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Royal Escape Artist: Empress Matilda

With each creeping step, she could feel the ice unsteady beneath her feet. Trumpets blasted on every side—the soldiers were bearing down but at least the noise covered the sound of her ragged breathing. Matilda pulled the heavy white hood over her face. Draped in white from head to toe, she was nearly invisible in the dark, snowy December night. A few more feet and she would be across the frozen river on her way to safety.

When Henry I’s only legitimate daughter left England at age eight, she probably never imagined that she would one day be sneaking out of Oxford. Sent as a child bride of the German emperor, Matilda might never have returned, but two tragedies intervened: her husband widowed her and her only legitimate brother was killed in the accidental sinking of the White Ship. Henry recalled the beautiful Empress Matilda, now in her twenties, to England, and made the English and Norman lords swear allegiance to her as his heir.

If it had been the 17th century, Matilda would have enjoyed a peaceful reign as the only contender for the throne. In the 12th century, however, hereditary right only counted if you enforced it. Matilda’s claim had some weaknesses. First, the English did not like the idea of a woman ruler. Second, her second husband, Geoffrey of Anjou, was hated by the English who feared he would become king. (Empress Matilda despised him too—she resented being forced to marry the son of a mere count.) Third, Matilda was in France in December 1135 when her father died and she failed to immediately set out for England.

It was an opportunity that her cousin Stephen, younger son of her father’s sister, seized with alacrity. Stephen raced from Boulogne and braved the winter weather to cross the English Channel. Initially rebuffed by Matilda’s illegitimate half-brother, Robert of Gloucester, he eventually made his way to London with the support of the powerful Archbishop of Canterbury who crowned him on Dec. 26. Stephen’s brother, the Bishop Henry of Winchester, had control of the royal treasury and willingly gave Stephen access to it. The barons, some encouraged by bribes, swore fealty to Stephen.

Matilda’s closest supporters were not ready to surrender her right. Her maternal uncle, the King of Scotland, took advantage of the situation to invade England from the north. From his county of Anjou, her husband attacked the neighboring Normandy to assert her claim there. For almost four years, Matilda worked to raise an invasion force. Finally, in September 1139 she and her half-brother, Robert of Gloucester, made their move against Stephen, whose initial popularity had worn thin through his poor judgment, even his brother, Bishop Henry, had decamped.

Robert and Matilda landed at Arundel which was controlled by Matilda’s stepmother, Dowager Queen Adeliza. While Stephen’s men surrounded Arundel Castle, Robert slipped away with assistance from Bishop Henry and returned to his own territory in Gloucestershire. Stephen found himself in the uncomfortable position of laying siege to two women. Thinking that Matilda had little support, Stephen allowed his brother to convince him to let her leave. Bishop Henry then escorted her directly to Gloucestershire. This was her first “escape” in what would be many tedious years of civil war.

Robert and Matilda solidified their position and captured Stephen. By spring, Matilda was preparing for a summer coronation in London. But, the Londoners, fed up by her tax demands, and forced her to escape from the city on the eve of her crowning. In the mean time, Stephen’s wife, the popular Queen Matilda, raised an army and began fighting the increasingly unpopular Empress Matilda. Queen Matilda captured Robert. Now, each Matilda held a valuable prisoner. The Empress had no choice but to make an exchange.

Empress Maud
Having lost the support of Bishop Henry, Empress Matilda besieged him at Wolvesey in September, but the “King’s Queen” blockaded her. The Empress’s starving forces fought their way out and Matilda fled from place to place, eventually arriving at Devizes. Relentlessly pursued by the Queen, the Empress was desperate to return to her brother’s stronghold at Gloucester. She affected her escape by having herself tied to a funeral bier. Thus, disguised as a corpse, she was carried unnoticed into Gloucester.

Stephen re-established himself in London and was re-crowned. Robert and the Empress appealed to her husband to bring reinforcements from the continent, but Geoffrey was more interested in his increasingly successful efforts to wrest Normandy from Stephen’s control. Without this critical infusion, Matilda continued to struggle.

By the next December, Stephen once again had her under siege, this time at Oxford Castle, with no intention of repeating his Arundel mistake. Refusing to surrender or be captured, Matilda then made her most dramatic escape, draped in white and creeping across a frozen river.

