Category: British Monarchy

All About Royal Jubilees

2/6/2017

The Sapphire Queen

Today marks the 65th anniversary of the
Queen's ascension to the throne. This
event is known as a 'Sapphire Jubilee'.
But what exactly is a 'jubilee'? In
simplest terms a jubilee marks an
important milestone. The term has its
origins in the Old Testament where every
50th year was to be declared a year of
jubilee when debts would be forgiven,
celebrations had, and slaves freed.

Pope Boniface VIII

Within Christianity the first jubilee year
was held in 1300. The previous year and
seen an upsurge in the number of
pilgrims owing to war and disease
occurring in many parts of Europe. Some
pilgrims persuaded Pope Boniface VIII
that great indulgences had been granted
about 100 years before. The Pope decided
to institute a jubilee year for the
remission of sins and universal pardon.
Originally meant to be celebrated ever
100 years the duration was soon
shortened to roughly every 25 years.

When monarchs started celebrating jubilee years is somewhat
unclear. George III was the first to celebrate a Golden Jubilee
(50 years on the throne). Relatively few monarchs have
reached such a milestone and in the British Isles relatively
few monarchs have reached their Silver Jubilee (25 years on
the throne) the shortest jubilee celebrated.

Traditionally royal jubilees occur in the following order:
Silver (25 years)
Ruby (40 years)
Golden (50 years)
Diamond (60 years)
Sapphire (65 years)
Platinum (70 years)

A 100 year anniversary is known as a centenary rather than a
jubilee. Obviously no monarch has celebrated a centenary of
their reign although Pharaoh Pepi II Neferkare of Egypt
supposedly came close with a reign of 94 years. Should Her
Majesty reign until 2022 she will be the first Canadian
monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee.

Jubilees have often been occasion to celebrate including the
issuing of jubilee medals to worthy individuals, parades, and
similar events.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

9/11/2016

Picture Credit: Quaco Museum

Over the last year the Quaco Museum
in St. Martins, New Brunswick, has
been trying to raise money to buy a
long-lost ship's figurehead. Earlier
this month they succeeded in their
quest to bring the figurehead home.

There is a little bit of a dispute over
who the figurehead actually depicts.
The Quaco Museum claims it is a
representation of Prince Albert
Victor, the grandson of Queen
Victoria. However, Ronald J. Jack
over at The Lost Valley Blog has put
together a good argument for a
different candidate:

Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

Article One
Article Two
Article Three
Article Four

Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg was the nephew of
Queen Victoria. As a child he found school irksome and after
receiving an undeserved punishment from his tutor he ran
away. However, he quickly ran out of money and was hauled
back. Queen Victoria, after hearing about her nephews desire
for adventure, suggested he join the Royal Navy to see the
world. He became an officer in the Royal Navy in 1848. He
served in the Mediterranean and Far East before retiring from
active service in 1866.

At that point in time he took up sculpting and became quite
skilled. Wikipedia maintains a good listing of his works.
But his most famous work is probably the statue of Alfred the
Great:

It is unfortunate that the Quanco Museum seems opposed to
the idea that the figurehead just might represent Prince Victor
of Hohenlohe-Langenburg. He led an interesting life and
deserves a bit more attention.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

What is Oak Apple Day?

5/29/2016

King Charles II

Today is May 29th and as I have
recently learned that means today is
Oak Apple Day. This celebration is
little known today but in the 1600s it
was a big deal.

In 1660 the English monarchy was
restored with the return of King
Charles II. The English Parliament
declared that "to be for ever kept as a
day of thanksgiving for our
redemption from tyranny and the
King's return to his Government, he
entering London that day."

Oak Apple Day was celebrated as an official holiday until 1859
when the British Parliament abolished the celebration. I have
not been able to find the reason why they did so.

Image Credit: Philip Halling

The name of the day refers to the
oak tree Charles hid in while
evading capture by the
Roundheads. 'Oak Apples' are a
form of plant gall and it was
common practice to wear a sprig
of them for the occasion. The
holiday is still celebrated
sporadically in parts of England.

It is a pity that Oak Apple Day is no longer celebrated in an
official capacity. Redemption from the tyranny of a republic
is certainly something worth celebrating.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

Royal Tours Explained

3/21/2016

William & Kate during the 2011 Royal Tour

Royal tours are one of the
times when the monarchy is
most visible to Canadians. The
purposes of the royal tour, or
homecomings, are not always
that well understood by
Canadians.

