Last updated 09:15, Saturday, 17 May 2008

THE most interesting detail was the recipe for his favourite martini... drier than the old Duke’s grumbling sarcasm.

That was pretty good going for Trevor McDonald – Britain’s softest focus TV newshound.

He was never likely to sniff out the jaw-dropping nitty-gritty of Prince Philip’s most personal side.... like what he thought of Tony and Cherie’s baby-making in the guest room at Balmoral, for instance.

But even by Sir Trevor’s standards, The Duke – A Portrait Of Prince Philip, ITV1, fell into a measure of dryness closer to old sticks than iced Bombay Sapphire. He’s probably one of the country’s most intriguingly enigmatic men.

The Queen’s consort, once a handsome, driven Naval officer who sacrificed his ambitions to walk two paces behind his wife; a ladies man and father, known for bad temper, sharp wit, cruel sarcasm and hilarious gaffes... and in spite of all that we got a catalogue of his charity and public engagements.

Ah well, the martini looked good.

For devotees: Ice a cocktail glass, swirl with chilled dry white vermouth and discard; add ice, fill with Bombay Sapphire dry gin and lemon zest...and slurp until the arid vacuum in your mouth sucks cheeks in to meet in the middle.