Remembering William and Catherine's Wedding in 2011, Princess Charlotte's Birthday

It is sort of one of those "Where were you..." moments... April 29, 2011, when Prince William married Catherine Middleton. A wonderful pageant indeed...

We all watched and loved it...most with a cup of tea in hand... I know we did....

And who can forget the balcony kiss! Here on a tea towel we have a few left of...

So Happy anniversary today, April 29th, to the royal couple!

We have a few left of the English bone china Royal Wedding mugs from 2011. We had cups and saucers, but they sold out...and due to an error...I sold mine!!! Oh well...

And May 2, 2015 the family welcomed a second child, Princess Charlotte Elizabeth Diana, so Happy Birthday Charlotte!
Here above from last year with big brother George...

The family in 2018

 

So Many English Things This Week!

 Greetings to my fellow cocooning friends!
Some days have not a lot going on, and it is difficult to find interesting things to blog about.
However... April 23rd, actually has too many things!

First of all...today, April 23rd is St. George's Day, and St. George is the symbol of England...not the Union Jack....

 Which is thy symbol of the United Kingdom, but this is the flag of England...it's the symbol on the National teams of England. St. George is the patron saint of England and believed to have died on April 23rd. 
He is thought to have been a Roman soldier, and, of course...reputed to have killed a dragon.....

 This is a Dunoon, England bone china mug we have at Time Was Antiques with the ubiquitous image of the St. George Cross, symbol of England...so...

April 23rd is also famous in England because it is celebrated as Shakespeare's birthday in 1564, and also his date of death in 1616...

 which is a big deal in parts of England...especially Stratford-upon-Avon where he lived...big celebrations there every year...

 This the is Church Of The Holy Trinity in Stratford where the Bard is buried...

This is a cake plate from 1904-1906 of the church...

And Shaespeares gravestone within the church. My husband was born just a few miles from here, so we have visitied many times and loved rambling along the River Avon along the picturesque Shakespeare Trail.

Speaking of my husband... 

April 23rd in the anniversary of the founding of the Coldstream Guards, a unit of the Queen' Own Guards brigade of 5 units, and special to us because it was my husband's old unit. For more on the guards, I have posted previously about it HERE

The Coldstream Guards is a part of the Guards Division, Foot Guards regiments of the British Army. It is the oldest regiment in the British Army in continuous active service, originating in Coldstream, Scotland, in 1650 when General George Monck founded the regiment.

My husband has some great stories of his time in the Guards, and guarding the Queen at Buckingham Palace.... 

 

And on April 23rd of last year, Prince Louis was born... third child of the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge...

 

 

This photo was just released by his Mum Catherine for his second birthday... obviously an enthusiastic finger painter!

 

 

So wishing you a wonderful day celebrating a lot of things British! We will be flying the flag outside again!

Cheers!

Queen Elizabeth II's Actual Birthday April 21, 94 Years Old!

Hiya! I hope your week has not been too traumatic and that you have been social distancing and saving lives.

Amazing what things have been put on hold and cancelled, from the Premier League to Wimbledon to cannon salutes!

 

 April 21, 1926 Elizabeth was born to the Duke And Duchess of York... wo later became King George VI and Queen Elizabth when his elder brother Edward VIII abdicated to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson

 

 

Elizabeth was 11 when her father was crowned in 1937

And was became Queen in 1952 on the death of her father, and crowned in 1953 at Westminster Abbey 

Because of the coronavirus the Queen has cancelled, for the first time in her 68 year reign, the cannon salute giver Her Majesty for her birthday

Here is a link to a YouTube video of a previous birthday gun salute:

 https://images.app.goo.gl/otBLWqVPGQFDgbYN7

This is an original program or programme from the 1953 cotonation, including wonderful photos and a procession map as well as order of service in the Abbey

The first official photo of the Queen taken in 1952 by photographer Dorothy Wilder...

So... wishing Her Majesty Happy 94th Birthday!

 

April 14-15, 1912 The Titanic Tragedy

While we are in a world crisis with coronavirus, in 1912 another crises unfolded with the unthinkable... the Unsinkable Titanic hit an iceberg and sank on her maiden voyage April 14-15th shocking the world.

Built by Harlen & Wolff in Northern Ireland, and sailed by The White Star Line, it was believed to be perfection, and was indeed a floating palace... if you were 1st Class passengers. 

