Sunday 31 March 2019

Sussex Royal Baby Watch - Main Page

Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor was born on May 6th at 5:26 AM. The baby is 7th in line to the throne.

Coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand (2019)

The coronation of King Maha Vajiralongkorn of Thailand will take place May 4th-6th, almost 2.5 years after his accession to the throne. The King's sister, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, is the honorary chair of the coronation committee.

Pre-Coronation Events:
April 
  • 6th - Water is gathered in all 76 provinces and Bangkok to be used in the coronation ceremony. 
  • 8th-9th - The collected water is is blessed at major temples in the respective provinces.
  • 18th - The waters are combined and taken to Wat Suthat, one of Bangkok's oldest and most important temples, to be blessed again 
  • 19th - The water is taken in a procession from Wat Suthat to the Temple of the Emerald Buddha.
  • 22nd - Ten monks chant prayers at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha on the day before the designated day of the inscription ceremony.
  • 23rd - The inscription ceremony is held at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha to make an inscription on the Royal Golden Plaque of the official title of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, and the Royal Golden Plaque of His Majesty’s horoscope, as well as the engraving of the Royal Seal of State. On this occasion, the inscription of the Royal Golden Plaques, with the official titles of members of the Royal Family, is also made.  
 May 
  • 2nd 
    • King Maha Vajiralongkorn pays homage to the Equestrian Statue of King Chulalongkorn at the Royal Plaza and the Memorial of King Rama I at the foot of Memorial Bridge. He also worships sacred beings at Baisal Daksin Throne Hall and Chakrabat Biman Royal Residence.
  • 3rd
    • The Royal Golden Plaque of the official title of the King, the Royal Golden Plaque of His Majesty’s horoscope, and the Royal Seal of State are transferred from the Temple of the Emerald Buddha to Baisal Daksin Throne Hall.
Coronation Events:
May 4th  
  • Purification Ceremony at Chakrabat Biman Royal Residence (10 AM)
  • Anointment Ceremony at Baisal Daksin Throne Hall
  • Crowning and Investiture Ceremony
  • Audience granted to the royal family, privy councilors and cabinet members at Amarindra Vinicchaya Throne Hall (2 PM)
  • Proclaim himself the Royal Patron of Buddhism at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha  (4 PM)
May 5th
  • A ceremony will "bestow the royal name," King Rama X  at Amarindra Vinicchaya Throne Hall. (9 AM)
    • Certain members of the Royal Family will be granted new titles to reflect their relationship with the King
  • Royal procession around the city  (4:30 PM)
May 6th 
  • Appears on the Sihabanchorn balcony of the Anata Samakhom throne hall (4:30 PM)
  • Hold a "grand audience" with members of the international diplomatic corps at Chakri Maha Prasad Throne Hall. (5:30)
Post-Coronation Events:
October 24th December 12
  • Royal Barge Procession
Royals attending:
  • Thailand Royal family
Members of the diplomatic corps will represent their respective countries at the Coronation Ceremony.

Thai gov did not wish to inconvenience foreign dignitaries [or Royals]. So, they did not extend them an invitation to attend.


Thursday 28 March 2019

Royal Maundy Service

Maundy memories
Wehwalt, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Royal Maundy service takes place each year on the Thursday before Easter. The Royal Maundy service is an important event for the King as he is head of the Church of England.  

At the service the Monarch distributes specially-minted coins in red and white purses to people from across the country in recognition of their outstanding Christian service. The number of recipients is determined by the Monarch’s age. If the Monarch is 74, there there would be 74 men and 74 women. 

The red purse always contains a £5 and a fifty pence commemorative coin. The white purse contains a set of specially minted silver Maundy coins with equivalent value in pence to the Monarch’s age. (The coins are usually made up of 1p, 2p, 3p, & 4p coins.)

King Charles III's Reign (2022-Present)
The number of recipients and coins is based on the King’s age at Easter, not the age he is turning that year. 
                                                                      
YearCharlesCamillaOther Location Notes
2020's
2029-----
2028-----
2027-----
2026-----
2025-----
2024
X

Worcester Cathedral
King Charles was absent due
to his cancer treatment
2023xx
York Minster1st of Charles's Reign.
York was likely chosen as the tradition
of the Royal Maundy Service
started in Yorkshire. 

Queen Elizabeth II's Reign (1952-2022)

The Queen attended annually and was usually joined by Prince Philip before his retirement in 2017. The service in 1952 was the Queen first public engagement after her accession. In the early years of her reign, the Queen followed the tradition of past monarchs and held the service in London each year. The honor of hosting the Royal Maundy service would rotate between different London Churches.

