August Annotations

“Baby”
By Susan Flanders

She was the baby of the family and her story is one of my favorites. This is a picture of Princess Beatrice on her wedding day, wearing her mother’s wedding veil. Her mother, of course, was Queen Victoria. Beatrice was the only daughter—and there were many—to be given the privilege of wearing Victoria’s own veil of honiton lace.

It might seem at times that whenever you read about the royals, Queen Victoria’s name pops up somehow. That’s because Victoria really was considered the “grandmama of Europe.” That’s because her relatives—and then her children and grandchildren went on to assume many of the thrones of Europe.

But back to Beatrice…the baby. As much as Victoria moaned about being pregnant and loathed it—in the end, the pregnancy and birth of baby Beatrice was to begin one of the fulfilling relationships of her life. It all began on a chilly night in December, 1861. It was the night that young Beatrice’s father died in the Blue Room at Windsor. But this just wasn’t any father…this was Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s adored–and I mean adored–husband. The night he died, the agonized and grief stricken Queen, picked up her youngest child and carried Beatrice to her own bed, laying with her throughout the night, holding Albert’s nightclothes and clutching their youngest child. There was something special about Beatrice…in some ways she was the nearest link to Albert. Beatrice comforted her.

The baby had been a happy and carefree child, full of enthusiasms–but, as Victoria’s world crumbled on that terrible night, so would Beatrice’s personality. Never again would relatives see the confident, bubbly personality of the old Beatrice. After that night it was buried away forever, and she became guarded. I’m sure it was partly shock–seeing her distraught mother and family–but it was also partly in response to the years of mourning that went on in the daily life of Victoria’s court…crying, hushed voices, tension, melancholy, melodrama.

Each elder daughter took her turn in looking after her mother. They acted as liaisons, secretaries and precious shields, keeping away the world. Eventually, Beatrice rightfully assumed her turn. Because Beatrice was the baby, there was no question that she would stay in this needed position. Whilst her other sisters married, marriage for Beatrice could not be a consideration. Quite frankly, Queen Victoria simply couldn’t do without her. And that was that.

Beatrice lived a quiet life, in rooms near her mother. She was at the Queen’s side from morning till night, reading her letters, taking dictation and notes, keeping callers at bay and keeping her dear mother company. Beatrice was very good at it too. She naturally deferred to her mother’s authority and her life was filled with all of the things that a loving companion would naturally do. She was protective, caring and genuinely adored her mother and enjoyed being with her, for the most part. She accompanied her from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle, then to Osborne House and we can’t forget Balmoral Castle in Scotland. For the most part they traveled to and from the latter three homes as Victoria was much too nervous to spend too much time in London.

But there always comes a time, when…well, things change. And things changed in a big way for Beatrice. In her late twenties and already a confirmed spinster, she met Henry of Battenberg at a large family event in Darmstadt. She fell in love instantly with the very handsome Battenberg…all the Battenberg brothers were known to be very handsome. And that was that. She could be as stubborn as her mother when it came right down to it. Well, she was her mother’s daughter, wasn’t she?

She was absolutely determined to marry the man of her dreams and I must say—Queen Victoria was even more determined that things would stay just the same. There would be no marriage, the Queen decreed. She simply couldn’t do without her—she would not survive it.

But, as you saw above, the Princess was in her wedding dress and so, did it happen and if so, how the heck did Beatrice pull it off? When I tell you, you won’t believe it. We’ll leave that story for another day. See part 2: “Baby Grows Up” at: http://writerofqueens.blogspot.com

——–

Susan Flanders is the creator of Writer of Queens and Queen Victoria Revealed
Susan has studied Queen Victoria since 1988 and has most of her memoirs, letters and biographies. To Susan, Victoria wasn’t the widow in black, tucked away in a castle, she was much, much more. Visit Susan’s blogs to know more and to read part 2: “Baby Grows Up“.

It Doesn’t Take An HRH To Be Prince of My Heart
By Jerramy Fine, author of “Someday My Prince Will Come”

I was only 6-years-old when I fell in love with Peter Phillips. Like always, I was up to my knees in royal library books (I was a royal-watcher from a very early age!) when I found him in the Windsor family tree.

At that point, my #1 career goal was to be a princess, so when I saw that Peter had been born in 1977, just like me – I knew it was a match made in heaven. Peter was the only eligible male royal on the planet that was my age – and to my 6-year-old self, that made him my true love.

Back then, I had no idea that marrying Peter wouldn’t automatically make me a princess. My precocious young mind was only just learning about the rules of hereditary titles, and it never once occurred to me that as the son of a princess, he wouldn’t be a prince.

Yet Peter was the first royal baby to be born without a title in over 500 years. Little did I know that royal titles only pass through the male line, and since Peter is a descendant of Princess Anne, he was not entitled to become an HRH. (It is widely believed that the Queen offered to make Peter a prince, but Princess Anne declined the proposal, not wanting her children to be unnecessarily burdened. Moreover, Peter did not inherit a courtesy title from his father, because Captain Phillips also declined a title from the Queen upon his marriage to Princess Anne.)

But as I grew older and as my royal crush grew stronger, none of this newfound hereditary knowledge made the slightest bit of difference to me. The heart wants what the heart wants – and my teenybopper heart wanted the Queen’s oldest grandson.

That said, I wonder if by opting not to bestow her children with titles, if Princess Anne actually spared Peter (and his younger sister Zara) from anything. Both Master Peter and Miss Zara will always be “royal” and that is something neither can ever escape. They will always be direct descendents of the monarch, they will always appear in royal family photographs, and they will always have royal-fanatics like me writing about them on royal blogs! I’m not sure life would be any more difficult, or if they would be treated anymore “normally,” if they merely had different prefixes attached to their names.

Look at Diana, Princess of Wales. After her divorce, she was stripped of her HRH, yet as Earl Spencer so aptly observed at her funeral, Diana “needed no royal title to continue to generate her particular brand of magic.”

The same can be said for Charlotte and Andrea Casiraghi. They may be title-less (at their mother’s request) just like Peter and Zara, but these Monegasque beauties still grace the pages of the royal magazines month after month. So does Kate Middleton for that matter – and she doesn’t have a single royal parent to her name!