Members of the Royal Family
have been living, working, &
visiting Canada since 1786. Early royal tours were made by
princes (and princesses) since the long sea voyage made it
unfeasible for the sovereign to both rule and visit their
overseas territories. The tours were meant to be a chance for
the people to see their royal family and for said royals to gain
experience in military and civil administration.

Sketch of King William IV

In many ways the American
Revolution had as much of a
hand in creating Canada as it
did the United States. How
fitting that the first royal tour
occurred at roughly the same
time.

Prince William (later King
William IV) was given
command of the HMS
Pegasus in 1786. He traveled
to Newfoundland, Nova
Scotia, and the Province of
Canada. The tour lasted
about a year.

In Placentia, Newfoundland Prince William had to break up a
riot on one occasion and hear a court case on another. As the
colonies largely lacked a permanent administration it was not
entirely uncommon for senior naval officers to take on such
duties. On two occasions Prince William led church services
attended by both Protestants and a few Catholics. He would
go on to finance the building of a church for the community.

He eventually proceeded to Halifax and to the Province of
Canada. The Prince traveled inland to modern-day Cornwall,
Ontario. There he encouraged the Loyalists building new lives
for themselves in the wilderness. He also met with First
Nations living around Montreal and was greeted with great
excitement.

Prince Edward, Duke of Kent

Prince William stayed in Canada
for only a short time but his
brother, Prince Edward, would
end up spending nine years in the
growing colonies. I have already
detailed Prince Edward's time in
another post so I will move on.

Both brothers saw to the positive
development of Canada and
began a tradition that continues
to this day.

The royal tours undertaken in the 1800s were for the most
part shorter in length with the exception of Princess Louise,
who served for five years as the vice-regal couple with her
husband from 1878 to 1883.

The 1900s brought an increase in the number of royal tours as
transportation across the Atlantic became faster. Tours also
tended to include more parts of Canada. Princess Patricia
would spend six years in Canada and become immensely
popular with Canadians. It was still only princes and
princesses undertaking royal tours until 1957 when Queen
Elizabeth II became the first reigning sovereign to visit Canada and open a session of the Canadian Parliament.

Tours have increasingly become centered around specific
themes. For instance the 2005 royal tour was organized as a
chance for Her Majesty and all other Canadians to honour
"The Spirit of Nation Builders."

Besides royal tours you also have 'working visits' that have
less of the pomp and circumstance and generally involve a
member of the Canadian Royal Family carrying out some of
their less public duties. The charity work of the Princess Royal
and Prince Harry's military training in Alberta being
examples. In a sense the working visits undertaken by
members of the Royal Family more resemble the royal tours
of the past while visits by the reigning monarch have become
a form of 'patriotic festival'.

Souvenir coffee can from 2002 Royal Tour

Back of can showing downtown Sussex, NB

Royal tours are a chance for the people and their monarch to
come together in celebration of Canada. As the personal face
of what would otherwise be the distant entity, the state, the
monarch serves to humanize it. By bringing attention to
communities that might not always be on the government
radar royal tours stress the importance of all peoples and
regions of our fair dominion.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

Prince Albert's 1859 Address to the British Association for the Advancement of Science

2/20/2016

Edit: This is only the first part of the Prince's address. I
accidentally posted it before I had copied over the whole
thing. You can read the address in its entirety here while
I slowly transcribe the rest.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

---

Gentlemen of the British Association,

Your kind invitation to me to undertake the office of your
President for the ensuing year could not but startle me on its
first announcement. The high position which science
occupies, the vast number of distinguished men who labour in
her sacred cause, and whose achievements, while spreading
innumerable benefits, justly attract the admiration of mankind, contrasted strongly in my mind with the
consciousness of my own insignificance in this respect. I, a
simple admirer, and would-be student of science, to take the
place of the chief spokesman of the scientific men of the day,
assembled in furtherance of their important objects! - the
thing appeared to me impossible. Yet, on reflection, I came to
the conclusion that, if not as a contributor to, or director of
your labours, I might still be useful to you, useful to science,
by accepting your offer. Remembering that this Association is
a popular Association, not a secret confraternity of men
jealously guarding the mysteries of their profession, but
inviting the uninitiated, the public-at-large, to join them,
having as one of its objects to break down those imaginary
and hurtful barriers which exist between men of science and
so-called men of practice - I felt that I could, from the
peculiar position in which Providence has placed me in this
country, appear as the representative of that large public,
which profits by and admires your exertions, but is unable
actively to join in them; that my election was an act of
humility on your part, which to reject would have looked like
false humility, that is like pride, on mine. But I reflected
further, and saw in my acceptance the means, of which
necessarily so few are offered to Her Majesty, of testifying to
you, through the instrumentality of her husband, that your
labours are not unappreciated by your Sovereign, and that
she wishes her people to know this as well as yourselves.
Guided by these reflections, my choice was speedily made,
for the path of duty lay straight before me.

