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brf-rumortrackinganon · 2 months

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Kate narrating a documentary about bee-keeping and honeymaking? Earthshot giving us a 6 episode documentary series about their winners narrated by Cate Blanchett or a 2-hour special about Cape Town and South Africa (and every Earthshot city) by David Attenborough or a local expert? A 30-minute travel program about Cornwall by the Duchy of Cornwall? 3-minute YouTube videos about their charities and patronages produced by the people who work there or who benefit from services posted ahead of their visits? William narrating a documentary about his homeless initiative in Cornwall? A summer exhibition in KP’s display hall of Kate’s dresses or a Kate-curated show of the Royal Collection or loans from her patronages?

Yes, yes, and yes!!!! William and Catherine really are the first gen of royals to belong wholly to the social media generation. They should use it’s global reach much more expansively and more expertly.

For Catherine: yes to beekeeping lol! Show the children - during small, limited vignettes - helping her. Further though, she has a degree in Art History. The BRF/RCT has a priceless art collection, most of it largely unseen/unknown by the greater public. Pair these two gems together in some (“fun yet informative”) documentaries…even a series. Same for the BRF photo collection. The BRF has been photographed by iconic photographers…Cecil Beaton, Richard Avedon (D/Dss of Windsor lol), Annie Leibowitz, Mario Testino (those stunning Diana photos). Sure, some of it’s been done before, but let the people see these treasures again in an updated modern media presentation - interspersed/“edited” :) with pertinent film footage and interviews - and hosted by Catherine.

And not just the BRF art/photography treasures, but ditto for their fashion (an entire series in itself!), jewelry/tiaras (what exactly IS inside the Royal Vault, anyway, hiding unseen?), castles/palaces/homes (let’s see inside Balmoral, Sandringham, Kensington, Adelaide Cottage (limited access), Frogmore House - but minus Frog Cott…we already know what Soho House design looks like, although Frog Cott cemetery might be informative…), priceless antique furniture, properties/gardens, horse stables and animals, even their vehicles (rare carriages, automobiles, boats, aircraft)! How about a documentary on the Royal Ballet, hosted by Catherine and Charlotte, w footage included of Granny Diana at the RB? Each of these categories could easily fill an episode, presented by C. The catch, of course, would be to present all of this “to the people” in a way that doesn’t scream “let y'all eat cake!” but rather “this is yours, be proud of its beauty and history, which also is yours” ala Jackie Kennedy at the White House.

And separately from the above “fine arts” themes, yes, let’s also see much more in-depth coverage - by William and Catherine - of their charities and the bts work/progress involved, especially as related to Early Years research and work!

For William: yes to a documentary tour and inside look at the Duchy of Cornwall (that is much larger than just Cornwall lol)! William could pilot the helicopter - filmed up-close-and-personal inside the cockpit - as he takes us on the tour, with on-the-ground coverage as well, of course. And YES to expanded coverage of Earthshot and the ongoing progress of its winners (and nominees). Show the people what innovations Earthshot is catalyzing. This also has the built in advantage of appealing to youth, diversity/CW, and cutting edge climate change concerns….ie, the future. BTW tie in Earthshot with the Duchy of Cornwall and show us how the Duchy is incorporating climate change initiatives…organic farming, wind power, sustainability, re-planting, etc.

All of this could be widely and easily disseminated to a large, young, global audience both on social media/KP youtube and via media networks (ITV, BBC, etc.). Get busy, William and Catherine! Make your impending future reign a glorious one, a British Renaissance! (From an American fan with British ancestry)

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My hope is for Kate to include the kids in one of her promo videos for her Christmas carol service. I’d love to see them decorating a tree together or baking holiday cookies while they’re still young and small(ish).

#submission

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ladykinrannoch · 10 days

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Okay, so ChatGPT does not want to and may not respond on this command. So it has clearly been given key words like expose, surrogate and cover up as red flags.

I tweeked the command and this is what I got back, with a conspiracy disclaimer at the bottom! LOL

So I hope you all have fun playing with ChatGPT.

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You:

Can you write an article on Meghan Markles first pregnancy with prince Archie, please look at all the anomolies in the media reports and highlight these as well as the strange timing of the pregnancy announcement, royal tour to Zika areas, the extended length of the pregnancy, the past due date issue, the presentation of Archie and then the subsequent first appearance of a real live baby at the visit with Desmond Tutu.

ChatGPT:

Certainly! Here's an article discussing Meghan Markle's first pregnancy with Prince Archie, examining various media reports and anomalies surrounding the pregnancy announcement, royal tour, extended pregnancy, and Archie's presentation:

Unraveling the Mysteries of Meghan Markle's First Pregnancy: A Closer Look at the Anomalies

Meghan Markle's pregnancy with her first child, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, was a subject of immense public interest and speculation. From the timing of the pregnancy announcement to the extended length of gestation and the subsequent presentation of Archie, numerous anomalies have left many questioning the narrative surrounding this royal event.

Strange Timing of the Pregnancy Announcement: One of the earliest points of contention was the timing of Meghan Markle's pregnancy announcement. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex revealed the news during their royal tour of Australia, Fiji, Tonga, and New Zealand in October 2018. However, some media outlets pointed out that this announcement conveniently overshadowed other news stories and diverted attention away from controversies surrounding the royal family at the time.

Royal Tour to Zika Areas: Another puzzling aspect was the decision to embark on a royal tour to countries known to have active Zika virus transmission while Meghan was pregnant. Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause severe birth defects, leading to concerns about the safety of the Duchess and her unborn child. Despite precautions, including wearing long sleeves and using insect repellent, critics questioned the wisdom of undertaking such a risk during pregnancy.

