Quebec Separatist Urges Canada to Cut Ties with ‘Incredibly Racist’ Monarchy

THE GUARDIAN: Yves-François Blanchet, leader of Bloc Québécois, says ‘slave-driven’ British monarchy is ‘archaic’ and ‘humiliating’

The leader of Canada’s Quebec separatist party has renewed calls for the country to sever its ties with the “incredibly racist” and “slave-driven” British monarchy ahead of the coronation of King Charles III.

The Bloc Québécois leader, Yves-François Blanchet, tabled a motion on Tuesday, widely seen as purely symbolic, in the House of Commons.

“It’s archaic. It’s a thing of the past. It’s almost archaeological. It’s humiliating,” Blanchet told lawmakers of Canada’s longstanding ties to the monarchy. » | Leyland Cecco in Toronto | Wednesday, October 26, 2022

The Fascinating Life of Prince Philip's Mother: Princess Alice, the Queen's Mother-In-Law | Absolute History

Jun 8, 2019 • We all know about the late Queen Mum – one of Britain’s most instantly recognisable figures. But few have even heard of the Queen’s mother-in-law, Princess Alice. And yet, the life-story of Prince Philip’s mother almost defies belief.

A great granddaughter of Queen Victoria, Prince Philip’s mother married into the Greek royal family – only to see the Greek monarchy overthrown by revolution. Fleeing into exile, she suffered a severe nervous breakdown. She was locked away in mental hospitals and subjected to experimental treatments by psychiatrists – including Sigmund Freud himself. The trauma had a shattering effect on Princess Alice’s marriage and led to a fractured childhood for her only son Prince Philip.

Prince Philip’s mother eventually fought her way back from mental illness, and became an unlikely hero of World War Two, risking her life to hide a Jewish family from the Nazis. When her son married the future Queen Elizabeth in 1948, Alice turned down the option of a cosy royal life. Instead she chose to dedicate herself to working with the poor in Greece. She gave away all her possessions and even founded her own religious order.

Featuring exclusive interviews with family members and previously unseen archive footage, this film sheds new light on one of the royal family’s most remarkable, but little known, personalities.

A Princess Is Set to Be Wed. But It’s No Fairy Tale.

THE NEW YORK TIMES: Princess Mako of Japan will forgo the trappings of royal nuptials when she marries her college boyfriend, a commoner, after a long and arduous engagement.

Princess Mako of Japan is set to marry her fiancé, a commoner named Kei Komuro, on Oct. 26. | Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters
TOKYO — Anyone who dreams of being a princess should probably have a chat with Princess Mako of Japan.

On Friday, the agency that manages the affairs of Japan’s royal family announced that the princess, the 29-year-old niece of Emperor Naruhito, would marry her fiancé, a commoner named Kei Komuro, on Oct. 26.

It’s a long time coming. The couple, who first met in college, have been engaged since 2017 — but getting to the chapel has meant running a bruising gauntlet of media scrutiny and savage public commentary on Mr. Komuro’s fitness to be the spouse of an imperial daughter.

The pressure on the couple has been so intense that the princess has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK, reported.

No Horse, No Carriage

If you’re expecting pomp and circumstance, prepare to be disappointed. There will be no royal wedding. Instead, Princess Mako intends to renounce her royal heritage and settle into a normal life in New York, where Mr. Komuro, 29, works in a law office after studying at Fordham. » | Ben Dooley | Friday, October 1, 2021

LGBTQ Kings & Queen of England

In the history of the English monarchy there have been six kings and one queen who are believed to have been homosexual or bisexual.

They defied the religious, homophobic times in which they lived and many paid dearly for it. They may have worn crowns and wielded power but at the end of the day they were human too. Here are their stories...

William II Rufus (1087 – 1100)
Richard I (1189-1199)
Edward II (1307-1327)
Richard II (1377-1400)
James I (1603 – 1625) William III (1689-1702)
Anne (1702-1714) | Views on YouTube: 1,579,911

Belgian King's Daughter Fights for Right to Call Herself a Princess

THE GUARDIAN: Delphine Boël, whose mother had affair with ex-king Albert II, also wants to take her father’s surname

A woman who successfully fought a seven-year legal battle to prove she was the daughter of the former king of Belgium, Albert II, will learn next month whether, against the wishes of her father, she will be able to use the titles Her Royal Highness and the Princess of Belgium.

