Queen Elizabeth – studious, stoic and worthy of her diamond jubilee

A good, if backhanded, article by Simon Jenkins of the Guardian.

Jenkins delicately sidesteps any ebullience or truly complimentary adjectives, lest he be branded as a monarchy supporter. This is expected from a writer for the Guardian.

“In her mid-80s, she glides over the stream of events, a tribute to the octogenarian work ethic.”

“Her only known fixation (other than with aircraft noise over Windsor) is with the Commonwealth – a harmless enough pastime.”

Jenkins does admit that the Queen is adept at managing her institution and that she is hard working. His characterization of what the monarchy must be, however, completely misses the mark of what it is all about.

[Read More]

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Charles – Conserving the Marine Environment

The Prince of Wales has been actively involved in environmental issues for several years, and last week ushered in the latest initiative – The Prince’s International Sustainability Unit Marine Programme.

The event also heralded the release of the ISU report, “Towards Global Sustainable Fisheries – The Opportunity for Transition.”

The program is to help promote beneficial and sustainable fisheries management, putting the brakes on the decline of the world’s fish stocks.

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Canadians Celebrate Their Queen

Queen Elizabeth II’s Canadian flag was hoisted up in honor of Her Jubilee this past Monday, at Parliament Hill in Ottawa. February 6th marked the official start to the Queen’s 60th anniversary of her reign. The flag was raised by Canada’s Secretary to the Queen, Kevin MacLeod.

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Prince Praises Protected Playing Fields

Prince William is lauding the plan to protect 2,012 playing fields across the United Kingdom. This, he says, is “a lasting tribute to his grandmother”.

“Green space and playing fields are the beating heart of any community,” William said in a video on qe2fields.com.

“I cannot think of a better tribute to my grandmother’s 60 glorious years on the throne than to dedicate to the queen this program that will save playing fields for future generations.”

The Prince decries the loss of open fields at the hands of development.

Prince William is the patron of Fields in Trust, which is helping to keep the 2,012 fields open for the youth of England.

Royal Round Up 2-8-12: Guardian Tribute; Charles and William Help Conservation Efforts; Canada Celebrates is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Andrew’s Air Miles Still Accumulating

Despite giving up his role as a special trade envoy several months ago, Prince Andrew is still making trips abroad on business.

It should not be unusual for the Prince – who is the Duke of York and the second son of the Queen – to perform duties representing Her Majesty, but Andrew’s track record of late has been suspect.

The Duke previously held the position as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment. His years as a representative for his nation and his regal mother seemed to be for naught when it was revealed that the Duke was consorting with convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew’s business connections with dictators such as the late Colonel Gaddafi of Libya, among others, also brought a torrent of criticism down on the Duke’s head.

Although Andrew stepped down as a “special” representative, it seems he is continuing as a regular business envoy and has undertaken 17 engagements in Saudi Arabia and China for UK Trade and Investment.

Read More

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Camilla Cooks for the Queen

Cook for The Queen is the Duchess of Cornwall’s special tribute to her sovereign and mother-in-law Queen Elizabeth II.

In honor of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the Duchess has organized the event with British Food Fortnight, inviting “all schools in the UK to create a special menu featuring recipes that celebrate the best of British to be served to The Queen and The Duchess of Cornwall at a reception at Buckingham Palace in June”. The contest is for children ages 10 – 15.

Republicans are a bit put out by all of this.

The anti-monarchy group, Republic, have warned the participating schools that they might be breaking the law by taking part in the contest.

Graham Smith, head honcho of Republic, gripes that involving the children in celebrations of the monarchy without giving equal time to republicanism is a breach of the Education Act.

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Celebrate the Jubilee with Mandy’s British Royalty

In a move that will undoubtedly annoy Graham Smith, American royalist Mandy Littlefield is aiming to take her fondness of the monarchy and bring it to people everywhere through her show, RoyaltyNow!.

To make it the best show ever, Mandy is holding a fundraiser in the hope of traveling to London to film footage of celebrations and interviews during the Jubilee blowout in June. With your kind donations – not to mention awesome prizes in return for your generosity – you can help make her project a reality.

For more information on the great prizes you will receive, click here.

Thank you to all who donate!

Royal Round Up 2-1-12: Camilla Cooks; Airmiles Andy; Celebrate the Jubilee and Win is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Buckingham Palace and Julia Gillard Face Off

The office of Julia Gillard, the Australian prime minister, disputes who paid for what during the Queen’s visit last year.

The Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, distributed gifts to over 40 dignitaries during their official visit to Australia in October. Gillard’s camp claims that the Australian taxpayer footed the bill for the presents, but a spokesman for Buckingham Palace stated that the Queen had paid for the gifts.

“The Royal Household pays for gifts given by The Queen – not Australian taxpayers,” the spokesman said.

Gillard’s spokesman told Britain’s Telegraph otherwise – “[T]he Australian Government … meet[s]the cost of gifts presented by the Queen when she is in Australia.”

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The Queen To Pass Ascension Anniversary Sans Philip

On February 6th, Queen Elizabeth II officially celebrates her 60th year on the throne. It must be an occasion full of mixed feelings – her ascension meant the death of her father, King George VI.

The king died of a coronary thrombosis while asleep. Elizabeth, at the time only a princess, was in Africa with Prince Philip. The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh were undertaking an official visit in the king’s place. He had been ill for some time, and it was advised that His Majesty remain in Britain.
When told the news of his death, the royal party rushed home as soon as they could. Elizabeth had left her native soil as a princess, and had returned as Queen. She was in charge, assuming the reigns of a job that some may describe as being “lonely at the top”.

So it is particularly poignant that Elizabeth will be without her “right arm” for this anniversary. Philip has been advised by his doctors to refrain from undertaking engagements since his heart surgery in December. A stent was placed to open a blocked coronary artery, and the Duke spent several nights in the hospital for observation due to his advanced age.

Philip’s first event after surgery was when he attended a dinner at the Scott Polar Research Institute in Cambridge. It looks to be the first of a very scaled-down schedule for the Duke, whose legendary 300-400 engagements a year are bested only by the Queen herself, and followed closely by their daughter, Princess Anne.

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Family of Missing Girl on Sandringham Estate Speaks Out

The body discovered on the Queen’s Sandringham estate was found to be 17-year-old Alisa Dmitrijeva. She disappeared on or around August 31st last year. Her remains were found on New Year’s Day.

The grandmother of Dmitrijeva, a Latvian who came to the UK in 2009, has spoken out about the girl’s death and has made a public appeal to find the killer.

Read More…

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Duchess of York To Become A Roving Reporter In America?