For several more years, Stephen and Matilda battled inconclusively until Robert’s death in 1147 effectively lost her cause. Matilda went to Normandy to co-rule there with her husband while her teenaged son Henry pursued her English claim although he also lacked sufficient strength to overpower Stephen. In 1153, the period called “The Anarchy, ended with the unexpected death of Stephen’s beloved son and heir, Eustace. Lacking the will to fight, the King named Henry as his heir.

Content to allow her son to usurp her claim, Matilda returned to England when Henry peacefully succeeded Stephen a year later.

The Royal Romance Report - Sunday November 29th, 2009

How did the Queen make a 110 year old subject's day? Should Prince Philip wear socks with sandals? Does Princess Eugenie play for the other team?

Listen to this episode to find out.

Publications mentioned

Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother - The Official Biography by William Shawcross

Elizabeth, The Queen Mother by Hugo Vickers

Hello! Canada Weekly No 151 23 November 2009
Hello! Canada Weekly No 152 30 November 2009

Websites mentioned

World of Royalty

Tune in LIVE to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday December 6, 2009 at 9:00PM EST.

The topic will be: After 62 years of marriage, a look back at the Queen and Prince Philip's marriage.

© Marilyn Braun 2009

The Royal Report for Sunday November 22nd, 2009 - A look back at Canadian Royal Tours Part 2

Which heir to the throne shook 24,855 hands during his visit to Canada? When and where did the Queen make her first televised broadcast? What will I miss most about Charles and Camilla's visit?

Listen to this episode to find out!

Publications mentioned

Hello! Canada Weekly No 150 16 November 2009
Hello! Canada Weekly No 151 23 November 2009

Website mentioned

The Royal Forums - Royal Jewels Thread

Resources used

Canada's Queen by Patti Tasko

The Queen's Tour of Canada Souvenir Edition by Trevor Hall

Fifty Years the Queen Arthur Bousfield & Garry Toffoli

Charles and Diana visit Canada by David Levenson and Trevor Hall

Royal Canada - A History of Royal visits since 1786 - by Trevor Hall

Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family in Canada (Golden Jubilee) - Stewart House Publishing

Tune in LIVE to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday November 29, 2009 at 9:00PM EST.

The topic will be: The Royal Romance Report - November edition

© Marilyn Braun 2009

Charles and Camilla's Canadian Royal Tour - Day 10 & 11

On day 10 in Canada Charles and Camilla arrived at the National War Memorial for Remembrance Day in Ottawa. The couple attended the ceremony, along with the Prime Minister and Governor General to take part in a ceremony to 'remember and honour the more than 1,500,000 Canadian men and women who have served, and continue to serve, their country during times of war, conflict and peace.' Afterwards they headed to CFB Petawawa where they visited soldiers and their families.

Later on in the evening they attended a reception and dinner hosted by Their Excellencies at Rideau Hall.

The next day they planted an red oak sapling in the grounds of Rideau Hall as a commemoration of their visit. After an 11 day tour with stops in St. John's, Toronto, Victoria, Vancouver, Montreal and Ottawa which included partaking in 55 events they departed for England.


© Marilyn Braun 2009

Charles and Camilla's Canadian Royal Tour - Day 9

Charles and Camilla arrived back in Ontario, visiting Ottawa - the capital of Canada. They began their day visiting the Queen's representative, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada and His Excellency Jean-Daniel Lafond. They stayed on the grounds of Rideau Hall, the Governor General's residence and the usual place for them to stay when in Ottawa.

Later on the couple met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen. As 'Four Canadian Rangers stood guard in their trademark red sweaters' the two couples chatted. The PM handed the Prince two Ranger caps and sweaters for his sons, declaring them honorary members. The Prince chuckled and said 'I hope they fit' to which Mrs Harper replied 'One size fits all.'

Now, is that before or after they're washed? Oh nevermind..

The prince later met Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff, who in a 1992 article in the Montreal Gazette had written "Now is the time for the republican tradition in Britain to find its voice again". On this visit he voiced no such sentiment to Prince Charles' face. Maybe he realized that this is one of those inside your head thoughts.

Charles and Camilla then departed for Montréal, Quebec where they met with the Premier of Québec, the Honourable Jean Charest and Mme Michèle Dionne, where they received an Inuit sculpture and a collection of Quebec DVDs.

But were they in Region 2 format? Oh, nevermind...

Afterwards they toured the headquarters of the Cirque du Soleil, watching a brief acrobatic performance and touring the workshops where costumes and props are made.