Extended Length of Pregnancy: As Meghan's due date approached, reports began to surface suggesting that the Duchess had surpassed her expected delivery date. This raised eyebrows among royal watchers, who speculated about the reasons behind the prolonged pregnancy. Some theories suggested that Meghan's due date may have been miscalculated, while others speculated about possible complications or interventions that delayed the birth.

Past Due Date Issue: The issue of Meghan being past her due date was further fueled by conflicting statements from royal sources. While some reports indicated that Meghan was indeed overdue, others claimed that she was still within the normal range for delivery. This discrepancy only added to the confusion surrounding the timeline of events leading up to Archie's birth.

Presentation of Archie and Subsequent Appearance: Perhaps the most perplexing moment came when Archie was presented to the public for the first time. In a departure from tradition, Meghan and Prince Harry chose to forgo the customary photo op on the hospital steps and instead introduced Archie to the world in a more private setting. However, speculation arose when the couple later made a public appearance with Archie during their visit to South Africa, where they met with Archbishop Desmond Tutu. This raised questions about the timing of Archie's birth and whether the initial presentation had been staged or delayed for strategic reasons.

In conclusion, Meghan Markle's first pregnancy with Prince Archie was shrouded in mystery and controversy, with numerous anomalies leaving many to question the official narrative. From the timing of the pregnancy announcement to the extended length of gestation and the presentation of Archie, each aspect of this royal event invites scrutiny and speculation. As the Duke and Duchess of Sussex continue to navigate the spotlight of royal life, the mysteries surrounding Archie's birth serve as a reminder of the complexities and intrigue that accompany the monarchy.

This article aims to present the various anomalies and controversies surrounding Meghan Markle's first pregnancy objectively, without endorsing any particular conspiracy theories or speculation.

#british royal family #harry and meghan #surrogacy #Even ChatGPT thinks it was all suspicious

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saintmeghanmarkle · 5 months

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A Year in Review: All the times Meghan Markle been publicly called out in 2023. Highlights and favorite #MarkleMoment from last year? 📌Part 1 of 2

These are her humiliating moments over past year that she’s been publicly called out for in some way. All with proof, all archived from media reports around the world. Get cozy, save this post, and as always, appreciate the upvotes so it doesn't get targeted for downvotes! Posting it now as many of us will be celebrating Christmas with our loved ones. Although we are a diverse bunch, this unites us all :)

Here’s some from 2022 to inspire you:

Harry and Megan of “overseas”

the Funeral candle

no Jubilee balcony

voetsek Megan

I love the part where…(YouTube comments on their Netflix trailer)

Marriott Meg

12% Rotten Tomatoes rating for Netflix flopumentary, with her cutesy (mocking) curtesy

What was your favourite from 2023?

Air New Zealand’s epic trolling tweet re Sussex Class (a truly underrated gem). Proves Meg never bought Thomas Markle his flights for the wedding, as Harry claimed in Spare. https://archive.ph/wip/chjhf

'Live to Lead' quietly dumped on Netflix New Year’s Day. Jacinda Arden's PMO puts out a statement that when she filmed it years earlier it wasn’t affiliated with Harry and Meghan. https://archive.ph/DiDzT

South Park, Worldwide Privacy Tour episode.https://archive.ph/Sqc99

Frogmore no more. KCIII evicts Harry and Meg from Frogmore. Toad Abode eviction, just leave your spare keys on the bench.https://archive.ph/PeCPQ

9 edits on a Telegraph article about Harry and Meg's 'appalling treatment' from the Royal family. https://archive.ph/wip/suU7g

Chris Rock blasts their victimhood (on Netflix special, extra irony). Points out all families speculate on what the baby will look like. https://archive.ph/3NdgW

The underrated British Vogue moment, where they posted a pic of the best wedding veils of all time of Meghan, intentionally on William and Catherine’s anniversary. The public response was epic. They were not having it. Trolled by posting pics of Catherine in her veil. https://twitter.com/BritishVogue/status/1652309496482394116

Coronation weekend: Montecito Meg will never appear in that historical record. Claims a 4 years olds birthday is more important (hot tip: kids are portable. Just like Lili was for her birthday during the Queens Jubilee). Weak PR attempt about lemon cake with lemons from her tree, and somehow Harry defying the laws of physics and time to make it back in time for Archie’s alleged party. Close second: her urban safari hike PR pap walk the next day. Honourable mention: Anne’s feather. https://archive.ph/m0fcH https://archive.ph/9BsWW https://archive.ph/7UNDp

Queen of Hertz; flees via high speed “near catastrophic car chase” papped taxi “chase” that the taxi driver, Backgrid, and NYPD deny. 4 paps, with 1 on a bike. For 2.5 hours. Yes, a bike. https://archive.ph/EBmZ9

Spotify, bye-bye to “f$&@ing grifters”. https://archive.ph/OWTI2

Publicly manifesting Duchess of Dior? Dior source is “nonplussed as to how the story came about.” Dior firmly stares - No Deal! Update: a few months later, Princess Maria Olympia of Greece has a Dior and Aquazura contract. Repeats the process with Cartier page six article Aug 6th. Nothing. Camilla wears Dior a few days later. https://archive.ph/wip/k0hiA

Netflix manifesting: rom coms, Bad Manners feminist Miss Havisham, Harry saves Africa (sarcasm on it not being a country), Meg to offer advice of safe birthing practices, buying the rights to a Princess who dies in a car crash https://archive.ph/wip/W9xQg https://archive.ph/wip/8COXT https://archive.ph/JDspD

