If King Charles III Stepped Down

If King Charles III Stepped Down

Here's what would happen if King Charles III stepped down and handed the throne to Prince William

Maria Noyen   Sat, September 24, 2022

King Charles III has not indicated that he ever plans to renounce the throne. Given his age and historically low popularity in the UK, however, it remains a possibility.

Insider spoke with a royal historian about what would happen if Charles stepped down as king.

The UK is mourning the loss of a queen that reigned for 70 years while also welcoming a king that spent the same amount of time preparing to replace her.

From the outside, the reign of King Charles III appears to have gotten off to a shockingly good start. In his first speech, he made his intention to follow in his mother's footsteps crystal clear.

"As the Queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the constitutional principles at the heart of our nation," he said.

Charles, now aged 73, is the oldest person to become king in British history. In the years before Queen Elizabeth II died, speculation mounted that she may have been contemplating stepping down and handing the throne to Charles.

That said, the decades Charles spent as a prince saw his popularity among the public nearly decimated, especially following his divorce from Princess Diana in 1996. As recent as 2021, it led to a desire among the British public for Prince William to succeed Queen Elizabeth II instead of his father, according to a poll on behalf of Newsweek.

Insider spoke to royal experts about what would happen in the event Charles stepped down and what it would mean for the monarchy's future.

Charles couldn't simply step away from the throne

There are two scenarios in which Charles is alive but no longer king, royal historian Marlene Koenig told Insider.

The first comes under the Regency Act, Koenig said, which could be triggered if Charles was physically incapacitated, meaning he could no longer speak or move. Dr. Bob Morris, an honorary senior research associate at UCL's Constitution Unit, told Insider the monarch's inability to carry out their duties would also have to be certified by various people including their spouse.

If that occurred, the next in line – Prince William – would become regent. "He takes over and has all the powers of the king, except some matters, which are reserved," Morris said.

However, there is another, more controversial scenario — abdication. Koenig said it's highly unlikely to ever occur given Charles' intention to follow in his mother's footsteps.

In any case, abdication is a complex process. Charles couldn't simply decide to abdicate by himself. To make it official, he would first need UK Parliament to pass an Act of Abdication, Koenig said.

"He can't just say, 'OK, here it's yours, William.' Nope. The succession to the throne is legislated by parliament," she added.

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King Charles III Leaves Note On Coffin Of His Mom, Queen Elizabeth II

King Charles III Leaves Note On Coffin Of His Mom, Queen Elizabeth II

Katie Kindelan  Mon, September 19, 2022

George VI  King of the United Kingdom from 1936 to 1952, Emperor of India from 1936 to 1948 (1895-1952)

King Charles III paid tribute to his mother Queen Elizabeth II with a note on her coffin as she was laid to rest Monday. In a note that was tucked into a wreath of flowers and foliage chosen by Charles, the new king wrote, "In loving and devoted memory."

Charles signed the note with his first name, Charles, followed by the letter R, which stands for Rex, the Latin word for king. The king, the eldest of the queen's four children, has led members of the royal family and the public through more than one week of mourning for the queen, who died on Sept. 8 at age 96 while at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

Charles was by his mother's side when she died and walked directly behind the queen's coffin as it was escorted into Westminster Abbey Monday for her funeral.

PHOTO: Britain's King Charles III walks beside The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in a Royal Standard and adorned with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's orb and sceptre as it leaves Westminster Abbey in London, on Sept. 19, 2022. 

The floral wreath that held the note written by Charles was full of bright flowers cut from the gardens of the royal family's residences, as well as foliage of rosemary and English oak.

In a sentimental touch that came at the request of Charles, as did all the flowers chosen, the foliage in the wreath also included myrtle that was cut from a plant grown from myrtle that used in the queen’s wedding bouquet when she wed her beloved husband Prince Philip in 1947.

PHOTO: The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II with the Imperial State Crown, orb and sceptre resting on top is carried into Westminster Abbey on Sept. 19, 2022 in London.

The queen will be buried next to Philip at the King George VI Memorial Chapel at St. George's Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle.

The burial service will be private, attended only by members of the royal family. 

