Wednesday, November 20, 2019


So Prince Andrew is now to withdraw from public life.

A friend of ours in Kirkmichael, a retired naval officer, now buried in the same little graveyard as my husband, where I hope to join them one day – this sentence has become unwieldy. Let us call him Duncan, for that is his name.

Duncan was for a while Andrew’s commanding officer, when he (Andrew) was first in the navy. He told us once that he was struck by the fact that, in talking about his family, Andrew never said “my mother”, let alone “Mummy”. It was always, “Her Majesty the Queen.” I don’t know what one concludes from that. Duncan’s own mother died within a few days of his birth, which may have affected his perception of the matter.

I had a good day, I guess. Helen rang up early and bullied me into taking a walk. I haven’t achieved much else. The Dathan hap stitch count now stands at about 450. I must do some Italian homework this evening – write about something. I’ve got nothing to write about, and have decided on an account of “Cooking with the Duchess” as described here in English yesterday. It should at least give me a chance to bring in the passato remoto. A rough draft tonight, to be polished tomorrow.

Comments

Southern Gal, I’m sorry to hear of your fall. FugueStateKnits, I’m glad you’re enjoying “Barchester Towers” from the off. “The Bartrams” is improving slightly as it progresses, but at the moment, 2/3 of the way through, I don’t see any prospect of felicity for any of the characters and it’s rather depressing.  

Perhaps Trollope tends to get better as the book goes on, at least in the weaker ones. He’s brilliant once his characters have been thoroughly introduced. But goodness! how many characters Jane Austen establishes in the first chapter of my beloved “Mansfield Park”!

5 comments:

  1. In Thailand, also a constitutional monarchy (actually patterned on the UK), King Bhumibol's children always referred to their parents as "His Majesty the King" and "Her Majesty the Queen" when speaking to others about them, so perhaps this is common practice.

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    1. It is the correct form for everyone, including HM the Queen's children. I can't help wondering what it does to their relationship with their mother though!

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    2. And don't they have to curtsey or bow to her as well?

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  2. Anonymous1:34 PM

    Do William and Harry refer to their Grandmother as Her Majesty? I can't remember hearing it. These things evolve, don't they? (Even though it may take centuries). Chloe

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    1. Yes these things evolve, but some of the people are better at evolving than others.

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