New Magazine - People Royals out in March

  

 

For Immediate Release 

February 23, 2021 

Kate Middleton’s 'Power,' Fergie Spills the 'Tea' & Rita Wilson's Diana Moment: Inside PEOPLE Royals!

PEOPLE Royals hits newsstands on Friday, March 5

(NEW YORK) - Introducing PEOPLE Royals — a new quarterly publication focused exclusively on all things royal. You can find the premiere issue of PEOPLE Royals at your local newsstand on Friday, March 5 or subscribe at peopleroyals.com/launch.

In the inaugural issue, Kate Middleton defines herself as a "millennial Queen-in-the-making," Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York gets personal over a cup of tea and singer-songwriter and actress Rita Wilson shares her memorable encounter with Princess Diana 25 years ago. Plus, looking for your new favorite cocktail? Try the Queen's favorite drink. Read ahead for a sneak peek!

Kate the Great: How the Future Queen Is Defining Herself

At the 10-year mark in her royal career, Princess Kate has firmly established her voice. If the current Queen, 94, has embodied the very English stiff upper lip throughout her long reign, the millennial Queen-in-the-making, 39, has chosen a modern path: feelings are to be validated, mental health is to be prioritized, and laughter is to be encouraged. And like parents around the world, she's doing this all while homeschooling 7-year-old George, 5-year-old Charlotte and 2-year-old Louis. There is no doubt that Kate faces pressures uniquely her own: She is the wife of one future King and raising another. To add to the pressures, there was also the resignation of her brother-in-law Prince Harry and sister-in-law Meghan Markle from royal duty. The move left Kate as the only senior royal woman of her generation. "Kate is now the only real possible provider of the glamour factor," says historian Sarah Gristwood, author of Elizabeth: The Queen and the Crown.

As she continues to straddle two very different types of leadership, she does so under the scrutiny of the world's eyes. "You can look through 10 years of pictures of Kate Middleton and there are no off moments," says Elizabeth Holmes, author of HRH: So Many Thoughts on Royal Style. No, she's not likely to speak out on issues royals have avoided for centuries, including politics and personal struggles. But in a turbulent world too often rocked by unrest, she can be counted on as a beacon of stability. "There is a tremendous power in being consistent and making people happy," says Holmes. "There aren't that many powerful people who can do that." For more, including Kate's 5 rules of parenting, check out PEOPLE Royals.

What Tea Time Means to Me by Sarah Ferguson

"Teatime has always been an important part of our family day, where we can take time to share news," the Duchess of York writes in an exclusive essay. "When my girls were younger, we would sit and chat about their day at school, any achievements or concerns they might have. We would have a magical feast of finger sandwiches, cocktail sausages, biscuits, scones with clotted cream and jam and bite-size cakes. Of course, afternoon tea food became more adult as the girls grew older, with smoked-salmon sandwiches and cucumber sandwiches replacing the Traffic Light ones, but the basic ethos was the same: a time of sharing." For more, including the Duchess of York's tips for brewing the perfect cup of tea, check out PEOPLE Royals.

That Time I Met…Princess Diana by Rita Wilson

Rita Wilson is a singer-songwriter, actress and producer whose new single, "I Wanna Kiss Bob Dylan" is out now. Her song "Everybody Cries" is featured in the film The Outpost.

"I was around 7 months pregnant with my youngest son at the premiere of Apollo 13 in London [in 1995]," Wilson shares in an exclusive interview. "We met the princess, and then we were all eaten in a small screening room. [My husband] Tom [Hanks] was sitting next to her and got up to say a few words. As he walked back to his seat, Diana held the seat down for him, and it was just this sweet gesture that was very spontaneous and thoughtful and not something you would consider a princess doing. She was that kind of warn and accessible.

"I was sitting next to her later that evening at dinner, and because I was pregnant, she said, 'Do you need anything? Can I get you a cushion? Are you comfortable? How are you feeling? Are you able to eat?' She asked all the questions that you would ask someone who was expecting a child and had been through a really long night and dinner. She understood what that was like and how you'd really rather be in bed no matter who is sitting next to you. And by the way, I wouldn't have rather been in bed!" For more, including the "shocking" moment that made Wilson's "heart ache" for Diana, check out PEOPLE Royals. 

 https://people.com/royals/people-royals-kate-middleton-how-future-queen-defining-herself/

Hermine An Empress in Exile by Moniek Bloks

 

Princess Hermine of Schonaich-Carolath's relationship with Kaiser Wilhelm II began when her young son, Georg Wilhelm wrote a letter to the exiled former Emperor.  He thought that the recently widowed Wilhelm looked lonely and he wanted the former Kaiser to know that when he wanted to "fight for you when I am a man."