PHOTO: Britain's King Charles III, Britain's Princess Anne, Princess Royal, Britain's Prince Andrew, Duke of York and Britain's Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex arrive at Westminster Abbey in London, Sept. 19, 2022, for the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.

Before the queen is buried, items on her coffin will be removed.

In addition to the wreath, the coffin is adorned with the Imperial State Crown, the crown that monarchs wear as they leave Westminster Abbey after the coronation.

The crown -- which contains 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls, and four rubies -- was made in 1937 for the coronation of the queen's father, King George VI, according to Historic Royal Palaces, the organization that oversees the Tower of London, where the crown jewels are held.

The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, who reigned for 70 years, is adorned with the Imperial State Crown. (ABC News Photo Illustration)

The queen's coffin is also adorned with the Sovereign's Sceptre with Cross and the Sovereign's Orb, both part of the coronation regalia.

The queen's coffin is draped with the Royal Standard, the flag representing the sovereign and the U.K. During her reign, the Royal Standard was flown on her car and aircraft on official journeys and at royal palaces when the queen was in residence.

King Charles III leaves note on coffin of his mom, Queen Elizabeth II originally appeared on goodmorningamerica.com

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King Charles III leaves note on coffin of his mom, Queen Elizabeth II

The Queen’s Relationship With Each US President

The Queen’s Relationship With Each US President

Oliver O'Connell Sun, September 18, 2022

Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand - Over her 70 years as monarch, Queen Elizabeth II met every sitting US president, with the notable exception of President Lyndon Johnson.

Even before she ascended to the throne, she met President Harry Truman when she was heir and also met President Herbert Hoover when she was monarch, 20 years after he had left office.

Against the backdrop of the Cold War, the economic crises, societal changes, scientific breakthroughs, and military campaigns that have shaped the bond between the US and the UK, the Queen has been a constant and friendly soft power figure that was an important part of the special relationship.

Here are some of the notable moments of her meetings with US presidents.

Harry Truman

In late 1951, while heir to the throne, Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip visited Washington DC. The royal couple were on a tour of Canada at the time and took a side-trip to see President Truman, gifting him a candelabra, an oil painting, and an ornate mirror.

Mr Truman is said to have told the princess that he hoped “when you leave, you will like us even better than when you came”. The visit occurred as British and US troops were fighting communist insurgents in Korea at the dawn of the Cold War, just six years after the end of the Second World War.

Dwight D Eisenhower

The Queen made her first state visit to the US in 1957, attending a dinner at the White House on 20 October hosted by President Eisenhower and his wife, Mamie. Mr Eisenhower wore a British Order of Merit that was awarded to him by the Queen’s late father, King George VI, following the war.

At the time, relations between Britain and America were in a poor state following the Suez crisis in Egypt, during which the UK had kept the US in the dark about collusion with the French and Israelis.

Prime Minister Harold Macmillan asked the Queen to visit Washington to generate some goodwill between the two nations.

John F Kennedy

President John Kennedy (right) and his wife Jacqueline (second left) pictured with Queen Elizabeth II (second right) and the Duke of Edinburgh (left) at Buckingham Palace (PA)

The Kennedys attended a banquet in their honour at Buckingham Palace during a tour of Europe in the first year of his presidency, meeting the Queen on 5 June 1961.

It is said that the young monarch was intimidated by the glamorous Jackie Kennedy.

After returning to Washington, President Kennedy sent the Queen a birthday message, adding at the end of his letter: “May I also at the same time say how grateful my wife and I are for the cordial hospitality offered to us by your Majesty and Prince Philip during our visit to London last Monday. We shall always cherish the memory of that delightful evening.”

Mr Kennedy’s father had been US ambassador to the UK, and as something of an anglophile, the relationship between Britain and America was restored after the upset over Suez, with the Americans agreeing to share nuclear technology as the Cold War intensified.

Following President Kennedy’s assassination, the Queen sent a letter of condolence but did not attend the funeral as she was heavily pregnant, with Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh representing the royal family.

The Queen did not meet President Kennedy’s successor President Lyndon Johnson.

Richard Nixon

President Nixon and first lady Pat Nixon came to Buckingham Palace in 1969 and returned to the UK again on 3 October 1970 when the monarch hosted them at Chequers, the country home of the British prime minister, then Edward Heath.

