General News for Queen Elizabeth and Duke of Edinburgh 1: July 2008-March 2017


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In today's Australia Day Honours, the Duke of Edinburgh was made a Knight of the Order of Australia (AK) (he became a Companion in 1988), along with former Defence Force chief Angus Houston. It's a pity the official citation does not mention why the Duke of Edinburgh received the honour (in over 60 years the Duke has been involved with many Australian projects and organisations, and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award is very active here.) There are a lot of snide comments flying around about the AK. I don't think Knights and Dames of the Order of Australia have a chance of general acceptance while they are so closely associated with the current PM. Nominations to all other divisions of the Order of Australia are assessed by the Council of the Order of Australia, which then makes its recommendations to the Governor-General. Knights and Dames, however, are chosen by the Prime Minister who makes his recommendations directly to the Queen. The opposition leader has said he will recommend they are removed (again) from the Order of Australia if he becomes PM. It's all a bit undignified for the order.
 
It has long been known that the Queen no longer replaces the corgis who dies. I've heard that she is worried about what will happen to them when she dies.

End of 70-year love affair with Corgis: Queen against introducing any new dogs to Buckingham Palace as she is worried about tripping over them and injuring herself | Daily Mail Online

'Her main fear is that if she fell and broke her arm or even a leg she would not be able to perform her duties for many weeks if not months, and that would upset her greatly.'
 
There is only two or three of them left now. No doubt Charles will still support them - they will be 'old' dogs by then anyway.
 


Truly it is nice that Queen Elizabeth does not want any fuss made out of respect for Queen Victoria.
It might be like telling the people: "Respect my wishes. That will be considered an honorable gesture on your part."

I think so too. It underlines the fact that there is nothing about being the monarch that is self gratifying to HM. Its not about accolades or being iconic or personal bests but a deep rooted sense of duty, service and loyalty to her country and its people.
 
I think so too. It underlines the fact that there is nothing about being the monarch that is self gratifying to HM. Its not about accolades or being iconic or personal bests but a deep rooted sense of duty, service and loyalty to her country and its people.

Osipi, What a beautiful way of describing Her Majesty's approach: DUTY, SERVICE AND LOYALTY TO HER COUNTRY AND ITS PEOPLE.
Elizabeth II believes in doing her job.
It is a remarkable job well done.
Has there ever been a report where she scrutinized her subjects?
 
Off the top of my head, I think the only "subjects" she really would painstakingly scrutinize is her horses. Horses and corgis I think are her passion.
 
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Tony Blair’s former spin doctor is a staunch republican, yet in his new book exploring the qualities that make people winners, he reveals why he has come to admire the monarch.

His chapter where he discusses HMQ is in today's Sunday Times. Here is the link but there are issues because of the paywall. So I have extracted some of the key statements about HMQ and what her courtiers and "insiders" say about her

The Queen and I | The Sunday Times

EXTRACT

A big part of me believes that the royal family is the pinnacle of a class system that holds Britain back by preventing it from becoming a true meritocracy and that given all the advantages the royals are born into they can hardly go wrong. But a bigger part of me has developed a huge admiration for the Queen, not least for her skills as a leader.

In challenging times she has secured the monarchy for at least another generation and, given the way Prince Charles and the younger princes have developed as part of a concerted strategy by “the Firm”, probably much longer than that.

The Queen sees monarchy as an antidote to politics and, in so far as she allows herself to contemplate a sense of strategy, it is in “being the Queen” and viewing monarchy as a values system.

It is easy to forget just how battered the royals were. For the Queen the personal nadir was 1992, her “annus horribilis”. She and the family were frankly reeling from a succession of personal disasters that saw their standing and popularity fall.

“People began to question what the institution was for,” says one of her advisers. “We were descending into a rather grisly soap opera and just when you thought we were coming up for air, something else would come along and drown us out again. It was truly horrible.”

One member of her team told me, somewhat dramatically, that the appointment of Lord Airlie as lord chamberlain in 1984 was “the single most important moment in her reign”.

He brought a business eye to the household and frankly saw that it was running out of money, losing respect of government and was stuck in the mire.”

Airlie presided over a plan for what amounted to “privatisation” of the household. “The whole plan was to take back our own destiny from the government,” one courtier explains.

“And to do that we had to have control of the finances, a proper management structure and then recruit people who were more in tune with the modern way of life.”

