#Pembroke Castle

[tudors1485-1603]

Five years ago, the Henry VII statue was unveiled in his birthplace of Pembroke Castle. The years of campaigning for Henry Tudor to take the English throne were a success. Becoming the first Welsh king of England, though he was living in France most of his adult life, Henry held himself high as a Welsh prince. Henry's prayers to God were answered after defeating Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485.

[princ3ss-bunny]

Pembroke Castle, Wales, UK

[jbrasseul]

Pembroke castle

[lee-kangin]

tottenham boys 🤍

[athenepromachos]

Anne Boleyn with Princess Elizabeth 👑❤️

[streetsofdublin]

MAUDLIN CASTLE SEPTEMBER 2022

Maudlin Castle is a tower house which formed part of a medieval hospital and National Monument located in Kilkenny, Ireland

[patrickmhiggins]

Pembroke Castle. Birthplace of Henry VII. @patrickmhiggins #pembrokecastle #pembroke #henryvii #henrytudor #castle #wales #pembrokeshire #pembrokeshirenationalpark #igcastles #igbnw #igerswales #igerspembrokeshire #bnwphotography #bnw_kings #instablackandwhite #moat #power #dynasty #kingsandqueens #succession #welshcastles #stronghold #royalist #civilwar #defences #crown #tudor #knights #armour #seige https://www.instagram.com/p/ChopAeBIAAK/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[siriusly-parker]

—flor de maracuja [draco m.] —prologue. [intro]

[series masterlist]

tags. [draco malfoy x hufflepuff!reader, students came back to finish their senior year, after the war, fluff, angst, kinda grumpy x sunshine, series]

author’s note. [really really short intro, plz tell me if you’d actually like a series!! ꩜ i siriusly love you <3]

wc. [0.67k]

“Remember! The harder the growing, the higher the grading!” Growled the teacher as the rest of his class started to pack their things and leave.

Mr. Derwen Pembroke was Madam Sprout’s gloomier Welsh replacement after the war. Of the few teachers left, not many came back to Hogwarts. The lack of staff meant that he was the only herbology professor, one who hated teaching introduction classes, as he felt he was overqualified. He constantly reminded his students of it and only kept his rudeness to a minimum with his Advanced crew. As a Herbology 101 student, Draco absolutely despised him.

“Mister Malfoy.” Draco stopped at the door. “You are failing my class.” He turned around and walked deeper inside the class towards his incredibly bored-looking teacher. “Actually, I believe I am not, Professor.” Mr. Pembroke rolled his eyes and put his feet up on his already muddy desk. “You’re right, I’m sorry. You are not failing.” Draco felt he was being condescending. “Yet.” Of course he was. “But, if your thumb doesn’t get as green as that damn tie very soon, you most definitely will be.” He sighs “I would like for you to be tutored for this assignment. Mr. Longbottom should be at the AH2 greenhouse right about now. He’ll explain everything.” Draco nodded, keeping his groaning hushed as he turned to leave the classroom. “One more thing.” Mr. Pembroke stopped him. “Don’t ever try to correct me again, Mr. Malfoy. No one likes a smartass.” The boy didn’t argue, he knew better than to bargain with a snake. “Of course, Professor.” “Don’t be a suck up either.” He was taken aback. What did this man want? But, Derwen laughed before he had the chance to finish his thought. “I’m just kidding, Draco. Don’t be so uptight.” “Well, there’s not much left for me to be now, is there, Sir?” “Smartass.” He snorts.

AH2 meant Advanced Herbology II. Their greenhouse was farther from the castle and closer to the forest, and only AH2 students or personally approved ones, like Draco, were allowed to use it. The small runned down shack didn’t interest many students, anyway. It looked old and disheveled, nothing very appealing.

When he got there, the so-called greenhouse was empty and Neville was nowhere to be found. He wasn’t really in the mood to look for him, so he hovered around all the weird looking plants, many of which he had never even seen before.

As he walked, he noticed a small passage towards what seemed to be like an extension of the place. It ended up being much bigger than what it hinted to from the outside, probably by an Undetectable Extension charm, like the one he used for his bag. It looked more like a national botanical garden than a stupid herbology class greenhouse. Entering the room, a faint melody could be heard from what Draco assumed to be the solarium.

