The Royal Family in 2014

     Having looked back into the exciting year of 2013, now it’s time to peer forward into what the future holds for the monarchy in this year of 2014.

     While the occasions of this year will not likely have the same international reach as the ones in the last three years (Royal Wedding in 2011, Diamond Jubilee in 2012, and Prince George’s birth in 2013), it will nonetheless prove to be eventful and fascinating, with perhaps a few surprises along the way.

Zara Tindall

     Starting the year off, Zara (Phillips) Tindall and her husband Mike are expected to welcome their first child sometime this month. Zara is the only daughter of Princess Anne, as well as the Queen’s eldest granddaughter and second-eldest grandchild. Her baby will be the Queen’s fourth great-grandchild, 16^th in the line of succession to the Commonwealth realms (including the United Kingdom), and almost doubtless will be a playmate for cousin Prince George, as well as Savannah and Isla Phillips – the children of Zara’s elder brother Peter.

     On February 6^th, Elizabeth II will have been on the throne for 62 years, and she will likely observe the date of her succession in 

The Queen is usually at Sandringham on February 6th,
where her father passed away in 1952.

private, with no special public engagements being planned for that day. It is hard-pressed to call this moment a celebration, because it must be remembered that Elizabeth lost her beloved father George VI on the same day. Thus is the paradox regarding succession: the heir must lose the person most dear to him or her in order to gain the throne. For the Queen, this was the day on which she assumed a solemn duty with great responsibility. Nonetheless, this moment will also be a celebration in the sense that it marks the continuity of the monarchy and the stability it provides.

     In April, the Queen will welcome Michael D. Higgins, the President of the Republic of Ireland to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for a three-day state visit – the first ever for an Irish president.

     Nearly three years ago, the Queen made history by becoming the first British monarch to make a state visit to the Republic of Ireland since that country gained its independence from the United Kingdom. The last time a monarch stepped foot in Dublin was George V – the Queen’s grandfather – in 1911 during his coronation year, when all of Ireland was part of the UK.

     This year’s return visit by President Higgins, who will stay at Windsor Castle, will be seen as symbolizing the furthering and deepening of positive relations between the UK and Ireland.

     During the same month of April, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be traveling Down Under to visit the 

William and Kate during their successful tour of Canada in 2011.

Commonwealth realms of Australia and New Zealand. It is a highly-anticipated journey, and if (as expected) Prince George come along, it will be his first overseas visit.  This will also be the first time that Kate has visited either country, and will echo a similar tour taken by Prince Charles and Diana, when they brought a nine-month old Prince William to those same countries in 1983. As the future King and Queen of Australia and New Zealand, William and Kate are expected to represent the reigning Queen at official functions and carry out engagements on their own behalf. Royal visits Down Under tend to be popular – so popular that one Australian anti-monarchist bitterly complained that every time the Queen or another member of the royal family does visit, the republican cause gets set back by 20 years.

     In July, the Queen will open the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Last year, she placed her message to Commonwealth athletes into a baton at Buckingham Palace, which began a journey across the Commonwealth called the Queen’s Baton Relay, much like the Olympic Torch Relay. This year, the Baton will arrive in Scotland, where it will make its way to the Opening Ceremony and the Queen will read the message.

     Following the closing ceremony of the Games, she is expected to attend a World War I Commonwealth memorial service at Glasgow Cathedral on August 3^rd. This year marks the 100^th anniversary of the start of WWI, and the Queen and other members of the royal family are likely to take part in events that will observe this centennial.

The Queen and Prince Philip arriving at a State Opening of Parliament

     In addition to these special occasions, there are to be the traditional annual events, including the Maundy Thursday Service in April, the State Opening of Parliament and Chelsea Flower Show in May, Trooping the Color and Garter Day in June, Holyrood Week and Thistle Service in June or July, the Remembrance services in November, and the Christmas broadcast in December. There will also be numerous receptions and garden parties, as well as investitures and military ceremonies over which the Queen (or other members of her family) will preside. 

The Earl and Countess of Wessex

     The royal family will also be carrying out several engagements throughout the UK and around the world on behalf of organizations and charities they support. In particular, the Earl and Countess of Wessex will be traveling to the United States, Jamaica, and Barbados to promote the work of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in those countries. 

