Category Archives: British Royals

The Death of Queen Elizabeth II – What happened on Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Westminster Hall; Credit – Wikipedia

Operation London Bridge was the codename for the detailed set of plans following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The plans had long been planned in consultation with the Government. The following is what happened on Wednesday, September 14, 2022.

Unofficial Royalty: Lying in State in Westminster Hall
Unofficial Royalty: Westminster Hall

  • Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin was moved from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Hall, where the Queen lay in state for four days. Built in 1097 during the reign of King William II Rufus, Westminster Hall is the oldest existing part of the Palace of Westminster. The roof was probably originally supported by pillars but was replaced by a beautiful wood hammerbeam roof during the reign of King Richard II in 1390s.

The Imperial State Crown; Credit – Wikipedia

  • The Queen’s coffin left Buckingham Palace at 2:22 PM British Time, 9:22 AM US Eastern Time. King Charles III, his sons The Prince of Wales and The Duke of Sussex, and his siblings The Princess Royal, The Duke of York, and the Earl of Wessex walked behind the coffin. Also walking behind the coffin will be Princess Anne’s husband Sir Timothy Laurence, Princess Anne’s son Peter Phillips, the Queen’s nephew David Armstrong-Jones, 2nd Earl of Snowdon, and the Queen’s first cousin Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester. The Queen Consort, The Princess of Wales, The Duchess of Sussex, and the Countess of Wessex traveled by car.
  • The coffin was carried on a gun carriage of The King’s Troop Royal Horse Artillery, and the Imperial State Crown sat atop the coffin. Guns were fired at Hyde Park and Big Ben tolled.
  • Crowds were able to view the procession along Queen’s Gardens, The Mall, Horse Guards and Horse Guards Arch, Whitehall, Parliament Street, Parliament Square, and New Palace Yard.
  • The coffin reached Westminster Hall at 3:00 PM British Time, 10:00 AM US Eastern Time. It was placed on a raised platform. Each corner of the platform was guarded 24 hours a day by soldiers from units that serve the Royal Household.
  • Members of the public were able to pay their respects to the Queen’s coffin, 24 hours a day until 6:30 AM British Time on Monday, September 19, 2022, the day of the funeral.

The Death of Queen Elizabeth II – What happened on Tuesday, September 13, 2022

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II with the crown of Scotland resting in St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland; Credit – British Monarchy Facebook Page

Operation London Bridge was the codename for the detailed set of plans following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The plans had long been planned in consultation with the Government. The following is what happened on Tuesday, September 13, 2022.

  • King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla flew from Edinburgh, Scotland to Belfast, Northern Ireland where King Charles III met Chris Heaton-Harris Member of Parliament and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and other party leaders. After a meeting with religious leaders, King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla attended a prayer service at St. Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast and then return to London by plane.
  • The people of Scotland continued to visit St. Giles Cathedral where the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II rested. The coffin was taken from St. Giles Cathedral to Edinburgh Airport at 5:00 PM British time. Accompanied by Princess Anne, The Princess Royal, the coffin traveled by plane to RAF Northolt, a Royal Air Force base near London. The coffin then traveled by hearse to Buckingham Palace where it was met by King Charles III, Queen Consort Camilla, and other Royal Family Members. The coffin rested in the Bow Room, which overlooks the gardens. A rotating group of chaplains watched over the coffin.
  • A rehearsal for the procession of the coffin from Buckingham Palace to the Palace of Westminster took place.

William Ætheling of England

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

William Ætheling; Credit – Wikipedia

Born on August 5, 1103, in Winchester, England, William Ætheling was the only son and the second of the two children of Henry I, King of England and his first wife Matilda of Scotland. In Anglo-Saxon England, Ætheling was used to designate males of the royal dynasty who were eligible for the throne, and by using Ætheling as part of his only son’s name, Henry I was making a connection to the Anglo-Saxon kings, the dynasty his father William I, King of England, the Conqueror, had defeated in 1066 to obtain the English throne. William Ætheling’s paternal grandparents were William I (the Conqueror), King of England and Matilda of Flanders. His maternal grandparents were King Malcolm III of Scotland and Saint Margaret of Scotland, born an Anglo-Saxon princess.