When Draco walked into the sunlit room, he saw her. He saw the bows in her hair first. They were yellow like her skirt and the laces on her shoes.

“Are you lost?” The girl asked without turning around. Draco’s taken aback. He didn’t think she had even noticed his presence. “What?” “I’m asking if you are lost.” She says matter-of-factly. “Oh. Well, I guess I kind of am.” He tries to find the right words by rubbing the back of his neck, “...Sorry.” but she turns to face him with a bright smile he definitely didn’t expect. “No worries! I completely understand. This place is an absolute maze!” Her laugh was warm and it made the boy dizzy. Haven’t heard anyone be so friendly to him in a long time, he tries to change the conversation, so as to not think about it too much. “I’m actually waiting for Longbottom.” “That makes sense.” She smiles. “You can wait here if you want. He shouldn’t take long.” Turning back to caring for her plants, she shifts on her feet. “So… what are you working on?”

‎𐦂 hope you enjoyed it!! comment what you think! ◡̈

‧˚ʚ masterlist + requests

taglist ; @daydreamteardrop @ell0ra-br3kk3r @missstratford [restarting my tagging list/system! plz send an ask, comment, dm to be added!!]

[fideidefenswhore]

The appearance of Halley's Comet, first observed streaking across the sky in August [1532], was the occasion for much muttering and comment. For Anne the omen seemed favorable, as on the morning of Sunday 1 September [1532] in Windsor Castle and with de la Pommeraye as the guest of honour, Henry ennobled her as Marquis of Pembroke in her own right [...]. Anne's grant followed the same format as for the creation of male peers and closely resembled the one Francis [I] made to his sister Marguerite in 1517, which Anne had witnessed. As Duke of Berry, Marguerite had become male in terms of status, entitled to the traditional rights and privileges ascribed to the male siblings of the king. [...] As a marquis, Anne could sit in the House of Lords, and the title would automatically descend to her offspring even if illegitimately conceived.*

Hunting the Falcon: Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, and The Marriage That Shook Europe, John Guy & Julia Fox

*"Whether the omission of the customary words 'lawfully begotten' in the Latin text of the patent was a drafting error will never be known. Nobody noticed at the time."

[notasfilosoficas]

“La indignación moral no es mas que envidia con aureola”

George Herbert

Fue un poeta, orador y sacerdote anglicano de origen inglés nacido en Montgomery Castle, Gales en 1593, reconocido con el paso de los siglos por su obra literaria  como uno de los principales letristas devocionales británicos.

Fue el hermano menor de Edward Herbert, quien fuera el primer barón de Herbert en Cherbury. 

Fue educado en su casa, en la Westminster School y en el Trinity College de Cambridge, fue elegido en 1620 orador de la universidad, lo cual lo describe como el mejor lugar de la universidad.

Durante la carrera académica de Herbert, su único verso publicado fue para ocasiones especiales en griego y en latín.

Herbert luchó durante gran parte de su vida con deseos contradictorios. Por un lado era una académico talentoso y al que parecía prometer una gran carrera política, y por otra parte, guiado por su madre, se inclinaba fuertemente hacia la vocación religiosa, y aunque estaba muy involucrado con la corte, a la edad de 36 años decidió recurrir a la iglesia en donde fue ordenado diácono

Por lo anterior, Herbert renuncia como orador en 1627 y se ordena sacerdote y rector de Fuggleston-cum-Bemerton, una parroquia sencilla dentro de un suburbio de una ciudad antigua llamada Wilton, sede de los parientes de Herbert, los condes de Pembroke. En donde pudo aflorar su talento poético.

George Herbert se hizo amigo del clérigo anglicano Nicholas Ferrar, creador de un conjunto de reglas para la disciplina religiosa de la comunidad.

Herbert se dedicó a lo largo de su vida a escribir poemas, y desde su lecho de muerte envió un volumen manuscrito a Ferrar, pidiéndole su decisión para ser publicados o destruidos. Ferrar los publica con el título “El Templo: poemas sagrados y jaculatorias privadas” en el año de 1633.

Herbert fue un maestro versátil de la forma métrica y de todos los aspectos del arte del verso. Comparte sus conflictos con el poeta metafísico arquetípico y amigo de la familia John Donne, con quien había un gran parecido en el uso del lenguaje común en los ritmos del habla.

