Royals At War (World War Two)

 In this blog I will be talking about how the royals coped and helped during World War Two. The king and queen during the war were King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. 

On the 1st September 1939 War was declared in Europe which was started by Germany with Adolf Hitler as the leader. It was announced by the then Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain. Germany on the 3rd September then declared war on the United Kingdom. 

That same evening on the 3rd September 1939 King George VI made a speech to the nation and empire to urge people to stand firm in the face of difficult times ahead. 

His role at the start of the war was vital to the British Empire he wanted to make sure the British Empire stood strong in the war and keep spirits high. In May 1940 King George VI had a new Prime Minister Winston Churchill and he and George worked together as a team in the years to come. 

The King and Queen had two daughters named Elizabeth and Margaret who during the war stayed at Windsor Castle as it was the safest residence for them to be. During that time Elizabeth and Margaret kept themselves occupied with plays and playing with their dogs, But the greatest thing that they did was recorded a radio message on the radios children's hour to all the children across the British Empire urging them to have courage. 

On the 13th September 1940 Buckingham Palace was bombed. It was bombed when The King and Queen were still in residence. Queen Elizabeth once said about the bombing "I'm glad we have been bombed, Now I can look the east end in the eye." Nobody was injured or hurt but there was considerable damage many windows were bombed and the chapel was destroyed. 

Queen Elizabeth spent all of the war helping various communities and visited places that have been bombed and have been affected by the Blitz. However after Buckingham Palace was bombed they both sympathised with the people who were bombed. 

The King and Queen took real interest in the work that people were doing. This raised morale and gave factory workers a new enthusiasm for their work. The ministry of supply studied the effects of these royal visits and found that in most cases production figures dropped on the day of the royal visit. But the weekly figures invariably grew. 

When their eldest daughter Princess Elizabeth turned 18 years old she thought it was her duty to King and Country to start to serve on the front line Princess Elizabeth was the first British female royal to join the army and serve on the front line during war. She joined the ATS which means The Auxiliary Territorial Service was a women's branch of the British Army during World War Two preformed a wide range of vital support roles, including driving, operating searchlights and anti-aircraft guns and serving as clerks, cooks and orderlies. 

She was being trained as a mechanic, she underwent a course for driving and vehicle maintenance by learning how to drive and service army trucks. She served with the rank of second subaltern (A junior officer rank). Her father George was at first opposed to her joining but she eventually convinced him to join. After she passed in 2022 she remained as the only female royal to have served in a war. 

King George VI played an important role on D Day in June 1944. He was part of a secret operation called 'Operation Fortitude.' It was aimed to convince the Nazis that the allied invasion would occur in Calais, not Germany. He was dispatched to parts of the UK that were not hosting troops, and his high-profile visits to the southeast were designed to reinforce the false impression of an impending attack on Calais. 

The deception was crucial in ensuring the success of the actual invasion, as it prevented the Germans from concentrating their defences in the correct location. 

On June 6th 1944, the day of the D-Day landings, King George VI addressed the nation, urging people to pray and dedicate themselves to the cause. In his speech he emphasised the importance of fighting for a world where goodness and honour would prevail. He also called for a revival of spirit and a new unconquerable resolve recognising the supreme test faced by the nation. 

After D-Day King George VI visited his troops in Normandy that would boost more morale. He and Queen Elizabeth made numerous morale-boosting visits throughout the war visiting bomb sites, munitions factories and troops. Their high public profile and apparent determination made them symbols of national resistance. 

On 8th May 1945 it was Victory in Europe Day where Germany unconditionally surrendered it's military forces to the Allies, including the United States. Celebrations erupted around the world to mark the end of World War Two. This was no exception for London and The British Royal Family who celebrated with the rest of the world. 

King George VI made a speech to the British Empire to thank the people for being incredibly strong, he also said as head of the church of England that he thank God for the strength and shield and to thank him for his mercies. 

At Buckingham Palace The King and Queen and the two Princesses as well as the Prime Minister Winston Churchill appeared on the balcony of the palace and faced cheering and celebrating crowds. There were chants of We Want The King before he appeared on the balcony. 

The two princesses were given permission to leave the palace to see the celebrations in person in London anonymously with some plain clothed guards to keep them safe. Princess Elizabeth as Queen years later recalled that night calling it "The most memorable nights of my life."

After the war things started to come back to normal but unfortunately the stress of the war took it's toll on King George VI and his health started to decline until in 1952 he passed away from lung cancer. 

The Royal Family now remembers those who lost their lives in all wars by attending the cenotaph that was designed in 1919 and unveiled by King George V in 1920 just after World War One. Every first Sunday in November The Royals gather at the cenotaph and join the nation in a 2 minute silence at 11 o'clock, they then lay a wreath with the monarch laying the wreath first to represent the nation. 

The Royals also attend various anniversary events that are to do with the war. This year in May The King and Queen along with other members of the Royal Family will attend various events to commemorate 80 years of VE day. King Charles III will also this will be making a speech to the nation to pay tribute to VE day like his mother did for the 75th anniversary in 2020. 

The legacy of Queen Elizabeth The Queen mother

 This blog is about the legacy of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. 

Elizabeth was born on the 4th August 1900 in London. Her parents were The Earl and Countess Of Strathmore. She grew up in Scotland in Glamis Castle with her parents and other family. 

She was educated at home by a governess until the age of eight, She was fond of field sports, dogs and horses. By the age of 14 World War 1. Her 4 brothers were called up to fight in the war in the army. Her eldest brother Fergus was killed in action at the Battle Of Loos in 1915. Another brother Michael was reported as missing in action on the 28th April 1917. Three weeks later the family had discovered he had been captured after being wounded, He remained in a prisoner of war camp for the rest of the war. 

After the 1st World War she was looking for a suitor to marry so she attended various high society events to find her match. After a while of looking she met Prince Albert who was besotted by her and proposed to her a few times. She turned it down because she wasn't sure whether she wanted to be in royal life. After a few more attempts by Albert she finally accepted the proposal. She was the woman who made Albert happy. 

