The Windsors and Europe

[Iain]

Parliament is ultimately Sovereign in the UK

Not really correct. In England sovereignty rests with parliament but in Scotland since earliest times it has rested with the people.

 

[RoyalProtocol]

I don't mean to be rude but it is really annoying that a foreigner should presume to know that there is nothing in Scotland that requires the monarch's presence. Scotland is a kingdom and the oldest in Europe at that. The Queen (she is not EIIR in Scotland) does open the Scottish parliament and when she did so last year was welcomed as Queen of Scots just as she was in 1953 when she came to Edinburgh for the first time as Queen to recieve the Honours of Scotland. I haven't a clue what you mean by the General Synod. There is no such thing. Anne does carry out some duties in Scotland but not that many. Any person or body wanting the Queen to carry out some sort of duty must arrange for it to take place in the first week of July as that is her "Scottish week" but when it comes to England it can be at almost any time apart from during her four months holiday. Many monarchies have buildings on a par, or even more beautiful than Windsor and as for the Coronation, that is on it's way out.

The General Synod does exist thought it is actually called the General Assembly, it is the Annual Court of the Church of Scotland where Her Majesty either presides in person (occasionaly) or more usually is represented by His Grace The Lord High Commissiner, whom she appoints annually to be Her Majesty's Royal Repersentative for the week of the Assembly.
visit www.churchofscotland.org.uk for more information.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Many monarchies have buildings on a par, or even more beautiful than Windsor and as for the Coronation, that is on it's way out.

I don't think thats true. I think that although it'll be slimlined and we won't see the grand Imperial parade we once did, we will still Crown our Monarchs. Its the way we've always done it and it's not only traditional but symbolic.

 

[Skydragon]

In England sovereignty rests with parliament but in Scotland since earliest times it has rested with the people.

The Clans were far too busy betraying and warring with one another to know what sovereignty meant. If it 'rested with the people', perhaps thats why with the help of the scots, the English were able to conquer Scotland so easily. If it still rests with the people, then may the Gods help us!

 

[RoyalProtocol]

Coronation

There will be a Coronation againg however it will have a new part added in Westminster Hall with a more multicultural theme, this was discussed by the Former Dean of Westminster in 2003.

 

[ysbel]

Country-bashing is not very productive for intelligent discussion and its against our policies.

Let's call a truce between the English and Scottish and move on.

ysbel
British forums moderator

 

[BeatrixFan]

How can a Coronation be multicultural? These are just the kinds of PC ideas that need firmly rejecting.

 

[Balou]

Aren't the Queen and King Harald of Norway cousins?

Lots of other royals aren't close cousins such as the Danish/Greek/Spanish royals but they still seem to spend time together. For example, Queen Beatrix and Queen Noor are both close to the Spanish royals and there is no close relationship there.

Yes, the British queen and King Harald are second cousins. Still Elisabeth never attend any family gatherings in Norway. Not even funerals.

 

[RoyalProtocol]

How can a Coronation be multicultural? These are just the kinds of PC ideas that need firmly rejecting.

I quite agree, but the idea was that after the actual Coronation before the Sovereign returns to Buckingham Palace (or the Next Day) a ceremony was to be held in Westminster Hall where other faiths could bestow their blessings on the New King and a sort of "enthronement" in the European sense of the word would take place.

I am however of the opinion that things should be left the way they have been for the past 1300 years.

 

[joye]

I had a mental exercise trying to identify the people at King Baudouin's funeral. I know several faces and cannot put names to them. Is it King Olav behind the Crown Prince of Belgium?
Who is the elderly man 4th row back, bald, white mo?
Can anyone help?
Thankyou.
Signed HRH

 

[Warren]

I had a mental exercise trying to identify the people at King Baudouin's funeral. I know several faces and cannot put names to them. Is it King Olav behind the Crown Prince of Belgium?
Who is the elderly man 4th row back, bald, white mo?

It looks like an Aide de Camp behind Philippe (King Olav died in 1991 and King Baudouin died in 1993).
The elderly gentleman is HRH Duke Albrecht, Head of the Royal House of Bavaria, who was 88 years old at the time.

Here is a link to the pic.

 

[RoyalProtocol]

The Windsors in Europe

I thought I better get back to the Issue in Hand,

Her Majesty The Queen never had the habit of attending Royal events in Europe, the only exception being Queen Juilana's Silver Wedding Anniversary.

I don't think that Her Majesty sees herself as mor important than the Other European Sovereigns. The Queen obviously enjoys the company of her fellow king's and queens. Queen Elizabeth II has a wonderful time with King Harald And Queen Sonja of Norway, this has been evident during State, Official and Family celebrations and events.

At Her Golden Jubilee dinner for European Sovereigns, Queen Beatrix and Queen Margrethe II both appear to enjoy The Queen's company.

 

[joye]

Thanks Warren for your reply.

Signrd HRH

 

[Laviollette]

The Windsors 'Snub' King Carl Gustav of Sweden on His 60th Birthday

...The Swedish media are far from impressed by what they deem a 'snub' from Buckingham Palace and Clarence House, one newspaper claiming the Windsors think "they are too fine for the King's party" whilst another says the Queen and her immediate family are "snobbish and rude."

source: The Royalist http://www.theroyalist.net/content/view/640/2/

Taken by itself, this doesn't sound like a snub but after these 'snubs' pile up, the Windsors, after 15 years or so of scandal and sleaze, look like they still think they're better than others (foreign royals and commoners alike).

 

[Duchess]

it always does surprise me that HM doesn't attend the more important events for European royals.

 

[BeatrixFan]

I'm quite upset that the Queen isn't sending a member of the family. It's just not on.

 

[kaydura0717]

Well they sould still be tired since the queen had her birthday last week and they might not want to travel.