There was gossip that Mr Nixon had tried to set up his daughter Tricia with a then-bachelor Prince of Wales. The meetings between the Queen and the president came as the US was deeply mired in the war in Vietnam and successive prime ministers had refused to send British troops in support.

Gerald Ford

Following the resignation of President Nixon in 1974, President Ford took office as preparations were underway for the 1976 bicentennial, and a royal visit to Washington was on the cards.

Mr Ford threw a gala state dinner at the White House on 7 July to mark 200 years since the American Revolution. At the dinner, the Queen danced with Mr Ford to an unfortunately-timed rendition of “The Lady is a Tramp”, in an evening that was fondly recalled by first lady Betty Ford in her memoirs.

Jimmy Carter

The Queen hosted President Carter in May 1977 on his first overseas trip at a dinner for Nato leaders at Buckingham Palace. It was also the Queen’s silver jubilee year.

Reportedly, as Mr Carter stood with the Queen and other guests, he noticed the arrival of Queen Elizabeth, the queen mother, and ever the Southern gentleman, he broke away, took her by the hand, and escorted her to the assembled line of guests.

Famous for his informality, the president nevertheless ate chicken mousse off a gold plate and seemed excited by his dinner seating between the Queen and her sister, Princess Margaret, and across from Prince Charles, Prince Philip, and the queen mother.

Ronald Reagan

The Queen and President Reagan are said to have bonded over their mutual love of horseback riding when they met at Windsor Castle in June 1982, riding side by side on an eight-mile, hour long tour of the grounds. Mr Reagan was the first president to stay at the 11th-century castle.

Mr Reagan and his wife Nancy became the only presidential couple to host the Queen at their own home when they had the monarch and Prince Phillip stay at their ranch near Santa Barbara, California, in 1983. Poor weather meant there was no horse riding, but the Reagans served a lunch of regional staples, including enchiladas and tacos.

On the same trip, the royals were treated to a state dinner in San Francisco at the MH de Young Memorial Museum. The bad weather continued and during her remarks, the Queen joked: “I knew before we came that we had exported many of our traditions to the United States. But I had not realised before that weather was one of them.”

Over the president’s laughter, she added: “But, Mr President, if the climate has been cool, your welcome and that of the American people have been wonderfully warm.”

The Queen made Mr Reagan an honourary knight in recognition of America’s covert assistance to the UK during the Falklands War. Their meetings came at a time when the bond between Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Mr Reagan was one of the strongest of any transatlantic parings of the special relationship, and at the height of the Cold War.

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Without The Queen At Its Heart, Commonwealth Faces Uncertain Future

Without The Queen At Its Heart, Commonwealth Faces Uncertain Future

By Sarah Mills and Estelle Shirbon  Fri, September 16, 2022

LONDON (Reuters) - When she was a child growing up in Nigeria, Timie Ogunmola's father used to show her black-and-white pictures of his trip to London in 1953 to attend Queen Elizabeth's coronation as an official in what was then his country's colonial administration.

Now a resident of Edinburgh in her 60s, Ogunmola was among thousands of mourners who filed past the queen's coffin this week as it lay at rest in the city's cathedral, eager to pay her respects to a monarch who has been a fixture in her life.

"We are from the Commonwealth countries, she is the queen of the Commonwealth for us," said an emotional Ogunmola, shortly after exiting the cathedral. "We grew up seeing her."

The Commonwealth, a club of 56 countries that evolved out of the British Empire after World War Two and which presents itself as a partnership of equals, mattered hugely to the late queen, who as its head made numerous visits to member states and cultivated friendly ties with their leaders.

Her dedication and longevity meant that many Commonwealth citizens, like Ogunmola, grew up seeing her and felt genuine warmth towards her, a reservoir of goodwill that gave meaning to the organisation. Her presence at Commonwealth events attracted heads of state and government, giving it diplomatic clout.

Now that she is gone, the baton passes to her son King Charles, as she had hoped and as was agreed by Commonwealth leaders in 2018, but stepping into her shoes will not be straightforward for the new monarch, who is far less popular.

Some Caribbean ministers have questioned why he should succeed her as head of the Commonwealth, noting the British monarch is not automatically its figurehead and suggesting that this was redolent of the days of Empire, when British colonies were expected to transfer allegiance from one monarch to the next.

