"The Spare" Quiz

To submit your answers, you may use the comment box OR e-mail to cherylandersonbrown@gmail.com

Princes William and Harry have often been referred to as "The Heir and the Spare." Throughout history, the British line of succession has been somewhat precarious.

1. How many English monarchs since the Norman Conquest have been directly succeeded by their firstborn son?

2. How many English monarchs since the Norman Conquest have been directly succeeded by their firstborn daughter?

3. Which English king had the most children become an English monarch?

4. Which kings were immediately succeeded by their grandchild?

5. Which 20th century British monarchs were not firstborn children?

View Answers

A Royal Love Triangle: Eddy, Georgie and May

No one could believe what was happening. Just days before, the handsome, young prince had gone out shooting, jauntily waving his hat at his beloved mother as he made his way into the January weather. Now, he lay at death’s door surrounded by his parents, his siblings and his new fiancée.

Prince Albert Victor of Wales had been both a joy and a source of despair for his parents since the moment of his premature birth in 1864. At barely three pounds, he would have surprised no one by dying as an infant. Instead, for the first but only time in his life, he showed a remarkable tenacity and determination. Named in honor of his grandmother Queen Victoria and her late husband Prince Albert, the newborn was nicknamed Eddy by his parents, Bertie and Alix, the Prince and Princess of Wales. Eddy was destined to become King of England, but the only qualifications he had were royal blood, insouciant charm and a handsome face.

In all other ways, Eddy was a disappointment. He lacked any intellectual capacity which was only enhanced by an inherent laziness. Victoria and Albert had fretted over Bertie’s seeming lack of intelligence, but next to his son, Bertie was a paragon of learning. Eddy was joined in the classroom by his little brother Georgie and in the playroom by three adoring little sisters, Louise, Maud and Toria.

Full of fun themselves, the Prince and Princess of Wales indulged their children’s playfulness, even joining them in their games. For the Wales children, childhood was a time for sunny romps, giggles and joy. So what if the tutors were frustrated beyond belief? There was more to life than learning.

Once it was clear that Eddy would never accomplish anything in the schoolroom, it was decided to send him into the navy. He was 12 years old. Concerned that he couldn’t hack it on his own, the family sent 10-year-old Georgie with him. Together, the young princes traveled around the world. While Georgie thrived, Eddy floundered. So, he joined the army to even less success. Then, he was sent to Cambridge University where he “earned” a degree.

Eddy excelled at only one thing: dissipation. He could not resist a pretty face (of either sex, it is alleged). Even his partying papa recognized that something had to be done. Afraid to send him abroad where he might encounter more sexual escapades and contract more sexually transmitted diseases, Bertie decided that Eddy needed “A good sensible wife – with some considerable character is what he needs most – but where is she to be found?”

Eddy fell in love easily and would gladly have married any number of lovely young ladies had they been deemed suitable. Resigning himself to a royal bride, he cheerfully fell for his cousin, the lovely Princess Alix of Hesse. Queen Victoria found Alix cheerful and sensible, in short, a perfect bride for a prince who needed both beauty and guidance from his wife. Alix, however, already had a bridegroom in mind. She turned down a future as Queen of England to become Empress of Russia. Victoria applauded the fortitude it took to turn down “the greatest position there is.”

When another first cousin, Princess Margaret of Prussia proved even more reluctant, Eddy found his own royal candidate, Princess Helene of Orleans, daughter of the pretender to the French throne. They defied a disapproving Queen Victoria and became engaged without her knowledge. With a surprise visit to the romantic old queen, the gorgeous young couple soon changed her mind, but Helene’s father was not so easy to gainsay when he learned that the Roman Catholic princess would be required to convert.

Denied a bride once again, Eddy was rapidly running out of potential mates. The family would have to dig deeper into their cousins to find the right girl: beautiful enough to attract the prince, level-headed enough to keep him on the right track, dutiful enough to make a good queen, and willing enough to say yes.

Princess Victoria Mary of Teck fit the order perfectly. Despite the fact that her high-spirited mother Princess Mary Adelaide of Cambridge was not a favorite first cousin of Queen Victoria and her father the Duke of Teck was a serene rather than a royal highness, the young princess was stable and calm. May, as she was known, was re-introduced to Eddy and his charms soon had an effect on the princess. On one magical evening, following a royal ball, Eddy asked for her hand and May agreed.

Just weeks later, a solemn and heart-broken princess sat hand-in-hand with the distraught and overwrought Princess of Wales as the family watched the prince slipping away. Lost in delirium, a case of flu having developed into pneumonia, Eddy shouted and cried out for old friends and old flames. May certainly heard him calling, “Helene! Helene!” At one point, he even became convinced that Georgie, who had recently recovered from typhoid fever, was dead

The entire Wales family—even the worried parents—had truly adored Eddy. His brother Georgie, his best friend in the world, was now required to take his place as future King of England.

“Gladly would I have given my life for his, as I put no value on mine,” Georgie wrote to Alix. The effusive Queen Victoria added her own grief to the tragedy, “a great calamity has befallen us as well as the Country.”

As Bertie returned again and again to the death chamber, unable to fully realize the loss of his son and the Princess of Wales ordered that his room be kept just as if Eddy were about to return at any moment, his quiet fiancée faced an uncertain future.

Already in her mid-twenties, she was a bit older than the average princess bride and she did not have the most stellar royal bloodlines. Grief-stricken as she was by the loss of the dashing prince and the loss of her brilliant future, May also may have felt a niggling, guilt-ridden sense of relief. During the brief engagement, she had started to realize that Eddy had less than sterling qualities, but her concerns were rebuffed by her family. Better, perhaps, a glorious future as Queen of England with an unreliable husband than a future as a penniless spinster princess.

Now, there were even more enormous pressures on May. Quite literally everyone from the Queen to the chimney sweeps thought it would be a grand idea if bereft princess would marry the grieving new heir to the throne. It would not be the first time a royal bride had been asked to transfer her affections in this way. There were only two problems; one was named Georgie and one was named May.

The couple was less than enthusiastic about the idea. Not that they didn’t like each other; they did. In fact, they developed a solid friendship through their shared grieving. But, Georgie and May were each the very epitome of English-ness when it came to what was “proper” and to expressing emotion. They each were not convinced that it was entirely seemly for a man to marry his dead brother’s girl.

With time, however, the growing affection between them and the external pressure finally convinced Georgie to propose and May to accept. Eighteen months after Eddy’s death, the couple was married and less than a year later, they named their first son Edward in memory of the joyful wastrel whose death had brought them together.

[You can read my profile of Prince Albert Victor on the Unofficial Royalty site.]

The Royal Report for Sunday January 30, 2011 - Westminster Abbey and the Royal Family

On this episode, new ways to enjoy the royal wedding with a friend, who is waging war on 'moronic muzak'? On his wedding day, what potentially controversial item will Prince William be wearing under his military uniform?

Find out on this episode:

The Royal Report - Westminster Abbey and The Royal Family

Publications mentioned

Hello! Canada Weekly No 203 31 January 2011

Royalty Monthly - January/February 2011

Majesty Magazine Volume 32 No 1

From My Royal Collection

THE ROYAL ENCYCLOPEDIA.

Resources used to research this episode:

Westminster Abbey - Official Site

The Official Site of the British Monarchy

Crown and Country: A Personal Guide to Royal London by Edward Wessex

Atlas of royal Britain

Two Centuries of Royal Weddings by Christopher Warwick

Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday February 6, 2011 9:00PM EST (North America)

The topic will be: Should the Royal Family get jobs?