In this day and age, an HRH is increasingly irrelevant. What matters is one’s proximity to the monarch, one’s place in the line of succession and most importantly, how much the world’s media loves you.

But as Peter has learned, your place in the line of succession can change – or be removed entirely. Back when I found Peter in that library book, he was 7th in line to the British throne. But with the subsequent births of HRH Princess Beatrice, HRH Princess Eugenie, and Lady Louise, Peter has since moved to 10th place in the line of succession. (Please note how Prince Edward also tried to give baby Louise a life of “normality” by removing her HRH.)

When the Countess of Wessex has her next baby, Peter will move to 11th place. But this won’t last for long – for when he marries his Catholic fiancée Autumn Kelly (not only will my heart be broken!) but Peter will have relinquished his succession rights forever. As the Act of Settlement 1701 prohibits anyone who has married a Roman Catholic from succeeding to the throne, only Peter’s children will be able to retain their rights to succession. And after all this “normality,” I wonder if Peter will bother to spare them from the “burden” of an HRH.

Someday My Prince Will Come will be published January 10th.
www.jerramyfine.com

© 2007 Jerramy Fine

Diana – by Sarah Bradford

Sarah Bradford is once again brilliantly articulate in her writing and is sensitive to Diana’s personal story. Diana wasn’t the nicest person in the world, but Bradford gently reminds us of the Princess’ unhappy childhood and how she became emotionally-stunted. It is a story that arouses deep pity for Diana but makes no apologies for her terrible behavior.

It was Diana’s need to be accepted and loved – things which she felt she lacked in her own family – that drove her to perform her camera-ready acts of kindness. In person, Diana worked her charm to draw people to her, trying to please so that they would like her just as much in turn.

Diana’s friends would tell you that she was a kind woman, but if you told her something she didn’t want to hear, she froze you out for years. She was unforgiving as much as she was needy. Such was the temperamental and complex nature of Diana Spencer.

Bradford also keeps her portrayal of the royal relationship even-handed, but makes an important point that, while Prince Charles was no saint, his reactions to his wife stemmed mostly from the fact that he did not understand her inner problems. Diana’s type of emotional instability was never seen before in the Royal Family. Everyone held their stiff upper lip and gave themselves to the country rather than express their emotions, an act that was viewed as being selfish.

In return, Diana did not understand the ‘Country before self’ mantra of the Royals and reacted by behaving outlandishly.

From the crisis of her parents’ divorce to the chaos of her own marriage, the Princess’ journey to sort herself out was rocky indeed. Sarah Bradford lays bare the painful truth of all that occurred.

Turbulent Beginnings

Edward John Spencer, Viscount Althorp and heir to the Spencer Earldom, was a jovial man known casually as ‘Johnnie’. In private however, he drank far too much and had a terrible temper to boot.

That temper was not made any better by the fact that he had two children and neither one was a boy. He and his wife Frances had been longing for a son for many years, and the result of the efforts were two daughters instead: Sarah, the eldest, and Jane. Johnnie would fly into a drunken rage and beat Frances, blaming her for not being able to produce the all-important male heir for the Spencer line. To add insult to injury, Johnnie would then send Frances to have humiliating medical exams to try and ‘cure’ her of the inconvenient tendency to have female children.

When Frances finally did give birth to a boy, the baby’s lungs were so underdeveloped that he died. Johnnie was not pleased. With great effort they tried again, and in July of 1961 Diana made her debut.

When Frances delivered Diana, she was disappointed in that she knew she would have to try yet again for a son. Three daughters were not good enough for Viscount Althorp. Diana herself became well aware of the importance of primogeniture within her family, and admitted that she knew she ‘was supposed to be the boy’. Her feelings of inadequacy took root.

Finally, Charles Spencer, their last child, was born. By this point the Spencer marriage was in tatters, and by the time Diana was six years old, Frances left. She began an affair with a married man named Peter Shand Kydd, the heir to a wallpaper company fortune. Diana, now bereft of a mother and taking the brunt of the stress, was left to look after her little brother Charles. Diana’s sisters Sarah and Jane were at boarding school most of this time and mercifully avoided a lot of the acrimony.

Frances would eventually marry Peter Shand Kydd after he divorced his wife. Happily, Shand Kydd proved to be a kind stepfather to Diana and her siblings. That happiness was a ray of light in a chaotic world where Diana felt pulled in opposite directions by both of her parents, who tried to outdo each other for the children’s affections. She already suffered from their tumultuous divorce, and now the subsequent custody battle was to begin.

Both Frances and Johnnie fought long and hard to gain full access to the children. The bids for sympathy began, to which Diana was a witness. She became schooled in the ways of playing on emotions.

Frances sued Johnnie for divorce, an action that earned the rancor of her mother, Lady Ruth Fermoy. Ruth was vicious when it came to cultivating connections with nobility, and her snobbery knew no bounds. She knew what it meant to marry well, and to leave a titled husband for a commoner was abhorrent.

Ruth was of modest birth, and as she grew older she showed a great aptitude for music. She had a promising career as a pianist and may have made a name for herself, but it was a talent that she would willingly set aside to marry Edmund Maurice Roche, the 4th Baron Fermoy. The much older Fermoy was a Conservative Party politician and, most importantly to Ruth, he was titled.

As a mother, Ruth was just as anxious that her daughters marry well. Enter Johnnie Spencer, whose name was even nobler than that of Fermoy. Ruth was quick to orchestrate a meeting between her younger daughter Frances and Johnnie, who would one day become Earl Spencer. It has even been rumored that many years later Ruth, with her friend Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, arranged the marriage between Prince Charles and her granddaughter Diana.

When Frances divorced Johnnie, Ruth was furious and let her voice be heard in testimony against her daughter in the Spencers’ child custody battle. Ruth herself blamed Frances for “bolting” from her family. The testimony was a deciding factor, the Spencer children would be permanently removed from their mother’s custody. The fact that the four would remain with their father in the regal residences of Park House and Althorp Estate pleased Ruth. Frances moved away with Peter Shand Kydd to the Isle of Seil in Scotland.

Diana and Charles were affected the most. The little boy cried endlessly for his mother in the night, and poor Diana didn’t know what to do, wondering if she had caused it all somehow.