Some are claiming that Sarah Ferguson, the former wife of Britain’s Prince Andrew, has a stellar TV career awaiting her in the US. That is, if she ever gets here.

Fergie could be extradited to Turkey due to their extradition agreement with the US. Should the Duchess set foot on our soil, it could cost her jail time.

Her exposé of the treatment of children in Turkish orphanages angered their government, and in turn incited an international relations nightmare for Britain. Some say Fergie is to be commended, others ask if it was merely a publicity stunt to garner attention for the press-starved former royal.

Sarah needs to rub the stars from her eyes and tread carefully. If not, she’ll end up documenting the treatment of prisoners in a Turkish jail.

Royal Round Up 1-25-12: Gillard vs. The Palace; Jubilee Date Sans Duke; Family Of Sandringham Vicitm Speaks is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Fergie Cancels US Trip

Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, has cancelled a planned trip to the US for fear that Turkey could press to extradite her.

Ferguson has had charges brought against her for her covert filming of the living conditions of a state-run orphanage in Turkey. The US-Turkish extradition treaty could cause the Duchess of Controversy a huge headache.

The Duchess stands by her documentary, which she filmed for ITV in 2008 with her younger daughter, Princess Eugenie.

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You Can’t Make It Up: Dwarf blames injuries on Mike Tindall

Martin Henderson was attacked by a man he claims was imitating Mike Tindall’s rugby team behavior in a “dwarf tossing” event in New Zealand.

Henderson, who has appeared in “Harry Potter”movies and various television shows, says he worries that the injuries he suffered may end his career.

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The “Aye-Ayes” Have It: Royal Yacht To Proceed

Construction of a new royal yacht is to be funded by money raised from donating members of the public and corporate sponsors. The idea for the yacht is the brainchild of the charity Future Ship Project 21st Century.

The new ship is to replace the old yacht, Britannia, which was decommissioned in 1997. To the Queen and royal family, however, nothing will truly replace Britannia. Launched in 1953 (the year of the Queen’s coronation) it carried members of the royal family on almost 1000 official voyages over 44 years. Her Majesty spent some of her happiest times on this ship, bringing along her young children – Charles and Anne – during voyages.

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He’s Out, But Not Down: Philip Gives Up Shooting

The Duke of Edinburgh’s health scare over the Christmas holiday has led his doctors to one conclusion: give up shooting.

Philip, who had been suffering chest pains, was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was fitted with a stent to open a blocked coronary artery. After a few days of rest, the doctors let him return to the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, the royals’ Christmas holiday residence.

Now it is being reported that the Duke’s doctors have advised him to give up shooting for fear of gun recoil. The jerk of a recoil from a shotgun could dislodge the stent.

Philip has already given up carriage driving, a passion of his since the 1970s. In 2010 the Duke sustained an ankle injury while carriage driving in the grounds of Windsor Castle.

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Ascot’s Dresscode Reinforced

After a spate of “night club” attire popping up all over Ascot in the past few years, the organizers of the historic racing venue have decided to put the kibosh on casual.

Nick Smith, a spokesman for Ascot, said: “It is stretching a point to say standards have collapsed but there is no doubt that our customers would like to get back to a situation where it is universally acknowledged that this is a formal occasion and not an occasion where you might dress as you would at a nightclub.

Royal Round Up 1-18-12: Fergie Cancels US Trip; Midget Blames Mike; Philip Sidelined; Royal Yacht Reborn; Ascot Attire Revamped is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Middleton Family – How To Celebrate the Queen

The Middleton business empire, Party Pieces, has served up a dollop of party princess power. Now they’re giving tips on how to have a cost-effective celebration for the Queen’s Jubilee.

Are they cashing in? [Read more]

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Pippa’s photos stolen

Pippa Middleton, the younger sister of the Duchess of Cambridge, has been a victim of money-grabbing thieves.

Pippa’s camera, which she had left in her car, was stolen and the contents were offered up to the Sun newspaper for the tidy sum of 25,000 GBP in 2008.The images included vacation pictures of Pippa’s future brother-in-law, Prince William, and her sister, Kate.

The Sun never ran the photos, but didn’t fail in its perceived duty to describe them in detail in an article.

The photos from Pippa’s camera being offered to the tabloid Sun is only a fraction of the ongoing controversy concerning the now-defunct News of the World and many other British tabloid newspapers. Journalists and other employees of the newspaper were accused of deceptive and illegal practices, including phone hacking and bribery.

Several celebrities have come forward to complain that their privacy has been invaded through phone hacking, and even Prince William has fallen pray to the practice.The British Royal Family alleged that the News of the World, the “sister” newspaper to the Sun, had illegally tapped into private voicemails of Prince William in 2005. The paper’s editor, Andy Coulson, abruptly resigned but claimed that he had no knowledge of any illegal activities.

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Duchess C hits the Big 3-0

The Duchess of Cambridge celebrated her 30th birthday on Monday, January 9th. The loyal Canadians over at the Toronto Star give us a lovely selection of photos as well as profiles of other royals and where they were at 30. See here!

Catherine now looks forward to beginning her new patronages. Her choices are:

The Art Room – Learning and achieving through Art. A charity that provides art as therapy to children in Oxford and Islington.

Action on Addiction – working across the addiction field in research, prevention, treatment, professional education, support for families and children and campaigns.

East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices – EACH supports families and cares for children and young people with life-threatening conditions across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk.

The Scouts (UK) – The Scout Association provides adventurous activities and personal development opportunities for 400,000 young people aged 6-25. Internationally, we have over 28 million young people enjoying the benefits of Scouting  across 216 countries.

The National Portrait Gallery – As well as the permanent displays, the Gallery has a diverse and ever-changing programme of exhibitions and events which promote an appreciation of portraiture in all forms, and an energetic learning and outreach programme.

From The Prince of Wales official website.

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Countess of Wessex gifts questioned

The Daily Mail trumpets the headline: “Countess faces questions after accepting lavish jewellery gifts from bloody Bahrain”

Sophie, Countess of Wessex and her husband, Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, accepted gifts from the Crown Prince of Bahrain during their visit to the country. Sophie received two suites of jewels, at fact which many people protest in light of the country’s human rights abuses.

Last March, Bahrain imposed martial law to keep down protestors calling for the ruling family to give up some of their power. The Al-Khalifa family has ruled Bahrain for over two centuries, and members of the family still comprise most of the government.

Former Foreign Office minister Denis MacShane has called for the Countess of Wessex to auction the jewels and donate the proceeds to the victims of the Bahraini government’s violence.

