Apr 16 2023 - Snubbed from the List

 

I guess if we have problems working out a wedding invitation list, then we couldn't expect the Royals to work out a Coronation invitation list.  Those who have not been invited and those who have been and have declined.  I haven't found a comprehensive list with the ins and the outs.  2,000 guests have been invited.  That is said to be slightly under the capacity of Westminster Abbey.   How many were invited to Queen Elizabeth's - - 8,000 guests attended (another article says that 5,000 attended).  There was special scaffolding set up to accommodate so many people.  That makes this coronation a much reduced version.  I wonder why that is. The report says Charles is looking to keep the palace budget as low as possible.   I would like to weigh in that this is NOT the occasion to be concerned about budget - this is a once in a life time.  I wonder if he realized that he will get crowned only once.   The dilemma of how big the royal family circle is now makes everything intense:  "What’s causing even more stress is that the invitations are being sent out in a two-stage process: a save-the-date email and then a paper invitation via snail mail. The recipients will have to acknowledge the email before they get that coveted invitation with the source calling it “a practical arrangement” for the palace. We at least know that Harry and Meghan have passed the first stage with flying colors, but it’s unknown whether they will choose to be in attendance for Charles’ big day." How "excruciating" the wait would be in March - finding out whether one was accepted or snubbed - that moment of whether one is "truly a part of the royal family's inner circle."   Who is out?  ... Fergie did not get invited to the coronation.  Her former and disgraced husband Andrew is expected to go. Here's her story on coronation day. "The Duchess of York previously acknowledged that she likely would not be asked to attend the event because she is no longer with her ex-husband, Prince Andrew. However, she still plans on celebrating the big day. “I personally will be having a little tea room and coronation chicken sandwich and putting out the bunting,” she said on ITV’s “Loose Women.”   So our weeping cherry tree was blossoming yesterday in Niagara and I took Millie to the park and got a few pictures of her.  She seems to have two expressions - a grumpy accusing look straight at me, and a noble look into the distance.  She's in the blooming blue Scillas.   Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Apr 7 2023 - What's in a title? Lots

 

There's news that Queen Consort Camilla is now being called Queen Camilla by King Charles.  A queen consort doesn't have any political or sovereign power.  Queen regent  "has an entirely different meaning - regents can exercise royal sovereignty in the king's behalf. This would happen if the king was absent or if a king were too young to rule." Queen Elizabeth was queen regnant.  This is a titled for a woman who inherits the British crown by right of birth.  A queen regnant has full sovereign powers.  The change of title is considered "primarily" symbolic.  "Queen Camila" is the appropriate title to set agains "King Charles" on the invitation to the coronation.  All former Queen Consorts have been known as "queen" plus their first name.  I wonder why their indicated primarily?  What is it secondarily?  No word on that. There's a lot to find out about the Monarchy - one can find out more at monarchy-of-britain.fandom.com.  There we find out there's queen dowager - widow of a king, and queen mother is a queen dowager who is also the mother of a reigning sovereign.  There's a new photo of the King and Queen looking shiny and new with photoshop kindly removing wrinkles and giving them each a glow.   And the invitation to the coronation? It's beautiful.  "The invitation for the Coronation has been designed by Andrew Jamieson, a heraldic artist and manuscript illuminator whose work is inspired by the chivalric themes of Arthurian legend. Mr Jamieson is a Brother of the Art Workers’ Guild, of which The King is an Honorary Member. The original artwork for the invitation was hand-painted in watercolour and gouache, and the design will be reproduced and printed on recycled card, with gold foil detailing. Central to the design is the motif of the Green Man, an ancient figure from British folklore, symbolic of spring and rebirth, to celebrate the new reign. The shape of the Green Man, crowned in natural foliage, is formed of leaves of oak, ivy and hawthorn, and the emblematic flowers of the United Kingdom.  The British wildflower meadow bordering the invitation features lily of the valley, cornflowers, wild strawberries, dog roses, bluebells, and a sprig of rosemary for remembrance, together with wildlife including a bee, a butterfly, a ladybird, a wren and a robin. Flowers appear in groupings of three, signifying The King becoming the third monarch of his name.  And so on. This is our neighbour's wonderful Wisteria, blooming the second year after they trimmed it. The Good Earth restaurant is in the process of trimming theirs this spring as it is attempting to demolish the arbour structure.  So next year we are hoping to see this kind of display on a much larger scale  as it is a huge arbour all along the building.    Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblogspot.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwell.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca

Dec 25 2022 - Charles' First Christmas

 

Silly me!  Of course there is a Royal Family Channel.  And what was on it yesterday?  King Charles' First Christmas Speech.  That was a long time in coming.   Last year's speech with the queen spoke of  "passing the baton" to the next generation.  Gone are the colourful dresses and pretty (expensive) jewels, replaced by a sombre suit.   The BBC gave its view: "In terms of changes in style, the King delivered his first message standing up, rather than a formal address from behind a desk, and his themes addressed more current social issues. But there was much that was traditional. This was a Christmas Day message delivered in a chapel with a choir singing, touching on themes of faith, hope and the importance of serving others. The choir finished, as it had last year for the Queen's last message, singing the carol O Little Town of Bethlehem, with the King highlighting its message of "light overcoming darkness". And what about that Royal Channel?  Are two of them.  One says that the Royal Family Channel is a British YouTube channel that uploads daily videos that are related to the news revolved around the British royal family.  It says it was launched in 2010 and has 2 million subscribers.  Then there's another statement saying that the  Queen launched it in 2007, with her Christmas message .  Vanity Fair says they launched their channel in 2021 with "better late than never."   Do William and Kate want more press - have they been squeezed out by the "new" Royal Family? It seems very busy on the RoyalTube front.  The "Harry & Meghan" docudrama on Netflix just came out.  Is this their offering of what a Christmas special is now?  Thegardian.com website has  the synopsis - a blow by blow of the milestone moments - or more accurately "complaints and grievances."   I wondered if Harry and Meghan had launched their own Youtube channel, and find out instead that Anti-Meghan Markle Youtube channels  were deranked earlier in 2022. That was around the Oprah Winfrey  interview time.   And back to us "common folk" on Boxing Day.  This used to be a buying day for North Americans.  But we had our Boxing Day, Boxing Week and Boxing Month Sales all through December already.  So we will have a day not so dissimilar from the  Royals.  It is a private day for them.  Mind you, it is full of  fancy food and shooting pheasants.  Like the servants of the original boxing day, they all work on Christmas Day attending Church and giving the famous speech.  They get to take the day off on Boxing Day.  I wonder if they give the presents filled with gifts, money and Christmas leftovers to each other.    We are the snowiest Christmas Day country in the world.  Niagara's blossom orchards are dormant right now.   Read more daily posts here: marilyncornwellblog.com Purchase works here: Fine Art America- marilyncornwellart.com Redbubble - marilyncornwellart.ca