What Diana did learn was that familial ties are volatile. Frances never forgave Ruth, and their relationship became non-existant. Later, Diana’s relationship with her mother proved to be almost as brittle.

A few years later, Johnnie would anger his children by courting Raine, Countess of Dartmouth. Unlike Peter Shand Kydd, the still-married Raine incurred the wrath of all of the Spencer offspring.

Like Ruth Fermoy, Raine was a social climber. She was inspired by her mother Barbara Cartland’s flamboyant romantic ideals, and even though she had obtained the title of Countess through her marriage to Gerald Dartmouth, she was never quite happy with it. Earl Spencer was charming and his title was even more so. A marriage to him meant that Raine would be a “Countess”, rather than a “Countess of”. This seemingly insignificant difference to us was of great importance to Raine – it was higher on the social ladder.

Diana never liked her and did her best to ignore her while Sarah, the most fiery and outspoken sister, made a point to tell the press just how unhappy they were over Raine’s intrusion into their lives. Johnnie’s marriage to Raine was viewed as a betrayal to his children, and the relations between five of them would never be the same again. For many years they did not speak to their father.

Several years later in 1992, Johnnie died. His death occurred during Diana’s separation from Prince Charles and their ensuing media battle. She was devastated, but thankfully the Princess had reconciled with him before his passing. The same could not be said for Diana and Frances.

Frances and Diana’s latest quarrel had been about an interview Frances had given to Hello! Magazine in May 1997. Diana accused her mother of disclosing personal details about her and refused to speak to her, returning many of Frances’ letters unopened. This estrangement would be permanent. Diana died a little over three months later in the Paris car crash.

The Ultimate Triumph for the Spencers

The irony is that Diana, the little girl who felt so inadequate, was the one who made the biggest impact in her family as well as on British history. In fact, she had triumphed where the first Lady Diana Spencer (or rather, the powerful Sarah Churchill) had failed.

The first Lady Diana was the daughter of Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland. She, too, had a scheming grandmother in the form of Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough. Diana was pushed to marry Frederick, Prince of Wales, who was the son of King George II. The Prince was indeed willing to marry Diana since the Duchess had provided over 100,000 pounds for her dowry. However, Sir Robert Walpole got wind of this and stepped in to prevent further intrusion into the royal house by Sarah Churchill.

The Diana Spencer of the 1980s married the future king, Prince Charles, and became the Princess of Wales. She was the highest ranked lady in the land aside from the Queen, and even gave birth to two sons in a row, Princes William and Harry. It was a coup for the Spencers and for Diana herself, who was fast becoming a media darling loved the world over.

By this time in her life, though, the Princess was in no emotional state to deal with actual relationships. She suffered over her failure to be the best in Prince Charles’ eyes, and her fractured friendships were being switched on and off as easily as a lightbulb. To feel appreciated, Diana began to live vicariously through the public and the media.

The appearance – or rather, reappearance – of Camilla Parker-Bowles into royal life had made Diana feel betrayed all over again. Prince Charles was hers, just as her father was hers, only this time Diana felt that she was able to fight for him and win. When she couldn’t, she fell apart.

She constantly accused Charles of an affair, and Charles responded to the allegations as ridiculous. Camilla was his friend, nothing more. However, as we heard the Prince admit in his 1996 interview, he did engage in a relationship with Camilla after his marriage to Diana had broken down. In return, Diana did all she could to win the public’s sympathy.

Things began to spiral out of control for the sad Princess, whose vengeful and immature nature overtook her. She couldn’t comprehend how Camilla, who was Charles’ age and actually shared his interests, could be “better” to him. During this time she slept with several different men to get back at Charles. Many of the men were married, and although she knew it was a hurtful thing to do after seeing the results of both of her parents’ affairs, Diana carried on anyway. She succeeded in upsetting the wives of Will Carling, Oliver Hoare, and arousing suspicions in the Mannakee marriage. These activities were brought to light by journalists, and the public became critical of Diana.

Diana became angrier and more suspicious. She began to accuse Charles of having an affair with Alexandra “Tiggy” Legge-Bourke, nanny to their sons William and Harry. She then turned her fire on the innocent Tiggy, who had already irritated Diana by being so close to her sons and referring to them as “my babies”.

It had been alleged that the Princess was so furious with Tiggy that she started a rumor about the nanny being pregnant and subsequently miscarrying. The ‘father’ was named as Prince Charles. At a staff Christmas party, Diana got her chance to accuse and hurt the innocent girl directly. She sidled up beside her imagined rival Tiggy and cooed, “So sorry to hear about the baby,” and slid away. It was an astoundingly cruel and frighteningly premeditated thing to say. Tiggy instructed her lawyers to take action unless the allegations were withdrawn. They were.

The End Draws Near

Tantrums, confusion, and loneliness hounded Diana until the end of her marriage. She then met Dodi Fayed after her divorce and began a passionate affair. He seemed to lavish on her the right amount of attention she needed. Dodi had been engaged at the time of his meeting with Diana, but he callously dumped his fiancée for the princess. Both Dodi and Diana were labeled needy, and seen to be a good fit for one another.

As the summer holiday with the Fayeds ended, Diana and Dodi stopped in Paris to wine and dine, trying to desperately escape paparazzi. As they were leaving the Ritz to return to Dodi’s apartment for the night, they were pursued by photographers on motorbikes. They never made it back to the apartment, and Diana would not see her sons the next day as scheduled. The hectic and controversial life had come to a close.

It was a lonely life that Diana led, highlighted by the elation of being photographed and being charitable to those in need. She inspired the masses, but it was an inspiration founded on desperation, loneliness, and manipulation. Never has a woman been so admired yet so pitied.
written by: Mandy
© 1998-2007 Mandy’s British Royalty
I Rate It: 4 stars (out of 5)

King Charles & Queen Camilla: Into The Unknown - Review

Her smile is wide as she steps from the car. Her blonde hair glistens in the flashes of popping camera bulbs. Making her way inside to an official function, she grins at her Princely husband who so obviously adores her. Hundreds of cameramen struggle to get the best shot of her elegant evening gown and superb jewelry.

It was Camilla.