Other gifts given to the British royals…

Royal Round Up 1-11-11: Pippa’s Pics Stolen; Catherine’s Birthday Milestone; Sophie Wessex Jewel Maelstrom is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Body Found On Sandringham Estate

Police have launched a murder inquiry after the remains of a human body were found in the woods of the Queen’s Sandringham estate. Norfolk police have determined that it was a female corpse, but have not yet ascertained her identity.

A member of the public out walking on New Year’s Day discovered the body.

Sandringham has had a string of bad luck in the recent years – a mystery illness has killed at least eight dogs exercised in the woods of Sandringham. The sickness was suspected to be caused by possible contact with local plants, but researchers investigating a recent 2011 outbreak of “Seasonal Canine Illness” debunked that theory.

In March 2011, the body of a homeless man was discovered on a small island in St. James’ Park just outside Buckingham Palace. The autopsy determined that he had been dead for about three years, but no cause of death was found.

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“Early Photoshopping” For King George VI

The coronation of King Edward VIII was highly anticipated. Commemorative cups, saucers, and other memorabilia had been created, as well as an official coronation portrait. However, Edward threw a monkey wrench in the works by abdicating in 1936. The original artist didn’t mind, it seems: he painted him out and replaced his head with that of his brother, the newly minted King George VI.

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Queen’s list of New Year’s honorees released

The annual UK Honors List, announcing new knighthoods, was released for 2012. The Guardian newspaper, however, was irritated at the list of folks named.

An editorial from the Guardian says that “Too many recipients of honours are clearly undeserving”.

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The Royal Collection Displays Queen’s Jewels

The Royal Collection will put on a sparkly, awe-inspiring show of diamonds, including many of the Queen’s personal jewels, to mark her 60 years on throne.

Diamonds are the theme this year as 60 years is considered to be a diamond landmark, a precedent set by Queen Victoria for her own 60 years on the throne.

Among the items on display will be the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara, a personal favorite of this royal blogger. It was a wedding gift to the Queen’s grandmother, Queen Mary, upon her marriage to the then-Duke of York.

Royal Round Up 1-3-12: Sandringham Murder; Queen’s Jewels; Honors List; 1936 Photoshopping is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Duke of Edinburgh Sent To Hospital For Chest Pains

The inimitable Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, was suffering chest pains and was immediately flown from Sandringham to Papworth Hospital in Cambridgeshire nearby. As it turns out, Philip had a blocked coronary artery and needed a stent put in to clear the blockage.

When asked how his father was feeling, Prince Charles said that Philip was “resilient” and “very determined”, two very apropos descriptions for the 90-year-old Duke.

The Duke was kept in the hospital for observation for four days after the procedure. By that time, Philip had had enough. He was allowed to leave and return to Sandringham, and he waved cheerfully to the crowds amassed outside as he drove away from the hospital.

True to form, he dove right back into the traditional Christmas activities: shooting game on the Sandringham estate. Though he was not an active participant, Philip was happy to observe the action.

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David Cameron Praises Queen’s Trip To Eire

Prime Minister Cameron has praised the Queen’s trip to The Republic of Ireland last May as being a “game-changer”. He enthusiastically spoke of the warm welcome extended to the Queen and her husband during their state visit, and intimated that it is a “new era” for the relationship between Ireland and the UK.

It has even been mentioned that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge might visit Ireland in the near future to further cement ties.

The Queen’s visit to the country was the first time a British sovereign had been in Ireland for 100 years. The previous visit was made by the Queen’s grandfather, King George V.

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Duchess C Dazzles In Velvet

The Duchess of Cambridge stepped out with husband Prince William and brother-in-law Prince Harry for a glam night of fun for The Sun’s Military Awards (alternately known as “Night of Heroes”).

Many people commented that Catherine’s black strapless gown was reminiscent of a famous Diana gown of the 1980s. Diana attended a gala as the fiancée of Prince Charles, where she also met Princess Grace of Monaco.

Catherine’s diamond and ruby necklace has been pegged as a possible convertible tiara (see the article here).

Royal Round Up 12-27-11: Duke Has Surgery; Catherine Dazzles; Queen’s Irish Trip Praised By PM is a post from: Anglotopia.net

You’ll Find No Sentimental Christmas Feelings Here!

The Guardian’s Tanya Gold zings it to the Royals with sarcastic alacrity.

The royal family is embracing the global brand ethos with alacrity (and Catherine’s big hair). So 2012 is to host the greatest celebration of the hereditary principle in modern times: the diamond jubilee. The precise anniversary of the Queen’s coronation is 2 June [see footnote], so it will combine with Olympics fever in a sort of ad for British retro-patriotism and obliviousness to, or enthusiasm for, very expensive parties for the benefit of other people with more money.

Read on…

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Heroic Harry To Testify?

The prince may be called testify after he came to the rescue of one of his best friends.

Thomas van Straubenzee, a childhood friend of the prince, had his Blackberry mobile device stolen in a robbery last month. It wasn’t just nicked from his pocket or a bag, it was stolen right out of his hands while he was speaking on the phone to Harry.

Prince Harry hurriedly drove to find his friend, and eventually found Thomas in a local police station. Thankfully, he was unharmed.

It must’ve proven a huge relief – the van Straubenzee family suffered a major blow just prior to Christmas back in 2002. Thomas’ younger brother, Henry, died in a car accident. He and the driver had lost their way in a dense fog, and crashed into a tree.

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Royal guests ‘forced to sleep in servants’ quarters’ at Sandringham Christmas gathering

It’s party time at the Norfolk estate! Sandringham, home to the Queen and various royals throughout the Christmas season, will host the biggest gathering in years. It is a special Christmas, after all – it ushers in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year.

Some family members are a bit perturbed about the sleeping arrangements, however. The size of the group has had a few royals staying in servants’ quarters.

Read more…

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Kate Will Wait – No Shooting This Season

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, has been practicing shooting so that she could join in the traditional Sandringham shoot, organized by Prince Philip. Animal rights activists have complained about the royals’ hunting pastime, however, so Catherine’s Christmas will be a quiet one. She will instead accompany William and other members of the family, but will not be an active participant.

Read More…

Royal Round Up 12-20-11: Don’t Shoot! Kate Lays Down Her Gun; Sandringham Stuffed; Harry the Hero is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Below is a great selection of links. Enjoy!

