Trooping the Colour, 2026

The King's Birthday Parade, also known as Trooping the Colour, live from London on what the news commentator says is "a perfect summer day" there - temperature 68 F:

Bonus, 4 p.m.:  It's 93 degrees here Texas on a beautiful sunny afternoon.  English historian Allan Barton, who styles himself The Antiquary, gives an in-depth explanation of the Trooping and its history, if you can stand it:

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The King's Christmas Broadcast, 2025

From Westminster Abbey, His Majesty the King delivers his annual Christmas message to his peoples in Britain and throughout the Commmonwealth.  The King is a deeply spiritual man, befitting his role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, not to mention his historic title, Defender of the Faith.

Bonus:  The Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte, age 10, perform a piano duet that was filmed for the annual service of carols at Westminster Abbey, which took place on December 5th and was broadcast in the UK on Christmas Eve.  The composure of the young princess is most impressive.

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Message from the Princess of Wales

Catherine, Princess of Wales, in 2022

 

Two years on, yesterday, from the death of Queen Elzabeth II, the Princess of Wales has released a charming and remarkably informal video message announcing the end of her chemotherapy treatments.

It's lovely to see a happy family at leisure.  I'm sure all people of goodwill join me in wishing them the very best.

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Statement by the Princess of Wales

I can add nothing to the worldwide coverage of this poignant announcement other than my own prayers for the swift recovery of the Princess and also the King from their afflictions.  May God bless all the Royal Family as they continue to serve the people of Britain and the world.

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F A R E W E L L

Elizabeth II, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of Her other Realms and Territories Queen,
Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith
Coronation portrait by Cecil Beaton, 1953

After a solemn, splendid funeral in the capital, Her Majesty the Queen was taken through massive crowds of her grieving people to Windsor Castle - fortress and home of the kings of England for a thousand years - and laid to rest beside her beloved husband, parents, and sister - her duty done at last.

Well done, thou good and faithful servant:  enter thou into the joy of thy Lord.

May her soul, and the souls of all faithful departed, rest in peace.

 

For the record, the schedule of today's events from the BBC:

6:30 BST - The window for the public to see Elizabeth II lying in state comes to an end, as the doors to Westminster Hall are closed

8:00 - Doors of Westminster Abbey open for the 2,000 guests expected - from world leaders to charity workers and the Japanese emperor

10:44 - The day’s first procession will set off, with King Charles and other senior royals walking behind the Queen’s coffin as it’s pulled by sailors on the State Gun Carriage from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey

11:00 - The state funeral service begins

11:55 - The Last Post bugle sounds, followed by a national two minutes’ silence

12:00 - Service ends, and at 12:15 a second, larger procession brings her coffin to Wellington Arch

13:00 - Her coffin is transferred to the state hearse and driven to Windsor along a route expected to be lined by crowds

15:00 - The day’s third procession begins, through the grounds of Windsor Castle to St George’s Chapel

16:00 - Committal service takes place at St George’s Chapel

19:30 - Royal Family returns to the chapel for a private burial service that will see Elizabeth II interred alongside her late husband, the Duke of Edinburgh

Well done, Ma'am.  Thank you for your service.
Godspeed and bon voyage.

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Vigils for the Queen

 

Watch the continuous live stream from Westminster Hall without commentary via Sky News here.

I've had to take a little break from blogging; what with the time difference between here and London, and a number of different events to watch - live if possible - my sleep/wake cycle is all broken up, and I haven't had 8 continuous hours of rest all week. But I am persevering, and firmly intend to be rested and wide awake for the funeral, which will commence at 5 a. m. Texas time on Monday. 

On and on they come, wearied but resolute, filing past the magnificent catafalque holding aloft its precious burden, old and young, tall and short, thick and thin, young and old, united in grief and reverence.  Turbaned Sikhs, Africans in native dress, soldiers and sailors in uniform, mufti, or camo with berets or plumed caps, veterans of both sexes wearing a raft of newly-polished medals on their chests, Boy Scouts and Scoutmasters too with their colored kerchiefs round their necks, saluting the coffin with three fingers, expectant mothers, babes in arms, bearded fathers carrying one and towing another, wondering boys and girls with the bright, expectant faces of untarnished innocence, a pair of elderly twins dressed in identical suits, a blind man with a guide dog, the lame leaning on their canes and crutches and walkers, the crippled and disabled in their wheelchairs - on and on they come in never-ending stream, past the dignified ushers in white tie and tails waving them gently onwards, past the London bobbies in their tall peaked helmets, the Beefeaters Yeomen of the Guard still wearing the splendid red-and-gold costumes of the first Elizabeth's reign, the tall, stately Grenadiers resplendent in scarlet tunics and bearskin caps, standing still as statues:  Britons and others of all sorts, ages, colors, and faiths, devotees of one god, or many, or none, a galaxy of mourners, diverse as the stars in the heavens, paying their last respects to their beloved Sovereign and steadfast servant, the devoted grandmother of the nation, in one great, united act of gratitude and love:  Unforgettable.

