmas together.

Image copyright EPA

The Times reports that Mr Johnson is to mark his first anniversary in office by rewarding supporters of Brexit, including Sir Ian Botham, with peerages.

The former England cricketer is said to be one of about 30 new peers to be announced this month.

According to the paper, the list includes four former Labour MPs: Frank Field and Gisela Stuart, who backed Brexit, and Ian Austin and John Woodcock, who voted for Mr Johnson's deal and urged Labour supporters not to vote for Jeremy Corbyn.

In what is described as an attempt to heal Conservative and national divisions, The Times says former chancellors Ken Clarke and Philip Hammond will also be included - both had the Tory whip withdrawn for trying to block the prime minister's efforts to get a Brexit deal.

The Daily Telegraph says Justice Secretary Robert Buckland is to unveil a commission of independent legal experts next week which could put in place new rules to bar judges from making "political rulings".

On Thursday, the Court of Appeal ruled that Shamima Begum - who left London at the age of 15 to join the Islamic State group in Syria - should be allowed to return to the UK to challenge the revoking of her British citizenship.

The Telegraph recalls that Mr Johnson promised a shake-up of judicial reviews in the Tories' election manifesto.

Image copyright Getty Images
Image caption The Queen knighted 100-year-old World War II veteran Captain Tom Moore outside Windsor Castle

Princess Beatrice's marriage to property tycoon Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi is described by the Daily Mail as the first royal wedding behind closed doors for 235 years.

A cousin of the groom is quoted as blaming the recent "problems" of the bride's father, Prince Andrew, over the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

The paper says the secret nature of the nuptials meant the Queen's beleaguered son was spared appearing in public - just 15 family and friends were present. The Daily Mirror calls it the "cheapest royal wedding ever".

Hours later, the Queen knighted 100-year-old World War II veteran Captain Tom Moore outside at Windsor Castle.

Most of the papers picture Sir Tom leaning on the wheeled walker he used to complete 100 laps of his garden as his shoulders were tapped with a ceremonial sword.

The Yorkshire Post relates how, in brilliant sunshine, the 94-year-old Queen thanked the Yorkshire-born veteran for raising an "amazing amount of money" and told him: "One hundred is a great age." The Sun says he joked: "If I kneel down I'll never get up again."

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