The question of colonial legacies, hotly debated in the Caribbean and among some sections of British society, is an underlying tension in the Commonwealth, some observers say.

"Yes, the queen is a powerful symbol," said Nicole Aljoe, a professor of English and Africana Studies at Northeastern University in Boston in the United States.

"She's also a powerful symbol not only of the good stuff, but also of the very negative outcomes that have occurred because of Empire," said Aljoe, who was born in Jamaica.

Some voices within the Commonwealth have called for a reckoning with that history, and Charles surprised many at its most recent summit of heads of state and government, in Rwanda in June, by raising the issue of slavery.

"I want to acknowledge that the roots of our contemporary association run deep into the most painful period of our history," he said, expressing personal sorrow at the pain caused by the slave trade.

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https://news.yahoo.com/without-queen-heart-commonwealth-faces-010501452.html

Here's the Full Schedule for Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral and What to Expect

Here's the Full Schedule for Queen Elizabeth II's Funeral and What to Expect

Julia Zorthian   Fri, September 16, 2022

Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

BRITAIN-ROYALS-QUEEN-DEATH

Britain's Prince Andrew, Duke of York (front) mount a vigil with siblings around the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard with the Imperial State Crown and the Sovereign's orb and sceptre, lying in state on the catafalque in Westminster Hall, at the Palace of Westminster in London on September 16, 2022, ahead of her funeral on Monday. - Queen Elizabeth II will lie in state in Westminster Hall inside the Palace of Westminster, until 0530 GMT on September 19, a few hours before her funeral, with huge queues expected to file past her coffin to pay their respects. (Photo by Daniel LEAL / POOL / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL LEAL/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Credit - POOL/AFP via Getty Images

The ten days of public mourning following the death of Queen Elizabeth II will end on Monday, Sept. 19 with a full day of funeral proceedings, which begin in London and end in Windsor, where she will be laid to rest.

Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral at Westminster Abbey will be attended by world leaders, including President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, and representatives from across the Commonwealth of Nations—most of which were part of the former British Empire.

Guests will convene for the ceremony at 11 a.m. London time, which will culminate in two minutes of silence for the Queen across the U.K. and the playing of “God Save the King”—a change after 70 years of “God Save the Queen.”

Processions through the streets of London, and then to the royal residence at Windsor, will also take place until Queen Elizabeth II is laid to rest that evening at St. George’s Chapel on the grounds of Windsor Castle.

Monday is a holiday across the U.K., with many businesses and schools closed so citizens can watch broadcasts of the events, which start at 4 a.m. and extend past 7:30 p.m.

Globally, millions are expected to view the coverage of the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, where Elizabeth married Prince Philip and had her coronation. This will be the first funeral for a British monarch to take place at the Abbey since the 18th century, and the first time cameras will be allowed inside any funeral ceremony for a British monarch.

Here is the schedule for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, along with details of what to expect.

You can watch the funeral live on time.com.

Order Of Events

6:30 a.m. (1:30 a.m. ET): The doors of Westminster Hall at the House of Parliament, where Queen Elizabeth II has been lying in state, close to the public

10:44 a.m. (5:44 a.m. ET): The royal procession leaves from the Palace of Westminster to Westminster Abbey. The state gun carriage will carry Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin, accompanied by musicians such as the band of royal marines, and the path will be lined with members of the royal navy and royal marines. Members of the royal family, including King Charles III and Prince William, will follow behind the carriage.

10:52 a.m. (5:52 a.m. ET): Queen Elizabeth II’s coffin arrives at the gates of Westminster Abbey and is carried inside

11 a.m. (6 a.m. ET): The ceremony begins, led by Dean of Westminster David Hoyle, and will include readings and prayers by political and religious leaders including the new U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss.

11:55 a.m. (6:55 a.m. ET): There are two minutes of silence within the Abbey and across the U.K.

Noon (7 a.m. ET): The funeral ends with reveille, the U.K. national anthem (“God Save the King”), and a lament by the queen’s piper. The coffin will go on another procession through the streets of London as Big Ben tolls continuously.