Last night, His Majesty the King, his sister, and brothers stood another Vigil of the Princes around their mother's bier in Westminster Abbey, as they did in St. Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, at the beginning of the week.

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And today, the Queen's eight grandchildren stood vigil, something that has never happened before, a very touching sight; they enter the hall at about the 8:30 mark:

 

Earlier today, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, daughters of the Duke of York, released this poignant statement: 

Our dearest Grannie,

We've not been able to put much into words since you left us all.

There have been tears and laughter, silences and chatter, hugs and loneliness, and a collective loss for you, our beloved Queen and our beloved Grannie.  

We, like many, thought you'd be here forever. And we all miss you terribly.

You were our matriarch, our guide, our loving hand on our backs leading us through this world. You taught us so much and we will cherish those lessons and memories forever.

For now dear Grannie, all we want to say is thank you. Thank you for making us laugh, for including us, for picking heather and raspberries, for marching soldiers, for our teas, for comfort, for joy. You, being you, will never know the impact you have had on our family and so many people around the world.

The world mourns you and the tributes would really make you smile. They are all too true of the remarkable leader you are.

We're so happy you're back with Grandpa. Goodbye dear Grannie, it has been the honour of our lives to have been your granddaughters and we're so very proud of you.

We know that dear Uncle Charles, the King, will continue to lead in your example as he too has dedicated his life to service.

God save the King.

With our love,

Beatrice and Eugenie

One more thing.  In yesterday's post, I remarked on all the manly men who have shown up for this week's events.  Today, the King and the Prince of Wales went out to greet and thank some of the folks standing in that long, long queue, and got a very warm response from the loyal crowds.  I took this screen shot of one regular guy standing by his wife who shook the King's hand and said to him, "Well done, Your Majesty, and you are very much loved."  

Imagine some big butch guy in America saying a thing like that to the President!  Unbelievable, but over there they do things differently.

Click to enlarge.

And as for the gays - oh Mary, don't ask!

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Royal Family Matters

Harry and Meghan show off baby Archie to the delighted grandparents.
He was born on May 6, 2019, and is seventh in line to the Throne.

Far too much has been written by far too many people about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in recent weeks, and I will not add to the ghastly hurly-burly of opinions here.  But if anyone cares to read today's statement from the Queen herself - a very wise and loving statement, it seems to me, that speaks volumes - here it is, from the official website of the British Monarchy:

Published 18 January 2020

Statement from HM The Queen.

Following many months of conversations and more recent discussions, I am pleased that together we have found a constructive and supportive way forward for my grandson and his family.

Harry, Meghan and Archie will always be much loved members of my family.

I recognise the challenges they have experienced as a result of intense scrutiny over the last two years and support their wish for a more independent life.

I want to thank them for all their dedicated work across this country, the Commonwealth and beyond, and am particularly proud of how Meghan has so quickly become one of the family.

It is my whole family’s hope that today’s agreement allows them to start building a happy and peaceful new life.

A clarifying follow-up was included:

Statement from Buckingham Palace

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are grateful to Her Majesty and the Royal Family for their ongoing support as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.

As agreed in this new arrangement, they understand that they are required to step back from Royal duties, including official military appointments. They will no longer receive public funds for Royal duties.

With The Queen’s blessing, the Sussexes will continue to maintain their private patronages and associations. While they can no longer formally represent The Queen, the Sussexes have made clear that everything they do will continue to uphold the values of Her Majesty.

The Sussexes will not use their HRH titles as they are no longer working members of the Royal Family.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have shared their wish to repay Sovereign Grant expenditure for the refurbishment of Frogmore Cottage, which will remain their UK family home.

Buckingham Palace does not comment on the details of security arrangements. There are well established independent processes to determine the need for publicly-funded security.

This new model will take effect in the Spring of 2020.

So Harry and Meghan are going to live their lives differently from now on, they won't be doing it on the taxpayers' dime, and the Queen approves.  It's a personal decision, and a family matter, and now it is resolved, apparently to the satisfaction of all concerned.  What more is there to say than that? I wish them well.

The Royal Jewels

Many Americans have a nodding acquaintance with the jewels worn by HM The Queen and other British royal ladies, having seen them worn in various royal weddings and on other ceremonial occasions, but this film explores the jewels of the Danish and Swedish royal families, and oh my - they are something to behold.