Algunos de sus poemas como “El Altar” y “Easter Wings” se consideran poemas patrones, siendo consciente de la peculiaridad de su camino creativo hace mas difícil su verso precisamente para exponer polémicamente su arte poético con insólitas vetas de sátira y con un rigor intelectual de conceptos que supera en modernidad y vanguardismo a mucha de la poesía actual.

Herbert muere de tuberculosis en marzo de 1633 a la edad de 39 años en Bemerton.

Fuentes: Wikipedia, georgeherbert.org.uk, Britannica.com

[thepastisalreadywritten]

Martin Belam

19 September 2022

Queen Elizabeth II’s staff lined the street outside Buckingham Palace to say farewell to the monarch after her funeral – and it wasn’t just the humans of the royal household who were seen during Monday’s ceremonies.

The Queen’s corgis and one of her ponies were led out to witness the procession at Windsor.

The Queen’s dogs, Muick and Sandy, which are pembroke welsh corgis, waited in the quadrangle at Windsor Castle as the funeral cortege arrived while being looked after by two members of staff.

At the time of her death, the Queen also had two other dogs – a dorgi called Candy, and Lissy the cocker spaniel.

It has been confirmed that Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson will look after the corgis. Andrew was later seen in the company of the dogs.

The Queen was first given a corgi when she was seven, and generations of the royal corgis are descended from Susie, a corgi she was given when she was 18.

Also on display was the Queen’s Fell pony, Carltonlima Emma, who was led to the side of the road at a gap between floral tributes while the coffin was driven past.

Usually known just as Emma, the horse was named among the Queen’s favourites for Horse & Hound magazine in 2020 by Terry Pendry, one of the grooms at Windsor.

The Queen was a patron of the Fell Pony Society and continued to ride Emma when she was well into her 90s.

The animals didn’t play quite as prominent a role as they have in some royal funerals of the past.

Heads of state were reportedly somewhat surprised at the 1910 funeral of King Edward VII to find themselves behind the monarch’s dog Caesar, a wire fox terrier, in the formal procession.

Caesar is included in a sculpture of Edward VII and his queen atop their tomb in St George’s Chapel, where Queen Elizabeth II’s committal took place on Monday.

[unfortunate-arrow]

FANKIDS APPRECIATION WEEK, DAY 2: Double Trouble

DIANA and FREDDIE QUINTIN, are the children of Brianna O’Rourke and Elias Quintin (@amerrymystery). Diana is a protective big sister, sometimes smothering Freddie, but he loves her a lot. There’s also a seven year age gap between the two, which is definitely the cause of a lot of Diana’s protective moments and Freddie’s moments of jealousy. Ultimately, these two are a good representation of a relationship that Brianna always wanted between siblings.

MICHAEL and WINIFRED O’DONNELL are the children of Ryan O’Donnell and Penny Haywood. A pair of troublemaking siblings, these two embody the spirit of their father and his siblings with an age gap similar to their mother and her sister. Michael can be quite protective of his sister… much to Winifred’s displeasure. Both are a bit closer to their cousins than each other, but Michael and Winifred would do anything for each other.

NICKY and RUBY FITZGERALD-WILSON are the children of Huck Fitzgerald and Lyra Wilson (@cursebreakerfarrier). A sweet yet bickering set of siblings, who don’t quite get along until Nicky starts Hogwarts. However, despite their arguments, Nicky is quite protective of Ruby and he’s the only one who’s allowed to make fun of her. They’re also both named after their grandparents, with Nicky’s first name being after his paternal grandfather and Ruby’s first name being after her maternal grandmother.

NOAH and MAYA KINGSLEY-VALDEZ are the twin children of Camila Valdez and Jasper Kingsley (@cursebreakerfarrier), although they have different birthdays with Noah being born at 11:58 pm on August 1, 2015 and Maya being born at 12:03 on August 2. They grow up near the grounds of Hogwarts as their parents are both professors, so Noah and Maya have always been able to explore the castle, its grounds, and Hogsmeade. They generally get along, but of course, end up butting heads at times. They love each other, though.

FLORA and IAN MACKADE are the children of Finn MacKade and Scotty Rosier (@drinkyoursoupbitch). Flora and Ian generally get along pretty well, but they bicker a bit more than their cousins. A chaotic pair for sure, Flora and Ian love each other a lot… they just don’t always like each other. Despite this, there’s nothing that Flora wouldn’t do for Ian and vice versa. Ian just annoys Flora quite easily as he always has ridiculous questions, while Flora can be a bit critical of Ian, especially about quidditch, which annoys him.