Charles later received a dramatic welcome when he visited the headquarters of the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada - a regiment he inherited as colonel-in-chief after the death of the Queen Mother. The riot squad was busy with 200 egg hurtling demonstrators (or 150 depending on who's counting...) 'brandishing signs with slogans such as Down With the Monarchy'...'Ottawa Leave Quebec, and Cultural Genocide, R.I.P.' and "Majesty Go Home!"

Psst - Maybe it's a bit premature to bring that sign out.

© Marilyn Braun 2009

Charles and Camilla's Royal Tour - Day 7 & 8

On Day 7 - Sunday - instead of resting, they attended a remembrance service at Christ Church Cathedral. While there they dedicated a stained glass window 'commemorating the 80th anniversary of the consecration of the cathedral and the 150th anniversary of the Diocese of British Columbia'. Shortly before they went inside they mingled with the 200 people who'd waited outside of the Church for them. Then the couple spent the rest of their Sunday privately.


On Monday (Day 8) it was back to work for them as they participated in a ceremony 'honouring the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Navy, which occurs 2010, at CFB Esquimalt'. Charles, dressed for the occasion in a Canadian Naval uniform in his capacity as honorary vice-admiral. During the visit, to mark his 32 years of honorary service, Charles received a 'second clasp' to his Canadian Forces decoration. 'Prince Charles said he wears his Canadian medal “with great pride all the time,” and was “touched, flattered, honoured” to receive the complementing clasp.'

No comment from the non-honorary people who are working towards earning their medals.

This was their last stop in Victoria before leaving for Ottawa.

© Marilyn Braun 2009

Charles and Camilla's Canadian Royal Tour - Day 6

Day 6 was a Saturday. You'd think that Charles and Camilla would get the day off but no such luck. I can only imagine the jet lag and having to deal with the difference in provincial time zones on top of it - must wreak havoc on their systems. Having said that, the Queen still does tours at the ripe age of 83, so Charles and Camilla probably dare not complain.

On this day the couple had a walkabout in Vancouver Olympic and Paralympic Village, posed with a Sasquatch and Olympic mascots and yet again unveiled a plaque. Even if most Canadians aren't paying attention, future generations will know about their tour by following the commemorative plaques they leave in their wake.

Unlike in previous public appearances, Camilla wore a colorful outfit - a lightweight powder blue coat - which turned out to be completely inadequate for the cold rainy weather. She planted a tree at the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens and brought with her a collection of seeds from native British Columbian plants that were housed in the Millennium Seed Bank at the Royal Botanical Garden Kew. In return, Van Dusen Gardens gave the duchess a collection of different seeds to bring back to the seed bank.

But the seeds are not the only thing they will bring back with them as they also received traditional aboriginal blankets and talking sticks. Also some red mittens, scarves, gumboots and custom raincoats - which would have been useful to receive earlier in the day.

© Marilyn Braun 2009

Charles and Camilla's Canadian Royal Tour - Day 5

Charles and Camilla began their day at 'The Royal' arriving in a horse drawn open carriage. "Nothing could give me greater pleasure than to declare the 87th Royal Agricultural Winter Fair officially open," the prince said to a crowd of 'thousands'. Camilla was presented with a leather western style horse saddle while the Prince received a basket of maple syrup and honey - which he can compare to his own Duchy Originals brand.

The couple toured the fair, presenting championship ribbons to delighted young teen winners of the Queen's Guineas beef cattle competition. Then Charles was off to surprise people in the cattle barn while Camilla toured the kennels and visited fair kiosks to do some shopping for her grandchildren. In a woman of the people move Camilla paid for her purchases with money from her purse. Yes, some of the royals do indeed carry money!

The couple then jetted off to Victoria, British Columbia for yet another official welcoming ceremony.

© Marilyn Braun 2009

Question: Charles and Camilla's poppies


I have noticed in many pictures of Charles and Camilla that they are both wearing two poppies. Is this a royal thing? Does it mean something special?


Since Charles and Camilla first arrived in Canada on most public appearances they have worn two poppies. This has been the subject of a great deal of curiousity. Why the two poppies? What does it mean?

The two poppies that the couple are wearing are the British paper version and the Canadian one. The design of the Canadian poppy consists of petals made of red plastic with a felt lining and black centre held on by a pin. The British paper version is sold by the Royal British Legion through their annual Poppy Appeal. Some have suggested that by wearing the two poppies they are making a symbolic gesture of support for British and Canadian veterans.