     Occasions of personal significance for members of the royal family will also be marked in 2014, including four milestone birthdays:

• March 10th - Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex will celebrate his 50th birthday.
• July 22nd - Prince George of Cambridge will celebrate his first birthday.
• September 15th - Prince Harry of Wales will celebrate his 30th birthday.
• August 25th - Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester will celebrate his 70th birthday.

and two red-letter wedding anniversaries:

• June 19th - The Earl and Countess of Wessex will mark their 15th anniversary.
• September 12th - Lord and Lady Frederick Windsor will mark their 5th anniversary.

     The year may also be significant for Prince Harry. As the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are expected to cut back on official engagements, he may be called on take up for them, and following his successful year in 2013 with overseas visits to the United States and Australia, it will not be surprising to see more of him on the royal circuit.

Captain Harry Wales

     2014 also marks Harry’s eighth year in the British Army, which means that he will be eligible for promotion to the rank of Major. According to the Ministry of Defense’s website, such a promotion may take place in a window of 8-10 years of military service, and for nearly three years, Harry has been a Captain in the Blues and Royals regiment, of which Princess Anne is Colonel and the Queen is Colonel-in-Chief. 

     Then there are the rumors about his ongoing relationship with Cressida Bonas. Gossip hounds and tabloid newspaper/magazine editors are foaming at the mouth believing that the Prince will be at least engaged to Bonas sometime this year. As I have said before, I do not believe there will be a wedding or engagement involving Prince Harry this year, but if his relationship with Bonas does continue through the year, and if they are seen together at public engagements, then there may be something to say about an engagement and/or marriage in 2015. If anything, 2014 may be the year that Princess Beatrice has the question popped to her by long-time boyfriend Dave Clark.

Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

 
     In the final analysis, the year of 2014 - from the observance of the Queen's 62 years on the throne to the journey Down Under for William and Kate - appears to be another exciting year for the monarchy, though it will likely come and go without the live global coverage that has been associated with the royal events that have occurred in the last couple of years.

     Cynics tend to say the monarchy is, at its base nature, simply a self-perpetuating institution with no relevance to our times. I would argue that it is the self-perpetuating nature of the monarchy that makes it interesting to observe. It is interesting to watch how different occupants on the throne have brought their own style to the monarchy while also being mindful of long-established traditions. In the 21st Century, it is even more fascinating to witness how the monarchy works in our information age. It has shown itself to be flexible and durable over the centuries, and I believe that it will continue to exhibit these traits in 2014 and beyond.



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Royal Year 2013 - Part I: The Queen and Prince Philip

Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

     

     2013 will be hugely remembered for the birth of Prince George of Cambridge, but there were also other developments within the monarchy and the royal family. This posting will review the royal highlights of 2013, and give some insight on what may or will happen in the New Year.

     It will be broken into three parts: Part I (this article) concerns the Queen and Prince Philip; Part II discusses the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince Harry; Part III delves into the Yorks, Wessexes, Princess Anne and her family, and the Queen's cousins - the Kent's and the Gloucester's. 

The Queen 

     The year of 2013 was a successful one for Queen Elizabeth II. In addition to her usual duties, such as attending the State Opening of Parliament, the Maundy Service, Trooping the Color, presiding over investitures, and attending official engagements throughout the UK, she marked the 60^th anniversary of her coronation during a special service at Westminster Abbey in June. It was there that she was formally crowned Queen of the United Kingdom and the overseas Commonwealth realms in a colorful ceremony whose roots date back to the coronation of Edgar the Peaceful at Bath Abbey in 973. Unlike the Diamond Jubilee celebrations last year, this was a more low-key affair, though it nonetheless underscored how important the coronation was to Elizabeth II and the nation at large – so important that St. Edward’s Crown, which was used to crown her, was brought out of the Tower of London for the first time since 1953 and placed on the altar of the Abbey.

     The coronation was also commemorated at a festival at Buckingham Palace in July, and the Queen visited the new headquarters of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), which had been responsible for televising the coronation live.