They married on the 26th April 1923 at Westminster Abbey, In a new move she laid her bouquet on the unknown warrior's tomb. They both honeymooned in surrey in a manor house. The newlywed couple were given the titles The Duke and Duchess Of York that were gifted to them by King George V. 

As the wife of Albert she would accompany him on various royal tours on The King's behalf. As The Duke Of  York he was required to make speeches on his father's behalf, The Duke growing up had a difficult time he suffered a stutter and found it difficult to make public speeches. Elizabeth helped him by finding a speech therapist Lionel Louge who helped him with breathing exercises to help him calm down when he was making speeches. If it wasn't for Elizabeth he wouldn't have had the confidence to speak publicly. 

On the 21st April 1929 the couple welcomed their first child Elizabeth Alexandra Mary born in London. On the 31st August 1930 the couple welcomed their second child named Margaret Rose born in Scotland. Both daughters were named Of York as their parents were The Duke and Duchess Of York. 

In 1937 King George V died on the 20th January after a long illness. His oldest son became King Edward VIII but had issues, He wanted to marry an american divorcee Wallis Simpson. As he became The head of The Church Of England at the time people were forbidden to marry divorcees, he did however have the option to abdicate and marry Wallis in France. 

Edward took that option and abdicated on the 10th December 1937 and as he had no children the throne went down to his younger brother Prince Albert of York. As her husband ascended the throne she became his Queen Consort and was styled Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth or Her Majesty The Queen. Elizabeth was absolutely furious with Edward and Wallis because her husband wasn't ready to be king at all. 

After the coronation on the 11th May 1937 where she wore a crown made for her and was crowned by her husband's side. In 1939 World War Two broke out and The Royal Family went beyond and above and supported the country through the toughest times. The Queen refused to leave London or send their children to Canada. Throughout the war The King and Queen stayed at Buckingham Palace and only occasionally stayed the night at Windsor Castle. 

On the 13th September 1940 Buckingham Palace was bombed in a air raid while they were in residence they were not injured but the palace was damaged. This prompted The King and Queen to support people who were affected by bombing who had lost their homes in the blitz. They also refused to leave London after the bombing. 

In May 1945 the whole of Europe celebrated as the war came to an end and as a celebration in London The Royal Family along with The Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill appeared on the balcony to celebrate the end of the war. Her two daughters under security went out into the crowds to capture the magic of the celebration. 

On the 20th November 1947 her eldest daughter Princess Elizabeth married a navel officer Philip Mountbatten who was before the marriage was created The Duke Of Edinburgh. On the 14th November 1948 Elizabeth became a grandmother for the first time with the birth of Prince Charles Of Edinburgh whom she absolutely adored and doted on. On 15th August 1950 she welcomed her second grandchild Princess Anne Of Edinburgh. 

On the 6th February 1953 she became a widow when her husband King George VI passed away from lung cancer as he was a heavy smoker. He passed away peacefully at Sandringham. 

Her eldest daughter became Queen as Queen Elizabeth II and was overseas when her father passed away and arrived back into the UK. Elizabeth was now known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother as not to be confused with her daughters name. 

After the death of her husband she made sure she was giving the best advice and support to her daughter and sometimes made some decisions on behalf of her daughter. She spent most of her time as a new widow playing with her grandchildren Charles and Anne. When Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were away on tours their children Charles and Anne would be left to be looked after by their nannies, Aunt and grandmother. 

When it came for her youngest daughter to marry she was very much part of the decision making and made sure her daughter wed someone suitable. Margaret wanted to marry her late father's equerry Peter Townsend but the idea of the marriage was turned down as Townsend was a married man. He was sent away on a naval mission to try and keep Margaret away from him. In the end Princess Margaret married Antony Armstrong Jones The Earl Of Snowdon. 

Between her husband's death to the 60s The Queen Mother welcomed more grandchildren including Princes Andrew and Edward. In total Elizabeth had 6 grandchildren between both daughters. 

The Queen Mother absolutely hated The Duke and Duchess Of Windsor because in her eyes they were the ones who put her husband Bertie in the position of becoming King. But on the 28th May 1972 The Duke of Windsor died of lung cancer at age 77 in France, Elizabeth did feel sorry for Wallis as she knew what it was like to lose a husband. 

Around the same time her eldest grandson Charles was at the age where he should marry. She and Lord Mountbatten who was Philip's uncle ensured that they found the right woman for him. At the time Charles was seeing a girl named Camilla Shand who he went absolutely crazy for and whom he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. Unfortunately Camilla was deemed an inappropriate wife for the heir to the throne as she had a 'past'. 

Elizabeth didn't want to see her grandson go down the same route as her brother-in-law so she made sure that Camilla married Andrew Parker Bowles. She married him while Charles was sent away on a naval mission. He was informed of the marriage while at sea but couldn't do anything about it and was absolutely heartbroken. 

The Queen Mother was a known party animal who loved to hold parties at her various residences including Clarance House and The Castle Of Mey. Just like her mother Princess Margaret also loved to party and host her own parties at her own place. 

The Queen Mother welcomed her grandsons new wife Lady Diana Spencer with open arms as she was very close to Diana's grandmother Lady Fernoy as she worked for Elizabeth as woman of the bedchamber. 

On the 4th August 1990 she became the longest serving member of the royal family reaching to the age of 90 years old. On the 4th August 2000 she passed a milestone and reached 100 years old. Her 100th birthday was held as a big celebration and was honoured with a pageant on the horse guards parade. She was accompanied by her grandson Charles who was extremely close to her and was rumoured to be her favourite grandchild. 

On the 9th February 2002 50 years after her husband passed away her youngest daughter Princess Margaret died of a stroke at age 71 at St Edward's Hospital in London. Her funeral took place on the same day as her father Albert 50 years on. Due to her own declining health Elizabeth went to the funeral in a car with blacked out windows. 

On the 30th March 2002 a month after her daughters death, Elizabeth died peacefully at her home in Windsor after suffering a chest cold since Christmas 2001 at age 101 she was the first member of the royal family to have lived past 100. She was surrounded by her only surviving daughter Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret's children. 