The size comparison is amazing though, with a modern Royal Carribbean ship as shown above, but it was the largest at the time, measuring 882 feet long. The Oasis Of The Seas shown above is 1,181 feet long, but 5 times the gross tonnage and carried 5 rimes the passengers.

  

If you are a Downton Abbey, I am sure you remember the shocking beginning of the series when the heir to the Earl Of Grantham is lost aboard...

This is The White Star offices on Cobh (Cork) Ireland, where she made her last stop before heading out to sea...

we have visited several times. It is now the Titanic Pub and has a museum relating to the ship and the tragedy.

The harbour area....

Rhe White Star Line became Cunard, which still carries passengers. We have been priveleged to sail of Queen Mary 2 twice crossing from Southampton to New York one year and the reverse the next on our then annual month buying trips to England.

The gorgeous atrium with an art deco style metal sculpture of a cruise ship breasting the waves...

This is a chrome tea strainer from the R.M.S. Caronia, another White Star Line ship that sailed from 1949 to 1969.

And a dinner menu from the R.M.S. Queen Elizabeth from 1952...

The tragedy of Titanic is such a part of our history and imaginations. I couldn't but think of it in light of our current virus tragedies and loss of life. The passengers on Titanic could do little to escape their fate, while we can do much.

Please stay in, wash your hands and follow the guidance given. This is not a time for rebellion, which puts so many others at risk.

 

Easter Week Maundy Thursday in the age of Corvid-19

Thursday in the Christian calendar of Easter week, Maundy Thursday is celebrated, and is always on Queen Elizabeth's calendar....

except this year. Due to the coronavirus, or corvid-19 and social distancing, especially for the soon-to-be 94 year old Queen, has cancelled the annual tradition...

 Getty photos

this year accompanied by Princess Eugenie, daughter of Prince Andrew, this year at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle.

 Part of the tradition is handing our pouches of coins to pensioners... one man and woman for each year of the Queen's age.

In 2019, 93 men and 93 women...
In 2020 it would have been 94... unless it will still be gifted without the usual ceremony, and so sad for those who would have otherwise been able to meet the Queen...

The money in the White Purse includes 1, 2, 3 and 4 silver penny pieces, the sum equals the number of years of the Monarch’s age.

The red purse contains a 5 pound coin minted to commemorative the 200th birthday of Queen Victoria, and amusingly a 50p coins commemorating Sherlock Holmes... :)

 This year the purse will equal 93p as Her Majesty turns 93 on Sunday!

Maundy Thursday, the fifth day of Holy Week is in remembrance of the sharing of the Last Supper with his disciples before Christ's death on Good Friday.

The origins of the ceremony come from the commandment Christ gave after washing his disciples' feet, where according to the Bible, he told them to "love one another as I have loved you".

Historically, it has involved handing out food and clothing and cleaning the poor.

Ever since coming to the throne in 1952 the Queen has carried out 

the tradition. 

2012 in York...

 2017 in Leicester

Hopefully, we will see her back to the usual commemoration in 2021.

On Sunday, April 5th the Queen made a rare address about the virus...
which you can view on the bbc website at this link:
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-52176222

 

Ireland for St. Patrick's Day

For some reason, this didn't post for St. Patrick's Day. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

Wishing you a happy St. Patrick's Day!

A time of year when everyone celebrates all things Irish...

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, visiting the Irish Guards in 2017...
This year the visit was called off because of the social distancing due to the virus, and also the unit being deployed elsewhere...

We have visited Ireland several times, and Dublin is always a favorite. This part of the post is for my husband, a Brit who loves Guinness Stout.
 And grew up with the moot Guinness is Good For You!

 Here is the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin where he took a tour...and got samples...I went shopping!

I left he and his buds here, and the ladies went to Grafton Street, the best shopping area in Dublin. We had a great time and ended up at Brown Thomas, one of the best department stores which also has a lovely lunch room where we had a smashing lunch!

The area around Cobh, Cork and Queenstown is another favourite for charm...

and Kinsale ...

 and Blarney too!

 The wonderful Blarney Castle, where you can... and we did NOT... kiss the Blarney stone...

 And the famous woolen Mills, where I purchased a gorgeous blue Aran knit cardigan I treasure...

And of course a delicious Irish breakfast where ever we stayed...

Thanks for visiting and I hope you enjoyed my glimpses of Ireland! And may the Luck Of The Irish be with you!