Some people still can’t believe that the above describes the former mistress of the Prince of Wales. Since becoming Charles’ wife in 2005, it seems that Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, is handling the stardom of royal life easily. She looks happy, Charles looks happy, and all seems right in their world. She is the wife that some say the Prince should have had from the start. Instead, the pair have joined together later in their lives. The past is the past, and now they venture into the unknown.

What’s It All About?

This documentary discusses it all - how Camilla was the 5th wheel in the Wales marriage; how she’s perceived as a genuine member of the royal family; the Queen’s feelings about her; and no, she’ll never replace Diana.

It reiterates all the debates, especially the critical issues facing the monarchy and its supporters: Will Camilla accept the mantle of Queen? What will the actual court of King Charles and Queen Camilla be like, versus Her Majesty’s? Will Charles be as concerned about the Commonwealth as his mother is now?

The Known

With Charles, whether you like him or loathe him, you know exactly what you’re getting. The Prince has been in the public eye all of his life for better or worse. Charles allows his opinions to be known (farming, organic food, architecture), talks about why he takes the stand that he does, and his Prince’s Trust and other works speak for themselves.

We’ve even had access to his private life, and even then his actions proved he was more goofy and in love with Camilla rather than some sinister Machiavelli as some would have us believe.

In an interview for “King Charles & Queen Camilla”, Richard Palmer of the Daily Mail notes that Charles was in a “damned if he did, damned if he didn’t” situation regarding Camilla. I agree. The Prince took a stand when it came to love though, and you have to hand it to him: he loves Camilla and he won’t let precedence, the government, or the Queen stop him. It was a lot to go up against, but by God, he did it.

Camilla is “known for hunting rather than caring” the narrator surmises. A cutting remark to say the least. To me, Diana was so good with the public because she desperately needed attention. Camilla is probably just as nice to people, but the fact that she isn’t starved for publicity shows a more well-adjusted personality. Camilla is someone who seems better suited to the high pressure situations of royal life.

Palmer’s observation of Charles’ position between a rock and a hard place could easily be applied to Camilla. Her round of royal duties will be compared, inevitably, to HM and other women in the family (Diana of course, but Anne immediately springs to mind too). If Camilla takes on too much, she’s obviously trying to oust Diana’s memory. If she takes on too little, she will be mocked as being unfit to fill the Queen’s shoes.

What to do?

Watch this DVD (alone or in its set called “Royals Today”) for a nice escape into royal drama. Drink some tea, have a bicky, and enjoy yourself.

I Rate It: 3.5 stars (out of 5)
Buy Prince of Wales: A Biography OR

Mohammed al-Fayed and the Crash Controversy

Courtesy bbc.com

Trevor Rees-Jones told the media, “If I even thought he [Henri Paul] had one drink, he wouldn’t have driven that night.” [source]

So said the bodyguard that was assigned to Diana and Dodi Fayed that ill-fated evening. Rees-Jones was in the employ of Harrod’s owner Mohammad al Fayed - Dodi’s father - and was the only person to survive the crash in the Point d’Alma tunnel in Paris.

Rees-Jones revealed a lot in that simple sentence. Now, he has been tucked away, back to his everyday normal life, fully recovered save for occasional aches. He lives quietly, away from the press and public. To keep him from speaking further, the claim is that he suffers from trauma-induced amnesia. This could very well be true in some aspects. Look at what the poor bloke went through. However, he was coherent enough to state the obvious - Henri Paul was not drunk.

If you see the video footage of Diana talking with Dodi and Henri before setting off, you can tell that Henri Paul is steady on his feet, and looks competent. Trevor Rees-Jones’s statement backs this up. Rees-Jones was the bodyguard, his job was to protect Dodi and Diana. Why on earth would the man let a drunk driver operate a car, then sit in the passenger seat without his seatbelt? As a bodyguard, Rees-Jones does not wear a seatbelt, because he needs to maneuver within the automobile. He certainly doesn’t seem like a suicidal type of person.

Henri Paul was not drunk, but what was the cause of the crash? Speed was obviously a factor. The paparazzi were berated for taking pictures and causing the Mercedes to speed away in the first place. Then, at the scene of the crash, people believed them to be sensation seekers, snapping away without adequately assisting the injured people. Some took pictures, certainly, and one sought help. But what about the others?

The so-called blood alcohol level found in Paul may have been something that a “photographer” was responsible for. Were they ALL actual photographers, or were some more sinister? The driver’s body, following logic, would’ve had a non-existant blood alcohol level. Suddenly it turns out he had a level of almost 4 times the legal limit after an autopsy was performed. His body could’ve been tampered with either at the scene or between the accident time and an autopsy. So I believe that this accident was really no accident at all. Something was purposefully done.

Are the right people being held accountable however? Mohammed Al Fayed blames Prince Philip and calls him racist, but that’s just mere convenience.

“You’ll get slitty eyes” by being in China, Philip says, among other anecdotes. Things that an eighty-five year old man raised in the colonial era says out of ignorance, not genuine malice. For the Harrod’s boss, this makes the Duke an easy target. Easy, but not correct. Philip is an excuse for Fayed to vent his long-held frustrations over being denied British citizenship.

Al Fayed, with his well-known crooked payoff of British MPs, has most likely made many enemies. Enemies that would not think twice about harming someone’s family. That’s the world he moved in, and his son paid the price.

Unfortunately, King Harrods trod upon the wrong toes, and it came back to haunt him. It is going to take time to find out which enemy struck down his son and the princess. Hopefully his racist hatred for the British Royal Family will not cloud his judgment much longer, and he can find the real assassins.

Written by: Mandy
(c)2006 www.mandysroyalty.org

The Royalist Interview: Her Majesty’s 80th Birthday Stamp Cover

Modern Monarchy: Where Does Britain Stand?
European Monarchies Point The Way.

It seems that the new Crown Princesses of Europe are all the rage. Princesses Letizia, Maxima, Mette-Marit, and Mary are admired by millions. Their fame is spreading all across the Continent, and even overseas. They are charming, elegant, intelligent, and… commoners.

People love a good romance, and when a beautiful girl marries a prince, it is the news of the century. And not only has it happened once, it has happened four times within a couple of years. Now they all have gorgeous babies to further their dynasties, accomplishing the (now) second most important aspect of a royal marriage: heirs. The top priority? Love!

