Royal Focus: Kate Middleton's Coat of Arms

Image source:
Wikipedia

Another item crossed off Kate's to-do list!

Kate Middleton's Coat of Arms have recently been unveiled. Commissioned by her father, Michael Middleton, these arms reflect the Middleton family history and preferences.

This version of the arms hangs from a tied blue ribbon, symbolizing Kate's current unmarried state and can only be used by Kate, up to her wedding day, and her sister Pippa Middleton.

The arms are lozenge shaped rather than a shield - a shape reserved for men. The design features three acorn sprigs, representing each of the Middleton children - Catherine, Phillipa and James. A touch reportedly suggested by Kate. The acorns also symbolize oak trees, a traditional symbol of England and a feature of west Berkshire, where the family have lived for 30 years.

The colours blue and red were chosen as they are the principle colours from the flag of the United Kingdom.The dividing line (between two colours) down the centre is a canting of the name 'Middle-ton'. At the centre is a gold inverted "V" reflecting Kate's mother Carole's maiden name Goldsmith.

The two thin white chevrons on each side of the band are meant to symbolize peaks and mountains, representing the Middleton's love of the Lake District and skiing.

The arms will appear on the back of the souvenir wedding program, with those of Prince William on the front. After their marriage, Kate's arms will be impaled with those of her husband.

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

Royal Focus: The Goring Hotel

In a royal twist, St James's Palace announced that Kate Middleton would depart for her wedding, not from one of the royal palaces, like most royal brides, but from the Goring Hotel, in Belgravia, near Buckingham Palace.

Many people might wonder why Kate chose this hotel over one of the royal palaces to mark her last night as a commoner. But looking at the rooms it makes sense. Rumored to be staying in the 5-room Royal Suite, we can easily imagine close-knit Carole and Pippa Middleton preparing Kate for her wedding day. Helping her into her into her wedding gown, calming her nerves, in such an intmate and luxurious setting. And if reports are correct, the entire hotel has been booked to ensure the Middleton family privacy on such an important occasion.

The Goring is a luxury 5-star hotel run by the same family for 100 years. Founded by Otto Richard Goring, it was the last hotel built in the reign of King Edward VII. Opened on March 2,1910, it was the first hotel in the world to have ensuite bathrooms and central heating. Such was the novelty of this feature, that during a 1937 visit by the Norwegian Crown Prince, he stated‘ at Buckingham Palace I have to share a bath with five people! Here I have one to myself’

Guest room

Throughout its long history, the Goring has hosted many famous guests, including Grand Duchess Xenia of Russia, Princess Eugenie of Greece, the royal family of Nepal, Queen Elizabeth II, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and several prominent politicians. In 1930, novelist Anthony Powell was inspired to invent his heroine The Hon. Angela Goring, for his series of novels 'A Dance to the Music of Time' over tea at the hotel.

The connection with the royal family is strong. Queen Mary frequently came for tea with her Lady in Waiting, The Hon. Violet d'Arcy, who lived at the hotel. The King and Queen and their daughters celebrated the end of the Second World War with sausages and scrambled eggs at the Goring, while Prince Charles's 1948 christening cake was made by the pastry chefs. It was Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother's favorite hotel, and she made her last public appearance there in 2002.

The Gardens

Featuring Edwardian architecture, the hotel has 71-rooms and in the last 5 years has undergone a £10 million refurbishment. In 1910 the cost of a room was 37P. In 2010, the cost of a 'Splendid Connecting Silk Room is £1,525.00. The Goring has won numerous awards, including Pride of Britain Hotel of the Year in 2009, Hotel of the Year by Virtuoso and Virtuoso Life magazine  in 2010, and Best Service in the UK by readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine.
© Marilyn Braun 2011

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

Royal wedding bridesmaids and supporters

Prince William and Catherine Middleton's choice of attendants for their wedding day continue a long tradition of including royal relatives in their wedding party. Prince William has chosen his brother, Prince Harry, as his best-man (or supporter) and Catherine has chosen her sister Pippa as her Maid of honor.

Here's a look back at some royal wedding parties from the past.

Queen Victoria & Prince Albert
British Monarchy Flickr

Queen Victoria & Prince Albert - February 10, 1840

Supporters: Prince Albert's father, the Duke of Saxe Coburg Gotha and his brother, Prince Ernest, The Hereditary Prince

12 train bearers - all daughters of peers of the realm

Prince & Princess of Wales
Source: Wikipedia

Albert Edward, Prince of Wales & Princess Alexandra of Denmark - March 10, 1863

Supporters: His brother-in-law, Crown Prince of Prussia and his uncle Ernest, Duke of Coburg

Bridesmaids: Eight unmarried daughters of earls and countesses

Prince George, Duke of York, and Princess May of Teck July 6, 1893

Supporters: The Groom's father, The Prince of Wales and his uncle, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh.

