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journeydb · 5 years

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July 8 2018 London and Windsor

Today our guide picked us up at the hotel and drove us out to Windsor to visit Windsor Castle, one of Queen Victoria’s favorite residences. According to Wikipedia:

“Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is notable for its long association with the English and later British royal family and for its architecture.

The original castle was built in the 11th century after the Norman invasion of England by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I, it has been used by the reigning monarch and is the longest-occupied palace in Europe. The castle's lavish early 19th-century State Apartments were described by the art historian Hugh Roberts as "a superb and unrivaled sequence of rooms widely regarded as the finest and most complete expression of later Georgian taste". Inside the castle walls is the 15th-century St George's Chapel, considered by the historian John Martin Robinson to be "one of the supreme achievements of English Perpendicular Gothic" design.

Originally designed to protect Norman dominance around the outskirts of London and oversee a strategically important part of the River Thames, Windsor Castle was built as a motte-and-bailey, with three wards surrounding a central mound. Gradually replaced with stone fortifications, the castle withstood a prolonged siege during the First Barons' War at the start of the 13th century.

Henry III built a luxurious royal palace within the castle during the middle of the century, and Edward III went further, rebuilding the palace to make an even grander set of buildings in what would become "the most expensive secular building project of the entire Middle Ages in England". Edward's core design lasted through the Tudor period, during which Henry VIII and Elizabeth I made increasing use of the castle as a royal court and center for diplomatic entertainment.

Windsor Castle survived the tumultuous period of the English Civil War, when it was used as a military headquarters by Parliamentary forces and a prison for Charles I. At the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660, Charles II rebuilt much of Windsor Castle with the help of the architect Hugh May, creating a set of extravagant Baroque interiors that are still admired.

After a period of neglect during the 18th century, George III and George IV renovated and rebuilt Charles II's palace at colossal expense, producing the current design of the State Apartments, full of Rococo, Gothic and Baroque furnishings. Queen Victoria made a few minor changes to the castle, which became the center for royal entertainment for much of her reign.

Windsor Castle was used as a refuge by the royal family during the Luftwaffe bombing campaigns of the Second World War and survived a fire in 1992. It is a popular tourist attraction, a venue for hosting state visits, and the preferred weekend home of Elizabeth II.

I have always been a fan of Queen Victoria, and particularly after we began watching the PBS Masterpiece series “Victoria” . According the the official UK website:

“Queen Victoria was born at Kensington Palace, London, on 24 May 1819. She was the only daughter of Edward, Duke of Kent, fourth son of George III. Her father died shortly after her birth and she became heir to the throne because the three uncles who were ahead of her in the succession - George IV, Frederick Duke of York, and William IV - had no legitimate children who survived.

Warmhearted and lively, Victoria had a gift for drawing and painting; educated by a governess at home, she was a natural diarist and kept a regular journal throughout her life. On William IV's death in 1837, she became Queen at the age of 18.

Queen Victoria is associated with Britain's great age of industrial expansion, economic progress and, especially, empire. At her death, it was said, Britain had a worldwide empire on which the sun never set.

In the early part of her reign, she was influenced by two men: her first Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne, and then her husband, Prince Albert, whom she married in 1840. Both men taught her much about how to be a ruler in a 'constitutional monarchy', in which the monarch had very few powers but could use much influence.

Albert took an active interest in the arts, science, trade and industry; the project for which he is best remembered was the Great Exhibition of 1851, the profits from which helped to establish the South Kensington museums complex in London.

Her marriage to Prince Albert produced nine children between 1840 and 1857. Most of her children married into other Royal families of Europe.

Victoria bought Osborne House (later presented to the nation by Edward VII) on the Isle of Wight as a family home in 1845, and Albert bought Balmoral in 1852.

Victoria was deeply attached to her husband and she sank into depression after he died, aged 42, in 1861. She had lost a devoted husband and her principal trusted adviser in affairs of state. For the rest of her reign she wore black.

Until the late 1860s she rarely appeared in public; although she never neglected her official Correspondence, and continued to give audiences to her ministers and official visitors, she was reluctant to resume a full public life.

She was persuaded to open Parliament in person in 1866 and 1867, but she was widely criticized for living in seclusion and quite a strong republican movement developed.