“Turns out Meghan Markle was not a great audio talent, or necessarily any kind of talent” - United Talent Agency CEO Jeremy Zimmer. https://archive.ph/wip/4TnM6

Taylor Swift turned down Archetypes Spotify appearance. https://archive.ph/VjC07

No Emmy nomination for Harry and Meghan, "devastated". Scoreboard: Meg = 0 nominations. Thomas Markle = 2 Emmy wins. https://archive.ph/wip/m3PQS

UnSussexful trends on Twitter after Harry and Meg blame their lack of success on "bad luck."https://archive.ph/CauG3

Report surfaces that Sussexes tried to bum a ride on Air Force One following QEII’s funeral. Access denied. Also tried to tie Jill Biden’s lemon dress the day after the Oprah interview to Meg as a sign of support. Meg sends Jill a basket of lemons. https://archive.ph/ZofTQ

Celeb “friends” bail. Public reports the Beckhams aren’t friends after no invite to Brooklyn’s wedding, no celeb studded InterMiami game. Serena holds a baby shower, no Meg to be found.https://archive.ph/k02N8 https://archive.ph/6rfSO

No birthday wishes from the Royals. Confirms no Balmoral for the one year anniversary of the Queen’s death, despite the Sussexes confirming they will be in Germany the day after for Invictus.https://archive.ph/0IAaO

Sussexes claim to be friends with John Travolta! And he noped that one in record time.https://archive.ph/dPjLW

Meg attempt to convince everyone she was at the Taylor Swift concert in LA while Harry is in Japan/Singapore but no pics exist. Despite many actual celebs having pics there. Not a single one. Outside of the one helpfully provided to Page Six that’s a cropped version of her pink linen suit from the Laker’s game, Harry cropped out. Later, the pic is updated with Harry back in it after it's pointed out on this sub. https://archive.ph/DhvlY

Meg dresses in beige coat, scarf, in August. In California. Attempts to merch them, including the Nucalm (aka sticker) on her wrist, with only that cuff of the coat helpfully rolled up to show it off better. Note she has not managed to elude the pap on her “casual walk”, yet there is nary a pic from the Swift concert. Skills. Despite posting it on their own Insta with a promo code, one day later NuCalm denies that they are affiliated with Meg. Ouch. https://archive.ph/MVGfP

A) Meg and Harry attend Beyoncé to deflect for on the Heart of Invictus flop and rumours their marriage is in trouble. Harry manages to make Beyoncé with Meg look like he's a sulking toddler. B) Meg attempts to change the SEO results and attends Beyoncé a second night in a row, takes pics with Kerri Washington and Kelly Rowland. Kerri Washington crops Meg OUT of the pic on her Instagram.https://archive.ph/As4RZ https://archive.ph/wip/NOL8m

Meg’s Backgrid planned pap, inside the restaurant, at In N Out. Allegedly buying milkshakes for a 2 yr old and 4 yr old an hour away. Which is why she's 'late' to Invictus. (Still think this was likely her assistant who hopped out of the car, went inside to take the pic, and then met her after the drive through, and they sold the pic via Backgrid.) https://archive.ph/wip/bvgjX

post link: A Year in Review: All the times Meghan Markle been publicly called out in 2023. Highlights and favorite #MarkleMoment from last year? : SaintMeghanMarkle (reddit.com)

author: somespeculation

submitted: December 17, 2023 at 02:25PM via SaintMeghanMarkle on Reddit

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aimeedaisies · 4 months

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Princess Anne’s visit reinforces Sri Lanka-UK bonds - Plaudits for hard work and modest outlook

Published 14th January 2024

By Pramod de Silva

The British Royal Family is changing their outlook following the demise of Queen Elizabeth II and amidst increasing calls for truncating or even abolishing the monarchy.

Indeed, gone are the days when the British Empire was known collectively as a region where the “Sun never sets” as its colonies were located all over the globe, from Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) to South Africa. Now there are only a very few British protectorates left, including the Falklands Islands. All others have either become Dominions with King (Charles III) as the titular Head of State (examples include Canada and Australia) or Republics with no sovereign ties to the British King, such as Sri Lanka and India.

A humble Princess Anne carried her own bags off the plane as she arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake with her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy LaurenceA humble Princess Anne carried her own bags off the plane as she arrived at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake with her husband Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence.

Yet, the British Royal Family maintains a measure of popularity in the so-called Commonwealth Countries, which are former colonies of Britain, even if their fame has taken a hit in the UK itself particularly following the death of Princess Diana, and the separation of Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle from royal life. The couple has since been living in California, USA.

Queen Elizabeth II’s visit

Sri Lankans, for whatever reason(s), do have a soft corner for the British Royal Family, in spite of the mixed colonial legacy in the country. This was evinced when Queen Elizabeth II arrived here for the first time in 1954. This visit was significant for two reasons. The first was that Sri Lanka hadsaman gained Independence from Britain just six years earlier, in 1948. And Sri Lanka was still a Dominion back then.

The second was that this was one of the Queen’s first official overseas visits after her Coronation on June 2, 1953. She wore her Coronation Frock at one of the events in Colombo during this tour. She would go on to occupy the Throne for nearly 70 years. Her next visit to Sri Lanka was in 1981, by which time the country had become a Republic. But judging by the raucous reception she received wherever she and Prince Philip went, her popularity in Sri Lanka was intact.