Queen Elizabeth II made the call to her eldest son Charles who was on a skiing holiday with his two sons William and Harry. Queen Elizabeth II knew how close Charles was to his grandmother, he and his sons took the flight back to the UK where Charles was said to be absolutely devastated by his grandmother's death. Charles was also the first member of the royal family to make a statement to his "Magical Grandmother" a few days later. The day before her funeral her only surviving daughter Queen Elizabeth II made a speech thanking everyone for the support. 

Her funeral took place on the 9th March 2002 at Westminster Abbey all members of her family looked absolutely devastated, Her favourite grandson Charles looked absolutely heartbroken. He was the person who would follow the procession during the day. The coffin travelled to Windsor Castle so she could be buried at the King George VI chapel where she was buried with her husband and younger daughter. In September 2022 20 years after her mother's death Queen Elizabeth II passed away at the age of 96 she was also buried along with her husband Philip at the King George VI chapel at St George's Chapel. 

Her legacy will live on when people will remember her brilliant sense of humour and her sense of duty that today is passed on to her grandson who is now King Charles III. He will also remember her legacy as with the residences she lived in Charles has not changed anything and kept it more or less the same to honour his grandmother. 

Times has changed since she died including the marriage of divorcees as Charles is now married to his long term love Camilla and now Camilla has now got the same style and title as Queen Elizabeth The Queen mother when she was consort. Camilla is now known as Queen Camilla and I personally believe that she would accept Camilla because Camilla really helps her grandson like she did with Bertie.

The Reign Of King George VI

 His Late Majesty King George VI was born to Queen Mary Of Teck and King George V on the 14th December 1895. He was the second oldest sibling. He was named Prince Albert but was known by close family and friends as Bertie. 

When he was born His great grandmother Queen Victoria was still Queen and he was quite far down the line of succession. On the 22nd January 1901 his great grandmother Queen Victoria passed away at the age of 81. Her son King Edward VII became King at the age of 59 and his son Prince Albert Victor was meant to be heir to the throne but died tragically at the age of 28 1892 after suffering with pneumonia but Bertie's father the later George V became heir to the throne. 

Bertie's upbringing was quite difficult, He was very sensitive and suffered with a stutter for all of his life. He was schooled by a tutor. He also attended Royal Navel College in 1909 as a navel cadet. In 1911 he came to the bottom of his class with the finals. By the time he finished navel college his grandfather King Edward VII passed away and his father became King George V upon his succession Bertie was 2nd in line to the throne after his older brother Edward. 

Bertie spent the first 6 months in 1913 on a training ship HMS Cumberland in the west indies and the east coast of Canada. Three weeks after the outbreak of World War One he was medically evacuated from the ship to Aberdeen where his appendix was removed. In February of 1918 Albert was appointed as an officer in charge of the boys at the Royal Navel Air Services's training area in Cranwell. He was the first royal to be a qualified pilot. 

In October 1919 Albert attended Trinity College in Cambridge where he studied history, economics and civics for a year. 

In April 1920 he met Elizabeth Bowes Lyon the youngest daughter of The Earl and Countess Strathmore. After their meeting he was determined to marry her, She rejected his proposal twice before saying yes. Albert and Elizabeth married on the 26th April 1923 in Westminster Abbey, The wedding was not broadcast on radio. On their marriage the couple was given new titles The Duke and Duchess Of York.

On the 21st April 1926 the couple welcomed their first child Elizabeth who was later known as Queen Elizabeth II she was known as lilibet by her father. On the 21st August 1930 they welcomed their second child Margaret Rose. They were a very happy little family unit where both parents could raise their children as normal as possible as Albert was 3rd in line to the throne. 

1939 became known in the history books as the year of the 3 kings.

After a long illness King George V passed away on the 20th January 1936 and his eldest son and heir became King Edward VIII. As Edward didn't have any children yet his brother Albert became heir to the throne. 

Before his succession Edward had met a divorcee named Wallis Simpson and he has the desire to marry her. But at the time The Church Of England never allowed divorced people to remarry and as Head Of The Church Of England his marriage to a divorcee would be totally unacceptable. He has the option to marry her but he had to abdicate the throne and marry in France. On the 10th April 1936 Edward had made the decision to abdicate in order to marry. 

Following Edwards abdication his brother Albert as heir to the throne became King George VI. He was known as the reluctant king who never wanted to be king. When he found out that he was going to be king he apparently cried to his mother Queen Mary. 

Edward took back His Royal Highness but was styled as The Duke Of Windsor. Meanwhile George was struggling with his stutter and before he became king his wife Elizabeth helped him get someone to help him with his stutter. She hired a speech therapist called Lionel Logue he and Albert practised breathing exercises to help improve his delivery. 

His wife who was the new Queen was the biggest support to him when he struggled with his shyness, anxiety and stutter. She became the new Consort where she was styled as Queen Elizabeth. 

The coronation took place on the 12th May 1937 at Westminster Abbey. In the same year The Imperial State Crown was commissioned where the sovereign can exchange crowns as the St Edward's Crown was too heavy. This was the same when his daughter was crowned in 1953 and more recently when his grandson was crowned in 2023. 

In September 1939 was the outbreak of the Second World War The King and Queen resolved to stay in London throughout the war. They officially spent all their time at Buckingham Palace although they spent nights at Windsor Castle. On the 13th September 1940 Buckingham Palace was bombed while The King and Queen were in residence, they weren't injured but there was quite a lot of damage. 

After Buckingham Palace was bombed The King and Queen could now relate to others who had their houses bombed. Instead of evacuation the couple insisted on staying in London to support and visit the people who have had their houses bombed. Meanwhile their children Elizabeth and Margaret stayed at Windsor Castle for safety. 

Throughout the war Their Majesties provided moral support and to try and boost the spirits in the best way they can. 

In May 1945 Victory In Europe was celebrated as the war came to an end. There were celebrations all around the country including London where people surrounded Buckingham Palace shouting "We want the king." The King along with the other members of the royal family as well as Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill appeared on the balcony of Buckingham Palace to celebrate with the rest of the world. 

