Sunday, December 26, 2021

Queen Alexandra by Frances Dimond

 



After more than 15 years of research,  Frances Dimond's biography, Queen Alexandra Loyalty and Love will be published on February 22, 2022, by History and Heritage Publishing.


"By kind permission of Her Majesty The Queen, this book has been based on extensive research over many years in the Royal Archives and elsewhere. The author was the first official Curator of the Royal Photograph Collection.

Queen Alexandra was a private person who destroyed or left instructions to destroy, much of her archive, but nevertheless, enough remains in the form of original documents, such as engagement diaries and letters and informal information, to chart her life more completely than ever before and to attempt to rectify the negative or dismissive attitude towards her which has gained credence in some previous works. This method, rather than drawing mainly from over-salted and peppered memoirs written much later, aims to show her character, enables readers to get to know her and to appreciate what an enormous amount a senior member of the royal family has to accomplish, while still remaining the loving daughter, sister, wife, and mother, and keen supporter of the arts, welfare, and education, that Alexandra was.

During her life, she met many famous, notable, and intriguing people, while her own journey - from the young, modest Danish Princess who married the Prince of Wales in 1863, to the popular Queen Consort of King Edward VII, and the beloved Queen Mother - saw her personal development and courageous struggle against disability, especially deafness. She was a generous, thoughtful, and caring woman, who maintained her sense of humour and interest in all kinds of things and under sometimes challenging circumstances. She could be a lively correspondent and her letters will help readers to understand her far better than has hitherto been possible. This book is long and detailed and readers may like to dip in and out of it, finding stories in all parts, rather than reading it straight through, but it might claim a place among the variety of entertainments that are comforting us in these difficult times."

This book is the culmination of more than 15 years of research, made more difficult because Queen Alexandra destroyed her diaries and other papers.

Frances Dimond was the first Curator of the Royal Photograph Collection.

You can pre-order the book here by clicking on the links.

 
Other books by Frances Dimond


Tuesday, December 21, 2021

Duke of Kent to publish memoirs: A Royal Life

Embed from Getty Images



From Hodder and Stoughton:

"The Duke of Kent has been at the center of Royal life since he was born. On his father's side, he is a first cousin of The Queen, the grandson of King George V and Queen Mary, the nephew of King George VI - and on his mother's side, he is a cousin of Prince Philip and descends from Greek, Danish and Russian Kings, Queens and Emperors. 

 The Duke has been involved in all key royal events through his life - after the early death of his father he walked in the procession behind the King's coffin in 1952 and he paid homage to his cousin, the new Queen, at the Coronation in 1953. He was riding with her when the blanks were fired at the Trooping of the Colour in 1981 - and he was the only member of the Royal Family to stand alongside the Queen to celebrate her official birthday in June 2021. He is now 85 years old. 

 A Royal Life, which includes never before seen photographs from the Duke's own collection, is based on a set of conversations between Prince Edward and Royal historian Hugo Vickers. The conversations focus on the most important moments and themes of The Queen's life and seventy-year reign. They offer a unique and unprecedented set of insights into life as a working royal and behind the scenes of the world's most celebrated family."

 A Royal Life will be published by Hodder & Stoughton on May 22, 2022, and is available for pre-order.




 

Tuesday, December 14, 2021

PEOPLE Royals: Inside Queen Elizabeth's Inner Circle: She Is 'Chatty with Those She Trusts,' Says Insider


 December 14, 2021




The life and enduring legacy of the Queen, 95, as she enters her Platinum Jubilee year is the cover story of the winter issue of PEOPLE Royals


(NEW YORK) - Queen Elizabeth may have been forced due to health and pandemic reasons to spend much of the last year at home at Windsor Castle, but she has a close-knit crew of friends and loyal staffers that she can call on. 

The Queen, 95, who lost her husband of 73 years, Prince Philip, in April, and has also had several close friends die in recent months, has an intimate "bubble" of people to whom she's close. 

"The Queen can go from being magisterial to chatty with those she trusts. She has good judgment once she trusts people – and once she does it is very easy," says a royal insider in the winter issue of PEOPLE Royals, out Friday, Dec. 17.  

In the early summer, she began having friends to Windsor for lunches and dinner—and enjoyed watching TV late into the evening with some of them. Ladies-in-waiting like Lady Susan Hussey, whom she's known for six decades, and friends like the Lady Annabel Whitehead, Lady Elizabeth Leeming, Prince Charles's nanny Mabel Anderson and Susan Rhodes are all reported to be in her inner circle. 