The Great Exhibition of 1851

If these, however, are the motives which have induced me to
accept your flattering offer of the presidency, a request on my
part is hardly necessary that you will receive my efforts to
fulfill its duties with kind indulgence.

If it were possible for anything to make me still more aware
how much I stand in need of this indulgence, it is the
recollection of the person whom I have to succeed as your
President - a man of whom this country is justly proud, and
whose name stands among the foremost of the Naturalists in
Europe for his patience in investigation, conscientiousness in
observation, boldness of imagination, and acuteness in
reasoning. You have no doubt listened with pleasure to his
parting address, and I beg to thank him for the flattering
manner in which he has alluded to me in it.

The Association meets for the first time today in these regions
and in this ancient and interesting city. The Poet, in his works
of fiction, has to choose, and anxiously to weigh, where to lay
his scene, knowing that, like the Painter, he is thus laying in
the background of his picture, which will give tone and colour
to the whole. The stern and dry reality of life is governed by
the same laws, and we are here living, feeling, and thinking
under the influence of the local impressions of this northern
seaport. The choice appears to me a good one. The travelling
Philosophers have had to come far, but in approaching the
Highlands of Scotland they meet nature in its wild and
primitive form, and Nature is the object of their studies. The
Geologist will not find many oddities in yonder mountains,
because he will stand there on the bare backbone of the globe;
but the Primary rocks which stand out in their nakedness,
exhibit the grandeur and beauty of their peculiar form, and in
the splendid quarries of this neighbourhood are seen to
peculiar advantage the closeness and hardness of their mass,
and their inexhaustible supply for the use of man, made
available by the application of new mechanical powers.

Profiles of the Canadian Royal Family: King Edward VIII

2/16/2016

Edward in the 1920s

There are few Canadian monarchs
who have courted more controversy
than King Edward VIII. Much of this
stems from changing social mores
and having had little time, nor desire,
to frame his own narrative.

Born in 1894 the new prince was
third in line to the throne after his
grandfather and father. His
upbringing was typical for a royal at
the time. However, one of his nannies
was found to have physically abused
him.

His schooling was extensive, as was expected of a future king,
but the young prince did not excel to any particular degree.
He left Oxford after eight years without have gained any
academic qualifications.

In 1911 Edward was officially invested as the Prince of Wales.
Shortly before World War One Prince Edward had joined the
Grenadier Guards and he wanted to serve on the front lines.
However, Secretary of State for War Lord Kitchener nixed the
idea citing the harm that might come from his capture by the
enemy. Being prevented from fighting on the front lines did
not stop Prince Edward from visiting as often as he could. As
such he saw the horrors of trench warfare firsthand. This would have an impact on his later political beliefs. His role in
the war (despite being limited) made him popular with the
rank and file soldiers.

Throughout the late 1910s & 1920s Prince Edward often
represented the King at events throughout the British Empire.
During a tour of Canada in 1919 he acquired the Bedingfield
Ranch in Alberta. Many important Canadians would visit the
Prince's new ranch. Edward would stay at the ranch during
his years as prince and, after his abdication, his years as Duke
of Windsor. In 1927 as part of Canada's 60th birthday
celebrations him and his brother officially opened The
Prince's Gate.

While Prince Edward was at the height of his popularity
during these years two issues had arisen that would greatly
sour his legacy. The first issue was his views on his future
subjects that would charitably be called racist. The second
issue was his preference for women who were either married
or who the general public would not accept as queen. While
the first issue was largely ignored at the time (his views not
being too far from elite opinion at the time) it would come to
have the greatest effect on his legacy. The second issue was
the one that would most immediately bring him down (but
which the general public cares little about these days).

Prince Edward's ranch in Alberta

In the 1930s Prince Edward met American divorcee Wallis
Simpson. Their relationship caused no small degree of
concern in the government. The police were ordered to follow
the two and establish the nature of their relationship.

In 1936 Edward ascended to the throne as Edward VIII.
Almost immediately he began to break royal protocol. On a
tour of Southern Wales he stated that "something must be
done" for the unemployed coal miners there. The government
interpreted this as improper interference.