William had one elder sister:

Besides being King of England, Henry I was also Duke of Normandy, now in France. To secure the loyalty of the County of Anjou, a long-time rival of the neighboring Duchy of Normandy, Henry betrothed his son William to Matilda of Anjou, the eldest daughter of Fulk V, Count of Anjou and his first wife Ermengarde, Countess of Maine in February 1113. The nearly sixteen-year-old Willam and the thirteen-year-old Matilda of Anjou were married in June 1119 in Lisieux, Duchy of Normandy. The marriage would only last a year and the couple had no children.

Because the Kings of England at that time were also the Dukes of Normandy, they were often in Normandy, and this was the case in November 1120. After the successful military campaign in which King Henry I of England defeated King Louis VI of France at the Battle of Brémule, the English were finally preparing to return to England. King Henry I was offered the White Ship for his return to England, but he had already made other arrangements. Instead, Henry suggested that his son William Ætheling sail on the White Ship along with his retinue which included William’s half-brother Richard of Lincoln, his half-sister Matilda the Countess of Perch, who were two of King Henry I’s 25 or so illegitimate children, along with Richard d’Avranches, 2nd Earl of Chester, and many of the heirs of the great estates of England and Normandy.

The sinking of the White Ship; Credit – Wikipedia

17-year-old William Ætheling and his retinue boarded the ship in a festive mood and barrels of wine were brought on board to celebrate the return to England. Soon both passengers and crew were inebriated. By the time the ship was ready to set sail, there were about 300 people on board. William and his retinue ordered the captain of the White Ship to overtake the ship of King Henry I so that the White Ship would be the first ship to return to England. Unfortunately, the White Ship hit a submerged rock and capsized. William’s bodyguard quickly got the heir to the throne into the safety of a dinghy. However, William Ætheling heard the screams of his half-sister Matilda and ordered the dinghy to turn back to rescue her. At this point, the White Ship began to sink and the many people in the water desperately sought the safety of William’s dinghy. The chaos and the weight were too much causing William Ætheling’s dinghy to capsize and sink without a trace. The chronicler Orderic Vitalis claimed that only two people survived the shipwreck by clinging to a rock all night.

William Ætheling’s wife Matilda of Anjou was on another ship at the time of the wreck. After her husband’s death, Matilda remained at King Henry I’s court and was treated as one of his daughters. Henry I offered to marry Matilda to one of his great nobles. However, after staying in England for several years, Matilda wished to return to her birthplace of Anjou. Eventually, Matilda took the advice of Geoffrey of Leves, Bishop of Chartres, and took vows as a nun at Fontevrault Abbey in Chinon, Anjou in 1128. She became Abbess of Fontevrault Abbey in 1150 and died there in 1154, the same year her nephew Henry, Count of Anjou became King Henry II of England.

King Henry I holds the record for the British monarch with the most illegitimate children, 25 or so illegitimate children, but the tragedy of the White Ship left him with only one legitimate child, his daughter Matilda. Henry I’s nephews were the closest male heirs. In January 1121, Henry married Adeliza of Louvain, hoping for sons, but the marriage remained childless. On Christmas Day in 1226, King Henry I of England gathered his nobles at Westminster where they swore to recognize his daughter Matilda and any future legitimate heir she might have as his successors. That plan did not work out. Upon hearing of Henry I’s death on December 1, 1135, Stephen of Blois, one of Henry’s nephews, quickly crossed the English Channel from France, seized power, and was crowned King of England on December 22, 1135. This started the terrible civil war between Stephen and Matilda known as The Anarchy. England did not see peace for more than 18 years until Matilda’s son acceded to the throne as King Henry II of England in 1154.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited

  • En.wikipedia.org. 2022. Matilda of Anjou – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matilda_of_Anjou> [Accessed 11 July 2022].
  • En.wikipedia.org. 2022. William Adelin – Wikipedia. [online] Available at: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Adelin> [Accessed 11 July 2022].
  • Flantzer, S., 2015. King Henry I of England. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-henry-i-of-england/> [Accessed 11 July 2022].
  • Flantzer, Susan, 2015. The Sinking of the White Ship and How It Affected the English Succession. [online] Unofficial Royalty. Available at: <https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/november-25-1120-the-sinking-of-the-white-ship-and-how-it-affected-the-english-succession/> [Accessed 11 July 2022].
  • Spencer, Charles, 2020. The White Ship: Conquest, Anarchy and the Wrecking of Henry I’s Dream. London: William Collins.
  • Williamson, David, 1996. Brewer’s British Royalty. London: Cassell.