She is rarely alone and also has companionship from her discreet and loyal staff like dresser and close aide Angela Kelly and footman Paul Whybrew. 

Those staffers within the "bubble" keeping the Queen from COVID find it to be "a cheerful place," the insider adds. "Those who are in it cherish their place. They are a support for the Queen and someone that they can have a laugh with and she can talk about the issues of the day."

She also receives regular visits from son Prince Edward and his wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, who live a short drive away at Bagshot, and her youngest son Prince Andrew, who lives nearby in Windsor Great Park at Royal Lodge.  

Life is changing though. Gone is her daily cocktail, friends confirm — though she hasn't given it up for good, and it wasn't on medical advice as it was a habit that was already curtailed before Prince Philip's passing.

Since mid-October, when she canceled a trip to Northern Ireland on doctors' advice and spent a night in the hospital for testing, she has been based at Windsor Castle. She was able to attend the joint christenings of two of her great-grandsons late last month.

Soon, government COVID rules permitting, she will relocate with her close staff to Sandringham House in Norfolk, where she will entertain her family for the first Christmas since losing her beloved Philip.  

For more, pick up a copy of PEOPLE Royals, on newsstands nationwide Dec. 17.


Subscribe: peopleroyals.com/launch




Wednesday, December 8, 2021

A Little Christmas Shopping

 Christmas shopping?  Here is a selection of recommended books that you might want to give or receive as presents.   If you purchase through my links, I earn a few pennies per sale, which I can put toward Amazon gift cards.  I really, really like Amazon gift cards (or Starbucks, Best Buy & Barnes & Noble.)

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=shop+gift+card&gclid=CjwKCAiAksyNBhAPEiwAlDBeLJ-03Ry1q3i7ao62g_FuCbV1klHe8E3UmrIVtWkgk9AZi9dXBncdHxoC6rIQAvD_BwE&hvadid=409939878858&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9008192&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=16272867144078188029&hvtargid=kwd-318948806825&hydadcr=24661_11410854&tag=googhydr-20&ref=nav_custrec_signin


Harper will tell you more about this.

http://royalmusingsblogspotcom.blogspot.com/2018/11/a-message-from-harper-sienna-holiday.html



Saturday, December 4, 2021

An Interview with HRH Princess Sophie of Romania

 

HRH Princess Sophie at Książ Castle, Poland

HRH Princess Sophie of Romania is the author-cum-photographer of a new book, Manastirea Romana The Romanian Monastery, which was recently published by Editura Corint, a Romanian-based publisher.  The book is in English and Romanian.

The Princess agreed to an interview about the book and her work as a photographer.   She is the fourth of five daughters of the late King Michael and late the Queen of Romania.   

Although she was raised in exile in Switzerland, Princess Sophie lived for some time in the United States where she studied in North Carolina and Washington, D.C.   She now lives in Romania where she is involved in several organizations and carries out engagements on behalf of the Romanian crown.


What was the inspiration for this book?  

I longed t travel throughout the country with my camera. Romania has some of the most remarkable rural areas and cultural heritage in Europe. From the magic of the Carpathians to the rolling hills of Maramures with their characteristic dwellings, to the unaltered splendours of the Danube Delta, and a wilderness to be preserved and treasured, all these things offer a magnificent spectacle and bear witness to a way of life that has remained unchanged for centuries. 

In 2017 I created the "Romania, a Celebration" project. It is an umbrella project that consists of an assortment of specific subjects presented through books and exhibitions which would allow people to discover Romania from the unique perspective of a member of the Romanian Royal Family. 

I had visited and stayed in several of Romania’s monasteries during my travels throughout the country in the 1990s. Some of these remarkable places date back to the Middle Ages. Several are recognized as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. Yet despite being celebrated as international treasures nestled in foothills, hiding in the folds of mountains or in full view around cresting heights, life for the residents of these spiritual and cultural treasures has remained hidden from public view. 

Bakery

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There was no question in my mind that the first topic of this project should be the monasteries of Romania. Though this book entitled, The Romanian Monastery  “Celebrating Romania’s Spiritual Communities", I am bringing to the forefront a rarely seen side of the Romanian Monastery, that of a human experience in a spiritual setting. 