Poppies became a symbol of Rememberance after the poem In Flanders Fieldcommemorated the flower. It was written in 1915 by a Canadian doctor named John McCrae after he witnessed the death of a friend. During the funeral McCrae noticed wild poppies blooming between the graves and this inspired his famous poem. After its publication it became the most popular poem of the First World War. In part because of its popularity, the poppy was adopted as the Flower of Remembrance for the war dead of Britain, France, the United States, Canada and other Commonwealth countries.

© Marilyn Braun 2009

Killing Queens: A Bloody Tudor Heritage

From Holbein
The former queen nodded to the executioner. She turned and faced the crowd that had gathered. Then, she knelt. As a final prayer escaped her, the sharp edge of Tudor vengeance sliced through her neck.

Throughout history, a few kings and queens have met their ends on the executioner’s block, but this manner of death reached epidemic proportions during the Tudor period. Everyone knows that Henry VIII had a penchant for killing his queens—to be fair, he only executed two of his wives—but fewer people are aware that each of his daughters also killed a former queen. In their cases, however, they were killing their own potential heirs.

Henry’s marital mayhem stemmed from his overweening desire to have a male heir to succeed him. He ultimately got one from the third of his six wives, but at the time of his death, the male succession was far from certain. When Henry died, there were only 12 living descendants of the Tudors—only two of them were males: the nine-year-old King Edward VI and the infant Lord Darnley. Six of the remaining 10 were under the age of 13 and, with the low survival rate of young children, any of these youngsters were at risk for an early grave.

With such odds stacked against the survival of the dynasty, it is perhaps surprising that Henry specifically barred three of the dynasts from the line of succession in his final will, skipping over the descendants of his older sister Margaret, who had married the King of Scotland firstly and, after his death, married the Scottish Earl of Angus. Instead, he selected first his children and then the children and grandchildren of his younger sister Mary, who had been married to (and quickly widowed by) the King of France before marrying the Duke of Suffolk.

According to Henry’s will, the line of succession was:

1. Prince Edward, 9, his son by his third wife
2. Princess Mary, 30, his daughter by his first wife
3. Princess Elizabeth, 13, his daughter by his second wife
4. Lady Frances Marchioness of Dorset, 31, oldest daughter of his sister Mary
5. Lady Jane Grey, 9, daughter of Frances
6. Lady Catherine Grey, 6, daughter of Frances
7. Lady Mary Grey, 1, daughter of Frances
8. Lady Eleanor Countess of Cumberland, 27, youngest daughter of his sister Mary
9. Lady Margaret Clifford, 6, daughter of Eleanor

Those that he barred were Margaret Tudor’s granddaughter Mary (four-year-old reigning Queen of Scotland), Margaret’s daughter the Countess of Lennox (31) and the countess’s infant son, Lord Darnley, mentioned above.

Death Of Jane Grey
Many of these people met untimely ends, including King Edward, who reigned for only six years. Before his death, in addition to excluding the Scottish line of the family, he also removed his half-sisters from the list. His cousin, Lady Frances then renounced her rights in favor of her eldest daughter, the now 16-year-old Lady Jane, who was coerced into ascending the throne by her ambitions parents and father-in-law. Popular opinion, however, was against her. The English rose up in favor of Princess Mary. Jane was queen for only nine days.

Mary wished to be lenient with the teenager. Jane was initially spared execution. But, six months later, a rebellion was sparked by Mary’s engagement to the King of Spain. The object of the rebel leaders, who included Jane’s father, was to restore Jane to the throne. The situation left Mary no options. In February, Jane was beheaded. She was the third queen to be executed by a Tudor.

Queen Elizabeth I
Ultimately, Mary had waited too long to try to start a family and she was peacefully succeeded by her half-sister, Elizabeth, who, having witnessed the tumult of her father’s married life as a young child, opted never to marry. Her permanent spinsterhood left the succession to the throne uncertain for more than 40 years. The descendants of Mary Tudor remained the most likely candidates over the Scottish descendants of Margaret Tudor, but nearly every potential heir was subject to the whims of the Virgin Queen. And, one thing the Virgin Queen really did not like was for members of her court, much less her extended family, to get married without her position. They did it any way—both of Lady Jane’s sisters, Lady Catherine and Lady Mary, were imprisoned by Elizabeth for marrying without permission. The aging Countess of Lennox was even imprisoned when each of her sons, Lord Darnley and the Earl of Lennox, married without Elizabeth’s blessing.