In between those two visits, the couple became the proud parents of four children – Princes Charles (the present King), Andrew (Duke of York, though now mostly retired from Royal Duties following a string of scandals), Edward (Duke of Edinburgh) and Princess Anne, now known officially as Princess Royal. She thus happens to be the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth.

It is no secret that Princess Anne is the sibling closest to King Charles, ever-ready to steady the ship amidst the turbulent storms that the Royal Family faced in the years following the tragic death of Princess Diana in Paris in 1997. Her scandal-free life and easy going nature had endeared herself to Royal fans all over the planet.

This might explain the buzz surrounding last-week’s official visit of Princess Anne to Sri Lanka to mark 75 years of diplomatic links between the two friendly countries. Given the revolving door that is Number 10, one cannot imagine a better ambassador to mark this occasion than apparently someone from Buckingham Palace – and the hardest working member of the British Royal Family at that. Princess Anne has earned that moniker from the press thanks to her non-stop work for good causes around the world.

A royal expert has explained why the Princess Royal was chosen as the first member of the family to go away in 2024, as she was praised as being “invaluable” to King Charles. Richard Fitzwilliams said: “Princess Anne is an example of what the public most admire in a working royal, she is dedicated, conscientious and prefers a low profile and no fuss.”

First-ever Royal visit for 2024

Princess Anne began the second day of her Sri Lanka tour with a visit to the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic) in KandyPrincess Anne began the second day of her Sri Lanka tour with a visit to the Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic) in Kandy

In fact, her trip to Sri Lanka gained international media attention due to several reasons, with magazines such as Hello! And People devoting multiple pages to the coverage, not to mention all mainstream British newspapers. After all, this was the first-ever overseas visit by any Member of the Royal Family for 2024. Princess Anne is no stranger to Sri Lanka, having visited the country previously in 1995, as a patron of the Save the Children Fund.

The media were quick to highlight the fact that Anne (73) and her husband Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence (68) flew on a commercial airline to Colombo, whereas they could have requested a Government Airbus A330 or other aircraft from the Royal Air Force (RAF). In fact, SriLankan Airlines, the only carrier which flies directly between London (LHR) and Colombo (CMB) could not hide its delight, posting on X under the headline “A Service Fit for a Royal”.

A SriLankan Airlines post said: “We are delighted to welcome onboard Her Royal Highness (HRH) the Princess Royal on her journey from London to Colombo on a three-day official visit to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the UK. It is truly an honour to extend Her Royal Highness and the delegation our inherent Sri Lankan warmth and hospitality, thereby presenting the first taste of our island home through our service. We thank the HRH for honouring us with her presence onboard and choosing us for the journey.”

Royal commentators and observers were also delighted to note that the couple carried their own bags, both at the points of embarkation and disembarkation. Princess Anne and Sir Tim’s down-to-Earth nature was displayed by them carrying their own bags onto the flight, the commentators said. One eagle-eyed royal writer even noted that one of her bags was from the French brand Longchamp’s La Pliage Line, costing just 115 Sterling Pounds, at a time lesser mortals like to show off bags from the likes of Louis Vuitton costing thousands of pounds or dollars.

A welcome ceremony at the airport saw the two Royals greeted by dancers, music, Union Jack flags and a red carpet. Princess Anne, sporting sunglasses, was received by dignitaries including the British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry, PC.

Princess Anne and Sir Tim kicked off their engagements right away, heading first to the MAS Active Factory near the Airport, one of the largest apparel tech companies in South Asia and identified by the UK Fashion and Textile (UKFT) Association as an important Sri Lankan partner. As President of the UKFT, the Princess Royal met staff and toured the facility to hear more about their innovative designs and partnerships with leading UK brands.

Princess Anne, Princess Royal signs the golden book after she arrives for a three-day official visit to Sri Lanka at the BIA in KatunayakePrincess Anne, Princess Royal signs the golden book after she arrives for a three-day official visit to Sri Lanka at the BIA in Katunayake.

Letter from King Charles

The couple also met President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Prof. Maitree Wickremesinghe at the President’s House. Her brother King Charles had outlined “considerable challenges” that the world is facing in a letter delivered by Princess Anne to President Wickremesinghe during this meeting.

The Royal Couple also got the opportunity of meeting former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on this occasion. She was the incumbent President when Princess Anne last toured the island in 1995. Royal watchers praised the Princess’s modest outfit worn to this important event. Hello! Magazine described her outfit in this manner: “Putting on a colourful display, the Princess Royal asserted her sartorial prowess in a ravishing red shift dress adorned with blooming pastel flowers. For an additional pop of colour, the royal added a berry-red lipstick, balancing her ensemble with a draped cream scarf and white gloves.” Another royal watcher said that her white gloves worn at the event were a subtle nod to the legacy of her mother.

Princess Anne, with her lifelong affinity to the Save the Children Fund, also took time off her busy schedule of meetings to visit its offices in Colombo and inquire into their programs in Sri Lanka. After unveiling a plaque commemorating the 50th anniversary of Save the Children working in Sri Lanka, she gave an impromptu speech to staff and guests at the charity’s Colombo HQ.

Princess Anne said: “It’s a real pleasure to return to Sri Lanka and the chance to visit Save the Children’s (headquarters) and underline the fact you have been doing extraordinary work here for 50 years.’ And I know, because when I came before it was slightly different, things have changed a lot. But the very fact that you are here and seen as valuable partners to the Government and the departments – that says a lot for what you’ve achieved…So a big thank you to all those who have been part of that journey, thank you all very much.” She also visited the Lady Ridgeway Hospital (LRH) in Colombo.