Wilhelm II responded with two letters and a photo.  One letter was for Georg Wilhelm and the other for his mother.  He invited both of them to visit him in Doorn.   The meeting between Wilhelm, whose wife had died a year earlier, and Hermine, was propitious.   Her trip to Doorn was set for early June.   Wilhelm was smitten and proposed marriage.  They were engaged in October and married on November 5, 1922.

The marriage did not meet the approval of most German monarchists and Wilhelm's children.  Hermine, a Princess of Reuss by birth, was widowed in 1920, when her husband, Prince Johann Georg, only 46 years old, died after a long illness in 1920.  It is easy to describe Hermine as a formidable woman, ready to multi-task by raising five children and run her late husband's estate, Saabor.  She would also have to walk the uneasy steps of a younger second wife, who had neither the approbation nor affection of Wilhelm II's family nor most monarchists.

Hermine was eager to join Wilhelm in his exile at Doorn.  Unlike Wilhelm, she had the ability to visit Germany, to check on her older children at school, and check on Saabor.   Her visits to Berlin, especially, allowed Hermine to cultivate access with leading Nazi officials as she was an early supporter of Adolf Hitler and National Socialism.   

With the self-confidence that she could muster, Hermine ingratiated herself with Nazi officials as she believed Hitler would restore her husband to the throne.   This never happened.    The Netherlands was invaded by the Germans in 1940. Hermine welcomed the German soldiers.

Wilhelm II died at Doorn on June 4, 1941.  Hermine was once again a widow.  Although she would visit Doorn several times before the end of the war,  Hermine divided most of her time between her estate in Silesia and an apartment in Berlin's Old Palace.

She was forced to leave Schloss Saabor in January 1945 and fled to her sister's home in Rossla.  The Americans were advancing and she thought her family would be safe.  She dismissed the threat of Soviet troops, which is what happened.  

Hermine's final two years were spent in Soviet internment in Frankfurt-am-Oder.  She died in August.

Although Hermine is mentioned in numerous biographies of Wilhelm II, she has not been treated to her own biography until.  Dutch historian Moniek Bloks is to be commended for her honest portrayal of Hermine in Hermine An Empress in Exile, which was recently published in paperback by John Hunt/Chronos Books.

Blok has made meticulous use of original source material, including Hermine's autobiography, Days in Doorn (1928), and shines a light on Hermine's life.  She does not hold back with the negatives: family dynamics and her support for Hitler.

Hermine's life changed inexorably when her son sent his letter to the former Kaiser.  If she had not married Wilhelm, it is unlikely that anyone would have been interested in Hermine.  She would have remained at Schloss Saabor or married another minor Prince.  Her marriage to the former German emperor brought press coverage on both sides of the Atlantic.  She was sought out for interviews even after she ended up interned by Soviet troops.

This is Moniek Bloks's second book.  Her first book, Carolina of Nassau, was published in 2019 by John Hunt/Chronos. 

https://royalbooknews.blogspot.com/2019/02/carolina-of-orange-nassau-by-moniek.html

She is best known for her blog, History of Royal Women, where she writes about "amazing women."  I can only imagine what amazing woman will be the subject of her next full-length biography.

https://www.historyofroyalwomen.com/

Battle of Brothers by Robert Lacey

 

I want to apologize to people who bought this book on my recommendation.  I said to several people that Robert Lacey is a respected historian.  His book on Queen Elizabeth II is excellent and highly regarded,

Battle of Brothers will never be highly regarded.  It won't be long before this book ends up on remainder tables.  Please, just walk by, don't buy it.  This book is one of the worst royal books that I have read in a long time.  

Seriously, it is really bad,  Lacey is the Historical Consultant to The Crown, but it is apparent that he is not helping the program, which is consistently inaccurate.

It appears that Lacey was handed a pile of tabloid news clips and proceeded to write a book based on quotes from the Sun, the Daily Mail, and other tabloid newspapers.  He also cites Kitty Kelley's error-filled The Windsors..  [I am cited in the acknowledgments of this book only because the author attended one or two of my lectures at the Smithsonian.  She did not learn anything, however.]  

Lacey highlights the issues between William and Harry as only a tabloid writer can do, but when you cite largely only tabloid stories, you lose credibility.  No substance, just scandal.

