London visitor

An author of a children’s book celebrating the “endearing love story” of the Queen and her corgis has praised the support of her six-year-old daughter, who helped to get the tale recognized by the late monarch.

Caroline L Perry, 45, wrote The Corgi And The Queen in tribute to Elizabeth II’s decades-long relationship with the breed as it follows her and Susan, the matriarch of what became 14 generations of royal corgis, through her courtship and honeymoon with Prince Philip, the Second World War, and her coronation.

The story, illustrated by Lydia Corry and out in the UK on Thursday, was made known to the Queen before her death in September when Ms. Perry’s daughter, Eloise, sent a note and corgi drawing to Buckingham Palace in late 2021 after a year that saw the Queen mark 70 years of her reign and the death of Prince Philip.

“Because her husband died, (I wanted to) cheer her up, and because it was about Susan,” Eloise told the PA news agency.

“(And) I wanted to wish her a happy jubilee.”

Ms. Perry added: “She wanted to cheer her up by sending her a nice card, she thought the Queen would love the book.”

Ms. Perry, who is from London but moved to Los Angeles 15 years ago, explained that they soon received a response from Lady Elizabeth Leeming, a lady-in-waiting of the Queen’s.

Lady Leeming wrote to Eloise: “The Queen wishes me to thank you for your lovely card and for your message, written with a little help, in which you told Her Majesty of the book.

“Although The Queen is unable to reply to you personally, Her Majesty was touched by the nice things you said, and I am to thank you, very much, for your thought for the Queen at this time which is greatly appreciated.”

Ms. Perry said her daughter was “very excited” by the letter, which came with the royal seal.

“She was really, really happy because she thought that it would have cheered the Queen up and that she now knew about her good wishes that she had sent to her from Los Angeles,” the author said.

“Of course, sadly, she didn’t live to see the book but (Eloise) was still delighted that the Queen at least knew this book was on the way because she very much sensed that the relationship with Susan was a very special one.

“From when I started writing the book when she was only three, (Eloise) has been asking me for her very own Susan ever since.”

Ms. Perry said that the book, which was released in the United States in November, has already “hugely impacted” lives, including the adoption of a young corgi by her literary agent’s daughter in Ohio, who has named the puppy Susan.

“It’s easy to see why the Queen loved them so much,” she said.

“They’re very feisty, very intelligent, very loyal and very charming.”

Eloise added: “(Corgis) are cute and clever… I want 30.”

Ms. Perry said when the Queen was given her first corgi as an 18th birthday present in 1944, it “really started a love story for the ages”.

“Susan really was there for some of these momentous moments in history, and Elizabeth just adored this little dog,” she said.

“I think before Philip, she was her true love.

“And the fact that all 14 generations of the Queen’s corgis were descended from that one dog, it was just such a remarkable story – it really humanized the Queen.

“For me to see that she was able to express herself through her animals in a way she perhaps wasn’t able to in her life with all the pressures that being the monarch entailed, a life devoted to duty… (It’s) an endearing love story.”

Ms. Perry added that the book, published by Andersen Press, “honors” the relationship the Queen had with her royal dog dynasty.

It includes two family trees – one for the royals and the second for the corgis owned by the Queen throughout her life, which all started with Susan.

“I think she really would have loved this book, but now I really hope people view it as a tribute,” she said.

“And also (as) something that highlights another side to the Queen that not everyone’s aware of.

“The Queen wouldn’t have been the same Queen without her corgis; I think they very much helped to shape history, didn’t they?”

The Attallah Cross Diana, Princess of Wales, famously paired with an Elizabethan-style Catherine Walker gown for a London charity gala in 1987, is expected to fetch up to £120,000 at auction.

The Garrard crucifix pendant, embossed with gold, silver, amethyst and diamonds, will lead Sotheby’s annual Royal and Noble sale, which begins on January 6 and ends on January 18.

Diana wore the pendant to a charity ball on October 27 1987 in aid of Birthrights, a charity working to protect human rights during pregnancy and childbirth, of which she became patron in 1984.