Lord Darnley had married his cousin Mary Queen of Scots, thus uniting two claims to the English throne in the body of their child. Darnley was Mary’s second husband; their marriage lasted less than two years before he was murdered, probably at the behest of the Earl of Bothwell, who then kidnapped, raped and married the pregnant Mary in order to control Scotland. Within months, Mary miscarried twins and was forced to abdicate in favor of her son by Darnley, the infant King James VI.

Chopping Block
Mary escaped to England where she sought Elizabeth’s protection. Instead, Elizabeth put her on trial for Darnley’s murder and, though the trial reached no conclusion, Elizabeth imprisoned her queenly cousin. For the next 20 years, Elizabeth used Mary’s potential release as a political tool—she also used her own potential marriage in this way, offering to marry and then reneging for political gain. From prison, Mary grew increasingly careless in her own plotting to overthrow Elizabeth and take her throne. Elizabeth reluctantly signed Mary’s death warrant.

As the executioner struck the fatal blow, Mary whispered, “Sweet Jesus.” Thus, she became the fourth and final queen to lose her head to a Tudor.

The Royal Report for Sunday November 8, 2009 - The Canadian Royal Tour

Upon arrival in Canada, which royal called Canada 'truly deplorable'? Who was the first female member of the royal family to visit? Was the price tag still on Prince Phillip's jeans when he took part in a square dance in Canada?

Listen to this episode to find out.

Publications mentioned

Hello! Canada Weekly No 149 9 November 2009

Website and Blog mentioned

World of Royalty
World of Royalty Blog
The Official Site of the Prince of Wales

Documentaries discussed

Charles - The Passionate Prince - Viewable online

Prince William and Prince Harry: Into the future

Resources used

Canada's Queen by Patti Tasko

The Queen's Tour of Canada Souvenir Edition by Trevor Hall

Fifty Years the Queen Arthur Bousfield & Garry Toffoli

Charles and Diana visit Canada by David Levenson and Trevor Hall

Royal Canada - A History of Royal visits since 1786 - by Trevor Hall

Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal Family in Canada (Golden Jubilee) - Stewart House Publishing

Tune in live to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday November 15th, 2009 9:00PM EST.

The topic will be: In honor of the Prince of Wales & the Duchess of Cornwall's visit to Canada, a look back at Canadian Royal Tours - Part Two!

© Marilyn Braun 2009

Charles and Camilla's Canadian Royal Tour - Day 4

Charles and Camilla started the day by going home. Err, sort of. They visited historic Dundurn Castle in Hamilton, Ontario. The 72 room castle - which is more like a large mansion - was built by Camilla's great-great-great grandfather Sir Allan MacNab, Prime Minister of the United Provinces of Canada from 1854-56.

Upon arrival they were met by what must have been the largest crowd they'd encountered during their tour: more than 400 people. Possibly more than the rest of the people that greeted them in Newfoundland and Labrador combined. See? It pays to come to a province that people have heard of.

As they toured the castle I can only imagine the running commentary in Charles' head as he tries to keep a straight face. I'm reminded of the classic words of Crocodile Dundee which I'm paraphrasing - 'that's not a castle, now THIS (opening his wallet and pointing at a photo of Windsor) is a castle.' Charles tactfully kept these thoughts to himself while waving from the balcony of Dundurn.

The couple then went to tour HMCS Haida, a former military ship. During the tour Camilla gave us the ultimate crazy cat lady/bad hair day photograph. Or if she ever loses her mind, photographic proof when it started.

The couple also unveiled a plaque for future generations of royals to be photographed reading.

© Marilyn Braun 2009

Charles and Camilla's Canadian Royal Tour - Day 3 Continued

Charles and Camilla arrive in Toronto! (AKA the centre of the Canadian universe).

The couple, who flew in from Newfoundland and no doubt exhausted from the tree planting and the touring archeological digs, looked alert as they arrived at Pearson International Airport. Upon arrival they had a private meeting with local and provincial dignitaries. Doesn't Camilla look excited!

Later on in the afternoon the couple then went their separate ways with Charles going off to attend a conference which nobody paid attention to. Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Camilla was touring the Royal Conservatory of Music. Shortly before she left, she paused to read a plaque commemorating a 1901 visit from another Duke and Duchess of Cornwall - the future King George V and Queen Mary. Whoever originally put the plaque up can now feel vindicated that there are people who still stop read it.