Interview with an Expert: Marlene Eilers Koenig

Marlene Eilers Koenig had a life-changing experience at the tender age of 12. While exploring a biography of Queen Victoria, she encountered the queen’s family tree and became immediately and permanently fascinated. From that moment, she began her own investigation into the queen’s vast progeny, trawling books and articles, eventually writing to and even phoning descendants. Over many years, she earned the trust and respect of the people she was researching, many of whom actively assisted her in her quest.

Eventually the research project morphed into a book project and Koenig found herself knee-deep in the kind of struggles faced by many first-time writers. “At first, it was very hard,” she recalls. When her first publisher went out of business, she was left was with unpublished manuscript. That’s when she met George Tantzos who connected her with Atlantic International Publications. Koenig’s first book, Queen Victoria’s Descendants, was published in 1987 as a comprehensive guide that sought not only to include all of the descendants in a genealogical volume but also to tell their real stories.

In the mean time, Koenig had launched another major project also borne from her consuming interest in royal history: Royal Book News, a subscription newsletter in which she reviews as many royal books as she can get her eyes on. In the last two and half decades, she has read and reviewed nearly every royal tome produced in English. In January 2011, she transitioned the labor-intensive and budget-busting printed publication to a more cost-effective blog, having first tested the effectiveness of the blogosphere for a couple of years with Royal Musings, a daily compendium of royal news stories from that date in history mixed with other commentary and observations.

In all of her writings and interviews, Koenig is ruthlessly honest in expressing her opinions about poorly researched books and articles about royalty. She is still ticked off that Kitty Kelley cited her in the ‘tell-all’ book, The Royals. Kelly attended a lecture Koenig had presented at the Smithsonian, but Koenig insists, “she learned nothing.” Koenig has also been loudly critical of the deluge of publications following the death of Diana Princess of Wales and the more recent announcement of Prince William’s engagement by authors she calls “hack writers” who rely on unsubstantiated claims, rumors, and speculation. She includes people like Lady Colin Campbell in this group, but asserts that others, like Andrew Morton, clearly use meticulous research.

And, Koenig is one who knows about meticulous research. She has amassed an extensive list of contacts among royal insiders and royals themselves as well as a personal library that includes more than a thousand royal books. She also maintains news clippings about European royals that date back to the turn of the last century. In fact, when European History Journal recently contacted her to write about the 2011 engagement of Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia, she was able to begin her research by thumbing through her files at home, where she found original articles about the prince’s birth and the weddings of both his parents and grandparents, among other useful items.

She believes a personal library is critical for a royal expert. “I can pull from personal resources,” she says. “I can easily discover what Queen Victoria had to say about a particular event. You need to have access to material.”

Koenig is frustrated about the lack of English translations of excellent biographies and histories written in other languages, but she says the most difficult thing about her royal avocation is finding time for it outside of her full-time job as a librarian and her other obligations. Nevertheless, she has had a prolific career as a royal expert. In addition to writing, editing or contributing to several books—including last year’s The Grand Dukes, Sons and Grandsons of Russia’s Tsars—she has composed numerous articles for Atlantis, European History Journal, Majesty, Royalty Digest and Royalty. She’s been interviewed as a royal expert by ABC, BBC, CBC, CNN, and NBC as well as the Washington Post, New York Times, and London Daily Telegraph. All of this while still maintaining Royal Book News and adding daily postings on Royal Musings.

Her outspokenness has earned her some vociferous criticism, especially on the message boards. She was one of the first people to point out some of Diana’s less charming characteristics and to criticize Sarah Duchess of York. Since both formerly royal women have a broad base of extremely loyal supporters, Koenig has taken many hits for not being in love with them, too. Nevertheless, she says this has never hindered her ability to find publishers.

Koenig has also had run-ins with people asserting spurious descent from Queen Victoria. Decades of in-depth research on the topic has provided her with more than sufficient credentials to support or denounce such claimants.

In fact, she has continued to maintain such excellent relationships with undoubted descendants of the late queen that she is often invited to royal events and she is on several royal Christmas card lists. Just this week, she posted a copy of the Christmas card she received from the Prince and Princess of Venice on Royal Musings.

As for the changing atmosphere surrounding royalty over the course of her observations, Koenig doesn’t really see a difference in tone from today’s royal coverage. “If you look at the sons of King George III, there was certainly a lot of gossip and speculation about them, although they obviously didn’t have photographers following them around.” She is more concerned about the media outlets that are no longer covering royal news. For instance, “The New York Times doesn’t cover royalty the way it used to; royalty used to be front-page news, but it isn’t any more.”

One reason for her concern is that Koenig believes there is more than just romantic mystique behind royal traditions. “In Europe, among the most stable and wealthiest nations are the ones with monarchies. There seems to be something positive about having a head of state who is tied to history and tradition over one who is elected.”

So, Koenig will continue to share her royal fascination through meticulous research and forthright commentary. In addition to the Arts Journal assignment, she is currently working with publisher Ted Rosvall on a book about the descendants of Danish King Christian IX, who happens to share many descendants with the woman who launched Koenig’s royal career, Queen Victoria. Having published a new edition of Queen Victoria’s Descendants in 1997 and a companion book of updates in 2004, Koenig has continued to maintain her interest in the topic, periodically updating her information although she admits that some of the younger descendants are less interested in her project than their forebears.

Now well beyond her girlhood, Marlene Eilers Koenig has built a solid career as a royal expert by surrounding herself quite literally with Queen Victoria’s descendants. Few people have changed their own lives so completely by turning a page in a book.

Tenno Designation Answers

Provided by Yvonne Strong L.C.R.E.


1. Emperor Akihito is the 125th emperor in the traditional order of succession. How many of those rulers have been female?
The list of Japanese Emperors goes back to the mythical Emperor Jimmu in 660 BC; he was supposed to be the great-great-great grandson of the Sun goddess Amaterasu. Actual real-life emperors (people for whom there's independent historical evidence aside from history books) came on the scene around the 5th century AD, but the emperors are numbered starting with Jimmu; Emperor Akihito is 125th in this list. From the time when the emperors were real-life people, eight women have ruled as Emperor: Empress Suiko (592-628), Empress Kōgyoku (642-645 and then again as Empress Saimei 655-661), Empress Jitō (686-697), Empress Gemmei (707-715), her daughter Empress Genshō (715-724, the only case of a woman passing the throne to her daughter), Empress Kōken (749-758 and then again as Empress Shōtoku 764-770), Empress Meishō (1629-1643), and Empress Go-Sakuramachi (1762-1771). Since it was required for members of the imperial family to marry within certain related families, all the emperors and empresses were related, so the line can always be traced back from one male to a previous male even when there were female rulers in between. In only one case did a woman pass the throne to her daughter, when Empress Kōken succeeded her mother Empress Gemmei.

The actual prohibition on female rulers came with the Meiji Constitution of 1889, an attempt to modernise Japan by creating a new constitution based on European principles. This new constitution was based on Prussian law, and the succession to the throne of Prussia excluded females; Article 2 of the Meiji Constitution specifies that the throne will be succeeded to by imperial male descendants. Nowadays it's claimed that it was this way all along in Japan and the female rulers were anomalies who didn't really count, with the succession eventually reverting to men (where it belonged of course), but at the time these women were considered rulers in their own right. Nowadays, with members of the imperial family marrying complete outsiders, the unbroken descent through the Y chomosome would be lost if women were able to succeed to the throne; however, there's more to genetics than the Y chromosome although certain dinosaurs in the IHA appear to have a fairly shaky grasp of genetics.

Since there's one legendary empress (Empress Jingū, 201-269) and since two of the eight empresses ruled twice and had different names for each of their two reigns, any number from 8 to 11 can be interpreted as a correct answer. Also, since the title Tennō is gender neutral, it's correct to call these rulers Emperor or Empress.