And now the mistakes:  

page 6.   Although Prince Charles was not the first heir to the throne born without the Home Secretary witnessing his birth.  Clement Atlee's government decided that the Home Secretary was no longer needed, but, facts matter.   The Home Secretary's last royal birth was on December 25, 1936, when the Duchess of Kent gave birth to Princess Alexandra.  The Home Secretary was not present for the births of Prince William of Gloucester, Prince Michael of Kent, and Prince Richard of Gloucester in 1941, 1942, and 1944, respectively, due to the second world war.

Although the Duchess of Gloucester was first to give birth at the Lindo Wing in 1974, it was Princess Anne, not Charles, who was the first royal to allow photographers to snap her when she left the Lindo Wing in 1977 with her son, Peter Phillips.  She was also photographed leaving with Zara in 1981.

But it was the Duchess of Kent was the first British royal to pose for photographers after leaving King's College Hospital with her newborn son Lord Nicholas Windsor in July 1970.  The Duchess was also the first British royal to give birth in a hospital.

Page 7 No, Mr. Lacey, Frogmore Cottage was never a "collection of cottages."  At some point, during the second world war or shortly afterward that Frogmore Cottage was converted into 5 staff apartments.  In 2018, I wrote a detailed history on Frogmore Cottage.

https://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2018/11/frogmore-cottage-history.html

Page 8. Lacey does not provide Harry and Meghan with any favors.  He makes rather snide comments about their "deluxe, five-star instincts" when writing about Meghan giving birth at Britain's "most expensive delivery facility, the US-owned Portland Hospital." He cites several celebrities giving birth at the Portland but neglects to mention the York princesses, Beatrice and Eugenie, who were born at the Portland.

And there is the laughable mistake that Lacey made on page 188, "so here was the first reason why Catherine Middleton is due one day  to be Queen Catherine the Sixth."

Mr. Lacey, consorts do not get regnal numbers. Only the sovereign is entitled to a regnal number.  The Duchess of Cambridge will be the sixth consort named Catherine or Katherine or Katheryn.  But she will not be Queen Catherine VI.  

Let's move to page 197:  "As the son of Diana's friend, Lady Carolyn  Herbert, Pelly had been close to both princes from childhood."

No, no, no, Mr. Lacey,  Guy is not the son of Lady Carolyn Herbert.  He is the son of the late John Gurney Pelly and Vanda Joan Allfrey.  They married in 1973 and were the parents of three sons, Sam, James, and Guy.  

Lady Carolyn Herbert, only daughter, and youngest child of the late 7th Earl of Carnarvon.  In 1985, she married John Warren.

http://www.highclereracing.com.au/about-highclere/the-team/john-warren

Lady Carolyn and her husband have three children, Jakie, Susanna, and Alexander.  For three years, Guy dated Susanna.  Their relationship ended in 2010.

Research matters.  Try it.  Hire a fact-checker if your publisher is too cheap to keep one on speed dial.

The Prince of Wales' Private Secretary Clive Alderton did represent at the Sandringham Summit/  Lacey appears to not know that Alderton was not actually at Sandringham, or even in England, that weekend.  He was an active participant in the summit, but he was in Bucharest that weekend, representing Charles at the 30th anniversary of Her Majesty Margareta's first visit to Romania.

How do I know this?  I was also in Bucharest.  

And then there is this one on page 339:  "Windsors from Edward and Sophie Wessex to Anne's children had successfully managed the trick of mixing commerce and royal connections."   Anne's children are not royal and do not carry out official engagements.  Prince Edward's Ardent Productions had a few successes but was a financial liability and Sophie's discomfiture after her interview with a "reporter" from the News of the World posing as a sheik, led to a discussion of their working life.   

The Queen asked her then Lord Chamberlain Lord Luce to guidelines for working royals.   The Luce Guidelines, primarily designed for the Earl and Countess of Wessex, were announced on July 8, 2001.  The guidelines have never been implemented as the Wessexes were persuaded to give up their careers and become full-time working royals.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/1428243.stm

If Lacey wanted an example of a royal with a successful career, he needed to look no further than the Duke of Gloucester.   As the younger son of the late Duke of Gloucester, Prince Richard was never expected to be a full time working royal.  He got a degree in architecture and was working as an architect when his older brother, Prince William, was killed in a plane crash in August 1972.  

Richard gave up his career.  He and his Danish-born wife, Birgitte, quickly became working royals, taking on numerous patronages and charities, especially after the death of his father, the Duke of Gloucester in June 1974.  