The piece reflected her lifelong relationship with Garrard, which adapted The Spencer Tiara for her wedding day and from whom she selected her sapphire engagement ring in 1981.

In her last public appearance, Diana wore a diamond and South Sea pearl piece by Garrard which became known as the ‘Swan Lake’ necklace.

The Attallah Cross pendant was owned by the former group chief executive of Asprey and Garrard, the late Naim Attallah, who would often lend it to Diana to wear at events.

It was later passed on to his son Ramsay Attallah, who said: “Princess Diana and my father were friends and I remember that she often came to see him at the historic Garrard store on Regent Street, where his office was, and she would ask to borrow the pendant on several occasions. She really loved the piece.”

The necklace is understood to only have been worn by Diana and, after her death, it was never seen in public again, the auction house said.

Kristian Spofforth, head of jewelry at Sotheby’s London, said: “Jewellery owned or worn by the late Princess Diana very rarely comes on to the market, especially a piece such as the Attallah cross, which is so colorful, bold and distinctive.

“To some extent, this unusual pendant is symbolic of the princess’s growing self-assurance in her sartorial and jewelry choices at that particular moment in her life.

“We are confident that this unique 1920s piece of jewelry by Garrard, with such an exceptional provenance and only ever worn by the princess herself, will attract the attention of a wide variety of bidders, including royal and noble jewelry collectors, as well as fans of the princess keen to share part of her history.”

“Hey, ladies in waiting—we’re waiting!”  Well, now that I’ve gotten that joke out of my system, it’s time for us to explore a position at court that has been important for centuries.  The job of a lady-in-waiting has been part of European royal custom since it was first referenced in 9th Century France and, within two hundred years, spread across the English Channel (along with the Normans).  From the Middle Ages to the modern era, ladies-in-waiting acted as personal assistants to female royals, doing everything for queens and princesses, from playing music to dressing them. 

Historically, “ladies-in-waiting” was a catch-all term for a group of women, each with their own titles and responsibilities.  Sitting at the top of the ladies-in-waiting hierarchy was the Mistress of the Robes, the senior female assistant to the Queen.  Then you had the Lady of the Bedchamber and Women of the Bedchamber.  Any unmarried ladies-in-waiting were referred to as “Maids of Honor,” a term you might know from weddings.  A lady-in-waiting could be compared to the equerry for the Sovereign, though unlike the equerry, ladies-in-waiting have traditionally been noblewomen rather than military officers.  Today, however, it is not necessary for a woman to come from a noble family to serve a queen or princess, and sometimes they are simply relatives of the women they serve. 

A queen or princess normally appoints their own ladies-in-waiting, though in times past, the decisions were heavily influenced by their parents, relatives, or husband.  The total number of them could vary at any given point based on their mistress’s needs.  During Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, she normally had a total of six, with the chef amongst them being Lady Susan Hussey, who started out answering correspondence to Queen Elizabeth.  Lady Hussey worked her way up to being the Queen’s right-hand woman and served as a lady-in-waiting for over 60 years until the monarch’s death in 2022. 

It should be pointed out, however, that ladies-in-waiting are not servants but more confidants for the queen or princess.  In modern times, they assist with responding to letters, looking after their mistress’s clothing and jewelry, traveling with them, providing advice, and offering a sympathetic ear.  Ladies-in-Waiting are normally unpaid and spend a great deal of time with the queen or princess, less formal than the equerry but no less time-consuming.  Lady Hussey even served as Prince William’s godmother, showing how integral and intimate this person can be with the queen. 

The less formal nature and responsibilities of the position are perhaps best reflected in the changes that Queen Camilla has made to the role since becoming Queen Consort.  Rather than use the term “ladies-in-waiting,” Camilla has opted for the more progressive term “Queen’s Companions.”  Queen Camilla chose six of her friends to serve as companions, assisting her in her public duties but not as ever-present as Queen Elizabeth’s ladies-in-waiting were for her.  They will also not be required to handle correspondence or administrative duties such as managing the Queen Consort’s calendar.  The previous ladies-in-waiting are going to become “ladies of the household” and will serve King Charles III instead of the Queen Consort. 