     2013 was also a year in which the Queen was showcased in her role as Head of the Commonwealth. On Commonwealth Day in March, she signed the new Charter of the Commonwealth, which among other things, committed the organization and its members to 16 core beliefs, including democracy, the rule of law, gender equality, and sustainable development. With this charter, the Commonwealth hopes to move from being a legacy of Empire to being an active and vibrant force for positive development in the 21st Century.

     The Queen also met the Pakistani youth activist Malala Yousafzai at a reception entitled "Youth, Education, and the Commonwealth", and presided over the beginning of the Queen’s Baton Relay in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace where the Baton began its journey across the Commonwealth before it ends up in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games in July 2014. There, it will be opened to reveal the Queen’s message to the participating athletes, which will be read by her at the opening ceremony.

     However the Queen, for all of her commitment to her duties and responsibilities, cannot escape the effects of time and aging. She was hospitalized with gastroenteritis in March and had to cancel a number of engagements – including a trip to Rome, and could not attend the Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey. She has since recovered, and has gone on as usual, but there is a recognition that the Queen is going to have to scale back on some things, particularly long-haul travel. This means that Prince Charles and other members of her family will be increasingly seen performing some of her ceremonial responsibilities, which will aid a steady transition to Charles for when the day comes that he accedes the throne.

     That being said, the Queen is in otherwise good – or as they say in the UK, “rude” – health. She will continue to perform her duties to the best of her abilities until she draws her last breath. There is no talk of abdication, and thank God for that. 

Prince Philip 

     The Duke of Edinburgh carried on as usual with his royal duties, which included a visit to Canada. But following a garden party on June 6th, he admitted himself to the London Clinic for what Buckingham Palace called a pre-planned “exploratory surgery” in his abdominal region. He spent eleven days there, celebrating his 92^nd birthday and missing the Trooping the Colour ceremony for the Queen’s Official Birthday. Philip was then discharged from the clinic to recuperate, first at Windsor Castle and then at Sandringham. Given these recent health issues at his age, there have been suggestions that perhaps Philip should reduce his public activities and engagements. 

     In a 2011 interview commemorating his 90^th birthday, the Duke of Edinburgh stated that he was going to begin to slow down and cut back on royal obligations, saying that he felt he done his bit. Nevertheless, he carried out 347 engagements during the Diamond Jubilee year in 2012 – up from 330 in 2011. If nothing else, this demonstrates his commitment and determination to being at his wife’s side as much as possible, to fulfill his duty as her consort, and pursue his own interests and passions. He is now the longest-serving and oldest-ever spouse of a reigning British monarch and it is expected that Philip will continue to do what he can to support the work of the monarchy. 

     He may have health issues to deal with, but at 92, he his getting around as good – if not better – as anybody at that age, and he would probably be the first to say that nobody ought to be making a fuss over his health. Like most things in his life – such as being constantly moved around Europe throughout his childhood and not having a permanent home life – Philip shrugs off such concerns in part because he realizes that life is life and that there are certain things that are out of one’s hands. Therefore, one ought not to worry about it and carry on as usual, which is what Philip has done after his recent health scares. 

     Since his return to public engagements, it does appear that the Duke has recovered and that it is business as usual for him. Back in October, while visiting a care center in Norfolk, he spotted the great-granddaughter of a resident on a large inflatable ball and jokingly asked, “Do you get bonus points if you knock her off?” In many ways, this showed that Philip is not only back to his usual routine of attending engagements, but also displaying the dry humor which has become somewhat legendary over the 61 years he has been the Queen’s consort.

     In this New Year, the Duke will continue to move forward as his wife’s “strength and stay” – providing a level of support and encouragement that cannot be repaid.

Part II: Charles and Camilla, the Cambridge's, and Prince Harry

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Queen's Baton Relay and the Commonwealth Games

Flag of the Commonwealth of Nations

     
     The global role of Queen Elizabeth II was on display this week during the start of the Queen’s Baton Relay at Buckingham Palace on October 9th. The relay – in similar fashion to the Olympic Torch Relay – marks the final countdown to the Commonwealth Games being held next July in Glasgow, Scotland, and the Baton will be carried across the 70 nations and territories of the Commonwealth of Nations that are competing in the Games, which brings athletes from across the organization together for friendly competition in several sports.