Delphine Boël, 52, an artist and sculptor, whose mother had an extra-marital affair with Albert in the 1960s and 70s, argued in the Brussels court of appeal that she should also be able to use her biological father’s surname of Saxe-Coburg. The court will give its judgment on 29 October.

King Albert, 86, who abdicated from the Belgian throne in 2013, was forced to acknowledge he was Boël’s biological father after a court-ordered DNA test last January. » | Daniel Boffey in Brussels | Friday, September 11, 2020

Labour Politician Condemns 'Stomach-churning' Parliamentary Tributes to Prince George

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: A Labour politician has condemned Parliamentary tributes to Prince George of Cambridge as “stomach-churning”.

Tom Copley, who sits in the London Assembly and describes himself as a "republican" on his Twitter feed, complained that "too much valuable Parliamentary time" had been taken up to “congratulate two very wealthy aristocrats for procreating”.

David Cameron, the Prime Minister, Ed Miliband, the Labour leader, and other senior politicians took part in a 20 minute House of Commons debate in tribute to Prince George last month.

Last week Mr Cameron and Mr Miliband also paid a brief tribute in the Commons to the Prince on the day of his Christening. » | Christopher Hope, Senior Political Correspondent | Thursday, October 31, 2013

Spare Us the Sycophancy » | Tom Copley | Wednesday, October 23, 2013

My comment:

If Tom Copley stood for election in my constituency, I'd vote for him in the twinkling of an eye. He speaks sense, and has a sense of priorities.

I am no anti-royalist, and nor am I a socialist, but it truly is "stomach-churning" to observe grown men and women kowtowing and fawning to royalty on such occasions. This is, after all, the twenty-first century. – © Mark

This comment appears here too.

Inside Story: Are the Royals Still Relevant?
As Netherlands' Queen Beatrix plans to step down, we examine the pros and cons of maintaining the modern monarchy.

Bahrain King's Invitation to Windsor Castle Stirs Controversy
During her almost 60 year reign - Queen Elizabeth II has hosted hundreds of lunches for foreign monarchs. Few in recent years have had such a controversial guest list. The King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, is among those invited to dine at Windsor Castle at a time when Bahrain has come under international pressure over allegations of serious human rights violations. The crackdown against pro-reform demonstrators has drawn disgust and concern in equal measure from campaigners. Al Jazeera's Emma Hayward reports from London.

Related »

Queen Elizabeth Welcomes Royals for Luncheon
May 18 - Royals arrive at Windsor castle for lunch with Queen Elizabeth II as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).


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Protest at Buckingham Palace During Bahraini King's Visit
BBC: A protest has been held outside Buckingham Palace against the visit of the Bahraini King and a number of other foreign royals, who have lunched at Windsor Castle to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

The visit of King Hamad al-Khalifa of Bahrain has been criticised by human rights campaigners.

Peter Tatchell, one of around 40 protesters, told the BBC that it is "very wrong that the Queen has invited seven royal dictators to celebrate her Diamond Jubilee".

Buckingham Palace has said that the Foreign Office approved the invitation of King Hamad. (+ BBC video) » | Friday, May 18, 2012

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BBC: In pictures: Monarchs at Windsor for Diamond Jubilee » | Friday, May 18, 2012

Queen Welcomes Royals for Jubilee Lunch at Windsor
BBC: Kings and queens from around the world have arrived in Windsor for a lunch to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Among the guests is King Hamad al-Khalifa of Bahrain, whose attendance has been criticised by human rights campaigners.

Twelve members of the British royal family are joining the Queen to welcome the sovereigns of 26 countries.

The BBC's Nicholas Witchell reports from Windsor. (+ BBC video) » | Friday, May 18, 2012

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Human Rights Groups Criticise Queen's Historic Lunch of Monarchs

THE GUARDIAN: King of Bahrain, accused of brutally suppressing pro-democracy protests, among those included on controversial guest list

It was meant to be a monarchical milestone, an unprecedented meeting of the world's crowned heads gathered at Windsor Castle in celebration of the Queen's diamond jubilee.