The owner of the barge selected to host the Queen for her Diamond Jubilee Pageant the River Thames says the ship will be completely transformed for the event. Read more – Queen’s Diamond Jubilee: barge to be transformed into ‘regal podium’

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The Prince of Wales has created a post of head of fundraising for his charities as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge attract donations to their own organisation. Read more – The Prince of Wales enters a new era with his ‘super fundraiser’

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Thanks to King Edward VIII’s abdication, the House of Windsor has never been stronger, says Andrew Roberts. Read more – 2011: A vintage year for the Royal family

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Rumours that Edward Vlll, then Prince of Wales, and future king, had fallen in love with the American divorcee Mrs Wallis Simpson had swirled around high society for some time and were confirmed by gossipy stories cut from foreign newspapers and posted to relatives back home in the UK… Read more – 1936: British press finally break silence on Wallis Simpson affair

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Prince Charles’ lawyers seek to challenge a judicial ruling that threatens to expose the environmental impact of his Duchy of Cornwall estate. Read more -
Prince Charles to challenge ruling set to lift secrecy about his estate

Royal Round Up 12-14-11: Link Time is a post from: Anglotopia.net

More Canine Illness at Sandringham

The Queen’s country retreat of Sandringham is facing yet another outbreak of Seasonal Canine Illness. Two dogs walked on the royal estate are known to have died this year, and six died last year. It was thought that the dogs had come in contact with plants that may have caused the illness. Now, Dr. Mark Spencer, a botanist at the Natural History Museum, dismisses the possibility.

Read More

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Sarah Bradford’s New Biography

Sarah Bradford has joined in the literary fun of the Jubilee year to pen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Our Times. Bradford famously wrote her first brilliant and thorough biography of the Queen in 1996 entitled “Elizabeth”.

“I think the Queen is at the peak of her popularity since the Coronation,” she says. “People are grateful to her for being who and what she is; for giving us a bit of lustre after all the tawdry revelations of MPs’ expenses and phone hacking. They see a radiant, unchanging, calm-at-the-centre figure, a steady hand, a person who represents something.”

Read more…

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Charles’ New Developments In Cornwall

Prince Charles plans to build an eco-friendly housing and shopping development on his Duchy of Cornwall farmland. The joint project by Cornwall Council, the Duchy of Cornwall, Waitrose and Taste of Cornwall submitted a planning application in June.

The planned development has been praised as growing the local food industry as well as creating investment and job opportunities, but critics say that this is all hypocrisy on the Prince’s part. One county councillor has declared the prince’s scheme as “nuts”: “Prince Charles is on the international stage banging on about reducing urban sprawl, yet on one of his best dairy farms he is creating exactly what he is arguing against.”

Read More…

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A History of the Monarchy Through the Royal Collection

The BBC plans to follow up the successful “A History of the World in 100 Objects” with a look at the monarchy through the Royal Collection. It will be an eight-part Radio 4 series to mark the Queen’s diamond jubilee next year.

“The idea behind the series is to use the collection as a prism through which to better understand the art of being a monarch, through the objects acquired by those monarchs,” said William Gompertz, the BBC’s arts editor and presenter of the series.

Read More…

Royal Round Up 12-7-11: Canine Illness at Sandringham; Bradford’s New Bio of the Queen; Charles Develops Cornwall; Royal History, the Collection is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Duchess of Cambridge Style Alert FYI

Whether it’s her clothes or her weight, the Duchess of Cambridge is critiqued for her appearance at every turn. Now people are in a tizzy about her hair and her teeth.

Reports are now flying about Duchess Catherine’s chompers being artistically realigned by a pioneering French dental surgeon.

Unlike America’s view of dental beauty – where teeth are bleached white and perfectly straightened to resembled dentures – Dr. Didier Fillion, a London-based dental surgeon, views “harmonious asymmetry” as the way to go.

Dr. Fillion claims to be the one who gave Duchess C her dazzling smile through “micro rotations” so that her teeth still retain a natural look.

Whatever next!?

Since you asked: James Pryce, the Duchess’ hairstylist back when she was plain old Kate Middleton, has left the Richard Ward salon in Chelsea. Pryce has departed for the Duchess of Cambridge’s personal camp, and it has ruffled many feathers.

Reports say that there is considerable anger over Pryce’s departure. The salon feels that they made his name and that he shouldn’t be leaving.

No one was apparently available for direct comment.

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Royal Mint Loses The Queen’s Jubilee Medal

Ironically, the Royal Mint will not officially be associated with the royal celebration of the Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

The centuries old mint has the exclusive contract to supply all British coinage. It also produced the medals for the Queen’s Silver and Golden Jubilees, 1977 and 2002 respectively. This year, the Mint was given competition when the Ministry of Defence held an open competition in accordance with European Union procurement rules.

Thankfully, the company making the Diamond Jubilee medals is still in the U.K.: the Midlands-area Worcestershire Medal Services will be paid more than £7 million to mint the medals

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Mike Makes a Comeback

Princess Anne’s son-in-law has returned to his position on the England rugby team.

Mike Tindall, the husband of Zara Phillips, was charged a £25,000 fine and thrown off the team after some wild partying with another woman caught the media’s attention. Mike’s behavior at the recent World Cup in New Zealand was deemed boorish and irresponsible, but then he was tagged as a liar when it came to light that he wasn’t entirely truthful when discussing what went on that evening.

However, an appeal was made and Mike is back on the team. His fine was also reduced.

Royal Round Up 11-30-11: Cambridge Style Upset; Mint Loses Jubilee Medal; Mike Makes a Comeback is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Wind Farms and Fairy Tales

In his usual inimitable style, the Duke of Edinburgh has proclaimed that wind farms “are useless”.

Prince Philip, the Queen’s husband of 64 years, embraces much of today’s technology. Wind turbines, however, fail to impress.

Philip has accused people who support the building of wind farms as believing in a “fairy tale”.

The Telegraph reports:

When Esbjorn Wilmar, of Infinergy, which builds and operates turbines, introduced himself to the Duke at a reception in London, he found himself on the end of an outspoken attack on his industry.

“He said they were absolutely useless, completely reliant on subsidies and an absolute disgrace,” said Mr Wilmar. “I was surprised by his very frank views.”

(Mr. Wilmar has obviously never been privy to the stories of Philip’s legendary quips and strong opinions. One might be taken aback!)

Despite his apparent disapproval, the Duke is not against green energy. In September, Archimedes Screw turbines were installed at Romney Weir on the River Thames, just a few miles from Windsor Castle. They will be ready to operate this month.

A spokeswoman for Buckingham Palace confirmed that the royal household “now has an agreement in place to purchase the energy generated by the hydro scheme”.

“We have been looking at this for a number of years. It is one of a number of green initiatives introduced at royal residences by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh.”

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The Queen welcomes President of Turkey

The Queen and her government have welcomed the President of Turkey today with a 41-gun royal salute and royal band.

Abdullah Gul is in the country for a three-day state visit. He will be meeting with Prime Minister David Cameron for talks regarding Turkey’s entrance into the European Union. Turkey is a candidate country for EU membership following the Helsinki European Council of December 1999.

