The Royal Representative

Archive for the ‘Media’ Category

We are leaving for our English honeymoon immediately after the wedding. I still can’t believe it! I am so excited.

As a British royal historian, it’s nice that I actually get to visit the UK after ten years in the business. Being able to physically encounter the sights and sounds of the country will make my studies and presentations to my audience far richer. I hope what I experience makes the site and the blog even better than before. Of course, all photos will be posted here for your enjoyment… or just for your curiosity.

As wedding preparations continue (and as work picks up) I will not be able to post here as much. I will be happy to give a few updates once in a while though, especially if there is something in royal news that makes me want to rant, debate, discuss, or all of the above.

Wedding countdown: 5 weeks

Nice Work!
Relations between Sarah Ferguson and the Royal Family have thawed so much that she has enjoyed a week’s holiday at Balmoral. Sarah was even asked to stay on longer than planned. Good on you, Fergie!

Who Spilled?
The Duke of Edinburgh has drawn up “secret plans” (Daily Mail’s words) for a private funeral at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, and has declined the offer of a State service. A unique feature of Prince Philip’s service – codenamed ‘Forth Bridge’ by Palace officials – is that the Duke, the oldest serving Royal consort in British history, has requested his coffin be borne by the same gun carriage used to carry Victoria at her funeral in 1901.

If it’s code-named and referred to as secret, then why is it in a newspaper?? I’ve never understood why the media does that. Also, I don’t want to think of Philip dying yet. It’s depressing!

Amanda Platell of the Daily Mail has given Prince William some useful career advice: “Get a proper job”.

Ms. Platell, if you remember, was the columnist who roundly criticized Princess Beatrice’s 18th birthday party. She was in a snit about the Princess and her guests dressing up as Victorian belles and gentlemen, declaring their outfits a “disaster”.

Complaining about someone’s themed birthday party doesn’t strike me as a “proper job” itself, but I do think Amanda Platell’s opinion is actually valid in this case. She has simply added yet another voice to the masses of people - monarchists included - who decry princely playboy behavior. William’s stints in the Army are not viewed as serious or earnest enough, and this is exactly what I had hoped to avoid. Instead, he should have returned to university.

I wrote a letter to Charles’ advisors, saying that Prince William should be seen furthering his education and taking his future role more seriously. Being a part of the military is admirable, but since William is the direct heir to the throne, he won’t see much action. It does help the prince gain an understanding of what goes on in military life and he gets to meet all kinds of people, but it is political science and international relations that are crucial right now. At least in my opinion.

There is so much turmoil in the government and fuss surrounding the monarchy that William needs to learn how to survive it all. The Queen can teach him quite a bit, but he also needs an official diplomatic education to deal with the cut-throat tactics out there.

My response from the advisors? Barely a paragraph. Clarence House treated me as if I was a sixteen year old girl who had written a gushy fan letter about William instead.

Slightly insulted, I realized that I would just have to sit back and watch the Prince’s official life roll out before the media for better or for worse. Not like I really expected them to take my ideas on board or invite me over for tea and a brainstorm, but I thought their letter would be a bit more… responsive. Instead, I got the old brush-off. Queen Noor’s people were a lot more friendly!!

Oh well… at least I’m not going to be on the royal blacklist for an article entitled “Wills must get a job or he’ll end up like Charles”. You mean the same Charles who has the Prince’s Trust, Duchy Originals, etc. etc.? Yeah, please don’t end up successful, William!

Thanks to The Monarchist
The Daily Mail Article in full

Read Andrew Cusack’s article about the newly crowned King George Tupou V of Tonga and his sartorial prowess. Andrew is, as usual, extremely eloquent.

Prince Charles hates bland, and does his best to ensure that his organic products - and the method with which they are created - are unique and environmentally friendly. Mass production and chains horrify His Royal Highness.

Charles predicts with glaring terror that small farmers may be “driven off their land [by global conglomerates] into unsustainable, unmanageable, degraded and dysfunctional conurbations of unmentionable awfulness”.

With that mouthful, the Prince proclaims that “If that is the future, then count me out.”

For more, click here for the Telegraph’s article.

Here’s the latest attempt to make bland the British nation. Your own government, like here in the US, is going to stab you in the back.

[Ed. - Just to let you know - before I’m sent thousands of flaming emails of hatred - that yes, I know that there are people who don’t want the monarchy for one reason or another, and they would be more than happy that the Labour Government is pushing for such a move. The reason I say “stabbed in the back” is because not only are monarchists being betrayed, the head of state betrayed, but in the end, those of you who are republicans will be betrayed too. The politicians are doing it even now. These people want to be rid of a distinct British icon, at times viewed as specifically English, and they will play on republican feelings for their own end.]

The upcoming DVD review will be Days of Majesty, part of a series of three DVDs which are entitled The Royals Collection/Queen Elizabeth II. For my book review, I will cover Queen and Consort/Elizabeth & Philip: 60 Years of Marriage.

It’s hopeless some days… your video just won’t go the way you want it to.

I don’t mind sharing those moments though, and I hope you get a good laugh at the “blooper” reel provided at YouTube.

Though he has not updated his blog for almost a year, Rafal Heydel-Mankoo, the noted honors expert, returns via CTV Newsnet.

Mankoo is interviewed via telephone from Edinburgh about the recent May wedding of Peter and Autumn Phillips, which can be found here.

The latest audio is up and running at RoyaltyNow!. It seems that when I promise a show on a specific time and date, something happens that forces me to postpone it. I apologize for the delay of this show, as I feel it is extremely interesting and is a great topic for discussion.

Britain’s Real Monarch was an historical documentary shown on Channel 4 on January 3, 2004, and again on November 20, 2004

Hear it now at Your Royal Information Network.