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 First it was Charles, now it’s the entire clan. The annual Civil List report has been published with the usual arguments surfacing about the role of the monarchy as an accompaniment. But let’s look at the facts first.

The Royal Family cost the UK taxpayer 69p each in the 2008/9 financial year, a 3p rise on the 2007/8 financial year with the total cost rising by £1.5m to £41.5m. The accounts show that the Queen used £6m from a reserve fund to supplement the Civil List due to rising costs in the running of the Royal Household and indeed, there’s been increases in almost every department. Staff salaries, catering and hospitality, Royal travel and ceremonial functions all saw a rise in their bill but the Palace have pointed out that there are legitimate reasons for the increases.

They say that as for Royal travel, the rise in cost is explained by the overseas tours conducted by the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall on the request of the Government and by the unusual visit to Tonga by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester for the coronation of King George Tupou V. They also say that RAF aircraft are now limited in their avaliability which means that the Palace have to use alternative services to transport the Royals to their official engagements. The Queen has recieved £7.9m each year which was secured in 1990 by former Prime Minister Sir John Major, but this was frozen and banned from any increase by the Tony Blair administration in 1990 to compensate for what they claim was 10 years of over-payment. The current financial deal will come up for negotiation in 2010, but financial experts have noted that if these rises continue, the Royals could see themselves in the red even before that date. Read more…

BeatrixFan British Royals Elizabeth II, Finances, Olympics

Agricultural shows are all part and parcel of the Windsors’ working lives but today Her Majesty got a special treat that will surely go down well in the heat-wave the UK is currently enjoying: a year’s supply of ice cream. The gift was given by Maitland Mackie at the Royal Highland Show near Edinburgh. Mackie’s is a well-established brand and can be found in almost all British supermarkets alongside Walls and other favourites. Anyone concerned that the 83 year old monarch would have to pull a heaped cart of melting tubs around with her will be happy to know that the Queen was handed vouchers that are valid for 12 months.

This year was the 225th anniversary of the show and was the first visit by Her Majesty in 25 years and she obviously enjoyed touring the various stalls, watching a lace-making demonstration and catching up with her daughter, The Princess Royal, who was also attending. The Queen apparently chuckled at the present from Mr Mackie who said; “We gave the Queen a whole year’s supply of ice cream because we’re a bit worried about the economics of the Royal Household” before assuring us all that Her Majesty is “A lovely lady”. We’ll see how lovely she is after 12 months of rasperry ripple and neapolitan Mr Mackie.

BeatrixFan British Royals Agriculture, Elizabeth II

 After the endless rows over MPs taking advantage of their expense accounts, it seems that the British people are in the mood for taking public officials to task over their spending. Bad news for the Prince of Wales who has had his annual finance report published today. The report reveals that the Prince received almost £3m from the taxpayer with a rise of almost a quarter. The official reason is that the Prince undertook more foreign visits and completed the equivalent to 2 engagements a day (a total of 658) in his 60th birthday year but as usual the Republican groups are keen to stick the knife in. They say that as long as the Duchy of Cornwall makes a profit, there should be no government input. His Royal Highness’s private income rose by 1% (not much really, only £16.4m) but he also paid less tax which is likely to raise questions with the public.

Clarence House has been keen to point out that his carbon footprint was slashed by 7% as part of an environmental economy drive at Clarence House and Highgrove and that the Prince holidayed in the UK, bringing his out-costs down even furthur and that out of his private income, “well over half” was spent supporting his charities and official duties. Ingrid Seward has said that “the Prince is value for money” but as the UK fights a recession, this report may be harder to defend than previous ones. The annual finance report on the Civil List and Royal expenditure will probably be all the more anticipated after this mini-report into the Wales Household and I’m sure the Royals are now slightly worried that they may be the new public enemy number one when it comes to taxpayer’s money. Meanwhile, the Prince and the Duchess continue their tour of Wales.

BeatrixFan British Royals Finances, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales

Click the image to see the photo at the BBC website

 The House of Commons has just elected Tory MP John Bercow as the new Speaker of the House in an ancient balloting process to replace the outgoing Speaker Michael Martin, forced to resign over the MPs expenses scandal. He is the first Speaker in 300 years to be forced from office and his successor will have a tough job to reform the British parliament. The role of the Speaker will be well-known to Royal watchers who follow ceremonies such as the State Opening of Parliament, but where does the Queen come into it all?