Seven attempts were made on Victoria's life, between 1840 and 1882 - her courageous attitude towards these attacks greatly strengthened her popularity.

With time, the private urging of her family and the flattering attention of Benjamin Disraeli, Prime Minister in 1868 and from 1874 to 1880, the Queen gradually resumed her public duties.

In foreign policy, the Queen's influence during the middle years of her reign was generally used to support peace and reconciliation. In 1864, Victoria pressed her ministers not to intervene in the Prussia-Denmark war, and her letter to the German Emperor (whose son had married her daughter) in 1875 helped to avert a second Franco-German war.”

To read more about Victoria (and there IS much more), visit this website:

https://www.royal.uk/queen-victoria

Another way to learn more, and for you it might be more enjoyable, as it has been for us, is to watch the PBS series starring Jenna Coleman, seen below, as the queen and Tom Hughes as Prince Albert.

It’s a wonderful series and we’re waiting with “baited breath” for the next installment, the third season. If you haven’t seen it, you might want to watch this trailer to get a glimpse of it:

https://www.pbs.org/video/masterpiece-victoria-official-trailer/

Our guide took these photos of us in front of the castle’s chapel, St. George’s, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were married in May.

Here are five interesting facts about the chapel from its website:

“1. The term chapel is deceptive, as St George’s is more like a cathedral in size. It occupies a large part of the Lower Ward of Windsor Castle and has been hailed as one of the finest displays of Gothic architecture in Britain today.

2. Although the chapel is known as St George’s, it is dedicated to the Virgin Mary and Edward the Confessor as well as England’s patron saint, according to the chapel’s website. King Edward III founded the Most Noble Order of the Garter in 1348 and in the same year founded the College of St George ‘to the praise of God and in honour of Blessed Mary, St George and St Edward’.

3. Construction of the chapel began in 1475 by Edward IV. It was completed in 1528 under the reign of Henry VIII.

4. The chapel is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, an order of chivalry established in 1348 by Edward III. Every June, the Garter Day procession takes place at Windsor Castle, accompanied by a marching band and Officers of the Order, who attend alongside the Queen and the royal family wearing grand ceremonial dress.

5. It’s an important place for pilgrimage. Today, only Henry VI’s tomb remains among the early pilgrim sites in the south-east corner of the chapel. “

After touring the castle we briefly went into the village of Windsor for a peak, then headed out to Carnarvon for lunch.

The restaurant our guide chose was close to Highclere Castle, the setting for the much-beloved ITV series “Downton Abbey” and the next stop on our tour.

From the Carnarvon Arms website:

“Steeped in history and a favorite among those looking to indulge in country pursuits, the Carnarvon has a rich heritage of noble service. Originally a coaching inn built some 200 years ago to provide a pit-stop for travelers to nearby Highclere Castle, the stunning set of ITV’s blockbuster drama, Downton Abbey, the Carnarvon continues to offer a warm welcome for those looking to explore this beautiful area of Berkshire.

With the North Wessex Downs right on our doorstep, we’re the ideal starting point to enjoy all that this stunning Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty has to offer, including ancient woodland and downs, famed as the inspiration for the classic novel, Watership Down.”

The ambiance and the food were both very good and revived us for our next adventure visiting Highclere Castle.

If you have never seen “Downton Abbey” and you like history and drama, you might want to consider “giving it a look-see”. We watched all six seasons twice. We were thrilled to be able to visit the castle, the current home of the Eighth Earl of Carnarvon and his real family, whose ancestors were the inspiration for the series.

From the Highclere Castle website about the book, which I, of course, purchased in the castle’s bookstore, and which led to the series:

“Lady Catherine and the Real Downton Abbey tells the story of the beautiful American girl who lived at Highclere Castle, the setting for Julian Fellowes' award winning drama "Downton Abbey". Glamorous and wealthy, Catherine became the toast of London society and married the son of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, Lord Porchester, or 'Porchey', as he was known.

At just 19, Catherine had to learn how to organize and host the lavish banquets and weekend house parties that Porchy so loved. She found herself suddenly in charge of the more than eighty staff working at Highclere Castle. One of the first challenges they both had to face was to save Highclere Castle from being sold to pay enormous death duties for which they were liable after the death of the 5th Earl of Carnarvon.

