A LIFE-SIZE SCULPTURE OF OLIVER CROMWELL IN FRONT OF WESTMINSTER HALL, THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT, must give one pause. It is early here in London, but I did my pre-breakfast walk to get me ready for the day. I decided I wanted to spend more time with OLIVER CROMWELL across the street from where I am staying at the moment–in our wonderful flat on PARLIAMENT SQUARE.
The bronze statue almost directly across from WINSTON CHURCHILL’S bronze started me to think about why CROMWELL would be remembered in such a prominent and distinguished location. The obvious reason is Cromwell lead the Parliamentarians in the struggle between King vs. Parliament. Charles I lost and was beheaded just up the road at the BANQUETING HOUSE. It is definitely a warning to the Sovereign that he rules by Right of Parliament and there is no such thing as DIVINE RIGHT OF KINGS as in France and Russia. But, let me tell you where my thinking went from here. I will digress a bit here.
When I was a young man, I used to hunt upland game birds with my father. I lay in the dry grass and high weeds with my Browning Superposed Shotgun ready to fire. When a flock of Canada Geese flew over, my father and I would fire. I always noticed that the grass would move to and fro from the power of the passing bullet.
As I grew older and my brother and I had typical teenage arguments, my mother used to say that compromising is the best policy, and that if the willow doesn’t bend, it will break. I think our parent’s wisdom was lost on two angry teenagers who were trying to get their way.
How does this relate to CROMWELL in my thinking? The TSARS of Russia were absolute autocrats who refused to move into the modern centuries. For two hundred years, they kept Russia totally in their control. To the end, the Tsar refused to surrender any of his power. He created the most horrific police force to guarantee his power, and anyone who crossed him was killed. So, by the 20th century, Russia in many ways was still living in the feudal “Middle Ages.” When a power rose up to challenge the Tsar’s absolute power, he was swept away. For generations, the Tsar has failed to move his country from feudalism to a modern country. In the end, it was the Tsar who was swept away.
In France, the Bourbon Kings ruled by Divine Right of Kings and were KINGS ABSOLUTE. Louis XIV was an absolute monarch and controlled the country completely. If you consider the Palace of Versailles, you realize that such a palace was not willingly paid for by an elective body voting supportive funds. This was the French political system until one fine day the people rose up in rebellion. The willow refused to bend, so the willow broke–as my mother used to say. That was the end of ABSOLUTISM in France and the end of the King.
THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND STILL SITS ON HER THRONE AND SHE STILL LIVES IN BUCKINGHAM PALACE. One has to wonder why England is unique. Well, here are my thoughts as I thought of CROMWELL STANDING IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT–RIGHT IN FRONT OF WESTMINSTER HALL.
The King of England has re-invented himself over and over–sometimes willingly and sometimes unwillingly. CHARLES I was executed because he would not work with Parliament. When the STUART KINGS returned to power after the death of Cromwell and his son, Parliament was firmly in place, and the King learned very quickly that he had to contend with this growing representative body–remember, it was Parliament that executed his father. Charles II wasn’t comfortable with the new arrangement, but he soon leaned that it was the new order of things, especially when he needed money.
In Georgian times, when George III was tragically ill and confined at Windsor Castle, the system continued to work because there was order in the country. The Prince Regent, later George IV, had to deal with Parliament for funds, and Parliament had to consult with the King. There were many disagreements between George IV and his Parliament, but the system of compromise was well in place.
But, it was left to Prince Albert, the Prince Consort, who really put the ideals of a CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY in place. He realized that there were forces in the country like the CHARTISTS and REPUBLICANS who were struggling to eliminate the Monarchy. Prince Albert realized that the Monarchy was safe only if it was a working partner with Parliament. And so, by the end of Queen Victoria’s reign, she was almost deified by age and loyalty. SHE HAD BECOME A SYMBOL. Perfect!