Did you need to approach the different monasteries and receive permission to photograph them?

Despite having been to dozens of them, it took time to find those I wished to highlight publicly, for their specific characteristics and location. I ended up focusing on four of them, in different parts of the country. 

Housework

It was only when I had made the preliminary selection that the Church was approached for advice and permission to carry out the photography after which it would notify the chosen monasteries.

Covid-19 aside, how long did it take you to photograph the book?

The groundwork was all completed well before the pandemic. Being rigorous in the organization allowed me to travel from one monastery to the other with efficiency. I stayed in each one for an average of about a week which gave me the time to cover the material I needed from dawn to nightfall. I was able to immerse myself completely in the life of these sacred places and to have the opportunity to interview members of each monastery. I was on location for approximately a month and a half.

Mealtime

Can you talk about the process of preparing for a photographic shoot of the monasteries and their residents?


In each monastery, I let the inhabitants lead the way and set the pace according to their schedule and the monasteries timetable. 

The nuns and monks I met were very open, kind, and generous. I had long conversations with some of them about their lives and their activities. They showed me around with enthusiasm and grace, explaining how things work every step of the way. I listened and followed with my camera. Nothing was staged, everything was photographed in situ. I wanted the images to translate the reality of their activities. 

 They took me behind the scenes so I could truly understand the monastic life beyond prayer, which enabled me to experience aspects of their spiritual lives with total openness. I was able to photograph them cooking, cleaning, tending to their vegetable gardens, caring for their animals, working in the restoration and craft workshops, and other fascinating places not seen by the public. Each evening, I would go over all the photographs and material I had collected during the day so I could start afresh the next morning. This allowed me to take additional photos of a certain aspect if necessary and delve deeper into some of the information already given. 

Presenting the book at the Horezu Monastery


How did the book come about?

I had done some research about different publishers, and I looked at several photography books some of them had done. One of them had already published several books concerning my family and were of very good quality. This was very helpful in making the right decision.  

Work on the book began a few months after the shooting on location. We set a book launch date with the publisher for the following spring, and then the Covid-19 pandemic hit. The book was put on hold and the organisation of complementary exhibitions came to a complete halt. 

Work on the book didn’t start again for at least a year and was delayed more than once. It was finally published at the end of October 2021, 17 months after the original launch date, and online, due to the continued issues with Covid-19. 


Tending to the graves

What cameras do you use - and what lenses did you use for this book?

My cameras are Canon. For this book, I used a 7D and a 7D Mark II and I used a 50mm, a 15-85 mm, a 70-300 mm, and a 10-18 mm.

How many photos did you take- and how many were used?

I took about 2000 photographs in all. The weather was not always cooperative, so some images were not suitable. This is a normal part of the job as I try to get the best image directly “in the box” as opposed to heavy manipulation while editing. 

The number of images for the book was limited to about 150. Photographic books, particularly those in colour are expensive to produce. This was not an issue for me but narrowing down and selecting the right photographs was a challenge! 


Vegetable garden


On another note, tell me about the Warsaw exhibit - and how that came about?

Over the past 150 years, the members of my family, especially women, have made a real contribution to the arts, not only as patrons but as artists themselves.

Through my photographic work, I contribute to my family's continued commitment to celebrate our country and raise awareness around the world about its priceless heritage, culture, and natural beauty. 

Poland and Romania have strong historical links. All generations of the Romanian Royal Family have contributed to the deepening of relations with Poland, especially King Ferdinand and Queen Marie, King Carol II, and King Michael I,  my father. 

My exhibition in Poland called “Travels Through Romania” was yet another connection between the two countries. It took place in the Książ Castle located near the town of Walbrzych in lower Silesia in Southwestern Poland, about 275 miles away from Warsaw and about 19 miles from the Czech Republic.  

My first visit to Książ Castle was in the summer of 2019, the year that marked the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. It was during this first visit that I was offered the opportunity to have an exhibition there. This was all the more meaningful to me because my great-grandmother Queen Marie had stayed there as a guest of the princes of Pless having been a friend of Princess Daisy. The exhibition was all set to take place in September of 2020. 

Like the monastery book, this exhibition was postponed because of the pandemic. It was nevertheless a joy to promote my country there through my work for the months of September and October 2021 a year after it was scheduled to show. 