Robert Lacey describes Harry and Meghan as a "bizarre exercise in self-indulgence," but blames Sir Edward Young for their decision to leave their jobs.  He adds: "I am sure you found them a nightmare.  They were  -- and remain -- a deeply flawed fairy tale  But could not say exactly the same of the monarchy you serve?"

Sir Edward is the Queen's private secretary, treated as a mere shadow of the Queen's previous Private Secretary Sir Christopher Geidt. In fairness, the queen did bring Sir Christopher back to the Palace to help guide the Sussexes.

Lacey's reliance on tabloid stories makes it difficult to truly understand the issues between William and Harry.  Yes, their mother died when they were young, but that does not mean that they would always be close.  It is time to stop using Diana's death as an excuse.

Battle of Brothers is a bizarre exercise in royal writing.  To say I am disappointed is an understatement.  I expected better from Robert Lacey, but it appears his historian crown is slipping.  

I have not said this in a long time.  This book has no merit.   It doesn't even have an index.

Give this book a miss!

Royal lectures by Janet Cowlard

 

Each illustrated PowerPoint presentation lasts 40 – 45 minutes allowing for questions.   

 

Talks are delivered using a laptop and projector at your venue,  or to your members at home using Zoom.

 

                         Lecture fee £50.00      

Janet trained as a teacher, and up until taking retirement in 2010 was employed for over 12 years as a Training Services Manager for the charity Arthritis Care. Her role was training volunteers, staff and health professionals enabling her to perfect her skills of PowerPoint presentations.       

Since retirement, she has developed a series of PowerPoint presentations around Royal love affairs, weddings and scandals.  Janet’s interest in the ‘Royals’ began after the Queen’s visit to Plymouth in 1962. Her highlight was meeting Her Majesty the Queen at an award ceremony at Buckingham Palace in 2006. She also provides well-researched talks about the fascinating lives of other famous people. 

 

She is an excellent speaker and has a wealth of experience of presenting to cruise ship passengers, various TWGs, WIs, Probus, U3A’s, Lord Mayors, church and women’s groups, and at international conferences. She has been awarded the ‘Plymouth Citizen of the Year’  and the ‘Plymouth Women of Achievement’ Community award. 

Diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at age 21, Janet has benefited from seven joint replacement operations. Through 40 plus years she has overcome the difficulties caused by her disability,  to become a positive role model and a respected expert in arthritis self/pain management.  

In 2004, Janet’s Winston Churchill Travelling Fellowship research led to her co-writing the internationally recognised and researched ‘Challenging Pain’ training programme.   

 

TALKS for 2021

FABERGÉ AND THE RUSSIA ROYALS

My presentation reveals the turbulent lives of Empress Marie of Russia (Queen Alexandra’s sister), and her son the ill-fated Tsar Nicholas II who along with his wife five children and servants were assassinated by the Bolsheviks in 1918. My story reveals their close connection with Fabergé the famous Russian jeweller, who crafted many fabulous Fabergé Eggs for the Imperial Family. I show many images of his remarkable expertise.

AMERICA’S EARLY BRITISH SETTLERS 

My talk was prepared for the 400th anniversary of the departure of the Pilgrim Fathers from Plymouth; my talk also covers the first British Colony set up in 1585 by Walter Raleigh. This was followed by a settlement in Virginia in 1607 associated with Pocahontas. Finally in 1620, after a 66-day crossing, the Pilgrim Fathers landed in Plymouth Massachusetts, providing the USA’s national Thanksgiving celebration each November. 

‘MRS RONNIE’ –    THE ROYAL MATCHMAKER

With Princess Eugenie wearing a Mrs Ronnie Greville emerald tiara for her wedding there is renewed interest in the British Monarchy. Cecil Beaton said that “Mrs Ronnie was a snobbish old toad, who watered her chops at the sight of Royalty.” She was born illegitimate, but eventually she inherited her father’s fortune. Through her wealth & marriage she moved in elite circles, entertaining politicians, ambassadors and Royalty at her home Polesden Lacey, providing lots of gossip! This complex, scheming lady collected people as obsessively as she collected Cartier jewellery and Fabergé, and left her extensive jewellery collection to the Queen Mother in 1942. 

THE MYSTERY OF  THE ROYAL LETTERS

A fascinating overview of my investigation into five unsigned, undated letters written on notepaper from different Royal residences. My story is supported through many images of Royalty, staff, people, and places with Royal connections who are mentioned in the letters. There is a very exciting conclusion to my research. My book ‘The Royal Letters Mystery’ tells the whole story.