1 p.m. (8 a.m. ET): The coffin arrives at Wellington Arch in London, where it is loaded into a hearse. From here, the royal family departs for Windsor Castle, which is about 20 miles west of Buckingham Palace.

3:06 p.m. (10:06 a.m. ET): The state hearse arrives in Windsor, where it will join a procession heading up Albert Road. The King and other members of the royal family will join the path on foot to St. George’s Chapel roughly thirty minutes later.

4 p.m. (11 a.m. ET): The Committal Service begins at St. George’s Chapel, conducted by the Dean of Windsor and ending with a blessing from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

7:30 p.m. (2:30 p.m. ET): Queen Elizabeth II is laid to rest in a private ceremony in King George VI Memorial Chapel at Windsor Castle. She will be buried with her late husband, Prince Philip.

Which Members Of The Royal Family Will Be Involved?

Members of the royal family and King Charles III’s household are scheduled to have roles throughout the day, though not all details of where and how each royal will be involved are public.

In some specific instances, the palace has detailed the moments in which King Charles III, Prince William, Princess Catherine, Prince Harry, and Meghan Markle will take part in the proceedings. Viewers can expect to see members of the royal family including King Charles III and Prince William in his role as heir apparent and Duke of Wales immediately following the casket as it sets off from Westminster Hall.

Following the funeral at Westminster Abbey, a group including King Charles III, Queen Consort Camilla, William, Kate, Harry, Meghan, Princess Sophie and other members of the family will follow the coffin on foot to Wellington Arch. This group will then join the official procession by car to Windsor.

Who Will Attend?

Westminster Abbey has roughly 2,000 seats to accommodate the extensive list of those who will pay their respects to Queen Elizabeth in person.

The royal family itself has not released a list of attendees, but many heads of state and other dignitaries have voiced their plans to attend the Westminster Abbey ceremony on the 19th. The Bidenssaid they will be there, along with the leaders of Italy, Japan, Germany, New Zealand, Canada, Kenya, and Australia, among others.

Numerous royal family members, including Queen Elizabeth II’s children Princess Anne, Prince Andrew, and Prince Edward, will also populate the pews of the Abbey. A long list of royals from other European countries will be there, too, including King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain, Carl XVI Gustav of Sweden, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, King Harald V of Norway and King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium.

Representatives from all parts of the Commonwealth are scheduled to attend, along with people that the Queen included on her annual honor’s list this past year, which celebrates outstanding citizens and community leaders.

How to Watch

Stateside, several network news and cable news channels will air the funeral ceremony live at 6 a.m. ET, so viewers can tune into their choice of ABC, BBC America, C-SPAN, CNN, Fox News, NBC and PBS for the event. In the U.K., BBC One, BBC News and Sky News will all run a full day of coverage.

Time.com will also livestream the event.

The BBC will livestream its coverage for free globally, as will ITV News and Sky News, so those with internet access can view on their sites or on Youtube. News outlets across the world will also broadcast feeds: for example, Canadian viewers can tune in to CBC, and ABC News in Australia will run the program.

https://news.yahoo.com/heres-full-schedule-queen-elizabeth-201335369.html

The Shrinking Realm: Queen Elizabeth’s Commonwealth And The Future Of Its Nations

The Shrinking Realm: Queen Elizabeth’s Commonwealth And The Future Of Its Nations

Niamh Cavanagh·Producer Fri, September 16, 2022

Elizabeth II  Queen of the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand

LONDON — At its height, the British Empire’s rule oversaw 531 million people — over three continents spanning from North America to Oceania. It was once said that the sun never set on the British Empire, but as years passed, the monarchy’s global reach began to decline.

Six years after the devastation of World War I, Britain announced that each member of the Empire would be seen as equal. This meant that the monarchy and its Parliament had no power over the domestic and foreign policies of these “Dominions.

The officials in formal dress line up around the queen, who is wearing a crinoline and tiara, under a large chandelier.