Though there’s been no official word on the expenses row from the Palace (as if there would be!), Her Majesty has apparently made it clear to the Prime Minister that parliament needs reform. Although the new Speaker is elected by Members of Parliament, he still needs to get the Royal “approbation” or Royal approval by going to the House of Lords where the Lord Commissioners appointed by the Crown will approve the choice in the name of the Monarch. The process is fairly quick, but when the new Speaker visits the House of Lords, he’ll petition “in the name and on behalf of the Commons of the United Kingdom, to lay claim, by humble petition to Her Majesty, to all their ancient and undoubted rights and privileges, especially to freedom of speech in debate, to freedom from arrest, and to free access to Her Majesty whenever occasion shall require”. Let’s hope the Queen doesn’t mind the idea of the Speaker popping in unannounced for a cuppa.

 The new Speaker will enter into the Order of Precedence behind the Prime Minister, the Lord Chancellor and the Lord President of the Council.

For threads about the State Opening of Parliament, click here and here.

BeatrixFan British Royals Elizabeth II, John Bercow, Parliament, Speaker

Click for the image at the BBC website

 Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall begin their annual tour of Wales today, their base being their new official Welsh residence Llwynywermod (pronounced Clan-wormwood. Don’t blame me, I don’t make the rules). The programme is likely to be a packed one and already there are scheduled visits to Brecon Cathedral and the Prime Cymru organisation, as well as the eco-friendly Ty-Mawr Lime building-materials company. Tuesday will see the Royal couple visit Llandovery Hospital and the Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice at Llwynywermod with Wednesday seeing the Prince in his role as Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Welsh Guards carry out his bi-annual inspection of an army-run school for children of servicemen and women. On Friday, the Duchess will take part in the “Family Feast of British Food” which is part of “British Food Fortnight”. Keep your eyes peeled for that familiar salmon-pink coat and a trip or two on the Royal Train.

BeatrixFan British Royals Duchess of Cornwall, Official Visit, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Wales

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With the 2009 Wimbledon Championship starting on Monday, all eyes are firmly focussed on Andy Murray but Royal watchers will be surveying the scene for the odd Prince and Princess (and let’s face it there’s quite a few odd ones about these days). Years ago, there was no question of a Royal-less Wimbledon as the long-time President of Wimbledon All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club did her duty by attending and handing out the prizes. Of course, the lady in question is the late Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent. In elegant creations by Sir Hardy Amies (amongst others) Princess Marina became as much a symbol of Wimbledon as the players themselves, and pretty soon Her Royal Highness was taken to the hearts of the crowds as Wimbledon’s most dedicated Royal supporter.

How strange then that such an English sport should have a Greek-born Princess as its patron, but then from the moment she arrived in the UK, Princess Marina was adopted as one of our own. In 1934, the year of her marriage to Prince George (son of George V and Queen Mary), record numbers of baby girls were named ‘Marina’ as a tribute to the beautiful new Princess. As a Princess by birth, Marina was used to good living and due deference. She famously branded the Queen Mother and Princess Alice, Duchess of Gloucester, “Common little Scotch girls” and told a biographer that only she could boast “not one drop of common blood,” and she was right. Her mother was Grand Duchess Helen Vladimirovna of Russia and her bloodline connected to every Royal House in Europe. Yet despite this, Marina very nearly ended up in the poor house. Read more…

BeatrixFan British Royals, Greek Royals, Historical Royals Princess Marina, Wimbledon

Click for the image at the Daily Telegraph

 It’s been a day of celebration for the Windsor clan as Her Majesty The Queen marked her official birthday today, several weeks after her actual birthday in April. The 83 year old monarch was treated to the stunning pageantry of the Trooping the Colour, an annual ceremony first performed in the reign of King Charles II. This year was the turn of the Irish guards who proudly displayed their new colour presented to them by the Queen last month. Also present was the regiment’s mascot, Comnal, an Irish wolfhound who looked just as fabulous as his fellow troopers in a crimson coat.