2. By what name is Toshi-no-miya better known?
Toshi-no-miya is more commonly known as Princess Aiko. Young members of the imperial family are given personal titles as well as names. Princess Aiko (whose name means "love child") has the personal title of Toshi-no-miya ("Toshi" means "one who respects others" and "no-miya" means Prince or Princess). Most female names in Japan, and all female names in the imperial family, end in "-ko," which means "child." In the imperial family, male names end in "-hito," which means "person" or adult." The personal title of Crown Prince Naruhito is Hiro-no-miya, and during his two years at Oxford in the 1980s he was known as Prince Hiro. The personal title of his brother Prince Akishino (whose actual name is Fumihito - Akishino is the name of the branch of the royal family that he heads) is Aya-no-miya, and the personal title of their sister Princess Sayako while she was still a member of the royal family was Nori-no-miya.The Emperor's personal title is Tsugu-no-miya.

3. What does the Imperial Regalia consist of?
The Imperial Regalia of Japan (otherwise known as the Three Sacred Treasures) are the sword (Kusanagi), the mirror (Yata no Kagami), and the jewel (Yasakani no Magatama). They're referred to as sacred because they're the most sacred relics of the Shintō religion, originating with Amaterasu the Sun goddess. Legend has it that Amaterasu hid in a cave from her brother Susanoo (god of the sea and storms), so that the world went dark. She was lured out of the cave by Ame-no-Uzume (goddess of dawn) who had hung the mirror and jewel outside the cave so Amaterasu would see her reflection and emerge from the cave, bringing light back to the world. The sword was found by Susanoo inside the tail of an eight-headed serpent that he slew, and he presented it to Amaterasu to make up for the incident that led to her going into hiding in the cave. She presented the regalia to her grandson Ninigi-no-Mikoto when she sent him to Earth. He was the great-grandfather of Jimmu, the first (legendary) emperor, and the possession of the regalia signifies the descent of the emperor from Amaterasu. The regalia are used at the enthronement ceremony, where they are presented to the new emperor. It is believed that the jewel (which is thought to be a piece of jade) is stored at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo, the mirror is stored at the Inner Shrine of Ise in Mie Prefecture, and the sword is stored at the Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya.

4. What is the Utakai Hajime?
The Utakai Hajime is the annual new year's poetry-reading ceremony which takes place at the Imperial Palace in January in the presence of the Emperor and Empress. The tradition of poetry readings at the imperial court goes back for hundreds of years, to the time when the country was ruled by shoguns while the emperors sat in their palaces and concentrated on religious and cultural matters. The poems are the tanka (five-line, or short) form of waka poetry. Poems by the Emperor and Empress and the Crown Prince and Princess are read at the ceremony. The other poems to be read are selected from submissions by the public and professional poets, and the members of the public whose poems are selected for reading are invited to attend the ceremony. Each year there's a different theme for the poems; this year's theme was Leaf. The ceremony is televised, and the poems submitted by the imperial family are posted at the Imperial Household Agency website.

5. In the Meiji restoration of 1868, what was restored?

The Meiji Restoration transferred power from the Tokugawa shoguns, where it had resided since 1603, to the Emperor. Throughout most of history the emperors had been figureheads while various families of shoguns ruled the country on their behalf, but there had been times (usually fairly short-lived) when the emperors had taken power themselves. Hence the term "restoration," since power was being restored to the emperor. By the mid-19th century the Tokugawa shogunate wasn't all that formidable, and the arrival of Commodore Perry and his fleet in the mid-1850s showed how much more advanced Western technology was, while Japan was still a basically feudal society. Emperor Meiji's predecessor, Emperor Kōmei, was already asserting his authority over the shoguns, and after his sudden death in 1867, Emperor Meiji continued the policy. By 1868 he had formally taken power, and the stage was set for direct imperial rule, which was codified in the Meiji Constitution of 1889. After World War II, a new constitution was written by the Occupation, returning the Emperor to the status of a figurehead.

Dismantling Kate Middleton

Now that Kate Middleton is engaged to Prince William she has become fair game to criticisms about her appearance. Not that she didn't have her fair share of them beforehand but the criticisms were aimed mainly at her employment status and her daring to wait for a proposal; which earned her the unflattering nickname 'Waity Katie.'

Prior the her engagement, except for a few items of clothing, her personal appearance was less of a focus.  To tear her down would have broken the spell, minimizing the illusion of her as the perfect candidate. A Cinderella in waiting cannot be expected to be perfect if our fantasies doesn't require her to be. It was her ordinariness that made the possibility real to the rest of us.

The engagement announcement changed that. Copies of Kate's engagement dress may sell out, her ring might be in high demand, she may be tall and beautiful, but there is always room for improvement.  Like Diana, Kate will be scrutinized from head to toe, in minute detail. For the rest of her life. It's enough to make less fortunate souls run for the hills. Without her face on the tea-towels we're giving her way out. Shouldn't we be giving Kate second thoughts after the ring is on her finger and there is no escape?

Now the pressure is on Kate to be perfect; lest it shatter the illusion of what a princess is supposed to be. For the rest of her life Kate cannot have PMS, she cannot have a pimple, or a run in her stocking. People will expect her to be well-dressed and smile at all times. Anything less than this raises ire.

But Kate shouldn't be too perfect because then she would be out of reach and we can't relate to that. Because we're not perfect it would no longer be possible for us to become a princess too. Then we would have no choice but to knock her off her pedestal. She should be well-dressed, but not too well-dressed. She should wear new clothes, but not too many new clothes. She should recycle her clothes only when the mood strikes us. Everyday will be a bad hair day when we want her to change it. It's only a matter of time before we get around to her weight and that won't please us either. Is it any wonder that Diana had an eating disorder?

People will deplore the amount of coverage on Kate's appearance yet be oblivious to our contribution to it. As long as she looks good, will it matter to us if she cracks under the pressure?

Somehow I doubt it.

© Marilyn Braun 2011

The Royal Report for Sunday January 23, 2011 - William, Kate and the spectre of Diana

Will there be three people in William and Kate's marriage? Is Chelsy Davy indifferent to royal warrants? Would a buzz-cut have hastened a royal engagement? What does Fergie have that Oprah doesn't?

Find out on this episode:

Prince William, Kate Middleton and the spectre of Diana

Publications discussed

Hello! Canada Weekly No 202 24 January 2011

Websites and blogs mentioned

World of Royalty Website

World of Royalty Blog

From My Royal Collection

Diana, Unseen Archives by Alison Gauntlett

Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday January 30, 2011 at 9:00PM EST (North America)

The topic will be: Royal Focus - Westminster Abbey

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Casting Royal Wedding Fans

Announcement via Mandy's Royalty/Royal Representative

CASTING ROYAL WEDDING FANS FOR TRIP OF A LIFETIME!

Can you name William and Kate’s favorite London nightclub?

Do you run a blog that reports every detail of the royal wedding planning?

Did you grow up with a Princess Diana-obsessed mother?

Do you dream of marrying into the royal family?

If so, you may fit the bill for a major American cable network, currently seeking the country’s most obsessed royal wedding fans. We’re looking for outrageous, outgoing characters who can’t get enough Wills and Kate! Candidates must be American and willing to travel. To apply, please email royalweddingcasting@gmail.com and a producer will send you an application.

Tenno Designation [For Japanese Experts]

If you wish to receive a special Tenno designation indicating your expertise regarding the Japanese Imperial House, you may respond to this exam offered by Yvonne Strong L.C.R.E. To submit your answers, you may use the comment box OR e-mail to cherylandersonbrown@gmail.com

1. Emperor Akihito is the 125th emperor in the traditional order of succession. How many of those rulers have been female?