Bridesmaids: Nine granddaughters and one great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria:

Princess Alexandra of Edinburgh, Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, Princess Victoria Melita of Edinburgh, Princess Victoria and Princess Maud of Wales. Princess Alice of Battenberg, Princess Margaret of Connaught, Princess Beatrice of Edinburgh, Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg and Princess Patricia of Connaught

Princess Mary
Source: Wikipedia

Princess Mary & Viscount Lascelles - February 28, 1922

Eight bridesmaids, including Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon

Prince Albert, Duke of York & Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon - April 26, 1923

Supporter/Best man: The Prince of Wales

Lady Mary Cambridge, Lady May Cambridge, the Hon. Diamond Hardinge, Lady Mary Thynne, Lady Katherine Hamilton, Miss Elizabeth Cator, the Hon. Elizabeth  Elphinstone and the Hon. Cecilia Bowes Lyon




Princess Marina
Source: Wikipedia

 Prince George, Duke of Kent and Princess Marina of Greece and Denmark November 29, 1934

Best man: The Prince of Wales

Eight bridesmaids: Princess Elizabeth of York, Princesses Irene, Eugenie and Katherine of Greece, Princess Juliana (later Queen) of the Netherlands, the Grand Duchess Kira of Russia, Lady Mary Cambridge and Lady Iris Mountbatten

Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester & Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott November 6, 1935

Best men/Supporters: The Prince of Wales and The Duke of York

Eight bridesmaids: Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. Lady Mary Cambridge, Miss Anne Hawkins, Miss Claire Phipps, Lady Elizabeth Scott, Lady Angela Scott and Miss Moyra Scott.

Princess Elizabeth & Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten - November 20, 1947

Supporter/Best man - Prince Philip's first cousin, the third Marquess of Milford Haven

Eight bridesmaids: HRH Princess Margaret, HRH Princess Alexandra of Kent, Lady Caroline Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Lady Mary Cambridge, Lady Elizabeth Lambart, The Hon. Pamela Mountbatten, The Hon Margaret Elphinstone, The Hon Diana Bowes-Lyon

Pages: Prince William of Gloucester and Prince Michael of Kent

Princess Margaret & Antony Armstrong Jones - May 6, 1960

Best man/Supporter: Dr. Roger W. Gilliatt. Originally Jeremy Fry but he was caught in a scandal. In 1952 he had been arrested in Hyde Park, and fined £2 after pleading "guilty to a minor offense."

Eight child bridesmaids, including Princess Anne



Princess Alexandra & Angus Ogilvy
Source: British Monarchy - Flickr

 Princess Alexandra & Angus Ogilvy - April 24, 1963

Supporter/Best man: Hon Peregrine Fairfax

2 pages and 5 Bridesmaids, including Elizabeth, Archduchess of Austria and Princess Anne

Princess Anne & Captain Mark Philips November 14, 1973

Supporter/Best man - Captain Eric Grounds

Bridesmaid: Lady Sarah Armstrong Jones. Page: Prince Edward. Princess Anne deliberately chose to have only two attendants because of her previous experience as a bridesmaid wrangling 'unruly children.'

Prince Charles & Lady Diana Spencer July 29, 1981

Supporters/Best men: Prince Andrew and Prince Edward

Bridesmaids: Lady Sarah Armstrong Jones, Catherine Cameron, India Hicks, Clementine Hambro, Sarah Jane Gaselee

Pages: Lord Nicholas Windsor & Edward van Cutsem

Prince Andrew & Sarah Ferguson - July 23, 1986

Supporter/Best man - Prince Edward

Bridesmaids - Lady Rosanagh Innes-Ker, Miss Laura Fellowes, Miss Zara Philips, Miss Alice Ferguson

Pages: Prince William, Peter Phillips, Andrew Ferguson, Seamus Makim

Prince Edward & Sophie Rhys Jones - June 19, 1999

Supporters/Best man: The Prince of Wales & The Duke of York

Bridesmaids: Camilla Hadden and Olivia Taylor

Pageboys: Harry Warburton and Felix Sowerbutts

Prince William & Catherine Middleton - April 29, 2011

Best man: Prince Harry
Maid of Honor: Pippa Middleton

Bridesmaids: The Lady Louise Windsor, The Hon. Margarita Armstrong-Jones, Miss Grace van Cutsem, Miss Eliza Lopes,

Pageboys: Master William (Billy) Lowther-Pinkerton, Master Tom Pettifer

© Marilyn Braun 2011

Thank you for enjoying this article. If you use the information for research purposes, a link to credit the work I've put into writing it would be appreciated.

Question: Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester as king?

Why didn't Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester become king when George VI died? By everything that I know, as the next male in succession, George V's third son should have become king after the first abdicated and the second died.

The type of succession that you are referring to is called agnatic primogeniture. Inheritance according to the seniority of birth amongst the of sons of a monarch.

King George V had five sons. Prince Edward (future King Edward VIII), Prince Albert (future King George VI), Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester, Prince George, Duke of Kent and Prince John, who died as a child. After King George V's death, in 1936 and King Edward VIII's abdication in 1937, the next son came to the throne as King George VI. In 1937, at the start of King George VI's reign, the first four places in the line of succession were occupied by Princess Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Prince George, Duke of Kent.

The succession to the British throne is by male preference primogeniture. Males have precedence over females, however if there is a female she is not excluded. Because of this, King George VI's elder daughter, Princess Elizabeth became the sovereign and not Prince Henry. If the King died without children, then Prince Henry would have become king in 1952 because he was next in line. If this had occurred then after King Henry IX's death in 1974, his son, Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester would be king, possibly reigning as King Richard IV.

It is interesting to note that had King Edward VIII not abdicated and not had children, the succession would likely look as it does today. The only difference is that the present Queen would have come to the throne upon the death of her uncle in 1972 instead of 1952 when her father died.

© Marilyn Braun 2011