In the 20th century, the Queen has reinvented herself and moved with the times over and over. Paying taxes was a good start. Continually working on budget restraints was one of her strengths. Opening Buckingham Palace to earn money to restore Windsor Castle was a major step in the right direction. Who would have ever thought Queen Victoria or Queen Mary would have ever considered such a decision. But this queen sensed the feelings of her people and moved with the times. She learned what it meant to be a Constitutional Monarch from her grandfather, George V, who knew how to work with his Parliament and took England through World War I and the Depression and remained on the throne when many of the continental monarchies had been swept away.
So, OLIVER CROMWELL’s forcing the King to work with the representatives of his people in Parliament — in the middle of the 1600′s — actually started a relationship, sometimes difficult and sometimes nearly impossible, which has actually strengthened the ties between Crown and people. England lost their King in the 1600′s but at a time when a RESTORATION was possible. There will be no restoration in Russia or France in the world we live in today, I assure you.
Well, that is a bit of Thomas Moore gibberish which might have some truth in it. But whatever, I am pleased that THE QUEEN still resides in Buckingham Palace and PARLIAMENT sits at the Palace of Westminster, ALWAYS facing each other.
So, OLIVER CROMWELL, you have started me thinking this wonderful early September day.
Thomas Moore email: TMooreSr@me.com Telephone: 801.791.9918
Year after year, the Queen continues to reinvent her role as Sovereign in face of these ever-so-quickly changing times. She seems to have a sense for change which years ago would have been a debatable topic. These days we hear insensitive critics complain that the monarchy is not worth its price tag. Then again we hear that the Sovereign costs each British taxpayer .62 pence a year. Even at that, these modern moaners say they cannot identify with the tapestry of royal life. There is always this feeling that these critics dislike everything and want to sweep away all the cultural traditions which others love and cherish. The fact is that most Brits and visitors from around the world sense that the Queen makes an inestimable contribution. A visitor to one of our flats humorously said to me: I AM GOING TO LONDON TO SEE THE QUEEN. I asked her why she wasn’t going to visit the Prime Minister. I smiled over her response: WHO IS THAT? For some reason, England’s monarch seems to have intrigued us all and has for centuries. I am often in London during the STATE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT, and I watch people’s faces as the royal coaches pass by. It is an amazing sight. Several years ago, Minnie Spooner–a humble lady from the East End–was asked on TV why she comes to the Palace to join the crowds on the Queen’s Birthday. In her heavy East End accent, she put her hand to her throat and said: I DON’T KNOW; IT IS JUST SOMETHING IN HERE. There was a real sense of national pride in Mrs. Spooner’s teary voice.
I am in the midst of writing a rather long post on the NATIONAL GALLERY in London when this charming photograph of the DUKE OF EDINBURGH came across my screen. The photograph was taken at the Queen’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace today. I thought my readers would enjoy seeing it. So, while I am working on the NATIONAL GALLERY blog, you can smile at this lovely photograph of the Queen’s consort. Through thick and thin, the Queen continues to stick with her man. Really nice.
JOCELYN at GROSVENOR PRINTS has been a dear friend of mine for many years. I have gathered some outstanding engravings from GROSVENOR PRINTS over the years. These magnificent engravings are the center of my English collection. Many years ago now, I bought the fabuous equestrian portrait of KING GEORGE III riding with the Dragoons and his sons. It is massive and once hung over my desk until I came to the office one day to find it GONE. Where did it go? IT WAS STOLEN. Who stole it? MY SON THOMAS, and it now hangs over HIS desk in his home office. I was slightly irritated, but my anger was assuaged when I realized that a young man liked it enough to steal it from his father’s office. And so it goes.
But, I really encourage my readers to visit GROSVENOR PRINTS. These engravings are amazing documents of historical events and usually are engraved copies of some of the great historical paintings which hang in museums and in royal residences.
FABULOUS
THE GRAND DUCHESS VLADIMIR’S TIARA is one of the Queen’s most interesting pieces of jewelry. The TIARA itself is one of the most exquisite examples of late 19th century Russian craftsmanship. The Grand Duchess was the grandest of the Grand Duchesses of the Imperial Court. She despised the Empress and set up an alternate court in the Vladimir Palace which dazzled the eyes of western visitors. She loved her pearls and her magnificent emeralds.