KENNEDY and GUS BATTERSEA-PEMBROKE are the twin children of Luke Battersea and Sophie Pembroke. Kennedy takes after her parents, while Gus generally takes after his Granda John. They usually get along pretty well, although they have their fights like all siblings. Kennedy and Gus can count on one another, though, something that was instilled on them by their parents.

JEM and HARPER O’DONNELL-LEE are the children of Declan O’Donnell-Lee and Callie Black (@mjs-oc-corner). The two siblings grew up surrounded by love and cousins. Jem took after his paternal grandfather and generally has a good relationship with his sister. Their relationship mimics their paternal grandmother’s relationships with her own siblings, being protective and chaotic and kind and full of all the sibling contradictions.

↳ for @endlessly-cursed’s fankid appreciation event

[useless-englandfacts]

In light of all the horrid stuff going on in this country lately, I would just like to remind everyone that england isn’t a totally terrible place!!

This country is full of beautiful architecture, art, literature, and natural beauties that are sometimes hard to believe are real.

This is the Major Oak of Sherwood Forest, and is estimated to be as much as 1100 years old!! It is estimated at 23 tons, and is 33 feet in girth/10 metres. According to local folklore, it is the tree where Robin Hood and his merry men slept when in the forest.

This is Durdle Door, in Dorset. It’s a natural limestone formation on the jurrassic coast, which was deemed “of such international geographic importance” that it was England’s first foray natural World Heritage site with UNESCO in 2001, joining the Grand Canyon and the Great Barrier Reef (visit-dorset.com)

As for architecture, we have the iconic Highclere Castle

Most well known for its use in iconic historical drama Downton Abbey, first written records of the Highclere estate date back to the year 749 when the estate was granted to the bishops of Winchester. In the late 14th century the bishop of Winchester William of Wykeham built himself a palace on the property, and was taken by Edward VI during the reformation in 1551. It was then granted to the Fitzwilliam family, rebuilt in 1679 by then owner Sir Robert Sawyer, who then bequeathed it to his daughter Margaret, first wife to the 8th earl of Pembroke, Thomas herbert, and it remains in the hands of the Herbert family to date, albeit the branch that resulted in the current Earl of Carnarvon. It was redesigned in the years 1842-49 to the facade we know today. (Quick side note, I am directly related to the herbert family through my great grandfather, so carnarvon I’m coming for you watch out)

We also have of course, the ever iconic Chatsworth house

IYKYK. Jk this incredible house is most well known for its use as Pemberley, the Derbyshire residence of Mr Darcy in the 2005 production of Pride and Prejudice (the best film ever made thank you very much).

The Manor of Chetesuorde is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as property of the crown in the custody of William de Peverel. Chatsworth ceased to be a large estate until the 15th century when it was purchased by the Leche family. They enclosed the first park and built a house on what is now the south east part of the gardens. The lands were sold in 1549 to Sir William Cavendish, husband of Bess of Hardwick (who was the “keeper” of Mary Queen of Scots while imprisoned. Also apparently her grandson married ANOTHER of my ancestors so I’m related to her too?? What the fuck I need to stop learning family history on the fly). Bess began to build her own home on the property from 1553 to the 1560s.

The home was renovated a truly mindboggling amount of times, as is the amount of times it changed hands. So I’ll keep it simple. A great number of important changes were made by the 4th duke of Devonshire, greatly changing the layout of the home. His son would marry Georgiana Spencer, 4 times great aunt of princess Diana (and YET ANOTHER RELATIVE OF MINE! From another branch of the family!! I need to call my mother. And update my ancestry.com).

In 1811 the 6th duke of Devonshire inherited Chatsworth, and proceeded to transform it into the wonderful beacon of regency romance we know and adore today over the course of his stewardship over the property.

These are only four incredible natural and historical landmarks in England. There are so many more that I could spend 3 life times researching!! (And so many more that have nothing to do with my family history, I promise. Swear I wasn’t doing this on purpose lmao)

This country can be a fucking nightmare, but it’s also a beautiful country with incredible sights and history, and I think we do ourselves a disservice when we forget that. It’s okay to love England (I fucking adore this country you have no idea, wouldn’t be running a blog if I didn’t!), you aren’t a bad person or supporting the bad shit we’ve done if you are proud of being English.