The Death of Queen Elizabeth II – What happened on Monday, September 12, 2022

St. Giles Cathedral, on the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, Scotland; Credit – By Carlos Delgado – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35465527

Operation London Bridge was the codename for the detailed set of plans following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The plans had long been planned in consultation with the Government. The following is what happened on Monday, September 12, 2022.

  • King Charles III visited Westminster Hall, at Parliament in London where both Houses of Parliament met to express their condolences.
  • King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla traveled by air to Edinburgh, Scotland as part of Operation Spring Tide, the codename for King Charles III’s first trip as king to all four nations of the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland).
  • In the afternoon, Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin traveled by procession from Holyroodhouse, the Royal Family’s residence in Edinburgh, Scotland, up the Royal Mile to St. Giles Cathedral accompanied by King Charles III and members of the Royal Family. The Royal Family attended a service at St Giles Cathedral to receive the coffin.
  • The coffin lay in rest at St. Giles Cathedral guarded by The Royal Company of Archers, a ceremonial unit that serves as the Sovereign’s bodyguard in Scotland. The people of Scotland visited the cathedral to pay their respects.
  • King Charles III had an audience with Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at Holyroodhouse.
  • King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla attended the Scottish Parliament where they received a motion of condolence.
  • In the evening, King Charles III and his three siblings stood vigil at their mother’s coffin at St. Giles Cathedral.

The Death of Queen Elizabeth II – What happened on Sunday, September 11, 2022

Operation London Bridge was the codename for the detailed set of plans following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The plans had long been planned in consultation with the Government. The following is what happened on Sunday, September 11, 2022.

  • Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin, draped in the Royal Standard, had been lying in rest in the ballroom at Balmoral Castle in Scotland where she died on Thursday, September 8. The coffin departed from Balmoral Castle at 10:00 AM British time for the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh, the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. The coffin was transported slowly by hearse so people along the route were be able to see it, traveling through Aberdeen, Dundee, and Perth. The trip from Balmoral to Edinburgh is 175 miles and took six hours. Upon arrival at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the coffin rested in the palace’s Throne Room.
  • Proclamations of the new sovereign were read in the devolved parliaments of Scotland (Edinburgh), Wales (Cardiff) and Northern Ireland (Belfast). Local proclamations were read throughout England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

The Death of Queen Elizabeth II – What happened on Saturday, September 10, 2022

King Charles III; Credit – Wikipedia

Operation London Bridge was the codename for the detailed set of plans following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The plans had long been planned in consultation with the Government. The following is what happened on Saturday, September 10, 2022.

  • The Accession Council, which includes senior government figures, met at St. James’ Palace in London to proclaim King Charles III the new sovereign.
  • King Charles III held his first Privy Council, accompanied by Queen Consort Camilla and The Prince of Wales who are also Privy Counsellors. The new king made his personal declaration and oath.
  • The first public proclamation of the new sovereign was read in the open air from the Friary Court balcony at St James’s Palace by the Garter King of Arms.
  • The proclamation was then read at the Royal Exchange in the City of London, confirming Charles as King.
  • Proclamations were made around the city and across the country. Union flags went back up to full mast at 1 pm and remain there for 24 hours to coincide with the proclamations before returning to half-mast.
  • Parliament met to agree on a message of condolence. Members of Parliament gave tributes in the House of Commons. All other parliamentary business was suspended for 10 days.
  • King Charles III held an audience with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet.

When The British Monarch Dies: The Accession Council

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

Accession Council of Queen Victoria by Sir David Wilkie, 1838; Credit – Royal Collection Trust

Usually, within 24 hours of the monarch’s death, the Accession Council meets at St. James’ Palace in London to formally proclaim the accession of the deceased monarch’s successor. Upon the death of the monarch, there is an immediate transference of power. The heir to the throne becomes the new monarch immediately upon his/her predecessor’s death. The Accession Council confirms by name the identity of the heir who has succeeded.

St. James’ Palace in London where the Accession Council meets; By Brian Harrington Spier from Shanghai, China – Diamond Jubilee: 3rd June 2012, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39691524

The Accession Council consists of all Privy Counsellors, Great Officers of State, Lord Mayor of London, the Court of Aldermen, and High Commissioners of the Realms. The largest contingent of the Accession Council comes from Privy Council, a formal group of advisers to the monarch, which has hundreds of members composed mostly of politicians and civil servants, both current and retired, all of whom are appointed for life. Usually, several members of the Royal Family are members of the Privy Council. Currently, Queen Consort Camilla and Prince William, The Prince of Wales are members of the Privy Council.