Seven prime ministers posed in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace in London at a dinner party given by Queen Elizabeth II on Dec. 3, 1952, for ministers attending the Commonwealth Conference and their wives. From left: Dudley Senanayake, premier of Ceylon; Sir Godfrey Hugging, premier of Southern Rhodesia; Sidney Holland, premier of New Zealand; Winston Churchill, premier of the United Kingdom; the queen; Robert Menzies, premier of Australia; Louis St. Laurent; premier of Canada; Nicholas Havenga, South African minister of finance; Khawaja Nazimuddin, premier of Pakistan, and Sir Chintaman Deshmukh, India's minister of finance. (AP Photo)

After World War II, the British Empire would continue to contract, as countries under its colonial rule fought for and gained their independence. In 1949, the British Commonwealth of Nations would no longer ask members to swear allegiance to the crown, and all nations under the umbrella of the association would simply be known as the Commonwealth of Nations.

Elizabethan Era

Upon Queen Elizabeth II’s ascension to the throne in 1952, the Commonwealth had already lost Ireland, in 1948. Eire gained its autonomy in 1921 after 800 years of British involvement, leaving only the six counties in Northern Ireland, of the 32 counties on the island, as part of the United Kingdom.

During her coronation speech in 1953, the new monarch acknowledged and praised Britain’s imperial past. “I have behind me not only the splendid traditions and the annals of more than a thousand years, but the living strength and majesty of the Commonwealth and Empire,” she said.

The Queen, accompanied by Gov. Gurmukh Nihal Singh, wearing a turban and a beard, shakes hands with a line of dignitaries and military officials.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh arrive in Jaipur, India, on Jan. 22, 1961, met at the airport by Gov. Gurmukh Nihal Singh. (AP Photo)

Elizabeth, Britain’s longest-serving sovereign, was on the throne seven years longer than Queen Victoria, her great-great grandmother, who oversaw the expansion of Britain's colonial possessions.

“[The] Queen's reign is the kind of grand rebranding for the British Empire, which was originally kind of built on an ideology that dictated that white people and their settler descendants would be in charge,” Dr. Liam Liburd, assistant professor of Black British history at Durham University in England, told Yahoo News.

“The development of the Commonwealth after the Queen's coronation in 1953 can be seen as a kind of consolation prize for the British Empire.”

Decline of the Empire

Through the decades, the Commonwealth would see territories lost and countries depart, with some rejoining. By the 1960s, most of Britain’s colonies in Africa and Asia were independent, although some chose to remain as part of the Commonwealth, an option offered on a voluntary basis.

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Queen Elizabeth II’s Best Feminist Moments

Queen Elizabeth II’s Best Feminist Moments

Olivia Petter  Fri, September 16, 2022

Queen Elizabeth II has died at the age of 96.

The monarch passed away “peacefully” in Balmoral Castle on Thursday 8 September. Her death comes almost a year and a half after the Duke of Edinburgh died on 9 April 2021.  Over the course of her reign, the Queen was the most powerful person in Britain, but she was also one of the most inspiring women in the world.

She was the UK’s longest-serving monarch, recording 70 years on the throne, and despite hardly ever discussing women’s rights, she had a watershed impact on empowering women everywhere throughout her reign.

The Queen was described by many as a feminist icon, including Olivia Colman, who played the monarch in the fourth season of The Crown.

The Oscar winner previously told Radio Times: “[The Queen is] the ultimate feminist. She’s the breadwinner. She’s the one on our coins and banknotes.”

In remembrance of the Queen, we’ve rounded up some of her best feminist moments.

When she took Saudi King Abdullah for a spin in her Land Rover

In 2003, the Queen famously took Abdullah, who died in 2015, for a drive in her Land Rover when he came to visit her in Balmoral, Scotland.

The story was told in a memoir by British diplomat Sir Sherard Cowper-Cowles, who was Ambassador to Saudi Arabia at the time.

“After lunch, the Queen had asked her royal guest whether he would like a tour of the estate,” wrote Cowper-Coles.

“Prompted by his foreign minister the urbane Prince Saud, an initially hesitant Abdullah had agreed. The royal Land Rovers were drawn up in front of the castle. As instructed, the Crown Prince climbed into the front seat of the front Land Rover, his interpreter in the seat behind.

“To his surprise, the Queen climbed into the driving seat, turned the ignition and drove off.”

The move was particularly significant considering women were not yet allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, and, as Cowper-Coles writes, “Abdullah was not used to being driven by a woman, let alone a Queen”.

