Nico
Heir Apparent
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2007
- Messages
- 3,101
- City
- Paris
- Country
- France
The first ever US State Visit to the UK was for President George W Bush back in 2003. The second one was for President Obama in 2011.
The first ever US State Visit to the UK was for President George W Bush back in 2003. The second one was for President Obama in 2011.
No, I don't imagine cost itself is a factor..what I meant was that the standard for State Visits is that the host pays the bulk of the cost of the event as opposed to "working visits."
All this talk of foreign royals visiting the UK has got me curious about whether reciprocity is observed, which is the case for Republican Heads of State. For instance did F&L extend an invitation to the Queen and the DoE to visit Spain? Considering the advanced age of the latter, can they extend the invitation to Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall? Or was this visit already in response to a previous visit by the Spanish?
[....]
As I said before though (and was actually criticized by other posters for that), it is, however, their "humility" so to speak what actually attracts me about Philippe and Mathilde, far more so than Máxima for example, who would most definitely show up at Buckingham Palace covered in humungous jewelry (maybe the full Stuart parure !), but with a certain unpleasant "nouveau riche" feel to it (sorry, Duc ).
It's pretty amazing that 2003 was the first ever, actually, considering the much trumpeted 'special relationship' between the US and UK throughout the 20th century. Also amazing is that the Kennedys never came on a State Visit, when you remember the well known visits to Paris and to Berlin.
How great to see Harry at the Banquet! Finally, I'd say, remember how long it took us to see William and Kate attend state banquets.
Do we know who attended the Banquet?.
The top table is usually for the Queen, Philip, the guest and their spouse along with the second ranked from both countries so Charles and Camilla at the top table with whomever were the next ranked Spanish couple.
That is why William and Kate were pushed lower in the pecking order.
..... State Banquet Guest List!
OK, thanks, so for Kate's first, she as William's wife was the next in line, neither Charles, Camilla or William being available.
OK, thanks, so for Kate's first, she as William's wife was the next in line, neither Charles, Camilla or William being available.
Funny, exactly seeing Letizia in that ultra-tight red dress, with the Gran Gruz del Orden de Isabel la Católica tucked in her bra, and with that huge thin scrolled and sparsely diamond-set diadem (therefore looking very much like a Miss Beauty Pageant tiara) made her look nouveaux-riche. Carrie Bradshaw meets Lizzie Windsor.
The only ladies who looked grand and gracious were the Duchess of Cornwall and the Princess Royal. Even Queen Elizabeth made sure she had her most unsophisticated and plonky-plonk aquamarine meccano construction set for the most prestigious royal guests.
No it was not what I expected. This Spanish State Visit was worth to see Queen Elizabeth packing out with her best diadem, the King George IV State Diadem for an example, like she did for De Gaulle. The King of Spain was worth the best and the most spectacular jewels. Now the Queen could equally have received the President of Cyprus jewelrywise.
Anyway. The State Visit has gone. New State Visits will come. But in my book there is nothing more spectacular than a State Visit between the UK and to Spain, for me the grandest monarchies. Emmanuel Macron provided impressive pomp and circumstance for the Trumps, and that was not even a State Visit at all.
What a weird way of perception! This was one of the most wonderful and at the same time happiest of state visits since a long time!
The Queen of Spain represented her country with a great charm and dignity! I think she´ s the most beautiful Queen, having overturned Queen Rania by now, there is, which is no disadvantage. Everyone I talked to about her appearance has been absolutely breathtaken!
As one could very clearly see when the spanish royal couple left Buckingham Palace to leave for Oxford, the Queen and Prince Philip have been grown very fond of both of them.
When it comes to your remarks about the Windsors making no difference between royal and republican state visit I can only say, yes, there mustn´t be any differences regarding the procedures and protocol of a state visit between presidents and Royals! Every head of state has the right to be received by the Queen of Britain with exactly the same standards! Anything else would be a diplomatic embarressment. And why should a 91 year old lady wear a pretty heavy diadem, comparing to tiaras, which she hasn´t done so for over half a century at a state visit, only because this is the King of Spain?! Why then not wearing it for the danish, norwegian or dutch royal couples? Why not wear it for the US president?!
Well, Queen Letizia wore the most prestigious and best tiara of the Bourbons - but that doesn´t satisfy you either....
The Trump visit to France was just as grand?! I haven´t seen the 2 men in a horse drawn carriage procession, Trump didn´t receive gun salutes or a lavish white tie banquet at Versailles or the Elysée Palace....
Sometimes I really wonder if you are living on the same planet like the rest of us.... Wake up! This is the 21st century and we, who love to see these kind of traditions and ceremonies, should be happy that something like this has survived at all!
Reading some of your posts I always use to think of an interview of the younger brother of Prcss Gloria of Thurn and Taxis, as he said "There is nobody so snobbish like the average common public!" I think that rounds it all up perfectly.
I must say Duc has a point that the modern aquamarine tiara is not what most people expected the Queen to wear at a Spanish state visit when she has so many other historical family heirlooms she could have worn instead (besides, I agree the tiara is ugly IMHO). However, QEII has been wearing those modern tiaras (the aquamarine, the ruby and the sapphire) quite often lately and, who knows, maybe she feels more comfortable wearing one of those than the older tiaras. I think that, at the age of 91, she is entitled to make those choices and no one should complain about it.
When it comes to your remarks about the Windsors making no difference between royal and republican state visit I can only say, yes, there mustn´t be any differences regarding the procedures and protocol of a state visit between presidents and Royals! Every head of state has the right to be received by the Queen of Britain with exactly the same standards! Anything else would be a diplomatic embarressment. And why should a 91 year old lady wear a pretty heavy diadem, comparing to tiaras, which she hasn´t done so for over half a century at a state visit, only because this is the King of Spain?! Why then not wearing it for the danish, norwegian or dutch royal couples? Why not wear it for the US president?
HOW.ON.EARTH can you know the order was tucked on her bra? Did you have a look there???Funny, exactly seeing Letizia in that ultra-tight red dress, with the Gran Gruz del Orden de Isabel la Católica tucked in her bra (...)
.
I think this is worth emphasizing. The Queen is the ultimate royal professional and visits like this are her job. By this point probably a very routine part of her job. It's well known that HM is always deeply involved in the planning of EVERY state visit and that the goal is perfection EVERY time. What's impressive to me is that the British always pull these visits off to perfection. Every time there are comments about the lovely personal touches, about how beautiful everything is, about what a nice connection the Queen and DoE have developed with the guests, about how this must surely be the most special visit, etc. The reality is probably closer to the Queen and DoE moving on to other things the minute the guests have departed and not thinking about them again until the next time their paths happen to cross, but you'd never know it.
I have no idea how QEII decides which tiara to wear for each occasion.. I imagine by this point it's based purely on her mood or personal preference. Frankly, I doubt she cares enough about other monarchies to make a special effort with any aspect of her personal appearance just because her guest happens to be royal!
Give her a break ! The girl is having two back to back tiara dinners in two days, which is more than most women could handle.