“The Queen refuses to accept she needs a strategy; but she does have a vision,” one leading player in her team tells me. “It is to do with values, familiarity, certainty, continuity and leadership; much stronger forces than thought or strategy.”

(Re Diana's Death)
“She is opposed to anything knee-jerk and she felt it was knee-jerk to rush back,” one courtier tells me. “She is good at considered change, but so anti-knee-jerk that perhaps it makes her less good when precipitous action is called for because she doesn’t do that; her strength is steadiness, not being ruffled. But as the public anger grew, she accepted the advice of Charles and others to return and to lower the flag. She operates on instinct and a desire to get things right.”

Access

In recent years, however, the Queen has agreed to a new strategy focused on granting greater — although often very controlled — television access, giving permission for a succession of projects with which the palace would to some extent co-operate. The old ways — “never complain, never explain” — were over.

(This is interesting as the media always moan about lack of access. The trailer for the programme starting 19 Feb highlights that complaint . Cepe)

The new openness to the media, which the Queen approved, showed very clearly that lessons from the past had been learnt. As one of Charles’s team said, it was agreed that media access should be allowed, but that it was essential “to move the focus from the personal to the professional”.

Courtiers also point to two very different women who made a big change, one by accident, the second by design: the actress Helen Mirren and Charles’s second wife, Camilla Parker Bowles.

There was nervousness when the royal household heard that a feature film was being made about the Queen and her relationship with Tony Blair in the aftermath of Diana’s death. Those at the palace and at No 10 who were asked to give background information all, so far as I know, declined to help on the grounds that to say yes might lead the film makers to claim that the script was in some way “authorised” and therefore wholly “accurate”.

To be honest, we all assumed that a hatchet job was being planned. In the event, however, Mirren played an idealised version of the monarch. “There was a new wave of interest in the Queen and a new wave of popularity,” says one of her team.

“It was a piece of luck in a way, but it was a piece of luck that ran with the grain of our strategy. I really do think it was a big thing, a massive moment.”

As for Camilla, courtiers seem universally to credit her with a big role in improving things for Charles. “There was a lot of worry before the marriage about whether they would ever be accepted as a couple,” says one of his team. “But in the event, media coverage has been almost uniformly positive.” She brought happiness to him, stability to the family, legitimacy to the relationship; the Queen was pleased and it started to feel like a new world almost.

Suddenly they could go on tour together and instead of Charles seeming a lonely man he had company and laughter. She also always talks to people more comfortably than the natural-born royals. She had seen it all, she knew the way the media worked, her son was a writer-journalist, she had been around Charles when the mess was happening and she learnt from it and got him to learn from it too.”

Given the Queen’s age, it seems reasonable for us to think of the world beyond her. Charles’s team is clear that he will be different from her and different from how he has been himself as Prince of Wales.

“There is no defined role for heir to the throne; there is a defined role for the head of state. But equally, no two monarchs are the same. He will bring continuity but also change,” says someone who has worked closely with them both over many years.

“He’s had lots of time to think about it. The Queen started so young. He will be much older. He will bring wisdom and experience. He knows he’ll have to rein himself in a little, but he won’t be silent. He knows they are in a good place but they won’t take it for granted, won’t sit around saying, ‘Great job’.

“Nothing will take away from her being one of the defining figures of our age. Her death will be a remarkable moment, a vast moment of history, time to take stock, to realise a whole set of new challenges come along.”

The next phase for the royal family is already being planned. “Of course they do,” says one of the Queen’s advisers, when I ask if mother and son talk about “life beyond the Queen”.

About the Queen - by a Courtier

He tells me: “I know you’re against the whole hereditary principle, but let me tell you why it works with the monarchy. It is about humility. You and I, or anyone else who gets anywhere in life, we get there on some kind of merit. We might be clever, we work hard, we climb the greasy pole, and then we make our own decisions about what to do and when to stop, when to change what we do.

“The Queen and the Prince of Wales are not in doubt for one moment that they did nothing, nothing at all, to deserve to be where they are. They were just plonked there. They are accidents of birth. There was no interview, no selection panel. And that has made them very humble about those positions and very focused about doing the right thing and disciplined about duty. To me, that is one of the secrets of her success.

“I do not believe people want a communism of wealth or lifestyle. They like her riding to the opening of parliament in a gold coach, or driving to a hospital in a Rolls-Royce. But people do want a communism of humanity. She has always understood that instinctively.