 

[Saragli]

There is NO excuse for this. The BRF is the largest royal family in Europe and one of the biggest in the world. There is at least one person who could have gone. But then again maybe the swedes didnt invite them. Still, the windsor clan is huge and there has to be at least one person. I can understand the Queen, DoE, the Walses family not going with many things going on but still there is at least one person.

 

[BeatrixFan]

I totally agree with PrinceJohnny25. They are family, however many times removed. The Royal Family are there to represent us abroad and they aren't doing it. I've never criticised the Queen - NEVER - and I wont now. But I really think priorities need assessing.

 

[HMQueenElizabethII]

Just read through the royal diary of engagements, tonight Saturday the Earl and Countess of Wessex do have their engagements in Berkshire and it would be tired for them to travel to Sweden for the celebrations on Sunday and the couple may want to spend the times with Louise. I'd not excuse Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh as i have said before they are slowing down and have moved to Windsor Castle to take more suitable engagements just like 3 a day and decrease the number of duties to suitable with the age of the Queen as 80 and HRH as 84 now, if we have a look on the Court Circular, from the Passing Out of Prince Harry, the records of the Queen's engagements are now from Windsor Castle not Buckingham Palace anymore, it's true like the newspaper said. The Princess Royal also has her engagement on Sunday, and i don't think she has been as representative for HM much.

 

[soCal girl]

I understand that they also have prior engagements but this is a big birthday for a European monarch. It shouldn't be looked as a duty because it's more of a party. Yes they would have to represent this country but they do this all the time; why would this time be any different? And Queen Beatrix has her own Queen Day smack dab in the middle of all these festivties and she's still going. And the SRF and the DRF are not that close in terms of genealogy I think. I know Queen Juliana was Carl Gustaf's godmother but I think that's about it. As said before many times, they could have sent somebody.

 

[ysbel]

The BRF are known for scheduling their calendars up to two years in advance; yet the SRF sent out the invitations a mere six weeks in advance. I don't know of another family that schedules itself out so far in advance as the BRF does. In the past, I've been critical of them for not keeping ties with the Continental royals but now I think the way their schedule operates, its not set up for them to spin on a dime.

 

[GrandDuchess]

There is NO excuse for this. The BRF is the largest royal family in Europe and one of the biggest in the world. There is at least one person who could have gone.

This is also my feeling. The extended British Royal Family is huge, so not sending one single person to represent them this weekend is just out of order!

Of course there was an invitation to the Windsors as well, I think invitations has gone out to all the ruling Royal Houses, plus many Princely families and perhaps even some high nobility in Europe.

 

[Toledo]

There is NO excuse for this. The BRF is the largest royal family in Europe and one of the biggest in the world. There is at least one person who could have gone. But then again maybe the swedes didnt invite them. Still, the windsor clan is huge and there has to be at least one person. I can understand the Queen, DoE, the Walses family not going with many things going on but still there is at least one person.

The Windsors had an entire year to plan ahead. Even the young Royals could have represented their grandmother, like the Princesses of York or Princess Anne son or daugther. This was rude, very rude and inexcusable.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Princess Alexandra, the Kents and the Gloucesters haven't got one engagement over the period. Why couldn't one of them been sent to represent us? It's just not on and there's no excuse.

 

[Squidgy]

Princess Alexandra, the Kents and the Gloucesters haven't got one engagement over the period. Why couldn't one of them been sent to represent us? It's just not on and there's no excuse.

I agree BeatrixFan. There is no excuse for not sending one representative!

Are there any good Queen impersonators over there? Maybe we could all chip in some money for airfare & send one to the party??

 

[Toledo]

I agree BeatrixFan. There is no excuse for not sending one representative!

Are there any good Queen impersonators over there? Maybe we could all chip in some money for airfare & send one to the party??

Like that famous lady who appears in so many movies at TV shows impersonating the Queen. Or maybe Australia's Dame Edna herself, she is still a loyal subject of the Crown.

 

[Squidgy]

Like that famous lady who appears in so many movies at TV shows impersonating the Queen. Or maybe Australia's Dame Edna herself, she is still a loyal subject of the Crown.

Well done Toledo!! Dame Edna would be perfect. Of course, no one is going to mistake him/her for the Queen, but he/she would add a whole lot of life to the party, so no one would care!

 

[kelly9480]

Princess Anne's children aren't royal and won't be sent on formal representations. Beatrice and Eugenie won't be going anywhere before they turn 18. William and Harry are doing military training. The young royals were all unavailable.

Anne and Andrew don't usually do foreign events. Edward and Sophie would have been the most logical choice, but they have things scheduled.

Alexandra, the Duke of Kent, and the Gloucesters seem to have declined, though the Gloucesters seem close to the Danes. The Michaels won't be sent (and have enough on their plate right now anyways).

Some of this is simply due to the Swedish court's refusal to finalise arrangements until the last minute. I remember that even as late as January they refused to discuss events. If the Swedes had announced last October (British calendars are framed in May and November, IIRC, with more events filled in as the time goes on) the events, I'm sure the Wessexes would have been available.

 

[GrandDuchess]

Some of this is simply due to the Swedish court's refusal to finalise arrangements until the last minute. I remember that even as late as January they refused to discuss events. If the Swedes had announced last October (British calendars are framed in May and November, IIRC, with more events filled in as the time goes on) the events, I'm sure the Wessexes would have been available.

It is no secret that the King of Sweden's bithday occurs on 30 April every year, it is his birthday and has been since the day he came to the world, and will continue to be (he has no second official birthday like QEII) throughout his life.

With this in mind, all of the Royal Families of Europe should've been able to schedule their royal/s for attendance at least on his birthday, without the further celebrations beeing set until in recent months...