It seems that Europe’s future kings are marrying for love alone and are more than willing to find the right girl outside royal circles. Today’s Crown Princesses of Europe have come from fairly basic backgrounds, but their warm personalities, maturity, and ability to relate to regular people are what seals the deal on their suitability; no title required.

With these things in mind, what do we envision when we think of the future of the British monarchy? In this day and age, it seems that leadership abilities and organizational skills acquired from higher education, along with critical people-skills from a career, is paramount.

The public was pleased when Prince Edward married Sophie Rhys-Jones, a public relations strategist. Lately, it’s Kate Middleton who has many people wondering if she will be a royal wife. Will’s university educated and press savvy girlfriend has been seen as a strong contender for the title of Princess, owing much to her fantastic relationship with The Queen.

So it seems that bucking royal tradition happens even in the steadfast United Kingdom. Girls outside the aristocracy are deemed just as suitable as a royal or blueblood. It’s not what title they have, it’s how well they can support the Monarchy and keep the positive ideals of the British royal tradition alive.

Below, we look at the wives of the Princes of Spain, Norway, Holland, and Denmark respectively and analyze their strengths and circumstances. Which of the following types would we choose for William?:

Crown Princess Letizia, Princess of Asturias and wife of Prince Felipe of Spain, obtained a master’s degree in audiovisual journalism. She then became an award-winning journalist and television presenter. Letizia had even been married once already, but she and her husband divorced in 2000. The Roman Catholic Church allowed her to marry Crown Prince Felipe because her previous marriage had been a civil ceremony.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, whose relationship with Prince Haakon had met with some controversy due to her out-of-wedlock child and wild past, nobly claimed responsibility for her actions. After her marriage to the Prince, she attended the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. She was also accepted as an intern at NORAD, the Norwegian government’s development organization. At the time of this writing, the Crown Princess is attending lectures at the faculties of arts and social sciences at the University of Oslo.

Crown Princess Maxima of the Netherlands was a similarly controversial choice for an heir to the throne, though it was no fault of hers. Maxima’s father Jorge had been accused of cooperating with a military junta in Argentina during a bloody dictatorship. Thousands of people had been murdered, and the question of this man being at all attached to the Dutch Royal House brought about many debates. But Dutch parliament allowed the union of Maxima and Willem to take place, and even Queen Beatrix came out in support of her son’s fiance. Maxima’s father, however, could not attend her wedding.

A former investment banker, Maxima graduated in economics from the Universidad Católica Argentina in 1995 before working for companies Argentina, New York and Europe. She speaks Spanish, English, and now Dutch - no easy feat!

Crown Princess Mary of Denmark attended Hobart Matriculation College for two years. She completed her studies at the University of Tasmania, obtaining Bachelors of Commerce and Laws (BCom.LLB) degrees. She later qualified for professional certificates in advertising and marketing. Prior to her marriage, she worked for DDB Needham in Melbourne, Young and Rubicam in Sydney, and Microsoft Business Solutions in Copenhagen. She also taught Business English at a language school in Paris!

Today’s world demands that the leaders of countries serve the people to the best of their ability, and that they should know how to reign effectively. Everything they do is criticized, scrutinized, and laid bare for public consumption. Not only will a well-educated, worldly consort will do the monarchy a world of good, but so will a well-educated heir and king. Prince William should take time to learn about political science, languages, and business. Art history is a very classical, timeless piece of knowledge to have, but in a highly developed and fast-moving world, the Prince - and the monarchy - needs to be on top of things. Now is the time!

Written by: Mandy
© 2005 MandysRoyalty.org

Unusual Nuptials:
The Prince and Camilla To Wed!

The betrothed have known each other for years and have been each other’s confidante through tough times. They both know for certain that they have found their soulmate in one another. They also share the same sense of humor and interests. The bride-to-be wears as her engagement ring a touching family sentiment: it is a ring that once belonged to her fiance’s beloved grandmother. It is all sweet and romantic, for certain, but this is not your usual wedding story.

Then again, what can you expect? This is no ordinary couple. The groom is Prince Charles, 57 years old and heir to the throne of England. The bride is Camilla Parker Bowles, long reviled by much of the public for her relationship with Charles after his marriage to Diana Spencer had failed.

What Went Wrong?

Charles was once seen as a dashing and sporty young prince. He easily charmed lots of girlfriends with the hope to win one as his wife. It was no easy task. Each girl knew what responsibilites lay ahead should they accept any marriage proposal. A few wanted to be with Charles, but failed the test of decorum and discretion needed of a British Princess. Others simply shrugged off the idea of marriage to him.

“I already have a title. I don’t need another one,” was the icy response to such a question by Lady Wellsley, a descendant of the ‘Iron Duke’ of Wellington.

Out of all of the companions the Prince had had, one woman really did love him. She wasn’t worried about the pressure of being his one and only. That woman was Camilla Shand.

Once a serious girlfriend of the Prince of Wales, Camilla wondered whether she would be seen as a possible bride. Her father was a Calvary officer in the Royal household, and her mother was a member of the Cubitt family who built most of Pimlico and Belgravia. And Charles was completely besotted with her. Approaching his thirtieth birthday, he knew that he was expected to soon find a wife and provide an heir to the throne. He thought he had found “the One” in Camilla. They had the same tastes, interests, and humor, and loved each other very much.

The Prince was nervous however. The Monarchy had certain rules in regards to the suitability of a future Queen. She had to be free of scandal, and if possible, a virgin. She should also be discreet, duty-bound, and be able to deal with the inevitable spotlight. The public worried him most of all. What if they did not accept Camilla as a future queen? She was pretty, but wasn’t exactly beautiful or glamorous in any way. She was also a commoner who did indeed have a past. What to do? He had to marry and get it right the first time. There was no divorce for the heir.

Charles pondered the situation, and carefully considered what he should do. She did not seem to be right for the public image of royalty, but at the same time he loved Camilla more than anything. They would be perfect together, and surely she would have fit in beautifully with the Royal Family in private: she hunted, rode horses, loved the outdoors, and wasn’t a bit pompous.

