by The Laird o’Thistle
April 19 2012

Mixed in with the solemn rites and festivities of the Christian Holy Week and Easter, April is a month of personal celebrations for key members of the British royal family. The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary on 9 April. Her Majesty the Queen celebrates her eighty-sixth birthday on 21 April. William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, celebrate their first wedding anniversary on 29 April.

The Queen does not usually make a big deal of her actual birthday. There are usually gun salutes and a special peel of bells at Windsor. At this point, I have not heard of any special event planned for this Diamond Jubilee birthday, but it is possible. There is, however, a special significance in this birthday. In it, the Queen surpasses the age attained by her formidable grandmother, Queen Mary, who lived to be eighty-five years and 10 months. That means that after her late mother, Elizabeth II is now the second oldest “Queen” – either regnant or consort – in British history. (The oldest Queens Consort being: Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, age 101; Queen Mary, age 85 and 10 months; Eleanor of Aquitaine, ca. age 82; and Queen Alexandra, age 80 years and 11 months.)

The wedding anniversary of Charles and Camilla was marked by a special honor given by the Queen to the Duchess of Cornwall. She was appointed a Dame Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. The Order is in the personal gift of the monarch, and all the senior members of the royal family are members. Originated during the lead-in to Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee, Camilla’s appointment in this jubilee year carries particular significance. It is understood that Prince Charles lobbied hard for this recognition of his wife.

Rumors have persisted over the years that the Queen has struggled to embrace Camilla as her daughter-in-law. The whole traumatic saga of Charles and Camilla’s extramarital relationship during his marriage to Diana was challenging for the Queen, both personally and officially. The recent joint appearance by the Queen, the Duchess of Cornwall, and the Duchess of Cambridge together at Fortnum & Mason’s luxury goods store in Piccadilly was unprecedented and proved quite a success. Without doubt, Camilla has slowly but surely proved herself over the years since their marriage to be a stalwart support and working companion to her husband, and she has become an asset to the royal firm.

 One of the surprises for me when we recently watched a BBC documentary made after last year’s royal wedding was an unexpected interaction between the Duke of Edinburgh and the Duchess of Cornwall that I had missed on the day. The setting was the arrival of the Queen and Prince Phillip at Westminster Abbey. As they entered they greeted the various clerics assembled at the door and the Prince of Wales and his wife. What struck me was that when Phillip came to Camilla, his face lit up with a bright smile, and they shared a brief warm embrace and kiss on the cheek.

The first anniversary of Prince William and Catherine marks a year of great successes for the couple. The Duchess of Cambridge has quickly adapted to royal life and is proving to be a great favorite with the Queen as she has been invited to join H.M. on a couple of official visits. Her father-in-law seems similarly impressed and charmed. Having turned thirty herself back in January, Kate will be joined by Prince William in their new age bracket in June, shortly after the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. She, in particular, is said to be somewhat upset over ongoing speculation in the media as to whether she is pregnant, and/or when they will choose to begin a family. (If there is anything that this young couple has thus far made clear to all observers, it is that they will do things in their own time, and in their own way.)

Last year many of us spent hours glued to our televisions on 29 April watching, and then in some cases re-viewing, the unfolding scenes of the wedding of Prince William of Wales and Miss Catherine Middleton. The flowers, the uniforms, the dresses, the jewels, the music, each bit intensely scrutinized in turn. The impression on the day, and since, has been of a couple very much in love, very deeply grounded, and very happy together.

At this point in history, I am not bold enough to attempt any long-term prognostications. Too many things are changing too quickly. But I am willing to stick my neck out as far as four years hence with regard to the monarchy in Britain. In April 2016 Her Majesty the Queen will turn 90. There is every reason to anticipate that she will still be well and carrying on her duties, though probably at an increasingly reduced rate. She will by then have outdistanced Victoria to become the longest reigning British monarch, ever. Hopefully, Prince Phillip will still be hale and hearty, though probably on a greatly reduced public schedule as he approaches his ninety-fifth birthday. (Phillip is the most “iffy” character in this scenario, just given age and recent health challenges.) Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall will be more at the center of public royal life as the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh shift more of the load onto them. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will have at least one, and perhaps even two, children by then. Prince William will still be dividing his time between military service and royal duties, and he will be a bit more bald.

Yours aye,

-Ken Cuthbertson

P.S. I do want to note that I think the inter-party proposal to rename the Clock Tower at Westminster Palace as the “Elizabeth Tower” is absolutely brilliant! May it be so.