Melanie McDonagh

Melanie McDonagh is a leaderwriter for the Evening Standard and Spectator contributor. Irish, living in London.

The futility of Meghan's mentoring scheme

6 August 2021 8:00 am

What, do you reckon you’d get from Princess Eugenie in 40 minutes, always supposing you were a woman trying to…

Cake expectations: afternoon tea has gone OTT

3 July 2021 9:00 am

Afternoon tea has gone OTT

The hypocrisy of Matt Hancock

25 June 2021 7:28 pm

Matt Hancock has not, we can agree, made it his business to lighten the public mood during the pandemic. That…

Boris, Carrie and the politics of weddings

31 May 2021 4:07 am

Well! The PM’s nuptials have taken everyone unawares. And it’s hard not to feel that a small and informal wedding…

What is the point of Meghan Markle’s new children’s book?

5 May 2021 4:00 pm

Meghan Markle has written a book for children. Of course she has. There is no celeb, no matter how busy,…

Prince Philip epitomised a very British stoicism

9 April 2021 10:31 pm

So, Prince Philip has died, at home in Windsor Castle, thank goodness, and the Queen could be near him at…

‘Everyone’s Invited’ shows that nobody’s safe

27 March 2021 9:00 am

For teenagers, the battle of the sexes has never been so complicated

Why Pontins thinks I’m an ‘undesirable guest’

20 March 2021 9:00 am

Why Pontins thinks I’m an ‘undesirable guest’

Harry and Meghan’s incendiary accusations

8 March 2021 9:18 pm

Well! On the bright side, Oprah Winfrey got her money’s worth. Also on the bright side, Prince Harry is sixth…

Meghan, Harry and the trouble with Oprah's 'truth'

4 March 2021 11:38 pm

Obviously, I can’t wait for the Meghan and Harry audience with Oprah Winfrey. Alas, it’s going to be broadcast at…

What 'Britain's wokest headteacher' gets wrong

23 February 2021 6:17 pm

Ah, a story for our times. And I think you know how it’s going to go. There was this junior…

Harry, Meghan and the nature of public service

20 February 2021 6:45 pm

Well, the ways have parted. That 12-month revision of the departure of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for California…

When will Britain take a stand against Pakistan?

21 January 2021 3:22 am

Well, now that we’re all fired up about Britain’s moral role in the world courtesy of Theresa May, who is…

The echoes of Diana in Prince Harry

9 January 2021 9:00 am

The echoes of Diana in Prince Harry

Save me from the cult of instant intimacy

5 December 2020 9:00 am

On the cult of instant intimacy

Animal magic: children’s books for Christmas

28 November 2020 9:00 am

J.K. Rowling has written a book for children — and you know what? It’s a charmer. The Ickabod(Hachette, £20) was…

The terror of choosing the wrong email sign off

17 October 2020 9:00 am

The etiquette of ending an email

Who cares what Harry and Meghan think about Trump?

23 September 2020 6:34 pm

Well, who can the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have in mind in their video message to Time 100 –…

President Trump’s big Balkan deal

6 September 2020 5:26 am

President Trump has presided over a notable deal between Kosovo and Serbia. It’s interesting in more ways than one. For…

How priests were kept out of hospitals

30 July 2020 10:36 pm

Mary Wakefield’s piece in today’s magazine – How the Catholic Church betrayed the dying – is right and eloquent in…

Our unseen Queen is more important than ever

13 June 2020 12:03 am

Andrew Morton is being a bit previous, isn’t he, in suggesting to the Telegraphthat the Covid crisis means that the…

Dominic Cummings's lockdown critics will never be happy

26 May 2020 4:44 am

Happy now? Thought not. Dominic Cummings has delivered his statement and answered questions but still the critics aren’t appeased. Not…

Neil Ferguson has finally gladdened the nation

6 May 2020 10:34 pm

When I first heard that Neil Ferguson, the Government’s Covid adviser, had had to resign, I thought the BBC broadcast…

Hate legislation is blasphemy law by another name

2 May 2020 9:00 am

Hate legislation is blasphemy law by another name

Ten lessons we've learned from the lockdown so far

26 April 2020 1:55 am

Yep, the end is in sight, courtesy of other countries organising the practicalities for the return to some sort of…