The Royal barge the Spirit of Chartwell
The Diamond Jubilee Thames Pageant on the Thames Continue reading »
The Thames Diamond Jubilee River Pageant
04 Monday Jun 2012
Category Archives: British Royal Family
The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee: celebrations & events
02 Saturday Jun 2012
Posted in British Royal Family, Events, Royal Ceremonies
Weekend highlights include:
:: Saturday, June 2
The Queen goes to Epsom Derby, between 1pm and 5pm.
- Afternoon weather in Epsom: 17C, bright, southeasterly breeze
:: Sunday, June 3
The grand river pageant on the Thames, with the flotilla underway between 2 – 5.30pm. Street parties are also to be held across Britain.
- Afternoon weather for central London: 11C, heavy to light rain, northeasterly breeze Continue reading »
Support for monarchy is at all time high
23 Wednesday May 2012
The Queen visits the Chelsea Flower Show (22 May 2012)
A new poll shows that 80 % of Britons want to remain subjects of the Queen, with just 13 % in favour of living in a republic, the lowest proportion for at least 20 years. More than 1,000 British adults polled last weekend were asked: “Would you favour Britain becoming a republic or remaining a monarchy?” Support for the monarchy is highest among the over-55s, at 88 %, but even in the 18-24 age group 73 % favour the current system, with just 17 per cent wanting a republic and 10 % undecided. Conservative supporters are most likely to be monarchists – 96% prefer Britain to have a monarch rather than become a republic compared to three quarters (74%) of Labour supporters and 84% of Liberal Democrats.
A spokesman of Ipsos MORI said: “Since the Royal wedding the publicity the Royal family has received has been phenomenal, particularly for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge”.
Source Ipsos MORI ©
Monarchs Galore!
19 Saturday May 2012
Tags
British Royal Family, Diamond Jubilee, European royal families, King Michael of Romania, Queen Elizabeth II, South-East European Monarchs
King Michael of Romania, a relative of Queen Elizabeth sits immediately to her right, while on her left is King Simeon of Bulgaria. Continue reading »
King George V Jubilee Paper Mache Crown, 1935
05 Thursday Apr 2012
Tags
British Royal Family, European royal families, George V, King George V Silver Jubilee, Royal ceremonies
Jubilee paper mache panels of all designs and sizes were made at Pytram’s factory at New Malden in rediness for the Jubilee celebrations. One of the huge crowns, in paper mache, shown in its finished state.
The Queen’s address to Parliament, 20 March 2012
20 Tuesday Mar 2012
Queen Elizabeth II
History links monarchs and Parliament, a connecting thread from one period to the next. So, in an era when the regular, worthy rhythm of life is less eye-catching than doing something extraordinary, I am reassured that I am merely the second Sovereign to celebrate a Diamond Jubilee.
As today, it was my privilege to address you during my Silver and Golden Jubilees. Many of you were present ten years ago and some of you will recall the occasion in 1977. Since my Accession, I have been a regular visitor to the Palace of Westminster and, at the last count, have had the pleasurable duty of treating with twelve Prime Ministers.
Over such a period, one can observe that the experience of venerable old age can be a mighty guide but not a prerequisite for success in public office. I am therefore very pleased to be addressing many younger Parliamentarians and also those bringing such a wide range of background and experience to your vital, national work.
The Crown Jewels: Symbols of the British monarchy
20 Tuesday Mar 2012
On 29 March 2012, a new display of the crown jewels will be revealed at the Tower of London to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen. This year’s display will feature new lighting and film footage to showcase the Crown Jewels in their full glory. Continue reading »
Queen Elizabeth II Attends Services at St. Paul’s Cathedral
08 Thursday Mar 2012
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh were attending a service of dedication and thanks for the Order of the British Empire, at which 2,000 of those holding the honour were present.
Queen Elizabeth II leaves Service for the Order of the British Empire held at St. Paul’s Cathedral in her cape and crown. (Photos: Getty Images)
New Book: Elizabeth the Queen by Sally Bedell Smith
28 Saturday Jan 2012
Posted in Book Reviews, British Royal Family, Events
From the moment of her ascension to the throne in 1952 at the age of twenty-five, Queen Elizabeth II has been the object of unparalleled scrutiny. But through the fog of glamour and gossip, how well do we really know the world’s most famous monarch? Drawing on numerous interviews and never-before-revealed documents, acclaimed biographer Sally Bedell Smith pulls back the curtain to show in intimate detail the public and private lives of Queen Elizabeth II, who has led her country and Commonwealth through the wars and upheavals of the last sixty years with unparalleled composure, intelligence, and grace.
In Elizabeth the Queen, we meet the young girl who suddenly becomes “heiress presumptive” when her uncle abdicates the throne. We meet the thirteen-year-old Lilibet as she falls in love with a young navy cadet named Philip and becomes determined to marry him, even though her parents prefer wealthier English aristocrats. We see the teenage Lilibet repairing army trucks during World War II and standing with Winston Churchill on the balcony of Buckingham Palace on V-E Day. We see the young Queen struggling to balance the demands of her job with her role as the mother of two young children. Sally Bedell Smith brings us inside the palace doors and into the Queen’s daily routines—the “red boxes” of documents she reviews each day, the weekly meetings she has had with twelve prime ministers, her physically demanding tours abroad, and the constant scrutiny of the press—as well as her personal relationships: with Prince Philip, her husband of sixty-four years and the love of her life; her children and their often-disastrous marriages; her grandchildren and friends.