(Left to right) Privy Counsellors: Current Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, former Prime Ministers Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Boris Johnson, David Cameron, Theresa May, and John Major ahead of the Accession Council ceremony at St James’s Palace, London, where King Charles III is formally proclaimed monarch on September 10, 2022

The Privy Council Office will send notices to all Privy Counsellors advising them of the Accession Council. Not all Privy Counsellors will be able to attend at such short notice, but that will not affect the process of the Accession Council. Traditionally, invitations are also sent to the Lord Mayor of London, the Court of Aldermen, and the High Commissioners of the Realms.

The Accession Council is presided over by the Lord President of the Council, and is divided into two parts:

  • Part l: Without the presence of the new monarch, the new monarch is proclaimed and certain orders are made relating to the Proclamation.
  • Part ll: The new monarch holds his or her first Council.

Usually, but not always, Part II directly follows Part I. When King George VI died on February 6, 1952, his successor Queen Elizabeth II was in Kenya. Part I of the Accession Council was held on February 6, 1952, at 5 PM. Upon Queen Elizabeth II’s return from Kenya, Part II was held on February 8, 1952, at 10 AM.

During Part I of the Accession Council, the Lord President of the Council announces the recent death of the monarch and then calls upon the Clerk of the Council to read aloud the Accession Proclamation. The following is the Accession Proclamation used for King Charles III on September 10, 2022. It is expected that future Accession Proclamations will follow a similar format.

Whereas it has pleased Almighty God to call to His mercy our late Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second of Blessed and Glorious memory, by whose Decease the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is solely and rightfully come to the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George:

We, therefore, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of this Realm, and members of the House of Commons, together with other members of Her late Majesty’s Privy Council, and representatives of the Realms and Territories, Aldermen, and citizens of London and others, do now hereby, with one Voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart, publish and proclaim, that the Prince Charles Philip Arthur George, is now, by the Death of our late Sovereign of happy Memory, become our only lawful and rightful Liege Lord Charles the Third, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and of his other Realms and Territories, King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith: To whom we do acknowledge all Faith and Obedience, with humble affection: beseeching God, by whom Kings and Queens do reign, to bless His Majesty with long and happy years to reign over Us.

Given at St James’s Palace this tenth day of September in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-two.

God Save the King.

Then the Accession Proclamation is signed by any members of the Royal Family present who are Privy Counsellors, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Lord Chancellor, the Archbishop of York, the Prime Minister, the Lord Privy Seal, the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Earl Marshal, and the Lord President of the Council. After the signing, the Accession Council deals with orders regarding the public readings of the Accession Proclamation and the traditional firing of guns at Hyde Park and the Tower of London.

King Charles III reads his personal Declaration. The Prince of Wales and Queen Consort Camilla are on the left.

Part II of the Accession Council is attended by the new monarch along with only the Privy Counsellors. This part begins with the new monarch’s personal Declaration relating to the death of the previous monarch. On September 10, 2022, King Charles III said:

My Lords, Ladies, and Gentlemen

It is my most sorrowful duty to announce to you the death of my beloved mother the Queen. I know how deeply you and the entire nation and I think I may say the whole world sympathizes with me in the irreparable loss we have all suffered. It is the greatest consolation to me to know of the sympathy expressed by so many to my sister and my brothers and as such overwhelming affection and support should be extended to our whole family in our loss. To all of us as a family.

As to this kingdom and to the wider family of nations of which it is a part, my mother gave an example of lifelong love and of selfless service. My mother’s reign was unequaled in its duration, its dedication and its devotion. Even as we grieve we give thanks for this most faithful life. I am deeply aware of this great inheritance and of the duties and heavy responsibilities of sovereignty, which have now passed to me. In taking up these responsibilities I shall strive to follow the inspiring example I have been set in upholding constitutional government and to seek the peace, harmony and prosperity of the peoples of these islands, and of the commonwealth realms and territories across the world. In this purpose I know that I shall be upheld by the affection and loyalty of the peoples whose sovereign I have been called upon to be, and in the discharge of these duties, I will be guided by the council of their elected parliaments.

“In all this, I am profoundly encouraged by the constant support of my beloved wife. I take this opportunity to confirm my willingness and intention to continue the tradition of surrendering the hereditary revenues, including the crown estate to the government for the benefit of all in return for the sovereign grant which supports my official duties as head of state and head of nation.

