Why Nov 20 is the date the Royal Family can never forget
Today is the Windsors’ bitter-sweet anniversary...
It’s a date nobody in the Royal Family will ever forget. November 20 is a bitter-sweet anniversary for the Windsors, as it marks many memorable occasions.
Everyone has personal dates on their calendar which hold mixed emotions – birthdays and anniversaries of lost loved ones, or dates which saw seismic changes for your family. Today, November 20, is all of those, for the Windsors. Here’s why…
It’s the 75th wedding anniversary of the Queen and Prince Philip: So close, yet so far – the Queen and Prince Philip almost made it to their 75th wedding anniversary. It would have been their diamond wedding anniversary (traditionally there are two diamond anniversaries, at 60 and 75 years). It will, of course, be an emotional day for her remaining family, who will raise a toast in their honour.
It’s the 30th anniversary of the fire at Windsor: November 20 also marks the 30th anniversary of the fire at Windsor Castle, something which is being depicted in The Crown. This devastating fire in 1992 came in the midst of the Queen’s annus horribilis. The fire started from a spotlight igniting a curtain inside Queen Victoria’s Private Chapel, destroyed 115 rooms and took five years to restore. The Queen cut a dejected figure, watching the firefighters battle the blaze, in her mackintosh and scarf and later announced she would open Buckingham Palace to help fund the restoration.
It’s 27 years since Diana did her Panorama interview: This is a date everyone would rather forget – November 20, 1995, was when Diana’s BBC Panorama interview was broadcast. This seismic TV interview, subsequently revealed to have been obtained by deceptive means by Martin Bashir, is also depicted in The Crown. It’s painful to watch it on the drama and Prince William has called for the real interview never to be aired again. “It is my view that the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said. The interview was a major contribution to making my parents’ relationship worse and has since hurt countless others,” he said earlier this year. “It is my firm view that this Panorama programme holds no legitimacy and should never be aired again.”
Camilla Spices up her speech
The Queen Consort Spiced Up Her Life on Thursday, hosting a reception at Buckingham Palace for winners of the Queen’s Commonwealth Essay Competition. Entries were read by Royal Commonwealth Society ambassadors – former Spice Girl Geri Horner, pop star Alexandra Burke, actor Ayesha Dharker and novelist Ben Okri.
Camilla made her first speech as Queen Consort, paying tribute to the Queen. “I cannot begin without paying tribute to my dear mother-in-law, Her late Majesty, who is much in our thoughts today and who is so greatly missed by us all,” she said.
“Over the past few months, my husband and I have drawn immense comfort from the messages of condolence that we have received, and continue to receive, from the four corners of the world.” She ended the speech with a quote from Nelson Mandela: “A winner is a dreamer who never gives up”.
Please look after the bears
Paddington Bears enjoying a royally good time at Buckingham Palace and Clarence House! We love the series of pics posted on Instagram this Friday, showing the bears exploring their temporary homes.
The assorted teddies were left at royal palace gates and parks after Queen Elizabeth’s death by a grieving public as tributes to Her Majesty’s adorable Platinum Jubilee tea party with Paddington Bear. The VIPs from darkest Peru, said they “had a lovely stay… doing our best to keep out of mischief”, “indulging in some light reading” and exploring state rooms as they slid down bannisters and peeked into the Throne Room.
On Thursday, the Queen Consort will take the bears and some 1,000 other cuddly toys to a special teddy bears’ picnic at a Barnardo's nursery in east London. Queen Camilla is patron of Barnardo’s and the bears will be travelling in a convoy of taxis to the picnic. Afterwards they will be donated to children in need across the UK. In a Teddy Bear Tribute video on the royal account, the bears said, “they are excited to join their new homes soon.” Beary lovely indeed.
Mike’s magic pants
We knew Mike Tindall was going to be good value in I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! This week, we got an eyeful as Mike cooled off in the creek in a tropical-print pair of trunks, emblazoned with pineapples and yes, bananas. Kerry wrote an ode to the ex-rugby player for The Sunday Telegraph, here. We particularly loved this anecdote about Zara’s ’70s-themed 30th birthday party:
“I had like flares on, full outfit but it was quite tight, nothing ever fits … so I was dancing with my mother-in-law and I did a slut drop,” he said, painting an unexpected picture of what goes on at royal get-togethers. “Ripped my trousers, straight in front of her,” he said. “It happened to be that my boxers that I had on at that time said, ‘nibble my nuts’.”
Princess Anne’s reply? “I’d rather not.” Legends, the pair of them.
William defends his position
Patriotic Welsh actor Michael Sheen criticised the “absurdity” of a Prince of Wales supporting England in the Qatar World Cup, which kicks off today. For the first time since 1958 Wales are also in the tournament. Trouble started on Monday night when William presented England players with their World Cup shirts and he told them: “I’m sure you’ll go far... the rest of the country is behind you. We are all rooting for you. Enjoy it.”
On Tuesday, Sheen took to Twitter, saying: “He can, of course, support whoever he likes and as Pres of FA his role makes visit understandable - but surely he sees holding the title Prince of Wales at same time is entirely inappropriate? Not a shred of embarrassment? Or sensitivity to the problem here?”
William, who visited the Senedd in Cardiff the next day, diplomatically highlighted he was patron of the Welsh Rugby Union, saying: “I happily support Wales over England in the rugby so… I’ve got to be able to play carefully with my affiliations.” He added he was hoping for an England v Wales final. “I’m telling everyone I’m supporting both, definitely,” he said. “I can’t lose.”
With the teams in the same qualifying group and playing against each other on 29 November - William best buy a ‘half-and-half’ scarf fast.
Charles branches out
The King marked his 74th birthday on Monday with a new job: Ranger of Windsor Great Park - taking over a role once held by Prince Philip for almost 70 years. A photograph of Charles leaning against a 600-year-old oak was also released. The park, one of the oldest estates in the UK, is free to enter and open all year round.