Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh Current Events 17: January-May 2008

[BeatrixFan]

Well not quite Thomas. It basically hinges on the Labour divide that came in the 1980s and eventually led to New Labour. New Labourites accept honours and they do so with much condemnation from their Old Labour colleagues. Mrs Blair has always identified as Old Labour and for her, it would be quite wrong to start lording it with a Ladyship. Note, Neil Kinnock's wife Glenys doesn't use her Baroness title for that very reason - she doesn't agree with peerages but she's entitled as Neil's wife to use the title of Baroness/Lady. She doesn't because she feels it contradicts her Old Labour beliefs. If Cherie Blair was half the principled woman she claimed to be, she'd do the same but somehow I don't see her refusing to use the Ladyship. As to the Garter, Tony Blair was Prime Minister for 10 years. Now it's a very similar thing to Margaret Thatcher who is still reviled and adored in equal measure. She got the Garter because she was our first female PM, she was also PM for a very long time and like Tony Blair, during her premiership she did terrible things and amazing things. Let's also bear in mind that Tony Blair effectively saved the Queen's bacon over the Diana saga and so there is a certain amount of Royal debt there. If the Queen didn't give him the Garter now there's an opportunity to, it really would be seen as a snub. John Major and Edward Heath waited a long time for their Garters but they hadn't been PM for as long as Thatcher and Blair. I think when it comes to honours and former Prime Ministers, Thatcher is the benchmark. I imagine we'll see Blair getting the Garter this April and then possibly a peerage when he's a little older.

[Skydragon]

Queen Elizabeth II on Friday led Britain in tributes to Edmund Hillary, the first man to conquer Mount Everest, as public figures and fellow adventurers hailed him as a hero and an inspiration.

Queen leads tributes to 'hero' Hillary, conqueror of Everest - Yahoo! News

[BeatrixFan]

Exclusive : Queen breaks New Year's Resolutions.

[reen]

And I had such high hopes that this would be the year that she could break the awful nail habit. Hee!
That's nicely photoshopped.

[Skydragon]

BeatrixFan, you can forget any hope of receiving an honour now, although I expect HM is laughing her socks off, if she has seen it!

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Martin Collins, manufacturer of Polytrack synthetic all-weather surface, was recently granted a Royal Warrant of Appointment to Queen Elizabeth II, which will be effective for a period of five years from January 1, 2008

Polytrack manufacturer Collins granted Royal Warrant - Thoroughbred Times

[iceflower]

That's really great, BeatrixFan

The Duke of Edinburgh and Queen Elizabeth II leave St Mary
Magdalene's Church on the Sandringham Estate, Sandringham,
Norfolk after attending the Sunday service, 13 Jan 2008:

** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 **

[wbenson]

Al-Qaeda plot to kill Queen foiled - 14 Jan 2008 - NZ Herald: World / International News

A plot by terrorist group al-Qaeda to kill the Queen during a state visit to Uganda was foiled late last year by security services.

The terrorists had planned to hide inside two outside broadcast vans owned by the Ugandan Broadcasting Corporation and then set off bombs during the Queen's visit to Kampala last November.

[Skydragon]

BRITAIN'S Queen Elizabeth II is still recounting her visit to Uganda, Parliament Speaker Edward Ssekandi, fresh from a visit to Buckingham Palace has said.

allAfrica.com: Uganda: Queen Still Talking About Visit (Page 1 of 1)

[BeatrixFan]

State Visit from France announced;

Media Centre > Event highlights > French State Visit, March 2008

[Royal Fan]

Will the French President be accompined by Mm Carla Bruni did they Marry or not?

[BeatrixFan]

I imagine we'll find out their status before the state visit. If they have married, he'll bring her as First Lady I assume.

[iceflower]

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip attending Flitcham Village
church on the Sandringham Estate, Norfolk, Britain - 20 Jan 2008

In some way the turban/hat is a bit funny
** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 **

[GillW]

Originally Posted by iceflower

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip attending Flitcham Village
church on the Sandringham Estate, Norfolk, Britain - 20 Jan 2008

In some way the turban/hat is a bit funny
** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 **

This outfit is also at least 6 years old as there are pictures of HM wearing it in 2002...The butterfly brooch, however is less frequently brought out (this is only the 4th time I've seen it being worn)

[Russophile]

That's really. . . . . . . pink.

[tinkerbell1948]

I actually like the colour It really suits her. Since she stopped colouring her hair she can looked "washed out" in pastel colours IMHO, bright colours make her look much more vibrant

[wbenson]

Did she ever colour her hair?

[GillW]

Originally Posted by wbenson

Did she ever colour her hair?

Oh yes - it was well known that HM used a colour called "Chocolate Kiss"!! But she let it grow out over one summer a few years ago, after gradually allowing grey whisps to appear at the sides for a while.

[Skydragon]

- Queen Elizabeth II of Britain made a secret deal to have the wills of her mother and sister sealed, according to testimony before an Appeals Court.

Queen arranged deal on royal wills - UPI.com

[Russophile]

I would think she would be afforded some modicum of privacy!

[iceflower]

Very lovely pics of the Queen today:

Queen Elizabeth II is presented with a bunch of bananas by a patient
during a visit to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King's Lynn, 24 January
2008. Elizabeth Hyde was given two bananas by the Queen Mother
during a royal visit to a hospital that she was staying at in 1943 and
decided to return the favour during the Queen's visit to open a new
radiology department.
Nice story, isn't it? On the second pics she seems to think:
Aren't these a bit too brown yet?

** Pic 1 ** Pic 2 ** Pic 3 ** Pic 4 **