Between 1957 & 1970, The Queen started alternating the Maundy Thursday service between Westminister Abbey & churches outside London. After 1970, The Queen decided to hold the service at Westminister Abbey once a decade to allow her to visit more of England. The Westminister Abbey service is always on the year ending in 1 as that is a milestone birthday year for the Queen. 

In 2017, The Queen completed her goal of attending the Royal Maundy service at all England's 40+ Anglican Cathedrals. Since then the service has been held at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, where the Queen holds her month-long Easter Court. Except for years ending in 1, when the service is held at Westminister Abbey. 

The number of recipients and coins was based on Queen Elizabeth’s age she was turning that year. Not necessarily her current age, as sometimes her birthday fell before Maundy Thursday. And sometimes after. 

Note: The Court Circular on Royal.UK only goes back to 1997. So, attendance before that may not be complete, especially for Prince Philip.

YearQueenPhilip
OtherNotes
2020's
2022xPrince Charles
Duchess
Camilla
Held at St. George's Chapel, in Windsor.
2021x
Canceled due to the Coronavirus.
Was Scheduled to be held at Westminister Abbey in Windsor.
2020x
Canceled due to the Coronavirus.
Was Scheduled to be held at St. George's Chapel, in Windsor.

2010's
2019 x Princess Eugenie Held at St. George's Chapel, in Windsor.
2018 x
Held at St. George's Chapel, in Windsor.
Prince Philip canceled due to hip problems.
2017 x x Held at Leicester Cathedral.
Completed goal of attending Maundy Thursday service at all England's 40+ Anglican Cathedrals.
2016 x x Held at St. George's Chapel, in Windsor.
2015 x x Held at Sheffield Cathedral.
2014 x x Held at Blackburn Cathedral.
2013 x x Held at Christ Church Cathedral, in Oxford. 
2012xxPrincess Beatrice Held at York Minster, in York.
Queen's Diamond Jubilee year. 
2011 x x Held at Westminster Abbey, in London.
Queen's 85th Birthday.
2010 x x Held at Derby Cathedral. 
Year Queen Philip Other Notes
2000's
2009xxHeld at St. Edmundsbury Cathedral in Bury St Edmunds.
2008xxHeld at St. Patrick's Cathedral, in Armagh.
First time the service ever took place in Northern Ireland.
2007xxHeld at Manchester Cathedral. 
2006xxHeld at Guildford Cathedral.
2005xxHeld at Wakefield Cathedral.
2004xxHeld at Liverpool Cathedral.
2003xxHeld at Gloucester Cathedral.
2002xxHeld at Canterbury Cathedral.
2001xxHeld at Westminster Abbey, in London. 
2000xxHeld at Lincoln Cathedral.
1990's
1999 x x Held at Bristol Cathedral.
1998 x x Held at Portsmouth Cathedral.
1997x x Held at Bradford Cathedral.
1996x x Held at Norwich Cathedral. 
1995x x Held at Coventry Cathedral.
1994x x Held at Truro Cathedral.
1993x x Held at Wells Cathedral.
1992x x Held at Chester Cathedral.
1991x x Held at Westminster Abbey.
1990x Held at St Nicholas Cathedral, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
Year Queen Philip Other Notes
1980's
1989 x x Held at St Philip's Cathedral, in Birmingham.
1988 x x Held at Lichfield Cathedral.
1987x x Held at Ely Cathedral.
1986 x x Held at Chichester Cathedral.
1985 x x Held at Ripon Cathedral.
1984 x x Held at Southwell Minster.
1983 x x Held at Exeter Cathedral.
1982 x x Held at St. David's Cathedral, in Wales.
1981 x Held at Westminster Abbey.
1980 x x Held at Worcester Cathedral.
1970's
1979 x x Held at Winchester Cathedral.
1978x x Held at Carlisle Cathedral.
1977 x x Held at Westminster Abbey.
1976 x x Held at Hereford Cathedral.
1975 x Held at Peterborough Cathedral.
1974 x x Held at Salisbury Cathedral.
1973 x x Held at Westminster Abbey.
1972 x Held at York Minster.
1971 x Held at Tewkesbury Abbey.
1970
Queen Mum Held at Westminster Abbey, in London.
Queen was in New Zealand on a Canada + South Pacific Tour. 
Year Queen Philip Other Notes
1960's
1969 x x Held at Selby Abbey
1968 x x Prince Charles Held at Westminster Abbey, in London.
1967 x Held at Durham Cathedral. 
1966 x x Held at Westminster Abbey, in London.
1965 x x Held at Canterbury Cathedral
1964
Princess Mary
(Queen Elizabeth's aunt)
Held at Westminster Abbey, in London.
Queen was absent due to Prince Edward's recent birth.
1963 x Held at Chelmsford Cathedral. 
1962 x x Prince Charles
Princess Anne
Princess Margaret
Lord Snowdon
Held at Westminster Abbey, in London.
(1962 was the 10th Anniversary of Queen Accession)
1961x x Held at Rochester Cathedral.
1960
Queen Mum Held at Westminster Abbey, in London.
Queen was absent due to Prince Andrew's recent birth.
1950's
1959x Queen Mum
Princess Margaret
Princess Anne
Held at St. George's Chapel, in Windsor.
1958x
Held at Westminster Abbey, in London.
1957x x Held at St Albans Abbey, in Hertfordshire.
First time Queen held the service outside London.
1956x x Held at Westminster Abbey, in London.
1955x
Held at Southwark Cathedral, in London. 
1954Lord High Almoner officiated Held at Westminster Abbey, in London. Queen on Commonwealth Tour.
1953x x Held at St Paul's Cathedral, in London. 
1952x x Held at Westminster Abbey, in London.
Queen's 1st public engagements since her accession.