     The occasion began with Britain’s most decorated Olympian, the Scottish cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, carrying the Baton up The Mall to Buckingham Palace, accompanied by the Pipes and Drums of the 1^st Battalion Scots Guards and the Pipes and Drums of the 1^st Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland (Royal Scots Borderers). Sir Chris placed the Baton on the stage in the shadow of the Palace, which was surrounded by the flags of the competing Commonwealth nations and territories being carried by young men and women representing those countries. With the Duke of Edinburgh (looking as fit as ever) at her side, the Queen, as Head of the Commonwealth, placed her message of support to Commonwealth athletes into the Baton, and the message will remain a secret until the Baton completes its journey to Glasgow, where it will read by the Queen when she opens the Games at Celtic Park on July 23^rd. She then handed the Baton – crafted from titanium, wood and granite – to Allan Wells, a legendary Scots sprinter with four Commonwealth gold medals and a 100 meter sprint title while representing Team GB at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, who was joined by Monica Dzonzi, a 25-year-old UNICEF ambassador who runs a youth centre in the Commonwealth country of Malawi.

     From there, the Baton was handed over to swimmer and two-time Commonwealth gold medalist Caitlin McClatchey, and made its way around the Victoria Memorial twice. As it did, the Baton collected more bearers, who were athletes, volunteers, and school children involved in projects related to the Games. The Baton then made its way down The Mall to Marlborough House, the former home of the Queen’s grandmother Queen Mary, which is now the headquarters of the Commonwealth. It was followed by Sir Chris Hoy, who led a procession of young people carrying the flags of the competing Commonwealth nations and territories. 

     The next day, it arrived in Sterling, Scotland, where a campaign was launched to recruit 4,000 bearers for when the Baton arrives back in Scotland after it takes its journey across the Commonwealth over 288 days and 123,000 miles. That journey began its overseas leg today in Delhi, India. From there, it will pass through Commonwealth countries in Southeast Asia and Oceania, then to the African continent. After Africa, the Baton will head to the Falkland Islands off of South America, then to the Caribbean and up to Canada. It will return to Europe in May, visiting Cyprus, Malta, and Gibraltar before heading to the Channel Islands and the Isle of Mann. From there, it will go through Northern Ireland, Wales, England, and Scotland, where it will take a 40 day tour of the country before ending up in Glasgow for the opening ceremony.

     

The Commonwealth of Nations

     The Commonwealth is a large organization, encompassing 53 countries and 2 billion people – around one-quarter of the world’s population, and is largely made up of countries that were once part of the British Empire. As such countries gained self-governance and independence, the Empire shrank and the Commonwealth grew, and the Queen has grown up with it over the course of her 61 year reign. She is enthusiastic about the Commonwealth, and most Commonwealth countries and leaders have expressed their appreciation for the Queen as Head of the Commonwealth for regularly visiting Commonwealth countries and taking a keen interest in the affairs of the organization as well as individual member states. She is, in many ways, the link that binds the Commonwealth together. With regard to the Games, she has opened many of them throughout her reign, and has been represented by Prince Philip, Prince Charles, and other members of the royal family on such occasions when she was unable to do so. 

     Though there are 53 members of the Commonwealth, there will 70 teams participating in the Games because of the British Overseas Territories (i.e., the Falklands, Bermuda, Gibraltar, etc.), Crown Dependencies (Isle of Mann, Guernsey, and Jersey), and the Home Nations of the United Kingdom (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales) competing under their own flags.

     The Commonwealth Games started out in 1930 as the British Empire Games, and then became the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in 1954. They were renamed in 1970 as the British Commonwealth Games, and finally the Commonwealth Games in 1978. The Games occur every four years and the Glasgow 2014 Games will be 20^th edition, as well as the third time they have been held in Scotland. In all, there will be competition in 17 sports across eleven days with 261 medals – more than in any other previous games – in Glasgow 2014. The Baton Relay itself is a tradition which began in the lead-up to the 1958 Games in Cardiff, Wales, and it is a tradition which was gotten larger in scale and more popular with each edition of the Games, symbolizing the unity and diversity of the Commonwealth.