The exhibition presented 3 different angles of Romania. The first displayed the beauty of the landscapes and rural life through the seasons. The second showed various photographs taken on location in the monasteries. The last group of photographs consisted of a collection of black and white portraits, depicting some of the memorable people that I have met during my travels in the country. 

Do you prefer to shoot landscapes or people?

I have been shooting landscapes since I became serious about photography and like a lot of landscape photographers, I have been accustomed to working alone. 

The seed for stepping into a different subject matter was planted in 2018 when I became the recipient of the “Award of Excellence in Photography Art 2018” from the “Kotinos International Awards” in collaboration with the Philanthropy International Organization, member of the United Nations and the “Grupo Saned. I didn’t realize it at the time, but receiving this award was a turning point in my career.

Like every artist, I was slowly becoming aware that I had reached a point in my work where I had to push myself out of my comfort zone in order to grow and move forward as a photographer. 

When I decided to do the monastery theme, I knew I would be confronted with the challenge of working alongside other people. It was difficult at first, but after a while, I became accustomed to getting on with it and working out how I wanted to present a given scene, such as nuns praying in a dark church which in itself presented a whole new set of challenges or watching them work the ovens in a steamy and hot bakery. 


How did you get interested in photography and when did you get your first camera? 

Since I was a little girl, I had always seen my father with a camera. He used to show us his slides during family evenings I greatly looked forward to those moments and they remain cherished memories of my childhood. 

Ever since I can remember, my sisters and I always had a camera. As a young girl, I wanted to take pictures as beautiful as my father's, so I applied myself. 

During my studies, later on, I took photography at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. I then attended the Corcoran College of Art and Design in Washington DC, where I studied Graphic Design, and after which I was aiming at a master’s in photography. 

However, the events of 1989 in Romania changed the course of my life. I interrupted my studies and returned to the family home in Switzerland to work alongside my father and do what I could to contribute to the spiritual and social renewal of my country through the Royal Margareta of Romania Foundation of which I was vice-president for several years. 

Do you shoot in raw or jpeg?

My career as a photographer didn’t start until 2007. I was lucky to have a mentor. He was a seasoned war photographer who supported and encouraged me enormously and from whom I learned so much in the early days about the art of taking digital photos and how to edit them. This is when I stopped shooting in JPEG and started shooting in RAW and I’ve never looked back.  

He taught me that one does not need the latest and most expensive equipment to take decent photographs. Some people have complimented me on my work, by saying things like “Wow, you must have a good camera!”. They mean well, and I’m grateful, but this is like telling a Chef that they have good saucepans, or that a hairdresser has a good pair of scissors. 

Are you planning another book of photographs or another project?

Romania a Celebration is still in its early days. “Travels Through Romania” hung for 2 months in Poland and has been seen by hundreds of people. Now, this first book is finally in print. The project will grow and evolve with time. 

I am already doing the research for the next topic. Hopefully, I will be able to start shooting during the spring of 2022. Unfortunately, the ongoing pandemic which is wreaking havoc all over the world and creating such hardship for all of us will dictate if this will be possible or not. In any event, it could easily take a year or thereabouts to complete the photography, no matter when the shooting starts. 

Any other exhibitions upcoming?

Exhibitions are never far from my mind. I am hoping that at some point in the future, the talks for the complementary exhibition to the book that has just come out can be reactivated. This would involve a traveling exhibition to major cities in Romania as well as various European capitals, but again Covid-19 will control the possibility of making this venture a reality. 




Can the book be ordered internationally?

Here is the link for ordering the book in the European Union: 

https://www.elefant.ro/manastirea-romana-sarbatorind-comunitatile-spirituale-bilingv_3b55feb6-b53e-47cf-b888-73c41b14c0e8?fbclid=IwAR0PnzeGpa1ORbYO2X0QHm5CowfIEm7AhR14JLXvguVCAXQSyJfZma74mkg

For those living outside the European Union, such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and everywhere else, please send an email to Mrs. Gabriela Mitrovici at the publishing house. She speaks English and is eager to assist anyone who wishes to purchase the book:

gabriela.mitrovici@edituracorint.ro

The book makes for a lovely Christmas gift for anyone who wishes to discover little-known aspects of my country and find some solace in these spiritual dwellings found on the pages of the book. 

If you want to learn more about Princess Sophie and her work, please visit (and enjoy) her website, where you will find more of her photos.


My thanks to Her Royal Highness for agreeing to this interview.