Wallis Simpson

On November 16th, 1936 King
Edward VIII called for his Prime
Minister. His Majesty informed Prime
Minister Stanley Baldwin of his
intention to marry Wallis Simpson.
Baldwin informed the King that the
public would not find this acceptable.
The King offered morganic marriage
as a suitable compromise. The British
Cabinet rejected this as well. And in
what was likely a first the dominion
governments of Australia, Canada &
South Africa expressed disapproval of the King marrying a
divorcee. King Edward was faced with three choices: 1. Give
up on marrying Wallis Simpson, 2. Marry against the wishes
of cabinet, or 3. abdicate. The King refused the first option
and knew the second would cause a constitutional crisis. Thus
the King made the decision to abdicate. The reaction to the
decision were manly negative and Canadian Prime Minister
Mackenzie King wrote in his diary that, "...if that is the kind of
man he is it is better he should not be longer on the Throne."

After his abdication Edward (soon to be made Duke of
Wndsor) became a bit of a pariah. He married Wallis Simpson
on June 3rd, 1936. The ceremony was performed by Robert
Anderson Jardine (an act that cost him his position). The new
King George VI forbade the Royal Family from attending. This
act created a great deal of resentment over the following
years.

In 1937 the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, against the advice
of the British government, visited Nazi Germany. During the
visit the Duke gave full Nazi Salutes and met with Hitler.
There is some disagreement about whether the Duke favoured
fascism or not. His low opinion of other races has been used
as evidence Edward did favour it. However, in Edward's own
words "the unending scenes of horror" of World War One had
led him to support appeasement. Hitler's opinion of the Duke
is far less ambiguous believing that as king he would have
been an ally and that his abdication was a serious loss to
Germany. The couple's continuing association with known or
suspected Nazi sympathizers did not help quell the suspicions
about their political beliefs. This photo certainly didn't help:

The Duke & Duchess meet Hitler

Rumours that Hitler intended to install Edward as king of a
British puppet state after he conquered the British Isles are
most likely mere fancy. The number of royals Hitler installed
in Europe is exactly zero. Even members of the former
German Imperial Family were only feted until Hitler realized
they wouldn't be of any further use to him.

However, it is likely the concerns that the Duke possibly had
Nazi sympathies that led him to be appointed governor of the
Bahamas (and far away from Europe) in 1940. He made the
final leg of his trip to the Bahamas on the Canadian
Steamship Lady Somers. He would remain governor of the
Bahamas throughout the war. Edward was praised for
combating poverty on the islands and defusing civil unrest
over low wages in Nassau. However, he considered the blacks
to be incapable of self-government and blamed the civil
unrest on communists and Jews.

After the war the Duke occasionally attended official
functions in Britain, spent time at his ranch in Alberta,
wrote the occasional book, and more or less lived in
retirement.

As time has gone on the role his marriage played in Edward's
abdication has been downplayed. Instead his politics have
been given greater weight. As Historian Philip Williamson
argues this is a mistake brought about by the increased social
acceptance of divorce. Edward's views were certainly racist
but there is little evidence he supported Nazism. He remains
the most controversial member of Canada's Royal Family.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

New Year's Levée: Canada's Royal Tradition

1/6/2016

New Year's levées are a common tradition in Canada. Held by
the Governor General, Lieutenant Governors, the military,
municipalities, and other organizations the levées serve to
welcome in the new year and create on opportunity for the
public to pay their respects.

Levées (French for 'raising'
or 'to rise') originally was a
term used to describe the
morning court King Louis
XIV held in his bedchamber
after awaking. This practice
spread throughout Europe.
The British changed the
tradition by making the
levée a formal reception in
the afternoon or evening.
The association with New
Year's arose in Canada as
fur traders commonly paid
their respects to the master
of the fort on New Year's.

The levée was exclusively an event for men until after World
War Two when female officers of the armed forces began
attending the military levées. From that point on both men
and women have attended the New Year's Levée.
Refreshments are a major part of the levées. It is believed that
those who came to pay their respects to the civil leaders
expected to be fed. This expectation apparently once caused
an "almighty row" in 1856 on Vancouver Island when the colonial governor's levée was not to the attendees liking.

While once common the levée has over time become nearly an
exclusively Canadian tradition.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

The Queen's 2015 Chistmas Message

12/26/2015

"The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not
overcome it" John 1:5

A Merry Christmas & Happy New Year to all.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

Royalty’s Brush with Cricket

12/5/2015

By: Mr. Windsor

Did you know Sir. John A MacDonald named cricket as the
first official sport of Canada in 1867? Or that Canada held
cricket’s oldest international fixture in 1844 against
United States where we won by 23 runs? Cricket is no longer
as popular of a sport in Canada and it has been demoted from
its position as an official sport. Despite our meager history of
cricket, the sport has a unique connection with our royal
family.