     In many ways, the Games are the ultimate expression of the Commonwealth as an organization of great international significance. This club of former imperial relations means a lot to the Queen, who has done much to keep it together in spite of squabbles between members (especially during the disputes with South Africa's apartheid policy). The Games help to bring the peoples of the far-flung Commonwealth together and to achieve greater cooperation and understanding amongst each other, resulting in ever-closer relationships among peoples and their respective countries. They are a celebration of commonly-shared aspirations and values, as well as the hopes for a brighter future in voluntary association with one-another. It is the Queen, as Head of the Commonwealth, who helps to provide a sense of stability and continuity for the organization and its people, which helps to strengthen deep bonds. The sun may have set on the British Empire, but it is shining brightly on the "wider still and wider" Commonwealth.

The British Golden Summer of 2013

Sidenote: Although this is primarily a blog concerning the monarchy, from time to time, there will be postings about people, situations, and events throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth that have an effect on the monarchy, or have a relation to it. This is one of them.     

     Throughout the summer of 2013, the people of the United Kingdom have had much reason to celebrate.  Back in June, Justin Rose won the U.S. Open golf tournament.

Justin Rose, winner of the 2013 U.S. Open.

With his spectacular victory, Andy Murray broke the 77 year British drought at Wimbledon. The trophy was presented to him by Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth and President of the All-England Lawn, Tennis, and Croquet Club.

     In this month, Andy Murray became the first British man to win at Wimbledon in 77 years, the British and Irish Lions defeated Australia in their first rugby series victory in 16 tears, Chris Froome became the second consecutive – and second ever – British winner of the Tour de France, and (as of this writing) the English cricket team appears to be on its way to defeating the Australians in the Ashes tournament. After a seemingly prolonged winter season, real summer finally arrived in the UK with temperatures soaring to 90°F (32°C) in some areas.  And to top it all off, there was the arrival of Prince George of Cambridge, who will one day be king of the United Kingdom.

Chris Froome follows in the footsteps of a fellow Brit, Bradley Wiggins, to win the 2013 Tour de France.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince George

     So it has been another golden summer for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, coming on the heels of the success emanating from the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the Summer Olympics in London last year. And with the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year, there will another summer for the Brits to feel a sense of patriotism and be proud of themselves. Although British athletes will be competing under separate English, Northern Irish, Scottish, and Welsh teams, it is hoped that residents of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales will support their fellow country men and women from other parts of the UK against non-UK teams.

These games bring the 2 billion people across the far-flung Commonwealth together.

     But then again, these are the Commonwealth Games where there are historical, cultural, and familial bonds and connections between the people of Britain, and people from places like Canada, Australia, India, and New Zealand. It is conceivable that some Scots will support an Australian team over an English team, or for some English people to support a Canadian team over a Welsh team. Indeed, some people within the British Indian community may be inclined to support an Indian team over any of the hometown British teams in Glasgow. For Queen Elizabeth II, who is the symbolic Head of the Commonwealth and monarch of 16 Commonwealth countries, there must also be conflicting loyalties.

      

The Commonwealth of Nations. The countries in red represent the members of the Commonwealth that are realms that share the British monarch as head of state. The countries in blue represent the members of the Commonwealth that either have their own monarchies, or are republics.

     Regardless of these anomalies however, the Games are an opportunity for Commonwealth countries to come together and celebrate what ties them together, while engaging in competitive sportsmanship. With the wind at their backs from the last two years, British athletes in particular ought to be feeling good about making the summer of 2014 another golden one for British sports. Meanwhile, the monarchy, with its newest member, should feel relatively good about its position going forward as well. For the public, these events over the past two years (along with the great weather) have made them feel good about themselves and proud to be British.

     But while these events have brought much to celebrate, the same cannot be said about the UK economy. The Conservative (Tory)-led coalition government under David Cameron has presided over an economy which has basically flat-lined over the past three years, with austerity being at the heart of the government’s economic policy. In many ways, events such as Murray’s win at Wimbledon and the birth of Prince George provide a dash of color and good news against the gray backdrop of economic malaise. There has been a slight uptick as of late, but the reality is that the economy (whether under the policies of the Tory Pary, Labour Party, or another coalition with the Liberal Democrats) must improve substantially throughout the entire United Kingdom, or else I fear that even royal and sporting events will not be enough to lift people’s spirits. Intangible feeling can only go so far, for at the end of the day, it is all about the realities of the pocketbook and wallet.

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