2. By what name is Toshi-no-miya better known?

3. What does the Imperial Regalia consist of?

4. What is the Utakai Hajime?

5. In the Meiji restoration of 1868, what was restored?


View answers -- no cheating :)

The Title Test Answers

The Title Test ANSWERS

1. Who are the current Duke of Lancaster and Duke of York? And, are they still at war?
In the fifteenth century a struggle erupted between the descendants of King Edward III. Among the squabbles was whether the male-line descendants of his third son (the Duke of Lancaster) had a better right to the throne than the descendants of this fourth son (the Duke of York), who also happened to be descended in the female line from the second son (the Duke of Clarence). The first son's line having been left without descendants (and having been overthrown). Once all of that got straightened out with the rise of the Tudors, the tradition of giving the title Duke of York to the second son became firmly established. Since that time, several Dukes of York have inherited the throne and the titled has returned to the crown. Those who did not become king also did not have sons to inherit the title. The second son of the Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Andrew, is the current Duke of York--and he also does not have sons.

Back in 1399, Henry IV gave the title Duke of Lancaster to his eldest son, who subsequently became king and merged the title with the crown. The estate of the Duke of Lancaster (the Duchy of Lancaster) is still held by the Sovereign with honorary use of the title. Interestingly the title, which is restricted to male heirs, maintains the male form even the current holder is a woman, Queen Elizabeth II.

Favorite exam response: "As for the Duke of Lancaster and the Duke of york still at war - depends if mom is pissed at her son."


2. In both England and France, the eldest daughter of the king was often given a special title. What was the title in each country?

The eldest unmarried daughter of the French king was usually styled as "Madame Royale." After she married, the style could be passed to her next oldest unmarried sister. Initiated by King Henry IV for his eldest daughter Elisabeth, it passed to his second daughter Christine and then to his third Henriette Marie, who married the English King Charles I. Not to be outdone by his French in-laws, he gave his oldest daughter Mary the style "Princess Royal." The English style is not given automatically and remains the sole use of that princess until her death. So, if one Princess Royal is still living, another Princess Royal is not created. No Madame Royale or Princess Royal ever inherited a throne although several became royal consorts. The current Princess Royal is Princess Anne; she was given this honor in 1987.


3. What is a "dauphin" and where would you find one?
"Dauphin" or more specifically "The Dauphin of Viennois" was the title reserved for the heir apparent of the French throne. When the Counts of Vienne sold the estate to the King of France in the fourteenth century, one of the conditions was that the title "Dauphin" would be used by the heir. The word actually means "dolphin" and derives from the arms of the Count of Vienne.

Commonly repeated exam response to "where would you find one": "I'd look in the ocean. :)"


4. A male heir to a throne is often given a special title. What is the title in each of the following monarchies:
a. United Kingdom--Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall and Duke of Rothesay. Rothesay has been given to the Scottish heir-apparent since the fifteenth century; the tradition continued to be observed when Scottish and English thrones were united under King James VI and I. Cornwall has been given to the eldest living son of the English king since 1337. As for Prince of Wales, the legend goes that after King Edward III defeated the last of the native Welsh princes, the people of Wales asked him to appoint a new Prince who spoke neither English nor French. Complying with their request, he cleverly presented them his newborn son, who eventually became Edward II. None of these title was ever given to a female heir, although some people did refer to Henry VIII's eldest daughter Mary as "Princess of Wales," but that was before he divorced her mother and declared her illegimate.
b. The Netherlands--Prince of Orange. Originally holders of an estate called "Orange" in southern France, the owners eventually became sovereign princes through their allegiance to the Holy Roman Empire. Then, the title was passed to a cousin, who also happened to be the Dutch stadtholder, later King of the Netherlands. For three generations, the Netherlands had female heirs, none of whom received the title.

c. Spain--Prince of the Asturias. The title was originally used for the heir to the Kingdom of Castile and later continued to be used when the Spanish kingdoms were united. Unlike in other nations, this title actually was given to a few female heirs, including most recently Infanta Mercedes, who was the heiress presumptive her entire life, first as the daughter of Alfonso XII and then as sister of Alfonso XIII, who inherited the throne upon his birth. Since her brother was unborn at the time of their father's death, it was unclear whether Mercedes would inherit the throne. Had little Alfonso been a girl, Mercedes would have been queen.
d. Russia--While English speakers may be more used to seeing the word "tsarevich" to refer to the heir of the imperial Russian throne. This is actually an older term meaning "son of the tsar" and could refer to any sons of the tsar. The correct term for the heir is "tsesarevich," meaning roughly "heir of Caesar." It was coined by Emperor Paul I when he established new rules regarding the imperial house, which included banning women from ascending the throne--he had issues with his mama Catherine the Great. The tsesarevich did not have to be the tsar's son, just his heir. For instance, upon his accession, the unmarried Nicholas II named his brother George the tsesarevich. Additionally, the title was never used alone, but always as "nasliednik tsesarevich" in which "nasliednik" actually means "heir." In Russia, the heir was more commonly referred to as "Nasliednik" rather than "Tsesarevich."

5. How many people are currently allowed to use the style "Royal Highness" in the United Kingdom?

This list is longer than you might realize. Therefore, we gave full credit to anyone who came close to the actual number. The style is allowed to any legitimate children and male-line grandchildren of the sovereign AND their wives. However, King George VI specifically denied the style to his abdicated brother's wife, the Duchess of Windsor. He also granted the style to his daughter and heir's husband, Philip, who had renounced his Greek royal titles before marrying the future Queen. Finally, in 1996, Letters Patent clarified that divorced female spouses lose their royal titles. So, the list of current royal highnesses numbers 20:

HRH The Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh (granted HRH style by King George VI)
HRH The Prince of Wales (son of a queen)
HRH The Duchess of Cornwall (wife of The Prince of Wales)
HRH Prince William of Wales (grandson of a queen)
HRH Prince Henry of Wales (grandson of a queen)
HRH The Prince Andrew The Duke of York (son of a queen)
HRH Princess Beatrice of York (granddaughter of a queen)
HRH Princess Eugenie of York (granddaughter of a queen)
HRH The Prince Edward The Earl of Wessex (son of a queen)
HRH The Countess of Wessex (wife of a prince)
Viscount Severn (As a grandson of the queen, he is entitled to be styled HRH Prince James Viscount Severn, but his parents have asked that he not be.)
Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor (As a granddaughter of the queen, he is entitled to be styled HRH Princess Louise of Wessex, but his parents have asked that he not be.)
HRH The Princess Anne The Princess Royal (daughter of a queen)
HRH Prince Richard Duke of Gloucester (grandson of King George V)
HRH the Duchess of Gloucester (wife of a prince)
HRH Prince Edward Duke of Kent (grandson of King George V)
HRH the Duchess of Kent (wife of a prince--she is said to prefer not to use the style or title)
HRH Prince Michael of Kent (grandson of King George V)
HRH Princess Michael of Kent (wife of a prince)
HRH Princess Alexandra Lady Ogilvy (granddaughter of King George V)

Sarah Duchess of York is no longer an HRH because she is divorced from The Duke of York. She is able to use "Duchess of York" like a surname, but if her ex were to remarry, his new wife would be HRH The Duchess of York, even if Sarah were still living and calling herself Sarah Duchess of York.

Made welcome in royal circles

Colin Firth has won universal praise and now a Golden Globe for his role as King George VI in The King’s Speech. Interestingly, the awards ceremony took place exactly 88 years after the prince, then Duke of York, became engaged to Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1923. On 16 January 1923 The Times published the announcement from the palace:

‘It is with the greatest pleasure that The King and Queen announce the betrothal of Their beloved son, the Duke of York, to the Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, daughter of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne.’