As the decade of the 1930’s developed their marriage sadly did not survive and Catherine moved to London. The book follows the lives and challenges of upstairs and downstairs as World War two became imminent. Highclere was transformed into a home for evacuee children and the whole estate was turned over to the war effort to survive the German blockade and helped train allied soldiers.”

If you have never seen Downtown Abbey, and you like historical dramas, here is a photo and a link to the trailer of the first season to pique your interest:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOM3y4P8TEM

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heidi--97-blog · 7 years

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Prince Harry & Meghan Markle’s love: a dilemma for her detractors...

It is actually quite disgusting seeing and reading the vile abuse levied towards Meghan Markle on the ‘mail online / daily mail’ website. You only have to read the commentary sections on articles Meghan Markle related to fully understand the level of base prejudice that resides on that site. The scurrilous slurs, insinuations and often times potential libel, are racially motivated. The racism both the outright & subtle shines right through. I feel it has now become a sadistic sport of sorts for this so-called National newspaper website to induce as much hysteria as possible from its commentators as the website churn out article after article and comment pieces (mainly unfavourable) on anything Meghan related on an almost daily basis. One could be forgiven for thinking they have an agenda to fulfill and my goodness don't they just pursue it with a vigour and vengeance. I mean it's like: ‘how dare a woman of colour fall in love and how dare she conduct a mutual relationship with a man, who just happens to be a Prince of the realm’... For the warped minds out there, they find the fact that this relationship is actually happening, despicable. The constant disbelief from said quarters, the malicious rage is all too palpable - even In this twentyfirst century nevertheless.

How do these twiits justify the obsessive hate they spew you may ask? Oh, it's the usual blather - she's ‘unsuitable’ because she's an actress oh dearie me! Well then, the late Grace Kelly was an actress, she went on to become Her Serene Highness of the Principality of Monaco, she of course, where required - partook in sexy love scene. And today still hailed & revered in all cases circles. Lord Frederick Winsor a Royal also in line to the British throne, is married to an actress. And in a world where a Prince of Sweden is married to a glamour model who has done full frontal nude, Ms Markle’s haters would have us all faint with the vapours for her tame romantic/sexy scenes with her onscreen love interests. No full nudes and nothing untoward. Scenes, which by any standard, are, in this day & age, par for the course on almost all TV, theatre, Big Screen movies & Drama that are rated over (12). But hey, ‘it's only the mixed-race woman so let's continuously denigrate her to hell & back’. 'If we scream porn star enough times, the mud wil stick’. Really?? Yes, this is the level some have sunk to, sadly. She's a divorcee, yes, but so is the immediate heir to the British throne, as is his current wife, formerly Camilla Parker Bowles . The current Queen of Spain was once a divorcee. As was Princess Michael of Kent before she too married into the British Royal Family.

Ms Markle is a foreigner cum commoner her detractors insist on reminding us. Ah Ha! So Meghan Markle is indeed an American based for sometime now in Canada. The Queen’s eldest grandson is married with children to a Canadian. Denmark’s immediate heir to the throne, Crown Prince Frederik is married to an Australian commoner, formerly Mary Donaldson whom he'd met in a pub in Sydney,

Just like to add that the delightful Mette-Marit, Norway’s Crown Princess was once a commoner single parent before she too found her Prince. Plus Britain’s very own third in line to the throne, Prince William is also married to a commoner, the Duchess of Cambridge, formerly Kate Middleton.

I guess the point I am trying to make here with all those mentioned above is that people, commoners of ordinary backgrounds are now marrying into the Royal dynasties of Europe - A move never allowed before in the past. Monarchies are moving with the modern times. Love reigns supreme, and where you are from and Class background is no longer and shouldn't ever be an impediment to falling in love with and marrying someone who just happens to be royalty.

No, what really ought to matter is compatibility. Mutual love, passion, respect and common interests. Both Harry & Meghan obviously have feelings for each other, they also share a background in humanitarian issues and raising awareness. Yes, Meghan Markle was long involved in charitable work long before she had even met Prince Harry. And haa made it absolutely clear that aspect of things was one of her missions in life and will remain so. Not satisfactory enough for her detractors though as they persist in branding her as an "opportunistic” villain forcing herself on a Prince. Which is frankly absurd.