Certainly, this position has changed over time from the selection process for a lady-in-waiting to her individual responsibilities.  As evidenced, Queen Camilla has already made significant changes that could have lasting repercussions for when Princess Catherine becomes Queen Consort.  Catherine may also make her own changes as the role of a lady-in-waiting continues to modernize and adapt to present needs.  Whatever the future holds for ladies-in-waiting, they are certain to continue their responsibility of being a royal woman’s closest confidants and most valuable assistants. 

They say there’s no place like home for the holidays, but sometimes it can be nice to spend the Christmas season abroad.  The United Kingdom is a fantastic place to spend Christmas as it originated many holiday traditions that we enjoy in the States today.  There are also a number of great modern traditions that make Britain stand out as a Christmas travel destination from winter festivals to Christmas markets.  If you’re thinking about the United Kingdom for your holiday trip, we hope you’ll consider one of these ten idyllic Christmas locations below.  If you think we’ve left out your favorite, you can share that with us in the comments.

London

London is a number one destination no matter the time of year, but there’s so much going on in the UK capital at Christmas time that we’ve dedicated whole articles to it.  From the Hyde Park Winter Wonderland to shopping districts lit up for the holiday to being a center for Christmas panto shows, London has something for everyone at Christmas time.  If you’re there on Christmas Day, you can check out the Peter Pan Cup race held by the Serpentine Swimming Club. 

Bakewell

Home to the famous Bakewell Tart, the Market Town of Bakewell is a great example of how to enjoy a country Christmas in Britain.  Riverside paths are lit up with Christmas lights, quaint cafes have special Christmas food and beverages on their menus, and the Bakewell Christmas Market is one of the top holiday markets in the North.  Not to mention, you’re smack in the middle of Peak District National Park to do some Christmas camping or hiking. 

York

The City of York has been a great place to celebrate Christmas since the Medieval Period.  The Christmas tree in St. Helen’s Square is a marvel to behold and a great place to start your York Christmas adventure.  The York Minster offers a number of Christmas concerts and worship services that aren’t to be missed.  There are also plenty of Christmas fairs and markets from the St. Nicholas’s Christmas Fair to the Piglets Adventure Farm, the latter of which will let you take a Christmas sleigh ride right to Santa’s Workshop. 

Cardiff

If you’re in Wales for the holiday, we highly recommend swinging by the country’s capital for all the great British Christmas traditions.  Including its own fabulous holiday market, Cardiff has plenty of Christmas light trails, ice skating, shopping, and plenty of shows.  The city has two major Christmas festivals including the Cardiff Christmas Festival and Cardiff Winter Wonderland.  Lastly, if you want to get some exercise in an eccentric and festive way, the Santa and Elf Dash is a race that helps raise money for heart health. 

Bath

The Bath Christmas Market has long been regarded as one of the best in all of Britain, but that’s not the only reason to visit this ancient city during the holidays.  National Trust properties throughout the city and the immediate area put on their best period-accurate decorations.  You can also head down into the caves of Wookey Hole which are done up with lights and decorations or visit the Bath on Ice winter ice skating rink. 

Mousehole

If you want a quieter Christmas away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the Village of Mousehole in Cornwall is a top destination.  Of course, even this sleepy fishing village knows how to do it up for Christmas with one of the most impressive sets of Christmas lights in the country.  The switch-on is quite the event itself, full of food and Christmas caroling. 

Edinburgh

Christmas wasn’t always the biggest holiday in Scotland thanks to the Presbyterian Church playing down its importance as “papist” during the Scottish Reformation.  However, today it’s as great as any place in Britain, especially after the Edinburgh Winter Festivals kick off on November 25.  The festivals include plenty of Christmas markets, rides, and even a Christmas tree maze.  Many ancient churches in the city also host Christmas services that are worth attending. 