The paper did not mention that the prince had spent some time trying to persuade Lady Elizabeth to become his wife, and she finally relented on his third proposal. The leader writer went on to comment on the apparent difference in social status between the betrothed couple, ‘Love, which laughs at locksmiths, can sometimes smile at the difference in rank which separates Royalty from the rest of the people of the State’. The Duke of York was praised for his good works and ‘the modest grace and unaffected friendliness of his bearing’. Readers were assured that Lady Elizabeth was ‘high spirited, clever and accomplished as well as beautiful, and for some time past has been made welcome in Royal circles.’

With four sons, George V had confided in his wife Queen Mary that he rather dreaded the idea of daughters-in-law, but he became terribly fond of Bertie’s wife. Queen Mary noted in her diary ‘We are delighted and he looks beaming.’

In a peculiar way, she could have been commenting on the reaction to the success of the movie.

EXAM #2: The Title Test

To submit your answers, you may use the comment box OR e-mail to cherylandersonbrown@gmail.com


1. Who are the current Duke of Lancaster and Duke of York? And, are they still at war?

2. In both England and France, the eldest daughter of the king was often given a special title. What was the title in each country?

3. What is a "dauphin" and where would you find one?

4. A male heir to a throne is often given a special title. What is the title in each of the following monarchies:
a. United Kingdom
b. The Netherlands
c. Spain
d. Russia

5. How many people are currently allowed to use the style "Royal Highness" in the United Kingdom?


View Answers--no cheating!

Exam 1 Answers

1. Which currently reigning European monarchs are NOT descended from Queen Victoria?
While many of today's monarchs are descended from Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, a few of them are not. These include Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands; King Albert II of Belgium and his nephew Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg; Prince Albert II of Monaco; and Prince Hans Adam II of Liechtenstein.

Of this group, Albert of Belgium and Henri of Luxembourg are the most closely related to Queen Victoria. They are descended from Victoria's maternal uncle, King Leopold I of Belgium, who incidentally was first married to Victoria's first cousin, Princess Charlotte Augusta of Wales.

Since this was the very first question, we have given full credit to anyone who gets both of the majesties (Beatrix of the Netherlands and Albert of Belgium) as some respondents may have interpreted "monarch" to mean "king" or "queen." We also gave full credit (because we are nice) to those who correctly identified at least three of the five.


2. Which currently reigning European monarchs are descended from Queen Victoria AND are married to a descendant of Queen Victoria?
Queen Elizabeth II, a great-great-grandchild of QV through QV's eldest son King Edward VII, is married to another great-great-grandchild, Philip Duke of Edinburgh, who was born a Prince of Greece and Denmark. He is descended through his mother from QV's second daughter, Princess Alice the Grand Duchess of Hesse.

King Juan Carlos of Spain, a great-great-grandchild descended from QV's youngest daughter Princess Beatrice of Battenberg, is married to Princess Sofia of Greece, who is descended from QV's oldest daughter Victoria The Princess Royal and Empress of Germany.

Interestingly, the Duke of Edinburgh is also cousins with Juan Carlos through a common Battenberg ancestor and he is cousins with Queen Sofia through their shared royal Greek roots. To be sure, Prince Philip is very royally connected AND, at 79, he is now the oldest living great-great grandchild of Victoria.


3. How many grandchildren did Queen Victoria have?
Aha! This was another question for which we allowed multiple correct responses because it depends on how you interpreted the question. From our perspective, we believe the most correct answer is 40, which includes all children BORN to QV's children. However, some people chose to omit two who were stillborn which makes the number 38 while others included these two and also added two who were miscarried, making the number 42. Whichever number you prefer, the fact remains that she had quite a large number of grandchildren despite the fact that one of her daughters, Princess Louise, was childless. Although Victoria confessed that she was hardly excited by the birth of yet another one, she was quite fond of her grandchildren and they of her--and, she certainly enjoyed meddling in their lives and offering them LOTS of advice.


4. Which of Queen Victoria's granddaughters became queens or empresses?
The Princess Royal's daughter Princess Sophia of Prussia married the future King Constantine I of Greece and went with him dutifully into exile, not once but twice.

King Edward VII's daughter Princess Maud married her maternal first cousin Prince Carl of Denmark and was rather distressed when he was selected for the newly re-created throne of Norway as King Haakon VII.

Princess Alice's namesake daughter Princess Alix of Hesse married the ill-fated Tsar Nicholas II of Russia and became known as Empress Alexandra Feodorovna. They and their five children were murdered by the Bolsheviks. The entire family has been recognized as martyred saints by the Russian Orthodox Church.

Prince Alfred the Duke of Edinburgh and of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha's oldest daughter Princess Marie married Crown Prince Ferdinand of Romania when she was 17. She and her first cousin, the future King George V might have wished to marry each other, but Marie's Imperial Russian mother did not want an English husband for her daughter.

Princess Beatrice's only daughter Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg married King Alfonso XIII of Spain after her cousin Princess Victoria Patricia of Connaught turned him down. The marriage caused a stir in both countries--in Spain because she was merely a serene highness and in England because she had to convert to Catholicism. Her uncle, King Edward VIII made her a royal highness and allowed her to convert.


5. How many generations of her descendants were living at the time of Queen Victoria's death?
Okay, we'll admit that some of you got tripped on a technicality in responding that their were four generations living. The absolute correct answer is three; the fourth generation would have been Victoria herself who, of course, was no longer living once she was dead. So, depending on whether you were counting generations the moment before or the moment after her death, three or four would be correct. In short, by the time of her death, she was a great-great-granny many times over. She became a grandmother at age 39 and a great-grandmother at age 60. Had she lived just four years longer, she would have been a great-great-grandmother with the birth of Prince Philip's oldest sister Princess Margarita of Greece.

Eleanor's Crosses: A Royal Love Story

For two days, the mighty king remained in seclusion. Pale and withdrawn, stricken with an overwhelming grief that distracted him from the impending war with Scotland. For 36 years, Eleanor of Castile had been the faithful and loving companion of the powerful King Edward I. Unlike most royal marriages in history, theirs was a true love story.

Initiated for political reasons designed to shore up the southern reaches of what remained of Henry II’s and Eleanor of Aquitaine’s Angevin empire, the marriage between their great-grandson and the Castilian king’s darkly beautiful sister was immediately successful. Handsome, tall and blonde, like all the famous Plantagenet princes, Edward was 15 when they wed while his bride was a dewy-eyed 13.

Eleanor became pregnant with alarming haste, but both of the extremely young parents were distraught when the pregnancy ended tragically. Perhaps filled with fear for Eleanor’s life, the couple apparently engaged more cautiously for the next several years and their first child, a daughter named Eleanor, was not born for another nine years. From that point forward, they were indeed very fruitful with 16 children born in 25 years.

This reproductive success certainly reflects the couple’s devotion to each other, but it was also made possible by their constant togetherness. In an age when royal spouses were often separated for months and even years as the husband pursued his territorial claims, fought off attackers, and journeyed on The Crusades, Edward and Eleanor rarely allowed space to come between them. Even though Edward’s court was in almost constant motion, sometimes staying in one place for no more than a day or two, Eleanor was usually with him.

Even in the late stages of her many pregnancies; she could not be persuaded to leave her beloved husband’s side. Her children were born all over the world of her day as she followed Edward from campaign to campaign. Sometimes arriving in stalwart castles other times in makeshift accommodations, her infants were born at Windsor, Surrey and Woodstock in England, at Rhuddlan and Caernarvon in Wales, and in Gascony and Palestine.

