Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh Current Events 19: October 2008-March 2009

[Mermaid1962]

That was a real treat, RoyalProtocol. It's always encouraging to see children seeing the Queen.

 

[Skydragon]

The Queen is to relaunch her website with the help of Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web.

She emails her grandchildren with gossip, laughs out loud at clips on YouTube and is often overheard telling friends and staff: "Why don't you Google it?" .

Queen to unveil new look Royal website - Telegraph

 

[Warren]

Posts relating to royal wills and death duties are now in the Royal Finances thread;
Posts about the new Australian coach have been moved to the Royal Mews thread.

 

[giov]

From Daylife
Queen Elizabeth II unveils a plaque as she opens the Carole Brown Health Centre on February 3, 2009 in Dersingham, England. The Queen attended on her own as the Duke of Edinburgh was unable to for health reasons. Amongst others the Queen met nurses, community team and primary care trust representatives.
Getty/Daylife
Getty/Daylife
Getty/Daylife
Getty/Daylife
Getty/Daylife

 

[Warren]

thanks giov!

* Picture of the day *​

¤​

 

[anabell]

Queen Elizabeth Open Carole Brown Health Centre The Queen And Duke Of Edinburgh Open Carole Brown Health Centre - Pictures - Zimbio

 

[Lillibetforever]

thanks giov!

* Picture of the day *​

¤​

I have to agree that this is the picture of the day!! How adorable is HM?!

 

[Avicenna]

Thanks everyone for the pictures. Her Majesty looks incredible great

 

[Skydragon]

The Queen, whose personal fortune is estimated to have fallen by £25 million since the start of the credit crunch, has now taken a substantial hit on the Crown Estate because of the collapse of the economy in Iceland.

Queen finds herself having a little trouble with the tenants - Telegraph

 

[Russophile]

Queen Elizabeth Open Carole Brown Health Centre The Queen And Duke Of Edinburgh Open Carole Brown Health Centre - Pictures - Zimbio

The article mentioned that the Duke was not in attendance due to health issues. Do we have an update on his health?

 

[christinacg]

The article mentioned that the Duke was not in attendance due to health issues. Do we have an update on his health?

I read that it was due to a back injury, so while it might be very painful for him, I don't believe he is suffering from anything life threatening!

 

[Iluvbertie]

Maybe not life threatening but, based on the experience I am having with a friend who is of similar age, he was complaining of back pain before Christmas and has been bedridden ever since (well he might have been up and around, if he wasn't sooooooo determined to get back on his feet and try to walk last Saturday when he fell and is again bedridden). And yes this friend has been very active throughout his life, including a short stint working at BP, about which he simply refuses to talk due to his promise of loyalty to the Crown, but also doing a range of other outside, physical activities and jobs.

We are holding some real fears that this friend might never get back on his feet.

I do hope that Philip isn't as bad as my friend and is soon back and supportive of The Queen as he has been for the last 60 years, since their marriage (a true consort to a monarch if ever there was one).

 

[ada]

Congrats. to HM's dressers, she looks fab. again.

 

[chaimae]

the queen looks great ; she is always active and beautiful!
hope that the duke is ok !

 

[Skydragon]

The article mentioned that the Duke was not in attendance due to health issues. Do we have an update on his health?

On the various news channels, they said - 'Concerns are growing'.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2009/02/04/prince-philip-health-fears-115875-21095605/

 

[marmi]

Charles and Camilla meet singing priests while Queen steps out alone

 

[Iluvbertie]

Although I am sure that the Queen would love to have Philip by her side I am pleased that he seems to be taking the Drs advice and resting.

She will fill him in no doubt about what happened and possibly even, totally in private of course, imitate some of the people she meet and replay the day for him.

 

[Skydragon]

The gift shop at the Queen's Sandringham Estate has been selling "gollidolls" for the past year.