© Marilyn Braun 2009

Charles and Camilla's Canadian Royal Tour - Day 3

Camilla isn't the only person on the tour making a fashion statement. On day 3 of the tour the couple were greeted by Newfoundland and Labrador's Lieutenant-Governor John Crosbie who wore a sealskin coat; characterized as a "statement" in support of the annual seal kill. John Crosbie's 'sartorial' choice drew ire from animal rights activists who were still frothed up about Camilla's rabbit fur scarf. Like PETA, Mr Crosbie knows something about promoting his own cause.

Now where was I? Oh yes, Charles and Camilla!

During their visit to Government-House the couple planted a pair of oak trees. A tradition dating back to the 1939 royal visit when King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the future Queen Mother) did the same.

The couple also visited the St. John's War Memorial where Prince Charles laid a wreath at a ceremony to remember Newfoundland and Labrador's war dead. At the ceremony seven year old Matthew Lucas, whose father died in Afghanistan, put his arms around Camilla's neck and kissed her.

See Camilla, contrary to what the media have reported, there are people who care about your visit.

© Marilyn Braun 2009

Charles and Camilla's Canadian Royal Tour - Day 2

Day 2 of Charles and Camilla's Royal Tour began with a visit to Cupids Bay, Newfoundland; a name which conjures up images of making-out (*Shudder*). A 'noticibly thin' crowd of about 75 (or 57 depending on which reporter is counting) enthusiastically welcomed them.

Cupids Bay is the birthplace of the English prescence in Canada. Originally settled in 1610 it was rediscovered in the 1990's. During their tour an archeologist showed them a coin unearthed from the dig site while Premier Danny Williams and The Prime Minister - speechless - looked on.

On this day of the tour Camilla 'earned the wrath' of animal rights activists by keeping herself warm with a rabbit fur stole, topping off her stylish green tweed outfit with a hat that had a fake fur trim. Ignoring the hat, PETA used the opportunity to state: 'the Duchess is out of step with public opinion.' Geez, if Camilla tried to please the public, PETA wouldn't have her to criticize now would they? No use starting now! Camilla can take heart that pro-hunt Canadians whole heartedly 'approved' of her choice.

© Marilyn Braun 2009

Charles and Camilla's Canadian Royal Tour - Day 1

Charles and Camilla arrived on Canadian soil on Monday November 2nd in St. John's, Newfoundland. Where a 'large crowd, including dignitaries and the RCMP' welcomed them. They were greeted by Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Governor General Michaelle Jean and St. John's and Labrador Premier Danny Williams.

The couple walked the red carpet and attended a 'moving' one hour ceremony in a half filled arena. During which the Prime Minister 'plagiarized' one of Charles' earlier speeches which has been seen as a 'massive screw-up' on the part of Harper's office.

We can only hope Charles and Camilla's tour will recover from this bad omen.

© Marilyn Braun 2009

Charles and Camilla's Canadian Royal Tour Coverage

Well, Charles and Camilla have arrived in Canada and by the lack of coverage and enthusiasm you'd think they'd made a one hour stop over on their way to a warmer climate. Maybe we take the royals for granted, they're on our currency so seeing them in person is no big deal.

This visit, Charles 15th and Camilla's first, should receive more coverage, because it should have the curiosity factor - 'ah, that's what the third person in Diana's marriage looks like.' So far it hasn't but it doesn't hurt Charles. Let's be honest, Charles is not the drawing card he once was. And during his first visit in 1970 he had his parents and sister with him to guarantee people would come out. With the exception of the Queen, Charles on tour works better as a double-act. Bring someone attactive or higher ranking with him and he can't lose. Arrive by himself and, well who really cares, right? The minor royals suffer this indignity all of the time. Edward and Sophie were in our midst in June and had Hello! Canada not shown photos I wouldn't have been any the wiser. It's that bad.

So I'm taking control of this deplorable state of affairs and doing my own coverage. Or as much as I can do without actually accompanying them on tour. Forgive me for being a few days behind - they're already on Day 3! But I shall try to make up for it.

Stay tuned!

© Marilyn Braun 2009

The Princesses & The Soldiers

Hospital Visitor
Young Princess Mary did indeed become a nurse and even worked after the war at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. During World War II, she served as commandant of the Women’s Royal Army Corps and later became air chief commandant of Princess Mary’s Royal Air Force Nursing Service, which is still the nursing branch of the RAF.