Like her predecessors Eleanor of Aquitaine and Eleanor of Provence, Eleanor would not be left behind when her husband, who was not yet king, went on Crusade. During that journey, she nearly lost her husband, not in battle but at the hands of an assassin. Under the pretense of diplomacy, the culprit entered Edward’s tent and pulled out a knife. Ever vigilant and athletic, the prince personally fought off his attacker and killed him with his own knife, but not before suffering a defensive wound on his arm. The poisoned blade soon left Edward near death. Later stories circulated of Eleanor sucking the poison from his wound in a brave display of her devotion. The true story, however, also shows the depth of her passion. The doctors were forced to remove the hysterical Eleanor from the tent before they could operate: better that a princess should cry than that all of England should mourn.

Hale and hearty, Edward survived and the couple returned home to be feted as the new king and queen since his father had died in their absence. To show his love and respect for his queen, Edward had Eleanor crowned with him in the first double coronation for centuries.

As the year’s progressed, Edward and Eleanor never tired of each other. He is one of the few medieval monarchs believed to have been entirely faithful to his wife. She was with him on his journey north in November 1290 to deal with another batch of trouble with the Scots. She remained at Harby near Lincoln as he made the final push toward the frigid border. Eleanor fell terribly ill and word was sent to Edward who, forgetting the urgency of his mission, rushed to her side. But, he was too late.

And so, he sat alone with his grief. How could he honor a wife of 36 years? After so many children and so many decades, her celebrated beauty may have faded, but as the saying goes, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Edward could not forget his bride and would ensure that she was remembered for centuries. As her cortege made its slow journey to London, her widower erected a cross at every place where it stopped for the night. Originally made of wood, each marker was replaced with an elaborate stone sculpture topped with a large cross. Each one included three brightly colored and gilded tiers. The lowest level included stone books likely inscribed with tales of the queen’s life and prayers that passersby were encouraged to recite for her soul. The next level included sculptures of the queen herself.

Edward spent the equivalent of millions of dollars in today’s money to erect 12 “Eleanor Crosses” from Lincoln to Charing. Carved in the same ornate style that the king’s architects were using in Westminster Abbey, the crosses stood taller than most contemporary buildings at the crossroads where they were most likely to be seen. For the rest of his long life, Edward continued to attend services honoring Eleanor, even after he married again for political reasons.

Unfortunately, the Eleanor Crosses did not weather well the mists of time and politics. They were all made of stone that eroded, except the final cross at Charing, which was made of marble. But even Charing Cross could not stand against the Parliamentarian Roundheads of the English Civil War. It, like most of the crosses, was destroyed by the Puritans who viewed the Catholic crosses as idols. Today, only three of Edward’s memorials remain standing—at Geddington, Hardingstone, and Waltham—although each of these no longer bears the cross at its apex. Pieces from some of the crosses have been preserved or even restored by their local communities.

As for the elaborate monument which now stands in front of the Charing Cross rail station; it is a less-than-accurate replica constructed there in 1865 as a marketing device to advertise the new Charing Cross Hotel.

The crosses may have lost their golden shine or been toppled in the seven centuries that have intervened, but Edward’s tender tribute to Eleanor still echo: “We cannot cease to love our consort, now that she is dead,” he wrote, adding, “whom we loved so dearly when alive.”

For more about the Eleanor Crosses, visit the Art & Architecture feature.

The Royal Wedding Report for Sunday January 16, 2011

What was the first royal scandal of 2011? Was Kate destined for greatness as a child? Should Carole and Pippa Middleton ever leave their house again? What does William & Kate's commemorative wedding china have in common with royal flushes?
Find out on this episode:

The Royal Wedding Report - January Edition

Publications discussed

Hello! Canada Weekly No 198 13 December 2010 - Cover story - The Real Kate

Hello! Canada Weekly No 201 17 January 2011

Websites mentioned

Westminster Abbey - Royal Weddings

From My Royal Collection

Grace Kelly: Icon of Style to Royal Bride (Philadelphia Museum of Art)

Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report for Sunday January 23, 2011 at 9:00PM EST (North America)

The topic will be: William & Kate and the spectre of Diana. Will there be three people in their marriage too

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Become a Certified Royal Expert

The Princess Palace is pleased to announce the creation of its sister blog, Royal Certification. This is a tongue-in-cheek (hopefully fun!) response to the proliferation of so-called "royal experts" being quoted by the media. All of you royal geeks out there can indulge your love of royal trivia with me!

EXAM #1: Descendants of Victoria

To submit your answers, you may use the comment box OR e-mail to cherylandersonbrown@gmail.com




1. Which currently reigning European monarchs are NOT descended from Queen Victoria?

2. Which currently reigning European monarchs are descended from Queen Victoria AND are married to a descendant of Queen Victoria?

3. How many grandchildren did Queen Victoria have?

4. Which of Queen Victoria's granddaughters became queens or empresses?

5. How many generations of her descendants were living at the time of Queen Victoria's death?

ANSWER TO THIS EXAM. (No cheating; the C.R.E. site relies on the honor system.)

How to Be Certified

The Royal Expert Certification process is a series of brief weekly (or so) examinations on various topics related to European royalty. After successfully answering five questions, the applicant will receive the next level of certification, as outlined below. The applicant may use the comment box or e-mail cherylandersonbrown@gmail.com to respond to questions. Applicants also are welcome to suggest topics and submit possible future exams. As this is Very Serious Business, please enjoy at your own risk.

Certification Levels
Lord (L.C.R.E)
Viscount (V.C.R.E.)
Count/Earl (C.C.R.E.)
Duke (D.C.R.E.)
Prince (P.C.R.E.)
Grand Duke (G.D.C.R.E.)
King (K.C.R.E.)
Emperor (E.C.R.E.)

Click to take the first exam.

Death to the Queen: One Night at the Palacio Real

The queen held her son’s hand as he lay in bed, trying to be as still as possible in the midst of an attack of hemophilia. His sisters and two of his brothers gathered around the room in a death watch that may have taken some of the young people by surprise.

For the death knell was sounding not in this sick chamber, but outside the Palacio Real, where surging crowds were yelling, “Viva la republica!” and “Death to the Queen.” As Queen Victoria Eugenie looked at her children, she could at least thank God that her other hemophilic son, 17-year-old Infante Gonzalo was not also ill. The family’s escape into exile was already hampered by the illness of the 24-year-old Prince of the Asturias. Indeed, King Alfonso XIII had been forced to leave his family behind, reassured that they would leave by train the following day.

But, what a long night awaited them.

Just weeks before, the queen, known as Ena in the family, had returned from a visit to her ailing English mother, Princess Beatrice, youngest daughter of Queen Victoria, to be greeted by rapturous crowds chanting “Long live the queen!” Knowing the tumultuous state of Spain’s government, she at first thought they were cheering against her. She was almost certainly pleased when the throngs of people caused her car to have to travel very slowly to the Palacio Real and their cheers led the royal family to make an impromptu balcony appearance.

For decades, the Spanish throne had been on rocky ground, saved only by successive dictatorships that at least kept the hounds of republicanism at bay. Even that stability was illusive. By late 1930, King Alfonso felt forced to ask for the resignation of the most recent “director” General Primo de Rivera. As the next spring approached, elections were set and the outcome was unpredictable. On April 17, the monarchists won an overwhelming victory—22,000 to 6,000—but only in the countryside. The cities were dominated by the republicans who seized the moment to make their own history. A civil war was imminent.

Alfonso refused to abdicate but he hoped civil war could be avoided if he and his family left the country for a while. It was a strategy that appeared to have worked in the past for their Greek cousins. As he slipped away to Marseilles, his wife and children gathered for a solemn dinner around Alfonsito’s sickbed. Only 18-year-old Infante Juan was absent, away at military school from which he would have to make his own way to safety. But, at least Juan was healthy, unlike his three brothers. Juan has not only escaped the hemophilia that plagued his oldest and youngest brothers but also the deafness of the second son Jaime, who had been rendered deaf by a botched medical procedure when he was only four.