However, Charles dithered and left the possibility of marriage up in the air. Instead of making his move, he left his beloved and went into the Royal Navy. He wrote to her and proclaimed his affections, but the young Camilla soon decided that she was not going to marry the Prince. She wasn’t exactly lacking for admirers, and subsequently dated several men. In 1973, she wed cavalry officer Andrew Parker Bowles, a longtime suitor. They had two children together: Tom, now 30 and Laura, 25. Charles stood for each as godfather, crushed though he was. He did not understand why she didn’t wait for him. He was used to things happening in his time in his way, and for Camilla to go off and marry someone else hurt him.

The Prince of Wales, one of the most materially privileged men in the world, was now lacking the most important privilege of all: true love of a soulmate. His delicate sense of self was further damaged.

Regardless of the Prince’s mood, his father, Prince Philip, would continue to harangue him. He was almost thirty.

“Get on with it Charles,” the Duke of Edinburgh would say, referring to his son’s search for a wife. “Or there won’t be anyone left.”

With that ringing in his ears, coupled with the recent death of his mentor Lord Mountbatten, Charles’ emotional state was worse than before. He felt helpless, and his chart for his life now seemed undecipherable. He at least had his wonderful granny to love and comfort him, and the Queen Mum was more than happy to attend to the search for a wife for her favorite grandchild. In time, her well-meaning search would prove to be disasterous for him.

Lady Ruth Fermoy, a friend and lady-in-waiting to the Queen Mother, had a granddaughter named Diana Spencer. She was eighteen years old, very jolly and full of life. Diana gave Charles the impression that she, too, enjoyed the outdoors and going to Scotland for holidays like he did. Even though there was a huge age difference between the Prince and Diana, the impression she made on Charles was a good and lasting one. Temporarily Camilla slipped from his mind.

Diana was thrilled and a bit awed that she had Charles’ romantic attentions. She had grown up playing with his younger brothers, Andrew and Edward, who were her age. Charles had always been the impressive elder brother, and she just child. Now, she was being considered a serious marital contender.

Lady Diana had a distinct advantage in the contest to becoming Charles’ bride. Her family, the Spencers, were one of the most aristocratic families in Britain. They had been wealthy sheep farmers from centuries past with five lines of descent, mostly through illegitimate children, from King Charles the Second. This pedigree linked her to the Stuart dynasty, Bonnie Prince Charlie, George Washington, and many other historical figures. The fifth Earl Spencer was even Viceroy of Ireland under Queen Victoria.

An aristocratic Protestant from a wealthy family, Diana also had no public scandal attached to her name and no lovers ever publicly ‘outed’. Charles had finally found his wife. In February of 1980, Charles proposed to Diana, and that summer they publically announced their engagement. Diana was to be the Princess of Wales, and sported a large oval sapphire surrounded by diamonds as her engagement ring. The Windsors were overjoyed, as was Diana’s family.

The Queen was extremely happy over the betrothal, having known the difficulties that Charles had in finding the best partner for himself and the Monarchy. Her Majesty had known Diana as a child and her father, Johnnie Spencer, had been an equerry to King George VI and the Queen herself. The Queen Mother was also very jubilant, even though it was not the original Spencer girl she had planned on. All seemed well, and a happy married life seemed to be around the corner for the Prince of Wales.

Pre-wedding ‘Jitters’

Diana realized what she was letting herself in for. Admirably, she tried to put the best face on it all, but her nerves were weakening. She was going to be put under enormous pressure, and could simply no longer do what she wanted to do with her own time. For a nineteen-year-old, this must’ve been unbearably difficult to come to terms with, especially when her soon-to-be-husband was not always around to help calm her. Palace staff were dispatched to help her learn about her new role and place in the monarchy, but Diana had already decided that she was not going to go through with any of it.

“It’s too late to back out now, Duch,” said her sisters, calling her by her nickname. “Your face is already on the tea towels.”

Diana was locked into the marriage. If it had been an ordinary man, perhaps she could’ve changed her mind and went her separate way. This was the future king she was marrying, and could not escape. Diana knew she and Charles would not work out, yet they had to marry each other since the world knew about them dating. When it came down to brass tacks, he either had to propose or drop her, as anything further would have been seen to compromise Diana’s reputation. Since she seemed suitable, Charles wanted her to be his wife. She was starry eyed at the thought of being a princess. But now the reality set in.

The emotional and mental instability that had plagued Diana for years was becoming more evident. Back when the thrill of the chase made her happy and outgoing, her emotional problems were able to be hidden. Charles had no idea who he was marrying. Now her nerves were on edge and depression set in. Courtiers were not sure what to do with her, but felt that her mood swings and sudden strange attitudes were only pre-wedding jitters. Diana tried to convince herself that is all it was, too, but she knew in her heart that she was not right for Charles or this way of life.

The only one that had personal knowlege of Charles’ preferences, habits, and tightly scheduled life was Mountbatten. Perhaps if he had seen Diana, he would have turned Charles in another direction, knowing that they wouldn’t be compatible. The marriage of a 30 year old with a rigorously scheduled existance to a 19 year old who was used to getting her own way would make a volatile situation. But with Philip pushing for Charles to “get on with it”, the Queen’s anxiousness that her heir would end up like the Duke of Windsor, the Queen Mum’s preference for an aristocratic insider, and no Mountbatten to combat it all, the Prince felt forced to choose Diana.

Starting Over

I feel that now is the time to start fresh. It has been an appropriate amount of time to start anew. Why can’t Charles be allowed happiness the way Diana was with Dodi Fayed? Diana and Dodi were always shown as the glorious, happy couple who wholeheartedly deserved each other. He liked to impress and please, and she loved attention. They were a match made in heaven. Diana seemed to be perfectly content spending time with him and involving her sons in their new life. All this when Dodi’s father was well-known for corruption and buying Harrod’s only to - in Mohammed Fayed’s words - “p*ss on the British”. The public seemed happy with the Di and Dodi coupling regardless.

Charles never had a string of women during or after his marriage like Diana had men. He knew he had lost the one woman he had ever loved in Camilla, and after he and Diana’s relationship died out, Charles set out to regain what he had let slip away. The Prince and Princess should have properly divorced in the eighties and went on with their separate lives, but at the time it just did not seem comprehendable for an heir to the throne to do so, and neither Charles nor Diana thought there was a way out.