Because don’t get me wrong this country has perpetrated some of the worst shit in history, but we’ve also contributed some of the most important literature and scientific discoveries ever!!

Mary Anning revolutionised the field of paleontology!! Mary Shelley started the entire sci fi genre. Steven hawkin, Charles Darwin, Dorothy Hodgkin and Rosalind franklin discovered DNA! Isaac Newton, William Blake, John Keats, Byron, Alan Turing, Branwell, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne bronte, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, John Everett Millais, John William Waterhouse, to name a few merely off the top of my head!

England can be a wonderful place, and our heritage can be incredible and a legacy to be truly proud of. It would not do to forget, however, that a lot of our history would not have been possible without queer and ethnic minority groups. We all know a good deal of English wealth came from the slave trade, female scientists and artists often had credit for their work stripped from them and given to husbands or even strangers, and a good number of our most influential scientists and artists were very notably queer who were treated incredibly poorly and sometimes killed, and these are facts that can and do exist simultaneously.

Our heritage is wonderful, but it is still being made today. Things that we do now will be landmark events for our descendants, and it is our duty to do better for this country than our ancestors.

[grandmaster-anne]

A AN Z OF QUEEN ELIZABETH II

By Charlotte Hodgman | Published 12 May 2022

A is for... ANNUS HORRIBILIS

“1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure... it has turned out to be an ‘Annus Horribilis’,” said the Queen, now famously, in a speech marking her 40th year on the throne. Indeed, 1992 had proved difficult for the royal family, with the breakdown of Prince Charles’ and Prince Andrew’s marriages, Princess Anne’s divorce, and a fire at Windsor Castle high on the list of unfortunate events.

B is for... BIRTHDAYS

Thanks to the unpredictability of the British weather, the Queen celebrates two birthdays every year: the day she was born (21 April) and the second Saturday in June. The two-birthday tradition began with George II in 1748 – his November birthday was deemed to be too cold for al fresco celebrations, so he decided to attach his birthday celebrations to the Trooping the Colour ceremonial parade held in the summer.

C is for... CORONATION CHICKEN

‘Poulet Reine Elizabeth’ – better known as coronation chicken – was dreamt up in 1953 by florist Constance Spry and cordon bleu chef Rosemary Hume. The dish is said to have been inspired by the ‘Jubilee Chicken’ recipe that was created in 1935 for George V’s Silver Jubilee, but, in an era of postwar rationing, coronation chicken is unlikely to have been on the menu of many street parties in 1953.

D is for... DOGS

The Queen’s love of dogs, specifically the corgi breed, is well-known; she has owned more than 30 corgis since her accession. Perhaps her closest canine friend, though, was Susan, the Pembroke Welsh corgi who was given to the-then Princess Elizabeth on her 18th birthday. The pup even took part in her wedding to Prince Philip – riding in the state coach (hidden under a blanket) and travelling with the royal couple on their honeymoon.

E is for... EMAIL

In March 1976, the Queen made history when she became the author of the first royal email. Distributed using ARPANET – a forerunner of the internet – from the Royal Signals and Radar Establishment in Malvern, Worcestershire, the message announced the development of a new programming language. It was sent from the Queen’s – rather predictably named – personal email account: HME2.

F is for... FATHER

When Princess Elizabeth was born in 1926, her father was still Prince Albert, Duke of York, but in 1936, life changed dramatically when Albert took the throne as George VI, meaning that Elizabeth was now heir apparent. Elizabeth’s preparation for queenship began almost immediately and father and daughter developed a close bond as he trained his eldest child for her future role as monarch.

G is for... GIFTS

Queen Elizabeth II has received countless gifts throughout her reign – some precious, others... more unusual. Several live animals have been presented to the Queen, including a young Nile crocodile from the People of Berending on the Gambia River and two Aldabra giant tortoises from the Government and People of the Seychelles.

H is for... HATS

The Queen is known for her vibrantly coloured coats with matching headgear, but just how many hats does the royal wardrobe contain? While the exact number is not confirmed, Her Majesty is rumoured to have donned more than 5,000 hats over the duration of her reign.