With her one healthy son far from her ability to help him, Ena focused on the children in the room. Praying with them and trying to get some rest as the crowds bellowed outside. Suddenly, loud crashes rang through the palace. A truck rammed the gate over and over again. The terrified family awaited its fate. As the attackers emerged from the vehicle, the relief must have been overwhelming—instead of bloodthirsty revolutionaries, the truck carried the nuns who had taught Infante Jaime to speak after he lost his hearing. They had braved the crowds to bring comfort to the young prince, afraid that he would not understand what was happening around him.

When morning finally arrived, Ena and her children attended one last mass together at the Palacio Real and then bade goodbye to their servants. With Alfonsito carefully carried on a stretcher, the royal family departed, not knowing when or if they would ever return. Their journey was slow and emotionally exhausting. Newspapers reported that the 43-year-old queen appeared anxious and fatigued. Along the way, they stopped at El Escorial, which houses the crypt of Spanish monarchs. Ena had never liked this morbid place, but she had to have wondered if this would be her last visit, would she be forced to find some other final resting place? Hounded by peasants at one way station, where she found only a rock to rest upon, her demeanor remained calm and dignified. “Viva la republica,” one woman called out to her. “Long live whatever is best for my people,” the queen replied quietly.

In exile, King Alfonso XIII and Ena gave up the pretense of their marriage and separated. He had married the young British princess for her beauty and gentleness, but he never forgave her for the genetic disorder she passed on to their sons. Their very wedding day was filled with portents of the unhappiness that awaited their life together: a would-be assassin’s bomb left soldiers and horses mangled all around the bridal carriage.

The civil war they had sought to avoid ravaged Spain from 1936 to 1939, finally ending with the strong-arm dictatorship of General Francisco Franco. The dictator-for-life declared Spain a monarchy again in 1947, although he named no king. In the 1960s, he invited Alfonso and Ena’s grandson, Juan Carlos to live with his young Greek bride and their children in Spain. In 1969, Franco designated him as his heir. Upon Franco’s death in 1975, he became absolute king of Spain, but contrary to his predecessor’s plans, Juan Carlos transitioned Spain into a democracy with himself as a constitutional monarch.

Queen Ena also returned to Spain, although briefly, for the christening of her great-grandson Felipe in 1968—he is the current Prince of the Asturias. Ena died a year later in Lausanne. She returned at last to El Escorial in 1985, where her remains were placed next to her husband, who had been transferred their five years earlier, nearly 40 years after his death in exile.

Royal Engagement Tribute from British School

Demos and Kitty took the roles of Prince William and Kate Middleton as part of the royal engagement celebrations at The Kingsley School.

Pupils at the private school in Warwickshire made a special congratulations card to send to the happy couple.

The young pupils were photographed with the card before it was sent by the Royal Mail to Buckingham Palace.

The school hopes that the fantastic card will stand out from the others as the junior school pupils made the card themselves, as well as including this photograph of the young lookalikes of Prince William and Kate Middleton from the school.

Here’s a photo of the happy couple!

Thank you to Andrew Parker for sending me this info!

The Royal Report for Sunday January 9, 2011 - the 2010 Royal Year in review

What major news stories happened in 2010? Fergie's cash for access scandal, the Queen's first great-grandchild, Prince William's first official tour, and the long awaited engagement announcement of Prince William to his girlfriend Kate Middleton. But what else happened in 2010? Find out on this episode!

You can listen to the episode here

Resources used to compile this episode:

World of Royalty Blog

Netty's Royalty Page

Tune in to the next episode of The Royal Report on Sunday January 16, 2011 at 9:00PM EST (North America)

The topic will be: The Royal Wedding Report - January edition

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Question: King Edward VIII Commemorative items

I have a souvenir tumbler for the coronation of Edward VIII, 12th May 1937. The design seems to be a transfer, with a portrait of the King and a wreath of thistles and roses with the crown at the top. Not interested in selling it, just wondered how common souvenir items of the coronation which did not take place are, are they sought after?

Doing a quick search of Edward VIII coronation souvenirs comes up with a large amount of items. From busts, glassware, medallions, china, stamps, biscuit boxes, handkerchiefs, and even to commemorative coins. Items commemorating the Coronation that never was are by no means rare.

Producing these items would not be unusual and given the amount of time between his accession and his abdication there was plenty of time to prepare them, meaning it wasn't a last minute or limited production. Companies offering these items could not have anticipated the abdication crisis so there was no reason to hold back on making them in large quantities.

I'm not an expert on royal souvenirs - I just like to collect them! Only a dealer can give you an answer regarding it's value to a collector. On eBay, the prices for these items vary greatly and sellers can ask whatever price they choose. Because of this I'm inclined to say that any item related to the brief reign of Edward VIII  is only as valuable as what someone is willing to pay for it.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Whose royal wedding is it anyways?

With each royal wedding update, Prince William and Kate (Catherine) Middleton are making it clear that they will organize their wedding their way. Case in point, it was recently announced that Catherine would not be travelling to Westminster Abbey in the traditional Glass Coach, but in a car. While arriving by car is not unheard of, even in royal weddings - Prince Edward and Sophie Rhys Jones' 1999 wedding is a good example - it goes against fairytale expectations.

Prince William and Catherine's wedding is in a different league from Prince Edward and Sophie's. For one, Edward and William are in different positions - William is second-in-line and Edward is seventh. Given Edward's position, few would have expected a lavish royal wedding. Instead of a procession through London to roaring crowds, Edward and Sophie were married in St George's Chapel Windsor. Unlike Prince Charles and Prince Andrew, who arrived at their respective weddings by coach, Prince Edward walked to his ceremony from Windsor Castle with his brothers as his supporters.

No one expects William to walk to Westminster Abbey. Like his grandfather Prince Philip he will be arriving at the Abbey by Royal car. Few if any are unlikely to care how William arrives, as long as he does. It is the bride who is the center point of a wedding. To some, William and Catherine represents a fairytale couple they can live through vicariously. For Catherine to arrive in anything less than a coach somehow diminishes the magic.

But William and Catherine are not a fairytale couple and they might define magic differently. Catherine reportedly chose to arrive at the ceremony by car and depart the Abbey by carriage with the 'splendor of a princess' to illustrate the change in her status. As if we could forget. Much like Sarah Ferguson at her 1986 wedding, when she arrived at the Abbey she wore a headdress of flowers instead of tiara. It was only after the register had been signed that she exchanged the flowers for a diamond tiara. It was a symbolic move. In her own words: "I had stepped up as the country girl; I would walk back as a princess."

The couple are also making an effort to avoid lavishness, though it comes with the territory. No one organizes royal weddings (and funerals) better than the royal family and pageantry is expensive. It is understandable that they would want to avoid the 1981 display Charles and Diana had. But any attempt for William and Catherine to avoid pageantry unrealistic. This is a Royal Wedding and you can only scale back so far. If they truly want to do so they should marry in a registry office like Charles and Camilla. Now wouldn't that be disappointing?

Whether they like it or not William and Catherine straddle the line between wanting the day to be personal versus giving people the pageantry they expect. As new wedding details come to light, disappointment is inevitable, understandable, and ultimately futile.

After all, it's their day, not ours.

© Marilyn Braun 2010

Wedding arrangements, 1893

For those anxious to hear every detail of the arrangements for the forthcoming royal nuptials, and perhaps disappointed by the minimal information fed to the public by the palace, here’s a taste of the exhaustive details published by The Times in 1893, during the run-up to the wedding of the Duke of York to Princess May of Teck.