“They know she is different, but they also know she is the same, eats the same things, breathes the same air, understands them and wants them to understand her. That is the communism of humanity and her understanding of that goes a long way to explaining why, even with your views, you see her as a success and a great leader.”
 
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cepe, very interesting stuff.
 
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Thank you for posting that Cepe. It was a very interesting read and, like you say, all the more remarkable given Alastair Campbell's political views.
 

It is wonderful how the Queen, who has a splendid interest in horses and horse racing, has been able to have brought the beauty of these fine animals into the interior.
As you are reading this, please do not think, under any circumstance, I am referring to live horses in Buckingham Palace.
I am speaking of these delightful equestrian paintings.
 
Queen 'may miss VE Day commemorations to distance herself from hung Parliament' - Telegraph

With polls predicting a hung Parliament after the May 7 election, it has been reported that Buckingham Palace wants to ensure that The Queen is "one step removed" from any political talks going on the day after the vote.

There are said to be concerns that a photograph of The Queen with any of the main party leaders could be misinterpreted and influence the outcome of any discussions.

A Whitehall source told the Guardian newspaper: “All you need is the one photograph where the Queen smiles at one of the leaders which would prompt talk of: ‘Oh the Queen is showing how she wants it to play out. No, no, no, to that. They want to keep her quite separate.”

However, The Daily Telegraph understands that no decision has yet been taken on whether she will attend the 70th anniversary of VE Day commemorations at Westminster Abbey.
 
The Queen's love of hats laid bare in handwritten notes to milliner Philip Somerville | Daily Mail Online

Yours sincerely, Elizabeth: collection of private letters reveal Her Majesty's friendship with her hat-maker - Telegraph

Lydia Wilkinson, auction coordinator, said: "Philip Somerville was milliner to the Queen by Royal appointment from the early 1980s right up until he retired in 2008.

"During that time the Queen wrote him short but personal letters which have now come to light in a collection of his items being sold as part of his estate.

"The letters are fascinating because they give a very rare glimpse of the Queen's personal side, revealing her to be very sweet, humble and funny.

"The majority of people only ever see the Queen in her official role where she is required to be formal and quite serious, but these letters show a completely different side to her.

I already know that the Queen is sweet, humble and funny. And I don't think she is serious, she smiles all the time and have done so for over 60 years.

The Queen is shy and may seem a bit reserved, but she is very kind, warm, caring, forgiving and non-judgmental. She has a good relationship with her children, grandchildren, daughters in law, even with Sarah Ferguson. She was fond of Diana too.

She has a good relationship with her staff, and care about them.

Brave footman insists on escorting Queen to Parliament days after his brother was killed in Afghanistan | Daily Mail Online

Queen Elizabeth lends her devoted footman a shoulder to cry on after family loss - hellomagazine.com

"The Queen has a special relationship with her servants," the source added. "She is incredibly loyal and cares deeply for all of them. They respond in kind."

Interview: etiquette with The Royal Butler

She is a lovely and kind, caring lady who will put you at ease. She is wonderful at this, as I have experienced over the years, and on a few occasions, I’ve been the only person in the room with her. I must say she has a lovely sense of humour which I have been lucky enough to share with her personally.

Mourien Rose who was the Queen's dressmaker from the 1973 to 1999 said that she was one of the nicest / most thoughtful people you can meet.

She talks about the Queen in this documentary from 6:30.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfkejzqCqXc&list=PLy2kHuiZVemplDrjF5Jr6lX82p9bULe-L&index=79

Alison Pordum who worked as one of the Queen's dressmakers from 2003 to 2008 said this.

Dresses fit for a queen (From Bournemouth Echo)

“I love what I do and I thoroughly enjoyed working for the Queen,” she says. “I can’t tell you how nice she is! She’s amazing. I met her many times over the years and she was always very friendly and approachable.”

But Alison, who cites Dior and Valentino as among her favourite designers, reveals she always felt slightly apprehensive before a fitting with the Queen.

“She was always the same, absolutely lovely, but I still felt a little nervous every time I walked in the room because you can never forget that she’s the Queen of England.

I know there are many others who have worked for her who mean the same. I've heard that she's too kind sometimes.

These are some of the many reasons why I love the Queen, and she is very sweet when she smiles.
 