BTW, your Head Trucker likes Queen Margrethe II of Denmark a lot - she's an artist and a lively personality with a charming smile.  She'd be the life of any party, I think, Queen or not.  And be on the lookout for her daughter-in-law, Crown Princess Mary, born a commoner in Australia, who reminds me very much of the Duchess of Cambridge.

Elizabeth: Queen, Wife, Mother

A very well-made documentary that was shown earlier this year during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations in Britain. It includes a good many charming photos and home movie footage that have never been seen before - and I think it gives a very good sense of the Queen and the Royal Family as the ordinary, essentially decent human beings that they are, if that has not already been obvious to you these many years, as it has for your Head Trucker.

Isn't It Romantic

Prince William and his fiancee, Kate Middleton, have released their official engagement portraits, one formal and one casual, shown above.  Very sweet.  William looks so much like his mother.  I notice that already he has dark circles around his eyes, not sure why.  But his body language is plain to read:  very much in love, and very protective of his lady.  I hope she's up to the job - and it is a job she is marrying, not merely a man.

The couple will wed on April 29th next year, and although the venue hasn't yet been announced, everybody in Britain seems pretty sure it will be in Westminster Abbey.  Good luck to them.

Larger photos here.

Prince William to Marry Kate Middleton

A statement this morning from Clarence House said:

The Prince of Wales is delighted to announce the engagement of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton.

The wedding will take place in the Spring or Summer of 2011, in London. Further details about the wedding day will be announced in due course.

Prince William and Miss Middleton became engaged in October during a private holiday in Kenya.

Prince William has informed The Queen and other close members of his family. Prince William has also sought the permission of Miss Middleton's father.

Following the marriage, the couple will live in north Wales, where Prince William will continue to serve with the Royal Air Force.

What I Say:  It brought a tear to your Head Trucker's eye to see Diana's engagement ring on Kate's finger.  It was very, very touching to hear William say he wanted to put that ring on Kate's hand so that his mother could in some sense be present to share in their joy.  I well recall getting up at 4:30 in the morning to watch, over pastry and a steaming pot of tea, the live coverage of Diana's wedding, which outwardly was just perfection: all the joy and pageantry and splendid celebration that anyone could wish.

And yet as we now know, even then the trouble had already begun. By strange coincidence, I spent this past weekend looking - for no particular reason - at videos of Diana, and for the first time watched the famous Panorama interview she gave. I also read Google views of several books about her, including the Morton book based on her own tape recordings.  At this late age, I see and understand much more about the nature of things than I could have when all that was happening.

All of which is very, very sad. I was, in my romantic youth, very fond of the Princess of Wales; and it was very troubling when the fairy tale all crashed into pieces, which happened to coincide with the shattered hopes my first husband and I had. All too hard to bear; so after that I didn't keep up much with what Diana was doing, though I was of course horrified at her death, and I did watch her deeply moving funeral.

One could say a great many things about all of that; but the bottom line is, there were two great problems in that marriage. First, Diana married much too young, before she had a chance to become her own person, know her own mind, discover her own strength.

The second, of course, being that her husband - who, I believe, is a fundamentally very decent man - did not love her in the way she needed to be loved: truly, madly, deeply. Which is not to say he didn't love her, but it was not the kind of love Diana needed. A tragic mismatch of personalities.

And your Head Trucker knows from personal experience that having the form of love but not the substance makes you crazy in a very short time. Just crazy. Not the kind of crazy that gets you locked up in a padded cell - but crazy nonetheless.

Which can go on for years and years. Which nothing heals. Nothing but time and distance and, eventually, a new perspective.

But I think even those of us who, like your Head Trucker, have long since shed their romantic side can be hopeful about this young couple. William, remarkably, seems to have his head on straight. And Kate, I think, though of course still young and inexperienced, is better grounded and better prepared than Diana was. Kate has had time to grow up and know who she is and what she really wants; and like most young women of this generation is more worldly-wise, one might even say shrewd, than Diana was in 1981.

Of course, as we who have fought the wars and lived to tell about it know, these young people, like all others, still have an awful lot to learn. But as they said themselves in an interview this morning - which I hope to post here later - they are trying to learn lessons from the past. And no doubt the same could be said for all the Royal Family.

So let us wish them every happiness, and the best of life and luck. Even an old grouch and confirmed realist like your Head Trucker cannot help smiling at the thought of young love, tender and sincere. God bless them.

Update:  the whole interview isn't available yet, but here's a clip from it that shows the ring:




Update 2:  The full interview is now available here.