In 1918, the Grand Duchess and her family fled St. Petersburg and took refuge in the Caucus Mountains. Finally, in 1920, the family fled the country in an Italian ship to live in Venice. By the end of 1920, the Grand Duchess was living in Paris where she died later in the year.
The vast VLADIMIR jewel collection was hidden in the Vladimir Palace in St. Petersburg, undetected by the Bolsheviks. A member of the British Secret Intelligent Service who had befriended the Grand Duchess entered the Vladimir Palace and rescued the jewels which he smuggled out of Russia in a large diplomatic bag. The jewels were delivered to the Vladimir family in Paris where the Grand Duchess divided them between her children.
This prized tiara was given to Grand Duchess’s daughter the Princess Nicolas of Greece from whom Queen Mary acquired the jewel for her personal collection. It was given to Queen Elizabeth by her grandmother and now is one of the Queen’s favorite pieces of jewelry–with a very a long and eventful history.
When the jewel came into the hands of Queen Mary, who loved emeralds, she used the remainder of the CAMBRIDGE EMERALDS to alternate with the large baroque pearls which were original to the tiara. Queen Mary enhanced many of the jewels in her collection, so today her contribution to the Queen’s personal collection is remarkable.
I am posting pictures of the Grand Duchess wearing the Tiara, Queen Mary with the tiara, and several images of the Queen with her favorite jewel–with both pearls and emeralds.
As you are aware, I place a lot of importance on the SUMMER EXHIBITION AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE. Fabulous items from the ROYAL COLLECTION see the light of day which otherwise would remain hidden in the vaults of Buckingham Palace or would be brought out on the rare occasion for a ceremonial event.
When you are in the Palace this summer, you end your tour in the WHITE DRAWING ROOM. My favorite royal portrait is the center of attention in this exquisite room. The 1908 portrait of QUEEN ALEXANDRA by Francois Flameng is my favorite royal portrait. It portrays the consort of King Edward VII wearing Queen Victoria’s small crown, Prince Albert’s blue sapphire broach, and the Queen’s Cartier Grisaille diamond necklace. On her left arm, she is wearing her favorite snake bracelet which she wears in almost every photograph or painting of the Queen.
The first image is a portion of the very large CORONATION PORTRAIT of Queen Victoria. These narrative canvases record an important event in English history; this portrait captures a coronation which began an entirely new age.
The second image is the STATE PORTRAIT OF QUEEN VICTORIA. She is wearing the State Crown (notice the Stuart Sapphire in the front of the crown) and Parliament joins her in the distance. The Queen said when she was first Queen: I WILL BE GOOD. After George IV and William IV, these must have been reassuring words.
The third painting is Winterhalter’s portrait of the Royal Family with the Queen accompanied by the Prince Consort and the first five of her nine children. This massive painting highlights the glory of family life.
The fourth portrait is King George III, the last King of America. This king detested excessive shows of wealth and splendor. Rather, he preferred to be remembered as a family king dedicated to scholarship, farming, science and technology, fine paintings, and BOOKS. This beautiful portrait reflects the tastes of this scholarly King. I have great respect for King George III.
The fifth portrait is King George IV, a complete contrast to his father George III. This king loved splendor, ceremony, works of art, architecture, on and on–everything to the extreme. He was a man of excess who had lost the love of his people. BUT, he was Queen Victoria’s uncle. We will talk about that in a moment.
The sixth portrait is one of the grand portraits of CHARLES I by VanDyck, the court painter. There are several Van Dyck paintings in the Royal Collection, but this particular portrait is important because it is an attempt to create a ABSOLUTE MONARCH to match the French King, Louis XIV who was painted in this same pose by Rigaud. This portrait had been sold by Cromwell, but it was returned to James II after the Stuart’s return to the throne.
We have all been watching the Queen’s visit to Canada on television this past week. I have been particularly interested to see the Canadian reaction to the Sovereign as we move into another century. Actually, I was thrilled to hear that over 700,000 people lined the streets of Ottawa to see the Queen as she passed in her carriage. I have been considering what I would say about all this–it is really quite amazing. I think it is fair to say that no other individual world-wide would have drawn such crowds. It is interesting to ponder the reasons for this enthusiasm.