In carrying out the heavy task that has been laid upon me, to which I dedicate what remains to me of my life. I pray for the guidance and help of almighty God.

Under the Acts of Union 1707 which united the kingdoms of England and Scotland, the new monarch is required to make an oath to “maintain and preserve” the Church of Scotland. This oath is normally made at the Accession Council. The new monarch reads aloud the oath:

I, [INSERT TITLE] by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of My other Realms and Territories King, Defender of the Faith, do faithfully promise and swear that I shall inviolably maintain and preserve the Settlement of the true Protestant Religion as established by the Laws made in Scotland in prosecution of the Claim of Right and particularly by an Act intituled “An Act for securing the Protestant Religion and Presbyterian Church Government” and by the Acts passed in the Parliament of both Kingdoms for Union of the two Kingdoms, together with the Government, Worship, Discipline, Rights and Privileges of the Church of Scotland. So help me God.

The new monarch then signs two copies of the oath. The signing is witnessed by any members of the Royal Family present who are Privy Counsellors, the Lord Chancellor, the Secretary of State for Scotland, the First Minister of Scotland, the Lord Advocate of Scotland, the Advocate General for Scotland, and the Lord President of the Court of Session. The Lord President of the Council then reads the remaining items on the List of Business which mainly concern the use of the Seals, such as the Great Seal of the Realm that is used to symbolize the monarch’s approval of important state documents.

The Great Seal attached to a charter; By Mo McRoberts – Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29936001

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

Works Cited
“Accession council.” Wikipedia. N.p.: Wikimedia Foundation, 29 Dec. 2016. Web. 22 Feb. 2017.
“The Accession council.” Privy Council. 2010. Web. 22 Feb. 2017.

When The British Monarch Dies: Proclamation of The New Monarch

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2017

Reading the Proclamation of the Accession of Edward VII, St. James’ Palace by Enoch Ward; Credit – http://www.artnet.com

At the conclusion of Part I of the Accession Council, orders regarding the public readings of the Accession Proclamation and the traditional firing of guns at Hyde Park and the Tower of London are discussed. Then the Garter King of Arms, accompanied by the Earl Marshal, who is responsible for the ceremonial arrangements relating to the Proclamation, other Officers of Arms and the Sergeants at Arms, will read the Proclamation from the Proclamation Gallery above Friary Court at St. James’ Palace in London, where the Accession Council was held.

The following was the proclamation read in public for King Charles III’s accession. It is expected that a similar proclamation will be used in the future.

Whereas it has pleased Almighty God to call to His Mercy our late Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth the Second of Blessed and Glorious memory, by whose Decease the Crown of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is solely and rightfully come to The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George:

We, therefore, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of this Realm and Members of the House of Commons, together with other members of Her late Majesty’s Privy Council and representatives of the Realms and Territories, Aldermen, and Citizens of London, and others, do now hereby with one voice and Consent of Tongue and Heart publish and proclaim that The Prince Charles Philip Arthur George is now, by the Death of our late Sovereign of Happy Memory, become our only lawful and rightful Liege Lord Charles the Third, by the Grace of God of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and of his other Realms and Territories, King, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith, to whom we do acknowledge all Faith and Obedience with humble Affection; beseeching God by whom Kings and Queens do reign to bless His Majesty with long and happy Years to reign over us.

Given at St James’s Palace this tenth day of September in the year of Our Lord two thousand and twenty-two.

GOD SAVE THE KING

 Proclamation Gallery above Friary Court at St. James’ Palace

 

Coinciding with the reading of the Proclamation, gun salutes occur at the Tower of London and Hyde Park. The basic salute is 21 rounds, fired at ten-second intervals. However, because Hyde Park is a Royal Park, an extra 20 rounds are fired for a total of 41 rounds. 61 rounds are fired at the Tower of London on Tower Wharf facing the River Thames: the basic salute of 21 rounds, an extra 20 rounds because the Tower of London is a Royal Palace and 20 more rounds because the Tower of London is located in the City of London.

 

Once the Proclamation has been read from the Proclamation Gallery above Friary Court at St James’ Palace, the heralds travel through London and read it at various points in London including Trafalgar Square and the original site of Temple Bar on Fleet Street until they reach the Royal Exchange where it is read aloud in the presence of the Lord Mayor of London. By tradition, the Proclamation is also read publicly in Edinburgh, Scotland; Cardiff, Wales; Belfast, Northern Ireland; and in other locations. The anniversary is observed throughout the monarch’s reign as Accession Day with royal gun salutes.

