It's A Boy!

Wonderful News!

The New Royal Baby Will Arrive Soon!

Great news! The royal baby will arrive soon!

The Wedding of Anne of Cleves

Anne of Cleves must have been extremely nervous.  She was marrying a much older King, who had become fat and unattractive, and she knew the fates of Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn.  She also knew little about the facts of life.

Henry VIII didn't want to go through with the marriage at all.  Impressed by Holbein's portrait of a pretty blonde, he couldn't wait to meet Anne.  However, the real Anne disappointed him.  He complained that she wasn't nearly as blonde or as pretty as she was in Holbein's portrait.

The wedding took place in the Queen's Closet at the Palace of Placentia in Greenwich on Twelfth Night (January 6), 1540.  Archbishop Cranmer married the royal couple. Anne, who behaved demurely and sweetly, wore a gown of cloth of gold embroidered with pearls and a coronet of rich gems and pearls.  The rosemary in her hair symbolised remembrance and constancy.  Her long blonde hair was untied to represent virginity.  Henry also looked very grand in a gown of cloth of gold decorated with silver flowers and a satin coat tied with large diamonds.

 After the wedding, the couple attended the Mass of the Trinity.  They then enjoyed a lavish wedding feast of spices and sweet meats. The marriage was disappointing for Henry and Anne, however.  According to Henry, he could hardly bear to touch Anne, and she was surprised when he kissed her on the forehead and rolled over after the first night. The marriage was never consummated, and it only lasted six months.  It delighted Henry that Anne readily consented to a divorce, and he gave her a large settlement, including an annual allowance, a house in Lewes, Hever Castle and several luxurious possessions.

Queen Beatrix Abdicates and Prince Willem-Alexander Becomes King

Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands abdicated in favour of her son in April.



Crown Prince Willem-Alexander Becomes King



'Our Mary' looked absolutely stunning, I'm pleased to note.  I think that her dress was the best!

The Sixtieth Anniversary of the Queen's Coronation

Today is the sixtieth anniversary of our wonderful Queen's coronation.  Here are a few links:

Highlights of the Coronation



Lady Anne Glenconner's Memories



Note that she said that 'it was the most amazing day of her life'.

Please pray for Prince Philip's quick recovery.

New Post Soon

Hello everyone,
I'm having a bad time at the moment, but I hope to write a new post soon.

R.I.P. Princess Lilian of Sweden

The beautiful coalminer’s daughter had finally become a princess at 61.  She married her Swedish prince in a simple ceremony, wearing a blue dress and carrying lilies of the valley.  The King and Queen of Sweden attended the wedding.  She was now Princess Lilian of Sweden.

The Welsh beauty born in Swansea was always destined for better things.  She left school at 14 and found a modelling career in London, where she modelled for Vogue.  However, she worked in a factory making radios and in a hospital during the Second World War.  The then Lillian Davies married the Scottish actor, Ian Craig, but she quickly fell in love with her handsome prince, Prince Bertil, who she met at a cocktail party.  They intended to marry soon after she obtained her divorce.

The prince’s father, King Gustav VI of Sweden, forbade the couple to marry, however, after the prince’s brother died in an aeroplane crash.  This must have been extremely irritating because some of his brothers had renounced their rights to the throne and married commoners.  Queen Sylvia and Princess Sybilla regarded the young woman as an interloper, according to some reports, and she couldn’t attend official functions.  She also refused the Queen’s invitation to tea. *

The couple had a long and secret romance and lived together in Sweden and France.  They never had children, because they were forbidden to marry.  This was a big regret for both of them, but the princess became very close to the royal children.

The couple married in 1976, after King Carl XVI Gustaf gave permission.  He had also married a commoner, and the princess became great friends with his wife, Queen Sylvia.  She was also the godmother of Prince Carl Philip.  Still beautiful, Princess Lilian now enjoyed attending the royal functions and wearing gorgeous jewels.

She recently died at 97, and she is buried next to her prince in the royal Haga cemetery on the outskirts of Stockholm.

* Queen Elizabeth II