I is for... INTRUDER

Several intruders have been apprehended in the grounds of royal residences over the years, but none have made it as far as Michael Fagan, who, in 1982, broke into Buckingham Palace and found his way to the Queen’s bedroom. Since trespass was then a civil offence, Fagan was only tried for burglary (having helped himself to half a bottle of wine), and spent several months at a psychiatric hospital.

J is for... JUBILEE

This year, the Queen marks her Platinum Jubilee, becoming the first British monarch to celebrate 70 years on the throne. She will follow in the footsteps of other famous monarchs who have celebrated milestones in their reigns, including Edward III (r1327–77), who is said to have celebrated his Golden Jubilee with a magnificent procession from the Tower of London.

K is for... KENYA

It was during a stay at Treetops Hotel in Nyeri, Kenya, on 6 February 1952, that Princess Elizabeth learned that her father, George VI, had died. She and Prince Philip had been enjoying a short break in the African country during the first leg of a Commonwealth tour, but flew home immediately, landing in London the next day.

L is for... LYNDON B JOHNSON

Fourteen US presidents have come and gone over the past 70 years, but only one failed to meet the Queen face to face. Despite corresponding by letter between March 1964 and July 1967, neither Queen Elizabeth II nor President Lyndon B Johnson issued invitations for the other to visit.

M is for... MOTHERHOOD

Assuming the throne with two small children – Prince Charles (3) and Princess Anne (18 months) – meant juggling monarchy with motherhood from the off, and long periods of time away from family while touring. Two more children (Prince Andrew and Prince Edward) followed in 1960 and 1964 respectively, ensuring the continuity of the Windsor line.

N is for... NICKNAMES

Despite her dignified demeanour, the Queen is said to have a number of nicknames within the royal family, including ‘Gary’ (bestowed by a young Prince William who had confused the word with ‘Granny’). Princess Charlotte is said to use ‘Gan-Gan’, while the late Prince Philip often called his wife ‘Cabbage’ – perhaps from the French term of endearment, mon petit chou (my little cabbage).

O is for... OBEY

When the future Elizabeth II married Philip Mountbatten in 1947, eyebrows were raised over the choice of wedding vows. The word ‘obey’ had been removed from the Church of England service in 1928, two years after women were permitted to own property on the same terms as men, but Princess Elizabeth chose to include the word in her vows, promising to “love, cherish, and to obey” her new husband.

P is for... PRINCE PHILIP

The Queen and Prince Philip enjoyed a 73-year marriage before his death in April 2021. The pair were introduced in 1934, and met again five years later at the Royal Naval College in Dartmouth when Elizabeth was 13 and Philip was 18. It was here, reportedly, that Elizabeth fell in love with her future husband, a man she described on their golden wedding anniversary as being her “strength and stay”.

Q is for... QUALIFICATIONS

Conventional schooling is a fairly recent choice for the British royal family, with Prince Charles the first heir to the throne to have received a formal education and attain a university degree. Both the Queen and her younger sister, Princess Margaret, were home-schooled by a governess, with the young Elizabeth also receiving lessons in constitutional history after she became heir to the throne.

R is for... RADIO BROADCAST

The future Queen made her first public address on 13 October 1940, aged 14. Joined by Princess Margaret, the speech was broadcast at the start of Children’s Hour on the BBC World Service, and was aimed at children who had been evacuated from Britain to America, Canada and elsewhere.

You can listen to the recording via the BBC Archive: bbc.co.uk/archive/childrens-hour--princess-elizabeth/z7wm92p

S is for... SWANS

The Crown has claimed ownership of mute swans (a particular species of swan) since the 12th century, when monarchs liked to tuck into the white waterbird at feasts. A ‘Swan Upping’ ceremony, led by the Queen’s Swan Marker, takes place in the third week of July each year on a particular stretch of the River Thames, and any swans found are checked over – for health reasons, rather than as a potential meal.

T is for... TOURS

During her long reign, Elizabeth II has travelled more than a million miles (1,032,513 to be precise) and visited 117 different countries, despite never owning a passport. In 2015, having flown the equivalent of 42 times around the globe since her accession, the Queen finally hung up her boarding pass and retired from overseas travel, making a trip to Malta her last foreign tour.