Now, Charles should be allowed his marriage to Camilla. The Prince has made several concessions and has jumped through hoops in order to make his new marriage acceptable to the public. To forgo a church wedding; to accord to Camilla a lesser style than that to which she would be entitled as his wife; and his delay of a full seven years after Diana’s death. Most importantly, William and Harry like Camilla and her children, and accept her as their father’s permanent partner. They are glad that Prince Charles has finally found happiness. We should be, too.

© 2005 MandysRoyalty.org

Harry Blunders Big-Time

Prince Harry dressing up in a Nazi costume is the stupidest thing I have seen in a long time. I am furious that the prince is THAT insensitive. His grandmother the Queen has just spent time and effort visiting Germany barely two months previous to establish better understanding between the two nations. And to FINALLY, in the 21st century, lay to rest the Nazi joke that has been made of Germany. Yes, they had a horrible dictatorship at the time. Yes, Hitler was a bastard to the tenth power, but generations of politics and people have come and gone, and life begins anew.

Secondly, the Windsors had their named changed from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha to disassociate themselves from German roots, because during WWI, the German government and the Kaiser were the evil doers. During WWII, Edward VIII was forced off the British throne because he and his brash wife were Hitler-loving Nazi supporters. The monarchy has not, and never will, put up with that kind of mindset.

The choice of costume is also displaying gross insensitivity for the victims of the Holocaust, the soldiers of his own country who gave their lives to defeat Nazism, and the Queen herself. Harry needs to sit down with someone and be directed. No spoiling, no pussy-footing around, no allowances for foolish or reckless behavior. Where were stern Scottish nannies like Claire Knight when he was little? Where is Charles now? The Prince of Wales may have been forced by the public’s irrational love for Diana to bow to her demands on everything. However, no matter what the public thinks of the “People’s Princess” and her offspring, Charles must put a firm hand in the situation and put this boy straight. The public will not castigate you for showing your son the right way to go.

Into the military he goes! No more parties, no more trips abroad, no more photography sessions in Africa. It stops here.

©2005 MandysRoyalty.org

Official Stance on Diana & Charles: Analyzing the facts and dealing with them

Family and Personal Backgrounds

Lady Diana Spencer was from one of the oldest aristocratic families in Britain. She was raised with luxury and privilege, brought up within the royal circle. The Spencers were known for their royal associations and were the epitome of a Court family: Diana’s father was an equerry to HM King George VI and the present Queen, and Diana’s great-aunt had been a Woman of the Bedchamber to the Queen Mum. Diana played with Princes Andrew and Edward when they were young, as they were all the same age. She and brother Charles even made Christmastime visits to Sandringham to see the Queen.

When Diana came of age, she took some money she had inherited and moved into her own apartment in London with some flatmates. She lived the unburdened bachelorette life in complete anonymity with her friends.

Prince Charles, on the other hand, could not lead his life however he wanted. He had to construct a life for himself within the confines of the Monarchy and in the public eye. The Prince was indeed raised in privilege, but due to his position as heir to the throne, he was responsible for more than just his own personal wants.

In order to “toughen” Charles, his father sent him to spartan boarding schools that tested one’s mental and physical stamina to the limit. Charles, who never really took to that sort of life, instead leaned towards cultured interests such as art, books, and gardening. When he was older, he came to appreciate the physical tests that came with serving in the Royal Navy: how to navigate ships, fly helicopters, and most importantly, he learned how to work in a team. He got to know many people outside of his circle of aristocracy.

Charles, as the crown prince of the people of the UK and Commonwealth, has to be informed, intelligent, and publicly aware. He has had many admirable accomplishments in projects concerning foreign affairs, the environment, and Britain’s role on the world stage. Diana wasn’t raised to think of the nation, and it was hard for her to adapt to that line of thought once married. Thus the problems started…

Love and Marriage

Many years ago, Charles fell in love with Camilla Shand. He couldn’t decide whether he should marry her as she wasn’t, as some have said, an ideal candidate for a future queen. She had a “past”, didn’t have model good looks, and was a tomboy. Charles debated his feelings of love and considered whar the public’s and establishment’s feelings would be towards her. He had been raised with the purpose of serving his country, so many important decisions like marriage had to be made with the country and monarchy in mind. Would they accept Camilla? Charles returned to the Navy and decided to think about it a bit more. While he was away, Camilla decided to marry Andrew Parker-Bowles. Deeply saddened, the Prince realized his marriage prospects would no longer include the former Miss Shand.

Charles decided to focus anew for finding an ideal woman. It was not easy. There didn’t seem to be any girls who would give up their wealthy, free lifestyle for that of a life of tradition and duty. Poor Charles; in his mind their feelings were justified. Who would want to marry him? He was a daunting prospect to the Ladies of the realm, not a desirable one.

Then he met a girl who seemed to be a great match - Sarah Spencer. She was a strong willed, outgoing girl with an impeccable pedigree. She was the daughter of Earl Spencer, the aforementioned equerry to HM King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II.

They dated for a time, but then one day Sarah publicly announced that she would never marry Charles. She pointedly told the press she would never marry someone she didn’t love, “whether it was the dustman or the king of England”. The hint was dropped. Crushed, Charles moved on.

Charles felt that things were a bit hopeless. Soon that view would be turned around with a meeting in a hay field. He struck up a friendship with Sarah’s younger sister, Diana, while out at a shooting party. She had had a girlish crush on Charles’ younger brother Andrew, who was her age, and once thought she might marry him. Now Diana was starting to wonder if perhaps it was Charles who might be ‘the One’.

Even though the Spencers and Windsors had been closely tied together for many years, the heiress and the Prince were only just beginning to know each other on an adult level. They began talking, and eventually the nineteen-year-old Diana would find herself as the top candidate for Princess of Wales and future queen. She had gone hunting with him, listened to him speak of books he’d read, and fished on the River Dee. Diana had made it seem that she was really involved with all sorts of outdoor and intellectual pursuits, just like Charles. She desperately wanted him to like her, and wanted to be a fairy tale princess with a charming prince for a husband.