When she quietly oversaw the change in royal rules of succession to allow the eldest woman to accede to the throne

In 2011, the Queen oversaw a major change to succession laws as agreed by the leaders of the 16 Commonwealth countries that meant sons and daughters of any future British monarch would have equal rights to the throne.

Up until that point, the laws of succession dictated that the heir to the throne is always the first-born son of the monarch.

But according to the new rules, had the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge had a daughter first, she would have taken precedence to the throne over her younger brothers. As it so happens, the couple had a boy first, Prince George.

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Queen Elizabeth II’s Role in Government—and 28 Things She Has the Power to Do

Queen Elizabeth II’s Role in Government—and 28 Things She Has the Power to Do

Lauren CahnLauren Cahn    Updated: Jun. 02, 2022

What does the queen of England do, exactly? A lot more than you might think, considering she doesn't actually rule the country.

Long Live The Queen

On February 6, 1953, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne upon the death of her father, King George VI. In so doing, she became the 40th British monarch since William the Conquerer took control of the land in 1066. Back then, the British Sovereign had nearly absolute authority over the matters that concerned the kingdom and its subjects. These circumstances began to change in 1215, when King John signed the Magna Carta, acknowledging certain limits to the sovereign’s powers with respect to rights like taxing citizens without adequate governmental representation.

Whether King John realized it or not, his signing of the Magna Carta set the wheels in motion for a gradual diminishing of the sovereign’s powers over the ensuing centuries. Today, the United Kingdom stands and functions as a constitutional monarchy under which a hereditary sovereign (in this case, the queen) is head of state but not the head of the government.

The power to govern resides in an elected governmental body known as parliament and in the delegates of it with regard to devolved matters (those that have been delegated to local governments of Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland).

With royal mania hopping the pond and settling in stateside, you’re probably familiar with the royal family tree and the reasons why Queen Elizabeth isn’t stepping down anytime soon. Now for the tough questions: What does the queen of England do exactly? And perhaps more importantly, what does she even have the power to do? Read on to find out.

Serve As Queen Of More Than Just England

Go ahead and ask “What does the queen of England do?” Just don’t overlook this key fact: The Queen of England isn’t just the queen of England. She’s also the queen of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, which join England to compose the United Kingdom. She’s also the Queen of the 14 other nations that currently make up the “Commonwealth realm,” including Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Bahamas, and Jamaica. All 15 Commonwealth realms together comprise 150 million people.

What constitutes the queen’s “rule” over the Commonwealth realm is still up in the air. Although the power to govern resides in parliament, and the royal family (a.k.a. The Crown) fully acknowledges that its role is largely ceremonial, the queen possesses a great many powers and responsibilities. 

As the British Monarchist League explains, the role of the queen is far from just ceremonial but rather “encompasses a wide spectrum of official duties [and] constitutional powers,” which include those that can be exercised without the consent of any other member or agency of the government.

Choose To Rule (Or Not To Rule)

Because the queen ascended the throne as a result of a hereditary right, some viewed her reign as a “divine appointment.” But that’s just a royal family superstition. The crown is a choice for the queen, and if she wanted to, she could take a page from her uncle’s book and abdicate, which is how her father, George VI, became king. Though the 95-year-old monarch’s health has been in the spotlight in recent months, there is no reason to believe that the queen will abdicate, now or ever.

What she can’t do, though, is install a regent, like heir apparent Prince Charles. That only happens when a monarch is incapacitated, and it’s a highly unusual circumstance. The last regency was during the reign of King George III in the early 1800s.

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https://www.rd.com/list/queen-elizabeth-governing-power/

"Bits and Pieces" Posted by Mot at TNT

Mot:  Wyatt, do not let this world change your kind heart young man for its people like YOU that will change this world

August 22 at 7:31 PM  ·

I am praying this reaches this young mans parents!!!

 Tonight as I was leaving football practice with my three kiddos my 4 year old was so tired he started crying and acting a fool as we were getting in the van. My 7 year old daughter started crying because I told her we were having red potatoes as a side for dinner and clearly she wasn’t a fan sooo I threw my hands up and said FORGET it - McDonald’s tonight!!