Oxford

Home to one of the top universities in the United Kingdom, Oxford puts on one fantastic Christmas bash each year.  Whether you’re looking for holiday gifts or holiday food, you can check out the Oxford Christmas Fair and the Food Village.  The manor home of Wadderson puts on some lovely holiday decorations and a Christmas light show that’s worth seeing.  Of course, Oxford University also gets in on the holiday action, and its Christmas decorations are some of the best in Britain. 

Lake District

The Lake District is arguably one of the most beautiful places in the United Kingdom and only gets more so when decked out in snow and Christmas decorations.  Christmas markets dot the landscape in every village and town.  Bowness-on-Windemere, the longtime home of Beatrix Potter, puts on its own Father Christmas Tea and a show in which Santa and his reindeer save the holiday for children everywhere.  There is no shortage of events to attend during the holidays, and you’ll be within striking distance of some of the loveliest landscapes to spend Christmas. 

Birmingham

Birmingham is the best place in Northern England to visit at Christmastime.  The Frankfurt Christmas Market is the largest German-style Christmas market outside of Germany or Austria with a large Christmas tree that towers over shoppers.  In addition to hosting its own Christmas services and concerts, Birmingham Cathedral also has its own Christmas festival that takes place in the square every year.  Enjoy the winter lights trails throughout the city, or the Big Wheel lit up in holiday colors.

The designs for banknotes featuring images of King Charles III have been unveiled by the Bank of England ahead of their circulation by the middle of 2024.

The Bank said the King’s portrait will be the only change on existing designs of its £5, £10, £20, and £50 polymer plastic notes.

The image of the King will appear on the front of the banknotes, as well as in the see-through security window.

But the Bank confirmed that all existing plastic banknotes featuring Queen Elizabeth II will still be accepted as legal tender, with the public able to carry on using them as normal.

It added that following guidance from the royal household to keep the environmental and financial impact of the change to a minimum, it would only print new banknotes to replace those that are worn and when needed to increase notes in circulation.

This means that notes featuring Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III will “co-circulate,” according to Threadneedle Street.

Bank governor Andrew Bailey said: “I am very proud that the Bank is releasing the design of our new banknotes, which will carry a portrait of King Charles III.

“This is a significant moment, as the King is only the second monarch to feature on our banknotes.

“People will be able to use these new notes as they start to enter circulation in 2024.”

Fifty pence coins featuring the image of King Charles III are entering circulation this month, with 4.9 million coins being distributed across 9,452 Post Office branches nationwide.

The first Bank of England note to feature Queen Elizabeth II’s portrait was a £1 note issued in 1960.

This was followed by a 10-shilling note in 1961.

The Princess of Wales has planted a tree in memory of the late Queen as part of a global green initiative to commemorate the monarch.

She gave a sapling a start in life at Westminster Abbey, one of more than a million trees planted under the Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) project across the UK and Commonwealth.

The QGC was established to mark the Queen’s 70-year reign with the public invited to “Plant a Tree for the Jubilee.”

The project was due to conclude in December at the end of the Jubilee year but, following the wishes of the King, the initiative’s patron, it has been extended to the end of March 2023 to give people the opportunity to plant trees in memory of the late monarch who died in September.

More than a million trees have been planted in the Queen’s name during the October 2021 to March 2022 planting season.

Kate planted a wild cherry tree, a gift from the Duchy of Cornwall, last Wednesday during final preparations for her carol concert held at Westminster Abbey for the second year.

The festive event was staged the following day, and the princess and her family were joined by the King and Queen Consort for traditional carols.

The first images of Ncuti Gatwa as the Doctor and Millie Gibson as his companion have been released by the BBC.

Gatwa is shown in pictures and video wearing brown check trousers and a matching long coat with bright orange top underneath, while Gibson is dressed in dark blue shorts and a short jacket.

Gibson was announced as the latest companion when she stepped out of the Tardis live on Children In Need.

The Coronation Street actress will star opposite Sex Education star Gatwa, who takes over as the Doctor in 2023.