But as the kings, queens, princes, one emperor, a grand duke and an emir posed for a historic photograph inside the castle's Waterloo Chamber, elsewhere human rights activists condemned it as a platform for "blood-stained despots and tyrants".

Perhaps, the Queen's advisers may have reflected, this glittering anniversary bash was not such a good idea after all.

Taking his seat amid the heraldic splendour of St George's Hall, was King Hamad al-Khalifa of Bahrain, whose regime is accused of the brutal suppression of pro-democracy demonstrations.

Swaziland's controversial King Mswati III, who has amassed 13 wives and an estimated £60m personal fortune, according to Forbes magazine – while many of his 1.2 million subjects live in poverty – was seated nearby.

Saudi and Kuwaiti royals, criticised for their human rights records, also feasted from a menu which included English asparagus, Windsor lamb, wild mushrooms and Kent strawberries, paid for by the taxpayer, via the Sovereign's Grant.

The Queen had rolled out the full red-carpet treatment with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Prince Harry and princesses Beatrice and Eugenie among a 12-strong royal welcoming party. Prince Charles was not there, as he was hosting his own glittering dinner at Buckingham Palace on Friday night for the foreign rulers, excluding King Hamad, who was not attending.

The Queen welcomed the Bahraini ruler with a handshake and a laugh as the two shared a joke.

But detractors condemned the event as a "catastrophic error of judgment". It was, pronounced the chief executive of the pressure group Republic, Graham Smith, a "crisis of her [the Queen's] own making". "Thanks to the Queen's misjudgment, her jubilee will forever be associated with some of the most repressive regimes in the world," he added. » | Caroline Davis | Friday, May 18, 2012

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Human Rights Groups Criticise Queen's Historic Lunch of Monarchs

THE GUARDIAN: King of Bahrain, accused of brutally suppressing pro-democracy protests, among those included on controversial guest list

The king of Bahrain, whose regime has been accused of brutally suppressing pro-democracy demonstrations, has been revealed as one of the guests at a historic lunch of sovereign monarchs hosted by the Queen at Windsor Castle on Friday.

Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa appeared on a guest list released early on Friday ahead of the unprecedented gathering to celebrate the diamond jubilee.

Other guests include Swaziland's King Mswati III, as well as Sheikh Nasser Mohamed Aal Jaber Aal-Sabah of Kuwait and Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz Aal Saud of Saudi Arabia.

One definite no-show will be Queen Sofía of Spain, ordered by her government to turn down the invitation in response to a planned trip next month by the Earl of Wessex to Gibraltar, the UK overseas territory Spain wants returned to its sovereignty.

Human rights demonstrators are expected to stage a protest outside Bahrain's embassy in London later on Friday over the inclusion of the country's ruler.

The former Foreign Office minister Denis MacShane accused the FCO on Thursday of placing the Queen in an impossible position. The Labour MP said: "Many in Britain will regret that the foreign secretary, who approves all invitations sent in the Queen's name as head of state, has decided to include a representative of the Bahraini regime which has done such terrible things to its own people since the Arab awakening a year ago."

The Foreign Office said it had advised on "logistics", adding that the invitations would have been issued by the Queen in a private capacity.

It said that "all world sovereigns" were invited to the event, which was "organised by the royal household, with assistance and co-ordination by the FCO". The UK was a "long-standing friend and ally" of Bahrain, and the "strong relationship" allowed "full and frank discussion" on issues of concern, including human rights. » | Caroline Davies | Friday, May 18, 2012

BBC: Diamond Jubilee: The world's monarchs – Kings, queens, sheikhs and sultans are among those joining the Queen for lunch at Windsor Castle as part of her Diamond Jubilee celebrations. But which countries still have a monarchy and what is the role of the sovereign monarch? » | Friday, May 18, 2012

BBC: Queen's lunch for monarchs attracts controversy: The King of Bahrain and Swaziland's King Mswati III are among controversial monarchs expected at a Windsor Castle lunch being hosted by the Queen. » | Friday, May 18, 2012

FRANCE 24: Tensions over regal jubilee lunch of Queen Elizabeth II » | AFP | Friday, May 18, 2012

ABC NEWS: Tensions over Queen's regal jubilee lunch » | AFP | Friday, May 18, 2012