However, Mary was not the only royal lady to devote herself to nursing. In fact, once Florence Nightingale standardized and professionalized nursing in the 1850s, princesses and queens flocked to be of service during war time. Queen Victoria was a great admirer of Nightingale and of nurses. In 1883, she created the Royal Order of the Red Cross (like a knighthood) to honor trained nurses of exceptional competency and devotion—Nightingale was the first recipient. Initially intended only for British nurses, Victoria altered the criteria so that she could present it to her granddaughter, Crown Princess Sophie of Greece, who had worked tirelessly to nurse the wounded during the Greco-Turkish War of 1897. Sophie was the first of more than a dozen royals to receive the honor.

Sophie, encouraged by her mother, the Dowager Empress of Germany, brought English nurses to Greece to train Greek nurses. She acquired a recently constructed military school and converted it into a hospital. When she wasn’t working at the hospital, she was overseeing the final examinations of the nursing students. Her compassion was readily apparent, even extending to treating the enemy, her proud grandmother noted.

The queens and princesses of southern and eastern Europe had the most occasion to become nurses as their countries served as the front lines during the Balkan Wars and both world wars. As a child, Princess Ileana of Rumania (who would later found a convent in Pennsylvania), saw her mother, Queen Marie, more often in nurse’s uniforms than in beautiful gowns. Marie was perhaps the most famous royal nurse. Considered the most beautiful royal lady of her day, she became quite a celebrity, even in the United States where she occasionally published articles.

In one of these, she graphically described her experience as a war nurse: “Bed beside bed they lie there. . .I bend over suffering faces, clasp outstretched hands, ray my fingers upon heated brows, gaze into dying eyes. . .A groping hand was stretched out toward me; I took it in mine, whispering words of comfort; bending low toward the parched lips that were murmuring something that at first I could not understand. The man had no face, no eyes; all was swathed in blood-stained cloths.”

Empress As Nurse
Of course, not every princess-nurse was able to stomach the gore and tragedy of the war wounded. The two oldest daughters of Tsar Nicholas of Russia worked daily in a hospital founded by their mother, Empress Alexandra. Eventually, the sensitive Grand Duchess Olga was overwrought and had to be treated with arsenic for a “nervous disorder.” When she felt better, she returned to the hospital but assumed an administrative role while her sister Tatiana continued working in the wards. Even the youngest grand duchesses, 16-year-old Maria and 14-year-old Anastasia (yes, that Anastasia) frequented the hospital, playing games with and reading to the wounded and dying men.

Their maternal aunt, the widowed and childless Grand Duchess Elizabeth Feodorovna, gave away all of her possessions, became a nun and devoted her life to nursing and orphanages. Like most of the Russian imperial family she was killed during the revolution (she was thrown into a pit and bombarded with grenades) and was later canonized by the Russian Orthodox Church.

Other nursing princesses also became nuns, including Princess Ileana (mentioned earlier), who started a convent in Pennsylvania after divorcing her husband, an Austrian archduke, and Princess Andrew of Greece, who had been born Princess Alice of Battenberg. Princess Andrew nursed during both World Wars. By WWII, all four of her daughters had married German princes and she was working for the Red Cross in Greece. When a helpful German general asked her if he could do anything for her, she told him “You can get your troops out of my country.” He perhaps didn’t know that her only son, Prince Philip, was fighting on the other side, in the British navy. (Philip is now the husband of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II.)

One of the most dedicated of royal nurses, Eleonore of Reuss-Kostritz, made a career of nursing. A minor German princess, her first claim to fame was as a nurse in the Russian army during the Russo-Japanese War. Under fire several times, she was even decorated for service. She continued nursing after marrying the Tsar of Bulgaria when she was 48, taking over the hospital his mother had started as well as step-mothering his four children. The Tsar had a poor reputation internationally, but his wife, who had earned the unofficial title “The Royal Nurse,” was hailed as a selfless heroine. “My mission in life,” she said, “is to utilize my rank and wealth for the benefit of the less fortunate.”

It was a sentiment undoubtedly felt by many princesses throughout history, but the princesses of the era stretching from the Crimean War in the 1850s to World War II in the 1940s, put the concept of noblesse oblige to work amidst the most difficult of circumstances.

Like Queen Marie, each of them might have written, “I got accustomed to face every horror, to front every epidemic, to hear each cry of distress, to look into the face of Death without shuddering, and bravely to contemplate the most ghastly sights.”