King George VI's reign saw the creation of The Commonwealth where he became head of state to the growing Commonwealth. The Commonwealth is a union of countries and states where people come together and become allies. The Commonwealth now includes 56 member counties under the same head of state who is now King Charles III. 

 In April 1947 The King and his family toured Southern Africa. This is where Princess Elizabeth made her groundbreaking 21st birthday speech where she pledged her life to devotion and service "I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it will be long or short, will be devoted to your service"

In the same year in November Princess Elizabeth married Philip Mountbatten at Westminster Abbey which was televised and broadcast to the radio. A year later on 14th November Albert became a grandfather for the first time with the birth of his grandson Prince Charles Of Edinburgh later King Charles III to whom he absolutely adored. By 15th August 1950 his second grandchild Princess Anne Of Edinburgh was born. 

His health had deteriorated with the stress of the Second World War. By 1949 he was diagnosed with lung cancer as he was a heavy smoker. 

In 1951 he went under surgery to remove his left lung after a tumour was found. During his recovery and rest his daughter Elizabeth and her husband The Duke Of Edinburgh took up most of his duties including various tours that were planned for The King. 

It was discovered that he had a tumour on his right lung during surgery and doctors told him that he didn't have that much time to live. The King didn't tell anyone about his declining health only his doctors and the Prime Minister knew, His family were none the wiser. By Christmas 1951 he spent his final months with his family at Sandringham which is where royals normally spend the holidays. When he delivered his final Christmas speech he was declining and if you hear the speech you can hear that he wasn't very well at all. According to insiders the speech had to be recorded in sections and edited together. 

On 31st January 1952 despite his declining health he insisted on going to London airport to see his daughter and son-in-law off for a tour to South Africa on his behalf. Little did anyone know that that would be his final public appearance. 

The day before his death he spent his final hours doing what he loved doing best which was shooting and singing with friends and family. It was also speculated that Albert read poems to his two grandchildren Charles and Anne before he died.

On the 6th February 1952 at 7:30am King George passed away peacefully in his sleep and was found dead when his butler brought his usual morning tea. He died on the Sandringham estate where he spent Christmas and The New Year. 

The new Queen was all the way in South Africa when her father died and didn't find out straight away. They kept the announcement until the new Queen was informed. His widow was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother as she was a Queen and she was also the mother of a sovereign. 

A year after her son died Queen Mary Of Teck passed away from lung cancer at the age of 85. She died on the 24th March 1953 three months before her granddaughters coronation. 

His funeral took place on the 15th February 1952 at Westminster Abbey and his body was transferred to Windsor where he was committed to the vault of St George's Chapel. In 1969 his body was transferred to the St George VI memorial chapel on the 26th March 1969. 50 years later in 2002 the remains of his widow Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and the ashes of their younger daughter Margaret were buried alongside him. 

In 2022 70 years later their eldest daughter Queen Elizabeth II passed away peacefully at the age of 96 years old. She was buried along with her husband who died a year earlier in 2021 in the same memorial chapel. 

His legacy now lives on in his grandson King Charles III who is very similar to his grandfather. Charles is a very sensitive man which I think he took after his grandfather King George VI. And Charles is married to Camilla who in my opinion reminds me of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother when it comes to supporting their Kings. 

Spare By Prince Harry Review

On the 10th January 2023 four months after the queens passing. Her grandson Harry decided to release a tell all memoir of his life. 

On the first impression the title itself called Spare is an odd title for a book. The title is based on something people used to compare between William as being the heir and Harry as the Spare, It's an unhealthy thing to do is compare the 2 brothers but it was according to Harry his father who first refers him as the spare by saying to Diana at the time of Harry's birth "wonderful now you've given me a heir and a spare, my work here is done" That comment raised the question as to how Harry knew this was said. Did he make it up? Did his mother tell him as a child? Did Charles tell him once he was an adult? 

There are a number of points in this book that I'd like to point out: 

Harry wanted a private life with his growing family in america but this isn't being private if you are telling family secrets in a book. There were stuff that was said in the book that was actually out of order. He decided to give out private conversations when at a funeral. 

Back in April 2021 after The Duke Of Edinburgh's funeral Harry breached the privacy of his father and brother and talked about a conversation he had with them hours after they buried Prince Philip. According to Harry his brother William nearly attacked him about what happened a month before with the Oprah interview. William reportedly said "do you swear on our mothers life" to harry that was a trigger word that stopped all three of them in their tracks. The other point about this particular event was the fact Harry spoke of what his words were to his sons hours after burying his own father. 

According to Harry his father pleaded to his sons "Please boys don't make my final years a misery" now to write that at Charles's most vulnerable moment just hours after his father's funeral isn't right. He was probably wasn't thinking straight and was obviously in an emotional state. The death of his father hit him quite hard and he even went to his welsh residence alone the same day as the funeral. 

The other problem with the breached privacy came at the epilogue of the book at the end where he was talking about his grandmothers death and why he arrived late. It turns out on the day the late Queen passed his father Prince Charles was phoning him with that came up as a unknown number to say that his grandmother's health was deteriorating and if he can come up to be with her. Well Harry and his wife were finding flights after cancelling their event for Well Child Harry got another call from his father saying that only he should make the flight up not Meghan. 

Of course Harry was annoyed with his father that his wife couldn't come up and started to have an argument over it. Charles whose life was about to change was having an argument with Harry over Meghan was wasting time that he could of spent with his mother. This is the reason why he didn't make the flight with William and his uncles resulting in missing their mother in her final moments. Charles was giving his reasons to him about why he didn't want Meghan there and Harry said to him "Don't you ever talk about my wife like that again" 

Harry discusses how he and William went into a fight because William told Harry how Meghan was rude and difficult. It was in London 2019 and Harry said that William knocked him onto the floor and hit the dog bowl and broke his necklace. Siblings fight all of the time and it was no surprise that even royal siblings can fight too as it shows how normal they are. 