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Royal Row Between Brothers

According to this Chicago Sun-Times article, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are under their Uncle Charles’ skin.

The “usually reliable” palace source for this article states that Charles has been making sharp comments regarding how they represent the royal family since the debut of THAT hat.

During the royal wedding in April, Princess Beatrice debuted her infamous hat, which has been compared to everything from ovaries to horns. Prince Charles was not amused. Fearful, perhaps, that they are leaning a little too close to their mother Sarah Ferguson’s wild and wacky ways.

Charles and his brother, Prince Andrew, father to Beatrice and Eugenie, are facing off over the role of the princesses in public life. Charles thinks they should be cut out of the senior royal line up and and in a professional career. Andrew wants them to have protection officers and a more prominent royal role.

What will become of the York Princesses? Stay tuned….

Royal Round Up 11-23-11: Philip vs Wind Turbines; Turkey Talks; York Conundrum; is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Argentina Not Amused At William’s Falklands Landing

Flight Lieutenant Wales of the RAF is causing controversy with his Falklands post.

Prince William, the second-in-line to Britain’s throne, is stirring angry feelings with his posting, expected next year, as the 30th anniversary of the start of the Falklands War occurs in April of 2012.

In 1982, Argentina’s military junta invaded the islands. Britain sent in its military and thus the Falklands War began. The Queen’s son, Prince Andrew, fought as a pilot of a Sea King helicopter of 820 Squadron on HMS Invincible. It is inevitable, then, that the Argentinians would not look favorably upon the arrival of his nephew 29 years later.

The Ministry of Defense has said that the Duke’s deployment is “routine” and “forms part of a normal squadron crew rotation”. Argentina, however, is intensely irritated.

Relations between Britain and Argentina have long been rocky – most of the Argentine settlers on the islands were expelled by a US warship in 1831 and a British expedition took control of the territory the following year. British sovereignty was declared in 1833, but Argentina has disputed this claim ever since. They even refer to the islands by a different name: the Spanish “Malvinas”.

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Duchess C Heads Out For The Shoot

The Royal Family decamps to their Norfolk estate of Sandringham each Christmas season, and this year Duchess Catherine is having a go at her first Sandringham shoot .

Naturally, she will want to put her best foot forward, and it’s been reported that the newly minted Duchess is keen to hone her skills before the traditional Boxing Day pheasant shoot. She has been receiving shooting lessons from Prince Charles’ hunt attendant.

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Duchy Out In The Open

A judge’s ruling states that the Duchy of Cornwall is not a private estate, but a public authority. The duchy, which provides the prince with his income, will now be subject to significant public scrutiny.

An information tribunal declared that the duchy must release information about its activities as they affect the environment, but Prince Charles and his lawyers had blocked attempts to access certain files regarding a controversial non-native oyster farm. They said that they didn’t have to release the information because the duchy is a private estate. The judge didn’t buy it.

The Duchy is around 53,628 hectares (207 square miles) of land spread over 23 counties, most of which covers Southwest England. The duchy has traditionally provided income for The Prince of Wales, and the current incumbent is no exception.

From the Duchy of Cornwall’s official site:

The Duchy estate was created in 1337 by Edward III for his son and heir, Prince Edward (later known as The Black Prince) who became the first Duke of Cornwall. The Duchy’s primary function is to provide an income from its assets for The Prince of Wales.

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Royal Round Up 11-16-11: Angry Argentina; Catherine Shoots; Duchy Revealed is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Prince Charles Wants English History Back in Curriculum

The Prince of Wales wants to restore the traditional study of subjects such as Geoffrey Chaucer, The English Civil War, and the Crusades. The Prince also wants to see “subject specialism” brought back, rather than a blanket coverage of subjects.

In 2009, a plan was devised to merge 13 stand-alone subjects into six ‘areas of learning’. Ed Ball’s Children, Schools and Families bill was to replace traditional subjects with ‘thematic’ lessons and introduce compulsory sex education for the first time.

Teachers would no longer have to cover certain periods of history such as the Tudors, or choose between the Victorians or the Second World War. They would teach subjects “at their discretion”. There was also a call for greater emphasis on technology, social issues, and even sex education for children as young as five.

On the other hand, Charles’ Prince’s Teaching Institute promotes “the importance of in-depth subject knowledge” in English, history, science, geography and maths. Schools are invited to show “a clear commitment to subject specialism”. Since 2007, the Prince has fought tooth and nail against what he has described as “trendy teaching“.

[Read More...]

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Step Off, Buddy: Arizona Mayor Warns Harry To Behave

Ron Henry, mayor of Gila Bend, Arizona, has put Prince Harry on notice: dalliances with our daughters is a no-no.

“It is a very quiet town with a lot of good Christian people. This isn’t a party town,” cautioned Mr. Henry.

It would seem that Prince Harry’s reputation has preceded him. He was last linked with underwear model Florence Brudenell-Bruce, and since his arrival in the U.S., Harry had his fling with a waitress widely publicized.

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The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh in Australia – Overview

October 23rd, a Sunday, saw the Queen attending church services in Brisbane. Her Majesty, along with Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, attended morning Worship at St. John’s Church.

That afternoon, a reception and lunch was hosted by the Governor-General for the royal couple.

October 24th was an “away day” in Brisbane. The Queen and the Duke hopped aboard a river boat and traveled up the Brisbane River to Southbank. Once ashore, they visited the Queensland Performing Arts Center.

That afternoon, the royals met with emergency response personnel and members of the communities affected by the floods. The Queen and Prince Philip attended a re-dedication Ceremony of Rainforest and the opening of Rain Bank.

The Queen and Prince Philip were back in Canberra on Tuesday, October 25th. They visited the Australian War Memorial and viewed the Afghanistan Memorial, where the Queen placed a wreath. Later, the royal couple met with Australian Defense Force Personnel at Orientation Hall.

October 26th: Prince Philip and The Queen participated in another Away Day, this time in Melbourne, where they opened the Royal Children’s Hospital. That afternoon they toured Melbourne, starting with a visit to the Ian Potter Centre, National Gallery of Victoria; a walk through Federation Square and a ride on a Melbourne Tram; attended a reception hosted by the Governor of Victoria at Government House. The Queen was resplendent in pink throughout.

After the Away Day activities, The Queen and The Duke departed Melbourne for Perth.

On Thursday, October 27th, the royals paid a visit to Clontarf Aboriginal College. The Duke of Edinburgh was especially keen to see the sporting facilities. Afterwards, they attended a Garden Party at Government House, where the Queen turned out in her second stunning turquoise and white ensemble for the day.