The 15th Doctor’s companion, who will be called Ruby Sunday, will travel alongside him as they embark on a new set of adventures.

The BBC said Doctor Who will return in November 2023 with three special episodes to coincide with the 60th anniversary – with David Tennant as the 14th Doctor.

Gatwa, will then take control of the Tardis, with his first episode airing over the festive period in 2023.

The King has danced with Anne Frank’s stepsister while visiting a Jewish community center in north London.

At 93, Eva Schloss has survived Nazi concentration camps, spent decades promoting peace among humanity, and now has danced with a King during a celebration of Chanukah.

She said: “He was sweet, he really took part, he seemed to enjoy it but it is unusual for him not to make a speech. But he was very relaxed and he enjoyed it, I was trying to get a dance with him.

“They are so easy to talk to, they are not standing on a higher level where you have to make an appointment, they are human beings and want to be part of the community and part of the British people and help everybody.”

Charles toured the JW3 community center on Finchley Road speaking to school children packing presents and food hampers for families around Camden, refugees baking gingerbread biscuits, and survivors of the Holocaust.

In a speech during which she presented the King with a Chanukiah of eight candelabras, Dame Vivian Duffield said she founded JW3 to give the Jewish community in London a place to gather to protect and celebrate their heritage.

Eva said: “Unfortunately, there is still antisemitism, people say Jewish people should go to Israel, this is England, but I hope we are getting over these prejudices.

“England is one of the rich countries in the world and we have to struggle with poverty I hope King Charles will be able to manage this situation a little bit.

“I hope he will help make things easier for everybody and fight racism. I think he is a very good King.”

As Charles visited the kitchen where a group of young refugees were baking biscuits for the Christmas hampers, one of the cooks, Sefinat, fell to her knees with giddiness.

She said afterward: “To be honest, I can’t explain the feeling. To see him live, I was like oh my god, it was a nice feeling and I’m happy I was able to meet him.”

JW3’s chief executive Raymond Simonson, who accompanied the King on his tour of the center, said the King turned up with a car boot full of rice and tinned tuna to go into the donation packets.

He said: “The volunteers came and took it out of the car and packed it up. That will stay with me for a while.

“There are 200 households we support around the Camden area and they don’t have enough food at Christmas and now they have food from the King as well as from our volunteers.

“Most people in the British Jewish community come from refugee stock and the fact of being accepted and meeting the Monarch, it’s an endorsement of the community’s place in British society.

“When you see the King visiting and saying happy Chanukah it says to people that the person in the highest seat accepts us.

“It has been 365 years since we were readmitted after being expelled and to know that we are secure here and not in danger… That means so much to people.”

For a lot of people, money can get pretty tight. Some people can even have trouble paying for some of their lower-tier Maslovian needs. Naturally, for these people, tickets for concerts or theatre shows would normally be right out. And it looks like this is starting to change, with London creating a new sceheme called the Ticket Bank. Under the Ticket Bank, venues will give unsold tickets (about 1,000 per week) to people struggling with money. 

The Plan

According to Chris Sonnex, director of homeless theatre troupe Cardboard Citizens, and the originator of the Ticket Bank: “There are brilliant people putting together food banks and heat banks, but that doesn’t give humanity its basic needs from a soul point of view. People who are suffering as a result of the cost of living also need access to community, entertainment and things that warm the soul. Art is a human right. And the tighter things get with people’s finances, the more they will be squeezed out of art.”

It was inspired by a practice called “Papering.” With papering, theaters might keep hold of unsold tickets and offer them to certain people. Maybe they’re connected to the show, maybe they’re just related to the arts. But, if all goes well, they at least end up with a full house, which leads to more positive word of mouth, leading to more ticket sales.

They are working with multiple charities. Food banks like Trussell Trust. Housing charities like Centrepoint and Positive Action in Housing. Even the Longford Trust, which works to support ex-cons. All of these organizations will provide the have-nots with access codes to book tickets. And where do these tickets come from? 