Thomas Moore
The STATE ROOMS at BUCKINGHAM PALACE will be open to the public starting 29 July until 29 September while the Queen is in Scotland. For visitors in London, this is one of the most interesting events of the summer season. After the State rooms, visitors will enjoy a special exhibit about the Queen’s Royal Tours. After you have gone through the palace, visit the the QUEEN’S GALLERY around the side of the palace where a most amazing VICTORIA AND ALBERT EXHIBITION is taking place. This year’s SUMMER OPENING will be one of the most interesting ever held at the Palace. Don’t miss it.
Tom
The Queen is 84 years old and continues to keep a demanding schedule. In light of the Queen’s busy schedule in Canada this week, the Palace published a history of the Queen’s schedule for the previous year. I think you will be amazed. THIS IS AN AMAZING SERVICE TO THE NATION. She goes on like her mother, the Queen Mother who lived to be over 100 years–full of enjoyment and enthusiasm. Really admirable.
THE HUNTINGTON LIBRARY, San Marino, California is a very short distance from where I grew up. I spent many hours wandering through the beautiful house where much of my interest in art had its start. My mother used to take my brother–who went along reluctantly–and me to see the great 18th century portraits which she loved so much. I remember her telling me that we should talk about the Gainsborough landscapes first because the painter preferred doing landscapes and painted magnificent portraits only to earn a living. She used to say that you will understand GAINSBOROUGH best if you know his landscapes well. Eventually, we made friends with BLUE BOY and the other stunning, aristocratic paintings by this splendid 18th century portrait painter.
As I grew older and began to wander through the Dulwich Picture Gallery, Kenwood House, the National Gallery, and the Wallace Collection, Gainsborough’s paintings became very familiar to me. A few years ago, the absolutely glorious portrait of QUEEN CHARLOTTE which is usually in the Queen’s Audience Room at Buckingham Palace was exhibited at the QUEEN’S GALLERY. When I saw this large portrait, I knew that I would have liked to know this great artist. IT HAD EVERYTHING TO DO WITH THE EYE.
Thomas Gainsborough established himself as the dominant British portraitist of the second half of the 18th century. His paintings have found their way into almost every major museum in the world. In the community where we live, a local international family has five Gainsborough portraits. I own a large pastel portrait of a lady from the School of Gainsborough which I bought in Boston nearly fifty years ago which now hangs in one of the guests rooms in this old house. I have been fortunate to have the works of this painter somewhere near me for almost all my life. So, I decided to pay HOMAGE TO GAINSBOROUGH and drop my head at his burial site.
Kew was where the Royal Family lived in the 18th and early 19th centuries. St. Anne’s Church, Kew Green, had been first built by Queen Anne, but much enlarged by King George III since it was the church was closest to his residence at Kew Palace. Where else should the Gainsborough family worship than in the church where his clients attended services. When Gainsborough died 2 August, 1788, at the age of 61, his body was buried next to the walls of the Church. In the vaults of the church was the crypt where many members of the Royal Family were buried. During the 1930′s, Queen Mary set out to put the collections and Royal Vaults in good order. When she came to St. Anne’s Church to inspect the Royal Vaults, she found the site in complete decay and had the remains of the members of the Royal Family removed to the Vaults at Windsor Castle. But Thomas Gainsborough’s tomb remains in its original state, in good repair. He was buried next to FRANCIS BAUER, the botanical illustrator.
So, off to Kew I went; and with the greatest of pleasure I easily found the stone covering the remains of Thomas Gainsborough. I felt such great pleasure. Many of my readers go to Kew at least once during their visits. Please, stop at St. Anne’s Church, Kew Green, Kew, and pay HOMAGE TO THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH. A simple rose would be fitting. Wherever he is, I am sure he is painting–perhaps a rose!
Wonderful.