There are very disturbing stories in this book too for example Harry decided to either fantasise or tell a true story about killing his own father. He reveals that he ordered a typhoon after his father after he visits him at the training site. Charles supposedly went up to the site where his son was training for Afganistan. After Charles praised how much of a good job he is doing he left in his grey audi harry ordered the typhoon to go towards his car and almost smashing his windows. Harry then reveals how he 'Spared' him from a tragic accident. If it was a dream then it is a very very dark dream. 

Catherine, The Princess Of Wales did not get away lightly with this either. Harry revealed who made who cry in his book by revealing texts from his wife's phone. The famous bridesmaid dress incident happened when Meghan was picking out the bridesmaid dresses and Catherine didn't like how the dress was fitted and she texted Meghan saying this and Meghan said that there was a dresser ready just in case someones dress didn't fit etc. According to Harry it was Meghan who collapsed on the floor in tears over the incident and then said that Catherine didn't know what she was talking about as she had 'baby brain' as she has just given birth to Prince Louis. 

Queen Camilla also didn't get away with it either in the book as Harry called her dangerous and said that if she was happy she'd be less dangerous. He said meeting her was like injecting something into his arm to make everything go numb. He also believes that she works with the evil British press to put out negative stories about him and William to improve her reputation. He knew she was the 'other woman' in his mothers marriage. He also mentioned that both he and William ‘begged’ his father not to marry Camilla but he can be with her just not marry her. 

He talks at length of his mothers death and how he and his brother coped and how his father 'helped' him get through it. Harry claims that Charles didn't hug him when he found out his mother died, he only put a hand on his knee and told him that everything will be ok. Years later he asked his body guard to drive through the tunnel where the accident happened at the same speed to see how scary it was to his mother. 

There has been some lies in this book too. Harry claimed that he was at Eton when he found out about The Queen Mother’s death but that was not the case. He was on a skiing trip with his father and brother when they found out. It was confirmed by reporters when he arrived in the UK by plane. 

He broke the intimate privacy of his father in parts of his book too. Claiming that when he was walking around balmoral he would walk into Charles’s study and find him doing headstands in his pants. He also mentioned how much his father was relentlessly bullied in school. And though it’s a well known story it wasn’t Harry’s story to tell. 

The continued reign of King Charles III

This blog will focus on the continuing reign of King Charles III starting in September 2022 when his beloved mother passed away. 

I will go through the process of how he became king and through my research will also look at how he handled his emotions during that time. There is also one person who has helped him through his reign and that person will be mentioned a lot in this blog too. 

September 7th 2022- (The Following source came from Robert Hardman’s book that was released this year) 

The late queen’s health started to deteriorate at balmoral while her heir was down at Dumfries house. By that time he knew that his mother’s health was declining and they were debating whether they should send him up to balmoral. 

Charles’s sister Princess Anne The Princess Royal was already at balmoral and has been communicating with her elder brother throughout the day. They in the end decided not to take him to balmoral that day as they didn’t want to cause any speculation. 

He carried on with his meetings at Dumfries house as usual. There was a video released that same day and it showed the then prince looking visibly tired and anxious. Something was obviously going on behind the scenes. 

September 8th 2022-

The then Duchess Of Cornwall was due at Dumfries house for an interview that morning. The people who interviewed her were setting up the appropriate equipment to interview her. When suddenly there was a phone call and Charles’s protection officer came into the room and politely asked them to quieten down as the prince was on the phone. 

The interviewer then said that there was a lot of rushing and the helicopter took off. They were then told that the interview had to be cancelled. 

Charles was by his mothers side with Camilla hours before she passed. He was told to call his siblings Edward and Andrew to make it up to Scotland along with his two sons William and Harry to come to say their goodbyes. 

After he contacted everyone he and Camilla went back to their Scottish home Birkhall. He went out to pick mushrooms to clear his head. His security team wanted him to be on his own for a while so they were about so they can see him but kept a distance. 

Suddenly one of his security personnel had a phone call from balmoral saying that his mother was at her final moments. The protection officer was the one who broke the news to him. 

Heartbreakingly he didn’t make it to his mother’s bedside in time. She passed away at 3:10pm. 

Charles was told on his way up to balmoral castle, a phone rang and his private secretary told him to pull over. His private secretary was the one who took the call. Charles knew his mother had died with his private secretary saying two words to him “Your Majesty” the people in the car including the new Queen told him how sorry they are. Before he drove towards balmoral. 

Princess Anne was waiting by the entrance of balmoral for her brother the new king to arrive. 

The new king had a lot of things to do including telling family members of the late queens death. He first had to let his heir William know first. When he called him Charles had to ask the switch board operator who he had to speak to. He also couldn’t say that he was king either so he simply said “It’s me”

Charles and Camilla along with William after he’d arrived and seen his grandmother went back up to Birkhall for dinner and to discuss things. 

He and Camilla would return to London the next day to start the various events that would define his reign.

September 9th 2022: 

The new king and queen left balmoral for a week of engagements. When they arrived in London they were greeted with huge crowds who were cheering them and singing God Save The King. He met with the crowd with his darling wife and people were expressing their condolences to him and camilla. 

In the book by Robert Hardman the queen’s friends recalled her experience when the crowd. One lady told Camilla to “Look after him” meaning that she had to look after her husband and she said “I will I promise” 

It was time for him to address the nation for the first time as King. His speech was absolutely beautiful, Charles has a way with words. He paid tribute to his mother, “Queen Elizabeth’s was a life well lived” and “She made sacrifices for duty” 

He also pledged his life to “Serve you with loyalty, respect and love as I have throughout my life.” 

He also spoke about his beloved wife Camilla “I count on the loving help of my darling wife Camilla. In recognition of her own loyal public service since our marriage 17 years ago. She becomes my Queen Consort. I know she will bring to the demands of her new role the steadfast devotion to duty of which I have come to rely so much.” 

He also announced that His heir William becomes the Prince Of Wales. He and Catherine became Prince and Princess Of Wales. 

The address was moving and emotional. By the end of the address he had tears in his eyes as he says “And to my darling Mama, as you begin your last great journey to join my dear late papa. I want simply to say this. Thank you. Thank you for your love and devotion to our family and to the family of nations you have served so diligently all these years.” He ended the address by saying “May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest”. 