This article is the intellectual property of Unofficial Royalty and is NOT TO BE COPIED, EDITED, OR POSTED IN ANY FORM ON ANOTHER WEBSITE under any circumstances. It is permissible to use a link that directs to Unofficial Royalty.

1. “My Heart’s in the Highlands” / 2. The New Royal Family

by The Laird o’ Thistle (Special Edition)
© Unofficial Royalty 2022

As the two things I want to write about today do not lend themselves being combined into a single column, for this one time I am doing a double feature….

1. “My Heart’s in the Highlands”
My heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here;
My heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing the deer;
A-chasing the wild-deer, and following the roe,
My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.
— Robert Burns, 1789

I said to a friend yesterday that it feels like a dear aunt has passed, the aunt of the whole world.

In the midst of great sadness, I am taking some comfort in the fact that Queen Elizabeth II died peacefully yesterday at Balmoral, reportedly her favorite place on earth. She passed from this life in the place she loved best with her two eldest children in attendance. (Reports indicate that Prince William, the Wessexes, and Prince Andrew arrived shortly after her passing.) I am even taking a bit of bemused pride in the fact that by dying in Scotland, she died a Presbyterian… for the Sovereign is a member of the Kirk when in Scotland.

Balmoral has been a place of respite and refuge for two great queens, Victoria and Elizabeth. Queen Elizabeth has loved it from childhood when she and her parents, her sister, and (often) her cousin Margaret Rhodes would spend summer holidays at adjoining Birkhall. After her father became king the scene shifted to the castle itself, and three years into the reign the young princesses remained at Balmoral for the first three months of World War II before finally rejoining their parents “down south” in December 1939. In the postwar years Balmoral was the site of happy times for the King and his family, and of both courtship and honeymoon for Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. A number of heartwarming photos remind us King George’s final summer at Balmoral with the entire family… including grandchildren Charles and Anne. (See: https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/transition-the-final-months-of-king-george-vi-and-accession-of-queen-elizabeth-ii/ ) And, now, we will forever treasure the final image of Queen Elizabeth there, taken just two days before her death, a photo of the tiny and frail, but warmly smiling 96-year-old, tartan clad and leaning on her stick, standing by a roaring fire in the castle’s drawing room as she awaited the arrival of her 15th Prime Minister.

I am thankful that before being whisked off to England, the Queen’s body reposes today in the ballroom at Balmoral, where she loved dancing reels at the annual Ghillies Ball. I am also thankful that in a couple of days her coffin will be taken first to Edinburgh, to Holyrood, for due honours in her Scottish capital and palace where, in 1999, she reconvened the first Scottish Parliament since 1707. But as she departs Balmoral for the very last time, no doubt to the plaintive sound of the bagpipe, I hope someone there will quietly whisper in her behalf:

Farewell to the mountains, high-cover’d with snow,
Farewell to the straths and green valleys below;
Farewell to the forests and wild-hanging woods,
Farewell to the torrents and loud-pouring floods.
…My heart’s in the Highlands wherever I go.

2. The New Royal Family

I am sure that many will have shared my experience of startle-ment yesterday, upon hearing the words “His Majesty the King” spoken for the first time in my lifetime. The era of King Charles III and Queen Camilla has begun.

Over the last several years, while remaining firmly in charge, Queen Elizabeth took great care in preparing the way for this moment. She successfully won the agreement of the leaders of the Commonwealth that Charles should succeed her as its Head. In February she made it very clear that she wanted Camilla to be known as Queen Consort when the time came, and then she personally appointed and invested Camilla as a Lady of the Garter. For very practical, but also deeply symbolic, reasons she designated Charles as her representative to preside at the most recent State Opening of Parliament in May. Similarly, it was Charles who “took the salute” for her at the Trooping the Colour in June. And now he is King.

In a moment, yesterday afternoon, everything changed… not just for Charles and Camilla, but for many. William has… just this evening… been created Prince of Wales by the King. William and Catherine are now the Prince and Princess of Wales, Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and Cambridge, and… in Scotland… Duke and Duchess of Rothesay. William is now the Great Steward of Scotland and Lord of the Isles, as well. Their children are now Princes George and Louis, and Princess Charlotte of Wales. Harry’s children are now… if their parents so choose… Prince Archie, and Princess Lilibet of Sussex.