 We go through the drive through order food all three kids are now crying for one reason or the other I go to pay - I LEFT MY PURSE AT HOME. Welp now I wanted to cry. I look at the young man with tears in my eyes just from being stressed and annoyed and say “hun I am so sorry but I have to cancel that order I left my purse at home when we went to football tonight” WITHOUT HESITATION he takes out his wallet and swipes his card before I could even say “no I will be right back!”

I was like wait no hun it’s ok I will come back through then he replies “no it’s totally fine, my pleasure”.

I snapped a quick picture and asked his name to which he replied Wyatt ma’am. I told him I would be right back with cash for him & he tried hard to talk me out of it.

 I just want his parents to know how KIND & COMPASSIONATE your son was tonight! He made this stressed out momma pause for a moment and realize this is exactly what we parents are trying to do, raise great humans. Well Wyatt sir, you are an amazing human!!!

I went back and handed him cash and had to make him take it because he didn’t want to take more than he had paid but I wanted him to know that when you put good out in the world it comes back to you ten fold!

Wyatt, do not let this world change your kind heart young man for its people like YOU that will change this world for the better!

Credit: Brittany Reed

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Mot:  Always looking fer an easier way to Clean the House So When ~~

Mot:  .. I Just Love My New Cereal!!! ~~~~

Mot:  .... Can You Just Imagine Doing This!! ~~ prank paper bag

Mot:  .... Finally!!!! ---men naming eyeshadow

Mot:  . Thinking of Someone Having a Tough Day! ~~~

Three Presidents Die on July 4th: Just a Coincidence?

Three Presidents Die on July 4th: Just a Coincidence?

July 4, 2021 by NCC Staff

It is a fact of American history that three of the five Founding Father Presidents died on the Independence Day anniversary. But was it just a coincidence?

It is a fact of American history that three Founding Father Presidents—John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and James Monroe—died on July 4, the Independence Day anniversary. But was it just a coincidence?

On July 4, 1831, James Monroe, the fifth President, died at the age of 73 at his son-in-law’s home in New York City. Monroe had been ill for some time and newspapers had reported on Monroe’s illness before his passing.

Local and national newspapers were also quick to report after Monroe’s death that they thought his July 4 passing was a “remarkable” coincidence, at the least, since Thomas Jefferson and John Adams had both also died on July 4, 1826 – the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

The oddness of the events wasn’t lost on the New York Evening Post in 1831, when the newspaper founded by Alexander Hamilton called it a “coincidence that has no parallel”:  “Three of the four presidents who have left the scene of their usefulness and glory expired on the anniversary of the national birthday, a day which of all others, had it been permitted them to choose [they] would probably had selected for the termination of their careers,” the Post reported on July 5, 1831.

The New York Commercial Advertiser wrote on July 5, 1831:  “It would be difficult to find a parallel in history, three of them have been called away in a good all age, on the same proud anniversary."

And then the Boston Traveler wondered about the coincidence on July 8. “Again our national anniversary has been marked by one of those events, which it may be scarcely permitted to ascribe the chance.”

Then the Frederick, Maryland Town Herald marked Monroe’s passing on July 9, 1831 by also noting the “presidential coincidence”:  “This have three of our revolutionary presidents departed this life on the anniversary of our independence; presenting the most remarkable tissue of coincidences that have marked the history of nations,” the newspaper said.

The death of these three presidents on the same day of the year was a long shot. There is an interesting blog post at the Boston University’s History Society that excerpts Margaret P. Battin’s research on the coincidental deaths of Adams and Jefferson.

“Given the insufficient historical evidence available, we can’t know the truth about why Adams and Jefferson died on the same day,” Battin said. (She didn’t include Monroe in her study.) Battin evaluated the circumstances under six different criteria, ranging from mere coincidence and divine intervention, to the men’s willingness or desire to die on the anniversary day.

“We can reflect on whether it would make a difference to us if one or another of these explanations turned out to be true,” she concluded. “After all, the six possibilities these explanations raise are central to the very questions about death and dying that are so controversial today.”

To continue reading, please go to the original article here:

https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/three-presidents-die-on-july-4th-just-a-coincidence/

​Happy 4th of July

​Happy 4th of July

The Dinar Recaps Team wishes everyone a happy and safe 4th of July.

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