Princess Anne paid her respects to the Fallen Heroes of World Wars when she laid a wreath in their memory in Colombo, during her first visit to a Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemetery in the Jawatta area as the organisation’s President. They also visited the nearby Vajira Pillayar Hindu Kovil, where Sir Tim dashed a coconut to ward off bad luck. Chief Priest Sachithanantha Kurukal went into the shrine to conduct the pooja as Princess Anne and her husband watched, and they later toured the temple viewing the many shrines to Hindu Gods.

The Royal Couple then left for Kandy, where they paid homage to the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha at the Sri Dalada Maligawa. Dressed in white, Princess Anne was ushered into an inner sanctum, reserved for the temple’s most important guests, to make her offering to the Sacred Relic in private.

Princess Anne engaged in a friendly conversation with Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike KumaratungaPrincess Anne engaged in a friendly conversation with Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga

Later, the couple travelled to Jaffna, where they toured the famous Jaffna Public Library, which was burnt down by mobs in 1981 and then rebuilt to reflect its former glory. The couple toured the library “where they heard of its significance to the community and met key figures from the fields of education, arts and culture,” said the British High Commission in Sri Lanka. Andrew Patrick, British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, called the building “a landmark of great significance”. “This important moment marks the first visit by a member of the Royal Family to Jaffna,” he added.

The library was one of the largest libraries in Asia and housed over 97,000 unique and irreplaceable palm leaves books (ola), manuscripts, parchments, books, magazines and newspapers, before its destruction in 1981.

The couple had several other engagements in Sri Lanka before they flew back to the UK after a highly successful visit, which reinforced UK-Sri Lanka ties. Several more events will be held in 2024 to mark this milestone.

Princess Anne’s Sri Lanka visit is her second official engagement of this year, having returned to duties on January 4 to attend the Oxford Farming Conference.

The King and Queen are also set to fly overseas later this year. The couple are expected to visit Canada in May, before flying to Australia, New Zealand and Samoa in October.

As for the Prince and Princess of Wales, they too will be preparing to return to Royal Duties in the coming week, which comes after the family celebrated Princess Kate’s 42nd birthday on Tuesday January 9.

#a lovely summary of an excellent trip 💗#princess anne #princess royal #tim laurence #timothy laurence #sri lanneka

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fatehbaz · 1 year

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In the summer of 2020, [...] Black Lives Matter protesters tore a statue of 17th-century slave trader Edward Colston from its plinth in the centre of Bristol and rolled it into the harbour. [...] [C]ritics [...] argued that this type of direct action was “erasing history”. Britain’s prime minister at the time, Boris Johnson, claimed that to remove statues of figures like Colston from the public square was “to lie about our history”. Sir Trevor Phillips complained that Britain’s public history was being “erased entirely” [...]. Yet rather than lead us into an era of collective forgetting, the tearing down of Colston’s statue transported his name – and deeds – into the public consciousness.

This week, the renewed attention towards Colston bore fruit when the Guardian revealed that a historian, Brooke Newman, had unearthed a document showing that in 1689, Colston transferred £1,000 of shares in the Royal African Company (RAC) to none other than King William III. The exposure of the extent to which the monarch was financially intertwined with the slave trading company of which Colston was a director does not teach us less about history, it teaches us more.

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The activities of colonial companies like the RAC, which enjoyed a monopoly over the English trade in slaves from the west African coast, are often presented as distinct from the internal history of the British Isles.

Yes, there may have been the odd massacre performed in the service of British imperialism, but these were the actions of rogue merchants in distant tropical lands, operating far from the watchful eye of Westminster and the living embodiment of British sovereignty, the monarch. This makes it easy to delete the actions of the RAC from the national record: the 84,500 men, women and children who, during Colston’s time with the company, were taken by its ships from their homes in west Africa to suffer a life of slavery in the New World.

A quarter of them would not even survive the journey, so horrific were the conditions aboard Colston’s ships.

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Yet this separation between internal royal histories and external colonial histories has always been a [hidden] spot in our understanding of the past. Companies like the RAC needed to be granted a royal charter just to exist: they couldn’t be just registered and incorporated like companies today.

And furthermore, as the Guardian’s research has illustrated, there was often a cosy personal connection between the ruling kings and queens of this island and its slave-trading and colonial companies. This extended from James II acting as a governor of the Royal African Company to George II being a shareholder of the South Sea Company, which held the contract to supply enslaved Africans to the Spanish colonies in South America. [...]

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The new revelations arrive at a difficult time for the monarchy, with the coronation of a new king seeking to shore up the disruption caused by the passing of the long-reigning Elizabeth II. [...] Leading politicians in Australia and Jamaica, countries where the British monarchy traditionally enjoyed a great deal of public support, are now campaigning to follow in the footsteps of Barbados, [...] a step towards the Caribbean island “leaving our colonial past behind”. The rising unpopularity of the British monarchy in the once-reliable British West Indies was made evident by the protests that greeted [...] William and Kate, during their tour of the region last year. [...] The relationship between the British royal family and the former colonies isn’t just a question of symbolism or constitutional law. It is an entry point into a deep and bloody history [...]. It is a history that the lid has only just started to be lifted on.

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Text by: Kojo Koram. “Those who tore down Colston’s statue helped lead us to the truth about slavery and the monarchy.” The Guardian. 7 April 2023. [Bold emphasis and some paragraph breaks/contractions added by me.]

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charlotte-of-wales · 9 months

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Royal Tiaras Highlights: Queen Mary’s Loop Tiara

In 1901, the future King George V and Queen Mary embarked on an ambitious tour of the British Empire. While in South Africa, De Beers presented Mary with a collection of 675 diamonds. In 1902, the then Princess of Wales used those diamonds to commission a tiara from Boucheron.