Approximately one hundred students from across Western Australia lined a path to the lower gardens, when the Duke stopped to chat. Philip asked why the students were in pairs, and when told it was because they were the head boys and girls, he said in his typical blunt fashion: “It’s obvious they didn’t choose the attractive ones then”. (!)

Premier Colin Barnett was pleased to have the royal visitors come to the country, and he thanked the Queen and Prince Philip for visiting WA and presented the royals with a gift – a book of drawings of wild flowers from the Eastern Goldfields by Phillipa Nikulinsky.

October 28th: Her Majesty arrived at the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. The opening featured a vast array of leaders from around the world: 25 Prime Ministers, 10 Presidents, five Vice-Presidents, two Deputy Prime Ministers, one High Commissioner, a lord and the Sultan of Brunei.

“I have had the good fortune, together with Prince Philip, to attend many CHOGMs over many years. Their importance has always been in precise relationship to their relevance: always being attuned to the issues of the day, and always looking to the future with a sense of vision and practical action to match. In your deliberations over the days ahead, you have the encouragement of the whole Commonwealth to maintain this vital tradition.” – The Queen’s speech at the CHOGM

That evening, the royal couple attended a banquet at the Pan Pacific Hotel. For this occasion, the Queen busted out her best parure for the occasion – the brilliant aquamarine set in honor of the brilliantly blue ocean that surrounds Australia.

These gems are gifts from Brazil. The earrings and matching necklace were a Coronation gift to The Queen from the President and People of Brazil in 1953.

The stones sit inside a diamond and platinum setting. A few years later, in 1958, a bracelet and matching brooch were presented to The Queen by the Brazilian Government as a matching set to the original Coronation presents. Elizabeth then requested that royal jeweler Garrard complete the parure with a stunning tiara.

On Saturday, October 29th, the Queen and the Duke were feted by the Australian community during “The Big Aussie BBQ”. In the spirit of outdoor eating, the Queen topped off her elegant maroon and white outfit with a hat eerily reminiscent of a marshmallow. S’mores, anyone?

For Days 1 – 4, visit The Royal Representative.

Royal Round Up 11-9-11: The Queen in Australia; Harry Cautioned Over Girls; Charles Fights Back For Education is a post from: Anglotopia.net

We’re having a rough time of it here in Massachusetts after the snow storm. I am still without power, so I am sending out this Royal Round Up in a rare area with electricity.

Anne In Africa

Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Koroma welcomed the Queen’s daughter,HRH Princess Anne, at the start of her three-day visit to the nation.

The Princess visited Sierra Leone with her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, to celebrate the country’s 50th anniversary of independence. The Princess Royal met with several of her charitable organizations on the trip as and met with representatives of UK companies operating in Sierra Leone.

The Royal couple will then visit the Western Regional Command, Ghana Navy Base, and the Paramount Chief’s Palace in Accra, Ghana.

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NOT extensions – Kate’s Hair “Scandal”

Thanks to an elegant updo, the Duchess of Cambridge faced a media storm over a strange mark on her head.

During a dinner hosted by the Duchess of Cambridge – in Prince Charles’ stead – people noted that she had a long white mark on her scalp near her ear. Several people said that it was part of a hairpiece added to Kate’s locks. This led to speculation that Kate’s hair was thinning due to her low weight.

A spokesman for the couple’s office at St. James’ Palace said the scar was “related to a childhood operation”.

The spokesperson declined to elaborate, citing Kate’s privacy. Others have said that it was a field hockey injury that required stitches and was not, as the rumor had it, from the removal of a brain tumor.

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Royal Australian Tour Is A Smashing Success

Upon arrival in Australia on Wednesday, October 19th, Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh were greeted at the Royal Australian Air Force base by Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Governor-General Quentin Bryce.

Bryce curtsied as protocol required upon greeting the Queen, but Gillard chose to shake the Queen’s hand and give a slight bow. It caused quite a stir and Gillard was pegged as “rude”.

“If she isn’t a royalist, it’s not a matter of that; it’s a matter of paying courtesy to a queen, to the Queen,” said June Dally-Watkins, an Australian etiquette expert.

Gillard said she was told to do what she “was most comfortable with”.

Reports say that the lack of curtsey is merely a “storm in a teacup”. The Queen is said to be “delighted” with the warm reception she has received in Australia.

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Prince To Postpone Party-Hearty Ways

Prince Harry will be taming his late night trawling for an upcoming tour.

Harry is expected to undertake his first solo tour in 2012 – in honor of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee – representing his grandmother in the Commonwealth Nations.

This tour marks a “coming of age” for Harry as it prepares him for the eventual division of the current household, which he shares with William. Upon the completion of William’s military duties, the princes will each have their own household, representing the Queen in their own capacity.

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Queen’s Australia Trip May Overturn Succession Law

British Prime Minister David Cameron, with the backing of the Queen, has discussed overturning the ancient law of primogeniture in the United Kingdom.

Currently, if a first-born royal child is a girl, she will be automatically superseded in the line of succession if a male sibling is born.

With the marriage of Prince William to Kate Middleton in April, the topic of primogeniture has been a major talking point. It has been deemed out of date in the current modern era, and the Queen is set to support the change. Her Majesty needs the approval of Commonwealth countries to enact such a change, so the royal tour is the time to seize the moment.

David Howell, the Foreign Office minister for the Commonwealth, said that he believed the matter of royal succession “will be discussed and I believe approved at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Perth”.

Royal Round Up 10-26-11: Curtsey Controversy; Harry Set To Make Mark; Succession Law Countdown is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Queen To Be Great-Grandmother, Round 2

The Palace has announced that a new member of the Windsor family will be born in March 2012. The Queen’s eldest grandson, Peter Phillips, and his wife Autumn are expecting their second child, the second grandchild for Princess Anne and second great-grandchild for the Queen and Prince Philip.

Peter and Autumn already have a baby daughter, Savannah, born December 2010.

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Plans to Abolish Primogeniture Backed By The Queen

It is reported that the Queen is backing the coalition government’s moves to repeal the primogeniture law, in place for centuries. Primogeniture places male heirs ahead of their sisters in the line of succession, even if the sister is the elder sibling.

David Cameron, the Prime Minister, has been vying for the consent of fifteen Commonwealth countries to reform the law.

With the Queen backing the change, her visit to Australia this week and her attendance at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Perth will be crucial in gaining support of the reform.

Read More…

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Princess Royal Honors Wootton Bassett

Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, created the town of Wootton Bassett a “royal” town during a ceremony on October 16th.

The Princess bestowed the Letters Patent issued by the Queen to officially rename the town “Royal Wootton Bassett”.

Wootton Bassett is located in the south of England. It became famous for its military funeral repatriations, which passed through the town.