The Venues

Seven different organizations have already signed up to provide tickets for the Ticket Bank: The National Theatre, The Roundhouse, The Barbican, and four smaller theatres: Almeida Theatre, Gate Theatre, Bush Theatre, and Tara Theatre. And that’s just the ones who’ve currently been announced. They plan to announce seven more venues in January, and are even “in conversations” with cinemas to potentially participate.

These tickets will be available either for free, or a “pay what you can” donation. Quoth Caroline McCormack, chair of the Cultural Philanthropy Foundation, “Even 10p will be welcome, and a way of maintaining the dignity of people receiving the tickets.” And for anyone who’s wondering how these venues are going to pay for this scheme, well, the tickets in question would otherwise be unused and unsold anyway. They have nothing to lose but ticket revenues that weren’t even coming in anyway.

Chris Sonnex’ testimony.

Chris Sonnex pointed out that when he grew up, he lived in a Council Estate in Inner London. He explained: “I don’t think I went to a museum unless the school told me to go there. I lived five minutes from a renowned theatre, but I didn’t even know it was a theatre. So it’s important to reach as many people as possible to say: this is for you. That never really happened with me. If you reach out to people who have never gone to the theatre, and can’t afford it, then in years to come you might find they come back and say I really liked that and now I’ve got some money so I’m going to spend it [on tickets]. It’s future-proofing in a world where audiences are dwindling and getting older.” 

And, as I look at ticket prices, I see that they can get pretty expensive. I look up tickets for the current Broadway in Chicago production of The Lion King. While they say tickets can be as low as $33, tickets that I can see routinely go above $200 even in the nosebleeds. Tickets below $100 are only slightly more common than hen’s teeth. No wonder it’s the highest grossing play in history with those prices.

Caroline McCormack says she hopes the Ticket Bank can spread out to other cities, and if it works out, I can only see this as a good thing. 

A Bit of Shakespearean context

I could go on about how there’s a lot of artistically inclined people, dreamers who paid thousands in college degrees in the hopes that it would bring them a career in the arts, but still can barely afford to keep the lights on. But I’ll go on about something a bit further removed from current events. In the original Globe Theater, the audience was segregated into two groups. The first consisted of wealthy people who could afford to sit in the balcony, maybe even hobknob with the queen. But on Terra Firma, the common people of London stood around on the ground to watch the plays. Maybe they’d leave these shows and get drunk or take bets on whether a bear could outlast a pack of dogs in some bloodsport. 

How much did it cost for these groundlings to get tickets to history being made before their eyes? A single penny. I looked up how much a penny’s admission to the first production of Hamlet in 1601 would be. Depending on how you calculate that cost, it’s anywhere from 94 pence to £26.26. I can easily imagine the Bard spinning in his grave if he found out that the groundlings of today were so priced out of the theater. If nothing else, who else would laugh when he made jokes about country matters?

The King was impressed by a demonstration of “fantastic” blind football when he visited a unique college preparing students for the world of work.

Charles visited the Royal National College for the Blind (RNC) to mark its 150th anniversary and was shown the training given to those enrolled – from learning braille and business skills to massage techniques.

He watched as staff and students played football using a ball that made a noise as it rolled, with instructions shouted out to a defender to help them close down the attacker taking shots at goal.

At the end of the demonstration at the further education college in Hereford, the King said, “it’s fantastic” before adding: “Hearing the ball – it’s amazing.”

In a speech marking his visit and a plaque-unveiling ceremony, Charles said: “But can I just say that in everything I have been shown today, it’s been clear to me that the college is fully committed to the values represented in this motto: education, employment, empowerment.”

He added: “And I think all this has been very apparent in the impressive personal confidence and skills demonstrated by the students, particularly the ones I’ve met, and it is hugely encouraging to see how the ethos of the college provides a real preparation for life.”

During his visit, Charles spoke to students learning Braille from a decades-old machine and also saw a modern version that created the raised dot patterns of the tactile reading and writing system on the machine itself.

At one point, the monarch spotted Billy the guide dog lying under a table as its owner, Orla Rafferty, explained the special equipment she uses in maths.