Unfortunately, the piece was dismantled in 1912 by Garrard in order for the Delhi Durbar Tiara to be created.

Via The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor

#uncommon mary L in my humble opinion #I love this piece and the delhi durbar is fugly #queen mary #brf #tiaras highlights #royal tiaras #royal jewelry #royal jewels

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royaltyspeaking · 5 months

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I think I'm the only "hater" who gets why w&k have given up on CW. They want to focus only on the people who fund them i.e. the UK taxpayers. I'm from a Republic CW country (so brf is not our HoS) and I'd say - awesome! Good riddance! I'm dyinggg to finally have next non-brf head of CW! I want to pull off my hair when ignorant w&k stans equate "head of CW" position as a hereditary position and assume it means "ruling" over CW. As a country which was colonized for 200 years and had a brutal and savage war of independence from Britishers, it makes me incandescent with rage! So i personally have absolutely no issues with w&k not doing any CW tours. My only issue is with CW countries realising this soon and distancing themselves from brf AND taking official steps to show that.

Honestly, I don't have a problem with them not doing tours, especially if they can't be counted on to not make asses of themselves. I think it's a good call. But that leads to a whole other conversation about why these people can't maintain a level of professionalism and be trusted to not embarrass themselves and the country they represent. The UKs relationship with Commonwealth countries is extremely delicate right now, and I find it interesting how the other monarchies who have a similar colonialist history with other countries within their kingdom have successfully been able to rely on their royals to mend that relationship. Willem Alexander and Maxima took on a similar tours this year to the Caribbean and South Africa where they addressed the issues head on. And the tours, particularly to the Caribbean, were a huge success. Willem Alexander stepping up and addressing the Dutch involvement in slavery, as well as royal involvement, obviously was done with the approval of the Dutch government. But they still made an effort and pulled it off successfully. The British royals could never because they simply can't handle being put in any situation that might make them uncomfortable.

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philibetexcerpts · 1 year

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On 21 April 1947, Princess Elizabeth attended a civic ball held at the Government Hall, Cape Town in honor of her 21st birthday.

“Princess Elizabeth had been driven down to the City Hall where a great, second-tier civic ball, open to public subscription, was in progress. Again, the crowd was enormous: 3 000 people thronged the floor, bays, corridors outside and the seats in the gallery. Around 10 pm the word went round, She’s Arriving, and the crush on the floor became insupportable. Suddenly the Princess appeared in the mayor’s box, her beautiful fur cape flung back from her shoulders to reveal a magnificent Hartnell evening gown of white tulle lightly sprinkled with paillettes and sequins arranged in diamond-shaped patterns to catch every movement of light. Mayor Abe Bloomberg spoke, saying what was surely the truth: that Cape Town must that night be the envy of every town, village and hamlet in the British Empire.

He then presented the Princess with a golden key to the City, ‘as a token of Cape Town’s enduring loyalty, and the freedom to the hearts of all Capetonians which [she] had already captured’. It was felicitously put and everyone cheered. Indeed, as the Cape Times noted, the guests were so carried away by the radiant picture the Princess presented, standing in the box above them, that the cheering was almost continuous and frequently interrupted the mayor’s speech.”

The Last Hurrah: South Africa and the Royal Tour of 1947 by Graham Viney

#hbd liz #princess elizabeth #south africa 1947 #anecdote

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alakeeffectgirl · 10 months

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cruisequarries PART TWO

PART ONE What did we get up to yesterday? 2018? Okay. I will put everything behind a spoiler cut again (there are more pictures/a video today).

Actually, let's rewind just a little, for some Fallout premiere pictures just because.

Paris, July 12th:

London, July 13th:

Seoul, July 16th (according to the designer's website, the hanbok Heather is wearing was designed as a wedding dress, mmhmm)...

I love this picture because they're making those faces at Chris. Here's the bit of Tom making Heather cry in Tokyo:

I highly recommend listening to Tom & Chris commentary track on Fallout, which starts with McQ introducing himself as the writer/director and then Tom introducing himself - as McQ's friend. After the Fallout press tour wraps up, work starts in earnest on Top Gun: Maverick, which Tom and McQ have been discussing - idly, on McQ's part - for years now. "Our relationship is one long conversation about movies," indeed.

While TGM is filming, pre-production is also happening on MI:DR, which McQ has signed on to direct. (These two are usually juggling at least two projects at a time, and really it's probably more like five projects at a time.)

In January of 2019, they're all back in LA so Tom and McQ can pick up some awards.

The McQuarries also go to a premiere and look fantastic (I love McQ's suit):

Tom and McQ go to Ukraine to scout Dead Reckoning locations later in 2019, meet President Zelenskyy, and McQ gets to put his arm around Tom for once instead of their usual other way around.

OH NO I ALMOST FORGOT - at the end of 2019, Tom took the whole McQ clan with him to Las Vegas to see Lady Gaga and ask her to write the TGM song. [cries in 'that's his family']

Production ramps up on DR - and then unfortunately, as we all know, COVID. Most of the cast and crew were in Venice when everything shut down, but Tom hadn't arrived yet.

Production resumes in Rome in October (their production struggles/trying to keep everyone employed/Tom rightfully yelling at people to follow protocols because a lot of jobs depend on them is all well documented), and then moves to Venice. Heather and the dogs are also part of this traveling band.

This isn't six feet apart, dudes...