I deeply hope that King Charles will also fulfill his parents’ longstanding intention and deeply-held wish, and quickly move to create Prince Edward as Duke of Edinburgh. (Albeit, it may be the appropriate time to transition the Royal Dukedoms into lifetime appointments, rather than them being hereditary.)

King Charles has talked for years of transitioning to a “slimmed down” monarchy, with fewer working royals. Over the last several years it has sort of created itself, in large part through the disgrace of Prince Andrew and the departure of Prince Harry to America. I expect that the increasingly frail Duke of Kent (soon to be 87) and his sister Princess Alexandra (soon to be 86) will probably take the new King’s accession as their opportunity to retire from active service. The Duke of Gloucester (age 78) may continue to assist for a while, or he too may decide it is time to step back.

The big question in my mind concerns the ongoing roles of the Princess Royal and of Prince Edward and Sophie (either as Duke/Duchess of Edinburgh, or continuing as Earl/Countess of Wessex). Over the course of the pandemic, and following the departures of both Andrew and Harry from royal duties, they have become invaluable working members of the royal team. I have already heard rumours that Anne may choose to “retire” at some not-too-distant point. (Though, I hope not too soon!) On the other hand, Edward is “only” 58 and, having been forced out of his earlier career attempts largely by Charles, he and Sophie have worked hard for years now “in support of” the Queen, and the Crown.

As I see it, the practical reality for the next several years will be that there is more to be done than Charles and Camilla, and William and Catherine, can do. It is at least twelve years, and probably longer, before Prince George will assume any significant role. (He just turned age 9.) Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis may (or may not) both follow in turn. But, just as happened for Princes William and Harry, the family may also want to give the rising generation a bit more time… until around age 30 or so… before asking them to assume a full load of duty.

Finally, as odd as it seems to say this on his first day as King, I find myself hoping that Charles will at least consider adopting the model of other European royal houses and retiring (i.e. abdicating) at some point down the road. He has, today, pledge himself to “lifelong” service. But, sometimes such service is best offered by stepping back at the right moment.

King Charles will turn 74 in November. As much as I have loved and admired the Queen throughout my 66+ years of life, and have understood her ingrained sense of the “job-for-life” tradition, I have personally wished over the last couple of years that she would have followed Prince Philip’s lead in stepping back, for her own sake as well as for those coming after. She sort of did so, in a very careful and limited way. But as recently as this Tuesday she was still at work, possibly overextending herself in the end. King Charles will have to choose his own way, but I hope he at least holds the retirement option open.

And so, for today and days ahead… “God save the King! God bless the Prince of Wales! And, God bless all of the new Royal Family!”

Yours aye,
Ken Cuthbertson – the Laird o’ Thistle

The Death of Queen Elizabeth II – What happened on Friday, September 9, 2022

Operation London Bridge was the codename for the detailed set of plans following the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The plans had long been planned in consultation with the Government. The following is what happened on Friday, September 9, 2022.

  • King Charles III and Queen Camilla stayed at Balmoral overnight on Thursday and returned to London on Friday.
  • King Charles III had his first audience as monarch with Prime Minister Liz Truss.
  • King Charles III met with Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk who holds the office of Earl Marshal of England and is responsible for the organization of major ceremonial state occasions such as the monarch’s coronation in Westminster Abbey and state funerals. They approved the plans for the events that will happen on the upcoming days. The plans incorporated Operation Unicorn, the contingency plans for the death of The Queen in Scotland.
  • King Charles III decided on the length of court mourning for members of the royal family and royal households.
  • The Government confirmed the length of national mourning. They announced that the funeral day will be a public holiday in the form of a Day of National Mourning. Union flags on royal buildings will fly at half-mast. The Royal Standard never flies half-mast. It represents the Sovereign and the United Kingdom and is a symbol of the continuation of the monarchy.
  • Bells tolled at Westminster Abbey, St. Paul’s Cathedral, and Windsor Castle, and gun salutes – one round for every year of The Queen’s life – were fired in Hyde Park and at other places. Floodlighting at royal residences was turned off.
  • King Charles III made a pre-recorded televised address to the nation, paying tribute to The Queen and pledging his duty to his service as the new sovereign.
  • Prime Minister Liz Truss and senior ministers attended a public service of remembrance at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London.