Buckingham palace released a behind the scenes video of the new king after the address. He looked absolutely heartbroken with tears surfacing as he thanked the people who filmed the address. 

His beloved wife Camilla was also in the same room as him, she was sat in the corner of the room while he addressed the nation. He wasn’t able to see her because Camilla said that she didn’t want him to be set off by seeing herself in tears. After the address was filmed she got up and went and moved to his side and gave him a hug and told him that he did really really well. 

Later in the week was the proclamation of the new King Charles III. Accompanying him was his son and heir William and his darling wife Camilla. He was obviously heartbroken but he was soo incredibly strong. 

Through his heartbreak and devastation he had his strength and stay by his side every step of the way. Camilla was there the whole time. She really really helped him through his grief. If in any doubt that he did break down in public she was always there. She is his rock. 

The funeral was very beautiful and moving. We saw the king lead the way at the funeral. God Save The King was played twice in both services where he did really struggle. He also had a very important role in the funeral in the Committal service by placing the company camp colour on his mother’s coffin. The company camp colour traditionally locates the commanding officer. 

After the committal service, The King and Queen and the rest of the royal family went back to Windsor castle to the King George VI memorial chapel where The Late Queen and The Late Duke Of Edinburgh are both buried. This was a very private burial with just the close members of the royal family. So they can have some privacy and just let all of their emotions out. 

The King and Queen after the burial was over flew back up to balmoral castle where she passed to continue grieving in private. 

Still mourning the death of his beloved mother. He had to start planning for his coronation and what happens next. 

The differences between a Queen Regnant, Queen Consort and Queen Dowager

There have been a lot of confusion over the different types of Queens since our very own Camilla became Queen. This blog will educate those who still do not understand the differences between Queens Regnant, Consorts, Mothers and Dowagers.

-Queen Regnant: A Queen Regnant is a Queen who possesses and exercise’s sovereign powers. Her Consort is a Prince because if he was a King consort then he would outrank his wife. 

Some of the Regnants for the UK: 

-Queen Mary I Of England (July 1553 to 17th November 1558) 

-Queen Elizabeth I (17th November 1558 to 24th March 1603) 

-Queen Mary II (1689 to 28th December 1684) 

-Queen Anne (1st May 1707 to 1st August 1714) 

-Queen Victoria (24th May 1819 to 22nd January 1901) 

-Queen Elizabeth II (6th February 1953 to 8th December 2022) 

Famous Foreign Queen Regnants: 

-Queen Margrethe II Of Denmark (14th January 1972 and abdicated on 14th January 2024) 

-Queen Beatrix Of The Netherlands (30th April 1980 and abdicated on 30th April 2013) 

Queen Consorts: A Queen Consort is a title given to a wife of a reigning King. But is styled as Her Majesty The Queen. 

After her husbands death she is styled as Her Majesty Queen (Their Name). 

Since her coronation in 2023 the current Queen Consort, Camilla has been styled as Her Majesty The Queen per tradition. She was initially styled at Her Majesty The Queen Consort to distinguish from her recently deceased Mother-In-Law Queen Elizabeth II who was a Queen Regnant and was also styled as Her Majesty The Queen. 

Popular Queen Consort in the UK: 

-Queen Alexandra married to King Edward VII (22nd January 1901 to 6th May 1910) 

-Queen Mary Of Teck married to King George V (6th May 1910 to 22nd June 1936) 

-Queen Elizabeth married to King George VI (11th December 1937 to 6th February 1953) 

Queen Camilla married to King Charles III (8th September 2022) 

There are also Queen Consorts around the world too here’s the most popular current Queens Consort: 

-Queen Camilla married to King Charles III Consort to UK and The Commonwealth Realms (8th September 2022) 

-Queen Mathilde married to King Philippe Of The Belgiums (21st July 2013) 

-Queen Mary married to King Frederick X Of Denmark (14th January 2024) 

-Queen Rania married to King Abdullah II Of Jordan (7th February 1999) 

-Queen Maxima married to King Willem-Alexander Of The Netherlands (30th April 2013) 

-Queen Sonja married to King Harald V Of Norway (17th January 1991) 

-Queen Letizia married to King Felippe VI Of Spain (19th June 2014) 

-Queen Silvia married to King Carl XVI Gustaf Of Sweden (19th June 1976) 

Queen Mothers: A Queen Mother is widow of a King and a mother of a sovereign. A Queen Mother was a title that has been around since the 1560s but was never really used until Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother used it in 1952 so people didn’t get confused with her daughter Queen Elizabeth II who had the same name as her. 

Here’s a list of popular Queens Mother: 

-Queen Elizabeth mother of Queen Elizabeth II (6th February 1952 to 30th March 2002) 

-Queen Beatrix mother of King Willhem Alexander (30th April 2013) 

-Queen Alexandra Of Denmark mother of King George V (6th May 1910 to 20th November 1925) 

-Queen Margrethe II Of Denmark mother of King Fredrick X (14th January 2024) 

-Queen Mary Of Teck mother to King Edward VII and King George VII (20th June 1936 to 24th March 1953) 

-Queen Ingrid Of Sweden mother of Queen Margrethe II (14th January 1910 to 7th November 2000) 

Queen Dowagers: Queen Dowagers are queens who are widows of a king who doesn’t have a sovereign child. 

All names above are all Queens Dowagers who have ever been consorts to Kings where their consorts are widowed. 

Queen Camilla will be a Queen Dowager when her husband King Charles III passes. 

I hope that this blog brings information that all current and past Queens Consorts are styled as Her Majesty The Queen. Including Queen Camilla yes she may be a divorcee but let’s be honest King Henry VIII had 6 Queen consorts during his reign. And he divorced all 5 of them. 

On the accession day of Queen Elizabeth II for her 70th anniversary she wrote in a statement that “In the fullness of time, my son Charles becomes King. I know you will give him and his wife Camilla the same support you have given me; and it is my sincere wish that, when that time comes, Camilla will be known as Queen Consort as she continues her own loyal service” 

This statement puts to mind that Camilla will be KNOWN as Queen Consort. Which means that she will be Queen Consort but will be styled as Her Majesty The Queen via to how other Queen Consorts are KNOWN. 