THE ROYAL  JEWELLERY ALPHABET

2018 saw two Royal weddings and a State Banquet which has provided material to keep my talk fresh and up to date. The alphabet is told through many fascinating pictorial images, from pre-Victoria to the present day. I explain the provenance of the Queen’s and other younger Royal Family members’ magnificent jewellery collection of brooches, necklaces, bracelets, tiaras, and  I show images of the occasions when these fabulous items were worn. 

PETS BY  ROYAL APPOINTMENT

NEW FOR 2021

Throughout my talk I discover the Royals association with animals from the stories about the Ravens at The Tower of London and the menagerie that was kept there in the 1300s. During her childhood Princess Victoria’s King Charles Spaniel, Dash was her constant companion. Her children loved dogs, and this connection continues to the present day, with our Queen’s love of Corgis and horses. 

BRUNEL’S SOUTH WEST LEGACY

Brunel’s name is linked to Victorian ingenuity, and he was one of the most successful British engineers. His legacy is remembered across the country, though many are unaware that several of Brunel’s best achievements are here in Plymouth and the South West of England. His inventions continue to fascinate us to this day, and have inspired many to take up engineering. 

BORN TO BE KING  - STILL WAITING  FOR THE CROWN

021 sees 52 years since Prince Charles’ investiture as Prince of Wales at Carnarvon Castle in Wales. His great-great-grandfather Edward was Prince of Wales for over 59 years before becoming King Edward VII. My presentation follows the accession to the British throne looking at the life of Prince Charles, his childhood, relationships, marriages, divorce, and his role as the oldest and longest-serving heir apparent in history. 

THE LIFE OF J.F.K.  

Many remember where they were when they heard the tragic news that President Kennedy had been assassinated on 22nd November 1963 in Dallas, Texas. His life is told through many images and photographs, which show his marriage to Jacqueline Lee Bouvier, his family life, career and alleged affairs. His enduring legacy continues to this day. 

A WINDSOR ROYAL FAMILY SCANDAL

This intriguing love affair between Edward, Prince of Wales, and the American divorcee Mrs Wallis  Simpson shook the very foundations of our British Monarchy shaping our history as we know it today. Historical images and photographs of the time describe their liaison, his abdication, their wedding day, and their subsequent life together as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor until their deaths.

THE DAY I MET THE QUEEN

My presentation follows the procedures that I had to follow on the memorable day when receiving my Winston Churchill Medallion at Buckingham Palace from HM Queen Elizabeth. I share interesting facts about the Royals, Sir Winston Churchill and his family, and the history of the Palace, by showing photographs.

 

THREE ROYAL WEDDINGS  and  A ROYAL FUNERAL

These events are shown through a wide variety of old postcards and historic paintings and photographs. I show images from the weddings of Prince Albert to Queen Victoria, King  Edward VII to Queen Alexandra, King George V to Queen Mary and the funeral of King Edward VII in 1910 was one of the largest gatherings of European Royalty ever

ROYAL CHILDREN   and those who shaped their future lives   

My comprehensive research is told through many photographs and postcards showing nannies, tutors, and governesses, who influenced the lives of British Royal children through the generations from Queen Victoria to the present day. 

A ROYAL LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE   ISLE OF WIGHT

This presentation covers Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s love of Osborne House, their holiday home on the Isle of Wight and rural retreat for their growing family. My images show the construction of the House, and the events which took place there and beyond up until Queen Victoria’s death at Osborne in January 1901.

DEVON’S  ROYAL VISITORS       

A pictorial look at the numerous visits to Devon by the Royal Family from William IV and Queen Victoria to the present day. My PowerPoint presentation includes interesting historical facts about the Royals and the events and places that they visited.

THE SEVEN WONDERS OF THE ... ISLE OF WIGHT

Through old postcards, I show how this famous Isle of Wight legend originated. We travel around the Island through images that show interesting information about the many places, famous people, and Royalty associated with the Island. 

CELEBRATING  THE QUEEN’S DEDICATION TO DUTY

The Queen’s long life is told through an eclectic mix of photographs and postcards of events  (many with a connection to the Plymouth area) that have occurred during her long reign.  Will you remember the important events which have occurred since her birth over 95 years ago?

MANAGING  THE PAIN OF ARTHRITIS

Arthritis is sadly the most common cause of disability in the UK. My presentation is interactive and provides the audience with helpful information about the main types of arthritis, and offers tips and proven techniques for pain relief including exercise, diversion, relaxation, and types of breathing exercises.

Thank you for your interest.

https://www.rydingsassociates.co.uk/

https://royalbooknews.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-royal-letters-mystery-by-janet.html