The new chair of the Australian Monarchists’ League, former Tasmanian Liberal Party senator Eric Abetz, has called for a Royal Commission into the “treachery and sedition” demonstrated by some Australian free-to-air TV networks during the  funeral of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Speaking from his home in Hobart where he is observing an extended official mourning period (main picture) Mr Abetz accused some channels of deliberately airing “clearly anti-royal programs” while the funeral was being screened live on others.

“For example, the Seven Network’s subsidiary channel 7 Two screened a program called Criminal Confessions which was clearly a dig at Prince Andrew,” Mr Abetz said.

“The 7Flix channel showed Marrying Millions, which I just know is a thinly veiled reference to the Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle.

“It also screened Bridezillas which, beyond doubt, was aimed at rekindling the negative stories of the bad blood between Meghan and the now Princess of Wales at the time of the Duchess of Sussex’s wedding.

“As Her Majesty’s coffin was being driven to Windsor for burial, the Gem channel of the Nine Network screened Antiques Roadshow. Need I say more?” Mr Abetz said before breaking down and sobbing.

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British police have revealed that the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt prior to Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.

Although divorced since 1996, the Duchess shares a house near Windsor with her former husband the late Queen’s second son, the controversial Duke of York Prince Andrew.

A police spokesperson said the Duchess was being driven to London to attend the funeral when a Molotov cocktail made from a vodka bottle filled with petrol was lit and thrown at the car in which she was travelling.

They gave no further details but said they would be providing more information once some initial investigations were completed.

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Russian pop star Alla Pugacheva says she is prepared to take the consequences that may flow from her recent public statements critical of President Vladimir Putin and his tactics in the Ukraine war.

Ms Pugacheva (pictured below by the BBC) said she was prepared to face any action the Russian state may take against her.