U is for... UNCLE EDWARD

At her birth in 1926, baby Elizabeth was third in line to the throne, behind her uncle Edward (later Edward VIII) and her father (later George VI), and seemingly destined to be pushed down the line of succession by the births of brothers and male cousins. But on Edward VIII’s abdication in 1936 her future took a new direction and her path to queenship began.

V is for... VE DAY

In 1985, the Queen confessed in a BBC interview that, on 8 May 1945, she had secretly joined in the public celebrations that had followed the announcement that the war in Europe had ended. Dressed in her Auxiliary Territorial Service uniform ( see next box ), she and Princess Margaret snuck out of the palace and joined the celebrating crowds on London’s streets, all without being recognised.

W is for... WORLD WAR II

Aged 13 when WWII broke out, Princess Elizabeth was evacuated to Windsor Castle with her nine-year-old sister, Princess Margaret. As the conflict progressed, Elizabeth joined in with the war effort, tending her allotments as part of the Dig for Victory campaign and eventually joining the Auxiliary Territorial Service. She is the first female royal to have joined the armed services as a full-time active member.

X is for... X-RAYS

From tea towels to teapots, royal memorabilia is a massive business, but not all collectibles have received the royal seal of approval. In 2011, 18 dental X-rays of Elizabeth II’s teeth, together with those of her mother and father – taken between 1942 and 1946 – were withdrawn from an auction in Gloucestershire. Lawyers for the royal family cited a right of privacy for medical records and the lot was pulled from sale.

Y is for... YACHT

Now a popular visitor attraction and events venue in Edinburgh’s Port of Leith, HMY Britannia served the royal family for 44 years, travelling more than a million nautical miles. But in December 1997, the yacht was deemed too expensive to maintain and run, and the huge vessel was decommissioned. The Queen is said to have shed a tear at the ship’s decommissioning ceremony in Portsmouth.

Z is for... ZAMBIA

The Queen is expected to remain politically neutral, but she has, on occasion, been a target for the decisions of her governments. In 1979, during a visit to Zambia, some Zambians waved banners in protest against the UK government’s plans to recognise the controversial political regime of neighbouring Zimbabwe Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), led by Abel Muzorewa.

[athenepromachos]

Fabulous drawing of Anne Boleyn ❤️👑

Via IG

[the-al-chemist]

The Beginning of a Symphony - Chapter 19

Summary: The Hufflepuffs have a boating party, and Ophelia hatches a cunning plan.

OCs featured/mentioned: Ivy Anders and Bradford Pendleton @kc-and-co, Henry of Alderly @gaygryffindorgal, Maxwell Pembroke @unfortunate-arrow, Lysander Mercury @slytherindisaster, Jesse Seymour @endlessly-cursed, Selene Fraser and Alan the Ferret @lifeofkaze

Warnings: schemes.

May 1896

The sun was high in the sky and the spring bulbs had finished blooming. The castle grounds were beautiful at this time of year, but even as she wandered, Ophelia kept close to the paths. She had but one summer dress, and she did not wish to dirty it in the grass, especially not with so many eligible young men outside enjoying the warm weather.

Today, she had her heart set on going to the lake. At their most recent Art Society meeting, Jim Hexley and Lysander Mercury had invited Bradford Pendleton to join a boating party with the Hufflepuffs, and Ophelia had taken it upon herself to venture down to the lake to watch. Though she despised getting wet, she had heard rumours that one of Jim and Lysander’s companions, one Mr Henry Alderly, was not just a young gentleman of fortune, but of nobility. She simply had to see his regal behaviour for herself.

When she reached the lake, she found that she need not join in with the boats after all. On the shore, a girl she recognised as Jim Hexley’s cousin Ivy Anders had set up a picnic of small triangular sandwiches, delicately iced biscuits, and hot tea, and was watching the others lark about in the boats.

“Hello, Ophelia,” she said, immediately drawing a china plate out of the hamper in front of her. “Would you like a scone?”

Ophelia accepted the plate, which now had on it a small cake topped with cream and jam, and carefully took a seat next to Ivy on her gingham blanket.

“Thank you, Miss Anders,” she replied, in the clipped accent she had learned how to imitate from years of sharing a dormitory with Adelia and Carolyn. “This looks rather delightful.”

“You are too kind. I should eat it quickly, if I were you, before my cousin gets wind that I’m serving them and eats the whole lot.”