In actual fact, Ms Markle is an accomplished lady, a University Graduate with a Major in International Relations & Theatre. She is also a gifted calligrapher and financially supported herself whilst at University by doing bits of calligraphy here and there. She also spent time working at the American Embassy in Argentina, before deciding to focus on a career as an actor. Again, her detractors try to understate her achievements. It appears to just Zoom over their heads the fact that her education background is easily verifiable. And that any discrepancy in her resumé would have been exposed by the exposers in chief of the moment. Uhmm, I meant the "investigative journalism” (sarcasm) undertaken by this particular mainstream National newspaper website that affords the vile deplorables, and stuck up Snobs everywhere the chance to congregate and spout bile at will that feeds into their obsessive Meghan hate.

Again, I repeat: that particular newspaper website would've been first in line to throw down the gauntlet, given their dubious agenda.

Another baffling thing that continues to puzzle me is the moniker the Meghan detractors furnished her with.."Media Meg”... Err, hello: she is in the media by virtue of her job as an actress and her role as an humanitarian campaigner. Both require a medium of exposure and it would be practically impossible not to have some form of media interest in her line of work, anyway.

What exactly do the detractors expect, in a line of work she's been involved with since before her relationship with Harry began ?

The paparazzi problem; Meghan Markle gets criticised if she's papped taking a stroll to her yoga class. Or simply going about her daily business, the ordinary things people would normally do. It is not her fault the media paps have begun taking even more of a keen her interest in her comings and goings than ever. It's a way of life celebrities in general have to live with or at least adapt to. As a matter of fact, paparazzi and press intrusion is a subject matter that blights the life of royalty just the same as celebrities when the opportunity arises. Which thankfully isn't very often but it does happen. Take for instance the Duchess of Cambridge, pictured in a state of undress at a private villa during a holiday with her husband. Illicit (some might argue illegal even) these were pap pics taken by the paparazzi and sold to magazine outlets a few years ago. And the now infamous Sophie Rhys-Jones newspaper scoop. Photo exhibits of the then Sophie Rhys-Jones now Countess of Wessex. Photo shots of a clearly jovial Sophie, her bare breasts exposed in a clinch with the TV presenter Chris Tarrant. Old photos released just weeks before her wedding to the Queen’s youngest son, Prince Edward. Then there was that newspaper sting in which Sophie (now the Countess of Wessex after her marriage to Prince Edward) was disgracefully set up by an undercover journalist posing a rich Arabian Sheikh. She was caught on tape making disparaging remarks about political figures, and members of the royal family. Completely going against Royal Protocol.

You see we are all human with flaws. Meghan is a human being with feelings. She has dragged herself up, gotten herself a good education and works. Now she gives back to society in her own way. And yet she has to endure the pure evil bile with the unpleasant undercurrents of racism added to touch. She's of mixed-race heritage her mum is black and her dad white. It doesn't make her any less of a human being or less deserving of love wherever & however that comes by. But to listen to the twisted creatures that dedicate an enormous amount of time and energy in pathetic attempts to ruin her reputation and bring her down, to read the sickening bile these rabid bunch of deplorables from across the Atlantic and elsewhere spew day in and day out about Ms Markle, says more about them than her. She can take heart in the fact that out in the real world the majority of people here in Britain are decent people with no time for the base prejudice seen displayed on fringe websites.

Ms Markle is an only child of her mother, but is constantly blighted by the poor life choices and display of envy by her half siblings. Step siblings she lost contact with since early childhood. Children to her dad from a different marriage to her mum’s. Her parents separated when she was six years old. And yet these half siblings claim to be experts on her current life, sellIng fake tales to the press including childhood photos, when they have no first hand knowledge of her personal life and relationship and how it is panning out, other than what they read or make up themselves. One particularly nasty half/step sister spends her time on Twitter ranting poisonous rubbish about Mrghan. Ah well, I suppose it goes with the territory with some step siblings. After all, there are strong rumours the North Korean tyrant Kim Jong Un did away with his half brother. And it is blatantly obvious Barack Obama’s half brother has been a pest in his side throughout his Presidency, sucking up to Donald Trump of all people and helping spread the vile birther conspiracy. I hear the kraken’s raised its ugly head again recently.

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