Queen Elizabeth II is a patron of the Marylebone Cricket
Club and will occasionally be seen at the iconic Lord’s
Cricket Ground watching an English Test match. The
Marylebone Cricket Club (Or the MCC for short) founded in
1787 used to be the governing body of the laws and games of
the sport until 1993. MCC currently owns the Lord’s Cricket
ground and was granted a Royal Charter in 2012. The Duke of
Edinburgh is the only person to the president of the MCC
twice in the 20th century. Prince Andrew topped the bowling
averages in his school of Gordonstoun in 1979 and was the
second best batsman on his team. Both Prince Harry and the
Duke of Cambridge used to play cricket during school. Past
Leicestershire player Paul Nixton even described Prince Harry
as “much more in the action and could develop his bowling
into an OK seamer”. The grandson of Queen Victoria, Prince
Christian Victor was the only member of the royal family who
managed to play first-class cricket, the most prestigious
standing in the sport. He also played for Wellington College
and soon became the captain in 1887. King George VI also
used to play “on the private ground on the slopes below
Windsor Castle, where the sons and grandsons of Edward
VII used to play regularly” (Wisden 1953).

Many past Indian royals and nobles were especially known to
be outstanding cricket players, including Jam Saheb Shri
Ranjitsinhji, who came to rule the Indian princely state of
Nawanagar in 1903. Ironically, “Ranji” never played cricket
in India, but instead played for the English Cricket team and
scored a century (100 runs) against the powerhouse team of
Australia in 1896. Not only is Ranji known as one of cricket’s
greatest players of all time, he also was known for
revolutionizing the sport with the perfection of leg-glance
shots when playing for Cambridge University and Sussex. The
Ranji Trophy for Indian first class cricket was named in his
honour.

Countless cricket players have even been knighted for their
knowledge and talent in the sport. Sir. Don Bradman is
regarded as the best test batsman to ever live and was
knighted in 1949. Queen Elizabeth II has knighted a few
players for their outstanding talent such as Sir Alec Victor
Bedser who was knighted in 1996. Cricket perhaps will never
be a popular sport in Canada; however, it will still be one of
the most popular sports among our royal family.

Prince Charles Addresses COP21 Conference in Paris

11/30/2015

Photo Credit: The BBC

Prince Charles addressed the
COP21 Conference on climate
change today. In his speech His
Royal Highness urged the
gathered national leaders to
commit to fighting climate
change.

This is an issue with which the
Prince has a lot of experience.
The Prince has been sounding
alarm bells long before it was
fashionable to do so.

The Prince's Speech

Below is a partial transcript of the remarks made by the
Prince of Wales. A video of the opening minute of his speech
can be found here. Link

Your deliberations over the next two weeks will decide the fate,
not only of those alive today, but also of generations yet unborn.
So I can only urge you to think of your grandchildren, as I think
of mine, and those billions of people without a voice. Those for
whom hope is the rarest of sensations. Those for whom a secure
life is a distant prospect. Most of all, I urge you to consider the
needs of the youngest generation. Because none of us has the
right to assume that for our today they should give up their
tomorrow.

The Prince went on to say that "On an increasingly crowded
planet, humanity faces many threats - but none is greater
than climate change, it magnifies every hazard and tension
of our existence." Further, the Prince pointed out that climate
change will stress civil society to the breaking point:
"It threatens our ability to feed ourselves; to remain healthy and safe from extreme weather; to manage the natural resources that support our economies, and to avert the humanitarian disaster of mass migration and increasing conflict."

All of which is consistent with what the Prince has been saying for years. But sadly Prince Charles has had to play the
part of a political Cassandra, more often mocked for his
views than respected.

Shortly after the address Philippe Joubert, Chair of The
Prince of Wales’s Corporate Leaders Group, remarked that
while success in putting a price on carbon would be good,
doing so while also continuing to subsidize carbon sources
makes no sense.

Loyally Yours,
A Kisaragi Colour

<<Previous

Forward>>

All About Royal Jubilees

Prince Victor of Hohenlohe-Langenburg

What is Oak Apple Day?

Royal Tours Explained

Prince Albert's 1859 Address to the British Association for the Advancement of Science

Profiles of the Canadian Royal Family: King Edward VIII

New Year's Levée: Canada's Royal Tradition

The Queen's 2015 Chistmas Message

Royalty’s Brush with Cricket

Prince Charles Addresses COP21 Conference in Paris

The Prince's Speech

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