“I cannot imagine that Jeremiah would do such a thing,” said Ophelia, frowning deeply. Jim Hexley may have been somewhat of a bumpkin, but he had always behaved with perfect courtesy. It was a shame, really; if only he were richer, he might make a fine husband himself. And his family connections - though not as formidable as those of Bradford Pendleton or Henry Alderly - were quite proper.

“I do not mean Jimmy,” Ivy muttered darkly, and her eyes drifted across to a boat in the middle of the lake where two girls were balancing with their feet on the gunwhale, a ferret sitting atop one of their heads.

Ophelia made what she assumed was a sympathetic noise. She had forgotten about Jim Hexley’s twin sister Ethel. Perhaps his family connections were not quite so proper, after all. She really was far better off sticking to her plan, and trying her luck with Henry Alderly. She didn’t suppose that any member of the British aristocracy would have a sister who behaved in such an unladylike fashion as Ethel Hexley.

She smiled demurely as she nibbled on the scone, watching another of the boats, this one containing several of the Hufflepuff boys.

“Pray, Miss Anders,” she said, in a voice that she hoped sounded as if it only contained a trace of curiosity. “I do not think that I know all of your friends. Who is that in the boat with your cousin and Mr Mercury?”

“That tall one is Max,” Ivy informed her, her cheeks flushing slightly pink. “Maxwell Pembroke. He’s the Seeker for our house Quidditch team, I’m sure you knew that.” Ophelia did not know, but she nodded her head, and Ivy continued, “Next to him you have Jesse Seymour, and then that is Henry Alderly. You know, he’s a distant cousin of Queen Victoria.”

“Is he really?”

Ophelia continued to watch the boys with feigned indifference, though in truth, she was taking great interest in the comportment of Mr Alderly. Lord Alderly? Duke? Prince? She would have to find this out. In her head she ran through the possible titles, before deciding that Viscountess Ophelia had the nicest ring to it. Now all she had to do was convince Henry Alderly to give her a ring of her own, preferably one that glittered prettily in the light, like the brooches Marigold liked to wear. But how to get a royal gentleman to notice her?

The answer came to her quickly. She had read more than enough books to know that an honourable gentleman would always come to the aid of a lady in need. And so, as Ivy finished unpacking the picnic and the boats landed, Ophelia rose to her feet. She waited until the boating party had gathered on the shore and Henry Alderly was in close vicinity before she implemented her cunning plan.

“It is rather hot today, is it not?” she said, loudly enough for Queen Victoria’s distant cousin to hear her, all the while fanning herself gently with one hand. “It’s enough to make one feel quite light-headed.”

When no one replied, Ophelia decided to wait a few moments longer. Soon, the conversation around her came to a slight lull, and she seized her opportunity. With a loud sigh, she brought the back of her hand to her forehead and dropped to the floor, where she lay motionless with her eyes closed.

That had definitely caught someone’s attention at least, for above her, she could hear voices.

“Oh dear! She has fainted!”

“It must be the heat!”

“Should we take her to the Hospital Wing?”

Ophelia kept her eyes closed, trying not to smile to herself. Her plan had worked perfectly. Hopefully, Henry Alderly would now offer to carry her to the Hospital Wing as part of his royal duty.

“Maybe we should try to wake her first.”

“Excellent idea. Does anyone have any smelling salts?”

“Why would anyone bring smelling salts to the lake, Lysander?”

“In case someone faints!”

“We don’t need smelling salts. I have something even better. Quickly, move!”

Suddenly, a foul stench pierced Ophelia’s nostrils, making her retch slightly. The game being up, she opened her eyes and found herself looking directly at the minky-furred hindquarters of a ferret. She shrieked.

“Excellent work, Selly! You woke her up!” declared Ethel Hexley, taking the ferret away from Ophelia at last. “And excellent work by you as well, Alan. You really are such a very clever ferret.”

Ophelia spluttered as Ivy Anders eased her into a seated position and pressed a glass of apple juice into her hands.

“Here, drink this,” she told her, before turning to the boys. “Would you all please give her some air?”

And with that, the boys backed away, including Henry Alderly. Ophelia frowned. Her wonderful plan had not been so wonderful after all. She would have to try again another day.

For now, though, she would concentrate on getting the smell of ferret out of her hair.