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Honestly all this talk about her funeral and predictions of her death is distasteful IMO. I know it will be and historical moment but please!
 
The Queen responds to schoolboy who asked her to attend grandfather’s funeral

In a rare break from routine, Her Majesty The Queen personally replied to heartbroken schoolboy from Wales, who wrote her a letter asking her to attend his grandfather’s funeral.

Nine-year-old Owen Maxfield recently lost his grandfather, Jack Morris, at the age of 71, and told The Queen so in his letter. He mentioned that Mr Morris had once been a soldier and had guarded the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. Owen’s mother, Gaynor Maxfield, a nursery worker from Eglwyswrw in Pembrokeshire, said: “Owen felt it was important The Queen should be told he had passed away.”

To the surprise of Owen and his entire family, Her Majesty promptly replied. The Queen stated that she was sorry to hear that Owen’s grandfather had died and that she was very interested to know how he had guarded the Crown jewels. And although The Queen apologised for not being able to attend Mr Morris’s funeral, her letter cheered up the grieving boy immensely.

“Owen was just over the moon when he had a letter back from The Queen,” Mrs Maxfield added. “It was a bit of a shock but it really cheered Owen up.”
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MV%20Britannia.jpg


MV Britannia


In conjunction with the recent naming of MV Britannia by Queen Elizabeth II, the blog 'The Queen's Maritime History' explores HM's relationship to
the Royal Yacht Britannia and to the Cunard liners Queen Elizabeth 2, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth.

The Queen's Maritime History


⚓ . . :royalstandard: . . ⚓
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I don't know quite where to put this question so please feel free to move it if necessary.
I noticed at the Afghanistan service that the Duke of Edinburgh took the HM's arm/hand as they were walking, I believe leaving the service. I have NEVER seen this before, have I missed something or is it indeed unusual? My curiosity is truly getting the best of me.
 
I don't know quite where to put this question so please feel free to move it if necessary.
I noticed at the Afghanistan service that the Duke of Edinburgh took the HM's arm/hand as they were walking, I believe leaving the service. I have NEVER seen this before, have I missed something or is it indeed unusual? My curiosity is truly getting the best of me.
FYI, the subject was discussed here http://www.theroyalforums.com/forum...urrent-events-7-january-2014-to-36216-38.html
pages 31-38. The consensus seemed to be that she needed the support due to her issues with her knees and one poster recalled seeing Prince Phillip supporting her once before.
 
Philip regularly holds her hand at events like the State Opening of Parliament. Normally we don't see them going up and down stairs so it seems strange. St Paul's has a lot of steps and so we see her holding on to her husband. At Sandringham The Queen is holding on to the rails and she has done so for a number of years.
 
FYI, the subject was discussed here http://www.theroyalforums.com/forum...urrent-events-7-january-2014-to-36216-38.html
pages 31-38. The consensus seemed to be that she needed the support due to her issues with her knees and one poster recalled seeing Prince Phillip supporting her once before.


The steps at St Paul's are also very steep. I have bad knees and feet and let me tell you, going up those kinds of steps is far easier than going down them is. It took me aback when I saw those pictures too on Friday, as I've never seen that happen before either.


Sent from my iPad using The Royals Community mobile app
 
The Queen responds to schoolboy who asked her to attend grandfather’s funeral

In a rare break from routine, Her Majesty The Queen personally replied to heartbroken schoolboy from Wales, who wrote her a letter asking her to attend his grandfather’s funeral.

Nine-year-old Owen Maxfield recently lost his grandfather, Jack Morris, at the age of 71, and told The Queen so in his letter. He mentioned that Mr Morris had once been a soldier and had guarded the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. Owen’s mother, Gaynor Maxfield, a nursery worker from Eglwyswrw in Pembrokeshire, said: “Owen felt it was important The Queen should be told he had passed away.”


To the surprise of Owen and his entire family, Her Majesty promptly replied. The Queen stated that she was sorry to hear that Owen’s grandfather had died and that she was very interested to know how he had guarded the Crown jewels. And although The Queen apologised for not being able to attend Mr Morris’s funeral, her letter cheered up the grieving boy immensely.


“Owen was just over the moon when he had a letter back from The Queen,” Mrs Maxfield added. “It was a bit of a shock but it really cheered Owen up.”
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Very touching. No one like her is there?
 
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