Wednesday 20 March 2019

Sussex Royal Baby Watch - Timeline

April 
  • 11th: 
  • 21st: 
    • Queen's 93rd Birthday
    • Easter!
  • 25th 
    • Prince Harry attends Anzac Day service at Westminister Abbey with Duchess Kate & Duke of Gloucester
  • 28th
    • Prince Harry attends the London Marathon and present medals. As Patron of the London Marathon Trust, he does this annually.
May 6th 
  • Early Morning
    • Duchess Meghan goes into labor
  • 5:26 AM
    • Baby Sussex is born
    • Close family is informed of the baby's birth.
      • Queen first
  • 1:50 PM
    • Announcement that Meghan has gone into Labor
  • 2:40 PM 
    • Announcement of birth
  • Shortly after
  • ?
    • Birth announcement is set up on easel in the forecourt of Buckingham Palace
May 7th 
  • 8 PM 
    • Birth announcement is taken down from easel. It will be sent to the Privy Council for their record. 
May 8th
May 9th 
  • Prince Harry travels to the Netherlands for the launch of 2020 Invictus Games in the Hauge, Netherlands 
Sometime
  • The birth certificate is filled out
June 8th
  • Trooping the Colours
    • Likely Duchess Meghan's 1st official engagement post-birth 
Approx 2 months after birth: 
  • Royal Baby is christened
A day or two after:
  • Official christening photos are released 

Saturday 2 March 2019

March, April Q&A (2019)

Post your general Royal Questions & I will get to them as soon as possible. Questions about Writing to the Royals or Replies have been moved to our Q&A on Gert's Royal Replies

Question 1: Do you think Meghan will give birth at Lindo Wing? Or some more private hospital?

Answer: Nothing has been officially announced yet, but I would expect Meghan to give birth at Lindo Wing. There is going to be such a media circus around the birth, that you want to keep things as organized and with at least chaos as possible. Having a carefully orchestrated plan is what gives the family the most privacy. The Palace and media have already worked out the kinks with Lindo Wing. It's a difficult balance of giving the Sussexs privacy, allowing the hospital to continue its work in a calm manner, and acknowledging public interest. 

Lindo Wing works well. 


Question 2: Which Royals will be at the Commonwealth Awards 2019?

Answer: There are a number of Commonwealth related awards. But there is no "Commonwealth Awards." (Except for the Commonwealth Awards in Pennsylvania, USA. But that has nothing to do with the British Commonwealth.)

So, I'm not sure what you are referring to exactly. I know there is a Youth Commonwealth Awards on the 13th. No, Royal has been announced as attending that. And we don't normally see any royals there. 


Question 3: Will the Royal Family have to contact Twitter or the user of @SussexRoyal account to use the name on twitter? The account was created 2010 but hasn't been used since 2014

Answer: They might. It also possible the Sussexs could use a different handle on Twitter. But anyways the palace has said that they don't have any plans on starting a Sussex twitter account right now. 

Question 4:  If Her Majesty attends a Royal Wedding are members of the Royal Family expected to attend? Are Senior Royals expected to attend?

Answer: No. No one is expected to attend a wedding (or funeral, etc.) just because the Queen does. But, obviously, if this is close family or close friends we often see a bunch of other royals attending as they are close to the person as well.