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Royal Round Up 10-19-11: Great-Granny, Part Deux; Goodbye To Primogeniture; Wootton Bassett Is Royal is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Olympic Gold Medalist Named Deputy Lieutenant of West Sussex

Ms. Sally Gunnell, a former Olympic gold medalist, has been appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant of West Sussex.

Gunnell won a gold medal in the 400 meter hurdles at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

Gunnell lives in West Sussex with her husband, Jonathan Bigg, and their sons.

“It’s such an exciting time to take up the role. It shows that it’s just not landowners and older locals who get the honour; it’s people who can make a difference and be a bit of a voice in the community,” she said.

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Queen Not Amused By Alleged Vogue Offer to Duchess

After the brouhaha over the exclusive wedding photos sold to Hello! by Peter and Autumn Phillips, Her Majesty is not likely to support a Duchess of Cambridge shoot for Vogue.

Perhaps concerned that Kate would appear as a mere clotheshorse – all style and no substance – the Palace intends to “86″ the deal, according to reports.

Not to worry, we’re not missing out, say some critics.

Mary, Queen of Frocks star Mary Portas declared that Kate is no style icon, anyway.

“Is that fashion? No,” Portas said of the Duchess’s outfits. “I think she’s done an incredible job globally, but I do not know how you can say she is a fashion icon. I just don’t get that.”

Rumors swirled that Duchess C would appear the cover of (American) Vogue, shot by Mario Testino, but the Telegraph reports that the Queen will not have any of that!

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New £5 Coin For The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

A new coin minted to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond jubilee – a celebration not seen since Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897 – has been issued by the Royal Mint.

On one side, there is a contemporary image of Her Majesty dressed in formal Garter Robes, wearing the Girls of Great Britain and Ireland tiara. On the reverse, a young Elizabeth at age 25 wearing a laurel crown alongside the Latin words Dirige Deus Gressus Meos – May God Guide My Steps.

The Official Queen’s Diamond Jubilee UK £5 coin is available now from the Royal Mint’s website www.royalmint.com priced at £12.99. The precious metal coins will be available in January 2012.

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Royal Round Up 10-12-11: Olympic Lieutenant; Vogue Offer to Duchess; Coin For Queen’s Jubilee is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Royal Stalker Found Dead Near Palace

American Robert Moore was found dead just outside Buckingham Palace – three years after his passing.

According to reports, Moore arrived in Britain in 2007. He sent hundreds of “strange and offensive” letters to the Palace, including pornography. Then he mysteriously disappeared.

Moore’s whereabouts had gone unnoticed by authorities until this past March, when someone from the parks authority walked through West Island, a small island in St. James’s Park near the Palace [see the location]. He discovered a skeleton lying next to some vodka bottles tied to a belt, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Moore is not the first royal stalker, but unfortunately, he will not be the last.

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Prince Charles’ friend ‘killed in helicopter crash after engine trouble’

Charles Stisted, 47, a friend of the Prince of Wales, was killed when his plane crashed in Mourne Mountains, County Down, Ireland a year ago.

Stisted was chief executive of the Guards Polo Club at Windsor. He was on his way back to England after a shooting party with friends at the Irish estate of the Duke of Abercorn. The Duke is also a good friend of Prince Charles.

A preliminary hearing was held today. The inquest is expected to take a week.

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Mike’s Story Unravelling

Reports have emerged saying that Mike Tindall, husband to the Queen’s granddaughter, misled officials about his wild night that led to a romp with a blonde woman.

A blonde woman, it should be noted, who was NOT his wife.

Tindall, who only married Zara Phillips a mere 2 months ago, was caught on camera kissing a woman during a drunken night out in Queenstown, New Zealand. Tindall was there for the Rugby World Cup.

“His recollection on his whereabouts that night was inaccurate and he has issued a statement apologising. He did not mean to mislead anybody,” said Martin Johnson, manager for the England rugby team for whom Tindall plays.

A drunk, raucous Tindall plus “free-for-all-Fergie” and “Air Miles Andy” can’t be doing anything good for the Queen’s blood pressure.

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Royal Round Up 10-5-11: Zara Marriage Woes; Stalker Found Dead; Prince’s Pal In Crash is a post from: Anglotopia.net

William wants to stay on as pilot

Reports say that Prince William wants to continue as a RAF pilot beyond 2013 when he is due to leave.

The prince has already stated that he tries not to think of the burden of kingship just yet. He is enjoying his time as a RAF pilot: “As I’m flying along in my helicopter through the mountains of Wales, I try desperately hard no tot think about it. That can wait until I’m a bit older.”

William revealed this as he spoke about his relationship with his royal grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, during an interview with author Robert Hardman.

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PoW Charities Lacking In Funds?

A G Carrick Ltd, one of four subsidiary companies under The Prince’s Charities Foundation, admits that “no charitable donations were made in the year” after looking through their accounts.

Read more…

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Princess Anne Is Not Amused

The Princess Royal is reported to be upset over the antics of her new son-in-law, footballer Mike Tindall. Tindall, the husband of Zara Phillips, was caught on tape flirting with a blonde woman at the Rugby World Cup. Zara was not present.

Zara and Mike married this past July in Scotland. Publicly they stated that the woman was a friend of both and they were just larking about. Some speculate, however, that not all is as well as presented.

Royal Round Up 9-27-11: Charles’ Charities; William Loves RAF Life; Anne Annoyed is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Mysterious Illness Befalls Dogs At Sandringham

A mystery illness has sickened nearly a dozen dogs at Sandringham, the Queen’s Norfolk estate. The woods of Sandringham are open to the public, and those who have walked their dogs on the grounds within the past few weeks reported that their animals were lethargic, ill with vomiting and diarrhoea.

The Telegraph reports that the reason behind the illness may be fungal spores and algae in the woods. As dogs are close to the ground and sniff the area around them, it is possible that they have inhaled the spores.

Warning have been posted on the grounds of the estate and on its official website.

People are referring to the sickness as “Seasonal Canine Illness”. It was first identified at the estate in 2009.

[Read More...]

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A Balmoral First For Catherine

William and his wife Catherine journeyed to Balmoral recently to stay with the Queen. They took up residence at Birkhall, Prince Charles’ home within the Balmoral estate. The Prince of Wales was away in London for the memorial service at the American Embassy for the British victims of the September 11th attacks.

It is the first time that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have been to Balmoral as husband and wife. They did not spend their honeymoon at Balmoral, breaking with royal tradition established by the Queen, Prince Charles, and Princess Anne.

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Prince Charles launches record-breaking art work for Diamond Jubilee

The Prince of Wales has put out a call to children between the ages of 4 and 16 to create a self-portrait. The portraits will be collected to be displayed as a large montage portrait of Her Majesty.