The Coronation of 12 May 1937 was a rather chaotic affair since the Heir Apparent Edward VIII decided he would get married to Wallis Simpson and abdicate. Everything was ready for the coronation, but now there was no King. George VI reluctantly was crowned on 12 May, and a new stamp had to be designed. The first design was rejected by the King and certainly by the Queen. The second design was accepted by the King, and the final version is one of the most beautiful stamps ever circulated by the British Postal Services. I am attaching the rejected design, the accepted tentative design, and the final version.
The Princess Elizabeth had married Prince Philip, and the Royal couple soon expected the King’s first grandchild. The King was eager to celebrate this event with a stamp suitable for the occasion. The first design was a silly proposal with the Princess Elizabeth surrounded with a leaf design and the King with his crown, and a cherub in the tree branches–ridiculous. Prince Philip was left out completely. That was rejected by Buckingham Palace. The second design had the King to one side and Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip holding a “stylized” baby–because no one knew if it was a girl or a boy. Finally, the postal services consulted with the King, and they both agreed that the situation was awkward so no stamp was ever circulated. I am posting both rejected versions. Very interesting.
Finally, I want to discuss two of the verions which were designed for the King and Queen’s up-coming Silver Wedding celebration in 1948. The first design was a complicated stamp with the King and the Queen facing each other with Windsor Castle between them. All kinds of filigree and dates complicate the design. The Queen said NO to that proposal. Finally, a simple design was presented to the Queen with the royal couple sitting together with their marriage dates on each side. The Queen is wearing Queen Victoria’s ORIENTAL CIRCLET TIARA and the massive Crown Rubies left to the Royal Family by Queen Victoria in 1901. It is a “family portrait” and something personal that delighted the Queen.
I have collected stamps since I was a very young child. I have always felt that STAMPS TEACH HISTORY. When you are in London, buy stamps from the post office so you have those special editions which are so beautiful. Forget the regular postage which you buy from the postcard shop or from the hotel desk. They are just regular stuff, not suitable for a real souvenir from London.
Wednesday, a top London art gallery will unveil an exhibition of works that had tricked its own experts–until scientific advances revealed cleverly produced fakes or unexpected treasures.
A Rembrandt turned out to be the work of a student in the master’s studio, and WOMAN AT A WINDOW was later modified because of concerns over morality.
What’s next? The Queen has been on the throne for so many years, and it might be difficult to know what to do to celebrate a great occasion. But, a million dollar gold coin that weighs 220 pounds and is 21 inches in diameter is quite unusual, especially in these economically difficult times. Hey, it’s a Royal Tour to Canada and to New York, and I am excited about it as well. I just wanted to alert my readers so you can follow the tour on television and especially the Queen’s address to the General Assembly. The Canadian Centennial Navy celebration at Nova Scotia will also be spectacular. When I get the photos, I will post them. Spectacular.
PRINCE HARRY PITCHING IN NEW YORK – THE METS
PRINCE HARRY WEST POINT
PRINCE HARRY WEST POINT – Receiving a gift from his military mates
PRINCE HARRY SPEAKING ON BOARD THE USS INTREPID
The JEWELS AT THE TOWER OF LONDON are on everyone’s itinerary for their visit to London. Without question, they are magnificent. But, one of the most historic jewels is the STUART SAPPHIRE which often goes unnoticed because it is located at the back of the IMPERIAL STATE CROWN. Let me tell you about its history.
This 104 carat cabochon sapphire belonged to ROBERT II ( grandson of Robert the Bruce), first monarch of the Stuart Dynasty of Scotland in 1371. The SAPPHIRE remained in the hands of the Stuart Dynasty for nearly 400 years and went into exile with James II in 1688. It came to England with James I and left England with his grandson James II when he fled to France. James II’s grandson returned to England and gave the STUART SAPPHIRE to King George III in 1800 in gratitude for the King’s pension to his Stuart relation Cardinal Stuart, the end of the Stuart line.
So, when you are admiring the IMPERIAL STATE CROWN at the Tower of London, be sure you look carefully at the 104 carat STUART SAPPHIRE at the back of the crown. It is one of the most historic and symbolic stones in the crown and has a 700-year connection to the kings and queens of England and Scotland.