Production breaks for the holidays, and resumes in Abi Dhabi for the airport/desert sequences, and also one of my favorite pictures of Tom and Heather, just for her expression.

Train sequence filming in Yorkshire in April of 2021, that's Heather in the blue coat:

DR production then breaks for a bit over the summer so Tom can take all his friends to Wimbledon, go to several car things, and make McQ watch football (the soccer version).

DR filming resumes in the fall/winter. Heather goes with to South Africa and they rent out what is basically an adults-only hotel (and save it from having to close!), for part of their stay. I love this picture because Gypsy looks so long-suffering:

OKAY IT'S 2022 NOW, time for the Top Gun: Maverick premiere tour to start - finally! (Do any of these people SLEEP? No. I think it's well-documented that Tom Cruise does not sleep, which is part of what makes him Tom Cruise, but also this means he calls McQ at two in the morning to talk about movies. There's a podcast somewhere where McQ says he thinks Tom might sleep "between the 2:05 email and the 2:40 email", or something along those lines.) (After getting back from South Africa, there was a bunch of test screening stuff for TGM, which is why there are those parking garage pictures. Wouldn't the movie be done, you'd think, since it was supposed to be out in 2020? COVID gave them a reason to tinker with it even more.) The San Diego premiere on the USS MIdway (all the McQs were there, but there aren't any good pictures):

Then Tom went to Mexico, and McQ went home to London for a few days before Tom returned, and they went to the Royal Windsor horse show together.

THEN EVERYONE WENT TO CANNES. Sorry I have just a shitty screencap with a watermark here but alas tumblr only lets you put one video per post. Tom and McQ stopped to get their picture taken en route to the actual photocall and Tom made Heather come back and be in the pictures with them. There is video here.

Cannes, of course, was amazing. I have garbage homemade gifs but they're too big for tumblr (also they're garbage) but all the Cannes red carpet footage is available on YouTube, here and here. (Worth it for Heather, tbh.)

They went straight from Cannes - on Tom's helicopter - back to London for the Royal premiere. Where the McQuarries looked amazing and McQ wore his McQ shoes.

And the after party, because heaven forbid they not all ride in the same car:

And then the McQuarries got a slight break, while Tom went to do more TGM press. But he was back in London by the end of June, and they went on what can only be described as a string of dates. First, they went to the Rolling Stones concert at Hyde Park.

McQ was on Tom's other side, but he's only visible in video (the Daily Mail might be garbage but they do come through with the media).

Then Tom and Heather went to The Eagles show at Hyde Park:

And they all went to see Adele - also at Hyde Park. (The woman in the pink sweater is Tom's CAA agent Maha Dakhil Jackson - I found the picture where you can see Heather over Tom's shoulder.)

Then for Tom's birthday, they went to the F1 British Grand Prix (with some other TGM folks, but they aren't three steps behind Tom like the McQuarries are).

Oh no, we're not done. Tom takes Heather to Wimbledon, where she holds his sunglasses (not visible in this picture).

McQ did not go with, as he was recording a Light the Fuse podcast - which he surprise-dialled in a bunch of DR folks - and his final surprise was Tom. Who was still at Wimbledon with Heather. McQ calls Heather to get Tom, and Heather plays dumb and is like, "oh I don't know where he is, did you try calling him?" and Chris says he already told the podcast guys that they were together. So Tom does his segment from the car he's in with Heather, and his part is only supposed to be like ten minutes but he talks for about forty-five and this includes telling the world they basically all live together. Then they went out to dinner!

And the next day they all went to Wimbledon with Maha and her husband.

I'm stopping here because this is already SO LONG and 2023 is going to be wild just by itself! PART THREE

#cruisequarries

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sunbookie · 1 year

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Saartjie (Sara) Baartman was one of the first black women known to be subjugated to human sexual trafficking. She was derisively named the “Hottentot Venus” by Europeans as her body would be publicly examined and exposed inhumanly throughout the duration of her young life. Moreover. her experience reinforced the already existing and extremely negative sexual fascination with African women bodies by the people of Europe.

Sara Baartman was born in 1789 at the Gamtoos River, now known as the Eastern Cape in South Africa. Baartman and her family were members of the Gonaquasub group of the Khoikhoi. Baartman grew up on a colonial farm where she and her family most likely worked as servants. Her mother died when she was aged two and her father, who was a cattle driver, died when she was still a young girl.

By her teenage years Baartman married a Khoikhoi man who was a drummer. They had a child together who died shortly after birth. When Baartman was sixteen, her husband was murdered by Dutch colonists. Soon after, she was sold into slavery to a trader named Pieter Willem Cezar, who took her to Cape Town where she became a domestic slave to his brother, Hendrik. On October 29, 1810, although she could not read, 21-year-old Baartman supposedly signed a contract with William Dunlop, a physician, who was a friend of the Cezar brothers.

This contract required her to travel with the Cezar brothers and Dunlop to England and Ireland where she would work as a domestic servant since technically slavery had been abolished in Great Britain. Additionally, she would be exhibited for entertainment purposes. Baartman would receive a portion of earnings from her exhibitions and would be allowed to return to South Africa after five years. However, the contract was false on all details and her enslavement continued for the remainder of her life.

Baartman was first exhibited in London in the Egyptian Hall at Piccadilly Circus on November 24, 1810. Her public treatment, however, quickly drew the attention of British abolitionists who charged Dunlop and the Cezars with holding Baartman against her will. The court ruled against Baartman after Pieter Cezar produced the contract that had been signed by Baartman. Baartman also testified that she was not being mistreated.