Diana was excited to think that she had bested her elder sister for the Prince of Wales’ affections. Her natural sense of entitlement and competitiveness gave her a rush of exhilaration at this thought. She was also giddy with the tidal wave of publicity she was receiving. She was ready to marry Charles, and when presented with a tray of rings, picked out the biggest engagement ring she could lay hands on. Diana was going to be the Princess of Wales!

Charles was over the moon that both his family and the public approved of Diana. He felt he had made a wonderful match. Soon, the facade that Diana had built up around herself would begin to crumble.

As the wedding day approached, the princess-to-be started to lose her nerve. She suddenly realized what was going to be expected of her. Courtiers and other members of the Royal Household had instructed her on various aspects of royal life and the position of Princess of Wales. They gave her books about previous Princesses of Wales, namely Alexandra and Mary, and helped Diana to set up her own office.

Daydreams were over; the work was beginning. Diana realized that her own wants had to be placed aside most of the time, in order to help represent Queen and country. She panicked. She wasn’t ready to accept that royal duties would dictate her schedule. She was also really bored by Charles and his interests, his friends, and the Monarchy itself. She couldn’t go on pretending, but she was stuck now. Invitations were sent, dresses being made, and tea towels created. Unlike the other aristocratic girls Charles dated, Diana was not aware of what a royal wife would have to do, strangely enough, and therefore did not know how to decline before getting in over her head.

Throughout the rest of their married life, Diana would fight Charles and the Royal Family. She wandered away from her husband and started hobnobbing with celebrities, lunching in fashionable restaurants, and spent thousands of pounds on her personal appearance: coifs, makeup, manicures, and personal trainers. Then there were Diana’s astrologers, vacations, and colonic irrigations. Charles and the Queen were not amused by her excessive spending habits, nor were they keen on her abuse of royal privilege and the media. They tried to get her to curb her spending on such flights of fancy, but Diana refused to listen. She felt that she deserved every luxury she could find, and for a while the Queen allowed her everything but the kingdom itself in order to keep her happy. Diana was, after all, the mother of the Queen’s grandsons, and the mother of the future king. Her Majesty let Diana run the gamut for a while in the early years, believing that she was still adjusting to royal life.

Funny, it looked like Diana had a pretty royal, aristocratic life already by being born a Spencer. Yet she still had to “adjust”? After a while, I think the Queen got fed up and realized that Diana was simply not going to be mature enough to handle royal life and protocol. She was heartbroken.

Charles, in the meantime, had no idea what to do with the mood swings and illnesses that Diana had and decided to turn to a friendship with Camilla Parker-Bowles in order to seek advice. He had never known anything like bulimia before. He had been sweet and caring towards Sarah Spencer when she revealed she had anorexia, but even then he still did not fully understand those types of illness. No one in his family, nor in his group of friends, had ever experienced anything like it before, so it was quite foreign to him.

At first, Charles believed Diana’s mood swings needed to be helped. He, too, decided to just let Diana do whatever she wanted until she adjusted. Princess Margaret, the Queen’s own sister, also agreed with this tactic. Bolstered by his aunt, Charles called in the best psychoanalysts and psychiatrists he could find as well. Then he realized that he could not get her to settle into the royal routine happily no matter what he did. He tried for years to work things out with Diana, especially with their children in mind. In the end, Charles eventually gave up. Diana had even started taking lovers, and so Charles decided that if she could not stand him that much, he would take up a relationship elsewhere, too. Since he could not establish a normal relationship with his wife, he re-established one with Camilla, a longtime friend and a woman his own age who shared many interests. He loved her deeply, and stuck by her.

Diana and Charles drifted further and further apart. She traveled extensively, promoting charities everywhere and giving the perfect photo opportunities to journalists. For swanky events, she dressed in in low-cut gowns. She even telephoned journalists as a “friend of the Princess” so that they would turn up at the most unexpected places, splashing her photos across the newspapers the next day. Diana tried to outdo her husband and the Queen to show them that she would not be held back by rules and traditions. She wanted things her way, and she wanted to be the star.

The Queen advised Charles and Diana to divorce. It was no good trying to keep up appearances. The public knew all too well that Diana was bored to tears by royal life and Charles. She said as much in the Panorama interview and her book. The marriage came to and end in 1996.

Knowing that the worst was behind them, Charles and Diana were actually able to mend some fences and remain on good terms. As the mother of his children, Charles knew Diana was an important part of their family life and wanted things to be as cordial and happy as possible to give William and Harry stability.

Diana started dating Dodi Fayed, son of notorious business tycoon Mohammed al-Fayed. She kept up with her charities and various commitments, and spent as much time with her sons as possible. She frequently included them in her yacht trips with Dodi and the Fayed family. Having Dodi bolstered Diana’s confidence and sense of security, and with that came her acceptance of Camilla as Charles’ companion.
Meanwhile, Charles’ and Camilla’s relationship continued to blossom. The Prince of Wales promoted his organic food “Duchy Originals”, spoke out in support of UK farmers, and devoted much of his time and energy into “The Prince’s Trust” for the youth of Britain. Things were going smoothly between the prince and princess, but horrifically everything came crashing down on the night of August 31, 1997 when Diana died in a fatal car accident in Paris.

Today, Charles is working as hard as ever, but puts in a lot of time with both of his sons. He always remembered how lonely he felt when his parents traveled extensively, so Charles makes sure that he is in constant contact with his sons. He is always there for them, especially when he had to help William and Harry adjust to life without Diana.

The boys have also accepted Camilla as a part of their father’s world. Even though their mother has passed away, they still have a life to live and time is short - no time for petty insecurities and grudges. They both realize that Camilla makes their father happy, and upon meeting her they found her to be a pleasant person. The princes were friends with her children also, and they all get along very well.

Looking back, Charles should never have married Diana, because he was expecting someone who would help him in his duties and support him. He should’ve realized that a nineteen year old might not be on the same level as a thirty year old. However, because the public and the monarchy wanted someone without a past, who was pretty and an ideal princess-figure, Diana seemed the most suitable.

Camilla will not be another Princess of Wales nor queen. Public mood dictates that there has already been one Princess of Wales for the Prince, and there shall not be another. Camilla is a central figure in Charles’ life however, and should there be a marriage, she will act in the capacity of consort regardless. We must accept her, as even Diana herself did.

©2004 MandysRoyalty.org