AFP: Bahrain king will attend Diamond Jubilee lunch: WINDSOR, United Kingdom — The king of Bahrain, whose regime has been accused of rights abuses, was among nearly 50 foreign royals at a lunch Friday to mark the diamond jubilee of Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. ¶ King Hamad, whose Gulf island country is in a state of civil unrest following a brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests, would attend the event at Windsor Castle, British officials confirmed. ¶ The invitations for the biggest gathering of foreign royalty in Britain since last year's wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton have thrown up several diplomatic headaches. » | AFP | Friday, May 18, 2012

THE PERISCOPE POST: Who’s coming to Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee Lunch for Monarchs? : The Queen’s hosting a Jubilee lunch for monarchs, reigning and not. But what will they talk about? Carl-Gustav’s sex scandals? Fish with the Emperor of Japan? Will they bring up human rights issues with the King of Bahrain? Or maybe they’ll just have a jolly good time saying “Off with their heads!” » | Periscope Writer | Friday, May 18, 2012 Related »

Spanish Royal Family in Fresh Embarrassment over Role of Blonde Aristocrat

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Spain’s royal family face fresh embarrassment today with the publication of details of the controversial elephant hunting trip taken by King Juan Carlos last month and the mysterious role of the blonde aristocrat who accompanied him.

Corinna zu Sayn Wittgenstein appears on the cover of the June edition of Spain’s Vanity Fair magazine alongside claims that she has been the King’s unofficial companion on numerous private trips abroad, including the ill-fated Botswana safari in April which caused outrage in Spain.

The twice-divorced Princess Corinna, 46, who was born in Germany and claims her title through her second husband, has reportedly fled Spain amid intense media speculation over the nature of her role within the Spanish monarchy.

“She has told me that the King is her friend and a great guy whom she admires. Nothing more, because if anything characterises her, it is discretion and loyalty,” said Princess Corinna’s first husband, Philip J Adkin, an American shipping magnate who confirmed he had also been a member of the hunting party in Botswana.

The hunting trip became public knowledge after the 74-year old monarch fractured his hip in a fall in camp and was rushed back to Madrid for surgery. News of the King’s luxurious lifestyle shooting endangered animals while ordinary Spaniards suffered deep economic strife was met with public outcry and led to calls for his abdication.

The episode has been marked by an end to the taboo on publishing royal secrets in a nation that has traditionally afforded the Royal family the utmost privacy and respect. » | Fiona Govan, Madrid | Thursday, May 17, 2012

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Queen Sofia to Snub Diamond Jubilee Lunch over Gibraltar Row

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Queen Sofia of Spain has been ordered to turn down an invitation from the Queen to a Diamond Jubilee lunch for the world's sovereign monarchs because of an escalating diplomatic row over Gibraltar.

Queen Sofia had earlier accepted the invite to Friday's celebration at Windsor Castle, but in a last minute snub by Spain's government she has been told not to attend because it would be "inappropriate in the current circumstances".

Last week Spain's foreign ministry issued a formal complaint to Britain's Ambassador in Madrid over the planned visit in June of The Earl and Countess of Wessex to the disputed territory of Gibraltar to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee year.

The Spanish government expressed its "upset and concern" over the visit by the Queen's youngest son and his wife to the territory, a tiny peninsula sitting at Spain's southwestern corner over which it still claims sovereignty. At the time however, it seemed unlikely to take the matter further.

In fact, when asked if Queen Sofia would still be attending the Windsor Castle event, Jose Garcia-Margallo, Spain's foreign minister confirmed she would be free to do so in a "private capacity".

However, in a sudden U-turn and with less than 48 hours until the lunch, Spain's royal household disclosed that the government had ordered Queen Sofia to reject the invitation to Windsor Castle, where kings and queens from around the world will convene to celebrate the Queen's 60 years on the throne. » | Fiona Govan, Madrid | Wednesday, May 16, 2012

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Monarchs: The World’s Most Exclusive Club Gathers for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: As the Queen plays host to assorted royals this week, Harry Mount looks at the enduring – if anachronistic – appeal of monarchy.