The Royal Family were out in force with the Waleses, Wessexes, Gloucesters and Kents making appearances both in the parade and on the balcony after the ceremony. The traditional fly-past was as popular as ever with everyone’s favourites, the Red Arrows, turning the sky red, white and blue with their coloured smoke. Unusually, the BBC chose not to broadcast the fly-past, however they have released archive footage of a young Princess Elizabeth taking the salute on behalf of her father King George VI.

Of course with the Queen’s Birthday comes the respective honours list which features the usual crop of celebrities and lolly-pop ladies getting gongs. Notable by her absence from the list is Joanna Lumley who was widely expected to become a Dame after her intervention in the Gurkha row earlier this year. Recipients this year include legendary actor and vampire impersonator Christopher Lee who gets a Knighthood, Royle Family actress Sue Johnstone who picks up an OBE, and TV cook Delia Smith who gets a CBE for services to showing us how to boil an egg. You heat the water first apparently.

All in all, a glittering birthday, but sadly (and as per usual) local celebrations have seen little more than the customary flag flying over Government buildings.

BeatrixFan British Royals Birthday, Elizabeth II, Honours List, Trooping the Colour

 I’m fairly used to the sight of white-clad golden oldies showing their ball skills on a perfectly mowed lawn (I live near a Bowls club you see) but never did it cross my mind that bowls would become the sport of Kings. Or rather future Queens. Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall showed her flair for the game today on a visit to the village of Box in Wiltshire where she apparently scored a “jack-high.” Dear readers this means nothing to me but the admiration for the Duchess’s bowling skills was as effusive as it was unanimous. Dressed in a familiar but elegant blue two-piece, HRH chatted with locals and engaged in the local pastime with enthusiasm, even going bare footed as she bowled her best before officially opening the new clubhouse. It’s hard to imagine the Queen showing her tights, but it certainly endeared Camilla to the people of Box.

For a play-by-play account, see this article.

BeatrixFan British Royals Duchess of Cornwall, Sport

Click the image to see the photo at the Daily Mail

 ”Who touched who first?”. No, it’s not a transcript from Gary Glitter’s latest trial; it’s the question on everyone’s lips after Her Majesty The Queen and The First Lady of the United States of America enjoyed a little cuddle at Buck House last night. Though being briefed on Royal protocol, the Obamas seemed to prefer their own blend of modern friendliness and traditional etiquette and it obviously got the Royal seal of approval. At one end of the room, guests including Princess Alexandra of Kent, the French President Nicholas Sarkozy and the German Chancellor Angela Merkel showed suprise as the Queen put an arm around the towering Michelle Obama who reciprocated with an arm around the Queen’s shoulder. Or did she? Some say it was Mrs O who instigated it but whoever ran away with the moment I think it’s fair to say that the Queen is a big fan of the world’s favourite First Lady. As Michelle fever hits the UK, the Queen must be looking back at a time when cosying up to Eleanor Roosevelt would have been the scandal of the century.

The Queen also seemed to impress the other visiting G20 leaders (there were a few non-Obamas by the way) as she used her watertight memory and excellent linguistic skills to give everyone a thoroughly warm welcome to Britain. She chuckled with Angela Merkel, she listened intently to Hillary Clinton and even found time to kiss her son. All in a night’s work for the Queen who got hugged.

BeatrixFan British Royals Elizabeth II, Michelle Obama

 The saga of the Duchy Original tinctures continues as the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have upheld complaints from the public on the herbal medicine additions to the Prince of Wales’s Duchy brand. The Duchy Herbals line includes ‘Echina-Relief Tincture’, ‘Hyperi-Lift Tincture’ and the ‘Detox Tincture’ which was branded ‘outright quackery’ by the UK’s leading complementary medicine professor Edzard Ernst. Though the MHRA gave Duchy Originals a license to sell the tinctures, the regulatory body didn’t give permission for the potential health benefits of the products to be advertised as there was no proof of their efficacy. As a result, the Duchy Original’s site has been ordered to remove the adverts for the products until the wording is changed to something ‘less misleading’. There’s been no word from Clarence House on the matter, but surely this new step into healthcare is a long way from the brand Prince Charles created way back in 1990 which was apparently focussed on organic food and farming.

BeatrixFan British Royals Duchy Originals, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales