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Georg Friedrich and Sophie announce their Wedding plans
The Wedding of Prince Georg Friedrich of Prussia and Princess Sophie of Isenburg will take place on 27.08.2011 at the Friedenskirche in Potsdam. Thus was confirmerdb y Michaela Blankart the speaker of the House of Prussia. Planned is an ecumenical Wedding as the Prince is protestant and the Princess catholic. There will be 700 guests invited. The evening before the annuel Concert for the Princess Kira of Prussia foundatuion will take place at the Concerthouse at the Berliner Gendarmenmakrt (The concert usually takes place on Hohenzollern Castle).
The King's Nickname
The habit of endowing our kings with nicknames or descriptive epithets seems to have died out, except perhaps in the pages of the tabloid press. More’s the pity. My learned friend @Mrs Symbols has wisely pointed out that had George VI, the subject of the Oscar-winning movie The King’s Speech, lived a thousand years earlier, he would probably have earned a nickname similar to that of his distant ancestor, the French king Louis II (c. 846–879), known to his contemporaries as Louis the Stammerer.
Louis was the son of Charles the Bald (r. 843-877), the first king of West Francia, the area that encompasses modern-day France. The Carolingian monarchs and their nobles are distinguished in the chronicles of the time by a quite glorious collection of soubriquets. Forget the rather dull list of regnal numbers, Charlemagne (or Charles the Great, himself the son of Pippin the Short) was succeeded in 814 by his son Louis the Pious. He fathered three princes who divided up the empire between them: Charles the Bald, Lothair, and Louis the German. Louis the German’s son was Charles the Fat, and Charles the Bald’s successor was his son, Louis the Stammerer. They numbered among their noble followers Bernard the Calf, count of Toulouse, Wilfrid the Hairy, count of Barcelona and Bernard Hairypaws, count of Autun. Although they sound like the cast of an episode of Blackadder, these were powerful, ambitious men, dedicated to serving their king (mostly) and carving out mini-kingdoms for themselves.
They were united in their struggle against the Vikings, enemies with equally descriptive names, like Ragnar Lodbrok (Hairy-breeches) and, er, Ivar the Boneless. It wasn’t till the 10th century that Erik Bloodaxe bagged the best and most terrifying Viking nickname of them all.
Historians differ in their opinions about these kingly nicknames. You’d think that the clue would be in the name, but one theory has it that Charles was so hirsute, that he was nicknamed ‘the Bald’ in an ironic manner. Bernard Hairypaws was apparently so-called because of his foxy nature, rather than his shaggy hands.
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| Louis the Stammerer from a 14th century ms. (Wikimedia) |
As for Louis the Stammerer, it seems that like George VI, he suffered from being the son of a formidable father. Charles the Bald fought throughout his adult life to hold his widespread domains together in the face of Viking attacks, revolting nobles and bitter family arguments that ripped Charlemagne’s empire apart. He expected his four sons to obey him without question. Charles himself was the youngest of Louis the Pious’s sons and knew only too well the dangers and problems inherent in allowing ambitious young princes to carve out their own domains. Louis the Stammerer and his brothers, Charles the Child and Carloman, were not outstanding in their filial devotion and during the 860s and 870s periodically stirred up trouble against their father. When his third son, Carloman, rebelled against him, Charles the Bald had him blinded and imprisoned in the abbey of Corbie. So perhaps it’s not surprising that Louis stammered.
Louis did not have a Lionel Logue to help him, but interestingly, in the face of such a ferocious parent, at the age of 16 in 862 he secretly married his concubine Ansgarde, a woman 20 years older than him, who presumably provided some comfort. Ten years later, his father forced him to repudiate Ansgarde in favour of a more politically advantageous wife, and Louis, with his eye on his inheritance, complied.
Louis inherited the throne in 877, but survived only two years, dying in 879. In an age when military might and a commanding personal presence were all-important, Louis was seen to be lacking and was certainly overshadowed by his powerful father. But in his brief time on the throne he continued his father’s work in maintaining an iron grip on the West Frankish realm, and eventually, it was his youngest (posthumous) son, Charles the Simple or Straightforward (879-929), who crushed the Vikings and restored order to France.
Shy Kings and Dance Cards
(This site is still waiting to be spring cleaned...please bear with me if it goes a little wonky for a while)
Last week, in the wake of the deserved success of “The King’s Speech”, Channel 4 presented a moving documentary entitled “The Real King’s Speech” which added more background to the film. It included original footage of George VI making various speeches, and alongside that way in which these were presented by the BBC (some of them doctored to make the speech more fluent), the original with all its pauses and hesitations. The close-ups of the King’s face, the movement of his lips and the muscles in his throat as he attempted what was for him ‘hell’ (his word for it) as he worked on overcoming his stammer and speech impediment were incredibly moving. Several things came to mind.
Firstly, the original assessment in the notes of his therapist mentioned the total lack of diaphragm movement and the virtual ‘idleness’ of the solar plexus. The solar plexus has long been seen as the centre of self-awareness/self-worth (isn’t it amazing how, when you are humiliated you feel it physically in your gut?) and it is small wonder that poor George VI had such self-worth issues when you consider the horrors of his childhood: being forced into leg-splints, having his hand tied behind him because he was left-handed (as a left-handed person myself, I cannot think of anything more bizarre than that kind of treatment and hurrah that his great-grandson, Prince William, is left-handed and no one thinks anything of it!) and having such a bully of a father who yelled at him constantly!
Secondly, it is interesting that King George’s courage was recognised during his lifetime and is even more highly regarded now. The immense strength of character it took for a desperately shy man with a speech impediment to accept the throne for which he was unprepared cannot be underestimated. It is said that when he realised his brother had abdicated, he sobbed for an hour at the realisation of what responsibility he must now shoulder. For a man to be so afraid and yet to take that responsibility, it requires enormous moral courage and George VI demonstrated that courage.
And yet....Nicholas II...The Tsar did not stammer but he, too, had felt overwhelmed by a powerful father and was suddenly saddled with an empire for which he, at only 26 years old, was suddenly responsible. Not only was he coming to terms with father’s death, but also realising the enormous task ahead of him, when he cried on his cousin’s shoulders, that did not feel ready for such responsibility. George VI is, quite rightly, regarded as heroic for his moral courage. Nicholas, however, facing an even greater task, is regarded as weak. I think they were both very brave men who, at great personal cost, did not shirk responsibility. I wish that Nicholas would also be generally described as courageous.
On a lighter note I have a bizarre question! At balls, when ladies often had dance
cards attached to their wrists on which they could ‘book’ who would partner them for which dance, how did the men remember on whose cards their names were written and how did they make sure they didn’t double-book themselves? Did they have secret notebooks stashed in their pockets or did they have to remember exactly what they had already arranged?
Plantagenet Quiz
Please enjoy this quiz offered by Marlene Eilers Koenig, D.C.R.E. you may submit your answers using the comments feature or e-mail to cherylandersonbrown@gmail.com.
1. My first cousin was king, and I was the next in line. My cousin did not have any children, and after my death, my son became my cousin’s heir. When my son died, my grandson became the heir, but when my dear cousin, the King died, the throne was usurped. In spite of this usurpation of the throne, the right line of succession was eventually resolved. Who am I?
2. I was a grandchild of Edward III, who married a lady of superior lineage. My wife died in childbirth, leaving me with a son and daughter. I lost my titles and property, and my life for plotting against the king.
3. I was never a king, but I was father to a king and two queens. My descendants have sat on thrones in Scotland and in England, although I would never have thought it legal! My ducal title is still extant.
4. Let’s just say I was a very pushy mother, determined to see my only son on the throne. Although I was born one side of the War of the Roses, I saw the need to bring the two houses together, by conspiring with my enemies. I lived to see my son and grandson become kings.
5. I was a very, very important – and I mean important – player in the War of the Roses. I had riches and power as a peer. I had all the right connections, made the right marriage, changes sides, arranged for removal of two kings. Proud Papa, too, as my two daughters made THREE VERY IMPORTANT MARRIAGES! I did what I needed to do .. for the family, and for England. I gave my life for the cause.
VIEW THE ANSWERS
1. My first cousin was king, and I was the next in line. My cousin did not have any children, and after my death, my son became my cousin’s heir. When my son died, my grandson became the heir, but when my dear cousin, the King died, the throne was usurped. In spite of this usurpation of the throne, the right line of succession was eventually resolved. Who am I?
2. I was a grandchild of Edward III, who married a lady of superior lineage. My wife died in childbirth, leaving me with a son and daughter. I lost my titles and property, and my life for plotting against the king.
3. I was never a king, but I was father to a king and two queens. My descendants have sat on thrones in Scotland and in England, although I would never have thought it legal! My ducal title is still extant.
4. Let’s just say I was a very pushy mother, determined to see my only son on the throne. Although I was born one side of the War of the Roses, I saw the need to bring the two houses together, by conspiring with my enemies. I lived to see my son and grandson become kings.
5. I was a very, very important – and I mean important – player in the War of the Roses. I had riches and power as a peer. I had all the right connections, made the right marriage, changes sides, arranged for removal of two kings. Proud Papa, too, as my two daughters made THREE VERY IMPORTANT MARRIAGES! I did what I needed to do .. for the family, and for England. I gave my life for the cause.
VIEW THE ANSWERS
2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards Best Dressed Celebrity
Beautiful white dresses, colorful attires and nude gowns seemed to be the most prominent trend flaunted by celebrities at 2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Unlike, other red carpet events, there were lesser number of black dresses and heavily embellished gowns onto the red carpet. Hollywood’s most glamorous actors of big and small screen went for “wow” factor dressing in breathtaking and elegant designer outfits.
Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria, Mila Kunis, Christina Hendricks, Sofia Vergara and many more divas of Hollywood walked the red carpet and showed off some of the biggest trends on the season on (Sunday) January 30, 2011, in Los Angeles.
Check out celebrity fashion at 2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards:
Pregnant actress Natalie Portman showed off her baby bump in a strapless white gown with embellishment detailing along the neckline by Azzaro.
She styled her hair in an elegant updo hairstyle and accessorized her look with diamond bangles, small drop earrings. Natalie Portman toted up a black clutch and looked super sophisticated.
Kim Kardashian wowed the audience in a striking purple one shouldered gown with embellishment detailing from Marchesa Resort 2011 collection.
She accessorized her look with luxury Lorraine Schwartz jewels. This time, this hot babe went for dewy makeup and unveiled a beautiful natural look.
American actress, Eva Longoria chose a Winter white gown for 17th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. Talented actress walked the red carpet in a skin-baring gown from Georges Hobeika Spring 2011 Couture collection.
Mila Kunis was one of the best dressed celebrity at 2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards. She was clad in a gorgeous red printed strapless gown with a sweetheart neckline from Alexander McQueen Resort 2011 collection. She opted for smokey eyes and styled her hair in wavy manner.
Winona Ryder, sexy Hollywood actress looked like a doll in an Alberta Ferretti gown. She sport curly updo, smoky eyes and black purse which looked breathtaking with her white strapless gown.
Dressing in an exquisite floor-length Louis Vuitton floral printed strapless gown, Claire Danes was looking nothing less than amazing.
She pulled off her gown brilliantly which she paired with Roger Vivier shoes. Claire added some color to her look with hot pink lip color.
Lea Michele looked stunning in a glitzy embellished gown with a deep v-neck from Oscar de la Renta. She finished off her look with Tiffany & Co. jewelry and a chic clutch by Daniel Swarovski.
Heather Morris hit the red carpet in a blush colored strapless gown with a rosette bodice by Romona Keveza. Heather wore natural makeup, nude lip color and kept her super straight hair loose.
Christina Hendricks showed off little leg in a long sleeved glitzy black L’Wren Scott dress. She rocked a glittering clutch, smoky eye and light pink lip shade.
Sofia Vergara was one of the Hollywood actresses who opted for a colorful gown for the red carpet event. She showed off her best assets in a bright blue, curve-hugging Roberto Cavalli gown. Sexy Sofia spiced up her red carpet look with a diamond cuff by Chopard.
Beautiful Jayma Mays was looking super adorable in a peach colored floor-length gown from Jenny Packham Spring 2011 collection. She finished off her look with strappy metallic sandals by Jimmy Choo.
Sarah Hyland looked hot and sexy in a orange Max Mara gown paired with heels by Stuart Weitzman. With wonderful curly hairstyle and Me & Ro jewels, she was looking fabulous.
Hilary Swank donned a peach Versace one-shoulder gown with with embellishment detailing along the strap and the side. She went for loose, sexy curls and nude lip shade.
Unlike, other red carpet events, there were lesser number of black dresses and heavily embellished gowns onto the red carpet. Hollywood’s most glamorous actors of big and small screen went for “wow” factor dressing in breathtaking and elegant designer outfits.
Natalie Portman, Eva Longoria, Mila Kunis, Christina Hendricks, Sofia Vergara and many more divas of Hollywood walked the red carpet and showed off some of the biggest trends on the season on (Sunday) January 30, 2011, in Los Angeles.
Check out celebrity fashion at 2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards:
She styled her hair in an elegant updo hairstyle and accessorized her look with diamond bangles, small drop earrings. Natalie Portman toted up a black clutch and looked super sophisticated.
She accessorized her look with luxury Lorraine Schwartz jewels. This time, this hot babe went for dewy makeup and unveiled a beautiful natural look.
Dressing in an exquisite floor-length Louis Vuitton floral printed strapless gown, Claire Danes was looking nothing less than amazing.
She pulled off her gown brilliantly which she paired with Roger Vivier shoes. Claire added some color to her look with hot pink lip color.
Heather Morris hit the red carpet in a blush colored strapless gown with a rosette bodice by Romona Keveza. Heather wore natural makeup, nude lip color and kept her super straight hair loose.
Source: fashionfame
Top 5 Red Carpet Hairstyles from SAG 2011
From sleek straights to curly, retro style to modern look, Hollywood ladies pulled off many hairstyles for 2011 Screen Actors Guild Awards. The divas were seen flaunting their gorgeous designer dresses and trendy hairstyles onto red carpet. Hollywood award functions always inspire the hottest hair looks and 2011 SAG was no exception.
These stars know that when it comes to red carpet event, gowns aren’t the only glowing thing in the limelight. Along with beautiful red carpet gown, complementing hairstyle is also necessary. Beautiful ladies rocked the 2011 Screen Actors Guild awards with hairstyles that will definitely set the trends for year 2011.
Christina Hendricks hairstyle was as perfect as her chic dress at the award night. The actress opted for defined curls that rested gorgeously on her shoulders. Christina Hendricks red glossy curly hairstyle was looking perfect with her glitzy black L’Wren Scott dress.
Kim Kardashian went for a soft, natural look for 2011 SAG awards. This time, Kim ditched her trademark hair extensions and completed her look with a loose updo hairstyle. She wore her dark hair in a slightly deconstructed updo and looked gorgeous.
January Jones rocked a retro sculpted updo at 2011 Screen Actors Guild awards night. January Jones hairstyle was equally glamorous just like her red carpet dress. She sported very unique and different side-sweeping, quiff-fronted updo. This look was dramatic, sharp and amped up January’s natural beauty.
Julia Stiles was also one of the celebrities who rocked the best red carpet hairstyle at the event. Julia wore her beautiful hair in wavy manner and looked super sophisticated. Julia Stiles wavy hairstyle looked amazing with dark smoky eye and vintage-looking earrings. The long waves were a perfect complement to her red carpet outfit.
Dianna Agron merged the vintage and modern look together by donning a chic low bun. She styled her hair in a loose, side-swept chignon. Dianna Agron one-sided knot bun with fringe was eye-popping and head turning.
These stars know that when it comes to red carpet event, gowns aren’t the only glowing thing in the limelight. Along with beautiful red carpet gown, complementing hairstyle is also necessary. Beautiful ladies rocked the 2011 Screen Actors Guild awards with hairstyles that will definitely set the trends for year 2011.
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Royal Baby Names for Frederik and Mary
With only six weeks remaining until the christening of Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary’s adorable twins [view their official photos], I’ve been weighing their baby name choices in case they log on to the Princess Palace looking for ideas. On April 14, the names of the little prince and princess will finally be announced, so here are some names to consider:
Family Names
It’s possible, the little prince could be named John, in honor of his maternal grandfather, but unlikely to be named Henrik in honor of his paternal grandfather since Frederik’s brother Prince Joachim gave that name to his third son last year. They might also choose to step back one more generation and select Andre for Frederik’s French grandfather, Count Andre de Laborde de Monpezat or Peter for Mary’s Scottish grandfather, Peter Donaldson. Henri and John, however, are already among the names given to the couple’s firstborn child, Prince Christian Valdemar Henri John.
For the little princess, the most likely family names might be Margrethe for Frederik’s mother the Queen, Ingrid for Margrethe’s mother or Henrietta for Mary’s late mother. However, Frederik and Mary gave all of these names to their first daughter Princess Isabella Henrietta Ingrid Margrethe, so maybe not. Since the royal family recently celebrated Queen Ingrid’s centenary year, I would not rule it out entirely. Other family names include Renee for Frederik’s French grandmother and Jane or Patricia for Mary’s sisters. As a long shot, I will also mention Alexandra for Frederik’s popular ex-sister-in-law, the former Alexandra Manley, who is now Countess of Frederiksborg.
Royal Names
As the oldest monarchy in Europe, Denmark offers scores of possibilities in its long history. The names of the couple’s first two children came from Danish royal history. Prince Christian got his name because for centuries, the crown was past from Frederik to Christian to Frederik in a loop that was only broken when King Frederik VIII had no sons. As for Princess Isabella, Frederik and Mary selected it after perusing their royal history. It was a rather surprising choice because there has really only been one other Isabella in all of that history, a 16th-century queen consort known as Isabella of Austria, daughter of the Spanish Queen Juana the Mad and therefore granddaughter of Ferdinand and Isabella as well as niece of Henry VIII’s first wife Catherine of Aragon.
With these choices for the first two children, don’t be surprised if they follow the same pattern in naming the new babies. For girls, this list includes Feodora, Marina, Cecilia, Thyra, Mariane, Louise, Charlotte, Juliana, Amalia, Ulrika, Christina, Eleonore, Augusta, Philippa, Martha, Adela, Emma and Catherine. Since another prominent royal event is taking place elsewhere in April, I would eliminate Catherine and Philippa from this list (to avoid concerns that the princess is being named for either of the Middleton sisters.) Eleonore seems to be popular among current European royals: Princess Leonor of Spain, Princess Eleonore of Belgium and Countess Leonore of Orange-Nassau in The Netherlands. I don’t know whether this popularity makes the name a more or less likely choice. I personally am a fan of Charlotte, Helena, Emma and Cecilia, while Mariane could pay tribute to the baby’s mother the Crown Princess, her aunt Princes Marie and her great-aunt Queen Anne Marie of Denmark.
The list of royal boy names offers many, many Nordic choices like Eric, Knud, Olaf, Haakon, Valdemar, Niels and Harald as well as possibilities like Christopher, Carl, George, Adolf, Jacob and Abel. For some reason, Jacob and Abel seem attractive to me; perhaps because they have been rarely used, just like Isabella. They also work well in Princess Mary’s mother tongue of English. I think Harald and Haakon are unlikely since these are the names of the current Norwegian king and his heir and Christopher would seem odd for a boy with a brother named Christian. Or, perhaps in honor of the Disney version of the Danish story, “The Little Mermaid,” the baby will be christened Prince Eric.
Australian Names
Another possibility is that Mary will reflect her Aussie upbringing by selecting names that are popular in Australia, which could lead to the rather informal choice of Prince Jack or the very surprising Princess Madison and Prince Cooper. However, the top ten list of most popular Australian baby names also includes the potentially appropriate-enough Olivia, Lily, Chloe, Grace and Amelia as well as William, Thomas, Max, James and Alexander.
Greenlandic Names
Another option might be to honor the people of Greenland who are also subjects of the Danish queen. Popular names there include Karen, Johanna, Helene and Anna for girls and as well as Peter, Lars, Soren and David for boys. Of course, the couple could choose to celebrate the Greenlanders by selecting ethnic Greenlandic names such as Princess Allinna, Ivi, Paarma or Usinna and Prince Atoq, Manu, Peri or Tavik.
My Choices
Based on nothing more than my own intuition, I’m placing my top five choices for each baby as Ingrid, Margrethe, Helena, Louise or Henrietta for the little princess and Andre, John, Jacob, Eric or Peter for her brother.
Family Names
It’s possible, the little prince could be named John, in honor of his maternal grandfather, but unlikely to be named Henrik in honor of his paternal grandfather since Frederik’s brother Prince Joachim gave that name to his third son last year. They might also choose to step back one more generation and select Andre for Frederik’s French grandfather, Count Andre de Laborde de Monpezat or Peter for Mary’s Scottish grandfather, Peter Donaldson. Henri and John, however, are already among the names given to the couple’s firstborn child, Prince Christian Valdemar Henri John.
Royal Names
As the oldest monarchy in Europe, Denmark offers scores of possibilities in its long history. The names of the couple’s first two children came from Danish royal history. Prince Christian got his name because for centuries, the crown was past from Frederik to Christian to Frederik in a loop that was only broken when King Frederik VIII had no sons. As for Princess Isabella, Frederik and Mary selected it after perusing their royal history. It was a rather surprising choice because there has really only been one other Isabella in all of that history, a 16th-century queen consort known as Isabella of Austria, daughter of the Spanish Queen Juana the Mad and therefore granddaughter of Ferdinand and Isabella as well as niece of Henry VIII’s first wife Catherine of Aragon.
The list of royal boy names offers many, many Nordic choices like Eric, Knud, Olaf, Haakon, Valdemar, Niels and Harald as well as possibilities like Christopher, Carl, George, Adolf, Jacob and Abel. For some reason, Jacob and Abel seem attractive to me; perhaps because they have been rarely used, just like Isabella. They also work well in Princess Mary’s mother tongue of English. I think Harald and Haakon are unlikely since these are the names of the current Norwegian king and his heir and Christopher would seem odd for a boy with a brother named Christian. Or, perhaps in honor of the Disney version of the Danish story, “The Little Mermaid,” the baby will be christened Prince Eric.
Australian Names
Another possibility is that Mary will reflect her Aussie upbringing by selecting names that are popular in Australia, which could lead to the rather informal choice of Prince Jack or the very surprising Princess Madison and Prince Cooper. However, the top ten list of most popular Australian baby names also includes the potentially appropriate-enough Olivia, Lily, Chloe, Grace and Amelia as well as William, Thomas, Max, James and Alexander.
Greenlandic Names
Another option might be to honor the people of Greenland who are also subjects of the Danish queen. Popular names there include Karen, Johanna, Helene and Anna for girls and as well as Peter, Lars, Soren and David for boys. Of course, the couple could choose to celebrate the Greenlanders by selecting ethnic Greenlandic names such as Princess Allinna, Ivi, Paarma or Usinna and Prince Atoq, Manu, Peri or Tavik.
My Choices
Based on nothing more than my own intuition, I’m placing my top five choices for each baby as Ingrid, Margrethe, Helena, Louise or Henrietta for the little princess and Andre, John, Jacob, Eric or Peter for her brother.
Week in Review: Catherine Middleton, 20-26 February
The week's not over yet, but we have things to discuss. So without further ado, here's what Kate wore from 20-26 February (and I shall add on if necessary):
On the other hand, I should adore outfit 2, for it is RED and the belt/jacket flare is giving her pencil-thin physique some curve. Plus, she's working the timeless angle in a suit that she'll be able to recycle, Princess Anne-styles, for decades to come. But...I'm not feeling it. It's aging her too much? Turtlenecks worn like this terrify me because I can't tell if they're dickeys or not? Am I confusing you as much as I'm confusing myself?
And outfit 3, well, I don't know what she was going to wear to such an occasion (no, I do: I'd have preferred a smart navy suit) but this is alright. Except for the hair. Too much wind in one day = worst of the week.
Oh, friends, I don't know. This week is defying all my Laws of Sartorial Splendor. Do chime in and straighten me out.
Photos: Pacificcoastnews.com/Zimbio/AP/Telegraph/Getty/Daily Mail/Rex/Reuters/Daylife
- a) Christening an RNLI lifeboat in Anglesey, 24 February, b) the fascinator, c) the SHOOTIES, and d) the coat from its 2006 appearance at Cheltenham (crafty with the re-cutting, I must say).
- The trip back to St. Andrews University, 25 February.
- Signing the New Zealand earthquake condolence book, 25 February. A double outfit day already! This is Royal Prep 101: Advanced, I guess.
Best and Worst of the Week
All signs point to me hating outfit 1: I mean, it's all neutrals. And SHOOTIES. But...I kind of dig it. I can't believe I'm saying this about something including that footwear, but this is the best of the week for me. I think I've been swayed by the video from this appearance. I thought she was adorable, and I'm not a born Kate fan. Just chatty and happy to be there, none of that stiff trying-too-hard-to-be-regal thing. Also: HAIR UP! (Out of necessity, but still: victory!) On the other hand, I should adore outfit 2, for it is RED and the belt/jacket flare is giving her pencil-thin physique some curve. Plus, she's working the timeless angle in a suit that she'll be able to recycle, Princess Anne-styles, for decades to come. But...I'm not feeling it. It's aging her too much? Turtlenecks worn like this terrify me because I can't tell if they're dickeys or not? Am I confusing you as much as I'm confusing myself?
And outfit 3, well, I don't know what she was going to wear to such an occasion (no, I do: I'd have preferred a smart navy suit) but this is alright. Except for the hair. Too much wind in one day = worst of the week.
Oh, friends, I don't know. This week is defying all my Laws of Sartorial Splendor. Do chime in and straighten me out.
Photos: Pacificcoastnews.com/Zimbio/AP/Telegraph/Getty/Daily Mail/Rex/Reuters/Daylife
Grand Old Duke of York Answers
1. Although the title is traditionally given to the monarch's second son, several Dukes of York eventually inherited the throne. Who were they?
Five of the 14 Dukes of York eventually became king. Edward IV was the first Duke of York to take the throne--literally. A great-grandson of King Edward III, he defeated the Lancastrian King Henry VI.
Henry VIII's older brother Arthur Prince of Wales had died in his teens leaving behind a young widow, Catherine of Aragon, whom Henry married and later divorced. [Read Catherine's story.]
Charles I's older brother Henry Prince of Wales died of typhoid at age 18.
James II became king when his older brother Charles II failed to have any legitimate children, although the noble houses of England are filled with descendants of his bastards. Even Prince William is a descendant through his mother.
George V's older brother Albert Victor Duke of Clarence died of pneumonia at age 27 shortly after becoming engaged to Princess Mary of Teck, whom George then married. [Read their story.]
George VI assumed the throne following the abdication of his brother King Edward VIII. His story is depicted in the recent award-winning film, "The King's Speech."
2. Which Duke of York earned the popular nickname the "Grand Old Duke of York"?
It is not clear which Duke of York has been immortalized in this nursery song. There are three possible contenders: Edward IV's father Richard Duke of York; King James II; and George III's second son Frederick Duke of York. Frederick seems the most likely candidate but there is no way to know whether the story even has a tie to an historical event at all.
3. For which Duke of York was the city of New Amsterdam renamed?
As Lord High Admiral, James Duke of York played an important role in England's war with the Dutch. When England captured the Dutch colony of New Netherland and its main city New Amsterdam, King Charles II renamed them both in honor of his brother, who later succeeded him as King James II. The city of Albany was also names in honor of James's Scottish title, Duke of Albany.
4. Queen Victoria did not give the Duke of York title to her second son. What title did he receive instead?
King George III had a host of disreputable sons who had been given the royal dukedoms of York, Clarence, Kent, Cumberland, Sussex and Cambridge. When George's granddaughter became Queen Victoria, she opted not to use any of these titles for his sons, not even Kent, which had been her father's title. Cumberland and Cambridge were still in use, but she could have used any of the others. However, she made her second son Prince Alfred the Duke of Edinburgh. He later inherited the German dukedom of Saxe-Coburg from his paternal uncle. Victoria gave her other younger sons the royal dukedoms of Connaught and Albany. Interestingly,three previous Dukes of Albany had also been Dukes of York. The choice of Edinburgh and Albany may have reflected Victoria's love of Scotland while Connaught, a new creation, underscored the British domination of Ireland. The title has been vacant since the death of Victoria's great-grandson in 1942. Since Connaught is now part of the Republic of Ireland, this title is unlikely to ever be re-created.
As her family grew, Victoria did resurrect the titles of Clarence and York for her grandsons, the sons of the Prince of Wales.
5. Which Dukes of York passed the title to his heir?
The title Duke of York has only passed directly from father to son twice. The first Duke of York, Edmund of Langley, fourth son of Edward III passed it to his son Edward of Norwich. By the time Edward of Norwich died, the Yorkist branch of the royal family had been attainted due to treason and the title did not pass immediately to his son Richard. A decade later, however, the title was re-created for Richard, who then passed it to his son, the future Edward IV.
Of the remaining Dukes of York who did not inherit the throne, one died as a child, two never married and one had no children with his wife. The current Duke of York, Prince Andrew, has no heir for the title either because it is limited to the male line. Unless he re-marries and has a son, the title will die out again with him.
Henry VIII's older brother Arthur Prince of Wales had died in his teens leaving behind a young widow, Catherine of Aragon, whom Henry married and later divorced. [Read Catherine's story.]
Charles I's older brother Henry Prince of Wales died of typhoid at age 18.
James II became king when his older brother Charles II failed to have any legitimate children, although the noble houses of England are filled with descendants of his bastards. Even Prince William is a descendant through his mother.
George V's older brother Albert Victor Duke of Clarence died of pneumonia at age 27 shortly after becoming engaged to Princess Mary of Teck, whom George then married. [Read their story.]
George VI assumed the throne following the abdication of his brother King Edward VIII. His story is depicted in the recent award-winning film, "The King's Speech."
2. Which Duke of York earned the popular nickname the "Grand Old Duke of York"?
It is not clear which Duke of York has been immortalized in this nursery song. There are three possible contenders: Edward IV's father Richard Duke of York; King James II; and George III's second son Frederick Duke of York. Frederick seems the most likely candidate but there is no way to know whether the story even has a tie to an historical event at all.
3. For which Duke of York was the city of New Amsterdam renamed?
As Lord High Admiral, James Duke of York played an important role in England's war with the Dutch. When England captured the Dutch colony of New Netherland and its main city New Amsterdam, King Charles II renamed them both in honor of his brother, who later succeeded him as King James II. The city of Albany was also names in honor of James's Scottish title, Duke of Albany.
4. Queen Victoria did not give the Duke of York title to her second son. What title did he receive instead?
As her family grew, Victoria did resurrect the titles of Clarence and York for her grandsons, the sons of the Prince of Wales.
5. Which Dukes of York passed the title to his heir?
The title Duke of York has only passed directly from father to son twice. The first Duke of York, Edmund of Langley, fourth son of Edward III passed it to his son Edward of Norwich. By the time Edward of Norwich died, the Yorkist branch of the royal family had been attainted due to treason and the title did not pass immediately to his son Richard. A decade later, however, the title was re-created for Richard, who then passed it to his son, the future Edward IV.
Prince William, Prince Harry & Kate Middleton Sign Book of Condolence for New Zealand
William and Kate at St. Andrew's
Flashback Friday: Mary's Transformation
We have much to discuss regarding happenings in Wales and Scotland, and that Week in Review post will go up earlier than usual - later tonight or early tomorrow, maybe? Until then, let's chew on this:
During our discussion of Kate Middleton's disappointing fashion lunch with Camilla, smart and lovely commentors Miss Jelic and Alison brought up an excellent point: look at what happened to Mary.
They were referring, of course, to the Grand Transformation that occurred when Mary married her Crown Prince. Though the changes to her appearance were gradual enough in real time, the overall effect is really quite startling:
Some things were obviously going to change about Mary Donaldson of Australia when she became Crown Princess Mary of Denmark back in 2004. Learning Danish, for one. She was bound to grow in public poise, of course. But Mary took it a step further, and used the new resources available to her to execute a full-on makeover. Just plopping a tiara on top doesn't begin to cover the extent of this change.
New Mary is visibly slimmer than Old Mary. Personal trainers? Personal chefs? Whatever she did, it certainly was effective. If the Danish royal family ever gets a little skint in the funds department, Mary could market her own diet and exercise program.
The days of cheesy prom hair for formal occasions, unkempt hair for casual occasions, and heavy-handed makeup gave way to the whims of on-call hairdressers, professional skin care, and pro makeup artists. (A glimmer of hope, perhaps, for those of you that fret over Kate and her eyeliner addiction?)
Personal appearance taken care of, next up is the fashion. The new Crown Princess took advantage of both the Danish fashion industry's desire to dress her to the nines and her new access to international designers (plus, you know, personal stylists and the like) to go from wearing ill-fitting and ill-coordinated off the rack fashions to pure couture.
It's not just Mary, either. Many royal ladies have undergone similar transformations. (Look for more on those in future flashbacks.) All signs point to the next few years bringing an Extreme Princess Makeover for Kate Middleton and Charlene Wittstock. Personally, I'm all for it. (Although, good grief, nobody better lose any weight. Middleton's about to disappear as it is.)
During our discussion of Kate Middleton's disappointing fashion lunch with Camilla, smart and lovely commentors Miss Jelic and Alison brought up an excellent point: look at what happened to Mary.
They were referring, of course, to the Grand Transformation that occurred when Mary married her Crown Prince. Though the changes to her appearance were gradual enough in real time, the overall effect is really quite startling:
The days of cheesy prom hair for formal occasions, unkempt hair for casual occasions, and heavy-handed makeup gave way to the whims of on-call hairdressers, professional skin care, and pro makeup artists. (A glimmer of hope, perhaps, for those of you that fret over Kate and her eyeliner addiction?)
Personal appearance taken care of, next up is the fashion. The new Crown Princess took advantage of both the Danish fashion industry's desire to dress her to the nines and her new access to international designers (plus, you know, personal stylists and the like) to go from wearing ill-fitting and ill-coordinated off the rack fashions to pure couture.
It's worth noting, too, that this great change did not go into full effect until after her marriage. She had some good appearances during her engagement (notably the pre-wedding events which were no doubt styled for her and yielded that bottom left red dress that I love so much). That top left Goth-inspired appearance was during Princess Benedikte's birthday celebrations while Mary was engaged. The next two pictures are from Luxembourg's state visit to Denmark during the engagement: trousers at an event where Maria Teresa, at least, wore a tiara; and a rather severe and prom-esque green dress for a state banquet. Something to keep in mind when Kate or Charlene - ladies that have been on their Princes' arms for 867 years or whatever (read: with ample time to prepare for the onslaught of a royal engagement) - turn up in something a little disappointing.
Not even casual wear was immune to the makeover, showing just how far a transformation really can extend.
Quite a difference, right?
I think these dueling appearances sum it up best:
At left: Mary and Frederick's engagement dinner. At right: Queen Margrethe's April 2010 birthday celebrations. Softer makeup, less J.Lo. hair, better jewel selection. Same dress, different girl.
It's not just Mary, either. Many royal ladies have undergone similar transformations. (Look for more on those in future flashbacks.) All signs point to the next few years bringing an Extreme Princess Makeover for Kate Middleton and Charlene Wittstock. Personally, I'm all for it. (Although, good grief, nobody better lose any weight. Middleton's about to disappear as it is.)
What do you make of Mary's transformation? And what are you hoping for in a Kate/Charlene makeover?
Photos: Polfoto/Allover Press/Zimbio
William and Kate Arrive at St. Andrew's
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The Haram Police
I'm sure a lot of you have watched or heard of Baba Ali on YouTube, he makes these neat videos with nice Islamic reminders in a very un-holier-than-thou way. The haram police guy at the beginning craaaacked me up :D
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