If you happen to be in the Windsor area on Friday, it’s advisable to wear sunglasses. As part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the Queen is hosting a lunch for sovereign monarchs, and the assorted tiaras, gems and diamonds the size of gulls’ eggs may cause major sun glare problems near Junction 6 of the M4.

It’s the biggest gathering of monarchs – outside royal weddings and funerals – for a decade. The last time there was such a big reunion was 2002: once for the funeral of the Queen Mother and, again that year, at the Queen’s Golden Jubilee dinner for European sovereign monarchs.

Those European monarchs – who are also Knights of the Garter – get together occasionally at Garter services but, still, never in such numbers as on Friday. The crowned heads of Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Spain will be among those there, joined by Emperor Akihito of Japan, though the Palace does not publish guest lists in advance. And the full cast of our own Royal family will be on hand to greet them, from the Duchess of Cambridge to Princess Alexandra.

To those of us gawping from the outside world, it will appear a tremendously formal event, but for the participants, it will be strangely relaxing. The only person a monarch really feels comfortable with is another monarch – perhaps even more so than with a member of their own family. The order of precedence among the British Royal family is set in stone, so the Prince of Wales must bow to his mother. But the Queen is on even-stevens terms with her fellow monarchs; they share equal precedence, so there is no worrying about who curtseys to whom.

It helps, too, that while the European monarchs are on kissing terms, most of them are also kissing cousins. Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, for example, is the great-great granddaughter of Queen Victoria, making her our Queen’s third cousin, as well as the Duke of Edinburgh’s third cousin. The Duke is even third cousin to the Queen herself, which may be proof of the limited dating opportunities in royal circles. Read on and comment » | Harry Mount | Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Spanish Royalty in Crisis after King's Antics

SPIEGEL ONLINE INTERNATIONAL: The Spanish royal family is in the middle of its worst crisis in years following a series of scandals, including the revelation that King Juan Carlos went on an extravagant trip to Africa despite the recession. Many people in Spain are now asking tough questions about the role of the monarchy.

How does a king who has gone astray apologize to his people? With a contrite expression on the television news and an ostentatious show of humility. "I'm sorry. I was wrong and it won't happen again," the 74-year-old Juan Carlos assured Spaniards in a brief televised statement last Wednesday, looking like a boy whose mother had just caught him committing a prank.

"An unprecedented gesture," a columnist with the Madrid daily El País called the royal words. The people had learned that the king had been hunting elephants in Botswana, because he had broken his hip at night and had to be flown home for surgery. As Spanish citizens learned from the papers, he had reportedly been the guest of a Saudi Arabian magnate, and was accompanied by a German woman, a member of the aristocracy who is said to be very close to him.

The photos of the big game hunter on cover pages, holding his gun as he stood in front of a gray corpse and an ivory hunting trophy, even annoyed Spain's royalists. He was on a luxury safari (at an estimated cost of more than €40,000, or $52,000) at precisely a time when the financial markets are demanding higher and higher risk premiums on Spanish government bonds. It's also a time at which conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy feels compelled to beef up his €27 billion austerity package with another €10 billion in budget cuts to education and healthcare. To make matters worse, the Spanish oil company Repsol is effectively being expropriated in Argentina. In other words, while their head of state was enjoying himself in Africa, his subjects were experiencing one of the worst weeks of the year.

The king's apology represents a sea change. Shouldn't such a weak man have to abdicate? How will the monarchy continue? These are questions that are being discussed in blogs and on talk shows, while newspaper columnists are publicly debating an institution that was considered sacrosanct until recently. » | Helene Zuber | Monday, April 23, 2012

Libya's 'Crown Prince' Makes Appeal




WIKI: Crown Prince Sayyid Muhammad ar-Rida bin Sayyid Hasan ar-Rida al-Mahdi al-Senussi >>>

WIKI: Idris of Libya: >>>

Grace Kelly: A Life In Pictures

Swedes 'Want King to Abdicate' in Favour of Daughter
BBC NEWS EUROPE: It is less than a year since her marriage in a fairytale setting in Stockholm, and now it seems Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria has replaced her father in the people's affections.

An opinion poll for a leading Swedish newspaper suggests nearly two thirds of the country want the King, Carl Gustaf the Sixteenth, to abdicate.

Dominic Kane reports. Watch BBC video >>> | Thursday, January 06, 2011