Queen's Sandringham gift shop has sold 'gollidolls' for a year - Telegraph

Race doll row hits the royals: Queen has to say sorry for golliwogs on sale at Sandringham

Race doll row hits the royals: Queen has to say sorry for golliwogs on sale at Sandringham | Mail Online

For most people, the golliwog will always be associated with Robertson's Jam - the brand's smiling mascot and a comforting reminder of childhood.

But times have changed and he is now persona non grata, a symbol of reviled racist stereotyping

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...childrens-hero-symbol-bitter-controversy.html

 

[chaimae]

Am I alone in finding this row over Carol Thatcher directed at the wrong person
I think the Palace has made a mistake in appologising for having these adorable soft toys.

 

[ada]

Could I humbly suggest golliwogs in colours other than black???

 

[Emeralds and Opals]

BBC NEWS | UK | Queen and Duke cancel state visit

 

[Mermaid1962]

That makes sense. They could be beige and tan and ivory and all sorts skin tones.

Could I humbly suggest golliwogs in colours other than black???

 

[Elise27]

Am I alone in finding this row over Carol Thatcher directed at the wrong person
I think the Palace has made a mistake in appologising for having these adorable soft toys.

It may be because I am american and there is a strong sensitivity to those sorts of things in this country, but I think the palace took the right step in apologizing mainly because the queen has to be sensitive to these sorts of things. Rightly or wrongly, people would interpret this as the queen being racist and its better for her to address this head on rather than be accused of being a racist, even if now the criticism is that she's being too politically correct or something a long those lines. Its much better for the queen to be accused of being politically correct when it comes to this, than to be accused of being a racist.

Now again I am not british, so i dont know the history of those dolls in the UK. but i do find it amazing how quickly people forget the history and misery that little simple things like these dolls represent. This would be a huge uproar in the US from all sectors. I think that yes people can be a little too sensitive, but with these dolls absolutely not. In the united states these dolls or similar ones were associated with the image of the happy "negro" slave, servant, or just inferior being etc who was lazy, liked to drink, with crazy hair, exaggerated features who led a happy life being subjugated by white people basically.
It would not have been good, whatever your position on the matter, for the palace not to apologize for this. It would quite simply be bad PR.

 

[Elise27]

BBC NEWS | UK | Queen and Duke cancel state visit

I really do hope that this has nothing to do with the Dukes health. I really dont trust the palace saying its just because of scheduling conflicts or a heavy load. When has the queen canceled a state visit because of that? Yes she's old but its very unlike the queen to cancel a state visit, especially presuming that some sort of planning has already gone into planning the visit.

 

[wbenson]

I would think a state visit would be something everything else is planned around...except a big wedding or something like that. (What, I had to find some good explanation for it... )

 

[Elspeth]

I should think the only reason for cancelling a state visit other than health would be if the visit was likely to cause problems for elections or if there was a high likelihood of war breaking out or something. With the Duke being unwell to the point of cancelling engagements, it's hard to believe that this cancellation isn't connected to his health.

 

[Elise27]

absolutely, not to mention that the palace would have to know that this might bring an avalanche of rumors perhaps that it really is due to his health. At the same time i do think that the queen hasnt looked particularly worried, stressed in her last couple of engagements, so I would think its not that extremely serious. perhaps more like its not advisable for him to go on the state visit and the queen doesnt want to go on her own. I know the queen is very good at the stiff upper lip but she has looked relaxed during her visits in a way i doubt she would if prince philip were very seriously ill.

 

[Skydragon]

Another article on the cancellation: -

The visit, to an undisclosed location, has been called off because of "other commitments", Buckingham Palace said.
An official told the BBC that "there is just too much on" and that contrary to reports, Prince Philip's recent back injury was not the reason for the cancellation.



Queen and Duke of Edinburgh cancel state visit - Telegraph

I really hope it is just rolleyes back problems.

 

[chaimae]

i hope so too ; but i don'tknow why i don't beleive the commitments of the palace

 

[Lemon Lyman]

I would think a state visit would be something everything else is planned around...except a big wedding or something like that. (What, I had to find some good explanation for it... )

I wondered about a wedding... prehaps a annoucement on Monday????