Wow! What history. There is so much written about the Crown Jewels, but I wanted to be sure my readers did not overlook the STUART SAPPHIRE which has an amazing history: the history of the union of Scotland and England. Perfect.
Prince William is certainly a well-rounded young man. Today, the Prince will follow in the footsteps of his father Prince Charles as he becomes a fellow of the National Academy of Science of the UK.
Great news
There has been a lot of chatter lately about the high fashion at Royal Ascot. During all this interest in Ascot hats and dresses, I heard an expression I have never known before: BLACK ASCOT. So, I went on the search.
King Edward VII loved dressing up and attending Royal occasions, particularly ASCOT. It was the EDWARDIAN AGE, and the women were absolutely elegant, and the men were debonair and urbane.
Thanks,
What can we do with a wretched old soul who wakes up on Saturday morning with the excitement and energy of a young fellow enjoying the first day of his honeymoon? I suppose we have to do a serious investigation to see what is in his head. Usually, it is the excitement of a MARKET and ANTIQUE STALLS. Your poor old author here has this dilemma, and I am assured by my doctor that there is NO cure. Could be worse like having no money to buy anything. Hopefully, I have saved enough to buy a perfect antique button for my wife’s sewing kit.
CHURCH STREET MARKET on a Saturday morning is fascinating. I put my few pennies and my Oyster Card in my front pocket and have a thrilling time. Like many of London’s markets, CHURCH STREET reaches a crescendo at the weekend. On Friday and Saturday, stalls selling cheap clothes, household goods, fish, cheesse, and antiques join the everyday fruit and vegetable stalls. ALFIES ANTIQUE MARKET (No.13-25) houses around 100 dealers selling everything from jewelry to furniture–and of course the Staffordshire figure of Queen Victoria.
The Queen has had a busy week with The Duke of Edinburgh’s 89th birthday, TROOPING THE COLOUR, and Garter Day at Windsor Castle yesterday. I have posted several pictures of each occasion.
The Duke of Wellington is 94 and is the oldest Garter Knight. As he left St.George’s yesterday, he fell–only shaken, no broken bones. The photograph I am posting is quite an image with the Queen clearly concerned.
Enjoy the photographs. The Garter Ceremony was reinstated by the Queen’s father, King George VI, in 1948 after World War II. The ORDER OF THE GARTER is the highest level of chivalry in the United Kingdom, and the Garter Knights are personally appointed by the Queen. The Knights are senior members of the Royal Family, former Prime Ministers, and heads of other European Royal Families usually related to the Queen (ex. Queen Margaret of Denmark and Queen Beatrix of Holland).
A busy schedule for the Queen. She continues to thrive and to carry out her royal duties.
Thomas Moore
Queen Elizabeth II called him GRANDPA ENGLAND. Georgina Battiscombe called him the SAILER KING. The King’s equerry called him A GRAND OLD KING. At the time of the King’s Silver Jubilee in 1925, the King was stunned by the crowd’s affection at the Jubilee Parade; he said I CANNOT UNDERSTAND IT, AFTER ALL I AM ONLY A VERY ORDINARY SORT OF FELLOW. Well, his subjects didn’t see him this way. In fact, George V was the epitome of a Constitutional Monarch who did his duty well. Let’s talk about this grand man with a very “rough” voice.
As young people pass by this statue, they have no idea of this King’s service to his country. Well, let me introduce you to George Frederick Ernest Albert, HM King George V, the last king of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and the first KING OF THE HOUSE OF WINDSOR. He was the last Emperor of India who loved stamp collecting, conventionality, game shooting, a very private life–what most people would call A DULL LIFE. He was not much interested in SOCIETY–he left all that to his very social son EDWARD, later Edward VIII and then Duke of Windsor. One can probably say he was at war with the 20th century. His values were Victorian, and he was as reliable and steady as gold itself.