I hope that clears the whole Queen Elizabeth II wishes in the ascension statement on the 6th February 2022. 

For those who have asked. Queen Camilla will always outrank Prince William as she is a Queen and he is a Prince. When however William becomes King he will be also to outrank Camilla as she would be known as a Dowager Queen. 

As it stands at the moment and for many many years to come Queen Camilla outranks Prince William. Queen Camilla is also the first councillor of state that would be called upon incase The King is unable to do anything. The councillors of state always go in order from the monarchs consort then to the heir. 

Also currently The King is still able to do most things like look at his red box everyday and meet with The Prime Minister and hold various other meetings either online or over the phone. With the upcoming Commonwealth service on the 11th March he was able to choose his Consort to attend. He will however be making a video address across the nation and Commonwealth instead of being there in person. 

The Love Story Of King Charles And Queen Camilla

The love story of King Charles and Queen Camilla 

My favourite royal couple is King Charles and Queen Camilla. I am aware of their long term relationship and how controversial it is along with their marriage but i want to go through their relationship since 1970 to now because it is a true love story tinged with tragedy and sadness. I also want to express that there is two sides to the story based on research in the news, TV programs and books. 

It all started in 1970 when they first met at a polo match they instantly became close and he did want to marry her but was sent away to the navy and she went ahead and married Andrew Parker Bowles. Lord Mountbatten who is Charles's great uncle and mentor broke the news to Charles who was devestated. He was encouraged to settle down with a young woman who people will love as a princess and a queen.

I want to point out here that Charles's family didn't want him to marry Camilla and that was mainly down to her having partners before meeting Charles. The Queen Mother however did encourage the marriage between Camilla and Andrew so he could move on and find someone else.  

When Lord Mountbatten died when he was killed by a bomb on his boat in Northen Ireland his life changed dramatically he was heartbroken when he died. At the time of the death of Mountbatten he was dating Lady Sarah Spencer he bumped into her younger sister called Lady Diana Spencer and once he moved away from Sarah he started dating Diana. They got married in late July 1981 and the marriage didn't exactly go to plan, Charles and Diana had two sons one called Prince William and Prince harry after the birth of Harry things went down hill fast. 

Diana started seeing her bodyguard with Barry Mannakee after Charles found out about the affair and that started the long term affair with Camilla. Diana was with about 10 men which 4 were married while Charles only went with Camilla. In 1992 it was announced that Charles and Diana separated as a couple but shared custody with the children. During that time both Charles and Camilla were the most hated celebrity/royals in the UK, Camilla who lived near Wiltshire at the time couldn't even get out of the house without the press photographing her. Once she went to her local Sainsbury's people who saw her they chucked bread rolls at her because of the hatred between her Charles and Diana. 

In August 1997 things took a devastating turn in the royal family's lives. Dianna devestatingly died in a car crash in Paris after being chased by journalists Charles was the one who had to tell the news to his sons and according to sources he shouted 'There're all going to blame me aren't they.' It was clear that he was devastated and shocked, he persuaded the Queen that he was going to go and bring her body back to the UK. 

On the 6th September was the funeral it was shocking to see how many people were on the streets of London, Prince Charles and his sons walked behind the coffin his sons were not forced at all to walk behind the coffin their grandfather Prince Philip said if I walk will you walk. 

3 years later after Dianna's death when the public eased with her death and who to blame. The first public appearance of Charles and Camilla as a couple were at The Ritz hotel which showed that he was not backing down on her even after Diana's death. He wanted to be happy and after a few meetings Harry and William warmed to Camilla because she makes their father happy they were happy because he's happy. That same year the Queen met Camilla for the first time, The Queen did not like Camilla at the beginning as she was heard calling her a wicked woman. The meeting did go well though as she met with her many times before the wedding. 

In March 2002 on Good Friday the Queen Mother died peacefully in her sleep at the glorious age of 101 at the royal lodge in Windsor with the Queen and Princess Margret's children at her bedside. Prince Charles and his sons were in Sweden enjoying a skiing holiday when the news broke to them. The Queen phoned Charles to break the news and as he was very close to his grandmother he was absolutely heartbroken after learning her death and after the queen phoned he was straight on the phone with Camilla.

Camilla was invited to the funeral as a friend of the Queen Mother but that was encouraged by Charles but I think the Queen knew that it would be a great comfort for him as he was on the verge of breaking down with him holding onto his sword really tightly. After the funeral he, his sons and Camilla went to the Castle Of Mey where the Queen Mother lived in Scotland which he found comfort in with the right people around him. 

February 2005 the press were informed of a royal engagement of Charles and Camilla. Jorunalists asked if he got down on one knee Camilla simply replied 'Of course, What else'.While the Prince was 'very happy' about marrying again. Princes Harry and William released a joint statement saying 'We are both very happy for our father and Camilla and we wish them the best luck in the future'. The Queen also released a statement saying that she and The Duke Of Edinburgh were 'very happy' with the statement. 

The wedding was due to take place on the 8th April but was posponed by 1 day as Charles was attending the funeral of Pope John Paul ii. They wed in civil wedding service on the 9th April in Windsor guildhall with the whitnesses of Charles's sons and Camilla's children and other family members. The Queen and The Duke Of Edinbrugh did not go because The Queen didn't think it was right as head of the church of England to attend. 

After the civil wedding service there was a service of blessing in St George's Chapel in the Windsor castle grounds where the The Queen and Prince Philip did attend along with various dignitaries all over the world including politicians. Camilla's ex husband and his second wife were also invited as they are close friends after all of the drama in the 90s following their divorce for the sake of their children. Upon marrying Charles, Camilla was to be known as The Duchess Of Cornwall as her husband is the Duke Of Cornwall but she does have two more important titles one that she uses Duchess Of Rothesay in Scotland. The title she legally has but does not use is the Princess Of Wales and she does not use the title as it was closely associated with the late Diana.   