The image will then be projected on to Buckingham Palace in April 2012 (the Queen’s birthday month), just before the celebrations for the Jubilee in June.

Royal Round Up 9-20-11: Dog Disease At Sandringham; A Balmoral First; Kids Celebrate Queen is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Princess Beatrice graduates

Princess Bea put on her mortarboard bonnet last week and said farewell to Goldsmiths College.

The Queen’s eldest York granddaughter graduated with a 2:1 degree in history. The Duke of York and his ex-wife, Sarah, watched proudly as Beatrice entered the next phase of her life.

Congratulations to Princess Beatrice!

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Prince of Wales attends 9-11 Ceremony at US Embassy

Prince Charles was joined by his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, to remember the British victims of the September 11th attacks.

THe memorial garden in which the ceremony took place is dedicated to those who resided in the UK, UK Overseas Territories and those with dual nationalities. It was opened by the Prince’s sister, the Princess Royal, back in 2003.

Video

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‘The Queen’s Palaces’

The Queen’s Palaces’ premiered on bbc one last night. Fiona Bruce hosts this three-part series which focuses on the stories behind the history of British Royal residences.

See Michael Hogan’s review at the Telegraph.

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Royal Round Up 9-13-11: Beatrice graduates; Charles at 9-11 Ceremony; Queen’s Palaces is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Zara Doesn’t “Like” Facebook

It turns out that Zara Phillips is not a fan of Facebook.

Speaking to Tatler magazine, Zara says: “I think Facebook’s dangerous. So many people I know get into trouble with Facebook…I’d rather just pick up the phone. Or Skype.”

This is one hot young royal looking to stay low on the radar. Do you agree with Zara, or is she making a big deal? It’s all in how you use social networking…

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Wanted: Jeeves

The Queen is looking for a new butler, says the Telegraph.

The salary is low – only 15,000 GBP per annum – but the prestige associated with such a position carries great gravitas. Your accommodation is free, and you get to travel to all royal residences with the household.

For those of us who are extremely devoted royal historians, we jump at the chance, Ma’am! Where do I sign up?

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Bea’s Hat Still Hated

American designer Tom Ford wishes that Princess Beatrice of York would have worn a different hat to her cousin William’s royal wedding.

While Phillip Treacy is a much-loved milliner to the royals and aristocrats of Britain, Ford was not impressed with his design for Beatrice’s hat. He says she should have worn something more subtle. Instead, the hat “wore her” instead of the other way around.

Treacy himself defended Beatrice earlier this year when criticism was directed the princess’ way for her choice of headgear.

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Royal Round Up 9-7-11: Zara Dislikes Facebook; Looking for Jeeves; Bea’s Hat Hate is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Rebuilding After The Riots

After the Duchess of Cambridge’s trip to Birmingham to visit those affected by the riots, she has decided that she will take up worthy causes to prevent such traumatic events. In this she mirrors the sentiments of her father-in-law, Prince Charles, who expressed his desire to see that teens and young people are “exhausted” with extra-curricular activities. The Prince feel that this will keep kids out of gangs and out of trouble.

The Telegraph reports that Catherine “hopes to become the patron of a charity working with young people affected by the riots around the country”. The Prince of Wales continues his work with his Prince’s Trust Charity.

The Prince’s Trust was created by Charles in 1976, and it will invest £2.5 million to help rebuild communities that were destroyed.

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Windsor Castle electricity to be supplied by River Thames turbines

The Queen and her advisors have decided to give hydro-electric turbines a go. It has been announced that the Thames will now supply the Castle’s energy.

In 2009 plans to “power” the castle by renewable energy were halted but now Royal advisers think the time is right embrace renewable energy.

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Prince of Wales congratulates the Canadian Youth Business Foundation

Prince Charles issued a video today congratulating the Canadian Youth Business Foundation for 15 years of training young entrepreneurs across Canada.

The CYBF is a prominent member of The Prince’s Youth Business International, founded by Prince Charles in 2000. The Prince’s Youth Business International is a worldwide network of non-profit initiatives helping young people to start and grow their own business and create employment.

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Royal Round Up 8-30-11: Rebuilding After The Riots; Windsor Turbines; Charles Cheers Canadian Entrepreneurs is a post from: Anglotopia.net

Queen Elizabeth II honors Nashville man

Dr. Ian Brick of Nashville, Tennessee, has been appointed an officer of the Civil Division of the Order of the British Empire. He visited England earlier this summer with his family for a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.

The honor was created during the First World War by King George V to honor those who served in non-combatant or civilian capacities. Originally, the Order included only one division; however, in 1918, soon after its foundation, it was formally divided into Military and Civil Divisions.

Dr. Brick thinks that the nomination for the medal was the result of the work he and his wife, Katherine, did in the twinning of Belfast and Nashville as Sister Cities in 1996. He does not know who made the nomination, however.

Dr. Brick – now retired – was also a pharmacologist who also once worked on AIDS research. He donated over $1 million dollars to Queen’s University in Ireland, his alma mater, and worked to raise money for their new library.

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Harry Visits Salford

Prince Harry made a trek to Salford, near Manchester, to meet with those emergency crews who confronted rioters and looters. He went specifically to the the Eccles fire station to personally thank the crews.

Harry’s brother and sister-in-law, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, visited the gutted Birmingham. Their stop was the Summerfield Community Center where they met with emergency services staff.

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Welsh Gold On The Cards For Harry’s Future Wife

He’s definitely getting a Christmas card this year! Ed McDermott, the managing director of Gold Mines of Wales and a former schoolmate of the Duchess of Cambridge, donated some Welsh gold when he heard the Royal Household had next to naught.

Hearing that the creation of the Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding band used the majority of the Royal Household’s wedding ring gold on hand, McDermott gave Sir Alan Reid, the Keeper of the Privy Purse, a 1oz nugget.

Having split up with Florence Brudenell-Bruce, the lingerie model, Prince Harry shows little sign of following his older brother up the aisle. Sir Alan Reid, the Keeper of the Privy Purse, has, however, already made one useful preparation for Harry’s eventual bride.

The Queen, the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and the late Diana, Princess of Wales also had rings of Welsh gold.

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Sentbale’s New Board Member

In yet more Harry news, the prince’s charity, Sentebale, has recruited former IBM chairman Larry Hirst to join their board of directors. Hirst will not be the only new face in Sentebale: Nigel Cox, a former audit manager and described as a top accountant, also joins the crew.

Royal Round Up 8-23-11: Irish-American Honored By The Queen; Harry and The Cambridges Visit Riot Areas; Welsh Gold Found For Harry’s Bride is a post from: Anglotopia.net