Royal Round Up 5-4-10: Celebrating Edward; Philip As God; Prince’s Charity in Trouble

Simon Heffer on Edwardian Britain

Simon Heffer recently defended the memory of King George V in a documentary. Heffer is now putting in a good word for His Majesty’s father, King Edward VII.

Edward was Queen Victoria’s eldest son, and as Prince of Wales he was largely known for his weaknesses for gambling, women, and the finest foods. To be fair, Edward – also known as Bertie – was caught in a catch-22: his imperial mother never allowed him to see state papers or have any real responsibility. That vacuum was precisely what the fun-loving Bertie didn’t need.

The issue that would haunt Bertie throughout his life – or at least the Queen’s – was the death of his father, Prince Albert. The Prince Consort contracted typhoid and died in the winter of 1861. Queen Victoria went into hysterics and blamed it on the Prince of Wales’s louche lifestyle. Had Bertie been less frivolous, she reasoned, Albert would not have had to lecture him and worry so much. In the Queen’s eyes, all that worry weakened Albert and caused his early demise.

Once Victoria passed away in 1901 and her son ascended the throne, everything changed. Bertie’s free and easy spirit made the royal family seem less stiff. The funereal gloom that hung over the court lifted, and colorful royal ceremonies made their way back into national life. Bertie was a natural crowd pleaser, as was his stylish, gentle wife Alexandra.

The king was also an active political figure, pushing the limits of constitutional monarchy. He created the Entente Cordial, the signing of which marked the end of the traditional mutual disdain between Britain and France. Heffer praises the king and says that “the King was not the silly, fornicating sybarite that has been his caricature in history.”

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South Pacific Prepares for Princely Deity

When someone is being officious, the popular retort is, “Who died and made you God?”

Apparently you can’t say that to the Queen’s husband. The 88-year-old Prince Philip actually IS revered as a god, at least on the island of Tanna. The Yaohnanen people of this tiny island nation believe a man descended from one of their spirit ancestors will return next month. The myth is that he was white, and while he was “away”, he lived in a palace. This allegedly proves that Philip is their god and, as he promised during a visit in the 1980s, he is due to “come home” this summer for his 89th birthday.

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Head of Prince’s Charity Caught in Fraud Scandal

The Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health said their closure had been brought about as a result of a fraud investigation at the charity.

All operations within the organization have been stopped. A man and a woman, both in their early 50s, were arrested on Monday on suspicion of fraud and money laundering.

HRH The Prince of Wales established the foundation in 1993. It was Charles’ vision that holistic treatments would be integrated alongside traditional mainstream medical practices. Their mission was to treat individuals not just physically, but mentally and spiritually.

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