King George V never wanted to be king. He wanted to be in the Royal Navy, smoke cigarettes and cigars,and sail his yacht. But there was a change of events which certainly altered the course of history. Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, was George’s older brother. He was engaged to Princess Mary of Teck who had been hand-picked by Queen Victoria and Queen Alexandra–mostly to keep the wayward Prince in line. Six months after the engagement was announced, Prince Albert died of pneumonia, leaving George second in line to the throne and likely to succeed after his father, Edward VII. Queen Victoria still felt that Princess Mary was a suitable consort and encouraged her second grandson, George, to propose to Mary. After a suitable period of mouring, the engagement was announced and theY were married on 6 July, 1892 in CHAPEL ROYAL in St. James’s Palace, London. They were an inhibited yet loving couple that expressed their affection through notes and loving letters–THEY DID HAVE SIX CHILDREN. Princess Mary eventually became QUEEN MARY who was the “soutiens George” who helped her husband face the difficult challenges of World War I, the murder of his beloved cousin Tsar Nicholas II, the Delhi Durbar, Ireland Home Rule, the dropping of German titles and the renaming of the Royal House, the death of his son Prince John, the AUTONOMOUS COMMUNITIES WITHIN THE BRITISH EMPIRE, the world-wide DEPRESSION, and the rise of the NAZI party in Germany. KING GEORGE’s reign was one of the most difficult periods in British history, and his beloved Consort, Queen Mary, was his unfailing consort.
Several years ago, I met a Canadian gentleman who offered our family KING GEORGE V’s sword which the King carried when he was at the Front in France during World War I. The King was thrown off his horse and broke his hip. His equerry apparently retrieved the sword and brought it to Canada where it had been for nearly fifty years before being offered to our family. This was a great old King, and I am honored to own a piece of his history. The problem is WHERE DOES IT BELONG WHEN I AM GONE? A museum? A grandson? Big decision here.
The King’s one great regret was the handling of his Russian cousins. Tsar Nicholas II was the King’s cousin. They had been close all their lives. Their mothers Queen Alexandra and the Tsarina Maria Feodorovna were sisters. When the Tsar was overthrown in the Russian Revolution in 1917, the British Government offered asylum to the Tsar and his family, but worsening conditions for the British people, and fears that revolution might come to the British Isles, led King George to think that the presence of the Russian Imperial Family might seem inappropriate under the circumstances. The Tsar and his immediate family remained in Russia and were murdered by the Bolsheviks in 1918. The King never forgave himself. But, the following year, Nicholas’s mother, Maria Feodorovna and other members of the extended Russian Imperial Family were rescued from the Crimea by British war ships. Can you imagine how relieved the King’s mother, Queen Alexandra, was to hear that at least her sister had been rescued. The two dowager consorts lived together for the rest of their lives in Marlborough House , London, and in a home they owned together in their native Denmark.
St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, has endless stories to tell. Joining Westminster Abbey, ST. GEORGE’S CHAPEL contains monuments and memorials which record Britain’s fascinating history.
Prince Philip and the Queen are both great-great-great grandchildren of Queen Victoria; however, Prince Philip was born in Greece with the title Prince of Greece and Denmark. He renounced his titles and assumed the name of his maternal family, MOUNTBATTEN. Lord Louis Mountbatten of Burma, Philip’s uncle, took the young Prince under his wing and gave him a thoroughly English upbringing. Lord Mountbatten was a passionate schemer and was determined to marry his nephew to the future Queen of England. Sounds like the Uncle Leopold and Prince Albert story in the early 19th century.
Old Queen Mary didn’t think Philip was “royal” enough and did not include him on the list of suitable possibilities. The Queen Mother was constantly irritated by his heavy handed style–particularly when it came to Prince Charles. The Queen’s father, King George VI, had to warn Philip and give him boundaries when the royal couple was first married. The news media was constantly after him–one story after another–but the Queen wasn’t hearing of it. Philip was her man, and she has stuck by him since day one. THIS QUEEN is one amazing lady, particularly if she can keep Phillip in line. Nice. Good model!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH–89 YEARS. AND THIS TIME NEXT YEAR, THE DUKE WITH BE CELEBRATING HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY. I predict that with next year being the Duke’s 90th, and the following year being the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Olympics, Prince William and Kate Middleton will have to wait until 2013 to tie the knot in order not to distract from the Queen and her Consort’s milestones.
Exciting time to be in London.