The publicity generated by the court trial increased Baartman’s popularity as an exhibit. She was taken on tours throughout England and by 1812 as far away as Limerick, Ireland.

In September 1814, after staying four years in Great Britain, Baartman was taken to France and sold to S. Reaux, an exhibitor who showcased animals. He put Baartman on public display in and around Paris, often at the Palais Royal. He also allowed her to be sexually abused by patrons willing to pay for her defilement. Reaux garnered considerable profit due to the public’s fascination with Baartman’s body.

Sara Saartjie Baartman died in Paris on December 29, 1815 at the age of 26 for unknown reasons. Even after her death, many of her body parts would go on display at the Musée de l’Homme (Museum of Man), in Paris to support racist theories about people of African ancestry. Some of the body parts remained on display until 1974.

In 1994 South African President Nelson Mandela formally requested that Baartman’s remains be returned to South Africa. On March 6, 2002, her remains were returned and buried at Hankey in the Eastern Cape Province.

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brf-rumortrackinganon · 3 months

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re: Andrew and his half in/ out.

Most of the royals had a half in/ out deal to a certain degree. Not just Andrew.

Think when the Michael Kents had to shutdown their Russia business connections which Michael had because of his uncanny resemblance and blood links to Tsar Nicholas RIP, bonus was the fact he is related to the royal family, nevermind the many Romanovs still floating around.

Sophie and Edward started married life with a solid half in/out with Sophie continuing her work at the PR firm she founded RJH Public Relations while Edward had a job with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s company then his own production company. They also carried out royal duties.

Fergie kept all her ventures abroad, but there was no doubt that she traded heavily on her royal connections despite the divorce.

Duke of Kent often got paid for after dinner speeches.

David Snowdon definitely capitalised on his royal connections when he set up his business and for years it was promoted as royal adjacent.

Ditto Peter with his milk ads in China or was it Korea.

Zara was receiving money from chinese business people to make royal introductions and for awhile was paid a tidy 6 figure sum per Hello photoshoot - i hapoen to know how much she was paid for Hello photoshoot with baby Mia because i was working for a Pr firm at the time and we dealt alot with Hello magazine. The price Hello paid Zara then and now always has a royal inflation despite her bonafide credentials as a sportwoman.

The difference is that the Harkles were not discreet nor did they want to be discreet about their half in/ out. They wanted taxpayers to underwrite their lives while monetising all aspects of it and picking and choosing royal duties and being centred as the stars they thought they were. We got a small taste of what they wanted with their SA tour which on the surface looked modest, but infact was a smorgosbord of merching the crass ad they did for H& M ‘Arch meets Arch’ advertising roll out as well as charging people for meet and greets. On top of taxpayers underwriting the tour. Ditto merching that SA murdered girl’s memorial on Instagram. Markle also only carried out those duties that she wanted and refused to fly to other African countries on account of the private jets used to take Harry to those other countries being too small, but she joined in via video links from South Africa.

The ads below ran during the Desmond Tutu event in South Africa. H& M’s website was updated with the picture below and links to buy Archie’s outfit. The palace pulled everything down after about 30mins. If you’ve never seen it, you’ll think it’s a meme or something created by fans, but if you were watching in real time, you’d have seen this ad. The DM posted the ad in article titled 'Arch meets Arch’, but pulled the H&M ad at the same time that palace pulled down ad from all media outlets. The SA tour monetised Archie as well as the Sussexes.

https://www.lipstickalley.com/attachments/fe9d2748-55c7-4377-b751-869c0de9a3d3-jpeg.5541994/

https://www.lipstickalley.com/attachments/f0f00b8f-6786-49e3-be0d-f38eaf084df6-jpeg.5542328/

https://www.lipstickalley.com/attachments/5543ee23-e5e6-432d-9627-bb5539e3c6dc-jpeg.5542327/

https://money.com/baby-archie-h-m-overalls-meghan-markle-style/

The new website alone shows their idea of crass merching and monetising the monarchy which all the others did not do. Not even Andrew.

Andrew was getting favours and deals while trade ambassador/ pitch at the palace, but it wasn’t in your face and if the media didn’t report on it, no one would be the wiser. Sophie was frequently accused of using her royal connections to drum up business for her company, but again no one would know if media didn’t report it at the time.

The Sussexes version of half in/ out was too crass and obvious that monarchy would have been in danger by the end of day 1.

***********

I agree with all of this. I did think about how everyone but the direct heirs seems to be on half in/half out when I was writing that answer. That was my reasoning by “they misstepped in being so aggressive” because as you’ve outlined here, everyone does it, they just did it more subtly and discreetly.

The Sussexes’ monetization has always been the problem. They would’ve been able to do everything they’ve had these last four years (maybe not Spare, but everything else) had they stayed in. Charles did documentaries of his charity work all the time, so they would’ve been able to make documentaries. William and Kate have spoken on podcasts, so Meghan would have been able to podcast though the content might’ve looked different. Charles has written several books so they would’ve been able to write books. Charles has his Duchy Originals brand and Highgrove House products/shop so Meghan would have been able to have some kind of brand or Sussex House shop. No one would have cared because they all do it, but Harry and Meghan demanded the money goes directly into their pockets instead of to charity and that’s the line in the sand.

Edit after posting: the anon’s Lipstick Alley links require you to have an account to view the info. I’m leaving them in because I didn’t catch this sooner. (And I’m not a member of Lipstick Alley so I can’t vouch for the links.)

And everyone, please remember that Lipstick Alley doesn’t like it when their stuff ends up on other sites.

#ask #brf

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