Queen Victoria’s grandson, Prince George, Duke of York was the second son of the Prince of Wales; his elder brother, the wayward Prince Albert Victor (known as Eddy to his family) had died tragically in January 1892, leaving a bereft fiancée, Princess May of Teck. While the family were overcome with grief, and the nation mourned the loss of a young life, the practical constitutional concern of reinforcing the line of succession was never far from the thoughts of senior members of the royal family. It was obviously indelicate, perhaps even cruel to mention it out loud, but Queen Victoria and various members of her family hoped that Prince George would fill his dead brother’s shoes in more ways than one.

‘From London I hear all from the Queen downwards are resolved P George shall marry May!’ wrote Lady Geraldine Somerset. George and May were cousins and got on well. Moreover, they came together after Eddy’s death, united in their grief – and their families encouraged their friendship.

Eighteen months after Eddy’s death, to the delight of their families, Prince George and Princess May announced their engagement. The nation sighed with relief and no detail of the wedding was too trivial for patriotic readers.

On 6 June, The Times announced that ‘ the ceremony is to be a stately and imposing function’, before recounting rather breathlessly exactly how the teeming numbers of the extended royal family would be accommodated in the rather small Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace.

‘Workmen are now engaged in the sacred building, making the needful preparations. The north end of the chapel will be tastefully adorned with palms and flowers . . . The Communion platform will be extended . . . A chair will be placed in a convenient position for the use of the Queen . . . Communion rails will be dispensed with . . . Rows of chairs will be arranged on each side of the chapel . . . Some of the Royal Family are expected to assemble previous to the ceremony in the State apartments at St James’s . . .’ The exhaustive list of arrangements went on – and is not dissimilar to the kind of details craved by the public today.

Newspapers recounted on a daily basis resolutions of congratulations passed by town councils up and down the country, The Times remarking with sorrow on 9 June that, ‘The Royal marriage has not, so far excited any great enthusiasm in Birmingham, Staffordshire and the adjoining districts, and the subscriptions for presents are small, owing, probably, to trade depression.’

The list of wedding presents was enormous and ranged from priceless jewels and artefacts sent by Indian princes and diverse family members, to several typewriters, and rather touchingly, a thousand bundles of firewood chopped by poor tramps and criminals in the Church Army Labour Homes.

The Queen decreed that ladies must wear low-necked dresses without bonnets, and that the Royal procession would travel in closed carriages. And in defiance of Mr Gladstone, who had not declared a public holiday for the wedding, many businesses announced that they would be shut anyway.

The earnest young couple were the focus of the empire’s hopes and good wishes, and although the cynical may be forgiven for thinking that they had more or less been forced into an arranged marriage, they would be wrong. George and May were devoted to one another, and although they were both by nature rather shy and undemonstrative, in 1911 George (by then King George V) wrote fondly to his wife,

‘We suit each other admirably & I thank God every day that he should have brought us together, especially under the tragic circumstances of dear Eddy’s death, & people said I only married you out of pity and sympathy.

That shows how little the world really knows what it is talking about.’

George V and Queen Mary 1911

(Courtesy Library of Congress)

The Royal & The Clueless - Episode 20

On the last episode of The Royal and the Clueless, Enrique tried to convince Kate that an engagement would never happen. He threatened to quit and because his character no longer served a useful purpose, his resignation was accepted. With an engagement having been announced, Prince William & Kate Middleton, err..Catherine make wedding plans in earnest. They are currently reviewing the music selections.

Prince William: I really like Snoop Dog's song..

Catherine: I think Elton would be a better choice. You do want your mother to be a part of our day, don't you?

Prince William: Yes, but we can't go overboard. You're already wearing her dress, which you'll look beautiful in. I...errr...Mummy would be so happy!

Catherine: Do you think they'll be pleased?

Prince William: Who darling?

Catherine: Everyone, of course!

Prince William: What do you mean by 'everyone'?

Catherine: All of the people who are waiting for details about our wedding. People all over the world. Everyone wants to know.

Prince William: True, it's cruel to keep them waiting for information isn't it?

Catherine: Sometimes I feel so bad...

Prince William: There, there darling. Everyone must understand how stressful this is to you.

Catherine: The ring, the engagement pictures, our interview...we can't seem to please everyone

Prince William: We can't give up, we must keep trying!

Despite resigning in the last episode, Enrique mysteriously appears out of nowhere

Enrique: You do realize that not everyone cares about you, right?

Prince William looks around for servants and realizes he doesn't have any

Prince William: How did you get in here?

Enrique: the plot was meandering, I couldn't help myself

Enrique thumbs his nose at Marilyn as she writes this episode. A stapler materializes and Enrique winces at the memory.  Catherine doesn't notice it. Yet.

Catherine: But everyone must care. It can't be that there are people who don't care about us?

Catherine starts sobbing. William tries to comfort her.

Enrique: (exasperated) You're not the centre of the universe you know!

Prince William: Yes, we know, Charlotte Church is. Everyone knows that.

Catherine: (looks perturbed) Yes, that's why we announced more wedding details. Everyone will be so pleased!

Prince William: Brilliant plan darling

Enrique: (muttering under his breath) Has everyone lost their minds?

The stapler mysteriously inches closer to Enrique

Catherine: (frowning) What did you say?

Prince William: Never mind him darling...we must get back to work..everyone is waiting..

Can William and Catherine please everyone? Is everyone really waiting for details? Will Enrique take the hint? Will Catherine notice the stapler? Find out on the next episode of The Royal & The Clueless

 © Marilyn Braun 2010

A Tragic Royal Birth

As we celebrate the birth of little girls to Princess Sarah of Brunei and Autumn Phillips and eagerly await the birth of Crown Princess Mary of Denmark's twins, I am reminded of a royal birth that was not nearly as happy. In fact, it came to be known as a "triple obstetric tragedy."

In 1817, King George III's only legitimate grandchild, Princess Charlotte, went into labor with her first child on Nov. 3. On the evening of the 5th, a large baby boy was finally delivered, but he had died hours before, unable to pass safely through the birth canal. In the early hours of the 6th, Charlotte awoke in intense pain and violently vomiting. Minutes later, she had died from internal hemorrhaging. Although the male midwife, Sir Richard Croft, had decided not to use forceps to progress the delivery, the royal family absolved him of any guilt in the deaths.

Sir Richard, however, could not forgive himself. Months later, as he oversaw another difficult delivery, he adjourned to another room in the lady's house and committed suicide.

The deaths of Charlotte and her son marked a true crisis for the royal family. They were the only heirs to the throne and Charlotte had been the only publicly loved figure in a royal family marred by scandal and "madness." As the florists sold out of flowers with the death of Princess Diana in 1997, the shops sold out of black mourning cloth in 1817. Her first biographer even announced that historians of the future would focus on Charlotte's tragic death more than any other events of the day--which included, by the way, the recently concluded Napoleanic wars!

Within two years, George III had several new grandchildren thanks to a rush to the altar by Charlotte's uncles and her public memory was rather quickly forgotten as the nation focused its hopes on a little princess named Victoria, whose memory would be preserved in hundreds of place names and even the naming of an era of history.

This week, the Cross of Laeken blog celebrates its second anniversary by publishing a guest post from me about the life of Princess Charlotte. The connection between a blog about the Belgian royal family and a British princess may not be immediately clear. Charlotte's husband, who would have been Albert to her Victoria, remained a widower in England for more than decade. Then, he was offered the newly create Belgian throne as King Leopold I. He remarried and named his only daughter for his beloved Charlotte. But, even this remembrance is laced with darkness for she grew up to be the mad Empress Carlota of Mexico.

Click here to read the Cross of Laeken post. Congratulations on your second anniversary! Thank you for inviting me to be a part of your excellent blog!