Her duty as wife of the Prince Of Wales is to support him through everything including his charities and patronages as well having her own charities. Camilla focuses on Domestic Violence against women, Animals including the Battersea dogs and cats home and literacy and reading. She goes on royal tours around the world with Charles including Egypt, Rwanda, Ireland and Canada to name a few. 

In April 2021 on their 17th wedding anniversary was tinged with heartbreak and sadness as Charles's father Prince Philip died peacefully in his sleep at Windsor Castle at the age of 99. Now the Queen will need more support than ever and Charles and Camilla gave her that support. Camilla was also there for Charles like a wife should to help him get through a death of a parent. At the funeral her support to him was very clear for all to see, during the procession Charles was showing evident emotion with a heartbreaking picture of tears running down his face. 

Camilla supported him with a subtle gesture in the church. She used the same comforting hand pat she used when their relationship first went public, She was also seen shuffling closer to him when he came to his seat. At the end of the service it was Charles's decision to walk from the chapel to the castle, Camilla was seen placing her hand on his back as he put away his handkerchief she also held his order of service and mask while she linked arms with him. This shows the support they have for each other even after 17 since their marriage. 

In February 2022 The Queen celebrated her 70th year since she ascended the throne she wrote in her speech on the occasion she announced that when Charles becomes king that her wish was to make Camilla Queen Consort. This statement literally is a royal seal of approval from the Queen about Camilla, when they married in 2005 it was known that she'd be Princess Consort but that changed when the Queen made the statement. Clarance House their official residence released a statement in response to The Queens statement they said that they were 'deeply conscious' by the honor. Camilla later revealed that she is 'touched and honoured' by the honour. 

On the 8th September 2022 Queen Elizabeth II passed away peacefully at balmoral in Scotland surrounded by her family. Charles has become King Charles III and alongside him was Queen Consort Camilla. They used the title for Camilla because they didn’t want people to get confused with the late queen. 

Their support for each other over that period shone through. They both were dignified and tried to keep their emotions in check, In the Kings first speech on the 9th September he paid tribute to camilla by saying “I count on the loving help of my darling wife Camilla” he stated that she “will bring the demands of her new role, The steadfast devotion and duty” that he’s relied so much on. 

In the book New King New Court by Robert Hardman he mentions that when Charles and Camilla were greeted with people outside Buckingham palace a person said to Camilla “Look after him will you” to which Camilla replied “I will, I promise” in another book called My Mother and I by Ingrid Seward the book states that Camilla was in the same room as her husband as he made the speech. Once the speech was finished a camera man caught a beautiful and tender moment between the couple. She walked up beside him and gave him a hug and told him how wonderful he’d been. 

During the funeral there were several times in the service where we seen Camilla support her husband. At the state funeral at Westminster Abbey she was seen giving him comforting and supportive looks during the service. To me most notably was when it was the committal service during the national anthem, Charles was understandably in tears but if you notice that Camilla moved closer to him as a sign of support and comfort to him during that moment. 

We fast forward to May 6th 2023 where we all saw history in the making. King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s coronation. It’s the moment he’s been waiting for his whole life and after years of bad publicity he can finally be crowned next to the woman he has loved for decades by his side. 

The coronation was a magical event where we saw The King and Queen crowned. The support that they gave each other all these years continued into this special day. When Queen Camilla was crowned and curtsied to her King and the love of her life he gave such a beautiful smile to indicate how proud he was of her. 

Not even a year since the coronation we had news on the king. On the 18th January 2024 it was announced that the king will undergo surgery for an enlarged prostate, On the 26th January 2024 he was admitted to hospital for the procedure. It went well and we saw Camilla visit her husband twice a day everyday whilst he was in hospital, it was said that she just wanted to keep him company. They both left the private hospital on the 29th January 2024. 

While Charles was recovering from his surgery Camilla went back to work. She went to a cancer support centre and Bath for a service in the abbey. All seemed as well as it should be. Camilla was asked by various people how The King was doing after surgery and all she said that he was fine. 

On February 5th 2024 we had the devastating news that King Charles III was diagnosed with a form of cancer. They didn’t specify which cancer he has but they ruled out prostate cancer. He’s receiving treatment and is stepping away from public events. Camilla being the Kings rock decided to continue working as she didn’t want to let him down. 

The first engagement for Camilla was In Wiltshire at a concert, Her helicopter got cancelled due to bad weather but she was determined to go to this event so she drove from Sandringham to Wiltshire. When she got there she was absolutely stunning in a white dress talking to the people involved in the concert. She also gave an update on her husband too saying that he was doing “Extremely Well under the circumstances” 

She will be the one who will be representing The King at various events that he can’t go to. They haven’t announced when he’s back doing public engagements yet but we hope that it’ll be soon. He just needs to rest and get better and let Camilla do the work because she’ll want to help him and get him through this. 

In May 2024 it was announced that His Majesty King Charles III would be returning to public facing engagements. The announcement came with a photo that was taken on the 10th April in the garden of Buckingham Palace the photo was taken a day after their 19th wedding anniversary. Accompanying the announcement Buckingham Palace also confirmed that there would be an overseas visit in the autumn to Australia and Samoa. 

The King's first public engagement was to a cancer treatment centre in London to support people who are suffering with cancer and their relatives. He went to the centre with Camilla and they both sat down with the patients held their hands and spoke to them. 

In October 2024 The King and Queen visited Australia and Samoa. There were a few beautiful moments between them. They went to the parliament in Australia and listened to speeches from the prime minister and the leader of the opposition Peter Dutton who commented on the support that Camilla gives her husband. When it was being mentioned The King's reaction was touching and emotional.

In 2025 both Charles and Camilla will be celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary by taking a royal tour to Italy which is extremely romantic for a big wedding anniversary. Their wedding anniversary will be on the 9th April 2025 as they married in 2005. Fans are expecting a very romantic and unseen photo of the royal couple.  

On the 9th April 2025 The King and Queen celebrated their 20th Wedding Anniversary and they released a number of romantic photos of them together in Italy that was taken by famous royal photographer Chris Jackson these photos show how incredible their love story is. In one of the photos is of them sitting close together with their arms around each other and of Charles looking at his lovely wife with pride in his eyes.